Author Notes: Sorry people. For some reaosn I was certain I'd posted this chapter and in the end I'm just a dumbshit. Well regardless of my dumbassness, here's the final chapter of Footsteps in the Darkness. Hope you enjoyed it. I know I had fun writing it. Thanks for the support.

The Footsteps in the Darkness ~ SkullFox

Chapter 22

Krystal thought for a moment, she really didn't expect anyone like Fox to go his entire life without finding someone else. As she sat there the blue vixen sighed…

"So…you're married then?" She asked.

Fox chuckled, "It's not like that Krys." He said, "After you I lost interest in any kind of relationship. I was on this little job on a small moon in Dan'jas called Kovix. Place wasn't exactly the nicest scene in the galaxy either. I was tailing our target when I ducked into an alley to keep from being spotted. That was when this gorgeous little vixen popped her head out of a nearby trash can. Her clothes were filthy and cut up, and her fur was a mess. She was chewing on some rotten food or other that she'd found in that can. I couldn't just leave the kid there in the state she was in. So I took her with me…unfortunately having her on the Great Fox didn't sit too well with Falco. In the three days that it took for us to get home, I spent a lot of time with the kit; she grew on me. I gave up Star Fox, started working as a flight instructor at the Flight Academy and adopted her after finding out that her parents were both dead. I don't know how to explain it but, every time I see her smile, it gets a little easier to deal with our break-up."

Krystal chuckled, "You must love her like she's your own."

"No……she is my own." Fox said, "She may not be my flesh and blood, but, she is my daughter, and I'd do anything for her."

Krystal thought about her past for a moment before lowering her head, "Fox…I'm…I'm sorry. About, what I said that day." She said, "I don't hate you. I don't think I ever really could."

Fox draped an arm over the vixen's shoulders, "I know…I'm sorry too. I think we both made our fair share of mistakes in the past."

"Is it too late for me to come back to Corneria? With you?" The vixen asked.

Fox smiled, he had always longed to hear Krystal say something like that, "It's never too late for you to come home." He replied pulling her a bit closer to her, "I really missed you."

"I missed you too Fox."

***

Iréa looked to the mess on the floor that was the only remains of the charred, gore covered lupine that had fought Drayvn earlier. Drayvn seemed to revert to his normal self before stumbling toward the wall to his left, just barely catching himself before his legs gave out. His breathing was incredibly erratic at this point, the extra damage to his ribs during the fight had only added to the pain that he felt moving through the area, blood flowed from a large cut across his forehead that he'd not even noticed before, and as Iréa looked on the young vixen in her arms rushed out toward the black furred vulpine..

"Hey mister…" She said sweetly while pulling on his pant leg, "Are you okay?"

"I'm…." He winced in pain, "I'll be fine kid…you okay?"

The young vixen smiled nodding her head…

"That's good…" He said, "I guess this can be the "one" that I owe McCloud. You're a brave kid you know that?"

The little vixen smiled as the black fox's paw rubbed her head, "How are your ribs?" Iréa asked.

Drayvn wince in pain again, "Horrible. Can't barely……breath. It hurts to talk. I think…he might have ruptured something."

Iréa took a moment to look the vulpine over, "You may be right."

"Oh well…I can't stop now." Drayvn pointed out, "I'm too close to stop now. Take the kid and lets go. I've got one last old friend I'm sure is out here somewhere waiting for me."

The three animals made their way back through the halls, luckily as Drayvn walked he seemed to regain a bit of his composure, a clear sign that there was most likely nothing actually ruptured inside of him. It was as they walked that Iréa questioned herself again; she wondered how it was he could keep going like this, he was still bleeding, possibly internally, and yet all he seemed to concentrate on was the idea of his brother being so close to him. She simply followed behind him with the young McCloud kit beside her. It took some time as they headed down the halls of the facility, after a few minutes the black vulpine staggered falling against a nearby wall. Iréa moved to help him but, Drayvn simply, lightly pushed her away…

"Don't bother with me…just watch the kid." He said swallowing hard, "…I just need a minute to catch my breath."

"What you need is a damn hospital."

