FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 1

Cerulean flames spun forth, all around the darkness of the cave, some flinging in motions akin to a whip. As Manny the Kobold futilely dodged with gymnastic flips and graceful jumps. However, being grazed by searing burns each time. Specifically his ankles, shoulders, and wrists were painted with painful crimson streaks. His head flung back in agony with every strike the flames gave over his smoking limbs. Tail curling and teeth baring, Manny cursed.

"Fffuck!! Aaaagh, y'son of a bitch!!!" Words of raging pain echoed throughout the dilapidated ruins, bouncing past the half-broken pillars of arching beige stone. The expansive abyss of rock laid within a vast cave of enormous volume. Ten tall abandoned castles waited silently within its moisturized depths.

The conjurer of the blue fire spoke from an ambiguous direction, as though it were a disembodied voice. "You dare enter my abode, and without intent to offer me riches!? Leave now, or perish by my flames!" The voice condescended with a harsh godlike tone, instilling great fear into the injured Kobold. Manny was equipped with a secret green camouflaged pocket, having been sewn to his skin with matching sutures. Manny reached in and pulled forth a jagged shinning gem. It glimmered with such intensity, the mysterious spirit was caught immediately off guard.

His invisible expressions were left unknown, so all Manny heard was the intrigued voice of his attacker. "By the Seven... Is that..?" The assailant's tone now ebbed into one of interest rather than violence. "Plazár's Gem!? H..How did you come across such an artifact!? It is impossible to retrieve!" Manny's burnt skin slowly molted, peeling away in a grotesque, yet satisfying fashion. The healing process was very slow, and he'd need to drink tons of water afterwards. His newly carved pockets dropped down along with the molted material.

Manny responded, although uncomfortably through his body's efforts to heal. "Wouldn't you like to know!" He teased angrily, still upset with the entity's aggravated assault. "I've come all this way from Plazár, just to trade this gem! Surely, you couldn't steal such a thing yourself, aren't I correct?" The bricks underneath Manny's claws rumbled violently, pebbles dancing up and down. It took him by surprise, making him jolt. This was clearly the entity's doing. At first, the Kobold assumed this was the end of his journey... Then suddenly the quaking stopped. It was as if the anomaly decided against destroying him halfway through his decision. An unexpectedly tamer response came quicker than expected. "My apologies, I did not know you were willing to deal trades with me, young one".

Manny's heart was still beating out of his chest, despite the ground's colossal quakes coming to a stop. The foundation wasn't the only thing that shook, but even so, Manny continued to speak with as much confidence as he could muster. "Tell me, specter... Are you the monster who stole from my Planet?" A 3 second pause of silence instilled the medieval caverns, as though the anomaly was unable to answer. The unseen entity laughed, shaking the ground with a low-pitched cackle. His voice bursted with vile mirth. "Surely you jest, lizard! I've claimed more valuables than what is possible for you mortals to number!" His humorous tone slowly ebbed away as he continued his next sentence. "So you must be more specific, foolish mortal. For I am Haygo-Mand, Greed-incarnate of this Universe! It would be unlikely that I DIDN'T steal from your Planet!"

Rocks shook with his booming voice, rattling small pebbles from the craggy ceiling. After hearing the entity's shouts, Manny felt a strange sensation in his stomach. "So you confess?! You're the one who frightened our world... Terrified us into banishing our own currency!" Manny stammered, now feeling more of a deep feeling in his gut, sinking his mind into a sort of trance. Suddenly, a fierce jolt of energy caused him to quickly check the illuminant gem caged in his right claws. His eyes grew wide with obsession, ears flattening back. Fixated on the bright facets, Manny involuntarily ran his fingers over the jewel's smooth surface. Greed himself didn't see it fit to answer, so he imbued the trespasser with a coursing energy of sheer avarice. The effects had infixed within a brief second, yet still insidiously nonetheless. "Hey! What'd you do to me!?" He bared his teeth in a random direction, now practically screaming. "You're not trying to take my gem by force, are you!?"

In an instant, Manny had no idea that his mind was brimming heavily with greed. This was the raw power of Haygo-Mand! He held the gem tight, hissing violently at Haygo-Mand himself. Greed rudely responded. "You imbecile... Mortals are so easy to manipulate". He teased, letting out another plethora of laughs. "I thought we almost agreed to trade. Isn't that still an option?" Greed inquired, amused with his own affliction upon the Kobold. He was devising something, and Manny was maddened, being too infixed with avarice to notice. "I didn't travel on sore feet, and come all the way down to this world's core just to trade with you, scumbag!" Manny's tail curled slightly, eyes narrowing with a cold scowl as his claws forced a greater grip on the jewel.

