Chapter 45: Dreams Of Gentle Beginnings
Subaru groaned, as he opened up his eyes. He tried to remember what had happened to him, but all he could remember was pain… But then, everything came back. The last thing he remembered was getting some groceries from the store down the street, feeling dizzy for a second, then a bright light appeared, then… pain.
"Hey, don't get up so quickly. You're likely still sore from your wounds."
Looking around the room, Subaru could see… white walls? But they didn't look painted. More… wooden? And there was someone with him? Someone… else…
"What is... where am I...?"
"You're in the Elior Forest," that same voice responded, like a… silver bell?
"Elior... Forest? I've never heard of that…"
"Wouldn't expect you to. We do our best to remain secluded from the outside."
After groaning a bit, Subaru finally was able to take full view of his surroundings. He could see he was in a small room, and on a bed with bandages wrapped around his body. Finally, he looked up to see... the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life. She was about his age. She had long silver hair and amethyst eyes, and was wearing a black dress.
After his brain rebooted, Subaru asked. "Am I dead?"
"Thankfully, no. I found you heavily injured and bleeding out yesterday. I took the liberty of bringing you to my home and nursing you back to health."
Not in Heaven, then. Still… "So an angel, regardless of the place."
"…Huh? An... angel?" the silver-haired girl asked, taken aback by his comment.
"How else can I describe you?" the nasty-eyed boy asked.
"I... I'm no angel. Regardless, you need to focus on your recovery." The girl brushed off his comment to focus on his injuries.
Right, there was still that. "Alright, how bad is it, doc?"
"Luckily, your major injuries have been mostly healed, but your body still needs time to fully recover. You'll likely need to stay in bed for the next few days while some lesser Spirits continue to heal you."
That term threw Subaru off. "Lesser Spirits?"
"Yes. They'll take care of you over time. Just focus on resting." The girl told him, not noticing his confusion.
"Hey, quick question. I seem to be suffering from some short-term amnesia, maybe I took a hit to the head. Any idea how I ended up with so many injuries?" he asked.
The girl could only shake her head. "I'm afraid I don't know. I found you already bleeding out. There was no person or creature nearby as far as I could tell."
"Wonderful," the Japanese teenager grumbled. "First time world-jumping, and I can't even remember what the hell I got jumped by. Just peachy."
The amethyst-eyed girl blinked at those words. "World... jumping?"
"Yeah, you know. Multiversal travel, planet-hopping… getting isekai'd?"
"You are... from another world?" The girl asked before gasping and taking a step back. "Wait... you're not from Oblivion, are you...?"
Subaru had no idea what she was talking about. "What the heck is Oblivion?"
The girl just blinked for a few seconds, before responding. "You... really don't know?"
"Well, I know what the word means, but the way you're talking about it, it sounds like you're describing a place."
"Well... it's a complete other universe made up of several planes of existence ruled by the Daedra." The girl explained, still not over the shock of him being from another world.
"Oh. So this world actually is familiar with both alternate realities and eldritch abominations," the tracksuit-wearing teenager deadpanned. "Nice."
The girl cleared her throat before deciding to get introductions underway. "Anyways, Mr…"
"Natsuki. Subaru Natsuki."
"A pleasure to meet you, Subaru Natsuki. My name is Satella," the silver-haired half-elf said. "I don't have a family name. Most Demi-Humans don't use them."
Subaru blinked a few times. "Demi-Human?"
"Do you... not have Demi-Humans in your world?"
Subaru shook his head. "Not outside of fiction, no."
Satella had to process that before saying, "I suppose I will have to ask about that later. If you don't mind, there are some people that wish to speak with you once you wake up."
"Oh? Like some kind of village chief?" Subaru asked.
"Kind of. A family friend of mine and her Spirit friend."
"Oh, well… send them in, I guess." Subaru knew he may as well get everything out of the way.
Satella nodded and stood up. "Alright, I will go get them. Please don't move while I'm gone."
Subaru merely chuckled in response. "Don't even know if I could."
Satella left the room, and came back a few minutes later with another Elf with short silver hair and a young man with green hair, both of them looked to be around Subaru and Satella's age.
"So, you must be Subaru Natsuki, right?" The Elf asked, with a clear air of authority, but also gentleness.
"Yep. And you're the big kahuna."
