Mission 23 - War
"Leon, about one hundred dinosaurs are gathered at the front door, ready for an attack." Pigma's voice was not exactly urgent, but full of concern. A force of less than one hundred could be easily overwhelmed by Leon's own army. Not only were they greater in numbers, a portion of the SharpClaws guarding the Palace were armed with blasters. "What are your orders?"
"Place twenty SharpClaws on the first level to greet them, move all the others to the higher levels, especially the ones with blasters and ranged weapons." Leon was sitting in a splendid throne in the middle of the platform. "The twenty will sacrifice themselves as a lure. Once they are dead, those dinosaurs will rush inside, only to be slaughtered by lasers."
"What if they figure out that it's a trap?" Pigma paused and turned after a few steps, "Any secondary plans?"
"If they figure it out, just quit toying around and send out all our troops to greet them." Leon said with a smile, "Either way, we win."
"So do you want anything else?" Pigma turned towards one of the wind lifts.
"Yes, get the Wolfen ready." Leon said coldly, "StarFox is here."
"Oh?" Pigma turned around again, "How do you know?"
"One hundred dinosaurs won't just knock on our doors like that." Leon rose from his throne, "Someone must be leading them."
"Alright, I'll get you your ship." Pigma grinned, "I have a feeling this is going to be all over soon."
"Yes..." the chameleon responded. "Are you ready?"
"Yes master, your servant is ready." Pigma's eyes darted towards the invisible voice that replied. With him ready, they could not lose.
Jade led all the fire breathing troops into a great hall with two rows of pillars supporting the ceiling, before them was a pitch black room, and although Jade's enhanced vision gave her the ability to see clearly, she was not going to lead the dinosaurs inside. The rest of her forces gathered behind the stairs that lead into the hall, ready for her command.
"Hide behind these pillars for cover." Jade pointed at the great rock pillars that held the ceiling aloft. "Flame on my command . . . They will be here at any moment."
The EarthWalkers arranged themselves into two flanks next to the archway that lead into the dark room. Jade stood next to an EarthWalker soldier, her two modified blasters aimed at the doorway. She closed her eyes, and listened.
"They are coming." She whispered, "Twenty of them."
"I thought they had two thousand." The EarthWalker commented, his eyes moving off the doorway for a moment.
"Hush." Jade said quietly with her eyes closed tight, "Three hundred more follow them . . . They are waiting for us to enter. Get ready men, they are coming in ten seconds . . . nine . . . eight . . . seven . . . six . . . five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . FLAME!"
The twenty unknowing SharpClaw troopers rushed out of the dark room, snarling and growling. Before the first morbid thought reached their minds, the EarthWalkers released their flames at once at the entrance. The SharpClaws were almost instantly transformed into a pile of glinting skeletons, their very armor fused to their bones from the heat. Soon enough, they lay crumbled in a pile of ashes in the middle of the room.
"Now wait." Jade said commandingly, "More will come. This is far from over."
"Good job kitty cat!" A LightFoot yelled from the back, "Let's show them everything we've got!"
"Unfortunately, we already have." Jade said with a soft sigh, "Let's hope they will fall for it."
The cat closed her eyes and listened again, allowing her acute hearing to take over. She could hear the SharpClaws muttering just beyond the dark room. Fox's plan was not working. If the troops don't come, then it would make StarFox's infiltration even more difficult. Both sides waited silently for the other to make their move.
"Hmm. . ." Jade walked to one of the charred skeletons in the middle of the room, and casually picked up a SharpClaw skull that was not completely incinerated. Smiling, the black cat threw the skull into the dark room with all her might. "That should do the trick."
Angry roars echoed throughout the palace. The sight of their fallen comrades had whetted the SharpClaw's appetite to kill, to take revenge. Jade broke the stalemate that she feared the most. Now that their enemies were coming, Fox and the others would have a chance to get through. It also meant everyone around her might die. She could hear the SharpClaw crawling their way through the dark room now. . . She could hear death coming closer. Then, death arrived.
A wave of SharpClaws exploded from the arch like a roaring waters. They were immediately cut down by the EarthWalkers' flames. Within moments they fell, but their bodies shielded their comrades from the searing heat. A torrent of green lasers showered from the arch as some of the SharpClaws returned fired. One of the unfortunate EarthWalkers was hit by a stray shot in between the eyes. He reared backwards on his hind legs, and crashed down lifelessly in the middle of the hall. He was only the first to fall.
Jade aimed her dual grenade launchers at the arch and fired two shots, and watched a dozen SharpClaws vaporize from the explosion, and many others fell from shrapnel that pierced through their armor. The torrent of lasers ceased for a moment as the SharpClaw scrambled to regroup behind the arch, and the EarthWalkers regained some ground.
