FSE

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This is part one of a long story series I wrote in 2009. It is mostly vore and adventure in a strange dimension of memory and thought! Am uploading it to see what sort of interest I can garner in uploading the rest. If you want to see more let me know.

Story (C) Russet

Tsochan copyright © Russet

Sunny copyright © himself

Tsumi copyright © himself

A clearing, far from any plane, a break in the wall of endless mist that formed this limbo space; between all lands yet outside of none the realm of the mists. A doorway into inaccessible maybes, a place of clinging fog, grey billowing streamers of malevolent consciousness a clearing, bound by grey walls of mist is a place of darkness and strange ever shifting shadows. Illuminated only by the light of three moons hanging in a clear star-less sky above, the strange colours of the moon only serving to heighten the shifting colours, ochre, green and blue, colours that are easy on the eye, blending in a peculiar mix that gives shadows a strange twist and made their lines waver and bend in unexpected ways.

Into the clearing two small figures move, seeming to fade out of the fog and mist that marks the boundary between the short scruffy grass and the formless shadows of mist. Both are short, reaching little higher then some of the weather worn boulders that dot the clearing, pink fur, scruffy well worn sneakers a vest and pair of baggy cargo trousers and a pom of red fur dangling above his head whilst small purple bat wings spread out on either side. The other has soft yellow fur and a pom of powder blue, dressed in a floor length kimono of pressed silk. A katana riding at his side, each step a measured cadence, wary and ready to react to anything to threaten to his person or that of his companion.

Both moogles were damp from the journey through the mist, squinty eyed and peering through the shifting vary-coloured gloom, taking in the clearing, the tumbled boulders of what might once have been worked stone and a statue. Rising from a pedestal of black granite, the figure of a woman; wrapped about with a robe, one hand held out as if in greeting or perhaps warning, tear drops stained and coloured like blood carved along her cheeks and speckled across the front of her robe. A dark metal plaque set in the base of the statue had a poignant and rather puzzling message to convey.

"Herein lies my past, memories, places, people"

"Nothing is lost as long as my memory remains"

"Enter and join us, in eternal repose."

"One with my mind, memory, thought."

"Never to lose your way,

"Forever with me, safe within my realm"

"Are you sure this is right Tsumi?" The yellow moogle asked quietly, one paw idly resting on the katana hilt at his side. "This place, it feels wrong"

"I am sure kupo. Look." Tsumi pointed at the statue, padding closer. "Where tear stained sorrow stands 'neath tri-coloured splendour. Seek the doorway to my realm. That is what he said to me."

Sunny frowned, shaking his head, "I still don't like it kupo, but if you are sure. Let's get on with this so I can discharge my debt to you kupo. Why do you want to find him anyway?"

Tsumi grinned, moving forwards and starting to examine the statue in detail. "He owes me kupo, and I'm worried. I've not seen him in ages. Now stop worrying and help me look." He reached out with a paw, then, grabbing hold of Sunny's pom, tilted his head and listened."

'Tears' was the whispered voice in his head, his pom-pom granting him direction. Reaching out a paw-hand the moogle pressed at several of the tears until with a rumble the base of the statue slid inwards and aside. A blast of dry furnace like heat washed up and over the explorers, baking the dew from fur and whiskers leaving them dry and slightly short of breath.

"Well we found it." Sunny muttered, hand resting on his katana, "I guess we go down and see what we can see."

Side by side the two moogles began down the spiralling stair, proceeding down into the depths below. The air was warm yet dry and the spiral was tight, winding deeper and deeper, illuminated every few feet by glowing blue spheres embedded in the stone wall.

"Stay on the lighted path, don't wander." Tsumi kupo'd gently, "He is tricky and deadly and dangerous but there are rules he will always abide by."

Nodding Sunny paused and stared out one of the narrow arrow slit windows, gripping the other moogle's arm tightly. "Look... how is this..." He trailed off staring through the glass in fear; the window looked out on the barren rocky side of a mountain, miles above the tree line, thick grey clouds heavy with unshed snow lumbering by above them.

"We are in his realm now. Focus Sunny, remember the rules, stay on the lit path, he can't harm you directly if you do. If you do stray he cannot kill you outright, he'll send an avatar of himself. If he offers to play a game with him, do not agree whatever you do."

Behind and above them, little more then a hundred yards away the sound of the entrance rumbling shut echoed down to them. The opening that led out into that hauntingly illuminated clearing, whilst beyond the windows lay an undisturbed mountain side. Drawing a deep breath and tightening the grip on his katana Sunny nodded and started down the stairs again. His free paw resting on the curving wall taking each step carefully as if expecting a trap or pitfall at any second to ensnare them.

Down they moved, an hour passed, then another, the steps seemingly endless as they moved deeper, speaking only briefly to each other. Relying on the early warning they would get from those dangling pom-poms if anything threatened them. At last the steps ended in a circular chamber, three passages radiated out from it. One of them led through an arch and into a pleasant looking orchard, trees in autumn colours hung with ripe fruit waiting to be picked and enjoyed. The second corridor led towards a courtyard with a fountain and soft seats whilst the third was just more stairs.

With a sigh Sunny started towards the orchard, sensing no danger he smiled, about to step through the arch when he was tackled to the side by Tsumi.

"No stay on the lit path." He pointed at the stairs. "We must not stray from the lit path. Resist the little temptations he throws in your way, they aren't worth it."

