The team “Non-Combatants” unanimously decided to take the left path.

If we had taken the right path, it was clear we would be engulfed by miasma, leading to discord that would escalate into a deadly conflict. Therefore, choosing the left path was entirely natural and not a mistake at all.

This was an answer that Subaru had already concluded. However, whether the left path truly guarantees safety is still questionable, and the questioner is quite the trickster.

If the right path is a mental trap, then the left path awaits with physical traps.

An encounter with that flame-wreathed aberrant Beast—Centaurs—was something he wanted to avoid at all costs.

It’s not just about the obvious difference in combat power where fighting would probably lead to defeat. It’s that in the current state of mind, Subaru was unsure if he could genuinely fight alongside Ram and Anastasia.

“Actually, I once spotted an incredible beast from a distance in the sand dunes. It had the body of a Patrasche, but the upper half was a human torso, and there was a huge mouth opening from its chest to abdomen. And, the human torso had big horns growing from its head…”

“What the heck… that sounds so gross…”

“Honestly, it freaked me out.”

Following the previous topic about beasts, Subaru smoothly transitioned into explaining the Centaur’s ecology. The reaction of the two women—along with Patrasche, making it three—was exactly as expected.

Subaru didn’t want to explain it in the first place, but as long as they continued down the left path, he had to consider that an encounter with that creature was about 70% unavoidable.

“I expected you to be grossed out, but at any rate, it sounds dangerous. I’m calling it a Centaur for now, but it wasn’t just its gross appearance; its mane was blazing hot… it looked incredibly powerful. To put it mildly, it seemed unbeatable.”

“Why did you find such a creature and just leave it alone? Want to die?”

“Huh?”

He tried to explain as calmly as possible, but Ram’s usual banter immediately stirred anger within him. Who did she think she was, acting all superior after he warned her?

As his internal indignation transformed into simmering hatred, Subaru took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

“Damn…! This place is the worst.”

“Well, it’s tough. I’m trying to choose my words carefully too.”

“If you think that was careful, it probably won’t help at all.”

With Subaru struggling to manage his emotions, Ram’s voice and gaze held a hint of sympathy.

However, that attitude only served to irritate Subaru more, making it clear that no matter what, the outcome was counterproductive.

“The influence of the miasma… It’s easy to say that, but that’s also a scary part. After all, neither me nor you, Ram, are affected by it.”

“What do you mean by that? You think just because you’re fine, everything’s golden? You should stop that kind of naive thinking. Underneath, you and I are just the same humans.”

“That’s a sharp remark. I’m not saying I’m overly confident. The strength of my judgment and decision-making is a different issue from physical and mental toughness… Just, shoving everything onto the fear of the miasma is quite absurd.”

With an exaggerated tone, Anastasia rebuked Subaru’s current predicament.

Her rational words only served to further frustrate Subaru, who walked ahead, stepping on the sandy path, silently urging her to continue.

Acknowledging this, Anastasia cleared her throat lightly, then continued,

“About the miasma… I’m not exactly an expert, so please forgive me if my knowledge is just hearsay?”

“The ones who are truly knowledgeable about it are probably the Witch Cult, wouldn’t you say?”

“That’s true, but there are also those who naturally love to touch things that others dislike. For instance, people who investigate miasma and such. My knowledge might be incredibly secondhand, like hearing it from someone who heard it from someone else.”

Anastasia likely referred to witch researchers.

It sounds surprising, but if you think about it, it’s strange to dismiss the notion completely. After all, there are bound to be researchers in this world, and it’s not uncommon for those with insatiable curiosity to disregard the norms and delve into forbidden pursuits.

In any world and era, there are sure to be embodiments of boundless curiosity.

“Now, to start with the hearsay—what exactly is ‘miasma’?”

“That’s… the tainted mana released by witches and beasts, right? I’ve heard the Witch Cultists emit the same stuff.”

“Ram’s answer is the prevailing theory. Miasma is emitted by witches, and beasts born from witches also pour it out in similar ways… But, do you know of this story?”

“——”

“Witch Cultists and beasts are actually in a really bad relationship.”

Anastasia, who began to speak fluently, might like to flaunt her knowledge, considering who her maker is.

While Subaru felt this way about her, Ram widened her eyes in surprise at Anastasia’s words.

Witch Cultists and beasts are both considered allies of the Witch of Envy. That the two would actually have such a hostile relationship might indeed be shocking.

“I can hardly believe it… Is that true?”

