FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

It was a dark and stormy night, with howling winds and arcs of red lightning flashing through the air. Xzabros, one of the Demon Lords of Plague was attacking the city of Seyana, which surrounded the castle. His intentions seemed to be purely that of destruction and conquer, and so the royal family had their best warriors out fighting the worst of the demonic scum.

Malena Vazin was one of those on the field, a part of the royal family herself, she was a princess who chose the route of force when growing up, learning many combat skills that assisted her in combating such creatures. Some of her strongest talents were in the mystical powers she held over Flames and Storms.

Dressed in one of her battle gowns, which allowed her legs their mobility, Malena entered the city square with a group of elite guards. "Remember boys, the civilians are priority, but don't hesitate to send these demon scumbags back where they belong!"

After the guards' acknowledgement, a series of screams were heard from different directions. She was quick to order the elite to split up, taking just one along with her as she headed down one of the alleys and towards one of the markets, quite confident in her abilities. Her beautiful red high heel slippers seeming not to hamper her movements as she dashed out across one of the muddy cobblestone roads, littered with overturned carts and stands, damaged goods, and broken bodies. A pair of demons was there, advancing on a frightened woman and child they had cornered.

Malena didn't wait to act, as she went right into a charge. "I'll take the ugly one!" She called back to the guard as she leapt at the demon and pulled back one of her fists. Fire coiled around it in a swirling pattern before she launched it into a strong strike into the side of the demon's bony head. She took a strong martial stance soon after hitting the ground, and flicked her shoulder-length pink hair back with a quick jerk of her head.

The demon staggered back a moment with a rolling hiss. It had crimson flesh, dotted with gnatted black fur and putrid green sores, and long bleached bone claws. It stared at her from unseen eyes within empty sockets from a boney skull with a long beak-like shape. Black smoke rose from its nostrils as it dug its claws into the ground, the leapt at her.

She blocked a pair of blows, knocking away his swinging claws with her wrists, which were only protected by long rose-colored silken gloves. She quickly struck the creature's chest, causing it to stumble back again. With the time she bought, she circled her arms to build up magical energy, narrowing her eyes at the demon. With a shout, she launched into a double open-palm attack on its chest, and let out a powerful burst of electricity. The burst lit the demon up as the energy bounded between the water coating its flesh, and causing it to howl loudly in agony. Black burn marks surfaced fast as it arched its back, and convulsed in a wretched display.

The successful attack let Malena drive a powerful kick into its head, cracking its skull and throwing it to the ground on its back. Its black ichor began to pour from the wound at the back of its skull, and no sooner did it hit the mud the beast burst into gouts of green flame. Covering her face, some of the fires licked at her and caught part of her free flowing tabard on fire.

As soon as she realized the fire spread to part of her outfit, she let out a distressed whine and tore away the front piece of the red tabard from her blue skirt, hurling it to the ground where it would burn up on its own. "Demon fires..." she sneered, and looked around. Watching the progress of the elite who was with her, he was in a lock of strength with the foul creature.

She turned on her heels and was about to move when more creatures arrived. These ones were larger, more muscular, with more etched skull features, horns, and large sore-ridden wings. One of the two pointed its meaty hand at her as red eyes lit up. "It's the princess!"

"A fine prize to bring to Prince Xzabros!" The second one chuckled before he reached into his stomach and with a loud groan pulled out a black bladed broadsword, dripping with his own blood.

Retaking her combat stance, she wore a look of disgust. "Foul creatures... I'll see you all sent back in bags myself if I have to!" Her fists shook a bit, as she found it difficult to take her eyes off of their gruesome features.

The first demon grinned, then wretched his head backwards, suddenly jerking it towards her and launching a large mass of black goo. A substance she barely rolled out of the way of, as some of the viscous substance caught her blue skirt, and she could smell the burning fibers as it quickly ate the fabric away. Her eyes went to see the broken hole for just a moment before she lifted her arms and summoned flaming swords from her hands, using them both to block a heavy swing at her head.

As the other demon's charge ended he pushed down on her with his heavy broadsword, chuckling deeply in amusement. Blood dripped down from the blade onto Malena during their lock, staining her red chest plate, her white stockings, and worst of all... some of it was getting on her left slipper.

She grunted as her leg started getting stiff, but she let out an almost feral growl, giving away a little of her draconic heritage as she pushed upwards and swung with both blades, shoving the large demon back, and searing one of his arms with a black burn mark.

