Mana Wells

Boris was cleanly knocked out. Minotaurs and Goatmen all knelt on one knee before Kurt. Apparently, this was how Minotaurs deal with things, he thought Joe said they were vegan, what is this about?

Joe and Tom had gotten to Boris and started applying the healing paste to him. This also gave quite a reaction from the Minotaurs. Kurt still couldn't help but feel short around the towering beast. Even the goatmen were at least his height if not taller. Kurt wasn't the tallest person, but he wasn't short for a human, he would have been considered a midget as a Minotaur.

They were in the canyon, clearing a wider birth of the lower section of the canyon they were on, that had the hole created by Simon, from inside it a soft glow appeared. Kurt wasn't thinking much of it as it seemed to be a torch from this distance.

The goatman that greeted them came to Kurt, "Now that was something, are all of your kind this strong? Whatever you are, I thought you were one of the elves originally, away from your Kingdom."

"I'm stronger than most," said Kurt, "but I wouldn't say I am the strongest."

"Well, certainly no elf could do that, my name is Maliki, and yours?"

"Lord Kurt."

The goatman looked towards the hole in the canyon, and his eyes started to widen. Kurt turned as well, and he saw many of the Minotaurs and goatmen were surprised by the light as well.

"No, he wouldn't," said Maliki, his horns shining in the daylight curling over his goat head.

Kurt was expecting some crazy Minotaur monster to come out of it, but instead a very small dog, a fox came out. It was the source of the glow, its yellow fur was glowing. The fox had six tails, and three eyes once Kurt got a full look at it. But it only went up to about halfway up his shin.

The small pup came out and all the Minotaurs made way for it, separating themselves. The huge creature seemingly carefully made sure they wouldn't step on it. The fox came to Kurt, but kept a distance, and made a kneeling position.

"I don't believe it," said Maliki, taking a step back, and not just kneeling but on both knees, back hunched over, both hands out touching the ground in front of him. Before the Minotaurs gave a knee this time they all suddenly followed Maliki's actions.

"What the hell?" said Kurt.

"The Kisune has marked you as divine," said Maliki.

"What?"

"This tribe is now yours, Apostle."

"Apostle? Umm, Joe? What are these people talking about?"

"Umm," said Joe, "the Kisune are spiritual beings, he responds to people's auras, and internal balance."

"So what did it do to me? Why'd it mark me?"

"Umm," said Maliki, "you seem confused, he didn't do anything, he more identified you, he would have to touch you to bless you, he seems unlikely" The Kitsune shook its head at Maliki, "unable? To do that." The fox nodded, "They are very mysterious creatures."

The Kitsune stayed in the kneeling position, and gave off a soft wine, his glow dimmed while he got up and walked back to the cave, the glow dissipated more as it went back, to what Kurt assumed was to be his new home.

"So just like that, everyone is just okay."

"Sir," said Maliki, "I've never seen him do that, I have rarely seen him glow at all, and never as brightly. I think you are underestimating the significance this was to us."

"Then this is a Layla problem."

"Layla?"

"The Queen here, or Princess, boss, she's my boss, I guess," said Kurt, he didn't like saying that, but really he didn't want this problem.

"So what's that mean?" Said Maliki.

"It means you or some…," Kurt looked at him, "…small envoy will go to the pillar to meet her."

Kurt had gotten Tom to stay and lead them to the pillar. While they were alone away from everyone.

"What happened? I don't understand, what's with the puppy?"

"Umm, the Kisune are special, holy in some sense."

"So what's that mean?"

Kurt and Joe continued to talk, and it was Kurt who was not getting it. It was like the Fae but different somehow, they could tap into another plane. No well, and it seemed like a far lower power. They could give visions and blessings to followers. What Kurt had witnessed Joe couldn't grasp. It would be normal for Minotaurs to respect and protect spiritual animals, the goatmen help them with that. Many rituals, and makeshift altars to gods would be found in a Minotaur's passing.

"So why did it kneel to me?"

