FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

A week after Casdey's adventure with us on the planet with the desert elves, she was still dreadfully scared of her fortune telling. She would not dare approach any of the Hunted unless I was near her or I insisted, because she held me to my word. This resulted in a strange event where Casdey actually hid under her bunk when Draco popped in to ask her something while I was in the food store. Draco had found her under the bunk, but didn't try and pull the squirrel out by force. That would have resulted in her panicking and lord's know we didn't need that.

Alecto was still impersonating me at my planet, answering all my phone calls and convincing all the people coming to my house that I was struck with the nasty bug still. Ryan Lewis was also there quite often, he would give reports on my supposed condition to my bosses at work. He didn't have a teleporter yet, but Gareth did so he would normally get a teleport to Central with the fox. Normally I would do that, Ryan liked to hold my hand during teleportation, for it was still an unpleasant sensation.

But Draco came into mine and Casdey's room on the Saturday morning. Casdey was getting more worked up every week towards the potion being ready, she was utterly convinced one of us would kill her as soon as I had regained my body, and not all the pleas to the negative would persuade her.I certainly wouldn't, and I could make all but Esme and Mendra not do so, and I could try and persuade even them.

"Morning Alduin, Casdey."

I waved from my top bunk, Casdey shrunk away from the dragon.

"We're going to a new planet, so if Alduin's coming, could he say?"

"Casdey?" I looked over the bunk at the squirrel.She mulled over it, and nodded. She took up her staff, and fixed her little pieces of ornament while I got down from the bunk. I waited til she had the world sorted to her approval, and then walked into her. She briefly resisted, she never liked the idea of me taking control, and then shifted aside.I nodded at Draco, and we walked towards the main hall. It was surprisingly packed, and Silverine looked around at the crowd.

The rest of our team was there, and they looked up as we came in. Silverine shook himself.

"I still cannot get the hang of Alduin not being a six foot human."

"One more week, Silverine, count the days."I replied.

"At any rate," Silverine began," the planet you are heading to is uncharted. There are no scans or anything, so you'll have to teleport blind again.Who wants to ping?"

"I do."I replied.

"That might be slightly difficult." Simba replied, looking at me. Blast, I had no teleporter.I had forgotten. Draco took pity on me, he must have caught a side long glance at my expression.

He grabbed my hand, and hit his teleporter. After a little more than 37 seconds, we slammed into hard and rocky ground.There was no path, nothing but uneven rock. I looked up.

The blood red sky suggested sunset.The rock was dark red and iron rich.They were jagged and cruel.

"Ah, my sort of terrain." Casdey said with a smile,"All we need is a ramshackle hut with a evil harlot inside, I would feel completely at home."

"You speak for yourself." I said, as Draco planted a scanner on the rock. I took up my staff, and bounded up a couple of rocks to get a view from a higher vantage point.

The entire landscape was the same. It just extended to the horizon, more sharp rocks, crevasses and steam rising.This place was volcanic, and it put me the idea that this was as close to Hell as you could get without dying and going there. There was a small cave which steam issued from, and by listening hard I could hear the high pitched shrieks of cackling creatures. I was thinking of imps or goblins. Draco crested the rise and stood next to me.

"I don't really think much of this place." he said, a tad unnecessarily.

"That's not what Casdey thinks." I replied, and pointed at the cave."The locals appear to live in there, underground.What do you think they are?"

Draco listened."I wouldn't wager a guess yet, but I don't think they are nice."

"Casdey likes them, of course not." I replied, and got a growl in my ear from the squirrel.

Javid, Salbar and Simba arrived, and I began to work a path towards the cave. Slipping was out of the question, I would be torn to shreds on the rock.But Casdey was actually a good climber, and I sure footedly made my way towards the cave. It was built into a small hill, but descended rapidly into the earth.

The entrance was actually two metres tall, and the very top issued the smoke. I got to this forbidding cave first, and after a second's hesitation, walked into the gloom. It was eerily lit from both red sky and flickering light from down the passage. It curved around in a spiral underneath me, and I heard my companions follow me.

"This is possibly stupid." Javid suggested.

"I am prepared for anything." Salbar replied, drawing his magical swords.

Draco said nothing.The temperature was actually quite hot to begin with, and as we descended almost fifty metres it got really hot.

All of us were sweating when we came to end of the spiral, and immediately stood in a huge chamber.

Calling it a chamber, well, it was, technically. It was thirty metres high in the centre.Down the middle ran a firm and beaten track, but either side were dozens of levels of intermingling and changing sizes. Bubbling rivers of water (giving it the best of it), ran along these levels, and along the track either side. Steam rose from every crack and rivulet, and in the centre was a large pool that the track circumnavigated.

