FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

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CHAPTER 6

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When I awoke the next morning I was greeted to the delicious scent of roasting meat. I was in camp, the bedroll I lay on smelt like Callen. I crawled out of bed and stretched, my muscles appreciated the movement and I let out a satisfied groan as my muscles loosened up. The sun was high in the sky as it always was, and judging by the heat it must have been close to midday. I had been pretty badly hurt yesterday, but after my time in the healing pool with Callen all the previous days injuries were gone. My leg where Callen had struck me with an arrow was still a little stiff, but that would pass in the next day or so thanks to the wonders of the healing pool.

Garr sat by the fire with Jan'Zar and Callen, as a boar was spit roasted over the fire pit. Callen was the first to notice me. He smiled and waved me over. I nodded but motioned over to the side of the camp. Indicating my need to go pee. He nodded and I padded over the flat smooth rock that our shelters were built on and stepped down onto the soft grass before stepping through the tree line and once I was happy that I was out of sight I relieved myself against a tree. As I began my way back towards camp I was stopped as someone stepped out from behind a tree a few yards ahead of me. Their features were hidden because they were silhouetted by the sunlight streaming in behind them, but there was only one fur that massive silhouette could belong to.

"Morning Garr."

"Feeling better?"

"Much." I smiled. "But you could have asked me that back at camp. Why did you follow me?"

He stepped closer to me, too close. I could feel his breath on my scales. I could smell him so clearly now, his scent was fierce, dominant; that of a predator. But there was something else to it now. A familiar muskiness that was hard to misinterpret. Unusually he was not wearing in his heavy armour, he was bare fur other than the loin cloth around his waist. I could clearly see the power in his body now he wasn't wearing his armour. The massive muscles that cover his body. I felt like a helpless cub standing next to him like this.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Just talk?" I teased, remembering our conversation by the river yesterday. "I must say I'm a little disappointed."

He pushed me against the trunk of a tree with some considerable force, if it was anyone else I would have assumed they would be trying to hurt me, but he was simply too strong for his own good. He pressed his muzzle to mine and forced his tongue into my muzzle. I didn't resist the mass of wet muscle and suckled on it as it overwhelmed my maw with its impressive size.

After our talk when we bathed yesterday I had an impression that he liked me. But I hadn't expected him to act on it so soon. He was a good kisser, if a little overbearing. When he finally released me I was panting for air just as he was. He pressed his brow to mine in an intimate moment between the two of us. I had never realised how intimate a gesture like that could be.

"What brought this about?" I asked.

"I watched you the other night with Callen."

"Jealous?" I grinned.

"A little. I know you have feelings for him." He stared me in the eyes with a soft intensity. "I don't mind sharing you."

I chuckled. He didn't seem offended or confused by my laugh.

"What makes you think I want to be shared?"

He didn't respond with words. He kissed me once more, this time more gently but still with considerable force. I welcomed the kiss, because he was a damn good kisser. I felt groin tingle. He pulled away from the kiss then stepped back two steps. I stared at him and he at me. The scent of our mutual arousal slowly filling the air between us.

Part of me wanted this, a big part. But at the same time I felt like I was cheating on Callen. But I had to remind myself that we weren't in an exclusive relationship. I had thought that perhaps we were, but that was before he had slept with his sister while Garr and I bathed yesterday.

"When you're willing to be shared, you know where to find me." And with that Garr stalked off deeper into the woods, his heavy paw steps slowly becoming in audible as he disappeared from sight.

I began making my way back to camp. My mind was racing with what just happened. But when I saw Callen my focus was purely on him. The distraction of Garr's confession no longer weighed on my mind. I sat down on the log across from him. He offered me a plate of meat from the boar that they had cooked over the pit. It was just the two of us.

"Where's Jan'Zar?" I asked. Curious where the Deity of War had disappeared to.

"She had some business to take care of. She said she wanted to give you a couple of days to rest before resuming your training."

"She said that?" I asked sceptically.

"Well... I may have demanded it." He smiled.

