135 Battle Against The Night

Stick climbed the tallest tree and scouted the area for signs of movement. He spotted a large object moving through the branches. Meanwhile, Olhos and Gever sat on the tree's base waiting for Stick when suddenly, the ground began to quake. "We got company!" Stick yelled.

"Where?" Olhos asked, but he quickly got the answer when a red golbin emerge from the shrubbery, followed by the warriors of the Zackons tribe.

"Is this one of the outsiders?" The pawn asked.

"No he monster!" The Zackons yelled.

Gever stood up and put her arms in front of Olhos, "He no monster!" She yelled back at them.

"Kill them!" The pawn commanded, but none of the Zackons moved. He turned to them, "Why are you not going after him?"

"What if monster eat us?"

"Fine, I'll do it myself." The pawn took out a pair of leather gloves and wore them, "I don't know what makes you a monster, but it matters not because I will still kill you."

Watching the commotion unfold below, Stick unsheathed his sickles and leaped to the air. "Not if I get you first!" His sickle began to glow bright blue and threw it towards the pawn. The sickle's tip swung downward and nearly penetrated the pawn's skull, but he was quick and smacked it away. But not without breaking his wrist in the process. The pawn retracted his right hand and pressed down its wrist.

Stick landed in front of the hunting party, and his sickle returned to him. The rope attached to the sickle was not tangible because it was made of Stick's mana. The blue string glowed dimly under the forest's shadow and they slowly formed a circle above Stick. "His arm circling," Gever said in astonishment. Stick made a lasso with his mana and tried to catch the pawn with it.

Stick threw his lasso at the pawn then pulled once he was inside the lasso's control, but the red pawn ducked and dodged the attack. Then the pawn launched himself towards Stick, using his mana as a spring. He tackled Stick to the floor and in response, Stick raised his legs and kicked the pawn over his body and to a tree. Stick jumped back on his feet, then suddenly the ground shook again. And the quaking did not stop. "Olhos, Gever, run now!" Stick yelled.

Then massive hands emerged through the branches, tore the forest apart like a curtain, and the pet troll stepped forward, nearly crushing the Zackons in his path. The goblins fleed for their lives as the troll flailed about, swinging the metal chains on its neck. "Prararara! That troll is my greatest pet." The pawn boasted. "Lil Bee, Astor is right here! Everything is going to be okay." The troll calmed down after hearing its master speak, "Good boy, now kill them!" Astor pointed at Olhos and Gever.

The troll roared before running towards its prey. Stick reached for the giant's chainmail, but Astor tackled him again. Stick did not fall to the ground and instead grabbed the pawn and body-slammed him to the floor. He tried to go after the troll again, but Astor did not give up and jumped on Stick's back, holding him from chasing his pet.

Meanwhile, the troll chased after the two. The dense grove made it hard for the juvenile troll to move through the forest, constantly tearing the trees off its path. Its heavy step shook the earth, and the thunderous sound echoed across the forest. The ground shook so much that Gever tripped and fell to the floor. Olhos stumbled back to help her, but the earth continued to ripple from the troll's feet. A dead tree fell between them just as the troll finally reached the two goblins.

The troll grabbed Gever and raised her to the sky like a little doll. "Let go of her!" Olhos yelled, but the troll did not even notice his presence. Olhos ran up to the troll and punched its legs.

"Olhos!" Gever yelled, "It hurt!"

"Don't worry, I'll get you out!"

The troll looked at Olhos with disdain. It kicked the little goblin on the chest, and Olhos landed on a large bush. The troll gave out a roar. Gever tried to punch her way out of the monster's fist. The troll stopped roaring and brought Gever closer to its face, and stared at the little green goblin, trying desperately to be free. It could not help but laugh at her.

Its laugh was louder than its roar, and it popped Gever's eardrums. Blood trailed down her ears, and its smell caught the Olhos' attention. He got up and saw the troll laughing hysterically while Gever covered her ears. The smell of blood and the sight of Gever's suffering triggered the inner beast inside him. "I can't! I mustn't" Olhos clenched his chest, trying to suppress his animalistic instinct.

"Olhos!" Gever extended her hand to him, "Help me!" And then she fainted from the dizziness.

Olhos slammed the earth, then howled to the clouds. His howling surprised the troll, and when it looked at Olhos, the goblin began to distort in a horrifying matter. Olhos' bones expanded, crushed, and reformed. His cloth tore open as his body grew. His skin stretched, and silver fur exploded out from his back. The curse was releasing the inner beast within him.

"Let her go now!" Olhos charged at the troll and tackled its leg, bringing the troll down on its knee. Then Olhos grabbed the troll's fist and bit on its wrist, making the troll release Gever from its hand. The troll grabbed Olhos' shoulders and tried to push him down, but the giant was no longer alone.

Olhos grabbed the troll's arms and wrestled for control, but Olhos' was far superior to the juvenile and overpowered them to the ground. Olhos jumped its chest and mauled his neck and face. He bit the iron helmed and tore it off the metal bit by bit. The troll tried to fight back, punching and grabbing Olhos, but he would just slash and bite them off and continue the carnage. Blood splattered in the air and fell to the earth like flower petals.

And then, the troll's skin was exposed to the sun, and its entire body turned to stone. Olhos sat on the cold statue, the troll's blood covering his body turned to dust. "Olhos?" Gever sneaked behind him, startling him. "Everything ok now?" She said loudly for she could not hear herself. She touched Olhos' snout and petted his head. He reached to touch her soft face but when he saw his giant hand, he retracted.

"Get away from me," Olhos whispered.

"What?"

Olhos pushed her away and ran in the opposite direction and into the thicket. But a blue lasso caught him by the neck before he could disappear. Stick walked towards Gever while Olhos was trapped in his lasso. Stick looked at the troll's immortalized body and laughed. "Now that's a monster! And Olhos is the hero."