Drayvn breathed out heavily, "Just take care of the kid…"

It only took a minute or so before the vulpine pulled himself back to his feet and continued down the halls. His steps seemed to gain a bit of power while he walked, this made Iréa wonder if he weren't full of himself of not. However, this didn't seem to matter as they all headed down the halls, the little one seemed to have been back and forth being led to the holding cell where they were keeping Fox, and gave directions as best her little mind would allow. Their path led them through several empty rooms, many of which were all full of nuclear materials as well as recently used gear. It was as they stumbled from room to room that the three entered a massive, dark room, a dank smell that insulted their senses nearly made Iréa vomit. It was the familiar smell of decayed flesh and rotting blood. As they walked into the room lights seemed to light the entirety of the room up; at the center of the room the place dipped down into what appeared to be a large trench, whether it was for spills, or an oil pit, they didn't know, but, it was filled nearly full with the bodies of what appeared to be workers of some kind…

"They all worked here you know?" A voice echoed through the room, "They were making these weapons again. They all needed to die, for the good of everyone in Lylat."

Drayvn seemed to wince as he stood at full attention, "Hello Raven."

Suddenly a black feathered figure seemed to step out of the shadows as if he materialized from nothingness, "Hello, D. It's good to see you're…well for the most part."

Drayvn looked to the bodies laying in the mass grave…

"They were working for an unknown organization calling itself Omni…I tried to find out what I could but…" The avian sighed, "…it proved fruitless, whoever this Omni Corporation is it's covering itself nicely. We aren't evil Drayvn…"

"Then why?" The vulpine asked, "You were the only one here that I actually trusted. Emilia trusted you, you were like a brother to her."

Raven stared at Drayvn, "I never lifted a finger at her!"

"YOU STOOD BY AND WATCHED IT HAPPEN!!" Drayvn yelled at the top of his lungs, "As far as I'm concerned you loaded every bullet yourself."

Raven's eyes fell to the floor, "I know right now, you must hate me more than anything…but, trust me when I tell you, if I could have stopped it I would have."

"You're wrong…" Drayvn said turning his head a bit so as not to look directly at the raven in front of him, "…you could have at least tried. If she ever meant anything to you, you would have done something. WHY!?"

Raven finally looked to the vulpine, "I WAS A COWARD!!!" He shouted, "Does it make you happy to hear that I feared for my own life more than hers?" He asked, "Do you have any idea what it's like? Never getting a moment's worth of sleep, because you knew you were responsible for the death of one of the only people that you ever cared about?"

Drayvn tried not to let the tears that rolled down his cheek show as he looked Raven in the eyes, "Yes……I do. And the only way to make that pain go away, is to kill the only family I have. Nobody that's died here has been anywhere near as guilty as Eric, but they've all deserved to die." Drayvn said pulling his sword pointing it at the avian, "……and you're no different than them."

"Look at yourself D." Raven said, "You're barely standing up. You're beaten, bruised, bleeding, and god only knows what damages have been done to you."

"I still have everything I need…" Drayvn replied, "…everything that it'll take to show you and Eric just how much that mistake cost the both of you. I won't rest until every one of you pays for ruining my life…and taking her away from me."

Raven lowered his head, "I've been paying for my mistakes for a lot longer than you'd care to wager…but, I can't die in a place like this. Not until I do what it is I set out to do…my repentance won't be complete until I stop weapons like the ones made her from ever being used again." He said, "But, if I have to kill you D. I'm afraid that's just something I'll have to find a way of living with."

Before Drayvn could realize what had happened something took him by the ankle, slinging him about the air with a powerful whipping motion. The flying vulpine's body slammed into the mass of corpses before rolling off onto the metal floor and slamming violently into the nearby wall. Drayvn growled in pain as a shot of pain coursed through his body…

"You have no idea how much it pains me to do this D." Raven said, "I never wanted to hurt you, or Emilia….but, I refuse to go. Not until I can say I've made amends for what I've done, or rather what I should have done."

Drayvn staggered to his feet, "Then you're……gonna have to kill me."

"This is not much choice D. It's yours."

Drayvn stood up readying his weapon, "Everyone has to pay…for what they did."

"I wish you could see what it is I'm trying to do…"

Drayvn glared at the black avian, "I can see what you're trying to do just fine, but, no matter what you do, or how many of these weapons you destroy…it'll never make you feel any better for what you and the others did."

