Re:Zero Saving Life In Another World From Zero

by Jude Warble

We can never predict the future, but with one's actions, the future can be controlled, and a new universe is created. When 2 twin siblings, drowning in despair, and an entity, shot by betrayal, are teleported to another world, their actions and unpredictability will decide the future of All Creation. Main pairings Subaru x Emilia. Shadow x Rem. Other pairings will appear later.

27. Round 2: Crazy Frederica Ending

Hello. This is your pal, Jude Warble.

Important Note: I will not repeat the Deaths of characters on each Solo, Duo or Trio Ending because it will just consume the plotline and it would be a useless repeat. Just so you all know.

And with that out of the way, please enjoy this fanfic, and as always, stay breezy!

---

Two days ago. Astrea Mansion

"Blueberry! I got the hot water!"

"Thanks, Shaula. Please place it here"

Rem smiled as she took the large bowel of warm water and placed it on the ground. She then took a piece of clean cloth and dampened it in the warm water. She then went to the comatose Shadow's bare chest and started scrubbing it to clean his body.

Inside the room with Rem, Beatrice, Meili and Shaula were sitting in silence. None of them moved an inch. Occasionally, Shaula would get out of the room with Meili to grab some food, but Beatrice and Rem stuck to Shadow, never leaving his side.

And especially Rem, whose expression of Sadness never left her.

A few minutes later, Rem finished cleaning Shadow's upper body. A huge blush appeared on her face when she concluded that she had to clean Shadow's lower body as well. This was really embarrassing to Rem, as she never did something like that before. Sure, Roswaal was there, but Ram was the one that took care of his hygiene. In addition, Rem doesn't recall Roswaal being unconscious for Ram to clean his body like that.

"Are you embarrassed that you're going to see him naked, I wonder?" Beatrice asked, popping up in front of Rem.

"EEP!" Rem released a yelp from her mouth, nearly falling from the chair she was sitting on. Beatrice just sighed at this and shook her head at the antics of the blue-haired Oni maid.

"Seriously, all of you are so hopeless, I suppose" Beatrice said.

"Sorry, Beatrice-sama..." Rem muttered, still blushing furiously. Beatrice just stared at her for a few seconds before opening her mouth to speak.

"Don't be, in fact. It's natural for you to be embarrassed seeing a naked man, I suppose. Even if he's a rather quirky one..." Beatrice said, muttering the last part to herself. However, Meili giggled at her as the Loli Spirit's last words didn't go unheard by her.

"Oh come ooooon~. What does 'quirky' has to do with seeing Blackey Onii-san here being naked?" Meili asked with a cheerful smile, which in turn caused Beatrice to grumble.

"Oh! Beako here is jelly of Edglord here because he's better than her in Magic! Yup~!" Shaula exclaimed while giggling, only to wince in pain with her eyes turning into a comical 'X' as Beatrice pinched her cheek with two of her small fingers and pulled on it.

"How many times Betty and Betty's Subaru has told Shaula to stop pissing others off, I wonder?" Beatrice asked with a tick mark appearing on her forehead.

"I'm shorry! I'm shorry!" Shaula apologized with muffled sounds as Beatrice kept on pulling on her cheek.

"I think that's enough. Shaula, be a dear and get rid of the water in this bowel" Rem said, causing Shaula to zoom towards her and take the bowel. She then entered the bathroom that was connected to the room Shadow was sleeping in, and a few seconds of water splashing, Shaula exited from the bathroom.

"Alright...Now what to do?" Meili asked.

"What does that mean, I wonder?" Beatrice asked.

"It's still afternoon. But we can't get out of the mansion. Nasty Eyes Onii-san told us to stick to Blackey Onii-san here and not to move from the Astrea mansion. And you can't expect us to sleep all day" Meili said.

"Shaula will go out to get some snacks from the maids here! Yup~!" Shaula exclaimed with a cheerful smile before bursting out of the room. Rem giggled at her reaction, before turning to face Meili.

"It can't be helped, Meili-chan. Subaru-san wanted us to stick to Shadow-kun in case something happened" Rem said to Meili.

"What do you mean by that, I wonder?" Beatrice asked with her eyebrow raised in confusion. It was then when Rem tugged on the hem of her skirt, clenching her fists as she stared down at the ground.

"Rem isn't sure, but...That incident where Shadow-kun sacrificed himself for us...Made Rem feel as if something is bound to happen...Something really terrible..." Rem muttered her answer, which caused the three other girls to opt grimaced expressions on their faces.

Obviously, all of them were there, and they have seen it firsthand, a threat that was as horrifying, if not more horrifying than the Witch Cult. If Beatrice could recall, that cultist said that he was resurrected from the dead by someone...And that sacrificial ritual she made at the cost of her new Life resulted in a god of Death that transcended conception.

Beatrice shook at the possibility that there were more beings like Crossed Thanatos. If that is true, then the world is done for. Nothing will stop that, and Shadow seemed to have known that as well that this god of Death was extremely dangerous, and not even him would have made any difference to it.

Speaking of which...

"...He could have defeated it easily, in fact" Beatrice muttered, and the other three girls' heads perked up upon hearing those words. Meili and Shaula didn't quite understand, but Rem fully understood what Beatrice meant.

"Beatrice-sama?" Rem called out to the Spirit.

"Shadow...Was way stronger than that god of Death that forced him to enter that comatose state, in fact. He could have easily defeated him, I suppose" Beatrice said.

"Then why did he...?" Rem trailed in her speech as she looked at the unconscious form of Shadow, sleeping peacefully and unaware of what was happening around him.

"Betty saw Shadow moving his hands to those bracelets of his, in fact. Betty examined it earlier and concluded that they acted as some sort of limiters on his powers. Each one acts as a limiter for a different kind of energy that isn't Magic, in fact. But even one of them would have been more than enough to take down that thing, I suppose" Beatrice said.

"But why? Why didn't Shadow-kun take those limiters off? If he could have prevented himself from going comatose, then-" Rem's voice was getting louder by the second, and Beatrice then cut her off.

"Even without taking off those seals, Shadow would have been able to easily defeat that god of Death, I suppose" Beatrice said, causing Rem's eyes to widen in shock and disbelief, as all of what Beatrice said didn't make any sense to her.

"But...But why...?" She muttered her question, and Beatrice was about to open her mouth and answer when suddenly...

"KYAAAAAAAAAA!"

"?!"

Rem, Beatrice and Meili immediately jumped up from their seats upon hearing a feminine scream outside the room. Rem was the first to rush towards the door as she was able to recognize the tone of the scream to be that of Shaula. She opened the door and immediately placed her hand on her mouth to prevent herself from hurling. Beatrice and Meili's eyes widened in shock and horror as well, having seen the scene in front of them, considering the fact that Rem opened the door to its end.

Blood, brains, innards, limbs, internal organs, urine, feces, brain matter, visceral organs and even some sort of white bodily fluid that the girls held a vague understanding of what it was staining the walls and the grounds of the mansion. It felt as if the whole mansion was placed in a gory bloodbath, with this room being the only thing that was unaffected.

Rem, Beatrice and Meili had to place their hands on their mouths and noses from the stench that assaulted them. How come they didn't realize that they didn't know. They neither heard any screams of agony, nor any sounds of battle.

Rem's eyes widened even more upon identifying that the gory mess in front of them was the combination of the dead servants inside the Astrea Mansion, if the pieces of maid and butler clothes that were mixed in the gory blend was any proof.

Rem then acted quickly, realizing that this wasn't the time to be panicked. She then reached for Shaula, who was completely paralyzed with Fear at the sight in front of her and was seated on the bloody ground, before pulling her inside the room, and closed the doors shut.

For a few seconds, everyone was placed in a state of dead silence. No one dared to speak a word out of the shock. However, surprisingly, Rem was the only one to have snapped out from the shocking development.

"Beatrice-sama! Please check for any Life signatures inside the mansion!" She called out to Beatrice, who was still paralyzed from Fear.

"Beatrice-sama!" Rem called out once again, causing Beatrice to gasp from the surprise, before looking at Rem, having recalled the order the blue-haired Oni maid had given to her.

"H-Huh? Y-Yes...Understood, I suppose" Beatrice said, before closing her eyes. She then concentrated on the mana signatures around her. Moments later, however, she opened her eyes, a horrified expression appearing on her face.

"Beatrice-sama?" Rem called out, fearing the worst. Her Fear was indeed answered as Beatrice gave them all the shocking answer.

"T-There's no Life signature around us, in fact. We're the only ones alive, I suppose"

At this response, however, Rem clicked her tongue and gritted her teeth, before marching towards the door of the room.

"Wait! Where are you going, I wonder?!" Beatrice asked the retreating Rem.

"Rem is going to check around the mansion" Rem answered.

"Are you crazy, I wonder?! There's something or someone that butchered everyone in the mansion, in fact! Going out there can prove to be suicidal, I suppose!" Beatrice exclaimed, trying to revert Rem from her opinion.

"Blueberry! I'm going with you!" Shaula exclaimed, her cheerful tone gone, replaced by a serious tone and expression.

"Oh come on, in fact! Not you too, Shaula!" Beatrice yelled at the humanoid Mabeast.

"Rem and Shaula are the physically strongest out of everyone here. But if anything happens to us, Rem entrust Shadow-kun to both Meili and Beatrice-sama" Rem said with a firm expression, that kind of expression that said that there was no changing her mind.

And this caused Beatrice to sigh in defeat.

"Very well, in fact. But come right back if there's anything dangerous and beyond your powers, I suppose" Beatrice said.

"Thank you, Beatrice-sama. Shaula, let us go" Rem said, before calling out to Shaula. Then both of them proceeded to exit the room as Beatrice and Meili could hear the sounds of their footsteps fading gradually.

Once they left, Beatrice extended her hand in front of her, trying to sense the mana signatures around her. She suddenly gasped and recoiled so hard that she fell off her chair.

"Betty?! What's wrong?!" Meili asked in worry upon seeing Beatrice falling off.

"This room of the mansion...It's protected by a powerful barrier, I suppose" Beatrice managed to get her answer out of her mouth, extremely shocked at the prospect.

"What? But how? And why?" Meili asked while helping Beatrice stand up to her feet.

"Betty doesn't know how, in fact...She...Doesn't..." Beatrice muttered out, unable to find words to express the rather shocking and puzzling development in front of her.

It became even complicated when both Rem and Shaula returned, and Rem told them about their report.

"Everyone...Is dead. But there's no trace of Heinkel-sama, and strangely enough, there are no traces of Grassis-dono and Flam-dono as well" Rem said.

And this was what everyone needed to become completely silent.

---

The next day

Rem, Beatrice, Shaula and Meili were already in quite a predicament.

Not only everyone in the mansion was slaughtered aside of them, but the very prospect of getting out was completely irrelevant to them.

Obviously, considering the fact that Fear plagued their hearts completely. Beatrice did indeed scan the area around the entire mansion hundreds of times and confirmed that there was no one close to the mansion, but the very sight of the massacre that they witnessed was more than enough to paralyze them in their places. Fortunately, they didn't have to worry about food, as the Astrea Mansion was filled with lots of rations enough to provide sustenance for a month, so there was no Fear from dying from starvation.

But that didn't mean that they wanted to be holed up in this place forever.

The four girls were worried, super worried. Rem was worried about her sister, and whether if something would happen to her. Beatrice was worried about Subaru, and to a very lesser extent, Puck. Shaula and Meili were also worried about Subaru, but Shaula was also worried about Ram, just like Rem.

"...We have to do something" Rem broke the silence.

"What will we do, I wonder?" Beatrice asked Rem.

"Something...Anything..." Rem muttered, unable to find any idea.

"But if we get out of here, we will risk our lives, and become paste just like those outside the room" Meili added.

"Beatrice-sama, what is that barrier surrounding us, and what is its source?" Rem asked the Loli Spirit.

"The barrier isn't made out of mana. Betty can feel the energy signature, and it's definitely not mana, I suppose...Which leads us to its source" Beatrice said, and as she said the last sentence, she stared at the form of the comatose Shadow.

"What?! Beatrice-sama, are you saying that Shadow-kun is the one that made that barrier around us?!" Rem asked in surprise.

"Betty is sure of it, in fact. The energy signature is definitely not mana, and it's familiar to the energy that Shadow manipulates, in fact. If memory serves, he calls that energy source as Seither, I suppose. That allows him to use something called Arcane Magic, a magic of an unknown, yet potent nature, I suppose. Betty is sure that the barrier surrounding the room is Shadow's own doing, in fact. Actually, it's really amazing how he is able to erect a barrier like that while unconscious, I suppose" Beatrice answered.

"But why would he-Ah!" Rem was about to question Shadow's intentions, until her mind suddenly clicked, having remembered Shadow's last words to Subaru before going comatose. Beatrice seemed to notice this, and nodded.

"It seems that you remember what Shadow has told Betty's Subaru, I suppose. He told him to be aware of something called the 'Rounds of Hell', I suppose. Betty thinks that this predicament we're in is related to those 'Rounds of Hell', I suppose" Beatrice said, before narrowing her eyes as she looked at Shadow.

"It's as if Shadow...Knew exactly what would happen in the future...As if he knew that would happen, I suppose" She said, before looking around her, and saw the three girls shaking uncontrollably at all of this shocking information.

"Beatrice-sama...Is there anything that we can do?" Rem asked.

"...The only way that Betty can think of...Is to wake Shadow up, I suppose" Beatrice answered.

"Then is there a way to do this?" Meili asked.

"..." Beatrice stayed silent, her face morphing into a troubled expression, with her tiny hands clenching onto the hem of her dress.

"Beatrice-sama, please. If what we saw in the mansion is of any evidence, then everyone else that we know might be in grave danger. Please, Beatrice-sama" Rem pleaded with Beatrice, who just stayed silent for a few seconds, before muttering out two words.

"Soul Transference" She said.

"Huh?" Rem blinked in confusion.

"One of the forbidden magic spells that the Witch of Greed created in her desire for immortality. It allows the wielder to transfer their soul to other bodies, effectively ensuring that they will live continuously" Beatrice answered.

"Beatrice-sama...How do you know about such a dangerous magic?" Rem asked.

"Betty is an Artificial Spirit created by the Witch of Greed herself, in fact. And...Roswaal used this kind of magic to live for the past four hundred years, I suppose" Beatrice answered.

