How did it come to this?: chapter.7 I am Ratatosk

It was quite early in the morning as the sun's light hadn't quite come through. Richter was already up by this time as he stood by the window, watching the sky slowly change with every seconded that went by as the sun took it's good old time to raise, welcoming the half-elf with its warm raises on his face.

In this time alone, Richter took this moment to think long and hard about what he was doing. Why had he saved the boy when he could have just as easily killed him right then and there to take Ratatosk's core? Had he become too close to the boy that Aster was out of reach? "No" He whispered. For years he had looked for a way to save Aster and if it means to take the life of a man who killed that very friend, then...it will and must be done. His face can't stop him anymore.

"Chef guy!" Suddenly the loud voice of Decus shot into the room, breaking Richter of his thought's. He turned around to see the blue-haired idiot, holding a mess of flowers in his hands.

"I knew you would make it chef guy!"

"Quit your yelling, he's sleeping" Richter scolded.

"O-Oops"

"And at any rate, your the one who left him for dead." Richter shot a cold glare at the man.

"About that, I really am sorry" He scratched the back of his head, leaving the flowers by the boy's bedside.

"..." A cold glare of death.

"I-I said sorry!" Decus pleaded for his life, however, the truth was, Decus always wished that he could get rid of Richter once and for all.

"..." Richter turned away and sighed, tired of dealing with the idiot.

"It's okay, I forgive him" The boy voiced in, sitting up on his bed. Richter and Decus were both surprised to see the boy up already.

"Chef guy, you're too kind!" He wrapped his arms around the boy, rubbing their cheeks together.

"Hahaha, D-Decus t-that hurt's a bit" The boy chuckled at the man's goofy way of showing affection.

"I promise to make it up to you chef guy! Anyway, my darling Alice-chan needs me elsewhere, so take care" Decus excused himself and left the room, heading back to the half-elf girl of his dream's, waiting for him outside of the building.

"Emil...How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Much better than before...I was really scared..." The boy trembled a bit, clenching the sheets that covered his leg's.

"That's good, then we need to leave," Richter said a bit coldly. Emil may be feeling better. But he wasn't exactly ready to go adventuring.

"A-Alright..." Emil nodded, as refusing Richter wouldn't get them anywhere.

The sun was already up, and the two were already headed out the door. Emil was still tired and didn't want to walk around. But he had no choice if he didn't want Richter to leave him behind or slow Richter down by forcing them to stay in town and rest. Richter knew he was most likely pushing the boy. But they needed to leave town because this would be the last time he and Emil ever travel together again.

Once the two were far away enough from the town, Richter came to a halt, forcing the boy to stop behind him. Emil looked around the green field around them with nothing but rocks and grass in sight.

"Where is this?" Emil asked. looking up at the back of the man's head.

"...Tell me, Emil, do you remembering anything else in those vision's of me killing you?" He suddenly asked, not even turning to face the boy. Emil wasn't sure what was going on, or why Richter was asking him that. But dismissed the thought.

"Not really...everything else before is a blur" He explains, tucking his chin under his scarf.

"..." Richter turned to face Emil. Startling him as he took a tight grip on his sword and ax, drawing them from their sheaths.

"Richter-san?"

"This should help you remember, Emil." Richter suddenly swung his blade at the boy. Emil stepped back and tripped over a small stone. He fell to the ground, trying to cease the trembling in his body as the man was scaring him. He eyes the blade that was pointed between his eyes before looking up at the man.

"Emil, draw your weapon."

"B-But-"

"Do it!" The sudden harshness of Richter's tone startled the boy. He quickly scampered to his feet and drew his weapon before looking back at the man. The coldness in his green eyes scared him...He didn't like those eyes staring at him like that...It hurt him.

"Richter-san, what are you doing!?" The boy asked, not wanting to fight the man as a heavy sick feeling began to fill his stomach like a heavy iron ball.

"...For Aster, you will die Ratatosk!" Richter slashed at the boy. Emil was stunned by the man's words. His eyes faded into crimson and quickly dodged the attack before it was too late.

"You bastard!" Ratatosk glared at the man. Pain, hate, and betrayal lied behind his eyes as he gritted his teeth.

"Do you remember?" Richter asked as he stared at him.

"...Yeah...I started to remember after Emil fainted down in the ice cave...I am Ratatosk and Emil is my conscious...We made a pact with Aster's soul out of guilt for killing him in hopes we could help him help you stop grieving..."

"That's enough from you!" He growled before coming at the summon spirit, slashing his sword at him. Ratatosk blocked the attack, struggling to fight back the man's stronger physical strength.

D-Damn it...! I thought...I thought I could rely on you!" He cried out before pushing the man back. Richter dismissed the summon spirit's words as he ran across to get a better angle on the boy, and tossed his ax. Ratatosk quickly blocked it. But the impact was so hard that it sent the boy flying into a large stone wall across the cliff from them that had a rushing river beneath it. The stone wall crumbled from the summon spirit's impact, causing huge splashes as the stone hit the water.

"..." Richter waited for a response from the summon spirit, paying close attention to the stone wall as he waited for the dust cloud to clear.

"HAAAAAAAA!" Ratatosk jumped out from the crater, tossing back the man's weapon, as he came down with a sword spin. Richter quickly caught his ax, and swung his sword out to deflect the boy's attack.

The two continued to fight for hours. The land around them looked like it was attacked with bombs and although Richter had many cut's and scratches, he was nowhere nearly as tired and beaten as the boy. Ratatosk was covered in wounds, not to mention the pain of the frostbitten wound that was aching at his stomach again. He was tired and clearly outmatched as he fell to one knee. Richter knew the boy was running out of stamina, ready to finally end this.

"R...Richter..." Red eyes looked up at the men, as his body trembled from its own weight.

"..." Richter slowly approached the boy, looking down on him.

"Richter...I thought you were the one person who I could trust..." He then lost his grip on his weapon, letting it drop to the ground. His gaze dropped from the man's face to the ground beneath him.

"..." Richter stood before the boy, slowly pulling his sword up. "Emil...I'm sorry it ended up this way. Goodbye Ratatosk."

"Damn it!" Ratatosk couldn't understand, why did it have to be this way? Why did he mean so little to Richter? Why couldn't Richter let Aster go and be his friend? Why couldn't Richter stop this stupid idea? Why...Why couldn't Richter love him instead...?

"Richter...san" Red eyes faded back to their green color as they looked up at the man.

"Emil..." Richter struggled to move his body. It refused to stab the boy in front of him, the small sweet boy who he had grown to care for in just a little amount of time, the very boy who always called him kind and cool.

And within just a mere few second's, Richter shut his eyes as he swung his blade. He clenched his fists tightly, feeling like such a fool.

"Emil...forgive me."