Ahlea Warrior Girls: The Sacred Statue

  III

  Among the many legends about the origin of Zals, nonhuman animals from the mountains of Ro-Oth, the most popular one was saying they were actually people who were punished for refusing to live by the principles of Ahleyn. Nobody, of course, did take it seriously because it was not explained why residents of other countries on the Continent, which also did not practice that way of life, looked perfectly normal. According to other stories, they were robbers who escaped from the arms of law from all parts of the world and hid in the dark area of Zal forests and in cold, quite frightening mountains of Ro-Oth. The most possible and by far the least fun theory suggested that Zals have existed as long as people have, if not longer. The life on isolated and hardly accessible areas prevented them from developing in the same way that did residents of other, far more pleasant areas to live in.

  Girls have soon experienced the inconveniences of the Zal forest, between the first trees. Almost unnaturally rapid changes in temperature, only a few rays of light penetrating through the dense foliage, overgrown bushes and sharp thorns on every corner ... and incredibly heavy air to breathe. According to folk tales, these ugly woods were a home to many terrible, monstrous, bloodthirsty creatures of various shapes and sizes. These stories were inevitably exaggerated, especially in the physical descriptions. However, anyone with experience of encountering wildlife from Zal forests, such as wild boars, wolves or ordinary rabbits, claimed that they looked more monstrous than animals of the same species in other parts of the world.

  They have decided to leave the horses tied at the entrance of the forest. They tried to be as quiet and as fast as possible at the same time, in order to save a human life, even more so because this life had important information for their investigation. Zals could move faster than humans could if they wanted, but this group had one human member slowing them down. They had hoped to have Zals caught by surprise if they decided to stop somewhere in the woods to eat. Yet, they hoped to arrive before the start of the meal, because this time the main course would almost certainly be human flesh. It was considered a delicacy for these beasts; they enjoyed it, killing it first ritually in their lairs. Exceptionally, if they were terribly hungry, those hairy and primitive humanoids attacked people and fed with them on the spot. Dlenn, the robber in their hands, could only hope that it was not too long since the beasts had their last meal.

  Girls pulled fur coats out of the luggage carried on horseback, for protection from scratches and cold in the dense, overgrown forest. Regular short clothing was completely inappropriate in such a place. It was designed for greater agility in combat and consisted only of the upper vest that covered only part of the body around the chest, and short skirts fastened around the waist belt. All clothing was made ​​of solid, hard to rip leather of dark seals, dangerous animals from the Western Sea.

  Just when it began to get dark, they spotted the troupe of wild bipedal creatures moving to the north, with a human prisoner, carried unconscious on one monster back.

  Zals were very hard to distinguish one from the other. They were also very thin but had a very developed musculature. A body covered with fur over most of the chest, the back, shoulders and lower arms. Other, uncovered body parts were extremely humpy. Their face also revealed most of the subdermal bones, with the exception of thick fur under the chin and in the middle of the skull. The lower jaw was very pronounced, with the lower canines usually thrown out over the upper lip, or an entire row of sharp teeth bared between the gray-green lips. Big eyes revealed the tameless savagery and rage.

  However, the monsters were somewhat familiar with the very simple form of communication, which consisted of only a hundred or so words. They combined it with a large usage of hand gestures to describe their primitive desires and needs.

  This was Dlora’s first encounter with hairy beasts after many years. Since the beginning of the war, she did not take part in great cleaning campaigns of the Kingdom north from the intrusion of these creatures. For these reasons, all Ahlea warriors were required to know their language, as well as their fight moves. The trainees from Ahlean warrior school were in charge of the operations during years of war. But their number and weaker combat experience was not impressive enough for Zals, which is why in recent years they dared not only to hunt in the southern, Ahleynian parts of Zal forests, but sometimes also in the more open areas of the Kingdom Ahleyn, and occasionally to attack people on the road next to the forest.

