FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The disheveled and disgruntled Mr. Ward and I made our way through the busy streets to the nearest station. It was the same walk we've taken before but a new day always brings a fresh round of sights and freaks around here. This time it was the dwarven miners' union, they were busy staging a protest for... whatever it is that dwarves like to complain about. A crowd was already starting to form, short tempers and heavy picks are never the best of combinations and we all love a free show here in the Heart.

At one point I picked up a few snacks for us from a street vendor. From what I could tell it was some kind of small critter on a stick or, for Mr. Ward's sake I hoped it was a stick. As I went to take a bite it squealed and began to wriggle. I sighed and bashed it hard against the side of a building. That settled that and I was able to enjoy the rest of it in peace. Somewhere off to my left I heard Mr. Ward retching into a storm drain.

"Sometimes the food here likes to fight back." I chuckled as he threw the rest of his treat into the drain as well.

If he had anything to say it was lost in another round of retching. A few moments later and he had gotten himself together enough to make it the rest of the way to the station. To my surprise someone had fixed the lights already. Though to be honest the place looked better in the dark. The weak lights revealed a grimy and rundown hovel of a station. Various small furry things, and a few scaly ones, scurried about amongst the trash that cluttered the edges of the platform. Their chittering and scavenging echoed off the rusting pillars and filthy walls. The walls themselves were plastered with lewd posters promising every kind of pleasure you could dream up. Shadowy figures were stretched across the benches, all probably sleeping off last night's round of fun.

I leaned against a pillar and watched as Mr. Ward carefully picked his way across the platform. He moved gingerly and kept his hands firmly in his pockets. He looked utterly disgusted and kept muttering softly to himself. I pretended to ignore him, curious as to how long he'd keep this up for. Throughout his rambling I kept picking up on things such as; "shower", "bleach", "burning these shoes", "vile", and "vermin". I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if I brought him to some of the really bad parts of the Heart, in comparison this station would seem like an operating theater. Fortunately for him the train arrived before I entertain those notions any further.

Much like the train ride into the Heart, our car was fairly empty. A handful of humans and wolfkin sat at the far end and were too busy chatting animatedly amongst themselves to notice much else. At the other end of the car was a lone human, male or female it was hard to tell, though its face seemed to have a more masculine edge to it. He wore heavy robe the color of river clay and kept his face turned so that I could just barely see his profile. Also there seemed to be something wrong with his mouth, it was almost as if something was holding it shut, but from the angle we sat, I couldn't make out the details. Something about the way he looked rang a bell but there was little to no way he could be part of that particular group, they haven't taken new recruits in years and most of the survivingmembers were dried up old men by now, not much use for the kind of field work they used to be hired for.

Luckily for Mr. Ward the tunnels we passed through on the way back into the city were far gentler than the ones leading into the Heart. There was still the shifting colors and eerie sounds but that was the most of it for the majority of the trip except for one small stretch where the temperature inside the car suddenly shot up and the air began to get very humid. Since my clothes were little more than a glorified illusion I wasn't too bothered, Mr. Ward on the other hand shifted about uncomfortably and even undid the first few buttons of his shirt. He would quickly come to regret that. The small group of humans and wolfkin did their best to not seem bothered but I saw sweat beading on the foreheads of the humans and the wolfkin began to pant. About a minute or so later the temperature plummeted to subzero levels. The moisture in the air suddenly condensed and froze with a viscous cracking sound, that was drown out by the chorus of sudden yelps from both the group and Mr. Ward. Within seconds everything in the car was encased in a fine sheet of ice. I shook the crystals loose from my fur. From the corner of my eye I saw that the robed man hadn't even moved, hell, he might not have even noticed the temperature swings for all the reaction he showed.

"How the hell do you put up with this?" asked Mr. Ward as he hurriedly brushed off the ice and re-buttoned his shirt.

He really didn't have to for the car had already gone back to a comfortable temperature by the time he finished.

I shrugged. "You get used to it after a while."

"Hopefully you will have dealt with the situation before I have to." He mumbled.

"Getting there."

He glared up at me as if it were my fault this was taking so long. Guess he already forgot about the fact that he was the one that had gotten himself into this mess to begin with. Arrogance aside, I couldn't blame him really. He wasn't cut out for a place like the Heart. Far too fragile and sheltered. But it was the safest place for him until things are smoothed over, or everyone behind this is dead, I'm not too picky about which way this goes.

I noticed Mr. Ward relaxed significantly as the train passed through the barrier between the Heart and the rest of the city. It's a subtle change that's really only noticeable when leaving the Heart, given away by a tingling sensation and an indescribable change in the air. If I had to, I'd say that the air loses some of its charm.

"From this station we can catch a connecting train that will bring us close to my apartment." he told me, after peering through the window as the train ground to a halt.

"And here I though you considered yourself too good to take the train."

