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Commandant Alvaro's office was a wretched thing. Smaller than his station demanded but more

than his person deserved. An extra large closet sequestered at the furthest edges of the temple

complex and a long walk from anyone and anything important.

Vicente seethed. There was a fundamental unfairness at work if he had to be judged by him of

all people. The wolf hunched over in his seat and tapped a foot, clicking and clacking a song

against the bare wood with his boot.

As he played out his tune, Vicente glanced around the room as if there were anything worth

looking at--gray walls, a lone window, a simple desk, and an empty shelf. The wolf sighed. Out

the window, He spotted a dry patch of soil in the field--A scab over healthy skin. Dead and dying

flowers stuck out of the upturned earth. Browning red and pink carnations, their heads curved

towards the dirt as if begging for sustenance. Vicente frowned. He had none to offer.

It was more interesting than Alvaro's desk, at least. A stack of paper sat neatly atop its surface,

perfectly aligned and orderly. A quill rested in an inkpot and a book beneath that. Vicente

thought about giving it a look, but he knew if he were caught picking through a Commandant's

personal effects it would be all the worse for him.

Bastard always keeps me waiting.

The wolf's ears twitched. Footsteps! He stood up, turned around, and preemptively thumped a

fist against his chest, straightening his back. For all of the Commandant's criticisms, he couldn't

claim Vicente didn't get the salute down.

The door opened slowly with an audible creak that made him grimace. He set his face quickly,

though. Maw neutral, blue eyes straight ahead, headfur--Fuck! It was a ruffled mess! Should he

leave it and get a lecture about that, or break posture and get one on respecting his superiors?

Deciding to risk it, Vicente ran his paws through his silvery headfur, patting and smoothing it

over to make it as close to regulation as possible. Satisfied, he slammed a fist against his chest

hard enough to make himself wince.

“Greetings Commandan—"

A tall, middle-aged vixen stood in the doorway. A habit hung over her head, boxing her face in

between red and white cloth. A few grey hairs stuck out from underneath her covering, but what

little of her fur Vicente could see was a vibrant orange. A white tunic covered most of her body,

topped by a red scapular. She wore no shoes or boots. Her bare paws rested on the cold floor.

She looked at him with a scowl.

They stared at each other a moment, Vicente froze in abject horror while the lady looked on

expectantly.

“Y-your Eminence!"

He dropped to a knee, knocking his chair over in the process. He knelt with his head lowered,

genuflecting at the woman's feet.

“This is your problem student?"

Vicente looked up, she wasn't talking to him. Behind the fox, a respectful distance away, was

Commandant Alvaro. The grizzled old bear nodded.

“Hmph." She stepped inside and Alvaro followed behind.

“He knows how to grovel, at least." The woman said coldly. She paused a few feet away from

Vicente and offered her paw. He took it into his own, careful to bring his lips to it rather than pull

her paw down, and kissed a silver band wrapped around her ring finger.

“Rise, young man," she ordered.

“T-thank you, Eminence!" Vicente stood up hesitantly, eyes trained on the floor.

“I…I'm not worthy of your presence!"

The woman scoffed. “Save your feigned humility for confession."

She walked around him, claws clicking against the floor with every step. She paused at the

desk.

“Allow me, Maria!" Commandant Alvaro rushed past Vicente and reached the chair before she

did. He was shockingly fast for an old man.

“Thank you," Maria sat down as the Commandant pulled out the seat. Her green eyes refocused

on the wolf.

“We serve that which is great and graceful, and It is by what is great and graceful that we

succeed."

How did I fuck up this badly!? How did I get the attention of a fucking Tanager!?

“If you fail, fail, and fail, it's clear there's a problem. One of two: your skill or your faith. I doubt

it's your skill as Commandant Alvaro speaks highly of your abilities."

Vicente glanced over at Alvaro, shocked.

“So it is your faith," Maria crossed a leg over the other. Her chair creaked as she leaned back.

Her voice was a hammer, and she was driving nails into him; every admonishment, every

disappointed glare, another tap.

“Unfortunately, a faithless knight with great skill is a sharp knife without a handle.

"

Vicente bit his lip and choked down a sob. He rubbed his eyes, he was going to lose everything.

Everyone he knew. He dropped to the floor and all but kowtowed.

“This order is my life! It's all I've ever known, please!"

Maria held up a paw.

“As iron strengthens iron, difficulty shapes the soul. The Commandant has convinced me you

are worth offering another chance."

She stood up and walked around the mess of a wolf on the floor.

“You will have a trial tomorrow—don't be late."

She shut the door behind her.

Vicente didn't dare get up, not yet. His chest heaved, and his stomach hurt. He wanted to vomit.

He had never even talked to a Tanager before, let alone been admonished by one. He was

doomed.

“Lad," Vicente felt a paw touch his back.

“It is unbecoming of a man to conduct himself in such a manner—get up."

Alvaro's words were stern, but his tone wasn't. He helped Vicente to his feet and gave the wolf's

arm a squeeze.

