FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

It was raining heavily outside. It had been for hours and there was one lone soul traveling through the rain storm. He wore a large black robe that was to protect him from the rain but it did little as the rain was so intense it soaked through his clothes and wet his pelt. His tail drooped down to the floor as it was so weighed down by the water built up on it. The man was climbing up a tall mountain and had almost reached the top. The man looked up and the rain poured down on his face and wet it more. His eyes were closed as to not have his eyes bombarded by the raindrops.

His name was Outis. And he was on a mission to find a powerful Wizard. One who went by the name Merlin. Merlin was strong enough to bring a Dragon to its knees in a single move,Can move mountains and controlled the Sun itself passing over the sky. Outis had a dilemma that needed fixing. He was cursed. He had a rather violent run in with an old... "Acquaintance" of his and he was cursed to an animal form. She forced him into a Wolf animal form and he was to remain so until she saw fit to make him Human again. He knew it would be a long while until then as she had a habit of "Forgetting" transformation spells but he had no time for that. The People from his town weren't exactly happy with one of their greatest Knights becoming... A "Freak" using their word. It wounded him. He wanted to be whom he was once more. And Merlin was the only Wizard powerful enough to reverse another Wizards magic.

Outis resumed his path up the mountain and came across a muddy path. It was a slim road and Outis had to hug the wall in order to pass by before slipping and falling down the mountain side, brushing against branches and hitting rocks and pieces of his armor even falling off before landing hard at the bottom of the great Mountain he sought to climb.

"Nrgh! Son of the Gods. Of course this wouldn't be an EASY trip. And now I have to climb... ALL THE WAY BACK UP THIS WRETCHED MOUNTAIN!!" He shouted as loud as he could, punching the ground and throwing a tantrum like a child. His muscles ached and his head began to hurt and he lacked the will to continue. He may stay like this forever. An animal he must remain. Hated by friends and family and worst of all... Himself.

"A man who gives up so easily is unworthy of my Fathers aid," said an unfamiliar feminine voice. Outis looked up and saw the face of a young woman, no older than 16 who had a staff in her left hand and looked down at Outis with contempt. All that was recognizable was her facial expression as the night sky brought a dense shadow with it that covered her face in shade with the hood over her head. She wore dark red robes with interesting inscriptions on the rim of them and a hood that covered her head from the still down pouring rain but she looked dry as a bone. No water whatsoever had touched her as the rain passed by her form. She had taken some kind of Ethereal form and glared directly at Outis. His hood had fallen back and his ears laid back against his head, letting the water hit the back of his neck.

"Are you... Your his..."

"I am indeed warrior. My name is Merlina, Daughter of the powerful Wizard Merlin. Why do you weep, Warrior?" She asked noticing the tears streaming from his eyes. How she discovered it was a mystery as the constant rain and his intensely wet fur could fool anyone that it was simply the rain and not tears.

"I have been cursed to this form for months. Almost a whole year now. I've tried to prove to everyone I am still who I am. I am still the powerful knight of the land everyone sees me as. But they only see..." He didn't finish. He didn't need to. He looked down and punched the ground but Merlina crouched down and lifted Outis' face up by the chin so he looked her in the eyes and did simply looked at him.

"Do not cry little Wolf. I shall tell you of a way to reach my Father. But that is all I can do." She looked up the mountain and noticed the rain pushing all kinds of mud and dirt downhill.

"You will not be able to make it to the top of the hill any longer after falling from such a height. However there is a small cave nearby that leads to a small pathway to the catacombs. One of the easier ways to reach my Father. But be warned. He is a man who values his privacy. He has guards that watch over even that unknown cavern and they will not hesitate to kill you should you draw your sword. I employer you to hide it. Under your robe. Behind your back. You may even toss it away. Just do not let them see it. Never draw your sword, Wolf Warrior." She said before petting him gently making his tail wag uncontrollably. Outis blinked and just as soon as he opened his eyes again, she was gone. No trace left behind. He looked around and could not see her anywhere. Only the soaked marshes and plant life surrounded him. For him to throw away his sword however was... Was surely a joke. His sword was made from the finest metals and was imbued with enough magic to slay a Dragon. Not many swords could commit such an act and even fewer people could wield a weapon of such caliber. Outis moved the sword strapped to his waist so that it was hiding further behind his long, wet robe.

