FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

(Warning! This contains M/M action, among other things, with the characters of Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny. If you want to preserve the memories you already have of this game, DO NOT READ. Also, if you haven't played the game, you might not get a few of the refrances. Sorry about that.)

Felt tensed as the ground shook beneath his feet. "Whoa! I don't know what it is, but it is huge, and it is coming this way!"

The dessert sand erupted at Felt's feet, throwing him backwards. Twisting in mid-air, Felt dug his hand into the ground, using it as a grapnel to get his feet back to Earth. Holding the Azoth parallel to the ground, Felt straightened and got his first look at his opponent. At first, it looked like an ordinary floating fish, but something struck Felt as odd.

"Something is not right here, I thought the floating fish were restricted to the coast. What is one doing out here in the desert?" Looking closer, Felt noticed a small line emerging from the bottom of the fish, leading into the ground below. Felt's breath caught in his throat as he saw what his opponent truly was. It was a Sand Dragon. Fear made Felt's throat tight.

"This is a formidable foe!" Felt whispered, voice tight.

_'Courage.'_The Azoth's telepathic reply echoed in his mind.

"Hey! Looks like you could use a hand, or a sword!" Felt was startled by the voice. Hitting the ground heavily at his side, the Dragon-Man got into a battle ready pose, flashing a toothy grin.

"T-thanks!" Was Felt's fervent reply. There was no time for any other talk as the Sand Dragon attacked.

It had been three days since Gray and Felt had joined forces. In that time, Felt had met more people who lived in this world then in all of Eden combined. Felt and Gray had decided to team up on their search for the elusive blacksmith, Heagel. Max said that he was the only one who could fix the ship so that they could sail to the east. Felt wondered about the strange girl who kept appearing to him, to guide him to the church. Felt groaned as he let his feet trail in the small, clear mountain stream.

"Oh, what a day!" There was a grunted reply from his traveling companion. Felt jumped a bit as the Dragon-Man plopped heavily down beside him.

"I know what you mean!" the Dragon-Man assured Felt as he too dipped his feet into the stream. Looking sideways at his companion, the Dragon-Man added, "Sorry to startle you."

Shaking his head, Felt replied "It's alright sir, I am just a little jumpy because of that last fight."

Nodding understandingly, the Dragon-Man replied "Yeah, I know, those Sorceresses will defiantly keep you on your toes!" Then the Dragon-Man tipped his head to one side as something occurred to him. "And for the last time, you don't need to 'sir' me, Felt. My name is Gray, call me Gray."

Smiling slightly, Felt nodded gratefully, before lying back on the ground, his feet still in the stream. "Oh it's hot out here!" complained Gray, slipping out of his shell-like armor. Gray sighed with relief as a soft wind made itself felt, making his brown tunic and pants flutter a bit. Looking crosswise at his companion, Felt replied "Yeah...You look like your hot..."

The Dragon-Man looked crosswise at Felt. "Really?" Gray asked archly. Felt nodded. It took a few moments for Felt to realize the possible double meaning behind the simple observation. "Oh, wait! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to imply anything perverse!"

Gray smiled and shook his head. "I understand completely, don't worry." Sighing with relief Felt lay back, satisfied that he had fixed the misunderstanding. Closing his eyes, Felt enjoyed the early summer sunshine playing across his body. Because of this, he did not see the scanning look that crossed over Gray's face. Gray silently slipped off the rest of his clothing, and prepared for the test to see if his hunch was correct. Suddenly, the silence of the afternoon was broken. With a crashing boom, Gray hit the water, showering Felt with a miniature downpour.

"Hey!" Felt said with a smile, sitting up "Grey...If I wanted a shower I would have...have...Oh, Lilith!" Sitting up, Felt caught sight of his companion. Gray was up to his waist in the clear running water, his clothing and armor lying in a pile by the stream side. Blushing furiously, Felt asked "W-what are you doing? Gray?" Dunking his entire body under the water, Gray came up with a roar.

