AN: Back to the fold.
And one chapter left before we reach the end of this Arc! Be ready.
Chapter title comes from the song by "Lorn".
And, well...Batman X Re:Zero readers, will recognize something special in this chapter...Now please, Enjoy!
Arc Three: The Bloodstained Roses War
Chapter 13: Bury Your Brother
Reinhard hurried to the main plaza of the Astrea Mansion and once he and the other Camp affiliates reached there, they all watched in nervous awe. Looking out into the far distance.
Tom, Chin and Kon; the very same criminals who tried robbing Subaru during his first loops in Lugnica, were now hires in the Felt Camp.
"Whoa. Look at that!" "Check it Out!" "W-What the hell is going on?!"
Felt shook her head...before Reinhard stood by her, staring to that very ominous horizon.
Plumes of smoke rising into the sky, obviously close to the far off Vollachia border.
The Crusch Camp noticed the smoke from the safety of their camp. Yet Wilhelm had reservations about his master seeing anymore. So he closed the curtains.
Julius and Ricardo were in a town away from the capital, heading to their own place in the city near the Kararagi border. But the smoke could still be seen from that far off. Yes...even that purple haired master of theirs watched in silence as she exited a uilding with the Pearlbaton triplets.
Her scarf gazing curiously at it.
.
.
.
.
Many of these men charged forward riding their Ground Dragons, downhill into the chaos...while the other enemy enemy combatants made their way upward. Sure enough, the sparks flew around them from the spreading flames that was covering a nearby mountain.
Then, due to their leading Red Lanterns meddling with the atmosphere...lightning struck down.
And these men clashed.
Swords clashed, spears were tossed, and men tackled others off their trusty transportation. A man fell off his Ground Dragon, and was beset by a man with a javelin, only for him to pick up a rock and toss it at him. That poor fellow fell off his mount and was stabbed in the head with a pocket knife.
Those that knew magic hid behind some still standing trees and fired what they could at their enemies, but then arrows struck two of them.
"Crap! Keep yourselves hidden!"
Several of Priscilla's men were using a huge log as cover, as they used crossbows to pick off anyone that got too close, or just to fight from a safe distance.
The river flowing in front of them, also helped to somewhat slow down their enemies, which helped them knock off opponents one by one.
"Hey. That'ssss cool."
One of these marksman heard a voice behind him, so he turned his head.
And was staring face to face with Genau.
"I'd like to learn how to make one."
"AH-!"
Genau chomped his face off, before creating spider leg constructs that stabbed at each of them at rapid speed. He then jumped over the log and began slicing apart several soldiers that were in the river.
He slice and diced away at them with his own claws and trusty arachnid limb constructs. He then encountered a man with a large battleaxe, as he swung it down with clear intensity. Genau scoffed at this, as he created the warhammer construct he gained with the blood of Chiron. The strike sent massive air around them, sending some water into the air. Just in time for Genau to hurl out some of his blood out, melting the man's head clean off.
Genau then spun in the air and vomited his napalm like blood, engulfing these men in red flames.
Genau noticed that their friendly magic cannon was atop the middle of the two hills getting ready to fire, but they were being bombarded by other magic blasts. Looking to his side, he saw the cannons from the opponents side, firing off from the far distance. He shot his body forward, slicing through as many men he could before kicking off the ground and rushing through some trees. There he hid in the shadows of the trees as he watched the mages using their mana to have the cannons fire these beams. They were protected by the accompanying soldiers, which made Genau growl. He then aimed his tail, which is where his ring was latched onto.
Taking a big gurgly breath, he fired and it hit the tip of the cannon, where the stones being used were housed...the hit made the entire cannon implode, killing most of these people. Genau rushed in and created praying mantis arms to cut through most of the guards, before he turned his attention to the mages.
"GOA!" "FULA!"
All of them fired magic, but Genau maneuvered around each one, leaving a red streak of light behind himself. Until, he got to them and cut off their heads with his constructs.
He then used his ring to lift up one magic cannon and hurl it a large group of enemies, causing it to explode, causing yet another fire to start. His eyes shined, as he smiled at sight of the flames and accompanying smell of burning flesh.
"Can't wait to eat…"
Subaru landed in the middle of an enemy regiment.
"REVENGA ART! SHIROYAMA!"
His double chainsaw construct was made and he spun it around and around, cutting apart dozens of men around him. He felt someone swing a sword at him, but it did nothing. The sword impacted...only to burst into pieces when it hit the red aura, surrounding his body.
The soldier shivered seeing this, just as Subaru flipped back and cut him in half with his Shiroyama construct.
He turned his attention to some of his own men who were hiding behind the log as several men charged at them, seemingly hoping their spears would do the trick.
The Red Lantern sighed, blood floating out of his mouth and all. So now he dissipated his construct.
He flew at that very direction, but making extra sure to use his ring to shoot a beam at any enemy combatant he had run into. Finally making it close enough, he summoned the second main ability.
"Revenga Art 2: Hama Yumi."