It seemed to be an instant in which Drayvn shot across the short distance between them. A short spray of blood shot from the avian's right arm, unfortunately as he completed his stride Drayvn's knees gave causing him to fall to the ground rolling across the metal floor before coming to a stop. The poor animal grimaced he barely had the strength to fight for himself, he'd managed to attack the avian but, wasn't even able to follow through. Raven sighed as he looked over the fallen vulpine; Ire was hardly able to believe what she was seeing when it seemed as though the avian's shadow grasped Drayvn by the throat hoisting him into the air as it seemed to develop into a more solid form of itself. She'd never even thought of the idea of a shadow physically lifting someone off the ground. Drayvn choked at the things grip. However the vulpine's body instantly burst into flames causing the shadow being to drop him. Raven had been caught off guard, not expecting the vulpine to get a flame going in his current condition. Raven smiled a bit, he knew better than to underestimate what he was capable of. The avian's shadow however grasped Drayvn again however, this time hurling him across the room, where a similar shadow seemed to hammer him into the ground with a powerful force that caused a spat of blood to fly from his mouth…

"This is your doing D." He said, "I never wanted to hurt you…you know that."

Drayvn pulled himself to his paws and knees gasping from breath, "You…lie. You've never…done anything that wasn't for yourself…you're not better……than Eric."

Raven sighed, "I guess this means your mind is made up isn't it?"

Drayvn only looked up and glared at the avian before finding his way slowly to his feet. Raven seemed to stand right where he was as the shadow he cast seemed to stalk toward Drayvn…

"Do you believe that light is the darkness's greatest enemy?" Raven squinted at the question, "Because I know otherwise." The vulpine said raising his paw over his head, "because without light shadow's can't exist can they?"

Raven gasped as a pulse of flames sprouted from Drayvn's black furred palm, splitting into several small flying balls of fire. The small balls of flames seemed to seek out the room's sources of light. Raven seemed to back away slightly as the small lights around the room seemed to burst simultaneously leaving the entire room in utter darkness. The only thing visible to the Raven now was a pair of bright eyes that seemed to emanate flames as he walked forward…

"What's the matter Raven?" Drayvn asked, "Can't you see in the dark? That's right, that's why you've been afraid of the dark your entire life. Isn't it? Being a fox I've never really had that problem myself."

Raven gasped as the razor sharp blade of Drayvn's sword shot from his chest, "Good bye Raven. If it helps…I never hated you." He said, "But you got in my way. I know you'd never let me get anywhere near Eric without giving your life. I'm just sorry I'm the one that had to take it."

Raven pulled the vulpine close to him for a moment, gasping for breath from the wound, "D…Listen." He said, "Eric…he's not out in the open……he's smarter than you give him credit for." The avian said, "Down the main hall you came through…you'll….find a room…a study. Under the front of the large desk in the middle of the room….there's a switch…" Raven took a moment, "…it will lead you to an old facility under this one…I think it used to be some sort of research lab…" He said, "this is……what Karma simply has in store for people like us…" Raven winced in pain, "…for what it's worth D. I'm sorry…I guess, I'll see you in hell."

The raven gasped for air one last time before Drayvn could feel his breathing stop, and the limp body of the animal slid from his sword falling to the pile of bodies that lay in the middle of the room. Drayvn grimaced in pain as he slid his weapon back into it's scabbard, and left the room finding Iréa and the young McCloud kit in the hall. At some point Drayvn's left eye had taken some damage and was swollen shut; he stopped for a moment to look to the two vixen that stood outside the room before staggering down the halls once again…

"Come on…" He said, "…Eric's this way."

The three left their area into a small hall, which separated off from the one they were in. It hooked off to the left of their current position, and only led to a single room; it was a room just like the one that Raven had described, and at it's far end was a large black desk that seemed to be the focal point of the entire room. Though at this point it even pained him to walk, Drayvn made his way over to the desk and after finding his way to the front of it leaned on the desk to rest for a moment. His paws smeared a streak of blood across the shiny surface of the polished desk. His chest rose and fell with heavy breaths and the table along with the room blurred in and out of focus. The black furred vulpine however shook his head blinking hard before reaching to the underside of the desk feeling around until his paw hit something. There was a resounding sound, like grinding gears before the base of the area that Drayvn stood on shifted; a large, circular portion of the floor slowly rose from the ground into a small pillar in the middle of the room, housing a spiral staircase leading down into the bowels of some hidden sanctum of some sort. Dravyn seemed to limp toward the stairwell before he seemed to loose his footing, however Iréa quickly caught him by the arm helping him back to his feet. She took a moment to study his eyes which fluttered about a bit…

"This isn't good…" She said, "…you've lost too much blood. We've gotta back out of this."

Drayvn pushed her away and headed into the stairway, "I told you…I'm not leaving. This ends here…I've gone too far to just walk away."

