Tʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ Dᴇsᴄᴇɴᴛ

Subaru's consciousness faded in and out as he watched the moonlit world pass above him; the canvass of a sky beclouded and drenched in vague colors, far too many to count. Beneath him, he heard the rush of leaves, of dirt, and felt the occasional pain as his body was dragged over everchanging terrain without care or thought. Stirring slightly, he craned his neck in order to risk a look at his abductor—but there were two of them.

Cloaked in darkness and concealed beneath matching hoods, it was unmistakable—he was once again a victim of the nefarious Witch Cult.

Each cultist hauled him by his legs with the strength of twelve men, dragging him as if he were a rotten corpse ready to be thrown out into a pit to be buried. Neither noticed their prisoner was now awake, and for that reason, he relaxed his body once more and continued to let them drag him wherever they were taking him, bearing the aches and pains along with it.

If he acted rashly here, surely, they would overpower him, and he would suffer a death colder and more everlasting than before. It was because of this, he must be extra careful, and perhaps even give them what they want from him in that respect. Like before, they wouldn't have captured him alive without reason—and the Witch Cult always had their own objectives, as diabolical and depraved as they were.

As his sight returned to normal once again, a gnawing agony within the confines of his skull revealed itself so. It was a hammering, debilitating ache which sent shockwaves throughout his body and caused him to tense up uncontrollably. Some manner of foul magic had been cast upon him; something so potent he did not even realize it until he had awoken moments ago. The acute resonance of pain threatened to send him into a panic induced delirium, and it took every drop of his will to keep from clawing his own throat in order to cease his silent, but terrible demise.

Now foaming from the mouth, Subaru was rendered unconscious once more, perhaps for the better—his mind was simply unable to process such a torturous pain even after bearing so many deaths before. Gurgling sounds emanated unpleasantly from his frothy mouth, and his muscles tensed on their own in quick, dangerous spasms.

Taking notice of this, one of the cultists turned a glance at their limp passenger; its blood red, demonic gaze almost unreadable, even though its predatory eyes shone in the dark, stalking its prey. Unquestioning, the hooded figure faced forward again and wordlessly continued its march of solitude in unknown directions.

Slowly, Subaru's body stilled, and human perceptions of time, space, and other worldly aspects fell to the wayside of his mind. Weightlessly, he travelled without ever knowing where he was truly going… and after some time, he would finally awake again.

It called to him, as if he were being summoned to another world once more. It was that familiar foreboding all over again; sounds of a dark chant stirred him from his slumber.

Coming to his senses once more, his blood-encrusted eyelids cracked open. This time, his surroundings swirled around and around until his eyes began to refocus.

As the world twisted into view, he turned to his left; instinctually, he shielded his sight from an assailing, blinding luminescence. The abrupt shock sent him cowering against the damp, rocky surface where he lay upon. Shrinking away from the aberrant light, Subaru's legs kicked backwards until he felt himself dangling off a ledge, sending shards of rock tumbling loudly down into a winding chasm. Down they fell, and it was much too long until he heard their descent come to an end, producing a resonating echo throughout the massive expanse of malformed caverns which enveloped him.

Pushing himself away from the shelf of the cliff, Subaru felt a light draft blowing mercilessly from the cracks in the cavern's wall. The icy cool air sent him into a cold sweat, forcing every hair on his bare skin to stand up straight. Involuntarily, he wrapped himself in his uncovered arms to generate some measure of heat as he finally began to realize where he was.

The mystical glow lighting the area in a viridian green hue jutted out from the rocky ground in a magical hive of crystals. He could hear a low hum sound emanating from the curious crystalline formation, as the light dimmed and brightened again in a ritualistic luminous vibration.

Lagmite? he wondered silently, as his hands hovered curiously over the crystals. Unfortunately, they provided no heat, as their strange glow was completely otherworldly.

Rolling over onto his back, Subaru wiped the blood and grime from his face and stared up at the darkness above him. With the lagmite as his only light source, he could discern no ceiling—no end in sight to wherever he was. To make matters much worse, Subaru found he was inside of a makeshift jailcell which had only one walled-off entrance and one damnable exit: straight down.

A couple feet away, there lay a small hole in the wall where the draft was coming from. Rusted bars jutted out from the ground into the rock, preventing him from getting past it. He was entirely sealed off on a cliff of whatever cavern he found himself in—and the exit was no less ideal; the only way down being a deadly plunge to a jagged, rocky surface no man or beast could survive.

He didn't know how long he lay there on the cold surface of the cave, the complete removal of natural light rendering it almost impossible to process the normal passage of time, save for guesswork. Still, he waited patiently for whomever or whatever was coming for him, passing smoothly from the waking world into the deep confines of a restful sleep. It didn't mean he wasn't afraid… because he was; it was there—that gaping, crippling fear which sank into the depths of his soul like an unfathomable pit of despair. Such feelings, he had become almost numb to their sensations, given his exposure to an insurmountable and constant level of danger.

But this time was different. Subaru was still without the power which had aided him so many times before. He could feel it in his bones, in his soul; for some reason, the lonely and unmistakable witch who found refuge inside him had fled to places unknown.

He no longer heard the hymn or the laughter which would rack his thoughts in times of trial like this. When he neared the malevolent followers of the Witch Cult, it was always the same. He could hear her inside him, her sweet voice taunting him; it was like a whisper, or a creeping spider which crawled ever so slowly, from one corner of his skull to the other.

He saw her in his mind: her alabaster skin and ashen hair which fell wistfully past her delicate shoulders… the pink hue of her skin which spread itself across the snowy slopes of her cheeks… her gentle amethyst eyes which seemed hopeful, but beneath them lay a deeper sadness he could never understand… and solemn tears brimming her eyes—a reminder of such sadness one could seldom forget.

