Beta Read by the amazing Sempi and Rayy!

Our Sacrificial Waltz To Everlasting Memory

Chapter 1

(Intermission)

If there's one thing I love about the night…

…it's the utter serenity that comes with it.

The idea of the whole world fading away…. If only for a few hours…

…it means everything to me.

Because in those moments… it's just me… and my thoughts…

Together… and alone…

Thoughts In The Dark

The Escort

Junichiro Ichida came back to his room in a state of pure relief after seeing everyone off.

The day had been a wild one. So many new faces to remember… so many new things to keep track of. But for now, he didn't have to boggle his mind too much with the details. Now he was back in this room, safe and content, though he was conflicted about it apparently being his room.

Jun knew it was assigned and all, but it felt surreal to think this is where he'd be living, how well-kept it all was, and the fact it was all made to his own taste made the idea even more shocking… especially considering who was forcing them to stay here.

The color pallet of his room was navy blue painted on the walls with a white baseboard and ceiling. His floors were dark polished wood, leading into a fancy living room and study area with comfy-looking seating... perhaps to take a few dates? There were already rose petals and candles set up on the coffee table in the living room, and even a cheesy romantic fireplace currently lit. But nothing there compared to the sprawling kitchen which was filled with beautiful cooking supplies to his delight.

To put it bluntly, it was WAY too fancy for Jun, who felt more out of place if anything despite his outfit begging to differ. He remembered how throughout the day many people called him stylish, but he simply wanted to keep up his appearance as best he could. He never could picture himself standing here amongst all this lavish design, if anything this place more resembles the lifestyle some of Jun's clients probably had for sure.

Ah, actually saying that was putting a disservice to the people who visited him. At least they weren't insane like Alexander seemed to be.

Putting that remark aside though, remembering the guy left a bad taste in Jun's mouth. Just what had that guy gone through to put them in a death game and trap them here? He couldn't be sure at all... he'd never worked with those types of people before, and now he slightly regretted not having any experience in that department. Maybe if he did he could understand what made the guy tick, maybe even convince him to let everyone out in the process.

"Nah... now you're thinking too hard about this Jun..." he spoke aloud, not that there was anyone was there to answer him though. He just imagined it'd be something Kanon or Uta would say to him now... and that was probably true... he shouldn't think so hard about this.

Realistically speaking, there's nothing he could do.

But at the same time, Jun felt as if he could've done so more. He could've stood up with Amaya and Machi when they were defying Alexander earlier. The entire situation was a blur, but he'd like to believe he stood up in agreement with them. But at the same time, he should've said more, maybe tried to talk Alexander down.

So why didn't he? Was he really that scared of the game? Did he let himself down by letting the fear get to him?

...No, it wasn't because he didn't want to defy the game... it was more like... the shock of the announcement itself got to him. Despite trying to appear calm earlier, a blot of unease took shape in his chest, and now it had grown so large he had to take a seat and give himself a second to breathe because the idea of killing someone… it was just too horrific.

Jun just couldn't picture doing such a terrible act, he couldn't see anyone else in the group doing it either. He had talked to them in great length today, and they all were incredible in their own little ways… even if a few were a bit… um… argumentative.

Still, Jun knew there was so much more to all of them… he could trust in his judgment that they were all good deep down. He shouldn't have to worry about this.

So then why...? Why did he feel so sick still? Even if he believed so strongly that no one would kill? Why was his stomach hurting him so badly? Was the idea so horrible that he didn't believe the idea that no one would succumb to it?

…did he actually not trust everyone as much as he thought he did?

Suddenly, a brief but hallowing sigh sounded from behind them, coming from Uta as he harshly stared down on the group, "how willfully ignorant of you to say that. Just because that's what you believe, you think everyone else will follow blindly in your stead, but there is no such thing as a human who won't murder in a dire situation."

…Uta's words came back to him hard then, a painful reminder that… perhaps deep down, he believed his statement a little bit.

But even then, Jun had to stay true to his word. He couldn't entertain the idea anyone would try and kill. If he didn't even attempt to do that, he'd only be letting everyone down, and he'd sooner actually die than do that to any of them.

Believing in that idea was the correct option.

It had to be, right?

*Knock. Knock. Knock*

Jun was answered with a startling knock on his door. He hated to admit it, but he did jump a little from the sound. Best to not let the others know that he's got jitters though! Instead, he composed himself and went to the door, but to his surprise... he didn't get a chance to open it.

As a note was slid under it for him to see clearly. Bewildered, he hesitantly picked it up, unsure of what to make of it. Was it a confession?! Okay, no, he needed to stop joking. It had to be serious. But what could it be? He decided to find out by quietly reading it.

And somehow... Jun didn't feel so sick anymore.

"My room... now. Don't be late. - Kanon"

The Doctor

Kanon Kanda couldn't help but be disgusted by the state of her room.

The room itself was... fine, if not a bit fancier than what she would usually expect. The walls were done in creamy pink and the wooden white floors had a tinted shine, like a doctor's office. The furniture itself was simple too, thankfully more along the lines of practical with standard blue couches, modern kitchen, and decently done bedroom.

No, instead it was the cheesy doctors' items everywhere. Medical symbols were plastered like stickers all over the walls, her bed sheets were done with pill-looking symbols, and even her wardrobes had knobs that looked like hearts with pulse lines on them. Worst of all though was the tragedy of the "doctor's office" in the corner of her room. In the corner of the living room was a makeshift doctors' workshop, filled with corny motivational medical posters, and childlike doctors' symbols with cute animals everywhere with fake ass tools that could barely classify as equipment. It might as well have come from a toy set you'd find half open in Dollar Tree... that's how bad the resources were.

She fumed at this. Did Alexander and the others think she was a joke? She dealt with better quality items than this...

Thankfully, she didn't have to focus too long on her hatred for the guy as a certain someone showed up... note in hand with a stupid grin on his face.