I smiled as well. He cared about me. I felt a little bashful at the gesture. But I wasn't going to complain about spending some more time with Callen.

"So are we going to work on my spiritual training?"

"In a way. We need to start working on ways that you can defend yourself. You won't be able to sleep next to me and my sister forever."

"Sleeping next to you doesn't sound too bad." I smirked earning a chuckle from the large wolf. "But what do you mean when you say that?"

"You need to learn how to rest through meditation. That way the spirit won't be able attack your psyche when you rest. We will also need to give it less ammunition to use against you?"

"What?"

"It uses your emotions and memories to try and weaken you." I remember the nightmares well enough. "So I need to teach you to detach your emotions from certain memories."

"That sounds difficult." I admitted. Detaching emotions from memories?

"It is I not practise I generally recommend, but given your situation it is essential. We should have started this before you began training with Jan. But I was enjoying our time together, but you... we... both started to enjoy what we shared beyond just a purely physical relationship." He frowned. "Emotions are powerful. I had a lapse of judgement. Our relationship is something that the spirit can use against you." His ears fell flat and he no longer looked me in the muzzle, but instead stared into the fire pit guiltily. "I hope you can forgive me. I was selfish and have put you in even more danger."

"I don't blame you." I tried to console him. "If I had the choice, I wouldn't change a thing."

"That's kind of you to say." He smiled. "Jan really chewed me out over this."

Was this what they were talking about when I was sleeping? Was that why Garr made his move in the woods? While I found Garr attractive physically attractive I didn't actually have any feelings for him in that sense. Was this him giving me a way to vent my sexual frustrations without the emotional link I had with Callen? Was it all part of some grand plan to help me cope? It would be a lot more difficult to for any sort of romantic feelings for someone who beats you to a bloody pulp every other day; unless you enjoyed that kind of thing.

"So where do we go from here?"

"First I need to teach you how to suppress and detach your emotions. Understand that this is a key part of your training Malakye. The spirit within you is powerful, and we only do this in the most extreme of circumstances." His tone was flat and serious. His gaze intense. There was no mistaking how serious he was being right now. "You will change as a result of this. Practically become a different furson. Memories of your friends, family and lovers... you need to distance yourself from them. Bury them some where deep inside you so that the spirit cannot access them."

"How do I do that?" I asked, a little scared now. The memories of my friends and family were pretty much all that I had of my other life now. They were my motivation to push through the hardships of this training so I could return home. If I lose that connection would I still want to return home?

"We have some ways to do this. Some more... permanent than others." I'm not sure what he meant by that, but it didn't sound good. "But don't misunderstand me Malakye. Your bonds will be what gives you the strength to overcome the spirit within you. But right now they are a hindrance, a weapon to be wielded against you. Eventually though they will become a powerful weapon which will see you through the darkest of times. And when that time comes you will need to forge your bonds anew, in preparation for the final battle."

"So I need to lose the feelings I have for my friends, only to find them again later?"

"Essentially yes. You either need to learn to suppress your emotions, or eradicate them entirely."

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Between my training sessions with Garr, where I was generally beaten to within an inch of my life, and my time with Callen during my spiritual, and now emotional training the days passed by quickly. Garr had not made another pass at me, or even mentioned the incident in the woods after what was at least thirty days.

He hadn't lost interest, I was keenly aware of him watching me when we bathed. I was still sleeping with Callen each night, and each night I would let him take me. The sex was intense, incredible even, but afterwards Callen would act cold and indifferent to me. We used to snuggle together and he would whisper loving words to me as I drifted off to sleep. This was his way of trying to kill the emotion I felt for him. He was trying to help me I know, but that didn't mean I liked it.

I don't know which would be harder, to have Callen act this cold and indifferent after sex or to just not have sex with him. In a way... I felt used after we had finished fucking. Like I was nothing more than somewhere for him to shove his dick each night. The emotion and intimate moments were gone. It was now just sex, great sex, but no matter how good the sex was the emptiness that followed was worse than any nightmare the spirit could show me.

