After hearing those words escape Rem's mouth, Xeno was, to say the least, shocked.
Xeno: "..."
"Really? We're really doing this?" His stunned reaction slowly turned to that of disbelief.
He "understood" what was going on. They were getting back at him. He was sure this was Ram's doing, dragging Rem into this.
Xeno: "Look, Rem, Ram, I get it. You're angry at me, and honestly...? I kinda deserve it... But this is a bit much, don't you think?" He apologised, really not in the mood for this.
Ram: "What are you on about? Answer my sister's question. Who are you?" She disregarded his words completely, being wary of him.
In fact, Rem was ready to pull her morning star at any moment, while Ram was analysing the strange intruder apprehensively.
Xeno, on the other hand, was getting more confused by their expressions. They were genuinely acting as if they don't know him.
Xeno: "It's me... Xenophanes? Xeno...?" He blinked, at them not showing any recognition.
"I work here as Roswaal's butler alongside you? I'm also Emilia's knight...? You two are really freaking me out. I get it, you're angry, but can you stop this joke already?"
Ram: "The only joke here are your claims." She stated, raising a hand to stop Rem.
Ram: "Roswaal-sama's mansion has only two servants working under him. Myself and my sister. We never harboured any third staff member, let alone a man with your features. And to claim yourself Emilia-sama's knight, not even a child would fall for that."
Her voice was harsh, her suspicion evident.
Xeno: "..."
'She's actually serious!?' A tinge of panic went through him. He took one step forward, ready to prove his words.
Rem: "Stand back! Don't take a single step, intruder!" She warned, pulling out her morning star. She would have attacked if not for Ram actually holding her back.
Xeno: "Rem!?" He froze at just how coldly she said that.
Seeing his usual loving and devoted Rem say that and treat him like a threat... It hurts more than he wanted to admit.
Xeno: "I... Okay, something is definitely wrong here. Let's all calm down and, uh... I know! Let's go to Betty. Being great with magic, she'll know what's up."
Ram: "How do you know of Beatrice-sama, intruder?" She narrowed her eyes.
Xeno: "I live here, Ram. Try to keep up, will you?"
The blurted out before he could stop himself. After all, this was how their interactions usually went.
But in this situation?
Xeno ducked, avoiding Rem's morning star by a hair's breadth.
Ram: "Rem, stop!" She stepped in front of her sister.
Rem: "Sister, he—!" She was furious at this cultist for insulting her. She could smell it.
That stench of miasma on him. Barely holding on to reason due to her sister's presence.
Xeno: "Rem!!!?"
Ram: "Sister, don't kill him yet." She commanded, and Rem reluctantly backed down.
Xeno: "Yet! What is wrong with you, Ram?"
'Were they always this volatile?'
Xeno: "You know what? Screw this. I'm going to Roswaal directly." He got up, tense.
Rem: "And what makes you think we will just let you walk away?"
Xeno: "I mean, you don't have to if you want to lead me to him. All the better. Then we can calmly discuss this further. Don't you think?"
Ram: "Why are you so confident Roswaal-sama would even recognize you?"
Xeno: "Ugh, why are you so stubborn, Ram? Think about this situation for a second, will you?" He was getting really fed up with this.
"None of this situation makes any sense. Let's pretend I am an intruder, spy, or whatever. Then why do this incredibly convoluted plan when there are millions of better ways to make myself less suspicious? It's dumb. So, does that make you believe me even slightest?"
Rem & Ram: "..."
Xeno: "Thought so! Now can we please go meet that clown already!?" He said, ready to turn around.
Rem: "That's enough, you scum! You show up out of nowhere, insult my sister, talk to us condescendingly, and now mock our lord."
...
She attacked once more, and this time Ram didn't stop her, charging in with a powerful kick towards Xeno's stomach.
This time, he was prepared. Crossing his arms, his forearms took the blow, knocking him off his feet.
He maintained his balance landing straight while being emotionally hurt by this.
Xeno: 'Damn it! I don't want to hurt them... In that case.'
Ram: "Rem, watch out." Seeing Xeno make a move, she casted wind magic.
Which came too late, as smoke covered the entire hallway, blinding everyone.
The blades of wind missed their mark, as Xeno had already moved out of the way. And using this smoke screen, he executed the second part of his retreat.
Making a barrier, he activated Gluttony, with a bit of concentration, he flickered out of existence and through the floor.
Landing safely, he ran towards the last place where he sensed Emilia's Envy. He needed to know where Roswaal was.
Xeno: 'I didn't sense him earlier. Then again, I wasn't really trying to. But first, I need Emilia on my side, then I can go meet him.'
His plan was simple. He needed Emilia and, more importantly, Puck to help figure out what the heck was going on. If they did, the situation would sort itself out.
Xeno: 'Emilia... I really hope you're not affected by whatever this is as well.'
...
Inside Emilia's room, the half-elf was in a depressive mood, with Puck by her side, trying to cheer her up.
It all happened so suddenly. She was fine, talking to him, then out of nowhere, she felt downcast.
Puck: "Lia, what happened? Does it have something to do with the Royal Selection?"
Emilia: "They just... wouldn't look at me with anything but disgust."
The isolation, mockery, and humiliation. Even after all this time, it still stings to this day.
Puck: "Don't be like that, Lia. I think you'd be a wonderful ruler. You just need to show them that. And their opinions of you will turn right around." He said it with his usual smile, trying his hardest to cheer her up.
