AN: Sorry for late post. Busy as hell week for me. I'll try and work harder on this! ENJOY!

ARC Five: Trials of the Sanctuary

Chapter Forty One: Batman

Subaru tossed several throwing stars at a fast approaching Wolgarm and killed it, Petra hiding behind him. Otto threw some magical stones at two more that appeared, the stones exploding and killing them. They then saw a hole appear from the roof and saw Mieli riding on top of a giant Warthog-like Ma-Beast.

"AH! Onii-san and Petra! Long time no see!"

"...Mieli's here now."

Mieli smiled at the two of them, as more Ma-Beast flooded into the halls, practically surrounding them.

"DOWN!"

Subaru heard this and shoved his two friends down, as the Batwing fired it's turrets through the windows and killed almost all of the Ma-Beast in the halls. The Ma-Beast that survived, including Mieli's pet turned their attention to the Batwing. They attempted to leap at it, but a single anti-tank round ripped through the Warthog Ma-Beast and sent the others flying. Mieli fell off of the Ma-Beast and landed on the floor.

As the large monster tried to pick itself up, it then turned it's attention to Batman and Frederica running to meet up with the others. The Warthog charged at them, but Batman grabbed a fire axe he had found earlier and charged as well.

"El Ermac!"

Batman dashed forward with Yang magic and appeared on top of the Ma-Beast's head. He swung down and hit the axe on it's forehead.

"GROOOOARRRRR!"

The Ma-Beast went mad with pain and attempted to shake Batman off of him. Frederica saw her chance and handed Rem over to Subaru. She then rushed over, summoned her paws and quickly sliced the side of the Ma-Beast.

The Ma-Beast roared at Frederica, who simply glared at it. When the Ma-Beast tried to kill Frederica, Batman held onto the axe with one hand and raised his other hand as a fist.

The air around his fist began to distort as Batman glared down at the Ma-Beast. Then…

"UL MATAR!"

His fist began to glow white and Batman punched the top of the Warthog's head. The impact caused it's head to cave in and it's eyes to pop out of it's sockets, blood spraying out of it's mouth. The beast fell, only a few inches away from Frederica.

Mieli backed away from the scene, as she began to tremble.

"N-No way...NO FAIR! He...he killed it...I...I need to get outta-"

"-Mieli-chan."

When Mieli turned around she saw Petra facing her with a blank stare.

"Hey Petra-chan.."

Petra let out a deep sigh, followed by a charming smile. Mieli also began to smile, but also had a concerned look on her expression.

Then Petra narrowed her eyes and scowled as she punched Mieli on the chin. Mieli falling to the ground unconscious. Petra held her bleeding hand and began to cry a bit from the pain. Subaru rushed over as he went to check on her.

"Petra! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, that hurt more than I thought though."

"Are you crazy? You could've gotten really hurt you know!"

"Sorry...but I couldn't just stand around and do nothing. Subaru-sama and everybody else is doing their best."

Subaru then let out a single deep breath as he patted Petra's head.

With that, they tied up Mieli and decided to take her with them, they looked around them as they saw the fire spreading around quickly.

"This is bad."

"We'll have to evacuate immediately. The mansion is unsalvageable at this point."

Frederica then carried Rem on her back as she put on a worried expression to Batman.

"My brother! He's still here! We cannot leave him!"

"We're not!...not to mention Beatrice is still here."

"..."

"We're going to save everyone."

Frederica nodded happily at this.

"Subaru, we'll need to split up. You go after Beatrice and I'll help Garfiel."

"Right!"

"The rest of you get in the Batwing, it'll take you to the Sanctuary. Stay there until we get back."

Everyone agreed on the plan.

The rest of the group got in the Batwing as Batman and Subaru stayed behind. Batman leaped inside the Batwing one last time to input the auto-pilot.

As Batman was about to leap off and back into the Mansion, Frederica stopped him with a tug to his cape.

"Frederica?"

She didn't know why she did it, whether it was by instinct or something else entirely...but she decided to do it.

She hugged him from behind.

Subaru and the others could only hold their breaths as they watched.

"Frederica?"

"It's...a good luck hug...hoping you come back safely."

Batman then patted her hands and nodded slightly.

"I'll be back."

"Okay."

Frederica released her hug and Batman leaped down and pressed some buttons on his gauntlet. The Batwing lifted off and flew to the direction of the Sanctuary. Subaru raced forward ahead of Batman, when attempted to follow him the ceiling above him collapsed and out fell Garfiel.

Letting out some ragged breaths and a few drops of blood leaking out of his forehead, he turned around to see Batman. The fires blazing behind him, his figure stood there as it stared down at him.

"Hey."

"Garfiel."

"...I heard about what you were doin'...just wanted to say...well…"

"...?"

"Thanks...and sorry."

Batman relaxed and nodded his head to the young man ahead of him.

"We'll talk when this mess is over with Garfiel."

"...Yeah!"

Elsa emerged from the rubble as she smiled at the two of them.

"Well...I'm so happy. So happy! To have such wonderful men accommodate me on this dance of mine!"

"Sorry lady, but my amazin' self's not doin' any favors for ya here!"

"How cruel. Well, let's-"

That's when Elsa noticed the dead Ma-Beast around them...she became quiet as she slightly frowned.

"And where is my dear little sister?"

"If you mean the Ma-Beast tamer, we've successfully captured her."

"Oh dear. So she's failed yet again. Not good...and my other partner?"

"Sent him flying earlier, he won't be back for awhile."

"...How cumbersome."

Elsa crouched down and prepared to leap, but failed to notice a small pellet that rolled under her. It exploded and ripped her legs apart, Batman charged forward and dodged a strike aimed at his throat, punching her in the nose and easily breaking it. He then grabbed her head with his feet and flipped her towards Garfiel who slammed her through a wall with his shields.

Elsa charged forward as she put on an excited look on her face.

Subaru was once again knocked out of a room, his head hitting the wall behind him.

