FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

Long wait and with some changes for the later chapters, I had to work with a couple new idea's.

Chapter 12: A Fallen Hero.

The cold wind bit my fur. Waking with an odd chill, I listened to the sounds of trees singing within the distance. Still uninformed to how far I was taken the night before, I figured that we may be near a forest's tree line. The endless sound of silence within the prison was murderous for me. Anxiety was the only thing to hold onto within the windy tower. My initial sense of height got to me after I realized and felt how the place moved with the wind. We all were high up, nearing the sun, moon, and clouds. Still dark, the sun began its piercing spectacle it preformed every morn. The ripple of the blazed and golden ring shot through the solid fracture of the stone. Everything was quiet, and a shock of peace came. Something that honestly held within my heart. A sudden sense of prayer or the lick of chance that arised, I could finally think. I could finally see within a true focus. Simplest sounds reached my ears. Footsteps, leading upwards towards us made me blink. I felt slightly dazed, and incredibly tired. From a sudden lurch, my chest burst from pain. The painful cry out should have awoken the other two, yet everything remained silent. Grasping outward, everything dragged me to earth with a shocking fall. My gagging and panic for air was the only sounds that arised. I couldn't think, I could only feel. The darkened grasp shook my body, Wretching me left and right. A strike back threw me against the bars of the cage, rattling the sound of metal throughout the room.

"What the?"

Karisif's voice reached my ears. Being tossed again, I landed at the opposite side of the cage, striking the stone below me. Another painfully confused cry.

"Senshi!"

Karsif yelled out in confusion. Nothing came to my view, as if my assailant was never there. My injuries hurt; claws cut, and fangs bit down into my skin.

A sound, echoing throughout the room; it was still here. Standing upright and moving around cautiously, my breathing was slow, and my movements were staggered. Unable to sense it with my instinct, I thought of what it could be. A pair of fangs drove into my back, stinging and tearing the flesh of it. Painfully yelping from its attack, I shot backwards striking my claws into air. Finally, I heard it. Turning towards a lights trick, the linked chain sat peacefully upon the stone floor. From its disfigured and changed reflection, a shadowed figure crawled slowly up to me.

"Bastard's going to play like that is he?"

My thoughts breached the ongoing and anxious silence.

"What?"

Darting forward, I dove for the link grasping it around my paw, and waited for darkness.

"Where am I!?"

Speaking into a darkened crevice, the voice echoed through.

"Where do you think?"

Karisif's voice replied creating the shadowed image of the room. Watching a light flicker, the demon was staring upon me studying every quiver of pain. A sudden change of air dropped my attention. Growling came from the shadow, and it jumped fourth, claws aimed for the kill. Jumping left, I countered it clasping its blood-stained throat within my jaws. His cry was terrifying to listen to, a howl of regret and pain that struck out; powerful as a bloodhound's bay at night. He dug his claws into my side, brutally tearing down. Painfully yelping I drove my fangs in further; tearing and shredding his jugular. It didn't stop, and shook me off. Being tossed across blackened glass, I discovered I was somewhere new.

'Damn chain.'

Being within my mind's coliseum, all that surrounded us was darkness; darkness, and the lightened aura coming from our souls.

"Who are you!?"

I barked out, showing the reddened fangs that once dug into him. Unflinched growling came throughout my mind. Feeling the chain around my paw, I had a crazy idea.

'I can't hurt him here.'

A small realization of truth arrived through; yet he held strong, wielding his claws forward. His intent was to kill, but his reason was unclear. A vicious sound; growls repeated through the darkness and hold of my mind. Being low to the ground, he revealed twisted fangs, sharpened to pikes and long as daggers. He shot forward, his silhouette larger then before; his strike launched me back, causing me to land backwards. The pain rippled through my back, and the only sounds were grunts of pain. Breathing out, he was gone.

'Bastard.'

I forced myself up, limping on my hind leg. Grasping the painful injuries, they stung viciously, driving pain through my body. I panted, frantically looking left and right. Nothing but the darkness of the mind; the shadows of pain and remorse. A quiet sound, flapping throughout wind. Wretching around a shadow dove forward, talons curved towards the eyes. I dove right, the blades barely cutting my ears. A screech of rage echoed loudly, as the animal glided throughout the shadows the slightest curve made the skies, and dove back down. Darting down my back, the talon dug in, and tore out.

Another yelp of anger, he was fast and strong. Rounding about once more, the winged figure shot down once more, yet this time I shot claws to the sky, striking it down to the cold darkness. Wings mangled and broken, it crawled forward. Growling once more, a shape of darkness overtook the demon. Jumping fourth I dove into the enveloped flame of shadow, and dug into it.

An ungodly screech rippled out; tearing and stabbing claws into my skin. My fangs dug in deeper locking deep within flesh of the creature. Its claw cut downwards getting closer to gold. Bringing my paw upon the demons hold, I wretched back throwing the chain away from my hold. A shard of light fell from the sky, moonlight that touched the glass around us; causing the world to erupt into reality.

"Senshi."

