Despair.
Regret.
Desperation.
And resentment.
These were the emotions that filled these crucial moments. From the stressed and panicking healer, to those who were on a race back home. Everyone just hoped they were not too late. After conquering the tower and reversing gluttony's authority, those who were victims of gluttony woke up and remembered themselves, and they were remembered by the people who had forgotten them. But for these two groups of people, they fucked up.
A month of pure torture and isolation was the fate of the member who they had forgotten. Nothing but blood and bruises was all he experienced. Either the burning of his nerves, or the physical damages dealt to him. Due to his injuries, his body has been severely weakened, no amount of healing can spare him. If he manages to survive through this, it would be a miracle if he could still walk.
But right now there he lays. Fighting for his life. Felix and the other healers, who were asked for assistance, were now trying to help the boy in his battle.
"Heal him!" Felix yelled, all healers with him draining their mana dry.
The pressure was on them. If they failed to save him, they might as well have killed a hero who had slain the two greatest mabeast, and eliminated two sin archbishops and imprisoned one. For several years, this boy who had just entered their lives made significant changes not only to them, but for the entirety of Lugunica and the world.
And now here he is. The hero they look up to. Was reduced to this. Was reduced by his friends. Was reduced by his allies. Was reduced by the ones who looks up at him. And now they are fighting a battle. Not of glory nor riches. But for the life of this wonderful hero, this wonderful boy. No, this wonderful man.
Crusch was on the other side of the door, listening to the rustling and shouts of the healers inside. She's been here since the start of the healing. And she was worried.
'Please be alright Natsuki...' She thought. Although she wasn't open about it, she does hold feelings for the boy. Ever since his stay in her mansion, and the day they brought down the whale, she held feelings for the boy. But she knows who the boy's heart was set on. But it's doesn't deter her from caring for him.
She was holding her mouth, continuously worrying for the boy that's being healed, as if she was the mother of the boy inside.
"I see you were here all this time Crusch-sama." Said some voice. She then looks at the approaching butler.
"Oh Wilhelm, were you looking for me?" Crusch asks.
"Yes, it appears we have guests Crusch-sama." Wilhelm stated. As if it wasn't enough, now Crusch is now worrying if Emilia will break ties with her after what happened to her knight. Without hesitation and with her iron will, she must face her guests.
Earlier that day, they were still in the Sage's tower. It was by this time, everyone back in the capital caught on what they did and desperately tried to heal the boy. It was at this time, they now realized what has happened.
"We need to make haste! We need to get back to the Capital now!" Emilia demanded, making Ram speed up the land dragon, but it wasn't enough.
"I'll take it from here." Reinhard voiced out, taking the rope, and thanks to his countless divine protections, he manages to make the land dragon go faster, under a day, they'll surely make it.
"Please..." Emilia utters.
"Please be alright Subaru..." She said, holding a fist to her chest.
On the other hand, Beatrice's being was filled with regret. That day, that fateful day when she branded him as a witch cultist, and leaving him behind.
"I'll do anything to atone my sins I suppose." She utters to herself. "Just please. don't leave Betty behind..." she added.
Rem was just crying, not out of sadness, but of that of rage and anger. Not only to herself, but to everyone around her.
'Why!? Why!?' She thought. 'Why must Subaru-kun be treated like this!?'
Ever since she has awoken, and she had remembered everything, she regrets to be defeated in battle, only to wake up a year later, and when Subaru might be on death's door. She knows the punishment if someone was branded as a witch cultist, an execution, or death by torture. She hoped that her hero would be alright. Would be fine. Would be alive...
All three girls wanted one thing above all else in this situation. They wanted time. They wanted more time to be able to save Subaru from his possible fate. Before they even could make it back, they don't know the battle that is ensuing. The battle between life and death. For here, it's all in or all out. The life of the wonderful boy that entered their lives and they cherished so much, or a lifeless husk, the shell of what use to be a living man.
But now, they have no idea what awaits them in the future. What events may happen. And what memories were lost. For from the beginning they were all blind, blind of the future they've just made. The future of emptiness and nothingness. The future of the forgotten and the forsaken one.
It was now evening. Bustling feet could be heard throughout the halls of the Karsten's mansion. Two men were carrying a stretcher with an unconscious boy laying on it. Some healers escorting these two men into a room for further healing. His injuries were severe, and on the verge of death. To heal him from this state would be a miracle.
"Heal him!" Felix yelled, the rest of the healers with him are bleeding themselves dry just to save this boy. Sweat dropping from every single one of them.
One man faints from mana depravation.
"We got one down!" One healer yelled.
"Get him to an another room to rest!" Replied Felix, to which one man dragged the faint healer to the room beside them.
He was one of the many healers to faint. For it was a long night of trying to stabilize the boy's condition...
"That should be fine." Felix said, breathing heavily after exhausting so much mana.