But all this geological study was soon put out of my mind because of the horrid little creatures that were everywhere. Almost two hundred or so, they were nasty beasts. They stood about a metre in height on their back legs, except they hardly ever did that, preferring to scamper on all fours. They were emaciated and bony, covered with leathery skin that had scars criss crossing everywhere. Their faces were warty and pale, their over large eyes staring at us in a manner of wickedness and glee. All their teeth were bared in a smile, but none of these impish creatures ever had the same amount. Just before they all turned and saw us, they were cheering in their foul shrieks two combatants near the pool.

Then one of them spotted us, and gave a cackling laugh and they all turned, nudging one another, staring at us with malice. Draco scowled, and looked around at the horde of creatures. The impish chatter was discernible through the translators, although I will refrain from saying some of the more explicit stuff that was passed.

"What is they?"

"They looks good, are they nice to eat?" one suggested.

I deliberated briefly on whether to blast this one for his impudence, and held my fire, for now.

"What's do they want?" another asked, and Draco spoke in Draconic.

"These are the peasantry, I can only presume that there is a leader somewhere here."

"Why not ask where?" I looked."They may be many, but I doubt they would be foolish enough to attack. These ghouls would be glad to misdirect us, glad to see us suffer, but they wouldn't take us on."

"Good point, Alduin." Simba nodded. Draco turned back to the assembled creatures.Some were clinging to rocks on the higher levels, there was no actual cluster to aim a question at, so Draco just looked once more, and then shouted.

"Take us to your leader, creatures!" he bellowed. His voice brought dust from the roof in the echoes, and the imps shivered. They seemed slightly scared of this tall creature with the loud voice. One of them leapt down from the nearest level, and made a clumsy half bow on all fours.

"You want to see the master?" he asked.

"I do." Draco confirmed, his arms folded, staring the creature down. The imp seemed slightly nervous, as if the idea of his master scared him.

"Follow me." he announced, and then turned around and scampered down the path. Draco kept his sword in it's sheath, which is more than can be said for Salbar,Javid walked with fully loaded rifle, Simba looked calm, and I had my staff out. There was jeering, shrieking, mocking calls directed at the five of us. A rock came flying at Javid, but the wolf was faster.

The crack of his rifle occurred at the same moment the rock was blasted to gravel. He reloaded, while I aimed my staff at the rock I thought it had come from. No more rock was forth coming, and the creatures seemed slightly petrified, the sound of the gunpowder crack causing them to freeze like rabbits.

We came to the pool, and at the far end I could see the path resume towards another cave. One side was smoother than the other, but the imp lead my companions over the more marshy looking direction. I was third in line, and I decided to follow the safer looking ground. Simba and Javid stopped, looking at me breaking rank and both imp and Draco looked at me as I walked primly across the smooth road going the other way.

"No's!, don't goes that's way!" the imp shrieked, as two leapt from their rocks and stood defiantly in front of me. I lifted my staff, and the end began to glow black. I stared directly at the first imp, and fired a burst of black light at him. He was struck by it, and he gave a screech of terror, leaping from rock to rock like a monkey, running away. The second lunged at me, and I grabbed his arm, and flung him like a hammer into the steaming water. He landed in there with a splash. Simba jogged after me.

"Is this entirely wise, Alduin?"

"Never stray off the beaten path, Simba."I replied, just as five of these evil creatures leapt at me from the rocks. They grabbed hold and tried to pull me down. They had stunted claws, and I yipped in pain. Simba had to deal with three of his own.I rolled out of Casdey's body as she went down to the ground, and there were cries of alarm as everyone saw me. Three imps broke off Casdey and launched at me, the first met an invisible hand and was tossed into the water, the second launched straight through me and landed in a heap on the ground. One attacking Casdey was likewise thrown into the water by my levitate spell, and the last Casdey pushed away and then vaporised with a dark orb spell. There was a high pitched screech from the imp as he was scattered to all four winds.

"Well done Casdey, now can I come back in?" I nodded at her.

"No, if more of these devils intend to attack, than I want to be in full control."

"One spell at us, however, and you will pay for it." I warned. She just huffed, turned and continued along the path. I walked across the surface of the water, Simba walked with Casdey asking her about the spell she had cast, and Javid followed Simba. The imp looked terrified, and Salbar turned and followed Javid. Draco shrugged and pushed the imp with his boot, saying in the usual Esperanto of languages that he was waiting. It skulked along the bank, and was not as firm as it looked, but Draco knew this, and began flying, hovering just above the ground.

