RE:Avenger Chapter 20, an Avengers + Re:Zero Crossover fanfic

Chapter 20 – Thickheaded

"I love you." The Witch of Envy said.

"URNGH!" Subaru grumbled as he struggled to free himself from her grasp, her cold and blackened embrace.

"I love you." The shadow figure leaned in closer, whispering into his ear with a cheerful giggle as she talked once more. "I love you."

"KHGH!" Subaru, finally having to acknowledge her speech, froze in terror as she insisted in speaking ominous proclamations. "H-Huh…?"

"I love you." The woman repeated, not caring for his confusion.

"S-Stop…"

"I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I-"

"STOP!"

*CRA-CRACKLE!*

*KARACK-BOOOOOM!*

*THWIP!*

Subaru surrounded himself in light, gathering a wave of electricity around his body and succeeding in repelling the shadows, although for barely enough time to swing into the forest as the shine died down.

"Ah…" The witch uttered in awe and disappointment as her numerous hands disintegrated momentarily, her amethysts looking around until locking into the boy's form that had leapt away from her. "Subaru…"

*THWIP-THWIP!*

*DASH!*

"Hah… Hah…" Subaru panted desperately as he swung and ran through the trees and trails of Sanctuary's forest, the litter of branches and leaves breaking soundly in his step whenever he touched the ground, denoting his location for his pursuer. "Crap… What the hell was that?!" He exclaimed as he grabbed onto his chest, directing a hand to his heart.

Those shadows… That embrace… That feeling... That cold… It has to be…

"Satella…" Subaru whispered with dread and fear. "So she's come for me? Did I- Did I exhaust her curse? Was Echidna's theory wrong?!"

"What da hell are ye blabberin' on 'bout?!" As if on cue, a voice rose from the wood's canopies, the figure of origin jumping in front of Subaru and stopping him in his tracks. "Oi… Is this all yer fault or somethin'?!"

"Garfiel!" Subaru shouted with relief before dodging an incoming punch.

*SWIIIISH!*

"Woah! What the-?!"

"Ya heard me!" The furious half-beast growled as he prepared another fist. "Dat monster appeared after ya yelled inside da Tomb! How could I have ignored it… Yer a Witch Cultist!"

"Hold it, hold it!" Subaru tried to stop his rampage to no avail. "Time out man! You have it backwards! I'm not-!"

"SHUT UP, YA-!"

*CRA-CRRRRRRAAAAAAAACCKKK!*

As the wrathful Garfiel attempted to kill Subaru, the two of them turned to look behind the Avenger. In the distance, the shadows grew thicker as a massive black hole of magic swallowed and broke the trees in the direction of the Tomb.

"IloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyou…" The shadow whispered repeatedly, not caring for the two aghast teenagers staring at it.

"Garfiel!" Subaru called for the attention of the boy. "There's a misunderstanding here! I'm not that monster's ally, okay?!"

"Okay?! Da fuck's dat me-?!"

"Look man, you want to die hearing an explanation or you'd rather we got the hell outta here?!" The black-haired hero stressed with nervousness.

"…Tsk! Come… This way!" Having to swallow his doubts for a second and noticing that Subaru's panic was far too genuine for him to be a cultist, Garfiel signaled for the boy to follow him.

"On your tail!" Subaru prompted as he followed the blonde through the hidden trails of Sanctuary.

*WHOOOOSH!*

*THWIP!*

*DASH!*

"SHIT!" Subaru cussed as he and Garfiel dodged a sudden strike, the Avenger grabbing onto the boy and swinging with a flick of his wrist into a clearing. Even though they had just resolved themselves to escape, the darkness closed in on their position, uncaring for their attitudes or decisions. "We barely just began the run and we are already about to get trapped!"

"Gah! I didn't wanna show this ta ya of all people…" The demi-human boy spat with anger while freeing himself from Subaru's grasp. Immediately after, he brought two fingers to his lips and began whistling loudly. "PHEWT! YER UP, YA LOT!"

*VRA-VRASH!*

*FWISH-FWISH!*

"HUH?!" Subaru's eyes grew in vexing and surprise as a Ryuzu jumped out of the bushes growing along the tree line. However, the real surprise was the fact… That there were multiple other 'Ryuzus' leaping alongside her. "TWINS?! NO, SCRATCH THAT, OCTUPLETS?! EVEN MORE?!"

"The eyes of Sanctuary! They are clones!" Garfiel interrupted Subaru's shock. "An' they are here ta buy us time!"

*BOOM!*

"What?!" Subaru's shock persisted as, one after another, the clones began an en masse rush towards the Witch, exploding upon impact and delaying her darkness. "Garfiel! The Ryuzu's are-!"

"Don't worry 'bout 'em!" Garfiel interrupted Subaru chastisement. "Da clones are husks! They have no soul… I told ya, they are here ta buy us time!"

"…" Subaru could do nothing but stare with impotence as the Ryuzu's died one by one behind them.

*WHOOOOSH!*

*BOOM!*

"Goddammit!" He mumbled in anger and frustration as the Witch disappeared under a wall of magical explosions.

The pair ran and swung at full speed for what had to have been twenty minutes before relaxing. Although they could still hear the destruction of the forest in the background and the moonlight dying in the horizon, the sound and view were distant enough that they could afford to stop briefly before continuing their escape.

"Why are we stopping?" Subaru uttered as he panted after the sprint, holding onto his knees for support.

"We are near the edge of the barrier…" Garfiel frustratingly admitted.

"The edge already?!" The Avenger sweated at the implication. "But if that is the case… Just how far spread is that sludge?!"

"If we kept runnin' we'd just be returnin' ta da hell hole back at da center… Da shadows would gobble us up." The ferocious boy grumbled while giving the inner woods a nasty glance.

"Garfiel… Just wh-what happened here…?"

"Ya tell me." Garfiel leaned on a broken tree stump whilst glaring at Subaru. "You… Are ya really not a Witch Cultist?"

"Hell no, I'm not!" A clearly insulted Subaru retorted as the boy glared.

"Then what da hell's da deal here?!" The blonde shouted. "When Ram an' I waited outside da Tomb, we heard ya scream! Seconds later, dat… Dat shadow bitch appeared…"

"…" Although he was good at hiding it before, now that they were standing still, Subaru could notice Garfiel's fear as he trembled when remembering the shadows. "Garfiel… I had just completed my trial… Then I woke up, Emilia was missing. That's all I know! Just, what happened?! I have no idea what's even going on!"

"…I dunno 'bout her…" Garfiel bit his lip. "But with what happened ta Otto an' the old hag… A-An' Ram…!" He swallowed a cry as his fists clenched fiercely.

"Garfiel, I need you to calm down!" Subaru approached the boy cautiously, yet dreading an answer. "Focus! Tell me what happened!"

"Tsk!" Garfiel turned away from him, backing away a few steps from Subaru while drying some tears about to slip from his eyes. "Th-They died, dat's what!"

"What?!" Subaru's eyes widened in horror at his words.

"Da witch's shadows ate 'em up… I couldn't do shit!"

*CRACK!*

*SLAM!*

Garfiel punched a tree in frustration, breaking through the trunk and causing it to fall down.

"So everyone…" Subaru's eyes filled with despair as he realized the fate of Emilia and her camp.

