Chapter 96: Troll Mountain

LEO'S POV

A constant, cold breeze blew past the camp as we all packed up and got ready to set off. The night was peaceful after the eventful snowstorm. It lets us rest and make plans.

We found a path through the rough terrain. The search party that went came back with a detailed route to help us climb. Both of them would be leading us through the path they found, till we reach a point they are unsure of.

All the tents were uprooted and the campfire was demolished. We packed up and put everything in our rucksacks, only leaving the temporary furniture we had to make.

"All clear?" I asked the men who were taking formation in front of me.

"Yes sir!" All of them shouted in harmony.

"Alright, Mateu, Odell, lead the way,"

Mateu, a young prodigy who joined group Alpha through my suggestion. He was one of the youngest and most promising members of the Faunus army. Straight brown hair that grew past his neck, he's only twenty and he's made quite a career.

Odell is much older, at thirty-five. He's a veteran that has served in many missions and the war. Truth be told, everyone has been in the last war. Though it was one-sided, everyone has been to it, fought in it and grown a few scars along the way.

He was much more experienced in trekking but with age, he was getting much weaker at climbing and walking long distances. His hair had been turning grey from all the stress!

But, these two are the best bets for us. They were the ones who climbed the mountain and found us a path. They stepped forward and took the lead, walking past me and standing, waiting for my orders.

"Onwards," I ordered. "Let's get this over with and head home in a week,"

The two began to march onward. The rest of the band took formation, going into two lines side by side. They all followed behind me while Mateo and Odell marched on in front of me.

On today's agenda, we have two tasks. Find a cavern and analyze it. If we find anything of value, we've hit our jackpot. If not, repeat task one till task two can be completed.

It was tiresome to look for a cave to begin with, especially in such harsh conditions. But the chances are high. Though the two had climbed quite high, they couldn't find any cave. There is a chance they missed it, however. I can only hope that's the case.

Even with such heavy fur clothing, everyone felt a shiver in their spine. The mountains are still freezing cold, especially in the morning.

I wore much heavier clothing and yet, I felt as cold as the rest of the team. If we spend too long in this environment, we might be facing severe consequences.

My hands and nose were frozen by now. I couldn't feel my nose anymore. I tried to touch it with my hands but it only made me feel colder.

I cannot imagine how much colder it gets in winter…

The two began to walk up a slope. We finally began making progress on climbing. Though they did mention this slope becomes steeper the higher we go up, till we reach a point where we have to climb up rocks and steep angles.

It didn't take long till many of the soldiers began to fall victim to the cold. Watery nose, frostbites, hypothermia. Though the last two are an exaggeration, it isn't out of the question. We all were near our limits.

After all the training, we still aren't used to the cold weather. It takes years to grow even a noticeable immunity to it. We only had two months, it was the best we could do.

Out of the blue, a loud shriek echoed around the area. Everyone stopped in their spots. Mateu and Odell looked at each other before looking around, bewildered and clueless.

"What was that?" I asked the two. "You said this pathway was clear,"

"It was when we checked," Mateu spoke out.

"I saw and heard no noise like this before," Odell provided evidence in a hoarse voice. "We made sure there were no creatures around here,"

"Let's continue," I commanded. "Even if it's just a pack of wolves, we can take it on,"

We all began to move again. We could take anything, as far as I hoped. The ranks were filled with talented mages and fighters who proved themselves countless times in training and real battles.

A worry grew in my chest with every step that sank into the deep snow. I couldn't tell what it was but it didn't sound happy.

Another loud and long roar came echoing around the mountains. It deafened out all the other sounds, causing everyone to become concerned.

"Make your weapons ready," I said as I unsheathe my sword. "There's definitely something here,"

Everyone unsheathes their weapon in sync, getting ready to strike if anything suddenly jumps out. We looked around to make sure one last time before moving forward once again.

Everyone darted around the area, looking for any suspicious movement. None of us noticed anything, nothing at all. At least to our naked eyes.

Everything around us was bleak and cold, pretty obvious. Our legs sank into the snow as we tried to traverse the path. It was becoming harder and harder to keep walking in such conditions.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake. Everyone stopped and looked around, trying to figure out what was happening.

"What's happening?" I muttered while looking to my right. "What's making the ground shake?"

"General, there must be a creature around," Mateu said as he took out his bow and arrow.

He loaded an arrow and looked in the same direction as me. We waited for anything to step out. A low rumbling noise came closer and closer as the ground beneath us shook faster.

I held my breath and gripped my sword. It must be big if it makes the ground shake.

Due to the snow, it was difficult to look too far. Most of our visibility was blocked out by a heavy fog that set in. We could only see a few meters away.

"Get ready…" Mateus whispered as he pulled back on his longbow.

Everyone took their stance and stared to the right, waiting for it to pop out.

All of a sudden, a deafening roar came from right in front of us. A large, unknown figure stood before us on top of higher ground. It was blurred out by the fog and the snow, mixing in with the surrounding, appearing as a shadow in the blizzard.