"Ooh?" Greed retorted, coming off unphased. "So you just came down to show it to me, hmm?"

Sarcasm tinged his voice, instilling anger in Manny. "That's right!" He lied. "So you can lay wherever you are, and cry a giant God-sized river about it!" His antagonization grew, powered by his overbearing greed. Haygo-Mand had him dancing in the pads of his paw. Avarice had taken complete effect over Manny's mind, and now Greed could manipulate him freely without worry. "You know, mortal.." Greed paused, thinking of something clever as his invisible stare scanned over the angry Kobold. "There's a much greater treasure in this tomb. If you'd like, we could arrange a decent enough trade.. but only if you follow my lead." Manny immediately bought none of it, nodding his head in disapproval. "You're literally Greed-incarnate! Why should I believe you, or do anything you say?" He squinted his eyes.

Haygo-Mand laughed. The intensity of his voice caused cascades of rubble to drop down. "Being Greed, I have knowledge of all items of value. There is no better entity you will ever consult regarding valuables." He fibbed, convincingly enough so that Manny's defensiveness dropped just a bit. Manny let himself ponder on it a bit. "Hmm... Fair point... Well, okay.. I suppose that's true." Manny pondered, still stuck between decisions. Haygo-Mand attempted to hasten Manny's willpower in a favorable direction. Specifically his own, of course. "As an additional payment, I will send hoards of gold to any Planet of your choosing, as long as it doesn't exceed 5 million tons". Eyes suddenly lit up with pure want, Manny's attention came back. "Its a deal!!" He shouted rather abruptly, too overcome by Haygo-Mand's power to resist.

An amused snicker followed as Greed gave command. "If you wish to take up my offer, then follow this flame." After he'd spoken, a blue wave of fire formed into a floating ball of illuminant flaring energy. The tiny emissions of blue embers caused Manny to stare in disbelief, noticing the diamond-like features each sporadic flicker displayed. The flame brightened the void around them, surrounding even the darkest crevices with an unfathomable light. Each abandoned castle seemed to show a little more detail as every grey brick and shingle was revealed. "This flame will guide you down into the depths of a labyrinthine cave. Be sure to follow with caution, little Kobold." Manny peered into the gaping threshold lit up by the flame. At first glance, it was pretty obvious the place was riddled with traps.

"Tread carefully, and don't take a single gem inside, lest you want to be skewered, burned, or hung". Greed replied, informing him with a steady tone. Manny waltzed inside, aware of what kind of traps he was dealing with. None seemed too complicated. He remembered building most of them before at his home Planet, just as a pastime hobby. Being the supple Kobold he was, his feet moved gently over a set of pressure plates, somehow triggering none. His claws latched onto the wall as the flame floated around the corner, leading down one of many paths. The cave seemed to get narrower as he dodged a volley of flaming arrows, his body dropping to skid along the dirt. Without much effort, he sprung high up into a flip, breezing past an opening inside the ground. The fall contained a white mist below. Underneath the fog was a hissing pit of elemental ice serpents.

During that flip, his head almost came so close to scathing the ceiling. Though it was no matter. The waving flame continued to levitate, patiently awaiting him. The moment Manny took another step, the flame proceeded onward. He inhaled, taking a deep breath before speeding off with clever bodily maneuvers, managing to evade every contraption he could imagine. All had some sort of treasure displayed conveniently in the middle of the walkway. But Manny knew they were fakes, being mere accessories to the traps. With some he had to think quick, considering few were devices he'd never seen before. It was but dumb luck that he managed to avoid their assault, having been almost blasted by an inexplicably huge beam of crimson light, one which'd been blown from seemingly nowhere. A bundle of flickers singed the very top of his scalp, only inflicting minor damage.

Out of breath, Manny's body heaved up and down, trying to regain his stamina.

"When..... *Hah*.... Will I... *Huff*.. Get there?"

He questioned, doing as best he could to posture himself. Haygo-Mand responded instantly after hearing, as though he too were in as much a hurry. This would've raised a few red flags, had Manny been less imbued with sheer avarice.

"Just one more! You're well on your way! Remain steadfast!"

He replied insistently. Manny gained momentum by leaning in as he dashed, unknowingly activating a volley of flaming spears which fired from all directions. Clashes roared like bangs of thunder, the spears crosshatching into one another as they plunged diagonally into the dusted crags. One crashed barely past his torso, literally sliding against him. The metal burned his flesh, although it wasn't nearly as bad as Haygo-Mand's flames from earlier. Manny's digitrade toes curled slightly around the fiery poles protruding from the earth. Suddenly Haygo-Mand's voice rung out in a panic.

