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COMMENTS:
DragonBlaze10[archiveofourown]:
Dope man surprised you dint go with the ghost rider horse
Avip:
I mean... he has a chain.
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[Marcus Carvalho]
When the feline anthro threw the plastic explosive in my path, it made me remember what I had done in the last few hours to get my mount.
Horses are intelligent creatures despite being simpler than humans.
That's why when I went to the racetrack, I hoped to find some specter willing to run so I could reincarnate it in a strong body. Something possible thanks to my Ether's Blessing, which enables my soul-related spells and rituals.
As soon as Drika told me the racetrack story, I presumed that the spirits were tormented since dying trapped in a fire is a horrible death. But when I connected to them through my Ether's Blessing, I discovered it was much worse.
The dead equines knew they were a race of slaves, tools to be used by their masters. In death, they felt betrayed for having been left to die in the fire despite being loyal servants.
Knowing this, I thought it would be impossible to convince any of these souls to reincarnate and help me in the race. In fact, they became furious when I made the offer, calling me a new tyrant who came to enslave them even in death.
I explained my situation through my blessing, how I intended to save innocent lives, and how I intended to stop a great tyrant from rising.
Few souls were interested, but none were inclined to help... until I mentioned the name of Dominika Toretto.
One of the spirits, an underdog named Blaze who rarely finished in the top five and never in first place, recognized the last name. When I projected the canine anthro image to him, he saw that Dominika could only be a descendant of the stable girl who took care of him.
He lamented that in life he could never bring victory to the girl who cared for him with so much love. It didn't matter if it was the strongest of storms or the most unbearable cold, the little one always came to make sure he was okay.
Blaze accepted my proposal on the spot to be reincarnated in a stronger body and that together with me he would race alongside Dominika.
With the soul of my steed guaranteed, I infused it with mana charged with my ether's blessing, which is not enough to reincarnate, but with it, I managed to stabilize and purify Blaze, leaving him ready for the process.
"Looks like I chose the right blessings for your body, Blaze." I celebrated right before the device exploded.
KABOOOM!
The explosion swallows us whole, the intense heat embraces my body destroying my clothes. The pain is instantaneous, but bearable. My resistant skin withstands the impact, but I feel small cuts opening, the warm blood running down my chest. The force of the detonation throws me backward, but I manage to maintain my balance, firm on Blaze.
My mount, on the other hand, doesn't seem affected by the explosion. On the contrary, Blaze absorbs the flames, his body transforming before my eyes. The scales that protect his trachea extend, covering his chest and back, forming a natural armor. His horns, once small and delicate, grow, curving backward like those of a Chinese dragon. His body increases in size, muscles defining themselves, becoming more powerful.
Blaze neighs, a sound that echoes like a roar. His eyes, already determined, now shine with a fierce intensity. His mane turns bright red, as if it were a living flame.
"HIIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!" the animal neighs, with wings sprouting from his flanks.
[Image]
I laugh loudly as Blaze emerges from the cloud of debris in his awakened draconic form.
"Blessing of earth, fire, and dragons granted you this power." I declare to the animal, leaving footprints on the melted asphalt. "Now bring me victory. Blaze the magma Dragon-Horse."
"HIIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!" Blaze neighs, wings spread wide, yet still running on the ground.
The proud animal knew this was a land race, one he intended to win on his own terms.
[Dominika Toretto]
Jaw dropped, I stare at the big screen.
The image of Marcus, completely naked except for his green mask and the chain he wielded, mounted on the draconic horse, was burned in my mind forever.
"Holy shit!" someone exclaims beside me, their voice almost inaudible over the roar of the flames coming from the sound system.
The animal runs, leaving a trail of fire and melted asphalt, picking up even more speed as it approaches the Kray twins.
Ronnie, still with her body halfway out of the green GT's window, freezes upon seeing the image of the flaming bat-winged horse approaching. She quickly recovers, getting back into the car.