“Unfortunately, I don’t know any Witch Cultists or beasts personally, so I can’t be sure. That’s why I prefaced it as hearsay. But if this is true, wouldn’t it be fascinating?”

“Fascinating…?”

The word seemed inappropriate for the context, and Subaru commented. At his reaction, Anastasia nodded shortly.

“Everyone thinks that ‘witches’, Witch Cultists, and beasts are all good friends, right? Yet in reality, the last two are at odds with each other, a misunderstanding that’s persisted for 400 years… No one knows the truth.”

“That’s certainly…”

“I’ve also heard that there seem to be many misconceptions about miasma. For example, the relationship between beasts and miasma is actually the opposite of what’s commonly believed: beasts absolutely hate miasma and, in their hearts, they seem to actually despise witches.”

“That’s… too much to believe.”

As Subaru became engrossed in Anastasia’s story, Ram asked more questions.

Amidst their exchange, Subaru realized that the elements of Anastasia’s words were largely undeniable.

The relationship between witches and beasts is indeed hostile, with beasts harboring a loathing for witches.

This notion resonated strongly with Subaru, who had used the “残り香” (lingering scent) of witches multiple times. Otherwise, why would these beasts become so enraged chasing after Subaru, who was suffused with that odor?

In the chaos of the beast incidents upon his summoning to this other world, even the White Whale’s battle had utilized the lingering scent.

With evidence piling up, it was impossible to ignore the connection between the witch’s lingering scent and miasma.

The lingering scent of witches surrounding Subaru is likely the miasma itself.

“It wouldn’t mean that every beast has a yandere trait like Petelgeuse. They can’t stand the scent of witches, thinking… why does someone else smell like women?”

While that was indeed a gruesome thought, it made more sense to assert the earlier possibility.

In short, beasts detest witches’ miasma and regard it as a fierce enemy.

Most people likely don’t know that the prevailing rumor that the “Witch of Envy” created beasts is actually incorrect.

The one who birthed the beasts was not the “Witch of Envy”, but rather the “Witch of Gluttony”.

Since this misconception isn’t widely understood, no one realizes the true relationship between beasts and miasma.

As for Anastasia’s source of knowledge—whether there truly exists a researcher who studies “witches” is unconfirmed, but if there is, they certainly have keen insight.

“…what a ludicrous farce.”

Having thought this far, Subaru sighed at his own carefree attitude.

Instead of questioning the existence of such a researcher, it seemed more natural to think that Anastasia merely threw out the knowledge she had already possessed from the start.

As he thought this, a different form of indignation began to rise within Subaru.

Why did he need to conceal the truth about Anastasia’s circumstances? He didn’t mind being considerate towards Julius or the “Iron Fang” at all.

Especially Julius, who was already on the brink of fading away from the world’s memories.

He was trying to keep his act together as best as possible, but even he had his limitations. Considering all this, he had to avoid putting unnecessary psychological burdens on him.

He should avoid it, but why did that mean Subaru bore the blame instead?

“——”

Everyone is selfish.

Why must Subaru alone rush around cleaning up their mess?

It was infuriating. Exasperating. Should he just spill everything? About Anastasia’s condition, about Subaru’s “Return by Death”, and everything else—

“…Balus. Stop suddenly burying yourself in the sand; it looks suspicious.”

“It’s my voluntary defensive action to prevent the situation from worsening. *spit*”

Having reached his breaking point of frustration, Suburu thrust his face into the sandy wall before hurling insults. Surprisingly, the sand wall proved to be fragile, and he nearly dug through it with just his hands.

Exchanging one uncomfortable fact for another, Subaru spat out the sand that entered his mouth. He appreciated the disapproving glance Ram shot him but chose to keep his rebellion buried.

“Do you think Natsuki’s weird actions are due to miasma influence… perhaps?”

“No, Balus’ actions are just his natural self.”

“Not just natural. This is a secondary disaster caused by miasma influence.”

“Well, let’s temporarily agree on the veracity and intertwine it back to the main point… beasts truly dislike witches. In that case, doesn’t it explain the lousy relationship between Witch Cultists and beasts?”

Deliberately making a light quip, Anastasia tilted her head and returned to the central subject. However, Subaru’s agreement only lagged behind. Instead, Ram nodded.

“Regardless of whether they are on good terms or not, I’ve never heard of Witch Cultists and beasts acting together… and that’s probably because the rumors of the Witch Cult themselves don’t spread much.”

“Is that so… In reality, they’re secretly an organization that moves from the shadows. Yet, somehow, they lack that sort of image altogether.”

