FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

** CHAPTER 69** The Last Cry of the Evocanis (Final)

"Good morning Husky," the sweetest voice whispered to his ear. He knew that voice; it was his dear Hasky.

Slowly awakened by the warm breath of his Evocanis sister caressing his inner ear, Husky opened his eyes to another beautiful day at Canis Major.

"Good morning, Hasky." He responded, rubbing his blue eyes. Looking next to him, Fx yawned and stretched

as he too woke up to such wonderful day. Their home in H2 had never looked prettier.

"What are we having for breakfast, Hasky?" He asked as he turned to face her. The three of them were still in bed, but there was no way they would waste such a nice day staying in bed, so Husky soon sat up and threw the sheets aside.

The three Evos stretched and squirmed in their comfy bed until they finally stood up. Scratching his belly and quickly fixing his fur with his claws, Husky walked to the huge window behind their bed. He knew it was an artificial landscape, but it was too real to ignore.

"What's that smell..." Husky whispered to himself. It was a strange scent like overheated machinery. He didn't give importance to it and got closer to the window.

For a second he didn't get a grasp of what he saw. "No..." It was a landscape he had never seen. What was the meaning of this?

The young Evo's fur sprung erect at the horror. It was Canis Major at the other side. But why was he seeing this? Was it an error from the computer that controlled the landscape? "What is going on!?" Husky yelled in horror as he saw his home engulfed in flames. It was at the other side of the simulated window, but somehow he could feel the smell of molten metal, burned rubber and even blood.

"Help me, brother!" The screams of agony from one of his Evocanis brothers that begged to be saved. He was at the other side of the window; but how?

"Brother!" Husky desperately tried to break the window, failing at each attempt. Husky felt his body unresponsive and barely found the strength to even move. "No..." With horror, he saw a horde of those monsters rampaging through the peace of his home. "Get out of there, brother! I can't break this glass!" He yelled at his Evo brother, but the white furred mixed-breed Evo never listened; he just kept on begging for salvation.

"You have to run!" No matter how much Husky yelled, his brother Evo never obeyed his advice. Slowly, the wave of death brought by those monsters eventually got to the small white Evo. "Don't you dare touch him!" Husky growled furiously, nearly ripping his own claws as he tried to break the glass and save this Evo.

Crimson covered the window... Once again the precious blood of his race was needlessly spilled at the sanctity of their home. "No, stop!!" Husky fell on his knees, crying in desperation. When was this nightmare going to stop?

The weight of a paw rested on Husky's shoulder. It was cold and heavy, unlike the warm and tender touch of an Evo. Slowly turning to his side to see what it was, he noticed confused when he saw soft white fur on his shoulder.

"Why won't they stop, Hasky?" Husky cried. There was no response from the Evocanis that had brought him to life. Husky stared at his face only to find the head of not only Hasky but also Fx engulfed in flames.

The cries of pain that came from Husky were as soul shattering as any living being being burned alive would produce. Strangely neither Fx or Hasky who were now completely engulfed in flames uttered a word.

Slowly, the unrelenting flames consumed the pure, soft and tender naked bodies of Husky's dearest loved ones. His brother and his mother charred before his eyes as the fumes of burnt fur choked him. It was a nightmare of which Husky couldn't wake up. "I am sorry I couldn't save you!" Husky desperately cried.

As if the torment wasn't enough, the two charred bodies exploded before his eyes, turning Hasky and Fx into ashes. But where the two innocent Evocanis stood, that horrible figure now stood; it's unmistakable white mask staring right at Husky's eyes as if mocking him.

"I will kill you with my bare claws!" Harsh words that no Evo's heart would ever let them mention; anger like no other Evo had never shown exploded from within Husky as he charged towards the machine. The monster didn't even move until Husky was a few inches from him. Two silvery spikes almost as long as the young Evo protruded from his back as the machine did one single fatal blow.

"I will never forgive you..." A furious Husky spewed blood from his muzzle. His fury was such that he didn't feel the two lethal spikes impaling his body entirely. He pushed forward to reach the machine and destroy it with his own paws as he had promised.

