Hardcore: Qi Worlds Chapter 14: Troll 2

 Much to his delight Ailen had been assigned to run with Benzhi. Gisael had not said much, what she did share was Benzhi was strange, sometimes stupid yet capable of amazing impossible feats. She gave them warnings before assigning the three to accompany the odd wood elf, protect the forest, protect each other and when these were assured, protect Benzhi.

 Ailen was intrigued by Benzhi even before they arrived at the new land. There had been a call for those of the people who wished to be colonists to the new world. The one which Gisael and one of the elders who was now the Mother of the new forest had left for a year ago. Gisael was a prodigy amongst the guardians of the forest, many were sad when she left. She had always been serious, too serious in Ailen’s opinion; however, she was one whom he could trust in her ability and judgment. Mother was a respected and wise elder, she could have been Mother on their home world given time.

When the call came to the Elder sage and the old-world Mother it had come from Benzhi and the new-world Mother. He was described to them by the Elder sage. But seeing was believing. Although Benzhi looked strange for one of the people he was told to treat him as such by the Elder sage.

 Ailen inspected Benzhi, trying not to stare openly like Sakaala, he was tall. He was the tallest of the people that Ailen had ever seen, however, although Benzhi looked similar to the people there were distinct differences. Benzhi was bald, his face was exotic looking it was hairless as well, he looked incredibly strong. Ailen understood why Sakaala stared at Benzhi, tall, strong and fast. Just what certain lady folk liked.

 The most intriguing thing about Benzhi, Ailen thought, was the fact both Gisael and Mother deferred to him. They asked him to feed the people from the sacred pool. Ailen had never colonized another world before, but surely that is something Mother would do?

 As planned, Gisael assigned Sakaala, Talila and himself, to Benzhi, to learn this new place. It was a forest, yet strange and different in many ways. It was fun pathfinding along the ground, although trying to keep up with Benzhi was not easy, boy could he run! Ailen saw the merit in learning the forest from the ground first, it made you aware of a ground dwellers perspective and nuances missed from the trees.

 When they reached the northern border Ailen was bewildered when he learned the forest had recently grown by twenty-two ridgelines or a thousand trees. And it was not just here. This occurred around the entire forest treeline. He listened in awe when Benzhi answered every question, in relation to the battles with the ferals. Benzhi was fearless. Ailen had never seen a “feral” they did not exist where he had come from but to battle so many with just a sword. Albeit he had Gisael, at his side, who was supremely talented when it came to qi arrow and tree running. Sakaala and even Talila were virtually drooling over Benzhi during his story. Benzhi didn’t seem to notice their adoration, he was oblivious to their swooning. What Ailen wouldn’t give to be six-foot-tall and built like a giant redwood.

  When approaching the eastern border, the group was running short on time, in order to return before dark, so Benzhi had directed them to home. No sooner than they had turned for their new home they ran across what Ailen thought to be an abomination. A troll. He had only heard stories of them and those stories were cautionary. It had taken entire clans to drive one away with barrages of arrows. They were almost impossible to kill apparently. Something to do with fire or a mortal blow where the troll was unable to regrow the damage dealt. Their regrowth was legendary as was their size.  The main problem with fire was it destroyed the forest as much as a troll, it was an extremely difficult decision and possibly disastrous tactic if the fire wasn't managed properly.

 Benzhi must have had experience fighting a troll, once informed on what it was, he immediately gave orders. There was no hesitation and he didn’t look scared in the least. That made the stories of the battle with the ferals even more believable.

 Ailen took to the trees, shadowing Benzhi, with Talila and Salaaka. He watched Benzhi closely, expectations rising. His orders were to shoot the troll only after Benzhi had attacked. Talila gave a sign to spread out and the three spread out. It was not long before they arrived at the location of the troll's latest act of destruction. It was ripping up foliage and consuming plant cores, filling its own qi core. It was a terrible waste. What did this monster do with all this qi? No wonder the people would always fight these monsters with everything there was no bargaining or encouraging to be done here. It had to be driven out of the forest. Ailen expected that if the roles were reversed even Gisael would send for help from everyone who could carry a bow summoned before engaging the troll. Yet Benzhi had ordered just the four of them to attack. This was going to be epic, Ailen thought gleefully.

 He wanted to shout encouragement at Benzhi, go Benzhi go, but his first care was to stay hidden, silent and not alert the troll. Ailen looked at Salaaka and smiled widely, waving his hand in a fashion showing his expectation. He drew his bow and nocked an arrow as did Salaaka and presumably Talila whom he could not see.

 Benzhi took his time studying the troll. It was a massive beast, striking fear into Ailens heart. It was as tall as the willow tree in the glade. He was glad he was up in the trees three times as high as the troll could reach. When he did shoot he would be careful to move if the troll tried to take down his tree. Watching closely, it looked like Benzhi was going to attack in some way. 'Would he throw rocks and lead it away?' Ailen guessed. 

