FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A 1111111

B 1111111111

Close run thing but fire it is

None nodded his agreement to the bear's instructions, the orcs were used to taking orders and did not question the bear's commanding tone. Aleoric glanced around and his head went from door to door until he finally chose. "We will take the fire door and head onwards. If you need our help shout and we will come running."

The manticore nodded and gave a wave to the others, winking at Jarus, "you do likewise, and good luck." None headed through the bone door with Teis hot on his heels.

Bar stopped for a moment and nodded to Kenia, "good luck with your quest, and good luck with finding some profit as well." He muttered gruffly as he turned smartly and headed off after the first two.

Gar looked a little worried at Jarus and reached out to stroke his mane, "pretty pony take care, Gar see him again soon." Blushing a little the hulking male orc didn't wait for a response he turned and hurried after his brother, leaving Kenia,Aleoric and Jarus alone.

Aleoric reached out a paw to Kenia and muttered, "let's go find that alter."

Grasping the warm paw the fox stood up and forced a smile onto his face, "for Runo!"

"For Runo!" Jarus and Aleoric replied in unison and then the group turned to the door. The air from within scorched their noses as the approached, Kenia and Jarus winced but Aleoric just smiled the glow of the fire reflecting in his eyes.

He stepped forward ahead of them into the room, a blast of fiery air swirling around him, his robes flapping around his legs and arms. He found himself on a bridge, huge black flagstones formed the path before him. Looking over the side he could see the bridge was over a river of lava, the red glow and powerful stench filled the massive cavern he had entered. The lava was just a few meters below the bridge and the heat radiated off it, smothering and choking the bear's companions. Aleoric waved his paws and chanted softly, a few blue runes formed around the group and a cooling waft of air swirled around. Aleoric turned and grinned at his friends, "better?"

"Much," Jarus replied as he glanced ahead, the bridge led to a huge island in the middle of the cavern around which the river of lava seemed to be slowly flowing however without relent.

As they walked across the bridge they heard a loud bang behind them, jumping and turning weapons ready they found the door had closed behind them. A quick check showed it was a huge block of stone, maybe with his most powerful magic Aleoric could break it, but for now they decided to press on inside the cavern. Crossing the bridge the could see something on the far side of the island a few hundred meters away. It appeared to be the ruins of another bridge leading to a second smaller island. upon the second island they could see a small table, upon it was a statue an image of a naga, with it's head bowed and it's eyes closed.

"The alter of Tuul! Kenia exclaimed, however as they reached the ruins of the bridge and started looking for a way across the lava bubbled up and suddenly exploded scattering everywhere. Aleoric's mastery of fire allowed him to easily deflect the splashes of molten rock as they landed. Giant stalactites on the roof of the carver, formed over millennia fell down, several crashing down around them, one landed laying over forming a bridge to the second island.

However, the adventurers eyes were focused on what had sprung out of the lava, the familiar and hated form of the chaos dragon. "Well, well, well. Look what we have here, my favourite adventurers. Hi Jarus you family says 'ahh! no please don't ahhhgggghhhhh'."

The pony's eyes went wide as he put two and two together, "you killed them? WHY?!"

"Why? Why?" Crowed the dragon with a sadistic smile on his face. "Because I could, because the deal you made for your wish gave me the power. After all the only way to ensure you never go back to your family is too ensure you have no family to go home too." The dragon began to laugh as the pony's tears began to fall. "Oh it was so wonderful, so few of the wishes allow me to really get my claws bloody, but your's oh it was delicious and you have... sorry had such a big family too. So many ponies so much ash."

Aleoric stepped forward with a deep growl he demanded, "Why have you come here beast, none of us will ever make another deal for a wish from you?"

"Oh I'm not here to trade wishes, I am here to ensure a deal I made and a wish I granted is not broken." The dragon said with a chuckle landing between the group and then he turned to face then. "Haven't you figured it out yet, a few year or centuries ago, us immortals never pay attention to that sort of detail, another band of adventurers came looking for Kafta. Their leader, a rather dashing Naga, very similar to your former friend, where is he by the way, dead? What a pity, I was hoping to get to kill you all."

At those words the group pressed close together weapons drawn as Aleoirc prepared some defensive spells. The dragon just chuckled at their fear, "well Runo's dad really wanted to find this alter and he made a wish, I had to raise this entire sunken city out of the ground and well, long story short he got his wish. To pray at the alter of Tuul and live forever, all it cost him was the life of one of his own children every ten years. Of course you are here to stop that, which is wonderful because to defend the deal I get to be corporeal for a time, just long enough to kill you all, come forth my little pets your dinner is here."

From the lava some small shapes sprung forth, they burned with heat and glowed as the walked. Less than a meter tall with horns, vaguely humanoid but walking on all fours like an ape. Aleoric recognised them from books he read at the guild. "Fire imps!"

"Of course before you can eat your dinner it must be cooked!" The dragon said and from his mouth a huge blast of fire erupted hurtling towards the group. Aleoric had been preparing for the attack and before the spout of fire could land he summoned forth a ball of lava blocking the first blast, the flames doing nothing to the ball but warm it slightly. As the fire imps began to walk over towards them the bear fashioned the ball into a dome, providing a brief defence while they planned quickly.

"We have to move fast, my magic can keep this lava up and it will hold the dragons fire and imps at bay. However, it won't be long before we cook." Aleoric informed the others, although the heat beating down on them would have been enough for the other two to figure that out.

"Drop the wall! I need to destroy the alter for Runo," Kenia demanded.

"We need a plan first, the dragon is corporeal now," Aleoric replied quickly adding, "Which means we can fight him, but he can kill us. I think my magic can hold him at bay, but I doubt I can hurt him, fire against fire stalemate. We need a magic weapon to pierce his hide. The fire imps are not so bad, just make sure they don't touch you they are born of lava after all, chopping off their head is the only way to kill them."

"My halberd might do, None was a demi god after all," the pony advised as he waved the halberd a little.

"I'm going to destroy that alter, don't care what you plan I need to do this for Runo," Kenia's eyes were serious as he looked at the other two, gripping his sword tighter.

"Look, one of us needs to hit the alter, one needs to distract the dragon and the other needs to take out those imps. My fire magic means the imps and the dragon are not going to find it easy to hurt me." Aleoric explained rapidly as the heat inside the bubble became unbearable.

"You guys deal with the dragon and the imps I am going to destroy that alter," replied the single minded fox. "It's all I cre about."

OK last vote and as such it's a special one there is a vote for each character and let me just say there is the possibility of death for each character and all three combined. For each character there is a right answer i.e. they get out unscathed a slightly wrong answer that will hurt them, or a totally wrong answer that will probably kill them. Please vote by commenting below and giving the actions for all three characters. As this is the last vote and the next section will the final even the bear can die if the wrong option is given. You can send two people to the same task and leave one unfishinsed, although note you only control Aleorics innstructions you cannot control

_ _

Aleoric

A destroy alter

B fight the dragon

C hold the imps at bay

_ _

Kenia

A destroy alter

B fight the dragon

C hold the imps at bay

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Jarus

A destroy alter

B fight the dragon

C hold the imps at bay

_ _

Thank you all for reading and supporting this text adventure.