"What are you talking about, Felt? It's hot out here! This is a good way to cool down!" Looking at the somewhat shell-shocked human, Gray asked with an inviting smile "Hey, why don't you join me? The water feels great!" Felt scooted back, stuttering so badly he was incoherent. Pulling himself together, he muttered something about needing to clean the Azoth and beat a quick retreat. Gray watched as Felt ran back to the camp. "So, he isn't interested, after all..." He mused as he floated on his back his golden hair floating around him. "Just my luck..."

A few days later, after Felt and Gray had found the Blacksmith, Heagel, and were returning. Felt was in panic. "Azoth, what is wrong with me?!" Felt demanded of the rubied sword. The Azoth's calm telepathic voice cut through Felt's panicked voice, soothing him.

'Nothing is wrong with you. At least, not anything that wasn't wrong at the outset. Now tell me what happened.' Taking a shaky breath, Felt began to explain.

"I...I saw Gray...a few days ago...and he wasn't...he was...was...naked. And now I...can't get him out of my head..."

The Azoth was silent for a time. Then it spoke 'Is that all?' the Azoth asked, pensively.

Blushing furiously, Felt added "Well, e-ever since I saw him, my...thing...has been getting hard and...and the dreams! They are getting more and more vivid! He and I...doing..." Here he broke off, too embarrassed to continue.

_'It's alright Felt. It just means that you are attracted to him.'_Felt looked incredulously at the rubied pummel of his sword as he asked "That is possible, to...Like-like other guys?!"

The Azoth's reply was instant. 'Of course. It is called homosexuality.'

Felt looked flustered, "How do I deal with it?"

The Azoth's reply was instant and to the point. 'Tell him.'

Felt looked even more flustered "Well...how do I...you know...tell him?"

The Azoth was silent for awhile before replying 'Go to sleep. I will do it for you.' Felt nodded gratefully and curled up on his ground-sheet.

"Thank you Azoth."

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As Felt lay asleep that night, the Azoth had a talk with Gray.

'Felt likes you,'

Gray smiled and replied "I like him too. Felt is a great guy, good friend, and an excellent fighter. I am proud to have him by my side in battle."

The Azoth paused and then continued 'Then you will be gentle with him, at least at first.' Gray nodded his agreement, only half listening to what the sword was saying.

"Of course!" A few seconds later, Gray's breath caught in his throat as he realized what the sword had just said. "You mean, he does harbor feelings for me?"

The Azoth was silent for a few moments before replying 'Yes. He sees you in his mind...In his bed...' Gray smiled and said, half to himself

"So I did read him correctly, that day at the river..." Looking at the sword, Gray bowed his head "Thank you for the conformation." Getting up, Gray headed into the tent, to prepare Felt, and himself, for what was to come.

'Remember,'_Said the Azoth _'Be gentle with him. From what I gathered from our talk, this is his first time feeling anything like this for another, let alone another male.' Grey looks around and scoffs softly.

"Not going to be anyplace around here. Even the ground sheets have lumps in them..." The Azoth flashed briefly as the ground was covered with materials. Grey smiled happily. "Mmmmm...much better..."

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When he woke up, Felt was in a completely new place. He could tell that he wasn't on his groundsheet anymore, the ground was too smooth underneath the bed. He was on a soft surface that was slightly cupped. By moving around, Felt could feel that the sheet that covered the cushions of the bed was made of a very slick, heavy, cloth. He had to feel all of these things because he could not see. The blindfold that cut off his sight from the rest of the world felt beautifully soft against his cheeks.

His arms were tied behind his back with, what felt like the heavy silk that made up the sheets. The bond's size and strength suggested that it had been cut and folded into ribbons to give them greater binding strength without hurting him when he moved. Twisting and straining against the silken bonds, Felt tried to free himself, fear filling his mind. Fear of what lay in the world that he was cut off from. A breath of warm air gently caressed his form, revealing to him that he was naked.

"Stop struggling Felt, It's useless." A warm voice commanded. Stopping his struggles, Felt blushed at the realization that someone was looking at him while he was naked. He panted lightly for a moment before whispering "G-gray is that you?"

