Hiro had left Serabeft but had no quick way back to training grounds with Theo. Hiro ran to the through the forest with the smoke of Serabeft still being seen in the distance. Hiro was remembering the conversation between himself and Theo before he took the portal to Serabeft.
"If you manage to survive boy head due west until you reach a city called Dwarvenguard. There is where I'll be waiting. You have a week to make it there so if you want to continue your training it's best you not dawdle."
Hiro ran due west for two days and still hadn't made it to Dwarvenguard. He approached a town called Gresham so he decided to stay there to rest up.
I've been running nonstop for two days. Just how far is that city. Curse that old man! Why didn't he just teach me that portal spell? I bet he's just laughing at the thought of me running for days whilst he just took a portal. The thought of his face right now is just pissing me off.
Hiro arrives at a tavern called "The Sleeping Poppy". He walks in to see two trolls roughing up the tavern staff.
"You're fairly decent human wench. Hows about we 'ave alil bit of fun. I've 'eard human women let you do all sorts of fings to 'em and they won't complain as long as you're an of higher status."
Hiro gets angry because something about what the troll had said had triggered something deep inside himself. It wasn't the words that had been said but the mere fact that something that looked so vile and disgust would think it was higher than humans.
"How about you take your filthy, disgusting, and repulsive hands off of her. Can't you see the lady doesn't like being touched by living excrement."
"Who said that?"
The trolls turn around to see Hiro standing in the passageway. One of the trolls that were sniffing a woman stops and lets her go and the woman runs off. The troll that had been talking walked over to Hiro towering above him by at least a meter.
"Who in the 'ell do you fink you are? Coming in 'ere ruining me fun you lil insect. I can't stand lil pissants that fink they can talk tough and one lil flick breaks em to bits."
"Oh yeah? Is that right how about it then give me a little flick"
The troll hits Hiro with such force it knocks him through the wall leaving behind rubble and debris.
The troll begins to laugh.
"I barely touched 'em now look. I swear humans are so fragile."
Hiro's laughter can be heard outside of the wall that had just been made.
"Is that right? Is that the best you've got?"
Hiro walks back into the tavern through the wall he just made with his body. He is unscathed and just brushes the dust off himself.
"That was a cute little hit you had there. I just wanted to gauge your strength and I'm amazed."
The trolls are dumbfounded.
"Why aren't you dead yet and why are you amazed at my strength it's only natural trolls are stronger than humans!"
"I'm amazing simply because you're so weak. I didn't even feel that."
Hiro walks directly up to the second troll and stares him in the eyes.
"Let's see what you got big boy."
The other troll hits him through another wall. The other tavern people watch in horror thinking about how a brave kid just took two hits from the trolls thinking he must now be dead.
"My gods you trolls are weak."
Hiro walks back in and looks at the mess he made.
"My apologies about the walls the trolls will pay for it. I was wanting to see how hard they could hit me and I got a little carried away no matter it won't happen again."
Hiro walks back up to the second troll and stares him down and smiles.
"Not as weak as your friend over there but still too weak. Give me your strongest one."
The second trolls put his whole body into punching Hiro but this time he doesn't even move. Hiro looks at the troll almost like a demon.
"What's wrong do trolls not understand when you ask for a strong punch. Here I'll show you."
Hiro punches the troll in the face and shatters the troll's jaw. Hiro then kicks the troll's legs and breaks them in half. The troll tries to grab Hiro. He grabs Hiro's arm and Hiro grabs his wrist and completely shatters the bones in his arm.
"I swear trolls are so fragile one little grab and they just break to bits. Don't worry I won't make you suffer"
Hiro knocks out the second troll. And looks at the one that was talking.
"But for you, I won't be as nice."
"What the 'ell are...."
The moment that the troll opened his mouth Hiro appeared before him and hit him with a backhand knocking him through the wall he originally knocked Hiro through. The troll struggles to get up and Hiro walks through the hole in the wall. Hiro steps on the troll's back and forced him further to the ground.
"What are you some halfing brat that loves these lil worthless sacks of flesh?"
"Oh no. I'm 100 percent human and if humans are fragile I'd hate to think that makes you."
Hiro crushes the troll back to the ground. The tavern owner walks out and addresses Hiro.
"Are you going to kill him?"
"Not yet but I'm getting to it."
"Please sir we're grateful for what you have done but please don't kill him if they die the Alcaton will just send more trolls to kill everyone in this town so please let them go."
"Very well."
Hiro steps off of the troll.
"Pick your pathetic self and your friend and leave this town."
"We'll make you lot regret this."
The troll picks up his friend and carries him. They walk out of town and Hiro just waits.
"Thank you again they have been causing us nothing but trouble but I'm afraid you've only made things worse for us."
"How about this then? Provide me a place to sleep and some food and you won't have to worry about the Alcaton."
"Even if I do that no human has ever gone up against the Alcaton and won.I know how strong you are but going up against a clan of trolls is suicide."
"Like it or not if the Alcaton are like you say do you think they'll take this defeat lying down even if I did nothing. The fact of the matter is two of their members were defeated here. To save their reputation they'd come back and reek havoc on this town anyways on principle. Their reputation as demihumans is at state and losing to humans isn't good. They will think either the entire town rebelled and come for revenge or hear that one human defeated two of their members and need to erase any rumours that could damage them."
"So you're saying no matter what the town would be destroyed."
"Precisely. You're doomed if I do something or nothing. So what do you say? I could attempt to deal with them myself. What's the harm it is my fault for defending your people anyways."
"Very well I guess there's no harm if you go or don't go. I'm putting my trust in you. "
"It's nothing about trust. This is were I'll be sleeping and getting free food I don't like my bed to be uncomfortably destroyed. It does a number on my back."
Hiro heads out of town and falls the trail of the two trolls he let go. In the distance their is a hooded figure watching Hiro leave. The hooded figure follows Hiro and watches in the distance as Hiro arrives at the camp of the Alcaton. Hiro cracks his knuckles.
"This is gonna be fun. "