The blades went deeper into Husky until he managed to grab a hold of his enemy.

"Why?"

The Machine stood still as its blades kept on pushing deeper into Husky's torso. The flames invaded the room now and this dancing blaze now reflected on the machine's mask. There was no response from it.

Husky held tight to the machine, never giving up to his will of destroying that monster as the flames soon consumed the room, the machine and all that the young Evocanis ever was.

"Husky..." There was blackness.

"You have to get up, pup; for the sake of our race, you have to get back on your paws. That voice again echoed in Husky's mind. Was it a dream?

Intense heat still engulfed Husky's body, but it wasn't the same feeling he had a few seconds ago. It burned and Husky couldn't stay still no longer.

"That's it, puppy..."

Once again, that voice that filled Husky with an immense feeling of warmth; that warmth that overwhelmed all the pain that invaded his body at the moment.

One deep breath... My oxygen nozzle. Husky reacted to the sensation of something being placed in his muzzle.

Everything suddenly made sense now. He opened his eyes to spectral ember lights dancing around him and instantly remembered what had happened.

Husky's body hadn't given up yet. Sitting up in that vent after fighting the black humanoid machine, Husky soon made a recount of events in his mind. He was still alive somehow.

"It's not over yet Husky. You have to move on." That voice again; the voice he could feel more than hear. Reaching for his oxygen nozzle that had mysteriously been placed in his muzzle, Husky felt a strange warm pressure that held to it. As soon as he held the nozzle by himself, he felt this pressure go away.

Husky was far from being fine, but he still had energy left. A quick look to the nozzle revealed nine percent in bold red numbers; that was probably good for just a few minutes. There were flames all around him and he knew that if he wanted the slightest chance to escape that horrible place, he had to get away from the flames that robbed the scarce oxygen left on that ship.

Crawling was all that Husky could do in that narrow vent. With no direction to go other than away from the flames, Husky kept on moving into the darkness. Judging by how weak the flames looked, he knew that was almost no oxygen left in that place. But his last nozzle was also near exhaustion giving Husky very limited options.

His body was screaming in pain, even though he still had enough strength to somehow ignore it and move on. It must have been the adrenaline filling his body as it fought for survival. He soon got to a junction inside that venting system and came across a tough decision.

Reaching to the back of his belt, he got his ComPod in hopes that the scanner had managed to make rough map of the area. With horror he noticed the device's unbreakable screen cracked almost in half. How hard was he hit by that machine?

_Please don't fail me now..._Husky said to himself as his ComPod would've been his only salvation at that moment. It was useless now. The few remaining on the screen only showed errors and warnings. It was now dead weight.

Husky didn't know how far he was into that vent, but he knew he had traveled quite a lot. Behind him he could barely see the fires within the pitch black darkness.

He was not getting anywhere being in that place. He needed to move if he wanted to increase his chances. But fate once again had a evil trick under its sleeve... The large vent tunnel he was in warped and twisted as the whole ship rumbled in a massive explosion. Husky's odds were once again placed against him as he braced himself; it was the only thing he could do.

It felt like being inside a black hole. The crumbling ship reminded him that oxygen starvation wasn't the major threat. What good was having oxygen if the whole ship threatened to explode at any second?

Husky was not ready to give up, especially after that horrible dream. His mission wouldn't be successful until he managed to get return safe to Canis Major to his family, Hasky and Fx. The small and seemingly fragile Evocanis' body was much more resilient than appearances might suggest. Getting back into his hind paws, Husky ran inside the vent as he struggled to maintain balance as the whole place shook violently and crumbled apart. He didn't make it far, as the section he was in finally collapsed due to the intense shaking.

The young Evocanis never noticed when he hit ground... Dazed and confused, he struggled to recover his focus until he finally opened his eyes. He was in a dark and cold place now. At the distance he could hear the ghastly laments of the massive ship that announced its last minutes. In agonizing pain, Husky once again managed to stand up. Nothing would stop the Evocanis from surviving that day as the warmth of that voice constantly reminded him of it.

