FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter length: 2,603 words

Current novel length: 40,572 words

Thank you Shadow9968 for the vote on the previous chapter.

Chapter 15

The group members get inside the big tent, and the only spots left for them are the very back seats. They sit down, and not long after they do, the show begins. The ringmaster, wearing bright red and yellow pattern clothing over plain white clothes, steps out to the ring's center and greets everyone.

"Salutations, everyone! Welcome to Circus Euphoria. Tonight's performance is going to be a wild ride. We have performers doing various acts ranging from mild to outright dangerous, leaving you holding your breath as you silently hope that it ends well. I can assure you that they practice every day with help nearby that nothing will go wrong, but they may pull your emotional strings a tad bit. When you leave later, I hope that this night will stick with you for a long time, and you'll come back for more. Without further ado, let's bring out the first act."

The circus begins, and throughout half of the show, the audience enjoyed performances with animals like tigers, elephants, monkeys, and others to a duo of Dwarves doing trapeze. A group of Gnomes stack on each other in various formations while another Dwarf on the very bottom balances them while balancing on a giant ball. A Shaidun with pink skin and horns narrowly breaks out of her restraints while underwater as it is in the process of boiling.

A break in the show occurs at halftime before resuming. Various other acts have the audience biting their nails before the grand finale. The final act is eight Wood and High Elves doing tricks in the air while hanging by their hair. An explosion goes off, and everything stops and goes silent. A second explosion goes off, much closer and more robust than the first. Panic ensues as everyone stampedes out of the tent. The resulting chaos causes the devices that have the performers dangling by their hair to break, causing them to plummet. A third explosion goes off. Arven, Kaera, Merrick, and Sylfinas get outside and see various fires near the circus and around the festival. They also see masked people going around and slaughtering anyone in their way.

"What's going on?!" Merrick shouted above the pandemonium.

"We're under attack obviously, but I don't know who or what group!" Arven responded. Kaera brings out her greataxe and charges at the nearest attackers. She quickly dispatches two before he joins in. "Mind if I join in?!"

"More the merrier! Just don't steal my kills!" Kaera replied.

"I won't if you won't!"

They continue to fight four more attackers, and Arven kills two, and Kaera gets the rest. When it's all calm in the immediate area, Sylfinas inspects the dead terrorists.

"Uhh, guys, we have a problem."

"Way to state the obvious," Arven retorted.

"Come here and look where I'm pointing, Arven." He does. "Do you see what I see?"

"Phantom Brotherhood. Hey, that's my sword. Alright!" He picks it up.

"I told you we disturbed a hornet's nest when we went into the sewers to rescue your brother, Arven," Merrick spoke. Another explosion goes off somewhere. "So now, what do we do?"

"Fight back," Arven replied.

"But dad said to meet him in case of an emergency. Don't you think this counts as one?" asked Sylfinas.

"I don't care what he said. I'm a soldier, and I must protect the kingdom. Plus, I can get revenge for the sewers."

"Watch out!" Merrick shouted as he conjures lightning at a person that just appeared on top of the roof about to shoot a crossbow bolt at them. The lightning hits and down the person goes causing him to jump for joy. "It actually hit for once!"

"Good shot," Kaera complimented Merrick.

"Think you got more in you to do that again?" asked Arven.

"I have at least one more shot that I know of. Just a matter of if it goes in a random direction. After that, I most likely will go back to extreme close quarters."

During their talk, they hear some people scream, "Zombies!"

"Zombies? When did the Phantom Brotherhood obtain zombies?" questioned Sylfinas.

"That would explain the room Merrick and I saw when we were coming to rescue you," Arven responded.

"Oh yeah. That room smelled awful." Merrick waves his right hand rapidly in front of his nostrils.

"Still not going to meet up with father, Arven?" asked Sylfinas.

"Nope."

"Any idea where you plan on going?"

"Where I'm most needed. You can come with me if you wish, but don't try the pacifist route. They're not interested in peace."

"I'm fine with killing zombies." Sylfinas looks at Kaera and Merrick. "What about you two?"

"I'm going with him," Kaera answered. "You would be wise to come with us also, so you have protection."

"She has a point," Merrick spoke. "You and I don't look like we can take hits. Arven and Kaera can. I'm going with them."

"I don't have a weapon," Sylfinas pointed out. "Only useful equipment I possess are potions."

Kaera hands Sylfinas a shortsword from a fallen Phantom Brotherhood member. "Take this. Better than nothing."

Sylfinas swings the blade like an amateur. "Lead the way Arven."

