Tales of a Neutron Star

by Vainco

Summary:

A world once bright, now fallen to an eery grey. Hope, tragedy, conflict, emotion. All exist in this plane of reality. From where it starts to where it ends, only time will tell how the story unfolds. One man by many names, S-----, A----, Archbishop of ----. Endless despair, gleaming hope, a stream of never ending blood. Enjoy this fic anytime and please savor it if you like it, for updates will be.... very inconsistent. Also my first fic. Have fun :)

Chapter 1: And So It Begins

Chapter 1: And So It Begins

The wretched sound of liquid splattering. The smell of blood thickened the air, coating it in a metallic humidity. Countless bones littered the floor, products of the limbs that were taken and re-healed. His body lay crumpled like discarded cloth, limbs twisted unnaturally in a parody of spiteful rest. Once fair skin now clung tightly to bone, tinged with sickly hues of blue, green and yellow bruises painting him like a rotting canvas. Strips of once well-built muscle now clung to his arms and legs, gaunt and trembling from exhaustion and malnourishment. The clean raven-black hair had grown wild and tangled, streaked with dirt and dried blood. The hair that curled over once vibrant eyes which held a stubborn fire, were now dull, glassy and sunken deep into their sockets.

 

Only the first week of Pride’s imprisonment. That was what everyone else saw. Only the first week of a well-deserved imprisonment for a madman who caused senseless deaths of innocents. Many even thought Pride deserved worse. Only those who knew the truth would disagree, and only one man did. Those accursed months had frozen the heart that once beat with life and hope; its once blazing warmth chilled to an icy existence. Thousands of hours, hundreds of days, loops of the same week on end, no matter how long he survived, he was always brought back to this terrible reality. A once sparkling, aspiring knight brought to a low, an abasement that none of the ones in the slums could even imagine. 

 

This man, Natsuki Subaru, stared at the wall, no longer aware of his own body, living in a mindscape of his own creation. One interesting thing to note was the absence of time in this mindscape. It allowed Subaru to think solitarily for hours on end, though he did not know whether that was good or bad. He questioned what he did to deserve this, he blamed the others for their actions, he screamed, he laughed, he cried. Anything to feel, any reason to blame.

 

He once naively wondered why Satella split in two, long before his imprisonment, just after the sanctuary. How she broke so hard that she destroyed half the world. How that seemingly perfect, loving, caring and kind person caused so much destruction. Now he knew how drastically stupid he was. The quote always was ‘it takes one to know another.’ That’s why Subaru finally knew why Satella split. After all, he now had the same experience as well. He didn’t know what his limit was, when he would reach it and, after all the pain, whether he’d regret taking fatal action to escape this hellscape. 

 

A crack of light shone through the now opened door and hit the blood-stained, cold cell floor, causing rats to scurry into the still-shadowy corners. The sound of heels clicked as the door creaked shut behind him with a dull finality. Felix Argyle entered the cell, shutting the light away as he closed the door behind him.

 

“Hello Pride,” Felix said with a cheeky grin, “Are nya ready for today’s session? I’m sure we’ll both have an amazing time.” Felix’s grin widened malevolently, though Subaru just barely noticed something that caught his attention. “Tell you what nya? I can do something for nwew. Just tell us how to save Crusch-sama and guess what nya? We might just make your death painless.” He twirled a strand of hair with lazy fingers, though his eyes—sharp, focused—betrayed his apathy. Beneath the cheek, something darker stirred. He didn’t enjoy this... did he?

 

The same subject, the same attempts, the same jeers, the same taunts, hundreds of times, over and over and over. Subaru acted the same as he had gotten used to it after his first 10 loops. Ignorance. He did notice one thing however. Whenever Felix spoke on the subject, his expression would often darken ever so slightly. Regret? No, disgust. Disgust that he had to do this. But why? Disgust? Subaru didn't know. Silence prevailed in the cell. Subaru already knew the pattern. Give the truth—and he’d be executed. Say nothing—and the torture would resume. Sometimes Felix lost patience and hit him a little too hard, the world would fall to black… and Subaru would wake up in this same cell again. 

 

Same bones. Same blood. Same beginning. It all stemmed from his multiple encounters with Lye Batenkaitos of Gluttony. The first encounter started it all.

 

“So much FLAVOUR, so much vigour, so delicious. I thank you for this meal, knight of the half-devil, Natsuki Subaru tsu~,” Lye moaned with twisted delight.

 

Subaru felt a foreboding sense, as if something had just been set in stone. He heard a flurry of footsteps and saw as his contracted Great Spirit, Beatrice, rounded the corner. 

 

“Beako! I’m soo glad you’re here. I was just attacked by Gluttony!” Subaru said, urgency in his voice.

Subaru walked forward, arms outstretched for a hug, but the next thing she said stopped him right in his tracks.

 

“Don’t move, I suppose! Minya!” Beatrice snapped.

 

The light of the dying sun gleamed, refracting into an array of violet hues, as crystals materialised in the air, hovering silently. Their sharp points glistened with intent, aiming directly at him.

 

“Beako, what are you doing?!” Subaru said, urgency and confusion filling his voice.

 

Just then, Emilia rounded the corner as well, sprinting after Beatrice.

 

“What’s wrong, Beako? Who is this person?” Emilia exclaimed.

 

“Emilia, stay away from this man, I suppose! He reeks of miasma, in fact!” Beatrice snapped. Emilia stopped dead in her tracks as Beatrice uttered those words. 

 

“Ehh!!!” Emilia twisted away from Beatrice, facing Subaru. “ HUMA!” Emilia exclaimed.

 

Another set of crystals, this time ones made of ice, formed in mid air, casting a contrasting blue shade against the alleyway. All were aimed at Subaru just like Beatrice’s Minya crystals.

 

“What are you two doing!” Subaru said, hesitance and an air of panic in his voice, born from the unnatural behaviour of the two he cherished.

 

“Stay quiet in fact, Witch Cultist. I won't let you harm my contractor!” Beatrice snapped.

 

“Why would I harm Emilia-tan?”, Subaru asked dumbfounded and hurt by her words.

 

Before the Great Spirit could answer however, the situation deteriorated even further.

 

Felix, Julius, Garfiel and Reinhard rounded the corner. The four knights stared at what was happening. Reinhard, with his Divine Protection of Perfect Analysis, realised that Emilia and Beatrice were being hostile towards this strangely clothed man.

 

“Who are you?” Reinhard asked, narrowing his eyes with cautious suspicion. But even as the words left his mouth, there was a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. A Sword Saint able to read truth and lie, and yet… doubt lingered.

 

“You don’t need to ask, Reinhard, I suppose,” Beatrice said coldly, eyeing Subaru wearily. “He has a dense layer of the Witch’s scent surrounding him.”

 

The other three knights connected the dots, prepared their weapons and readied to fight.  

 

“What are you saying, Beako?!” Subaru’s voice cracked, his fingers trembling as if trying to grasp something now vanished—trust, hope, sense. “I’m your contractor and the knight of Emilia! I do have a layer of Miasma, but I have no idea why.”

 

“Silence, I suppose,” Beatrice snapped, her voice trembling with doubt and… rage? “If you aren’t an Archbishop, then why do you have so much miasma in fact?!

 

“Wait!!! It’s not what it looks like!” Subaru cried out, his voice cracking in panic, backing away slightly as he realised how bad his situation looked on the outside.

 

“Beatrice-sama, with all due respect,” Reinhard said steadily, “my Divine Protection of Emotion sensed no lies from this person.”

