Everything was silent, save for the slight rustles of clothes and leaves, blown by the bitter mountain wind. The snow still fell and Feron's question lingered painfully on [Y/n]'s mind.

How could she lead a group of creatures she didn't even know existed into a war?

Every pair of eyes down below burned holes into her resolve, and [Y/n] almost felt herself falter. She didn't want to break down and run, not now, but everything that weighed on her mind was eating away at her and trying to pull her into a void of her own making. She took a deep breath, about to speak, though she stopped herself when she realised she had no answer to give. She had no idea.

She had a burning hatred for the boys. A part of her wanted to forgive them - they were young, immature, and their faults were most likely forged by her. But she couldn't put behind everything they'd done to her, and she couldn't ignore her fear. The idea of going back to that place made goosebumps erupt on her already frozen body. If she stayed out here too long, so sparingly dressed, she would most certainly fall ill.

Her thoughts were getting off track again as a part of her simply wanted to absentmindedly watch the snowfall, however she knew that there was a large group below eagerly awaiting her response.

What the hell did they expect her to say? Had they ever properly met a human before? She was shivering. She was cold... no, not just cold - she'd been shivering before she was cold. She was scared. If she refused, would they kill her? What if they turned out to be just as twisted as her previous company? What if the boys were safer?

Would they ever let her return to her friends and family? Would she be able to leave, even now that they've deemed her their "queen"?

Feron wanted to wage a war against all vampires. But were all of them to blame? Surely, like her own corrupted society, there was a divide of good and bad? Her life, as of recent, had been like a horror story, but she'd had light moments. She'd felt safe with Nyais.

But Nyais was a killer.

[Y/n] took a step back from the edge of the overhang, placing a hand against her head. Nyais had been her saviour multiple times, though he'd hidden his past from her. Of course it made sense; no one wants to admit the worst things about themselves to people they're close to, but that didn't change the fact that Nyais' 'worst attribute' was the cold blooded murder of hundreds of innocent children.

Olli was gone, and Nyais is now king. Waging war on Kutelo would mean, most likely, killing him. Her eyes widened and she took yet another step back, now colliding with a great, clawed foot. Feron craned his neck to look at her, appeared to sigh, and shifted himself back into the form of his humanoid self. He didn't show much emotion. His eyes stared forwards blankly, and his brows remained permanently furrowed. He turned to look at her, and despite the lack of vehemence, there seemed to be an element of tenderness there.

"We can call another meeting in the morning if you need time to think?" he questioned. His tail flicked some collecting snow from her shoulders and he placed his jacket over the frozen girl. She pulled it around herself graciously, before succinctly shaking her head.

"I... shouldn't be long." He dipped his head, and [Y/n] returned to her previous train of thought.

A realisation struck her instantly.

Nyais had been locked up during Olli and Draka's battle. It was already strange that Draka had specified that he wanted Nyais, his worst enemy, to be king. It was stranger still that the boys had managed to defeat Olli, even as underhandedly as they had.

Does that mean... that Nyais had betrayed Olli?

She knew that there was a slight bitterness between them. Even the first time they met, despite Olli putting on an act, she could see an inherent hatred in Nyais' eyes of the man who he'd only recently claimed to be his friend. And in that vision that Nyais had shown her, Nyais was clearly putting a distance between the two of them.

[Y/n] bit her lip.

Had Nyais really helped the boys kill Olli?

She didn't want to believe it. She couldn't bring herself to accept it.

She had to.

She looked up from her hands, which were beet red as they gripped the fabric of Feron's coat too tightly. She faced the group below. Clearing her throat, she tried to conjure up the words, but she faltered yet again. Her breathing became quicker and more shallow. Feron's hand pressed against her back, and despite it being cold and callous, the gesture was thoughtful.

He didn't seem like the sort of man who would have her killed for being fearful...

She could just say no, right? She could say no, and she could go home. She could go back to her silly little apartment and finish her homework on her tiny, cramped desk like she used to. She could make a terrible cup of hot chocolate and try to convince herself that it was 'gourmet'. She could cook a meal for her, Sally and Damien and run out of food because she underestimated, yet again, how much Damien liked to eat. She could... she could go outside and walk in the park in the evening, trying to see through the light-polluted sky in hopes of spotting a particularly bright star, or maybe a planet. She could have sleepovers, and laugh, and be happy, and cry without fear. She could do normal human things. Wear normal human clothes. Eat normal human food.

She knew she was openly crying now, but a part of her forgot to care.

Yet, she knew, deep down, that saying 'no' wasn't an option. She wouldn't get an escort home. She'd most likely have to walk through the forest below. If she didn't get incinerated by one of those lesser dragons, she'd almost definitely be caught by a patrolling vampire. Or maybe the boys. And even if she found civilisation, she had no money, no passport, and no proof of identity to seek help.

Choking back her last sob, she wiped her tears from her eyes and straightened herself up.

She was trembling, but she wanted to look brave.

