Chapter 27: Trolls

The sixth Ouslow remained unaware that the knights of Tyr were not as obstinate as perceived. It was the apprentices of Ser who exhibited such rigidity. Mounted upon his summoned charger, Panni plunged into the vast expanse of the snowy pine forest, venturing several leagues. Suddenly, the sounds of combat echoed from ahead. He slowed his pace, the hoofbeats of his steed barely audible as he advanced cautiously. Strewn about were several bodies, clad in the standard armor of northern berserkers, their axes and swords scattered haphazardly. However, it was unclear what manner of creature had slain these warriors, as there were scant traces besides the human corpses. Only the large claw marks on some trees hinted at the non-human assailant.

Panni's heart quickened. He closed his eyes, extending his senses, while retrieving a few scrolls from his backpack. It was his custom to transcribe surplus spells onto scrolls each night before resting. This practice ensured that in times of peril, he had ample magic beyond his daily allotment, significantly augmenting his combat prowess.

From around a bend came the indistinct roars of monsters and the clash of blades. Panni dismounted quietly and approached stealthily, witnessing several gargantuan humanoid monsters with yellow-green skin relentlessly besieging a group of bloodied warriors clad in light armor. These creatures possessed elongated claws, yet their backs and limbs appeared emaciated, with protruding bone joints, akin to demons spawned from the abyss. Their faces were adorned with twisted, jaundiced fangs and elongated noses, presenting a terrifying countenance. Quickly, Panni recognized these beings: trolls, and there were a dozen or more surrounding the beleaguered warriors. No wonder they had managed to slay so many without leaving a single corpse!

Panni mounted his steed again, preparing to flee. This place was too perilous; a detour seemed prudent.

As he turned, he felt a gust of wind rush forth from the other side of the forest, accompanied by faint, sharp cries that nearly dislodged him from his mount. Regaining his composure, he glanced back, beholding the gleaming armor and flowing locks partially revealed beneath a towering helmet, momentarily leaving him in awe.

Seraphina Grofia.

She was the female paladin of Tyr, charging into the fray astride her warhorse.

"They haven't already withdrawn?" Panni wondered, pressing down on the reins, deciding to wait a moment longer before taking action.

As a paladin, it was her duty to safeguard the principles of justice.

With over a decade of rigorous training, the beliefs of Tyr had permeated every neuron of Seraphina Grofia's being.

This was the first time she had ever left the sanctuary since childhood, a shining milestone in her heart.

So she would not accept the reality of returning to the Temple of Tumis without doing something; though it went against the precepts of the paladin to act without adherence to discipline, she deemed it more important to fulfill the justice in her heart.

Prince of Tyr, grant me strength.

Drawing closer to the fray, the young woman on horseback offered a brief prayer, then with a shout, she urged her mount forward, leaping from its back in a single fluid motion. As she spun through the air, she drew her longsword, a radiant aura seeming to gather around its blade. Friction with the air emitted a heat akin to the sun, as she struck down upon the trolls. It was as if a red-hot branding iron had pierced their flesh, eliciting a piercing cry of agony from the trolls as their bodies were cleaved in twain. The enchantment upon the sword emitted a brilliant light, sparking with electricity at the point of severance, while the dismembered troll emitted a sharp, shrill cry.

Panni Sian stood in astonishment, witnessing the seamless execution of the paladin's strike. He could not fathom the rigorous training required to attain such proficiency in swordplay.

He had seen some of the highest-ranking Ser knights, none of whom possessed such a level of swordsmanship.

However, it is also reasonable to think that only elite paladins are qualified to wield such enchanted holy swords.

The paladins under the aegis of the deities of the benevolent camp possess great charisma, able to invoke divine power to deliver righteous blows against evil. Yet, even after completing this series of challenging maneuvers, Seraphina still charged forward with a resounding cry towards the next troll, evidently finding it quite effortless to unleash a smite against evil.

Though the assistance of just one person, the morale boost it provided to the berserk warriors cannot be overlooked. Their weary bodies, invigorated by spirit, continued to fell multiple trolls, unexpectedly turning the tide and facing off against a large group of trolls.

With a leap and a strike, another troll howled and fell. Trolls are not lacking in intelligence; they shouted in their giant language, redirecting their primary attacks towards the female warrior.

As for the trolls severed in two on the ground, their remaining bodies still writhed, sprouting flesh buds at the site of the cleave, seemingly poised for resurrection at any moment.

These fearsome creatures are almost impervious to fatal injury; no matter how severe the wounds, even if their heads are crushed, they can still grow anew from their necks.

Only strong acid and intense flames can inflict fatal harm upon them.

"They will revive!" a berserk warrior loudly warned, waving his torch. "Use this!"

