105

103 - Small and Large Troubles

High, natural columns of rock appeared more often days later throughout the dense forest the party travelled through. Conchim and Yingshien landed at the camp after they explored the route ahead, just in time for the meal. 'The trees are gradually replaced by these rock formations.' said Conchim. 'No other major changes to the landscape as far as I can tell.'

Ulric looked up at the straight face of the column at they had stopped to set up camp at the base. The sediment layers looked like a petrified cake with a hundred different layers to him, but he suspected hunger had something to do with that illusion. 'All like the ones we've passed so far?'

Conchim took a full plate from Kaui. 'Yes. more or less at the same heights of the trees, and about ten paces wide.'

Yingshien curled her tail for comfortable support as she sat down. 'It's like the trees are replaced by rock one by one, making it a stone forest farther away.'

Ulric looked at Valdys, who shook her head. 'I have nothing specific in the library. Some pages and drawings about how they might have formed in other areas, but no mention of this area and the amount we see here.'

Elzbieta frowned at a disturbing thought. 'If no one has ever talked about this place, even though it's not an impossible distance from civilisation, there might be a reason for that, and not an altogether nice one at that.'

'People who don't return can't tell what they've seen.' said Iphigenia. 'It's best we expect the worst.'

Tipper turned to Valdys. 'Anything about lands where people disappear?'

Valdys chuckled. 'Too much. There are many places people disappear, although I suspect most is exaggerated and the causes are accidents, or attacks by animals, monsters, demons, or simply people running away.'

'When I was little, there were a couple of tales about monsters taking people away.' said Caylais. 'They were used to keep kids in line, but some old folks claimed there was truth behind it.'

Ulric cut off a good chunk of the roasted deer for himself and Susi. 'We have those tales in my old world as well, monsters under the bed and in the closet keeping kids awake. Although those stories turned more and more into entertainment as kids believed less in them. Some of those monsters have become very popular with them and made into toys.'

Tipper listened in disbelief. 'Are your kids not raised to be aware of the dangers from monsters and demons?'

'We don't have those like there are here. The monsters and demons we do have are of our own making, and luckily don't come in hordes.' He sniggered. 'I'd bet even if we had them, they would have been swallowed up by the entertainment industry already and we'd have loads of fans for any of them.' He looked at Ying. 'Dragons are a fantasy there, but are one of the most beloved creatures. Ying would have so many people of all kinds praising her beauty and vying for her hand.'

She blushed and cleared her throat. 'That world is insane. Dragons don't mix with others.'

Ulric sat back and stroked Susi's head. 'True, it's insane, but there are people who are attracted to what's on the inside, and not just to looks.'

Valdys scritched him under his chin. 'A good thing so do we, my love.'

He tapped one paw on the ground and grinned. 'Yeah, but I look great both on the inside and outside.'

The others laughed while Valdys took him in a headlock and quickly ruffled his hair.

***

The demon party looked out over the vast open water in front of them. 'I can't see the other side.' said Muni as he peered at the horizon. The edge of the forest curved erratically forward on both sides, but also disappeared soon enough behind the horizon, and the only other green around were patches of grass and flowers on occasional small sand heaps sticking out barely above the surface. 'Are you sure we'll find an artefact somewhere here?'

Tarrence shielded his eyes as he looked over the emptiness and squinted against the wind. 'This is the way. It was once a rich source of fish and the like, until heavy earthquakes lifted the lake bottom and turned the whole place into a giant permanent deep puddle.'

Elyta looked over the visible patches of light coloured stone among the sand under the clear water, and waded into it, testing the ground. 'Solid. We can ride the nasr without their feet sinking into a muddy bottom if its like this all over.'

'Good.' said Coëllo. 'I don't mind wet feet, but not for days while walking through water.'

Gigacks checked the direction by measuring the position of the sun and a mana powered compass, and pointed towards the distance. 'That way.'

They mounted their nasr and rode them into the water, chasing away nearby small fish. Elyta looked sideways at Tarrence while they rode at the rear. 'You are frustrated that we lost the artefact.'

For only a brief moment, one corner of his mouth lifted slightly while his eyes stayed fixed on the horizon. 'As long as we keep any artefacts out of their hands, it's not a total loss.'

