FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Town square was always at least somewhat busy. Patrons bartered at fruit stands, children chased each other with sticks raised as swords, and it was never an uncommon sight to see a barbarian literally kicked right out of the bar and on to his back. It was fine though; they'd never permanently ban their most loyal regular. There was always something to behold, no matter the time. That's why those three leaves wedged within the corner of the armory and cobbler would seem so inconspicuous. He was open for shop....

You made your way over, each step accompanied by the clang of your armor. Heavy armor was your speciality, despite being rather lithe relative toward the general field. You rationalized it as the safest choice. It left a much larger margin for error, especially when you took on difficult jobs. Of course, it would leave you a sitting duck against magical foes, but those were a rarity—practically nonexistent—within the missions you would be willing to set yourself out to. You couldn't really afford risks going solo. But for this one at least, you weren't.

You turned your head at the lively scene for a moment, making sure no one was watching you, before looking down at the leaves. You simply gave one a nudge with your foot. Now out of alignment, you waited a beat before a sudden, light gust of wind picked up along the stone brick floor. A gust that, even without armor, you would not have felt. The leaves were spun in a circle before being limply whisked off, cutting through town square. Passing by the legs of kids running by, and weaving through the stands and buyers, the only person who noticed them was the drunk barbarian, too woozy to really keep them in his memory for more than two seconds. The leaves subsequently slipped into an alleyway between two buildings, and out of sight.

You followed the trail the leaves blazed, finding yourself in the same alleyway. A long stretch of stone brick walls spanned several bridge-lengths ahead of you, and into darkness. Usually there would be a wall here. Not for you, at least not coming in. After three steps, the bustle of the square behind you was abruptly silenced. The wall was back. You weren't leaving until you bought something.

The leaves, seemingly having been waiting for you, brushed forward at a walking pace, as if there were anywhere to lead you but straight forward. A thin, cylindrical tent was propped up at the end. Its red and black drapes matched the robes of its keeper, standing eagerly by. His hood was always up, never giving you a glimpse of anything but yellow eyes in a black void. The leaves stopped at his feet. Staring at you all the while, he scooped up the leaves with one hand, before throwing them over his shoulder with a flick of the wrist. All three disappeared mid-air.

"Sir Anon, welcome back." He greeted in a welcoming, yet nonetheless conniving voice.

You stop yourself from rolling your eyes. "Sir Anon" you scoffed in your head. You wondered if he buttered up all his clients the same way. Despite your opinions on the dark mage, you had to remain courteous. It'd make your overarching goal much more difficult if he didn't like you.

"Greetings." You return plainly. "How is she?"

"Healthy as always, I assure you. Please, come in." He says, pulling aside one of the entrance curtains for you to enter. You do so.

The mage's shop was much larger on the inside. It needed to be, to house all of his products. Contraband potions and cursed weapons galore, along with many other trinkets and charms not easily obtainable elsewhere. You weren't interested in any of that, though. You used to purchase some rather potent magic-resistance potions, but you knew you had to save your gold for something else. Your eyes turned to his "living" section of products.

Among the small cages chock full of nasty creatures that'd ruin any establishment one might "accidentally" let a few loose into, and semi-lifeless magical constructs that would serve and fight for you however you pleased, was her. Sophia....

Dressed in a drab, brown mage's cloak, was a beast woman. Or more accurately, a young beast girl. One of the lycanthrope variety, with gray fur and particularly pointy ears. She lay on a bed of straw, sleeping soundly with a light snore. What should have been a peaceful sight was greatly offset by the transparent, magical ankle brace and chain that kept her within the confines of that quarter of the tent. You didn't know her age, but the fact she was undoubtedly only a child made the image all the more terrible. At the very least, she did seem to be in relatively good health, as promised. You've noticed that she started appearing much less haggard and shaggy once the mage knew you'd be a repeat customer. She didn't even have a bed the first few visits....

"So!" The mage spoke, popping in front of you with a poof of smoke, blocking your vision of her. "I know what you're here for, but why not pick up an extra thing or three?"

He dangled a small potion bottle by the neck. A magenta fluid with a slight glow swished within.

"It's been a while since you've picked up one of these. I think you'd be happy to learn I've just applied a discount for armor-focused-folk such as yourself. Don't wanna get cooked by a stray lightning bolt, eh?"

"No thanks." You say, putting a hand up. "I'm just here for her."

"Oh? That's too bad." The potion popped out of his hand, and a stone filled its place. "That's fine. How long do you want her?"

"Just until next morning." You answer, retrieving a pouch of coins. "Will this do?"

The mage took the pouch from your hand, and weighed it on his own. He held it by where his ear would be and shook it, listening to the jingle of the coins within.

"Why yes, this'll do juuust fine." He answered, poofing the pouch elsewhere. "Heh, you don't even need me to tell you the price anymore."

The truth is, you lowballed it hard. That much gold could get you at least an entire day and a half. But you knew that. You didn't need her any longer than what you said. In a sense, you were the one trying to butter the other up. You needed to have a good standing with him, at least from his view.

With the agreement set, the mage lifted his stone up to his cloaked face. Bringing his other hand up, he imbued the stone with magic red energy from his fingertips. Once finished, he pointed it toward the sleeping wolf. The magic chain's base, ingrained to the floor, detached and flung itself toward the stone. Once the two connected, the chain and ankle brace disappeared. The stone was thusly handed over to you.

"I'm sure I don't need to refresh you on the conditions." The mage spoke as you took the stone from him.

"No." You shake your head.

You had long since memorized them. Sophia would be magically obligated to follow your orders into battle and elsewhere. Disobedience on her end would cause a reaction from the stone, one you were happy you had not witnessed before. By the end of the allotted time, she and the stone will be warped back to the shop in an instant. Her enduring any sort of mortal wound would do the same, ending her assistance no matter how much time was left. The stone was your tool to use as you saw fit. It felt especially cold in your palm.

"Good, good. Then it's settled. Your time begins now." He said, with the stone providing a single flash at the end of his sentence. You pocket it. "Where would you like to be dropped off?"

