Sacrifice?

Hope stared back with an indifferent expression. Although, he had to restrain himself from frowning at her ridiculous question.

Sacrifice was a deed of noble soldiers. And Hope didn't think his mentality matched those beliefs and vigor. Sure, he was a soldier himself.

But he didn't necessarily do it for the good of humanity.

And as for now, he didn't plan on dying either.

"I'm not sacrificing anything."

"Out there is no ceremonial ground as you must know." She continued, ignoring his words. "Haha... Even if I can save your people, involving a large group to venture into the unknown risks my numbers! Such a shame too...when we've already sacrificed and fed so much."

If she hadn't ominously grinned as she did, Hope would have thought she was distraught from those loss numbers.

Or maybe that was what she really saw them as.

Just numbers.

"We weren't always just one building, you know, but a proud community. Of course, until that wonderful incident happened. So, if you're going to ask anything from me then you should choose your next words carefully."

As they both locked on each other's gazes, Hope could see curiosity grow inside her eyes. As if one word from him would satiate whatever emotion lurked inside her so she could have the excuse to threaten him with her power. Whether it was her Flaw or not, clearly her immobility seemed to play a role in it. What could one do but be still and be at most alone with their thoughts the majority of the time?

That was a prison.

But for both Masters to simply reveal her Flaw to him—to be brought even into this room—was either simply because they trusted him, or this woman had no problem in ridding any inconvenient variables afterward if things didn't go her way.

Hope nonchalantly stepped back.

"I'll go by myself."

Both of their faces stilled.

"Just you?" Leda said with an arched brow. "And who do you think you are? An Awakened? Pft. Immortal Flame himself even?"

'Don't compare me to that guy...'

Immortal Flame...Another propaganda figure. That hero was fed in big spoonfuls to everyone like some drug medicine of his heroism. Even the recent news of him establishing his own Clan reached everyone's ears. Recent as in being the most gossiped news about his personal life. The idea that maybe his lineage would carry his legacy of fire had people fantasize that one day they'd be alive to see the day his kin would also carry his name proudly.

Of course, Hope didn't dream that sort of day himself.

"No." Hope shrugged. "I'm just a simple soldier."

"..."

"..."

'I suppose to hell with leaving this damn city then...'

Hope internally sighed.

In all honesty, Hope didn't think he could do much for those people captured. Again. Not his people. Not his problem.

But if anything, Hope was confident in his teammates' survival, although he didn't know how long for.

And if these Masters were taking their damn time, or plotting a completely different objective for themselves, then he wasn't going to beg them for help either.

'Mm..She said ambushed.'

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Hope thought again to himself.

'Clearly, that at least hints Sector Five must have waited for the convoy to pass through this month to attack.'

Although, Hope couldn't imagine what else they wanted them for if they too presumed the cargo holding ammunition. But in a city of lawlessness, any bad deed could stretch flexibly into uncharted territory.

Just how deep were his teammates in trouble?

'Ah dammit...'

"Pft! Hahaha!"

Mave's head reared back as she laughed. Almost maniacally so.

The vines dragged the throne chair closer before seating her gently down, her arms laying back on the wooden armchair, her body limp onto the seat like a broken doll. Her head was the only animated object.

The vines unraveled from her body and hissed back into the shadowed edges of the room.

"Intriguing indeed!"

A tiny vine wiped a tear from her eye as she breathed out a few more laughs.

"Alright then, soldier. No explanation for your crimes, no knowledge of those people's actions. Quite disappointing...Your valor is sadly a little too early anyway. And almost untamed it seems..." Her smile seemed to have cracked for a second with that last comment, but she recovered well as she turned back to Leda. "Do you have that Memory on you?"

"Yes yes I do. Carry on with it." She said with her lips curved into a frown as she turned and walked back to the table with her hands on her hips.

"Good."

Suddenly, something shifted next to Hope's feet, and he looked down.

Vines started to crawl from all angles on the floor into one thick twine. It twisted high until it reached his face, red fiery buds unfurling like outstretched hands caressed his cheeks.

Their petals like wrinkled paper swayed gently as the familiar black eyes with crowned pupils at their center released their pollen, tickling his senses:

Sweet, floral, dreamlike...

Hope understood at that moment what the Master intended to do.

"It was nice chatting with you, soldier. You'll be of use to me sometime later then."

Hope took a silent deep breath and closed his eyes.

The last thing he saw was Mave sitting on her throne, grinning.

And he collapsed into slumber.

***

Of course, Hope wasn't actually asleep.

As he collapsed onto the floor, he made sure not to flinch as he made hard contact with the ground or how the vines dented into his body as he dropped.

He remained perfectly still and breathed softly as if he were truly asleep, the pollen still lingering on his nose.

Hope remembered—of course he did—those flowers were the same flowers that bordered the Sector like a fiery river. And knowing the main purpose for them, the Master had the same intention of using them here.

Slowly, he felt the vines recede beneath him.

"Why that's such a shame. I rather hoped he gave more information about those people."

Mave's voice announced.

"I guess there really isn't a physical ticket that any of them possess. Not that my flowers have heard of any."

"We have bigger problems than this boarding situation," Leda spoke with an annoyed tone. "Our preparations seem too slow. It took you long enough to even return from the Dream Realm."

"Why I had business!" Mave said with false brightness in her voice. "Oh, don't look at me like that. I may not be the most active person on the field, physically, but you can imagine my value amongst the people."

Step. Step. Step. Step.

Creeeeaak-

Distant footsteps echoed somewhere in the blackness of Hope's vision as well as a door creaking open.

Then, an unknown voice spoke, almost in surprise. "L-lady Mave, you're back..."

"Don't sound too disappointed now."

"N-no it's just! Ahem- Lady Leda, your cohort has just arrived and will be here shortly."

'Huh. That voice actually sounds familar...'

Hope thought as his memory's voices started to flurry in his mind from which person it belonged to in the building.

"Ah finally. Took them long enough. You know they're getting impatient as well? I'm afraid they'll actually disappear and save those people on their own."

Leda sighed, followed by her heel tapping in impatience.

"Since you're here, drag this boy out of here."

"Are your Awakened still wearing those masks?" Mave spoke again. "It's a pity we don't see their faces. No one is talking about their looks! I'm quite surprised. The only Awakened we're both aware of is beyond the border. A scaredy cat really."

"Smells like one too."

Step. Step. Step.

Hope then felt strange arms grab his limbs and pick him up like a heavy sack. He'd almost flinched from the foreign touch.

"Do you want him tossed outside the building?" The familiar voice asked again.

'The hell...'

Tossed outside the building?

Mave hummed. "Hmmm...Not him. He's a soldier so he'll be valuable for later."

Tsk. To be used once again was really in her plan. Hope was not surprised. And it seemed appropriate for him to laugh at her confidence, but he couldn't. Not just because of his situation, but because the desire wasn't truly there to make such a noise.

Little did any of them know, he was a pawn that would slip away from her grasp from whatever bloody thing they were scheming. And he'd rather not be a part of it at all. Nor was he curious about it. That would only open doors to more trouble.

Let their power schemes and battles be their own ruin. Or their victory. But Hope did not plan on staying around long enough to deduce which line of consequence they'd be in.

Hope felt the person bow slightly before walking out of the room.

But even as they exited the room, Hope could still faintly hear their voices in the background.

"I also hear of a few Aspirants still in processing. Might as well kill them off since day two and three are approaching."

"You're lucky the government doesn't have you in chains of the powers you have..." Leda's voice replied.

"Oh. They wouldn't dream of it! Because in this case, I don't exist at all under their radar."