“Reinhard-nya, don’t forget that this man is still suspicious and trained individuals are technically able to manipulate their own emotions. We will take him in for questioning to confirm his innocence.” Felix said grimly, losing his accent in that last sentence.

 

Felix and Garfiel escorted Subaru away to the guards before Reinhard or Subaru could protest the unfairness of the situation. Unfortunately, it was too late. The last thing Subaru heard was Reinhard muttering to himself under his breath.

  “ This feels wrong.”

 

They had held him in one of the conference rooms of the Seasylph Lodge, questioning him about his identity. Things even seemed fine for a while, as they couldn't find any real reasons to prove his direct connection to the Witch Cult but his witch scent could not be disregarded, therefore they kept him in custody until they would find out the truth using normal interrogation. A marginal difference from his current existence. That all changed quite abruptly however, when Subaru was allowed to visit the gardens outside the lodge, marking his second encounter and seemingly benign meeting with the crazed individual that had started this sequence of events. 

 

He had been walking through the pathway in the garden, the flowery petals of the cherri blooms. Again, this world's name system is really off. Did they really think of no better way to name cherry blossoms? Subaru thought to himself as he hummed a soft, melodic tune during his stroll, admiring the way the pink flowers contrasted against the lush green, a beautiful canvas of natural colours that provided a distraction from his depressing reality, when a voice called out to him. All the colours drained and the world faded to a dull grey as Subaru turned his head towards that dreaded voice

 

“Nice to see you again, hero tsu~,” Lye Batenkaitos stared at Subaru with a wide grin that displayed his sharp, fang-like teeth as he sat crouched, perching from the base of a nearby statue. “We hope you’ve been keeping your memories well for us to savour next time we meet.”

 

“N-Next time?” Subaru stuttered out, his breath catching from the horror of seeing the reason for all his suffering and friends’ suspicion right in front of him. 

 

“Yes, next time tsu~ We wonder if your ears even work, hero. We would of course love to indulge in your taste right now, but she forbade it.”

 

She? Whose she? Such thoughts penetrated the raven-haired ex-knight as he stared at the wildhaired Archbishop. 

 

“Well then, it seems our mission is done and time is up. We hope you have fun, hero ~.” The Sin Archbishop of Gluttony swiftly rose to his feet and jumped off, leaving Subaru’s sight within the blink of an eye. “What was that?” he muttered to himself, but as he tried to decipher this mysterious encounter, a voice – angry and suspicious, shouted out to him. 

“Subaru Natsuki, you are hereby under arrest for conspiring with a known Archbishop of the cult you are suspected to be part of. We shall take this as a testament to your guiltiness.” Julius’ voice sounded out, and as he turned around, Subaru spotted Garfiel and some of the scales of the White Dragon. Any pleading would prove futile, something Subaru found out quite quickly. 

 

The cold clink of iron cuffs echoed in his memory—the moment they chained him, eyes full of glee in their ‘justified’ cause—lips whispering ‘Pride’ like a curse. Fearful glances, sharpened swords, and the sickening confidence of people who needed and thought they had found someone to blame. A rash, cowardly decision. Hah, Subaru scorned them. No. It wasn’t them. He scorned himself. He laughed inwardly, a depressive, self-desecrating bark. He remembered Wrath’s final words to him. “If I may give you just one warning… Beware of Gluttony.” Sirius had fallen silent afterwards as they proceeded out. Was this what she had meant? How could she have known? Was this planned in that Gospel of theirs? Subaru scowled inwardly. It was too late for such thoughts, too late to heed their confusing warning. 

He thought about what happened after that. When returning from the prison, he remembered seeing a blonde girl, who didn’t look that old, walking into an alleyway that led to some destruction caused by the Cult and was therefore barred off. He had run into the alleyway and the only thing he could remember was no blonde girl being there and the Archbishop of Gluttony, Lye Batenkaitos, jumping on him and eating his name. His name being taken was the start to his downfall, and it seemed Lye’s reappearance was the last straw.

 

However, there was no point in feeling melancholic about the past. His loops were already, and they were far too close together. There was nothing that could change it, not even Return by Death (which he had already tried). What was that saying from his homeworld again? Ah yes, Memento Mori . A latin phrase, one Subaru had remembered—seeing it on some poster back in his history class before he had quit school. ‘Remember you must die,’ it had said. Oh how Subaru wished that was possible now. There was nothing that he could do from here. No way to save himself from the torture he was about to endure and the place he was in. The melancholic haze thinned. A heartbeat—his heartbeat—echoed. Slowly, the white void swam back into focus—his personal asylum from the pains of his physical existence.

 

Outside this mindscape, the torture his body was about to endure commenced. Felix reached out, roughly grabbing Subaru, intentionally inflicting as much pain as possible that a simple grip could give. Felix charged his mana into his fingertips. Felix was known by another title: Blue. A recognition of his healing ability and mastery over mana manipulation. But this mastery also let him take more sinister actions. Felix prepared to boil Subaru’s blood again; Subaru had lost count of how many times this had happened. Felix started but…

 

Subaru didn’t flinch, he didn’t convulse, didn’t react. This was the start of something supposedly excruciating. But Subaru didn’t care. He wasn’t there anymore. He looked at the white void around him, the place of his imagination and insanity that had developed over his imprisonment. 

 

He looked up. Subaru stared back. His appearance was one of a black and white tracksuit with orange highlights over a black T-Shirt. He was an exact copy of Subaru. We are not the same , Subaru reminded himself. A copy? A split? A phantom? Himself? Thoughts entered Subaru's head, born from the insanity and resentment of his imprisonment. Subaru didn’t know exactly when it first appeared. His erasure by Gluttony broke him mentally. He had died so many times to save the ones who now condemned him beyond logical reasoning. 

 

Subaru and this ‘copy’ were different in every way, that’s what he always repeated to himself. It let him keep himself sane. He referred to this thing, this doppelganger, as a phantom. No, he reasoned. It would not be good for his mind to call it a mere copy of him. It was different, separate, sentient. Envy , Subaru decided - the sin that fitted him the most in his opinion, a show of his Envy for those who condemned him to hell yet enjoyed the blessing of the warm sun. Anyways, it was at the very least better than that cursed title bestowed upon him by the guards, ‘Pride.’ Subaru still wished to protect the innocents and see everyone happy. Envy, on the other hand, desired to seek the utmost revenge and reckoning of all that condemned them, fueled by his twisted sense of justice. Subaru was still human, afraid of death as is natural. Envy, however, had the utmost indifference stating: “We will always come back, so what’s the difference?” Both held a negative view towards the camps of the candidates, however Envy was much more vocal in his opposition. Subaru only used force necessary for his actions, while Envy held no mercy. “Mercy is for either the weak or those who acknowledged the actions we took,” it stated.

 

“You know how this ends. It’s not even interesting anymore,” Envy whispered, his voice cold and detached. “We’ve died hundreds of times to protect them. And they forgot. Maybe it’s time we stopped playing the hero. Maybe it’s time we make them pay.”

 

You know we can’t do that , Subaru said to Envy.

 

“Why not? They locked us here—sacrifices be damned to them,” Envy hissed, a manic smile on his face. “Let’s give them just a taste of our displeasure, just this once. If not, we’ll just reset anyway. What’s the difference?”

 

Subaru was ready to argue, but a nagging feeling deep inside himself flared up. Why not? Why didn’t they see where this went? It’s not like it could get any worse. Subaru thought momentarily. …. Do what you want, Envy , Subaru whispered - not because he believed it, but because he didn’t care anymore. In fact, he wanted to scream. No, not just scream—he wanted to tear reality apart.