I had not approached Garr in response to the offer he made me in the woods that day, but I knew he was waiting for me to approach him. He had made his attraction to me clear. Attraction. That was all he felt. He didn't loved me or anything, which is probably why he was being so patient about the whole situation. And while I respected him, I didn't love him either. I was attracted to him for his body nothing more. But things can change when sex is involved. Like it had with Callen. He had admitted to having more than just a physical attraction towards me, just as I had for him.

But in order to completely my training I would have to 'forget' the emotions I felt towards Callen. It was then that I considered the thought of not sleeping with Callen anymore. If all I was going to do have was sex for the sake of sexual gratification, taking emotion out of it entirely as Callen was trying to do, then maybe I'd be better off with Garr and cut any emotion out of it from the start.

I was getting better at meditating now, in fact for the last five days I hadn't actually slept a wink. All my rest came from meditation. Which meant that I could rest at night without needing Callen or Jan'Zar sleeping next to me. In theory at least. I had yet to attempt the act but I was confident I'd be able to do so. But I could feel the fatigue from the past five nights. While meditating did allow me to rest my body, it was no where near as rejuvenating as an actual nights sleeps. Not to mention the mental fatigue that came with it.

Today I was training with Garr. The mornings were filled with exercises and drills, and right now we were coming to the end of our ten mile run. I had memorised the course now, but Garr always ran it with me. I would spend the entire time staring at his back as we ran.

We came to a stop by a river. We had finished the run and both of us were breathing hard and dripping with sweat from the intense heat of the midday sun. We splashed water over ourselves to cool down before heading for lunch which usually consisted of any fruits and berries we found in the nearby foliage.

"Good run today!" Garr patted me on the back with his massive paw.

"Yeah!" I huffed from the force of his pat. "Next time I'll leave you in my dust!" I teased.

"Yeah, yeah! You keep telling yourself that!" He chuckled.

Truth was I could probably out run Garr on the course if I used my nen, but it would be damn close! He was faster than you'd think possible for a fur his size, especially when he wore his armour like he was now. That armour had to weigh the same as me, if not more.

We spoke idly about the plans for the afternoons training while we foraged for our lunch. A few more drills, some weight training before sparring. Joy of joys! I wonder which one of them I'd be sparring with today. Occasionally Jan'Zar liked to test me to see how my training was progressing. A rustling bush nearby was all the warning I had that something was approaching. I immediately went to grab my knife before I realised that it was Callen and Jan'Zar.

"Eat this!" Jan'Zar ordered tossing me a piece of flat bread. "Change of plans. We're taking you to The Hall of Ancestors."

"Where?" I asked.

"It's a six hour trek to the North. We will be staying the night there." Callen explained.

"Garr..." Jan'Zar began, but she just stared at Garr who seemed to understand the silent order she was giving him.

"So it's that time is it?"

"Yes it is." She nodded. "We will be back tomorrow."

"I understand." Garr responded.

I knew better than to ask what they were talking about. I'd just get a mawful of abuse from Jan'Zar and a snort from Garr, so I just kept my muzzle shut. I'd find out when I find out. I don't know what this place was they were taking me to, but it couldn't be much worse than sparring! Or at least what these two called sparring.

I was lead North through the forest, after about four hours we came to a cliff face which had a narrow path which zig-zagged its way upwards. We stopped for brief break before beginning the trek up the cliff. It was a substantial climb, but at least we weren't going to be physically climbing the cliff face.

The path was just wide enough for us to walk single file with relative ease. I wasn't too worried about falling as I could easily glide to safety if I could control my fall well enough. In fact using my bending skills I could have scaled the cliff in a matter of seconds, but I stayed with the others. By the end of the climb my legs were sore; it was a damn steep! The heat from the sun not only beat down on us from above but from below! The rocks were hot and radiated the suns heat back up at us! The conditions were sweltering, uncomfortable and tiring. We walked for at least an hour before reaching the top. But at least the views were spectacular!

