Chapter 29: Beastslayer (Redo)

The sound of panic filled the forest. Crashing through brush, jumping on fallen logs, dodging tree trunks, and ducking under branches, Lyra and Subaru were running. Running for their lives.

During their fight with the mabeasts, Lyra and Subaru had fought together with Ram. While Ram was easily able to lay out beast after beast with her wind magic, Lyra and Subaru struggled to, but ultimately held their own. Only wounding some with his loaned sword, Subaru was assisted mainly by Lyra, who, with a few casts of Jiwald, had slayed several.

However, after slaying many of the unending hordes...

Subaru: Gha! I thought you said you could fight!?

Being held under Subaru's arm, the pink haired older sister maid responded to his complaint.

Ram: Ram fought, didn't she? Only my strength hadn't lasted as long as I'd hoped.

Struggling to keep up with Subaru and Ram now, Lyra began to lag behind.

Using so much of my mana back there might not have been such a good idea. I barely have any strength left to carry myself forward.

Running through the forest, Subaru was close to ten or so paces ahead of Lyra and widening the gap. Looking to her side, a single mabeast had begun a close pursuit of Subaru with Ram still under his arm. One wrong move and the beast would tear into them both.

Raising her arm, Lyra summoned the last shred of mana in herself, sent it to her palm, and fired off the last spell she could muster.

Lyra: Jiwald!

The light from her spell escaped from her open hand, scattering before her and enveloping her target. Letting out a final roar of pain, the mabeast was no more.

They're safe...for now...

Lyra's final clear thought rolled through her mind before she became very weak and fatigued. Trying her hardest to keep running, Lyra's legs eventually swayed too much mid-stride, making her lose her balance and begin to tumble. Seeing a deep-yet-narrow natural trench in the ground ahead of her as she began to stumble, Lyra knew she would need to jump over it in one go to keep the pursuing mabeasts far enough away. Approaching while still running, Lyra readied her footwork, preparing to bend her knees and shoot forward. Getting up to the edge, Lyra attempted to propel herself across. With all her might, she pushed off.

But no jump came.

After her knees and other joints bent to propel herself forward, no launching motion came. Lyra did not have the energy or stamina. Her body would not let her. Without being able to cross over the trench, Lyra's inertia nonetheless continued forward, landing her a one-way trip, downward. Trying to brace her own fall, Lyra held her hands out forward to catch herself, but when the ground came, the same lack of strength her legs experienced was also true for her arms trying to brace her fall. With the sudden impact, Lyra rolled and tumbled into the trench. Sliding downward, Lyra grabbed for whatever she could. She felt his hand grab bark. A branch.

Trying to pull herself up, Lyra quickly realized this branch was not actually attached to anything. Instead the motion of trying to catch herself had worked against her, causing her to fall to the bottom of the trench, the branch she pulled covering her.

Now motionless at the bottom of the trench on her back, Lyra spat the dirt out from her mouth. Realizing the situation still at hand, she had fully expected that a few mabeasts had followed her down into the trench. Readying mana in her hands, she prepared to fight for her life. Yet, as the branches still laid over the top of her, peering through the detached brush that covered her, not a single mabeast seemed to notice.

Lyra laid in wait running on pure adrenaline, what little mana she still had was poised and ready to fire at her command. From between the leaves and twigs, Lyra watched above herself. As she heard the horde of beasts pass over and around herself , a few jumped over the trench as she had planned to do so herself once At the bottom, all the sounds of the forest seemed to funnel down to her, and the vibrations of many running beasts filled her body. The scene lasted for another few moments before silence fell upon the area around her.

Lyra waited for more beasts to pass overhead, surely that wasn't all of them. Waiting a moment more, Lyra struggled to pull herself up to a crouching position, pushing the branches she had drug down with her off. Now standing, she looked all around herself.

I think the beasts passed...

The forest at this point was silent. Any and all creatures or birds that made sound had evacuated the area from the mabeast hoard. Putting her hands on the slope of the trench, Lyra figured she had fallen several times her own height, and getting out wasn't going to be an easy task.

Lyra: If I still had all my strength, I might be able to pull myself out, but right now... I'm just too weak for that...

