Book 1, Volume 4

Chapter 32

Staying low to the ground while hidden underneath her long green hair, Wylla quickly and sneakily made her way to the wooden stake looking like a small moving shrub. The Ganglyrot's Bloodthorn Claw Swiped at the pesky Kavi guards that were lunging at him with their weapons protecting that vile Witch.

A Kavi guard cried out in pain as the Ganglyrot's claws found their mark leaving three slash marks on its barkskin chest that began to darken and rot from the Ganglyrot's blackish green bloodrot poison.

Two more Kavi guards lunged forward, thrusting their spears towards the beasts legs. The Ganglyrot slapped one aside breaking its tip as the other coming from the opposite side bit into his calf leaving a small cut. Growling, the Ganglyrot quickly rewarded the Kavi guard with a powerful Blood Talon Kick to the chest (WHAM!) sending it flying over 5 yards away, where it landed and tumbled with a painful series of THUMPS.

But the Ganglyrot had no time to celebrate its small victory. The Witch called out into the night air, “KAVI ET OTOK SPIDOLL KAVI!”

The surrounding Desparu Trees shook and rustled as medium and large dog-sized beasts scurried down from above on thick silky strands of threads scuttling into the Kavi's now-vacated spots. The Ganglyrot glared at the new 8 legged plushie looking floral arrivals.

The Spidolls hissed through small wooden masks at the great big plant beast in front of them and struck out with Wood Cutter Swipes using the wood bladed tips of their front legs. The Ganglyrot jumped forward to avoid being struck down low, the vine chain keeping him tied to the spot snapped taut sending vibrations through the wooden stake, stopping all forward momentum.

WOOSH! The spidolls attacks just missed the Ganglyrot's legs as Wylla's pulse quickened and butterflies danced in the pit of her tummy, not liking the new creepy cute arrivals.

Wylla looked towards the Witch, unable to see her over all the combatants surrounding the Ganglyrot as the sounds of battle hid her steps... as well as those of the two spidolls that were closing in on her from behind.

Good, good... If I can't see her through that angry crowd then she shouldn't be able to see me! Wylla unhunched, straightening her body as she began to lightly run up to the big wooden stake in the ground.

The thick round wooden top of the stake sat there like a soccer ball as she got closer and closer. Yes! Let's smash it for a game winning goal! With beating heart, Wylla planted her left foot beside the big wooden stake and using her hips swung her right foot low as her leg took on the illusionary form of a SnapDragon:

BAM! BAM!

Two BAMS! Drummed out in the night air at nearly the same time as a Kavi guard was sent flying crying out at the same time Wylla hopped to her left holding her now throbbing kicking foot as she cried out OWUCH! Quickly followed by a pair of SWOOSH! As the two sneaky spidolls that were following her from behind just missed her now one-legged hopping little body with their jumping tackle attacks!

Hearty laughter rolled down from above. [ Oh Wylla... ]

With watery eyes and red puffed cheeks Wylla looked up and then back down at her nemesis; the big wooden stake. She heard the pitter-patter of scuttling legs as the spidoll's big glowing lime-green eyes looked up at the cute little long-haired foe that had just dodged their attacks.

They stopped in front of her, one on her left and one her right; Tapped their front wooden stake legs into the ground, scrunched down and leaned back, and then launched themselves at her again.

Beautiful Orchid Butterfly Wings sprouted from Wylla's back as she danced aside and unleashed a quick SnapDragon Sidekick (WHAM!) into the left spidoll's floral body, sending it crashing into the right spidoll while they were still in the air causing them to slam wooden masked faces together (CLACK!) and land in a tangle of legs and soft thwumps as puffs of sweetly-scented pollen filled the air.

Looking up towards the Witch and letting out a breath of air when she realized no one had spotted her yet, Wylla stepped up to the wooden stake, lifted her Royal Spider Lotus rod high in the air and then brought it slamming down: WHACK!

A small sprinkle of splinters jumped into the air as the spider lotus bit into the hardwood with thorny fangs leaving two small puncture marks behind and a small dent. “Ah! Not good, such little damage,” Wylla pouted.

She looked around, the two spidolls she kicked had untangled and were shakily headed her way but everyone else still hadn't noticed her yet; But with all the bashing she was going to need to do it was just a matter of time before she'd be surrounded too... especially with the village so near.

