Zectas Volume III: Malediction of Veneficatl Valley

by John Nest

  * * * * * *

  The next day, Smoke and his expedition party headed for Condortl at the break of dawn. Only Darius was awake to see them off.

  He greatly enjoyed his time with the Nanahatlanos, but he also needed to make some progress on the Witches and recruiting the army for Verbrannt.

  It took Smoke sixty days to reach Condortl village on foot, but they had now reached Adder's village in two days as Laernea made Bilis mostly run at top speed.

  When they reached the last bend before Condortl, Smoke and Adder expected to see a vibrant village covered in green scales, but they were greeted with broken walls and destroyed houses instead.

  The Condortlians were busy picking up the debris and the broken scales from the virile lizards. Until they noticed Smoke's carriage.

  The residents flocked around Smoke as he got off Laernea's carriage.

  "Praise Cuezaltzin! You're finally here. We've been praying for your return ever since our farm lands died, and now Centaurs have come to attack our village."

  Smoke was confused. He thought that the Centaurs were peace loving and friendly.

  "Why would they attack Condortl? Did you provoke them in any way?"

  Slowly, all of the residents of Condortl came out of their homes. A crowd gathered around Condortl's Savior.

  Eldmar, the acting village chief of Condortl, walked towards their village's hero.

  "We have done no such thing. We only followed our laws. Then they just came out of nowhere and took our children away. Our Warriors fought back bravely, but even with our best weapons we were still no match against the twenty Centaurs."

  Smoke recalled that he left the village with three-hundred Warriors whose levels ranged from 40 to 60. The Centaurs must have been really strong to defeat Condortl's Warriors.

  Eldmar proceeded to tell what had happened.

  "We were all living peacefully here for a while now. The griffons' numbers greatly fell as they lost their steady supply of virile lizards, but everything changed two months ago."

  Smoke and his men listened intently to Eldmar's story, but Adder was most especially attentive.

  "We were looking for new farmlands because all of there was no longer any fertile lands east of Mount Aeriloc. A Scout suggested that we cross the mountain. I agreed since there were rarely any griffons left. They didn't find any area that was great for farming near the mountain's base."

  Eldmar looked at Adder and said.

  "Abaven, you remember of the old legends that spoke about the rich lands near the mountains of Margome?"

  Adder nodded and answered.

  "Yes, the rich fertile lands said to be protected by guardian spirits. Didn't the Scouts know that it was dangerous to go there?"

  Eldmar faced Adder, he shook his head and sighed.

  "The leader of the Scouts was your cousin Catalina. She ordered her Scouts to travel to the foot of Margome with her. She always had fantasies about meeting the guardian spirits. Apparently, the guardian spirits were the Centaurs. They guarded that land from the Simiavulgs."

  Smoke silently listened but could guess what happened next.

  "One of the Centaurs fell in love with Catalina and I was told that she reciprocated his feelings. Catalina established a small colony in those lands. Needless to say, the men and women that she brought with her fell in love with other Centaurs as well."

  Smoke nodded as his suspicions were confirmed.

  "I immediately asked the colony to return home when I heard about what was going on. Couples of Humans and Centaurs always lead to disaster. I haven't heard from them since. Then a week ago twenty mad Centaurs came and took the younger children away."

  Eldmar's face with stricken with sorrow.

  "They have taken twenty-four children in the past week alone, and we only have 200 Warriors left."

  Adder held onto Eldmar's shoulders and said.

  "Don't worry. We're here now. The Centaurs aren't gonna take any more children. I'm sure Smoke will do his best to find those kidnapped children as well."

  Eldmar looked to Smoke with pleading eyes.

  "Will you help us find the children?"

  + Quest: Find the Kidnapped Children of Condortl

  Search & Rescue Quest

  Level: B

  Eldmar asks for your help in finding the captured children by the Centaurs.

  Accept the Quest? [YES/NO]

  "Of course I will. We're talking about children here. How could I possibly say no to that?"

  * * * * * *

  Smoke asked his men to help out with the repairs, while he began setting up a trap for the Centaurs. He took out his Digger's wand and created a trench around the village. He made sure that the trench was deep enough so the Centaurs couldn't leap out of it.

  With his Earth Manipulation ability, he created a thin layer of earth over the wide trench and camouflaged it. He could have placed spikes inside the trenches, but he still needed to ask the Centaurs about the children's location. He also wanted to find out why the 'peace loving' Centaurs were kidnapping children in the first place.

  Smoke then proceeded to fortify and increase the height of the walls around Condortl. He also made the front gates wider. He wanted to lure the Centaurs to use the main entrance.

  As Smoke inspected the village, he found a young boy practicing with a rope and a massive sword. The boy threw the rope over the pole and ran towards the pole with his sword.

  The boy's weapon was much bigger than himself that it reminded Smoke of Adder's gigantic double bladed sword Blitzsturm.

