Starting Life From Another Choice Than Zero

Chapter 13 - No Escape

For a time seemingly ceaseless, they remained inert. Wickedness personified in the shimmer of her ever enthralling violet eyes. The dark malefic cascade of her raven black hair. A black rose, whose torns fatal to the touch. A fatality in such close proximity, that he felt the warmth of every breath she exudes.

"Behave... you'll behave now, won't you?" Elsa spoke, a small demand imparted frighteningly gentle.

The scope of incredulity kept broadening with each passing hour. The confines of believability had shattered. It all felt like a dream... he yearned it badly to be a dream - yet the reality, the blood that dribbled and soaked his shirt, would not let him entertain such desirable notions.

"Why... why are you here? After all this time, why now?"

He could only see her, see every slight twitch of expression, see every slow bat of her eyelids.

"I told you before, haven't I? I will see you again, and I always intend to make good on my promises."

The shimmering teeth of metal fell lower, he felt it graze his tracksuit as it traced downwards to a halt at his abdomen. The blade dug deep. His breath stiffens at once.

"Every single word of it." She whispered softly in his ear.

Death. Inevibitality. He braced for its swiftness to cleave away at him. But a voice, Leo's, spoke aloud.

"Elsa, he's still of use. Dead is the last thing I want our guest to end up being."

"Oh, but I believe just one more slice will do little harm, actually. If you would so let me, of course," said Elsa, both blade and gaze never once straying away.

"Elsa."

Her name spoken firm. That was all that was needed for the blade to finally relent its pressure, for her arm to withdraw back to her side. Still, her stare lingered, the devilish grin lingered even after a complying step backward away from him.

"Keep breathing, Subaru-kun," said Elsa, pacing away to the darkest corner in the area, "Relish it... savor it... for there will come a time when you'll find that you won't be able to do so anymore."

A trembling hand tended to the blood that continued trickling down the gash at his throat. Subaru stood rigid, petrified and a puppet to fear. A scourge of malevolence permeated the air that surrounded him. His futile attempt at escape left the many that were blinded by it in a state of unbridled spite, yet they did not act upon it. Actions suppressed by the one man that stood at the center of it all.

"First impressions. They're vital here if you want to make good with all of us," said Leo, walking to Subaru side and clasping a hand at his shoulder, "and so far you've failed to impress. Many have died for less. I want you to remember that, Subaru. In case you decide to pull another stunt like that."

"What do you want from me?" Subaru simply asked, his eyes downcast towards the floorboards.

"Your cooperation," said Leo, releasing his grasp, "You aren't the only person that has stolen what's rightfully mine."

Rightfully mine?

"What do you mean?"

"I was robbed. Like that metia of yours, I too have a metia precious to me and it was taken away. Truth be told, I'm rather upset by it."

Deep, veiled by the fear and paranoia burrowing through, he remembered it. The first moment of recollection, him awakening in the bowels of Kararagi's sewers. Their too, a metia was mentioned and in a state of confusion, was accused of having stolen it.

This meeting, this encounter with this man - Subaru understood then. The initial incident that will issue a chain-reaction that will lead him back to where he once was. Chained to an anchor, drowning in the depths of the city.