Looking down the trench's length, Lyra saw a series of rocks embedded into the side where she might be able to get a footing on. Making her way across the trench, Lyra approached the first large rock, one of a few boulders that had been knocked down into the trench somewhat-recently, either from erosion or something else. Getting ready to hoist herself up onto it and make it to the next rock, Lyra paused at the sound she heard.

The sound of chains. Very specific chains.

Turning to the direction of the sound, it was in the way Lyra had come from before falling into the trench. The sound of chains repeated, getting closer.

Without any further hesitation, Lyra pulled herself up onto the first bolder, only to climb back off it on the other side. She crouched down behind the boulder and peered over the side of it, trying to get a good look but not risk exposing herself. Only a few moments later, with the sound of chains getting louder did a familiar blue-haired young woman appear. Stepping out of the forest and to the edge of the trench, Rem approached.

Lyra's heart fluttered for a moment, seeing Rem alive and well, but quickly noticed the state she was in. With her horn illuminated, Rem's clothes were torn in various locations, perhaps they were new tears, or the same from the previous night. Walking to the edge of the trench, Rem stared up into the sky.

Is she all together right now, or is she frenzied like last time? I can't tell...

Lyra desperately wanted to call out, in the chance Rem actually wasn't frenzied. Before she could make up his mind, Rem began to sniff the air. Seeing this, Lyra's heart stopped and sunk.

Oh no... She smells the Witch's scent! She's going to find me, isn't she? This might be REALLY bad...

Feelings of fight or flight raced through Lyra. Does she bunker down? Does she now immediately run away, giving herself what could be precious seconds of time before Rem locks in on her?

Her mouth went dry. Lyra was frozen.

Stopping her sniffing, Rem's face turned to a grin, one filled with insanity and malice. Getting ready to choose something to do, Lyra's hesitation was beaten by Rem's next action. Bending her knees, Rem jumped and propelled herself forward, over the trench and then some. Standing back up and looking in the direction Rem had gone, Lyra was stunned she had passed over her like that.

She's got to be... Ram and Subaru!

Wild thoughts and speculation of what Rem's intentions were whirled through Lyra's mind, but she didn't have time to contemplate. Pulling herself back onto the boulder, Lyra climbed the rest of the way out of the trench. Ignoring her own fatigue, Lyra forced her muscles to pull herself upward. Reaching the top and back on to the forest floor, Lyra gave herself one large breath before bolting in the direction Rem had gone.

Lyra could see light and the sky behind the trees in the direction she was running.

A clearing! I might have a better chance of seeing what way Rem was following Subaru and—!

Lyra: —Hk!

As she thought, Lyra approached the "clearing" past the trees in the direction she was running, only to be met by a sharp, steep, and sudden cliff edge that she had nearly fallen off of. Catching herself, Lyra gulped her heart back into her chest and took a careful step back. The ground below the cliff edge was extremely far down. Looking over the edge, it was apparent there were mabeasts down there, although from where Lyra stood, they may as well be ants. As she looked over the cliff's edge, a shine caught Lyra's eye. Getting closer, Lyra peered at the shiny object embedded into the cliff face, nearly half-way down.

Lyra: Is that—?

Focusing her eyes, there was no denying it. Broken off in the cliff was the end of the sword Subaru had been using as a walking stick earlier that had been loaned to him. Having a thought of secondhand pity of Subaru for having to tell the young man he had borrowed the sword from that he had broken it, Lyra quickly cast the thought aside as she noticed two familiar specs at the base of the cliff, huddled behind a boulder.

There was no mistaking the two heads, one with a pink bob-cut and one with slightly-messy black hair, even from this far.

Ram! Subaru!

It hadn't appeared they had fallen the entire way, but if they had, they would certainly be much more red...

Noting the location of her comrades, Lyra observed the rest of the large clearing at the bottom of the cliff. Dozens and dozens of mabeasts populated the ground and were circled around one spec in the very center.That spec however, was another familiar one. Squinting her eyes, Lyra could make out the familiar hue of blue.

Lyra: Rem... she's—!