Normally, she would have expected everyone to be shocked from the rather weird revealment, but surprisingly, no one was.

"Beatrice-sama, how will using the Soul Transference Magic will wake Shadow-kun up?" Rem asked.

"W-Well...It's just a theory of Betty's, in fact, but if someone's soul is transferred to an occupied body, it would be that two souls are sharing the same body, in fact. And in case of the target sleeping, there's a possibility that the user might be able to enter their dreams, I suppose" Beatrice explained, before looking at the ground with a solemn expression.

"However...There's a catch, I suppose" She said.

"What is it?" Rem asked, her patience running thin by the second.

"Once the soul is transferred, there's no going back, in fact. The soul will be stuck inside the body forever, I suppose. What happens next to the caster...Is clearly unknown, I suppose" Beatrice answered, expecting everyone to drop the idea of using such a dangerous magic, as it was the kind of magic that whoever uses it will not go back to where they were before.

However, surprisingly, and strangely enough, expectedly, the only person in the room that cared about Shadow the most, was the first to break the silence.

"Beatrice-sama...Rem will do it. Please transfer Rem's soul inside Shadow-kun's body" She said, causing the other three girls' eyes to widen in shock as they all stared at Rem.

"H-Hey! Have you listened to what Betty said, I wonder?!" Beatrice nearly yelled out her question to Rem.

"Yes, Rem did listen, and that's why Rem is telling you to do this, Beatrice-sama" Rem firmly said, a determined expression plastered on her face.

"Blueberry! This is no joke! You might remain there for the rest of your Life!" Shaula exclaimed in worry.

"Yeah! This is really dangerous! Why are you doing this?!" Meili asked, worried about Rem too.

However, Rem smiled gently and shook her head, placing both of her hands on her heart.

"When Rem's home was destroyed by the Witch Cult, only Rem and Nee-sama were the ones that survived...Rem felt like a burden to Nee-sama, so she tried her best in everything. But no matter what she did, Rem...Saw that it was never enough. She tried and tried and tried...But it was still not enough. That's when Shadow-kun appeared in Rem's Life. In just a short time, he gave Rem's Life a meaning. He gave her a purpose. He gave her a place to return to. His actions spoke for him. His selflessness...His kindness...His gentleness...All of that are things that he himself is unaware of...Rem saw how he was alone and can conclude safely...That Shadow-kun's Life was filled with great amounts of hardships...So Rem...No...I...Want to make Shadow-kun live Life and see its bright side...So I'm not doing this for anyone here...I'm not doing this for the sake of the world...I'm doing this for Shadow-kun's sake because...Because I love him"

Rem finished her speech, and all the while Beatrice, Shaula and Meili were rendered speechless with the fact that Rem had just shamelessly admitted that she had feelings for Shadow. Seriously, if the situation wasn't grave at the moment, Beatrice would have scolded her for her defenseless nature, Shaula would have screamed like a fangirl does for her favorite idol on stage, and Meili would have teased her for hours, if not days.

"Haah...You're so hopeless, I suppose" Beatrice said, sighing in defeat.

"Beatrice-sama?" Rem asked the Spirit about her sudden words.

"Fine. Betty will do it, even though it's risky, in fact. But if it will wake Shadow up, then I guess that he might think of something to help you along the way. After all, he's the kind of person with a rather absurd mind, I suppose" Beatrice said while scratching the back of her head, causing Rem to smile at her.

"Thank you, Beatrice-sama" She said, before blinking in confusion as she saw Beatrice looking at her while pointing at the bed where Shadow was lying.

"Beatrice-sama?" She asked.

"Sleep next to Shadow, I suppose" Beatrice said.

...

...

...

"What?!" Rem nearly yelled, where Shaula and Meili were smirking teasingly at her.

"Sleep next to Edgelord and then do this and do that~" Shaula said.

"Teehee~. Look. Blue Onee-chan is blushing heavily~" Meili giggled at this as well. It was then when Beatrice pulled at both of their cheeks with her fingers.

"Betty believes telling you two to behave and not say anything unnecessary, I suppose" Beatrice said with a cute glare directed at both girls.

"We're shorry!" They both said at the same time. Beatrice then released her grasp from Shaula and Meili's cheeks, leaving them to rub said sore parts. Beatrice then climbed up the bed, and pointed at the vacant part to Shadow's side.

She didn't need to say anything else, as Rem, who was blushing furiously, proceeded to climb up the bed next to Shadow. She then lied down next to him, which made Beatrice nod.

"Now then, Betty will start the Soul Transference spell. Once you're there, you will experience Shadow's memories before meeting him. Betty can sense that Shadow possesses no soul, in fact, but he still possesses emotions, I suppose, and that is more than enough for you to meet him, I suppose" Beatrice said, causing Rem to nod.

"Rem...Please...Bring Shadow back to us...You're the only one who can do this, I suppose" Beatrice muttered to Rem, causing Rem to nod once again at her, before Beatrice's hand started to glow brightly.

And the next thing Rem knew was the world turning black in her eyes.

Seconds later, she found herself falling down indefinitely, and while she was falling, she saw images of countless people, countless lives, countless universes, countless facets.

She saw a Demon King that was known as the Lion of Destruction reincarnating himself to stop his war against Humans.

She saw a God of War going on a quest for revenge for his family that he slaughtered unwillingly, only to find tranquility after having a child of his own.

She saw a hideous goddess of Destruction, painting weird paintings in a beautiful realm.

She saw a young man wearing a silver dragon armor, working as an assassin to bring down the corrupted empire.

She saw a young man being tricked into thinking that the world around him was Hell, and that he had to correct it by placing everyone into an illusionary world.

She saw a man of knowledge being forcefully turned into a monster, deeming himself Guilty while using his flames to save the world.

She saw an abhorred existence of a god, slithering like a snake to engulf infinite worlds in Fear and hatred.

She saw a man who forced himself to become an evil wizard after he lost everything to the Humans.

She saw a Shinigami trying to make a change to the world of Shinigami by placing himself on the top of the hierarchy, obtaining overwhelming power as he did so.

She saw a fragment of a god of Death going insane and swearing to engulf the world in Madness.

She saw a bloodthirsty god of destruction in a rather advanced world, spreading havoc throughout the entire world.

She saw a vampire with the same weapons that her beloved use that are called 'Guns', being tormented by his past and desiring to be killed by Humans.

She saw a man being forced to turn to a god of time to stop a crazy god of solitude from erasing everything to leave himself as the sole existence in All Creation.

She saw a man turned into an assassin, before turning into a hybrid of a Human and a Metia, and being used by the world for their selfish, crazy deeds.

She saw a man in a world where Humanity is close to extinction, trying to desperately find a cure for the illness of his sister.

She saw a young man living an ordinary Life, only to be forced to enter a war between Demons and gods by fusing with another god to be able to combat all of that.

She saw a little boy becoming a genocide murder after splitting from his other personality, becoming an uncontrollable, bloodthirsty maniac.

She saw a young man joining an outlaw gang, trying to find his goal in Life.

She saw an extremely loyal Knight betraying his King, or rather Queen, upon having falling in love with their enemy, which resulted in his kingdom's downfall.

She saw a monarch of dragons aiming to destroy the mortal world by engulfing it in the flames of the dragons that are following him.

She saw a powerful warrior originally fighting for the sake of Humanity, only to turn against them and become insane after discovering that his Fate was to be a tool.

She saw a powerful, black dragon, ruling over a silent realm where all concepts are void and all archetypes are meaningless.

She saw a man, who became something called a Dragon Slayer, and the revealment of staying as a dragon forever due to said magic made him descend to Madness.

"...!"

The next thing, however, piqued Rem's interest.

She saw a black anthropomorphic hedgehog wearing a golden crown on his head and a red cape on his shoulder. It was obvious that he was a king. Peace and unity reigned over the planet that he ruled for 25 years, but at the cost of placing the people under the grip of his tyrannical order and making them crushed under the law of the Survival of the Fittest, where the strong would reign over the weak. This made the people of the planet rise in revolution against him, imprisoning him for five years while appointing someone else, a blue hedgehog, in his place for the five years that he was imprisoned in. The black hedgehog's servants would then break him out from imprisonment, before he decided on wreaking havoc by using a weird powerful monster to destroy the planet.

"It is done. I'm sorry, Maria. I tried to lead by example, but they did not see. I tried to lead by force, and I was rejected. I promise you I'd bring peace to the world and the world demands only anarchy- Chaos. Tikhaos will ravage the world, wash it clean, and Mobius will suffer. And only when they have learned their lesson will I return and lead them to the peace you so desperately wanted for them"

Rem's eyes widened as she saw the memory, completely shocked at what she saw. And a part of her wanted to deny the fact that she more or less recognized that black hedgehog.

She didn't have time to overthink it, as the images immediately vanished, replaced by what Rem would say to be the cruelest thing she has ever seen.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

"?!"

The sound of five consecutive shots were heard, and Rem's eyes widened in shock and disbelief as tears fell down her eyes.

Five consecutive holes in the torso of the same black anthropomorphic hedgehog were found oozing blood from them, followed by said hedgehog coughing out blood, before falling to the ground on his back.

"Unit-23 to Commander. Shadow the Hedgehog is hit"

"Did you aim for his weak spots?"

"Yes, Sir. Any other orders, Sir"

"Call in a full retreat. Our work here is done"

Rem's doubts were confirmed with that. She now realized.

All of those people that she saw their visions and lives flashing around her swiftly, that black hedgehog on the throne, and that black hedgehog that was shot, as well as the fact that the same blue anthropomorphic hedgehog, alongside a red echidna, a yellow fox with two tails, a humanoid female bat, a pink hedgehog that reminded Rem of her sister in terms of her hair color and style, and a little light-brown rabbit were all crying out his name made Rem realize.

This hedgehog and all of those people that she saw...They were all Shadow. Her Shadow.

"Shadow!"

"Are you okay?!"

"Hold on!"

They all cried out his name, surrounding him with worried looks and tears in their eyes.

"Tails! Do something!"

"I can't! I forgot my medical kit! Maybe if you bring him-!"

Rem watched the horrifying exchange. She tried to reach out, but her hands phased through the figures in front of him, and this broke her heart even more, as she saw that she was unable to do anything about it.

Rem felt useless, just like how she was in the Past.

"...No"

"?!"

Her eyes were casted to the owner of the voice. It was Shadow. He still held that calm expression on his face, even when his face was getting even paler by the second and the pool of blood was increased rapidly underneath his body.

And his negative response for being offered help made everyone, who Rem assumed to be his former companions, to look at him.

"That soldier...Shot me at my weak spots...Even with your speed, Sonic...I'll already be dead before you can make it..."

Rem's tears increased from her wide eyes as she clasped both hands on her mouth. She saw as the pink hedgehog did the same as her, with the wide eyes of the humanoid female bat and the little rabbit were releasing tears freely at that. Even the red echidna that was accompanying them was close to crying as well.

"Don't say that! I'm the Fastest Thing Alive! You'll make it! I'll save you!"

It was heart-wrenching for everyone around them, but none of them were as devastated as Rem, who was forced to watch all of that being done to her beloved without being able to do something.

Even so...Even if she was there...Would Rem be able to make a difference?

"Sonic...Please...Stop..."

Even when he was offered help, he still accepted Death with open arms, refusing the help of his companions.

She saw as Shadow hugged Sonic, who was desperately trying to prevent his tears and sobs from being released from both his eyes and mouth respectively.

However, all of that crumbled when Shadow, using what remained of his strength, to take Sonic in a hug, causing the blue hedgehog's eyes to widen.

But what made the well of tears open were those simple words that Shadow muttered in Sonic's ear, the words that served as the last words of Shadow the Hedgehog.

"Heroes...Can cry too...You know..."

And with that, Sonic broke into an uncontrollable mess of sobs and tears as Shadow's body fell limb in his arms, while he hugged him, with others crying around him.

"All of this...Was Shadow-kun's Past..."

Rem muttered all of that, falling to her knees, sobbing as her tears fell down freely, with the world changing to black around her, even when all of the memories that Shadow knew passed in front of her. The existence of forces dwarfing Od Laguna, the existence of Highest, Blade Demons, Pulse Demons, Gape Demons, Purebloods, Guardians, Void Demons, and the existences of Dark Matter known as the EXE. All flowed down onto Rem's head like a bomb.

And that made her even more devastated, knowing that her Shadow was bearing all of that all alone.

"I...I can't believe it...Why...Why did he have to suffer all of this...? Why Rem's Hero had to suffer through all of this...?"

The image around Rem changed, and she held a mixture of horror and confusion.

Everything around here was dyed in red.

The sky...Red.

The ground...Red.

The water...Red.

The sun...Red.

The trees...Red.

The grass...Red.

Everything was...Red.

She then saw as Shadow snapped his eyes open and sat up. Rem then saw as he inspected the wounds in his torso, only to find out that they were healed, as if they didn't exist in the first place.

"I see that you're awake"

"?!"

A figure appeared right in front of Shadow. And as Rem looked at him, he looked just like that blue anthropomorphic hedgehog that was hugging the dying Shadow. The only difference is that his eyes were crimson with black sclera, and they were dripping blood, not to mention that maniac smile that threatened to split his face in half.

"Welcome, Shadow the Hedgehog...Welcome to the Suicide Hill"

"Who...Are you?"

"Who I am is none of your business, but I'm kind enough to answer. My name is Exeller, I'm a Highest, a guardian of the universe. Existences like me are created to protect Mortals from evil...Or at least, that's what I thought it be...Anyways, with you as an addition to my force, I can finally wipe out all the Highests"

"What do you mean join you? I won't do something like that"

"Well, you will, Shadow. After all, you and I are one and the same"

"What?! I'm nothing like you! You look like a psychopath! Don't lump me in with you!"

"If you have anyone to thank, then thank you bitch of a father...I think his name was Black Doom, right? But his Highest name is Briah-Lite, I think? Anyways, I think you should thank them because they unlocked your true powers"

"W-What...?"

"Can't you see it? You're a Highest, just like me, Shadow. Your father and mother were Highests, albeit your father turned to a Blade Demon, but that would change nothing as far as my knowledge goes. Anyhoo, those 'Weak spots' that those Humans shot in your body were nothing but a limiter to your true powers. Once they are shot, they activated your powers. You still aren't accustomed to them, but with enough guidance, you will be able to harness them, and then you will help me take down the Highests!"

