Elements of a Shattered Past, Chapter 10: The Mean Streets of Rhy'Din
Story by FeuerfoxKA8 on SoFurry
Chapter 10: On the hunt for the source of the recent undead attacks, two kitsune start to get acquainted with each other... [6pg, 2,986 words]
Notes: What I really liked about the old-school freeform RP chats was the absolute variety of characters that were played. Plenty were played by people who didn't know what they were doing, but every so often you'd get people who had decent storytelling skills and a good grasp of either the setting or of an established character and it all came together nicely. In a sea of Goku or Sephiroth clones, you would get someone who played a convincing, established character such as Darth Vader, Roland Deschain(of Stephen King's Dark Tower series), Drizzt DuUrden from Forgotten Realms lore and even some established fandom favorites who may or may not have been played by their creators. Some of them created elaborate backstories about how their characters came to be in this 'crossroads', and I still credit my interactions with such people with opening my eyes to fanfiction, crossover-type stuff, and overall introducing me to amateur literature in general. I'm not sure if I'm doing it justice with these chapters, but they are fun to write(if a little dissonant from the main story).
Streets of Rhy’Din
April 29, 2001
2:41 PM
In a world where a mindboggling amount of personal transportation methods existed from walking to horses to flying spells and even teleportation, I still preferred the familiarity of a car. Thankfully I wasn’t the only one, and there were actually others here who specialized in obtaining, repairing, and modifying vehicles.
That took some major strings to pull, as those who could reliably travel between worlds and realities were very few and far in between. As a result trade was limited, but in a society that included conjurers and craftsmen who had literally otherworldly abilities, keeping even an expensive luxury car on the road wasn’t too hard to do.
It had been explained to me on one occasion by Thanus, the Archmage of the Dark Knights, that Rhy’Din was a nexus of sorts; a crossroads between worlds, planes, and realities. Sure, there were starships; Rhy’Din even had an official spaceport built on its outskirts and relatively futuristic construction technologies made building things relatively easy. It also made the city a hodge-podge of streets and paths; if you weren’t careful you could find yourself making a turn down a medieval alleyway.
Right now we were running down the relatively new highway that acted as a ring road around the city. In comparison to the mix of antiquated, modern, and futuristic vehicles on the road my 8-Series wasn’t drawing much attention.
“So, where to?” my passenger asked. Meika was along for the ride; the vixen grinning as we flashed past a group of horse-drawn carriages hanging out in their dedicated lane. Instead of the leather suit, this time she was dressed in considerably more casual attire; a lavender top that just about matched the color of her eyes and a black miniskirt whose length would have broken some laws in more than a few places back home. She balanced her sheathed blades between her knees as we drove on.
“Right now we’re just getting information,” I responded, keeping an eye on the sparse, not particularly useful road signs. I really didn’t want to miss the exit we were looking for. “DKoR leadership seems to think that the Temple District is the likely epicenter for the recent sightings of undead.”
“So, how did you get involved with the Dark Knights of Rhy’Din?” Meika asked, turning to me with a curious look on her vulpine features. “Not only are they a fairly exclusive guild, but most of the members are those with checkered pasts and a serious fetish for redemption.”
“A friend of mine sponsored my entry,” I explained, finally spotting a sign that mentioned an exit to the Temple District. It was still a few miles off, but close enough that I started changing lanes. “He is drow, a race of dark elves that live underground in a different world; they worship evil gods, get into pacts with demons, and all of that. We arrived here at about the same time; we watched each other’s backs until we could scrap enough together to get out of the Harbor District.”
Meika winced. “You lived in the Harbor District?” It was a rough place, even for supernatural creatures. Diren was a trained assassin and spellsword who could see in total darkness; I was a half-kitsune who was a skilled gunfighter and could throw ball lighting around at will. Even then we were under constant threat; while the Harbor was a major center of commerce, getting stuck there after dark was strongly ill-advised.
“Yeah,” I admitted, “Very rough times. We joined DKoR as they were about the only lifeline we had; we’ve done well though I admit they don’t have a ton of use for my talents.” I had been a private detective in a life so far removed from my current circumstances that it felt like I had a stranger’s memories.
“You said you are an investigator, right?” Meika asked as I dodged the sporadic traffic up to the exit. The nice, smooth highway onramp ended at a narrow cobblestone path and the real downsides to driving in Rhy’Din revealed themselves once more.
“Yeah,” I answered as I dodged the mixture of carriages, riding beasts, and pedestrians that littered the street. Some gave the modern car strange looks; others were used to such strange sights as a couple of sapient anthropomorphic foxes rolling around in a self-powered carriage. “I look into matters of importance for the guild. I figure this is right up my alley, as DKoR’s Archmage asked me to make some inquiries.”
“Is there a particular temple or shrine you are looking for?” Meika asked, her eyes darting between the eclectic buildings on display in the Temple District. Even before my change I wasn’t big on religion; my mother had been somewhat active in church but after I left home that never really stuck.