"Outside the eastern gate will do fine." You respond, watching as he approached the slumbering beast girl. "Hold on."

"Hm?" The mage stopped and turned his head.

"May I?"

"Oh, of course. She is yours for the time being." The mage steps out of your way, hunched over and holding out a hand as he did so, as if presenting her to you.

You set aside the terrible feelings it all wrought as you walked over towards her, and kneeled.

"Sophie... Hey..." You whispered, putting a hand on Sophia's shoulder and gently nudging her.

Her ears perked, and her body flinched slightly. She seemed to freeze for a moment, before, with a sudden new vigor, she pushed herself up and twisted around to face you. You could see the sparkle in her wide, emerald green eyes as they adjusted and recognized you.

"Anon...!" She glowed with an excitable, yet timidly-reserved voice. You smiled at the sight.

"SIR Anon." The mage corrected strictly, losing his friendly-business tone. Just like that, the sparkle from her eyes was gone, and her pupils sunk slightly.

"M-My apologies!" She says, hurriedly scrambling up to her feet so she can bow. "S-Sir Anon! I will a-assist you however you require...!"

After standing up yourself, you softly straighten her back up. Not just because you didn't like her literally bowing to you, but also so you could check for any sort of bruising or magic-inflicted marks. She's looked better and better with every time you've seen her, but those first few days won't ever leave your memory....

"See? Perfectly healthy and raring to help." The mage spoke from behind. "I'll be sure to teach her a couple new spells for next time. And for you, I won't even raise the price!"

"That's thoughtful. I appreciate it." You say, trying to force any degree of appreciation into your tone as you pulled Sophia's sleeves back to check her arms. You weren't too successful, but it was still impressive you didn't sound as scathing as you felt. "We're ready to go."

"Ah, of course." The mage lifted an arm, his gloved fingers primed to snap. "As always, it is a pleasure doing business with you. Don't get yourselves killed!"

Then, in a puff of sparkles, you and Sophia found yourselves in the forest, just outside the town's eastern gate. You were thankful the shade of the trees protected you from being blinded by the sudden sunlight, though you knew the mage only wanted to make sure you weren't spotted warping into reality by the gate guards. Staring up and around at your surroundings, you breathe a sigh of relief. A bump against your armor brought your focus back down.

"I missed you..." The beast girl spoke, having launched herself into a hug against you. You returned it with a warm smile. "I-I'm so happy to see you again...!"

"I've missed you too, Sophie. And I'm sorry it's been a while." You respond, a little guilty despite your legitimate reason for it. One that'll hopefully help her in the long run.

The little beast girl kept the embrace for a long while, as if to make up for that extra time. You run your fingers through the fur between her ears, willing to stay as long as she needed. The cool, fresh forest air was soothing for you, and hopefully many times as much for her.

"Has anything happened since the last time? He hasn't hurt you, has he?" You ask.

"..." She freezes up a little, her embrace increasing in strength for a sudden moment. "...N-No."

"Are you sure?" You ask, more serious after noticing her hesitation. "Remember Sophie, everything you tell me is between us. Nobody else needs to know."

After a moment, Sophia's paws begin to slink back to herself as she takes a step back. She peers off to the side, as if there was anything there, and puts her hands close together nervously, fidgeting a bit in place. An urge of protectiveness possessed you as you watched her muster up the courage to answer.

Though, truth be told, she was quite capable of defending herself. Even beast folk as young as her could put up a good fight with their teeth, claws, and natural strength. Sophia in particular was even decently versed in magic, extremely rare of her species, a la the dark mage who rented her out as a temporary...companion. That was supposed to be her whole appeal: a beast girl who knew magic. A uniquely battle-capable ally obligated to follow your every order. It was difficult to keep in mind that image with how young and innocent she was.

"U-Um... W-Well..." She starts. "...There was a-another person...a few days ago. He seemed...i-interested. He didn't...r-rent...me. But he made me nervous..."

Your heart plummeted so far, you could've survived an arrow directly to the chest. You really didn't like the sound of that, not at all. Maybe you were overreacting inside, but what else were you supposed to do but expect the worst for this person? For the longest time, you've been the only one who's...hired her assistance. You've always been sure to treat her with kindness, and never once even thought of using the stone against her. You weren't required to be so nice to her, and the fact you could use the stone to do more than just keep her within a close proximity was evidence towards the contrary, even. She was so used to you, who often didn't even take her out to help complete jobs, rather just getting her some time away from the mage's hidden storefront. It would be a terrible whiplash if she was placed with someone cruel....

"Do you know if he planned on coming back?" You try to keep a calm tone regardless. You didn't want to give her a reason to worry herself.

"..." Sophia simply shook her head. "...I don't."

So, it was still a possibility. Well, it always was, you suppose. You knew from your previous chats with her that the mage never really tried hard to advertise her to the customers who managed to find their way in. But you could piece together that he was only waiting until she was more proficient in magic so that any first-time renters would think she's worth repeat trips. But that didn't guarantee everyone else would pass her up....

"Hey, don't worry about it." You tell her, putting a hand on her shoulder. Her attentions shifts back up to you. "If anyone gives you a hard time, you let me know, okay? I'll take care of it for you."

A small, but earnest smile creeps up on her face.

"Okay." She says with a nod, appreciation evident in her tone. Her nervousness seeming to subside.

You don't know how you'd deal with such a situation, but you do know you'd do what would be necessary. Hopefully though, that will be something neither you nor her will have to worry about in the future.

"Good." You return, before bringing your bag from around your back and kneeling down to dig through its contents. "Now I'm sorry, but I actually do have a job for us to do this time."

"That's okay!" She speaks with a little more pep, skipping to your side. "I'll do my best!"

As cute as it was, you didn't like how enthusiastic she was over it. You knew her well enough by now to know that she wasn't excited to fight, she was just hopeful that she could prove herself a help to you specifically. That would be reassuring if you were counting on her to do a good job most of all, but you by far valued her safety. If she were to get hurt trying to prove herself to you... Well, you already felt guilty enough taking her on a job in the first place.

