Amidst the Darkness

Chapter one. Whispers in the dark

The night was silent, a faint mist Floated in the crisp air. A group of soldiers stood in darkness, hidden behind rocks and trees. Archers stood above waiting with baited breath. An owl hooted in the night air. Their pry was coming.

"Four hoots, twenty-five of them." Whispered one of the men.

"Quiet, still your mouths or we will be heard!" Hissed a solider glancing at another man hiding in the darkness. That man was King Harvold the reigning king of the Avisshear Mountains, He had heard intel that there was to be a group of Trolls entering his boarders to attack a village and so he had quickly gathered a group of his soldiers to launch an ambush and intercept them. He had personally gone as well. To ensure its success.

He was tall, and well built, His hair and beard a reddish gold colour. You could just barely make out the outlines of his battle Crown atop his head. His hazel eyes stared coldly into the night. His body as still as stone. His hand rested on Farvier his mighty sword, made of Evergild, it was a sword legendary for its strength and power. His breastplate was made of the same metal. With blue colouring and in the middle of it was the symbol of his Kingdom. By his feet a dark shadow danced like fire.

As time went by they heard the faint rustling of feet on leaves. Then the slight grunting of trolls.

"How much further?" Grunted a voice.

"If we keep following this here path we'll come to a river, an then all we do is follow that to the village. Then we find all the valuables an grub, an take em!" Laughed another deeper voice.

"Those little bugs won't know we were there till we slit their pretty necks!" Laughed another voice.

"We'll give em a nice red smile" came the deeper voice coming into view. He looked to be the leader of the group of trolls.

King Harvold signalled to the archers to take aim.

They notched their arrows and pulled them back. The soldiers below griped their weapons in anticipation for the upcoming battle.

The soldiers were ready. They stood quietly with their weapons drawn. The plan was perfect; it couldn't go wrong.

Then.

The wind changed.

They had been standing downwind of them, masking their smell. But now that the wind had changed course they were now upwind. The trolls could smell them.

The Troll leader's eyes went wide and he suddenly yelled out

"Ambush! Take cover!" As he leapt behind a boulder.

King Harvold Cried out to his men "Release!'

The archers released their volley of arrows killing off a bunch of the trolls. The rest had managed to hide behind their shields or jumped behind rocks or trees.

Trolls cried out in pain while the rest fall down arrows piecing their heads or hearts.

"Dammit" Muttered King Harvold pulling Farvier from its scabbard and yelling to his soldiers.

"Charge! Cut them down before they can escape!"

The soldiers quickly leapt from their hiding places and rushed down on the trolls Hacking and slashing, trying to fatally wound them before they could get up. The trolls at first disorientated now had their blood pumping and they wouldn't go down easily.

King Harvold swung Farvier at a troll trying to stab him and neatly cut his axe in two. The troll stared at his now useless weapon and muttered "I should have become a farmer."