Emilia: "...Thanks, Puck."
But whether or not it was effective remained to be seen.
Knock. Knock.
The sudden intrusion surprised the two of them. Not expecting anyone this earlier.
Making herself presentable, she opened the door to a stranger. A man with white hair, strange eyes smiling, which looked forced.
Xeno: "Greetings, Emilia. May I come in? I have a private matter to discuss with you."
His voice was respectful, soft, even tense something she didn't expect.
Emilia: "May I know for what business, Mr...?" She was curious about the man and the fact that he was here and not in the guest room.
Xeno: "Where are my manners? My name is Xenophanes, but please call me Xeno." He introduced himself, placing a hand over his heart.
Puck: "Lia, keep your guard up. I can't sense anything from this guy." The spirit whispered, hiding in her hair.
Emilia: "Then come in, Xeno."
She moved to the side. Not at all thinking that letting a guy into her room was inappropriate, and Puck didn't correct her yet, waiting to see where this goes first.
...
In Emilia's room, Xeno sat in a chair while she rested on her bed.
Emilia: "What is this important matter you wanted to discuss?"
Xeno: "First, I would like to apologise for arriving on such short notice. I'm sure you were... busy with something."
Emilia: "Not at all." She quickly shook her head.
Xeno: "Good. Now, for the topic... I need help, and you're the only one who can help me. You see, I fought the White Whale to save people."
Emilia & Puck: "You fought the White Whale!?" The two of them yelped.
The news was so shocking that Puck came out of Emilia's hair and stared at Xenophanes.
Xeno: "Sure did... And in the process, I got Gaster'd..."
"Cough! I mean, completely forgotten by the world. Now I'm alone... My friends are suffering, nobody recognises me, and I'm no longer welcomed in my own home."
He faced down, a heavy aura surrounding him. The issue was clearly weighing on his mind.
Emilia's natural empathy skyrocketed. She couldn't even imagine how suffocating that would feel.
Emilia: "I'm sorry for your loss. Is there anything I can do to help you, then?"
Xeno: "Thanks, Emilia. I knew you would." He let out a small smile.
Puck: "Xeno, why would you even ask for Lia's help?" He said with doubt.
Emilia: "Puck! That's reaaally rude." She looked at him sternly, which only served to make her look adorable.
Puck: "It's not like that, Lia–" He raised his hands in surrender.
"I'm just curious why he thinks you can help him in this regard."
Xeno: "It's fine. The truth is, you guys are the friends I lost, and this mansion is my home."
Emilia gasped while Puck's eyes widened.
Xeno: "You might not believe me, but I work as a butler here. And I can prove it. A few weeks ago, you accidentally poured cold water on Ram, making her sick. You tried to make it up to her, which failed spectacularly."
Emilia: "T-That's not true!" She immediately denied it, embarrassed by the memory.
Xeno: "That isn't all. You also stubbornly refuse to eat peppirs, calling them green devils. You have low alcohol tolerance, under its effects, you act like a child."
Emilia: "Eh!!!" Now she was full-on blushing.
Puck: "That isn't enough to prove you work here. You could be a creepy stalker." While amused, he didn't completely buy it.
Xeno: "I also know what went down in the throne room, as I was there myself."
The transformation was instant. Emilia went from being flustered to being stiff as a board.
Emilia: "You... What?"
Xeno: "I was there... Emilia, I was proud when you made that frankly hopeless speech, but then again, I should be the last person calling someone else hopeless." He shook his head fondly.
That fondness quickly vanished as anger took its place. The armrest groaned from how hard he gripped it.
"Then those damn bastards mocked you for something completely out of your control. It really pissed me off. I couldn't take it and defended you. It got me kicked out of the castle, but considering you don't remember me... did it ever happen in your memories?"
Emilia: "You... defended me?"
She looked and could see the genuine concern in his eyes. Something almost no one other than Puck had shown her.
He was being serious.
Puck: "I don't know why you're doing this. All of this sounds ridiculous, you know. So fine, whether I believe you or not depends entirely on this question of mine."
Emilia: "Puck, are you...?"
Puck: "Tell me, Xenophanes." He glared at him.
"Who is Emilia to you?"
Xeno didn't back down. He spoke his next words with absolute sincerity.
Xeno: "I'm her friend, then her appointed knight."
Puck: "..."
Puck: "Sigh, I don't need to read your mind to know you're telling the truth. Alright, Xenophanes, I believe you... For now."
Emilia: "Friend...? My Knight...?" She muttered those words. They felt strange on her tongue, but it... Sounds nice.
And since Puck is choosing to trust this man calling himself her friend and knight, she would too.
...
Xeno: "So you believe me, right Emilia, Puck? That's great."
Xenophanes cheerfully got up and walked up to Emilia. The spirit and half-elf wondered what he was up to.
Only to witness his entire confidence and relaxed attitude shatter instantly. His knees buckled, falling down as he buried his face in her thighs.
Emilia: "X-Xeno!?" Her cheeks turned rosy, but more so, she was worried by the sudden change.
Xeno: "I'm... Tired, Emilia. I'm just tired of everything." His voice came out heavy.
Xeno: "I fought the White Whale to save people, to save Rem. I had to leave her behind without a single proof I'd make it out. I don't want to imagine how heartbroken she was, but I had to do it. I couldn't let that thing kill anyone. I survived from sheer luck, but I did it. I saved everyone, and my reward for all my efforts? Being forgotten."
