It was day four of Xeno's new life, and on this fine morning he had decided to spend it with everyone's favorite loli, something he could afford to do as today was Sunday—his first ever day off.
Xeno had a soft spot for children, or anyone childlike. So when he learned Beatrice spent all her time in the library, he couldn't stand it. He had decided then and there that if anyone was going to spend time with this tsundere, it was going to be him.
Which led to their current conversation.
Xeno: "Hey Betty, I just found something unique about myself."
Beatrice: "What is it, I suppose?" the annoyed spirit answered.
Xeno: "I just recently found out I don't have eyes."
...
Beatrice: "What?"
She looked at Xeno like he had said the dumbest thing imaginable. Which he kinda did.
Xeno: "It's true, I really don't have eyeballs. Let me prove it."
Beatrice: "What nonsense are you going to do now?" Despite that, she watched closely, mildly curious.
Without hesitation, he poked his own eye. Instead of hitting his eye like an idiot, the finger went inside the socket without resistance.
Beatrice's eyes widened in surprise.
Beatrice: "W-What? How?"
Xeno shrugged, still running circles with his finger inside his eye socket.
Xeno: "I don't know."
Beatrice: "STOP doing that, I suppose," she said with discomfort.
Xeno stopped, sitting cross-legged in front of Beatrice, expectantly.
Beatrice: "I... how does that even work? What even are you, in fact?"
This had awakened her curiosity.
Xeno: "Wow, rude. I thought you would be in awe. And for your information, I'm human, through and through."
Beatrice: "I don't believe you, I suppose."
She pointed toward his eyes.
Beatrice: "No human can have eyes like yours. How can you even see? What are those dots if they're functioning as your eyes, then? It's not magic, Betty is certain about that, in fact."
Beatrice: 'It can't be a divine protection either. Then he must have an Authority. That would explain many things, from his abilities to the Witch's scent on him.' She concluded, narrowing her eyes.
Xeno: "Like I said, I don't know. Maybe they're the result of my weird powers."
He didn't look too bothered by it, but Beatrice definitely was, and his words worsened it.
Beatrice: "Hmph, take this seriously, I suppose."
Xeno: "Sigh, go ahead—"
He slid closer to Beatrice, now within arm's length of her.
Xeno: "Since you're so curious, I give you full permission to experiment and figure out this mystery for both of us."
His red 'pupils' stared at the surprised Beatrice.
Beatrice: "Really, in fact?"
Xeno: "Yep."
He nodded.
Xeno: 'This should keep her entertained for a while.'
That was his thought, but he had overlooked one thing.
Despite how she acted—and despite how casually he treated her—the person in front of him was a knowledgeable spirit who had literally guarded a forbidden library for centuries.
Instead of childish curiosity, what he got was full-blown experimentation of his eyes... and even his biology.
She was completely invested in figuring out the anomaly in front of her.
She moved around the library, pulling out various books and skimming through them before trying things Xeno couldn't even begin to understand.
Yet instead of answers, all she found were more questions.
What Beatrice discovered was that Xeno's biology didn't make sense in the slightest. She was no expert, but even she knew all living things needed to breathe and possess a heartbeat... Xeno had neither.
He wasn't undead either. He still possessed an Od, and it was full of life.
After racking her brain for who knew how long and testing everything she could think of, the only conclusion she reached was absurd.
Xeno was a completely normal human— without a heartbeat,
without needing to breathe,
and without eyes.
Beatrice: "How is it even possible, I suppose?"
She huffed, frustrated and even more curious about him.
Xeno: "This really is strange, isn't it? How about you take a break? You've been at it for a while."
Beatrice: "Beatrice is fine. She doesn't need a break, I suppose."
Xeno: "Come on, Beatrice, don't you know the first rule of experimenting? You need a fresh state of mind. We'll continue after a short break. How about it?"
Beatrice: "..."
Beatrice: "Alright, I suppose."
Clapping his hands, Xeno cheerfully continued—
Xeno: "That's great. I have just the thing in mind—"
His 'pupils' slowly glowed a radiant purple.
Xeno: "Prepare yourself, as you're GOING to hate me after this. Hahahahaha."
Another abnormality showed itself, as his smile stretched across his face, turning purple.
Beatrice was completely freaked out by this. Even beyond that—
she had a bad feeling about this.
