It was the break of dawn at ThornTail Hollow as Team Fox cooked themselves the breakfast for the day at the campfire.
"So far we've delivered two Krazoa spirits and retrieved one spellstone," Kyte recapped the situation, "Where will we be headed next?"
As if Kyte was answered by divine intervention, a CloudRunner soldier flew in from above the cliffsides and forests that surrounded ThornTail Hollow. From the sight of him, he was not doing well, panting and wheezing before he crashed into the river. Team Fox wasted no time hauling him from the water before he drowned.
The quartet observed the CloudRunner in greater detail. His body was afflicted with many cuts and bruises. He wore a helmet and a leather vest. Fox brought out some medical supplies from his backpack and started tending his more serious wounds.
"I wonder where he flew from," Fox thought out loud, "He must have been in a serious fight to get hurt this badly."
"I recognize his uniform," Kyte interjected, "He's one of our soldiers."
The CloudRunner soldier's eyes slowly opened as he regained consciousness. His irises slowly scanned across the four people gathered around him and recognized Kyte immediately.
"Princess Kyte! Your majesty!" the soldier stood up and saluted, "I'm glad to see at least you are safe and sound!"
"At ease, soldier," Kyte replied, "Could you tell us your name and rank?"
"My name is Kurt; I'm a soldier under the command of Captain Zeon."
"Captain Zeon?!" Kyte's jaw dropped, "What has become of him?!"
"We attempted to rescue Queen Lilith from the SharpClaw, but our attack failed miserably," Kurt gave out as many details as he could, "Queen Lilith is being held captive at Cape Claw while Zeon was captured and has been taken to Dragon Rock."
Krystal shuffled uncomfortably while Kyte's expression took a depressing turn.
Fox remembered this name being mentioned before. Then it hit him. "Krystal, isn't that the same CloudRunner who…"
"Yes, he's the CloudRunner I met upon arriving in Sauria," Krystal confirmed, "The one who flew me to and out of Krazoa Palace…"
"What's going on out there?" a familiar voice asked. Team Fox turned around to see Queen Maya emerge from the cavern in which she had set up her temporary residence.
"Mom! This CloudRunner just arrived here in ThornTail Hollow!" Tricky explained, "And by 'arrive', I mean that he literally crashed into the river! Fox just patched him up."
Kurt yelped in surprise. "What is the Queen of the EarthWalkers doing here?!" he demanded as he cowered behind his wing.
"The Queen's merely taking refuge in ThornTail Hollow," Krystal explained, "I don't think she has anywhere else to go."
Fox thought about Zeon, the CloudRunner friend of Krystal and Kyte. He was another prisoner of this conflict. Fox vowed to make things right. He remembered that Dragon Rock was one of the continents now hovering over the surface of Sauria; there would be no means of getting there without its Gatekeeper to open the way. Cape Claw, on the other hand…
"How do we get to Cape Claw from ThornTail Hollow?" Fox hoped to get something conclusive out of the Saurians here.
"Cape Claw is accessible on foot via LightFoot Village," Queen Maya answered first, "I believe your strange machine is standing next to the passage there. Cross LightFoot Village, and you'll eventually end up at the cliffs overseeing the beaches of Cape Claw."
"Kyte and I can lead you there!" Tricky added, "It involves traveling through a bunch of tunnels and even a well!"
"You intend to accompany this party to rescue Queen Lilith, I assume?" Maya addressed her son.
"I haven't forgotten that they nursed you back to health, and I intend to repay that favor," Tricky nodded, "I owe Kyte that much at least."
Maya gave an approving smile. "Then I wish you the best of luck in rescuing the leader of the CloudRunner tribe." She turned to Kurt, "You still need to recover from your injuries, Kurt. You should remain here in ThornTail Hollow where it is safe. You have nothing to fear from me."
Kurt hesitated for a bit, before he began to speak. "Very well, it seems that this band of four has shown that our people can work together. However, I would prefer to rest elsewhere in the hollow, due to my preference for high places."
Kyte turned to her team. "We have our new objective. Let us waste no more time in heading to Cape Claw!"
Team Fox packed up their camp and headed through the borders of ThornTail Hollow as indicated by Queen Maya. Tricky and Kyte led the way to the tunnels towards LightFoot Village, the tunnels being illuminated by small lanterns. The team passed a fork in the tunnel with the signpost that guided the way to each path. One of the signs had "Discovery Falls" written on it, pointing to the tunnel off to the side. This was not where the party needed to go. One of the signs read "ThornTail Hollow", aiming back to where Team Fox came from. Team Fox went in the direction of the sign that had "LightFoot Village" written on it. The tunnel led to a narrow corridor surrounded by stone walls on each side. A few trees stood outside the main gate to the village proper, which was visible on the other side of the wall through the gate.
