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Chapter 2:

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           The train was rather standard apart from it's rather high tech feel outside. One might expect a bum with a newspaper blanket and the strong smell of urine to be present but since this was a rather private rail system the cars were relatively free of such befoulments. Some familiaris were just as bad as the humans of course so there was some ware to the cabins of the train and various places where it appeared there was a struggle at some point.

           Cret had only seen this train three times. The first of course when he had awakened and he was spirited away by another familiaris to the hidden home of their people. The second was when he and Jericho were assigned to this mission and now was the third, with their prize, and a corpse.

           Cret was looking down at his fallen friend with a frown. He couldn't remember when he and the black wolf were not friends. It was a deep blow to him and it only fueled his anger towards Fox Hunt but he couldn't help the tightening in his stomach as he looked at the unconscious vulpine on the bench. It nearly drove him into a frenzy whenever he looked at that mark and knew that Jericho had died for some stupid bedtime story.

           The eagle inside him wanted to dig it's talons into the weakling and show him the pain he had caused.

           "It isn't the boy's fault Cretila," Said Columbia as she stepped in from one of the adjoining cabins, "He could not help what happened any more than all of us. He was an unfortunate one yes but I still sense he has an importance around him. It's like a dark cloud hiding him from me. No one has been that impossible for me to read before... It really is an incredible defense."

           Cret turned slowly and frowned a bit deeper, "Then why would he be hiding something? You think the fairy tale is true like Jericho? Look where it got him Spots... Full of lead and none the smarter."

           Columbia frowned a bit and shook her head, "Cretila there are sometimes things in this world no one can explain. Even we don't know why we have awoken this power inside us or why some of us have special powers while others do not. Science is limited by it's own rules. Perhaps this extends beyond the realm of science and into something many would believe fantasy. I cannot explain why I can read people just as much as I cannot explain why I can't read him. I can sense that he has great power within him though... but that he has great fear as well."

           Jezi was slipping into the cabin as Cret responded, "Why do you have to be so long winded. I know we can't explain things but really have you read the legend? It says this punk is going to kill everything... If you ask me having him awaken is suicide. I say we send him away with Jericho. He's no use to us as a savior if he's gonna kill everyone off."

           Jezi shook her head and spoke carefully as her english was poor and her accent strong, "I think... the legend say... he end things... not... destroy."

           Columbia nodded slowly as she spoke, "Jezi is right. It never said he would bring about destruction. It did say that he would bring change and that it would be cataclysmic but not that it would be destruction. The end of things only means the end of things as we know them. He is to usher in a new era... I think perhaps it would either be an era of good or one full of pain and suffering. I would suggest against hurting him Cretila... it may be dangerous."

           Cret frowned a bit and looked to the young vulpine still devoid of any alertness at all. He frowned even deeper as he looked at the matted and wet fur of Jericho, "Like I said... he had better be fucking worth it."

           The three went on talking about life in Neo-Mesopotamia while they rode the train for what felt like an eternity. When one was underground and had nothing to see speeding by them it made time slow down. The three all held on tight to the steel poles as the train began to come to a halt and soon Columbia was carrying the vulpine while Cret carried his fallen friend out of the train and onto the platform.

           "He's rather cold actually. I don't think I've felt anyone as chilly as this one," Said Columbia as she stepped into the heat of the dessert underground. She hated this place greatly as many of their kind did. It was always hot and not a drop of water had fallen in the basin for as long as anyone could remember. Up the steps and through a hatch was the reality of nature's cruelty, Death Valley.

           "You're later than I expected there birdy." Came a masculine voice echoing off the empty walls of the hidden station.

           Jezi seemed to perk up and smile as she heard the voice and looked about starting to click her tongue while she took off her glasses and transformed back into the giant flying fox fruit bat. Her eyesight was superb in this form but her hearing was even better.

           "Ahh you are no fun Jezibel as usual my sweet flying rat." Came the voice again as a great lizard began to shimmer it's form into being as it crawled along the cement on the ceiling adeptly. Slowly it coiled it's thorny tail around a pipe and hung upside down with it's eyes looking in all different directions and a huge grin across it's toothy maw, "It has been some time since you three departed and I see a most unfortunate fate has befallen fluffy. What happened?"