Another wave of SharpClaws came, this time they were equipped with broad shields to hold back the EarthWalkers' flames. Behind them were soldiers armed with laser blasters. Once they exited the arch, the battle ended and the slaughtering began. Lasers flew in every direction, cutting down anything that stood in their way. Jade could see two EarthWalkers fall on the opposite side of the hall, each taking several shots of lasers before finally collapsing from their wounds.
"Fire!" the black cat shouted as she desperately tried to hold the armed troopers back, showering her enemies with high powered lasers. Her blaster's firepower was indeed superior, each spitting lasers that could burn through sever enemies in one shot. Soon, corpses of dead SharpClaws piled in a heap in front of the arch, killed by Jade's lasers. The nimble LightFoots joined into the fray, picking up the weapons of fallen SharpClaws and returned fire at their enemies. Unfortunately, they were still outnumbered. For every SharpClaw they kill, three sprang from the arch.
Soon, Jade and her forces were driven back out of the hall. Bodies of dead enemies and allies lay mangled together in the great hall. That day, the largest SharpClaw and the bravest EarthWalker fell. The polished stone floor was washed by blood of the slain, and the smell of gunfire was thick in the air. Next to Jade the Chief LightFoot took a direct shot in the throat. He fell to the ground gripping his neck, writhing in his death throes as blood and air poured the lethal wound. The last dinosaur to fall was an EarthWalker, with bodies of dead SharpClaws pinned to his horns. He fell crashing in front of the archway, his last hopes trying to hold back his enemies. Even the peaceful ThornTails fought, but their bone plates were no match to weapons of steel and technology. Within half an hour, the forces of one hundred dinosaurs were reduced to one standing person: Jade.
The black cat was wounded, severely, but not mortally. She could see the SharpClaws marching slowly out of the archway, arranging themselves into rows, with shields in the front and blasters in the back. She aimed her smoking blasters at the relentless enemies, and pulled the trigger. All she heard was a hollow click, a horrifying click that sent a chill down her spine. She was out of ammunition. She could see the SharpClaws raising their blasters and weapons, ready to take her life.
But, that was not the end she had intended. Switching her weapons into grenade launchers, she fired several shots at the pillars that held up the great hall, and a portion of the Krazoa Palace itself. The SharpClaws gazed at the breaking supports in awe, and began to panic.
Jade smiled as the very earth shook below her. With the pillars that supported the entrance hall destroyed, everything they held aloft came crashing down. She looked up at the great palace walls directly above the hall, and watched the colossal bricks fall away, plummeting onto the army of SharpClaws below like a dark avalanche. She knew it was the end.
"Bye-bye Rocky. . ." Jade whispered into her intercom, before a crashing rock took her life away.
Fox gasped as he watched from above, the other side of the room crumbled away. Across from him, wall from the second and third floors of the palace fell away, taking with it half of the circular walkway of each floor. He watched as SharpClaw screamed and fell to their deaths, or was crushed by the mass of hailing stones.
"Bye-bye Rocky..." the message crackled softly through all the teams' intercoms. Obsidian's eyes widened, the shock of realization hitting him harder than any blow he'd ever felt in his life. It stung worse than all the torturous lashes he'd received as punishment. He felt his very soul rend in two. He collapsed onto his side and started shivering.
"No..." he whimpered. "No no no..." he hugged himself and continued to shake.
A large SharpClaw walked by and stared at Obsidian, thinking it was a fellow SharpClaw. The large SharpClaw tilted his head and grunted, "What wrong?" Fox pointed at the chaotic scene below them and the SharpClaw nodded. "Family?" the large dinosaur continued. Fox merely nodded, being that it was closer to the truth than anything. The large SharpClaw nodded, "I sorry...me keep others busy so you not bothered. No mourn too long though, or Master Leon might kill you..." Fox nodded and smiled, watching as the large SharpClaw bought them the precious time they needed to allow Obsidian a moment to recover from his stress.
Fox bent down when the SharpClaw was down the hall, directing some other SharpClaw to help rescue as many of their comrades as they could. Fox spoke to Obsidian, "Obsidian, I know this is painful and I'm sorry, but we can't afford to lose anymore time right now."
Obsidian stayed curled in his fetal position, "Not Jade...no...please..." Obsidian cried softly to himself.
Fox frowned, "This is not good...Sirus, you're his brother, talk to him please."
Sirus bent down and looked at Obsidian, "I'm sorry Obsidian, Jade is gone, but we have to move on. Don't worry; we'll make sure they pay for killing Jade. Right now though we have to move, Leon has to be stopped now, or even more people could get hurt."
