FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 9

*At the end of Chapter 7*

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" One-Eye shouted as he swung his massive sword in a long arc in front of himself, smashing aside the horde of Rotted in front of him, and dashing through the opening just before the mob behind him could get their fingers in his skin.

"Damn it!" The Foxen cursed as he narrowly dodged the sharp fingers of a zombie reaching for him, as he made it to the exit of the clearing. More and more of the dead tree people emerged from the bushes around him, as he barely was fast enough to out run their advances. He ran and ran and ran, all the way back the way he and Liki had come to begin with, until he was close enough to the entrance he could finally hear his other companions.

"One-Eye! Liki!" Blackpaw's voice shouted over the sounds of the forest rumbling. The fox grimaced at the sound of the young wolf's voice, the sound of clashing metal and fighting soon reaching his ears as he ran through the maze. What would Blackpaw do with Liki gone?

He rounded the last corner, the Fangren Shadow in training, Knight Foxen Nick, and Feline Rogue Reyals packed tightly together as they fought off the endless waves of Rotted just barely. One-Eye lifted his sword as he jumped, slamming it down against the ground as he landed, a black shockwave exploding forth from his strike and slicing through the ground. It carved around the trio in the middle of the clearing, cutting in half a good portion of the Rotted surrounding them.

He joined the group as they cut down the last ones his attack had has missed, "We need to get out of here!"

"Where's Liki?" Blackpaw questioned, but didn't argue as the Foxen pulled him towards the exit, "I can't feel him through the Shadows!"

"Liki's gone!" One-Eye shouted back at him through the noise of the forest, "I'll explain everything once we get the hell out of here!"

He slashed through one more Rotted that was standing in his way, before they made it out into the forest, and ran as fast as they could away from the Rotted Maze.

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"What did you mean he's gone?" Blackpaw panted heavily with the others, as they finally stopped their wild escape at the now dead and infested alcove that once served as the base for Nick's platoon. They hid inside a building that rested on metal, which prevented the Rot from reaching and affecting the small wooden shack.

One-Eye sat down on a chair, his sword vanishing in a flash of black smoke, and put his paws over his head as he sighed. "Salvis took him...teleported away with him..."

"To where...?" Blackpaw questioned again, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the Foxen. Nick sat on the ground tiredly, his armor clanking, as Reyals took a small space in the doorframe of the room, watching the outside world in case the Rotted showed up.

One-Eye sighed again as he looked up and shook his head, "To the place where I...where he and I were born..."

"You and Liki?"

"No." He chuckled, "If only it weren't that serious..."

"What happened in there?" Nick said lightly, and One-Eye tried to begin.

"Apparently...it's true that I'm not just my own person...I really am made from two different Beasts. I'm a clone...and so is Salvis. Salvis is my twin..."

One-Eye shuffled, looking down at the floor. He was still trying to absorb it all himself. "Not long after we were created and born, Salvis got the idea that he needed power to become his own person in this world, but he didn't want to work for it. So, he tried making deals with Gaia...but we all know Gaia doesn't work like that, right Blackpaw? She works by giving you challenges to overcome, to become stronger overtime." He held one paw over the furred over eye socket he had, his mind wondering to what could be happening to Liki right now...

"He didn't want to work for his power, he just wanted it handed to him. And so, someone else came to him with an offer of power. Ragnora."

"What...?" Blackpaw's muzzle fell open a little bit, "Ragnora should have no power in this world. Without Beasts who worship them, the gods can't have any power-"

"Just because you don't hear the chanting, doesn't mean there aren't Beasts out there who do it." Reyals spoke from where she was sitting, head turned away from them, until she closed her eyes and continued, "Sometimes...when it doesn't seem like Gaia will answer...a desperate one would pray to him..."

"Have you...?" Nick asked lightly again, afraid of the answer.

Reyals scoffed, not answering, opening her eyes again and looking outside.

Blackpaw shook his head, "All right, so he got power from Gaia's enemy, for what?"

"The contract was that Salvis carry out Ragnora's will to destroy the Earth. Alone, Ragnora's power is not that great, sure. But, Salvis has learned also how to use human technology, like the machine that created him and me." One-Eye continued on, "He wears a suit that increases his abilities to overwhelming strength when it comes to facing him alone."

"Then we have to work together." Blackpaw determined, "Do you know where he took Liki?"

"I do...I...barely remember..." The fox rubbed his head, "The memories...are very slowly being freed. But I know, it's in the desert south of us, the Dust Shores, they're called."