A hand gently caressed his blushing cheek. "Hush, love. Don't speak." Felt's heart jumped as he heard what Gray had called him. Renewing his struggles, Felt wiggled, his mind in a panic, not sure what was going on. "Gray? What did you just..."

Breaking off, Felt gasped softly as he felt Gray's body heat against his naked skin as the Dragon-Man got above him. An involuntary whimper came from Felts throat as his struggles lessoned, his cock beginning to harden as he remembered the dreams.

'Oh, Lilith! The dreams! This has to be a dream!'

Gray softly crooned "It's alright, love." into Felt's ear. "It isn't a dream...".

Felt's whimpers slowly changed into moans as Gray rubbed his body against him, Gray's soft chest scales rubbing erotically against his hardening nipples. "G-gray what are you...doing..." Felt's moans became louder as the Dragon-Man began to give him a tongue bath, paying close attention to his chest and neck. "You want this, love. I've known for awhile that you were interested..." Assured Gray, nipping Felt's hardening nipples gently. Felt's moans became deeper, less restrained, as Gray's ministrations began to reach deeper, making his heart pound, his blood catch fire.

"How did...when did..."

Gray slowly ran his tongue over Felt's throat gently applying pressure to his Adam's apple. "I've suspected since that time at the river." Gray informed his captive. "The Azoth confirmed it..."

Felt's struggles weakened further, and then faded into total submission to the Dragon above him. "Gray...Oh, Gray...please..." Grinding his hips against Felt's, Gray cut off Felt's pleas, kissing him passionately. Behind the blindfold, Felt's eyes rolled into the back of his head as his lover rubbed their pulsing cocks together. Felt could not believe that this was happening, the darkness, the fact that he was bound and helpless to stop it, intensified the feelings that he was receiving ten-fold.

Folding Felt's legs against the sides of his body, Gray exposed Felt's pink, virgin entrance to the air. Slowly, Gray began to thrust into him, lubed by the pre glistening on his cock-tip. Felt broke their kiss involuntarily, arching his back and gasping out in pain, as Gray expertly began to penetrate his ass. "Oh Lilith! Please, Gray...stop! It hurts!" Gray gently held Felt down, murmuring assurances into his ear that it would be alright. But it was the Azoth that convinced Felt to weather.

'Felt,'_The Azoth telepathically reassured him _'The pain will fade. I've told him what you were feeling, what you are feeling. Let him work his will upon you.'

Felt could not believe what he was hearing. "A...zoth...?" Felt could only moan the name as Gray slid his dick deeper.

"It's alright...the sword is safe." Gray reassured him, not realizing that the sword had just spoke.

Felt could feel the cloth that blindfold him draw tighter across his face, soaking up the sweat that was slowly drenching his body. The pain in his ass built until Felt was sure that he could no longer stand it, that he would be ripped apart. Then, there was a popping sensation, deep inside of him, and then the pain drained away, to be replaced by a feeling of fullness and satisfaction that Felt had never felt the like of before. "Oh, Gray..." Felt moaned passionately. "I said I would be gentle..." Whispered Gray, "But is that what you want?"

"Please!" moaned Felt, the sudden burst of pleasure tearing away his inhibitions. "Harder!"

Growling contentedly, Gray complied, thrusting himself harder and deeper into his lover. Felt could feel every vein in Gray's dick, rubbing his insides, as it slid deep into his being. Every inch of the draconic dick stimulated Felt, opening the door to a world that he had never knew existed. Felt's moans rose and fell in time with his lover's thrusts before they turned abruptly to screams of ecstasy as Grey shot a hot load of cum into his innards. Joining the Dragon above him, Felt climaxed, his first orgasm burning itself into his memory.

_'This is the first climax he has ever experienced. In my Master's place, I thank you.'_The Azoth told Gray.

Gray growled a reply, grinding deeper into his lover as his climax continued, his seed continuing to fill his lover's insides. Felt was sobbing with happiness. 'My insides are being filled with Gray's seed! My lover's seed!' Felt thought, the after-glow not ceasing. Finally, his climax finished, Grey stopped moving, his cock still embedded deeply in Felt's ass.