...
On this fine afternoon, tending to her maid duties was none other than Rem, the blue oni, cleaning away with pleasure music—or, as Xeno called it, an 'OST'—playing in the background of the mansion.
The atmosphere at this moment had become tranquil, truly relaxing the Od.
She wished that it could stay that way.
Yet his arrival had brought nothing but hate, confusion, and hesitation to the maid. She was conflicted about the butler.
On one hand, he had the scent of the Witch, meaning he was a part of Them.
But on the other hand, she couldn't fully believe that anymore.
The way he talked, acted, and wore his heart on his sleeve so openly that even Emilia could read him...
Was this an act?
She couldn't tell anymore.
"Noooooooo, you can't do this to me!"
Snapped out of her thoughts, the maid was puzzled.
Rem: 'This voice... Lady Beatrice?'
"Please, can't we talk about this?"
Rem's eyes sharpened, and she rushed toward Beatrice's voice.
Rem: 'Something's wrong.'
"Heheheheheh. Oh, you foolish spirit."
A sharp, mocking voice came next.
It sounded like—
Rem: 'Xeno!'
She quickened her pace.
"You were too foolish to realize my trap, and now I'll strip you bare of everything you hold dear."
Rem stood outside the door where the voices were coming from.
"No, no, you can't! Please stop!"
"Goodbye, Beatrice! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Noooooooooooooo!"
Rem kicked the door open, broom in hand, ready to save Beatrice.
Rem: 'I should have known it was all an act, that damn cultist—'
And then she saw what made her freeze.
It was Xenophanes and Beatrice sitting around a table.
And on that table was...
Monopoly.
Rem stared dumbfounded, while the duo did the same.
...
...
...
Xeno: "Ummmmm... what happened?"
Rem: "I-I, well... I heard strange noises and got worried."
Xeno: "Oh! I guess we got carried away... hehe, sorry."
What an intensely awkward conversation.
Beatrice: "It's all your fault for being such a jerk, I suppose," she stated angrily.
Xeno: "Come on, Betty, it wasn't that bad."
He casually waved off her complaint.
It was.
Xeno had played like a complete scumbag.
Rem: "Lady Beatrice, Xeno... what were the two of you even doing?"
She brought their attention back to her.
Resting his elbow on the table, Xeno answered, amused—
Xeno: "We were role-playing with a game from my homeland. I was playing the capitalist, and Beatrice was the victim—"
Beatrice: "I hate you, in fact."
Xeno: "And I was drowning her in debt. Poor life choices, taking away everything she owned, but that wasn't enough, so I took her hopes and dreams as well, leaving her with nothing but misery and a debt she couldn't pay."
He grinned.
Xeno: "You know... like any good capitalist would."
Rem: "..."
What a great day to be alive, isn't it?
...
After that charade, it was time for everyone's favorite scene—
the bath.
Oh! Think of the fan service.
Water dripping down his sexy body, running a hand through his white hair, a look of bliss on his perfectly structured face, with a smile so soft it could melt an iceberg.
What added even more to this enchanting scene was Xeno's angelic singing.
"One breath left, but I'll make it count."
He had his eyes closed, gently swaying his head to the sound of his own voice.
"Push me down and I'll rise the same amount."
Singing a song so obscure that literally no one knew about it.
He was having the time of his life. Nothing could ruin this scene.
Now, ladies, just wait for the most important part, where we describe in detail his di—
Roswaal: "Heeeey, may I accompany you?"
Looking up, the first thing Xeno saw was Roswaal, one hand on his hip, his 'Excalibur' at arm's length away from his face.
Xeno: "ARRHHHHHHHHH!"
He wailed, immediately dipping beneath the pool-sized bathtub.
Roswaal: "Suuuch an extreme reaction."
The man looked amused.
Xeno shot back up on the other side of the pool, breathing heavily.
He angrily pointed a finger at the man.
Xeno: "What the heck, Ros?! Personal space, dude!" He shouted incredulously.
Joining Xeno in the bath, Roswaal smiled.
Roswaal: "My apologies. Your singing had me soooo captivated, I got carried away."
Xeno: "Whatever, what are you even doing here?"
Roswaal: "Whyyyy is it not obvious? I'm here to bathe with yooooou."
Xeno: "...What kind of pervert are you?"
