The Rogue Reaper (Sword Art Online)

Part 11: Fallout

Noct stepped through the PAA's Corridor Crystal portal, finding himself behind a wall of rusting iron bars in a small, cramped room. It was dark, with no windows or lights anywhere he could see, except for one beam of moonlight from a window at the end of the hall. There was some ever-present, foul odor that made him wrinkle his nose, but in the darkness he couldn't determine its source.

A brilliant cylinder of light appeared in the cell across from him, and when the portal dissipated Lovino stepped out, taking in her new surroundings with a look of uninterest. Akari, Zephyr, Ryuu, Kathrall, and a handful of guards appeared in the narrow hall on the other side of the door a few moments later.

Kathrall held his hand over the cell door and tapped the holographic panel that appeared. From the other side of the door Noct could make out the illuminated text on the screen:

«Jail Time: Indefinite»

Noct wordlessly took a seat on the twin sized bed next to the wall, the only piece of furniture in the room. The mattress was so hard it made a better bench than a place to lie down.

When Kathrall finished doing the same with Lovino's door, he turned to Noct. "We're still organizing the details of your trial. We've stored your equipment and belongings in a safe place under my lock, so you don't have to worry about them. Until then, try to make yourself at home. Apologies for the bed, I know they're not the most comfortable."

"You got any cells that don't smell like piss?" Noct asked, making no effort to hide his resentment.

"Unfortunately, no. This wing is the only one with available cells." Kathrall frowned. "Don't look at me like that. We only have so much room here. Do you need anything? Within reason, of course."

"The evidence that warranted arresting me. Though I guess I shouldn't get my hopes up."

"Your arrest was based on the reports of witnesses as well as the reports from some of our own guild members. Physical evidence is difficult to get a hold of in this world, as you probably know. Anything else?"

After a second's pause to think it over, Noct replied. "How about a spoon, to dig myself out of this shithole?"

Kathrall's expression remained unamused. "Visitors should be out in an hour. It's been a long day for everyone." His cape swirled behind him as he left, armour clanking as he climbed the stairs up to the main level of the prison. "Send for me if those two start causing problems, but I'm sure they won't," he said to one of the guards, glancing back at the despondent party. The rest followed close behind. Before long, the party was alone.

"They're... They're gone... Oh, Lash, I'm so sorry, forgive me!" Akari cried, wiping tears from her swollen red eyes with her sleeves. She sniffled and breathed deeply, trying to calm herself down, but her grief proved to be too overwhelming, and she broke down into a new round of tears.

She sat on the cold floor, back against the door of Lovino's cell, knees held close to her body and head down. Noct could see her shoulders heaving with each sob. He lowered his eyes and stared absently at the wall in front of him, unable to watch her like that.

How did things go so wrong so fast? This damned game was so unfair. Why wasn't there a safe zone by the dungeon entrance, like any other game? Why was there open PvP in the first place? Perma-death? Whose great idea was that?! Because of them, Lashette, Kael, Nelchael, and Taira were all gone, and as far as they knew, dead.

"Taira, you didn't deserve this. I screwed it up, it's my fault." Noct absently muttered to himself.

Zephyr got up from his spot against the wall and went straight for Noct's cell. He grabbed the iron bars with both hands and shouted into the tiny room, startling him. "Damn you, Noct! Of course it's your fault!" He exploded at him, unable to restrain himself any longer. "I should have seen this coming! They trusted you, you know that?! And you left them in a place where they were just killed off like mobs! Because of you, my friends are dead!"