Looking out over the tree tops of the forest, dozens of birds flew over the canopy. It was breath taking. The climb though itself left me sweaty and exhausted. Even Jan'Zar was visibly suffering as a result of the climb. She took a substantial drink of water from the water sack she carried before tossing it to me. The water sack was made from animal hide, and was cool and damp to the touch where the water had soaked through. I swallowed several mawfuls of water, the warm yet refreshing liquid quenched the drought in my maw before I handed it over to Callen. His fur was visibly damp from sweat.

Once we had caught our breath we continued out journey through yet another portion of forest. This was the last leg of the journey, and passed quickly now that the trees sheltered us from the unforgiving sun. When we entered a clearing it was obvious to me that we had reached our destination.

Built into another cliff face, this one made of white rock, was a huge archway made of marble. The archway itself was at least thirty feet tall. The heavy wooden doors that were set into the archway stood at twenty feet. They were wide enough for ten furs to walk through them side by side. On each side of the doorway stood two large white stone statues, as tall as the doors, almost as if they were built for the statues themselves, or some creature as tall as them. The two statues were that of a dragon and a wolf respectively.

"Say hello to your ancestors Malakye." Callen grinned motioning to the statues. "Tau'ruc Jarra and Dalton Zaraki."

The two furs told by legend to be the most powerful of all k'tan ever. The first Zangarian and Wolven k'tan, the first daemons to be given the title. They were so powerful they could fight the Demon Lords on equal terms. Legend tells how the Zangarian mountain range was created as a result of Tau'ruc Jarra's earth bending ability. And that he sealed a huge army of demons beneath the mountain range, creating an inescapable prison of sorts.

Dalton was just as famous, his ability to wield pure light as a weapon; a feat that no other k'tan had ever managed to replicate. That power was said to be powerful enough to slay a Demon Lord with a single blow. A power which, until Dalton, had been reserved for the most powerful Deity himself; Asurmen! These two furs turned the war in the favour of the mortal realm which allowed the Guardian Deities the chance to seal the borders to the Underworld once again.

As we approached the massive doors I noticed that there was a smaller door built into the bottom of the over sized one. One which was appropriately sized for us to use. When we stepped inside I sighed in relief at the coolness of the air against my scales. There was a short hallway, with ceilings as high as the doors themselves. The hallway was dim, the light from the chamber ahead filtering in and allowing us to see clearly.

The chamber itself was huge! Nearly five times as wide as the hallway, the ceiling higher than the archway which marked the entrance itself. The chamber seemed to go one for at least a mile. The light came from orbs of light that floated a few feet above our heads. I was awestruck at their beauty. There were hundreds, thousands, of them through the chamber. Each one casting different shades of light upon us. Purples, oranges, yellows, red, greens... too many colours to name. Each orb seemed to radiate with its own distinct shade. Along the length of the chamber, there were pedestals which stood equal distances apart. Upon each pedestal stood an orb, much larger than those which hovered in the air, about three feet in diameter, each one emanated a powerful aura, similar to those of the floating orbs. Many of the orbs on the pedestals were greyed out and lifeless in comparison to the others.

I slowly approached one of the orbs. This one glowed green, wisps of coloured smoke rose from the orbs surface. Inside the orb was a rune I could not identify. Only this rune seemed to change its shape, and yet never changed. I couldn't stop staring at it! It was hypnotic! The rune didn't seem to have a solid form. It was fascinating! I couldn't pull my gaze away from it!

I was jolted from my entrancement when a paw grabbed my arm.

"Malakye!" Callen was staring at me with a slightly concerned expression. "Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine." I assured him, glancing back at the orb, but this time backing away from it now that I was no longer under its spell. "What happened to me?"

"It's not unusual for furs to be attracted to them. The Runes can have that effect when you look at them."

"What are these runes?"

"These are what give all k'tan their abilities Malakye!" He grinned.

I looked at the orb again but this time I followed the smoke trail as it rose into the air. I hadn't noticed until now, but it mixed with the smoke from the other orbs and began a river of smoke which flowed towards the far end of the chamber.

"Can you hurry up!?" Jan'Zar snorted impatiently a fair distance ahead of us.