{"Reggie!"} the feline shouts, calling for her sister at the wheel. {"Pass the Desert Eagle."}
While Ronnie armed herself, the narrator spoke, making it even more dramatic:
{"By my father's balls! What is happening here?"} the excited announcer questioned. "Did the Dragon Warrior's horse eat that explosion, and now the Kray twins are going to try to finish him off with a hand cannon?"}
Wielding a Desert Eagle, Ronnie leans out the window again, pointing in Marcus's direction. Without hesitation, the anthro pulled the trigger.
POW! POW!
But Marcus deflects the bullets with his chain easily.
CLANG! CLANG!
A smile spreads across my face. The situation seems to be under control. Ronnie tries a few more shots, but Marcus deflects them all with impressive precision. Blaze, the dragon horse, is getting closer and closer to the green GT. The heat from the flames he exhales is almost palpable, even from the screen.
"Come on, Marcus!" I shout, feeling the adrenaline rush through my veins.
The roar of the spectators beside me mixes with the sound of the flames being played and the noise of the deflected bullets. It's controlled chaos, a spectacle of speed and brute force. Marcus and Blaze are a surreal sight, a combination of mythology and reality that defies any logic.
But the relief evaporates with the announcer's statement:
{"Oh no! It looks like the Dragon Warrior won't reach the Kray twins before the finish line."}
Reality hits me like a punch. I turn to the finish line near me and see that Blaze won't be able to overtake the GT in time.
"Shit!" I mutter through gritted teeth, widening my eyes, focusing as much as possible on the screen.
With a determined face, Marcus closes his eyes concentrating on something.
{"Are you kidding me, tough guy?"} Ronnie questions furiously. {"Think I can't hit you even with your eyes closed?"} the furious feline anthro says, pointing the gun at Marcus.
POW!
Good thing she is wrong.
CLANG!
Even with his eyes closed, Marcus parrys her shot with ease.
The audience goes wild, but I remain focused as the human begins to recite something:
{"O flames that dance with fury bright,
O winds that howl in fastest flight,"}
Although his words are little more than a whisper, they are transmitted clearly by the speakers.
{"Unite your forces beneath my steed,
And grant Blaze an explosive burst of speed!"}
A cocoon of wind forms around Marcus and Blaze, the horse's flames are fueled, propelling them even faster forward.
Blaze, now a blur of fire and speed, cuts through the asphalt like a line of red magma.
"Go Marcu! Go Blaze!" I shout, even knowing he can't hear me.
My hands grip tightly, my knuckles white. The heat from Blaze's flames is intense, even from the video feed. The wind howls, carrying sparks and ashes.
The Kray twins' green GT tries to maneuver, but it's too late. Blaze charges at the car in a burst of fire, his body as fast as a blur. The impact is brutal, the sound of twisting metal and shattering glass echoes through the air. The green GT is cut in half, the parts separating in an explosion of sparks and smoke.
"That humie is crazy!" someone exclaims beside me, their voice almost inaudible over the roar of the flames and the sound of the cars.
The dragon horse continues its race, quickly approaching the finish line, leaving behind the fiery remains of the green GT.
Blaze crosses the finish line in an explosion of speed and fire, leaving a trail of melted asphalt and dancing flames. The roar of the crowd is deafening, a chorus of shouts and applause that echoes through the streets.
{"The winner is truly, the strongest man of the world, the Dragon Warrior."} the announcer declares amidst the spectators' shouts.
I am overcome with relief as I run towards Marcus. Getting closer, I notice that Blaze, now without flames, looks like a normal horse.
Marcus dismounts Blaze, his naked body glistening with sweat and soot. The green mask, green speedo, and chain are the only things on him.
"Marcus!" I call, my voice cutting through the noise of the approaching crowd.
He turns to me, his green eyes intense, still charged with the adrenaline of the race. Without hesitation, I take off my white shirt and throw it to him.
"Cover yourself," I say, my voice firm.
He catches the shirt in the air, a wry smile forming on his lips.
"Thanks, Dommy."
He puts on the shirt, which hangs loosely on his body but at least covers him. The white fabric contrasts with his tanned and dirty skin.
"Are you okay?" I ask, approaching him. My eyes scan his body, looking for any sign of injury.
