Sentenced to troll 2, p.21
Sentenced to Troll 2, page 21
The mountain trolls were so shocked by the turn of events that they let us leave without a problem, but that doesn’t mean they won’t change their mind once they take stock of the situation.
I may have defeated the chief, but if a hundred goblins come chasing after us, we’re gonna have a serious problem.
“Thank you so much,” one of Keaton’s sons says for the tenth time. His curly brown hair hangs against his broad shoulders. His forearms are brawny from years of wielding a sword. He wears tattered clothing, and his face is covered in dirt and soot, remnants of his time in captivity. His only possession is a stick for walking. All their belongings must have been stored in one of the caves, because there was nothing near the cages. “They were going to eat us. They were actually going to eat us.” He shakes his head at the thought. His face is pasty white beneath the layers of dirt.
“What were you doing on their lands to begin with?” I cast three more horrors to pull up the rear. “Your father said you were warriors.”
When I analyze them, I see that they are indeed warriors—level five, in fact. Which makes it all the more stupid that they would be on troll lands.
“It wasn’t us,” his brother answers for him. He looks much the same as the other one, aside from having short black hair. He also seems more composed and less shell-shocked. “We’ve been through these mountains a thousand times. We know better than to stray too high.” He cuts his eyes at the other two men we rescued. The ones who have yet to say a word. “These two had the bright idea that there would be hidden treasures in the high caves. Said that we wouldn’t be paid unless we took them to investigate. We’d have been within our right to let them die.”
“What did you think you would find in the caves?” I ask the two men.
They just stare at me with wide eyes. Their clothes are of a finer quality than Keaton’s sons. Even in their ripped and tattered state, the stitch quality is noticeable. The tan lines on their fingers tell the story even further. The trolls probably brought in quite the spoils from these two, not counting whatever goods they were traveling with.
“Good luck getting them to talk,” the black-haired son says. “Neither one of them has said a word in three days. It’s like talking to a wall. They were traders of some sort, that’s all I know. They brought treasures from the south to trade with the dwarves. This was their first time using the pass at Smalltown. I expect it will be their last.”
Up ahead, Taryn leads the way on Stompy, while Limery rides beside him on Berry. I’m glad I’m not the imp’s personal mount for a change.
We reach far enough down the mountain that the trail forks in two directions. One leads back towards Smalltown. Keaton’s sons and the merchants will be on their own from here. There are still several mountains to traverse, but each step will take them farther away from the trolls and goblins.
The other trail leads to the north, but at a much lower elevation.
I empty my pack and give the humans enough of our supplies to get them home. Taryn reluctantly parts with a dagger he took from Keaton’s shop. The black-haired son gives us directions for the quickest and safest route through the mountains.
“Be safe out there.” I watch them as they go, the two traders following Keaton’s sons like dogs on a string.
“You think they’ll make it back in one piece?” Taryn watches them leave.
Stompy snorts and paws his feet, ready to be on the way again.
“The two sons seem like they know what they’re doing. The other two might need some serious counseling when they return.” I slap Stompy on the backside and he starts moving. This time, we take the lower route.
“We haven’t had a chance to talk about it yet, but damn, where did you learn to fight like that?” Taryn cast Strong Wind on us, increasing our speed. Since we aren’t on such an incline, we can quicken our pace without worry. “Back there, that was on another level than what I’ve seen you do. It was brutal. And I know your scrawny ass can’t fight like that in real life, so what gives?”
“I don’t know, man. When my rage takes over, it’s like I’m running on autopilot.” I kick a rock and it goes tumbling off the trail. “My body sets out to destroy anything that’s in my way. It’s like when you learn a new ability and you just instantly know how to use it.” I try to find the words to accurately explain what it feels like, but I can’t. “It’s hard to explain. Like with herbalism, once you learn a new plant, you can see its outline without even having to search for it. Fighting is just like that; my body just knows what to do. I think my mind and years of gaming are what give me an edge.”