"Get off of those, you fool! Those spears are filled with explosive elements!"

Reacting quickly, Manny's instincts caused him to leap about, bouncing from pole to pole like a classic ninja. Or at least that's how he felt, before one of them detonated below his feet. The explosion came without any other forewarning, bursting with unprecedented force. Such traps were not supposed to be so advanced, especially not in old ancient ruins. The unconscious blackness took over, leaving Manny's memory with a loud shout echoing from Haygo-Mand.

"Nooo!! By the Goddesses, I was SO close!!"

Greed shrieked in utter disappointment, being peeved by Manny's failure. More than just suspicious.

His body flew onwards, landing limply on the final grounds. There he was, at his final destination, though unable to move nary a centimeter. Lifeless as he was, Manny's cadaver laid dead as a door-nail, unmoving near the center of the spacious room. Ahead of Manny's singed corpse was a gargantuan golden ball studded with various other precious metals. The exterior was encrusted with vibrant jewels, having luminous runes over every glimmering ruby and sapphire. This 'treasure' was suspended high up in the air by comparably weaker-looking golden ribbons. They appeared almost as though they were made of paper, keeping the much heavier object suspended in mid-air. Unreadable symbols and markings moved down the parchments like snakes, which were glimmering with endless encrusted diamonds. On the very top was the blue flame which had guided Manny through the darkness.

"Damnable mortal FOOL! Why didn't you listen!?"

The flame dispersed as Haygo-Mand cursed angrily.

"To Hell with this nonsense! Get up, you graceless worm!!"

He demanded, but to no avail. Greed was in denial. Mind you, not over Manny's death, but towards the fact that nobody could break the seal anymore. The only chance Greed had at any freedom now laid dead, his limbs torn nearly off.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

Haygo-Mand's Spirit roared and raged like the screaming depths of Hell itself. The otherworldly sound pierced the rocks, shaking the cavern walls with destructive force. What Haygo-Mand witnessed next was a miracle. A ridiculously fortunate occurrence, to say the least. During his ballistic tantrum of flying rubble and debris, Manny's index finger began to twitch. It started in small movements, then tendons began to twitch after. Greed noticed the movement, as Manny's hand began to curl into tightened fists. Manny suddenly felt his own heart-beat thrumming in his chest once again. Though it was a long, slow, and excruciatingly painful process to urge himself to move, Manny's arms pushed his body up nonetheless, sending waves of surging agony through every muscle he had.

By the cause of his near-death experience, Manny was no longer afflicted by Haygo-Mand's spell. Tears ran down Manny's face, his sharp teeth clenching hard. Surely his body could regenerate now, but that wasn't a good thing in this ordeal. He would rather be dead, instead of enduring through such intense suffering. Regardless, his body still fixed itself against his will. Screams rang from the shaken and confused Kobold, doing nothing to help him cope with the burns and torn ligaments. Greed was shocked to hear his voice, not expecting the Kobold to be suddenly resurrected.

"The.. The foolish vagabond lives! Bless the Gods!"

He rejoiced in relief. Such words were shouted only out of impulse.

Manny yelped painfully each time his body plopped back down into the crags, only to lift himself back up again, and again. Haygo-Mand watched in bewilderment, witnessing the rapid regeneration of Manny's scaly Kobold flesh. Suddenly that hope of being freed from his ancient prison rose once more.

"Thank the Gods. You're a tenacious one."

Greed remarked, somewhat impressed. Cells within Manny's body were working fast, reconnecting tendons, reconstructing ligaments, and restoring massive amounts of blood. Dehydration set in rapidly on the poor Kobold, only adding insult to injury. A dry raspy voice sounded from Manny's throat, like a tube of sandpaper.

"W-water.. I need... Water!"

He begged automatically, purely out of instinct, desperately hoping for quick help. Haygo-Mand observed in thought, taking a deep breath, as if deciding.

"Hmm... I suppose I could acquire some water for you.."

He took another breath, this one longer than the last. Pain didn't mix well with impatience and dehydration, as Manny's decimated body underwent excruciating agony whilst healing.

"Fine. I'll give you water... On one condition.." He cleared his throat, merely for the sake of drawing Manny's attention. He attempted to stand on two legs, only to collapse to his bloodied knees.

"Yes, anything! Just give me water, please!"