"I don't think there's a way in there…" Fox peered through the gate. The village itself was surrounded by a small swamp with many rivers. Several huts were constructed over the rivers, supported by wooden pillars and platforms.
"We only need to pass through this corridor to reach Cape Claw," Kyte told Fox, "We won't want to trespass on LightFoot territory anyway; they're fiercely territorial, yet isolationist."
Turning their attention back on the linear dirt path, the quartet passed a few more trees, their autumn leaves providing the region with a diverse hue. At the end of the path was a large portcullis with a golden scarab statue in front of it. The path to Cape Claw too was barred from access. Fox inspected the gold statue.
"Pay sixty scarabs to enter Cape Claw!" a voice from the statue shouted.
"This wasn't here when I last came to Cape Claw…" Tricky became suspicious.
"It could be of LightFoot design," Kyte examined the statue, "Their tribe may be secluded, but they also tend to be opportunistic. This appears to be a toll of their making, to profit off of anyone hoping to cross between here and Cape Claw."
"Such as us…" Krystal couldn't believe she and her friends were being forced to pay a fee for basic access.
"Good thing that Warpstone gave us this bag full of scarabs!" Fox grunted as he paid the toll by inserting the scarabs into the statue's maw. The statue gave out an audible belch.
"Go on, in you go!" it said as the portcullis rose. Behind the gate were several stone walls in various places.
"It's a small maze," Fox told the others as he examined the map of LightFoot Village on his PDA, "Good thing we bought all those maps."
"I remember navigating this maze on my visits to Cape Claw," Tricky said, "But I think it will be easier to follow the map directions from Fox."
"I can also fly over the maze walls and give you directions in case you get lost in there," Kyte bragged as she levitated over the maze. Tricky gave her a jealous stare.
Fox, Krystal, and Tricky carefully navigated through the maze, taking the most direct route across to the other side. There were a few plants embedded in the stone walls of the maze that sprouted a large green flail. It was possible that this was like a venus flytrap with an extending tongue for good measure. Fox sliced off these botanical maces to pacify these plants as the trio made their way to the end of the maze. The team found themselves in a small alcove in the mountain, with a few trees and flower beds in the serene zone. In the middle was a spiraling ramp leading down to a large well. Fox looked down the hole and saw water down below past several wooden catwalks.
"Guess this well is still in service," Fox turned to the others.
"This well's the last thing standing between us and Cape Claw," Tricky informed the team, "It's got ramps and ladders between each level. We only need to cross the upper catwalks to get to the beach; there won't be any need to go any deeper."
"Lead the way, Tricky," Krystal said.
"I'll search the well for anything we can make use of!" Kyte told the others before she soared down the well.
Fox, Krystal, and Tricky descended down the ramps, with Tricky in front. The catwalks creaked as they walked through the vertical, cylindrical maze. The light from the top of the well beamed through the hole, providing the passage with light that complimented the burning torches mounted on the catwalk railings. Who could have kept these flames alive throughout all the places in Sauria the party went through? This was a question that nobody could answer; it merely just was, nothing more.
The trio reached the other end of the well. Kyte ascended from below with a few fuel cells in her talons. "I found more of those fuel cells you two value so much," Kyte offered the cells to Fox, "I think this should save you a trip from going down below." The gang followed the tunnel's dirt path towards Cape Claw, eager to see new horizons.
The trail led Team Fox to the tropical shores of Cape Claw. The cliff path provided them with a sight of the whole beach. Fox and Krystal took turns peering through the high-def binoculars to analyze the region from this vantage point. The shores were populated by many palm trees. There was a large stone altar of a Krazoa mask carved into the mountain surrounded by waterfalls that led the water out to sea. An empty cannon nest was deployed within the mountain across the waters. For now, it posed no threat. A few piers were built above the waters, one of which surrounded a large dinosaur with a long neck.
"I haven't seen a dinosaur like that so far," Fox observed.
"That's one of the HighTops," Tricky explained, "There aren't many on Sauria, and they mostly keep to themselves."
"I can't see the Queen CloudRunner or any obvious prison cell anywhere," Krystal shook her head, "It seems that HighTop may be our only lead."
The party sprinted down the dirt road, descending the incline of the hills towards the beach. They headed towards the wooden pier located at the mouth of the shore, the water splitting the beach coast in two. They approached the HighTop standing there, his neck lowering to engage in conversation with the small beings who showed interest.
"Greetings," waved Kyte, "My mother has been taken captive, and I was told she was transferred here to Cape Claw. Would you happen to know where she is now?"
