Re:ZERO; Ram:IF (Original)

Chapter 22: Erased

Engulfed in the familiar black void, Subaru stood. It was cold around him, as he saw a light in the distance. Similar to seeing a light at the end of a tunnel. Subaru walked through it as he was brought back to his visions.

"Are you alright Subaru?" Emilia spoke with a worried tone in her voice. Subaru blinked, rubbing his eyes. Once he regained his composure, he responds with a semi-calm voice. "Yeah, I'm fine." Emilia pouted as she continued. "Are you sure? You were acting really strange just a second ago!" Her face brought a small smile on his. "I just had something on my mind, that's it."

Ram suddenly shot at Subaru. "Quit being so pathetic, Barusu." Subaru rolled his eyes as he sat back looking at her. "Would you shut up Ram?! You're the one who confessed their love for me just a few days ago!" Ram lightly blushed as she quickly tried standing her ground. "You must have dreamed that. I would never say anything like that. Hah." Subaru sat up and pulled her hood over her head in playful aggression.

Rem smiled as Beatrice scoffed, flipping her hair. "Would you two quit flirting I suppose?" Subaru also had a blush wash over his face as he muttered. "Ok, ok, fine. Otto, how long until we get there?" Otto responded to Subaru's question. "About an hour I think." Subaru nodded. "I see. So, we're almost there!"

As Subaru looked down in thought, he remembered how Lye somehow was able to erase Ram from existence. "Her body was still there, though..." His brain was struck with confusion. "How was I only able to remember her?" Subaru could only guess as he thinks of ways to work around this trick. "I'll have to keep an eye on him while we confront him this loop!" Subaru looked back up as he saw Julius standing across from him.

"Julius, what powers does this Lye guy have anyway?" Julius looked down at Subaru with a stern but comforting look. "I am not sure however I am mildly confident we will get him." He smiled confidently as Subaru nodded back at him. "I'm sure we will too!"

The group decide to discuss on multiple topics to ease their mind before the confrontation. As Subaru was smiling at the small petty fights people were having in between each other, he suddenly remembered Ram's relationship with Roswaal. He decided to speak up on it. "Hey Ram, I want to know... How close were you and Roswaal?" Ram looked at Subaru with a surprised look on her face. The look that told him, "Where did that question come from?" Still, however, she responded.

"He destroyed me and Rem's home village when we were children. As I had lost my horn, I had no other choice but to let him take us in..." Subaru's eyes widen. "What? Why did he destroy your village?" Ram reassured herself along with Subaru. "To kill all of the witch cultists that were terrorizing us." Subaru nodded with a small smile. "I see..."

Rem seemed to tense up at the small conversation they had as Subaru notices this. Reluctantly, he asks her. "Is everything ok Rem?" Rem put on a forced smile as she responded. "Rem is okay" Subaru looked at her, worried. "Mr. Natsuki, we have arrived!" Subaru heard Otto's voice as everyone started to exit the carriage precociously. Entering the abandoned village, they progressed in a group. Subaru and Julius led ahead as they saw Lye walking up to them sluggishly and slowly with a wide grin.

"Ahhh! I keep eating and eating, but it's never enough! I eat, I devour, I chew, I bite, I gnaw, I munch, I crunch, I savor, pure gluttony!" Julius wields his sword without hesitation as he says with a stern voice. "Who are you? Explain yourself!" He held his sword with both of his gloved hands, with the tip pointed in Lye's direction. "I am a Sin Archbishop of the Witch's Cult, representing Gluttony, Lye Batenkaitos! And who might you be?"

Julius nodded as he explained. "I am a knight for the Royal Guard of Lugnica, Julius Juuklius, and I shall slay you, for my friend, Subaru Natsuki!" Subaru smiled as he generated crystal shards. "Julius, attack now!" Pointing at Lye with his other hand, Julius clashes into Lye as they engage in a blade-to-blade battle. With many of the same attacks and parries occurring from the last loop, Lye starts to dash across buildings. "Such spirits! I am certainly going to enjoy this feast!"