The roar of the troll rolled through the forest behind him, each step shaking the earth. Gary floated close, ears alert, but useless against the lumbering creature.
The troll burst from behind a thick cluster of oaks, club swinging in wide arcs. Eric barely rolled to the side, catching a branch to steady himself as the club smashed into the ground where he'd been. Splinters flew, dirt sprayed, and he scrambled to his feet.
"Damn it!" he gasped, heart hammering. He ducked another swing, feeling the rush of air as the troll's enormous fist tore past him.
Then, shouting and the clash of steel sounded nearby. A group of soldiers burst into the clearing, blades flashing, shields raised. They didn't pause when they saw Eric—they lunged straight at the troll, forcing it to turn and meet their attack.
"Get away you idiot!" a voice shouted. The soldier who had fled earlier crashed through the underbrush, sword raised, eyes blazing. In a heartbeat, he positioned himself between Eric and the next swing, slamming his sword into the troll's arm. The creature roared, staggering, and Eric stumbled to his feet, chest heaving.
The soldiers pressed the attack together, blades cutting, clashing against the troll's improvised weapons. Eric stayed close, ducking and rolling, occasionally slashing at weak spots the troll left open. Gary drifted at his side, still ineffective against the brute, but unwavering.
Eric caught his breath for a moment, watching as the soldier who'd saved him held the troll's attention. Relief surged through him, mingled with the adrenaline of surviving another near miss.
The troll roared again, turning toward them, eyes blazing with fury. Eric realized that if the soldiers hadn't arrived—or if that one soldier hadn't returned—he wouldn't have lasted another swing.
He glanced at Gary, shimmering faintly in the dim forest light. Useless in combat, but at least he wasn't alone. Not entirely.
The fight was far from over, but for the first time since the roar had shattered his rest, Eric felt a spark of something like hope.
The forest erupted into a maelstrom of motion. Trees shook, leaves rained down, and the troll's roars cut through the air like rolling thunder. Eric's heart pounded as he swing his sword, twisting between trunks, every nerve screaming. Gary floated beside him, his shimmer barely brushing the forest floor, ghostly but steady.
The soldiers moved with practiced precision, circling the troll, thrusting and parrying, forcing it to turn and defend. One swung a sword at its knee; another dove to stab at its gut. The troll roared in pain, swinging its club blindly, smashing trees and ground alike.
Eric ducked under a wide swing, rolling into the dirt. Gary tried again to bite at the troll, but passed straight through, leaving him useless in attack but still close, a strange reassurance.
"Keep it busy!" Eric yelled at the soldiers as he scrambled to his feet, sword gripped tightly. He slashed at the troll's exposed side, connecting with a glancing blow. The creature staggered slightly, and a gasp of hope flared in Eric's chest.
The troll swung again, and this time, Eric couldn't dodge in time. The club slammed into his shoulder, sending him sprawling across roots and mud. Pain lanced through him, sharp and sudden.
Before he could even gather himself, the soldier who had returned earlier charged, blocking the troll's next swing with his sword. Sparks flew as metal met club, the brute's strength nearly knocking the soldier off his feet.
"Move!" the soldier barked, shoving him aside.
Eric scrambled backward, heart racing, trying to catch his breath. He slashed again, weaving with the soldiers, each of their attacks forcing the troll to stagger, to swing in frustration rather than precision.
Gary hovered, ghostly eyes locked on the troll. Useless as he was in attack, he stayed close enough that Eric could almost feel a tether, a reminder that he wasn't entirely alone.
The troll's foot caught a root, sending it stumbling for a moment. One soldier seized the opportunity, thrusting a blade into the beast's exposed flank. Another followed, slashing furiously at its leg. The troll bellowed, fury and pain rolling through the forest like a storm.
Eric rolled under a downward swing, feeling his side ache with bruising, but adrenaline carried him forward. "Gary—stay close!" he hissed, more to calm himself than the wolf.