"The Ves'Tan Desert, is the proper name." Nick said, "Dust Shores is the common term."

"Why did he take Liki anyway?" Reyals asked herself now, still staring out the doorway. "Why didn't he just kill us all off?"

"It's the Shadows." One-Eye answered, and now Blackpaw's ears twitched a few times. "The one thing that managed to hurt him, was Liki's Shadows. The one thing he couldn't penetrate with his magic or physical strength, was Liki's Shadows."

"The Shadows are a blessing from Gaia..." Blackpaw mumbled, "It counteracts Ragnora's, negates it. When it comes to a one on one fight, the only thing Salvis has over Liki, or me, or anyone who can use Shadows, is that suit."

One-Eye nodded again, "That's why I fear...what my brother might have planned for Liki...he can't kill him with violence."

"Liki can survive for a month without food or water." Blackpaw stated proudly, but the orange furred Foxen shook his head as he held his paws together in thought.

"That's not what I'm worried about...there are other ways to kill someone..."

______________________________

*After the end of chapter 8*

"Wake up..."

...

"Wake up..."

...huh? What...

"Come on, wake up."

Liki blinked his eyes open slowly, exhaustion and fatigue still clung to him. His vision was blurry, and he continued to blink until he realized that it wasn't his vision that was blurry, it was the world around him. It shimmered and flickered with odd light. He was still inside the same room he has just passed out in, right after Salvis had...ripped out his soul?

"There we go..." Liki jumped and started at the sound of the voice again, looking to his left.

He jumped again, standing there, leering over him, was a cloaked figure, a scythe in one hand. His voice was dark, but oddly calming. No part of his body except the paw holding the scepter was visible, the fur bloody red on it.

"D-death..."

"Aye that would be what you'd call me..." The roped figure responded, "It's about time you woke up, been waiting here for a few hours."

Liki slowly rose up, expecting that he'd leave his body in the from of a ghost or something, but he didn't. He was physical it seemed, though still completely naked, but thankfully no longer being tortured. His body seemed back to normal health at the moment.

"Am I...?" He started, looking up at Death from one knee.

"Dead?" Death finished, leaning down, to place the dark hood in front of Liki's face, who balked a bit and leaned away. Death chuckled, standing back up and he slowly walked away from the wolf, moving towards the doorway to the room. "No...not quite...you've had your soul stolen. Your body is still a viable vessel, at least for now."

"What do you mean?" Liki asked slowly, highly confused and lost.

"It means...you have maybe two days for someone to get your soul back to your body before it dies. If it weren't for the Shadows sustaining it still, it would have really died by now."

"My soul!" Liki realized, barking at the figure. He got up to his feet quickly, running after Death who stopped at the closed doorway to the room. "How can I get it back!?"

"You cannot. Not in this realm." Death answered him, "This is the land of the dead. This is the land where your mind goes when your soul leaves your body."

"But...I lost my soul?" Liki thought, still confused, "I thought...the soul is what goes to the afterlife?"

Death laughed heartily, surprising the wolf further still as he drew back the dark hood. "Yes well..." Death chuckled as he revealed himself to the Fangren, a red furred Feline with golden yellow eyes and a lithe figure. The robe hung heavily, making his body look much bigger inside it than it probably actually was.

"That is a misunderstanding you mortals took for granted a long time ago. Yes, your soul is precious, but what your soul does is anchor your mind and body together."

Death brought up his paws together then, still holding the scythe. "When you lose your soul, your body stays in the mortal plane." He broke his paws apart, leaving one where it was, while he moved the other away, "Your mind goes to here, to the spirit plane. Typically, this happens when you die of old age, or extreme physical injury or other bodily harm. Your soul is powered by your body, if your body should fail, your soul fails, and thereby leads to death, and your body and mind drift apart."

"However, what has happened to you is a special case. Your soul has been ripped from your still living and functioning body. Should your soul be returned to your body before it dies out." Death brought his paws back together quickly, "Your mind will be, for lack of better word, sucked back to your body, and you will be alive again."

Liki took this in with hope. "Where is my body and soul right now?"

"Your soul is still in the hands of Ragnora's Agent, Salvis." Death informed him, "Your body is being guarded and protected by his twin, Loran."

"Loran? You mean One-Eye?" Liki asked.