 

“Let’s get this party started. The dress code you ask? A bloodbath.” Envy grinned, a twisted, terrifying grin, undoubtedly a Shadow of an Omen , a precursor of the fate awaiting those that wronged them.

A purple aura burst out of his body, materialising into a purple fire that roared from his right eye. The once lightless cell was now dyed in hues of eerie lilac and bruised amethyst, the once dark stone walls now glowing dimly with purple. Half his face now looked like a shadow with a gleaming, violet eye gazing through the eternal darkness. Felix had no time to react. An inhuman show of speed and Subaru disappeared from his vision. A spurt of blood and Felix crumpled to the floor unconscious, his arm bleeding from the stump, shocked by the display of power that the boy had never been capable of prior. The purple aura faded. The room was silent, lest for the sound of dripping blood permeating the cell. Subaru smiled again. And this time, it was genuine. The ghastly screams of outside guards followed in pursuit.

 

In the Seasylph Lodge, The Emilia, Crusch and Anastasia Camps were in a meeting. They had failed to obtain the blood in their journey to the Pleiades Watchtower. This led to a hasty and quite depressing departure due to time being of the essence for the Pristella victims of Lust and the lack of a cure. As they were discussing any possible  healing processes, a loud bang interrupted them. The doors swung open, bringing in a gust of outside air and light gleaming in from the setting sun. 

 

“There is an emergency!” a voice shouted, stumbling into the now sunlit room. His face was full of sweat and dread, for what he was about to announce..

 

They all looked towards the unknown speaker. A guard from Priestella’s prison. But something was dreadfully wrong. The Priestella guard’s arm was covered in a slick coat of blood, his face with apparent dread.

 

“What has happened, guard?!” Anastasia prompted an answer, not too demandingly in respect for his seemingly dire situation

 

Julius rushed to support his fellow knight as the guard stumbled forward.

 

“The imprisoned Archbishop… has escaped,” the guard gasped before—

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

—collapsing, another guard’s body fell to the ground with a thud as Envy walked down the stone corridor, one eye gleaming madly.

 

“Hah, this is most amusing,” Envy chuckled to himself. “We should have tried this a long time ago.”

 

He saw two more guards at the end of the corridor. They spotted Envy and spun their weapons around, pointing them at him.

 

“Halt! You will go no further!” One of the guards barked in a feeble attempt at bravado, his stance unsteady out of sheer fear, shaking from the oppressive aura of the opponent before him.

 

“Just shut up,” Envy sighed dramatically. “Your loud voices are already giving me a headache, and we just met. While amusing, how is that possible?”

 

The guards repeated the same thing, this time taking a provocative step towards him. Envy’s mouth curved upwards, and a glint of teeth was visible as Envy smiled an eerie smile. 

 

“Since you seem so eager, let’s see if you have any bite to that bark, shall we?” Envy’s eyes sparked red as he said it.

 

His twisted grin grew further menacing, as the approach of a long awaited release had finally… arrived.

 

Envy stood there. Then… he didn’t. A streak of red light zoomed across the stone faster than comprehension, the guards' visions fell sideways and their heads rolled off. The hallway flashed in the afterglow of the crimson death. “Pathetic.”

 

When the camps and authorities came to observe the scene later, the corpses of two guards were identified at the end of a dark, cold corridor. Emilia raised her hand to her mouth, covering it as she saw the state of the bodies.

 

“Who could’ve done such a heinous thing?!” Emilia whispered, covering her mouth with a trembling hand, her other one waiting for the comforting grasp of another’s… yet it never came, how strange.

 

Emilia didn't know why, but she felt like someone would normally say something funny after a sentence like that. She shook her head, clearing her strange thoughts. 

 

“Only pure evil, Emilia-sama,” Ram spat, disgusted.

 

It’s just like him to do something like this and upset Emilia-sama, Ram thought bitterly. Wait, who is this ‘him’? Ram shook the idea from her mind, wondering why she thought of some random person on reflex. This was not the time for it. Anastasia stared at the crumbling wreckage of the prison in front of them.

 

“You’re saying Pride did all this? How? He was deemed too weak to even stand, let alone fight,” Anastasia questioned, incredulous.

 

“We do not know, Hoshin-sama,” the knight reported grimly. “Only a quarter of the guards are stable enough to speak. The rest…” he looked down mournfully and whispered something quietly as if he didn’t want to be the messenger of these words.

 

“Speak up please, guard.” Julius coaxed his fellow knight into uttering the words he seemed utterly reluctant to state.

 

“The rest are either in critical condition or dead.”

The breath of the rest of the inhabitants in the room ceased at these words, some looking down in sadness, others frustrated and ready to punch, or even kill a certain archbishop.

 

“It seems we’ve underestimated Pride,” Julius said, already reaching for his weapon. “We must search immediately. Reinhard, will you assist me?”

 

“Of course, my friend,” Reinhard nodded.

 

“Sword Saint-sama, Julius-sama, please wait,” the knight added, voice tight with tension. “There’s one more… disturbing report. We don’t know if it’s true.”

 

“What is it, guard? Anything could help,” Anastasia urged.

 

Anastasia dropped her accent as she said this, indicating the serious mood of this situation.

 

“We received a single recount from one of the survivors,” the knight said. “He described the one he faced as not human—something terrifying. Then the figure said three words.”

 

“Only three words? What could he have said to terrify trained soldiers like that?” Anastasia asked, eyes narrowing.

 

“It’s what those words meant, Hoshin-sama,” the knight replied. “He apparently said this: ‘Not Pride. Envy.’”

 

“Envy?! What do you mean? It can’t be...” Anastasia’s voice wavered slightly as the words left her lips, her confidence faltering. “Were we wrong all this time? Not the Archbishop of Pride, but of Envy?” She paused, the realization sending a slight shiver down her spine. “If that’s the case… then we’ve let an untold evil escape back into the world. We must prepare for the worst.”

 

As Anastasia walked out the room, the rest of the occupants remained frozen—some in deep contemplation, some unsure, some worried and fearful. And yet, a strange consensus lingered through the air, that something felt wrong. Something felt misunderstood.

 

The sun glistened on the dew-soaked grass as it sank below the forested outline, cradling the mountains’ outline. The cliffs of a mountain were visible nearby from the rocky road that led away from the Water Gate city. The chill breeze blew swiftly, ignorant of the objects in its way. A lone figure was visible against the backdrop of the setting sun. A man in a black cloak. But in a certain person’s perspective, it wasn’t one man. No, it was two. Darkness overtook the sky as the sun continued its steady descent into the horizon.

 

Lugunica had low light pollution, thanks to a lack of chemicals and factories that produce such unsightly waste. That allowed the stars to shine brightly, glistening gems that lit up the black sky still splotched with splashes of orange, blue, and purple, creating a beautiful painting, one deserving of a museum. The night settled in, blanketing the sky, allowing the stars to light it up, acting as guides for the lost. These stars would look on the observers of the world below, truly a Technicolor Constellation . For the two people standing below its bountiful spotlight, it was a refreshing sight, the signal that reminded them of their newfound freedom. However for others, the new night would not be their focus. It was the fiery red sun that fell out of reach, as the world turned a new page, bringing an unknown future into their gazes. They breathed in the cool night air, reinvigorated by its refreshing qualities. Envy and Subaru both stepped away from the accursed Watergate City that had hurt them so deeply, heading deep into the borders of the Kararagi City-States, starting a new chapter for the world.

Chapter 2: Drifting particles of Ash from the past?

