Fire in Darkness

[Dr. Strange]

that's..... ~stops, mouth hanging open~ way chic. (shee-kk)

[Vince the Dark]

Thanks. Really appreciate it.^.=.^

[Devault]

Heh, no problem Vince.

I like the new little portion you added, made me laugh ^^

[Dr. Strange]

you're welcome. ^^ Always glad to give compliments. ^,^

[Vince the Dark]

^.=.^ Now I just need to keep it interesting 'till the end. No problemo.
And now this dwaggy is off to bed and think off what will happen in the next chapter.

[Devault]

Heh, thinking time is always good. If you sit on the computer and just type, it's going to come out how you want it to... Planning is good ^^

But seeing what you've written so far, keeping it entertaining shouldn't be a problem.

[flames]

Very good addition bro, Blaze's thoughts are done perfectly and feel very true to her character and her reply of "Spoilers" made me chuckle. Ravus' & Fay's dialogue flowed very well too, keep it up 'til the end!

[Vince the Dark]

Thanks guys. ^.=.^
I should be getting around to posting the next chapter in a few days time, schoolwork allowing.

[flames]

I look forward to it.

[Vince the Dark]

Gyargh!!!!!!!!! That was a frustrating time of not being able to get this damn chapter done... But here it is, at long last! Chapter 18!

Chapter Eighteen: Marching towards the end (Taking on the fortress)