"Loran is the name he was given at birth...well, as birth as a clone could be..." Death shrugged, "Anyways, the two of them are in a brawl together now, their fates entangled with yours and the world's." The Feline turned toward the door then.

"Who's going to win?" Liki asked quickly, staring at him. As Death stopped still and remained silent, Liki pressed, "You have to know this, can't you see the future or something? You can tell when we are going to die can't you?"

Death chuckled once more, "Heh, another assumption you mortals put on us...I can't tell you who is going to win...as I do not know myself. I cannot see the future, I cannot tell when people are going to die...I only help those who Gaia tells me needs it..."

Liki folded his ears back, and Death waved his paw at the wolf. "Come...Liki of the Shadows...wither you are to stay in this plane or not...it's best not to stay here in this dank room wouldn't you agree?"

Liki stood a moment, as Death opened the doorway, which seemed to become some kind of portal to a brighter, more colorful world.

As the wolf stood still, Death smiled, "There are...some Beasts...who miss you, ya know."

Liki's ears perked, and he forgot about One-eye and Salvis and everything as he realized now with a sudden rush of emotion. He could find his parents! He could find Uni! He could find Uriay! He could find Pyrefox and Cammy! Everyone he ever missed...was here in this...plane...

His excitement ebbed, as he realized instead. He was dead...basically, and his thoughts returned to the dire situation on Earth. He stared at the floor at an angle, and eventually, Death came up and placed a paw on Liki's shoulder. The wolf expected the paw to be cold and lifeless, but it was warm...and inviting.

"I see now why Gaia had me come to help you..." He said, "You are very worried about the future of Earth. Your care and devotion prove you are worthy of being one of her champions, but there really is nothing you can do for it right now. Please, follow me."

Liki stared into Death's golden eyes for a moment, before he nodded and allowed himself to be taken forth into the land of the dead.

_________________________________

*Back to One-Eye, 7 days before Liki's death.*

One-Eye thought to himself as he rode in the back of a wooden wagon through the forest. The group had intercepted a pair of Actavians that were escaping the dying HeartWood by going south instead of west with the rest of the Borians.

The wagon moved on metal wheels, which prevented the Rot on the ground from destroying the little vehicle. Two wild horses pulled the wagon through the woods along the pathway that would eventually lead to Dust Shore, barely controlled by the calming words of their owner as they clopped through the decaying woods. One-Eye, Reyals, and Nick were riding in the back, while Blackpaw rode with the two Actavians up front, negotiating how they could repay the ride.

"Where do I go now..." One-Eye whispered to himself silently, the sounds of the forest covering it from the other two Beasts riding close by him. He put his paw over his one eyeball as he sighed.

"Salvis...Why, were are my brother...but then...why? Why didn't I turn out like you? What was it about me that was different from you that I didn't try to turn down the same path?"

He recalled what Salvis had said, hearing his voice in his head.

"You were always so happy to help me during my little crusade, but I knew you, cause I'm you. If ever the chance came, I knew you would try to kill me and take my place as Ragnora's agent. So, I used my magic to brainwash and control you."

"If that's the case, why aren't I evil still like you...? If I am you...wouldn't I end up trying to join you anyway? What makes you and me different now?"

He then remembered the next thing his brother had said.

"Now, this blasted rogue...or Shadow...blessed by Gaia...used his magic to counter my own, and you're now your own person again."

That still didn't make since though. He was his own person again sure, no longer brainwashed, but he was still Salvis' exact twin. By that logic, they would both be inherently evil...why was he going against his brother now?

Was it when they-

One-Eye grimaced, his thoughts causing his sheath to swell as he thought of it, the time he had spent with Liki in that shack in the woods. When they...shared their souls with each other.

One-Eye knew about how souls worked, oh yes, he knew that from when he had been under his brother's control. Sometimes, when physical injury was either not possible, or attention was not wanted to be gathered, the only way to kill someone was to rip out their soul from their body.

He'd done it himself plenty of times, had sex with a Beast, fished out that little sliver of a soul from their resulting fluids, and used it to kill them. Even with a female Beast, it was the same way, a female orgasm gave the same result, fluids with a sliver of their soul somewhere in it.

Salvis couldn't kill Liki by physical or magical harm, so killing him by taking his soul was the only way left to go.

One-Eye hadn't told Blackpaw this yet, but he was sure that right now, somewhere in that desert, Liki was being sexually tortured at the hands of his brother, and fuck...how the thought of it turned him on disgusted him.