"Everyone in Sanctuary's gone…" Garfiel concluded as he gazed back at Subaru. "Most likely, ya an' I are da only ones remainin'-"

*SLAM!*

*WHOOOOOOSH!*

"!" The pair of teenagers looked back towards the tree line, the shadows growing ominous once more as two amethyst eyes locked onto them.

"Shit, she's here!" Garfiel angrily screamed as Satella approached. "Is she drawn ta us or somethin'?!"

"Most likely to me! I smell like a cultist…"

"So ya aren't a cultist yet ya smell like 'em?! How confusin' can ya get?!"

"If you have any tricks up your sleeve Garfiel, now might be the time to pull them off!" Subaru said as he prepared himself for combat, not wishing for the following moments to end wasted on argument.

"If we survive, ya ARE givin' me an explanation, asshole!" Likewise, Garfiel braced himself for combat as well.

*SWOOOOOOOOOSHHH!*

"Here they come!"

The shadows lunged towards Subaru and Garfiel, threatening to kill the latter and capture the former.

*SMACK!*

*THWACK!*

*THWIP!*

*FWOOOSH!*

*SMACK!*

*SLAM!*

*THWIP!*

*SMASH!*

*FWOOOSH!*

The assault was relentless; the pair could not risk approaching the shadows without them swallowing their existence. Instead of fighting the threat head on, as if reading each other's minds, Subaru and Garfiel chose to parry the black hands and tendrils of the witch by tossing either rocks or the fallen tree trunks at them.

*SMACK!*

*FWOOOSH!*

"This is ridiculous!" Garfiel protested as he kicked a boulder in the direction of the hands, slowing them down. "We can't keep this up!"

"Yeah… Might as well call this a one-sided siege! The hands won't stop just because of a few- URNGH!" Subaru grunted as he lifted and tossed a log of wood in the direction of another dozen hands.

*SLAMMM!*

*FWOOOSH!*

"…A few distractions aren't gonna stop them." The Avenger admitted with frustration as more hands sprouted from under the piece of wood he had just thrown.

"IloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyou…" But the Witch did not care for their defense, repeating her obsessive phrase as the two boys struggled with her attacks. She simply moved towards them at a snail's pace, slowly consuming the world surrounding them. And then…

*ZOOM!*

"!" Garfiel noticed with alarm how an absurdly fast hand approached him. With a quick step, the boy dashed and dodged the incoming menace.

*DASH!*

"Ha! As if I were ta-!" But as he mocked the monster, a slew of twenty hands sprouted from the original and charged at the boy from behind. "HUH?!"

"GARFIEL!" However, given how effective his lightning had been earlier when escaping the Witch's embrace, Subaru was quick in using his powers to defend the demi-human.

*ZAP!*

*FIZZZZZLE~*

"TSK!" Garfiel had to retreat a few steps as Subaru's bolts barely managed to save his life.

"The Witch's shadows are nuts!" The Avenger exclaimed.

"Yeah…" The blonde nodded in disgruntled agreement. "This bitch… So only Yang magic can hurt her? Give me a break…"

"Is not so much as magic as it is… Forget it."

"Can't ya do somethin' ta neutralize it?" Garfiel

"I wish I could! But if I use my lightning willy-nilly- URNGH!"

*SMACK!*

"-I'll just end up exhausting myself! Even an all-out attack isn't going to save us for more than a few seconds! We'd be easy targets then!" Subaru tried to explain amidst a flurry of parries and punches. "But… That just MIGHT buy enough time for one of us to escape."

"OI!" An angered Garfiel growled at Subaru while dodging another attack from the incoming monster. "Ya explainin' it like that sounds as if ya were ta pull some self-sacrificial bullshit, asshole! I'll beat ya up if ya suggest dat again!"

"Damn… That obvious, huh?" Subaru chuckled in the middle of the chaos. "Garfiel… The Witch is a half-elf, right?"

*KA-SHOOOM!*

"URGH!" Garfiel barely parried another shadow before answering. "Yeah, but dat means shit right now!"

"Think it over, moron!" Subaru began explaining. "If she's here, then that means the barrier is broken!"

"What?!"

"She had to have crossed somehow!"

*FWOOOOSH!*

"!" The pair looked on in alarm as the darkness began engulfing them, a wall of shadows erecting itself between the Avenger and the demi-human.

"Fuck!" Garfiel wrathfully cussed.

Subaru, however, opted for strategizing instead of full-on panicking.

Just because Satella cursed me, it does not guarantee that I'd survive her shadows! If she kills me herself… Does she not know or understand Ultron's scale?! Regardless… I can't let her rampage deter my objective! There's too much at stake!

"GARFIEL!" Subaru called to the boy from his side of the shadows. "Go to the Capital! Tell everyone what happened! Gather an army! Get the Sword Saint, Reinhard!"

"And leave ya here ta die?! Are ya nuts?!"

"Hey, hey! You wanted to kill me moments before, didn't you?!"

"Dat's different! I-!"

*WHOOOOOSH!*

*ZZZZZZZZZAAAAAAAAPPPP!*

The shadows had begun closing up, forcing Subaru to use his lightning to force them open again. But this action forced an opening on his back, to which the Witch did not hesitate.

*WHIIIIISH!*

"URGH!" Subaru moaned in fear and shock as the shadow limbs of the Witch held him from behind.

"Oi! Take my hand!" Garfiel tried to slip his hand through the crack created by the hero, but…

*SLAP!*

"!" The demi-human recoiled in awe as Subaru swatted his hand away, responding with a warning instead.

"Learn to listen, you thickheaded idiot! We don't have much time!" Subaru reproached as Satella's hands started to wrap around him, consuming his form as he resisted with all of his strength to no avail. "Heh… Thickheaded! Pot meets kettle, I guess!"

"THIS AIN'T FUN! STOP LAUGHIN', YA-!" A desperate Garfiel tried to argue to no avail.

"IloveyouIloveyouIloveyouI-"

"GO! GARFIEL!"

"…Fuck, fuck, FUCK!" Garfiel glared with frustration and impotence, forcing himself to run away into the woods and towards the barrier.

"…Good…" Subaru whispered as he sank into the shadows.

The boy's thought process in allowing himself to be consumed by the Witch was the following:

If I'm not guaranteed to survive an attack from the Witch that cursed me… Then, at the very least… I have to use her appearance as an excuse for gathering an army to fight Ultron... Even if I can't gather it myself… So long as Al is there to explain the stones when he arrives... Reinhard could…

Thus, even if he permanently died, he could still perish whilst gazing at a glimmer of hope for the universe in the distance.

My sole regret is that everyone here got killed by you, you goddamned monster…

He insulted the Witch as the shadows consumed the rest of his body.

Let's hope my conjectures are wrong though… If I die by your hand and come back… I'll make sure to save… everyone…

Thus, Satella's shadows consumed Subaru.

…

It was calm at first.

…

Within her shadows, barely an echo could be heard as Subaru's consciousness drifted aimlessly.

…

… Love…

Then, just as the boy was forgetting what possessing a body felt like…

…

I…

Love…

You…

"I love you." A gentle, bell-like voice whispered sweet nothings into his ear.

"…" Subaru's mind stabilized.

"I love you." The voice repeated, making the boy acquire a full consciousness again.

"…What?" Subaru mumbled as he reacquired his face. "This isn't death…"

"I love you." The voice repeated yet again, making the boy gain limbs.

