FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

With the stunning success of the Blackstar's performance during the Quatrain incident Kitt docked his ship with the pleasure station in orbit of the Assembly's home planet.

While his crew mingled and enjoyed themselves, the three wolves, Alec, Lauren and Kitt sit in a smoke filled computer room scouring through records of new races obtained through their new contacts. Kitt rubbed his muzzle extinguishing a cigarette in the ash tray as he cycled the main view screen through pictures, none of which resemble any alien from their home universe.

"Fuck this shit is useless; there are thousands of entries here." Alec said thrusting himself up from his seat and rubbing his neck from tension. "We've been out here, 6 months and we haven't gotten anywhere with tracking Caster down."

Lauren nodded and lit up another cigarette. "How about the ki tracking system?" Lauren looked to Kitt.

"Nothing yet, it shows he's been here but the signature is so faded we can't narrow it down to where he went after. We have 13 possible universes he could have gone too." Kitt responded then looked at his watch. "Speaking of which I have to meet with the IA security to get the other intelligence information on some of the universes out there. While I'm gone, you two are ordered to go chill out on the station, we have to keep our minds sharp and clear."

Kitt stepped through the arc shaped weapons detectors of an office building's lobby constructed of shimmering almost white steel, the entire outer wall with the door was a dark tinted glass meeting up with a lizard type alien, covered in green scales, clad in the dark brown military garb of the assembly.

"Colonel Alistair, I am 4th Ubermensch Grath of the IA special forces. I am to escort you through the facility and help you with what you need." He said bowing slightly to Kitt.

"Thank you, let us get started then." Kitt responded courteously returning the bow.

Kitt is led through the winding corridors of the facility, seeing the various aliens that worked there and was nearly knocked off his feet by the security; he'd never seen so many precautions, hundreds of visible cameras as well as some sort of energy monitoring system he could feel coursing constantly through the entire building. Eventually through several check points and further weapon and explosive detectors the lizard opened the door leading into a room of high ranking military persons all sitting along a conference table with a large holographic display of the known universes arranged in a near indistinguishable cloud.

"May I present Colonel Alistair of the Interstellar Alliance of verse 781." Garth informed the group.

"Thank you all for the generous hospitality you have given me and my crew." Kitt started and walked the head of the room and seeing that these officers are all about cutting to the chase he opened his folder and passed out several sheets of paper. "Combined with my ship's data and the Intel provided by your intelligence agency we have been able to narrow our search for our fugitive to thirteen universes as laid out in the folders. I am asking for any insight on where a fleeing fleet of ships might go to hide."

Kitt looked around until a gryphon officer leaned forward, tapping his talons on the table top. "Well Colonel, if your co-ordinates are correct three of these veres' are dead, gone supernova in the last year. Two of them aren't suitable for standard space travel due to intense gravity. And two more are restricted, so that narrows you down considerably to five possibilities.

Kitt looked at the half wolf half bird creature. "May I ask why those two are restricted? If I know Caster and I do, he'd hope that we wouldn't want to cause an inter-versal incident and follow him into one."

The gryphon looked to his counterparts. "Alright, one of them is what we refer to as a class four hostile universe in which case any foreign vessels or life forms are destroyed." He paused slightly hesitating about the last one.

Kitt looked about the room seeing and feeling the general uneasiness of the officers. "And the other...?"

"...The other is worse, we have only come across one such universe and this is it, try thinking of your most literal definition of hell and that doesn't come close. Out of the four expeditions that we know going into that universe, only one single ship has returned and the crew all committed suicide within a week of making it home." The gryphon explained very coldly.

Kitt nodded slowly. "Okay, most definitely he didn't go there then. That leaves me with six to search through, I'd appreciate any data on the remaining universes sent to my ship. Thank you again for your time."

Kitt waltzed down the streets of the pleasure dome, seeing various advertisements for different holographic adventure games and fantasies along with a wide variety of prostitutes and sexual opportunities. Kitt walked up to a door and pushed the chime and it opens up, seeing the room all darkened; only the sound of grunts and panting could be heard. Kitt focused his mind seeing the energy patterns of Alec and Lauren moving quickly against each other; both locked in a heavy combat of either trying to trap the others arm or body.

"Did you get anything useful?" Lauren huffed out as Alec flipped her body over, narrowly twisting her body to get her feet back on the floor.

"Kind of, they were able to narrow our search to five definite possibilities and one long shot" Kitt responded calmly.

Alec's energy shifted as he swept down to his knees and swiped his leg under Lauren's taking her to the floor. "It's better than we had before. They're still not giving us all of their data you know."

"I realize that hon; they know more about him than they're telling us. Hell they just want to dissect all three of us so they can figure out how we do what we can do." Kitt chuckled.

Lauren flipped to her feet and swung her leg around catching Alec across the side of the head, toppling him to the floor and quickly grasped his wrist locking it against his neck. "We just have to make sure they don't get that chance."

The lights came on, showing Alec pinned to the floor with the female wolf kneeling over him.

"Shouldn't loose your concentration like that sweetheart." Kitt laughed.

Lauren helped Alec to his feet. "Thanks, I have to get back to the Blackstar my shift is going to start." She said walking away, leaving Kitt and Alec alone.

"She's good..." Alec said rubbing his wrist.

"Yeah, no kidding. You can sense it can't you?" Kitt softly said.

Alec nodded.

The Blackstar pushed off from the octagonal shaped station into the darkness of space. "All stations prepare for ID jump." Kitt commanded from his chair.

Soon the Blackstar is whipped out of the bright white inter-dimensional portal into view of brilliant light purple and green nebulae which stretches of millions of light-years and hanging directly in front of the ship a cluster of ten or twelve black dotted moon circling a lush vibrant green planet.

"Shar, report." Alec asked.

The silver fox female sitting at the sensor console quickly takes scan of the area. "This is weird, this is the only planet within one hundred light-years, and by all right this thing shouldn't be here. The planet itself is class M, mostly temperate except for polar caps. Technology scans say there is several large population centers but is only developed to a medieval stage."

Kitt leaned forward in his chair staring at the planet, in silence as if he'd not even heard a word Shar had said.

"What is it Kitt?" Alec asked putting his paw on his mate's shoulder.

"I don't know, it's odd; Shar is right, this planet shouldn't be here. I'm curious." Kitt responded.

"Has Caster been here?"

"No I don't think so; I can't feel any residual traces of him. But I think we should check this place out." Kitt said finally looking back at Alec.

"Alright, helm put us in orbit. Shar, Drek, assemble a landing party. Lauren you've got the bridge." Alec commanded.

Chapter2:

The shuttle from the Blackstar rocketed down into the middle of a dense forest setting down amongst trees that stood hundred's of meters tall.

"Okay, sensors have detected one of the larger city structures roughly six kilometers to the south. Remember that these people probably haven't seen any type of alien before so we should remain with zero visibility, we're only here to observe." Kitt explained as he threw on his green camouflaged jacket and locking a pistol to his thigh holster.

Trekking over the rough terrain of large boulders and gigantic tree roots the six members of the landing party came over a cliff ledge that looked down upon the city. Kitt crouched on the edge of the cliff seeing a city of stone gradually sloping up along a hill where at the center of the sprawling metropolis was a rigid triangular tower adorned with large boxy looking battlements along it's four sides, the main cityscape was surrounded by a wall of red brick standing nearly thirty meter's tall; the sheer size of the building rivaled some building from their universe.

Drek came up beside Kitt, pulling out his binoculars. "Holy shit...Kitt, they're furs." The large purple panther exclaimed quietly as he focused in on a caravan of wolves ridding horses all of them donning highly polished armor platting.

"I know Drek..." Kitt said then looked to Alec. "We're going down there."

"Wait a minute Kitt, we don't know what goes on here, and you only wanted to look." Alec snapped back.

"Well now I want to look closer." Kitt said standing up and heading back into the forest to find a path down the cliff.

Alec looked to Drek and Shar and shook his head.

Kitt works his way over a boulder when he hears a twig snap causing him to stop dead in his tracks, soon after the rest of his party joins him except for Alec. "What is it Kitt?" Drek asked.

"We're being followed." Kitt said softly, his ear pivoting around trying to lock in on the source. "I can't sense anything though."

A split second later Kitt snapped his paw out catching a gold tip arrow that was going directly for the purple panther's chest. Then out of the tree leaps twelve brown armored squirrels holding up their bows ready to fire. "Halt trespassers!"

Kitt looked about the group all of them have some sort of glowing purple amulet around their necks. "Hold on there, we mean no harm."

"Likely tale, you work for the Black Guard." The lead squirrel with his red and black crested chest plate said.

