A Window to a Memory
Author's note: I had a hard time implying this in the story. Assume the ambush in the last chapter took place during the team's flight to Thorntail hollow and during. The timeline for it was a bit hard to make clear in the chapter.
The sound of the Arwing's engines roared through the hollow as it began to set down where Fox had landed earlier. Soon after touching down, the cockpit flew open, and two vulpines hopped out. They both were happy to be back in a warmer climate by this point and to be able to wash their clothes without the risk of freezing. Fox, remembering his wards, pressed a button on his wrist pad and the bottom hatch for the Arwing opened. Tricky and Kyte stumbled out shortly after. They seemed a bit dazed but not nearly as bad as the first landing.
"Are you two ok?" Fox asked the children.
"Still getting used to that," Kyte remarked.
"Ditto." Tricky added.
"Good. Do not worry; you will adjust in time." He then turned to Krystal, recalling the change of clothes. He opened his bag and pulled out his spare clothing. While he liked his flight suit and jacket, he could barely stand the smell that clung to it. Signaled Krystal over and handed her some spare clothes.
"Sorry, we don't have anything more comfortable. Hope this works in the meantime." He said to the vixen.
"Anything besides what we currently have. Thanks, Fox." The vixen replied.
Both went to separate corners of the hollow to change and strip off their old outfits. After this was done, they rinsed their clothing in the river and then left them on the Arwing to dry. It would likely take a few hours for the clothes to dry out. Fox had changed into more a grey shirt and blue pants, likely his more casual clothing. Krystal, on the other hand, was wearing one of his blue shirts and grey pants. She felt a bit awkward having to wear some other person's clothing, but she had little choice at the moment. She turned to Fox and was slightly caught off guard at how casual he looked without his uniform.
"I must say, you seem so different out of uniform, Fox," Krystal noted.
Fox stood there, a bit confused. "How so?" He had asked.
"You strike me as a hardened leader and professional. It feels weird to see you without it."
"That is how most people in Lylat view me. I don't get to be out of uniform too much. Except during my free time." He then remembered the spare flight jacket. "Speaking of which, I have something for you." He added before pulling out the spare flight jacket. Krystal is surprised that he offers it.
"I figure it could come in handy for you, given all the environments we have gone through. Sure it could be of some use. I have my own already, so I don't need this one." He explained.
Krystal thought for a second before she decided to accept. If anything, it would be nice to have a more practical jacket on hand. Sure she still had the rain jacket, but its uses were much more limited. She slipped the white flight jacket over her clothes.
Fox admired her. "Looks good on you. It's like you are a member of my team, almost."
"Well, I am in some sense of the word, aren't I? Just not part of your mercenary unit."
Fox shrugged. "Fair point." He did not say it out loud, but that comment did make him consider the possibility of offering such a position, given the skill she demonstrated. But it would have to wait until after this mission was done.
"Now, I think we should visit Queen Thera. She should know of our progress." Fox said, refocusing the group's attention to the mission at hand. Everyone nodded in agreement and start making their way to the elder's cave, where the queen resided. Once they had made their way inside, they found Tricky's mom in conversation with the Thorntail Elder. When she saw her son come over, her expression lit up.
"Mom!"
"Tricky, my son." The queen said as she nuzzled her son. After she finished, she turned her gaze to the rest of the group. Fox had pulled the Spells Stone out and showed it to her as proof of their progress. Bardon, meanwhile, decided to take a break and wandered outside to do something, leaving the others alone.
"The Spell Stone! Well done, all of you. This could be a turning point in the planet's plight." Thera stated, hope shooting through her.
"Thank you, lady, but we were hoping you could tell us where to take it." Fox said, wanting to get to the point.
The queen nodded." Of course. If this is the Snowhorn's Spell Stone, then you must take it to the Volcano Force Point Temple, beyond Moon Mountain Pass. My son can show you the way." The queen stated.
Tricky leaped for joy. "Awesome! I get to lead." He then remembered something. "Oh, right! Hey mom, we haven't told you about our adventure in the mines. Oh, and Uncle Gerunda says hi." Tricky added.
Thera smiled at her sons excitement. "I would love to hear it if that ok with you." She replied, glancing at the vulpines and princess.
Krystal shrugged. "Fine by me; another break is always good." She then turned to Fox and Kyte. Kyte was eager to tell her about their new friendship, while Fox stated he needed to make a few calls to his team anyways. So with that, it was set.
The group had spent the next half hour explaining the events of the Dark Ice Mines to the queen. She listened intently to what had happened. While she was relieved to hear they had the Spell Stone and Kyte and Tricky finally got along, she was unnerved to hear of the battle with Galdon and Tricky's kidnapping.
