Disclaimer: Own nothing. By the way, could something PLEASE tell me where I can get a good english corrector? Being French sucks, sometimes.
Chapter Six: Help at Last
Another week.
It was another week away from that cursed day by the lake, which added to another. Secluded in his dark cell, Spectre had nothing better to do than counting the passing days. Oh, and wait for Lien-Da to come back and push his buttons, but that was a different story...
The dark echidna reached around to scratch his back, and winced when his fingers came in contact with one of his wounds. His fur was itching so much, he was sure he had caught some fleas in that Chaos cursed cell. Life would be perfect if fleas were the only things bothering me... Pain flared up in his upper back as he tried to lean against the wall; this time he didn't wince. Pain was the only thing that let him know that he was still alive.
In the corridor, two Legionnaires were walking rather uneasily. They came to stand on either side of the door to the prison bay, and then one began fidgeting nervously.
"Are you sure that's here?" he whispered.
The second nodded. "Yes. Spectre is held captive in there." He was about to add something else when the said door slid open and they both stiffened. Lien-Da came out of the prison bay, apparently upset. She grumbled something under her breath and spotted the two Legionnaires.
"What are you two doing here?" she asked with venom.
"We are to keep watch over the prison bay, ma'am," one soldier said in the strongest tone he could manage. "It is bad enough we lost the weird male and the child, we can't afford to let the Guardian escape."
"Who told you this?"
When the Legionnaire seemed to hesit, the other one spoke up. "These are Master Kragok's orders."
Lien-Da stared at him for a few seconds then walked off. "I need to talk to my brother. Yes, all we need is a serious talk." As she disappeared in a turn the Legionnaires exchanged a panicked look.
"Quick, Rembrandt," the first one whispered. Now we have to act fast or she'll alert the whole Legion before we even get the chance to free Spectre."
"I'm getting to it, Second-father," Rembrant said through clenched teeth. He thought fast but panic prevented him from making up an emergency plan. "Damn it, let's make a break for it, nobody's looking!"
The second black-robed echidna, now known as Moonwatcher, nodded and was about to open the door when Rembrandt stopped him with a gesture of his hand. "Hold on. First I want to know something."
"What?" he answered impatiently.
"Why did you say I was weird?"
Moonwatcher repressed a frustrated growl. "Later, Second-son, later!"
The usually glasses-wearing echidna readied himself to force the door open and charged when he was sure nobody was looking his way. He closed his eyes, but half a second before his shoulder met with the metallic panel, it slid open with a hiss. Moonwatcher flailed widly to try and stop his momentum but he didn't catch his balance and stumbled to the floor with a loud curse.
Rembrandt followed him in the prison bay, snickering. "Great, Second-father, just great. And I thought the point was to be subtle about it..."
The elder echidna, who was dusting himself off, glared at him. "Well, you sure helped me with that."
"Never mind, it's not the moment nor the palce to argue, we can wait to be safe in Haven for that." Rembrandt looked around and took in the surprisingly unguarded prison bay. "Well, I thought they would increase guard after we escaped... They are either foolish, too damn proud or too damn lazy."
"Well, however, we are not here to ponder that. Let's rescue Spectre and get back to Haven, this place is creeping me out of my mind," Moonwatcher mumbled, eyes darting back to the opened door and forth. "Being so close to our sworn enemies... hell Rembrandt, we are two, and they are... well much, much more than two!"
The younger Guardian nodded in understanding and ran to the cell he remembered his fifth-son was in. He stopped to open a bag he was hiding under his black robe to retrieve his tools and noticed, to his shock, that the cell was empty. The bars weren't even activated. "But... what the..." was all he could splutter.
"What's wrong?" Moonwatcher called as he adjusted his hood over his head, his gaze never leaving the door. "Forgot your tools?" When his grandson just stood there unmoving, the elder frowned and finally turned to him. "Mobius to Rembrandt, what's the matter with you?"
"I... I think it's too late, Grandfather," Rembrandt stammered, wide eyes still glued on the cell. He turned to Moonwatcher, despair written all over his face. "They've already killed him."
"What are you babbling about?" Moonwatcher took a look at the empty cell and his eyebrows shot up. "Wait, wait, wait, who told you he's dead? They probably moved him to another cell, maybe they're interrogating him or maybe..." His voice trailed off as he failed to find another reason.
"Which other cell? We are in the prison bay, where else could he be?" Rembrandt was nervously walking back and forth, nibbling on his nails as he tended to do when he was worried. "I should have foreseen that they wouldn't keep him forever. I should have come sooner. I should have-"
"Stop moping around for once, will you," Moonwatcher growled. "First, you have no proof he's dead. Second, we would all have felt his death. And third, we told Lien-Da we were going to keep guard over Spectre, and she didn't seem to find it strange as if he were dead, so she knows that he's alive. Therefore, she must know where he is."
