"We have to stop them!" Kiritaka exclaimed. "Subaru Natsuki is attempting to interfere with the Od Laguna!"
Crusch and Kiritaka stood in a guard 's tower overlooking the main gates. A table overflowing with maps stood in front of her.
Felix still wore nothing but rags and seemed unconcerned about his near nudity. He stood beside Crusch, studying the maps. Julius stood next to him, trying to measure off the distance of various routes from the Vollachian border.
Mimi sat in a chair nearby, looking bored but determined not to get in the way. At least not for the two or three minutes her willpower would endure.
Crusch gave Kiritaka a sour look. "Old friend," She grumbled. "I'd like to remind you that several of our scouts have failed to report in. It seems likely that the Vollachians are on their way and that they will be here ahead of schedule. That needs to be our focus. As little love as I hold for Subaru Natsuki, I doubt that he has the talent to convince the Od Laguna to rewrite the entire world. "
"You don't understand!" Kiritaka said with a terrified whimper. "Successfully influencing the Od Laguna to change reality would be catastrophic! The sky could turn green! Fire could stop producing heat! Humanity itself could fade away like a half-remembered dream! Whatever Subaru Natsuki convinces the Od Laguna to believe is true will become true. The Vollachians may be threatening my city, but Subaru Natsuki is threatening the entire world!"
You may be more correct than you realize, Crusch thought grimly.
"Kiritaka," Crusch sighed. "We-"
Crusch suddenly cried out in pain and grabbed her head, doubling over the map table. She sensed that everyone around her was doing the same thing.
Crusch 's head was on fire. It felt like her mind was melting, and then her mind was suddenly filled with memories of the half-elf, memories of… Emilia.
The pain faded, and everyone stood up, looking around in confusion.
Felix looked contemplative. "Huh. Well, you don't see that every day, nya," Felix said, unflappable as ever.
Crusch stared off into the distance, her eyes widening in astonishment.
It 's true. It's all true. The half-elf really was with us. She was there the whole time.
At the banquets and the parties, the speeches and the pronouncement of the selection … She was there the entire time…
For a moment, Crusch 's ego tempted her to imagine that these new memories were fake. That these new memories were inventions made by Subaru Natsuki simply to bolster his own delusions, but Crusch's mind quickly dismissed the possibility.
There was no such possibility. Now that she had both sets of memories in her mind, it was like comparing an artist 's portrait to a child's doodle. Crusch's memories of Emilia were clear and detailed: she remembered where the elf had stood, what she'd said and done, and how Crusch had felt in each of these memories.
The memories Crusch possessed of events that Emilia had been neatly excised from were dry and barely sketched together, nothing but a series of simple facts. It was like the difference between visiting a city and reading about it in a book.
Crusch felt mortified that she 'd never noticed how fragmented and unformed her memories of these events actually were until she had something to directly compare them to.
"Was that… a sign of someone meddling with the Od Laguna?" Julius said in a weak voice. The knight looked so guilty that he seemed positively ill.
"That was Subaru Natsuki!" Kiritaka screamed. He seemed to be the least affected by the shock. Having never personally met Emilia and Subaru before that day, he had the fewest memories to adjust. "We need to stop him before he does something worse!"
Crusch let out a ponderous sigh. "Kiritaka, I… I don't think we need to worry about that," She muttered. "I think we can… feel confident that Subaru Natsuki's meddling with the Od Laguna is complete for now…"
Kiritaka looked at Crusch in shock.
"Crusch, nya," Felix murmured. "Are you alright?"
"Not really, Felix," Crusch said glumly.
"What's wrong?"
Crusch pinched the bridge of her nose. "Despite all of the pain and aggravation that Subaru Natsuki has caused me in the months since his arrival… I am now forced to come to the grim conclusion that I owe him and his fiancée a rather large apology…"
In a broken-down room in a broken-down inn sat Rom and the twins.
Ram was staring out the window. "Hm," Ram murmured, calm as can be. "How interesting."
Rem 's expression was conflicted and a dozen emotions ran across her face before finally settling on utter shock.
Rom put a gentle hand around Rem 's shoulders. "Heh," Rom chuckled. "How about that? The kids were right."
Deep beneath the streets of Priestella, Subaru felt an enormous weight fall off his shoulders.
Finally. We finally fixed everything. Now, things can get back to normal.
"Lia!" Puck cried out in alarm.
Subaru spun around and saw that Emilia was swaying on her feet. Subaru raced toward her, and only a desperate grab let him catch her before her eyes rolled up in her head, and she collapsed. At the same time, Beatrice nearly slipped off his shoulder, and he had to steady her.
"Lia!" Puck panicked. He stared at Subaru accusingly. "What's wrong with her?"
Subaru checked her pulse and her breathing and found that both were steady. "I don't think that anything's 'wrong' with her, Puck," He said slowly. "She just seems exhausted. She needs to rest, and she'll wake up when she's ready."
Puck looked at him suspiciously. "How are you so sure about that?" He challenged.
Subaru glared at Puck. "Hey buddy, I've been taking care of Emilia a lot while you were off doing other things. I 've gotten pretty good at it by now!" He snapped.
Puck took the comment like a sharp blow between the eyes. He opened his mouth to protest, but he clearly had no answer to that accusation. The little cat just floated there, looking shocked and horrified.