His arms trembled.
Xeno: "Rem, who I tried so hard to save, looked at me like I was a threat, attacked me, and called me scum. Scum! I'm just so... tired. Why did I have to make myself bait? Why was I forgotten? I just wanted to go back home to you, Ram, Betty, and Meili. Was that so hard? Why do I have to go through this? It's unfair. I hate it!"
Xeno vented his frustrations. As he did, he felt a gentle hand on his hair, brushing his hair.
Emilia: "I'm sorry, Xeno, you had to go through that." She offered all the comfort she could. Clearly, he needed it. It was the least she could do.
The two of them stayed like this.The room was silent yet peaceful, something that Xeno needed at the moment.
But peace doesn't last long.
Puck: "If you're done taking advantage of my daughter, can we move on?"
Emilia: "Puuuck!" She pouted.
Xeno: "No, he's right. I'm feeling better now." He reluctantly sat back on the chair.
Xeno: "Alright, Puck, I want you to convince everyone I'm not lying. Can you do that?"
Puck: "Leave it to me." He pounded his chest with a confident smile.
Xeno: "While you do that, I'm going to try to get Betty on my side as well."
The two nodded. With the plan set, they began to move out. It was during this that Xeno muttered the next phase of his plan.
Xeno: "After everyone in the mansion is covered, I need to get friendly with Arlam all over again. Should be easy...Right, I also need to pick up Meili from Petra's house as well."
Xeno: "Meili... Wait a minute?" He pasued.
Xeno: "Meili, Meili, Meiiiliiiii, OH FUCK!!!"
Puck: "What happened now?"
Xeno: "Emilia, we need to get to Arlam right now!!!" He grabbed her hand, bashing open the door.
Emilia: "Woah! What–" She squealed.
Xeno: "I'll tell you on the way, so let's g—"
"There he is, Rem!" Ram shouted to his right.
Xeno: "Just great!" He frowned. He didn't have time for this.
Rem: "Step away from Emilia-sama, you filthy cultist." She charged in and swung her flail.
Reacting quickly, Emilia constructed an wall wall blocking it. The morning star impacted the wall, but it withstood the blow.
Rem: "Emilia-sama?"
Ram: "Emilia-sama, step away from the intruder. He's dangerous."
Emilia: "Stop! Xeno isn't an enemy. This is all a big misunderstanding."
Xeno: "Right, we'll explain everything later, but right now we need to go!" He said impatiently.
Ram: "I don't know what you did to fool Emilia-sama, but I'll only say this once. Step away from her." She glared at him threateningly.
Xeno: 'Damn it, convincing them might take too long. And if Meili is in the state I think she's in, we simply don't have the time for that.'
Xeno: "Sigh, Emilia, I'm sorry for what I'm about to do."
Emilia: "What do you—Eek!"
Xeno swept Emilia into his arms and ran back into her room.
All of them were surprised by this, but that didn't stay long. Puck, Ram, and Rem moved simultaneously.
Puck: "I know what this looks like, but I promise we'll explain later, so stand down."
He cast fire magic. Waves of frost spread through the corridor, halting the oni sisters' advances as Puck chased Xeno.
Speaking of Xeno, in order to escape, he chose the destructive option. He made a Blaster, destroying a chunk of the wall before jumping.
Emilia screamed, wrapping her arms around Xeno's neck as they fell. A pair of bone wings sprouted from his back, stabilising them in the air.
Xeno: "Hold on tight, Emilia."
Emilia: "W-Wait, Xeno."
He didn't give her a chance to say anything further as they flew off towards Arlam, with Puck right behind them.
...
Puck: "Care to explain why you're in such a hurry?"
At the speeds they were going, the group would reach Arlam in a few seconds. Puck, who had caught up, questioned him.
Xeno: "Here's a quick recap. Meili is a child assassin working for some assassins' guild alongside Elsa. Elsa was her anchor, her big sis, so when we captured her and Elsa didn't show up for a week, Meili suffered from an extreme mental breakdown. Fortunately, I was there to help her recover and abandon her old life. And since I'm forgotten by everyone..."
Puck: "That means that girl is back to suffering from a mental breakdown."
Xeno: "Yeah, and who knows if she's hurt someone or herself."
Reaching Arlam Village, Xeno descended and put Emilia, who had been silent, on her feet.
Xeno: "Come on, Emilia, let's go." He ran ahead.
Emilia: "Huh? R-Right." She, still embarrassed, went after him.
Immediately, something was wrong. The usually bustling village was empty. Clearly, everyone had gone somewhere.
Xeno sensed all of them clumped together in one area, surrounding someone.
Once they reached the location, what they found was Meili surrounded by the villagers.
The villagers maintained a distance from her, on edge, for Meili held a dagger to Petra's neck.
Meili: "G-Get away, I said get away or I'll kill her! I'll kill all of you!!" She pressed the dagger deeper into Petra's throat.
Petra: "M-Meili, please stop, I–"
Meili: "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! You all are trying to use me, showering me in all this fake kindness. You want to lower my guard. You can't fool me!"
Believing she was in danger, wanting desperately to find Elsa after two months of silence, whilst afraid of Mother's punishment.
She felt abandoned, surrounded by fakes who wanted to take advantage of her, stubbornly refusing to accept anything happening to her.
All of which combined drived her to hysteria.
...
Xeno: 'Damn it, I knew something like this would happen.' He looked on in horror.