Her picturesque appearance was embedded into his brain firmer than the alphabet of his world, from beyond the everflowing streams of the waterfall. He knew every detail; from the contours of her body, to her sweet smell of jasmine, and her gentle voice which whisked him away to a dreamland far beyond his own imaginations. She was as much his lover as she was his pursuer, a woman who existed in two realities—both in the physical world and in the land of dreams.

There, above him, as he stared at the endless darkness and expanse of the cavern, he saw two fading figures, their similarities so striking to the point where they couldn't be discerned from one another. Were they the same person? He didn't know, and for the life of him, he couldn't shake their gaze from his own. Her cyan pupils bore into his own, piercing him deep to the core of his existence. Dazed and confused, Subaru continued to gaze into the nothingness, and soon, the two individuals began to overlap one another, until only one remained.

Cloaked in a dark garb growing from the shadows themselves, the hooded half-elf relaxed her stern expression, unable to hide her love for the gazing man staring up from the cavern floor.

"Have you dreamt of me?" she asked, her serene voice pulling him closer and closer to her with every syllable. "I beseech you, for I only wonder alone. Bescreened under this dark and night, separating us—do you still think of me?"

Subaru nodded, absorbing her sweet sound. A moment later he replied, as eloquently as he could, "Even if the world ceased to exist, and this heart stopped beating inside me… you would never disappear from my mind."

"Do you… Do you truly mean such words?" the nameless shadow asked once more.

Subaru found himself shaking. He tried hard to control his emotions, but the more he concentrated, the more he faltered and could not make himself stop.

Nervously, his mouth opened, declaring, "You have given me something more than just the ability to live life again… You have given me the ability to live my life to the fullest. To live for you, even though I have barely come to know you; to die for you, even though you do everything within your ability to keep this heart beating."

The apparition cautiously hovered closer to Subaru, bathing her in pulsing viridian light. Her expression was now clear as day to him, as was her kindhearted demeanor. Subaru had always known her to be a creature of jealousy, for reasons he could not understand. In the darkness they shared together, he heard her voice once more; a single phrase which would resonate within his mind for eternity… and for the first time, he truly heard her:

"I love you… more than one can love the world…"

He felt something burst inside himself, and soon his shaking ceased. Within him, the agony and pain which raged like a stormy sea fell silent—and within that abrupt, absolute inner stillness of waters, he felt himself calmly guided to an epiphany.

There, he saw how she was looking at him. He felt her call, her absolute admission of innocence and the purity of her confession… but behind that, he felt an aching hunger within her soul he could finally comprehend.

"I love you too…" Subaru confessed back. He was entirely at peace now, her gentle aura blanketing him in a calmness only one person could match—but still, he found it hard to speak that name. After a moment's time, the thickness in his voice ceased, and he felt himself able to continue once more, "I finally know who you are… You have been there by my side the entire time, and I didn't even know it. How… can I ever be forgiven?"

Even as he spoke, she continued to come closer to him in her ghostly way. The fair-skinned half-elf's hood faded from sight, revealing a face all-too-familiar to him. She gave him a shy smile and closed her eyes in joy—allowing a few impactful tears to fall without care. As Subaru went to speak once more, she pressed her delicate finger to his lips and silenced him.

"Please, speak no apologies…" she whispered into his ear, her hot breath tickling him and covering him in goose bumps. "If it is true you must be forgiven, then I shall bear your fault. 'Tis my own fault you felt so much pain, and suffering."

Subaru found himself lost in the song of her speech. The way she talked, the way every syllable elicited from her tantalizing lips… it was almost too distracting. But he listened to her anyway, his attentiveness unparalleled in their moment of truth.

"Ah… it wasn't so bad…" he said, even if it were a lie. "What has happened to me wasn't your fault… and if it wasn't for the power you gave me, I would have been dead moments after I stepped foot into this world. If you did anything, you saved me, and so… I'm going to save you!"

Even if he meant well, the impact of his words only carried a sense of loss.

"You… can't save me now," she admitted sadly, as a new wave of tears threatened to fall at any moment. "I'm beyond saving, and when the time comes, you shall kill me… Ending my own life, is saving me…"

Shock and confusion stretched itself across Subaru's face, and his eyes widened greatly. He was wordless as he stared into her tear-soaked lavender eyes, unable to move and unable to comfort her as she continued.

"The power I bestowed upon you, was the power to end my own existence…" she uttered almost breathlessly. Her appearance was cracking now, revealing a more manic side to the gentle guise she thus presented him in this moment. "But I had felt you shun me, and so I took the power away. Truthfully, I thought you did wish it gone… I thought you wished to abandon it like I thought myself abandoned. But you have called to me once more, and I have heard you—and here I stay, each moment by your side, and each moment faithful."

"You are everything I want," Subaru replied quickly, almost uncontrollably. "I realize that now… ever since I set my eyes on you in this world, I knew that. From the first moment… to the last, every time I close my eyes, you are there, etched into every single solitary thought… and I will never harm you."

Her pained expression softened into one more of joy once again, and she hovered closer to him once more. They were inches from each other now, so close he could feel the slight warmth of her breath against his cold nose.

"Your words bring such happiness to me," she admitted, her voice wavering with emotion. "But… I can't be one with you anymore, for reasons I shan't tell. I did want to stay so close to you… as close as I could, but such a thing is not possible. Even if you know why, I shall not utter such truths here."

She looked at him curiously, before giving him a sad smile which made him want to ask a thousand questions. There, she hovered patiently, awaiting something, and maybe something from himself.

