AN: I have returned! Shorter chapter, but it's just something to get us to the next Arc.
Anyways! Giving some love to 'Black Sabbath' for this Chapter Title!
ENJOY!
Arc One: Reborn in Fury
Chapter Three: Paranoid
There was murmurs and chatter everywhere your ears could reach. The denizens of the kingdom, the knights that patrolled the streets, all the way down to the vagrants of the inner slums; they were all whispering about it.
The White Whale was dead.
A contingent of the Witch's Cult was obliterated.
The Sin Archbishop of Sloth was finally killed.
But what was the most surprising, most startling aspect of this all. Was that these three accomplishments were related. Yes…
...Because everyone was amazed, concerned, or downright bewildered with the fact that, one man killed them all.
Every guard, henchman and mercenary went to their master, a candidate of the Royal Selection and informed them the same news. And there was no stopping the news from spreading, merchants had already spread the details of the incident amongst themselves and soon it would spread like wildfire in Lugnica, then to the other kingdoms.
Now…
Crusch put her fingers together, leaning more into her table as she processed what was now occurring. Everything she had been riding on, her goal to boost not only her chances but also help the people of this world...were basically stolen.
And she wondered.
"Was this, for the day before?"
Crusch recalled how she drove out a single person when he came asking for help, but she denied him, not just out of a logical standpoint from his rambling...but also, her duties at the time with preparing to fight the White Whale, should it appear, was precedent.
She acquired the resources, got in touch with many swordsmen, magic users and those who had ill encounters with the White Whale, all ready to assist her in the fight.
All that money.
All that time.
Wasted.
She betted, and lost hard.
Ferris could only clutch his fists in frustration. He had watched Crusch work tirelessly trying to get things organized to get this arduous task over and done with. To gain an edge in the election, it was a sure fire idea. It was.
"Damn it."
And now, he had to watch all that work viciously fall apart, and from what was being told to them...the Camp that they decided to allow to be destroyed by its own weakness, were the ones who took the glory from them.
In his mind he saw Emilia and Subaru, how they were during the meeting at the Capital...only for shadows to obscure their eyes, as they began to smile deviously.
As if they were making fools out of all of them.
"Did they make Natsuki Subaru stay here so that they could steal that information? Is that his actual role? A spy?"
His thoughts ran as he could only see that meek boy in a truly negative light.
Wilhelm was cleaning up the mess he made when he dropped the teapot...yet he looked to be doing a poor job. Just going back and forth with a handkerchief...the iris in his eyes shrunk and became hollow. He looked to be a man with nothing in him.
Maybe it was true.
This man's wife was killed by the infernal Ma-Beast years ago, with her death the family dynamic in his home was also killed. His own son, hated him, and he himself did not treat his own grandson fairly. It was a mess.
And since then, he has sought revenge against the monster, and avenge the woman who mattered to him the most. Even going as far as to vow allegiance to the Karsten Nobility, in hopes that they would be able to aid him in his new lifelong goal.
Well, now his duty to avenge the former Master Swordsman, Thearesia Van Astrea, was undone. It was stolen by the very Camp that had come seeking help, and as if by his master refusing and him not interjecting, not speaking his mind, nor saying even a shred of kind words...God had punished him again.
His idle actions, much like before, had costed him.
First his wife, now his revenge.
Wilhelm wondered what was truly left for him, if there was anything at all.
And so Crusch had the guard continue.
"Guard, tell us any other information you have."
Crusch gave quite a sinister glare at the guard, now even he knew, she was in a ticked off mood.
"As stated previously, the Emilia Camp is said to be behind this and more-"
"-M-More?"
"Yes. Apparently, they repelled an attack by the Witch's Cult, aimed at the Magrave territory outside of the Capital, and with that...they defeated and killed the Sin Archbishop of Sloth."
Crusch could only be weary eyed at the idea that, compared to the other camps, Emilia's Camp was now clearly in the lead through their exploits. It would take a lot of work for any of the other camps to catch up to them at this point.