Subaru was having trouble keeping Beatrice on his shoulder while supporting Emilia 's unconscious body, so he gave Beatrice a helpless look.
Beatrice nodded immediately. She was reluctant to get off Subaru 's shoulder, but she sensed that Puck needed her more right now.
Beatrice raced to Puck 's side and gathered him in her arms. She gave Puck a warm hug and started to whisper soothingly to him.
Suddenly, Beatrice froze in horror. "Subaru! Where is Mother's book?!"
Subaru blinked and looked around, but the Book had vanished.
Crap. Something else to worry about.
"I don't know," Subaru said honestly. "We'll have to worry about it later."
"But-!"
"We need to wait until Mili wakes up so we can ask her questions," Subaru said calmly. "Until then, we won't know what happened to it."
Beatrice bit her lip, looking frightened and frustrated, but she nodded.
Subaru carefully cradled Emilia in his arms. "Alright. Let's get out of here."
The group stumbled through the depths of the Priestellan underground.
Subaru tenderly carried Emilia 's sleeping body while Beatrice carried Puck. Beatrice spoke reassuringly to Puck, but Puck's answers were distracted. He was utterly focused on Emilia and his own overwhelming shame.
Felt had wrapped Reinhard 's arm over her shoulder, the tiny girl trying to help support the knight who seemed as if he'd just been through the mother of all traumatic experiences. His face was pale and his eyes haunted. Reinhard stumbled along, whispering to himself in loathing. He seemed to be having trouble walking.
Garfiel slumped along behind them. "I've got to tell you, guys. This stinks , " He said sullenly.
Subaru looked back at him in confusion. "What stinks?" He asked.
"These new memories that you gave me!" He complained. "In these memories… I'm just a big fat jerk when you guys come into the Sanctuary. I'm like a kid throwing a huge tantrum because I feel so helpless! I thought I was… I don't know, I thought that I was better than that…" He said, sounding deeply disappointed in himself.
"Garf, shut up," Felt muttered.
"Shrimp, I'm just saying-"
Felt gave a frustrated sigh. "Garfiel, you are a hero , " She said in a voice that almost dared him to argue with her. "You may have had a rough start of it, but we never would have made it this far without your strength and your loyalty. You found the way to the Alliance's hideout, you helped rescue the Girali slaves, and you survived facing the Witch Cult all alone in the Jungle. You're not just some overgrown kid from the Sanctuary anymore. You are a genuine hero. You're a good man. A man who 's accomplished more in a few months than most people will do in their whole lives. And you stand second to no one . "
Garfiel blinked, and then he turned bright red. "Wow. Thanks, shrimp," He said, sounding deeply touched.
"You're welcome. Now just shut up already and keep moving," Felt grumbled.
Garfiel chuckled. "Good to know that some things never change," he said, walking over to Felt and Reinhard. "Hey, are you alright there, Red? Can I give you a hand?"
"Feel free," Felt grunted after it became clear that Reinhard was too shell-shocked to even register the question. "But honestly, this would all go a lot easier if Subaru just unsealed all of Red's Blessings."
Subaru blinked in surprise and turned around to look at Felt.
Garfiel quickly moved to help Reinhard, wrapping the knight 's other arm around his shoulders and supporting him without any effort.
Felt rubbed her sore shoulder as Red 's weight lifted off of her. "So, how about it, Subaru? Can we undo whatever it is you did to Red already? "
Reinhard roused himself from his stupor long enough to join the conversation. "I… I have committed treason , " Reinhard mumbled in a dead voice, "I have betrayed my lord. …And my friends . I have committed an unforgivable crime. I have no excuse. If my lord wishes to punish me, I will endure any torment he so dictates with gratitude. "
Felt shook him. "Red! Knock it off! Gods! Just get a grip! Subaru wouldn't do to you! Would you, Subaru? " Felt said in a tone of dire warning.
"Of course not," Subaru said quickly.
"Good. Then unseal his powers."
"…Of course, I will," Subaru said awkwardly. He swallowed hard. "You know… just as soon as I… figure out… how to do it…" he finished awkwardly.
Felt stared at Subaru with flames in her eyes. "Hold Red," She snapped to Garfiel. Garfiel just nodded abruptly, recognizing that Felt was in no mood to argue right now.
Felt marched over to Subaru with her face like a thundercloud. She grabbed his ear and tried to drag him along with her, but Subaru triggered Indomitable, and his ear just slipped out of her hand when she tried to tug on it. Nonetheless, he obligingly followed her around the corner, Emilia 's head resting against his shoulder as she slept.
Felt spun around and glared up at him. "What do you mean you don 't know how?!" She demanded, looking angrier than he'd ever seen her.
Subaru winced and shrugged helplessly. "…I meant what I said. I'm still figuring these things out," He admitted.
"Subaru! How could you do that to Reinhard without knowing how to undo it?!"
"I didn't do it! I mean… I did do it, but it was another me who did it, and then…" Subaru trailed off, trying to make sense of his own experiences and wondering how he could possibly explain to Felt what he'd seen within the Od Laguna.
Subaru shook his head in resignation. "Look," Subaru sighed. "I promise. I will figure out how to restore Reinhard 's powers."
