The shadows began rising from the floor, and starts to linger from the ceiling. It envelops the surrounding area, covering the forms of Crusch, Felix, Julius and Wilhelm. An ominous sound could be heard. From the depths of the shadows, a hooded figure rose beside the boy's supposed 'death bed'. The Witch of Envy just appeared in front of them.
Both Beatrice and Emilia are now trying to comprehend what is happening. Both were in shock and terror. Horrified that now the Witch was with them. The Witch that caused half of the world's destruction. The Witch who was starved for love, the Witch that had let their world suffer as 'her' cult roams the open plains, bringing destruction, despair and terror to those who came across them.
Their forms tremble before the Witch. The Witch... was crying? What? The Witch was now crying on the boy's lifeless form, several shadowy claws linger their way on to his body.
Both Emilia and Beatrice are conflicted. First their moods dropped as soon as they saw the witch, and now, shocked that the Witch was crying for this boy who has killed some of 'her' archbishops. They couldn't utter a word as they continue to watch this unfold. Both were now concerned if their hallucinating or this is real, or are they themselves dead.
As both were trying to process what's happening, several shadows were shot at them with a single movement of the witch's hand. As the shadows traveled at such speed, both girls managed to dodge the shadows, barely.
"YOU" She growled. "YOU LEFT HIM TO THIS FATE" She continued yelling as now fresh warm tears of anger and fury leaked out of her eyes.
As both were now grasping for air, Satella sent several shadowy claws at them. But this time they never managed to dodge the incoming shadow. The claws gripped them tight, then she brings them near to her.
"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT HE HAS GONE THROUGH ALREADY!?" She yells at them.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about I suppose.." Said the little spirit, she did have no idea what she is talking about.
"HIS NAME GOT EATEN AND THAT IS HOW YOU TREAT HIM!? LEAVING HIM ALONE AGAIN!?" Satella shot back at them, full of hatred and disgust.
Beatrice didn't know what Satella meant by that, but Emilia, Emilia got shot hard. Her eyes widened as she remembers her fight with Subaru back in the Capital some time ago. Oh how she remembers his face that time. A face full of despair, sorrow and sadness.
"NO MATTER WHAT I DO HE STILL HAS A BIG HEART! NO MATTER WHAT I DO I CAN'T SAVE HIM FROM HIS IMPENDING FATE!" She continues on.
"I SHOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM MORE! I SHOULD HAVE HELPED HIM MORE!"
"Wh-What are you saying I suppose..?" asked the spirit, while her half-elf 'contractor' sobs even more.
"I LOVE HIM AND I DIDN'T DID ANYTHING TO SAVE HIM FROM HIS FATE!" She yells at them with all her might.
All train of thought has stopped for two girls. She loves Subaru? What? This caught Emilia off guard. The Witch of Envy does not deny the fact that she loves him.
"You l-love Subaru...?" Emilia stutters as she mindlessly asks.
"YES" She replied back.
"That's impossible I suppose. H-He's the on taking down your cult in fact!" Beatrice tried to argue, to which the witch grips her tighter.
"LISTEN, ARE YOU THAT BLIND TO SEE THAT I DON'T HEAR THEIR PLEAS NOR ANSWER THEIR CALLS. SOMEONE IS FRAMING ME UP. NOW DON'T GIVE ME THAT BULLSHIT THAT I AM THE CENTER OF THE CULT NOR THE REASON FOR YOUR CURRENT TRAGEDY." Satella furiously replied back. She had enough of this, sure she'd accept the accusations of the Great Calamity, but her leading the cult? She is not about to explain who leads the cult even though her hatred for Pandora was ten fold than Emilia's. Her name was tarnished by the cult, tarnished further because of their actions.
As her fury and rage fumes, so too the shadows. The shadows began engulfing both Emilia and Beatrice, and so does Subaru's body. Immediately memories, all light and dark, all happy and sad, every single memory was now shared between the three of them, excluding the unconscious boy. First memories to be played were Beatrice's.
The voice of her mother, Ryuzu Meyer, and the first Roswaal Mathers can be heard, then her tragedy played. Then it was Emilia's memories. Voices of her Mother Fortuna and Archie can be heard, and the fateful day everything was lost from her. Then it was Subaru's memories. The voice of Naoko and Keinichi can be heard. Then multiple deaths can be seen. Multiple in the loot house, one in an alleyway, and several others. Beatrice and Emilia then began grasping for air as these played out, feeling the intensity of the shadows grow.
