FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

So. This is the chapter, where the plot really kicks in. It's definitely longer than the previous ones. I'd appreciate any help with my writing (Which is far from perfect, I know) So any comments, good or bad, are always welcome. I hope that you find this at least entertaining, if not good writing. So go ahead. Laugh if you want. I won't be hurt.

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I wake up. Raven is standing, looking at me worriedly. I get worried as well.

"Something wrong?"

He immediately puts on a smile.

"No. Nothing. Just happy to see that you're fine" He leans down towards me and places a hand on the ugly-green bruise on my chest. "We should have someone look at this. It doesn't look like it's healing right"

I cringe. It does hurt.

"See? Not good" He gets up and extends his hand towards me. I grab it and pull myself up. "We should just head downtown today. I don't care what Jack says. The Council can help you out with this. And my sis' is a pretty good healer, even if she can't use magic" He laughs a little and I force a smile.

We wash up quickly. Raven walks around for a moment, pensive looking. Then he looks at me.

"You wouldn't know where Jack is? I can't find him"

"No. Why would I?"

"Just a thought... Nothing else..." He breathes out slowly and we start walking towards the sounds of a sleeping city.

"Well. He can catch up with us. He'll know where we're headed"

For a moment, I'm confused. The lights of the city hit me without warning. I cover my eyes, being used to the more peaceful, less lit forest.

"Hey. You ok?" Raven immediately kneels down towards me.

"Yeah... Just a bit of a... Cultural shock" I laugh, still covering my eyes. Raven laughs a little.

"Haha. That'd make sense" He pushes out his shoulder and I lean on it. We walk slowly and I start getting used to the lights. We get out from the forest completely and we're standing on a hill, giving a good view of the whole city.

I see a huge city-landscape. It doesn't look real. I stare in awe. I have been to cities before, when travelling through "neutral zones" with my old teacher but no city I visited then, could compare to this. There were lights everywhere! And people and hybrids all around the place! I was getting used to seeing hybrids, while walking with Raven and Jack but seeing so many, made me speechless.

In the middle of the unbelievable urban jungle, there were two buildings that stood out from the rest. A massive square-shaped building with a huge zero on the sides. It only had two entrances. It was very simply built. No decorations. I counted twenty windows per floor. There were five floors, from what I could see. But I suspected a few floors underground as well. I figured that this must be Zero Divisions HQ.

The second one was much more decorative. I saw the Nine Circles, which Jack mentioned, surrounding a ridiculously large tower. "The Council's Mirror" as Jack had mentioned. It looked unbelievable. I could only stare in awe. The Circles must've covered as much ground, as the whole city did and it must have more than fifty floors! Each window had a small angel framing the windows, making it look more like a church than a school of mages. It dwarfed the Zero Divisions HQ by far! Raven could see my jaw dropping and laughed.

"Hehe! That's home, alright! Longpoint City!"

"You... Live here?" I shifted my eyes to meet Ravens, still in awe.

"Yup. Right over there" He points at the tower.

"Are you serious?"

"Why would I lie? I live on the fortieth floor though... So it's a bit of a climb for me" He laughs.

"Wow..." I can't express myself. I'm too shocked about this whole thing. Everything is so much bigger, more beautiful and more complicated. I couldn't understand how people could live in this noise every day!

We started walking again. This time we didn't stop, until we got to the First Circle. As we passed the bustling town, I couldn't help but wonder my previous question. It was just too much noise for me. There were guards at the entrance to the First Circle. They wore fairly regular clothes. I wouldn't have been able to tell them from the rest of the crowd. Raven chatted with them for quite a while, until they let us in.

"What was that about?"

"Nah. Nothing. Don't worry about it too much, okay?" He pats my head but stares blankly forward, towards the next Circle.

The distance between the Circles was ridiculous! By the time we got to the Seventh Circle, the sun was already shining bright, right above us. It was noon! Each time, Raven talked with the guards, he seemed to get more worried. I tried pressing on but eventually he just said.

