Everything has a meaning.
Chapter 13: Vainglorious Resolution
"Dora, what have you done…"
He did his best to catch his breaths, trying to wear out the shock of the situation. Eventually, he was able to stabilize himself, though it was harder than he thought it would be. He put a hand over his heart, closing his eyes as he continued to take steady, deep breaths.
When he opened his eyes again, he began to gather his thoughts with a clearer mind. As he had learned from Satella, he couldn't let his emotions cloud his judgment. If that were to happen, the decisions that he'd make would be unwise and detrimental to what he was trying to accomplish.
Right now, he needed to use the wisdom that he'd gained during his eternal imprisonment. He needed to approach the situation at a wide, open angle, considering everything before he acted. If he kept to his shallow, narrowed view, he would not succeed.
An object on the ground seemed to glow, which brought him out of his thoughts for a moment. He angled his head downward in order to get a better look at it, his eyes widening upon realizing what it was.
He took a few steps forward, approaching the object with a bit of caution. Once he stood above it, he kneeled down and extended a hand to grab it. It slid effortlessly into his grasp, though it felt abnormally… heavy.
A thin stone tablet now rested in his palm. The symbol in its center glowed brightly, signifying its currently active status. From what Satella told him before, he had a good idea of who was trapped inside.
"Beako, Emilia…"
Yet two more people he had failed to save due to his own idiocy and foolishness. Or, perhaps a simple failure was too low; did he doom them, instead?
His eyes softened, his grip momentarily tightening before loosening itself again. He couldn't help but wonder if it had also felt this heavy for Beatrice during the ten long years that she had carried it around for.
When he gently placed it in his pocket, it felt no different. In a way, he thought of it as a weight which would always press down upon him. A reminder, of sorts.
His eyes glanced over at Louis again, a sense of sadness once again washing over him, as he mourned her.
Of course, he held back a lot of his innate feelings on the matter. Louis was practically his adopted daughter, so seeing her so lifeless pained him to no end. Still, Subaru realized that there would be time to fully grieve more later. He recognized that he couldn't let himself become consumed by his depression nor his anger.
He took additional deep breaths. He let his mind settle, slowly coming to terms with accepting what had been done.
"I'm sorry, Louis," he uttered an apology. He never moved his eyes away from her as he spoke, not wanting to show any kind of disrespect to her death. He wanted to face her, in a way, and show that he truly meant the words he said. "This was my fault, and I'm sorry. I promise you, I'll make things right."
He would find a way. He would.
But someone else needed him first.
"Dora…"
He uttered her name with a deep sense of longing. He wanted nothing more than to once again have her by his side and hold her hand. Considering what he had done to her, it was selfish of him, greedy even. But he couldn't help but desire it.
A sudden thought occurred to him, prompting him to look down at his hands. He examined his palms, surprised at the fact that he hadn't felt that overwhelming panic yet. The sense of dread and desire to die, which would surface only when he was separated from Pandora, was mostly absent.
He still felt jittery, though. He could feel occasional chills run through his body as his stomach consistently churned in uneasiness. Worry and fear were some of the more prominent emotions, his anxiety, mainly for Pandora herself, taking a forefront in his mind.
While the more severe symptoms of their separation were gone, some aspects of it remained.
He could only begin to wonder why. Perhaps it was due to their extended separation, or maybe his Authority of Lust nullified its effects from healing him? Whatever the case, it hardly mattered to him at that moment.
What really concerned him was Pandora herself. He left her when she needed him most. He failed her, and he knew it. Because of that, she fell back into the darkness she worked so hard to climb out of. She devolved into the ruthless, emotionless monster that she used to be.
He couldn't let that persist — not again.
It was up to him to shine the light back into her voided heart. Though, whether he could do it alone, he didn't know for sure. He broke their promise and essentially betrayed the trust that she had placed in him; he wouldn't be surprised if she were to deny any approach from him. In all aspects, she may not even want to forgive him.
Before his thoughts could delve any deeper into the problem at hand, he felt something strange. It was an odd pull or sensation that drew at both his body and mind, one which urged him to gradually move closer to a particular place in the alleyway.
He turned his head, choosing to first see what was calling to him in such a way. When he laid eyes on it, he found himself once again surprised at the sight. There on the ground lay a familiar black box, one which was only used a mere day earlier.
He reacted rather quickly, walking over to it and crouching down to pick it up. His movements weren't dissimilar to how he'd first grasped the Seal of Eternity.
He held it firmly in his hand, the abnormal sensations and feelings repeatedly calling out to him even more so than before. It felt different than the whispers of his Authority of Lust or the tingle of his Authority of Wrath. This was… unique.