Husky spat the oxygen nozzle after he tried to take one more gasp of air but nothing came out of it. Three quick beeps came out of the small device indicated its full depletion. The air in that place was very thin, but not enough for him to starve out of oxygen.

The young Evocanis stood motionless for a second or two, trying to think on what he would do next. He couldn't stand straight as he lightly wobbled around. "I am not dying here..." He said out loud as he stared firmly down a long and dark series of corridors. The resilience that the little space mammal exhibited was extraordinary. Many bigger and seemingly stronger beings would've succumbed under exhaustion way before Husky did. Maybe it was the love that bonded his kind like no other species what kept him in his struggle to reach the warmth of his Canis Major; even if all the odds were against him, he would die trying.

Husky literally dragged himself down that horrible place, holding his badly hurt arm and dripping blood from many wounds. He wouldn't stop until his heart stopped.

But the ship's desire to stop Husky was as resilient as Husky's will to reach his goal...

Behind him, Husky started hearing that dreadful noise that he was so used to now. It was so unfair... Husky had done so much to be alive at that moment; a horde of machines was the least he needed now. Husky was beyond exhaustion now and chose not to pay attention to it anymore. He had more than a desire to escape that place, but his body and mind were starting to betray him again. There was a small part of him that didn't care anymore if a horde of those monsters were after him. He wanted to survive so bad, but at the same time, the idea of just letting himself go sounded like a possible option to gain that much deserved peace.

"We won't let you give up, Husky!!" that voice again. It was so clear now, but he felt more than one presence now. "We fought so hard, Husky... There were so many sacrifices made so you would survive. We won't accept that you and any of our brothers die in this place..." Husky could hear more than one voice this time. He knew the lack of oxygen was starting to affect him greatly, but somehow these hallucinations gave him the strength he needed.

"I want to be with you..." Husky said. The warmth that came from these hallucinations were so intoxicating. It was a different warmth than the one he felt in Canis Major, but equal in intensity and equally addicting.

"Someday you will, pup. But not now." The voice responded. "Not like this... You are not allowed to join us while the monsters who once subjugated our species get away with it again. Canis Major has to be at peace and those monsters defeated. You have to return to Hasky and Fx... You have to live without the fear of that threat stalking you every single day, tainting your peace. Only then you can join us, pup."

"I can't..." Husky said. "My body... I can't feel it anymore..."

"You are still walking... You are still breathing." Now a female voice said. "You still have the gift of life in you and now matter how beaten and mangled you body is, you are still wining against those monsters."

"Don't you see it, Husky?" A different male voice now said as Husky walked deeper into the corridor. "Those monsters have the mission to destroy us, and unlike many years ago, this time they have failed. You say you can't fight anymore, but you already won the battle. No matter how many of those monsters have gone against you, you are still breathing."

"But..." Husky doubted after those words hit strong in him as he never expected.

"They are stronger than before, but yet they can't destroy the will and body of three Evocanis in their own territory. We have gotten stronger than the have and they know it, Husky; they fear us. Don't let them win the war... Survive and get back to Canis Major, my pup." the familiar male voice added.

Looking back, Husky's eyes filled with rage. The words that these hallucinations, being his own subconscious or not, had once again filled him with strength. "I will not let you win this time..." Husky's pace quickened. He wasn't sure were he was heading without the aid of the ComPod, but he felt deep inside him he would find a way out of that ship. He couldn't explain how, but he knew it.

Staying alive; that was Husky's goal. He didn't need to prove anything to those machines anymore as he had already done that. Not even that much more powerful monster had been able to defeat him.

Eventually, Husky reached what seemed to be the end of the corridor. A large room with a missive hole on the ground. This was not a hole formed by the destruction of the ship; this was obviously build into the ship a long time ago.

The faint blue light that illuminated the very large room was swallowed by the darkness of that hole. There was a nerve wrecking wail coming from within it. Looking back again, Husky could hear the horde getting closer. There were no options left for him, but Husky didn't look afraid anymore.

