My (Monster?) Hero Life

Chapter 24: Shell Shock

Kace was currently feeling apprehensive about the Kings plan. The army had abandoned the Smalltooth Tribes caverns and were currently marching for the home of the Dwellers. They had come to that decision because the Dwellers home was on the far side of the mountain to the human town. Which would make it a far more troublesome task for them to send Heroes against them.

Beyond that the Dwellers had always been digging deep into the mountain. Fortifying much of their home. Shagrat had been forced to concede that for them to survive they would have to occupy the best defensive position they could. So it had come to this.

Kace had been given a different mission. The Dwellers had, for a long time, been in contact with a tribe of trolls that lived just beyond their borders. Kace's mind had been sent reeling. It was bad enough dealing with orcs, who were not the brightest bunch as it was, never mind trolls. From his memories of games, myths and stories these monsters were large, ugly, thick with muscle, stunk like a sewer and as dim as a blown lightbulb.

"To think those runts dared to keep this from me." Kharja growled as he stomped along. "I should crush their pathetic little skulls when we return!"

"Hey! Stop swinging that arm around like that!" Gyn reprimanded him, "We still haven't worked out all the kinks yet."

"Hmph, if it stops working I'll just use it to bash some skulls."

"Ugh, typical. Is that all you think about? If it breaks I won't repair it!"

"You'll do what I say you'll do!" Kharja responded.

"Hmph, I serve the Goblin King and by his decree Kace as well. You don't own this domain anymore!"

"Why you!" Kharja roared as he flushed with anger.

"Enough!" Kace said, as he rubbed his temples to alleviate the headache that was brewing.

Kharja grunted in response while Gyn childishly stuck his stuck his tongue out. 'Hopefully we get there soon, I'm not sure I can survive this for much longer.' Kace complained to himself.

They had already been travelling for two days. Around about now the Hero army should be discovering that they had abandoned their position. It would take time for them to scour the mountain in an attempt to find where they had reallocated themselves to.

'It's only a matter of time though. Let's hope we can convince these trolls.' he thought, not at all eager to come into contact with their potentially new allies.

"Sir. Hey sir!" Gyn's peeved voice called out. "Stop daydreaming! We're here."

Kace looked around with surprise. 'Was I really that out of it?' he thought, as he stared out at the Yeskan swamp that engulfed all that could be seen before them.

The swamp was comprised of waist high, murky, thick brown water. Solitary islands rose from the disgusting sea surrounding them. Some of these islands were home to a divers range of beautifully coloured plants. It was almost breathtaking. Almost. After all their beauty was overshadowed by the dark trees that grew in twisted forms from the water. Their branches reached out and intertwined, as though they were trying to prevent any light from seeping through to the swamp they guarded.

"Hm, should we go then?" Kharja asked nonchalantly.

"Huh!? What do you mean go? Are you an idiot? I'll drown if I go in there!" Gyn protested.

"I could carry you I guess?" Kace replied.

"I'm not luggage you know!" Gyn complained.

"Well, what else would you be runt?" Kharja laughed.

"Either way, We have to get through this. Come on Gyn." Kace sighed as he picked the goblin up, placing him atop his shoulders like a child.

Kace immediately regretted this though as his nose was abused from Gyn's natural odour. Choking back the vomit that had violently occupied his throat he coughed lightly. 'Why me?' he whined to himself.

As he stepped into the cold water he felt like slapping himself for failing to think ahead. His coat began to weigh him down as it absorbed water. He really should have taken it off and put it in the pack he was carrying.

Kharja on the other hand was having no problems as he waded through the murky water with a grin. They soon learned that this swamp was far more dangerous than it appeared. Kharja being his usual self trampled over plants that were in his way as he walked up on to one of the islands. Unfortunately for him one of the plants had poisonous barbs. That easily pierced his boots and skin.

Gyn was currently washing the sweat off his forehead as he laughed at the orcs misfortune. This incident was causing them a great deal of trouble however. Kharja was delirious so they had to stay on this island even though they weren't sure if it would go away on its own. It was the only option they had however because neither Kace or Gyn had any idea about antidotes.

