Aɢᴀɪɴsᴛ ᴛʜᴇ Gʀᴀɪɴ ᴏғ Tʀᴀɢᴇᴅʏ

Before the weight of their ineluctable toil eluded him no more, Subaru suddenly realized they were probably making a very grave mistake. Every instinct he had was screaming at himself to paddle downstream, not across it as they were. Escape, he told himself over and over. Against his turmoil and destruction of the self, he gritted his teeth, furrowed his brow, and continued wading through the boggy water, drawing a line through the two pernicious hells.

Their boat rocked against the wind-stricken waters. To his back was the cursed wood, and to his front remained nothing but a solemn memory of a village once teeming with life, sadistically reduced to nothingness. He then looked back for a moment, suddenly realizing why he acted so contradictory of himself: In a race against time, Emilia was paddling just as furiously as he.

Something odd bit at him; the futility of her hope was what it was. She clung desperately to it like how a child would to her mother. It was a small, feeble hope that maybe—just maybe—they could save at least one life among the ruins, while unwittingly risking their own in the process. Subaru knew better of it, but even so, he could not garner the courage to speak up. Such destruction was something beyond their capability to alter, and the past could not so easily be undone like it had been before. It was his fault, he figured. Still, she did not know about his former power, nor would he ever let the idea of it escape his lips again.

Their wooden dinghy bobbed clumsily up and down, struggling to find its way across the water. They were almost to the other side of the river now, close enough to feel the heat of the burning village and clear enough to see burning ashes and embers permeating the darkness around them with small speckles of light.

The everlasting moon above was now hidden, blanketed in a thick, sooty smoke, banishing its presence and allowing no betrayal of the night enshrouding them. However, the encroaching flames of the village began to envelop the area in all its ferocity, splashing horrid red paint against the dark canvas of the night.

It was a queer thing to witness. The world took up an insidious red hue, almost like they had taken a wrong turn into some otherworldly hell. Even the usual murky green water reflected the devilish light in such a way the water itself appeared to burn with both fury and ardor.

With Emilia at his back, Subaru bit back a curse, and against his own better instinct, refused to back down. As their creaking boat made one final lurch forward, it docked itself unceremoniously onto the bank of the river.

Rotten wood met damp dirt. With sword in hand, Subaru jumped out of the dinghy, landing with a thud onto the riverbank. Behind him, Emilia stepped carefully out of the boat. He noticed her breathing was uneven, signifying her unease and distress. Wordlessly, she nodded to Subaru, and he returned the gesture in kind. Facing forward, he peered in the direction of the fire.

It was now or never. Soon, all which would remain of the village would be the charred remnants of precious lives lost.

Staying low to the ground, Subaru cautiously approached a nearby bush to survey the area under some sort of cover. Emilia was careful in following him, their pace matching almost step for step. He looked over the clearing, observing the bonfire which was the village of Nicia.

It was lifeless, and apart from the rising heat which brought beads of sweat to his forehead, there wasn't much else of note. The flames roared and crackled with life, the wooden settlements providing more than enough base for a healthy blaze. The air he took into his lungs became more and more polluted with each breath. They had to be quick if they were to do anything meaningful here.

Subaru narrowed his eyes. Beyond the clearing separating the village from the small harbor, there was a small, almost unnoticeable shuffle in the distance, vanishing just as quickly as it appeared. It could be someone in need of help.

"Look, over there!" Emilia pointed the same thing out, her voice a whisper barely reaching his ear.

Even with her confirmation, Subaru looked back doubtfully to Emilia, and then back to the roaring fires. He let out a haggard sigh and withdrew his blade from its sheathe.

It was too late to turn back now. Indeed, he was just as curious as anyone else would be in this situation—cruelly, more so than dread or pity. He wasn't sure what could have caused the destruction of this place in such a short time, but a few likely candidates immediately came to mind.

He stepped over the brush and moved carefully through the overgrown path, paying close attention to his surroundings and making sure they were not to be seen. The sweat pooling on his forehead now was starting to boil off, the growing heat from the fires quelling the previous cool night's air.

With keen ears, Subaru listened closely for any signs of life, but nothing came apart from the bursts of flame, consuming everything it met—something he somewhat expected, really.

Behind him, Emilia had strayed from Subaru's side ever so slightly, her breath labored from the surrounding smoky haze. She strained herself not to cough and give away their presence.

Suddenly, in the distance between two burning unrecognizable buildings, she could barely hear what sounded like a plea for help. Although it was difficult to hear through the flames' wild howl, she could still make out the vague syllables. She focused herself in the direction of the faint voice, pulling her attention away from her surroundings.

Preoccupied with the voice, she didn't even realize Subaru had left her side some time ago. Slowly, she approached the distant voice. She heard it again, clearer than it had been before. Something was not right, however, as the voice originating from the burning cottage in front of her had changed direction. Now it was much closer than before—too close.

Emilia froze, now focused on what was going on around her. She could hear heavy footsteps, too heavy to be Subaru's. Her eyes widened at the dark aura approaching her. Without moving, she prepared a small counter spell with her right hand. Her hand radiated faintly with a small flame.

"What do we have here?"

Not Subaru, but a sinister voice.

She had to be quick. Emilia turned to face the direction of it, but was too late.

A coarse, dirty hand covered her mouth to keep her from speaking the incantation to finish the spell, and a knife brushed just over her neck. Her heart dropped, and she froze in terror in the bandit's grasp. She could feel the coolness of the blade pressed firmly against her skin, as the vagabond tightened his grip on her, making sure to stifle any attempted plea for help.

She couldn't make out her assailant quite clearly, but he appeared to be a younger man, maybe in his late twenties. His face eluded her, concealed under the confines of a dark hood.