Taryn runs his fingers through his beard, thinking. “Hmmm. I guess it’s the same with me. I don’t know how to actually pull lightning from the sky, I just do it.” His eyes light up when he has a thought. “Wait, do you think you’ll know how to fight when you log—when you go back?” He turns to Limery, to see if the imp caught his slip-up, but the imp is fixated on my horrors that pop in and out of existence.
I laugh at the absurdity of his question. “Do you think you’ll be able to call lightning from the sky?”
“If so, they’ll be calling me Black Lightning.” He grins. “And you can be my sidekick, White Thunder.” He leans back and cackles, nearly falling from the moulhaug.
Following the directions from Keaton’s son, we make it through the mountains in two days with no problems. At one point, we pass an area that has a pretty sizable number of ley lines, perhaps some hidden mountain dungeon, but Taryn is so excited to show me the dwarven side of the island that we don’t stop to investigate.
When the mountains finally end, and we find ourselves in the valley beneath them, a beautiful meadow stretches for miles. Flowers are in full bloom, and the wind sweeps across it in waves, like a turbulent rainbow sea.
Stompy goes to the side of the trail and gathers a mouthful of flowers. Taryn tries to lead him back to the trail, but the moulhaug will have none of it.
“All of that power and he eats flowers and eggs.” Taryn shakes his head as Stompy rips another massive bouquet and chews it up.
“You survived on soda and fast food, so you aren’t that different.” Those were good times. I can remember so many nights when that was all we ate. Soda, chips, Chinese delivery or pizza.
“What’s fast foods?” asks Limery. “Limmy is fast. He can catch all the foods.”
“I’m sure you can,” says Taryn, grinning. “Fast food is when I take a piece of meat and throw it at you really fast. You have to catch it out of the air.”
“Ooh!” Limery claps his hand together. “Can we plays fast foods?”
“Yeah, we need some food first.” Taryn laughs. “You want to catch us something?”
“Limmy’s on it!” He zooms away among the flowers.
“You know he is going to want to play fast foods about twenty times a day now, right?” I watch Limery as he zips above the flowers, hurling fireballs at birds and other creatures hiding in the underbrush. Limery’s fascination with food knows no bounds.
He returns with several dead birds and a nest full of turquoise eggs. Standing proudly, he presents his spoils to Taryn. We stop for lunch, and they roast the food over an open fire.
I lean against the moulhaug’s side, eating a bird wing and watching Taryn throw pieces of meat at Limery, who flies to catch them. No matter how fast or how far Taryn tosses it, Limery zooms through the air, never missing a piece.
I can’t help but smile at their antics. At home, on the rare occasion we had dinner as a family, we ate our meals in silence. The sounds of slurping water and mastication were enough to drive anyone mad. Mom and Dad would talk business; I would sit quietly.
This wouldn’t fly there.
The few times I had dinner with Taryn and his family, it was the complete opposite of my home life. His family laughed and joked. They talked about their day. They even asked me questions. It felt so different, so welcoming.
Taryn might not have grown up with money, but he had something far more valuable. Family.
“Go long.” I load an egg in my palm and point far into the meadow.
Limery takes off, and I launch the egg. It soars through the air, so high that I can’t even see it against the blue sky. Farther than any baseball player could possibly throw a ball.
The imp soars into the sky and a moment later, I hear his cheer as he catches the egg.
Once we cycle through the remainder of the eggs, we’re back on the road.
As we journey away from the mountain, the flowery meadow begins to thin out. We walk beside a stream as the terrain transforms into grassland, and then gradually, the grass grows sparse and becomes nothing but sand. When the stream of water disappears underground, we come to a stop.
Ahead, there is nothing but desert for as far as I can see. When I pull up my map, I see it stretches even farther.
“We should stock up on water now.” Taryn dips his leather canteen in the stream. “We’ll need to reconnect with the Mythroad, and we might not find another water source along the way.” He puts the cork in his canteen. “Once we reconnect with the Mythroad, that’ll lead us straight into Sandholde.”