Moments passed, and she finally spoke again, saying, "I shall leave now… and I do not know when I shall be able to return like this."

Subaru smiled at her. "What if I just call your name?" he asked her, causing her to let out a small gasp.

"Tis possible…" she said, her voice quiet and unsure. "But I fear you may not call for me the correct way."

"Then how?" Subaru asked.

Closing her eyes, she shyly averted her gaze from him. "Think of us, about our love, and all the memories we did share together, and one day, I shall come to you—by your side."

After she said this, silence followed quickly. The two lovers who shared the darkness together, continued their peaceful quiet, as they absorbed each other in every way they could without physical contact. After a while, he couldn't tell whether it was a trick of the light, or his mind playing games with him—but she began to fade. Her ghostly apparition, previously tangible and solid, turned translucent in the viridian light of the crystals.

Subaru nodded solemnly at her, and then unexpectedly, he reached his arms around the apparition to ensnare her in his grasp for the first time.

As she felt his arms encircle her, she let out a small gasp for the second time.

It was his first attempt to give her some manner of physical love in this new world, which lay outside the splintered reality of his mind… and his hands passed through her as if there was nothing there at all.

The pulsating light of the lagmite crystals continued its near-metronomic show—but no longer was the half-elf there. The calming presence of her beauty was replaced once again by the discomforting quiet of an endless shadow.

She was gone.

Broken once more, Subaru lay there against the hard, rocky floor of the cavern.

He was so close to touching her… so close to showing her he cared… so close to showing her he knew. He just needed to touch her once, to remind her he loved her, to show her he hadn't forgotten her. It devastated him to know she went through such pains for him all this time, and he hadn't returned any of her affection. He even tried to get rid of her… and even when he himself was the source of her jealousy. It was his fault, because he didn't know the truth before—but he fully understood it now.

Contemplating this, Subaru lay there for hours, and soon he was unable to discern reality from his own delusions. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her. She was haunting him yet again, even though she was not with him. She was more like a ghost now than anything, something ephemeral who showed herself, only to leave just as quickly as she came. A fleeting dream which reflected the reality of his misshapen world.

Soon, something caught Subaru's eye, and he was wrenched from the confines of his imagination.

The lagmite crystals lining the walls of the cavern—they had changed color from their peaceful green to an unsightly blood-red. Curious, Subaru crawled over to one of the clusters, and once again drew his hand closer to it. Still, it emanated no warmth—but something had changed about it. As his hands drew closer, he felt a shiver tingle down his spine like whenever magic was used around him. What's going on here? he thought darkly.

As if his thoughts were a beckoning, two shadowy figures malformed from the surface across the rusted bars in front of him in response. At their presence, he could hear the low hum of a chant spilling effortlessly from their mouths. Easily startled, Subaru crawled backwards away from them as they peered curiously through the crevice of the cavern at him, their hooded guises betraying no emotion they must have felt.

The mysterious figures receded and then gave him a deep bow of respect, before touching both of their gloved hands gently on the bar in front of them.

Faint goose bumps spread across Subaru's flesh, just like always before when magic was used in his presence—especially by these dark magicians.

Where their hands once touched the bar, the bar vanished piece by piece, until it was no more. Now free to walk in, the hooded figures invited themselves to his presence as they stepped into the light of the reddened crystal lagmite. It bathed them in a sinister red hue which made them to appear as devils, intensifying the relentless anxiety their unfortunate prisoner felt.

Subaru continued to observe them with a mix of apprehensive fear and mild curiosity. They were repulsive and disgusting individuals, but he couldn't help but wonder what they wanted with him this time. They had treated him so poorly by kidnapping him and taking him here, injuring him, and leaving him here to rot for what felt like days without food or water. So, why did they show such respect now?

Without warning, the two cultists stepped to the side as another grew menacingly out of the ground from the shadows behind them. This new cultist, wearing slightly different, and more adorned robes than the other two, invited himself in as well without a second thought.

As the head cultist stepped forward, their chanting grew louder and more chaotic; then suddenly, from within his robe, he wordlessly withdrew a book bound in black leather—a gospel.

With meticulous respect to custom, the cultist knelt on one knee, and with two hands, he respectfully sat the solemn book on the ground before stepping away from it. The cultist bowed once more in adulation and took his leave through the crevice in the wall with no parting words. The other two cultists, who paid the ordinately dressed cultist with respect, followed suit, exiting through the hole as well.

Silently, one of the cultists gestured with his hand, literally drawing a mystical barrier of translucent haze from the bottom of the crevice to the very top, before it transformed into the rusted bars once more. From either lack of light or shadow magic, Subaru couldn't tell; all three figures vanished immediately from sight, disappearing into the darkness of the cavern.

He was left alone once more, with just the book to keep him company as it lay quietly on the cavern's floor.

The longer Subaru stared at the mysterious object on the ground, the more uncomfortable he felt. Surely, it was just a book, but its presence affected him deeply unlike the other gospels he had come across before. When he had unknowingly traversed the pages of Petelgeuse's gospel, he had felt nothing, nor did he understand any of the ancient text which filled its pages. It was just a plain book, but this time, something was different—it felt… alive.

The now palpitating red light from the lagmite crystals continued their fervent dance, painting the caverns of the wall in what appeared to be blood. The lagmite appeared to be almost fed by whatever magic was emanating from the loathsome gospel, the dark magic shaping and twisting them into a torturous mirror of its former self.

Initially, as Subaru stared at the lonesome tome, he couldn't hear anything; but soon enough, in that painfully quiet darkness, there was something coming from the book. He couldn't quite make anything of it at first, but there definitely was something there! He thought he might be losing his mind, but the sound grew louder, and louder, and louder, before it became clear what was filling his ears.