“Balus and Emilia are facing off against those kinds of folks too much.”

As far as Subaru knew, all the Witch Cultists were self-important and had a strong desire for self-actualization.

Even Petelgeuse couldn’t be said to have acted covertly, and other Archbishops had even taken over large cities and made a show of it on the airwaves.

What kind of face would they even have to call themselves an evil organization operating in the shadows?

“Oh, but wait. What happens with the White Whale? That one was cooperating with the Witch Cult… although it’s questionable now if that was truly the case.”

“Who knows? It’s certain that beasts hate the Witch Cult, but whether the Witch Cult hates beasts? I wouldn’t know… but I won’t get hung up on it either.”

“You opened the conversation, yet…”

As Subaru countered, Anastasia casually tossed aside her own argument. Her lack of attachment to the point made it clear she was indeed just relaying hearsay.

However, the contents used for conversation had been exhausted. To finish her thought, Anastasia squinted one eye.

“In conclusion, it’s just that we don’t know much about the miasma. As Ram said, there are thoughts about it being tainted mana… but no one can explain how mana gets contaminated.”

“——–”

“Mana is mana, no matter whose body it flows through. Even if its properties change for specific purposes through magic or enchanted stones, no one can paint mana itself with a color.”

“Well, that’s…”

“Why is it that only the ‘Witch of Envy’ can taint mana? And that, living within that tainted mana, what on earth are the Witch Cultists doing?”

Anastasia continuously posted questions, and for once, Ram fell silent.

It was an unusual choice for her, as she was typically quick to refute. At the same time, Subaru felt a sense of déjà vu and disgust from Anastasia’s way of speaking.

The unclear content and ambiguous conclusions made Subaru feel like he was being wrapped in smoke, similar to a certain Witch.

“Well, it seems I’ve wandered off topic.”

Anastasia suddenly remarked, leaving both Ram and Subaru’s thoughts that lingered behind.

Her tone changed dramatically, and with the abrupt shift of discussion, they felt left behind. Ignoring the two, Anastasia illuminated the path ahead with the lantern she held.

In synchronization with her movement, Subaru stopped and raised his lantern, noticing.

“——–”

Ahead, the path gradually bent to the left, and a faint breeze began to flow through.

Though the sandy walls appeared monotonous, the sudden curve and the drifting “burnt smell” struck a familiar chord.

“It smells burnt, like something has been grilled.”

The cooled wind bearing a slight heat made Ram comment succinctly.

The aroma of overcooked, charred meat drifted from the depths of the passage.

This scent was evidence that someone might be cooking, potentially allowing friendly interactions… which, to think back, sounded pretty naive. Perhaps, he had been much crazier then than he considered himself now.

“Do you think Emilia and the others are carelessly lighting a fire and taking a break…?”

“While it’s true that Emilia might carelessly light a fire, I can’t imagine such a scenario after discussing the Centaur. I believe you’re not so naive, right?”

“If that verbal abuse holds any truth, I’m curious how you’ll justify it after the miasma wears off.”

As Subaru shot a sharper reply at Ram, she responded with poignant sarcasm.

He snorted at that, reassuring himself he was directing hostility at the wrong person.

At this point, it was beyond question.

Ahead was a vast chamber containing a creature wrapped in flames.

The time taken to reach this point had been a bit faster than the last two times. Yet, since they would encounter whatever awaited, this place was likely the beast’s lair.

Hoping that the creature would conveniently move away was wishful thinking. Then—

“I suppose we have no choice but to kill it, right?”

“I think it would be more constructive to put forth a plan based on our current available military strength,” Ram stated.

“I mean, I could fight after pulling out my trump card but… I’d rather avoid using everything as a last resort. There’s no turning back on that.”

Both Ram and Anastasia opposed Subaru’s violent proposition.

Though irritated at being rejected, Subaru did not wish to push his theory further at this moment.

Admittedly, it was indeed a reckless notion. After all, they didn’t call themselves “Non-Combatants” for nothing. Confronting a beast should be seen a foolhardy idea.

“That said, we can’t just turn around and head back to the right path.”

“Seeing all these faces you’ve made so far, there’s no way you could move forward on the right path.”

“But that leaves us in a dead end. There’s no way we’re going back to the starting point and waiting for everyone else to come find us… That would be too virtuous.”

Ignoring Ram’s sarcasm, Anastasia’s statement made perfect sense. If he were to fear the beast now, he should have just manipulated words to stay in that spot from the start.

Having not done so, Subaru’s only conclusion was to get past that beast.

