True to word, the Knights readied for battle and rode south out of the Eternal Realm to rid the land of the Troll Lord. the party set out by twos. I rode up front beside Alesha, High Paladin of the Knights. Her face was set for battle. She rode silently. I knew much was on her mind, and in time she would speak her thoughts. Their was only a glint of her golden hair sticking out the bottom of her great helm. Her armor shone brightly in the noon-day sun. The long pole arm she carried effortlessly bounced steadily up and down to Charger's gait. I am proud , as I am always proud, to ride with this incredible warrior and friend. As we cleared the Southern Guard Tower, Alesha finally spoke. The words were short and clipped. "We must,,, WE will rid the land of this terrible menace!" I saw her hand grip the pole arm tighter, and it no longer bounced about. I just smiled and nodded my head affirmingly. I knew what we would have to do, and I was readying myself also for the great conflict. You just don't ride into the Troll's Lair to have a sunday picnic. The farther south we rode, the more devastation we saw. Livestock had been wholesale slaughtered and left for the carrion to eat. The raiding party had but one purpose. They had been bent on destruction and ruin. Homes were burnt, and the belongings of the citizenry was thrown wildly about. Sarreffe had been right. The trail could have been followed by a blind man. I suddenly began to feel as if the trolls wanted to be followed. My thoughts were spoken by Alesha. "Oni, This feels like a trap." "Indeed it does," I replied. "But we have given our word. And I for one have had enough of the trolls incringing upon the land." "Aye, we must continue no matter the cost. They must be stopped," she continued. Our band continued on grim-faced and silent. Each one knew the role to be played. So many times we had fought together. It would be no different this time. The unit would fight as one. A smile began to spread across my face as I thought of Elma's ever incessant plea as she would charge into the fray of battle. "Oni, keep me healed!" I was brought back to the present by the voice of Alesha. "Relieve our burden some, also" I could feel myself jump uncontrollably at the words. "Oh! I was just thinking of my role and Elma." The whole party laughed, even Elma. "We are going to do just fine, aren't we." It was more of a statement than a question from the High Paladin. "Indeed we shall," I concluded. We reached the cavern entrance known as the Painted Caves. Sarreffe stepped out of the shadows of a tree close to the entrance. "Their in there, lousy sun-hatin' buggers. Don't have to track them. I can smell 'em," he spoke tersely. "Smell them?" questioned Edward, one of the Knights. "It all smells the same to me." "'Cause ye ain't got a nose for trackin'. You gotta get past all the nasty they leave to uncover the real." To this day, I still don't know how he hides so cleverly in broad daylight. Even the ever-present bear was hid. "Ready?" Alesha mouthed the word to me. She had turned her head away from the group so that they would not see her face. I only nodded my head up and down once. A twinkle came into her eye... "KNIGHTS! FORWARD!" Her command rang out. We entered the dark damp of the Trolls Lair. "In Lor", I shouted as we entered the darkness. The shadows were driven back. Enraged by the unwanted light, the trolls attacked the party with fury. They wielded great clubs and crude mace-like weapons. The noise of battle was all around. The sound of wood smashing into steel shields resounded throughout the cavern. Swords in the hands of the Knights slashed into the thick skin of the trolls. The fighting was merciless. Neither side gave or accepted quarter. The trolls were bent on destroying us. But the warriors fought valiantly. True to form, Elma charged in brashly and slashed her sword at a rather large troll. I saw her shield shudder violently as a crushing blow came down on it from the great troll. But she stood firm and continued to strike with her sword. I played a spell of protection on her and turned my attention to the other party members. Several were in need of healing, and I lent my aid. We seemed to fight as it were for hours. The trolls just kept coming. I began to wonder if they were unending. The Knights were beginning to show fatigue. Many were bloodied and bruised. But they still held off the trolls' assault. The carnage was great. Troll corpses littered the cavern. But still they came, undaunted by the losses they had sustained. And Then He Came.. A massive cave troll appeared. He struck the party with a furious assault. Aided by the trolls already present, he began to drive the Knights back. Lightning and other such spells burst from his fingertips. "You are no match for me, humans. You will not leave this cavern alive," he spouted out arrogantly. Alesha, weary from the long fight, shook herself and cried out; "No, it is you who shall not survive this day!" She charged the great cave troll, her pole arm held level and steady. The Troll Lord staggered back as the sharp blade struck hard and deep. Immensely hurt by the strike, the great troll tried to recover and lashed out at Alesha wildly. But, he could not contain her determined blows. The Knights rallied and brought down the rest of the trolls. I saw my chance to finish the fight and bring down the leader of the trolls. My magic ran true and the bolt caught the troll. He fell to the ground with a great thud. The Troll Lord was dead. The Knights were victorious. Alesha had kept her word.
Your stories are very well appreciated - especially in front of a camp fire with a mug full of cidre in one hand and the latest stolen jewelry in the other hand. Apart from that, I am sure something like this happens right now in the troll cave: *Everyday-Troll looks down to his majesty's corpse* "The Troll Lord is dead!" *Everyday-Troll looks up and sees the former Troll Lords' much more evil twin step out of the shadows* "Long live the Troll Lord!" Alas, I fear, your heroic tasks never finish in this realm called Sosaria. (May I add that in the shadows of Britains streets a rumor is slowly spreading: The most evil troll, the horrific Troll King Blaise, is supposed to be the source of this troll menace. Maybe slaying him might stop the evil threat once and for all? Certainly worth inquiring more about that rumor.)
Truly there is an ancient evil present in these lands. Nonetheless, those true and loyal to good must battle ever onward.