"A cave... I pray that it is easy to travel to."

*****

Even more tired and even more wet, Outis had found himself s place to rest. A cave that seemed untouched by the waters of the heavy rain. Small and dark, a perfect place to rest until dawn. Even if it wasn't, he didn't care. He wanted-No. NEEDED somewhere to rest and this cave was certainly the place to do it. It was the only dry spot in all the forest and he ran into it like a cheetah on a sugar rush. He later collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily and dared not move. He wished to sleep and was going to get it. He closed his eyes and slowly began to drift off before hearing something. His ears sprung up and he looked ahead to see a torch deep within the cave that seemed so small only a moment ago. His body seemed to want him to get up and walk towards the light but his mind said otherwise. And he was listening more to his body now as he found himself getting up and slowly taking steps towards the torch. The cave seemed miles longer and he began to think his mind was playing tricks on him before he grabbed the torch and its once bright red flame became guileless and hopeful blue.

It shined bright like the night stars and even gave a new sense of strength to Outis. His fur and robes dried up as if not a single touch of water had came upon them and his aches and pains had faded away. It was as if he was completely healed. As if the past few hours had not happened to him. Now that he felt revitalized, he was ready to continue on his quest. He walked further into the cave with the torch in hand and noticed carvings on the walls. Crude drawings of tales unfamiliar to Outis. One detailed a giant eating several smaller creatures with one standing in front of him with what seemed to be a lightning bolt. Outis knew nothing of whom this was nor what this was about but continued on anyway. He walked on and found another carving and saw what looked like another Giant with a smaller man standing in front of him throwing what seemed to be a rock. Whatever the smaller man wanted to do, he succeeded as the rock knocked the Giant down on his back with it hitting him right in the face. Outis grew more baffled by these and continued in before finding another drawing of what something that seemed familiar yet not too familiar. It showed the story of a man clad in armor with more animalistic features and kneeling before an older man with a staff in hand and seemingly begging the man for something but the man refused.

Outis let out a small growl before noticing a chasm further ahead and ran to it as fast as he could. When he got there, he stood on a bridge with small pyres burning bright blue fire and seeing another bridge across the huge gaping space between them. He saw another person who looked an awful lot like him in the other bride but then noticed the fog covering the lower parts. If he fell, something told him he would be falling a mighty large height. He walked to the other side of the bridge and into another dark cave with the blue torch flame being the only source of light present. He heard a very loud whisper that pulled him up a large set of stairs and down another long hallway before arriving at the other bridge he had seen from the last bridge. He looked back and saw someone with a torch of blue flame like his dressed in robes like his and traveling like him. Like looking at himself. It sent an odd chill down his spine before something broke the cold silence.

"Come closer..." It whispered. He looked around but saw nothing as the dimly lit and misty place and reached for his sword before remembering Merlina's words.

"Never draw your sword." He let out another growl and his ears lay back against his head as he pulled the hood over his head and walked onward. Whatever voice called to him would have to be ignored. Outis continued to walk until he found himself at an altar of some some kind with a book there as well and two gargoyles in the back, seemingly protecting it, with words and spelling that was all too foreign to him. There was a massive portal in front of him, clearly not powered on. He touched the book and there was no dust. It was old but there was no dust. The pages were old and yellow and wrinkly and his claws nearly scratched holes in them do to it being so delicate. Just then the book sprang to life and began to shuffle through its pages before resting on one and floating in front of Outis' face, a strange energy glowing around it. All sentences were scratched out except for one. Outis read it aloud, though perhaps he shouldn't have.