The soldiers' coordinated strikes were relentless, chipping away at the troll's momentum, forcing it back, back toward the edge of the clearing. Eric realized they weren't just fighting—it was a slow push, a careful, dangerous dance of survival.
He glanced at the soldier who had saved him again, sword slick with sweat and dirt, face set with determination. Eric felt a pang of gratitude mixed with guilt. He hadn't even asked the man's name. He wasn't sure he had the right to survive without giving something back.
Another swing came, and Eric barely dodged, rolling as the club smashed into the ground beside him. He hissed in pain, scrabbling to his feet. "This… this is insane," he muttered under his breath.
But even as fear and pain clawed at him, he noticed something—the troll was tiring. Its swings grew slower, more erratic. The soldiers pressed the advantage, striking with more precision, forcing it back step by step.
Eric gritted his teeth. If they survived this, it would be a miracle. And yet… the thought of running through forests with Gary at his side, even useless, gave him a strange sort of hope.
For now, they just had to survive.
Gary floated near his side, eyes fixed on the troll. He didn't attack, didn't even try—but Eric noticed the ghostly wolf's attention never wavered. It was a tether, a silent presence grounding him amidst the chaos.
One soldier feinted, drawing the troll's swing wide, while another lunged beneath its guard, stabbing a blade into its leg. The beast staggered, bellowing, and for the first time, Eric saw hesitation flicker across its face. It was tired. Wounded. Human—or rather, soldier—effort was finally matching brute strength.
"Now! Keep pressing!" Eric shouted, slashing at an exposed shoulder. His sword glanced off the thick hide, but he didn't stop. The soldiers coordinated their attacks, forcing the troll back toward a narrow section of the clearing, trees closing in around it.
Then, the soldier who had saved Eric earlier dashed in again, perfectly timed, sliding under a wild swing and stabbing deep into the troll's side. The beast roared, staggering, fury and pain mixing into a terrifying echo that rattled through the forest.
Eric's chest heaved. "It's… it's slowing down!" he gasped, dodging a desperate swing.
Gary hovered close, watching intently. Eric realized something strange: the closer the troll was to faltering, the more the wolf's eyes seemed to glow. Not strong, not mystical—just… aware, attentive, ready. Eric felt a pulse of reassurance, faint but undeniable.
The troll tried to swing again, wild and heavy, but Eric sidestepped, his blade barely grazing its arm. Another soldier plunged a sword into its knee, forcing it down onto one leg. The creature teetered, losing balance, a deep, ragged growl escaping its throat.
Eric's stomach tightened with adrenaline and fear. He wanted to shout, to celebrate, but he couldn't. The troll was still dangerous, still massive, still capable of ending them all with one lucky strike.
Then—finally—it stumbled into the narrow clearing between two trees, its movement clumsy. The soldiers pressed together, coordinated, striking relentlessly. Eric saw his opening, the moment that could decide life or death.
"Gary… stay right there!" he whispered, almost to himself. The wolf paused, nodding faintly, watching. It wasn't fighting—but it was there, and that mattered in its own way.
The troll swung again, missing the soldiers by inches, its foot catching a root. It teetered, lost its balance, and fell hard, smashing into the ground with a deafening crash. Dust and leaves filled the air.
Eric stumbled back, heart racing, chest heaving. The soldiers let out ragged breaths, some cheering quietly, others checking for wounds.
The forest was quiet now, except for the distant groans of the fallen troll. Eric glanced down at Gary, whose faint glow seemed… brighter, almost proud. The ghostly wolf hadn't struck a single blow, but its presence had stayed, unwavering, and Eric felt something shift inside him—a strange, reluctant gratitude.
He exhaled slowly, muscles trembling. "We… we made it," he muttered. Not a certainty, not completely safe—but for the first time in this forest of chaos, survival didn't feel impossible.
And Gary padded close, brushing against Eric's leg as if to say, You didn't do this alone.