He growled softly, ignoring the pressing erection in his pants as he thought instead on where he should go first in Dust Shores.

"There's three hidden facilities in that desert...I only know that...and I can't remember where they are..."

_________________

One-Eye jumped off from the carriage, the sand covered path puffing up a few clouds of dirt as he landed. He surveyed the area around him then, nothing but desert as far as he could see, except for the mountains far to the north which separated Heart Wood from Dust Shore.

Just off the path was a small oasis, the same one which years before, One-Eye and Salvis frequently used and visited when they first emerged from the underground. Now, a small group of Lizardians had built a small town around the water. Small wooden shacks and large umbrellas stuck in the ground around the area that acted as shade from the harsh sun of the environment.

As One-Eye walked toward the oasis, leaving the others to gather their supplies, one of the residents of the town saw him and waved.

"Hey! Loran!" A lizard wearing a plain white shirt and pants shouted out.

One-Eye didn't react, only continuing to walk, until the Lizardian repeated himself.

"Loran! Hey, over here!"

The fox looked around a bit, wondering, until he looked at the Beast and said, "Sorry, are you meaning me?"

"Yeah you!" The lizard chuckled and grinned, starting to walk toward him. "It's been forever since you've been here! Like, nearly twelve years! Where've you been?"

"I've...been around..." He started slowly, blinking his eyeball as he shook his head a bit, "I'm sorry though, I think you're mistaking me for another Foxen...my name isn't Loran..."

"Well can you tell me some other Foxen with one eye then?"

One-Eye felt his heart skip a small beat as he said, "Salvis..."

"Oh well yeah I suppose your brother works." The lizard grumbled lightly and folded his arms across his chest.

One-Eye grabbed the Lizardian's shirt then, "H-hey what's-"

"How do you know him?" One-Eye asked hurriedly.

The lizard blinked at him, "What are you talking about bud? You and your brother used to come here all the time when you needed water."

One-Eye was thinking rapidly at this point. His name wasn't his either? What had his brother done to him all those years ago?

"Where did we go? I mean, where did we live..." The Fox asked, slowly releasing the lizard.

"You two lived to the south, always tried to make sure no one was following you too for some reason. You both seemed nice enough but rather...distant..." The lizard said, but One-Eye turned away and began to quickly walk.

One-Eye returned to Blackpaw and the others then, a focused look in his eyes, he stopped the Fangren from the unpacking he was doing.

"I'll be right back, I need a moment to look at something nearby."

The wolf looked at him questionally, and One-Eye continued, "Relax, I'm not going anywhere far...I'll be right back...I promise."

Blackpaw still kept his questioning look, but he eventually nodded, "All right then."

One-Eye took a few good rations, stuffing the bread and water pouches into his backpack before he turned towards the shifting sands of the desert, took a deep breath, and tried to let his memories and feet lead the way to his place of birth.

___________________

One-Eye wondered the desert almost aimlessly, using only the placement of the sun as a guide to his direction, eyes scanning the sand dunes for any sign of where the hidden facility he and his brother Salvis once called home. He paused once to eat, drinking some of his water, before continuing on.

It was a good thing that the region was not very humid, he thought to himself as he was checking how much water he had left. The weather was calm and nice, the desert itself only a result of backlash from the time the Earth was dying.

"Where the hell..." he growled now as he scanned the sands once more, "Can it be...? Did I pass it already?"

Something in One-Eye's mind told him he was very close, but he could only rack his brain as he tried to think about it all.

"Show me something..." He called out loud, "Anything...give me a hint..." In his thoughts, he prayed to the one god he had never prayed to before, "Gaia...please...help me."

At his last word, a single leaf fluttered through the air in front of him, spinning around in circles. His eyes locked onto it, and he began to follow the leaf as it flew through the air on the slightest breeze. A few times, it sped up on him, and he had to slightly jog to keep up with it. He believed he looked rather foolish, running through the desert with the sun halfway setting, chasing after a single green leaf flying on the air.

A gust of wind pushed the leaf up high in the air, and the Fox ran to keep up, panting as he forced his way to scale a dune of sand. The leaf vanished once he managed to scale it, and he held his paws on his knees as he bent over to catch his breath.

When he looked back up, a very unexpected sight was before him. Here, on the inside of this large, encased area, was what he was looking for. A high dune surrounded a metal dome at every angle, concealing it from prying eyes.

One-Eye only stared, again, his feet and memories leading him as he slowly tried to slide down the dune, and came close to the metal dome.

