Sable stood alone in the ruined, defiled village of the
Wildtra tribe – the bodies long since turned to mere bones, as he gazed tearfully
around at the destruction – but he did not weep for himself – he wept for the
loss of a proud and noble people – wiped out at the whim of Yuira. Kneeling,
Sable buried the sword point fist in the ground, impaling a Tai’far skull with
his keen blade, as he knelt.

“I do not care where you flee too Yuira – this crime
– and countless others – will not go unpunished. I pledge my soul – that this
will not go unpunished – I will hunt you down – across time if I must. I know
Savrin and the others were not born of this time – but I swear – I will follow
you – and this time – you will die at my paw – I give you my word!”

Without a flinch, Sable ran his paw down the keen edge
of his blade and felt the blade shear into the flesh, and his blood drip to
the ground, as he gritted his teeth, the sharp pain bringing tears to his eyes,
as he pressed his bleeding paw into the ground, consummating his blood-oath.

“You can run you bitch – ” Sable growled dangerously.
“Yet you can not hide – I will find you, and when I do – you will suffer….”

Above him, dark storm clouds finally broke their menacing
appearance, and as the stinging rain belted down, roars of thunder and lightning
split the skies, as if the very God’s themselves were witness to Sable’s solemn
oath. Turning his muzzle to the sky, Sable screamed in rage.

“I do not need your help either!”

Rising and pulling his sword free, Sable began trudging
back to the cave, which had been serving as his home. His boots squelched through
the mud, and the rainwater swiftly chilled him to the bone, but his anger drove
him, as he headed for home, in preparation to embark on his new quest.

*

Tumbling from the portal, Savrin gasped as Abbilion,
Diane and Zephyr collapsed on him in a tangle of arms and legs.

“Oh – hey – watch it!” Savrin growled.

“Wow – what a joyride – ” Abbilion quipped, as he pulled
himself from the tangle, then rose and blinked at the gloomy cave. “What a garden
spot – where are we?”

Diane grunted and shoved Zephyr off herself, then sat
up, rubbing her head, as she too looked around at the dim, dank cave. Stalagmites
and Stalactites were in abundance, and somewhere down the dark tunnel; they
heard the steady drip of water. Zephyr grunted then pulled himself to his feet,
and there was a clattering sound as his boot connected with something. Bending
down, he felt around and yelped, as something pricked his finger. Lifting it
up, he scowled as he seen the skull of a ferret, the empty eye sockets gazing
back at him.

“Well – ” Zephyr shrugged as he threw the skull to Abbilion
who caught it out of reflex and shuddered. “It’s a pretty safe bet we’re not
in Kansas anymore Toto.”

Mixed groans at his bad pun rippled through the group,
then Savrin suddenly stiffened, as the voice of Kira rang out in a shriek.

~Behind you! ~
 

Whirling about, Savrin brought his Katana slicing down,
and then he felt the sharp clash of steel on steel, as his blade was countered,
the two weapons squealing as they clashed and sparked. Savrin blinked, to see
the wide eyes of a ferret glaring back at him, a look of hate etched in its
face.

“Sable?” Savrin gasped. “Is that you?”

With a snarl, the ferret dropped and undercut the slower
reflexes of the startled firewolf, and sent Savrin staggering backwards, then
Savrin shrieked and toppled head over tail, landing with a thud on his back.
Pressing the attack, the ferret leapt and pinned Savrin down with the point
of his blade pricking his throat.

It had all happened in the blink of an eye.

“By Yummei’s black soul!” Swore the ferret, as he shuddered
and blinked. “What the hell are *you* doing back here?”

“More to the point – ” Savrin gasped. “What in hell do
you think you’re doing? Trying to kill me?”

Quickly, Sable sheathed his blade and helped his friend
to his feet, and then they embraced and pounded each other on the back. Quietly,
the others watched on, the first Diane, then Abbilion and finally Zephyr, moved
in and Sable’s joy was
overwhelming, as he hugged his old friends in a crushing embrace, the tears
running down his face.