"He-Hey…" Subaru's eyes could see nothing but darkness, yet he was now aware that he was using them, that he was SEEING with them.

"I love you."

"N-No…" The boy whispered as his recent memories returned, and with them, the horror left behind in Sanctuary.

"I love you."

"Stop…" He tried to move his limbs in an attempt to cover his ears; to protect himself from the voice.

"I love you."

"No more…" But he could not lift his arms. It felt as though an obscene force was holding him down, preventing his movements.

"I love you."

"Come on…"

"I love you."

"No…"

"I love you."

"Please…" He begged desperately as the voice grew incessant.

"ILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOU-"

"NO MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE!" Subaru screamed with his entire body in protest to the tortuous, eternal rambling.

*BOOOOM!*

And as though fate itself were spitting on his face, Subaru's plea went answered in the most twisted way. Satella's rant was interrupted by the worst possible reason.

*BOOOOM!*

"What?!" Subaru was suddenly released from the hold of Satella's darkness, his numb body recovering sensation as his eyes readjusted to the light. "Wait… Light? But it's the middle of the night! What is-?!"

*ZOOM!*

*CLA-CLANK!*

Before Subaru… stood one of Ultron's legionnaires. A two-meter tall mechanical monstrosity of vibranium, glaring red at him through crimson visors as the forest burned brilliantly behind it.

"Hah… You have to be shitting me…" Subaru swore as he fell on his butt, glaring back at the machine with anger, yet seemingly giving up. "Out of one hell and back to another? This sucks!"

*ZNNNNMMM!*

The legionnaire readied itself to shoot at Subaru, aiming the red reactor within its chest as it gathered energy.

*WHOOOOOSH!*

*CLA-CLANK!*

*SMASH!*

But from behind the exhausted boy, Satella's shadows hurriedly disposed of the enemy, grabbing onto the robot and tearing it apart.

"I love you." The witch whispered as her darkness threatened to eat Subaru once again.

"Give me a break, you…!" Subaru tried to fight the shadows to no avail.

*CLANK!*

*BOOM!*

Yet, just as they were about to devour him, another legionnaire showed up from above, firing a laser over the pair and distracting the Witch.

*CLANK!*

And then another appeared.

*CLANK-CLANK!*

And even more than that! Until soon… A whole army of killer androids manifested before the Witch and Subaru.

"So it's too late?" Subaru concluded with reluctance, bitterness and sorrow. "Ultron's army has begun invading again…"

*ZNNNNNNMMMM!*

The machines readied themselves, all pointing their canons at the boy and the Witch. However, the calamity of old would not give up so easily…

"Begone." For the first time since she appeared, the woman behind Subaru uttered something other than proclamations of love. With this word alone… Her shadows devoured the machines closest to the pair.

*WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!*

*CLANK-CLANK!*

*BOOOM!*

Nevertheless, as she decimated the androids, twice-fold more spawned to replace their destroyed kin.

"BEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONEBEGONE!"

Satella screamed as she crashed shadow limb after shadow limb against the infinite army assaulting her and her beloved.

*WHOOOOOSH!*

*BOOOOOOM!*

*WHOOOOOSH!*

*BOOOOOOM!*

*WHOOOOOSH!*

*BOOOOOOM!*

*WHOOOOOSH!*

*BOOOOOOM!*

*WHOOOOOSH!*

*BOOOOOOM!*

*WHOOOOOSH!*

*BOOOOOOM!*

*WHOOOOOSH!*

*BOOOOOOM!*

*WHOOOOOSH!*

*BOOOOOOM!*

The androids battled the Witch for control, the once green Forest of Kremaldy turning into a battlefield of darkness and fire as the woods turned into wastes.

What should I do?!

Amidst such chaos, Subaru pondered. Although his fear was gone, he couldn't help but feel frustration at his current situation.

I live… So the Witch won't kill me?! Dammit! Should I kill myself then?! Or should I let the machines do it?! But if she's here… Will she even allow me to loop back?! FUCK! Ultron's army is here! I have no time for hesitation! I HAVE to loop back and prevent this somehow!

He tried to get up, but his attempt was fruitless. His recent escape from Satella's shadows alone had drained him from all energy, so much so that he couldn't even muster the strength to lift his arms.

Well, great! I don't even get to move as I'm being killed…

*ZNNMMMM!*

Noticing that the Witch was distracted with the bulk of the army surrounding her, one of the machines zeroed-in on Subaru.

"Fuck…" Subaru mumbled as he saw the robot aiming for him.

"NO!" Satella shrieked, raising her hand and invoking forth a slew of shadow limbs to tear the machine apart.

*WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!*

*BOOOOOM!*

The legionnaire exploded as the Witch crushed it into broken little pieces of metal.

"…I don't know whether I should thank you or curse you…" Subaru glared at the Witch. "You do realize that, if I don't die, I can't loop back? These monsters will destroy the world if you don't allow me to return!"

"…No…" For a fraction of a second, as the shadow woman whispered in denial… Subaru could swear he saw a frown through the veil of darkness, disapproval of his tone and words.

"HUH?!" The boy angrily shouted.

*BOOOOOOOM!*

"Look around you!" Subaru screamed at the Witch. "These things you are fighting… If you don't allow me to return to the Capital… If you don't allow me to die, then a monster even worse than you will come and destroy the world! Is that what you want, you idiot?!" The frustrated Avenger argued while insulting the Witch.

*WHOOOOOOSH!*

*BOOOOOM!*

"No…" But Satella denied yet again as the legionnaires fought her incantations.

"Allow me to die! Allow me to save everyone! I'm ready to die, no matter how many times I have to… So… Allow me to Return by Death!" With a maddened glare, Subaru demanded Satella to kill him.

"…NO!" The Witch exclaimed as her shadows intensified all of a sudden, swallowing the robots and Subaru.

*WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSHHHH!*

"GACK!" The boy grunted as Satella's darkness consumed him once more.

…

*booom…*

In the distance, Subaru could still hear the echoes of Satella's battle with Ultron's legions on the outside of the darkness.

Damn it all…

He thought within the darkness shielding him.

Why won't you kill me?! Why won't you let me save everyone?!

"I love you." In a softer, almost pleading voice, Satella cried. "I love you."

"This again?! Bullshit!" Subaru protested at her stubbornness, not noticing the concern in her voice.

"I've no time for this! If you loved me, you would let me save everyone! You'd let me return right now!" He argued wrathfully as she began her lunatic chant anew.

"LET ME DIE!" He demanded as Satella's voice drove him insane.

"URGH!" As Subaru struggled, he felt a certain shift within his hand… Or rather, his wrist. "Huh?!"

*SHWING!*

"Wha-?!" Within his hand, the handkerchief Petra had given him… Had morphed into a knife. "Just what-?!"

"What a sweet little girl that Petra is… Tying this in the hopes that you will return to her."

Subaru remembered Echidna's words, making his stomach churn from disgust at her way of twisting such an innocent girl's desire.

"Creating a knife from her handkerchief… Echidna, you Witch!" With anger clear in his voice, Subaru gripped the knife in his hand tightly and gathered his strength to perform the one act that could undo this entire disaster.

"NO!" Satella shouted as she rushed to stop him, but it was too late…

*STAB!*

"GAGHK!" Subaru grunted in pain as he drowned on blood. The teenager had slashed his own throat open. "GHHHHGK!"