"How did they manage such a feat…?"
"One person."
"I beg your pardon? Explain, would do you mean one person?"
"Yes my lady, all eyewitnesses are saying the same thing. That one single person, killed all the threats heading to the territory in question."
"...Roswaal…"
"No, not him."
"Not the Magrave…? Then Emilia-"
"-Incorrect my lady. It was indeed...a man."
"A man? Wait..."
The guard once again locked eyes with her, just as the sun behind them finally crpet behind the horizon and night was slowly reaching the finale of the day.
"It was her supposed knight, Natsuki Subaru."
The silence filled the room again.
But it was Wilhelm, who grabbed the broken shards into his hands, blood trickling down. His eyes sharpened to a frightening point, thinking only of the young man...who took it all.
"...Natsuki Subaru…"
.
.
.
.
In her office, the purple haired candidate listened as one of her mercenaries let her know everything she was to be told.
"Anastasia-sama, that is all the information we have as of now."
"Thank you, you can go."
"Maa'm."
The mercenary bowed and quickly left.
The merchant prodigy sat in her desk seemingly shell shocked. Beside her was her ever faithful knight, Julius Juukulius, who was also listening intently on the news.
"Either this is all exaggerated nonsense made up to make the Emilia Camp look exemplary, or…"
"Maybe, Natsuki Subaru, was tricking us all."
Anastasia looked at his knight as he put a hand on his chin.
"It's possible that he actually had power to himself and had been playing the fool and weakling to get us to drop our guards, to let him observe us all and judge us by our individual actions."
Julius had the image of Subaru standing in the shadows of the world, watching with shrunk hazel eyes, staring menacingly at them, like some sort of predator waiting to strike when the prey was truly relaxed.
"Julius…"
"Hm?"
"I saw him, yesterday...he...he flew."
"F-Flew? He could use flying magic? But that magic is incredibly rare to use."
"Yeah, but it was different."
She remembered how once Subaru flew away, leaving a weeping Rem in the streets...she asked her 'special' scarf some questions.
"Hey…"
"None, I sense no mana interferecne in the atmosphere."
"Then, how is he doing this?"
"...I don't know. I simply do not know."
"Then, maybe he truly was hiding his true potential, Anastasia-sama."
"I, don't think that's it though."
"What do you mean?"
Anastasia reached over and took a sip of water and clearing her throat and troubled mind.
It was then she revealed her encounter with Subaru the other day, not so much what they discussed...but on what happened afterwards.
"He spat out all that blood when the ring got in his finger and then boom! He flew away high up into the air."
"Natsuki Subaru...he may have just obtained something that could make him a viable threat."
"We can't get him to, no, he wouldn't help us."
Julius shut his eyes in response to her changing mood.
"Most likely he distrusts us fully, and is dead set on a negative opinion of you, my liege. That is why outside of the candidates, per say; he is the biggest threat to us as of now."
"Hahhh, and here I was hoping for a relatively easy ride."
Yet while she joked about it...inside the reflection of her water...she narrowed her eyes.
As if, she saw the image of Subaru's enraged, bloodlust filled eyes staring back at her.
.
.
.
.
Felt was sitting in a chair with Reinhard standing beside her, both of them stunned into silence hearing the news they were delivered.
"Nii-chan, how did he even manage all that?"
"Subaru never displayed that kind of power before."
The messenger then raised his head as more information was handed to them.
"My lieges, it's been reported that Natsuki Subaru-dono has displayed the use of a strange red energy around his body."
"Red energy? Like magic?"
"Well Sword Saint, there are also reports that...he has blood escape his mouth sometimes."
"Wh-"
"-They say it just comes out and floats around him for a while, before it seemingly disintegrates."
"Blood. Red Energy…"
Reinhard tried to think of something, but nothing truly came up, nothing he has personally researched or heard about, was able to explain the odd things occuring to Subaru. Reinhard worried about his friend immensely.