Still, he knew full well what was contained within. The Witch Factor of Vainglory, or at least half of it, was what called to him. It pulled at him, ushering his will to open the box. It was so very tempting, almost in an intoxicating sense.
Despite its undesirable nature, Subaru could see the potential in its benefits. In fact, he could feel his own hope for the looming situation rising. He could use this to help everyone. This could be the key to helping him fix everything.
His eyes narrowed at the box, contemplating his final thoughts. While it was true that the Authority would be a great asset to him, he was unsure as to whether it was a good idea to actually attempt wielding it. From how it interacted with him now, and how it has interacted with Pandora over the course of a few centuries, it seemed malicious and destructive.
But, the better half of his mind urged him to try. He knew that, without it, his success would wager little to none. With it, he could help people. He could help Pandora; he could help them all.
So, with one deep breath, he used his other hand to grip the top of the box. Then, in one swift motion, he opened it.
The after effects were immediate. He could feel the Witch Factor almost lunge at him, ramming into him and intertwining with his very soul. Something from within beckoned him, and he couldn't help but close his eyes and follow.
When Subaru opened his eyes, he found himself standing back in the black void once more. At this point, it didn't surprise him at all. Considering the amount of times he'd already been in these places, Subaru was, unfortunately, becoming very accustomed to it.
But that hardly mattered. Subaru's expression dawned one of seriousness, his breath steadied and posture guarded. His eyes narrowed ahead of him, entirely focused on the figure standing accords from him.
Illuminated in his vision stood the girl he loved, dressed in nothing but a single cloth which covered her torso. It rested loosely around one of her shoulders, as did the edges around her legs. On her face existed a small, unnatural smile.
She looked no different than the day they first met.
But… that was what unsettled Subaru the most.
He was cautious, his body stiff and guarded as he carefully observed her. She was unmoving, only continuing to blankly smile at him. It was unnerving, and he hated it.
Preparing himself, Subaru parted his lips and asked the fated question, "Are you… Are you her?"
He could see as her eyes narrowed, though they still seemed almost dazed and blank. She hummed in a thoughtful manner, "Am I her? Am I whom?"
Subaru blinked at her once before proceeding to profusely shake his head. He hardened his gaze, now unwavering in his stance as he spoke, "You know exactly what I'm asking."
"Do I?"
In a split second, she disappeared from in front of him and reappeared directly behind him. Her words tickled against his ear, sending a cold chill down his spine and making him jump back in shock.
He straightened himself quickly, still giving the girl in front of him a hard look. She seemed moderately amused by this, but any more complex emotion was hidden.
She took a step forward, followed quickly by another. Her posture never wavered, but Subaru's stiffened as he readied himself in response to her advance. The smile ceased to fade, nor did the static expression on her face. Her steps angled toward the side, almost as if she were circling him, but she still moved closer and closer.
"You believe that you can see through me," she spoke, her words as psychological as they were chilling. "But can you see through yourself?"
Something wasn't right.
His head tingled and screamed at him to move, to attack first and defend himself against something that had yet to come. He acted on that feeling, his instincts guiding his movements. He immediately formed his left hand into a fist, extending his arm in an attempt to hit her.
Pandora merely raised her right arm, batting his attack away without sparing a glance, before quickly thrusting the palm of her right hand straight into his chest.
Subaru flew backward, feeling the intense pressure and shockwave of the hit. His back smashed into something, the sound of what seemed like glass shattering exploding in his ears.
As he was launched backward the fragments of glass became apparent in his vision. Not only that, but he was no longer just in the dark void, but starting to fall through the glass barrier and into an entirely new plain.
He was high above the ground, his feet just barely saving him from falling over the edge. He could feel an intense gust of wind hit his face, almost helping to make him fall to his doom. He acted quickly, extending one of his Helping Hands outward, grabbing hold of Pandora's torso and halting his momentum.
He tried to pull himself back in, but Pandora acted faster. She grabbed hold of his Helping Hand using both of her hands, spinning her body around and taking Subaru with her. He flew out of the previous space, having been swung back into the black void before being thrown into yet another glass barrier.
Subaru crashed into some kind of wall only to fall onto something else. It was strangely soft and comfortable, almost welcoming in a way his body longed for. When he picked up his head, he only had only a moment to notice that he was back in his old room in Japan once more.
A second later, Pandora stepped through the barrier. Subaru had no time to react, unable to dodge as she raised her hand and delivered a hard backhand to his cheek. His head flung downward, crashing into the backboard of his bed with a thud.
She now stood over him, lowering herself down and using both of her hands to reposition him and grab him by the throat. She started to choke the life out of him, his breaths turning into labored gasps.