Xeno: "Alright, Emilia, I need you to distract her. I'll find an opportunity to disarm her."
Emilia nodded, going forward.
Emilia: "Meili, wait! You don't have to do this!" She said, pushing through the crowd to the front.
"Wait, is that...?"
"It can't be! A half-elf?"
As if the situation wasn't tense enough, a half-elf shows up. The people near her backed away from her.
Meili: "You! I knew it, this is all that Margrave's doing. He set you up for this. I knew it. I knew it! You're all trying to manipulate me."
Emilia: "That's not true, Meili. We really want to help you." She tried to move closer.
Meili: "Stay back! Don't come any closer!"
She screamed, moving backwards a few steps.
Emilia: "Meili, I swear no one here has any intention of hurting you. I know you're scared, and that's okay. We'll leave you alone if you want, but please, you don't have to do this."
"That half-devil is actually trying to help?"
"Damn it, why did she come here? She'll only make the situation worse."
The crowd of villagers murmured anxiously, fearful for Petra's life.
Meili: "Shut up! I don't want to hear anything from you. You're pathetic, you can't do anything by yourself, always having to rely on that stupid spirit of yours. Don't give me your empty words. You worthless half-elf."
Emilia stiffened at the harsh words. They stung but weirdly enough she had the feeling they weren't meant for her.
Still she didn't back down.
Emilia: 'Please hurry, Xeno.'
Meili: "You've always been pathetic. Do everyone a favour and just die. No one will miss you anyway. You never meant anything to anyone, all because you're useless." She kept hurling insult after insult at Emilia.
She was so consumed by this. It gave Xeno the perfect chance.
Meili: "Arrgh!" She screamed, feeling someone tightly grip her arm, holding the dagger.
Xeno pulled her up by the arm, continuing to tighten his grip until she dropped the dagger.
Everyone was surprised. One second, no one was there, and the next, Xeno suddenly appeared.
Meili: "Let me go! Let me go!" She continued to scream, uselessly kicking him.
Xeno: "I'm sorry, Meili." He softly apologised before karate-chopping her neck, knocking her out.
...
Once the coast had been cleared, things naturally calmed down. Petra was safe and sound.
The villagers of Arlam continuously praised Xeno for saving Petra's life, hailing him as a hero.
Unfortunately, Emilia didn't receive the same treatment. Their opinions of her hadn't changed.
That was until Petra intervened. She approached Emilia.
Petra: "Thank you, miss, for saving my life."
She bowed politely.
Emilia: "O-Oh, think nothing of it."
"Petra, get away from that half-devil." One of the villagers warned her.
Him, and the other villagers' negative opinions on Emilia, were obvious. She could once again only endured it.
Xeno: "Don't any of you have shame?" He walked forward.
"Why am I being called a hero while she being shunned, huh? Emilia played the most important role of all. If it wasn't for her, I couldn't have found the opportunity to save Petra. If there's anyone you should be thanking, it's her, not me."
He turned to Emilia and curtsied.
Xeno: "Thank you, Lady Emilia, for your help."
Petra: "Thank you for saving me, Miss Emilia." She copied Xeno and did the same.
This silenced the villagers. Seeing both of them doing this made them aware of their own actions.
While this wasn't enough to make them like her, it was enough to make them stay neutral.
Which was a start.
...
Standing to the side, Xeno carried an unconscious Meili in one arm. Preparing to head back.
Xeno watched the villagers move about their lives once again, getting sentimental. He really did miss this place.
Things were currently at their lowest for Xeno, but hey, once he got back, he could finally take a breather.
He'd let Emilia and Puck deal with Rem and Ram. The only thing on his mind right now was getting a good sleep.
After that, he had a lot of work on his hands. Meili's well-being was a top priority. Then, re-establishing his relationships with Betty, Ram... and Rem.
The Rem he knew was gone, back to that self-loathing self. Something he was going to have to fix again.
But this time, the chances of her loving him the way she did were low.
But that's... Okay.
Emilia: "Xeno?"
Walking to his side, Emilia caught his attention. From the look on her face, she was hesitating about something.
Xeno: "Yeah, Emilia?"
Emilia: "Can I ask you something? It's okay if you don't want to answer."
Xeno nodded, giving her permission.
Emilia: "I wanted to ask... What was our relationship? You said you were my... friend and knight. Can I know why?"
This was what she wanted to know most about. She didn't want to doubt him. She'd seen it firsthand how kind and honest he was.
Her main worry was whether she was deserving of it.
Hearing her question, Xeno smiled at her, turning to the mansion.
Xeno: "Oh boy, Emilia, you have no idea how many stories I have to share. For now, let's go home."
He turned back to her, reaching out his hand for her. Emilia hesitated for a moment before grabbing his hand.
It wasn't a romantic gesture, but one of rekindling their friendship.
...
As Emilia and Xeno took a single step forward, ready to return home, the sound of a massive explosion made the earth tremble.
Snapping his head back, the first thing that entered Xeno's vision was a hooded figure swinging its sword at him.
Which never reached its mark, as ice shards impaled the figure, knocking them sideways, dead.
Xeno: "What the heck!?"
Arlam was in chaos. Screams reverberated throughout the village as figures attacked the residents.
They all wore jet-black clerical robes with triangular hoods, which had two large red cut-outs for their eyes and a large symbol resembling an eye located on their foreheads.
Those same figures were currently using swords to kill people indiscriminately.