However, the wide range of gods and spirits that people around Rhy’Din worshipped and paid homage to was astounding. Sure, there were a scattered few churches, synagogues, and mosques but there were also grand temples built to honor gods from lands and worlds that I had never heard of. Diren gave me a crash course of the pantheon from his land; with that included a warning of the religious sects to steer well clear of. “The Archmage asked me to go to the Temple of Tyr and have a chat with the priests there. Apparently they know a fair bit about these attacks.”
“Could we stop by the shrine to Inari afterwards?” she asked as she flicked an ear; a curious expression on her features. “The shrine maidens there may also have some information for us.”
“Sure,” I nodded as I found the small yet impressively well-kept temple off the main road. “Anything we can find out will be valuable.” There wasn’t as much traffic but there wasn’t a great space to park. Taking a cue from the quite lax traffic rules and nonexistent enforcement, I pulled slightly off the road and called it good.
We exited the car; I took the time to straighten my coat while Meika slipped her sheathed blades into her belt. The dome-shaped building gleamed even in the overcast sky; a holy symbol of a large hammer and a set of scales emblazoned over the entrance. We made our way to the doors; Meika hanging back a step or two. They swung open before us to reveal a small, humble chapel; two figures in plate armor and armed with clubs flanking a tall, bald man in white robes who had turned to face us.
“Welcome to the hall of the Maimed God, travelers,” the bald man greeted. “I am Valth, head priest and caretaker of this temple. How may the servants of Tyr be of assistance?” If he was fazed by our appearance he didn’t visibly show it.
“I am Marcus Firestorm, an investigator in the employ of the Dark Knights of Rhy’Din,” I responded, gesturing to my new companion.
“And I am Meika, Guardian of the United Kitsune of Rhy’Din,” she introduced. “We are looking for information regarding the recent reports of undead attacks within the city.”
Valth regarded us silently; the armored figures standing still enough that they could be mistaken as statues. After a moment he spoke. “It is commendable that the Dark Knights wish to redeem themselves from their past transgressions. Archmage Thanus contacted me about this, though another already responded to the call.”
“May I ask who?” I inquired; had someone else in the guild chased this line of inquiry?
“A man who called himself Roland of Gilead; he was here earlier today to collect the key we obtained.” Valth motioned to us. “The key was brought here by a party of adventurers who nearly met their end in the catacombs.”
“He’s an associate of mine,” I explained. “Thank you; I’ll get in touch with him.”
“Do you know what might be behind the undead attacks?” Meika asked. “The only lead they have is that they seem to be targeting guild halls and taverns by using the sewers; the attacks are also coordinated in a fashion that isn’t characteristic of the undead. We believe they may be controlled by demons.”
Valth nodded at her. “That is possible. We have heard the name Chernobog in relation to these attacks; we suffered an attack several days ago. We found several artifacts relating to that particular god on the necromancer who was with them.”
“That’s concerning,” I frowned in thought. “It gives us a few leads to work on, however. We appreciate your information; I’ll make sure that Archmage Thanus keeps you appraised of the situation.”
Meika nodded. “Thank you for your time, Valth. Your courtesy and kindness are appreciated by me and my fellow kitsune.”
Valth bowed his head. “Go with the blessing of Tyr, travelers.”
As we exited the temple, Meika pointed into the near distance, across the narrow road I had parked on; a soft smile tugging at her lips. “The shrine is not far from here; close enough to walk,” Gently but insistently she pulled at my arm to get me to follow. “So, how long have you been here in Rhy’Din?”
I shrugged. “About three years. You?”
“About ten,” Meika explained. “I crossed the veil between worlds and wound up here. It didn’t take me long to find Ichiro and Hanako, well, not long compared to our perception of time at any rate.”
I blinked. “Your perception of time?” I asked. “What do you mean by that.”
Meika grinned playfully; her tail giving me a playful bat on the legs as we walked. “You aren’t aware with how long we live? Take a guess as to my age.”
“You don’t look a day over twenty-five,” I answered. “I know kitsune age more slowly than humans, so you’re perhaps forty or fifty?”
Meika giggled and shook her head. “Triple that and you are close. I am old enough to have witnessed the end of the shogun and samurai.”
I blinked. I didn’t know that much about Japanese history, but that meant she was alive during the Civil War? I mean, I had lived much longer than I anticipated, but I figured I was getting up there in years. “Where do you fit in with a kitsune’s longevity?”
Meika’s grin widened. “I’m considered pretty young; I haven’t quite earned my second tail yet. Hanako’s about 400 years; Ichiro is nearly 800. So, how old are you?”
I took a deep breath. “Honestly, not much younger than you. I was born in 1895; I ended up like this in the late 1920s.”
Meika’s amused, almost teasing expression softened to that of gentle concern. “May I ask what happened?”
I shrugged again. “I was a police detective in Chicago; my first real job after the war. I met one of your kind during a murder investigation; she helped me out and we became friends, then more. After that I learned there were others; ones who look to humans with evil intent,” I told my story succinctly and without much emotion; time had deeply buried most of those wounds. “Yuki died saving my life; I later learned she transferred some of her essence to me, making me what I am now.”
Meika winced; her concern shifting to sympathy. “Yes, some of our kind are cruel and uncaring,” she admitted. “However, most of us are not. That goes against the teachings and guidance of Inari.” Her hand fell upon my shoulder.