"Jade..." Obsidian said, staring into Sirus' eyes. He took a couple deep breaths and then stood up on his own. Anger flashed in his eyes, "I'll do it for Jade..." He stared at the wind lifts, and followed them up to the ceiling, "Leon, you'd better run..."
"Two thousand to one hundred and we somehow lost." Leon muttered to himself, sitting on top of the throne, watching the exit of the wind lift where Fox and the others would exit. Pigma was nowhere to be found, but the chameleon seem still asked, "Tell me, what does StarFox has that I don't?"
An invisible laughter cackled.
"You lost to them as well, so I wouldn't laugh if I were you." Leon said, "I've done much better than you, as a matter of fact."
"If killing everyone that stands in your way is considered "better", then I don't know what can be worse." The voice replied, "At least I tried to conquer them."
"Exactly, that's why you lost, and that's why Andross lost." Leon stated, "Conquerors never last, General Scales."
"Nothing will last." Scales' silhouette slowly appeared. The dinosaur was covered with a massive robotic armor, one of his hands was transformed into a giant laser cannon. The armor was not a burden, but an enhancement. Even his head was covered by a metallic helmet. The SharpClaw general was almost indestructible, save for a few weak points between the armor's joints.
"A bad name will last." Leon smiled at his creation, "Especially my name."
"You are still my hero, Master Leon." Scales said with a bow, "You gave me this new life, in return I will serve you till the end."
"We have one common goal, and that is to destroy StarFox" Leon stood up from his throne, "They are coming, hide yourself."
"Yes, master." Scales' outline once again disappeared. At the same moment, Fox McCloud rose from the wind lift. Leon turned to face his nemesis, greeting the Fox with a twisted grin.
"Leon Powalski! You are under arrest!" Fox shouted, pointing his blaster at the chameleon. The rest of his team hovered out of the wind lift, and immediately aimed their weapons at Leon. "Surrender or I will open fire!"
"Really Fox?" Leon aimed his blaster at the cage in a corner of the platform, which contained the three dinosaurs they came for: The King and Queen EarthWalker, and the Queen CloudRunner. "How about . . . you can surrender, or I'll open fire?"
"Leon, there is no where for you to go!" Fox shouted, his blaster aimed at the lizard, "Killing the royal family just to make me surrender is not your style. You lost! Face it!"
"Master, do you want me to kill them?" the invisible voice asked, it was clearly Scales.
"You are right Fox, I lost this one." Leon sat down on his throne, giving his enemy one last stare, "But I will get you, if there is a next time. Go ahead Scales. Destroy them all."
"Your wish is my command, Master!" Scales began to crackle as his massive mechanical body revealing itself from its invisible state. The dinosaur stretched his mechanical claws, powerful enough to tear anyone apart without the slightest effort. The pair of prongs that was once his left hand was removed, replaced by a large laser turret.
"Fox, watch out for that gun." Sirus eyed the murderous dinosaur, "It's one of those cannons they use on tanks."
StarFox surrounded Scales, each person aiming their weapon at the half mechanical beast. A direct hit from the dinosaur's cannon could easily obliterate anyone, but they must defeat Scales to reach Leon. All of a sudden the tables turned. Leon was no longer a player, but a spectator.
"Make this a good show, Scales. Don't kill them too quickly. Make them suffer." Leon crossed his legs comfortably, "Oh Fox, this seat is quite comfortable, and it has a shield on it too, so don't waste your ammo."
Scales smirked at Fox, "Well, my day has finally arrived. You have no idea how long I've awaited this very hour, to finally kill you Fox McCloud. Ever since I was denied the opportunity to fight you, I've contemplated this very moment."
"So the rest of the SharpClaw didn't kill you after all. When you gave me the final spirit I thought you were done for." Fox said.
"No," Scales said smiling, "They decided to keep me alive. They merely stripped me of everything I had. Now, thanks to Master Leon, I've been restored to my former glory! Now to return the favor to Master for giving me this new life, you will no longer be a thorn in anyone else's side McCloud!" The large lizard raised his arm, revealing he had been charging a shot the entire time.
Fox scrambled, unsure of what to do. He fell down in his panic, thinking he was done for. Then he saw Krystal dive in front of him, staff in hand. She raised a shield, trying to protect the entire group from the deadly blast. The mechanical dinosaur let loose his fury in the blast. The large plasma sphere connected with the magical shield and exploded with amazing force. Krystal screamed as she flew back into the rest of the Star Fox crew. Unfortunately the blast had broken through, weakened, but it connected with its targets. Fox and the rest of his comrades were stunned by the weakened blast. Scales laughed manically as he casually walked up to his weakened prey.
