Chapter 14

Profane Arcanum

10Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

- Galatians 1:10

Tigress shifted uncomfortably behind the bar top. Pubs made her uncomfortable. It was far too crowded, and the intense smell of liquor and mixed drinks was making her head ache. She cast an eye over to her friends while Lexicon spoke with the bartender.

“I hear there are some interesting goings about in ancient relics,” she replied calmly as the man poured another drink to a nearby drifter.

“Hmph,” the bartender grunted, reaching behind the counter for the whiskey.

“I could make it worth your while.”

The jingle of her full purse caught the man’s ear. He turned to face her, smiling eagerly.

“Bartender! I need a Farve’la special!”

“Now, I ain’t much into the collectible stuff,” he said offhandedly, pouring two jiggers of bourbon and shot of cream into a tall glass. Reaching over to the coffee, he pointed the carafe at her. “But I did hear that a shop in Chh’na came into some very interesting relic set in their last shipment of weapons.”

“Chh’na, huh?” Lex watched his face carefully for a moment before emptying half the bag on the counter. “Thanks. That’s exactly what I needed.

Firedust was shuffling her feet on the floor and looking around nervously, while Rook kept a blank face. Something about this entire city just seemed to reek of something bad, and they all knew it.

Lex slowly made her way back over. “He said there might be something like what we’re looking for in Chh’na. I’ll fill you in outside”

“Now let’s get out of here.” A note of urgency pierced the raccoon’s voice. “This place isn’t safe.”

“Seems like you’d fit right in here,” Firedust wryly replied, slinging her bow and arrows back around her neck as they slipped out the door.

“Ha ha. Very funny,” Lex answered, firing off a pointed gesture at the sarcastic vulpine. “This place isn’t safe. The townspeople are too greedy and cunning for my taste. Even the thieves don’t follow the code anymore.”

“Code?” Rook fell in step beside her, his eyes twinkling with curiosity.

“The thieves guild, despite their reputation, has a code of honor that they follow,” the young thief explained. “We do not steal from the poor or the hard working or honest man.”

She shrank from Tigress’s glare. Remembering earlier on the dragon’s back, she made a face and shrugged. “I can’t say that my father, or myself are perfect when it comes to the code either. Unfortunately, bad habits are a little hard to break.”

“Hmph.” Tigress cracked a half smile before punching her squarely in the shoulder.

Lexicon went on. “A good thief never steals from his fellow guild members, and above all, a fellow thief never snitches. Even we have enough pride not to stab another member in the back.”

“I’ll give you this much… you have some moral values.. I like that.” The fox gave an approving smile, showing her two rows of sharp teeth. “And they say there’s no honor among thieves…”

“Thanks.” The raccoon eyed the exit with favor. “ I think... Now let’s get the hell out of here.”

Once outside the city gates, the young raccoon related the bartender’s story to her companions.

“Story checks out,” Firedust said. “I know that shop in Chh’na. But how will we know that the thing is the real deal or not.”

“Leave that to me.”

Tigress had already boarded the dragon’s back. “I know a friend in town that will be able to help us with that.”

“How?”

The young therian grinned as the answer sprung from between her teeth.

“Alchemy.”

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Vacchi Willowbrook was the best synthesizing alchemist in Chh’na. He was also one of the busiest. Which proved to be a problem when he received a guest or two from time to time. Case in point: he was in the middle of one of the largest and most complex of transmutation circles for a synthesis job when there was a knock at the door.

“Great,” he muttered, fluttering his black wings in frustration and working his way around the intricately woven chalk markings so as not to smudge them.

Throwing open the door the old corvid cawed, “Can’t you see I’m busy?”

“Evidently so, or you would never have opened the door that way. Isn’t that a bit risky for all those chalk lines Vacchi?”

Tigress hugged the old alchemist tightly. “How have you been?”

“Busy,” the crow replied. “Do come in and sit down. Mind the lines, please; I’m in the middle of a very important synthesis project. Help yourself to tea while I finish.”