Rembrandt nodded although he wasn't really believing his second-father. Where in the world would they put him? Increase guard, I can understand, but move him? And now that Lien-Da is going to talk to Kragok about us, we're as good as dead. What did I get us into? "So what? We kidnap her and lock her up till she tells us where he is? Or we simply ask her politely?"
Even if he knew his grandson was speaking out of despair and fear for his fifth-son, Moonwatcher couldn't help but growl and shake his head. He was going to bite back a sharp comment of his, but he was cut off when they heard a commotion outside the prison bay.
"I don't see "strange-acting and suspicious-looking Legionnaires" anywhere there, sister," a deep male voice came from the hall. "I really think you should stop spending every single night with my men doing whatever you are doing and rest, for your own good. Now, let go of me, unless you I have work to attend to."
"I do not need rest, Kragok! I saw them! They told me they were ordered to stand guard over the Guardian. I thought only you, me and Rykor were to know where we are keeping him! You could have warned me before you told them, you stupid ass, I nearly killed them on the spot!" Lien-Da's voice was hysterical, angry as she was that her brother didn't see fit to warn her.
"Lien, I can swear I never told anyone... You're sure you saw them? And they told you that?"
"Unless I've suddenly gone mad, yes I'm sure!"
"I sense trouble for us," Moonwatcher whispered to Rembrandt. "If they decide to get in, we're in for-" He was cut off by the metallic door opening with a hiss. "Oh well..."
No use in hiding: the entire room was bare and the only way out was the one their enemies were using right now. Moonwatcher stepped closer to Rembrandt to protect him should the need arise.
The younger Guardian fumbled with his hood to put it back on, but the Legionnaires stepped in the prison bay before he got the chance to do so. Lien-Da shrieked when she recognised him, and Kragok widened his eyes, his forearms (flesh and metal) shooting up defensively. The Master growled softly as Moonwatcher threw his hood back to reveal himself. "Well, well," he said in a sweet voice. "What do we have here? Seems to me our family get-together isn't for another century... Coming to the tea party I've never invited you to, aren't you?"
"You usually chit-chat when you know you're going to lose, Kragok," Moonwatcher hissed. "I wouldn't be so confident if I were you."
"What's there not to be confident about?" the Legionnaire spat, his words dripping with venom. His mechanical eye was glaring at them when his slim lips drew up in a smirk. "Two Guardians trapped in the middle of my Headquarter, thousands of Legionnaires ready to kill you... I'm already thinking about who will take your torn-up bodies back to your family, cousins."
When Moonwatcher sighed dramatically, Rembrandt just had to wonder what his second-father was up to. "And here I was hoping we wouldn't come to this..." The younger Guardian couldn't help but widen his eyes when he saw his grandfather take the blue Chaos emerald from a pocket. How in hell did he manage to steal it from Steppenwolf's careful watch?
Upon seeing the emerald, Kragok and Lien-Da slightly backed up, but Kragok's foolish pride made him open his mouth. "You are making a big mistake... if you think you are going to win with your pathetic little blue rock," he said, sounding less confident than earlier.
"Well then." It was Moonwatcher's turn to smirk as he produced the green Chaos emerald from another pocket. This time Kragok took a step back, quickly followed by his sister. "If this isn't enough for you, I've got another one in my jacket, but I trust you to know I don't need them in my hands for them to work." Moonwatcher held the emeralds, getting more confident each passing second as he felt the raw power they contained.
Grandfather, have you gone insane? Rembrandt asked him over their mental bond.
Just trust me, Second-son, and don't ever dare calling me insane!
Uneasy, Kragok backed up to the door. "Just you wait there... I promise you the fight of your life, you won't regret it." The Master stuck his head out and called for his Legionnaires. "Guards! Guards! Why the hell is there nobody here!"
"Because of you, stupid," Lien-Da scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "You forbade them to go in this aisle because you said it would look less suspicious, and so the Guardians would never know we're keeping the black Guardian in the hidden room of the prison b-"
Kragok ran to her and clamped his flesh hand over her mouth. "Shut it, you fool!"
Moonwatcher chuckled. "She has a lovely mouth, I reckon... Better when it's not running, right?" The echidna turned to his grandson. "Find him, Rembrandt. I'll take care of them."
"But how-"
"I'll be fine. I've got three friends of mine that are going to help me. Find him!" he barked when Rembrandt didn't do anything. This got the younger male moving, and he began searching the room for a secret door.
It didn't take him long to find the hidden panel in the far corner of the prison bay. He opened it, trying to ignore the sounds of the upcoming battle behind him. By the feels of it his grandfather was charging up power, making his hair stand on end. Rembrandt managed to shunt the panel with an expert flick of his cutter, and almost immediately the wall slid to reveal another cell.