Roswaal: "One with demi-human tastes."
The madman answered honestly.
Xeno: "..."
Xeno: "...You know what? Respect. It takes courage (or insanity) to admit that."
He gave Roswaal a thumbs-up.
Xeno: "Good on you, Ros."
And with that said, a silence came over the room, both men melting the tension from their bodies.
The atmosphere lasted for a while before Xeno got up to leave.
Roswaal: "Leaving so sooooon? Why not spend a little moooore time with me—"
Wink.
Xeno: "No! Thanks... I, um, got something to do today."
He was creeped out by Roswaal's behavior and the way he was looking at him. Xeno was honestly second-guessing the man's sexuality.
Making himself a pair of swimming trunks, he got out and waved Roswaal goodbye before bolting away.
When the door shut, Roswaal's smile only widened.
Roswaal: 'Don't disappoint me tomorrow, Xeno. You have much to learn.'
...
Today was day numero ご (go).
Xenophanes was sleeping soundly, having a bizarre dream about a zombie apocalypse—but the zombies were bread, and the people were vegetables.
It was oddly entertaining to watch.
Moving forward, Xeno's peaceful sleep was interrupted when—
Knock. Knock.
It was gentle, yet hurried.
Knock. Knock.
The outsider, seeing no response, opened the door without permission.
How rude.
Coming inside was... Emilia.
She looked worried, pained, and was trying to force herself to stay calm.
Emilia: "Xeno! Xeno!"
She rushed to his side, shaking him gently.
Emilia: "Xeno! Please wake up."
Xeno: "Urgh, alright, alright, I'm up."
He raised his hand, signaling for her to stop.
Getting up, Xeno was groggy and annoyed. He looked at the half-elf with displeasure.
Emilia: "Xeno! Come quick—s-something happened to Rem."
Those words made Xeno slightly more attentive, forcing himself up from his bed.
Xeno: "Yaawwwwwn... let's go."
Despite saying that, he looked very unwilling.
Nonetheless, Emilia grabbed his hand and started gently guiding him.
Normally, this would have made Xeno slightly excited, holding hands with a cute girl and all, but right now he was too sleepy to care.
Rubbing his eyes, he looked ahead as Emilia pulled him forward.
Xeno: "What happened exactly? Did she get in an accident?"
Emilia: "Y-Yes, she did, I umm—"
Her words were interrupted by the sound of... crying.
It was raw, unkempt, and loud, someone pouring their heart out.
What was more disturbing was the person crying.
It sounded like Ram.
This immediately halted Xeno's actions, his purple 'eyes' turning into exclamation marks.
Letting go of Emilia's hand, he took a deep breath.
Emilia: "Xeno? What are you—"
Slap.
Emilia gasped as Xeno slapped his cheeks to force himself awake.
Grabbing Emilia's hand, he rushed to the spot where he felt everyone's Envy gathered and quickly opened the door.
The scene before him was abhorrent.
Roswaal and Beatrice stood solemnly to the side.
On the bed was a 'sleeping' Rem. She looked peaceful, like she was experiencing a good dream.
And Ram no longer stood as the strong-willed and sarcastic woman he knew, but as a sister mourning.
Xeno: "W-What happened?"
This brought everyone's attention to Xeno and Emilia.
Roswaal: "Rem seems to have passed away in her sleep."
He looked more displeased than sad.
Xeno: "Ram, I—"
Approaching closer, he wanted to comfort Ram. While he didn't know Rem that well, he still wanted to try.
Ram: "Don't touch her! Don't touch... don't touch my sister!"
Ram roared at his approach.
Xeno: "R-Ram!"
Roswaal: "Although asking this might be inappropriate... but Xenophanes, would you happen to know something?"
Emilia: "Xeno, if you know anything, you'll tell us."
Emilia pleaded, wanting him to say something.
Xeno: "..."
He narrowed his 'eyes' as they turned red.
[Cause of death: Cursed by an wolgarm.]
Xeno: "She died because of a curse. An wolgarm did it."
Silence embedded itself in the room.
That silence lasted for what felt like an eternity.
Swoosh.
A slash of wind grazed Xeno's cheek, drawing blood, before slicing a lantern in half.
Much to the shock of everyone present.
Ram: "You monster! You did this!"
