A/N: Well good and bad news...good news the next chapter is finally up. Bad news, is that this may be my last chapter put up for some time due to screwed up circumstances in my already screwed up life. Hopefully this will find a way to smooth over however, and once I get things solid again i will have Lefty look the chapter over and fix it where it needs it. For now however, i am simply sorry if this ends up being my last chapter for a month or so......again i am desperately sorry but, there is little to nothing i can do to stop it. I at the very least hope you enjoy the chapter and have a great day...

The Footsteps in the Darkness ~ SkullFox


Chapter 13: Darkness

-Darkness, not the presence of shadow, or the absence of light. Rather the feeling that something is far worse than what we can imagine. It is yet unknown when the term darkness became so skewed. Perhaps it was to explain the unexplainable……or perhaps there is more lurking in the darkness than we could possibly imagine–

Krystal had left Fox and his father at Mahlay's old camp, as she feared what would happen should the villagers see the two outsiders. Fox was at this point given ample time for the vixen to finish what healing she could on his ribs. His days were now spent searching the depths of the large ship that Mahlay had refused to leave for so long. It had been several days since he'd last seen Krystal and he was beginning to grow nervous; luckily however, his father found something to keep him busy. In the bowels of the massive ship, James had found several small ships…they were not any kind of ship James had ever seen, thought Fox had once…when Krystal had brought her little ship to dock with the Great Fox a short while before joining the team in that other life. Luckily with his time spent with that old ship, he was familiar enough with the mechanics of the thing. It was as James woke one early morning that he found Fox hard at work in the docking bay of the old ship, he was half covered by the ship that hung just over him. His paw reached out from under the ship…

"You wanna hand me that number 6 box wrench over there?" His voice echoed from under the strange ship.

James picked up the tool that lay only just near him on top of a tool chest that they'd salvaged from his wrecked Arwing, "Really think you can get this thing flying?" He asked as he patted the small ship, "It's nothing like the Pegasus or the Arwings back home."

Fox chuckled, "Yeah I know. But, it's built a lot like the old Prometheus fighters under here." He said, "I spent some time working with one……" He paused and drifted off for a moment, "……when…"

"When you left her?" James asked.

Fox sighed, "Yeah." He said, "After all that I tried to stay away from anything that reminded me of her. I ended up working as a small time mechanic on the Xenass Colony. Someone dropped by the hanger I worked for…" He said pulling himself out from under the small ship, "…once he heard that the ship was so far gone, he left it there." He scoffed standing up and wiping some sweat from his forehead, "Took me about a year and a half to rebuild it. I swapped out some parts from my old Arwing…gave it a little TLC…and soon enough I used that little ship to get away from Lylat." He chuckled tossing the wrench he'd been using in the tool chest, "Lotta good that did me."

James chuckled, "Still couldn't forget huh?"

Fox scoffed, "Not with my luck." He chuckled making his way back to the ship and opening the cargo hatch, "See for about four years after that…I ended up roaming around; I decided to go through with my old dream, you know before I ever got involved with the military?"

James looked to Fox as the young vulpine pulled a small panel loose from the roof of the small hatch, and started working with some wires, "Yeah I remember…you wanted to be a writer…" He chuckled, "And an explorer."

Fox laughed lightly, shaking his head, "Yeah. I ended up writing this book about the Stygian System; it documented the indigenous people and plants and wildlife…you know crap like that." He said, "About four years after the team disbanded…I can't remember why but, I found myself in Kew city. Some little nowhere bar. She was so different when I saw her there……I barely managed to recognize her, but……I'll never forget those eyes."

James couldn't believe he was actually hearing this sort of talk coming out of his son, an animal that had never shown him any interest in females…any short of Fara that is. The older vulpine released a proud sigh, his son was already a man he was more than proud of. He tried to imagine what he and Krystal must be going through; the older fox attempted to put himself in his son's place. He didn't blame the young fox for what he'd done so far, especially since he would have done the same, and more if it meant being with Vixy. He thought back to Fox's room and the small, chronological notes that lined the walls; James couldn't see himself being able to go on without having her there with him. It was as these thoughts of not having Vixy with him caused the old mercenary to wipe a stray tear from his eye that he shook his head…

"You need some help?" He asked.

