VII: Separation Anxiety

Favre had arrived back at the stronghold as he would begin to harness more of the Dark Flame using wood of the outside trees to do so. "Perhaps with such a power I can gain more than what I'm being paid. With something like this, I can run Sector 920. Maybe even more."

"Only if you can leave with it, Favre!"

The stag turns back looking in surprise. "Marshall. Still alive, I see. To think the flame didn't immediately kill you."

Marshall stood before him angry. "This has gone far enough. It was bad enough doing this for a paycheck, but now to consider conquest?"

"You've let your pride cloud your ability to see the bigger picture, Sanders."

"If my family is what keeps me from becoming a tyrant, then I'm grateful for my pride."

Favre chuckles then sighs. "This is why we forgo our irrational attachments. That way we can focus on the task at hand." He holds up his pistol behind him. "As you can see. Right, Francis?"

Francis was behind him with his blade drawn. "How did you know I was here?"

"I've taught you everything about being stealthy, but you still come up short." He turns to him putting the pistol to his forehead. "You could never be like Gale, and she only got better when I took away her sight."

The wolf grips his blade angrily. "What?"

"To think she thought it was the colt of Sector 317. Not that she'll know the truth." He then felt an arrow in his shoulder as he pulls it out snapping it in half. "Impressive."

Gale drops down from the ceiling on top of him unsheathing her claws. "They say an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Looks like you owe me."

The stag kicks her off as he stands up. "What did you think you would accomplish?"

"Well,…" She inhales deeply. "…I no longer smell sulfur or carbon monoxide."

Favre turns to the torch pedestal noticing the fire was gone. "No!"

Blaze and Cinder were transporting the torch to an open field where Marine was waiting beside a creek. "We got it. Now to end this madness."

Marine nods as she begins to channel the water around her forming a layer around herself.

Cinder watched in awe. "She really seems to know her powers well for a young girl."

Blaze nods in agreement. "The Coconut Crew taught her well."

The raccoon would then pick up the torch as she began to extinguish the flame slowly. "Such a powerful energy source. This could take a while."

"How long would you say?"

"Perhaps 5 or 10 minutes. Why?"

"Because we don't appear to have the head start we expected."

Cinder looks back seeing Favre approaching them as he fends off Marshall, Francis and Gale. "I'll help stall him. You keep an eye on Marine." He rushed over to them.

Marine would continue to work her powers on the flame. "I need more time. Focus on Favre."

Blaze shook her head no. "I won't leave you by yourself."

"We have no choice, Blaze! Go, before we let him get close!"

The princess would nod and then bow to her before leaving to stall Favre.