He created his rifle construct and fired away, riddling his enemies in holes. Not giving up this moment, he floated in the air and fired upon anyone he recognized as an enemy, helping some men out in their fights, while clearing the way for others.
All around them, there were explosions, the sounds of cracking steel and death cries.
Up on the hill, the single magic cannon they had, fired away, blasting away at enemies coming through the vineyards and gardens.
One explosion sent petals of roses high in the smoke filled air.
Emilia had fired an ice spear at a soldier that was charging at them, making him fall over and die.
Rem had her morningstar lop off the heads of three other soldiers.
Beatrice raised her palm and fired a purple spear of magic, shooting through six men.
A friendly soldier recognized them instantly.
"Emilia-sama?! Rem-dono, Beatrice-dono?! What are you ladies, doing here?!"
"Sorry, but we came to help Subaru and Genau put an end to this conflict!"
"But if Subaru-sama learns you are-"
"-He seems preoccupied at the moment, right?"
The soldier scratched his helmet in frustration.
"Okay! Stay close to us! If you end up getting hurt, those Red Lanterns will toss us off the Great Waterfall or something!"
"Sure."
Emilia, Rem and Beatrice stayed close to the men who charged forward, downhill. All around them, they could see injured men crawling away from the battle, tops of trees imploding, and the river in front of them, quickly mixing with blood.
Rem could only keep her eyes fixed on the mountain that was completely engulfed by fire...then she looked at how there were craters all over the place.
"Did they really do all this?"
"No doubt, I suppose. Subaru and Genau must have been preparing for this, all those secret nights they had."
"...They hide things from us, f-for our protection."
As sparks from the flames flew around them, Beatrice silently whispered to herself.
"I don't think it's that, I suppose."
Subaru sniffed the air and turned his head to a soldier, simply strolling towards him.
"Are you the one filled with love?"
"Great...A Witch Cultist."
The soldier readied his sword as he panted and heaved, almost in ecstasy.
"What is one, who is a wielder of such love doing here?"
"Killin' some people, good enough for ya? You damn piece of shit."
"To hear such scathcing words from one such as you, Pride-sama! It excites me!"
"Shut up and die already."
The Witch Cultist charged at him with sword in hand, a delighted smile creeping on his face.
Just for Subaru to so easily and nonchalantly cut his throat open with a curved blade construct. The Cultist held his neck, before Subaru grabbed his shoulder, tossing him to the muddy floor and stepping down on the back of his head.
The gurgles and frantic shaking, showed how much the Cultist was trying to survive...but Subaru kept him down and created spear constructs that stabbed through his enemies. Finally, feeling the resistance under his foot gone, he removed it and instead created two baseball bat constructs.
Moving through the insane clashes, Subaru used these bats to break open skulls, smash eyes and injure opponents enough for some of his men to finish them off. At the corner of his eyesight, he witnessed several men now fighting with their barehands, their weapons too rusted and sticky with blood to be useful. Ridding himself of his constructs, he rushed over.
"Alright Garfiel, show me what I go from you."
Subaru ducked under a punch, before twisting himself and landing two powerful uppercuts on his opponent. He then stepped on the guy's knee, breaking the leg in half and jumped back, landing a powerful backflip kick on his jaw, sending most of his teeth flying. Right as he landed he dodged a kick, and grabbed the man's foot, twisting into a broken mess. He then pulled him and karate chopped his adam's apple, destroying his windpipe.
"Nice! I owe you Garfiel Tinsel!"
Seeing more men, even ones with weapons coming at him, Subaru smiled so gleefully...it was haunting. His ring shined, as a new construct was being formed next to him.
The soldiers slowed down their pace.
They came to a complete stop.
Now, they were trembling, all of them slowly looking up higher.
"It might be disrespectful to him, but I had no love for the guy….so play nice will you?"
Subaru spread his arms wide, a simple smirk plastered on his face.
As a construct of Garfiel Tinsel's Tiger Beast form growled at them.
Subaru snapped one of his fingers, and the construct charged forward.
These men tried to run for their lives, but this construct chomped, sliced and crushed them all to death. It continued its charge of destruction, making a clear path for Subaru, to stroll through.
But then he heard gasps and wails of death ahead of him, breaking through the still untouched vineyards and appa trees. He then saw a beam of light blast through a soldier's head. Subaru dissipated his construct...he began trembling, he hung his mouth open and stared, his eyes practically going white.
There she was.
That person, of which, took away two months of his life.
Priscilla Barielle, charging with the last of her strongest warriors. She frowned, as if to snarl at Subaru, but kept an elegant flair to herself.
"To think you would come to me to die! You have nothing but rotten luck, Red Lantern!"
Then all of them, even Priscilla were stunned at what they were seeing…
Subaru had tears streaming down his cheeks.
Then, the very same man, smiled awkwardly, as if he held back the desire to cry.
"Finally…"
"Are you weeping for the utter sins you have committed against the world, beast?"
"No stupid...I can finally be at peace with this."
"Peace?"
'Yup."
Subaru...his tears become blood and had a smile so indicative of pure unrelenting fury crept onto his face.