Husky had something planed. No one in his right mind would do what the young Evocanis was ready to do at that moment. He looked back down into the nothingness and closed his eyes. "I don't have to fight you anymore, monsters. I already did and defeated you." He opened his eyes again and turned around to face the horde that was now visible at the distance, rampaging towards him. "If you return to attack us, you must know that we will have no mercy."

More explosions engulfed the ship and the corridor that led to the room where Husky was. Husky closed his eyes and gently let himself fall into the black pit. The attempt of the machines to reach Husky was futile as the corridor collapsed on top of them, destroying them in the act. Husky slowly fell into the bowels of that dark hole, knowing he was once again victorious over the machines.

There was silence again...

I'm still alive, I know that for certain Husky's mind was still active. He knew he was still breathing. Opening his eyes, he saw that large hole above him. He had fell into the the bottom of it and managed to somehow survive. The air was less thinner in this area as he originally expected. Still thin, but much more breathable that above. He knew that the further into the ship he got, the denser the oxygen would be, giving him more chances of finding a way to escape or surviving enough to get rescued.

Around him, there was this irregular cave-like place unlike any other sector he'd seen in that ship. There ware strange sand dunes all around, like the one he rested in that had surely saved him from that long fall. It was as dark as any other sector of the ship, but there was a faint blue light that still came from above him. This place was as big as the hangar of that ship.

"Easy there, buddy..." A voice spoke to him. It was not that hallucination; this voice was clear and above that he felt a gentle caress brushing the fur of his head and neck.

Startled, Husky looked around in the darkness until he saw it. Sitting next to him was a dark figure. He could see its eyes glaring a bit in the dark, staring right at him.

Husky tried to speak but he instantly felt something in the way. There was a familiar scent and flavor in this object in his muzzle. It was an oxygen nozzle and the scent of it almost made Husky cry of happiness.

"That's my last oxygen nozzle. I saved half of it just in case. Just rest and recover, Husky..." the voice once again said.

Husky just couldn't resist. He spat the oxygen nozzle and sat up. "Anubis?" Husky said; his voice broken by tears.

The dark figure that sat comfortably next to him smiled at him.

"First of all," the gentle voice said. "Fx is safe. I'm sure you wanted to know that..."

"Andy!!" Husky yelled crying. Ignoring the pain, he sprung at his friend, holding him tight in the warmest of hugs. The Great Dane Evocanis returned the embrace, not wanting to let go as well. Feeling the warmth of their brothers was something both thought they would never feel again. Their resilience had rewarded them finally.

Both Evos whimpered of happiness as they licked their faces, cleaning the blood and wounds that covered them. It was a moment they didn't want to let go off.

"Husky, I am so glad you made it, buddy." Anubis said with his voice almost broken.

"Andy, you're... hurt." Husky said as he examined his friend. Anubi's armor was shredded and torn into pieces. A large laceration crossed his entire chest which was uncovered. Husky tried to lick the wound to give his friend some comfort.

"I'm fine. It's superficial..." Anubis said, petting Husky's head as his friend gently licked his wound. It might have been, but as gentle and relieving as Husky's soft tongue felt, he couldn't ignore the sharp pain that this wound gave him.

"How did you?" Husky asked, now sitting very close to his friend, licking him occasionally in his nose. They were overwhelmed with relief and happiness now that they were next to each other. Husky's happiness couldn't be measured with words after hearing that Fx was saved.

"I don't know, Husky..." Anubis responded. "It doesn't matter how we made it, or what we went through. We are alive." Anubis closely inspected Husky's body, noticing how mistreated it was. He knew Husky went through the worst time of his life too, but it didn't matter anymore.

"I've seen terrible things, as I'm sure you have." Husky said. "But we are alive, and we will make it out alive."

"I won't stop fighting, Husky. And now that we are together, I know we can make it." Anubis reassured. "But we have to catch our breath and think well what our next move will be."