As the next morning dawned over the group of anthros that had camped on the cliff, everyone could feel the tension in the air as they slowly woke up and started to make themselves ready for the decisive battle. After checking all the equipment they had, everyone started to think of a battle plan, because simply rushing into the fortress would probably not be the wisest of ideas.
It was well over mid-day before they had come up with a plan that might actually work, and with that they started to head off. It was a good walk to the fortress, and the air seemed to get thicker the closer they got.
After a while, the group split into two; one group consisting of Vince and Ravus, the other one of Flames, Blaze and Fay. And before long Vince and Ravus took flight and headed onwards to the castle by air, ahead of the others.
Ravus looked at Vince as the come closer and closer to the dark fortress. “Do you think this will work?”
Vince looked back at Ravus as he replied. “I'm not sure... Even with all my knowledge about the place and what awaits us behind those walls... I have no idea how this will end. Well, there's only two ways how this can possibly end... One good, and one terrible.”
Ravus was hoping for the better option as they came closer and closer to the fortress.
As Vince looked around at the wasteland, he noticed that it was oddly barren, and foremost, it was completely empty. Where were all the monsters? All the creatures of darkness that roamed around these parts, making up a fearsome wall of evil that none had been able to push through. Where was it? He thought.
They couldn't have this much look, it couldn't be possible. And as he hard as the dragon though, he just couldn't find a possible solution to it. It didn't make any sense.
As Vince and Ravus came close to the fortress, and saw into the courtyard, things started to suddenly fall into place. As they looked into the courtyard, they could see that it was colored red with blood, tons of it, which did explain why there weren't anyone to be seen anywhere. But it still left one question unanswered; how?
Flames, Blaze and Fay had been walking towards the fortress, mentally preparing themselves for battle. But as they came close enough to the fortress, they saw that Vince and Ravus had made up a small camp outside the large stone gates, much unlike what they had planned earlier.
The group ran up to the two others, wondering why on earth they had camped there, the place was supposed to be squirming with danger.
Vince looked at Flames with a slightly confused, yet scared, look to it. “Not anymore it seems...”
Flames looked confusedly at his brother, not understanding what he meant. So he decided to go look inside th courtyard for himself.
“I wouldn't do that if I were you, nii-san.” Vince said, but didn't get up to stop his brother from taking a look, though he knew what awaited behind those gates.
What awaited Flames when he looked inside the courtyard were huge amounts of blood, scattered throughout the place, and an overwhelming stench of rotten flesh and decay. It made Flames want to throw up right the instant he peeked his head through the open gap between the gates. The fox put his paw over his muzzle, quickly covering his nose from the stench from inside and made his way away from the gate, holding back the overwhelming impulse to throw up at that instant.
It was like nothing Flames had ever experienced before.
Flames looked in horror at his brother who sat a few feet away from him. “What... What happened here?”
“Beats me...” Vince had now turned towards Flames, looking into his eyes. “There doesn't seem to be any life anywhere in the fortress either...”
“So you're telling me... That everyone that was here... Is dead?” This was all going way over Flames' comprehension. It was too much to try to understand at the same time.
“We can't be sure if we don't go in there, but from where we're standing right now, it seems pretty dead in there.”
Flames thought about it for a moment, thinking about what options they had. “I wonder... Are you two able to carry the three of us over the courtyard and into the fortress if when flying?” Flames looked at Vince and Ravus as he spoke, wondering what it looked like inside the fortress itself.
“I guess we could...” Ravus replied to Flames. “But Vince will have to carry Fay, because he is certainly not coming up on my back.”
Fay poked out his tongue at Ravus, hearing this, but didn't make any bigger deal out of it. “Okay then, mr killjoy.”
“I should be able to do it.” Vince said. “And I think I saw a good place on the roof where we should be able to get in easily.”
Flames nodded. “Good. Then let us get moving, and try to find out what on earth happened here.”
So it was decided. Vince carried Fay, and Ravus took Flames and Blaze to the roof of the large fortress. When they landed, the stench wasn't all that powerful there, as it had been down on the courtyard. They then slowly entered the fortress, walking down a set of chairs to find them walking into a large hall. The room wasn't all that well lit, so it was fairly dark, and there were no windows to let in any light so the only light-sources were the faintly burning torches on the walls.
Flames was very weary as he stepped forwards into the large, chamber-like room, glancing around for the slightest hints of movement or life besides them as he grabbed a torch from the wall.
There was only silence in there to meet them, and the only sound that could be heard were the steps of the group as they slowly made their way to the center of the large chamber. They stood as a group in the center, peering around, looking for clues about where they were. And before long, Flames saw something in the darkness, that looked like a person sitting on a chair, leaning backwards on it as if he were asleep.
With a few steps forward, and trying to get the light from the torch to light up the figure covered in darkness, Flames tried to see who it was. He took a few more steps, and when
the light finally shone on the character in the chair, that came out as a throne, Flames jumped back in fear as he saw the twisted face of a dragon-like creature sitting there, a dagger sticking out from his chest.
Flames gathered his strength and lifted the torch up again, shining the light over the character as he took a second look on him. “Could it be...” Flames thought and shook away the thought. “It couldn't possibly...”
The others had by this point noticed Flames finding something, and made their way over to him and looking at the dead dragon on the throne. Vince, recognizing the character stepped forwards and stood besides Flames, a smirk on his muzzle. “It's Malakar...”

[flames]

 :shcoked: Plot twist! DUN DUN DUH!
What can I say bro? Unexpected but brilliant, this just gets better and better!
(I already have a few crazy ideas starting to form about what happened...)

[Vince the Dark]

Heh. Thanks bro. I was pretty quick with finishing chapter 19, and decided to post it on Ravus's request already now, instead of tomorrow. Won't Flames be surprised? Heh.