Everything was a daze, almost drugged and scarred over. The sunlight stung my eyes, and once everything adjusted, Karisif was all that stood in view. Dry, sharp quills of grass hung around me, obstructing his face from mine. Reading the way he stared at me, I could tell he was thoroughly concerned. Sending out a small, bitter cough; my voice came out dry and ragged.

"Wha- what happened?"

"I don't know, you blacked out again."

Was there no pain? No scars of battle or the shocking figure that was branded as a killer. A sound, from the skies took my breath; the figure of a shadow darted towards us. I could hardly move, and being pinned down by Karisif didn't help my small panic. Out from the light came a small sparrow, he was breathing hard; holding a small leather strap around his chest.

"A message from Nieves."

'Nieves?'

The name echoed throughout my pain stricken mind. The bird shifted to his right revealing a small bag; from there his wings fumbled with the tiny satchel..

"Well read it out then!"

Karisif held a coarse tone, causing the messenger to flinch.

"Fine, fine, you don't have to bite."

The bird replied with an annoyed tone; sighed, and read out the note he finally took out.

"I Nieves royal offspring from the kingdom of Merciataea have given council towards my father and his elders; they, after a long and tiring dispute have decided to go to war. They've already rallied troops, and have started creating more and more weapons. If what we'd discovered within the Ruins of Shaevitavi are true, then you now hell will come upon us; I've tried speaking against his foolish acts, but my father is too stubborn to rule against his cause. By estimate, you only have a month left to learn the truth."

The words that where spoken faded in and out. Everything struck me with confusion, the loss of shadows, the names that once held strong within my mind.

"Royal offspring? Ruins of Shaevitavi?"

The words, the names, everything was long forgotten; or as I believed, never existed. Like a page torn from a book, I was lost between the lines; nothing but an empty unforgiving gap within my life. The small figure lifted within the skies, heading towards western skies; a colder desert wind brushed against my fur, enough to send chills through me.

"What the hell is happening around here?"

I mumbled the words instead of fighting with another unanswered question.

"What?"

Karisif perked up.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said! What the fuck is going on with this world?"

My voice sounded brutally upset, causing Karisif spoke in a softer tone.

"Okay. Let's calm down."

"I'm not calming down until I get some answers for once!"

Barking out at him, he started backing away; heading towards the suddenly awoken shape.

"Yeah, I'm up."

Jivera's voice sluggishly rolled through the suddenly silent and barren field. Having my chance to look around, we were fenced in by large wooden walls; a large fusuma divided where we were guiding towards a large building. Like two hung arches, the entrance gave a warming and welcoming feel. Yet the sight in the skies didn't. A huge, almost crumbling building of stone lay almost an hour's walk away from this place. I could see the tall, broken tower that used to be part of what a castle's foundation would have.

"Senshi?"

His voice was the last thing on my mind.

"Do you remember anything?"

The words made me think; a lengthy ponder was the only thing I could do from there. My mind flashed with the first thing that came to it.

"I remember waking up."

"Okay?"

His voice was strong with confusion.

"I was in a small stone cavern, all alone with nothing but the sunlight flowing into it. I walked outside of it; and stared into the trees of a forest."

"Keep going."

"I remember a field, and a small town."

My mind was starting to clear up; I was beginning to see once more.

"Do you now the town's name?"

Jivera's voice came from my side; she almost made me jump with her ability to move so quietly.

'The town's name?'

Another thought echoed out; and a sign came to my view.

"Shadesten, the small merchant town between the kingdoms of Hovishira and Tishkiat."

The words I spoke were unlocked; viewed only as the pain of memories dug within my mind.

"Do you now any other names?"

From there, a single thing echoed throughout my head.

"Kiyoko."

Everything went quiet; dead in fact. Not a single sound of regret, nor the simplest sounds of acceptance and knowledge.

"Who's Kiyoko?"

The sounds of a door opening and the footsteps of a cloaked figure approached us. Guiding my eyes towards the familiar figure, his tune still within harmony a song of death. Growling at him, he cautiously stepped forward; bring his scarred paws towards me.

"Come on, I don't wanna fight ye wee little rascal."

Being picked up, I held my teeth to the figure. Then stared into the long eyes Karisif and Jiveria gave.

"Where am I going?"

"Dog fights, you'll be thrown into a cage and forced to kill one another."

"What? I can't fight, I'm hardly a pup!"

Karisif sighed out; his voice showed only the confusion and stress that came with this whole situation.

"You have to try and remember Senshi, and just know that we've all been trying to find the truth for a long time, your the only person who can help."

The door slid close and staring fourth I watched as we passed an armored figure; the gleam of flame danced and shot from the black steel upon him. Staring towards a light, noises came from a line of metal bars. Blood splattered, painting against the virgin canvas of the stone walls surrounding the two within battle. Whimpers of fear and submission rang out; that's where I saw the victor upon the broken.

The vicious yells of the crowd roared out; creating the only thing within the stone room to be darkness, and death itself. The victor; large, black furred and teeth bared shot down upon the whimpered dog, and tore its jugular out. Blood flowed from it, hardly a single sound that came from the dying, no cry of remorse, nor any shard of sadness and regret. Just a face and two silent words.

"Thank you."

