Chapter 19 – Imprisoned by your past

Kate slowly began to open her eyes. But when her eyes came into focus again, she gasped.

She was sitting in a large stone room with a few lit torches on the walls. Kate looked to her right and found a set of prison bars that led to another prison cell, and in the cell was a black lump.

"Lloyd?" Kate asked as she squinted at the figure in the other cell.

Though Kate didn't know it yet, she had heavy shackles on her wrists, and she was immobilized since the chains were engraved in the wall she was sitting against.

The lump began to move, and soon Lloyd's blond bowl-cut hair-do appeared as Lloyd sat up.

"What just happened?" Lloyd groaned, but his eyes widened when he saw Kate, "Kate!" Lloyd shouted.

"Shh!" Kate snapped, "what ever kidnapped us will hear us, so pipe down," Kate whispered harshly. Kate struggled to move, and that's when she realized the shackles and her eyes widened. Kate looked over at Lloyd as he stood up; there were no chains to weigh him down, he was free to move among his cell. Kate got confused, but suddenly the prison door to Kate's cell creaked open. Lloyd gripped the bars as he tried to see, and Kate was wide eyed. Suddenly Pythor and Fangtom slithered in, both with a devilish smile.

"Ssssorry if I had to knock you two bratsss unconscioussss—didn't want you ruining your kidnapping," Pythor said darkly as he slithered closer to Kate, but Fangtom remained by the door.

"Certainly not," Kate began sarcastically, "and why is he here?" Kate asked as she looked at Fangtom, "and why would you put shackles on me when Lloyd's the 'problem child' being the son of Lord Garmadon?" Kate asked with air-quotes.

"Oh, shut up and let me explain!" Pythor snapped and cleared his throat, "he's here for other reasonsss—but I made you immobilized because you know who you are—and so do I," Pythor said with a grin.

"Kate, what's he talking about?" Lloyd asked worriedly.

"You zip it, little whore!" Pythor hissed. Lloyd was taken back and angry at the same time, "now as I was ssssaying—I will not give all the answers, but whatever is said, musssst not be repeated. Kate, my dear, you're like a niece to me, since I knew your parents, and all," as Pythor spoke, Kate got more angry, "and I know you were taken from your family—all because of your father…" Pythor explained and his voice trailed off, long enough for Kate to snap.

"Stop, don't go any further! I don't want to talk about my past," Kate said as she was on the verge of tears.

"Hmm, you seem to have your father's ssstuborness, I like that—but maybe I should stop. Maybe Lloyd is willing to take in your sorry story. And Maybe you should explain it to him," Pythor explained, and turned to leave the cell, but then he stopped and leaned towards one Fangtom's heads, "when she stops yapping—kill her," Pythor whispered, and then left as Fangtom just stood there.

"Vell-get on vith it-vee don't have-our whole livessss," said Fangtom. At that moment Kate closed her eyes and hung her head as a single tear dripped from her eye.

"Kate, please tell me. Tell me what Pythor's talking about," Lloyd pleaded softly as he sat down on the cell floor.

"Usually, I would tell you not to listen to someone like Pythor, but this time you should—whatever is said cannot be repeated," Kate said in a shaky but firm voice. Lloyd inched closer to the bars and nodded. Kate sighed.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there's a bounty on me. It's like what Pythor said, it's all because of my dad. When he was young, he was captured by the Serpentine, before they were locked up, and he pleaded them for his freedom. But being the sleazy creatures they are, they told him they wouldn't hurt him if he sided with them, and so he did. As the Serpentine Wars were approaching, the time my dad spent with the snakes began to change his heart and his mind in a twisted way. After the war was done, and the snakes defeated and locked away, my dad was the only one to escape, but he went into a horrible grief. It wasn't until then he realized everything he lost: his family, friends, his famous career. Everyone used to love him, but now everyone wanted to kill him. So he tried to hide away with his childhood friend, or in this case, my mother. And when he found her again, they finally acted upon their love," Kate explained.

"What? You mean you're dad proposed, or…?" Lloyd cut in with a raised eyebrow, but Kate looked at Lloyd with a dull face, "oh," Lloyd said flatly.

"Yes, and when my dad found out about my mom's pregnancy, thing's just got worse for him, because he knew a life he helped bring into this world would suffer because of him. And when I was born, my dad couldn't show his face in public, meaning he couldn't call nine-one-one when my mom went into labor. So my mom died after I was born. After a few years, the government heard about my birth and wanted me. So, when they knew my dad was vulnerable having to watch over his five year old daughter, they found him, and literally snatched me from his arms and I never saw him again. But I managed to escape from their clutches and lived my life alone since then," Kate explained as more tears rolled down her face, "I don't even know I he's still alive anymore," Kate sobbed.

Lloyd looked down in sorrow, but then he looked back up at Kate.

"Kate, I know what it's like to not know your mom, and be forced to love the only parent you actually remember. And I'm sorry," Lloyd said sadly.

"It's ok. I guess it's good to know there are people who can relate to these kinds of problems," Kate sniffled.