He reacted quickly this time, pressing his feet to her stomach and using his arms to extend two Helping Hands onto the ceiling. He used them to lift both Pandora and himself off of the ground, alleviating the pressure on his neck and making her let go.
He used his legs to flip them both whilst in the air, recalling the two Helping Hands before once again extending them out to the floor. Once they made contact he immediately used their foundation to thrust himself downward with immense force, his feet digging into her stomach as they crashed through the bed and floor landing them in the next room below.
He bent down, barely even registering the familiarity of his old living room, and used his right fist to strike her cheek in hopes of knocking her out. Her head recoiled, but it merely bounced back not even a moment later.
Subaru tried to get away, but Pandora moved faster. She grabbed his ankle, the intensity of her grip threatening to pierce through his flesh as she pulled him back.
She lifted herself off of the ground, as she yanked him, the force of her pull sending him falling face first into the floor before being carelessly tossed into another wall. His back roughly bounced off it before he fell to the ground, struggling to breath as he got the wind knocked out of him.
He could do little to prevent her from approaching, unable to defend against her knee which thrust itself straight into his jaw. His head recoiled back, only narrowly missing the wall by an inch.
She bent down, grabbing his throat with her left hand before proceeding to roughly yank him into the air. She held him above her own head, her grip on his neck threatening to squeeze the life out of him with every second that passed.
A sense of dread swelled inside of him, as he looked down at her. Her expression had never shifted, having consistently kept the same cold, emotionless smile the entire time. He found himself horrified at that realization.
Then, she reeled her arm back and threw him to the side. He flew through the air, crashing into yet another wall and breaking through it. His momentum only ceased when his backside hit something else, letting his body fall to the ground with a hard thump.
Subaru coughed, trying to catch his breath, as he tried to pick himself up from the ground. He was only barely able to do so, feeling his body scream and ache as he tried to move. Luckily, he could just barely feel his Authority of Lust working its magic.
He limped forward, leaning his arm against the wall for support as he gradually moved forward. His eyes lightly looked around, registering many doors and windows lined up in the long hallway that he now resided in. He was back in his school.
He had no time to dwell on it. Pandora tore her own hole through the wall, menacingly entering the hallway and making every light within flicker as a result.
He turned his head back, watching as she turned toward him and began approaching with eerily consistent steps. The lights flickered more and more with the closer she got, with Subaru only doing his best to keep moving toward.
He suddenly turned his entire body around, using his arm to launch himself off of the wall and into the center of the hallway. His stance wavered and his breaths were staggered, but he did his best to stand tall as he stared his aggressor down.
He parted with a staggered breath, his defiance clear on his face as he spoke, "I know this isn't real."
Despite being in these rooms and feeling these things, he still knew that he was being held within the constraints of his own mind. He knew that the manifestation of Pandora in front of him now was not the real one.
He would make sure she knew that, too, "And I know this isn't you."
"Do you, though?"
She stopped walking toward him, raising both of her arms and quickly thrusting them out to both of her sides. The hallway around him exploded outward, disappearing into an all too familiar void of darkness.
His eyes moved to lock back onto her, but she was gone. He didn't move, instead choosing to focus on controlling his breaths. He did his best to steady himself with the mere seconds that he had.
Fighting her would get him nowhere, and he didn't want to, either. Despite this entity being fake, a manifestation of the Witch of Vainglory, it felt… wrong. It felt so wrong to strike the person he loved, even if the one before him wasn't truly her.
If he did try to continue fighting, he was sure that it would amount to nothing. From what just transpired moments ago, it was clear that nothing would phase her. She could counter his moves and shrug off hits as though they were inflicted by a cloud.
He had to get through to her. Just like with Regulus, there had to be a way of getting her to stop. Subaru knew that this was some sort of purification challenge from the Witch Factor, but what was the lesson? If he could figure it out, there was a way.
But what was it trying to make him understand?
"You know me not."
Her voice suddenly seemed to echo from all around him with no clear indication of where it was coming from. It didn't fail to give him chills, but he kept his mind focused.
"I could be this."
Her voice came from behind him, prompting him to turn around. He could immediately notice the difference in her appearance, looking like Pandora but shorter and more teenage-like compared to the one that he knew.
"Or, perhaps this?"
Upon hearing a more high pitched tone come from behind him again, he turned around once more. This time, he was met with the form of a child.
She possessed most of Pandora's core features, the most notable one being her platinum hair. She wore common clothing and her height seemed similar to Meili's by comparison — or, at least Meili's height from ten years ago.
What unsettled him the most was that the child's expression was cold and conniving, both things the face a child should never contain.
"Or this?"
Hearing a rather sultry and seductive tone come from his right, he pivoted to face it. There stood a pale woman with golden blonde hair, her clothing taken straight out of what seemed to be Greek mythology. He was taken aback, stunned by the out of place appearance and expression on her face.