Carefully making his way back to the middle of the circle, he rubbed his wings together and with a flourish, slammed them to the floor in a rather violent manner. The entire room vanished in a thick white smoke and a row of coughing. As the smoke cleared, Vacchi returned with a formidable looking sword. Oiling it carefully, he slid it into a custom made leather sheath on a nearby table.

“Still into flamboyant flourishes I see,” Tigress replied, sipping a tall glass of iced tea.

“And you are still drinking your tea cold,” the crow returned with a laugh. “Now, then. What can I do for you?”

“I came to inquire about a rarity that ended up in one of the local shops, Vacchi. I know you keep an eye out for such things.”

The crow gave a thoughtful gesture. “I haven’t been able to go peruse the shops like I usually do, but I’ll tell you what. Let me finish up and I’ll go with you. I need a break.”

A few minutes later, the five were walking the main strip, staring at the shop windows.

“Any idea what you’re looking for?” the crow asked, studying the local silversmith’s work dubiously. Like most corvids, Tigress knew how interested he was in most shiny objects. She shook her head.

“You’re going to think I’m crazy, Vacchi.”

“Nonsense!” he shook his head. “You’re a sensible young woman. Now tell me.”

“I’m looking for the eight.”

Vacchi stopped craning his head at the window and stared at her. “What?”
“You heard me,” Tigress replied shortly. “I’m looking for them.”

“And you think it would be here?”

The girl shrugged. “It’s worth a shot.”

“Vacchi!”

The group turned to face a large hyena walking towards them. She was of formidable size, but her face was friendly and her eyes sparkled with light. She threw an arm about the crow’s midsection, lifting him upwards in a hug. “Who’s your friends?”

“Ah, I forget my manners,” he said, gently disentangling himself from the woman’s grip. “This is Tigress, an old friend of mine. Her friends are Rook, Firedust and Lexicon.”

He pointed out the three carefully, and the hyena nodded, giving them an open smile.

“And this is Ikena Blackmane.” The corvid’s voice practically burst with pride. “Red Alchemist extraordinaire.”

“Stop it, Vacchi.” Ikena punched him playfully. “You flatter me. Where are you headed?”

“We’re going to check the local shops for a certain piece of work. Would you care to join us?”

Remembering his manners, the crow turned to Tigress “If that is all right with you?”
“The more the merrier.” She gave the hyena a grin.

They continued down the street, stopping only briefly to peruse a few merchants’ tents, when they came upon an old church. Vacchi shook his head sorrowfully. “It’s a real shame about what happened to that place..”

Tigress gave him a puzzled look. “What do you mean?”

Firedust stared at the stately building, also confused. “It doesn’t look damaged.”

“It’s not the church,” Ikena said, looking at the conglomeration of stone and wood. “It’s what’s inside it…”

“Inside?”

The hyena nodded solemnly. “I’m afraid the new priest isn’t much of a man.”

“Really?”

As the party moved on toward the shop, Tigress paused briefly to take another look at the church.

I’m going to have to check this out for myself, she thought. But for now, finding that relic is more important.

The priest watched the group from the window in his office. One of his acolytes stood nearby.

“Is that the girl you spoke of, father?”

There was a brief pause as the man looked upon the image plastered in the nearby cauldron.

“Yes. Prepare yourself, my son.”

“Yes sir.”

The boy disappeared, leaving the father to his own thoughts.

McDawell gazed out the window at the young tigress walking down the street, and an unpleasant, almost unpriestly smile graced his features. This was his quarry. And it would be perfect for his plans.

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Everett walked the trail, a snarl written on his face. How could he have let them do that to him?! The beast inhabiting him shuddered with unmitigated rage. He would get his quarry. To be sure.

But how?

His thoughts were abrubptly interrupted as a shockwave ran through the spell creature’s systems. The boy was railing against him, trying to regain control. That could not happen. He gave an effortless flick of his tail, sending his host’s mind reeling back into the darkness. This constant interruption was annoying him. He had enough to do without this little insect attempting to mess with his control.