"If being human is what you desire... Come and bathe in the Promethean Fire..."

Just then the book shut itself tight and a bright flash of light emanated from it forcing Outis to look away for a moment before looking back and seeing a small stone take its place. It had a blue letter on it in a foreign letter and he reached out and gently touched it. It gave him a surge of energy that seemed inhuman. Just then he heard a noise that sounded like a deep bellowing growl. It was coming from... The Gargoyles! They had the visage of griffons and with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion and they immediately turned their heads to face Outis, their eyes glowing bright. The one on the left with red eyes and the one on the right with blue eyes.

"Who dares come to the masters home..."

"... And steal his prized and precious stone?" They spoke in rhyme. The red eyed one spoke first with the blue eyed one speaking last. Outis stood tall and puffed out his chest.

"My name is Outis and I have come to talk to the wizard Merlin. You will let me pass." They did not like this. The red eyed one let out a roar which then turned into a chuckle.

"Such pride and arrogance from so small a man. Leave before the master comes and kills you with his own hands." Said the griffonas he and his blue eyed companion circled the Warrior. It took a great amount of strength for Outis not draw his sword as the small chill down his back made his tail curl around his leg. He took a deep breath and looked at the blue eyed Gryphon.

"I simply wish to be turned back into a Man. Show me the way to your master. I wish for no trouble."

"Nothing but lies escape your tongue..."

"... And liars receive trust from no one. If Humanity is what you seek...

"... Then go back to where you came from." They continued to circle around him and growl menacingly. The Red eyed Griffon walked to his side and but at his robes before pulling. Outis grabbed at his robes and tried to keep them on. His sword would be revealed if his robes were removed and the Blue eyed griffons lips curled up in a twisted smile.

"I sense a weapon on you wanderer. For what reason would you need it I wonder. Could you mean to slay me and my Brother?"

"Now There is something that would upset your Mother!" Said Blue as he finally managed to pull off the robes Outis wore and revealed he wore armor underneath and had his sword by his side. Red chuckled while Blue tossed the robes away.

"Stay back! I've fought creatures like you before!" Said Outis as he reached for his sword. The eyes of the Griffons began to glow and they growled again.

"Draw that sword and you will regret it!"

"Don't draw that sword and you still might regret it!"

Outis thought carefully. Magic beings were known for there treachery. Could Merlina have been lying to him? Could she have wanted him to die? Could she have sent him to a trap? His heart was racing and his hand was hovering just above the sword. He hadn't touched it yet and as his hand inched closer to it, the eyes of the Griffon Gargoyles glowed brighter. Outis was ready for a fight as his tail began to sway side to side, his eyes switching between which target he wished to attack and his mind was racing between what he would do once he drew that sword. It released a bright golden glow and Outis' eyes began to glow yellow themselves as he let out Wolf's howl and drew his sword and struck the face of the the Blue eyed Griffon leaving a scare across his face.

The Red eyed Griffon's eyes glowed even more bright and released a strong breath of fire towards the Wolf warrior who slammed his sword into the ground and it formed a dome of protection around him. The fire hit the dome but did not seem to damage it. Red stopped and clawed at the dome and actually managed the scratch through it. Outis lifted his sword out of the ground and pointed it towards Red as it shot out a strong beam of energy and blasted the Griffon back off the edge of the Rotunda and down the stairs. Blue glared at Outis and launched a powerful breath of Ice at him only for Outis to slash his sword sideways and unleash a powerful wave of energy forced the Griffon onto his back. Outis' sword began to release a large amount of electricity and he shot a bolt of lightning at the ceiling, making the rocks fall down to where the Griffons had fallen. Red came and grabbed his brother and lifted him to safety before coming back and landing with a powerful thud and opening his mouth for yet another fire attack. Outis clutched the hilt of the sword and it crackled with the power of its lightning before consuming Outis and teleporting him just before the beast before it could blow it's fire and swept his sword at the beasts legs, knocking it on its side before jumping into its stomach and jumped onto its stomach, attempting to drive the sword into the stone beasts face only for Red to halt it with his own laws and trying desperately to push the warrior off of him.