Summary:

Why is there no one behind me, when the world falls down. Truly, small comforts are enough to sustain... for now.

Notes:

The first chapter seemed to be well recieved, which gave me the motivation to post this. The 3rd chapter is well underway however may be a bit late so apologies in advance. Well then, here you are.

The world was dark, pitch black. A bright light pierced his vision, causing him to squint. A black outline was visible in the light.

 

‘Pride’. ‘Disgusting Cultist’. ‘Die, filth’. ‘Who are you?’. ‘Tell us.’ ‘Let’s have some fun, Pride’. Disconnected voices resounded through his mind, causing him to clutch his ears, a fruitless attempt to cease the noise. His body jerked and shuddered from side to side as he tried and failed to rid his mind of the voices of poison. Faint figures appeared in his vision, a silver-haired woman in royal white and purple robes, a boy with cat ears, people wearing white uniforms with red and black highlights and gold clasps. Subaru’s eyes shot open, his breathing erratic. 

 

‘A nightmare huh?’ Subaru whispered to himself. He closed his eyes and the world faded back to black.

 

Rugged, craggy cliff sides stood tall, surrounding the eastern border of Kararagi. A lone figure moved through the mountain pass like a scar etched across the dawn, each step cracking against stone and pebble as if the earth itself recoiled. The mist that clung to the mountains, blanketing them, unnaturally curled away from the figure, avoiding the trail behind him where even the wind dared not go. Above, the rising sun caught on the edge of his tattered cloak, turning his shadow long, jagged, and inhuman. An indescribable aura surrounded this person’s silhouette, an abnormality contrasting the nature surrounding him. Subaru trekked across the rocky path, making the way to a ravine. He was unsure of where to go next, the cliffs blocking any recognition of natural elements or civilization. He had chosen to journey to Kararagi solely 

 

Subaru - no, not his body. Envy stopped walking. Ever since Subaru let Envy have his way back at the prison, he had been controlling the body which was at this moment covered in an aura that had hovered around him ever since. It was odd that Mabeasts hadn’t attacked him yet. The ground around him also seemed to glitch and corrupt oddly as he tread upon it. This was most likely attributed to this aura of his, Subaru reasoned. Whenever he had this aura, Subaru felt a tugging inside him, not unlike that when he used Invisible Providence. The only difference was this one seemed to be less painful and taxing than the authority of Sloth.

 

Subaru could only assume that this was the work of another authority. But which? He thought hard internally as Envy continued to scan the surroundings. The only archbishops that Subaru had direct contact with were Wrath and Greed. Out of those two, Greed was dead. So, it is best to assume I have Greed’s Authority, Subaru surmised. This seemed quite strange to Subaru. Getting Sloth’s Authority was understandable, he had personally been the one closest and most involved with his death. But Greed? Reinhard and Emilia killed him and he drowned many meters below the surface of the city. Why would it still choose him as the target? At this rate, it seems I am the default target for Authorities. That was the conclusion Subaru had come to. 

Envy had suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“There are cultists ahead,” Envy muttered, tone devoid of urgency but heavy with intent.

Subaru’s mind came to a screeching halt. Cultists?! What are they doing here?!

“I suspect this ravine may be one of their secret supply routes,” Envy continued, peering into the narrow gorge with mild amusement. “The cult has always been able to elude authorities and not get caught after many decades of operation, after all.

”We should just watch them for now, Subaru reasoned internally. We can use their route to get quietly into Kararagi.

“Fine,” Envy huffed, his lips twisting into a scowl. “You party pooper.”

They stood still as they watched the procession leave. They swiftly jumped down into the ravine and trailed along the path the Cult had just passed through. Some pebbles tumbled with them as they fell. Envy started walking along the path. Now what was I thinking before this? Ah yes, the authorities. This aura must be the Authority of Greed then, but what is its full potential? I’ll have to test this, Subaru thought to himself.

“You’re pretty quiet in there,” Envy remarked with a sigh. “Tch, the most you could do was provide me some entertainment after denying me those Cultists.”

Subaru didn’t respond, denying Envy the satisfaction of mocking him.

“Tch. So boring,” Envy grumbled. “Anyways, there’s finally some Mabeasts coming up. I’m going to have some fun with them instead.”“Awww,” Envy whined playfully. “But I wanted to have some fun with them.”

No, we should lay low. Attacking the cult will be difficult enough if we don’t draw any attention to ourselves from Kararagi patrols. Subaru laid out such reasoning sternly to his counterpart before falling back into deep thought.

Subaru stopped with his contemplation to see three dogs that looked eerily similar to the Wolgarms he had fought back when he was a butler in the mansion. They crept silently, stalking towards him, leading him to think that these were Whisperhounds, a very similar Mabeast to Wolgarms and were also reactive to miasma. 

Envy suddenly dropped into a battle stance - sharp, precise - surprising Subaru at how Envy seemed to know how to fight with Subaru’s body so naturally. That made Subaru wonder if Envy knew everything Subaru did, though looking back on it, it was probably likely. The hounds drew closer. Envy…. Did not move. One of the hounds pounced at him, causing Subaru to scream at Envy. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!! Subaru closed his figurative eyes, bracing for the impact and another Return in time, only seeing darkness. Subaru waited…. And waited. The attack never came. Subaru opened his eyes a fraction and saw Envy move their body the slightest inch, his neck leaning forward ever so slightly. And then? He vanished. The hound stopped in confusion and looked around, only to have its head kicked off with tremendous force, a crimson trail of blood flying in an arc behind it, the first stroke of a bloody enso. 

 

The two other hounds howled and lunged at him. One of them leapt towards the wall before jumping hard off it, pouncing through the air towards him. Envy appeared in the air, as if using teleportation, twirling so fast that the wind sheared. He grabbed the pouncing hound out of the air and sent it smashing towards the ground. He dodged the other one which landed and spun around to face Envy but was far too late. The hound was axe kicked into the ground, the head crushing in on itself. Blood splattered on Envy’s cloak, painting it crimson. Done with his fun, Envy turned heel and reconnected to the rocky footpath.

 

Subaru’s thinking was halted from sheer shock, the power of his authority was beyond what he expected. WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! Subaru exclaimed in their shared mind. It was far too powerful, especially for someone like Subaru who was always physically weaker than the rest of the strong people in this world who defied what would be common sense for anyone from Earth.

 

“I know I told you to be quiet, but that was most annoying,” Envy mused with a slight scowl. 

 

You can’t blame me, this is way too different from what I’m used to, Subaru grumbled in response. Why did Greed turn into this? That annoying Regulus had invincibility, so why is mine just a really OP physical buff? Subaru pondered the reason for the change in the Authority. 

 

“I believe authorities would typically take the shape of what you wished for. So, what were you thinking when it activated?”, Envy asked, equally curious. 

 

The thing is, I don’t really know when it even activated. It could have been before I was forgotten or after.

 

“Well then, let’s use probability shall we? After taking down Greed, you never came into another major conflict until you were forgotten and there was no need or pressure to activate it. Therefore we can surmise that it activated during your- sorry, I mean our imprisonment. Now that you have the general time, could you remember what went through your mind?”

 

Subaru fell into silence as he contemplated and then slowly started. Ehh, I do remember feeling angry at Julius and Felix for making fun of me, saying how could I be Emilia-tan’s knight when I was this weak. Then there was also obviously the actual torture that made me want to escape the pain at all costs, which developed that white mindscape. Then of course, I had not seen the outside and was getting sick and admittedly insane from my solitude when in the cell so I would have liked to break out. Do you think any of those could have been the reasons?

