BLIND | DreamSMP

XVIII - Expected Betrayal

The unnatural smile fixed on Quackity's face widened at the provocative rebuttal.

"My dear Phil, you thought this was blood?" He laughed. "It's only beet juice! See?"

Quackity brought his blood-stained hand to his mouth, and sucked the burgandy from his thumb, delighted to see Phil's countenance twitch at the revolting action.

Tubbo looked like he was going to puke.

"A simple misunderstanding," Phil choked out. "My apologies."

"Humbly accepted. Now, back to business."

The vocal combat was drawn to a close as Quackity dropped his forced smile.
"We know you've been conspiring with Techno."

"That's completely fal–"

"Probably planning to overthrow us and take L'Manberg for yourselves."

"You have no evidence–"

"What makes you think we need evidence?" Quackity spoke in a dangerously low tone.

The message was clear; Phil no longer had rights here. He was at the mercy of an authoritarian state, and the judge was anything but unbiased.

"Ranboo, search the chests. See if you can find anything useful. Fundy, you pat him down."

Fundy approached Phil with an apologetic face, and hesitantly began to scour him for concealed items.

As he neared the pocket where the compass sat, Phil closed his eyes, unable to watch as his traitorous grandson retrieved the object, and passed it to Quackity.

"Aha! So this is what you've been hiding! A compass... but it certainly doesn't point north, which means this is connected to a lodestone. Anyone willing to hazard a guess at where that lodestone might lead?"

"Techno?" Ranboo said.

"Correct! And that means we now have directions to one bona fide hog hunt!"

Fundy finished rummaging through Phil's person, confiscating two daggers, a packet of gunpowder, and a pocket knife.

"You're a fool if you think ending Techno's life will bring you justice."

"Don't worry yourself, we don't plan on killing him. Not yet, anyways." Quackity said flippantly.

Phil turned to Tubbo, hoping to appeal to his senses.

"You don't want to do this. I promise you, nothing good will come of it. Techno has kept to himself, and he'll continue to do so if you just let him be."

Quackity didn't give the boy a chance to speak.

"What about the visits Techno makes here, hmm? You didn't assume we were blind to all his comings and goings, did you?"

"It's not what you think."

"Sure it isn't."

Leaving Phil standing in the middle of the now-crowded house, Quackity called to his companions.

"Spread out and search the place. There must be more stuff around here we can use."

As his belongings were vandalized, thrown about and torn open, rummaged through without care, Phil felt a deep sense of shame take hold. There was nothing he could do: if he engaged in combat, he was sure to lose; even with a weapon, the idea of a battle against four able-bodied, experienced men was fruitless to entertain. He couldn't run, as the door was blocked by Fundy, and any sort of trickery or negotiation would be derailed by Quackity's persistence and single-mindedness.

And yet, guilt trickled into his thoughts, admonishing him for not doing more to protect Techno and Tommy, for keeping the compass on his person instead of in a secure location, for coming back to L'Manberg when there was little need to take that risk, for trusting the word of a government that had so many times before deceived its people.

"Do you plan to kill me after you finish ransacking my house?"

Quackity feigned shock. "Of course not! You're a valuable asset right now, having such connections with an enemy of the state. But you bring up a good point. Can't leave you roaming around here, following in your son's footsteps. Tubbo, pass me that rope."

Phil's hands were wrenched behind his back and secured together at the wrist with the thick, sturdy material.

"You're making a mistake."

"I may be cocky Phil, but I'm not stupid. Trust me, by sundown you'll be the ones begging for your lives."

"Sick bastard."

"Maybe I am." Quackity grinned. "But who's gonna stop me?"

Juggling the compass between his hands, Quackity strolled towards the door.

"We got what we came for. Let's get going."

One by one, Fundy, Ranboo, and Tubbo filed past, exiting the house just as quickly as they had entered, until only Quackity was left. The man leaned close to Phil, a malevolent glint in his dark eyes.

"Don't even think about stepping outside or cutting yourself loose, or I promise you, things will get a helluva lot worse for you and Techno."

With that final warning, the door was slammed shut, and Phil was, once again, alone.