AN: Special Thanks goes to Story's Shadow for writing this amazing flashback sequence. Thanks my good friend.
-Continuum Home World, Madam Elise's Office-
"I'll do it." Crusader said without a moments hesitation, which earned a sigh rom Elise, for she had anticipated that response.
"Think of your daughter, could she live without you–"
"Could our people live without you?" Crusader countered, and Elise begrudgingly had to admit he had a fair point. "Isn't it worth sacrificing one life in order to save countless more?" Crusader continued to argue.
"Depends on the life." Elise said after a few moments of silent contemplation. "But that's besides the point... This matter will come down to which of us is willing to make the sacrifice when the time comes, and which of us can carry that burden forward. And at this point in time, I'm not sure which of us is best suited to do that." Elise said firmly. "The vision ended before I could tell which of us would carry the burden forward–"
"That's just great." Crusader grumbled. "The most critical piece of the puzzle is absent, and we can't solve the puzzle without this missing piece." Crusader said in a slightly defeated tone, a sentiment echoed by Elise. "Now what the heck do we do?" Crusader asked his ruling elder.
"Even though my visions have never been wrong, we can pray for a miracle that this one is wrong." Elise said simply.
"And if it's not?" Crusader asked bluntly, which earned a look in Elise's green eyes, a look he had only seen once, and he didn't like it.
"Then one of us must be prepared to do what has to be done to end this once and for all..."
-Unknown Location-
Someone hidden within a void lays still, but his mind racing. All the thoughts of the past bombard his mind. He cries and growls his frustration and heartbreak as the memories flood over him again and again and again. Sobbing, the emotional toll of the memories make him cry out in heartbreak.
Then one memory plays out his mind, taking the forefront.
-Unknown location, 15 years ago-
The figure stood in the shadows beside a burning building. His rage and sorrow filled eyes gleamed in the shadows. He watched skeletal soldiers and demons patrol the ruined city. A soft but still menacing snarl emerged from his throat. Then his ears and nose twitched. Despite the ash and blood and the marching of soldiers and the screeches of demons, he detected through smell and hearing two approaching. A small yet sad smile merged on his face.
He swiftly made his way through the shadows, sensing the two he detected coming closer to him. They were tracking him, slower than he hoped but while he wouldn't admit it, one would have great difficulty tracking him.
Quickly he made his way through the shadows to the outskirts of the city, hidden with a small grove a trees that were soon to burn. Not long after that, two came into view, a young man of small stature and with long silverfish quills for hair that hung to below his shoulders. His yellow eyes flicked from side to side. His dark pointed nose twitched as he sniffed the air.
"His scent is faint, but I think he's close," he said.
The other individual, a young woman, stood beside him. Her golden eyes scan the darkness and as she sniffs the air. She runs a clawed hand through he lilac hair.
"He's here," she said.
"Cassandra, Jacob, I'm so glad to see you both," the shadowy figure said, hidden with the darkness though his eyes gleaming from them.
The two smile and slightly bow to him, who bowed from the shadows. He then walked out of the darkness, revealing wild steel gray hair and pointed ears like the young woman's, though a little bit larger than hers.
"Sir, we're prepared to launch a stealth mission to target the traitor. We sneak in when he rests and take him there," Cassandra informed.
The man frowned.
"No, it's too dangerous. He has too many of those soldiers guarding him. Even worse, he has the sadist with him at all time...and even without him, the traitor is cunning enough to sense an assassination...I won't allow this. We may be the very last of our people, I cannot stand by and let you do this," the man argued.
The young woman frowned, showing hints of her sharp teeth.
"I think you've forgotten how stealthy and sly we Cats are?" Cassandra hissed, baring her teeth.
The man frowned for a moment, but then his face shifted with sadness as his ears slightly lowered.
"I haven't forgotten...yes, the Cats are gifted with great stealth and sharp minds...but the traitor is a Fox. The Foxes are some of the most cunning of our people there are, very few can match minds with them," he said, pleading.
Jacob took a step forward.
"Cassie wouldn't go alone. The traitor wouldn't lay a hand on her with me by her side," he informed.
"Your heart does you good, as do your quills. But the traitor wouldn't need to do anything himself. His betrayal was spearheaded by his new ally's soldiers. Your mind would do some good, as would your fire Cassie...but the risk is too great. We may very well be the last of our kind," the man replied.