Quickly realizing how surrounded she was, Lyra knew Rem had no way, or perhaps even no care, for how outnumbered she was. Deciding that it was pointless to just watch, Lyra looked to her left and right, trying to see what would be the quickest way down off the cliff.

Although Ram and Subaru were off to the left, Lyra could see no easy or quick way down from that side that would allow her to regroup with them, and going right was clearly and vastly quicker. Not wanting to waste any time, Lyra headed right, running along the cliff face and down the gradual slope. Occasionally taking glances at the situation, it was clear Rem was in a fight she ultimately wouldn't be able to win. Just past halfway down the slope, Lyra was getting much closer to the action, and could see what was taking place in greater detail.

What appeared to be Subaru had emerged from the boulder, and Rem was taking swings at him with her morningstar. Seeing the situation worsen more, Lyra ran faster, taking no more opportunities to look at what was happening. Reaching the forest below, Lyra made her way to the rocky clearing at the bottom of the cliff.

Hiding behind one of the trees at the beginning of the clearing, most of the mabeasts at this point were concentrated at the opposite side. Lyra could no longer see Subaru and Ram, but she COULD see Rem in the fight of her life. Kicking, punching, whipping, and smashing, Rem took out beast after beast. Staying out of sight, Lyra was powerless to do anything to assist in the situation. Observing the battlefield, Lyra saw to the opposite side of the clearing, the same small dog that had been the orchestrator of the landslide that had nearly killed her.

There it is again! That HAS to be the leader of the mabeasts! If I can sneak around, I can use my trump card and—

Before Lyra could finish her strategizing, a new entity entered the fray.

Subaru: AAAGGGHHH!

Running out from behind a boulder, Subaru charged forward, with a certain familiar pink-haired maid slung over his shoulder.

What is he—?!

Stopping halfway between where he'd come from and Rem, Subaru twisted his torso, putting the energy from his charge into what appeared to be a throw.

Subaru: Hey, Rem! Catch!

Springing his torso back the other way around and with his hands on Ram's calves, Subaru launched Ram forward and upward, Rem-bound. The rest of the world seemed to stop and watch the scene before them. Gliding through the air, arms held out in front of her, all eyes were on Ram, including Rem's. Falling slightly, and sloping downward, Ram approached Rem, who was slowly beginning to hold her arms, ready to catch her older sister. Finally reaching the blue-haired maid, Ram was caught in her younger sister's free arm. Both Subaru and Lyra IMMEDIATELY saw the change in expression on Rem's face, and her lack of hostility, even in her frenzied state, towards her sister. Seeing his opening however, Subaru charged forward, a broken sword held above his head.

What is he doing?!

Subaru: AAAGGGHHH! REM!

Looking back, Ram shouted to the charging hero.

Ram: Her horn! Barusu! Now!

Within striking distance, Subaru closed the gap, reading his sword, projecting the flat of the blade outward, ready to smack Rem right on her horn.

So, hit the horn, she'll calm down? That's so cliche!

Taking his opportunity, Subaru took one final bound, but Lyra could see a twinkle of doubt in his eyes, an expression that lacked the ambition to follow through. Taking an odd step, Subaru stumbled with his strike, a strike that Rem easily sidestepped.

Subaru: Oh, crap! I hesitated!

Stumbling forward past Rem, Subaru turned and tried to regain his composure. Seeing the act of hostility, Rem instantly returned to her frenzied state. Reaching back with her free arm that still held her morningstar's handle, Rem set forth to strike Subaru down. Normally, in such a position, still holding her sister, Rem would not be able to adequately strike Subaru accurately enough that he could not just dodge, especially with her off-hand. However given the circumstances and the positioning of the mabeasts around them, Subaru had nowhere to run to, and nowhere to dive to without being far enough from any mabeasts to safely recover.

Damn it! If Subaru dies its—!

