The fox from hell: the tail of the once great demonhunter

Azrael chuckled again. He surfaced blasting everything back with a shadow dome cleari the area around them as well as pushin ruby's icy winds back. "Don't think you can best me. That right belongs to your uncle and your mother"

The power of his attack, blasted Ruby out of her ice beam and collided with the ground, hard, hitting her head in the process as she rolled a bit. She knew she was going to have a bruise later as she slowly got up, growling and grunting as she clutched her head. "I'm not finished yet!" she shouted, her eyes widening as she whispered something to herself before the ground froze over with a thick coating of ice, in a large circle underneath. With an outstretched hand, she snarled as the ground glowed white and suddenly, a gigantic, blinding beam shot up from underneath him.  The beam shot all the way up to he sky, making the clouds rumble and lightning strikes crack as she yelled, keeping up the blast. Again, the area was enveloped in a pale blue light.

Az felt the attack and stood his ground combatting her light with his darkness slowly enveloping it . He gave an almost savage demonic roar. The ground started to shake at th amount of power he was using

Ruby was straining. She had not yet mastered this attack and her endurance as she was starting to grunt in pain, feeling a sharp prickle of hot pain shoot through her arms as she kept trying to focus her attack. However, it was proving to be futile against the strength of her father. She'd made another rookie mistake.

Eventually, Ruby whimpered before she lowered her outstretched arm, turning limp as she slowly fell forward to collapse to the ground. She was still conscious - barely - as she breathed deeply, unable to move as she didn't have enough strength. It looked like her round was over. And all too soon.

Azrael ran over. "You alright ruby?" He asked kneelin down. "Don't you remember rule number one. Push your limits, don't strain them" he said as he picked her up. "Honey can you get the couch comfy?"

Roxy's eyes widened as she looked at her, before hurrying to adjust the pillows on the couch and grabbed a blanket, still holding Nova in her arms. She had seen the entire event from the window.

Ruby groaned, looking up at him, managing to frown as she felt embarrassed. "I got carried...away again..." she mumbled.

Roxanne sighed, looking to Az; helping him lay her slowly and gently onto the couch, resting her head on a pillow.

"It's alright princess. You have more strength in you than I expected. But you just need a little more practice. Now rest up, you hear me" he smiled kissing her on her forehead. "Now it's your brothers turn"

"And I'll be the one to make sure of that." she said with a pointed look in her direction as she sat down on a chair she pulled out, cradling Nova in her arms.

Look at her mother and thinking over the circumstances, Ruby suddenly flushed red and made a high-pitched embarrassed noise as she turned to her back to Roxanne, her eyes wide. "I never wanted you to see me like this!" she squeaked.

Roxy looked confused. "How do you mean?"

Ruby whimpered, blushing harder. "Me, laying here, weak. And defeated. I let you down."

She was a little overwhelmed. "What are you talking about, Ruby? Since when will you ever let me down? It's not the end of the world if you make a mistake - "

"It's not that! I just - " she whimpered again, closing her eyes. "I want to become as powerful as you, mother!" she rushed out, like it was a confession.

Azrael walked out. "Alright son. Your up!" He said as he noticed ignis rushing towards him all ablaze trying to hit his father. He chuckled. "Quick to strike, speed, power. Your a lot like your uncle max" he said

"Guess that's what I get for being his reincarnation" he said moving quickly. "You said his soul is apart of mine."

Ruby sniffled, curling in on herself. "Ever since father went to battle with Ratchet...you became a different person. You were distant, quiet and would always mumble or scream father's name in your sleep. Obviously I know why, but, ever since that one night where you almost - " she inhaled. " - I've sworn to take care of you, and become stronger for you, because I know that you hurt...when father's not around, but you always try your best to act like the mother you were..."

Roxanne's ears drooped slightly as she listened, leaning forward in her seat slightly, keeping Nova close.

"We all want things to be normal, and peaceful again, but for now, we have to remain strong. I have faith that father will defeat him, I know he will, and I made a promise that I would look after you, just like you looked after me."

There were explosions outside from outside as azrael and ignis fought shaking the house a little. Skoll started to grumble. Hobbling down the steps. "Let me guess, dad and my twin brother?" He asked with a groan

Roxanne suddenly looked up to him with sympathetic eyes, looking him over. "Of course that would wake you up." she groaned, scowling outside for a moment before she stood up and wandered over to him, Nova managing to sleep in her arms. "Do you want me to give you something? All you can do is rest another day. I know a recipe for this particular medicine I learned years ago..." she offered.

Skoll sighed. "Might as well. Knowing ignis this may be a while." He said hobbling to the couch. "And don't be surprised that nova sleeps through he noise. she gets comfortable and almost never wakes until she wants to"

Roxanne snorted as she went to the kitchen, opening a few drawers. "Knowing Azrael too, it'll be a while. Never have I felt more like a nurse than I do now." she grumbled a bit, fishing around for a clean bowl. The ingredients were being stacked on the counter, looking them over. "It's more powerful than any sleeping drug. You'll be able to sleep peacefully, though you may feel dis-orientated for a few hours after you wake up."

Skoll nodded. "I remember you use to give it to ignis cause he could never go to bed when he was told" he said chuckling "and ruby later concocted a safer alternative,

Roxanne struggled to do it with Nova in her arms but she tried nonetheless as she started putting the ingredients into the bowl, sprinkling the necessary herbs. "One of these days, I might use it on Azrael when he refuses to sleep." she grumbled, stirring the liquid.

"You've done it before. And you used ruby to give it to him" Skoll said. "Do you want me to hold onto nova mom?"

Roxanne snorted. "That doesn't surprise me." she said quietly, continuing to stir the contents for a few minutes. "No, it's okay Skoll. You just lie there on the couch opposite Ruby." she said, putting the bowl in the microwave to heat it up slightly.

Skoll obeyed and lay down lookig to ruby. "You alright sis?" He asked

Ruby grumbled before looking down at the floor. "I'm fine." she spat defensively, but then she sighed reluctantly. "I almost beat dad in a fight, but I messed up. It was humiliating..." she frowned.

Roxanne couldn't help but roll her eyes as she took the bowl out and tested how warm it was. When it was just tepid enough, she walked over to him, stroking Nova's head gently as she sat on the couch with him. "Right, sip the first few ok?" she instructed, giving him the bowl. "Sorry about the taste. Though I guess you already know that..."

"By the sound of it you were no where close. You forget dad goes easy on us" he said he said sippin. "He never has to use much of his power.

Ruby growled, tempted to throw a pillow at him. "Do you enjoy rubbing salt into my wounds!" she snarled, turning round, her back facing him, pouting. "I just used that power that I hadn't perfected yet."

Roxanne looked to him, shuffling closer. "Ok, now the part that makes you gag. You're going to have gulp the rest down for me. You'll feel the first effects in a few minutes."

"You've been giving me this medicine for years ma, I know" he said gulping it down laying back. "And ruby you know dad said not to use it until he had time to work with you on it"

"I got carried away okay!" Ruby snarled, throwing a pillow at his face with an evitable 'whack'. "Leave me alone." she mumbled, closing her eyes.

Roxanne sighed. It was exactly like looking into a mirror at her younger self. She got up to fetch two blankets, laying each on both of them, tucking them in; that same motherly feeling returning as she held Nova closer, listening to Az and Ignis still fighting outside.

The fighting suddenly stopped. Skoll looked to the door. "Sounds like they tied again" he said. "They probably both collapsed to the ground..." Skoll fell over falling asleep