"Grey... please..." Felt pleaded, his breathing erratic. Breathing lightly, a smile came to Greg's face. "What is it...my love?"

Felt breathed raggedly for a few moments before replying, "Please...may I see you? May I...look into the eyes...of my lover?"

Smileing tenderly, Grey reached up and gently slid his hand in between Felt's face and the cloth blindfold, caressing the young male's face as he undid the knot. "Of course..." Gently pulling the soft cloth bandage down, Gray unveiled his lover's eyes. Like a clear, cloudless day, Felt's sapphire-blue eyes looked longingly into Gray's.

"Thank you..." A shiver of pleasure raced through Felt's body as Gray tongued him slowly, tenderly. "Oh, Gray...Thank you so much..." Gray stopped and smiled coyly down at his lover.

"We have not yet even begun, my love." Stars were shining in Felt's eyes as Gray gently reached beneath him and untied his arms. Once freed, Felt wrapped his arms around Gray, holding him close, as the dragon began again to thrust his cock deep into him. Their love-making lasted until the morning sunlight showed itself over the mountains.

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Exhausted, Felt and Gray fell asleep, at peace with the world and content in each others arms.

'So, the master has found a lover in this world.'_One cannot possibly sigh with telepathy, but, somehow, the Azoth found a way. _'How are they going to keep this from the others? Especially Noin?'

Heagel placed his hand on the Azoth's hilt. "I will help."

The Azoth's rubied hilt glowed a brighter shade of red, its skepticism clear. 'What is your price, Blacksmith?' Asked the Azoth, it's 'voice' hardening.

Smiling mischievously, Heagel replied "I will take that matter up with Gray when he wakes."

The Azoth's pummel flashed once in accord and then subsided.

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Noin bounced up from her stove, where a column of smoke weaved its way upward. "Felt! You are back!" She cried out happily. Felt smiled and waved to her as he entered the cave, Gray and Heagel trailing up behind him.

"Hey Felt! Try this new invention! I call it Lump-cake!"

Felt took one look at the blackened lump and baked away slowly, holding up his hands to stave off the female's advance.

"Hey, hey, Last time I ate something of yours, I was on my back for a day and a half!"

Noin's eyes narrowed as she cocked a fist. "Do you wanna hear my 'hit' single again?"

Felt backed away further, turning from her to look desperately at Gray. Picking up the hint, Gray stepped protectively in between the two.

"Now, now Noin be nice. When you cook, the cockroaches turn up their noises." Noin looked at Gray, a sour look on her face.

Heagel sensed the impending storm and rushed to compensate. "Aww! Come on guys! It can't be that bad!" Strutting towards Noin, Heagel whispered something to Gray in passing.

Gray flinched visibly.

Max noticed the reaction and asked Gray "What did he say?"

Gray forced a smile and said, "He told me that I should eat some too." Max's eyes narrowed, knowing that the dragon was lying. He pulled a wry face and walked away. A few minutes later, Gray looked around and spotted Heagel, already hard at work with the tiller. Silently, Gray slipped out of the cove.

Plopping down on a rock, Gray contemplated the situation he found himself in. "Love?" Gray looked up to see Felt with a concerned look on his face. Gray smiled weakly at his lover and motioned for him to come over. Quick-stepping over the uneven ground, Felt made his way to Gray's side.

Taking a seat on Gray's lap, Felt looked into his lover's eyes "What's wrong?"

Gray gently picked Felt up and placed him on the rock next to him.

"Heagel knows about us..." Felt choked a bit, but he soon shifted from surprise to just looking confused.

"Why is that a bad thing?"

Gray looked at his lover.

"Because he would reveal it to the others."

Felt looked even more confused, "We need to hide it?"

Gray nodded "At least for the time being..."

Felt cocked his head to one side. "What does he want? To...you know...Do you know?" Felt asked.

Gray shook his head "No, he told me to meet out here to discuss a possible arrangement."

Both Felt and Gray jumped a bit as Heagel spoke out from behind them. "It is impolite to talk about someone like they aren't there when they are within ear-shot."

Felt was the first to recover. "I am sorry; we didn't know you were there."