It was not expecting this, but remained sullen in it's sulk as it got back to the path where it rejoined. There was howls of disgust from the creatures, obviously they had been expecting one of us to encounter trouble in the marshy ground, so they could jeer.

"If only I had my rocket launcher, I'd teach some of these bastards to respect us." I hissed, fuming inwardly.

"I will agree with that, they are scum, they give evil a bad name." Casdey replied, drawing herself up and smiling unpleasantly.

The inference was obvious, she wouldn't mind having an army of them under her command, but she was the most delightfully vicious creature here, and she enjoyed it. These imps were merely a nuisance, by themselves they weren't capable of hurting Draco or any of us seriously, but Casdey was enlivened by so much evil in the room and yet she was the strongest of the lot. Simba shifted to bionic form, although his fur hid most of the noticeable changes. Draco hissed, revulsion crossing his frame, and a flicker of flame singing the air in front of his mouth. Salbar was smiling, however. He had charged his swords with the air and the heat, he could create a serious fire tornado in here.

The imp crawled through to the cave, leading us to god knows where now. I followed directly behind Casdey, as she walked primly, in a sort of more eviler-than-thou way. Salbar's swords were glowing faintly with the power they had pulled from the world around. Simba was recording his opinions, and his scanner was recording data on the rock and the atmosphere. Draco drew his long sword and walked with it like a guardsman does with a rifle, over his shoulder.

After two minutes of walking, all light vanished.There was a cackle of laughter, and howls of derision.

"Alright, let's do this their way." Simba said, and soon his glowing shield erupted into life, the six by two foot shield lighting the place faintly.It was not enough to see more than a metre around the party. The imp had frozen in the pause of running away, and Draco grabbed it by the middle.

"You are not getting away that easily. Now take us to the master before I hurt you."

The small creature writhed helplessly in the dragon's hands, spitting defiance.

I walked past Draco.It was too dark to see within half a foot, but by looking directly down I could see where the path continued. I continued walking, as Simba's shield grew dim in the distance. It must have been some special nature of the gas, it happened quickly, I couldn't have walked more than twenty metres before it winked out. I walked another twenty metres, and found a crude door.It was large, thick, and made with rusted steel and wood. I walked straight through it.

It was a very small room compared to the earlier chamber and corridor. No more than ten by ten in size, and only three high, it contained very little. There was a bubbling pool in the centre, where a hunched figure sat, his legs dangling in the frothing water. A plank of wood in one corner served as a mattress of sorts, or so I would guess, and there was very little else. The figure was taller and broader than the imps, but it was too dark to see properly.He had his back to me, and had his head down, looking at the pool.

My slight glow must have alerted him, because he turned, and jumped to his feet. The creature was about seven feet in height, and completely black, right up to the point he burst into flame. The fire began around his feet, caressed his legs, chest, arms, head, until he was completely covered in this dark fire. Then I got a good look at him.

It was a devil all right. It looked vaguely reptilian, but two pointed horns curled behind him. They were not overly long, but looked imposing. His hands only had three fingers and a thumb, all with short stubby claws.A dark tail with a fork at the end swished back and forth, and his feet were more like hooves, even though they were wreathed in fire, which made it difficult to tell.

He looked at me in complete silence, the fire swirling around him. I looked at him thoughtfully, my hand on my chin. I had surprised him, that was true, should I make introduction first? Or was he about to ask me who I was and what was I here for?

The devil in question remained silent. He was slightly hunkered down, claws extended in attack, expecting me to lunge at him.

"You are in charge here?" I asked. My translator was no further use because I couldn't wear it, but being dead I now had a natural aptitude with language. Doubtless I would lose it when I regained my body, but for now it was handy.

"I am." it growled,"Which makes it more interesting you entered without me being aware."

"I shouldn't worry, I am incapable of harming you."

"Oh really?" the devil laughed, a curiously terrifying noise that echoed in the close confines of the room.

"I am merely here on a separate mission to find out about this place." I nodded, inclining my head a bit, but not so I couldn't see him.

"So your companions are as well?" the creature asked.

"This is correct."I said, and then added,

"If you knew we were coming, did you not think of meeting us in the great hall."

"I knew you were coming, and if you were truly interested in meeting me, you would come. I look into the pool, and see that they are coming to the door as we speak.Who is the female?"

"Casdey, she's an evil magician I have taken to possessing so I can perform bodily tasks."

"I like the sound of her, her spells are most impressive."

At that point there was a knock on the door, and the devil looked at the door. The entire door disintegrated at the glance, and in the flickering light from the demon flame, I could see the party and the imp looking in mild terror at this creature. Draco looked at me, and I shrugged. The demon spoke in a firm voice.

