Dragonsoul

Chapter 55

Heart beating like a village drum. Fear spreading like a storm. Power draining like a riverbed in the summer heat. 

"Wait," a younger voice said before the troll's leg could crush Toras.

"Isn't that the funny little man who helped me?" the same voice questioned.

The troll retreated her leg, studying the miniature figure of a human-like creature. It did appear familiar to her eye, but everything was so utterly confusing.

It was like waking up from a horrible nightmare and not being able to distinguish between reality and the land of horrors.

"Dancing Rock? Are you all alright? What are we doing here?" the troll asked her son in wonder.

"Water Lily, is that you?" Toras asked, shielding his eyes as he squinted towards the troll.

"Yes. So, Dancing Rock is right? You are the Mage who helped him?" Water Lily asked.

"What is happening?" Amitola asked, coming to stand next to Toras.

She was utterly terrified at how close he was to dying and felt the need to try and protect him with her proximity, as illogical as that was. Toras was the man who helped them every step of the way, and she wanted to somehow return the favor.

Also, she could not imagine the world without him. His good heart and fun personality had become part of her days. She did not wish to see his bright light extinguished.

"I told you that I once met a troll. Well, this is the troll I was talking about." Toras said.

"It doesn't sound like you told us the whole story, did you?" Leonie asked.

"Not exactly. I didn't think it was relevant..." Toras started to say.

"He saved my life." Dancing Rock said, kneeling down with excitement in his eyes.

"You see, I thought that because I was so big and strong, I could do anything. So, I snuck out of our cave and went to the river. I was very young, and I thought that it would be cool to walk across the river. However, it was too strong even for me. My size didn't stop me from being swept away. If Toras hadn't used his magic to save me, I am not sure what would've happened to me." Dancing Rock said.

"Well, when I saw Water Lily, I thought it was strange that she would be out and about at the time when everyone believed the trolls were extinct. It was only logical that something was wrong, so I went to investigate. That's how I found Dancing Rock and brought him back to his mother." Toras said as other trolls just stood around in utter confusion, trying to understand what was going on.

"You are a good man, Toras," Amitola said, gently kissing his cheek.

For the first time since he could remember, Toras was left speechless. He just stood in place as his heart filled with warmth at the compliment.

"I can't remember... What are we doing here? Have the humans done something to us?" Water Lily asked, attempting to clear her thoughts of a strange presence that lurked in the depths of her mind.

"No, not humans. I am not sure who or what did this to you, but it couldn't be the humans. They don't have that kind of power. Even I don't have that kind of power. It's something much stronger." Toras said, finally regaining his wits.

The trolls shuffled uncomfortably, as the memory of why they were there, what they had tried to do, started trickling back to the well of their memories.

"What do you remember?" Rimar asked gently.

Undeterred by the presence of a dragon, the trolls seemed to even feel a strange kind of familiarity with him. Rimar's proximity relaxed the trolls rather than scare them off.