Note: I probably should have given a hint that the previous chapter was part one, but I really didn't. Of course, given what happened, it doesn't feel like it needs to be labeled part one. This story does continue, after all. Before we move on, I'd like to say something to two reviewers.
Big Bossk Man 92: Yeah, he's at death's door. Wolf/Volk said that there could only be one winner for the fight, and he chose Krystal. However, she isn't going to let what happened to Fox, among other things, slide. I can't say what happens to him here, but it depends on what happens. Will he die, or will he get a second chance at life? Stay tuned for what happens next!
King Tutanfoxenkhamen III: Well, I can't tell you what's going to happen to Fox here. However, I doubt that Krystal will let him die. If he DOES die, the team will have to fight in his stead. Not that they will be able to win every battle, however. I can't say how Krystal would be able to keep Fox from dying, but I'm sure she'll find a way. I hope that you're ready for what happens during the new chapter!
Now that I've done that, it's time for chapter twenty.
Chapter 20: A Tough Decision (Part 2)
After several moments of flying, Krystal found a spot in the forest to put Fox. She landed in that exact spot, being as careful as she could with her dying leader. Walking up to a tree stump, the cobalt vixen put the orange tod on it, keeping his wound covered. He was letting out raspy, haggard breathing, indicating that he would die at any moment. The Cerinian-vampire tended to him, holding his hand. Their eyes locked on to each other, as if they were in a staring contest.
"Krystal ...!" Fox spoke. "Krys, I can't ... speak for ... much longer!"
"I know you can't." Krystal said. "Just hang on, Fox."
"I can't." The orange tod groaned. "I got stabbed ... pretty bad!"
There wasn't much Krystal could do. She didn't want to give up on the love of her life, but it seemed like that was her only option. Fox had bled out heavily, and the life was draining from his eyes. With that in mind, he would not be alive for much longer. Looking down at the orange tod, Krystal knew that she had two options: Let him bleed to death, or kill him with the sword that had been given to her. Of course, there was always a third option.
For a brief moment, Krystal knelt down to Fox, who wasn't dead yet. Her vampiric impulses told her to bite him, so that he would be a vampire like her. It would've added the orange tod to Volk's army, but he wouldn't bleed to death. Despite her vampiric impulses, however, the cobalt vixen decided not to. She drew her sword, deciding to put her dying leader out of his misery. Fox wasn't dead yet, but it wasn't right to leave him to suffer.
"I hope that you can forgive me for this." Krystal said softly.
Krystal closed her eyes and swung her sword down, knowing the blade would strike Fox's flesh and kill him. Before the blade could even hit, she felt something grab it. Or rather, she felt someone grab the hard steel. The cobalt vixen felt cold, as if she were standing on Fichina or the SnowHorn Wastes on Sauria. Not only that, but time felt frozen, having stopped the moment she had swung her sword. With that in mind, the Cerinian-vampire knew that she was going to encounter a familiar face.
"You don't need to take any action, Krystal." A voice rang out. "I'll take care of it from here."
Opening her eyes, Krystal saw Death standing nearby, holding the blade of her sword. He gestured for her to put the weapon away, tilting it towards her. Nodding her head, the cobalt vixen placed the sword back in the scabbard, then took a step back. With her away, the Grim Reaper looked down at Fox, who had stopped breathing. The orange tod was dead, but his soul had not left his body. It was almost as if he was determined to stay alive, even after his body had shut down.
"Fox McCloud, awaken!" Death spoke.
All of a sudden, Fox's body was surrounded by an ethereal glow. The glow soon shrank, forming a big dot on his chest. Once that happened, the orange tod left his body, floating high above it. Krystal watched as this happened, knowing that his soul was being brought out. She couldn't read Death's mind, but she figured that he had an idea. After all, he didn't seem interested in taking the Papetoonian's soul.
"Huh?" Fox spoke, looking around. "What happened? And who are you?
"I am Death itself." Death said. "Your soul has been forced out of your body, Fox McCloud. However, I will not be taking you to Heaven or Hell."