  However, the fight with these beings of greater dexterity, but poor intelligence than most people, was the hardest and most valuable experience for all the girls who were preparing to become Ahlea warrior girls. Inhuman aggression and uninhibited ferocity were a good preparation and a test for their readiness for the worst kinds of fight, a lot better than regular skirmishes with street thugs. In these clashes, Tenen showed herself as the most talented member of the school. That was why she was somewhat disappointed with the fact that her first battle in a fresh status of Ahlea warrior girl would again be with these beings, although there was a great war as an option to fight in.

  They counted ten Zals. It was very hard for them two to maintain complete quietness, yet keep up with them, in thick and thorny nature. From a distance, it was obvious that some beasts were already tired. Ahleas concluded that it would soon be time to rest. Indeed, the troupe leader soon yelled with a hoarse, harsh voice:

  “Enough! No further! Rest! Food!”

  The beast carrying the robber, who had just started to wake up, suddenly overthrow the human body from his back. Other Zals surrounded Dlenn within a second, showing savage, sinister smiles on their faces. They formed the inner circle from which he could not escape. They obviously enjoyed his fear. The man, driven by that fear, pulled his back on the ground, from one pair of savage legs to the other. He was mad by not knowing from which side the first attack would arrive.

  Soon, he felt the first kick in the back, immediately followed by another in the abdomen, from the very Zal that he fell in front of after the first hit.

  In moments like this, all their effort to imitate people was shown in vain. Monsters often watched from a distance, from the slopes of the Ro-Oth Mountain, the people from Ahleyn or Waeryehen who went hunting in the north, in the area of this wild country. They imitated all forms of behavior that could be seen among the members of hunting groups. Under this influence and role model, they tried to develop their own language. However, these were rare and very comical episodes, savagery usually prevailed as far more powerful, especially in the presence of great hunger.

  The third Zal was getting ready to jump on the man, but he was stopped by the wild screams.

  “No! Me first! Me!” the one who led the column shouted with his hard voice. The others frowned, but they obeyed. He caught the thief from Blyst, picked him up in the air and gave him a final, terrible grin before biting.

  But at the very moment when he opened his mouth and showed his sharp teeth, a knife flew in and plunged into his neck.

  Girls took great advantage of those moments when Zals were toying with their victim; they split up, approached quietly and unobtrusively to just a few meters from the beasts. Tenen even managed in just a few moves to climb on a tree that had its branches spread over the place where the furry creatures were standing.

  His gargling lasted only for a second, but it was effective enough to completely surprise other Zals. Their confusion was the main ally of the two Ahlea warrior girls for a rapid, simultaneous and highly effective attack. Dlora jumped from a nearby bush, stuck a sword in monsters ribs with her first stroke. In the next second, one more Zal felt his womb dissolving from the same sword. At the same time, Tenen managed to jump from a branch to furry shoulders of a Zal below her, tightened her legs around his neck and broke it with a quick turn of her thighs. She stuck a knife in the chest of the next closest Zal, almost in the same second.

  Next three rivals in the battle were more prepared to perform an attack on the girls but did not have enough skills to make so
me result out of the attacks or to save their lives. Soon they were lying down and losing blood all around the ground covered with leaves. The remaining two rivals no longer had the courage to perform anything other than resolute escape. They were far enough from warrior girls to quickly disappear in the nearest overgrown bushes.

  The whole fight lasted only a few seconds. Deliberated robber did not fully realize what was happening until the battle was over. Speed ​​and agility he had witnessed, and of which the Ahleas were widely known, along with fully exploited surprise factor, were sufficient to disable a much more numerous enemy. A grace that they have displayed in those few short movements, their fitness, and lightness of arm and leg movements could be easier compared to some dances than to a bloody struggle.

  Tenen was prepared to run for other beasts, but then she heard Dlora’s voice:

  “Wait! This" here is badly wounded but will survive if we help him.”

  “Well, you help him, and I'm going after them.”

  “No! We are not splitting up! They could set up an ambush.”

