Author Notes: I hope you all enjoy this chapter, cuz there's only one more and it's gonna be big. Sorry if this chapter turns out a bit slow or short. Anyhow, thanks for the constant support, R&R if ya got the feel or time, and I'll catch ya as soon as 22 is finished. Laterz... ^_^
The Footsteps in the Darkness ~ SkullFox
Chapter 21
The lights seemed to sear his senses as the dark furred vulpine squinted into a light hanging over his head. As he lay there he made out a feint sound from beside him, but, he wasn't certain of what that sound might be. His senses were on fire, his head pounded feverishly, while every muscle in his body seemed to cry out in pain, seemingly begging their master not to move. Against the will of his own muscles however, he finally sat up, unfortunately a blaze of pain sent him sprawling back to whatever mattress was beneath him screaming in agony…
"Don't move!!" A voice shouted as a white furred paw pressed down on his chest lightly, "You've got at least six broken ribs…god only knows what other damages that freak did."
It only took a few moments for Drayvn's fit of pain to stop before he finally made another effort to sit up, this time wincing in pain seemingly growling at himself to keep from screaming, "I…won't…" He cut himself off as forced himself to his feet, struggling slightly to breath. He looked around through blurry vision; he was surrounded by beds that all looked like they'd not seen a body in years, each holding it's own footlocker, "Where are we?"
"The barracks…" Iréa replied.
"Where's the kid?" He asked looking around.
Iréa sighed, "Wasn't here…someone may have taken her."
In an instant a shot of pain rushed through Drayvn's skull; behind the vulpine's eyes he could see an open hallway that lead away from the barracks, it snaked through several corridores turning here and there, it rushed out into a small room where a very young looking dark red furred vixen stood, shivering in fear at the light gray paw that lay on her shoulder. The veiw slowly moved up to reveal the smiling face of a sickly gray furred wolf that Drayvn could instantly identify as Mashif…
"Come and get her…" The animal's voice echoed through Drayvn's skull for a brief moment.
Drayvn came out of a slight daze shaking his head while Iréa stood by trying her hardest to figure out what was going on…
"I know where the kid is." He said stepping toward the door.
Iréa stopped Drayvn by taking him by the wrist and jamming an injection gun to his neck which let out an airy hiss, "This is for your own good Drayvn."
For a moment his vision blurred, he began to believe that the she wold had betrayed him, but, suddenly the pains that blanketed his body slowly began to fade away, it was then that he realized that it was a very powerful painkiller. He looked to the lupine while rubbing his neck…
"Necrophine?" He asked.
"Close…bennium-panadyetrene. Just as strong it'll just stay in your system longer."
Drayvn smirked a bit, "Good…cuz this isn't going to be easy. Mashif has the McCloud kid."
"Who?" Iréa asked helping the injured vulpine as they began to head down the halls of the place.
"Mashif "Terrance" Oojare." Drayvn replied, "One of the original Black Star subjects; telekinetic on a huge level…" He said, "Telekinesis happens to be a form of force manipulation…almost like altering kinetic energy."
"I thought telekinesis was just moving things with your mind." Iréa said.
Drayvn chuckled before wincing and holding his ribs, "Common mistake. Actually most people that form Telekinesis also have a weaker power of Psychokinesis, which is where most of the rumors come from. Telekinesis is worse than levitating and moving things with a lot of force. Think about being able to create kinetic energy with the power of your mind and being able to force it out as a weapon. They boy can make a sneeze blow a hole in a truck." He pointed out, "He can also alter the force around his own body, generating enough kinetic energy around his body to make him seem like he's teleporting around a room. I've even seen him bend light around his body making him completely invisible…and we've got a bigger problem."
"What's that?"