"I didn't always have my own driver, and besides, after the last time do you really think I would let you back in to my car?"

I chuckled and shrugged as Mr. Ward hurried across the platform to catch the next train. The following ride was rather dull but I got quite a few odd looks from the other passengers. I guess a wolfkin touting an ancient bastard sword isn't a common sight these days, that and maybe it had something to do with the fact that my clothes would occasionally flicker and fadeif I let my mind wander too much. I caught more than a few admiring glances from the women on board if I do say so myself. A wolfish grin crossed my face at the thought of introducing them to the types of games Alice and I liked to play. That grin was enough to turn most of the glances away. Anyway, those daydreams were enough to keep me amused for the short ride.

A few stops down the line Mr. Ward lead me to one of the towering apartment buildings that dotted the residential district of the city.

I whistled. "Ritzy kinda place, can't say I know too many that live in joints like this."

"That's because most of the people you know seem to spend their time in back alleys and bars." Mr. Ward retorted.

"You should try it sometime, might actually have some fun for once." I shot back.

"I believe you and I have very different ideas of fun, Mr. Derleth." he sounded rather exasperated, if I didn't know any better I'd say he's getting tired of me.

The lobby of the building was tacky beyond belief. Thick rich carpet covered the floor, except for a few feet of marble tile in front of the doors. Dark wood paneling covered the walls and was accentuated with delicately carved crown molding. Scattered around the room were sitting areas stuffed with leather chairs and chaise lounges that were built more for looks than comfort. Tacky gold trimmed lighting fixtures hung from the ceiling like so many gaudy bats. A desk of matching wood dominated the far end of the room and a rather bored looking receptionist dressed in a fine suit that smelled like it was fresh from the cleaners sat behind the imposing piece. A pair of ornate old fashioned styled elevators flanked the desk.

A pair of guards posing as bellhops stood at attention beside the door and I could see numerous cameras dotting the perimeter of the room. I could feel the eyes of the guards boring into my back, it probably had something to do with the four and a half foot blade slung across my back. I had the feeling that if I hadn't walked in with Mr. Ward they would have kindly asked me to leave. Then I would have had to tell them to shove it and things probably wouldn't have been pretty after that. I suppose the kid is good for something after all. He had saved me the trouble of beating them senseless and forcing my way up to his place.

Mr. Ward walked up the desk and exchanged a few quick words with the receptionist. I hung back and lazily glanced about the room. It didn't take much effort to show how utterly unimpressed I was by the tacky opulence and half-assed security. When you've been to places in the Heart that are guarded by twelve foot tall golems and practically glowing with protective enchantments, it's hard to be impressed by anything in the normal parts of the city. Or I could simply be jaded. I hear that's a curse of immortality.

My musings were interrupted by a soft "ding" as the elevator arrived. Mr. Ward held the door, looking rather embarrassed, as I casually sauntered across the lobby. Along the way I dragged a few fingers over the desk and smirked as the receptionist raised an eyebrow at the smudged polish. A petty victory but you gotta take them where you can.

"Where's the buttons?" I asked, tapping the blank bronze plate with a knuckle.

"The elevators are controlled from the front desk for security reasons."

"Sounds like a pain in the ass." I slipped my sword from my back and rested the metal tipped sheath on the tiled floor.

After a minute or two I got tired of the silence. "Long way up."

"I live on the top floor."

"Why was I half expecting you to say the penthouse level?"

"Because it is."

"Does it come with its own helicopter?"

There was a soft thump as he hit his head against the wall, the sound was buried by the bell as the doors open. A decorative hallway stretched out in front of us and ended with a pretty solid looking wooden door. He tapping out a short code on the panel next to the door before fiddling with a set of keys. The door swung open smoothly and something about the motion reminded me of the door of a bank vault. He quickly scurried off to the bedroom to gather some fresh clothes. I followed him, taking my time to look around the place.

His penthouse was done up in that weird modern contemporary style. Lots of floor to ceiling windows, whitewashed wall at weird angles with each other, and pale hard wood floors. It was all very... sterile. Though I have to give the kid credit, he had done what he could to soften the place up. Colorful rugs and soft looking furniture dotted the cavernous rooms while framed works of art hung from the walls. I took a look at some of them, mostly replicas of various old fashioned master pieces, though every so often there was something a bit more modern. To my surprise I recognized most of them, hell, I'd even met a lot of the artists that painted the originals. The only room that he didn't try to soften up was the kitchen, but considering it was still less industrial looking that Alice's, I suppose there really wasn't a need.

In the background I heard the sudden sound of running water, seems the kid was keeping good on his promising to shower after going through the subway platform in the Heart. With nothing better to do I flopped down on one of the couches. I was almost shocked to find out that it was as comfortable as it looked. I lay my sword across a coffee table and quickly made myself comfortable. Gazing lazily out the towering window (those things must be an utter bitch to deal with in the winter) I noticed that one of the city blocks didn't seem quite right. Every time I tried to look directly at it my eyes would simply slide over it, as if it were too normal or boring to be worth noticing.

