The Claim of The Fox, Royale

Shelves upon shelves of books. Many of them have no title. I pick one up and it already wants to speak to me. It craves my attention. I place it back on the shelf to come back to. Every single one of these wants to meet me. And I want to hear what they have to say. But first I need to find the one that will give me immediate answers.

I move towards the area where the shelves end and tables begin. I see on the wall the tapestry that gave me so much trouble. It's just as I remember it. There's the hamlet we encountered as we arrived. And on the center table is a black book. Its cover is closed with no dust on it. Unlike the other books, it's quiet. It's showing patience.

I sit down at the seat in front of it. I can sense that now it wants to speak with me. I opened it to the first page to see the handwriting that I had seen before. From the church, in the pile of journals that Phinnis had collected. There was one that gave me a vivid warning. It matches that writing. It's less scribbled and more organized. I take a deep breath before I utter the words, "Tell me your story."

The world around me goes white. The library vanishes as a figure appears before me. He looks… Plain. Like any other red fox I had seen before. He looks at me as I look back at him. I can see him smile as his voice reaches me. It tickles my ear as though he is only inches away, "I was hoping that you would find me. I have much to tell you."

"Who are you?"

"I am you but from a previous life. You know me as Royale."

The previous nine-tailed fox. He wrote this. "Listen to me Red, there is a lot you need to know and it will be tough. You need to understand that this was left behind for you. And I hope you understand by the time you are done reading this." His figure disappears into the emptiness as the world seems to change. I hear him talk to me once more, "Listen, and learn."

The world around me changes. I find myself in a family home that is dated. The family here appears to be struggling as a sign of the times. A family of red foxes is working hard to keep themselves afloat. This must have been near the great depression. The man of the house looks defeated, and his wife seems to be trying to help how she can. And their son is blissfully unaware. They are trying their damndest to make sure he is taken care of. That he is clothed and fed while they may struggle.

My life changed with the knock at the door.

Their evening is disturbed as a couple stands at the door. They are well dressed. They appear to be here with a purpose. They sit down with the couple. The young fox peers around the corner trying to listen in on what's going on. His mother is on the couch crying while his father tries to comfort her. What they say doesn't make sense to the boy now, but in time he will understand.

Their meeting ends with his mother giving him a large hug, kissing his face over and over while repeating that she loves him and that she will see him again. She reminds him that this is for his own good so he can have a better life. The next thing he knows, he's set into a car and riding away from the house he called home with these strangers.

They took me from my home. At first, I didn't understand but they promised to give me everything I needed and more.

They gave him nice clothes. They sent him to a school that taught him more than he could have ever learned where he was. As he grew older, he became accustomed to this life. Until the day came in his teenage years when they told him what he was. A creature of myth and legend. A being of unfathomable power. A nine-tailed fox. This family had dedicated their lives to serving the lineage of the nine-tailed fox. To ensure that their power was cultivated to the fullest.

They began to show him things that seemed impossible. They pulled fire from the air. They made things that were only possible in the imagination! He was aghast that this was something that he could do. He became excited at the prospect that he could do this too and swore that he would do what he needed to learn this power. They made sure that he understood that this would be a great undertaking. That it would require many hours of study as he had never done before.

He seemed ready. He was ready to get started as soon as possible but there was work that needed to be done first. This would require prep work before he could begin. He spent his days working on his body. Moving, lifting, and running constantly. They eased him into his magical studies with theory until one day they began to practice. It was slow at first with simple spells that took him time to get right and master.

Once had a grasp on the basics, he excelled in his teachings. He soared past all expectations with no end in sight! He quickly earned his second tail before turning 18. He was on the path to becoming what he was meant to be.

Does this look familiar to you? There is a reason for this…

Years went by as he trained with the teachers who became his second family. He returned to his own family to find them in a better state. Without the extra mouth to feed, they were better able to weather the financial situation. They were so glad to see him, the man that he had become, and welcomed him to come back whenever he could. They still loved him and wished that they had been able to take better care of them.

He understood their actions. He had grown to see the world around him and how it had changed in such a short time. He wished that he could have stayed with them and given them the family experience that they originally wanted. But, now that he was grown up, he could still be a family with them. His training still wasn't completed so he would have to return. But his mother hugged him. But he didn't know that would be the last time he would see his mother again.

The news came two years later in the form of a letter from his father. She had gotten sick and it weathered her body to where she couldn't carry on. They couldn't have asked for better weather for her funeral. Or maybe that was his influence. The sun was bright but the wind kept things cool for everyone to be outside. A sad man leaned against his son as he watched them bury the love of his life. The son wondered if there was anything he could have done.

He learned by this point that magic was not a cure-all for any problem, but could there have been something he could have done to prevent this? A simple illness that should have been easy to take care of. Was there something that could have purged it from her body or a way to strengthen her? His moments to grieve were short. He still had work to do.

