FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

In the flickering light from Algon's fire, James could see the Ikirian clearly for the first time. He was tall, very tall in fact, but also slim. But the biggest surprise was that he was an insect. A glossy black exoskeleton covered his segmented body and his arms had hands that only possessed 2 long fingers instead of the usual 5. He even had antennae like an ant or beetle.

After she was able to fully realize what she was looking at, Lydia jumped back with a small cry, but James and Delta didn't move. The Ikirian gave them another look and then turned his attention back to Ran.

Assessing the situation, he opened his mouth and released a series of clicks and grunts.

"That didn't translate," Delta whispered.

"We must be out of the spell's range?"

More clicks came from above and an entire squad of Ikirian materialized out of the night sky, each identical to the first. They formed a perimeter around the friends and glared menacingly at the jungle.

Ran got up from where he was knocked down and roared, seeing the new arrivals. In response, they put up their hands and unveiled one other thing James hadn't noticed. From their upper body, a set of claw-like arms emerged and swung forwards, each looking razor sharp. In total, this meant that they had 6 appendages, which made them fully resemble insects.

Ran charged the group, horns glowing once more with white light. One of the Ikirian stepped forward in response to lightly grab hold of Ran and stop him in his tracks. The rest of them held up their hands, which began to glow with a rainbow-colored light.

The original Ikirian stepped up to Algon and lightly tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around, obviously surprised.

"Oh, hi," he said faintly. "I didn't see you arrive. I guess I was focusing a bit too much on my spell."

The Ikirian made a series of clicks, ending with a sweep of his hand, but Algon shook his head.

"I don't understand. What do you want?"

The Ikirian started to speak, but stopped, realizing that that would just result in more confusion. Instead, he pointed at the ring of fire and made the same sweeping motion again.

"You want me to cut off my spell?" Algon asked, a bit astonished.

The Ikirian nodded, appearing a bit relieved that his point had gotten across.

"I can't do that! That's the only thing keeping out the jungle!"

Nearby, Ran continued his fight with the Ikirian. The others forming the circle around the friends began to buzz softly, all 4 arms glowing brighter.

The Ikirian next to Algon made the motion again, seemingly becoming impatient.

"Alright, if you say so."

"Algon, what are you doing?!?" Lydia was snapped out of her shock by his comment. "You'll kill us all!"

Algon shook his head. "No, for some reason I trust him. He won't let us die. And besides, I was going to collapse soon from exhaustion regardless." He turned back to the Ikirian. "Whenever you're ready."

The Ikirian clicked, drawing the attention of the others. He raised an arm and they nodded, refocusing on the jungle with greater intensity.

Algon looked up at the Ikirian and waited. The arm came slashing down and he cut off his spell, allowing the jungle to leap forward in an attempt to swallow the group whole.

James suddenly realized that, although there was no more fire to provide light, the clearing was still lit by an enormous glow coming from the circle of Ikirian surrounding them. They let out a harmonious buzz, and a wave of rainbow light flowed forward to meet the jungle.

The result was immediate. The tree and vines recoiled, slithering backward with lightning speed. Ran, also hit by the wave, howled before getting blown away. Even the mysterious white mist that had been creeping closer evaporated entirely.

James and his friends were forced to close their eyes from the light, and when they opened them the clearing had returned to its normal size, with the jungle around seeming normal, if still a bit more sinister than usual. The path back to Rioyda also reappeared, and Lydia began to edge toward it.

She was stopped when an Ikirian crashed down in front of her, stopping her escape. The others moved forward as well, surrounding the friends.

"Hey!" Delta yelled, noticing the new arrival. "That's Aurra!"

To James' surprise, he noticed that Delta was right. The Ikirian blocking Lydia's path had a small figure in its back, right between its wings. Aurra was still asleep, bound the same luminous webs that had held Delta.

"You bastards! Let her go right now!"

The Ikirian appeared to confer for a moment before 3 more stepped forward. They each approached one of the friends and motioned for them to turn around.

"Hey, what are you doing! Stop they right...mph!"

Delta was cut off and James turned back around to see that they had placed another web over his mouth. The original Ikirian stepped up to James and made a circling motion with his hand. James hesitantly spun around, and the Ikirian pulled him close, wrapping his 4 arms around like a harness. Looking over, he saw that the same was being done to his friends.