After they were done telling her, Queen Thera spoke. "Well, I am certainly happy to see you two get along. Such a thing is wonderful and will be important for the road ahead. But I don't know that I am too happy to hear you got captured again."
"It's not their fault, mom. It was an accident." Tricky interjected.
"I see, but that's hardly the only thing." She then turned to Krystal, who was left alone as Fox had stepped out to make a call. The vixen gulped and knew she would have to face the music.
"The children went up against a giant monster? And it ate my son?" Thera asked somewhat sternly. She was happy to see that Tricky was unharmed, but the fact such things transpire bothered her.
"Well, as you can see, he is ok. But that's why you are concerned; I get that.' Krystal began, trying to defend her actions. "It caught us off guard when it broke out. We had no time to get Tricky and Kyte to safety. We would never have let the Klannadack anywhere near him if we could have stopped it." The vixen finished.
Thera nodded slowly. "I see. Look, I know there was danger when I sent him on this quest, but I still didn't expect anything like this to happen." She stated.
"Rest assured; we won't let him or Kyte anywhere near such a beast again. You have my word."
Thera hesitated before sighing. "Fair enough. I can not expect you to be able to have control over every situation. And I still stand by my decisions. But just please be careful; things are likely to escalate from here." Thera added solemnly.
Kyte suddenly spoke up. "What do you mean?"
"You see, my remaining soldiers have been busy. Some of my scattered forces have gotten word of us being here and have reported in. From what we gather, the Sharpclaw are mobilizing new weapons and are moving to the next stage of their plan. I believe their planned assault is on your home, Kyte. But I don't know anything more. All I can tell you is that it's imperative you return the Spell Stone. "
Krystal nodded in response. "I see. If that's the case, I believe we should be taking our leave to the temple."
"Indeed," Thera stated before turning to her son. "But please, be careful out there. You are all I have right now." She said before nuzzling Tricky goodbye. Krystal then walked up to her.
"Don't worry; we will keep him safe. As we have promised." And with that, they said their goodbyes. They walked out of the cave and back into the hollow. In the cave entrance, they saw Fox waiting for them. Krystal elbowed him when she got close.
"Nice job leaving while I got grilled for letting Tricky get eaten," Krystal said, half-jokingly. She was mostly just poking fun at the vulpine.
Fox raised his hands defensively." Sorry about that, but I had to take a call from my advisor, Peppy. He told me that he had detected several energy signatures across the planet. Likely coming from other spacecraft and ships."
Krystal frowned. "I guess the Sharpclaw. Anything else you can tell me?"
Fox shook his head. "Let's just get the Spell Stone to its place. We will worry about this later. Nothing more we can do about it now."
Tricky then stepped forth. "I know the way to the temple! My mom showed me once. Follow me." And with that, the group let the young Earthwalker lead the way. He led the group through the hollow and towards a passage to the north end of it. Before them, there was a sign that said: "Moon Mountain Pass ahead." Tricky took the group down the path. They walked through a lush forest area for a few hours, following a dirt path, before they eventually started coming up on some rocky terrain. They finally came upon a cave system, with another sign giving directions on it as they preceded through it.
The vulpines noted the strange, bioluminescent crystals that illuminated that way forward through the cave system. The glow on the crystal was beautiful but unusual to the vulpines. But these were hardly the weirdest sights they would see.
Eventually, they had come out of the cavern and came out into a more open area. The vulpines could barely believe what they were seeing. It was clear to them they had finally made it to Moon Mountain Pass, but the sights the area offered seemed otherworldly.
Moon Mountain Pass was home to all sorts of strange features and life forms. The rocky terrains seemed slightly purple-ish in color. Many strange, glowing fungi-like plants seemed to be sprouting from all over the area. Above them, the stars were visible, even though Fox and Krystal knew it was still the middle of the day. It was as if the area were blanketed in an eternal night.
After taking in the sights for a few moments, Fox spoke. "This place is… I don't even know how to describe it. It's just so alien; I can't explain any of this."
"Same here. I have never seen such a strange location. It feels like we left Sauria and traveled to some kind of moon." Krystal agreed.
"I have to agree. My mom has shown me this place before, but it has always seemed weird to me. The thing is, no one on this planet is quite sure why this location is like this. You see, my mom once told me a story of how one of our moons crashed in this region long ago. We don't know exactly what happened or if this is true, but many tribes claim this was the reason for all the strange plants and creatures that live around here." Tricky explained.
Fox nodded. "Maybe it brought with it some radiation or sparked a mutation of some sort in the local plants and wildlife. But who knows."
"Some tribes even claim the Sharpclaw originated from the crashed moon," Kyte added.
