Wilhelm van Astrea slashed. Puck deflected his attack with a blade of ice, then sent an icicle at him. He ducked below it and stabbed Puck's stomach. Right as he did it, Puck's body grew faint. His sword passed through, and the spirit's body disappeared. The cat's essence flew back to the crystal in Otto's hand. The merchant whispered to the gem.
He didn't care for their words, and raced toward them, sword ready.
Rats scattered, coming from the underbrush. Squirrels and bugs followed. Something pushed at his mind, fuzzing his identity. He gripped his face and ripped off a little chunk…wait, who was he? He hadn't moved his arm, but he had. Wilhelm shook his head, and cut the rodents to pieces. His shoes stomped bugs and crushed rats. That thing continued pushing at his consciousness. He fought it off as he kept slicing bugs out of the air. Theresia wouldn't want him to freeze up in the middle of battle, so he held firm.
A few grizzly bears sprinted toward him from the trees. Hunger rose in his stomach, and that thing pushed more. Everything felt fuzzy; he pushed back, trying to hold himself together.
He was Wilhelm van Astrea.
He shook his head. A bear roared, its claws coming. He cut its paw off and kicked its teeth in.
"It seems your fear was justified brother, ~tsu. What a useless sibling. Indeed quite useless. Evidently very useless. Useless after all. All along quite useless. But we'll help out a bit."
That push at his consciousness succeeded.
Bizarre shook off Wilhelm's name and breathed as themself. Another bear crunched down on their shoulder. Its teeth dug into muscle and cracked bone. The pain sobered them from the effects of Solar Eclipse.
"We love you." The memory called. As the grizzly tried to rip their arm off, they ignored the fear of Solar Eclipse and activated it once more.
Neiji Rockheart flipped around, grabbing the bear's neck. He closed his fist, crushing it. The bear whined as it died and let go of his shoulder.
The third, and final, bear pounced, trying to bite his face off. He smiled, set his feet, and shoved his fist forward. A shockwave blasted away from him, shattering every bone in the bear's body with a deafening boom.
He laughed and turned to the wave of rodents and bugs. They scurried toward him on their little legs. He coiled his hand back and slammed it forward.
The strike destroyed them too.
He smirked. He was the greatest warrior of Guinihive. What were a few rats going to accomplish?
He turned toward where the merchant boy had been. There was a path of footsteps where he'd likely run off to his next trap.
A force pushed on Neiji's identity. He shoved back, until there were pins and needles pricking from within his self. Even his teeth felt all fuzzy, what was going on? Something was scouring him away, and he couldn't do a thing.
"I am, Neiji…"
"No, we're the Bizarre Eating."
They breathed deeply and wiped away the cold sweat as their stomach roared.
Bizarre started sprinting through the forest, sword in hand. They'd find Otto and consume him. Hunger drove them forward. The pain building in their heart wouldn't stop them.
Theresia would have made us some good food.
Bizarre smiled at the thought. Their wife had always been a good cook, especially after they'd finished their battles on Guinihive. The forest blurred as they sped up.
A smell entered his nose. Smoke.
Otto had lit another fire. Time to eat.
They blasted out of the trees and arrived in a small clearing. Puck floated in the center. They'd seen this many times before. There'd be some gap in the center here, or some rope draped between branches.
Bizarre was too hungry to care.
"You really need to brush your teeth," Puck said, his arms crossed and his lips quirked in a smile.
Bizarre grinned, "There's no point. They just get aaaaall dirty again. We're too hungry."
"You could stop eating so much," Puck suggested.
Bizarre giggled, "Stop eating? Stop eating? Stop eating?"
They repeated the question over and over again, trying to make sure they'd gotten it right. Stop eating? Their lips pulled back and he wheezed from the hilarity.
"Hey, it seems simple to me, just watch your weight," Puck said, gesturing to his stomach, "See, I'm all slim, and I'm a cat."
Bizarre ignored him and looked for Otto.
As he did so, Puck threw his hands out and unleashed a barrage of icicles.
Julius Juukulius cut each one of them down, then reached for his buds. Yet, after a quick search, he realized they were gone.
"Buds?" Julius asked. Confusion rose in his heart. A force toppled his personality.
For a second, Bizarre breathed, until Puck blasted him with more ice.
Wilhelm van Astrea dodged every shard, barreling toward the cat for a counter attack.
Puck flew out of the way then moved to attack.
Wilhelm pilfered the opportunity and stabbed.
Puck turned his sword away with an icicle.
That force, now practiced, came for the sword demon once more. It tried to scour him away.
"THERESIA!" he screamed and unleashed a barrage of sword swings at Puck. The spirit vanished.
Otto stepped out of the trees, holding a little red crystal. He tossed it to Wilhelm's feet. Then pushed his arms out to the side, into globes of white light.
"You know…" Otto said, "helping a friend is a pain in the fucking ass."
Despite his words, he was grinning.
Wilhelm understood the sentiment, "It really is annoying." Eh, Grimm?
The force tried to push him out, but he remained.
"Idiot," a girl whispered and ripped him away.
Louis Arneb shook her head. Her brother was truly an idiot. She scooped Wilhelm's name out of Bizarre, forcing his body back to normal, and exited.
The world rocked; Bizarre clutched at their chest and struggled for breath, "Ah…"
Solar Eclipse was…odd…to use. But Bizarre could tell their fear had been misplaced. If only Louis wouldn't be so weird about it.
Bizarre could use it. They could. They didn't need help.
Theresia had helped them hold on when they were fighting in Guinihive. And their buds had always lent to their fighting strength.
This was the correct state of their memory.
These powers would let him consume.
Puck manifested above Otto, "You know you're really in need of a shower, kid."
"Who's the kid?" they asked. Bizarre clutched at his head.
What was Puck saying? What had Bizarre's response been? Their hearing was weird. They were interpreting the words in four different ways at the same time.
Bizarre ran their hand through their hair.
Why were they so hungry? Where was Joshua?
Bizarre shook away the delirium, and walked toward Otto.
The fire stone exploded behind.
Their reflexes took over and they—
Were Beli Heinelga. The fire warmed his back, but didn't harm him at all. He grinned at the merchant.
Did he really think he could get through Carnivorous Beast?
Many had tried; he'd butchered them all.
Beli took a step toward Otto.
At that moment, new fire stones cooked off and blew up.
The explosion was deafening, and the fire hotter than anything he'd ever felt.
As burns formed along his back, he had to wonder how many had been buried below the dirt.
His ears rang. Then a sound came, like a voice from far away in the snow, behind the muffling noise of the blizzards back in Gusteko.
His grin widened even more as he stepped toward Otto, remembering how useful the muffling effect of those blizzards had been.
Hard to hear a scream in them.
But the merchant didn't back down; he said another thing which Beli couldn't pick out. Then a massive wall of earth rampaged toward him.
The dirt and stone roiled with such force it shook his teeth. And that cat was floating in his peripheral.
He ignored both, and walked toward Otto.