"Damn drill-loli!"

Subaru had eventually found Beatrice and attempted to help her escape the doomed mansion. But she refused, stating she had to wait for "Them" to arrive as per her contract. Subaru told her to disregard the contract, but this insulted her more than anything, and now she was constantly kicking him out of the Forbidden Archive.

"Get a clue already!"

Subaru once again grabbed the doorknob and rushed in to come face to face with a crying Beatrice.

"Leave me alone, I suppose!"

"Not a chance in hell!"

Elsa stumbled over to lean on a wall for a bit….her right arm was gone and she had a Batarang impaled on her right eye.

She seemed to be attempting to reach something that the large Warthog Ma-Beast had on it's back. When Elsa tried to dash for it, Batman leaped out of a nearby fire and used two Batarangs to clash with her blades, the loud clash sent sparks flying outward. Batman then shifted his body and kneed her in the chin, then stabbed her in the shoulder with a Batarang and slammed her chin again with a backflip kick. As her body raised in the air Garfiel charged forward and slammed her away with a shield and onto the ground, the very floor caving in from the impact.

Elsa quickly raised her body up and glared at the two of them with her one good eye. Garfiel quickly took the chance and slammed at her again, she dodged and attempted to slice at his unprotected jugular. Then a tear gas pellet hit her in the face and disoriented her long enough for Garfiel to hit her with his other shield. Batman charged at them and activated his taser gauntlets. Elsa put on a hideous smile as she sliced downward at Batman, he dodged and grabbed the hilt of her blade, sending millions of volts of electricity coursing through her badly beaten body. Garfiel saw his chance again and crushed her against the wall with one shield, then another. Eventually Garfiel beat her into the wall several times, her broken body barely able to lift even her arm.

Batman quickly looked around and saw the fire was quickly engulfing the entirety of the mansion.

"Damn! Garfiel, we need to go!"

"But th' Boss!"

"If he's with Beatrice, they should be fine! The fire is too much for us."

"...Right."

The two began moving to the windows...but their eyes widened when they saw a shadow was closing in behind them.

It was Elsa, pouncing at them.

Batman quickly pushed Garfiel out of the way and jumped back...Elsa missed her fatal strike, but she still cut open his chest.

"AGHHHHH!"

"Bat-aniki!"

Garfiel sprung into action and kicked Elsa away from them, with that Batman threw a smoke pellet onto the ground and grabbed Garfiel. Elsa got back up and went back to where they last were. Then Elsa looked up saw Batman descend down the smoke above them and launch a diving kick. It missed, and Elsa countered with quick rapid strikes upwards, it cut the side of his cheek, so he countered it with a massive elbow strike, smashing her face underneath it...then he grabbed her other arm and twisted it till it snapped from the joint. Elsa tried to head-butt him at this point, but was met with a powerful judo throw to the ground.

"Move Bat-aniki!"

"What is-"

Batman looked behind him and saw exactly what he was warning him about...he then dashed away from Elsa.

Elsa looked up with her one good eye and saw the devastating sight before her.

Before Elsa, Garfiel shouldered the immense Warthog Ma-Beast, and throws it directly on top of her.

Taking in a breath, Elsa blushed like a girl in love. Although aware that she would be crushed beneath its incredible mass, not until the silhouette swallows her that Elsa's gaze strays from Garfiel. With her breathing ragged, gazing at the grimacing blond boy with love...

"I feel thrills."

She is then crushed to death by the Ma-Beast.

Batman didn't like the idea of killing his opponent, but once again left it up to another to finish the job...as long innocent people survived there was no need to dwell on it.

Batman grabbed Garfiel and they leapt out a window on onto the grounds below as the fire in the mansion spread wildly. They looked back as it was evident no normal person could escape it, let alone Subaru. But still….

"We just have to trust in Subaru…"

"...Yeah, the Boss will definitely make it."

Batman then whistled, as Patrasche and Verhoe rushed to them. Patrasche quickly noticed Subaru wasn't with them and almost made a beeline to the mansion.

"Patrasche no!"

The ground dragon turned around as it growled loudly. Batman shook his head and looked at the panicking dragon.

"Trust him. You I know you can."

With this, the ground dragon seemed to calm down and walked back to them, though her head was hung low.

Batman breathed ragged breaths as he concentrated toward the direction of the Sanctuary.

He breathed slowly. In and out. In and out. Out and in. Out and in.

"AL ERMAC!"

Then the very space in front of them cracked open with white energy and they could see the snowscape forest near the Sanctuary, with all the survivors of the mansion resting near some trees.

"What th' hell?! Just what-"

"-EVERYONE THROUGH THE HOLE, I CAN'T HOLD IT FOR LONG!"

Garfiel snapped back to it and he lent Batman a shoulder as they all rushed inside the tear.

Frederica and the other escaped allies were resting near the Batwing in the outside forest of the Sanctuary as they waited for the others.

She silently held onto Petra who had a panicked expression, feeling guilty for leaving Subaru behind.

Otto was sitting near a tree trunk looking over everyone...when he heard a shattering sound. He turned around to see a tear in space and saw everyone else including the ground dragons running through it.

It then quickly closed, just after Patraches tail made it through.

"Batman-dono! Garfiel!"

The maids heard the commotion and had rushed over to smile happily at seeing them. Frederica rushed over and hugged her brother, to the point where the whites of his eyes could be seen.

But it was Petra who noticed it first.

"Batman-sama, where is Subaru?"

"...He's still in the mansion."

Petra's eyes widened in absolute fear as she heard this.

"WHY?! The entire mansion is on fire! He'll...He'll...Why couldn't you get him-"

"-Petra."

Batman put a hand on her shoulder to try and best to comfort her.

"Subaru still needs to get Beatrice out. Don't worry, Beatrice is a powerful magic user, she'll get them out, no problem."

"But-"

"-If you trust him, trust him now. He'll make it."

Petra looked down as if contemplating his words...that's when she noticed the blood puddle forming under Batman.

