The Claws of Glora, the gnoll monk, stood and waited for her opponents’ next moves. The packs of wolves, made up five central packs, circled and paced her. Taking in and seeming to back and yip between each other.
At the heads of each pack were two large wolves that seemed to lead. The two largest creatures were of the snow-white pack, who appeared to be artic creatures based upon their patterns and coloring. The next two were large brown wolves who seemed to have solid brown eyes, and moved in a disjointed way, unlike the rest of the pack under them. Next were the all black wolves, whose two leaders’ eyes held a shimmer of purple. The last of the wolves were a reddish brown. With the leaders possessing orange tips on their ears, tails and paws. The hyena pack was extremely odd. Because to the gnoll, instead of a familiar, almost instinctually closeness, these hyenas felt only hate and seemed to be the most aggressive of the groups towards the monk.
The gnoll decided to wait and see which of these creatures would act first. The leaders of each pack lead their mates in a melting and mixing circle the surrounded the monk. Slowly getting closer and closer before the attacks began to be launched.
First were the two large snow wolves who dwarfed all the others. They came up on sync on either side of the circle and unleashed two powerful breaths that carried with them the cold chill of the far northeast of the Isle. Rolling away, she dodged both cones of cold breath and came up to begin sinking and tearing her claws into and though the wolves. It was ripping and tearing through the smaller pack members. In seconds three had their stomachs torn open, and a fourth was staggering past and through the rest as their throat and been ripped just shy of killing them out right.
But the packs and their leaders were not helpless or weak. In place of the dead and dying came two more, then four, then eight. Wolves lunging, jumping and clawing at the gnoll with coordinated attacks. Interspersed with the smaller wolves, the leaders rushed in to snap and tear at the legs or arms of the monk. With the most successful being a hyena leader who managed to lunge over the wolves and latched onto her arm. Clamping down as their jaws began to burn with holy light. Their silver fur lit up like the constellations of the night, and left a charmed bite wound as they tried to pull the gnoll to the ground.
The manages to resist the hyena and then the orange tipped leader’s dragging to the floor. Neither of them were harmed as the gnoll managed to find a moment to retaliate. The smaller wolves and hyenas filled the space, protecting their leaders with their lives. With each swipe of their claws, more fall, and more fill their place. The pack’s numbers were so large that only half could get close enough to make a passing bite or scratch. But unlike the other packs and swarms of before, these dogs were able to back away, lunge forward. To plot and strategize when and how to attack. The gnoll had to watch for the leaders the most, creating openings for the smaller wolves to slip in and leave another bite or rip fur and skin from their limbs. For every wolf that fell, two would take a chunk of flesh from the gnoll.
After another successful counterattack, dropping three more wolves, the wolf leaders seemed to begin a new plan. Suddenly, both black leaders leaped from the shadow of a wolf the monk successfully dodged under their leaping bite. One black leader, or shadow wolf leader, clamped its jaws around one wrist while the other was knocked aside. Luckily, the black wolf had bitten into their bracer, saving the gnoll from the eroding mist that rose from the beast’s maw. But while she was trying to dislodge the mut, two forms crashed into them from behind. The large, tree bark brown wolf and a hyena were both biting down into her shoulders.
Each of the leaders left their bites deep in the gnoll’s flesh. With the brown one leaving a wound dripping with a green poison. And the other left a twin, charred bite as their counterpart left on the forearm. But she was still standing when suddenly, from each direction, the wolves made a massive charge. Crushing the gnoll between their wave of fur and muscle. Knocking the monk prone as they bite and tore into their arms and chest with a wild frenzy. Before they were suddenly pulling away and making room for the massive artic wolves to bring their breath down on the monk.
But the monk did not let the pain of dizziness slow their roll to dodge and throw themselves into the midst of the wolves yet again. Their bracers glowed with light as their body seemed to blur for a moment.
In a few breaths, the gnoll unleashes a devastating whirl of claws and teeth and tears through five more wolves in a sudden frenzy. The pack leaders act quickly. The largest of them attempt to bowl the gnoll over again. Only to be jumped over and dodged as the shadow leaders leap up and are beaten aside. The ten pack leaders encircle the monk to allow their mates time to regroup and push the injured to the rear. But the monk is not finished and dashes forward once again. Circling around the leaders to throw themselves into the pack with ferocious intent.