His instincts shouted from within, unmindful of the consequences. Haygo-Mand accepted immediately, hoping to make this brief.

"Good. If you accept, then listen carefully."

Manny desperately tried to steady his breathing, nervously holding his breath through each sentence Greed spoke.

"Look towards the top of this vessel, the one adorned with precious metals and gems. You will see a black sword stuck atop its mantle."

With wide bruised eyes, Manny gazed up at the blurred pinnacle, sight adjusting as he beheld the sword's hilt protruding from the massive jewel-encrusted orb. As his vision cleared up, he saw a series of runes faded with transparency, each surrounding the apparatus, as if acting like a force-field.

"What are those?"

Manny questioned suspiciously, though still wincing through grotesque injuries. Haygo-Mand sighed, answering impatiently.

"That is a spell. It was cast upon me long ago, in order to demotivate my overwhelming desire for riches, and my limitless avarice."

Manny's anguish started to ebb away into something less unbearable. Though he was short-tempered under delay, timing couldn't be more perfect for Haygo-Mand. Everything was falling into place, now that Manny was in a well-enough condition to climb the peculiar artifact.

"What'll happen if I draw that sword?"

Manny interrogated cautiously, being suddenly aware that Greed sought the freedom to infect and pillage entire Worlds. Manny wasn't always the sharpest tool in the shed, but he knew how to put two-and-two together before he was blatantly deceived.

Upon this realization, Manny's limbs shook, eyes staring widely at the colossal prison.

"By the Deities... You want me to release you! No wonder I couldn't see you! ...Your body...It's locked up in HERE!"

Haygo-Mand's voice rung out in a panic, tinged with a shaken tone.

"That is correct, foolish Kobold. And the mystic seal surrounding me compels my mind to speak only truths."

To Manny, it appeared as though Greed were desperately trying to stop talking, straining his own voice as his mouth ran by itself.

"There were 7 immortal mages long ago, each representing a Goddess of our Planetary System. They took notice of my pillaging from one Galaxy to the next, so they lured me into this Planet's core, by using the very seal that would lock me away. They knew I couldn't resist a treasure as fine as this. Once I arrived at this World's core, the gem-encrusted prison you see in front of you, had swallowed me whole."

Manny's eyes scanned over every aspect of this object. Somehow he knew Greed wasn't lying. Ever since Haygo-Mand left their Planet with nearly all of their Worlds gold, there was simply no more greed. Within the range of a few Months, their entire civilization had grown immensely charitable and generous towards one another, even enough to outlaw currency itself. Prosperity infixed wildly, and nobody understood why. They thought it was a miracle that they'd all reached this level of Planetary peace.

"So you left our Planet, and got sealed away? Is THAT why the Dractites no longer value money or gold?"

Greed impatiently sighed again, almost ready to conjure another volley of flames. At this point, Greed was just improvising, until he could find another way to manipulate Manny again.

"Wrong! My disappearance played no role in your World's petty welfare. They simply feared material gain, just as they feared me."

Manny's eyes narrowed in anger.

"Sure, that's one way to put it, if you're an asshole! Our ancestors wanted a better world; One without avarice! So they fought against you, for the sake of a better life!"

As he lectured, Manny's hands held firm over the gem clenched in his right fist. The light flooded somewhat in between the gaps of his fingers. Disappointment settled in as he realized the futility of his long travel.

"And here I was thinking I could trade you back for all the gold you stole. What a waste of my precious time.."

Manny turned around, facing the threshold he came from earlier. The last of his wounds sewed themselves together fibrously as his feet set off. Without another word, Manny's tail waved behind him.

"Wh-where are you going?"

Haygo-Mand questioned hastily. The Kobold's head turned enough for one eye to peer back as he sauntered away.

"Back to my homeworld. I'm done with you!"

He sneered.

Unsurprisingly, Greed threw a fit. Roars suddenly shot through the air, shaking the inner ceiling with otherworldly screams. Wild animalistic screeches and blasts of sound caused the top of the cave to loudly crack. However, Haygo-Mand's chaos ceased rather abruptly, causing Manny to slow down a few steps. It was strange for such a desperate entity to stop so suddenly, especially with so much to lose. To Manny's surprise, the familiar sound of running water began to echo behind him, starting in consecutive droplets, then progressing into a natural flow. A great thirst overtook him, keeping his body stopped at what he heard. The Kobold turned around to see a steady stream of crystalline water pouring neatly from the center of the room. It flowed gently from the opened crack in the cave's inner peak. Manny's heart was prompted into a nervous gallop as he observed where the water was pouring over. Gems and jewels practically shimmered under the thin flow of water hugging around the gargantuan orb. Tiny rivers broke around each precious stone. The very hilt of the sword had perfectly clean water running around it. So much, that Manny's first thought was to climb to the top and devour the stream like a vacuum.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

Greed tempted with an evil snicker. Manny darted for it immediately, making great haste without a thought in the world. This powerful thirst sent him charging up the mystic treasure, clawing through the runic forcefield. His body swayed almost snakelike with each maneuver, as though a rabid animal were scaling the surface. He screamed, unable to control his actions against his body's intense demands.

