"Seto?" Ty called. He couldn't see anything at all, and it scared him. "What are you doing here?"
"He's probably here to torture us. Like he's been doing," Jason said, hate in his voice. "What did Herobrine promise you?"
"What?" Ty and Mitch asked at once. They hadn't heard what Jason had just been explaining to Sky.
Seto's soft sigh echoed through the quiet hallway. Ty heard a soft swishing noise and guessed that the sorcerer must have sat down.
"I'm waiting," Jason hissed. Ty had never heard him sound so angry.
"You wouldn't understand," Seto muttered. "You don't know what it was like."
Jason snarled. "I think you've been helping me get a pretty damn good idea."
"Seto, man, what's going on?" Mitch asked nervously.
Ty couldn't see Seto's face, but he imagined him smile. "Hello, Mitch. Ember said she'd brought you here. She said that you were positively delighted to see me. It's good to see you too." The quiet of his tone was more dangerous than if he'd shouted. Mitch gulped.
"It's quite a pity that Herobrine ordered me to leave you alive. I'd like to kill you for the way you treated me, I really would," Seto continued. "He's taught me some brilliant methods of executing someone you hate. All of them are very painful, and nicely gory, too." He laughed, not a cackle, but a real, happy little laugh.
"Seto, you're… you've gone crazy," Sky said disbelievingly.
"Who knows what might have happened to my mind while Herobrine tortured me? I know I don't. If I am crazy, I'm enjoying every minute of it." There was a quiet shuffling sound as Seto rose to his feet. The key ring jingled in his hand as he popped it into the lock of Ty's cell, unlocking the door. "Come with me, Mitch," he ordered, voice filled with menace.
"Seto, what are you doing?" Ty asked. "This isn't you." Seto had never acted like this before. He and Mitch may not have gotten along, but… Seto had never wanted Mitch dead. As far as he knew.
"Ty, look at me," he said softly.
"I can't." Seto was a traitor. Seto was on Herobrine's side. Just like Ember. Who next? Jason? Sky? Ty felt a knot of nervousness tie itself into his stomach. Would he be the next one betray his friends? He'd never do that… right?
"Do I really disgust you that much?" Seto asked, with a weak attempt at humor. There was obvious hurt in his voice, though.
"Seto, leave him alone. He means he literally can't," Jason growled. "Now go away."
Seto wheeled around. "Ty… can't?"
"Don't pretend you care," Jason sniffed. "Because you don't. You're Herobrine's bully now, aren't you?"
"Sky," Seto pleaded, "what happened to Ty?"
Sky said nothing, and Ty felt a pang of pity for Seto. He'd done, Ty was sure, what he thought was the best thing to do. Seto must have been tortured, he must be confused. But it was only a small stab of sympathy. The rest of him was sick with revulsion at his old friend's actions. Torturing Jason? That was unthinkable.
Ty leaned back until his hand found Mitch's leg. Mitch was hyperventilating in fear, and jumped. Seto was still trying to get Sky to explain what had happened. This might be their only chance to escape. "Mitch?" he whispered.
"Ty," Mitch replied almost silently. "I'm right here."
"The door's still open, right?"
"Oh… Oh yeah!" Mitch whisper-yelled. "I'm going to try to tackle Seto. If I can keep him from calling for help, we have a chance." Ty nodded, and he heard as Mitch positioned himself for the attack. "Three, two,… one!"
There was a thump as Mitch collided with Seto. Sounds of wrestling came up from the floor, but eventually one side's struggles must have subsided, because the scuffling stopped after a few moments. There was a clanking noise as a set of keys was collected.
"Damn, dude," Sky whistled appreciatively. Yes. Mitch must have succeeded.
"What can I say? I'm pretty awesome."
"Fair enough. Let us out of here, you freaking badass!" Jason laughed.
The lock made a clicking sound as it released. Footsteps crossed the hallway, and Ty flinched as a pair of hands caught his shoulders. "Who-," he started to ask.
"Shh," Jason said. "I'll help you get out of here. Just move where I lead you. It's like one of those dumb trust exercises that they made us do in school, remember?"
Ty smiled despite himself. He and Jason had always buddied up for those games, which had led to some pretty spectacular pranks pulled on each other. "Please tell me you aren't going to make me walk into a Nether Portal again," he begged. Why their school had had a Nether Portal was one of the greatest mysteries of life. How Ty had escaped alive and forgiven Jason was the other.
"Eh…"
"You're evil, you know that?"
"It's my specialty," Jason grinned, helping Ty climb to his feet and wrapped his arms around the shorter boy's waist. "There's a small step down to the hall floor- there." He caught Ty as he slipped over the drop.