They go off in search of spots that appear they can use some reinforcements. They behold small pockets of guards fighting zombies and Phantom Brotherhood members. In the mix, they notice people that Arven recognizes as competitors in the fighting arena, including Orma and Roddy. Envarn and his group are in a skirmish with several zombies, and guts splatter on him after one of his friends hits a zombie with a firebolt. "Ewww! Now I gotta get a new set of clothes after this over."

Sylfinas notices a bunch of zombies gathering around a building with several people barricaded inside. No capable fighters are nearby. "Guys!"

"I see it. Let's go!" Arven responded.

They charge towards the zombies, and Kaera knocks one down with her greataxe, finishing it off with a swift decapitation. Holding an undead by placing his hand on its face while avoiding its bite, Merrick lands a substantial shock with his Shocking Grasp. Arven decapitates one of the zombies' heads, sending the head soaring in the air, and he swats it across the battlefield. Sylfinas stabs a zombie in the chest multiple times, but to zero effect. The remaining undead makes their strikes at them, with one attack grazing Sylfinas and another hitting Arven. The rest miss their target. The group lands several more hits on the zombies, but they refuse to go back to being dead and instead get back up.

"These things are tough little bastards," Kaera grunted as she struck a slobbering zombie to the ground.

"Hey Merrick, by any chance do you know any holy magic?" asked Sylfinas.

"No. Why?"

"It will make it easier to kill them. Otherwise, we have to hit harder than normal to do the job. The undead will just return back to life if we don't do it those ways."

"Well,, let's hit harder then!" Kaera then proceeds to use her greataxe to cut a zombie in half vertically.

Merrick notices another horde coming at them. "We got company!"

Arven gives an order. "Stay close together. Don't engage all of them by yourself."

"Right!" all three shouted. The horde advance closer; the numbers are overwhelming. A few minutes of fighting later and Arven, Kaera, Merrick, and Sylfinas receive a few blows, with Merrick and Sylfinas getting hit the hardest. He drinks a health potion and hands the other one over to Merrick, and he proceeds to down it. Being a natural tank and under contract, Kaera positions herself near them as Arven follows in her footsteps. Their hard work is in vain as the horde gains its numbers faster than they can dispatch them.

"I don't enjoy our situation," Merrick commented. "There's no end to them, and I don't know if I can take more hits. I think we should retreat and get help." He notices a legion of soldiers almost having an easier time with their load of the undead. "Let's run to them."

"And leave these people behind, Merrick?" Arven gestures towards the people behind the door.

"Well, if we're dead, we won't be much help. Argh!" A dyad of zombies pile on Merrick, and one bites his left shoulder.

"Merrick!" By lacerating the heads in half, Kaera quickly dispatches the duo.

"Thanks a lot."

"You ok?"

"I think I am. Wait." Merrick's lightning marks on his arms glow brighter than usual, and his powers start to go haywire. "Not now. Not at a time like this."

"What's wrong?" inquired Arven.

"The main reason why I want training, Arven. I lose control when I'm in a situation where my life is in danger, and some force assumes control over me. I end up destroying everything when it occurs." Merrick's vision swaps to a different plane of existence and observes an entity covered in storm clouds with glowing eyes staring at him.

"Rise! Destroy!" it commanded. The wind howls as it gathers steam, and a torrential downpour inundates Merrick while it conjures a gigantic lightning bolt and strikes him with it, hijacking his body. Arven, Kaera, and Sylfinas watch as Merrick, completely dry, walks closer to the horde of zombies with both hands up to his elbows, entirely enveloped by lightning.

"What are you doing?!" questioned Sylfinas.

"You can't fight them by yourself!" shouted Kaera.

"Get away from them, Merrick!" commanded Arven.

Merrick completely ignores all three of them and places his hands on the ground. A wave of lightning surges from him towards the zombies, and every single one turns to dust. As collateral damage, the lightning severely damages or destroys the structures in its path, and any innocent civilians suffer the same fate as the undead. Merrick then passes out, and Kaera catches him before he hits the ground while Arven and Sylfinas catch up.

"Merrick! Merrick! Wake up!" Arven vigorously shakes him, slapping him at the cheeks. "Wake up!"

"Let me take a look." Sylfinas inspects Merrick's body. "He's alive but won't be active for a while. Whatever it was that happened added too much strain for him to handle.

Meanwhile, in a dreamlike state, the entity stares at Merrick. "Train! Stronger! Become! Stormblood!" Its voice shakes the ground.

"What the hell are you?!" asked Merrick. The being fades, forcing him to wake up to Arven, Kaera, and Sylfinas looking at him with a concerned visage.