"Don't worry," Algon said to a panicking Lydia. "They just saved us; I'm pretty sure we can trust them. And besides, what else could we do?"

Passengers secured, the other Ikirian all formed up around James', who he assumed was some sort of leader. At his command, they spread their wings and leaped into the air.

James' stomach dropped as the group soared into the night air, heading away from Rioyda. The Ikirian' hold was tight, and when he wiggled around a little, he got what sounded like a scolding, so he decided to remain still and, at the very least, enjoy the flight as best as he could. He could still hear Delta's muffled grunts from nearby, but after a while even he fell silent, realizing that it was useless to argue.

The Ikirian flew over the jungle, trees rushing by beneath them. They were moving quickly, a destination obviously in mind, but looking ahead James only saw more forest.

Suddenly, the group dived down toward the trees. James instinctively tried to put his hands up, seeing the ground come racing to meet them. The Ikirian pulled up at the last second, flying just feet above the tips of the bushes. The wove between trees, dodging hanging vines and branches. James began to see hints here and there of more Ikirian: an oddly placed vine, a path cut through the foliage, branches cut down to make more room.

Then, as they were flying, he caught a glimpse of a structure, partially hidden by the trees. It disappeared from view almost instantly, but soon more began to appear, placed both on the ground and high in the trees. Many Ikirian could be seen all around, flying on tight routes or walking on bridges made from the jungle. Each made way for their group, and James could hear clicks as they began to talk among one another about the new arrivals.

Ahead, a massive tree appeared, glowing with what looked to be moonlight. It was enormous, the trunk alone as wide as the stadium back in Rioyda. Although the other trees were respectable, this dwarfed they all by far.

The Ikirian began a steep ascent, flying directly next to the tree. The bark's glow was filled with vitality, making James very content and happy inside. It resonated with his soul in some way and filled him up.

Looking skyward, James saw that they were approaching one of the massive branches that extended out from the main trunk. The surface was flat and smooth, like a pathway, and it led to an opening set into the side of the trunk. When James was released, he landed, but immediately fell over; his legs had gone numb after the flight. As he got to his feet, several more Ikirian emerged from the trunk. They exchanged several words with the leader, and then the rest of their group released his friends and flew off.

The newcomers looked down at James and released a series of harsh clicks. He then turned and began to walk back toward the trunk. The leader gave James a nudge from behind and pointed after them.

"Come on," James said to his friends, who were staring at him. "I think we're supposed to follow them.

Delta made a noise, and the leader clicked impatiently before removing the web gag.

"Much better!" Delta gasped, rubbing his jaw. He glared at the Ikirian. "You didn't have to do that, you know."

The Ikirian pointed again and Algon tugged him forward. "Enough is that. Don't you want to see where Aurra is?"

Delta immediately complied, all but racing towards the trunk. The others followed at a slower pace. When they entered, they followed the Ikirian up a large set of stairs that wound around the inside of the trunk. Doors led off to other rooms, but they continued upwards.

"Hey, doesn't this remind you of our dorm back at the Qintessium?"

"You're right!" Delta said. "I hadn't really noticed that. I wonder why."

They continued up to the very top of the trunk. The stairway eventually opened into a massive room that covered the entire top of the tree. The floor was wooden, a platform that had grown out of the trunk, and looking up, James saw that the soft light that illuminated the area was coming from the leaves. They glowed just like the bark, soft silver and gold, and formed a thick dome that hid the night sky.

However, what pulled their attention were the two chairs sitting opposite of the door. In them sat a pair of Ikirian that were much thinner than the rest. Their hard shells were lined with glowing silver, similar to the shade of the leaves, and the air around them had a slight shimmer. The far more impressive sight was the Ikirian lining the walls, some form of guard, judging from their massive size. In addition, they didn't have hands, instead of having four claws, which were displayed in a fierce manner.

"Those Ikirian must be some form of royalty," James thought. "Ha, this is just like that old line where the alien says, 'take me to your leader'. Except a bit switched around, obviously."

The friends were led in front of the sitting Ikirian. One turned to a nearby guard and said something, the guard leaving with a bow.

"What do you think they're doing?" Lydia whispered.

"Why the heck do you think I'm supposed to know? Let's just wait and see. If they went through the trouble to save us, they can't be that bad."

