Random Rambles: Hi guys, this quickie scene is a bit of a plot-thickener so I can get my head straight for the rest of the storyline ^^; sorry if it doesn't seem to make sense at this point OTL, but all will be revealed in due time ~ On a side note, I had fun writing a one-shot for Thanksgiving and I'm thinking to do another one for Christmas. Anyone got some ideas/suggestions/(pairing)requests they'd like to see? Lemme know ;) <3 

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A thousand years was a very long time to live. 

A very long time to be hungry. 

But, he was patient. It was the one virtue he excelled in. Perhaps, the only virtue he possessed. 

He was born cursed. Cursed with a desire to feed his endless hunger, cursed with a longing greed to receive more, always. His life was destined for suffering, for anguish and darkness. He was born with a hollow heart that could love nothing else but power. Power and marvelous destruction to all those lives that claimed to be filled with light. The light he so despised. The light he so envied. The putrid light of his sanctimonious brother whom foolish people revered to no end. A reverence that was supposed to be his. 

His pious brother shed his scales and magnificent wings, threw away the true appearance of authority to don a coat of fur so he could howl at the moon to play guardian to the world. 

The imbecile. So much talent, so much power, all gone to utter waste. 

But not for long. His brother may enjoy reveling in the light, guarding all under the sun, and running free beneath the moon, but he himself, preferred to slither in the shadows, creep in beautiful darkness which light could not and dared not touch. He was the balance to all the good his brother claimed to protect. But the scale was skewed. He had been in the darkness too long. People had forgotten him, while his brother grew in adoration, became stronger, wiser, more powerful- and older. He aged with the world, carrying its weight, and its burden was becoming too heavy to bear. It would not be long until he could strike and take the power that rightfully belonged to him. 

His desire was simple. He wanted to rule and destroy anyone and anything that would dare stand in his way. Nothing wrong with having a wish, was there? After all, his brother had his foolish dreams fulfilled, why should he not be given the same rights? All it took was a little bite of venom, just to lull brother-dear into sleep. Then, he could slither his way into the very heart of the world and finally take it for himself. He could create a world to his liking, a wonderful world of glorious shadows and endless devastation that would fuel his energy, his power, for all eternity. 

Imagine his fury upon seeing his brother choose a set of guardians to protect him. The moron distributed his precious power to a bunch of unworthy peasants to help him protect the world from harm. To roam the lands to ensure its safety, and that of his brother. How dare he stand in his way?!

But, again, he was used to waiting. When the initial rage had passed, knowing that his plans were foiled, he retreated into the darkness thinking of other ways to overthrow his aging brother. Perhaps using guardians was a way for him to strengthened himself, but at the same time, he realized that his brother had become weak. If he depended on others to do his precious work, it meant that he knew he was not going to last. That had to count for something...

He schemed and schemed, always watching, always listening, always slithering over the earth where the light never found him. He waited a hundred years, a hundred more. Age had no meaning to him. Time never touched him. He waited until the opportune moment. To strike when his brother was at his weakest. His ambition and patience would pay off. 

Amongst his brother's chosen guardians was a stunning creature that had caught his eye since the very beginning. Not only was she blessed with divine beauty, grace and intelligence, she was born a gentle soul. Kind and caring, filial and brave. Strong and loving. And so very loyal. 

Naive. Gullible. Easy prey. 

Despite those two flaws, he had found that she had one more that was greater than all the rest. She blindly loved his brother. At several occasions had he seen her do anything he wished of her, loyally obeying every command, listening to every word and doing her very best to protect the world he loved and to protect him. His brother had made the brilliant mistake of making the little fox believe that he would be by her side always. And that was where he slithered in. 

One day, he approached the little fox, who, and rightly so, stepped back in caution upon seeing him. He had a way with words and charmed her easily. He gained her trust with sweet and kind words, fake compliments over how he admired and respected her position and that of the master she served.

"It fills my heart with such bliss to see the unconditional love you have for our Great One," he hissed through his serpentine mouth. "And, at the same time, my heart shatters when I think how he will leave. His reign is ending, he will lose his position, and so will you along with him," he feigned in a concerned voice.

The little innocent fox blinked at him. "You are wrong. He would never leave this world. Nor will he leave me."

"In spirit, he indeed will not. But when the time comes, and he senses it, he will call all of you and relieve you of your duties. Cast you away. That is his way," he told her, already content at the reaction of the distraught fox. 

"No, you're wrong! He would never replace us, never replace me! We are loyal to him!" 

"Of course you are, dear," he hissed, coiling his body near her paws. "But you must admit that the years have not been very kind to you," he slithered up to inspect her. "The shine in your fur has become rather dull, has it not? And, is that a gray hair, my dear?" 

