I Swear I'm not the Devil.

[Lollercide]

The tiefling laid on his side against the cold floor of his cell, staring to the bars of where The Fallen Paladin, Yashia, had long fallen asleep. She seemed to have exhausted herself after her odd behavior and hostile exchange of words against Zack.

" ... why am I even here? Nobody will give Zack a straight answer ... They already set Cirion loose, even after his lover admitted his involvement in the kidnapping, so why am I still here ...?" The tiefling asked himself, genuinely confused to why he is in there.

Zack was no stranger to being imprisoned. There's no point in wasting time, even when confined within the cell. Not when you could be doing something productive. Zack rolled over on his stomach, spacing out his hands on the floor and bringing his feet in together. He began a string of pushups, muttering to himself between grunts and breaths.

"They're going to kill Zack, aren't they?"

...

"Wonder who will take the quartz and close the rift when Zack is gone?"

...

"Even with everyone that witnessed what happened, no one will stand up and speak the truth for Zack. Fate ... I wish things weren't like this, I don't want to die ..."

Zack flops over on his back and begins panting. With his right hand, he drags the tips of his fingernails across his bare chest while beads of sweat roll off of his face. He lifts his other hand towards the ceiling, bending his fingers and turning his wrist, as if reaching for something.

"Zack's product of something unnatural, he never had a place in this world ... this balance ... he was spawned into a system where he was never meant to exist."

Zack pushes his lips together, narrowing his eyes on his hand. "No. Zack did nothing wrong. The world may work against him, but ... But." He wraps his fingers around the imaginary object he had been reaching for, squeezing his fingers into a tight fist, supposedly crushing it.

"Who is more worthy of changing it, than Zack? The world works against Zack, but all the world needs is Zack."

[Lollercide]

Cirion was released, then Yashia. With how quick they were released, he could not be sure if they were even questioned. None of that mattered. He never truly expected kidnapping or abuse to be a hefty crime, or them to be punished for it, even when they had admitted to it.

He was a tiefling, after all, and he was the last one left. He could hear two guards approach, and then the turning of the key within the lock.

" ... time to put on a show ... "

The tiefling lift his hands in the air and slowly placed them behind his head. He lowered his eyes, stepping to the center of the room where he would wait for further orders.

" ... this isn't the first time, won't be the last ... dazzle them, Zack "

The tiefling put on the most genuine of frowns he could find, masking his experience and apathy with the facade of fear. Never making eye contact with the guards. Never giving them even a hint of resistance.

The two guards escorted the tiefling to a small room with a single shoddy table off to the side. The chair creaked under the pressure of Zack's weight as he sat down.

" They've got it all planned out. Who's taking their turn with Zack first? " His eyes focused on the table, waiting for one of them to say something.

One of the guards stepped forward, placing a cigarette in his mouth while pulling an odd device from his pocket. He struck the device, creating fire, and drew in a long breath through the cigarette. The features of his face becoming very clear now. He had a kind expression, but a hard face. He didn't come off as a genius, but he was definitely experienced.

" Smokey, " the tiefling named him, as he does everyone else.

Dropping his hands from the end of the cigarette he blew out a lung full of air with a satisfied sigh, taking care not to blow it in Zack's face. " Cig? " Smokey offered Zack a tightly rolled cigarette between his fat and callused fingers.

Zack wasn't amused at the man's 'charity', and narrowed his eyes while shaking his head to decline Smokey's offer.

The man shrugged, putting the cigarette and device away while drawing another long drag from his cigarette. He began speaking while holding a lung of smoke, " They been feeding you well? Been getting enough water? " He releases the breath of air upwards, shooting the tiefling a knowing look from the corner of his eyes.

Zack twisted his mouth, feeling the pain in his stomach and throat from the lack of food or water. He lowered his eyes onto the table and spoke, " Zack just wants to know why he's in here. Nobody has told him what's going on ... he was just kidnapped and brought here without word or explanation. What crimes is he being held for? "

" Assault, " Smokey replies in a casual and straight forward manner. He looks down on the tiefling for a long and thoughtful moment before continuing, " Where were you two nights ago? "

" ... two days ago ...? " The tiefling forces his eyes to remain in one spot by focusing on a scratch in the table. " The Exigo Trading Post. Zack spent all day there, trying to purchase quartz from the traveling merchants and adventurers. "

" All day? You sure you didn't go anywhere else? " Smokey asked in a knowing tone, flicking ashes on the table, distracting Zack's eye focus.

Zack shook his head and confirmed, " All day. "

Smokey let out a long and exaggerated sigh, " Look, if you don't help me help you, you're going to end up dead. You know how much people hate those with horns. I can help you, just tell me the truth. "

Zack's eyes darted for Smokey's as he declared in a stern voice, " That is the truth! "

Smokey's expression remained adamant as soft moan rumbled in his chest. With his index finger, he beckoned the other guard over.

Now the real interrogation would begin. No matter how harsh the insults and threats were, Zack would not change his story. Not even the physical abuse, or the lying about witnesses and evidence would cause him to sway.

Oh, but they tried.