The book was speaking to him, he realized. At first, the book's chant was a jumbled mess; even if he knew the abhorrent language, it was all but impossible to understand. It sounded as if it were speaking gibberish to him, which annoyed him to no end. But as the hours continued, and as Subaru sat there alone with the living book, the gibberish began to turn to simple words… and the simple words to sentences… and then, he heard it clear as day:

"An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor…"

The sounds faded away. The disembodied must have voice came from the book. Its ominous and distorted words gnawed eagerly at his mind, and then finally processed what he had heard.

He understood them! He understood what was being chanted. It was faint, but it was there!

Subaru's horrid expression was slowly replaced by one of madness. His lips curved into a faint smile, and his brow furrowed maniacally. The more his new friend spoke to him, the more the lunacy of the situation added to his newfound hysteria.

He felt something welling up inside him he never once experienced before. It was an inexplicable darkness which he could not explain, an unscratchable itch in his stomach. It grew and wiggled mindfully around inside him, searching for a way out, only to meet the walls of his organs in dismay.

Such feelings only served to beckon him to darkness once more. It felt similarly to that dark, sinking feeling in his stomach he felt every time he died. Soon, his smile curved higher into a smirk, and before he knew it, he let out an insane and uncontrollable laughter. It was a cackling one rivalling even the most devious and maniacal of characters he had been exposed to in this new world.

His laughter continued, until his voice grew hoarse and the taste of his saliva turned putrid. Eventually, he couldn't laugh anymore, and the dryness parching the insides of his mouth silenced him completely and utterly.

With only the sounds of the chant to fill his mind and the echoing caverns around him, Subaru sank deeper and deeper into madness and despair. With his laughter gone—the one tool he could use to drown out the virulent words—he truly entered hell.

As time went on, the chants from the book grew louder, forcing Subaru to cup his ears in a desperate attempt to silence the assailing object. But the chants did not stop, and they kept coming, and coming, and coming. For hours, Subaru lay there, as the repetitious taunt continued their merciless attack on his brittle mind:

"An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor… An endless vexation… A fragile ego… An insatiable hunger… The everlasting ardor…"

Relentlessly, the chant continued its hemorrhaging attack. After an unknown amount of time passed, Subaru was reduced to nothing but an incoherent mess as the poisonous words filled his brain with the darkest and vilest inconceivable messages. It hunted him, and no matter where he hid, the book found its way deep inside the depths of his mind. It was all he saw, and all he felt—and it was all he knew, and all he would ever know.

The book was everything… and he wished for nothing but to get up and take the thing, if not for just a chance to toss it over the chasm next to him—but he couldn't. Something otherworldly compelled him not to, something so far from the realm of his own control he dared not sneak even the slightest glance at the atrocious object.

So, he lay there, unable to move, and unable to act on his own free will. He was succumbing to the chant—the fatal words of sin.

After a great amount of time passed, Subaru rushed over to the book and placed his hand on it. He felt the warmth of its leather-bound body spread across him, banishing the chill which had stricken him since he was brought here. He felt comfortable, calm even—one could say Subaru was completely at peace.

His fingers spread across the pages of the book, cherishing the texture as his digits melded effortlessly against the blank cover. He caressed it lovingly, almost tenderly like how he would touch the one whom he adored… or hold something close to him whom he had been separated from for an eternity. The book fervently vibrated under the tips of his fingers, as if responding to his unspoken love—and it whispered to him once more:

"Control thy avarice… Reject all levels of indolence… and—"

Subaru's eyes widened as the book finally opened itself, revealing its pristine and untouched pages. Brushing the tips of his fingers over symbols carefully etched in blood, he read the first words in a dead language none would ever speak, nor would they ever wish to:

"All which remains, is thy jealousy."

XXXXXX

Emilia felt herself beginning to cry, and not just from exhaustion, but also from the completely unexpected loss of her lover more than anything else.

For the entire night, they had searched around the city of Cramlin; in between the alleyways, through the dank and rotten sewers, and in foreign establishments both far and wide away from where she last saw him. Now covered in doubt, she sat pitifully on a rotten barrel under a gutter somewhere within the throngs of the city, forgotten to the world as merchants and regular-folk continued their morning machinations.

By now, the young and orangish sun was beginning to creep up over the walls of the city for the first time since they had arrived here, lighting the soaring mountains above them in a gloriously golden hue. The marvelousness of the sight was lost to Emilia as she sat there, almost drowning in her own thoughts as she raced through them in order to find answers to the unanswerable.

Next to her, standing unquestionably by her side, was Wilhelm van Astrea. Noticing her shoulders drooping further into despair, he drew nearer to her, but was careful enough to not intrude himself upon her silent brooding. He understood, almost too painfully, how it was to lose someone who was so close and bounded by love—and while he wouldn't rest until she reunited with him happily, he couldn't help but fear the worst for her. For now, he would always be by her side, unwavering in his support for her while she suffered without her second half.

Emilia's frown deepened as she stared at the puddle in the grimy mud beneath her. In the reflection, she saw her new self; a half-elf with silver-hair—one dangling gently above her shoulders, instead of flowing far past them. Suddenly, particles of ice began to form around the puddle, and it frosted over as if Lugnica had unexpectedly entered the season of the blue-sun.

This action drew a worried glance from Wilhelm, but he continued to leave her alone out of respect for her tumultuous emotions. No stranger to love and tragedy, he truly understood her feelings more than she could ever know.