The elf merely raised an eyebrow in response. "Okay... My name is Fortuna. This is my friend, Petelguese." Petelguese merely nodded.
If he wasn't so injured, Subaru would have shaken their hands. "Nice to meet ya both."
"Please, call me Guese," Guese said, before deciding to get to the reason why they were here. "If you don't mind, Natsuki-san, we would like to ask you some questions."
Subaru nodded. "Shoot."
"Satella says that you don't originate from our world," Fortuna said. "Where are you from?"
"The island nation of Japan, off the continent of Asia, on the planet Earth."
Fortuna looked to Guese, who nodded in response.
"Alright then, so I assume you know absolutely nothing about Nirn, correct?"
"That's what this world is called?" Subaru asked Fortuna.
"That's right." The silver-haired elf nodded. "You're currently in the country of Lugunica, which rests on the continent of Ali'rasi connected to Tamriel."
"Sounds pretty high-fantasy," Subaru joked.
Fortuna ignored that, asking, "How long have you been on Nirn?"
"So far? I'd say less than a day."
Fortuna looked over to Satella. "That's about when Satella found you…"
Subaru chuckled in response. "Yeah, lucky me, am I right?"
"Perhaps whatever brought him here did the damage?" Geuse suggested.
"It's possible," Fortuna said. "But the real question is what we're going to do with him."
Guese spoke up, "Well, I doubt he's a threat to anyone. I barely sense any mana in him, and he has no signs of the Dark Sign or any other afflictions."
Subaru sweated a bit. "That's a lot of worrying buzz words."
"Besides, if word gets out that a stranger from another world not connected to Oblivion has arrived on Nirn, the implications could lead to panic, or worse…"
"Worse?" Subaru was now getting super worried. "How could it be worse?"
"So, what? We just keep him here until we can teach him everything he needs to know?"
"I don't see what the problem is," Satella told Fortuna.
"Is... there a problem?"
"Depends on who you're asking."
Another half-elf came into the room. A male one that looked very similar to Satella, albeit with shorter hair and a stoic expression. "We do not take kindly to strangers in our forest, especially ones not of Nirn."
"Brother, please —"
"Did you even know he meant no harm when you brought him here, sister? He could have been any number of things. A thief, a bandit, or even a necromancer."
Subaru's brows furrowed. "Hey, buddy, don't be such a –"
"Don't think just because you mean no harm, doesn't mean you aren't still under suspicion," the half-elf said, getting up in Subaru's face. "If I see any harmful intent in you, Subaru Natsuki, I will personally finish what the being that brought you here started. Do I make myself clear?"
One look in the elf's eyes told Subaru he wasn't bluffing, which made him gulp. "Uhh… transparently."
"Good. If the rest of you need me, I shall be with Father."
The young man left, as Subaru wondered what exactly that guy's problem was.
"I'm so sorry," Satella apologized. "You will have to forgive Hanasha. He's... very protective."
Subaru rolled his eyes. ""Protective." That's one word for it."
"Regardless, you are welcome to stay as long as you need to, Natsuki-san. However, you are to be watched at all times until we can trust you," Fortuna said. "Is that acceptable?
"Free room and board? Sure." Subaru gave them a weak thumbs-up.
"I'm afraid "free" will not be the case," Geuse said. "You will have to work to earn your stay."
"Aww, shucks. Alright, what will I have to do? Farming? Architecture?"
"We will figure something out. Right now, you need to rest. If you have any questions about our world, then feel free to ask Guese or Satella."
"Glad to hear it. Thanks."
While Fortuna and Guese left, Satella stayed behind.
"Do you have any questions you would like to ask?" Satella asked.
"Are you single?" Subary blurted out.
"Sin... gle? Uhm... Well, I am one person, so I suppose I am…"
"Alright, let me rephrase. Is there anyone important in your life?
"Well, yes. Aunt Fortuna is a good family friend, as is Guese. Hanasha is also very dear to me, despite his rough demeanor."
"Oh my God… Okay, third time's the charm… Are you seeing anyone?"
"I am... seeing you now. Are you okay? Did a head injury not heal well?"
Subaru was silent for a few seconds, trying to process Satella's obliviousness. This girl is bloody clueless… "That's it, I give up."
"Eh? Give up on what?"
