It makes me miss Taryn. With his personality, he would fit in well with the trolls. He’s quiet and puts in the work, never complaining if he has to play support or fill in any roles that the rest of the team doesn’t want to play. He’s the embodiment of a good sport. I don’t know how he put up with my antics for so long without punching me in the face. Hell, if he were in my position, he’d probably have handled things so much better. When he gets in the zone and his mind starts ticking, it’s something to watch.
I lengthen my stride and fall in line with Tormara. She always has her eyes peeled, looking for anything out of the normal.
“Do you think you’ll be able to ride them one day?” I ask.
The wyrms are as tall as me, but not yet sturdy enough to support the weight of a troll.
“I believe one day. The stories of old say that the trolls used to ride all manner of beasts. Wyrms, dragons, bears that could topple trees, but it has been a long while since our leatherworker has had occasion to make saddles. Perhaps the time is nearing.” A few wisps of red hair that escape her braid twirl in the coastal breeze. I wonder if her temper will be more controlled by bonding with the wyrm or if her own tenacity will bleed into her bond? “You’ve done a great thing, Chod, securing the wyrms for our people. We will be forever in your debt.”
I didn’t do it for their gratitude. I did it because I felt they deserved more than they have been given. They are good people, regardless of what the outside world thinks. One day, the rest of the world will see them as I do, but I fear there will be bloodshed before that happens. I remember from my history classes that revolutions rarely happen without violence.
There are two smaller magical sources between us and the forest, though neither one as promising as Paltras Ruins. However, there’s really no way of knowing until we actually get there. One lies by the coast and the other several miles inland. We will hit the coast first and then work our way back inland toward the forest.
My herbalism skill increases again as I learn new plants associated with the coastal climate. We pick sea ivy and bay juniper, then strip the bark from the sunburst palm.
“There are also very powerful plants that live underwater,” says Yashi, pointing to the ocean. “If we find an area where the cliffs fade off and are able to make it to the beach, I will show you.” Now that we have secured two wyrms, we can also focus on stocking the village with rarer potion ingredients.
“How is it you know so much about the plants outside of the forest if you’ve never left it?”
“My mother made potions, and her mother before her. And her mother before that. The knowledge has been passed down for many generations. Trolls may not be known as great scribes, but we do preserve what is important to us.”
Most of the day is spent traveling. Seagulls and other large birds patrol the coastline, filling the air with squawks while the salty air pervades every breath we take. Eventually, the rocky hillside fades off into a ravine, exposing the sandy white beaches below. As we descend, I am startled when Ismora emerges from the shadows.
“Wow, that cloak really does work. We would have walked right past you.”
She just smiles as we walk past, her black cloak billowing in the breeze.
Waves crash against the shore, filling the air with salt spray. A variety of different sized crabs scatter along the beach. Limery hits the larger ones with fireballs while Gord gathers them up. The two wyrms lay straight as arrows against the sand, sunbathing.
Several hundred yards out at sea, there are many small islands with lush vegetation. No doubt it will be a great place to increase my herbalism skill even further. But first, Yashi mentions that there are certain plants we can find under water.
“Looks like Yashi and I are going for a dip. The rest of you can rest or explore.”
The warm water is welcoming as Yashi and I dip our taloned toes. The water is a brilliant blue, not that different from my own skin. Tiny fish nibble at my toes and farther out, I can see through to the ocean floor as brilliantly-colored rays soar across the sandy bottom.
Yashi takes a breath of air and submerges underwater. Her stroke is elegant, perhaps from swimming in the lake near the village, and she darts through the water like a giant frog. The sandy bottom stirs and she comes up with a handful of green seaweed.
“Dragon seaweed.” She hands the slimy plant to me and I understand why it has that name. The leafy structure looks like it is covered in scales. “It can be used in potions that temporarily raise Constitution. Now, grab as much as you can while I go catch us some fish for dinner.”
Crab and fish. It’ll be a nice change of pace.
I spend the next half-hour, delving deeper into the ocean as I pick seaweed and stuff it in my belt. It doesn’t take long for me to look like I am wearing a hula skirt. Before I realize it, I’m all the way out towards the islands, so I decide to take a moment to rest on the shore.
The feeling of the sun on my shoulders is something I could get used to. Maybe one day, I’ll journey back here just to take it easy for a few days. Almost like a real vacation.
The trees shake overhead as birds fly through the canopy, escaping something inside the forest.
My time in the sun is over when I feel a pointy object poking me in the back.
“Who are you and what business do you have on our islands?” The voice is raspy, like someone who has spent their entire life screaming at the sea.
A short but stout baby blue troll stares me down from the other end of the spear. He’s no taller than Yashi, but his muscular proportions are no different than my own. Gray speckles cover his shoulders, tattooed from years spent on sunny beaches. A dense but short white beard covers his face and two thick tusks rise to the length of his nose. His braided white hair is adorned with seashells that clatter when he moves.
He holds the spear with purpose, webbed fingers wrapped around the tan wood.
“I mean you no harm. My party and I are just passing through. We stopped to gather herbs for the village.”