Fox thought for a moment, "Not really. All I need is that relay from your Arwing. Was it in tact?"

James chuckled as he fished the tiny glass piece from his pocket, "Yeah…you got lucky." He said handing it to his son, "How's it looking son?"

Fox dusted his paws off as he fit the loose panel back over the wiring, "Pretty good actually." He replied climbing out and closing the cargo bay, "I'll have it up and running in another day or so." He said looking at the older ship, "It ain't pretty, and it's a lot bigger than an Arwing, but, it can take us home." He said, "Luckily this place isn't all that far from a Hedian refueling station orbiting one of Styx's moons."

"Good idea…" James said, "Even if we can't get fuel for this thing. With all the fuel cells that were in here we can reach the place and we can definitely get a new ship there. Should be some sort of collector there to buy this."

Fox sighed, he really didn't want to leave…at least not without Krystal, but he doubted that she would so willingly leave her home after all the years she yearned to see it again. James sighed as he turned and looked to the other end of the room…

"We could always ask her to come." He said.

Fox ran his paw over the wing of the ship, "Dad……" He sighed, "If she stays. So am I."

James walked toward the end of the room for a moment, "Yeah…I know." He sighed, "Don't worry about it though. We'll talk about that later." He said, "When was it that this place supposedly died?"

"Don't know…" Fox replied, "I wasn't here. Until I met Krystal we still had no record of this place on file; and even then there really was no way of getting any information about it. According to her though, it was supposed to have happened already."

James chuckled, "Hmm…there's no real way of knowing that for certain. If you two have indeed changed the future for this planet, there's no telling what may be in store for it."

******

Nalya had been in deep concentration since the day she'd been attacked by Mahlay; her mind was focused on the animal's words. Had he lied simply to draw tension between her and Tyrius? Or had it all been some horrible truth that the villagers were never meant to know? Her mate was injured in his battle with Mahlay, and still lay in his bed recovering; Krystal spent her time consoling Reena on the her loss, otherwise she was nowhere to be found in the village at all. She did not know what to think, for the first time in what seemed like forever, Nalya's mind drew a constant blank. Of all the huntresses of the village, she was praised to be of a greater mindset than the rest; often outthinking the males of the village. She still kept a constant vigil on her mate, for despite the fact that he could have possibly been a part of something so horrible as the murder of so many young Cerinians……she still loved him dearly. However she feared that she had no idea how she would handle the truth were she to hear it. It was late afternoon as she sat at the small table in the den of the family's small hut that a familiar feeling; a light warmth followed by a calm voice crossed her mind…

"You are thinking about Mahlay's words."

The vixen knew the feel of her mate's mind, "How could I not?" She asked, "I could sense no lies in him……or in you."

There was a stall to the injured Elder's words, "There is more to this than you may think Nalya."

It was as he lay there that the vixen slowly stepped into the room, "Then you can explain what I do not understand. Why?"

The elder slowly managed to sit up, noting that his injuries were all but gone, he smiled inwardly at his daughter's gift…

"You and the other vixen of the tribe are meant to be our strength. I am afraid that Mahlay was not entirely wrong, but, he was also misinformed as well." He said, "The ceremony is to make a select few males stronger, not just mentally but, physically. It was determined long before my grandfather's childhood that this was for the good of Cerinians as a whole." As his mate sat and listened his mind slowly fell to where his daughter was and what she was doing, "You see Nalya……this world is not Cerinia. Our true home was destroyed many, many lifetimes ago. Just beyond the forest a short travel from the Hall of Ancients; there is a large object, bigger than any Cryn, or any tree. It was the vessel that brought our people here…."

Nalya thought for a moment, "Then we are all just like the long eared stranger that fell from the sky all those years ago?"