The guard returned, holding a covered wooden box. Holding up, removed the lid and took out a glowing orb that shimmered with a strange light. The sitting Ikirian accepted it and the guard bowed once more before returning to the line.

The Ikirian then held the orb with both hands and stared into it. A bright light shone outwards and covered her entire head, swirling around like a mist until they couldn't see her features anymore. After a moment, the light turned gold and flew back into the orb, which assumed the same color.

The Ikirian next to James walked forward and took the now-golden orb. He held it out to James and his friends, clicking impatiently.

"I think he wants us to do the same thing as that Ikirian."

"No way!" Delta said, backing up slightly. "There is no way I'm putting my hands on that thing. Who knows what it could do to us!"

"Come on, Delta," Algon said, stepping forwards. "Like I said earlier: they saved us, so why try and hurt us now? Obviously, this is something important, and I bet we'll find out why soon enough."

He held the orb and the light covered his head, this time turning a bright orange-red instead of gold.

"Well, feel any different?" Lydia asked, a bit nervously.

Algon furrowed his brow. "Nope, feel just like normal. The light just tickled a bit, that's all. It felt like it was reading something, though, but I can't tell what."

The Ikirian clicked and motioned from Algon to James.

"I think he wants all of us to hold it. Here, let me try."

Each of the friends held the orb, and when they were finished the Ikirian took it back. He carried it to the chairs and set it down on the floor in front of them, backing away when he was finished. The sitting Ikirian both raised their hands and released a long string of clicks and sounds. When they were done, they sat back and watched the orb intently.

James and his friends waited for almost a minute before Delta leaned over.

"Is it supposed to be doing something right about now? Or did it break?"

He got his answer when the orb suddenly shot into the air, rising all the way to the top of the leaf dome. Light shot outwards to coat the walls and illuminate the room further, but as soon as it appeared it had already faded away. The only thing left was the orb, now floating high in the air above them.

The Ikirian next to James gave a sigh. "Relief at last. That process always takes a generous amount of time."

"Do remember that this is not just a normal spell." The guard from earlier spoke stiffly from his position near the chairs. "It is not so easy for ones such as us to perform such an advanced technique, thus the preparation time is required."

"Yes, I am well aware of those facts. However, because this artifact has not been used in such a graciously long period of time it feels as though it is rather exorbitantly long. And it seems I have also forgotten the effect it has on newcomers." He chuckled deeply. "How entertaining you all look right now."

James and his friends picked their jaws off the floor but still couldn't muster the strength to speak. Finally, Algon managed to croak out a faint, "You guys can talk?"

"That should be obvious now, shouldn't it? We are an intelligent species; therefore, we have a way to communicate with one another."

"Yes, but how exactly are you talking to us now? Before we only heard clicks and stuff, but now it actually sounds like words."

A melodious voice reached their ears. "That would be due to the artifact floating about your head. It functions similarly to your translation spell, but with a greater power behind it."

All attention went to the Ikirian sitting on the chairs. The one next to James bowed and stepped back.

"Greetings, young mages," the Ikirian on the left said. "The Queens formally welcome you to Dorian-5."

It clicked at once in James' mind. The shimmer, more like some sort of regal aura. The different coloring. The chairs being thrones most likely. Now that he saw it, it was really hard not to feel stupid for not figuring it out sooner.

"Wait just a moment," Delta said, stepping up. "You're telling me that you two are the Queens of the Ikirian?"

The Queen nodded. "We rule over the 174 tribes of our people that reside in this world."

Delta was steaming a bit. "Then you better give me a really good explanation for why you KIDNAPPED a young girl from our school!"

"Delta, calm down!" Lydia hissed. "They're royalty; you can't talk to them like that!"

"Screw that; I deserve an answer!"

"That is rightfully so." The Queen's words made the whole group shut up in surprise. "Truthfully, we had not expected for her to have such fierce and loyal companions like yourselves. Captain Aur?"

"Yes, my Queens," the Ikirian that had carried James said. "Our original mission was to infiltrate the school and determine whether or not the young mage was in need of assistance. It was only after your rescue attempt that we were commanded to bring you back as well."

"In need of your assistance? That's ridiculous!" Delta said. "She was in the care of our best Alchemists!"

"Yes," said the Queens. "But some things are beyond the reach of your arts."

Delta was about to erupt again, but James held out a hand, stopping him.