And the way to achieve this wasn’t completely beyond reach.

“First, what’s needed is information about our opponent. If my hunch is correct, there might be potential.”

Subaru stated, stepping ahead of the wavering duo to draw conclusions.

※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

—Subaru knew almost nothing about the ecology of the Beast Centaurs.

After all, he had been incinerated in mere moments during their first encounter.

The sheer ugliness of its exterior had instigated visceral disgust, and the incredible firepower it possessed was painfully etched into his soul as a real experience.

From a conventional standpoint, it could be seen as a senseless death, and no one could blame him for that.

However, he wouldn’t allow anyone to think they had gauged Natsuki Subaru based on this.

When it came to unexpected “deaths,” Natsuki Subaru had been through countless battles. Already, he had gathered enough experience to avoid merely equating the phenomenon of “death” with simply being “dead.”

“First, the visual characteristics of that Centaur are something to pay attention to.”

Once seen, it was impossible to forget that grotesque appearance.

Though he only had mere seconds of eyesight, the bizarre features were vividly etched into his memory, aiding Subaru’s critical thinking.

Lower half of a horse, a human torso on top, and a giant mouth cracking open on the torso from the chest to the abdomen.

Each part seemed like something a child had slapped together hastily using clay, yet Subaru realized he could not avert his gaze as he kept analyzing.

“To put things simply, there are no eyes.”

In its true form, there was no head where one should be. Thus, it was sure that the beast had no sensory organs responsible for vision.

Or perhaps, due to the lack of any true source of light in the underground sand sea, it could have suffered a deterioration from adapting to this environment.

“It’s like a mole. Becoming fitted for life underground means it loses its sight.”

It could also have never had eyes to begin with, but nonetheless, that beast likely wasn’t relying on sight for its movement.

At that time, the beast had failed to perceive Subaru’s presence from the lantern light. Instead, it had sensed Subaru due to the sounds and presence emanating from his unguarded self.

Thus, the beast had developed either an acute sense of smell or hearing in place of sight.

“I’ve heard that moles have excellent hearing but a weak sense of smell.”

Like Anastasia earlier, this too was secondhand knowledge.

Still, relying on baseless conjectures was far more useful for Subaru’s analysis. His conclusion was that the Centaur’s strength lay within its hearing, prompting Subaru to act accordingly.

Therefore—

“——–”

In silence, Subaru raised his arm as quietly and cautiously as possible, pulling it back.

With utmost care not to make any noise as he stepped on the sand, he threw one of the water containers from his emergency pack.

It sailed straight toward the edge of the vast chamber—

Drawing the attention of the beast, its consciousness now aware of the fallen water container.

“———!!”

As the water container lightly struck the sand, the Centaur reacted dramatically. With its flaming mane thrashing, it leaped into motion, rushing toward the source of the sound with a fierce intent to smash it.

“———!!”

Devastatingly, sand exploded in the aftermath, flames were sent scattering in the chamber.

The enraged Centaur raced, grinding its massive teeth within its monstrous maw as it released a cacophony of ear-piercing howls akin to screaming infants.

Afterward, the beast trampled the water container wrapped in fire repeatedly, until it was utterly wrecked beyond recognition, and flames spilled from its mane onto the ground. Finally, having burnt everything except for the dry sand, the monster stopped, seemingly satisfied.

It seemed to have reached a certain level of contentment.

From beneath this scene, Subaru tugged at the string on his waist, prompting movement. The sound of carefully placed footsteps was cut into pieces within the overwhelming aura of its loud cries.

So, as he took a careful step, another—

“——–”

He pulled the string to signal “stop”, bringing the Earth Dragon’s feet to a halt.

Despite the dragon being unable to comprehend human speech, it surprisingly obeyed the command obediently, cautiously stepping on the sand.

—In the darkened, color-of-night chamber, Subaru’s crew was undertaking a desperate march.

The intensity of spacious measurement could closely approximate that of a school gymnasium.

Scattered throughout were burned corpses of creatures that had fallen victim to the beast’s flames, and while they traversed this path, they had to ensure to go unnoticed by the beast.

“——–”

There was certainly not an absurd degree of silence blanketing the chamber.

The Centaur’s freakishly large mouth gasped for air, the rhythmic sound resembling air escaping from a balloon.

A grotesque beast both in appearance and ecology—the simplicity of its essence was all the more grateful at this moment. Thanks to it, they could find a method to avoid conflict altogether.

“——–”

Again, Subaru lifted another water container, tossing it behind the Centaur. The single-minded beast reacted, charging at the emptiness it perceived, ready to pounce.