  The nine year old boy held onto the sword with both his hands and swung at the wooden pole that was shakily erected on the ground. The boy was barely able to do a proper swing, but his eyes shone his determination.

  "Hey, you be careful. You could hurt yourself with that."

  The boy froze for a split second when he saw that it was Condortl's savior who was talking to him. He immediately bowed down to the DarkElf.

  "It is an honor to serve under you, lord Smoke."

  "Serve? Don't tell me you're planning on joining the Warriors when the Centaurs come?"

  "That's right. I have been training hard. It has been a week since I started and I can tell that I've improved."

  Smoke smiled at the young boy. He reminded him of Donny's confidence and optimism.

  "What's your name?"

  "It's Tracas."

  "Tell me, Tracas. Where's your father? Shouldn't he be teaching you the way of the sword and not just hacking randomly on this pole?"

  Tracas bit his lips as it began to quiver.

  "My father died on the first day the Centaurs came. They killed him before they took my sister Pris."

  Smoke gave him a hug and Tracas tried to pull away.

  "That's why I've been training day and night with my father's sword. I plan on killing the Centaurs and taking my sister back."

  Smoke saw the bloodstains on the boy's hands. It was from hitting the wooden pole for almost a week.

  "I see, but in order to train properly you also need to rest. If you like I can teach you how to fight with a sword? But not until you've healed your hands."

  Smoke took out a bandage from his backpack window and applied First Aid on the Tracas' hands.

  "Alright, now why don't we join the others and have some tasty stew."

  Smoke led Tracas to the temporary kitchen that Ichaival created. He asked Vijaya to take care of Tracas while he proceeded with his preparations for the Centaurs.

  With his Earth Manipulation ability, Smoke created a fortified tower at the center of the village. He planned on having the non combatants and children inside the tower.

  After the completion of the tower, he went back to where Tracas was.

  "Listen, I know you aren't done with your training yet, but I have an important job for you to do. I want you to guard everyone inside the tower."

  "What tower?"

  Smoke pointed to the three story Earth tower that he had constructed. T
racas was surprised to see such a structure come out of thin air.

  "So, stay inside the tower and guard everyone, Okay? I can count on you, right?"

  Tracas formed a fist and covered it over his left chest.

  "Yes, sir! You can count on me."

  Smoke smiled and patted Tracas' head.

  Laernea smiled and blushed as she secretly watched Smoke take care of the young boy.

  * * * * * *

  The next day came and they were patiently waiting for the Centaur's scheduled attack. Vijaya, Ichaival, and Laernea were on the watch towers spread throughout Condortl village.

  Smoke made Adder and Espion guard the tower on the ground while he stood on top of it. A loud rumbling sound was heard which signalled the Centaurs' arrival.

  From the western side eight foot Centaurs came out, but they didn't look like normal Centaurs. Their upper halves which were suppose to look like a human had been transfigured into a hairy monster.

  The mad Centaurs looked more like the other picture inside the labyrinth, the monster called Tikbalang. The mad Centaurs had claws instead of hands and their faces were elongated like a horse. These creatures, even had fangs coming out of their mouths.

  Smoke was sure that these Centaurs were cursed when he saw the their appearance, but the question was if they still had a chance of reversing the curse.

  The mad Centaurs galloped towards Condortl village with purpose. They were a pack driven mad and programmed to capture Condortl's children.

  The eight Centaurs in the lead charged straight towards the village's main gates. Suddenly, the monsters fell down when they galloped over Smoke's trap. The remaining Centaurs managed to slow down and came to a full stop before the pit.

  The mad monsters looked down below their fellow Centaurs and saw them trying to leap out of the pit, but none of them could escape the deep trap.

  The crazed monsters looked around Condortl and realized that the entire village was surrounded by the hidden trench. All of the Centaurs backed away.

  "NNnnnnneeeeeeeeiiiigggggghhhhhhh!"

  A mad Centaur cried out as it galloped on its top speed and leapt across the trench. The monster landed safely inside Condortl's main gate. At that point, the hidden Condortlian Warriors behind the blanketed crates leapt out and pushed the Centaur into the pit.

  "NNeeeeeeeiiiiiiinnnnnnnnn!"

  Bwaaak!

  The mad Centaur fell down into the pit hard. The other captured monsters tried to help out their fallen comrade.

  Forty Condortlian Warriors readied themselves and blocked the landing ground of the other Centaurs. However, the Condortlians were surprised when the Centaurs jumped for the for the tall earth walls instead of the entrance.

  The height of the monsters' jump was increased by their long running start. The mad Centaurs galloped on the side of the walls for a few seconds before they grabbed hold on to the top of the wall.

  With their monstrous strength, the eleven remaining Centaurs lifted themselves up over the wall and zoomed straight towards the tower.

  Adder and Espion were prepared to face them. Ichaival, Vijaya, and Laernea head their bows and fire arrows aimed on the charging monsters.

  The mad Centaurs revealed their maximum life bars at 250,000 HP. Smoke didn't want to issue the command, but the eleven maddened monsters were very dangerous.