“Sandholde?” I’ve never heard of it, but to be fair, the only dwarven city I know is Seascape, and that’s because it’s the capital.
“Yes, it’s the second largest dwarven city on Isle of Mythos. It also happens to be the home of the largest ebony dwarf population on the island, located in the center of the desert.”
Judging by my map, we are at least a day’s journey from the Mythroad, the massive road that runs from Vanaria to Seascape, connecting the two kingdoms. We never reconnected with it after the Marshlands, instead following smaller roads that led us to Smalltown. I wonder if the Mythroad passage through the mountains is a safer journey.
Looking closer at the map, the Mythroad is the only major road that goes through the desert. There’s only one city in all of the sand-colored landscape, so I assume that is Sandholde. The Mythroad is the shortest and most direct route to Seascape, and it passes straight through Sandholde.
Roads and towns surround the desert on both sides, but the desert is short and wide, shaped like a saucer, so it appears that it would double our travel time to bypass it. Plus, I wouldn’t get to see the native home of Taryn’s people.
As we travel, Taryn tells me all he knows about Sandholde. “It’s an oasis among the desert. Truly remarkable. If I hadn’t been on my way to meet you, I could have spent days there.” His eyes light up with excitement as he talks about the architecture and fashion. “It’s said that in ancient times, Sandholde refused passage to outsiders for various reasons. Without enough water to make it back to safety, many men were laid to waste outside their gates begging for entrance.”
“That’s harsh.” I wipe sweat from my brow. The desert sun is already beating down upon us. “What would cause them to close their gates?”
Taryn shrugs, his dreadlocks swaying back and forth. “Who knows? War or politics would be my guess.”
He pulls his cloak over his head. Since entering the desert, he has exposed very little of his body to the sun, keeping his cloak around him like a tent. To me, it seems like that would cook him like an oven, but he doesn’t complain.
Limery, whose body is a natural furnace, doesn’t seem affected at all. He zooms ahead at times, occasionally returning with some slithering creature he’s managed to catch.
Berry moves sluggishly behind us. The fur-covered bear wasn’t meant for these conditions.
Taryn orders the moulhaug to stop. Climbing down from Stompy, Taryn gives the bear some water from his leather flask and pats him on the head. “You can do it, buddy. I promise it’ll be worth it.”
The bear weakly grunts. His beautiful umber coat has grown a lighter color from all the sand.
The day drags on, and the blistering heat of the desert sun beats down from overhead. There’s nothing but sand for as far as I can see. Why would anyone want to live in such a desolate and angry place? The plants are covered in spikes or needles, and the monsters are all venomous. The entire area is hellbent on killing one another.
We come across a dune and something shifts beneath. Sand ripples like crystallized water as the monster beneath rises up. Grains of sand fall off its body, concealing its true form beneath the facade of a sandy ghost. It thrashes forward, revealing a worm-like monster with dozens of sharp teeth that spiral down into its throat. It has a hardened exterior with rows of spiked barbs that run down its body.
I would expect nothing less from such hellacious terrain.
Sandworm. Level 18. These eyeless predators attack from below ground. Without eyes, they track their prey by feeling movement in the sand. The sandworm’s circular mouth is capable of ingesting enemies whole.
The sandworm rockets from the sand, mouth open, and dives for my horrors. It devours several of them in one bite before disappearing beneath the sand.
I wipe the sweat from my brow and get into position. It’s too damned hot for this.
Following the ripples in the sand as the sandworm moves below, I ready Sea Scorpion for attack when the sandworm breaks the surface.
My weapon clinks against its hardened exterior, doing no damage as it passes by, and the worm ingests several more of my horrors.
“Its shell is too hard to damage with melee weapons,” I tell the others.
Taryn cast Lightning Bolt from Stompy’s back, but the electricity only runs along the sandworm’s exterior, doing very little damage.
Stompy unleashes a powerful war cry and paws at the sand.