"NO!" Satella trembled, crying desperately as the boy bled out. "NONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONO!"

"Just… shut up…" Subaru mumbled as life escaped his body. "Just let me return… Let me save everyone…"

"NO!"

"Even… you…" He went to grab the veil of shadows covering the Witch's face, to finally vent out his frustrations on her directly. But as he removed the veil, his tired eyes grew in alarm and confusion witnessing the Witch's true appearance… "E… mi… lia…?"

"GHGHK!" Satella, who uncannily resembled Emilia, cried as Subaru died on her lap.

"…I'll… Save… You…" With a trembling and bloodied hand, Subaru tried to dry her tears. "I'll… Save… You…"

"No…" She whispered as the boy closed his eyes.

"No… Matter… What…"

Thus… Natsuki Subaru died…

…

"…" Subaru opened his eyes slowly as he regained consciousness. "Am I…?"

"N-No… Stop…" Emilia muttered from beside him, turning in discomfort on the cold stone floor as her Trial replayed inside her head. "Please, no more…!"

"*Sigh…*" Subaru exhaled with relief, calming down a bit as he realized where he was. "So I'm back, huh…"

"Agh… No…" Emilia whispered again in distress.

"Emilia… I'm-" Subaru attempted to extend a hand towards her… But his arm stopped mid-way, turning into a trembling mess as he remembered the Witch's appearance. "…Huh?"

"ILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOU-"

Her inescapable words flooded his mind as he remembered the pain of death, the cold of her embrace… The sheer fear her insanity had instilled on him.

"Crap…" Subaru held himself, trying to reign in his confusion and distraught demeanor. He could not afford to be in pain or be a liability when the world itself stood on the brink of annihilation. He could not. He could not… "Come on y-you idiot… Don't get worked up over such bullshit! Yo-You've got… A j-job to do!"

"P-Puck…"

"Get a grip!"

"NO!" Emilia woke up, crying her heart out as she denied her visions vehemently. "NO! I'M-!"

"Emilia, calm down!" Subaru quickly held her, swallowing his fears as he repeated the motion to subdue Emilia's frantic state. Although he wouldn't admit it, he also needed the hug, if only because he couldn't remain standing without some support after such a harrowing experience.

"S-SUBARU!" Emilia hugged him back the moment she took notice of his presence, burying her tear-riddled face on his chest.

"I'm here…" Subaru reassured whilst patting her back.

"SUBARU!"

"I'm here."

Having failed her Trial, Emilia and Subaru gathered everyone within the cabin back at the village to discuss a plan of action.

"So ya failed, huh?" Garfiel mumbled with frustration.

"I'm sorry…" The half-elf apologized.

"…" Subaru had remained silent since returning from the Tomb, his eyes fixated on the distressed candidate seated before him.

Emilia and Satella… Is there a deeper connection between the two beyond their signature characteristics?

He held his chin in thought.

It's one thing to resemble the Witch… It's another altogether to be identical to her. Was she actually possessed by Satella? It reminds me of what Petelgeuse was trying to achieve… Is that what happened? But… their clothing was dissimilar… So maybe she really did invade Sanctuary… Yet, if that is the case, does that not mean that they are related somehow? And why… Why did Satella make the proclamation that she loves me? Am I missing something here?

"OI! YA THICKHEADED IDIOT!" As he pondered on the recent events, Subaru saw himself interrupted by Garfiel confrontational shouts. "What gives?! Why ya actin' as if this had nothin' ta do with ya?!"

"Huh?" Subaru raised his head, turning to look at everyone else in the room.

"Natsuki-san?" A concerned Otto prompted. "Are you alright? You seem sort of… distant."

"Maybe he hit his head as he entered the Tomb? He is a Barusu after all." Ram insulted, not really giving much credence to Subaru's silence.

"That's not very nice…" Subaru sighed at the mockery received from the maid.

I should leave the topic of Emilia and Satella in the backburner for now… I have bigger issues with Ultron at the moment.

He concluded with a nervous gulp.

"Um… Subaru?" Emilia tilted her head to the side, a bit of worry for the boy reflected in her gaze. "I'm sorry for not noticing… Did something happen?"

"Ugh… No. You didn't do anything wrong, I'm sorry Emilia." Subaru shook his head while attempting to smile and reassure everyone. "It's just; I think I have… realized some things after exiting the Tomb? I don't know how to put it well in words…"

"Realized?" Ryuzu narrowed her eyes at the boy, his dubious wording putting her slightly on edge. "Did something happen within the Tomb, young Su?"

"Subaru?" Emilia turned to look at the Avenger as well.

"…Truth is…" Subaru swallowed, not liking where things were going in this loop already. "I… I performed the Trial when I entered the Tomb… And passed."

"What?!" Otto and Emilia exclaimed in surprise at the same time.

"For real?" Garfiel squinted at Subaru, suspicious of his claim.

"Yeah. For real, for real…" Subaru reaffirmed, trying to take control of the situation. "Um… So here's the laydown of it: The first Trial has you confronting your past, the second your present and the final one your possible future… That's what's been on my mind…" Deciding to explain as carefully as possible, Subaru described the process of the Trials as his main concern so they would not notice his true anguish. A devious strategy, telling one truth to mask another.

"Three… Trials?" Emilia's eyes grew concerned as Subaru talked.

I'm already struggling with the first one… And there's two more awaiting me?

"Ugh…" Finally noticing Emilia's distress, Subaru lamented his lack of tact. "Dammit… I'm sorry, Emilia-tan… I didn't want to rain on your parade like this."

"*Sigh* What a dumb Barusu, blurting out such stressful information so off-handedly. Dig up a grave and bury yourself in it, moron." Ram remarked with indifference.

"I'm a bit too busy to do that at the moment…" Subaru said while scratching the back of his head.

"Busy?" Garfiel pointed out at his wording. "What exactly would have ya busy, huh?"

"Well…" Subaru looked towards Emilia. "Emilia? Sorry to say this, but… Ever since coming back from the Tomb, neither Karen nor my armor are working anymore…"

"Huh?" Emilia looked towards her wrist, noticing that her bracelet wasn't responding to her gesture. "Now that you mention it…"

"There's only basic functions available in that thing now." Subaru continued explaining. "I have to return to the Mansion and fix the stuff back on the shed to-"

"How convenient, eh?" Garfiel stressed again, making Subaru sweat with nervousness a little. "Yer metias break down… An' ya have ta leave Sanctuary all of a sudden? BULLSHIT."

"In that case, you are not going to like the fact that Anastasia is coming to Roswaal's Mansion for Royal Selection business in a couple of days either…" The Avenger added legitimacy to his claims by mentioning the name of another candidate.

"Anastasia is coming to the mansion already?" Emilia raised her eyebrows in surprise at this.

"Yep." Subaru nodded in confirmation. "As it turns out… My schedule is kinda packed. Hah… I don't even get a second of rest…"

"OI!" An angered Garfiel shouted, interrupting the conversation. "Why are ya believin' him like dat?! It such an obvious lie! He's just tryna sneak outta here-!"

"Garfiel, with all due lack of respect, shut up." Ram hastily reproached as she grabbed the blonde boy from the ear.

*SNATCH!*

"YOWCH!" Garfiel cried in surprise.

"After fighting and defeating the White Whale and the Witch Cult to regain his credibility, Barusu wouldn't be suicidal enough to lie so blatantly in the face of a Royal Candidate."

