Leon and Riya: How to Raise a Gnoll

Chapter 33

Valka: We've been looking for a long time now, are you sure there is a second one Maria?

Maria: Rose's room shouldn't have been close enough for just one circle to affect all of them.

Jahga: Then we keep looking.

After traveling down more dark musty tunnels Valka stops.

Jahga: What is it, Valka?

Valka: I could have sworn I heard something.

As she said this she is looking behind them, trying to find anything that stands out against the tunnel walls. After several minutes pass Valka eases up.

Valka: Must have just been hearing things, we've been down here a long time.

Maria had a concerned look on her face, she wasn't so sure that Valka was hearing things but if they couldn't see anything then staying here would do no good.

Maria: Let's get going quickly then.

With that they continued down the corridor at a faster pace than before. Nearly an hour later they came upon a spot in the tunnel that was made larger than the rest of it.

Maria: This is similar to the spot we found the first circle, so another one may be here.

After some looking, Valka spotted something.

Valka: Maria , I think I found it!

Maria comes over to where Valka is looking. She sees that it is indeed another magic circle.

Maria: Good find, Valka. Jahga, come here and smash this would you?

Jahga makes her way over and looks where Maria is looking. Jahga nods before pulling her fist back and rocketing it forwards into the circle. Just as the stone spider webs and cracks like the last time Valka's ear twitches. Valka quickly begins to move.

Valka: Look out!

Valka pushes Maria out of the way, just as she pushes her out of the way a throwing dagger embeds itself in her left shoulder. When Valka went to pull it out she began to feel woozy and was losing her balance. Her vision began to swim as she was losing her strength, she had to have been poisoned and if it was enough poison to affect her then...

Valka: P-poison!

Just as she was able to get that shout out, she lost her balance completely and fell to the ground face first.

Jahga: Valka!

She then began growling and baring her teeth. As she was looking around she could see a figure a little ways down the tunnel.

Jahga: You're dead!

Jahga rushed it faster than it could react, slamming into it and knocking it to the ground, revealing that it was Leiko.

Jahga: You! You're the one that ran from me when the Witherlings attacked the fort!

While Jahga fought with Leiko, Maria was busy trying to help Valka.

Maria: Just stay still Valka, I'm going to try to pull the dagger out.

Valka wasn't able to say anything but gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. Maria began pulling the dagger and after almost a minute straight of pulling on it managed to get it out. Upon examining the blade she could still see faint traces of the toxin that was coated on it. The color only matched a few of the toxins she knew and only one that outside of extreme concentrations would have trouble doing anything to a Gnoll, Which meant there was only one thing it could have been: Gnoll's Bane.

Gnoll's Bane thankfully couldn't be made in large quantities since it took extremely rare but extremely poisonous plants. If she had been hit instead of Valka though, the results would have pretty much been guaranteed death. As she was confident that Jahga could keep whoever that was busy she had all the time she needed to get the spell to help Valka ready.

Back at the training yard Rose and Azur were watching Leon and Riya spar. While Rose was enjoying watching them spar, when she looked at Azur he seemed to have a look between concentration and a frown.

Rose: What is it, Uncle Azur?

Azur was quiet for a few moments.

Azur: It's Leon.

Rose was confused.

Rose: What about Dad?

Azur: He's not fighting as well as I know he can. Even with that injury from Marr eight years ago he should be able to do better than this.

Rose: He is sparring with a Gnoll, shouldn't it be normal that she is better than him?

Azur shook his head.

Azur: That's not what I'm talking about. Watching him I can see him actively holding back, he isn't trying very hard. I don't know why that is but as someone who has seen him fight and train others for years it's something I noticed right away.

Rose: Do...do you think that maybe it's because he is afraid that if he really tries he might somehow hurt Mom and then she'll be upset with him?

Azur: She's a Gnoll though, if anything, him being able to hurt her would do the opposite wouldn't it, since it would show that he is actually strong?

Mu: You are correct, Azur.

Both Azur and Rose jumped and turned around to see Mu.

Mu: Being able to hurt Riya in a spar would show strength and wouldn't upset her, so if he is holding back he is doing it out of an illogical fear.

After Mu said that they just continued to watch Leon and Riya spar in silence.

Back in the tunnel system Jahga had managed to slam Leiko into the side of the tunnel. Before she could grab him, Leiko rolled backwards out of her reach.

Jahga: Stop moving around dammit!

Before she could rush forward Leiko pulled something from his pocket and threw it at the ground in front of him, on contact with the ground it exploded into a plume of smoke that obscured the large area of tunnel around them.

When the smoke cleared Leiko was gone. Jahga stomped on the ground in frustration.

Jahga: Dammit, he got away again!

After a few more seconds of being annoyed Jahga returned to Maria. She could see that Valka was now sitting up but not quite able to stand.

Jahga: Thank you for saving Valka, Maria.

Maria: It's no problem, but you are going to need to help her while we make our way out of the tunnel.

Jahga gave a nod and helped Valka to her feet.