She furiously screamed at Xeno.
Shakily touching his wound, he stared at the blood.
His blood.
His breath heaved as the horrific memory of his death flashed through his mind.
Xeno: "W-What?"
Emilia: "Ram! Stop, we can trust him!"
She stood in front of Xeno, defending him.
She could see the fear in his entire being right now, and despite the uncertainty in her heart, she believed in his innocence.
After all—
Roswaal: "Weeeell, isn't that interesting? Hooow come you knew the cause of her death?"
He narrowed his eyes.
Roswaal: "Why yes, she did die of a curse, but I never revealed such a detail, nor did anyone else. Not only that, but you also specifically identified an wolgarm as the cause."
Roswaal: "You yourself admitted to knowing little to nothing about the kingdom's territory, claiming you lived a sheltered life. You also lack even the most basic common knowledge."
Roswaal: "All of these things are suspicious on their own... but you contradicted most of them the moment you stated Rem's cause of death."
Another momentary silence followed.
Ram: "I should have never trusted you. Not after Rem told me you reeked of the Witch's scent."
Roswaal: "That all but confirms it. I have no doubt about my conclusion now—"
Roswaal's gaze turned sharp, glaring at Xeno.
Roswaal: "That you, Xenophanes, are a Sin Archbishop of the Witch's Cult."
The girls gasped at the accusation.
Beatrice: "What foolishness. The boy can barely withstand the sight of his own blood, and you accuse him of being a Sin Archbishop, I suppose?"
Beatrice immediately countered, taking Xeno's side.
She was worried about him, feeling an instinctive need to defend him. But she ignored that feeling for now.
Roswaal: "Whyyyy, I can back my accusation quite easily. His mysterious power—we have all seen it, have we not? A power that defies the world's norms, just like the Sin Archbishops. Is it not?"
Emilia: "Y-Yes, his ability is strange, but that doesn't mean he's a member of the Witch's Cult."
Ram: "Then what about the miasma? He's covered head to toe in it. It's faint, but it's there."
Emilia: "I-I..."
Beatrice: "He could be a victim. Look at him closely. He's traumatized by the sight of his own blood. Maybe his powers are the result of some sick experiment they performed on him."
She argued, using Xeno's genuine fear as proof of her point.
Ram: "It could all be an act. Even if that is the case, how did he know how Rem died?"
Beatrice: "It isn't, I suppose. The entire time he's been here, I haven't felt an ounce of malice from him. Right, Bubby?"
She answered the first question, pushing the conversation toward the one she could counter.
Puck: "Beatrice is correct. I haven't felt any malicious intent from him—"
Puck came out of his crystal.
Even as he said that, the spirit quietly muttered—
Puck: "...I think?"
Beatrice/Emilia: "Bubby/Puck?"
Puck awkwardly scratched his head.
Puck: "I'm not fully sure. From his actions and expressions, I couldn't find any evil... but his mind... ummm, no clue. I can't read it. In fact, I can't even detect it... it's almost like it doesn't exist."
Roswaal: "There you have it. Another abnormality that the Witch Factor grants."
Ram: "That isn't all, Lord Roswaal. Ram knows of another abnormality."
In her anger, Ram decided to take a gamble, not caring about the consequences.
Roswaal: "Is that sooooo? Go ahead then, Ram."
He was genuinely intrigued.
She looked at Xeno with nothing but suspicion and hate, then turned to Roswaal with a trace of shame.
Ram: "Rem... she... killed him."
The statement was hesitant, but firm.
That made everyone in the room freeze in
shock. Even Xeno came out of his stupor.
Ram: "When Emilia and Xeno returned from the capital, Rem told me she let her feelings get the better of her, so... she choked Xeno in his sleep—"
She took a deep breath.
Ram: "By the time she snapped out of it, it was too late. Xeno had stopped breathing. His heart had come to a stop... at least, that is how it was supposed to be. Yet when Rem and I came to dispose of him... we found him sleeping soundly..."
She stared at Xeno.
Ram: "...as if nothing had happened at all."
...
For the third time, silence ensued.
Only this time, it was broken by Xeno.
Xeno: "You... what?!"
Disbelief radiated from his voice.
This was bad.
Now that he was out of his shock, he finally realized just how bad things were.