"Well, you better, and you better do it soon! He's not going to be able to handle this, Subaru!"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you have any idea how many Blessings Reinhard had?"
"Over a hundred, I think?"
"Way more!"
Subaru nodded with a weary sigh. "And that's what made him so effective in battle. Don't worry. We'll make sure to keep him safe until he gets them back."
Felt rubbed her temples with a snarl. "This goes way beyond just fighting, Subaru! " She said through clenched teeth. "Reinhard had a Blessing that allowed him to tell sugar from salt when it was just white powder spilled on the table!"
Subaru cocked his head. "Wait. Seriously?"
"Yes! He had a Blessing that made him amazing at gardening! He had a Blessing that let him design beautiful clothes and a Blessing that made him a fantastic cook! He had a Blessing that ensured nothing ever slipped out of his hand and a Blessing that made it impossible for him to trip while walking! A Blessing that ensured that he never got lost and one that made sure that he always chose the right words to appeal to his listeners!"
Subaru scratched his head. "What are you trying to say?"
Felt took a deep breath, clearly fighting to control her temper. "I'm saying that Reinhard didn't just use his Blessings to win fights! He was entirely dependent on his Blessings in his day-to-day life. He 's been depending on them since he was a baby! Reinhard doesn't know how to do anything without relying on his Blessings! "
Subaru gave Felt a steady look. "I think that you're underestimating him," He commented.
Felt looked outraged. "Have you even noticed that we are literally carrying him out of here?! " She demanded. "His entire body is crippled! The poor guy doesn't even know how to walk around properly without his Blessings! "
Subaru looked at her skeptically. "I have to be honest here, Felt," He said, being careful not to scoff at her concerns, "I think he's struggling right now because he feels like he betrayed his friends, and he thinks that means he's a terrible person. It looks to me like the situation has put him into a serious depression and maybe even a case of post-traumatic stress. I think that 's why he 's barely able to move right now as opposed to… you know, because he's not physically able to walk. "
Felt shook her head. "You'll see. And you'd better figure out how to heal Red real fast, or else! "
With that, Felt stomped past him in a huff.
Subaru sighed and returned to the group as Felt and Garfiel helped Reinhard stagger down the tunnel.
Beatrice slipped over to walk beside Subaru. "Why is the little thief so upset about this, in fact?" She whispered.
Subaru lowered his voice. "Because getting angry on other people's behalf is how Felt shows affection. And she wants to show Reinhard a lot of affection, " He explained. "She's worried about him, and that worry is being translated into anger. Unfortunately, that anger is directed at me," He said glumly.
"It seems like a roundabout way to show people you care, I suppose."
"It is," He agreed. "But they'll have to work this out on their own. We can't do it for them. Now, let's catch up to the others."
When Subaru and the others emerged onto the city street, it was already daylight. Subaru wasn 't especially surprised to find guards waiting at the entrance. He was surprised to find that there were only a dozen: far too few even to attempt to take him into custody.
"Lord Subaru," The guard captain said with a deep bow as if the past few months had never happened. "Lady Crusch asks that you come to her immediately. This is a matter of some urgency."
Subaru frowned and then shrugged. I guess the fact that we 're still fugitives and we've been branded as witches has been at least temporarily forgotten. Probably because we 're useful at the moment.
Then again, maybe the guard captain really thinks that everything will soon be overturned as a terrible mistake. He 'll be terribly disappointed with the Sages' Council's reaction. But I don't have time to worry about that right now.
Let 's just cooperate. Where there's Crusch, there's Felix. And we have people who need medical attention.
"Lead on," Subaru said.
"Subaru Natsuki," Crusch said awkwardly as he and his friends finished climbing the stairs that led to the tower's apex. The apex was a large room that offered a virtually unobstructed view of the entire region, except where a few pillars supported the roof. The tower rose high above Priestella's wall and made for a magnificent tactical command point. In the room, there was a large table covered in maps that Crusch had needed to weigh down to avoid the maps blowing away from the wind. There were numerous chairs and even a tiny sofa.
Crusch was standing alone at the tower 's apex, and a dozen different emotions raced across her face before Subaru could identify them as if Crusch was seriously struggling with something.
Crusch regarded the sleeping Emilia without any reaction, but the sight of Reinhard, exhausted and mentally broken, left Crusch staring at him in shock.
"Where's Felix?" Subaru asked immediately. Subaru gently put Emilia down on the sofa while Felt and Garfiel helped the shell-shocked Reinhard sit down in a chair. "We have people who need medical attention."
Crusch slowly nodded. "Julius, Mimi, and Felix have gone off to procure something for my dear friend to wear that's more appropriate to his station than a bunch of tattered rags. They'll return shortly."
Subaru nodded. "Alright. So what's the problem you need help with?"
"It appears that our estimates on the Vollachians' arrival were rather optimistic," Crusch said grimly. "Our scouts have spotted something approaching, and several of our advance scouts have failed to report in."
Subaru blinked. "There's no way they could get a whole army here this fast! "
"They haven't," Crusch agreed. "The small amount of information that we've managed to acquire suggests that there is no army. Only a large squad of 'metal monsters shaped like men.'"
Subaru frowned. "The Ironborn," He said slowly. "But what's the point in sending them in here alone?"