"The Masters guards are weaker than I thought! So you shall join the fate of all the others I have fought!" Said Outis, mocking the rhyming theme of the Griffon brothers as he was suddenly hit by the Blue eyed Griffons massive stone paw and thrown against a pillar of the rotunda. He groaned as his armor protected him from most of the damage but not all. His sword was knocked out of his hands and the Griffons were about to double team him.

"Mock us will you?"

"Your desire for Death is true!" Said Blue as he released another mighty cold breath of Ice and nearly froze Outis in place until he jumped on top of the pillar. He held out his hand and the golden sword that lay on the floor had lifted off the ground and flew right back into his hand, glowing its golden energy once more. It crackled with electricity and he pointed it towards the Griffons as it shot out a powerful bolt of lightning and completely blew apart the ground they stood on. The brothers flew high into the air and were knocked back by the shockwave. And launched a dual assault against the Wolf warrior. He quickly jumped off the pillar and slammed his sword into the ground, launching a large spike out of the ground that shot up and tore through the wing of the Red eyed Griffon.

The wings there were light despite being stone and crumbled almost as soon as the spike tore through. He let out a pained scream and instantly fell to the ground as his right wing fell apart. When he hit the ground, he looked like he was on the verge of falling apart entirely and turning to dust but by sheer will remained whole. His Blue eyed brother dive bombed Outis, forcing him to his back, knocking the sword out of his hand yet again. He was held down by the Griffons massive paw and couldn't seem to lift it off him. He could feel the statue crushing him against the floor and let out a loud scream and just as the creature was about to open its mouth and freeze him solid, someone came out from the shadows.

"Enough!!" They shouted and slammed their staff in the ground, forcing the Griffon off of Outis. Outis stood tall and grabbed his sword and swung at the Griffon before the stranger instantly appeared in front him and caught the sword before it could strike the statue. The stranger wore long wizard robes colored a grey and blue and a staff that had a dragons claws curled around a blue glowing orb. Their face was covered by the shadow of the hood over their head and their voice was very ambiguous. Just then the stranger lifted their knee and nailed Outis in the crotch, weakening his hold on his sword. Outis let out a rather loud whimper as he was grabbed by the throat and lifted off his feet by the stranger. Outis could do nothing but suffer as the stranger glared into his soul despite their face being hidden.

"You dare come to my home and attack my guardians? You dare come here, to my place of peace and tranquility and cause such disruption?! This is why no mortal is permitted here any longer! You cannot control yourselves!" Said The Stranger as they took Outis' sword out of his hand and slammed the wolf warrior into the ground with amazing force. The golden glow the sword had had faded and looked no different than a metal one despite the lightning shooting one it actually was.

"Though I do admit you have very good taste in weaponry... Where did you find this weapon?" Asked the stranger, much more gentle in tone now. Outis was skeptical and remained silent.

"Speak!!" Shouted the stranger, their booming voice echoing through the hall.

"A witch! An old friend of mine. It was a simple sword before she changed it for me," said Outis, his voice staggering. The calm demeanor he had moments ago when fighting the Griffons, who now cowered behind the stranger, had disappeared in place of a child speaking to their upset parents. The stranger trailer their finger over the edge of the blade which hummed with power and a small chuckle could be heard from them. Outis tried desperately to see some resemblance off face but saw nothing.

"I presume this was the same Witch who gifted you your new form?" Said the stranger almost nonchalantly. Outis' claws dug into the ground and gave a deep growl.