"Yes, I've witnessed some SharpClaw soldiers dragging a CloudRunner wearing a regal outfit to this region recently," acknowledged the HighTop, "She was taken to a makeshift prison within the mountains here. The SharpClaw designed the gate that blocks its way to only open via a cog-fed machine."
"More cogs?!" Fox groaned.
"The SharpClaw wardens hid away the cogs around the beach," the HighTop continued, "Find them, and you should be able to open your way into that prison."
"Did you witness the exact locations in which these cogs were hidden?" questioned Krystal.
"One should be buried near the ramp to this pier," the HighTop remembered, "One more is buried on the opposite beach, and one should be hidden in one of the caves high in the mountain cliffs."
"You heard him, team," Krystal said to the others, "Let's get to work!"
Kyte flew around Cape Claw to find the cave the HighTop spoke of while the others combed the beach for cogs. There was a patch of dirt in the sands next to the pier ramp. Tricky started digging and extracted a cog. They then swam to the other beach and repeated the process.
Kyte flew back to the team standing on the pier, cog in her talons after finding the cave it was hidden in.
"That's all of the cogs," the HighTop commented, "You should be able to use that machine to free Queen Lilith."
Team Fox bowed to the HighTop for his assistance before regrouping around the Krazoa altar in the middle of the beach; it served as a landmark well enough. Scanning the region for anything that would match the HighTop's description of where they needed to head next, they spotted a wooden scaffolding leading to the cliffs on the opposite end of Cape Claw's entrance. The gang headed towards the waterfalls, crossing bridges and the stone altar to get to the cave the HighTop referred to.
There on the cliff platform was a machine, just as the HighTop described. Fox inserted the missing cogs in the mechanism and pushed on the lever, opening the stone door that blocked the cave entrance. Krystal entered the cave, only for the door to suddenly close behind her!
"Krystal?! Krystal!" Krystal heard Fox's panicked voice through the door. She turned around to see green gas rise from the grates scattered around the cave. The gas began to enter her lungs, and she began to cough; this was not breathable air at all.
Fox began to panic as he pounded the stone door and fiddled with the machine's lever in vain. It only got worse from there…
"They sprung the trap! Attack now!"
Fox, Tricky, and Kyte turned around to see a pair of large SharpClaw grunts approaching, weapons in hand and a thirst for violence in their eyes. They would have to fend off these brutes without Krystal's help.
Fox engaged the enemy that dared to strike first. Parrying the giant's sledgehammer, Fox followed up by thrusting his sword. The titan diverted Fox's stab slightly, hitting him in the side of the ribs, only dealing minor damage. Fox was no stranger to engaging an enemy on his lonesome, although not against one that was this big, let alone two. His survival instincts kicked in and anticipated a sneak attack from the other big baddie on his flank, dodging a potentially brutal swing.
Tricky, not wanting to sit out a fight in which Fox was on his own, unleashed a breath of fire against the opportunistic attacker. Set alight, the large grunt jumped down the cliff and dived into the water to put out the fire that engulfed his body. Kyte, remembering that water was a particularly potent conductor of electricity, sent a lightning bolt at the river. The resulting shock caused the soldier's body to spasm uncontrollably, his limbs stretching out in different directions as his body made different poses in a short time before he collapsed into the water, floating motionlessly.
With only one foe to duel against, Fox turned the tide. Things got easier as he blocked the brute's strikes via his sword's magic shield. Unleashing a ground quake, he sent the enemy tumbling onto his back and used this advantage to prepare an energy shot squared directly between the SharpClaw's eyes. It was an instant kill.
Looking around, Krystal saw a series of stone blocks large enough to cover the grates emitting the gas. Acting fast, Krystal pushed the stone cubes over the grates, one at a time, holding her breath for as long as she could. She noticed a large rock in the corner of the cave. When she couldn't hold her breath any longer, she climbed the rock. The height she was at standing on the rock was above the green gas that plagued the room so far. Taking a deep gasp, she went back down to resume the process of shoving the stone blocks to cover the emitting grates. When all the grates were blocked, the entrance's stone door opened back up. Fox, Tricky, and Kyte rushed in, relieved to see Krystal unharmed.
"Are you alright?" Fox asked his friend, "What happened in there?"
"When the door closed, gas started rising from the grates," she explained, "Blocking them must have stopped the gas and opened the door. Did anything happen out there?"
"A couple of large grunts ambushed us while you were inside," Fox shrugged, acting like it was no big deal, "The three of us dispatched them handily."