"Just don't go and get yourself hurt, okay?" You say as you pull out a stick of frosted bread. You break it in two, and hand her the larger half. "Now eat up."

Her eyes light up as she takes her half. She holds the piece delicately for a moment, before looking back to you with grateful eyes.

"...Thank you!"

"Of course, Sophie." You smile. You've brought her food every single time, yet she's always as appreciative as if it were the first.

Before you could scout out a place to sit, Sophia had knelt down in the grass, taking a large bite out of her bread. You're given no choice but to sit down next to her. It wasn't so bad here though, as it was still well shaded anyways.

So the two of you ate together there, under the peaceful forest canopy. Sophia tore through her bread as you adopted a more moderate pace. No words were exchanged on the account you were both eating, so you had a little time to think to yourself. You watch Sophia as she tears chunk by chunk of her meal.

You had never met a beast man, or beast girl in this case, before Sophia. Common opinion was that they were half-civilized, half-vicious folk in which relations may had been possible were they not so wild. "Sitting between humans and monsters" was the description often used. You couldn't agree, not with your experience, as limited as it may be. Sophia was just like any human girl, and the kindest you had ever known at that. Despite never knowing her parents, nor the reason why... Despite having been coerced into signing a magic pact with a dark mage that ensured her "safety" for servitude... She's still the sweetest person you've ever met, and she deserves a life much better than her current one.

"That was really good...! Thank you!" She says with a sharp teeth smile.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"So... Uh... H-How have you been?" She asks with a bit of effort. It makes you happy whenever she tries to be the one to start a conversation. She never used to attempt it.

"I've been doing well. Well enough, I suppose." You answer between bites. "I've been taking a fair amount of jobs lately. More than I usually do."

It was true, you had been a lot more active in searching for work, and not just the easier solo ones either. You hadn't really realized it as much before, but heavy armor specialists were actually quite desirable in your neck of the woods. Calling posts for extra allies often specified your field (and clerics, but that was a given). It seemed everyone appreciated having a great shield to hide behind or divert attention, but themselves would rather be charging headstrong with an axe, slinging fireballs, or sneaking around with a dagger. Not to mention, you're pretty much guaranteed any position that involves guarding something, person or otherwise. In addition to trying to live as frugally as possible in the past few weeks, and you've saved up no laughable amounts of gold.

Truth be told, you were getting rather exhausted. Your armor speciality certainly didn't help that regard. Still, every coin earned was another reason to be hopeful you could complete your goal. This upcoming job was ideally going to be the capstone.

"...Is that why you look tired?" She asks in a softer tone, as if having read your mind.

"Oh, do I?" You try to laugh it off. "I'm doing fine."

"W-Well, my magic has gotten better!" She puts her hands up, generating a controlled ball of fire around her fingers. "So I can help a lot more. The mage even said my wind spells are really improving, maybe even enough that I might be able to f-fly!"

"H-Huh? No, Sophie, promise me you're not going to try to fly with combat spells." You quickly input, less casual and more serious.

You had heard far too many tales of magical accidents involving mages launching blasts of wind at their feet. As magically inept as you were, you at least knew levitation and wind magic were far different skills. You hated to shut down the prospect of flight to her, but you also didn't want her catapulting herself into the skies.

"O-Oh. Y-Yeah." She utters, evidently disappointed by her ears drooping, and head lowering slightly. "That was...stupid."

"Hey, don't talk like that." You say, reaching over and giving her a pat on the head. "It's an easy connection to make. You'd be surprised how many mages have tried something like that."

It must've meant something a little extra for Sophia, you think. The concept of flight naturally begets feelings of freedom. It wouldn't have undone her magical pact, but regardless, it was probably something nice to think about for her.

You take the last few bites of your bread before standing up, with Sophia following your lead. Taking out your compass, you face yourself approximately opposite from the eastern gate.

"All right. As long as we keep a straight line this way, we should get there shortly."

"What's the job?" She asks, taking a small hop to your side. The two of you begin your journey.

"Well, long story short, the second son of a smaller noble house tried to elope with a commoner in secret. But without any guards, their carriage was attacked by monsters." You recall. "They managed to get away, but they had to leave all of the gold he stockpiled, along with his personal family heirloom. Our job is to get that heirloom back."

"Oh... Uh..." Sophia pondered. You could tell you lost her a bit during the first part. "...W-Wouldn't something have taken it already?"

"Yes, but it's location is fairly certain." You answer. "They were attacked passing by the den of a necromancer. He's dead, but the place is still cursed to create skeletons. Undoubtedly, those skeletons confiscated it all."

Necromancy nests where an absolute pain to remove, as any defeated skeletons needed to be moved away from the curse's effective range. Fragmenting the bones didn't work, in fact it would make things harder to completely transport after the fact. The skeletons were hostile, but also aimless without the presence of their master. If a den was far enough away from anything of importance, it was often opted to simply wait for the curse to deteriorate, no matter how long that took.

The nobleman's son evidently did not want to wait for that. He needed the heirloom back before his family realized he lost it. And yet, he was partial toward hiring only one mercenary to retrieve it. He claimed it was to better keep the situation under wraps, but you had a feeling he was trying to avoid spending too much after losing a small chunk of his family's fortune as well. But at the same time, that was exactly what made this job so enticing.

Sure, the promised reward was quite handsome, but the true appeal was the fact that he unintentionally loaded up the den with gold. It had been around long enough to be looted of anything valuable for a while. There was no reason to enter. But now the skeletons' raggedy pockets were lined with gold they had no use for. With the man trying to keep everything a secret, you essentially were signed into accessing a goldmine by yourself. It was the reason you were bringing Sophia along in the first actual job you had done with her in a long time. Your armor and narrow passageways didn't get along very well, so having an extra hand to help collect all you could would undeniably be helpful. Skeletons by themselves were not too difficult to deal with, though you still wanted Sophia to stick close.

"Hmn... Skeletons..." She says, mostly to herself, staring at her claws. "...I don't like those."

"Not many do after they've been resurrected by evil wizards. Luckily we won't have to deal with him."