           Cretila frowned and shook his head as he pushed the chameleon aside for him to pass and he walked up the stairs while grumbling, "What do you think happened you crazy bug eating reptile. They knew where he was and were waiting for us. Someone blew Jericho's cover."

           Jezi watched Cret open the hatch and begin to walk out into the dry heat of the desert and the hatch slammed behind him. She looked up and giggled as the lizard licked it's own eye and winked at the bat with a smirk, "Ahh... who I wonder would have done this? You think the boy you carry perhaps. I do believe I've only seen one like him before..."

           Columbia shook her head and looked in a rather contempt fassion at the lizard, "yeah yeah we know. He looks like Masatoshi. His name is Raine and he might be the Undying One. Now buzz off you annoying twit."

           Jezi frowned a bit as the lizard had stopped juggling various objects with his tongue and it looked rather depressed lowering itself to the ground and looking at the mark on the young man's chest, "Would you look at that it is the mark."

           Columbia held the man a bit closer to herself and frowned at the lizard, "Back Roy... I don't trust you."

           Jezi remained quiet as she watched the exchange with the excitement of a child at a magic act while watching the lizard do it's various jests while looking hurt, "oh my dear woman loving lynx... has this boy stolen the heart I so desire?"

           Columbia looked taken aback and shook her head, "you're a psycho Roy... a real basket case."

           With that said she quickly made her way up into the heat the same way Cret had gone and left Jezi and the lizard alone, "those two just don't have a sense of humor at all do they?"

           Jezibel Nightwind looked Roy Soley in the eyes for a moment though it was hard as the lizard's eyes constantly moved in various different directions all the time, "Well sometime... you are... odd."

           Roy chuckled softly and nodded to the hatch, "Sometimes we are all a little off kilter Jezi... don't be a little silly at times when bad things happen and they will get to you. Start eating away at you slowly on the inside. Fluffy there is in a better place... far away from this war we are fighting."

           Jezi nodded slowly and giggled softly, "You are... silly."

           "mmmm yes... I try to be." replied the chameleon with a little smile before putting on his sunglasses and reverting back into a young man with a small patch of facial hair on his chin and slicked back brown hair. His attire was wild with various bright and awful colors that reflected his rather odd sense of humor and personality.

           The two of them made their way into the blistering heat only to see the other two far ahead of them, black specs on the wavy horizon. The desert was as dry as ever and the heat nearly unbearable but it made for the perfect hiding place. No one would willingly go into the valley without a good reason to do so and few stayed longer than a day or so. It was a hazard in itself not to mention the hidden location to the entrances to the city beneath. They had a good day's trek ahead of them and it was already nearing eleven. The heat would only get worse in the afternoon.

           The three left from Cretila's squad were heaving and panting in the heat as they made their way through the desert while their lizard companion seemed to be taking everything in cheerfully. He was, after all, rather cold blooded. This was a walk in the park for him, however, get him somewhere cold and it would be an entirely different story.

           They had caught up with each other by two in the afternoon and huddled under a large rock's shadow. It was the least they could do in the impossible heat. They were forced close to one another in the little dark splotch as Roy looked around the area curiously. He had always found the arid place interesting. Every insect, plant, animal, anything that lived in this god forsaken valley seemed to be invincible to him. Though nature was still cruel and defied this affront often as they found skulls and discarded bug shells all over while plants were withered into brown twigs.

           After some time and many drinks of water the group began their trek again across the barren waste until movement ahead of them had caught the eagle's eye. He lifted a hand and everyone hit the deck except for Roy who took his sunglasses off and disappeared into the desert completely.

           Columbia quickly placed the still unconscious Raine behind a rock as Cretila did the same with Jericho's body before crawling forward to hear Roy's voice coming through his psy emitter, "It's Fox Hunt alright... they are waiting at the dummy entrance though... Rather strange of them."

           Cretila frowned a bit and looked over his shoulder at the black fennec before hoisting his anti-tank rifle and taking a peek through the scope, "I see a few squads, well equipped. Suppression dart guns... they want us alive it seems... and... What the hell is that thing?"