Before the leaders can intercept them again, five more fall under gnoll claws. The shadow wolves appear from their fallen brothers, attempting to rip into her ankles. But are both knocked aside with the backs of the monk’s hands. Followed by a backwards roll to avoid the two brown and white leaders trying to claw them to death. The monk came to a stop between the two orange tipped wolves whose maws opened, and sparks spewed out. With their bodies as the center, two small explosions of fire tried to consume the gnoll. Only to be dodged as she tensed and then launched herself forward again. Leaping over the leaders.
She came down amid the weaker wolves, surrounding herself with them. Each of the leaders were powerful threats. But the twenty remaining pack members acted as shields against the leaders’ wider and more potent abilities. A pack leader would not attempt to kill their own members for the sake of prey. Many humanoids wouldn’t do the same. And the gnoll sought to exploit it. By remaining with and chasing the bulk of the wolves as the leaders tried to chase and tackle the monk to the sand.
But continuously they failed, growing more and more desperate as the pack mates died one after another. Nothing the leaders tried would stop the monk from killing more and more. Trying to rip apart their weakest and already injured. Until only two heavily injured smaller wolves remained.
The leaders were growling, rage and frenzy filling them as their pack members were killed one after another. Turning their family and trained companions into the prey the packs would chase and hunt down. The wolves and the last remaining hyenas were outclassed by the prey they had been forced to engage. Their numbers, teamwork, and tactics were not enough to deal with a creature who could chase them down one by one and slash through their necks and spines like nothing but wet mud.
The gnoll began to chuckle as the leaders growled and began to foam in rage. But instead of a loud, reverberating cackle. This was softer, more controlled. The battle was exhilarating, but it was not the end. And the gnoll intended to rend these mutts and continue.
***
The announcer’s voice echoed in the booth that held the druids, beast tamers and controllers of the opponents for Dagger below. For each of them, the death of a creature under them was disappointing, and slightly disheartening, but they had long learned and grown numb to the sensation of loss from the beasts meant to fight in the pits.
“The last two pack members, two pups of the Winter Wolves pack remain. With both their leaders and the leaders of the other four pacts. Embermaws, Shadow Paws, Briar Thorns and Celestial Hyenas. These rare breeds captured from across the Isle of Madra are some of the lowest of elemental beasts we will see both in any bestiary, and in today’s event. The Cackling Dagger is injured, battered, and still bleeding. But they remain as ferocious as when the event began. Once the last dozen wolves are dead, they will be offered a potion! Odds are already posted for if he will attempt to outlast the first one. But with their injuries, and the remaining wolves, it is anyone’s guess as to what will come!”
The trainers all knew Polite Prince, the announcer. And has grown used to his constantly upbeat attitude and encouragement of the gambling he loved so much. So, none but the one fresh trainer seemed to mind as she let out a hissing curse.
“That demonic hyena just, he just slaughtered them all… I spent months on domesticating those hyenas… and he just, cut them down. Shrugged off their radiant bites! How?! How!?” He beat his fists against the table the held the gathering’s drinks. His outburst was annoying, but understandable.
“Dagger is just as much of a beast as the mutts are.” An older druid replied, playing with the dull controlling focus that belonged to the cranium rats that now littered the sands below. “He has always excelled at beast combat. The numbers were just too little.”
“Aye,” a female dwarf added next. Her eyes looked somberly down at the remaining wolves below. “The next are the big pups. And he can probably dance circles around them. The next challenge will probably come after the spider pond.”
Several of the booth groaned. Most who bet on the pit king had expected him to either succeed or fall in the first three hours. If they lasted into the latter half, all but a few would lose their bets.
Their eyes fell back below again, following the violence in the pit. The gnoll had killed one of the remaining pack members and caught the other. Holding them by the scruff until it looked as if the mutt had simple fallen asleep and died in their clawed hand.