 

Envy thought for a second and then confidently stated: “I think it was a combination of all those factors. The ridicule of your status as a knight due to your weakened state could have made you want to be physically strong subconsciously, your wish to break out would make you want anything that could be strong enough to break us out and being physically strong would also most likely make you more resistant to physical pain like torture.”

 

Yeah, that makes sense now that I think about it, Subaru admitted. 

Subaru felt slightly… relieved wasn’t the word. More like… a slight comfort for having more information? But that comfort didn’t last long as his head suddenly throbbed. He cried out telepathically as his mind overloaded with pain. More memories flashed through quickly and mercilessly.

 

He laid broken as Felix and Julius bantered outside his cell. He heard Felix say something in a mocking tone. “A Knight? He can’t even lift his head. Pathetic.” Julius turns away, but the silence from him feels even worse than mockery. A flash of Beatrice’s face when she saw the gospel-like Tome. He saw his contracted Spirit’s eyes flash, not with confusion, but with fear . The girl who once promised never to let him be alone again, now backing away, preparing to attack him or defend herself and her ‘real contractor’. Emilia flashed in front of him as he kneeled struck with dread. Her eyes, they trembled with suspicion and fear, her blue irises locking onto him as she heard the other’s explanations about what they thought he was. Voices rang throughout his head, condemning him relentlessly. He cried out in pain, in agony, in sorrow, in grief, in anger.

 

Envy once again interrupted Subaru’s thoughts, and this time he welcomed the intrusion, saving him from the memories.

 

“It is getting quite dark, I believe we should find a shelter and rest.”

 

His mind still trembling, Subaru gradually became aware of his surroundings again and realised Envy was right. They made their way along the path searching for anything to use as shelter. Subaru then saw a cave not too far away with his enhanced vision. The two made their way there and laid down stiffly after checking the cave for any residents, the cold of the hard, damp stone floor seeping through his ragged clothes. The rough stones pressed into his still remaining bruises, causing him to grunt slightly in pain. Envy had given Subaru his body back now that there were no things happening. Subaru stared at the gray ceiling of rock above him, straining his eyes to watch the water drip slowly onto the floor. Anything to keep the sleep and nightmares away.

 

Just sleep, you eventually will have to and it would be better for it not to be in a bad situation, Envy whispered from somewhere in the recesses of their shared mind. You're safe enough to sleep, even if you die it's not like you’ll stay dead. 

 

Subaru reluctantly complied, mentally bracing himself for the psychological pain as he shut his eyes tight while the world began to swim in front of him.

 

The world was black, the darkness ever enveloping. But the darkness didn’t give rest or the typical relief in sleep. It wasn’t peace. It was his own holding cell —where time itself had lost its meaning and emotion fermented into rot. Subaru didn’t feel relieved. He didn’t feel happy. He didn’t feel pain. He didn’t feel… anything. Was it a nightmare? Was it a dream? No, it was neither. Was it finally the sleep he had been deprived of for so long? No, it was not that as well. Thoughts came and left, Subaru himself being the only thing that stayed constant in this… world? Place? Time? This world went still. It always was.

 

The darkness was abruptly shattered, a geometric intrusion of light, emotion, and feeling. The sky (was it the sky or the floor?) shattered into countless, iridescent triangles, streaming light in from who-knows-where outside. Finally, some respite. But then the voices started whispering, calling out, piercing his mind. Subaru hadn’t fallen into a dream, a mental hell, or sleep. No. He had never awoken from the nightmare in the first place. Eyes, so. Many. eyes. Eyes that gazed down at him. Eyes that narrowed and despised him. Eyes that singled him out and cast a harsh spotlight on him. ‘Pride’. ‘Witch Cultist.’ ‘Vermin’. ‘Scum’. ‘Deserving of Death’. Voices called out simultaneously, their sharp tones matching the gaze of their penetrating eyes. He shut his eyes tight, willing this torture to be over and to awake from this nightmare in a nightmare. The world fell quiet, and the lights calmed into a soft glow.

A light breeze carried numerous beautiful, white petals across the plain of flowers. The sun smiled down, lighting the meadow with a calm, peaceful gaze. Subaru blinked rapidly as the sun flared in his vision, the afterimages of ghostly rings of light stuck in his retinas. Subaru felt another gust of him hit him, causing his clothes to flap softly in the refreshing wind. A small pond was nearby, reflecting the peaceful scene in front of him. A pale figure was reflected in it, her angel-like reflection occasionally rippling with the wind.

 

“You’re late, then again, I can’t be saying any different.” Emilia spoke to him kindly, with a fake tinge of annoyance before giggling slightly as she spoke the latter part of the sentence. 

 

Subaru stepped forward, his eyes wavering as they reflected the vision in front of him, his heart pounding with new-found anticipation. “E-Emilia-tan?”

 

“Yes Subaru, it’s me. I know how long you’ve been waiting. I’m sorry for being such a dunderhead and making you wait.”

 

“W-What?”, Subaru stammered.

 

“What else do you think you dunderhead? I finally realised it. I love you, Subaru.” Emilia spoke these words with the utmost kindness seeping through with every word, her smile ever present and shining, the sun rapidly trying to mimic the brilliance of it.

 

Subaru stood shocked, before taking a few shuddering steps towards Emilia. “W-What did you just say?”

“Moou~ I said I loved you, you dunderhead. How many times will you make me repeat this?”

 

Subaru gave a small laugh, unbelieving of this seemingly wonderful reality and a sigh of utter relief escaped his lips, his eyes tearing up as his utmost dream finally came to fruition. He threw himself at her arms, anticipating her warm embrace. It never came. Subaru looked up confused. He was standing in the alleyway again, looking up at his friends as they all stared at him.

 

“Who are you?” Emilia asked this with an innocent yet concerned look etched on her fair-skinned face.

Subaru’s pupils dilated, shuddering uncontrollably. He screamed again—he had already lost count how many times he had. Water brimmed the edges of his eyes before pouring out, staining the bricked floor of the alleyway. His vision blurred, the people and world becoming mere colours. Subaru wept and wept, the colours of his visions turning black once again.

 

Subaru’s eyes snapped open. It took him a moment to realise that he hadn’t screamed. That alone made him suspicious for such an event was an extreme rarity. He sat quietly, listening to the silence, straining to hear an echo of any noise, perhaps that of a scream that he had just forgotten. Silence was all that met his ears, just the steady sound of his rattling breaths and the steady drip… drip… drip of cold droplets of water from the rocky cave ceiling. 

 

“I didn’t scream,” he murmured to himself, as if reassuring he was still sane.

 

Subaru sat up slowly, his calloused fingers running over the jagged stone beneath him that left soft, white traces along his skin. The cold rock reminded him of the source of all his nightmares, that underground cell in Pristella. A sudden pain stung his arm, though he did not pay attention. Phantom pains were frequent – how could it not be – when the last years of your existence were only filled with agony.

 

Subaru slowly pushed himself up, rising off the rough floor and sitting on his knees, his hands caked with grains of rock and sand. He stood up and exited the cave, making his way through the forest again at a quick pace.

 

Ahhh, good morning, Envy yawned loudly in his thoughts.

 

“Why do you need to be so loud while yawning?”, Subaru muttered, annoyed. “You're in my head so there's no use for all this sound.”

 

But it's fun messing with you, Envy taunted. Your reactions are always amusing.

