-- James --

I was readying myself to rip the chain off the wall when I heard the sound of a door slamming open. They must have heard our discussion because we had only just agreed to go for the escape.

"Now James!" Violet screamed.

Taking her queue, I grabbed booth chains and pulled with everything I had. Thanks, to the flood of adrenaline flowing through me I ripped the anchor and some of the concrete out of the wall, just in time for the guard to enter the room.

I would have struck but felt it in my bones that if I did I would find myself weakened by my Word Honor. So I let the man begin to move. He began to pull his sword and that was exactly what I was waiting for. The man was ready to fight whether or not his weapon was out, thus turning this from an ambush with an unarmed man, into me protecting myself, and my team.

Even I thought that was a flimsy excuse but I still felt it was Honorable, and I felt myself flood with just a bit of extra strength. It was probably the most the word could do with the chains, but I took what I could get.

While the man was still drawing his weapon I whipped my chains over and down towards his head. The man in the last minute was able to lift his sword but only blocked the chain itself as the concrete block attached whipped around the sword and cracked him in the skull. The man collapsed to the floor unmoving, if he wasn't dead I would have been surprised.

"Rot James. That was brutal." Rowan said wide-eyed at the scene.

I just stared down at the man I brutally killed, "Yeah."

"Quick pass me the cord," Bay yelled at me drawing my vision toward the bright orange extension cord. I ran over and unplugged the TV and the screen went black, handing the cord to Bay, wondering what her plan was.

I was about to ask when I heard the door and multiple sets of footsteps coming down the hall. "Whatever your doing bay do it fast." I readied myself waiting for them to come down the stairs.

"Remember how we got out the first time?" Bay asked us.

Violet looked at the cord with a look of comprehension, "The barrier."

"The electricity." Bay corrected.

Bay was tearing into the cord with her teeth ripping away the rubber protecting the wires. She looked like a mouse, it was kind of cute. then she must have bitten through and into the metal as her body locked up and she clamped down hard on the cord, till she slumped over on the floor. I thought I heard a click but wasn't sure, as when I looked at her wrists the shackles were still closed. Did it work?

I wasn't able to check as two men, one with a staff and the other with knives drawn. A rogue and mage.

Right before we clashed I heard Violet tentatively ask, "Bay?"

"Hello, gentlemen." My calm greeting made the two stop for only a moment before seeing their fellow guard on the ground. The man with the knives flew at me weapons ready, while the man with the staff began to mumble an incantation.

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Of the two I knew the spell was more dangerous, so ignoring the rogue I tried to get as far away from my position as possible. The rogue didn't let me run, not without a price, stabbing deep into my side.

Dodging had turned out to be the right move as a cage of metal spikes appeared around where I had just been. If I had been just a second slower I would have been impaled or trapped, maybe both. Seeing this I realized they weren't trying to kill me, just restrain me. That can't be good.

I turned hoping Bay would be free and help, but when I looked she wasn't moving, and Violet was looking over concerned. Please wake up soon.

"He's casting again," Violet warned, snapping me back to the fight.

"You stay out of it." The rogue yelled at her.

"Fuck you!"

Now out of the way of the knife-wielder, I had an open path to the caster. I ran forward towards him to stop whatever spell he was casting, right next to the caster I felt four deep slashes across my back causing me to stumble falling into the caster knocking him over, and stopping the spell.

We both hit the ground and I rolled off the guard, stumbling to my feet, having trouble standing with my back on fire, and blood dripping out of my side, I tried to pull power from inside to numb the pain only to be rebuffed by the shackles. It felt like I was trying to inhale but nothing was there.

Looking back I saw the rogue standing with his hands wide, with massive claws surrounding them. They were silver and looked to be made of energy. Why use a dagger in the first place?

Seeing me looking at his claws he smiled, "You should be a good little prisoner and just let us put you back on the wall."

Right behind him, I saw Rowan's eyes widen as he nodded to something behind me. I spun with all my momentum bringing my mace-like chain and concrete hard at the caster. The concrete block swung towards the man's head as a blue energy field appeared around him. The block hit with a loud crash, smashing the cement to dust, as the shield cracked but held.

I stared in disbelief as I heard the rogue, "Told you to always use that first."

The caster didn't answer instead I heard him begin a new chant.

"Shit!"

I moved by instinct jumping right into the claws of the rogue. By all rights, the man should have ended my then and there, but I surprised him, grabbing him and spinning him around as the caster's spell went off. I didn't see what was cast but it struck the rogue who was completely unprepared for the spell, falling over, deep gages in his back. It looked like the spell severed his spine knocking him unconscious.

I took a breath and got back up the mage looking panicked, fumbling over his words. I saw the crack I made earlier in his shield still there so I ran ramming my shackles into it. As they slammed down, my wrists passed through as though nothing was there cracking the skull of the mage. He fell to the ground unmoving.

"What?" I stared down at my shackles wondering how the rot that happened.

"They absorbed the power, they must absorb even outside power." I heard Bay wheeze.

"Bayberry? Are you alright?" Violet shouted.

"Wow, my full name was it that bad?" She said rubbing at her now free wrists.

Violet still looked worried, "Just a little."

Bay blinked, "Oh...Sorry, but it was the only way I could think to get the chains off."

"Great! Now we need to get out of here before more guards come." Rowan pointed out the obvious.

I stumbled over to Bay nearly falling over, now that the fight was over. "Can you get them out?"

Bay was pulling the frayed cord over to Violet's cuffs when, The lights went out, "Bloody Rot!" Bay yelled frustrated, "If they didn't cut the power? Yes." It was pitch black as she conjured a ball of light, and brought it near my wrists. The light instantly went out. "No? I might be able to electrocute you all, but the cuffs might absorb my power."

"Why did the electricity work?" I asked.

"It's not mana, different types of power." She explained.

Something about that seemed wrong but we need to get out of here. "Can you break their anchors? I don't think I can pull them out right now."

"Oh that's easy," Bay held up her hand and spoke, "Earth surround fall and break."

"Grab their weapons and let's get out of here," I said grabbing the first man's sword. We were all equipped and made our way up the steps.