"Batman-sama! You're bleeding!"

The others noticed it as well.

"Batman-dono! D-Don't move!"

"Batman-sama! Stay still, Garfiel and I will try and-"

Batman shook his head as he pressed some buttons on his gauntlet and a door opened under the Batwing.

Out came out a large cylinder with fog steam emanating from it. Batman walked over to it as he was grabbed by the arm by Frederica.

"Stop."

"No. I have something to do."

"Enough! You saved everyone in the mansion and dealt a defeat to that vile woman. You're too injured to do anything right now."

Batman turned his body around as he faced her and the others.

"I need to stop Roswaal, he's behind this. If I don't, I'll always be just behind him in everything he does...not anymore. This stops now!"

"..."

"I can't have him hurting Subaru or Emilia...or any of you anymore."

Frederica slowly let go of him as he marched forward. He placed a hand on the cylinder, it scanned his hand and opened up.

Behind him, the others were staring at what was inside it.

"Batman-dono…"

"Th' heck is that?"

"Wow…"

"Batman-sama...what is it?"

Batman removed his mask as he narrowed his eyes at his secret weapon.

"Something I hoped I never had to use."

Beatirce sat on her stool, looking at door she was sure was about to open again. The library was starting to burn around her…

"Why is that fool still coming?"

Thoughts filled her head of the young man who kept risking his life to get her out of the library and out of the mansion. From her fated death.

"Such a nuisance, I suppose."

But her promise with her mother kept her there.

The sacrifice of Lewes Meyer kept her there.

Only until she could find "Them" would she remain there...but even she had enough.

For over four hundred years had she been waiting, alone, in solidarity as the world moved on around her.

Even when there were others that came through her door, they only wanted the secrets of the library or the powers she held...she refused them, continuing her isolation.

Even when Puck and Emilia arrived there, she could only watch from the sidelines as they led fulfilling lives. She was an outsider, an outcast doomed to live this sorrowful existence.

Alone.

Nothing.

No One.

Then, a little over a month ago, a strange young man walked through the door she had been waiting behind.

"M-make it painless ok."

"It's incredible that you're so persistent in your frivolity, I suppose."

She thought nothing of the loud mouth young man or the strangely dressed person he brought along with him to the mansion.

But they didn't matter to her.

The mansion came with complex circumstances and history anyway, and right now was a state of emergency, too.

The gutless boy would give up before long.

The strange fellow would follow suit.

All Beatrice had to do was endure until that happened.

But it never happened.

The two strangers stayed in the mansion. They continued their lives with everyone else that called that place their home.

During the day, the oddly dressed stranger would read books in the library and let her mind her own studying.

During the night, the annoying young man would show up and tease her with his childish antics.

She tried her best to think nothing of the two...especially the young man.

But it never worked and she always found herself in the middle of their antics.

Something she never thought she would do again…

To Beatrice's feelings of powerless about being unable to save Lewes Meyer? To her overwhelming sense of loss, that triggered her parting with Echidna?

Her emotions had nowhere to go.

Sensing that the supposedly-frozen things had begun to pulse again, Beatrice knew that the end to her fate was truly coming.

Before they could bring back her answer from the Sanctuary, Beatrice sensed deadly violence whipping through the mansion. Once she realized what was causing it, Beatrice understood that fate had truly deserted her.

"I won't break my promise to Mother...But it is meaningless to spend any more time in this emptiness, I suppose!"

Her conscious cleared and her heart ready...she waited for death.

"I'm taking you out of here, Beatrice! I'm dragging you out into the sunshine, where we'll play until your dress is caked utterly brown with mud."

It was Natsuki Subaru's words that sent her mind spiraling into a disarray of self harm.

She didn't want to hear his words, didn't want to see his actions, or feel his emotions.

She felt hurt by them. Torn by them. Betrayed by them.

Because they gave her the slimmest amount of hope.

When she asked him to become her "Them", he rejected it. Her emotions could be controlled no longer. She lashed out at him.

She kicked him out. Then again. Again. Again. Again again again and again.

"...This is truly no joke, I suppose."

She cradled her empty Gospel and clutched it tightly. She held back her sadness...she hoped that the boy would give up and leave her, to penultimate fate of death.

"This isn't the time to be polishing your stupid magic, fuck! She's not listening..."

Subaru was running through the fiery spectacle surrounding him as he tried to find a door to use to find Beatrice. The lower floor of the main block was completely drowned in flame, and he could see plumes of smoke wafting from the eastern and western wings too.

The smoke slipping into his nose brings him near to choking, when he discovers a yet-unopened door and pounces for the doorknob. The blazing doorknob emits heat, and sears Subaru's hand. Already his palms are atrocious with many ugly burns.

He is quite used to gritting his teeth in agony.

With a stabbing pain piercing through his temples, he kicks the door open.

"You again, simply incorrigible...!"

"Hauhh! Of, course I'm back! I'm coming here however many times it takes to kidnap you. If you don't like it then let me drag you out of here right now! Then that'll be the end of these exchanges!"

"Enough of your useless chatter, I suppose! I know that the mansion is burning, in fact! If you don't flee outside immediately, you will simply burn to death in the fire, I suppose!"

For an instant, slight emotion dashes along the edge of those eyes, and Beatrice's lips tremble.

"Or... do you mean to burn dead with the mansion and Betty?"

"The hell? Are you stupid?! After everything I've said, you still don't get it!? I'm not thinking at all to die with you! I'm here to drag you out without you dying!"

"...! Domineering without fail, I suppose! Leave!"

Subaru was preparing himself to be pushed out, but felt the strength within himself fade…

He glances up to find Beatrice with her left hand raised toward the ceiling, her face twisted in anguish as she forces herself to smile.

"I pilfered your mana, in fact. You must remember this sensation, I suppose."

"You, little..."

With that, Subaru was pushed, but he was able to grab onto the doorframe and hold on for dear life as he looked over at a pained Beatrice.

