The cell was dry, hot, and dirty. The cuffs felt as if they were going to burn Nova's skin as they were locked around his wrists. It was bright enough that Nova felt as if he had to squint to see from the light that shone in through the iron bars on the window.
"Where is your brother, Hide? Where is Zeref? We know your acting on his words." Zeal asked as he stood there in the cell with Tai to try and get information from the young man while Tyson was off eating with Chi. The quicker they learnt what they could from Nova the sooner they could find out what Tyson wanted done with the young man. If it was up to Zeal he would have suggested killing Nova the second they were done with him. He did not like having people who posed a risk to them around.
"I have nothing to say to you. Just leave me to die here. It is what you intend to do with me even if I speak, right?" Nova laughed slightly at the thought. He knew just as well as they did how it was in Numen's Garden. The strong survived while the weak were killed. Once they used him he could only expect to be killed.
"You little-!" Zeal began to reach for his belt where he kept his bullets. Beside him Tai had grabbed hold of his arm in order to stop him from acting out against Nova for his remark.
"If you kill him just imagine how Tyson will react." Tai said causing Zeal's expression to pale at the thought of getting scolded by Tyson again, or worse. They could not act in any way that Tyson would snap on them over. Getting answers from Nova was one thing but to kill the man early would put them both at risk until they knew for certain whether or not Tyson wanted the young man kept alive.
"Fine." Zeal sighed as he stepped forward and glared down at Nova, The shimmering glint of hatred he felt towards Nova for his actions was written all over his face. "You can at least tell me why you came onto the castle grounds. You're not the one to usually act out on your own, Nova. It's well known about you twins that Hide is the one who does the work between you two."
"Why else? To kill the weakling that stands beside Tyson so my brother wouldn't have to." Nova said as he stared up at the both of them. Anyone with eyes could see that Tyson's weak point had become Chi. Zeref wanted to take advantage of that weakness by sending someone else to do the work in removing Chi. If something happened to Chi it was sure to affect Tyson giving another an advantage against him.
Zeal closed his eyes to think for a moment while he stood there and listened to the words that Nova had spoke. He knew that Zeref would not take well to his job not being accomplished. It was only a matter of time before the man acted out. Things not going Zeref's way were never pretty situations to be involved in. Tyson had never had a publicly known weak point before and now that it was an obvious one Zeref was bound to become obsessed with it and try to take advantage of it. Worry began to fill Zeal causing a heavy silence to cloud the room.
"This is troublesome.." Zeal sighed heavily finally breaking the silence. He could not help but waver at the thought of telling Tyson they were after the life of Chi. Wondering if he learnt about it would the man become obsessed himself or would he still be able to think rationally?
"We have to tell him." Tai stated as he felt he could hear the gears in Zeal's head turning over all options. They could not keep it from Tyson and he was not willing to take the blame for Zeal trying to hide such a thing from the man.
"I know, but I cant help but wonder how he will take it.." Zeal almost felt sorry for Tyson because he knew the man had not even come to admit his own feelings yet and already had people targeting the life of Chi. He wanted to almost consider it poor luck with relationships but when he remembered where they were he could only consider the fact that all their luck just drastically sucked.
"Hey! You're just gonna leave me chained up in here?!" Nova shouted as he watched both Zeal and Tai leave the cell and begin to leave. Expecting to die after telling them what they could manage to get from him he had prepared himself for. He did not want to die slowly by being left alone in the cell! Were they going to leave him to die alone in chains or did they want him for a longer term prisoner? Nova did not understand what they were thinking leaving him.
Neither of them turned their heads back in the direction of the shouting. It was as if the sound of Nova's voice did not register in their ears in the least. He could only watch as they left his sight completely til he could no longer hear the sounds of their voice nor their steps as they walked. The only thing left in that hot dirty cell left was him and the sound of his own breathing. Speckles of snow fluttering about the air around him as he tried to cool his own body down. As a cold blooded person he could not stand the heat.
"I'll go report the information we did manage to get to Tyson." Zeal said as he shuttered at the thought. Being the one to tell him was something that felt dangerous. Though Tai was not willing to throw himself in the fire in order to tell him either so the second Zeal said it they both knew he was the one going directly to find Tyson.
You could have at least acted as if you gave a shit.. Zeal thought to himself as he watched Tai turn to walk away. It was obvious the man was retreating before he was pulled into being involved further in the matter. The vein on Zeal's forehead twitched at being so openly abandoned.
"I feel like cannon fodder." Zeal said to himself as he stood there long after Tai's figure was gone from his sight. Only the sounds of the wind blowing could be heard as his long red hair fluttered about the wind around him.