His training was accelerated by his drive. He devoured any knowledge that he could get his paws on while he worked on his personal goal of looking into restorative magic. There wasn't much on the subject but there were pieces. As he reached the age of 26, his teachers brought to the family a child of their own. They only had one ask of their student, to help them protect their child. A red fox with bright blue eyes. A rare trait indeed. He became the center of their time but to no surprise. They raised the boy with the knowledge that magic was real. They had sent him to a private school where they treated those from a magical lineage with respect and gave them the knowledge that would be hard to obtain elsewhere.

This child became a blessing to the fox. He could reinforce his knowledge by teaching this young one different methods that he had learned himself. The child grew and flourished in this rich environment. In his teenage years, as his parents and his second teacher got older, he began to show signs of a chronic illness. It was time for the fox to leave once again. He went into the world to learn on his own. He was welcome back any time to this house. And knew that he would see them again.

It was hard starting. But as my power grew I gained more tails. As I gained more tails I gained more infamy. As I gained more infamy, I gained more enemies. But there was one light in my life and she shined the brightest.

He had the chance to travel the world. He had found someone who didn't know of him or magic but she loved him. And he loved her. They were married within a year and began the process of settling down. He continued his studies and founded a school of his own in the region. He was able to start up an institution that pulled some of the greatest minds from all over the world! They brought with them the knowledge that he had never seen before. The world was changing after World War 2 and with that change came a Renaissance age for magic in the region.

But he still had to find his power. He had gained tails but the others were taking time. It had been years since he had seen his teachers and their son. But the word of his accomplishments didn't go unnoticed. They found the institution that he had created and praised him for it. They had never expected that he would have gone to such lengths to advance magic. But the years had taken their toll on the couple. Their son had moved on with his life, marrying a woman and planning to start a family of their own.

Everything had been going well for this fox. He had adopted a new name as a sign of his change. Royale. A symbol of his status and a simple denotation of his accomplishments. He had always felt that this was fitting but there was still something missing. He had learned about how the lineage of the nine-tailed fox traveled from host to host. He wondered what other stories they had to tell. A thirst for knowledge that seemed to run deep within this line.

He was stable in life. His wife was pleased with what they had accomplished but he proposed a daring ask of her. To travel the world to help him learn more and to see what sights these places have to offer. She couldn't refuse! Any time with him was time well spent. Their institution was in good hands in their absence.

And travel they did! They went from country to country across every continent, meeting new people and seeing what they could. Royale had found some clues to his history in the form of journals that had been left behind in odd places. The world called him to these places as though to lead him to where he needed to be. His wife, ever-loving, followed him and supported him in his endeavors in exchange for a few adventures of her own. How was he going to say no?

I loved her with all my heart. She was my fire and my motivation for going anywhere and doing anything. She always treated me better than she should have. Even as I thirsted for knowledge, she was by my side. As I grew more tails, she always seemed more excited than I was but… This power comes at a cost.

They spent their years traveling. But as time went on, they had to slow down their adventures. Age is a fickle thing. Royale's power didn't keep him ageless but it was clear that time moved differently for him. His wife aged as she would normally. Her body took its bumps and bruises that took their toll on her. Her face and fur showed signs of age. But she pressed on! He did what he could to help her but he knew that there was going to be a difference.

His studies shifted from himself to his missus. His thoughts became clouded by his mother's death and how he wished that he could have helped her. Seeing this happen once again, he wondered if there was something he could do. Maybe the journals knew something? He poured over them as he collected them but none seemed to know.

In his search, he found an odd spot. Somewhere like never before where he could get lost by standing still. In this spot, he discovered the castle with the tapestries. It was a treasure trove of goodies. A written history of his lineage and how some have come to be and went in this world. He wanted to stay but knew his family came first.

The news finally came one day. That his teachers and mentors had passed. The father, four years ago. The mother within the last week. It hit him hard but he knew the day would come. This changed his course once again from looking for answers to enjoying life once again. His studies were put on hold while he enjoyed the love of his life.

I know I don't have to tell you this, Red. But our happiness can only be enjoyed for so long.

They continued to travel as he proposed their next adventure be this odd space that he had found. She was intrigued by the prospect of a place filled with odd magic that could give him some more information about himself. This was a familiar trip to Red. They traveled through the odd forest that seemed to be eternal night until the end of the road. They traveled through the empty hamlets that were scattered around the main estate.

The tapestries told him the stories of the many different foxes that came before him. Everyone seemed to be drawn to this place at one point or another. Some never made it but many did leave behind their touch on this place. Books, journals, drawings, and teachers were scattered everywhere. They called out to him to search through them. But he and his wife took their time.

They used this place to enjoy some time together. They could both feel that time moved differently here. He wondered if it was possible that they could live here. Forever. She seemed to be affected by this place where her age was stopped. They spent months searching around the areas looking at whatever they could find. They lived in the main castle while they worked together to learn about Royale's past and potential future.

But once again, happiness can only be enjoyed for so long.