"You... you! Are not Betty's 'Them'!"

Yells Beatrice, clutching at her skirt. She gives up on thinking as she appeals to Subaru, howling.

"You said you weren't, in fact! You... you said you weren't, I suppose. If you were 'Them'... even if you said it as a lie, Betty would have believed you. Even knowing it was a lie, all I could've done was believe you, in fact."

"Beatrice..."

"But you said you weren't, I suppose. Said you weren't, said I was stupid, in fact. Why yes, I suppose. You're correct. Betty is stupid, a stupid imbecile, who even now cannot disregard a promise from four centuries ago... and so! Nothing you say will change that it is over, I suppose!"

"...Beatrice...I'm not your 'Them'. I'll say it however many times. Your awaited prince isn't coming on his white steed. Not to the end, not ever!"

"...! Then! Betty shall simply rot here, in fact!"

"Not happening. I'm not letting you choose that. I'm saying however many times it takes for

you to change your mind. 'Them' isn't coming. You can't keep your promise. But you won't be allowed to die."

"I just... hate you so much, I suppose!"

Beatrice put more effort into pushing him out with a face filled with rage, and eyes leaking tears.

"I-"

"...?"

"I... want to be with you, Beatrice."

"...!"

"You're kind, and so you won't be sad, I want to be by your side!"

Subaru was then kicked out of the Forbidden Archive once again.

Back at square one, Subaru continued making his way to find a door not burned down or ripped apart by the now dead Ma-Beast.

As he did he heard a strange dragging sound that seemed to be crawling along the ground.

While dragging something along with it, a silhouette emerges from the flames.

The silhouette is wearing black clothes, holds a black knife, has black hair, and is a woman.

"Elsa...?"

"...hkkkk."

A strange eerie sound emerged from her split open mouth as her hollow eye stared at Subaru, the other with most of a Batarang stuck in it.

It was obvious this thing was no longer Elsa.

"Though, this isn't the time to be pitying her...!"

Subaru ran for his life as the crippled cadaver chased after him crawling on the floor like some sort of spider, as it carried her last blade with her.

At one point it was right next to him so close that it would slice his head clean off...then his memories of her appeared in his head.

Her killing Emilia in the Loot House.

Her killing Old Man Rom and Felt.

Her killing Rem.

Her killing of Petra and Beatrice.

Her killing of himself.

He felt...rage and hatred towards this woman...no, this thing.

"Emilia...Petra...Beatrice...REM...YOU KILLED THEM…!"

"...HKKK!"

"INVISIBLE PROVIDENCE!"

The Unseen Hand burst out of his chest and struck her in the face sending her flying into the fire.

The corpse shifted around in the fire, confused from the hit. Subaru made his way to Roswaal's study to make for the hidden passage.

With a shake of his head, Subaru dived into the hidden passage. A spiral staircase lengthy enough to reach the mansion's underground welcomes him, and it seems that the inferno has reached even this tunnel, the heat and smoke precluding anyone from doing anything here.

Subaru had never gone deeper into the hidden passage than this door. He doesn't know if any other doors exist beyond this door.

Subaru fearfully touches the doorknob...

"Hhht! This door's another..."

Crying in pain as his hand burns, Subaru grimaces and glares at the door. The door's response, as if it had reflected Subaru's heart, made a wave of disquiet surge up in him and he notices it.

"The doorknob's, hot...?"

While the underground passage may be heated, there are no signs of fire.

The smoke and heat had likely been leaking in through a gap in the stonework that composes the staircase.

If Subaru's speculation was correct, then it's inconceivable that this door would be so hot.

This door is hot enough that you have to wonder if it's indeed been seared by flames.

"...Beatrice. If you can hear this, please listen."

Taking care not to touch the door, Subaru looked slightly upwards and muttered. With belief that his voice will reach the absent girl.

"Did you lead me here? If you did, knowing that the only escape route is through this hidden passage, then honestly I'm speechless at what a schemer you are. But apparently things won't go so smoothly...I could open this door, but I won't manage to escape how you want me to. This isn't me being stubborn and insisting that I don't want to run away, okay? I'm at least half in that mood, yes, but... it's something more serious."

He taps his nails against the door blocking the way before him and gives a sigh. His knowledge of what is to come next leaves him a bit frazzled.

"If I open this door, I'm probably dead. You and the others might not notice this, but right now, that's how things are on the other side of this door. It's hard to explain verbally... but I understand the soul of science and I can tell. So please...Beatrice I trust you."

With his hand burning in pain, Subaru flings open the door.

Behind him the corpse of Elsa tried to attack him, but he rushed forward and into the safety of the Forbidden Archive. The corpse then sliced apart the door that closed behind him...it noticed another empty tunnel ahead...then a sudden burst of air.

A BACKDRAFT.

The corpse of the Bowel Hunter Elsa Grainhert was now engulfed by the powerful burst of flames. Unable to do a thing, the corpse burned away into ashes.

The flames spread out and finally created one last explosion...one that completely destroyed the Roswaal Mansion.

Subaru was now confronting the huddled Beatrice as she now leered at him.

"After you rejected... Betty's feelings... what could you... possibly understand!"

Biting her lip, Beatrice glares at Subaru with something like hatred. But that wavering emotion fails to fully be hatred.

Beatrice holds on to that fading fury, frantically trying to preserve it as Subaru shakes his head at her.

"I do know. That you're kind. That when someone's having nightmares, you'll hold their hand to ease them. That when someone's in unworkable trouble, you'll offer your hand and open a path. That when someone you can't help hating loses someone close to them, you'll lament for them."

"Talking as if, you know anything..."

"I'm powerless. I can't be any help to you. But if we're gonna say there's anything I can do, not wanting you to be alone, then it's only cling and beg."

Beatrice's eyes widen.

Subaru presents his right hand. It's raw with burn scars, disgusting to look at. But it's still better than his atrocious left hand after all the damage it took.