“The trial is tomorrow at dawn, I'll retrieve you before then. Get some rest."

Vicente wiped his face on his shirt, took a deep breath, and nodded. He thanked his

commandant and headed for the door.

Maker help me

---

Vicente stood at his open window in nothing but his trousers and stared off into the inky sky.

Dawn wasn't there yet, not quite. He had at least an hour before the night retreated, the sun

rose, and his trial began. The sky was empty, a blanket of cold nothing. A few stars did peek out

through it, but they were faint.

He didn't have much of a chance, did he?

Faith never came naturally to him. He prayed, read the words, and sang the songs, but it was

never anything more than another subject to study. Something he had to do in the same way he

had to practice combat forms or maintain equipment.

He shut his eyes.

_Breathe in me, holy Maker

Speak in me, mover unmoved

You who made all souls as sacre

You to whom all blest must prove_

Vicente mouthed the words as he ran the prayer through his head. A basic mantra used in

meditation. Perhaps not the best fit for his current situation, but it was the only thing that came

to him at the moment.

And it remained the only thing. No inspiration, no comfort, just silence.

Knock, knock knock

He turned from the window; It must have been Alvaro. Vicente picked up his sword from his bed.

Plain, but reliable steel inside a leather scabbard. He had yet to put his armor on, but he wasn't

sure if it mattered.

He opened the door.

“Lad," Alvaro stood alone in the dark hallway. A lit candle in a clay holder in one paw while a tray

full of dishes sat prepared in the other.

“You won't be needing that." Alvaro motioned toward Vicente's sword.

“May I come in?"

“Of course, Commandant." Vicente said as he moved out of the way, propping his sword up

against the nearby wall.

Alvaro shuffled in, white robe dragging across the clean floor. He shuffled over to a small table

resting against the wall opposite the bed. His room being small, Vicente had to awkwardly push

himself into the corner as the bear placed the tray down.

“Thank you, Commandant."

Alvaro smiled. He began walking out through the door, then paused when he caught sight of the

bed.

“You won't need your armor either," Alvaro said, looking at the assortment of studded leather.

“It isn't that kind of trial." He left and shut the door behind him.

What is it, then?

The wolf sat down at his table. He was so focused on the Commandant that he barely paid

attention to the food.

Vicente's eyes lit up at the sight. The tray was a full spread! At least for a monastic squire.

Three large slices of ham took up most of the tray, flanked by a bowl of hard-boiled eggs and a

fresh loaf of bread. The wolf's tail swished back and forth as he tore off a piece of ham and bit

into it.

At least he got to go out with a decent breakfast.

---

“What clothes does a man need but honor? What armor but faith?"

A lone knight stood guard in front of an open staircase. He was a golden retriever clad in steel

plate, its edges trimmed in silver. He held a needlessly large pike, and whenever Vicente made

to enter through the opening, he used it to block the way.

“I don't know what you want!" Vicente growled. He supposed he shouldn't be so upset about

delaying this trial, but the knight's stonewalling made the wolf's blood boil.

“What clothes does a man need but honor? What armor but faith?"

Vicente threw up his paws and stormed over to the door to leave. He needed a moment away

from this—

Vicente paused.

“You," He turned back around to face the knight. “You don't mean…"

The knight said nothing but motioned his head over to the side wall. A large mural covered its

surface. A muscular lion raised his arms above his head in triumph. To his sides were

walls of fire, and above him the sun.

Vicente's eyes drifted downward.

The lion was naked.

Vicente sighed, defeated.

He stripped off his vest and tunic easily enough. While a bit leaner than many of his peers,

Vicente was muscular nonetheless. His trousers were a bit harder to part with, but he dropped

those as well. Stripped down to his skivvies, he walked up to the knight again, who glared at

him.

“You're kidding." Vicente blanched.

“What clothes does a man need but—"

“Okay, okay! Could you look away for a moment, uh, sir?"

The knight didn't respond.

Vicente sighed and turned around. He wondered if this was some kind of prank. He glanced

back at the dog briefly, who stared back at him unblinkingly. He didn't look like the prankish type.

Whatever it was, he had no choice. The wolf undid the laces on the front of his undergarments,

counted to three, and dropped them to the floor. He turned around with his paws cupped over

his crotch. He could spare himself that dignity at least.

The knight retracted his weapon and stepped out of his way.

“Hold thy faith, brother."

Vicente nodded in thanks as he awkwardly shuffled past.

Hold my knot, asshole.

---

The staircase spiraled downward in a descent that only grew more miserable as it went on. The

stone underneath Vicente's bare paws went from cold to frigid. Light from dim to dark. Halfway

down, he groped at the walls and felt for the steps before he took them. More than a few times,

he imagined himself tripping and breaking his neck. Worse, he'd fall forever, never dying. Bones

snapping, skin bruising, voice screaming in an eternal descent to hell. He didn't fall, though he

couldn't be sure about descending to hell. It went on long enough that maybe he was heading to

the underworld. Regardless, he continued walking.

