The Tale of Lasalem: Hoshi and Kara's beginning
"He'ssss very good masssster....I can sssseeee why you might have ssssome trouble with thisss one." said Vangol's loyal black serphent Nashi as he slithered silently up behind him.
Vangol, upon hearing his servant turned his head slightly away from the recording of his rival's previous fights to look at him with a single crimson eye, glaring coldly. "Nashi...do you mean to say that I am weak?"
Nashi, rather than be taken aback by his master's cold stare, utilized his usual blatant personality as he replied, "No my masssster....I mean to ssssay that he will become sssstronger..."
With a soft growl he turned back to face the screen without another word, his tail flicking agitatedly behind him. Nashi was right, Hoshi had much more potential than he did...and if he realized his powers...before long it would be all over.
"Damn him.....damn him to hell!" he growled, his paw clenching into fists so tight that he cut into his own palms with his razor sharp claws.
Nashi gently placed a scaled hand on Vangol's black furred shoulder, "Massster...if I could make a suggessstion.....what if we kidnapped....her."
"What are you babbling on about now Nashi...?" Vangol growled, not looking away from the screen this time, "Whom?"
Nashi shook his head and leaned close to his master so he could hiss into his ear, "Masssster....Hosssshi'sss sssweetheart....you know...."
"Kara! Hey Kara!" called Hoshi from down below Kara's bedroom window, "C'mon! We're going to be late!"
Kara had never been one to be on time for anything though, so he knew it was pointless. When they had been in the training academy together she had been voted most likely to be ready last, but first to get to where she was going. But, in light of that aspect about her, Hoshi loved her anyway. She had always been his princess who lived just acrossed the street from him. Letting out a soft sigh, Hoshi leaned up against the stone wall outside and closed those deep crimson eyes of his. He was a bit of an oddity in their town of Duballock. He had been the first, and only fox ever born with silver fur...and his mother died during childbirth. His father on the other hand had just mysteriously dissappeared one night, presumably to desert his responsibilities as a parent. But he had learned to get past all that as he was growing up, and was at peace with the facts. He was wearing his usual apparel of a black vest with gray lion's mane fur encircling either shoulder, a black belt and blue jeans with silver armor plating on the thighs and calves. As for his body itself, he had grey fur on the tips of his ears, and a patch of white fur in the shape of a slash acrossed his chest (An odd birthmark), a white tipped tail, and grey footpaws. Underlying the fur and skin, he had toned muscles, giving him an extremely lean and fit appearance...as he should have had, he was a freelance warrior after all. After a few more minutes time had passed, Kara poked her head out of the upstairs window and smiled down at him.
"Hey Hoshi! I'll be right down! I just finished getting ready!" she called.
"Yeah yeah Kara...just hurry! we're gonna miss our reservation at the Golden Chalice!" he called back up to her.
He saw her nod quickly before withdrawing her head, apparently to dart down the stairs. Kara had always been more of a rarity than an oddity like Hoshi was. She was the only arctic vixen currently living in Duballock. She had eyes that shone like sapphires and glistened whenever she talked with Hoshi. She had never been very big in the chest area, only a B cup at most, but her body had the flawless curves of a deadly Konoichi. After a few moments the front door burst open, and Hoshi caught a slight glimpse of her outfit before she dashed right past him...typical Kara. She was wearing tight fitting blue jeans and a high-cut tanktop of crimson that openly showed off her sexy belly, no the most inventive outfit for sure, but it suited her. Hoshi spun around like a dog on edge after chasing somone away and took off after her, his words floating up to her ears as they ran.
"H-hey! The least you can do is wait for me!!"
"Not a chance! I may make you wait, but I have no inclination to wait on you Hoshi!" she called back at him, sticking her tongue out playfully at him.
Hoshi gritted his teeth and sped up his pace just a bit, buildings and people flying by the both of them, mere blurs as they raced to keep their reservation. Hoshi had always been a faster runner than kara, even back in the old Academy days, so he quickly came up beside her and they returned grins to one another before turning their gaze forward again. It only took about 10 minutes to get to the Golden Chalice, and they weren't even out of breath as they walked in the front door. Inside, there was the usual crowd of people, all seated already and awaiting the sceduled entertainment for the night. The usher was at his tall stand, obviously annoyed at thier tardiness, but he motioned for them to follow him anyhow. He escorted them to thier table and pulled their chairs out for them, allowing them to sit before bidding them a polite farewell and informing them that thier waiter would be with them shortly. Once he was out of earshot, Hoshi grinned acrossed the table at Kara, and she flipped her long white hair out of her gorgeous blue eyes, returning his grin.
"You always do that you know? Nearly make us late then try to leave me behind in the dust."
"Yeah...pity it never works..." she teased.
"Umm yeah...ANYWAY.....how did your last job go? Did your employer pay you well?"
"Ehhh...it went alright I suppose...I probably could have gotten more than he gave me from anyone else...but i'm not complaining, 32000 Cenna is 32000 Cenna in my book." she replied, resting her cheek on her paw with a sigh.
"I hear ya..." he said with a smirk, turning his gaze to the stage for a moment, "Jesus....what on earth could be taking them so long?"
"Hell if I know...but I really don't care at the moment..." she replied, using her free paw to turn his head back to her as she gazed intently into his eyes and smiled seductively, biting her lower lip.