"Water!! Finally, water!!"

Manny would've cried, but his lacrymal glands had nothing left. The site of it made him go berserk. Once Manny's footing held at the top, his mouth opened wide under nature's fountain.

Satisfaction set in vigorously as he drank the leakage of water, causing him to leap up on top of the sword. His digitrade toes wrapped around the obsidian-like handle for leverage, keeping him fixed in place as he nearly choked on the flowing stream from drinking too fast.

"I may not be able to lure you with greed, Kobold.. But I still know your weaknesses."

Greed boasted proudly, punctuating in a brief laugh that echoed off the walls. Manny ignored Haygo-Mand, continuing to slurp down nearly gallons of water.

"Yes, keep drinking, fool. My escape is at hand."

After Greed said this, a concentrated surge of force shook the cavernous room, like a stone crate full of rocks. The humongous jolt sent Manny's footing off balance. His foot remained wrapped around the imbedded hilt as his entire figure was knocked off the gleaming structure.

"H-hey!! What the-"

Interrupted by a damning realization, Manny's eyes widened quicker than popping firecrackers. As he fell in mid air, Manny spotted what he dreaded ever happening. There, he saw the rest of the sword's body, hilt-and-all, falling through the air next to him. His feet had accidentally lodged the sword out from the force of the tremor. A panicked resounding "No!!" bursted from the Kobold just one second before Manny's back found the cold hard ground. He struggled to lean his head up. Sprinkles of stray water fell after him, and the sword's blade stuck diagonally into a large rock next to him. Manny winced in irksome pain. He witnessed the precious metallic vessel's exterior form a loud growing "crack!!" Light flooded out from between each branching rent in the metal's surface. From the mystic prison came the same voice he heard before, except the sound was focused into a single point, rather than disembodied and directionless.

"Good show, Kobold. Very good."

Haygo-Mand's hearty chuckles rung out as a tremor mildly ensued. Suddenly the inside perimeter of the cavern began to light up, revealing a series of dazzling gems and ancient artifacts imbedded within the walls. Manny could've sworn those items hadn't been there before, but there they were, adorning the room as if a celebration were in progress. A humongous claw broke from the cracks of the spherical vessel, curling to produce four messy scratch-marks into the exterior of the trap. Haygo-Mand's claws were each different gems, specially faceted for every deep ruby, vivid sapphire, sparkling emerald, and glistening diamond. All were connected to a Dragon-like hand, one so fuzzy and white. His fur sparkled like millions of Morning dewdrops as his front leg extended, his forefoot curling to get a good feel of his awakening body. Manny gasped as the mere sight blew a wave of dread through his chest.

A fearful tone tinged his voice, as he stumbled to balance on his crackling spine.

"No... This can't be.. Errgh! -Happening.." Manny winced, nearly about to yowl in pain. Biting his lip, he kept the agony jarred as he gazed at the terrible sight. One half of the seal was pushed to the ground like a heavy metal eggshell, while the other fragment crashed down, holding up until a mighty tail smacked it down like a weak fold of tin-foil. Connected to the fuzzy tail was the head of a sleeping snake, beginning to awaken. Its eyes opened ajar at first, revealing a sliver of translucent gleams beneath the eyelids. The snakes eyes appeared to be a pair of smooth round diamonds, displaying a flawless array of colors, like clear raindrops.

Haygo-Mand's deep voice no longer shook the ground as he spoke.

"My dear Mandy... How long has it been without you?" He growled impatiently, eyes glued to her in a fixated stare. "Please, hurry your awakening, my dear." His voice rung smoothly, head arcing around to face his beloved counterpart. The jeweled snake opened her eyes ajar, shimmering in translucence. Her pupils adjusted ever so slightly as she awoke. Head tilting on the ground, it took a while for the serpent to spring into full consciousness. Her S's hissed as she replied in a groggy tone. "Don't disssrupt my dreamss, love." She spoke as if it'd been an hour-long nap. The rest of Mandy's body began to twist, as if stretching. Narrowed eyes slowly became orbs as she turned to take in their surroundings. Manny fearfully beheld Haygo-Mand's true form, in the flesh, his other half giving it full completion. Witnessing his parting white wings held no comparison with any other power he'd ever seen. White fur covered the majority of the incarnation's body as he stretched out freely.