It looked humanoid, with long arms and legs but its body was covered in thick fur, as far as I could tell. The creature was not human, it was something else.

Slowly, it stepped down from the edge and began talking towards us. The closer it got, the larger it seemed. As it came closer, I could make out what it was.

A distorted face with two giant fangs hanging from each side. Mistaken as tusks from time to time. It reeked of a nauseating stench. As far as I'm concerned, whatever this creature is, he was not in a good mood.

It stopped feets away from us as we stared at it down. The fog began to clear up, letting us see clearly. When all of it was cleared up, we realised what we were up against.

A mountain troll. A rare specimen of a creature. Some call it a myth, seeing as how elusive and rare they are. But they do indeed exist, possessing mighty strength, far above an average human.

Such is a creature standing before us, looking with hungry eyes.

It fell on all fours and barked as if it was a dog. It charged up its run before dashing towards me.

He dashed towards me, aiming to run me off the edge. I managed to dodge its unhinged dash but it was not so easy.

"Sheathe your weapons!" I exclaimed while trying to think of a plan.

Since it's in the snow, it must be weak to heat. It would be easier if we fought with magic.

"Cast fire! C'mon!"

The soldiers hurriedly began casting fire at the troll. It began to scream in agony as his fur caught on fire, slowly burning and causing a slow death.

It began to become more unhinged as we cast all the fire we could. We circled it and continued to blast it away with fire, hoping it would give in soon enough.

Soon enough, it began to roll on the ground. Perfect timing as most of us were running out of mana.

We stopped smiting it with fire and watched it as it rolled on the ground, trying to extinguish the fire in the deep snow.

"Let it roll," I commanded. "It should be dead soon,"

Slowly, it began to calm down and give in. Its fur was burnt to coal as the fires extinguished. Only a burnt body remained buried in the thick snow as it stopped moving.

Though none of us was sure if it was dead. It was not moving, a tell-tale sign, but it may just be unconscious. None of us, including me, was brave enough to check.

"Is it dead?" Odell voiced his thoughts.

"Let me check," I said, plucking my courage, and acting as the leader.

Slowly I trotted towards the troll. I held my breath and hoped it would not move as I made my way. With every step, my heart pounded faster and faster.

As I was a few feet away, I pulled out my sword and continued. After I had reached a close distance, I pointed my sword towards it.

I gave it a few pokes with the tip. No movement. I dug in deeper, thinking it would react to being stabbed. Still no movement.

"It's dead," I sigh and smile.

The rest of the army sighs and looks around with joyous smiles. Even though we were freezing in such weather, we got over one obstacle with ease.

"Let's continue," I told Mateu and Odell as I walked back, sheathing my sword as well

They both nod in unison before turning around and continuing. I joined in between the pack of soldiers and the two and marched behind them.

A terrifying experience for sure. It was my first encounter with a troll. I've only heard myths and legends of old, talking about the dangers and power that trolls possess. Luckily, we outnumbered it and took care of it with ease.

The fog around us cleared and let the sun shine brightly down at us. There was still a cold breeze that blew ever so slightly, but it was negated by the heat of the sun's rays.

It was becoming much more bearable to stay here. But, I doubt how long this will last.

But, the sighing of a troll means something. Since most trolls are told to live in caves, there must be a cave somewhere nearby. Even if it's just a small one that leads nowhere. It means we can find shelter somewhere.

That's a good thing to look forward to. But, if there are more trolls it might not be as easy as it was taking care of one.

ALEXANDER'S POV

An awkward air filled the dining room we were sitting in. None of us spoke a word as we ate breakfast. It was getting quite nerve-wracking to be sat so close to Lady Iris along with Olivia.

Olivia sat beside me, and beside her at the head of the table was Lady Iris. Her cold, unamused face continued to bother me even into the new day.

On the other side, Olivia's father and sister sat. They had a much lighter tone to them, a gentle resting smile on their face as they ate.

For me, the entire experience should've been normal. I've eaten breakfast with a sovereign king for streaks of weeks. Yet, I was never prepared for such a moment.

"Ahem, Alexander," Lord Philip suddenly voiced. "You haven't touched your food in a while,"

I come out of my thought bubble and flinch. "O-oh, sorry," I sigh. "I was lost in my thoughts,"

"Is something wrong?" He raised his eyebrows. "You seem pale,"

"It's nothing," I smiled. "I just think too much,"

Feeling embarrassed, I began to eat up my meal instead of staring at it for a long period. My heart raced as I took the first few bites out of my poultry.

"By the way, Alexander," Lord Philip looked at me as he spoke. "I'd like to talk to you, personally,"

His sudden request startled me, nearly making me choke. "A-ah, what would you like to talk about?" I blurted out.

"Hmm, I'll tell you when we get some alone time," He nodded, giving me a reassuring smile.

