FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Sitting around a morning fire, cooking up breakfast for himself and his traveling companions, Kerage finds himself brought back to a time long gone. He is by far an old man, but the adventuresome days of his youth were far behind him. It is nice, however, to relive them.

"Suncaster's an open city," Gorashin says, chewing on a piece of jerky. "Anyone can get in or out with little problem, and the road to and from it and the capitol is also patrolled regularly."

"Yes," Kerage agrees, taking a sip of his coffee. "That's why the silence on the matter of the princess is so strange. There may be some sorcery or evil spiritualism at work. What say you, our guides to the supernatural?"

Mathilda draws a symbol onto the ground with a stick and stares upon it. Her old eyes focused and away from the world at large. "There is a foul wind blowing from afar. The wildlands were corrupted by dark magic, and the influence could be here in our midsts as we speak."

Tesarasa's eyes widen, and she withdraws herself deeper into her full-body cloak, shuddering as her diamond eyes glance away from Kerage.

That's the third time this morning he caught her staring. He may have to talk with the lass and bring her expectations in line. "What do you say, Tesa?"

Tesarasa's gaze locks onto Kerage's, and the girl is silent for a moment, her lip quivering. "I say," she begins, clearing her throat and gracefully standing to her feet, "that it is more than likely the work of the magically inclined. Those with power love to wield it, after all."

Kerage nods. "That's what I was thinking, and if we have spellcasters to worry about, it's good that we have someone trusted by our old comrade to join us on this quest."

The others nod at that, remaining silent, otherwise."

"Well, we'd best be on our way. We should follow the princess's tracks, and hopefully, some magical or elemental vestige should give us what we need to find her."

"It'll take some time to make it there," Gorashin says, saddling up his horse. "Should we ride through the night?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking," Kerage responded, putting his supplies onto his steed. "We've tarried long enough, and our detection should be able to see even in the darkest of nights. It's a bright day, as well, and we shouldn't have an issue with weather or plot in our way."

And so, under his leadership, they are off. The party rides along the road with the two spellcasters at the front. Their detection spells scan for any sign of any danger or strangeness. Meanwhile, the two warriors keep their eyes and ears aware, the time for joviality at an end.

It is a long journey with no interruption from other travelers. That is undoubtedly an oddity this time of year. But still, the party does not find anything until the sun begins to set.

"Over yonder!" Gorashin says. "Down that ravine. Do you see it?"

The party halts and Kerage produces a spyglass from among his equipment. There, hidden among the crevices, is a royal carriage perfectly intact. There is no sign of life, neither from the passengers nor horses.

"What do you think," he asks, handing the glass over to Mathilda.

"It is unnatural," the dwarf responds. "No doubt some sorcery was used here."

"Tesa?"

Tesarasa glances up from the edge, shaking her head. "I would need some time to investigate here to ascertain what magic was used."

"So, we found it," Gorashin says. "Might as well search around, see what clues we can find?"

"My thoughts exactly. Ladies, you handle the mystical evidence. We'll search for things more mundane."

Mathilda shakes her head. "Maybe our split efforts will do better if each party has a wide array of skills. Gorashin and I can check around here while you and Tesarasa observe the carriage itself.

A moment of hesitation is all the knight needs before he nods. "Very well. Let's dismount. It shouldn't be that difficult of a climb. Come, Tesa."

Tesarasa steps off the side of the cliff, her cloak billowing, but only enough to show her open-toed shoes and feet with dainty pink polish. She sinks downward leisurely, but certainly one much faster than the knight could climb.

"Heh... wizards," the knight says, climbing down towards the sight.

Once down into the ravine, Kerage examines the carriage, patting the thing with a steady hand. "This is most certainly unnatural," the knight says.

The cloaked sorceress steps around it, her arm, entwined in a patterned leather sleeve, waves over the vehicle. "Yes, the assailant must have been magical and quite powerful, indeed."

"So, where does that leave us, Tesa?" The knight asks, opening the carriage. Inside, it is as empty as he dreads.

Tesarasa clenches her fist.

"Damn it all!" Kerage's composure slips, and he slams his fist against the door. "I am indeed vexed. Hopefully, our perpetrator has left some evidence out on the road itself. Let us regroup with Garoshin and Mathilda."

Just as he turns back to the outside, a rumble of thunder and the patter of rain upon his cheek surprise the knight. "By the gods..." he mutters, noticing how dark and ominous the once cloudless sky had become.

The rumbling at his feet foretells great misfortune as the rain pours down, making puddles in the dried riverbed.

"Sir Kerage? This rain--it must be magical."

"Aye," Kerage says. "And we've fallen into our foe's trap."