DAMN she always got him with that look! He could feel himself blushing softly as he leaned forwards and softly pressed his lips to hers. It was nothing compared to their normal kisses, but they were also in public so they didn't want to be discourteous to everyone else. Kara was the one to break the kiss, murring softly as she licked his nose.
"Oh Hoshi...it really has been too long since we've had some time to ourselves..."
She was right, it had been roughly two months since they had gotten a chance to settle down and spend quality time together.
"Yeah..I know what you mean darling...." he cooed back to her, taking her soft paw into his and gently covering it, and her forearm in butterfly kisses.
Kara was always amazed at how the little things he did seemed to turn her on the most...even just those many kisses to her paw made her want him so badly. She drew in a long, slow hissing breath through clenched teeth, her eyes closing softly.
"Oh Hoshiii....."
He would have continued a bit longer, but thier moment was cut short as the lights suddenly cut out, and a spotlight was placed upon the stage...something actually very uncustomary for such a high-class place as this. As their eyes adjusted to the new light, they saw a dark hooded figure take the stage, his face hidden in shadow, though a noticable grin was plastered acrossed his black muzzle.
"Ladies and Gentleman! I'd like to welcome you to the Golden chalice tonight....and I do hope the night has been satisfactory to you all......" the figure began, his grin only getting larger as he began to laugh maniacally, "Hehehehahahah, Because it'll be the last one you ever have unless you turn over the Lasalem to me right now!"
Just then a female scream was heard from acrossed the room as more dark figures could be seen surrounding everyone in the dim light. Surely these guys weren't serious? Besides, just what the hell was a Lasalem anyhow? Back up on the stage, the figure looked as if he were growing agitated as noone came forward with the so called "Lasalem". The next time he spoke, his voice was cold and hard unlike before.
"What?! Will noone step forward? I know you're out there O mighty Lasalem! Or perhaps you go by the name of legend....Albrech Toumei....the Silver One!"
"Silver one...?" Hoshi murmurred, "Surely he doesn't...?"
His thoughts were broken as somone grabbed him from behind and his world went black as he was blindfolded. He tried to struggle but to no avail...though he could hear Kara's muffled cries nearby...even though he was being moved, so apparently they wanted them both...? Just then a voice whispered into his ear.
"Keep silent if you value your life....Lasalem." the male voice said, "Those men are ruthless...they shall strike you down should they find you."
"But...but what about Kara?" he demanded back quietly, "What have you done with her?!"
"Fear not Lasalem...she is with us too." he replied as the apparently went through some door in the floor, "We are your allies, not your enemies."
It was then that the blindfold was removed from Hoshi's eyes and he noticed that they were in some kind of underground tunnel lit by lantern light.
"Where are we?" he asked, following his dark clothed rescuers, who all wore similar dark hooded cloaks to the man who had been on the stage, though thiers were marked with a rune of old which stood for "Defender".
"You are in the passageway that runs underneath Duballock, originally meant for the Marqui himself...but as of right now you are of higher importance than even he." the larger male replied.
Hoshi looked behind them and saw another large male carrying Kara. They had apparently had to knock her out because of her struggling. The thought filled him with a bit of rage, but he knew they had done it for their own good, so he couldn't complain about it. it did make him feel flattered however, at how much Kara cared for him. She had even nearly overpowered that large...lion? Yes...thats what he looked like based on his facial features. Up ahead, there was a bright white light, growing larger by the minute...and ultimately led to a brightly lit room which was quite lavishly decorated...fit for a king...or a Marqui.
"Are we where I think we are?" he asked.
"Aye, we're in the castle of Duballock, home of Marqui Kallu."
"But...why doesn't the Marqui take care of those men himself? why do we have to run away? I mean hes the one with the Aboris Dei right?" Hoshi asked.
"Aye...but the Marqui cannot handle all of those men using one Relic alone, not even if it is the Aboris Dei."
"Why not!? I thought the Aboris Dei was what enihilated the Zhaarian Army 20 years ago!" he cried, eyeing the Lion with a bit of a glare.
"These men are more powerful than your first impression of them would have you believe Lasalem..."
"Stop calling me that! My name is Hoshi! I'm not this Lasalem of whom you speak." he growled softly.
"As you wish Hoshi...but your destiny remains the same...all will be made clear when the Marqui arrives..." he said.
"Ugh!" he huffed, placing his paws behind his back and beggining to pace frantically, "Whats going to happen to all those people when I don't step forward then?"
"It is...a regrettable loss..." said the lion somberly.
"Regrettable loss...? REGRETTABLE LOSS?" he cried, spinning and growling loudly at the lion, his paws clenching into tight fists, "Some of them are my friends!"
"Please Hoshi Lasalem...calm down.." said the one who was holding up Kara, "It cannot be helped."
Hoshi was about to snarl a retort back at him when the big metallic doors of the room swung open and the Marqui, Kallu, the white wolf of Duballock walked in. His pale silver eyes eyeing the three standing figures carefully before focusing on Hoshi, a smile crossing his lips.
"You're going to need that agression for later Lasalem...if you wish to save the people at the Golden Chalice." he said, his voice deep and booming.
"Lord Kallu...." he said, lowering his head respectfully, forgetting his rage for a moment.