"Listen. I promise that I will tell you personally, if the Council approves of you. Ok?"

That kept me silent up to the Ninth Circle. This was different. All of the other ones had absolutely no decoration what so ever. This one was very different. It had dragons, flames and a strange crystal pattern covering it. I looked up at the tower. Every step we took, seemed to make it grow a few meters taller. By now, it was reaching towards the sky, nearly touching the clouds!

This time, there were five guards. They were wearing robes, from which two of them had the same flame-pattern as the wall. Two others had a blue robe, with strange markings covering the sleeves. The fifth guard seemed much older and Raven went up to him. The guard was wearing a purple robe. It looked heavier than the others. The mans face was covered, so I couldn't tell if he was human or a combination of human and animal. Suddenly, the fifth guard lashed out at Raven.

"Are you stupid?! This isn't a matter which you should take any concern in! You may enter but be careful, hunter.

Even if you are the Council's favorite, you aren't ours!"

We walked in and Raven had a scared expression covering his face. Even his pointed ears were flat against his head. I glanced at the guard with the purple robes and saw his face. It was human but so full of scars that it didn't really matter.

"Don't worry about him" Raven whispered to me, after we walked in. "He's just annoyed, because he's just an illusionist. They don't appreciate us, who actually fight on our own"

I decided not to inquire any more about illusionists. So I only nodded at him. I looked around the tower's insides. It was much bigger, than I thought. It didn't strike me as an official place. It was decorated with gargoyles, dragons and small statuettes. Along the floor, there was a carpet with the same strange markings, and there didn't seem to be a set-color. The colors varied from the darkest blue, to the brightest yellow. It looked like a rainbow but I couldn't see where the edge of the carpet went. It looked like it would've been the floor but it felt like a carpet.

We started walking up the stairs. I thought that the walk between the Circles was long but this didn't even make any sense! I looked at how many floors there were and according to the list, there were 67 floors! I pitied the people, who built this place!

We didn't stop, until we hit the top-floor. My knees buckled, as the rise was too much. Raven seemed to be feeling just as well, since we started. He only flexed his double-jointed legs and smiled at me.

"Every day. This is what it's like! Nothing like the technicians. They use elevators! Can you believe that?" He laughed.

"Yeah... Poor people..." I sighed and got up. "So... Now what?"

"We go here" Raven points at a huge door. It was almost as tall as the whole hallway, nearly three meters tall! I glanced around. All the rooms here had guards. But there were no guards covering the massive doorway. I asked about this from Raven but he only replied: "Hah! If those guys need guards, we're as good as gone anyways!"

Raven knocked twice on the huge door. It opened. We stepped in and the room behind the door was huge! It looked like an arena! I couldn't understand, how it could fit in the tower. There was seven seats. On each seat, there was a person. What interested me more, was the inscription in the seats.

On the first, the inscription was: The First Of The Seven, Chastity. On this seat, a young woman was sitting cross-legged. She had the same fluffy ears, as Jack, only they were a pure white. She was much more animal-looking than Jack. She even had a cat's eyes and paws!

The second read, The Second Of The Seven, Temperance. Here, there sat a bare-chested human. He looked carefully at me, studying me. He had one long scar running down from the top of his ear, down to his well-built abs. It seemed like a painful one and must've hurt but he didn't look like a person who'd care too much about pain. He smiled thinly at me and nodded.

The third was a little bit amusing. The Third Of The Seven, Charity. On this seat, there was a fat, smiling raccoon-looking man. He wore a loose robe and was covered in rings and bracelets. He smiled widely at me and threw a coin at me, laughing at me. "Here! You'll need that! If not now, later!" I picked it up, thanked him and slotted the coin in a knee-pocket.

