The Past Ahead - an Empires SMP AU

Chapter 26 - Escape artists

           "Joey, get those shackles," Lizzie said, thinking quickly, pointing at the unused chains attached to the wall. Joey complied and the three of them bound False, who was fighting to regain control but failing. "Leave her alone!" Scott yelled, trying to distract them and maybe help False escape, but she was still mostly frozen in place. 

           "I always knew you couldn't be trusted," Xornoth said calmly, looking at False. False glared back but said nothing. Chains circled around her wrists and ankles and held her to the paneled walls, and a third chain looped around her neck, meaning that if she strained against her restraints then she would end up choking herself. That didn't stop her from pulling on her shackles, but she still had to obey the rule of no killing, which apparently also banned suicide.

           Xornoth, you diabolical demon, Scott thought angrily. "And now we have a hostage I can actually kill," Xornoth went on. "Of course, the other emperors have to know you were secretly on their side first. But that is not accurate, is it? You weren't on their side either. You were on yours." "You don't know me," False said softly, her voice as sharp as daggers. 

           Xornoth just laughed and left the room. As he did so, he said, "Joey, you're on guard duty." "Of course, darling!" Joey squeaked, making lovey-dovey eyes, and Scott mimed throwing up. The other Scott snickered, and Joey turned around to see what he was laughing at. "What's so funny?" He mocked. "You two are in a cage, and your only hope is locked up too."

           False slowly turned her head, and her eyes were like fire. "Not entirely," She said. Joey looked at her. "What do you mean?" He stepped closer. False merely rattled her chains, and Joey leaned in to inspect them. Suddenly, the tinkerer moved faster than Scott had ever seen anything move, and Joey ended up in a choke hold, False's chains wrapping partially around him as well. 

           "You may not know this about me," False whispered in Joey's ear, "But I don't take kindly to being a prisoner." She moved one of her chains closer to the protruding end of Joey's sword, secured on his belt without a sheath. She began to poke her chain with it, trying to get it to snap. "Well, I don't take kindly to being a prisoner either!" Joey shouted.

           He rolled over and nearly got himself killed with his own stupidity, what with the way False had restrained him, but he somehow managed to wriggled out of her grasp and land safely on the floor. Breathing heavily at the close call, he got up and thrust his sword at her face.

           "I'm not allowed to kill," He said, breathing heavily, "But I don't think it counts if you just so happen to slice your own throat while trying to escape." False glared, and suddenly they heard footsteps coming down the hallway, and the sound of sniffing. 

           "Scott? I can smell you down here, and I heard you've been kidnapped by a demon," The elf Scott wondered why the voice sounded so familiar, then realized it was Owen the ex-llama. Scott of Chromia suddenly leapt to his feet, alarmed and horrified. "Owen! No, what are you doing here?! Get out!" He shouted desperately, but Owen payed no attention and walked into the room. He looked at the Scotts, Joey, and False.

           "Are those two friends of yours?" The llama boy asked, pointing at Joey and False with both his hands. "The lady with yellow hair, yes, the guy with the sword, no!" Scott said quickly. "Who are you?" Joey asked, pointing his sword at Owen, who sighed. "What is it with people pointing sharp things at me today?" 

           "Owen, get out of here!" "Oh, so he's a friend of yours? I guess I'll capture him too," Joey declared, and he reached out to forcefully grab the llama. But Owen dodged and bit him. Joey yelped. "I don't want to be captured," Owen whined, and then he spat in Joey's eye. Joey yelped again and rubbed his eyes, growling.