"Yes Nalya but it is not what you think." Tyrius replied, "The elders did not kill him. He was already dying." With a confused look from his mate, Tyrius sighed, "There is something about this place; the elders were never able to place it but, it seems to weaken males, making them ill, and eventually killing them. A few females have been effected but, it has been a very rare few."

The vixen thought back, there were deaths throughout her life that really didn't make any sense, "Naja?" She asked.

The old blue fox nodded, "Yes, your sister was one of them. The illness took her very quickly, when it strikes you are not often given much time. Apparently our ancestors found a way to transfer life force from one individual to another; and through doing this were able to halt the illness's advance." He said, "The weakest of the males are selected……they would never make it even into their youthful years before the sickness would take them. It was the same for the long eared animal those years ago. I realized that you may never find yourself able to forgive me for what I've done all these long years, but, it was for the good of our people. It does not matter however……" He said wincing from a foreign pain in his head, placing a paw over his right eye, "…my body has weakened over the long years; the pains are the first sign that the illness is becoming increasingly more violent. Like the other elders I will soon pay for my misdeeds in life……I deserve nothing more than to die by the same illness we sought to stop. The sickness is……it has changed over the decades. I am afraid that the ceremony may have become obsolete……several of the elders were showing the same signs as myself. I do not expect you to forgive me……or love me."

Tyrius paused, closing his eyes as he felt her paw on his cheek, "It is not my place to forgive." She half whispered, "The ones that need to hear your apology, are the innocent lives that were ended." She said laying her forehead against his, "As for my love. There is nothing that will ever take that from you."

"I wish to tell the entire village the truth before my time." Tyrius said, "Now with the other elders gone, there is no one to stop me from doing so."

Nalya thought for a moment, "Why would they want to stop you?"

Tyrius shifted in his place, "It was a long time ago that the elders discovered that not only did the ceremony make the males strong enough to fight off the illness; it also empowered our abilities to the degree that our people have come to know as normal."

"This is why the males' abilities develop so much sooner and fast than us?"

The elder lowered his head, "Yes. Because we all feed off the life force of another." He sighed, "It is also why Krystal has become the way she is." He replied, "The offering was never meant for a female, we were afraid of what it might do; but, I could not bear the thought of loosing her. The others were not given word, it was only myself and Mahlay's father that had anything to do with it."

Nalya recalled very well her daughter's youth, she'd nearly died at a very young age of a terrible fever, but, it was what had confused Nalya the most……Cerinian vixen were not know for having illnesses……

"What did you do?" Nalya asked, "You told me that you were taking her to the Hall of Ancients to pray for her safety."

Tyrius sighed, "It is why Krystal has displayed such a vast understanding to the world around her. Why she has developed abilities far more powerful than other vixen of the tribe." He said, "I didn't not expect her to grow so strong." He said, "Mahlay's father and I…we discovered that the stronger the life force sacrificed, the more adamant the treatment would be…" He said, "The process is created by focusing a life force into the Motherstone, which in turn can focus that energy into another source."

Nalya bit her lip, "What did you sacrifice Tyrius?"

"The Krazoa Spirit that roamed the northern peaks." He said, "The spirit gave it's life willingly to save our daughter. Like all the Krazoa I could not understand it's reasoning……but, I am still happy that it did what it did." He said, "This was a secret taken to the death by only myself and Mahlay's father. Which came far too abruptly than I would have expected……something that only until now I could not understand. I think Mahlay's father may have done something incredibly stupid…I felt something strange just before Mahlay fell." He said, "I have reason to believe that his father may have done the very same thing to Mahlay that I did to Krystal, but, when I feel Krystal's mind I only feel calm even when she is fighting……Mahlay was different." He said, "Where is he?"

Nalya thought for a moment, "You lost consciousness……I left him where he fell."

Tyrius attempted to get to his feet before falling back to his seated position, "Send someone to check the body……something bothers me about the way he fell."

"I will send a group of hunters to claim his body." Nalya said, "When do you wish to confront the village?"

