"Shut up," Greed snapped at her. "No, she's right," Envy chuckled wryly. "I've seen four-year-olds draw better than that." "GIVE ME MY HAMMER!" the alchemist demanded again. "I'm telling you," Greed retorted through clenched teeth, seething. "I don't have your stupid hammer!" The alchemist scowled. "I know it was you! One of the workers saw you use it to put up those posters!" "Since when have I ever done manual labor like that myself?!" Greed threw his hands in the air, exasperated. "I had the servants do that! If you have a problem, take it up with them!" The older man looked as if he wanted to argue, but instead he snorted and stormed off. The heavy doors slammed behind him. "Stupid oaf," Greed said, rolling his eyes. Takes one to know one, Joy thought to herself. She bit back a smile. "Is she ready yet?" Greed demanded to his sister. "I want--" "Hands off, Romeo," Envy retorted, rolling her eyes. She came up behind Joy and tightened the straps holding her bodice together. "I'm nearly done here, but Father wants to see her first." "What for?" Greed asked. His eyes flitted back to Joy in a way that made her want to slap him. "He wants to know how she found this place--and who led her here." Envy tightened the straps with a harsh jerk. "He seems pretty steamed about it." Joy's mouth went dry.
***
Though it was exhausted, Temptation urged his horse to fly like the wind toward the quarry. Froth flew from the animal's mouth as it ran, and it heaved for breath. By the cover of the trees by the road--so that he wouldn't be spotted--he rode swiftly away from the estate, soon arriving at the secret plateau where the slaves were mining. He didn't know how much time he had until someone realized what had happened and went after him. He had to work quickly and quietly. He tied the exhausted horse to a tree within the cover of the forest before venting out into the open. Walking casually in his disguise, he nodded at the few guards standing at the front together. One of them gave him a curious look and called; "What are you doing here? It's not your shift yet!" "I heard someone had set the barn on fire back there!" he replied.
Swiftly he made his way back outside and toward the quarry. He topped the rise--then stopped. The rocky land by the cliffs where he and Joy had seen the slaves laboring was now bare. He glanced up at the darkening sky--the red clouds mingling with deep violet, appearing as a blazing canvas of vivid colors--and realized that their shift must be over for the day. Taking off at a run, Temptation headed toward a line of dark shacks set in the shadow of the cliffside. A few torches lit the way here and there, but he met no guards. His booted feet padded quietly on the rocky and sandy ground as he ran. The area was calm and still, but the youth's insides churned and squirmed like a storm at sea. He could feel his pulse pounding quickly. Closer inspection of the shacks revealed iron bars lining the front of each large shack. From those bars sweating, sun-stained, dirt-streaked faces started to peer anxiously from the shadows. Temptation's heart jumped when he realized scores of people were being kept in those shacks; men, women, even a few children, all being shoved together in small enclosures no better than stinking cages. Like animals. He felt tension stiffen in the air as he neared; he knew he looked like one of the guardsmen. "It's all right! I'm here to help you," he whispered. The expressions of the people facing him switched to confused and suspicious, although hope couldn't help flickering among them. Quickly Temptation unlocked the first cage and opened the door. Upon seeing they were all shackled together on a single chain, he hastened to free the first person in front of him from the cuffs. The prisoner gaped as the shackles fell and clattered to the ground. Temptation shoved the key to the shackles into the man's dirty hands. "Unlock everyone else in there, and keep them quiet," he ordered. "I'm going to free the people in the other two shacks." The slave nodded, eyes wide, and turned to free a short, bony woman beside him. While the prisoners in the first shack swiftly took turns with the key and freeing one another, Temptation turned his attention to the other two shacks; the process was repeated.
Eventually, all the prisoners were freed, as Temptation freed a person from each shack, who each helped to free everyone else.
"Is everyone free?" Temptation asked, as all the prisoners nodded uniformly. Temptation continued. "Good. Before you go, I just have one favor to ask of you. I need you guys to sabotage this mine. Lord Fear was using you guys to mine for crystals, and those crystals will turn you into monsters!" The crowd gasped at the idea. "That's right. Take your pickaxes and turn this place upside down. We need to delay their plans as fast as possible!" The crowd cheered on as they split off to wreck the mines.