Emilia, alongside Puck and Xeno, rushed into action instantly. While Xeno wanted to ask who they were, he could do that after he stopped this.
Bones ripped through the ground and spawned in the air, blocking attacks and striking the figures. That wasn't all. Four tendrils shot out from Xeno's back, driving in different directions.
Emilia and Puck, on the other hand, were one step faster, already using their fire magic to save the people.
Jumping in the path of a figure attempting to stab someone, one of his tendrils slammed into them, sending them crashing inside a house.
He pulled up the villagers hastily. In the same breath, another tendril grabbed a hooded figure by the leg and used them to smack several others around.
"T-Thank yo—"
Xeno: "Not the time! All of you! Run to the mansion NOW!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.
The poor girl Xeno saved clutched her ears in pain, but Xeno didn't give her a moment to spare. He pushed her forward.
Xeno: "Go! Go! Go!"
He stomped the ground as chains swept across the floor, tangling the legs of the figures in his view.
The villagers didn't need to be told twice. They bolted the instant they were saved, running towards the mansion.
Something the figures wouldn't allow. They blocked their path, only to be dealt with by Emilia's fire magic.
That didn't stop them. More and more of them sprouted out from the ground like moles, surrounding the entirety of the village.
Clutching his fists, the grim reality was apparent: they couldn't save all of them. Not with this many enemies.
Launching himself into the air via his tendrils, Xeno concentrated, identifying as many of the villagers as he could, raising his free arm.
Dozens of chains spawned out, each one targeting a villager, wrapping around them. With a full-power tug, he yanked all of them into the air.
Descending with his tendrils, he controlled the chains so they wouldn't fall to their demise.
All of them fell to the ground safely.
Xeno: "All of you, run to the mansion! Now!!!" he commanded, moving to the closest villager.
Xeno: "You! Here! Get her to safety. " He gently passed on, the unconscious Meili in his arms to the man.
"Y-You want me to carry her!?"
Xeno: "For goodness she's a child, you want her to die? Stop complaining and move." He didn't give the man a choice, turning to Emilia he continued.
"Emilia, Puck, get all of them to safety!"
Emilia, who had finished dealing with two cultists, looked at Xeno determinedly.
Emilia: "G-Got it, but what are you going to do?"
She was uneasy. She didn't know him for long, but one thing she had realized was that Xeno was like her in certain regards.
Xeno: "I'm going to take these bastards down and try to save the rest. Just keep the others safe."
Her unease was confirmed. He really was going to do something reckless. Before she could even stop him, Xeno used his appendages to scale a building and jump across house to house.
She bit her lips, unable to say anything. He was gone. The only thing she could do was what Xeno told her.
Emilia: "...Puck, let's go."
Puck: "...Alright." He also disapproved of Xeno's actions before moving on.
...
Jumping across rooftops, Xeno traversed the village in rapid succession. The situation was worse than he imagined.
Corpses were literally everywhere he went. All of the villagers were stabbed in various areas of their bodies, blood staining the ground and walls of their former homes.
This grim sight only made Xeno move faster. Each time he encountered these figures, he would swiftly knock them out or bind them in chains.
He did all he could to help save the remaining villagers, which was difficult. He could sense it. Only a handful of them remained.
The rest were already dead.
Sensing two people running away, one was an adult and the other a child from what he could tell by their Envy.
Xeno arrived just in time...
To see both of them stabbed through the chest, killed instantly. Lucas, the shirtless child who aspired to be a carpenter, dead alongside his father, who attempted to shield him with his body.
Xeno: "..."
The figure who had done the deed, sensed Xeno, plunged his sword and faced him.
Only to receive a devastating punch to the head.
Creak.
The disgusting sound of bones shattering, muscles and flesh tearing apart, rang out. The figure's body struck the ground, its head splitting open against the stone beneath.
Xeno tore his fist away with a sickening pop. His empty eyes looked at the figure.
This was the second time Xeno took a life.
Xeno: "..."
His gaze turned to Lucas and his father. A feeling of revulsion spread through him. This was the first time he had seen corpses.
Much less of people he knew.
In his rage, he killed someone, and this time it wasn't an accident. He really killed someone by his own hand.
He wanted to vomit. Sickness clouded his mind. This entire day was just too much for him.
He forced his gaze away and moved on. He couldn't stop, not right now.
...
After finishing what he could in Arlam Village, Xenophanes took to the skies and fled back to the mansion.
Along the way, he saw a multitude of corpses on the road. Not everyone made it out.
That wasn't even the worst part.
The entire mansion was surrounded on all sides. The scale of the attack was overwhelming. He could sense around 200 of these freaks.
Everyone in the mansion would exhaust themselves before defeating all of them.
Xeno: "..."
The situation was hopeless unless...
Xeno: 'Unless... Sigh, Ram is right. I really do have a death wish sometimes.' His shoulders slumped at the new plan formulating in his mind.
Landing in the front yard, the freaks surrounding the area were already alert to his presence.
Moving in to attack, Xeno dealt with them using chains, clearing out an area for himself.
Still, they kept coming. Something he was hoping for.
Making speakers all around the Roswaal Manor, he spoke into a microphone.
Xeno: "Attention asshats! I don't know who you lots are, but if you want to kill everyone here so badly, then..."
With a snap of his fingers, he spent 200 points of his Envy to erect a barrier covering the entire Mansion. The dome covered even the ground so they couldn't tunnel through.