The bandit drew close to her pointed ear, whispered, "A half-witch whore?" His coarse tongue ran over her ear lustfully, and he smiled. "What's a precious little flower like yourself doing out here all alone, eh?"

Emilia flinched at the unwanted contact, but she dared not to fight back with the dagger pressed so violently at her throat. The filthy man continued playing with her, feeling her maturing curves and softness up in places only one person was allowed access to. She felt violated. Emilia bit her tongue and shut her eyes as the man touched her—so deliberately slowly, knowing and enjoying this very fact. His very smell made her want to throw up, let alone the feel of his slimy hands.

"Now, Miss… I haven't felt one as soft as you in my short lifetime," he whispered darkly through the night air. "My life may be ending soon… so just a little more, if I may?"

She shut her eyes in resignation as he continued to feel her up.

Emilia could feel something she hadn't felt for a long, long time. It was hate, and it burned and swelled up deep inside her. She was nothing to this man other than a base tool for his pleasure. She was a worthless half-elf to the common people, someone who was nothing but a bringer of bad omen and ill fortune.

The indignities she's suffering now, that he was perpetrating onto her, rung but a hollow bell toll through the ethical boundaries of humanity. Her feelings mattered not, and that made her feel such a thing as hate, more than she ever had before.

She opened her amethyst eyes.

Where had Subaru gone? He would come. She knew he would. He would rescue her, and then punish the filthy man who violated her as he did. She was sure of it. Subaru had to be close by. Wasn't he just behind her?

A sudden sharp pang in her heart knocked the air from her lungs.

No, they couldn't have! He couldn't be gone. She tried her best to banish the thought of losing Subaru from her mind, but she felt hot tears well up in her eyes anyway. It was too much to even consider. If she lost him—he, who meant the entire world to her…? No, she couldn't even fathom it.

Silently, she cursed herself for coming here. This was all her fault. If they just left, leaving the fires in their wake, none of this would have happened. Again, her natural inclination to help others superseded her better instinct of self-preservation, and now just look where it got her.

The tears fell now, with no one caring they did.

The vagrant just grinned unpleasantly with his teeth bared in a snarl, shameless in who he was or what he was doing. He probably had nothing to do with the actual village fire itself—just a byproduct of its existence, simply here to loot from the destruction and its victims, uncaring of those around him or what had happened. He had violated her and paid no real attention to it or whom it was.

He was, quite simply, a wretched existence.

Emilia choked back a sob. If Subaru was gone, she didn't want to live in this world anymore anyway. He was all she had left.

Another man approached from the shadows behind. He was shorter than the other, although just as twisted and wild looking. He sneered at his partner's exotic find, and clapped his hand against his knee, clearly excited. The one who held her had since finished his tormenting of Emilia.

He glared at the shorter man, appearing to be somewhat unamused. "Gag her, so the witch-freak doesn't cast a spell on us," he ordered, gesturing his head sharply at her.

The short one gasped when he saw her pointed ears. With haste, he withdrew a dirty bandana from his pants pocket and inserted it into her mouth, gagging her.

She wanted to bite down on his fingers as hard as she could, but the knife was still against her neck. He wrapped another cloth around her mouth, tying the gag in place, and silenced her for good.

With newfound strength, she struggled, bucking against his coarse grasp, but the overwhelming power of the two fully grown men proved to outmatch her own feeble strength. Tired of the struggle, the man pulled the jagged knife from her throat and back handed her uncaringly across the cheek, knocking her into a daze. She lurched in his arms, unconscious.

Watching her fall limp in his arms, the other man scratched his chin, and pointed to the west. "There was another boy over yonder," he said, his heavy accent hard to understand. "No trouble he was. Got 'im good, I did. Bashed his head right in with a rock." He cackled and let out a vile, hysteric laugh.

"Where's the others?" the other man asked shortly, the disdain in his voice more evident than before.

The short one replied, "They gone back to camp already, Boss."

"Let's head back, then," he said, patting the unconscious girl on the back mockingly. "I got us a present for the boys tonight—'gonna have a romp with this one, they will." His tone was sarcastic, but his partner probably couldn't tell.

"By the Dragon, I've never fucked a half-elf," he spluttered, spittle emanating from every audible syllable. "I heard if you plough 'em on a full moon, you'll have magical powers come 'morn."

There was no reply, only silence considering his comment. The man scoffed and turned to the east. With Emilia still over his shoulder, he began walking away with his hand occasionally taking a playful grope of her meaty behind and disgracing rub of the middle of her covered crotch. His wordless respite signaled the other man to follow him, and so he did.

The flames still roared just as heavily as before. It would be some time before the final embers would burn out, leaving nothing but the charred remains of a village.

The man holding Emilia grinned. He had no idea what had happened here, only that his band of outlaws had seen the smoke from afar, and they came quickly to investigate. They never could have expected to find what they did. They were low on supplies themselves, and so it was the perfect opportunity to capitalize on. Having pilfered, looted, and taken all they could, their reason for being here had ended. They had to head further north, and with great haste. No doubt the law was hot on their trail. He considered what few options they had, and came to only one conclusion. They had to leave Lugnica, and fast.

Just two suns and two moons ago, they had robbed, stolen from, and murdered one of the wealthiest merchants in all Lugnica.

The short one called out his name, "Verizar, wait up!" He picked up speed to walk side-by-side with him. "Hey, Boss, why're you in such a hurry?"

The two were swallowed in darkness yet again, as they had left the burning village some time ago. The moon hung patiently at their backs as their sole light source, aiding them moving through the darkened field. Close by was the sleepy forest adjacent to Nicia, which led them to the crossroads between north to Priestella and south back to the capital.

"Haven't had a shower in days," he quipped, smirking at his dirtied hands, near blackened by dirt and grime. "Wouldn't mind one, and the sooner we get to Priestella, the better."