"...Bastard...Keep dreaming...I don't know that bullshit about Highests, but I will never help you. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY dares to order me, Shadow the Hedgehog"

"Hehehehe...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I REALLY THOUGHT AS MUCH! OH, IT'S GOING TO BE SO MUCH FUN BREAKING YOU! YOU WILL BE IMPRISONED HERE FOR AS LONG AS I WANT! YOU WILL SUFFER FROM SEEING ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU MET IN YOUR LIFE BEING KILLED OVER AND OVER AND OVER! AND YOU WONT BE ABLE TO DO SQUAT TO SAVE THEM! I'LL ENJOY BREAKING YOU UNTIL YOU BECOME NOTHING BUT A TOY TO ME! I WILL TRULY ENJOY THIS!"

The maniac laughter echoed as Rem watch in horror. And without thinking, she ran towards the shocked Shadow, but before she could reach him, the world turned to black around her once again.

"Shadow-kun...Suffered so much..."

She didn't understand the details, but all that she knew was that her Hero suffered all alone.

"Shadow-kun...Took all of it alone..."

He was all alone, bearing everything on his shoulders, and no one was there to even comfort him.

"Shadow-kun...He's bearing all of it by himself..."

He took everything on his own, not requesting help for once.

"And all of us...We were standing by in ignorance to all of this..."

Rem's Sadness turned immediately to fury and rage. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. She said that she loved Shadow. She said that she will always be by his side. She said that she will support him. She said that no matter what, she will always accept him for who he is.

And yet...She was ashamed. How could she say that she loved Shadow when she couldn't even know how much he suffered?

"This...Has to end now..."

She steeled herself, a look of determination and indomitable will appearing on her face, before she dived towards the end of her destination, having seen Shadow in the distance about to connect hands with a white-haired woman that exuded aura that was the same as those Witch Cultists.

This ends now. This time...She will make things right...For his sake.

---

Unknown Location

"This contract cannot be allowed! You will never touch Shadow-kun, you Witch!"

The fury that Shadow only saw for his sake, directed towards Echidna. The beautiful voice that brought him from the depths of Darkness and back to the Light, roaring angrily to protect him, even if it meant making an adversary of the Witch of Greed.

"...Rem?" Shadow called out, seeing that Rem was right in front of him. It was then when he realized something and stared at Echidna in annoyance.

"Echidna...I already told you to stop joking. If this is Carmilla, then you better stop using the girl to test out my patience" He growled in anger.

"What are you talking about, Shadow Terios? This isn't Carmilla" Echidna said, causing Shadow to blink at this, before looking back at Rem, who turned around to him with a gentle smile.

"It's me, Shadow-kun. Shadow-kun's Rem is here for him" She said, which in turn made Shadow have a rosy blush in his face, before he gasped upon realizing something.

"Wait a minute. If this is indeed the real Rem, then how did she enter this dream world?" Shadow asked Echidna, but before the Witch of Greed could answer, Rem raced her to it.

"Beatrice-sama helped me interfere in order to wake you up, Shadow-kun" She answered.

"Wake me up? But why?" Shadow asked. It's not like he didn't want to wake up and repel Exeller, who he is sure that he's planning to wreak havoc the moment he's out of the picture, but he wanted to know why specifically send Rem to enter the dream world to wake him up.

"I'm so sorry, Shadow-kun, but we need your help. Something terrible has happened, and we need your help in the outside world" Rem answered.

"Yes, there is indeed a dangerous development outside, and your presence will definitely be appreciated outside, Shadow Terios" Echidna added.

"Then I must go now!" Shadow exclaimed.

"Are you truly saying this while you yourself are in predicament?" Echidna interrupted.

"What?" Rem asked, glaring at Echidna.

"Oh! Didn't you know? Shadow Terios used a Seither Magic spell to seal away that god of Death away. If he woke up, he will unleash said god of Death unto the world" Echidna said, causing Rem to grit her teeth at this.

"No! Shadow-kun can defeat it easily!" Rem exclaimed in protest.

"Rem, I can't..." Shadow muttered out, only to suddenly feel a stinging sensation on his left cheek. It took him a few seconds of looking at Rem's tearful face to realize what just happened.

Rem had slapped him.

"I know...I know that I shouldn't do that...I really do...But...Shadow-kun, you can't always live your Life in Fear...Rem knows that it's horrible and agonizing, but if you don't move on, you can't change...You taught Rem that, right?" Rem asked, before gently caressing the spot where she slapped Shadow, where said person stared at her with wide eyes, unable to say anything.

"I realized it...You sealed away your powers using those four bracelets on your body, right? However, even so with this current level of power that you have, you would have defeated it easily. That's when I realized...You're afraid of your own powers..." Rem trailed in her speech, staring at Shadow with tearful eyes.

"Rem..." He could only mutter out her name, unable to say anything.

"And with that thing called Crossed Thanatos...It was the only thing that was able to harm you, cutting off your arms...Now that I think about it, when I looked at both of you, it felt that you two were one person, but that god of Death...No, that Void Demon exuded the aura of Death. Back then, I saw pure Darkness given a physical form, a dreadful energy seeping to consume everything around it, but if I have to say something...It felt to me like seeing two of you, Shadow-kun" Rem said.

"H-How did you..." Shadow trailed in his speech, only for Rem to continue.

"I'm sorry, Shadow-kun, but without meaning it, I...Saw all of your memories. I saw your Past, I saw your Parallel World Selves, I saw everything that led you to visit this world. I...Also saw a glimpse of your knowledge regarding the Four Primordial Forces..." Rem said.

Shadow's eyes widened in shock upon hearing those words but didn't say anything. This made Rem continue talking.

"Order. Chaos. Life. Death. The four forces that shape All Creation as we know and not know it, but Shadow is an exception. Back then, you said that you were a Highest, but...That's not the full truth. Now that I see it, I can sense four different special powers resembling the four forces inside of you, Shadow-kun. Not to mention..."

As she trailed in her speech, she remembered the words that that abomination told to Shadow in the Suicide Hill.

"If you have anyone to thank, then thank you bitch of a father...I think his name was Black Doom, right? But his Highest name is Briah-Lite, I think?"

"Your father and mother were Highests, albeit your father turned to a Blade Demon"

"Highest...Can be forcefully turned to Demons...Right?" Rem asked, causing Shadow to gasp. Rem seems to know a lot, and on the sidelines, Echidna's eyes were sparkling.

"Shadow-kun...From what I concluded...You're not only a Highest...You're also a Pureblood, a Guardian and a Void Demon, an existence that combines all of those races together in one vessel...An Apex" Rem concluded, but she wasn't finished.

"Which brings me to the current predicament...Shadow-kun..."

She stared deeply into his eyes, and her next question shook Shadow.

"Crossed Thanatos...That Void Demon...He's your Void Demon personification, and your name as a Void Demon, right?"

"..."

Shadow was silent. He had nothing to say.

Just by looking into his Past, Rem has concluded pretty much everything revolving him. He honestly didn't know what to say.

"I see. More the reason for you to accept my offer, Shadow Terios" Echidna said extending her hand towards Echidna.

"No, Shadow-kun! This Witch is tricking you! There's nothing that comes out of trusting a Witch!" Rem exclaimed, trying to sway Shadow away from the idea of making a contract with the Witch of Greed.

"..." Shadow didn't say anything. He just extended his hand towards Echidna, whose smile was growing by the second. Rem's eyes were wide with horror and disbelief. Nobody knew what would happen from a contract with a Witch, but if one this is for sure, it isn't a good thing.

But just as their hands were about to touch...

"BOOM!"

"?!"

A shattering noise rips through the air as the white, cup-bearing table beside Shadow explodes. The impact which broke the table transmits on to the ground, the earth collapsing as it births another crater aside from the one that Rem made, the quakes and rumbling jolting Shadow violently as he stares in indifference.

"I'm putting a stop to this contract!" The roar of the Witch of Wrath, Minerva, echoed as she stared with teary eyes filled with anger at both of Shadow and Echidna as he allowed her fists of Wrath to descend, punching the contract to a pulp.

"I'll make a stop to this contract! I can't approve of this!" Minverva yelled at Echidna, directing her fury at her.

"Hmm...What a rather unexpected turn of events" Echidna said, her calm smile never wavering in front of Minverva's furious glare.

Too intimate for enmity, too bloodthirsty for anger. That emotional gaze concentrates wholeheartedly onto Echidna as Minerva crosses her arms inside the crater she made, hoisting up her abundant chest, biting her lip.

"It's a contract with a Witch. Surely you know the significance of such a contract or maybe you're just...Jealous?" Echidna asked Minerva, whose glare intensified at Echidna's words.

"Can't you tell from my fury that it's nothing so docile?! I'm furious! I'm incensed! I'm vehement with boiling rage! I'm so upset I'm ready to explode!" Minerva kept on yelling her anger out.

The redness to Minerva's face intensifies as she replies to Echidna. Her peaking emotions turn into a teardrop at the corner of her eye, giving an innocent, childlike kind of obstinacy to her features. Her young face is terribly mismatched to her voluptuous body—and her very presence is something Shadow inevitably must accept, although Shadow does have an idea as to why she was angry.

Everything was going in accordance with what his conclusion, but he still has to play dumb to the very end.

"Minerva...What are you doing here?" Shadow asked the Witch of Wrath, causing said person to turn to face the Apex.

"What?! Are you saying I'm not allowed to be?!" Minerva yelled her question.

"Shadow-kun, who is this woman that is yelling at you?" Rem asked Shadow.

"That's the Witch of Wrath, Minerva" Shadow simply answered.

"Another Witch!" Rem exclaimed while tightening her grip on Frost Maul, to which Shadow placed a hand on her shoulder gently to keep her steady.

"There's nothing to Fear, Rem. Aside from the Bitch of Greed over here, this one is an ally" Shadow said.

"Aside from your still vulgar tongue, I suppose you're wondering why another witch has manifested, even though I'm present and standing right here" Echidna said.

"Yes. I thought that a Witch has to take your place every time in order to manifest here" Shadow said.

"She never said we can't be out together, I bet! That kind of mean pointless trick is just how this nasty Witch does things!" Minerva exclaimed angrily.

"I'd like you to not misunderstand, though. That I didn't call any other Witches here is because it's a big responsibility and a big risk for me. Depending on the circumstances, it's possible another witch will steal predominance over this place, and even if they don't it takes some considerable effort to recreate powerful beings such as them. I have never told a single lie. That alone, I will assert" Echidna said.

"..." Shadow just glared at her in silence, and Rem was looking at her beloved with worried eyes. The silence gave Echidna the chance to speak once again.

"I didn't really want you to know that the other witches could manifest all over the place and have them take you from me" She said with a blush, causing Rem to gasp, before glaring at her.

Did that Bitch just tried to seduce HER man?!

But just before she could do any move, Rem was stopped by Shadow, who placed another gentle hand on her shoulder, not taking his eyes off Echidna.

"...What do you mean by that?" He asked, still glaring at the Witch of Greed, whose blush increased as she gave him a smile that only a lover could give to her boyfriend.

This action infuriated Rem even further, to the point that even Minerva, the very Witch of Wrath herself, flinched. Comparing the rage of the Oni girl to that of hers would be like comparing Volcanica to a Zodda bug! Just how much did that Oni girl loved Shadow?!

"You are truly the first guest in a long time for me. I haven't had conversations that thrilled me as much as ours so commonly whether before or after my death. Are you going to curse me, say that my desire to hog you is miserable? I know I'm repeating this again and again, but I think of you fondly. And so, I wanted to avoid it that, by the others having more allure, or by being a more cooperative witch, your interest would shift away from me and toward them. I don't mind if you laugh" Echidna said with a rosy blush extending from her cheeks.

You know what was extending as well? The vein that appeared on Rem's forehead that threatened to burst out from said place.

"That's it! You're dead!" Rem yelled and was about to bounce on Echidna, only for Minerva to jump into action and place Rem on a sleeper hold. Once in her clutches, however, Rem stopped wrestling her way out of Minerva's vice grip. Not because it hurt, but quite the opposite, as Rem felt her anger disappear.

"Huh? I feel calmer and more invigorated..." Rem muttered.

"When I directly touch something living, no matter what action I take it turns into something restorative. I could punch with all my strength and it'll close wounds, I could wrestle someone while trying to wrench their limbs off and it'll cure their chronic diseases, and if I keep someone held in a lock their shoulder aches will disappear!" Minerva exclaimed, before shortly releasing Rem, who upon being released, stuck to Shadow's side, being completely calm and docile.

"Thanks, Blonde Chili" Shadow said to Minerva.

"You're welcome and...Hey! Who are you calling a Chili?!" Minerva yelled angrily, but she was ignored by Shadow, who directed his silent glare at Echidna.

"I'm sure I did explain the benefits of what a contract with me would be, and devise to put us on even grounds of mutual understanding" Echidna said to Minerva, causing the latter to immediately start throwing a tantrum like a kid by slamming her heel into the ground, causing more ruptures into the soil and deepening the crater even further.

"It's that attitude where you act like you totally followed through with your responsibility to explain here that's getting me. You did explain all about the benefits. You did... but, when it comes to the inconvenient stuff the contract would cause, you didn't say a thing!" Minerva yelled, with Shadow glaring silently at Echidna through the cloud of dust that resulted from Minvera kicking the ground underneath them.

"Yes...The disadvantages...And aside from that, I'm sure that you need something in compensation" Shadow said calmly, but one look at his face and Rem could feel a barely suppressed rage underneath his calm demeanor and tone.

Shadow was ready to explode at any moment.

"It's nothing you need to be wary about. What you feel, what you create, what you know, what you do, what you think, what you retrospect, what fruits called UNKNOWNS your presence incurs, I want to savor always" Echidna said, her cheeks red and expression that of a young maiden with a crush.

"Fruits called UNKNOWNS...What the hell is that? You want to pull out my emotions and memories and recollections, and hand them over?" Shadow asked.

"No. It's nothing so risky. I just want to witness the sights you see, the melodies you hear, the story you weave, all from a special box seat. All I want is to perceive this. I want to be in a position to know the UNKNOWNS you create. By that and just merely that alone, I can be fulfilled" Echidna said, but Shadow seemed to not budge at all.