"...G-Good." She says, head lowering slightly. "...I don't think I like wizards either."

"Yeah, they're not the type I prefer to face either." You respond, looking at your armor before whispering. "Though probably for different reasons...."

***

"We're here." You say, coming to a stop and holding out your arm to prevent Sophia from walking ahead of you.

If the dead trees and plant life surrounding a suspicious looking hole in the ground wasn't evidence enough, the multitude of warning signs strewn about with skulls and crossbones should've clued anybody in. Well, not your client and his hopeful fiancé, somehow. It really was a wonder how they survived.

You turn to Sophia, who stares ahead with curious eyes.

"How're you feeling? Do you need a minute to rest?" You ask her.

"I'm okay." She shakes her head.

"All right." You respond, reaching around and pulling your great shield from off your back, and your lance after that. Weighty as they may be, that heftiness was comforting understanding it would stand between your enemies and the two of you. "Just like we discussed. Whenever you're ready."

Sophia nods and gives you a determined look as you adopt a bracing stance.

"I'll do good. I-I promise...!" She affirms.

Bringing her paws together, you watch as she channels a green-colored magical energy between her paws. Her fur reacts to it like grass in the wind, moments before a wild storm. Then, sweeping one arm outward, a green crescent is shot forward, arching upwards before nosediving straight into the tunnel. An explosion of wind—carrying soot, bones, and even a few gold coins—geysered from the opening. Once the sounds of footsteps, steel, and rattling bones followed, you stepped in front of Sophia.

"Remember, the first wave is always the hardest with these guys. Stay behind me, just like we planned." You tell her, looking forward at the tunnel with your shield and lance pointed straight ahead.

"O-Okay!"

The commotion of the tunnel continued to intensify, and within seconds, you saw the bone-white top of a skull emerging from the pit, the first of many. It was time.

"We're going now!" You announce.

With your left arm in the shield straps and close to your chest, and your right tucked to your side with the lance pointed forward, you condense your armored mass as much you can as you break into a charge straight forward. You're no rouge—after a few heavy steps of buildup, your top speed essentially capped at a brisk jog—but what was traded for swiftness was the inability to be stopped.

The simple minded skeletons, either charging ahead themselves or simply standing in your path with arrows notched, all but exploded into pieces around you as your shield slammed into them. Bones, dull swords, and dinky arrows had no effect as you forged ahead into the tunnel. You couldn't see her, but you knew Sophia wouldn't have any trouble keeping pace directly behind you, which was subsequently confirmed as a controlled fire from behind illuminated the area and cast your shadow against the wall ahead. The downward slope, as well as your sheer inertia, made it almost impossible for even you to stop yourself, but after a solid ten steps of digging your steel boots directly into the ground, you managed to come to a halt just short of your lance's tip poking the wall.

Turning your shield aside and propping your lance's dull end on the floor, you swivel around to see Sophia, standing in a path formed from piles of bones, rags, and weapons at either side. She holds in both hands a ball of fire that lit up the immediate area as effectively as a torch, and her expression is that of wonder.

"You took out so many...!" She pointed out, obviously quite impressed.

You'd be lying if you said her reaction didn't make you at least a little proud. But you didn't have time to dwell on it.

"Keep your senses sharp. There's bound to be stragglers." You tell her.

As if on cue, you notice her ear twitch subtly, before turning with lightning quick reflexes and pulling her ball of flame apart and chucking one half into the darkness. Your eyes follow as it, for less than half a second, lights the face of a skull before it explodes, briefly revealing an encroaching group before they're once again cast in darkness.

"There should be torches hanging on the walls." You call out as you once again place yourself between her and the source of sound. "Light them up!"

"G-Got it!"

As you stare into the darkness, holding a stance with your shield and lance out, a controlled ball of fire was flung forward from your left side. It hovered around the wall, finding an old torch hung up from an iron frame and igniting it. The fireball, having found its first target, was then shot straight forward, lighting up the row of torches stretching along the left wall as it passed through each. The same process was repeated in reverse as the fireball boomeranged back around.

A couple of arrows dinked against your shield from within the darkness as you awaited the hallway to light up. A cluster of skeletons was soon revealed, marching their way towards you. Most wielded swords, while the archers hung in the back. Now that you had vision on all of them, they'd be little issue.

Putting one foot a step forward, rearing your body back, and holding your lance out to the side, you prepare yourself as the foot soldiers rattle their way over. Once they're in range, you step forward with your back leg, twisting your torso as you make a wide sweep with your lance. In one fell swoop, the ribs and spines of the initial group are knocked from their bodies, and they all clatter to the floor. Only a trio of archers remained. It should be easy enough, all you need to do was simply walk forward with your shield up and eventually—

A blur of gray fur and brown robes zoomed past. Before the leading skeleton had any time to adjust its aim, a clawed swipe at its lower midsection had severed the base of its spine.

"C-Careful!" You call out, not having expected her to run ahead like this.

You really had nothing to worry about, in truth. The skeletons were weak, their bones brittle, and their structural integrity barely held together by a years old enchantment. The other two were taken out before they could let fly any arrows at her, not that they'd hit. Honestly, Sophia could probably wipe out the whole den herself as long as she was careful enough.

Yet still, you couldn't help but worry for her safety. Even as she stood over her defeated foes, looking at you to see what you thought. You breathed a sigh of relief, and your heart rate begins to fall back to normal.

"Good job, Sophie..." You relent, having not wanted to encourage that brazenness, but also not having the heart to chastise her after you knew she was only trying to make you proud. "But please, warn me before you go ahead like that. I know you're strong, but I don't want you to take any unnecessary risks."

"Oh, sorry..." She says, hurrying back to your side. "D-Don't you...get tired?"

"Tired? How do you mean?"

"Well... Every time we go out and f-fight, you do almost everything." She says. "If you take me with you...don't you want my help...?"

"Of course I do. It's just that it's better that our enemies focus on me." You tell her, rapping an iron-clad knuckle against your breastplate to show your reasoning. "And I really do need your help. These skeletons are dropping a lot of gold, and we need to collect what we can as fast we can, before they start rising again. Can you do that for me, Sophie?"