He placed his paw on the metal frame, the smooth and glossy surface flowing under his pads as he walked around the dome slowly. He came to an obvious door frame, a single keypad with a scanner placed on it. He stared at the scanner, then looked at his paw.

"I wonder..." He reached down with his right paw then, placing it square on the scanner. Quickly, the scanner awoke, and a small line of light slid down from the top of the glass and down his paw to the bottom. He kept his paw against it, as he listened intently to all the sounds of the insides of the door beeping, calculating, until finally with a hiss of air, the door to the inside of the dome slid open.

The fox carefully stepped inside, peering into the darkness lit only by the light of the outside world, his shadow stretching over the metal floor inside, as sand started to flitter in on the wind. In front of him was another hand scanner, but this time, connected it seemed to a trapdoor on the floor, also locked tight from the outside world.

He approached this one readily and placed his hand on the scanner once more, the line of light crossing his pad and making noise again before it finished and with another loud hiss of air, the second lock moved open for him and exposed the inner parts of the facility to him. Down the stairway, a single light, powered by long old sources of energy, flickered on, making a slight hum in the air as he began to descend. The door of the dome closed as he walked down, but he paid it no mind, assured that there was a way to open it from the inside as well.

The metal hallway stretched down at an angle for what seemed like ages to One-Eye, but was only really about one minute. He felt surreal, like he was dreaming. In his head, images and memories flashed briefly at him, and he saw himself and his brother in the hallway a few times, before he would blink and the phantom would vanish.

Going deeper, he began to pass multiple rooms. Doors sealed tight to empty, metal encased rooms. A few contained medical beds, surrounded by ancient and long inoperable machines, lost to time and the destruction of Man.

It wasn't until One-Eye came across one room whose door was already open did he stop, and peered inside. Instantly he was beset with a surge of shock, as what he saw was nothing that he expected.

A row of six glass tubes lined the wall of the room, two of which were open, the glass shattered over the floor. The last four still held their strange, green glowing liquids with a small round mass of something floating inside each one.

It wasn't quite enough to confirm himself, but as he looked closer, his boots stepping through the broken glass, he came to the tubes and noticed each mass wasn't just perfectly rounded. The masses had small arms and legs, and a discernable face etched into their growing heads. They were undeveloped babies, frozen in time, to never be fully born until the tubes were given the instruction to do so.

"Could they really...do something like this...?" One-Eye whispered to himself, aghast. At the side of each tube was a monitor, each constantly making very light beeping noises, as it measured the heartbeat of the fetuses inside them.

"Unborn lives...caught in limbo...doomed to stay that way..." One-Eye jumped in realization as he turned his attention to the two broken tubes.

He found the panels of the two tubes, each showing green lettering. He read one to himself as he held the panel in his paw.

"Beast Clone 3. Development: Accelerated Growth, Full Growth achieved after 3 months. Sex: Male. Species: Foxen. 0001 Unexpected exception occurred during DNA extraction, instruction not given, proceeding with normal operating parameters. Foxen DNA merged with unknown contributor. Result stable and introduced to Growth Tank.

0004 Fetus growth normalized for male Foxen, Sample DNA confirmed. Growth rate accelerated, consult database for more details. Unexpected growth result detected but not fatal, see database for details 0016 Sample grown to toddler size, beginning basic audio teachings and information installation. 0031 Sample has grown to size of small child, completed basic audio teachings and basic information installation, further instruction needed for advanced teachings. 0032 Instruction for advanced teachings timed out, proceeding with normal accelerated growth parameters.

0047 Sample has reached young adult size, sexual and male body enhancement enzymes introduced to Growth Tank to stimulate and accelerate puberty. 0072 Sample has reached full adult size, further age growth may reduce physical ability. Accelerated Growth protocol ended. Male enhancement enzyme levels reduced but continued for higher muscle growth. Consult Database for details. 0088 Sample deemed ready for release from Growth Tank, awaiting instructions. 0089 Birth Name not entered by facility, consult database for info. 0091 Error in Growth Tank. Sample released without authorization. Alert sent to Security."

Looking at the other tube, its panel said mostly the same thing, except Beast Clone 3 was now Beast Clone 4, but what really caught his attention now was at the end.

"Beast Clone 4. Development: Accelerated Growth, Full Growth achieved after 3 months. Sex: Male. Species: Foxen. 0001 Unexpected exception occurred during DNA extraction, instruction not given, proceeding with normal operating parameters. Foxen DNA merged with unknown contributor. Result stable and introduced to Growth Tank.