Heagel smiled and asked with an air of mock confusion, "Felt? What are you doing here? And with Gray?"

Felt was taken aback by the question. "Well...um..." Flustered, he tried to think of what to say. Gray put a protective arm around Felt's shoulders as he glared at Heagel. "Stop playing with my lover's head, Blacksmith, name your price."

Heagel feigned shock as he said "What, Gray the Dragon Slayer and Felt of Eden are lovers? How is this possible?" Felt blushed and drew closer to Gray, trying to hide from the mocking tone in Heagel's voice.

Gray gave Felt a comforting squeeze before snapping, "It is none of your business how it happened!"

A sadistic light shone in the metal-smith's eyes as he replied "It is my business if you don't want the others to know..."

Gray could think of nothing to say to that, so he settled for glairing daggers at Heagel. The blacksmith smiled and asked again "Felt? What are you doing here?"

Gray sighed and turned to Felt. "Love, go and train with the Azoth. You will need to be in top form to beat Chaos and to save Eden."

Felt nodded and, with a parting kiss on Gray's lips, left for the cave. Gray watched Felt, his eyes softening as he watched his lover, until he become lost to sight. Turning back to Heagel, Gray's eyes lost their dreamy look and took on a hard edge.

"Is your price so much, that my lover cannot hear it?"

Heagel's smile widened and replied "My price, is Felt."

Gray's eyes widened in shock as he asked incredulously "What?!"

Heagel leaned against a rock spur and laid down his ultimatum. "I want the one you love to serve me for a period of time, say...a week." Here Heagel's eyes narrowed as he continued "And I don't mean in the sense of 'fetch me a drink, Boy, shine my boots'."

Gray just stared in shock at the grinning man. "You mean...that you..."

Hegel smiled and nodded.

"What would you do to him if I said 'yes'?"

Heagel's smile faded, to be replaced by one of seriousness. "I've always had a taste for pain and punishment..."

Gray was speechless. Heagel turned to go.

"Oh by the way," he shot over his shoulder "You can't tell Felt about this, It is only you who knows, or they know."

Gray sat back against the rock-face, pensive, as the Blacksmith returned to the cove. "How could I do this to him..." Gray shook his head violently as he realized what he was contemplating "Why am I even considering this?! No! I will not pay that price! It will have to be something else." Jumping up, Gray ran towards the cave where Felt was training.

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Despite the fact that he was trembling with fatigue, Felt stubbornly fought on. The Banshee uttered an unearthly cry as the Azoth cut into her flesh. Crying out in pain from the sub-sonic scream, Felt dropped the Azoth, in favor of holding his ears, striving to block out the sound. It was then that the Enchantress struck. With a harsh swell of magic, she directed a proton blast at Felt's un-shielded form. Felt's body convulsed as the electrical current arced through him. He was knocked backwards several feet and was unconscious before he hit the floor of the cave. The Enchantress and the Banshee looked at each other for a moment before exchanging a smile.

"Shall we play with our new toy?" the Enchantress asked. The Banshee nodded eagerly. Floating over, they both picked a side and lifted Felt. Smiling, the two victors moved off into the depths of the cave.

_'This is not good'_the Azoth's voice echoed up from the shadowed floor where it lay.

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Regaining consciousness was not fun for Felt. His entire body ached and burned fiercely. Groaning softly, he tried to move his arms out from behind him so he could cradle his head. The cables that bound him dug painfully into his wrists and chest.

"Oh look, puppy's awake!" Felt tried to open his eyes, and found he couldn't.

"Who are you?"

There were two sets of giggles as his captors thought about answering him. Finally, they answered.

"We are Puppy's new masters!"

Felt's breath caught in his throat as he started to struggle against the cords binding him.

"No, no Puppy, don't do that!" Said voice number one, "You might damage yourself!"

Felt could feel two sets of hands stroking his body. Blushing, Felt realized that he, once again was bound and naked, helpless to stop whoever had done this from exerting their will upon him.

'How...why does this keep happening to me?!'

"Ooo! Puppy is blushing! So cute!"