"Not alone," Crusch clarified. "It appears that Cecilus Segmunt is with them. As is Emperor Vincent."
Subaru mulled that over and then shook his head. "This is a really ballsy move. Even for Vincent. And what 's the point? Even if he does take Priestella, how is he going to hold the city without a garrison to occupy it? He can't be willing to just stay here and wait until his armies catch up with him! He might be waiting here for weeks! The Ironborn may be invulnerable, but Vincent isn 't. And Cecilus can't protect him from having his food poisoned again!"
There was a sound from the stairway as Julius, Felix, Kiritaka, and Mimi returned to the tower. Felix was now wearing a simple blue dress with a floral pattern and a sword buckled at his waist.
"Reinhard! Nya! What's wrong?" Felix rushed to Reinhard's side and began to inspect him closely.
"My friend!" Julius exclaimed, seizing Reinhard's hand. "What has happened to you?!"
Reinhard stared up at Felix and Julius, seeming too shell-shocked and miserable to respond.
Crusch studied this scene for a moment and then returned her attention to Subaru. "It's entirely possible that Vincent's gambit may be nothing more than bait," She said grimly. "Our latest intelligence reports say that Vincent's situation in Vollachia is precarious now. Octavian threatens to push him right up against the wall."
"Not anymore," Subaru disagreed. "Octavian is probably dead, but either way, his armies are completely dispersed. The civil war is over. Vincent won."
Crusch frowned, taking mental note of this. "Perhaps. But the news of this victory hasn't even reached the Kingdom yet, and Vincent knows it, " She pointed out. "Vincent may be trying to take advantage of the current confusion. If one did not have knowledge of the changes in Vollachian internal politics that you've reported, Vincent's attack looks like nothing more than a reckless and frankly desperate move intended to shore up his political prospects back home by proving his strength and masculinity to the Empire. The Kingdom has considerable forces stationed not far away. I already called for them late last night, but it will take several hours for even the closest of them to arrive. "
Subaru frowned. "Maybe you have a point. Vincent could be trying to attack the city as bait," He realized. "He performs a lightning raid that intentionally fails. And it leaves him isolated and cut off from any reinforcements. That tempts the kingdom to throw everything they have at him while he's exposed and vulnerable."
"Cut off the head of the snake, and the body will die," Crusch nodded. "Unless given a proper warning about the Ironborn, I doubt the Kingdom could resist."
Subaru 's face was grim. "And that would also bring a huge chunk of Lagunican's armies straight to the Ironborn before the Kingdom has any idea of how dangerous they are!" He finished.
"Like leading a flock of spring lambs right to the wolf's den. I had the exact same thought," Crusch nodded. "That was the only plan I could think of that made Vincent's actions make sense. Unfortunately, Vincent is certain to arrive here before our forces do. But with Sir Reinhard here, we may be able to hold our ground."
Subaru flushed awkwardly.
Crusch frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Red… Well, he isn't… feeling very well at the moment," Subaru said vaguely.
Crusch cocked her head in confusion, then turned her attention to where Felix was trying to minister to his shell-shocked friend. "Reinhard, nya, what's wrong with you?" Felix whispered gently.
"Is he hurt?" Julius demanded.
"Nya. No… not exactly," Felix said uncertainly.
Crusch gave Subaru a hard look. Subaru winced and shifted awkwardly.
Crusch turned to Felix. "What's wrong with him?"
"I'm… I'm not sure, nya," Felix admitted. "He's definitely exhausted, which… is already pretty strange for Reinhard. But his magic, his power… it feels like it's just… gone."
Crusch noticed Felt glaring at Subaru, and she quickly connected the dots.
Crusch turned back to the flustered Subaru. "What happened ? " She demanded.
Subaru looked awkward. "Um. I sort of sealed his magic," He muttered.
Crusch stared at Subaru incredulously. Then she grabbed his collar and hauled him close. "You did what ?! " She demanded. Any thoughts of apologizing to this calamitous moron had utterly evaporated. "Why in the world would you do such a stupid thing?! "
Subaru looked guilty. "It's complicated," he muttered. "We were both inside the Od Laguna, but we were other people at the time, and then-"
"So undo it!" Crusch ordered.
"Yeah. I'm… still working out how to do that," Subaru muttered.
Crusch let go of him with a snarl of disgust. "Do you even realize what you've done ?! You 've turned an already desperate situation into a hopeless one! The Ironborn will be here soon, not to mention Cecilus Segmunt! Without Reinhard van Astrea's strength, we have no defense at all! "
Julius turned away from Reinhard to join the conversation. "If the Vollachians behave the way they have during prior conflicts," He whispered in a worried tone. "They'll make straight for the heart of the city, slaughter all government officials, and install an Imperial overseer to put down any further resistance."
Kiritaka turned white, " What ? " He squeaked.
"They lack any forces to leave behind following the conquest," Crusch muttered, savagely biting at her thumbnail, "But I expect that strategy would still be their plan. They'd want to make everything look like a normal mission."
"What about the gates in the river?" Garfiel pipped up. "We could lure them in and then flood the city!"
"Machines don't drown, fleabag," Felt said shortly. "I doubt they can swim, but they can still just walk across the bottom of the river and pull themselves out."