"TSK!" Garfiel freed himself from the maid's grasp, still glaring at the black-haired boy. "But even so… It's just way too convenient dat all this shit happens as princess has ta perform da Trials!"

"If anything, it is awfully convenient that Emilia-sama HAS to perform the Trials of Sanctuary as Anastasia-sama is coming to the Margrave's mansion, Garfiel…" Otto voiced aloud, making Garfiel glare at him.

"What?! Ya too?!"

"Hiii~!" Otto ran to hide behind Subaru as the demi-human blonde stared daggers at him. "I'm ju-just saying…! You don't really have to listen if-!"

"No, no, Otto!" Subaru smiled as he caught onto Otto's thoughts, wanting him to continue speaking. "Go on, keep talking!"

"Ngh…!" Garfiel growled as Subaru supported Otto's claims.

"We-well…" Otto composed himself, trying to speak anew. "What I'm saying is… Natsuki-san had these deals with the other candidates prior to coming here, Garfiel. You weren't there… You are not at fault for not knowing… So…"

"So they'd be suspicious of Sanctuary if he doesn't show up…" Garfiel concluded as his rage subsided. "I doubted da black-haired asshole-"

"Owch." Subaru grumbled.

"But if someone else can corroborate yer shady deals…"

"They are not shady! I was there when it was discussed, Garfiel." Emilia defended as well. "You needn't distrust Subaru! I can promise that!"

"…Che!" Garfiel huffed with frustration, backing towards a corner of the room with Ryuzu on tow. "Good on ya, ugly eyes. Sure is nice ta have so many people backin' ya, huh?"

"Garfiel…"

"Subaru…" Emilia spoke once more, this time shifting her focus towards Subaru. "Your leave… Are you doing so right away?"

"…" Subaru weighed his decision carefully.

If I leave right now… I'd just be speeding up the process of Elsa showing up. She's probably watching the Mansion, awaiting for her deadline to attack. If I trust Echidna's theory… I cannot trigger or participate in a fight, lest Ultron's army begins their attack. In such a case… It'd be best to arrive when Julius and Ricardo arrive as well, just so they can neutralize her in my stead. However… I might be allowed some leniency when WITHIN Sanctuary…

Subaru formulated as he put together some of his previous loops.

When I first fled Sanctuary… I knocked out Garfiel with a bolt of lightning. And even then… It took a while for Ultron's army to appear after I fought Roswaal within Kremaldy's Forest. The barrier makes the satellite cameras and sensors act up… So maybe they cannot notice a fight right away? It would explain why they allowed Satella to rampage for so long as well… For the moment, I still shouldn't risk a fight on Sanctuary or in general though…

"No." Subaru shook his head, attempting to make the half-elf relax. "The meeting will be in two days' time. I can leave tomorrow night and be on time."

"Really?" Emilia's depressed eyes shone with hope as Subaru confirmed a longer stay.

"Of course!" Subaru smirked at her. "For the moment… Let's focus on the Trials. So that you can complete them, I'm here for your disposition!"

"Oh… That's right…" Although neither her voice nor smile faltered, Emilia felt bad the second Subaru mentioned the Trials.

In the end… He's needed elsewhere… I should focus on what I have to do as well… The half-elf lamented internally.

"…" Garfiel stared intensely at Subaru as the discussion died down, a mix of anxiety and doubt clear in the glint of his eyes.

As everyone left for the night, Emilia and Ram remaining behind on the cabin while Otto took the path to the stables, Subaru walked in the direction of Roswaal's house, planning to give the Margrave a piece of his mind until…

"Oi." The voice of Garfiel resounded from the forest, his face barely sticking out from the tree line.

"Garfiel…" Subaru noticed the boy with surprise. "Is everything okay? Was there something else you wished to say?"

"…Come with me." With those few words, the demi-human boy sunk into the forest, making the nervous Avenger look on with suspicion.

"Garfiel… Is he really that suspicious? That I could be a Witch Cultist?" Subaru voiced his first thought with worry.

But he knows I defeated Sloth and the Whale… Is there some other factor I haven't taken into account? Like…

"You smell like the witch, you reek of her in fact! That should be enough to hang you!"

He remembered Rem's comments from back when they first met.

"Can he smell her scent? If that is the case… I really might be in trouble…" Subaru frowned at the memory and conclusion.

Subaru and Garfiel walked for a while, the Avenger recognizing some of the paths they were taking as the secret trails the demi-human boy had used to escape in the previous loop. It seems as though Garfiel wished for their meeting to remain a secret.

"Now then… What is it you wanted? Garfiel…" Subaru commented as they stopped in a clearing.

"You… Are ya a witch cultist?" Garfiel prompted as Ryuzu appeared from the bushes behind him.

"…What gave you that impression?"

"Cut da crap!" The blonde shouted while pointing at Ryuzu. "Old hag here says ya reek! How can dat not be proof?!"

"…" The pink half-elf stood still, staring inquisitively at the black-haired boy.

"Well…" Subaru sighed in exasperation as he realized where the conversation was going. "It'd be more accurate to say I smell like a mabeast, actually…"

"Huh?" Garfiel's face scrunched up the moment Subaru mentioned that he knew about his smell.

"It's how I managed to fool the White Whale into dying, Garfiel." Subaru explained. "You are not the only one who thought I was a cultist… Rem thought so as well."

"What?!" Garfiel's eyes widened in shock. "But ya…"

"Rem was there when we hunted Sloth AND the Whale…" Subaru continued, not caring for his shock. "She and Ram… I know about their past with the Witch Cult, okay? I know it's not… a good memory. But even so, Rem helped me. Rem, who can smell mabeasts and cultists from a mile away. That Rem. I know you know her."

"…" The blonde demi-human had to pause his thoughts for a second as he processed the information told to him by Subaru.

Ram is one thing… She's strong AN' proud, so she ain't gonna show a moment of weakness ta punk like this guy… But Rem…

Garfiel raised his head, scowling at Subaru.

"Rem wouldn't let a cultist slide… Even if it was under a suspicion alone… I know how sensitive she can be 'bout her past…" He admitted with defeat.

"Think it over like this." Subaru assured with confidence. "If I WERE a cultist, which I'm very much not… It would be way, WAY too convoluted of a plan for me to simply kill a fellow Sin Archbishop AND a Calamity just so I could gain access to Sanctuary. Add to that the fact that, before I became an independent factor in the Royal Selection, I was part of Emilia's camp. I could have accessed Sanctuary even before that! You get it now? I'm no threat to you!"

"Damn… So ya really are dat unlucky a bastard dat ya smell like a mabeast? Sucks ta be ya, reekin' of shit, blood an' rotten entrails…"

"Damn, dude! Are you looking to insult me at every turn?!" Subaru argued with a childish cry. "You and Ram are merciless! Geez…"

"Tsk!" Garfiel turned away from Subaru, a hint of embarrassment over his accusation clear on his face.

"Young Gar…" Ryuzu attempted to reassure the boy. "It's fine. To begin with, I'm the one that told you he was suspicious. There's nothing you should feel shame about."

"Easy for ya ta say, old hag. I'm da one dat went an' made a scandal before Ram an' dat half-elf princess…"

"Huh…" Subaru raised an eyebrow in genuine surprise. "So you can get red like a tomato too, eh?"