"Well, is this all the fight you're going to give me McCloud? I wanted an epic battle to the finish. Oh well, I suppose I'll just play with you all." He turned to Leon, "Would that entertain you sir?"
Suddenly Scales received a harsh blow to the back of the head, knocking him over. He rolled over to see Obsidian standing above him, snarling ferociously. He had been unaffected by the blast, standing at the back of the group, so the others had taken the force of the blow.
Scales rose to his feet, "A challenge," Obsidian immediately knocked Scales down again, "Fine, we'll do this the hard way!"
He raised his cannon arm and fired, knocking Obsidian off his feet. Obsidian landed a few feet away. Scales jumped and landed on top of the wolf. He sent his metal clad fist straight into Obsidian's stomach. The black wolf gasped in pain, but he cocked an arm back and caught the dinosaurs chin. Obsidian tried to take the opportunity to get up, but Scales grabbed him. They grappled with each other, rolling and hitting each other. The spectators watched the power dealt in each blow as the two combatants tried to gain the upper hand.
Scales sent a knee into Obsidian's stomach, separating them. They both rolled away, rising to their feet, readying themselves to continue the fight. Scales raised the cannon arm towards Obsidian, sending another weak blast towards the wolf. Unfortunately the wolf didn't react quickly enough due to his weakened state, and he fell to the ground. He groaned and writhed on the ground, signifying his defeat.
Scales walked over and stepped on Obsidian's face, grinding the wolf's face into ground. "You are a worthy opponent. It is so very unfortunate that you will be the first to die." Scales picked his defeated foe up by the throat, slowly crushing Obsidian's neck with his claw.
". . . Jade I am coming. . ." Obsidian muttered, his eyes rolling back as his brain gave way, ". . . Wait for me."
"Put him down!" A childish voice cried. Scales' attention was drawn to a small figure that stood next to Lieutenant Ares' unconscious form. It was Damon. The little hybrid fired his blaster at the half mechanical dinosaur, forcing Scales to release Obsidian. "Put him down now or I'll kill you!"
"Hmm. . . Okay, I'll put him down." Scales conjured a twisted idea as he gazed at the wolf's limp body in his hand. The dinosaur grinned as flung Obsidian into the air with his full strength. Damon screamed in horror as he watched the wolf's body fly over the high rocky ledge, and plummet down to whatever end that awaited him, hundreds of meters below.
"It's now your turn to die, little freak. After I am done with you, I can finally kill those pesky royal members." Scales approached the frightened boy, the whole palace trembling under his thunderous steps. Damon shot at the monstrous creature with his blaster, but the lasers merely bounced off the dinosaur's armor with no effect. Scales cackled madly, and wrapped his massive claw around the hybrid's skinny neck. "Leon told me you are a regenerator, one of his creations. He says he is proud of you too."
"Ah yes, little specimen thirteen." Leon watched from his throne, as one of his brilliant creations was about to destroy the other, "Without you, I could not have done so many great things."
"A failure too," Scales held the boy closer so he could see Damon face to face. The dinosaur studied the hybrid's freakish appearance, and spat in his face. Another wave of laughter rang out. Scale's laugh was cut short as he felt something solid slip down his wind pipe. It was a grenade. The dinosaur dropped the hybrid, gripping his throat with his single hand.
"No, you are the failure." Damon grinned watching the dinosaur's head explode into fragments of bone and brains. Two jets of blood sprouted from a stump that was once Scales' neck. The dinosaur's powerful arms hung limply on his side, his knees buckled, and his headless body crashed into the ground with a thud. The leader of SharpClaws was finally destroyed. Damon stared thoughtfully at the ruins of his foe, the hatred in his green eyes slowly vanishing.
A cold applaud rang, as Leon stood up from his throne. The lizard was smiling at his creation. Damon couldn't turn to face his creator, tears streaming down his eyes. His hand rose, holding a quivering blaster. The hybrid finally gathered enough courage to open his eyes, but his target vanished. On the seat was a disk, and Leon's mechanical eye.
"You won, specimen thirteen." Leon's voice spoke a few moments later. Damon found him standing on one of the ledges. Leon smiled at his creation. "Give the disk and the eye to Dr. Zenotabi, and he will figure out what to do. You made me proud today. You are an excellent killer."
Damon watched his creator fall backwards off the palace wall, a smile lingering on the lizard's lips. The young hybrid realized his stupidity a moment too late. A few seconds later, he saw a Wolfen speeding towards the sky. They young hybrid fell to his knees, screaming in pain and anguish as he watched Leon and Pigma escape. Everything was over. Their mission failed.