"No, not just that, I'm sorry for letting the Serpentine loose, and for being so stupid to think I could become my dad. He never had a chance to choose his own path, but I do, and I realize that now. Thanks to you," Lloyd said softly, "but it's all thanks to me that we're in this mess," Lloyd sighed.

"Yesss-but your problemssss-vill sssoon end-becausssse Pythor asssked me-to make your problems go avay-for good," Fangtom said darkly as he slowly dragged a claw horizontally across his two necks. Making Kate and Lloyd panic.

"Kate, no!" Lloyd shouted as he struggled to fit an arm through the bars towards Kate.

"Shut up or-I'll kill you firssst!" Fangtom snapped. Lloyd pulled his arm back through and took a few steps backwards. "Kate-did your father-ever tell you-how ssstrong-a Fangpyre's-biting force is? Vee have a biting force-of twenty thousand pounds-per square inch. That'ssss ten timesss sssstronger-than a bull dog," Fangtom explained as he slithered closer to Kate. Kate's eyes went wide when she heard this. And she looked at her shackles and back at Fangtom.

"Ok. Prove it, then," Kate said as she grinned.

"Oh, I'll prove it to you-little child," Fangtom whispered angrily and suddenly lunged at Kate with his long, white fangs bared and claws out.

Things went silent and slowed down as Fangtom traveled through the air. But Kate jerked herself to one side as one of the heads was just about to bite her. This resulted in one of Fangtom's heads biting with a lot of force onto one of the chains holding Kate. Fangtom bit the chains so hard, that both the chain, and the head's fangs broke and shattered.

Things sped up and sound returned as Kate was free and Fangtom gripped the head with the deformed fangs with his claws in pain. Fangtom was so busy groaning, he didn't notice Kate stand up, and get at a good enough angle to karate kick him in both heads, knocking the two headed red general unconscious. Lloyd was shocked as he stood up and gawked at Kate. As Lloyd gawked, Kate pulled on the chains to break free, and soon enough the shackle on Kate's other wrist broke, and she headed for the bars between her and Lloyd.

"Ugh, how the heck am I supposed to get you out of here?" Kate grunted as she griped the bars and pulled.

"You have the option to ditch me. But you won't, will you?" Lloyd asked sheepishly.

"I'm afraid that'sssss imposssssible," a deep male voice hissed. Lloyd and Kate looked at the door to Kate's cell and saw Slithraa, who was no longer general, and he had blood stained bandages wrapped around his snout from when Skales kicked him, causing Slithraa to lose a fang.

"Slithraa?" Lloyd questioned.

"Yessss, Lloyd. I may have losssst place of general, but you are ssstill my masssster. Ssso I will help you and your friend esssscape," Slithraa said as he walked up to the bars next to Kate. There was actually a barred door in the bars, and it had a lock, and Slithraa bright an old and rusted key with him. So Slithraa slid the key into the key hole, unlocked the door, and let Lloyd into Kate's cell.

"What was that you said? About it being impossible for Kate to leave me?" Lloyd questioned.

"I hate to give you such newsss, Masssster Lloyd, but Pythor hassss enchanted you both with magic shacklessssss," Slithraa said with sorrow.

"What shackles?" asked Kate. When suddenly necklaces appeared around both Lloyd and Kate's necks, "oh," Kate said flatly as she and Lloyd looked down at their necklaces.

The necklaces were quite unusual. They were shaped like a small, slim snake's body, and they were made out of shiny and finely cut black crystal. They had snake heads with open mouths and bared fangs, and their bodies and tails spiraled up and around Lloyd and Kate's necks. Lloyd's necklace was slightly more buff than Kate's and rested on the right side of Lloyd's collar bone. While Kate's necklace was slimmer, and rested on the left side of her collar bone, resulting in the snakes mouths facing each other. But the strangest thing to come out of his was that a purple colored electrical lines shot out from the necklaces and they intertwined with each other, ad the purple line lead out of the cell and into the hall outside.

"What the heck are these things, and what is that line for?" Lloyd asked as he started to panic.

"I'll explain, but firsssssst you two mussssst follow me," Slithraa whispered. And with that Slithraa, Lloyd and Kate snuck out of the cell and into the hall, and they soon came to door that lead to outside. And it was still dark out, by the looks of it. They got to the door, and looked out at the center plaza of the City of Ouroboros. And near the outer edge of the arena was a large stone, and the purple lines from Lloyd and Kate's necklaces was attached to the large rock.

"Ssssee that rock over there? That'ssss what isss meant to keep you two from esssscaping the city. But with my help, I could break the force, and you two could run. But there isss sssstill one little flaw," Slithraa explained.

"What 'one little flaw'?" Kate asked with air-quotes.

"I'm afraid that after I break the force keeping you connected to the rock, you will be free, but the necklacessss will connect with each other, ssssso you won't be able to go within one hundred feet away from each other. Or elsssse a magnetic force will only pull you back together. Assss long assss you wear thossssse, you'll be stuck together," Slithraa explained.

