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

Roxanne looked between them, exhaling through her nose. She was planned to do whatever it takes to track him down and be rid of him. "Fine. Do whatever you have to. I can take it." she said sharply, looking to Azrael.

The two nodded as they started to force they're combine energy into Roxanne boostin her abilities.

There was a painful burn in her head as she felt the transfer, the rush of power flowing through her veins as she winced. The longer she endured, the stronger she felt the warmth of Maxus' soul. She gave a choked noise when it ended, pulling herself together before she looked to them. "Well...that worked..." she breathed.

"Could you tell where they are?" Future Az asked.

Roxy channelled into her new ability as she focused. She frowned, looking between them. "I sense them west from here. Far west. Someplace close to where the sun sets, just before dusk. That would be his preference." She said, looking in it's direction.

They both nodded. As they started to dash off  heading for where she specified. Future azrael moved faster hoping to save his wife. While azrael jumped with his fiancé.

Roxanne held his hand tight as they ran, adamant that they will not be separated while they were here. This only made her sympathetic to this future version of him; he must be worried sick, enough that he hasn't slept at all as she noticed the dark circles under his eyes. As they ran, the sky grew darker and darker until it turned blood red. She didn't like this....not one bit....

~

Ratchet stared at the round capsule, a hand placed on the glass. It let off a hum as there was a deflector shield surrounding it. Inside, stood the sleeping form of Roxanne. She was thin, almost skin and bones and was positioned in a way that resembled a crucifixion. "It won't be long, now...." He spoke, staring at her.

"So what are you plannig to do ratchet" Maxus asked as he floated out of the capsule. "My brother will be on his way by now. Why did you spare him... It's not like you at all"

~

Azrael eyes a large mountain like fortress. "I have a bad feelin about this"

"And our instincts are never wrong" said the future azrael "but I have to get her back. I made a promise that I intend to keep.0

Ratchet looked to him, eyes dark and his face was stoic. His hand still remained on the glass capsule. "I'm not one to give spoilers..." He said. Then he looked to her. "Besides...I was the one to save her in the end, from herself." He whispered.

~

Roxanne looked around them. After hours of searching they finally found it. The landscape was scorched and there were several burned imprints of bodies on the ground, no doubt Ratchet's work.
She could still feel Maxus' soul but it wasn't radiating from her body. The darkness of the building made her flinch.

"Right....I'm certain their at the top of the building. And I don't doubt Ratchet's set up a few traps and other setbacks inside."

Maxus folded his arms. "You think your saving her by trying to kill those she loves? I know im already dead but your wasting your time"

~

Azrael looked up. "You thinking what im thinking?" He asked his.future self but his future self already shot up into.the air with large demonic wings

Ratchet got a twinge of anger inside of him as he didn't look at Maxus as he spoke. "Please. She was half-dead when I found her. She was starving herself and she hadn't slept. There is a limitation to how many days a being can withstand sleep before they perish...." He said, stroking the glass where her face was. "...I know of her mental state, and I'm nursing her until those insects are destroyed. Then...I can finally have a future.... with her by my side.

~

Roxanne looked up at him with surprised eyes. That was unexpected. Though, there was bound to be some trap outside. And her hunch was right as he had planted motion detectors within the cracks of the walls, sudden blades and other weapons shot out of the shadows. Ratchet was always one with unusual traps. "God, does this mean I'm getting a lift?" She asked, grimacing at him.

"And what if she would deny you. I know her better than you ever would ratchet. She loves those kids and she loves my brother. I understand your saving her from death. But taking away all she holds dear will not win her heart" he said. The. He looked to the window. "I should be thanking you cause your saving me as well as roxy.... But I warn you the past is coming to destroy you" he was cryptic in his warning

~

The future Az dodged or smashed each trap as darkness seemed to surround him.

"The easiest way is to follow him. Unless you want to try your luck with the front entrance"

"You don't get it do you?" He snarled, leaning forward to rest his forehead against the glass, closing his eyes. "Those kids and the man she 'loves' is what drove her to ruin. In the beginning, I was the who found her, sheltered her, gave her food and warmth after fleeing her parent's house. She was alone and I took her in. She wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me! And now, the world is taking her away. He is taking her away. My only shred of sanity left...." Ratchet growled, his body trembling as his eyes grew wide.  "What does everyone expect of me, huh?! I'm trapped inside a madhouse of a world that never let's me just be with her!" He roared.

~

Roxanne huffed, looking to him. "Well, there's no easy route." She simply said before she started leaping up onto the building, doing back flips and other acrobatics to avoid his traps. She couldn't help but smirk down at him.

Az chuckled spreading his wings and followin hr up

~

"You and I are more alike then you think" Maxus said "I may be dead... But if she was gone while I lived I would be as crazed as you" he looked to Roxanne. "All I can do now is offer her my flames."