We smiled at one another before walking towards the Deity of War. She turned and continued walking before we reached her. Was there truly this many k'tan in the world? As we walked Callen explained that the greyed out orbs represented k'tan blood lines which had died out over the millennia, or who had died during the war itself. Lost forever, the runes had disappeared upon the death of the last of the line.

"I was not expecting you!" A voice echoed through the chamber. "At least not this soon."

"Kun!" Jan'Zar greeted the robed stranger who had emerged from behind a curtained door way.

"Who is that?" I asked with a hushed whisper to Callen.

"That's our brother, Kunsel!" He whispered back with a grin before going to greet his brother.

The Guardian Deity Kunsel! Guardian of Judgement, protector of the balance! I hadn't expected to meet another Guardian Deity but I was suddenly very star struck, much as I had been when I first realised who Callen and Jan'Zar truly were. I felt my entire body grow rigid and I stood to attention when he turned his gaze to me and began to approach me.

He wore a long white robe with golden trim. Even while his body was hidden beneath his robes I could tell he slender; but tall. He lowered his hood and I could see his appearance was similar to that of Jan'Zar, only he didn't wear war paint like his sister. His skin was a pale silvery gold which was quite eye catching. I assumed like the other Guardian Deities he could choose his own physical form. He had no fur, not even atop his head. His pale gold eyes radiated a gentle kindness, but also an all knowing truth; as if he was staring into my very soul. Like his sister he had a flat muzzle and long pointed ears.

I had asked Callen about Jan'Zar's appearance one time during her absence. She, along with her twin sister Shal'Naresh, and now apparently Kunsel as well, all based their physical form on this same race. The race was now extinct, wiped out at the start of the demon war. They had called themselves Elves. They had a regal appearance, elegant and graceful. The flatness of their muzzles was strange to me, but I did not find them ugly.

"So you are the one." Kunsel smiled.

"It is a great honour to meet you!" I bowed my head.

"Apparently so." He smiled. I glanced at Callen quickly and then back to Kunsel. "You're confused."

"Kunsel can tell if you are telling the truth." Callen explained. "It's one of his many talents."

"You can tell if I'm lying?" Suddenly I realised that I was talking to the Guardian Deity of Judgement. Of course he'd be able to tell if I was being truthful or not. Was I here to be judged?

"Calm yourself." Kunsel smiled softly. It was now that I realised how mature he seemed in comparison to the others. I did wonder why he seemed to be so old when he could choose his own appearance. "You are not here to be judged. You are here to visit your ancestors."

"My ancestors? You mean, to pay homage to them?"

"In a way." Kunsel smiled as if amused by my ignorance. "Come with me. The two of you make yourselves at home." He said to Jan'Zar and Callen as he led me towards a pair of heavy stone doors with intricate carvings.

"You got any alcohol?" Jan'Zar asked as she strode through a curtained doorway where Kunsel had emerged from.

"We'll see you when you get back Malakye." Callen smiled before following his sister.

The doors were about ten foot tall, half that of the outer doors, but they were made from a grey stone rather than wood. Above the door was a large crystal which glowed with a brilliant white light. The coloured wisps of smoke that rose from the orbs we had passed further down the chamber, holding the runes of power, flowed down the chamber and into this crystal. The intricate carvings on the door depicted countless furs stretching upwards to grasp at the crystal above the door. I wasn't sure what it was meant to represent, but my thoughts didn't linger on it for long, not when the heavy set doors rumbled and began to open outwards as we approached.

I stared into the darkness within. The doors had opened by themselves, which was unnerving in of itself. But the darkness within felt like it was reaching out to me. I felt the scales on the back of my neck tingle. Kunsel stood next to the doors and stared at me with patient curiosity. Apparently he was waiting for me.

"What's inside?" I asked.

"Answers. Questions. What each individual gets from visiting the chamber is different." Kunsel stated plainly. "Within you might find the answers to questions you didn't know you had. Some emerge with a new found sense of clarity. Others gain some new insight, while others can emerge with questions they never once considered to be questions. But no matter what you may find inside, I assure you no harm will befall you."