"You're a fu…." Iréa cut herself off looking at the young vixen beside her, "…you're an idiot…you know that?"

"Do whatever you want." The dark furred vulpine replied, "I said I could use your help…and you have. Thank you. I can handle it from here. Just take the kid somewhere safe and I'll go get Kursed and McCloud out of here. And thank Nex for me…"

Drayvn slowly made his way down the stairs, leaving the two vixen behind. Iréa stood there wondering why he'd go on by himself like this, it wasn't until he was already gone that she realized what was happening. He didn't intend to come back alive…he never did; it was clear to her now that Drayvn intended to kill Eric and simply let himself die. Iréa wasn't sure why but, her instincts pulled her along after so long down the stairs. It was as Iréa and the young vixen with her walked along the winding stairs, that Fox's adopted daughter pulled on Iréa's tail and pointed to a spot on the wall. Iréa looked only to see a smeared trail of blood that started in a paw print and trailed a long way down the stairwell…

"Wow…he's bleeding bad." She said to the little one reaching down and picking her up.

Drayvn seemed to have trouble walking down the hall as he stumbled down the last set of stairs, however a familiar voice caught his attention…

"Drayvn?"

Drayvn turned to see a blue furred vixen along with the chestnut furred fox he'd been hired to find both behind a grate of cell bars…

"Kursed? You two okay?"

The blue vixen looked worriedly at the black vulpine, "Yes, we're fine. But look at you…you look like you're half dead."

"I'll be fine…" Drayvn replied, "Where's Eric?"

Suddenly Drayvn's face curled into an angered sneer, "Where indeed Rubedo?"

Drayvn slowly turned to look at the animal across from him and growled, "Eric…" He said from the corner of his mouth.

"Rubedo…You've seen better days." The vulpine smiled, "I expected nothing less of you really. I knew you'd manage to take them all…even Drake, though he did seem to give you a bit of trouble didn't he? I can honestly say that I felt a bit sorry for Mashif…I never would have thought of the kind of pain you put him through after finding out he was the one that killed your child." Eric chuckled, "The shed tears of a loving father…such a sad thing that ours bore none on his deathbed." He said holding up a familiar looking sword very similar to Drayvn's.

"Eric…that's…"

Eric grinned, "Yes…father's sword. I know he'd given us both our own, but, I always felt that this weapon was a bit…special." He said with a sick smile, "He didn't like the idea of me taking it so well…he was the first that had to go…unfortunately mother had to be noble and try defending him. I never meant for her to go…she did it to herself…"

Drayvn's eyes watered over as a more vicious glare crossed his face, "You…killed…"

"Yes…" Eric replied, "Like everyone else…they all got in my way. Anyone that gets in my way has to be taken care of."

"You're…Insane." Drayvn uttered.

Eric sighed rolling his eyes, "Yes, yes. We've been down this road before." He said, "If I'm not mistaken, didn't you come here to kill me?"

Drayvn lifted his sword as best he could, as Eric dawned a sinister grin, "Can you even manage to lift that weapon Rubedo? I hardly think so, maybe fighting yourself isn't the best idea at the moment." He said shifting into the shape of a lovely red furred vixen, "Would you feel at ease fighting mother?" He asked shifting into an older black vulpine male, "Or perhaps father…" He added shifting again into the vision that still haunted Drayvn's dreams, "Or maybe your dearest Emilia…"

Drayvn growled, "No more tricks coward. Fight me yourself, or have you spent so much time hiding that you don't even remember what you looked like?"

Eric sneered at his brother, "Fine…"

The animal's fur seemed to change very little from Emilia's form, fading off into a dull gray as he long hair seemed to fade off into a deep dark charcoal black, his eyes changed very little from the blue orbs that Drayvn had fallen in love with so long ago, taking a lighter shade of blue as Emilia's eyes faded into ones much less familiar. His body was never as muscular as he could have been, he'd never really cared for exercise and training as much as Drayvn had…

"So…" Eric asked, "Still see me as some sort of coward?"

Drayvn shook off the dizziness from his blood loss, "Yes…and a freak to boot. You don't look anything like the Eric I remember. You don't remember yourself at all."

Eric scoffed, "What do I care? What need to I have for an identity? After all of this is over, I'll have everything I'll ever need."

