章 57: Wendigo
Finding myself face first in the snow when I expected to be battling to the Pain with a magic fueled armor, wielded by a mage of supreme power, was to say the least a bit humiliating. He didn't even find us enough of a nuisance to swat, he just waved us away like a piece of lint floating in the air in front of a computer screen.
I did not enjoy being treated like a fool. I slammed my hands down on the snow-covered ground and let out a bellow of rage. Then I started to take a few deep breaths to calm myself. Looking around I saw Diana approaching me and I could tell this humiliation didn't sit well with her either.
Diana, "Well now what, we have to find a way back into that library and make Faust fight us. But that still doesn't correct the problem. We will have to force Faust to tell us where Hades is or maybe trick him into revealing it somehow."
Loan, "No worries about getting him to fight us, as much as I read, I know the best way to get him to fight us to the bitter end."
Suddenly I caught the stench of rotten meat in the air. Looking around I see figures coming out of the snow. Five figures spread out in front with 3 figures about 20 yards behind them and then a larger single figure behind them.
I realize I'm still in my gorilla form and get curious, "Looks like we have company in the form of a nine-man Soccer/Football team." Seeing her look in their direction, I ask, "How are you understanding me in this form? I am not using telepathy, but we are having a normal conversation."
Diana, "Oh that, I forget sometimes that I can speak to and understand animals, another one of my gifts from the gods."
During our discussion the figures get close enough for me to make out better and when I figure out what they are my stomach drops. "Shit, Diana. Those are Wendigo's."
In a certain Canadian forest, there was a Shaman who placed a curse against cannibalism in his area. Anyone that consumed human flesh in its borders would be cursed to walk the land as a mindless monster called the Wendigo. They would be driven by hunger to consume anything they could find or die of hunger in pain that was intensified a hundredfold of normal.
They were on average 9ft 7in weighing in at about 1,800 pounds, eyes of burning red and completely covered in white hair. Their strength was increased by their crazed hunger and if able to eat they would regenerate from almost any wound. Speed and durability weren't much to talk about and accept in rare cases their mental complexity was "Grr, snap, chomp, glug, snap, WENDIGO! nom nom churk."
Diana activates her bracers, bringing out her shield and sword stored in each one and as we get ourselves prepared 2 from the frontline charge us. Both head my way as I am without weapons and have more meat on my bones than the little Princesses. I dodge one letting it get behind me and the other I shoulder block, stunning it in place with my increased density. As it is stunned, I reach up and grab the back of its head and pull it down into my forearm that I am raising with all my strength. It's head twists with a sickening crunch. I then pick it up and slam the body into the ground and watch as the head bounces off the frozen turf, I then jump on it and use its chest as a trampoline until I feel it collapse under my weight.
As I expected of Diana, she engaged the one I allowed past me from the side by shield slamming it and then cut it to pieces using her sword. After severing its arms from its torso, she swung her sword at the neck to sever its head. She then kicked its head away from the battle. As they were dead anyway it wasn't beyond the possibility that they could get back to normal, so we each reached the unspoken tact of making sure it takes a loooong time to heal.
Of the advanced group of five there were two remaining to my left and one to the right. I signaled to Diana that she could take the two to the left; I allowed the one on the right to charge me. When it got close enough to me that it reached out its arms, I squatted down and spun my body with my right arm out. When my body turned, I grabbed the ankle of the Wendigo and pulled it off balance and to the ground. Still holding its ankle, I bit into it and severed the Achilles tendon and anything else that was under its calf. Spitting out what I tore off its leg, I then ran up its back and jumping as high as I could, I locked my two hands together and smashed them down on the back of the creature's head smashing it between my Hamer fist with all my weight behind it and the ground.
Seeing that Diana is still fighting her two I charge at one. Diana, seeing me coming her way and the Wendigo I had my sights set on, so she shifted in a way that it drew the attention of it towards her and gave me a clear rib tackle shot. When we rolled on the ground, I maneuvered in a way that would ensure I came out above it on the ground. I then reached down with my hands and grabbed the Wendigo under its chin and placed my feet on its shoulders and pulled with all my strength. Well, if anyone was curious there is now a nursery rhyme in Hades that ends with 'Pop goes the Wendigos head!' Or was it 'Mommy Wendigo had a baby and its head popped off!' I forget.
After Diana dismembered her playmate, we started toward the next three. Once we got within 15 yards of them, all of them charged us on all fours with the one in the middle screaming 'WENDIGO!!!!' This time two charged Diana and the third tried circling around behind us to take advantage of any attack it could make if there was a vulnerability while fighting the other two.
As one tried to go past me, I reached out and swung my arms around its waist then tensing my back I gave it a German Suplex. Not releasing my grasp from around its waist I then got to my feet and did it again and then again. At this point I got careless, and the third Wendigo jumped in ripping and tearing into my arm. Diana was quick to my aid and gave a shield bash to the back of the third wendigo's head stunning it.
The Wendigo I had tossed around showed no movement after it collapsed when I released it, so I jumped onto the one Diana shield bashed and grabbing its head I just started twisting it and pulling until it came off and I was covered in blood. Thumping my chest in victory I howled out my challenge to any remaining to see Diana had just stuck her sword in the head of the big one left at the back of the pack.
I returned to my normal form and approached Diana. Panting heavily, I said, "I thought they would be tougher. This group must have been close to starving and didn't have much strength left."
Diana, "I think I heard about this torture; they get so hungry they turn on each other cannibalizing a member until only one is left and then it starves to death. Once that happens, they start all over again with their memories of all the times before. Doomed to repeat it for eternity."
Suddenly we hear a loud scream filled with rage and pain from a short distance off. We look at each other and shrug, then start in that direction.
As we crested the hill, we saw a flock of birds resting on a man who was bound in glowing chains that pinned him to a large rock unable to move as the vulture like beasts tore at his flesh and fed on him. I look at Diana, "Is that Prometheus?"
Diana has a look of disgust on her face as she says, "No that is Hades. Let's rest here for a moment and gather our strength, I like the scenery."
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