It is decided then, thought the beast with a sadistic grin. Once I take care of the girl, I will eliminate this boy’s consciousness and take his body as my own. And then no one will be able to stop me…

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“Relics, Relics… No, I’m afraid nothing like that has come in here.”

Tigress gave a disappointed sigh. They had already checked six different shops in the area and none of them seemed to have what she was looking for.

“Thank you anyway, sir,” she replied with a smile. “I hope we didn’t waste too much of your time.

“Oh, don’t worry about me, missy.” The merchant smiled, holding the door for them.

They were halfway down the walk when the man ran out after them. “Wait!”

Tigress looked at him, and then they all cast a glance in Lexicon’s direction.

“You didn’t take anything from there, did you?” The fox leered menacingly toward the thief’s direction.

“Do I look like that big of an idiot to you?” the raccoon shot back “Besides, wouldn’t he be saying ‘stop thief!’ or something along those lines?”

“Shut up, you two,” Tigress hissed, getting annoyed with their constant bickering. “Let’s just see what he has to say.”

“I’m… glad… I caught you!” the merchant exclaimed. “I just remembered something. I heard from a colleague of mine in Kazzarna that he came upon a rather rare piece in his last shipment. Maybe you could try looking there.”

The group looked at each other. It was worth a shot.

“It’s worth a look,” the young tigress replied. “Thank you so much!”

“Don’t mention it,” the man said with a smile before heading back for his business.

“Come,” said Ikena. “I have a map at my shop. We can plan the best route from there.”

“And we’ll have to pick up provisions and some cloaks for you before you go,” added Vacchi. “If things are as they were before, Kazzarna is not a friendly place for our kind yet.”

“Our kind?” Rook gave a puzzled glance in the crow’s direction.

“Kazzarna is notorious for being very unfriendly to therians,” Tigress said. “Thanks for thinking ahead Vacchi.”

They wandered the streets, passing by the church again. This time, the priest was standing outside, greeting the passersby.

“Ah, good evening Vacchi,” he said.

The alchemist only nodded.

“Still practicing the forbidden arts?”

“What business is that of yours?” the crow asked levelly. His voice was calm, but all light of humor had left his eyes.

“You cannot be complete in the faith without renouncing all evils, Willowbrook.”

Tigress flinched at the oilyness intoned in the priest’s voice; she also noticed both alchemists cringe and the hyena’s fist ball up in anger.

“That’s not your judgment to make, McDawell!” she said, eyes dark with black rage.

“Really?.” It pleased him to see how uncomfortable he had made her. “I daresay that’s an interesting thing, coming from you.”

“Father, that’s hardly fair,” she replied, “I hardly use my knowledge in alchemy. I’m only a simple florist. And Vacchi does no wrong. Synthesizing weapons is no sin!”

“You don’t use your knowledge? What about Virgil?”

The priest was referring to the chimera that lived as a companion with Ikena and helped, to a point, to run the shop.

“Virgil was an exception to the rule,” Vacchi stepped in.

“That was a request by the dying creatures of which he was created,” Ikena added. Her eyes churned like a summer storm on the horizon. “I will not turn down the pleas of a dying creature.”

“How noble of you. But I cannot help but show concern.” McDawell took the hyena’s chin in his hands, inspecting her muzzle with a smile “You know, I’m only concerned for the fate of my flock.”

Outside of the argument, Tigress’s eyes caught sight of a small boy inside the building, tending to small matters in the pew aisles. He cast a glance her way and she couldn’t help but notice the expression on his face; as if he were screaming for help with his eyes. A shudder passed through her as the priest brushed by on his way back into the church. His attitude frightened her, but his eyes scared her even more. They were flat and unemotional; devoid of any caring or love. And what was with that child?

“See?” Vacchi growled, shaking his head emphatically. “He’s not much of a priest,”

“He’s not much of a person at all,” said Lexicon. “Did you see his eyes? Buhhh…”

Tigress nodded. “That’s what frightened me.”

“Enough about him.” Ikena’s voice was flat. “Let’s head back to my shop and check that route.”