All the while…
"Wow, Nii-chan became a real exciting person now huh? Huhuhu, I'd really to see what he does."
That was her wish; whether she would come to regret it or not, was still unknown.
.
.
.
.
The guard had ran out of the room and down the hall, right past Al. The oddly dressed knight, anpther summoned person much like Subaru, could see the clearly bruised face of the frightened man, who ran out of there like a bat out of hell.
Al made it to her usual throne room, seeing her sitting upon on it, taping her fingers aggressively.
"Not good news I'd assume, Princess?"
Her powerful glare at him, gave him all the answer she needed.
Al sighed and scratched his throat before he quickly got out of there. Priscilla looked to the floor, the very same floor where she manhandled a certain boy not even a day ago.
"Hmph. Complete lies."
And so Priscilla Barielle, did not take their words seriously.
.
.
.
.
The next morning came, and Subaru awoke in the bed, his stomach ached both in hunger and indigestion.
A terrible feeling for sure.
"Hmmm, guess the blood needs to go through my system."
He got up and peeked out the bedroom door, seeing Rem excitedly making breakfast.
"Thank god. They're still alive."
He whispered this to himself as he got in the bathroom, but when he tried removing his clothes he just concentrated better and they came off, leaving him naked, but noticed the ring remained. He tried taking it off, but it wouldn't budge.
"Feels like it's dangerous to remove it, so I'll leave it alone."
He took a cold shower and closed his eyes, letting the water hit his face.
"...H...te…"
"HUH?"
His eyes still closed, he could hear something.
"...urn...all…"
Subaru frowned, trying to figure out what this was, especially since the voice was one he did not recognize, and then, he heard more.
"Hellish hate...Burn...all! FATE!"
Subaru opened his eyes and turned off the water, letting water drip off his scar riddled body.
He needed to do accomplish more pressing matters, still…
Eating breakfast as quickly as he could, Subaru was unaware of the affectionate stares Rem was giving him. He was simply just trying to eat, focusing on that alone.
"Um, Subaru-kun?"
"Yeah, Rem?"
"H-How will we be heading back to the mansion? Rem isn't sure if there are any carriages that-"
"-Leave it to me Rem, I'll manage something."
"O-Of course! Subaru-kun is always amazing! Rem believes in you always!"
"...Amazing, huh?"
He looked down at his tea cup, staring down at the almost unrecognizable reflection staring back at him. His face was the same, his eyes, ears, nose...even with the scars of his fight with Petelgeuse, especially the claw marks on his cheek; he was still...well, Subaru.
"-"
And yet the feeling behind those eyes of his, told a different story.
It made Rem, quite anxious.
Now outside of the inn, Rem gazed around trying to find a way to help Subaru. Subaru in turn, picked up Rem bridal style…
"Wuh-Wuh-Huh?! Subaru-Kun, wha-wha-what is coming over you?"
"Well, we're heading home right? So this is the only way to do it."
He began floating up, startling everyone nearby. He then flew up, but not too fast, just out of consideration for Rem.
She hugged him tightly, as she never had been this high before in her life.
"It's okay Rem, trust me."
"Rem trusts you! But what's scary is still scary!"
"Heh, well, enjoy the ride, miss!"
He flew forward as Rem looked down in terror, as they, were flying.
"...!"
"Easy Rem."
Rem closed her eyes and placed her head on his chest, hearing...nothing.
"Huh?"
There was, no heartbeat, not in the slightest, as if there was no heart to begin with. Rem looked up at his face, noticing that blood was once again floating out of his mouth.
"..."
"Something the matter, Rem?"
"N-No...Nothing to worry about at all."
Subaru nodded and payed attention back to his flight route.
Unknown to him, the rest of the city kept up their whispers, and seeing him fly over the city...made those very murmurs become louder and intense.
Until, the fear that came with it, also took hold.