The wall of earth struck him, dirt covered and tried to grind him up, but didn't do much more than bruise his skin. The only annoying part was that he had to put his hand in front of his eyes. He sighed, this was boring. All he was doing was slowly walking through the deluge of earth. He wasn't even doing any butchering yet.
Nothing was even happening.
Until the cat whispered something, which his ears finally picked up, "Time for bed."
Beli looked over. Puck's hands were cast out, palms aimed at him.
"Hey, can you remain physical long enough for me to carve you up?" Beli asked.
"That'd be a no, sorry," Puck chuckled as a beam of white launched from his hands and connected with Beli's shoulder.
It bypassed Carnivorous Beast instantly.
Drilling through his skin, evaporating muscle, and pulverizing bone.
His eyes widened, how? How was it this powerful? There was blood, spraying from his arm…
Fear chilled Beli's heart and he tried to get out of the blast, but it was too late.
His entire right side was vaporized.
His arm, all of his shoulder, and a portion of his torso. Gone.
Pain replaced his lost flesh.
As he screamed, his mind was scoured away, replaced by Bizarre.
They yanked themselves away from the attack, desperately moving even while screaming.
Their knees hit the ground.
"Ah," they grunted while pushing themself up. Their right side dropped, oh, they didn't have a right arm anymore.
Damnit.
They frantically scrambled up, using a nearby tree to hoist themselves. The bark flaked away and they almost crashed down. Bizarre bit his lip and dug his nails into the tree. They ripped off as he continued climbing.
They barely made it to their feet.
Once there they dashed away from Otto and Puck.
They'd go find another meal.
Theresia! They'd find her. She'd cook something for him.
They managed an escape, running deep into the forest. Puck had offered no pursuit.
"Mama," they whispered, trying to find her in this land of tall pines and old oaks.
They should find Mama.
No, not yet, they had to get that meal first.
The smell of Theresia's cooking was so strong in their nose.
After a few minutes, they'd crossed the entirety of the forest.
Somewhere outside Kremaldy, would be a village. So many free meals just waiting for them.
"Ow…" A yelp jumped from their mouth. What was that?
They checked their mind…where were the mabeasts?
"All dead…?" they grinned, "Ooh."
Was it that guy in the suit?
So there was more food in Sanctuary, and so close too.
Bizarre reached over to their lost arm. With Lunar Eclipse they applied healing magic to the grevious wound, cutting off the bleeding.
As they pulled their hand away, they turned back to the forest.
Time to eat.
But Bizarre wouldn't go in unaided this time. They were too hungry to risk being forced away again.
"This way," they directed, not commanded. They couldn't do that with this one.
And with it, they'd have to race for their meal.
Bizarre cast a glance over their shoulder, sure enough, there it was.
The calamity which had crossed the world over and over to sate its hunger.
"You get it, ~tsu," they whispered.
A cacophony of screams, chittering, and teeth clacking, responded. Like a great blanket of snow, it rolled across the grass, blood shooting up as it devoured every living thing in its path. With the trees before, the snow behind, Bizarre readied for their meal.
They dashed back into the forest, pumping their arms, all the while the Great Rabbit followed.
Otto looked over at Puck. The spirit was beginning to fade. That attack had used up the last of his mana.
"So your plan worked out," Puck noted, "good thing he was too dumb to call our bluff."
"Vaporizing half his body isn't really a bluff, don't you think?" he asked. At least in his book, that counted for a bit more.
"Fair," Puck admitted.
"Is there anything you need?" he asked.
Puck shook his head, "I've already entrusted Lia's protection to Subaru."
Otto nodded, and let the spirit return to the blue gemstone in silence.
This was it for Puck, his mana and physical form were gone until Emilia stored up enough to remake their contract. He rubbed the crystal and stowed it in his pocket, then set off for Echidna's Tomb. The twins might need his help, and he'd likely be useless to Subaru.
"Natsuki-san would want me to help Ram anyway," he said with a wry smile.
The idiot still tried to keep up a tough act with his friends. He might have to beat it out of him one of these days.
A pink maid appeared in his mind, her face stern and warm.
Nevermind.
Ram would keep him in line, and Otto was not getting in her way.
He lashed Elsa, scoring her skin with blood.
She grabbed at his whip, but missed the catch. Gritting her teeth, she threw her body toward him. Nan glowed and Subaru put his palm out. She tried biting his fingers.
"El Minya!" he yelled, shooting shards of purple.
She ducked low, running on all fours and bit. Nan manifested a shield of Yin crystal, blocking her teeth. He struck her across the face with his whip. Blood sprayed from her cheek, and the cut healed slower than the other wounds.
He narrowed his eyes; she was nearing the limit of her healing abilities. He slapped his whip through the air once more, but her hand snapped to it. She yanked him to her.
"El Minya," he said once more. She quickly leaped to the side, letting the shards whiz past. Nan took control of the spell, piloting the blades and sending them after Elsa. The girl ran in circles around Subaru, trying to use him as a way to get the shards of shadow off her. Nan was too skilled for her though. Nothing hit Subaru, and Elsa never got a second to breathe.
"Nice aim," Subaru commented while he focused on Elsa.
"I wonder…why is she so weak to magic?" That familiar curiosity returned from Nan. Subaru didn't know the answer, so instead focused on making use of it.
He waved his hand, dispelling all the Minya shards. Slowing to a stop, Elsa gazed at him, weary. She wiped away the tears in her eyes again, what was she seeing and hearing? He didn't know, and didn't care to find out.
"El Shamac."
A shadow blasted out of him. Elsa lazed around, standing there as she watched tendrils of black mist approach her. On her face was an expression he knew well. She was deciding whether to let it take her or not.
"Elsa!" Meili screamed and sprinted toward Subaru. Elsa's eyes snapped to the girl, and she tried to dodge out of the shadow's way, though it was too little too late. The mist caught her, leaving her paralyzed.
With her out of the way, his attention shifted to Meili, and a question came to his mind.
Would killing her benefit the situation?
His body grew in size. His muscles went taut. Stripes spread across his skin, along with hair. Kurgan continued bearing down on Emilia with blows from his fists and slashes from his cleavers. She barely defended herself. A mix of summoned ice, spinning dodges, and counters, were the only reason she had lived this long.
And she was gradually losing.
Within only a few moments she'd end up chopped in half, Emilia would die. She'd be killed, torn to nothing.
The person who'd been helping him protect Sanctuary would die.
All because he'd failed to help.
Garfiel bellowed, throwing massive hands out to the side and presenting his chest.
He was the Shield of the Sanctuary, and Emilia had stood at his back, she'd kept mabeasts and Theresia off him, she'd prevented him from dying. She'd been Sanctuary's second shield, and its liberator.
So no matter what happened, no matter what eight-armed swordsman of legend got in his way, he wouldn't let his debt go unpaid.
He charged at Kurgan and cocked his fist. Kurgan turned his head, but he was too slow. Garfiel punched him in the jaw, blasting Kurgan's head to the side and throwing him to the ground with a spray of dirt. He raised his arms to the air and slammed down on the prone man. Kurgan barely rolled out of Garfiel's way in time.