“What in the depths of Ceridian are you all doing back
here? I thought that with the death of – ” Sable squealed, his eyes inflamed
with joy.

“Sable – ” Savrin began. “We…we’re back in the past –
aren’t we?”

“Sure as Yummei’s soul is cold – that you be! My question
– is what are you doing back here? The Time Temple was destroyed twelve years
ago – and I thought….”

“What?” Savrin barked.

“Aye lad – the God’s themselves blasted it with lightning
they did – then the very fires of the hells opened up with the ground and swallowed
the wreckage – bit of a shame actually – it took a few thousand warriors of
the Tai’far with it – ”

“Twelve years?” Savrin repeated.

“Hey lad – you take a belt to the head?” Sable grunted,
and tweaked Savrin’s ears.

“It – ” Savrin blinked, and then slugged the Ferret as
hard as he could in the nose, sending Sable reeling.

“Savrin!” Zephyr growled.

“Hah! You remember wolf-boy!” Sable cackled as he wiped
his bleeding nose with a paw. “I’ll be boiled in the depths of the hells – you
remembered!”

Savrin grunted and rubbed his aching paw. “Aye Sable
– I swore – if I ever saw you again, I’d thump you. My debts to you are repaid.
Now – how are you? You old, cantankerous wretch?”

Sable chuckled, then went too punch the Firewolf’s lights
out, but Savrin caught Sable’s wrist and squeezed, slowly making Sable kneel,
his eyes bulging and the pain visible in his eyes.

“I yield lad!” Sable grunted. “Aye – I yield. Besides
– whom are you calling old? I’m still as sharp as a dagger, and as deadly as
I ever was. Come on – we’ve got a lot to talk about – all of us.”

*

Yummei lay sprawled over a large platform, as he glared
contemptuously at Yuira, who paced the floor of the stone room, her anger making
her fur bristle.

Yuira growled. “Where are my faithful Tai’far? Scattered
to the four winds – hundreds of thousands dead…and only a bare few hundred left
here? This is an outrage!”

~ If you remember correctly Yuira ~ Came the reptiles
telepathic reply. ~ I do believe – you’re supposed to be dead? ~

“Death? What is death to one such as me?” Yuira screamed,
as she stamped her foot in anger.

Yummei raised an eye ridge inquisitively. ~ What is death?
Oh my dear, misguided Weasel – death is only the beginning – and it is going
to be a very soon beginning for you, as I’m almost out of patience with your
stalling. ~

“You need me Yummei – remember that. Unless I get a –
suitable – host for you, you will forever remain a spirit.” Yuira growled softly,
as her eyes took on a vague, glazed look.

Yawning, Yummei slowly raised his eye ridges, his hood
flaring slightly as a tremble ran through him. ~ What was that? ~

Blinking and snapping out of her trance, Yuira growled
and slammed her fist against the table, as she slumped down into the chair.
“I…I felt him… – ”

Curiosity aroused, Yummei glared at Yuira. ~ Felt who?
~

“Well – for your information my dear demon – our little
friends have come through the vortex…and I just got a taste of the other one….
Sable Flame – my old nemesis.”

~ Him? Here…now? ~ Yummei blinked. ~ Ah – he will make
a wonderful host for me – strong that one is – very strong ~

Turning away from Yummei, Yuira hid the mocking smile
that touched her lips, as a plan hatched in her mind. Composing herself, she
turned back around to look at the great-coiled serpent.

“Indeed – he will make a worthy host – now to get their…attention….”
Yuira grinned evilly, as she began chanting….

*

“Let me get this straight – ” Sable, growled dangerously.
“Old black-blood came back too life – too what?”