At this point, she almost didn't care anymore what people thought of her. She was tired of it all: tired of being a half-elf, and tired of enduring such ostracization from all peoples of the world. She wished for nothing but the best for all people, but in return, she was given the worst of it—all for the sake of her heritage and likeness to a four-hundred-year-old legacy.

As if reflecting that point, her current presentation made it more than apparent: her magical hood rested upon her shoulders, and her pointy ears were on display for all the world to see. However, the pair sat just far enough from the hustle and bustle of the morning merchant rush she was in no fear of being seen or noticed by anyone.

Wiping her exhausted eyes of the last bit of tears they could spend, Emilia relaxed her position on the barrel and turned to face Wilhelm. In response, he graced her with a slight and gentlemanly bow.

"Lady Emilia?" He addressed her respectfully, making it a point to avoid direct eye contact with her now disheveled state. "If you have attained enough rest, then I must respectfully request we continue our search for Master Subaru."

Emilia didn't even know what to say in response. She was beyond tired and had stayed up all through the night searching for her lost companion. She eyed Wilhelm carefully, but said nothing else.

After a moment's thought, she took a deep breath and said, "I'm fine, Master Wilhelm… and I'm sorry for slowing you down. I know you worked tirelessly through the night with me, and I owe you so much for that… I just…" She swallowed hard, as her dried mouth stifled her speech.

"There is no need for apologies," he replied in a knightly fashion, as he stepped closer to her to show more support. "I am just as considerate for your own welfare as I am for our search. Even if there are more pressing matters at hand than that of rest, I am sure Master Subaru would feel the same way."

Emilia felt a small smile grace her slips. She glanced over to Wilhelm and met eyes with him. She said, nervously, "You're right… Subaru would be soooo worried about me. That's just the kind of person he is; always worrying about others more than himself. But we should continue… I've had enough rest, and I know Subaru wouldn't rest even a minute if he were looking for me."

As if beckoned by some otherworldly force, Wilhelm snapped to attention and took a step, before saying, "There has been word of recent Witch Cult activity in the area. Therefore, I find it likely our search for Master Subaru will lead us to them. I suggest we reach out to the local garrison located in the Administrative District of Cramlin."

Emilia's voice caught in her throat once more. "The… Witch… Cult?" she uttered their venomous name, failing to hide the tremble in her voice. "Do you… Do you really think they took Subaru? We were just in a tavern… Does that mean they have infiltrated the entire city?"

Wilhelm's expression turned grave. "That is precisely what I think," he said carefully, thumbing the pommel of his cherished sword. "It's unmistakable, in fact, and it's the only conclusion I can make after having searched so long and found nothing. This wouldn't be Master Subaru's first run in with the Witch Cult, now would it…?"

Nodding silently, Emilia looked up at him with worry. "I just can't believe they are all over the place like this… first at the Mathers dominion, then on the road, and now this far to the east? They must be planning something—something big."

"The worry for that comes later," he said resolutely, before reaching out his hand to help her up. "For now, we worry about our search for Master Subaru."

Emilia nodded once more and took his hand. With both hands, she pulled her hood up over her head once more to hide her true appearance, and then the two set off toward the garrison together.

As she walked alongside Wilhelm, she continued to think bad thoughts to herself. She couldn't help it, as she felt so powerless to what was happening around her. If Subaru was indeed taken by the Witch Cult, it couldn't have meant anything good, and it probably even had something to do with herself. She knew they had an acute interest in her because of her likeness to the Jealous Witch, and because of that, she couldn't help but feel responsible for what was happening all over again.

She wondered of the past; about when the cult had discovered she was still alive, or when they had picked up on her trail. Was it just a coincidence, or happenstance? Was it planned from a time unknown? Her silent self-interrogations kept her preoccupied as the two made their way through the living city, bringing her back to the events over the past week. They had been careful to hide their identities from the world, made every calculated step to make sure none knew of their survival. Save for the incident at the tavern yesterday, there really wasn't any explanation for how the Witch Cult even thought they had survived. She strained herself to think harder.

Emilia's eyes widened sharply. She felt herself retracting her steps back to the time where they had stepped into the cursed wood across the river from Nicia. The forest had been boobytrapped with a curse powerful enough to cover its entire expanse. She had figured it was cast there intentionally, because why else would someone place a curse over such a wide area which would affect so many innocents? That had to be it, there was no other explanation. Whatever trap they came upon had triggered a detection spell which identified them to whoever cast it—and come to think of it, she was not wearing her magical cloak at the time of the spell's activation.

Embarrassed, she looked down at the ground as her own two feet rhythmically stepped out in front of each other, one at a time. She should have been able to detect that kind of magic, especially because of how large it was. Normally, curses which were placed on small areas were trickier to detect, because one must pinpoint the exact location, but when they are utilized in wider ways, they become easier to notice.

I'm soooo stupid! she mentally chastised herself. If only she had been more careful. Truthfully, there were a limited number of things she could do to protect Subaru in her own way, and this was one of them. The ability to detect and sense enchantments, curses and other mystical spells of the world was a latent ability well-honed by magic users much like herself. With her newfound memories returning to her more and more every night, she continually found herself realizing she had more ability than she ever could have thought of. Even without Puck, she was able to use abilities which were long forgotten to her.

Puck… she thought, instinctually grasping the missing stone hanging from her neck. It felt more than odd for that crystal to be vacant on her person. Suddenly, she remembered why they had come here in the first place. With the recent events happening, it had been pushed so far to the corners of her mind that she almost forgot!

Abruptly, Wilhelm slowed his pace by her side and turned an eye to Emilia. Noticing this, she left the safe confines of her mind and returned to the world at present. She had to banish these thoughts if she were to ever function the way she wanted to, and so she turned her attention to her newfound companion.