I blinked, nodding to her. I didn’t know what else to say other than to explain further. “I understand that now; I spent years in hiding, learning how to disguise my appearance. I ran into another kitsune about ten years later who taught me how to best use my powers.”
“Which is why you adopted this form instead of disguising yourself as a full human,” Meika explained. “It’s not as tiring.”
I nodded again. “And, it’s easier for me to use my more natural abilities for defense.” As a demonstration I lifted my hand; allowing an arc of electricity to jump between my thumb and forefinger. This caused Meika’s eyes to widen.
“Wait, you are an elemental kitsune?” Meika’s voice was laced with astonishment. “Those talents are quite rare among our kind.”
“Yuki could do this,” I explained. “I figure that got passed along to me.”
Meika smiled softly. “That is likely,” she mentioned as we neared our destination; the immaculately maintained, crimson-painted torii set in a series along the path. “Ready to see Inari’s shrine?”
KitsuneMeika** : ((i’m so sorry, i need to go. i might be able to play a little bit here and there, but may is going to be a very busy month for me. oh, i also got a picture of meika; would you like me to email it to you?))**
MarcusFirestorm** : ((Sure! It’s going to be kinda busy for me, too. Just send me an email if you get some time? I’ll keep an eye open.))**
KitsuneMeika** : ((absolutely. thanks for the rp, i had a lot of fun. ::waves:: bye, marcus-mun!))**
KitsuneMeika has left the room
[4/29/01 6:21PM]: Chat closed, terminating log
Location Unknown
Date Unknown
My pulse raced; despite the chill in the air I felt like I was burning up. Threatening voices and snarls echoed off the cold stone like distant thunder, followed by a closer feminine shout in a familiar voice that I couldn’t quite place. “They’re coming!” I wasn’t sure how I understood this, but we were in a castle of some sort and there were a lot of pissed off denizens who were out for our blood.
“We need to get out of here!” I answered, only now realizing there was a comforting weight in my right hand. I was holding a pistol; my practiced eye recognized it as a Beretta M9. Why I was holding a military issue sidearm I had no idea, but the angry sounds coming from behind made me glad I had it.
She came around a corner behind me at a dead run; her appearance causing me to blink. A vixen faced me; not quite six feet in height if you counted the ears on her head. Her russet fur was striking; contrasting against the white sweater and bluejeans she wore, both stained with dirt and spattered with dried blood. Her tail twitched erratically behind her; a short sword in her hands and what looked suspiciously like Ben’s .38 revolver stuffed in her jeans pocket. Her padded feet were bare; making no real sound on the cold, rough stone as she rushed up to me. “It’s a dead end that way; we’ll need to find a way around!”
In contrast, my boots made enough of a clatter that I wasn’t going to be very quiet. “Alright, we’ll go forward!” It was dark enough that I had trouble making out details, but my vulpine companion didn’t have any issues seeing in the dim light. We made our way down the hall at a dead run, spurred by the shouts and clatter of metal behind us.
I dared look back to see several more foxes chasing us; this time clad in armor that would be more appropriate for a D&D setting rather than one where I would be plausibly armed with a semiautomatic pistol. A sharp, buzzing whistle echoed from behind us, creating a clattering snap in the darkness ahead as a crossbow bolt missed its mark. Someone was shooting at us. “Keep going!” I shouted. “I’ll cover!”
The vixen complied, running into the dim light ahead as I sought the nearest cover; a stone pillar near an open window. I spared a split second to look outside; it was dark, but moonlight revealed a massive courtyard just beyond. It was too open to risk it, however.
I turned around, raising the pistol as I ducked behind the pillar. Its weight felt heavy in my hand; coldness washed over my senses as I placed the sights on the nearest opponent and stroked the trigger.
The Beretta’s report was almost deafening in the stone hall; a thunderous echo drowned out nearly everything else. The lead figure jerked; his sword falling from his grasp as the armored breastplate dented and tore into his body. The rest stopped; unsure what to do.
The pistol’s sights fell on another figure; this one armed with the crossbow that likely tried to shoot us. In the back of my mind a cold thought rang out: it was time to repay that kindness.
I opened fire to a chorus of confused screams; screaming which faded into a ringing in my ears…
I awoke with a start; a sharp gasp carried to the stillness and darkness of my bedroom. My alarm clock was buzzing its harsh mechanical note to the room as I regained my senses. I could still feel the cold metal in my hands and the gentle push of recoil, despite not having fired a gun since my last outing with Mr. Schaeffer a few months ago; we were going to make another range trip, but not until next weekend. The dream had felt real; despite the warmth of my bedroom I still felt the chill of the stone which had been around me.
I reached out and slapped the alarm clock; its ring ceasing with the clatter of a bell. I looked at the time; five forty-five in the morning. I overslept slightly, but not critically so. It was time to start getting ready for school, but the dream provoked questions that I tried to rationalize answers to. Who was that vixen? Meika? It didn’t look like the picture her player had sent me, though.
A quick, hot shower did enough to wipe the residual chill away. My folks were well into the Mother’s Day rush which meant I was biking to school today. It was a strange start to an atypical day.