  "Everyone! Shoot to kill!"

  Vijaya sent her six falcons to attack the Centaurs. The birds of prey paired up and ganged up on attacking a Centaur. Ichaival's falcon was sent to distract his target and stop its movement, while Laernea attacked the Centaurs that was nearest her watch tower.

  Smoke leapt off his Earth tower and glided towards the end of the Centaur's pack with his Hooded Cloak of Cologus. When he landed down, he stunned the three Centaurs at the back.

  Swiftly, he equipped his most deadly weapon in his arsenal, the weighted chain and sickle of Dasende. He threw the weighted iron ball over the three Centaurs and entangled them in his chains.

  With the three Centaurs immobilized, he quickly swirled the sickle over his head and began attacking the Centaurs back in a tornado like motion.

  + Attack hit maddened Centaur: Fetzig. +FIRE DMG. CRITICAL HIT. BACK ATTACK. Damage 12,912.

  + Attack hit maddened Centaur: Bekloppt. +FIRE DMG. CRITICAL HIT. BACK ATTACK. Damage 12,912.

  + Attack hit maddened Centaur: Spinnert. +FIRE DMG. CRITICAL HIT. BACK ATTACK. Damage 12,912.

  Smoke's tornado attacks damaged all the captured Centaurs simultaneously. The Condortlian Warriors were instructed to stay away from the DarkElf when he was fighting with his chain and sickle. So, they went to where Adder and Espion were instead.

  Together with the forty Condortlian Warriors, Ichaival, Vijaya, and Laernea engaged against five Centaurs at once. This left Adder and Espion to face off against three. Adder stood alone in front of the stampeding Centaurs.

  Adder leapt upwards at the last moment before the Centaurs' claws could hit him. With only one hand he hung on to the rope he prepared before. When the Centaurs looked up, Espion immediately jumped on the back of one of the monsters.

  The young Spy slashed the Centaur's back as he rode the maddened beast. The Centaur tried to reach behind itself to catch Espion but the young Spy was out of his reach.

  The mad Centaur kept on jumping around and attempted to buck off Espion. The young Spy looked like a bonafide Cowboy as he kept on riding the Centaur's back.

  The two Centaurs tried to help their companion, but Adder finally came down from his jump and brought the deadly force of his Blitzsturm with him.

  Adder's thick double bladed sword plunged deep into one of the Centaur's back. The one armed Condortlian wrapped his legs around the Centaurs to avoid from being thrown off.

  The last free Centaur was confused on who to help first. Suddenly, a rope was lassoed over him. The monster reflexively turned around and saw a young boy.

  It was Tracas, the nine year old boy that Smoke bonded with. This instantly made the Centaur yell out.

  "HHHHhhhiiiiiiiieeeeeeeerrrrrrrrr!"

  In a blur, Tracas was captured by the Centaur. The monster made a mad dash for the village's exit. Espion leapt and tried to ride on to the monster's back, but the Centaur he was on caught his legs and slammed him hard on the ground.

  The three Centaurs retreated with their captive. The one-armed Adder had to unequip his Blitzsturm and tried his best to hang on to the mad Centaur as it kept on galloping out.

  As Smoke was looting the item drops of the three Centaurs he had finished off, he saw another group of Centaurs that were trying to escape the village. He thought that the monsters were only retreating until he heard Adder yell.

  "Help! They caught a kid!"

  Ichaival, Vijaya, and Laernea couldn't attack the Centaurs without hitting the child and Adder. Smoke stopped looting and ran immediately towards them.

  Smoke launched himself into the air with his Lunar Gravity Boots. He glided towards three Centaurs, but the monsters increased their speed.

  Igniz kept on blasting his fireballs at the monsters as he hovered on Smoke's right side. He tried to use his Earth Manipulation ability to create holes and obstacles, but because of the monsters' Agility, they dodged all of his attacks.

  The three Centaurs were nearing a cave in Mount Aeriloc. Smoke knew that the monsters would be out of his reach if he didn't do something. So, he equipped his Digger's wand and created a wide trench in front of them.

  This forced the Centaurs to jump high into the air to cross the trench. Smoke then grabbed one of the Centaurs and held on tight.

  The three Centaurs had Smoke and Adder on their backs, while Igniz flew near the DarkElf's back. The mad monsters entered the cave. Igniz's fire lit up the cave as they went on deeper.

  Further inside the cave, the maddened monsters kept on with their bucking. Even as they reached a part of the cave that had a steep ravine on the left side and jagged rocks on the right.

  The Centaurs found the
protruding rocks on the side of the wall to be useful. The maddened monsters bucked towards the rocks and smashed their unwanted riders against them.

  Smoke and Adder were stunned, and were bucked off their Centaurs. The two of them fell down the ravine inside the cave. Igniz reflexively flew down after them.

  After Smoke regained his consciousness, he instinctively checked his surroundings. Igniz directed his attention to his companion.