The leaders would jump in again, howling and snapping. The cindermaw leader took a massive cut across the hindquarters that slowed their movement. Only for them to explode once again into furry infernos. But missing the gnoll as it dashed out from between the fire wolves. Dodging the cold spewing forth from the winter wolves and knocking aside or dodging the maws that tried to snap shut onto bleeding arms or legs.
But nothing would touch him. The trainers felt conflicted by the display. They did not wish to see the animals they helped care for die meaninglessly, but the display was a hypnotic one. The monk wove through and around the remaining ten wolves and with what appeared to be minimal effort, severed the heads of both embermaws leaders. And caught a celestial hyena in the guts with an upward claw strike.
Over and over and over. The wolves were battered, beaten and brushed aside like their powerful jaws, their graceful leaps, and deadly claws meant nothing. This was the sight of a master monk flowing around and devastating their opponents without suffering a strike in retaliation.
Every other wolf, the gnoll would grab it as it bled out in their hand. To the onlookers, it looked like he was draining life or power from the wolves. But their body wasn’t healing. Or injuries recovering. The gnoll only seemed to grow more calm or serene as the life of their fallen enemies added subtlety to their strength.
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First all the embermaw fell. Then the celestial hyenas. Third were the shadow paws. Leaving only the four largest and heaviest of the wolves. The two Brier Thorn leaders were targeted next. But when the claws sunk into them, flesh and blood weren’t rent or torn. Bark as fine as fur and wood instead of flesh were cleaved through like paper. Killing the first and then second leader. The Brier Thorn leaders were not true wolves.
They were plants that mimicked and infiltrated wolf packs to have them live and protect their seedlings. Like a more actively involved cuck bird. They were fascinating creatures. And beyond rare in the sand dunes of the southeast.
And with the plant beasts destroyed. The winter wolves soon followed. Their massive bodies ripped and sundered with claws sharper and more deadly than their own.
The gnoll stood panting in the circle of wolf corpses. Staring up blankly at the crystal high above. Before they closed their eyes and began to glow softly with a monk’s inner power, their ki.
As the monk was engulfed in their inner ki, the voice of the trainers’ boss echoed through the arena and to the audience through the scrying stones.
“Bloodied Challenger, you have survived the first test of fang, steel, and claw. You have shown your ferocity and skill in handling the overwhelming forces that seek your death and failure. And earned a minor reprieve.” There was a tiny bit of humor in his voice as the wounds upon the gnoll were being healed on their own. “Do you accept the first potion? Or seek to continue the battle?”
The monk’s eyes opened as the light died down around them. And merely chuckled while shaking their head. The pit master returned the amused laugh with one of his own, and a thunderous clap that echoed throughout the arena.
“Then, bring in the next wave!”
***
The gnoll stood silently, debating on whether they had made the right choice or not. She could feel her body flooded with strength. Her wounds closed, and she felt more whole. But little could be done about the lost blood. She would not be in top shape no matter how much ki pulsed through her limbs and channels. Another half hour, if they continued to throw numbers at her, could very well mark her death.
When the Pit Master spoke, however, the stone doors rose up again, to reveal four more wolves. Each entering from all but the tunnel directly across from her entrance. These wolves were much larger, their heads would reach around the stomach of a horse. Their bodies were just as long as a horse's as well. Their large forms, however, were not the most mesmerizing part. Each of them was very clearly, not a full-blooded beast. Their fur was not fine hair over taught, powerful muscles. But rather the haze of swirling elements. These were beasts summoned or captured from either the Elemental Isles off the southwest of Madra’s Isle, or directly from the elemental plains.
The four wolves represented the four base elements of fire, water, earth and air. With burning flames, flowing and curling waves, plates of stone and mineral, and finally dark storm clouds that replaced the fur expected. But underneath those raging elements, were true bodies of blood and flesh. Glimpses of pink skin could be seen peaking from small gaps occasionally.
The gnoll glanced up at the bard announcer, seeing him bounce around with excitement and passion. But his words were not for her ears. Only battle would explain to her what these beasts would do.
