FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"SENRYUUUUUUUUUL!!!" Knuckle roared as he blasted towards the surface with haste, engulfed in a ball of flame that licked molten trails around the walls of the hole he had jumped into before, when he charged himself with stopping fatal earthquakes and sinkholes caused by the landshark Xarieos. By that time though, that might as well have been years ago in the brown wolf's mind. He arced toward the wall and ran up it, his clawed toes giving him ample traction as he left pawprints of molten earth in his wake. His eyes detected a point of light ahead; one that marked his freedom. Gritting his teeth he accelerated, racing upwards like a flare, until he met the mouth of the hole and erupted with an explosion. He flipped into a tight roll and landed easily, looking around to make sure no more damage had been inflicted on Hornstrel. Nothing looked different, and Knuckle was glad he intervened when he did. There were, however, bodies. The ground was scattered with them, bodies of armed furs he hadn't met and Knuckle began to frantically search, anxious and afraid to find someone he knew. He was thankful to find no one he cared about . But he did piece together that these were other Beastridden, and until he had learned of this level of strength himself, he had known none to gather in a group this large, unless there was a leader. "Senryul's here!" Knuckle hissed, and, by reading the scene, he was able to assemble an idea of what happened, in order and detail. "Good goin guys.. Good job. Please be alright!" the wolf said with a bit of relief, and started off in a direction he believed would lead him to his friends. *** Cajo narrowly dodged Senryul's blade and hopped back, glancing at the bear who was still and looking at his feet. Keeping his eyes on the bear and hybrid, he noticed the bear was frustrated with his decision of who to assist. (Maybe I can beat this guy while the bear's making up his mind!) Cajo thought, and as he landed he planted a leg behind himself that froze a section of the ground to his foot and kicked it at the hybrid swordsman, who slashed it cleanly in two. "'Randa! Sometime soon now, yes?" Senryul questioned, annoyed. At that moment Cajo remembered his bed of icicles behind him, and when he made a move toward them the bear brandished his three-sectioned weapon and barreled toward them, smashing his way through the majority of the potential weaponry. "Shit!" Cajo hissed, now trapped between the two opponents. The form of Senryul's swing ended, and he advanced with slight pause, relaxed, eyeing Cajo with little more than annoyance on his face. Cajo stepped back anxiously, swiftly locating his other foe, who hadn't made another move since he demolished the wolf's reserve of daggers and stakes. Senryul stepped forward, slowly smiling. Cajo glanced ahead and to his rear, and caught the glinting of light from surfaces of icicles scattered about in a greater area. "You must be the guy my cousin's so worried about.." Cajo gasped. His heart was racing, and Senryul's pressure was increasing as he stepped forward, closer and closer. Senryul sneered. "The brown one, yes.. He's nothing but a nuisance." Senryul said, stopping, His mastery immediately described Futoranda's hesitation as a liability, and the two-toned wolf was wearing down, despite his agility. The master swordsman's skill would see him through. "It amuses me to learn that you are superior to him. It took a few blows to make him fight for his life, while you are only intent on evading me.. Did you think he would save you? All of you are scattered and waning.. He would likely search for the otter first." Senryul said darkly, almost arrogantly. Cajo was still but his ears and senses absorbed the area, scanning for sounds. The bear was still, and fallen enemies and comrades moved very little if at all. "A smart man would take the chance to save his lover." Senryul said, and while Cajo knew Knuckle wouldn't abandon him, he could only wonder where he was. "I've NEVER heard of an otter taking a knot before.." Senryul laughed, and Cajo instantly leapt high, scowling, winding clockwise into a heel kick to launch two gigantic icicles that lanced toward the swordsman who dodged them, and launched into the air with a single hard step. Cajo's left foot swung as he linked into another frost-wreathed kick, his foot covered in icy blades and spines as Senryul flew at him, his sword drawn back... *** *** "COME BACK HERE YOU LITTLE BASTARD!!" a voice sounded, and Jonas, momentarily halted by his effective dispatch of another enemy, burst into a sprint. Still armed with his pole he fought and survived, slowly remembering that he had great command of the weapon he carried. He was neither arrogant nor prideful in his practice, before, in his younger youth. He was however, recognized by the elders of the Green Reef as a proficient and capable spear fighter. Jonas on his own thought that even finding it was more than coincidence, but he never questioned it. It turned aside blade and claw alike with little damage, and Jonas knew that his foes were all Beastridden which provided itself an instantaneous accolade. His foe, a brawny reptilian with blue and yellow banding, rounded a corner and stood to face Jonas, smiling as he rubbed his chin. "Screw the money... You know what I'm gonna do with you?" the reptile said, licking his lips. Jonas gritted his teeth as he heard what his enemy had said, and he had little in mind to draw wonder from. "Do YOU know what I'm going to do to YOU!?" Jonas shouted. Both he and the reptile were cowed by the outburst, but Jonas rode the feeling of power, crashing about unopposed until he felt it reach a height he never imagined would await him. With a short shout he transformed, shrouded in light as a hidden teaching he had mastered began to feed on his new, sizable and potent reserve of Beastridden power. Within the light he felt warm, serene, and sure. All doubt left him as two binds of red light burst into being around his wrists, swirling until they hardened, each finished with a wavemarked disc entered above or below each. His forehead was adorned with a piece of lightform coral, and he had robes of swirling light that weightlessly graced the shorter otter. As the light faded, Jonas and the reptile found they were joined by more of Senryul's Beastridden. The otter counted five total enemies now, and