The swamp steadily got darker as night fell beyond the ceiling the trees provided. 'This isn't good. If we don't do something soon we'll probably have to leave him behind.' Kace sighed.

Smoke began to rise from the fire he had set. Making sure it was close to Kharja's body to keep him warm. As the fire crackled they ate away at the already cooked meat they had brought with them. For awhile now Kace had sensed something watching them from below the surface of the water. He was almost certain it had probably followed them since they set foot in this place.

'Some kind of predator? Wonder if it'll taste good.' he thought as he noticed a ripple on the surface of the water.

He waited patiently, allowing Gyn to take care of Kharja. He had not told the goblin about their stalker, if he had then Gyn would just make an uproar. Possibly scaring away the creature.

Then it began. A shell much like that of a crabs slowly pierced the tranquil water as it surfaced. Kace swiftly pounced into action. Overcome with the desire for a new flavour. As he dashed from his position he rapidly threw out several of his new daggers. In the hopes that these would make contact with any weak points in the shell. Unfortunately every one of them bounced off. The creature showed no signs of attempting to flee. 'Guess dinner is served then!' Kace began laughing like a maniac.

Gyn just sat next to Kharja. His mind completely blank from the sudden turn of events. Kace drew his blade as he lunged for the shell. Aiming to pierce directly through it. The glee that was written all over his face swiftly disappeared however. In that moment one of the overhanging branches above him had suddenly lashed at his back like a whip. The blow had been sudden and without warning. As it slammed into his back he found himself winded and pinned to the ground.

A second branch swiftly captured Gyn, wrapping itself tightly around the small goblin. Hoisting him into the air almost as if in amusement.

"Put me down! Do it now or I swear I'll make you into firewood!" Gyn roared indignantly.

The branch gave a slight tremble as if it were laughing rather than being afraid. Kace was currently struggling with all his might and eventually clawed his way out from beneath the branch pinning him. As he rolled to the side and began to get his footing he was slapped once again by a much thicker branch. Launching him into the water.

As he attempted to gain his bearings so he could swim to the surface he felt several branches close in around him. Dragging him from the water the dumped him on the ground, weaving around each other to form a cage. Kace gritted his teeth in frustration. Was the whole swamp against them? He had not bothered to use any abilities because he thought it was a regular animal, then he had been caught off guard by the trees intervention that he had failed to use his head because of the shock.

At this point the shell grew larger as it made it's way to the edge of the island. As it came into contact with the earth the shell suddenly flipped over. Revealing that it was not attached to anything. Instead another creature had been using it as cover.

The thing had grey skin, long and thin arms and legs. Although they looked weak the muscles on its body were well defined and clearly not lacking in power. A hide wrap covered it's waist with bones hanging from pieces of animal hair that had been woven into string. It's teeth were long and sharp just like it's nose. Bone piercings covered it's ears.

Long crimson hair descended from its scalp to it's chest with feathers tied into it. It's three green eyes fixed their gaze upon Kace.

As the creature stretched it's long limbs to stand upright Kace reckoned its height had to be around seven foot tall. It pointed a long boney finger complete with a blackened dagger like nail at Kace.

"You, stop. Struggle and your friend will die." the creature grunted before lumbering over to Kharja's defenceless body.

Using it's nail it pierced some of the discoloured section of skin on Kharja's leg. Purple pus leaked from the fresh wound onto it's nail. Raising it to it's nostril it gave it a deep sniff.

"Hexthorn, hmm, don't worry. Grugda will cure." It said as it patted it's chest to show that it was Grugda.

Taking one of the many bones attached to it, it broke it in half. A strange smelling green liquid poured from a cavity that had been made inside of it. Grugda made sure that this liquid permeated the wound that he had made.

"H-hey sir?" Gyn gulped.

"Yeah?" Kace replied from inside his cage.

"You don't s'pose there's any chance he's a troll right?"

Kace immediately felt humiliated. He had let his own understanding of the species from his previous life cloud his judgement. 'Captured... by a fucking troll, ugh!'

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