With the threat of the gas pacified, the four explored the cave on their own terms. The cave continued deeper into the mountain. Could this be where Queen Lilith was being held captive? Team Fox continued their advance, until they reached the makeshift dungeon within. All the cells inside were empty, save for one occupant…
"Mother?!" Kyte was the first to spot her mother, held inside one of the cells. Krystal wasted no time in opening the cell door, the lever being easily accessible from the outside. The Queen CloudRunner stepped outside of the cell and embraced her daughter.
"Kyte!" Queen Lilith's joy was immeasurable, "I'm so glad you're safe!"
"I could say the same about you, mother!" Kyte cheered back, tears of joy flowing down her face. Over the course of several days, she had been held hostage by none other than General Scales himself, and the thought of her mother sharing the same fate continued to plague her as she heard word of her capture. All of that angst was vanquished when mother and daughter reunited after what seemed to be the longest week of their lives.
"One of your soldiers, Zeon, helped my brother and I rescue your dear daughter," Krystal explained to Lilith.
"I will need to commend him next we meet," Lilith smiled, "It's a shame he's been taken to Dragon Rock; storming that base will take a considerable amount of strength."
"Why don't we talk a bit more outside?" Fox proposed, "It's a bit stuffy in here."
Team Fox and Queen Lilith stepped outside back to the beach of Cape Claw, taking in some much-needed fresh air. Lilith listened to her daughter's tales of Team Fox intently, reacting with a variety of emotions ranging from approval, surprise, and concern. She was proud of how much her dear daughter accomplished but was also taken aback at how much danger she put herself in, especially when it came to hearing how she, like her friends, wound up in the belly of Galdon.
"How did you know I was being held captive in Cape Claw?" asked Lilith.
"A CloudRunner named Kurt managed to avoid getting captured during his army's failed attempt to rescue you," Kyte answered, "He's currently taking refuge at ThornTail Hollow."
"Zeon and Kurt," Lilith said to herself, "Their bravery truly knows no limits."
"My name is Krystal," the vixen introduced herself to the Queen.
"Is that so?" Lilith's eyebrow rose slightly, "And I assume this other fox is your brother?"
"No, I'm not," Fox shook his head, "My name is Fox. I arrived on this world around the same time Krystal did, but separately. After Krystal and her brother rescued your daughter, the two of them got separated at Krazoa Palace. Now he's the one who needs rescuing."
"I'm…sorry to hear that," Lilith gave her condolences to Krystal, "General Scales has captured many of his foes during his conquest in order to make an example to the rest of the planet."
"So why did the SharpClaw lock you in there?" asked Fox.
"In addition to being Queen Lilith of the CloudRunner tribe, I am also the Gatekeeper of CloudRunner Fortress," explained Lilith, "General Scales forced me to grant him access there to safeguard its spellstone in the fortress treasury. His army now currently occupies the fortress, oppressing our people under his boot heel."
"That guy needs to be taught a lesson!" Fox slammed his fist into his palm in anger.
"I must return to CloudRunner Fortress to help our people," Queen Lilith, "That spellstone cannot remain in Scales' hands."
"We're coming with you!" Kyte added with enthusiasm, "You always told me the fairest rulers must help their kin in need, and our companions share a common goal."
The Queen nodded, "Yes, I believe a crisis like this will become the ultimate test for your readiness for the throne."
"Kyte's services have proven invaluable to our cause, your majesty," Krystal vouched for the princess, "She's already mastered her art of thunder shocks."
"Then she is more than ready to face the potential perils that may await her at our sacred home," the Queen approved, "I assume the rest of you will assist us in our endeavour?"
"We'll do whatever it takes to save Sauria!" Krystal cheered.
"You've got yourself some company, lady!" Fox thrust his fist into the air, ready to rock and roll.
"What about him?" Lilith's attention turned towards Tricky, who kept his distance and remained silent. Lilith's demeanor turned stern.
"Prince Tricky has proven himself to be as capable as I am, mother," Kyte advocated on the prince's behalf, "We have already worked together under dire conditions; you can trust him to aid us in our plight."
"That's right!" Tricky stuttered, speaking to the Queen for the first time, "We even returned one of the spellstones!"
"Very well, if the four of you have already returned one of the spellstones, I have little reason to doubt your capabilities as a team," acknowledged Queen Lilith.
"Okay then," Tricky spoke with renewed confidence, "Let's all head to CloudRunner Fortress!"
"Gatekeepers such as myself are able to warp to the lands they were tasked with protecting," Queen Lilith said, "Do you have the means to reach CloudRunner Fortress yourselves?"
"Yup," Fox grinned, "My Arwing's ready for takeoff!"