A foolish smile slowly came to his face as the memory of what Gray and he had done before surfaced. Felt could feel an erection beginning between his legs.

"Oh look! Puppy is getting excited!" Felt shivered as he felt one of the stroking hands reach down and take hold of his hardening cock.

"Don't, please." Felt asked politely, trying to diffuse the situation.

"Ooo! Does Puppy like?"

Felt half moaned, half groaned as another one of the hands dropped down to take hold of his ballsack, pulling and squeezing gently, but firmly.

"No...Please stop! I have a Mate!" Felt pleaded with his unseen captors.

"Can she do things like this?" One of the voices asked, stroking his cock hard, bathing the tip with a wet, hot something. "Or this?" Asked the other voice, pinching his nipples and twisting them gently. Felt's entire body twitched, the pleasure he was feeling astronomical. But nothing like when Grey had done it. This felt...dirty. Whimpering loudly, he tried harder to wiggle free of the bonds restraining him.

"Or this?" Asked the first voice again, leaving off bathing his cock-head with the wet, hot something. Thinking that it was over, Felt was about to heave a sigh of relief, when his cock was enveloped by a tight hot something. The feeling made his toes curl. The way that he was suspended made it so that he could not move away from the heat.

"Ooo Puppy you feel good...inside of me..." Tears slowly dribbled from Felt's eyes as he realized what his cock was enveloped by. There was a ticklish sensation as the tears were licked from his face.

"Oh don't cry Puppy! Wait till it is my turn! I will give you something to be happy about!"

Sobs racked Felt's body as the first voice road his cock until he was forced to cum deep into her. Then the second voice took over, licking, nipping and kissing him as she road his cock hard. Felt was silent.

"Ooo Puppy isn't wanting to be fun any more!" Said the voice that was riding his cock. Struggling against the sensations he was feeling, Felt strived not to climax again.

"Well if that is the case, we have no use for him anymore..."

Felt gasped as the heat that enveloped his cock vanished. He sighed in relief, believing that the voices would just leave him there. Then, he screamed as one of the voices cried 'Air Claw' and pain tore through his genitals, shredding the skin like wet paper. A savage blow to the throat robbed Felt of his voice as the two voices continued to assault his naked, unprotected form.

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"Felt! Where are you?!! Get out here, this is no longer funny!" Gray yelled until he was horse. Still he could not find his errant lover.

'Gray, over here'

Gray heard the Azoth's telepathic summons and trotted over to where the Azoth lay on the ground.

"Azoth?! What happened? Where is Felt?!"

The sword did not reply at first, and then it 'spoke' in tones of deep regret.

_'I do not know, Lover of my master. I was torn from his hand and cast into shadow, I saw not what happened.'_Gray's knuckles whitened as he griped the Azoth's hilt tighter.

"Was the opponent strong?" The Azoth did not reply at once. Finally it stated 'Master was tired, he could barely hold me...'

Gray was nearly speechless with rage. "Why the hell did you let him continue on if he was that tired?!"

The Azoth was silent. Gray, without another thought, drove the sword deep into a fissure in the rock. "Stay there!" Gray commanded, unnecessarily.

"I will return with help." Turning, Gray broke into a trot that then turned into an all out run.

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Felt was lost in his agony. Long since had the two voices cut him down, dropping him into a growing puddle of his own blood. There they left him, blind, helpless and weak. Felt's mind flickered in between the realms of wakefulness and sleep as his blood continued to seep out onto the rock-floor. He was slowly drowning in his own blood, but to move meant that the agony would come back. Slowly his body slipped into shock and his breathing slowed. His heart began to falter, to slow.

......................................................................................................................

"Help me!"

Gray's cry was like that of a wounded dragon, helpless to stop its torment. Every Simseltion in the cove dropped what they were doing and rushed towards Gray.

"Old man! What is wrong? Asked Noin, feeling scared.

"Its...Felt..." Gray panted, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes "He's...he's gone...captured!"

Everyone within earshot drew a sharp breath.

"Was it Chaos?! Was it the Empire?!" Noin asked desperately.