"Is there any way to get them off?" asked Lloyd.

"I don't know. Pythor'ssssss kind made thesssse magical objectssss. And sssssince Pythor isss the lassst of hissss kind, he'ssss the only one that would know more about them. And he certainly won't tell usssss about thessse ssssstrange necklacesssss," Slithraa replied.

"Aw man. As long as we don't get answers from Pythor, we're stuck with each other. You might as well just make us the last two humans on Earth," Kate whined.

"That'sssss not important. I need you two to sssstay here, while I go and desssstroy the force keeping you two imprisoned here," Slithraa demanded. With that, Slithraa ran off and towards the large rock that had the purple rays connected to it. Lloyd and Kate watched as Slithraa snuck passed random Serpentine that happened to pass by.

When Slithraa reached the rock, he examined it and the electrical rays. But Slithraa soon noticed a wooden lever in the wall next to the rock. Slithraa gripped the lever and flipped it down. As Slithraa let go of the lever, cracking sounds were made as a sudden metal shield that was buried beneath the sand rose and slowly went up and over the entire rock. When the metal rose as far as it could, the ray was blocked so it disappeared from the rock, but that only made the rays continue to stay connected with each other, as Lloyd and Kate were still stuck together.

"Go now! While you sssssstill have the chance!" Slithraa shouted back as he turned back to look at Lloyd and Kate.

Lloyd and Kate looked at each other before Lloyd gripped Kate's hand and they left the building they were once imprisoned in and ran down the maze like city, toward the desert.

Slithraa stared in the direction Lloyd and Kate went, even after they were out of sight. But suddenly an arrow head pierced Slithraa's neck. Blood seeped from the wound as Slithraa was gasping for breath. Slithraa took one last raspy breath and collapsed dead. But in the direction the arrow was shot from, behind Slithraa, Pythor stood there with a bow, and he was standing there as if he just shot the arrow. And the bow Pythor was holding was Kate's bow.

Meanwhile, Lloyd and Kate ran and ran through the mud-brick maze until they finally reached the outside. They both stopped and let go of their hands to catch a breath.

"You know…if I had to be stuck…with anyone…for the rest of my life…" Lloyd said between breaths, "I'm glad it's you," Lloyd finished with a smile.

"Gee, that's romantic," Kate began sarcastically, "but by the time I have kids with you, is when the Serpentine will be on our side," Kate continued.

"Hey, I'm not comfortable with this either, but it's like what Slithraa said: we can't move too far away or we'll only hold each other back. Until we get these things off, we'll have to work in unison, alright?" Lloyd said firmly, "now, let's head back to the bounty," Lloyd said in a softer tone, and turned to walk into the desert. Kate glared at Lloyd for a moment before she sighed and rolled her eyes and followed Lloyd.

"By the way—thank you," Kate thanked softly, "for—for listening to what I had to say. It takes a true and strong person to comprehend events and knowledge like this," Kate continued as she walked next to Lloyd, and they looked into each other's eyes.

"No prob. If we're going to be stuck together for a while, we might as well make good communication," Lloyd reasoned, "but one thing still perplexes me. Which way is the Bounty?" Lloyd asked as he looked over the desert ahead of him. Kate thought for a moment, and then her eyes widened.

"I got it. The front of the Bounty always faces the sunset; which means it faces away from the sunrise," Kate explained as she smiled.

"So?" asked Lloyd.

"So look," Kate said as she pointed a finger toward dawn; which was creeping over the horizon in the direction of the City of Ouroboros, "this means the Bounty is that way," Kate said as she pointed directly away from the city and the sunrise.

"Yeah, but how far that way?" Lloyd asked with worry.

"I don't know," Kate simply replied. But then Lloyd noticed something.

"Hey Kate, where's your bow and arrows?" asked Lloyd. Kate's eyes widened as she jerked her head around to look at her back, but she found no bow and no quiver of arrows.

"Aw, come on. I don't think we'll survive without a weapon," Kate groaned.

"That's not very reassuring," Lloyd simply pointed out, but then he sighed, "but Lady Luck is still with us," Lloyd continued.

"What do you mean?" asked Kate. Lloyd didn't reply as he reached behind him and pulled put a small gun, and then held it out to Kate.

"It's full with as many bullets as it can hold. If you can aim with a bow and arrow, then you can aim with a gun," Lloyd said as Kate took the gun in her hands.

"Where did you get a gun?" Kate asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Really? I was raised in a boarding school that taught everything bad, and you're wondering where I got a gun?" Lloyd asked with a dull look.

"Whatever, let's just go," Kate sighed as she walked away. Lloyd chuckled and walked up beside Kate.

"You know Kate, there is something about you that's very important and that I don't know about," said Lloyd.

"Yeah, that's why I didn't tell you everything," Kate cut in.

"But the point being is that your future will rely on your specialty," Lloyd continued.

"It certainly won't rely on you," Kate mumbled.

"I don't know. I think I can already feel myself getting under your skin," Lloyd said with a grin, and Kate glared back.