Chapter eighteen – A Monster Unleashed

Crunch sprinted through the jungle, unable to see or hear anything but the blood pounding in his chest. He felt as though something hot was clawing across his eyes, and he cried out in pain as a churning agony ripped through his internal organs. He was unable to run any longer, and he pitched forward with a small hiss. He could feel nothing but pain. The ground beneath him and the rain above him ceased to exist as he battled the storm inside him.

Suddenly his senses flared, alerting him to some unknown presence. Crunch could guess who this creature was. He didn't have the control to face the Tigress, and so he forced himself back to his feet. He started moving again, hearing her echoing voice enfold tauntingly around him.

"Where are you going, my raging beast? Stop and face me. Time has run out."

Crunch snarled low in his throat as he pushed his way through the thick vegetation. His insides felt as though his organs had been rearranged, and spasms of excruciation crawled through his chest every second. He pressed his hand against his stomach, willing himself to continue forward. The Tigress was laughing wickedly as she continued to jeer and taunt, causing Crunch's anger to rise more and more. He tried to keep himself calm, but could not. He burst from the thickness of the trees into an open clearing. He scoped back and forth, desperately searching for a place to run. The clearing offered no cover. He hoped he could make it to the cliff side before the Tigress could mark him. So Crunch started forward at a rapid pace. However, his control was weakening. A thick black smoke seemed to glide into his mind, and as of that moment Crunch Bandicoot ceased to exist.

Tawna tore through the trees, her heart pounding rapidly. Her fear was tremendous, but this time she did not fear for herself. She needed to find Crunch. The rain had soaked her through and through before she had reached the second pathway, and she was shivering violently. The rain was not cold, thankfully, but it was the fear coursing through her veins that caused Tawna to tremble. She ignored the branches as they scraped unmercifully across her bare arms and face. She slipped multiple times on rocks and tufts of grass that had been slickened by the rain. She continued to move, not pausing to rest even for an instant.

She reached a branch in attempt to pull herself up the side of a steep hill. When she was nearly to the top, a branch snapped and she was propelled backward. With a strangled shriek, Tawna plunged her claws against the hill and clutched until she slowed to a stop. Wearily, she continued to climb, her traction constantly slipping from the slimy muck. Her exhaustion was taking its toll, not to mention cramping pangs in her stomach and thighs that nearly caused her to double over in nausea. As she brushed a giant leaf out of her way, she lost her footing once again and slid into a pond of rainwater. With a resolve she'd never known, she lifted herself up and continued on. The farther she progressed, the more confidence she gathered. Although she was completely filthy and sore from constant falls, she kept going.

It had been almost a half hour since Tawna had started, and she had seen no sign of Crunch anywhere. She was now searching through the thicker patches of jungle, hoping to catch a glimpse of burgundy fur in her sights. She set her jaw in firm resolution as she pressed on. The wind and rain thrashed against her and the mud and trees continuously obstructed her path, but Tawna hardly noticed them. All she cared about was finding Crunch.

The unhinged bandicoot stood in a feral pose, snarling at Tina as she stood pompously before him. She chuckled in delight.

"So it has finally happened. How marvelous. Your defiance was impressive, but no creature can conquer Cortex's virus." Tina tilted her head to one side mockingly. "Do you not understand what I am saying any longer? Pity."

The bandicoot roared in fury and leapt toward the tigress. However, Tina was quicker. She dodged out of the path of her nemesis and nimbly drew two blades from their sheaths at her hip. She bore her teeth in savage anticipation.

"Prepare for death, Crunch Bandicoot."

Tawna was unsure where she was. However, since he wasn't intent on returning to the house until she found Crunch, she supposed there was little reason to remember where it was. She paused for a moment, glancing about in perplexity. She didn't know which way to go. She sighed heavily and then selected a route. As she started forward, a peculiar noise found its way to her ears. Possessing the instincts of her animal form, she blocked out the rain and listened. It sounded like…roaring. Tawna had heard that sound before. With a growing excitement Tawna ran in the direction of the roar. She pushed passed trees and thick vegetation, tossing caution to the wind.