Xeno: "You'll have to do it over my dead body." He said, his eyes burning purple.
After a few attempts to force entry from the other sides, the message was clear: if they wanted to enter, they needed to kill Xeno first.
This would be the biggest challenge Xeno had ever faced. A small army charged at him with the same intent of killing him.
At the back of his mind, he knew he was going to die.
And it terrified him.
He could act brave all he wanted, but death still terrified him. But he didn't want to die again, and he couldn't afford to lose what little he had left.
So if this was going to be the end, why not go all out?
His Sin abilities were strange in a way he couldn't describe. They didn't just feel like powers. More like they were a part of him.
Using them always came naturally to him, like moving an arm or breathing.
So he wondered.
Xeno: 'Could I push them harder? I always wanted to try that, if it wasn't for the instinctual fear I had of doing that. But now seems like as good a time as any.'
He closed his eyes.
Within the depths of Xeno's soul, an odd sensation tugged at him, warning of the consequences to follow.
But he ignored them. As the full power of Envy filled his being.
Opening his eyes, he snapped his fingers, setting the theme.
[UT: Call of the Void OST Phase 3: One Left]
Xeno: "You know... I never considered myself a hero who sacrificed himself like this but I guess there's a first time for everything so..."
Bursts of purple smoke seeped through Xeno's body at various points. His sockets turned fully purple, while his pupils turned into white crosses.
Smoking purple fire poured out of his eyes like tears. From the corner of his mouth, he exhaled the same smoke.
Xeno: "Prepare yourself because..."
"You're all going to have a bad time."
...
From his fingers, a dense ball of energy launched into the sky, exploding into fragments that bombarded the battlefield.
Explosions rang out everywhere. Not giving them any chance to recover, Xeno unleashed hell upon them.
Energy spheres, Gaster Blasters, bones, and chains all chased the figures. Three Blasters charged up devastating beams, vaporizing anything coming in contact with them.
One of the figures, injured, tried getting up, only for a chain to sweep in, crush his bones, send flying. Another was pierced by bones.
Chains encased some before flinging them into the sky. An energy sphere electrocuted a group of them piled together.
A dust cloud covered the entire area from all the destruction. Within this cloud, a powerful beam of light pierced through, punching a hole into Xeno's heart and destroying it.
Falling to his knees, the fire on his body flickered wildly. Remembering what's at stake, his body vibrated as dark purple matter convulsed, filling the spot where his heart was.
The fires brightened as Xeno got up, his new heart pumping new blood into his body.
Continuing his assault, Blasters roared, chains rattled. As the figures reorganized, charging in melee and using themselves as shields, magic spells rained down on Xeno from the back.
Flanking around them with his wings, Xeno continuously fired energy beams. Limbs flew off, blood pooled the ground. He saw as a Blaster devoured a chunk of someone's body, while an orb blew someone in half.
Xeno: "..."
Dodging a sword swing, he uppercut his attacker, then fled up to avoid a fireball, which consumed the person he was fighting.
Only to grunt in pain as stone spears stabbed into his back, destroying one of his wings.
The stone dislocated as dark purple matter took its place. Four massive tendrils popped out of his back and slammed down, splitting apart the earth and creating fissures.
Numerous figures were crushed by this, but Xeno didn't stop. Dispelling the tendrils, he fired multiple beams from his hands.
Landing on a corpse, he flipped backward, dodging an earth spike, only for one to cut away a piece of his forearm.
Xeno made a shield to block a burst of ice from his side and another two sword strikes.
Expanding his barrier, he launched his melee opponent back and whipped a chain at one using Fire Magic. The chain ripped through his arm, then the chest.
Which gave another a chance to attack.
An earth spike tore off a his right leg, bringing him to his knees. Taking this opportunity, spells were fired from all sides at him.
A smoke cloud ensued when all of them collided.The figures, feeling danger, tried to move, but it was too late as purple crystals ambushed them.
Xeno got back to his feet, with Envy replacing his leg and patches of skin. A guttural roar escaped his mouth as he smashed his fist into the ground.
The entire yard shook, fissures opening wide, purple light swept through. Within moments, the front yard exploded, sending everyone and everything soaring upwards.
In the sky, chunks of stones, weapons, and people all chaotically ascended higher and higher. And this was the exact moment Xeno charged his ultimate attack.
His skin glowed purple as lightning crackled from his body, turning brighter and brighter. Some of the figures, seeing this, tried to stop him.
Several of them cast wind blades. They shredded his body apart, causing significant damage, but it was too late. His attack unleashed upon everyone.
Blinding purple light illuminated the area, blocking out the sunny skies.
Before silent ensued.
...
The end result was a complete bloodbath. Body parts, flesh, and blood fell down like rain onto the once-beautiful garden of the Mansion.
While Xeno crashed down moments later. His purple eye sockets continued pouring out smoky tears, but his cross-shaped pupils were gone.
He laid there, his mind pounding, nausea filling his being. With considerable effort, he forced himself up. He stumbled to keeping his balance.
Trying to speak, nothing came out. It was only then that he noticed his current state.
His jaw was hanging, only a few strands keeping it from falling off.
That's not even mentioning all the parts of his body cut open. The blood loss alone should have killed him... If he could bleed, that is.
Envy automatically rushed in, replacing his skin, muscles, and bone. Patching him up until no injuries remained.
Now being healed, he looked in terror at the atrocity he had personally committed.The scene was even more horrifying and disgusting than he imagined.