The swordsman jumped to his feet and defended however he could. He ended up using his sword like a shield to stop Garfiel's knuckles.
Garfiel howled and kept attacking, trying to think of any weak points Kurgan had.
He could manage a quick jab. He could manage a kick into the swordsman's knees. He could manage a strike of earth using his Divine Protection.
But soon, Kurgan's weaknesses were gone, and his attacks impotent.
He held onto as much of his thought process as he could, trying to plan a way around Kurgan, but it wasn't working. He was losing. Kurgan's blocks were growing more and more adept and fast. Soon, the Vollachian would be able to completely dismantle his offense. Garfiel let out a deep shout and tried to come up with a plan.
It was so difficult in this state. No new thoughts arose, and none connected with each other to form a strategy. Thinking felt like trying to push a boulder up a hill.
Within seconds, the battle was completely different. Any plan that had been close was gone now.
Kurgan thrust his sword.
All his thoughts fell away and he punched straight for Kurgan's face, but he was far too slow.
Kurgan easily ducked below his fist, and his other hand had already been used the moment prior.
Garfiel was wide open.
The swordsman pointed both swords at his chest, and shoved. Emilia yelled something he couldn't hear. Ice leaped from the ground, blocking Kurgan's attack, and saving Garfiel's life. For a second, he turned his eyes toward Emilia.
Which left another opportunity.
Kurgan took it and struck at Garfiel again. Focused entirely on removing him from the battle, yet nothing worked, as Emilia continued defending him. She threw countless walls of ice up to keep him alive. And not once did Garfiel catch a hint of thought on her face.
Ah, that was it.
Planning wouldn't get him anywhere.
The battle changed too fast, and he was already too slow.
Garfiel let his thoughts go, and embraced instinct. He threw himself toward Kurgan, lining up a punch.
Kurgan almost failed to muster a defense, but just barely he managed to throw Garfiel's fist aside with three of his own.
He screamed, trying to bite Kurgan's head off. The man ducked beneath his open jaws and tried to stab Garfiel in the stomach. But still, he charged the swordsman. Right on time, a wall of ice blocked Kurgan's strike, robbing the seven-arms of all momentum.
It dropped away just in time for Garfiel to keep his and punch Kurgan in the chest.
The seven-armed swordsman lunged back and threw a barrage of attacks at Garfiel. Each one failed as Emilia blocked them all, and each time giving him the opening to score a hit.
It didn't stop till Kurgan turned and sprang toward Emilia. Before he got anywhere, Garfiel's hand snapped down and closed around his leg. A roar ripped from his throat, as he yanked Kurgan into the air and threw him down on a bed of spikes created by Emilia.
He drove the Vollachian through each point.
Blood splattered from Kurgan's body, his robe was ripped to shreds, his eye was drowning in blood from a wound in his forehead, and his throat was open. Somehow Kurgan shoved himself into a roll, breaking most of the spikes, then quickly jumped to his feet. When he stood, the swordsman's knees buckled, and his body finally gave way.
Garfiel screamed in rage once more, and threw a final punch, infused with all of his resolve to protect Sanctuary. Emilia summoned a massive hammer of ice and wound up. As Garfiel's fist approached Kurgan, Emilia swung.
His fist went into Kurgan's chest, and Emilia's hammer into his back. Bones crunched beneath their attacks. Kurgan's hood blasted off from the shockwaves of both impacts. His blue face and red eyes glanced between both of them, full of admiration.
The swordsman stood on knees which were shattered and bent like cloth, his eyes were full of blood, his robe was falling away to reveal blue skin, and yet somehow he was still standing.
Not because of some Sin Archbishops orders, not because of some bowel hunting bitch's orders, not because of some Witch's orders.
None of that was holding Kurgan up.
The man was free, liberated of all of it, and he was standing, taller and stronger than ever.
He was an obelisk of war and battle, judging Garfiel and Emilia.
Garfiel realized how he was standing.
Kurgan, the greatest war hero of the Holy Vollachian Empire was holding himself up with sheer admiration for a demi-human boy, and a half-elven girl.
"What a magnificent hammer and anvil," Kurgan whispered, his unchained voice so powerful and radiating through Garfiel.
Somehow, he exuded the aura of a warrior as he became a statue of ash.
Then fissures spread along him.
He did not crumble. He did not waver and fall. He did not surrender.
He merely accepted the strength Garfiel and Emilia had demonstrated, all while looking upon them with the respect between warriors.
He held his eyes on Meili while Elsa remained paralyzed by his spell. He stepped toward the girl; she held her ground, though the fear was clear in her eyes. Her knees trembled and she was crying while attempting to hold a fake smile. She was trying to look cute while he loomed above her. He moved his left hand, and the right side of her body snapped away, her arms jumping up to hold herself, and her teeth chattering.
As he stared into those terrified eyes, the question came again, would killing her benefit them? Wait…should he?
"Huh," he grunted, there was nothing in his heart either way, not even emptiness.
"Hey…" Meili pushed that smile back onto her face, "you don't want to hurt me. I won't hurt you, I promise."
He quickly checked for mabeasts with his Authority, there were none, "Well, she doesn't have any mabeasts to control…so she wouldn't be dangerous if she lived…"
Meili trembled and she stepped away slowly, shaking her hands, "Yeah, I'm not dangerous."
"But then again…when Elsa finds out she's dead, she'd get irrational," he held his hand to his chin, "which would make it easier to kill her."
Meili tried to turn and run, but he quickly shook off his thoughts and grabbed the back of her coat. From there he lifted her off the ground and toward him. Inspecting her, he searched for any emotions to help him decide. Nothing really came up. Just apathy.
Although, there was that small voice at the back of his head, whispering, Don't.
Why?
That voice, so faint, answered, It's wrong.
Subaru cocked his head, finally realizing. This was the voice he'd crushed when he killed Otto. Maybe it was a good idea to listen? Still though, killing Meili could make Elsa sloppy. As he considered this, Meili was still shaking, desperately trying to get him to drop her, even going as far as to bite his wrist.
Maybe that voice was right. This time he wouldn't crush it. He and Ram would nurture it instead.
Searching for another course of action, he deferred to Nan, "What should we do with her? Without killing her."
"Meili?" Nan said, "Knock her out and we'll imprison her later."
Subaru nodded and punched Meili in the temple. Then dropped her to the ground. He stared down at her body, laid out by his attack. Once he'd run into that forest just for her, now he was wondering if he should kill her.
"Moral quandaries, so that's my weak point eh? Never thought I'd really have to think in this situation," he reflected while Meili's head started leaking blood. The voice was there, but was his empathy really still alive? Was it still functional? Would it forever be this tiny voice in the back of his head?
Nah, Ram'd bring it back to the surface. He didn't have to worry.
He turned back to Elsa and stretched his palm toward the woman. She snapped out of his spell and looked at the girl.