"Please...just Kal will do fine coming from you Lasalem." replied the Marqui with a smile, "Your role to play in the world today is far greater than my own...or even the Great Ruler of Pharajjad himself."
"Whats so great about me? I'm just Hoshi Kurasage, B+ student in the Duballock Training Academy..." he said softly, turning his gaze up to meet the Marqui's.
"Maybe so...but you are the great Lasalem as well...you hold within you the key to unleashing the power of the Ancient Ones....the Relics that lay dormant under the Seven Great Cities." he replied, slowly approaching him and placing a massive paw on his shoulder, "You are destined to bring down the great Empire to the west...according to legend anyhow."
"You mean the Empire of Vasarith....?" Hoshi asked, his eyes widening in shock.
For as long as Hoshi could remember the Empire of Vasarith had been at the center of every evil story he had ever heard...not to mention the longtime rival of the Seven Great Cities...even since 7000 years ago when the great Relic users ruled the earth.
"Yes...according to the Legend of the Lasalem...there would come a day in the city of Duballock that a silver fox would be born, and come to have no mother and no father. He would be oblivious of his destiny until the Empire realised that he walked the earth. When that day comes, his powers will be realised, and he shall begin his rise to power and stand against the evil of the Vasarith, completing the task his ancestors never were able to finish." the Marqui stated.
"I-....how.......why was this not brought to my attention sooner? You all knew who I was to be...?" he said at last.
"You were not informed because noone believed the legend until just recently when we got word that the Vasarith's prophets had predicted the time that the Lasalem would realise his powers was near...which is why those men came to the Chalice tonight....looking for you Hoshi." the Marqui said, "But now the question is...are you ready to awaken your powers and command the Relic of Duballock, the Ragorn Fageire?"
Hoshi's mind was reeling with all the information he had just learned, and he was coming to terms with what his destiny had turned out to be. This was far from what he had expected however. He hadn't asked for this...no, far from it in fact. He had expected to make it through the academy and be a freelance warrior for his great city, and then when he grew old enough to want to settle down, build a weapons manufacturing shop in Bargunder's Square and marry the woman of his dreams, Kara. He could feel the weight of the entire country suddenly bearing down on his shoulders. They needed him and he could not refuse the all-driving force of destiny. So, with a reluctant sigh, he looked into the Marqui's eyes and gave a nod, his expression hardening to one of determination.
"I am!"
"Then, Lasalem, please follow me to the basement level of my castle." said Kal.
So, they all made haste and followed the Marqui down a long spiraling staircase. Hoshi had been quite surprised that there had been a level lower than the one that they were currently on, considering the fact that they had come OUT of an underground tunnel. But, down they went with no end in sight, which made him wonder just how far down they were by now, and how much farther it went. After an unknown length of time, as it was hard to tell time in the dim confines of the staircase, they finally reached the bottom, all but the Marqui panting slightly.
"The Relic is just through those doubledoors at the end of the hallway there." he stated, immediately walking off towards the said door.
"H-hey...! Wait...wait up!" Hoshi panted, darting off after him.
"You must improve your endurance Lasalem, in your travels to retrieve the other six Ancient Relics, otherwise I fear you stand about as much of a chance as a beetle against a boot." said the Marqui as he caught up.
Hoshi kept his silence as he felt a twitch of anger flare up inside of him. The marqui placed his paw on the door as they reached it and closed his eyes as he recited the password to lift the apparent enchantment on the door.
"By the power of Duballock, I command that forces that be to open this door in the name of Marqui Kallu!"
At his words, the doors internal locks clinked to life and with a loud bang, they all jolted open after years of remaining in place, and the doors swung open for the group, revealing something Hoshi had never expected. Inside was a massive chamber, so massive that it may as well have been the entire width of the castle above, and in the center, reaching up countless stories high, was the fabled Relic Ragorn Fageire. It resembled what could only be described as a sword of giants, literally. for its blade was easily thrice the breadth of a man with his arms extended to either side. The hilt was even wider than that, and was made of pure gold, with a skull at the base of where the blade began, and the whole thing resonated with a green glow that only got stronger as Hoshi neared where the blade was embedded in the ground. Once they reached that point, he turned and faced the Marqui in disbelief.
"How on earth am I supposed to wield that in combat?" he cried in dismay, "It's as tall as your castle and more than three times my breadth at the blade!"
The Marqui chuckled softly, "You have to bind it to yourself Lasalem, just like I did with my Aboris Dei."
"Bind it?"
"Yes...you simply hold out your paw to it and force it to submit to your will, you see all Relics have wills of thier own, and will accept no master unless they can command their respect." the Marqui said.
With a nod, Hoshi turned back to the massive blade and looked up, a new sense of determination and purpose filling him. He would NOT be denied. He outstretched his silver paw towards the relic and it instantaneously glowed bright red and he felt an omnipotent presence invading his mind, burning at the very fibers of his soul, which forced him to go down on one knee.
"Damnit all......" he growled, one eye shutting from the burning sensation, "Ragorn Fageire! I, Hoshi Kurasage, Lasalem the Silver One command you to submit to my will....gah...I.....I will not be denied!"
