Chapter 14 - CH XIV: A Great Pain

Ekyt watched Linda-Su fall asleep. She moved in her sleep, as though troubled. Then again, who wasn’t? Ekyt felt like he didn’t belong, let alone in a high position like guardian. The constant fighting was taking it’s toll on his body. Though he did his best to keep it hidden, his shoulders slumped from depression when no-one was watching, and his right elbow and left knee were stiff. All minor injuries, par the course for a guardian. He was amazed that nothing worse had happened.

Linda-Su heard the distant whiney of horses, waking her up from a fitful slumber. She was drenched in a cold sweat from the dream she had. What had it been? She couldn’t remember. And that was the least of her problems. She sensed Ekyt kneeling beside her as her eyes struggled to focus in the early morning’s dim light. “Master, they have a force of two hundred…not one I can hope to fight off…What do you want to do?” he asked, though he had his own plan. “Do whatever you think is best…is there a hope of running?” Ekyt shook his head. “They have us surrounded. The stone is too shallow to climb…” He looked around, as if disbelieving his own words.

Lien-Da smirked. “Well, well, well. My little sister and her big, bad guardian. We meet again. This time, on MY terms.” She said, an unpleasant smile crossing her face. She made a move toward Linda-Su, which earned a scathing look from Ekyt. “My, my, you have your little puppy trained well!” “Stick your fingers near the puppy’s mouth and see what happens.” Ekyt snarled, having every intention now of fighting until he was gunned down. “Sit boy, sit! Now, sister, as your little pet told you, you’re surrounded…what WILL you do?” Linda-Su looked over at Ekyt. Ekyt looked around, hatred etched on his face.

Slowly, not making eye contact, Ekyt dropped to one knee. He looked up one more time, then let his head fall, acknowledging that he was bested. “Secure him first. I expect resistance from him.” “Don’t hurt her.” Ekyt said, quietly but clearly. “That will depend directly on you…guardian.” Lien-Da sneered.

Ekyt was treated as a high-security prisoner. Four sets of shackles across his ankles and wrists, arms bound to his sides by chain, even a mask over his face to protect against biting. “I think that will hold him. If he doesn’t cooperate, cut him. Nowhere vital, and just enough to get our point across. Understood?” A chorus of “Understood!” greeted Lien-Da’s ears.

“You see sister, after your rude departure, Mikhail and I discussed what should be done. He doesn’t want this wife killed (Linda-Su’s fur bristles slightly at the words), but he hates your servant. And as much as he would like to have a human slave, he’d rather have him killed. Save the trouble later. So you’re going to watch, and see what my “doctors” can do, and what information he holds…”

Ekyt was chained on a table, his shirt stuffed in his mouth. They immediately whipped the helpless guardian, who didn’t struggle or attempt to make a sound. “Why don’t we start by you telling us where the island’s master emerald is?” Ekyt just stared straight ahead, eyes glazed over. Unimpressed, a fist connected with his face. “I asked you a question guardian. How about an answer, that’s certainly the polite thing. Guardian’s are always polite, right? Why tarnish that delicate bit of information. Now: WHERE is the Island’s last chaos emerald.” Apparently not feeling like bantering, Ekyt said “Have you checked up your @$$? That’s where your head is.” A flurry of punches hit him. One Dark Legionnaire drew a knife and made a slow, painful cut down the right side of Ekyt’s face. He started at the forehead, traced around the eye, and down the cheek. It was agonizing for Ekyt, but he said nothing at all.

Linda-Su was standing next to Lien-Da, trying desperately to think of a way out of this. “Little Linda…my my my. It seems like your puppy isn’t willing to talk. I do hope they don’t kill him…Mikhail wants that to be his wedding present.” She smiled again, stretching the whip in her hand. Linda-Su looked for something, anything, that could help them. She smiled nastily as she found what she was looking for.

Why don’t I tell them? Why do I show loyalty when I won’t receive any in return? And with Linda-Su marrying Mikhail…why do I care?… … … Because you’re going to stop it, whatever the cost. You know what that girl means to you, even if love only goes one was in this case… A spark ignited in Ekyt’s eyes. Lien-Da came over with her whip. “Guardian.” “dog.” Ekyt acknowledged. “What? I should have you killed!” “Not likely. You hold a soft spot for me…and your son’s wish. He’ll be the one to TRY to kill me. But I’ve bested better than him. So, if I might be so bold…Get bent!” Ekyt smiled. They had made the mistake of pulling his gag out. Ekyt bit down on Lien-Da’s hand, breaking two fingers.

