Slipping through the woods, I followed my query. The big footprints leaving a brief, clear trail into the woods as the vegetation parted for it and then return as though the ten foot giant hadn't passed through. The forest was large, huge even, it must have multiple types and varying populations of Others. The fact this one Leshy had singled them out was unfortunate. Leshy tended to be territorial, but in a forest this size they were usually focused more on keeping Others out of their area to notice a couple humans, well one half-human, sneaking past.
Leshy are the spirit and guardian of the forest often known for tricking travelers and leading them astray, and on occasion even kidnapping them. Shapeshifters capable of being small as a blade of grass or large as the tallest tree of their forest, they take on many forms of plants and animals. However, their true form is a unnaturally tall straggly man with a beard and hair of living vegetation, bright green eyes, and incredibly pale white skin that their blood blue can been seen through, coloring their cheeks. Capable of imitating voices of loved ones and other humans, it was not hard to figure out what had lured Pitri into its grasp. A creeping feeling of guilt pressed down on me.
I didn't want Pitri to be hurt, even if I was upset with him. What would the scientists say? Probably something about him being a genetic anomaly as a half-breed...maybe they'd want him killed. I could smell it though in him, the human those I had been sent to protect and the harpy whom I was meant to eradicate. It made my head spin sometimes in confusion. I knew I couldn't do it and not because he was part human. Those scars forever on his back from having his wings sawed off had screamed the same terrible words that had been painted in red for me. Monster...unnatural...demon...unwanted. We were both unwelcome in the world we had been forced into.
The Leshy stopped, shaking his giant head to and fro. Satisfied, he shrank slight to comfortably fit inside the cave he entered. Leshy were odd creatures. Despite how much was known about them, even more was unknown. Rarely seen by humans during or after the invasion, scientists were able to collect little concrete. Many rumors were told about the protectors of the woods. Some good like a Leshy would make a bargain with human farmers to for good luck and to watch over their cattle. And others very bad better left unspoken...
The cave lit from within, a light glowing that shifted and flickered unlike an fire. I crept forward anxious. Pulling out my two hook swords, my feet brushed the lichen growing around the cave with barely a rustle. I leaned into the entrance. Two giant wolves were laying in wait and above them bounced the source of light, little woodland sprites, darting about like fireflies. The wolves could be a problem, they were much larger than a regular wolf and a quick whiff confirmed they were indeed Dire wolves. I backed away, wary they might smell me in their sleep. I needed another way in, then again maybe not.
Running water could be heard not far off, I made my way towards it and dipped my hands into the water. It was cold and sent spasms up my arms. Pitri better appreciated this. Taking a deep breath, I waded into the stream. Opening my eyes, I look around in the murky water and swam to the bottom. There I began rolling around in the muck and plants. Standing up, I had no doubt I looked like a demented water nymph. Speaking of, I raced out just in case. I reeked from the river bed, but the smell was a think nature stench. More than enough to cover the human and not entirely out of place with the water so near, hopefully this would work.
Back at the cave's entrance, I slipped into the bouncing lights. The sprites twittered at me, but made no move to try and stop me or wake the sleeping Dire wolves who covered most of the floor. I took a large step to straddle over one and get by, it's chest raising high with a deep breath. I froze, balancing on my tip toes hoping it wouldn't brush me. It's nostrils flared. One of my hands shook from where it was hovering by my hook swords. It's large eyes moved beneath shut lids frantically. The wolf exhaled back down. Swinging my leg over, I stumbled away leaning into the wall trying to breath normally when my lungs were starved for oxygen. That could have ended very badly.
The cool walls of the cave were a pleasant relief from the sweat coating and sticking to me beneath the layers of make-shift scent mask. A peal of laughter could be heard from deep in the cavern, bouncing off the rock to echo and create a creepy maniacal sound. I swatted at a sprite that had floated to close. It hissed at me showing little sharp, brilliant white teeth. Growling back, I bared my canines. It shrieked and buzzed away. Little pest, I needed a can a bug spray .
Rounding a corner, I slammed my hand over my mouth to keep the sound from leaking out, a weird mixture of scream and laugh at the scene in front of me. The Leshy was leaning over Pitri who had been bond to the wall, his hands and feet stretched out. Pitri's shirt had been removed and he was jerking about wildly. He was the source of laughter. The Leshy was literally tickling him. The horror, and humor, that was the Leshy it killed by tickling and laughing you to death.
Pitri's watering eyes met mine around the Leshy. He saw me pull my swords and approach, but he kept shaking his head amidst the fit of giggles. He was laughing so hard he could barely breath and the few muscles in his thinned stomach were twitching in pain and exertion. Did he want to die laughing? It would be the worst headstone ever! Here lies Pitri. He died laughing. What an idiot.
I slipped forward, ignoring him. It was ridiculous. One should never let their guard down against the Others. The blade rose, the sprite light bouncing off of it. I sliced. The hook ripping through the air and embedding deep in the plant-like substance that was the Leshy. Bright greens eyes turned to look at me. His heavy breathing thick and heavy of musty wet forest.
