Chapter 95 – An Old Acquaintance
"Gerr." Sselekk growled as he stomped through the halls, gently pushing Image as they tracked the baby dragon, "What in Egas' name made him veer off so badly?" Some of the Suniks that passed him watched in curiosity as they moved, though he and Image didn't seem to mind or care at the moment.
"I don't know." Image exclaimed, "But he hasn't sat still at all. Plus, whenever we get close, he's behind us again. Almost like he's…"
"What?" Sselekk asked as the Meltackian hesitated.
"Moving through the walls." Image said in a bit of realization, "Sselekk, are there any hidden chambers in these walls?"
"Not that I know of." the large Sunik said and placed his free hand to his chin, "Although I did dig out some tunnels behind the garden statue at my mother's house when I was young, so it's plausible that the royal family did the same in their youth."
"But, what does this mean?" the Meltackian asked as the two of them slowly came to a stop.
"It means that we can't get to him right now." Sselekk said in concern, "Is there a way you can contact him?"
"I can try." Image said, "He's still in range, I think."
"Do it." Sselekk said, "Tell him to meet us at the entrance if he can."
"Roger." was the only response the young Meltackian gave.
Spike and Kklip moved through the walls swiftly. They had been built narrow, but strategically, notches carved into the walls where ladders could have been, and easy-to-use platforms where gaps were made for said ladders, each notch spaced in such a way that a small body like that of Spike's or the Prince's small frames could easily maneuver. "Spike!" the baby dragon heard from inside his mind just as he was about to reach for another notch in the wall and continue his climb.
"Image?" Spike asked out loud as his free hand retreated a bit.
"Who?" Kklip asked, and suddenly remembered, "You're Meltackian friend?"
"Just a second." Spike said and focused. The words forming in his mind as he spoke to the Meltackian, "Is that you, Image?"
"Where are you?" the young Meltackian scolded, "Sselekk and I have been trying to find you for some time now."
"Heh, sorry." The baby dragon thought in embarrassment and instinctively rubbed the back of his head, "I got hungry and ate some gems I found, but I kind of lost you both."
Image gently placed his hand to his face in aggravation, "Oh by Meltack's Core…" he grumbled, "Are you at least alright?"
"Oh yeah. I'm fine." the baby dragon said, "The Prince and I are making our way through the walls."
"You're with the Prince of SUNIK?" Image asked in shock.
"Heh, long story." Spike said, "But we're alright. We're investigating something suspicious."
"Just, be careful." Image said, "Meet us near the gates if you can. Sselekk and I are making our way to the dungeon to rescue my sister. We'll meet you there."
"Gates…got it!" Spike said. He then continued his climb and grinned before realizing what the rest of the sentence had meant, "Wait, your sister isn't in the dungeon!" he basically shouted into his mind, "Hello?" he asked, "Image?"
"Is everything alright?" Kklip asked in concern.
"Ugh." Spike groaned out loud, "I'm out of range."
"Out of range of what?" the prince asked, "And how could you hear your friend? Is it something you dragons can do?"
"No, it's actually a Meltackian thing." Spike explained, "They commune with your mind and speak to you psychically, but it looks like that connection has a range to it and I passed it somewhere down there." Spike pointed one of his claws down the set of claw holds the two had just ascended, "But if we go back now…"
"Why did you not contact them after you had gotten lost?" the young Sunik asked.
"I…" Spike began and realized just how much could have been avoided, "Didn't think about it." he continued and smiled, "But I'm actually glad I didn't because I wouldn't have met you, and we wouldn't have known what's really happening." he said with a smile, "We wouldn't have become friends."
"We're friends?" Kklip asked.
"Well, yes." Spike insisted, "Aren't we?"
"Sskrit always tells me it's impossible to make friends that quickly." the prince said as he rubbed one of his arms in embarrassment, "He says it takes weeks to truly become friends, and that he's all I have because I can't trust anyone else."
"You can trust me." Spike said, "I just met you, and I can tell you're a caring person. You don't like it when others get hurt."