At the shop, they were met by a humble, yet friendly form. Virgil was a graceful form, reborn of the dying bodies of a serpent, gryphon, and dragon. Not only that, but he was a forerunner for his species, for Virgil carried something that all his bretheren lacked: the will to live.

“Ah, we have visitors. Why didn’t you tell me you were bringing company, Ikena? I could have had something ready?”

“I’m afraid this was very short notice, Virgil,” the hyena apologized. “This is Tigress, Rook, Firedust, and Lexicon. Friends of Vacchi’s.”

“Ah. Well, friends of Vacchi’s are always welcome in our house. Please, won’t you have a seat?”

Vachhi and Tigress took their places at the table, while Rook and Firedust settled onto the nearby couch, and Lex sat unusually quiet on the sill of a large bay window.

“So, what are you here for?” Virgil asked politely, preening a few of the feathers at the top of one of his wings.

“We’re looking for a set of relics.”

“It must be awfully important to bring you all the way out here.”

“Well,” Tigress explained, “These aren’t exactly run-of-the-mill. Together they create a very powerful weapon.”

“I see,” the chimera looked at her with knowing eyes. “So you are looking for the eight.”

“But how do you know about the eight?” asked Lex. “We never said-”

Virgil thrummed quietly, which the group took to be laughter. “I know many things. When the bodies that make me what I am were merged, I received their memories in turn.”

“I’m sure that there are many who would give anything to be able to have the knowledge you had at birth,” Firedust mused thoughtfully.

“Indeed, it is something many find interesting in me.”

“I’m back!” called Ikena from the doorway, though her voice was muffled by the large and rather cumbersome map in her hands. Unrolling it on the table, she motioned the others over. Searching carefully, they pinpointed three or four very good routes.

“You will have to come in carefully to avoid any suspicion,” Vacchi said, pointing out several locations on the map surface. “These would be a good start.”

“I think here…” Tigress pointed out a small thicket of trees as she spoke. “…Would be best. It would allow everyone else to stay out of sight. The less of us that are seen, the better.”

“But why?”

“Kazzarna is not exactly what you’d call ‘therian friendly’,” Tigress replied. “For some reason, they are not open to contact with anything other than humanoid creatures such as elves and dwarves and the like. Something to do with some argument a while back, I think..”

“Is there anything you don’t know?” Lex asked, bouncing down from the window sill.

Tigress turned to face the young raccoon. “There are many things I do not know. And yet there are many things I understand.”

“That was just to confuse me, wasn’t it?”

“Yes… and no.”

“Okay.. now you’re just trying to piss me off..” Lex stared at her, posed leisurely on the windowsill, paws akimbo.

She watched as the cat mulled the thought over a moment, then shook her head.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” she announced, heading for the door. “I’m going to discuss our travel plans with Lunarian.”

Passing the church on her way out of town, she thought again of the interlude with the priest. A cold feeling entered her gut. There was more to that man than she knew was showing… but the question was, what?

Lost in her thoughts, she felt something smack squarely into her. Snapping back to, she saw a young boy in what looked to be the robe of an altar boy, or maybe a choir member, that had run out of the church. At once, she recognized him to be the boy she had seen earlier. The child did not tarry long, but bolted to his feet, steeled to take off at any minute.

“Hold on!” she exclaimed, catching him by the shoulder. “What’s going on?”

“Let me go!” The fear was even more present in his voice than it had been in his eyes. “That man’s a monster! He’ll destroy this town for sure. Let me go, I said!”

Calmly, the young tigress carefully pinned the boy’s shoulders and held him until he stopped struggling.

Addressing the boy in a tone equally as calm as her actions, she said, “ Now then, who is going to destroy the town?”

The boy shifted uncomfortably as she gingerly released him from her grip, vacillating between whether he wanted to explain or bolt.

“Look, I think the guy is a creep,” Tigress finally declared. “I don’t plan on telling him anything, but I could help you out.”

