Root ran away from the wall after the guards saw the trolls facing the wall. His mind was a mess with guilt and fear bubbling inside himself. His supposed savior died from a lie that came true and his tribe, doomed to lose against those giant beasts because of him.
The weight in his heart was too much to bear. He collapsed in a dark alley, crying out his frustration. Outside were countless goblins running in all sorts of directions. Some of them carried bags filled with precious items, while others ran out naked in the cold. Then there were Stick's followers running from the town square, panicking at their wits' ends.
Shuja stood on her home's roof, watching the scene unfold before her. Her house was close to the town square, so she could not help but hear the ruckus. To her, they look like ants scattered across the snowy ground, flipping crates and knocking down boxes. They look desperate and angry. Finally, Stick appeared on the scene. He gave out orders to his followers, and soon the disorganized ants found themselves in order.
After watching them get their act together, Shuja got her things ready and climbed down the roof. But before she could reach halfway down, she heard sounds of buildings collapsing. She turned her head and saw a small cottage cave in. That building housed Lite's mother. The Chief gave it to her after the troll attack destroyed her home. Now her second home was demolished again. Emerging from the rubble was a troll covered in a thick leather coat.
Shuja climbed back up the roof. She ran on the rooftops, towards the wall. She doesn't know why she's going there. Was it to see if her friend's mother is ok? Or maybe she thought that this was her time to redeem herself?
Once she reached it, the troll was lunging large chunks of wood at the wall. The troll was seventy meters away from the wall, and yet, its throw could reach the archers' post. The sight of the troll's strength was so overwhelming that Shuja could not help but get on her knees while shivering in fear. Voices in her head whispered to her to run and never look back. The same voices she heard when they ambushed by that giant Timber Wolf.
Suddenly, fire rose from the ground and surrounded the troll. The troll cried in pain while the blazing flames cooked it alive. The scorching heat woke Shuja's mind. She saw the fearsome beast run through the fire and burning pillars to escape its pyre. Its coat had burnt marks, and its helmet lost its shine. But its fearsome visage remained intact, more so after letting its anger out with a roar.
Terror almost had its hands on Shuja because of the roar, but something else caught her mind. A cry for help coming from the rubble. Shuja held her breathe and climbed down. Once she got down, she covered her mouth with a dirty rag to prevent the ash from filling her lungs. She crawled under the fire, searching for the origin of the call.
"Help, please." She heard it again, but this time much quieter. Shuja moved faster, searching everywhere she could until she finally found her.
Lite's mother was buried under debris with her hand reaching out for anyone that could help her. "Shuja, here, me help!" Shuja ran to her. She tried to lift the large pillar she was stuck under, but she was too weak to crawl out. Shuja found bricks near her and used them to support the pillar after she lifted it in the air. Then she pulled Lite's mother out. "Lite's mom out now." Shuja smiled.
She looked at Shuja with disdain, "Me have name!"
"Oh right," Shuja tried to remember her friend's mom's name, but nothing came to mind.
"Is Mahal!" She extended her arm, trying to choke her.
"Sorry," Shuja held Mahal's hands away from her. She was weak, so it didn't bother Shuja that much. The building continued to burn down, with large chunks of the roof and walls raining down on the two. "No time, We go now!" Shuja got up. Mahal tried to do the same, but her ankles got twisted.
She stared at Shuja, not with contempt but in defeat, "Go leave!" She yelled.
Shuja took off her rag and used it to cover Mahal's mouth. Then she pulled her up and carried Mahal on her back. "Me no leave! Not without Mahal!"
There was a pillar leaning against the wall and was large enough to support their weight. Shuja climbed up carefully but quickly while the fire behind them grew larger. Smoke enveloped them during the climb. Shuja had to dedicate one of her hands to her face to avoid breathing in the smoke. Mahal held Shuja's shoulders tightly while tears poured out from her eyes. The smoke choked them slowly, but hope soon showed itself.
Goblins were on the roof, pouring buckets of water on the fire. Smoke turned into steam. These same goblins saw the two emerging from the smoke. They extended their hands and helped the two out of the building. Shuja collapsed on the roof.
"Get stretchers!" One of them yelled. "You ok."
"Shuja fine." Shuja pushed herself up despite the protest from the goblins around her.
"Shuja sure she fine. Lay down good, no?"
"Shuja fine."
Mahal was placed on the stretcher and was carried away from the battle taking place. Mahal was barely conscious, but the goblins carrying reassured Shuja that she will be fine. But still, Shuja followed them to make sure she was ok. She held Mahal's hand on the way. Mahal responded by tightening her grip. Eventually, Mahal lost her consciousness, and her hand let go of Shuja.
Shuja stopped walking with them. She just stood still looking at them walk away from her. While watching them, she recalled her memories with Lite. He was a great friend that Shuja would never trade for anyone else. But only if she was brave enough to face the Timber Wolf.
"Hey you!" Someone yelled, "You need eba q ate."
Shuja turned around. It was Mist walking towards while holding a box of rocks. "Talking Shuja?"
"Yes. Shuja need eba q ate!" Mist said slowly, "It ok not understand. Mist not understand eba q ate till Sir Stick teach Mist and friends. Eba q ate means run away."
"Ok," Shuja said. Before she could leave, the women crying coming from the alley next to them. Coming out from the shadows was Root, crying his lungs out. Mist ran to him in the speed of light then hugged him while caressing his head. Shuja found the scene very strange.
"Root ok? No cry no cry." She whispered to him, "Troll lose. Mist knows, yeah?"
Root got on his knees and prostrate himself while slamming his head to the ground. "I'm sorry!"
Mist was shocked, "Root What doing? Head bleed from that!"
"Root sorry! Root did wrong."
"What?"
"Root break glass. Root break boxes."
Mist's eyes were beginning to fill with rage. "You! You did what?" Tears rolled down her eyes. She got on her knees and started slamming Root's back with her fist. "Why Root do it? Mist work hard, so tribe survives. Why you do it?"
Shuja tried to intervene, pulling Mist off Root's back. Mist tried to resist, kicking Root's head while getting dragged away. When Shuja lost her grip, Mist crawled back to Root to beat him. Despite her attacks, they were still weak.
Shuja got closer, this time retraining her arms by hugging her tightly. Up close, she noticed something strange on Mist's hands. They had scars, burn marks, and calluses Shuja never saw before. She heard rumors that Mist offered her body to the Chief. Was it due to that?
"Root sorry. Root only do it for Mist!" Root raised his head. His face was a mess, covered in snow, tears, and snot. "Mist give Mist's body for Root. Root want save you so me go Olr. Olr said break trap and make Chief look bad! Root not want Mist gone!"
Mist wiped away her tears, "Me work hard. Help make stink bombs. Now stink bombs gone. And worse. Root did that! What Chief find out? Me no want Root gone too. But what Root do now?"
"Help Chief win!" Shuja yelled at them. "Root want Mist forgive him. Then work till nose no breath, till hands bleed, and till eyes no see. So stand up, Mist, Root, and work!" Root and Mist stood up and hugged each other. "Now, go!"
"Yes!" They both answered. Root carried the box full of rocks and followed Mist.
Shuja watched the siblings run the distance. The words she said to them echoed in her mind. Helping the Chief win was something they were all doing. But what about her? Suddenly, the ground beneath her shook. She climbed up one of the buildings and saw a glimpse of Smoke running away from the troll.
Eventually, the troll caught up with him and began swinging his weapons. Smoke's small size made it harder for the troll to hit him. But Smoke was running out of stamina. Shuja took a deep breath and ran along the rooftops towards the action because she can't keep running away forever.