"Y-Yeah!" She answers, having gained a little more enthusiasm. "I'll be quick...!"

"I know you will." You smile. "But don't stray too far."

As the two of you continue through the den, you make sure to occasionally mark an arrow pointing towards the entrance in the dirt floor with your lance. The unchanging scenery of decrepit stone walls gave little reference towards where you were, and was an eyesore to boot. Any skeletons encountered were swiftly dealt with, whether by your lance or Sophia's magic, and any gold on them was collected. There honestly was no serious threat to the two of you, but still, the quicker you found the heirloom the better.

After empty corridor upon empty corridor, lighting up one particular room finally revealed an object of interest.

"Oh...! I-I found something!" Sophia called to you, standing in the threshold of a room she had just lit up.

Peering in, the two of you witnessed what appeared to be an altar of sorts. Gold coins lay strewn around a wide stone block, resting upon which was a singular skull. The skull appeared to have a splash of dried blood over its face, and more notably, was wearing a silver band around its head, the engravings upon which confirmed it was the heirloom your were searching for. The room was otherwise empty.

"...Wh-What is this?" Sophia questions, sounding a little nervous.

"That's the heirloom on the skull, but..." Your eyes peer around cautiously. "...I don't like how this looks."

Without a master, the skeletons should've had no desire to do anything but attack and pillage, even if they had no use for what they stole. There shouldn't have been any reason for them to set something up like this. Something was off.

"Stay back, Sophie." You tell her as you take a few careful trudges ahead of her.

Holding out your lance, you kept as wide a distance as possible as you carefully moved the tip of your weapon to pick the heirloom off the skull's head. You hoped that the impending feeling something would happen as soon as you removed the band was nothing more than paranoia....

"WHO DARES?" The skull roars after the heirloom was collected.

"All right, yep. We're going, Sophie."

"HALT!"

Turning around, you quickly witness—as well as a startled Sophia—a dense cluster of bones rise from the ground to block the exit. You let out a frustrated exhale, now worried about whatever new danger this was. Something you had not accounted for....

"TRESPASSERS!" The skull declares in a booming, mystic voice.

You quickly turn to Sophia, stepping in front as her shield once again.

"Stay by me." You tell her.

"...Wh-What's going o-on?" She questions, obviously unnerved. "I-Is it...dangerous?"

"It would be safe to think so. Be on your guard." You instruct quietly, before raising your voice for the talking skull. "We were on our way out. If you let us leave, we'll give you no further trouble."

"THAT CANNOT STAND." The skull responds, much to your chagrin. "I WILL NOT ALLOW WORD TO SPREAD OF MY SURVIVAL."

"S...Survival?" Sophia, while nervous, is still able to ask. "Aren't you already...d-dead?"

You think you were starting to piece it together. This must be the necromancer who created the den in the first place. You don't know the logic behind it, but you suppose a necromancer cheating their own death is admittedly on the more reasonable side all things considered.

"I WAS SLAIN HERE BY TAG OF WARRIORS. THOUGH MY BODY WAS REMOVED, MY BLOOD WAS STAINED INTO A SKULL OF MY MINIONS. NOW THAT YOU KNOW, YOU MUST JOIN MY RANKS."

"You didn't have to tell us..." You mumble. "What if we promise we won't tell anyone?"

"DESIST BARGAINING. YOU SHALL SERVE ME."

The skull rolled backwards, falling behind the block. Seconds later, it arose with a brand new body, still dressed in rags, but more reminiscent of a mage's cloak. Four lackeys were summoned, these ones holding spears. The minions still seemed as unimpressive as ever, but the fact you didn't know what to expect from the necromancer himself wasn't comforting.

"I'm sorry, Sophie. This wasn't part of the plan." You say, adjusting a defensive stance in front of her.

"I-It's okay. I-I can—gnah?!"

Your heart dropped hearing her interrupted by something, and quickly turning around, you find out the cause. Two skeletal arms had erupted from the ground around her, latching on to her ankles and anchoring her in place. The same had been attempted for you, but your iron boots were too wide for them to get a good grip on you, and you managed to shake them off and stomp them back into the ground.

"I-I can't move...!" Sophia struggles, trying to pry the boney fingers with her claws.

Your first instinct was to help, but the rattle of bones demanded your attention to the spear wielders. Sophia was locked in place, and couldn't rely on her mobility like she usually could, suddenly making these skeletons and their longer range weapons a lot more threatening for her. You grit your teeth and planted your feet, knowing you needed to be the wall between them.

"I've got you, Sophie...!" You say, pointing your shield at the leading skeleton.

Spears required a little more finesse to combat than swords. With the latter, you could hold your position until they were in range for an all encompassing sweep. With these spears however, you needed to block their charging jabs before twisting into a forward thrust with your lance to take out a single one. The forth one tried to slip past toward Sophia, but a quick shield bash sent it on its way.

Even once all were cleared, you were granted no respite as more were summoned, immediately bringing forth the question of how the two of you were going to make any progress. The necromancer needed to be attacked, but you had to stay and shield Sophia.

"SURRENDER YOURSELVES, AND IT WILL BE PAINLE—OW!" The necromancer had been boasting, until a fireball exploded against his jaw, cast by Sophia. He twisted his misaligned head back into position before glaring back. "IMPUDENCE!"

"Heh...! Good job, Sophie!" You praise, swiping away a skeleton who had gotten too close.

"R-Really?" She asks, nervousness washing away slightly to something resembling pride. She generated another fireball and tossed that too, with a little extra gusto it seemed. That one hit its mark as well.

Although Sophia's naturally more skilled using her claws, her magic was by no means unimpressive. If you could hold off the lackeys while she pelted the necromancer with spells, it might just be the angle you needed. It's not like there were many other options, especially with Sophia kept stationary, still held by her ankles.

...Wait, ankles?

An idea hatched in your head. After defeating the last of the current group, you set your lance down before hurriedly reaching into your bag and retrieving the magic stone. You had never used it before, but it was apparently supposed to be idiot proof for those who didn't use magic. "Just think what you want" was how the dark mage described how to use it.

