FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Reaching the peak of the mountain the three of us find the temple plaza stretching out before us. The marble tiled floor spanned forth with six ruined columns, asymmetrically ruined with three on either side of the plaza. Patches of grass surrounded the outskirts with boulders laid purposefully onto the sod, marking out the area. The entrance to the Totem Temple was a sealed white sheet of marble set into the back wall of the cave, with a crest in the centre laid in-between two archways set in the mountain side. In the centre of the plaza was a stone statue, standing almost as a featured prize with bulky legs, four arms each with squared hands, one of which held a spear, a slim body and a freaky smiling totem mask with empty, almost soulless eyes. The Aventari were nowhere to be seen or by their squawks, heard.

I was expecting some kind of trap or the statue to come to life. I shared my thoughts with my mates. Calamity chuckled at the idea of the statue coming to life while Inferno took the matter seriously leading the way cautiously. The _rubyesque dragoness remained on guard, and a_s I predicted; the stone totem statue came to life, the sounds of breaking and cracking rock echoed around the marble plaza as the Totem Deity woke from its solid state.

The creature wasted no time, instantly launching its spear in our direction. Inferno moved back into me, barely avoiding the sharp piercing weapon as it struck the ground in front of her, wedging between the marble tiles. Before I can react, Inferno turns round and barges into my side, pushing me in between two of the columns. She stood beside me growling, fangs showing, wings spread out to further seclude me from any harm.

The Totem Deity charged forward to reclaim its spear. Calamity retaliates by spewing his acid breath attack, in hopes to slow the enemies efforts. The totem statue seamlessly avoided the flow of acid, side stepping out of the way before rolling forward to grab its spear. The threat was now directly in front of us and Inferno engages our assailant. The red dragon dashes forth, crashing into our opponent, pushing the stone construct backwards forcing them to topple over. Fragments of rock flung from off its body as the Totem Deity crashes into the marble floor. Calamity is now at my side copying Inferno protective stance, wings spread out before me, concealing me from harm.

“Allow me to engage the enemy!” I growled, feeling completely useless.

“Inferno can handle this my Dominion” Calamity bellows back.

Frustration rose in my mind, I was concerned about their survival too. They seem to have no qualm putting themselves in danger on my behalf. I should be the one protecting them or perhaps I should have more confidence in their duty to protect me? My thoughts cloud my judgment. I remain strong and stand firmly and fiercely knowing I could intervene from the other side of the columns if need be.

Inferno had strategically placed herself to the side of the Totem Deity who raised back to its feet. Before the stone construct could react, Inferno charged forward barging into the creature causing it to topple over again. The totem statue rose again to face the red dragon who charged forward a second time. The Totem Deity was quick to learn and anticipated the attack and braced itself, taking the brunt of the charge, although still pushed back it clamped its large stone feet into the marble tiles, breaking them to remain in place. I realised Inferno was trying to ram our foe off the side of the mountain and was close to achieving this too.

They were temporarily locked in a tug of war, pushing back and forth, either one trying to gain the upper hand, until the rubyesque dragoness broke free and jumped back for her third strike attempt. The stone constructed expecting the attempt waited and timed the approach to simply swirl gracefully out of the way. Inferno, unable to stop her charge, literally ran off the cliff side and fell momentarily before spreading her wings to fly back to where she had fallen.

Meanwhile the totem statue thinking the red dragon was dealt with, charges at me and Calamity. At the last moment, using its momentum, the creature thrust forward, spear tip on point towards the green dragons throat. Foreseeing the obvious incoming attack, before it could make contact, the desire to keep Calamity from being injured, I shoulder barge into his side, pushing him out of the way. Thanks to my quick reflexes, I deflect the spear into the marble floor which once again becomes stuck in a previous cracked groove.

Calamity, recovering from my forceful push, notices the totem statue is distracted. Too busy trying to pull its weapon free. The green dragon quickly discharges more acid breath, covering the entire left side of the totem before striking the creature down and away from its weapon. A chemical reaction begins with the stone, the molecule structure slowly dissolving both left arms and left leg. Before I can retaliate, Inferno, after analysing the situation from landing I imagine, takes advantage of the situation, ramming her snout horn full on into the Totem Deity which struggles to rectify itself from the ground. Inferno tosses the pile of stones to her left side across the plaza floor, away from me.

My eyes become locked onto the spear still sticking out of the ground, the handle wobbling in place. I take a hold of the weapon and with little strength pull the spear free. I turn to face my enemy who is currently still struggling to rectify itself, faulting on its weakened dissolving limbs. Launching forward into the air, spear pointing downwards, I use both my strength and momentum to pierce the Totem Deity's solid stone back, pushing the spear out through its chest, slamming the enemy back to the marble tiled floor.

I waited for further movement, to confirm the enemy is defeated. Calamity and Inferno rushing to my side to protect me further if necessary. Suddenly the stone totems head turns a full one hundred and eighty degrees to stare directly at me with bottomless eyes of frosty contemplation. Before I could even react both my mates slam their forelegs rolled into fists, into the totem head again and again and again crumbling the stone apart. I order them to stand down and stand back as I use my clubbed bladed tail to break the head into pieces of small fragments. Satisfied that the ordeal was over with, the three of us took a breather to relax a moment when a familiar returning thunderous roar beckoned overhead.