"They should know we are here, Anubis." Husky said, as he sat up very close, making body contact with Anubis. He didn't want to feel the coldness of not having an Evo brother next to him ever again. Somehow the body contact, feeling the scent and warmth of their kin boosted both Evo's energy levels. Their morale was as high as it could be risen considering the terrible circumstances they were at at the moment. It was the inexplicable power that the pure bond of an uncorrupted species as the Evocanis could do.

"I don't know how intense the battle is out there, but Hasky and Kalem do know where we are. They should've come by now." Anubis theorized.

"Why haven't they?" Husky dared to ask.

"I don't know... But they will come eventually, Husky. We will win, you'll see." Anubis did his best to keep the morale high, but he too feared that something terrible had happened. They had lost track of time, but they felt that by now, a rescue team should've come to their rescue already.

"Should we hold back then?" Husky suggested.

"It's the best we can do, Husky. We can't leave by our own anyway."

"We still have a ship."

"About that, Husky..." Anubis dreaded to admit as images of what he went through to save Fx came to his mind. "I tried to start one of the two remaining ships, but the systems fried when I replaced the power node. I was so close not to be able to save Fx... The only working ship is the one that Fx was sent in."

There was no response from Husky. He sighed as he placed his paw on Anubi's shoulder. "Thank you for saving my brother, Anubis."

Anubis smiled as he received a tender hug from his Evocanis brother. "I would've given my life for him, you know that. I was just doing my job of saving my Evocanis brother."

The two Evos had found each other once again, but their ordeal was far from over. They had a tough path before them, but for now, the only option was wait and recover in that dark cavern. At least that place looked truly abandoned and so far they didn't sense any threat. As long as their will to survive was strong in them, the fight would continue.

The fight was not only exclusive to Anubis and Husky, of course. Deep in space, the remains of what once was the D.E1 cruiser drifted lifeless in the vacuum. An ocean of debris and dust orbited around the dead space ship, being witness of how it was outnumbered and utterly overwhelmed by the machine forces.

Inside, to Canis Major heroes once so full of life floated within the shattered interiors of the ship. Kalem and Hasky have given all they had in hopes of avoiding the events that destroyed their lives many years in the past; this time falling victims themselves to the deadly blades of the machines.

"Please don't die, Hasky..." Almost in his last breaths, Kalem whispered. His body might've given up, but somehow he never let his firm grip loosen from his Evocanis sister.

Both Evos were now in the dark embrace of death... But was it that the two valiant Evos had been given a second chance?

Deep in the D.E1 cruiser's main hall, there was activity. Kalem was about to lose consciousness, but he sensed it. Opening his eyes, he saw darkness. But within this darkness, he noticed movement.

"Please..." Kalem begged. He was not begging for help, but for the nightmare to stop. He knew there were machines inside the D.E1 Cruiser as they had been attacked already. There was nothing he would be able to do if more came after them.

But there was something different this time. Lights... Kalem thought. He saw various beams of light moving around and getting more intense by the second. He knew one thing; the machines didn't use any kind of light to make their way through darkness.

"Over here!" Kalem overheard through the inner speakers inside his pressurized suit. The speakers automatically linked to any ally that was in hearing range. Kalem managed to give a sigh of relief as he knew these were his brothers.

"She needs help..." Kalem said. "Oxygen tank replacement... now!" the golden furred Evo said with much effort.

"K9!?" A voice responded. It was now close to him until he finally made contact. "It's me, Lay." The deep voice said.

"Replace her Oxygen tank. Quick!" Kalem yelled, almost chocking as his last once of Oxygen depleted.

The images of what happened next were confusing and hard to remember for Kalem. He came in and out of consciousness, seeing a group of Retcan environmental suits and an Evocanis one around him doing all sorts of things. He saw himself in various parts of what remained of D.E1 as if he was being dragged outside to a safer place. He was asked many things but the words were overwhelming to him at that moment and didn't respond.