“She’s captured Coral’mi – a Water Furmental, and she
has been sucking Coral’mi’s life force – and powers, apparently so she can fulfil
some ancient legend of the Tai’far – and become a Goddess. We’ve come through
the portal – to stop her – and to kill her once and for all.” Diane stammered,
her voice cracking with her emotions.

“Then what are we doing standing around here talking?”
Sable snarled. “If that black-hearted Weasel gets her way – then no-one, here
or in the future – will be safe from her! Come on – I know where her Tower is…its
not far.”

“We need a plan – ” Savrin spoke quickly, trying to stop
the ferret’s instinctive headlong rush. “If we charge in there, Yuira will wipe
the floor with us. She is powerful Sable – more powerful than when we killed
her last – I know, she nearly
killed me.”

“Aye lad – ” Sable sighed, as the bloodlust left his
eyes and he quivered. “You’re right – that Tai’far bitch – she be a wily one,
and we best plan this out right. If she’s anywhere near as powerful as you claim
– its going to take all of us together – and a miracle from the God’s themselves
– for us to stop her this time.”

“Sable – we must act quickly, but with thought – as Coral’mi’s
life force is nearly completely drained – I can sense her powers…and they are
very weak – ” Diane wept, as she shuddered, slowly opening her eyes. “If Yuira
completes her spells – ”

Leaping to his feet, Sable stamped back and forth, as
his brow furrowed in anger, as he turned over every known fact of his years
battling the Tai’far warriors who remained – and his overwhelming want of vengeance
against Yuira – for the crimes she had committed. His very blood boiled in outrage,
and his sense of honour dictated that he had to face her….

“Tell us where she is Sable – and we can deal with her…”
Savrin growled. “I owe her a lifetime of hurt…”

“Aye – but if you charge in their like a maniac – she’ll
have your heart on a platter before you blink. There isn’t many Tai’far warriors
left in these here parts – but I fear, that’ll change mighty quick, now that
Yuira’s back.”

“Yummei too – ” Abbilion grunted.

Sable froze, and then his head grinded 180 degrees as
he looked back at Abbilion.

“Great Mother – ” Sable gasped. “Yummei too?”

Diane nodded once. “From what we believe – Yummei was
the one who brought Yuira back to life, and she is sucking Coral’mi’s life force
– and powers – dry, to make her defences weak, so Yummei can claim her as his
own…in every sense of the word.”

Sable swallowed and shivered. “Coral’mi – ”

“Is a virgin – she’s never taken a mate, nor ever will
– and if Yuira has her way – Yummei will put Coral’mi with child – hence creating
a creature born from flesh, but conceived from hell….” Abbilion spoke quietly,
the tears streaking down his face.

“With Coral’mi’s powers – Yuira will become a Goddess
– ” Savrin spoke up.

“Hence – we must move on her now – ” Sable snapped, as
he stamped his foot. “I owe that bitch of a Weasel a thousand deaths – for the
murders of the Wildtra tribe – and for the – murder of my own father! I swear
– let Yummei stand between me and my vengeance – but upon the ‘morrow, we march
for war against Yuira – and nothing shall stop us…”

A rousing cheer went up from the gathered friends, as
Sable seethed and squirmed in rage, quickly outlining a detailed battle plan
for the attack on the Tai’far temple – and its defences….

*

Back in the top-most room of the tower, Yummei raised
an eyebrow and looked at Yuira, who laughed with a hollow, chilling cackle,
and looked up at the snake, her eyes sparkling.

“They make plans like thieves – to break in to my tower
– and put me to the sword, and it appears – you as well my dear Yummei…” Yuira
smirked, as lightning crackled off her paws.

Yummei instantly went on the defence, his jaws snapping
open and fangs extending, as his hood flared and his began weaving from side
to side, glaring at Yuira.

~ I knew I could not trust you Yuira ~ Yummei glared
at her, his powers rapidly rising as he summoned the very rage of the hells.

“Of course – I am my mothers daughter…” Yuira smiled,
as she crouched. “Mother was a very good teacher – ”