Chapter 13

Fox and Wolf were extremely apprehensive as they entered the cathedral. Panther was nowhere to be found on the first floor; the two began to climb up the stairs after the enemy. However, the journey up was not to be a short one.

Just like the other three, it took Fox and Wolf a while to reach the top. Climbing stairs quickly became repetitive; stairs was the sole thing on their minds for the next few minutes, other than Panther and Krystal. After a while, the two finally came to the top room, where they saw a huge bell, wooden planks beneath them, and stone pillars around the room.

They began to walk around, searching for Panther and Krystal. Suddenly, an ominous laugh rang out.

"Do you like my new house?" Panther called out.

"Where are you, Panther?" Fox demanded.

"Closer than you think."

Panther suddenly kicked Fox from behind, sending the vulpine to the floor. Fox quickly got up before Panther could stomp on him. Lloyd suddenly appeared as well, and he threw Panther a spear. Wolf kicked Lloyd to the ground and shot the last guard dead with his blaster.

Fox suddenly spotted Krystal, tied up to a pillar nearby. The next moment, everything was a blur. Wolf suddenly had a spear sticking through his bloodied body, his eyes panicked and sad. Panther was holding it on the other hand, grinning menacingly.

"NOOOOO!" Fox screamed, but it was too late.

Panther threw Wolf's body off of the spear and onto the ground. Gasping for breath, Wolf turned to Fox one final time. Summoning the last of his strength, Wolf said with a raspy voice, "Kill him."

Fox suddenly threw a hard punch into Panther's jaw, sending the cat backward. Before Panther could retaliate, Fox threw another strong punch, this time into Panther's abdomen. The cat spat blood, and he tried to punch Fox.

Fox caught the punch in mid-motion, sending his other hand punching into Panther's face again. Panther stumbled to the ground, enduring the beating Fox had just dealt out. His eyes were becoming frail, something Fox hadn't ever seen before in Panther. Panther began to crawl away from Fox, moving to the large, open window in the wall.

"You killed my father," Fox said to Panther.

Panther said nothing for a moment, and then finally cracked a grin.

"Come on, Foxie; that was years ago!" Panther said, his arms flailing wildly in the air. "Forgive and forget, eh?"

"Never," Fox briskly replied. "Not after you killed Peppy and Katt and Wolf too. You're not coming out of this alive."

Panther kept a smile, despite his internal fear. "Is that a threat, my venomous vulpine?"

By this time, outside, Bill, Slippy, Falco, and more Cornerian soldiers had arrived. Panther could see as he craned his head to look over the side of the window.

"I see you brought backup too!" Panther spat more blood, laughing freakishly after.

"I told you already; you're not coming out alive," Fox repeated, stepping closer to Panther.

Panther laughed maniacally again. "I understand, Foxie, but you've forgotten one thing."

Fox cocked his head to a side. "And what's that?"

Panther's smile was still wide. "All who see my rose meet death."

"Fox, drop!" Fox heard Krystal shout at him.

Fox did as he was told, dropping his body to the ground. When he got up again, Panther had been impaled by a large spear; Fox turned around to see Panther had set a booby trap intended for him. Fox looked at Panther again, who now had more blood coming from his mouth. Panther kept a smile on his face, and fell backwards through the window, plummeting to his death.

Fox ran over to untie Krystal. "Are you alright?" Fox asked.

"Yes, Fox," Krystal replied. "I knew you'd rescue me."

The two remorsefully looked over at Wolf's dead body. The last creature Panther had killed was a great one. Fox would forever have a good memory of his former rival. Hugging Krystal close, the two began to make their walk down the stairs.

Meanwhile, the Cornerian soldiers, Slippy, Falco, and Bill surrounded Panther's body on the cement ground. Every one of his bones had been shattered upon the impact of his fall. A spear was still stuck through his unmoving body. Panther Caroso was smiling eternally in death.