The boy gave in with a sigh. “I guess I don’t have a choice but to believe you. But it’s better if you see this for yourself.”

“Are you sure that you want to do that?” The therian’s question startled the boy, but he stated that he did. Once inside the church building, he lead her to a passage that lead into what appeared to be a basement area. Every step downward felt darker and more foreboding than the last. It bothered Tigress who flicked her tail nervously. At the end of the narrow staircase, the basement opened into a maze of hallways. Taking point, the child lead her down dark pathways and what seemed to be forgotten places. The whole place smelled damp, and musty, as if it had not been used in a long time.

“Stop here,” he commanded, looking out into the hallway. “McDawell keeps a tight leash on the orphans that stay in this church, and anyone found is to be reported directly to him.”

“Controls?” The boy watched her ears pin at the sound of the word.

“Yes,” he explained. “He brainwashes these kids. I was next in line for the ceremony, but I broke free when you caught me outside.”

There was an awkward pause. Tigress understood now that she had stumbled on something far more disturbing than the simple matter of some unscrupulous priest. Before they went on, she studied her guide carefully.

“Why did you bring me back here?” she inquired. “When you could have been free?”

“Because I left someone important down here. I only left to find help… any help I could find. I found you.”

They entered several more passageways before a small glow began to edge the outside of the openings.

“Now it gets intense.”

She had no idea what the boy meant by this. But even so, her worst fears did not even come close to preparing her from what she was about to see.

Stealing behind a shadowed corner of the main hall, she watched in horror, as a profane, and terrifying ceremony took place.

There were children everywhere, mulling about, exchanging wary glances and looking up to a hooded figure standing on a platform above them. This strange person shuffled about his workplace, setting up some last momentary precautions before turning to face the crowd. The crowd went silent as he held up his hands.

“Children,” a voice boomed in the silence of the room as the man removed his hood. “…. My…Children.”

“Tonight is only the beginning,” he intoned, a smile creeping across his gaunt features. “Tonight you begin your training as the pure ones;the supreme beings. God will bless you with great strength, my young angels. And I will be your guide.”

He held out his hands to the first child, A tiny cub still… No less than maybe 5… 6 years. Tigress felt a cold, numb feeling over her body and the sour taste of dread on her tongue.
“He is insane,” she whispered in the dark. “Utterly…mad!”

“This is only the beginning,” her guide replied sadly.

Reaching into a bowl of water at his side, the man anointed the child’s face. “Purity, be thine,” he said, and stood her before a large, strangely glowing crystal. Standing briefly before it, the child turned and bowed to him, and disappeared down a set of stairs to the right.

Before they could witness anymore of the ceremony, a pair of hands grasped Tigress’s shoulders and a hollow, clipped voice rang out.

“Father… we have guests.”

Tigress wheeled to face a young man of about 15, an unnatural smile on his face. Without thinking twice, she threw the boy off her, and lunged for the other holding the younger child that had guided her to this place.

“Get out of here!” She shouted to the boy.

The altar boy was rooted to the ground with fear, and their captors were already headed for them again. She gave the youth a shove. “Go! Find the alchemist’s shop on the corner! Tell them Tigress sent you!!”

One of the older lads turned to pursue the youngster, when the priest’s oily voice echoed in the hallway.

“Let him go… We can get him back.”

As the boy fled into the hallways, Tigress was hauled into the chamber.

“How long was she there?” The unscrupulous cleric eyed her with disfavor.

At that moment, Tigress felt her dread turn to rage.

“Long enough.” Her words snarled out of her throat, accentuated by the growl that followed.

McDawell grinned at the thunder that churned in her eyes and throat. The throaty rumble in her vocal chords crescendoed upward as he slipped his hand under her muzzle.

“Oh, I think you’ll make a lovely addition to my angels,” he stated coolly, leering at her restrained form.

“You’re a monster… and I’d rather die first.” Lightning accompanied the thunder in her eyes, the storm churning further.

The priest’s voice grew hard, as did his gaze.

“That, my dear,” he snarled, “can be arranged.”

