Chapter 98 – Escape the Walls

"Hey!" one of the two large Sunik guards called out as Sselekk and Image approached a rather large ornate door. Both wore silver-scaled armor that covered their bodies and a simple helm atop their heads, "I'm sorry I can't let you in."

"There's a meeting between the four Viziers right now." the second and clearly youngest of the two guards followed up.

"I'm just here to make sure the People's Voice is alright." he said in a flat response that betrayed his urgent pace as he approached them.

"Why wouldn't she be?" the first guard asked in surprise.

"And what's it to you anyway?" the second guard asked.

"Oh, right." the first said in realization, "You are new here. The People's Voice…"

"She's…" Sselekk began, and sighed, "She's my mother." He didn't feel embarrassment, and his posture spoke only of pride.

"She's also the one who made the cookies you ate six of in the breakroom this morning." the first guard added in.

The second guard lowered his jaw in surprise, "What?" was his only response.

"And right now she's in a room alone with three Suniks that want her removed from office." Sselekk said, "One of them depraved enough to remove another Sunik's scales."

"What?" the two guards asked at the same time.

"I just got back from releasing a prisoner he's been doing that too, I want to make sure that…" He stopped when the four of them heard a loud crash and stone breaking from inside, "Oh Egas, no." Sselekk said, and pushed passed them shoving his massive frame into the door, only for it to not move, "DANG IT!" he called and slammed his fist into the door.

"Locked?" the elderly guard asked in surprise, only to have the younger guard point to the place where the lock would be.

"On three." he said, and the other two moved to be on either side of him, "One. Two. THREE!" the three of them ran their shoulders into the door, the lock snapping from the frame as Image concentrated to try and unlock it with his magic, but the results spoke for themselves.

Sselekk looked up, scanning the room, and quickly found his mother unconscious and being straddled by the Law Keeper, a larger angrier looking Sunik with greying scales and hair that was pulled back into a large ponytail that was clamped together by several metal rings that trailed down his back, as he held a knife in one of his hands. Behind them stood two older Suniks, one wearing gold and ornate clothing while the other dark-scaled and strapped to a type of hover chair that allowed for movement. He wore a basic tunic and vest but was forced to wear a breathing mask whose cables wrapped around to the back of the chair. The three viziers froze as they were quickly discovered, Sselekk growing angry and launching himself at the Law Keeper.

Image quickly switched his focus as the Law Keeper lifted a knife in his hand, his magic wrapped around the knife itself and pulled the blade from the warrior before hurling it across the room, shocking the Vizier long enough for Sselekk to tackle him to the ground. The older guard rushed forward, while the two in the back yelled in anger at them, and he picked up the unconscious female. "Sselekk, leave the traitor and run." he called out as he watched the large Sunik slam his fists into the face of the Law Keeper. Image was forced to levitate his Sunik friend and carry him, his large claws trying to gouge the scales of his enemy, away from the room. The younger of the guards quickly closed both doors behind them.

The vizier in the hover chair growled angrily, "AFTER THEM!" he tried shouting, only to start a coughing fit.

"Don't let the witnesses survive either!" the second of the viziers called out.

The Law Keeper grinned, a sickening grin of bloodlust and pleasure, "I haven't been hit that hard in ages." he said to himself as he got up from the ground, his voice dark and smooth, almost seductive in sound. He began walking towards the door, "He actually made me bleed." He rubbed his thumb on one of his bruised cheeks, picking some of the blood from the wound, "This should be fun."

Sselekk growled in anger as he floated through the air thanks to Image's magic. His anger flared wildly as he was forced to watch the younger of the two guards barricade the door with whatever he could find. A turn and they could no longer see him. They slowly came to a stop and he was placed on the ground, "Here!" he heard the older guard say and he turned to receive his unconscious mother, "That door won't hold for long. I'll stay behind and try to slow the Law Keeper down."

"No." Sselekk said, "I'll stay. I'm stronger and…"

"And the Law Keeper WANTS to fight you now." the guard said, "Yeah, don't think I didn't notice. You made him bleed."

"I what?" Sselekk asked in genuine confusion.

"He's going to chase you now and you know it." the guard said, "Just take her and go. If what you told us is true, then he's not going to stop until he kills you and everyone you care about."

"Oh Egas, Kkimira!" the large Sunik said as a panicked realization set in.