Subaru stared out at the city, looking at the gate, the dried-up canal, the unfinished building, and beyond all that, the massive structure at the center that served as Priestella 's seat of government.
An idea slowly started to form in Subaru 's mind, and he chased after it.
Mimi jumped onto the tower ramparts and shielded her eyes against the sun 's glare as she peered into the distance. "Um. Mimi hates to be the bearer of bad tidings, but Mimi thinks that we have company."
Everyone raced to the ramparts and stared out over the rolling hills. Far off in the distance, a shiny, black shape could be seen moving straight toward the city at great speed.
Reinhard slowly regained his feet. "When the Ironborn reach the city, I will be there to greet them," He said quietly.
"What?!" Felt exclaimed, grabbing him with both hands and futilely trying to push him back. "Are you insane?! You can barely stand!"
"I am a knight of the kingdom, Miss Felt," Reinhard said simply. "I have obligations."
Felt sputtered. "It's pointless! The Ironborn are monsters , Red! Even Subaru couldn 't destroy them! The only thing you'll accomplish by trying to fight them right now is to get yourself killed ! "
"There is nothing else to do," Reinhard sighed. "I can not permit innocent people to suffer while I still live."
Julius frowned. He looked conflicted, but finally, he sighed. "Then I will stand beside you, my friend," he said, clasping Reinhard's hand firmly. "We will leave this life together."
Reinhard gave him a sad smile.
Felix looked at both of them as if they were crazy.
Julius glanced at Subaru. "Subaru Natsuki, I ask that you please take care of Miss Mimi and make sure that she reunites safely with Miss Anastasia," He murmured.
Julius frowned, realizing that Subaru wasn 't listening to a word he said. He was still staring out at the city, deep in thought.
There was a loud clatter as Marwain and Falric, dressed in full armor, climbed the stairs to the tower apex.
"Felix," Crusch said desperately. "Is there any way to restore Reinhard's power?"
"I don't know, Crusch, nya," Felix said helplessly. "I've never encountered anything like this before. I didn't even know it was possible to seal Divine Blessings like this, nya."
Crusch started to pace. "Our armies may still be hours away," Crusch said in near despair. "And I don't dare allow them to engage the Vollachians in any case. If Subaru's report of these monsters' capabilities is in any way accurate, it would be a slaughter! But there may still be time to evacuate the city before the Ironborn appear and-"
"I have a plan," Subaru cut her off.
Everyone stared at him in disbelief.
Subaru slowly turned around, his expression stern and resolute. "I know how we can save the city and defeat the Ironborn. But we don't have long, and I need everybody to do exactly as I say and not argue with me. "
Reinhard looked at him, and a small smile broke through his despair. "I knew that you would not permit us to fall in this manner, my lord," He said in a tired voice.
"How the hell are you going to face the Ironborn?" Felt asked incredulously. "Every time you've tried to fight them, they've just kicked your ass!"
Subaru gave her a sour look. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Felt," He muttered.
"Hey! She does make a good point!" Garfiel reminded him.
Subaru ignored him and turned to Kiritaka. "You. Come here," He gestured.
Kiritaka turned white. "Me?" He yelped.
Subaru grabbed the quivering man and pulled him close. Subaru whispered something into his ear. The councilor listened intently as Subaru pointed to the wall and the unfinished building being assembled in the canal.
Then, the councilor 's eyes bugged out. "Are you completely insane ? "
"Do you have a better idea?" Subaru asked with an edge in his voice.
Kiritaka squirmed for a moment, then ran out of the tower, taking the stairs ten at a time.
"Marwain, Falric, Crusch, Felix," Subaru snapped before anyone could ask a question or argue with him. The Captains snapped to attention, and for a moment, Crusch felt herself stiffening as if she was about to join them. "I need all of you to get the people and the guards away from the front gate. Evacuate the front district of town. They'll listen to you."
"But where do we bring them?" Marwain asked.
"Just a few blocks back," Subaru said. "Then, I need you to break the bridges over all the canals behind you. I want you to destroy all the bridges but the ones that lead to that dried-up canal in the heart of the city. Leave Vincent only one path to follow."
"Many of the canals are crossed by simple wood bridges or even rope bridges," Falric said uncertainly, "But some of the streets have great stone bridges. How will we break them?"
Subaru smiles. "I have every confidence in Crusch's magic. I'm sure you'll be able to smash them without much difficulty."
Crusch frowned. "What if Vincent recognizes that your 'trail' is an obvious trap and just bulldozes his way across the canals anyway?" She asked darkly. "It wouldn't be hard for his monsters to simply walk across the canal bed and then haul up on the docks on the opposing side."
"He won't," Subaru said confidently. "You're right. Vincent will sense that we're leading him into a trap. But he'll want to spring it. He wants us to show him the very best we have because he wants to prove that his ultimate weapon can overcome anything we can throw at it. That will break morale and make it easier to bring the kingdom to its knees. Don't worry, Crusch. Vincent will take the bait. He's too arrogant not to."
The Captains and Felix raced down the stairs. Crusch moved to follow, pausing only to give Subaru an unclear expression before she sprinted after them.
"What about us, Captain?" Garfiel asked eagerly.