"I... don't know what use I will be," [Y/n] began quietly, "I cannot fight, I cannot strategise, I have no idea how your world works and frankly I have no energy to care," she muttered, "but, if it really means that much to you then... then I will join you in this war."

With the heavy cheering of the crowd below, [Y/n] turned away from the dizzying sight and heavily stumbled back along the rock. Only a few steps past Feron, her knees gave way, and the girl crashed in the newly settling snow.

"Your Highness!" Al's worried voice sounded as he rushed towards the dizzied female. He pulled her up. She watched, through tired eyes, another figure approaching. A silvery white horse with a great pair of wings on its back. Al, a little unsure, heaved [Y/n] onto the beast's back. "Rya," he said, sounding urgent, "please take her somewhere warm! She's freezing!"

The pegasus, Rya, let out a soft sigh as she pawed the ground. She gave Feron a glare.

"You shouldn't have made her do all that work this evening," she huffed as she turned around, careful not to let the girl slip from her back, grateful to Al for holding [Y/n] in place. Feron watched, a little confused, but nodded his head to Rya's criticism. In all honestly, he wasn't sure what she expected him to say, but he was glad they were getting help for [Y/n].

"Tell her to be up early tomorrow morning," Feron hummed, "she should be a part of the strategy meeting." Rya just let out a huff at Feron's cluelessness; Al turned around and raised a brow at the emotionally stunted man.

[Y/n], still barely awake, wondered what was in store for her.

For all of them.

* * *

With three hefty knocks on a grand oak door, two young guards stood to attention and opened it, announcing the guests' presence. A pair of violet eyes glanced up from the paperwork on his desk, and Damien's green hues met them with rebellious authority. The misplaced human boy then turned to see a third individual present in the office-type room; a man lying on a sofa at the side under a large painting of a man in armour, wearing an all-too-familiar lab coat, seemingly sleeping. Though when his eye cracked open ever-so-slightly, negating his 'sleeping demeanour' to stare at Damien, the boy had to suppress a shudder.

"What?" Nyais questioned, his tone sharp and dismissive. To Damien, it was clear that Nyais didn't want him here. As Nyais was supposedly the "King" of this mountain society, he was probably supposed to bow his head and leave like a good civilian, but Damien did not care for fake kings or fake laws. And he knew there was a reason he was still alive in this place, so he figured they wouldn't kill him for wanting to ask a few questions.

"I want to talk," Damien stated, vague yet truthful, "and... I'd rather he wasn't here." He sent a glance to a bored looking Rayne, who was absentmindedly flicking his scalpel between his fingers. Damien couldn't help but ask himself what state he'd be in if Nyais hadn't taken him from Rayne's "possession" - despite this, he couldn't find it in himself to be grateful to the man who Sally had earlier deemed as their 'saviour' (and warned he and Tara that it would be best to treat him with utmost respect).

"Say, what gives you the right to decide the terms of your discussion?" Rayne interjected, slipping his scalpel back into his lab coat's pocket. Nyais raised a hand, warning him to be quiet, and Rayne begrudgingly followed the unspoken order.

"Rayne will leave," Nyais muttered, looking over at the man with an evident hatred as he stood up from the sofa and dipped his head, wordlessly exiting the gold and silver embellished office. Nyais turned his gaze back to Damien, placing his pen in its holder and cracking his neck, before resting his chin in his palm nonchalantly and gesturing for Damien to speak.

"About... About [Y/n]," he muttered, "what was your connection to her? How did she survive...? What actually happened?"

"Too many questions," Nyais frowned, though he straightened himself slightly. "[Y/n] and I were... good friends. I took a liking to her when she was taking care of the boys, and convinced King Olli to let her live." Damien nodded slowly.

"The boys?" he continued.

"Seishin, Aytsa, Kori, Laion, Mitzu and Draka. The six children she was tasked with raising and looking after." Damien gradually nodded once more, before a grimace spread across his countenance.

"And... and how come that "Rayne" person knew her...?" he finally asked.

"They'd bumped into one another a few times. He is the doctor for this place and studies human biology, so it was bound to happen," Nyais replied curtly, though there was an element of him that was glad Damien seemed to care about [Y/n].

"So he never... hurt her, did he?" Damien muttered, now staring at the floor.

"He did." Nyais' response triggered a jolt from the boy, who's fists were clenched until his knuckles went white.

"W-why... why didn't you stop him?" Damien muttered through clenched teeth. Nyais looked away. He'd been beating himself up for letting the boys get the upper hand every day. Truly, it was his fault for being so careless and naïve. So he didn't defend himself against Damien's wrath. He simply shrugged. He was also mindful of not forming any bonds with these three over the subject of [Y/n].

The closer they got, the harder it would be to kill them in the end. But it would have to be done.

Damien's eyes were filled with hurt and swam in a river of tears, it's banks threatening to break. He sucked in a sharp breath, turning away from the king and silently leaving the office.

[Y/n] wasn't dead, but no doubt these monsters had killed her light. And for that, Damien would never forgive them.