To begin, the gnoll decided that this was not a battle where information gathering was impossible. When the four wolves began to slowly converge, taking in the monk with the same eyes she gave them, she broke into a dash to the side. With the four wolves chasing directly after. Slowly, as they chased, only the air wolf seemed to keep up. While the other three broke off and attempted to intercept her as she came around to the other side.
Being brought back face to face with the earth wolf, as the fire, water and air closed in from the side and behind, she struck out. Extended claws digging in and searching for gaps or weakness in the plates. And managing to rip an entire chunk from their side before the wolves all completely fell upon and encircled her.
The air wolf was first to intercept. Literally flying at the head of the monk. Launching themselves through the air, only to be ducked under. Fire wolf managed to grab ahold of the gnoll’s ankle, and twisted, pulling them to the floor before Water literally surged forth, their fur extending out and down into the stomach of the gnoll. Only for her to roll with the attack. Dodging the descending avalanche of a maw of Earth.
Spinning to her feet, the monk came up in a whirl that caught each of the wolves. From the feel as claw tore through muscle, Earth was slightly stronger and harder. Water and Fire felt nearly identical, while Air was somehow less solid than the others. But as the sharp extremities ripped through each, Fire began to burn bright before erupting in a directed and concentrated stream of heat and fire that attempted to engulf and devour the hand that just cleaved through their shoulder.
The heat singed and burned the wrist as it pulled back. Water seemed to be in sync with Fire, curling around and under the blast of heat to attempt and batter the gnoll with their fur again. While Air has stopped and spun through the air, and opens their jaw wide, expelling a bolt of lightning. With a whirl of speed and dexterity that pushed off the wall of the pit, the gnoll leaped over the water and managed to move out of the bolt’s straight path as elements and fangs flew.
Planting a foot on the back of Earth, the gnoll spun and clawed through the other elements with acrobatic grace. Earth was not pleased by this, thrashing and even causing a pillar of rock to rise and attempt to throw the monk off. Fire and Water circle around each other, coming up from below Earth to attempt to burn and drown her from either side. But with a masterful display of acrobatics, the gnoll uses the extending earth to both pull them out of the way of further elemental pillars and away from the snapping jaws of Air.
There was a brief moment where the gnoll felt the creep of battle frenzy threaten to creep up, only to be squashed as they came back down on the back of Earth. And saw each of the other wolves back away and put distance between themselves and the claws that kept ripping free their blood. Nearly a full minute of combat, and the wolves barely had anything but some light scratches and a burn to show for their efforts.
Retreating to the gnoll, seemed like a reasonable choice as they could launch their elements at will. Leaving poor Earth as the sacrificial lamb. And she was not going to disappoint. Claws and fangs bared themselves as the monk fell from the back of the bucking and shaking wolf, to land and attack its underside before it could react to shaking off the bothersome flee shaped like a hyena. Chunks of stone, rock and meat were ripped and torn from Earth’s underside. It’s claws and earth rose up to fight, to try and dig in or ground the monk between them and the sands. But their movements were fast, blindingly so. And each attempt by the wolf was either brushed aside, avoided, or caught like the last eruption of earth that stopped as it collided with the palm of the monk’s hand.
While the gnoll was seeking to eviscerate the earth wolf, they were interrupted by the opposing forces of Fire and Water, seeking to reduce them to wet ash. The fire stream caught the gnoll across the back while the water stream was intercepted with a kick, causing it to splash harmlessly over the monk and earth wolf. The fur across the gnoll’s back burned and smoked but left mostly a stinging and superficial pain.
With their back still smoldering, the wide jaws of the gnoll opened while their claws dug in and raked across the flailing and panicking earth wolf. Its strength and armor was nothing to the ki imbued class that ravaged their body. Their weight and size was more a determent than advantage. And as their obsidian eyes watched, unable to move faster than or avoid the strike, sharp fangs bit and ripped through the light and thin armor under its neck that enabled it quick and easy movement. Ripping free flesh and arteries that marked the end of its life. A strike in the same manner it and its brotheren would use to finish their prey.
