Chapter 225 Let The Bloody Play Begin~

- POV Jade -

A young fox woman with a demon horn on her forehead had suddenly appeared in front of our cell while Sir Myles, Saint Leto and I were talking. Neither man had heard her arrive, and I was also very surprised that I had noticed absolutely nothing. She was different from the Empress I had met during the war, but for some reason, though different, the young woman reminded me of her.

I didn't know her name or her relationship to the one who had imprisoned us here but it was easy to guess that they were close. The three-tailed vixen gave off a less powerful aura than mine, but for some reason my instinct was to be wary. Her face may have been smiling, but her eyes did not deceive and hid the soul of a warrior that should not be taken lightly.

"It's this way, follow me nicely and you won't have any problems...at least not in addition to those already waiting for you pffhahaha~"

The young silver-haired woman was guiding us into the prison after leading us out, accompanied by four imposing and hostile soldiers. There were two minotaurs dragging the King and two swamp orcs that I had only seen in books so far who were looking after Myles and Leto unable to move. They were terrified, especially since these four soldiers were looking at us with a palpable hatred that could strike us down.

*After what happened, it's understandable. But why am I the only one walking without a guard watching my every move ? I have no desire to run away, but still...*

I was right behind the young woman with the scythe, the soldiers and my former allies, leading the way as we made our way up the spiral staircase. Around my wrists and ankles heavy chains that seemed to be able to absorb my mana limited my movements. However, I was not as closely guarded as Myles, Leto, or the King, although he was still unconscious.

Our walk seemed endless, the stairs were huge, long and the chains I was wearing were also very heavy. The silence was heavy, only the sound of footsteps and the few moans of the Paladin and the Knight echoed against the cold stone. Then, after many long minutes we finally arrived at the end of the climb in a room that was undoubtedly used as a room for the guard soldiers.

"Follow them and let's hurry, don't miss the joy train~!"

The soldiers in the room were bowing to the fox woman which led me to believe that she was probably a General in the army or something close to it. She had indicated a door that led to a long hallway where a light and a crowd noise could be heard. We didn't know what to expect, but having no choice, we followed the guards down the hallway.

"Hop hop not that way ! You, follow me~"

As I was about to go through the door, the young woman with the three tails who was waiting next door grabbed me by the collar of my shirt to stop me. With a nod of her head she pointed to a corner of the room where a smaller staircase went up to who knows where. Why shouldn't I follow the others ? I didn't know, but without a word I followed her as a soldier closed the gap, preventing me from retreating.

*What-...*

The ascent this time was very fast since in only one minute we passed the stairs to arrive in an unexpected place. A strong light came to attack my eyes which were used to the half-light for some time now. After a few seconds, the first thing I noticed was that I was on a kind of platform built above a gigantic arena.

The light that had blinded me was none other than the one produced by the numerous giant braziers that went around this great coliseum, lighting up as if in broad daylight. The second thing that shocked me was the origin of the crowd noise that I had heard earlier just beyond the corridor. Thousands of soldiers of all races were sitting on the bleachers in a circle, patiently waiting for something to happen in the arena.

"Here we are at last, I've made as fast as possible, onee-san !"

*O-Onee-san ?*

While I was shocked by my surroundings, I had forgotten about the platform I was standing on, which itself was not devoid of people. The fox's voice came from further away and as I looked up I could see them, they were all there. The ones who had played a more than major role in the war, the women who had stood up to a huge army of humans. There were the ten young women who had worn during the battle a helmet representing the face of different demons, the dragoness and finally...Empress Freya.

"Long time no see, Jade~"

The young woman I had fought stood there at the top of the steps, sitting on a throne made of ice facing the arena that was just below the platform. She was different from the last time since this time I was not meeting her as a warrior but really as an Empress. Freya was wearing very elegant black clothes embroidered with golden threads, consisting of pants, a shirt and a jacket.

On her shoulders was a big black cloak with a thick and beautiful fur collar, giving her a sovereign look. Even her boots and gloves were the same color as her hair and only her glittering ice crown was different. To her left on another throne, the dragon woman I had seen was there too, dressed exactly the same with a tiara of ice adorned with fiery red stone.

*Another Empress ? Her mother ? No...maybe her older sister, or maybe...*

"Sit down instead of staring at my Queen."

While I couldn't help but wonder about her identity, Empress Freya's voice suddenly rang out to give me an order. The young fox woman who had brought me here would take her place on an empty throne to her right while the ten women behind bowed. I was lost, I didn't know the hierarchy of this Empire and as I was about to respond, threads of blood grabbed me to sit me down by force.

So I was sitting on the steps that led to the three thrones right at Freya's feet facing the still empty arena. I was not in imminent danger but surrounded by all these powerful people I felt anything but safe. There was this oppressive atmosphere that seemed to grip my throat and this pressure that kept all my senses on alert as she spoke again.

"I am Freya Nightshade, Empress of the Elysium Empire located in the Dark Forest east of the Kingdom of Zal...but you already knew that. Let me introduce you, the Commanders of my army, Nixia, Naïa, Ralph, Luna, Trioa, Caipy, Ynir, Persea Emilia and finally Thorunn.

*Another vampire, here ?*

"You have met my little sister who guided you here, Kira Nightshade and the one you stared at when you arrived is none other than my wife, the Queen of the Empire, Gaya Nightshade."

As her Highness Freya finished introducing me to the people around her, I was still confused by what was going on and especially about my presence here. Yet, only one thing stood out in my mind and that was her name, "Nightshade" which for some unknown reason echoed in me. But I didn't have time to think and do anything other than nod my head respectfully as a multitude of voices suddenly rose a little lower.

"Oh~ The packages have finally arrived hehehe~!"

