Chapter 7 - Vengeance

Crash looked on, open-mouthed as Aku Aku and Coco continued to give their views on what they saw.

"...and that's how I found you, lying there unconsious, I thought you were dead," Coco finished, her face welling up.

Crash gazed at Coco sitting opposite from him with an emotionless face and groaned.

"I can't believe I would do such a thing, I'm such a fool!" Crash kicked the side of the chair with some force and buried his head in his hands.

"It was not your fault Crash," Aku Aku commented, "You were under Cortex's control, you were powerless to do anything."

Crash remained emotionless, "I guess you're right, but it doesn't mean anything can be changed now, look at all the destruction I caused outside, god knows what else I did!"

Crash stared around the hut and then realised something, he shot out of his chair.

"Hey, have either of you seen Crunch?" He asked, a slight sense of panic in his voice.

Both Coco and Aku Aku answered with a "No."

"The last I saw of him, he was going out to find you," then Coco realised the same thing Crash had done and looked at him with a shocked look on her face.

"Shit," Crash yelped, "what if I did something to him, he could be hurt, I have to go back and find him!"

Without saying another word, Crash bolted out of the door.

"Wait Crash," Coco shouted, "this time I AM coming with you," and began to give chase, with Aku Aku by her side.

Crash stopped dead in his tracks, he had run too far, he was exhausted. He rested himself on a nearby log and soon afterwards Coco and Aku Aku caught up with him and rested beside him.

"Did you find Crunch?" Crash asked, gasping for breath.

"No, we looked everywhere, sorry Crash."

Crash once again placed his head in his hands and gave out a little whimper.

"Where the hell can he be?"

A long silence ensued, nothing stirred, apart from Crash turning his face to one side. Just then he caught something out of the corner of his eye and sat bolt upright.

"What is it Crash?" Coco questioned and turned to see what he was looking at.

Crash slowly stood up and began walking to the raised object on the ground. As he drew nearer he let out a sickened moan.

"Oh no!"

Crash looked at the lifeless body of Crunch, his face contorted so that it was barely recognisable, the congealed blood staining the floor. He had to turn away and try not to vomit. Crash knelt on the floor and began to cry.

"Why, WHY did I do this!" Crash screamed out.

He couldn't take it much more. He had caused sadness, destruction, pain, and death. All of a sudden a fire burned deep within him, his rage was beginning to rise and he finally shouted out.

"CORTEX, I'LL KILL THE BASTARD, I'LL KILL HIM!!!!!!"

Crash once again started to run, he was heading for Cortex Castle again, he was determined to make Cortex pay for what he had done, at any cost.

Crash found himself staring at the mangled gates of Cortex Castle, but this time with Coco and Aku Aku by his side, once again the rusty bars rose all by themsleves, only Crash was not afraid this time, this time would be different.

"Are you ready for this?" Crash asked both of his friends.

Coco and Aku Aku nodded confidently, and with that, the three heroes stepped into the murky innards of the castle once more to find out their fate.