"Or this?"
Behind him again, another voice sounded. He saw another form, this one just as different as the last. She possessed brown hair, brown eyes, and common clothes and accessories.
"Or this?"
Again, he turned to see another.
"Or this?"
Another one.
"Or this?"
And another.
"Or this?"
They kept coming, surrounding him on all sides. He became overwhelmed, unsure of where to look as his head bounced between them all. Every single one smiled at him in the same chilling, unnerving way, only further fueling his stress.
"Tell me, who do you believe I am?"
Her voice once again echoed from all around him, further adding to his disorientation. He tried his best to focus on one of them, but he always found himself dragging his eyes to another, then to the one next to it, and then on.
"I… You're…" he tried to speak, but he couldn't. He tripped on his own words, struggling to communicate the sentence he so desperately wished to say.
Then, they all jumped at him. They tackled him, hit him, pummeled him and made him fall. They kept hitting him over and over again, with Subaru only able to meagerly cover himself in defense.
As they whaled on him, some giggling and laughing all the while, Subaru struggled to catch his breath. His mind threatened to go blank, losing itself with every hit he received. He could feel himself growing more and more frustrated until… he let it out.
With all of his strength, he lifted himself to stand on his feet as Five Helping Hands protruded from his waist. They mimicked the sides of a pentagon and pushed all of the attacking forms away, creating a small shockwave as a result of the force used.
They all faded into the shadows, leaving Subaru alone once again while his Helping Hands came back to him. He tried to catch his breath, ever so slightly beginning to raise his head.
"You do not even know yourself."
What met his eyes was the form of himself, reflected back at him through the glass of a broken mirror. His image was distorted, broken along with the pieces of glass it laid within.
His gaze softened, a hand subconsciously reaching itself out to touch it. He searched within himself, trying to find the answers that he sought. The more he looked for those answers, the more his hand hesitated.
It still inched forward, slowly reaching out further and further until it finally made contact with the mirror. His reflection's face immediately turned devilish, springing forward and straight toward him.
Subaru's eyes widened, but he had no time to react as a figure blasted out of the mirror and straight into him. He flew backward, landing back on the ground not too long after.
With a shaky breath, he found the will to pick himself up. Subaru rose to his knee, raising his head once again only for his expression to turn into one of shock.
Around him lay dozens of dead bodies. The ones closest to him resembled his friends, resting upon the broken rocks and terrain of the land as their final resting place. Emilia, Beatrice, Petra, Louis, Meili, and so many more could only stare lifelessly ahead.
Even as he rose to his feet, he could only continue to petrifyingly stare at the carnage that laid before him. When he finally found the will to move, his eyes ended up looking straight at the main attraction.
A cliff loomed over him, but that was not what horrified him. Plastered and hung on its side was Pandora herself, her entire body riddled with nails to keep her held in place. Her skin was heavily burned, signifying that she was set aflame. Her eye sockets were pure red, stained of the same color trailing down her cheeks as if she'd cried blood.
A massive pit formed in his stomach. He wanted to throw up but greatly resisted it. He couldn't bear to look at the sight any longer, shifting his head down to the side, as he did his best to once again focus on his breaths.
"You do not even know who you are."
Something crashed down behind him, his Authority of Wrath's Danger Sense immediately picking up on the danger. He quickly turned around, catching a figure wearing a red cloak in his vision as they extended their right arm.
Subaru immediately acted on his instincts as the figure blasted a red beam from their palm with an audible hum. He quickly ducked down, performing a rollback until his hands could reliably touch the ground. He extended his arms out, using his hands to lift his body upward and protrude two Helping Hands from his palms to launch him into the air.
The figure retracted their right arm, extending their left and firing another blast at Subaru which narrowly missed. Subaru flipped backward, recalling his Hands and landing on an exposed piece of rubble while the figure flew into the air.
The figure flew to his left, firing another red beam just as Subaru leapt from the ground. He extended Helping Hands from his feet to give him more height, flipping over to another piece of rubble as the enemy's beam missed.
The figure spun once in the air as they flew closer, repositioning their stance and aim, as Subaru readied himself to jump to the side. He once again barely leapt from the ground before the figure fired an additional two beams, one from each palm, in his direction.
Both beams hit the ground, picking up dirt as they swept to the side and just over Subaru's head. Subaru rolled on the ground, bringing himself to a knee and looking up at the figure which loomed overhead.
They righted their stance, raising themselves slightly higher into the air and raising both palms to the side as red energy radiated from their centers. Subaru saw an opening and took it, extending both of his arms outward and letting two Helping Hands extend out with as much force as he could muster.