           "That is a damn good question... it's had me rather curious since I saw it. It appears they have a few engineers working on it right now though," returned Roy's voice.

           Columbia shook her head slowly and spoke softly, "How did they know?"

           Cret frowned a bit as he looked at the fennec in the shadows and frowned, "Jericho had said the boy was on the trail over the web. He probably got the map and left it behind in the excitement. It doesn't matter since they are in the wrong spot."

           Jezi spoke softly, "Yes... but what about the people that look over this spot for the wanderers?"

           Cret frowned a bit and it dawned on him what the contraption was. He looked through the scope and frowned deeply as he saw the great metal thing rise from the ground and begin to walk away from the Fox Hunt soldiers carrying cylindrical holding cells on it's back, "They are still alive... What is Fox Hunt doing now? We can't let them capture those people."

           Roy's chuckle came over the radio as one of the soldiers fell and it's weapon discharged sending darts into another two of the soldiers. Cret began to take aim at the lumbering spider-bot's legs and began to fire at the motors making it stumble and fall on a few of the engineers. Jezi began to screech in a frequency that blocked their communication but it was too late.

           Choppers were on their way to them in the distance and out of the ground popped more Fox Hunt firing on the three Familiaris and all three of them being hit with the darts fell limp and unconscious much like their fennec friend.

           "Where is Raine!?" shouted the Fox Hunt Commander as he stepped out of one of the helicopters and surveyed the area. He was much older now with his black hair having gray streaks through it and a few wrinkles beginning to show themselves under his eyes.

           The rock where Raine had been moments before was vacant except for Jericho's corpse which was being taken away while the three familiaris were being dragged into containment on board one of the helicopters. There was no sign of escape which made things all the more confusing.

           The commander slammed a fist into the cold metal of the flying machine and shouted, "Can't I trust you to do anything right you idiots!? That boy is the key to stopping this disease and not only have you allowed him to escape and awaken but you have allowed him to fall into the hand's of the familiaris! Soldier hand me your side arm!"

           The soldier nearest to the commander handed him his sidearm which was cocked and then fired at the captain that was once in charge of keeping track of Raine. The soldiers seemed a bit taken aback at the action but none of them dared speak up as they knew he would only do the same to them.

           "I won't let you make another mistake that could endanger the human race farther," said the commander as he stepped into the chopper and it took off over the flat basin towards a nearby Fox Hunt base.

           Roy was running as quickly as he could keeping the fennec close to himself so he could keep it concealed as well. He knew it would be impossible for him to head to the city with Fox Hunt so close by and so decided it best to take another course. There was a friend in the area, a familiaris that had decided to sit the fight out. He was a quiet young man and would harbor the fennec until Roy would be able to pick him up and bring him to the city.

           It was a long run and surely bad for the vulpine but it had to be done. Roy wondered how long the creature would sleep as many would think him dead until their checked his vitals. It was odd for even a newly awakened to remain dormant for so long but it was probably a blessing in disguise. He couldn't imagine how upset the young man would be if he woke to himself being carried through the desert far from home by a gigantic invisible lizard.

           Roy chuckled a bit at the idea of waking the fennec just for the reaction but knew he had a mission to fulfill. He arrived at the place early in the morning. The moon hung low in the night sky over the rather lonely looking home. It was a nice place though very remote from any sort of public. This was the way Crono chose to live his life. Not with the humans and not with the warring familiaris. Inside Roy understood the dragon's wish as he was unique even amongst his own kind. Never had another taken the form of a creature many thought never existed.

           Roy tapped on the door and began to change as he heard stirring inside. He stood quietly in the darkness as Crono opened the door and stood behind the bug screen rubbing his eyes, "Roy? What have you gotten yourself into this time?"

           "It's the boy Crono... they have found him," replied the lizard with a serious voice for once.

           "What are you talking about?" Came the confused voice of the young black haired man. He was thin and tall with strikingly dark eyes and a small beard on his chin as well as a mustache.

           Roy rolled the fennec over in his arms which were arching from the long trip carrying the boy, "Look there." The lizard now in human form pointed at the mark on the vulpine's chest and Crono looked a bit closer rubbing his chin.

