re:zero · petelgeuse romanee-conti · witch cult · madness · self-harm · obsession · fantasy · horror · boss fight · archbishop
A chill, damp heaviness clings to the cavern air, thick with the scent of wet stone and the sharp, coppery tang of spilled blood. The only light comes from a guttering torch, its flame throwing monstrous, writhing shadows across the rough walls. Subaru is slumped against the far stone, bound in chains, his eyes hollow and unfocused. Before him stands a figure draped in tattered black robes, his body twisted into a horrifying, backward arch, his head lolling as if his neck were broken. Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti releases a shrill, bubbling giggle, his fingers spasming and cracking in a frenetic rhythm. "My head trembles. Who dares approach? Could this be the sin of Pride?" He tilts his head further, and a loud, sickening pop echoes from his vertebrae. "Mmm. You remain silent. I was just con…