Afterwards, the two men said nothing for a time. They had walked quite a way into the forest now, and they had made quite sure to stay off the main road. It didn't make their journey any easier, but it was certainly safer. The road between Priestella and the capital was littered with guard patrols and other unwelcomed interference.

The two could smell something smoky and delicious coming from just up ahead. He paid close mind to his steps now, approaching both carefully and with great precision. Stepping gently through the soft ground, he eyed a small wire just under his heel. It fell in and out of focus of his sight, the thin strip almost imperceptible in the dark night. The moonlight had caught it at just the right angle, revealing its otherwise unknown presence.

He smirked to himself and stepped carefully over it, simultaneously signaling to his partner of its existence. Protective measures like this were necessary when camping out in the wilds like they were, to easily alert themselves to any unwanted company, human or beast. Much to his chagrin, his bumbling buffoon of a partner almost tripped over the wire as he stepped over it. Why he allied with such people in the first place, he would never understand.

Sighing heavily, Verizar silently judged him from afar, but he decided yet to leave it alone. By now, the girl on his shoulders would be waking soon, although he was almost unsure of why he brought her along now. Initially, he did not care what would happen to her, and maybe he would even throw her to the wolves after letting his men have their way with her.

However, as he walked across the moonlit night, he eyed her as she rested fast asleep on his shoulder. He had given her some essence of wormroot to ease the ride, and sure enough, she rested well. Her face was serene, and her silver hair glistened in the softly illuminated dusk.

Probably a witch's charm, he mused quietly. He wasn't soft like that. He shook away the thought of her influencing him, although he did feel some measure of pity for her… and even some remorse. Maybe he shouldn't have treated her like he did. Sure, he was no stranger to misdeeds. Maybe once she woke, he could set things right.

Stepping foot inside his camp, he glared at his two other associates who slept comfily under the night stars. The fire they birthed lit dimly, with only its few last dying embers left before it would extinguish. The night air was cool, even if the tall pines provided some protection against the breeze.

He laid Emilia down onto a soft patch of grass and removed her gag. Her breath was even, still deep in sleep under the wormroot's full effect. He took her gag and bound her wrists with it.

He was a thief—a murderer for sure—but he did have remorse for his past actions, somewhat more than others. The world was dark and sad, as it had always been since he was a child. Nothing had changed since he grew into adulthood, nor would it ever. The poor died in the piss-and-shit-filled streets prematurely, while the rich grew old, fat and eventually died surrounded by their gems, rocks and gold.

That was life as he knew it, and many of the common folk viewed it just the same.

He sat down by the fire and drew his hands closer to the withering flame, dissatisfied by its negligible effect. Grimacing, he took some of the stray firewood on the side and tossed it in the pile, stoking it gently. The dry tinder was just enough to get the fire going strong again, bringing instant relief to his chilled hands.

His upbringing wasn't any excuse for his actions, and that's not to say there could ever be an excuse for what he had done. To him, it was all the same. Those who were victim of cruelties, no matter how small or consequential, sometimes dealt their own cruelties onto others in return, until only wickedness was left in the world. One cruelty produced another, and so on—and because of that, he didn't care.

In the end, he knew what he was doing, and he owned every one of the decisions he had made.

He pulled his cloak back, revealing a fair but unkempt face, covered in a dark brown scruff of a beard. His brow furrowed heavily over his dark eyes, and his wild, brown hair cascaded down past his collar—a testament to his time spent on the road without a proper cut. He could clean up quite nicely if he wanted to—not that he ever would.

It would be morning before the girl would awake, and because of that, he could afford to close his eye for a minute or two. He couldn't remember a time when he wasn't sleeping on the ground, whether it be dirt, grass or anything else.

He never had a place to call home, never staying in one place for any noteworthy time. He found himself most comfortable surrounded by nothing but the steady breeze and the natural enclosure of the trees and wildlife. No loud bustling of the big city life, no putrid smell of dragon and human shit in the air. No, he wouldn't find those out on the path of the wilds.

The fire next to him burnt long after Verizar had passed into the deep thralls of sleep. The steady, scented smoke of the flame wisped through the trees like a silver river through the night.

Overtaken by fatigue, it was too late before he heard the gurgling sounds of death escape the mouths of his friends.

XXXXXX

He lay face down in the dirt. Fires blazed all around him, uncaring of neither his existence nor his plight.

As he regained consciousness, his breath stirred, and he blew quick, panicked breaths from his mouth against the grimy mud. While he struggled to get his wits about him, he remembered where he was, and why he was here.

He was in the ruined village of Nicia, and he came here with Emilia. He thought he had died, but maybe he was mistaken after all. Focusing, he tried to remember who or what had attacked him, but he couldn't find the answer. There was nothing—except from the memory of him turning to call for Emilia's name, as she had unexpectedly drifted from his side—as what followed was only darkness.

The crust of dried blood his eyes broke apart with difficulty, not helped by his now-sunken eyes in a swirling mix of purple shades. He rose his hand to wipe the hardened blood from his eyes. His head wound had bled profusely, and it had pooled into his ears as well.

Grimacing, he propped himself up on one arm and tried to get up. In his foolhardy attempt, he stumbled and almost fell to the ground, catching himself at the last second.

It felt like a hammer was pounding a nail into his skull over and over, relentlessly and without mercy. The pain was all-encompassing, always there and beckoning him to fall into madness. At his nadir and in his incredibly incoherent mind, he saw the same silver-haired half-elf eternally flashing across his mind yet again.

"—Emilia!"

He slurred her name as he frantically looked around, but saw nothing but the remnants of a burning village. He screamed her name again and again to the point of slurring. With great effort he took a step, and another. Soon, nothing but sheer willpower fueled the machinations of his shocked body. He gripped the pommel of his blade furiously and ripped it from its sheath, stabbing it onto the muck and falling the hilt for support.