A massive set of double doors stood in a small antechamber. Twin rows of torches dimly

illuminated on either side in a dim orange glow. Excited by the prospect of a little warmth,

Vicente ran up to one of the torches and wrestled it out of its sconce. Standing on one leg, he

raised the other and held the flame close to his footpaw. It wasn't enough and would only last as

long as he kept his foot off the ground, but it was something; It was warm.

He set his paw back down reluctantly, wincing at the cold as it leeched back into his pads, and

began to raise his left leg to warm it when he started wobbling.

Vicente fell backward.

“Fuck!"

The wolf slammed hard into the door and grunted. Pain blossomed near his shoulder as several

hard, cold nubs jammed into his back. He spasmed, but leaned against the door when he felt

himself slipping. He grasped at it and the wall to keep his balance while his legs scrambled to

find sure footing again.

Eventually, they did. Vicente slowly stood up, hissing at the pain near his shoulder. He reached

his paw over and trailed his fingers over the injury to see if it was serious. He hissed. No blood,

though, as far as he could tell. Maybe a little bruised, but no worse than a sparring match.

Retrieving the fallen torch, Vicente held it up to the door. It was old wood--possibly ancient.

Marks and notches marred its surface. Scratches, deep and light, some from weapons while

others were likely claws. The strangest decoration, though, was the nails. Hundreds, maybe

thousands, of large iron nails, jammed into the surface. Some were placed randomly, but most

concentrated into a few large clusters, forming a nearly solid patch of metal.

BANG

The doors jostled as if something had slammed into them. The wolf retreated, instinctively falling

into a defensive stance. Legs wide, knees bent, the torch held out in front of him as if he were

brandishing a sword.

BANG

The doors flew open and hot air rushed into the antechamber. Vicente snarled, raising the torch

to bludgeon whatever monster or demon came screaming out of the darkness.

None did.

The wolf stood there a while longer, his weapon still raised. He couldn't be sure if whatever that

was was standing there, watching him, invisible to his sight, and waiting for a chance to strike.

After another minute or so, Vicente reluctantly lowered his guard. He peered through the open

door, anxiety welling up in his stomach. He was naked and alone with nothing but a stick and his

claws to keep him safe.

This is just a trial.

He took a deep breath. This was a trial of faith, not arms. The Commandant would have allowed

him his sword otherwise, or his clothes at least.

Vicente exhaled. He had to be careful.

Vicente walked back up to the open door. He saw a dark, narrow hallway. Torchlight leaked

through the door's hinges, softly illuminating the threshold. At the farthest end of the hallway

was a faint blue glow. Vicente squinted; the light waxed and waned like a faraway candle hit by

a draft. Magic? He supposed the Trialmasters and Tanagers indulged in that from time to time.

He stepped through the threshold and entered into the narrow corridor.

---

He walked through a stone windpipe. Warm air from deep inside the hall blew in a soft

continuous stream. A constant exhale. Vicente glanced over his shoulder, eying the doors. If

they opened on their own, they could shut as well. At any moment, they might snap like jaws,

trapping him

He faced forward; dark thoughts would get him nowhere. Vicente growled, then took a step.

Whenever he felt the urge to turn around, he'd growl, bark, or make any manner of wolfish

sound that would do his feral ancestors proud. Fear was a rival encroaching on his territory, and

he wouldn't suffer it. Not here.

Vicente neared the strange light in the distance—much less in the distance now. The light

Pulsed. It rose, peaked, and dimmed, following a pattern Vicente began to time. He squinted as

the light hit another peak. Almost through the hall and nearing a turn, the glow went from a

distant beacon to a flash.

“Agh!"

A rush of heat slammed into Vicente. Not just heat, desperation. An overwhelming mix of hatred,

rage, and need scrambled the wolf's senses. He felt it all at once. His skin felt on fire. He

wanted to tear out his fur, to scream! To…jerk off?

It all left him as soon as it hit him. The intense range of emotions evaporated and whatever was

left rushed past him in a breeze of hot air. That… wasn't him.

“AAGH!"

Another flash. Vicente spasmed, the torch slipped from his fingers, and his entire body seized

as more foreign emotions set his senses on fire. As soon as it ended he turned and ran. The

light pulsed behind him, but he was already a safe distance away. All he felt was more warm air

at his back. Vicente stopped running eventually, pushed his back against the wall, and lowered

himself to the floor--now invisible after losing his torch.

“What the fuck?"

Things flashed in his mind. Vague smudges that slowly morphed into blurry figures. A tiger with

white fur walking down this very hall, a maroon deer writhing on the floor in the wake of the light,

a brown bear who barely fit through the narrow passageway. Every blink a different image. A

different person.

Did they undergo the trial too?

Vicente shut his eyes and focused.

Flash

A fox.

Flash

A golden retriever.

All were naked, like him. One he saw standing in front of a massive rectangle, orange blobs

flanking its sides. Another stood in front of a blue dot, a smudged line he assumed was an arm

reached out for it.