"We don't know who this Black Guard is; we're new to these parts." Kitt pled sensing Alec moving around from behind.

As quickly as the squirrels descended upon Kitt's group, Alec leapt from the foliage grabbing the lead squirrel's broadsword that was held in a sheath by his side and places the tip up to his throat. "Now, put your bows down!" Alec growled looking at Kitt. "I told you this was a bad idea hon."

"Point taken." Kitt responded.

The squirrel held his aim at Kitt with a deadly stiffness, as if he doesn't care about the sword at his neck. "I knew it; you Black Guard bastards are all alike."

"We never wanted to harm any of..." Kitt was about to say but a flurry of arrows raining down cut him off. Drek and Shar dive for cover unfortunately two other crew members weren't so lucky taking an arrow each to the back.

The lead squirrel shifted his weight back elbowing Alec in the ribs taking the sword away from his neck and giving him a chance to whip his bow around and fire off a single arrow. Alec barely has a chance to react twisting his body as the arrow narrowly passes along his chest.

Kitt performing a similar move corkscrewing his body through the air and landing, simultaneously kicking up two small rocks that peg off the foreheads of two of the archer squirrels then turning sharply to avoid a blade that was being thrust at him. Kitt wrapped himself against one of the archers elbowing him square on the muzzle as he gripped his sword handle and drew it as the squirrel stumbled back.

Quickly six tall bulky wolves jumped into the battle scene, all wearing similar crested armored vest. They converged down upon Kitt as he stood with the broad sword but they did not attack.

"Put up your arms, we do not want to continue." The biggest of the six wolves, wearing a long brown cloak and wielding a golden hilted curved sword almost looking like a katana said.

Kitt looked at the squirrels as they backed down, Alec, Shar and Drek, looking about confused as to what's going on.

The wolf stepped up to Kitt, whom didn't flinch from his fighting stance. "Are you part of the Black Guard?" he asked.

Kitt lowered his sword. "No we don't even know who this Black Guard is, we are simply explorers. We wanted no part of any fight."

"I apologize for the quick tempers of our scouts but these are tense times for us." The wolf continued. "I am Third Captain of the Cyprus clan. My lord wishes to speak with you."

Kitt looked back at Alec then to the wolf. "Okay."

Kitt and his crew are lead along the path leading up to the gargantuan main doors to the city, adorned with the red and gold crest of the lord. Inside the wall it was a bustling city, thousands of furs resided in the city made of stone and wood. It was awe inspiring that they could create a place that rivaled some of the cities on the Lupine home world without, steel, glass or molecular enhanced plastics, but their they were being lead towards the central tower.

Inside Kitt, Alec, Drek and Shar were escorted into an audience chamber, at least fifteen spear armed guardian wolves stood at perfect attention on either side of a velvet red carpet leading to a massive golden throne at the head of the room. And sitting in it was a spindly wolf, dressed in ivory white robes, woven with a golden shimmering pattern, his hair long, stretching down over his shoulders in a dark red color.

Kitt and his party stepped right up to him, as the ones who brought them in all bow down to one knee. "Welcome to our city strangers. How can I help you?" He said staring directly at Kitt.

Kitt gave a slight bow. "We are just curious about this place; we haven't seen anything like this city before. My party and I were merely exploring."

"Ah..." the wolf nodded not entirely convinced then he looked to the guards positioned around the room motioning for them to leave, which they promptly did without hesitation. "Space travelers I see."

Kitt's jaw dropped slightly as he looked to Alec, Drek and Shar. "How, did you know?"

"Once, long ago, we to, were able to walk amongst the stars but now we are cursed to live out this archaic life here." The wolf explained.

"May I ask your name?" Kitt said.

"Of course, I am Durran of the Alistair pack. We must get to know each other better, but for now just rest and enjoy my city. I will allow you to stay here in my tower." He said.

Kitt, Alec, Drek and Shar sit in the luxurious room Durran provided for them, it was near as big as the entire bridge of the Blackstar. The four sit down at the dinner table where the staff of the tower had laid out various foods and drinks for them.

"It can't be him..." Alec said looking out the window over the city.

"I know what you mean hon, but seriously you can sense him, he isn't lying and there's something about it." Kitt replied.

Shar, looking quite confused leaned forward to the table. "Him, who? Who is this Durran and how could he be part of your pack Kitt?"

Kitt looked to Alec then back to Shar as he took a sip of the wine that was left for them. "Durran is a legend amongst my pack and the entire Lupine race just like the Redwolf, Kitt. The story goes that as the Redwolf grew in power to align the peoples of the time, he had a counterpart, Durran; both of them had the powers to ascend but some how Durran turned and the Redwolf and him fought it out. The story ends with Durran being killed in a climatic battle that some how happened beyond the physical plane of existence."

"So, you think this is that Durran?" Drek asked.

"I don't know...maybe, but that would mean that this wolf is more than eleven thousand years old." Kitt said. "At any rate, I want you two to get back to the shuttle and head back to the Blackstar, Lauren must be going insane wondering where we are."

"What are you going to do?" Shar inquired.

"I want to find more out about this Durran and this world...something smells fishy." Kitt said.

Chapter 3:

Kitt and Alec wonder the streets of the city observing all the different species of furs going on about their lives; they couldn't walk four feet without spotting a group of soldiers.

"Weird huh?" Kitt asked quietly.

"What?" Alec responded.

"Every single fur here is wearing one of those purple amulets like those archers that jumped us."

"Yeah, you're right...what do you think? Mind control?"

"No I don't think so; everyone here seems to be in control...I'm not sure." Kitt said seeing the large black wolf with the golden sword walks up to them with an entourage of soldiers.

"My lord requests your presence sir." He said to Kitt.

"Alright..." He said looking dead at the wolf while telepathically talking to Alec. "...Go and see what else you can find out about this city, I'll meet up with you later."

Alec nodded slightly as the black wolf escorted Kitt to the tower.

"So...uh, I didn't catch your name." Kitt said to the black wolf.

"I am Liam of the Cyprus clan." He responded.

"Ah, nice to meet you. How long have you been in this city?" Kitt pried.

"I have been in command of the armies here for the last seven seasons." He answers straight to the point.

Kitt nodded. "Who are you guys at war with?"

"What do you mean?" Liam returned never looking to Kitt.

"Well there are soldiers everywhere, seems pretty heavy guard for just everyday life." Kitt said as they walked through the massive red oak wood arch way into the tower.

"The price of vigilance sir, we must remain on guard at all times." Liam said as they walk into the throne room where Durran sat in his chair. Suddenly the big reception doors slammed shut and Kitt was completely surrounded by Liam's troops all of them drawing their swords.

Kitt growled but didn't raise his paws. "What's going on here?!"

"A simple test Kitt." Durran said waving his paw, sending the troops into action, two of the six leaping in with their blades, swiping them down at Kitt.

Kitt inhaled sharply and front flipped over both strikes turning sharply to swing his paw out, blocking an incoming blow right at the soldier's wrist, twisted it then pulling the wolf forward; Kitt flipped the wolf over on his back, stripping him of his sword. The others advanced quickly all attacking but Kitt easily swirled and moved his sword to block each attempt.

Out of no where Liam's katana whipped forward at Kitt's throat, he barely had time to bend backwards as it passed with only an inch of clearance. Kitt spun away with Liam in chase. Kitt took two steps up one of the stone pillars and wrenched his body backwards up over the eight foot tall wolf connecting Kitt's foot to his back knocking Liam into the pillar. Kitt panted slightly as he had to turn putting his energy into his paw to stop the blade of a sword with his bare hand. All of the wolves stopped dead in their tracks as his snarled and shoved the blade away stepping through and delivering a hard open palm strike to the soldier's chest knocking him flailing across the chamber.

Kitt gracefully swung his sword around his moving body trying to keep ahead of the five other blades being swung at him, slowing witling away at the soldiers until only Liam and he were left standing.

"You're an excellent fighter." Liam said barely sweating.

"And you're not so bad yourself." Kitt panted out, he couldn't understand how these wolves were keeping up as well as they had been yet he could sense no high levels of ki.

Kitt, with lighting speed let go of his sword letting it fall, but before it could hit the ground he kicked the butt end of it sending it sailing like an arrow towards Liam, whom turned to avoid it, the sword digging deep into the stone wall. When Liam turns back Kitt is already rushing up at him and leapt into the air sending two hard consecutive kicks, one to the armor plated vest Liam was wearing the other right across his broad muzzle; the force of the kicks knocked Liam to the ground.

"That's enough!" Durran called out as Liam shook his head and slowly got to his feet. "Thank you Captain, you and your troops can leave us now."

