The Battle: Hearts or Friendship?

Chapter 19: Clues To The Unknown

!TW! Mention of blood, wounds, torture

(Branzy's POV)

*Ding*
My communicator rung throughout the room. I opened the small object to reveal the familiar transparent screen of messages. But what I would see would be much more heart sinking.

(ClownPierce whispered to you: I'm still alive. I'm in a cellar somewhere that Vitalasy, Zam, Subz, Ash, and Red all have access to. Please hurry, I don't know how much time I have left. Be careful, tell the others.)

I sat there blankly staring at the screen for minutes.
ClownPierce.
ClownPierce was alive.
He was still out there somewhere, suffering a horrible fate that could become much more worse.
How much did he risk sending that message? Did they catch him doing it? What were they doing to him?
Finally regaining my senses of the real world, I honored Clown's request as I sprinted down the stairs.
Spoke and the others had let me stay at their base until Clown was rescued, however long that would be. Although the base emitted the cozy feeling of most homes or bases, it wouldn't fully feel like a home to me unless Clown was there. Clown is my friend, the friend that needs to be saved in a moment we never thought we'd be stuck in. But maybe he was more than just a friend to me...
As I ran into the living room, where the trio sat seeming worried, I told them,
"Clown! He's alive! He's still alive!" I said, slightly out of breath.
The trio, still shocked by my outburst into the room, slowly processed the information, until Spoke yelled,
"ClownPierce is still alive? Where is he? How do you know this?" He asked quickly.
I flipped open my communicator with swift speed as I faced the pale screen to my teammates as they read the message Clown had sent to me.
"He really is alive," Parrot breathed heavily. "But that's all he said?"
"Yes, but at least we know he's alive, and that he knows who has access to him." I told them.
"We have to assume for now that their base is around spawn. Although it might be hidden, it's most likely like ours." Mapicc said quietly.
"Right then, we'll go search around the entire spawn tomorrow, we need to find ClownPierce." Spoke said to us.
With that, everyone headed upstairs to their separate rooms, Mapicc's being the first room, Parrot's the second, mine as the third, and Spoke's as the very last room. Although going to our rooms usually meant that we get rest, how could I rest knowing Clown is still out there? Was he still able to think of a way he can escape? Or was the group constantly torturing him that he could only worry about surviving?
As I laid sprawled across the soft purple sheets of my bed, I could only think of how to rescue my friend. But I wouldn't be sleeping, I'd be planning. Jumping up from the bed, I walked quietly over to the nearby desk by a window, floorboards slightly creaking under weight. I pulled out the chair to sit as I grabbed some nearby paper and a quill with ink as I planned the rescue for the rest of the night.

(Clown's POV)

As I sat on the floor, I soon started to lose track of the world outside. What time was it? Day? Night? I was to assume that the night had fallen, as the group had not bothered me since and I had not heard any noises from the basement door. Of course the enemies had not cared to even think about feeding me, for feeling that that was my torture while residing here for the moment. At least I had brought some food, though I'd have to limit how much I ate a day now.
What was Vitalasy planning to do to me, other than keep me hostage? And what about the others, who most likely had their own plans of revenge? Any plans that resided were out of reach of knowing, outside of my knowledge. The only hope I had is that I could try and break out of these chains myself, or that Branzy had told the others and they had started to makes plans to rescue me. But I had a trick up my sleeve, it would just come down to whether I'd make the discussion of executing it or not.
Pondering for several minutes to myself, I decided to take the risk. I quietly pulled out my communicator again, but not before testing the chains by rattling them softly. Hearing no signs of consciousness from above, I continued to open the small piece of technology. Hoping that Branzy was still awake, or would at least be woken by this, I wrote,

(You whispered to BranzyCraft: Branzy?)

I closed the floating screen as I sat and waited for an answer. I turned around to face the chains linked to the wall to see if there was any weakness to them, but there seemed to be none. They were cold hard chains that were luckily only around my wrists. Suddenly, I felt a large stab of pain from my lower stomach. I grit my teeth in pain as I kneeled on the floor, trying to not shake the chains. I positioned myself back to my original sitting position as I carefully moved my hand to lie over my stomach. I guess the wound was still open after all. Luckily only a small amount of blood was dripping down as it was soaked into my jester fit. I adjusted my breathing to shallow and slow breaths, a technique I had learned from many past fights and wounds.
A soft *ding* made me avert my eyes to the small box I left lying on the cell floor. I opened the gadget again as the screen popped up once more, revealing a message.

(BranzyCraft whispered to you: Clown! Are you okay? Is Vitalasy or any of the others around you?)
...
...
(You whisper to BranzyCraft: I'm okay, for now, at least. I'm definitely hurt, but I'll live. Is it nighttime? Because none of them are down here, and I haven't heard any noises for a while.)
...
(BranzyCraft whispered to you: It is nighttime... I'm glad you're okay but I need to know everything you know about where you are. The trio and I are trying to make plans to save you.)
...
...
...
(You whisper to BranzyCraft: I really don't know much. All I know is that I'm currently chained to a wall in a cell probably underground. Vitalasy, Subz, Zam, Red, and Ash all have access to the cell. They haven't given me any food or any clue to what time it is. The only thing they've done to me is torture me and tell me that I'll never get out and that this is their revenge on you for betraying them.)
...
...
(BranzyCraft whispered to you: Okay, that's still information at least... I can't believe that they're doing this to you because of me. But thanks, I'll go tell the trio. You'll be out of that cell by the end of this week at the latest, don't worry.)

After giving my thanks to Branzy, I put the communicator away for the night. At least the group hadn't taken that away, or I'd be helplessly sitting on the cold floor of the cell. Hopefully that's be enough for the trio and Branzy to track down Vitalasy and the others.
There aren't that many bases with underground areas, if there is any other bases other than this one. And none of the group members are the kind to build bases far from spawn, so this one is most likely near spawn. Besides it wouldn't look suspicious if they're casually meeting at spawn if they're seen by others.
I sprawled across the stone floor as I settled down for the night. But no matter what kind of sleep I tried to get, I knew I wouldn't get any, especially when I'm in a cell that belongs to the members who are most likely my greatest enemies. I just had to hope that nothing would happen within the morning hours and that they would leave me alone for as long as possible. Of course they're probably expecting someone to come and try to rescue me, but I hoped they weren't prepared for an attack.
I hope that they won't find out.
I hoped that I had given Branzy and the others enough information.
I hope that they'd find me eventually, and soon.
I hoped that Vitalasy and his group has no idea I could be saved.
I hope that I will get a chance to end them as my own revenge.
I wanted to hope for everything.
Hope was the only way in this situation.
And I had to hope that the clues were enough, because if they weren't, I had just given Branzy clues to the unknown.

Helloooooo my amazing and lovely readers!!!
Hope you are all doing well, whether you're on spring break, or not. I have had lots of free time to kill so I figured I'd write a chapter for you guys! Speaking of, feel free to give me a suggestion for what I should call you guys, I wanted it to be a unique name but I couldn't come up with any ideas. Anyways, stay safe and healthy, and happy reading!

~N1ghtPierc3

(1575 words)