"I'll meet you at the fortress!" the Queen CloudRunner took to the skies, "Good luck!" She let out a magical mist that flew to the skies as the gateway to the CloudRunner homeland manifested above. Queen Lilith vanished as she warped her way to CloudRunner Fortress.
"Hmmm," Krystal tilted her head, "Belina Te was also able to open the gateway despite it being her father being the Gatekeeper of Darkice Mines. Kyte, are you not able to open the gateway yourself?"
"The art of manipulating a gateway is indeed hereditary, but it also requires a significant amount of teaching to master," explained Kyte, "My mother has not given me a seminar on that subject. I believe she will do so when I am ready to become Queen."
Team Fox casually trekked out of Cape Claw, through the well, and passed LightFoot Village. The four dulled the monotony with more conversation on the way.
"So Kyte, what kind of a place is CloudRunner Fortress?" Fox probed the princess for details.
"It's a large bastion made of marble," Kyte described, eager to boast about her homeland, "Even if its landmass wasn't divorced from Sauria, it's a fortress not accessible from the ground. Any foreign visitors to CloudRunner Fortress must therefore have permission from one of its citizens to be transported there."
"That is, until General Scales and his army managed to get his hands on those flying machines," Krystal folded her arms, "That way the SharpClaw had no issue invading your lands."
"It doesn't sound like an easy place for an EarthWalker like me to roam around," Tricky grimaced.
"I'll do my part in getting you to where you need to go," Kyte giggled, "Our methods have worked fine so far." Tricky's expression didn't change; he wasn't too fond of being carried by Kyte like a piece of cargo.
"Your mom mentioned a treasury within the fortress," Fox pressed Kyte, "Is it full of scarabs?"
"We may use scarabs as a general currency, but we also value things like gold, gemstones, and jewelry," Kyte clarified, "It's a bit unorthodox, but many a dinosaur has exchanged many scarabs for these items."
Fox and Krystal looked to each other. It seemed that even dinosaurs coveted more traditional treasures.
"If Corneria does open up more open negotiations with Sauria, I bet those CloudRunners will do a lot of bartering with all of that treasure in their banks," Fox whispered to Krystal.
"It would give them a head start for sure," Krystal chuckled.
It didn't take long for Team Fox to return to ThornTail Hollow. Fox dialed his PDA to get Slippy and Peppy up to speed.
"So that's why our next destination is CloudRunner Fortress," Fox finished up, "We already located its Gatekeeper, who turned out to be none other than Kyte's mom and Queen of the CloudRunners!"
"I'll analyze the map of CloudRunner Fortress while you make your way there," Peppy said.
"And I'll try to dig up anything else that could be useful on your mission," Slippy added.
"Good. I'll contact you if I need your help. Fox, out," Fox hung up on the transmission and opened up the Arwing's cockpit and cargo hold. The party boarded the Arwing in their usual spots before it took to the skies to follow Queen Lilith in her crusade to liberate her nation.
The Arwing navigated above Sauria's atmosphere towards the now-isolated island that was CloudRunner Fortress. Fox tapped on the communications screen in the cockpit, bringing Peppy on the line.
"CloudRunner Fortress has been attacked by General Scales and his SharpClaw army. It would make an ideal base from which he could rule over the planet. The fortress treasury in which the spellstone is being kept is also rich with gold and diamonds. With this wealth, Scales would become unstoppable. Find the spellstone and save the CloudRunners!" Peppy provided the mission briefing.
"Anything else I should know?" asked Fox.
"Reports indicate that Scales himself is present at CloudRunner Fortress. An encounter with him is very likely. Peppy, out."
Fox's Arwing approached the magical barrier surrounding CloudRunner Fortress and entered through the gateway opened by the Queen. As was the case with Darkice Mines, the Arwing needed to navigate past some floating debris to get through to the fortress.
Located at the beginning of the flight path to the fortress were some debris decorated with elaborate patterns. These must have been from the fortress itself.
"So much damage," Krystal lamented, "Much of the architecture from CloudRunner Fortress must have broken off into space. I'm just glad that Kyte isn't able to see this from the cargo hold; such a sight would break her."
Flying past the bits and pieces of the fortress, the Arwing flew towards a large rocky platform, engaging enemy drones on the way. There were several items scattered underneath the various stone arches on the rock. Fox needed to activate the Arwing's brakes to fly through them all safely. At the end of the rock was a formation of enemy drones forming a barricade of laser fire. The Arwing rolled out of harm's way as it breached the perimeter. Flying through the large hole in the altar ruins and through the tunnel formed by what would have been a tower on the fortress proper, the Arwing engaged another fleet of drones. Navigating past more floating ruins and a minefield, the Arwing barnstormed through a hole in a giant rock, which led to a small landscape in the void of space.
