It was cold, dark, and very, very terrifying.
In the corner of what appeared to be a cell, was a small child who gripped his arm in immense fear and anxiety. Horror was stuck on the child's visage, adding to his erratic shaking.
"S-Sona…Toshiro…"
Weak whimpers were elicited from his mouth, his constant shuddering making his voice even more deafened. Looking at the boy's features, acknowledging his dark and curly hair, light green eyes, and the unmistakable habit of gripping his arm nervously, it was not hard to tell that the child was none other than Mizuki. A kid who was housed in the Montgomery Church of Ryakudatsu, a kid who was a test dummy for Father Laurence, and most notably, the child who was abducted from his village by rogues.
The only source of light was a small, faint candle that rested on a wooden plank that was propped aloft by rusted chains. It sat on the outside of the cell, on the other side of the metal bars that caged Mizuki.
Being locked in the cell felt oddly similar to being locked in the hidden rooms of the Montgomery Church. Restrained to a limited amount of space, unable to venture out whenever he so pleased, as well as the complete desolation of any life. All he had were his siblings. They may not have been the most cooperative—but they were there! However, Mizuki didn't have his siblings. He was alone in a foreign location. Something that Mizuki can't help but learn to accept.
It's unfortunate that Mizuki has led a tragic life, but the ideals of life that nature itself enforces have engraved themselves on Mizuki's psyche. Life wasn't favorable to everybody who had a dream. The opportunity sure does exist, but the drive, the capability, and the overall support aren't. Those belong to the lucky few who were raised in society properly, having been mixed with the crowd since birth. However, Mizuki and his siblings were kept locked away. No one recognized them. Gabriel himself was the only soul who constantly checked up on the children.
Not all aspects of life were comprehensible to Mizuki, but just enough for him to realize how trapped he really was.
Suddenly, the flame of the candle flickered, catching Mizuki's eyes. Looking up in consternation, a vaguely familiar figure stood just before the metal bars of the cell. The figure was that of a man. The cloak he wore indicated who he worked under.
"You feelin' alright, kid?" The man asked, folding his arms as he spoke out to Mizuki.
Looking at the man, though it was hard as he was standing in front of the only light source, Mizuki could distinguish vague features. Such as the dark red sideburns that traced the side of his face and his hair which was dark as night. It was the man who caught him—Imawashiki. Mizuki shuddered more violently, his eyes clamping shut as he pushed himself further into the stone-cold corner.
The man's brow was raised as he observed Mizuki. Then, with the small wave of a finger, the temperature in the cell increased slightly, transitioning into a significantly warmer cell. It felt comforting. "It did feel a bit cold in here, huh?" The man spoke once more.
"S-stop acting nice!" Mizuki demanded weakly, choking on his own words. When was the last time he was hydrated and fed properly? It was unknown to the child.
Imawashiki sighed, wrapping his hand around one of the metal bars. "We both know that the last thing you want is to be lied to. I don't need to hear your life story to know that your only peers were dishonest, misguiding, and horrible."
Mizuki gulped and said, "H-how? You managed t-to destroy multiple b-buildings in seconds! Y-you have the strength to be free!"
Imawashiki didn't fumble as he spoke, "Your Father Laurence; who was he to you?" It was a random question to Mizuki, especially since the man seemingly dodged Mizuki's rebuttal.
Mizuki's mouth opened, but he hesitated to speak. "H-he was an old man who told m-me that I'd become a Child of Prophecy. He u-used me for his tests constantly. But, he was all I had, besides Gabriel and my siblings."
Gabriel. That's an unfamiliar name to Imawashiki. "Was there ever a woman with silver hair? Who always acts modest?"
Mizuki tilted his head slightly, still huddled in the corner. "R-Rosaline?"
Bingo.
Imawashiki released his grip on the metal bar, taking a step back. "Still loyal, to the very end…" The fiery butler then held out his hand, watching as fire consumed his palm and allowed a key to be transported into his hand. Imawashiki lodged the key into the cell door, twisting it and unlocking the cell, prompting him to open the barred door slowly. "That's all I had to ask. But, my king would like to see you now—Mizuki, was it?"
XXX
Regashi could be seen staring out of a balcony, looking over the village of Furusato. His village. All was going according to plan. The plan he formulated sixteen years ago when he first took rule over this land.
A door creaking open could be heard, followed by a set of footsteps. Regashi smirked, feeling the cool breeze on his skin. Nights like this were what gave him life at times. "Nice job on getting the kid to cooperate, Shiki." Regashi had no need to turn around to acknowledge the second presence that accompanied Imawashiki.
"Just doing as told, My Lord," Imawashiki responded hastily, nudging Mizuki closer. "He may need to be slightly catered to. He appears malnourished, and he was freezing his ass off in the cells."
Regashi turned around swiftly, eyeing the two before him and saying, "Later, Shiki. We still have other preparations to make as well!" The brown-haired Ketsueki could certainly be quite animated at times. A lot of emotion seems to be stored in him.
"How much is already done?" Imawashiki questioned Regashi, gazing at him expectantly.
Regashi turned back to the village, looking all the way down to the ground. At the surface of the village, multiple tarps with humanoid forms underneath were spread all across the trails of Furusato. Regashi inhaled and said, "We have the original folks we needed laid out already. However, the ones we gathered from distant villages need some tuning."
Imawashiki nodded, understanding the implicit information Regashi had to offer. However, one question currently floods his mind. Imawashiki turned his head toward the corner of the room, spotting five coffins that were all placed side-by-side. "How's that going?"
Regashi seemed to know exactly what Imawashiki was talking about, smiling as he closed his eyes gently.
"The Predecessors are doing just fine."
XXX
Hey! We finally returned to Furusato! Will Regashi finally initiate his plan? What will happen to Mizuki? Who are The Predecessors? Stay tuned for more! Also, that filler chapter will be finished, just not now!
Have a Great Day!
Peace - Cr1ticalz_