Trolls

Brindlemark was a distant memory, a fading echo of civilization as Nienna and Jaxon Tirone pressed on towards the Shadow Realm. The storm weaver of the Mark tribe led the way, his eyes fixed intently on the map as he navigated the treacherous terrain. Nienna, on the other hand, was struggling to keep up.

The sun beat down on them like a malevolent force, draining the life from every step. The dry air sucked the moisture from Nienna's skin, leaving her feeling parched and exhausted. Ember, sensing her distress, stayed close to her side, its big round eyes watching her with concern.

As the day wore on, Nienna's fatigue grew. She stumbled, her feet aching beneath the relentless sun. "W-we should stop for a minute, don't you think?" she stuttered, hoping Jaxon would hear her plea.

But he didn't answer, his fingers tracing the map as if searching for something. Nienna glared at him, feeling a surge of frustration. Didn't he care that she was about to collapse from exhaustion?

Jaxon's expression remained impassive, his eyes fixed on the map. Nienna wondered if he was even aware of her struggles. She felt a pang of resentment towards him, towards his stoic demeanour and his refusal to acknowledge her fatigue.

"It's been a day and Ember is tired," Nienna said, her voice laced with exhaustion. She groaned, her shoulders slumping under the weight of her pack. Ember, sensing her distress, whimpered softly and nuzzled her hand.

Jaxon snorted, his eyes glinting with amusement. "You mean you're tired," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Nienna rolled her eyes at his antics, feeling a surge of frustration.

"When is the next stop?" she grumbled, kicking a rock at him. It bounced off his boot, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Violent tendencies, Princess?" he asked, his voice laced with humour. Nienna glared at him, feeling her face heat up.

Jaxon sighed, holding up the map and studying it intently. After a moment, he pointed to a canopy of trees in the distance. "There, we'll get some rest there," he said, his voice a little softer.

Nienna's eyes followed his pointing finger, and she felt a surge of relief. The trees looked like an oasis in the desert, a haven from the scorching sun and the endless walking. She nodded, feeling a little more hopeful.

"Let's go," she said, shouldering her pack and starting towards the trees. Ember, sensing her excitement, bounded ahead, its tail wagging furiously.

As they walked, the trees grew closer, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze. Nienna felt a sense of peace wash over her, a sense of calm that she hadn't felt in hours.

They soon reached the canopy of trees, Nienna slumped against the soft, green grasses, instantly curling up in the shade. Ember, sensing her exhaustion, curled up beside her, its big round eyes watching her with concern. Nienna smiled weakly, stroking the top of Ember's head as she closed her eyes, letting the peaceful atmosphere wash over her.

Jaxon sat down beside her, his eyes scanning the surrounding area before returning to her. "We'll still need to get past the Ever Lake," he said, his voice low and soothing. "But other than that, we're almost to the Shadow Realm."

Nienna's eyes fluttered open, and she arched a brow, her gaze meeting Jaxon's. "Have you ever been?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jaxon's expression turned serious, his eyes clouding over. "Been where?" he asked, though Nienna knew he understood her question.

"The Valley of Shadows," she replied, her voice steady.

Jaxon shook his head, his eyes locked on hers. "Rumor has it that no one has ever been there and made it out alive," he said, his voice laced with a hint of warning.

A shiver ran down Nienna's spine as dread passed through her. She tried to push it away, but it lingered, a nagging voice in the back of her mind. She knew that she had to be brave, that she had to face whatever lay ahead. But the thought of the Valley of Shadows, of the unknown dangers that lurked within, was daunting.

Jaxon seemed to sense her unease, and he reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Rest up," he murmured, his voice soft and reassuring. "We'll face whatever comes next together."

With that, he stood up, leaving Nienna to her thoughts. She watched him walk away, feeling a sense of gratitude towards him. He was annoying, yes, but he was also strong and capable, and she knew that she could rely on him to keep her safe.

As she lay there, surrounded by the peaceful sounds of nature, Nienna felt her eyelids growing heavy. She closed her eyes, letting the exhaustion wash over her, and soon she was fast asleep, Ember curled up beside her, watching over her with loyal eyes.

It seemed like she slept forever but she woke up eventually, blinking back sleep from her eyes, Nienna slowly adjusted her sight to the darkness that surrounded her. As her vision cleared, panic surged through her veins like a raging river. She realized, with a jolt of terror, that she wasn't where she had fallen asleep. The peaceful canopy of trees was gone, replaced by an eerie, unfamiliar environment, it looked like a cave and was that...boiling water.

Her gaze frantically scanned the darkness, her heart racing with every passing second. That's when she noticed the ropes that bound her wrists and ankles, suspending her upside down in mid-air. A wave of fear washed over her, threatening to engulf her.

"Ember?" she called out, her voice shaking with desperation. She strained her eyes, searching for the small, purple creature that had been by her side since the beginning of their journey. But Ember was nowhere to be seen.

"Jaxon?" she cried out, her voice growing louder. She turned her head, and her eyes widened as she saw Jaxon hanging upside down beside her. He was knocked out, his body limp and motionless.

"Wake up!" Nienna screamed, trying to wriggle free from the bonds that held her captive. She twisted and turned, but the ropes only seemed to grow tighter. Panic set in, threatening to consume her.