Mandy's glare suddenly pointed directly at Manny. "Who iss thiss reptile? A friend of those mages?" She inquired as a scowl tightened around her face. Manny couldn't speak, nor respond. He was still absorbing this whole incident, unwillingly grasping the fact that he was to blame for Haygo-Mand's escape. This was no mere monster. It wasn't any kind of small-time anomaly, or any ordinary alien creature. This was a nearly Godlike entity with enormous power over their entire Universe. -And HE had released him... And apparently "HER" too. Manny never learned of any Legends of Greed having a sapient snake tail. 'Twas new to him.

"Do not fret, my dear. This little kobold is our hero." Greed said teasingly, as he aimed a wicked smile at Manny. Manny's eyes widened as he protested in denial. "Don't be smug! If I wanted to save you, I'd have done it on purpose!" He yelled. Greed gave no reaction other than the same demeaning grin. His body turned around on all fours to face the jagged ceiling corner. There was a vast number of gems, jewels, precious metals, and currencies from nearly every world in the Galaxy imbedded within. From where Manny was standing, it looked like a sparkling chaotic mess of riches. Seeing this for himself, what Greed was capable of, sent him into a mixed sense of both dread and awe. Haygo-Mand's legs began to stretch up, lifting himself towards the accumulated hoard of treasures.

His claws carefully bore into the spilling volleys of chalices, rubies, and strange artifacts that fell loudly into the crags below. Manny simply watched in bewilderment, seeing that a tunnel had miraculously appeared in the form of loosely falling treasures. All the ground beyond had been turned into valuable items, some literally glowing. Manny gasped, realizing Greed was making an escape into the world above. "Hey, where do you think you're going!?" Manny shouted. Greed's tail, Mandy, slithered in place before she gave a taunting leer his way. "Oh, I almossst forgot.. We have a little gift for you, foolish Kobold."

What Manny thought were the snake's diamond eyes began to turn opalescent, whilst illuminating with a gemlike rainbow that shone brightly towards him. After the strange display of colors, Manny began to feel an odd sensation growing behind his eyeballs. For a moment, his chest sunk, wondering if she'd laid a curse on him. She spoke thankfully, without sass. "Thanksss for saving us. As a reward, you receive my blessing." She gave a wink as her head disappeared up into the threshold, having been pulled by her counterpart. At first, Manny muttered not a single word, just staring back in confusion. All Manny knew was that her face just shot a strange beam into his head, apparently a reward for freeing such a monster. "Hey, wait up!! What did you just do to me!?" He yelled, asking eagerly, but receiving no response. They were gone.

Greed; Greed-incarnate.. Was now free to pillage all in his wake. Manny couldn't absorb it all at once. This was all his own fault. Entire Worlds would hold him responsible if they found out that he was involved. Not just Planets, but Solar Systems, perhaps even Galaxies would fiercely pit blame on him. Gold and precious materials spilled out of the rocky orifice, all being kicked back by the behemoth which was now headed for freedom. Manny took none. He was ashamed, even mortified by his mistake. The mood to partake in self-indulgences laid flat, leveled with his abundance of fear. He dropped weakly to his knees in shame. "By all the Gods.. What've I done...?"

Manny couldn't sulk there for long. The ground began to quake again, as if urging him to move on. Cracks in the ceiling opened to greater lengths, releasing heavier amounts of water. A flood flowed out, disastrously impacting a portion of the cavern. Manny had to find a swift way out! But how exactly? On terms of escape, being in the middle of the Planet's core didn't exactly inspire much confidence. He had to think, and quickly! He thought under pressure, barely standing through the rushing tide that raced against his knees. Suddenly, a seemingly random recollection came from nowhere. Manny remembered a strange Mythology book he found in the dusty basement of a local Library. He read the myth a couple Months ago, it was about a rare treasure called the Goddesses Waters. An unbelievably valuable treasure, one that would grant whoever touched or drank it, deathless immortality. It told of a spring that was buried deep underneath the world. Manny was only grasping at straws here, but he wondered why Haygo-Mand happened to have some random pocket of water sitting just above his seal. Could it be, that..? -No. Absolutely ridiculous! There was no way.

