The Sins of the Father

Chapter Twenty Eight

Stephen lifted his gaze from the stone-tiled floor at the sound of approaching footsteps, and his eyes widened when he spied a familiar blond head.

"Cafos!!" He exclaimed. Cafos didn't answer- couldn't, Stephen realized a moment later, as a strip of cloth was tied around his head and forced between his teeth. He was being forced down the stairs by a taller valkyrie, stumbling over every other step until he was shoved down beside Stephen. Kneeling down beside him, the valkyrie untied his wrists in order to lock them in the nearest set of cuffs. No sooner were his hands free, though, than Cafos took the opportunity to send a fist flying into his captor's face, and the valkyrie shouted in pain as Cafos' bruised knuckles smashed into his cheek.

"You-!" The valkyrie seized Cafos by the forehead and slammed his skull back against the wall, making Stephen wince as his friend let out a choked cry. Cafos remained still after that, blinking dazedly as a pair of shackles were fitted around his wrists and locked in place. Only once he was firmly bound did the valkyrie stand and leave them, allowing Cafos to lift shaky hands to untie the gag.

"You okay?" Stephen whispered. Cafos tossed the gag aside, wetting his dry lips.

"Fine." He rasped. On Stephen's other side, Alexis was quiet.

Stephen had expected the prison beneath Notch's castle to be considerably larger than this - but, then again, there probably weren't too many criminals in the Aether who were worthy of being locked up. The dungeon consisted of a single, large room with several rows of shackles along the far wall, locked up in which were Stephen, his father, Alexis, Notch, and now Cafos. Herobrine was still unconscious - not unreasonable, Stephen didn't want to imagine the kind of damage that Notch's hammer could do to someone. He wasn't even sure what he would say if Herobrine was awake. What did you say to your murderous father whom you hadn't seen since you were an infant?

Stephen cleared his throat quietly. "What happened t' you?"

"Got caught." Cafos said quietly. "Too many of 'em. Heard them talking about what Lucius had planned, but I couldn't do anything. What happened to you? A-and why haven't you teleported out?" Stephen emitted a heavy sigh.

"The cuffs are enchanted." He rattled the chains that bound his wrists to the wall. "So, I can't. We found Herobrine fighting Notch. He got knocked out - Herobrine did - and we spoke to Notch, but... Lucius attacked him." Stephen shrugged helplessly. "And now we're down here."

"Oh." Cafos' gaze flitted to Alexis, then back. "Are you hurt?"

"No." Stephen glanced over to Alexis as well, who was scrunched up against the wall with her knees pressed against her chest. "Lucius... said he'd send her back to her father."

"I'd rather die here with you." Alexis hissed.

"Don't say that," Cafos rebuked her.

"I am deeply regretful that the three of you were caught up in this plot against me." Notch's voice floated over, and Stephen turned to find him watching them quietly. "It seems that Lucius does not care what collateral damage he's caused in his quest to dethrone me." Cafos turned as well, and his blue eyes went wide as he seemed to realize who he was imprisoned with.

"I-I," He stammered out. "I-if not for Stephen, I'm sure that I would have been beside him."

"You were deceived." Notch's dark eyes were kind as he regarded him. "We all were." His gaze fell to Herobrine, still unmoving where he was chained on his left. "Most of all your father, Stephen." For a moment, none of them spoke.

"I wasn't." Alexis pointed out. Stephen couldn't help a hesitant grin, reaching out and straining the limits of his chains to give her a pat on the arm.