“The walls have been breached!” cried Rodrick, who stood in wait outside the inner sanctuary. The remainder of the Netherian infantry now charged to meet their foe, and the archers on the burning walls either took up new positions in the buildings or gathered their swords. The once peaceful streets erupted in a flashing of silver and the clanging of steel on steel. The Goblyns were reckless and fiendish warriors, who relied on fangs and claws for than swords and daggers.
Victor fought side by side with Rodrick, but he relied more on alchemy than his blade. He placed his hands on the ground and from the earth sprung and dozen spears that impaled entire groups of enemies before disintegrating back into grains of sand. Rodrick had set his short-sword alight and it flashed and soared like a vicious phoenix, slaying enemies by the dozen.
“They are wavering!” Rodrick announced. “Do not let up! Slay them all!”
“Do not speak so soon, Rodrick,” said Ling. “Something new approaches. Can you hear the drums getting louder? Our ears have been deceived. They are footsteps.”
A fresh wave of smaller Goblyns scrambled through the opening in the wall, and then the forest was shaken by a deafening roar, so terrible that the sound of battle was ceased in its wake, only to be rekindled with the crash of the wall coming down. The monstrous troll carried a wooden club in its large meaty hands. Its skin was grey and leathery but impenetrable to arrows and swords.
Rodrick watched it in awe. “No monster like that exists in our world! That thing could topple a building with a single swing of its club!”
Sam appeared by Rodrick’s side. “Where is Mr. Silver?” she asked. “Does he know how to stop it?”
“Silver will be no help here, I’m afraid. He has gone after Elizabeth. It seems we have our part to play in this and he has his. Focus on the threat before you.” Rodrick’s eyes swept over the battlefield, a new shadow more powerful than ever had befallen it. His heart ached at the sight of Netherians being slain. “I saw Astrid somewhere in the city before – unless my eyes deceive me! Go to her and stop whatever it is she plans on doing!”
“What about the troll?”
“We will handle that!” A battle-driven smiled touched his sweaty face. “I have yearned for a true test of my skills! Now go!”
Victor and Sam ran side by side through the heat of the battle, but Sam was deeply troubled. “I can’t fight her, Victor. I don’t want to.”
“Hopefully you won’t have to, but let’s find her first, before she does something that can’t be undone!”
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