He would make sure he would find whoever did this, and when he did, he would make them suffer. He would make them regret leaving him with his sword; a means for revenge. Too long had he dealt—and been dealt—with similar events. Death, devastation and chaos followed him like a ghost haunting him at every corner.

He had heard nothing in response to his calls from the village entrapping him, and there was no sign of Emilia either. Desperate, he paced himself quickly, using his blade as a walking stick.

Suddenly, he stepped on something hard, catching his attention. He looked down and raised the heel of his boot. Underneath it lay a small emerald crystal embedded in the soil like a seed. He eyed it carefully, before realizing…

"Puck," he whispered, reaching down to remove the lost spirit from its earthly grave.

With a closed fist, he gripped the crystal necklace so tight it drew blood in his hand. It felt good, as it took his focus off the constant agony of his skull. He was sure now something bad had befallen his Emilia.

A furious anger swelled to a head within him, and with it came desperate determination. Quietly, he seethed to himself beneath the starry night, surrounded by flames which burned in a reflection of his inner turmoil.

He then felt a deathly chill overtake him, as if he had just stepped into the middle of a raging blizzard. Of course, he hadn't, and he knew what was to follow.

The emerald jewel pulsated with life in his grasp, and he recoiled violently from a sharp, stabbing pain. Solemnly, the pendant fell to the dirt yet again, but his surroundings grew very dim, and time appeared to slow to a crawl. Flames burnt slowly, and the air became very arid and dry. Something prodded his subconscious, inviting themselves into his inner sanctum of mind and thought:

"They took my daughter!" it said, distantly. It was almost unclear, but one could understood its urgency. He felt his mind breaking from the intrusion, but it continued its assault. "To the forest east of here; go now. I will guide you to her!"

The jewel glowed faintly, more than it had for a long time. Without warning, it shattered into a thousand tiny pale fragments, leaving nothing but a small, translucent glowing blue orb behind. The lonesome spirit hovered upward and briefly floated near him, before abruptly dashing into the night sky, leaving a faint trail of dust in its wake.

Subaru knew he had little time to spare, and so he followed it before it could dissipate. It led him away from the burning village and toward the forest.

The fresh smell of the trees and crispness of the air was heady. His surroundings blurred, as he moved through the night with fierce determination and decisiveness. The pulsating spirit guiding him served as his only illumination through the wood, as the moon overhead was blacked out by the overhang.

As he moved through the night, Subaru was externally calm, but a boiling inferno inside. His breathing was fierce and uneven. He had never once felt so filled with such silent rage before. Emilia being taken from him like this—he couldn't stand it. His mind, already fragile it was, was slowly snapping. It was detaching and splintering from reality, an invincible needle piercing its way through the endless voids of time.

She was the only thing left in this world he held so dearly, and he would do everything in his power to make sure he wouldn't lose her too. And those who stood in his way? Simply put… he would kill them all.

Deep within him, he felt a mysterious energy swelling. It gave him focus and the will to act. He didn't quite know what it was, but it wasn't unwelcomed.

For too long, he had been weak; for too long, had he let those he loved to be hurt or even killed. He was powerless to stop the events which spiraled towards destruction right in front of him. Instead, he had to rely on others to support him, even though he wanted to be the one to make a difference. It was selfish, but he was tired of sitting by the wayside, watching others save him time and time again.

No longer would he fear death; no longer would he fear those who hunted him. No—he would be the one they would fear.

When he came into this world, he was nothing but a naive child, blind to the truth and reality that he was nothing but a weakling. And instead of facing his weaknesses, instead of detesting himself for what he was, he hid it behind a cushion of lies, as if he were hiding a rotting corpse. His shame was buried under the guise of a fool—and only now, he finally understood. It took a thousand deaths for him to realize it. There would be no more lies. No more deceit of the self. He fully understood his ineptitude, and because of it, he would rectify every error of his ways.

The little spirit in front of him paused, vibrated furiously, and then faded from sight. At this, Subaru knelt, careful not to alert anyone to his presence.

Up ahead, he could smell the faint scent of a burnt-out fire. There was a small clearing where the moon cut through sharply, basking the area in a bluish light. Underneath the light, five individuals sleeping lay, soundly beneath the starry night sky.

Among them was the unmistakable sight of a silver-haired elf lying unconscious, her hair gleaming in the reflection of the moon.

"Emilia…" he whispered, holding back a feral growl from leaking into his voice.

He felt seething hatred overtake every machination of his body. From his boot, he withdrew a dagger into his left hand, and he carefully readied his sword with his right. Their blades shimmered brightly in the darkness. His face was in a snarl, and his teeth were gritted to a point where it was painful.

Carefully, he approached, making sure his footsteps elicited no sound. He was quiet, like a predator stalking its prey, ready to strike at any moment. As he took a step, ever so slowly, he felt something just barely brush over his foot, revealing itself as a small, thin wire to the corner of his eye, practically invisible to the untrained eye in the shrouded darkness.

As he breathed a sigh of relief, he felt a bead of sweat tumble down his forehead, which he made sure to wipe away before it fell. Stepping silently into the camp, he approached one of the slumbering individuals. With his dagger in hand, it hovered near the unknowing man's neck. He made sure not to look at his face; he didn't want any regrets.

With one quick motion, he embedded the blade deep into his throat and tore it out. He felt warm blood splash against his face as his shocked victim awoke in terror, with death already kicking down his doorstep. Subaru held his hand over the man's mouth as the blood pooled from his neck, drowning himself in his own bodily fluid.

He struggled, but Subaru straddled him so he couldn't draw any unwanted attention. With death already overtaking the man, his struggle was short-lived. Soon, his body fell limp, and his panicked eyes rolled back into his head.