"ALL I GOTTA DO IS BREAK YOUR NECK. SNUFF YOU OUT. AND THEN I CAN GO HOME AND SLEEP LIKE A BABY."
"No, It'll be I that ends your life, takes a bath and rests her head without a care in the world."
"..."
"...Get him."
Her warriors, minus Al leaped out at Subaru, only for Subaru to create a dome construct around him, stopping their attacks. Then he frothed blood from the mouth and had the construct split up and implode, sending these warriors flying behind him. Al got into his battle stance, ready to defend her. Just as Genjau showed up out of nowhere from the bushes.
"Oh shi-"
"GRAGGHHHHHH! DONA!"
Once his front paws slammed the ground, a few earth spikes sprang out of the ground and forced Al and Priscilla to jump away, splitting the pair up. Genau wasted no chances and flew out to meet face to face with Al.
"You are not getting in the way, Aldebaran!"
"The fuck I ain't!"
Al readied his sword and got into a battle stance.
Priscilla dusted herself off as she stared at the man slowly trotting along, getting closer to her.
Subaru kept his eyes on her, wiping the blood tears from his cheeks, but never allowed his smile to falter. That is, until he was only a meters away from her.
Then with not even a second to spare...they charged at each other, Priscilla making her fan emanate with magic, and slammed down on the red energy between his hands, creating sparks between them, a crater to form under their feet.
Both their eyes reflected the others enraged expressions.
Emilia and the others finally made it to the river. All three of them were showed horror on their faces as they could see, this was no longer water running through the river, which was now completely crimson red.
So they had to do what was necessary and they marched through the foul waters, but as they made it across, something crash landed in front of them. The men escorting them, came to a stop...only to be chopped, shot or decapitated to death. The ladies all stopped in their tracks, just as they emerged from the dust and debris.
Nuva Augustine, in his brown fur and grey steel armor, wielding a large parashu axe.
Halllujah Umbra, wielding a white wand, which was pulsating magic.
Yangtze, with his bow and a quiver full of multi colored arrows.
Rem had her morningstar swing forward, only to be blocked by the axe Nuva had. Nuva raised his big brows at the three in front of them.
"Look! Isn't that?!"
"Why, you're right Nuva-san, it's the half devil Emilia."
She rubbed her wand on her chest, before swinging it, and a dark ray shot out of it, only to be blocked by a barrier from Beatrice.
"Why, if I could ascertain, they came to help the Red Demon."
"If we capture her, we could use her to get to the Red Demon!"
Yangtze nodded to Nuva's thoughts and with amazing speed shot an arrow at Emilia, who summoned an ice shield to block it. The impact though. made a clicking sound, and the tip of the arrow shined brightly and then, Emilia watched in panic as it exploded, sending Emilia flying, all the while covered in wounds.
"EMILIA-SAMA!"
Rem tried to head back to help her, but Nuva jumped behind her and clashed his weapon with her own.
"Sorry maid, we just need the half elf, so don't be getting in the way!"
Rem fired several ice spears from her palms, but Nuva swatted them away with his axe, before dashing forward and slicing at Rem, who dodged them all. He used both hands in his next attack, and slammed it down, destroying the ground where Rem was standing. He then side jumped with a roll, just to dodge another strike by Rem's weapon. Rem had enough and summoned her horn, allowing the mana to surge into her body, and as she landed on the ground, catching the spiked ball in her hand.
"OH! You're an oni?! I heard they died off years ago! Like the old saying when something goes outta style, 'Gone the way of the Oni'!"
"Not only were you incorrect, but to diminish the death of my people like that, you will suffer!"
"Come on, everyone in the world knew your cursed people had it coming."
Rem roared out as she charged at him, only for her to stop dead in her tracks, when she noticed it.
"He's...getting bigger?"
"Sorry, but since you're going all out, I gotta do the same, right?"
Soon fur began forming around his bare skin, his beard matched it. And soon his eyes turned monstrous, fangs formed in his mouth, and round ears appeared on his head.
"A...A bear?"
"Got that right, gal...I'm a quarter demi-human!"
Nuva transformed into his bear beast form and snarled down at Rem.
Beatrice made her way out of the blood filled river and fired Minya blades at Hallelujah, but she floated up and over at Beatrice. She then waved her wand down, a massive pressure shot down, crushing the ground and hurting Beatrice. Beatrice fired another set of Minya spears up into the air, but the woman simply floated down and aimed her wand, releasing a powerful surge of mana out, which sent Beatrice flying. She skidded across the ground, before making a full stop. Beatrice reached into a pocket of hers and pulled out three stones, each one a different color.
"Have to make these count, I suppose."
As the men continued their battles around them, Emilia spin flipped back and fired more ice spears, but Yangtze used a small dagger to slice them apart, before tossing it in the air and having his bow and arrow ready.
Ready, he fired an arrow, which glowed white, but curved to land right in front of Emilia.
"Huh?"
It then exploded, but shined a bright white glow, almost blinding her for a moment.