At this, Krystal was a bit take aback. "What makes you say that?"
Kyte shrugged. "According to our scholars, the Sharpclaw first appeared around the same as the moon was reported to have crashed. I thought several centuries ago. But it's not like the Sharpclaw have ever confirmed this report. They are too busy raiding others to do so."
Fox shrugged. "I don't know about any of that, but we got a Spell Stone to return. Tricky?"
The Earthwalker nodded as he continued to lead the group through the pass. They saw several more bizarre fungi along the way, including more of the glowing mushrooms and poisonous ones from before. The fact that those could even grow here only further added to the weirdness of the pass. Eventually, they came upon a slope. Fox stopped the group here as he noted the structure at the top of it.
On the terrace, Fox spotted. Taking out his hi-def binoculars, he zoomed in on the structure at the top: a small outpost with a gate on the bottom and a room with a balcony up top. Two Sharpclaw were positioned on it. One had taken out a looking glass and glanced back at the diverse group at the bottom. He waved to Fox mockingly, then he closed the spyglass and alerted his partner before disappearing into the structure.
"Heads up, the Sharpclaw in that outpost ahead are going to be up to something." Fox alerted his group, putting away his binoculars. He then drew his blaster as the vixen drew her staff. They noted a multitude of explosive barrels suddenly kicked out of the structure and rolling down towards them to their surprise.
Thinking fast, Fox spouted some orders as he aimed. "Kyte, get out harm's way and fly ahead. Tricky, stay behind us. Krystal and I will clear the way; just keep moving up."
"Got it; see you guys at the top," Kyte said as she flew up higher. Tricky had gotten behind the pair of vulpines as they unleashed a flurry of well-aimed lasers and fire blasts on the barrels sent their direction. One after one, the barrels kept exploding on impact. The pair slowly kept making their way up the slope to put an end to the avalanche of barrels they faced. Despite all the barrels they destroyed, it seemed that the Sharpclaw was not running out anytime soon.
Suddenly, Krystal both got an idea. The vixen was the first to speak. "Both of you, get behind me." She ordered as she used her staff's magic to form a force field around the trio. Fox and Tricky had done what she said and hid behind her. She then spoke again.
"Fox, be ready. I need you to try to get me in close so that I can reach their vantage point. Can you put that reflector of yours to good use?"
Fox nodded and readied himself. Once the vixen let up on her forcefield, he opened fire on any barrels falling into his immediate path. Before he activated the reflector shield and used it to push aside any barrel in his way, clearing a path for Krystal to follow. They slowly walked up the slope, with Fox maintaining the reflector while Krystal blasted any barrels that strayed out of the way. Eventually, they had gotten just beneath the balcony.
"Leave this to me." She said as she charged up energy in her staff and activating some kind of short rocket blast. Fox stared in awe as she ascended to the balcony.
"I can see why she likes that staff so much."
He and Tricky only had to wait a few moments before they heard pained screams and the sound of her ice blaster. Shortly after that, they saw the gate fling open, with the vixen standing behind it.
"Well done, Krystal." Fox complimented Krystal, impressed by her tactical thinking.
" I could say the same about your performance here as well. I don't know where I would be without you and the others." She said, recalling Tricky's guidance. Kyte had flown back to the group by now and landed on Krystal's shoulders.
"I saw all that from up in the sky. That was awesome!" She squeed.
"You know it!" Tricky added.
Fox smiled and then turned to the outpost. "You know, I bet this outpost will set still be a threat to other travelers. " He said, as an idea crossed his mind.
Krystal did not have to mind to see what he was getting at. "You know, I think you are right. Give me a sec." She said as she went back into the outpost via the ladder. A few moments later, she came back out with an explosive barrel and placed it just in sight of the back entrance to the outpost. She then returned to Fox.
"Would you like to do that honors?" She asked him.
"Certainly. Kids, we should step back a bit." He said, leading the group to a safe distance.
Tricky and Kyte glanced at each other, confused, but they complied anyways. Once they were all a safe distance from the outpost, Fox pulled out his blaster pistol. With a single shot, he ignited the explosive barrel, causing it to explode. The explosion set off the other explosive barrels stored in the outpost, causing the whole structure to blow up in a massive explosion.
It was an impressive sight to behold. Everyone in the group starred in awe. Fox, admiring his handy work, felt satisfied to get to blow something up on this mission finally. Though he was a hero, he, and Falco especially, still loved a good explosion. Preferably at the bad guys' expense, of course.
"Well, they certainly won't be tossing barrels at people anytime soon."
"That was AWESOME!" Tricky and Kyte said in unison, while Krystal just smiled. It felt good to know they put a dent into the Sharpclaw's operations in this area.