It was at that moment that Subaru finally got a good look at the raven-black hair and nasty eyes on the figure's face. When he looked at this individual, he saw himself. Many emotions conflicted within him, but he had little time to dwell on those feelings.
As his Sage-like doppelgänger's palms raised overhead, his Helping Hands phased through him as if he weren't even there. They struck the cliff behind him, the force of the attack doing enough damage to cause it to collapse.
Subaru could only look ahead with shock, having been forced to hop to the side in order to avoid a flying chunk of rock. However, his focus had been taken off of the doppelgänger for only a moment, allowing it to get behind him and fire another red blast.
Subaru reacted with his Danger Sense, jumping back to dodge. The figure shot more beams, forcing Subaru to continue jumping back to avoid them until he lost his footing on a loose piece of rubble.
He fell to the ground, only able to look up and watch as his impending doom fell toward him. He raised an arm in a futile attempt to protect himself, the sight of Pandora's body crashing into him being the last thing that he saw.
But, to his surprise, instead of being crushed by the falling rocks, he felt nothing. When he hesitantly opened his eyes, he saw only darkness once more. He could once again hear his own, staggered breathing and feel his uneven heart rate.
Along with his heart, his mind raced. He used the momentary freedom to think everything over, again and again, as many times as he needed to. The events which had just transpired had taken a toll on him, both mentally and physically, all to send him a message that he needed to understand.
Though, despite his erratic state of mind, Subaru was not dissuaded. His recent encounter with Satella had taught him a lot, and he had her to thank for the clear understanding of this painful lesson.
He breathed out two simple, yet very meaningful, words, "I understand."
As if he'd just snapped his fingers, she appeared before him once again. He remained bent down on one knee and raised his head to face her. Pandora's eyes looked down at him, the blank stare that she previously had having been replaced with something more critical and calculating.
Subaru stood to his feet, huffing out a puff of air as he did so. He kept his eyes on her, his face hardened into a serious expression as he parted his lips to repeat his words, "I understand."
Her eyes narrowed for a moment before widening. Subaru recognized the expression as one of surprise, and he wasn't ignorant as to why she was feeling that way.
"You're trying to change yourself right now, aren't you?" Subaru guessed, his expression softening as he spoke those words.
"Why… Why will this not work?" she uttered. Subaru could actually see her try to put more focus into her abilities, but it wouldn't work. At most, her body would momentarily glitch, as would the immediate area in her vicinity, but nothing more would happen.
"Because I see through that," he answered. "I don't see you for what's on the outside."
He picked up a foot and took a step; then another. Slowly and carefully, he made his way over to her. She could only stand there and watch as he approached, all until he eventually stopped right in front of her.
He raised a hand, extending his index finger before using it to lightly tap her chest. "I see you for who you really are, in here," he said in a soft voice. A second layer, he smiled, "I spent millions of years with you. You vented to me and told me things I would've never come to know otherwise. I think I know you pretty well."
"You do not know me," she denied, pushing his hand away from her chest. Subaru didn't fight it, letting his arm fall back to his side.
Still, his expression didn't change. He looked at her, confident in his deduction, and began to relay his understanding to her once again, "I do. You hide behind other appearances because it's like a mask. You don't want anyone to see what's behind it."
She stayed silent, only continuing to look at him. Her gaze hardened, but she didn't move. Subaru took a breath, taking a moment to gather his next words.
"That's how it was for me, too," he admitted, lowering his head so that he could look at his hands. "I put up a façade. One that would make people think I was happier than I really was, all because I didn't want them to worry."
He let out a deep sigh, closing his eyes and enclosing his hand to make a fist. He didn't squeeze very tightly, but he acted as though he held something very important within his palm. But, after a moment, he let it go and opened his eyes once more.
His gaze was soft and remorseful, as were his words, "I think, in the end, it hurt them more than I thought it did." He paused, taking a second to raise his head and look Pandora in the eyes. "I regret not opening up to them, now. I missed my chance then, but I'll be damned if I ever let that happen again."
Pandora looked back into his eyes, judging him with every word he spoke. From looking at his eyes, it seemed as though Subaru would shed tears at any given moment. He slowly reached out his hand, gently cupping it around her cheek.
"I don't want to waste that opportunity with you, and I don't want you to waste that opportunity with me," he uttered softly. With a light shake of his head, he continued, "I'm not the same person I was back then, not even ten years ago. The same goes for you, too." With a small smile, he removed his hand from her cheek, "And, now, I know who I am."
At that last line, Pandora's gaze finally seemed to soften. It was as though she was expecting to hear it and similarly expected what was about to come next.