"...You're not lying, aren't you?" He asked, and Echidna was about to open her mouth to speak, when...

"I-it's all...True, but th-that doesn't, mean sh-she's...She's told you...Everything..."

"?!"

A new, yet familiar voice appeared, and everyone present looked to the side to see the newcomer.

"Witch of Lust...Carmilla..." Shadow muttered in a low voice. It wasn't that he hated Carmilla or anything. It's just that the stunt that she pulled on him a few hours ago was still leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

But it seems that Carmilla took it the wrong way, given the glare that Shadow gave.

"Do-don't look at me with...With those scary eyes. I-I'm not...Not even...doing anything...You're a-Awful..." Carmilla muttered, hiding her face in her scarf.

"...I'm not trying to scare you" Shadow simply said.

"E-Echidna-chan is...Hiding, lots and lots...Of things. S-she isn't lying but...She's hiding lots...Of things...From you" Carmilla muttered, causing Shadow to direct his glare towards Echidna.

"...What are you hiding?" He simply asked Echidna, who just looked at Carmilla.

"Suddenly showing up, and here you immediately come with the aspersions. Or more actually, how is it that he's stirred up your attention? You're not like Minerva, you shouldn't have any reason to back him. You're supposed to have disliked him" Echidna said to Carmilla.

"A, r-rea...Reason like...Minerva-chan? No I do...Don't have any...Proper, one. But, Echidna-chan...You...You tricked me, didn't you? I will never forgive you" Carmilla said, the last statement alone is spoken with incredible clarity. So much that Shadow needed some time before he can recognize that it came from the mouth of this girl beside him. That was the extent that that single phrase diverted from Camilla's atmosphere up until now.

But that wasn't so important at the moment, as of right now, the pieces were placed slowly in their places. Just a few little pushes.

"Echidna...What the fuck are you hiding?" Shadow asked, his patience running thin.

"Don't listen to these two, Shadow Terios. I promise you. Should you choose me, contract with me, I will, without fail, lead you to the place you desire" Echidna said with her arms outstretched.

"'Ultimately', is the disclaimer word guaranteed to come attached to this promise...Haa..."

"?!"

Just then, a new voice to Rem joined, with Shadow looking indifferently at the owner of the voice.

"How is that person? It looks like a bundle of hair lying just there" Rem commented and asked of Shadow.

"...Sekhmet, the Witch of Sloth" Shadow answered immediately, which in turn made Rem go on alert once again, tightening her grip on her weapon, but yet another gentle hand on her shoulder from Shadow managed to calm her down once again.

"That's just a fancy name for me...Haa...I'm just an insurance policy. I'm here to just make things fair...Huu...I'm only here as a watchdog to preserve the fairness of this deal...Haa..." Sekhmet sighed out her words in a tired tone, as if this wasn't important or as if the Fate of the world didn't even rely on Shadow's decision.

"Fairness? Insurance?" Rem asked in confusion.

"If anyone tries to use force, I'll kill them...Huu...That's why I'm here...Haa...Deterrence...Huu..." Sekhmet answered.

"You sure are confident with your own powers" Rem said.

"Oh! Adow! You're here! And with another guest too!"

"?!"

The cheerful tone of Typhon alerted everyone, as they looked to see both her and Daphne approaching them.

"You are all here! This is so rare!" Typhon exclaimed happily.

"Ahahaha...It's been a while since we've had a Tea Party. Please invite Daphne as well" Daphne said while licking her lips hungrily.

"Shadow-kun...Let me guess...Those two are Witches too, right?" Rem asked.

"Yes. The kid with the green hair is Typhon, the Witch of Pride. While the blonde girl that is tied by chains and restraints to that walking coffin is Daphne, the Witch of Gluttony" Shadow answers indifferently, causing Rem to sigh in defeat.

"This is so overwhelming..." She muttered. Shadow just ignored the new presences and directed his stare at Sekhmet, who was lying on the ground.

"Hey, Dyed Seaweed...Earlier you said...'Ultimately'. What did you mean by that?" Shadow asked Sekhmet, who sighed at his insult for her, but brushed it off, as she had no strength to call him off on it.

"I'm sure Echidna...Huu...Is guaranteed to fulfil the contract...Haa...But, so long as she upholds entirely the reality that...Huu...She did fulfil the contract...Haa...She'll likely do whatever during the process to get there...Huu..." Sekhmet huffed her answer, which in turn caused Shadow to direct his glare back at Echidna, who was still smiling.

"Don't misunderstand...Huu...I'm not taking sides...Haa...I'm just trying to do the right thing...Huu..." Sekhmet followed afterwards.

"Echidna, if I contract you...Without fail, you will take me to the optimum future. Is that what you're saying?" Shadow asked.

"Yes, I did say that. And it's true. Without any doubt, I will carry out that contract to the end. With my knowledge and your attribute, we will assuredly be able to achieve it" Echidna answered.

Right, exactly, that was entirely the way of a completable contract. Echidna's words present no lie. Should Shadow collaborate with her, they will be capable of unfailingly saving everything, and arriving to the future.

However...

"Will you cooperating in getting me to the optimum future, use the optimum path?" Shadow asked.

"..." But Echidna said nothing.

"For me to reach my desired destination, will you truly, help me the best you can?" Shadow asked again.

"..." And again, Echidna said nothing.

"For me to reach my desired destination, will you truly, help me the best you can?" Shadow asked again.

"..." And even then, Echidna said nothing, but her smile somehow became...Creepy in a calm way.

"Why aren't you answering, Witch of Greed? Cat is eating at your G-spot?" He asked in mockery, not even worried about the answer as everything became clear.

He just needs one tiny push, maybe two, or at most three.

And faced with the Apex's resolve of steel, Echidna slips a small sigh from her creepy calm smile.

"...If it is to reach the optimum future, sacrifices along the way are permissible. Would this not have been what you resolved, Shadow Terios?" She asked while looking at him.

"..." But Shadow was indifferent, his calm glare never leaving him.

Echidna gave neither a directly positive nor negative response to Shadow's question. But Shadow sensed that Echidna's words were assuredly not any that would dispel his doubts, far from it. It actually made him sure of all of his doubts.

The first push.

"And by that, you mean..." Shadow trailed in his speech, wanting to take it all in from her.

And as if to help him understand her thoughts, she spreads her arms wide, and a vibrant, sweet smile appeared on her face.

"You're the one who should already know. Think about it. This attribute you have, Chaos Control, and your psychology as an Apex, are both incredible powers. In the truest of meanings, you cannot comprehend its utility. Not permitting the ends contrary to your desires, conducting countless Redos, reaching for the future countless times—for a researcher, this is near the ultimate ideal. I mean, wouldn't it be? The result of any event will fundamentally, once a single result has been reached, remain put. If you are still midway through the process of reaching a result, you can make varied hypotheses as to what the result will be. If using this approach, or otherwise if using these conditions, varied hypotheses and varied investigations are possible. But, if you are to experiment with the purpose of producing a result, then the results, testable hypotheses, and investigations will inevitably subsume into a single aggregate. Recreating completely, and I mean completely identical conditions is impossible. No matter what conditions you arrange, you cannot recreate the exact same conditions as you previously did. If you tried different methods back then, what result would you now procure? That question is one us researchers will never attain the answer for, nothing more than a dream existing in the forward path of what is ideal. For me and my Memories of The World, I indeed have means to KNOW the answer, I certainly do. Do, but I don't consider using that method, utilizing that method, as anything good. It's that I want TO KNOW, not TO HAVE KNOWN. The thing creates this terrible contradiction, for me you could call it abominable. But I'm getting off topic here so returning back to the point...Right, we researchers have to accept results as being entirely singular, and for us who possess only one means of observation, your existence, your authority, is something we desperately crave. You can run DIFFERING INVESTIGATIONS under IDENTICAL CONDITIONS, you can see SEPARATE RESULTS differing from the FUNDAMENTAL RESULT. That is the ultimate power. How could you not want it? With this power right in front of you, how could you not test everything? Though of course, I have no intention to force you to do that. It is entirely that, for you achieving your own purposes, you will utilize Chaos Control a lot. And I will also devote my best so that we reach the future you desire. During that process, I would like to get your extensive contribution to sating my curiosity. When that is all I'm asking I'm sure there's no punishment to be invoked. You will get to witness answers. I will get to sate my curiosity. Our mutual interests coincide. Since I don't know the answers either, there of course could be no instance where I purposefully lead you down an incorrect path, and you consequently meet a gruesome demise. I don't initially know the correct answer when faced with a problem, and in that sense I am entirely the same as you. In the sense of us puzzling over the same problems, struggling on, attempting to reach an answer together, I am sure you should call us unmistakably comrades. I can state that firmly and not with the slightest of embarrassment. I think very fondly of you, in the sense that you give me more methods for preforming investigation, and so I pledge that I would never do anything that would be improper consideration of you. But of course, I'm sure we will naturally encounter problems where even with my assistance, easy surmounting of the problem will be impossible. While I may be able to assist you as a font of knowledge, that doesn't mean I can at all interfere with reality. Should we face a physical obstacle blocking your path, that sort of problem where force is necessary, I will not be able to help you. Times upon times, potentially even hundreds or thousands of times, your mind and body may be broken, which I know that would not happen by the way considering you infinite willpower. But even should that hypothetically happen, I would sincerely wish to preform your mental care. That that desire is without any intermingling from my researcher's interest to not part with something useful is not something I can assert. But that said, it is entirely truth that I think of you and your existence fondly, and that I want to aid you. I don't want you to think badly of me. And I know I'm repeating myself, but I can say with Pride that I am a presence useful for achieving your goals. Yes, just as I am considering in a sense to utilize you for the purpose of sating my Greed called curiosity, you can likewise utilize me for your goal of REACHING THE OPTIMUM FUTURE. To be that kind of overly convenient girl you can take advantage of, for me, is entire satisfaction. If doing so will motivate you, then I will gladly submit my being to you. Although the question of whether you're interested in this deceased and impoverished body would have to be be another topic. Oops, saying that might've been a foul against your loves. Your loves. The blue-haired Oni girl over here, the other red-haired Oni girl outside, the blonde thief and the Sin Archbishop of Lust. The girls you will save no matter what, who you will stringently protect, having from your heart pledged to do so and through your actions exhibited that volition. Putting my thoughts on the state of your heart and the way it harbors such strong emotion for two girls aside as something I will not state here, I will assert that the height of the walls you must scale will be beyond imagination. How many unmanageable obstacles do you have lined up before you in present reality just that you know of? Your resolve to try and surmount these problems by yourself is honorable, and incredibly tragic. I want to be your aid on this path, with my hopes to be that aid not being anything fabricated in the least. You should definitely utilize these desires of mine. You need to take everything you can possibly have, use everything that you can possibly utilize, and by doing entirely that save the people with which you have bonds. That is the firm conviction you yourself had pledged, which you have fully understood as being a necessary and painful path. And so, I will question you, I will repeat with you, I will have feelings for you. The path you walk by throwing away your life is something that ironically only just got certified in the form of the second Trial. With how you could almost mistake that Trial as having been there to make you comprehend what it is this path you have walked; you could perhaps even think the thing necessary. Of course, the reality is it wasn't necessary, and it was the kind of experience which damaged your mind. But if it's between a state of not knowing and a state of yes knowing, no matter how grievous a truth it is, I'd consider the latter more valuable. Up until now, and also from now own, you will need you present your life as compensation for Chaos Control, and in doing so wrest in the future. That there are perhaps people who've been sacrificed for this purpose, and that these worlds in this fashion PERHAPS MIGHT EXIST was something necessary for you to have put in mind. Someday, you'll cease to feel any emotion when it comes to paying with your life, your human emotions will wane, you'll cease to be rattled by the DEATHS of those precious to you, you'll submerge into a life of impassive, indifferent inertia, and even should you reach the optimum future, you will be reaching it as an impaired version of yourself—for the sake of avoiding this kind of future, where the only thing that remains is a feeling of vain, it was necessary. No, there is not a single worthless thing in the world, everything is a necessary route taken, a needed piece to the puzzle. The Trial was necessary for you to comprehend that. If you require a tenable rationalization and pretext as to why you have hit a standstill, then adopt this stance. And I will validate that stance of yours. If my words can give you the strength you need to continue forward, then my words will I give to you. Whether they be comforts, tough motivators, whispers of love, provokers of loathing, if they will give you assistance then without any hesitation will I exercise them for you. And although you might detest it, you unconditionally need the assistance of someone like me on your path forward. If you're to proceed along a road of unavoidable pain and solitude, you absolutely need someone to walk alongside you without ever taking their eyes from the path. And if the person we're talking about to fill that role is me, not anyone else, but me, then I can walk that road alongside you without any problem at all. I will repeat it, I will restate it, I will convey it countless times until it reaches you. You must need me. And I absolutely need you. Your presence is essential. My curiosity simply cannot be fulfilled without you. You are the only being which can sate me. You, you will surely grant me the quenching of my unquenchable Greed. Your presence is already indispensable for me as I dwell in this closed world. If you should wish to be somebody's hope, to execute your power to clear the world open, could my piteous self perhaps not partake in your leftovers? If you could concentrate any of that great kindness unto me, then I'd hesitate not a second to devote to you my being, my knowledge, my soul. I'm begging you. I want you to trust me. That I hadn't attempted to communicate you my true motives was assuredly no attempt to deceive you, nor any attempt to hide it from you. It was just a matter of choosing the right time. If here, at this instant I appealed with a fragment of my true intention, you surely would've left me. That would be an unbearable loss for me. And of course, for you also, in the sense of distancing yourself from the future you seek, it undoubtedly should be regarded as a definite loss as well. Someday, being that you have your attribute of Chaos Control, you will surely reach the future you seek. But it's obviously best that the compensation you pay in reaching that future be little. If it's me, when it's me, a greater sparsity is possible in that compensation. Everything goes so long as ultimately you reach the desired future and such kind of inhuman thinking, ignoring the small goals for the large ones, is what I'd prefer you not mistake this for. Being caught by a temptation, and so desiring to view the outcome of some certain situation, I may notice something necessary for reaching the optimum track but not mention it is the kind of action I absolutely would not do, is not how great a check I have on my cravings to be able to plainly assert. I will acknowledge that. But, I will not deceive you. If hypothetically we assume that I do dip my hands into some trust-betraying deed like that, I would under no circumstances do anything to keep it hidden from you. I would absolutely reveal it to you. And I would devote everything I have to you to make up for that damaged trust. No matter what happens, I will assuredly send you off to your desired optimum future. Absolutely, unconditionally. And so, having rationalized this clearly as a necessary measure, won't you choose me? Once the contract is made, I will follow along exactly as your desires and demands their state. After that comes the conversation of just how much you can devote yourself to your wish, your wanted wish, your desired wish. My resolve is just as I stated. Now is to hear what your resolve is. I want you to prove to me that you, having formed a contract with me and acquired my collaboration, have the mettle to without fail reach the future. Once you accomplish so then for the first time, just like you did in your first and second Trials, you will be able to take on your third Trial, overcome it, and go ahead to save your friends and loved ones. When you consider the calamity to befall your loves and those precious to you, this is indeed exactly a Trial you must surmount. I want you to show me that you have the strength, the resolve to overcome it. And from there you will plunder me, utilize my knowledge, and procure what lies ahead. What I desire of you, demand of you, and can offer you in return is there at a full stop. I sincerely, honestly, willed here to reveal you everything. And so now with everything stated what is it you will decide?"