The fourth seemed nice but I couldn't tell for sure. Her seat read: The Fourth Of The Seven, Patience. She was a curious looking girl. She didn't look older than 17 but she struck me as a wise, kind person. She had scales but didn't look like a lizard, or anything with scales to begin with! I couldn't figure out what kind of hybrid she was.

The fifth scared me but he seemed just fine with that. The Fifth Of The Seven, Diligence. This man, (If that was even the correct term) looked like a shark. He had a fin on his back, covered in piercings. He was bare-chested as well and full of scars. I couldn't fathom how much each of those must have hurt. He was the only one wearing a weapon and it was huge! It was an unrealistically large sword. I doubted for a moment, that he could even use that, but as his cold, stern gaze met mine, I didn't question it for a second longer.

The sixth stood out from the rest. The Sixth Of The Seven, Kindness. Even the scripture on his seat seemed out of place! He was also a raccoon and had similarities with the Third, so I assumed that these two were brothers. As I studied him, he nodded and smiled. "You are right to think so. It is correct". He didn't even bother explaining to the others, what he had just said. But I understood it and moved on to examine the last seat.

The last one wasn't at all like the others. The Seventh Of the Seven, Humility. Although I could assume from his name, that he was humble, he looked nothing like it. As a matter of fact, I couldn't even see his face! He was covered in a huge robe. It was very loose and all I could see behind his hood, was darkness. This one scared me but he was the first one, to move. He got up and I could see a long tail dropping from behind his seat.

"Is this the one you were sent to get?"

"Yes. Why else would I bring a boy to the Council?" Raven replied, trying to force a smile.

"To redeem yourself easier, I'd assume. But now" The Seventh snapped his fingers and I could see a trail of white smoke emerging from under the robes. "What do you think we should do now, Ryu?"

I only stared at the bundle of robes speaking to me. "I wouldn't know. I have never seen anything like this before"

"At least you aren't stupid to assume anything too much" He had a smile in his deep voice. "We can put you in a special room, to figure out what you are. How does that sound?"

"Sounds like a good idea t-"

"Wait" Raven interrupted. "Are you talking about a room, or the room?"

"Why would you care? Don't you agree that he should enter it now?"

"Not yet, no. He's tired. He can barely walk! Couldn't you wait until tomor-"

"No. It is now, or never" The robed man interrupted politely. "We have too many people applying to us now. The room is prepared. I'm simply saying that if he waits for too long, he won't have a shot at it, until next year"

Raven sighs, thinks for a moment. Then he approaches the First.

"Can he at least meet with the one, who Sought him out, before he's forced into the room?"

The First doesn't take any time to think. "Of course. It wouldn't be fair, if they didn't meet each other"

"Thank you"

"No reason to thank. You are more appreciated, than they might let you think. Don't you forget that." She tuts her finger at Raven.

"I won't"

All of the Seven nodded at me. Then the Fifth stepped down and came up to me. He approached Raven.

"I will take it from here"

"You won't allow me to watch?"

"You may. But I will be the one to escort him to Iris" The shark-faced man looks at me, warningly. "If he doesn't come with good intent, I will make sure he doesn't live long enough to hurt our best Seeker"

We start descending down the stairs. The Fifth studies me as we walk. We're on floor number 52, when we stop. The door we walk up to, seems more elegant, than the rest. It has a phoenix, covering the whole door. I run my fingers over the pattern. The phoenix on the door feels warm and I pull my hand off quickly.

"Don't worry. That's just the illusionists. They like doing stuff like that" Raven smiles. The Fifth glares at Raven, as if he had just killed someone. Raven backed away and stepped next to me. "Don't worry about him either. He's serious at first. But once you get to know him, he's pretty cool. Aren't ya, River?" Raven pats The Fifth on the shoulder.

"Don't. Do. That. Again." The shark snaps at Raven. "I don't care who you are to the rest of the Council. You do that a second time and you're fish-food"

"Fine" Raven lifts his hand from River's shoulder. "Let's meet Iris, shall we?" Raven knocks on the door and I hear a delicate voice through the bulky door.