Rem had fallen asleep in his arms, as he flew with a quicker pace...looking down he could see the crater near the Flugel Tree. The very place he had killed the White Whale.
"Hmph."
Flying faster, Subaru was unaware of a sharp toothed boy and white haired man walking by, noticing him fly by...and simply ignore it.
The white haired man vanished, running at incredibly fast speed. While the boy sunk into the shadows…
Now landing in the front of the mansion, Subaru gently shook Rem awake.
"Hmmm, Subaru-kun?"
"We're home."
Rem got down off his arms and looked around...only to be shell shocked by the burned down forest around them, and the sight of the destroyed stairs in the lobby.
"Subaru-kun wha-"
"-The fighting got out of hand, but I still managed a win."
His eyes spoke more of what had occured here, not letting her pry any further.
"Rem!"
"Nee-sama!"
Ram ran out to her, hugging in joy as Rem did as well.
Emilia also stepped out and rushed to Subaru. She hugged him, and he returned the favor.
"I'm back."
"Yeah, it's soooo good to have you back! Are you injured still? Do you still need healing? I can help! Um, yeah, let's see…"
Emilia fidgeted around, looking at Subaru from every angle, like a doting mother would a child. Subaru didn't seem to mind at all...he simply smiled about it. Yet, when Rem looked at him...she could tell.
"He...He's faking it."
It was disturbing her.
Now inside, the residents found Otto sleeping away on a couch. Seeing that the mansion was relatively fine, Subaru looked around still, trying to find a door-
"Found you."
He opened it, and sure enough, he was looking inside of a grand library, where a small spirit was reading a book.
"Just going to stare at Betty's perfection? Close the door already, I suppose."
"Right."
He did as she asked and shut the door behind him, noticing Beatrice was scrutinizing him.
"What?"
"That would be Betty's question, what happened to you?"
"...A lot of stuff occurred outside of my control."
"Would it have to do with that ring, I suppose?"
Subaru glanced at his right hand, seeing that very ring she spoke about.
"May Betty take a look at it?"
"Sure, just don't try taking it off."
Beatrice closed the book and set it on her small table, walking over to take a closer look at it. She then had her hand glow bright pink and she seemed to scan it. She then opened her eyes wide.
"No-No mana influence, I suppose!? This thing, doesn't use mana whatsoever."
"Nope, just uses the energy inside...of it and me."
He sighed, letting more blood circulate out of his mouth, floating up around his head. Beatrice was slightly grossed out by it, but she still had to observe it. She touched it and studied it up and down, making Subaru simply watch as she moved his hand around.
"A metia? No, it isn't structured that way at all, I suppose. And this emblem? Is it meant for something, I suppose?"
"Well, all I know is it's a Red Ring, one from the Red Lantern Corps."
"Red...Lantern...Corps? Betty must know where you retrieved this, I suppose!"
"It sort of just came to me, like a shooting star I guess!"
"Outrageous, you mean to tell Betty that this thing, just appeared out of nowhere?!"
"Exactly."
"...I see, I suppose. Well, what does it draw power on?"
"Rage I assume. I mean, that is what was needed to use it."
She let go of his hand and walked back and forth.
"Rage. Appeared out of nowhere. There isn't much to go on, I suppose."
"No, sadly there isn't. Still, I also want to know more about this ring and where the hell it came from."
"Do you think it came from, beyond the Waterfall?"
"...Without a doubt it did."
Both of them went silent...until a knock on the door, shook them out of their stupor.
"Beatrice-sama, I have brought you-Oh, Barusu you're here as well?"
"Yeah, we're discussing about this ring here."
He flicked his wrist and showed his ring off, noticing Ram was also looking sharply at it.
"So nothing's come up?"
"Nah, all we know is the same. It' red. It's makes me have powers. It's controlled by rage. And it's replaced my heart."
"Wait, what do you mean, replaced?"