After they enjoyed the fireworks, Tricky led them further through the pass and to a fork in the road. As this was their destination, they went onward and eventually came upon a lave field and carved stone path. Before them stood the Force Point Temple.
Tricky stopped at the stone pathway, glancing ahead. "Well, here it is. The Volcano Forcepoint Temple. Just as hot as the last time I visited it."
Fox, meanwhile, was wary of the heat. "It's really freaking hot; let's just get this over with."
"Thank you, captain obvious," Krystal replied sarcastically. "But yes, let's get this done and get out of here." With that, Tricky lead the group across the bridge and through the entrance. Inside, they saw many carvings and symbols drawn on walls throughout the room. The stone arcature was impressive but not particularly noteworthy. The only thing of note was the murals depicting the Spell Stone and Krazoa.
"Know anything about these, Tricky?" Fox asked the Earthwalker. Tricky nodded in response.
"Yeah, my dad told me about this. The Spell Stones were created with the aid of the Krazoa long ago to keep the magic of the planet contained. Though I am sure, you are aware of all this."
"Yes. But what I wonder is, how did the Sharpclaw break into here, to begin with. Wasn't there ever any guards or traps?"
"Oh, there were. But the Sharpclaw forced their way through all the guards and traps. Not sure how many losses they took, though." Tricky had responded.
"Does that mean the traps will still be on?' Kyte asked, perched on Krystal's shoulders.
"No idea. I would imagine they just broke most of it, though, same with any doors they couldn't open conventionally." Tricky guessed.
Fox just shrugged. "Makes it easier for us, now come on. I will take it from here, Tricky." Fox said, taking the lead. As they went through the door, they were greeted by another room full of traps. Or what was left of them. All around, the mechanism the traps were run on looked busted, leaving hardly any still in operation. Adding to this, the door through the next room, previously covered by a locking mechanism, had been blown off its hinge.
The quartet just starred at everything, a bit dumbfounded. The vulpines just shrugged.
"Saves us the trouble, I suppose," Krystal said, expecting the rest of the temple in a similar state. The group continued to travelers e the temple, bypassing any traps that would have previously hindered their path. After a while, they had ventured into a central chamber full of more murals and Krazoa statues. In the center was a large warp-pad, large enough to fit a grown dinosaur. Fox continued to take the group through the broken door, where they were met with a similar sight.
"Well, that was easy." Fox shrugged. The four in the group then stepped on the warp-pad and were enveloped in a flash of blue light.
After what felt like an eternity, they had been transported to some kind of chamber, with two key wholes that fit the Spell Stones' shape. But that was not their first concern at the moment.
As each member of the group got out of the warp, they felt fatigued, and Tricky had fallen down onto his side. Krystal was used to the tingling sensation from the warp by now, and Fox had gotten over the intial shock. Kyte was wobbly, still, but mostly kept her composure. Fox had regained his bearings and then knelt down to check on the young Earthwalker.
"You ok?" The vulpine asked.
"I will be. Just give me a moment." The young prince replied.
"First time?" Kyte asked from on top of Krystal's shoulders.
"Yes. I can barely feel my legs. It's like I was struck by lightning or something." Tricky muttered.
After a few minutes, he had regained his bearings. Fox, meanwhile, was glancing at the Spell Stone whole. He had strapped the stone to his backpack as it would not fit. Before putting it into the slot, he had undone his knot and grasped the stone from his bag. He, and his friends, then stepped back and admired their handy work. The stone had begun glowing before a magic beam shot out from the center column it was housed in. It appeared to be already doing its part to contain Sauria's magic energy.
The whole group cheered at this sight. "YEAH! WE DID IT!" Tricky shouted.
"Good going, everyone!" Fox added.
"We really are a good team! The other Spell Stones should be a breeze at this rate." Krystal chimed in.
"I knew we could do it. Now the Darkice Mines can return to the planet!" Kyte added, happy their efforts were paying off.
The group cheered for a bit longer, savoring their moment. Eventually, they made to take a warp pad on the other side of the room out. But before they did, Krystal suddenly sensed something within the planet's lifestream, something that made her freeze where she stood.
It was fleeting and brief, yet it completely caught the vixen off guard. She stood there in shock.
"No, it can't be. It has to be my mind playing tricks on me again. It makes no sense."
Having been on the vixen's shoulders for all this, Kyte was concerned after she noticed the vixen stop. "You ok there, Krystal?" She asked, trying to get the vixen's attention.
Fox has also noted Krystal's surprised gasp and was worried. "Yeah, everything alright?" He said, walking to her and putting his hand on the vixen's other shoulder.