"Raven. River and... Ryu. Come in" The door opens and Raven signals for me to go first.

As I enter the room, I admire the statuettes of swans all around. They look elegant and beautiful. I look around and notice that there are no windows in this room. I glance around the room and see a very deadly looking scythe on a pedestal. It looks like it's heavy. Anyone using that would have to be strong. I remember the voice I heard before being let in and my voice is suddenly shy.

"Uhm... Hello? Iris?" I wander around the gorgeous room, cautiously. I reach for my swords but River immediately darts at me. He grabs my hands and twists me down on the ground. I hear the voice again.

"River. That's not too nice. He was just being careful. You never know, who might be behind locked doors. Don't blame him on being, what he's been trained to be"

He gets off of me and grunts an apology. I rise up on my knees and rub my wrists. I lift my eyes and see a girl. She can't be any older than me. She extends her hand at me and I hold it, carefully. She looks so fragile. As I get up on my feet, my eyes meet with beautiful blue eyes. She smiles at me and I quickly scan her. She has long blonde hair and her hand feels furry. No. Fluffy? Feathers. Soft feathers. She's wearing an elegant dress. It doesn't look too formal though. More like an afternoon gown. She wears it with the same elegance, as the swan statues and I figure that that's what she is. A swan.

"What's wrong?" She asks me, smiling at my shocked eyes.

"I just... You... Iris?"

"Yes. That's my name" She lets out a giggle.

"I'm Ryu. Niten Ichi-Ryu"

"I am aware of your name. But why? Why is that your name?"

"Oh. That's... Well... I can't really remember, actually. But when Master brought me in, that was the only martial art that I knew. I didn't really have a name before that. Not that I can remember. So they called me by the name of a martial art: Niten Ichi-Ryu"

"Hmm... Interesting... But now!" She practically hops up and runs up the scythe. As her back is turned at me, I notice a pair of delicate, white wings. I decide not to pay any mind to them. I've seen stranger in the past few days. She picks up the scythe quickly and swings it on her shoulder, with little difficulty. "You're headed for the room? I'll be joining too!"

"Please. Iris. You shouldn't. It isn't smart. We don't know what he-"

"Nonsense. I want to see, what I discovered on my own. Are you denying me a simple pleasure?"

"No. You may follow"

"Goodie!" She smiles happily.

We start walking, again. (Honestly. What's up with all this walking?) Along the way, Iris and I switch glances but we don't speak to each other. We go down the stairs to the 50th floor. It's completely empty. There are no doors, apart from one. It has a single sign on it, stating that it's not allowed for a person to enter this room, without Council authorization. We walk up to it and River taps on it with his enormous sword. The door opens and the room is just a plain, white room. I don't understand why people are trying to get here. It looks like a doctor's office. After a while of admiring the room, Raven whispers to me.

"Listen. What ever happens there, don't panic. It's just an illusion. Get it?"

I nod, trying to swallow any fear I have.

"Good. Now disarm yourself" He continues and offers his hands for my weapons. I cling to both hook-swords for dear life, not trusting anyone with these.

"Please. You don't want to take anything you don't need in there" He looks at me apologetically.

I think for a moment and on an impulse, decide to hand my swords to Iris. She takes them, picking both swords up with respect, as if she had known that I'd give them to her before I had.

"I will take care of them. You can trust me" She gives me a trusting smile. I smile back.

"I wouldn't give them to you, if I didn't trust yo-"

"Enough. Step in now" River shoves me towards the room.

"Hey. Easy there, Fourth" Raven says with a tone on 'fourth'.

I breathe in slowly and step in the room.

As soon as I enter, the air inside gets colder. I stop in the middle of the room and quickly whip my head towards River, Iris and Raven. River only studies me. Raven looks a bit worried and Iris just smiles at me, reassuringly, before the door closes.