Roswaal: "What bigger proof do you need? Besides, our dear Xeno still hasn't explained how he knew Rem's cause of death."
This was a dilemma.
Should he reveal Gluttony? Would that even work?
It would only make him more suspicious.
And if he didn't, he was already suspicious enough as it was.
Xeno: "..."
Xeno: "I can prove—"
His words were interrupted by Ram sending a wind slash straight toward him.
Only for it to be blocked by an invisible wall.
Beatrice floated toward Xeno's position.
Ram: "Shut up! You did this! You killed Rem! I treated you with kindness. I thought we could get along, but now I see the truth. I won't be tricked any further."
Emilia: "Ram!"
Ram: "Move out of the way, Emilia. I need to avenge Rem."
Emilia: "We can still talk—"
Her words were ignored as Ram attacked once again, only for the same result to occur.
Beatrice: "Betty won't let you, I suppose."
Roswaal: "Lady Beatrice... are you sure you want to do this?"
Beatrice: "He is innocent. I'm sure of it."
There wasn't a single hint of doubt in her voice.
Xeno: "...Beatrice, I—"
Beatrice: "Run, Xeno. These fools won't listen to reason."
Creak.
The sound echoed through the room. Everyone heard it.
It came from Xeno.
Emilia: "X-Xeno... your eyes!"
A visible crack spread across his red pupils.
Roswaal sighed, almost in regret.
Roswaal: "You leave me no choice then."
Roswaal's gaze turned dangerous as he prepared four balls of light in both hands, each one red, blue, green, and yellow respectively.
He didn't hesitate, launching them all at the two.
Beatrice's eyes widened, but she reacted swiftly, casting her barrier once more.
Boom.
A massive explosion ensued, engulfing half the room in a devastating blast.
The barrier stood strong, absorbing most of it.
But that wasn't enough.
It shattered.
The shockwave swept them both away. The wall behind them shattered upon impact.
Creak.
Another creak swept across Xeno's 'eyes' in pain.
At the same moment, Puck, knowing what was about to happen, encased both himself and Emilia in a thick layer of ice.
Crashing through another wall, Beatrice and Xeno free-fell through the air.
Beatrice adapted quickly, stabilizing herself midair.
Xeno wasn't as fortunate. He stumbled helplessly through the air, panic consuming his entire being.
He shut his eyes, thrusting his left hand forward.
From his back, four tail-like appendages shot out wildly. Their tips sharpened before launching toward the ground.
THUNK.
They buried themselves deep, anchoring Xeno safely before slowly lowering him to the ground.
The moment his feet touched the floor, he fell to his knees, clutching his heart, his breathing ragged as he nearly suffered a panic attack.
Creak.
This pain...
He hadn't felt this level of pain since his last death.
With the support of his appendages, he shakily got up, looking above.
It was a disaster.
Spells flew all over the garden.
Looking below—
Purple crystals littered the ground, while patches of grass were either burned, frozen, or simply torn apart. All the elements were at play.
This was a battle between two top-tier mages. A level of power Xeno had never witnessed in his life.
Swoosh.
His appendages uprooted themselves and crossed in front of him, fully absorbing a wind slash, though the force still pushed a surprised Xeno a few inches back.
He barely held his balance.
Turning toward the perpetrator, he saw an angry Ram standing there.
Now that Beatrice and Emilia were out of the way, she could finally avenge Rem.
Clenching her teeth, she raised her hands.
The air swirled as she chanted—
Ram: "Fura."
Multiple wind slashes burst forth, traveling at super-high speed.
But instead of hitting Xeno, they struck the ground instead, creating a thick dust cloud around him.
On the first day, she had seen Xeno use his ability. She had figured out something important: his hands, or in this case, his appendages, could act out any action he desired, even if he was unaware of it.
But they had a massive weakness—
Xeno covered his eyes. His appendages automatically recoiled, then spread outward with such force that the surrounding dust cloud was blown away from him.
Xeno coughed out blood. His eyes, now uncovered, widened as a gash tore across his chest, sending him flying.
—They were easy to predict.
Creak.
His appendages rooted themselves into the ground once again, stopping Xeno's body midair.
He clutched his stomach in pain, resisting the urge to scream.
Ram, on the other hand, was astonished.
Her attack could tear through flesh with ease, yet it had only wounded him.
