Chapter 13: Upon a stone cold floor

Once again, he woke up to the cold stone floor. This would be the fourth time he's woken up like this, it's been four times already? For the people waiting outside, it's been thirty minutes since he's entered the tomb, but he felt like he's already spent half a month trying to break through this deadlock, though nothing seems to work.

"ARGH!"

He slammed his fists to the ground, instead of spitting out the gravel in his mouth, he took it in, his eye's filled with loss and regret. More and more things just pile up into the mess, it's almost impossible to keep track of everything at this point.

"Enough mourning... time to get up..." He said to himself as he walked over to the unconscious Emilia.

The person that took over Emilia's body was definitely Satella, the Witch of Envy, there's no doubt about it. The shadows, the strength, it would be impossible for it not to be her. He moves his hands over to touch Emilia's pained face, but he stopped midway.

"..."

Was he scared? Of course, who wouldn't be, just a minute ago, he was attacked by this very girl, though she was possessed by a witch, still, there's no telling it might happen again. The witch was the one that allowed him to Return by Death, so who's to say she can't use it as well? She could simply just come back and possess her again, so was this it?

"Gk..."

Images off the several deaths he's already seen flashed through his mind, eating away his already eroded sanity, this loop would be the one to finish him off, he can't save everyone here, he know's that.

"Damn... it..."

Moving his hand forward would reveal the truth, but he didn't want to see it, not if it would turn out like last time. He fell to his feet, staring at the ground, cursing himself for rambling about his secret with Echidna.

"S-Subaru..." He heard a voice call him, it made his head jerk up.

"Why... are you crying..." A worried Emilia looks at him and wipes the trickling tears that he failed to notice.

He collapsed onto Emilia, breathing raggedly, sobbing a little. His heart was beating uncontrollably due to the immense amount of relief. She just carreworriedlyorridley and told him everything was going to be fine.

Funny, that's what he was supposed to be doing, but seeing Subaru in such a state snapped Emilia out of her trance instantly

.

"So... you took the trials and saw your parents?"

"Y-Yeah, and I failed as well..."

They were walking out of the tomb, talking about the trials, with Subaru lying to her about the his attempt in order to keep her motivated. "So, it's the same for you too, huh..." she whispered.

"Subaru-kun!"

"Yo! Yer alright!? Got my amazin self's worried there!"

As the two were making their way up the stairs, everyone else was screaming out to them. It would be natural, they had been down there for about half an hour, but Garfiel's attitude took Subaru by surprise. He should be able to smell it from here, her returned by death twice in day so it's supposed to be unbearable to smell, he could tell by the look on Rem's face, so why isn't Garfiel acting so cautious.

"So you really can't smell it huh..." Subaru murmured, unheard by anyone.

They all went over to Lewes's house. Emilia was put to bed and Subaru asked to have a moment with her, Ram giving him a look before ushering everyone out the room, the ones left being Subaru, Emilia, and Beatrice.

"So, how are you feeling?"

"I... don't know... I saw a memory in the trial, I could clearly remember it... but something feels weird like it never really happened..."

"Fake memories again, huh..." Subaru mumbles.

"That... might be due to a contract, I suppose..."

"Contract?" They both said, looking confused, "It's possible, you know, it's with Nii-chan as well, after he made a contract with mother, his memories of his past was partially sealed off, I suppose..."

"S-So... you're saying my real memories were sealed off because of Puck?" she stammered, "Well, it's either that or you somehow met gluttony and they took some of your memories or something like that" Subaru interjected, with Beatrice nodding approvingly.

"Well, whatever it was, we can handle it tomorrow, you should rest for now, Emilia..."

She nods with a yawn and drops to her bed, sleeping instantly. "Woah... she must be really tired to fall asleep like that..."

Subaru motions Beatrice over, she comes to the crystal in her neck and holds it in her hands, closing her eyes, seems like she was in deep concentration.

"Nii-chan is being held back, I suppose..."

"Really... is there a way we can get him out?"

"No... but, if we wait for a while longer, we might be able to talk to him, I suppose..."

"Don't really have time for that, any longer and Ram's gonna start to get some ideas..." He walks over to the door and opens, sure enough, Ram was outside, trying to listen in on their conversation, "All yours Ram..."

"..." she just stares blankly and passes the two, "Hey Ram..." Subaru calls out to her, both of them stopped but neither turned their backs, he wanted to try something out, "How's Roswaal doing with his book?"

Hearing that statement made her and Beatrice flinch, the reaction he was expecting from them, "Barusu... I'm going to have to ask you where or who you found that out from... depending on your answer, I might have to..."

Subaru just sighs and lifts his hands up in the air, "I don't know... maybe it was Roswaal himself, or maybe it's Beako, maybe Echidna... or maybe, you told me yourself... I was just making sure, and seems like he really does have that book..."

"W-What...? What do you..."

"I'm not sure what Roswaal's trying to do, but I don't like it..."

"Tch, Destiny... can't be defied, Barusu..."

"I don't believe in fatalism Ram... I'm positive I can defy destiny..." He says as he walks out of the room, Beatrice following behind him. As the door closed, Ram sat down beside Emilia, with a frightened expression.

Beatrice and Subaru split up to do their own thing, she didn't tell him where she's going but he had a feeling he knew where.

He walked around the forest for a while, trying to find a suitable place to think when he bumped into Garfiel who was supposedly looking for him, just as he planned. Unlike his calm self a few minutes ago, he was now furious, something Subaru also expected.

"Yo, Garfiel... how's it-"

"Cut the crap, what did ya see in the tomb..."

"Oh... Did Rem tell you? I doubt she would though..."