"It's not enough!" Yelled a healer. "His pulse!" He added, to which Felix stood up and sprinted to the boy's side, to check for his pulse. Once he does, it did in fact weaken.
"Oh no you don't Subaru-kyun!" Yelled the now panicking healer as he uses water magic once more.
It was going to be an exhausting evening, and a long one.
After some hours passed, only two healers and Felix were left to stabilize Subaru. Suffice it to say, he will make it. He has to make it. The problem is, they might only last for one more hour or two. Luckily, help has just arrived by that time.
Emilia and co. just has arrived to the supposed location where Subaru was detained. But when they arrive they were greeted with an emptied bloody cell. Blood decorated the walls and the floor. At the sight, everyone was slack jawed, eyes wide.
"He's not dead! He's not dead!" Rem yelled, denying reality. It has been so long since she saw Subaru, and now, she might only see his grave instead of a living Subaru.
"Emilia-sama, Reinhard-sama!" Yelled a guard.
"You better explain where Subaru is." Reinhard said.
"Yes, Subaru-sama was transported to the Karsten's manor." Said the guard.
To Emilia, Beatrice and Rem, they may still have a chance on seeing the boy alive.
"Let's go now!" Emilia said, the others running behind her.
"Hang on Subaru, please." She utters under her breath. She wouldn't fail him, she wouldn't let him die. She needed him, she loves him. And she needs to confess that love.
Once again they were on the carriage, racing to Crusch's mansion. They managed to get there in the nick of time.
Back to the present, Emilia and co. has just arrived, and were waiting in the front door. Wilhelm has just told Crusch that they had visitors in the dead of night. Crusch couldn't even think on what to respond to her rival when she finds out the state of her knight. And so, being the stern leader she is, she faces her guest with an iron will.
"Good evening Emilia-sama." Crusch greeted. As the door opens.
"Good evening to you too Crusch." Emilia greeted back. She was rather keeping her calm, because if she wasn't, she may have busted the door down and rushed to Subaru's room.
"You must be here for Subaru-sama correct?" Crusch asks, keeping her cool, as the healers were still healing him.
"Right, can you please tell us where he is I suppose?" Beatrice said, catching the attention of Crusch.
"Right this way." Crusch said, leading them to Subaru's room.
Emilia and Beatrice went ahead first and left Reinhard, Ram and Rem behind with Wilhelm.
Nervousness.
Uneasiness.
And uncertainty.
These filled their beings as they walked through the halls. Every step they take, the weight of these emotions increase on their shoulders. For the first time, they were anxious on meeting Subaru.
"What will we say when we see him Beatrice?" Emilia asks.
"I..." Beatrice utters, trying to give a suitable answer. "I don't know I suppose." She said.
Both of them had no idea what to do when meeting him again after a month. A month of achievements for them, but a month of pain and misery for Subaru. It was because of them that Subaru undergone through torture and possibly beatings, and an almost execution. But now, both were hoping he'd forgive them, if he took it lightly, but they would take any punishment from him, but it would break their forms if he leaves them.
Beatrice was freed from her previous contract thanks to Subaru. She owes him majority, if not all, of her life. And now, since he declared he'll be the most unforgettable blink in her existence, she was very thankful for that. But now, here she was leaving that person to suffer. Abandoning him when he needed help. Abandoning him when he needed comfort.
As for Emilia, she too felt the same way as Beatrice. Never once in her life was she not treated like the witch. Only Subaru sees her as a normal girl. After everything he said in the Sanctuary, she now know that Subaru was not like everyone else who saw her as the Witch of Envy, but instead, he sees her as Emilia, only Emilia. And now here they were, one was battling for his life, the other worrying and is being crushed by the weights of her regrets.
Crusch didn't bother to drop in their conversation. She would just lead them to Subaru's room, and that's it. What ever happens next, she will just watch it play out as she felt she had no right to intervene in this emergency. She would just mediate if things go down hill. But for now, she just hopes her knight can do his best to keep him stable long enough. If better, she hopes that her knight has healed him fully.
The walk went on, seemingly unending. Beatrice's patience was gone, she wanted to see her contractor now!
"That's it I suppose, we'll use door crossing to get to Betty's contractor." She said, laying her hand on the nearest door's door handle. Emilia and Crusch didn't argue, as they would like to use door crossing as well, as they don't want to walk for that long.
With duchess and half-elf were now behind her, she opens the door, and they were not prepared to see what they saw. Two healers lay unconscious on the floor, Felix was the last one standing. And Subaru's condition didn't get slightly better. He was still unconscious and unresponsive.
"Subaru!" Yelled both half-elf and spirit as they rushed to the boy.
"What wrong with him!?" Emilia asks in worry.
"I am trying to stabilize his heart rate and breathing, but it looks like I won't last any longer." Felix said.
After hearing what the healer said, both spirit and half-elf decided to help the healer. Now using their water magic on the boy, both hoped they would save him from dying.