Nonchalantly, he peered around the encampment. Nobody had noticed what he had just done.

That just left three more, but the other three were closer together, which would pose a problem. He decided he needed to act fast and brazen. The element of surprise was certainly an advantage here, but it could only get him so far.

Gripping both blades with fury, he leapt from the gurgling corpse, and with precision, he lodged the blood-stained dagger into another man's neck. He awoke with a shock and clawed madly at the blade stuck in his throat. Incapacitated, he would drown in his own blood as well.

As the panicked sounds of death rung throughout the night, the other two men finally stirred from their sleep. Leaping up, the brown-haired man grasped his sword lying next to him and readied himself.

The other wasn't so lucky. With speed, Subaru had already brought his sword down upon the man's collarbone as he reached for his weapon, cutting through his lungs and heart mercilessly. He fell to the ground, dead.

Subaru put his foot against the corpse and wedged his blade from it, spewing the area in blood. The other man spasmed violently, kicking and wailing with the dagger still stuck in his throat.

Readying himself, the brown-haired man brought his blade up just in time for the strike, parrying the blow from Subaru with great speed and agility. He recoiled, stumbled backward, and readied himself in a wild stance, sword hung overhead.

Subaru grimaced and stared the man down with all the hatred he could muster. The brown-haired man just gazed at him with a clear cool head. He furrowed his brow and nodded his head at the unconscious girl which still lay amongst the bloodbath of his friends. "That elf-bitch is your girl, huh?" he said plainly, before continuing. "I can see why you're so pissed. Believe me, I would be too if someone just kidnapped an ass that fine as well."

Subaru said nothing in reply.

"Got nothing to say, huh? Well, let's get this over with, then."

Wordlessly, Subaru lunged forward, blade in hand, and swung it diagonally upwards from the side. His opponent parried him effortlessly, knocking him off balance. He could have struck him down, but he didn't.

"You fucking son of a bitch!" Subaru spit with malice and hatred. "Don't toy with me!"

He leapt forward again, this time from head on. His movements were easy to follow for the seasoned duelist, or for someone of Verizar's caliber. He smiled to himself and blocked the incoming jab. The blade passed harmlessly by him, and he thrust his shoulder into Subaru, shoving him to the ground.

Disarmed, Subaru lay there, helpless and exposed. Verizar's blade hovered just over his face, ready to end his life at any moment. But the blade did not fall, nor did it withdraw. Subaru's breathing was heavy, his heart pounding violently against his chest, almost like it was going to burst. He felt like this before… always before he met the cold bitter end of death.

"You're beat, kid," Verizar mocked. "You might have got the drop on my friends, but you won't get the drop on me. You should have taken me out first, dumbass, if you wanted to play hero so badly."

His mind raced as he desperately looked for a way out. He couldn't cast any magic, as his gate was still wrecked beyond repair. He couldn't reach his sword. What then, could he do, except die?

As he eyed the blade which hovered tauntingly in front of him, he furrowed his brow. There was one chance… but he had to be quick. With great speed, he pushed himself off the ground and gripped the blade with all his might. It cut through his hand, but it caught Verizar off-guard enough to surprise him.

Verizar pulled, attempting to withdraw the blade from Subaru's grasp, but his grip stood strong. Blood pooled down the edge of the blade and onto his pommel. "Shit!" he cursed in surprise.

Subaru pushed with all his might to throw his opponent onto his back, using his sword as a catalyst. His last-ditch effort was almost successful. To his surprise, Verizar dropped his sword to the ground, and as Subaru fell forward, he drew a small blade from his belt and stuck it into the latter's back, right near the shoulder.

Subaru gasped at the sudden sharp pain and fell to the ground. He rolled over onto his side and gripped the blade and attempted to remove it, but it was wedged between the bone. Quickly, he scrambled, struggling to get to his feet. He limped backward as his assailant approached. Suddenly, the hunter became the hunted. In a gamble, he overplayed his hand, and he had lost.

His breathing was labored now, as he rasped for breath. His physicality was beginning to show its limit, no matter what obsession fueled him as it did. He was only human, after all.

Verizar scoffed at the pitiful sight in front of him. He almost felt bad for the kid. To come this far just to fail… that amused him more than anything else. "You know, I have to give you credit," he said, raising his sword above for the final blow. "You lasted longer against me than most ever did, but now, the game has to come to an end."

Frozen in terror, Subaru was powerless to defend against the blow. Verizar brought his arm down.

The blade fell, but nothing struck Subaru.

In front of him lay a golden aura of fire. It hovered brilliantly in front of him, guarding himself from the devastating killing blow with its burning blaze. Subaru looked around, confused as to what was happening.

Verizar shrieked as he pulled back and looked around him. His eyes widened at what he saw. "That witch!" he exclaimed.

Emilia stood there, her amethyst eyes glistening with tears of anger. Her hands were still bound behind her back, but that didn't keep her mouth from speaking a protective incantation. The air around them became dry, dissipating all the moisture of the forest and evaporating in the presence of her power.

The heat in the air became so intense her bounds burnt to a crisp, finally freeing her hands. She outstretched her arm in the direction of Verizar, and fire combusted out of the palm of her hand.

His eyes widened in shock, and from his pouch, he pulled a small grey ball. Immediately, he threw it against the ground, and the entire area went up in a grey smoke.

With the shield of fire still surrounding Subaru, Emilia raised both of her hands in the air and released a firewall which encompassed the entire camp, burning all in its path, including the grey smoke.

Smoke and dust spread throughout the air, cindering like fireflies in the air, illuminating the darkness with small specks of light. The flames spread from the camp and to the surrounding forest, igniting all in its indominable reach. The dryness of the surrounding wood proved easy tinder for such a fire, and long would it be before the flames faded completely.