Cassie's anger shifted into sadness. Jacob put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"But with you, we can take him down. You've taught us a lot, but you still know more than we do," Jacob suggested.
The man shook his head.
"No, I won't risk what future our people have left on an assassination that wouldn't even likely work," he replied.
"Than what?" Cassie asked.
"Go to a new world, give our people a possible chance of survival. I've been looking for more survivors and magical scrolls and other mystic items to give us a bridge to cross to another world," the man answered.
"But leave our world? Our home?" Jacob asked, shocked.
"Our world...our home...is burning. What we can do is find a new one...perhaps in time, return here...free it...and help it heal," the man sighed.
"So what?" Cassie asked.
"We-" the man started to say.
His and Cassie's ears twitched, while all sniffed the air. The man's eyes shifted with anger.
"He's near...he's been tracking you," he said.
"How did we not know?" Jacob asked.
"Because little Hedgehog, those obsessively solely fixated on one thing can be foolishly unaware of what else is around them," a familiar voice answered.
From the trees emerged a grinning Vulpine and beside him, Wraith. Standing with them are several skeletal soldiers.
"You traitor!" Cassie snarled, fangs bared and hands suddenly light with fire.
"A pyromancer...interesting. She would be useful," Wraith chuckled.
Jacob tried to stand in front of her, protectively, but she pushed his arm away. The man, however, stood in front of his former students. The rages and pain on his face all too clear. His eyes narrowed and gleamed with hate as his lips peeled back to reveal fierce fangs.
Vulpine took a step back in surprise, eyes wide with fear. Then his visage shifted.
"You," he tried to say in a convincing snarl, but the fear was still there.
Wraith chuckled at this.
"Three more kills. And here I thought the fun was done," he said, excited.
"You murdered your own people! For what?!" The man snarled, crying.
Vulpine didn't answer, simply trying to smirk.
"It doesn't matter. Anyone who'd try to kill his own people will suffer for it!" Cassie hissed.
Jacob frowned, his needle-like teeth bared.
Wraith's gaze shifted from Cassie to the snarling man.
"I must admit, your people were truly a challenge to kill. But a ninja overcomes," he chuckled.
"You dishonor the warriors you claim to be one of. And you, you've dishonored us all, traitor," the man growled.
His claws dug into his palm, trembling with fury and drawing blood. Wraith and Vulpine started to unsheathed their blades. The growling man turned to Cassie and Jacob.
"Run you two!" He ordered before leaping forward.
He cleared the distance between them, claws striking the armor of a skeletal warrior that had lunged forward in front of its commanders. The man snarled as he bit onto the bony neck and crushed it with one bite.
"GO!" He growled, louder.
"No way!" Cassie hissed
She raced forward, flaming hands scorching the bones and armor of a skeletal warrior. Jacob glared at one skeletal warrior then slung his hand to the left. That warrior was seen flying into the few soldiers beside it.
Wraith saw this and lunged for him. But the growling man lunged at him, tackling him to the ground. Wraith grunted as he punched him which was met another punch. The two wrestled and threw blows.
"You'll pay for what you've done to my people!" The gray man growled.
Wraith laughed as he threw a swift uppercut, sending his foe reeling back. The ninja quickly got to his feet and rushed his foe, jabbing with his blade. But his foe dodged the strike and grabbed the ninja's right arm with one hand then snatched his throat with the other before slinging him. Wraith grumbled as he leapt onto feet and lunged forward, slashing swiftly. The attacks put the gray man on the defensive, making him jump and slide back from the attacks. He snarled as he ducked under one struck then thrust his claws at Wraith's torso. The ninja narrowly dodged the strike as he twisted to the side. He chuckled as he lunged forward again.
Jacob hissed as he used his telekinesis to slam the skeletons into each other or against the ground, keeping several yards distance away from his targets. The skeletons he wasn't holding in his grip tried to flank him, but he managed to dodge and outrun their rushes.
"I'll keep the soldiers at bay!" Jacob called out.
He dodged and leapt away from the soldiers as they tried to get in close. The Hedgehog would fling them at each other or send the weapons of their fallen at them. He held a few blades to his sides and behind him, just barely managing to duel the attacks from other soldiers trying to strike his flank or rear.
"But hurry up, please!" Jacob said, sliding away from the strike of an ax.
He gripped the ax with his telekinesis and sent him flying through the skull of its wielder just as the weapon was pulled from the ground.