The little fox moved away, shaking her head. "He wouldn't replace me," she repeated, but he knew that the seed was planted. 

"Ah, of course. How foolish of me, you are closest to him, therefore you must know better than I," he voiced in a honeyed tone, knowing that all he needed to do know, was wait for that seed of doubt to grow. 

He had no illusions when years later he saw his brother choose a successor to his throne, and it was not him. His guardians retired over the years, knowing that their generation had come to an end and the next were up and coming to bear the responsibility of protecting the world. He didn't have to wait too long this time, when a little fox came looking for him.

"Have you always known?" she asked in a brokenhearted voice.  

"Known what, dear?" he asked ignorantly. 

"That he would abandon us- abandon me, as though all these years meant nothing to him!" 

This was what he waiting for. Sadness, anger and frustration. Hope that finally faded away. Love turned into exquisite hatred. 

"How could he cast me aside? Why would he choose such a, a, a- mongrel?! I did everything for him!"

"The ingrate, to throw away such a beautiful creature...such a shame. Why, if I had you by my side, I would never let you go," he coaxed, his snake-eyes gleaming at her. The green-eyed fox blinked hopefully at him. 

"I reward those loyal to me. I would never throw them away," he added, his words seeping into her mind like a pleasant poison and already could he see the light slowly dispersing from her gentle heart. 

"I want to make him pay," she said. 

He grinned. "We'll have our chance. Soon." 

It was a regular day when his brother left the world in the hands of a child. He knew, as did the little fox, how much he loved this world, so the only way to hurt him, would be to destroy it. In the hands of a child the world was vulnerable. He could grab the heart, take control, but things were not so easy. They taught the new guardian that the world was composed of light and brutal darkness and it irked him how surprisingly strong the new guardian was and how quickly the child learned. 

The little fox was beside herself with anger and envy when this guardian had chosen twelve other guardians to safeguard the world. An honored task that was once bestowed upon her. Insult was added to injury when the little fox saw that these children had been more powerful and more skilled than she dared ever dream. The little light that was left inside of her heart had snuffed out, which suited his purpose. The little fox recruited helpers to come and do his bidding, though he preferred calling them his minions. 

Again, his practiced patience came to good use as they slowly and steadily built an army enough to overthrow the new reign and he could finally possess the one thing he always wanted, the one thing that was so close at hand he could nearly taste it. 

One night, when the moon shone at its fullest and the pallid light was replaced by a sickeningly crimson glow while the world was drenched in the blood he had spilled, his dreams came true. He felt the earth crack and crumble beneath him, the lightning splitting the trees and scorching the earth, the rivers and lakes boiled and flooded, fire created a destructive path and riddled the world with smoke. 

There was nothing the guardians could do to protect their precious One. He knew, because he saw the stars fall. A dozen of them, one by one, and the world shattered. He had stolen the heart, he had gained his victory.

Or so he thought.

The heart, as it turned out, betrayed him. He could not unlock its secrets, could not gain its full potential. The heart was incomplete. He realized then that he still needed something... Even if he had to wait a thousand years more, he'd do so.

"Lucky for me I don't have to wait that long," Mr. Yok watched the video footage Ms. Kumiho had sent him a few days ago and he replayed it over and over again. "We'll have our reunion soon, boys," he whispered to himself, his eyes glowing a golden amber for just a split second. He looked at his phone when it rang and he smirked. 

"Tell me good news, little fox," he mused, leaning back in his chair. He tensed a little when he listened to the other person speak. "You're certain of this? And which one are we talking about then?" 

He replayed the video again, smiling widely. "The healer? Well, I suppose eleven would still work. A healer is too much of a bother anyway- hm, what's that? Number thirteen, you say? My, my...how fascinating, an extra..." he mused, listening to his conversational partner. "You've done well, my dear. No, no, there's no need to fuss. All there's left to do is wait. Just a little more," he grinned, lovingly the screen which was freeze-framed on a set of wolves.

"Hm? Ah, for certain, my dear. Once I get what I want you shall be by my side to rule this world. How could I deny you this pleasure?" he cooed, hissing only slightly. He his lips. 

"Don't you worry about those boys, little fox. When the heart is unlocked we'll have no need for them. You get to play all you want, as long as you clean up after the mess- I know how hungry you are. Patience, my dear," he switched to an older video where a bunch of teens ran swiftly through the woods and he pulled out a set of files from a glass tablet, revealing pictures of the boys on the footage, names, ages, addresses, personal information, for his eyes to feast upon.

"All good things to those who wait."