But she was still caught off guard when Yangtze stabbed a black arrow onto the ground, which sent black smoke cast out everywhere. Puck shot out some light energy around himself, dissipating the smoke...but Yangtze had stabbed two red arrows onto the ground and they caused the ground to explode, sending Emilia into the air. She twirled in the air, only to come face to face with Yangtze and his bow and arrow.
Puck fired a multitude of ice spears, only for them pass through him…
"An illusion?!"
Emilia now realized that Yangtze was behind her, wielding a glacius blade. Emilia and Puck summoned a barrier behind herself, just in time for Yangtze to kick and arrow that made it shatter.
He swung his blade, and cut the back of Emilia's neck, as well as cutting her hair. Emilia twisted herself and landed a powerful kick on him, sending Yangtze flying, before stomping his feet and ceasing his momentum. Emilia landed, with blood seeping down her neck and all across her back.
"LIA!"
"It's okay Puck...I'm alright…"
"But...we are nearly at my time limit."
"...The sun has been blocked for a while, so I haven't been paying attention."
"Lia, I can flash freeze this entire area, if you-"
"-No! I...I can't keep relying on you and Subaru forever...I have to make my stand here."
Yangtze fired another arrow, so Emilia jumped and sideflipped to a tree, before leaping to others, trying to get around...as her short hair swayed, allowing sparks of the flames around them to dance off.
Yangtze got a spiral arrow and fired upwards, just as it was in the air long enough...it exploded and released falling beams that destroyed the area around Yangtze. He walked through the clouds of debris, trying to at least find Emilia's-
"GOT YOU."
"AH!"
Emilia launched ice magic onto the ground, keeping his feet stuck, Emilia then launched herself at him, readying an ice sword. The two clashed their blades, while Yangtze used a free hand to grab an arrow and stab it into the ice. The arrow melted and so did the ice.
He ran to Emilia who effortlessly ducked under an curving slice and slapped his arm, before spinning away from him, but not before tapping her hand on the ground...which made giant pillars of ice break through the ground and right at him. He jumped back and spun his blade in the air, before grabbing his bow and arrow, firing it and having the arrow break apart the ice. Only to feel something odd on his arm.
An ice flower.
A type of magic that sucked away at your life, so long as it was connected to the body.
He saw it was growing.
He stabbed it with an arrow and it exploded, but took chunks of his flesh with it.
"GAHHHH! TSKKK!"
Tears streamed down his eyes, but he soon felt it, the looming threat.
While he saw Puck fade away, knowing his time limit had been reached and with Emilia so far away...he could see the determination in her eyes.
And she could see the killing intent within his own.
He got his bow and arrow ready.
She raised her palm to him.
Now.
Now was their last shot.
They fired.
An arrow shining ominously dark blue.
An ice spear.
They both shot through the air, leaving with them the screeching sound of ripping air.
Both opponents could only watch in slow motion as the two attacks were about to hit.
And they did, but both still passed by each other.
The arrow.
Hit Emilia in her shoulder, once it impacted it, the arrow shot an electric bolt through it making her reel in uttar pain, the wooden end of it simply fell, a smoldering mess.
The ice spear.
Shot Yangtze in his left eye, becoming stuck outright. He let out a gurgle, before he fell backwards, the moment his head impacted the ground, it shattered like glass.
Emilia fell to her knees, blood gracing her unnatural beauty.
"I did it."
Yet she looked back and hubbled back to her feet.
"Rem, Beatrice. I have to help them."
Focusing healing magic on herself, she ran out to see if they were doing alright.
Rem roared as she rapidly spun her morningstar, before launching several attacks, which proved fruitless, even with her horn summoned.
Nuva used his specialty axe to knock away all her attacks, before getting past her chains and using his claws to cut Rem in many places all over her body. She made it past his claws and landed a kick to his stomach, before he made his chance known and cut her chain in half, making her watch helplessly as the spiked ball landed on the ground away from them.
He then socked her across the face, yet Rem landed a kick on his head, which made him swat her away with his axe. She skidded on the muddy ground, before coming to a stop and seeing the bear demi-human roar down at her, his axe raised up high. Her bruised and barely open eye, pink with blood trapped inside, glared up at him. She dodged the attack, but was shocked when he rebounded with a hop and landed a hit with his axe. Blood shot out of her abdomen as she was flung away, but as she held herself only to watch as he opened his mouth wide.
"EL GOA!"
"...! HUMA!"
He fired a flame blast from his mouth and it impacted Rem's barrier. Yet the blast destroyed it and burned her right arm badly.
She then made her way forward as Nuva charged at her, Rem got herself ready.
She kicked a piece of the earth at him, forcing him to destroy it with his axe. She hopped over to him and stabbed an ice blade at his shoulder, before backflip kicking him in his jaw. She landed on her two feet, she lunged and drop kicked him. As he recoiled, she leapt under him, and lifted him over her head by his back.
"Hragghh!"
She tossed him away, his head facing her, but his eyes widened when he noticed it. She tossed her chain at him, it went around his neck.
"Ah fu-"
"-URAGGHHHHHHH!"