Flames and the cries of infants filled the chamber reverberations, and the water container exploded, transforming into black charcoal with a resounding crunch.

Yet, during this time, the Subaru team made progress, successfully bridging the distance toward the passageway.

—Subaru’s conclusions regarding the Centaur’s ecology led him to this simple form of distraction.

Recognizing the absence of vision, Subaru argued that the Centaur relied instead on hearing. He left both Ram and Anastasia behind, utilizing the same tactic to throw items, reeling back to gain confirmations.

Quite simply, the Centaur was a creature that depended on sound to locate its prey, and as it turned out, it had a simple-minded build that regularly fell for similar tricks again and again.

Having verified this, the remaining strategy was simple.

Collect necessary items for distraction, and after bypassing the beast, his task was to pinpoint the location of the passageway for Ram to read using the wind. All it took was to communicate effectively with Patrasche about stealth maneuvers, holding strong against tension and anxiety, and prepare to face the challenge ahead.

“——–”

In practice, Subaru’s devised strategy was going so smoothly that it was almost relieving.

He’d already crossed half the distance from the cavern to the passageway, with surprisingly little time spent in contrast to the tight anxiety that lingered. It should be entirely possible to clear a path by exploiting the memory-less beast’s tendency to repeat.

“——–”

Meanwhile, the lantern was turned off, allowing Subaru to see only the glowing form of the blazing mane within the distance.

It seemed his lighting would go unnoticed by the sightless beast, but that was still a touchstone to exercise caution and keep any stimulating factors to a minimum.

“——–”

Before he realized, he felt a tug on the string, pulling him away from his train of thought.

Subaru employed two strings, one for Patrasche and the other for Ram, who was mounted atop the dragon.

When instructing Patrasche, he would demand “advance” and “stop”, but with Ram, the nuances of their communication remained mostly unspoken. It existed as a silent bond—a mutual understanding without the necessity for words.

That connection was surprisingly comforting to Subaru, as he was able to hold onto such bonds without harboring negative feelings toward Ram or Anastasia. To find relief in such distances, absent of face-to-face engagement—how refreshing.

At the same time, however, the solitude enveloping Subaru’s heart didn’t go without unease.

It was part due to miasma influence—he half-convinced himself of that, yet much of the uncertainty surrounding Anastasia’s earlier musings kept him questioning what “miasma” truly was.

Whether it would heal once he departed this place was now a lingering doubt.

If it didn’t, and against Emilia and Beatrice, he found himself unable to suppress such malodorous emotions, that would stem from this experience—

“—!?”

Suddenly, the tug became strong enough to cause Subaru to stumble.

Was it the string attached to Patrasche? The dragon was forcibly halted by that expression of order.

Reacting almost instinctively, Subaru turned his head to see—

“—Ugh.”

A massive fireball sailed just past a step in front of him.

Though it was the size of a soccer ball, it flew with heated ripples, crashing into the sandy wall a few meters ahead, where it detonated with a violent roar.

The hot wind flared up against Subaru, and he nearly suppressed a scream.

If he hadn’t been cautioned to stop by Patrasche, he would have definitely been hit directly.

He couldn’t measure the implications of lethality but judging by the enormous firepower, he would’ve sustained some serious injuries. The ache in his gut came, accompanied by the chill coursing up his spine.

Why had the fireball been thrown toward Subaru?

“——–”

Instinctively, Subaru turned to look behind him.

Having been baited, the Centaur should have remained at the far end of the chamber, playing with the now-regrettable water container. Yet now, the beast turned its horned head toward them, a low growl rumbling from deep within.

As if it confirmed the presence of Subaru’s group right there.

“——–”

Such a thing shouldn’t be possible—Subaru shook his head.

He unsheathed another throwing water container from his belt, preparing to launch another distraction attempt. The string connecting him and Ram wrapped tightly, like he was being beckoned.

For now, his primary objective was to divert the monster’s attention away from them.

He hurled the container upward, watching its parabolic arc carry it far to the left, landing in the sand beside the massive wall. Naturally, the beast’s focus shifted in that direction, the uncouth brute fell for yet another blundering feint.

Another explosion of flames, rattling shrieks of children echoing. Amidst the shrill sounds reverberating around the chamber, Subaru signaled Patrasche to rush forward toward the passageway.

Over and over, each movement counted would be to ensure they were proceeding along clear methodology.

Just repeating the actions bestowed upon them could very well lead to their escape, but—

“—!?”