The massive bulk of earth and wolf collapsed as two bolts of lighting attempted to spear through the gnoll below it. Only to be blocked by the corpse as it fell and blocked the bolts.
Rolling away from the body, the monk stood and was met once again by the opposing forces of water and fire. Barring down on her in the worst moment. She managed to disrupt the water strike but the fire stream was too thick to properly avoid. And it engulfed their entire chest and sternum. Leaving a mass of charred and smoking black flesh and fur.
But the monk did not scream or cry in pain. With a wince and clenching of their blood filled and stone fragment stuffed jaw, they locked onto and charged the fire wolf. Catching them in a moment of surprise as the gnoll skirted past two launches of lighting.
She crashed into the fire wolf with the force of a sandstorm falling upon an unsuspecting caravan. The wolf had only managed to back pedal a few steps before being dug into by extended claws. A whirl of slashing and cutting that seemed to come from all directions as the flurry of blows descended.
Its companions unleashed a hail of water streams and lightning bolts. But only one bolt found its mark. And the single bite the fire wolf was able to squeeze out on the arms was ignored as the wrist and hand it managed to grasp in its jaws, turned and jammed its claws through the underside of the jaw and into the skull of the creature. Ending its burning existence in an explosion of fire. A storm of fire was sent out in every direction centered on its body. But the gnoll had the the speed to dodge and avoid even a single additional singed strand of fur.
Before the explosion of fire could fully dissipate, the gnoll was again on the move. The two remaining wolves began to unleash burst after burst of their element. While Air retreated, Water charged after in pursuit of the gnoll as it chased the wolf who could float through the air.
When the gnoll reached below the floating wolf, they jumped, launching trio of darts that sunk home in the graceful wolf above. While in the moment, the water wolf caught up and launched a strike that sunk squarely into the gnoll’s back. But before either wolf could launch another assault, two more darts flew up and sunk into the wolf. One sunk into its neck, while the second sunk into the open maw and through its throat. It froze in the air for a moment, stuttering as it's spinal column was severed and plummeted to the earth below. When the gnoll landed, they launched a third dart at the water wolf, before following the dart and engaging it in melee once again.
The two creatures met in the center of the arena where the final clash came. The water wolf’s jaw opened, a gush of water erupting from below. A stream as thick as a log slammed up into the guts of the gnoll. Their bite was slapped and knocked away. But the head on strike did little more than knock the wind from the gnoll. Two final, precise swipes across its neck and shoulders that nearly severed it head, caused it to finally stop and fall under its own weight.
Looking down from above, each of the corpses would begin to lose their connection to the elements. The fire fur would be snuffed out. The clouds around Air would dissipate. The armor of Earth crumbles into piles below them. And the water surrounding the final wolf simply stuffed off to be absorbed by the sands below.
The gnoll barely had a moment to regain their breath and register that each of the wolves were dead before the grating sounds of stone sliding up filled their ears. As the wolf corpses, now with simple grey fur and their injuries began to grow cold. Adding their blood to the sands that were beginning to grow muddy.
Taking a look around, there were corpses littering the pit. Mostly the wolves from the large packs that created a large mound of death encircling the center. Soon, it would be hard for most anything to move across the pit without stumbling over a corpse or slipping in blood.
The gnoll and the crowd would begin to experience the name of the blood drowning in truth, soon. But first, the singular door that rose up, that contained three forms behind it, stepped into the light.
A giant wolf, of such mass and size, it would dwarf two full wagons. And a full grown elephant. This behemoth came up the rear and moved to the right. In front was a graceful dire wolf, clad in plates of metal and vitals covered by leather. It’s paws covered by metal claws that stretched out and left a trail in its wake. This metal clad wolf stepped to the left. And the final wolf, a horse sized specimen with grey fur that did not come from natural color, but the grey of age and wisdom. With spots of darker grey color remaining around the face and neck.
This, the gnoll knew, was a true leader, a truly unique member of its species. And could feel the electric static emit from its form as it drew closer.
This would be a fight the gnoll loved the most. One that would push them to the extremes of their abilities and techniques. And the anticipation brought a chuckle from their throat. A craving for violence, even if suppressed.