Trial of Empathy (2)

Their shadows danced under the flickering light of the torches. There was a cold wind blowing despite all sources of air being blocked. The cold was creeping in towards their skin since the fireplace was not that lit that can provide the warmth.

Vivian didn't mind the cold. A grin formed to her lips as she eyed Isaiah. "Kill me? Really?" She said as she opened both her arms wide. "Can you do it?"

Vivian, instead of stepping back to the approaching Isaiah, she skipped forward, which halted and startled Isaiah. "Can you kill me?"she kept asking while looking directly at him.

Isaiah, stepped back, his once menacing eyes were changed with confusion and startle. "Are-are you not afraid?! I will really kill you."

He stuttered and distanced himself in a snap from Vivian.

"It looks like you seemed more scared of someone who threatened to kill me."

" Are you kidding me? Stop saying nonsense kiddos. Me? Scared of you? Of course, I'm not scared! Especially to a human child like you! It was really obvious that I am more powerful than you."

"Well, maybe yes and maybe no but we can't hide the fact that you're just a child yourself."

"Just-I can really kill you and sucked the blood out dry from you."

"Right, right."

'To think that his mentality was also that of a child. Could it be that since this was probably his childhood memory, the trial adapted his mentality to that of a child as well? Maybe that was really it. And at least this would be easier since I would only deal with a kid. But, to think he was more of a tsundere when he was kid unlike when he was adult. In the game, when he made his appearance, he was a man that was good at hiding and expressing the emotions that other people wanted to see with him. Well, similar to the two faced prince but I guess Isaiah was on the gentler side.'

Vivian wanted to tease the boy even more, but she stopped herself and walked towards one of the torchers. She grabbed it then headed to the fireplace.

"What are you going to do?" The young Isaiah asks while remaining alert to the situation. "Don't do anything or else I will definitely kill you without any hesitation." he threatened.

"It's cold here." Vivian said as she used the fire on the torch to fire the fireplace. The fire immediately spread to the unlit logs on the fireplace. Warmth started to crept to Vivian, much to her comfort.

"And don't worry, I am afraid of death." Vivian said after she returned the torch back to its place then sat on one of the couches to enjoy the warmth of the fireplace. "But it's just that I can't die here so you won't have to worry about me being killed or dying."

"Are you really out of your mind, little human? Who said I'm worried?! And what do you mean you can't die here?" Isaiah said as he started walking to the opposite couch of where Vivian was sitting although he was still wary of her.

While in the trial, the taker of the trial would not die no matter what happened to them. It would be a test until the elemental beast became satisfied with the actions of the challenger of the trial, the trial would not end. It would only end in two ways, either the challenger gave up themselves, or they succeeded in satisfying the elemental beasts and the contract would be formed after. Then, the rest will keep moving forward no matter what.

'To think that I would go for four more trials like this. Well nothing is easy even in this world huh.'

Since Vivian didn't answer Isaiah's question, the room was filled with heavy silence and the crackling sound of the fires from the fireplace. While Isaiah continued to glare at Vivian. He was standing behind the couch watching every move that Vivian would make just to make sure that she was not doing anything that could lead to trouble. Vivian then turned her gaze back to Isaiah.

"Tell me, is this your room?" Vivian broke the silence. However, Isaiah didn't answer her even though he completely heard him and he just continued glaring at her. She didn't mind it and continued speaking. "Hmmm" Vibian paused a little bit and looked deeply into Isaiah's red eyes. "Why did you bring me here? Is that because you don't want me to get caught by other vampires? Are you that concerned about my well being?"

"Of course not…" Both of them were cut off when they heard a knock on the door.

"Young master, it is me Ellaine. The Lord is calling for you." A cold voice of a woman resounded at the other side of the room.

'So this is his room.' Vivian's gaze remained on Isaiah. And she saw a different mix of emotions swirling on the boy's face. But the most prominent was fear and worry.

Without saying anything, Isaiah rushed towards Vivian and grabbed her left arm. He put a silver bracelet on her without asking her permission but Vivian just looked at his action. "Wear this and don't ever remove it! You will only be visible to me and this will hide the smell of your blood from the others here! Don't also speak if you don't want others to see and find out about you." He whispered. " If you really want to live and save your life, just follow what I am saying and don't act any stupid."

"Yes! I am coming." Isaiah responded to the woman as he ran towards the door and opened it. They seemed to talk more about something, then Isaiah walked out but before he could close the door, Vivian slid out to his surprise.

His eyes widened and wanted to reprimand Vivian, but Vivian smiled and put her index finger to her lips. Telling him to be quiet about her.

"Young master, is there some problem?" Ellaine, a woman who's in her 40's wearing a maid uniform and her hair tied in a clean bun, asked. She also has red eyes indicating that she was a vampire.

"No. Nevermind, let's go to my father's office." Isaiah answered while he gave a sideway glare to Vivian who only returned it with a smile.

'There's no way, I'm going to leave you, when you are the main key of this trial. But to think, he will go far to even give me a bracelet like this. The invisibility bracelet. An item that was given mostly by all the capture targets, when they tried to hide the heroine out from harm. And it came with varieties.

Vivian observed the Invisibility bracelet. It was a silver bracelet with a red gem in the middle. The red gem in the middle was actually a crystallized blood of the owner. If they wanted someone or something, they would be the only one who would be able to see them. Then on the side of it there was a dragon symbol to just simply add some protections.

'Such an item has many perks. Too bad I can't bring this outside since I am just a memory in this situation.'

The three of them ended in front of a two way door. Vivian squirmed her eyes, when she felt an ominous aura inside. One of the four main dukes of the Holy Blood Order of Vampires. Even if this trial was just inside a memory, his presence was already this overbearing. And the fact that there was still a door separating between us.

"Father, I have arrived." Isaiah announced. The door opened revealing another dimly lit room. And in the middle of the said room, were two cold and glistening crimson eyes.