Gradually, the images subsided.

Vicente sat for a while in the dark. Eyes closed or open, he saw nothing there. He didn't think

much--couldn't. He was tired. Whatever that light did, it drained him. Was that the trial? Were

there more after it? Something worse? The wolf shuddered. This was cruel, he didn't deserve

this! He shot up to his feet, fists clenched.

Did you expect it to be easy?

A voice, his own, punched through his seething. The wolf deflated. Was he arguing with himself

now? Had he gone mad?

You've been through so many trials already, what's another one?

Vicente growled in frustration.

“This is different!"

_You said something similar about your last trial, as I recall. That one was different; unbeatable.

So was the trial before that, and the trial before that._

I…

_He took a deep breath, held it, then exhaled.

Breathe in me, holy Maker

Speak in me, mover unmoved

You who made all souls as sacre

You to whom all blest must prove_

---

Vicente stood just out of what he surmised to be the light's range. He could look at it just fine,

even as it pulsed, meaning the light wasn't what caused his mental fits. Its effects seemed

based on proximity. An artifact, maybe? A magical trap couldn't last this long without something

anchoring it, or else the magic would dissipate. Vicente crossed his arms, thinking back on the

few lectures he'd received on the arcane by Alvaro.

_“Magic primarily affects the senses--Few can toss fire, but many can trick a man's mind into

believing he's burning. If trapped in an illusion, the quickest anchor to reality is pain--real pain."_

Vicente set his footpaws and waited.

Flash

He bolted. Hot air rushed past him as he rounded the corner. Out of the corner of his eye, he

saw something attached to the wall. It was vaguely round and seemed to be the source of the

blue light. Vicente couldn't focus on it; he didn't have the time. He soared past, paws smacking

against the stone. Another flash, but it didn't affect him. He was right, the range was limited!

Flash

“AAAAAAAGH!" Vicente's legs seized with the worst cramp he'd ever felt in his life. He

stumbled, then fell, barely managing to twist himself around and land on his back. He shook,

racked with sudden convulsions. He saw glass walls and a massive fist banging against them.

Overwhelming rage screamed in one ear while vicious lust demanded satisfaction in the other.

He stood at a precipice the wind blew, pushing with the might of a hurricane. He wanted to

jump--needed-- yet he couldn't tip over. A bowl filled to the brim but unable to spill.

Pain shot through his left arm, and warmth trickled down his side. He turned his head, the

visions gone in a flash. He gripped his right arm. Tiny droplets of blood leaked out from

underneath his nails.

He shut his eyes. By God and the Maker, he wanted to sleep. His body felt heavy, and his chest

heaved. The only thing that felt normal--even okay--was his crotch. It stirred in his sheath.

Vicente reached a paw over--he could use a break.

You're in a trial

Oh.

Looking up, Vicente spotted an orb above him. He pulled himself to his footpaws with a groan. It

was small, glowing a dim blue light, slotted in a sconce attached to the wall.

It takes longer to peak, but its pluses are much stronger.

Vicente's eyes widened. The orb shimmered. He jumped away, glancing back and forth between

both ends of the hall. If he ran back where he came from, he'd get hit by the weaker orb again,

preferable in comparison, but getting slapped was better than getting punched. It was better to

avoid both.

He turned on his heel and raced down the hall. Ahead were more orbs—hundreds! All in rows

attached to both walls. He was fucked! This trial would fucking kill him!

Keep running!

Vicente ran faster than he ever had in his life. A prey animal half a hair away from a predator's

claws. The air behind him rippled, and He felt a sudden sweltering at his back like he was being

chased by a campfire.

You're almost there, just a bit more!

His heart slammed in his chest, and his limbs ached like he'd been through a dozen sparring

sessions. He was slowing down, but he had to keep moving. He didn't know what would happen

otherwise and didn't want to.

You're there!

Vicente landed face-first into what he hoped was safety. He landed hard, arms just barely raised

to break his fall. He didn't feel the impact, or his knee scrape, or his head thump against his

paws. All he could feel, he was capable of feeling, was tired. Everything else--including

pain--was a stranger outside the window, A cry off in the distance that someone else could deal

with. The wolf whined softly like a pup getting put down to bed by his mother.

He just needed a little sleep.

…

He got up anyway. Slowly, he groaned as he lifted his head. His knee stung, his head hurt, and

the smell of copper overtook his nose. The distant figure outside the window wasn't so distant

anymore. He opened the window and waved it over. He made the cry off in the distance his

problem. He stood up.

He had to.

---

Vicente stood inside a massive chamber bathed in ethereal blue. Instead of an orb, a crystal sat

in the center of the room. It was as tall as a tree, with just as many branches. Jagged shards

stuck out in all directions, sharp enough to draw blood. His throat tightened at the sight. He

stared at it for a while, refusing to go forward. It could be something worse than the Hall of Orbs.