"He's absolutely psychotic." Drayvn replied, "Rose once told me that she looked up his profile and found that they fished his sorry ass out of an mental hospital for the criminally deranged. Apparently he wasn't the happiest kid in out there when he was growing up. He was admitted to an institution for the mentally insane when he went berserk in the middle of a classroom; he injured eighteen people and killed 2 teachers before he was brought down, apparently he'd snuck some sort of weapon into the school grounds. When they asked him why he did it, apparently he simply beat his head against the desk in the interrogation room yelling that they all needed to die…"
"Why would a military funded program want anything to do with that kind of a monster?" Iréa asked.
Drayvn thought to himself for a moment, "Good question. For now lets get to that kid before Mashif decides to do something bad."
"You're in no sort of condition for another fight." Iréa replied as they kept walking.
Drayvn sighed, "Even if I don't make it out of here alive…you can be certain that I'm not stopping until I see Eric take whatever final breath I leave him with."
Iréa simply listened to Drayvn before thinking about their situation, "Wait. How do you know where the little girl is?"
"Mashif wants me to come and take her from him…"
Iréa thought a bit more about the vulpine's injuries, "You know…that if you take too much more damage you won't be able to fight anymore."
"That's where you're wrong…" Dravyn mumbled, "If I take another beating like that last one…It'll kill me outright."
***
The room they entered was rather large, there was not much besides a large desk at the far end of the room, there was a small bookshelf on either side of the small office as well as a few small chairs and a small sofa sitting against one wall and a large filing cabinet on leaning against the other. Drayvn pulled himself from Iréa's support wobbling a bit as he stepped away from her. A chilling chuckle floated on the air, pulling at the fur on the back of Iréa's neck. It was a cold, creel laugh, of someone who was enjoying watching the black furred vulpine try to cope with the horrendous pain that racked his body…
"This is just too good…" A light, weak sounding voice floated to their ears, "Remember Drayvn? All those years ago? You were so high and mighty, always flaunting your success in our faces."
"The girl has nothing to do with us…just let her go."
As Drayvn said this the light gray furred wolf faded into view, his sharp claws at the throat of a small vixen that he held in front of him…
"So what then?" Drayvn asked, "You've become so weak you actually have to hide behind little girls?"
In what seemed like an instant the gray lupine seemed to vanish from his place reappearing behind Drayvn driving a powerful knee toward the injured vulpine's spine, Drayvn, in his weakened condition only just managed to strafe the blow using his sheathed sword to catch himself before he managed to fall. However the lupine was hardly done; in another instance of the lupine's teleporting, a powerful shin was driven into Drayvn's chest, the impact causing blood to burst from the black furred animal's muzzle his entire world went dark for mere moments as his limp, pain stricken body slid across the floor. Drayvn found it impossible to fight to his feet as he could only clutch his arms about his ribs, while writhing in agony…
Mashif smirked at the ebon vulpine who still rolled about in pain, "Humph. That was more pathetic than I had first thought." The lupine took a step forward pushing the agonized vulpine a bit with his foot, "You know. At one point I almost feared you Drayvn. Then you let that little bitch of yours suck the will to fight right out of you. Now look at you." He said kneeling down beside Drayvn, "You're fucking pathetic. I've stepped on things that put up more of a fight then you. Whatever happened to that bloodthirsty animal that wanted to rip out my heart? Maybe he just needs a bit of motivation now, since you've decided to lock him away. Would it help if I told you Emilia didn't beg for her own life?" He asked, "Mmmm…I still remember the look on her face that night; the taste of her blood, her fear…" The lupine inhaled slowly, "Just between the two of us though." He said lowing his muzzle to the pain filled vulpine's ear, "I took pleasure in stomping that little bastard child of yours out of existence."
It seemed as thought the words themselves caused Drayvn to stop screaming as he rolled onto his paws and knees. Tears began burning as the corners of his eyes, trailing down his face and falling from the tip of his muzzle. Every muscle in his body burned from a feeling that seemed to well up from his gut, spreading like fire in his veins. Suddenly images of his familiar flashed through his head; Drayvn could see his child so clearly in the forefront of his mind, his dreams of one day becoming a father torn away from him. As he watched the tears fall into the puddle of blood still falling from his mouth, a look of pure rage twisted the black fox's face into a sight not of this world…
Mashif laughed maniacally, "What's the matter Drayvn?" He taunted the heartbroken animal, "Do you think the little shit had any feelings yet? Maybe fear. Do you think you kid was afraid for it's life?"