Subaru nodded. "Felt. You and Garf go to the dry canal and cut that last bridge across it," He ordered. "When he gets there, I want him to have no choice but to get down into the canal with his army."
"What the hell good will any of this do?" Felt demanded.
"After that," Subaru pressed on, ignoring her, "Go get Rom and the twins. Find Patrasche and find us a carriage or a wagon or something big enough for everybody. No matter how this all turns out, I think we're going to have to get out here really fast after this stunt, and we may have to bring extra folks to safety."
"Subaru!" Felt protested. "What-"
"No time, shrimp, come on!" Garfiel grabbed her arm and yanked her down the stairs.
Reinhard drew himself up straight. "And what task do you have for me, my lord?" He said in the tone of a man facing summary judgment.
Subaru gently touched Reinhard 's shoulder. The knight flinched as if the touch had been a blow.
"Red," Subaru said, "I need you and Julius to stay here and protect the spirits and Emilia."
"Betty is not staying here!" Beatrice protested.
Subaru ignored her, focusing on Reinhard. "I need you and Julius to protect them. There's no one else in the city that I can trust for this job!"
Julius opened his mouth to protest but slowly closed it when Subaru shot him a look.
Subaru Natsuki recognizes that Reinhard is now too weak to take effective action against these foes. So, he commands our friend with a safe task that he can undertake with honor.
This is an act of wisdom and charity. But regardless, I can not sit here and play nursemaid simply to sell the deception. Not while the city is under attack and there is anything at all that I can do to protect it.
Reinhard nodded. "Thank you for your trust, my friend," he murmured. "I will keep them safe, though it cost me my life. I vow it… as your knight," he finished in a broken tone.
Subaru nodded. He quickly unbuckled his sword belt. "Here, take this," Subaru said, handing it to Reinhard.
Reinhard 's eyes widened in recognition. "My grandmother's sword," He whispered, his hands tightening around it. "When I was a boy, she taught me how to fence using it… I was so much weaker then… This is how I began my journey…" His expression hardened. "And it is how I will begin again…"
Subaru turned to Julius.
"And what is my task?" Julius asked slowly.
"I need you to wait here and watch for my signal. Then I need you to repeat that trick you showed me last night…"
In short order, the front quarter of the city was completely silent. Everyone near the southern gate had been evacuated to other districts.
Subaru waited for Vincent down in the dry canal. He leaned against the pillar supporting the unfinished building, waiting impatiently.
Come on, Vincent. What 's with the hold-up? Are you pausing for a victory lap before you even win?
No sooner had Subaru thought this than he heard a loud clanking sound off in the distance. Moments later, he saw the Ironborn gathering at the ledge of the street above him where Felt and Garfiel had cut the connecting bridge. The horde piled up at the edge, having nowhere else to go. Vincent and Cecilus appeared a moment later.
For a moment, Vincent appeared confused, wondering if the anticipated trap had been left unfinished due to lack of time. Then he saw Subaru waiting off in the distance below him, and Vincent 's face creased with a smirk.
Vincent gestured, and the Ironborn began to leap onto the sandy floor, the forty-foot drop concerning them not at all.
Vincent gestured to Cecilus, and the blue-haired warrior effortlessly carried Vincent down to the ground.
"Subaru Natsuki," Vincent said in a smug but friendly tone. "I wondered what had happened to you."
"I had business in this city," Subaru said, still lounging against the pillar. "I decided to come here and take care of it before you demolished the place."
"And naturally, you've already told Lagunica all about the Ironborn," Vincent continued.
"You knew that I would."
"I assume that they didn't believe you?" Vincent asked.
Subaru rocked his hand back and forth. "It was touch and go. Strangely, they had no trouble whatsoever believing that I had handed you a devastating weapon to point at their throats. But they drew the line at believing that the Ironborn were invincible."
Vincent smirked. "Just as I planned. When you disappeared, I-"
"Let me save you some trouble here, Vincent," Subaru said with a dramatic yawn. "When you realized that I'd disappeared, you knew that the kingdom would know about the Ironborn soon. You wanted to build up a full army and invade the kingdom in force, but my escape threw your entire timetable out the window. You decided you needed to take advantage of the situation while Lagunica's understanding of the Ironborn was still unclear. Given enough time, their spies would get a full understanding of the Ironborn's capabilities by questioning the soldiers who saw them in action at Morenth. So, you raced up here with the Ironborn, and you probably also stopped for food somewhere along the way to make it clear that the Emperor was personally leading this raid and to ensure that the kingdom found out about that. Tell me, how were you going to convince them that this little raid wasn't some kind of elaborate trap? Did you act drunk?"
Vincent gave Subaru a surprisingly boyish grin. "We stopped at an inn near the border for lunch, and I acted completely unhinged," He said calmly. "I made a long, rambling, and utterly incoherent speech about how I needed to convince the Generals that I still had the strength to rule. The Arcani knew that the location was a front for Lagunican Intelligence. The Kingdom should be solidly convinced that I've suffered a mental breakdown, and they should evaluate all of my actions in that light."
Subaru nodded. "I figured it would be something like that."
Vincent shook his head with a smile. "Subaru Natsuki," he said in near wonder. "You know, aside from Prisca, you are the only man I 've ever met that I could truly consider a peer."