Subaru jabbed a thumb into his chest, an unwavering and confident smile gracing his face, as he assumed his signature pose. "I'm Natsuki Subaru! I'm proud of the friends and family I have, and, while I may not be a hero, I'll still try my best to help everyone I can!"
Pandora remained unchanging for what seemed like minutes. Even after Subaru relinquished his pose, she had yet to alter her expression. Though, when she looked into Subaru's unwaveringly determined eyes, she finally cracked a smile.
Her eyes slowly began to close, gently shutting with a touch of grace. A golden light seemed to envelope her, covering and flowing in streams throughout her entire body. He mesmerizingly watched as she changed, most notably seeing her outfit change into her most recent one.
When the golden light died down, he saw a small smile on her face. This one was unlike the others, holding a sense of happiness, sweetness and care to it. Her outfit changed into the one-piece she'd gotten herself in the Capital, one true testament to signify her change.
She let out a breath, her smile beginning to fade as she looked at him with remorse, "I am sorry. For hurting you."
Subaru did nothing but continue smiling at her, "It's okay, there's nothing to be sorry for."
At his rebuttal, she lightly shook her head in disappointment, but her smile couldn't help resurfacing, "You never cease to amaze me."
"I better not. That's a part of my charm, you know," he joked, causing her to let out a small laugh. After a long moment, his smile faded and his expression adopted one of seriousness. "I'm proud to have been the first person you let down your mask for. I'll make sure you really know that, too."
She watched him with a similarly serious gaze, yet her expression contained a bit of lightheartedness as she responded, "You better. You have a lot to make up because of what you pulled."
He nodded in both understanding and acceptance, "I know. I promise to set things right."
She only nodded in response, satisfied with his statement. "You have truly realized who you are, and the meaning behind such," she said, looking at him with a small, proud smile. "Thus, the Witch Factor of Vainglory is now yours to command."
He smiled back, "Thanks, Dora."
She nodded again, her smile lasting for a few moments before slowly beginning to fade. Suddenly, she reached out and grabbed hold of one of his arms, looking into his eyes all the while.
"I know that I am not real, but…" she paused, her words momentarily trailing off. "Bring the real me back. Please."
Subaru almost froze at hearing how soft her voice was, yet he looked at her with earnest intent. She was practically begging him to save her, something which threatened to tear his heart to shreds. Yet, nevertheless, he looked at her with a firm and determined conviction.
Unlike last time, he would not fail to keep this vow. "I will, I promise."
She looked up at him, parting her lips with one final address, "Thank you."
Then, a blinding white light enveloped his vision.
The next thing he knew, he was back in the alleyway. He took a sharp breath, taking a moment to become cognizant of his return to reality. It took him another moment to realize that he was lying on his back, promptly sitting himself up.
He shot to his feet momentarily after, his heart and mind both racing. As he looked into the light of the alleyway's entrance, he knew that he had no time to lose. He had a promise that he needed to fulfill, so he would pursue it with all of his being.
He dashed forward, only taking a mere few seconds to breach the light. He immediately found himself hit by something, his body moving back as a result of the impact. He looked back to see what had hit him: the sight of a terrified civilian meeting his eyes.
The civilian — a young woman — fell to the ground as a result of bumping into him. The petrified look on her face was haunting in its own right. Before Subaru could even begin to try helping her up, the young woman ferociously backed away before scrambling to her feet and running away as fast she could.
Subaru watched her go in stunned silence. He let out a breath, continuing to pay no mind to the many people running past him. He raised his head, looking up at the sky. Various streams of smoke trailed into the air, signifying the presence of multiple fires.
He turned around, keeping his head pointed up, and followed the trails of smoke back to their sources. Given the fact that everyone was running in one particular direction and that the smoke was coming from the same way, it was easy to tell where Pandora had gone. By following the path laid out to him, he would find her.
Upon closer examination, they all lead straight to the center of the Capital. Subaru sucked in a bunch of air, holding it in for a few seconds before letting it out. While he knew those breathing exercises were becoming repetitive, they really helped him keep a level head in stressful situations such as this.
However, it was all for naught when he finally lowered his head. Subaru almost vomited on the spot, his eyes cursed with the sight of a corpse only a few feet away from him.
Then, his eyes moved to the side, seeing another. After that, another.
The more his eyes moved, the more bodies he saw. Some were even kicked around, their blood looking to have been dragged across the ground. It was then that Subaru realized that, during all of this, the people had been trampling over these bodies as they fled.
Some bodies were missing limbs, organs, and even heads. Not even children were spared. Subaru had to repeatedly remind himself that the Pandora he loved and the Pandora that did this were different. His recent encounter with her manifestation as Vainglory helped solidify this in his mind.
