The corpses of everyone around surrounded Reinhard. Crusch and Anastasia were dead. Reinhard was horrified by what he witnessed. The Sage Council was dead, and everyone invited to this event was dead except Prisella. Reinhard was standing, unable to move. He didn't understand what even occurred, nor did he understand why it would occur. Why kill the Sage Council? Who could've done this?

Reinhard stared at the corpse of Julius, not knowing or understanding what he was witnessing. His mind was filled with sorrow but confusion as well. He couldn't figure out why this occurred or what caused it. He assumed whoever did it wanted the end of the Kingdom itself. He couldn't force himself to move as he was only grateful for one thing he did not bring Felt to this event.

Suddenly Reinhard felt what he knew. Subaru has returned, but it doesn't help now. Everyone is dead, and he is responsible. He was in charge of a simple task yet failed. He tried to ensure nothing could occur but failed in doing so. The camp members all arrived, and he was ready to move in. He already knew the plot and that all the water and food were poisoned however, he was planning not to act until someone was about to eat or drink the poison. If he had acted too early, the entire thing could've been avoided or blamed on someone else. That's what Subaru thought, and Reinhard thought as well. However, none of that took place. Before anyone could eat or drink anything, they all began dropping to the floor. Reinhard rushed in, and it was too late. Whatever killed them wasn't explainable. Felix was dead, Wilhelm was dead… everyone was dead except him. As the aura approached him, he was ready to be killed for his failure as the Kingdom had collapsed.

Subaru seeing the sight with his dragon-enhanced eyes quickly plummeted down, breaking through the ceiling of the Royal Palace. Reinhard looked at him in shock, momentarily seeing Satella in his arms, climbing down as his wings retreated. Reinhard didn't even bother to question it, as his failures were that of which would end the Kingdom's existence.

Subaru looked at the corpses, not understanding at first what had happened. His dragon instincts should've warned him of something like this, so what caused this? What was it that caused them to die? They all had sword wounds within them, and Reinhard was the only person standing. Subaru couldn't think of anything to explain this other than the most obvious explanation… but the question is, why?

Roswaal flew down a few moments later, seeing what happened and instantly connecting the dots of what had occurred. However, it seems both Reinhard and even Subaru didn't understand.

Roswaal spoke, "Reinhard, what do you remember occurring?"

Reinhards mind went to a blank. He doesn't remember what occurred or why. He doesn't remember what happened before the bodies surrounded him. No Divine Protection nor power could have prevented this… was it the will of Od Laguna? Was it the sign of the end of this world? Reinhard pondered as his body began to tremble as he slowly realized what he had done. Reinhard couldn't respond. He doesn't remember, nor does he want to. He fears what he has done. His brain wanted to reject the possibility entirely, but he knew he was responsible. The Kingdom that he served and protected he just destroyed.

Subaru sighed, "Once again, Pandora… yet my instincts tell me not to go, but why? Ddraig, what do I do? It did not warn me of this, so will it warn me if Emilia is in danger?"

Ddraig replied, "Dragon instincts don't apply to certain situations. They aren't a way to know if anything will occur. My only assumption is that you didn't view anyone within this event as your ally. Thus, your dragon instincts did not warn you."

Subaru thought about what Ddraig had just said. He always said he did not blame the Kingdom but disliked it. He did not Julius nor any of the rest. After the point of seeing Emilia being tormented by Pandora, he stops caring about the majority of his prior allies. He only seemed to eradicate the Witch Cult. If he did care, he could've stopped this from occurring, but he didn't, and he knew that. He did care for Felt, Emilia, Reinhard, Halibel, Satella, and even Roswaal, but he didn't care for the Kingdom any longer. His dragon instincts are telling him not to go toward Kararagi. Even though Pandora is most likely hunting for Emilia there. He didn't know what to trust or what not to.

Satella looked around as she had just arrived in the Kingdom, and everyone was dead. She could only imagine that this was related to her. Her existence and her leaving that seal caused this tragedy she was witnessing. All the souls of the dead left their bodies, and Satella could do nothing as Reinhard could not. Silence filled the room as nobody wanted to speak.