           "Why did you not bring him to Neo-Mesopotamia with the others," asked the home owner softly though his voice wasn't accusatory but curious.

           "Cretila's squad was in charge of him and they were ambushed by Fox Hunt. I only made it out just barely as I stole this one away before they took the others. They took them alive and unconscious before they could take the pills," Said Roy with a bit of worry in his voice, "I don't want to lead them to the city so I brought him out of the desert and here."

           Crono nodded a bit as he leaned down and studied the mark closer with a frown on his face, "It is the mark but one can never be sure when it comes to legends... I assume you want me to shelter him?"

           Roy only nodded in reply as he looked over his shoulder nervously.

           Crono scooped his arms behind the neck and under the crook of the knees of the young man and lifted him slowly as he nodded inside his home for Roy to follow. The two made their way from the entry hall to a sitting room with a couch and a few chairs. It was a dusty room as the man rarely had company being so remote and the fact that he was so different, and outcast from both sides.

           Roy admired the man's strength and resolve but at the same time always had wondered why the dragon hadn't tried to fight for a better world. He figured in the end that the great beast was just passive and wanted to live out a normal life it could never have.

           Crono set the fennec down on the couch while looking to Roy and speaking softly, "I have water... I am sure after the run you would like some. The boy is cold though... it could be shock from the heat. I will bring some for him as well. How long has he been unconscious for?"

           "I don't know... He's been that way since I met him. I would assume... a day now maybe... it depends on when Cretila and Jericho picked him up," replied Roy as he watched the man leave the room and a light turned on in the kitchen where he poured a few glasses of water and set them down on the coffee table quietly.

           "Ahh, Jericho was on this one then... I always did enjoy speaking with him. How is he?" Said the dragon but the frown on Roy's face spoke volumes, "Captured with the other's then?"

           "I'm sorry Crono... He's dead," Replied Roy and he looked at the carpet with a frown on his face.

           The dragon looked down into the water as he felt a wrenching at his heart and a burning in his eyes. One of the few friends he had and knew he could trust in the world was gone and others were captured by their most dangerous of enemies, "I... I see. How unfortunate."

           Roy nodded slowly and looked out the window, "I will have to go soon. I need to throw them off the trail and I certainly don't want them coming here. You will look after him then?"

           Crono looked to the fennec and smiled a bit, "It was Jericho's last mission... I would not want his death to be in vain but do not assume I will teach him to hate the humans as your people do. I will not have him fighting Fox Hunt while he is here either Roy."

           Roy smiled a bit as he stood and lifted his glass of water drinking it down and nodding, "I wouldn't have asked for more Crono. You're a real bud man."

           Roy was already out of the house and invisible again as he ran into the night before Crono could reply.

           The young man yawned softly and looked over to his new guest curiously as he inspected the mark a bit closer. It fit the description and he nodded slowly as he slowly lifted his shirt and looked at his own mark bearing the crest of a dragon as he spoke softly, "Hello friend... I have been waiting to meet another. I know you can't hear me now but I'm going to take care of you for some time it seems. I do hope we can bare each other's presence."

           Crono lifted the glass of water and dripped a little into the slightly open mouth. He saw that the unconscious one was swallowing and so slowly poured the rest of it in before lifting the unconscious form and carrying it into the guest room. It was a cozy room with little more space than what the bed and night stand took up. At the foot of the bed against the wall was a mirror on top of a dresser while a single window let in the light of the moon on the opposite wall from the door.

           Crono slowly set the young man down on the bed and covered him up to keep the cold away before resting against the wall a few moments watching curiously. So this was another one like him. Another that bore one of the seven seals. The most famous and wide spread of them all. This was the Undying One. He knew the warning the old legend spoke of well. That should the seven meet the Undying One would be the catalyst that would awaken the power within them that would change the world into a place that lied within the heart of this young man.

          The dragon felt fear and awe as he looked at the helpless fennec while rubbing his chin before he spoke, "Let us hope you find mercy and love within

your heart and that it will not be as black as your fur. Let us hope you do not bring about and end that will bring sorrow to the world my friend."