With a flourish, he dismissed the children, whose faces were now distorted with confusion and fear. Why was their beloved benefactor acting this way? As the adolescents ushered them into the corridors, the priest wheeled to face his enemy again. The smile was gone now.

“You should have stayed out of this,” he hissed, pulling a knife from a nearby wall, but instead of attacking her, he sliced into his own flesh and began drawing some arcane symbol on the wooden floor with his own blood. It was when he began gathering unseen things from the air that Tigress realized what he was planning.

On her last visit to Vacchi’s, she learned much of alchemy and its many uses. But to gather the spirits of the dead and transmute them into a form was the most forbidden and wicked forms of alchemy. Soul transmutations were messy business, and most who dared to try were either slain by their creations or banished from their homes. The creatures, however, were the most pitiable of all. Many of them went mad and wandered the plains looking for death and slaying anything in their path.

Sha’jni! And me without my spear! she thought. I have to destroy the circle!

But by this time, it was too late. Before she could erase the blood from the floor, McDawell placed his hands to the circle. A blinding flash filled the room, along with an earth-shattering roar. When Tigress could focus her eyes again, she saw the minister standing beside a massive, unrecognizable creature, hollow eyed and snaggle-fanged. The beast made a noise in its throat and began advancing toward its prey.

Feeling her heart leap into her throat, the therian started looking for an exit of some sort. If she could get past the beast long enough and quick enough, she could take care of the problem. Behind the construct, she could hear the laughing of the self-proclaimed “holy man.”

“You thought it would be easy didn’t you?” he inquired. “You’re no better than those creatures in their shops.”
Scrambling in between an opening near the wall, she tried to close in on him. “Ohh-ho,” she fired back, “Look at the pot calling the kettle black! You’re nothing but a damned hypocrite!”

The man stared at her. The look on his face said that she had struck a nerve.

“That’s right!” she continued. “You have some nerve, picking on innocent people when you practice some of the most despicable of arcane practices. You’re a disgrace to your calling!”

“My calling?”

He gave a bitter laugh. “I was thrown out of school for my radical beliefs… But I’ll show them.” His face distorted into a distressing expression; one pleading for her sympathy. “I’m going to make this world a wonderful place… My intentions are all for the good of our world. You could still be part of it…”

The beast roared in conjunction with his master’s voice, and lunged for Tigress, who rolled to the side. The beast came down with a massive thud, shaking the walls around them.

“…if you acknowledge me now.”

Tigress knew he was planning on using magic now. She could sense it in the ley lines around her body… The pulse of life in them was drawing away from her and reeling around him like electrons around an atom nucleus.

“Let me tell you something…”

Tigress rose with her back to him, ignoring the construct, now shaking off the blow.

“A wrong committed…” Carefully drawing the tiny throwing dagger from her pack, she began to turn. “… no matter what the purpose.. IS STILL WRONG!” Wheeling to face him, Tigress sent the dagger spinning to life in the air. It landed squarely in the man’s shoulder. A startled cry emitted from his throat as his hand went for the blade. The spell fell apart in midair, dispersing itself back into the lines of power around them.

And then, the beast charged.

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“She did what?!”

Vacchi was furious. “Of all creatures, she knows better than to go after someone like McDawell by herself!”

“Does it really matter now?” Ikena broke in, trying to quell the crow’s anger. “All that matters is that Tigress is in need of our help.”

The avian alchemist houghed once, mollified, if only for the moment. “Come on. I’ll need a lump of iron from the shelf and my tools.”

The altar boy nodded as the others scrambled to fetch their weapons. “I will show you the way.”

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Tigress reeled from the second blow, but managed to evade the third, as she tried to formulate a plan to defeat this creature. In an instant, she felt ice, unbidden, cling together around her paws. The edges became sharp and jagged, enough to draw blood. Feeling the bracelet around her hand tingle, she caught on. The relic was creating the weapon for her. Giving a mighty heave, she began throwing the ice javelins at her enemy, nicking at the beast’s heels. It gave a yowl but started retreating backwards.