I grinned, the kid probably wouldn't be too happy to find that his living room window overlooks the Heart. The block that was sealed off to create the Heart could still be found easily enough, hell, people pass by it every day without realizing it. The spell that separated the Heart from the rest of the city made it so that anyone approaching the block would find themselves taking long detours, if they realized it at all. There was no way to push through the spells and get into the Heart that way, anyone that tried would just end up getting turned around and winding up right back where they started.

As I lay there waiting for the kid to finish up I noticed something that made the fur of my neck stand on end. Asides from the one round this morning his curse had been pretty quiet today. Given that it had been picking up in frequency since he hired me I found this rather unsettling. At the rate it had been going there should have been another round or two in the hour or so since the last one hit. This meant one of two things and neither was all that pleasant. Either the sorcerers behind it were already beginning the preparations for the ritual or they were resting to save their strength for when the ritual started. Regardless of which one it was, I doubted that our friends would just give up on the loose end that is my client.

I rose and reached for my sword. Carefully I crept through the penthouse, keeping my eyes peeled for any unwanted gifts from our mysterious malefactor. I combed through the whole place twice and found nothing. Annoyed, I stretched out with my senses, trying desperately to find some trace of the curse or some other surprise. I didn't find anything of that sort but what I did find was even more unsettling. A void of magical energies, completely and utterly dark to my senses filled the elevator and it was rising fast. Well, shit. I drew my sword and counted down from five. The elevator's bell rang as I reached zero. A few seconds later there was a click at the door, then complete and utter silence. As sound vanished so did my conjured clothes, oh well, if a fight broke out I probably would bother trying to keep the spell up anyway. Every trace of magical energies vanished from the room save for the enchantments on my silver rings.

Mr. Ward had just left his room with a leather bag when he saw the door swinging open. His jaw dropped and his eyes went wide. The bag slipped from his limp fingers and his mouth worked frantically as he tried to say something. I think yelling something would be moreappropriate, though without any sound it didn't really matter. The look on his face when no sound came out was priceless. Unfortunately the dead silence and sudden void of magic was a dead giveaway of the identity of our mysterious visitor. I had thought this particular cult had pretty much died out ages ago but it seems like someone was able to scrape them off the pavement and rebuild the old order. Damn. I hate when that happens. Now I'd have to go through the trouble of dismantling the order all over again.

Silencers, anti-magic zealots, massive hypocrites, and being general pains in the ass for anyone that wasn't part of their order was their modus operandi in the old days and it doesn't look like anything's changed. Holy Scriptures tattooed on their left arms allowed them to silence all sound with their vicinity in order to impede spell casting and their weapons were inscribed with a blessed mantra that allowed them to break through protective enchantments. They also worked as hired thugs when times were tough and had little in the way of morals or decency.

This silencer was the man from the train. I really should have seen that one coming. The Silencers are known for wearing earthen colored robes and generally being a seedy looking bunch. It would also explain why he kept his head turned away from us for the entire ride, for the final part of their vows require their mouth to be sewn shut. An impractical practice in my opinion, makes it very hard to eat anything that can't fit through a straw. The man drew a long and slender sword from somewhere under his robes and bowed. At least this one has some manners. I drew my blade and returned the gesture, might as well be polite, besides I can't really pull of any smart-ass remarks when there's no sound.

I unceremoniously pushed Mr. Ward behind me and advanced on the Silencer. From the corner of my eye I saw the kid scrambling back into his bedroom. Though I couldn't hear it I had a feeling he was barricading the door. With the boy out of the way for now I had nothing to worry about. I walked casually towards the Silencer and the monk settled into an odd fighting stance, one favored by the folk from the distant lands across the ocean. I took up my own stance and sighed, I couldn't afford to have any fun with this fight. In the time it would take me to regenerate the Silencer would have more than enough time break the door down and carve Mr. Ward a few new openings. I hate serious fights, they always end too quickly.

I flicked a light blow at his neck just too test the waters. The Silencer dodged nimbly to one side and brought his blade around in a wide arch. I swatted it aside with ease and grinned, this one at least seemed to know how to fight. This might be fun after all. Back and forth across the entryway we danced, the thin and razor sharp blade of the Silencer flickered and wove through the air. My own technique, while nowhere near as elegant, was effective enough to keep the Silencer on his toes. He knew his slender blade would shatter if he tried to block mine so he was forced to keep dodging and twisting around my swings. As for me, I was easily able to parry the most dangerous of his blows. Though I simply took the lighter ones as they came and a few drops of my blood splattered against the walls and floor. The shallow cuts up and down my arms closed almost instantly, the pain fading before I had a chance to enjoy it. I could see the frustration in the Silencer's eyes as he noticed his attempts to wear me down were failing miserably.