After a moment, the vixen had snapped back to reality. "I-its nothing. Disregard it." She tried to assure her friends. Fox, however, was not convinced. He knew Krystal to be strong and fearless. Nothing could catch her off guard like that unless it were something terrible.
"Krystal, it will be better if you share it with us. We just want to help." Fox pressed.
Krystal sighed. " I can barely explain it. For a fleeting second, I thought I sensed something through the planet's lifestream. Someone, in fact. Someone… familiar." Krystal said cryptically.
"What do you mean exactly?" Fox pressed on. He figured it best to address this now, so it did not bother her later.
Krystal sighed. "On my homeworld, Cerinia, my father was an influential figure. He was a powerful wizard and a respected keeper of our ancient records. When my homeworld exploded, he had been out on an expedition. I assumed he was killed with the rest of my people. Yet, a moment ago, I thought I sensed his presence somewhere in the planet's lifestream. For so long, I thought my family and people were dead, and yet…" Krystal stated, still processing what she had sensed.
Fox and the children were uncertain how to respond to this claim. Fox was racking his brain, thinking of how to comfort the vixen. But before he could say anything, Krystal spoke up again.
"Fox, I can sense your thoughts. I appreciate it, but there is nothing you can say that would really help here." Krystal said, a tear beginning to form around her. Kyte saw this, and hugged the vixen with her wings.
Without thinking, Fox suddenly stepped forward and embraced Krystal as best he could. Tricky, not knowing what else to do, joined in by nuzzling her leg. The group just stood there for three straight minutes, not letting go. Krystal was a bit surprised at first, unsure what to think. After a bit, she returned todd's embrace.
"Thank you. All of it you. It means the world to me," She said, embracing the todd tightly, followed by Kyte and Tricky. After she was done, she looked up at the lifestream again and sighed.
"I don't know what to make of it. Was it real, or just a fabrication of my mind?" Krystal pondered as memories of her father flooded over her. Fox then spoke up.
"Look, I don't know what to tell you; or what it's like to sense such a thing. All I do know is that if he is on this world, I will do what I can to help you find him. "
Krystal sighed. "Thank you, but there is little we can do about it from here. Let's just get a move on for now." She said, wanting to leave the chamber and put the thought aside. Everyone nodded in agreement and headed to the warp.
They had been teleported back outside the temple, with Tricky again reeling from experience. After he regained his footing, they went back the way they came, wanting to return to the Thorntail Hollow to seek instruction from the queen on where to go next. After some time retracing their steps, they had made it to the remains of the Sharplcaw outpost. The debris from in was now scattered around the area.
Navitagint this, they walked back down the slope and eventually made it back through the mountain. As they kept walking, they returned to a more open area that they had passed by earlier. Yet as they made their way, the four suddenly stopped dead in their tracks. Before them, a strange, robed figure had suddenly manifested.
"A Krazoa…" Tricky muttered. This one appeared in a regal blue robe, with golden accents and a golden mask covering whatever face it had, assuming it even had one. The rest of the group stared at it in awe. Krystal noted how this one looked much closer to the statues she had seen in the palace, as opposed to the transparent spirits she had usually seen them manifested as.
"Greetings, child of Cerinia, hero of Lylat. It is good to see you both. You have done well to return the Spell Stone." The Krazoa began.
"Um, thank you." Fox stammered, confused by what he was seeing. "But why are you here now?"
"To give you a warning. Though your efforts have slowed the decline of this world, there is still much at stake. Forces gather in secret, plotting a terrible fate for this world. You must find the rest of my kind."
Krystal then spoke. "But where do we start? I haven't seen any other shrines around."
"I can tell you there is one close by, hidden within the nearby pass. Complete its test, and return it to the Krazoa Palace." The Krazoa spoke in a ghostly tone.
Kyte then spoke up. "Wait, is there nothing more you can tell us? My mother and tribe were in danger; can you tell us where she is?"
The Krazoa then gaze down at the young Cloudrunner, who had flown in front of the vulpines. "Aw, young princes Kyte. It is good to see you are safe. I am sorry, but I cannot tell you." The Krazoa said solemnly.
Kyte frowned. "Why?"
"We are not omniscient. While my kind watch over this planet, our power is tied to its lifestream. Even at full power, I cannot physically interact with the world or see everything. At the moment, my power has waned, and your mother eludes my sight. It was only because of the Spell Stone you placed that I could manifest here now." It said in a somber tone.
"Oh," Was all Kyte could say as she glanced down.
Krystal then spoke again. "Don't worry, Kyte, we will find her soon." She then turned to the Krazoa before her.