  “But, they could also go back to surprise us. With reinforcement!”

  “I said - no splitting up!”

  Tenen frowned and returned the sword to its holster behind her back. She did not like her older colleague’s decision. She considered herself sufficiently skilled and wise in avoiding an ambush.

  Dlora didn’t want to take the risk. Even when they soon found that the statue was in the hands of the two Zals that escaped, she didn’t regret. She strongly believed that it was important to maintain caution in such a hostile environment. In her eyes, two warrior girls represented at least five times more power than one warrior did. A chance of catching these beasts actually was small, because of they very faster than humans, when running on their familiar ground.

  She devoted her patience to treating the wounded robber. Healing the wounds lasted about fifteen minutes. While the robber was still visibly frightened and completely pale, Dlora concluded that it was time for answers.

  “Who is paying you, lion heart?

  “W-what?” Dlenn could not even concentrate from all the fears, but Dlora’s pressure on the wound brought him back to reality.

  “Who hired you to do the palace theft?

  Only then, it occurred to him that these warrior girls were not a part of some routine rescue mission. He remembered that he was a persecuted individual before he became a victim of a kidnapping by Zals.

  “Ouch! I do not know, I really do not know who it was!”

  “Listen to me. Wounds that you already have on your body can hurt twice as much if we get them to reopen” with these words, Dlora put a knife to Dlenn’s arms wound.

  “No, no! I swear I do not know! I met the person only twice! Came to me in the night, on the street, both times. Wrapped in a robe, a hood covered the head. The first time offered a job. The second time we made ​​secret plans to raid the castle. Paid me in advance! That's all, I swear!”

  The fear on his face was a guarantee that a criminal is telling the truth. Partially healed, but still terrified, thief repeatedly thanked the girls. Then he obeyed their advice to go back the way they had come to this place and seek further medical attention in Rheyn. They told him to get lost for good and promise that they would put him in the toughest prison, to the hardest chains, if they were ever to meet him again.

  They were not too happy about having to let him go, but the statue was the most important, and they had to go after it and against Zals together.

  “I probably could have had the statuette in my hands by now” Tenen could not hide displeasure by Dlora’s decision on desegregation “And besides that, we have not found anything that we already did not know.”

  Dlora took a deep breath and then exhaled. Although she had her back turned to the younger warriors, it was obvious the complaint made her angry.

  “Yes, we did. We have received confirmation that the client was someone within the inner circle of people around the queen. Because of extremely rare people, no more than five of them, know the secret passages inside the castle.”

  After a short delay, Dlora turned, stood in front of her colleague’s face, and with a very calm voice, but a very strict look, made a threat:

  “If I see or hear just one more, the slightest sign of insubordination from you, during this investigation, I will make sure that you achieve not even one degree of progress within our warrior order, until the end of your career.”

  Tenen swallowed her pride and stopped herself from making a comment.

  Girls moved on quietly to the north, following clues that two frightened Zals left all around, visible even in the dense dark of the gloomy forest. Night had already completely fallen to the woods, although it was very difficult to distinguish night from a day at any time in this eternal darkness, among overgrown trees, with unbelievably dense bushes. The cold was getting uncomfortable, fur coats provided less help any further minute.

  They often ran into places in the forest that seemed to lead nowhere. It was as if the forest itself consciously built walls with thick leaves and solid branches of thorny plants. Many of these plants were difficult to name or find them similar to species from the southern regions. Thanks to Zal traces, in most cases they discovered places where one could find the passage. However, several times the girls had to use their weapons to unblock the way and to continue.

  The search lasted all night and led them across the borders of their country, to the northeastern end of the forest.

  “Now we have already stepped deep in Ro-oth. We're miles away from the northern border of Ahleyn” Dlora concluded.

  In that moment, Tenen realized that she had crossed the borders of their country for the first time, without even noticing. The war, which lasted most of her life, did not allow most citizens to move to other countries, it blocked most of the land routes to Karnieg or Koron. It was much easier to travel over the sea, at least for those who could afford such an expensive transport.

