The lone figure, wrapped in a torn black cloak, ran through the cavern. His boots splashed through puddles of thick liquid, dark and foul-smelling, while the dim light from glowing fungi revealed the carnage around him. The walls were smeared with blood, fresh and dried, their surfaces wet and streaked. Pieces of torn flesh hung from jagged stone edges, dripping slowly onto the uneven floor below.
The ground was littered with broken bodies, their shapes twisted and barely recognizable. Limbs, torsos, and scraps of meat were scattered everywhere, some fresh, some rotting, buzzing with flies or crawling with maggots. The air stank of rot, blood, and something sour, thick enough to make breathing an effort. He didn't slow down, didn't look at the corpses or the gore, he just kept running.
He came to a stop at a large clearing. The cavern opened up, and a single shaft of light fell from a crack in the ceiling high above, illuminating a pile of bones in the center. The mound was massive, made from skulls, rib cages, and shattered limbs, all stripped clean and stacked carelessly. Around it, the ground was slick with blood, fur, and entrails, the remains of creatures torn apart and left to rot.
Atop the pile sat the troll. Its huge, deformed body was covered in thick, warty skin that oozed pus and blood from open sores. Its arms were long and muscular, its clawed hands caked with gore. Its head was misshapen, its face a twisted mess of sagging flesh, sharp teeth, and glowing yellow eyes. It tore into the corpse of a wolf, ripping chunks of meat from the body with its oversized jaws. Blood ran down its chin and onto the pile of bones beneath it.
The figure stepped forward, boots crunching on fragments of bone. The sound echoed, and the troll stopped eating. Its glowing eyes locked onto him as it let out a deep, rumbling growl. Blood dripped from its claws as it tossed the wolf's carcass aside with a wet slap.
"Finally found you," the figure said in a low voice. He drew his sword, the blade flashing briefly in the pale light. He raised it, pointing it at the troll, his stance steady and firm.
The troll snarled, its claws scraping against the bone pile as it began to rise, its massive frame casting a shadow over the clearing.
The troll roared, shaking the cavern as it lunged off the pile of bones. It hit the ground hard, sending tremors through the floor as it charged at the figure. Its claws swept low, aiming to tear him apart. The figure dodged swiftly, stepping to the side as the claws gouged deep into the stone. Without hesitation, he countered, his sword slashing across the troll's side, spraying black blood onto the gore-strewn ground.
The troll snarled and spun, its massive arm swinging in a wild arc. The backhand struck his shoulder, throwing him to the ground. He rolled through a puddle of congealed blood and came up in a crouch, breathing steadily, his yellow eyes locked on the troll. His face, youthful and strikingly sharp, showed no fear. His brown hair, which grew darker toward the roots, was slicked with sweat and stained by the filth of the cave, clinging to his face. He wiped it away with his gloved hand, his focus never wavering.
The troll charged again, slamming its fist down where he had been moments earlier. He darted to the side and struck, his sword carving a shallow wound across its chest. The troll barely flinched, its bloodshot eyes gleaming with rage. It lunged, its jaws snapping, teeth dripping with gore. The figure ducked and drove his sword into its knee. The blade sank deep, and the troll howled, dropping to one leg.
The figure pulled the blade free and moved quickly, striking at its arm. The slash cut through muscle and tendon, leaving the arm dangling uselessly. The troll roared, grabbing a jagged bone from the ground with its remaining hand and throwing it at him. The makeshift weapon grazed his ribs, tearing through his armor and leaving a red streak down his side. He grimaced but didn't stop, his sharp features hardening as he pressed the attack.
The troll swung again, but its movements were sluggish now, weakened by blood loss. The figure sidestepped and slashed at its shoulder, cutting deep. The troll's arm dropped to its side, useless. It snarled and lunged, snapping its jaws in desperation, but he was faster. His sword came up in a brutal arc, cutting into its neck. The blade didn't go all the way through, and the troll gurgled, blood pouring from the wound as it clawed at the air.
With a final, powerful swing, he severed the head. It toppled to the ground with a wet thud, and the troll's body collapsed, blood pooling around it in thick, oily streams. The cavern fell silent, save for the faint drip of blood and the sound of his heavy breathing.
The figure sheathed his sword and approached the troll's head. He crouched, his yellow eyes glowing faintly in the dim light as he studied it. Without hesitation, he reached out, gripping the head by its ragged hair. The massive head began to dissolve into wisps of dark smoke, the tendrils curling around his hand before disappearing entirely. His face remained stoic as he rose, brushing off his cloak and stepping away from the corpse.
Without a word, he turned and walked back through the cavern, his boots crunching over shattered bones and slick stone. The sound of his footsteps faded into the darkness, leaving the cave to its silence and death.