"Let's try this from a different angle…" Subaru mumbled to himself, before asking, "Satella, what's the romantic scene like out here in Elior Forest?"
"The romantic scene? Why would you want to know?"
"Well, from the looks of it, I'm gonna be stuck here for the rest of my life, and, well… you're honestly pretty cute."
"Wait... were you trying to ask if I am romantically involved with anyone?"
"Yeees…?" Subaru drew out.
"Oh. Then no, I am not."
"Score!" Subaru cheered, before quickly coughing. "Err, I mean… cool."
"However, Father and Hanasha forbid me from beginning a relationship with anyone until I am officially an adult in elven years."
"Oh. Uhh, how old is that?" the seventeen-year-old asked.
"Around two hundred."
Subaru nodded at that. Okay, she looks to be about my age, so maybe I don't have to wait too long. "And you're currently…?"
Satella smiled and told him. "One hundred and fourteen."
Subaru could feel his heart explode at that. Eighty-six years… he would be bloody dead by then… Subaru plopped down on his bed in disappointment. "Welp, so much for that."
"Although, Hanasha and I are not full-blooded Life Elves. We are only half-Life Elf and half-Human. As a result, we age faster than pure blooded Life Elves. So, I will come of age in less than six years." That caused Subaru to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Oh. Yeah, I guess I can wait," Subaru said, under his breath.
Satella turned her head in curiosity. "Wait for what?"
"Nothing, nothing. Anyways, whaddya think my work here will be?"
"Perhaps it will be manual labor like chopping wood or cooking. Are you good at either skill?"
The Japanese teenager lifted a finger, before putting it down. "Uhh… no."
"Hmm... Well, as Hanasha would say it, you better get good fast."
"Yaaaaay."
"Is there anything else you would like to ask?" the half-elf asked.
"What's this world like?" Subaru couldn't deny he was curious what this world was about.
Satella had to think about it for a minute. "It is... very complicated. Most of what I know is from what Aunt Fortuna and Guese told me, and it is very… elaborate."
"Then dumb it down for me," Subaru said, his face like that of a dumb dog.
Satella nodded and cleared her throat. "Well, long ago, our world was... nothing. The only beings that existed were the Aedra and the Daedra."
Subaru nodded along to the lore. "Uh-huh…"
"The Aedra gave way to the creation of Mundus, our universe, while the Daedra left to make their own worlds in the Planes of Oblivion, parallel to our world. However, little life existed. The only beings that inhabited the world were ancient Archtrees and immortal Dragons."
Subaru nodded, starting to get an idea of the beginning of this world. "Okay…"
"Some Dragons were created by Akatosh, the chief of the Divines, while others just... appeared."
RIP in rest, Charles Darwin, Subaru thought grimly. "Guess evolution isn't a thing here…"
"However, one day, life was brought to Mundus. The First Flame burst into existence and brought the necessary concepts for our world to function. Heat and Cold, Time and Energy, Light and Dark. The Divines used the First Flame to help give life to Nirn, and gave way to the Age of Fire."
Subaru nodded, his mind having to process the beginning of their universe. "Cool mythology, nice lore dump."
"There were several catastrophes throughout our history. The Great War against Lorkhan, the attempted invasion by the Daedric Lord, Molag Bal, and the near eradication of most Dragons at the hands of Gwyn and his followers."
"I'm sensing a "but" coming…"
Satella continued her explanation. "While most of the Stone Dragons were wiped out by Gwyn, the children of Akatosh were spared to not incur the wrath of the Divines."
Not exactly what Subaru thought was going to happen. "Ehh, I was close."
"As such, the only living Great Dragons I know of are the children of Akatosh, who are the nation north of us called Gusteko, and the Divine Dragon of Lugnica continues to watch over the country: Volcanica. The lesser dragons which are domesticated or pose little threat."
"Alright, I think I get the general gist of this world," Subaru said, hiding the excitement in his voice. "A land of magic, ancient creatures and deities, all with a rich history."
Satella nodded, before looking down. "Unfortunately, it won't last forever."
"Hm? Why not?"
"The First Flame... its power is great, but... it is not infinite. When it runs out of fuel, the Age of Dark will begin, and the world will be plunged into darkness for a thousand years. This will allow the world to rest before the First Flame will reignite, and the Age of Fire can begin again."