The beaten wolves limped and slowly made their way out of the throne room. "Impressive Kitt, you have been schooled well in the Hung-gar arts." Durran said.

Kitt breaths deeply, still partially in his fighting stance. "What was that for?"

"I had to be sure, I could sense something about you but this is the only way to know. You have the gift." Durran said putting his paw on Kitt's shoulder.

"What the hell is going on here?" Kitt blurted out deciding to cut right to the chase. "Are you really the Durran from the Lupine legend?"

"You recognized me? But to answer your question, yes...I am."

"How is that possible? You were supposed to have been killed but Kitt Redwolf like eleven thousand years ago." Kitt said.

"You are still new to your abilities but once you grow enough you will find out theirs nothing you can't do. Come I'll explain it all."

Alec wondered through the streets, asking random questions of the people when he saw down an alley way between a wood built tavern and a stone warehouse of some sort, a group of furs milling about, it would have been something just to ignore but Alec saw them talking as they tested out their swords and knives. Alec cautiously stalked down the alley hiding behind a stack of wooden boxes listening to them speak.

"Yeager, seriously how are we supposed to do this, there are a hundred guards there?" one of them asked.

"Listen, we have to do this, it'll be the only chance we get to distract them long enough for the others to get beyond the walls. We just have to hope that fucking wizard doesn't get involved." The seeming leader responded, an air of desperation in his voice.

Alec listens in a bit more as they talked about their situation then took a breath stepping out from the boxes. "Hey fellows couldn't help but over hear you."

The groups of about eight furs all jump startled, two of them running off the others drawing their weapons. "Who are you?!" the one who was talking like he was the leader, a short stocky coyote with a patch work of brown, gray and beige fur said.

Alec raised his paws slowly. "No one, just passing by and heard some of your conversation."

"Yeager...he's one of the strangers that the army took into the tower, let's kill him." An obviously young wolf with dark brown fur said pushing his sword closer to Alec.

"Hey guys, guys if I was going to turn you in, wouldn't I have just gone to the soldiers around the corner?"

Yeager looked Alec up and down, twitching his ears. "Okay so you didn't alert anyone...what's your business here?"

Alec lowered his paws. "Well I'm simply trying to gather information on this place, I don't quite know what's going on here. My friends and I weren't here more than an hour before being jump by scouts from this city and two of my people where killed. I want to know why."

The coyote lowered his blade slightly. "If you were taken into the tower than that means that the wizard has some kind of interest in you. He normally would kill any outsiders that got even close."

Alec nodded slightly noticing that the group they wore the purple pendants they did not glow like the others but simply hung there. "That's interesting, I'll assume the wizard to speak of is named Durran."

Yeager nodded.

"Ah, question, what's with the pendants? Everyone here has one but yours don't glow." Alec asked.

"They are Durran's form of control over the people here, everything isn't as good here as it looked stranger, and the wizard is in control of everyone who wears one. He knows where everyone is at all times and what they're thinking."

"That's what I thought...but then why would these people agree to wear them?" Alec said looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was watching.

"Because, it's protection, the people here basically give him everything in exchange for his protection from the supposed darkness beyond the city walls."

Alec looking quite confused shook his head a bit, the group finally lowering their weapons. "Darkness?"

"Yes, he said this land is beseeched by an evil force and he said that unless he gets totally obedience you will be left to it." Yeager explained.

"I take it you don't believe in this darkness?" Alec returned.

"Oh it's out there, I've seen it but there are others out there capable of keeping it at bay without the slavery."

Alec's ears perked as he sensed two guards coming down the alley. "Shit, get out of here...I know you're not lying, and I want to help."

The group looked to each other then saw the guards, bolting in different directions, Yeager looked sharply to Alec and nodding. "Find us at the white down inn at midnight." Then he ran off down the back of a building.

The guards rushed up screaming for them to halt. Alec waited for them to get close then turned striking one of the guard across the muzzle and knocking him against the stone wall, the other Alec leapt into the air side kicking the other against the wooden wall and bouncing him back into Alec's paws then kneed him across the chest crumpling the hard steel armor plate and toppling him over, Alec finished him off with a swift elbow to the back of the neck.

Kitt and Durran walked down a stone hallway the midday sun shinning in beams through the windows as they moved along the red carpeted floor.

"I was once like you Kitt, I thought that I could change the universe, that I could save everyone but I realized over the years that it's impossible." Durran said softly.

Kitt looked through one of the windows and out over the landscape. "But you have to try, I mean who else will?"

"True, you do have to try, it's in your blood. But there's a point in everyone's life where trying isn't going to cut it and you have to think of yourself..."

Kitt looked back slightly. "Is this what this is? You, thinking of yourself? I mean what's the point?"

"Well when I lost my way and fought Kitt Redwolf, I decided that my time was over so I found this place and with the power I had I claimed it as my own..." Kitt looked with a bit of distain on his muzzle. "...I know what you're thinking, and it's not like I enslaved the people here, I help them, protect them, every advancement they make in technology or culture they do on their own. I merely aim here as a guidance point."

Kitt nodded and walked a bit more down the hall. "So why the interest in me?"

"Because, there will come a time when you will have to make a choice like I did for yourself and it's coming much sooner than you think. I want to give you the benefit of my experience so you'd need not make the same mistakes." Durran explained putting a paw on Kitt's shoulder. "That is if you want to accept what I have to offer."

Kitt nodded again. "I do want to hear what you have to offer, I just..."

"You just, can't see the path or even understand why you must walk the path. Well let me begin with just saying that the power you have isn't given to you by mere chance but the way you use it and develop it is up to you. The martial arts way is just one way it can be used...come I'll show you what I mean."

The day quickly faded into the pitch blackness of night, the streets of the city lit by blazing piers of fire. Alec approached the dank run down wooden building a smudged weathered sign on the front hanging by a single chain told Alec this was the White Down inn. The inside was like the outside, dirty old, the clientele wasn't much better the seediest people possible, cutthroat's, mercenaries and drunks littered the place yelling, boasting and taking advantage of the abundance of hoers. Alec saw the coyote from earlier sitting in a corner with the young wolf and moved over to them.

"Good to see you again my friend, thank you for your help with those guards." Yeager started offering a seat and a mug of ale to Alec whom sat making sure he faced the door.

"My pleasure...now care to fill me in?" Alec started.

"Of course, but first a real test, we never actually saw you kill those guards. You see that squirrel at the end of the bar?" Yeager gestured to a cloaked grey furred squirrel at the end of the bar, seemingly drunk. Alec simply nodded. "He is an informant for the wizard, he's been tracking us for a while now. Get rid of him." Yeager quietly growled.

Alec looked at the squirrel knowing that he isn't drunk and he is watching someone. "I can't do that...he hasn't done anything yet."

Yeager crossed his arms and looked at Alec.

"Alright..." Alec huffed and got out of his seat stalking over to the squirrel, sitting neck to him. "Hey there, come here often?" he started getting nothing but silence from the squirrel. "Okay...look, I don't know what your game is but you play it badly, I would really recommend that you find a new line of work."

The squirrel looked up from his mug with a bit of confusion but his eyes definitely gave away that he knew what Alec was talking about. "You're dealing with powers you can't even comprehend."

"Really, I was just thinking the same thing." Alec said back and got up from his seat moving to the back of the room, the squirrel moved in quick pursuit. Alec turned to see the squirrel drawing a small knife. "Look, you haven't got a chance, especially in this place."

The squirrel dove forward, launching his knife out; Alec effortlessly caught his wrist and kicked his foot out from under himself making his muzzle connect with a table top. Alec sat across from him, twisting his wrist out, the squirrel whimpering in pain. "I'll take that, didn't you know knives are dangerous." He said taking the knife and plunging it into the table top. "Now I don't want to kill you so I want you to run away like a good little bitch alright and I don't want to see you again."

Alec stood up from the table and turned away only to have to pivot sharply to see the squirrel had grabbed the knife and again tried to stab Alec, but without so much as a grunt Alec laid him out with a punch over the table top completely unconscious.

Alec walked back to Yeager and sits down. "He'll be out for a good couple hours."

"But he's not dead, when he awakes he'll just go and get his guard buddies." Yeager said not pleased.

"Look from the urgency of your voices when you were talking about your plan it's going down tonight so he won't come to until it's too late, I don't kill in cold blood. So relax." Alec said.

"Good point..."

"Now, what's going on here?" Alec pressed.

"Alright...we are aligned to the Black Guard, a city roughly four days ride to the south. We were once under the power of the wizard but from the help of our leader we broke free of his strangle hold and now work to bring the wizard down. Tonight we were going to set an armory a blaze in the hopes to give us the time needed to aid in the escape of some of the ones we've freed." Yeager explained.

