Chapter 25
The Stockade
Alex has no idea how long he was out, but when he came to, Blaze was tugging on a pair of massive metal barred doors. They were in a circular stone cell with metal bars on each wall and a solid stone floor and back wall. There were torches in the hallway outside the cell but otherwise there was no light.
"Where are we?" Alex asked as he got to his feet.
"I don't know, the last thing I remembered was Ivan dragging us into the portal, a few flashes of blue light, then I was unconscious" Blaze recalled as he gave up on the door.
"Did you hear anything when we were in the portal?" Alex asked.
Blaze shook his head and said "no, why are you asking?"
"No reason" Alex lied, however the tone of his voice was unsure and rapid, that was enough to fool his partner.
"Well, if this is the future, why are we in a cell?" Blaze asked bluntly.
"What are you two supposed to be?" a raspy voice said, a dry chuckle coming from within the shadows
Alex and Blaze looked to the right to see a pair of blue eyes in the next cell over, the creature walked out of the shadows, causing the two apprentices to jump back. It was a quadruped, light brown pokemon, It had a white underbelly that extended up around its muzzle and eyes in a mask-like marking. It had pointed ears with dark brown tips and pink insides. Large tufts of brown fur extend from the sides of its head; three tufts on each side. A bushy, white mane covered its neck. Four dark brown rocks poked out of its mane, creating a shape similar to a stylized sun. It's coat was raggedy and frizzy, it was so malnourished that you could see its ribs.
"What do you mean, what are you in a cell? Ivan's boss wants you out of the way and that's that, if you're lucky he'll kill you now, otherwise you're gonna rot for years, feeding you barely enough to survive so you suffer and die slowly. Like me" the Lycanroc explained.
"Ivan's boss? He's an explorer that helps the innocent!" Blaze said defiantly.
The Lycanroc, couldn't help but laugh, he laughed for over a minute before his voice finally gave out.
"You two are the most stupid creatures, I've ever encountered, have you been living under a rock for 150 years?" He asked sarcastically as he coughed.
"150 years? What happened 150 years ago?" Alex asked.
The Lycanroc opened his mouth but before he could speak there was a sound of rapid footsteps in the distance.
"Looks like it's someone's lucky day" he sighed as a yellow Sableye followed by six normal ones came up to the cells with two blindfoldes and ropes.
"Those two!" Beryl ordered.
A sinister laugh emanated to the right of the cell as a Pokémon with malicious red eyes came up to the door holding a key. It was dark purple, and stood on two legs with a roundish body. It had a huge, wide mouth that was curled into a sinister grin, and pointed ears. On its back we're numerous spikes and it has smaller spikes on top of its head similar to tufty fur. Its arms and legs were short with three digits on both its hands and feet. It also has a stubby tail.
"All yours!" The Gengar exclaimed with an insane laugh as the six Sableye came in and shoved Alex and Blaze to the ground, tying their hands together and blindfolding them before dragging them to their feet and shoving them down the hallway.
"Enjoy the easy way out!" The Lycanroc yelled as they were taken away.
Alex and Blaze were shoved along until they were pushed up against something, more ropes went around them until they were completely trussed up. Their blindfolds were removed, and Alex and Blaze could see that they were in an open, stone room, tied to two massive pillars. Alex on the right and Blaze on the left
"What's happening?" Blaze asked in a scared voice.
"Humph, ignorant huh, you can afford to be nonchalant about it I guess" a voice said to the left of Blaze.
Alex and Blaze looked over to see Nigel, tried up to another pillar with a look of boredom on his face. He made it seem like this was a hassle to just sit here waiting for something to happen.
"Nigel, what are you doing here!" Alex asked, anger in his voice.
"Like you, patiently waiting for our executioners to arrive, and there they are" Nigel noted as Beryl and her six subordinates came in two stone doors with Ivan behind them.
"They are ready, Lord Ivan," Beryl said.
"Excellent, but be vigilant to the end, especially with Nigel" Ivan warned.
"Yes lord Ivan" Beryl replied.
"IVAN, ITS ALEX AND BLAZE, HELP US!" Alex yelled from across the room. Ivan didn't even acknowledge him as he floated up to Nigel, face to face with his restrained opponent.
"You were a tenacious one, and I have a respect for one's as resourceful as you. It's almost a shame to end the life of someone so skilled..almost" Ivan admitted.
Nigel spat in his face and said "got to hell!"
"I'm already here" Ivan replies snidely, he then floated between Alex and Blaze and said "nothing personal Blaze" before turning to Alex and saying "good riddance you annoying filth"
Alex was stunned, Ivan's calm and noble personality was gone, nothing but disgust and malice in his voice as he floated away.
As Ivan floated toward the door, he looked at Beryl and said "kill them slowly and painfully! I need to report to master Dialga" before proceeding out the door, shutting with a deafening thud behind him.
Beryl gave a devilish grin and said "Jade, Coral, take the Monferno, Jasper, Garnet, take the Axew. Ruby and I will take care of Nigel"
The Sableye laughed as they sharpened their claws by rubbing their fingers together.
Alex was still in shock, so was Blaze, luckily the third Pokémon was still thinking clearly.
"Psst,I got a deal, if you wanna get out of this alive, give me your full cooperation" Nigel whispered.
"Why should we trust you" Blaze whispered back.
"It's that or death, what sounds more appealing?" Nigel asked sarcastically under his breath.
"Fine, what's your plan?" Alex asked.
"If you can get your tail's fire hot enough, you can get a break in the rope, shoot it over to me and I can get loose enough to cut these ropes" Nigel explained.
"Why shouldn't I just free myself? Blaze responded.
"You don't have enough time to burn through everything, I know where your treasure bag is and more importantly the exit is" Nigel explained.
"Let's get started!" Beryl cheered as her subordinates walked up the pillars with their claws extended. They were going to slash their victims to ribbons.
Blaze did as Nigel instructed, surely enough a small flame jetted out of the ropes and hit Nigel's bindings, Beryl took notice of this just as the flame got through the first layer of Nigel's ropes.
"What are you up to!" She demanded.
Unfortunately for her, it was too late, Nigel slashed the ropes with his arm blades, he then grabbed one of the seeds off his back, and threw it on the ground, blinding everyone in an explosion of dust and powder. When everyone could see again, Nigel was gone.
"He escaped! Leave those two, he can't get away" Beryl yelled as she and her lackeys ran out of the room, the door automatically opened, leaving Alex and Blaze in silence.
"He ditched us, that no good piece of.." Alex was caught off guard by a muffled voice saying "if you keep running your mouth I will ditch you"
Nigel poped up from underground with a scowl on his face as he said "I may have not intention of sticking with you two but a deal is a deal"
He slashed the remaining ropes and motioned for them to follow.
"I'll get your treasure bag and get you out, but that's it" Nigel admitted.
Alex gave Blaze a shrug and followed Nigel, whether they liked it or not, they had to go with him for now...
Author's note- thoughts on the changes in this chapter? Few things to adress
1. Ivan being absent is the only way that Nigel's escape would work since he probably knows that Nigel knows dig.
2. It never made sense to me that the Sableye would slash the ropes more than them before killing them. or how Grovyle managed to pull the three of them under the ground so fast
3. All the Sableye are female in this