Morning arrived and the aroma of freshly baked bread filled the air. With the assistance of Master Whitehair and his mother, Von was arranged into his chair and wheeled into the dining area. A simple meal of fresh bread and leftovers from the previous feast was waiting for the trio. Once sated, the procession again began their travels.
The rhythmic clip-clop of hooves echoed through the air as the ornate carriage rolled smoothly along the cobblestone road. The escort of knights, clad in shimmering armor adorned with crest-emblazoned tabards, formed a protective perimeter around the carriage. Their swords were sheathed, but their vigilant eyes scanned the surroundings for any signs of danger while Von's mother scouted ahead to ensure their route was safe.
The lush landscape unfolded around them, bathed in the warm hues of the morning sun. Verdant fields stretched into the distance, interrupted only by the occasional silhouette of a town or the swaying branches of ancient trees. The air was filled with the gentle murmur of the wind and the distant calls of birds.
As the caravan continued its journey, through a large hilly forest, an ominous tension hung in the air, forewarning of an impending threat. The sounds of wildlife vanished causing the knights to tighten their grips on their weapons. Even the horses seemed to sense the unease, their ears pricking up with alertness and constantly looked around seeking directions in which they might bolt.
Not unexpectedly, the tranquility was broken by an otherworldly growl which seemed to emanate from the very depths of the forest. The knights swiftly formed a defensive formation, surrounding the carriage protectively. The growl turned out not to be from a wild animal, but from predators far worse.
From the dense foliage emerged grotesque figures—scaly, green-skinned trolls with eyes ablaze with malevolence, their massive forms casting ominous silhouettes against the already dark backdrop. Standing at least eight feet tall, the trolls' scaly skin shimmered in various shades of green, creating unsettling and otherworldly appearances. Their muscular misshapen limbs were gnarled and possessed an otherworldly strength. Their long arms ended in clawed hands capable of tearing through most light armors with ease. The air was filled with the sickly stench of their presence, and their guttural growls echoed menacingly.
The thunderous clash of metal against scaly hide reverberated through the forest as the knights engaged in a desperate struggle to repel the ferocious attackers. Despite their skill and determination, the trolls proved to be formidable adversaries with their thick scaley hides. As the knights assaulted the trolls, their swords clashing against the trolls' tough skin seemingly impervious to the blows of conventional weapons. Beast core weapons seemed to do significant damage, however, what damage was done was being regenerated by the foul creatures.
During the chaos, two massive trolls launched a powerful assault on the carriage itself. With a deafening crash, the carriage was sent over onto its side, sending the occupants sprawling. The knights, now disoriented and separated, fought valiantly to regroup and rescue the king amidst the tangled wreckage.
The trolls, sensing the advantage, pressed their attack, exploiting the disarray caused by the overturned carriage. Two knights caught beneath it struggled to free themselves from the wreckage, while others faced the trolls head-on in a desperate bid to protect their comrades and remove those from within.
Once the two knights were pulled from beneath the carriage, they were secured atop the backs of horses to be removed from the fight. The king, previously stunned by being thrown around in the passenger area, finally climbed his way from the overturned vehicle. Regaining his senses, he quickly made motions with his hand and drew forth energy from his surroundings creating a shining silver barrier to protect their toppled ride while one of the knight escorts leapt into the compartment and aided the children, lifting them out via the door on the top.
Seeing the glowing barrier suddenly spring forth around the wheeled vehicle, the large trolls who toppled it grabbed long tree trunks the thickness of a human leg and began bashing at the shield knowing something special must be contained within. The barrier, however, continued to hold against their assault and even worse for them, it slowly began to enlarge itself forcing the trolls back.
Once Monica was out of the passenger compartment, she climbed to the rear of the conveyance and untied Von's wheelchair. Despite falling a few feet to the ground, it seemed to remain intact. She quickly set it aright and pushed it to the side opposite the largest trolls, preparing it to receive its passenger.
Pulled off the bottom of the carriage, Von was lifted through the open door above and unceremoniously thrown half-in half-out of the opening. His rescuer climbed out to stand beside him before pulling his small frame the rest of the way out of the door. Succeeding in this, he saw Monica below with the other children huddled within the shield away from the trolls. He quickly bent and lowered the small boy down the side of the wooden frame and with the help of the children below managed to dump his burden into the chair mostly unharmed. The knight then grabbed a crossbow and bolts from the driver's seat and began firing into the trolls hoping to find a vital spot which would at least slow them down.
One of the children, a quick-witted blonde-haired girl with braids named Gloria Katt remembered something from her lessons and screamed, "FIRE! They are weak to FIRE!" Upon hearing this, a quiet boy, named Theo, who had hardly said a word during the trip so far, stood and placing his hands together began drawing energy from the surround air. The temperature dropped several degrees as a small bolt of fire formed in front of his outstretched hands. A moment later, the fire streaked from behind the shield and planted itself into the back of a troll battling two injured knights. The troll swiftly turned giving one of the knights an opportunity to strike it from behind, but like so many blows before, it did little damage. Gloria seeing the other's battle mate looking in their direction again screamed, "USE FIRE!"