Roswaal suggested, "We do have one way of bringing them back. The dragon's blood would be able to do so."

Subaru felt another sense that Roswaal was wrong or that the concept itself was incorrect. He didn't know what he was becoming. Was his instincts his true self? Why wasn't Priscilla dead? He knew that Priscilla was not involved, but how did she escape?

Subaru asked, "Reinhard did you see Priscilla enter?"

Reinhard spoke with an empty voice, "Yes, I did."

Ddraig spoke, "I have experienced myself when you try to threaten gods. In this case, Subaru threatening Od Laguna, they tend to fight back. This is the consequence of defying the rules set by the thing that created this world. In my own, there were many gods, but this world only seems to have one single mechanism that functions as a god."

Subaru asked, "That still doesn't solve why Priscella survived. I'd assume they would not be exceptions if that concept were correct."

Ddraig responded, "That is the unknown factor. It may hold no significance regardless."

Subaru saw the face on Satella. She could see herself blaming this on her arrival. He saw the face of Reinhard that blamed himself. The face of Roswaal who only looked both shocked and despaired. But Subaru seeing the deaths, did not feel anything. He was self-aware, so he knew that he was far to go at this point. He is not the same Subaru anymore. He is not the child of Kenichi Natsuki. He is no longer a Natsuki. He is what Ddraig described him as. Baphomet, the dragon of annihilation. He closed his eyes as he no longer wanted to see this scene in front of him. Perhaps Ddraig was right, and I am an evil dragon. Maybe my dragon instincts do not care about Emilia, and she will die too. What am I? What have I become? I shall not let others burden themselves with my actions. Before Subaru could absorb the negative emotions of everyone around him, he felt arms around his back.

"Subaru, don't."

Subaru opened his eyes as they were now heterochromatic, one eye being emerald while the other being crimson. He saw Satella with her arms around him, hugging him. What did she mean by don't?

Satella looked into his eyes, "You saved me… you told me the truth so that I will save you. I can't let you shoulder the burden of everything."

Shoulder the burden? I'm not doing that I'm responsible, nor do I care about any of these deaths.

"Yes, you do."

Subaru's eyes widened as Satella just responded to his thought. How? Our souls aren't connected anymore, or Ddraig would've told me, and I would've sensed it. What does she mean?

Subaru asked, "How did you know?"

Satella continued, "I didn't. But I know you, Subaru. I know the feeling of fading away and seeing a monster take over you… please don't let that happen. You are stronger… so much stronger than me."

Subaru's face remained the same. Corpses surrounded him, and Emilia will probably die because of him. He wanted to cry but couldn't. He wanted to feel despair but couldn't. He can't feel those emotions. Any blessing must come with a curse as well. Being an evil dragon allowed him to discover many truths, but in the end, he only hurt the ones he cared about the most. He began to leave as he wanted to see if Emilia was gone or if the world would end with Pandora. He doesn't care… but once again, he is contradicting himself.

Satella watched Subaru walk away as if she witnessed herself becoming the monster she had become. Subaru began to sprout his wings when he heard a familiar voice.

"What happened here?"

Subaru opened his eyes to see Halibel and Emilia alive. How did they survive? Did Pandora even attack them? Why is Emilia back to normal unless Pandora is dead… even I didn't know if I could kill her.

Halibel watched as Subaru left Emilia with him. He puffed out some smoke from his kiseru. As he began to remove the curse, he noticed something strange.

Emilia tilted her head, "What… where am I?"

Hailbel answered, "My name is Hailbel, and someone entrusted your safety to me."

Hailbel thought in confusion as she seemed to be in a different reality entirely before he put the curse on her. Then once the curse was removed, she was fine. Hailbel couldn't accept the idea that just using a curse would undo the effects of a powerful witch. He began to question if the curse reversed the effects, but it made no sense logically.

Emilia begins to remember Subaru and the reality she was put into. Then she opened her eyes and was there. She didn't know what was real or not real. What exactly happened or didn't? She stared at the wolf-like man with fear and confusion. Her body began to tremble as her memories didn't make sense. She just lived with Subaru, and now she doesn't know who Subaru is. But she knows the name, just not the person.