"Take the People's Voice and everyone you love and leave." the guard said, "You won't be able to set foot in the capitol anymore." Sselekk stopped, his thoughts racing on the subject, "You also don't have time to think, now GO!" the guard shouted, and used his hand to spin Sselekk around before pushing him forward, the Sunik and the Meltackian racing down the halls and out the door just as Spike and Serenity came out of the walls.

"What the?" the baby dragon asked in shock.

"No time, just run!" Image told the two of them.

Spike turned back to the hole in the wall, "We got to go Kklip, I'll see you around?" he asked.

"I do hope so." the little Sunik said and watched as the two of them raced off toward their friends.

"WAIT UP!" Spike shouted after the two.

"I do hope everything is alright." prince Kklip said in worry as he began shutting the entrance. He was just about done when he saw the Law Keeper walk by, a malicious grin on his face and his pace quick, "Oh no." he whispered and softly shut the door to the wall before racing his way towards where he knew his grandfather's room was.

"Brother?" Serenity asked as she picked Spike up from the ground, "What has transpired to warrant such urgency?" Her movements were still stiff and deliberate but her speed was enough to at least keep up with the two fleeing figures.

"In short, we rescued Sselekk's mother and made a very bloodthirsty enemy." he told her.

"Oh." she said calmly.

"Oh, I hope Kkimira is at the train station." Sselekk said to himself and was instantly knocked down as he rounded a corner, a small fist collided with his face out of nowhere and he was instantly seized by at least three younger Suniks. The others could only watch as his mother fell to the floor in a heap of fabric and scales.

"Surprised to see me?" a voice asked as Sskrit walked up to him and cracked his knuckles.

"Get off of me!" Sselekk growled as he struggled against the younger group.

"Leave him alone!" Spike yelled from his position in Serenity's arms, catching the attention of Sskrit.

"Hm?" the Sunik said as he glanced at them, "Oh, the other loser and his pet." he said, and finally looked to Serenity, "Well, lookie here!" he grinned, "Such a cutie."

"Don't touch my sister!" Image said as he finally communed with the bully. He was quickly seized by another Sunik that had come from behind, the Sunik's arms reaching underneath his and wrapping around his head, his arms locked in a very uncomfortable position.

"Sister huh?" Sskrit asked as he walked up to the captive Meltackian, "Well…" and punched him hard in the stomach and causing him to fall to the ground as the other Sunik kid let go of him, "I promise to take good care of her." he said and kicked him in the side.

The second Sunik followed suit as the group holding Sselekk down began punching and kicking as well. "KNOCK IT OFF!" Spike called out helplessly.

"You're next kid." Sskrit growled, and the two Suniks were quickly lifted by a silver-blue light.

"ENOUGH!" an enraged Image shouted his skin once again the pattern and shades of an inferno. He stood from his downed position, and flung each of his hands side to side, throwing the two Suniks he levitated. Sskrit slammed into the lid of a dumpster and fell in while the other Sunik slammed into the wall of a building. The flames on his skin intensified as he wordlessly used his magic to pluck Suniks from his friend Sselekk and toss them away.

"Brother?" Serenity asked in shock.

"What's going on?" Spike asked.

The gang of Suniks ran as they picked themselves up from being tossed around, each fleeing in fear that he might do something worse to them if they continued. "LEAVE US ALONE!" Image shouted as they all disappeared behind one of the walls, some being carried by their friends. Sskrit groaned as he pushed the dumpster lid open, and felt himself get lifted from the garbage by a force he couldn't see, "I'M GOING TO…" the Meltackian boy growled as he brought the Sunik to look him in the eyes.

"Stop." he heard Sselekk say as the large familiar hand landed on his shoulder, "He's not worth it." Image turned to look the large Sunik in the eyes, his skin still burning with the color of fire, but his eyes turned soft with tears, "We have to go." he said softly and turned to go retrieve his mother.

The fire on Image's skin faded, the turbulent maelstrom of colors still raging, but no longer an inferno, "Don't follow us." he said as he turned back to Sskrit, and stopped his magic, letting the Sunik fall to the ground in fear.

They once again fled, racing their way to the gates just as the Law Keeper took his first step out of the palace door, blood staining his hands and a grin on his face, "Your turn." was all he said as he walked his way towards them.