Ducking a troll's claw swipe, Seraphina took the torch and thrust it at the injured troll struggling on the ground. The flickering flames seared the wound, emitting a sizzling sound, but evidently, it was not as effective as anticipated. With a roar, the troll swatted the torch to the ground with a single swipe.

"Disengage! Quickly, retreat back into the outpost!" A berserker swung his torch at several trolls, shouting loudly as he and the remaining comrades formed a defensive circle, fighting and retreating towards the other side of the forest.

Seraphina furrowed her brow. Though she had received rigorous training as a paladin since childhood, she was not stubborn, knowing that now was not the time for a head-on clash. She took small steps backward, intending to fall back into the defensive circle. However, several trolls had already locked onto her, their massive claws continuously harassing her retreat route. After a few seconds, she found herself unexpectedly besieged.

"Attack!" With a loud cry, she raised her sword overhead, once again invoking divine power to unleash a smite against evil. The radiant sword light sent two bloodied trolls flying several feet away. Taking advantage of the opening, she leaped forward. However, the trolls behind relentlessly pursued her. Feeling agitated, she suddenly heard a deep chant from the side. With a slip under her feet, she was tripped by a greasy substance.

"Quick, get up!" She heard a voice, somewhat youthful, coming from above. As she lifted her head, she saw a somewhat familiar young man riding on a horse, holding a glowing magic scroll. "Stand behind me!"

"Thank you for the assistance!" She quickly grabbed onto a tree branch and stood up from the greasy mess, positioning herself behind Panni's horse.

Several trolls behind her were tripped by the oily substance. Due to their massive bodies, they fell heavily and struggled in confusion. Panni once again began chanting a spell, releasing a web of amazing thick translucent silk that covered a large area ahead. The struggling trolls were all ensnared and temporarily immobilized.

Flame of burning hands! A flash of fire ignited the strands of spider silk and the oil on the ground together with the surrounding trees in the forest. The effect was akin to tipping over a kerosene lamp. Several low-level spells combined to produce a terrifying effect. Flames erupted like pillars, gradually reducing the group of trolls to ashes, their oily skin proving to be highly flammable material.

Panni slew a large number of trolls, and the remaining few, realizing they were no longer in the majority, howled and fled. Panni and Seraphina exchanged glances, clearly still puzzled about each other's presence. However, upon seeing the wounded berserkers approaching, they tacitly refrained from questioning.

The berserkers expressed their gratitude, "Thank you both for your assistance."

"You're welcome. It's what the apostles of Tyr should do," Seraphina replied, removing her helmet. The berserkers, evidently unaware that the one who aided them was a woman, were momentarily surprised and forgot to speak. Seraphina glanced at their wounds and furrowed her brow, "Your injuries are severe. Would you like me to perform some healing prayers for you?"

"Oh, no need, respected Lady Paladin. You've already exerted yourself greatly," the lead berserker said. "Trolls could appear here at any time. Let's return to the outpost quickly."

"Are you warriors from the Madier Outpost?" Panni, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up.

"Yes, I am Guard Captain Sbinel," the berserker replied.

"So, from what you said just now, does it mean that your outpost has been frequently attacked by trolls recently?" Panni pondered for a moment before asking again.

"Yes, that's correct. Recently, the outpost... has encountered serious issues," Sbinel thought for a moment, deciding to speak frankly. "A large group of trolls appeared from somewhere, attacking the outpost day and night. Many of our comrades have died within the outpost."

"Wait a moment, are you saying that this place hasn't been invaded by the rebel army?" Panni furrowed his brow.

"This is the southeast, far from the rebel army," Sbinel replied, evidently puzzled by Panni's words.

The witch indeed seems suspicious...

Panni, not lacking in intelligence, quickly deduced that the witch had deliberately lured him here. This place was evidently not the focal point of conflict between the rebel army and the witch, but Panni felt that he had grasped a clue. At the very least, the witch held investigative value. If there were no ulterior motives, why resort to such tricks? Following this lead would surely yield results. His mood became somewhat eager.

"We've sent several batches of messengers to Musan Tir, but there's been no word from the reinforcements. Miss Paladin, are you here to assist us?" Sbinel suddenly inquired of the female paladin, catching Panni's attention.

"I will certainly adhere to the teachings of Tyr, to uphold justice, although..." Seraphina's cheeks flushed. "I am only one person."

The berserkers exchanged glances, their faces showing a hint of disappointment. A paladin and a mage, while they might have some combat prowess, what significant impact could they make? Nevertheless, Panni and Seraphina had saved their lives, so they politely invited the two to rest at the outpost.

"Is it really okay for you to sneak out like this? Going against the code of conduct doesn't seem to be the creed of a paladin," Panni asked the female paladin along the way.

