Waldo cleared his throat, directing his voice towards his intended familiar. “Greetings. My name is Waldo Rabbit. I am a powerful mage and have come here to make you my familiar. If you will agree to serve me I will promise you my protection and care. I already have an ogre and succubus, they can both assure you that I am a fine master.”
He motioned to them.
“Master is the best.” Gronk said. “He is cute and funny, provides seven or eight meals a day, and really knows how to handle a whip.”
Alice shook her head, voicing her opinion grouchily. “Yeah, he’s the best. He always appreciates you and would never put you in danger just to get something he wants.”
Waldo nodded.
“It’s not like he would ever ignore your feelings or take you for granted or behave like you don’t matter to him at all or...”
“Thank you Alice.” Waldo interrupted, giving her the sort of annoyed look she would normally offer him. Refocusing on the aura behind the stones, he spoke again, “You may as well come out now. With my magic I know exactly where you are. If you don’t my familiars will just have to drag you out by force. I would prefer you join me willingly, but I have come here to make you mine. There is nothing you can do to prevent it.”
For some reason his last few words made Alice flinch.
There was no response for a moment. Waldo was about to tell Gronk and Alice to have a look when they heard a grunt and the sound of movement. Scrambling up from the other side was a wart covered creature with a long needle nose, bloodshot red eyes, a mouth filled with razor sharp teeth, and long fetid black hair. It stood near as tall as Gronk with most of its length coming from its protracted limbs. It had climbed to the top of the stone pile with ease and held a massive granite block up over its head.
Waldo recognized it immediately, exclaiming joyously, “A troll! It’s a-”
“Wah!” The troll heaved the stone right at him.
The boulder rolled through the air, whistling like a bolt from a crossbow.
Before he could even think he was thrown to the ground.
He had just enough time to look into Alice’s fearful eyes before the slab of rock caught her and spun her about like a top.
XXX
Gronk knew what kind of strength was needed to heave that much solid rock, so it came as no surprise when he saw Alice’s shoulder catch the brunt of it that she wound up on the ground unmoving. Waldo struggled to get up. He was staring in shock over at his pretty little wife. He didn’t have time for more than one look before the troll threw himself into the air, ready to rend and sever his master as he had so many others. Despite its size, the troll was quick and agile, its long limbs were muscled and it had the smooth, predatory movements of a treecat. Landing cleanly it took two quick steps, Gronk reached for the troll, grabbing at its greasy, matted hair. Turning with an unnatural flexibility, the troll slashed wildly across Gronk’s chest. To Gronk’s surprise there was pain… and blood.
The ogre slammed a fist right into the side of the troll’s face and sent it tumbling back. A punch like that would have killed a man instantly and left his skull in pieces. The troll took it well enough. It stumbled but never lost its balance, keen and furious dark red eyes never left him.
The wart covered jaw hung loosely, wobbling disjointed and unhinged.
The reprise gave Gronk a moment to collect his wits, his eyes going over to his Master crawling over to Alice and calling to her.
“Alice…” He put a hand to her shoulder and quickly spoke the words to a spell. The fingers and palm glowing. “Oh, Alice, no…”
Gronk glanced down to his chest where five thin cuts were seeped with blood. The cuts weren’t that deep, but they stung badly. This was the first time that anyone or anything had ever been able to cut his skin.
“Well you’re a nasty thing huh sweetheart?”
The troll prowled around Gronk, more cautious than before. One hand slapped at the loose jaw and shoved it back into place. There was a tearing sound of bone and flesh rending, like when Alice transformed. After just a moment the troll snapped his jaw and howled.
“Fuck… this isn’t going to be easy is it?” Gronk whispered thickly, trying to absorb what he was seeing.
The troll’s shoulders hunched, hooked claws clicked together as it hissed at him. Sliding to the right, its red orbs fixed intently on Gronk’s wound. A long slimy tongue licked its lips.
“Not big on conversation are you? Reminds me of why I left the clan.”
Gripping the ground till its nails broke the earth, it pounced at him, hands outstretched.
Despite his lisps and carefree attitude, Gronk had to survive many fights with his life on the line. He stood there, holding his ground, fists cocked. The sword strapped to his thigh was annoying, he even considered tossing it to allow his movement to be just a little freer. Human weapons rarely came close to the power of an ogre’s fists, so why even have it? The troll lunged.
Gronk stepped forward. Gronk got inside its reach and planted his right hand firmly on its neck.
“Time to quit if you don’t want to die.”
“No quit!” The troll spat.
The monster lashed out while Gronk tightened his grip. The troll’s hook like claws cut into Gronk’s face and arm.
“Suit yourself.”
Gronk gave one hard, quick jerk of his hand, followed by a loud snap. The head rolled to the side at much too sharp an angle. The neck was most definitely broken. Gronk threw it to the ground and stepped back. The legs and arms were twitching but those blood tinted orbs weren’t losing any of their menace. It was like the damn thing didn’t know it was dead.
Then one hand grabbed the top his head and rolled it back into place. Again there was the sound of muscle and bone knitting back together.
Gronk felt fear creep into his stomach.
“Master,” Gronk called out. “I think we have a problem.”
Waldo was kneeling over Alice, hands glowing. All his attention was on her. “Alice… please, Alice answer me.”
“Master!” Gronk roared, stomping his foot so hard it shook the foundation and tumbled loose rocks.
Waldo at last looked up, at last noticing that Gronk was bleeding.
“Gronk, are you all right?”
The troll climbed back to its feet, shoulders hunched and head shifting from side to side with ease.
“No definitely not. This thing does not want to die.”