"But, a question, if I may? In the lifestream, I sensed the presence of my father for a fleeting second. I don't know how this could be but, is it true? Is he really here?" Krystal asked, hopeful.
The Krazoa, whose expression was impossible to read, remained silent for a few seconds. It eventually caved in and spoke. "My answer would do little to put you at ease. All I can do is implore you to return to Krazoa Palace as soon as you can. There, you will find the truth. But you should see for yourself; this much, I am certain." The robed being finished before fading away.
Krystal stood there, unsure of what to make of its answer.
"Guess we have no choice but to do what it says and find out."
She then waved to the rest of the group. "Come on, let's go find that spirit." And with that, they ventured out into the other part of the pass they were in, trying to find a lead on where the Krazoa Shrine could be.
The group ventured around the area a bit, scanning for any signs of a Shrine. They eventually came upon an open area full of holes and craters. As they ventured into it, they were suddenly met with a bizarre entity.
A fleshly blob of a creature, with an almost toad-like face and crab-like pincers, suddenly shot out of one of the craters. It was a bit large and seemed to lack any legs. Must of its lower body appeared to be flesh growing out of the crater it inhabited. It fired some acid projectile at the group, but Krystal used her staff's force field to block it. Thinking fast, Fox drew his pistol and shot the creature several times in the face. This caused the creature to reel in pain and spin around in its crater. Without hesitating, Krystal jabbed the exposed flesh on its back and killed the creature. It let out a cry before it went limp, dead.
Everyone just stood there, bewildered out how strange that being was. After a moment, Tricky spoke up. "What was that thing?"
Kyte thought for a moment. "I think it's called a Kalda Chrom, from what my mother told me. Don't know much else about it."
"Maybe it mutated from a parasite or something when the moon crashed here? Because I don't know how something like that could function in any means. I don't even think it could leave its crater." Fox mused.
"Yeah. I didn't even pick up any thoughts in my head. It seems more like a parasite of some sort." Krystal added. "Well, hopefully, we don't see any more of these creatures. Let's just find the shrine and get out of here."
Everyone nodded in agreement and continued the search. After navigating the craters, they began to notice some stone architecture at the top of the ledge, overlooking the crater field they were in. As they ventured up the slope, they found an entrance carved out of the mountain. A warp pad was at the center of it.
"Looks like this is our stop. Krystal, I take it you have dealt with this before?" Fox asks. Krystal nods and elaborates.
"Yes, I expect there to be some kind of test at the end of it. Not sure if there will be any traps, though." She then glances at the kids. "I feel better bringing you two with us in here, but I want you to stay behind us. Don't know what to expect from here on." Both nodded.
The group then takes turns getting on the warp pad, watching their comrades vanish in a puff of magic, blue light.
Eventually, each group member found had finished their warp and found themselves in a shrine, similar in build to the others. Stone made up the room's walls and sealings. Symbols and logos decorated the walls.
By this point, Tricky had gotten used to the warps and was much less fazed than he would have been previously. Ahead of him, he noticed a long hallway with few things of note. At the end of it, there seemed to be another, larger chamber with a pedestal.
"Hopefully there aren't too many traps in this one," Krystal muttered. She let Kyte hop on her shoulders and led the group down the hall, scanning for any traps. Sure enough, a few traps were sprung on the way, though it was mostly just of the squid creatures from the Krazoa Palace. Fox dispatched each with ease with his pistol.
After only a minute or so, they had arrived in the central chamber. Its layout was similar to that of the first shrine the vixen had been in.
In the center was a glowing, translucent being: the Krazoa Spirit. Fox and the rest stared in awe at it, though Krystal was accustomed to the site.
"Greetings, travelers." It spoke in a ghostly voice. "I know why you are here; your efforts to save this planet are admirable. I will help you, but first, you must prove yourselves, as is our scared rules. I will offer you a test, to prove your merit."
Fox then spoke up. "Why must we take this test? You know what is at stake. Can't you return to the palace yourself?' The vulpine asked. Kyte and Tricky had wondered the same thing themselves and listened with interest.
"I am sorry, but it is not so simple. I fled here when the palace was attacked; as part of a false safe put into place through the Krazoa Palace's magic warps. It is difficult to explain exactly why, but I am unable to return to the life stream alone. Scale's assault, and his sudden disruption of the Spell Stones, threw me and my fellow spirits out of alignment with the planet. I, and the other spirits, cannot return to the palace by ourselves. We require vessels to do so. And, through our scared traditions and powers, I am bound to whoever can complete the test I offer."
Krystal then spoke. "But what of the other spirit? It appeared before us in this very pass. It was the one who pointed us here, to begin with."