This light seemed different, though. Stable? It didn't pulse like the orbs. It didn't react to him at

all. It was calming. Vicente stared at it unblinkingly. The ache in his limbs and the fear in his

breast dissipated in the crystal's wake. No, not dissipated, pulled. The crystal swallowed him,

replacing all with a deep, suffocating calm.

Walk

It was a simple word but a highly attractive one. Vicente liked walking! Walking was fun and

exciting! He walked, shambled, then picked up speed the more he thought about how great

running was. The wolf let out a joyous bark as he approached the crystal. His tail swished back

and forth. A dog eager to see his master.

He passed a series of large racks and shelves, massive ones that reached high toward the

vaulted ceiling. Every shelf stacked with an incalculable amount of glass spheres. They didn't

matter, though, as much as the dog loved balls. He had to get to his master! He loved his—

Vicente froze in his tracks.

Mere feet away from the crystal, he couldn't move. He trembled in place. Fingers twitched at his

sides. One leg froze in the air mid-step.

“Wha—?" The wolf snapped back to reality. Something seized his throat. He tried to growl,

whimper, anything, but all failed him. His body tingled as if every part of him fell asleep at once.

All he could do was breathe, but barely. His eyes locked onto the crystal. He couldn't move them

either, couldn't blink. They burned in the open air and the intense light.

Am I going to die here?

The blue light shimmered and distorted. A red glow pierced the crystal from within. It almost

looked physical, a worm wiggling out of a hole. More worms followed, dotting the crystal's

surface--a pox infecting the skin.

The pox grew, devouring everything in its wake. The light in the room shifted alongside it. The

entire world became an oppressive red. It burned hot, sweltering, unbearable. Vincente tried to

scream but only managed a wheeze. He tried to move, but his limbs merely twitched. Everything

failed him. The air rippled. The air felt bruised and hurt like something was attacking it.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, STOP!

It did.

The heat dissipated instantaneously like a switch flipped. He felt instant relief. He breathed a

full, proper breath. No longer restricted. Vicente shut his eyes. They stung like hell. He still

couldn't move, but by the Maker, he'd enjoy this mercy. The air was warm, not hot, pleasantly

so, a perfect summer day. There were scents on it that weren't there a moment ago: citrus,

lavender, and soil. It made him think of the garden courtyards scattered around the temple

complex. He wasn't supposed to be there, of course. He was a squire of the martial wing--such

comforts weren't for him. But he'd sneak in any way; no one seemed to mind.

He thought of lazing on a marble bench under the shade of rustling apple trees. A priest

plucked a lyre amongst beds of roses while others lazed, enjoying a rare pardon from their

duties. Vicente breathed in sweet summer air and stared up at a blue sky. He should have been

a priest.

“Hi!"

Vicente looked down. A fox roughly his age stood before him. He was in a squire's

uniform--black trousers, boots, and tunic--same as Vicente.

“Could you help me out?" The fox pointed above towards one of the apple trees.

“I can't reach."

“Sure!" Vicente said, full of more confidence than he ever felt in his life. He stood up, towering

over the fox by a good two feet. Their eyes met. Vicente's blue to his emerald green. The wolf

smiled.

Vicente looked up. The tree was mostly bare--he supposed the apples had been picked already.

A few small, unripe fruits hung on different limbs, but one stuck out. It was large, as big as his

paw, hanging solitary on the limb closest to him. Vicente reached for it.

“I can help out, at least!" The fox reached up and took hold of a low-hanging twig attached to the

limb, moving slowly so it didn't snap. He pulled it down, bending the limb slightly their way.

Vicente plucked the apple along with a few leaves still attached by the stem.

“Here you go." He offered it to the fox.

“Hmm…you mind sharing with me?" The fox took it and reached for a tiny leather sheath

attached to his belt. He retrieved a plain steel dagger and immediately cut into the apple.

Vicente stared at it. Red juices oozed out between the blade and trickled down the side of the

fruit, leaving stains on the fox's orange fur.

“Sure!"

“I'm Cisco," The fox sat down and motioned for Vicente to do the small. When he did, Cisco

offered him half of the apple. The wolf took it gingerly, careful not to get any of the juice on his

clothes. The fox didn't seem to mind. Red stained the white sleeves of his tunic, leaving pinkish

smudges across the surface.

“Vicente." The wolf winked, eliciting a giggle from his newfound companion.

“I haven't seen you around here before."

The fox bit into his half of the apple. Juice ran down his chin and he ran his tongue around the

edges of his maw, licking some off.

“I'm easy to miss, I guess," Cisco said.

“Someone like you? I doubt it."

The fox giggled again.

“How do you know what I'm like, you just met me?"

“A feeling," Vicente bit into his apple half, taking a small bite.

“You're easy to talk to--that alone makes you stand out here."

A warm breeze shook the tree above them, knocking a few leaves loose. One landed in the

fox's headfur.

“Could you get that for me?" Cisco bit into the apple again, easily eating a third of his half in one

bite.

Vicente reached over. As soon as his paw was over Cisco's head, the fox softly butted into it like

a feral cat preempting a pet from its master.