As she hung there, helpless and frightened, Nienna's mind racing with questions. Who had taken them? Where were they? And, most importantly, what did their captors want from them?

She looked over at Jaxon, willing him to wake up. They needed to get out of this place, and fast. But Jaxon remained motionless, leaving Nienna to face their unknown captors alone.

Nienna's eyes frantically scanned the dimly lit cave, searching for anything she could use to escape. But her arms were tied behind her back, rendering her helpless. She glanced around, hoping to spot a wall or shelf nearby that she could use to her advantage. But the cave was eerily barren, with nothing but rough, damp stone surrounding her.

As she hung there, suspended in mid-air, Nienna's ears picked up the sound of large, stomping footsteps approaching. The cave began to rattle and shake, and she felt a surge of fear course through her veins.

Two massive, green creatures emerged from the entrance of the cave, their eyes glowing with an unnatural light in the dark. Nienna's heart skipped a beat as she took in their enormous size and grotesque features. They were unlike anything she had ever seen before.

In a split second, Nienna decided that it was in her best interests to play still asleep. She closed her eyes, slowing down her breathing, and pretended to be unconscious. The creatures approached her, their footsteps thundering through the cave, and Nienna held her breath, hoping that they wouldn't notice her awake.

As the creatures drew closer, Nienna could feel their hot, rank breath washing over her. She tried to remain still, but her body trembled with fear. One of the creatures reached out a massive, clawed hand and prodded her gently, as if checking to see if she was really asleep.

Nienna held her breath, praying that she wouldn't be discovered. The creature seemed to hesitate for a moment, then turned to its companion and let out a low, rumbling growl. The other creature responded in kind, and the two of them began to converse in a language that Nienna couldn't understand.

As she hung there, pretending to be asleep, Nienna's mind racing with thoughts of escape and survival.

The two creatures continued to converse, Nienna's eyes remained fixed on them, her mind racing with horror. They seemed to be discussing something in a serious tone, their gestures becoming more animated as they spoke. One of them picked up a handful of what looked like dried herbs and added them to the boiling pot, which was now emitting a noxious cloud of steam.

Nienna's stomach churned as she realized the unthinkable: they were planning on eating her and Jaxon! The thought sent a wave of adrenaline coursing through her veins, and she began to wriggle and squirm, trying to loosen the ropes that bound her.

As soon as the trolls turned their backs on her, Nienna redoubled her efforts, twisting and turning in an attempt to find a way to reach her dagger. It was still securely fastened in her belt buckle, but it might as well have been on the moon for all the good it did her.

Panic set in as she thought about Ember, who was nowhere to be found. Had the trolls taken her? Was she even still alive? Nienna's heart ached at the thought of losing her loyal companion.

And then there was Jaxon, who was still knocked out cold. A load of help he turned out to be, Nienna thought bitterly. She had been counting on him to protect her, but now it seemed she was on her own.

With a surge of determination, Nienna continued to struggle against the ropes, her fingers numb and aching as she searched for a weakness in the knots. She knew it was a long shot, but she had to try. She had to escape, no matter what it took.

As she worked, Nienna kept a wary eye on the trolls, who were now busily stirring the contents of the pot.

Nienna's fingers strained as she stretched towards the hilt of her dagger, her body swaying precariously in the air. Sweat dripped from her brow, and her muscles ached with the effort, but she refused to give up. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, her fingers closed around the hilt, and she pulled the dagger free.

With a swift motion, she ran the blade down the ropes that bound her hands, feeling a surge of triumph as they fell away. She was left dangling in the air, supported only by the ropes that held her feet captive. For a moment, she considered cutting herself free and leaving Jaxon to his fate. After all, he had been no help whatsoever, lying there unconscious while she struggled to escape.

But something about the thought didn't sit right with her. Maybe it was the memory of the way he had smiled at her, or the way he had stood up to the trolls, but whatever the reason, Nienna found herself hesitating. She glanced over at Jaxon, who was still out cold, and felt a pang of guilt. She couldn't just leave him here to die.

Just then, the two trolls emerged from the cave, their eyes scanning the area as if searching for something. Nienna held her breath, hoping that they wouldn't notice her or Jaxon. But as they turned to leave, she realized that this was her chance.

"Jaxon!" she called out, poking at him with the hilt of her dagger. He didn't stir, and she poked him again, harder this time. Finally, his eyes flickered open, and he blinked at her, disoriented.

"What the devil...what mess did you get us into now?" he muttered, his voice groggy. He turned to glare at her, taking in their upside-down position. "Me?" Nienna shot back, her anger rising. "Aren't you the one who said he's gonna protect me? Load of good you're doing, laying around playing dead!"

Jaxon's eyes narrowed, and he wriggled in the ropes, trying to free himself. "Where are we?" he murmured, his voice a little stronger now.

Nienna sighed, swinging herself towards him. "I'll tell you where we are," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "We're in a cave, hanging upside down, with two trolls who think we're their next meal. And I had half the mind to leave you here," she added, cutting him loose from the ropes.

Jaxon dropped down to the ground, rubbing his sore head. "Dont just hang there...come on" he said, Nienna just rolled her eyes, cutting herself free from the ropes.

Together, they grabbed their bags and made a run for it, scurrying out of the cave as fast as they could. They didn't stop until they were sure they had left the trolls far behind, and even then, they kept a wary eye out for any signs of pursuit.