As she finished, her smile grew so hard to the point that the corners of her lips reached her ears, and she finished her long speech with one last sentence.

"I want you to answer me. It's another way to satisfy my curiosity"

...

...

...

Echidna's snow-white hair sways and her cheeks redden slightly in fervor as she peers up at Shadow, waiting for his answer. Her eyelashes tremble with trepidation for his reaction, the fingers anxiously held to her chest fidgeting about. Her lips make many attempts to say something, but she hesitates, and the action ends merely with a wetting by her tongue.

Shadow didn't say anything. He just looks at the others around him.

Rem was staring at the Witch in absolute horror and shock, unable to say anything from all of the new information that she had received.

Minerva was glaring at Echidna with tear-filled eyes.

Sekhmet watched in silence, awaiting the next action.

Daphne gave out a toothy grin, occasionally licking her lips in anticipation.

Typhon tilted her head to the side.

Carmilla tugged on her scarf with her hands, hiding her face even further.

Shadow's eyes were then shadowed by his hair, he remained silent for a few more seconds, having almost realized everything.

The second push.

"Echidna" He called out the name of the Witch of Greed.

"Yes?" She responded.

"You're...Going to use me?" He asked upon realizing everything. He is going to be used. That was the term Echidna had repeated, again and again, throughout what she just said.

Hearing that, Echidna nods without hesitation.

"I am. And you can use me too. The contract would be something of a precaution, to ensure neither of us stray from that principle. If you're going to criticize me for attempting to use anything I could to keep you, I will resignedly accept it" She answered.

"It's just...Something inside of me knew that something was wrong...Seriously, I know that, considering the fact that one of the factors of my creation were the emotions of Mortals...And deep down, I wanted to truly trust you...But...Haaaaah..."

Sighing in frustration, Shadow placed a palm on his eyes and raised his head to the sky of the dream world.

"That is...What do Mortals these days call it? Yeah...That's just way beyond the pale..." Shadow muttered, and at that, Echidna's smile faded, and she raised an eyebrow at the Apex.

"I don't really understand what you have a problem with. If it means that ultimately, you'll reach the optimum, you'll rationalize the path you used to get there. Didn't you decide this? You yourself validated that thought, and I'm sure I pushed you along saying that was okay" She said.

"I actually got it from the very first time. Right after seeing your reaction after I defeated the first Trial...All your behavior feels synthetic, it is superficial. When you're joyed, even when you're angry, the way you express emotion is childish and shallow. I mean right now, far from being enraged all you did was pout. Broad-minded, or whatever isn't the problem here. That behavior...All your behavior's been weird. I just thought you were brash and easily accepted, easy to get along with, but...You're actually not. You...Are incapable of empathy. You can't understand the emotions of others" Shadow finished his theory, and right upon finishing, Echidna's expression turned...Expressionless.

"...I see. So here I should raise my voice and shower you with curses. Understood, that was useful. Supposing another chance comes, let's see I do that" She said, before snapping her fingers, and in an instant, everything around her was repaired, and the tea table was fixated in the middle of where the craters that Rem and Minerva punched, but this time, it had eight chairs and the table was bigger, enough to serve the guest for this twisted Tea Party.

"Want to sit? I'd like us to iron out the details about the contract" Echidna said ushering for Shadow to sit on the chair. Rem simply gripped on Shadow's jacket sleeve, fearing that he might be whisked away from her. Her response came when Shadow gently placed a hand on her bare upper back that was the only thing that wasn't covered by her maid outfit aside from her upper arms.

His touch alone was more than enough to assure her that everything was going to be alright.

"...In this situation, do you think I'll still readily consider a contract with you?" Shadow asked, seeing Echidna sitting on her chair and pouring tea into the teacups that were distributed on the table.

"No way, you're rejecting me over a little disagreement in opinion? What on earth is the meaning in doing that? Having your emotions temporarily overwhelm you, and so failing to take the correct choice can't be called wise. I recommend looking at reality, and electing for rational thought" She said, to which Shadow closed his eyes.

He just needs one more push. He already confirmed it from something he concluded right from the very beginning, but due to him having the 'Heart' of a Mortal, he just wanted to see a small glimpse in that...Thing...in front of him.

"Actually, there was one thing that I wanted your answer you when I knew about your connection to Roswaal. Once I hear your answer, I might, just might, change my mind about refusing your proposal" He said.

"Hm? Now what could it be?" Echidna asked, awaiting Shadow's question in anticipation.

"Beatrice" He said this only name, and it perked Rem's attention.

"Oh. Yes. I already told you that I was deeply involved in her birth. What about her?" Echidna asked.

"Beatrice has lived her Life for four hundred years under a contract forcing her to wait for 'That Person'. I believe that contract is with you. You're the one keeping her tied up in the Forbidden Library, aren't you?" Shadow asked.

"That's true. The one who arranged for her to guard the Forbidden Library and await until the one who would come for her was me" Echidna answered.

"Then...Mind telling me...Who is 'That Person'?" Shadow asked.

Normally, he shouldn't even bother himself with such a question. He already made up his mind right from the beginning due to something he concluded, but he just wanted to know whether or not there's a shred of empathy still remaining inside of that...Thing...In front of him.

Through her 400 years of solitude, Beatrice had constantly been waiting for someone. Not even Beatrice herself knew who that someone was. Neither Shadow, nor Subaru who managed to yank Beatrice out of the grasps of the contract bounding her to the Library, have any clue. But if Shadow asked for the answer from Echidna herself, who had arranged this appointment with that someone, then-

"I really wonder who could it be?"

...

...

...

"...What?"

As if they were reading each other's minds, Shadow and Rem asked the question in the same breath at the same time.

For the first time ever since he met Echidna, Shadow was...Stunned.

Not even her knew the answer to that question, and it puzzled him even more.

"Even you don't know who it is Beatrice is waiting for?" Shadow asked.

"Nope. I don't" Echidna simply answered.

"But why? Weren't you the one who told her to wait for 'That Person'?" Shadow asked once again, a dreadful feeling suddenly rising in his non-existent organ of a heart.

"It seems that you misunderstood, Shadow Terios. The one who instructed Beatrice to wait for 'That Person' was me. There's no mistake in that. Where you are mistaken is in a more fundamental area" Echidna said.

"Fundamental?" Shadow asked.

"Now just why in the world did I tie that contract with Beatrice? That is where you're misunderstanding. I had Beatrice guard over the Forbidden Library so that she could give its contents over to 'That Person', would be what you're thinking, right?" Echidna asked.

"...Naturally" Shadow muttered, the dreadful feeling rising inside of him and increasing by the second.

"That wasn't my instruction to Beatrice. I tied her to contract, making her wait for 'That Person'... while waiting for the result of just who she would choose as 'That Person'" Echidna answered.

...

...

...

"...What?" For the second time today, Shadow and Rem called out to the Witch of Greed in absolute sync.

"You see, she was created for a specific purpose. But necessity came up for her to stay alive in a fashion differing from her original objective...And for that sake she was distanced from here, where she then needed to be given a goal. It's in the sense of giving that hollow, empty girl a purpose for living, but yes, it's necessary. And so, I tied a contract with her. Preservation of the Forbidden Archive, and its complete transference to the eventually-coming 'That Person'. There're no limitations. Although, that's because they're conditions with no correct solution. She stays alive just as planned, and I can look into the solutions for another research. Don't you find it very logical? Naturally, going four hundred years without choosing anyone is yet another result. As is her not easily choosing THEY from any of those she met through her days. Potentially even her deliberating over whether to violate the contract, and desiring her own Death, is yet another result" Echidna finished, and by the time she did...

Shadow was gritting his teeth, seething in anger, while Rem was covering her mouth with wide eyes from the absolutely shocking and horrifying verdict that she witnessed.

"It can't be...You didn't...You...YOU MONSTER!" Rem muttered in absolute shock, before yelling the last words in complete fury, roaring at Echidna with unrestrained anger.

"...How do you feel about it? How do you feel...About placing your own daughter...Your creation...In all of this agony and suffering...?" Shadow asked from behind his gritted teeth.

"I think it's wonderful" Echidna answered, without any kind of hesitation.

That was it.

The third push.

"Echidna...You are truly a Witch. A monster beyond Mortal and Immortal understanding...And that's why...I won't take your deal...I shall manage by myself...I have managed by myself all of that time. And it won't be you who will sway me from my ways. I shall see the solution to my own problems through to the end...But by my own way, and by the side of MY friends...That is what I decided. End of discussion" Shadow said before standing up. Suddenly, seven small stakes made out of pure light appeared on his torso, causing everyone present to blink at this.

"I decide what I do with my future, and the same is said to everyone else around me" Shadow said before muttering out.

"Seven-Pronged Prison: Release"

The small stakes of light gradually disappeared, scattering into shining glitter. And a few seconds afterwards, a crack in space appeared, followed by a bandaged hand gripping tightly on said space, crumbling it apart in the same manner of crushing a rock, widening the black crack, and out of it came a hooded figure that wore a pale blue cloak that covered its entire being, except for its bandaged hands, and its face was completely obstructed by darkness. with its other arm holding a massive, wicked, human-sized black cross. The figure floated towards Shadow and the Witches, and while Shadow didn't see its eyes, he knew that it was directing a glare towards him.

"My own Fears from a year ago...Are coming to bite me, huh? Well, I won't budge. This is who I am, after all" Shadow said with a determination of steel backing him up.

However, before any kind of action could be taken, everyone gasped upon feeling another signature of the Witch Miasma.

"...She's here" Minerva said with gritted teeth.

"N-No...I...Don't want to...To do anything with th-this..." Carmilla said, trembling in Fear while placing both of her hands on her head.

"At a troublesome spot, a troublesome person, is here to cause some trouble...Haa..." Sekhmet sighed while resting her face on her fist.

"Oh my! I'm feeling very, VERY hungry! Now that we're all here..." Daphne said, licking her lips in a crazed manner, before leaving her tongue to dangle out from between her fanged teeth.

"Oh! Tella! Long time no see!" Typhon cheerfully waved towards the approaching figure, and sensing the aura, as well as coming up to the conclusion of the identity of the newcomer judging by the reactions of the Witches, where even Echidna was glaring at the figure approaching them, Shadow turned his head towards the figure.

"...!"

Right in front of him, with pitch-black darkness cloaking everything from the neck up, there stood the Witch of Envy.

In the Witch's meet up, The Seventh, and most dangerous one appears.

Crossed Thanatos from one side, and Satella from the other side.

What will Shadow do?

---

At the same time. Mount Cordor

"We did it! All three of us!"

"That was...The strangest adventure that I've ever been part of"

"So many deaths 'cause of tha'creatcha. Ma' amazin' self doesn't know whadda do now..."

Otto, Heinkel and Garfiel released sighs of relief upon entering into the grounds of Mount Cordor, glad that the nightmare was over. And as the three stared at the close-to-set sun, they contemplated on their current predicament.

"Don't give up! We know...This is a hidden spot!" Otto exclaimed with a confident smile.

"So I'm not the only one who has the feeling that this happened before?" Heinkel asked, causing Garfiel's eyes to widen in surprise.

"Ya have this feelin' too? Tis weird t'b'honest. Ma amazin' self feels like we've been fightin' th'same fights a few times now" He said, completely stunned.

"What will we do next? We're not the only victims, are we?" Otto asked, worry plastered on his face.

"What 'bout Nee-chan and the Clown's little maid? Ma' amazin' self also thinks that Ram might be the victim" Garfiel said, worry finding its way to his face as well.

"Of course, with the Astrea influence and that pink Oni's power, that bastard can take over the whole world" Heinkel said with a glare, secretly worrying about his son as he looked at his still comatose wife that was held gently in his arms.

"Okay. That sounds crazy, but we have to move. We must help the others. If we sit here for any longer, we will die" Otto said.

"And what if we die?" Heinkel asked, which in turn made Otto smile.

"Then we just try again!" The merchant exclaimed.

"...Ya must've gone nuts, Merchant Boy" Garfiel said while shaking his head at Otto.

"Let's go!" Otto exclaimed once again, before he and his other two companions proceeded to descend Mount Cordor, heading towards Fleur.

---

Unknown Location

Blinking her eyes open, Frederica saw a familiar sight: The Kremaldy Forest's borders overlooking the Sanctuary.

She then saw a scene that made her eyes wide in shock and disbelief.

She saw a devastated carriage in the distance, and a rather luxurious carriage overlooking the crushed carriage from a higher hill. Whoever drove the luxurious carriage drove it off quickly, escaping the scene. Frederica could also see the hand of what appeared to be a woman poking out of the remains of the crushed carriage and a pool of blood rapidly forming underneath it.

And before she could register her emotions on what she had just saw, the world turned white in her eyes, before it instantly turned black.

---

Unknown Location

Blinking her eyes open yet again, Frederica registered her eyesight on another scenery: A black, seemingly endless space. She looked around and apparently she couldn't feel anything inside that void. Concepts were infinitesimal in that void as it was completely beyond them, and archetypes were completely meaningless upon entering it.

