A Fox in the Works
                    Singularity Collapse

                             By

                         Fox Cutter

    Chapter Fourteen

02/02/2000:

Samantha sat on the short grass, her legs crossed as her
hands rested against the stone pillar that dominated the
Grove. The sunlight was warm on her back, and almost
distracting as she worked. Her new tail, cut from a piece of
old cloth, swayed gently against the ground in rhythm with
her thoughts.

She had a look of concentration on her face as she focused
on the remains of the spells that covered the pillar, trying
to pick them apart so she could open the portal. It was slow
going, the spells were way beyond her skill level and
structured differently than she was used to. It was going to
take time for her to pull apart the pieces, time that Fox
probably didn't have.

Ravindar was keeping watching from the edge of the Grove,
his back against a large tree and his arms folded in a
relaxed pose. Every few seconds he scanned the trail and the
walls of the Grove, looking intently at the tightly woven
trees. At a casual glance they seemed impenetrable, but he
knew that he could find a way through them and if he could
so could others.

"I can't stand this," Aster said as he approached the
bodyguard. The young man looked tired and a bit frustrated
as he came to a stop in front of the disguised tiger.

"It has to be done," Ravindar replied. "Unless you know of a
mage who might be able to do it for us?" he asked with a
slight smirk.

The human let out a long sigh and shook his head. "I don't
know anything about magic. I don't really know much at all.
I'm just a farmer, and I'm not that good at it," he
admitted.

Ravindar shrugged, "You helped Fox; that amounts to quite a
lot in my opinion," he told the young man.

"You may be surprised at the kind of help I gave her," he
replied, his shoulders slumping as he walked to where the
horses were tethered. "I didn't treat her very well,
something I now regret."

The tiger nodded as he glanced back down the trail,
satisfied that no one had approached them in the last
minute. "I believe that you are trying to make up for what
errors you may have made. Remember that if you had not found
us we wouldn't be here right now. In fact we would probably
believe that Fox was dead. News that I do not wish to take
to his wife."

"If you two don't shut up he very well could be," Samantha
snapped as she turned around to glare at the two men. "Now
please, if you could just try to keep quite. This is harder
than it looks!"

Ravindar nodded and took a few steps back down the trail.
"Yes ma'am," he told her as she turned back around. The
smile lasted all of a minute as he turned his attention back
to the trail. "Someone is coming," he said, his paw dropping
to where his gun was hidden under his shirt.

"Hell," Samantha said as she pulled herself to her feet. "We
don't exactly have a place to hide," she said as she looked
at the tightly woven walls of wood around them.

"This place isn't forbidden, but it is discouraged," Aster
said as he moved to her side. "You may want to step away
from the pillar, at least for the moment," he suggested.

The young women nodded and walked towards the horses, moving
stiffly as the circulation returned to her legs. "Whoever
they are, I hope they don't stay long. We are swiftly
running out of time."

Ravindar moved into the center of the trail as a single
horse and it's rider came around a bend in the trees and
fully into view. He was alone, riding his large horse down
the trail as he read a book that he held in his hands. Heavy
bags hung from the saddlebow, and two more hung over the
horse's back. They swayed with every step the animal took on
the hard packed ground.

The rider brought his horse up short when he saw that the
trail was blocked. He and the bodyguard looked at each other
for a few seconds before mutual recognition set in.
"Rodrick," Ravindar said.

"Ravindar," the older man replied, almost sounding relieved
at the encounter. "I am pleased to see that you are alive,"
he said as he started his horse forward again.

"Why would I be in any other state," the tiger replied as
the man moved closer.

He shrugged his shoulders, and smiled to the disguised
tiger. "Nothing to concern yourself with," he said as he
brought his horse to a stop.

"Then what are you doing here?" Ravindar asked, still
blocking the way.

The older man laughed and swung down from his horse, landing
with practiced skill on the ground. "For the same reason I
suspect you are here... to bring Fox back from the Holy
Land," he said.

Hearing this Samantha come up behind Ravindar, looking a bit
excited. "You know the spells to open the gate?" she asked

A frown passed over the Mage's face, followed by a smile
that was echoed in his eyes. "I'm sorry to say that I do
not, but I am pleased to see you; it means that you won't be
killed."