Ram: 'Another abnormality.'
Still, Ram had the advantage. Despite attacking him, the man looked hesitant to fight her. Nor did he look used to pain.
She needed to finish him off before he tried something.
Looking at Ram, Xeno's 'pupils' had become wildly unstable.
They flickered, stretched, elongated, then snapped back into shape, only to repeat again.
Xeno: "..."
Tears flowed from his eyes. Whether from pain or betrayal, he didn't know.
Slowly, he spread his arms. A dark purple cloud of smoke erupted around him.
Ram instantly moved to stop whatever he was about to do.
A series of wind slashes tore through Xeno's position. They sliced clean through the smoke, dispersing it—
Only to reveal...
Xeno had run away.
Ram clenched her fists.
Ram: "I won't let you get away!"
Without hesitation, she chased in the direction Xeno had likely fled.
...
Cut to moments after Roswaal's attack, back inside the mansion.
The spirit was trying his hardest to convince his daughter not to interfere, insisting she would only get herself hurt.
Emilia: "Puck! Please, I have to help them."
Yet she was quite stubborn.
Puck: "Lia, I get that, but it's dangerous outside. Let me handle Roswaal. He's gone too far. You just stay put."
That did relieve her a bit, though she was still concerned.
Emilia: "But what about Xeno? I can't just stay inside. He needs my help."
Puck: "...He'll be fine. You told me, didn't you? He fought and held off Elsa. He can handle himself just fine."
Emilia: "Puck, I—"
Puck: "Look, I'll quickly stop Roswaal and Betty's fight, then we'll go help him, okay? Can you promise me you'll stay here until then?"
Emilia: "...Fine. Puck, please be quick."
Puck let out a sigh of relief. Seeing his daughter agree, he quickly flew off toward Beatrice and Roswaal's location.
A minute later, believing Puck was fully gone—
Emilia jumped through the broken wall and began running after Ram.
Emilia: 'Sorry, Puck... but I have to help.'
In the forest near Roswaal's mansion, Xeno sat on a cliffside, dangling his legs over the ledge while his arms covered his face.
Xeno: "When did it all go wrong?"
The question had plagued him from the start.
Why? What happened?
He racked his brain for answers. It didn't take long for him to figure something out.
Xeno: 'Rem died because of a curse. It couldn't have happened in the mansion. And an wolgarm did it—'
Finally, he was getting somewhere.
Xeno: 'I don't know what that is, but I'm pretty sure it's dangerous, so Rem wouldn't have just let it curse her. So what's the deal?'
Xeno narrowed his eyes. Something was amiss
Xeno: 'Hey, Gluttony... when did Rem get cursed? And when did she die?'
Relying on Gluttony once again, he was truly grateful to have it.
[She was cursed mid-afternoon and died at midnight.]
Xeno: 'Afternoon... right! She and Ram went to restock supplies at the nearby village. She must've been cursed there.'
He frowned.
Xeno: 'But even after knowing that... what am I supposed to do? Find the wolgarm that killed Rem? That wouldn't solve anything.'
He lay on his back, exhausted from the whole ordeal, resting a hand on his stomach.
Only to wince in pain as it touched the slash mark.
Xeno: 'Right, forgot that was there... now that I think about it, I got hurt pretty bad... but why am I not bleeding? It's deep enough that blood should be pouring out but—'
Touching his wound despite the sting, he then brought his hand in front of his face.
Blood stained his fingers.
Xeno: 'It's not.'
He shook his head.
Xeno: 'That can be dealt with later, from now, what do I do next? Run away? But to where? Even if I do, how am I going to survive? I don't know what Sin Archbishop is, but they must be dangerous. Who knows, Roswaal might just make me wanted or something.'
Xeno lay there for a moment, thinking of a solution. But nothing came to mind.
Xeno: 'Damn it! If only I could go back and prevent this from happening.'
Xeno: '...'
From the back of his mind, an intrusive thought crawled up.
(Return by Death)
Xeno: '...'
Xeno: '...Screw it, let's find that stupid wolgarm. I'll think of something along the way.'
Xeno got up and stretched, then turned back.
Only to stop, stunned.
Because approaching his position was a breathless Ram.
She was panting, sweat dripping down her forehead, eyes scathing with rage.
Xeno took a step back.
Xeno: 'How did she find me?'