"We have arrived, my lady," he addressed her politely, before looking up at the expansive fortress.

In front of them, was a well-fortified garrison built in stone and old in age. While it gave off the impression that at one point, it stood over the city in shining vibrance, its cracked and weary appearance made it apparent it had gone years without refurbishment. At the center of the archway leading to the main entry-gate hung the royal dragon banners which represented the Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica.

Passing underneath the seal of the Divine Dragon, Wilhelm stepped forward and gave a knock on the door. For a moment, the two waited patiently outside, as nobody came to greet them. However, Wilhelm did not knock again, and thus the two continued to await their greeter.

"Do you think they are somewhere else?" Emilia asked quietly to her knightly companion. "I mean, they wouldn't leave us waiting out here like this normally, right?"

It seemed a silly question, but she wanted to break the awkward silence anyway.

"I'm afraid not," Wilhelm said, his voice slightly annoyed at that. "It's too early in the morning for them to be out doing anything, in fact. They should be arriving at the door any minute now, if we are patient enough to wait."

Giving him a slight nod, Emilia crossed her arms and propped herself up on the stone wall next to her. Brushing her growing bangs from her eyes, she peered up at the towering building, observing what was essentially a relic, or monument of a bygone age.

Many of these garrisons were sprouted up during the Demi-Human War, when such protections were needed in every city and village stretching across the land. It was a bitter war, fought between humans, halves and demi-humans which resulted in the deaths of thousands and the destruction of entire cities. As a half-elf herself, it was a painful reminder of an antiquated past which still affected her today, and because of that, it made her feel uneasy.

Growing impatient himself, Wilhelm raised finally raised his fist for another knock on the gates… and the sliding hatch swung open without warning, revealing a pair of inquisitive blue eyes.

"State your business!" the faceless voice boomed through the peering hole in the gate. "You are standing in front of the Kingdom Knights of Lugnica."

Stepping into view of the hatch, Wilhelm revealed himself. "That I am," he introduced carefully, looking the man on the other side straight in the eye. "I am Wilhelm van Astrea, or have I grown so old by now I am forgotten?"

The pair of blue eyes blinked and widened in what appeared to be terror. Immediately, he shut the hatch, and after mere seconds, Wilhelm could hear him hurriedly unlocking the mechanisms which shuttered the gate—and then the gate finally lurched open, creaking and cracking as it had done so.

As the gate widened to its maximum expanse, Wilhelm came face to face with a young Kingdom Knight who appeared no older than he when he was in his prime, forty years ago. The young man had piercing blue eyes, blonde hair, and wore the traditional white garb of a knight he had abandoned so long ago.

"Master… Wilhelm…" he uttered breathlessly as he snapped to a salute faster than the eye could see.

Eyeing him carefully, Wilhelm let a slight smirk grace his hardened features. "At ease…" he ordered while returning the salute, allowing the young knight to relax himself after a moment of scrutiny.

Relaxing his salute, he said nervously, "Forgive me for my insolence! Please, I beg of you… I have heard the legends of your crusades… Please forgive me!"

"Relax, young one," Wilhelm advised the young man, while raising his hand to calm him. "I am not here to pester such a young knight as yourself. You have done nothing wrong and you have not dishonored yourself. Please, if you may—introduce yourself."

"My name is Thaler Morstead, Knight Errant of the Special Reactionary Brigade," he introduced himself as best he could. "I am not worthy to be in your presence… if you want me to fetch the Commander… I will do so immediately!"

"That would be appropriate, Knight Errant," Wilhelm said as he stepped through the gateway and into the garrison. He motioned for Emilia to follow him in, which she did so. "Please, inform me of who is in command here… It has been some time since I have been away."

"The acting Knight Commander is Conwood Melhau," he replied quickly, as he led them down a long and winding corridor. "The commander has just returned from a leave of absence and re-commissioned into the Kingdom Knights after the last acting Commander fell ill."

A fond smile curved from the stern features of Wilhelm. "Oh, is that so…?" he murmured, a burst of nostalgia washing over him as he remembered their old trailblazing days together. "So, the taste of the White Whale was not enough to quench an old-man's thirst, huh? I can say I actually agree with him for once in that respect."

Unsure of how to respond, Thaler continued off subject, "His vast amount of experience and practical nature of operation has already led to the successful subjugation of a local Witch Cult sect. His leadership is invaluable, and we are honored to have him serve amongst our ranks once more."

"I see," Wilhelm replied, his brow furrowed and deep in thought. "So, your men have already had numerous excursions with the cultists then…"

"Aye, sir," he gestured affirmatively, and continued. "Over the past month, there has been a resurgence of cultist activity in both the mountains and surrounding forests for an unknown reason. We have worked tirelessly in order to keep their evil forces at bay."

"This information you have provided me has been very helpful, Knight Errant. You have done well."

Wilhelm couldn't see it, but the young knight was grinning from ear to ear in response to hearing such praise from the most renowned Kingdom Knight of old. Wilhelm van Astrea was almost like a living jewel to the Kingdom Knights, so colored his history was with them. After leaving the order for so many years, it was a monumental occasion to see him walk through their history-laden halls to enact official business once more.

"Thank you, sir!" Thaler beamed, away from the sight of his appraiser.

As the trio walked silently along the hallways, they found themselves heading closer and closer to the center of the garrison, where the Commander's chambers were. Every knight they passed by stopped to salute Wilhelm in a deep modicum of respect, and he addressed them with his own in return.