  “The traces lead us further to the north,” Tenen added.

  “Yes, to the Cursed mountain, the nesting ground of all Zal tribes.”

  Wild country of Ro-Oth was a most uncomfortable piece of the Continent, quite inappropriate for human life. It was interesting only to hunters, who also did not dare to set foot on its soil no other way, but in large, well-armed groups.

  Most of the animals that one could encounter were too bloodthirsty. And Zals were a particular threat, because of their cruelty. Nature was very uncomfortable in any way possible. The land was actually divided into three areas: Zal forest, Cursed mountain, and Grall swamp. It was difficult to say with certainty which of these areas was more uncomfortable to move through or stay in.

  “How in hell are we supposed to find a tribe that these two belong to?” Tenen presented a new problem.

  “I suspect that the two of them will join the first tribe they would find.”

  Although Zal tribes were usually in war relations, each tribe was ready to accept members of their opponents, and these two would be especially expected since they carried such a beautiful and valuable item. Manic admiration of tools, weapons and various art forms that people used was a part of the typical behavior of these animals. Also a confirmation of the strong desire to be as similar to people, apparently resulting from a strong subconscious sense of intellectual inferiority.

  Further travel during the morning proved to be somewhat easier, through the lowest hillsides of the great mountain range. Tracks were here easier to spot, because of daylight and despite all the rockier soil. However, even though they had the possibility of much more rapid progress, they maintained complete caution. There was always the possibility of encountering an ambush that persecuted Zals came prepared or meeting other Zal groups. The third option was an assault by some other wild animal, which eventually did happen.

  Red Bear, a massive, but not too fast and agile animal, appeared almost out of nowhere, but Ahleas showed that they were ready
for that kind of surprise. They managed to confuse him before it decided which one to attack. It soon felt both of their blades, on two opposite sides of the body. But it took nearly a dozen of deep stings for the animal to finally fall on the ground.

  After these increasingly frequent rushes of excitement and the opportunity to test her combat and other qualities, Tenen regretted far less that this investigation prevented her from collecting first experiences on the battlefield. However, the desire to see this adventure ending was still strong, because she believed that only real war experience would make her feel like a complete Ahlea warrior girl.

  Her companion was, on the other hand, hoping that this opportunity would not show to young Tenen in this war and that the war would soon end, but she was losing hope. The cursed statue has managed to slip away from her hands twice in one day. She knew that Waeryehenians would not have a lot of patience and that this, one in a series of short and fragile states of truce, might be interrupted at any moment if it had not been already.

  As the landscape kept changing increasingly, the ground became steeper and rockier, they could no longer handle exhaustion. After all, they did not enjoy a single piece of sleep in the last two days, which they mostly spent in the saddle or on their feet, in very hostile environment. They felt the lack of concentration could become critical and they would not be fully fit for any kind of fight if it would happen soon.

  “We will take a brief rest here” Dlora showed a hollow place under a larger rock, suitable for capturing a bit of rest and sleep. Tenen was instructed to be the first to close her eyes and let the body rest a bit, while Dlora decided to keep guard.

  Unfortunately, just prior to their decision to hide among the rocks, a group of Zals spotted them. Beasts surrounded them slowly and attacked as soon as Tenen fell asleep.

  Dlora reacted quickly, despite the surprise, but she managed only to wound one of them before the others knocked her to the ground. One of them hit her hard with his hand on the back. His claws nicked her skin. Tenen tried to rise, but she also quickly realized that the enemy had pressed her and she could not disable more than one. The narrow space between the rocks was very unsuitable for any kind of trick that she could draw.

  Fortunately, these Zals did not behave violently. They seemed to have different plans, they did not intend to kill girls on the spot.

  “Well? What do we do now?” Tenen asked at loud and immediately received a reply:

  “Forward! See King Gru-kath!” one of the Zals ordered with short sentences, typical for these beings.