He wipes it, prepares it, makes it clean enough to suitably hold her hand.

"Beatrice. Help me."

"..."

"I won't be able to live with the loneliness without you. Help me."

"Not, fair... it isn't fair, in fact."

"Using, those words... and, saying it so... after all this, you... when you're not 'Them'.. when you rejected Betty, and yet..."

She was tongue-tied, lost for words, hesitant to speak, emotional, and anguished. Her eyes remained set on the hand presented to her as she firmly embraces the book in her arms.

Tears spill from her eyes.

"I was alone for four hundred years! I spent all that time in isolation, so what could taking your hand now, possibly... you'll just die anyway! Human lifespans pass like a blink of the eye to Betty... after all of this! How could I cling to this!"

"It's impossible for me to imagine your four hundred years. I can't talk like I understand it, either. Four centuries, I haven't even lived a twentieth of that. I know I can't understand all of your fear for what'll come after I die."

"Then! Then... nothing you've said, presents any solution...!"

"But, tomorrow, we can be holding hands."

"Huh?"

"Tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that too. It might not be four hundred years, but we can spend our days together. It might not last for eternity, but tomorrow, and in this present, I can treasure you."

Subaru gazed at her dearly as he continued.

"Beatrice. Choose me."

"But-Y-you are, 'Them'..."

"Not me. Don't equate me to some other guy you built up in your head. I'm me. Natsuki Subaru. Take all your unreciprocated feelings for this four-hundred-year asshole you've never even seen, and dump them."

"Rather than fear a goodbye that might someday come, live with me in a definite tomorrow. I'm weak, but I'm still aiming so high... if we're together, you'll be so busy fussing over me you'll stop having time to think about being bored or lonely."

"...nng,"

"Choose me, Beatrice."

Thus, the selfishness of Natsuki Subaru can shoulder the burden of her guilt for her indecision, and shame for breaking the promise.

So that this girl would never cry alone again.

"But you'll go away..."

"It won't last forever. The future you're fearing will definitely come. The time when you're left behind, eternal as you are, will almost definitely come. But if you think only of fear for farewells, and throw away all the fun of being together, it takes far too much out of both of our lives."

"But you'll leave me..."

"Let's be together. Let's live together. Let's go together. Let's pile memories upon memories, enough to blast away your fears of goodbye, enough that you can smile and say with your chest held high: I enjoyed it. Enough that you recover those four centuries you spent in solitude, and counterbalance them."

"Even if... that happened! I'll be alone, someday!"

He steps forward.

Closes the distance.

The girl's wavering eyes reflect him.

He looks pathetic, he looks deplorable, he's a far cry from the prince she's been waiting for.

But right there is usual, mundane Natsuki Subaru.

"You'll live forever, and the time you spend with me might only be a microsecond for you. So I'll carve it into your soul. My microsecond."

'...!

"That Natsuki Subaru was a man, who even through eternity, was too vivid to ever fade to sepia!"

The Forbidden Archive crumbles to the sound of shattering glass.

The area around Subaru and Beatrice is surrounded in spacial fissures and scorching flames…

"Choose me! Beatrice!"

"..S-"

"You want someone to take you outside! That's why you are always! Sitting opposite the goddamn door!"

The Forbidden Archive, the girl's isolated cage, is swallowed and disappears in rifts and fire. But the instant before that happens-

-A single book thunks to the floor of the Forbidden Archive.

"-Subaru."

"Yup, that's it."

"Subaru, Subaru."

"Yes. That's my name."

"Subaru!"

"Finally called me by it, huh."

With that, the two of them flew into a bright light. Hands together, as they escape the collapse of the Mansion.

Subaru had saved Beatrice.

Emilia had finished her second Trial. A Trial that focused on a present that was unobtainable.

A present where she lived a quiet peaceful life with Fortuna, Petelgeuse and even Arch and the other elves of Elior Forest.

It made her happy…

But even she accepted that it was not her reality...and thus, passed the Second Trial.

The Final Trial was here...and so…

"FACE THE IMPENDING DISASTER"

Distant voices could be heard.

Some voices recognizable to her.

Others not.

"Gone without, you cannot even wield a sword. Thief!"

"Witness. The victor remains I."

"I have nothing left here! I cannot reach it...SO THEN WHAT'S THE POINT?!"

"Give my regards to them, they helped in so much...it's the least I can do."

"Subaru, Emilia-nee-sama, I know you must be so tired. I'm sorry. But I'm going to wind up being a burden too. I'm sorry. All the thanks I'd wanted to say could never be enough…"

With every voice, Emilia sees a different future.

"To think that someone I wanted to kill so much was actually a kind person, what an incredible nightmare."

"DieDieDieDieDieDie!"

"Poor misguided child. I thought you would be better than even this. How fruitless."

"You are all misguided fools! Everything is going to ruin because of you! Just die and save the rest of us!"

"There exist feelings which mustn't be spoken. Does it satisfy you, now that they have come to light?"

"Does this make you feel that you've seen your promise through? If it does... if it does, then I was better off bound and dead in that cave! If I was going to see this dawn, then I should have just offed myself sooner...! Shit, shit!"

Woe, ire, death, rebirth, farewells, meetings, the future comes to her in many forms.

"Yes... my dear grandchild... must've grown up well…"

"Sorry. But I've got my reasons to capture you all."

"Kid. If the time comes...I'm going to kill all of you, I swear."

"Idiots! Dumbasses! Everything is over and done with! I have won! WON EVERYTHING!"

"I shall never perish to such nonsense as a curse!"

"It's simply that I realised something. ...That along the path up to today, I haaaaaaaaaadn't been walking alone."

"I cannot die. Or I shall take you all with me?"

"...Leave us...alone…."

"How come... there's no soul inside!?"

"NO! NO! I'll die before I let this all happen! DO YOU HEAR ME?!"

Must the future be despair? Is there nothing but sorrow and suffering?

"Just 's promised, 'm fuckin' killin' yer! Yeh!? NATSUKI SUBARUUUUUUUU!"