There's an ambush waiting for me here, I know it, Fox thought to himself. In preparation, he unleashed a smartbomb over the hill at the end. Sure enough, the drones that emerged from behind were utterly devastated before they even had a chance to fire!
"How did you see those drones coming?" Krystal was impressed by Fox's foresight.
"I didn't, but my experience made me savvy towards these kinds of maneuvers," Fox smiled, "I suppose you could say that it was my instincts. 'Never give up, trust your instincts,' that's what my father, and then later Peppy always said to me."
"Sabre would probably consider those to be words to live by as well," Krystal reminisced, "The two of you have a lot in common, it seems."
"You mean besides our facial features?" Fox asked in jest.
There were many more remnants of CloudRunner Fortress' architecture floating between the Arwing and its destination. Not one to back from a challenge, Fox weaved the Arwing through the narrow gaps in the towers, platforms, and arches, collecting many gold rings in the process. It didn't take long for the Arwing to pass through the last floating structure before reaching CloudRunner Fortress itself.
The Arwing entered the contained atmosphere of CloudRunner Fortress. The darkness of space quickly became the blue skies above the territory. Scanning the fortress, Fox found an incredibly obvious landing spot for the Arwing. Within the temperate jungle was a marble platform that connected to a tower leading higher into much of the fortress itself. It made sense for there to be a grand entrance for creatures capable of flight.
The Arwing parked itself on the platform. Fox, Krystal, Tricky, and Kyte stepped foot onto the stone surface and took in the breathtaking sights. The walkway leading up to the tower was decorated with lanterns, cherry blossom trees, and statues that bore the likeness of CloudRunner heroes of eras past. The walkway was in fact a bridge that was built above a lake that encompassed the entirety of the pit below.
"Welcome to CloudRunner Fortress!" Kyte announced to the others as she perched on a nearby tree, "It's a magnificent sight, even if it's currently floating in the depths of space!"
"It's a pretty cool-looking place…for the home of the CloudRunners at least," Tricky commented.
Kyte looked around, her expression changing to one of concern. "Strange, my mother should have greeted us by now. I'm sure she scoured the area to make sure it was safe, but it's not like her to be late. We'll need to make our own way inside the fortress."
Team Fox made their way to the tower and opened the gate. The trio entered the base of the tower behind the opened gate. Looking up, they could see a couple of floating drones whose searchlights lit up the relative darkness of the tower's insides, keeping watch over the ramp that led to the top of the tower.
"More weird-looking machines," Tricky whispered.
"Sentry drones," Fox specified, "Some of Andross' tech that Scales just so happens to be using, as if those hover bikes weren't enough. If we get caught in their searchlights, the drones will zap us and raise the alarm, and the SharpClaw will know we're here! How could a guy like that get his hands on them?"
"Can't you just shoot them?" Tricky suggested the obvious solution.
"No can do," Fox declined, "If we destroy them, the noise will alert the SharpClaw to our presence."
"Look!" Krystal pointed to the pillars constructed around the spiraling ramp, "Those drones are constantly shifting their gaze. The pillars should be thick enough for us to hide behind as they patrol the tower."
"I'll meet the rest of you at the top," Kyte whispered to her companions as she flew outside the tower.
Fox, Krystal, and Tricky began their ascent up the ramp, timing their advance accordingly to avoid getting detected by the drones. Hearing the mechanical humming of the first drone, the trio took cover behind the nearest pillar, which protected them against its gazing spotlight. As the drone's sights passed by, the team of three darted to the next pillar as quickly as their feet could carry them. They would soon find themselves needing to bypass the next drone and its sights. Fox, Krystal, and Tricky synchronized their movements as they waited for the second drone's searchlight to slice through the darkness of the tower, past the pillar that the three concealed themselves behind. The trio reached the top of the ramp, but a closed portcullis barred their way. A ladder stretched to a floor below the top of the ramp.
"I'll take a look down there to see any way of opening this gate," Krystal told Fox. She slid down the ladder to the floor below. A series of crates were littered around this floor, but Krystal's main object of interest was at the end. It was another open lock. Krystal inserted her staff into the lock and pressed down, activating the machine inside.
"Whatever you did down there opened the gate!" Fox called to his partner. Krystal returned to Fox who was waiting at the gate. Both met up with Kyte who stationed herself behind the gate until their arrival.
"I heard a commotion up ahead," Kyte warned the others, "I think my mother is there."
"I appreciate your patience Kyte," Krystal thanked the princess.
"Alright, let's see what's going on out there," Fox said.