"Leon, about one hundred dinosaurs are gathered at the front door, ready for an attack." Pigma's voice was not exactly urgent, but full of concern. A force of less than one hundred could be easily overwhelmed by Leon's own army. Not only were they greater in numbers, a portion of the SharpClaws guarding the Palace were armed with blasters. "What are your orders?"
"Place twenty SharpClaws on the first level to greet them, move all the others to the higher levels, especially the ones with blasters and ranged weapons." Leon was sitting in a splendid throne in the middle of the platform. "The twenty will sacrifice themselves as a lure. Once they are dead, those dinosaurs will rush inside, only to be slaughtered by lasers."
"What if they figure out that it's a trap?" Pigma paused and turned after a few steps, "Any secondary plans?"
"If they figure it out, just quit toying around and send out all our troops to greet them." Leon said with a smile, "Either way, we win."
"So do you want anything else?" Pigma turned towards one of the wind lifts.
"Yes, get the Wolfen ready." Leon said coldly, "StarFox is here."
"Oh?" Pigma turned around again, "How do you know?"
"One hundred dinosaurs won't just knock on our doors like that." Leon rose from his throne, "Someone must be leading them."
"Alright, I'll get you your ship." Pigma grinned, "I have a feeling this is going to be all over soon."
"Yes..." the chameleon responded. "Are you ready?"
"Yes master, your servant is ready." Pigma's eyes darted towards the invisible voice that replied. With him ready, they could not lose.
Jade led all the fire breathing troops into a great hall with two rows of pillars supporting the ceiling, before them was a pitch black room, and although Jade's enhanced vision gave her the ability to see clearly, she was not going to lead the dinosaurs inside. The rest of her forces gathered behind the stairs that lead into the hall, ready for her command.
"Hide behind these pillars for cover." Jade pointed at the great rock pillars that held the ceiling aloft. "Flame on my command . . . They will be here at any moment."
The EarthWalkers arranged themselves into two flanks next to the archway that lead into the dark room. Jade stood next to an EarthWalker soldier, her two modified blasters aimed at the doorway. She closed her eyes, and listened.
"They are coming." She whispered, "Twenty of them."
"I thought they had two thousand." The EarthWalker commented, his eyes moving off the doorway for a moment.
"Hush." Jade said quietly with her eyes closed tight, "Three hundred more follow them . . . They are waiting for us to enter. Get ready men, they are coming in ten seconds . . . nine . . . eight . . . seven . . . six . . . five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . FLAME!"
The twenty unknowing SharpClaw troopers rushed out of the dark room, snarling and growling. Before the first morbid thought reached their minds, the EarthWalkers released their flames at once at the entrance. The SharpClaws were almost instantly transformed into a pile of glinting skeletons, their very armor fused to their bones from the heat. Soon enough, they lay crumbled in a pile of ashes in the middle of the room.
"Now wait." Jade said commandingly, "More will come. This is far from over."
"Good job kitty cat!" A LightFoot yelled from the back, "Let's show them everything we've got!"
"Unfortunately, we already have." Jade said with a soft sigh, "Let's hope they will fall for it."
The cat closed her eyes and listened again, allowing her acute hearing to take over. She could hear the SharpClaws muttering just beyond the dark room. Fox's plan was not working. If the troops don't come, then it would make StarFox's infiltration even more difficult. Both sides waited silently for the other to make their move.
"Hmm. . ." Jade walked to one of the charred skeletons in the middle of the room, and casually picked up a SharpClaw skull that was not completely incinerated. Smiling, the black cat threw the skull into the dark room with all her might. "That should do the trick."
Angry roars echoed throughout the palace. The sight of their fallen comrades had whetted the SharpClaw's appetite to kill, to take revenge. Jade broke the stalemate that she feared the most. Now that their enemies were coming, Fox and the others would have a chance to get through. It also meant everyone around her might die. She could hear the SharpClaw crawling their way through the dark room now. . . She could hear death coming closer. Then, death arrived.
A wave of SharpClaws exploded from the arch like a roaring waters. They were immediately cut down by the EarthWalkers' flames. Within moments they fell, but their bodies shielded their comrades from the searing heat. A torrent of green lasers showered from the arch as some of the SharpClaws returned fired. One of the unfortunate EarthWalkers was hit by a stray shot in between the eyes. He reared backwards on his hind legs, and crashed down lifelessly in the middle of the hall. He was only the first to fall.
Jade aimed her dual grenade launchers at the arch and fired two shots, and watched a dozen SharpClaws vaporize from the explosion, and many others fell from shrapnel that pierced through their armor. The torrent of lasers ceased for a moment as the SharpClaw scrambled to regroup behind the arch, and the EarthWalkers regained some ground.