Drayvn's knee buckled a bit as he stood there, his brother took the instant opening to rush in swiping his weapon at the black vulpine's face, Drayvn barely found the opening to duck. The attacks however kept coming, each of which was dodged or blocked by less than a hair's width. As the fight skipped about the room, Krystal and Fox looked on…

"Fox…" The blue vixen said, "…We've got to get out of this cell."

Fox looked to the vulpine struggling to survive against his psychotic brother, "He's strong Krystal, even as badly beaten as he is right now." Fox replied, "right now there's nothing either of us can do…but, watch."

Drayvn dodged another attack only to feel the sting of the tip of Eric's blade ripping a slash across his chest. Several other slashes met their marks as well, one tearing into the vulpine's right arm, another across his back, while the third came within centimeters of severing a major artery in the animal's neck, before a powerful kick send Drayvn sliding across the floor…

Eric sighed, "You're pathetic Rubedo…perhaps I was wrong all along and you aren't the key."

The black furred vulpine managed to get to one knee using his sword to hold himself up, "Who's really the pathetic one Eric?" He asked, "Me…or the one who has to fight me while I'm already half dead? If anyone here's pathetic……it's you." He said painfully climbing to his feet, "You've always been a coward…and you always will be…you can attack nothing but, an weakened person, a pregnant female, or an unborn child…because you're too much of a coward to fight anyone on your own terms."

Eric slowly strode over to Drayvn using his foot to push the beaten animal onto his back, "You know exactly who you sound like right now Rubedo?" He asked placing a foot on Drayvn's slashed arm, "Father…" He pointed out pressing his heel into the wound causing Drayvn to scream in pain, "…I hated that animal from the day I became old enough to know what hatred was. Lavishing his youngest son, the miracle child that should never have even been born with every ounce of love he had. It was why I was certain you were the key to the Opus, one who's seen the other side; an animal who's seen death." He said, "Father spent a vast majority of his life searching for the answers that only the Opus can give…and he was the one that discovered the missing pieces to the puzzle."

There was a moment in which Eric looked to the two vulpine left in their cell, "At first I have thought of using these two, perhaps however I should take up that offer from that fellow……Caruso. He offered quite a bit for the Cerinian. I'm sure I could find someone willing to pay for the chance to kill McCloud as well."

Eric then turned his attention to his fallen brother only to see the dark furred vulpine open his palm causing a blinding blast of flames to burst from his palm, the small charge of flames scorched the side of Eric's face causing him to fall away from. Drayvn took this opportunity to slowly find his way to his feet, only to find that Eric was chuckling to himself as he held the burned side of his face, while looking to a slash wound across his chest, "Ah. Still willing to fight when there's nothing left to fight for, eh Rubedo?"

Drayvn shook his head in an attempt to make his blurred vision clear up, "As long as you're alive I'll always have a reason to fight Eric." He said spitting up a small spot of blood.

"Please, Rubedo. You are in scarce enough condition as it is…" Eric replied, "…you'll be dead before long."

Drayvn was still panting heavily, "You…actually think I came here……with any intention of leaving alive?" He smiled, "I knew…I was dead, the minute I stepped into this place…but, I'm not going without you coming with me."

Eric smiled as Drayvn somehow managed to lift his weapon. There was a moment in which the two simple stared at each other; there wasn't a word between them, only the sound of the breathing of the animals in the room. Drayvn could hardly see; there was blood in his eyes, he was groggy from the blood loss, and he was certain that at some point he'd suffered a concussion from one of his previous encounters. It seemed like an eternity that the two stood there, Krystal expected that Drayvn would fall over any moment; time slowed to a crawl as Eric started forward enticing Drayvn to shoot from his position. This was the last moment, what everything that he'd ever said, or done had finally boiled down to; his life had only meant reaching this point ever since he'd watched her die. Once all was said and done, he'd finally be with her again, with her and his son, and he'd go with the satisfaction of knowing that all the people that had caused his pain, and misery had all reaped what they had sewn, paid for their crimes, and burned for their sins. There was a thunderous clash of steel and sparks as the two passed by one another a long stream of blood splashing against the screens next to the animals. Drayvn ended up just near the cell, frozen for a moment before falling to one knee, dropping his weapon and spitting up a large spot of blood. Krystal couldn't bring herself to say anything she could only look away as the black furred vulpine fell to catching himself on his paws just before hitting the ground. Fox tapped Krystal on the shoulder causing her to turn around in time to see Eric double over in pain as a large gash across his chest began to leak blood down his body. The vulpine made a chocked sound as if the slash had met a lung before falling to his knees, where he clawed at his throat for air. The caged animals watched on as Drayvn slowly crawled to the suffering animal's side before propping himself up on his knees. He quickly took a grip around Eric's upper and lower jaw…

"Where are you now?" He asked pulling until Eric's mouth cracked open into a perfect ninety degree angle, "If not within death's cold embrace."