With all of the guards distracted away, and the officer knocked out by the tea kettle, no one was supervising the mines, and they had the whole place to themselves. They took some nearby torches and torched any mining buildings in site. They torched their shacks, some storage houses of the purple crystals, and some of the storage rooms for equipment. After a few minutes, there was nothing left except the rubble from those buildings.
Temptation looked to the entrance he came from and saw the small office that he retrieved the keys from as well as knocked out the officer with the tea kettle. He looked at the crowd of now freed prisoners and said, "Follow me! We have one more building to knock over!"
They all marched to the front of the building with torches and pickaxes in hand, ready to set it on fire. Temptation grabbed a nearby pickaxe, kicked down the door and was prepared to fight in case the officer gained back his consciousness, but to his surprise, there was no one there. Temptation thought about it for a couple seconds then suddenly became shocked.
"Guys, you all need to run. The officer who was in here got up and left, and he's probably on his way to get Lord Fear's legions and put you all back in prison!" The crowd gasped, and became scared.
"You see that opening there?..." Temptation pointed to an exit route in the mines as the crowd looked to him. "...That's your escape route. Follow it and make your way home. Be careful, and good luck." The now freed slaves quickly ran to the exit.
"Guys, you all need to run. The officer who was in here got up and left, and he's probably on his way to get Lord Fear's legions and put you all back in prison!" The crowd gasped, and became scared.
"You see that opening there?..." Temptation pointed to an exit route in the mines as the crowd looked to him. "...That's your escape route. Follow it and make your way home. Be careful, and good luck." The now freed slaves quickly ran to the exit.
FREEDOM!!
Oh shoot, the guard's gonna tattle. o_o
Excellent part, Zach! I didn't think about sabotaging the mines. 0,0
"Guys, you all need to run. The officer who was in here got up and left, and he's probably on his way to get Lord Fear's legions and put you all back in prison!" The crowd gasped, and became scared.
"You see that opening there?..." Temptation pointed to an exit route in the mines as the crowd looked to him. "...That's your escape route. Follow it and make your way home. Be careful, and good luck." The now freed slaves quickly ran to the exit.
FREEDOM!!
Oh shoot, the guard's gonna tattle. o_o
Excellent part, Zach! I didn't think about sabotaging the mines. 0,0
Yay! Indeed, uh oh. Thanks! Gotta prevent more catastrophes from happening!
Temptation stood there by the empty shed, watching the ragged line of people flee into the distance. He stayed to make sure no stragglers fell behind, but everyone seemed to be helping the weak, small, and elderly, and for the most part, working together to stay in one group. A couple of minutes later, the last of them disappeared beyond the line of trees past the plateau. Temptation took a moment to survey the scene; he looked with satisfaction upon the lingering flames licking the rubble of the shacks. A few chains had been left behind and been trodden on here and there, discarded by the escapees. His pulse was still racing with tense anticipation, but exhilaration and pride were added into the mix of emotions. He realized it felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "I did it," he muttered to himself, wonderingly. "I helped them. I freed everyone I'd poisoned and captured. Everything I worked for over the years. . ." His voice trailed off as he lost himself in his thoughts. He had undid the hard work he had done over the past years working for his uncle, but it felt good. It felt right. Movement caught his eye on the horizon. Stiffening, he peered through the dying light of the sun to see a dark line of horsemen racing toward the quarry. Reinforcement's arrived. You guys are a little late, he thought to himself wryly. Still, he didn't wait around to be spotted. Keeping his head low and running lightly, Temptation escaped the scene of the crime and plunged himself into the darkening shadows of the forest.
* * *
Joy was brought to what seemed to be a large sitting room among the heart of the castle. Lavish tapestries depicting epic battles were hung up on the stone walls. A massive fireplace big enough for a tree to be tossed in took up an entire wall. There were carpets intricately woven placed upon the floor. Luxurious furniture took up space in the room, including a couple of plushy couches for lounging upon and chairs big enough to be thrones. Flames flickered from the fireplace; that was the only light in the otherwise dark room. For the moment, it was empty. The servants escorting her had left Joy alone.