I just stared and blinked at him in response. I took a deep breath and stepped through the door. A few steps in I heard the doors rumble once more as the slowly closed behind me. I panicked for a moment before getting a hold of myself. They weren't going to lock me in here. I was here for a purpose. And they would let me out once I had accomplished that purpose.

The doors rumbled closed and I was plunged into complete darkness. My eyes began to adapt after a few moments, but even with my Zangarian eyesight, I could see very little. I could make out the wall a couple of feet either side of me and that was it. I began making my way slowly through the darkness. It was unnerving and surprisingly cool in here. Cool enough to be uncomfortable, but I was not worried about freezing to death.

After about twenty paces the corridor opened out, the wall on either side of me fell away as I stepped into a chamber of some sort. My paw steps began to echo slightly as I padded my way in deeper, the air grew cooler still. I noticed several faint lights floating nearby, wisps of smoke much like the ones which flowed into the large white crystal about the doorway.

I kept walking. Just how big was this place?

I stopped when I thought I heard something. I looked around but I couldn't see anything other than the wisps of faint, smoky light. Looking around now it looked like the wisps were following me. What was going on in here? What were these wisps of light?

There it was a again! A faint inaudible sound, like wind through the branches or when some one whispers next to you. I was starting to get nervous now. I was trapped in a pitch dark chamber with no obvious way out. I had been walking for... some considerable length of time. I couldn't even guess how long, the darkness was making my sense of time almost non-existent. I kept walking, trying to keep calm. If I panicked now that wouldn't help me get out of here.

"Brave on aren't you?" A voice echoed around me.

"Whose there!" I growled aggressively, reaching for my knife.

"Calm yourself young one." The voice chuckled, echoing around me. I couldn't tell what direction it was coming from. "I'm not going to harm you. No one here will."

The wisps of light gathered to my right and took the form of a fur stepping towards me, their form slowly taking shape as the approached me. I readied myself to fight, not entirely trusting the disembodied voices assurance that they weren't going to harm me, I grasped the hilt of my knife on my right thigh.

The wisp stopped a few paces away from me, their form finally taking shape. I went wide eyed as I realised I was speaking to a dragon, and despite their wisp like form, I was able to tell that they were Zangarian! They were as tall as I was, at first I wondered of this was my doppelgänger trying to trick me somehow. But I could tell by looking at their eyes, pale white, like the wisps of smoke that formed their body, that they weren't my doppelgänger. There was kindness in their eyes.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Don't you know where you are?" Their voice echoed around me, not coming from their form at all.

"The Hall of Ancestors?" They stared at me as if they were waiting for something. And a few moments later I remembered what Kunsel had said to me. 'You are here to visit your ancestors.' So was this drake standing before me my ancestor? "So you're my ancestor?"

"Correct. My name is Tau'ruc Jarra. I assume you've heard of me?"

"Yes!" I said in shock. Tau'ruc Jarra, the legendary k'tan. "Why are you here?"

"This is my home. The question is why are you here?"

"I was..."

"Don't worry. I know you don't get told a lot when you come in here. In this chamber, the spirits of the first k'tan reside for eternity." Tau'ruc explained.

"So why are you here?" I asked curious as to why their spirits are still here after two millennia.

"That's complicated." He chuckled. "But put simply, our continued presence helps to maintain the seal which blocks the borders to the underworld from encroaching on both Aaru and the Mortal Realm, which ended the war."

The war, the great demon war. Everyone knew that the Balance was part of how the Guardian Deities prevented the demons of the Underworld from invading. Did the first k'tan have some part in maintaining the balance? If that was the case then this entire structure was dedicated to that core purpose? That was impressive. My mind couldn't even comprehend how that worked. I also couldn't comprehend what it must be like to spend over two thousand years in a dark chamber like this! I was grateful for how he, and all the other spirits in here, continued to protect us, even in death.

"So why am I here?" I asked. Unsure what I was actually here for.

"Good question. You're here for..."