It was a cold howling sound that brought tears to her eyes, I could see how she shook, how disgusted with herself she must've been; and only knew that she was letting them be at peace.

'These people are sick.'

The only words that echoed through my mind. I was thrown within a small cage, the sounds of bars slammed against my ears. Laughter rang out from a cage near me.

"God these people are getting desperate."

A male's voice called out; he was old, and sounded rasped and tired.

"Why do you say that?"

Another called out.

"They just threw a young one in here."

He replied into darkness.

"By the gods; just disgusting."

Almost retching to the thought, the mysterious voice staggered with the next sounds of battle.

"Great, now they're killing each other."

Looking past the bars, I witnessed a barely fair fight between two dark people. The darkened shard of steel caught my eye; the creature I recognized from before, and another which held no armor, and hardly a weapon. An axe sliced through air, the double-sided and twisted metal gave a startling view of the shadows face; covered by the visor that was placed ahead of him. The obstruction of view didn't appear to bother the heavy figure, only protected it from the clean strike that dug in. A sickle tied down by a chain; drove upon its helm, cracking metal upon the powerfully quick attack. Though it wasn't the helm that broke; the sickle shattered, sharpening itself into the air.

The figure dropped the axe, and like a movement of grace was caught within a light turn in which a short blade came from a sheath. The short sword sliced the skies, with the other figure rolling away; on her feet

Torches twisted and refracted from the small knife she pulled out. Her movements were quick, and with the blade slicing once more, she ducked; cutting sharply into a forward step in hopes to disarm her opponent. Her success led towards the blade being thrown away; she stepped in once more, slashing towards the weaker spots around its neck. Metal gauntlets clashed with steel and the sparks of battle rattled and shot out. After a quick sidestep, I had a chance to look upon her. The appearance of blazed and black fur caught my eyes, she was tall, and the way she moved was a strong reminder towards memories.

"A fight for dominance."

A voice came from behind me, cold; and shaken it was still strong enough to draw me in.

"What?"

"In here, they put to of the same species against one another; whoever's the victor chooses life or bond."

Monotone, cold, and held with the sense of darkness within; his voice echoed throughout the ongoing silence.

"Why would there be any reason for this?"

"The dark lord Kisheviria has been in sudden need of only the strongest of warriors to fight for him."

"Kisheviria?"

I repeated the name; lost within the confusion of the sudden clash of sparks and metal. The shards of darkness held within stone; the sudden cries of regret, pain and death rang throughout the stone corridors piercing the basics of hate and love itself. Staring into the bloody tear-choked creatures; both still locked within blade and claw, it only brought the frost of death, crawling its way towards all of us here.

"They pair strength with strength; testing both within a lock of combat and death itself."

"They were forced into this."

Words of recognition came, the shocking truth that only brought the flames of war and hate within me.

"All of us all; we're tested against one another, eventually bonded; and our son's and daughters are taught to kill for that bastard of a lord."

Silence, the only sounds that reached my ears; the painful thoughts of guilt, and the shredded dreams of innocence and purity within a coliseum of pure rage.

"These fights used to be right you know; never were they as bloody as this."

The sounds of a language emitted near us; lost within the echoing silence that was known as death.

"They're talking about you now."

A violent cough, sounding like the retch of an injured creature. I finally turned to se a figure, torn, mangled, and beaten like some disobedient pup with a hated owner. He was terribly injured, covered within the scars of claws and bite marks.

"There is a way out, and it's through her."

Edging his head over, I saw the black furred dog that caught my view in the beginning; she looked deathly familiar, though completely alien to me.

"I call her Jikan. She came out of nowhere; just arriving from the dark desert's storm. She hardly talks, and when she does she states that she has nothing left."

Turning my head for a second look, he hacked, coughing violently once more.

"Listen, if you win your first three fights unscathed, you will be put against the three males competing for her. You kill them; she claims she knows a way out, a way to freedom. But if any of them are left alive, Lord Kisheviria will still be tempted to watch her."

Footsteps arrived towards us, loud and rhythmically matching the chains that clattered against the stone behind it.

"That's a caller; he brings you to the fight. They say that its kind matches the appearance of a reaper."

'Reaper.'

I knew the word, though it was lost within a time before all this bullshit. The flashing lights of torches were revealed, showing the perfect deception between light and darkness. The silhouette was large, blood constant pouring from metal hooks and chains the dug and cut around it; body hardly shaken or feigned from the pain of its own flesh shredding and tearing away. I caught the sight of an odd white, like a tattered cloak underneath all the darkness, and with the bolt of the cage unlocked, and with a surprisingly soft hand, I was lifted and brought down a corridor of sandstone.

"Good luck."

His voice was soft, almost sad and regretful for not fighting death's caller.

"Good luck."

A final whisper echoed through my head. The sharpened call of sunlight and the whitened light that was known as hell itself greeted me at the end of the forgotten hall. Confused words were spoken as I was thrown into a blazing sun; the roof open all around, and the burning sand more painful then the sight of blood splattered and painted upon the walls of imprisonment. Looking ahead it was the very sight of the gladiator ahead that stopped my heart and started the sound of battle.