The Relic gave a shudder as an intense wind picked up around them, ancient runes and glyphs made of red and green light eminating from the Relics blade and whirling around them. Then, as suddenly as they all appeared, they whirled down in a torrent of light and focused into a central point in Hoshis right palm, all the while the massive Relic fading from existence it seemed. Finally, the wind ceased and the chamber fell silent, the glyphs all having formed an orb of light in Hoshi's palm...then slowly faded to nothing. With an expression of awe on his face, the Marqui took a slow step forward and looked around.
"Where....did it go?"
Hoshi stared down at his right paw with much the same expression as the Marqui. he felt...different somehow, as if there were an unknown force coarsing through his veins to all parts of his body. slowly, he turned his rather calm gaze upwards to meet the Marqui's eyes and smiled.
"I did it Kal....I bound the Relic, I can feel it's power coarsing through me!"
With a look of relief he smiled and placed a strong paw on Hoshi's shoulder, "Well played Lasalem, I knew you could do it. But you must tell me, what does it feel like to weild a power that noone has been able to command for millenia?"
Hoshi didn't know where to begin, he felt so...so.....well, different. Before, he had barely noticed his body's natural flow of magical energy. Now, he could feel it as if it were violent rapids rushing through his body's circulatory system.
"I feel....empowered to say the least." he said, unable to conceal a grin, "I feel thousands of years worth of pent up energy flowing through my body....I feel invincible."
"As you should." the Marqui stated, "The power of the Ragorn Fageire is not to be triffled with. The last person who wielded that power was able to obliterate an Empire army with a single stroke."
"Wow..." Hoshi breathed, in pure awe as he stared down at his right paw again, "How do I use it?"
At this, the Marqui went silent a moment, gathering his thoughts and muttering to himself occasionally. When finally he decided he had the right words chosen, he looked up and his expression grew serious as his eyes narrowed.
"Listen to me Lasalem...and listen well, for if you fail to do exactly as I say when calling upon your power, you can wipe us all out..."
Hoshi gulped softly and nodded, "Yes Lord Kallu..."
"You must close your eyes and open your mind, reach into yourself and grab the orb you feel there. upon doing so, you will feel the energies surge towards your hand, and a "Talisman Form" of the Ragorn Fageire will appear in your hand, which will be just like any other sword size-wise." he said, occasionally eyeing him to ensure he was listening, "You can also transfer these powers to your extremities without calling out the blade itself and perform feats noone else can do...such as jump sixty feet into the air and land unharmed. to do this, simply use your mind to call the powers into your physical being and let them energize your body, thats all there is to it."
Hoshi immediately nodded and closed his eyes, though he did not want to try and draw the blade yet. so he searched deep within for the power...his power....and when he found it he drew upon it in vast quantities and pressed it into every fiber of his physical being...and when his eyes re-opened, they were crimson no more, but golden with slitted pupils.
"Lets try this..." he said in a low voice, gazing up high into the chamber.
He could feel all of his muscles getting supercharged even as he spoke, and with a grin he bent low and jumped off the ground as hard as he could. Now, to say he simply rose upward at a quick pace would be an understatement. rather, he only blinked after jumping and was nearly one hundred feet high into the air, no sign of slowing down, with wind rushing through his ears and fur. down below everyone had become specs by the time he stopped, and then began his freefall to the ground. he felt fear grip him as he fell faster and faster, though he kept his wits about him and kept that energy focused. He would not die here. so, he finally hit the ground with a thunderous chorus of wind and vibrations through the stone chamber. he croutched low to soften the impact, and was miraculously alive, standing shortly afterwards with a groan.
"Okay...note to self...don't jump that high ever again..." he muttered, rubbing the bottoms of his footpaws.
The Marqui couldn't contain his laughter at the sight and nodded in agreement, "It is best that your enemies do not slay you, let alone you slay yourself."
The others who had been simply watching until now laughed at his comment...that is until kara finally stirred. with a swift kick to the male tiger's gut, she freed herself from his grasp and delivered several more blows to his face, groin, and thighs respectively before jumping back and looking around with a fierce growl.
"Where am I? Where's......Hoshi? she asked, her expression softening as she saw her lover unharmed, standing by the Marqui himself. She gasped and bowed quickly before him. "My Lord!"
For a moment the Marqui was in shock, staring from the writhing tiger on the ground, then back to Kara, his eyes wide. "Careful around that lass Hoshi...she might kill ya if you upset her too much! Eh? Oh...and please...you may rise Kara Soothrom, you are the sweetheart of the Lasalem...so therefore you are of my status as much as he is."
With a nod, Kara rose, but she turned her gaze to hoshi and got a sly grin acrossed her face, "Lasalem...? Thats you?"
" 'Fraid so...." he muttered, returning her soft smile. "My duties just got alot bigger and a lot more complex."
"Indeed...." the Marqui said. "I'm curious as to what you plan to do about those men in the Chalice with your newfound power though, Lasalem."
"Even you should know that one Kal." Hoshi said with a grin. "I'm gonna do what I do best and win this fight! They won't live to hurt anyone else again."
"Well said!" said the Marqui.
"So what are we waiting for?" Kara asked. "Not like they're sending us an invitiation in writing or anything!"
Hoshi and Kal nodded with similar grins and all three took off back up the stairs and off towards the Chalice, this time above the ground. This was because apparently on the way to the Marqui's castle, some of Kara's struggling had been because she hated to be underground. When the Chalice finally came into sight about twenty minutes after they left, they had to duck behind the wall of the nearest building to avoid detection by the two sentries outside the front door.
