The Empire's Revenge | THE HAUNTED FANFIC

The Empire's Revenge PART 3

//this will still be in graysons pov, since the last chapter was rlly short, and im liking writing from graysons perspective so far.

GRAYSON'S P.O.V

I'm awake.

I sat up, almost bumping my head on the bunk-like bed. I rubbed my eyes, not liking being confined in one place for so long. I wish there was a way I could escape like I did last time.

Only last time, I actually had someone to help me escape.

I huffed, getting out of my bed and approaching the bars. Luke seemed to be still asleep, so there was no hope in talking to him. The only thing I can really do now, is wait. I sat back down on my bed, and look at my feet. No, I'm not thinking about an escape plan. I have nothing. This cell is completely empty, aside from a few basic things. There's no way I can escape.

All I can do is wait..

So I did.

---

I felt something cold clamp around my hands. Felt like chains...

"Hey, you! Are you absolutely braindead?! I just told you to come with me!"

Oh..

"I apologize." I stood up, and followed the guard out of the cell, and up the walkway that lead out of the prison. I said as little as I could..and it seemed to be working, so far. Didn't know my career would come to this. But it seems that almost every career I have goes downhill. I glanced around, trying to recognize where I was going. To the Emperor's throneroom? I have no idea, I don't remember..

We turned a corner, and I guess I was right. I guess we were going to the Emperor's throneroom. I sighed quietly. I didn't like this. I was hoping to leave this life behind. Maybe I hoped a little too soon. I looked down at my shackles as the guard practically shoved me in front of the throne, that I assumed, the Emperor was currently sitting on.

"Well well well..look who we have here! A little traitor pretending to be a hero." Came the horrible, taunting voice. I clenched my fists, but I stayed quiet. "You are an idiot to believe that you would ever escape." "Am I? Well, I suppose we're even." I muttered under my breath, then I suddenly wished he didn't hear that. "You don't exactly have the rights to be saying that to me, do you now?" He seemed to get a little more angry at my comment. I don't know, do I? I almost said it aloud, but I decided it would be good to hold my tongue. "Now, you must know why you're here, so you may as well tell me now."

"I've been wanted for about a year, for stealing the dragon egg." "And?" "And for stealing and crashing an airship." I lifted my chin, finally looking up at him, not necessarily afraid to admit my crimes, since I'm already here. "Good good. Now, I just can't wait to squeeze the information out of you.." He stood up, and made his way over to where I was standing. The moment he got within a foot of me, I was knocked to the ground. I grunted slightly as I hit the floor, almost gathering myself to stand up, but I decided it would be best to stay on the ground, where I presumed, the Emperor wanted me right now.

"Tell me, traitor, how did you know about the Magic Library? I'm quite aware that you knew, otherwise, you wouldn't have gone through all of that effort to steal an airship, only to land in the middle of a icy tundra for nothing." He looked down at me, and in his eyes, I could see the sinister and unforgiving gleam. I sighed, and decided this wouldn't be much of use to him, so I spoke.

"I wasn't exactly poor, you know. I knew about the Magic Library long before it was probably even mentioned to you." I muttered, glancing away. "It wasn't hard to pay for the maps that lead us there in the first place." I hated giving away information, so I tread carefully on my words. "And who did you buy the maps from?" "Some travelling merchant in the badlands, with stolen, but valuable goods."

The emperor sighed. "Well, that isn't very useful information, now is it? Well.. since there isn't that much else to know about that topic, you may as well tell me about your little adventuring friends that accompanied you on this journey of yours. The half ender boy, and the elf girl?"

"The half ender, Drake, is a friend of mine from before I even managed to get myself in this mess. The elf girl, Mia, is someone that we met along the way." I don't exactly like where this conversation is going. "Get to the point. I know you mean more than to just ask about them."

The Emperor hummed for a brief moment. "Hmm..you catch on rather quickly, traitor. Yes, there have been multiple sightings of you and your little friends across the badlands, one day your in this place, the next day you're gone. And I've taken extra notice in the descriptions of..Drake, was it? Of course, it could be just over-exaggerations, but they all have one remarkable detail of the boy." I held my breath as he spoke, knowing exactly where this is going. The Emperor paused for a moment, then he spoke again.

"So tell me, traitor. Is it true? Is the boy a mage?" He prompted, his sinister grin widening as he awaited my response. "..N-No." But I'm pretty sure my voice just cracked, so that might have given it away. "Oh? Really now? Maybe I'll just go down there and ask him myself, maybe mess around with him a little.." He responded, and I gritted my teeth. I willed myself not to give in, but I didn't want Drake to get hurt.

This was all because of my actions, and I didn't want anyone else to get hurt. So I straightened out my voice. "I'm telling the truth." I muttered, and The Emperor sighed, shaking his head disapprovingly, as if he were my father or something. Which, I'm glad he isn't. "Why do you lie to me, Grayson? You're not exactly convincing, I hope you know that much." And for the first time today, he called me by my real name instead of just throwing the word 'traitor' around like it meant almost nothing to him. But this moment ended rather quickly. "Well, I suppose I've heard enough for now, and I doubt you're willing to tell me anything else. Guards, escort this traitor back to his cell." He ordered in this big commanding tone he always uses, like he's the most important person in the world.

And so, the guards yanked me back up to my feet, took me back to my cell, practically shoving me through the door to the point I almost actually fell. I glared at the guards as they left the prison, and rubbed my wrists. I guess they don't take too kindly to people like me. "Grayson?" As I expected. I turned around, and closed in to the bars. "Hi, Luke." "Hey. How'd it go?" "..Not that great, to be honest." "What do you mean?"

"The only thing wrong, was that I'm really terrible at lying." I sighed, leaning against the bars that seperated me and my cell room from the halls. I looked down at my feet, and I suddenly felt absolutely horrible. The information I had given away could cost Drake's magic, possibly even his life if it got that bad. "Hey man, it happened. Things like this always happen with The Empire. Knowing you, you'll be fine." Luke said in his reassuring tone, and oddly, it worked a little. "You'll all get out of this hellhole." He said it as if he didn't plan on leaving, which concerned me. "..Luke. Do you ever want to leave The Empire?"

 Which, I right away realized, was a pretty stupid question to ask.

 "Of course I do. I'm just..not sure when that'll happen. It could happen tomorrow, or in a few weeks. Maybe even years. Everyone's changed, turned against anyone who was once like a brother in arm."  Luke shrugged, as if he didn't necessarily care. "But that seems to be everyone in this world now."

"Yeah, I guess you're right..well.." I paused, looking back up. "I'm gonna take a nap. Talking with The Emperor exhausts me." "Just being in a room with The Emperor exhausts me." Luke grinned. "But I understand, get your rest."

And then I'm asleep.

//next chapter will be in drakes perspective.