Vicente pulled back a bit, about to apologize, but then he noticed the Fox was still smiling. His

gorgeous eyes encouraged him to go ahead. It wasn't an accident. Vicente brought his paw

back down and stroked Cisco's headfur.

“Ah, that's nice," Cisco said, leaning into Vicente's strokes.

“You're gooood!"

He was, wasn't he?

“You want to…" Cisco trailed off and looked away, suddenly nervous.

“What?" Vicente gave the fox a warm grin. He was cute, beyond freaking cute. The kind of boy

Vicente liked to read about in poems. Gentle, shy, excitable. It was as if a man had been pulled

out of his dreams and dropped in front of him.

“Want to uh…kiss?" Cisco blushed underneath his fur.

“Might want to do more than kiss," Vicente said.

That sweet giggle again, now tinted by the fox's shyness.

Vicente leaned in slowly, thinking of poetry as much as he was the fox.

Let love move as it does, to rush or run is folly; dawn comes by degrees, and the sun rises jolly.

“Wait," Vicente paused. “Shouldn't we, uh, go somewhere else?"

The fox met his eyes again, his shyness gone in a flash.

“Why, there's no one here?"

“Huh?" The wolf looked around. The entire courtyard was empty. Strange, there were just

people there— a lot of them.

“I, uh--"

“Kiss me," Cisco cut Vicente off and grabbed his paw, letting his mostly eaten apple drop to the

ground.

“Don't think about it!"

Vicente did though. He couldn't help it. Insecurity and doubt gripped him. He knew there were

people here. How did they all leave without him noticing?

Cisco's smile dipped a bit but immediately corrected.

“Please," The fox squeezed the wolf's paw, gaining his attention again.

Those eyes

He leaned in, wrapping his arms around Cisco in a hug that was immediately reciprocated.

Their muzzles met. Cisco's lips were soft. They tasted like vanilla, like honey. Vicente's

compunctions melted away in the embrace. All that mattered was Cisco.

The world flickered. In a brief instant, a particle of a second, Vicente was in the red chamber

again. The crystal hummed with a terrible, frightful power. He was scared, he was in pain, he

was—

“Vicente," The fox broke the kiss, much to the wolf's disappointment.

“I have an idea!" That grin again, wider this time. A mischievous gleam in his beautiful eyes.

He leaned in close, his warm breath tickling the wolf's ear.

“What if I sucked your dick?"

“W-what?"

The fox shot back, letting out a throaty laugh.

“No one's here--they all went to mass."

“Mass?" Vicente stood up, glancing around the courtroom in a sudden panic.

“We should be there!"

“Should we?" Cisco, still holding Vicente's paw, led him back down to the bench.

“Surely…Maker…won't be angry if you miss just one." Cisco spoke God's name hesitantly, with

a wince as if it hurt to say it.

“No…but the Commandant—"

“Forget him," Cisco kissed him again.

“Just us, okay?" The fox said as they parted.

Vicente nodded. “Just us."

Cisco seemed pleased by that. He got off the bench and knelt before the wolf. Vicente blushed,

glancing around the courtyard yet again to be sure no one was around. Just us

He felt the fox tug at his trousers. Vicente briefly lifted his rear off of his seat to make it easier.

Cisco slipped his trousers down to his knees, leaving loose undergarments to protect his

modesty.

“You ready?"

Cisco rested his paws on Vicente's legs and rubbed circles into his fur, inching closer to his

thighs.

The wolf nodded.

Cisco tugged the garment in one big yank. Vicente's paws instinctually went to cover his sheath,

but Cisco blocked them.

“Relax," The fox purred.

He reluctantly let his arms drop, giving his companion full access to his sheath.

“Oh my-" Cisco licked his lips and whistled.

“Heavyset, huh?"

Cisco hefted the wolf's fuzzy balls in his paws. They were bigger than the average, or so he'd

been told. The fox fondled them-- played with them. It felt a little strange at first, a little scary, but

exciting! His cock stirred within his sheath.

Cisco leaned into them and took a deep breath of his musk before giving his sack a gentle lick.

“Oooh…" Vicente let out a soft moan.

The fox, emboldened, licked again. He dragged his tongue across Vicente's sack while a paw

played with his balls. It was…warm. Hot, so fucking Hot. Vicente reached for his sheath, cock

already beginning to peak out, but Cisco stopped him once again.

“Allow me." The fox slid a paw up Vicente's thigh. A few fingers trailed around the tip, lightly

brushing, teasing, coaxing. It didn't need much, to Vicente's embarrassment. His cock slipped

out most of the way in barely any time. only his knot remained partially under his sheath.

“That's the fucking stuff." Cisco suddenly gripped his cock. Vicente let out a small yelp. From

gentle teasing to grasping was certainly a shift.

Cisco chuckled.

The world flickered again, but it lasted a bit longer this time. Stone arches melted into black

obsidian walls. Rows of flowers into shelves full of orbs. The crystal hummed louder than it did

before. Vicente's ears twitched, he wanted to fold them against his head.

