20: Salkatar Prison, Sarania

The moon had dawned upon the prison. All the guards were on high alert because of their very special visitor . The guards were patrolling every turn of the prison. Bed check was earlier than usual.

Alora and Walna were in their cell. They sat patiently waiting for bed check to be over. Layla and another guard had come by the cell for the standard procedure during bed check. The guard ticked their names and the pair were off to the next cell. The lights in the wing went off.

"Alright!", the guard shouted, "It's bed check! You know the rules. So I don't expect to find anyone moving around or talking."

Layla and the guard walked down the corridor with a lamp in hand. Layla walked past Alora's cell. They locked eyes as she walked down the cold prison corridor. She nodded her head at Alora and she walked off with the other guard.

Alora looked down at Walna's bunker. Walna's eyes were wide open. "I see you are awake.", she said.

"You know Alora, I've been here for so long." , she stuck her head out and looked into Alora's eyes. "I used to love flowers. Sunflower was my favourite. I can't wait to see a sunflower."

There was a light emerging from the corridor and Walna could hear footsteps. "Someone's coming.", she said. They tucked themselves in bed and faced the wall.

"I said no talking!", the cell door opened. "You know the rules. Get up you are going to the box."

Alora and Walna turned away from the wall. "Layla!", they shouted.

"You two really want us to get caught.", Layla said beneath her breathe. "We don't have much time so let's go now. Follow my lead."

Layla put handcuffs on both Alora and Walna. They walked out of the cell, Layla was in front and Alora and Walna were right behind her. There weren't many guards around just the younger ones placed on night duty, a usual procedure with Salkatar Prison. They were all caught up with their own stuff, mostly just goofing off to pass the time.

Layla led Alora and Walna to the box. There was a guard sitting near the door. He was a big muscle head and was nearly asleep. Layla placed her hand on his shoulder. He woke up in an outburst.

"What's going on!", he shouted. He turned to his shoulder and saw Layla.

"Oh it's you!", he said, "I thought a fairy was getting a jump on me."

"Nope it's just me.", she said, "Well I'm not alone. These two were steering up some trouble during lights out."

He stood up from his chair. He looked at Alora and he didn't say a word and didn't even make a face. He walked over to Walna and his calm demeanor fizzled away. He looked at her from head to toe and the eye he gave her just made Walna feel unsure of herself.

They locked eyes. She could see the pure hatred in eyes and he wasn't even trying to hide it. The guard spat on her face in disgust. They locked eyes again.

"Make sure you rough them up real nice yeah?", he reached for his pockets and pulled out the keys. "Here you go.", the keys fell into Layla's hand.

"I was going to join you but I will let you have all the fun.", he said, "Make sure you give this fairy a good one."

He laughed manically and sat down in his chair. Layla opened the door with a lamp in hand.

"Come on you two. Let's get this over with."

They walked into the dark room, Layla shut the door behind. She uncuffed Alora and Walna, she placed her finger against her lips. Walna and Alora nodded their heads. She signalled them to stay put. Layla went to the corner of the room and just stood there in silence.

Walna whipped off the disgust slimy spit across her face. Alora watched as she did. She couldn't help but feel sympathetic. She held Walna's hand. Walna was trying so hard to hold back the tears.

"Thank you.", she whispered underneath her breathe.

Layla turned away from the wall and there was an enormous hole in the wall. The hole was wide enough for someone to slither away. The hole led directly to the prison yard. Layla went in first. Alora and Walna were right on her tail. It was no smooth ride, the tiny but yet skin piercing pieces of rubble scrapped their knees and hands. Walna had the worst of it. Her already scared back was being torn by the sharp roofing of the hole.

They finally made it through the hole. They fell right into the prison yard. They saw the watch tower at the heart of the prison. There was a light circling around the vicinity.

"Do you think they will see us?", Alora asked.

"No but if we continue standing here they will.", Layla said.

They rushed their way to the prison wall. It was a thick wall made out of the hardest of sand in Sarania, sal ki. The wall was three times taller than Walna. This was their only way out.

"If I had my wings this would be much easier.", Walna said.

"We have to help each other climb.", Alora said, "Walna you are the strongest one here. So you push Layla up then I go up and we pull you up."

"Seems fair enough, let's be quick before the meathead realises we are gone."

Up in the watch tower, Jade had come unannounced, her eyes were wrapped as always. The two guards working in the watch tower bowed at her feet as she walked in.

"There's no need for the formalities.", she said, "You can rise now."

"Thank you my lady.", they stood up and dusted themselves off.

"I assume everything is alright.", she said.

"Yes my lady."

Satisfied with the fine work they were doing, she decided to go. Just as she had one foot out of the door, she heard talking and movements coming from all the way down in the yard.

"Sound the alarm!", she shouted ," There's an escape in progress."

"But my lady.", one of the guards spoke out, "With all due respect no one can escape Salkatar. Besides my lady I don't see or hear anyone."

Jade turned around. She snapped her fingers. The guards head exploded within a blink of an eye. Chunks of his brain and his skull went flying across the room. His friend was covered in his blood. He was in absolute shock, he tried to get the words out but they just couldn't slip out of his lips. He sat there in absolute disbelief.

"I said sound the alarm."

The guard sounded the alarm. The whale could be heard throughout the prison. Alora, Walna and Layla heard the alarm.

"Shit!", "Shit!", Layla shouted, "They are coming!"

Layla pulled Alora up the wall. They both reached their hands for Walna. They knew it was only a matter of moments before a swarm of guards came to throw them back in that hell hole. Walna jumped, she was just finger tips away then suddenly, she feels a piping hot chain wrapped around her ankle. She was pulled down and at the end of the chain was Jade.

Jade dragged Walna through the sand. She was kicking and screaming trying to get the chain off but there was no use. Jade had her in her clutches. She wrapped the chain around Walna's neck. It was wrapped in tight and any tighter, she was going to cut her head off clean.

"She dies if you trying leaving.", Jade said, "So if I were you I would get down."

Walna was gasping for air. Veins were popping out of her head. She tried pulling at the chain but it was no use. Jade had it in deep.

"Let her go!", Layla shouted.

"I've already told you." Jade was so calm, she didn't show any sign of weakness. "She dies if you leave. So what's it going to be?"

"I give my life in exchange for hers!", Alora outburst, "I am of more value to you and your people than she is. So let them both go and you can have me."

"No tricks?"

"No tricks."

Alora got down. She walked over to Jade. Jade let go off Walna and Walna ran to the wall. Alora stared at Jade, her anger was eating her upside. She was finally face to face with her. Jade snapped her fingers and Alora fell to the ground out cold.