Blizzard

Chapter 4: The Hero

Enar was both confused and angry at the stranger.
"Why are you here? Who are you?"
Enar said with aggression.

"Well I don't think I can tell you my real name at the moment, but for now you can call me...Red, I like that name."

Enar stared at him in confusion.

"I know, there is much explaining to be done, but much will be clear soon."

Red picked up a torch and lit it on the fire. He then stood up, reminding Enar how big he was.

"Walk with me boy" Red said as he began walking deeper into the cave.
Enar hesitantly began following him, lowering his guard.

"Enar, not all is as it seems."

Enar looked up at the man with a curious look.

"What do you mean? What isn't what it seems?"

"You must answer that question on your own I'm afraid. You have a long journey ahead of you."

"What journey? I just want to go home."

Red paused for a moment
"...Do you ever wish you got the chance to meet your mother?"

"Of course I do."

"This is your chance."

Enar froze where he stood.

"...What?"

"Your mother is alive, Enar. You must find her, and learn the truths of this world and of yourself."

"That can't be...It can't..."

The man simply kept walking.

"Wait, where is she?" He said, following him once more.

The man paused for a moment before opening his mouth.

"Jotunheim."

Enar's face was even more shocked.

"Jotunheim!? That isn't possible!"

"Oh, but it is, and you must go find her. If you don't, your life could very well be in danger."

"What? Why is my life in danger?"

"I'm afraid I cannot tell you that either." The man stopped where he was and simply stared ahead into the darkness.

"Why am I even following you through this cave if you aren't going to tell me anything I need to know!?"

"I must leave you here now. I am deeply sorry."

Red handed Enar the torch and pulled out a sturdy looking bow. He then knocked an arrow from a quiver that Enar hadn't noticed, and shot ahead into the darkness. There was a thick silence for a moment, then a mighty roar came from ahead.

"Your spear is much more than you think."

"...What did you do?"

Enar turned around to see that Red was gone, leaving him with only his spear, his bow, and the torch he was given.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows, standing on two legs with big arms lingering at its sides. Its blue muscles showed through its thick white fur as it bared its huge saber like teeth, its big blue eyes shining in the dark light. This was the first time Enar had ever seen a frost troll in his life.

Eske sat at the mouth of the blocked off cave. The entrance still had slivers of light shining through to dimly light the cave. Eske drew on the ground with a large branch from the tree lying down at the opening. He thought back on the spear of ice, and the dead bear. So much had happened. He wished he could be like his brother, a born warrior prepared for anything. He didn't want to live in his shadow. Eske's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of quick footsteps approaching through the cave, followed by roaring and thumps.

Eske already knew what had happened. Clearly Enar did find another creature. The way out was blocked, they would have no choice but to fight. Eske quickly pulled out his bow and an arrow. He hid on the wall of the cave, cloaking himself in darkness as he waited for the threat. Enar rolled around the corner, dodging a swing from the troll.

"Eske? Eske!?"

Enar yelled for his brother, afraid something had happened to him. However, Eske was nowhere to be found. He turned to the troll and backed towards the fallen tree. Just as the troll seemed to prepare to kill Enar, there was a quick noise of a vibrating string and a whizz that came from the wall. An arrow had struck the monster right in it's left eye.

Enar looked over and spotted Eske by the wall. The troll roared out and began thrashing into the air, charging forward. Enar dashed out of the way towards the other side of the cave from Eske as the troll, blinded by its own blood, bashed it's way through the thick fallen tree at the mouth of the cave.

By this time, the storm had passed outside, but snow still covered the ground. The troll kept charging forward off into the distance as the brothers crept out of the cave. Enar was ready to relax again, but there was something unnerving about the troll. Not the fact that they actually exist, or that it just wondered off. It was more of where the troll was wondering off to. Then it clicked. Their village was directly in the wake of the frost troll's rampage.

They looked at eachother at the same time, realizing the issue together. Enar quickly sprang up, and ran, spear in hand. Eske looked at him for a second, wondering how Enar weilded the spear as if it were an ordinary weapon. He then wrapped his bow around his torso and ran after him.

After running for a couple minutes, the duo began to close in on the beast.
They were getting close to the village. The smoke was visible not far away, over a hill. The troll was moving fast quick though. It slightly tripped and almost fell going down the hill.

Once the brothers made it to the hill, Eske stopped and began firing suprisingly accurate shots at it. The arrows pierced weak points on the troll's body. Enar slid down the hill over the ice and snow and leaped onto the back of the troll. Villagers in the distance ran away, screaming. Only a few guards were brave enough to even ready a stance in the direction of the beast.

Enar struggled to stay on its back, using only one hand to grip its fur, his spear in the other. He stabbed it a couple times, only barely piercing its skin. He then jumped up further and grabbed its head, sitting on its shoulders. He pulled its head up and stabbed it in the other eye, much deeper than an arrow could have gone. The troll wailed out in pain again, thrashing around.

Enar quickly pulled his spear out of the eye socket and gripped the spear around its neck, riding it like a wild bull. The guards who stood in formation were in awe as they watched Enar fight the monster as if he were an experienced veteran. The troll's cries began to soften and it fell to it's knees. Enar jumped up off the troll's shoulders and came back down, thrusting his spear into its neck. The spear went all the way through, blood spurting from its throat. The beast then fell forward onto its stomach, Enar falling with it. The troll had bled to death from its eyes and throat.

Enar lied on its back, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He looked up and saw many faces in complete shock. Everything was extremely quiet and still. Then, people began to cheer. Slowly and akwardly, as they were still in shock, but surely enough. Enar also realized it was his very house at which the troll landed right in front of.

His father burst out the doors of their longhouse, greatsword in hand.
"What's this commotion!?"

He paused and looked down at the troll and then up to Enar. The crowd grew still and silent once more. The gazes seemed to last an eternity until the quiet was broken by three golden words.

"...That's my son."