"You presume incorrectly! And It is not a gift! Tis' a curse! I want nothing to do with this form and nothing to do with that Witch!" He said violently barking. The stranger turned around and with a snap of his fingers pieced together the broken stones of the Red eyed Griffons wing, healing it completely as if nothing happen to him.

"So you sought me in an attempt to reverse such a "Terrible Fate", correct?" Outis was only slightly surprised. The stranger was of great power and pulled back their hood to show a snow leopard. Light blue fur with black spots and brilliant blue eyes. The form was feminine and she scowled angrily at Outis. This completely caught him off guard.

"You're a... Merlin is a-"

"Woman? Yes and No. Merlin is me, and I am whoever I choose to be. I can be male or female. I can be young or old. I can be Fareci or Human. A true wizard does not limit themselves to something so trivial as gender or species," Said Merlin as she snapped her fingers and one of the Griffons walked in front of her. He acted much like a pet as she pat his head gently and he clearly enjoyed it.

"Now tell me... Is there something wrong with being one of the Fareci?"

"The Fareci are monsters! Animals! I am no animal!"

"You certainly look like an Animal," she said smiling slightly.

"But I am not one! I am Human!"

Merlin raised an eyebrow and looked Outis over. His fur had grown quite a lot and the grey and white colors looked amazing on him. His armor matched his fur and his tail was long yet short enough not to be too easily seen in battle. His eyes were a dull grey but as he grew angry, they had a sudden fire to them that couldn't be explained.

"You don't exactly appear Human," she said scratching under the chin of the Griffon who's leg began to kick like a dog.

"That is something I wish to change!" He said loudly. His anger would not go down in the slightest. He was livid and Merlin cared not of his struggles.

"But why? I say this is a blessing in disguise," she said her eyes glowing. Outis balled up his fists and let out another growl.

"You've clearly learned how to control simple things like the wagging of your tail, barking and growling, howling at the moon..." She said smiling rather smugly.

"I do not howl at the moon!"

"How long did it take you to control that?"

"I've never once done that..." He said rather unconvincingly.

"Do be honest with me boy. I do not appreciate liars." Outis grit his teeth and swallowed his pride before giving the true answer.

"... Four months," he said avoiding the Wizards gaze. She chuckled at him and it took tremendous strength not to lash out at her.

"Well if it is truly what you want, I may or may not help you," she said before walking away. Both Griffons glared at Outis who stared back them but when she slammed her staff against the floor, they instantly changed their tone, instead feigning kindness and allowing Outis to go on. Merlin stood in front of the large portal, not yet turned on until she held her hand out to Outis.

"My stone, child." Outis thought for a bit before grabbing the stone from his back pocket and handing it to the Robed Wizard. The inscriptions on it began to glow and the portal itself began to power on. A cold air began to blow through and Merlin smiled. She grabbed Outis' hand and practically dragged him through the portal and they both appeared somewhere totally different. A giant cave with a small wizards work station and a bright blue pool directly in the center, illuminating the entire room with its color. Outis stared in awe as at the small station he saw a woman in red robes, similar in looks to Merlin. Her hood was pulled back revealing shoulder length pure red hair. She had a fair complexion and when she turned around, she had a beautiful smile. It was Merlina.

"You have found him! Is he not as I described?" Merlin looked back at Outis and wrinkled his nose.

"Semi young grey wolf with a temper and a toddlers attitude. Indeed how you described, Daughter." Merlin said turning around and facing Outis. His form had changed. Merlin was now a bronze skinned male, short black hair and He gave a toothy smile as he pet Outis, who surprisingly stood and enjoyed it, his tail even wagging a little.

"I rarely get a Wolf here," he said scratching behind Outis' ear who shivered and panted like a Dog. He was loving this feeling for some reason.

"My guess is it's been a while since you've been shown this kind of affection hasn't it?" Said Merlin as he stopped and simply looked at the warrior who awoke from the small euphoria he was in. Merlin guided Outis to the station where Merlina was sat him down in a chair, having him relax and think.

