Sticks and Stones

Within moments of choosing Fred felt a sickness engulf his lower intestines and the Troll fell to the floor as well. Only Belboz remained standing as if nothing were wrong.

"Bel--" Fred's voice was cut short as a wave of vomit rose, surfaced, and exited in a burning stream through his lips and nostrils.

The Troll screamed in pain while Belboz stood, not unaffected - but transfixed!

Then, an eerie voice, as if from beyond the grave began to speak within the cavernous space of this hole within the bowels of the Southern Caves. It was a message that seemed oh so familiar: "Beware, beware...for true evil is not from beyond. Neither magic nor strength of flesh can destroy it. Many are the tests that you have now chosen, many the trials of intellect, of cooperation, of faith, of chance. Fair thee well, for the challenge ends only with the death of Menifee or your fate as it surely awaits you."

Then the voice was gone and the cave was silent anew. A scent began to fill the nostrils of Fred as he lay in agonizing pain and the Troll was no longer anywhere to be seen. Fred gasped in the torture of his abdominal torture and nearly fainted from the intensity of it.

"Peppermint..." said a voice.

"Wha--?" thought Fred.

"Peppermint leaves to cure the ill," came the voice again.

Suddenly fred found himself being dragged by the feet towards a darker corner of the cavern.

"Hel--" he cried. Then he saw who it was, the Troll!

The Troll dragged Fred into a small depression that was full of peppermint leaves, and the Troll stuffed them into his mouth! Fred chewed, in part so he wouldn't gag and in part to swallow his medicine. Soon the pain faded.

"How did you know?" asked Fred.

"Luck," responded the Troll. "I rolled into this small pit as my gut wanted to explode. The leaves found themselves into my mouth and I felt better."

"Thanks for telling me," said Fred.

"Telling?" asked the Troll. "I did not say anything to you, I simply grabbed you."

1. "What?" said Fred. "SOMEBODY was talking to me!"
2. Fred ponders this a moment and then asks the Troll if 'Menifee' was the Dragon's name.

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