I stand still for a moment. The room gets colder by the second. I look down to my freezing feet and notice that the floor is freezing around me! I lift my leg and study the floor. It's turning into a block of ice! I get up and look around me. The whole room is freezing! I run up to the door and try to open it but it's frozen solid. I bang on it, hoping that my friends would help me out. It's no use.

I remember Raven's words. 'It's just an illusion'... I do my best to calm myself down. I sit down in the middle of the room. By now, the whole room is frozen. I breathe in and out, slowly noticing a trail of white smoke. It's definitely cold here. I look down to my feet, feeling a rush of warmth. I see black smoke under the ice. I study it closer. It's growing. Looks like it's going to burst out any minute. It does. Black tentacles with the appearance of dark smoke, fill the room. I try not to panic but for an illusion, this is working quite well.

Suddenly. The trails of smoke burst out from under the frozen walls all around me. They launch towards me! I try to dodge but I've been too cold for too long and my reflexes are not the best. They hit me hard and I'm thrown through the door. I lose consciousness.

I wake up, seeing the worried faces of Raven and Iris. River is studying the wreckage of a door next to me.

"-viously this isn't normal. The room can't harm a person. No matter how strong the magic is!"

"We can't debate over this. He can't live. You know that"

Raven unravels the chain around his torso.

"You saw it too. He isn't just a Shadowcaster. He also has the ability to use ice-magic as well!"

I get up, rubbing my pounding head.

"What happened?"

Iris runs up to back up my shoulder, as I try to stagger up. As I cough a little, I place a hand on my chest. I notice that the ugly wound is gone. Iris doesn't seem to understand my confusion but she does look worried. She looks up to me.

"That room adapts to the magic, which the person in it possesses. You have two elements. That's not unheard of but it isn't normal, either. What the room showed is, that you have an ice-element in you but also... Shadow. A very rare one. Shadowcasters are considered to be traitors. River wants a consultation to-"Not even! The Council is clear on the matter! Shadowcasters aren't allowed to live! You saw what he did to that door!"

"He isn't in control of-" Raven tries to interrupt, standing between River and me.

"Exactly! He can't control it!" River draws his sword and points it at me. "Hunter. You are respected but if you stand in my way, you will not live long enough to regret it"

"Probably. But I seriously doubt that the Council would appreciate you killing off the first dual-elemented Shadowcaster, eh?"

River thinks, then lets out a displeased grunt. "Fine. But the Council will hear about this. Don't doubt that for a second!" He walks away, cursing at any god, willing to listen. Iris kneels me down and rests me against a wall.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine... Just a little out of breath. That's all" I try to smile at her.

Two hours later

I have been given a room. It's far from any others, since they consider me a 'possible threat'. I'm in a room next to Iris's. She placed my swords on a holder, two meters from my bed.

"There. They should be safe now" She picks up a chair and sits on it, letting the massive scythe rest in her lap.

"Now. I'm sorry to ask this. But have you ever experienced any... Blackouts?"

"Yes. Quite often. Why?"

She sighs, looking at me for a moment. Then she speaks up, almost whispering. "Because that's normal for Shadowcasters" She lets out a silent sigh. "Before they lose their minds"

I get worried.

"You mean 'go crazy'?"

"What else could I mean? It's a miracle that you haven't 'gone crazy' earlier!" She gets up and starts walking away.

"I'll wake you up in the morning. The Council will hear you out, so you'd better be prepared for what's coming. It might not be pleasant"

I close my eyes and think. I don't understand anything. All I did was enter a room, freeze my ass off and get thrown out by what they're calling a 'shadow'? Since when can shadows attack people?

I stop thinking and just let my thoughts wander. All I can think of, is Iris and her gorgeous blue eyes. I drift to sleep while thinking of her pure-white feathers and that beautiful smile. For once, the darkness surrounding my sleeping world, doesn't touch me. But as Master always taught; There's no such thing as a safe-haven from the dark. It's always present, no matter how much we disguise it as something else.