Cold, stone walls and even colder steel chains were all that were in the room with him, but they were nothing compared to the ice in his heart that had been frozen long ago.
The only heat in the cell he was aware of was the burning hate in the pit of his stomach.
After the duel he had ultimately lost to Nasch and Yuma, he had returned to his palace to recover. Not just from exhaustion and pain, but humiliation and anger as well.
He was furious at the two standing in his way, but more so at himself for allowing them to.
Don Thousand was ripped from his thoughts at the sound of footfalls.
He glared defiantly at the guards that appeared, no doubt to take him to Eliphas to face his sentence.
Not that he cared at this point. Everything he'd fought so hard for was already gone. He always knew he had shot and if he failed, this would happen. The Numeron Code was in the hands of the enemy, all the souls he'd taken to strengthen the world that belonged to him hadn't been enough, and now he was weakened and behind enemy lines.
Eliphas and Astral had attempted locking him away before, and it had worked for centuries, but he had escaped and they knew better now. His 'punishment', he knew, would be death.
The cell doors opened and the guards cautiously approached him.
He continued glaring at them in warning. Though, it was an empty one, as he could not escape the chains binding him at the back of the cell.
The guards were obviously concerned for themselves, and for good reason, but were not easily deterred and continued to try dragging him forward to wherever Eliphas was undoubtfully waiting.
He still resisted and cursed them through the whole ordeal, but it did little good. He knew that, but refused to give in without putting up at least a little of a fight. He wanted to make it as difficult and frustrating as he could.
Sure enough, when they finally made it to their destination, they were at the top of Eliphas's tower.
What did alarm him though, was that Nasch, Astral, and Yuma were also there with Eliphas.
Don wouldn't allow the surprise to show itself on the surface though. Instead, he gave them a cold, hateful look, one that required no acting on his part since it came so naturally.
He heard the chains binding him rattle, and he glanced over his shoulder in time to see the chains wrapped and locked around a stone pillar by the guards.
"Don Thousand." Eliphas said, redirecting Don's attention. "You are facing charges for your crimes against the Astral World and the lives you've stolen from the Human World."
Don growled inwardly.
"Do you have anything to say in your defense?"
He did. He had many things he wished to say against Eliphas. They weren't all for defensive purposes in this so-called 'court' though. He kept silent.
"Very well.. The sentence for your heinous crimes is death."
Don's eyes widened slightly. He hadn't expected Eliphas to actually go through with it. Even though he'd suspected this, he'd truly expected just to be locked away again to rot.
"The execution will be held first thing tomorrow." Eliphas finished, turning away.
Don was too shocked to notice Nasch, Yuma, or Astral's reactions to the sentence, and soon found himself being dragged away, back to his cell.
He didn't really bother struggling this time, his mind more focused on what would happen to him tomorrow.
Once he was chained in his cell, he found himself thinking back once more to how he'd even fallen into this predicament.
FlashBack
Don rose shakily to his feet, every last bit of his strength fading away.
He glared at the ones who had left him in such a state, Nasch, Astral, and the meddling brat, Yuma.
After promising them their demise would soon come, he retreated to his palace, empty as it always was.
He started up the stairs, knowing he needed time to rest and think.
He'd barely made it halfway up the staircase before his body gave out and he collapsed.
Fighting just to stay awake, he realized how physically broken he was now, though still not as shattered as his pride.
He lost this inner struggle in the end, giving into the dark and quiet of sleep
When he woke, he saw the last thing his tired mind had expected, though shouldn't have been surprised by. He was, of course, locked in a cell. It took his mind a few moments to truly process his location. When he did register it fully, he had been consumed with anger. Though, it was pointless to be. He had no hope of escape at this point.
End Of FlashBack
And now here he was, back in the cell and waiting for the last few hours of his life to tick away
How could he have fallen so far...?