Swallowing and nodding his head Sunny scrambled back to his feet and hurried to follow after the pink moogle, back to the tedium of descending the stairs, down once more into the bedrock of the mountain. The hot dry air leaving both moogles panting after a time, until without warning the stairs ended and emerged in another chamber: sharp black gravel crunched under foot, volcanic rock shattered and strewn across the bare basalt floor of this dark cavern.

The only illumination came from long red crystals dangling through a shaft that opened up in the centre of the ceiling, black chains clinking as the crystals swayed in the updraft from the pool that filled the majority of the room. A surface of black liquid, semi-solid, broken and cracked in places where the baleful red and orange glare of magma peeped through, slowly churning as the heat from below met the colder air of the room.

Besides the door they entered through there were only two other exits from this chamber. One an arch of bone carved into a fluting pattern whose curves defied logic and whose edges could not be traced. A panelled door of white wood inlaid with ivory handles barred the way along this passage. The other archway by comparison glowed with an inner light; spiralling crystal columns supported a lintel of sunstone. Each door panel was of the lightest, most radiant crystal, peach, emerald, sapphire, ruby, diamond, exquisite splendour that had no place in this furnace room of darkness and gloom.

Tearing his eyes away from that crystal door Sunny rubbed at his eyes, trying to clear the dazzling spots and concentrate on the figure lounging on the divan on the far side of the pool. He opened his mouth to say something only to freeze in horror as Tsumi's voice echoed through the chamber.

"I don't remember this..." the pink moogle was wandering, eyes wide open, dazzled by the crystal archway, one paw outstretched, ignoring the baleful red glow of his pom-pom.

"Tsumi, no!" Sunny screamed, half reaching out a paw as if to run after him. Only to let it drop as with a flash his companions paw touched the crystal door frame and with a soft chime seemed to absorb him. For a moment his friend was outlined in the light of the door and with a gentle despairing cry the light faded, the crystal door was inert and quiet.

"Well I guess it was more dazzling than I expected, it is a shame he did not stick around to hear the rules." The voice was musical, enchanting, a thousand stringed instruments strummed at once to form each syllable.

Turning, Sunny's jaw dropped as he watched the figure slowly rising from the divan. He'd been too distracted to get a look before but now he couldn't decide if all that sanguine menace and beauty was something he should be fleeing from or worshipping. Black fur, a slender form that rippled as he stood, each step a long slinking ripple across the ground as his tail twitched. A ferret with eyes of amber looking out from behind long metallic locks of hair a shade of maroon. Putting a moogles pom to shame, like living metal flowing over his shoulders. Crowning all however where the horns, sweeping, majestic arching over his head and curling around. As he moved they seemed to point at Sunny their wickedly sharp points trained on his heart.

"But he has gone through a doorway, which means he has accepted. Even if he does not know all the rules yet," he laughed and walked around the pool, looming above the yellow moogle with a warm smile. "So you are his friend? You also seek to claim what he seeks?"

"Yes... yes I am here to make you honour your promise. To make you give him what is his!" Sunny said standing up straight, clutching his katana hilt and kupoing. "Bring him back."

Shaking his head the ferret leant down and flicked Sunny's pom, "Oh, no not yet little samurai. Not by a long shot he has entered the game." He pointed at the other doorway. "I made a promise yes, but it only counts if the avatar that made it is in the right place and at the right time. I've laid on some interesting challenges for you both. If you can win through them and then best the avatar in question, that avatar will honour it and be lost to the greater of me."

With a frown Sunny glared at the cocky demon, "And this promise was what exactly? If I am going to be risking myself for this I want to know more then kupo Tsumi told me."

Laughing the demon ruffled his upstanding ears, "He never told you? Oh this... this will be more fun then I can imagine." He crouched down and pressed his black nose to the moogle's pink one. "It is simple, one of my avatars promised to become one with my pet, to let him absorb it, its knowledge and power. A loss to me... it is a fond part of me I do not want to lose it. I am Tsochan, the Nahcost, I always keep my word. If he or you can win through to the end, that aspect of myself is yours to consume!"

Staring with wide open blue eyes Sunny let loose a startled kupo and drew back. "Absorb... what how?"

With a chuckle the ferret drew the moogle close, muzzle up against his ears as he whispered softly. "By devouring him... swallowing him whole and making him part of himself."

Speechless Sunny pulled back, staring at the demon with wide eyes, clutching at his heart. "No..."

"Oh but yes..." a snake like tongue flickered out of that narrow muzzle, tasting the air whilst those amber eyes glowed brighter. "I can feel your heart beating, your pulse is racing, and ears are flushed." He raised a hand pointing at the bone door. "If you want to enter, go through that door, you'll find your first opponent. Defeat them... devour them, and if you are smart you'll find the item that will lead you on to your next challenge."

Shaking his head, Sunny backed up slowly, "No... no I..." he began but the demons finger on his lips silenced him.

"If you do not, I will eat you here and now. I'm a lot harder to beat then one of the avatars I will send against you. If you can win through each round to the very end, if you can face and beat the avatar that made the deal, a part of me will become part of you."

The small moogle samurai moved back, circling away from Tsochan, he could feel those eyes on him, burning eyes of bright amber that pierced the soul and rooted out long hidden desires. With a final cry the moogle ran, fleeing those eyes and reached for the ivory door handle. White light enveloped him, there was a peculiar jolting sensation, the last thing he saw of that dreadful chamber was those eyes, brilliantly light amber orbs burning with amusement at the fun to be had, as his guests faced the challenges before them.

~fin