004 Fetus growth normalized for male Foxen, Sample DNA confirmed. Growth rate accelerated, consult database for more details. Unexpected growth result detected but not fatal, see database for details. 0016 Sample grown to toddler size, beginning basic audio teachings and information installation. 0031 Sample has grown to size of small child, completed basic audio teachings and basic information installation, further instruction needed for advanced teachings. 0032 Instruction for advanced teachings timed out, proceeding with normal accelerated growth parameters.

0047 Sample has reached young adult size, sexual and male body enhancement enzymes introduced to Growth Tank to stimulate and accelerate puberty. 0072 Sample has reached full adult size, further age growth may reduce physical ability. Accelerated Growth protocol ended. Male enhancement enzyme levels reduced but continued for higher muscle growth. Consult Database for details. 0088 Sample deemed ready for release from Growth Tank, awaiting instructions. 0089 Birth Name not entered by facility, consult database for info. 0092 Sample released by authorization of Dr Henrich."

"Dr Henrich?" One-Eye repeated as he read the last part, and he looked back to the other panel again, seeing its error message, until he noticed finally the key difference.

The first panel said 0091 on its last message, the second said 0092. If he followed the most obvious meaning, the numbers were a measurement of days. Beast one was released a day before Beast two. Did the first release the second with a fake authorization it found in the facility?

Another part of the messages bugged him, where was the database?

A deeper search of the room showed nothing, there was just the glass on the floor, and a single security camera up in the corner of the room facing the tanks from the door. He left the room, a slight shiver crawling up his spine for some reason, and he continued deeper into the facility.

___________________

Moving deeper into the facility, One-Eye finally found a terminal that was operable, and began to consult it for information. It was voice activated, amazingly, and he quickly pressed his questions at it.

"Where is the Database?"

The computer quickly showed him a message on its screen, "Database location is classified information, please provide your name."

"One-Eye." He answered quickly, assuming that the computer would unlock for him like the doors had, however, after a few moments, the screen responded with: "Identification unknown, access to Database location denied." With that, the screen blinked a bit as another line was typed, prompting him to speak like he was a new user.

"All right..." The Fox grimaced, "Show me the data on Beast Clone 3."

The screen flashed a warning, "Some data is classified and will not show, proceed anyway? Speak your name if you have proper security clearance."

"Proceed." He answered, knowing his name wouldn't get him anywhere now.

The screen blinked as it flowed down the data from the Growth Tank of Beast Clone 3, and as One-Eye read it he growled loudly. It was the exact same as it said on the damn panel in the room. It even said to see the database for details where it had.

"Where is the location of the Database?" One-Eye asked again, mostly to himself in annoyance, and he growled as the computer responded to his voice, showing the same message it had the first time, erasing all the data from the Growth Tank.

"Database location is classified information, please provide your name."

One-Eye only continued to growl, his paws clenching up into tight fists, his tail lashing about behind him in his irritation. Slowly, he calmed himself, and tried to think clearly. Taking deep breaths, he closed his eyes and let them out through his noise, sighing softly.

Suddenly a thought came to his mind, and he opened his eyes and looked up to the computer, his voice now softer, "Salvis."

The computer blinked a few times, the icon on it twitching about before it typed again.

"Recognized. Dr Salvis Henrich, Full Clearance. Welcome. Please state command."

"So that's where Salvis got his name...some random doctor here...it recognizes me as him because we have the same voice...The doors probably only opened because my paw is the same as his too..." Curiosity got the better of him now, and he questioned the computer more loudly.

"Show me the security footage from the Beast Clone Room."

The screen flickered as it turned into a picture footage, showing the room he had been in some time ago, the glass still on the floor and floating fetuses in their tanks still.

"Rewind to the time when Beast Clone 3 broke free."

The screen flickered again, the glass on the floor was gone, the two tanks were repaired, and with two full grown Foxen floating idly in the green glowing fluid. The one on the left suddenly moved, arms and legs kicking in the fluid until the Beast seemed to gain enough clarity and started to flail about, suddenly needing to breath but not able to in the fluid. His legs and arms bashed against the glass again and again, a minute passing until finally, he broke through, the glass shattering and he fell to the ground with it all. The video didn't have sound, which was slightly disappointing to One-Eye, but at least there was color.