Once again, a flaming projectile sailed perilously close to Subaru’s side.

This time, it was even closer than before—so close he could feel the rush of air skim against his skin. Instinctively holding his breath, he felt the searing heat rush past him from the explosion.

“——–”

Illuminated by the new orange light expanding against him, Subaru found himself glaring at the distant beast. Their eyes never met, but it was clear that beast had locked onto him.

Yet, how the sightless creature sensed their presence remained a baffling mystery.

“—The sound of my cries…”

“Balus, **resonate—**”

Answers tumbled in Subaru’s mind as the both of them converged on realized thoughts.

At the same moment Subaru reached an epiphany, the Centaur kicked up sand and thundered forward.

It had lunged with a thundering step—hooves kicking sand, its massive form blurring in pursuit—desiring revenge.

Its burning mane inspired a new set of flames at its command. It lifted its torso high, baring two raging flames aloft, making it evident that it intended to hurl them at Subaru and Ram.

“Come on, you bastard. There has to be something!”

Faced with the face of death, Subaru dove deep into the pain, seeking refuge in the painful depths of his thoughts.

To resist the waves of pain would feel like sinking further. Casting his sights outward would have been fruitful but proved to be incredibly impractical.

Instead, he found—cursing in vain—he would grasp within, even if it meant losing himself to delusion as he searched for an escape.

Diving deep into his innermost being, Subaru sought a solution to the blackened resentment within him. This wasn’t merely his overused “invisible hand”. He needed something new; some different method to overcome this dilemma.

However, in that desperate search—

“—Ah…!”

Time and space lost their meaning as the beast yanked two flaming weapons.

Its fire had captured the horrors of death. Glints of fire alternated as they shattered the air before veering toward him.

“—Come forward! I’ll manage!”

Standing on the brink of despair, Subaru reached within for some source of power where agony lurked.

Turning away from believing outside interventions, he sought within. Even if he was mocked as dreaming absurdly, he focused more on finding his own means rather than leaning on Lam or Patrasche for help.

But the search for salvation yielded nothing—

“—!”

In its downward arc, the beast aimed to decimate Ram, who stood frail and embattled.

Sailing flames filled the air as lunar sparks incinerated the innocents and memories held dear.

The flaring light expanded into a churning inferno, dimming out hopelessly, splattering country-whipping whirls of burning force upon naught.

Fumbling between the immediate threat and fading consciousness, Subaru’s world plunged into silence.

“…!?”

Then, from the madness of the collapsing reality, blinding white light erupted upon the beast’s looming figure commanded by its very own chaos.

Bulging beams shattered the empty air, whizzing toward the beast without mercy.

Few would know brutality’s relentless strike—the glow that beckoned the beast’s downfall.

An eye-watering umbra of light engulfed the horrid entity, consuming whatever jailor gripped their dominion.

In a boundless flash, luminescent light spread like wildfire across its form, leaving nothing behind.

“…!? Where…?”

Subaru was struck frozen as the ensuing brightness rang out, leaving behind even the burnt remnants of the Beast Centaur.

Its malevolent domination extinguished… its flesh and mind erased—reduced to whispers lost in wind.

What remained mapped the fading glimmers of flickering fire—more remnants to be dissolved into dust under the winds of a changed world.

“…”

Stunned, Subaru looked down upon the ground darkness and the immediate flickers of light flashes.

The outlines of a slender frame approached the dimness filling the chamber present once more.

In the hazy gloom, only fleeting figures moved further into clarity; it was Ram.

As bright as the noontide sun against shadow, she spelled grace, even as the warmth of her form crossed into his arms.

Uplifting warmth coursed through his mottled limbs as he beheld deeper into their radiant darkness.

“…”

The storm within swirled even grander than his passage beneath could hold.

Small as one might have thought, far-flung beauty still whispered in the growing silence that followed.

“—Found you.”

The muzzle of life lingered upon seeking him.

Before he could come to grips behind the tranquil glow, everything in turn slumbered beneath his raw wit and testimony.

And so, into the void of faded memories crossed rambling images—of laughter—of glory—of death; the scenery too good to grasp.

“—all for…”

A single heartbeat broke the air with the lingering hum.

For it was too late now to grasp bare truth, swallowed by shadows where reality limped away into infinity unseen.

Subaru laid his final embers against the dust-swirled dance.

“…”

And in that wisdom-laden moment, he drew breath not as merely human but carried forth the hopes stowed forever upon him alone.

Hope for that still unseen through shaking shadows.

“`

 

---