He covered his mouth, trying to stop himself from vomiting, but the overwhelming feeling won in the end, and he emptied everything he had in his stomach.
Suffering from a panic attack, Xeno barely managed to calm himself down. Steadying his breathing, he distracted himself by addressing the elephant in the room.
Himself.
Xeno: 'What the fuck?' He was shocked, confused, and fascinated by the Envy replacing his body.
'This is... so weird.' He commented, moving his new right leg. They moved and felt the same, yet different.
The difference was that he couldn't feel his toes... Because he didn't have toes.
Moving on, they felt elastic, like rubber, but flesh at the same time?
Xeno: 'I... you know what? I'm too tired for this shit. Sigh, it's barely been two days and I already wrecked my body.' He slumped, doubting Felix could heal...This.
'I guess I should count my blessings, being alive all thanks to Envy...Yayyyy.' He pinched the end of his nose with his three new Envy fingers.
'Speaking of Envy...'
Xenophanes could sense the changes of... Doing whatever he did. The changes were simple: the power of his constructs increased, as did the range and speed of Envy collection.
Xeno: 'Sigh, after this, I need sleep. A lot of sleep.' With this nightmare over, he turned around to leave.
...
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Stopping dead in his tracks, he snapped his head backwards. Standing there clapping was a deeply pale and sickly green figure with short dark green hair, a repugnant smell, and, most importantly, he wore robes similar to the people attacking everyone.
Xeno: "Who are you?" His voice creaked, being scratchy and unpleasant.
"Ah! My apologies! How terribly slothful of me! Allow me to correct this most grievous lack of manners."
The man stood upright, with both of his hands behind him. He gave Xeno a bow, slowly raising his upper body as the mystery figure introduced himself.
"I am a Sin Archbishop of the Witch Cult, representing Sloth, Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti..... DESU!"
Xeno: 'Sin Archbishop? Right, that one thing Roswaal accused me of being in a failed loop.'
Petelgeuse: "How wonderful! How truly wonderful! The diligence, such devotion you show today truly makes my brain tremble!"
He straightened up so fast his bones popped. With a frantic look on his face, he continued.
Petelgeuse: "Truly, the extent of your diligence, the burning passion of your love, resonates with me strongly! This feeling of leniency i feel towards you, I can sense it, feel it in myself. The sense of kinship. We, the devoted followers of love! Love! You must be Pride. That's the only reasonable proof of your devotion!"
Xeno: "..."
"Da Fuck!?" He had no idea what this guy was going on about.
Petelgeuse: "Your diligence moved me to tears! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Pride! Did the Gospel bring you to witness the Ordeal!? You must be here because of her love! Truly! Truly! You're showing the height of Diligence!"
Xeno: "..."
"Aaaren't you even a biiit an-angry I killed your men?" His broken voice asked the obvious question.
The sickly man froze. Twisting his head 90 degrees before turning to look at the remains of his men. Before landing on the corpse next to him, missing half of its body.
Petelgeuse: "Nooo need to be confused! Your diligence brought my followers' diligence to an end! Ah! My brain trembles! Trembles! Trembles! Ah, but their death is the very definition of sloth. With the day of the Ordeal upon us, this is the sincerity you showed in return to our Gospel? Ah... This is slothful, slothful, slothful...!"
He shouted "slothful" repeatedly, kicking the corpse mercilessly.
Xeno: "..."
He was speechless. He barely understood what he was on about, but one thing he did understand was that he caused all of this.
Xeno: 'In that case.' A dark thought came to mind.
Xeno: "Hey! Petelgeuse, who's that guy behind you?"
The question once again froze the man. Snapping his body backwards with a sickening pop, he looked behind him, not seeing anyone.
Petelgeuse: "Who, who, who, who, who!? Do my eyes deceive me, have I not been diligent enough to let such an oversight happen!? How slothful! How truly slothful!"
He frantically searched but saw no one. He slowly, creepily turned towards Xenophanes.
"Answer me, Pride! Forgive my sloth and tell me what my slothful couldn't—"
His sentence never finished, as around twenty fully charged Blasters' beams engulfed him.
Xeno cast a barrier, shielding himself from the sharp winds rushing past.
And when the dust cleared, all that remained of Petelgeuse was a smouldering crater.
Staring at the scene Xeno had only one thing to say.
"Good riddance, you monster."
...
He stood motionless for several seconds. He was tired, unbelievably tired. Why did his life turn into such a big mess?
Xeno: 'Doesn't matter. All that's left is to go home and sleep.' Yes, sleep. That's all he wants to do. That's all he needs to do.
His body felt heavy, wanting nothing more than to sleep right here and now, but he couldn't. He needed to check up on everyone. Then he could sleep, forever.
Yes, that sounds wonderful. To forever sleep and never have to worry about anything else. Just sleep.
He closed his eyes, letting himself relax as sleep overcame him. letting himself sleep. Yes, that's all he needs to do. Sleep.
Sleep, just sleep, sleep, sleep.
The words endlessly echoed in his mind. At first, they sounded like his own thoughts. Gradually, as his consciousness faded, that voice slowly twisted into another.
Xeno: 'Sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep...' The bliss of sleep consumed him.
...
...
...
Petelgeuse: "Sleep well, Pride."
Xeno's body convulsed, bones snapping as it twisted, taking sharp turns at a pace no person should.
He stretched back so much that his head nearly touched the ground, his body snapping straight as a board.