“W-what the f—"

The fox shoved his cock into his maw.

“Oooh!" Vicente moaned. Warmth encased his tip. His knot was out, and Cisco took advantage.

The fox gently squeezed it, eliciting another moan. Pre welled at the tip which was immediately

lapped up.

“Maker, you're so goo—"

Cisco winced and the world melted away again. Vicente forced his eyes down. He was rock

hard, pre-cum welled up at his tip, and flowed off the side, collecting in a small puddle by his

feet.

“This isn't real?"

Cisco giggled. “Flatterer!"

“N-no, I-"

The fox took in his entire cock. Eight inches down his maw without any trouble whatsoever. This

guy was a fucking champ. Vicente pumped into him reflexively. The fox didn't complain, though.

He dragged his warm, broad tongue over and around his cock, shoved more in, pulled back,

then swallowed it again. He bobbed up down Vicente's length. Vicente wanted to grab him, to

fuck him. He imagined himself picking the fox up and holding him against the tree. He'd growl,

assert dominance, and stare into Cisco's eyes while he plowed the fox's ass like he owned a

farm.

He was about to do just that. Pull Cisco off his cock and slam him onto it. It was probably lubed

well enough with his good work.

Only he couldn't

His legs didn't move. Nor did his arms. He was suddenly frozen, almost completely.

Vicente's eyes widened in panic, even as he moaned in pleasure.

“T-there's--ohhh fuck--something wrong!"

“No there isn't." Cisco pulled the wolf cock out of his maw and smiled up at him, now using his

paw to slowly jerk him off.

“We're having a good time."

“N-no I can't--ahhhhfuck!"

“Can't just enjoy yourself? Don't worry, you'll lose those nerves soon enough."

Pre-cum was a constant leak now instead of a trickle. It felt good, so fucking good! He was

close, he knew it. That's all that mattered now. Fuck the paralysis, maybe it was just his body

telling him to take a good thing and enjoy it. He'd cum soon, any moment now. He tried to thrust

into Cisco's paw but only managed to twitch his hips. Vicente bit his lip, stood at the edge of—

Cisco let go of his cock.

“What?" Vicente panted and gasped. He was there, he was fucking there! “W-why did you

stop?"

The wolf petered off, his cock softening as he stepped off from the edge of climax.

The fox just smirked, then grabbed his member again.

“Oooooh!"

He worked it back up to speed quickly. furiously and quicker than he was a moment ago.

Vicente quickly devolved into a series of huffs and barks. He was there. Close. So fucking close.

Cisco stopped. Again.

“What the fuck, man!" Vicente growled in frustration. The fox was fucking with him. That

mischievous grin now looked more annoying than cute.

“Lemme cum!"

“No." Cisco pulled close and licked his cock, making the wolf shudder in pleasure.

“What do you mean-"

“Buddy, you aren't cumming again—this is your eternity now."

Vicente grits his teeth, repressing another moan.

“My," he spoke evenly, focusing as much as he could manage.

“What?"

“You lost the trial."

“Tri-aaaah!"

“Yea dumbass, you're still in the chamber."

Vicente blinked. He was closer to the crystal than before. Dangerously close. A jagged shard

poked his chest. Did he… move?

He blinked again.

“It'll hurt for a decent while--sorry. But hey, once you're dead you'll have till judgment to enjoy

this," Cisco let go of his dick.

“I'll even try to keep you focused on this for as long as I can. Might be disorienting-- you'll shift

between here and there like crazy, but I wouldn't want to just be in pain the whole time." Cisco

slapped the wolf's meat against his nose.

“You could have done worse than me."

Vicente shot back to reality with an awful stabbing pain in his chest. He screamed. The tip of the

shard jammed into him, drawing blood.

Blink

Cisco had his cock in his maw.

Blick

The shard dug a few centimeters deeper.

Blink

Cisco pulled back just as he was going to cum.

“AGHH!" Vicente screamed. The pain was just as overwhelming as the pleasure. Both in equal

measure, working together to tear his fucking mind in two.

“STOP FOR THE LOVE OF THE MAKER, FUCKING STOP!"

Just as he reached for his dick again, the fox grimaced as if he'd been struck and the shard

paused.

“Maker?"

Vicente repeated. The fox grits his teeth and growls.

“MAKER! MAKER MAK—FUCK!"

“STOP FUCKING SAYING THAT!"

Cisco squeezed his knot and deepthroated his wolfhood.

Vicente fought against the pleasure, and grit his teeth against the pain. Focus. He had to focus.

“Br-grr-breath in me, holy Maker!"

Cisco hissed.

“S-speak in me, mover unmoved!"

Vicente gained more ground. More time. The fox had to stop working him over again. It was his

turn to repress a scream.

“You who made all souls as sacre! You to whom all blest must—FUCK!"

Vicente squealed. Cisco crushed his balls in his palm while the other gripped his head. Now

they were both in unrelenting pain.

