The Return of the Beloved Son

The Departure

A different man stood before the witch now. Standing tall and proper, never taking his eyes off the beautiful woman's purple eyes. The shadow world's smoke collected around his feet, creating slow moving vortexes. When he spoke his voice was void of any emotion.

"I feel he is unreliable."

The witch sat in a throne made of smoke, it seemed the smoke was acting as a solid. There was no smile on her face, it was like the man's voice, emotionless.

"I thought as much." The witch crossed her legs, "He used to be my favorite, but it was my mistake to send him back. That was what changed him, made him into the useless failure he is now." The witch stood from the throne, "You are my most reliable follower, I should hope you would not fail me as well."

The dropped to a knee and bowed his head, "You have nothing to fear, I will not fail you."

The witch only nodded, and walked up to the man. The man stood back up, looking into her radiant eyes, wishing she would love him as much as he had come to love her, but she already had her sights on someone else.

The witch faded into smoke in the blink of an eye, the man looked around to locate her but stopped when her voice echoed around him. "The useless failure has claimed that he would retrieve the girl from the Capital, but knowing how impossible this is, I am allowing you to make your own decisions against him." Her voice now sounded as if I was coming from in front of him. "Do what you must to open the portal."

The witch materialized in front of the man, hand on his cheek, "Remember, once the portal is open, we will no longer have any use for him. Then, when you bring me the girl I will make you my new Archbishop."

The man knew what the witch was implying; once the portal was open she wanted her Archbishop dead so he didn't waste anymore of his followers. With him dead he would become the new Archbishop. This brought a smile to his face. This was something every follower strived to be, to be accepted by the Witch.

Before waking up the man said, "Anything for you, my dear."

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This metia is no longer available or in service.

Rem stared at the message on her metia, tears staining her cheeks, "Subaru-kun?"

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"What do you mean you talked to Subaru?!"

Rem was in the house assigned to Oki and Ken. Like Rem's, it had once been abandoned, but now served as their sleeping quarters. All three were seated at a table in the kitchen, each with a hot cup of tea in their hands.

The morning after Rem talked to Subaru, she arrived at the two mens' house. Rem was ready to leave the Sanctuary as soon as possible, since she didn't quite like sleeping there to begin with. Besides, the clock tower was in Kararagi, their home. Why not stay home until she had to go to the tower?

"Rem saw and heard her Subaru-kun. Rem doesn't know why, but Subaru-kun is in trouble and Rem needs to help him." It wasn't that Oki and Ken didn't believe Rem, they just felt odd about that fact that Subaru said almost nothing about his situation.

Oki was sure Subaru was trying to get back to Rem from where ever he was, but he wasn't sure why Subaru wanted Rem to go to Graden Forest. What are you up to Subaru? "Why didn't he tell you more, Rem?"