He closed his eyes and took another few breaths, doing his best to ease both his mind and accelerating heart. He found it difficult at first, but as he assured himself of his goal Subaru found it becoming increasingly easier.
With that done, he opened his eyes and moved forward, determination lacing his gaze. If one were to take the time to pay attention to him, they would have found his movement to be weird. After all, why would someone run toward the danger instead of away?
For Subaru, the answer was obvious. He had a mission, a promise to fulfill. He would reply that fact in his head thousands of times over if he had to.
He ran through the city streets, turning through various sudden corners in an attempt to properly navigate himself to the right area. Despite having a trail to follow in the sky, finding a good path on the ground was anything but easy.
During this, he did his best to distract himself from the sights. Nothing was pretty, to say the least. Everywhere he went, there was more carnage and destruction. He had to try and ignore it, lest the guilt of his fault eat him alive.
As he ran, a scream registered in his ears. He quickly turned to the source, watching as the last of a small building collapsed to the ground. He held up his arms to shield his eyes from the blowing dirt and dust as the building settled.
The scream that he had heard before rang out again. Subaru rushed toward the fallen structure in a hurry, immediately tracing the scream to be coming from somewhere under the rubble. He used his Authority of Sloth to help lift as many pieces as possible, soon finding the source that he was looking for.
Under the rubble lay a woman with her entire lower body pinned under a large pillar. She continuously screamed, flailing around in panic. Subaru had no doubt that this woman thought that she was going to die.
He rushed forward, running straight into the pillar and doing his best to try lifting it into the air. Only then did the woman notice him, her screams momentarily ceasing as she looked at him with wide eyes.
The pillar was much too heavy for him to lift alone. The poor woman almost screamed again when Subaru used his five Helping Hands to grab hold of the broken structure, all of their might being funneled to lift it.
Then, with a lot of effort, it rose. The pillar was forced into the air, just enough so that Subaru was able to use one of his Hands to pull her out of the way. Once she was clear he let go of the pillar, letting it crash to the ground with a heavy thump.
He coughed, having inhaled more dust and dirt as a result of the pillar's crash. The woman's gasps of pain, however, let him refocus his mind. He quickly went over to her, kneeling down and placing a hand on her stomach.
"Please, try not to move," he said, closing his eyes and focusing his mind solely on the individual in front of him. He let the whispers in his ear guide him once again, images of the woman's body and condition flooding his mind.
She was physically broken. Her legs were completely shattered, having been crushed under the intense weight of the pillar. At the same time, he could sense the distress in her mind; he could feel the panic and pain she currently suffered with.
His Authority of Lust, Natural State, worked its magic. Her body began to heal, slowly restoring it to how it was naturally supposed to be. Any trace of even a small cut was gone in just under a minute. At the same time, he could feel the distress in her mind subtly begin to ease.
When it was done, Subaru retracted his arm, opened his eyes, and took heavy breaths. The act took a good amount of energy out of him, but he didn't feel the effects as devistantingly as before. He felt as though he could still move and run, which was all that mattered.
"You… You're him."
Subaru lifted his head, meeting the eyes of the woman whom he'd just saved. She looked at him in awe, her face conveying the sheer amount of shock she now felt.
"You're him!" she suddenly exclaimed, her expression turning into one of happiness and hope, much to Subaru's surprise. "You're the hero! You'll save us!"
Now Subaru was the one that was shocked. He had essentially frozen in place, lost in what to say or do in response to such a declaration.
Then, he was thrown back even more, both literally and figuratively, when she shot up and hugged him. "Thank you for saving me," she whispered gratefully into his ear, surprising him even more.
"Mama! Mama!"
The calls of a crying, high pitched voice made itself known amongst the chaos. It seemed to trigger something within the woman, who made sure to immediately back away and stand up. Subaru watched as she turned away, running directly toward the source of the call.
There, just beyond the rubble, was a crying little boy. When he caught sight of the woman, he almost teared up even more. The boy ran toward the woman whilst balling his eyes out, but the woman didn't mind, as she scooped him up into her arms.
She held him with care, rubbing his back and whispering kind things into his ear in order to calm him down. After a moment, a man ran over and embraced the woman. Subaru noticed that, as the woman embraced him back, the man too was crying.
After that, the family ran away in hopes of finding safety. Subaru could only watch them go, his mind circulating through various different thoughts all at once.
He lost what could have been…
… but can still save what can be.
He shook his head, quickly snapping out of his stupor. He adopted a determined gaze, ready to save what he had so carelessly lost.
But then, his thoughts were immediately interrupted by someone grabbing hold of his shoulders. He stiffened almost immediately, moving away defensively and turning around to confront whomever touched him.