"I'm dead, but I'm not going anywhere?" The orange tod asked. "What's next, then?"
"This isn't something that usually happens, but you are being given a second chance at life." The Grim Reaper stated. "I trust that you know how you died?"
"Wolf impaled me with something and left me to die!" The Papetoonian said.
"He was forcing us to fight, then he stabbed Fox because he wanted me to win!" Krystal said.
"It's always a shame when lovers are forced to fight," Death stated, "especially when the outcome is in favor of one side."
"That doesn't matter, Mr. Reaper." Fox said. "Not only am I dead, but Star Wolf has formed an undead army, and they're going to unleash an attack on the galaxy!"
"I am aware, but I cannot do anything about it." The ethereal being said.
"What?!" The vulpine cried. "You're just going to let them win?! Then why are you giving me a second chance?!"
Death said nothing, only raising his hand in the air. Several bright lights shined all around the area, floating above Fox's body. As soon as they were near Fox and Krystal, the light soon changed into images that displayed Fox's memories. The orange tod could see his entire life reflected in the images, as if he were watching home videos. He nearly teared up at the memories of his parents, while Krystal held onto his shoulder. The cobalt vixen felt like crying, but she knew that there was no time for that.
"You were marked for death, Fox, but Krystal managed to stop it." Death said. "It was a change of fate that was undone by the interference by a hateful soul who wanted to attain immortality."
"I'll say." Krystal said, thinking about her desire to end Wolf/Volk.
"But why are you actually concerned about this?" Fox asked. "You're the Reaper, aren't you? Wouldn't the souls who were drained by vampires make your job better?"
"Death is what gives life its meaning." The Reaper said. "It lets you know that your days are numbered, and what you can do to make it worthwhile. Immortality deprives it of its meaning, as death will not come to those who are immortal."
"In other words," Krystal said, "living forever isn't worth it, as you'll outlive everyone around you, even those who are younger."
"So, Star Wolf has upset the balance of life and death by creating their army?" Fox said. "I don't see how giving me a second chance would change that."
"That may be so." Death said. "However, I am not simply giving you a second chance. Rather, I am bringing you back as an undead creature of my own making."
"I'm going to turn into a vampire, too?" The orange tod asked. "There's nothing else you can do?"
"To beat a monster, you'll have to be a monster yourself." The embodiment of the end stated. "After all, you don't mind, do you, Krystal?"
"As much as I hate to say it, I don't mind Fox being an undead creature myself." Krystal said. "Hopefully, he can turn back to normal once Volk is dealt with."
Knowing that his teammates and the vampire hunters couldn't handle every threat that Volk's army threw at them, Fox had no reason than to take Death's offer. After all, Krystal had got him out of the castle as quick as she could. Had it not been for her, then the orange tod would have been dead much sooner. The cobalt vixen wanted to save him, so he wanted to make her happy. Besides that, the Papetoonian figured that everyone would want to know what happened to him.
"Well, Death, looks like I'm coming back as a monster!" Fox said, determination flowing through him. "Now, what do I have to do?"
An aura glowing around him, Death held out his hand. The aura formed into a ball of light, shining like a polished diamond. By looking at it, Fox could see it pulsating, almost like a beating heart. It didn't take long for him to see that this was what would kickstart his rebirth as a monster. As much as he didn't want this to happen, the orange tod knew that he would have to give Krystal an extra hand. The cobalt vixen was definitely powerful, but she couldn't do everything by herself.
"Touch this." Death said. "Once you do, you will be reborn as a monster who will be able to defeat other monsters with ease."
Fox hesitated for a moment, then looked at Krystal. Was this really the way to defeat Volk's army? Given how Krystal was a vampire as well, she had to have the power to fight her fellow undead. In fact, there was no doubt that the rest of Star Fox would be able to escape the dungeon. Fara and the Helsings were good at their jobs as well, even if they didn't use newer technology to fight their supernatural enemies. With all that in mind, Fox felt as though accepting the offer would just cause him to get in the way.
