System Break

We climbed, we ran, we climbed. I had to hand it to the mountainfolk their best defence was the sheer amount of energy just to reach them. No one should want to attack them because you'd be dead tired before you arrived. They could just push you back down the mountain as you tried to catch your breath.

My mountain and climbing skills rose steadily especially in the high mountains. I pulled myself up with everyone tied down the line. Gisael, Ailen, Sakaala and Reyas brought up the rear. She'd be the first under strain if they fell and she trusted my route selection. I was able to pick a route that Sakaala and Ailen could follow.

Gisael of course was a machine. She barely broke a sweat and rarely shivered in the freezing wind. She had the mental toughness of hardened steel.

At the top of the ridge I pulled the rope from a wedged position in the sturdy rock. I pushed my qi and it licked my arms and legs as I pulled all of them up. As soon as Gisael was with me she helped. And once Sakaala was up, Reyas finished the climb under her own power while we rested.

Glum sneered at Reyas. "Why did you leave? Your place is with us." He'd been giving her dirty looks all day and they finally boiled over to words.

"Father agreed my place is with Benzhi, and it is none to do with you," she said.

Glum wasn't satisfied. His lips curled and his eyes were full of jealousy. He waved his hand in my direction. "This filth has bewitched you. Look at it. It is a demon."

Reyas was a tough cookie and could take care of herself, but this fuck just insulted me. I grabbed his face and pushed him back against the rock - hard. I moved so quickly he was caught unawares.

"I don't need to bewitch when I can easily kill those who oppose me." I lifted him off the ground as he began to struggle.

Reyas and Skanvord both grabbed my arms. "Stop, stop," she said. "He's not worth it."

Skanvord spat. "Do not do this forest king. He is beneath your notice. Let us deal with him."

I turned on Skanvord, he was older and wiser than most of the mountainfolk and a decent warrior to boot. "I am not a king."

I turned back to Glum. "See how they beg for your life. They admit you're scum and beg me for mercy on your behalf. The next word out of your mouth against me and mine and I will kill you. That is a promise."

I let him drop the few feet onto his ass - I could have easily thrown him off the cliff.

He stared at me with hate in his eyes.

I waited patiently for him to say a word, any word and I would make good on my promise. The air was thick with the tension I was certain no one doubted I would end him, which he must have too because no words escaped him.

I turned and said, "Good."

He spat and it landed an inch from my foot. I jerked my spear from my back, and he flinched. I laughed like it was a joke and moved on, the fort was near.

They looked me up and down, I was tall, and my muscles rippled oozing power. But most of all the wooden antler helmet scared the fuck out of them. I heard Skanvord whisper to Reyas. "If he is not a king what is he?"

"Protector," she said with love in her voice. "He protects the forest and all that dwell in it."

Skanvord looked confused for a moment but accepted the explanation with a shrug and a nod. "You have changed Reyas," he said softly. "You're confident and stronger. I am glad."

Ailen chuckled and inserted himself in their conversation. "You should have seen her carve chunks out of the humungous demon boar."

Skanvord laughed, lightening the mood. "Tell that story tonight in front of the fireplace, for all to hear."

We arrived at the fort with the usual tight-lipped welcome. The stares were silent, and their fear of our difference made known.

We brought the boar skins to the leatherworker before arriving at the main hall.

"Father wants these made into armour," Reyas said she pointed at me and Gisael. "If we take down the troll, we'll have two more sets."

Gleig inspected the skins and whistled. "This is from a magnificent beast. I'll have some left over even after two sets."

Reyas nodded. "There must be a reward for your hard work too."

"But Ulfgrim will pay. It is a trade for the clan?"

"It is," Reyas said. "Speak to him. But the excess is a gift from us to you."

Gleig smiled. "Thank you. I'll get to work immediately."

"A month?" Reyas asked.

Gleig nodded. "They'll need tanning and curing. I'll give them my best. Let me take measurements before you leave."

"Do it now," I said. "We will be leaving before first light tomorrow."

Gleig took our measurements and I was surprised Gisael allowed it without complaint. Maybe she did feel the cold. He took Ailen and Sakaala's and then we left.

When we arrived at the main hall Glum was whispering feverishly into Ulfgrim's ear and then he glowered at us as we entered. Although they had been told about it, when confronted with the antler mask they were unsettled.

"Don't let us stop your lying Glum," I said. My companions seemed nervous but the best way to deal with a bastard was head on.

The chieftains had gathered again, and the hall was full of mountainfolk warriors from the three clans.

Ulfgrim frowned at my words. He stood and approached. "Why cause trouble?" He stared at me and then Reyas. "You have my precious daughter, what have I done to deserve disrespect in my hall?"

