The same time Tamotsu lowered his defence, Kuro did exactly the same, taking a little time to blow the smoke off the nearly melted gun barrel. "...Takashi is alive. I can't lie about someone so important to you."

"He died in our fucking arms..." Luka whined with a shaky voice, "You're lying..."

"Though it is rare, the magic to heal even the gravest of injuries does exist. Minerva picked up Zephyr Coldmyst before he was vaporized in that battle, and later she swept a supposedly dead Takashi out from under the Academy's feet. He was by no means stable at first, but with some hard work and a little forbidden magic on the side, we were able to heal him completely." Kuro went quiet then, and stared at Tamotsu, his mouth hanging as if he had more to say. But he was already wondering if he was in fact betraying Minerva and Espada by giving out this information.

"...We have Takashi and Zephyr in custody..."