"So, am I late for the after-party?" Jun asked, shrugging nonchalantly as if expecting some grand gesture of affection from her, "you know, slipping notes under your crush's door is something most kids in elementary school do. But I find that adorable coming from you."

"Stop acting like a child and listen," Kanon dragged Jun to the living room, "no one saw you come in here, right? You don't have any weapons on you?" Kanon had to double-check herself, hastily patting him down.

"Woah, what's with the security check?" Jun questioned, genuinely looking puzzled as he blushed, "I-I swear I don't have anything on me. And to the best of my knowledge, everyone's asleep. So no, no one saw me enter your room... alone… by the way, which I'm flattered by personally." He pointed out.

Kanon could only facepalm internally at this man's blatant attempts at flirting.

"You're so immature," she groaned, "I'm only patting you down because you could have a hidden weapon somewhere and stab me in the back. I need to be cautious."

"I-I'd never do that to you Kanon," Jun attempted to reassure, "I don't know what impression I left for you to be weary like this, but I promise I'm willing to work harder so I come across as less threatening if that makes you more comfortable…"

Kanon paused briefly in her search of him. The way he said that... with that concerned tone of voice, and those eyes that seemed innocent, it almost convinced her that he was telling the truth…

...almost being the keyword.

She sighed and looked away, done with the search, and unwilling to let her guard down so easily to such an act. "Whatever, this is serious. I couldn't have anyone else see us together. We need to talk... or... I needed to talk to someone, at least."

She hated that she had to admit that to herself. But if she lied, Jun would probably see right through it; and that's exactly what she needs right now... someone who would cut through her crap and see the real issue at hand, or at least converse with her about it.

Jun predictably sensed this and actually did frown a bit, appearing to listen more attentively now, "alright then, what's the situation? Does it involve... the tacky doctor's vibe I'm getting here?"

"...Ugh, don't remind me. I hate how they did my room." Kanon muttered as she rolled her eyes. "No, it's about..." she paused for a second and sighed in regret, "Ugh, I don't even know honestly. I just needed to see someone before things hit the fan tomorrow."

"Kanon," Jun's words softened, his expression now holding a worried look, "nothing bad is going to happen tomorrow."

"You can say that, and you might even believe that," Kanon said, narrowing her eyes, "but I know better. As a doctor, before you can expect the best, you need to prepare for the worst, and with everyone's emotional state after that train wreck?" she scoffs. "Yeah, I'm not too confident about this group's chances, to say the least."

"Is that so..." Jun crossed his arms a bit, definitely thinking hard on what to say next to Kanon's judgment. Logically, there shouldn't be too much debate, but knowing Jun, Kanon assumed he'd come up with something optimistic.

"So?" Kanon urged, the silence from Jun lasting a little too long.

"So... why did you call me in if you're so distrustful?" Jun questioned, "did you really want to talk to me only about that? On how things could go wrong tomorrow? Because knowing you... heh, you'd probably say this in everyone's face come morning. So why tell me first? Despite all the note-passing and weapon checking, you wanted me here, yeah?"

Kanon paused, brushing her bangs aside at this and debating over whether she would be honest.

…hm… well there wasn't really a point to hiding it was there?

"I wanted to hear it from another party personally: their thoughts on the situation and the... people here I mean," Kanon confessed, "over whether they could be trusted or not."

Given the game announcement on everyone's minds, she couldn't exactly trust what anyone was saying at face value. Even if they said they believed the situation was horrible, they could plot to kill in secret. Uta saw that. Anata saw that. Hell, even Koji saw that. And she saw it too... the potential threat that lay in everyone. So she had to know where everyone's headspace was, and she needed other sources to verify her distrust... to see what she saw, or at least give her some assurance she was on the right track with her line of thinking.

And given Jun's talkative nature, he seemed suited for the job to give her honest feedback.

But of course, Jun seemed a little disappointed by this explanation of hers. She knew he would be, but at the same time, she expected him to follow along and at least give her some decent intel.

Instead, Jun tilted his head, and awkwardly spoke, "to be honest, I don't think we should scrutinize every detail about everyone. Every reaction is valid in its own way, but we're all worried right now and that feeling is shared between all of us."

"That's too broad Jun and you know it," Kanon shook her head, "give me specifics. Your personal thoughts about individuals, not about how all of us are feeling. What about people like Hania and Anata?" She thought back to the two with unease, unsure of their intentions the entire day due to their isolation, "They were way too quiet today... they could potentially slip out and go behind the scenes. Or maybe-"

"Hania and Anata seem like cool people," Jun interrupted, looking back fondly, "they both kept to themselves, and Hania especially was just... in her own world. That's what I thought. Nothing about either of them screams suspicious though. I really think you have nothing to worry about, Kanon."

"What about Prince then?" Kanon raised her eyebrows, "The whole memory loss thing is weird, don't you think? Everyone else clearly has a connection to Grandview but him. He's like... completely an outcast. Jun, you can't be that blind to not see that, right?"

Jun was quiet for a second, letting out an uneasy breath, "Prince is in the same predicament as we all are, Kanon. Again, I personally haven't even thought about it that way, let alone tried to condemn him for it. Didn't he and Lukas get attacked by Omen today anyway? The actual guy who helps run the game? That shows he has no connection already so I think we should cut him some slack."

"I...I know that..." Kanon thought back to how both Prince and Lukas looked after that insane Enforcer attacked them, and slightly... cringed, "I checked their wounds myself, Jun. But I can't feel bad for him, even after seeing that," she lied quietly, "He could potentially be a threat. Lukas too. Everyone can be."

A threat, that's what everyone was. A threat to her survival... a threat to her future career in the medical field. She couldn't take threats lightly. She just couldn't.

"What about me?" Jun questioned, "If I was a threat in your eyes you wouldn't have called me in here. You'd be keeping these thoughts to yourself if that were the case. And don't say it was because you needed to talk to someone, there were plenty of other people you could've gotten to as well. What made me the special guy you invited?"