"I'm fine," he replies, his voice still panting. "Blaze did a great job."
I turn to the horse, who now looks exhausted but satisfied.
"You were amazing, Blaze," I say, stroking his neck. The horse whinnies softly, as if in joy for my attention.
I turn back to Marcus, my eyes meeting his. I wanted to pull him into a hug, beg him never to put himself in that kind of danger again, but someone calls our attention.
"Cough! Cough!" fake coughs the human who started the race, he had approached without us noticing. "Congratulations on your victory, Dragon Warrior, but I regret that most of your prize has been destroyed."
"Prize?" Marcus questions, clueless about what he's talking about.
I sigh wearily, shaking my head negatively before speaking to the masked man.
"The prize for this race was the other participants' car," I explained, pointing to the Kray twins fleeing the melted wreckage that was a green 2006 GT.
"Ha-ha." Marcus laughs awkwardly. "At least some parts can be salvaged-."
KABOOM!
The explosion completely swallows what little was left; it seemed fate was mocking Marcus's face.
I let out a tired sigh, my eyes still fixed on the burning wreckage of what used to be a 2006 GT.
"Well, Marcus, at least you won my car."
The masked man turns to me, his green eyes shining with confusion.
"Your car?"
I confirm with a nod.
"Yes, my car. If you want, I can deliver it to your house or sell it and give you the money."
He stares at me, surprise etched on his face. I shrug, trying to appear indifferent.
"I can get another one. It's not like it's the only car in the world."
Marcus continues to look at me, his expression unreadable. With a bitter taste in my mouth, I continue to speak:
"Could I take one last drive around the city before I give it to you?"
With his eyes closed, the still-masked human sighs wearily and speaks.
"Of course, I'm not going to take your car," Marcus complains, frustrated.
"But you won," I try arguing.
"Dominika Toretto, if you try to offer me this car again, I swear I'll tell your grandma that you're being rude to a gentleman."
Fear takes hold of me instantly. People listening to the conversation might even laugh at me for being afraid of my grandma. But what they don't know is that Mercedes Toretto didn't become the biggest broker in Santa Francisca without getting her hands very bloody.
"Sorry to interrupt your little couple moment." Declared the human in tight shorts, still present. "But the Maestra would like a moment with the champion."
Marcus nods positively and takes a step forward. I try to follow right behind, but the other human stops me.
"Only for winners, my dear," the femboy says softly.
I scowl, growling in the twinky's direction, but Marcus intervenes between us.
"Let me handle this," Marcus says in a tone too serious for someone wearing a lucha libre mask, a white shirt, and nothing else. "You've already seen that I'm not a 'normal man', so relax, I'll tell you everything later."
I furrow my brow, still worried about Marcus despite his argument.
"Okay," I concede, dissatisfied with what was happening.
"Take care of Blaze for me, please."
"What?" I question, surprised. "I know nothing about horses."
"Relax…" Marcus says, stroking the animal. "He likes you."
Right on cue, the femboy claps his hands, skipping happily before grabbing Marcus by the arm and pulling him towards the leader of The Order of the Broken Melodie.
"Let go of me, you twinkie thot!" Marcus complains in the distance, bringing a smile to my face. "I can walk by myself!"
I feel something on my shoulder; when I turn, I see Blaze rubbing his face against my shoulder like a needy puppy. Surprised that Marcus was right, I pet the animal, saying:
"Do you want to see my workshop?"
"HIIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!" the horse neighed, seeming to agree with me.
[Marcus Carvalho]
After my victory, I was led to a van with blacked-out windows. The driver of the vehicle is an unknown hyena anthro accompanied by her three hyenas.
They wanted me to put a bag over my head, before being taken to the location.
I respectfully refused, saying I wouldn't look out the window.
Pissed off, one of them put her paw on me, insisting I obey her, saying she knew how to turn bratty males into compliant bitches.
I 'respectfully' broke her hand without breaking eye contact with the other hyenas, and I also 'respectfully' threatened to stick her broken hand up the ass of the next person who talks shit to me.
All hyenas agreed to take me without the bag over my head.