"Meili!" Elsa ripped a second knife from her clothes and dashed. She crossed the distance between them before Subaru could even react.
As her jaw closed in on his stomach, he faced death once more. But he didn't accept it. Instead, he tried pulling mana from the atmosphere and shielding himself, but he couldn't form the spell fast enough.
Elsa's canines touched his stomach, a little bit of blood drizzling down.
Frost covered Elsa's arm and a coffin of frozen water grabbed her legs.
She didn't even notice, she just tried digging her fingers into his stomach while shouting, "Get away from her!"
The rage and sorrow in her eyes had destroyed most of her rational thought. Subaru looked over Elsa's shoulder, where a silver-haired girl stood.
"Thanks, Emilia," he said.
The half-elf smiled.
Subaru grabbed Elsa's head. She sliced at his stomach with her unfrozen arm.
Garfiel grabbed her wrist before she did any damage. His pale skin shining in the light of Subaru's spirits.
"Die, ya crazy bitch," Garfiel growled as he ripped her arm off. Elsa breathed heavily as she very slowly grew a new arm. Her eyes were jumping around, trying to find something. She'd become almost mindless, just desperately struggling even though half her body was ice.
He tightened his grip on the Bowel Hunter's head, and said, "Minya."
A wave of crystals spread along her body, consuming her entirely.
When she'd fully turned, he pushed her statue over. She hit the ground with a crash, and her body exploded into tiny pieces.
Garfiel breathed a sigh of relief, but Subaru quickly said, "Keep watching, we don't know if that was her last regeneration or not."
"Aye, Cap'n," he nodded and regained his vigilance.
The three stared around, watching for any sign of Elsa.
Subaru's spirits screamed; he flipped around to find her mindless body charging him. Her unhinged and open jaws were coming straight for his face.
Emilia waved her wrist and ice consumed the woman.
Subaru quickly moved his arm and transformed Elsa into a purple statue. With a snap of his fingers, she fell apart.
Elsa hadn't been acting with a personality or mind. She'd just been an empty vessel. He heaved a sigh of relief, "That was it, she's dead."
Garfiel and Emilia both let out their own sighs and began healing themselves. Subaru ignored the many lacerations and cuts layering his body. He was still conscious, so it was fine.
However, the injuries didn't go unnoticed, "Subaru," Emilia said, concerned, "are you hurt?"
"A bit," he admitted.
"You don't have to hide being hurt," Nan said.
"I didn't feel all that hurt," Subaru responded honestly.
He could feel Nan shaking his head, even though he didn't have one. Garfiel finished healing himself and stepped over to Subaru, "You got a few cuts, Cap'n?"
"A few," Subaru pulled off his jacket, revealing the vast amounts of blood soaking through his shirt. He'd sustained little actual damage to his clothes, but thanks to his Authority he'd taken quite a few cuts. Emilia's eyes widened, and she walked over to start healing him.
Garfiel's eyes were full of stunned surprise, which soon turned to admiration. The tiger touched Emilia's shoulder, "Don't worry, my amazin' self's got this."
She nodded as Garfiel pushed his hand against his chest. Warm healing magic flowed. His cuts all closed quickly. As he worked, Garfiel pulled open his shirt to get a better look at the injuries. Bruises and gashes were layered all across his stomach.
"How you still standin', Cap'n?" Garfiel asked, still impressed.
"No idea," Subaru responded. He barely even understood the question. Why wouldn't he be standing? Nan continued to shake his non-existent head at him. He ignored both of them and let the healing continue.
While the tiger worked, Subaru got a tickle in his brain.
Why was Garfiel only using one hand?
His fingers snapped around Garfiel's limp wrist, dragging his hand up to view.
The boy's eyes widened, as did Subaru's when he saw. Garfiel was missing the fingers on his right hand, save the thumb.
I should reset.
"I love you, Barusu."
He dragged his nails along his cheek while Garfiel squirmed.
"Mmh," he grunted, still trying to think.
"Garfiel, what happened?" Emilia asked, so confidently.
As the boy began explaining it, Subaru understood.
He could still ask for help.
"Garfiel," he said, interrupting his and Emilia's talk.
"Cap'n?" the boy asked, anxious.
"If you had the choice, would you save your fingers in exchange for the same attack on Sanctuary happening again?"
Garfiel tilted his head, keeping his fingerless hand to his side, almost out of sight, "What do you mean, Cap'n?"
"Answer me as honestly as possible, if we had the same preparations, and were all rested, would you have us fend off this same attack all for your fingers?"
The boy pulled his hand back out, and stared down at all the stumps where his fingers had been, "No, because let's be honest, Cap'n, mos' 'f this victory's been luck. We'd be fucked worse if we had t'do it again."
"Alright then, get back to healing, I can't plan shit out half-dead."
Garfiel laughed and finished up. When he was done he said, "Aight, yer all good, Cap'n."
"Thanks," Subaru said and turned toward Echidna's tomb, "let's go meet up with Rem and Ram."
He sent off his spirits to scout ahead. But he already started walking toward Echidna's tomb. A nagging feeling tickled his awareness, like he was forgetting something.
His spirits returned, shouting at him in terror.
When they told him why, his heart dropped, "Ah, right…fuck."
He broke into a sprint.
Capella breathed fire onto the little blonde spirit cunt.
She'd finally put the dots together, the bitch was the Greatly stupid Spirit of Roswaal L. Mathers' Forbidden Library.
The intuition within advised her to flee this battle. But she wasn't about to let this bitch just go. No, she was going to incinerate her, reduce her to wispy mana then heal her and burn her again.
Though even then, she wouldn't die, because she was Capella Emerada Lugunica. Nothing could kill this lovely lady. It was simply an impossible feat. That limp dicked Regulus Corneas had tried many times. That little slave boy, who'd deserved it, Ley Batenkaitos had no doubt been secretly planning it, and he was dead.
But she was still alive, unkillable.
Beatrice stared up at her from within the fire, a shield of Yin defending her. She bathed the spirit in flame, waiting to hear those tortured and musical screams. The intuition within changed course, it didn't advise running now. Good, it had caught up.
She altered her form, making the organs which allowed her to breathe fire grow stronger. They had to create more heat, enough to break even the Shitty Spirit's shield. She also formed an extra head to speak with.
While breathing fire, she asked, "You thought you could kill this lovely lady?"
Beatrice's voice pierced across the distance and through the inferno, likely due to a spell, "Betty doesn't think she can kill you, I suppose." Her voice was so bratty and smug, "I know I can kill you."
Capella pushed her second head down toward Beatrice, and declared, "This lovely lady's gonna kill you, then go have fun with Natsuki Subaru."
"What is your twisted fun going to entail?" Beatrice's voice was low and serious, desperately trying to hold onto her own perceived superiority. The bitch no doubt felt it slipping away.
"I'm gonna twist him into all sorts of shapes, the different screams will bring this lovely lady all sorts of joy." She could almost taste it, the anticipation was growing. She didn't even have to doubt that it'd come, because it would, and it'd be wonderful.