Alec nodded. "Okay, what can I do? I want out."

Yeager and young wolf laughed. "You've already been tagged by the wizard, you won't make it past the city walls."

Alec's glare didn't change from its stone cold seriousness.

The wolf looked to Yeager realizing that Alec's is dead set on it. "I see..." Yeager solemnly said. "...I know that look well wolf, you want out?" Yeager looked to the pup. "Bays take this one to the sewer outlet and await the signal."

"But Yeager, I thought I was staying?" he yelped out.

"You're still too young, I promised your mother I'd get you out. You're the only one who knows the way to our city, go and watch out for this one." Yeager commanded standing up.

Alec stood as well. "Thank you, and by the way it's Alec."

"Good luck to you on finding out what ever it is you need to know." Yeager said swiftly walking out of the inn.

The young wolf pup Bays led Alec through the back alleys of the city, not saying much.

"I take it you want to stay and fight?" Alec quietly said watching their back.

"Yeager is merely trying to help, he doesn't think I'm old enough to be any good. But I'm as good a swordsfur as any soldier here." Bays responded quite confidently.

"I believe you..." Alec returned as they come up to a large grated hole in the wall of the city with six other furs there waiting.

"You're late." One of the furs said, Alec recognized him as one of the group he'd met earlier in the day. "Him? What's he doing here?"

Bay came up closer to the Doberman morph dressed in leather armor. "Look he's alright, he's coming with us. Yeager's orders, are we ready?"

"Yeah just waiting for the signal."

Kitt and Durran stood atop the tower looking over the land as Durran told of his history when Kitt heard Alec's voce in the back of his head.

"Kitt, I'm leaving the city." Alec said.

Kitt did his best to not appear as if anything is out of the ordinary. "Why? Where are you going?"

"I don't think this Durran is as good as he said he is, I'm going to go find out the other half of this story. I'll be back in a couple days." Alec said.

"Wait! Alec..." Kitt blurted out in his mind.

"What?" Alec responded.

"Nothing, just be careful." Kitt lovingly said.

"Always love." Alec lastly said before cutting off the link.

"Something wrong?" Durran said looking into Kitt's eyes.

Kitt shook his head. "No, sorry just got lost in the beauty of the city, please continue."

"Alright, as I was saying, your concept of your abilities is on a merely bastardized basis, where it's by only energy alone that your power exists but if you take the text of the Hung-gar Ess literally than it speaks of it as being a more flexible almost magical way." Durran continued.

Kitt cocked his head to the side. "So what you're saying is that it's all about doing spells and shit like that, using archaic phrases to get the desired result?"

Durran chuckled as he laid his robes against a pedestal, only wearing a backless armored vest and pants his back adorned with a wavy flowing pattern of shimmering silvery shaped almost like a tattoo. "No, it's never all about anything again its how you choose to use it. Create a ball of energy in your paw." He asked.

Kitt shrugged and lifted his paw and opened it taking little effort before a milky swirling ball of intense white energy to form.

"Good but that's only the basics of what you can do with it..." Durran outstretched both his paws and looked up to the heavens, out from his body extends a blazing red and orange fire that took the shape of a gigantic bird. "See if you're truly in control then you should be able to make it do whatever you choose. And sometimes it requires a little bit of unconventional know how." Durran let his arms down, the bird of fire dissolving into the air then closes his eyes, muttering a string of words to him self as a dark mist consumed the top of the tower blinding Kitt. "I'll bet the only way you could have done this is if you obliterated a building and the dust from the crumbling foundation caused it.

"Yeah basically..." Kitt responded.

The mist slowly dissipated. "It's not all spells and potions you see."

All of a sudden both Kitt and Durran look down to a large building just as it erupted into flames, sending the people and guards that were around it scrambling for safety.

"What the hell?!" Kitt barked out.

"Not these trouble makers again." Durran levitated into the air and cast himself down the side of the building, Kitt watching for a second or two before following, rocketing down along side of Durran.

Kitt landed as he saw a group of soldiers getting massacred by four or five furs then looked to Durran and he again had his eyes closed saying his phrases to create a spell that caused a deluge of rain to fall upon the building. Kitt looked back at the combat and rushed over catching one of the unknown attacker's arms before he could thrust his sword through one of the guard's chest. Kitt knocked his arm up and kicked him in the chest sending him flying across the street.

The others converged upon Kitt, one trying to run him through with a pike but Kitt knocked it away with a paw, grasping it and ripping it from the fur's paws and cracked him across the muzzle. Kitt twisted and spun the pike around his body as he's attacked making short work of the group but turned to see a stocky coyote bringing his blade down towards Kitt's head, whom blocked it with the pike the strike severed the pike in half and Kitt blocked and flipped his now two weapons around knocking the well school coyote's sword away. Kitt spun his body below a powerful swing by the coyote and knelt down thrusting the end of the pike right up into his gullet causing him to cough out a free fall of blood before he stumbled over.

"You won't get away with this..." he spat out before he slumped over dead.

"God damn traitors." Durran said as he walked over to Kitt.

"Who were they?" Kitt asked looking down at the dead coyote.

"A group of furs known as the Black guard who think it's better to kill and live like savages than to join the peaceful existence I help to provide." Durran said.

Alec and the group of escapees looked back at the city walls as the deep red embers of the fire light up the sky. Alec could sense that there was combat and Kitt was involved but didn't say anything as they turned away beginning their trek through the wilderness.

Chapter4:

Alec and the party marched for a day, stopping along a wooded river bank to rest, the morning air cool and crisp. Alec surveyed the area when he heard the young pup, Bays approaching.

"Here you may need this?" he said handing Alec a sheathed broad sword, not in the best condition.

Alec smiled and took the sword strapping it around his waist. "Thanks kid, how did you get into this?"

The pup rested against a rock, scooping some water out of the river with his paw to drink. "My parents were killed by Durran while trying to leave the city. Yeager took me at his side taught me how to fight, promised me that I wouldn't suffer the same fate my parents did. I believed him."

Alec nodded slowly pulling out a handset radio from his tactical vest. "Stay here, I'll be back."

"What is that?" The pup curiously asked.

"Nothing I just have to take a piss." Alec said not looking back as he went deeper into the forest and when far enough away he activated the radio and putting it to his ear. "Blackstar this is Alec, come in please."

A moment or two passed before he hears Lauren's voice respond. "Colonel, where the hell have you been, Shar and Drek reported you might be in trouble.

"We maybe, I'm not sure yet." Alec responded.

"I'm sending down a retrieval party for you both." Lauren said quickly.

"That's a negative captain, hold your position. We've already lost two crew members here and I'm not going to risk anymore until I know what we're dealing with. Stand by for further instructions, next contact in two days, mark!" Alec ordered.

"Aye sir, standing by." Lauren said in a huff as the communication ended.

Alec placed the radio back in his vest and returned to the group.

Kitt looked over the damage done by the fire the previous night then sees Durran in his robes walking up to him. "You don't like random acts of violence do you?"

"I'm not so sure it was random, you don't torch an armory for no reason. It doesn't make sense." Kitt responded throwing a piece of cinder back into the pile.

"Well I'll leave you to your curiosity, when you're ready come see me." Durran said walking back to his tower with the big black furred wolf Liam at his side.

"I don't trust him sire." Liam said quietly to Durran as he suspiciously looked back at Kitt.

"I know you don't and you'd be wise not too. But trust me he will not be of issue for long. Now are your scouts ready to hunt down those traitors?" Durran said.

"Yes sire."

"Good, then send them out."

Alec walked in back of the group as they moved swiftly over the hilly terrain then the leader, the Doberman morph stopped dead in his tracks his sharp ears poised forward. The entire group fans out hiding, Alec simply followed suit.

"What's going on?" Alec whispered to Bays.

"Demons..." Bays said quivering.

Alec shook his head and looked out over the path. "What?"

"Evil spirits who wonder the land taking the souls of unwary travelers." Bay said drawing his sword.

Alec sighed, not believing it for a second and broke cover walking right up beside the Doberman, whom didn't break his gaze, only flexed his paw over the handle of his long claymore sword. "You'd better find cover wolf." He said, suddenly the path seemed to darken and a slightly mist covered the ground seemingly out of no where.

Alec's senses went off like a fire alarm, sensing the power that was coming towards them. "Holy shit..." he whispered. "How do we fight this thing?"

The Doberman drew his sword. "With a little luck and a prayer."