Rem yanked the chain in her hands with all her might, veins popping out, blood oozing out of her wounds and her eyes turning red.
Once she pulled, a snapping sound could be heard.
She pulled and dragged...seeing Nuva had returned to his human form, his tongue sticking out, his neck purple and face, puffed up and blueish.
His life ended.
Rem took a deep breath, before bellowing out a victorious roar.
Beatrice rushed back and launched two magic stones, but they missed her opponent. Hallelujah twirled her wand, which sent out another pressure attack, slamming Beatrice into the blood river. Beatrice got up wiping some of the blood trickling down her face. She side flipped out of the way of another attack and fired a minya spear, of which while it did miss, did seem to make the girl look away for a moment.
Hallelujah then waved her wand around in an elegant fashion, ready to step forward and end this. Beatrice stood there, not moving at all...just glaring at her enemy. Hallelujah stepped forward, on a rock, which began to glow from beneath it.
"AH!"
"You should be focusing your attention everywhere, I suppose. If not, you'd fall for such an easy trap!"
The magic stone, hidden while she was distracted, exploded. Her entire right leg was blown off, just in time for her to screech in utter pain. Beatrice had her chance, so she grabbed a nearby rock, a bit on the sharpened regard and used the last of her usable mana, to float quickly up. The two ladies snarled at each other, now that they were eye to eye. Hallelujah tried to turn and fire another magic attack, but her missing leg caused her to miss the beam attack completely. She looked on in horror as Beatrice sliced across with the rock...splitting open her neck. She tried to hold onto it for dear life, but was kicked in the very same spot by Beatrice, breaking her fingers and forcing more blood to pour out. Both of them fell into the stream, both on their backs. Hallelujah tried getting up, but slowly went back to lay down, until she no longer moved.
Beatrice laid on her back as she sighed.
"Betty is too tired for words to express, I suppose."
Then, Rem came running to her.
"Beatrice-sama! Are you alright?!"
"Yes, I am fine, I suppose! Don't you ever think I'd fall in battle like one of you simpletons!"
"Thank goodness."
Beatrice sat up but noticed the terrible injuries Rem had.
"Hang on there, I'll work on healing you-"
"-That's alright! Rem is just fine for now! Now is not the time to worry about that!"
Rem helped Beatrice up, just as the bottom of her elegant dress ripped off, the tethers of battle.
"Tsk. Now I'll have to put on another one when I get home, I suppose."
Then they saw guards rushing them, only for them to be frozen solid in ice pillars. Jumping over them was the ever elegant Emilia.
Yet her appearance made the other two hold their breath, even with healing magic being used on herself, it was evident she was covered in injuries and her hair was cut to be just above her shoulders.
"Emilia-sama!"
"It's okay Rem, I had a bit of a, ummm, scuffle."
"This is more than a scuffle...if…"
A truly terrified emotion surged into Rem.
"If Subaru-kun sees you like this, Rem knows he'll fly into a rage."
"I know that too, but he likes you too right? Just look at your arm."
Though Rem did use healing magic on herself, she also couldn't ignore the state of her burned right arm. Even she knew Subaru would lose his composure once he sees that.
"Either way!"
'Ah!"
Beatrice brushed her hair, getting it as dry as she could.
"We'll deal with Subaru when the time comes, even I know he'll become uncontrollable once he sees all three of us here...but now's not the moment to worry, I suppose. Right now, we have to move and make it to him!"
"Beatrice is right, we came this far, we have to keep at it!"
Emilia smiled at Rem, even if it was evident her battle with Yangtze took out a lot out of her.
"Let's go, Rem...let's go help Subaru."
"Yes!"
Rem nodded eagerly and the three ladies rushed out, braving through the smoke and destruction going on around them...just to see him.
Subaru continued dodging beams, when a soldier tried to chop off his head. He turned his head in turn and hurled out his blood, melting the man's head clean off. Then he turned his attention back to Priscilla, using a construct shield to block her oncoming kick. She kicked off the construct and sliced at the air with her fan, sending out a curving light beam. So Subaru flew under it and fired several beams from his ring, she spun around them before firing a massive beam from her fan. Subaru growled as blood flowed out of his mouth, creating a sphere around himself. The beam impacted, causing the beam to split into pieces around it, destroying trees, cutting through men, and even reaching all the way to the estate and breaking apart a section of it. With the beam done, Subaru and Priscilla glared at each other.
Some more of her soldiers came up behind him, so his eyes began to shine red in response.
"Sorry Genau, gonna have to steal one of your moves."
Spider leg constructs sprouted out of Subaru's back and stabbed each of the eight men through the head. He then began tossing them against her, so she rushed forward, jumping around the bodies or just cutting through them. Yet when she cut through the last one, she now saw Subaru was face to face with her.
So she kicked his side, making him grunt in pain, but...but now she noticed he was ignoring it and made something around his arm.
A construct of Atrocitus' arm.
He then did a straight hook on Priscilla, landing the most vicious hit she had ever felt in her life. She spat out blood, but still backflip kicked him away.