Ram: "I finally found you. No more running."
Xeno: "Look, Ram, I don't want to fight. I'm innocent. Just give me time to prove it."
Ram: "Shut it! Witch scum, nothing you say will change my mind." His plea was unfortunately ignored.
Xeno spread his arms out, in an attempt to show her he was harmless.
Xeno: "Please, we can still talk about this."
In response, Ram answered by swinging her arm, chanting—
Ram: "Ul Fura."
She launched an attack that could turn her opponent into minced meat, showcasing her hatred for him and her willingness to let him suffer such a cruel death.
A barrage of wind rapidly approached Xeno, whose eyes in that moment were hollow. Before they could even reach him—
He vanished.
One second he was there, the next, gone.
This made Ram go on high alert, preparing another attack while shifting her position.
She cautiously turned in all directions, looking for even the slightest thing that could give Xenophanes' position away.
Which was wasted effort because...
Xeno was already standing in front of her. Unable to see or hear him due to Gluttony.
He looked down at Ram, his eyes still hollow. He tried to reason with her, but she wouldn't listen. She truly left him no choice.
Brushing her hair quietly, he whispered—
Xeno: "I'm sorry."
Taking a deep breath, he readied his fist. Pulling back, Xeno struck Ram's nose with full force.
Creak.
Ram's eyes widened as Xeno became visible, his punch devastating her nose.
Ram's body impacted the ground, but that wasn't all—she bounced off into the air.
From his back, a single appendage shot up, grabbing Ram's leg.
It spun her around in a circle; Ram's entire world spun violently. She prepared to use magic to free herself.
Xeno, seeing this, slammed her into the ground. This definitely loosened her concentration, but not enough, as she severed the appendage.
Xeno vanished again before she could attack.
Ram shakily tried getting up.
From behind, another appendage held Ram's leg, but this time it was much thicker. It then violently dragged her along the earth.
Ram shot 'Fura' at it rapidly, but each time it was close to breaking, it would repair itself. She tried attacking Xeno himself, but three of the same appendages shielded him.
Even her attacks didn't last long; her mana was almost spent.
Xenophanes decided to end this quickly. He snapped his finger, and dark purple chains bonded Ram's arms in a cross.
The appendage brought her closer, then threw her into the air. He drew back his fist, an appendage on him morphing into a big fist, mimicking his actions.
The moment Ram's body came into range, he swung. Ram blocked with her arms as the giant fist struck her body.
Ram: "Bulllgh."
She ragdolled through the air, violently slamming against a tree, shaking its entire foundation.
Her body slumped down against the tree.
Knocked out.
...
Seeing it was over, he fell to the floor, panting.
Xeno: 'Fighting up close, alone, is so stressful. I never want to do this again.'
Wiping the sweat off his forehead and closing his eyes, he rested there for a few minutes.
...
Xeno: 'I need to get out. My plan of convincing her is out the window now. Before that though—'
He got up and looked at unconscious Ram.
Xeno: 'Let's get out of this forest. Put her in a safe location, then run to kingdom come.'
Xeno: '...is what I would have said if I knew where I was.'
Xeno facepalmed in disappointment. He really should have paid attention to where he was running.
Xeno: "Sigh."
He crossed his arms. His four appendages rooted themselves, then lifted Xeno into the air. With disappointment, he spent Envy to extend their length, raising him high into the air.
From this new vantage point, Xeno looked around. Finding Roswaal's mansion shouldn't be hard.
Xeno: 'Ah! There it is.'
The appendages automatically moved closer in that direction, firmly rooting themselves at the cliff's edge.
Xeno: "Ah!"
He backed away a few steps, sighing in relief. He had gotten too close to the edge.
Shortening, Xeno landed softly on the ground, his hands on his hips.
Xeno: "Alright, now I need to carry her near there. That should be no—"
Swisssssh.
Xeno: "Problem?" Confusion enveloped him. He wondered what that was.
Xeno: 'That was strange. I wonder what that sound—'
His thoughts were cut off.
He couldn't feel his legs.
Beyond that, he suddenly felt incredibly cold. He couldn't stop himself from falling almost off the cliff.
Falling near the edge, slowly sliding down, he could only stared at his lower half standing there.
A single thought crossed his mind before he slid off.
'What?'
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THUD