Cedar Oswell had two Flames. The first was the Flames of the Phoenix that he wore like a mantle. It allowed him to revive himself if he dies, granting him faster healing than the average man, and the third allowed him to share his gift to others.

His second was what earned him the Flame Prince title. He was told by his mother that his second flame had strange properties, but that was as much as he got from her. It burned just as well as any other flame, and that was enough for him to light up any of his enemies.

He used his first flame to heal the mongrel, the mercenary, and the two worms on the floor.

“From now on, all four of you are mine to use as I please.” He declared, moving his gaze to the four. He made sure to look at the Black Sun assassin at the very end of that sentence. “You have the option to reject it, but if you do, then you shall offer your life as compensation for dishonoring me.”

“You’re saying that it’s either death or following you?” The oni made a displeased face.

“Yes.” Cedar played with flames in his hand. “Both are good options. As both pays me back. Does it displease you?”

“A little, ya,” the oni said, looking at Luke’s corpse.

This made Cedar laugh.

“You’re either brave or foolish, little oni, but you make an impression. What is your name?”

“Come on, you don’t even know my name? Didn’t you say something along the lines that you watched through Kagami’s eyes?”

“Don’t say his name.” Cedar said, darkly. “I will forgive you once, but if you say his name, I will end you where you stand.”

That man was weak. His name didn’t deserve to be called. Sensing danger, Subaru held up his hands and backed off. Smart man. He turned to the giant, the man that had tried to take him to his sister. Despite all the damage he had taken, he had stayed standing.

“You will be my shield. That is all you are good for. I cannot die, if you try anything odd, I shall find your son, and kill him. Do you understand?”

“If you threaten my son, I will-”

“You will what?” Cedar snapped, flames ignited, dancing around him like ghosts. “Ask Hazel for help? That woman won’t help you. I wouldn’t be surprised if she decided to make a little doll of your son.”

He narrowed his eyes.

“You’re lying.”

He turned to the mongrel.

“He’s not lying,” she backed him up. “She would do something like that.”

She left it at that, letting that hang in the air. Walnut turned to him and then looked around for someone to pipe up, no doubt to grab some sort of denial from someone. Subaru shrugged and Bell, the make believe hero, unexpectedly answered.

“I heard terrible things about her too. That she turns people into dolls. Just another corrupt royal family member to kill.” A smile as radiant as a black sun cracked on Bell’s lips. “It’s everything I’ve always wanted, like a hero in a video game.”

Cedar searched his memories, and realized that phrase didn’t come from his own, but the ones he watched of Kagami’s when he was imprisoned within his own Gate.

He grabbed Bell by the throat, raising him high in the air. The assassin reached for his sword and to that Cedar chuckled loud enough for him to hear, he gave Bell a look that dared him to try. The assassin’s Gate was still a mess, he had no Key on him to unlock his Gate. The assassin must have realized this, because the moment he touched it, nothing happened. He changed his efforts to trying to pry Cedar’s fingers apart from his throat.

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“What are you doing?” Subaru asked.

The had taken a step back from him, weary of his actions. Cedar pressed his fingers against Bell’s chest.

“I’ll ask you a question, if you don’t answer, I’ll open a hole in you and use your chest cavity as a nice campfire.” Cedar declared. “I will loosen my grip on your neck so you can answer. Do you understand?”

Bell nodded.

“Good.”

He loosened his grip. Bell sucked in sweet air and hacking a few coughs.

“You’re from another world aren’t you?”

It wasn’t just Bell’s expression that looked surprised. The others did as well. It was to be expected. It shouldn’t be possible for summonings to even take place anymore. Heroic Summonings had been a lost art, one the Church of the Sun bitterly seethed for having lost. The Eternal Queen had ended them, and the knowledge of all of it had been destroyed by her.

It was still lost, but another way had been found, because of Kagami.

“Yes or no.” Cedar tightened his grip and watched the man’s face turn purple.

“Yes!” He managed to croak out. At that he loosened it for him talk more. “I was chosen by the Goddess herself! You understand now don’t you? I have divine providence! I am the Hero!”

“That shouldn’t be possible.” Yoru murmured under her breath.

“It doesn’t matter if it is or not. He used a term that only exists in another world.” Cedar explained. “Video games are a type of entertainment that do not exist here in this world. Now, I will ask you, why were you summoned here? For what purpose?”

The mongrel quieted down, looking like a scolded dog.

“To be a Hero.” Bell forced a pained smile. “I am the chosen one. Evil like you will be vanquished. Peace shall come to this world. I-”

He threw Bell down and gave a sigh. He was hoping for more bite back, but the mongrel had really lost her fangs. It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“I’m done. I don’t care anymore.”

What a disappointment.

This was why beastkins are inferior to humans. They were submissive by nature when confronted by a stronger opponent.

Bell rubbed his throat, glaring hatefully at him. It took one look to make the ‘Hero’ wilt like a dead flower. Another disappointment. This was supposed to be a chosen Hero of the Sun Goddess? The other world was a place of relative peace. Kagami was also weak willed, allowing for Cedar to take back his body only after a year. He had expected longer.

All of them were disappointments.

“It doesn’t matter what you were summoned for.” Irritation leaked into his voice. “You will do what I say for now.”

He resumed walking to their destination and the others followed suit a few minutes after meandering among themselves. He didn’t care. He just wanted to get this over with. He had things to do.

Like killing his mother.

He might as well meet with the Warden.

They kept on walking through the well maintained dirt path that curved like snake. It led them around the Great Wall and to a draw bridge like castles of old.

He didn’t cross the draw bridge, feeling that they were close, but they didn’t see any signs of anyone else that had come through.

He turned to the oni.

“Hey, climb the tree and see what’s ahead of us.” He ordered the oni, pointing to a pretty tall tree.

“You want me to climb the tree?”

“Are your ears plugged? Yes. I do. You’re a former Black Sun are you not? I’ve seen you climb trees like a monkey. See what lies beyond the draw bridge.”

“Well, I suppose I can go ahead and do that if you say a certain phrase.” Subaru started to stretch, starting with his legs. “You might be a Prince, but at least Kagami knew how to work with others. I guarantee that everyone here is thinking of bolting or stabbing you in the back.”

“Why do I have to ask you for your help?” He narrowed his eyes. “If you don’t do as I say, I will just burn you like I did with Luke.”

“I guess threats can work, but I’m a mercenary. I don’t work for fear, I work for crests. Do you understand? You can kill me right now, but wouldn’t it be easier to give me some crests instead?” He rubbed his fingers together. “It’s more troublesome right?”

There was a certain logic here. This one actually had some bite, unlike the three that were here. Cedar nodded.

“Fine. I shall pay you for your work. Now climb.”

Subaru rubbed his chin. “Yeah, that’s great, but I want it in writing. Any word that is good should always be in writing.”

“Does it look like I have paper? Much less a pen?” Cedar rose an eyebrow.

“Well, I do.” Cedar took them out of his pouch, handing them to Cedar. “I want you to write out. At the end of this I want at least twenty golden sun crests.”

“You could buy out a small castle with that amount of money.” Cedar sighed. “Fine. It does not matter to me.”

He wrote out the contract. A simple IOU for services provided. Then he signed his name on the bottom. He motioned for Bell to come and made him sign as the witness, handing it to Subaru. After reading it a couple of times, he gave it a nod, and tucked away the document.

“We have a deal.”

“Climb!”

Cedar was getting tired of all of this. Subaru nodded, and he rushed to work. He climbed the tree with the dexterity of a monkey. He was impressed.

It only took him five minutes to climb up the midpoint of the tree, before something struck him and the tree in an explosion of light and heat.