"Am I being so covetous? Am I saying anything so indulgent? Don't anybody die, don't anybody weep... what is so complicated about it?"

"After all, we must bleed ourselves to our very last drop to atone, yes?"

"I am the end...the beginning...I am everything."

"If they must be sacrificed so be it!"

"The situation is bad...I wonder...if I could have done something more?"

"Then, was it wrong of her to choose this path? Was she mistaken to wish for any favors-"

"-I believe that to pray for favors is hubris. Prayers are for when you seek forgiveness."

"...TIME FOR YOU ALL TO DIE…."

Emilia could only accept the future, her two closest heroes, Natsuki Subaru and Batman were facing the horizon...and so would she.

With that, the Final Trial was complete.

"...Hoooooooow dare you show yooooooourself here."

Mutters the tall man opposite Ram, glaring at her.

"Nooooooooow then, what could you have coooooooooome here for?"

"That is simple. I have come to snatch you away from your witch delusions."

A wild collision of magic occured as Roswaal attempted to keep Ram away from his precious Book. He would do anything to keep it safe.

Subaru and Garfiel had left the Sanctary.

Emilia was taking the Trials.

Everything was going against the writings of the Book. Roswaal couldn't allow it.

"After all... you had to spend your life swearing reluctant loyalty to a man partly responsible for the destruction of your birthplace. Contrary to your prayers, your heart delights when with me... it must have been agony. My deepest apologies for being so aaaaaaaaapathetic."

Roswaal tries to spin spiteful words to her to distract her better in their fight. He throws fireballs at her as she dodges and flings wind blades to disperse them.

The clown laughs from the back of his throat, his expression twisted in insane elation as he slaps his knees, praising the perfection of it all.

With a swish of her wand, she creates and unleashes a blade of wind.

Invisible and inaudible, the whirling blade closes in on its target's throat as an assassin.

"Is that all?"

But Roswaal easily evades the imperceptible attack by nimbly jumping away.

He creates the three hues of flame again, which take the form of giant fireballs in his hand before moving to revolve around him.

Their numbers compound with every revolution, gaining speed. It only takes a few seconds before Roswaal is veiled in a vortex of chromatic fireballs.

"This is from one flame of each color. Ten flames of each type, for a total of thirty fireballs. You won't manage to dispose of them all with your current abilities."

"I have been by your side... because of the contract."

"Yes, indeed you have. In that smoldering village, you and I formed a contract of vassalage. I still remember how, even without your horn, your eyes blazed wet with fury. And so I sealed that away through the contract, and redirected your vehemence into loyalty. Although, I did believe that a day like this would someday come..."

"You're right. You were right. I wished to murder you. But you stole that opportunity from me, and I proceeded to spend my days in the mansion with this inexplicable loyalty... and."

"Unfettered from the contract, you have today determined to sate your desire for rev-"

Roswaal is lining up his theories. It's truly as if he pays no attention to anything except his own feelings, she thinks.

"-Roswaal-sama, I am in love with you."

"...?!"

"I wound up falling in love with you. That is why there is no purpose in attaining you once you are broken. That is not the Roswaal-sama who I desire."

"Foolish! What you say makes no sense!"

"Because this is the moment. Barusu, Emilia-sama, Garf, Batman-san... now that all of them have brought your heart close to wavering, I face my single and only moment of opportunity."

The battle continued as Ram used a smoke pellet she got from Batman to disorient Roswaal if only just for a moment. Used his hands to summon wind to blast it all way.

"...What?"

Only to realize Ram now had his book with her.

"That!"

"To, me... this is, the root of all evil."

His face pale, Roswaal moves to start sprinting over. Ram responds merely by glancing up before, without any hesitation of all, giving a swing of her arm.

And the gospel in her hands goes flying into one of the smoldering green flames.

Roswaal screeches mutely, but still the blaze consumes the gospel and bursts even hotter. Alongside a satisfying boom, the ancient book transforms into a pile of green ash.

Ram watches on, as if she has been yearning to see this for a very long time.

"Now, finally-"

Ram sighs in satisfaction, her cheeks growing flush.

Roswaal threw a fireball at her in an extreme rage, uncontrollable...it was about to pierce right through her.

Then, Ram flew into the air and the fireball missed.

"Wha?!"

"...?!"

Ram realized she was on top of a large tree branch, being carried by something she couldn't see.

"That's enough."

Slowly the figure's appearance began to take shape and both Ram and Roswaal held their breaths as the looked at the figure.

It was a strong looking male in a strange metallic looking suit, grey and black. Three red eyes gazed down at Roswaal as it had Ram carefully in his arms.

"You okay Ram?"

"...B-Batman-san?"

"Yeah...sorry I'm late."

He placed Ram down to rest on the tree as he leapt down.

"Roswaal."

"You…"

Roswaal's face twisted into a beastly anger as he realized who exactly was facing him.

"You...You...YOU! YOU!"

"..."

"You have ruined everything! Ever since you arrived with Natsuki Subaru, you've been going against me at every turn, every step, you've tried to destroy everything I've had to do!"

"...I'm doing this for the purpose of protecting everyone. And putting a stop to you."

At this point, Roswaal bit his lips and glared madly at him.

"How dare you. HOW DARE YOU! WHO IN THE WORLD DO YOU THINK ARE!? To ruin my reasoning to live, to corrupt those who could have helped me?!"

"I'll tell you EXACTLY WHO I AM!"

Roswaal swallowed his breath as Batman literally screamed at him.

Even Ram was watching them in a frozen position.

"I am Vengeance.

I am the Night!

I AM BATMAN!"

"...!"

"And I am going to help everyone free the Sanctuary and put a stop to your plans! Roswaal!"

"Why?"

"...?"

"Why are you going so far for them? Why are you going so far for Natsuki Subaru? He's a complete stranger to you! You only met him a little over a month ago! Why go so far for that man?!"