"I do apologize for my Griffons though only slightly. From what I saw, You started the fight." He said picking up a bottle and swirling it around. He poured some into a cup and grabbed some white powder and mixed it into the drink. Outis pondered what the drink was but went on and answered the question.

"You could see the fight the whole time?"

"Oh yes. Quite clearly. How? Well I'm a Wizard. I have my ways." He said offering the drink to Outis. "Drink," he said simply.

"How do I know this isn't poison? Or something that will make me more of a monster than I already am?" Outis asked skeptically. He took the drink but smelled it first. It smelt rather fine honestly but Outis was still skeptical.

"You don't. You'll simply have to trust me. And have I done anything to earn your distrust?" Asked Merlin rather smugly. Didn't take long for Outis to answer and with that he carefully sipped the drink and it tasted fine. Almost like simple water.

"What is this?"

"Nothing too crazy. Just normal concoctions and mixtures that calm the body and mind. Should allow a traveler like yourself to relax after coming such a long way to see me," Merlin said sounding genuinely worried and with a wave of his hand had all the armor on Outis' body removed, before putting a clot over him to give him some decency. Outis took bigger and bigger sips of the drink as his mind began to numb and his sense lagged. His heart rate slowed down and as he took his last sip and closed his eyes.

"How do you feel warrior?" Asked Merlin softly.

"I feel... Light. Very light," he responded slowly. Merlin stood behind him no whispered into his ear so as not to wake him up.

"Why don't you tell me why you wish to go back to your human form..." Merlin's voice faded more and more as the seconds went by and soon Outis shifted into what felt like a dream however he was still awake albeit only a minor amount. Outis seemed to feel time reverse. It flew backwards at an amazing speed and he felt as if he was going to fall over out of his chair when suddenly he wasn't in a chair. He stood in the middle of his village, his sword sheathed at his side and his form no more. He was human. He was himself again! He has his wonderful bronze skin, his long black hair, hands with no claws, no canine feet or tail. He was finally himself. He looked around and people greeted him. He smiled and folks waved at him. He saw a woman who winked at him flirtatiously and chuckled to himself as he walked by. A man walked up and patted Outis on the back saying "We are lucky to have such a great knight like you" and he was told something similar by another commoner that walked by. Just then he heard someone call his name. His real name.

"Tarius! The general wishes to speak with you!" And that was all he needed to know. He swiftly ran off to the generals quarters and saw a woman dressed in highly decorated armor, long blonde hair and and blue fierce eyes. She looked up from her map to see her best guard standing in front of her. She gave a smile which was rare for her and she walked up to hug the Tarius.

"Good to see you survived. Not very many can travel to the Fareci lands and come back with such little battle scars. Makes me wonder if you even fought the monsters," she said chuckling and patting him on the back.

'So these are the people you fight for. But what do they have to do with it,' said Merlin as he interrupted the dream Outis was having. Outis was surprised.

'What is this? A dream? An illusion?'

'Wrong on both. It is a memory. The drink relaxed your mind and brought you back to the source of your problems... The people must be the cause.'

'No!' Outis shouted. He loved the people of the town the way they loved him... Or rather used to.

'Let me explain. I was one of the greatest-Nay. THE greatest knight in the town as I fought back all kinds of invaders and Fareci who sought to do us harm. Whenever something went wrong, they sent me there to handle it. If there was a rogue warrior or wizard or anyone who needed to be put in there place, I was sent to handle them. None could match me in skill. But one mission changed the way things went for me...' The whole memory shifted from being with the General to being in the middle of the woods and looking into the a rather large pool.

"Seria!" Shouted Tarius as he drew his sword and waited for something to happen.

'I had grown very proud of my skill. One might say I had an arrogance. I was sent to visit a witch, known to aid the Fareci and I had to put a stop to her. I knew her personally.'