'They still expect us to retrieve all the ones on the list, at the very least.'

He nodded once. 'There will be opportunities to retrieve what they have. They have their weaknesses and time is on our side.'

Elyta wanted to ask what was on his mind, but knew he wouldn't say more than what was absolutely necessary. She gazed at the shimmering horizon, trusting her own patience would take her to her own goal.

***

The landscape around the girls and Ulric had become mostly rock columns a day later, and only the occasional tree grew between them along with plenty of shrubbery on top and around the columns. Elzbieta looked up at the shadows in the sky. 'I have some doubt we can find anything in this landscape, even with Conchi and Ying searching from above.'

Valdys checked the artefact in her lap for a sign. 'According to the map, we should find it in some ruin. As long as it's large enough it should be visible to them.'

'If it's large, yes. I hope it is indeed.'

Ulric's nose twitched, and he stopped. 'Hang on, everyone. I don't like what I smell.' he said, and looked up at Conchim.

'Conchi, I suspect there's something foul up ahead. Be careful, you two.'

She banked towards Yingshien, and they both landed on top of a rock column.

'We don't see anything yet, but we'll go slowly and low forward, hubby.'

'All right. We'll ride with more caution as well.'

Ulric said, and dismounted Harry. 'I'll scout ahead in silence and try to find the direction this weird smell is coming from. Don't take any chance and stop if you spot anything suspicious.'

'Hold on, Wolfie.' said Iphigenia. 'You're not going alone. Elz and I will follow you in case there's serious trouble.'

Elzbieta took her sword from her capri. 'You can't see much on your own here, darling, so we'll flank you.'

They kept him proud and glad to have them at his side. 'Thank you, my dearies.' he said and turned to Valdys. 'Keep enough distance, but not so far that we can't reach you in time if something attacks you girls.'

She gave him a reassuring smile and looked at the others beside her. 'We'll make them regret either way, my sweet wolf.'

Ulric kept regular eye contact with Iphigenia and Elzbieta while they moved silently forward, keeping one rock column distance between them. He stopped for a moment to sniff the air.

'Conchi, can you check more to the left of the sun? The scent seems to come from that direction.'

Conchim gestured the new heading to Yingshien.

'All right, hubby.'

They went on for a while until Elzbieta spotted footsteps to the side.

'Footsteps. We are not alone.'

Iphigenia and Ulric joined her and examined the tracks of broad feet with longer toes. 'Trolls.' said Elzbieta. 'Three sets.'

Iphigenia nodded. 'They likely were here early in the day.' She looked at Elzbieta. 'Do you think they're covering more terrain here?'

The elf pondered for a moment. 'I believe so. There's less to hunt here, so they need to travel farther than in forested areas to find prey.'

'Conchi?'

said Iphigenia.

'We're dealing with trolls here. They are rather good at hiding, you'll need to look closer but be careful.'

Conchim hadn't dealt with trolls before but had heard a thing or two about them from nasty stories of encounters by others of her kind.

'I'll tell Ying to explore from rock to rock so we don't accidentally fly straight over their heads.'

She called out again later after Yingshien signalled she had spotted something.

'Hubby, Ying found a possible hideout underneath a slanted column. It's stuck between two others and there are the remains of a campfire and some junk and trash lying around.'

Ulric glanced at Iphigenia and Elzbieta.

'Great work, we're coming to you.'

The three observed the shelter formed by the slanted column, with broken off rock between it and one of the columns it was halfway wedged against on one side, and hides strung between the other. Ulric probed the air. 'The stench seems fresh, so it likely this place has been used recently.'

Elzbieta checked footprints nearby. 'They've been coming and going here. Judging from the amount of trash, it's pretty much a permanent place. I think they will return by nightfall.'

'They might tell us more about what's around here.'

said Valdys, who listened in on the conversation.

'Maybe even know about the artefact or lead us to it.'

Ulric looked at a pile of junk collected from unlucky travellers and pieces of animal hides. 'Let's set up a trap.'

***

Tarrence and Muni recognised the objects in the distance first with their keen eyesight. 'Ships.' said Muni.

Tarrence hummed in agreement. 'The withered fleet that once crossed the lake.'

Elyta squinted but barely made out the shapes. 'Is that the place we're looking for?'