Chapter Nineteen: Malakar

Everyone looked shocked at Vince, not being able to understand how this could possibly be the mighty Malakar everyone feared, that was now sitting dead on his throne, stabbed to the death.
But Flames was distracted by something else as the others were speculating about what had happened, something was calling out to him, a faint voice, just loud enough to be heard. It was talking to the fox, telling him to go closer to the throne. And as Flames got closer, the voice had made him to grab the dagger that had pierced the fearsome creature and pulled it out.
Blaze, who had looked around from the rest of the group, noticed Flames standing awfully close to Malakar's corpse, and tried to see what the other fox was doing. To her horror, she noticed that Flames was about to pull out the dagger from the body, making her shout out to him as she rushed forward. “Flames, no!”
But it was too late, Flames had already drawn out the dagger.
At first, nothing happened, but that's when everything started going wrong. The torches in the room had suddenly started burning brightly, lighting up the whole chamber. And with the light flowing inside the room, a large hoard of shadows started moving around on the floor and surrounding the group as they looked in horror around them.
The shadowy characters were everywhere now, and they started creating black orbs in their hands and sending them flying towards Flames who was holding the dagger that had pierced Malakar's body.
Flames, trying to shield himself with the small dagger suddenly realized that the orbs were all sucked into the dagger, and after a short while of infusing into it, a large lightning of energy went flying through the room and hit Malakar's body, lifting it into the air as his eyes flew open, dark energy flowing out from his mouth, nostrils and eyes as he slowly glided down to the floor, standing on his two hind legs again, dark energy flowing through him as never before. And those eyes... Those blood-red eyes of his, that went over the room as he came back to life again, scanning through every being, after being trapped in the dagger for ages. “So... I see that you were after all weaker than your father had thought...” Malakar's dark voice made the group tremble. It was so fearsome, and so evil that the smallest whisper could be frightening.
Flames looked in fear at the dragon, looking confused at the same time. “My... My father!?”
“Pesky little thing, he was... And the disgrace to all of the dragons... Marrying a being as lowly as a fox.”
Flames growled as Malakar spoke, Vince also starting to get angry at the dragon, because they were his parents too, after all.
“How dare you!? How dare you speak of them like that!?” Flames was shouting at Malakar, shaking with rage.
Malakar shook his head. “I don't think you're in much of a position to make any threats here, Flames, neither are you, half-breed.” He had turned his attention to Vince for a brief moment. Before raising his paw, holding his paw out as he looked back at Flames. “You know... That dagger is cursed...” And with a snap of his fingers, Malakar made the dagger flue itself to Flames' paw, starting to shake and making him point the dagger at himself. “Whoever happens to draw out that dagger and release me... Has to die.” Malakar grinned now as he spoke, holding his eyes fixed on the male fox. “Guess you're lowlife of a father never thought that the one to draw it out would be his own son.”
Flames couldn't fight it all that well, his paw wasn't obeying him, and was with a huge force trying to push the dagger into him, while Malakar looked with content while the poor fox tried to struggle for his life.
“It's no use fighting it. It won't stop until it has had its share of fresh blood.”
Flames started crying as he looked at his friends. He had brought this upon himself, and now he had to pay the price. “I'm... I'm sorry everyone... I guess... This is ...Goodbye...”
Everyone else of the group looked with horror at Flames, not being able to do anything. “No... Not like this...” Vince had stepped forward towards Flames, but he was quickly pushed away by his brother. He started to cry now. “There has to be some way other...”
Flames looked at his brother who was about to brake, his cheeks completely wet now from tears. “There's no other way, nii-san... You must fight on without me... Farewell... My friends...”
He then stopped resisting, letting his paw do what it wished and thrust the blade into his chest, welcoming it for the chance to let the others continue fighting, and as a punishment for what he had done... He closed his eyes, waiting for the rush of pain to run through his body as the dagger would pierce his smooth skin and make his blood flow out through the cut, coloring his fiery fur red with his own blood...

[Wulf064]

awesome I liked it

[flames]

Whilst it all being a trap by Malakar was something I guessed would happen, this particular sudden turn of events is something I had not anticipated.
Very well done bro, and something that oddly enough would fit in extrememly well with my writing considering how often Flames tends to end up in these sort of sacrifice-situations
(And yes I was quite suprised nii-san!)

[Devault]

Wow, really good job there. I like the ellipses at the end, showing that it's not quite over yet... Or is it? Gah, I'm torturing myself ^^;