The trees along the path seemed to wither and die as the stench of rotting flesh over took the area then out of no where the frame of a near ten foot tall half man half bull creature stepped forward, his body covered in dirty brown fur and leather straps over it with hanging skulls from it, some still with the decomposing flesh still attached. The Minotaur head had two massive horns on it that seemed to drip blood and in its hand held a six foot long curved scimitar like blade with was serrated on the back side made of a black as night steel. As the beast spotted Alec and the Doberman standing in it's path it snorted and began to rush forward. Alec gasped and barely had time to push the Doberman out of the path before it slammed into Alec's body crushing him into a tree causing him to yelp and yowl out in pain.

The Minotaur looking creature picked Alec up by the chest and tossed him to the side. Alec responded quickly spinning around mid air and skidding to a halt on his feet. Alec growled fiercely putting his arms out into an aggressive fighting stance as he pushed his power level up a harsh white aura flaring out from around his body.

"C'mon bitch!" Alec barked out as the beast again rushed at him swinging his sword around slicing the thick tree limbs apart as if they were twigs. He brought his blade down towards Alec's head but is stopped by his bare paws; Alec's arms flexed and stressed his biceps tensed and bulging from the forcing being brought upon it. Alec snarled and focused his power straight up tossing the blade up out of the Minotaur' hand, Alec then spun around catching the huge sword behind his back and used every ounce of strength he had in one blow that sliced the Minotaur from his groin up trough the top of his head right in half.

Alec landed panting and huffing down upon one knee the scimitar held out behind him as he watched the monster split in half and slump down to the ground with a loud crash then dissolve like acid into the ground.

"My gods!" the Doberman exclaimed picking himself up from the ground the rest of the group coming out from hiding.

"H-h-how did you do that!?" Bays yelled out.

Alec dropped the scimitar as it too began to disintegrate into the air. "Never mind, we should get going before more of these things come for us."

Kitt sat on the top of the wall over looking the mountainous landscape trying to locate Alec but there was so much energy out there he couldn't pinpoint anything. It felt like being back on the Lupine home world the night before he fought Tarn to save Alec's life over six years ago.

At dusk Kitt finally returned to the tower finding Durran in his throne room talking to his army commanders. Durran quickly noticed Kitt and dismissed the officers coming to Kitt. "Are you ready now?"

Kitt slowly nodded. "Yes."

"It takes a little more than that my friend, you must trust me...by first allowing me to give you the marks of a high priest of my order." Durran said with a grin.

"What mark?" Kitt asked a bit suspicious.

"You saw them one my back, it's a symbol and a source of power it connects me and my high priests together allows them to utilize they're powers together." Durran explained.

Kitt looked down for a moment his thoughts going to Alec then he gazed at Durran. "Lets do it."

Durran grin widened as he summoned a group of seven black ruby red cloaked figures, none of their faces could be seen as they file out on either side of Durran and Kitt. "I've long awaited someone with this potential to come along and complete the circle. Now you, Kitt of the Alistair pack will be that one." Kitt was enveloped by a white light as he's lifted off the ground the robed figures and Durran lift their arms all casting blue streams of light into Kitt's body as he howled out in a mix of pain and surging power.

"Yes Kitt, let the power flow through you, don't fight it, you want this I know you do!" Durran called out. Kitt's body curling up into the fetal position as the light condensed over his back forming a beaming tribal pattern of shapes and lines starting along his broad shoulders and tapering down into a sort of triangle ending just at the base of his tail. Kitt balled up his fist and let out a howl that was heard all over the city followed by beams of white light shooting out from every window in the tower.

In the audience chamber the seven red robed figures along with Durran stood around Kitt who lied crumpled on the floor panting and whimpering a bit in pain, a light purple light pulsating over his midnight blue fur coat settling into the shimmering tattoo pattern. Durran looked to his priests. "He's ours now. Arise Kitt, arise to your new power."

Kitt slowly stood his eyes closed and his head bowed to Durran. "Yes...my master."

Alec walked slightly a head of the group of furs who'd escaped the city four days ago they seemed to hold Alec is some sort of awe seeing how he easily defeated the demon and the pup Bays never left his side the whole time.

"We're still on the right track Bays?" Alec asked as he rounded a boulder.

"Yeah another couple miles and we should be there."

Alec nodded. "Good, we should probably stop and rest."

"Good idea, there should be a stream just past that hill." Bays agreed.

Alec sat on the edge of the stream and doused his muzzle in the cold mountain water.

"You're a wizard like Durran aren't you?" The Doberman, whom Alec found out went by Eric.

"No not like him Eric, it's hard to explain, just be glad I'm on your side alright?"

"Fair enough." Eric sat beside Alec. "Where you come from? What is it like?"

"It's far away, much like the cities here, except the people are free to decide what they want." Alec explained trying not to give away too much.

"I hope we can end this soon I would like to see a world like that."

"You will, tyrants like Durran don't last long, everyone changes." Alec sighed, stripping off his tactical vest and green camouflaged jacket and just putting the vest back on.

"What about where we are going? How is your leader able to protect you from these demons?" Alec asked checking his equipment.

"He used to be one of Durran's high priests, but he revolted against him and freed the first of us. Sabian can do the same things you can." Eric explained.

Alec nodded and zipped up his vest. "Ah great."

Within three hours the eight wary travelers exit the forest into a grass plane that ran up the side of a mountain and built out of it a strong hold, made much in the same manner as the city with the tower, it had a high outer wall but where the tower stood, here housed a gigantic castle keep with sloped sides that had defensive spears extending from the sides. The group walked right up to the main gate, Eric banged his paw against the thick redwood door, which it slowly opened into a corridor that spanned the innards of the wall then another gate opened into the expanse of peaceful looking huts and buildings of the keep. They are instantly met by an entourage of soldiers wearing dull unpolished steel armor plates along their arms, chests and legs.

"Eric! Glad to see you made it, we had heard of a roving minotaur demon along the path, I trust you avoided him." The lead soldier said cheerfully giving Eric a hug.

"Actually Grandor we didn't, our new ally here dealt with that without problem." The black and brown furred Doberman said gesturing to the muscular frame of the white furred Alec.

"Really? A truly impressive feet my good wolf. Come you must be all tired from your journey let us get you some new clothes and baths." The five and a half foot tall bright orangey red fox said to the group.

Alec took the time to catch comes sleep after being given a room to himself, it seemed almost fit for a king, large bed, all trimmed in oak wood, huge window over looking the town. After waking up he saw that his clothes had been washed and brought back to his room and the wash basin filled with warm water, so he decided not to be ungracious and he stripped him self down and lowered into the warm soothing water.

He'd nearly passed out again in the tub when the door creeks open again with a gentle knock. Alec startled up for a towel seeing four white shrouded figures enter followed by a fox, covered by a long flowing cape that was wrapped around his body. "My apologies Alec, I will come back later..." he went to leave but Alec stumbles forward.

"Wait!" Alec stammered out holding merely a towel in front of him self. "How do you know my name?"

The fox turned around and entered the room the door closing behind him. "The one who led you hear, Eric told me...and it was written on the inside of your vest. I've never heard that name before, where does it come from?"

Alec went to answer but remembered where he is and quickly finds an answer. "It's a Northern dialect, it means lightning." Alec finally said knowing he could have made it sound a little more believable but at least he didn't have to lie about his name's meaning.

"Ah, interesting. So I'm told you came from Durran's city and you wanted to leave. Why?" The fox asked.

"Well as I've said, I don't know a lot about this land and I don't like just knowing one side of a story." Alec responded stepping back to the bed and put his pants on.

"A good way to live out life, if not dangerous. I also was informed that you destroyed a Minotaur demon by yourself, is this true?" the fox again questioned.

Alec nodded. "Yes, I take it, that's not an easy thing to do on your own."

The fox nodded back with a bit of a smile. "Most furs when confronted by one usually end up with their souls being eaten. But you, you're different, you aren't like Durran or myself or even the other stranger here, I can't sense your power at least not enough of it to defeat a Minotaur."

"I'll assume you're this Sabian I've heard about?" Alec asked right out.

"You would be correct, Alec. I would be very interested in an information exchange if you would be so kind."

"Yeah I think that would be good."

"Excellent, dinner will be in two hours." Sabian said and then softly left the room followed by his veiled followers.

Alec quickly went to his vest looking for all of his equipment, finding every piece there, they had not taken anything. He removed the radio from the pocket and activated it. "Blackstar, come in."

"This is the Blackstar, go ahead Colonel." Drek responded.

"I need a level four bio and ki scan of the planet, find Kitt and me, I need to know what's happening." Alec commanded.

"Wait one, Colonel."

Alec nervously stood there in silence waiting for his report. "Colonel, whoa, this is fucked up, the entire planet, is alive!" Drek reported.

"What?! How is that possible, our preliminary scans didn't show anything of that nature before."