Pointing the stone at Sophia, you remember how the magical chain and ankle brace she had to wear at the shop was transferred into the stone, likely the reason she couldn't venture too far from whoever held it for her time rented. Praying it wouldn't do anything to hurt, you held the stone out toward Sophia, and reimagined those magical constraints.

Sure enough, the ankle bracelet materialized, and in the exact same spot where one skeletal arm was holding her. Its hand appeared to merge with it for a second, before snapping at the wrist. The ankle brace had, ironically, freed the leg it was attached to. Sophia was quick to notice it, yanking her leg up, seemingly just to see that she could.

With one leg free, she had an easier time leaning to the side in order to put strain on the remaining hand, having it extend far enough that its forearm wasn't immediately at her leg. With that, she was given a better opportunity to sever it without injuring herself.

"Thank you, Anon...!" She said gratefully as you dispelled the chain. You gave her a smile in response.

"ENOUGH OF THIS. YOU ARE DEAD!" The necromancer declared, his voice still loud as ever, though markedly more frustrated.

Twisting around toward him, you witnesses something that made your face go pale. Holding his hands together, he was generating electric crackles between the palms of his skeletal hands, seemingly charging up an attack. Lightning magic was perhaps the worst thing you could ever face. Your armor was less effective blocking magical blows than physical ones, but lightning was especially unfavorable in that regard. Your lackluster mobility harshly lended to that was well.

"Shit...!" You mutter, knowing you had no real way to dodge or block the oncoming assault. You didn't know how much exactly this was going to hurt, only that it would hurt a lot....

"I-I got you...!"

"S-Sophie?!"

Before you knew it, the little beast girl had rushed in front of you, before holding her palms in the necromancer's direction, seemingly condensing some magic in front of her.

"DIE!" The skeleton screamed, throwing his own palms forward.

In an instant, the room was cast in a blinding light. A large, jagged thunderbolt stretched all the way from him to her. Sophia let out a sharp gasp of pain, but nonetheless held firm. You managed to catch her as she was pushed back a bit by the force of the bolt.

"Sophie!"

Although her arms earned a slight singe from the spell, she wasn't harmed too badly. Magic resistance came easier to those practiced in the craft, after all. Still, it felt like someone had lit a fire inside your chest, having witnessed her being struck. Her gasp still ringing in your ears.

"I-I'm fine... I'm o-okay..." She grunts.

You gently set Sophia to the side, before turning to the necromancer with an focused stare. Letting your shield drop to the floor, you raised your lance, holding it close to your shoulder, before rearing back. Your eyes remained laser focused on Sophia's assailant.

"YOU SHALL BE STRICKEN DOWN AND RISEN UP." The necromancer declared, raising his palms to lift more skeletons from the ground. "MERE FOOT SOLDIERS TO MY ARM—AAAAAAAaaaaaaaa...!"

Your lance, having been tossed over like a mighty javelin, passed through the skull's eye socket and shot through the back of his cranium. The skull flew off the rest of the body, which subsequently fell to pieces. His minions, having only moved halfway out of the ground, did the same.

After a second, your tense posture relaxes, and you breath a sigh. You turn your attention to Sophia, who stares at your fallen foe with wide eyes.

"How hurt are you?" You ask.

"H-Huh? No, i-it wasn't that bad..." She answers, turning at you for a moment before looking back. "Y-You...got him. A-Amazing...!"

"...No, that was dumb of me." You admit. "It would've been really bad if I missed."

Though still making a point to be cautious of your surroundings, you make your way toward your lance, having hit the back wall so hard it remained hanging off of it.

"We're leaving right now." You tell her as you pluck your weapon off the wall.

You had the heirloom. It would be nice to stick around and collect even more gold coins, but after that unexpected obstacle, you didn't want to stay longer than necessary.

You take one last look at the fractured skull of the necromancer. Or, you suppose that wasn't his own skull, just the one his blood had splattered upon. An idea hatched in your head....

***

"How're your arms? Are theyfeeling better?" You ask on the way back, walking under the orange sky.

"Hm-hm." Sophia answers. "The potion helped too."

"That's good." You say. "...Thank you for that. The lightning would've really done a number on me."

On one hand, you didn't want encourage her into willingly jumping in the way of danger. But you also knew you couldn't fault her for making what was irrefutably the correct decision there. She simply was much more resistant to magical attacks than you were. It's why you never tried taking on more dangerous jobs solo. Your armor protected you against so much, but magic was a huge caveat, so any sort of support would be desperately needed.

"I couldn't have done it without you, Sophie. I'm very proud of you."

"O-Oh." Sophia responds, a little flustered. "Th-Thank you. I'm happy I was helpful...!"

"You really were. Now, we're going to head into town. Can you still perform your disguise spell?"

"Yeah, w-watch!"

She looked right at you before putting a paw in front of her face, and then waving it out of the way. Just like that, you were met with the visage of a human girl, with shorter dark gray hair.

"Good. Now remember, if anyone asks, you're my daughter."

"Mm-hm!" She nods, and before turning her head away again, you caught a glimpse of a very sincere looking smile creep up on her face. She always loved this particular espionage, you had noticed.

"What are we doing in town...?" She asks, with a little skip in her step.

"Well, I'm actually taking us back to the secret shop."

"H-Huh? A-Already?" As brief as it was, her extra energy appeared to drain in a single instant. "...Really?"

"Hey, don't worry, Sophie. I just need to ask him something." You try to comfort her. "It's very important."

"Oh... Okay...."

"Here, you can hold my hand if you like." You tell her, taking off your armored glove and offering your hand to her.

She doesn't miss a beat, reaching over and taking ahold. Though you see a human hand, what you feel is a furry paw, making it especially warm in your grip. You lead her onwards, approaching the eastern gate of town.

"Sunset's calling it a little close, don't you think." The gate guard comments as you arrive, before gesturing to the archers stationed above to open the entrance. "Especially with the little one."

"Just thought she could use some fresh air is all." You say. "Took a little longer getting back than I thought."