"Can you move?" asked Arven.

Merrick can barely lift his upper torso. "Not right now, Arven. Going to need help."

"I got you." Kaera lifts him up over her shoulder. "Where should we head to now?"

"We should head to where we said we're going to meet dad," Sylfinas suggested.

"We should," Arven agreed. "You need assistance carrying Merrick, Kaera?"

"No, thanks." Kaera utters a yip like a dog suffering an injury to its tail.

Several crossbow bolts come from out of nowhere and hit the three of them in the legs.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," a familiar voice spoke. All but Merrick turn their heads towards the voice's direction and discern Elvlin and her henchmen armed and ready to do battle.

"That the Drow bitch from the sewers I hear?" questioned Merrick.

"She is." Kaera lowers him to the ground, wields her greataxe, and stands in front of him and others and growls.

"Drop your weapon, bitch!" Elvlin's eyes glow red as Heat Metal goes into effect, causing Kaera to drop her weapon after a few seconds. "It appears that all of you made it out of Pumpkin's chamber alive. Filthy cockroaches. This time I'll be extra sure to finish the job." She snaps her fingers and gestures one of her henchmen to go over and execute them. Too exhausted and injured to do anything, all they can do is watch. The only person capable of resisting is Kaera, and she does, albeit brief.

"I'll kill you first then," one of Elvlin's men spoke.

He forces her to her knees and lifts his sword to deal the final blow. He swings, but an unknown person intervenes, catching the blade in his hands. "What?" Before he has any time to process, the person breaks the sword and shoves the sharp, pointed end into his throat, killing him. Another Phantom Brotherhood member receives a tap on his shoulders and turns around, noticing another being with fur standing close to him, growling.

"Mind if I borrow this?" the being asked before stealing his greatsword and eliminating him with it. "Much appreciated."

Arven and the others are joyful by their saviors. Jemeir and Radclyff are here. Elvlin appears exceedingly pissed. "You two have a death wish?"

"Not as much as you," Jemeir responded. "Targeting my children and their friends? Wrong move."

"I was in the middle of sampling some pie for a pie competition with my family," Radclyff replied. "Nobody comes between me and my pie and lives to tell the tale. You also jeopardized my wife's and children's lives, another action I despise."

"Kill them!" Elvlin ordered her followers. They obey, and it isn't long till they figure out that Jemeir and Radclyff are experienced fighters. Jemeir uses only his hands for combat, and they deliver quite the punch. Each hit breaks some bones, and the Phantom Brotherhood members quickly go down. Some succumb after a well-placed impact to their heart, halting its rhythm. Radclyff roars and utilizes his fresh greatsword to deliberately shed some of his own blood. A red aura of spirits surrounds him, increasing the power of his hits. Each swing causes limbs to fly off from those unfortunate to be in the path. Aside from him injuring himself, neither Radclyff nor Jemeir sustain any injuries. Elvlin is more frustrated than worried about the series of events. The terrorists wielding crossbows on the rooftops fire their bolts at Jemeir, and he either dodges or catches them and sends them back. They collide and eliminate the crossbowmen. Radclyff starts to bolt across the street before leaping up to the roofs, dispatching the remainders.

"It appears you are the only one left.," Jemeir commented. "I suggest you surrender immediately." Skye's ointment worked like a charm.

"Surrender to filth like you? Impossible! Fire Nature: Fireball!" She charges a fireball and launches it towards Arven, Kaera, Merrick, and Sylfinas. Jemeir's body becomes outlined in green and blocks the spell. Instead of it detonating, the fireball instead covers his hands. Elvlin now looks anxious as sweat materializes on her skin. Impossible! How can he hijack my spell and control it? I better get out of here. She tries to flee but collides against a pissed off Fenri. Radclyff restrains her by holding her arms behind her back as Jemeir walks closer with his hands on fire, yet he shows no signs of pain.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Jemeir uttered. He extends hands and ejects a colossal stream of fire point-blank. Elvlin's head has nowhere to avoid the direct path or any means of blocking the fire. After the last remaining embers leave, her head is a charred stump. "Hope I didn't burn you too much, Radclyff."

Radclyff laughs. "Hah! I've barely felt a thing. You've either gotten sloppy since we retired, or you were holding back. You four ok over there?" he asked to Arven, Kaera, Merrick, and Sylfinas. They are too lethargic and stupefied to reply, aside from nodding, so he and Jemeir assist them, with Radclyff bearing the brunt of it.

"Come on, Radclyff. Let's get them back to my place."

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