Mashif's body seemed to freeze in fear as Drayvn's head slowly turned toward the lupine; Mashif found himself staring as Drayvn's eyes shifted from it's normal color to a burning read as if the blood of the fallen had washed over his vision. Mashif's body seemed to refuse to allow him to move, completely frozen in fear of the thing that he'd woken up. The strike that came was something that the animal never managed to see, as a blazing fist struck him in the center of the chest. The impact sent the sickly gray wolf into the air several feet hurling him across the room, slamming him into the wall with a sickening impact that forced blood pooling blood in his mouth to spill over his lip. Mashif stared on in amazement, Drayvn's punch, had felt like a small explosion contained completely within his fist, using the concussive force of it to add to his already powerful strike. The lupine shook his head as he stood up, looking to the enraged animal before him. Drayvn's eyes still poured tears, but, at the same time the same look of absolute hatred never left his face. Iréa could hardly believe what she was seeing…
"How can he even stand up?" She asked herself.
Mashif finally smiled, "Now…this is more like it." He chuckled, "I can't stop shaking. I have to say, I like the feeling of fear. It makes you feel……alive."
Drayvn's face still retained it's ferocity, "You're about to feel death." His voice caused shivers to trail up Iréa's spine. It didn't sound like Drayvn at all.
There were no more words however as Drayvn's arms lit ablaze, the flames seeming to burn a lighter blue than usual. The instant ignition of his power began to make Iréa instantly break into a sweat, he was producing so much heat that it was beginning to melt the sole off of his boots, causing the rubber soles to liquefy beneath his feet. A bright blue ball of flames burst from Drayvn's fist as though he was throwing some sort of phantom punch. Mashif seemed to vanish from the spot with mere seconds to space as the small pillar of flame slammed into the desk he stood by instantly causing the wooden structure to explode, sending shards of flaming wood hurling through the air at dangerous speeds. As Iréa watched on the small child that they had come to protect rushed for the door but a hail of debris shot from the explosion toward the child, and in a speed that even surprised her the white wolf dove into the child closing the vixen tightly into her arms as she hit the floor rolling to safety. She looked up just in time to see Drayvn dodge what must have been some sort of attack, as shortly after he moved something slammed into the filing cabinet on the far end of the room, mangling the metal horribly as the structure formed a large dent in the wall behind it. Her eyes moved to the wolf across from Drayvn who made the motion of throwing something at the black fox; this time Drayvn replied to the motion with a short burst of flames that shot from his fist. The flames met with whatever invisible force Mashif was using, causing the flames to burst apparently dissipating whatever attack the wolf had used. Suddenly Drayvn's right arm began to shake violently as the already intense flames began to roar out of control. Drayvn suddenly shot his fist forward. What erupted from the black furred animal's fist was a stream of intense flames which slammed into the wall just as Mashif seemed to be engulfed. The stream of flames died down after a few moments, leaving no more than a smoldering hole in the wall which dripped bits of molten metal to the floor…
"Pyrobolt?" Mashif said from a safe place where the remains of the desk lay, "I used to think naming an attack was the stupidest idea in the world…but, after seeing it for myself…"
The animal's words were however cut off by a short blast of flames that slammed into his right shoulder. The sleeve as well as half the chest of the white shirt he was wearing instantly flittered away as nothing more than ashes., the smell of scorched fur filled the room and Mashif let out a howl of pain as he clutched at his severely burned shoulder. The skin beneath his hand instantly rose to blister and burst causing trails of blood to flow down his arm…
"I think I may have slightly underestimated you…"
Drayvn's flames hissed out leaving only small traces of smoke rising from his arms, "Shut up." He growled, "You don't deserve to talk, you don't deserve to breath. The only thing you deserve is as much pain and torment as I can possibly put you in." The flames suddenly burst back to life, "And I intend to explore every possible means of doing it."
