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n'Hey there, Hero, I have two questions for you. Why are there so many goddamn Gnolls, and why are they not demons?'

nI leaned to the left as I ran at the sound of a blade cutting the air from behind me, and a battle ax flew by me. There were thirty of the yipping bastards chasing me now, and I had been tempted to just turn and deal with them, but I decided to let them come with me.

nThe Gnolls hate demons more than anything after Doa tried to do what you are asking. The Gnoll population was taken down by other beasts, but the demons had tried to take some of them during this time. Dao had figured out what was going on by this time and had sent out Demons and Demon Orc raiding parties all over the island.

n'Sure, but then why are there still so many of them? If the Demons couldn't capture them, I'm sure they would have just hunted them down. What did they do to avoid all of this?'

nI jumped and spun at the humming noise of a spiked ball on a chain that came at me from a wired angle. I grabbed the flail at the wooden stake handle and continued my spin back with the weapon's momentum around to land.

nI didn't miss a beat, and kept on running, Veronica's totem allowing me to react and land with precious and no missed steps. I had to shrink down a few times, but even with the Sphinx Totem, that was like pulling the ground from underneath yourself at high speeds.

nHydie's Totem was allowing me to feel when the creatures were going to throw something at me so I could react adequately. Now, I spun the spiked ball on the chain up to speed as I continued forward, ready to deflect the thrown projectiles.

nHow they survived, I do not know or even where they went. The Demons did just as you said and killed them off because the Gnolls would kill all the women and fight until they were dead.

n'Sounds like it would be a gruesome thing to watch.'

nIt was a savage time on the island, but they started to come back after it was all over, and the island's monsters stopped trying to kill them. The other creatures didn't bother them after, but Doa has wiped them out more than five times, but they keep coming back.

nThat was interesting, and I wished I had more time to look into this. Even though the Gnoll had refused to talk to me when I had caught it outside of the Demon village, I could feel more than just hunger or anger from them now.

nComplex emotions were coming from each of them; I could even sense their fears, which told me I must be getting close to Neft. Now that there were so many from me to leech Elemental Energy from, I could even hear them talking to each other in some kind of bark.

nWhatever these creatures might seem like, don't get too carried away with them, you have more than enough to do before we leave the island. Neft's walls are only about half a mile from here, so watch out for the guards, and don't get seen yet.

n'Yeah, Yeah, I know, but I have a plan for getting into the city, but it's not foolproof, but first I need to get within range and then lose my groupies.'

nThat's when I started to smell the pungent odor of Pinesol and slowed, deflecting two rocks with the flail. I turned back, changing the Undine for Gog Totem, and hucked it back into the group, ignited with fire.

nI shrunk down just as fifteen massive purple bear

/bull men came into sight. The flail only killed two of them, but it exploded in a shower of sparks that served to get the guards' attention, AKA Neft.

nI was four times as small and about three-quarters of an inch tall, legs were less than half of that, but I had a plan. I summoned Kali, and she appeared the same size as me with a smile; the two of us had been talking before Hero, and I discussed the Gnolls.

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"Can I get a ride, little sister?

" I asked and vowed to never phrase it like that again.

nKali gave me a cute smile and turned her back to me, putting her arms out to the side.

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"Sure big brother, you can ride me anytime that you want! You just have to ask, and you can mount me, but you don't have to worry about being too big for me! I can handle all of you, so don't be afraid to ask to climb on top of me!

" Kali said in the exact friendly tone that she had meant it, but I was trying to imagine what it was like to shave with a cheese grater.

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"Thanks,

" was about all that I could muster after hearing that.

nOnce I had made sure that I was decent and not going to be causing any questions to rise, I… mounted Kali. This was my own damn fault for even trying to be funny, and even though it had gone over her head, she had unknowingly played alone.

nOnce I was on Kali's back, and she coiled some vines around my legs, we started to move forward at a swift pace. Kali didn't really walk or run, but more like riding a surfboard on a wave, but in a partial lunge.

nThe ride was rough but top speed, and even at this size, we almost traveled as fast as I ran full-sized, which made me wonder if I really shouldn't ask her for more rides. If Kali could get me around the island faster, I would be able to get more done in the short bit of time I had left here.

nYeah, I bet you like riding your little sister any chance you get! BWAHAHA!

n'If I could reach you, I would hit you.'

nImagine how many times I have said that since you got here!

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