Quickly growing bored with the fight, I pressed forward, my heavy blade darting about with a speed and precision far beyond what it should be capable of. The Silencer was forced to go on the defensive and focus entirely on dodging. It wasn't long before he began to tire, as good as he was, no human can beat a wolfkin in terms of endurance. I swept my blade towards his throat and he tried to twist away, only to stagger as exhaustion took hold. Without hesitating I whipped my blade around for a follow up swing before he could recover. In an act of desperation he tried to block it. As my blade hit his I felt the slender steel bending from the force of my blow, only to suddenly give way as the sword shattered. He stumbled backwards, the broken hilt tumbling from his fingers. I stepped forward and punched him in the gut.

Now, Silencers can shatter defensive enchantments and prevent spell casting as well as disabling offensive enchantments that require spoken triggers. Unfortunately for him, the enchantments on my rings were triggered by impact. The blast of kinetic energy slammed the Silencer hard against the wall. He slid limply down to the floor, leaving a bloodysmear in his wake. I didn't wait to see if he would get back up. With surgical precision I carved open his arm from elbow to wrist, completely ruining the scripture tattooed there. Sound returned to the world with a rush. I grinned wickedly at the dazed Silencer and took off his head. As the head spun through the air I was pretty sure the gout of blood managed to hit the high ceiling. I took a moment to search through his robes in an attempt to find anything that could help my case but found nothing except a gas mask. Puzzling but over all useless. I frowned and muttered a simple summoning.

I have a long standing agreement with a pack of carrion rats and as a result they're always on call for when I need a hand cleaning up after particularly messy cases. Something that they are disturbingly effective at. Not only would they get rid of the body they even had ways of drawing the blood out of nearly any surface, even carpet. I wasn't too sure how they managed to be so effective and I had a feeling I didn't want to know.

The rat-king bowed to me before the pack fell on the body of the Silencer. By the time they were done Mr. Ward wouldn't even be able to tell there had been a large pool of blood right outside his kitchen. Until then however...

I went over to the bedroom and found that I was able to push the door open easily. I suppose I gave the kid too much credit. I saw the faint glitter of eyes peering out at me from under the bed.

I buried my face in my hand. "Really?" I asked.

"I panicked." came the quivering response.

"Well the bastard's dead now. Come on, we need to get back to the Heart."

I reached under the bed and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. As I pulled him out, ignoring his protests, I had to suppress a laugh. His fur stood completely on end. It looked like he had stuck his tongue in an electrical outlet. He saw the look in my eye and tried his best to look dignified. It didn't help his situation much.

As we stepped back into the hallway he got a good look at what the carrion rats were doing to the corpse. He clasp a hand to his mouth and hurried back to the bathroom. While he was busy hurling up last week's lunch I helped myself to some paper towels and carefully cleaned my blade. I also wondered how the Silencer managed to get passed the security guards. Then again, a light gust of wind would land them on their asses, so I suppose I shouldn't be that surprised that the Silencer got by. A short while later Mr. Ward came back out and hurried past the carrion rats that were currently hunched vulture like over the body. He tried his best to look away but given the amount of blood staining the walls that proved rather difficult.

"What are they doing?" He still sounded pretty shook up as he glanced back at the rats. Hurriedly looking away, he punched in his code to re-lock the door. I guess my presence here was enough to mess up the circuit that controlled the door and made it automatically lock... oops.

"You probably don't want to know." Of course I would have been more than happy to tell him every little detail.

"For once I agree with you."

I chuckled and conjured a new set of clothes as the elevator neared the first floor. The doors didn't even have to open before I knew how the Silencer got passed the guards. A faint chemical stench hung in the air and burned my eyes and throat. He had lobbed a tear gas canister through the door then simply walked passed them while wearing the mask I found in his robes. I suppose you can't beat the classics.

We quickly made out way back to the trains and for once Mr. Ward didn't complain. I guess he's finally starting to realize how much safer he was at the bar than here. Then again he still looked a bit green around the gill so maybe he just didn't want to risk another round of tossing his lunch. I planned on getting him back to the bar as quickly as possible, Ross and the barriers would be enough to keep him safe while Alice and I wrapped things up. Of course I really should know by now that reality and plans don't always go well together. No soon did we get to the platform for the Heart line that we got the message the trains were running an hour late.

"Well, we got time to kill. I know of a pretty good spot to get lunch." I told the kid.

"Do you really think I feel like eating right now after seeing that mess?" Yeah, he sound like he was still a bit sick.

"Did I say you had a choice?" Personally I could care less about what he wanted. Old Bill was almost as aggressive as Alice in protecting his place. Also his lunch specials would be starting soon.