"Could this be..?" Manny blinked thrice, wondering if it was so. Or perhaps it was just a sad mix of denial and wishful thinking, he thought. He was probably going to die here, drowned, crushed, then buried alive. Ultimately forgotten. There were probably tons upon millions of random water pockets resting underneath Metabania's crust. There wasn't a chance this was the Goddesses Waters. Water flooded into the threshold of the trap-laden tunnels, triggering hundreds of ancient traps in a violent frenzy. They were loud, echoing through the craggy depths all-too-well. He knew now was the time to panic! Manny let out a series of vulgar swears. His profanities were foul and aimless, forming grammatically incorrect patterns.

During his verbal fit, Manny knew what would happen when the water came into contact with the pit of icy Serpents. In fact, this phenomenon was already in effect. Abrupt hisses shot out from within the depths, traveling along the raging waters. Manny could visibly see the flow in the distance, freezing over instantaneously as the misty creatures slithered rapidly through the icy slush. Their frigid temperatures permeated the flood, making Manny feel a numb chill shoot through his feet. It wasn't even frozen over where he was standing, but the water had still become piercingly cold. He was only 15 yards away, already having lost all sensation halfway down his legs. "Fantastic" he complained, before being brought down to his numbing knees.

Fear set in. Manny's eyes darted around frantically in attempts to identify an escape. "No... Not.. Here!" He cried out, trying to stand up on two unfeeling legs. He gritted his teeth as he made efforts to swim against the crystallizing waters. Manny's arms went numb, almost as easily as his legs. "I'm not gonna die! Not here!" He yelled in attempts to motivate himself, but the serpents were already too close. The waters motion ceased first, then the frost climbed up his torso. An orchestra of crackles and hisses resounded as the blue snakes circled around him like arctic sharks. He tried to flail against it, but the ice constricted his muscles, causing his arms to twitch as they were permeated by frozen white sheets. For a moment, Manny's screams were muffled. Once the crystals branched off each other, doubling over his flesh, he was silenced.

Pain and regret filled his mind. Right now was quite possibly the worse moment of his life. He was going to die. Even in such a state, Manny began to think of his friends and Family. The times he and his Sister shared, always pranking the elders. Or how his Parents would visit the manor every Month to check in on him, usually baring abhorrently healthy meals and snacks. His friends were mostly Dragons, and for that, he felt like the luckiest Kobold ever. But now... It was all over. He'd never see them again. He remembered a small pendant he kept locked in his closet, secured in a large, otherwise empty chest. It presented a picture of him and his Family, each posing like their classic selves. He reminisced of the good times, of when he was graced by the various personalities of both his friends and Family.

Death seemed imminent, though a small tingling sensation buzzed at his toes. Manny still couldn't feel anything besides that. It struck as rather strange that he could only feel his larger toes. Trying hard enough, he could even wiggle them a bit. It was barely noticeable at first, but the feeling was suddenly restored in his right hand as well. As his toes flexed, he could hear a dull scrapping sound, like a knife to the back of a guitar. Very peculiar... His claws were scratching against something that wasn't rock or ice. Oddly enough, the sound felt somewhat familiar. He identified the noise as a thin panel of wood. Either he was hallucinating, or something weird was happening. Manny swore he felt a familiar warmth traveling up his back. Again... Something was definitely familiar. After a couple minutes, Manny thought he felt something crawling down his body. It felt like insects or spiders.. Once he'd gotten used to it, he soon found out that it was simply water droplets, melting off from his flesh.

The icy numbness soon ebbed away, gradually dissipating into tamer temperatures. The more Manny began to feel alright, the more confused he became. Wasn't he supposed to be frozen? And where was this wooden texture coming from? Ice was no longer an issue, and he could now freely move his entire tail. Something was amiss, though in a good way. Each time Manny tried to move anywhere beyond a few inches, he found his limbs bumping against the interior of something. A dull wooden 'thud' resounded within the cramped space. Manny was in complete darkness, and a puddle of melted ice sloshed a bit as he made efforts to escape the encasement. "What the Hell is going on here!?" Manny yelled, aggressively kicking against the top. A loud 'plink' sounded back, as a small crack of light appeared for a split-second. His eyes widened, realizing he'd seen a potential way out.

