Zenkoh's Adventure

Chapter 20

Zenkoh kept her tower shield braced but Varna never moved from her spot, the two just staring each other down. Moments later Varna spoke.

Varna: You know, several clan members decided that after your display in the desert that they were going to overthrow me. Can you guess how that went?

Zenkoh: I'm sure you're not going to tell me that they succeeded!

Varna: No, they did not! In fact I had a suitable punishment for them.

After saying that Varna finally went on the offensive swinging her maul horizontally. Zenkoh having her shield braced was ready to absorb the blow will little issue, a large clang echoing out as maul and shield met. Seeing an opening Zenkoh thrusts her sword forward but only manages to barely cut Varna's left arm when she moves out of the way.

Zenkoh: What punishment would that be?

Varna: Death for starters. There are things worse than death as you are well aware.

Zenkoh then lunged forward with a thrust, her sword biting into Varna's right side. Varna responded with an overhead swing that Zenkoh avoided by side stepping to the right. Zenkoh then rammed Varna with her shield forcing her back away from her. Varna then attempted to punch Zenkoh in the face, but she ducked behind the shield as Varna's arm went over her. After missing Varna backed off again giving a small amount of space between them as they circled each other.

Zenkoh: What else did you do to them?

Varna: I wonder? Did you ever tell your friends how to fight witherlings?

Zenkoh's eyes went wide before responding.

Zenkoh: You didn't...you created more of those abominations!

Varna: It's what they deserved after trying to overthrow me!

Zenkoh: You dared to create and bring those monstrosities here with you!

As Irya and Maria were running through the hallway to the next room Maria could have sworn that she had heard something but pushed it out of her mind, they had to focus on finding Kenzo! As they entered the room at the end of the hallway what she saw made her want to vomit! There standing in the middle of the room are what appeared to be gnolls but all wrong! They were completely emaciated, skin pulled taut to the bone as there was nothing in between, and the skull had no skin or eyes! They also had razor sharp claws made completely of bone.

Irya: What the hell is that!

Maria: I think Zenkoh told me about them once. I believe she called them witherlings, she didn't tell me much more than that as just talking about them disturbed her greatly!

As Maria and Irya hid out of sight in the doorway they watched as the witherlings shambled about the room aimlessly but were spread out enough that they covered the whole room, there had to be at least five of them.

Maria: They have the whole room covered. I don't see any way to sneak past all of them.

Irya: I guess that means we have to fight then.

Irya slowly and quietly snuck up behind the one closest to her while Maria went to one a little further away and after locking eyes and giving a nod both attacked. Irya kicked upwards hitting the witherling in the side of the head, it stumbled for a moment before falling over. Maria swept the legs out from under her target before kicking it in the bottom of its jaw snapping its head upwards.

Irya: That was kind of easy wasn't it?

Just as she said that the one she had kicked over had shambled its way back to its feet and was turning to face her! Maria watched as the one she had kicked put its head back into a neutral position before standing back up.

Irya: Oh...

As it finished standing up it lunged at Irya who was barely able to get out of the way. She retaliated with a thrust from her rapier, getting it where it should have an eye. It simply acted as if she hadn't done anything and swiped at her with its sharp claws. She wasn't able to get out of the way this time and it raked her across her right side near her hip.

She hissed in pain as she leapt back and away seeing Maria having to dance around her witherling's swipes to avoid being hit like she had been. Ducking under another swipe she used the guard of her rapier to punch the underneath of the witherling's jaw. With a crack its head was sent flying away from its body, after a few seconds it stopped moving before crumpling to the ground, inanimate once more!

Irya: Maria! You have to remove its head, that gets it to stay down!

After hearing Irya shout that to her she jumped over the next lunge the witherling made and landed on its shoulders, grabbed its skull, and yanked with all her might! With a mixture of a pop and a crack the skull came off and the witherling slumped to the ground.

Irya: Whew...Thankfully that's over!

After healing Irya with her magic Maria brought her back to reality.

Maria: Don't forget that there are three more of them.

As she said this the other witherlings had already turned in their direction to look at them and had started to make their way over.

Zenkoh scowled at her mother, she couldn't believe she brought those things here!

Zenkoh: They're smart. I'm sure they can figure it out.

She then rushed Varna taking a horizontal swing at her midsection, Varna used the haft of the maul to parry the attack and made a vertical swing aiming for Zenkoh's head. Zenkoh jumped to the left to get out of the way before rushing in and kicking Varna in the right kneecap. There was a crunch as Varna shifted her weight to her left knee.

Varna: I'll tear your throat out for that!

As she said this Varna made another overhead attack but Zenkoh deflected it towards the ground using her tower shield. Before she could pull her weapon back Zenkoh stomped on her right wrist, crushing it.

Varna: AHHH! Dammit, I'll...I'll—

Zenkoh: You'll what? You have a shattered kneecap and a crushed wrist, It's over!

Varna growled while baring her teeth before managing to lunge at Zenkoh! She managed to move out of the way of the lunge and used her tower shield to pin Varna to the ground.

Zenkoh: Like I said I don't want to kill you regardless of how much I hate you! Now how about you take a nap!

As she said this she got off of her mother before punching her in the back of the head, knocking Varna out cold.

Zenkoh: Hopefully you'll still be there when we get back.

Zenkoh made her way to the exit of the room hoping she could catch up to Maria and Irya before something terrible could happen.