Truthfully, he didn't feel like he had earned the respect they had given so willingly to him. His actions were always out of his own love for his dearest wife—Theresia—and for that, he felt somewhat selfish. Of course, there were times when his own need for personal justice superseded those of the values befitting of a knight, and it made him feel shameful. Out of spite, he had left the order, the bitter falling out between his son and grandson marring a heritage unlike any other in the kingdom. He only hoped one day he would rectify all the wrongs he had made in his life.

And he would no doubt get that chance very shortly.

Knocking on the door to the Commander's chambers, Thaler stated his business in an official tone, "Knight of the Divine Dragon, Wilhelm van Astrea, is requesting permission to enter, sir!"

There was a momentary silence, but it didn't last long.

"You may enter, Thaler," a familiar voice granted passage from beyond the door.

Snapping to attention, Thaler unlatched the door and slid it open, before popping against the wall to allow the old knight and his guest to pass through. Wilhelm and Emilia entered the chambers, and the heavy-wooden door shuttered heavily behind them, allowing them privacy in their meeting.

Wispy smoke fluttered throughout the stagnant air of the enclosed chambers. There, in front of them, sat Conwood Melahau, pipe in hand, and with a curious glint in his eye. His normally olive-green hair had speckles of grey and white in them, demonstrating he, too, was becoming old as Wilhelm had.

"Well, well, well… To whom do I owe this pleasure?" Conwood spoke heartily, breaking the ice between the two parties. "You know very well I never expected to see you so shortly after the subjugation of the White Whale, Wilhelm!"

Rising joyously from his large chair, Conwood approached his old comrade and they embraced each other closely, like all lifetime friends should.

"You said, Commander Melahau, did you?" Wilhelm said with a playful smirk hidden underneath his growing beard. Ceasing their embrace, he looked over Conwood carefully. "Look at you! I never took you for an old and sodded knight."

Stifling a laughter and drawing a long toke of his pipe, Conwood smiled. "It was upon personal request of the Sage Council—not that I would have had any choice in the matter, especially with how recent events are going. The lack of astute leadership within the Kingdom Knights is glaringly obvious, and I felt like I could help out a bit with these youngsters… and don't forget, even an old man like me can teach them a thing or two."

"You seem to have a good and respectful crew under your belt," Wilhelm added, as Conwood eased back into his chair once more. "I met the young one, Thaler, and several others along the way here. They are young indeed, but so were we… once upon a time."

Letting out another chuckle, Conwood pointed to the ornate suit of armor hanging on the stand next to him.

"You see that?" he said, pointing, before drawing another smoke from his pipe. "That's the same suit of armor I wore forty-years ago, can you believe that? Something so old like that, it gives these young knights the hope they need to do their duties, so one day they may grow old and sodded just like myself, basking in the tales of the glory days."

Nodding in understanding, Wilhelm commented, "You wore armor? I can scarcely remember that, old friend. All I can recollect was the swinging chain of your flail and the broadsword you carried on your back, the size of myself." Wilhelm let out his own reserved laughter in recollection of such memories.

"And I was always saving your ass!" Conwood corrected him quickly, causing both parties to laugh in unison. After this last round of joyous bellowing passed into history, he narrowed his gaze at his guest and raised a brow. "But, Wilhelm, you and I both know you didn't come here to share stories of the past."

Taking on a more serious gaze once more, Wilhelm stirred slightly. "You're right," he said, and he invited himself to sit in one of the chairs in front of the Commander's desk. Emilia, quiet and out of place, sat in the another one adjacent to Wilhelm. "There are pressing matters to attend to, and I would be in your debt if you would let me regale you a tale most concerning."

A stream of hazy smoke blew from the lips of Conwood, before he said, "Does it involve the horde of cultists lingering around the gates of Cramlin?"

Wilhelm's eyes widened and then quickly narrowed once more, betraying little emotion. Conwood must have been fast enough to catch his response, because he saw him smirk, then say:

"Precisely…"

Reaching from within his desk, Conwood withdrew a large map and unfurled it, before tossing it onto his wood carved desk. Immediately, he stood, and then stretched it out until it was able to be previewed in full length.

Drawing his fingers to certain key points on the map, he said: "We have had an increased amount of cultist activity in the area here over the past month. We know not why, but it stands to reason it probably has something to do with the events which befell the Royal Selection Candidate, represented by the Mathers dominion. The timeline of events is almost completely in tandem with one another, so we have been formulating a plan to initiate a counterattack within the next few days before they have any chance to enact their misdeeds."

Wilhelm stood attentively, listening to what his seasoned friend had to say, while Emilia sat uncomfortably in the chair next to him under the guise of her magical cloak. Conwood drew from his pipe once more before expelling the smoke back into the air.

Pointing to a specific circle on the map, he continued, "We have pinpointed their hideout to one of several caverns resting on Mount Cordor. As well as this, we have discovered they have small detachments and encampments numbering in the dozens—they are situated around the city itself deep in the woods."

"That is quite a large-scale effort," Wilhelm admitted, his face calm and reserved. "They must be gathering their forces for the right moment—which reminds me: on my travels here from the capital, I came across a small detachment of Kingdom Knights. They had undoubtedly been slain by cultists, as I found this at the scene of the crime." Withdrawing a bloodied dagger from his pack, Wilhelm tossed it on the table for his friend to observe.

Picking it up by the handle, Conwood ran his eyes over it in an inspecting manner. The adornments of the blade itself were no doubt unique to those possessed by cultists themselves, and the hilt was a crimson-red, signifying the color of the foretold red moon.

"An entire detachment of Kingdom Knights, you say?" Conwood questioned, his voice suddenly turning very grave. "Then we are worse off than I may fear… three days ago, I sent word to the capital of their impending strike, and we were supposed to have reinforcements sent promptly by travel of the east-road. If what you say is true, then we will not be receiving any more reinforcements, and the enemy has begun their strike."