"Damnit...." Hoshi muttered. "Looks like an all out frontal assault is no good. They'd raise the alarm before we had a chance to take even one of em' out."
"Why not take the balconies of these buildings?" Kal suggested as he motioned to the many balconies that lined this particular street.
"Good eye Kal..." he said, already beggining to focus his energies into his legs once more. "This should be a piece of cake for me now."
With that, he jumped up high, too high in fact, for he nearly overshot his target by five feet. Luckily he caught himself by refocusing energy into his paws and digging it into the wall of the building, then quickly dropping to the balcony to avoid being seen.
"That was a close one..." Kara said under her breath to the Marqui. "But it was still impressive. It's hard to think that only yesterday he could not have done that."
"Such is the power of the Lasalem....but we are not out of the woods just yet, he still has more balconies to cross." he stated.
Hoshi had to continuously jump and dive to avoid detection as he crossed the balconies, and more than once he had to fall short and take cover behind a balcony wall, clinging to the building as if it were a matter of life and death, which it very well could have been. As the threat passed though, he was up and jumping from balcony to balcony once again, until he finally reached the roof of the Chalice and peered down at the sentries below. This was where Hoshi's challenge really began, for he had not yet managed to materialize the Ragorn Fageire in "Talisman Form", and he needed to in order to take out these sentries as quietly as possible. So, with all of the mental prowess he had developed through meditation over the years, Hoshi obliterated everything that could be a distraction around him until there was only he in a sea of blackness. Soon, he could feel a pulsing presence. It was warm and bright, like the sun, but this was just within his reach, all he had to do was reach out and take it. So, he extended his right paw with a long, exhaled breath, and took hold of this power, HIS power. No sooner had he done this than his world came back and he felt an unfamiliar weight in his clenched right paw. It was the Ragorn Fageire, no bigger than the average one-handed sword, and it was pulsing with that green aura as if it were happy to see him.
"Alright...it's just you and me now..." he whispered to it. "Lets not let the Marqui and Kara down."
As if to respond to him, the blade turned a faint red and seemed to pull him towards the edge of the roof to gaze down upon his enemies once again. The sentries were now making pointless conversation with one another to pass the time. The first one had it the best, he never knew what hit him really. Hoshi swooped down right behind him and slit his throat with a graceful slice of his sword, then immediately spun and thrust the Ragorn Fageire into the seconds gut, then sliced up, silencing any cry he had tried to make. The deed had been done, and the sentries lie motionless on the ground in a bloody heap. Moments later, the Marqui and Kara came up beside him and patted his back gently.
"Well done Lasalem!" Kal said.
"Yes, you did well Hoshi, better than I could have." Kara said while she nuzzled his neck softly.
"Thank you, both of you..." he replied, nuzzling Kara back affectionately. "But prepare yourselves, when we go in, we go in with sword and relic alike drawn. I want you two to take any who may seem to be of the weaker class, leave the true veterans to me."
"As you wish Las-.....Hoshi." the Marqui said, finally using his real name. He had gained a bit of respect for him after witnessing him get control of his powers so quickly.
Without another word the three quickly and quietly slipped through the dor and took refuge behind the entrance hall wall. All the lights had been turned back on in the main room and the cloaked figures still had not killed off most of the guests there. hoshi's guess was that they were interrogating them one by one, and, assuming they got no valuable information, they beat them to death. Dispicable.... Hoshi thought to himself. how could a group of such powerful males simply abuse their power on the weak like that? The mere concept made his blood boil until he felt as if his body were on fire with rage. it was only when kara touched him on the shoulder that the feeling subsided and he was able to calm down enough to clear his mind. After a few moments more, the leader's words drifted to them and reverberated off the walls of the Golden Chalice.
"You are all worthless! Like cockroaches beneath my feet you are! I know SOMEONE here knows where the Lasalem is, and until i find out who it is, i'm going to continue to interrogate and kill you all one by one!"
There were cries from the captive guests, some of horror, and some of outrage. Though most decided to keep their peace, figuring that if they did not protest, then they would not be picked next and would hopefully last long enough for help to arrive. The leader growled and gazed out upon the group with lines of hate showing clearly in his expression. He raised his right arm and pointed to a female in the group, a racoon girl named Sarah whom hoshi had trained with in the Academy.
"You are next my dear....sure you have no answer for me?"
Sarah said nothing but slowly rose to her feet, fists clenched. Hoshi could tell she wasn't going to just submit to her fate, but he wasn't even going to let her get anywhere near that savage of a male. with a loud growl he darted out from behind their cover, Kara and Kal quickly following suit. outstretching his right arm he pointed at the leader and made his voice heard throughout the building, his rage glaringly apparent in the tone of his voice.
"So you look for the Lasalem of Duballock do you? Look no further fiend for I am he! Release these innocents and take your business up with me, or else I shall show you no mercy."
The leader simply laughed and matched the volume of hoshi's voice as his reply came, "You have no right to order me around Lasalem! I know you have not yet realized your true potential. how can you possibly hope to defeat all of us in such a state? Indeed, you are a fool for coming back here."
"Not so foolish as you think..." Kal said, drawing his twin blades from their golden sheaths at his sides. "For he has friends who would stand beside him!"