"Thanks," Ty whispered, leaning back against Jason. He couldn't see anything, didn't know where anything or anyone else was. "Jason… don't let go of me, okay? Because…" He didn't have to finish. He knew that if Jason chose to move away he'd be completely helpless.
"Of course, Ty. Just relax. If it makes you feel better, there aren't any Nether Portals anywhere close."
"Alright, I got Sky loose. You know this place better than I do, Jason. What's the plan?" Mitch asked.
"Hmm… To the right are the, um, torture rooms, and there aren't any exits that way. If we go left, which is the way to the exit, we have to deal with Aradyn."
"Sounds like we're heading left. Jason, you can take care of Ty, right?" Sky asked, automatically assuming his generally accepted position as leader.
"Yeah. I've got him," Jason said. "So… left. But we should search Seto for anything useful."
"Good plan," Mitch and Sky agreed. Ty felt a flicker of panic as Jason slackened his hold around him for a moment.
"It's okay," he soothed gently. "What did we find?"
"A few potions. I don't know what they do, so that won't be super useful. He also has a sword," Mitch reported.
"'Kay. How about you take that, Mitch?" Sky suggested.
"Why not you? You're wicked with a sword." Ty had been about to ask the same thing.
Sky sighed. "Because… I think that if I had to make the choice, I wouldn't be able to kill… to kill Ember."
"And the sword isn't butter. And if it isn't butter, it's useless, as we all know," Jason reminded everyone.
Ty could almost hear Sky rolling his eyes. "That too. Let's go."
Jason steered Ty through the hall, moving silently. Ty stumbled every few steps, slipping on the smooth stone only to have his fall broken by Jason. He hated feeling so helpless, not being able to know what was going on.
"Where do you think you're going?" Rogue called, and Jason froze.
"Umm… Sky, what do we do?"
"Ember!" Rogue shouted. There was a ripping noise, and a gust of wind filled the passageway.
"Shit," Sky muttered. What was going on? Jason started to back away, still holding onto Ty's arm, something that Ty was immensely grateful for.
Rogue growled. "I won't hurt you if you freeze now and drop the sword."
"Rogue, please. Let us go," Jason appealed.
"Jase, you know I can't do that. We can't help you. Now get your friend to drop the sword. We don't give second chances." Her pronoun changed partway through her warning. It was strange, Ty thought, for one person to refer to themselves as 'we.' But that must be part of being one of the hybrids. He'd never want to be like that.
Jason sighed in defeat. "Mitch, drop it."
"No freaking way! We can't do that. Jason, she's tricking you."
The corridor became noticeably colder. "Mitch, I said drop the sword. Sky, tell him." Jason's voice held a frantic note.
"What's she going to do?"
"You're going to find out in a moment," Rogue hissed. There was a loud flurry of footsteps as someone came running into the hallway.
"Mitch, drop the sword," Ember ordered. Ty flinched at the sound of her rough, angry voice.
"I don't listen to dogs," Mitch snarled.
He yelped suddenly, and Ember sounded much closer as she spat out, "I'm a dragon, actually. I could eat you and enjoy it. Don't forget that, worm." There was a clattering noise as the sword hit the floor, followed by a squeak of pain as Ember slapped Mitch, hard. Jason exhaled sharply in anger.
"What should I do with them, Em?" asked Rogue. "Leave them for Herobrine?"
"That'd be fine. Escort them back to their cells. Except…" Ty could feel Ember's eyes boring into him. "I want to talk to Ty."
"Ty?"
"Headphone boy."
"Okay," Rogue said, sounding as though that made everything make sense.
"No!" Sky shouted. There was a thud as he tried to lunge forward and was intercepted by something, Rogue probably. "You can't hurt Ty!"
"I said talk," Ember said quietly. "I won't hurt him, Sky."
"Ember, I swear that I will kill you if you hurt Ty," Jason vowed.
"You won't have to. I promise that I have no intentions of harming Ty."
"You're a liar."
"Enough," Rogue declared. "You need to get moving."
Ty felt as Jason was pulled away from him, and stood there, swaying in a moment of extreme disorientation. He didn't know where anything was. He didn't know where anyone was. "Jason?" he whispered shakily.
A strong, cool hand rested on his arm, holding him upright. It was Ember. The traitor.
What did I say? Two chapters! I'm awesome and you know it. Also, I'm working on becoming a beta reader. PM me if that might be helpful. I may be changing my update schedule to every other day (for Sunset I was updating daily). That's all the news. Don't let the bunnies get you!