Linda-Su ran into the room, and swung something over her head. It hit three soldiers, knocking them out. “Sister…I’ve waited a long time for a REAL fight against you…now we will see who the better fighter is!”

“Master! Her left hand is injured, two broken fingers!” Ekyt called from the table. Linda-Su and Lien-Da grappled, fighting over whatever it was Linda-Su had in her hands. Ekyt realized it was the pocket watch he had in his old robes…the one’s she was wearing! It was a heavy watch, encrusted with bits of diamond and chaos emerald, made chiefly of gold. He watched as it clattered toward him, pried loose from Linda-Su’s hand during the struggle.. The chain was in reach. Ekyt reached for it, finally succeeding in getting it. He sawed at the ropes holding him down, freeing himself quickly. He was filled with an energy he hadn’t felt in a long time.

Three guards got up, going after Ekyt. Bam! Bam! BAM! Three guards went down. Three straight right hands. Ekyt picked up one by his robe and threw him onto the table. He picked up the knife that had cut him. He hit the guard with the butt end, knocking him out. Another jumped him from behind, hanging on Ekyt’s back. Ekyt backed into the wall, then jumped, kicking his legs out from under him, squashing his attacker. The last guard punched at Ekyt, who dodged aside and grabbed the echidna around the neck while sitting on his arm. He heard the tell-tale Snap-CRACK of muscles snapping and bones breaking.

Linda-Su grabbed her sister around the neck, punching her with her free hand. She kicked her leg up, cracking Lien-Da under the chin. She spun around with an elbow-backfist combo, before kicking again. Lien-Da ran for it. Not her lucky day. She ran into Ekyt. “Surprise” he said, tilting his head slightly and grinning. He gave her a shove back toward Linda-Su, whose leg was flying toward her sister’s head. It made contact with a dull THUD. Linda-Su jumped on her sister and punched again and again, finally stopping when she was covered in blood that wasn’t hers up to her elbows. “dog.” She said under her breath.

“Master, if you hang on to me, I can get us out of here quickly.” She did, climbing up into his arms. “Hold on tight.” He admonished. He took off at a blinding speed, powered by the ring. “Watch out for that pit!” Linda-Su called. Ekyt gulped, hoping that a chaos emerald was in range, and that all Knuckles’ training took.

Linda-Su watched in amazement as Ekyt closed his eyes, concentrating while he ran, the pit approaching impossibly fast. She was even more amazed when he floated over it, hitting the other side running.

Once they were out of the complex and out of range, Ekyt gently put Linda-Su down. He knelt down immediately. “Are you injured?” He asked. “No, not at all.” She replied. “Thank you for the save master.” Ekyt said, bowing. “I should be thanking you. You did the saving at the end.”

They rested only when they were near the Chaos Chamber. A stone basin of water was in there, along with the brilliantly glowing emerald. Linda-Su couldn’t believe Ekyt. Two black eyes, a cut that ran all the way down his face, and an innumerable amount of whip marks. He said nothing of it, instead cleaning himself up and then kneeling by her side again. “It would be best to stay here until we can contact the Brotherhood.” Ekyt said, deep in thought. “How do we contact them?” she asked. Will he ask them about my wedding? If they force me to marry Mikhail, I’ll…I’ll… She couldn’t think of what she would do, so she let the thought die and instead watched him think of his answer.

“Archimedes can summon them.” He said finally. He looked up at her. “If it’s still to your favor, the subject of your wedding can come up.” Linda-Su smiled and knelt down too. She kissed the top of his head. “I was wondering that myself. I don’t want to marry him. Tell them they’ll have MY funeral to deal with if they force me.” She smiled at that for some reason. “I want to pick my own husband. Marrying when there’s no love involved seems wrong.” “It IS wrong. Ruining someone’s life for a ridiculous old custom is absurd.” Ekyt voiced his opinion in such a way that Linda-Su instantly agreed with him.

After making sure there was enough food, Ekyt went near the emerald to sit. He slid down it, closing his eyes in relief as though he was finally comfortable. It was strange that a big rock with such great and horrible power could bring comfort. Power didn’t guarantee comfort, comfort didn’t guarantee power likewise. It was a mixture of the two that was the ideal solution.

Tonight they rested, tomorrow they challenged an age-old law that governed the entire society, and prepared to defy their orders of assisting the Dark Legion.

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