"Just answer the question!"

Garfiel tapped his foot impatiently, glaring at him, he just sighed, "I took the trials and I failed... happy?"

"Don't give me that shit, you didn't jus take the trials didya? Yer the only one stinkin of the witch, not Emilia-sama!" he said while angrily stomping his feet, "Fine... I happened to talk to the Witch of Greed, Echidna... happy now?"

Garfiel started approaching Subaru in a rather threatening manner, but Subaru remained unfazed, "And what did ya talk about?" It seems like, depending on his answer, he might do something.

"Well, naturally... I asked about Sanctuary"

"Stop going places yer not supposed to go!" He scorned at his face, "Sanctuary concerns my contracted spirit, I have the right to know about it, don't you think?"

"If ya wanted to know then just damn ask the little girl, no need to dig down and ask the fuckin witch about it! There are things we like to keep away outsiders " he shouted, now starting to show immense aggression, "It's too late for that... and it seems like I know more than you do-"

"Don't ya dare fuck with me! Leave our problems to ourselves, you got no right to snoop in on our business, if ya do, I'll show ya hell!" he grabs Subaru's collars and pins him onto a tree,

"Heh... your gonna show me hell?" Subaru says with a stern gaze, "What are you gonna do? Beat me up to a pulp? Please, that's not even close to the hell I've been..."

"What did you say? My amazin self's not terrifyin enough for ya?"

"Imagine everyone you know burning in front of you, getting stabbed right in front of your eyes, imagine a person you hold dear being forgotten by the world, imagine being eaten alive, imagine being possessed by an evil spirit and forcing your friends to watch you die, imagine all those things Garfiel, then maybe you'll understand to what extent hell means..." He stared deep into his eyes.

"It's a good thing that only I have to experience that hell..." Garfiel understood, he knew that whatever he's been through was much worse than he can ever imagine, so he let him go, "Ya fuckin testing me..."

"You could say that..." He dusted himself and turned to the forest, "Hey, the hell ya off to?!"

"Gotta find Beako! I saw her wander out so I was going to find her, catch ya later, Garfiel!" "Tch, fuckin shit, don't god damn change the atmosphere like that..." Garfiel kicked the ground and went back to his patrol.

"Let's see what you've been holding back all those years... Beako..."

.

The crystal stood right in front of her, glistening as moonlight reflected off it. The door behind her opens and in enters a boy, "Why... am I not surprised, I suppose..." she says as she turns around. She sees Subaru walking up beside her, holding his nose.

"Thought you'd come here... so, care to explain?"

He points over to the crystal, "Just touch it... I suppose, it could be of use..." she mumbles. He does as she says and pokes at it with the tip of his finger, receiving a slight shock from it, "Ouch... was that meant to be a prank?"

She sighs and shakes her head, "The command authority has now been overwritten to you, I suppose, that boy shouldn't have control of them anymore..."

"That boy? Control of them...?"

He tried remembering something, from the last loop, Garfiel transformed into a giant tiger and had an army of Lewes's at his command, so by them, Beatrice means the clone Leweses.

"So now I control the Lewes clones?" she just nods and turns around, "Here comes one now, I suppose..."

The door opens again, and Lewes enters, her face devoid of any expression.

She walks past the two and to the crystal, under it was a bunch of dull crystals. From her sleeves, she had what seemed to be several replacements, and one by one, detached and placed them.

"Can I say that's the original..." Beatrice just nods, "Can I say she's your friend..." She nods again, "Can I say she sacrificed herself for something..." "..."

"Too deep?" she nods. "Okay then... oh looks like Lewes is done..."

After replacing all the crystals, she grabbed the dull ones and approached the door, still not taking any interest in the too that just stared at her, "Uhm... Lewes?" Right after he called, she dropped the dull crystals and turned to look at him.

"..." She stared blankly as if waiting for a command. "Tell her to do something, I suppose..."

"Okay then, hello there... um, care to tell me your name?" Subaru asked, she just tilted her head, as if she didn't understand what he was asking, "She can't handle such a complex question, or she doesn't have a name, I suppose..."

"Complex question? So she can only do stuff like jump around?" and with that, she starts hopping, uncontrollably. "Woah Woah! S-Stop, too much jumping!" and she stops.

"Well... that was interesting, but what do I do with an army of Lewes?"

"It's up to you, I suppose, you haven't told Betty what's wrong yet..."

"That's because you won't let me"

"..."

"Before we get to that, I think the clones could listen to me telepathically so... 'Continue with whatever your doing, follow Garfiel's orders, and don't come here', should give us some time to talk..."

The Lewes that was staring at them blankly, turned and made a run for the door and into the forest, Subaru went out, with Beatrice following him shortly behind. They sat down in the grass facing each other.

"So, wanna talk about it?"

"It's... not easy to talk about... I suppose..."

"Anythings possible"

He gets up and walks to Beatrice's spot and wraps his arms around her while resting his chin on her head, "W-What are you doing, I suppose!"

"Nothing, just felt the urge to hug you... anything wrong with that?"

"N... N-No..."

"So, let's talk about Lewes-san..."

A/N

Okay, I did write much more than this, but I noticed that there was a hell lot of plot holes, so I'm gonna have to go through (both) fics and re-write a few things here and there, I knew this was going to happen... that's why I made this into a completely separate fic from Forgive me to avoid some mishaps. So I'm putting this fic on Hiatus for awhile, it'll be marked complete until I round everything up, not sure how long it'll take but I'd say at least 2 weeks, up till maybe a month, nothing more... I hope...

Anyway, this isn't going to affect Warlock in any way, so don't be worried (Red). I've still got some things to study for next week, see ya later!