Last week I left our characters ready to defend against some attacking trolls. Today, I thought I’d give you a taste of that battle.
Brianna is ready to fight. But do they have any hope against enemies such as these?
Adrenalin surged through her veins.
Behind her, she heard Mianna’s panicked voice calling and a child wailing. Brianna’s resolve hardened. No trolls would make it through the line to chase the frightened children tonight. Not if she could help it.
“Ugrrrrhhh.” A troll raced directly towards her. His sword, twice the length of her own, swung down, moonlight glinting off the blade.
She tucked and rolled, springing straight back onto her feet and swinging her sword at his thighs in one smooth motion.
The edge of her sword cut into his tough flesh, slicing a gash the width of her hand.
The troll didn’t seem to notice. He swung at the visitor, who had surged into the battle. His leather armour was no match for the troll sword. Red blossomed on his shoulder, but he didn’t stop. He followed through on his strike, his height enough to send the blade arching up into the troll’s thigh, where it stayed, lodged hard.
This time, the troll roared in pain. He bent and cuffed the man with his hand, sending him tumbling backwards. The visitor didn’t move again.
Brianna let out her rage in a battle cry and launched herself at the troll’s back. The tip of her sword aimed at the space just under his ribs, one of the few vulnerable points.
The troll roared again, reaching around blindly to try to claw her off his back. Brianna held on with all her strength, squirming to keep out of reach of his hands. She twisted her sword with all her strength.
He bucked to one side, succeeding in throwing her clear, though not in dislodging her sword, which stuck out of his back like an arrow. As he wavered on his feet, Corlin and Ambria rushed in, slashing at his body wherever they could reach.
Swinging his fists wildly, the troll teetered towards where Brianna lay, the wind knocked out of her. His bulk loomed over her, and she scrambled to pull herself out of the way before he fell. A thud reverberated through the soil as he crashed to the ground behind her. She let out her breath in a gasp of relief.
Struggling to her feet, she stared at him for a few moments, but the troll didn’t move. Brianna reached for her sword, bracing her foot against his body to pull it free, then looked around for the next troll.