That's when the elite leapt in to help her. Just having finished with his mark, he threw himself at the large demon, thrusting his own blade into the dark creature's stomach.

As black blood poured to the ground, the demon grabbed the elite by the arm and growled, "Your puny metal will not be my end." With his other hand, he slammed the pommel of his blade into the elite guard's face with his fist, and with another punch he dropped the guard to the ground.

Malena staggered a little towards the demon before rolling at him and twisting to throw her fist into his stomach. Landing her punch right next to his wound, she sent out another high burst of electrical power into the creature's stomach.

The sword already imbedded in the beast conducted the lightning power, and threw the creature into a full out seizure. It convulsed forward and wretched, as its stomach contracted, and Malena suddenly found herself covered in the same black ooze she tried to hard to avoid earlier.

Realization quickly hit her as she watch with blue eyes as the demon fell and started to catch with green fire. She could smell the burning of her own flesh from the acid of the creature as it ate through her clothes, and onto her skin. Pain made her shout, but as the acid ate away at her dress and her shoes, her legs suddenly fell bow-legged and limp as she collapsed in the mud with much of her bare flesh now exposed to the rain. Had she been any normal human, she would have been eaten alive by the acid, but her draconic background was what kept her alive... though not by much. The acid ate away at her flesh, and her blood boiled out from the open wounds. It rolled down her body, staining what little clothes she still had left, and mixing with the water on the ground.

She saw the other demon coming towards her as she felt her power draining from the healing after the acid bath, and as he lifted her over his shoulders with a heavy laugh, things went dark for Malena.

Malena had strange dreams while she was out. At first there was nothing, but then there she was, venturing through a familiar forest, and into a familiar cave. There she found a distressed faerie and saved him from a spider! Then it was that same faerie who turned it right around and cursed her. Talk about grateful... to curse a little girl like that.

As her dreams faded out, she could hear someone talking nearby. It wasn't a language she could understand, but sounded more like a series of fiery exclamations mixed with the dull grinding of stone. She stirred and felt a wall with her one hand, and slowly sat up with her back against it. Opening her eyes wasn't as painful as expected, as she saw her surroundings, barely lit with muted grey tones. She was in an alcove that was built of black stone, left there unbound... unclothed. Her legs were bent along the floor like spaghetti noodles, lame and useless.

Nearby was the demon that captured her, speaking to a much larger demon. This one was around nine feet tall, with black muscular flesh and gnatted orange fur, and a crown of five horns upon his bleached bone skull. As he dismissed the demon talking to him, he turned to look at Malena and stared at her with four smoldering eye sockets. His massive feet thumped on the rocks as he approached her, speaking in a deep, commanding, and gravely tone. "Princess! Always a pleasure to have mortal royalty visiting my castle."

"Visiting?!" She spat as she held herself up with one arm, covering her chest with the other. "You've brought me here against my will!" She huffed in distress and shifted on her rear, though her legs wouldn't respond. "How do you call this visiting?" Then she paused and narrowed her eyes at him. "You must be Prince Xzabros."

He chuckled and approached her, opening a hand to her cheek. She growled as he stroked her face with the back of his knuckles. "You're correct, Princess." His hand slid down to her shoulder, and she moved away from it. "I'm not the unreasonable, foul, carnage-intentioned beast that your people make me out to be." His hands folded behind his back as he turned his back on her, pacing the room a little. His black wings folded neatly at his back, and his long spiked tail scraping the floor as he moved. "In fact, I'm open to negotiations."

"Negotiations?!" She turned her head away and sneered. "Your demon soldiers were murdering my people and burning their homes. I suppose confusing kidnap with negotiating is not out of the question for you."

He chuckled at her wit and looked upon her, clenching one of his fists as he mused. "By playing repeat what he says you've misjudged me." He stood before her, towering in his stance as he revealed his plot to her. "Luring you out and bringing you back here was all a part of it. You see, as a Prince in my land, I am eligible to a Princess." He ran the back of his claws along his chest as he went on. "You, as a Princess, are much more than just that. In fact with your powers, physical and magical, you're more charming a prize than some glass woman I would need to protect on a shelf in a tower."

She shook her head defiantly. "You would never have me! What makes you think I'd go along with such a disgusting plot?" As she finished speaking, her stomach growled, betraying her need for food.

He turned back towards the doorway and clapped twice. Four of the wingless demons trudged in wearing dark green cloaks with Xzabros' crest upon the backs. With them, they carried platters of food. "Think of it, Princess. You could have two kingdoms beneath your heels. Your people would be safe... perhaps even protected by that which they fear."