For a moment Beatrice was silent, her sense of superiority entirely falling away now.
Instead, Capella's fire disappeared.
Beatrice held a little singularity in her palm and said with absolute smug and stupid certainty, "Betty will not let that happen, harlot."
Capella snarled, changed into a massive snake, and coiled along the ground toward the cunt. Then ran forward in her normal form. Her arms reached out, bending into beautifully monstrous appendages. Beatrice glared at her with disgust and waved her hand, teleporting the lovely lady back to her starting point.
"This lovely lady isn't stopped that easily!" she yelled, "I'm gonna kill you, meatbag!"
Beatrice's face didn't take on a hint of fear. Her intuition pushed her to attack, understanding that it was the best way forward.
Which would never result in death.
Capella Emerada Lugunica couldn't die.
She sprinted toward Beatrice dozens of times, trying to cross the distance by contorting her body into horrid forms. But no matter what she tried, she was always thrown right back to her starting point, right back to the scorched grass and smoking trees. What a spoiled brat this spirit was.
Across the battlefield, a purple glow emanated from the bitch's heart and she said, "Betty's wasted time with you is nearly over, I suppose."
"This lovely lady's never gonna be over," Capella ran toward her, "get the lesson, you dirty meatbag."
Beatrice stretched out her hand, the air bent from the puny power held in her fist, "This lovely Betty doesn't care for your feelings of superiority, meatbag."
Rage stormed through her, and she bellowed, "HOW FUCKING DARE YOU! I AM SUPERIOR! I AM CAPELLA EMERADA LUGUNICA! DON'T COPY ME!"
She took her black dragon form and roared at the little girl. Beatrice only flashed a disgustingly smug smile and said, "This lovely Betty is superior to you, in fact."
Capella screamed, "YOU MEATBAG BITCH!"
Beatrice remained completely smug as she said, "Al Minya."
A blackhole manifested in Capella's chest.
All her organs ripped to a hundred pieces. Capella screamed in agony as her body tore to shreds. She called upon her Authority and tried to heal herself, but the singularity consumed all that she created.
But she held on, growing more and more of her wonderful self.
Capella Emerada Lugunica couldn't die. It was impossible. She screamed and raged against the unjust situation. Her body twisting as she lost control of her Authority. She formed as much new flesh as she could. She didn't care that it was completely shapeless. She was just creating more meat to stay alive. More substance. More anything. Though, no matter what happened, she wouldn't die.
Capella Emerada Lugnica couldn't die.
She cursed the world that had led her to this. It didn't understand that she was incapable of dying.
Her body compounded and twisted into a hulking mass of flesh, but that ripping hole in space continued yanking her in, consuming her. She clawed more and more meat into existence, so as to not be swallowed in its force. Space bent around her. Her emotions twisted. This couldn't be the end. It couldn't be. It couldn't be.
This little girl who sat in a fucking library for centuries would not be the end of Capella Emerada Lugnica. SHE COULD NOT!
Beatrice hovered in the air above her. The mass of meat that was her body grew toward the girl, and Capella created an arm and face to grab her little dumb dress, "MEATBAG! THIS LOVELY LADY CAN'T DIE!"
"That is wrong, in fact," Beatrice whispered and closed her hand. The singularity ripped her apart once more. Capella's face screamed as more meat grew over it. She couldn't breathe. New flesh molded over whatever she used to take in air, but Capella ignored the lack of oxygen. She needed to live.
NO! She didn't need to live.
She would live.
Capella Emerada Lugunica couldn't die!
The brainless mass of flesh that was her, drew on its Authority. After a moment, she manifested a new brain for herself. It was so tiny, her thoughts were so slow, and most were focused on creating new flesh. Yet, even then, she knew what everything else failed to comprehend.
This lovely lady can't die. It's WRONG!
Her slow mind screamed. She vehemently denied it, for she couldn't die. It made no sense. How could she die? The blackhole reached up, consuming more of her until almost nothing remained. She would not die.
Capella Emerada Lugunica couldn't die!
I will not die here. It's impossible. This lovely lady can't die! THIS LOVELY LADY CAN'T DIE!
Capella Emerada Lugunica couldn't die! She was a being immune to aging. She could cure any disease she had. She was superior. She had a mind which grasped all and couldn't be deceived. She had an in-born intuition which allowed her to make the best decisions in all scenarios she found herself mired within. She possessed arms which could take any shape, regardless of birth. She possessed legs which could hold any level of muscle and power necessary to push herself on. She possessed an Authority which gave her absolute control over others and granted her the ability to gain their love. She'd taken the love of so many meatbags and made them her own. She was Capella Emerada Lugunica.
The blackhole consumed most of her body.
She made more meat and substance, desperately clawing at straws.
CAPELLA EMERADA LUGUNICA COULDN'T DIE!
The singularity reversed, and a massive shockwave of power focused entirely on her. It reduced her to a crystal statue, consuming all cells.
A crushing realization came.
Capella Emerada Lugunica could die.
This lovely lady's going to die.
It was her last moment, and in that last moment, she realized something else.
In order to claw her way toward the moon, desperately trying to escape, she'd turned herself into a hulking mess.
Blood held in only by skin and muscle.
Nothing but a meatbag.
Otto sprinted toward her. She watched him ascend the stairs with frantic bounds. He jumped up three steps at a time until he reached the top. Ram was still laying on the ground while Rem administered more healing, desperately trying to stop any bleeding and heal the more grievous fractures. Her younger sister's mouth was pursed from all the effort. Ram tried smiling for her, but she only ended up breaking her lip open and tasting iron.
"Otto," she said once he got to the top, "what's going on?"
The man took a second to catch his breath then said, "We all have to get ready, the animals told me that…" Otto took another breath, "Roy Alphard is coming…with the Great Rabbit."
Despair touched her heart. The Great Rabbit. They didn't have the ability to hold it off or redirect it. But maybe…there was a tiny possibility they'd pull out a miracle. Some infeasible chance, almost as likely as Barusu pulling off a victory against Ley Batenkaitos alone.
A chance so small it made micro spirits seem colossal.
Yet still, without any hesitation, Ram grasped the possibility and banished her doubt and despair. She forced herself to stand, even while her bones cracked.
Otto looked toward the horizon, likely the direction the Rabbit was coming from.
"Do you have any form of plan?" Frederica asked Otto. Her voice was grizzly in her beast form.
Ram agreed with her colleague, "We'll need one. So wrack that mostly useless brain of yours for something."
Otto held his hand up to his chin, "I really only have…qhold until Natsuki-san can get us some help."
"That's all I can come up with as well," Ram reluctantly admitted. This was truly a scenario with barely any options at all.
After a second she went back to the basics, "Otto, you and Frederica need to find some way to redirect the Rabbit, or at least delay it."
"What about you and Rem?" Frederica asked, her teeth bared and ready.
"We'll find some way to hold off Alphard," she answered, her mind racing with possibilities.