"Thats right!" Kara said, her hidded blades at her wrists extending to their full length of a foot each. They were the female assasin's weapon of choice...the Gladr-Moha.
The leader laughed again and made a sweeping motion with his right arm, his confidence not even showing the slightest hint of faltering. "No matter! you shall all perish by our hands and our lord's job shall be complete."
Hoshi had not paid any attention to the dark cloaked leader however, for he was looking at Kal with a sense of pride, for he had called him "friend", something that was a great honor to be considered by a Marqui. But he soon turned his attentions back to the proper place and raised the Ragorn Fageire above his head, baring his fangs in a feral snarl.
"Come then! Show me how foolish you claim me to be!"
"Tis' your funeral!" the leader growled. "Men! Leave him to me! Two of you take out the marqui, and two more go for the girl. don't kill her though, she will make a good plaything later..."
With that he and four of his men charged Hoshi, Kara, and Kal. Hoshi trusted Kara and Kal to handle the unfair odds for the moment, for he sensed a very weak force of magic from them as compared to their leader. so as the cloaked figure bared down upon him, he reached out with his left paw and closed his eyes, stopping him just inches away, leaving him to struggle against the intese magic which now had a hold on him.
"A dirty trick..." he growled. "No matter...."
With a twitch of his wrist, his invisible bonds broke and he drew a longsword from underneath his cloak, immediately bringing it down at hoshi as if to cleave him from shoulder to groin. Hoshi barely managed to escape that blow with his life as he rolled to the side and sprang back to his feet. He was unnaturally fast, and had magically enhanced strength, a very deadly combo. his next attacks were as swift as the first, and Hoshi found himself barely managing to dodge and parry them. As with most things, it was only a matter of time before his blade slid off the Ragorn Fageire and slice Hoshi right on the thigh, causing him to topple to one side and cry out in pain. Within seconds Hoshi felt the tip of his blade at his throat and press harshly at the skin beneath his fur.
"You are pathetic Lasalem...I expected so much more of you than just a petty swordfight. Where is your power? What makes you so dangerous? Here I am holding your life in the palm of my paw....and there is nothing you can do about it is there? How does that feel Lasalem? Does it make you despair? Does it make you regret ever seeking me out? Tell me in earnest for I yearn to know!"
Hoshi felt his breath catch in his throat and he began to panic. What could he do to stop this guy? He was right...about everything. He was pathetic, weak, and useless to those around him. As these thoughs bore down upon him, there was suddenly a light, a purifying thought amidst the chaos....Kara. He couldn't let her down, couldn't let Kal down, couldn't let the people watching him now down. There was too much at stake, he could not lose! He would not allow it! with determination born anew, he suddenly struck the blade away from his throat with a force so strong, it even surprised the cloaked leader.
"You greatly underestimate me! I have the hopes and prayers of the people of Duballock, and those I care for behind me! With them, I am invincible!" he cried, lunging towards him with a series of quick blows, none of which the leader seemed to be able to parry with ease.
Now the tide had turned, it was Hoshi who was on the attack, the Ragorn Fageire coming down swift as lightning with each attack. before long he managed to disarm the leader and his blade embedded itself in the ground a few meters away. despite his now precarious position, he still laughed and grinned out from under his hood at Hoshi.
"You think I am beaten because you bested me in a swordfight Lasalem? do not be so foolish!" Just as he said those words, he thrust his right palm forward at Hoshi and a red light eminated from it.
Hoshi just barely managed to dodge it by focusing his magic into his feet. When the light hit the wall at the far end of the building, it made no crater or imprint, but Hoshi could tell it was intended to kill. Rather than give the leader a chance to do that again, Hoshi transferred a huge amount of energy into his feet and seemed to just disappear before the cloaked figure's very eyes.
"What the hell...? What trickery is this?" he cried, turning this way and that to try and locate Hoshi.
"Behind you..." came Hoshi's voice.
Without delay he spun...only to find nothing again. "Where are you Lasalem? Show yourself!"
"As you wish..." came Hoshi's voice again, as he appeared with his back up against the cloaked figures.
Now the leader seemed worried, he was frozen in shock as he felt Hoshi pressed right up against his own back...and he hadn't been able to sense him anywhere. So this was the power his lord had feared so greatly....and this was with but one of the Ancient Ones under his command. With a smile he closed his eyes, for he felt hoshi's position change slightly, though he kept his back against his own. He knew that he had turned his blade backwards, and he was going to impale him. He would have fought back...but what was the point? He was now outmatched and therefore could do nothing to stop him with such speed. So, as he felt the sharp pain of a fatal wound as the cold steel sliced easily through bone and skin, he used a spell to terminate his own life so he did not suffer.
"Weakling....bah! Guess I showed him..." Hoshi muttered to himself.
As he turned his gaze upon the place where the other cloaked figures had been, he realized they were gone, as were several of their hostages, and though he knew it was pointless to get angry about it, he still felt his rage boil up inside of him once again. He had failed to rescue them all! Whats more he had let seven of the murderous bastards get away. Kara and Kal had already killed one of their attackers each, proving that they were indeed not as skilled as their leader, and before long the other two followed suit with bloody screams of agony. Kal was the first to approach him, a grim expression dawning his face as he wiped his blades clean of the fresh blood.
"The others got away?"