"But you can help?" she asked.

He nodded.

"You might as well let him into the Grove," she told
Ravindar.

The tiger nodded and took a few steps to the side, allowing
the man to lead his horse into the Grove. He and Samantha
followed after him, the bodyguard watching him closely.

Aster frowned as the older man approached the other horses,
his eyes narrowing further as he recognized the face.
"You're the one who took Rhea," he accused.

Rodrick paused for a moment, and then nodded his head. "Yes,
I took her, but I did not understand what she was at the
time. I thought she, and Fox, were both homunculi. I know my
error now, and my crime, in allowing what happened to Fox.
I'm here to try and save her," he said.

The younger man frowned, but did not impede him as he tied
his horse with the others.

"Do you really think you can open the gateway?" Samantha
asked as she walked over to the Mage.

"I've been here every day for the last week trying to
recreate the spells. It's been going slow but I've
discovered an insight I hadn't realized that I had made.
With it I believe I know the proper spell, and with your
help I think I can open them faster," he said and removed a
large golden scepter from his saddle bags.

Aster gasped softly and started to reach out for the scepter
before pulling his hands back. "That's the Second Relic," he
said with a touch of awe.

"Yes it is," the Mage replied as he walked towards the
center of the Glade. "I was able to claim it when Alexander
took control of the Relics. Without it I doubt I would have
been able to reconstruct the spells."

Samantha hurried after him, meeting him at the stone pillar.
"What exactly does it do?" she asked.

"It focuses magic," the mage replied as he pushed the
scepter in to the soft ground in front of the pillar. The
gems that encrusted the top of the scepter seemed to glow in
the noonday sun, casting tiny motes of light around the
Glade.

She nodded, reaching out to touch the head of the scepter,
jumping back as a spark of magic danced over her skin,
giving her a small shock. "So, what do we need to do?" she
asked as she shook her hand.

"Quite a lot, the spell is complicated, and your help would
be a great boon. Listen closely; this is what I want you to
do," he said, then started to outline the details of their
task.

* * *

I sat on the sandy beach, my knees pulled up to my chin and
my tail tucked around my legs. I watched the stars as they
hung over the ocean. Lady Sally lay on the beach next to me,
half asleep and ill. At least her fever had broken so that
was something.

A day and a half had passed since I had sold my soul to the
Neverending, and still there was no sign of rescue. I wasn't
sure how long I was willing to wait on the beach before I
returned to the stone slab, and my letter for Oria, but it
wasn't going to be much longer.

At least I knew they had been doing something. When I
returned to the beach the after I meet with Rebecca I had
found Sally laying in the sand. A few drops of blood had
been on the woman's arm from a wound that looked like it had
come from an hypodermic needle. It explained why she was
starting to recover some of her health.

Of course they hadn't left anything as useful as food.

Letting out a sigh I stood up and started to pace on the
sand, walking through the shallow tide as it swept over my
feet.

"No one is coming," Sally said as she propped herself up by
one arm to watch me. "No matter how badly you want them to,
that portal will not open, not until well after we are
dead."

I chuckled and shook my head. "You don't know my friends. If
they can get to me, they will," I told her, only half
believing it myself.

She let out a long sigh as she watched me. She looked bad in
the starlight, her eyes sunken and her skin growing tight
over her body. I had my fur to hide my skin, but I probably
looked just as bad as she did.

"You are an optimist. We were sent here to die, and die we
shall," she said.

"You really are a pessimist, aren't you?" I replied, turning
around to face her as the surf kissed my feet. "Have some
faith!"

She laughed as she pulled herself upright. "Faith is about
all I have... all we have."

I snorted at that. "Faith seems to be what's turning the
crank on this whole fiasco. It was probably your husband's
faith that started this. I can't see why else he would have
killed Princess Astadia."

Sally shook her head, digging her hands into the sand, "I
was wondering when you would bring that up, as you tried to
stop it. He killed her so the war would begin anew, and we
could win it properly."

"That seems to be a high cost, one life to start a war that
will kill thousands," I commented as I crossed my arms over
my chest.