Emilia asked, "What… hap-pend?"

Hailbel responded, "You were under the effects of Pandora's authority. I don't know a lot, but currently, you are in Kararagi."

Emilia blinked, "What? Pandora? Was that entire life…."

Emilia couldn't speak as she had just lived four years of a false reality with a person she knew but could not remember. Her body began to tense. She couldn't even cry. Her concept of reality and time was changed so dramatically that she could barely keep herself from going insane.

Hailbel took another puff from his kiseru, "I don't know what happened. I'm sorry that I cannot help you."

Emilia blinked, "What do you mean?"

Hailbel began to question if Emilia was going insane or what was going on. She just now was trembling, then instantly changed. He could sense her calmness, and her mind seemed stable. But what just happened? Hailbel was beyond confused about either how the authority affected Emilia.

Hailbel asked, "What was the last thing you remember?"

Emilia responded, "I was at Roswaal's mansion… now I'm here. Who are you?"

Hailbel repeated, "My name is Hailbel, and you were put under the effects of Pandora's authority. Do you remember any of it?"

Emilia heard that name begin tense, but Hailbel could not compare the two responses he had just got.

Emilia responded, "Pandora… what did she do?"

Hailbel grinned, "That's something I didn't expect. Regardless this might be the only way to kill Pandora."

Emilia questioned, "I'm so confused… can you tell me why I'm here or what happened?"

Emilia sensed a warmth or confidence radiating from Hailbel. She knew of Pandora's power, so how was he so calm? Why does she feel calm? She could tell this man wasn't a threat, but she had no idea what had happened or how she ended up there.

Hailbel said, "Emilia, I have a plan, but I need you to be the bait. Pandora is looking for you, not me, and I will use that to my benefit. We are currently in Kararagi. You are in my home, which we will use as our trap. Once Pandora arrives, do not attack her. I will then state you are cursed to threaten Pandora as if you were to die and should lose what she needs. After that, the rest is done."

Emilia questioned, "What do you mean?"

Hailbel laughed, "The strongest ability or technique always has a flaw. The more abstract the flaw is, the more difficult it is to counter. But I believe I found Pandora's flaw."

Emilia asked, "What is it?"

Hailbel sensed witch miasma. Now was the time to make the biggest gamble he had done in his life of combat and being a shinobi. If he succeeds, he would've killed someone with an abstract flaw that he most likely would've been unstoppable. If it fails, he will die, and Pandora may end the world. Hailbel thought that his situation was something he couldn't comprehend. The world itself may lie on this one encounter.

Emilia was sitting next to Hailbel on a small piece of fabric. The door was wide open, and the smell was coming much closer. Emilia begins to dread what would happen as she has no idea why Hailbel had any plan or strategy to kill someone who couldn't die.

Hailbel stared as Pandora was in sight. She grinned as she approached Hailbel, sitting with a left hand on Emilia's shoulder and his right holding his kiseru. He begins to enact his strategy.

Hailbel made eye contact with Pandora, "I have cursed Emilia. She will die if I do not reverse it. If you come any closer, I will kill her."

Hailbel then, within a moment, had a Kunai next to Emilia's neck. Pandora was unphased as she walked closer. She saw the Kunai inching closer and feared that Hailbel might kill her. Her neck began to bleed, and Pandora swapped spots with Emilia. Hailbel then took a puff from his kiseru.

Pandora, inches from a kunai, noticed that Hailbel did not strike. She grinned as she won.

Pandora complimented, "You are wise. I will give you that. I shall spare your life."

Hailbel nods, "I see."

Pandora turned around, Emilia altered Emilia's memories, and the two began to walk away. Pandora began to feel something was off. She turned back at Hailbel, who had a grin on his face as she began to collapse to the ground. Emilia's memories returned as Pandora lay on the ground dead. Emilia second-guessed what she was seeing, but Pandora remained dead.

Hailbel got up as he knew his job was completed. It seemed that luck was on his side as he alone was the only person who could've killed her. Emilia, in shock and disbelief, walked towards Hailbel.