"...My dad's really strong! He can beat anyone...!" Sophia puts in, swaying about as she held your hand.

"Heh. I'm sure he can." The guard smiles.

It isn't until the gate is opened, and the two of you walk through without issue, that you realize you were also smiling. There was something about how seriously Sophia took this act that made you...well, happy.

Town square wasn't a long walk. You passed by many people, none of which were any wiser about Sophia's true form. You wondered how necessary it really was for her to be disguised. It certainly was to some degree, a lot of folks would be frightened by a beast person. But you wondered if her association with you may put them at ease, maybe even adjusting their preconceptions on them. It's nice thought, but you knew that was probably way too optimistic a line of thinking.

The three leaves were quickly spotted. Always in a different corner, and they'd always lead to a different alleyway. But the destination was always the same. You always wondered how capable one must be in magic to pull off something like that. There even seemed to be something in place that prevented you from being seen disappearing to his little storefront, though you couldn't really test that.

After the two of you had moved into the alley, and the wall rematerialized behind you, you noticed Sophia's grip on your hand tighten. The tips of her claws pricked slightly against your skin, now visible as she dispelled her disguise.

"Don't worry, Sophie. It's going to be okay." You tell her. You get a weak nod in response.

The dark mage awaits you at the entrance of his tent, just as last time. Although his eyes may as well be glowing, yellow circles behind his hood, you could've sworn you could read intrigue behind them as he watched the two of you approach.

"Sir Anon! Back so soon? Not that I'm complaining..." His eyes drift to Sophia, then you. "...I just hope you won't be, either."

Sophia shied behind your arm.

"No, I've got nothing to complain about. In fact, I'd actually like to discuss something that'll hopefully benefit us both."

"Oh? Very interesting. I would love to hear what you have in mind. Please, come in!"

Once inside, you scanned around for any other potential customers, though found none. Good. The thought of the other person Sophia had told you about still lingered in the back of your mind. It wasn't a thought you liked.

"So then! What's this you have in mind, hm?" The mage popped in front of you. You turn to Sophia.

"Hey, Sophie. I'm really sorry, but this discussion is just going to have to be between the two of us." You tell her, before turning to the mage. "Would you mind if we discussed outside?"

"How about this?" The mage spoke, snapping his fingers.

All the sudden, the two of you were encapsulated within a magic bubble, with Sophia on the outside. Her eyes widened as she peered around at it without any particular aim. By the way she was looking, you realized she wasn't able to see inside. You hoped that didn't cause her any anxiety....

"All right. Tell me what's on your mind."

You turn back to the mage.

"Well, before I get really into it..." You begin, reaching into your bag and pulling out a skull. "...You seem like the kind of guy who might be interested in this."

"A bloody skull, hm?" He eyed it curiously. "What's the significance?"

"The blood on it is of a necromancer, which had given it life. I figured there might be something valuable in it for you."

"Oho! You figured right. Experimenting with necromancer's blood sounds like a fun time. Granted, dried blood will be harder to work with." He explains. "I presume you'd like to trade this for something? Just so you know, while it may be valuable, it's not invaluable either, so don't expect to walk away with the whole store."

"Well, I am looking to exchange it, but I'm also ready to include a heavy payment as well."

"Really? You've got me hooked now. What exactly are you hoping to exchange?"

Well... Here goes. You've been saving up for this very moment. You take a second to steel yourself.

"I...would like to buy Sophia from you." You say. "I'd like you to break your pact with her, and let her go free."

There's a long pause as you await the mage's response. The uncomfortable silence weighs down harder with every passing second.

"Heh...heh heh! Ah ha ha ha!" The mage chuckles. "Why, I feel a fool for not guessing that! Such a kind-hearted knight, you are! Ah ha ha ha!"

You...don't know if you should feel insulted by his laughter or not. Regardless, it's best that you stay amicable.

"I've been spending the last two months accumulating what I hope could be a proper payment in your eyes." You say. "5,770 Gold at home, a payment of 500 I have yet to collect, as well as a good few pouch-fulls I have yet to count."

The mage stopped laughing.

"Oh, you really are serious about this, aren't you."

That was a good sign.

"I am. I'm willing to exchange it all, and the skull, if you break your pact with her."

"Now now, listen, Sir Anon. That is admittedly quite the treasure trove you've stashed up. But it's not so simple..."

And that wasn't a good sign...

"...You see, little Sophia over there is an investment. I truly do appreciate all the business we've done with her, but that was all quite unexpected for me. You may be the only one whose rented her so far, but that's going to change once she gets stronger and more magically adept." He explains. "So while your offer isn't unimpressive, it's not exactly the smartest play long term for yours truly."

"Long term she could get killed." You state bluntly. "I don't know how much of a risk taker you are, but if you turn me down, it's going to take a long time for you to match it. There's no guarantee she'll survive a fight even with the warp-back spell."

You truly hated the words coming out of your mouth. It was not something you were keen on imagining, but there was truth to it, and it was better to emphasize that fact to the mage. You glance once again at Sophia, standing awkwardly on the other side of the bubble, seemingly unsure what she should be doing.

"Yes, yes. That always is a possibility, I know that." The mage admits. "Still, it won't feel good to cash in so early, especially when I haven't seen how popular she would be with others."

You think your face was beginning to go pale. If you couldn't strike a deal....

"Just... Please, if my offer really isn't good enough, is there anything else I can do to make this happen?"

"Hmmm... Well, if you're so insistent, I suppose we could work out a pact between the two of us...."

Your heart dropped into your stomach. Signing any sort of magical pact, no matter what the supposed benefit for yourself, was something you internally vowed you'd never do. Never in your life had you heard of somebody not regretting chaining themselves to the clauses of untrustworthy wizards. Hell, Sophia herself was a case you knew personally.

"Pacts are...not something I'm partial to, to be honest." You say, before giving Sophia another glance. "...But if you'll break her's...I'll...agree to it."

"Ohoho! And you mean it?"

"...What do you have in mind?"