A pile of rubble stood between the team and the plaza of CloudRunner Fortress. The team peeked around the debris to watch what was unfolding on the central pedestal. From their position they could see General Scales and several SharpClaw soldiers surrounding someone. Another SharpClaw stood at Scales' side; he looked different from the others, wearing a robe, and his back was hunched. Was he one of his right-hand men?
"So that's General Scales," Fox whispered to the others, for this was his first time seeing the tyrannical leader, "He looks as nasty as you all described."
Angling their sights differently, they could see the victim they were antagonising.
"We need to remain quiet," Krystal advised the others, "There's too many of them for us to handle all at once."
"I know it was a pair of foxes who set you free," Scales interrogated his target, "Now, where are they?!"
"I do not know what you are talking about!" Queen Lilith remained tight-lipped even with the soldiers having beaten her into submission.
"Mother?!" Kyte gasped in horror upon realizing that her mother was in danger once more.
"Your obstinance will be your undoing!" Scales shouted, "We have recently spotted a large spacecraft entering the perimeter of this fortress! The one that belongs to those interlopers who dared to stand against me, slay one of my spellstone guardians, and denied me the use of the SnowHorns' mines! If you dare bring them here, that is a decision you will live to regret, Queen!"
"My tribe will never submit to the likes of you, and you will never obtain the powers of the Kamerians you desire so badly!" the Queen spat, "You're just a fool!"
Scales quickly lost his patience, pushing aside the robed SharpClaw and a few other SharpClaw minions that were between him and the Queen. Scales then lifted the Queen by her neck.
"The powers of the Kamerians are our birthright! You chose to lead your people to ruin by denying us this treasure along with the rest of the insolent dinosaur tribes! Now, you will tell us!" threatened Scales, "Where can we find those foxes?!"
"They will find you," the Queen was ready to face death over submission, "And they will destroy you uncivilized brutes!"
Scales dropped Queen Lilith to the floor. He turned to the SharpClaw in the robe. "Dr. Thorn, ready the drones."
"As you command, General," acknowledged Thorn as he brought out an electronic tablet in his hand. Tapping its screen, a swarm of sentry drones hovered over Lilith's head. The mysterious SharpClaw doctor approached Lilith as she lay limp.
"Sauria is in the middle of a transition like no other," Thorn's deep and menacing voice sending everyone who heard his dread-inducing syllables a chill down their spine, "The SharpClaw tribe is going through a technological revolution. The rest of this planet's tribes would do well to fall in line, to yield to their innovative superiors. Refuse now, and your people will surely be left behind."
"Your leader sits on a throne of lies!" Lilith directed her rebuttal with vitriol and conviction, "You have no right to those tools that you stole from other civilizations! You're nothing but petty thieves!"
What little expression was visible under Thorn's hood underwent a slow, menacing metamorphosis that showed his sharp teeth in a foul grimace. "Then you will die a slow, painful death, and both your homeland and your people will follow suit!" He commanded the drones to concentrate their shock attacks onto the Queen, causing her to scream in agony.
"Noooooo!" Kyte couldn't stomach the sight of her mother being tortured any longer. She flew into action and began to unleash her own lightning bolts against the SharpClaw soldiers. With their cover blown, Fox and Krystal followed her, weapons drawn, and confronted the SharpClaw legion. Tricky brought up the rear; for once, he had a feeling that going in recklessly was a bad idea.
"Kyte, don't!" Queen Lilith gasped. The only thing that could hurt more than the shocks from the drones was the thought of her daughter being captured by General Scales once more.
"Now isn't this a welcome surprise," General Scales grinned with malice upon seeing the CloudRunner princess, "My dear little hostage has returned to me!"
"Leave my mother alone!" Kyte shouted as she flew around the drones' attacks, striking them with her own electric shocks.
"She's not the only one who has a score to settle with you, scale-face!" Tricky howled at the general as he bashed and ignited many a SharpClaw, "I haven't forgotten what your goons did to me either!"
"Well, isn't this adorable! Two children of sworn rival clans coming together as one! How moving, how heartwarming," General Scales sneered, "How futile!"
There were four soldiers total who surrounded Queen Lilith. Team Fox was no stranger to fighting these standard goons. With a variety of thrusts, stabs, swings, and cuts on the offensive and a mix of parries and dodges to avoid taking any significant damage, Fox and Krystal held their own against these common-variety SharpClaw while Tricky and Kyte assisted with their elemental discharges. However, as predictable as the regular SharpClaw escorts were to deal with, they still needed to fight the big bad general himself, who threw himself into the fray after being exhausted by the incompetence of his minions. Only Krystal had extensive experience fighting him, to say nothing of what his mysterious subordinate Thorn had up his sleeves.
