"F-Fay, I-I'm so sorry. I'm s-sorry I left you. Y-You, s-shouldn't have done that back then! I should've been the one that w-went! I... I can't apologize enough!" My legs felt so weak, but I jumped onto her, hugging her... not letting go... not again.
I didn't get to really talk to you back then... we had to keep up the act for too long...
"The general of the demon's army is begging for my forgiveness? How very interesting," Fay looked at me with pure curiosity as if I was something unfamiliar. Something unknown. Her kind and gentle complexion and her tender voice replaced by a monotone that lacked any emotions inside.
It was oddly... familiar even though it wasn't Fay's voice...
"What happened to you?!" Shin asked looking at the scars Fay didn't cover.
Fay ignored him and turned to me, "Forgive me for my blunt nature, but I believe you've gotten the wrong Fay, general. Although seeing you powerless in front of my very eyes is... striking my curiosity of this other person." She grinned and continued, "I have only met you twice in my life and I'm quite sure there is nothing for you to be sorry for."
She tapped my arms as if to tell me that I was suffocating her.
No way... my arms fell as I stumbled back into the metal plate seat. Am I really mistaken? It's Fay! It's her face! There's no way it's anyone different! R-Right?
"N-No way..." I mumbled to myself...
"I know it's you! Stop joking around!" Shin shouted in confusion and desperation. He wanted to believe that his old friend is in front of him... can't blame him... I wanted to believe it too... but... Fay would ignore anyone...
She sighed and grabbed Shin's neck, pinning him on the wall. Even though she was in shackles, she easily pinned him... just what level is she?
"With only an order I can eliminate the escaped Hero, general. May I remove this blabbering fool's existence?" She asked with pure joy behind her eyes. I... know who it is now...
"N-No!" I replied instantly surprised that someone with Fay's face could say such a thing with no hesitations at all.
There's no way I'm right about this... I can't be!
"What... WHAT DID YOU DO TO FAY?!" Shin yelled, struggling to break free from Fay's grip. They were pretty close back then huh? Shin being labelled "loser" never really spoke to anyone, but Fay.
It's that cloaked girl from that day... isn't it?
I touched her arm and gestured for her to let go of Shin. She seemed disappointed but obeyed and slowly loosens her grip.
"You were with Grail in the throne room that day... right? That cloaked girl..." Please... tell me I'm not right. Tell me how wrong I am. Please...
"Yes, I was with Master that day"
What... what did that bastard do to you? I shook with uncontrollable rage, emitting a vicious aura.
"Where. Is. He? Where is Grail?"
Fay stayed silent seeing how I might hurt that bastard.
Might hurt him? Oh, 'hurt' wouldn't begin to describe how much pain I'll beat out of him. The most brutal way I know how...
"Answer me,"
"Is t-that an order?"
"Yes. You might be on the vampire's side, but we both know my word alone can ignite a full out war between the 2 nations" That's a lie... I can't do that... not even Rex could...
"Here, general. Within the palace."
"Tell me your plan and who's involved. That's also an order"
"You don't know?"
"I didn't ask what I knew, I asked what you knew."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. No questions... don't speak unless spoken too. I have to obey." Fay repetitively cried. It was pure fear within her eyes, not wanting punishment... not wanting pain.
"L-Lord Damon and L-Lord Lucas were ordered by the king to infiltrate Leon and search for you. S-Suspecting that they wouldn't comply with the request y-your nation made to them. Master and I were sent to support them, but a-also to observe and report. He ordered me to be the bait and I got captured because of my own incompetence."
At that moment I realized my voice was so cold and uncaring and I was intimidating Fay...
"S-Sorry", I apologised.
Do they already know that I'm gone?
"Why so fast? It's only been about a day..." I thought out loud.
"What are you talking about? It's already been 5 da-" Shin seemed confused to what was going on, but got cut off.
"It's been 7 days since your disappearance was notified" Fay spoke over Shin.
That doesn't make sense... Shin must've woken up late too then... I've regained a bit of my strength back so that's nice I guess...
A week? From her lack of urgency, I'll assume that the first generation heroes aren't on the offensive then.
I'm willing to bet the infiltration was planned when Hiroto suggested he'd kill the king himself. It's probably why Lucas ended up not going with Hiroto...
Rex probably didn't trust that Hiroto could finish the job... how bold of him to underestimate my idiot.
Suddenly I heard the clashing of keys. Looking to the cell's exit, one of the guards opened the door and his or her comrades slammed us onto the floor.
Without letting me shout a word, they used some kind of advance magic to knock me out. Cowards... I wanted a little fight after knowing Grail is here!
When I opened my eyes again, my torso and feet were chained onto a pillar with the same jet black metal as the shackles. The chain's the same colour too... I was sitting on a wooden bench with some "food" in front of me. Even though I can't taste anything anymore, I sure can smell that disgusting piece of crap.
My hands are still shivering... I guess I'll never lose my fear of cages and chains...
"Not over my dead body" I muttered to the food.
"If you're not gonna have it, can I?" A woman stuffing her face with it.
"Sure... how can you even swallow it though?" I slid my bowl to her
"Well, sometimes the guards starve us for the heck of it so I gotta eat while I can! I have a feast tonight!" She pulled out a long thin iron wire and tried tying her hair up to prepare for her 'feast'. Tying her hair also revealed something I didn't quite expect... pointy ears.
Elves are a thing? Well, add that to my list of 'I shouldn't have expected more from this world's worldbuilding'. I probably shouldn't ask her about it though... it might be a sensitive topic.
"Where'd you get that?" I pointed at the iron wire
"The buckets we use for showers have these, so I stole them" the elf replied playfully, finally managing to tie up her long silver hair.
The shackle's getting annoying...
I pulled my legs away from the pillar expecting it to break, but all it did waste my time. A material I can't break? Does such a thing really exist? Why can't I break this?
"Woah! You didn't get hurt! You must be strong! Having that shackle... means you gonna get executed too eh?"
"Uhh... thanks and you too?"
She nodded and continued to stuff her face. I wonder what she did...
Wait a minute... wait a minute! WAIT A DAMN MINUTE! I can totally pick the lock for our cell with that! I use to do it to get into mom's room all the time! Since she was never there, I never got caught too!
After the elf finished her food I borrowed her wire and we were "escorted" or knocked out and delivered back to our cell. I told the others what I was going to do.
Following the guard's patrol of the cells, I swiftly tried to pick the lock of our cell. After a few minutes of trial and error, the door swung open and we ran to the nearest opening of the roof.
It was normal steel bars blocking us from sweet freedom so I easily broke through it and climbed out. Standing on top of the prison the full soft light of the moon never felt so beautiful to me before... I guess you really don't know what you have until it's gone.
I helped Shin and Fay up, but suddenly I heard a very familiar voice, "Will I get to say my last words now or later?". I looked down from one of the gaps from the roof to find her being forced to walk into a pit with no bottom to be seen.
All of the sudden, a memory of Hiroto falling into that cave came back...
The guards were coming back and if we didn't move now, we can get caught...
"Ey, guys... can you come to pick me up with 2 sets of clean clothes tomorrow? I need to repay a favour real quick."