 

Subaru decided to ignore him, hurdling over a fallen tree with one hand on its trunk. Maybe, in a once distant past, such actions would leave his skin bruised or full of splinters, but now, no such thing would occur. He sprinted through the forest, a whirl of greenery, leaves, trees, flowers, branches, all passing by him in a blur. He made his way to a dirt path, rocks and pebbles strewn across it. 

 

He smelt smoke, not the type from burning bodies that he had experienced at Pristella. No, it was the warm, inviting smell of baking produce that had a hint of sweetness which calmed his nerves and made him oddly at ease, his mind drifting to the days where he walked through the streets of Saitama, passing bakeries storing their freshly baked produce for the day. He walked in the direction of the smell, pebbles shifting as he did, making a grainy crunch with each heavy step. 

 

One step at a time, until he makes it to…

The end.

 

Chapter 3: Apologies

Ummm... I sincerely apologise for my absence in posting for over a month? Nope. Definitely not. Oh look at that- new chapter. Byeeeeeee

Chapter 4: Chapter 3 Part 1: The Peace...

Summary:

Truly the most unexpected, is the unnerving calm before a mighty storm.

Notes:

So... I was gone a while. Sorry. Ehm, enjoy this multipart chapter..... no the next part isn't ready. Yes I will be gone another while. No I am not feeling any guilt heh. Enjoy

Chapter 3: This Peace

Left. Right. Left. Right. Left foot. Right foot. One in front of the other. One slow, shuffling step at a time, Subaru trod along the gravel path, pursuing that smell of bread, a comfort he recognised from his days before his imprisonment. The scent curled through his mind, a tender yet firm memory of comfort – warm crust, doughy goodness, and in some of them, a faint sweetness of red beans. Every step pulled him closer, his memories overpowering his conscious mind, beckoning him towards a long lost comfort. 

 

Trees thinned. Gravel scattered under his pace. The rough path slowly started turning into a smooth dirt road. Houses came to view and the sight of smoke drifting out lazily from one of the houses’ chimneys, where the scent of a bakery wafted from. People gazed at him as they walked by, pausing their morning starts to watch him with curiosity. He could feel their cautious stares, wary of this new and unheralded traveler.

 

 After staring at Subaru for a while, a child stepped out of the bakery after gathering his courage, nervously walking up to him and extending a confection from their store in his small hands. He didn’t speak, perhaps out of nerves or that he just wasn’t talkative, Subaru didn’t know. He accepted it gratefully, patting the child on the head then continuing to walk forward while taking small bites out of the croissant-shaped pastry. The child gazed at Subaru as he ate, enjoying the feeling of warmth on his head before scurrying back into his bakery. Subaru could see the parents pat him on the head for this deed, with exasperated yet happy looks on their faces. 

 

What a nice family, Subaru thought to himself, a small well of emotions stirring up within his chest before dissipating quickly. It was hard to appreciate such small things when the effects of his torture remained everpresent in his mind. Where were these types of people when I was captured– his bitter thoughts startled himself. No. Bad. Why do I feel bitter towards these people? They had nothing to do with it. Subaru shook his head, feeling utterly disgusted at himself for even having such thoughts. 

 

Subaru walked some more, looking for a place to find information or a temporary residence. He spotted an old notice board, its wooden build was slightly rotting. 

 

|[Rockfall on the main route to Ivada. Detours around mountains are necessary if travelling]|

 

 This must be that rockfall that I saw. It must have been a big coincidence to not meet anyone. If they relay information this quickly, it must be frequented often. 

 

Subaru left the signboard, walking to what looked like an inn. A wooden sign that looked freshly painted hung outside.

 

 |The Village Inn| 

 

“…That's a lame name,” he murmured.

Agreed, Envy murmured from the depths of his mind. Might as well find something to do. Subaru continued walking past the inn, until he reached a small plain bordered by trees. The sight stopped Subaru in his tracks. A breeze of air blew past, causing the grass to sway softly, in tune with the melody of nature. It was…. beautiful. The slight morning dew glistened under the bountiful sun, reflecting a coat of light that radiated with its warmth. A sharp breath escaped his mouth. Such sights had been far gone from his vision during his stone-walled imprisonment. He closed his eyes. The sensation of the warm sun on his skin immersed him in sensory paradise as the wind freshened him. The birds chirped and tweeted, a chorus of nature that cradled his ears in peace. He lay down, the dew slightly dampening his clothes, yet he did not mind. Such tranquility was something he had longed for, and now he had finally attained it. A silent tear slid down his cheek, and touched his ear before falling and adding to the dew, painting his once dark view of the world in an explosion of vibrance and colours. 

 

What are you getting so emotional about, it’s just nature, Envy huffed. 

 

“Oh shut up and let me enjoy this,” Subaru shot back, his eyes still blinking out the tears that had escaped without his notice and brushing the tears away with the back of his hand.

 

The clouds parted, spiralling and swirling around the sun. The vast sky felt fresh, never before seen to him. It enticed his eyes, as he took in the rich and vast blue stretching far beyond, going far beyond the boundaries of his vision. ‘You see Envy? This isn’t so bad, Subaru chidded at him, continuing his relaxation in this open plain. Shadows casting occasionally along the land, blanketing Subaru in a pleasant chill before leaving, letting the sun warm him once again. The wind picked up, a moment later, slowed down: a refreshing, sporadic occurrence that cooled him down nicely before once again steadying to a gentle sway of air. The rustling of grass accompanied him, mixing with the distant sounds of children laughing and villagers carrying out their everyday, peaceful lives which put Subaru at ease. I’m just afraid if this ‘peace’ will actually last… ‘Sorry what was that Envy?’. Nothing. ‘...Huh alright.’

 

A stream ran softly through the scene, the mismatched flow of the calming stream’s splashes comforting Subaru’s weary soul as he pushed his away the confusion of the previous conversation to take in the beauty of it all. The water sometimes sloshed over the rocks with too much force, darkening the shade of stone before trickling back into the stream. Petals drifted on the wind, falling from the many trees that stood protectively around this haven. They fell softly into the water, refracting the clear liquid into translucent hues of gentle pink and yellow.

 

“If only I could live like this for the rest of my life,” Subaru said plainly, utterly transfixed by the stunning sight. The petals and flowers that flowed in the water fell from a riffle, landing with a slight splash and displacing the water, leaving circles to ripple from it. Fine, I’ll admit this is kinda nice, Envy grumbled, to which Subaru smiled. “Told ya so.” Hmph. Envy mentally turned his head around with an imaginary pout.

 

A small, flying object entered Subaru’s vision. Is that a kite?, he thought to himself. Sure enough, as he paid closer attention, he saw patterns on the flying fabric; intricate patterns of mountains, flowers and birds. 

 

Subaru sat up slowly, lifting his back upright to stare at it. Another kite joined the first one, catching petals on its wings as it took to the skies. Subaru got onto his knees before standing up, and began walking towards the kites. He didn’t know why, but his attention was caught. He trailed under the kites as they continued blazing their path through the skies, flying in a circular motion around the sun. The airborne patches of fabric dragged him back towards the village, questions brimming in his mind. He saw the back of an elder, likely a figurehead to the community. 

 

“Hello,” Subaru greeted the elder, who turned around at the sound

 

“Hello, dear visitor, may I help you?” she said, taking in the sight of Subaru. “I am the elder of this village, Kiryuu.” 

 

A Japanese-sounding name, this really is Kararagi, Subaru noted to himself in surprise. “Yes, I was just passing through this village and enjoying the scenery when I saw something that made me wonder.” Subaru paused before gesturing to the sky. “Those kites, what are they for? They seem too detailed to be just toys for the children.”