He doesn’t speak, but the spear tip lessens its pressure against my back.
“You have blue skin, but it is not the skin of a seaside troll. Explain.”
“I’m from the forest. There was an accident. Too much magic turned me this way.”
“You are from the forest? Then you should have known better than to step on our lands.” He shoves the spear harder into my back. “Follow me and you will meet your judgment.”
Great, Gord 2.0 has entered the fight. I stand up and the momentary widening of his eyes doesn’t slip past me. He’s but a dwarf compared to me. Even though he’s level sixteen, I’m certain I could defeat him one on one. Regardless, these are my people and I don’t want to start out on the wrong foot, so I take the lead and allow him to steer me by carefully-placed jabs in my backside. Is there a hidden rule that the first male troll I meet has to be an asshole to me?
“What’s your name?” I try to be as friendly as possible.
“I am Imoko, son of Molma.”
“You know my friends are going to come looking for me, right?”
“Do not worry, they will be handled.”
I can’t help but smile at the thought of someone telling Gord what to do. Or Tormara for that matter, especially with our new slithering companions.
Imoko leads me down a forest trail with dense vegetation. Brightly-colored birds chirp from high in the trees. There are no male trolls on guard in this forest. Why would there be? I bet they are all swimming in the ocean, hunting for fish or whatever else it is that these trolls do.
We travel all the way across the island and I don’t see anything even remotely resembling a village. I want to ask where they live, but I keep my mouth shut and let the web-footed blue hobbit poke me forward.
My jaw drops when we exit the far side of the forest and step onto the beach. A floating village spreads out across the water with dozens of huts with green fronds covering the roofs. It’s not as big as the troll village,
but it is a sight to behold. A raft-like structure runs between the huts all the way from the beach to farther out in the ocean where I see many trolls standing on rafts, pushing themselves along with giant poles. One dives off a raft and comes up with a fish impaled on the end of his spear.
Children play in the water while the females watch them.
As soon as Imoko and I step onto the beach, several more seaside trolls rush to his aid, spears pointed at my throat.
“Imoko, what is the meaning of this?” one asks. He’s younger and less weathered than Imoko, with many long brown dreads pulled together and tied with a leather thong at the top of his head.
“I found him on our lands. He says there are more across the channel. Take some of the others and see that they are brought here. I will take this one to the chief.”
The others exchange glances before disappearing into the forest. They have no idea what they are in for.
A poke in the back tells me to go forward. Several pergolas are scattered along the beach where female trolls tend to various tasks. Fish roast over an open fire in one. The cooked fish hang along a rope that stretches from one support to another. Next to it, a bamboo shoot sticks out of the earth, spouting what I assume is clean drinking water into a massive clamshell the size of a bathtub. In another, spears are being dipped in a glowing purple substance. Several jellyfish-like creatures sit in baskets beside the table. Poison-tipped spears, maybe?
Another stab forces me to abandon my view and step forward onto the structure that floats in the ocean. The roots of whatever plant is being used disappear into the sand. This entire structure was created by mana-infusion, I’m certain.
When I bring up the map the chief gave me, I see that a small magical vein runs out to the island. Nothing major, but big enough to support this.
The pathway is surprisingly stable, even for my big size. I’m guided down the dock, past the huts to the open deck at the far end. The village is remarkably well hidden, not visible at all from the cliffside. When the female trolls notice me, they all stand in a defensive posture, backs towards their children. One of them steps forward. She has navy dreads that look fierce against her baby blue skin. Loose fabrics adorned with shells clatter as she approaches. A blade wrapped in leather hangs from her side. A shell necklace dangles around her neck, and eyes as blue as the sea give me a questioning look.
“Imoko, explain yourself.”
“He crossed into our lands.” Imoko looks at his feet.
Evidently, he is sensing something in the situation that I am not, but what? It’s clear her tone is not what he was expecting.
“And this is how you think to treat him? Can you not see that he is our kin? You bring him here with a spear in his back. Do you know how long it has been since a land troll has stepped on our grounds? Too many years.” She sighs and looks to me. “I am sorry for the inconvenience. We are a peaceful tribe. We do our best to stay away from the eyes of men and do not go looking for fights we cannot win. Now, tell me—”
“Chod.” I fill in the blank.
“Now, tell me, Chod. How did you find yourself on our little island?”
“Well, it’s a bi—”
Before I have an opportunity to explain, there’s a loud crack of branches from the forest, causing many of the other trolls to gasp in horror. I turn to see the seaside trolls that were sent to find the others kneeling in the sand weaponless. Gord stands behind them, clad in his skeleton armor, roaring with defiance. The two wyrms flank his sides and the rest of the party emerges behind him.
33. Dinner and a Show
Imoko thrusts the tip of his spear against my throat. I don’t blame him. Right now, I’m the only insurance policy that he has against my companions.
“Release our brother!” Gord shouts from the tree line, his deep voice carrying across the waves. I find it kind of sweet that he called me brother. I guess I’m growing on him.
“Imoko, drop your weapon,” scolds the chief.
“Chief Lida, they have our brothers,” Imoko protests.