"Ram-san," Otto said, "be careful. He's advanced beyond what Natsuki-san warned of."
"What do you mean?" Ram asked.
"He's begun to use the Solar Eclipse ability that Batenkaitos used."
Ram's fist tightened. That would change how she went about this. Whenever Ley had used Solar Eclipse he'd become far stronger. If Roy was using it, then the many times stronger part likely remained consistent.
She'd have to account for that.
Animal screams came at the edges of her senses, along with the quiet tear of teeth gnashing flesh. Frederica's paws dug into the tile of the tomb's platform, while Otto pulled whatever magic stones he still had from his pockets. Rem stood by her side, her horn rising on her forehead.
The sisters met eyes and Rem said, "Quite an interesting day, don't you think?"
Ram laughed a little, she didn't care that it snapped a rib, "Quite interesting indeed."
They both looked out to the screams, and there it was. Coming out from the forest, leaving behind the trees she'd destroyed earlier, a white blanket. Roiling with the motion of a thousand bodies, some parts covered in red splotches. And at the front, a young boy, the right side of his torso gone.
The sisters reached for their Synesthesia at the same time.
With Rem's love for her so vivid, she reached for her shackles once more, letting three off. The resulting aches were staggering. She could barely stand. But, Rem grabbed her arm and offered her strength.
With unburdened legs, Ram raised a hand and cast it forth, toward the approaching enemies.
A moment later Gluttony bounded up the steps, far faster than Otto had. He even tried to grab him, but Ram threw a blade of wind in his way. Roy turned to her, his green eyes—the same color as Ley's—flashing in the moonlight. She held Synesthesia tighter while Gluttony gripped his sword and slashed. She created a shield of wind to ward off his strike.
Roy's cut through and laid a light cut into her chest.
Blood launched from her scar and the new injury, coating the ground in red.
Roy smiled, flashing his teeth, "YOU'LL MAKE GOOD SNACKS ~TSU!"
The boy transformed into a tall muscular man, and cocked his fist back.
Before she could do a thing he shouted out, "PALM OF THE FIST KING!" And punched.
A shockwave blasted her, shattering ribs and lacerating her skin.
It was a wonder she didn't die.
Rem was screaming, but the new ringing in her ears drowned it out.
Still, she felt it in their bond. Enough to set anger coursing through her, and hold her up on its own. She joined Rem's screaming and shoved Roy with a blast of wind. Destroying his next attack by knocking him back and off-balance. But it took all of her mana. Her body started to shut down.
Even still Rem held her up.
Blood dripped to the floor, both sisters cut to ribbons.
Via Synesthesia, both knew their physical state.
Neither gave in.
A shout jumped from Rem's lips and into her ear; she couldn't hear it over the ringing.
It didn't matter, she understood.
Ram seized Synesthesia. Her sister's horn flashed and mana flowed into her. Gluttony tried to strike her with his arm. But Ram waved her hand and created a massive wave of wind, which destroyed Alphard's attack and sent it back at him.
The boy screamed and transformed into a fat man. His lips twisted into a sadistic grin and he barreled toward them. She put her hands out once more and blasted him with air. A tunnel formed around him, cutting his skin to ribbons and destroying his defense. Roy yelped and transformed into a white-haired swordsman in a butler's suit. Rem's heart dropped at the sight of him. But Ram ignored the passing recognition she'd gained from Subaru telling her of the man.
Roy screamed and sliced.
Ram snatched his hand, and snapped his wrist.
He jumped back, ripping his hand from her grip, and took on the visage of a purple-haired knight. He struck with that same short sword. Ram moved to destroy it, but little to no mana was flowing from Rem. Her little sister howled from the pain. Ram had put some of her burden on Rem, and on top of that the girl's horn was weakening from all the fatigue.
She was truly out of mana, and ways to get it.
But she couldn't give in yet. All of Roy's forms melted away. Each of the looks in the different sets of eyes mixed together in his. It was an odd sight, and one she focused little on.
Roy sprinted at them, reaching out his snapped wrist. She pointed her palm at him, drumming up a tiny bit of magic from deep down, "Fula."
A shockwave blasted from her palm, only slightly disturbing the boy's hair.
Ram's knees buckled. Now she was fully out of mana, and her body had lost all its strength.
Rem couldn't hold her up anymore either.
She searched for Frederica and Otto, both were on the stairs leading up to the tomb trying to hold off the Great Rabbit. It wasn't progressing well.
The Great Rabbit was close to overwhelming them. In another few seconds they'd be overrun.
And her situation wasn't any better. She refocused on Gluttony. He was sprinting toward her, his tongue flopped out of his mouth and his hand outstretched.
Within moments, she and Rem would fall victim to him, and there was nothing either could do about it.
Subaru sprinted toward the tomb. He didn't let up in his run. Neither did Emilia and Garfiel behind him. While they went, Garfiel watched their flanks, making sure Capella or some stray mabeasts didn't sneak up on them.
The group only slowed down a little when they found Beatrice, who teleported into Subaru's arm. He held her close to him as he continued his race.
"What happened, Beako?" he forced the question out, even with almost no air in his lungs.
"Betty killed Capella, in fact," she answered, a tad smug. As she said it, a dark corruption slipped through his skin and veins, right into his heart. From there, it grafted onto his soul.
But he couldn't focus on it, the Great Rabbit was too pressing.
Instead, he tried to get information from the spirit, "How…mana…left?" He couldn't even get all the words of the question.
Though that didn't matter, as Beatrice grasped his meaning anyway, "Betty has only about five percent of her mana remaining."
Subaru stopped running for just a second and sucked in as much air as he could, "Can you teleport us to the tomb? Roy and the Great Rabbit are there trying to eat Rem and Ram."
"Betty can only teleport the two of us if we're to have any combat strength," Beatrice answered.
Subaru cast a quick glance to Emilia and Garfiel.
Garfiel gave him a thumbs up and a grin, "'S all good, Cap'n, go fuck up that Rabbit."
"You've got this, Subaru," Emilia added her own thumbs up.
Subaru nodded and turned back to Beatrice, who was still hanging in his arms, "Alright, Beako, teleport us."
Beatrice closed her eyes and a flash of black light consumed them. They manifested right at the edge of the clearing. The Great Rabbit was strewn across the stairwell, trying to tear apart Otto and Frederica. The two were barely holding it off—Otto tossing around stones and shouting out Dona, and Frederica in her tiger body, cutting at anything that came close. And even with all their effort, all their desire, all their will, they were still losing ground, they were still being bitten, they were still being slowly killed by the Great Rabbit.
Subaru made sure his grip on Beatrice was tight as he ran toward the Rabbit, "How much can you do here?"
"Delay it for a few moments at most, I suppose," Beatrice said.
Subaru nodded, "Do it."
Beatrice reached out her hand. The front rank of rabbits, the ones about to eat Otto and Frederica, disappeared and reappeared at the back of the horde.
The entire Rabbit turned to them.