"Ya mean tamato?" Garfiel retorted with yet another petty scowl. "Ya speak weird!"

"Could say the same about you…"

"HUHN?!"

"Hehe, sorry, sorry…" Subaru answered with relief.

That's right… Garfiel isn't wary of me because he hates me… He's just nervous I could be a threat to his home. Admittedly, this apprehension is probably a result of me beating him up when we first met… But then again… I've seen how sad he could get from losing everyone, if the previous loop is proof of anything... And he did try to save me, even when having a monster like Satella pursuing us…

"Let's go, old hag." Garfiel prompted for Ryuzu to follow him as Subaru kept staring at him with relief.

In the end, we really are alike, Garfiel and I…

"Hey, nasty eyes." Garfiel called out to Subaru.

"I could do without the insults, man…"

"Yer goin' ta speak with Roswaal right now, right?"

"That was the plan, yeah."

"If dat's da case…" Garfiel pointed to the woods to the right of the clearing. "Follow dat path. It's a straight line, should take ya right up ta his cabin."

"Wow… For a moment, I thought you'd leave me stranded here in the middle of the woods!"

"Don't misunderstand, okay?!" Garfiel argued.

Woah, surprise Tsundere. Subaru barely managed to choke a laugh. And did he really say 'okay' without realizing?! This guy is too much!

"I'm still suspicious of ya! So… Until ya return ta Sanctuary havin' done what ya gotta do, I'll still be suspicious of ya!"

"…Hehe, I'll make sure to clear those suspicions once this whole thing blows over then!"

"Hmph!" Garfiel and Ryuzu walked into the shrouded forest, parting ways with Subaru.

Following Garfiel's indications, Subaru was able to arrive back to the village within a short span of time. After a few minutes of walking, he was already standing before Roswaal's cottage, readying a conversation on his mind as he entered the residence.

Alright… It should be fine… I just have to tell him what I know, and he should cooperate. If I can prevent him from summoning the Rabbit, that'd be great… But if he really IS far gone… No, let's hope even HE is not that stubbornly stupid…

"So, Su~baru-kun!" Roswaal smiled with glee as Subaru entered his room. "Why, it is quite the nice surprise to meet you in such a fi~ne night li-"

"Yeah, yeah, no pleasantries please." Subaru interrupted, very much exhausted by the clown's behavior. "The gig is up… I know everything, okay?"

"Hoh~… And what is it you know, won't you tell me?" Roswaal raised an eyebrow in fascination.

"About Elsa… About YOU summoning the Rabbit the moment I'm gone…"

"…Ram told me you wished to lea~ve on official Selection business in a couple of days… Was that a lie because you wish to stop Elsa, hmm~?" The Margrave's tone turned serious, almost threatening as Subaru spoke.

"It's actually a convenient truth, in case your little diary didn't tell you about it." Subaru mocked the clown's insinuation.

"How surprising… But is that really all you kno~w?" With a hint of curiosity, Roswaal brought a hand to his chin, scratching it lightly while pondering on Subaru's words.

"Look… I understand that you have a… Tome of Wisdom, Knowledge, or whatever… That it guides you to your ideal future or something." Roswaal narrowed his eyes with apprehension at Subaru as the teenager's voice grew grave. "That you… Wish to revive your family's benefactor, Echidna."

"…Some details are dubious at best… But continue." Roswaal dropped his accent, his face turning from a smile to neutral all of a sudden.

"It won't work." Subaru shook his head. "I talked with Echidna in the Tomb. Your Tome cannot take into account that which exists outside the observable universe. It cannot… Take into account a multiversal threat."

Speaking with my teacher… And the Tome as well… Observable universe? What might you be planning now, boy…?

"Multiversal… Universe… I am not familiar with what you are saying, but the way you phrase it…" Roswaal scowled. "Are you implying YOU are some sort of threat?"

"Not me. Ultron." Subaru explained. "My technology isn't working anymore… And that is not because of lack of maintenance, mind you. Ultron, a villain from my world, hell-bent in ushering the end to ALL worlds… Is threatening to come to yours. We cannot afford to play these games of yours for longer than necessary. For all I know, the invasion could take place tomorrow or even tonight. And even though Echidna and I have a theory on HOW to delay it… I'm working with borrowed time here. We HAVE to make the most of it!"

"Time… Are you sure yours is limited?" The Margrave responded without much care in his voice.

"…" Subaru glared, as he was suspicious of the man.

Does he know about Return by Death? Regardless… That is not the focus right now.

"Let me ask you something, Subaru-kun." Roswaal gazed intently at the boy. "How do you know about this… 'Ultron' monster you speak of?"

"…I want to say it happened right after my Trial, but…" Subaru hesitated. "You'd chalk it up to madness, right?"

"Very much so." Roswaal confirmed while relaxing. "After all, why did he not kill you and everyone else the moment he arrived, hmm? For all I know, you are imagining a foe from your past and placing it in this situation out of desperation due to your visions of the past… Or am I wrong about that?"

"You are wrong! But…" The frustrated Avenger admitted. "But… But I am desperate… I admit that much…"

"See? With such clear begging and complication in your eyes… It is difficult to give credence to your words." Roswaal smirked at this. "Any other way you MIGHT know about this… 'Threat' you speak of? Preferably one that can be understood."

"…" I cannot say anything about Return by Death without triggering the Witch's punishment… I have no way of telling him I know about Ultron because I rewind time. "No… None without telling everyone else I spoke with a Witch… And making me the center of ALL suspicions… Defeating the purpose of telling them the truth in the first place."

"Then you speak pure speculation and delusions." The Margrave chuckled. "I have no reason to believe you… In addition, if anything, I could even use your accusations right now as evidence to blackmail you into my service. You didn't think things through when you came to visit me, did you?"

"Blackmail? Wow, you really are rotten… But I'm sure you know Emilia trusts me more than you, right?"

"Are you saying you would tear her camp apart to get back at me?" Roswaal laughed. "My, my! How cruel the hero turned out to be! Now I have even LESS reasons to believe you! If anything… You are just letting your desperation over the Rabbit's and Elsa's appearances speak for you."

"So you don't believe me…" Subaru sighed while shaking his head with disappointment. "I wished you could… If only because I know you were the only one who wouldn't jump at my neck for mentioning I know Echidna within Sanctuary…"

"…" Roswaal gazed at Subaru inquisitively, a mix of disappointment and resolve clear in his eyes.

"But if that is the case, I'll just have to stop you." With equal resolve, Subaru stared daggers at the Margrave.

"And what will you do, hm?" Roswaal squinted his eyes at the Avenger as amusement returned to his face, preparing a fireball in his right hand as the two's stares encountered.

*FWISH!*

"Is it a fight you wish then? I warn you that-"

"I'm not fighting you." Subaru denied. "Although I managed to calm Garfiel down… Him and Ram would have my head in a pike if something happened to you, even if Garfiel does hate your guts too. My situation is still that of an outsider, after all…"

"Hoh~…" Roswaal relaxed his hand, making the fireball vanish. "Then? What can you do to stop me?"

"That's a secret." Subaru said in a pensive tone while exiting the room.

"The preparations will begin the moment you leave, Su~baru-kun." Roswaal responded with his cheerful yet creepy accent returning. "Throw me A~LL the vain threats, secrets and dirt you think you might know about me… I shall drag you to the TRUE starting line of your reso~lve. So that the me that is not me will come out on top. I'll be the victor, in the e~nd."