She failed to look away as the demons laid out trays of cooked meats, well basted in herbs and sauces before her, steaming hot. The smell only made the pain of hunger worse. "A kingdom of humans under the control of a demon who would eventually become King! I would never allow that to happen."

He snickered and rolled his neck as he turned back to look at her. "Of course. That's why I decided to make it interesting." With that he knelt down to her level and got close enough to her that she could smell the smoldering acidic fumes that escaped through his nostrils. "This is a game, and here are my rules. If you can escape my realm standing , then I will leave your kingdom alone, and you will be free... never to hear of me again." He turned and snapped his fingers as another pair of servant demons rolled out one of her chests from the castle. "We brought many of your clothes... and you can dress... you can wear any of them." He turned back to her as he tilted his head and ran his hand back through her hair. "However... if you run out of your entire wardrobe before you escape, you will marry me."

Her nostrils flared at the insulting scent as she squinted. "What if I refuse to play your game?"

He stood back up and spread his wings. "If you refuse or die, then I shall send my forces back into your world, and turn your castle to rubble!" He raised his fists into the air, then spread his hands and wiggled his fingers as he brought them down. "It shall be a rain of blood, washed in a river of your very own tears... unless you're dead."

She almost choked on the idea. She knew that the number of demons that attacked the castle the night before was only a display, and they alone would have been able to destroy the city of Seyana with sickness. Simple carnage wasn't the main strength of a Prince of Plague... and even now she worried what sort of aftermath was left behind. "You are putting a lot on my inability to leave."

He chuckled and held up a finger. "One more condition, then! Every time you are caught... I shall get to have my way with you however I see fit for a while."

She sneered... "disgusting!"

He ran a claw down his chest with a slow rumbling growl, then slid the pointed bone along the outer casing of armored belt. "You have no idea." With a slow nod, he put his hand on the wall beside her head as he leaned in and spoke lower. "So... do we have a deal?"

She swallowed hard and narrowed her eyes. "I don't have a choice..." except to win, she thought. "I accept your silly game." He slowly stood back, nodding slowly in response. As he gave her room, she leaned forward and grabbed one of the trays, sliding it loudly across the floor towards her, as her stomach continued to complain.

"Good..." He turned and stepped away. "While you're here in the castle, we'll call that... your safe zone from capture." He holds out a hand as he dictates. "You'll have your own chambers... which have already been prepared... and you'll have two personal servants that will follow you to the main doors, but not beyond."

She tore off a leg of the roasted boar she had before her. "Why would you do that? Seems like you want to give me better odds." She shook her head a bit in confusion, then bit into the juicy meat. It had been basted in a delightful mixture of sauce, herbs, and spices.

He waved a hand as most of the lesser demons left, and only two were still there. "Cestus and Katar will be at your beck and call. Except when I have you... of course." He took a slow breath and turned to the demons. "You two, see that she eats and then drag her to her room. I have a wedding to plan... so don't interrupt me until she makes a run for the gate and then gets caught."

As he was walking, she swallowed what she had quickly to get out a question; "Gate? Where's the gate?"

He paused, and pointed out to one of the castle windows. "Beyond the castle... beyond the grounds... through the demon badlands... there's the World Gate." He turned back towards her with a chuckle. "My dear, I suggest you just get used to the kindness of my accommodations. Lest you learn just how unforgiving the Netherworld... and yours truly... can be."

She glared as he left the area she was in. The two demons stood not far before her, and she took a moment to examine them. Both were the same kind of beak-headed plague demons that invaded her kingdom. One of them wore a black suit with a dark green tie and undershirt. The other demon was wearing a maid's uniform, also in the black and dark green combination. Malena points at them one after another as she gives out a pair of commands. "I need a pair of my high heel shoes... and some silverware."

After eating, her obedient but otherwise mute servants showed her to her room. It was a grand bedroom, definitely befitting royalty of the Netherworld variety. The bed posts were made of black bone spines with crowning thorns at the tops, with a silky dark green screen around the bed, which had a lighter green tone for sheets and pillow cases. Much of her wardrobe was collected, and piled carelessly in a massive walk in closet. What she was first most interested in was the en suite. The massive bathroom attached to the bedroom had a spa quality tub.

