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Anthro Sex Squad Story 4 - Bizmark's Story

By Killenor

Arc 1 - Origins

Chapter 1

Good day small one. Have you ever stopped to consider that everything happens for a reason? Everyone has a choice and their own will, but only when you consider that you compete with all the wills of the world do you realize that with only your strength of will you can make the life you want. It is lucky, then, that our paths have crossed. I am glad to meet you.

My path has been a long one. No one wields the magicks of this world without a long journey behind them. If we sit and exchange tales, we may yet discover more than simply magicks and secrets. Understanding has more power than knowledge, and if we come to an understanding, perhaps both our worlds will grow.

My life started far away from where we are now. The great savannahs were littered with the tribes of the folk, stretching far and wide, and living in relative harmony with the ferals that lived there. Our people were always the largest, though we never built cities. We preferred the nomadic life and relied on no-one for our crafts. I am not saying we were barbarians, for we were learned in many things, philosophy, arts, music, astronomy, and the lore of nature.

But I was only one amongst many, and at the time, I was the only male child. Our families are great, but also matriarchal. We males are considered to be too emotional, willful, and reckless to lead families and make strong decisions. Needless to say, my young life, devoid of male contact, was quite a trying time for me.

***

"Come on Biz!" shouted Tanja as she crested the hill. "I want to show you that weird tree I found!"

The small grey elephant-boy puffed along after his companion. Short for his age and a bit chunky, Bizmark found he could never quite keep up with all the girls. He was sharp-witted, studious, and hardy to make up for it, but that never seemed to help when his best friend Tanja wanted to show him something new.

"Oh will you hurry UP!" Tanja yelled, "We're going to miss fifth-meal if you don't get a move on."

Tanja, by comparison, was a tall and athletic elephant-girl who loved to run all about the grasslands. She often boasted that she could beat any folk or feral at a foot-race. All of her running around also caused her to be something of a troublemaker, a trait she loved to share with Bizmark, who she considered to be her personal 'idea machine'.

"Why... whew... hah... why, is this so important?" Bizmark puffed and grabbed his knees as he finally reached the top, "gimme a minute."

"It's the weirdest tree I've ever seen, and you should see what it's doing to the land around it." Tanja said excitedly, not the least bit winded, "We may have stumbled upon a real mystery! Maybe a sorcerer or even a weird fae-creature lives in it! It's even got a door-shaped hole! We should investigate!"

"Wha... what's this 'we' muck?" Bizmark huffed, "Why not just tell the elders? They don't like us young-ones to endanger ourselves, even if we are only weeks away from the age of decisions."

"Oh come on." Tanja jabbed, "The elders are way too big to get in. I know; I've seen the size of the door. We're big, but just short enough to get in if we have to. And besides... COME ON BIZ!!! It's an ADVENTURE! It'll be great!"

"Hmmph... oh alright," Bizmark said, "It had better be worth it, running miles out of the way of our tribes path and risking the matron tanning both our hides if she finds out."

"Oh come on," Tanja said, rolling her eyes, "at least we're not trying to steal anything or prank anyone today. The matron is probably thankful for the lull."

"And she'll probably realize we're gone when she notices how quiet it is." the elephant boy groaned and stood himself straight, "So we'd best get there and back before they start the party."

With that the two friends set off again.

***

Y'toptapta waved his single arm around the circle.

"Akcha monai v'tanu" came his oddly displaced and somehow harmonious voice, "keetomeh ghrshaal! Grow me lovelies, bring to me thy gardens and open thee otherworlds!"

The circle began to glow a shifting mottled yellow and green. Arcs of reddish brown light played out from the thirteen points of the star within the circle. All save one point of the star were contained within the circle, and that point aimed directly at Y'toptapta's outstretched palm. With a dexterous jerk, the runny-fleshed hand caught the arc of light and pulled it toward a hideous mouth full of irregular and jagged teeth.

The room darkened as Y'toptapta bit down upon the thread of light. His single cyclopean eye shone with a pale light, making it look milky and cataract-ed. An aura of power raised every one of his long, straggly hairs, making them stand straight out from his skin. The mane of satin blue feathers that descended from his head, however, remained stock still and laid flat. The aura then faded back in toward him, pulled through his body and out the beam of light.

The circle and star flared to life! Mystical, otherworldly energies flowed out and around this new nexus, swirling into the air like some magical dust storms. They hung there for mere moments before plunging to the dirt floor inside the tower.

The circle turned black, scorched upon the ground. A gust from nowhere sprang up, blowing the ashes of the scorched earth away to nowhere in particular. With a slight rumbling, like a hungry stomach from the very earth, the spell was complete. Y'toptapta's single long, oddly jointed leg folded beneath him and he sat, tired upon the earthen floor of his home. Though exhausted, a wide smile split his ugly face.

The spell was complete yet again! A surge of elation built within him, starting with only a giggle but growing until the twisted wooden walls shook with his displaced high-low laughter.

Outside, the sun shone just a little brighter.

***

"Did you feel that?" Bizmark said in alarm.

"What?" Tanja replied, "I didn't feel anything. You're just stalling for time again! You should run more with me instead of reading all the elder's books. Now come on! It's just over that ridge in the river canyon. It's so worth seeing I can't even tell you!"

The ridge was only a short distance away. Just a few more minutes of puffing along brought Bizmark and Tanja right to the edge of the ridge. Tanja raced right out to an overhanging stone shelf, while Bizmark lingered away from the edge that he felt looked mighty unstable.

"Are you sure about this Ta? That edge doesn't look so strong." Bizmark cautioned.

"Oh don't be such a baby, Biz," Tanja mocked, "This rock-face could hold the matron and half the elders, and even a fat-trunk like you doesn't weigh that much."

"You're all heart." Bizmark snorted as he made his way forward.

The bottom of the canyon could not have been more than two or three hundred feet down, but the constant flow of the river at the bottom had brought with it all manner of trees that made it look much shallower. They grew thick up the sloped walls and hung over and shielded the river from the heat of the day. The great swath of green and chestnut contrasted sharply with the tan and brown of the ridge the elephant-folk stood upon. The sight was breath-taking and both of the grey figures stood in awe for a few moments as they took it in.

Bizmark was the first to recover his wits.

"So, um, Ta?" he said cockily, "which tree did you mean exactly?"

"Not THESE trees," Tanja said, playfully punching Bizmark's arm, "That tree."

The tree she pointed to was further upstream from where they stood. It was like no tree Bizmark had ever seen. It looked like someone had taken the largest baobab tree he had ever seen and twisted it all about itself. The tree bore no leaves at all, but instead had what looked like gigantic fruits suspended from its branches. They must be huge, for they were easily seen from such distance.

What made this tree stand out even more was how it stood taller than the surrounding vegetation... and appeared to rise straight out of the river.

"How in all the world did I miss that?!" Bizmark gaped.

"I don't know," admitted Tanja, "but I didn't see it at first either. I was scouting this area, and I swore it wasn't there... and then I just... noticed it out of the corner of my eye. From then on, I've been able to see it. And you couldn't see it until I showed it to you... I think it's some kind of magic tree like I said. Maybe some kind of nymph or something lives in it, like in the stories! If we find it we can make a wish!"

"Ok," Bizmark said, turning his mind to logistics, "How in the world are we going to get down there?"

"I found a trail," Tanja said brightly, "If we hustle, even you should be able to make it down there in just a quarter hour or so. Now come on!"