"Alexander knew everything that was to happen, so it came as
a surprise when he killed my husband and sentenced me to
this place," she said with a sigh.

I nodded and sat down in the wet sand, looking at her over
the dark beach, "If I hadn't stopped it, the Highest would
have been killed then and there. I think that was
Alexander's plan."

She nodded in return and looked intently at me. "Clearly it
was, as he's now taken control of the church... at least
inside The City of the Crown. I don't know how long he will
wait until he tries to take over the Holy City."

"Not that long. He has a war to run as well, so he probably
doesn't have a lot of time. I suspect that he will move
soon. He may be waiting for something first," I said as I
flicked my tail back in the lukewarm salt water.

Sally started to say something, but stopped short and closed
her mouth with a snap.

"What is it?" I asked.

She shook her head, then let herself fall back onto the
sand, "It's nothing," she said as she looked up at the
cloudless sky.

"It's not entirely nothing, otherwise you wouldn't be acting
that way," I told her.

"It's nothing would you care about," she said with a wave of
her hand.

I was about to tell her otherwise when a point of light
started to shine in the air a dozen yards away from us. The
light it cast fell over the beach as the point expanded
horizontally and started to curve. Slowly the two ends sank
downward, transcribing an arch in the darkness until it the
light touched the sands. The center of the arch filled with
an intense light, so bright I had to raise my paws to cover
my eyes.

As the light started to fade I could make out the silhouette
of someone on the other side, standing at the edge of the
gateway and looking down at the drop to the beach. As my
vision cleared I was finally able to make out a familiar
face.

"Samantha!" I called as I jumped to my feet, finding more
energy than I thought I still had. The young woman smiled as
I said this, her eyes trained on me as I rushed across the
sand towards the gateway.

"There you are," she said as I came closer, the pleased
smile on her face falling into a deep frown as she finally
got a good look at me. "Fox, you look terrible," she said as
I reached the edge.

I said nothing as I put my paws on the ledge and tried to
pull myself up the three feet that separated the misaligned
ground. I was surprised to find that I lacked the necessary
strength. Thankfully Ravindar stepped past me, jumping on to
the beach and helping me into the Grove.

Once I was on the grass he picked Sally up as well, and with
an easy jump he crossed back over through the gateway.

"I told you my friends would come through," I told Sally as
I sat down next to her, then threw my head back and laughed
with joy at being rescued.

I was a bit surprised to find Aster at my side, draping a
blanket over my shoulders so I could cover myself. I pulled
it tightly to my body as he then returned with food for both
Sally and myself. It wasn't much, just a quartered melon,
but it was more than I had seen in over a week.

It took all my willpower not to eat everything in one huge
bite, but I knew my body couldn't take it, not yet. So I
took small bites, working slowly through the soft flesh of
the melon too the rind. I forced myself to stop with the
first quarter, waiting to give my body a chance to catch up
with itself.

Sally, on the other hand, had gone through a whole melon
already, and was halfway through a second, apparently with
none of the ill effects I was trying to avoid.

"Thank you," I finally said once my muzzle was empty. I was
already starting to feel better as the food entered my
system. I knew it wasn't going to be a quick recovery, so I
just stayed sitting.

Samantha smiled and sat down next to me. "You didn't think
we would leave you there to die, did you?"

"I didn't know. Last I knew you had been kidnapped, and
Ravindar was trying to find you," I told her as I wiped my
paws on the grass. "Obviously he succeeded," I added after a
moment's thought.

Ravindar shook his head as he stood next to the stone
pillar, the gateway now closed. "It was more that she found
me," he said.

"Then I assume Aster found you?" I asked.

The disguised tiger nodded his head.

"Without him we wouldn't have even known where to start,"
Samantha said, as the young man blushed a bit.

I nodded my head and turned to look at him. "That's twice
you've managed to save my life, but don't expect the same
reward you got last time," I said, and gave him a soft
smile.

He smiled in return. "Of course not, and I'm not looking for
it this time."

"Good," I replied as I let out a yawn. I was a lot more
drained than I had first thought. "Shall we get moving? We
have a long trip ahead of us, and I need to work out how to
get Rhea back," I said as I stood up.