Petelgeuse: "Haha! Haahahhahah! Fantastic! What a fantastic body this is! It's been decades since I had a body that fit me this well!"
"Ah! Pride, how slothful you were! To think you would attack your own kin. How slothful, truly slothful you are, Pride. Oh, fuck off!"
Halfway through, Xeno regained control of his body.
Xeno: "F-Fuck off. This is my body."
Petelgeuse: "It's no use, Pride. Your sloth made you unprepared. Truly, it's your fault for letting your love waver." He took back control easily.
Thus began a battle between Petelgeuse and Xeno to take control. One that Xeno was losing miserably.
It was hopeless. He couldn't win, no matter how hard he tried. Petelgeuse was just too damn strong.
His mocking laughter rang out in his mind. He knew it: if nothing changed, he would lose, and he didn't want to imagine the atrocities this freak would commit with his body.
That meant... only one option remained.
One option he dreaded since the start, but now was completely unavoidable.
Xeno: 'Emilia, Rem, Meili, Betty, everyone... I'm sorry.'
With a sudden force of will, he pushed on just enough to take back control. He had seconds before Petelgeuse took control again.
He pointed a finger at himself. His other arm, controlled by Petelgeuse, grip tight trying to stop him.
Purple energy gathered as the struggle continued.
Xeno: 'I... Won't... Let you... Harm my Friends!'
Bang.
A purple bullet shot forward, entering his eye socket and leaving through his skull. Brain matter exploded outward as a massive hole was made in his skull.
Xenophanes fell to the ground, lifeless.
...
After an unknown amount of time.
Today was supposed to be a sunny day with clear skies. Yet that couldn't be further from the truth. Snow and ice covered every inch of Roswaal's territory.
It had turned into a frozen tomb for all life.
The freezing winds raged on, nothing escaping their wrath, which was fitting for the mental state of the one towering over the mansion.
In his grief, he had decided to bury the entire world in snow alongside his daughter. For a life without her wasn't worth living for the creature.
That creature being none other than Puck. In his Beast of the End form, he stood on top of the mansion.
Inside, everyone, Rem, Ram, the villagers, and most importantly, Emilia, were dead.
The Witch Cultists, led by the still alive Petelgeuse, had infiltrated the mansion after Xeno's demise. One by one, all of them fell. Stabbed, killed by spells, or left mutilated.
Despite Xeno's best efforts, he failed to save anyone.
Emilia, her dreams, was no more, and in a moment, neither would he be. Puck only had a short amount of time before the Sword Saint would come to slay him.
From the distance, he could see a challenging foe he would have to deal with first.
Puck: "Gluttony, or the White Whale as you go by nowadays. How troublesome." He planned to move on. Until he saw something below.
Purple flames bright enough to pierce the thick blizzard. Puck's eyes widened in shock. He stopped his release of Fire magic for a moment.
He knew exactly who this was.
Puck: 'He's still alive. How?' His large golden eyes narrowed down as Xenophanes slowly became visible.
He was still alive... If you can even call the state he's in "Alive."
Dragging his feet through the snow, his movements stiff and jerky. If there was one word to describe him, it would be...
Empty.
Blazing purple smoke rushed out of his skin from multiple points, such as the shoulders, forearm, back, mouth, legs, eyes, and from the hole in his skull.
Speaking of his eyes, they were completely hollow, black, like staring into the void.
Parts of his body were replaced by some dark purple substance, mimicking flesh and bone.
And the parts that weren't... Suffered from frostbite. His skin blackened, creaking and peeling off. His jaw slacked open at an unnatural angle.
Puck: "Xenophanes... How are you even standing?"
Xeno: "..."
Puck: "...It matters not. Xenophanes, for the short time we've known each other, you really helped Lia feel happy in a way she hasn't in years. For that, I'd like to thank you."
Xeno: "..."
Puck: "But you still failed to save my daughter. So, by my contract, I shall bury this world in eternal ice."
Xeno: "..."
Puck: "...You don't even react to my words... You're not here anymore, are you?"
Xeno: "..."
Puck: "...I see." He closed his eyes.
There's no point talking to an empty husk.
Puck: "You have done enough, Xenophanes. So now..."
"Sleep."
Xeno's head separated from the rest of his body. Just like that he was decapitated.
But that wouldn't be enough to kill him. Envy flesh clutched upto his head and put it back, morphing to fit the injury.
Within moments, he became good as new.
Puck: 'So that's how he's still alive.' He carefully measured Xenophanes.
But that wasn't all.
Sensing Puck's intentions, Xeno jerked back and let out a visceral screech. He shot his hand forward.
Envy 1500% - 200%
A colossal being manifested. A dragon skull it's size rivaling Puck's own. It had six eyes and multiple jaws. Power radiated from it.
The Omega Blaster.
Its red pupils looked at Puck threateningly. Letting out a powerful roar.
Puck: "I truly pity you, Xeno. Even when you're nothing but a husk, you continue to fight. Your determination really is something. It's a shame that determination of yours left you in a state like this."
With a powerful kick of his legs, Xeno jumped, which shattered his frozen leg, landimg on top of the Omega Blaster.
Puck: "Seeing that you won't give up. In that case..."
"Bring it."
He opened his mouth, gathering mana.
The Omega Blaster did the same, and once their attacks were charged, they unleashed them at the same time.
The moment the beam collided with the energy ball...
Everything turned white.