Kanon was silent then. He was right, of course. If she saw everyone as a threat, realistically Jun shouldn't be in here. But at the same time, she couldn't help but see Jun differently than that, he seemed so much like...

"It's annoying but..." she started, "you remind me of something... of someone."

Jun raised his eyebrows at this, and Kanon instantly knew she had said too much so she backed off, "besides, since you're more harmless than a puppy, I don't think I have to worry about you too much. If anything, you're too trusting. I mean, coming into my room in the middle of the night? Even if you thought you knew me, you must be insane to just blindly come here."

"I came here because I trust you," Jun replied simply, "and I'm choosing to do that until someone proves otherwise that I shouldn't. And even if someone did try and break the trust we all have, I want to trust everyone. And Kanon, I really think you should too. These guys we're with... they really do seem like good people."

"Even Amelie?" Kanon questioned flatly.

"Ha... yeah even her." Jun awkwardly laughed, "But seriously, no one here deserves to be in this game... so let's try trusting everyone. When it's breakfast tomorrow, we can make the effort together. You don't even have to say anything, just observe!"

"...I don't plan on just observing, Jun." Kanon looked down, unsure of how to approach the coming days, "it's just… this situation is insane. With the pathetic magic tricks they keep spewing about and Lukas' and Prince's injuries... It's just too much for me to sit back and pretend I'm not part of this situation."

"Let's try and fix it then." Jun smiled, "Isn't that what doctors do? Help fix people? I'm sure you're amazing at that, being the Grand Doctor and all."

Playing right into her pride like that? Kanon almost wanted to scoff, but... it did prove annoyingly effective, as she blushed a tiny bit. "...Of course, I'm amazing at fixing problems. I wasn't going to just turn back on everything. I'm not a slacker like you."

"Ouch, right where it hurts," Jun played along, "But... I'm glad you seem to be feeling a tiny bit better. It makes me happy, and I know the rest of the group could really use you... especially Lukas and Prince. They were... really appreciative of what you did for them," Jun smiled brightly, and that was enough for Kanon to look away flustered.

Kanon thought back to those two's injuries, and how grateful they were for how she patched them up. Although she was... still unsure of the situation, and still suspicious of a few people here...

...maybe she could be content to play the role of the doctor.

It was what she was best at after all.

The Blacksmith

Albion Kanzaki thought he was going to have a productive conversation with two experienced warriors.

Instead, he was forced to babysit a scowling Uta, a silent Lukas, and a certain annoying pest with just a dash of too much perfume on her, making him sick.

"Je suis si fatigué...!" Amelie yawned as she tiredly rubbed her model-like eyes, "Lukas, mon chevalier, you simply must escort me to bed. This conversation hinders me from obtaining my necessary eight hours. It's detrimental to my health."

Jesus, could this perfumer girl get any more annoying?!

Albion thought he had it bad when he was conversing with Xiuying, but Amelie seemed like a carbon copy of her... except even MORE pretentious somehow. He had no idea how it was possible someone so self-inflated with pride could exist... but here she stood, trying to drag Lukas away so she could get her prince in shining armor to carry her to bed no doubt.

Yeah, no. He wasn't gonna let that slide.

"What the hell are you still doing here if you're so damn tired?" Albion scoffed as he shook his head, "Just go to bed already, no one's stopping you."

"Hmph, that's impossible," Amelie claimed so assuredly like it was fact or some crap, "I need a personal guard to accompany me to my quarters. It is you two who are holding me up, by forcing my guard to remain here!"

Albion rolled his eyes at this, "Please, you're wasting your own 'precious' time by standing around here like some sort of rip-off mime. But that honestly does a disservice to them. You're like a fly that doesn't go away."

So much for trying to be respectful here... this girl was testing his patience bit by bit. But at least she put up a tiny bit of a fight, which was more than he could say for a majority here.

"Excuse me!?" Either way, the perfumer looked appalled at the idea of being compared to a fly and stormed up to Albion, pointing her gorgeous nails right up to his eyes, "You simply must be joking. As if I'd listen to a cheap servant whose skin is cracking at the seams. What makes you think you're better than me?!"

At that comment, Albion's hands briefly went over the bandaged wound on his cheek, his eyes narrowing with anger at Amelie, "For starters, I haven't made enemies with pretty much every single person in this house. Meanwhile, you've snapped at everyone for even getting in literal breathing proximity of you. In that case, maybe it would do you some good to get a bit of that alone time you've been clamoring for," Albion smirked, "it'll help you chill out for once in your damn life."

Amelie glared daggers at Albion when he said this, but the blacksmith barely budged an inch and simply looked on in annoyance. This girl was stubborn, sure, but he dealt with many stubborn customers before. It was all about outlasting their pettiness, and Albion had the stamina to go all night if he wanted.

But he didn't have that time right now, given the situation. And thankfully, neither did Uta it seemed, for he also stepped up, "This conversation is meaningless. If you don't leave, I'll-"

"You'll put an end to moi, is that it?" Amelie's words suddenly became cold as her once stunning blue eyes turned nasty to the swordsman, "Hmph! You want to kickstart this killing game? Ha! Soit mon invité! But you're not leaving with just a scratch!"

"...I was going to say I'd remove you by force, but it's clear you're insane in your own pitiful way," Uta said bluntly as he crossed his arms, clearly just as annoyed as Albion was right now. "Lukas, care to do something about this?"

Throughout the entire conversation, Lukas was standing quietly by, either assessing how to handle the situation or just simply being stunned by Amelie's stubbornness.

Albion hoped it was the latter, but he couldn't tell given Lukas's expression was hidden behind that helmet. It was a nice piece of craftsmanship actually... but he couldn't focus on that now. Instead, Albion stared expectantly at the knight, waiting to see if he came to his senses and drove Amelie away.

