The Winter kingdom

Version 2.0

Brandon lunged forward; his sword parted the air before harmlessly bouncing off the hard leather skin of the Troll. He rolled through its legs as a spear and stones bounced off its hard face. Brandon turned quickly and slashed at the troll's leg, but the massive beast turned and swung its club after him. By just grazing Brandon it was enough to send him flying backwards. The impact rang out his ribs, pain exploding through his chest as he sailed through the air, slamming hard against the blood-soaked ground. He felt his ribs give; the air ripped from his lungs as the world spun around him.

"Brandon!" Edric's voice cut through the roar of battle; his scream echoed by Lyanna's desperate cry.

Brandon tried to move, but agony flared across his ribs, each breath jagged stabbing into his chest. He looked up through a haze, and there was the troll, looming above him, its thick, monstrous face twitching, its eyes lonely before it ready to bring its club down for a killing blow.

From above a piercing cry screeched out. Halvar's eagle, dove down, talons outstretched. It struck at the troll's face, its claws slashing across the beast's eyes. The troll bellowed in pain for the first time, clawing at the air, stumbling as it tried to catch the eagle with its massive hands.

Through his pain, Brandon saw Edric rushing toward him. Skidding to his knees, gripping Brandon's arm. "Brandon! Are you all, right?"

Brandon clenched his jaw, watching and Lyanna quickly ran over, gritting through the pain he forced himself up, leaning heavily on Edric. "It's... it's nothing," he rasped, breathless. His ribs screamed in protest, and he felt his lungs crushing in on him.

"Don't lie to me," Lyanna said muttered, worry flashing in her eyes.

"Aye, because you just look dandy," Edric said as he kept a hand steady on Brandon's arm. Brandon gave him a pained smile before he looked at the troll whose flailing arms had just knocked a man over after bashing into his shield.

"I'm fine … now let's... finish this," Brandon said, as he gripped his sword, and moved his army away from his chest. They readied themselves, swords up, as it staggered back, blood streaming from cuts and scares around its eyes. The troll groaned before stumbling forward, as it saw Brandon walking towards him.

/

Brandon, Edric, and Lyanna circled the troll, their swords barely making dents in its hide. Each strike was like hitting a stone wall, its thick, dried skin deflecting all of their blows. The troll swung its club, smashing into the ground sending waves of loose earth, snow, and broken roots around them. The three of them dodged and countered, but it did nothing to it as it continued to beat them.

Lyanna daggers slashed at its leg, managing a shallow cut in its join but not drawing blood, while Edric thrust his sword into its side, though the wound barely scratched beneath its skin. The troll's annoyed roars bounced through the hills, ringing out in everyone's ears. Just as they began to lose ground, Halvar's eagle screeched overhead and dove, claws slicing against the troll's eyes, with one of its claws managing to scratch against the eyelid just as it closed its eyes.

Finally, a new sound rose over the din, a deep guttural growl, as a pack of dire wolves rushed into the fray. The wolves launched themselves at the troll, snapping their powerful jaws and sharp teeth, biting and getting hold of any flaps of skin as they could before tearing them off. At the same moment, a bear, surged forward, its massive paws raking at the troll's legs. Its thick and tough claws slashed at its joints managing to puncture the skin drawing some light blood.

The troll swung its club again, trying to fend off the attackers, but the number of enemies to attack confused it, allowing them all to attack. Finally, the troll's leg buckled for a moment as one of the wolves sank its teeth into a flap of skin on its hind leg ripping a large stretch of skin off. Brandon took his chance, stabbing his sword into the wound, and blood began to seep from the gash. Edric followed up, slashing along the same cut as the troll howled in pain, thick red rivulets gushed from its exposed skin.

For the first time, the troll let out a strange, mournful whine, with a slight quiver from its bottom lip. It looked down at its blood, dawning a sad frown on its face as some tears built up around its eyes. Then it cast a desperate gaze around the battlefield, noticing that the other beasts from the Ghouls, Isdråk, to the Bears and Werewolves quite a few lay dead or scattered, those still standing retreating from the humans. As once the Troll had been tied up they had lost their stronger shield breaker.

With a final, sad roar, the troll turned and lumbered away. It staggered into the hills, leaving a trail of blood behind as it vanished over the hill. No one is interested in chasing it down.

As the dust settled and the last of the monster horde retreated, Brandon tried to lean on his sword to catch his breath but instead started to fall to the ground. The men around him looked no better, bruised and bloodied but victorious. Edric quickly caught Brandon whilst wiping blood from a cut on his cheek, and let out a weary chuckle.

"Gods, I thought that troll had you, Brandon. Could've sworn you were dead when it sent you flying."

Brandon managed a tired grin. "Thanks for the voice of confidence." He said as he watched the troll top the hill, and some medics split up some coming towards him whilst others went to the other men.

Lyanna shook her head, looking at the wargs tending to their animals, cleaning up blood, or tending to their wounds. "Those wargs sure saved our asses. Never thought beasts would be on our side."

As if on cue, Halvar approached, his warg eagle perched on his shoulder feasting on a strip of meat, the bird's talons streaked with blood. "That was something, and you're welcome for the save," he said with a slight smile.

Brandon clasped him on the shoulder. "I owe you, Halvar. And I'm so glad you suggested that warg unit."

Before Halvar could respond, one of his scouts hurried over. The man was gaunt and wiry, with a piercing gaze, as his eagle warg circling above. He bent close to Halvar and murmured something into his ear, before nodding to Brandon.

Halvar's face grew serious. "John says he's seen the Umbar King's company to the south. They're being demolished, surrounded by an even larger horde of monsters than our own."

Brandon straightened, ignoring the protest from his bones. "Larger? How much larger?"

The scout nodded grimly. "Difficult to tell but I could spot a larger number of Werewolves and even two Trolls. King Umbar and his men are barely holding."

Brandon didn't hesitate. "We're not leaving them to that. We'll send the wounded back to camp with any loot, but the rest of us are moving now."

He gestured for his men to gather. "Everyone fit to fight, we're heading to aid the Umbar King. Those who aren't fit enough take the wounded back to our camp. Make sure they're seen to."

"Guess that includes you, Brandon," Edric said, pointing to Brandon holding his chest.

"I'll be fine." Brandon just managed to say without straining.

As the injured were prepared for the journey back, the rest of the group readied themselves once more. Brandon strapped on his shield and checked his sword.