When the creature rises again, displaying its open mouth, it reminds me of our battle with the mana-infused wyrm. I see an opening. “Limery, dive down its throat!”
Without a moment’s hesitation, the imp burst into flame and darts at the sandworm’s open mouth. Its teeth chomp down as Limery enters, but it’s too late. He’s is already barreling down its throat.
Heat radiates from the sandworm’s body as Limery crawls along its insides. It rears up, unleashing a demonic cry before collapsing to the ground.
A moment later, Limery burns a hole through the creature’s side and emerges, covered in mucus. He shakes off his arms and the slimy substance splats in the sand.
“That’s one way to do it.” Taryn walks over to examine the body for loot. “Nothing worth taking. It’s mostly shell.”
Not long after, we come across another dune and a sandworm rises to attack. We’re all grouchy from the heat, so before it can even attack, Limery turns into a scorching ball of flame and flies straight into the creature’s throat, cooking it from the inside. Taryn and I stand back, watching the imp roast it alive. His molten temperature burns through the creature’s stomach as it curls up in agony. We leave it to bake in the sun.
*****
Night comes, and we finally connect with the Mythroad. Sand covers the road, but its even elevation and worn path leaves no doubt that it’s what we are looking for. Looking around, there’s not a soul in sight in either direction. I don’t know why I thought there would be. The two kingdoms don’t really trade. They send ambassadors and workers to go to the other kingdom and show them their ways.
We’re only a few hours from Sandholde, so we decide to push through instead of camping in the desert, where predators are more likely to attack at night. Once we’re there, we can find a nice inn and wash some of this sand away. It’s in my toes, in my braid, and I’m pretty sure I could build a sandcastle with what has found its way into my ass-crack. For the first time since coming here, a hot shower sounds amazing.
Limery perches on my shoulder, and soon soft snores ring in my ear.
We make better time now that we are on a main road. The buff from Strong Wind has us all moving at a fast pace.
The desert is a strange place. Eerily quiet most of the time. Occasionally, a creature howls or something slithers in the sand, but for the most part, the only sounds we hear are our muffled steps on the sand-covered Mythroad, and the grumbling of my horrors.
I tilt my head back and look to the stars. Millions of them twinkle overhead, and they are like nothing I have ever seen. Millions of stars, but not a single recognizable constellation. It makes me appreciate the detail that went into this game even more. It’s not a copy of Earth. It’s something brand new. A world with its own history, its own future. The choices that I and these other heroes make will decide that future.
That’s pretty wild.
To my left, Taryn hunches atop Stompy. In the darkness, with his cloak covering his features, he looks like some shadowy villain.
Up ahead, something twinkles in the distance, catching my eye. The longer I look at it, the more I see until it’s an entire line of twinkles.
I’m pondering what type of monster we’re about to fight when I notice the outline running beneath the twinkling. It’s a wall. And those twinkles are fires.
We’ve made it to Sandholde. The outline becomes clearer the closer we get, until I can see the entirety of the wall as it towers above the sand. It’s massive, stretching for many hundreds of yards. A citadel in a wasteland of nothingness. A faint glow escapes from inside, projecting on the humongous palm trees that tower above the walls. With so many, it looks like a tropical paradise is waiting on the other side.
A large crowd surrounds the gate, waiting for entrance. I hear laughter before I ever see their faces. There are several wagons covered in canvas. A few of the people are extremely tall and lanky, and I wonder if they are some race I haven’t heard of.
Then one of them rears its head back and blows out a stream of fire, igniting the emblem on the side of one of the wagons.
A red lion. The same red lion I saw before on the door of the Underground Circus.
27. Where's Waldur?
A man with a painted face approaches us from the circus crowded at the gate. He wears a multi-colored striped tunic, billowing pants, and fanciful shoes that curl up at the end.
“Hawkin?” I recognize the bard from the Underground Circus as he gets closer. His face is painted white, with a green clover painted over one eye and a black diamond over the other. The colors match the rest of his outfit. “What are you doing up all the way up here?”