Frederica felt that it was impossible for her to be there, but even then, how is she here? How is she breathing? How is she moving? How is she able to think? Heck, how is she not assimilated into nothingness in this space that transcended laws, duality and cause and effect?

However, Frederica placed those thoughts aside, as the previous vision assaulted her mind.

"That was...Mom...?" She asked no one in particular.

"Yes"

"?!"

Hearing a rather familiar voice, Frederica immediately stood up. She didn't have time to care about the fact that she had no footing to stand on, where for some reason she was able to stand up perfectly fine. She only concentrated on the malicious voice of the creature imposing as Subaru, the creature that was trying to take her life.

The same creature that casually walked in the void towards her with no apparent problem.

"Y-You! Leave me alone!" Frederica exclaimed in a mixture of anger and Fear.

"Calm down, darling. If I wanted to kill you now, I've already done it. Isn't it more than enough that I'm giving you permission to even speak in the realm of nothingness that I created? You should be grateful to me" Subaru EXE said while blankly staring at Frederica.

"What do you want?" Frederica asked, not letting her guard down.

"I found some interesting things about you. Well, do you want me to remind you about your past?" Subaru EXE asked.

"First tell me who you are and why do you look like Subaru-sama?" Frederica asked, secretly trying to dodge the offer that the abomination offered to her.

"Fine...I'm a creature of the primordial force of Order, a Highest, some sort of a guardian of the infinite universes and dimensional realms residing as a part of All Creation. We protect you, mortals from evil and stuff...Or that's what I thought it is...Anyways, I'm using your friend's body because I need to hide from the Highests and Order for a while" Subaru EXE answered in a summarized explanation.

"What do you want from me then? Why are you trying to kill me?" Frederica asked angrily.

"Don't make yourself look special. I'm trying to kill you and your other friends for a ritual to regain my true form so that I can stand toe-to-toe against Nazareth-Lite and all of the Highests, not to mention that I want the Master Emerald to complete the ritual..." Subaru EXE said, trailing in his speech after realizing that he said too much. He then crossed his arms and stared at Frederica, who suddenly saw that his form was somehow flickering. It appeared to be a humanoid figure that was pale orange in color, but she couldn't clearly identify its appearance as the flickering was too quick for her eyes to acknowledge.

"Anyways...I know the killer of your mother and can show you who it is, even if you still haven't figured it out. The choice is all yours" Subaru EXE said.

Frederica stared at him silently, her guard dropping down a little. She thought about what Subaru EXE had said to her. Deep down she knew who did this, so there's no need to ask.

But her entire being shivered at the thought.

What would happen if she said 'Yes'? What would happen if she said 'No'? She had no idea, but either way, she knew that something horrible would happen to her regardless of the choice, as right from the very beginning, she was in the merciless claws of the psychopathic cold-blooded killer that was in front of her.

Steeling herself, Frederica answered with...

"...Very well" She muttered.

And the instant she said those words, the same scenery where the devastated carriage that held her mother was shown, followed by the carriage that was overlooking it from above driving away. Frederica fell to her knees and gritted her teeth with tears spilling from her eyes.

It was at that moment...That something inside of her broke...And violently.

In a flash, the scenery reverted back to the black void, with Subaru EXE staring in silence at Frederica, whose body was shaking uncontrollably. Her eyes shadowed by her hair and her fists were clenched so hard her nails dug into her palms.

"Heinkel Astrea...Is he still alive?" Frederica muttered her question.

"He's alive. I think he's near Fleur now, but he will appear soon in Hanumas to head towards the Sanctuary. Trust me..." Subaru EXE answered, before he saw a thin trail of blood coming from Frederica's lips.

She bit into her lips.

"I will kill him with my own hands" She simply said, seething in calm anger, which in turn caused Subaru EXE to grin at her.

"Hehe...Good...Good" He said.

---

A few hours later. Fleur. Nighttime

"I can't believe that we left our hiding spot. That's stupid"

"So ya thought that we're gonna live on that mountain foreva', didnya? Heh"

"That's not funny at all. If we're still alive, then that means that Exeller is pretty weak...For now"

Upon reaching the gates of Fleur city, the three males voiced out their respective opinions regarding their current status.

"Alright, alright, girls. Let's go!" Heinkel exclaimed, smirking mockingly as he glanced at Garfiel before going past the gates of the town, with Otto following him. However, before Garfiel marched after them, he gasped as he realized something within Heinkel's words.

"Girls?! Who th'heck ya callin' a girl?!" He shouted angrily.

"Tinsel-san" Otto called to Garfiel with a grumble, causing Garfiel to growl at this, before following both Otto and Heinkel inside the city of Fleur.

---

A few hours ago. Kremaldy Forest. Nighttime

For hours, both Lucas and Petra traversed through the Kremaldy Forest, trying to find the lead to The Sanctuary.

Through the journey, Petra's head was completely scrambled. How couldn't it be? Nobody can blame her. Her parents got killed, someone tried to kill for reasons unknown and her childhood friend was subjected to a curse that causes him constant pain. It was too overwhelming for a 12-year-old child.

"Hm? What's happening?" She was snapped out from her thoughts when she felt the world getting darker. Looking up, she noticed that the clouds suddenly darkened. It seems that it was going to rain. It was sure to appear to be a gloomy day-

Wait.

How would that even happen? They were in the Red-sun season, which, in Subaru's own naming sense, was the season of Summer. This was the season where rain wasn't supposed to fall. It was illogical for that to happen.

Suddenly, Petra gasped as she saw Lucas falling face-first to the ground, twisting in pain as sweat ran down his entire body.

"Lucas! What's going on?!" She asked him in shock and worry, but all she got in response was Lucas' pained groans as the boy tightly hugged himself with his arms, desperately trying to stop the pain from growing, but in vain.

"She has to be somewhere there!"

"?!"

And as if her body had a mind of its own, upon hearing the familiar voice, Petra immediately hid inside a bush and pulled Lucas as well inside it, as she saw Execun flying above them.

"Exeller felt her here, and she is not alone. Forget about screwing her brains out. Let's just find and kill her. I'm getting sick of this place" Execun groaned, trying to look for Petra.

Said girl had her eyes widened and pupils shrunken as tightly clamped her mouth with both of her hands, trying to desperately not make any sound so that Execun won't catch both her and Lucas.

"Pet...ra..." Lucas whispered in a pained voice, causing Petra, who was still wide-eyed in Fear and horror, to cast her still wide eyes at him, still covering her mouth with her hands.

"You have...To get out of...Here..." Lucas whispered.

"No...I can't leave without you" Petra whispered back, taking her hands off her mouth to answer.

"Leave me, Petra...I'm done for...You must survive...For me...And everyone else..." Lucas still fought back against Petra's objection to his order, and in response, Petra shook her head rapidly in protest.

"Go, Petra...Please...I lost my parents...But I can't afford to lose you...Don't worry about me...Just worry...About yourself...You have to survive...Please..." He whispered to her, before groaning in pain as he tightened his grip on his sides with his arms.

Petra just stared at him wide-eyed. As much as she wanted to deny it, Lucas was right. Since as of now, he was completely disabled. Whatever power that he used a few hours ago is now unavailable due to the curse eating away at his body, and Petra couldn't take him with her, because he will weigh her down, preventing her from escaping from that monster. But at the same time, she didn't want to leave her childhood friend alone. If left there, she couldn't imagine what will the creature do to him.

"N-No! I won't leave you! I will help you, Lucas!" Petra exclaimed quietly, and Lucas, who was already tired from fighting off the pain of the curse, silently succumbed to Petra's resolve, to which Petra proceeded to lift Lucas up on her back, before crawling in the bushes.

She made her way towards Elior Forest, careful not to get detected by those two horrid creatures that were coming for their lives. An hour later, by hiding in the bushes while timing her movements, as well as taking Subaru's stealth training to heart by silencing her movements and lowering the sound of her breathing, Petra managed to get to the other side safely, successfully reaching Elior Forest, and within the snow-filled forest, Petra immediately hid herself and Lucas behind the nearest tree to herself as Execun was seen flying around the perimeter of the forest.

"Grr...She was here. No no...She couldn't just escape from here! Exeller will erase me! I have to find her!" Execun growled in anger, looking left and right, and a few minutes of floating around passed, before Execun left Elior Forest. At the same time he did so, Lucas growled and woke up.

"Petra. You...You saved me?" He asked, slightly stunned at this.

"Yes. I know that it was dangerous, and I understand how you wanted me to save myself and disregard you. My mother taught me to avoid anything dangerous, but she also taught me to help others in need" Petra said, which in turn caused Lucas to smile brightly at her, despite half of his face being surrounded by dark brown pulsating veins.

"Heh...I forgot how kind you are, Petra. Thanks a lot for saving me" He said, which made Petra crack a small smile on her face.

"It's alright. I just thought that if I lost my friend, I'll just...Lose Hope" She said.

"When someone loses Hope, they can make terrible things. I'm glad you saved me, Petra" Lucas said.

"I just hope that my friends are okay. I know they are. Ram-neesama maybe a slacker, but I do know that she is more than capable of doing anything when she sets her mind on it. And Frederica-neesama...Hehehe...She's the bravest person I've ever seen...She has her own fears, but I'm sure that she will overcome them" Petra said while giggling as the pictures of those two women appeared in her mind.

"Oh! And Otto-sama, Subaru-sama and Shadow-sama! They're best friends! And they're incredible, smart, brave and...And..." Petra was losing her breath from excitedly speaking about her friends and loved ones.

"You seem to dearly love those people. I understand that they love you back as much as you love them" Lucas said.

"I just hope that they're alive. That's all. Anyways, it seems that we entered Elior Forest instead of the Sanctuary? What should we do? Should we go back to the direction of the Sanctuary?" Petra suggested, causing Lucas to shake his head.

"No. Those creatures are still looking for us, so the best we could do is to take a U-Turn from Costuul and then head to Fleur. I'm sure we can ask for a Dragon Carriage there to take us to the Sanctuary if you brought out Roswaal-sama's name to them. The Capital city would be a bad idea. I think that this creature had already thought about the possibility of us being there" Lucas said.

"I see. Alright. Let's move now or else they might catch us" Petra said, before she and Lucas proceeded to make their way to Fleur.

---

Fleur. Nighttime

"Alright. We've entered Fleur territory"

Heinkel looked around at the surroundings, finding it really weird that everything was silent.

"Can we speed it up? The nose of Ma' amazin' self is about to fall off from the stench in th'air" Garfiel said, pinching his sensitive nose from the putrid smell of blood. Otto and Heinkel were in agreement as well, as the smell increased with every step they took inside the city.

Garfiel's eyes blinked upon seeing a rather familiar person that was on its knees, sobbing in front of the corpse of what appeared to be a little kid.

"Oi...Isn't that one of that Clown's maids? Th'lil one of 'em...?" Garfiel asked, to which Otto's eyes widened in surprise.

"Petra-chan!" He called out before sprinting to the girl.

"Hey! Merchant Boy! Wait up! Tis dangerous!" Garfiel yelled to Otto before sprinting behind him, followed by Heinkel following both of them suit.

---

Flashback. A few minutes ago

As both of them finally reached the city of Fleur, Lucas suddenly gasped and stopped in his advance, causing Petra to stop as well, noticing her friend gasping for breath before he fell to his knees.

"Lucas? What's wrong?" Petra asked in worry.

"It seems...That this creature...Is trying to...Trying to..." Lucas was struggling to take the words out from his mouth as the veins surrounding now enveloped his left half completely, pulsating rapidly, faster than even his heartbeat.

"What? What's happening?" Petra asked him once again, even more worried. It was then when Lucas flashed a weak smile towards Petra.

"I'm sorry, Petra...You'll have to...Continue to survive...Without me..." Lucas muttered out, causing Petra's eyes to widen in shock and Fear.

"What?! No! I didn't save you so that I would watch you die! We started this together, and we end this together, Lucas!" Petra said, glaring at Lucas.

"Sorry, Petra...But this time...You'll have to leave me...Please...We don't have a choice or even the time to think about this..." Lucas pleaded, but it seemed to him that Petra was not relenting, which in turn caused him to sigh.

"I'm sorry, Petra..." He muttered, before suddenly, a dome of Earth surrounded Lucas as he invoked Earth Magic to cast an Ul Dona around himself. This made Petra gasp as she reached for the dome and screamed out to Lucas.

"Lucas! What are you doing?! Release your magic now!" She yelled to him.

"Petra...I...I don't want to hurt you, but I'm losing control of myself, so if you won't kill me or leave me behind...Then I'll just have to kill myself then" Lucas said.

"No! Please! There must be another way! Lucas, I'm begging you! Don't do that!" Petra yelled, tears starting to fall from her eyes.

"Thank you, Petra...You're such a wonderful person...I'm glad that I was your childhood friend..." Lucas said, his voice now laced with sobs, before suddenly, Petra could hear the sound of flesh being torn and pierced through, and a few seconds later, the Earth dome collapsed, revealing that Lucas impaled his entire body with Earth spikes, before falling motionlessly on the ground, which in turn made Petra fall to her knees, her tears falling to the ground as she looked at Lucas' mangled corpse.

"It wasn't...*hic*...Supposed to be like this...*hic*...We're just kids...Why...Why do we have to...*hic*...Go through such an ordeal...?" Petra asked the one question that she knew very well that she won't have an answer to, no matter how much she asked.

Flashback End

---

"Petra-chan! Thank Od you're alright! Are you hurt anywhere?!"

"?!"

Otto's voice alerted Petra, who looked at him from the corner of her teary eyes.

"Otto-sama...I...I came here with my childhood friend, Lucas. We tried to escape from those weird creatures that were trying to kill us, but Lucas...He...He..." Petra couldn't find the energy to finish her words, as what happened a few minutes ago was still tearing her heart as she was speaking.

"Huh? What? Did he kill himself?" Garfiel asked, only to groan upon getting an elbow to his ribs, courtesy of Heinkel.

"Try to be more sensitive, brat" Heinkel muttered as he and Garfiel glared at each other. Heinkel then noticed a red shining object in Lucas's pocket. He then gave Louanna to Garfiel, before he reached for Lucas' corpse for the shining object, only to take it out and see that it was a fist-sized red gem. Heinkel blinked upon realizing the familiar sensation that the gem gave.