"Impling, go back to the chambers, I will deal with these creatures myself."

"Master?"

"I can devise any number of awful things for you personally if you don't." the demon said in the tone of voice. The imp fled, and Casdey smiled, familiar with this sort of thing.The door restructured as the demon glanced at it again, shutting us all in.

"Casdey, I was most impressed watching your aura and your spell in the chamber, why do you walk with these beings?"

Casdey scowled at me."This was not of my own wish, demon.These,ha'ak (I will not repeat the translation), took me from my own world." Draco carefully pretended he had not heard the rude word, but Salbar and Javid were not quite so patient, both scowled at hearing her describe them as such.

"Yeah, after I had stopped Mendra from torturing you." I looked up briefly, and Casdey hissed in fury. The demon smiled.

"I care not for your words, spirit. I don't care what circumstances arose that you helped her, I just want to know if she'd consider staying."

Casdey flushed, and looked at the demon in surprise. There was the quiet tinkle of weaponry behind her."My hand is forced." she whispered.

"I'm sure that hand could be changed." the demon looked at the dragon standing beside Casdey.

"Alduin requires her for a further week, after then she will be free to do as she chooses." the dragon stared right back.

"Free, with certain guidelines." the demon rasped.The fires flickered higher briefly in anger.

I stormed forwards, standing right in the devil's face.

"I saved her life, she can at least put up with me for another week. I furthermore said she would be unharmed afterwards, otherwise they would deal with me. Do you want to cross my word?"

"The word of a dead spirit?" the devil snarled.

"The word of Alduin Raptormaster!" I shouted," I am so inherently chaotic I have terrified all my friends, my companions and so many others. With the merest thought I have devised plans that have made people vanish to a fiery death, I am cold hearted and cruel. My word is not to be crossed."

"Alduin obviously wants a bigger hat." the demon retaliated.

"There are people who have been blown to their molecular components for less than that." I hissed,"I ordered none to touch Casdey, and no one has. Now if you insult me again, I will show you exactly what I am capable of."

The demon fell silent, he was obviously weighing up my threat.Then, like so many bullies in the world, he ignored it and spoke past me.

"Is this true, Casdey?One week?"

"Unfortunately." she scowled.

The demon thought on this.

"I would like to speak to Casdey privately, for half an hour. Then I will answer what questions of this world you care to ask. Then you can leave."

"What about Casdey?" Simba asked.

"I would have a request in return for the information I will give you. When Casdey is indeed, free, bring her back here."

Casdey was remembering her Tarot cards, but I turned to Draco.

"I can accept that, nobody crosses me and lives."

Draco chuckled with undisguised contempt for the demon's suggestion, but turned and walked out, the rest of the party in tow. I looked at Casdey, and then walked through the door just as she shut it.

As soon as it was shut, Simba smiled.

"That door has a magical spell on it, no one can here what goes on either side."

"Alduin, that was a most stunning display of bluffing on a weak hand." Draco smiled.

"I wasn't bluffing.It's a bad habit to try and bluff. I was completely serious about my intentions. I would guess this demon would have a queen in Casdey, and she is welcome to it, queen of a land of the damned. This place stinks to high mountain top, it stinks of evil, and that's obviously what they like in each other."

"I would agree on that." Salbar replied.

"As would I, now is Alduin game to check?" Javid asked. I smiled, and vanished.

"I'll take that as he is." the wolf added, as I walked through the door.

Casdey and the demon creature were sitting by the pool. Both had their feet in the water, and the demon was speaking.

"It pains me to see you walking with creatures so, so difficult. I am glad that you were kept alive, but surely they scare you, with their moralistic ways."

"I do not feel I would be harmed, yet. The spirit Alduin needs me too much, and the others follow him."

"And what of when he regains his own body?"

"You forget, he is a noble and reputable human." Casdey smirked as she gave the correct spin on the words," He will let me go, doubtless into a trap, and thus his order is neatly avoided. He wouldn't kill me, and his friends would not kill me, but he will find a way to dispose of me. My own Tarot cards tell me I am to die."

"No, I will not have it so."

"I drew the card of Death."

"No matter what record one has at fortune telling, they can always be wrong. If you stay with me, I would have you as my queen, and together we will rule this world. The creatures of the green lands not many miles from here live in fear of us, and we gain enough food to survive from there, you would have empires at your command."

Casdey was frankly flattered, I could see it in her expression. To rule this world, and to be married to him, it was a nice deal, even I would admit it.