The Beast laid there, his body heaving as he was apparently coughing violently, and a few small streams of blood flowed around his body, cut from the glass. Eventually, he managed to pick himself up off the floor, tittering on his feet as he tried to stand for the first time, and as he swayed, One-Eye caught a look at his face, still wet and the fur matted.

"Salvis..." He said, staring at the face of his twin, but then, doubt came to him and he realized, "Or...could it have been me?" The image from the distance the camera was at was too blurry to tell which eye the Beast had, the left or the right?

Which one of the two Beasts was he? He had to know.

"Computer, show me the data on Clone Beast 3, classified data only."

The computer screen ended the video feed just as the fox was looking at his twin trapped in the glass, and showed the classified details One-Eye could not see before about the clone's growth.

"0004: Growth Rate set to the normalized setting of 1 Day in Growth Tank = 60 Days Growth. Unexpected Growth Defect: Left eyeball remains at same size since DNA introduction, unresponsive to stimulus, setting Growth Tank settings to grow fur over left eye socket. Non Fatal Defect, but may reduce combat performance, recommend synthetic eye once released."

One-Eye slumped a bit, stopping his reading there and putting his paw over the furred over part of his head, where he was missing his right eye. "So...Salvis was Beast Clone 3..." He sighed and shook his head, looking at the monitor again. He read the last of the messages before he continued, "Computer, show me the Classified Data for Clone Beast 4."

The screen flashed, showing much the same screen as before, but with a few keywords changed that he expected.

"0004: Growth Rate set to the normalized setting of 1 Day in Growth Tank = 60 Days Growth. Unexpected Growth Defect: Right eyeball remains at same size since DNA introduction, unresponsive to stimulus, setting Growth Tank settings to grow fur over right eye socket. Non Fatal Defect, but may reduce combat performance, recommend synthetic eye once released.

0031: No authorization given for advanced teachings.

0072: Muscle mass at two times the scale for normal adult male Foxen. Sexual potential at maximum, reproduction possible.

0088: Awaiting instructions for Sample distribution.

0089: Birth Name not entered by administration, awaiting input.

0091: Sample released by authorization of Dr. Henrich, Birth Name also entered, see Distripution database for info."

One-Eye stared at the last line once more, "Birth name...?" He recalled the Lizardian back the Oasis, who had called him Loran. Quickly, the fox asked his next question loud enough for the computer to hear.

"Computer, where is the Database?"

The computer beeped a few times this time before it answered, "The Database is located in the Administration Complex, two levels below."

One-Eye immediately left the computer, making for the stairs to the lower levels.

___________________

The fox practically barreled his way down the stairs, making a large amount of noise as he did, running down past the floor as he moved down the stairs still, not noticing that the door was wide open, or the mess on the floor inside it.

The final floor was clean, and as he dashed down the stairs and landed on the metal floor, he made for the nearest terminal he could find and leaned over it, his paws roving over the buttons quickly.

He just found what he believed was the on button for the terminal when he was suddenly tackled from the side.

"What the-!" He shouted as he hit the floor, paws grabbing hold of his sudden assailant.

"Who are you?!" The other Beast yelled at him in a deep male voice, pinning him down as the Fox struggled for a hold.

"Back off!" One-Eye yelled back, managing to finally grasp the tail of his attacker, which was long, soft, and rather soft furred.

An Aquari! One-Eye realized as he used his strength to pull on the tail, the other Beast yelping in surprise as he did, and he threw the otter through the air.

One-Eye stood up quickly then, as he watched the Aquari fly at the wall. He stared in surprise as the otter spun in the air dexterously, landing with his legs and gently pushing off the wall to land without harm back onto the floor, crouching slightly.

The Otter looked up, seeing One-Eye, and then yelled loudly.

"YOU! IT'S YOU!! I KNEW IT!"

"What are you-?" The fox started, but the Aquari yelled and interrupted him again.

"Shut up!" He shouted while standing up, he was completely nude, apparently used to living alone here in the lab. One-Eye saw a trickle of blood drip from the Aquari's mouth, his lips pierced up tightly, and then he saw the Otter's eyes grow wide, his tongue licking his lips.

Fuck he's a Beserker! One-Eye flicked his paw, his large twohanded blade appearing in his paws as the Otter started charging at him, flinging decks and equipment haphazardly as he ran at an insane speed, his abilities multiplied by his blood lust.

"Jaklya! I will avenge us today! My life as Skip of the Anubians will soon be over!"