Temptation stood there by the empty shed, watching the ragged line of people flee into the distance. He stayed to make sure no stragglers fell behind, but everyone seemed to be helping the weak, small, and elderly, and for the most part, working together to stay in one group. A couple of minutes later, the last of them disappeared beyond the line of trees past the plateau. Temptation took a moment to survey the scene; he looked with satisfaction upon the lingering flames licking the rubble of the shacks. A few chains had been left behind and been trodden on here and there, discarded by the escapees. His pulse was still racing with tense anticipation, but exhilaration and pride were added into the mix of emotions. He realized it felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "I did it," he muttered to himself, wonderingly. "I helped them. I freed everyone I'd poisoned and captured. Everything I worked for over the years. . ." His voice trailed off as he lost himself in his thoughts. He had undid the hard work he had done over the past years working for his uncle, but it felt good. It felt right. Movement caught his eye on the horizon. Stiffening, he peered through the dying light of the sun to see a dark line of horsemen racing toward the quarry. Reinforcement's arrived. You guys are a little late, he thought to himself wryly. Still, he didn't wait around to be spotted. Keeping his head low and running lightly, Temptation escaped the scene of the crime and plunged himself into the darkening shadows of the forest.
* * *
Joy was brought to what seemed to be a large sitting room among the heart of the castle. Lavish tapestries depicting epic battles were hung up on the stone walls. A massive fireplace big enough for a tree to be tossed in took up an entire wall. There were carpets intricately woven placed upon the floor. Luxurious furniture took up space in the room, including a couple of plushy couches for lounging upon and chairs big enough to be thrones. Flames flickered from the fireplace; that was the only light in the otherwise dark room. For the moment, it was empty. The servants escorting her had left Joy alone.
What a relief. Now go help Joy buddy.
Very nice sitting room. Now's your chance Joy! Flee!
Joy, now in her wedding dress, had to just wait. She thought about sitting down on the couch, but the large size of the dress made it hard for her to sit down.
This is why I hate these dresses. She thought to herself. She looked around the sitting room and soon stared at the fireplace. There was a mantle on top with some interesting artifacts. She reached up and tried pulling on each of them, but they just lifted away from the mantle as a separate piece.
"There's no secret escape door in this room." A dark voice says behind Joy. She turns around and sees that Lord Fear was standing in the shadows. He walks toward her to where the light of the fireplace brings him into view.
"Hello, Joy. You will make a fine daughter in law." Lord Fear says. "Take a seat." "No, I prefer to stand." Joy says.
"Ok. Suit yourself." Lord Fear says back. "So... Is there anything my son, Greed, or I should know about you before you marry him?" "Yes, there is." She replied. "Let Greed know that I hate him, and there's no way I'll be marrying that filthy boy!"
"Oh, I don't think you have a choice." Lord Fear says, pulling out a jar of cookies. "Inside these cookies are the essence of a Maximus Tentaculous, and the person who eats this whole cookie will turn into one of them. This is just a dozen cookies of the many hundreds that we will be giving away. The alchemists, the chefs, and the slaves are hard at work making them. If you marry my son, I will spare your parents and your beloved Temptation from becoming a Maximus Tentaculous."
Joy was about to say no, but she took a step back and thought about it. She really wondered if saving her parents and Temptation would be worth it.
"The choice is yours, Joy." Lord Fear said.
A few seconds later, the door to the sitting room slammed open, and multiple people entered the room.
"ALL OF MY MAXIMUS TENTACULOUS CRYSTALS ARE GONE!" Screamed the alchemist as he burst in. "Then get the slaves to mine for more." Lord Fear said. "My lord, all the slaves have escaped!" A general of a legion said. "Find them all! No one escapes my wrath!" Lord Fear said.
"Oh, by the way, have you seen my hammer? I still can't find it." The alchemist said.
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