“And we have theirs. Release him now so that we can move forward from this nonsense. Chod, I trust that you will make peace with your brothers and explain that this was all a misunderstanding. We are not fighters. We want no quarrels but the fight for our own survival.”
Imoko removes the spear from my throat and I raise a hand towards the shore to let them know I am okay.
“Allow me to go talk to them. And then perhaps we can all speak together.”
She nods, and I take off down the dock.
The seaside trolls that kneel in the sand look apprehensive when I approach.
“Gather your weapons and go. You have nothing to fear from us.” Ismora tosses their spears in the sand and the trolls gather them. joining their chief at the end of the dock.
Limery flies up to my shoulder and takes his perch. “Chods, don’t you disappears like that again.”
“Yeah, he was about ready to kill every last one of them,” says Yashi. “Gord, too. What the hell happened to you, anyways? I leave you alone for five seconds and you get captured.” She rolls her eyes at me.
“It’s okay. I’m actually glad we found them. Imoko is a little-trigger happy. Not that different from someone we know.” I nod at Gord. “But their chief seems to have a pretty good head on her shoulders. At least as far as I can tell.”
“They are so small.” Tormara gawks at the seaside trolls. “I’ve heard stories, but I’ve never actually met a seaside troll myself. It’s hard to believe we’re the same species.”
“I would like to sit down with the chief to talk. Maybe they will be valuable allies in the future.”
The chief waits at the end of the dock. Several more trolls have returned from their rafts and stand beside her. The warriors Gord and company defeated stand by her side, the ends of their spears buried in the sand. Every face has the same look of wonder as we approach. Perhaps from seeing the wyrms that stick close like well-trained pets or maybe it’s our very presence that awes them.
“Chief Lida, allow me to introduce my companions.” I go through the line, acknowledging each in turn, telling their skills and talents.
She smiles when I finish. “It reminds me of the tales of old, back when the trolls used to travel the world in search of adventure. Nowadays, we are lucky to simply endure. I’m sure you are famished from your travels. Would you care to join us for dinner where we can talk more freely?”
“That would be nice.”
We stand to the side of the dock as everyone prepares for dinner. Several of the female trolls go back to the massive platform at the other end of the dock and place their hands on its surface. Channeling the mana that runs through the living floor, they raise up many long tables. Others carry fish and pails of water from the pergolas. Once they are finished, the tables are filled with platters of roasted fish of half a dozen varieties, roasted crab, and even bowls of fish eggs and what looks like snails.
We all take a seat at the newformed tables, sitting on the bare floor of the dock. Our table consists of our party as well as the chief and several other female trolls.
The fish is delicious, much better than any seafood I’ve eaten in real life. Limery eats like an imp possessed, shredding the small fish he holds in his tiny hands. He scoops handfuls of fish eggs up at a time and swallows the snails whole. Everyone seems to be enjoying their meal, but Tormara looks at the snails with a questioning eye.
“It’s not that bad,” I tell her. “Don’t chew it, just swallow.”
“So, tell me, how is it you find yourself so far from the forest?” The chief bites into a massive roasted fish the size of my hand and its bones crunch in her mouth.
I go on to tell her about the attacks on the village, and after witnessing Chief Rizza bonding with her own wyrm, I had the idea to try and track down the others. “We need to show them that attacking the village will have consequences.”
“It is a noble pursuit. We do our best to stay far
away from the troubles of men. We are lucky to be so well hidden. It has been many years since unwanted eyes have stumbled upon us. Once again, I hope you will forgive Imoko’s overzealous approach. He was only trying to preserve what little we have.”
Looking over their tribe, it’s evident just how close to obliteration they are. They have less than half the population of the forest trolls. One false step could erase them from history.
“What if you didn’t have to hide away?” The other females at the table cut their eyes at me, but the chief looks on with a blossoming curiosity. “What if you could have more than just this little set of islands?’ I may have overstepped my bounds on that last one, because I hear whispers, not just at my table but at those that surround us as well.
“What exactly are you saying, Chod?” she asks, no longer touching her food.
“I want you to join us. Side by side, we can stand up for ourselves. Wouldn’t you like to be able to travel freely, to trade and expand, to adventure like the days of old? We could make a place for the trolls in this world again. I know you feel it, all of you, that burning desire inside of you to face greatness and grab it by the horns.”
She stares at me for a long moment while her people murmur.
“The trolls have a place in this world, Chod, and it is right here. We are still a great and powerful tribe. In the water, our fighting is unequaled, but on land, we are not great warriors. I don’t know how you do things in the forest, but I will not risk the lives of my people just because you happen to have a few wyrms and wear armor.”
The sea splashes against the dock, the only sound in the otherwise silence. No one argues with the chief’s words, not even me. How could I expect someone I barely know to send her people away for a cause they know nothing about? The seaside trolls live a good life here, even if it’s not the one I would have for them.
“We don’t just have the wyrms,” Yashi interrupts. “We have magic. The imp can cast fire, our shaman has the phoenix as his totem, and Chod here, well, he’s practically a one-troll army. Go on, Chod, show her.”
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