Two Brothers

Tortured Soul

"The data pad had some very revealing things on it, but nothing that would tell me who the assassin was, at least not yet."

-Staris McCloud

The black fox sat in his room as the data pad lay before him on the desk; Staris's family had moved back to their house and the young fox was toying with the pad. He had synced with his Comm and it was analyzing it as he sighed, the assassin had it tightly locked down and the STEGO code was hard to break.

Ok, just play nice…He thought and there was a beep, the data pad switched screens and a menu came up. Staris touched an icon and a log came up, it was dated a few years ago and he intently started reading.

Date: 2.23.2900

My master is training me today; he has taken all food and clothing away from me and made me stand in the desert of Titania. I am so angry at him for doing this but I know it will make me stronger. The pain in my body is fading as I try to stave it off, he has let me keep my data pad but that is all. Nach nito semasns, or in Cornerian "Trials will harden you". He is teaching me ancient Venom and I am progressing rapidly as I know much of the language now.

The log entry stopped and Staris read on, he saw the pain that the assassin went through, awesome hardships under the master but no personal information was given. He bypassed the rest of the log and clicked the other icon, another barrier came up and Staris frowned. This one was heavily encrypted and the security firewall would take some cracking before it would open.

Well, I'll work on you later. He thought and the fox took the data pad, he walked down the stairs and his parents were on the couch, James had his arms around Vixy and they were watching TV as he sat down across from them.

"How's the data pad coming?" James asked and Staris placed it on a table.

"Cracked a log book, it looks dated from about eight or so years ago." James detangled himself from Vixy and he took the data pad, he scanned the log and Vixy sat up.

"Does it tell you who the assassin is?"

"No, I've encountered another firewall and I need some time to crack it, but the assassin was raised on Titania, we might find some clues there." He said and James set the data pad down.

"I need to go there."

"James, what if something happens to you?" Vixy asked and James kissed her.

"I'll be fine, Staris will be here to protect you and the Sector 9 police are keeping a close watch on this house." She hesitantly let him go and he walked into the small garage, James's personal fighter was there and he opened up a weapons locker as he pulled out some firearms. Shotgun, blaster, knife, shield generator, and some grenades as Staris walked over to him.

"Dad, be careful over there alright?"

"I will, you take care of your mother." They embraced and then James climbed into his fighter. It lifted off and Staris walked back into the house.

Fox lay on his back, the room spun in a swirling haze of light and sound as the empty cup rolled out of his paw, a few drops of liquid rolled out and his muzzle was slightly open. He was drugged and he curled up in a defensive posture as Talia stood over him, she smiled and watched as he writhed in pain.

That's right my little fox, you tried to escape and now look at you. She squatted down and gently rubbed his head as Fox mumbled to himself.

"Talia….drugs….Talia….drugged….drugged…." He trailed off and she stood up.

"Fox, I hope you realize that this is deserved punishment." Talia said and she watched Fox as he mumbled more incoherently. The panther smiled and she left him as Fox's dead eyes betrayed what he was seeing.

Fox ran for his life, the demon laughed as his claws came down and sliced into the merc's back. Blood flowed and Fox screamed as the sky turned a blazing crimson, he fell and the sharp and jagged rocks cut through his fur. He could not escape this torment, he could not back, and he could not defend himself.

"You cannot run my little pet!" The massive demon yelled as Fox tried to run, his bare paw pads ground the dirt and they were bleeding from the lacerations on them. Fox turned back and the demon stopped as his fangs dripped with the crimson liquid of Fox's life force. Fox turned and he took a misstep, his paws ground air and he hurtled down a massive ravine as he flailed his arms to try to stop, the demon went to the edge and his blazing red eyes tracked Fox as the massive creature jumped. In a trail of fire and ash, it hurtled down with him and its paw stretched out as the massive claws encircled Fox.

"NO! NO LET ME GO!" Fox screamed and the demon laughed as he drew him near, they became a fireball and Fox was close to the unblinking eye as it burned with a hellish fire.

"You are mine now, this is your punishment." Fox was aflame and he felt his soul being tortured beyond belief as he screamed.

"NO! NO! NOOOOOOO!" SENYA NATKO KENASHDeliver me from this pit I am falling in! Fox screamed as they traveled downward, ever downward. The demon smiled as he replied.

Seno jakli hayo sin morier, no Deo jeso Hevonit . No one can save you my friend not even God in Heaven. Fox's expression was horrifying and he could not even pass out as they landed in a river of liquid. It burned like fire but was cold as ice and Fox was sent into a complete sensory overload as his scream was cut out.

Nothing could save him.