“S-sstop." tears fell out of Vicente's eyes. The pain was unimaginable. His vision darkened, it

was too fucking much!

Cisco loosened his grip but didn't let go entirely. He panted, exhausted, while Vicente's chest

heaved.

“What I get for trying to be nice!" Cisco said. He grabbed Vicente with his free hand while the

other kept a steady amount of strain on his sack. His cock had gone half soft in the torrent of

abuse, but wouldn't be hard to get up again.

“Ungrateful fuck," Cisco jerked him. All of the previous charm and excitement was gone now.

Cisco was a machine--a whore who hated their job, working their client over to get them out of

the door as soon as possible.

“You try to be a nice guy…some of us would have just shoved you down and pumped your ass

raw while you squealed. You don't need to enjoy it for your body to get into it, you know?"

Cisco continued his ranting while he pumped Vicente.

“But I have a soft heart. I wanted to give you a nice little fantasy before you realized you were in

hell. Fuck me, am I right?"

The fox chuckled. “Well, I guess you won't-- I know you thought about it, though. By the way,

that poem earlier sucked."

Vicente was hard again. Rock hard and rapidly approaching orgasm. An orgasm he knew he'd

never get. The pain in his chest flared up. He grits his teeth in one place while repressing a

moan in the other.

“Mak—AAAAAAAAAAGH!"

Cisco crushed his balls again. “Yeah, none of that. We gotta do this the hard way, then fine."

Vicente's head swam, and his vision blurred. He felt weak like he'd pass out. He almost hoped

he did.

“Y…you have no power."

Vicente thought he saw Cisco roll his eyes.

“You say to the guy who literally has you by the balls."

“...Over faith."

Cisco screamed. He let go of Vicente and staggered backward, landing flat on his back in the

nonexistent grass. Cracks formed over his body as if he were an old statue. Red light shone

through them. The fox screamed, cursed, and flailed in every direction. Vicente watched with

exhausted disinterest.

“You to whom all bleast must prove," Vicente said, finishing the mantra.

Cisco exploded into a ball of blue light. The courtyard dispersed in one great flash. Vicente shut

his eyes.

---

The wolf's eyes opened to see the crystal. It hummed softly, an ethereal blue instead of a raging

red. He looked down and slowly backed off, groaning as he pulled himself away from the shard.

Thankfully, it wasn't that deep.

Vicente slowly lowered himself to the floor. He just needed to rest a bit…just a bit.

He also really needed to jerk off.

His paw found his cock. Painfully hard and slick with pre, he didn't need to put in much effort,

the demon did more than enough. He lazily stroked himself, squeezed his own damn knot, and

splattered cum over his chest.

Vicente sighed. He was tired--beyond fucking tired. Jerking off didn't help with that, but he

needed it. He lay there for a while.

“Huh?" Vicente felt something bump into his side. He turned his head. A blue orb lay next to

him.

The wolf jerked away, suddenly awake, heart beating like mad. The orb just sat there, however.

It glowed a soft blue light but very faintly. Working up his courage, Vicente crawled over to the

orb and peered at it. He saw a faint wisp in the glass, a glowing spec of dust.

Blink

He saw Cisco. His fist banged against a glass wall. He screamed curses and threats. It seemed

like he could see Vicente through the glass. He was naked, his dick at full mast. Need emanated

from him in waves. They were weak now but would grow strong over time. Unbearably strong.

This, Vincente supposed, was his eternity. Till judgment, maybe not even then. Cisco jerked

himself off furiously. Eventually, he forgot Vicente, now fallen into his lust. He was close. He bit

his lip, whined in pleasure, but didn't cum.

Cisco screamed and smashed both paws against the wall.

Blink

Vicente pushed himself to his feet, orb in paw, and made for the hall.

---

The second time through the hall was far less exciting than the first. The lamps on the walls all

glowed softly; none pulsed or threatened to. Vicente dragged his feet, shambling. Just as he

reached the turn that led to the first hall, he spotted an empty sconce. He held up Cisco's orb

and slotted it into the wall without a second glance.

---

The doors shut behind Vicente as he walked back into the antechamber.

“You've done well."

Vicente's head snapped over to the stairwell. A bear stood in a white robe, grasping something

in his paws, while a golden retriever in armor held a torch behind him.

“Commandant!?" Vicente covered his sheath with a whimper. He could hide that, but he couldn't

hide the splatter of dried cum across his chest.

Alvaro chuckled.

“You're far from the first, lad." Alvaro walked up to the wolf, and the knight followed closely

behind. The bear offered Vicente his clothes and boots, which he took gratefully.

“One more thing," Alvaro reached into a long pocket and fished around for a moment. He

retrieved a small hammer and a long iron nail. Vicente took them and stared at the

Commandant, confused. The bear motioned toward the door.

Vicente turned. Nails littered the door's surface, some in clusters, most haphazard.

The wolf walked up to the door, placed the nail against an open space near the largest cluster,

and hammered it down.