"Like I said, when the ring attached itself to me...it destroyed my heart entirely. My blood, old one at least, it's all gone. Ask Rem, she was there."
Ram couldn't help but be quite nervous about what he was insinuating. From an outside perspective, Subaru was basically killed by the ring and then revived, giving him mysterious powers that she had not seen even Roswaal being able to do.
"I hope it doesn't become a burden, Barusu."
"...Hope so too."
Subaru left the room with Ram, glancing back at the spirit who stared back at him. He closed the door behind him, Beatrice running over to look closer at the doorknob.
"I wonder...if he would be, 'They'?"
She shook her head.
"No, I don't think so, I suppose."
She then gripped her dress.
"He's scary to look at, that ring just making him look worse, I suppose. And yet-"
She then once again looked at the doorknob.
"But...He still came to see me."
Subaru sat in the living room with the others, Otto also now having woken up.
"Now with the craziness of that battle behind us, Barusu. Roswaal requests you and Emilia to meet with him."
"Meet with him? Where the hell is at then?"
"...He will be meeting us at the Sanctuary."
"Sanctuary?"
Subaru looked to Emilia, who shrugged her shoulders. He then looked to Rem who happily gave him the info needed.
"It's a small town in the outskirts of Roswaal-sama's territory. It's filled with demi-humans that have lived there for generations."
"Hmmm, so what's Roswaal doing there?"
"Your guess is as good as mine, Subaru-kun."
She also shrugged her shoulders as Subaru glanced at Otto.
"Never heard of such a place, Natsuki-san, so I have no info."
Subaru tapped finger on his temple, but a thought rang into his head.
"The reason Roswaal never showed up in the previous loops...he was at this Sanctuary place! Bastard. What could be so important that you got Rem and the others killed?!"
He growled as blood spurted out of his mouth, scaring the others at this sight.
But Subaru sighed as he crossed his arms.
"So why does he want to meet us there? Why not just come over here?"
"Roswaal-sama is busy with important matters at the moment."
"Bullshit, what could be more important than protecting his home from those bastards?!"
"Barusu, watch your tone! You can't even fathom the depths of Roswaal-sama's-"
"-Like I fucking care!"
He slammed his fist on the couch's arm and stood up.
"In regards to whatever it is, he's doing, I could care less! But when he leaves his own home open to the kind of disaster I had to face alone, then I have a problem with that! If this ring didn't come to me, who knows what would have happened?! Roswaal has power, he's the most powerful sorcerer in the kingdom, right?!"
"That is cor-"
"-And yet, he's off fucking around while everyone else is in danger?! What a load!"
Subaru moved away from them and opened the door to the main halls. He then scratched his nose before letting out a quick hollow breath.
"Emilia...you will be staying here!"
"Huh? But Roswaal wants to see me as-"
"-No. I'll be seeing him first! Tomorrow I'll be surveying this place and talking with him! Once I get a good grasp on everything, I'll decide if Emilia and the others come."
"Right now, everyone is still tired, and while the knights cleaned up the mess...we have to do some real healing."
"...Are you sure you're fine, Subaru?"
Subaru stood there...he didn't move, his face not being seen by either of them. It was actually frightening how he wouldn't answer her. He straightened up and turned around, showing a tired expression, only for him to crack a smile.
"I'm perfect."
Emilia couldn't even speak.
"Rem give me the directions later, I'm going to get some reading done. Otto, you stay put as well."
"R-Right."
Subaru left them in utter silence as he walked through the halls; he glanced at his ring and frowned.
{Ring Energy Level: 68%}
"Shit. "
Subaru looked out the window and saw the small patches of grass still stained with blood…
"I need to find a way to recharge this ring...and, how to control these urges."
He saw an image of himself, choking Roswaal.
He sighed once again.
"Maybe that place will be of help. But then again..."
He continued walking, not seeing Rem and Emilia anxiously watching him continue his concerning, aimless, walking.