With a nod Hoshi replied, "Yeah......fuckers. They took some of the hostages with them, undoubtedly as a challenge to us, but also to get them to leak information about our town, and maybe even you Lord Kallu..."
The Marqui gave a soft sigh and smiled, letting one of his massive paws fall to Hoshi's left shoulder, "Do not worry for my sake Hoshi, O great Lasalem. I will be fine, and I have faith in the individuals they took. They will not endanger me even if they are threatened to be castrated and have their heads showboated about through the Empire. also, what did i say about calling me that? Just Kal will do, really."
Hoshi brough his right paw up to clasp the Marqui's paw on his shoulder slightly, "You are right Kal, I should have more faith in the spirit of Duballock."
"Thats more like it!" he said, letting his paw slip from Hoshi's shoulder.
At that moment, Kara came trotting up beside them and threw her arms around hoshi's neck with a soft purr, her tail curling around him as her cold nose buried itself in the warmth of his neck fur.
"Hoshi...."
"Yes Kara....?"
"I was so worried...I saw him when he had his blade against your neck....I.....I thought you were a goner."
A pang of guilt struck Hoshi so hard it nearly knocked the air from his lungs and he gently ran his claws down her back, letting his nose rub against the top of her head and ears. "Kara.....I'm so sorry.....I didn't mean to scare you.....but I won, and I'm okay now see?"
"Yes.....yes I see..." she replied, snuggling all the tighter against his strong frame.
Then Hoshi brought his left paw up under her chin and gently caressed the soft fur there, quickly finding her sensitive spot and exploiting it thus. "Hey....I love you..." he wispered.
"I love you too Hoshi..." she answered in a voice so soft, he could barely even hear her.
Then, without a single word more, or either of them giving one another a smile or cue, they brought their lips together like the lovers they were and kissed one another with all of their pent up passions flowing freely between them. This alone, was pure bliss. The Marqui, who had been minding his own business, saw fit to leave the room and give them their moment for the time being, for the chances were that they would not get many more in the near future. After minute upon minute had passed, and the seal of their lips was finally broken, Hoshi and Kara panted softly and gazed deeply into each others eyes. It was not for what seemed like ages had passed before Kara finally spoke, her voice still soft as a tiny silver bell.
"Hoshi....lets find somewhere more secluded, I have been wanting a moment like this for ages now and it shall not be wasted...."
With a gentle nod Hoshi planted a kiss upon her brow and let his claws run through the fur on her sides, "Anywhere you had in mind my love....?"
She seemed to think a moment, until something caught her eye and she gestured towards it with a slight movement of her head, "Take me under the stars so even the heavens shall know I'm yours..."
Feeling his cheeks reddening already, Hoshi turned his gaze in the direction she had motioned....and saw a doorway which led to the roof of the Chalice. At this he smiled and, without missing a beat, swept his lover off her feet and touched his cool, black nose against hers, his feet guiding the both of them to the oh so special place. "Feels just like old times...."
"Yes....yes it does." she agreed with a gentle nod, kissing his lips softly. "Even back then you were able to set my world aflame with passions I'd never dreamed of."
"And you mine..." he replied, returning her soft kiss in kind.
They continued on like that, telling one another sweet-nothings for but a while longer befrore they felt the cool, humid breeze of a northern wind against their fur, and found themselve standing atop of the Golden Chalice. Hoshi already knew the perfect place to lay her down, and once he had, he quickly removed his vest then took his rightful place beside her. She gazed at him with those alluring eyes of hers, smiling as she saw him inhale deeply, knowing he had caught her scent. she wrapped those slender, yet muscular arms around his waist and tugged him close, until only millimeters separated their noses.
"Now O great Lasalem, you have this beautiful young vixen right where you want her.....what shall you do now?" she asked, purposefully using his new title in a seductive voice.
When she used his title, Hoshi could not help but blush, but even as he did, his paws made their way around her shoulders and he closed the distance between their noses in a heartbeat. "Well....now that you ask lover....." he began, ".....I believe I might....do this."
With that, he leaned his head forwards and closed his mouth around her neck, suckling on it ever so delicately while his claws dug into her back slightly and ran all the way down her spine. With a gasp Kara wrapped her legs around his hips and squeesed as tightly as she could, waves of tingly pleasure already rocketing through her nerves as he found her most sensitive area on her neck with that skilled canine tongue of his. Before long she began to grind against him, determined to tease him as he was teasing her. Hoshi's paws had just reached the top of her back again when he felt her hips begin to gyrate and grind against his hips, stimulating his no longer sheathed 9 inches of fox meat, eliciting a long, soft moan from him as he suckled on her neck ever harder and returned her grinding with small thrusts of his hips. This caused Kara to stiffen and grip his shoulders tightly, even her tail went paralysed with pleasure.
"D-.....damn you Hoshi.....you're a cheater....you know ....know that?" she panted, pushing away only long enough to rip her shirt off, along with her bra, before again letting him kiss and suckle at her neck.
He waited a few seconds before even trying to reply to her, "Yeah...I know.....and whoever said cheaters never prosper?"
"Mmmmhhh.....Oh, just shut up and get undressed!" she cried, eyeing him lustily. "I need you Hoshi....please don't make me beg for it!"
Hoshi could not help but laugh at her, she sounded just like a horny whore who might stand outside of a bar. But....he would never tell her that. "Hehe.....as you wish Kara....tonight I am yours as you are mine."