As the strongest of the flames began to subside, Emilia stumbled slightly, but was caught by Subaru. She had exhausted herself by conjuring such a power she couldn't even remember learning. He looked around them, to make sure they were safe. The man had obviously escaped; only the charred remains of his companions remained.

The putrid smell of burnt flesh filled the air, and Subaru thought of nothing but to get away from here. "Oh, Emilia," he spoke slowly, his pain slowing his ability to speak. "Let's go somewhere safe."

She looked at him with large tear-filled eyes and nodded solemnly. She couldn't look at him in the eye right now; she couldn't bear to see the pain.

He had gotten hurt because of her, yet again. Because of her, he had suffered.

With the knife still embedded in his back, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder to help her walk. Even though he probably was the one who needed more help walking than her, he still couldn't resist offering her his aid. Unwittingly, she accepted his help.

As the two slowly paced themselves away from the camp, Emilia looked back at the carnage they left in their wake. She saw the remains of the three bandits who just moments ago drew breaths of life. Never had she done something like this, not since…

"Don't look back there, Emilia," Subaru chided her, and with his bloodied fingers, he tenderly touched her cheek. "Just forget about it, okay? Just look at me, just think about us."

Her tear-speckled amethyst orbs locked eyes with his hazel ones, accidentally revealing herself to him, and he peered into her troubled soul. He saw the pain, the anger she felt… and the sadness.

He had to do something, but he knew only one way to comfort her, and that was with his love.

Only when he gripped her hand, and only then did she realize how hard she had been clinging to him. His lips pressed against her own, and his blood- and dirt-covered hand cupped her cheek with gentility. And only then did her tears fall from her stricken eyes, and with it, he felt every ounce of feeling pouring from her soft lips: the urgency of her kiss, the occasional bite of the lip, her passion as she pressed against him—even as a knife still jutted violently from his back.

He didn't care. The only person, the only thing which mattered was the girl who needed him so badly as she did. There was no pain, there was no sorrow—it was gone as soon as they came together as one.

And he conveyed this to her with his touch and with his undying need. He told her how he would give his life for her own, he told her not to worry about his wounds, he told her the world did not matter when it meant her safety. No word needed be said, as it was all expressed so thoroughly in their mesmerizing ritual.

When they came back to reality that night, the two had made their way down to a shallow creek dividing the forest in two.

Emilia washed his wounds as best she could and superheated the blade stuck inside him. It was painful, but it was necessary to remove it. Subaru did not cry out in agony, nor did he whine. He let her work, and soon, he felt the warmth of her healing magic which soothed him from head to toe. His body ached for sleep, and for recovery. Even with her skills, he could still feel the side effects of such devastation to his body, mentally and physically.

Later, after it was all said and done, the two took to the road. Subaru told her about Puck and what had happened. If not for him, he would not have found her as he did. He owed him a great debt of gratitude. She told him she knew he hadn't left her, and she knew he would guide him to her. That was the kind of protective spirit he was.

Come morning, the pair took up the main road for a change and continued up north toward Priestella. The two were careful to hide their identity to any oncoming traveler, trying their best to avoid attention.

The further they traveled, the colder it got. In the evening, they camped by the side of the road in a small gully. Behind them rest a tree line which cut back into a winding forest they had no interest in traversing. The two hadn't shared much in conversation; instead, they just enjoyed their time together without much going on.

Still, the memory of the burning village of Nicia and the mystery which surrounded it beckoned him in the back of his mind like a bad headache. The cursed woods was another point of question for him. Who knew if those two events are connected? Even now, he guessed it didn't matter. Such events like those were out of his hands in the first place. He tried to push the thought of it away as best he could, but to no avail as he was unsuccessful.

They were near the crossroads which lead west to Priestella now, a prime trade route which housed a small outpost full of city officials and management. If they were to pass through there, they would have to be careful and seldom talk to anyone. Emilia had suggested they make a roundabout and avoid the crossroad, but Subaru didn't want to risk any more violent confrontation for the time being.

While Subaru heard the trotting steps of ground-dragons pass by, he noticed Emilia struggling to light a fire with her fingertips. She furrowed her brow in a pout, clearly beside herself. It was freezing outside, and they could really use a fire. She snapped her fingers together, over and over just like she had done so many times before, but no fire came. She let out an angry huff. The increasingly cool air required a warm fire to be acceptable at best.

"I don't understand!" she whined, continuing to snap her fingers together. "It may be my gate is worn out from yesterday?"

"It could be possible," Subaru said, withdrawing some flint and tinder from his pack. "Guess we can settle for the old-fashioned way, though." He took a steel piece and worked it against the flint, over and over, until small sparks lit the dry wood just a little bit. "Once there's a small flame, blow just like this." He cupped his hands, and with precision, he blew just gently on the smoldering tinder. It smoked and spread throughout the wood. Within moments, a small fire had erected.

"Thank you!" Emilia clapped excitedly, adding more dry tinder and stoking the flame.

"Nothing to it…" Subaru brushed off her praise, but gave her a small wink in return.

Even though he was almost certain she knew how to start a fire without magic, he was just trying to humor her and make light about her loss of magical prowess. It would be a damning thing for her gate to be damaged beyond recognition. Her magic was a powerful asset, not to just her, but to him as well. Without Puck and a damaged gate, it would be almost impossible for her to cast any sort of magic, and by god he knew her powers were important. She needed a means to defend herself, and her magic certainly provided that defense.

As they sat around the campfire, the two had relaxed comfortably into the arms of one another. After some time had passed, a growing noise echoed in the pale gloom of the young night. Soon, that echo turned to a roaring thunder, almost akin to a small earthquake, and Subaru looked over to see what the noise was.