After ordering the two demons to leave her for the night, she filled the tub with hot, sudsy water. Malena sat on the edge, and slid off her high heel shoes. Shedding the towel she slipped into the tub and let her mind wander as the oils in the water massaged her skin. She let out a long sigh of relief as she soaked, and laid her head back, soaking her hair in the water.

As her arms hung over the sides of the tub, she reflected on the events of the day. Mostly the food... which was the only good part of the experience. Captured by a demon Prince who wanted her as his wife was pretty close to the bottom of ways she wanted her life to end up. Her only worse option was death, which would then result in the destruction of her own kingdom... and nobody would be happy with that option.

After her deep soaking in the tub, she wrapped herself in a fresh towel and tied her high heels back on. With herself partially covered now, she went to her over-sized walk-in closet. Her dresses were scattered around with reckless abandon and no means of organization or sorting.

She started to sort her dresses... her skirts... her shirts. She neatly folded her own gloves and rested them by color in her chest of drawers. Along the way she had dressed herself in a set of white underwear, and a silky red night gown. Most importantly, she gathered up her stunning array of beautiful high heel shoes, slippers, and boots.

It took her hours to sort things, but since eating, she was healing up much quicker. Though, as the hours passed by, she noticed that the sky in the Netherworld didn't seem to change much. She stepped out onto a black stone balcony and rested her hands on the railings, looking off into the distance. Down from the castle there was a large courtyard with a barracks installment and an awfully large area that was built for public humiliations. Beyond that was a grim city of crooked buildings and black smoke rising from chimneys. Beyond that, she could see the craggy rocks of the mountainous terrain beyond, which led into a red mist that was like some kind of magical miasma. She sighed, thinking out-loud, "The demonic badlands..." resting her chin upon the palm of one of her hands, "I'm sure I'll find some way to conquer them."

Turning back towards her closet, she went back into the bedroom. "I swear... I'll find a way out before my wardrobe is completely gone." Having gone through them all, she estimated she had a good eighty dresses anyway. So what if they were the only ones she could choose from, it was still a pretty good number.

Finally, she flopped into the bed. The sheets were silky soft, and the pillows made of down. Her last thought of the night wondering how such a foul creature could have acquired such luxuries.

After a strangely peaceful night of rest with a relatively full stomach, she awoke and stretched. Looking out her window, she saw the same skyline she saw when she went to sleep. Not even marks in the hazy red sky to guide anyone in a specific direction. Lazily turning her head towards the door, she jumped a bit as there, standing silently next to her bed, was one of her servants. Dressed in the maids outfit, the demon kept her hands clasped behind her, watching Malena in an expectant manner.

Malena put her hand on her chest and took a deep breath. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" After a pause, she rolled her eyes. "Are you Katar or Cestus?"

The demon lifted her hands and made a curved shape in the air with her forefingers, which at first confused Malena. It took a few tries before she realized the demon was shaping the weapon she was made from in the air.

"Castus! Alright, well I need you to get me breakfast." She slid to the edge of the bed and began to tie on a pair of her pretty high heels. "A lot of breakfast." With a grunt, she stood from the bed and stretched. "Or send Katar. I'll want to get dressed as soon as possible." While speaking, she made her way to her walk-in closet and threw open the doors.

Cestus bowed low and leaned out the door of the chamber a moment. Malena didn't hear the Cestus speak, but she came back not long after opening and closing the door.

Malena hummed lightly as she eyed her demon servant. "You told Katar to get me a big breakfast?" Cestus nodded quickly, and Malena shrugged gently, turning to go through her sorted dresses. "While going through these I found a few more battle gowns. I'll need to be at my best..." she mused, going through the rack. "None of my armor pieces were brought back, but I guess that just means I need to not get hit."

After going through her outfits for a little while, she decided on one of her old training gowns from her lessons as a battle mage. She had a thigh-long blue skirt which was split at the front. Her legs were covered in white tights, and she had on a pair of lovely blue heels with long laces that went up her calves. She had on a sleeveless red blouse that had the symbol of her school depicted on a hanging tabard that came from the stomach and extended down between her thighs. She also had on a pair of white gloves that went up past her elbows, and a half-length sky blue cloak with a string tie and a hood.

Taking a final moment to re-adjust her bra, she put on a pair of glasses that were included in her chest and smirked. These are the enchanted ones she thought to herself. Then she turned to Cestus and asked; "How do I look?" As the demon responded by cocking her head to the side, Malena huffed and picked up a brush from her chest of drawers, running it through her hair. "Expecting a demon to have a sense of style is a waste."

