The Forgotten Prisoner — Part 1
The prison beneath the Royal Capital was silent. Days passed. Then weeks. Then months..For Ruko, time had long since lost meaning. The chains around his wrists clinked softly whenever he moved.
His equipment was gone. His belongings was gone. Everything had been taken. Except his Core Alloy was still in his palm. Even the guards rarely spoke to him once. To them, he wasn't a person.
He was simply Prisoner Number 127. A problem waiting to disappear. Ruko sat against the cold wall. His body had grown weak. His face looked thinner. His eyes no longer held the same spark they once did.
Yet despite everything, he remained alive. Sometimes he wondered why. The heavy cell door creaked open. Footsteps approached. Ruko didn't bother looking up at first. Until a familiar voice reached him.
"Ruko." Slowly, he raised his head. The King of Belzerg stood outside the bars. Several royal guards accompanied him. The king stared quietly at the young man before him. For a long moment neither spoke.
Finally, the king sighed. "So you're the one who is called Ruko Satou." Ruko gave a weak laugh. "Depends who's asking." The king ignored the joke. "I came because I wanted to see you myself." "Congratulations."
Ruko looked away. "You found me. So what?" The king remained silent. This wasn't the terrifying monster the reports described. This wasn't the Devil King's successor people feared. This looked like a broken young man..And somehow that bothered him more.
"I don't know the entire truth." The king finally admitted. "But I know this." Ruko looked toward him. "You've become the center of something much larger than your current self could manage."
Ruko's expression didn't change. "Great." The king turned away. "Whatever happens next..." His voice lowered. "...I hope you find peace." Then he left. The door shut. The corridor became silent again. Ruko lowered his head.
Peace. What a funny word. A few hours later the door opened once more. This time several familiar figures entered. Kazuma. Aqua. Megumin. Darkness. The moment they saw him, they froze.
The room became awkwardly quiet. Even Aqua couldn't find a joke. Kazuma frowned. "Damn..." Ruko looked up. "Oh." His voice sounded rough. "The welcome committee." Nobody laughed.
Kazuma hated seeing him like this. Even after everything. Even after the trial. This wasn't what he expected. Megumin folded her arms. Trying to hide how uncomfortable she felt. Darkness looked away. Aqua nervously shifted her weight.
Finally Kazuma spoke. "We came to talk." "Then talk." Ruko replied. The silence returned. Kazuma rubbed his forehead. "The two people who died during the trial."
Ruko's eyes narrowed slightly. "What about them? Did Aqua revive them back to life or just dead?!" Aqua answered this time. "I tried to bring them back." That got none of his attention. "And?"
Aqua looked confused."Nothing." "...Nothing?"
"I couldn't find their souls." The room grew quiet. Aqua shook her head. "I checked everything I could."
Her expression became serious. "Their souls weren't where they should have been." Even Ruko looked surprised. "I don't know what that means. Since it's not my business."
Kazuma watched him carefully. Trying to see if he was lying. But Ruko genuinely looked confused. For once. Nobody had an answer. Eventually the conversation died. One by one they left. Nobody really knowing what to say.
The cell became quiet again. Then more visitors came. Some out of curiosity. Some out of pity. Some simply to see whether the infamous Ruko Satou was truly locked away. Days continued passing.
Then one night—The sound of fighting echoed through the prison. Ruko slowly opened his eyes. "What now..." Alarms began ringing. Guards shouted. Metal clashed against metal. Someone was forcing their way inside.
The corridor erupted into chaos. Then—The cell door burst open. A familiar voice echoed through the room. "RUKI!" Ruko froze. Standing in the doorway was Kyouri. Behind her stood Althea and Varo.
For a moment nobody moved. Kyouri's eyes widened. The sight before her shattered her heart. Ruko looked nothing like the boy she remembered. She rushed forward immediately. "Ruki!" Her voice broke.
She dropped to her knees beside him. "You're alive..." Althea quickly moved toward the restraints. "Move." Kyouri nodded. Tears streamed down her face. Varo stood guard near the entrance. "Althemist, hurry up."
The old man growled. "We don't have much time." Althea examined the restraints. "Damn it." Several magical seals covered them. "This is going to take a minute." Outside the corridor grew louder. The guards had realized something was wrong.
Kyouri grabbed Ruko's hand. "We're getting you out." Ruko stared at her. Unable to understand why she was here. Why any of them were here. After everything. After everyone else had abandoned him.
She still came. Althea finally grinned. "Got it." The final seal shattered. The restraints fell away. Clang. Clang. Clang. Varo immediately stepped forward. "Time to leave, lad." Without waiting for an answer, he lifted Ruko onto his shoulder. The prison alarms erupted throughout the capital. The rescue had begun.