"I know sir, but it's right here, there's abnormal ki readings from all over the surface, especially where you are and where Kitt is, even his readings have changed."

Alec blinked. "Changed? What do you mean?"

Drek cleared his throat. "Stand by." He said as a small holographic image projects out of the radio. "The top bar is Kitt's old readings, used to calibrate the ki tracking system." He said explaining a golden wave form at the top of the image. "The bottom bar is the average reading from the planet. And the middle is Kitt's current pattern." Alec's jaw dropped when he saw Kitt's energy pattern almost the same as the planets.

"So what you're telling me is that Kitt is changing into the planet?" Alec asked urgently.

"I don't think so exactly, I think more someone is changing him...I don't know to wha..." the transmission slowly became more and more coated in static.

"Shit, Drek I'm loosing you, if you copy this, continue to hold your position in orbit, I'll get a signal to you when to bring the thunder. Alec out." Alec threw the radio down on the bed and growled. "Fuck Kitt what have you gotten yourself into this time..."

Alec entered into a massive dinning hall which was elaborately decorated with tapestries; the table which sat well over a hundred furs was laid out as if they were having a banquet and Sabian sitting at the head of the table with ten other furs discussing menial things.

Alec walked right up to them. "Thank you for the room."

Sabian stood up followed by the other. "It is our pleasure friend, please sit and enjoy the food."

Alec nodded and took a seat. "Thank you."

"So..." Sabian started. "...why did you help Eric and his party?"

"What do you mean, with the demon?" Alec responded getting a simple nod from the fox. "Well I couldn't just let that thing come and kill everyone."

"So you protect people?" Sabian asked.

"Yeah basically...may I cut to the chase here and ask, what have I stumbled into?" Alec softly posed.

"It boils down to a civil war, Durran came to this world century's ago and has infected it with his evil. He keeps his control over the populous to satisfy his hunger for power." Sabian explained.

"Were you not one of his high priests though?" Alec boldly said.

"Yes I was, for a long time but over the years I saw what he was really like and made the choice that it wasn't right and I broke his power hold over me and freed myself and others. And now we have our own city, our own army and we are working on plans to bring Durran down. Although with your appearance it's going to make things difficult." Sabian said looking to the others at the table.

Alec cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"The other wolf like you has sided with Durran and is under his control now, completing his circle once more, he will be moving against us. Your friend will not be able to control what he does now and with his power we don't stand much of a chance."

Alec sneered a bit. "Kitt would never harm anyone in cold blood especially like that."

Sabian cleared his throat and rested his arms on the table. "I'm sorry I sensed your friend deep down is good but once you receive the mark of Durran it's extremely difficult to break."

"Difficult, but not impossible...how do we do it?" Alec quickly asked.

"The only thing that can break the hold is a gem that when combined with the right spell clouds the power Durran has over the person and allows them to break it."

Alec shot up sharply. "Okay, where do I get it from?"

Sabian again looked to his followers then solemnly back to Alec. "You can't, the only place it resides is high in the Fire Mountains to the north and it's fiercely protected by a demon horde."

Alec inhaled deeply. "Just point me in the direction."

"I see your dead set on going, my advisors tell me Durran is assembling his army at the tower, he will be able to march on us in 30 days. It'll take you about that time to get there and back. I will give you a guide and a small party to aid you in your quest." Sabian said.

"Good, we'll leave tomorrow." Alec said.

"Is everything alright my warrior?" Durran said as he walked up behind Kitt watching out over the grounds of the tower as column after column of soldiers gearing up.

Kitt grinned but didn't look back. "Yes my master, it's glorious."

"Yes it is, do you think you will have a problem with your friend Alec?" Durran asked.

"No, he is no where near my power; we will waste through him and the Black Guard like they were nothing." Kitt said darkly.

Alec pulled himself atop of the black stallion he'd been given, his clothes changed to a brown leather tunic and steel chest plate that had the gold and blue crest of the black guard; his party all readying themselves around him when Sabian walked up.

"May the gods be with you on your rough journey and here this may help you when you have to do battle." Sabian said as he presented a long pure chrome steel broad sword with a jade encrusted hilt to it. "It has been enchanted with the ability to detect evil when it draws near."

Alec smiled and nodded as he took the sword placing it into its scabbard. "Thank you and we will be back in time I promise." With saying that Alec and his party tore off on their horses towards the dark and forbidding mountains.

Chapter 5:

Alec's party of seven warrior foxes rode along the torturous path along side of a deep chasm the clouds around their heads seemed to darken with each step they take eventually leading into a gulley; virtually no foliage around except for some dead skeletons of what once were trees. Alec's eyes narrow as he sniffed the air, death and rotting sewage was all he could smell, he stopped his party as they put up camp for the night.

The fire burned bright casting eerie shadows onto the rocks, the stiff wind whipping along the canyon walls echoing like ghosts. "What are we going to run into there?" Alec asked his guide, an average height dark brown fox as he stoked the fire.

"The gem is guarded by a demon horde of what we call scythe, souls that have been slain by a demon lord, they look as if they were furs at one time but trust me they are not, pure and simple mindless zombies. We will be entering their territory tomorrow morning and they will not be happy to see us." The fox explained.

Alec sighed as he worked the slide of his handgun and securing it in his holster. "Perfect..."

As much as Alec tried he could not sleep, the feeling of evil power was so strong, he heard a voice calling to him from the distance but seeing no one he stood up and went off in search of the sound.

Rounding a set of jagged rocks he saw a glowing white aura just beyond a bend, he instinctively drew his pistol and clicked off the safety. Peeking around the corner Alec saw a floating entity hanging above a pond, it's partially translucent with flowing torn robes. "Who are you?" He called out.

"You should not be here Alec of Drominaz." The entity answered back.

Alec blinked and came out into the open. "How do you know my name?"

"The fates know a lot about you and of Kitt; your time is growing near." It said.

Alec sneered a bit and went to turn away.

"You are going to have to make a choice Alec, you alone will have to decide whether Kitt lives or dies, be prepared." Just then it rushed at Alec letting a deep screech as it plowed into his back, tossing him to the ground.

Alec rolled over, the blue ghost hovering just above him. "I'm not scared of ghosts!" He growled out but the entity screeched out again and collapses down upon him.

Alec jumped as he awoke to his guide standing over him, it was day light. "What?! Huh?" he yelped out.

"My lord, are you alright?" he said.

Alec shook his head and sat up. "Yeah just a nightmare...are we ready to go?"

"At your command sir."

The group move on foot the rest of the way through the rocky terrain coming over a bluff leading right into the mouth of a cave, all around it were pits of burning lava, the smell of sulphur and other gasses penetrated the air.

"The gem is located in there." The guide fox said pointing to the cave.

Alec looked down at his sword, it glowed a vibrant green through the scabbard. "Guess this mean it's detecting evil huh?" Alec looked down the cave seeing just inside two darkened figures standing guard.

Alec looked to his party knowing if they go in there none of them are coming out. "Listen, I'm going in there, just stand guard here and be ready."

The guide fox looked to the party confused then back to Alec. "For what?"

"To run like hell..." Alec sighed and slipped over the rocks and began to make his way down.

Alec's cloak blows gently in the wind as he walked down the stone path, on either side the molten lava bubbling, he walked directly up to the two figures standing at the mouth of the cave, he saw them as seven foot tall gargoyle looking beasts each brandishing huge battle axes. They both turned looking at the white wolf stalking up to them.

Alec walked right in between them drawing his pistols placing a bullet each into their foreheads making them flail backwards into the stone walls. "Hmmm, didn't expect that to work." Alec said to himself as he proceeded down the cave.

Stalking down the dark cave, Alec saw and heard nothing but the crackling of fires in the distance as if those two guards were the only creatures there. Eventually Alec came into a large opening in the cave in the center with a sort of pedestal and floating magically above it a glowing orange gemstone no bigger than Alec's paw.

"This is too easy..." Alec thought to himself as he walked out, suddenly the ground began to shake as from the other end of the cave a huge wall of brilliant red fire shot towards him, barely giving him enough time to erect a barrier around himself. The fire whipped and curled around Alec's defensive bubble then died as quickly as it hit him leaving a shadow of a massive creature walking towards him, the light slowly revealed the bulk of a gigantic dragon, red and blue scales cover it's body with it's long snout and fiercely burning eyes it stepped right over the minuscule in comparison wolf.

"Trespasser!" it bellowed out, it's deep roaring voice echoing through the cave.

Alec held his ground, paw clenched to his sword. "Look I just want the stone, give it up and there won't be any trouble."

The dragon laughed out loud, starring down at the wolf. "Trouble!! I've seen your kind before I'll devour your soul."