 Benzhi drew his sword and moved at an incredible speed, Ailen had never seen someone move so fast, how was that even possible? The Fae were quick, agile and slight, where Benzhi was so much larger, how was it possible he moved so fast? Benzhi's sword was held out, stock still, he wasn't even swinging it. Ailen was ready to loose as soon as Benzhi attacked. Benzhi passed the troll, did he even hit it? He thought he did, wait, there is a massive slice through its chest. Ailen immediately loosed and arrow aiming for where he thought its heart would be. The arrow was dead on, however, the skin was thick and it only entered by a quarter. How had Benzhi sliced clean through? That was nuts. The troll fell to the ground. It looked dead, with one hit! Ailen couldn't help himself, he tree ran down to the ground as quickly as he could and walked excitedly up to Benzhi, near the carcass of the troll.

"That was the most amazing thing I have ever seen!" Ailen said earnestly. Benzhi had bolted like a streak of lightning and cut through the thick troll hide like it was a mushroom.

 Talila came down as well and after warning, Salaaka to stay put. She began to set a fire to burn the troll. She had her wits about her, Ailen thought, he felt a little ashamed that he had not done the same. It was true trolls would die with a mortal blow, but it would be best to be safe. Not to mention what is a mortal blow exactly? 

 Oh no, before they could burn the body, the troll started moving. Benzhi ordered them back into the trees. Ailen didn't need to be told twice. He had never tree-run so quickly in his life. That thing was bound to be mad now and he didn't want to be its first snack. 

 Ailen thought he should probably shoot again, but his arrows had been almost ineffective. Before he knew it Benzhi had chopped one of its arms off.  The fighting style had elements of the forms, but Benzhi didn't use tree running. He was doing something else that gave him speed and increased his leap. He also was using what was known as qi blade, this was rare amongst the people, most of the Fae used bows which was complimented by their tree running.

'He is not one of us, he is, he is ...,' Ailen didn't know what Benzhi was.

 Ailen was amazed before, but now, he just watched Benzhi run past the troll, tree-run up a tree, push off the tree with a backward flip and bring his qi blade down on the troll's other arm. 'Now the troll was armless,' Ailen chuckled to himself and forgot about shooting arrows. He was totally entranced with Benzhi.

 'What would he do now? Spout fire out his mouth?' Ailen speculated.

 The elite guardians of the forest, like Gisael, could tree run like the wind, guide arrows with qi, enhance their senses with qi and the very best could use qi blade. Benzhi had adapted tree running to enhance his speed and leap. Ailen had never heard of this before let alone seen it.

 Engrossed with the battle, Ailen pondered why there was a pause. Benzhi was at a distance waiting, watching while the troll attempted to reattach its arm. 'CUT ITS HEAD OFF' he wanted to scream. The troll was lying prone it was the perfect opportunity. Surely cutting its head off was a mortal wound. Benzhi's eyes were closed. He was doing something. Ailen just had no idea what. Benzhi had gotten this far, more than what whole clans achieved. If the tales were to be believed. Compared to home, this place certainly wasn't safe. They have been here one day and there is already a troll invading the forest, an extremely rare occurrence. 

Benzhi began to move again, good, Ailen thought. Benzhi called out instructions to Talila and to shoot the trolls eyes out. Then Benzhi proceeded to cut its arm off, a second time, right after it attached it. Nuts! Ailen thought.

Oh no, the troll trapped Benzhi while he kicked its arm out of reach. It bit down hard on him, its mouth covered almost half his body. Ailen was shocked into action, being a spectator was no longer acceptable. Talila had shot an eye out before, he fired off two shots one at each eye, so had Sakaala and between the two of them both the troll's eyes were rendered blind. It couldn't pull out the arrows unless it reattached an arm or used its foot.

 Benzhi was incredible, the troll had half of him in its mouth trying to bite him in half, stabbing Benzhi with its fangs, yet he was doing his best to sever the troll's head. Ailen had had enough, he ran down to assist Benzhi in any way he could.

Talila was getting the fire going again as it had burnt out. Ailen was running up to Benzhi to help push the sword through the troll's neck, it was almost there. He grabbed Benzhi's hand and help push the blade through. The troll's head lolled and its body fell away as it was no longer attached. The problem was, the trolls head was still attached to Benzhi. Its spit was burning him, it was some form of poison. 

Between Ailen and Sakaala they got the trolls fangs out of Benzhi, its mouth open and threw its head off him. Sakaala was crying during the whole ordeal. Was Benzhi dead, he was unmoving and no breath was sensed. They tried vainly to revive him for what seemed an eternity. Applying some herbs to his wounds had no effect, unsurprisingly.

He had given his life to protect the forest and kill the troll.

Ailen began to cry as well. He helped Talila burn the troll and the three of them just stood there looking at the morbid scene in utter shock.

Chapter end