Mashif found it impossible to move his right arm from the pain that shot through him every time he moved his arm. The skin had practically washed away leaving nothing but a mess of gore and melted flesh on his shoulder. His breathing was becoming erratic, a mixture of shock from the hideous burns on his shoulder, and the incredibly hot air that Drayvn was putting off which made it difficult to breath. The lupine instantly vanished appearing at what seemed like several different places at once; Drayvn ducked under one of the invisible attacks that shot at him, until another hit collided with his chest. With a scream of pain the black fox spun through the air slamming violently into the far wall of the room. The lupine instantly warped in front of the downed animal readying an attack only to find himself locked in a powerful grip that held his arm, while another strong paw locked around his throat. The injured animal had played opossum to catch the cocky lupine off his guard. Though Drayvn's arms were no longer emitting their flames Mashif still struggled against a burning heat in his grip, as Drayvn kept his grip guiding the animal across the room pinning him to a wall…
"So…Mashif…" He said, "What do you think would happen if I brought your blood to a boil? Why don't we find out?"
Drayvn's hate filled eyes locked with Mashif's, who could see the steam of Drayvn's instantly evaporating tear rising from his eyes giving the black fox the appearance of some sort of demon. Mashif's lip began to twitch as the feeling of a terrible pain that began to scale up the arm caught in Drayvn's grip. It felt as through ever ounce of his flesh was spontaneously going to burst into flame. His heavily erratic breathing began to slowly escalate from small, but loud gasps for air, until they worked up into a constant scream of absolute agony. His screams began to work up even louder as steam began to escape from his eyes followed by steaming trails of crimson tears that trailed down his face. What appeared to be steaming blood began to ooze from his nostrils, and flowed from his ears down the sides of his head. Veins and arteries all about his body began to burst soon painting the animal a deep crimson. Iréa looked to the scene for a moment only to slap her paw over her muzzle turning and pulling the young vixen's face into her chest to protect the child's senses from the horrid sight of what Drayvn was doing…
***
A sudden, ear shattering scream rushed through the halls of the building, carrying to the ears of a vulpine couple, still imprisoned by the fox that sat across from them watching small screens…
"Can't say I envy that poor bastard." Fox said as a chill caused him to shudder.
Eric sat as his small seat watching the events of Drayvn's fight unfold on a small monitor, "Atta' boy Rubedo." He chuckled, "Just a little further until we can finally be what we were intended to be. I'd best prepare myself, at this point he'll kill Raven too."
Krystal watched on as the animal headed toward the door, "You know what I smell right now?" She asked.
Eric stopped to hear her out…
"Fear…" She finished.
Eric chuckled, "Were I you…I'd concentrate on the severity of my own situation rather than worry about others."
Krystal took a moment to sit at Fox's side, "Krystal. What is this Opus that psycho keeps talking about? Does it have something to do with your friend?"
Krystal sighed, "It started a long time ago. An ancient Cerinian genius developed a theory that he called the Opus Alchymicum: he claimed that if one were to fully complete the Opus, they would come to a great understanding of life, and all the things in the universe itself. Like letting go of a floodgate of potential knowledge and power that could be, as far as we know, unlimited." She said, "He died trying to complete the Opus many, many years ago, before any of us were even born. As to what it really does though, nobody knows. Could kill you. Could make you immortal. Or it could simply do something completely foreign."
"So what happens if this fruitcake actually pulls this off?"
Krystal sighed, "Nothing good…that's for sure." Krystal thought for a moment, "So…" She said changing the subject, "Who's Lilly? You've been thinking about her nonstop for hours."
The chestnut furred vulpine sighed, "She's……my daughter."
Ps: Reffering to Drayvn's fight earlier...Wood literally explodes at a bit over 800 degrees Ferinheight.