"Well, first thing's first, you'll be obligated to present me everything you previously offered. After that, I think it would be pretty obvious if you want me to break her pact and lose out on the revenue she'd bring in..."

You gulped. Both your brain and heart screamed at you to shut this down right away. Were you really going to go through with this? Were you really going to dedicate the rest of your life to—?"

"Become a regular!"

...

"...H-Huh?"

"Well, if Sophia isn't going to be a continuous stream of profit, it only makes sense that you'll need to pick up that slack." The mage says. "I'd need you to be purchasing something at least every other day."

"..." Words don't come to you immediately. "...And that's it?"

"That's it." He answers. "What? I know once Sophia's gone, you're going to have little reason to come back too. A secret shop like mine isn't going to have lines spanning all the way out of the town gates. Losing customers isn't something I'm keen on, you know."

"...Yeah, then. I can agree to that." You say, getting over your surprise.

"So it's a deal then? Excellent!"

All the sudden, a glowing, magical scripture appears in front of you, hanging midair between you and the mage. A small knife was floated your way. After you took it, the mage cleared his throat.

"The clauses to this pact shall be the following. One: Within three days' time, you shall deliver me your promised dealings, gold and skull." As the mage spoke, you noticed his words being paraphrased onto the floating scripture. "Two: You shall do business at store, at minimum, every other day. And, asterisk on that one, the timeframe may extend with larger purchases, depending on how I feel. In exchange, I bring upon myself the immediate obligation to nullify Sophia's pact of servitude."

As the last few letters were scribbled on, the whole thing earned a more complete glow.

"Sir Anon. If you agree to this pact, you may bind yourself to it by willingly providing a drop of your own blood."

Ah, so that's what the knife was for. Well, here it is, the opportunity you had hoped for. With this, Sophia will be freed from her own pact. Yours, thankfully, will not be as bad. Granted, you truly did never want to see this mage ever again if Sophia was ever freed, but you suppose beggars can't be choosers. On the bright side, you wouldn't mind picking up a few magic-resistance potions....

After a slight hesitation, you sliced a small cut on your thumb's tip, allowing a drop of blood to trickle through. Extending it out, you smeared the drop against the bottom of the floating pact. It absorbed the drop and shifted into a dull red color as a result, before twisting and folding into itself and thusly into nothing. It sent chills down your spine, knowing you were now bound to it. The knife poofed out of your hands right after, and you found your cut immediately closed back up.

"Thank you for your business." The dark mage smiled. "Your permanent business."

"Yeah...yeah. Here's the skull for now." You say, shaking off a shiver and handing it over to him, who took it graciously. "I'll try to get you the whole payment tomorrow. It may take a few trips, though."

"As long as it's here within three days. Or else...."

"Now... Is Sophie—er, Sophia—free?"

Once more, the mage lifted a hand and snapped his fingers. The magic bubble dissipated, startling Sophia in the process. He turned to her, lifting a hand with his palm facing upwards, where another magical pact floated over it. Then, as if it were literal paper, it was torn in half, turned dark, and withered away.

A rumbling in your bag caught your attention, and out popped the stone. The magic chain and ankle brace rematerialized, only to snap apart and abruptly vanish into the ether. Just like that, it was simply a normal stone, no longer radiating a subtle, uncanny coolness. It was very relieving, to say the least.

"You're free, beast girl." The mage spoke, with very little emotion, positive or negative.

"Wh... What?" Sophia was barely able to get out, her eyes wide. "F...Free?"

"You can thank Sir Anon for that." He said. "Enjoy the magic you learned from me."

"F...Free...?" Sophia repeated, unsure yet awestruck.

She turned from him, to you, to him again, to her ankle, and then finally stopping at you. You grin, and give her a nod.

"..." She can't seem to speak, unable to find any words. It looked like she had trouble comprehending exactly what happened as her surprised expression remained as stuck as her voice. But then you heard it. A sweeping sound against the back of her cloak. Her tail was beginning to wag.

"Go on then. This place is for customers only." The mage told her.

"Come on, Sophie." You say, extending your hand to her again. "Let's go."

She's so quick, you don't even see her move, only that you find her paw in your hand before you know it. You lead her outside the tent, not looking back at the dark mage. You're going to get more familiar with that store regardless, anyway.

Once outside, you look down at Sophia, trying to read her expression for any change. You're not given the chance, however, as the little beast girl had all but swung herself over and into the strongest hug it seemed she could muster.

"Th-Th-Thank you, A-Anon..." Her voice quakes. "Th-Thank you...."

As you return the hug, you had no doubt you had made the correct decision. You could've bought a nice new house with your savings, or countless other niceties. Still, this was certainly the best choice by far. Now she doesn't have to worry about training with her captor, being forced on dangerous jobs, or being stuck with cruel customers. A sweet little girl like her didn't deserve any of that.

"Of course, Sophie." You say, giving her a gentle head rub. "You deserve to be free from all that."

"You're...s-so...kind..." She mutters, sounding on the verge of tears. "...to me."

...Actually, after closer inspection, you realize she is crying. Smiling too, with her eyes shut like she's trying to put all her focus into her embrace. You continue to hold her, letting her slowly collect herself as her tears run down her muzzle.

"So, Sophie..." You begin, still running your hand between her ears. "What do you think you're going to want to do?"

"...I-I..." Her voice is weak. "...I don't know."

"That's okay. If you like, you can stay with me until you get an idea." You offer. "You'd have to pretend to be my daughter again though, at least while we're in town."

"H...Hehe..." You barely heard. Was that a giggle...? "I...I'm okay with that. A-And I can stay...as long as I need?"

"As long as you need." You repeat.

"Th...Thanks..." She pauses for a moment. "...Dad."

There's your answer, you suppose. And you're glad for it. If she so wished, you'd have helped escort her back toward where a tribe of beast folk was known to live, even if it meant that would be the last you saw of her. Obviously you had grown quite attached to the little beast girl, else you wouldn't have spent a fortune for her freedom, so having her stick around was not something to complain about. You had no qualms spending more time more time with your 'daughter'.

"All right. Let's go home, Sophie."

"Home..." She utters. "...I'd like that."