"When justice conflicts with the law, justice should prevail over the law. I couldn't persuade Captain Lord, so I had no choice but to pursue justice alone," Seraphina said solemnly, confirming Panni's suspicions.

Oh well, it's none of my concern... Panni shrugged, thinking so. However, Seraphina smiled and remarked, "Didn't you make the same choice as me? It seems the path of righteousness is never lonely."

Panni was momentarily dumbfounded, feeling unable to keep up with the paladin's breadth of thought. "I am here to investigate the Unwilling."

"That is indeed the cause of justice," Seraphina affirmed confidently.

Perhaps not... Panni thought to himself.

The reasons behind the actions of a Red Robe mage could be driven by survival, hatred, or self-interest, but the concept of justice rarely found its place in the vocabulary of a Red Robe...

"Don't worry, you won't be alone," Seraphina reassured, patting Panni's shoulder. "As long as it's the path of justice, I will walk it with you."

What a fool, but also a useful ally, Panni thought, recalling the astonishing combat prowess of the female paladin. With a somewhat calculated intention, he decided to inquire further for information. "By the way, how much do you know about the Unwilling?"

After pondering for a moment, Seraphina furrowed her brow and said, "They are followers of demons, and as favored children of Tyr, we cannot allow the forces of evil from the Abyss to ravage Phaelon. Hence, the Bishop sent us to investigate the source."

"Besides that, do you have any other specific information? For example, why did you come to investigate Laiseman?"

"Because the operational area of ​​this church is only in the northeastern extremity," came the response, not from Seraphina. Panni and the female paladin turned their heads to the source of the voice and saw Anel, the half-elf, who had somehow appeared not far behind the group, as if he had suddenly emerged. Panni was surprised. "How did you follow us?"

"Two of you, this is your friend," the leading berserker turned back, noticing the sudden addition to the group, and was equally astonished.

"Yes," Panni nodded, and the berserkers suddenly realized, continuing their march. Panni intended to chat with Anel, so he slowed his pace and discreetly distanced himself from the berserkers ahead, with Seraphina joining him.

"You both left before dawn, and I had to chase after you for quite a while," the half-elf yawned. "I took your money, after all, so I have to have some professional ethics. Until the job is done, I can't just leave my employer, especially when investigating the Unwilling Church is also part of my job."

"Job?" Panni furrowed his brow. "Why are you interested in this?"

"Because I'm an information broker, so I need information, that's all," Anel shrugged. "Don't think too highly of me."

That's a reasonable explanation, Panni nodded, not believing this artist could have any noble sentiments.

However, it seemed that the three of them, driven by different motives, surprisingly shared the same goal, so cooperation was only natural.

"It seems Mr. Camacho was right," Seraphina interjected with a furrowed brow. "Mr. Stefani, you truly are a complete scoundrel of an information broker."

"He's slandering me, slandering!" Anel ran his hand through his hair, exclaiming in annoyance. "He's jealous of my handsomeness, charm, erudition, and talent."

"So, what talent does Mr. Stefani possess?" Seraphina asked curiously.

"Of course, it's art," Anel smiled, a smile tinged with a hint of malevolence. "Lady Grofia, would you be interested in discussing art with me?"

"Pardon me," Panni coughed. "Let's hold on for a moment. Tell me more about the Unwilling Church."

"Damn brat, can't you just cooperate?" Anel glared at Panni, annoyed.

"Sorry, I'm not obliged to cooperate with you," Panni replied casually.

"Well, actually, I don't know much about the Unwilling Church either," Anel admitted. "But I do know that many incidents in Laiserman over the past two years have been linked to them. If I'm not mistaken, their focus seems to be shifting towards the south, towards Sael."

"Could this demonic cult be related to the nefarious Red Robes?" Seraphina asked curiously.

"Perhaps, just perhaps," Anel glanced meaningfully at the silent Panni, shaking his head. "But from what I gather, aside from causing turmoil in Laiserman's politics, this organization also conducts secret blood sacrifices in hidden places. Research into the Abyss suggests that such actions are usually undertaken by demons in a weakened state, desperate to regain power."

"So you're saying this demon might be in a relatively weakened state?" Panni inquired.

If a relatively weakened state allowed for the summoning of powerful Abyssal creatures through a mere projection, one could only imagine the terror of its full strength.

"Just the thought of it is terrifying," Panni muttered.

"In any case, we need to figure out what this guy is up to," Anel sighed.

"That witch is definitely suspicious," Panni shared his doubts about the witch. Anel fell into thought, while Seraphina exclaimed, "She deceived us!"

"So, this situation is even trickier than imagined," Anel sighed after some contemplation.

Panni fell silent. The woods along the roadside gradually thinned out, and not far ahead, a dilapidated outpost came into view.

"We've arrived, everyone," the leading berserker halted their steps.