With all eyes on him, Lukas sighed (probably afraid of how he was going to deal with the perfumer) and turned to Amelie calmly, "Madam Amelie, when this conversation is finished, I swear I'll escort you to bed, but these matters pertain to the safety of your stay here. I must discuss them with Sir Uta and Sir Albion if that's alright with you."

"'Pertain to my safety...?'" Amelie thought for a moment and stared at the knight, "Hmph, how so?"

Lukas glanced back at the two, and Albion could only begrudgingly nod to allow Lukas to spill the info. They were going to tell everyone tomorrow anyway, but if this helped get the chick to bed faster, he'd be more than willing to spill.

"We are planning to see who is going to guard the weapons room tonight," Lukas revealed, "so rest assured, this meeting is not a means to personally waste your time. Rather it's to ensure your safety so you can sleep easy tonight. I hope to know that you'll be more at ease waiting for me in just a moment."

Amelie studied the entire group. Her eyes narrowed uncertainly for a moment before she huffed and turned away, "If it's to ensure I don't get killed in here... do what you must. As for me waiting for you, ha! Don't make me laugh. I'll be taking my leave to bed, but only because I must get my eight hours! My beauty and health must radiate for as long as possible during my time here!"

With that, Amelie finally, FINALLY walked away, roping in that poor Kanna kid halfway up the stairs and making him escort her to bed instead.

"God, I thought she'd never leave," Uta muttered, glaring at the perfumer as she walked away.

"You and me both," Albion groaned. After all that time, it's a miracle she left them out of sheer boredom.

"I apologize for not stepping in sooner," Lukas slightly bowed, "I could've gotten the discussion back on track without the need to divulge our plan."

Albion couldn't be mad at Lukas for long, even if he was annoyed by the guy's simple-minded view of following orders. Instead, he glared at the knight and crossed his arms, replacing his anger with well-placed confusion over the pair of the knight and perfumer, "What's that girl doing buzzing around you all the time anyway? We only just got here and it's like you two are attached by the hip or something, like you're her boy toy or some crap like that."

"...I'm not quite sure why," Lukas answered truthfully, his deep tone polite and curious like he was also wondering the same thing, "But ever since the Coronation, it's clear to me that Madam Amelie simply needs a pillar of support to keep her stable during our time here, as does everyone else. After what Omen had done to her, I can't blame her need to be protected, and I promised to fulfill that for her."

"What did Omen even do to her?" Albion tried to recall, only drawing a blank amidst all the memories of her complaining in some way, "Last I checked, you were the one who actually got battered by that hunk of metal. Meanwhile, she only what, broke a nail and got shouted at by that lunatic?"

Lukas contemplated that for a moment, looking up toward the lights that floated in the living quarters, "Perhaps, seeing the consequences of what I went through might've worried her that she'd end up in a similar predicament if she tried anything. Again, I can't be certain of the exact details, but she needs me, and I'll do my best to support her - as well as all of you here to the best of my ability. I'm truly regretful I've let you down the past few times now, so allow me to make it up to you in whatever way I can."

A similar predicament to what happened to Lukas, eh? All battered and bruised...

Well, now that Albion looked back on it... he was a little disgusted by the sight of what happened. The armor seriously took a lot of the heavier blows, but Lukas still seemed quite out of it for a while. That mental picture was probably seared into everyone's heads for a while. But at the same time, Lukas was a little more durable than Albion initially gave him credit for. Like, the guy was standing before them now without any indication he'd fought someone at all.

Someone like that, he really did give off the impression of a true knight... like from the stories Albion used to read.

Albion relented at this and lost focus on his annoyance, instead begrudgingly shrugging, "Whatever. Just know you're more useful with us than that girl, she's just gonna make you be her personal butler or something stupid like that. You could honestly do a lot more with the skills you've got, so don't go around wasting them."

"I'm ready to be of service then," Lukas nodded adamantly, "so, shall we return to the previous point of our meeting?"

"Took you two long enough," Uta said, glancing between the two, "considering how fast you derail the conversation, I assumed we'd never finish."

"And you never thought to interrupt? Not even once?" Albion pointed out with a grin.

"Sir Albion..." Lukas sighed under the helmet, "We both apologize, Sir Uta. You're right, let's get back to our point on the weapon room then."

Albion quieted down for a brief second at this, thinking back at how dangerous that place was unchecked, "Yeah, you're right. We need to figure out who's going to guard it. The rest of the group couldn't even be bothered to discuss the idea, but given our trio, we'll keep a lookout, just so it doesn't stab us in the back later."

"It'll also be beneficial to the group as a whole as well," Lukas pointed out, "as long as we rotate, we should be able to keep the room safe, as we are the most capable protectors amongst us. In that instance, may I suggest I go first-?"

"I'm going first tonight." Uta declared without even skipping a beat, "Lukas, you're recovering from the fight with Omen, you're not combat-ready. You'll do it tomorrow."

"I see..." Lukas nodded, though he seemed a little ashamed he didn't have much else to do aside from that, "Are you sure you'll be alright for tonight? If you need any assistance-" But Uta shushed him with a soft look, his eyes gazing coldly onto the knight.

"Rest assured, I'll be just fine." Uta stated without any hesitation, "as long as there's a possibility someone might try and steal a weapon, I'll be there to stop them... no matter what."

The conviction in Uta's voice was deadly, but actually a little bit refreshing to Albion's ears. All day he's heard nothing but uncertain whining from so many people, but now he actually was involved in an actual logical plan to follow. Knowing this, he agreed with Uta's idea since obviously, he was the more suited for the job out of the two, but at the same time, he did still have some reservations about the idea.

"That's great and all, but we need to make sure this idea is foolproof," Albion declared as he crossed his arm, "and by that, I mean I don't want to agree to this knowing you have full access to the weapon room alone every night."

"You think I might take something?" Uta didn't sound annoyed over the question though, simply stating it in a neutral manner as he quite literally began tugging at the sword sheath on his hip.