Cutting off his own thoughts, Lyra immediately saw a larger danger. Upon the boulder it sat, the head mabeast let out a commanding, yet tiny howl as it cast forth it's magic as it had the night before. Its eyes glowing, the ground beneath Rem began to quake as she finished reaching fully back on her swing to Subaru. Looking downward, even in her frenzied state, Rem could easily tell what was about to happen. In the mere fractions of a second she had left, Rem looked to her older sister, still being held up by one arm. Ram exchanged with Rem a look of exhaustion before nodding her head down.Rem's mind raced, trying to comprehend everything around her. Her instincts, burning, told her to prioritize her sister. "Keep Ram safe. Ram will be hurt too if you don't get her away".

Dropping the handle to her morningstar, Rem pushed Ram away. Away from ground that was quaking beneath her feet, and away from herself. Rem had left herself to be the sole sacrifice to the head mabeast's magic. No sooner had Ram cleared the affected area, the ground violently projected itself upward beneath Rem, sending her flying. Up, up, and up, Rem flew. Several times higher than the tree canopy around them, such a fall would not be recoverable. Without her morningstar in hand either, Rem could not hope to even break her fall or redirect her energy.

Reaching the apex of her flight, Rem began to return back to the ground. Her trajectory taking her in her direction, Lyra sprang to action. Running out from behind her cover, Lyra made herself known.

Lyra: Rem!

Going as fast as her legs would let her, Lyra rushed to catch the falling maid. Although exhausted, she commanded hee legs to move faster. She HAD to get there! She HAD to catch her! Nothing else was acceptable! A feeling of terrible urgency began to overwhelm Lyra as she saw Rem fall lower and lower. Concentrating as hard as she could, Lyra would not let herself hesitate as Subaru had, she could not let herself lose hed footing due to her emotions overwhelming her.

Lyra knew she was close, so close but yet so far from being able to reach the falling maid. Letting her instincts take over, Lyra let her legs throw themselves forward in a jump, letting them slide forward, letting herself become lower right before reaching Rem, letting herself maximize how much space she could cover before she hit the ground. Reaching her arms out as she slid across the ground, a featherweight of a young maiden fell into her waiting arms. Kicking up a small dust storm, Lyra held Rem tight as she slid to a stop, holding her close. Still in her frenzied state however disoriented, Rem pushed herself away from Lyra, while still staying in her arms. With an arm under her legs, and an arm behind her shoulders on her back, Lyra shook and called to Rem.

Lyra: Rem! Please! It's me! Lyra! Rem, you've gotta snap out of it!

Beginning to get her bearings again, the maid in her arms began to fidget around, trying to get away before her strength could fully return. Taking the hand of the arm under her legs, Lyra reached for her hand, trying desperately to get a hold of it. With assistance from her other hand, Lyra clasped Rem's hand inside her own. Their palms touching each other, Rem seemed to freeze still from her thrashing. Her eyes began to lose their wild look as they slowly moved along with her head to face Lyra.Their eyes meeting, Lyra could not prevent herself from smiling.

Lyra: Fancy you dropping by, Rem.

A smile also growing on her face, Rem's horn began to slowly dematerialize.

Rem: L-Lyra...-ch-chan...

Slowly, Rem's free hand began to reach up to Lyra's face. The closer her hand came, the more and more her horn disappeared.

Rem: Lyra is all h-healed now...

Her horn fully subsided, Rem's fingertips lightly brushed Lyra's face as her arm fell back to Rem's side. Her eyes shutting, and the hand that Lyra held going limp, Rem spoke more.

Rem: Rem is so happy... so happy that Lyra-chan is okay...

No longer having the energy to stay conscious, the blue hair maid shut her eyes fully and went to rest, her body drained of all her energy.

Ram: Barusu! Go left at that fallen log!

Jumping over a rock, Subaru took a sharp left as instructed as a mabeast flew toward him.

Ram: Fula!

Casting wind magic from her fingertips, Ram shredded the mabeast to pieces.

Lyra: Ram!

Putting her free shoulder forward, Lyra body-checked another pouncing mabeast to Ram's left flank. knocked off track, the beast was thrown forward, away from Ram. Not giving it a second chance, with a flick of her finger, she commanded her wind magic, slicing its neck, dispatching the beast. Running again, the three currently who were currently conscious ran through the dark forest with the mabeasts continuing to pressure them. Following Subaru, who had taken point, Ram soon outpaced him, taking the lead spot, while Lyra brought up the rear, slightly encumbered with the target of their rescue under her arm. Taking Ram's suggested path, the three found themselves making distance from the mabeasts behind them.