The Waters began to ripple and sway and in the very center of the pool rose a single pillar that soon took the form of a woman. She had bright blue eyes and the form of a Wolf with completely snow white fur. She looked at Tarius with a rather hurt expression.

"Tarius my friend. What is the matter?" She asked walking on the water towards Tarius backed away and pointed his sword at her.

"You aid the Fareci. You said you wouldn't take part in the fights between Humans and Fareci. Why do messengers say you are?!" He asked clearly upset. Seria frowned and moved his sword out of her face.

"I see what your people do. You fight for fairness for only your kind and treat my friends as monsters. They are not monsters." She said calmly. Tarius frowned and glared intensely at Seria.

"They are your friends now? Do you know what they do? Do you know what they've done to us?"

"I do. But I also know what you've done. And based on what I've seen, You and your "Friends" have done far worse. The Fareci have fought in self defense and I have been silent for too long. I refuse to let you or your anyone else come and fight the Fareci when all they want is a place to call home, just like you! I will defend them with my life... Even if it means I have to end yours," she said in a darker tone. She seemed very hurt as she almost couldn't look Tarius in the eyes. He clutched his sword and pointed it at her neck once more.

"You really think you can fight me? You've seen the skills I have and the people who aid me. You think you can best me?" He said proudly. Seria's eyes glowed and she shook her head.

"It has been a long time since I've had to do something like this. But let us see if experiencing the pain of your enemies will open your eyes to how they feel." And soon a bright flash of light came from the sky and shocked Tarius, completely captivating him in nothing but raw lightning however rather then killing him, it changed him. This was what changed him from human to Fareci. He was animal in appearance and no longer Human. His grey fur rustled in the wind as he looked up and Seria was gone. The waters were calm and Tarius was left alone.

'Seria... I remember that name.' Said Merlin in contemplation. Outis began to remember parts of his return home. He wanted to forget but the memory began to replay itself. Outis found himself in his home village in front of the general once more who stared in disbelief.

"What happened to you?" She asked looking him up and down and examining all of him.

"It was Seria. I went to talk to her like you wanted and... Well things didn't exactly go well. Heck they didn't start well. She started rambling on about how the Fareci were superior and they will wipe out Humans soon enough. She said she would see to it that we suffer like her friends have. And she will stop at nothing to see us wiped out," he said balling his hand into a fist.

'You lied,' said Merlin.

'I had to! I thought... I thought that perhaps I could get mercy from the general if Seria was my scapegoat.' He said sounding rather melancholy. Outis was clearly very upset.

'But what happened next made it all useless...'

The general looked at Tarius and crossed her arms.

"You are quite brave to come back here looking the way you do," she said nearly ignoring what Tarius said before.

"Such a shame... You were such a great warrior," she said confusing Tarius as she whistled and two heavily armored knights came and grabbed him by the arms. He was shocked and tried to escape but they held him tight and would not lessen their grip.

"As much as I would love to keep you as our perfect White Knight, I'm afraid I must let you go," she said looking down at him. Tarius was angry and confused and demanded he know what was going on which made the general sigh in contempt.

"With got being Fareci now, if I let you go out and still do the work that you have done in the past, it sends a confusing message to everyone who sides with us. 'A Fareci fights for those who hate them!' Is not something I want getting out. So it seems I'm going to have to let you go, Runt," she said smiling wickedly. Tarius growled and bit one of the guards arms and kneed the other in the groin, giving him the strength to pull away and run as fast as he could out of the generals tent and into the forest nearby. While he ran he didn't hear any guards chase after him. They let him leave. After making it out of the boarder he found himself in foreign territory but did not stop. He wanted to get as far as possible away from them. He finally rested at a nearby waterfall and laid down down, panting heavily and completely lazed out against the floor. He just stared at the sky and thought. His home, his people, his reputation, all ruined. All gone. Everything he fought for deserted him. Everyone he fought for hated him now. And Seria,the only friend he had, no longer wished to speak to him. He began to cry and clawed at the ground then looked at his armor with frustration. He began to remove it.

