Pressing his ears between the bars to hear any noises, The familiar clicking sound of Stalkers reverberated continuously. Lucan didn't need to guess too much to know what was on the other side.
While listening, the little fat Princess presses up against his side, Making Lucas shiver down to his toes and back off at lightning speed.
A pout forms on her face, with two big teeth. "C'mon, Darling, We're engaged now. No need to be so stand-offish.." At this point, the spiders seemed more tempting to Lucas. "Well, I'd better get back now... lunch calls." Lucas quickly backed off and headed towards the stairs without waiting for a response. "We can.. Pick up where we left off left!" His voice echoed from the tunnel.
Princess Dilla frowned at his fleeing figure. "Is giving him my toy a mistake? Why won't he spend time with me instead?" She grumbled while storming off to complain to her Daddy.
Returning to his room, Silvia stood ready to fight the moment he pushed the door open, reassuring her to calm down and telling her of his findings. "I've found a restricted area. If anywhere looks like it might have a way to the surface, That would be my open bet for the moment... Would.. you like to come with me? Do you have family down here?" Silvia promptly nodded, "..I'll come.." A soft voice leaked out.
With no response about family, Lucas didn't prompt to dig too deep, he also grew up an orphan, and in this strange place, it might be even more prevalent.
During Lucas pondering, he noticed Silvia's eyes wandering towards the scales on his right arm, climbing upwards. With his curiosity growing, Lucas couldn't help but ask while pointing at his arm. "Do you know what this is?" It was already up to his shoulder, but Lucas didn't worry. Other than the pain where the scales passed After the scales passed the previous spot, it felt better than ever and full of power!
Reaching out her hand, Silvia slid her hand across those scales, feeling the cooling, smooth scales. It was comfortable. She felt an instinctive familial bond from his arm, but she could tell he wasn't her kind all the same, which puzzled her.
Taking a deep breath. "I'm.. from the Quilscale tribe..." Feeling her scales, They followed more of a circular pattern. "..Mommy told me my Quilscale tribes' people are descendants of the snake Goddess of fertility, Cihuacōātl."
Taking a deep breath with watering eyes. "Mommy an-- sniff-- and daddy died so I could escape."
Not being able to hold herself back, she broke out in tears.
Lucas consoled her with a hug. He didn't know what else he could do besides that.
"Listen, Silvia. It'll be ok from now, ok. Stay with big brother, Lucas. Ok? I need to get back to the surface, and I'll bring you with me." Lucas gently pats her back in a warm hug.
A half an hour passed with sobbing. When Silvia managed to pull herself away, embarrassment took over, seeing all the tears and snot left on Lucas's shoulder.
"Don't worry about it. I have a little sister I need to get back too above. You're both probably around the same age. I'm sure you'd love to meet her." Lucas's focus drifts off in worry.
Focusing again. "If you'd like, I could be your big brother Lucas!" Lucas smiles at her gently.
Silvia smiles back and nods, "Mmm!" Returning her attention to the scales on his arm. "I don't know what those are. It's not the same, but it feels very close..."
As they were both consoling each other, Those very same black scales finally reached Lucas's shoulder where you could see the blood veins beneath Lucas's skin turning black and heading in the direction of his heart, much similar to blood poisoning.
"Aaaaarrhh!" Pain too over Lucas's mind as he collapsed on the ground, enough pain he wished he could die. Every time he thought he'd lose consciousness, the pain would ensure he'd stay awake. Lucas could barely hear Silvia calling him in his hear and feel her hugging him. But he couldn't make out the words.
Finally, the world turned black as he drifted off into a deep sleep.
--------
As Lucas stirred from his sleep, It was all black. No glowing mushrooms. No bright stones on the ceiling.
Lucas consciousness slowly became more evident; only then did he realize there was a dim light coming from below. Looking down, he could see a blood ruby red jewel with a very light glow emanating from it on his chest.
Thinking how much it would sell for on the surface, Lucas went to grab it only to feel something was wrong. That same red jewel in the shape of a diamond was actually.... embedded in his chest!?!?
Feeling around on his chest for a while, Lucas could feel scales surrounding that same red jewel, and the same scales that vanished from his arm before.. had reappeared with newfound control over them.
As Lucas thought about it, They retracted back into his skin and once against grew out almost like hair. Lucas was a little creeped out.
Thinking back on it, He remembered seeing those black blood veins before all that pain. It must have something to do with his blood and when he pricked his finger on the stone doorway. Feeling around his chest further, those same scales were slowly spreading out from the center of his chest, down his torso, over to his right arm, and even up to his neck.
Standing up and feeling a draft, Lucas just realized he was completely naked! Where did all his clothes go?? Even his possessions were gone like his sword and white ring.
Walking around a bit and letting the red jewel light his way a bit. Lucas could finally make out the dungeon cell he was in. The smell of rotting flesh and fecal matter hung in the air without even a little airflow.
Outside the bars, Lucas could see the faint silhouettes of people in other cells. Most likely, they were the digging slaves from the other day. "Hello? Silvia?... Are you there?" Lucas's voice echoed out into the darkness, followed by some in a far off cell.
"They only bought you in, Boy" A deep boy responded in the cell opposite of himself. Lucas could only make out a shadowy figure seated in the corner of the cell.
"Do you know a way out? I know to find Silvia, the little Quilscale tribe girl." Lucas asked with concern.
" I see... They come to get us every 4 hours to dig the tunnels; you should keep up strength while you can, boy."
Lucas grabbed the bars of the cell in frustration. To his surprise, he straight out crushed the metal bar with his right hand. But right now wasn't the time to get agitated and impatient.
Lucas sat back in the corner of his cell and tried to relax.
Several hours had passed before he knew it, and a rumble could be heard as a ray of light peeks in with the rolling of a large boulder that covered the prison entrance.
Several large Mole men came in with arrogant attitudes, rattling the bars as they passed by. "Get up, you lazy vermin! It's time to dig!" yelled the leading Mole man.
"Boss... I get to play with one of those females today, right?" The one behind him chuckled in a low voice.
The leader grunted, eyed his companion, then nodded. They promptly opened up all the cells and started to connect all the prisoners to their chains again for a new day of work.
Lucas closely watched everything on their way to the tunnels. They came out from a pit on the underside of the castle on the north side.
Glancing at the prisoners, Lucas easily made out the fellow with the deep voice from before, He was tall easily at seven and a half feet tall, with four arms and blue skin, and long grey hair tied into a braid.
"This big brother, What is your name? I'm Lucas."
"You can call me Rex."
Lucas was filled with embarrassment, as they were all walking naked out in broad daylight, But nobody else seemed to pay it to mind.
Feeling a breeze come passed his privates, Lucas did his best to cover himself. With his hands as they walked.
before long, they arrived at the tunnel and were instructed to carry massive stones to designated piles some distance away.
several hours passed, and despite only being able to use one arm, Lucas wasn't even sweating from the heavy work.