'It's a possible place. The original towns are long gone, and if the artefact was in one of them it would most likely have been taken elsewhere. A merchant or traveller might have had it on their boat when the bottom of the lake rose.'

The state of the ships became clear as the party came closer to the forgotten graveyard. Resting on their sides, the wood dried grey from the sun apart from the part submerged into the shallow water, the remaining shreds of sails hanging from the masts fluttered in the wind blowing freely in the vast open space. Gigacks halted his nasr when they were still at a little distance from the wrecks. 'Stop.'

The others stopped and knew from his implied serious expression, something might be amiss. They observed the ships as he did, and listened for any suspicious sound hidden between the whistles of the wind, the creaking wood, and the faint sloshing of water around the old hulls. The rippling reflection of light camouflaged the silvery shine of the small fishes flitting through the water, but Muni though he saw something else on and around the ships. Faint shapes like light puffs of smoke appearing for a moment, then fading away. 'Anyone else see something fading in and out of view?'

Tarrence looked at Gigacks. 'Spirits.' said the lich.

Coëllo twitched her nose. 'So, we can't hit them, yes?'

Muni leaned forward as he tried to follow a blurry spot drifting along one hull. 'Doesn't matter as long as they can't bother us.' he said, and looked back at Gigacks. 'They can't, right?'

'They shouldn't.' he said.

Tarrence spurred his nasr on. 'Keep your guard up regardless.'

There was no more sight of any spirit as they closed in on the ships, and they rode on to the open area in the middle of the ship wrecks, and every sound seemed louder than it should be. Tarrence looked once more over the ships, then dismounted. 'Each of us search a ship.'

They left the nasr in the middle, and waded towards the ships when they suddenly shuddered with loud creaking. The water splashed as the ships rose upright and began sailing in circles around the party. 'What's going on!?' said Muni as he stepped backwards.

Streaks of faded white flew around the hulls and the masts. Gigacks gripped a mana stone. 'I sense anger, lust for revenge.'

The ships spun faster around them, swinging more violently from side to side while the raging water underneath them grew in volume. The nasr stomped their feet in restlessness while everyone drew back towards them. Elyta glanced at Tarrence. 'Escape or fight, if that's even possible?'

Tarrence glanced at Gigacks, who uttered a spell, then released a barrage of fire towards the nearest ship. Bursts of fire battered the side of it, but the hopes of it burning down were dashed when it tilted all the way to the side, and doused the flames in the wild water.

One of the ships banked and turned swiftly, and moved fast towards Coëllo. 'Look out!' she shouted while she ran to the side.

The others and the nasr spread out barely before the hull sped through their middle. Every ship banked and aimed their bows towards one of the party members, ignoring the nasr as they tried to escape. Muni dodged one ship directly after avoiding another. 'What's up with these things!? Do they hate land dwellers or something!?'

Elyta jumped to the side before the ship chasing her hit her, ran alongside it, and grabbed a damaged part of the rigging dangling over the side. She climbed quickly to the deck and rolled across it when a spirit flew at her face and startled her. She touched her face but sensed nothing wrong apart for the brief chill when the spirit touched her. The ship rolled hard side to side as she crawled to the railing and took a firm hold on it. She was relieved to see the others on board of another ship or climbing up the side, and wondered how to escape the current predicament.

***

Ulric was glad he didn't have to hide in the smelly heap for long until the trolls returned. The three naked creatures around one and a half the size of a man, with grey-green unwashed skin, pointy ears and noses, and faces not even their mothers would love, dragged a net with hares, snakes, and a medium sized canine behind them and carried rough clubs. When the first one stepped aside, Ulric noticed the last one was a female. "I couldn't have told if it wasn't for those tits of hers being bigger than the men and the obvious other bits." he thought, wishing he could erase these images from his mind.

The female sat down on her knees with her back to him, and bent forward to stoke up the fire. He shut his eyes tight because that view was definitely not on his wish list. Iphigenia giggled silently when she sensed the memories he recalled to thoroughly wipe his short term memory.

'This isn't the time to think about those things, Wolfie.'

He groaned inwards.

'Trust me, I desperately need it, cutie.'

'You can open your eyes again, my poor Wolfie, she's done.'