Another wave of SharpClaws came, this time they were equipped with broad shields to hold back the EarthWalkers' flames. Behind them were soldiers armed with laser blasters. Once they exited the arch, the battle ended and the slaughtering began. Lasers flew in every direction, cutting down anything that stood in their way. Jade could see two EarthWalkers fall on the opposite side of the hall, each taking several shots of lasers before finally collapsing from their wounds.
"Fire!" the black cat shouted as she desperately tried to hold the armed troopers back, showering her enemies with high powered lasers. Her blaster's firepower was indeed superior, each spitting lasers that could burn through sever enemies in one shot. Soon, corpses of dead SharpClaws piled in a heap in front of the arch, killed by Jade's lasers. The nimble LightFoots joined into the fray, picking up the weapons of fallen SharpClaws and returned fire at their enemies. Unfortunately, they were still outnumbered. For every SharpClaw they kill, three sprang from the arch.
Soon, Jade and her forces were driven back out of the hall. Bodies of dead enemies and allies lay mangled together in the great hall. That day, the largest SharpClaw and the bravest EarthWalker fell. The polished stone floor was washed by blood of the slain, and the smell of gunfire was thick in the air. Next to Jade the Chief LightFoot took a direct shot in the throat. He fell to the ground gripping his neck, writhing in his death throes as blood and air poured the lethal wound. The last dinosaur to fall was an EarthWalker, with bodies of dead SharpClaws pinned to his horns. He fell crashing in front of the archway, his last hopes trying to hold back his enemies. Even the peaceful ThornTails fought, but their bone plates were no match to weapons of steel and technology. Within half an hour, the forces of one hundred dinosaurs were reduced to one standing person: Jade.
The black cat was wounded, severely, but not mortally. She could see the SharpClaws marching slowly out of the archway, arranging themselves into rows, with shields in the front and blasters in the back. She aimed her smoking blasters at the relentless enemies, and pulled the trigger. All she heard was a hollow click, a horrifying click that sent a chill down her spine. She was out of ammunition. She could see the SharpClaws raising their blasters and weapons, ready to take her life.
But, that was not the end she had intended. Switching her weapons into grenade launchers, she fired several shots at the pillars that held up the great hall, and a portion of the Krazoa Palace itself. The SharpClaws gazed at the breaking supports in awe, and began to panic.
Jade smiled as the very earth shook below her. With the pillars that supported the entrance hall destroyed, everything they held aloft came crashing down. She looked up at the great palace walls directly above the hall, and watched the colossal bricks fall away, plummeting onto the army of SharpClaws below like a dark avalanche. She knew it was the end.
"Bye-bye Rocky. . ." Jade whispered into her intercom, before a crashing rock took her life away.
Fox gasped as he watched from above, the other side of the room crumbled away. Across from him, wall from the second and third floors of the palace fell away, taking with it half of the circular walkway of each floor. He watched as SharpClaw screamed and fell to their deaths, or was crushed by the mass of hailing stones.
"Bye-bye Rocky..." the message crackled softly through all the teams' intercoms. Obsidian's eyes widened, the shock of realization hitting him harder than any blow he'd ever felt in his life. It stung worse than all the torturous lashes he'd received as punishment. He felt his very soul rend in two. He collapsed onto his side and started shivering.
"No..." he whimpered. "No no no..." he hugged himself and continued to shake.
A large SharpClaw walked by and stared at Obsidian, thinking it was a fellow SharpClaw. The large SharpClaw tilted his head and grunted, "What wrong?" Fox pointed at the chaotic scene below them and the SharpClaw nodded. "Family?" the large dinosaur continued. Fox merely nodded, being that it was closer to the truth than anything. The large SharpClaw nodded, "I sorry...me keep others busy so you not bothered. No mourn too long though, or Master Leon might kill you..." Fox nodded and smiled, watching as the large SharpClaw bought them the precious time they needed to allow Obsidian a moment to recover from his stress.
Fox bent down when the SharpClaw was down the hall, directing some other SharpClaw to help rescue as many of their comrades as they could. Fox spoke to Obsidian, "Obsidian, I know this is painful and I'm sorry, but we can't afford to lose anymore time right now."
Obsidian stayed curled in his fetal position, "Not Jade...no...please..." Obsidian cried softly to himself.
Fox frowned, "This is not good...Sirus, you're his brother, talk to him please."
Sirus bent down and looked at Obsidian, "I'm sorry Obsidian, Jade is gone, but we have to move on. Don't worry; we'll make sure they pay for killing Jade. Right now though we have to move, Leon has to be stopped now, or even more people could get hurt."