Cecilus looked faintly hurt, but he said nothing.
Subaru cocked his head. "…I hope you're not waiting for me to reciprocate that feeling."
"Come, come, Subaru," Vincent said knowingly. "Do you feel no respect whatsoever for my ability to deceive and manipulate you for my own gain?"
"It was very impressive," Subaru admitted.
"…But?"
"When I look at you, Vincent, I don't see a peer," Subaru said somberly. "I see the man that I could have been. The man that I would have been if not for all my friends staying close to me and keeping my head on straight. You had no one to watch out for you. You fought a long, lonely one-man war in the palace for the better part of a decade, and it's left deep scars on your mind and heart.
"Any regrets, Vincent? Ever wonder how your life might have been different if you'd brought Priscilla home as soon as you safely could have? Ever wonder if having someone at your side that you could completely trust through the worst of the storm might have kept you the kind of man who could see the value of more than just power?"
Vincent flushed, and for the first time, he looked angry. "I wanted my sister to be kept safe . That 's why I kept her far away from me and the havoc of the Vollachia court. I knew that once I brought her home, she'd be trapped there. And things… would get difficult…" He trailed off.
Vincent shook off his momentary uncertainty. "Well. In any case, I'm sure that you and Prisca will have a great deal to talk about. She's still looking forward to your wedding with great enthusiasm."
"Somehow, I doubt that," Subaru scoffed. "Come on, Vincent. If you're going to try and lie to me, at least put some effort into it!"
"Not a lie," Vincent chided. "Just a… polite pretense. Regardless, I'm here to seize the city. And you're going to be coming back to Vollachia with me to ensure that you keep out of my way. I was really hoping not to reach this point in our relationship, but I think a few of your friends will need to be brought back to Vollachia as well. And kept far away from you, just to ensure that you behave yourself."
"I sort of figured that would be the case," Subaru nodded.
Vincent shrugged. "So. Are you going to come along quietly, or are you going to make this difficult?"
Subaru gave Vincent a half-smile. "After all the time we've spent together, Vincent, I'm offended that you even felt the need to ask that question. "
Vincent chuckled. "Well, I thought that it was worth a try. Take him!" He ordered, and the Ironborn marched forward in a huge mass along the canal floor.
Just as I predicted, Subaru thought. I was briefly worried that Vincent would send Cecilus after me, but Vincent knows that I can smash the Ironborn, and he doesn 't understand the limits of my powers yet.
The Ironborn can always repair themselves, but a lucky blow from me could obliterate Cecilus, and Cecilus is irreplaceable. Vincent desperately needs him.
No, sending the Ironborn after me is by far the better strategy. Or at least that 's what he thinks.
Now, it 's time for phase two.
The Ironborn were almost upon him when Subaru bolted away from the pillar that supported the building 's platform. He started to run down the sandy canal.
He didn 't get far. The Ironborn were all over him before he had gone ten yards. They clumped on top of him like ants mauling their prey.
Subaru didn 't bother to trigger Indomitable . He knew that the Ironborn weren 't trying to hurt him. He struggled to look past the swarm of metal bodies. In the distance, Subaru saw that Julius was already at work. From the tower where he kept watch, Julius had sent his spirits down to the brick pillar that supported the massive unfinished building above them. As they approached the swarm of metal monsters, Subaru could see that the spirits were already behaving erratically.
The spirits must hate being so close to the Ironborn , Subaru thought. I can only imagine how Beako would have reacted if I 'd brought her down here. But they're still doing what he asked because they love Julius. And because they're not using their magic on the Ironborn, their spell work shouldn 't be negated by the Ironborn's power.
The spirits worked quickly. The ring of lights began to glow brighter and spin faster as they cast their spell on the brick pillar. In the space of an instance, the bricks were reduced to soft clay and mud. Subaru barely had time to trigger Indomitable .
The building and its platform, both weighing hundreds of tons, slammed onto the canal floor. The brick building on top collapsed from the force of the impact, bricks spilling out in every direction like Legos. The noise echoed across the entire city like thunder.
The Ironborn were instantly crushed into dust. Great gusts of powdered Ironborn spewed out the sides of the collapsing structure, covering the floor of the dry canal with a thick coat of silvery sand.
Subaru stood there trembling, his heart pounding. His body, protected by the power of Indomitable, had survived the enormous platform falling on top of him. His head and shoulders had burst clean through the thick stonework, and as Indomitable timed out, he slowly climbed up through the narrow hole he 'd made and onto the ruined platform that was now lying in pieces on the sandy canal floor.
Subaru took a ragged breath and brushed himself off.
He looked down the canal as the huge cloud of dust slowly cleared. He saw that Vincent was now standing alone with Cecilus, his expression thunderstruck.
Vincent just shook his head. Slowly, he brought his hands together and began to applaud. "Amazing work, Subaru," He said sincerely. "Truly remarkable. I never imagined that you could destroy all my Ironborn."
Subaru tried to catch his breath. "I must say, you're taking this very well," He said in an unsteady voice.
"I'm not too upset, no," Vincent admitted. "After all…" He gestured toward the fine particles of Ironborn that floated in the air all around them.
As Subaru watched, the dust slowly settled, and the tiny specks and crumbs of broken Ironborn began to roll ponderously across the ground, trying to reunite and rebuild the units. The tiny fragments moved like snails, but with each merge, they gained in size and moved more quickly.