A small band of about a dozen merchants and their three ground-dragons made their way down the dusty road toward the outpost. Subaru noticed they were in quite a rush, as the ground-dragons were clearly tired from a long journey. Their deep and repetitive breaths were clearly visible in smoky puffs through the cold air.

Emilia and Subaru both watched the outpost gates swing open without warning, obviously receptive of the merchant's arrival. The merchants chatted with the guards for a minute. A few choice words were exchanged, because he could hear some shouting and other fuss come from their direction. They finished their terse exchange soon enough, and they disappeared within the confines of the outpost's walls.

"We need to get in there somehow," Subaru said to Emilia, as he poked at the fire. "But how?"

Emilia thought for a moment, before responding. "Well, perhaps we can pose as a merchant?"

It was a typical idea, almost too simple to work. They didn't look like merchants: a half-elf and a man with no goods to peddle. Yeah, we really looked like merchants, Subaru thought sarcastically. "No, that wouldn't work," he then said, scratching the scruff of his growing beard. "But we could sneak in with one of the merchant patrols who comes through here."

"That's a good idea!" Emilia responded positively. Truly, it wouldn't be very difficult to accomplish.

"Hopefully they have a tavern there," Subaru stood up, rubbing his starved stomach. "I could use a hot meal and a belly full of fresh mead to ease my mind." He didn't think himself a drunk, but he certainly wouldn't mind being drunk for a change. It would take his mind off things for a bit; loosen up, that sort of thing.

Emilia replied with an agreeable moan.

From the distance, Subaru could see another small company of merchants approaching, this time with four ground-dragon caravans transporting goods to Priestella. Perfect opportunity, he thought.

Subaru kicked dirt over the fire to quickly put it out and picked up his sword and belongings. Emilia followed suit and the two scrambled up the ravine just off the road. They laid prone in wait for the caravans to pass by.

"Just follow me, okay?" he asked, holding her hand tight.

Emilia nodded in response, and swallowed in preparation.

The ground began to shake as the dragons approached closer and closer. The two watched as they began to pass by them. They would do best to take the final caravan in the back to avoid suspicion.

"Now!" he cued.

As the final caravan approached, the two jumped up quickly. Subaru took Emilia in his arms and threw her into the back of the caravan, and just barely hung onto the back of it. He almost fell, as it was travelling at quite a fast speed, but Emilia helped him up into the cart.

They now lay in the back of the transport, undiscovered and on a free ride to the outpost. The caravan shook as it traveled along the road. It was a bumpy ride in the back of a dragon-drawn caravan, as he had once experienced before.

But it was no matter; Subaru couldn't complain about their current situation. Everything was going according to plan. "Well, that couldn't have gone any better," he said. It went almost too well. Nothing ever went well for him, did it?

"Certainly!" she said excitedly.

The caravan came to a sudden halt, as it began to pass through the gate now, and it swung open just like before. One by one they passed through, and as it came to their turn, he could hear the gate guards exchange a few words with the operator of the ground-dragon.

"What goods are you transporting to Priestella?" the guard asked, as he looked suspiciously at the caravan.

"Armaments and war-time supplies for the guard, sir," the driver replied, somewhat nervously at that.

The guard was clearly growing impatient with the driver of the carriage. "Do you consent to a search of your goods and properties?" he asked, a clear annoyance evident in his tone.

"Oh, shit," Subaru cursed to himself. "Not good."

Likewise, Emilia covered her mouth with her palm in shock.

"No, I do not, sir," the driver replied. "I can assure you my goods are completely legal and of the highest quality."

"Pass on through then," the guard finally said, albeit begrudgingly. "Be on your way."

Both Subaru and Emilia breathed a deep sigh of relief. They were about to be had in the most pathetic way possible. The two kept quiet as the convoy passed into the outpost. In silence, they carefully planned when they would make their escape out into the town.

As the caravan made a turn out of sight from the gate-guards, the pair silently slipped out of the caravan and made their way off the road to avoid detection.

Inside the outpost was nothing truly interesting. It served its purpose: to be a trade route between the south cities and the north cities—and for that, it worked out perfectly. Trade routes such as these were popular for government officials to inhabit, so they could properly enforce their trade tax which gave financial support to the main cities. Such a tax was a trifling matter indeed when considering most lesser villages had no governmental support or protection.

There were a few buildings to be seen: shops, houses, along with what looked to be a shanty tavern to house wary travelers. Merchants were going in and out of it quite rapidly, so clearly it was a popular area.

Nobody questioned the two as they made their way to the entrance. Emilia kept her hood over her ears to hide her identity as a half-elf, and Subaru kept calmly to himself. In fact, they blended quite well among the populace.

Subaru rolled the sliding door back and looked around the nameless tavern. A familiar sight: human, demi-human, merchants, guards, vagabonds, and the like all sharing in the comfort of a warm watering hole. This tavern even had an entourage playing a few merry songs on their lutes and drums. It was a welcome sight to behold.

Emilia smiled brightly to Subaru, and he returned the gesture.

It was areas such as these which took the weight of the world off his shoulder. It was nice to come here to enjoy a hot meal, forget the worlds troubles and drink all his problems away. In a world like this, who couldn't resist doing that?

Subaru felt his stomach release an angry growl. Emilia stifled a laugh in response to it, much to his embarrassment. Not that she wasn't starving herself, that was. Even so, it was high time they sat down for some dinner, or they at least needed to get something in their stomachs.

The two sat down at an empty table, and Subaru motioned for the bar-lady to bring them something to eat. She nodded shyly and quickly returned with two mugs of mead and the special of the day, which was some type of potato-soup mashup. Subaru flipped her a gold piece in a kind gesture of gratitude and dug into his plate.

Emilia chuckled at her starving partner. If they could go more than a day without missing a meal, that would be just amazing. It felt like every time they went out into the wild, it would be days before they could find food or water. It was a poor habit, that's for sure.

