Our long trek through the forest ended at the bottom of the broad stone steps which lead up to the citadel gates, there we stopped for a drink of water at the most majestic carved stone and bronze pool of water, this well, if you could call it that for there was no guess as to where the water came from, seeing how it was a rather shallow pool. In the center was a very large statue of a troll on a pedestal of iron and bronze, though I could not tell what the statue was made of. The silent troll whom stood there looked not unlike Toki, a warrior, surely he was not a king for he wore no jewelry to indicate status nor did a crown adorn his head. Now that it came to me, I could not recollect if the statue had been in the centre of the staircase when we walked up, it may have been availed by an enchantment of invisibility, for any such magical thing I deemed to be accessible on this new age of earth.
The troll was only slightly taller and thicker of muscle than Toki, he wore no shoes about his double hinged pale white, cat like feet. He wore no pants or tunic to cover up the multitude of scares which he seemed to wear with a great amount of pride, only about his waist did he wear a type grey of kilt, though it was longer than those the Scott's once wore, for it hung below his knees, to his double hinged mid calf. His right hand was upon a dagger's hilt still sheathed which was stuffed into the top of his kilt, his left hand had a firm grasp on a great javelin, much like a spear save that the one held by the troll was obviously only meant to be launched at an enemy at a distance, not to be thrust or held overly long when an attacker was closing in. The blade was thin, long and there were two of them fused together to make a cross, it reminded me of an arrow, and not a spear at all. The shaft was short, only half as tall as the troll holding it, at the bottom end of the javelin were four feathers which were all the same, from the tip they were black which faded into brown, then orange and finally white. His upper body was defined by thick muscles and many scars, many tusks protruded out from his closed mouth. Two large tusks which were the size my index finger, sped up from his lower jaw up towards his defined cheek bones, three smaller ones just inside of the twins protruded as well, though they were but half or less as in size, the upper tusks set in the upper jaw were the same size as these. His eyes were enthralling, just as Toki's were, the iris was orange or yellow, I could not tell though maybe it was both at once, the pupil was slit like a cats, though with a closer glance the iris' were dotted with small black dots. His hair was long, though it was pulled back in one great braid that hung half way down his back.
After retrieving my consciousness from a trance the magical statue held over me, for how long I did not know. Toki was laying in the tall grass just off the path while Priscilla was sitting on the stone wall of the well washing her feet off with water which he was using from her canteen. I threw myself along side Toki disappearing amidst the grass, losing myself once again to no particular thought at all as I stared up through the gap in the Sequoia canopy to the haze high above, the sun would be set soon and twilight would be upon them.
After short period I began to sit up, for my body ached from the long days trek, as my eyes grew level with the grass I saw up Priscilla standing face to face with Toki on top of the right set of stairs. Steadily I began to stand, bracing myself upon my bow, I turned to face the path which he had come into the vale upon while I unstrapped by cloak from its tied bundle about the bow, which I held between my neck and shoulder as I slung the cloak over my shoulders and sealed it with a bronze broach, which used to be the knocker upon the door to Freya's home. As I turned back I noticed Toki's feet in the grass beside me, quickly filled with panic and fear I looked up to the stone platform before the gates. Priscilla was now sitting upon her knees before...
The statue, it was gone, Priscilla was sitting before the troll that had been the statue! As the fear of a trap set in, the troll turned and as he did so too did Priscilla, a smile drew across her face and she waved at me. Toki was on her feet in a flash, staring at me, eyes wide with shock, it was almost a horrid sight, her pale white skin face which defied the mind's ancient, long past, societal view to redefine beauty, reflected my fear in a most terrifying way.
Her fascinating teal eyes were wide, overly so, so that the white beyond the iris could be seen. A terrifying sight her eyes set amidst her face of hideous features as her skin was pulled back tight against her jaw and cheek bones with tension, this made her lower jaw twin tusks seem more menacing, a threat, to me even! While her fangs seemed as the talons of an eagle. Then all at once the face of terror faded and the Toki was beautiful again. Then she began to chuckle, not in a malicious way, but as if an inside joke had just been had that I was very much oblivious too. Over Toki's shoulder Priscilla and the male troll were laughing as well. As if Toki had sensed my thoughts and fears which she was reflecting externally with her face just to mock my failure to perceive and react to the real scenario about me and not my fears.
'You are in a new world now Jane,' said a calm voice very close to me, but I did not at first register it's personification, 'to be able to adapt is key to surviving for you; not only your body to the situation but also your perception. If you think and take in the world as you once did, so long ago in the age of man which has long since faded from this valley at least, then you will surely fade from think world. Sinking back into old memories, provided that your memory does come back that is. If you are able to find enough of them, then there you will reside in comfort, much like watching yourself in a one way mirror upon the wall. Reliving those memories until you can no longer live in this world, being filled with sorrow you'll eventually simple keel over and be dead. Charles would soon follow you during an unending season of mourning.'
The voice faded off and I was able to register reality as it was before my five senses once again. Toki was looked over her shoulder at Priscilla and the troll whom sat beside them. The voice started again, though this time it seemed more distant, 'Priscilla is two fold lucky you know,' the voice paused as Toki turned back to face me, 'Long ago, before she fell into the bonds of the endless sleep in the steel crab she had been introduced to the pure water. Which changed her through the hundreds of years of slumber, if not longer, Priscilla is no longer a child, her soul is old, even more so than my own. I may be several hundred years old, but she...' the voice trailed off once again, but only for a moment. 'Priscilla has witnessed the entire soul frame of the undead, which we will discuss, you and I, in greater detail after a hearty meal at the tables in the great hall of my city.'
So it was that I came to realize that in this age of the earth I, a human, was an outcast from a long forgotten era and that the Troll, who had been my companion at my side for several days, was not daft or primitive as I had presumed. That Toki had been reserved on purpose, getting to know me without me detecting it, that I had been naive to believe I was somehow superior simply because I was human, and came from a history of technology, thoughts of sophistication were merely selfish justifications of a past I no longer wanted to be associated with. The pale beautiful face which held features both delicate and powerful behind which was a soul imbued with precision awareness and intellect which I didn't even attempted to understand, was standing before me, a troll no less ( I chuckled at the thought of muted species ism, which I knew should be suppressed forever), was more worthy of friendship and trust than I had ever guessed.
'Come along dear, you can discover more magic beyond this small revelation inside,' a voice called out, beautifully soft and comforting to hear, yet twisted with a harsh raspiness which was compensated for by being spoken in a whisper, though it carried clearly to present itself to my ears, though I was more than fifty feet away. It was then that I noticed that I had dropped my bow, I picked it up and the quiver of arrows, which I slung over my back, and walked with great speed to meet my friends before the gates of the great Troll city.
In earnest anticipation of,
Jane
Without Charles
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