Emilia asked, "How? How did you kill her? She comes back…."

"It was due to your reactions that I figured it out or had an idea that was better than nothing. When I confirmed it the second time, I at least knew it affected the power of her authority." Hailbel continued, "The most powerful techniques have the most abstract flaws or weaknesses. In her case, it was as simple as the herbs I smoked to maintain my life. The herbs are unique as they are very similar to the effects of Volcanica's blood. That is a secret that only I and a few within Kararagi are aware of."

Halibel continued, "However, Emilia, I could've not won that without you. The key to that victory was catching her off guard. I assume the plan would've failed if she were to alter reality, not realizing that she inhaled the smoke from the herbs or if she felt threatened. You played a good role, and even when I began to cut your neck, you showed no fear. In the end, luck and Pandora's arrogance allowed us to kill her."

Subaru asks, "Hailbel did you kill Pandora?"

Hailbel nodded, "Yes, I did. Emilia's mind is also fixed."

Emilia stares at the sight. Everyone was dead. What happened? Her mind felt like it was crumbling as began to wonder if Pandora was still toying with her. How did everyone die? Who is this man? Why is Reinhard, Roswaal and… Satell-a?

Subaru smiles, "You did good, Hailbel. Killing Pandora is no easy thing to do. Even I wasn't sure if I could kill her. The kingdom has fallen, and everything is lost. I threatened the god of this world as this is the result."

Reinhard speaks, "Subaru, it is not your fault. This is all my doing."

Subaru looks at Reinhard before turning his head to see Satella staring at Emilia as the two are both stunned. Subaru thinks about what he did. He told the force that controls this world to follow his command and, in doing so, destroyed everything. The Kingdom's leaders are dead. He doesn't care, but the fact remains the same. He wants to feel despair he misses his self-hatred, but all he can do is absorb it. He begins to absorb all the negative emotions around him. Satella's, Reinhard's, everyone. If he can do that, then… is there even a point? What have I created? What reality is this that I formed… why does it always end in sorrow. I want the burden, but I can't do anything now. I revealed so many things that maybe it shouldn't have been shown. Why did this world reject me after bringing me into it? If the world rejects my existence and removes it, then I will reject this world and create a new one. Or I could simply leave and never bother anyone with my existence again. Which do I choose?

"Balance Break."

Subaru didn't want to be seen. His armor formed around him, but he stood there, not wanting to be known. At this point, he wants to be forgotten. Satella meets her dead sister who is Emilia. Reinhard thinks he destroyed the Kingdom. I can't feel anything… why does it feel worse not to feel anything than to feel something. I can't figure out what I want even to do. I'm a dragon of contradiction. I can't keep standing here while everyone silent. Speak. Say something. Anything. Redemption is something I cannot seek or desire. I cannot feel any remorse. Then why does it hurt more than if I did? I just need to know one thing… who do I even ask? Who would tell me the truth?

Subaru turns to Roswaal, "Tell me… what I have done is wrong or right?"

Roswaal replies, "That depends on what you think is right or wrong. I have done many things that would be deemed immoral, but I do not believe that I am wrong. It is up to you to decide."

Subaru watches as Emilia passes out after seeing Satella. Reinhard is still standing in the middle of the bodies and Satella… there is no way to fix this. It is how it is. Condemn me to a life that forces me to become what I am not. I can fly away right now, but I can't. I can't just leave Satella here after I brought her. Just a few hours ago, I was certain everything would be fine, yet this is the result. I have to at least not leave Satella here alone with everyone. She'll die right after being freed. I will leave and then figure out whether to exist or not.

Subaru spoke with a draconic voice, "Reinhard, I am sorry you had to see this, and I know you will but do not blame yourself for what I caused. You are the only one who can rebuild this Kingdom. Roswaal, I hope you find a new path or goal that fulfills your desire to continue. Hailbel though we briefly met, you did me many favors and even killed Pandora and protected Emilia, so I thank you…. Emilia, forget you ever met me and forget of my existence."

Subaru turned to Satella, "I cannot leave you here like this. Your desire to live a life without more pain."