"Can you explain what you're talking about?"

"The young mage's condition is tied to the corruption spreading from your school out across the land. This is not something your elders are able to cure."

James exchanged a glance with his friends, who all shrugged. "Corruption? What the heck do you mean?"

"You have already seen and felt its effects. The jungle has turned dark. Nature is corrupted, twisted into a mockery of proper life. Even the Oucu, who are normally docile and playful, become monsters under the Void that stains our world.

Algon's eyes widened as he realized that Ran must have been one of the Oucu they were talking about, but James' attention hinged on a single word.

"Did you say... Void?"

"Yes. The dark corruption that infects the life of this planet stems from that ancient realm. There has always been the presence of the Void on this world; its history is long, but the Ikirian have faithfully preserved the natural orders of Reality, until now. This has an unknown cause, and we are powerless against it. Attuned to the magic and life energy of the planet, we can only watch it writhe in pain."

"How do you know it's Void energy, though? It could be anything, and it can't be that bad that it's killing the world!"

"As I said, the Ikirian are deeply attuned to the rhythms of this world's magic. Observe." The Queen held out a hand and a bright ball of light appeared above it. Green and blue energy rushed over the surface, a vibrant display, but several tiny dots of white spotted the surface, almost unable to be seen.

"This is what Dorian-5 looked like several years ago. And this...is what it looks like now."

The orb shifted. All of the dots expanded significantly, but the most shocking was a massive stain that spread across one side of the sphere. The energy was severely disrupted, now unable to flow properly, and it roiled around in confusion. The Queen pointed to the middle of the patch.

"This is your school."

"But that still doesn't explain how you know it's Void energy."

"That is simple. Dorian-5 has a long history; it has been around before the Ikirian were even a dream. After all, this world was formed during the Origin war."

James rifled through his memories but didn't recognize the name. "What's that?"

"You have not heard of it? The famous conflict between the Great Dragon and the Infinite Wolf?"

"Great Dragon... you mean Alcyrion?!"

"That is another of his names, yes."

"And the Wolf then was Iter?" James was a bit confused.

"Precisely. When Dorian-5 was created, it was on the very outskirts of the expanding Reality. As such, it was taken over almost immediately by the Wolf's forces. They built outposts and tested weapons here, using this planet as a gateway for their army. After Lord Iter was defeated, they left, leaving behind their ruins, still leaking corruptive energy. The Ikirian were created from a combination of this energy and the natural magic of Reality, and ever since we have pledged to contain it so it can harm no one further."

"And judging from the fact that you brought us here, you think we can help somehow?" Delta was dubious.

"Yes. We are not aware of the cause of the corruption and we cannot investigate your school further. However, there is a Void temple on the far side of the planet that is resonating with similar energy. We believe that the two may be linked. Our request is that you assist us in investigating the temple to uncover the cause of the corruption."

"And you guys can't do this why?"

"As has been stated, the Ikirian are linked to the land. We are born from the Void but are not of it. If we attempt to approach the temples, their energy will destroy us. We took a great risk to rescue you as well; any longer and Captain Aur's squadron would have been rendered to dust."

"We'll accept your request," Algon said. The others looked at him in shock. "Come on guys, think about it. They're helping Aurra, even though they really don't have to, and fixing this issue will benefit both them and Rioyda. And we're the only ones that can do it too."

Delta sighed. "He's right, unfortunately. I still don't agree with their methods, though."

Lydia and James both quickly voiced their agreement as well.

"My sister and I, as well as all of the Ikirian, thank you for accepting this request. My guards will escort you to a sleeping quarter. It would be optimal for you to leave tomorrow, but it is important that you first get some rest."

They agreed and were led away from the Queens back to the outside branch. Captain Aur and his squad picked up the friends and carried them to a small hut situation in a tree nearby. The inside was sparse, but there were mats laid out on the floor and a small bowl of water nearby.

"If you need anything, please let me or my squad know right away. We will be retrieving you in the morning."

"Thank you," James said, suddenly feeling very tired. Lydia was already lying on her mat, fast asleep.

The Ikirian buzzed off and the group laid down on their beds, falling asleep quickly after staying up for a large majority of the night. James himself pondered briefly about what was going on back in Rioyda, before giving up and deciding that it would be best to be fully ready for the next day.