I saw Titania come into my view and I shut down a few systems on my Arwing as I started the landing sequence. A full scan of the planet came up and I saw one life sign, it was very faint and I set a course for it. My Arwing broke the atmosphere and I shot over the massive dune sea as I saw a cave come up. My Arwing put down and I popped the hatch as I turned on the shield generator; my son had developed it for me and I was very proud of him as I walked into the cave. I took out the shotgun since I had no clue was kind of creatures could have inhabited it. I flicked on my Comm and the life sign was farther down the cave, I walked and my eyes played over the walls.

Blood. I saw the faint red stain and I put up my guard even higher, I walked through the cave and I saw the life sign it was propped up against a rock formation and I think it was a male.

"Hello? Are you alive?" I called out and the figure did not move. I walked over to him and kneeled down as I placed a paw on his shoulder, he looked to be a black wolf and I saw he had three wounds. "Hey, are you alive?" I asked again and I saw that he was just barely breathing his eyes opened a crack and I smiled at him. "Hey, I'm here to help."

Disnacht keito salverio. You cannot save me. He was speaking ancient Venom and I quickly replied.

Kes esot es'la no? What is your name?

Quesoit c'esnot sendoit. I cannot tell you. I tried another question.

Senaste Titania? What were you doing on Titania?

Prolasto lasitmeo mathios. Protecting the one I love. His eyes started to drop and I took out a needle, it was a shot of pure adrenaline and I quickly injected into him; I always kept some in my ship just in case I needed hyper reflexes. It came in handy.

Seno selat hito? Who is that? He did not answer me and the shot was working. Tejo hijlo TOL! Answer me NOW!

Lasitmeo mathios jenot senstioe. The one I love is my apprentice, he has been taken. The wolf sighed and he winced as he looked at his wounds. Shit.

"Do you speak Cornerian?" I asked and he nodded. "Who has taken him?"

"My rival, a human. You cannot save him just like you cannot save me, she will kill him for his actions."

"Who will?"

"A…a…a female. She used to…be my…former Master."

"But who is this!" I was losing patience and the lupine coughed.

"How do I…know you…are not…working for…her?" He asked and I thought about this one. I flicked on my Comm and showed him my ID. The lupine gasped and coughed some more as he tried to move away from me.

"I am James McCloud, destroyer of Andross and killer of Venomians." I placed the shotgun on his head and the lupine closed his eyes.

"Go on…kill me. I have…nothing to live…for." I searched him and found his personal Comm. I flicked it on and there was no security, I accessed his personal info.

Name:

Occupation: Mercenary

Age:

It was worthless since it told me nothing about him, I searched for anything else and I found a securely locked section.

"My son Staris will love to see this, Venomian. Now what is your name?"

"I cannot tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because then you would kill me, McCloud." I sat back and he looked at me, I saw something in his eyes that I found familiar.

"What can you tell me?"

"You get me fixed up and make sure that there are no police around. Then I might explain a few things, like something personal." The mysterious lupine said and I frowned.

"Personal?"

"I have three gun shot wounds, I need to be patched up, you ass!" He yelled and I walked back to my ship, it had a few medical supplies on it and I walked back to him. I opened up the box I had pulled and handed him some hard liquor, it was a pain duller and hopefully it would make him talk.

He pushed it away however.

"No, no liquor, I am fine." I took a look at his wounds and I started to patch them up as the lupine closed his eyes.

A few minutes later, I closed up the box and took a sip of the liquor; it was still good after all these years.

"So tell me."

"What do you want to know?"

"Who are you?"

"A mercenary like yourself, McCloud. Just someone who is trying to make it in this galaxy without pissing anyone off and getting killed."

"What is your name, lupine?"

"No, my name is not important." I sighed and he reached for the bottle. I handed it to him and he took a long pull. "Ok, that is all for me." I stowed the alcohol away and he sighed again.

"What are you doing here?"

"A rival had come to take away my apprentice, as you see I lost the battle. He has left me for dead like he said he would."

"And who is this?"

"A human, I hate their kind. So selfish, so arrogant."

"Name?"

"Malion." I'd never heard of him. "He's an ass."

"Now, who did you used to work for, who is the female?"

"That is the right question. She is a hard Master; I was raised by her and she knows everything about me, my blood type, and my personality. I hate her; I would love to see her killed for what she has done to you." He stopped and the merc realized his mistake as I leaned forward.

"Me? Hold on, what did you say?"

"Nothing, just the liquor talking."

"No, what did you say? Something she has done to me?" I held the shotgun up and he started to back away as I stood up.

"I didn't say anything, please don't kill me." He said and I placed a foot on his chest.

"You better tell me about that slip up, now!" I pumped the gun to show him I was not fooling around.

"Um, well, ok, just get the shotgun out of my face." I didn't and he started to stammer. "She…s-s-s-she has y-y-your…"

"My what? TELL ME NOW!" I screamed at him and the lupine said it.

"Your son."