"Shut the hell up Tau!" Barked another voice. I turned to see yet another spirit begin to take shape as they approached. "Stop sounding like you know what you're talking about!"

"What is he talking about?" I asked turning to look at the wolf that had just manifested.

"Wh...!!! You can see me!? Hear me?!"

"Sure..." I said with a tone of uncertainty. "Why wouldn't I be able to?"

"Perhaps I should explain." Tau'ruc stepped forward to stand next to me as we both faced the wolf. "But could you tell us your name first?"

"My name is Malakye Anaris." I stated and remembered that it was tradition amongst warriors to exchange their heritage when introducing themselves. "Son of Kaldor Anaris, Grand-Master and leader of Zangar, Grandson of Randel Redpelt, Elder of Rovarian Village!"

"REDPELT!?" The wolf barked angrily while Tau'ruc began to chuckle to himself.

"I guess two of our kids finally got their act together!" Tau'ruc laughed.

"What is going on?" I asked once more.

"Sorry son. Let me introduce you to Dalton Zaraki." I went wide eyed as I once again took in the form of the wolf. He was definitely the biggest wolf I had ever seen, alive or dead. His muscular build obvious beneath the armour he wore. So this was the legendary Dalton Zaraki? "In this hall you can speak to your ancestors. You can't see those you are not related by blood, or at the very least had a close bond."

"What about my mother!?" I asked. The sudden thought of being able to see her again, even in this place made my heart beat faster. "Is she here?!"

"I don't know... when did she pass?" Tau'ruc asked me with a tone of sympathy.

"I was just a cub when she died." I admitted.

"Then she's long gone kid!" Dalton grunted. "The spirits of mortals only reside here for a short while before moving on."

"Oh." I was a little depressed now, it had only been a brief moment of hope at the chance of speaking to her once more, but my heart sank.

"Cheer up. She's will have become a part of the cycle now." Tau'ruc tried to console me. "Shall we get down to business then?"

"I still don't know what we're meant to be doing."

"We are going to give you insight and knowledge." Dalton grunted. "If we deem you worthy of it that is!"

"We allow our souls to merge for a brief moment, and depending on how compatible we are, you will attain some of our knowledge, and in some rare cases, a portion of our power!" Tau'ruc added.

"Wow... okay." I said a little shocked at what was going to happen.

"But don't think you're going to convince me to help you!" Dalton grunted. "Blood or not, I'm not going to help a child of his!" He pointed at Tau'ruc.

I remembered now the story of how the bad blood between Dragons and Wolves first began. It was nothing more than a lovers quarrel between these two! Even now two thousand years later they were still at each others throats. I had to say something!

"Why do you two hate each other so much!?" I barked, raising my voice for the first time. Dalton seemed taken aback at my sudden outburst. "Do you have any idea how many furs have died during the wars between our species!? All because you started fighting back when you were alive!"

"DON'T THINK YOU CAN SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT YOU LITTLE RUNT!!!"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" I yelled back, my anger getting the better of me, but my outburst had gotten his attention now.. "I don't give a damn about who you are! It's bad enough you two fought when you were alive, but even now, in the after-life you two still don't get along?! It's because of you that furs like my mother suffered!"

My throat tightened as my emotions began to get the better of me, as the memories of my mother came to the surface. I couldn't help but blame this wolf for all of her hardships! I could see the anger and rage in his eyes. His jaw tightly clenched as he gritting his teeth. He was ready to explode at me. I wasn't sure if he could hurt me with that corporeal body of his. I tensed up, preparing for the worst, but I didn't regret what I had said. Moments before I was sure he was about to attack me Tau'ruc stepped between us, shielding me from him.

"STAND ASIDE TAU!" Dalton growled. "THIS IS BETWEEN ME AND HIM!"

"NO!" Tau'ruc yelled defiantly. "His words ring of truth. We may not be responsible for the wars that have raged over the centuries, but we can't deny our part of them! I hurt you, I know I did and I'm sorry! I've told you as such countless times!"

"You cast me aside!"

"I didn't want to... but we both had a responsibility to continuing our bloodline. You know why I did it!"