Without thinking twice, Tigress carefully froze her attacker’s massive paws to the floor. The creature gave a startled cry at this, but looked down at its opponent with wizened eyes.

“You don’t have to do this,” the young weretigress cried to the misshapen chimaera. “I can sense you don’t want to fight me..”

“Fool!”

Tigress felt the floor dissolve beneath her as the priest sent a wave of alchemic energy towards her. The impact knocked her off her feet where she lay stunned.

“You listen to me, you great hunk of souls,” McDawell snarled. “ I am your creator…I made you… I can unmake you… And YOU DO WHAT I SAY!”
The chimaera swung its colossal head around and, with a powerful flex, snapped his icy bonds before speaking in a level, low voice.

“I have had enough of your jabber, manling,” it rumbled, pinning the man underneath its paws.

Tigress rose and shook her head to clear the ringing in it only to discover that the ringing was the distressed screams of Father McDawell, trapped under his own monster. Before she could speak, the scream died off in an abrupt, terse gurgle as the floor spattered red with blood. Without warning, the chimaera gave a shudder and sank to the floor with a meaty thud.

Tigress knelt carefully next to the construct. With its master dead, she was waiting to see what was to become of the creation. The beast turned soft golden eyes onto her, as if seeking something. Pity?

"Kill me," it whispered desperately.

Tigress blanched. Every nerve in her body, every muscle fiber, everything was screaming at her now to think about this. It didn't seem right to take the life of something. Not even this pitiable creature.

"Kill me," it implored again. "Please."

She turned away from its cry, voice strained and trying not to crack. "I don't know if I can…"

It frightened her to think about it. This goes against everything I’ve learned… Everything I stand for…

A paw came to rest on her hand. "Child, I was born destroy and created for a purpose I had no desire to serve. I have no will to live if I can be free of that dreaded purpose. Will you at least grant the wish of such a wretched, suffering beast as me?"

She felt pain rocket through her. Was this the same as taking a life in cold blood? She knew that constructs were not natural... they always seemed to know it too. Their whole body rejected them in favor of death; but then she considered Virgil. His life with Ikena was a precedent among his kind; a construct with the will to live.

"Is it truly what you wish?" she asked. "Surely, you could try to live a peaceful life."

"The tendencies built into me are too great. If I remain on this earth, I will surely go mad with the pain," The beast replied. He sounded old, now… Tired. " Even now, my body is tearing itself apart. I fear killing someone innocent, little one. And that, I would not be able to live over. If I did not try to kill myself, I would be slain for the act.”

Tigress knew the creature was right. Now she would have to come to terms with what she was about to do.

"Very well then." she felt her voice crack in agony. "I will not allow you to suffer. It isn't right."

Crawling onto the construct’s prostrate body, he warmed her hands and placed them gently upon its breast. With no further delay, she released the spell that would end it. A cold, flat sensation cascaded through her fingers and into the body. The beast gave a sigh of relief as the spirits fled into the night. There was no pain.

Tigress pulled her hands away from the corpse, and brought them to her face. The pawpads came back wet. The tears were her own.

By this time, the altar boy who had led her down here was back with Vacchi, Ikena, and the others. Met by the grisly scene, the alchemists turned to face the young Feliss

Tigress made no move to explain the scene, but simply rose.

“Let’s go…”

The flat tone invited no arguments, though the procession leading back to Ikena’s shop was a very solemn one. Only one stop was made, by the chief’s house to explain what had happened. The altar boy stayed to fill him in on the details.

Although everyone was worried for their striped friend, it was Virgil who found her late that night sitting at the bay window sill watching the moon.

"You're thinking about him, aren't you?" he asked, sitting next to her.

Silence. Then..

"Yes. Virgil, I'm wondering.."

The chimaera gently butted his head underneather her arm. She knew that she didn't have to finish the sentence echoing in her mind. Her eyes searched the skies under the white moon, asking for an answer.

"I'm wondering if I did the right thing..."

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Feliss – Another name for the werecats that live in Third Gate