"Don't mention those lands to the others, they would be protective, you know their ways."

"Hah!" the demon laughed," The peasants of my lands do not care for off worldly. I have practically corrupted the empire myself. This pool gives me the ability to come to the dreams of so, so many. They do not hate us, but rest assured they obey in pain of death. They would take a traitor and kill him themselves!"

"But why do that? Just let all those who are stupid and mindless to be brought here. I'm sure we can make good sport of them."

There are some worlds in the galaxy not even Alduin can cure, not with all the solinium nukes in the universe. The cities sounded like little more than orc towns, and this place was the dark tower of which they all paid tribute. The demon thought over Casdey's idea.

"I would enjoy that.I always like a good fight."

"I enjoy an unfair fight." Casdey replied, with a twinkle in her eye."There is nothing I enjoy than watching someone break, slowly, piece by piece."

O.K., Casdey can stay here for all I care. This rotten core of a world can just be left as it is. The demon looked at Casdey with a nasty smile, her thought obviously made him pleased with the possible wickedness they could manage.

"And those that don't break?"

"Kill them. It doesn't matter, it will all be the same in the end." the squirrel smiled, proffering a hand. The demon took it, and stared into the squirrel's eyes.

"You accept that you will be my queen?"

"As long as I survive this whole ordeal, I will be.And then we will enjoy ourselves in the most wicked ways we can come up with."

They were both unaware of my presence, to which I can only say thank god. The demon withdrew his legs from the pool, and passionately kissed Casdey. Hey, even the evil buggers do it well, I could have taken tips from this guy. Casdey withdrew her own feet, and allowed herself to fall onto the ground with the demon on top. The demon wore no clothes, the flame covered everything of importance normally, but his flaming hands removed Casdey's garments with little care. I noticed with interest that his fire could be used to burn and cinder, but when he chose to felt like no more than a hot air.

I leaned against the solid stone wall, listening for any more conversation, but also watching the scene in interest.While I was effectively good in Casdey's terms I couldn't think of a better match up, the evil squirrel and the demon lord. In fact, everyone would be happy. They would be, she wouldn't die so I would be. Silverine and company would be when she was gone, and Mendra and Esme would never have to set eyes on her, so they would be too. It was a win-win-win situation.

The demon's cock was revealed through the flame, fourteen inches of thick black hard flesh, and he immediately thrust it hard into her vagina. She gave a cry of pain, and immediately took hold of his back, pulling him deeper.

"Demon, what is you name?You never told us."

"My name, dear Casdey? It is Sharak.Sharak the Daemon lord."

"What a wonderful name!" she announced,"It sounds so evil by itself."

"I am evil." he laughed, and began thrusting hard and fast into her.

Casdey squirmed, in complete submission to the demon.

"You master me, Sharak." she cried.

"I haven't heard your pain, Casdey." he replied with a nasty grin."Although I wouldn't mind a bit of you mastering me, I like what I see."

"I would gladly, master.But you haven't hurt me."

The demon thrust hard, and by the looks of things, spread the fire across his cock, singing Casdey's intimate areas. She howled in anguish.Sharak continued the flame and she struggled under his grasp, and then Sharak stopped the flame from hurting her.

"But I don't want to hurt you, too much, Casdey." he smiled. She had tears pouring down her face, but she looked up in relief, and kissed Sharak again. The demon continued thrusting deep, refraining from burning her.Casdey moaned through the kiss, and I realised this would be a good time to leave. I walked through the wall, and appeared in front of the party. They started, and then relaxed, seeing me.

"Well, Alduin?"

"I am tempted to leave that magician here now, and be done with her."

"Really, what happened?"

"They want to rule their empire with her as his queen."

"Well, if she said yes, it gets her off our hands."

"She said more than yes, he's fucking her as we speak."

There was an outbreak of giggling from the party. Casdey and Sharak together, it was just a strange thought. But we agreed unanimously that we could leave Casdey here after I had regained my body.

"One evil turn deserves another." Javid smiled.

"Evil is as evil does." Simba added.

"And I'm sure Mendra would be relieved to have one less evil magician to deal with." Salbar suggested.

"I was thinking along the same lines." I nodded.

"The hard bit will be convincing Sharak that we're bringing Casdey back in a week." Draco sighed, despising the way evil people were so untrustworthy.

"Oh, Casdey still thinks her death is assured, but she always hoping, and I think Sharak thinks the same way.So we'll leave them to think what they will, and then next week arrive here. Does anyone mind leaving a scanner here?"

"I can do it." Simba nodded. We waited for the next fifteen minutes, laughing over matters, and then the door opened.