With that, he found the belt of his pants and removed it, then made her release him only a moment so he could throw off his jeans and she could remove her own. Then, once again, the two pressed themselves to gether, writhing against one anothers bodys, emitting moans of lust and passion as their paws and tails probed one another's bodies. Before long, Kara had coated much of hoshi's hips in a thin layer of her strong female juices, and she was whimpering with need and gazing upon him with pleading eyes. So slowly, hoshi rolled her onto her back and pressed himself down between her legs, his shaft already lining up perfectly with her moist, velvety folds. Kara inhaled sharply as she felt his member press against her folds and hissed up at him.
" SSSSS.....Mmmmhhh Hoshi....take me now....the heavens are watching us...envying us."
When Hoshi hesitated she looked up at him both agitatedly and curiously, tilting her head slightly.
"Kara....there is one thing I must know first."
"Anything Hoshi..."
He leaned down closer to her so his voice came only as a whisper, the hot air teasing at her ears. "Will you marry me...?"
Instantly kara's bright eyes lit up and watered, a large toothy grin appearing at her lips until she flung her arms around him and clung to him tightly.
"Oh Hoshi yes YES! Of course I will! I've wanted nothing more for the past year!" she cried happily, her warm tears now soaking into his neck fur.
"Then tonight the heavens truely should envy us, for we are even luckier than they." he replied softly, kissing her cheek affectionately.
As usual, his words simply made her happier and more tears gushed out to be absorbed into his neck fur, leaving her sniffling and her chest heaving. Only when her weeping of joy had subsided did Hoshi, tease her with a slight press of his member's head against her entrance. kara moaned and nodded quickly as he did, she was more than ready. She wanted nothing more than to take his seed into her womb this time, and become mother of Hoshi's pups. Hoshi, needing no further persuasion, finally pressed his hips forward and sank his member slowly into her, inch by agonizingly pleasurable inch until he lay completely atop her, hilted, and beaming. Then, and only then did he start to retreat until the head threatened to pop loose and Kara moaned while her tail flicked in frustration. Then he suddenly just slipped back inside, making a slow, loving pace with her as he began to kiss her, softly at first, but getting more and more passionate as time drew on. Kara was beside herself with bliss from the moment he entered her. It was as if somone were causing every nerve inher body to register but one thing, complete and utter pleasure. she found herself rocking her hips with his, aiding him to get deeper and deeper inside of her yearning tunnel, her muscles gripping him, milking him for what he was worth.
Before long Hoshi found himself speeding up his thrusts, his paws moving to fondle Kara's breasts which elicited louder moans from her. his fingers worked quickly and skillfully, the claws of his index fingers teasing and flicking at her erect nipples whil his tail curling around his waist to tease her exposed clit with it's tip. Now Kara felt as if she might explode from pleasure, each thrust send white hot flashes of light to her eyes as she cried out his name again and again, getting louder with each time. She knew she was getting close, but she had to hold on, she needed to cum with Hoshi, not before, and not after. They needed to be one in body, mind, and spirit in this one moment. Hoshi could already feel his balls tightening as Kara's cries grew louder. She was getting close, as was he, and he knew that she would do her best to hold off until he came, so he gave her hints by grunting and moaning with delight as his thrusts grew faster and slightly more erratic. Before long he felt his knot forming and kissing at her velvety folds with each quick thrust. He needed to just tie her now...to tie her before he came and they would be united as lovers. so he increased the force of his thrusting, shaking her body with the mere force as his paws drew his chest down to hers and he bit her neck hard in a show of dominance. Kara's moans and cries were so loud now she was sure that even the heavens could hear her, and when she felt that knot of Hoshi's trying desperately to gain entrace into her passage, she pulled herself back as best as she could, and then slammed up against Hoshi's hips. right as she did, Hoshi cried out as he felt his knot slip inside of her with a pop and he was locked in place with her. He was so close, his balls were literally burning for release, each thrust made them scream at him...and then it happened. hoshi and Kara let out simultaneous cries of pleasure as both of their orgasms hit at once and Hoshi felt her walls spasm around his already pulsating member as he sprayed his hot cum deep inside of her fertile womb. together they writhed and moaned for a full minute, riding out their orgasms in only the purest bliss imaginable as Kara continued to milk Hoshi for all that he was worth. When finally, the last spurt of cum leaked its way into Kara, hoshi went limp above her and licked at her neck relentlessly and breathlessy, his chest heaving from the intensity of his orgasm. Kara simply remained limp under him, her eyes glazed over from pleasure as her tongue lolled to one side. She felt rather bloated now from hoshi's cum...a very odd feeling for her. when finally Hoshi found the energy to whisper to her, his words were,
"Oh kara.....Kara I love you so much...."
Kara didn't even have the energy to reply to him, so she just licked his neck in response and forced herself to cuddle against him, her tail draping over the two of them. Hoshi knew she had to be tired, even he was, and he didn't see the harm in letting her fall asleep up here as long as he was by her side. So he lays his head down atop of hers and closed his eyes, wild images of memories long past, all about Kara, flashing through his mind as the sound of the chirping crickets soon lulled he, and his lover and soon to be wife, into a well deserved sleep. Hoshi was glad today had turned out the way it did, but who knew what tomorrow might bring?
To be continued? You decide! Leave your comments