In an blink of an eye, the shadow returned to the corners of the room, Satella now standing before them, as if she has high authority.
"I'll give you a chance." She said, her previous tone now gone.
Both were grasping for air while on the ground, both then looked up at the witch.
"If you manage to protect him from future dangers, he'll be awakened once more. Fail, I'll grant him eternal rest." She said to them,
Both Beatrice and Emilia glanced at each other, and with their determination to be with the boy again, they nodded.
Satella smirks smugly. "Here's a helping aid, one of the things you need to awaken him is the blood of the divine dragon." She said to them as she approaches them. They nodded once more keeping the information given engraved on their minds.
As Satella was now inches away from them, she has one more thing before she returns them back. "Here's a little gift from me." She said as both of her hands glows, she places her hands on their stomachs, then pushed them falling to ground.
But before falling to the wooden floor, both were now suddenly back on their previous forms. Emilia shaking Subaru's dead body, and Beatrice kneeling on the floor. Both women's hearing were kind of blurry.
"Emilia-sama!"
"Emilia-sama!"
Said two people, now holding the half-elf back.
"Emilia-sama!" yelled Crusch, now regaining her senses.
"Wha..?" Emilia utters out.
"You suddenly collapsed, and just stood back up instantly..." Crusch explains.
"O-Oh, did I?" Emilia thought, as she looked around. Everyone seems to be fine. Was it an illusion?
She continued looking around, checking everyone, until she looks at Beatrice. Beatrice's face shows horror, despair and disbelief. Her jaw hung down. Emilia walks over to the spirit, to check if it was from Subaru's death or their meeting with the witch.
"What did you see Beatrice?" Emilia asks.
Beatrice whispers, so that only Emilia will hear her reply. "W-Witch, shadows, claws. Betty saw those in fact..." She replies.
Emilia's hands then began shaking, she couldn't utter a word as her jaw hung down now as well. 'S-So it was real..?' She thought.
The scene went on, Beatrice and Emilia were now kneeling on the floor, Emilia hugging Beatrice as streaks of tears came out of their eyes.
It was broken shortly after as the oni twins then enters the room.
"Sorry for our intrusion, Emilia-sama, Crusch-sama." Ram spoke out.
"We were just here so that Rem could see Subaru-kun." Rem then spoke out.
"Come in." Crusch replied.
"Thank you Crusch-sama." Ram and Rem replied.
But as they opened the door and saw what was transpiring, the blue-haired on, like what Beatrice has done, fell to the floor on her knees. Her head hung down, tears now leaking out of her eyes.
As this went on, Julius and Felix then proceeded to hold Subaru one more time. But, something was off...
"H-His pulse!" Felix yelled.
Everyone was stunned by the healer's words, not believing that the boy has managed to cheat death. Emilia was the only one who leaped to Subaru, hugging him full force, but he's not waking up.
"Wake up Subaru!" Emilia yelled once more, as she shakes his form again, hoping her knight would wake up once more. After several moments, the boy was alive, but he remained still.
"H-He's in a comatose state..." Felix concluded, a little relieved that the boy has managed to live once more, but as a lifeless body, never to move for now.
Felix and Julius felt small, failing to be a friend to the boy, the boy who Julius badly beaten up before, the boy who Felix tortured so much, the boy that was a blessing for them. And now because of them, he is now like this, possibly forever. They couldn't utter any words, they gritted their teeth because the hatred for themselves and their failings.
Emilia did not fair any better. She wept on Subaru's form, constantly berating herself for her failings to save him from this state, her failings to repay him, and her failing to repay the love he had given her. She was so distraught, ice and snow started forming in the room. Everyone took notice, and tried to calm the half-elf down. To which Crusch successfully did calm her down, embracing the half-elf in a tight hug. She knew how painful for Emilia this must've been.
But for the blue-haired oni, and the little spirit, they never once came closer. They smell the miasma from him, it grew stronger. While the oni was trying to figure out why the miasma gotten stronger like in the whale hunt, Beatrice knew what might be the cause.
"The Witch of Envy..." Beatrice whispers to herself.
The scene went on, two gloomy knights bowed their heads, hating themselves more than ever for their failings. A duchess tightly embracing a half-elf who was crying on her shoulders, and a spirit who's face was now contorted of shock and terror, and the oni twins, Rem hugging her sister for comfort.
Hatred.
Rage.
Anger.
Despair.
And sorrow.