"Jade..." Obsidian said, staring into Sirus' eyes. He took a couple deep breaths and then stood up on his own. Anger flashed in his eyes, "I'll do it for Jade..." He stared at the wind lifts, and followed them up to the ceiling, "Leon, you'd better run..."
"Two thousand to one hundred and we somehow lost." Leon muttered to himself, sitting on top of the throne, watching the exit of the wind lift where Fox and the others would exit. Pigma was nowhere to be found, but the chameleon seem still asked, "Tell me, what does StarFox has that I don't?"
An invisible laughter cackled.
"You lost to them as well, so I wouldn't laugh if I were you." Leon said, "I've done much better than you, as a matter of fact."
"If killing everyone that stands in your way is considered "better", then I don't know what can be worse." The voice replied, "At least I tried to conquer them."
"Exactly, that's why you lost, and that's why Andross lost." Leon stated, "Conquerors never last, General Scales."
"Nothing will last." Scales' silhouette slowly appeared. The dinosaur was covered with a massive robotic armor, one of his hands was transformed into a giant laser cannon. The armor was not a burden, but an enhancement. Even his head was covered by a metallic helmet. The SharpClaw general was almost indestructible, save for a few weak points between the armor's joints.
"A bad name will last." Leon smiled at his creation, "Especially my name."
"You are still my hero, Master Leon." Scales said with a bow, "You gave me this new life, in return I will serve you till the end."
"We have one common goal, and that is to destroy StarFox" Leon stood up from his throne, "They are coming, hide yourself."
"Yes, master." Scales' outline once again disappeared. At the same moment, Fox McCloud rose from the wind lift. Leon turned to face his nemesis, greeting the Fox with a twisted grin.
"Leon Powalski! You are under arrest!" Fox shouted, pointing his blaster at the chameleon. The rest of his team hovered out of the wind lift, and immediately aimed their weapons at Leon. "Surrender or I will open fire!"
"Really Fox?" Leon aimed his blaster at the cage in a corner of the platform, which contained the three dinosaurs they came for: The King and Queen EarthWalker, and the Queen CloudRunner. "How about . . . you can surrender, or I'll open fire?"
"Leon, there is no where for you to go!" Fox shouted, his blaster aimed at the lizard, "Killing the royal family just to make me surrender is not your style. You lost! Face it!"
"Master, do you want me to kill them?" the invisible voice asked, it was clearly Scales.
"You are right Fox, I lost this one." Leon sat down on his throne, giving his enemy one last stare, "But I will get you, if there is a next time. Go ahead Scales. Destroy them all."
"Your wish is my command, Master!" Scales began to crackle as his massive mechanical body revealing itself from its invisible state. The dinosaur stretched his mechanical claws, powerful enough to tear anyone apart without the slightest effort. The pair of prongs that was once his left hand was removed, replaced by a large laser turret.
"Fox, watch out for that gun." Sirus eyed the murderous dinosaur, "It's one of those cannons they use on tanks."
StarFox surrounded Scales, each person aiming their weapon at the half mechanical beast. A direct hit from the dinosaur's cannon could easily obliterate anyone, but they must defeat Scales to reach Leon. All of a sudden the tables turned. Leon was no longer a player, but a spectator.
"Make this a good show, Scales. Don't kill them too quickly. Make them suffer." Leon crossed his legs comfortably, "Oh Fox, this seat is quite comfortable, and it has a shield on it too, so don't waste your ammo."
Scales smirked at Fox, "Well, my day has finally arrived. You have no idea how long I've awaited this very hour, to finally kill you Fox McCloud. Ever since I was denied the opportunity to fight you, I've contemplated this very moment."
"So the rest of the SharpClaw didn't kill you after all. When you gave me the final spirit I thought you were done for." Fox said.
"No," Scales said smiling, "They decided to keep me alive. They merely stripped me of everything I had. Now, thanks to Master Leon, I've been restored to my former glory! Now to return the favor to Master for giving me this new life, you will no longer be a thorn in anyone else's side McCloud!" The large lizard raised his arm, revealing he had been charging a shot the entire time.
Fox scrambled, unsure of what to do. He fell down in his panic, thinking he was done for. Then he saw Krystal dive in front of him, staff in hand. She raised a shield, trying to protect the entire group from the deadly blast. The mechanical dinosaur let loose his fury in the blast. The large plasma sphere connected with the magical shield and exploded with amazing force. Krystal screamed as she flew back into the rest of the Star Fox crew. Unfortunately the blast had broken through, weakened, but it connected with its targets. Fox and the rest of his comrades were stunned by the weakened blast. Scales laughed manically as he casually walked up to his weakened prey.