"I believe I can help with that," an all too familiar voice
said from behind me. My paws clenched tight as it echoed in
my ears, and I turned around very slowly to be sure. When my
eyes fell onto Rodrick I felt a growl start to build deep
inside myself, my paws balling into fists as I rose to my
feet.

I started to walk towards him, where he stood near the
horses, and with each step my ears pressed lower into my
hair and my tail started to move faster against the grass.

"Rodrick," I said as I approached him, my eyes narrowing,
but I could see that my friends were flanking me.

"Fox," he replied, crossing his arms in front of himself.

I moved, dropping the blanket from my shoulders as my right
fist struck outwards, hitting the man square on the chin
with a pleasing crack. His head snapped back, his eyes
rolling for a moment as he stumbled backwards and I moved in
closer for a second shot at him.

Ravindar was on me in a moment, his paws grabbing tightly at
my wrists as he spun me around and put his face right in
mine. "That's enough," he said in a soft voice. "The first
one is free, but I won't let you do anymore," he told me.

I fought against him for a moment, then let out a soft sigh,
my fingers unfolding as my ears started to lift. "You should
have stopped me before the first one," I said a whisper.

"You don't do that sort of thing at random, so he must have
deserved it," my bodyguard replied as he relaxed his grip on
my arms. I pulled them free and took a few steps back,
pulling the blanket back up to cover myself.

Samantha was at Rodrick's side, helping him back to his
feet. The older man looked shaken as he rubbed his chin, a
bruise already starting to form on the skin.

"Care to tell us why you did that?" she asked. "He's the
reason we were able to save you. With out him, I probably
wouldn't have been able to open the gateway."

I shrugged my shoulders. "He betrayed me, as well as
attacking and capturing Rhea." I said.

"And I hit her before," Rodrick said with a frown. "So this
would help to even the balance."

"Hardly," I replied, glaring at the man.

He nodded and brushed his gloved hands through his hair. "Be
that as it may, this might be of some help. I still have
Rhea in my tower. She wanted to be here when I opened the
portal, but I wasn't expecting to do it this afternoon.
Instead of having to storm the palace, I can just bring her
to you."

"That would be a great help," I told him. "How do you plan
to do it?"

Rodrick shrugged, "Be at the palace gates after nightfall.
I'll bring her to you. After that you are on your own."

"That's about six hours from now," Samantha said as she
looked into the sky. "Maybe five."

I nodded my head, and turned around to look at Aster. "How
far is it to your farm from here?" I asked.

"About an hours ride."

"Good, we'll have to go back there. Lady Sally and I both
need to get some clothing and more food. We'll head into the
city at dusk and meet you at the palace," I said to Rodrick.
"I'm not that comfortable with sending you back alone, I
think Samantha should go with you," I told him.

A frown crossed the Mage's face, "I don't think that would
be very wise. You would be recognized at the palace, and
that would lead to your death; that would be true for all of
you."

I sighed and turned to look at my friends, "That leaves us
two options, changing Ravindar's disguise, or sending Aster
with you," I said, rubbing my chin. "Neither one is that
good of a choice."

"No, it's not," Ravindar replied.

Aster looked a little put out at this, but said nothing.

"You may just have to trust me," Rodrick said.

Lady Sally walked towards us, holding her own blanket tight
around her body. "I've know him for years, and I would trust
him."

I let out another sigh. "At least one of us does," I said as
I wrapped my tail around my ankle. "Our choices are limited,
and I guess I'll trust you, for now. If you betray us I will
hunt you down and kill you," I told him as I leaned forward
and showed him all of my teeth.

"I have no intention of doing that," he replied with a gulp.

"Good. After all this we'll just head back home, and be done
with this place," I said, not vocalizing the 'for now'. I'd
have to return to get the supercomputer, but the next time I
would take the direct route.

   To Be Continued...

-----

This story is copyright 2005 by Fox Cutter. Hardcopy
reprints limited to one per person, all other rights
reserved. This story may not be distributed for a fee except
by permission of the author, and this copyright notice may
not be removed.