Memories of Subaru then began playing in Emilia's and Beatrice's minds.
"Emilia-Tan!"
"Choose me Beatrice!"
"I love you!"
"Sorr- I mean, thank you. Thank you for everything."
"Why do you depend your life in that empty book!"
"Beako!"
'No matter what.' Both of them thought as they healed the boy.
'No matter what, I'll save you!'
Both now began applying huge amounts of mana to heal Subaru. Thanks to the mana of the most powerful healer in Luginca, the mana of a great spirit, and the mana and spirits of the half-elf spiritual arts user, the mana was so great, it could heal any disease or curse.
But as they continue to apply more and more mana, something happens. The outline of the boy's body began glowing and his body started twitching. Eyes went open, so did his mouth, light started to come out from his open eyes and mouth.
"SUBARU!" Everyone yelled.
"What's happening here?" The newly arrived Rem asks, as she went ahead of her sister, and as she saw what's happening, her heart dropped.
"SUBARU-KUN!" Yelled Rem, worried with what's happening to her hero.
Subaru began screaming as his body twitches. The wounds and scars lights up, then they began moving to his head and some to his right eye. Those that went to his head, those colored a huge bundle of hair white, from front to back of his head, a thick line of white hair stretched. As for those on his right eye, it didn't full took effect, until later after this commotion.
Everyone in the room couldn't believe what was happening. But, as they approached closer to the boy, it stopped. The boy gently lay on the bed, not moving. The huge line of white hair was not going away. It was now a permanent mark. A permanent mark of the Subaru they have now, and the Subaru they lost.
"What's happening here!?" Reinhard asks as he opens the door.
"We heard screaming, Rem what happened!?" Ram went in.
No one could utter a word, because of the event that played out before them. Never once they saw such event when they cast magic. As everyone calmed down, Crusch tries to explain, but Subaru began moving.
"Ugh, my head..."He utters, one hand holding the side of his head, covering the eye where the rest of the wounds and scars went to.
But then, he looks at his surroundings. 'All these people...' He thought. 'Who are they?'
"Subaru..." Emilia utters as she saw her knight, move once more.
"Forgive Betty I suppose!" Beatrice yells as she leaps to her contractor's bed, hugging him on his stomach. "Please don't leave Betty behind!" She continued yelling.
Happiness.
Joy.
Relief.
These were the emotions that filled their beings now. But, it will all be wept away later on.
Subaru, seeing everyone now, some who were about to burst in tears as they were happy to see him again, couldn't scratch his head on what is going on. 'What's this? Where am I... Who... am I?' He thought.
"Uhm... of course, I won't leave Betty behind..." He said, as if he was acting. He doesn't have a clue on what's going on so might as well play along with it.
As Beatrice cries on his form, Subaru head pats her. Revealing the eye that was originally hazelnut brown, to now that of grey. A lifeless grey colored eye. He gave a comforting expression as he head pats Beatrice.
"I'm so sorry for leaving you behind Subaru!" Emilia apologizes.
"Huh? What?" Subaru utters back.
"I was reeeaaallly a dunderhead at that time so please don't leave me!"
"'Dunderhead'? What's that?"
"Subaru-kun, your Rem is finally here!" Rem yelled as she now too stepped closer to his bead, so does Emilia.
"Please forgive Rem for her absence for so long!"
"Absence? What absence?"
"Please forgive Rem Subaru-kun!"
"Woah, woah, woah! Calm down!" He said, stopping the wave of apologies.
"Why are you asking for forgiveness?" He asks them.
"Because on what we've done against you Subaru!/ Subaru-kun!" Emilia and Rem replied, on the verge of leaking out tears.
"O-Oh, okay then.." He replies back.
"Good to see you again Subaru." Reinhard said, smiling at the confused boy.
"A-Ah, good to see you too..." He utters out.
"I know this may sound odd, but can I ask?" Subaru said.
"Sure go ahead, ask anything of us!" Rem replied, hopeful that Subaru didn't hate her.
What he said next shattered everyone's mood. It shattered their happiness, joy and relief. What comes next filled their beings with horror and despair. For they were not expecting such a response. For they were expecting everything to be the way they used to be. For they thought everything from now on will be alright. They failed to realize what life and this world truly is. It was all unfair.
"Who is..." He utters out. Everyone not already liking where this is going.
"Subaru?" He finishes.
And cut! Yes this is a IF story for Death and Beyond where instead Subaru was in a coma state, he forgets his memory, not in Re:Zero logic where gluttony and all that, he lost his memories because of the stress of the healing that caused it. His brain was damaged in that whole event. So yeah, I do hope you enjoy this IF story.
Anyways, see you all soon!
-Stranger.
P.S: I think I just made my grave as I made my 6th fic now, while I have to work on this and the other five... Welp, hopefully this pays off.