The spirit answered the vixen's question. "That was merely a manifestation, an illusion if you would. The real spirit is still within the palace. We draw our power from the magical energy in the planet's life stream. It took much effort for it to be able to do so." Krystal was uncertain how to respond. Fox then stepped forward and refocused the group on the task at hand.
"Look, we can ask these questions all day, but I doubt we will get anywhere by doing that. So, please, explain this test of yours.
The Krazoa agreed. "Indeed. Now, the test I offer is simple. Prove your worth in combat. All you need to do is defeat the illusionary enemies I conjure up. Fox, you and Krystal may do this together, but your young friends must stay out of it. And I will warn you; this is a test of martial skill. Your advanced weapons will not do you much good here." The spirit finished explaining.
Fox and Krystal exchanged a glance. "Fine by us." The vixen replied before waving off Tricky and Kyte to wait outside the ring. The two vulpines walked to the center of the platform, drawing their weapons. The spirit vanished, but a voice still echoed through the room.
"It will begin when ready."
Fox and Krystal took a few more seconds to brace themselves before affirming that they were.
"Then let the trial commence."
In a flash, a group of Sharpclaw manifested before the pair, each coming in different sizes. Fox took his sword and slashed away at the smaller, lightly armored ones. They each fell after a single hit. Krystal, meanwhile, was locked in combat against an illusion of a stronger brute adorned in plate armor. Though it blocked a few blows, it vanished after a blow to the head.
After the first wave was done, a group of more advanced Sharpclaw showed up. They appeared to be based on the elite members the vulpines had faced earlier. Each one wielded a sword and shield. The two vixens dueled their perspective enemies, exchanging blows with their weapons. The elite Sharpclaw managed to block and even parry many of the vulpine's blows.
After a bit of fighting, Fox got an idea. Thinking fast, he managed to kick the sword out of the illusion's hand before he flipped over the illusionary enemy and stabbed it in the back, causing it to vanish. Krystal, meanwhile, had taken to freezing the legs of the illusion, causing it to slow down. Then, with the speed of lightning, she disarmed her opponents using the opening she had made and defeated him with a blow to the face. The illusions dissipated after this.
But this was not the end of the test. In after another flash, the two vulpines stared in horror at the sight before them. A pair of Shadow hunters (they look like raptors) suddenly appeared before them. The fast-moving dinosaurs were circling the duo, attacking them with lightning-fast attacks. Readying their blows, the vulpines each stabbed the fast illusions as their perspective assailant charged. This deadly tactic kept up for a bit before the vulpines grew wise to their assaults and managed to pinpoint their timing. Eventually, they managed to time their attacks for when the hunters stuck them.
Soon after this, the trial was over, and all illusions were gone.
"Well done." The ghostly voice sounded in the chamber. The Krazoa soon manifested within the room again, this time inf front of the duo. Without warning, it then shot into Fox, who was caught off guard at first. After he recovered from the initial shock, he got up, relieved.
"Good going, guys!" Tricky's voice sounded from the entrance to the chamber. Kyte was also cheering them on.
"Thanks, just wish we had more warning before this ghost of ours decided to enter my body," Fox muttered. Krystal, for her part, was relieved the test was done. She noticed that Fox had taken on the glowing purple eye color as the vixen had after her first test.
"Fox, are you aware your eyes are glowing?" She jested.
Fox looked at his reflection in his PDA and gasped. "Well, that's weird. Hope it's only temporary though."
"It is, from my experience," Krystal noted. She then began to wonder something. "Fox, do you feel any different, by chance?"
Fox nodded. "Yeah, like I am at least twice as strong and fast. I feel as though I could take on the whole Sharpclaw tribe on my own. I wish I could keep this feeling for the duration of this little adventure." He mused.
"I don't know about that, but I do know how it felt. Glad to see it wasn't just me, though." Krystal said.
The group had soon begun the journey back to the warp pad. Before they got there, though, another thought crossed the vixen's mind: her father. If what the Krazoa in the pass said was true, they would soon find answers at the Krazoa Palace. It would only be a short time before they got back there. Yet, Krystal was uncertain if she was ready for what they might find. She had stopped, just shy of the pad, and wore a weary expression.
Fox, however, noticed this. He padded up to Krystal and put his hand on her shoulder. "You ok there, Krystal?"
"Yes, just wondering a few things, I guess." She muttered.
"About your father?" Fox guessed. The vixen nodded.
"Look, I know what it's like to lose someone you love. I can't say that I know the weight of losing your homeworld, but I get how weird all this must feel to you; to think a loved one dead only to find they might still be alive. It's a lot to take in." Fox said, a solemn expression taking ahold of his face.