Finally she reached the edge of the jungle. Ahead of her was a rocky clearing surrounded by trees. Lighting flashed and thunder rumbled in the sky, causing Tawna to momentarily shrink away. The moon shone down brightly, illuminating the vast land before her. As she passed her gaze across the clearing her eyes lingered upon two shadows. She squinted in attempt to get a better look. When she realized what the figures were, she gasped. Crunch was in a violent battle with an Anthrian tiger, and he was losing.

The infuriated bandicoot howled in agony as another attack slashed through him. Tina's blades were slick with blood, providing a gory illustration as to how many times her strikes connected. At first, the battle was ferocious. Tina was rather taken aback at how rabid her enemy had become, and she needed to spend the first few moments evading attacks and measuring her opponent. His former style of calculated precision she had witnessed in the jungle was completely replaced with nothing short of bloodthirsty onslaught. He leapt at her with claws and jaws extended, intending each time to tear through her. His savage movements reminded Tina more of a wolf than a bandicoot. He was far stronger than she had foresaw, but he would not defeat her. His mindless lunges and careless attacks worked against him as Tina exploited his every visible weakness.

She had been too slow at one point in the battle, and received a brutal slash across her arm. However, this did little to defuse her confidence that the battle would end in her favor. She twirled about the raging beast, reaching forward with her blade and producing slash after slash. The bandicoot had taken hold of one of her weapons and sent it flying over the cliff edge at one instant, but Tina continued the offensive. With a combination of brunt kicks and strikes along with the added leverage of her blade, she finally brought to the large bandicoot to his knees. The creature formally known as Crunch Bandicoot was finally defeated. He lay in a collapsed exhaustion, panting fervently. His murky grey eyes were dull with tiredness, and the previous fire that blazed within them had diminished. Tina smiled wickedly, passing her tongue over her sharp fangs.

"And now, my friend, you will die."

Tina stepped forward, blade held tightly in her hand. However, just as she lifted the weapon and prepared to thrust it into the heart of her nemesis, she paused in astonishment. A woman placed herself directly in her path, her delicate arms spread in a gesture of protection. She was so covered in grime and filth from the jungle that Tina could hardly make out her features, but she knew this must have been the bandicoot woman who had involved herself with Tina's targets. The woman was trembling in fright, but when she spoke her voice was commendably stern.

"Leave him alone."

Tina grinned. She supposed there was no reason she couldn't enjoy herself a little longer before she completed her task.

Tawna had no idea what she was doing. She stood before the deadly tigress unarmed, and without any hope of battling her. She could do nothing. Yet the sight of Crunch's wounded body falling to the ground had given her a strength she had not known was there. She had run out without thinking. The best she could hope for that while the woman toyed with her, Crunch would come to his senses and defeat this frightening entity, even at the expense of Tawna's own life. The Tigress was smiling with amusement at her as she twirled her blade in one clawed hand.

"Stand aside. This affair has nothing to do with you." The woman growled.

Tawna remained where she was.

"I will not move." Tawna spoke with a bravery she did not feel. "And I will not let you kill him."

The Tigress laughed loud and long.

"And what do you propose to do? Do you believe you can succeed against a seasoned warrior like myself? What makes you believe you can succeed where your friend has failed?"

Tawna felt herself shiver in fear, but she did not move. She stared at the woman with a calm acceptance, welcoming the fate that would claim her.

"I know I cannot succeed, but I shall not stand aside." She whispered into the rain. "You'll have to kill me."

The Tigress shook her head with a tight smile.

"As you wish."

Tawna watched as the blade was lifted into the air, and she closed her eyes as she prepared for the blow that would end her life. Suddenly, the sound of a pounding roar jolted her from her submission, and she watched with widened eyes as Crunch leapt from behind her with his claws extended. Tawna fell to her side, dropping down to her knees as Crunch attacked the Tigress. Caught off guard, the Tigress's blade was knocked from her grip. Crunch threw attack after attack in a fury, and for the first time the Tigress seemed uncertain. However, Crunch's wounds were taking its toll upon him. He was slower than the savage woman, and could not block the attacks that were aimed precisely upon fresh wounds. As the Tigress continued to advance upon him, Tawna reacted. A blossom of anger swelled in her chest, and she ran and tackled the merciless woman to the ground. Tawna felt as though she had propelled herself into a tree, for the woman was solid muscle.

