Chapter 3: Since you died.

Rag and Nitro looked at me like I was crazy, but I couldn't blame them. Bleeding, poisoned, cut, knocked down; I could only imagine how pitiful I looked through their eyes.

"What?" Rag laughed

I stood up to face him and readied my spear.

"If you're going to fight, you should at least get the poison expelled from your body…" Nitro started to take a step forward, then I glared at him, forcing him to take a step back.

My breathing was heavy and I would faint soon. I needed to get out of Ereve, I needed to redeem myself. "I need to get out of here, now stand aside"

Rag looked to Nitro, Nitro looked to Cygnus, Cygnus looked to Shinsoo, and Shinsoo looked back to me. "If we need to we'll take you down, just to heal you." Nitro took a step forward, Zedbug in hand.

I coughed then fell to my knees. I wouldn't be able to fight back with this wooden spear…I needed a distraction. "Fox!" Echo flew from the sky to my side…the perfect distraction.

"Is the Cave of Life" I coughed again "Is it as I imagined?" I improvised.

Echo thought a while then looked to me "Yes, they are prepared for your arrival" Echo took his place on my shoulder as I stood up.

"The Cave of Life? Why are you going there…?" Nitro finally eased up.

"I'm meeting someone there, someone who could turn this whole situation around for me" I lied through my teeth. I just needed a place to get away…

"If you're going there…then Nitro and I will accompany you, you won't be able to fight in the condition that you're in…" Rag put his hand on my shoulder and smiled. He had no idea what I was planning…unfortunately neither did I.

Cygnus held out a small bottle and I cautiously took it. "Here, it's a special elixir, no matter what kind of trouble you're in, this will restore you to full health"

I held the bottle in the air and left for Ereve's Sky Ferry followed by Rag and Nitro. I paid the Piyo extra to let Rag and Nitro on as well and we were off. I took a seat on one end of the Ferry while Rag and Nitro took a seat at the other end. I closed my eyes and started to doze off, sooner than I knew I wasn't on the Sky ferry anymore…

I awoke in Leafre covered with sweat. I don't know what happened, but I could feel myself shaking, I saw myself die.

"I-I" I couldn't make myself talk. I looked to Nitro and Rag for help, but the pain was in my mind. My fear…

I took a deep breath and tried to clear my mind, but no matter what I thought about, I couldn't do it. Whatever I saw scared me, the fear bit away at my reality.

I took a deep breath and sighed, standing up at the same time, still shaking. "L-Let's go"

"Fox, maybe you should rest" Nitro put a hand on my shoulder, but I pushed it off, falling down to my knees.

"No, I don't need a rest…I need…" I didn't finish my statement

"Then at least drink that elixir, if I recall…you're still poisoned…" Rag helped me up, but I ignored him, starting my trek through Leafre.

I entered Dragon Forest, Rag and Nitro close behind me. It pained me, it pained me to think I knew that I was going to betray Nitro and Rag, the two friends that stuck with me through everything. The two friends that knew I didn't kill Raillin. The two friends who wouldn't believe it even if I told them myself, something I would do in the near future.

I fell to my knee and started to cough. Rag jumped to my side and picked Cygnus's elixir from my pocket "Don't make me hold you down while Nitro pours this down your throat" Rag smiled

I pushed Rag's hand away and carried on after wiping the blood from around my mouth. It sickened me that I wasn't willing to accept the help from anyone, even the friends who would lay down their lives for me, as I would do the same for them.

I closed my eyes as I traveled through Dragon Canyon, where the wyverns wouldn't attack those with a massive amount of strength, Rag, and Nitro. I saw a Blue Wyven and thought of Nitro…

Long ago Nitro trained as a Hero, every day and night we would fight side by side no matter what we faced, we always came out on top; that was until Nitro left. Aran woke up after several years after he fell to the Black Mage, when he did a call went out to the Maple World from Rein. Lilin started recruiting for people to train under Aran, and become a hero of ice. Nitro left, and I didn't see him until the day I was exiled. I remember looking to him as I left in shame. The look on his face told me he didn't believe that I killed Raillin, while his partner Tal, the blue wolf didn't know what to think.