"We'll see, Roswaal." Subaru mumbled. "We'll see…"

The next day…

"THE GREAT RABBIT?!" Otto exclaimed from behind the stables.

*SMACK!*

"OUGH!" The green merchant grunted as Subaru smacked him over the head.

"Keep it down, you moron!" The black-haired teenager reproached. "It's a secret plan for a reason!"

"Augh… You didn't have to strike me though…" The merchant said while rubbing his sore scalp.

"Ah, stop being such a wuss! You can keep a bit of pain in, right?" Subaru smirked. "Listen Otto... As I said, Elsa 'The Bowel Hunter' is coming to the mansion tomorrow in the evening. I have to be there to stop her, but…"

"The Rabbit will descend upon Sanctuary the moment you return?" Otto concluded. "That's…"

"Roswaal is the one summoning it. The Rabbit is attracted to large quantities of mana…" Subaru continued. "I don't know how… But Roswaal is going to summon a blizzard to isolate Emilia within the Tomb as she performs the Trial."

"Making everyone think she's a witch… While luring the Rabbit into this place!" Otto's murmuring turned fearful. "Wh-What do we do, then?! We can't evacuate everyone here!"

"No… But we can, at the very least, evacuate the people of Arlam." Subaru reassured.

"Natsuki-san… You are not implying you are abandoning everyone else in Sanctuary, are you?!" The merchant's tone turned angry at Subaru's phrasing.

"Sorry, I think explained myself wrong…" Subaru apologized immediately, making Otto relax somewhat. "I'm just saying that I managed to get Ryuzu and Garfiel to allow me to escort Arlam's people back to their village. I talked things over with them last night, clearing some bad water… Now it's all mostly under the bridge, so they gave me the go ahead this morning to escort the villagers back to Arlam tonight… On the promise that I return, of course."

"Seriously… You almost gave me a heart attack…"

"You tell me…"

"But then… What do we do about the Rabbit?" Otto wondered, anxiousness arising in his heart.

"Well…" Subaru pondered for some seconds. "You could try to stall the Rabbit's advance using that Divine Protection of yours, right?"

"I could, but… Wait…" Otto's face turned into shock all of a sudden. "Are you saying you'd let the rabbit eat the forest critters?! You do understand I can talk to them, right?!"

"I'm not saying that, you drama queen!" Subaru protested again. "And keep it down! You are screaming too much!"

"S-Sorry…"

"Look, Otto…" The Avenger kept a façade of calmness as he described a strategy to the nervous mop of grey hair. "Have your forest friends make traps all around the forest… Dig up holes, barricades, anything that will slow down the horde. That'll buy us time until I can arrive here with Beatrice."

"Beatrice-sama… The Spirit from the Mansion?" Otto took notice of Subaru's words with awe. "If we have the power of a Great Spirit on our side… Then we just might be able to do this!"

"That's right." Subaru nodded in affirmation. "I'll try to convince her… So you keep the fort here for the moment, alright?"

"Wa-Wait! Natsuki-san!" Just as Subaru turned to leave, heading for Emilia's cabin, Otto called out to him again.

"Hmm?" Subaru turned to look at the merchant with confusion. "What is it? Is there something else you wish to discuss in detail?"

"Well, apart from that…" The green-dressed boy suspired nervously. "Why me?"

"Huh?" Subaru tilted his head in confusion.

"I mean… Why trust me with… well… Why would you tell me this? Trust me to help you?"

"Urmm… Ram and Garfiel are out of the question. Even if they don't hold contempt for me, Ram is too loyal to Roswaal to listen to my accusations. At least I think she is. And Garfiel… I'd say he's still suspicious about some things, even if we did clear another misunderstanding up. Can't blame him, really… We did start on the wrong foot!"

"And Emilia-sama?"

"…She has too much on her plate with the Trials…" Subaru shook his head with worry. "I figured… It was best if I could trust in a friend that is as much of an outsider as me in this situation, that's all!"

"…!" Otto's face lit up at Subaru's words. Although the boy had off-handedly called him his friend, mostly just as a way to compare Otto's status to himself without meaning anything deeper, the merchant felt glad that the hero would consider him as such. "I understand, Natsuki-san…"

"Oh? You do?"

"Yes… So, I will do my best to not betray your expectations!" Otto's eyes shone with resolve.

"Huh… Well, I'm glad I motivated you? I don't really know what I did to do so, though…" Subaru scratched his head in confusion at Otto's wording. "Whatever suits you, I guess."

"Now… About those details. Where do you think the Rabbit will show up from? And do you know a solid way to defeat it?"

"Oh, right!"

Therefore, Subaru and Otto would discuss a concrete plan to fell the Calamity. Hours passed with the young men focused in their talks and strategies, Subaru losing his notion of time until it the day turned into afternoon, just before Emilia had to prepare herself for the Trials…

"Emilia-tan?" Subaru entered the half-elf's room as the sunset light filtered through the curtains.

"Oh?" Emilia, who sat on the bed staring silently out of the window, turned to look at the boy with a surprised expression. "Hey, Subaru…"

"You seemed… Actually, not that great. Like in a daze…" Subaru was successful in messing his cheers up.

"That doesn't really motivate me…" Emilia looked to the side with shame instead of laughing.

"Sorry… It just kinda flowed out, what with how stressed you look…" The boy bowed his head in apology.

"…" She shook her head silently.

"And I just messed up again, didn't I?!" The boy screamed with embarrassment. "Hey! Look Emilia… Is there anything I can help with?! I feel as though I've just left you to deal with the Trials alone and I-!"

"Hmm~…" The half-elf hummed for some seconds, interrupting his rant. "Actually… I was wondering about that, Subaru."

"Huh?" The boy looked at her with wonder. "You did? I mean… There really is something I can help with?"

"Yes!" Emilia smiled, nodding profusely while patting her thighs gently. "Come rest here for a moment! I'll give you a lap pillow!"

"…What?" Subaru's mind paused for an entire minute after hearing her offer, not understanding properly what she had said. "Can you- can you repeat-?"

"I said 'come rest here, I'll give you a lap pillow!'" The half-elf cheerfully reinstated.

"…Emilia-tan? Are you sure you slept enough?" Subaru approached the girl cautiously, seating beside her on the bed while putting a hand over her forehead. "You don't feel sick or anything, do you? Is it a fever or-?"

*BOMPF!*

"…" The world shifted rapidly for Subaru as Emilia put a hand over the side of his head, pushing downwards until he was resting perfectly on her thighs. "…U-UMM-UMM-!"

"Just relax…" Emilia soothed whilst carefully stroking Subaru's hair, a radiant smile plastered on her face.

"EMILIA-TAN?! CAN YOU- CAN YOU NOT-?!" The nervous wreck of a teenager lying on her muttered in alarm as a blush painted his face.

"Subaru…" Emilia interrupted his rambles. "You seem anxious since exiting that Tomb."

"…" Subaru completely shut up, as his eyes grew wide in realization.

Fuck! Did I mess up that badly?! Did everyone else notice my desperation that clearly?!

"Um… It's not so much as anxiety as it is-" He tried justifying himself to no avail.

"It's alright…" Emilia whispered again. "I don't mind. Really!"

"…" The boy looked up in wonder at her words.