Batman took his thoughts into his mind and thought of the reasoning for his actions.

Was it for his own self desire for justice?

NO.

Was it for Satella who brought him to this world?

NO.

Was it because Subaru, in a way, became his new partner?

...NO.

The reason, though he wouldn't like to admit it, was…

"Natsuki Subaru is my friend! And I'll be damned if I let him down now!"

Roswaal could contain his hatred for the man in front of him any longer. He yelled as he summoned several fireballs around himself. He launched them all at the man in front of him, who simply started to walk towards Roswaal.

"Die then! Friend of Natsuki Subaru!"

Roswaal's face twisted into an unsettling expression of anger and happiness.

Ram screamed as she saw the fireballs about to hit him.

"Batman-san! Run!"

Batman looked over and hunched his body forward.

[Speed Force Mode Activated]

Batman suddenly dashed forward, with electrical currents behind him and uppercutted Roswaal.

Confused Roswaal's eyes looked around, finally seeing Batman below him...then he disappeared leaving only a spark left.

Then, to Ram's eyes, countless Batmen appearing and reappearing in dashes of electrical splendor and were pummeling Roswaal all over his body.

Bones broken. 115.

Organs bruised. 6.

Skin torn. Substantially.

Eye swollen. Obviously.

Roswaal spat blood as he summoned a wind blade, only for it to miss completely and Batman landed a powerful kick to his chest.

Roswaal's eyes turned white and blood leaked from his nose.

"AUGGH!"

"All of that was for the people you've stepped over and killed!"

Batman grabbed Roswaal's long hair and tossed him hard into the ground.

"That's for Ram's village!"

Roswaal had a panicked look on his face, one that shocked Ram...she had never seen that face before.

"UL DONA!"

An Earth dome covered Roswaal protecting him from any further attack.

[Speed Force Mode Deactivated]

[Superman Mode Activated]

A huge heat beam fired out of his three red eyes and destroyed the dome. Underneath was a badly hurt Roswaal...but Batman was not done yet.

"This is for all the bullshit you put Subaru, Emilia and the others through!"

Batman flew high into the air with Roswaal in his hands, he spun around and around and tossed him into the ground, making the ground underneath cave in.

Roswaal picked himself up as he looked up and saw Batman floating in the air.

"And this...is more personal."

Batman jetted down and held out a fist.

Roswaal fired everything he could at him. Fireballs. Wind Blades. Earth Attacks. Ice Spears.

Nothing hit him. He dodged them all.

Once he reached Roswaal, he punched him directly in the face with all his might.

"URAAAGGGGGHHHHHHH!"

Roswaal was sent flying into a tree, causing it snap in two and fall to the side, missing him by a few feet.

Batman deactivated all the modes in his suit and took off his mask. He took a deep breath as the cold air relaxed his sweating face.

When he turned around he saw Ram had now come down from the tree and was silently staring at him.

He kept walking as he finally passed by Ram.

"Go take care of him."

"..."

Batman continued, moving through the snow capped terrain as Ram looked at where Roswaal's unconscious body was. She began to rush over, but stopped for a moment. She turned her gaze around, at the back of the man who had defeated her master. And possibly helped to save him.

"...B-Batman-san..."

Her voice was quiet as she called out his name...then she spoke up.

"Batman-san!"

He turned his head back to look at Ram. She was intending to do a normal courteous bow as she usually did. But she felt that wasn't enough.

She hung her head down and did a grateful bow of respect towards the man in front of her.

"Thank you!"

"...You're welcome, Ram."

Batman then turned his head back and kept moving forward…

He was ready to take off the suit he was wearing...a power suit intended to replicate the powers of several prominent Justice League members. A suit that was secret weapon in any fight or any infiltration….

THE INSIDER SUIT.

Now he had to take it off and let it get a re-charge. Usually it would take twenty four hours to power it back up. However with no real power source in this world, he surmised that it was possible to make a power source of magic stones, though instead of a day, it would take most likely three weeks or more.

As he further removed the suit, he tried his best to close up the wounds on his chest, side and shoulder from the mansion. But he had no time for a magic healing session.

The Sizeable Hare were just about to be here...and he had to stop it.

Wrapping up his wounds as best as he could and got ready to face the oncoming threat.

Just then, a light passed above him and was heading to the Sanctuary.

"...Good job."

Batman grinned as he began to board the Batwing.

Emilia had successfully defeated the Trials and had emerged outside to the now free Sanctuary. But now she saw snow had fallen everywhere and that the villagers were out there celebrating the freeing of their home.

"Thank you Emilia-sama!"

"Thank you!"

However all of their cheering came to an end when they all heard a strange noise coming from the woods outside of the Sanctuary.

There, they saw the Sizeable Hare mowing down trees as they were heading towards them. They began to panic, but Emilia took the initiative.

"Everyone into the Tomb, I'll stall them!"

The villagers moved into the Tomb as Emilia started to summon Ice Spears to take them down, but their numbers were too great and they were quickly reaching ever closer. She put up a giant Ice Wall to keep them out, but some were able to pass through and try to attack

"I won't let anyone here get hurt!"

Emilia continued her battle even against all odds.

"Dona!"

"Eat this!"

Suddenly several rocks blasted against the Sizeable Hare and killed a few of them. Arriving on the scene was everyone from the mansion mission.

"What is everyone doing here?!"

They all smiled as they got closer to her.

"The Boss and Bat-aniki saved everyone's asses back there!"

"We were able to make it back since Natsuki-san and Batman-dono let most of us into the flying Metia."

Emilia then quickly wondered where Subaru and Batman were, until she noticed a heavily injured Roswaal being carried by Ram.

"Roswaal! What happened?"

"Roswaal-sama has sadly learned a very painful lesson in egotism. Luckily, he has survived it."

"Huh? I don't understand?"

"No time for talking Emilia-sama, we have bigger issues to observe."

Emilia understood. She along with Otto and Garfiel began using everything they had into getting rid of the Sizeable Hare that were breaking through.