In front of him looked to be a man of nobility, given his clothes. His features were nothing too notable, though he did look to have an odd looking mustache. The man fixed him with a rather happy smile, parting his lips and moving his body excitedly, "Ah! It is you, the hero! That woman's yell was not as preposterous after all!"
Subaru shook his head as if he were trying to shake his confusion away. What was with everyone calling him a hero all of a sudden? He wasn't a hero; he didn't want to be one.
He looked at the man with a questioning look but also one that signified his hurry, "I… I don't know what you're talking about, but I really need to-"
"Allow me to introduce myself," the man interrupted, blocking Subaru's path from leaving. Subaru lightly grit his teeth in annoyance, but didn't force the man out of his way. He didn't want to hurt a civilian, even if he was in a rush. The man continued, "I am Count Reedback, and I have a proposal for you."
The man's eccentricities aside, Subaru narrowed his eyes with caution. "What kind of proposal?" he asked, choosing to tread through this interaction carefully.
"You see, I am a bit of a collector. I have a particular taste of rarities and artifacts." The man known as Count Reedback turned his head to the side, almost as if he were watching for anyone eavesdropping. He looked back at Subaru, continuing with his story, "And so, I have something you may be interested in."
The man pulled something out from behind his back, making Subaru act defensively in preparation for a possible attack. However, the man merely held the object out in presentation to him, choosing to lay it across both of his palms.
Count Reedback smiled down at it, speaking his praise all the while, "Zeam here is a beauty. Such a magnificent piece of work."
Subaru was surprised to have seen an entire unsheathed sword in the man's palms. This wasn't just any normal sword either, with its grade and quality being second to none. Its blade, while shorter than most, was intimidating and sharp. The tip was especially pointed, as though it were meant to be smoothly stabbed into something.
The hilt was made out of a fine material, wrapped in a similarly fine fabric. Above the hilt rested a purple gem of some kind, encased by pure gold. The gold extended down on either side of the hilt, its design making it look rather royal.
The gold also extended up into a crossguard-like addition. However, unlike a normally straight crossguard, this one stuck up and curved inward toward the blade before curving outward again. Overall, it almost reminded Subaru of a trident while the entire design, to him, resembled that of a royal crown.
Subaru looked up at the man, an equally cautious and questionable expression on his face as he asked, "Are you… just giving this to me?" The man nodded, much to Subaru's bewilderment. He continued, "Why?"
The man tilted his head once or twice on either side rather quirkily, trying to signify that it was no big deal. "Eh, it's not too much of a problem," he said, looking at Subaru with a peculiar expectancy. "I think this will be much more useful for you in this predicament than hanging around uselessly with me."
The man laughed at his own statement while Subaru fixed him with a gaze laced in suspicion, "You're not going to make me pay for this, are you?"
"Making that wretched Witch pay will be enough for me," the man suddenly spoke in a serious tone, taking Subaru off-guard. He thought it best not to give any sort of reaction or indication to the man's statement, choosing to stay silent until the Count spoke again, "Now, come on, take it."
Subaru looked down as he gestured for him to grab it. He quickly pondered the uses for a sword such as this, finding himself unable to see the fault of carrying one. It was always good to keep a weapon on hand just in case, after all.
Hesitantly, he reached his hand out and grabbed a hold of the hilt. Slowly, he lifted it and brought it closer to him. The man lowered his arms, a smile coming to his face as Subaru held the sword out in front of him.
Surprisingly, it felt lighter than he had anticipated. For a sword, it felt strangely heavy but it also flowed well with his movements and didn't feel like a drag to hold. Overall, the sword itself felt nice in his hand.
When everything in one moment was fine, in the next it all came crashing down upon him.
Subaru's eyes widened as something pulsated within his chest, staggering both his breath and energy. He threatened to collapse on the ground, falling to one knee and unwillingly lowering the sword to his side as he tried to regain his energy.
"Ah! I forgot to mention, the sword holds quite marvelous properties," Count Reedback added, beginning to back himself away from Subaru, who was doing his best to catch his breath. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must salvage what remains of my collection. Good luck, hero!"
The man ran off, leaving Subaru to recover on his own. As moments fleeted by, he could feel something strange stir within both himself and the sword. The pulsating feeling within his chest also existed within the sword. He could feel it; a connection sprouting between both entity and object.
This sword was truly unlike any other. It held almost unimaginable power; power which bonded with and drew on his energy and mana.
Having caught his breath, Subaru raised the sword tip and held it upright in his hand once more. He looked into the purple gem encased at its center, watching as the light glistened off of it in ordinance to the sun in the sky. One side was bright, while the other remained dark.
Subaru knew what this sword could do. He could feel what it was capable of.
The Sword…
… of Life.