Running for a while longer, it was clear there was a need for a rest, else they collapse from exhaustion. Heading into a bushel of shrubbery, Ram waved for Subaru and Lyra to follow her. Huddled together among an opening in the middle of the shrubs, the three caught their breath and let their legs rest.

Subaru: Do you *huff* have any idea how far we are from *huff* the barrier?

Nodding her head, Ram answered.

Ram: We're getting closer to the barrier, but it's still not entirely close.

Punching the ground, Subaru let his frustration be seen.

Subaru: Damn it!

At the sound of his strike hitting the ground, the blue haired maid under Lyra's arm still began to stir awake.

Rem: Why...

Somewhat startled to hear Rem's voice suddenly, Lyra looked down to her under her arm.

Lyra: Rem! You're awake! Here, don't move! I can carry you more comfortably for you now if you just—

Rem: Why? Why did you come?

Lyra: Huh? What do you mean? Why else other then—

Rem: It would have been easier to leave me!

Turning her head back down, tears began to form in her eyes.

Rem: No one else would have to get hurt... Lyra-chan wouldn't need to be hurt again... For you all to show up, it makes it pointless now! Rem wasn't able to save Lyra-chan and now Rem isn't able to save Subaru-kun now either. Her tears began to well up more. Subaru spoke up, trying to help.

Subaru: None of that matters now. Me and Ram and Lyra are probably torn up a lot worse than you are. Ram passed out twice, Lyra fell down a hole, and my shoulder was dislocated. Once Subaru perhaps didn't use the best word choice, Rem hung her head once more.

Rem: It's all Rem's fault... Rem has to take responsibility for her actions, and atone for them. If Rem can't do that, then Rem will never be able to help Nee-sama or Subaru-kun or Lyra-chan... Nothing will have changed for Rem! Rem will continue to be the same as back when—

Lyra: Rem.

Cutting off Rem's words, Lyra stopped her.

Rem: Yes?

Lyra set the maid down from under her arm. Rem turned to face Lyra on her knees while everyone continued to squat down low in the brush. Going down to one knee and placing a hand on Rem's shoulder, Lyra spoke.

Lyra: Getting mad, storming off, and trying to fix everything yourself isn't a solution. It never is, and it never will be. You've got to learn to rely on others. To lean on others.

As Rem continued to hang her head, Lyra turned back to Ram. Having used the same topics she had spoken to her about earlier that day, Lyra exchanged a look with Ram for reassurance. Getting a nod from the older maid sister, Lyra turned back to Rem, putting a hand on each of her shoulders now.

Lyra: I know you can't just decide to rely on someone, to just lean on them. You might not be able to with Subaru, and you might not even be able to with your sister, given the place you put her in your heart, but.. Rem...

Looking up to Lyra, the tilt of Rem's head let her bangs move, allowing both of her blue eyes to lock with Lyra's also-blue eyes.

Lyra: You can ALWAYS rely on me. You can lean on me. I promise you that.

Her eyes forming with tears once more, Rem's voice quivered with a mix of emotions.

Rem: Lyra-chan...

Hearing the sound of nearby brush and foliage being rustled, Subaru stood up slightly to poke his head up and out of the brush the four currently resided in before quickly ducking back down.

Subaru: Damn it!

Lyra: I can't believe they're back to being so close, so quickly!

Turning to Ram, Subaru asked a question with great agitation in his voice.

Subaru: Which way should we run?

Ram: Straight to the left at full speed. But what's our plan?

Subaru: Well—

Lyra: Ram, you carry Rem. Subaru, you make sure NO beasts get CLOSE to them. I'll run right and draw the mabeasts' attention.

Rem: You can't! Lyra-chan won't survive that. If you... If Lyra-chan gets hurt again badly like before...Rem doesn't know what she'll—

Lyra: I've... I've got a plan!

Grabbing the single item in her pocket, Lyra held it in her closed hand. This was the one item she had grabbed from her desk before departing to the village the previous night. Placing it back in her pocket, Lyra turned to grab Rem once more, placing her on her older sisters back.With everyone standing up in the brush now, they prepared to go their separate ways.