"Hi." I waved awkwardly. "I'll just take that back."
I jerked on the hilt trying to remove it to no avail. I looked between it and his face, bobbing up and down. Spinning, I used the sharp edge to chop at his neck. He swatted it and me away like I had the sprite. My head cracked against the wall, reopening the healing injury from earlier. I was lucky my abilities included regenerative properties. All the head trauma would probably have killed an actually human. My sword still stuck out of the side of his back, vines crawling up it.
"Alice my arrows!"
Shaking my head, I rolled away from the lumbering creatures arm that attacked me. I scrambled over the ground, whipping a rock back at the Leshy. It groaned, rubbing at its head. A loud piercing whistle was then released through its blue lips. My hand wrapped around an arrow ready to whirl it into it when a howl shot down the cave.
"Alice!" Pitri yelped, shaking frantically in the chains.
I leapt forward, scratching the arrow tips along the chains. Nothing happened.
"It only works on living things."
I growled. "Then what's the point of these stupid things!"
The hook of my sword drove into the cuffs space between the metal and his skin. Pushing my feet against the wall for leverage, I wrenched one open and then another.
"You are surprisingly strong for someone so small."
I shrugged, going for the next one when I was picked up. I flailed about in the air, cutting with my sword as I spun in a circle by the collar of my shirt. Sharp teeth and fur raced into the area, nipping at my dangling feet.
"Put me down you big stupid oaf."
Its beard tendrils grew out and tickled at my neck making me giggle.
"Stop it." I hissed between laughs.
The Leshy smiled a creepy grin with glee at my laughter. I stabbed into the flesh again with no affect.
"Put her down." Pitri stood, one of his wrists ripped up and bleeding from where he had shredded it slipping out of the cuffs. His ankle will still caught, but he had managed to get his bow and arrows, one nocked and aimed.
A Dire wolf pounced and he shook it true through the eye. It stoned instantly, landing with a thud on the ground, mid-stride. The Leshy groaned in rage at him. Dropping me in a heap which managed to loosen the sword out of its arm, it lumbered towards Pitri. I moaned, flipping over onto all fours and flung myself out its back. Little branches sprouted to pierce through my hands causing me to scream. I was being pinned to his back little a dead bug. My sword clattered to the ground. Pitri was trying to fend the other Dire wolf off. It was obvious from his quivering limbs he didn't want to shoot it.
"Just do it. Everyone knows gargoyle blood will run through a system."
"If it doesn't break and is starlight."
"Fine, I'll drag it into stupid starlight if you'll just shoot!"
The arrow sang through the air into the Dire wolves shoulder. Moments later twin statue joined the first. A bellow shook and bounced me on its back.
"Pitri!"
Biting and ripping through the branches, I released the stuck sword and watched it fall. It was then quick work to tear through more and pry myself off. I dodged, grabbing my swords and going to Pitri. Bare handed, I tore the last cuff in my anger. The metal easily pliable under my immense strength. Grabbing his hand, I dragged him into a run. We wove under the Leshy's arms. It was a slow being, not meant for actual combat. Out the cave we ran, the Leshy kept coming though.
"Alice, Leshy don't give up and the whole forest is on their side."
I looked around before stopping. "Then we get rid of the forest."
Back into the cave I ran, eyes darting among the floating lights. There. My hand shot out and grasped a different light than the rest. I thought I had seen one when coming in. It burned at my skin, but I refused to let go. The plodding of footsteps was close, too close. I burst back out the entrance with the Leshy on my heels.
"Run!" I went straight past Pitri.
He stumbled and followed after me.
"Why did you go back?"
"To save our butts." I opened my hands to show a cupped flame flickering in it, a fire sprite.
Pitri's eyes widened, the silver glinting fearfully. "Alice no."
"Too late." I shook up the sprite and dropped it into a pill of dead leaves.
They caught alight. The flames licked and popped, eating through the forest. The smoke was hanging thick in the air. The fire speed across the ground, catching at the hanging branches to climb the trees where it began jumping through the canopy. It was burning hot and stifling. Screams of Others and animals filled the air. The fire pressed at our backs and the smoke choked our lungs, both of us coughing. Pitri fell and didn't get up, in too much pain and weak from everything. I faltered to a halt, bending over I picked him up bridal style. My feet dug into the earth propelling me forward at supernatural speeds. My blood humming into action within my muscles, seeking to keep the vessel housing it alive.
The last trees faded away as I emerged into open sky. The stars shining down on me. I collapsed, dropping Pitri. He coughed, vomiting onto the ground. He retched until it was just dry heaving. Curling into a ball, his eyes traveled across the field we had found ourselves in to the giant forest being destroyed by fire.
"What have you done?" Pitri whispered.
Dark shadows and outlines could be seen moving through the edges of the forest. One of them definitely the masked dryad before they slipped back into their woods.
"I'm saving the world."