I opened my eyes and found my self standing before a Dark Wyvern, it hoened it's mouth and it's tongue started to glow, but before I was attacked Rag jumped in front of me and the attack hit him, barely denting his armor. The wyvern stared at Rag with wide eyes then left, fearing death.

Rag was always the 'guy I would never reach'. He quickly ascended fourth job, giving him powers that were thought unimaginable. Rag continued to train with the power he gained, using his transformation on when needed. I could only imagine the strength this evolved Hero gained when I was exiled. I remember his face, kind yet shocked as he watched me get exiled that day. He held both of his swords that day, I don't know if it was out of respect, or to show me how much stronger he became. It was strange; deep in my mind I wondered what Rag thought of me. Even stranger, I couldn't bear to know what I had planned for them in the Cave of Life…

I stood up tall and looked at the entrance to the Cave of Life. The guardian wasn't there, Echo had done it, my plan could no longer be stopped. I entered the Cave of Life and Nitro and Rag followed. I placed my hand on a pile of stacked up bones and started to glow.

"Fox?" Rag called out before touching the pile of bones.

"Rag!" Nitro followed.

Instantly we were teleported into a large cave where we met up with Echo. We stood on a long platform; roped hung from the platform onto the ground, where a large glowing crystal stood.

I took a step forward, as I did I could feel Nitro's touch on my shoulder "Don't do it Fox, you know that Horntail won't spare us…it's best to just leave"

I pulled away from Nitro and stepped forward again. "Come now!" I did it. I summoned Horntail.

A large dragon's head broke through the cave wall before us and stared at us, longing to see our blood.

"How foolish…do you really think you three can take me down?" The large dragon bellowed. How voice shook the cave.

"No…" I responded quietly

Horntail was quiet. If he decided to fight us, this would be our end…this would be my end.

I took a step forward. I took a leap of faith, something that I had abandoned a long time ago. "I am Fox. I am the man who once trained to surpass my own strength. I am the man who killed Raillin in cold blood. I am the man who was exiled in shame. I am the man who will get revenge on those who exiled me."

The great dragon bellowed and I could feel something, I was getting stronger. I saw myself start to glow purple.

"In return you must kill your friends. Show me the power that you have now!" The dragon roared and I started to glow louder.

I turned around to face Rag and Nitro who stood in shock. I could imagine their thoughts. 'What? No…it isn't possible…Fox couldn't have killed Raillin'

"No…" The large dragon changed his mind and took a deep breath and released it, forcing Rag and Nitro back into the cave's wall. They fell to their knees and didn't speak, they still couldn't believe what they heard.

I dashed forward and punched Rag, then Nitro in the chest causing them to black out. I had done it, I was alone once again.

I fell to my knees and punched the rocky floor with both fists. "Please…spare my friends." Echo took flight.

"Send them to Ereve, any punishment I must take for my lie I will, just get them out of here" I spoke again.

Horntail started to glow blue, then Rag and Nitro vanished. There was no way he'd listen to me…something was wrong.

"Now what are you here for…As a dragon, I can see into your mind and soul, your lies and deceitfulness will NOT work here." The large dragon roared.

I closed my eyes as I coughed, I opened them and jumped back, seeing a pile of blood on the ground. I was really sick now…

"I am Fox, Exiled…I have nowhere to go, and nothing to say. However, I could not let my friends endanger themselves by staying near me…"

"Endanger themselves?" The dragon spoke a bit more quietly, still shaking the cave with his voice.

"Someone is hunting me. They're just putting themselves in danger…this is something I have to do alone…" I took a step forward and stared into Horntail's eyes.

"No Fox…this is something we have to do together" A voice said from behind me.

I turned around and fell backward. I couldn't believe it, it wasn't possible…

"Hey…Murderer" Raillin said with a smile