Great Fox II
The assortment of mercenary ships landed in the carrier's hangar, their pilots dismounting and being greeted with a strange sight.
Bill and Morane were staring down a brown-haired male human in a black suit. A human who was very familiar to Wolf.
"Hey, you're that guy from Zoness!" the lupine growled.
The stranger turned his gaze on Wolf.
"Indeed I am," the man said before changing shape into the green being that had appeared on Sargasso.
"What the hell?!" Wolf exclaimed as he went for his blaster, only for Krystal to grab his wrist.
"Wolf, he means us no harm."
Turning her gaze onto the strange being, the vixen said, "You've had your eye on us this whole time, Zkauba."
"Indeed I have," the Yaddithian replied, his mouth never moving.
This was followed by Zkauba changing back into the human.
"Randolph Carter, at your service," the man curtsied.
"So the legends are true. You, a human who should have been dead long ago, merged your consciousness with a Yaddithian mystic," Krystal stated.
"Right you are, Madam," Carter replied.
"So, what's this all about?" Fox asked.
Carter's expression became much more somber.
"This is a dangerous time for all of you. Even now, Lord Baphomet and his cultists are scouring the planet Sauria for the Three Runes."
"The Three Runes?" Fox said with a raised eyebrow.
Carter changed back into his Yaddithian form.
"They are the one thing that can destroy Baphomet and Cthulhu," Zkauba explained, "They must not fall into the wrong hands."
"And just where on Sauria are these things?" Falco put in.
Zkauba changed back into Carter.
"One is within the bowels of Warlock Mountain, the second is hidden within Discovery Falls, and the third can be found within the Nameless City of the Golden Plains."
"Great, parts of the planet that I didn't visit," Fox bemoaned.
Changing back into his Yaddithian form, Zkauba stated, "Time is of the essence. The Runes must not fall into Baphomet's hands."
"They won't," Krystal said with a look of conviction.
The being before the group began to fade away.
"This is where I leave you. Good luck."
The Yaddithian vanished from view, leaving the mercenaries dumbstruck. Fox turned his gaze on the group.
"We're going to Sauria. I won't ask anyone else to stay."
The looks that the others were sending him told him that nobody planned on leaving.
"Alright, rest up while you can. We've got a long road ahead of us."
As Fox turned around to leave the hangar, he heard Aurra call out, "McCloud."
After Fox glanced over his shoulder, the Palliduvan bounty hunter elaborated, "I expect to be well paid."
"You can take that up with General Hare," Fox dryly replied before continuing on his way.
The vulpine took the lift up to the deck that housed his office, which he entered after a short walk up the corridor.
Seating himself at the desk, Fox powered up the terminal and watched as a blue circle moved across the screen before he was greeted with the visage of a human with thinning brown hair.
"Fox, it's been awhile."
"Indeed it has, Hugo," Fox replied.
The human mercenary nodded.
"I'm guessing this isn't a social call."
Fox shook his head.
"I'll keep this short. Baphomet's back, and he's searching Sauria for something that could end life as we know it."
"Ah jeez, this shindig again?"
"Yeah. Are you free?"
"We are, Hermano. We'll meet you on Sauria. I should also tell you that Omar and Laura are going to have a baby."
Nodding in response, Fox said, "I'll be sure to tell him congratulations when I see him. We'll see you guys on the planet."
After ending the call, Fox leaned back in his office chair and let out a sigh. Hugo's last remark had struck a chord with the vulpine.
"How much longer do I want to keep doing this?"
Fox rubbed his forehead, torn between keeping the team going and finally hanging up his flight jacket. His musings were interrupted by the office door opening and Krystal entering.
The cobalt vixen walked up behind Fox's chair and set her hands on his shoulders before leaning down and whispering into his ear, "Whatever choice you make, Fox, I'll have your back."
Fox responded by reaching up behind Krystal's head with his right hand and running his fingers through her hair.
"Thanks Krys."
The vulpine let out a breath.
"First things first, we need to get to Sauria and stop Baphomet."
Sauria
A ball-shaped being floated through the cult's camp in Moon Mountain Pass. It's skin was blood red and bumpy, turning more of a pink colour around a single green eye. A mouth full of sharp teeth was fixed in what appeared to be a permanent grin while two curved horns jutted out of the top of the creature and four more could be found on its forehead.
The creature flew into a cave, soon being greeted with the red eyes of Lord Baphomet.
"WHAT IS IT, VARK?" the Demon Lord asked.
"MASTER," replied the floating being, "GRISSOM HAS RETURNED WITH THE BODY OF GENERAL SCALES."
The Demon Lord stood from his throne, showing that he had regained more of his height and muscle mass.
"THEN LET US MAKE HASTE. PREPARE THE CEREMONY."
"YES MASTER."
Some time later, Baphomet emerged from the cave, smiling as demons and cultists alike bowed before him. The Demon Lord then began walking through a gap in the crowd,his three-pronged tail swishing behind him and flames from torches and campfires growing higher as he went past them.
The Devil's gaze was fixed on a pedestal in the center of the camp. One that had a semi-decayed corpse laying on top of it, along with his two sons and Grissom standing nearby.
Voldrak stepped forward. He mainly resembled the creatures known as Barons. However, he was taller, had more muscle mass, and was orange-skinned.
"EVERYTHING IS READY, FATHER."
"THEN LET US BEGIN."
While his cultists chanted, "Ave Satanus," Baphomet raised his hands upwards. Green ethereal beings soon appeared in the air around the Demon Lord, their moans and wails echoing across Moon Mountain Pass.
Baphomet set his sights on one in particular that resembled the corpse on the pedestal and stretched out his right hand, freezing the soul in midair.
"RETURN TO YOUR MORTAL FLESH, GENERAL SCALES."
Baphomet pointed down at the corpse as the chants from his cultists picked up in tone. The soul of General Scales floated down towards the body and phased into it.
Slowly but surely, the signs of decay on the former warlord's body began to reverse, until he appeared as he had in life. The Sharpclaw's yellow eyes finally cracked open.
"WELCOME, GENERAL SCALES," Baphomet intoned.
Scales sat up and swung his legs over the side of the pedestal before glancing up at the Devil.
"You," the onetime Sharpclaw leader croaked, "You're the ruler of the inferno."
Baphomet didn't reply, but merely crossed his arms.
"I HAVE SUMMONED YOU HERE FOR A PURPOSE."
"And what might that be?"
Baphomet uncrossed his arms.
"YOU ARE THE ONLY DENIZEN OF THIS PLANET WHO HAS BEEN TO THE NAMELESS CITY. I NEED YOU TO GUIDE MY SERVANTS THERE."
Scales recoiled at the mention of the mythical place in the Golden Plains.
"I am not going back there! Once was enough!"
"PERHAPS I MISJUDGED YOU," Baphomet cackled and raised his hand, preparing to snap his fingers.
Realizing what would likely happen, Scales barked, "No wait! I'll do it! I'll do it!"
"EXCELLENT," the Devil said with a wicked smile before adding, "BRING ME THE RUNE WITHIN THE CITY, AND SAURIA IS YOURS."
Scales let out a toothy grin, realizing that he would finally take his place as Sauria's rightful ruler. He was snapped out of his thoughts by the Demon Lord.
"SCALES, DO NOT THINK TO BETRAY ME."
"Not at all, my master," the former Sharpclaw leader said with a bow.
Baphomet smiled and glanced around at his numerous servants.
"THIS TIME, WE WILL NOT FAIL. THIS TIME, ALL OF OUR ENEMIES WILL BE VANQUISHED!"
"Ave Satanus!"
The End