"Rem, did something happen? Subaru...he's not the same."
"Emilia-sama...when you left him in the capital he was really distraught."
"I, kind of wish-"
"-Then, Subaru-kun learned about the Witch's Cult attack on the mansion adn he asked Crusch-sama for help. She refused...he was quite angry. No, it wasn't just her, he asked all the other candidates besides Felt. They also refused to help. Rem thinks…"
"Hm?"
"Rem thinks the anger he feels towards them, the ring he has, is making him this way. Rem is, very worried about him."
Emilia put a hand on her shoulder, continuing to look over at her saviour, who looked like he needed saving of his own.
Puck floated over Emilia, lowering his tail as he muttered, inaudibly to himself.
"Sanctuary…"
That night, Subaru slept...but his slumber filled his mind with the thoughts. Crusch, Anastasia, Ferris, Wilhelm, Al, Priscilla, Anastasia, Julius, Mimi...he saw them, shadows covering their faces. Their whispers raspy, but still audible as they spoke of killing. Killing Emilia, killing Rem, killing Beatrice, Petra, Ram, him. He could see it. The river. Yes, the river of blood, as he walked he could see them. The corpses, their corpses, his enemies who were conspiring to end them, and he knew, he did it. He felt a smile creep onto his face. And far ahead of him, was a shadow, it took form and became a woman. All she did was mutter, taking on the voices of those he killed, until he looked behind her and saw-
"Ugh!"
He got up from his bed and shook his head. Having just woken from his nightmare, he could see it was sometime after midnight, so he tried to walk off his excess energy and walked to his door. He walked down the hall in the darkness, letting the quiet ambiance of night try and calm him down. It really didn't work, but he still kept at it.
Then his ring beeped, showing him that his radar system detected something.
He looked out the hallway window and noticed it with a furious realization...Otto's carriage was missing. He ran back to his room and opened the window, jumping out before flying up into the air. He sped up and looked around, before seeing in the far distance, just what he needed to find. He kept up the speed and flew up from above.
Looking down, he could tell who were inside…
"Ram...Otto…"
It was obvious where they were heading to, so Subaru flew around the mansion to the other side of the non burned forest and shot straight into the sky.
"Otto can talk to animals and Ram can use her Clairvoyance. Can't get too close."
He now broke through the clouds, flying so high, that no animals, of any kind, could possibly fly by. He flew forward, but made sure not to lose sight of the carriage.
"Go on then, lead me there."
Subaru smiled at the unsuspecting carriage, aloof to him following them from above. He snickered at the sheer absurdity of it all…
"Trying to go behind my back and probably warn Roswaal, huh Ram?"
He then saw in the very far horizon, walls that protrude from the heavy woods. Instantly, he realized what it was, or where it was.
"Go on then, and lead me, to the Sanctuary!"
Subaru's joyous cry, was the spark needed to begin a series of destructive events…all of which, were to begin in a place called the Sanctuary.
A golden haired young man sniffed the air, as he stretched his arms out and let out a yawn. This revealed his large fangs, just as his bright green eyes looked up to the sky.
"Wha's tha' smell?"
In the forest, movement could be felt, trees broke apart and bushes shifted. Red eyes, some small, a few large could be seen. Among them, was the smile, a seductive one from someone from not too long ago.
"Mmmm, I hope I carve out some nice ones today."
As this sensual smiled with a tantalizing smile ...a little girl sighed as she rode upon the back of a humongous monster. In the distance, was the Roswaal Mansion.
Their target...
"Oh? Well, it appears…"
A woman, hair white like the pure snow, in a dark dress made to be for a funeral sat in a chair of a small delicate coffee table, under a large tree, in a vast grassy field...now, she smiled.
"Someone interesting is coming."
A witch's interest was sparked.
Arc Two: A Dangerous Meeting
Starts.
To be Continued...
AN: Arc title gets that 'Mercyful Fate' love! See ya next time...