"First of all, nice to meet you all. I'm Arthas, the one who saved your ass. And looks like you need some of my help again"
"We don't need your assistance, we can handle ourselves, thank you. For your help we will reward you tantamount to your help you have done" Francis said with a stern voice with disdain.
"I have no problem with that but first let's discuss my stipulated rewards on that matter. Is that alright?"
"Of course, let's get this over with. What do you want?" He replied to Arthas in an aggressive tone.
"Sure I'll say what I want right now. There are many things that I want but shouldn't we discuss this in a much more private manner?"
"No, this will do." Francis stood firmly as he replied.
Arthas went closer to Francis with each step carrying his weight inching closer to him until he was in front of him.
Alicia was concerned about what would happen next. Arthas looked at Francis with a sinister smile and eyes that curved with animosity. He leaned closer to Francis's ear before speaking a whisper.
"Let's talk about these kidnappings, huh? What do you think? I'm okay with saying it right now but are you?"
After he whispered in his ear, he quickly went back and went on with his scary smile. Francis harbored a shocked expression that he stood still frozen from the information that he heard from Arthas.
"So, let me ask you again. Do you wanna privately discuss this…" Arthas's smile went away and his eyes changed quickly devoid of emotion or fear, "...or No?"
"...." Francis stood silently glaring at Arthas, "Alicia, is there any room that's 'private' enough for him."
"Huh, ah, yeah—uh, Yes… Upstairs, go up to the right go down the hallway and find a white door, it's a room used for entertaining guests." Alicia stuttered as she was taken aback by the situation.
"Moltar comes with me in this negotiation, Captain. This is not for my safety, this is…involvement, yes involvement. Well then, lead the way"
Alicia led them upstairs and left them alone to conduct their business. She went back to the living room where they stayed and slowly walked down the stairs.
Frederick saw her and noticed her bad mood, and asked her if she was alright. She replied to him that she was but couldn't help being worried outside and that they are quickly running out of time.
"Hey, what do you think he would ask?" Frederick started the conversation.
"I don't know, I haven't known Arthas for a long time and just met him recently so I don't know what he wants."
"You think it's gonna be something dubiously horrifying?"
"If it was he would have already made the most outrageous of request when he asked for it"
"Maybe he didn't have time to think and that he was thinking too many things to ask and just decided later on what to ask. And that time is now"
"You know, you think too much. Go find yourself some fun"
Alicia snubbed him and left him alone in the living room, and went upstairs to her room.
It was relatively near to where they were talking and she stopped in front of her door, hesitant to take a rest despite all these chaotic happenings.
She placed her hand on the knob, slowly turning it before stopping. She heard her uncle shout in great anger and aggressively talk inside the room.
"I WOULD NEVER GIVE ALICIA TO YOU, YOU BASTARD WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE ASKING!"
She froze. She heard her uncle's scream penetrate the door. Her mind tensed up at the thought of her being used as a bargaining object.
'He wants me?!, Huh? What's happening inside?!'
Her mind raced through possible situations, her face felt hot from embarrassment, and started sweating from the idea of being deprived of freedom.
'Why does he want me? I don't think I have anything of interest that would attract him…Wait, WAIT, WAIT, STOP…does he like me? No, yes? Eh wait this is too much.'
Her hands were sweating from all the ideas that came to her mind. She wanted to listen more to their conversation but decided to give them their privacy.
'In any case, I'll just wait for their judgment…and besides…sorry, Arthas. I'm not that easy to get, thank you.'
She opened the door and went into her bed falling flat on her face. Seemingly sweating and tired.
"Moonlight please let this day end, ugh"
'Arthas, nothing good would come from me, nothing…'
She made a muffled groan as her face was on the bed, buried in foam and silence.
Unknowing to her inside the room there was a rage of torrents of emotion that whirled with the winds of chaos. Things weren't going well for both sides. And not for Alcemia, time inches closer as they face disaster.
**********************
"Moltar, it has been a while since we saw each other, there may be many things that will happen in the future but please forgive me for the things that have turned out…" Francis gave an opening statement as they continued to discuss their conditions.
"No, it isn't your fault, you have nothing to apologize, although it would seem that you already know that information. How did you know? Usually, Mayard does things in silence, although that guy is a picky bastard, he is quite infamous for his schemes." Moltar glared at him keeping the conversation friendly and negotiable while having a friendly conversation.
"Alright, both of you calm down, there's no need to fight inside, on one ring with a vengeful spirit on the other ring we have the weeping angel. On the outside with the motherfucking giant snake world ender if we don't stop it! Alright?" Arthas both looked at them with a huge smile his eyebrows crunched against each other.
"I am sorry, so let us continue with the process we should hurry the snake might fall anytime soon" Francis made a dry cough before continuing to speak. "Moltar, the one that told me about that is Suave…Or the real name of his, Morgan"
"Morgan huh, so he was hiding here for what reason? Was he the one who made the disaster? What is his involvement in things?" Moltar asked curiously.
"I don't know but, he certainly knows many things that he shouldn't know, and he apparently comes from Solstice, he might be a spy for all I care, but it seems there's more to the guy than we thought"
"Tsk" Moltar clicked his tongue, "Freaking bastard, who exactly is he? Is he part of that dangerous criminal organization? You know V—"
Before Moltar could continue he was interrupted by Arthas who slammed the table in front of them with his palm, the strike was loud that it was enough to change the tides of the conversation inside the room.
"Ahem," Arthas coughed as well, "Let's finish this conversation later, shall we? Let me proceed so that we can kill that thing, the sooner the better"
It was then that they properly started to communicate with back-and-forth negotiations with Arthas abusing his rights being the offensive party, Moltar was having a hard watching Francis defending their stakes so as to not get that much disadvantage from the trade.
There were times when Arthas would give Francis time to breathe but would pressure him later on with something much more deadly than his last condition. Francis was slowly losing his sanity while trying to figure out how he could get out of this predicament.
"No! We cannot do that, Alcemia would lose too much, and the state of things if we agree to that condition we would not only be bankrupt but would also lose the trust of the citizen in the soldiers in Alcemia!" Francis shouted as he refuted back.
"Hey, don't joke yourself, I think everyone already lost trust in Alcemia overall, I give you credit for the perseverance and glory that you guys attained having to struggle this long. But as you can see I've dealt with everything outside with what I have, and used a lot of their stamina, it might even be a glimpse of actually winning the battle, but will you be able to win the war by conserving what you have right now?"
"If we don't conserve whatever resource we have left, we won't be winning anything!" Francis shouted at him.
Arthas stood up with the sound of the chair with dark monotones as his eyes became dull and dark, it was like he was possessed by something evil. After a short period of silence, he then slapped both his hands on the table with his palms stuck to the surface, he then glared at Francis, before speaking.