Subaru understood the ideas behind that, but that also implied that anyone who was alive when the First Flame died out would go out along with it. "Sounds ominous."
"Fortunately, you won't have to worry about that. We are over four hundred years away from the Age of Dark, so you likely will be long dead by then," Satella said, with a soft smile.
Subaru couldn't help but flinch at her bluntness with her soft tone. "You… don't mince words, do you?"
"I see no point to it."
"Well… at least you'll still be there."
"True... although I will have lived most of my life by that time, so I am not concerned."
"See? Win-win!" Subaru exclaimed.
Satella then looked to the side. "However, there is the chance that Gwyn will find a Chosen Undead to fuel the First Flame."
"Chosen Undead?"
Satella paused. "You... don't have Undead?"
Subaru tilted his head a bit. " We do, but they're fictional."
Satella then began to explain what Undead were in this world. "There is a mysterious affliction known as the Dark Sign. If it appears on someone, or taken on willingly, they become an Undead. Undead are not actually dead, but rather immortal beings, unaffected by time and have the power to resurrect if they are killed."
"Sounds dope. What's the catch?" If Subaru has learned anything from Pirates of the Caribbean, it's that immortality always comes at a cost.
Satella grimaced at what she recalled of the horrors of being an Undead. "Once you obtain the Dark Sign, there is no known method to get rid of it. You will be stuck as an immortal for the rest of your existence. However, you might eventually go Hollow."
Subaru raised an eyebrow at that. "Go Hollow?"
"As an Undead, you need to have a purpose to keep you going. Something that drives you. If you lose that purpose, or die too many times, then you will go Hollow. I do not know what all it entails, but you apparently can lose all your memories and become a mindless being with no thought left."
"Yikes." What else could Subaru say about that? Your own body unable to die for good while your mind continuously rots until you basically become a zombie?
Satella nodded in agreement. "Indeed. In my opinion, It is not worth it."
Subaru leaned back as he thought about everything he learned so far. "Huh. Curses, apocalypses, monsters, this world is all kinds of fun. In a fantasy horror kind of way…"
Satella stood up and prepared to leave. "I believe that is all for today. For now, just rest."
"Sure thing. Thanks… Satella-tan." Subaru couldn't help but smile at the honorific. It suited her.
Satella turned around at the doorway. "Tan...?"
"It's an honorific from my homeland," he said.
"Hmm…" Satella smiled at Subaru. "I like it."
Satella then turned to leave and closed the door behind her, allowing Subaru to rest and think about his new life in the world and all it would bring him.
"This world is pretty dark, eh…? Well… let's see if I can sprinkle some light into it." That was the last thing Subaru said before he allowed sleep to take him.
Author's Note: As Subaru Natsuki sleeps in Satella's arms, next to the Seal, he dreams of a life from long ago. The "first" arc has begun. (We always see the aftermath of Subaru and Satella's meeting, and only how he told it. Now, we get to see firsthand how it all began. Also, I decided to make Satella completely oblivious to pick up lines.)
So, you've gotten the lore of how the (most) important parts of the world came to be. (We did our best to combine the lore of Elder Scrolls and Dark Souls, and integrate it in a way that the Re: Zero world can be a result of it with properties from all three.) Also, a bunch of characters who are super-important to the story have shown up!
(Indeed. You all already know about Fortuna and Guese, and they will have an important role later on, but now we have Hanasha, Satella's twin brother. While he is technically an original character, he is based off a canon character from one of the three series and will take the place of that character. Make no mistake, he will play a very major role as the story unfolds.) Now that the lore has been talked about, let's talk about the comments!
5queso: That's a nice positive thought, discount Oogway. Maybe I will eke out a victory in the coming days, who knows? I mean, you sorta saw Shaula and Reid a bunch of chapters back, after Pandora showed up. We've been sprinkling My Hero Academia references through a bunch of these stories, let's see if you can find them all!
Ferrum Sanguis Pulvis Ignis: Including this current chapter, this new arc will be about three to four chapters long. You'll start meeting the canon Emilia Camp members during our forty-eighth chapter. Though the Royal Selection might take a bit longer.
Kifhjoofff: Tu deseo ha sido concedido triplemente.
Anyways, back to the regular old shilling…
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Thanks for reading, and once again, see you next time!
- Ernalore & Infinite the Celestian