Manny's left hand pushed against the top, forcing the sliver of light to reappear. He could identify the silhouette of an iron hinge in the center of the crack, keeping the chest closed. He suddenly realized how familiar this was to him. This chest, the lock, even the air. Perhaps this was all a hallucination... 'clink'. He felt something underneath the shallow puddle beneath himself, rattling whenever his limbs touched it. What was that? Where was he? Curiosity prevailed once he forced all his strength against the top of the chest. Originally he was just going to use the tip of his tail to carefully undo the hinge from inside, but Manny was getting restless. The hinge broke off, only because the wood around it had given out. A beam of light assaulted his eyes once he opened the wooden prison.

As Manny's pupils shrank in reaction to the light, his sight began to adjust. At the exact moment he realized where he was, Manny stood up puzzled, stricken with astronomical confusion. Was this some kind of sick joke? Somehow, Manny was back home in his room, on Planet Dractalis, which was local to an entirely separate Planetary System. This was utter nonsense, taking into account the lightyears in distance from his previous location. Manny figured, he had to be dreaming. He looked over towards the soggy broken chest tucked away in his open closet. Water spilled all around it, already being absorbed by the orange ironstone floor. On the remaining flat board of the decimated chest, a soaked pendant laid in a subsiding puddle of water. Manny's eyes widened as he let out a brief gasp.

"H-how... Did I get here?" He questioned reality, not understanding how this was even possible, if it weren't a dream. Manny practically charged for the necklace, almost tripping over himself. He handled the pendant with care, opening it carefully. Once opened, he saw the picture of all his friends on the left half, and his Family on the right. The picture was miraculously untouched by the water. Unfortunately the locket was made of gold, so he could never wear it out in public. Gold, money, and expensive trinkets were extremely illegal on Planet Dractalis. Looking out the window, he saw tiny feathered Dragons with crests of fire, each hopping from branch to branch on a green scaly tree. Their feet were Dragonlike, but also clad with aviary scales. A crimson plumage mixed with gold, and wide beady scarlet eyes. These were a common species. Being away from his Planet for so long caused him to jolt in surprise, seeing them peer through his window, curiously tilting their heads.

Having woken up to these creatures countless times in his childhood, he never perceived them as creepy, at least until now. They were still cute, but it was just bad timing. Manny was fixated on the torchlit stairway, torches blanketing the descending flight in a pale red light. "Everything's still intact? What is going on here..?" He muttered as he descended from the spiraling stone steps. Once Manny's digitrade toes touched the bottom, he was just a breath away from gasping at what he saw. Lit about with candles, painted portraits, and miniature stone statues, was a tall indoor shrine. The entire thing was a statue of himself. "What...the fuck!?" He shouted in surprise. Manny's eyes were round like saucers. All of his furniture was gone, and the lanterns on the walls were replaced with darkness. He was wordless, as he stared at at his own supposed grave-marker. Whenever a Dractalian dies, their lives are commemorated with a regal statue of themselves. However, Dractalian death-rates are exponentially low, considering most of them are indeed, Dragons. Manny is no exception, and he certainly hadn't died at any point. Not permanently.

Manny pinched himself... Not to see if he was dreaming, but rather to test if he was still alive. Earthbound Spirits, along with Reapers, Angels, Demons and spirit-creatures were a thing, so he had to be sure. Thankfully, he felt the pinch. Manny sighed with some relief. 'Praise the Gods', he thought. "Okay, good. So I check out.." His mind itched, wondering what in the ever-loving Hell was going on here. "Everyone thinks I'm...-" His voice was caught in his throat. Manny could hardly say it. He wondered though... If he wasn't dead, then how did he get back? Did this have something to do with that "gift" Haygo-Mand bestowed on him? Manny opened the front door and looked into the distance, spotting a horizon full of Dractalian life. Scaly blue diamond-shaped fruits hung from a wild orchard of tall ivy trees. Geysers sprayed from the beach rocks tucked at the sides, leaving the occasional rainbow.

Manny drew in a long deep breath, chest heaving out, then in. "Good Gods, that feels nice." He approved, taking in the perfect air he missed for so many Years. That crisp sensation filling his lungs, it couldn't be beat. After enjoying enough, he set off to reunite with his Family. He had one serious fuck-ton of explaining to do, and a tremendous volley of his own questions. Like, how could they think he was dead? Or what could've brought this on? Didn't he tell everybody he was embarking on a journey to another world? He remembered saying his goodbyes in detail, and even told everyone he'd be back someday. Traveling down the moistened dirt path, he pondered on how this was going to be one Hell of a doozy, for everyone. The exotic scaled trees around him blew in the wind, scraping their leaves together as he tried to come up with what he'd say upon arriving at his Parent's house. He still knew where they lived, and it wasn't too far from his location.

End of Chapter 1