Which bought Otto and Frederica a bit more time, though it did put quite the target on him and Beatrice.
A wall of red eyes stared at him, boring into his soul. The Rabbit was coming for him, cannibalizing itself along the way. He tried to cast a spell, but the image wouldn't form in his blood starved mind. His knees buckled, his legs were at their limit. His body was tapped out.
He summoned his spirits once more. Nan manifested at his side and started summoning Minya after Minya. Though Subaru's gate was exhausted. He could barely gather any mana from the atmosphere, or handle Nan doing that much more magic.
He tried to assess his options.
"Anything?" Nan asked.
"Nothing," Subaru responded, he had absolutely nothing to take on the Rabbit with.
But he wasn't giving up until the fuckers were ripping his brain from his skull.
He set Beatrice down, then channeled as much mana as he could from the air around him. Hundreds of minor spirits surrounded him, and Nan aided in gathering mana. But with his exhausted gate and body, very little came.
Still, he'd make it work.
As the Rabbit streamed toward him, he shouted, "El Minya!"
Shards of mana formed above him and blasted into the rabbits, destroying dozens of them.
Yet the calamity kept coming.
Nothing could stop it.
He sat in complete silence, submerged in it, drowned in it, melted in it. Every part of his mind falling apart as Subaru's words constantly repeated.
"We're the same."
"We're the same."
"We're the same."
"We're the same."
"We're the same."
"We're the same."
"We're the same."
"We're the same."
"No we're not, Natsuki Subaru!" Roswaal screamed, his voice hoarse. Which was that? His fifth shout? His tenth?
All the masking he'd put over his heart was gone, scoured away by the words of a man who'd said they were so similar. The words of a man who he had nothing in common with.
He applied his clown makeup with a touch of mana. He was weak. Natsuki Subaru was strong.
They were not the same, and never would be.
He stared at the moon through his window. And continued fraying. But…he'd make it to teacher. He'd drag his broken heart, psyche, and body to teacher; have his final conversation with her, and die. There was nothing more to his life. There would never be anything more to his life.
He felt at his makeup.
"We're the same."
"No…I'm weak, you're not…" It wasn't a scream, he didn't have the energy this time.
His eyes drifted closed as the memory returned.
Subaru standing before him, his arm stretched out. The rays of light from the sun had formed a radiance around him, which burned away all assumptions.
Subaru hadn't been crushed by him, as he'd been crushed by Hector.
His head fell into his hands.
Somewhere, deep inside, he'd been thinking Subaru would come back and show how broken and weak he truly was. That, in their meeting, he'd been lying. But Subaru hadn't been dishonest. He was just strong, and Roswaal was just weak. There was nothing more to it than that. He was a fool for ever thinking there was.
He let go of this loop.
"I leave it all to you, Roswaal L. Mathers."
Everything would be the next Roswaal's job now. Let him realize the strength of Natsuki Subaru. This loop would no doubt fail. There was no way to overcome the obstacles here.
But now he understood. Subaru wouldn't be crushed, he'd still be just as strong no matter how many times he died.
The next him could struggle with that.
He was done.
So he just leaned back against the headboard, and closed his eyes.
He sighed, and let the memory return.
Except now, it was wider.
Now that he'd let go, his tunnel vision was gone. He could just remember now, without the need to torture himself with the truth of Subaru's strength.
He saw the full image, clear in his mind's eye.
Natsuki Subaru standing there, the sun bouncing off him, spreading around him. His hand reached out and those words, "We're the same."
Then more came to him. All the details remained crisp in Roswaal's mind. Subaru's other hand had been on Ram's shoulder. Ram had blushed at the contact, and looked at the strong man with love. And he stood so powerfully, as if defending her. They fit each other so perfectly.
Yet somehow, some way, one detail rose above the others.
Stark in its difference.
Subaru's hand had been shaking.
Roswaal's breath stopped and his eyes opened.
Subaru's hand…had been shaking on Ram's shoulder.
Ram had been holding him up.
The strong…
"We're the same," Subaru's voice whispered again.
…the powerful…
"We're the same," Subaru's voice.
…Natsuki Subaru…
"We're the same," Subaru's voice.
…had needed Ram to hold him up.
"We're the same," Subaru's voice.
"Ram's the only reason you're still standing," he whispered, "you're so…"
"We're the same," Subaru's voice.
Ah, so they were…
"We're the same," Roswaal's voice.
Roswaal held his hands up to his face, barely able to see them through what had welled up. He touched his cheeks, and remembered what Ram had done so long ago. She'd wiped the paint off.
Roswaal stared up at the moon, his tears creating little streaks in the makeup.
"We are the same, Natsuki Subaru."
"Buried under all those witch delusions is a good man."
"The same…"
"Ram…"
Natsuki Subaru, someone the same as him, someone so utterly infirm could become something so utterly unyielding, with her help…
Then could he…the same weak person… become strong? Was it possible?
"Ram…I may never be a good person…but can you help me be strong?"
There was only one way he could find out. Not from a black book.
One person that answer could come from. Not from Teacher.
One way to get that answer. Not from endless contemplation and self-pity.
The only thing he could do was ask Ram.
But first…he…someone so weak…had to save her.
The chances of success, so slim.
The chances he'd mess it up, so colossal.
And yet, there was nothing else to do.
Even after that conclusion, he had no idea how to help. No idea how to use his magic to attain victory. No idea how to use his strength to shield Ram. No idea how to use his focus to keep things from slipping by.
All his weak and infirm mind could think of was reaching out in ignorance and idiocy.
So he'd reach.
Roswaal summoned all of his mana, and exploded with light.
She watched Gluttony run toward her in the painful slowness of impending death. But still she didn't let despair set in, all she did was send love to Rem. She'd keep her little sister calm in their last moments.
Ram accepted that end, until a brilliant light pierced the heavens.
It came from within the Forest of Kremaldy and reached for the sky. Sanctuary quaked with the rumble of power. The wind screamed and changed directions. It went from blowing toward Ram to blowing toward the light. A vortex of air formed around it. The light banished all the darkness of night, almost like a second sun. Then a fire burst from it and shot toward Echidna's tomb. The light faded as a comet of flame blasted toward them.
Her lips quirked up; she knew what that meteor was.
Roy stopped reaching for her and turned to gaze at the sight: a single massive cylinder of fire stretching like a trail behind the comet. Gluttony stared at it, "What's that…~tsu?"
Even with so much pain in her chest, Ram laughed. It was full of joy. The column of fire touched down right in the center of the platform. Roy turned to it and set his feet. She held herself and Rem up, keeping them standing. This wasn't a moment she'd be on the ground for. The fire burned her eyes, but she held them open, as did her sister.
Roy stepped toward it, "Come out! Be a good meal and let us eat you, ~tsu!"
The column faded into nothing.
In its wake, Roswaal L. Mathers stood tall, clad in all of his clown regalia.
The Margrave's smile shook and he said, "Noooooo. Now step away from theeeem."
