X Marks the Faerie

“We’re going in circles,” I complained. Giral was starting to get frustrated with me and honestly, I was about to throw the little beast against a tree.

“We’re not, it only seems that way,” Saerien crossed her arms and stopped. “Alright, just so we stop arguing and complaining, I’ll mark this tree with an elven sign. If we pass this tree again, I’m killing you Giral,” Her voice held certain venom in it, but she was also smirking too.

I smiled. “That’s a perfect plan. Thank you Saerien.”

Giral growled at me. “You are the most annoying human I’ve ever met.”

I glared at it. “I’m the ONLY human you’ve ever met!”

Saerien rolled her eyes as she went ahead to mark the tree. We continued on for what seemed like an hour, but it was really just fifteen minutes. Giral made us stop and I started to protest when Saerien put her hand over my mouth and shook her head.

Giral closed its eyes and smirked. “The Trolls are just through the brush. “

I smiled. “Good, I’m about to slice some trolls up and make them into stew.”

Saerien stepped in front of me to stop me. “No Gaylen, you can’t rush in there. There are more than a dozen trolls there, you’ll never survive.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m too quick.”

Giral butt in. “She’s right. The best way to beat these things is to use a troll’s name. A troll’s true identity can kill a troll easily. We need to get Kysha and get out before she is boiled alive. I imagine she doesn’t have too much more time left.”

I thought it over. Giral and Saerien were right. I was being childish. I looked at my feet because I felt embarrassed. I nodded. “Alright, we’ll do it your way.” Saerien nodded in approval and turned to Giral. “Can you get the leader of the trolls’ name?”
Giral nodded. “It should be easy.”

I looked at it weird. “What? How? If you can kill a troll with its name, it can’t be that easy.”
Giral laughed. “I can dig in the troll’s head and get its name. That is why the trolls have given us a safe place. They know that they really can’t hold up against us.”

Things just seemed to get weirder and weirder as it goes along. I shrugged and nodded. “Alright, do your thing Giral.” Giral nodded and shut its eyes again. It seemed to be in deep concentration. Saerien and I watched with interest while Giral peered into the troll’s mind. Finally when Giral had retrieved the name he looked up at me and Saerien. “Garrosh Firetree is the leader’s name.” It said and Saerien spared no time.

She performed a spell that would slow down their movements. We arrived and the troll leader turned to us. “What is this? A boy human, an elf, and an impish bear?” Though I noticed that the trolls weren’t affected by Saerien’s spell. I wondered what went wrong, but decided to ask about it later. Saerien crossed her arms across her chest and looked at the troll. “Alright, who is the master mind behind this?” I could tell that the troll was surprised by Saerien’s attitude.

The leader stepped forward, which I could tell he was because he happened to be the most hideous creature I have ever seen. “That be me. Problem?” I looked away from the sight of the troll to Kysha to see how she was doing. She was pale, and I could tell that it wouldn’t be long before she would have to succumb to the heat. I looked back at the progress Saerien was making with the troll leader. Saerien struck fast. It was like she moved at the speed of light because I didn’t even see her move. Saerien threw the troll off balance and stood atop of him. The troll didn’t seem to be very happy, and he shouldn’t be because he was about to die.

Giral moved to the head of the troll leader and I moved fast as well, going over to Kysha. I reached in and pulled her out of the boiling water, and went ahead and recovered Sindri from the boiling pot as well.

I heard that Saerien was speaking, but I tuned it out. I focused my attention on Kysha who was tuned in to Saerien but her beauty even through all of this, still shone through and took my breath away.

“Garrosh Firetree.” I looked over in time to hear Saerien say the troll leader’s name, and watch him turn into ash. Saerien challenged the other trolls and all of them tucked their tails and ran.

Once Saerien had defeated the troll Kysha turned her attention to me and kissed me on the lips fiercely. “I love you,” She whispered, and I whispered back. “I know.”

Kysha chortled and threw her arms around Saerien. “Saerien, the Troll Reaper.” They both laughed so hard they were all blue in the face. Sindri and I shook our heads while they died from laughter. Both of us with a smile on our face. Sindri seemed to be taking an interest in Saerien, but I knew that Saerien would never let anything happen.

Kysha brushed away tears from her eyes and looked at me. “Alright.” I smiled at her. “Alright, let’s look for those wings.” I told her. She looped her arm through mine and we were off to see the wizard…metaphorically speaking of course.