A roar could be heard from outside as well as the sounds of the trappe being destroyed

Ratchet's head turned instantly in the direction of the window. Then his anguish disappeared in a second, only to be replaced with a face of pure insanity. It was terrifying how he could switch gears at the drop of a hat. "Heh. Right on cue." He mused, looking to Roxy's sleeping form.

~

The building was higher than she thought it was down below. It just seemed to keep on going as she scaled, avoiding several blades but one of them managed to scratch her stomach. "Seems like he's reached the top." She said to herself. "Bring it."

Azrael grabbed her. "Come on we have to catch up" he said taking her in his arms and flying up"

~

The window shattered as he flew in landing on the floor. His sword already drawn. "I'll be taking my wife back ratchet." He snarled as his darkness swirled around at his feet

Ratchet looked surprised for a moment, then he made an amused noise in his throat. "Not who I was expecting, but most convenient. Of course...." He snapped his fingers and then eight red beams shot from different areas in the room to his form, pinning him to the ground, restricting his movement, even to such strength of a demon as powerful as him. Ratchet was prepared. "....since your children are convinced that dear mommy is dead, I wonder how they'll react when discovering your death." He said, although he had a clear idea.

"You see....I might have faked Roxy's demise by shooting a mere pillow over the phone to them. But, it did the trick. I knew your son;...Ignis, was his name? Would transform instantly in rage." He leant down to whisper menacingly. "He would do the slaughtering for me....and now....that you've come, I don't think he'll take being orphaned very well...." Ratchet wheezed, laughing manically. "This...was my plan to eliminate all you inferiors and take her for myself."

"Looks like there's a hitch in your plan wolfy" azrael and roxy flew in after his shadows restraining ratchet. "The kids are very much alive and together they do have the power to end you. But... This isn't their fight or mine" azrael set roxy down. "It's hers" he said as he let go of ratchet and walked to free his future self

Ratchet wasn't about to fight Roxanne as he snarled, his entire form trembling as his anger boiled. "No....no....no more....not again... NOT AGAIN! YOU..YOU.....I'LL KILL YOU..." He roared, his eyes glowing red as he unleashed a blast that send them flying into the wall, before he started using his black magic to force the shadows inside them. Just like Daemon had done with Skoll. The smoke kept flowing in, constricting their organs until they were crushed.

"Azrael!" Roxy cried in horror, panting frantically.

Both of them chuckled as they stood drawin off the others power as they started to stand. "You shouldn't worry about us. We're not going to fight. It Roxanne's fight... She wants to resolve this with you"

Roxanne was panicking and looking between them. Now that she was on the spot, her mind was racing in hesitance, as opposed to an hour ago where she would stop at nothing. If she was to fight him, then she would need to make sure they both fled to an area well out of the way. She knew that Ratchet was adamant to let them live. He would spend every second trying to kill them. And she couldn't risk that. She needed to give them a chance to be escape, and retrieve the future her in the capsule.

"I couldn't give a damn whether you plan to fight me or not! I'm still going to turn you inside out!" Ratchet snarled, lifting a hand before turning it, hearing future Azrael's bones crack and his limbs began twisting at unnatural angles as he sneered.

Future azrael groaned. "Thanks for the stretch I needed that" he said grinning. "You'll have to do better than that if you want to kill someone like me"

Azrael grinned as he vanished. Ratchet wouldn't be able to tell where he was now

Roxanne sucked in a breath, coming to a decision in an instant due to her panic. She wondered if it was the right decision as she suddenly stepped forward. Azrael needed to find a way to get future Roxanne out of here. "Ratchet! Wait!"

He suddenly looked in her direction but his hands were still hot and glowing back as he frowned. He seemed confused at first.

"You don't have to do this...you don't have to kill them."

Ratchet snorted, looking in disbelief as he threw future Azrael into the wall behind him. "And why not?"

"....Because...I want to go with you..." She whispered, trying not to cringe as she said it.

Azrael smiled waiting for the right moment to free future roxy. Roxy would have to keep ratchets full attention. Otherwise they might all not make it out of here. Future Az lay on the ground letting his body mend itself

Roxanne hissed in the back of her throat, stepping towards him slowly. "If I'm honest with you...I've actually...wanted to be with you for a long time....maybe the time when you first took me in." She moved closer.

Ratchet watched her warily, and seemed not to take notice of them anymore as it felt it was just him and her in the room. As she approached, his heart pounded faster.

"I admit, I tried to ignore those feelings but....something's different now. Now its just too much that I can't keep it in..." She was a couple of inches away from him now, looking at his lips. "Please...I know it's taken me forever, but please....take me." She whispered before closing the distance and kissing him, gradually becoming passionate.

This was their chance, but the way to open the capsule quietly was a puzzle that he needed to crack as well as enter the code.