"A brilliant strategy, though," Vincent continued. "You get an 'A' for effort."
Subaru grinned at him. "Don't grade me yet , " He purred.
Vincent frowned.
Subaru felt the ground rumble beneath his feet, and he saw Vincent look past Subaru, his eyes wide with shock. Subaru didn 't bother to turn around. He knew that if he looked, he'd see a massive wall of water, forty feet high, racing down the canal with crushing power.
"Sorry, Vincent," Subaru mocked. "This round goes to me."
Vincent looked equal parts incredulous and outraged as Cecilus picked up the Emperor and tossed him over his shoulder. As Cecilus prepared to flee, Subaru saw Vincent 's face slowly crease in resignation. He gave Subaru a reluctant nod of respect before Cecilus dashed away, moving so fast that they became nothing but a blur.
Subaru turned and saw the wave bearing down on him. He glanced at the Ironborn flecks, still slowly working to join back together, and smirked at them.
I hope you guys aren 't in any sort of hurry to finish reassembling yourselves. Because it may take you a while.
Subaru triggered Indomitable just before the wave crashed into him.
The wave struck with terrific power as it engulfed Subaru, washing over him harmlessly. The piles of loose bricks and even flagstones around him flew through the water as if weightless, launched into motion by the sheer force of the wave 's impact, before crashing back down onto the sandy bed a dozen yards away. The Ironborn shards were scattered by the river's rage, churned up and tossed in every direction.
A moment later, Indomitable timed out, and the river swept Subaru away.
"Subaru!" Beatrice screamed in terror.
"Amazing," Julius whispered in awe. "Pure genius…"
"Mimi is… confused," The little cat girl confessed. "Why did he do all of that?"
Julius jerked as he felt Beatrice 's hands seize his shirt and shake him violently. "We need to go and rescue Betty's Subaru!" She screamed.
Julius looked at her and nodded at once. "Of course we will, Miss Beatrice. We will do so at once. My friend," Julius turned to Reinhard. "The city is safe for the moment. We must go to the aid of our… to the aid of Subaru Natsuki," He finished awkwardly.
Reinhard nodded and swept up the sleeping Emilia, carefully cradling her in his arms and displacing the worried Puck, who was swiftly picked up in turn by Beatrice. "Then let us away," Reinhard said at once.
Miles and miles south of Priestella, the raging river widened into a calm flowing stream, and Subaru finally managed to pull himself out.
Exhausted, he struggled to haul himself out on the bank and then collapsed, unable to do anything but lay there panting for breath.
OK … maybe that wasn't my best idea. I thought Indomitable would just let me swim to shore, but I learned something very valuable today. Indomitable doesn't help very much against a raging river!
We went through miles of rapids and sharp rocks! I had to use Indomitable just to stay alive, much less make it to shore. And then, after it timed out, I had thirty fun-filled seconds of being smashed against everything in the river. I needed to use Indomitable just to make it to the surface and get a quick breath of air! Then, it would time out before I could make any headway at getting out of the river. Rinse and repeat. I went through a dozen forks and tributaries. I don 't have the slightest idea where I am.
Although, if nothing else, the Ironborn must be thoroughly mixed up by now. There was no way that those little paint-chip-sized bits could resist the current. They 'll all be scattered in a million different directions by now. That ought to buy us some time before they pull themselves back together.
Man, where the hell am I? I can 't even see Priestella from here. Walking back to the city doesn't seem like a super realistic possibility. And that's ignoring the fact that I'm so tired that I feel like I can barely move right now.
On the bright side, I guess Felt and Garf won 't have any trouble finding me. They just need to follow the river. Even they can 't get lost this time…
A shadow fell upon him. "Subaru Natsuki. Well done!"
Subaru looked up to see Kor ë standing there, her body shrouded in writhing shadows.
Subaru sighed in exhaustion. "Korë."
"Subaru Natsuki," The shadowy figure sounded delighted. "You have passed my test."
Subaru gave her a sour look as he hauled himself painfully to his feet. "Well, if I've finally passed your little test, how about we dispense with all these games, and you can answer a few of my questions."
The shadowy figure laughed, a surprisingly musical sound. "Of course, Subaru."
In a split second, the shadow was dispelled, and the figure revealed herself.
She was small and slender, barely into her teens, and had long white hair that fell down her back. Her eyes were as blue as the deep, rolling sea, and she wore nothing but a simple white cloth around her slender body.
The girl smiled winsomely at Subaru. "I am known as Pandora, the Witch of Gifts," she said coquettishly, making a small curtsy. "And I am entirely at your service, oh my King. "
Subaru stared at the girl in shock. He tried to speak, but words failed him. He tried again, but they stuck in his throat.
Pandora gave him a sad smile. "Why, Subaru, you look as though you'd seen a ghost."
Subaru swallowed hard. "…Anise?" He whispered in a small voice. "…Anise Adora…?"
"It's wonderful to see you again, Subaru," Pandora said warmly. "Truthfully, when I first returned to this world, I feared that I would never see you again…"
Subaru shook his head violently. "This is impossible! I haven't seen you in more than three years, and you haven 't aged a day!"