Rem: Why? Why are you doing all this, Lyra-chan?

Lyra: Well, because it's like I just told you. You can rely on me.

Placing a hand on top of Rem's sky-blue hair, Lyra smiled at the oni maid. She could feel the softness of her hair as she placed her hand along the smoothness as she lifted her hand back up.

Lyra: Now, go! 'll do what I have to do!

With that, Ram set out, running to the left. Just as Subaru went to follow, he was stopped by Lyra's hand on the back of his shoulder. Turning back with a "Hmm?", Subaru heard what Lyra had to say.

Lyra: Remember, I'm non-essential.

Subaru could only reply with a look of mixed emotions. Unable to find the words to answer, Lyra's hand on his shoulder turned to a push, urging Subaru to continue with Ram.

Lyra: I'll catch you around!

With that, Lyra ran to the right, down a path of certain uncertainties. As Ram and Rem were already off, Rem turned her head to see Lyra, running off and away into the direction of the mabeasts.

Rem: Lyra-chan!

Ram: Rem, don't look back. You'll make all of Lyra's's efforts meaningless now if we don't escape.

But Rem could not bring herself to look away as she rode on Ram's back.

Running, Lyra knew that at any moment, she could be attacked by beasts waiting to her side. Only a few paces later, still within Rem's vision, Lyra found herself at the mouth of a small forest clearing. At its center, the puppy that had bitten the village children. The arbiter of the entire situation, the curse deaths, everything.

The head mabeast.

Stopping at its appearance, the small beast's eyes began to glow a dark crimson red color. Not sure what to expect, Lyra readied herself, placing what little mana she had in hed palms and the singular item in her pocket into her mouth. As she did, the singular beast before her began to convulse. Almost as if its skin began to boil, the little beast began to grow and grow.Its body enlargening, its fangs, teeth, claws, and snout all began to grow to monstrous proportions. Soon, the once little beast was now a full grown monster. Now, in this form, it was truly worthy of being called the Head Mabeast. Unleashing a mighty roar at its complete transformation, Rem, from her sisters back, could easily see from her distance that the beast now stood three, perhaps even close to four times Lyra's height. Seeing the immense danger Lyra was in now, Rem turned back to her sister, tightening her grip she held to stay on.

Lyra: You're not the ONLY one with an ace up their sleeve, either!

Raising her hand, Lyra pooled every last bit of mana she had into it.

It's not much, barely enough for a single Jiwald. But with this...!

Taking a bite of the item in Lyra's mouth, which was actually the Bokko fruit that Emilia had given her which she had not yet used, Lyra felt an immense rush of mana flow through herself.Feeling the mana pour in, Lyra commanded it all to her hand

Rem: Nee-sama!

Turning back to see what had upset Rem, Ram fell over to her side by Rem's hand. With both of them collapsed on the ground, it was Rem who immediately rolled over looking to face Lyra, who she was certain was going to die. With terror in her heart and tears in her eyes, Rem called out in a near-scream.

Rem: LYRA-CHAN!!

With the pressure of all this new-found mana continuing to pour into her hand, Lyra readied herself. With the beast's eyes glowing, it raised its mighty paw, as big as a knight's shield, and with claws as long as swords and just as sharp, ready to kill Lyra in a single swipe.

I sure hope I can do this...but it's my ONLY chance!

Maximizing the amount of mana she felt hed hand could withstand, Lyra cast her magic, a spell she had only heard of in an explanation of how magic worked in this world.

Lyra: Take this! El Jiwald!

An immense heat escaped Lyra's hand. Except while warmer than his normal Jiwald, it was not the same blinding cascade of scattering light being emitted from hef hand, but rather a concentrated amount of light. On each finger tip a beam of light was projected. Quickly seeing the difference, Lyra had not entirely expected El Jiwald to be similar, but she did suspect there might be an unforeseen difference. With her open palm facing the beast, Lyra closed her palm halfway, having each of her finger tips face and point at the beast. As the light was brought in quickly, it burned the skin of the beast as her fingers came to center on it, causing it to flinch and delaying its paw swipe. With each of the five beams of light now focused on the beast, the immense heat of them drilled their way into its chest, straight down its entire body, through the entirety of its abdomen. Such complete shock and pain had stopped the beast completely.