The Tigress was stunned with bewilderment at first, but she quickly recovered. She threw Tawna into the ground and bared her teeth at her in such a rage that Tawna recoiled beneath her. With murder in her eyes, the Tigress lifted her clawed hand in preparation to swipe them through her defenseless adversary. Tawna could see nothing but the terrible shine of the Tigress's two golden eyes upon her. She awaited what would happen, but something occurred that she did not expect. A rock struck the Tigress's lifted arm, and as she brought her hand down with a cry of pain Tawna turned and saw Crash and Coco Bandicoot rushing toward them. Crash had another rock in his hands, and he wore the most fiendish of smiles.

"I thought we were missing out on the action. Let the pretty girl go and I won't pelt you with another one."

The Tigress caught sight of the bandicoot siblings and a terrible sneer curled her lips against her teeth.

"Ah…finally. I'd been wondering when I'd cross paths with you, Crash Bandicoot."

Even as the rain pounded down and thunder pealed in the air, Crash continued to smile with good-natured humor.

"Well, I see my reputation has preceded me. Now, are you going to get lost, or are we going to have to get rough?"

Tawna felt a quick jolt of concern for her friend as she spied the deadly look in the Tigress's eyes. However, Tawna knew that if anyone could take care of himself in a dire situation, it was Crash. The Tigress seemed to be unsure how to proceed. She was obviously there for a reason, and Tawna guessed that reason was ultimately to kill Crunch. However, how could any enemy who knew of Crash's outstanding luck in avoiding termination turn away from a potential battle? The Tigress made her decision. She lifted Tawna from her feet and tossed her aside as though she weighed nothing. Tawna hit the ground hard, rolling with the momentum of the toss. Her limbs were impossibly sore when she tried to raise herself up again, but she had no strength. She collapsed again and could do nothing but watch the battle unfold before her eyes.

Crash and Coco awaited the Tigress as she sprinted forward with a gleam of wickedness in her eyes. Upon the first swipe, both brother and sister separated, surrounding her on either side. Tawna was terrified at first. She thought that if the Tigress could nearly defeat Crunch, Crash and especially Crash's little sister wouldn't have a chance against her. She was pleasantly mistaken. They were each seasoned fighters, though their styles were as different as night from day. Coco was obviously formally trained in fighting tactics by the way she struck with careful precision and concentration. Crash, of course, was the opposite. He demonstrated no form whatsoever. It was actually quite shocking to realize that he was dominating the fight. Tawna couldn't put her finger on what made him so unconquerable, and she supposed she could understand why he was loathed by so many powerful people. The Tigress had obviously not expected such an onslaught from two small bandicoots, and she was visibly astonished to discover that she was being overpowered. However, if the Tigress continued to fight, she would probably slowly wear down the defenses of her opponents. Crash and Coco were not physically superior to a tiger, and it would only be a matter of time before the battle turned in favor of their enemy. However, the Tigress suddenly bounded out of reach, leaping onto a branch and squatting with the ferocity of her ancestors as she glowered down upon them.

"You two are not worth my time." The Tigress stated with a small smile. "I don't understand this strange defense incantation you seem to have over yourselves, but it is useless. You, Crash Bandicoot, will die this night. There is no escaping this."

Crash gave her a skeptical glance.

"Yeah? You know I've heard that one before on numerous occasions."

"Ah." Said the Tigress, smiling fiendishly. "But this time you shall."

Crash remained posed in an easy stance, one hand propped on his hip. He was not threatened in the slightest. Tawna took some comfort in this, but suddenly she felt the hairs at the nape of her neck prickle instinctively. The Tigress was beaming in anticipation.

"Farewell, bandicoots."

Crash adopted a quizzical expression when the Tigress failed to move. Tawna, too, was confused at the hanging threat yet to be fulfilled. However, in the corner of her eye, she spied movement. She opened her mouth in a silent scream as Crunch lunged forward, his mighty claws reaching out for Crash. Crash turned intuitively, but it was too late to avoid Crunch's wicked intention.

"Crash!" Tawna screamed.