"Psst!" came a voice from the door.
Kun'nuk'kles looked up. The speaker was a small echidna child. "Yes?" he said wearily.
"Awe you weawwy the Wizawd fwom the Iswand of the Gods' Messengews?" the child asked, her thumb in her mouth.
Kun'nuk'kles nodded. "That I am. What do you want?"
The child took her thumb from her mouth. "Grandpa used to say that the Wizards would come to save us. But now, he's sick. Can you help?"
He looked at the child, and sighed. "I wish I could. But I'm stuck in here, without my staff to help me."
"Oh, is that all you need? I got that," the child said, holding the staff up to the light.
Kun'nuk'kles stared. "How did you get that?" he asked.
"I asked the guards if I could have it, 'cause it's pretty. But you can have it, if you can save Grandpa."
"I can't promise that I'll succeed… but I promise that I'll try."
"That's good enough," the child said, and handed the staff, through the bars, to Kun'nuk'kles.
As he took the staff, he felt a warmth flow through his fingers, as if a good friend had come back after he thought they'd been lost. He smiled, and looked at the child. "Stand back," he warned, and pointed the crystal on the top at the bars. "Ak'kun leoht. Cupourri'mi ecli'aku toth'thosh. Copper, bend to my will. Contortion!"
The bars groaned as a shaft of light from the staff struck each of them. They tore themselves out of the stones of the prison, twisting into odd and disturbing shapes. Kun'nuk'kles stepped out, over the bars, looking at the child. "Thank you. Now, take me to your Grandpa."
The child, awed, nodded, and started to run. Kun'nuk'kles followed her, running after. They weaved between houses, evading other villagers when they saw them. Finally, they came to an isolated house, smaller than the rest, on the outskirts of the village. The girl opened the door, and walked in. Kun'nuk'kles followed her. In the house, there was a room with a bed in it. On the bed, there was an old, dying echidna. But his face, though contorted in pain, was proud. Next to the bed, kneeling in prayer was another echidna, female. She looked up when the girl entered, and then at Kun'nuk'kles. "Jakki, who have you brought here? Not another doctor, I hope…" she said.
Kun'nuk'kles touched the white symbol on his chest in a gesture of respect. "I am honored to be in your house, beautiful lady. I am Kun'nuk'kles, Wizard of the Island of the Gods' Messengers."
The female's eyes went wide, and looked at the girl. "Jakki… did you lie to this Wizard to get him to come?"
"No, mama!" the girl, Jakki, squeaked. "I didn't lie to him!"
"I came here because your little girl here let me out of the condemned cell of the village prison," Kun'nuk'kles explained.
"What were you doing in the condemned cell?" the echidna asked, her eyes suddenly fearful.
"I put out the fire that was engulfing the Temple with my magic, and insulted the Elder."
The Echidna's face went hard. "That was not the Elder. That was a usurper. Well, never mind that… my father is dying, if you've really come to help."
Kun'nuk'kles stepped forward, and looked at the old echidna in the bed. Then, he looked back at the female. "What's wrong with him?"
"Poison. Something exotic, nothing we've tried has cured him, or even helped his pain."
"Hmm. I think I can help… what's his name, and yours?"
"My name is Menshi. His is Mentaka."
Kun'nuk'kles nodded. He positioned his staff over the prone echidna's form, and began a chant. "Ak'kun leoht. Toxisci reme'dac. Mentaka, orthim'ishki. Pelgmatti. By the Authority of Light, I cleanse Mentaka of the Poison that has taken hold within his body, and in his soul. Purge!"
The light that came from the staff was not a shaft, but more of a cloud of twinkling lights. This settled on Mentaka, and soaked into his body. His face relaxed, and his breathing became regular. "He… should be… all right… in a few hours…" Kun'nuk'kles muttered, putting his staff to the ground and leaning on it for support. "And… he should… wake up… a few minutes… after that…"
And then, Kun'nuk'kles collapsed on the floor.
He'll be all right, won't he?Of course he will. There's no doubt about it.
We're not going to watch this next bit, are we?
No, this part is boring… let's skip ahead to where he wakes up…