Alec drew his sword, its steel glowed a brilliant emerald color as his muscular body tensed and his white flaming aura flashing to life. "Let's get it on."

The red scaled dragon raised an eyebrow and spread his massive wingspan as he take a deep rumbling breath casting a billowing plume of fire that washed over Alec's body. Alec growled out loudly as he spiked his energy, the fire being parted and sent up along the walls, Alec lunged forward up at the dragon bringing his sword down at his head but the dragon reached up his clawed hand and batted Alec across the cave and up against the rock wall.

Alec grunted and collapsed down to one knee looking with a sneer at the giant dragon.

"I was mistaken warrior, you are not the same as others who have come here." He said stalking forward.

Alec stood up raising a single paw to the dragon, generating a pure white ball of energy there which he tossed right into the dragon's side, causing him to stumble over onto his side with a mighty crash. "I don't have time to play these games, just give me the stone!"

Outside of the cave, the guides watched nervously as they heard the roar of the dragon coupled with the sounds of explosions. A huge beam of light shot out of the mouth of the cave as it burst in an explosion; Alec was tossed up into the air, followed by the thirty meter long dragon. Alec sneered down at the lizard and cupped his paws in front of him and yelled out as he fired a white beam of energy right into the dragon's face, causing him to tumble out of the sky and hit the ground with a thundering earthquake.

Alec looked at his party, panting and scratched up. "Get back to the horses and head back to the city NOW!"

The party didn't take much time to scurry away through the rocks. Alec landed back down and drew his sword again, rushing at the dragon, which responded batting the wolf effortlessly away crushing him into a stone wall.

"You are powerful, wolf. Why do you want the stone?" The huffing dragon asked.

Alec stared down the dragon. "I need it to break a spell on my mate."

The dragon blinked and lowered his wings. "It's one of Durran's spells isn't it?"

"Yeah...you know him?" Alec curiously inquired.

"Yes I do, he is a deadly opponent and very powerful...how do you propose to defeat him?"

Alec didn't budge from his stance, not quite sure why the dragon isn't attacking. "I'm not sure, but with my mate under his control he is even stronger. My mate is two or three times more powerful than I am."

The dragon raised an eyebrow. "Really, so it must be him that I sensed. I cannot sense you however but I do sense the metal in your body. What is it?"

"Wait? Hold on there...I thought we were fighting here?" Alec barked out.

"I believed that you were sent by Durran for the stone, it's something he needs to free himself of this world." The dragon explained. "I have no wish to do battle with you."

"I was under the impression you were a demon, shouldn't you want to slaughter me?"

"You are misinformed wolf, I am banished here by Durran, and the two you killed at the entrance to the cave were guardians mandated to watch me. In effect you have freed me."

Alec lowered his sword a bit. "So will you give me the stone? I don't have a lot of time."

The dragon sat and nodded. "I will give you the stone wolf, but I don't think it'll be much good to you. Durran's power is growing stronger especially now in control of your mate, you will have to destroy his other high priests to weaken his strangle hold."

"How do I do that, I'm not strong enough." Alec stated.

"I can help you unlock your hidden power if you will allow me; I will also give you tools to aid you. That is if you will allow me to help." The dragon said.

"What's in it for you?"

"Durran is the true evil of this land, it is him who causes the putrid festering evil to permeate this place, if the high priests are destroyed and your mate released then Durran will weaken and he can be expelled back into the hands of the fates."

Alec looked blankly not knowing what the hell the dragon was talking about. "The fates?"

"Yes, I thought you would be aware of them since you have been touched." The dragon said with a nod.

"Uh fill me in."

"The fates are the masters of existence, both good and evil they govern all life. When I had said you had been touched meant that you had been chosen to be a part of the great balancing, where everything is brought back to the beginning." The dragon explained.

Alec's jaw dropped and he shook his head. "No, you must be mistaken."

"I'm sorry but it will be coming and you will play and integral part in it."

Alec's mind flashed back to the dream he'd had the night before of the blue ghost, how could this be possible. "How long do we have before this great balancing?"

"I cannot say for sure wolf, but soon...." The dragon said quietly. "Do you want my help?"

Alec nodded slowly, trying to wrap his mind around what he was just told.

"Good...lower your blade and come with me." The dragon said flying off from the battle ground. Alec inhaled deeply taking one last thought about whether he should then quickly rocketed off after.

Flying for several miles both Alec and the Dragon land at the pathway of a castle with rested on a pillar of stone in the center of a near bottomless chasm. The walls were elaborately etched with an ancient language.

"This was my home before Durran came and captured me. It is a nexus of the energy which this planet radiates." The dragon explained as he trotted on his four huge paws across the bridge way followed closely by Alec.

Once inside the main audience chamber, the Dragon's skin seemed to glow as his form changed; he slowly shrinking in size becoming bipedal, his wings tightly folded behind his back. "From here I will be able to channel my full power and release your true power."

Alec simply nodded, completely amazed and in awe of what he was witnessing.

The dragon turned quickly, staring directly at Alec, his eyes seeming to pierce right through to his soul. "Are you truly ready to receive the gift I am about to grant you?"

"Yes, what ever it takes to save Kitt." Alec confidently responded.

"Good, I can feel your love for Kitt; it's as plain as the sun in the sky. It is that love which you must hone for it is the source for the ultimate power in the universe. The metal in your body is only hampering your progress, believe in yourself, believe in Kitt, and believe that anything is possible." The dragon bellowed out as Alec's body surged forward, screaming in pain as the super solider system in his body began to glow beneath his skin. Alec dropped down to his knees howling in pain as the little disc like nodes lift from his body without any blood loss. "Do you feel the power Alec!?"

"YESSSS! I feel it!!!" Alec cried out as his eyes shot open seeing the sixteen green discs floating above his body.

"Free your soul of the confines of your mind and body cast yourself into the center of the planets energy and arise like a phoenix born anew and with an unimaginable power!" The dragon roared as he raised his claws and cast a massive blue energy field at Alec which blasted the wolf out of the castle and down into the bottomless chasm around it.

The dragon sat cross legged for a full day in front of one of the murals on a wall with his eyes closed as the very foundation of the castle began to shake, the dragon stood and walked out onto the bridge seeing the chasm begin to pulsate with a blue light then it condensed around a single point as a ball of pure light levitated and sat down on the bridge; slowly dissipating leaving Alec lying curled up, a blue tribal tattoo pattern covering his back and arms.

"I'm ready..." Alec whispered calmly.

Chapter 6:

The Black Guard city was bustling with the preparations for the upcoming battle, Sabian standing atop the outer wall, watching his army when he saw the group he had sent out with Alec riding fast up to the gates.

Meeting them in the central courtyard he quickly questioned them about where Alec was.

"Sir, he encounter the red dragon of the mountain, I don't think he survived." One of the foxes explained.

Sabian slumped his shoulders. "He was our best hope..."

"Sire, certainly with your power we must stand a chance."

"I don't know...I don't know...but we must have hope, return to your unit and make ready for battle." Sabian said returning to his chambers.

Three days later it was dead calm in the city, all that could be done had been finished all that was left was to wait. Archers lined the top of the walls, massive catapults stood poised to launch their loads. Sabian again stood out on the wall in his shinny jade armor plating with his top soldiers as they watch, seeing the massive force of Durran's army marching towards them, out in front of the ten thousand troop army was Durran and his nine priests, one of them being Kitt dressed in a black flowing cloak.

The army halted a few hundred meters from the outer wall of the Black Guard city. "Sabian! This day has been long coming, now I will finally destroy you and your pathetic followers." Durran's voice echoed out over the plains.

"You will have to kill every last fur here to win, we will not surrender!" Sabian howled back.

"That was my intension." Durran said signaling for his archers to ready and with a single hand motion a barrage of thousands of arrows fly out over the wall. And within a split second they struck down the first victims of the battle.

Sabian quickly ordered for a return fire sending his own volleys back over followed by massive boulders from the catapults that rain down into Durran's army.

Durran erected a barrier around his priests as the boulders and arrows bounce and ping off around them. "Kitt, bring my army into that city."

Kitt nodded. "Yes my lord." Kitt rode out upon his black as night stallion sending the army in a running furry towards the light gray granite wall. Kitt raised a paw towards the city and generated a large energy ball in his palm and firing it.

The red sphere of energy came within five meters of the wall when it is suddenly intercepted by another white sphere which forced it off to the side where it exploded, carving out a hole in a mountain a kilometer away.

All of a sudden, sounding like a supersonic jet soaring through the air Alec landed at the base of the wall. Decked out in a white flowing cape with highly polished chrome looking armored vest with a dragon crested in gold, his eyes lit up with a golden light.