You've seen it too, Red. A history that repeats itself. Every nine-tailed fox is brought down. Rarely by age. It always comes from someone close to them. It's tragic because I fear it will happen to you as well. I can only share my warning and my own story.

It's the last entry in the book. One day there was a disturbance in the air. They had become so attuned to the area that they could feel that someone else had entered it. But it was malicious. Someone with ill intent aimed toward him. They could only wait for this to arrive at their doorstep. They arrived with smiles and warm greetings, with their intentions permeating the air. It was a face that he had never expected to see again. His old teacher's son and his wife. The boy he helped train and set him down a path of magic discovery. He looked tattered.

They invited them in with caution. They showed them around and educated them on what they had found. It was all astounding to their guests. They were enamored with the information that they gave them. On instinct, they kept the library a secret.

They sat down for a formal meeting. They informed Royale that he had been missing for so long that he was thought to be dead. His family had a memorial for him but he knew he was still alive. He just didn't know where. It took years of searching and tracking down where he had been to catch up. But he was here! He could talk to him again.

The man needed help. He and his wife had a daughter together. She was the pride of their life and they would do anything for her but his health had taken a hefty toll on him and their finances. He asked Royale to assist him in rebuilding his family's wealth to help him and his family.

The pattern emerged to him. And Royale's attempt to break the cycle only caused it to come true. He had spent his life learning about himself. Reading through the library granted him his seventh and eighth tail. His ninth came with a price.

He refused his offer, respectfully. Leaving this place would mean that time would go forward once again. He wouldn't be able to spend time with the one he loved and cherished. On the surface, the man seemed accepting of this. He said that he understood. As a family man himself, he knew that those close to you come first. But that only meant that he still only saw things from his perspective. He stood up from the table drawing a firearm from his person.

I remember her yelling my name. I remember her launching herself at me as the pop from his air gun went off. I watched as the poison meant for me coursed through her body. The magic of this area was not able to prevent it from spreading. I can remember the helpless feelings that coursed through me as I watched the life leave her eyes. I was deaf to the last words she told me.

My precious wife. The fire in my life was snuffed out by the one I trusted the most because I wouldn't bend to them. That's what they do. They train you, build you up, and let you harness your power. But when you are no longer of use to them, they put you down like the animal they made you.

I curse their motive. I curse their house. I curse the family name of Desrosiers.

His final tail appeared in a fit of rage. He struck fear into the two who betrayed him. In his panic, he fired another dart. Royale didn't try to move. It landed in his arm allowing the poison to being working. It was made for him. It was made for what he was. Designed from the ground up many generations ago to destroy the nine-tailed fox. It was meant for when they needed to dispose of their tool. But it took time.

Too much time. Royale took from him what he took. His wife was dead before she understood what was happening. He left her in a heap in the corner as he cornered his new prey. One more dart into his body didn't seem to affect him. The man pleaded with Royale; "Please! I just did this for my daughter Odette! She's only 12! She needs to be taken care of!" No words were needed as he laid the last spell he had on this traitor.

Royale moved to take care of this last few wishes. His time was limited. The poison was taking effect. He gave his wife a proper burial. The other two were tossed and burned in the basement of the castle. His last action was to leave his mark in the library. A warning that he hoped would make it out and a detailed account of his life. And essentially a last will and testament.

I realize as I reach the end of my life that those who came before me all lived a similar life. They learned, grew, progressed, and were eventually destroyed by those closest to them. I have seen it and wish for this cycle to break but am unaware of how to do it. My time is short and I must pick a new heir to this power, or rather this curse. I have two great nephews in my life, Reed and Red. By tradition, it would go to the oldest, Reed.

In my time of learning about my power, I have learned that the nine-tailed fox can have a sense of precognition, to see what the future holds. I see Reed's father misusing his power for his own gain as my former charge just attempted.

Red's future… Is uncertain. I worry about this but it brings me hope. I do not see that he misuses his power for gain but the path he will go down is life-changing nonetheless. This is why with my last bit of power I declare that the next nine-tailed fox will be Red.

Red, when you inevitably find this, I hope that you can forgive me.

The vision fades as I come back to the desk I was sitting at. The last page is scrawled with messy writing that is barely legible. It matches what I heard from Royale. I didn't know that this power could be willed to someone of their choosing. That means that Royale saw what would happen between choosing Reed and myself and gave it to me. How much did he see? And what does this mean for my future?

I think I've got a good slew of information. The others seemed to know something was wrong. Royale pieced everything together. But there was one piece that disturbed me and this comes from a deep memory. Avicci told me in the back private room of his barber shop about how Madam Odette's parents died in a car accident. By this account, they were killed by Royale.

They were struggling for money, tried to coerce him to help them, and when he refused they attacked. It's clearly self-defense but that anger, that killing intent is familiar. I've personally felt it. The cycle repeats. Which makes me wonder how far it will repeat. Does this mean that I will have to face Madam Odette? Do I have that ability? I need to be prepared. That means I need my last two tails.