Eventually, a sharp headache brought him back to his senses. His head felt light, but not pressured by the helmet anymore. "Hasky!" He yelled. Opening his eyes, he saw that he was not inside the D.E1 Cruiser anymore. The dark insides of a ship with a faint red light was all he saw.

Kalem desperately moved around, now in search for his Evocanis sister.

"Easy, Evo!" The gentle female voice of a Retcan spoke to him. The warm looking green eyes of this white furred Retcan stared at him. " She was so close... But she reacted as soon as we changed the Oxygen tank."

Kalem still searched for Hasky, until he saw her next to him. Hasky had been stripped down to her lower undergarments and a large oxygen mask was placed on her face; it looked bad, but miraculously she was awake. Her blue eyes were barely opened, but they winked, letting out tears every time she did.

"We will do some tests on her, but I am certain that she will be okay, K9." the female Retcan said.

Kalem didn't care about his own condition and ran to Hasky, until reaching for her paw.

"What happened, Kalem?" A deep voice spoke behind him. A strong looking Evocanis with piercing yellow eyes stared at him.

The question made Kalem react and remember everything. His heart sunk as he remembered what happened. There was something that required critical attention and there was no time to lose.

"Anubis, Husky and Fx... We need to find them now!" Kalem yelled, trying to get back on his hind paws but failing to do so.

Lay yanked Kalem and asked him firmly again. "We know that they went out. Retcans in Canis Major told us that they threaten them to give them the codes for S Series." Lay growled at him. "Where are they?!" He now raised his voice. Kalem trembled confused as he struggled to regain his composure and organize his ideas.

"Kalem." Another voice said. It was a deep voice, belonging to a Retcan that now approached him. A pair of yellow eyes much more menacing that Lay's appeared from within the darkness of that vessel. "My fleet found one of our fighter ships drifting not too far from the battleground. Your Evocanis brother Fx was in it."

To this words, Hasky seemed to react. She twisted and turned, trying to get free from the oxygen mask, cables and I.V's that shackled her into a metallic table.

"Easy there!" The female Retcan along with other colleague medics tried to keep Hasky calm. Kalem seemed to shocked to be able to speak. "Your pup is safe in R105 now. He's being treated..." the medic reaffirmed.

"Answer me a question, Kalem. Of this depends the lives of two Evos." Zonda spoke firmly. "Where are Anubis and Husky? After the battle was over, my team have been searching for them without any luck. We can't even find the ship's signal anywhere."

"We have to go get them... Something might have happened!" Kalem still fought with the after effect of oxygen starvation.

"Focus, Kalem!" Lay didn't mean to be firm with his Evo brother. He knew was in bad shape and it was not his fault to be in that condition. But as Zonda said, of this depended the life of Husky and Anubis.

"The machine's fleet..." Kalem said confused. "Fx... they went after him."

"Yes, Kalem?" Lay encouraged him to continue.

"You mean the main fleet? The large ships?" Zonda asked for specifics. He needed as much information as possible. Time was running out.

"Fx disappeared into one of the ships... We thought he had crashed inside it." Kalem now clenched his stomach. His body was beyond its limits. "Husky and Anubis... we told them to get him even if he wasn't alive anymore. They went to him... I don't know what might've happened!" Kalem's body had enough. The weakened Evo threw up due to the intense stress his body has gone through.

One of the Retcan medics went to aid him quickly. "Don't worry about this, Evo. It's normal. Now rest... you'll be okay." She said as she gently sat Kalem back on a metallic table.

"You have to tell me where they are at, Kalem. You need to tell me now!" Zonda demanded, facing Kalem right at the eyes. Zonda gave a paw gesture at one of his Retcan brothers and a large sized ComPod was thrown at him. Zonda quickly grabbed it and showed the screen at Kalem. "Which of these ships did they go to?" He asked, showing an image of the machine's main fleet.

"This one..." Kalem pointed.

Zonda's eyes opened wide. It was not anger, it was an immense fear that ran across his body. He threw the ComPod and took out his own. "This is Zonda, can you hear me, R105?"