Roy giggled, and threw himself toward Ram—hand outstretched—trying to eat.
Roswaal's body flashed, and he was next to Gluttony. Without hesitation he grabbed Roy's wrist and ripped it off. Roy howled. Roswaal put his hand up to the boy's face, "Al Go—"
"USELESS BROTHER!" Roy screamed and his entire demeanor changed. Then he took on a new shape and sprinted away from Roswaal.
Roswaal finished his spell, "Al Goa."
A beam of flame jumped at Roy. The flame grazed his already wounded right side, but did little more. Roswaal didn't bother pursuing Gluttony further.
"Roswaal-sama," Rem whispered, her voice full of gratitude.
Roswaal took shaky steps over to them, "I'm glad you're safe, Rem. Now, get yourselves inside. There's something I neeeeeed to do."
Ram smiled and turned, "Of course, Ros."
"Wait…Raaaam…"
She turned back, "Ros?"
The clown had tears in his eyes, and he spoke normally, "Ram…do you think…that you could help me be strong…when this is over?"
All she had to say was, "Obviously."
When the twins were safely in the tomb, he breathed out, weakly.
On shaky legs, he walked over to Frederica and Otto.
"Roswaal-sama," Frederica bowed her head, still tigerlike in her beast form.
"Thank you for coming, Freeeeederica, now take Otto and get inside."
The blonde woman silently followed his order and brought Otto toward the tomb. With that taken care of, Roswaal turned to the Great Rabbit which was now clamoring toward him. Beatrice and Subaru were on the other side, both with wide eyes. He teleported to them.
As soon as he arrived, joy rushed through him, "So you've come out, Betty."
The girl crossed her arms, "Yes. Betty has, I suppose."
He turned to Subaru, abandoning Hector's accent, "Thank you for showing her a way out. And there's something I want to ask you after this."
Subaru looked at him with bright eyes, "You can ask anything."
Roswaal glanced at the Rabbit. It had turned back and was in pursuit of him. He looked back to them and said, "I assuuuuume you're both out of mana."
"Yep, fresh out," Subaru said.
"Betty is out as well," Beatrice admitted.
He grabbed their shoulders and teleported them back to the tomb's entrance, "You can both relax here, I'll handle this."
WIth them getting inside, he faced the Great Rabbit.
Its thousand bodies scurried up the stairs, seeking the mana he gave off, unfortunately some had already grown bored and were cannibalizing their brethren. Roswaal activated more of his mana, making his skin shine like a second sun. Finally, every rabbit turned their hunger onto him. Hopping and clawing their way up the stairs, a moment more and they'd be upon him.
While that time ticked away, he formed a plan. This would be difficult, especially with his wounds.
But it was possible.
And as the Rabbit screamed a thousand screams, he got to work.
He grasped threads of mana and floated off the ground. The Rabbit climbed on top of each other to follow. They ripped into one another as they stacked higher. A hill of bloody rabbits clawed their way up to him. Roswaal held his arms out to the side, "Al Jiwald."
Beams of sizzling light burst from him and sought out the outskirts of the horde. His spell destroyed any rabbit not in the massive pileup. Yet they multiplied. New rabbits quickly layered the ground. Stretching beyond the rising tower, meaning he couldn't get them, yet.
Roswaal blasted at an angle toward the ground. He landed a dozen meters away from the tower. A few rabbits hopped toward him, hungering for the mana he held.
Roswaal smiled, "Quite a mistake, Al Huuuuuma."
A titanic wall of ice stretched into the sky. He waved his hand in a direction and the wall grew in the place he'd gestured too. Then he lifted above the ground and flew after the burgeoning wall. As ice came into existence alongside him, he took control of the spell once more. Then changed direction and dragged more new ice with him. Within a few moments, he'd assembled four walls and a colossal corral for the Great Rabbit.
All of the thing's voices chattered and its bodies threw themselves at the ice, trying to claw and bite a way out. He let his arms go limp as he hung in the sky above the pen. Then he reached his hands out to the sides and slammed them inward. The walls of ice he'd built closed in on the Great Rabbit, clinging and scraping across the ground, vibrating so much he could feel it in his bones.
While he stared down at the Great Rabbit, struggling for escape, Roswaal tried to keep composure. Everything was riding on him, someone so weak. But…before this, it had all been riding on Natsuki Subaru. Someone just as weak as him. Roswaal looked away from the rabbits and toward the entrance to his teacher's tomb.
Three figures stood, watching him. Two near identical maids, and an incredibly weak man in a bloodied suit. Roswaal formed a spell, allowing him to view the three in stark clarity. Subaru was looking up at him with a calm gaze. There was no unyielding hatred or anything of the sort. Rem was on the verge of passing out, but somehow kept her eyes on him. Ram didn't look at him with a hint of hatred, all that existed on her face was a smile as she watched him.
Roswaal's lips formed their own small smile. He looked back down at the Great Rabbit.
Everything was riding on Roswaal L. Mathers. But Subaru, Rem, and Ram were all holding him up.
It didn't matter how weak he was, they were strong enough.
Power radiated from his skin and the Great Rabbit turned back up to him. He glowed in the night, and it likely seemed to those watching that a new star had formed.
He turned his radiant hand down and aimed his palm toward the Great Rabbit.
He breathed in and breathed out.
Pure mana flowed into his arm and he combined six spells in one, "Six fold. AL GOA!"
A thousand bodies breathed together, thought together, and hungered together. They stared up at the shining beacon above them. Within their stomachs, the voracity shouted. It drove them to look toward that light.
So much mana.
It'd fill them for a short time.
And they wanted to be full, so they climbed up on top of each other and tried to get to the mana. They needed to eat it, to take it into them. The overwhelming need to sate themselves grew to be too much. There wasn't time to reach the mana. They needed to eat now. Something stabbed through their mind…
It was their teeth, sinking into themselves.
They ripped each other to shreds, consuming the only thing they could get. Their blood poured down their throats as they climbed. New bodies grew out of each other and they chewed those up as well. The pain was immense, but nothing could even hope to compare to their hunger. They gnawed and took their own fur into their stomachs.
But soon they'd have more. They'd have that beacon of mana. It would sink into them. They'd be full for a tiny period. It would be wonderful to be full. To be full! They sought it and climbed on the others of themself. Until the bodies at the very top heard a faint whisper over the wind.
"Six fold. AL GOA!"
Pure white fire erupted from the sky. They streamed toward it. Mana. Food. They hungered for it. So much. They'd be full!
THEY'D BE FULL!
They strived for it, and yet as soon as that beam of mana touched them, it burned.
Their fur melted and their bones vaporized. Their blood boiled away to nothing. New bodies formed as they tried to eat that flame. Pain rose in them, but it wasn't like their hunger. They had to eat! The fire bathed them, destroying most of them again. The pain built.
For the first time, they felt something was greater than their hunger. The agony of all their bodies melting away at once, was greater than any hunger could be.
As its bodies all screamed out in pain, The Great Rabbit was swept away and burned to nothing under that inferno.