Suddenly, her bedroom doors burst open, and Katar came leading a long cart being pushed by two other demons. It was stacked with delightful breakfast dishes. Malena nodded and approached the cart, and smirked. "Aww, you remembered to bring me utensils this time. What quick learners you demons can be."

After eating the hearty breakfast, she had Katar lead her to the gates of the castle. It was a long walk down from where she was. Her room was situated on the 12thfloor of a 14 floor castle that towered above the land with black stone work and dark peaks. Through the dining hall and the entry way was the courtyard, where she passed the barracks. Sneaking a peek in on it, she saw many demons training. It was no surprise to her to find that the larger demons were the regular soldiers in this army... not the lesser demons, like the servants she had.

As she started out the large metal gates, Katar stopped short of the drawbridge, merely standing, and bowing lightly. Malena turned to face him for a moment and nodded. "Right, you can't follow me beyond the gate." She sighed lightly and waved at the demon. "Well goodbye. You won't see me again, because I... won't be getting caught again." She was resolute in that fact, but inside she had a few doubts about it. Escaping the Netherworld that sprawled before her was a seemingly difficult task, but... the alternative was too disgusting to imagine.

Crossing the drawbridge, she strolled leisurely down the path to the city of demons that sat at the base of the craggy mountain the castle was built upon. She could see the looming silhouettes of the demonic watchers on either side of the mountainous pathway. Just the knowledge they were staring down at her made her uneasy... but since they weren't making any moves to catch her, she eventually calmed as she came towards a large black archway made of large draconic rib bones. A faint cobblestone path of mixed stone colors went through the archway, and into an oddly mixed up city. The houses were mostly stone built, but made of a lighter grey, as opposed to the obsidian black stones used for the castle. Some were built with wooden logs and red clay mortar. Houses that did have roofs were often covered by stretched skin or leather canvas. She imagined it didn't rain much in the Netherworld.

As she made her way into the city it seemed far too quiet. Nobody was on the street but her, and she could even hear one of the doors creak open. Standing at an intersection she raised a brow and turned about, surveying her surroundings. With a gust of wind, a paper fluttered by her, and she was quick to snatch it up.

"WANTED: PRINCESS MALENA VAZIN

DEAD OR ALIVE: 8,000 HL"

Her face went pale as she read the posted. On it was a non-flattering sketch of her face, and she quickly crumpled it up and threw it to the side. Upon looking around, she noticed that demons had come from hiding. She was surrounded by hideous beasts of all sorts, and she huffed heavily as she took a defensive stance, slowly turning as her eyes went from one demon to the next, ready for any movement. "You want me? You'll have to take me down, first!"

The demonic crowd let out a rolling series of growls and roars as they rallied. A pair dashed into the center; scrawny demons with spears that they thrust at Malena. Their form was no match for hers, and she took the end of the spear the one was holding, and yanked it towards the other, smoothly moving barely out of the way of the blade.

As she pulled them together, the head of one spear met the throat of the demon, who stumbled when he was yanked and ended up impaled through the neck. Blood spurted from the back of his neck, and the black ichor ran down his grey scaly back. The other demon found himself grappled around the side by Malena, and pulled in until he found a spear thrust into his stomach. She then bashed him in the chest and knocked him back to the ground, leaving a strand of his intestines connecting from his open abdomen and the tip of the spear.

She ripped the spear free as another demon came rushing at her, swinging two swords downwards at her. She parried upwards with the shaft of the spear, and knocked the swords clear just long enough to launch herself at the creature. This one a more stout, bulky looking demon, her foot lit with a swirling flame as it sped through the air, connecting with the side of his jaw. She heard a loud crunching sound, and saw his teeth fly from his mouth, staggering him back. She moved into a flurry of strikes, hitting him in the face and the chest, and sending him stumbling back until he fell at the feet of a much larger demon.

This one loomed above the crowd, and growled deeply. Malena backed up as she tried to size up the massive beast. He was muscular, with red flesh, and three eyes. Two of them seemed closed, or squinted very tightly, but the third was a large red eye in the middle of his head. She leapt at the demon, and sent flaming spirals shooting in all directions as she slammed her fist into his chest... but it felt like punching steel!

He grabbed her leg with one of his massive hands and swung her down into the ground so hard it upset the cobblestone around her, and made her cry out in pain from the impact. She laid there for a moment in shock from the pain, as she saw the creature raise a massive morning star, poised to strike and silhouetted against the crimson sky...