She then fired another curved beam attack, but he focused as he created his Shiroyama construct...smashing the attack into pieces.
Both opponents glared at each other, both in poses showing they were in for the long run.
Then, more knights showed up behind Subaru, forcing him to angrily to cut them to pieces with his Revenga Art.
"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY!"
Priscilla tried to fire several orbs of beams at him, but Subaru hurled out his blood in heavy stream destroying them. Priscilla slammed her fan on the ground, causing dust and dirt to cover everything. She made her way around, using the cover of the dust to try and attack Subaru from behind. That's when she saw cobra constructs come at her. She side flipped away from their clamping fangs, just as Subaru turned his body, slightly floating.
"Stupid bitch, this ring is far more capable than you can imagine! I can't fall for such a stupid ploy!"
"Really, now?! I shall see, when I pry it off your corpse!"
Subaru was about to fly out again, only to have an arrow bounce off his head. He furrowed his brows to the point of veins enlarging and focused on some men in the distance.
"Revenga Art: Hama Yumi!"
He created his assault rifle construct and fired away without even aiming, but still killed the men who angered him.
"This is such bullshit! These men are such a nuisance...there's no way I'll be able to kill this bastard if they keep getting in the way."
"I have no choice."
He then had his ring glow red and began to open his mouth.
Al was panting, heaving as he dodged yet another claw mark constructs which cut up the ground behind him.
"How the fuck is this even possible!?"
Al has a unique ability to rewind time by several seconds within a certain range around himself, preventing his death and several others. It's saved his neck more times than any against other gladiators and troublesome foes. Yet here…
"Give me a DAMN BREAK!"
He had used the power 3,622,125 times, and in every attempt he mustered, was unable to kill Genau.
"No way this can be real!"
"It isssss real Aldebaran! I am a Red Lantern, and not sssssso eassssy to kill!"
"Shut it! Don't call me that!"
Al launched a earth spike at him, only for it to break upon impact, the power of the Red Ring, ever useful.
"At bessssst, only the Sssswrod Ssssaint Reinhard, could even hope to beat me."
"Fuck up! You're overconfidence pisses me off, mutt!"
"Sssssays the man who keepssss repeating time, only to lossssse again and again."
Al traded strikes against Genau, who then used the ring on his tail to shoot him through the head.
"Thissss issss going nowhere, and frankly I could call thisssss boring."
"Bastard."
Repeating the time again, Al held his sword in his one arm, panting and heaving.
Then, the helmeted knight noticed Genau was slightly glancing at his ring.
"Brother Sssssubaru? What isssss it?"
"Genau, I'm getting hassled by the men around me! At this rate, I can't finish off Priscilla...we have to implement the ceremony."
"NOW?! We're doing it now?!"
"Yes, if we want to finish this war and go home, then do it! I'm begging you!"
"...I will do it. Prepare for the reckoning."
Genau flew up into the air...letting out a mighty roar, one that echoed across the battlefield.
He the relasegd a viscous spew of his napalm blood in circles creating a practical ring of fire, burning away countless men. As he finished his eyes, and entire aura shined ominous red.
"With blood and rage of crimsssson red, ripped from a corpssssse so fresssshly dead!"
Genau's ring then began having something slip out of it.
Al below him now realized it.
"Oh no."
"Together with our hellissssh hate, we will burn you all! THAT ISSS YOUR FATE!"
A spare ring floated out of his own.
Genau stared at it, growling as if he was hesitant of it.
Then, the ring flew out, high into the air and barrelling away from the battlefield, over the burning mountain.
"Who did it find?"
Genau watched. He waited. Floating up there, where no one could do him harm...until finally he sensed it.
"Good."
.
.
.
.
"...Damnit."
Here was a young man.
A desperate person.
One whose entire existence stemmed from his desire for a wild justice, commonly known as revenge.
It was his entire existence, eating away at him for every second of every day.
"I got to make stronger ones! I have to find a way!"
In this cabin in the outskirts of a forest...he was in a low lit part of the room, working on his specialty.
Metia.
Yes, this man was quite intelligent, no, very intelligent. If he had led a normal life, followed a traditional meaning of life, he would have been a well regarded man of high schooling. He could've gone to any academy, possibly even work with the Sage Council as a special employee.
He was a true master of Metia Crafting, the manufacturing and fine tuning of the magical items known as Metia.
But that wasn't the case at all. No. His revenge took precedent.
"Maybe I should've joined the Cult...but now, now it's too dangerous. Too many variables, plus I never received a gospel. If I go looking for them now, they'd probably think I was trying to kill them...fuck."
He soon smacked away all the tools, papers and items on his table.
"FUCK!"
He rubbed his head. His horribly scarred and burned head.
Everything above his non existent nose was scarred and burned flesh, not even a shred of hair on it; leaving nothing but his light green eyes, with a small part of them yellow...that was the only other noticeable thing.
"I can't keep this up! I need more! More!"
His family taken from him.