"If anything, it's a relief…" She sighed as she looked out of the window, the dying sunlight painting her melancholic face. "Ever since meeting you, it feels as though all I've done is show you the worst of me… All while you go around doing these incredible things. So, being able to see a side of you that's a bit more… Frail… It makes me feel as though we were closer already." She finalized as she gazed back down, locking eyes with Subaru.

"U-Uh-huh…" The boy mumbled, looking away in embarrassment.

Well… that's weird. She feels kinda clingy, blurting out this stuff and… doing this. However, she is not lying when she says I have been feeling anxious as of late…

"Um… Rather than me… How do you feel?" Subaru asked meekly from his position, not really wishing to show his face.

"I was feeling a bit under the weather, I won't lie…" She admitted with reluctance. "I wished… I could simply barge in and perform the Trials… But now that you are here, that we are like this… I'd say I feel reaaaaaaaaaally at ease. As if I could spend an entire day like this…" She nodded while smirking at the boy again.

"…W-Well… If it helps you relax to dote on someone…" Subaru chose to give her the option to relax instead of correcting her erratic behavior; he felt she had enough pressure already with how traumatic her past had to be in her visions.

"…Say, Subaru?" The half-elf whispered in a calm, nearly seductive tone for the nervous boy. "Can we stay like this for a while? Until you have to leave?"

"That'd be right before you perform the Trials though?" Subaru wanted to comment on her proposition.

"Well… I just feel like I can perform better once I've diluted my grievances."

"…I don't think I have EVER heard someone use dilute in that context, Emilia-tan!"

"Geez, don't tease me like that!" Emilia retorted with equal amusement.

"Ahaha!" Subaru chuckled back before confidence returned to his voice. "Okay, Okay… Let's just do nothing for a while, even if it is a bit… Slothful."

"I don't really like that word…"

"I'm just joking…" Subaru giggled as the girl pouted pettily. "I believe in you though. I mean that…"

"…Yes…"

"So… Good luck on the Trials…"

"…"

The two spent the afternoon just conversing and chatting nonsense, with the Avenger attempting to ease Emilia's tensions until it was time for the Trials to take place and for Subaru to leave. As the sun hid in the horizon, the two exited in order to perform their duties, only to flinch like deer caught in the headlights of a car as Ram awaited for them outside the cabin.

"So…" The maid spoke with a reproachful tone. "Why is it that Barusu's hair look slanted? Were you taking a nap or something, having such a gigantic cowlick?"

"U-Uhm…" Subaru looked aside, seeing in the corner of his eye a cheerful yet reddened Emilia.

"And Emilia-sama…" The maid directed her accusatory glance at the silent half-elf.

"H-Huh?" She meekly answered the call.

"…Why is your dress all rugged? It looks disastrous, almost as if… someone… had…" Her disturbed gaze locked onto Subaru. "Are the two of you-?" Ram's face scrunched up in disgust as the teenager quickly leapt on the defensive.

"HOLD IT! HOLD IT! I THINK YOU ARE MISUNDERSTANDING SOMETHING HERE!"

"Hmm?" Emilia simply tilted her head as she failed to realize the insinuations of the maid.

"Hah… Regardless of whatever debauchery might be occurring between the two of you under the curtains…"

"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!"

"As well as your stupid appearance Barusu… which mind you, is even sillier than your standard pitiful semblance…" Ram continued in her derisive chastising of the boy.

"Owch!" Subaru grunted.

"I took the liberty upon myself of preparing the carriages for your leave and ground dragons for your leave, Barusu."

"Ugh… Thanks Ram. Not for the insults but, the rest of the stuff." Subaru simply nodded in acknowledgement of her gesture.

"I'd ask that you leave right away though. I don't wish to stare at your perverted face for longer than necessary, filthy Barusu."

"Why must you dunk on me at every step though?!" The miserable boy cried as some commotion behind Ram caught his attention. "Hm?"

"Who the hell tied these reins?!" An annoyed villager exclaimed in the background. "It's a disaster!"

"Why do the ground dragons look so uncomfortable?!" Otto gasped alongside the villagers. "The knots on the reins are too tight! Good lord, they are choking! Let me loosen them!"

"Hey! Why are some of the carriages filled to the brim in supplies while others are empty?! Who the hell oversaw this crap?!"

"Some of the barrels aren't even sealed properly! Why is this one overflowing with appas?!"

"Who needs these many steamed tatoes for a trip?!"

"…" Subaru observed in silent awkwardness how Ram's 'preparations' turned out to be a complete headache for the people set to travel to the outside.

"Hmph!" The maid ignored the criticisms, directing her gaze towards her elven master instead. "Emilia-sama."

"Yes, I'm coming." The happy Emilia nodded before looking at Subaru. "Well, Subaru… I'm going."

"Yeah…" Subaru waved at her as she walked into the forest in direction of the Tomb. "Take care! Um- Ask for help if you need any!"

"I will!" The girl smiled in response as she and Ram sank into the woods. "And remember to eat your greens!"

"Hey! That's my line!"

"Oi!" As Subaru was looking towards the tree line, Garfiel's rambunctious call interrupted his thoughts.

"Huh?" He turned around to see the blonde holding Patrasche's reins, guiding the black dragon towards her master. "Oh… Thanks for fetching her, Garfiel."

"Ah, just a pleasantry." Garfiel smiled as Sibaru rode atop his steed. "Ya make sure ta come back though."

"I know. A deal is a deal, after all…" The hero sighed as the boy grinned.

"Also…" He took out a blue crystal, similar to the one Frederica had given Emilia when they first left for Sanctuary. "Here."

"…" Subaru took the crystal, pocketing it quickly.

"I hate ta admit it… But if da half-elf fails again, I'll need ya here." Garfiel grumbled in annoyance. "I consulted Ram earlier… Turns out, all dat stuff ya said 'bout Rem was true. Ya really aren't a cultist."

"Garfiel…" Subaru made a relieved face before the boy continued.

"Doesn't mean I still don't suspect ya, mind it!" Garfiel quickly corrected himself. "Just… Maybe not as much as before…"

"Thank you Garfiel." Subaru smiled. "I swear I'll return… So please, look after Emilia."

"Will do!" The blonde boy grinned cockily before running into the woods at full speed in pursuit of Ram and Emilia.

"Alright… There might be some hiccups here and there… But for the most part, things are finally looking up for once!" Subaru exclaimed to no one with hope for the future, trying desperately to push the possible negatives to the back of his mind.

Emilia seems relaxed… Garfiel isn't as aggressive as before, trusting me to some degree… Otto is holding down the fort, making traps for the Rabbit… If I can manage at this pace, without having to engage in a fight… Maybe there WILL be enough time for everything! To save everyone!

"Soon… Maybe soon… It'll all be over…"

AUTHOR'S NOTES

While I'm really looking forward to write the next chapters, I feel as though this one was one of the weakest yet.

I tried to convey Subaru's desperation in the beginning, but I just can't help but think it felt… Lacking somehow.

I cannot explain it properly, but I wanted to get his reluctance to being murdered and use Return by Death to escape a situation across, yet it feels as though I was writing him out of character the whole time… I had to do many rewrites of this chapter until I was somewhat satisfied with the result, but even still…

I know what I'm setting up for, to what end I'm writing his behavior for… but I just cannot shake those thoughts.

What do you guys think? Write any and all the criticisms in the reviews and I'll make sure to read through all of them.

See you next chapter!