"Go ahead, Fox." Krystal said, trying to encourage him.
Reaching his hand forward, Fox was about to touch the light in Death's hand. Before even laying a finger on it, the orange tod froze up, still feeling unsure as to whether or not to do it. He knew that he couldn't hesitate, as the Reaper was a busy spirit, but he just kept getting knots in his stomach. Even with Krystal's reassurance, the Papetoonian struggled with his decision.
"Fox." A voice rang out.
Upon hearing someone call his name, Fox looked to his side and saw his father, James. The older tod smiled at his son, trying to encourage his decision. However, the younger tod did not believe what he was seeing, believing it to be a trick. As the Aparoid Queen tried the same tactic before, the vulpine was not willing to believe that his father was near. Even if it was him, the Papetoonian was still struggling with his decision. Not even a smile could make him decide.
"Don't worry, son." The ghost of James McCloud said. "You have nothing to fear. I'm proud of you, Fox, and you continue to make me proud as I watch you from the afterlife. However, do not let my presence stop you from saving the day. For now, you need to stop Star Wolf from causing untold devastation in the galaxy!"
"And we'll support you, no matter what." Another voice said.
Initially, Fox thought that it was Krystal who said that. However, it wasn't the cobalt vixen who gave the encouraging line. Rather, it was an orange vixen with beautiful light green eyes. She was someone Fox hadn't seen since he was a kid, as she was in his life far shorter than James had been. However, the vulpine was still someone who was important in his life. She wasn't a random person, she was Fox's mother: Vixy McCloud.
"We have watched you for the longest time, son, and there wasn't a time when we wished we could see you again." Vixy said.
"However, saving the world and protecting the innocent are more important now." James said. "Go on, Fox, take the opportunity that's been given to you. Become a monster, if you have to. It's for the greater good!"
"Please, Fox, we don't have much time." Krystal said.
With the support of his parents' spirits and the love of his life, Fox reached forward and touched the orb Death had in his hand. After that, he found his body enveloped in an ethereal light. It was bright enough for Krystal to close her eyes, not wanting to become blind. She heard the orange tod let out a scream, meaning that the process was working. The cobalt vixen wanted to intervene, but didn't, knowing that the Papetoonian had agreed to do it. By the time the process was over, he would be a creature of the night, just like her.
Once the light had dissipated, Krystal opened her eyes and saw Fox standing next to Death. The process had been completed, and the orange tod was now a creature of darkness. However, he did not look like any of the vampires in the Lylat System, from Volk's army to Krystal herself. The Papetoonian's orange fur had been turned a maroon color, his eyes were now glowing light green, his hands and feet had been turned into claws, his body had gotten skinnier, and his mouth had been turned into a maw lined with sharp, jagged teeth. Aside from his pants, Fox was completely nude.
"And now, Fox McCloud, you are now able to drain souls out of your enemies and suck blood from them!" Death spoke, sounding like he was giving a public speech. "You will stay like this until the defeat of Star Wolf!"
"That's fine with me, Mr. Reaper." Fox said, his voice having a slight accent.
"Good." The embodiment of the end said.
Death soon disappeared, causing time to resume its flow. This allowed Fox to speak with Krystal, who was a bit uncomfortable around him. She didn't mind that he was a vampire like her, but she had been hoping that he would look the same as he did before. As looks did not matter, the cobalt vixen swallowed her pride.
"Well, what do you think?" Fox asked.
"It's not exactly what I expected to happen, but at least you're back." Krystal spoke. "And hey, you're not melting under the sun!"
"Neither are you, Krystal." The formerly orange tod said. "Not that I mind, though, because you're beautiful under the sun."
"Okay, Fox, don't try to sound like Panther!" The cobalt vixen chuckled.
"Don't giggle, or I'll make a rose pun!" The Papetoonian joked around.
