[Discontinued] Yet Another World (Re:ZeroxRWBY)

25. Pride

The last Sin Archbishop of the Witch's Cult, representing Pride no less. It's a shocking thought that bewildered him. Subaru's will and sense of purpose are being tested, the man's presence now ever dominating.

"Y-you're kidding…" Subaru muttered out, his pupils dilating into a single point. "How…"

His words would trail off right there and then. While he had speculated about Proxima's position prior to meeting him in person, Subaru was still taken aback. Though this surprise was more geared towards the apparent calmness that he possessed. It's unlike any other Archbishop that he had met and fought in the past, who had their own degree of visible insanity.

This man, however, is much worse in that regard despite lacking the expression of madness. Despite the mask of normalcy and moderation, Subaru could see through it, the man behind it. It's the eyes of an insane man, one driven by a singular purpose rather than possessing a damaged mentality. It's the fact that he shares that particular similarity with the Archbishop is what scares him the most. Not even him knowing his name specifically without even any other context as to how would scare Subaru.

Fear over their similarity, rage over the man's actions, grief over his friends, shock over the man's knowledge of him, horror over what he had caused, guilt over the fact he could not save them and intervened sooner. Those are the main emotions that overwhelm Natsuki Subaru.

The man, Proxima, stood still, his face ever calm. Unlike the expressive and comparatively easy to read Subaru, he presents himself as a man of significant composure. Still however, just like him Proxima experienced his own series of emotions. These emotions are most notably that of hatred, disgust, and weirdly enough for the man he would identify as the Sage, fear.

And these specific emotions Proxima himself would roar out with a furious passion.

"Disgusting, utterly disgusting. Repulsive. Dangerous. Lethal. Deadly." He said, venom spouting out of his mouth. "But you don't get it, do you Sage?"

"W-what-"

"I assume so. Utterly disappointing." He responded, now stepping closer towards him. "I see exactly five curses within you, curses with the same nature as mine, you are aware of this. Yet among them, the Witch's curse that's within you is the most dangerous. You're a monster, no other person has Her sick love all over them. No human has those cursed eyes that had seen Her and death countless times before."

"You-!"

Subaru immediately froze as Proxima uttered those words towards him. It should be almost impossible to hear this man spouting it in rage, with no fear of retaliation from the Witch of Envy. Something is wrong here, there must be.

"Yes, I know what curse you have, Sage. You're capable of rewinding the world from death, aren't you? There's no use in hiding it. I know that you've died more times than any man or beast. The Witch herself won't be capable of intervening this time. I know it."

Proxima would approach closer with each word said, to the point that he would be face to face with Subaru. His right hand grabbed Subaru's collar, lifting him up as he continued. Subaru tried to release himself from the hold, but to no avail.

"What is your goal, Sage?" He would say, his eyes possessing a sense of wariness and fear under the mask of intimidation towards Subaru. "You came all the way here to finally vanquish us in order to free Her, is that it? You also came here to kill me, under the guise of 'saving' this world."

Subaru could not answer. While he has yet to decide upon a definite long term goal, he can't shake the fact that Proxima is correct. He's a monster belonging to the Witch's Cult, he shouldn't belong. Meaning-