Gray broke down completely then sobbing uncontrollably

"I don't know! The Azoth didn't say who or what he was fighting!" He then began to give a report, the tears drying as he struggles to get a grip on himself.

Despite the seriousness of the report, all of the Simsiltions, merely began to exchange glances.

"He must be maddened with worry..."

One of the Simsiltions whispered to his companion.

The Dragon-Man glared daggers through his tears at the Simsiltions.

"I am not mad. Ask Heagel, he knows what I am talking about!"

Gray snapped. Heads turned and looked at the Blacksmith, who leaned casually against a wall. "I have no idea what that Dragon is talking about. He is delusional."

He said with a shrug of his shoulders. Gray snapped. Hurling himself bodily at the blacksmith, Gray dealt him a crushing blow to the jaw, throwing him across the cave. With a cry of alarm, The Simsiltions jumped to the blacksmith's defense. Bodies flew as they tried to stop the Dragon-Man's rush to get at the prostrate metal-smith. Gray was surrounded, yet he fought on, dealing terrible damage to anyone who got in his way.

As the last Simsiltions fell, Gray turned his attention on Heagel.

"Gray, Stop!" Max stepped in front of the woozy blacksmith and drew his sword. Gray, blinded by the emotions that raged through him, responded only by charging. He could only see the now hated blacksmith.

Max closed his eyes in regret as he whispered to himself. "Gray, you force my hand...EIN ZECKSCLAW!"

Max was lost to sight as he moved too fast for the human eye to track. Gray cried out, his strength leaving him, as the savage attack lacerated his body. Falling to the floor, Gray lay still, his blood pooling beneath him.

Max reappeared with a blood-stained sword, and with a look of utter regret in his eyes. Turning, the Simsiltion leader knelt next to his fallen friend. He watched as tears flowed down the proud slayers cheeks.

"Gray...Why? Why did you force me to do this?" Gray sobbed something, so softly that even Max was not sure that he had said it. Still sobbing, Gray slipped into unconsciousness.

"Hurray for Max!"

Max turned to see the Simsiltions cheering him. Max, lost in thought, did not respond. Suddenly he sprang into action. "Organize groups! Search the cave and the surrounding area for Frank!" The Simsiltions saluted and scattered. Max turned to his fallen friend.

"Don't worry, we will find him." Pulling off the now useless armor encasing the Dragon-Man, Max then carried the severely wounded Dragon to the infirmary.

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It was the end, Felt could feel it. Voices of the past began to be heard. Veceea's voice, crying, begging him not to go to Belkide. Noin's voice telling him to get up. Gray's voice telling him that he loved him. Amid all the voices, there were others, faint and indistinct, but they were there. Felt was too weak to even whimper as someone, or something, lifted him into the air. With a soundless sob, Felt lost consciousness.

"Good God!" Max gasped as Felt was rushed into the infirmary. "What the hell could have done this to him!?"

Gray struggled against the myriad of bandages that wrapped his form from head to toe.

"No Gray," Said Max softly "You don't want to see this..."

Gray stopped struggling. Max motioned for the doctors to get to work. Lifting their patient carefully, they took him into the adjoining cave. Panting a bit, Gray asked, his voice weak as he asked a question, that he wasn't sure that he wanted to hear.

"How...bad...is it?"

Max shook his head. "Gray, I don't know if we can save him, he looked to be on the brink of death..."

Gray was silent, but the bandages covering his eyes began to become damp with his tears.

"I love him..." Gray whispered, his voice heavy with regret. "I should have been with him, I could have helped..."

Max rested a hand on Gray's forehead,

"You don't know that. It could have been worse if you had been there..." Gray sobbed a bit before asking in a pained voice.

"How could it have been worse?"

Max gave a sad smile that was wasted on the blinded Dragon-Man.

"It could have been you who was hurt, and Frank who suffered my attack..." Gray was silent as he thought it over, wincing involuntarily as, in his mind, he watched his love get torn apart by Max's attack.

"He wouldn't have made you attack him, though." Max looked confused. "Why did you attack Heagel, if not because he said that you were crazy?"

Gray took a shuddering breath and told Max the entire story.