Fox and Krystal shared a laugh for a little bit, then decided to head back to the castle. The cobalt vixen wanted to kiss the now maroon tod, but felt that it would be impossible. After all, he didn't seem to have lips in his new form. She told the Papetoonian to hold on as she took flight, making sure to carry him there. The Cerinian vampire was now intent on getting back to her friends, so that she could save them and strike back against Wolf/Volk and his army. With the new Fox by her side, things were going to get interesting.
Back at where the castle stood, Fara, Orlando, and Owen were outside the drawbridge. As the sun was out, they knew that no vampires would come out. However, they decided to wait for Krystal to come back. If she came back with Fox, then they would greet him. If he didn't come back with the cobalt vixen, however, then they would have to carry on without him. No matter what happened, the vampire hunters knew that they had to continue fighting Star Wolf, who were now an army.
"What could be taking Krystal so long?" Fara asked. "And what if she doesn't bring Fox back with her?"
"We won't know until we find out, Fara." Orlando said.
"I'm just worried, Mr. Helsing!" The fennec said.
"We're all worried." Owen said.
All of a sudden, something landed on the ground, as if a bird had decided to stop flying for a bit. Turning around, the vampire hunters saw Krystal standing near. She still had those massive wings from before, being her new method of transportation. However, Fox was not shown to be with her. This caused Fara to grow worried, as she hoped that the orange tod would come back. Without him, the quest to defeat Wolf/Volk and his army would be harder.
"Where's Fox?!" Fara cried.
"Calm down, everyone, he's here." Krystal spoke.
"What do you mean by that?" Orlando spoke. "I don't see him anywhere!"
Stepping to the side, Krystal showed off Fox to the vampire hunters. Needless to say, they were shocked by how he looked. Compared to how the orange tod looked before, it was hard to tell it was him at first. His body was a reddish color, his eyes were glowing, his body was terribly skinny, his hands and feet looked almost like talons, and his mouth looked absolutely monstrous. From what the Helsings could tell, Krystal wasn't exactly comfortable around the Papetoonian vampire herself.
"Fox, what happened to you?!" Fara spoke, her voice sounding breathless.
"Death turned me into a creature of the night." Fox said, his voice now having an accent.
"You mean the Grim Reaper?" Orlando spoke. "There's no way he did that!"
"I'm not proud of what I did, either, but there is no time to talk about it!" The now maroon tod said. "For now, we need to get back in the castle, find everyone, and take down Volk and his legions of Hell!"
"Shall we all travel together?" The coyote asked.
"We should split up." The Papetoonian vampire said. "Mr. Helsing, you should go through the castle's front with Fara and your grandson. Krystal, you're going through the back with me. Is that clear, everyone?"
They all nodded in agreement, separating into two groups. However, Krystal did not nod in agreement. Rather, she spoke to Fox while heading towards the back of the castle with him. However, the cobalt vixen kept their conversation hushed, so that no one would hear them.
"It would've been a better idea to be in one big group," Krystal said, "so that we could take on threats together."
"Someone has to free the others, Krystal." Fox stated. "Besides, we can't do everything all at once."
"You have a point there, darling." The cobalt vixen said.
"Thanks, dear." The maroon tod said.
Letting out a chuckle, Krystal kissed Fox on the nose, as his mouth was off-limits. She then took her scarf off and had him cover his face, so that he could have a mysterious flare to him. The orange tod liked this, though it didn't show on his face. He soon approached the back of the castle with the cobalt vixen, which was likely where the dungeon was. Looking at each other, the two vulpines agreed to be as careful as they could. If they weren't, then no one would be able to stop Volk from leading an attack on the Lylat System.
Note: Yeah, so Fox is essentially Raziel from the Legacy of Kain series now. What powers does he have at his disposal? Will those trapped in the dungeon be saved? Will a member of Volk's army turn one of them into vampires? What will Fara and the Helsings encounter? Will they be able to defeat any threat that comes towards them? Will they meet up with Fox and Krystal shortly after?
Until next time, guys, this is Newcomer24, signing off. Peace!