Alec's mind calm and set remembering what the dragon had told him. "Your artificial power is nothing in comparison to your own spirit I will free you of the confines of metal and bring you into the light."

Alec stood tall and powerful before the army "Durran! Give up the control over Kitt now."

Both sides of the battle stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of the white wolf.

Durran laughed out loud. "Why should I Alec, you are nothing!"

"Because I have the power now to destroy you and your entire army. Thanks to your friend Draconas." Alec growled back.

Durran's look turned much more serious. "So you found the dragon and survived him, and came back with his power. I'd always wondered when he would give his power to another. No matter my high priests will make short work of you and the Black Guard will fall."

Alec narrowed his glare. "I would not underestimate me. I have the dragon's spirit now, he sacrificed his essence to me and I now have the power to bring you down."

Durran smirked. "I believe Kitt has something to say about that..." he said as Kitt soared off his horse and crashed into Alec punching a hole through the city wall and Durran's army started again falling upon the city like waves against a rock. The battle, intense and bloody, furs being hacked and slashed to death by the tens and hundreds as they collided.

Alec gripped Kitt's arm and flung him through the side of a stone building, only to have him fly right back out as him lashing out his paws at Alec. Both of them exchanging blow after vicious blow. "Kitt snap out of it, it's me Alec!"

Kitt smirked and delivered a hard uppercut to Alec's jaw, toppling him over. "I know Alec. You can't change me back, because I don't want to."

Alec flipped back to his feet and spun around connecting the back of his fist to Kitt's jaw then side kicked him on the chest, flinging him a couple meters back. "You do, I know you love. Durran couldn't have poisoned you that deeply, there's still the Kitt I knew and loved buried deep in you, look for it!" Alec pled as he was hit on the back by a foot and instantly surrounded by the other eight red robed high priests.

"You can't save me Alec and you will die!" Kitt bellowed out as he watched the others rain down on Alec. Alec growled as he twisted and spun his body around and around deflecting the powerful attacks of the high priests. Alec grasped the wrist of one of them and jabs him hard right in the ribs and flipped him into another then swung his cape around twirling it around the leg of another and crashed his elbow down into the knee joint slicing it right down then sent his hard fist right into his throat cutting off his windpipe.

Alec leaned his body backwards to avoid a sweeping kick and sent an invisible energy wave into his chest causing the priest to be cast into the air falling upon a protruding pike on the outer wall of the city, hanging him lifelessly. Corkscrewing his body through the air Alec landed punching one of the remaining priests across the chest while launching his foot backwards catching another quickly thrusting his palm out sending an energy blast right into the priest he punched chest vaporizing him. The one he'd kicked grabbed Alec from behind without even flinching Alec threw his weight down and grabbed the priest by the neck flipping him over Alec's shoulder and held on as the force of the fall took his body towards the ground, Alec's arm serving as a lever snapping his neck effortlessly.

Alec turned sharply looking at Kitt. "I must release you..." he said pulling out a pendant made from the stone given to Alec by the dragon. Alec muttered off an ancient incantation as the pendant began to glow and Alec's body ignited a brilliant golden aura. Kitt dropped to one knee and grasped the sides of his skull. "Kitt Alistair, that is you're name, you are the ascended lupine, descendant of Kitt Redwolf, you are the guardian of our universe, you are good. You are my love!" Alec yelled out.

Kitt snarled fiercely "No!!" and cast himself at Alec trying to get him to stop speaking but Alec shifted his body back and forth avoiding each attempt.

"Come back to me Kitt, come back to the light!" Alec calmly said as the pendant exploded sending Kitt flailing into the air.

Alec stood there motionlessly for a moment unsure if it worked but he heard the screams of the battle and turned back seeing the flurry along the walls. He pulled out the small black communicator and activated it. "Lauren this is Alec, are you ready?"

"Confirmed Alec, targeting acquired awaiting instructions."

"Fire at will Captain, bring the hammer down!" Alec growled out, soon watching the two meter diameter beams of yellow energy falling out side of the city, exploding along the ground right into Durran's army.

Alec flew up into the air seeing the devastation of the weapons fire, spotting Durran atop the wall locked into a fast battle with Sabian and Sabian was losing quickly. Durran raised his long claymore like sword above his head about to strike down when the blade was caught by the paw of Alec who stood their growling. "You're not getting off this planet today."

"We'll see about that...once you and Kitt are out of the way I will take your ship and existence will be mine!" Durran barked back ripping his sword from Alec's paw, and swung it around.

Alec bent his body out of the path of the blade, looking back at Sabian as he tossed up his curved katana like sword. Alec quickly grabbed it spinning around lashing the blade out and connecting with Durran's

"You can't kill me little wolf, why haven't you gotten that through your head." Durran said.

"That's where you're wrong, a normal sentient couldn't but one touched by the fates can." Alec snapped back, moving his sword back and forth clanging and sparking off of the claymore.

"What?! How could you be? How could you know?" Durran growled and thrust the wide blade at Alec's gut only to have it deflected away and made to pivot to the side to avoid another strike.

"Draconas told me everything. The great balancing, the fates, the real story behind you and Kitt Redwolf. You were the dark side of the whole thing." Alec explained.

"Good for you, you finally understand, but then you should know you can't win against me."

"If you were still touched by the fates yes, but your time is over. I'm here to send you back!" Alec yelled out as he lunged again at the grey wolf.

Kitt opened his eyes sharply, lying against a stone floor, the sky was dark and full of stars as he looked around he recognized the four tapered pillars of the training square of the temple of light on the human home world where he's trained.

Suddenly he felt a familiar presence approaching and Kitt sat up seeing a shrouded figure walking towards him. Kitt stood, noticing he was wearing the tailored all black buttoned up trench coat he'd worn when he fought Caster on the Hyena home planet. "Who are you?" Kitt called out his voice seeming to echo out over everything.

"Don't remember an old friend?" The familiar voice said as it stepped out into the moon light. The form of the five foot nine inch tall red furred Kitt Redwolf said.

"Kitt? Where are we?" Kitt said out loud still quite disorientated.

"You are between worlds, unfortunately you have been triggered early my friend and your time is coming near." The Redwolf said calmly.

"What do you mean?" Kitt said

"You power and abilities weren't given to you by chance, you have a purpose. A war is brewing between the light and the dark. You will be the focus of it."

"I still don't understand; please tell me I have to help Alec." Kitt pled to the Redwolf as he paced around Kitt.

"You will in time, each savior must make the choice for their existence. It will not be an easy one but you must for the good of every living person, if you fail then everything you hold deer with be obliterated. The darkness is coming, be ready." The Redwolf told Kitt as he's shocked back into reality finding him self lying amongst the grasses outside of the Black Guard city.

Kitt felt the death and battle inside of the city especially the intense energies of Alec and Durran. Standing up he witnessed the burning city and sees the two wolves fighting along the wall.

Kitt shook the dream from his skull and lifted his body into the air and cast himself back into the fray, coming down right into the center of remaining four high priests as they slaughtered the helpless soldiers of the black guard. "Hey! Bitches!" Kitt called out immediately getting their attention. "Why not pick on someone your own size." He said opening up his arms into a fighting stance.

Alec caught Durran's boot right to the chest, knocking him against the rounded stone wall of a guard tower. "Ha is that the best you got!" Alec belted out thrusting off the wall back at Durran, swiping his blade down and as Durran blocked, Alec's pure powerful strike severed right through his sword Alec stepped through and kicked Durran right in the stomach crumpling him down to his knees.

Alec stepped forward kicking what was left of the shattered sword from Durran's paw and placed the dull back side of his sword under Durran's chin. "Surrender, your army is defeated, you're priests are gone. We've won."

Durran looked down seeing Kitt decimating the priests and the Black Guard forcing his army into retreat. "I will never surrender to you. Even if you kill me my predecessor will make short work of both of you. You haven't even the faintest idea what is coming your way, he will sweep across your pathetic worlds like a wild fire and you will all die!"

"Yeah we'll see about that." Alec growled as he raised his sword above his head and in one pure clean stroke the golden laced blade sliced through Durran's neck severing his head clear off his body.

The dawn broke over the Fire Mountains showering the land with a crystal clear light; the surviving Black Guard members began reconstructing what had been lost in the battle the day before.

Alec, Kitt, Sabian and the Dragon stand outside the scarred city walls watching the remains of the conflict.

"What will you do now?" Alec asked.

Sabian looked to his city. "We're free now, we will rebuild and it will be a golden time. Thanks to you two. But your journey is all but beginning."

Alec looked to Kitt with a sad look. "We know..."

THE END