His labored breathing only grew more erratic as he released his fallen brother's jaws; he fell back sitting on his calves. A small spat of blood pooled from his mouth; his head turned slowly toward Krystal, there was a moment in which she could only see tears in his eyes, before a wide smile spread across his face moments before his body fell to the floor. The blue vixen couldn't stand seeing what she was seeing, she knew he'd intended to die here, but, how could he go with a smile on his face? She wanted to check, just to make certain he wasn't alive before something sounded off, a launch warning, Eric had set some of the base's warheads to be launched. However, Irea quickly rushed into the room with Fox's adopted daughter following right behind her. The white furred she wolf quickly found the means of which to open the cell door, allowing the young vixen beside her to rush into Fox's arms. Krystal rushed to Drayvn only to realize that he had no pulse…

Fox quickly rushed to the control terminal that Eric had worked at before returning to Krystal's side, "Krys…we gotta get outta here now…I couldn't stop the launch I had to set this place to blow."

Though it pained her to do it, Krystal found her way to her feet with Fox's help, and soon the small group of animals found themselves far enough away from the base to be out of harm's way thanks to a small wheeled vehicle that was left in the facility's storage yard where Drayvn had finished off Maxx. There Krystal found herself in tears, she'd come to think of Drayvn as a close friend, the only comfort that she could find was the large fox who held her in an attempt to comfort her loss. She was certain that Drayvn would have been happy to see her in a position where she could once again be happy. Krystal had no idea now long she'd been standing there watching the burning facility sink to the ground before they all decided to leave. Everything was the way Drayvn had meant for it to be; Black Star was gone, everyone that had something to do with Emilia's death was dead, and she was certain that somewhere he was reunited with his family…

Three Months Later……

Corneria City……

McCloud Residence……

A small house in the country was the place that Krystal came to soon call home; she was happy to finally be with Fox again, who had cleared things up with Slippy and Falco as well as the government itself. His old team was quick to forgive and forget, even Falco who had since taken up the Star Fox captain seat; teaming up with Katt Monroe and a small team of others. As the days became months, Krystal kept her eyes and ears on the news hoping for some word about the destroyed base or something about Black Star but, nothing ever came. More and more days sped by, and the blue furred vixen found herself becoming incredibly attached to the young vixen named Lilly that Fox had adopted so long ago. Her life once again had meaning; she felt loved, and of all her time as Kursed she realized that love was the one thing that she was actually missing. It was a warm morning when the little vixen made her way to Krystal, who had been sitting down to breakfast with Fox. She tapped Krystal gently holding up a package that seemed larger than the young vulpine, which Krystal took with a smile before kissing Lilly's forehead…

"Thank you Lilly." Krystal said pushing away her drink and laying the box in front of her.

Fox stepped up behind her laying his paws on her shoulders, "Who's it from?"

"I…I dunno…" Krystal replied, "Lilly where did you get this?"

The young vixen pointed to the front of the small house, "It was on the steps."

The blue vixen opened the long box only to find it's contents wrapped in a thin paper, and on top lay a black chess king, tied to it's base was a small note labeled "Check Mate: I guess you finally won". She smiled with a light chuckled as a tear rolled from her eye. She slowly pulled the packing paper away to see a familiar looking old sword, and a book titled 'No More Sorrow' along with a pair of old rushed shackles. Stricken, Krystal quickly rushed out to the opened window in the living room. Far off on the hill in the distance, a tall figure stood, a long coat waving in the blowing wind…

Before she could realize it, the figure was gone; whether it was an apparition of a lost friend, or Drayvn's own way of telling her that he was alright, she didn't know, but, somewhere deep down she was certain he was alive and well somewhere…

"I think he's just fine." The blue vixen said looking to Fox.

"What makes you say that?" He asked, "That explosion was pretty huge. I don't see anyone walking away from something like that."

Krystal chuckled, "I think I heard it best when someone told me; I make it my business to know these things."

-In the end there is No More Sorrow. Times change, people change, and in the end nothing is the same. We are who we are in the end, we cannot be anything else. Live life for what it is, and love yourself for who you are.-

Song dedicated to this fic…

Cry for you – Ashe