Tyrius could only smile, she was the only animal that could understand him this much, "I would feel well to do so now, if I were not so hungry."

The vixen smiled, "Then you should be grateful that I am always prepared. I have already made something to help you regain your strength."

As she left the room the vixen's thoughts were mixed; she was uncertain of what to think exactly. She had known that something was not right with Krystal for some time. The young vixen was far stronger than most any her age…she had questions of whether even she was as powerful as her daughter. At the moment however there was no real way of working any of this out by herself…

******

Fox remained in the large ship's docking bay for most of the time that he and James were there in that monstrous black wreck. James of course worried about the fact that Fox was nowhere near as articulate as he normally was…he knew why. He didn't accept it but, he did know. Fox had no intention of returning to Corneria with him. There was no measure to how happy he was for his son to find someone he cared so much about…though it still did hurt him to admit it, Fox was more than mature enough to make this decision for himself. James was amazed that near the middle of the day he found that Fox was not aboard the old ship at all. He made his way outside, where he found that the snow had stopped falling some time ago; it became apparent to him that the seasons were at least slightly erratic here. But what caught his attention more than anything was a light voice, a very alluring one, that drew him to a small place near the port side of the massive ship. He stopped himself as he found the source of the strangely alluring tune that was being sung; where he found Fox, sitting against the ship while his head lay on the shoulder of a young blue furred vixen, who's voice carried over the area. Krystal lay her head against Fox's as her song was finished, James took this time to simply shy back away into the ancient ship…

"I really miss that song." Fox half whispered.

The vixen sighed contently, "Fox……" She said, "What are we going to do about all this?" She asked, "I mean our waking up like this? Remembering everything."

Fox sighed, "I don't know Krys. So far getting to you was the only real purpose I had." He said, "I vaguely remember what caused us to die but, it's just that vague. I just remember something about……these objects that we found." He said pulling the strange weapon he'd found on Corneria, "One of them is what killed us all…a bracer, a golden one."

The vixen suddenly sat up straight, "WAIT!!" She said, "Golden bracer?" She thought, "Mahlay…"

******

There was only darkness, it was something he'd come to familiarize himself with since he'd started down the path that led him here. His eyes slowly opened, but there was still only darkness. His only thoughts were that this was it, death, this was what death was like……nothingness, darkness, absolute solitude. Payment for what he'd done throughout his life. It was only as he stood there in the darkness, that bitter, cold, hungry darkness that seemed to engulf his very being, that something familiar drifted through, brushing against his ears and enveloping his senses. A very light voice; however it was as he listened that the voice slowly melded into the surrounding area ..

"Do not despair Mahlay." It echoed, "You are not dead."

The voice's familiarity caused him, "Rath'ma?" The vulpine called, "What manner of place is this? Why am I here?"

"This is a recess of your mind scarcely used my friend." The voice replied, "Had I not falsified your death, the elder would have killed you."

Mahlay thought for a moment, it was hazy but, he slightly recalled his battle with Tyrius, "That's right. I underestimated him……and Nalya. Where are we now?"

Rath'ma chuckled, "You…are in a grave near the mountain where we were imprisoned before."

It only took a moment for Mahlay to sort through his options at this point, "I understand now Rath'ma. I cannot defeat Tyrius, no matter how powerful I am…that is why I must simply end him.."

There was a loud chuckle that echoed through the young Cerinian's ears, "And how will you do that?"

A small grave lay newly sodded, near so may others; however, it's soil shifted and suddenly began to swell as if from a strange force beneath the ground itself. Suddenly a single blue furred paw rushed to the surface, soon pulling Mahlay's head up where he could take a gasping breath. He pulled his weakened body back up until he rolled onto his back taking deep breaths before his body finally subsided…

"The Motherstone…" He half whispered to himself.

The hunters sent by Nalya would get there, though some time too late, as they would only find an empty grave mound along with a set of footsteps disappearing into the backdrop of forest and snow…