"Well, is this all the fight you're going to give me McCloud? I wanted an epic battle to the finish. Oh well, I suppose I'll just play with you all." He turned to Leon, "Would that entertain you sir?"
Suddenly Scales received a harsh blow to the back of the head, knocking him over. He rolled over to see Obsidian standing above him, snarling ferociously. He had been unaffected by the blast, standing at the back of the group, so the others had taken the force of the blow.
Scales rose to his feet, "A challenge," Obsidian immediately knocked Scales down again, "Fine, we'll do this the hard way!"
He raised his cannon arm and fired, knocking Obsidian off his feet. Obsidian landed a few feet away. Scales jumped and landed on top of the wolf. He sent his metal clad fist straight into Obsidian's stomach. The black wolf gasped in pain, but he cocked an arm back and caught the dinosaurs chin. Obsidian tried to take the opportunity to get up, but Scales grabbed him. They grappled with each other, rolling and hitting each other. The spectators watched the power dealt in each blow as the two combatants tried to gain the upper hand.
Scales sent a knee into Obsidian's stomach, separating them. They both rolled away, rising to their feet, readying themselves to continue the fight. Scales raised the cannon arm towards Obsidian, sending another weak blast towards the wolf. Unfortunately the wolf didn't react quickly enough due to his weakened state, and he fell to the ground. He groaned and writhed on the ground, signifying his defeat.
Scales walked over and stepped on Obsidian's face, grinding the wolf's face into ground. "You are a worthy opponent. It is so very unfortunate that you will be the first to die." Scales picked his defeated foe up by the throat, slowly crushing Obsidian's neck with his claw.
". . . Jade I am coming. . ." Obsidian muttered, his eyes rolling back as his brain gave way, ". . . Wait for me."
"Put him down!" A childish voice cried. Scales' attention was drawn to a small figure that stood next to Lieutenant Ares' unconscious form. It was Damon. The little hybrid fired his blaster at the half mechanical dinosaur, forcing Scales to release Obsidian. "Put him down now or I'll kill you!"
"Hmm. . . Okay, I'll put him down." Scales conjured a twisted idea as he gazed at the wolf's limp body in his hand. The dinosaur grinned as flung Obsidian into the air with his full strength. Damon screamed in horror as he watched the wolf's body fly over the high rocky ledge, and plummet down to whatever end that awaited him, hundreds of meters below.
"It's now your turn to die, little freak. After I am done with you, I can finally kill those pesky royal members." Scales approached the frightened boy, the whole palace trembling under his thunderous steps. Damon shot at the monstrous creature with his blaster, but the lasers merely bounced off the dinosaur's armor with no effect. Scales cackled madly, and wrapped his massive claw around the hybrid's skinny neck. "Leon told me you are a regenerator, one of his creations. He says he is proud of you too."
"Ah yes, little specimen thirteen." Leon watched from his throne, as one of his brilliant creations was about to destroy the other, "Without you, I could not have done so many great things."
"A failure too," Scales held the boy closer so he could see Damon face to face. The dinosaur studied the hybrid's freakish appearance, and spat in his face. Another wave of laughter rang out. Scale's laugh was cut short as he felt something solid slip down his wind pipe. It was a grenade. The dinosaur dropped the hybrid, gripping his throat with his single hand.
"No, you are the failure." Damon grinned watching the dinosaur's head explode into fragments of bone and brains. Two jets of blood sprouted from a stump that was once Scales' neck. The dinosaur's powerful arms hung limply on his side, his knees buckled, and his headless body crashed into the ground with a thud. The leader of SharpClaws was finally destroyed. Damon stared thoughtfully at the ruins of his foe, the hatred in his green eyes slowly vanishing.
A cold applaud rang, as Leon stood up from his throne. The lizard was smiling at his creation. Damon couldn't turn to face his creator, tears streaming down his eyes. His hand rose, holding a quivering blaster. The hybrid finally gathered enough courage to open his eyes, but his target vanished. On the seat was a disk, and Leon's mechanical eye.
"You won, specimen thirteen." Leon's voice spoke a few moments later. Damon found him standing on one of the ledges. Leon smiled at his creation. "Give the disk and the eye to Dr. Zenotabi, and he will figure out what to do. You made me proud today. You are an excellent killer."
Damon watched his creator fall backwards off the palace wall, a smile lingering on the lizard's lips. The young hybrid realized his stupidity a moment too late. A few seconds later, he saw a Wolfen speeding towards the sky. They young hybrid fell to his knees, screaming in pain and anguish as he watched Leon and Pigma escape. Everything was over. Their mission failed.