Krystal glanced up. "It's not just that. I don't know what to make of it all of this. I have been on my own for months now. You, Tricky, and Kyte have been the first companions I have had in a while. I was certain that my family was dead, as most of my kind are, yet here I find my father may still be around. I have no idea what I will say to him, about our world, about the rest of our family. I have no idea what kind of condition he is in currently, nor do I know if he is aware of the fates of the rest of my family. I can't even imagine how I will explain everything to him." The vixen went on. "So many thoughts and emotions are shooting through my head right now; I am happy to hear he could be alive, but I have no idea what to tell him if-" The vixen trailed off again.
Fox then stepped closer to Krystal. "Don't waste your time thinking of all the what-ifs. Just take your time to process your thoughts, Krystal. What you sensed today was the kind of shock that can turn someone's life on its head. " Fox said, reassuring the vixen.
"Just know that, whatever happens, we will be right there with you to help you through it. Right, kids?"
"Of course!" Kyte says as she flies to the vixen's shoulders.
"Right!" Tricky says triumphally.
Krystal then hugs Fox, who returns the embrace. Kyte and Tricky joined in as well.
'"Thank you, Fox. And you too, kids. I couldn't ask for better friends to be with right now."
After the group fell out of the embrace, they exited the shrine. Coming out of the warp, they proceeded back to the path they were originally following. Tricky would guide them back through the pass for the next few hours. The group mostly remained silent, wanting to give Krystal some time to collect her thoughts. She would make sense of it in time, she was sure. Yet, through this, she found new comfort.
Not only was her father possibly still alive, but for the first time since Cerinia's destruction, she finally had someone she could speak to and vent her emoitions. Her months of drifting alone in the Lyalt system had left her feeling afraid and alone.
For so long, she had drifted without purpose, chasing the ghosts of her world while bearing its grief solely on her shoulders. It seemed like a fruitless venture. But now, things were finally looking up for her.
Sure, Tricky had proven to be good company, and Kyte was almost like a little sister to her; neither was old enough to fully comprehend the extent of the emotions the vixen was processing right now.
Though they tried their best, and their efforts were appreciated, there was only so much they could do to help her address her emotions.
Fox, however, was a different story.
Krystal was almost shocked at the compassion he had shown her, a woman he had met only a few days prior. Yet, she had read his thoughts and could tell just how sincere he was being. Unlike the countless other men who had she had met at the backwater spaceports she frequented on her stops, who did little more than lust after the vixen, Fox had treated her with respect and kindness. Not only that, but he, as the vixen sensed, had been through tragic loss before and understood what was going through Krystal's mind.
Krystal would normally control her emotions, but the shock of her discovery had left her in an unstable state of mind. Fox's efforts to help her regain her bearings did more for the vixen than she had initially registered.
"Perhaps he could be the one." She muttered to herself. She pushed the thought aside for the moment, though. As they made their way back to the hollow, Krystal, despite all the uncertainty surrounding her father and her search, at least was sure of one thing now.
She finally had someone to confide in again.
(Elsewhere)
An aged, grey-blue fox sat in his chambers, hidden away from the world, in complete shock.
He could not believe what he had just sensed. Having even considered the possibility of such a thing a few hours ago would have seemed madness to him. And yet, at this moment, the realization crashed down on him, like the weight of a boulder. It could not be possible.
Yet, if the presence he sensed was true, it was.
"How can this be? I thought everyone dead, and yet…" Scattered thoughts and ponderings surged through his mind; so many questions he had asked himself all at once. And yet, he could answer none of them. After a moment, the old fox then stopped and processed his thoughts for a few minutes. After doing so, he regained his bearings, and rational thought retook his mind, and the wild questions dissipated. He was sure he could make sense of it in time once he had meditated on it. Yet a single question remained in his mind, one he could not shake nor answer.
"How can my daughter possibly be alive?"
Author's Note: Wow, 2000 views already, and a few new favorites and follows to boot! (At the time of publishing this chapter) I don't know how many people are on this site or if that's considered a lot or only a few views by fanfiction standards, not like I know much about how much web traffic stories usually get since this is my first multichapter story.
Regardless, I am impressed; I never thought this story would have gotten so many views, to begin with, especially before it was done.
Thank you to everyone who has been reading it. I hope everyone is enjoying it. Any constructive feedback is always appreciated. (And not raving on every single hyper-specific detail or demanding I respond to reviews. As you will see in the review section, one such person kept doing that. )
And yes, I just skipped over the Volcano Forcepoint Temple puzzles. I felt that if I wrote all of them into the story, it would be a slog to read through. I wanted to get through that to more plot-important stuff.
What else can I say? I had no idea how to make that part of the story fun to read.
Anyways, until next time.