"It's over Scales!" Fox addressed the general as the two clashed blades, "Leave the Queen alone!"
"The famous Fox McCloud!" Scales grinned with audacity, "How nice of you to pay us a visit! Why don't I show you some of our hospitality?" Swinging and parrying, the two found themselves evenly matched in their swordfight.
"How did you know my name?!" Fox demanded, seeing as how this was their first encounter.
"Dr. Thorn has told me all about your little exploits here on Sauria," Scales answered, "Them, and your accomplishments elsewhere." This response did little to put Fox's mind at ease. How could Dr. Thorn possibly know about that?
Krystal attempted strike Scales from behind, only for Scales to parry her staff with his metal hand. "Ahh, it is lovely to see you again as well!" Scales smiled as he held both foxes at bay.
"You won't get away with what you've done!" Krystal roared, "Tyrants such as yourself will never last long against the common good!"
"Oh?" a thought had occurred to Scales, "Where might your other companion be? He had blue fur just like yours. Did you simply replace him with this other man?" Scales continued to parry the attacks from both foxes, hardly breaking a sweat. This comment provoked Krystal into an unbridled rage.
"Don't play dumb with me, you were the one who captured Sabre, aren't you?!" Krystal shouted. As she and Scales looked each other in the eye, Krystal peered into the mind of the SharpClaw dictator. Scales had every intention of conquering Sauria, even if it meant ruling over a pile of ashes. Not even the loss of his left hand would deter him from his warpath; he desired to gain the power of the Kamerians at any cost. And yet, Scales was completely unaware of what happened to Sabre. He had nothing to lie regarding that subject.
Krystal heard the screams of Tricky and Kyte. Having been occupied with General Scales, Dr. Thorn had sicced his drone hordes upon the Saurian party members, their electric shocks having brutalized them into unconsciousness. Fox unleashed his sword's fire blaster against them. While he managed to scrap a few in the process, many more seemed to take their place. The drones targeted him next, their shocks coursing through his nervous system.
"Fox!" Krystal shrieked before she got zapped by the drones herself. As all of Team Fox winced in pain, Krystal looked up to see Scales and Thorn look over her body.
"Enough," Scales told Thorn as Krystal's vision got dark, "Prepare to take them all into custody. Bring Queen Lilith and her daughter to the royal chambers; they are to be given 'special' treatment."
"It won't be long until we break the morale of the CloudRunners by making an example of the royal family," the deep voice of Dr. Thorn echoed, "Our 'insurance' is also nearly prepared should we need to use it. I will depart for Dragon Rock to resume development on our new bioweapon."
"Good," Scales replied, "I will remain here and continue serving discipline among both our soldiers and our hostages. The Queen and her daughter will need particular attention."
The last thing Krystal felt as her consciousness began to fade was someone grabbing her limp body away, the last thing she saw was Fox's body being dragged off as well….
Author's Note: Here's a fun fact: When I first played Star Fox Adventures, I roamed around ThornTail Hollow and found myself exploring the area of LightFoot Village just before Cape Claw. The scarab toll prevented me from going any further. It's only at this point of the game that the player is meant to travel through that territory. I wasn't even aware of Moon Mountain Pass on the other side of ThornTail Hollow before I bought a Nintendo Power guide to help me through the game (I had purchased the guide as I couldn't figure out how to get past Galdon's second phase).
Star Fox Adventures proper has the Warpstone simply tell Fox to go to Cape Claw after handing him the medium scarab bag (which purposefully carries enough scarabs to pay the toll after being shy of ten scarabs with the small bag), which for writing's sake feels a bit contrived. Here, I added the CloudRunner soldier to help explain why the party needs to go to Cape Claw (and explain how Zeon ends up at Dragon Rock).
Originally, Fox was tasked with finding gold bars buried in the sands to help the HighTop stationed in Cape Claw, to which he rewards his efforts by providing access to the ladder that leads to the gas cave. As scarabs are the common currency in Sauria and not gold bullion, I changed the context of this task by making the buried items cogs for a machine that would lead to the Queen CloudRunner's prison instead.
The original Dinosaur Planet game had Krystal be the protagonist of the Cape Claw chapters of the game, hence why she's the one who needs to solve the gas chamber puzzle.
In Star Fox Adventures (and the first draft of my story), Tricky sits out the party's visit to CloudRunner Fortress due to his prejudice with the CloudRunners. For the sake of advancing Tricky's character as well as avoiding the inevitable excuse of having Kyte sit out the Walled City chapter, I had Tricky tag along (another fanfic does this for similar reasons, which inspired me to do the same).