He opened one eye cautiously, and was glad the female sat at the fire and skinned the catch with the other two. It was the fatter of the two males who noticed the movement at the edge of the rock column across from them. He grunted at the black tuft of hair moving up and down. 'What's that?'

The other two looked up, but the tuft was gone when he pointed at where it had been. The other male grunted mockingly. 'Your eyes gone bad?'

The first one rubbed his eyes. 'Something was there.'

'Just skin the food.' the female said. 'I'm hungry.'

The first one let out a cracked laugh. 'Don't want you hungry, no. Otherwise you might bite off our bits when we fuck you later.'

Ulric cringed at the unsolicited image his mind produced.

The fat one pointed at the tuft when it appeared again. 'There it is!'

It vanished when the other two looked, and they sniggered. The female pat his shoulder. 'Maybe you need sleep instead of fuck later.'

He stood up at once and grabbed his club. 'I will catch it.' he said, and strode resolutely away. He rounded the column and stopped when he spotted the bloodwolf sitting a little way off with its back to him. He grinned, and lifted his club as he stalked towards it. The sight in the corner of his eye of the elf woman swinging her broadsword came too late.

The cry from their comrade startled the other two trolls, and the male's fighting instinct kicked in. 'Raras!?'

Ulric hadn't anticipated for the troll pulling the large, rusty axe from the heap, thereby pulling the torn hides that were his cover away with it. The troll stared at him. 'What the?' he grunted when Ulric jumped at him before the troll could raise his axe at him.

The female didn't hesitate in stabbing her knife at him, but it folded against his quickly transformed scales. The force of her strike still knocked him to the side, and the punch he directed at the male's face only grazed his cheek. He rolled over once and onto his paws in time to see the trolls lunging at him, and jumped up over their heads. The male turned around quickly and reached him first, but Ulric spun around and punched him in his gut with his momentum.

The troll sagged onto the ground, and Ulric stepped back when the female came at him. She hesitated when he gave her a big smirk, then fell down when the hit from Elzbieta on the back of her head knocked her out.

104 - No Time for Trolls

Raras was the first of the trolls to wake up, and discover he and his companions Sitas and Guras lay on their fat guts on the ground, their feet tied together with their wrists behind their backs like no troll had ever voluntarily placed them. He groaned hard and struggled to pull loose, but all it accomplished was him swaying in every direction on his own wobbly fat pillow. When he finally ceased, he glared at his captors sitting in front of him. 'Release me!' he spat out at the young woman and the undead one. 'I'll make you pay for this!'

Iphigenia stroked Ulric's head, who sat between her and Valdys. 'Tough talk for someone who's close to becoming food for my pet.' she said.

Ulric's stomach turned at the idea.

'Gross.'

She giggled inwards.

'You know I'd never have you eat such disgusting things, Wolfie. I'll let you happily eat me first if we faced starvation.'

Her smile in amusement had the added benefit of making Raras nervous when he thought it was malicious while she kept her eyes on him. She leaned a little closer. 'What are you three doing here?'

The other two trolls groaned as they woke up, and Raras regained a little confidence with the idea he was no longer the only conscious one. 'None of your business.' he grunted.

Sitas raged when she discovered her position, with the same effect as Raras, while Guras struggled only once, then grumbled as he scowled at the two young women and their pet bloodwolf. 'What is this nonsense?'

Valdys leaned forward with her elbows on her knees. 'Us asking questions and you answering them.'

Guras sneered. 'And why would we, you filthy wench?'

Valdys held back Ulric and gestured with her head to look to his side. The ice cold gaze from the elf woman who placed the tip of her sword against the side of his neck chilled his spine.

Iphigenia cleared her throat. 'How many more are there of you, and where?'

Guras exchanged a glance with Raras and Sitas. They all knew it was not a good idea to betray their chief. He liked to keep those who did alive for as long as possible, and not in a good way. 'Who said there are more of us?'

Valdys reached out to the pile of junk next to them and pulled various items from it. 'Old weapons, torn clothes, some tools, but nothing of any value like money or jewellery or mana items, which tells us you have to give them to someone else, otherwise you'd have kept it all.' She leaned forward and on cue, Ulric growled soft but just loud enough to enhance the menace in it. 'Spill your guts, or our little darling will literally do it for you.'