These filled these past several months. Ties have been severed as the Emilia Camp's member was reduced to a comatose state by the two knights who torture him. As for Julius and Felix, they offered themselves to be court marshaled. But out of pity, Emilia and the rest just let them be. For months no communication between the Crusch, Anastasia, and Emilia camp were even present. The citizens of Lugunica was never informed about what has happened to the boy.
Months of refusal to accepts apologies. Months of hatred toward those who reduced such a wonderful man to a lifeless shell. Months of tears and mourning. Months of silence and nothingness.
In one of the rooms of the mansion, a boy resides in it, peacefully sleeping. The door opens, two women entered, a half-elf and a spirit.
"Good Morning Subaru." Emilia greeted him.
"We've brought you some food I suppose." The spirit said, while holding a tray consisting of Rem's special meal for Subaru, and a side of mayo.
This was the scene that starts in every single day of these past months. Not changing still the same. As if everything was programmed to be this way.
Once they chatted for some several moments, Emilia made a comment.
"I now know how painful it is when you were like this when Rem got eaten by gluttony..." She said, making the little spirit agree.
The guilt from both women never left them. It remained with them, feeling that both were useless, and were the cause for the boy's demise. They wanted to repay all the things he has done for them. But here they now, they did the exact opposite. They've loathed themselves for these past months, constantly reminding themselves for what they've done to this boy before them. Tears then began flowing out of their eyes, crying. Crying because he wouldn't wake with them. Crying because he wouldn't be able to walk nor talk with them. Crying because of this boy's fate.
The day went on, Otto and Garfiel strolls Subaru out of his bed every now and then, usually strolling him out to the yard. Both were affected heavily as well. Feeling they should have done something to prevent their friend's fate. Especially Garfiel, Grafiel felt like shit. He is the shield of the camp, yet here he is, failing to be a shield to his friend. It was months of tears for Garfiel, usually Fredrica comforts him, along with Petra.
Speaking of Petra, both her and Meili were devastated of what happened to Subaru. Petra, like Garfiel just wept on through these months. Meili on the other hand, she failed to even protect her adoptive father, and now here he is, never able to speak with her, never able to teach her how to be humane and what is love. And never able to be play with her. Meili adopted a cold personality after her adoptive father fell to such fate.
Roswaal was one of those who fell into the pit of darkness. He knew that if they boy rewinds, he will rewind before his fate was met, and he knew if he rewinds, no one will believe him, and so everything will happen again. He was on the brink of giving up the race for the royal selection. He lost his guide to be reunited with his teacher, but then he remembered. The blood of the dragon may save his 'key' to his teacher.
It was now evening in the mansion, everyone was gathered in the dining room, Subaru peacefully sitting on his wheel chair, Rem looking after him. Roswaal called a meeting for every camp member, for it was a meeting that could save this boy from his state.
"Why did you call up a meeting Roswaal?" Emilia was the first to ask.
"I think I have a solution for Subaru's predicament." Roswaal replied, he dropped his usual tone, and adopting a very serious one. "Although we may need to venture back to the Sage's Tower."
"Do you mean-" Beatrice gets cut off by Roswaal's reply.
"The blood of the divine dragon? Yes, that will definitely wake him up."
This one statement made several camp members have stars in their eyes, joy filling their being. Joy that there is a way to save the camp's knight.
"What are we waiting for then!?" Emilia asks as she wish to go immediately.
"We may confront the trials of the tower once more, I suggest we gather our allies once more Emilia-sama." Ram reasons out, to which somewhat stuns some camp members. They were heading back, there's no possibility that they'll have a free pass in.
"And foooor that, we will deeeeeepart next weeeeeek." He said, now smile and tone back. He just wishes they would get the blood now, instead of when Emilia wins the race. Maybe he'll get the blood for his sensei as well while they're at it.
And with that, with determination, everyone nodded. They will save Subaru, they will repay him for everything that he has done to them.
In the boy's room, two women were once again present. Watching the boy sleep in peace.
"We will save you Subaru, we promise." The half-elf spoke out.
"Betty has a lot do to make it up to you I suppose." Voiced out the little spirit.
Both were holding the boy's hands, gripping it tighter.
"Please wait for us to return./I suppose" Both said in unison.
While on the side, Rem was looking at the scene play out. As Emilia and Beatrice were about to leave the room, Emilia said something to Rem.
"Rem."
"Yes Emilia-sama?"
"While we're on our journey to the tower, please take care of Subaru for me, okay?"
"Of course Emilia-sama." Rem bows as she had a small smile on her face.