"Loud and clear, General." Bo's tender voice responded.

"Abort the attack on the main fleet now!" Zonda yelled. "Evocanis are on board one of those ships!"

"What?! But we..."

"Didn't you hear me? Abort the attack at once!" Zonda's powerful voice filled the small cabin of the vessel that rested inside D.E1's hangar.

"We have no time to lose here. I need a team to rendezvous with me at the machine's main fleet." Zonda now ordered.

"I will go with you. These are my brothers out there." Lay jumped in.

"We have no time to return this vessel to R105 or Canis Major anyway. We need to go now." Zonda said. "Pilot, take this ship as fast as possible to the coordinates sent.

"As you wish, General."

The Special Operations vessel's engines roared to life as they exited the remains of D.E1. There was no time to lose if they wanted to find Husky and Anubis alive. Zonda would do everything on his paws so save them or this whole battle would be a complete loss to them.

Knowing the location of Husky and Anubis, there was now a possibility that they could make it out alive that nightmare. But how much time they had? How much further they could push their luck? The battle was over indeed, but how could Retcans and Evocanis claim themselves victorious if two of their brothers were still far from the safety and warmth of their home? If those two Evocanis succumbed in such an unfair scenario, the machines had won.

"My head... it hurts..." Husky said after he managed to get back on his hind paws.

"Sit down, buddy. We have to save our energy and oxygen." Anubis gently said.

The place they were in had a strange sense of peace, yet they knew they were in the bowels of the metallic beast, far away from salvation.

"They air... it's thinning here too." Husky said as he looked around.

"The ship is loosing atmosphere. The less the pressure, the richer oxygen we need in our systems. It doesn't matter if the O2 levels are optimal if the atmospheric pressure is too low." Anubis said. It was an unnecessary explanation, but talking helped keep their minds focused.

Husky didn't respond, but he understood that very well.

"This sand is... strange." Husky said, kneeling down and taking some into his paw.

"We do not need to understand the machines..." Anubis replied. "All I know is that we are safe in this place for now. A rescue team must be in it's way. We need to keep that thought strong in our minds, Husky."

It seemed like if Husky didn't pay attention to Anubis although he did. His interest was in something he saw not too far from the dune they were in. It was something they probably didn't notice before, but now that their eyes adjusted to the lack of light, he could see it clearly.

"Husky?" Anubis said, as he too got up and followed his friend that slid down the dune by now.

Husky seemed very interested in what he saw... He walked closer to this point of interest until he stood right in front of it.

"I didn't notice this before..." Anubis said as he finally managed to catch up on Husky.

"We are not the only ones, Anubis..." Husky said as he turned to face his friend. Anubis didn't understand until he examined this mountain of debris.

In front of them stood a pile of what seemed to be rubble and other waste. But examining closely he noticed that this was of organic origin. He now understood what Husky meant by them not being the only ones.

"These are bones, Anubis..." Husky said.

"I know."

The bones were strange. There were also strange carapaces lying around the mountain of organic debris. That dust that they thought was sand... Somehow they understood it once might've had organic origins.

"This is a disposal chamber..." Husky said. "This is where they dispose of their victims, Anubis..."

"We were not the only ones. I understand what you mean by that, Husky." Anubis said as he examined the strange skeletons and carapaces.

"These machines... these monsters." Husky growled silently. "How many have they defiled?" He said with tears in his eyes, now looking right at Anubis.

"We have to do something Husky. Somehow I feel this all started because of us and it is our duty to stop them."

"I've seen it all around this ship. That dark monster spoke to me and said something about Genesis being the key." Husky confessed. Husky's eyes were fixed to the remains that lied in front of them. "I don't know why, but I had the feeling it referred to us..."

Anubis didn't say a word and just tried to analyze what Husky said to him. But something suddenly caught his attention. It was something next to the pile of remains. Anubis walked towards this that seemed to call him to approach.

It was almost as if it was alone and forgotten. Far from the pile, semi-buried in that cold sand.