Albion noted his movements there and rolled his eyes a bit in turn, "Don't get the wrong idea, samurai. I know that compared to your lovely sword, the weapons in that room are probably trash in the making. But still, I'd rather keep count. And if you try anything, Lukas will know about who I was last with."

Uta stared down Albion with a look of disinterest, but eventually nodded to the idea and looked away, "fine then...you'll join me tonight and make a count of the weapons in stock. You'll do the same after every night as we rotate, and alert us if anything is missing in the morning. Is that understood?"

Although he didn't appreciate Uta's tone, Albion nodded with a smug grin, "Keeping track of weapon storage…pffft. I could do that in my sleep." He really could too if he wanted. If anything he was a little annoyed he couldn't do more, but this was the best he could do right now, and both Lukas and Uta seemed in agreement with the idea.

"Hm... very well then, just don't actually sleep on the job," Uta sighed as he turned to head toward the room, "the last thing we need is more slackers."

"Who do you think you're talking to here?" Albion rolled his eyes, casually bidding farewell to Lukas as he followed Uta.

"Stay safe you two, and good luck with the plan," Lukas called out assuredly, a genuine sound of care in his words. Once again though, Albion rolled his eyes at this comment. He didn't need luck when it came to him...

After all... he was the Grand Blacksmith for crying out loud.

The Demonologist

Hagoromo Mae had only one thought on her mind when the day was said and done. What the heck was that "Light energy" stuff Alexander was talking about?

Alexander chuckled, "my dear guests, what you've seen before you is my little example of Light! It is a force Omen, Empress, and I can manipulate on a whim to do anything we want!"

"Somethin' crazy more like it-!" Omen answered, "ya see, the boss is the one controlling that storm-! Actually, scratch that, blizzard's a better word to describe it!"

Everyone nodded along with his statement, which gave the blacksmith a brief moment to pull up his own watch and read aloud the next rule, "as for rule number seven… use of Light energy, or magic we all may refer it as, in any specific murder is allowed," he recited sternly, "specifically Lunar and Solar magic. Feel free to converse with Empress for more details, specifically in the angel room..."

To simplify what she heard, it sounded a lot like magic.

Nah, actually it didn't sound like it, Light energy definitely was some form of magic.

As to what type of form of magic, she wasn't exactly sure. It didn't seem to mimic any of the effects most runes and symbols in demonology ever had, so she was a bit at a loss for understanding how to potentially study this new resource. She grinned quietly to herself. After all, she had all the time in the world to figure that out now that she was going to be staying here.

Her room was particularly well suited to her taste, she could almost feel the ominous energy! Her room was done in dark woods and walls, with paintings of demons placed everywhere for her to admire. Her room was also done in a dark aesthetic, with demon symbols etched into the walls and rug. Her kitchen was fairly cluttered, as was the reading area which seemed to have floating displays of random articles and all types of books for her to look through. Much to her disappointment though, they were all empty.

"Oh well!" She merrily hummed aloud, "there's always the library a few rooms away!"

She remembered the place and smiled, having never before seen such a glorious reading space. If she was able to claim that area all to herself, she could study the history demons for DAYS without any interruptions! That sounded like heaven~! Or... hell depending on the perspective. Either way, the idea got her all excited!

If only Alex, or Stefano as everyone goes to call him, let her have a little more fun with this place! He was always such a worry wart, questioning her about everything! He was even searching about her room right now with a pensive look.

"Momo, stop muttering to yourself and help me search," Alex grumbled wearily, "there's gotta be some clue or something in here that gives off some information about-"

"Puh-lease Alex! I already triple-checked everything in this room~!" Hagoromo reassured him. Though, of course, the way it came off sounded anything but. "There's nothing in here that's useful to our situation. It's just a room! And a pretty cozy one at that! Isn't it deluxe?"

"Deluxe?" Alex glanced around and pulled down his flat cap, "I don't see it that way. If anything, it's disturbing how much this room is tailored to your talent. If that's the case though, perhaps Alexander is trying to provide a feeling of... nostalgia with our rooms? Mine was full of religious symbols and exorcist items."

Hagoromo perked up at this, "Oh, so all of our rooms are tailored to our talents in some way? Oh~! How mysteriously interesting!" she mused as she twirled around in her armchair that had the ability to spin, "This sounds like the beginning plot for some sort of mystery novel where the protagonist wakes up in a room they don't remember... but with ALL their personal belongings, right?!"

"...You are impossible to deal with." Alex scoffed as he bitterly stared at Momo, "This isn't a novel, it's very real. If Alexander is creating these rooms with our talents in mind, I wonder what else he could know... especially given your room."

"My room seems perfectly normal to me!" Hagoromo casually claimed as she whirled around yet again in her armchair, "What's more concerning is the number of exorcizing tools you have in your room. I mean, talk about overpacking, you know?"

"Those items aren't part of my personal inventory," Alex reminded with a stern finger, "and need I remind you the reason I have so many of those exorcizing items in the first place?!"

"Oh, you don't have to tell me," Hagoromo winked, knowing exactly what she was getting at, "I remember all too well since you're such an avid collector of those spooky items! It's a really cute hobby, maybe I should join in with some of my own trinkets! Then we could show off our wares together~ Hehe!"

"I'd rather not," Alex shot down with little more than a passing glare. He seemed really on edge now, more so than usual.

Hagoromo couldn't help but frown at this and leaned forward, her eyes saddened by Alex's poor attitude, "Aw, Alex, what's with all the fuss? You were so patient with me today in front of everyone, so why all of the sudden hostility? It's like someone dried up your fun-o-meter!"

"I think you know exactly why..." Stefano sighed wearily, clutching his stomach, "This entire situation... and the meaning behind it. How can one stay calm with an idea like that? To lock us in here and kill someone, it's a disgrace to human ethics... a detestable sin. Surely you must understand."

"Alex, come on... this is me you're talking to, you don't gotta tell me all that..." Hagoromo shrugged. The lecture on human ethics was one she had heard many times before, occasionally in books... mostly from Alex.