"That is the question, I don't think he did it by accident. They are known to be intelligent but passive when it comes to most matters. You would have to ask the goatmen about it, I'm sure they know more. As I said, goblins are known for raising mounts and maybe food, not spiritual animals, too much work I say, not enough out of it. We have magic anyway," said Joe shaking his staff, causing the new chains to jangle.

Maliki and Boris decided to be the envoys to Layla, with Tom leading them. But as they started to depart the Kisune came out, this time not glowing, and started to trot with them. This caused very confused looks on Boris's and Maliki's faces. That apparently was uncommon as well. It also seemed like the Kitsune was in charge somehow, like the two of them wouldn't dare pick it up and bring it back to the cave without an emergency. Did it understand what was happening? Kurt also noticed it kept its distance from Kurt, not far but it wouldn't go closer, so Kurt attempted to take a few steps closer to test this theory.

The fox turned towards Kurt, its third eye was sideways from the other, like a normal eye but turned 90 degrees in the center of its head. The third eye, and only the third eye, slowly blinked at Kurt. And Kurt felt a warmth from it, but somehow simultaneously gave him the chills, and a set distance was between them, not far, more like it the same room but not on the same couch.

As they got close to the pillar, the fox squeaked. Causing the group to turn around, he made a line in the sand and went into a sleeping position.

"The Kitsune," said Maliki, "seems not to want to go further, perhaps out of respect?" The Kitsune raised its head and nodded, and then went back to its sleeping position.

"We can't go further either, we won't leave it defenseless," said Boris.

Kurt wasn't in the mood to argue, and Harvey had made his way to the water basin to swim a little, he had gotten Layla from inside and brought her out.

"Ohh, it's a little spirit," said Layla, moving closer to the Kitsune, its third eye seemingly as wide open as it could be. The creature jumped back. "It's okay, I'll allow it, I just wanna pet you." The small fox made a few timid steps forward and gave glances to Maliki and Boris. And after what seemed like a difficult step for it to make, like it was passing through an invisible barrier, its face lit up. All six tails began to wag, and leaped up into Layla's arms.

Boris and Maliki gasped. And looked back at each other. Their eyes showed their disbelief, as the creature had never wagged its tail before.

"Sir Kurt, should I assume you challenged them, you didn't need to do that."

"Well, they were rude to me," said Kurt, "I feel I was the one challenged."

"And of course you won," said Layla. "But this little guy, he's so young, ohh I see them, the other three tails, they have already started," scratching the creature's bottom.

"Umm my lady," said Maliki.

"It's, you majesty, but continue," said Layla.

"Your majesty, seems the Kitsune has, umm, I'm not exactly sure."

Layla giggled, "Oh you want me to tell them?" Looking at the Kitsune in her arms, who nodded back, giving a smile to the stroke over its head and fur, "he says, he wants to stay and would like you all to as well."

"You can speak to.." the Kitsune nodded towards Maliki.

"Ohh it, not like language, the plane we share, I know he knows now, he's such a cute little guy, isn't he?" The fox had made his belly show up as Layla rubbed it with her hands playfully. "So you're here you swear loyalty yes?" Looking back and forth between the people there.

Boris and Maliki looked at each other, and then the Kitsune, who jumped down from Layla's arm and came between them, making a kneeling posture towards Layla.

"It appears we are," said Maliki, coming down to a full kneel, with Boris.

"Ohh," Layla bent down toward the Kitsune, "I see, that should be okay." The Kitsune glowed brightly, and one of the tattoos on Maliki started to glow, and one on Boris. A mark was made on the Kirsune's fur, one that moved slightly as you looked at it, just a strange symbol in the fur, but not quite, the marking seemed to move inside the fur and dissolve.

"It seems we have new allies, Kurt," said Layla, "well done." Kurt didn't appreciate Layla's tone for some reason, was this what she wanted the whole time? Or did Kurt just do it and she took advantage? He wanted to be in the next ceremony and it appeared that he was left out, once again.