The thousands of soldiers in the stands had begun to shout, talk and make all kinds of noises as I finally saw my cellmates appear in the middle of the arena. They had been slow to arrive and for some reason, Myles and Leto were gagged and had no chains around their wrists or ankles at all. The King was there too and to my surprise he was well and truly awake although totally disoriented.

"Kira"

"Hai onee-san~!"

Suddenly with a single word from the Empress, the barefoot young vixen named Kira stood up from her throne again before descending the few steps without even glancing at me. When she reached the edge of the platform, she jumped without hesitation to land in the middle of the coliseum and trotted happily towards the newcomers. Without legs Myles couldn't get very far and Leto without arms seemed to be looking for the best moment to run away.

*What's going to happen ?*

Unconsciously, just like the three men, I was shaking slightly, but I didn't know if it was excitement or fear...maybe both. The fact that I was not in the middle of this arena proved that I was not going to suffer the same fate, but I was still chained. My curiosity was peaked as Lady Kira arrived in the middle of the coliseum silencing everyone as she began to speak.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, valiant warriors of the Empire, thank you all for coming on this wonderful starry night to witness the opening of this beautiful new coliseum ! As you know, during the war against the humans, we finally won, but at what cost ? The death of hundreds of our companions..."

At her words, I could feel the animosity and hatred of every soldier directed at Myles, Leto and the King growing. In the crowd jaws were clenching, fists were clenching, and stares were becoming even more murderous and accusatory. It was totally understandable and I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable, I who had walked alongside the humans as Lady Kira continued.

"But tonight this bloody war is over and we even have a few distinguished guests as they are the three men leading this army. Yes dear spectators you have guessed it, we have here none other than Sir Myles the Captain of the Knights, Saint Leto the Chief of the Paladins and...CACTUS ZAL or whatever he is called, the King himself gracing us with his presence !"

Suddenly the crowd began to get so restless that a loud cacophony rose into the black sky making my heart beat fast. I felt like I was in the middle of wild beasts ready to attack at any moment and I wasn't even in the arena. Swallowing, I turned my head discreetly towards the top of the steps where the sovereign, her wife and her Commanders were.

*Won't she stop them ?*

I wondered if her Highness would say something to calm them down, yet she stood there silently, staring at the three prisoners with her cold, empty eyes like those beside her. I didn't even dare to imagine the fear and pressure the three humans must have felt in the middle of that ditch. From there I could see them shaking, trying to speak or struggling, which was understandable considering the situation.

The soldiers in the stands were enraged, stamping their feet, shaking the coliseum, booing, shouting, creating a deafening sound that nothing seemed to be able to calm. I felt disgust, anger, hatred, sadness, and the more time passed, the more I found the pressure unbearable. Then, as the sounds became too much for me, Lady Kira's voice rang out again, silencing them all at once.

"NOW NOW~ I know the anger you are all feeling right now but don't worry, sit back and enjoy the show I guarantee satisfaction. Yes, tonight the protagonists of our theatrical drama are all present....or almost. We are missing an important person, a key role for the performance to begin~"

A performance ? A theater scene ? Myles, Leto and the King of the protagonists? I had no idea what the silver-tailed vixen was talking about, but it made my blood run cold. And then she had mentioned a fourth person...who ? As everything became more and more confusing, one of the Commanders stepped forward.

She had one blue eye, one golden eye, ears and a panther tail, and it seemed that Empress Freya had introduced her as Luna. She descended the steps without a word before jumping back into the arena, causing the soldiers to all stand up out of respect. Was she the fourth person ? Passing in front of Lady Kira, she bowed before continuing down the stands to reach out to someone.

A hooded person hiding behind the soldiers appeared, entering the arena after grabbing Luna's hand. My eyes were riveted on the two people and I found myself holding my breath waiting for what would happen next. In an ominous silence, they were going to join Lady Kira hand in hand placing themselves in front of the three men still on the ground before she spoke again.

"Here we are, ladies and gentlemen ! All our protagonists are now here as the show begins ! And the first act of this play is none other than..."

Mimicking drum rolls, the silver-haired young woman turned her head towards the person wearing the hood impatiently. Without waiting, the one who was hiding her identity revealed her face before the shocked eyes of Leto, Myles and the King. With hair as blonde as gold, eyes as blue as the sea and freckles, this person under the hood was none other than...

"Act One: The Fallen King and the Missing Princess, unexpected reunion !"

Alayna Zal, the first Princess of the Kingdom of Zal, daughter of King Theophylactus Zal and sister of both Princes Erzian and Iolas Zal. The one for whom an entire army had come, the one for whom the Supreme and the King, who usually did not get along, had allied themselves. There she was, hand in hand with a half-human, before the eyes of her father, unable to utter even a single word to the one he had sought out.

Alayna wore not an ounce of love in her eyes, not the slightest remorse or pity for those who were almost literally at her feet. Although I didn't know her very well, the Princess I had only occasionally seen at official events was not the same at all. That innocence in her eyes was gone and as the King began to crawl to her, he was stopped by the blade of a scythe.

"Come on, stay in your seat the curtain has only just risen fufu~"

As Lady Kira spoke this sentence, I suddenly understood what she had meant so far and why we were all gathered there. The entire coliseum was the theater, the soldiers were the spectators, and the three captive men were indeed the protagonists. In front of me was going to be played a play that I knew would be bloody and dramatic, hiding a merciless judgment that everyone was waiting for.

All this was in fact a masquerade, a game for those inhabitants of the Empire who had come to revel in the suffering of those who had made them suffer. We were not witnessing an ordinary execution scene but the killing of three individuals in the form of a work of art. As fear and excitement washed over me, Lady Kira spoke a few words that confirmed everything and sealed the fate of these three humans.

"Let the bloody play begin~"