"I'm serious Momo-" Alex started.

"And I get it, I really do!" Hagoromo stood up with a pout, "This whole shebang isn't exactly how you thought you'd start the next great chapter of your life. But~ it's still a bizarre new chapter nonetheless! And there are a few different ways you can approach it! There's the debbie-downer path, and then there's the amazingly beautiful Demonologist path!"

"...why would I ever follow the Demonologist path?" Alex deadpanned.

"Cause I never let anything get to me!" Hagoromo declared with pride.

"No, you do... you do let things get to you..." Alex sighed. He didn't seem content to just leave the conversation there though as his expression was much harsher than it had ever appeared before outside the room, but Alex soon noticed this and slowly calmed down, his posture relaxing a tiny bit as he braved a glance to Hagoromo. "But...I suppose you're right. I could try to be a bit more relaxed about the situation. Nothing will get me anywhere if I worry about this."

"See? Don't I give such great advice, hehe~!" Hagoromo laughed, glad to see Alex was at least appearing marginally better.

"Only rarely do you... but..." Alex continued, holding his gloved hands tight together, "I'm still concerned over some matters revolving around the game. More so our involvement. It's not only as Grandview students... but the fact that... we're both here."

"What?" Hagoromo tilted her head and beamed brightly at Alex, "aren't you happy you're also here with little old me? Just like always!" She really thought he'd be at least a little relieved by that.

"That's the thing..." Alex quietly rambled to himself, "We've revealed our obvious connection so early to the others. But I'm... not sure if that could be a potential detriment or not. Everyone else doesn't seem to know who anyone is. The others seem friendly enough to not suspect ill will of us but... even then I would not put it past some others."

"Who cares what they think about us?" Hagoromo waved off, "you being here together with me isn't some transgression they can gun us doen for, you know~?. In fact, I bet there are a few people here who are lying about not knowing anyone! There should be some other examples you know."

"Like who?" Alex inquired.

"I have no idea," Hagoromo laughed, "but you should get my point. If anything, it's better we're here together given everything we've been through. You worry way too much Alex!"

"Maybe..." Alex turned away as he kept searching Hagoromo's room for clues, but his expression was still downcast as he searched, "but even then, knowing this entire situation, it's still… unsettling to me how you don't worry enough." He reminded her.

At this Hagoromo slightly lost her footing in the conversation and frowned. Everyone kept saying she was taking this so easy, but she was... sort of worried, like everyone else. The idea of anyone getting killed though didn't seem likely, none of the people here looked like the type to commit murder, except maybe the more aggressive individuals… but even they seemed a little logical…

Disregarding the whole murder aspect though, everyone made it seem like it was such a big deal to even be stuck here. Like... it was, she knew that, but at the same time, it was a far departure from anything else she's ever seen in her life. This mansion… The mystery… the death game… "Light energy"...

…and especially Omen and Empress. What were they? Ghost? Weirdos in costume? Or actual… demons?

She wanted to simply learn more about it all... she simply wanted to learn more about everything!

What was so wrong with being interested in this game then?

The Owner

The moon had come out in all its glory, shimmering against the dead snow.

He had seen such a sight for many nights, but it held a different meaning today. Now that it had risen, the first night of the new future came to pass. Now it was only a matter of time before everything unfolded before him.

And yet, he stood placid, almost tense. He couldn't help but replay the scene in the dining room, how fragile was he to instantly lose control like that? The mere sight of them was almost enough to destroy his mind. It had taken so many moons and nights for him to finally gain consciousness like that again, but despite all of that it still wasn't enough to prepare him. Now that he was here in this moment, he already felt his mind already growing fainter... detaching itself from worldly concerns once more and giving into the despair of the situation.

That despair... he could taste it still, from both long ago, and currently. These textures of pain and sorrow sloshed in his mouth until all that was left...

...was only pain.

But that didn't stop the world from turning regardless, and as it did, he stood completely still within it... until Omen and Empress arrived behind to snap him out of it. He glanced up, his movement almost zombie-like as he realized the two of them were here.

Omen snorted disgustingly like an animal, Alexander hearing every pathetic sound from behind his head, "GAHAHA! Nice work everybody!" He roared with laughter, "we totally scared those kids straight! Didya see the look on their faces?! Priceless! GAHAHAHA!" Thankfully, Empress didn't say anything in response to this nonsense, and neither did Alexander. He had nothing to say to such a comment anyway, it was too childish.

"Empress… Omen, how nice of you to join me," Alexander breathed out, not even bothering to turn around and address either of them with his eyes, "tell me, has everything quieted down with the children?"

"Ya betcha sir!" Omen grinned, "they're all pissing their pants right now in their rooms! At this rate, they're gonna need a night light to keep those nightmares at bay!"

"I see…" Alexander knew better than to take what that oaf had to say at face value, so he turned to the more…credible source among the three of them, "Empress?"

"All… are in their... rooms," Empress revealed softly, "all but… five. Two are currently... visiting... other guests. Two others… guard the… weapons... room. And I'm sure... you know of… that one soul... who will find… the Angel Room momentarily."

Alexander nodded, pleased to hear what had already been predicted before, "excellent, they'll soon be afflicted with everything we have planned for them then. Let us hope for an exciting journey this night."

"Oh boy! This is getting excitin'!" Omen chuckled as he put an arm around Alexander, "Pretty soon, we'll be gettin' to see their brains tossin' and turnin' all dang night! And eventually when the time calls for it! I might be able to knock a few of em' dead myself! GAHAHA! I can't wait!"

…Alexander wasn't laughing though, his gaze pointed directly at the samurai... with intense disappointment.

Omen's own laughter died down bit by bit once he noticed this, forcing the samurai to nervously silence himself as he rubbed his gauntlet gloves together, "um… hey boss… um... about-"

"You are so adorably naive Omen, it kills me!" Alexander giggled, but it was the kind that felt so forced you could choke on the tension from it, "Do you really believe it's in your jurisdiction to freely fool around with these guests as if they are your playthings? What is this about you 'knocking them dead' when the time calls for it?"