I met his defiant gaze. "I didn't disrespect you. Your man Glum is the one who disrespects others. He's a jealous coward who will do nothing but cause trouble for us, so we meet it head on."

Ulfgrim turned and looked at Glum who stood. "He says these things knowing I cannot challenge him."

"Why not?" I said. "Is it because you're a coward?"

Ulfgrim exhaled loudly. "He does not because it would disrupt our alliance. Especially when we need it most."

I shook my head. "No. He does not care for our alliance. That is plain by his insults to us on our journey. I'd be happy to kill him quickly and we move on to your feast."

We glowered at each other for a minute, but Glum said nothing. Coward.

I broke the silence. "Ailen has a story to tell of Reyas and her defeat of the giant boar."

Ulfgrim looked at his daughter and smiled. "I'd like to hear that." Then he turned back to me. "We need to make plans for tomorrow, and I cannot allow Glum to be a distraction." Ulfgrim waved his hand at his warrior and pointed to the door. "Cool off at home. We will talk tomorrow."

I wasn't surprised that Glum wasn't coming to fight the cave troll.

Reyas whispered, "Must you make an enemy?"

I looked at her and said loudly, "He wouldn't be an enemy if he was dead."

"Come," Ulfgrim beckoned. "Put that behind us. Let me deal with my clansmen, you owe me that at least."

They had set up rocks on the table, it was a map of sorts. I looked it over and saw a white piece of fluff. I pointed at it and said, "Is that the cave troll?"

They nodded.

"Does it sleep somewhere, and do you know when?" I asked.

"We dare not get close enough to find its lair," Flek said.

"It's to the west, how far?" I asked.

"Two days through the high mountains," Skanvord said.

Vaunruld, Flek's chieftain spoke. "The Shaman told us to send for you to help us. Do you have a way to kill a cave troll?"

I looked back at Gisael who stood like a gorgeous green statue. Her breasts distracted more than a few of the men.

"We killed a troll, but it was half the size of this one. The hard part is they regenerate like a mother fucker. If you shoot their eyes out with arrows they heal as soon as they pull the arrows out. When I stabbed its brain with my spear, I thought the fight was over. But as soon as I pulled the spear out it recovered."

"How did you kill it?"

"I left the spear in and we burned it."

There were nods and smiles all round.

"Is there any wood up in the high mountains?"

There were frowns and grumbling all round. "No. None. Barely a bush."

"How do we burn a troll twice the size of the one we killed in the forest with no wood?"

The other chieftain said, "Get it to chase you down from the mountain to the forest."

"It will hurl boulders at us and eventually squish us. I take it there isn't a shortage of rocks in the mountains."

"We can use the black rock to burn it," Skanvord said.

"Coal? Yes, that will work."

"It's precious, we use it sparingly," Ulfgrim said.

"I take it the mine has plenty?"

They nodded.

"Then we either take what you have here and kill the troll, then you mine more. Or we go to the mines tomorrow instead of the troll."

"I don't want the troll roaming free. It already stops us hunting and eats our food," Vaunruld said. "It is too close to both our holds."

"Can you provide coal to burn it?" I asked and the chieftains nodded.

"We need to agree on the riches from the kill," Ulfgrim said. "I do not want arguments after."

Reyas said, "Isn't is a bad omen to assume victory?"

"We assume nothing, and it is not for you to speak," Vaunruld said. "This is a meeting of the chieftains."

I held up my hand. "Whoa. Hold on buddy. She's with me and she can dam well speak whenever she likes. If you don't like it - we'll just leave."

Reyas stared at me and the chieftain's eyes stared at the ground.

Ulfgrim was first to speak. "He is right Vaunruld, she is part of his clan now and follows his rules not ours."

"Damn right," I said, "We've had enough disrespect for one day. We're here to help and we feel like intruders."

The third chieftain grunted. "This is a good negotiating stance now we're on topic of the spoils."

"Oh, there's no negotiation. If we kill the troll, we want its core and its skin. And we want leathers made from the skin. There will be nothing else - because it will burn."

Ulfgrim stood and he was enraged. "All its core, all its skin - I thought you were fair?"

I stood and held out my hand for him to shake. I waited there as their temperatures slowly declined and they realised this was not a negotiation. If he did not shake my hand we'd walk, and they would have to deal with the troll without our help.

He turned and squirmed. Time passed and I stood like a statue. The air became thicker with tension and their determination waned. The desire to be rid of the troll overcame their stubbornness and greed.

Ulfgrim spat into the fire. "It is the troll that has taken from us not you. We will regain what we've lost and prevent further losses." He gripped my arm and shook. The other two followed suit with grim expressions.

"Now for story time, Ailen?"