Then, a pillar of light appeared behind them….

"Don't worry Emilia-tan, everyone, we're here to finish this."

"Indeed, our inaugural battle has come. We will show everyone what we're capable of, I suppose."

The two silhouettes, walking hand in hand.

She hears two voices as well. They sound lively, and, feeling that she has been waiting to hear this, the girl's heartbeat pounds.

"What comes next is a complete unknown, in fact."

"Yeah, we'll be doing something about this. Together, me and you!"

Everyone cheered as Natsuki Subaru and his new companion, his contracted spirit, Beatrice, stepped forth to battle the Sizeable Hare.

Right above them, the Batwing jetted through the air as they prepared to defeat the Sizeable Hare once and for all.

Roswaal slowly began to open his eyes.

He had dreams.

Dreams about his beloved teacher Echidna.

Dreams of his training with her, Beatrice and Lewes.

Dreams of him speaking with her happily.

Dreams of the attack on her home by a man named Hector.

Dreams of his utter sadness when he learned Satella killed Echidna.

Dreams of his experiments, of his trial and errors and the years he lost.

Dreams of meeting Rem and Ram.

Dreams of his friend dying after childbirth.

Dreams of Emilia.

Dreams of Natsuki Subaru and Batman.

Just dreams.

"Roswaal-sama…"

He slowly glanced up and saw a smiling Ram. His one good eye, the yellow one, looked around for a bit before he looked out the entrance.

He squinted his eyes as his eyes adjusted to the light...and there he saw it.

"Do you see it Roswaal-sama?"

"...hk."

"It's a fight...to shape the future."

Roswaal looked out seeing the battle against the Sizeable Hare.

Subaru and Beatrice were floating in the air as they firing purple spears of light, the Yin Spell of Minya.

Garfiel was lopping boulders at the Sizeable Hare's that made it through the Ice Wall.

Alongside him, was Otto, who was throwing his remaining Magic Stones.

Emilia fired at any who got close to the Tomb.

Frederica was standing guard near the entrance ready to slice apart any that made it past Emilia.

The Batwing flew back and forth above the Sizable and fired every bullet, every missile, every shell it had at them, trying to slow them down as much as possible.

Then, everyone fell back as Emilia trapped in a large box like prison. The ones that leaked out were taken care of by Emilia and the Batwing.

Subaru holding hands with Beatrice and Emilia focused on the Sizeable Hare...and then…

"The big one's all on you, Beatrice!"

Subaru calls to Beatrice, telling her that the secondary set-up is complete.

Hearing this, and having quietly chanted the canto the entire time, Beatrice's eyes opened.

Seeing the sight before her, Beatrice laughs quietly.

A smile abounding with trust arises on her face,

"Here is the pinnacle of yin. Al Shamak!."

The instant she murmurs the canto, shadow drowns out the world. A large black void formed where the Sizeable Hare were trapped and The Sizeable Hare were sent to a separate dimension, forced to eat each other for all eternity...never to be seen again.

Roswaal looked away from the battle and gazed up at Ram, who put her hand on his cheek, as he began to cry.

With the Sizeable Hare defeated, the Batwing landed where they the spell activated. He began moving to the Tomb as he could already see everyone was celebrating their victory.

Otto was being hugged by Garfiel, who seemed to be almost passing out by it.

The villagers were cheering happily the names of their saviors.

Ram was smiling while resting Roswaal's head on her lap.

Petra was hugging Frederica, who smiled with a hand on her mouth.

Even Patrasche and Verhoe arrived to roar to victoriously at the battle won.

Subaru spun Beatrice around and around as Emilia chuckled at the sight.

"You did it! Knew you could, I'm so in love with you, Beako!"

"Wh-hold it! Sto-let me-let me go, I suppose! Betty isn't..."

"Yes yes yes! You are adorable! Beako is wonderful! Beako is supreme! All hail Beako!"

Showing her in praise, Subaru spun round and around with Beatrice in his arms. Beatrice's face flashed beet red as Emilia watches them frolic, her gaze awfully gentle.

He then lost his footing at the last moment, and happily plunged face-first into the snow together with her.

As they raised their heads, covered in snow they both began to laugh. Everyone joined in as they were joyous at their victory.

Even Batman, lighlty chuckled at the sight-

"-Huh?"

That's when Batman noticed a slight glimmer of light in the far distance...in the direction of Subaru and Beatrice.

Batman quickly ran forward and pulled out his Grappling Gun. He fired it as he was now rushing to Subaru and Beatrice.

"MOVE!"

Batman then shoved the two of them away.

Noticing the incoming projectiles, he guarded himself as best as he could.

"AL MABAKKA!"

He put on a strong magic shield around his body, but his mana reserves were too low for it to work properly.

Several bullets made their target as they hit him in the ribs, forearms and hip.

"NNNRAGGGHHHHHHH!"

The cheering stopped when they heard the gunfire and saw Batman getting wounded.

Batman rolled on the ground as he pointed his index finger towards the area where the shooting occurred.

"Jiwald."

The beam flew out and hit the rifle directly at it's muzzle, destroying it completely.

"TSK."

The figure then dashed between the trees and finally made several area where everyone was. Emerging from the debris of the snow he made fly around from his landing…

Everyone now on edge seeing exactly who it was.

"Sorry it took me a while. The burning mansion threw me off a bit."

With a sword pointed at them all and a Submachine Gun resting on his shoulder, Deathstroke started moving towards them, his left eye glowing red with a deadly glimmer.

"But you all have to die. Sorry. It's my job after all."

"D-Deathstroke."

Batman got up, covered in blood at this sight before him.

Subaru looked up at the two of them…

"Shit. I forgot...about him.."

Batman got into a battle stance, as Deathstroke began to speed up.

Then Batman began to speed up.

The two warriors were now charging at each other. With several others not far behind.

This was it. Deathstroke vs. The Emilia Camp. The true final battle for the Sanctuary had now started.