"E-Eh?" Omen stammered for a second, unsure of where Alexander was getting at, but at the same time not wanting to agitate the man any further, "Well... I-I... uh... I meant like when it came time to punish em'... for breaking rules and stuff like that?" He nervously smiled, hoping he picked out the right words.

"Is that so?" Alexander hummed as he approached the large samurai, "Because that's not what I believe I saw happen today... not at all."

Omen stiffened up at this, his memory kickstarted by Alexander's words over his massive screw-up, "A-Ah! Oh... uh... about the incident with that knight kid... and that other one."

"Lukas Griffon Powell and Prince," Alexander reminded curtly, "ring any bells?"

"W-Well..." Omen scratched his bony cheek uneasily as he nodded, "I didn't mean for them to get that hurt sir. But they both-!"

"I instructed you to handle the troublemakers of this little posse," Alexander reminded with a cold tongue, his eyes now glowing a hideous red, "not to charge in like a bull and knock out an innocent bystander. If it was only Lukas... I'd give this whole fiasco a pass. He broke a rule after all trying to attack you... but then mixing up Prince into the mix... well now we have a REAL problem."

"I didn't realize t-the kid was right behind him, honest!" Omen started to sweat as he stammered his point out, "and it's that dumb blonde's fault for gettin' in my way!"

"So that justifies you playing rough?" Alexander questioned, "I don't mind your methods Omen, not at all, but if you're going to be the Enforcer, I want you to actually... ENFORCE the people who need discipline. Can you at least follow those simple instructions, or would you rather we find an alternative method?"

"N-No! I'll..." Omen sighed, his large shoulders slumped as he relented, "I'll go easier on em' sir. I just got t-too excited fightin' another warrior." He looked down now, unable to muster even the tiniest rebuttal as he accepted the terms.

Empress could only watch on, her silences deafening, but Alexander had many choice words for the Enforcer as he approached him quietly.

"Oh~ silly little Omen," Alexander's tone returned to the sweet voice it was known for as he patted Omen on his bony head, "you'll have plenty of chances soon to battle a true warrior! When a fight like that happens, I assure you I'll be front and center to see it, and you can go all out!"

"R-Really sir?" Omen actually lit up a little at this… and Alexander couldn't help but smirk.

"Of course, it'll be the battle of the century…" Alexander sang, "but until then, try to make yourself useful by taking down those cameras for tomorrow... we won't be needing those devices anymore."

Omen bowed in obedience and scampered off, appearing more spirited to at least get the job done right this time. Finally, some actual use from him, Alexander was pleased his focus was getting back on track.

But interestingly, Empress stared at the Enforcer with a sort of… focused look, as if she was paying extra attention to the damage being caused by the man, before turning to Alexander.

Alexander knew a question must've been burning in her mind as she stared at him, but she knew better than to try and speak first... so he grinned and nodded quietly.

"Well then... what is it, Empress?" Alexander asked in an amused tone, his curiosity over what was going on in her head enticing him.

"Sir..." Empress said softly, her gaze distant as she stared right through the madman in front of her, "The guest... had the rule app... locked out to them... before the Coronation. None knew… what was… awaiting for them… when they explored, which was… what caused the… incident today. That... was your doing... wasn't it?"

Alexander stared at Empress quietly as a sinister smile crept up from behind the mask… a smile he knew she could see, "but of course..." he innocently nodded, "is there something wrong with that?

Now it was Empress's turn to go back into silence as she simply stared at Alexander... as if judging him for the act, before leaving the room for Omen. She seemed to already know how Alexander had anticipated that incident to come up with Lukas and Omen... and it all followed up exactly as he predicted.

It really did seem like everything was going smoothly now, and he couldn't be happier. But this still was just the start. Now as the night took over the scene, he could only pipe down and wait for the morning glow. He would need to pay him a visit eventually given what happened today, but that would come later.

For now, he would wait... and this time he could do so without fear... for every soul in the house was slowly drifting to sleep.

And so with a flick of his staff, the clouds covered the new moon and plunged the entire manor into darkness… leaving only the nightmares to rule over the void.

?

He could hardly believe it. The manor somehow seemed even more haunting during the night.

The halls were pitch black as the snowstorm howled outside, the moon completely covered by a dark blanket of clouds, restricting any light from coming in. Because of that, he stumbled down the hall, keeping both his eyes and ears out for anyone… or anything… that might try and take him by surprise.

But even being attentive proved useless as the darkness swallowed the manor whole, and the snow outside plunged against the manor with an eerie sound that lingered about the corridors. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't differentiate what was a shadow to a person, and despite giving into his fear to check behind him every now and then, there was never any relief though seeing that he was indeed alone.

It just reminded him how isolated he really was here.

Yep, with all these factors combined, Koji Yabusaki knew it was a horrible idea to venture out into the halls, especially after that nightmare.

After evading the rest of the group and shutting himself in his room, Koji really thought he could relax for just a moment and refocus himself. That was all he wanted to do ever since waking up in this place… just to feel comfortable for two seconds.

But he couldn't even go to sleep and escape the chaos, not without those hellish images flashing before his eyes. It started with sirens… those same horrible sirens he's tried so hard to forget about, and then the long hallway of the manor forcing him forward, just as he was doing to himself now. Placing one step ahead of the last, and just moving toward that familiar noise.

That… noise… it almost ruined his heart to hear it. Why was he hearing it again? Why here of all places, why now? He barely had any time to figure it out before he was brought before to the group. The Grandview students… all watching him with pointed looks, scowling, almost disgusted by him.

And without any hesitation, they grabbed him, united as one as he kicked and screamed for release. But they didn't listen, and forced him over to Omen… as a sacrifice… as the first among them to die in the death game.

Prince was the one to shove him into that mad samurai with a smile, right before Koji's world was shattered by a slamming Konobo into his face.