'We've had a lot of catching up to do Subaru-kun.' She thought.
Throughout these past months, Rem has never been able to face Subaru. She felt like she failed him by her being in a coma. And because of that, she failed to protect him and take him away from this fate. She felt like she had no right to even face the man who gave light to her world once more. Even serving his food, Rem did not speak to the lifeless boy, she felt like she had no right to.
While the scene went on, the boy in the castle of dreams were watching them.
For these past months, Subaru saw how devastated they were. He felt happy that they got what they deserved, but at the end, was it satisfactory? It was in his nature that he has a big heart for others. But due to the amount of pain and agony he went through, he wanted revenge, yet he can't do it to them. He was conflicted with himself, one side wanting to forgive them, the other wanting to brutally and painfully kill them.
"What are you thinking now my beloved?" Satella asks, startling him.
"I-It's nothing." He replied back.
"I know that you are conflicted with yourself." She voiced out.
"-ghk"
"Although I too want to kill the when we met, but I know they are still important to you." She said, now hugging him.
"I-I just don't know anymore!" He cries on her shoulders.
"I went through all that pain, all that torture for them, to save them!" He yells.
"Mhm."
"I went through all of that, and this is what happens to me! I did everything for them and this is what happens!" He continues to yell.
"Yet I still care for them! I- I don't know how to feel about this! They left me all alone, to be tortured, and yet there's still a part of me that cares for them!"
"I know."
He then proceeds to cry even further, until Satella gave him a lap pillow.
"I know you are a kind-hearted person, I know you'll go through everything just to save them." She said to him.
"It's fine to be mad with them from time to time. It's fine that sometimes you'll hate them." She added as she now caresses his hair.
"Everyone is not perfect, so there are times they'll mess up badly. It just depends on you if you are willing to forgive them easily or you'll take your time to heal."
"Either path you'll take once you wake up, I'll still love you my beloved. If it means that they'll lead to their demise, or the bright future you ever so wanted with them."
Subaru's eyes widen, as now moments of happiness played in his mind, those moments where Beatrice acted like his very own daughter, those times with Emilia, Garfiel, Otto, Petra, Meili, Rem, everyone. It's true he hated them, yet still he cares for them. Albeit, he wouldn't forgive them that easily.
"Just take your time my beloved, there's always a need of time for every relationship to recover." She said once more, as she kisses his cheek.
"-Ahem, If I may intrude will you please return here? We still have a lot to talk about." Echidna said looking at the duo with jealousy and frustration.
And with that, another day in the castle of dreams was done, and a new day was about to begin.
"Well, we're off now." Emilia said, as they were to walk out of the doors of the mansion.
But as she opens the door, she, Beatrice, and Meili saw a carriage, with Wilhelm, Julius, Reinhard and Felix.
"Greetings Emilia-sama." They greeted as they bowed before her.
'Why are they here!?' Both spirit and half-elf thought.
"What's the meaning of this Roswaal?" Emilia asks, as she grits her teeth. She didn't want to see them at this time. She doesn't want to see these failures who tortured their own friend.
"Well Emilia-samaaaa, re-conquering the tower wouldn't be eeeeaaassssy. So I asked the other caaamps for help." Roswaal said with a smile on his face.
"We are also here to make amends Emilia-sama." Julius and Felix utters. Their regret, their shame. These past months, it haunted them. Several sleepless nights as they remember the screams of agony the boy that they tortured. They held all responsibility of their actions, and the consequences were now bearing fruit.
'Amends!? Making amends!?' Emilia thought. 'Make amends then by now showing here at all!' Her hatred for the knights grew, but she can't violently lash out at them. If she does, she might as well lost everything she has, even Subaru.
"Alrighty then, let's go now." Emilia said as the three girls now entered the carriage. Her face showing to hide her frustration and irritation.
The team, Beatrice, Emilia, Meili, Reinhard, Julius, Felix and Wilhelm went out to the tower, to once more confront the trials to obtain the blood of the divine dragon. It was a long shot but they'll gamble everything just to save a friend.
'We'll definitely save you Subaru, we promise.' Both Emilia and Beatrice thought to themselves as they now headed out.
Little did they know the dangers that they've left behind for the others to face. Horrifying dangers that waits for the sleeping boy...
Another cut! Hope this satisfies your greed for more chapters, and the more I thought about it, I may include this in my main projects. But for now, I have to skit out what happens next, and maybe some well deserved break to watch Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid. Do criticize if there are errors in this chapter. See you all soon!