Blocking out the sound of the first chaos blast being hurled at Kragok, Rembrandt got in the dark cell, turning his laser wire cutter on. His breath caught in his chest when he was able to make out that the black ball sitting in a corner was in fact his fifth-son.
Spectre was lying on his side, facing away from the door. From what Rembrandt could see, his back was scarred from nape to tail; whip wounds, he thought with horror. His left metallic leg was long gone, and the right one was so damaged Hawking would probably have to replace it. If we manage to get of here, the elder Guardian reminded himself grimly, getting closer to his fifth-son to check up on him. In some places, Spectre's jet black fur had been ripped off, revealing red and angry skin; his remaining fur looked dull and unclean. On closer inspection, Rembrandt was able to make out bones right under the fur, moving with every breath the young echidna took; did they starve him?
Now wasn't the time to think about it; Rembrandt had to be quick. He knelt beside his fifth-son and, extending his wire cutter, he neatly cutted off the chains holding Spectre's feet and hands in place. Edmund's fourth-son didn't waste any time; he took Spectre in his arms and lifted him up, amazed at how light he was. With a last look towards the initially white helmet that now lay in a corner of the cell, Rembrandt turned heels and sprinted out.
Meanwhile Moonwatcher was struggling to hold Kragok back, Lien-Da off to find Legionnaires. Firmly planted on his feet, teeth gritted, he was summoning as much power as he could to keep the Legionnaires from coming closer by creating a chaos-powered shield which cut the prison bay in two. Growling fiercely, Kragok was throwing red chaos bolts that crashed against the shield, weakening it slightly.
As beads of sweat began to appear on Moonwatcher's face, he caught Rembrandt from the corner of an eye; his second-son was exiting a room with a black lump in his arms that looked like an echidna. I was beginning to wonder where the hell he had been... The green glasses-wearing Guardian turned his head a little to get a better look at Spectre; Kragok saw this and hurled a more powerful blast which caused the shield to shrink a bit. "Ah!" he exclaimed, a triumphal grin on his face. "Is that all you can do, Guardian? Even with those little rocks of yours? I'm most impressed!"
Let's make a run for it, Grandfather! Rembrandt told Moonwatcher. He was carrying Spectre with one arm under what was left of his legs, the other one under his shoulderblades and the younger male's head was resting upon his shoulder.
I was about to suggest it...
Slowly, ever so slowly, Moonwatcher's chaos powered shield was shrinking. The more the shield shrunk, the more the Guardian's hands began to glow green. He was gathering all the power he had used in the shield in his palms, shuddering as he was filled with power beyond what he had ever been able to use. Kragok's grin faded immediately, replaced by a look of slight fear. "What the-" he muttered, trying to get himself back together in order to fire a chaos blast, but his mind was glued to his enemy's hands.
Moonwatcher gave off a grunt as the biggest chaos bolt he had ever seen formed itself between his hands. This one was glowing a blinding white color, and it hurt his eyes which were fighting to stay focused on the task at hand. Downright frightened, Kragok ran to the door. "Guards! Guards!" Those were the last words he spoke that day.
The chaos blast was launched, and caught Kragok from behind. The Legionnaire literally flew forwards to crash into the hard concrete wall, head first. Rembrandt inwardly winced when Kragok's skull met the wall with a sickening crack, before the Legionnaire slid to the floor in a tangle of black robes.
Moonwatcher ran to his dark cousin, a disgusted and disappointed look on his face. "What? He's alive? That blow should have killed him on the spot!"
"You forget the emeralds only allow us to defend and protect, they wouldn't let us use them to kill someone, Grandfather," Rembrandt piped in, adjusting his grip on Spectre.
Moonwatcher growled and put his boot on Kragok's head. "Then let me take care of this little problem, right now."
"Grandfather! This is no time to do that. Legionnaires could be on their way to kill us as we talk. We have to get Spectre, and by the way ourselves, out of there before it's too late!" Rembrandt pleaded with his second-father. When Moonwatcher just stood there unmoving, his boot still on Kragok's skull, seemingly deep in thought, the younger Guardian called him. "Second-father! Would you let Spectre die because of this?"
Finally Moonwatcher sighed. "You're right. Let's go." He gave the Legionnaire one last heartfelt kick in the guts, and he ran to catch up with Rembrandt who was already looking for a way out of the headquarter.
There should be an exit near, it leads to the forest next to Haven, Rembrandt informed his second-father through their bond, focusing on running rather than talking. Once we're out we could destroy it so they can't follow us!
All right, Rembrandt, we'll do just that... ah, second-son?
What is it?
Could you please be so kind as to not inform your third -father I... borrowed a few emeralds for the benefit of this mission? I'm afraid he might not take it well...
Rest assured, Grandfather, Rembrandt laughed. He won't know a thing. Now let's hurry, and with a little luck we'll be in Haven's kitchen in three hours!