Never had he woken up so fast in his life. If he wasn't already freaked out by the weird shenanigans here, he definitely didn't want a part of it now after that nightmare. This place was clearly doing something to him.

He had to walk it off… he had to get out of this mansion.

But there was no way out, he knew that. Or rather… he was forced to accept that, because even wandering around the halls proved suffocating, and he hated it. He hated how much this place entrapped him… and how it really did feel like he was the only one who felt that way…

After all… everyone else seemed so confident in staying here and going against the game. All of them, so composed and assured of themselves. Hell… even Lukas and Prince despite what that… monster did to both of them before the Coronation.

Koji couldn't fully allow himself to ignore how bad it was though… or at the very least, he couldn't brush it aside like they all did. This game… it was real… all of this around him was very real, and the consequence for letting down your guard could be death.

To die here… he had to laugh honestly, if only out of amused terror of his fate. There were so many ways he could perish. A single slice from Lukas's sword. A knockout punch from Tadatake.…and most terrifying of all, a horrific punishment dealt by Omen.

Ever since the announcement… ever since Omen's attack, Koji had no desire to tempt fate in this place. But even claiming that didn't stop the flashes in his head about what would happen if he did… or if unintentionally he was forced to. He could see so clearly how he'd be covered with bruises, his bones snapped apart by that Enforcer. And then he'd die here... alone... surrounded by strangers rather than the people who actually cared for him. Who would be left to mourn him? Did anyone here even know proper burial procedures? Frankly, he doubted it.

Yeah, this was a horrible idea as he thought. He should turn back… he really should.

…

And yet he kept moving forward, his eyes focused ahead, fish clenched tight, as he attempted to navigate through the dark manor. He wasn't going to go back to his room, he couldn't. Because after that nightmare, he needed a way out; a safe card, something to assure him he'd be okay in this game.

And he knew what that play would be… because of rule seven.

"As for rule number seven… use of Light energy, or magic we all may refer it as, in any specific murder is allowed," Albion recited sternly, "specifically Lunar and Solar magic. Feel free to converse with Empress for more details, specifically in the angel room..."

The Angel Room... something that seemed to help with controlling the forces of the manor. If he was able to find it first... and gain access instantly, then he could learn the energy here. Or the magic... or whatever they called it. Either way, he knew he needed to get to it first before everyone else. If he did... that could give him a head-up against the competition, and then at the very least he wouldn't have to worry about getting backstabbed.

Because in the end, who could he really trust here? No one but himself... right?

There was no way he could so easily get along with everyone, not like they all could. They all seemed to be brought together so easily by that girl's—Machi's—words, and strengthened by Amaya's love. But he couldn't buy into that. Even if he wanted to so badly...

He kept flashing back to Alexander's mad face, Uta's cold stare, Anata's precise wording…

He couldn't take any chances. He couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't. If he kept telling himself that, then this had to be okay. It was fine to not fully trust everyone yet, right? They were all hopefully thinking the same way, right?

He wasn't a totally despicable person for not wanting to cooperate - any other sane person would!

So then why... did everyone seem to band together? Were they actually that confident? Did they know something he didn't?

…was Prince actually up to something by trusting the others?

…

No! He couldn't think about it. If he did, he might falter, and he knew he'd regret it if he did. He had to let himself believe this would be worth it, he had to find that room, or more preferably, a way out. He could explore as long as he wanted to, after all. Even if it was nighttime, he wouldn't be punished as long as he didn't enter any of the other rooms, he'd be fine. He'd be fine...

...he really hoped he'd be fine.

He passed by many of the doors to other rooms during his search... but none of them stood out in any way as the devil room door did when he first found it. He'd assume the angel room would have a similar motif, but so far nothing. It wasn't anywhere near the living quarters, nor the foyer area or the dining room. Instead, he had to find the ballroom area to even catch a glimpse of the angel room.

And sure enough, after crossing to the other side of the manor, he eventually found the ballroom door: the design graceful and beautiful.

But not too far from it was the main prize he was looking for... and what a sight to behold indeed.

The angel room...

The door was shimmering white, done in wood that could be slid open as it had no knob. It had three petals over the door, floating with pulsating magic... just like the demon room he recalled. It was clear now that the symbol was done with some kind of magical spell, as when he put his hand through it, the floating light seemed to liven his skin… giving it a peachy look as energy flowed through him.

Before, he would not try to entertain the possibility too much despite his desire to see real magic... but now, after witnessing the sight for himself, he still couldn't believe his eyes. It was all real, the magic here... the fantastical world beyond reality, it existed here.

And according to the rules, all knowledge to master that kind of magic was within this room, a type of magic that could protect him.

But of course, it didn't seem like it could be unlocked now as it was nighttime… and again, he'd rather not test fate by breaking into the room. For now, he'd have to wake up early for the next day, as that's when all the rooms were accessible again. Then and only then could he figure out the true meaning behind the magic here... and possibly figure out his next move as well.

Because as it stood now, he had no idea if he could trust anyone here. Koji was going to get a leg up against the rest of the competition. That was the path he was choosing. That path... was a good thing...

...right?

This is a brief intermission chapter to allow some insight on a few characters! The next chapter focusing back on daily life will happen soon! I have it pretty much done, but need some more time to flesh it out. I hope this is satisfying in the meantime.

I'm also sorry it took so long to get this out. So much has been happening, and of course it's the classic curse of being a fanfic writer to always be dealing with stuff, but I want to try and change that. I don't have a strict schedule for what I want to do now, but I do know I will keep writing this story... so before then... please enjoy the characters here, they are a treat to read... and I hope I've done them justice. For those whose characters haven't been mentioned, I assure you their time will come soon... just please wait a little longer.

I know it's already been a while, but I promise the rest of the story will be worth it if you stick around. I'm so thankful to all of you, and I hope you have a good night. And again, a shoutout to Sempi and Ray for helping me with this. Seriously you two are amazing.