'I didn't know what to do or who to talk to. Who I could trust and confide in. I tried going back but was immediately chased out of town but the people I once considered my own. My encounters with Humans was kept minimal and my encounter with Fareci wasn't much better. Seria made it so everyone knew who I was now and every Fareci avoided me. No one trusted me and whenever I encountered one, they either sought to harm me or just ran away in fear. There was a couple I met however who decided to help me. A wizard and a hunter. They knew of me. They knew all the terrible things I did and still helped me. It was when I met them that I changed my name. Tarius became feared so they suggested I change it to something else. I chose Outis. It's Greek for Nobody. I forget their names but I would know them if I saw them again.' He said with tears forming in his eyes.

'So answer me this:Why would you want to change back to human for those who clearly despise you?' Outis sighed.

'I thought that if I were human again, I would be accepted by my people again. I'm infamous and hated by both sides in this wolf form so if I go back to being human, at least then I'll only be hated by one side.' Outis began to tear up and move. He had awoken from his visions of the past and began to cry. Merlin stood in front of him and let out a sigh.

"Is this truly what you want? Because it sounds more like your doing it for them rather than yourself. Any change that doesn't benefit you should not happen. Especially when you have control over it," he said patting Outis on the head. Outis simply sat there and listened to the wizard speak.

"If I were you, I would see this as a new beginning. You have a new face, a new name and new allies. You are not the man you once were." It was then that Outis looked up and saw that Merlin looked just like he did when he was human. Outis was looking directly at himself.

"This is over. This part of you is gone. Stop trying to bring him back," Merlin said staring straight into the watery eyes of Outis. He nodded and his tail curled around his right leg as Merlin stood tall.

"So now I ask you... Is this truly what you want? Do you want to be human again or remain the way you are?" Merlin sounded very serious and Outis thought for a long while before finally giving an answer.

"I shall remain. I need not the approval of others. If they shun me, I shun them," said Outis proudly. He stood tall, his cloth wrapped around his waist and thanked Merlin.

"But I must ask a favor..." Merlin raised an eyebrow but decided to hear him out.

"I wish to learn Magic as well. Like you and your daughter. I wish to be both warrior and wizard," he said bowing respectfully. Merlin frowned.

"Surely you have learned of how difficult it is And why Magic was made in the first place. It is a defense. Not really made for warriors. And of course the main problem is it was not designed for men to wield. Magic was made by women for women and all men who tried to control It have fallen prey to its evils. What makes you so sure you will be different?" Merlin asked crossing his arms.

"You are very proud of yourself and easily angered as well, two things that aren't good for a man who DOESN'T know Magic. Imagine how bad it would be if you did know Magic," he said as his Outis kneeled.

"Because I will have the greatest wizards in all of the land to guide me and make me a better person. And in return, I shall serve you both." He meant what he said and when Merlin looked at his daughter, she was fighting back a smile. She had never had a servant and she looked at her Father with a wide smile. Merlin knew what she was thinking and perhaps a servant wouldn't be too bad.

"I suppose... But you must prove yourself. I need you to do something for me."

"Anything!" Outis said, a small smile forming across his muzzle.

"There is a special stone held deep within a temple not far from here. I will send you to get it. Prove your worth and Bring the stone to me and I shall make you my servant and teach you Magic." Just then a portal appeared behind Outis and he stood on his feet and laughed.

"I shall not disappoint!" He said as he grabbed his sword and just then He was handed a small glowing gem.

"Use this to contact me when you have the stone. I will open a portal sending you back," he said as a portal magically appeared behind Outis and he nodded before running through the portal. Merlin left it open on purpose and looked at his daughter who laughed.

"How long till he realizes he went on a mission with no armor or even real clothes to protect him?" She asked her Father.

Merlin simply smiled.