The Return of the Beloved Son

The Beginning of the End

Picture by ScribbleCate.

"How could you do this to me?" The same pathetic man from before was kneeling before the witch. Tears fell from his face as he begged for the woman's appreciation. "I loved you! How can you not see that I am of some use?!"

The witch was standing with her hands to her side. A disappointed look on her face, "It surprises me that you say this. While you continue to fail me, you seem to not care of the outcome." Walking to her throne, the witch paused and said over her shoulder, "Is there something amiss that I don't know about?"

The man paused before answering, "No, there is n-nothing on my mind but you. Please, it is the truth."

The witch closed her eyes, "I have a hard time believing you. You used to be so trustworthy, now I feel like you have gone your own path, Okabe."

Okabe looked up, surprised to hear her use his name. "No, it's not like that! I have done everything you asked of me! I even have the boy!"

The witch smiled, "Yes. Subaru is something isn't he." Turning around, Envy looked into Okabe's eyes, "But without the girl, how am I to be with him?"

Okabe cringed at the mention of her whist for Subaru, "I sent forces to collect the half witch. Among them was-."

"Archbishop, Regulus Corneus. Yes, I know. He is dead." Envy did not move.

Okabe got to his feet, "No! How can that be?! He was the strongest f-."

"WAS the strongest, not anymore." Envy turned, and looked directly into Okabe's bloodshot eyes, "Like you, he has also failed me."

Okabe walked towards Envy, but was pushed away by an unseen force. With pleading eyes he said, "But you must understand that the failures in my plans have nothing to with me! It is my colleagues that carry them out, who are failing!" Okabe pointed to himself, and raised his voice, "I have done my part! The gateway is almost ready and the boy trusts me, but yet you still send them to kill me?!"

Envy's face showed no emotion despite speaking of feelings, "Perhaps, you are right, Okabe. You have done your part. I must have failed to see the completion of your work, but still the problem remains on how to capture the girl."

Okabe smiled at her forgiveness, "Thank you." He straightened his lab coat, "When it comes to the problem of the girl, I will handle it. Once the portal opens, I will retrieve the girl myself."

Envy narrowed her eyes at Okabe, "And in your state, just how will you do something the Archbishop of Greed failed to do?"

Okabe chuckled, "With my influence of course. Have you forgotten that I own my own country? No one would expect me to be an Archbishop-."

Envy interrupted Okabe's explanation, a sad expression on her face, "That is not what I meant. You are dead, Okabe." Okabe wondered if her sadness was genuine or fake.

In reply to her comment, Okabe chucked.

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From the outside, the sound of four silenced gunshots went unheard. The only thing that gave away the fact that something was wrong was the crows that suddenly took flight from the roof of a nearby house. The setting sun casted an orange glow over the house of Okabe, where the life of a mad scientist ended and a new one began.

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Subaru was in utter shock as he watched Okabe fall to the floor with four bullets to his chest. His one hope for returning to Rem appeared to be dead. Being held at gunpoint, Subaru could do nothing but comply to the orders of the witch cultists.