His mother, Kelly, was sick, to the point of death. So years ago, he and his two brothers Bernhard and Hennessy, journeyed to the one place they believed had the means to save her.
The Pleiades Watchtower.
It was a complete and utter disaster.
Bernhard impaled by a javelin made of light.
Hennessy shot in the leg with a magic beam, and too weakened to run; he was torn apart by the Ma-Beast that chased them down.
He himself got his horrible scars there.
His father Arthur, crazed with grief, smothered his wife, before slitting his own throat.
This young man, now had nothing.
Except revenge.
Now he desired power.
He needed it.
Power.
More and more.
Greedily desiring the means, tools, methods to do so.
And he would kill, destroy and snuff out those who stood in his way.
"...Got to do it."
He put on his traditional grey metal mask with three lines on the side, near his mouth...with it were goggles, with golden layers and blue shades. Held together by golden ear muffs with a sharp spike pointed upward on each side. He moved slightly, showing off his now hooded trench coat, with holes on the side, that allowed the spiked ear muffs to stick out and be seen.
Belts all over his body, a belt around his waist with pouches...mostly black and brown colors adorned his clothing.
"I am going to do it."
His desires, his goals, all his own.
He would achieve it.
Dream of it.
He would find it.
His revenge.
He was the man who sought this power.
Whose sole world was now at this point.
A man, who knew what it was like to be so weak, that the simple commitment of being able bury your brother with his kin, was out of reach for him.
Such frustration drove him.
Made him who is now.
His name…
His name is-
{Ovidius Loman. You have great rage in your heart. You belong to the Red Lantern Corps.}
"Wuh?!"
He turned around seeing the ring, having found itself in the room, floating there, shining beautifully.
"Wait...this is-"
The ring latched onto his ring finger, even with his black open finger gloves on.
As it did, he felt the heat and rage boil throughout him. The three slits on the side of his helmet, shot out a ridiculous spew of blood, spraying it all over the place. And so…
"Oh shit...YES!"
His entire coat changed to red.
The rest of his brown clothing changed to black...the emblem of the Red Lantern Corps, was on his chest. This mask stayed the same color, except the rims around the lens of his goggles, which were now red.
"This is it! I did it, I have the power to-!"
"Hello?"
He looked at his ring, it flickered before it created a small hologram of a certain Wolgarm.
"Hello there, who isssss thissss?"
"Um, the hell?! This ring is able to create images, like this?"
"Anssssswer me! I am Genau, member of the Red Lanternsssss! Who hassss the ring chosssssen?!"
"...Name's...hang on...ahem."
Clearing his throat, ridding of any extra blood caught in it. He looked at the hologram, scrutinizingly.
"I'm Ovidius Loman, and I guess by judging from what sort of circumstances have fallen onto me, I guess I just became a Red Lantern as well?"
"Yessss, I have ssssent out a copy ring, to induct another being into our Corpssss. You have great rage, ssssso it has chosen you Brother Ovidiusssss."
"Well, what do you want from me? I'm a busy guy as well."
"...We require your assistance."
"Assistance?"
"We in battle with the Barielle Army, near the border of Vollachia. I ssssent out thissss ring to get help in our important battle. We need you to come!"
"...Hmph! And why should I?!"
Putting a hand on his hip, he tilted his head in a unflinching manner.
"I appreciate the ring and all, but I need a legitimate reason to go out and help you right? So c'mon, give it to me! Give me a reason to give a damn, and not run off to complete what I am supposed to do."
"...What do you dessssire?"
"...My desire?"
"Yup. We'll ssssee if we can arrange ssssome manner of helping you."
"...Hm."
He took some time to think, trying to guess if he could truly trust the Red Lantern Corps...but hearing rumors and stories about them, he was interested. A pique of cautious curiosity.
"I want to attack the Watchtower, in the Augria Sand Dunes...and kill the Great Sage."
"...PFFT! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"THE FUCK YOU LAUGHING AT?!"
"Ssssorry! Forgive me!...It's jusssst...Funny."
"What!?"
"You sssee, right now our agenda issss to destroy the Barielle Camp and win thissss war. After that, it'ssss wiping out every member of the Witch'ssss Cult...and thirdly...with enough time, to gather an army of Red Lanternssss, and take the Watchtower, the very ssssame one you speak of."
"...No way. You're not pulling my leg or anything?!"
"Not at all."
"...Then what about the Great Sage?!"
"We had planssss to either negotiate with her, or ussssse force to move her out...but if you join, we'll guarantee her death."
"If...If I join...I want to be the one to finish her off."
"...Eassssily arranged."
He began to shake, trembling of such odd sensations coursing through his mind and body.
"What'ssss your answer?"
A moment passed as a small breeze blew by the trees outside the cabin.
"My answer."
His blue shades, suddenly glimmered red light.
"My answer is-"
.
.
.
.
Genau charged down from the sky, stopping Al from advancing any further from the battle.
"Move damn it!"
"Make me move."
Genau created the twin bladed sword construct and had it clash several times with Al's own weapon. The sparks sent out were like a signal to continue the battle that earlier took a small break.
However.