"As you wish, my lord," I looked up from my plate and responded.

We both nodded before continuing to eat our breakfast. I thought hard as I ate, trying to figure out what he wanted to talk about. Did I do something wrong?

After a few minutes, he was done with his meal. He stood up from the table and walked over to his wife.

"I'll see you later, darling," He told her before giving her a warm kiss on her forehead.

"Where are you going?" She asked with a mellow voice, a first for me.

"I'll be at the back of the palace," He said as he walked behind me.

He gave me a light tap on the shoulder before leaving. Though no one saw it, I felt it.

Knowing what I had to do, I quickly ate up my food. I tried my best to act modest and keep some face but I was too flustered to wait any longer.

There must be something important he wanted to talk about.

"I'll excuse myself then!" I said as I stood up in a hurry.

"Where will you be going?" Olivia asked as I was about to leave.

"Umm, at the back of the palace…" I said, sounding unsure.

"I wonder what Father wants to talk about," Olivia thought aloud.

Before the conversation dragged on longer, I sped away from the dining hall, exiting through the large doorways and into the hallway.

I tried to calm myself down as I began to walk away from the dining. It was too scary to be near her mother. The aura around her is frightening. Something I've seen in all monarchs. They have a terrifying aura around them, something I can't explain.

Artorius had an aura that could be best described as 'killing'. It was intimidating to be around him, especially after the war. Even though I have a lot of faith in my ability, I doubt I can stand against him in his full form.

Alaric always seemed like the wise one. His aura spoke of stability and caution. He was always cautious. It was proven to me when Artorius talked about why Alaric hadn't gone beyond the ocean.

Lady Iris had a motherly aura most of the time, except when you get the stare she was giving me all morning. It changed drastically to a mother trying to protect her cub.

Before I knew it, I was lost in my thoughts, and in the palace. I walked around aimlessly before coming back to my senses and realising I'd lost myself in the labyrinth of a palace.

"Young master, are you lost?" A voice came from behind me. Oddly sounding familiar.

"Yes I a-" I turned around and said before being taken aback.

"I'll show you the way then!" Windson said with a bright smile.

"W-Windson!" I exclaimed loudly. "When did you get here!"

"I'm your personal assistant, right?" He said with a dumbfounded expression. "I must stay with you at all times, right?"

"Well, that's true," I scratched my head. "But I never officially talked to Father about it,"

"All the talks are done!" He said joyfully. "I talked with him and he's agreed,"

"I-is that even allowed!?"

"You gave your word, I just repeated your words to Master Arnold,"

"Honestly, whatever," I sigh and turn around. "Show me the way to the backyard,"

"As you say, young master,"

Windson took the lead and began to walk at a considerable pace. I was still questioning how he made it here, but I've been too desensitized to random occurrences such as this.

"Okay, let me just be straight," I told Windson. "How and when did you get here?"

"This morning, actually," Windson responded. "I showed them my contract with the Damian family and they let me in. I must say, working as your personal assistant has quite the benefits!"

"I guess you're right," I muttered. "Sounds like a pain to get here though,"

"Not at all!" He laughed. "I just took a horse at midnight and left,"

"A-at midnight!? When did you sleep?"

"I haven't,"

Before I could question him any further, I was distracted by the beauty that stood in front of me.

We had walked out of the palace itself and into the backyard before I could notice. I looked around and saw the beautiful garden that was in front of me.

It felt familiar in many ways. A pathway that led to a gazebo, a fountain in the middle of the walk, and a lot of flower bushes.

I couldn't describe the number of colourful flowers that grew in the forest. It covered the majority of the garden and looked stunning and relaxing.

At the gazebo, I saw Lord Philip sitting, looking at the back wall of the palace and avoiding eye contact for now.

We walked around the fountain and continued walking to him. I looked around the palace and tried to find a way to not be awkward anymore.

As I looked back towards the gazebo, our eyes met.

"Ah, Alexander. You made it," He smiled and stood up.

Windson stopped and stepped aside, bowing down and letting me pass through.

"Yes, I have, your highness,"

"No need to be so formal!" He exclaimed. "Also, I'm not sure what title I go by anyways,"

"Isn't your title king consort?" I raised a brow.

"It is, but I'm not sure what to be referred to as," He explained. "Lord? Highness? Majesty? Honestly, titles are tiring,"

"Hah, I can agree!" I said as I shook his hands. "I stopped calling Artorius his majesty as soon as we met,"

"Doesn't he go by young master anyways?"

"It was a gradual shift to his majesty," I explained, lounging back on the chair opposite to him. "At first he was called 'young master' for a while. After the war, he gained the respect of his kingdom and was referred to as his majesty for the first time,"

"Huh, that's quite interesting," Philip said as he stroked his chin. "Well, he's irrelevant to our topic. You, are the main subject,"

"Oh, right," I leaned forward and tangled my hands. "What did you wish to talk about?"

"It's about you and Olivia,"

I figured.