 

“Ah, caught your eye, have they? Yes, we design them specially like that for our annual festival, Hoshin no Kaze Matsuri (ほしんのかぜ祭 — Festival of Hoshin’s Wind). In the previous season, trade was dangerous due to the more turbulent winds in the mountains. Now that a new season has arrived, the winds will start to die down, allowing for more abundant trade to reach and travel through our region. To celebrate this, we create masks and kites painted with vows and designs, to both survey the direction of the wind and to celebrate another time of prosperity for our humble village. Each kite’s patterns and vows are unique and speak wishes for all the people in and of our village—flowers for prosperity and peace, birds for freedom and joy, the mountains and trees for good weather and fertile land. Hoshin originally started it as a way to read the wind before we wager the road.” 

 

Subaru absorbed the information, internalising the tradition. “What a nice festival”, he thought to himself. Doesn’t seem like much besides a waste of materials getting tossed into the air”, Envy scoffed. A voice snapped him out of his thoughts before he could retort at Envy.

 

“I noticed dear, you do not look that well. Go, stay at the inn, refresh yourself and rest for now. I am sure the owners won’t mind giving you a place to stay for one night on this festival, and if not, tell them Elder Kiryuu sent you. Please, enjoy our village’s festival.”

 

“Thank you Elder Kiryuu, but I wouldn’t want to cause trouble for the inn owners.”

 

A new voice entered the conversation. “Ah, Elder Kiryuu! How do you do?”

 

The elderly lady turned around, spotting the origin of the voice. “Ahhh, Ais, I am quite fine. How are you and how is your inn going?”

 

“Smoothly Elder, our business has started picking up in anticipation for the festival. And who is this young lad?” Ais looked next to Kiryuu at Subaru. 

 

“This young fellow has nowhere to stay, so I was about to recommend him to your inn.”

 

Subaru was startled to be so suddenly introduced. “Ahah, it’s ok Elder Kiryuu, I don’t have any money right now so it would just be unnecessary trouble for them.”

 

Ais laughed as she heard those words. “Nonsense, dear, it’s the eve of the festival. We will happily offer you lodging. Come with me,” she said with a smile. Subaru hesitated. Such kindness hasn’t been shown to him in an unthinkable amount of time. Shaking his head, Subaru followed the lady as they walked towards the inn. “This is me and my husband’s inn. You don’t have to worry about anything,” she said, as they walked down the path. Out of nowhere–CRASH. A tree fell onto the path, blocking their way to the inn, the leaves scattered around the path as the branches cracked and snapped. The trunk shouldn’t fall like that on its own. Probably rotted from the inside, maybe from the water?  “Oh dear, this is not good. This might stop business,” Ais muttered to herself. 

 

Without missing a beat, Subaru activated his Authority of Greed. He walked up to the branch, grabbed it with both hands and tossed it to the side of the road like it weighed nothing, before lazily clapping, the shockwaves from the impact clearing the leaves and fallen branches off the path. 

 

“Wow!” Ais exclaimed happily as she bowed her head in gratitude, “You are really strong, you know that? Thank you so much, this will save us a lot of trouble,”.

 

“No no, you don’t need to bow. You are the ones giving me free lodging. This is the least I could do, hahah,” Subaru said while scratching the back of his neck in mild embarrassment as they trod over to the inn.

 

“Well then, no point wasting time. I’ll show you to the room,” she said as they entered the inn, closing the door behind them. In an instant, the atmosphere washed over Subaru. A polished wooden table sat at a curved window corner, giving a view to the lush nature outside. Sunlight streamed in, highlighting dust floating in the air and casting a yellow hue over the pillows that sat plush against the chairs. A fireplace crackled near the middle of the room, in front of a bar and some stools.

 

“Wait here, dear,” Ais told Subaru as she went past the bar counter and through a door. Subaru stood there, admiring the cozy warmth and aesthetics. “Here you go, dear.” Ais walked back through the door, outstretching her hand that held a key that jangled as she walked. “This is your room key. Just down the hallway, 4th one from the right.” 

 

“Thank you very much, Lady Ais,” Subaru said, still overwhelmed by appreciation at the joyful atmosphere of the village, the kindness of its inhabitants and the lack of suspicion to him. 

 

“Not at all, dear, enjoy your stay.” Ais walked back through the door, likely to finish whatever business she had left. It was getting quite late, as the sun began to set. He had spent a lot of time in that peaceful field, not that he regrets it. He walked down the hallway to his room, inserting the bronze key into the lock, which opened with a click. The room was a cozy, wood-panelled room. A bed was placed against the wall to the side, the opposite side containing a desk and chair. A window sat open, the air breezing through and tenderly ruffling the green curtains. 

 

Subaru walked over and sat softly on the bed, the sheets wrinkling around him. He pulled up the blankets before he lay down sideways, pulling the white, soft fabric back over him. For the first time in days, he slept in a place that could actually be called a room fit for a living being. Not the damp environment of a rocky cave, not the cold stone floor of a prison cell. No, in a room with a gentle breeze, decent lighting that wasn’t too overpowering and a comfortable bed. Somewhere, he could finally have a peaceful rest. Subaru thought to himself, over mundane matters and important ones alike, until… black. He didn’t even realise he finally fell into a deep sleep, uninterrupted by the nightmares that used to plague him. 

Warmth. Warmth all around. Sunlight met his cheeks, the heat seeping in. The morning sun met him, massaging his face delicately, coaxing him into wakefulness. For a few heartbeats, he laid still, breathing softly and watching the dust shimmer in the air, landing on the windowsill or desk propped against the wall. He watched the curtain breathe, the green fabric lifting and falling with the breeze. 

 

A soft knock. “It’s time for breakfast, dear,” Ais called through the door, leaving before he could answer. 

 

Subaru sat up, the blanket sliding from his shoulders. It took a great effort, his body feeling heavier than the blanket… no, he just didn’t want to get out of bed. He went over to the basin, splashing water across his face – clean water for the first time, purified and not at the mercy of nature’s whims. He fully dressed and stepped out of his room, entering the wooden hallway and pausing to watch the dust sparkle and drift to the floor.

 

Breakfast was everything Subaru could ask for. On the table sat a small platter, all to himself! There was rice… beggs (eggs, oh come one), rettuce (really? and meat (finally, a normal name) He devoured the delicious ensemble, his first true meal in weeks– no, months. The prison food he endured couldn’t even be called that. He quickly devoured the entire meal in one go, clapping his hands together in thanks and setting down his utensils. Subaru stood up and shot a compliment to Ais. “Thank you very much, Lady Ais. The meal was very delicious.” She turned from the counter and gave him a beaming smile. 

 

“Thank you very much dear, hearing words like those are all I need to continue running this business.” 

“Well then Lady Ais, I will leave now to take a visit around the town. You said the festival was this evening?”

 

“Yes dear, my, you have a good memory. Do take care.”

 

Subaru gave a curt nod and stepped out the door, following once more along the dirt path that led to the village. The dirt crumbled out of the way, crunchy footsteps audible as Subaru trod along the path, touching the fragrant flowers that bloomed along the pathside, their petals soft to the touch, curling around his finger as if caressing it. The peace was beautiful. The scenery, alluring. The people, overflowing with benevolence. So why. Why did a slight tingle and small emptiness in his stomach point to something else? Nevermind your pathetic instincts. Why don’t we go to the village first, before we start to ponder on our miserable future? Envy abruptly intervened, destroying his feeling of danger and replacing it with a tinge of annoyance. 