"Anubis... what is that?" Husky uttered. Deep inside he knew what it was.

Anubis knelt down in front of the remains. "Husky come here..."

Husky was afraid to approach whatever Anubis was interested in. He knew what it was and hearing Anubis' voice braking made it more evident.

"Husky, please..." Anubis insisted.

Husky got the courage and finally approached Anubis. He also knelt down and examined these lonely remains. The body structure, the skull; it was so familiar.

"Those machines need to pay, Husky..." Anubis now cried, caressing the skull of these remains. "He or she died alone in this horrible place. We need to make justice for him or her."

Husky's eyes filled with tears, and soon couldn't hold himself from crying as he saw these remains. It was just bones, but there was still remains of an outfit. The long sleeved and soft looking fabric was unmistakably Evocanis-made.

Husky now caressed the skull of this Evocanis that died in that place. He or she was ripped away from the warmth of Canis Major and no one was there to save his or her life.

"It died alone, Anubis..." Husky cried. "It was probably afraid and defenseless against those monsters."

How long did he or she managed to survive in that place? How long until the blank mask of death deprived him or her from precious life?

"We will never let this happen again... We will make them pay, brother." Anubis still cried. But as Husky's these tears turn from being tears of sorrow to those of fury.

That Evocanis that lied there forgotten by time once had a family and a home within the warmth of Canis Major. Never before, such rage burned inside the hearts of these two Evocanis warriors. They both stood back up with the fury of a thousand suns glaring inside their eyes as the shadows of hundreds of blank masks slowly surrounded them.

"You..." Husky growled. "You will pay..."

"The life of this Evocanis brother and all that you have hurt weights in your blades, machines. You will not go longer without suffering retaliation from our claws and fangs." Anubis said.

Both Husky and Anubis have already felt this rage before, but not like this. Somehow seeing the remains of their Evocanis brother or sister had fueled this fury beyond the limits. They were now surrounded again, but there was no fear in them anymore.

Looking down at their brother, Husky knelt down once again and took what was left of a bandana that probably once hugged the neck of this Evocanis. The soft scent of the Evocanis was gone, but within it there was still the memories of his former self. Husky took this bandana and he imagined the peaceful life that this Evo once had.

Husky tenderly rubbed the bandana in his face before ripping in half. Once half was given to Anubis, the other one he kept.

"We might die today after all, Husky." Anubis said.

"I know..." Husky responded as he wrapped his half of the bandana around his wrist. "Not before ripping these monsters into pieces..."

"Husky..." Anubis said after he finished wrapping the bandana around his wrist as well. "It was such a joy knowing you." He said as they stood back to back, observing how at least two hundred of those monsters circled them. "You and your brother... you have been the best friends I have ever had."

"Anubis... Fx and I love you so much, my friend. It was a pleasure just to stand by your side." Husky said as he prepared himself for the last battle. Memories of that day when he first walked into D.E1 came to his mind; how that large dark Evocanis stood behind him, greeting him with the warmest of hugs. "I wish we could've spend more time together, but every second for short that it was, it was worth a lifetime." Husky smiled as a tear rolled out his eyes.

"I love you too, Husky... and I love your brother." Anubis said. "I don't regret anything we did today; any decision we took. If we are dying today, I am filled with honor knowing that we are doing this for Canis Major and that I have the privilege of going down with an Evo brother as yourself.

"For Canis Major, Anubis..."

"For Canis Major, Husky..."

Getting ready to fight with only their claws and fangs, both Evos stood in front of hundreds of blank masks... But fear was not in their hearts this time. They both smiled and shed their last tears... The last cry of two noble and proud Evocanis warriors.

Evocanis had tasted victory that day. Not without sacrifices that this brought to them. But they now rested assured that fear wouldn't defile the sanctity of their home anymore. They had shown their aggressors that they were not afraid to fight and lose their lives protecting their kind and their Canis Major... It is unknown if machines could feel fear, but however their artificial minds worked, it was clear that this day would never be forgotten as the one were Evocanis bit back...