they began to speak amongst themselves. "Alrec, what's happened to this one?" a tall blue-furred wolf asked. He had a sword at his side that reminded Jonas of Senryul's sword "Sunderer". "Hell if I know! We got us a Senshi here guys! I told him I'd do what I wanted since he could never p-" The sharp crack of a pole echoed off the nearby wall and Alrec was off balance, his head caved in from the blow Jonas delivered. The otter then whirled around him, and the group was frantic; desperately trying to mount an offensive. The blue wolf evaded back swiftly and Jonas crushed the top of one nearby enemy's foot and whirled off of it, dodging a blow he couldn't see with his awesome clarity. He replied to the attack with a hard swat to the torso, and smoothly bent him backwards by the chin to crack the base of his skull on the hard earth underfoot. The last of the remaining foes, another reptile, opened his mouth wide to deliver a toxic bite but Jonas rammed his pole deep into his mouth powerfully and swiftly. The noises the foe made would have left Jonas in a fit of laughter, if the whole exchange between the two wasn't something his new power didn't alert him to. The foe went limp and Jonas withdrew his pole from his mouth, slowly. The blue wolf watched on, and arched an eyebrow when Jonas turned to face him. "Why have you come here?" Jonas asked, with a few voices, drawing his pole into a sturdy grip. With tall ears, the blue wolf slowly drew his sword, and Jonas found he was correct in connecting this enemy to Senryul. "I'm only here to see my master's will through." The wolf said, drawing his sword back in a form similar to the hybrid warrior's, the curved and crested blade sleek with the light it cut. At once Jonas advanced, whirling his pole faster and faster until all that could be seen was a disc, humming with speed and menace. The blue wolf looked excitedly at the otter, who had done exactly what he needed to do to be recognized as a worthy foe. The blue wolf looked on, at a loss for strategy. [Any angle I try attacking will immediately be parried. Even thrusting would capture me. The otter's technique is incredibly sticky] he thought to himself, only making use of a single step in retreat. Jonas advanced the same, a single step maintained his effective range as he spun his pole with ardor. However, Jonas himself was absent of mind, even as he managed his counter-defense spectacularly. The blue wolf was pressed to make himself useful to his master; throwing himself into combat with real stakes to improve his swordplay. He found his odds of victory low, save suicide or surrender. Jonas prepared to strike, but stepped out of the way as a searing streak of light roasted the instantly unoccupied space. The blue wolf dove for cover and the streak of light slashed into the wall nearby, rupturing the concrete structure. Jonas turned his head and identified another assailant: a red furred creature with scattered traits. He wore a red robe adorned with flames that swirled around his slim-fitting leathers. Jonas was unfazed, but the blue wolf hopped to his feet and rushed to the new challenger's side. "Kera!" he shouted, bolstered by his comrade's appearance. "Why am I not surprised to see you bothered by an OTTER, Silvus?" Kera asked. Silvus glanced at Kera who seemed heedless of the otter' apparent strength. Jonas spun his pole with no signs of repenting, and Silvis cast advice his friend's way. "He attacks and defends with a powerful parry Kera!" Silvus warned. Kera stepped forward and drew his sword, revealing another blade similar to Senryul's. Jonas furrowed his brow. "ALL OF YOU HERE WOULD DESTROY PEACE FOR PETTY GRIPES! BE DEFEATED!" the otter bellowed, his choir of voices making Kera smile. "Silvus, together now!" he shouted, and both wolves rushed the otter, their swords ready to attack!

***

Cajo reeled from heavy blows, and Senryul drew his right elbow back to spin as he slashed Cajo's bare belly cleanly. As Cajo knelt, Senryul's knee rose smashed into his chest and lofted him from the impact. The hybrid swordsman then swung his left heel into Cajo's chin, and finished with a deep cut that threw the two-toned wolf into a wall, the immense impact holding him there before he fell to the dirt. Senryul sighed, and glanced at the bear, still motionless with indecision. Cajo stood after a few seconds, groaning, totally in awe of Senryul's skills. "Hot damn yer sumthin special!" Cajo hooted. Senryul looked on, expressionless, lacking even anger as his opponent found his feet again, but the grip of his sword tightened audibly. "Why don't we summon your cousin? You look tired, and by now your Beastridden power has run low. Wounds I give you now will increase in fatality." Senryul said, before dashing toward Cajo, who drew his fists up, his face frantic as he couldn't believe how much stamina his enemy had. Senryul swung his sword but Cajo ducked the swing, gulping as he sidestepped Senryul's attack. The hybrid swing his right heel in a kick that Cajo blocked, turning to drop into a double leg sweep that Senryul hopped. Cajo rolled ahead and Senryul landed, turning and sheathing his sword and as Cajo stood he thrust his hilt ahead in a feint that Cajo failed to see through. The wolf reached out to take the sword but Senryul turned again, pulling his scabbard back to strike deep into Cajo's side. The wolf dropped to his knees as his breath was stolen, and Senryul turned to behead Cajo with a powerful diagonal cut from his swiftly drawn sword. Cajo fell away from the attack and Senryul advanced, his sword raised high. What seemed like a standstill was between the two fighters ended when Senryul brought his sword down, slicing through Cajo's arm raised at the last moment. The blade passed through his arm with no resistance but Cajo felt the searing cut replace his hand and he bellowed in agony, gripping his bloody wrist as his severed hand spasmed in the dirt. Cajo collapsed to the base of the wall, and Senryul pointed his sword's tip at the wolf's throat. "Would you care to make it believable, as well? It's my Rite of Carnage, you see..." Senryul asked, a grin growing on his face. Cajo looked at Senryul, shivering as he bled in gouts and spurts. "I'm prepared to say 'please'..." Senryul said with a sneer, and as Cajo began to fear for his life, he could only think of his cousin. "KNUUUCKLLLE!" Cajo cried out, Senryul's shadow drawing over him.