Cassie snarled as she lunged at Vulpine. She slashed in the air, sending streams of fire at him. The Fox dodged the attacks, his fur barely missing the flames. He hurries forward, slashing with his blade. But Cassie dodges the attacks, slashing as she dodges only to have her attacks dodged as well.
"You murderer! Monster! Butcher!" Cassie screamed in hate, eyes ablaze with fury.
She hissed and snarled, fangs bared, as she swiftly rushed Vulpine. Her speed and agility, mixed with the raw power of her fire made Vulpine pull away from her strikes. His eyes studied her as she struck out at him. A small smirk appeared on his face. He rushed forward, dodging the strikes, not going in for an attack. Cassie hissed with frustration and rage.
"Stand still!" She snarled, missing her strikes just barely.
Her hated filled gaze grew even more furious. He fireballs just barely missed her target. She then lunged forward, the fire gone as she struck out with her claws.
"I'll claw out your tiny, beating heart!" She hissed.
Vulpine blocked her hands at the wrist with his own. He chuckled loud enough for her to hear it as well as see the smirk on his face.
"I'LL KILL YOU!" She roared, backhanding Vulpine.
The Fox reeled back. He shocked his head and bared his teeth at Cassie. The Cat hissed as he hands went ablaze again as she struck out, her attacks furious and repetitive in swift motion. Vulpine grunted as he dodged the strikes before lunging forward.
The man saw his foe's attention turned to the side and Jacob looked back after dealing with the last solider. Both looked on in horror as Vulpine stabbed Cassie in her lower torso and more than once.
"CASSIE!" Both of them screamed.
The man growled as he lunged forward, only to have one hand grabbed by Wraith then was met with a punch by the sadist. He snarled as he skidded back. Vulpine yelped as he was sent flying back and slammed hard into a tree. Jacob's eyes were wide with fury and wet with tears, one hand thrust forward. Wraith grumbled as he prepared to lunge. But his first opponent struck out with a swift slash from his claws, sending the ninja reeling back, groaning in pain.
The man and Jacob hurried to Cassie. The former put pressure on her wounds and looked around.
"Put pressure on them!" He instructed.
Jacob followed.
The man tore at his clothing and quickly wrapped it around the injured Cat. He then pulled papers and a few small items and gave them to Jacob.
"Run and help her. I'll hold them off," he said, his voice shaking with despair for Cassie but resolved with anger.
Jacob nodded and quickly helped his friend out of sight. The man snarled as he turned to face Wraith and Vulpine, who rubbed his back.
"You butcher! You have no honor!" he snarled, fangs bared.
Wraith scoffed.
"Wolves and your honor, I looked forward to seeing you fall the most," Vulpine mocked.
"We had nothing but respect for you and everyone else. The Foxes' cunning and wit were highly respected by all. But you dishonored them for what you've done! Dishonored us all! How many women have you brutalized during this genocide?!" The Wolf snarled.
Vulpine just scoffed. Wraith looked to the injured Wolf.
"I must admit, you all provided a challenge for this campaign. But it's over," he taunted.
"The horrors you've done will not go unanswered," the Wolf snarled.
He growled as he lunged forward. Wraith swiftly threw several shurikens at him. The Wolf growled in pain and anger as he hit the ground. He grunted as he tried to get on his feet, but Vulpine kicked his legs. He grunted as he managed to get on his knees. Wraith held his blade's edge at his throat. The Wolf looked back at him, bleeding but eyes locked on him.
"Kill him," Vulpine grunted.
"No...I have something much more...torturous in mind," Wraith chuckled.
He pulled back his sword. From his hand, a strange grainy substance encircled the Wolf.
The Wolf growled as his body started to darken, but the circle suddenly rose into spectral winds and began to swallow the Wolf, who only howled in defiance as he disappeared.
Vulpine's eyes went wide.
"What did you do to him?" He asked.
"Sent him to a void, a prison. Let him know I won and that he's trapped, unable to break free and to remember all of this...and know he failed," Wraith chuckled.
-Present-
The Wolf cried.
'Dear Cassandra...Jacob...I fear every day you both have been lost like the rest of our people...it feels like years since that passed, but I cannot tell the passage of time here...I hope...I hope you both are alive,' he whimpered in his mind.
He howled in despair, like had done so many times in this prison.
To Be Continued...