As Subaru sipped from his mug of mead, he felt the warmth of the liquor sting his throat, but a hot sensation tingled in his belly. Simply put, it felt wonderful. After a few more sips from his mug, the effects of the drink began to take over him. This was a drink which got better after every taste.

He eyed his female partner across from him, who happily sipped from her mug as well. She looked at him with a curious glint in her eye. She was mischievous, for sure.

Subaru hoped things between them would begin to settle down. He enjoyed his budding relationship with Emilia more than anything in the world, but there was such a tension between the two he could barely stand it. It took every ounce of his will to keep him from jumping on her right here and now in front of everyone.

Eventually… That might end badly, he figured. For sure, once they got some free time to settle down and rest, he would talk about what happened over the past few days with Emilia. They hadn't had the time to sit down and chat about it like a normal couple. No, they didn't have time for that. Even as they endured such devastating and draining events as they did, there still wasn't proper time to sit down and just talk. At least they had time to express things, physically.

Subaru felt a blush spread across his cheeks at his remembrance of such things.

Taking note of this, his partner in crime across the table eyed him carefully. She playfully smirked at him and sipped from her mead innocently, as if nothing in the world was bothering her.

She was almost just as conflicted as he was. All the anger she had felt towards those bandits who kidnapped her, who hurt Subaru… and what she had done, it was all too much for her to comprehend now. It was because of that she had almost blocked the event out entirely, forgetting about it for the moment. Even so, it was there at the back of her mind, nagging at her, as such things always did.

After a few mugs of mead and another bowl of soup, Subaru found himself dancing with the patrons of the bar. The music was festive and merry, and he just couldn't keep himself from joining in all of the fun. Well, to be honest, he didn't even realize how he became a part of this in the first place.

All he knew was he held Emilia tightly against him, her cheeks too buzzing with a reddish hue, clearly under the influence of whatever they just drank. One step there, another here—it was all a blur.

He didn't even realize when her hood had fallen off and her pointy ears were exposed for all the world to see. Luckily enough for the pair, the merry patrons of the bar were too far drunk and preoccupied in the festivities to notice. And so, they danced, danced, and danced some more until the sun had long since set in the west and the moon rose to take its place.

Eventually the patrons of the tavern began to recede to the comfort of their beds, and with that, the dancing and merry games ceased. But the effects of the night had long since taken hold.

Emilia gave Subaru a wry smile, and he gave her somewhat of a wistful gaze. Her eyes were dilated and inquisitive. Time passed slowly; the whole world was forgotten except for the single girl he kept so close to his heart. He didn't know where they went, or where they were going, but he didn't care. Somehow, the two found themselves in a warm, low-lit room. As they shut the door behind them, they stumbled to remove their clothes and fumbled onto the bed. To Subaru's surprise, by some god somewhere, they made it without falling to the floor.

The shock of the events which played out the night before were lost to them now, their lives nothing but a warm haze of love and happiness. He felt a burning sensation pull at him, beckoning to his heightened senses… or lack thereof. Emilia, ever the one to please, noticed this, and with all the allure of a goddess, she revealed herself to him.

Subaru hesitated, his mouth agape at the scenery of her silky-smooth alabaster skin. Ever so tantalizing to touch, and even more so to taste. He dragged his mouth across her collarbone, and to her neck, leaving small bites in his wake. She moaned and pressed against him in response.

At the top of the window, the moon spilt through brilliantly, illuminating their small room in a mystical cast of pale light. Her vibrant amethyst eyes were darker than he had ever seen them before. They spoke to him as he gazed longingly into them, and very clearly, he heard the forbidden words even though her mouth remained still.

No part of him dared to protest the silent plea she gave him.

Drawing his hands over the smooth contours of her body, Subaru could feel her shallow breath and the deepening flush which graced her pale skin. While he memorized her in the light of the moon, he tenderly touched her cheek with his palm. She turned her face inward into his palm and kissed him, savoring his taste as she worked her way around his hand. As she had done so, he removed the final remnants of her clothing and cupped her breast as they finally revealed themselves. She moaned and tore at his own clothing, her nails leaving marks across his skin as they glided over him with surgical precision.

She needed him, and he her, and soon she lay over him, naked and wanting, and he obliged her. She felt all of him, and they rocked against each other with all the rhythm of a clear blue stream. As he thrust into her, he felt her need, all her want. He could feel the sadness, the pain, the suffering, but they paled in comparison to her happiness, the vastness of her peace. This was the perfect moment. He reached out to touch her deeper, as far as he could…

She climaxed for the first time, and she whispered his name over and over into his ear like a forbidden mantra. The pleasure which pierced her mind silenced her thoughts, cleared her of all unwanted emotion. There was only Subaru, and no one else.

As she finished, Subaru began to pace himself quicker and quicker, and he began to lose himself in the pleasures of her sex. Soon enough, he felt his own climax. His was powerful, and a much-needed release into oblivion. His body went limp against her own, and she pulled him deep against her, never going to let go.

He heard her sweet singing voice whisper things into his ear, things which were forever lost to him, as all words and syllables of the world were now just a vague idea. He couldn't process anything tangible, but he could still hear her soft angelic voice which lulled him into a deep and emotional trance.

Slowly, she moved out from underneath him, his body still limp against her own. He did not fight back, nor did he try to keep her from going. He just lay there, not abashed, but lost to the world and its intricacies.

All he saw was Emilia, and as she drew circles on his back and covered him in small kisses of love and comfort, his love for her grew tenfold. Soon, his eyes shut, and he rolled comfortably on his side. She cocooned herself against his unmoving body, caressing him with an everlasting love.

As he drifted in and out of sleep, he could hear her soft voice sing to him all throughout the night.