That's why I'm now inside the van heading towards the Maestra's hideout, being 'watched' by three terrified hyenas. Through the window, I see that the neighborhood looked quite poor, even worse than what I had seen on my stroll through downtown.
"Hey!" Says the hyena with the broken hand, calling my attention. "You said you weren't going to look out the window."
I roll my eyes in her direction, furrowing my brow in annoyance. Her friends move away instantly from her, fearing my fury.
"Y-You promised," whimpers the broken-handed anthro, sobbing.
"True," I say, nodding my head. "But that was before you threatened to rape me."
The injured hyena shrinks into her seat, trying to look smaller. Beside her, the other anthros were leaning against the edges of the vehicle, trying to keep as much distance as possible from the target of my hate.
"Sorry," she whispers, looking down.
"Just shut up," I grumble irritably, making the three hyenas nod to my suggestion.
The journey continued for thirty minutes in absolute silence. The hyenas didn't look like they were breathing properly in my presence, afraid of attracting my attention.
Amid the tense atmosphere, the van stops abruptly. The driver turns off the engine and announces loudly:
"We've arrived."
As soon as I open the door, I'm faced with a conglomeration of cheap dwellings, built together, stretching into the distance. The place is dilapidated, with broken windows, graffiti-covered walls, and trash scattered everywhere. It looks abandoned, but something tells me we're not alone.
"Get out," the driver orders, her voice firm but with a hint of nervousness.
I jump out, my feet touching the cold, cracked asphalt.
"This won't do," I complain, frustrated, finally feeling uncomfortable in my few clothes.
Before the hyenas could speak, I store my mask and shirt in my inventory and equip my noble thief outfit.
"Whoooo," all the hyenas sigh in surprise.
The outfit is black with gold details; it looks like something an adventurous prince would wear to a gala.
"Why are the hottest guys always crazy?" the driver complains to me shaking her head. "The Maestra is around here."
The driver guides me through an even more chaotic cluster of buildings than the rest. Lean-tos and other precarious illegal constructions pile up, forming a labyrinth of narrow alleys and makeshift stairs. The smell of mold and garbage permeates the air, and the distant sound of televisions and radios mixes with the noise of children playing.
"This way," the hyena indicates, her voice firm but without the arrogance from before.
We proceed through an alley so narrow that a person can barely fit. The walls are exposed brick, with exposed electrical wires and clothes hanging on makeshift clotheslines. The ground is uneven, full of puddles and debris.
"Careful with the step," she warns, pointing to a rotten wooden staircase.
I climb the steps carefully, feeling the wood creak under my feet. We reach a rusty metal door, which the hyena opens with a push. As soon as we enter, the scenery changes completely.
The interior is well-maintained, with white-painted walls and ceramic flooring. The contrast is surprising. It reminds me of the favelas in Brazil, where criminals hid among precarious buildings, but the interior was connected between several buildings like a large mansion with a garbage exterior to avoid attracting attention. Here, the same principle applies.
"Impressive, isn't it?" the hyena comments, noticing my surprise.
"Very," I reply, observing the details.
We walk through a well-lit corridor with dark wooden doors and pictures on the walls. The sound of soft music comes from somewhere further ahead. The hyena stops in front of a double door, decorated with elaborate carvings.
"The Maestra is in here," she says, pointing to the door before leaving.
As I approach the door, the sound of a sad violin becomes present.
Curious, I open the door.
As I enter a spacious room with a marble floor and a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling I notice In the center, a dark wooden table with several chairs around it. In one of them, a beautiful alien figure aberrant for this world is playing the melancholic melody on a black wooden violin. The figure is wearing a white dress in contrast to her dark purple skin but matching her long silver hair.
[Image]
"Dragon Warrior," the figure says in her melodious feminine voice.
I try to speak, but words fail me upon seeing a non-Anthro woman in this world.
"Welcome to my ateliê," she says with a polite bow.
As she bows, her hair moves, revealing what I already expected to see: pointed ears.
With confirmation of my suspicions, I finally swallow hard and ask:
"What is a dark elf doing in this world?"
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E ai gurizada...
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