Before anyone could respond, Subaru picked up Satella and flew up into the sky, heading towards a mountainside. Once he landed, he deactivated his balance breaker and began to think of what even to tell Satella.

"Subaru, why did you take me?"

"Do you want me to bring you back there?"

"No… I just don't understand what your doing."

"I want you to live a life of happiness you never had."

"Subaru you're the one who freed me… I don't think I can live without you."

"That's why I didn't leave you there alone."

"Subaru… can you feel love anymore?"

"I… am dead."

"If you are dead then I am dead too."

"Why… why can't you be happy you deserve it more than me. I can't feel anything but I can understand. I want you to be happy but…"

"Subaru you can love still you care I can see it. You don't have to keep going we can find somewhere that's safe and… Subaru I love you. I hate saying that because I hurt you so bad saying those words but I do now… you saved me from that never-ending nightmare. My love is genuine for you I'm selfish but please just allow yourself to at least love even if it's not me…"

Subaru felt something change. He stared at Satella's eyes considering maybe she was right. They could go together to some small village and maybe even have a family. She's just as broken as me… but I feel it. I felt it… something. Words cannot describe how shameful I feel about doing that to Emilia… but how do I even feel shame? I am an evil dragon… can I feel love? I want to… I have nothing now and Satella has nothing. We are the same both people that have sinned beyond what we can burden. But she is pure and I am dark.

"I don't care what you have done. I don't care if you are evil. I just… you saved me from hell so I want to save you from it too. Can… I just show you?"

Satella… I feel love. This is different. It's like two broken pieces fitting together to complete each other. I want that… I want to be with her. It's no longer a question I love her.

Subaru moved closer to Satella wrapping his fingers around her hand. He leaned in and gently kissed her. He felt something he hasn't since he was forgotten it was real. He felt his heart filled. Subaru opened his eyes…

What?

"Satellaa?"

Subaru watched as her body fell to the ground.

"Satel-la"

He shook her but she was not responding. He didn't want to believe it.

"Sate-la why? What is this– I'm sheddi-ng tears I can't… why did you die? I would've taken your spo-t… pleas-e wak-e up."

"I deser-ved that not you… kill me something just end my life."

Subaru activated balance breaker and tried to stab himself but he couldn't. Ddraig wasn't responding. He kept trying and failing until he couldn't shed another tear. He looked back at the corpse of Satella and closed her eyes.

All those times I died yet I want to die now so bad. It's so much worse… everything was lost and I can't die. I destroyed everyone I cared for and killed Satella who was suffering for four hundred years… but I can't die? Why do I even complain if this is a curse I deserve it. Why did this have to happen? Satella… I loved you and your pure heart and you die because of it. Emilia I loved and left… I left them all. I can't love anyone now… 1000 years of living…

Satella wherever you are I won't see you because I'll be going to another place. Your soul was condemned to hell and I finally gave you hope… I'm a demon.

Emilia, I left you in the destroyed Kingdom… I can't even apologize my thoughts aren't even worth anything. Just forget about me it was good that you did. Did everyone die in the Kingdom because of me too? Is this the curse I have? Everyone forgot of my existence I'll live on this mountain for another millennium…. to the world that forgot me and rejected me why just tell me why did you have to kill Satella instead of me? Please tell me… if you wanted to torture me then do it why… it's the opposite. Satella gave me return by death and I could love and save people and now I can't and I can't love or they'll die… I miss it. I miss being killed I miss being dumb I miss when I could love Emilia… even when the rabbits ate me that would be so much less painful. Flugul I guess I'll see you in hell too...

So what's worse being forgotten and tortured and it hurts or being forgotten and becoming strong just for it all to fall apart.

I like this premise just because it shows a different form of suffering. He wants to be forgotten but can't love anyone or they die. And he can't die himself. So yeah super fun!

Also who the Halibel part was so fun to write like fucking best way to kill Pandora

Lastly if anyone can figure out why Priscilla didn't die then congrats cuz I left a tiny little easter egg in the fic so yeah if anyone comments the part connecting her from not dying then golden cookie for you