A shouted command spread among the knights, and soon, they began seeking some form of fire to aid in their attacks against the green creatures. A second bolt formed by Theo struck the facing troll in the chest causing the troll to recoil in agony as the flames licked at its now un-regenerative flesh, proving a vulnerability to fire. A third bolt which took longer to form soared from the boy's hand and landed directly in the face of the troll blinding it. A final fiery missile was enough to bring the troll to the ground. Unfortunately, due to the pressure of containing the flames, it was also enough for Theo to drop into unconsciousness.
Seeing the death of one of the trolls, the remaining defenders rallied around, gathering torches and oil-filled lanterns to fend off the regenerating assailants. The trolls began pulling back as the flames licked at their scaly hides, providing a brief respite for the beleaguered knights.
One of the two trolls attempting to wear away at the shield surrounding the carriage backed away pulling a large horn made from some massive antler. Blowing into it, an eerie sound wailed from the instrument.
Hearing this, and noting the expectant look on the trolls, the rallying knights began to look around fearing what could happen next. Could another group of trolls be on their way? After a long minute of nothing, the ground trembled beneath heavy, rhythmic footfalls, heralding the impending arrival of something large—the troll juggernaut. Massive in both stature and presence, this formidable creature moved with an undeniable sense of purpose. As it emerged from the forest, the air seemed to grow heavy with the weight of its impending arrival.
Standing at least twelve feet tall, the troll juggernaut boasted an imposing frame adorned with layers of dense, scaley armor. Its skin, a mosaic of earthy toned scales, blended seamlessly with the gnarled surface of massive layers of bark encasing its form. Clusters of moss and lichen clung to the creature, adding to its aura of ancient, elemental power.
The juggernaut's eyes glowed with an eerie, otherworldly light, radiating a malevolence that betrayed an intelligence beyond the typical troll. Massive, thick tusks protruded from its maw, framing a cavernous mouth whose roar could shake the very foundations of the terrain.
With each deliberate step, the troll juggernaut left fissures in the ground, the sheer force of its movement threatening to disrupt the stability of the surroundings. As it advanced, the sound of rocks scraping against one another echoed through the air, creating a disconcerting symphony which accompanied its relentless approach.
In its colossal hands, the troll juggernaut wielded a gargantuan club fashioned from the trunk of a massive tree, its roots still dangling from one end. The club, adorned with crude symbols etched into the bark, exuded an aura of primal, elemental power.
The atmosphere crackled with tension as the troll juggernaut entered the scene, its formidable presence demanding the attention and respect of all who bore witness. Whether in the heart of a mythical battlefield or the depths of a fantastical realm, the entrance of a troll juggernaut marked a turning point, an encounter with a force of nature embodying the raw, untamed essence of the fantastical world.
The troll juggernaut approached the silver barrier surrounding the carriage with an air of relentless determination. Its massive form casting a shadow over the shimmering barrier as it raised its gargantuan club and slammed down on the protective field. The silver force field had initially withstood the attacks of the lesser trolls as its ethereal glow pulsed with a protective energy, preventing access to the royal carriage. However, with each thunderous strike from the juggernaut's colossal club, the force field weakened visibly.
Each impact sent ripples across the magical shield, its once-pristine surface now flickering with signs of stress. The king, who had conjured the protective barrier, strained to maintain the integrity of his creation, his face turning red and sweat forming on his brow. The air crackled with magical energy as the force field absorbed the brunt of the juggernaut's assault.
As the troll juggernaut continued its relentless barrage, the silver barrier began to falter. Fissures spiderwebbed across its surface as the shield became thinner, and the ethereal glow wavered, creating an unsettling dance of fractured light. The king, his brow furrowed in concentration, poured every ounce of his magical strength into reinforcing the weakening barrier.
The clash between the troll juggernaut and the barrier became a visual spectacle—a battle of magical might versus primal force. The once-impenetrable shield strained to hold its ground, and the carriage's occupants could feel the mounting tension in the air as the juggernaut's onslaught persisted.
The king, summoning every ounce of his magical prowess in a desperate attempt to bolster the faltering force field looked at those remaining under the barrier's protection, "you must flee while you can! I will try to hold them here before following." To the knight beside him he said, "grab Theo and flee. Once all you are clear of the wagon, flee through the thick underbrush to the north. The healer's wagon should be following soon, an hour behind us at most. He can provide aid to the wounded. I will use my amulet once all of you a clear and lead them off to the east."
The knight nodded, but before removing himself from the scene, he reached into a side box of the overturned vehicle. Removing two flasks of lantern oil, he chucked them directly towards the massive troll. The weakened barrier slowed them only slightly and they both hit their target. Seeing both vials break on the juggernaut's massive frame, he shouted for the knights to set it afire.
This done, he lowered himself to the ground quickly and grabbed the unconscious apprentice which had reminded them of the trolls' weakness. Seeing several mounted knights harrying the lesser trolls, he directed the children to flee through low hanging trees to obscure their flight and make pursuit more difficult for the trolls. Once far enough away from the trolls, should they get separated, they would head towards the east until they reached the road or farmland.
Counting to three, he and the children pushed through the protective bubble and fled in the direction of the forest away from the massive juggernaut. The children followed this knight as swinging his sword to clear the way, he ran swiftly through the undergrowth.
Monica, burdened by pushing the wheelchair could not pass the horrid roots and brush but by luck had found a deer path just wide enough to push the wheelchair without slapping Von too much with the small branches. After a few hundred feet, she lost sight of the others but could hear a horrible crash coming from behind her spurring her to continue to race as fast as she could while shoving the chair ahead of her.