Ah, that Ganglyrot may be strong but even it can't take on the village, it may not even be able to beat that wicked Witch. Wylla thought as her eyes looked around the courtyard, passing over the cages reminding her of two things:

First. she had a quest to free some of the prisoners within. And second was something Anari had said: [ ...everyone else that's not in cages is like mice... ] Wylla's lips curled up, her nose scrunched, and her eyes glowed as she stared at the cages:

[ The Sun and Moon Serpris are Rank 1, Tier 0, Level 0, Stars 4 big poisonous plant serpents with heads that look like an Iris flower. Their bodies are very strong and tough with evergreen scales and protective thorns. Moon Serpris have silvery ice-blue Iris flower heads with frost poison fangs and thorns. Sun Serpris have golden-red Iris flower heads with fire poison fangs and thorns... beware of their breath attacks. ]

“KAVI!”

Wylla yelped with a small jump nearly dropping her rod. The angry shout came from behind her! She quickly turned seeing 2 Kavi guards and a spidoll heading her way from the village pathway.

Making a bad situation worse, the Witch had also heard the angry shout and with blood-red eyes spotted her. Up to this point the Witch had just been enjoying the show, waiting for her Kavi and spidolls to wear her new Ganglyrot pet down so she could then step in to cast her dark binding magics but now she spotted a much unwanted and very uninvited guest... and she wasn't about to let this little butterfly girlie ruin her plans!

But the Witch wasn't the only one with plans. “Time to get this party started!” Wylla said with a mischevious smile, then turned and sprinted with wings fluttering, zig-zagging around the mosh pit going on around the Ganglyrot as 3 spidolls and 2 Kavis chased after her.

Blood-red eyes gleamed, tracking the little butterfly girl, the Witch lifted her Briar Bloodrose Staff with both hands and pointed it towards Wylla's direction and began chanting.

The sweet scent of blood roses with a hint of rot filled the night air as a blackish blood red and green ball of liquid energy formed at the head of the Briar Bloodrose Staff undulating and shifting into the shape of a liquidy Briar Bloodrose Spider.

“Briar Bloodrose Curse Atuk!” The Witch screamed out as the newly birthed wet spidery curse leaped off the tip of the staff towards the little pale moon butterfly girl being chased by a small group of harried-looking Kavi and spidolls.

Wylla's silvery hair with pink highlights trailed behind as her heart thumped and body spun (WHUMP!) as a jumping spidoll mostly missed its attack, lightly thumping into her turning hip. Wylla's wings fluttered, regaining her balance as a small red number (1) appeared and then faded away before her silvery moon eyes.

Glancing up into the corner of her vision she noticed that her three bars were still all well above 80% full. So far, so good! Now to free those two cages first. Wylla ran up to the work table as the Witch's eyes widened, she pointed her staff at Wylla again and was just about to begin chanting when the body of a spidoll was sent rolling into her legs causing her to lose balance and focus.

The Witch's head turned towards the Ganglyrot that now had a clear view of her and was glaring with its right hand pointed palm open towards her. The Ganglyrot shouted in a language none seemed to understand as the flesh in his palm slit open and a blackthorn headed harpoon vine flew out towards the Witch like a coiled snake, seeking to spear her!

The Witch brought her staff up and (WHAM!) blocked the sharply-pointed attack but the harpoon's vine wrapped around the shaft of the staff and the Ganglyrot gave a hard pull.

“KAVI!” The Witch screamed out as her feet slid over the hard dirt ground towards the vengeful Ganglyrot. She most certainly did not want to fight her new pet in melee battle... no spell caster would. “KAVI! ANU YAT OTON KAVI!”

The two nearest Kavi dropped their weapons, left the battle mosh pit, ran up to their Witch and grabbed hold of her waist helping to pull her back away from the Ganglyrot as they played tug-of-war with the staff.

Due to the Witch's yells or the sounds of battle or both, more Kavi and spidolls started rushing towards the Witch's courtyard from the direction of the village.

Meanwhile, the wet spidery Briar Bloodrose Curse scuttled, scurried, and jumped across the round noisy courtyard turned battlefield, chasing after the cute silvery moon butterfly girl.

Storymask

The battle is well underway and seems to be growing in the Witch's favor as her back up arrives from the village... but Wylla has plans of her own to even the odds! Coming up next Chapter 33: It'll Turn Into a Ballr... Umm... Battle Royale!

(Cue the music! Ballroom Blitz!)