"HUH?!"
Al saw lightning shoot down from the sky, killing several of Priscilla's charging men. Floating down, breaking through the smoke in the sky, was the man of the hour.
"Heh, you are thirty ssssseconds late."
"Oh snap, I apologize for that. Still haven't gotten used the ring just yet. GIVE IT SOME TIME."
Ovidius floated down to the ground, twirling a small Metia rod in his hand. He looked behind himself, and saw a group of at least forty men charging at him. So he focused and made a concrete brick wall construct, slamming it flat down on them, crushing them all to death. Blood spewed out everywhere.
"My god."
He dissipated the construct and stared at his fist, the ring glimmering in his sight.
"This. Ring. Is. INCREDIBLE!"
"Exactly."
Ovidius flew to be next to Genau, making Al tense up, having now been shown he was facing another Red Lantern.
"Like damn roaches! You just keep spreading unchecked!"
"That's rude sir. I don't even know the nature of your identity, though your odd styling choices make me have low expectations of you. However, I am a nice enough guy not to let book covers dictate the contents inside."
"Smart guy huh?"
"Well, I try."
He flicked his finger at his metal helmet, as if to mock Al in some way.
"Brother Ovidiusss, thissss helmet freak hassss the ability to reversssse time to a certain amount, but only in an area around himself."
"Hm? I see. You know how far his reach of is?"
"Brother Ssssubaru thinkssss that the range is ssssomewhere around ssssseven meterssss."
"So, you need my assistance in getting around that?"
"That, or distracting him long enough for Brother Sssssubaru to kill the leader. We alsssso need ssssome of their men to be trickled down in numberssss."
Ovidius twiddled his fingers on his mouth, even if it was covered by the helmet, Al was in no mood for this.
"Hey assholes! If you got time to strategize, make time to make like a tree and split."
"This buffoon really irks me. I kinda wanna kill already." "Ssssame!"
Then Ovidius held out his hands. Epiphany.
"Got it."
"Hm?! What isss it?!"
"I have an idea that might work."
"Let'sssss hear it."
Al got ready to fight, as Ovidius leaned down a bit to speak closer to Genau.
"Alright, listen carefully…."
The battle that would induct this Red Lantern into the fold, was set to begin.
Subaru had his construct of a hammer collide with Priscilla's magic enhanced fan over and over again. She then used her speed and agility to aim a kick at Subaru, intending to break his neck. Subaru created neck armor constructs, similar to his teacher Atrocitus. It protected him, just in time for him punch her in the face. She retaliated by shooting a beam at his chest. He flinched from the pain, eating two kicks to the face in the process. He retaliated by creating a construct of Dex-Starr that smashed into Priscilla's face, sending both of them flying back.
Both got back on there feet, glaring their bloody faces at one another.
Subaru created an axe construct.
Priscilla gripped her magic infused fan.
They attacked, colliding their weapons together.
"Look around you! Look at the chaos you have wrought, you filthy pig!"
"ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS SURRENDER! NONE OF THIS HAD TO HAPPEN! YOU CONCEITED BITCH!"
Knocking each other back, landing on their feet, breaking the ground into craters.
Here, as they charged at each other, howling with rage, Subaru went wide eyed, having seen it. Priscilla focused with all her might and created something in her free hand. Shining red with might, it was the power, that while eating up most of her mana, was indeed a powerful asset.
"Now you die!"
A Yang Sword. One only able to be summoned by those of Vollachian Royal Blood.
She swung it, melting the ground apart, but missing Subaru.
He went around, but had no choice but tilt his head in order to avoid a stab to the head. But she leapt forward...and fired a beam with her fan, hitting the distracted Subaru in the upper chest, right below the neck.
"UGH! BITCH ASS-"
She then did it.
With her sword, she stabbed at his head, right above the spot in between his eyebrows. He flung back, blood escaping everywhere.
"Now you have met your fate."
Subaru stopped his descent, floating just above the ground.
"WHAT!? THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!"
He floated up, showing...the area he was stabbed was cracked, light yellow cracks that stretched just above his nose.
A truly menacing sight.
"I…"
"...?"
"I AIN'T DYING THAT EASILY!"
A red aura surrounded Subaru, as his eyes turned yellowish, hauntingly similar to the crack on his face.
He flung himself forward, rocketing to her; to his own single minded goal.
"PRISCILLA BARIELLEEEEE!"
"Now, I believe the time has been handed to me, to put an end to your foul, unclean existence…"
She too now charged forward, her sword glowing even more powerfully.
"NATSUKI SUBARUUUUU!"
As they roared in a dazzling, putrid but overwhelming display of ferocity, as bruning rose petals danced in the air around them. This war would finally be decided.
And the rose, that which they had fought and sacrificed so much these last two months for, the symbol of their blood drenched victory, was waiting for only one of them.
TO BE CONTINUED...
AN: Tadah! That's right, Ovidius Loman is here! I'll upload a drawing of what he looks like on the Re:Zero reddit page today, so look forward to it!
Next time though, "Eve of Destruction", see ya then.