"You could have sired a few bastard runts and still stayed with me! We both could have!" Dalton's tone was aggressive, but I could hear the emotion in it. He was speaking from the heart. I felt a little out of place listening to this lovers quarrel play out. "But you chose duty, and pussy, over me!"

"I understand why you hate me Dalton. I truly do." Tau'ruc sighed. "I won't ask you to forgive me. All I ask is that you help Malakye here achieve his potential. You can sense it can't you?"

Dalton's eyes stared at me for a few moments before he nodded.

"He is just as much of your blood as he is of mine. You could say, that in a sense he is our child. In essence he represents the love we once shared! If that love meant anything to you back then, then you won't punish him for it."

With a defiant grunt Dalton turned and walked away, his corporeal body disappearing from sight into the darkness. Tau'ruc sighed before turning to face me.

"I'm sorry if what I said was out of line." I apologised.

"No, I should be the one to apologise. It was my fault. I did hurt him, in my eagerness to carry out my duty and ensuring the continuation of my bloodline, I swore an oath to protect every living fur from harm, using the power granted to me, and now you, to ensure the barrier sealing the way to the Underworld remains sealed."

"The barrier is maintained by your bloodline?"

"Mmmm. The spiritual energy of those born as k'tan is much stronger than that of regular furs. Instead of joining the balance directly, they first feed the barriers strength with their superior spiritual energy before joining the other souls seeking rebirth."

"So that's how it works."

"In essence, how it works is far beyond my understanding. For that you'll need to ask Lord Kunsel himself. He was the one who came up with the process."

"I understand." I nodded. "Now I don't mean to be rude, and I am honoured to have the opportunity to speak with you, but how long will this merging take?" I was still trapped within the endless darkness of the chamber, the only light came from the wisps of smoke that created his appearance.

"Lets give Dalton a little time to think things over." Tau'ruc smiled. "In the mean time I would love to speak with you and find out how my descendants are doing. Unlike Dalton, most of us never get visitors."

"I'd be honoured to answer any questions you may have."

And so we spoke. He asked me about Zangar, about his descendants. He asked me about my life, about growing up in wolven village with my mixed heritage. We spoke frankly and honestly. I asked him a few questions as well, but mostly he wanted to know about me. About my friends. About the challenges I had faced and over come. About my failures as well. The last thing we spoke about was the battle when the wolves attacked Zangar. About how I pursued Kaleb and eventually wound up here in Aaru.

"Have you been listening Dalton?" Tau'ruc asked suddenly.

From behind him the wolf rematerialised. He wore a stern expression as he looked at me.

"I have."

"So? What is your decision?" He asked his fellow spirit.

He stared at me for a few moments more before answering.

"I am not convinced that he is worthy of my gift. But I will grant it to him. He is my blood after all."

"Thank you." I bowed my head respectfully. I wanted to apologise for my earlier outburst, but the wolf struck me as the kind of fur who would view that as weakness.

"I'll give you this warning." Dalton stated sternly. "There is a small chance that you will suffer permanent damage, either physically, spiritually or mentally. But a greater chance that you will attain memories and experiences that will help you achieve your goals. It will be confusing, but after a few days the after effects will settle down."

"Will it hurt?" I asked.

"It might. The memories you attain here will feel real to you. While you may feel physical pain, no actual harm should befall you." He explained. "Now are you ready boy?"

Both Tau'ruc and Dalton moved so they stood either side of me. Tau'ruc to my right and Dalton to my left. I nodded and closed my eyes, preparing myself for what was to come. I felt a chill spread through me, filling me up entirely only to be replaced by a rising heat which seemed to explode though my body.

What I experienced was hard to explain. Memories flashed before me, too many, and too quickly to make out, they ran through my mind like a blur, overwhelming my senses with a tirade of experiences. The few memories I could clearly make out were the ones shared by both Tau'ruc and Dalton. But they too ran together, impossible to tell each one apart, but I could sense the emotions from those memories. The love they held for one another. Their courage in battle. The heartbreak, sorrow and anger of their parting.