 

“...Fine,” Subaru answered Envy after some hesitation. He pushed the weird feelings aside and continued walking along the path, almost to the village by now. The sight of even more kites caught his eye, the fabric flapping and wavering in the wind. Patterns embroidered on them shimmered, their reflective materials glistening against the sunlight. Subaru could make out flying balls, a representation of the spirits that blessed their lands, the trail of rivers, the water that blessed these lands with fertile soil for agriculture. 

 

‘I really am a selfish person’, Subaru thought to himself, ‘entering these peoples lives and taking advantage of their kindness.’ Yes. You are, but is that wrong? It’s not like they are hurting or had to suffer what we suffered. ‘That still doesn’t make it right, Envy,’ Subaru chastised him. Hmph. Envy huffed and Subaru swears he could see Envy’s eyes metaphorically rolling. Whatever, let’s go to the village. Do what you want, I’m just bored. There’s no action here. Subaru sighed and entered the village. The villagers were all busy with preparations, moving crates around, shouting requests at each other and scolding the little children that ran around, under the arms of adults or swerving in between any gaps they saw in a fun game, masks slanted on their foreheads by strings. 

 

Subaru continued strolling around, admiring the effort and beautiful displays and stalls that were decorated with flowers, animals and embroidery in the spirit of the festival. The air started to smell of meat and dough, sizzling and crackling sounds beginning to emit from the numerous stalls that were preparing their delicacies for the occasion. Soon enough, it would begin. 

 

The birds overhead started flying back to the forest and their homes, other smaller critters following suite. The sounds of the nocturnal animals waking slowly became audible as the sun began to set, its light casting beautiful rays of pink, magenta and orange across the blue sky in a mesmerising canvas of colours in the heavens, painting the white clouds as floating balls of colour as the light hit them. The beautiful sky above was the perfect accomplice for the festival about to take place, bathing all the residents in warm, comforting light as they winded down from a day of hard work and preparation, ready to enjoy the fruits of their effort. 

 

A loud, booming voice echoed from the large square in the middle of the village. “Thank you for your attention. As it has reached Water Time, Hoshin no Kaze Matsuri may commence!” A loud cheer arose from the villagers as the stalls officially opened and the festivities began. Some visitors from other villages were visible, walking around and conversing with shopkeepers or residents. Children shrieked and laughed, many wandering around and laughing at funny sights or decorations while some others watched a puppetry show. Subaru was just meandering around the village attractions when a child who he recognised walked up to him in the same nervous manner as before. “Oh! It’s you, thank you for that pastry you gave me when I first arrived. It was very tasty!”, Subaru exclaimed, thrusting his hand out and giving him a thumbs up. The baker’s child had a small blush and looked slightly away. 

 

“Thank you for the compliment, Mister. My parents work reaaally hard on those pastries!” Subaru could see the boy’s creeping smile at the edges of his mouth as he spoke with pride. “Hey Mister, do you want to join our game?” the child asked him. “Game? Sure I guess.” The child took Subaru’s hand and dragged him along, pulling him towards another stall with some other children. “We were gonna play tug of war, but we didn’t have enough people. That man over there-” he pointed at an older man among the children- “is the person who takes care of some of the other kids in this game at the orphanage. They don’t want to play without him, which we all agree on but he’s too strong. With you here, we can have a fair game! Could you please join us for this, pleeease?” he clapped his hands together as he said this, causing other children to do the same and look at Subaru, all begging him with “Please!” 

 

“Alright alright, I’ll join your game,” Subaru decided. It wouldn't harm him to join them… right? “YAAAY,” all the children cheered. “Okay Mister, could you go to the back of the rope just like Johnas is?” ‘So, Johnas is the name of that orphanage caretaker. What a nice guy’, Subaru thought to himself. “Ok,” Subaru answered. He walked over to the back. 

 

“OK. THREE, TWO, ONE. PULL!” All the children started tugging with all their might, yanking the rope towards their side. Johnas and Subaru weren’t really trying, but it was fun to see all the children clench their teeth and use all their willpower to win. Finally after a few seconds, Subaru and Johnas decided to put in some more effort. Subaru soon came to realise that Johnas was much stronger than his more lean body seemed, as when he joined, the rope moved a considerable amount to his side. Subaru was losing his grip fast, so he twisted his hand to wrap the rope around his wrist but…

 

“Pathetic aren’t you, Pride? Chained by these manacles. Pathetic.” Voices started ringing in his mind again, particularly one of a certain cruel feline. “AAAAHH!” Subaru abruptly let go of the rope, causing his side to all fall backwards like dominoes on top of each other as he grabbed his head with both hands. One of the falling kids knocked over a stall shelf which overturned its contents and a mask fell out, staring at Subaru as he looked down at the floor, still clenching his skull. Amber eyes and feline features with a smile stared at Subaru. He fell backwards, hard, his back slamming against the floor as he started crawling away from the mask.

 

 “NOO- NO- GET AWAY FROM ME! NO- NO MORE TORTURE! M̸͔̝̫͍̜̈͂͑̓͒̅̚̕Å̷̬̰̠̳͐K̷͌͌͆̑͛ͅȆ̴̘̖̝̩̬̪̳ͅ ̶̦̘̉Ī̷̢̢̨̳̟͇̠͛̂̿͜T̴̪̳̖͍͑̌̌ ̵͈͓͈͐Ŝ̶̬͇̾̽͝͝ͅT̸̫͍̣̱̯̜͒̔̾́͂̽̊̈́Ȍ̵̥͖͑̈̈́̌͘̕P̵̨̧̻̮̮̲͙̼͑-!” 

 

Subaru started scratching at his own skin in madness, his pupils dilating uncontrollably, it wasn’t the first time. AHH! STOP IT SUBARU! STOP IT! WE DON’T WANT MORE PAIN! THIS ISN’T REAL, Envy shouted at Subaru in a desperate effort to stop him but it was futile. Subaru couldn’t take it anymore- he needed to get away from the pain that the smile of this feline devil brought with him. Subaru completely forgot his internal feelings about his torturers and the feelings and reasons behind them. Nothing could overcome this all consuming fear of pain and hurt that had happened whenever the smile of the cross-dressing ‘healer’ appeared. Subaru activated Greed, lost in a world of illusion conjured by his own madness, trying to kill the ‘knight’ that stood in front of him, staring at him. 

 

No attacks he hit connected, after all, it was just the madness of his mind, even if Subaru didn’t know that. Becoming increasingly desperate, Subaru unleashed even more power, crying out in anger and agony every time nothing happened to the od-forsaken people of ‘justice’. “AHHHHHHHHHH!” In a scream of unbridled rage, Subaru unleashed the full power of Greed, his attacks becoming invisible to the untrained eye from pure speed, comparable to that of a certain blue-haired swordsman. Miasma started to overflow unchecked, Subaru was in no state to hold it in. The cheers of the winning kids quickly turned to screams in Subaru’s ears as his mind slowly died down from the delusion and he took in the carnage that lay in front of him.

 

Oh, how this peace was _______

Notes:

Well. No spoilers. Ask anything you wish in the comments. If you want to beta read or make any suggestions to the story or just talk to myself or many other amazing writers including Knock, ZeroHaven, CardinalM, etc, join the Cluster: https://discord.gg/thecluster

Notes:

This is my first ever fic, and I am therefore inexperienced. I do appreciate any and all feedback and you can even suggest changes to storyline if they seem fitting. You can leave it in the comments or for a faster response, ping me on this fanfic server full of amazing authors: https://discord.gg/yJ5CEqqzBY Thanks for reading and have a great day