"That's...One of those gems that hold massive power. The same one as that huge green gem that I saw back then" He said while inspecting the gem. He then sighed before pocketing the gem in his pants' pocket, before he walked to Louanna and picked her up from Garfiel's arms. He then looked at Petra, who was still on her knees, sobbing her eyes out.

"We must go" Heinkel said, silently mourning the kid.

"Let's go, Petra. We have to hurry and find a way to the Sanctuary" Otto said.

"F-Fine..." Petra said before standing up and proceeded to follow Heinkel. However, she stopped and looked at Lucas' corpse, and this made Heinkel turn around, having not heard Petra's footsteps behind him.

"Hey, kid. We have to hurry. We must fetch a Dragon Carriage to the Sanctuary. They'll surely help us there" Heinkel said, causing Petra to look at the boys with her sobbing face.

"I-I'm sorry...But please...Can we at least...Bury Lucas? I can't leave him like...That..." Petra said, causing Heinkel to look at her with narrowed, sad eyes, before he suddenly saw his son as a five-year-old, wearing a simple white T-shirt and brown shorts, in the place of Petra, standing and crying while looking at him.

"I'm sorry, Father...It's my fault that Honored Grandmother died...It's my fault that Honored Grandfather hates you...I'm...I'm a monster..."

He gritted his teeth at this bitter, awful memory. He couldn't believe what he did to his son. Shuning him away, where he was the one who should have sheltered him from the entire world, but his Grief and Despair over the possibility that his wife would never wake up had blinded him, and made him shift the blame on Reinhard, his own son, his flesh and blood.

If only he was brave enough...If only he rejected his 'Mother's Intuition'...If only he was a better father...

"I will survive...I will apologize to Reinhard...Even if he doesn't accept it...I will apologize to him even more, and I won't stop...Even if he cuts me down after I apologize...I'll just be glad that I said it to him..." He thought.

Garfiel looked at the scene in front of him. He also saw himself in Petra, his young self who stubbornly entered the Witch Tomb, only for all of it to result in the scar that he had on his forehead.

"Why...Why did she leave me...She's a liar...All of them are liars..."

Garfiel wanted to do something about this. He wanted to take the girl in his arms and hug her tightly. He wanted to rub her back gently. He wanted to pat her while she was wailing. He wanted to assure her that everything was alright.

But he knew that he would be a hypocrite if he said that.

Otto, on the other hand, looked at the scene in silence, not knowing what to tell Petra. She must have been through an ordeal way worse than them, and he could figure that out judging by her expression only.

"...Very well, but let's make it quick" Otto said.

A few minutes later, with the help of the three males, they managed to make a grave for Lucas, and written on the grave was the following words.

'Lucas. A young and brave young man'

Afterwards, they left the grave, with Petra looking at it one last time, waving goodbye to her childhood friend, before she followed the boys to their destination.

---

A few minutes later

"Alright. We managed to find a Dragon Carriage and an Earth Dragon to boot. Lucky us"

Heinkel sighed in relief upon readying the Dragon Carriage, with Petra entering the Carriage, sitting next to Louanna who lied peacefully on the platform of the carriage, blissfully unaware of the carnage that was spreading around her. Otto fastened the reins on the Earth Dragon, while Garfiel checked on the wheels of the carriage.

"Heinkel-sama...Who is this woman?" Petra asked Heinkel.

"Huh? Oh...That's my wife" Heinkel answered.

"Why is she...Asleep?" Petra asked, confused that despite all of the commotion that they were in, Louanna didn't even steer from her sleep.

"Well...She's affected with a disease that makes her unable to wake up. It's been already seventeen years, and she hasn't woken up" Heinkel answered once again.

"Oh...I'm sorry..." Petra muttered, but Heinkel shrugged his shoulders at her.

"It's okay, kid. You didn't know..." Heinkel said, before sighing out, wiping the sweat that accumulated on his forehead.

"Awrite. What's our next step?" Garfiel asked after checking that everything in the carriage was alright.

"Maybe we can find Frederica-neesama and-" Petra was about to suggest, but Heinkel cut her off.

"She'll be fine. Let's focus on our main task" Heinkel said, slightly grumbling upon hearing Frederica's name.

"W-What? Why? She might be in danger" Petra said in slight panic, worrying about Frederica by the second. Otto saw this and decided to break the argument.

"Heinkel-san, Tinsel-san. I'm going to check on the supplies that we need for the trip. Petra-chan, please come with me. I'll need your help" Otto said, which in turn caused Petra to nod as she stepped out of the carriage and followed Otto.

"Fine, but don' be late" Garfiel called for both of them as they disappeared in the distance.

Otto and Petra entered a shop, and started collecting food and supplies from it.

"Umm...Otto-sama?" Petra called out to Otto.

"Yes, Petra-chan?" Otto asked back.

"Why did Heinkel-sama...Talk about Frederica-neesama like that?" Petra asked, causing Otto to sigh at her, before speaking.

"You see, Petra-chan...Heinkel-sama...Was involved in the accident that killed Frederica-san's mother more than ten years ago..." Otto answered in a solemn tone, causing Petra to gasp in shock.

"Oh my Od! W-Why?! Why did he do this?!" Petra asked in shock.

"It was an accident, Petra-chan. Heinkel-sama had no reason to kill Frederica-san's mother, but I guess he's just ashamed from the prospect of meeting with Frederica-san, as he takes all the blame on himself" Otto said.

"I...I see..." Petra muttered, her eyes narrowing in Sadness upon hearing the short story.

"Let's not waste our time, okay? Let's go" Otto said, before he and Petra exited the shop with the rations in hand.

---

A few minutes later

"We're back. Oh? Where's Tinsel-san?"

"Kid said that he wanted to take a leak. But I've been waiting for him for minutes"

Upon reaching the soon-to-be departing Dragon Carriage, Otto expressed his confusion upon seeing that Garfiel was absent from the group. And upon hearing Heinkel explaining where he was, Otto and Petra proceeded to place the rations inside the carriage, before Otto went ahead and dusted off his clothes.

"Very well. I'll go and check on him. Petra-chan, I need you to be by Heinkel-sama's side while I return" Otto said, which in turn caused Petra to nod silently, before seeing Otto heading to the direction that Heinkel pointed out to him.

Little did he or anyone knew...That Otto Suwen was walking right to his grave.

---

A few minutes later

"Tinsel-san? Are you there?"

Entering a silent house, Otto called for Garfiel, as the house he entered was the house Heinkel pointed out to him as the place that Garfiel entered to relieve himself.

THUD!

"?!"

Just then, Otto jumped slightly upon hearing the sound of something hitting the floor. He blinked upon hearing the sounds of footsteps approaching him.

"Tinsel-san? Is that you? Boy, you sure gave me a...Scare...There..." Otto's eyes widened slowly and he trailed in his speech upon seeing who approached him. It wasn't Garfiel.

"Hehehe...Garf didn't want to cooperate with me...Maybe you'll be wiser, Otto-sama?"

It was Frederica, but something was very, VERY wrong with her.

Her clawed hands were filled with blood, her eyes were so wide that the pupils shrunk inside of them to the point that it was that close to vanishing, and in one of her clawed hands was the bloodied head of Garfiel being held by the hair, his mouth wide open and his eyes rolling up to the back of his head.

That made all the alarm bells go off inside of Otto's head.

"F-Frederica-san?! Is that Tinsel-san's head in your hands?! W-What is wrong with you?!" Otto asked in shock and horror. He knew that one false move meant instant Death.

"I killed my brother...Because he didn't want to tell me where Heinkel is...Yes, I killed Garf...AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I KILLED MY BROTHER WITH MY OWN HANDS! BUT ENOUGH OF THAT, THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT! TELL ME WHERE HEINKEL IS! I KNOW HE'S HERE!" Frederica answered, before yelling like a maniac and cackling madly.

"F-Frederica-san...You need help...Just calm down...Let's just find you your pills and everything will be okay" Otto calmly said, trying to defuse the situation with any possible way.

Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect.

"It seems like you don't want to cooperate with me too..."

As she muttered this, Frederica lunged at Otto, and the next thing Otto knew was that his world turned black, along with the sound of blood splattering.

---

A few minutes later

"Damn...They're too late"

"What is taking them so long? I wonder if something happened..."

Heinkel grumbled in annoyance, and Petra expressed her anxiety.

"I want to go to see what happened to those two, but...I just can't leave you alone, kid" Heinkel said to Petra.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to hinder you..." Petra said in a sad tone.

"No, don't be. You're not hindering me or anything, kid. You did nothing wrong at all" Heinkel said to Petra, before sighing and scratching the back of his head. Both Petra and Heinkel then looked in front of them, watching a figure approaching them. But as it got closer, their eyes widened in shock and horror by the second.

"Is that...?" Heinkel trailed in his speech, unable to find the words to express what he was seeing.

"...Frederica-neesama?" Petra asked, gasping upon seeing Frederica's bloodied form, holding the blood-drenched heads of both Otto and Garfiel in each hand, with an expression of horror plastered on each of their faces.

But what was more shocking was the fact that her eyes were so wide and she had a creepy smile on her face.

"Oh, Petra! You sweet, cute, little girl! You found Henky, huh?" Frederica asked.

"Frederica-neesama! What...What happened to you...? And...Is that...?" Petra muttered, her feelings being a mixture of happiness and horror. Happiness because she was glad that Frederica was alive, and horror because she was literally covered in blood, with the heads of their friends in her hands.

"Wait, kid. Can't you see? Her body is covered in blood, and she has the heads of the two boys in her hands. She must be an imposter. She's already dead" Heinkel commented in a low voice to Petra, his hand arriving at the hilt of his sword.

"I can hear you whispering over there. Now, Petra. Be a good little girl and hand over Heinkel, nice and easy" Frederica said, her crazy expression never leaving her.

"W-Why are the heads of Otto-sama and Garfiel-san is in your hands, Frederica-neesama...?" Petra asked, her body starting to shake from Fear.

"Those fools tried to stop me...It didn't work out...For them, that is..." Frederica answered before dropping the heads of Otto and Garfiel on the ground in front of her, and right afterwards, she delivered a powerful stomp to each of their heads, causing them to blow and splatter apart in a mix of blood, brains, brain matter and bones. The sight caused Heinkel to recoil in shock and for Petra to gasp in horror upon witnessing the scene.

"And now...The same thing will happen to you!"

"?!"

Just then, Frederica lunged at Heinkel, who was the nearest. However, Heinkel managed to dodge and deliver a kick to Frederica, sending her back.

"WE HAVE TO RUN! NOW!" Heinkel roared out to Petra, before jumping towards the carriage, entering it and making his way to the driver's seat. He then cracked the reins of the Earth Dragon violently, causing it to run at full speed and make its way outside the gates of Fleur city.

A few minutes into the journey, however, the carriage suddenly tumbled, and a wheel was completely destroyed, causing it to flip slightly, dropping Heinkel off the driver seat and sending Petra out of the carriage and onto the floor of the Lifaus Highway. It was at that time where Frederica walked to both Petra and Heinkel. Petra was fine, but Heinkel was seemingly knocked out due to having hit his head on a rock in the road.

"Frederica-neesama, please! You don't have to do this! I don't understand all the details about what happened with you and Heinkel-sama, but now is not the time for vengeance! We need his help!" Petra pleaded with Frederica, whose eyes and shoulders were constantly twitching every few seconds while staring at Petra and the seemingly unconscious Heinkel on the ground.

"To rescue Subaru, right? Subaru is dead...Never mind him. Now just...LET ME KILL HEINKEL!" Frederica yelled from the top of her lungs, brandishing her claws and lunging at both Petra and Heinkel, but before she could do anything, Heinkel's eyes snapped open, and he acted immediately, brandishing the Holy Sword Astrea in his hand and slashed at Frederica.

She didn't grunt from the pain, as pain meant nothing to her, but she recoiled a few meters back from the hit, her face facing the opposite direction due to the sword slash Heinkel delivered. A few moments later, she turned around to them, her right eye being slashed and closed shut, with her right cheek being completely torn from its place, leaving a huge patch of opened flesh that oozed blood from it.

But Frederica didn't seem to care at all. She was just glaring maniacally at both of Petra and Heinkel.

"Now I want to kill you both even more than before..." She muttered, before the sight of Otto EXE and Garfiel EXE entered into the visions of both Petra and Heinkel, prompting them to run for their lives.

[Sonic EXE: Whisper of Souls OST - Vs Crazy Amy]

As they ran towards their destination, with Heinkel holding Louanna on his shoulder, Petra saw as Garfiel EXE was nearing her as Heinkel was already a few steps ahead of her. Looking up, she noticed Otto EXE flying above their heads using a Griffin Mabeast, dropping boulders down on them which in turn caused Petra to occasionally dodge them as some missed their mark. Garfiel EXE was closing the distance on both Petra and Heinkel. The latter saw this, clicked his tongue, and reached for his pouch, taking out a Lagmite, before throwing at behind him. The Lagmite hit Garfiel EXE head on, blasting him away and sending him toppling back on the road.

Frederica EXE made a mad dash at both of them, brandishing her claws. Petra was in her way, but she didn't care. She would just tear through the little girl to get to Heinkel. Petra saw this and spun around in her sprint.

"Jiwald!" She yelled, firing a thin beam of light from her finger at Frederica, hitting her in the shoulder head on, and sending her also flying back at Garfiel EXE, who just recovered and was continuing to pursue his targets, but Frederica was sent flying back at him, knocking him off his feet and sending him toppling back on the road once again.

As they ran for another few minutes, Petra and Heinkel saw as Frederica was clutching on the legs of the Griffin Mabeast that Otto EXE was riding on, which caused Petra to gasp, as she realized that Frederica was aiming directly at Heinkel from above. She also saw the figure of Garfiel EXE, having jumped upwards and was descending on her. Petra now concluded that Frederica and Otto EXE were aiming at Heinkel, while Garfiel EXE was aiming at her. And this gave her an idea.

She increased her speed, running as fast as she could towards Heinkel, and at the same exact moment where Frederica was about to jump down at Heinkel.

"NOW!"

"?!"

Petra then tackled Heinkel to the ground, sending him forward. At the same time, before Frederica could jump down, Garfiel EXE descended down on her, Otto EXE and the Griffin Mabeast. His fist knocked both Frederica and Otto EXE from the air and cleaved the Griffin Mabeast in half.