"I do not." the prince agreed.
"Sskrit, on the other hand, sounds like he's greedy, he might know you're the prince and want to keep you for himself." Spike said.
"For what purpose?" Kklip asked.
Spike simply shrugged, "Uhuh." he mumbled his uncertain answer.
"I'll think on the subject, but for now we must press forward." Kklip said with a small bit of authority.
"Lead the way." Spike said with a smile and followed the prince down the next corridor.
Sselekk leaned against the wall, his arms crossed in a kind of frustrated way, "You two are really something." he said with disdain, though he meant what he had said, he was tired of all the interruptions.
"I apologize if we have disturbed your day." Image said with as much sarcasm as he could muster.
"I didn't mean it like that." the large Sunik said as his sour disposition melted, "I just…"
Image visibly exhaled again, his nerves releasing the negative energy they had built up, "I am sorry." he said as he interrupted the Sunik general, "I should not let our past bother me as much as it does. You were under duress from your superiors were you not?"
Sselekk lifted his arms and placed them behind his head, "Yeah, I was." he said, "My job, my reputation…even my wellbeing was threatened when the Chamber Master decided to keep your sister so we could keep you under our claw."
"I am sorry, you tried your best." Image said as he let the weight of the situation finally sink in.
"Well, not really." Sselekk said as he lowered his eyes in sorrow, "I protested a bit, at first. When all of that was presented, I just sank back and said 'Yes sir'. I was more interested in watching after myself than watching after you." His admission of guilt took Image by surprise, the Meltackian watching the Sunik carefully, "I've never thought I'd risk my job for something. Maybe Kkimira, but she's also been trying to soften me up a lot as well. But now, you and Spike…" he hesitated as he prepared, or searched for the words, "Well, let's just say I'm never going back to my old ways. If I can save someone else now, I'll try."
"Why are you telling me all of this?" Image asked.
"Duknow." the large Sunik said with a shrug, "Guess I'm just trying to apologize in all the wrong ways."
The two of them lifted from the wall, Image now in control of his own movements, yet deep in thought, "I suppose I can accept them." he said, "If we can find my sister, it'll all be worth it." Sselekk nodded as they made their way to a staircase that led down into the depths. The light from the upper floors dimmed, the stone becoming damp and mossy, and the stairs becoming covered in that same moss. Sselekk found that the only grip he had on the stone stairs was because of the moss, he knew otherwise he'd be slipping all the way down, and with only a single rotting handrail leading down, he knew he'd be in trouble if he slipped. Though the dinginess didn't last long, only a few dozen feet, and suddenly the light came on again, though slightly dimmer than up on the other floors, it was a far cry from the darkness they had just gone through.
"What was that about." Image asked.
"An underground river runs right next to the middle of the staircase." Sselekk said, "This basement was lucky someone caught the leak in time but, the damage was pretty much done. The kingdom is trying to allocate funds for repairs."
"I see." Image said as he made sure none of the moss touched his wardrobe.
"Sselekk!" said another large and friendly Sunik that stood in front of a large stone door, "What brings you here?"
"I thought they were going to reassign you since the dungeon was in need of repair." Sselekk replied.
"They were able to patch up the leak from the river's side, the prisoners are safe and I still have a job." the guard said.
"Great, I was actually trying to find a prisoner, time to let her go." the grin on Sselekk's face told of nerves.
"You really think just asking nicely will…" Image asked.
"Ok." was all the guard said. Image stopped in surprise as the guard opened the door, "Just make sure she doesn't do anything crazy, alright?"
Sselekk and Image made their way into the jail, checking each of the cells as they did. "It's so…" Image started, "…empty in here."
"Yeah." Sselekk said, "But why?"
"Because they moved everyone you idiots." they heard a familiar voice say, and when they turned to see, they saw a familiar Sunik, "I'm all that's left." Mirikka sad as she hung limply from the wall, only held up by her wrists.
"Mirikka?" Sselekk asked.
"What happened to you?" Image followed in shock.