No more than a second or two of the beams of light being affixed to the beasts chest, the lights made their exit on the back of the beasts body. Lyra had drilled five complete holes through the entirety of the head mabeast's body. With the light subsiding and ending, the five, or rather ten wounds in total began gushing an immense amount of blood. Dropping its paw, the beast staggered backward and coughed up a large amount of blood. Howling in pain, the beast stumbled from its left, and then to its right, before falling to its side.Letting out a final whimper, the head mabeast that had towered several times Lyra's height laid, defeated at her feet.

An uneasy amount of adrenaline showered through Lyra. A mix of emotions of accomplishment, relief, disbelief, and many more. However, it was short lived. With the familiar feeling of extreme mana loss, Lyra collapsed to a single knee, heaving and huffing for air in exhaustion. Another sensation filled Lyra's immediate attention. The sensation of danger. There was danger around her. Forcing hed eyes to see clearly, Lyra saw in the treeline all around her were mabeasts. Several. Then a dozen. Dozens. Too many to count.In his current state though, Lyra did not even have the strength to stand, let alone run away or fight.

Lyra continued to huff and breath heavily. There was nothing else she could do. Finally, after a tenuous stare-off, one beast charged, then five, then ten. Twenty. More. All charging at once, unprepared to show Lyra any mercy for killing their "leader".Closing her eyes tightly and reluctantly, Lyra prepared to feel the pain of being shredded to bits, only letting a few last words slip out.

Lyra: Please...keep Rem safe, Subaru...

The first mabeast to charge, the closest, jumped as it charged, mere fractions of a second away from ripping Lyra to pieces, when suddenly...

?: Uuuuuul Goa!

Before Lyra's eyes, a bright flame engulfed the charging mabeast. Soon,the rest followed. One by one, they all ignited into flames, collapsing where they stood. Soon the entire treeline was ablaze with burning mabeast.

?: My oh my, it seems like Lyra-chan has quiiiiiiite the hunting trophy to take home here.

Descending down from the sky, a man in a morning suit and top hat, adorned with clown makeup landed in the middle of the now burning forest clearing.

Still exhausted, but now extremely relieved, Lyra choked his voice to work.

Lyra: Roswaal... What are you—?

Roswaal: Emilia-sama was quite thorough in giving me a lecture worthy of making me seek out Subaru and you.

Before Lyra could respond, another voice called out.

Ram: Roswaal-sama!

Turning to see her, Ram, with Rem on her shoulder, supporting her to walk on her own, walked up to Roswaal and bowed for the both of them.

Ram: We are both terribly sorry to trouble you so.

Roswaal: Actually on the contraaaaaaairy, you have all done fine work in my absence. I will make sure to show my gratitude to you all, you have my word.

Getting ready to breathe in a sigh of relief, Lyra was blindsided to her side, falling to the ground on her back.

Lyra: R-Rem?!

Rem: Lyra-chan!

Gripping the top part of Lyra's uniform with her hands tightly, Rem cried into her chest, her head shaking back and forth.

Lyra: Ouch! H-hey, Rem! Hold on, please! I'm sore all over right now!

Rem: You're alive! You stayed alive!

Lyra: Rem!

Rem: Lyra-chan! Lyra-chan! Lyra-chan! Lyra-chan!

Suddenly feeling all strength in her body vanish, Lyra knew exactly what came next.

Lyra: Oh, here it comes...

After completely tapping out her gate for mana, and with Rem continuing to cry into her chest, Lyra passed out from extreme exhaustion.

A/N: Hey everyone! Just letting you know that I had t change my name to Stella for two reasons. One is to avoid confusion with my OC Lyra and the other is because someone did some things that I would rather not get into at the moment and made me become a target of harassment and bullying when I tried to expose them by making up lies about me. If you want more information about this please contact stellagir1228 and StrykerIsHere on Discord. Thanks for reading and I hope to see you all next week!