"I'm afraid it is true, my friend," Wilhelm stated matter-of-factly, before pointing to the girl who sat comfortably next to him. "It was impolite for me to do so, but I have failed to introduce my companion who sits next to me."

Placing his pipe down on the desk, Conwood eyed her carefully. She was wearing an odd type of hood, but otherwise, her appearance was nothing special to note about. "What is your name, young one?" he asked her abruptly.

"Erm… If I may," Emilia said, her frail voice displaying her unsurety. This was the first time she had talked for quite some time, as she was unsure on what to say. "My name is… Lia… and I hail from the Forest of Kremaldy… sir."

Conwood raised an eyebrow. Her response was strange, but he decided not to press it any further due to his lasting relationship with Wilhelm. If she was concealing her identity, then Wilhelm was obviously aware of it, and for that reason he did not care to linger on the matter any further. "Well, Lady Lia," Conwood said, as warmly as he could in fact. "It is an honor to have you as a guest in these vaunted halls. Any friend of Wilhelm van Astrea is always welcome in my company and attention!" He gave her a soft smile.

Feeling more at ease, Emilia relaxed herself a bit. "Thank you so much, sir! You have honored me by allowing me the time to speak with you. I know this is so sudden… but there is an urgency to our situation unlike any other!"

"More specifically," Wilhelm said, correcting her before she spoke any further. "The cultists who surround Cramlin are directly involved with what we are about to share with you."

His expression hardening, Conwood sighed deeply. "As I presumed already…"

Silence prevailed the room for a moment, before Wilhelm decided to continue once more, saying, "We fear the Witch Cult has taken one of our closest companions; someone of extreme importance who, I have sworn an allegiance to defend. Therefore, I have come so humbly before you today, my old friend."

"How do you know this for sure?" he inquired, interested at how he came to such a conclusion.

"My reasoning is simple," Wilhelm replied evenly. "Our companion, who is missing, has had the unfortunate experience of having crossed blades with the cult very recently. It stands to reason the emergence of the Witch Cult and the disappearance of our compatriot are closely related."

Rubbing his temple in pain, Conwood said, "And what actions do you suppose we take?"

"We must act now," Wilhelm said, his voice resolute and infallible. "Because if we don't, every passing moment is a moment of great peril for himself."

His eyes floated smoothly from Wilhelm to Emilia, and he eyed her with a curious suspicion, before asking, "If I may be so impolite as to ask, what is the relationship between this companion and the girl who sits in front of me? I can only make one guess…"

"Your guess would be correct," he affirmed the fear of his old friend. "It is a matter of love."

The Commander dragged his hands uneasily over his face and let out a deep sigh. Regaining his composure, he looked over to the girl and said darkly, "You realize don't you, young girl, that even if we do successfully wipe out this cultist sect by ourselves, you may not like what you find at the end?"

Unsure of how to respond, Emilia stared at the old knight wordlessly, before she broke eye contact with the knight and toyed nervously with her fingers.

"That's enough, old friend," Wilhelm chided him for dampening her already hindered spirits. There was a hint of anger in his voice, as the volume of his speech steadily grew. "You do not need to remind her of what dangers her partner is exposed to… and if you want my say in it, I will never stop believing he will be okay. I have taken a solemn oath to protect this boy, and I will cut down every cultist in the entire land if it comes to that!"

Emilia, initially crumbling from sadness, perked up at Wilhelm's renewed declaration of loyalty. She turned a glance to the old knight who sat beside her and gasped quietly to herself. She had never seen him with such a hardened expression before. His face, while normally gentle and soft, appeared steely in this moment. His quiet demeanor betrayed the impossible levels of ferocity the old gentleman could no doubt display—that's who the Sword Demon was.

Conwood, finally convinced, suddenly held out his hand for an agreement. "You have my word," he swore, as Wilhelm took embraced his hand with his own, sealing their contract. "I will have our units ready before nightfall tonight, and then we will strike when they least expect it—under the cover of darkness, where they feel they have the advantage."

"I thank you… my dear old friend," he said, and he truly meant it. "You have been at my side all those years, from our first adventures, to our very last… and for that, you are truly my most irreplaceable friend."

Neither man was a stranger to the dangers of combat, as both individuals together had eons of experience in war and violence alike. They knew the risks of such things, and the rewards which followed. Strangely enough, this time, their actions would fall under official orders of the Kingdom Knights, and it would be a subject of discussion for a long time to come. Yet even if they succeeded, their old tales of adventuring and swashbuckling would be spoken of in even higher regard than before, and they would be known to all—as the knights who just never knew how and when to quit.

"Don't mention it," the Commander replied, laughing to himself. "You know, I've been itching to get into some trouble ever since I took this new position. You don't expect to have me sit back and watch the young ones do all the work, do you?"

"Of course not!" Wilhelm admitted plainly.

Even if the two old knights had differing mindsets, and differing goals in their life, there remained two clear and undeniable truths: they lusted for combat, and lived for nothing else. Between the two of them, their love of adventuring superseded even the highest levels of call of duty. Neither man was a stranger to this feeling, and neither wanted to admit they were even somewhat excited to fight side-by-side once more in the heat of battle.

It seemed to Emilia that Wilhelm and Conwood, sitting together reminiscing about old tales as they were, were bonded together by events and experiences far too complicated for her to understand. It was because of this she let them share their moment together, and dared not to interrupt them.

So, she just gave them her best and most sincere smile, because from deep within her heart, she knew Subaru would be saved by these two legendary heroes.