This gave Petra and Heinkel enough time to recover as they continued running towards their destination. But a few seconds after they continued running, a brief flash of light assaulted their eyes, and in the next instant, both Petra and Heinkel found themselves making a free fall from cloud altitude.

"What the hell?!" Heinkel immediately cursed, placing both hands on Louanna, who was still resting on his shoulder.

As they were free-falling, Petra saw Frederica above them, before invisible blades of wind found themselves surrounding Frederica, before being launched at them. Heinkel, realizing that he can't do anything while falling from such high altitude, Heinkel took Louanna from his shoulder and hugged her tightly to protect her from the barrage of wind blades. The blades kept on digging into Heinkel's flesh, slowly chipping away at it, and Heinkel was hissing in pain as blood came out from the cuts that resulted on his back due to the wind blades.

Petra saw this and realized that she must do something before Heinkel and Louanna are torn apart. She then placed both her hands beneath her and called out.

"Jiwald!" She yelled, firing two thin beams of light from her two fingers, with the recoil propelling her upwards towards Frederica, who was occupied with firing wind blades at Heinkel. This gave Petra the chance to counterattack as she saw an opening.

"Lumina!"

"?!"

A sphere of light found itself manifesting instantly in Petra's extended palm, blinding Frederica and causing her to stop firing wind blades at Heinkel. Petra took this as a chance, before she delivered a kick to Frederica, sending her away from her while they were falling.

Having seen danger being casted away for the moment, Petra dove towards Heinkel, before she placed her hands on his shoulders. She then closed her eyes, envisioning her Rune Stone Skill, trying to find an image of an object to replicate in order to cushion their fall and save them from being turned to red paste.

"A cushion!" She exclaimed, before aiming her outstretched arm that was glowing pink to the ground beneath them, and in a few seconds, a building-sized white cushion found itself materializing in the manner of pink glass-like fragments manifesting out of thin air and fusing together, changing their color from pink to white as they were combined together to create the huge pillow. Petra, Heinkel and the comatose Louanna fell right on the cushion, with the cushion slowly being inflated by the collective mass of their bodies, before being brought to a halt as they descended safely to the ground, with the cushion breaking their fall.

The cushion then slowly dissipated into pink glass-like fragments, disappearing in the same manner as it appeared, leaving Petra and Heinkel, who safely planted their feet on the ground. They then gasped upon seeing something descending a few meters away from them with a 'BOOM' sound. Dust kicked out from the area where the object descended. The object was later revealed to be Frederica, her maid outfit torn to shreds due to the fall, with only her undergarments serving to hide her nudity.

But she was still glaring like a maniac at them.

She then lunged at them, causing Heinkel to grit his teeth. He then placed Louanna on the ground, before he reached for his pouch, taking out another Lagmite. He then threw it at the lunging Frederica, before he himself ran in a straight line towards her.

The two were closing on each other, and Heinkel's body glowed in a blue hue as he activated his Rune Stone Skill, rearing his fist back as he saw the Lagmite slowly descending in between him and Frederica.

This was the moment where Heinkel swung his fist forward, slamming it into the Lagmite, and causing a blinding blast of light to engulf the area, causing Petra to cover her eyes.

[Music Ends]

A few seconds later, the light faded, promoting Petra to rub her eyes, only to see the result of Heinkel's attack.

A massive crater, about two hundred meters wide and one hundred meters deep found itself on the road, steam was coming out from the corners of the crater, being completely vaporized to the point that neither rubble, nor dust remained.

Petra looked at her side only to see Louanna still sleeping peacefully, ignorant of the mini war that was happening around her. She then looked at the crater, only to gasp as she saw the completely naked form of Frederica being right on top of the unconscious Heinkel, grinning like a maniac as she raised one of her claws upwards, intending on splattering Heinkel's head to paste.

"Finally! You're mine now!" Frederica exclaimed, which caused Petra to sprint towards her with whatever energy she had left. She then stopped a few meters away from her, with Frederica noticing this. She saw from the corner of her eye as Petra raised her outstretched right arm and pointed her finger at her.

"Frederica-neesama...Please! I still have enough mana to shoot one last Jiwald. And I don't want to do this!" Petra exclaimed, her arm shaking despite being supported by her other free left hand. Tears starting to fall down her eyes at the idea of killing her big sister figure.

"You don't understand, Petra! I thought that I forgave him, but no! I just kept it inside of me!" Frederica exclaimed.

"Please...It's not the time...Frederica-neesama..." Petra muttered, her heart breaking even more.

"I...Just...Can't..." Frederica muttered, her body shaking uncontrollably.

"Frederica-neesama...Please...Don't make me do this...I already lost lots of people...My parents and my childhood friend are gone...You are everything I have now...Please...I don't want to lost more people..." Petra said, gritting her teeth as the tears flew even more from her eyes and her arm was shaking. She was aiming at her and there was no way that she could miss, but she didn't want to resort to that.

"LET ME KILL HIM!" Frederica yelled from the top of her lungs, moments of swinging down her claw at Heinkel.

"I...I...FREDERICA-NEESAMA!"

"?!"

Yelling her name out, Petra realized that she had no other way of solving this, and invoked her magic, shooting a beam of light at Frederica, piercing her back and making a hole in between her breasts.

This caused Frederica to gasp, the crazed expression on her face fading instantly, and her clawed arm that was raised above her head ready to strike down Heinkel fell limply on her side, before she herself fell on her back on the ground, a pool of blood soon forming at a rapid rate underneath her body.

Petra then dashed towards her, reaching her and kneeling beside her, tears flowing down from her eyes as she looked in complete devastation at Frederica's dying form.

"Frederica-neesama...I...I..." Petra muttered. She wanted to say that she was sorry for shooting her, but she also knew that it won't change the fact that she shot and killed her.

Frederica smiled weakly, tears building at the corners of her eyes, before she raised her hand, now having returned to normal, on Petra's cheek.

"Shh...It's okay...The last thing...I want to see...Is your smile...Not your tears...You did the right choice...I...I became...A monster...You...Stopped me..." She muttered, her facing growing even paler and her body becoming even colder by the second.

"Heinkel-sama didn't kill your parents...He...He..." Petra started to speak, but the Sadness at losing her big sister figure engulfing her completely, making her unable to speak.

"Deep down...I knew that...But I just...Didn't want to...Accept it..." Frederica muttered, with Petra closing her eyes tightly, but that didn't stop the tears from flowing from her eyes.

"Why...Why did you make me do this...Why did you make me kill you...?" Petra muttered her question.

"You...Didn't kill me, Petra...You...Freed me...I lived my years all alone...My little brother hated me because I abandoned him...But then...You came...And in this...Short while...I gained a little sister...That's what I...Always wanted..." Frederica whispered, her voice becoming lower by the second.

"I'm really...Really...Sorry...Frederica-neesama..." Petra muttered between her sobs, tightly hugging Frederica's cold arm to her cheek.

"Live...A good life...For me...Pe...Tra..." With those last words, Frederica's arm became limb, with Petra's hands being the only thing supporting it to her cheek.

Frederica Baumann was dead.

"H-Huh...I'm alive? What...Happened...?" Heinkel asked, having woken up a few seconds after Frederica's last words to Petra. One look at Frederica's corpse and Petra hugging Frederica's cold arm and he knew.

"Petra, you...You saved me?" He asked, before seeing the little girl stand up, tears still riddling her eyes.

"We need to get to the Sanctuary and obtain the Master Emerald...Please...Let's just go..." Petra muttered, to which Heinkel nodded in silence, deciding to respect the little girl's Grief, before both of them got out of the crater and to the Dragon Carriage to fix it.

A few kilometers away, beside the fallen Flugel Tree, Subaru EXE was watching and hearing the display.

"Those words...I remember them...Seems like I'm not the only one who had a ruthless past..." Subaru EXE muttered, before grumbling in annoyance.

"With all these thoughts, I became more sentimental...I can't give up just because some girl died just like-"

"Just like Laura and Phil died?"

"?!"

A new voice rang in Subaru EXE's ears. He looked to see Nyarlathotep walking towards him, but the owner of the voice was another person.

It was a purple anthropomorphic rabbit with yellow eyes, dressed in a turquoise dress, a pink skirt, black pants underneath the skirt, blue shoes and a blue headband tied to one of her ears.

"Oh. Alice. It seems that you decided to show up. Also, don't you dare mention their names. All of this is your father, Assiah-Lite's fault to have banished me. Now, Nazareth-Lite is taking over all of the Highests and will soon initiate a war against the Mortal Realm" Subaru EXE said with gritted teeth.

"And need I remind you who killed Assiah-Lite? It was you, Exeller" Nyarlathotep said, causing Subaru EXE to click his tongue.

"Maybe it was indeed my father's fault, but you had a chance to change your Fate...But you didn't. You chose to become a...Villain" Alice said in anger, to which Subaru EXE shrugged his shoulders.

"Villain? I prefer the term...A victim of certain circumstances..." He muttered, causing Alice and Nyarlathotep to roll their eyes at this.

"That aside, I came to inform you of something. The timeline was reset for over fifteen times. Adding now will be sixteen. But it wasn't with the use of the Master Emerald...It was through that Mortal that you are possessing. I'm sure you know what that means, right?" Alice said, to which Subaru EXE stared at the ground in silence.

"The power of Authorities are truly interesting. Not to mention why this young Mortal was significant to you. Aside from the fact that he is not your spiritual animal, there's also the factor where he easily got accustomed to the power of the Seither's Life Energy aspect...He's not a Mortal. He's an Apex...Just like Atzulith-Lite" Nyarlathotep said, and yet Subaru EXE said nothing.

"Exeller...I understand what happened at the previous Rounds of Hell. The Mobian Mortals managed to repel you, but you escaped from them, but at the cost of losing all of your powers. At that time, Sonic the Hedgehog managed to harness the power of Chaos Energy residing in the Chaos Emeralds, transforming into the Dark State. And you should already know that harnessing the true power of the Seither's Chaos Energy aspect is just like the Primal Force of Chaos' version of the Purebloods' avatars. The powers were dormant inside that Mortal Human, where they awoke the moment you possessed his body and your Seither fused with his mana Gate. It also had an effect on his Authority of Envy, which allows him to be capable of resetting the timeline, but it seems like he can't control it properly yet. The resets come out due to outbursts in emotions" Alice said to the still silent Subaru EXE.

"...Maybe...It would have been much better if I never existed...Less problems...Less pain..." He muttered under his breath, not caring that a burst of white light came out from his chest.

"There is something else that I wanted to tell you, Exeller..." Alice said as she and Nyarlathotep looked calmly as the light came out from Subaru EXE's chest.

"The timeline was reset for sixteen times, but I promise you...That this will be the last time the timeline will be reset in...They will survive, and they will defeat us all, whether you like it or not..." Alice said.

And with those words, light instantly engulfed the entire world, with the same last words that echoed throughout the universe being heard for the last time, but on deaf ears.

"I want them to live..."

---

Memory Fragment File #21

"We have to help whoever is there!"

Heinkel roared as he jumped off the carriage, and was going to sprint down the hill to try and save whoever was in the carriage that was devastated and save them, only to be restrained and stopped by two Knights that were riding with him on the carriage.

"Deputy Commander Heinkel! Please calm down!" One of the Knights called out to Heinkel.

"Please! You have to stop this sir!" The other Knight said.

"No! They might be alive! We have to save them!" Heinkel yelled trying to wrestle his grasp from the two Knights. It was then when Marcos got out of the carriage and grabbed a hold of Heinkel.

"Stop this, Heinkel. You are ruining your image as the Deputy Commander even further" Marcos said.

"What the hell do you mean by this?! There's someone in this carriage, Marcos! Surely you want to save them too, right?!" Heinkel yelled his question out at Marcos, who didn't even flinch from Heinkel yelling at him.

"No, I don't. Look at the carriage. It's completely crushed. Whoever is down there is probably crushed to Death. We can't do anything about it" Marcos calmly answered, before the door of the carriage opened, revealing Bordeaux Zellgef, who was still seated inside, casting a glare at the frantic Heinkel.

"Heinkel Astrea! It was an accident that the Earth Dragon of our carriage had hit a boulder that caused the landslide that crushed this carriage down the hill! Stop being so stubborn and foolish in trying to save a Life that has already been snuffed out!" Bordeux growled his response at Heinkel.

"So you are trying to say that we should ignore the fact that we killed someone, even if it was by accident, and do not even take the blame for it?!" Heinkel yelled, to which Bordeux nodded.

"Yes! I am saying so! And if you dare to try and say anything to Mikolotov-sama, I will personally see it that you and your son will never have a good day in your lives ever again, and I shall see it to ruin your lives more than they are ruined!" Bordeaux yelled at Heinkel, and this threat apparently made Heinkel stop struggling in Marcos' grip, which in turn made Marcos and the other two Knights release him, where he wordlessly walked to the carriage and sat inside.

The last thing he looked at as the carriage moved to the Capital city was the sight of the devastated carriage underneath the rocks.

Memory Fragment File #21: End

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And Done!

Alright! So far the longest chapter I have ever made! And with the Crazy Frederica Ending as well! I'm satisfied!

Now for the comments.

As always, thank you Reaper 10398 for your flawless, relentless support.

Yes, I WILL crush Roswaal, but he's still a valuable asset to set aside, so I will crush him mercilessly, but sadly, he will still be alive because the plot demands it.

As for the second comment, well, I guess this chapter pretty much answered everything you wanted to ask there.

On a side note, I would love to introduce the new names for the Seither Demons here.

Blade Demons (Instead of Demons of Sharpness/Sharpers)

Pulse Demons (Instead of Demons of Wave/Wavers)

Void Demons (Or Spacers)

Everything you want to know regarding the cosmology of the Seither Demons is found in the Sonic exe: Nightmare Universe in the FC/OC Vs Battles Wiki. I use its database as a support for this story's still expanding terminology.

And that's all! As always, I hope from the bottom of my heart that more reviews rain down on me, and if you have any ideas or questions, please leave it in the reviews. Your support is what makes me move forward with this story.

Next Chapter: Round 2. Ending 17: The Six Victims survive! The Best Ending Part 1

Until Next Time And Next Chapter!

Jude Warble, Out.