Footsteps echo as two guards escort another into the prison. They're shadows painting the walls from the faint lights that hang on the walls. Seconds later Kairo finds himself looking at his cell door to see Takahari being thrown in with him.
"Get in there, you! Enjoy your new cellmate." The guard mocked before locking the cell door back up and walking off with his partner.
Kairo eyed Takahari as he appeared rugged and stripped of his possessions. Stumbling to take a seat and instead just collapsing onto the opposite wall to Kairo. As he lay on his side, Takahari's eyes locked with Kairo's.
"What happened to you?" Kairo questioned, still wondering if he should even speak to him.
Takahari was hesitant to answer before pushing himself off the ground to lean against the wall.
"Would you look at that... It's a funny thing for fate to bring us together like this." Takahari muttered.
"Right..." Kairo concluded as he just sat in silence while Takahari looked up at the cell's ceiling.
Thinking back to a moment ago.
Takahari was on his knees as several Sentarii with their faces covered by cloth hoods, housing a ringed design on the front drape,. Continue interrogating Takahari, his body already bruised and battered from the previous minutes of torture.
"Are you ready to talk yet?" One Hooded Sentarii asked.
"I-I've already said everything..." Takahari hesitantly replied.
A leg bashed right into his stomach once more, causing Takahari to mold over it as he coughed up spit once more. His arms were cuffed and chained to the wall behind him to keep him from landing all the way onto the ground.
"It's fine if you don't want to take it; I'll just keep beating you till something comes to mind." Another Hooded Sentarii stated.
Takahari's composure slightly cracking as he feels his body burning with heat from the wounds. His teeth are gritting as he feels like exploding.
"Sentinel Takahari, due to the recent events of the murder of Sergeant Yaba, you are hereby stripped of your title and any power you had. You will reside in a cell where you will rot till your execution is held." The first Hooded Sentarii informed.
"H-How long is that?" Takahari questioned
"Three days." The first Hooded Sentarii answered,
Takahari stared at the ground as he dripped with blood and sweat.
"I assume you already know who I am." Kairo questioned snapping Takahari back into the present.
"Of course, you're the kid who killed Masako and became a proxy." Takahari remarked
Kairo sighed after hearing the same thing from Takahari.
"I'm getting real sick of being told I murdered someone who saved my life." Kairo snapped back.
Takahari chuckled in response.
"You can't expect people who knew Masako to suddenly take the side of someone who got him killed." Takahari retorted.
"You may not know me like you knew Masako. But I can tell you Masako did what he had to! I never wanted this power, but I took it when he asked, and I killed the fissure who took his—!"
"Quiet down in there!" A guard shouted after bashing on the cell bars with his sword sheath.
Kairo and Takahari were staring him down as he scoffed.
"Can't even have a civil conversation, can we?" Takahari remarked
"I have a feeling no one here understands the word civil." Kairo mouthed
"Maybe so; Sentarii customs and regulations are a lot to keep track of." Takahari smirked as he felt his body sting from his wounds.
"The name is Takahari Satori, a former Sentinel now prisoner." Takahari introduced himself.
"You already know my name, so I see no point in telling you." Kairo reprimanded
"Oh, but it's only good manners to introduce yourself even in these current circumstances." Takahari rebuked
Kairo's expression turned bitter as he swallowed his pride.
"Kairo Neru, a soon-to-be-dead Sentarii Proxy." Kairo informed
"Man, talk about some crazy titles..." Takahari exhaled as he looked towards the only barred window they had in the cell.
"Tell me about it; I'm going to be stuck in here for three days." Kairo repulsively mentioned
"I understand that; I, too, am stuck in here for three days. My execution is right after yours." Takahari informed him with a bitter tone.
"...What'd you do?" Kairo asked again.
"I guess since we're antiquated now, it wouldn't hurt to tell you." Takahari replied.
"I'm being accused of murdering my sergeant. But I guess an easier way to put it for you would be... I'm being accused of murdering my protégé. Which in turn is known as one of many high degrees of disrespect towards what we stand for." Takahari informed him, his hands clasped together as he laid them on his knees.
"Accused?" Kairo questioned
"Yes... Accused, I was found with his body. But I was in shock that I lost all logical thinking. He was killed within my room, within my headquarters... Which means someone intentionally knew I would find his body eventually. Not to mention, they set it up perfectly so that I would be the one and only suspect." Takahari disclosed as he gritted his teeth in frustration.
"So they don't even listen to one of their own, huh..." Kairo mentioned
"No, we do; we always hear each other out. However, lately things have been so beyond abnormal that they refuse to take anything with a grain of salt, and it's all started because of you and Masako." Takahari pointed out before looking down at the ground in exhaustion.
Kairo stopped to digest everything, yet only one question came to his mind. Even within his current situation.
"Can you tell me... about The Sword Eater?" Kairo questioned
Takahari's face slowly lit up with a grin as he looked up from the ground.
"Well... where should I begin?" Takahari remarked.