Hostage

"We're still friends," Shin smiled and pushed Fay to take a step forward into the room. As Fay become immediately distracted by seeing her 'master', Shin's smile dropped. "I have a lot of questions for you."

"And I have a lot of explaining later eh?" I sighed and followed Fay inside to see a small, but elegant room with a round table and familiar faces all around.

Instinctively, I sat next to Damon as my blood starts boiling from the sight of Grail's face. My fist itched a little, yearning for some hand to hand combat. Surprisingly, Fay still stood behind me with Shin as Grail starred with a conniving smile.

Grail sat opposite to me while Damon was on my right and a throne was on my left. There was no other seat in the room meaning he planned for all of us 3 to be here. Props to the kid, I wonder if he knows that Shin's here...

I've been careful enough to not utter his name nor let him say mine. I'd like to keep it that way... it's not that the secret gives me an advantage much, but if the public knew this after Shin being wrongfully accused of the king's murder, the next group of people isekaied here would have a rough time.

"I'm still in a hurry. What do you want?" I push myself away from the table and laid my foot on it. Of course, it's shown as blatant disrespect for everyone sitting there, but just a little bit of a petty action against Grail gives me joy.

Aurelius sat on his throne, slightly disturbed by my actions but doing a decent job at hiding it, "Right then, Crimson. I would like to introduce everyone so this conversation shall go smoothl-"

"No need. Skip the formalities, we know each other." I tapped my fingers. Hey, maybe they'll kick me out. I'll gladly go.

"Why are you in such a hurry, lady Crimson?" Grail asked slowly, practically singing the sentence.

"It's frankly, none of your business," I smiled. The atmosphere's been getting thicker and thicker by the second. They're coming. The 'heroes' are coming and they're moving fast.

"I wasn't aware you've met... then if lady Crimson is in a hurry, I will get to the point," Aurelius gestured to Felix as he brings up scrolls, placing them in front of everyone, "I'm sure you've all heard of the first generation heroes. I've been made aware of the fact the demon king has suffered quite the injury from them. They are not only a threat to humanity but to the world. Before they were sealed centuries ago, it was recorded in documents that they've declared war against the rest of the world. I believe their thoughts have not changed or wavered."

I reached out my hand to the table, but the scroll was too far away from my reach so I gave up and laid back down on the chair. Honestly, I couldn't care less whether they destroy this world or not, they seemed to have nothing against me and if they don't hurt any of my friends, I couldn't care less what they do.

Seems like if I stay out of their way, I'll be fine.

"Here," Damon throw the scroll to me anyways.

It was in Leonish or something. I couldn't read it, but it seems to have a line at the end of the document like a contract. Yeah, there's no way I'm signing this.

"I should make it clear that I have no intentions of saving anything like some sort of hero and under ANY circumstances, Fay will not in this discussion whatsoever." I threw my scroll back on the table.

"So scared to lose what you've never had," Grail scoffed.

Lose what you've never had...

Lose what I've never had huh?

'Don't go!' I recalled a faint voice.

'Don't leave me!' An incessant plead.

'Stay aliv-'

No! Snapback. This isn't the time to be in my own head.

"Referring to yourself out loud, Grail? People don't just 'belong' to someone. They're not a possession." It's extremely hypocritical coming from me...

"Fay. You've done well coming back to me," Grail beckoned to Fay. I wanted to see Fay's reaction, but truthfully I couldn't bring myself to look back. A part of me wanted to believe Fay will stand her ground and stay with us, but another is waiting for her to walk to him.

There was a moment, only a moment, where she didn't move. Like was going to stay. It almost gave me hope before I saw her slowly stepping out of my reach. Slowly she made her way to Grail.

"I..." She took a deep breath, "I'd to s-stay with A-Am-"

As she spoke her eyes widened, her mouth agape as Grail showed her something he hid under the table. Sitting opposite from him, I couldn't see what it was, but Damon intently stared on.

"With you..." Fay finished her word, unable to look in my direction and stood in Grail's vacant guard's spot.

The picture of Grail sitting with Fay standing behind him isn't a pretty one. I don't like it at all, but someday, I'll find a way for her to get her memories back. Someday. I won't force this Fay to stay, it's her will. Although it's also her right to reclaim her memories. She can decide from there.

Before I knew it, there was a cold murderous stare on my face, scaring Damon and alarming Felix.

"Fay can do whatever she likes. I will play my role as a spectator in whatever game this world is playing and as of the scroll. I'm rather quite indifferent to the situation at hand," I stood up and slid the scroll back to Aurelius.

"But the whole world is in dange-"

"I frankly could not care less," I cut Aurelius off, "I am a spectator. I am no player like you,"

As I approach the doorknob I hear a question in an ominous tone, "Too bad you'll have to spectate your friends relive your days as a play. Pity them no?" Grail's question, no, Grail's threat made me stop right where I was.

"Stay safe then... Fay," I smiled, annoyed.

"Oh I didn't mean Fay," Grail whispered, just loud enough for me to hear, "As the representative of the vampires, I accept your proposal with pleasure, your highness. Of course, with the conditions I aforementioned." Grail had this malicious smile on his face, enjoying every moment of saying that.

Conditions? What does he get from messing with me like this?

"Of course, they are already transferred into your care," Aurelius confirmed.

They?

I tried reading the room to find everyone else as lost as I was. We were in the dark about this agreement, even Felix was.

"They?" Shin asked, his face suspecting something.

"Those captured prisoners who falsely claimed to be heroes, of course. We shall welcome them with our utmost hospitality,"

Suddenly the aura I've been containing to hide my identity flared. The air became thick. The room became dark. The warmth of the candles became cold.

Immediately, Felix's blade broke through the darkness back to pointing at my neck, but I didn't budge.

"Where is she?" A simple question uttered.

"To whom are you referring?" Grail's smile only grew.

"Where. Is. Misa,"