Troll Fight

Perhaps it was the long skirt tangling up Fred's legs or the unfamiliar balance of the weapon. Whatever the case, her swing went wide, and blade sank into the base of the troll's thick neck. Fred yanked on the blade but found it stuck fast, leaving her defenseless.

The troll roared in fury and lashed out with a hand the size of Fred's entire torso. Striking the side of her head, the blow sent her airborne, spinning head over heels to slam into a nearby tree. The thick trunk shattered into splinters, sending both treetop and girl down into a heap of detritus.

"NO!!" Astra screamed. She had gotten hold of her other sword and had been charging in to help when she witnessed her friend being obliterated by the hulking creature. Enraged, she let out a war cry and ran at the troll. "You demon!"

The troll snarled back. Reaching out with an arm nearly as long as it was tall, it grabbed the fallen treetop and hurled it at the Aqualarian.

She dropped down just in time for the tree to sail by so close she felt a few leaves whip past her shoulder. Behind her, Fynia and a group of warriors coming to her aid dived to either side as the foliaged missile demolished one of the tents. When Astra tried to get to her feet, a shadow fell over her, and she instinctively rolled to the side.

Boom! The troll's fist left a broad crater where she had been a moment ago. This troll was fast!

Ending her roll on one knee, Astra struck out with her sword and sliced into the arm's wrist. The troll recoiled, letting the princess dart forward to stab its side. Bellowing in pain and fury, the beast pulled free and raised another fist.

At this point, a small figure hurtled out of nowhere and landed on the troll's back, seizing the hilt of the monster blade still jutting from its shoulder and giving it a twist. The troll bellowed in pain and tried to swat its attacker off.

Even in the heat of battle, Astra stared. "Hannah?"

Sure enough, the grey skinned girl was there, very much alive, though her clothes were little more than tatters. She yanked at the blade, but like before, the weapon would not budge. Then, the troll's hand closed around her waist and plucked her off, pulling out the blade in the process. This also left an opening for Astra.

Swinging with all her might, Astra lopped off the creature's head. Spraying black blood everywhere, the lifeless body slumped to the ground, Fred still locked in its grip. Dropping her sword, the princess ran over and pried the huge fingers open.

"Astra? Unharmed?" The breathless Fred panted, climbing out of the massive hand.

Astra grabbed her and hugged her in relief. "Yes, but I ought to ask you the same thing! How are you still alive after what that monster did to you?"

Fred slowly returned the hug. "Not sure. Back hurts, but not broken."

"Your back? That's probably where you hit the tree. Let me see if you're injured."

Moving her hair to the side, Fred turned around. Astra stood in silence, unsure of what to make of what she saw.

1. A horrible gash stretched across her back. How was she not dead?
2. A few odd cracks as if her skin was made of stone.
3. Giant insect wings? (Cockroach, to be exact) When did she get those?
4. Nothing! It was as if she had never been thrown through a solid tree trunk at all.

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