“It’s a troll Gronk, they’re famous for their ability to heal rapidly. They’re known to be able to survive almost any injury, they can even regrow limbs in just a few hours’ time. The only sure ways to kill them are to take their heads off or burn them to ashes. Fire is their one great vulnerability.”
“Really could have used that information a minute ago.”
The troll was in a crouch eyeing him, hands opening and closing.
“Fine. This time I’ll just rip its head clean off. That should do it right Master?”
Waldo glanced at Alice who was still unconscious. “I still want him alive Gronk.”
“Master in case you haven’t noticed this thing’s not tamed!”
“I know he’s dangerous, that’s what makes him so valuable.” Waldo hesitated. “Please Gronk, I need him to be my third familiar. We can train him later, but this is the only chance I will ever get to have a third Great Monster.”
All the cuts were burning and he could feel blood dripping down his face, arm, and chest. Despite that Gronk nodded while keeping a careful eye on his adversary. “If that’s what you want I’ll do it for you Master, but can you tell me how? Even if I can hold him down long enough think you can kiss him without getting your face bitten off?”
“The sword,” Waldo pointed at Gronk’s hip. “It’s magical, remember? A troll’s hide isn’t as hard as a tree trunk, it should cut right through him.”
“But this thing heals so fast-“
“If it’s missing all its limbs it’ll survive but be helpl
ess for a good long while!” Waldo pressed urgently, “Cut off its legs and arms, then hold its mouth shut. I’m sure I’ll get the Contract right this time. Once I have it under my control-”
“No be pet!” The troll cried and charged at Gronk.
He whipped the sword out of its scabbard with three fingers, unable to hold it with anymore due to its human length hilt. In his beefy hand it looked more like a long thin dagger than a true sword. The troll skittered along the ground, spiderlike and twitching, keeping just out of Gronk’s long reach. It’s attention clearly drawn to the blade.
“I feel ridiculous!” Gronk complained, swinging the sword as one might a paring knife. “How can you humans even fight like this?”
“I don’t know, swinging a sword was never a part of my education.”
The troll leapt.
Not knowing what to do with it, Gronk just held the sword out in front of him. The monster could not change direction in midair and was skewered right through its bony chest.
Like some crazed beast, it howled and spat and desperately beat against Gronk to get free. Gronk obliged by yanking the sword back out. Blood spurted out, washing over his hand and forearm and spilling down the troll’s chest. Falling on its back, its shrieks were so loud birds and other creatures fled from nearby.
Gronk lifted his arm and just began slashing at it. What his strokes lacked in precision or technique was made up for in raw strength. Again and again, the ogre chopped down. The troll tried to scramble away, putting up one hand to try and shield itself while reaching around with the other. The sword cut easily into the troll, but each wound began to close up almost as swiftly as it was made. Finally though Gronk managed to get in one good clean swing that hacked off the troll’s arm just above the elbow.
Gronk felt nothing but joy at seeing the creature writhe in pain. “I think I’m starting to get the hang of this!”
As Gronk lifted his arm again he missed what the troll had been flailing for: A huge melon sized stone. Swinging in a perfect arc, it bashed against the side of Gronk’s head.
It crumbled to pieces, but knocked the ogre over.
Another rock was grabbed and smashed against Gronk’s head.
The troll didn’t have the leverage, but it had the raw power and the frenzy of pain and rage on its side. In a slow, haphazard tumble, Gronk fell to the ground groaning.
XXX
Waldo saw Gronk fall. Thanks to their bond he knew Gronk wasn’t dead, only unconscious, but that was bad enough. Both his familiars were down and in serious danger. He had to do something.
“Ventus.”
His wind spell struck the troll, but other than make its hair whip about had no effect. The spell did bring Waldo back to the troll’s attention. The monster tossed aside the rock in its hand and stood up to his full height. Waldo was about ten feet from it, between the troll and a still unconscious Alice. Both Gronk and Alice had been hurt trying to protect him, now it fell upon him to protect them.
He’d made too many stupid assumptions. Waldo had won over both of his familiars despite not having fully functioning Contracts with them. He’d seen how strong they were and had been so sure they’d be able to catch this third monster for him.
Maybe there was a reason why capturing even one Great Monster was such an achievement. His mother was the most powerful necromancer in the world, and even she was satisfied with just Enver. How stupidly arrogant was he to believe he was entitled to not one but three Great Monsters?
Gronk and Alice were truly loyal to him. How many times would he have died by now without them? They served him not because they were compelled to, but because they truly wanted to. They were both precious to him, and he didn’t want to lose either. No third monster would be worth that.
“I have fire magic. Pyro.” A small candle sized flame came to life on the tip of his wand.
The troll stood there, clinking the claws of its one remaining hand together. Its eyes staring at the slight fire.
“I can destroy you.”
The troll bent its legs and fell into a slight crouch.
“Walk away and leave me and my servants in peace. I will not try and force you to join me anymore, but I won’t let you hurt them further. Since I am giving up on trying to capture you there is no reason to continue fighting.”
The troll’s head bobbed from side to side slowly.
“No need fight. Man with fire go, ogre go, girl stay. Hungry is, girl smell sweet.”
Saliva dripped messily down its chin. Wide cheeks pushed back with tittering and mocking giggles, it took a single step forward.
“You can’t have Alice. If you’re hungry there’s a human thief not too far from here that you’re more than welcome to. But my wife comes with me.”
“Want girl, her blood, her meat.” The troll took another step forward.
Waldo came to a very easy decision.
“Such a waste. Pyro!”
The candle flame turned into a stream of fire that struck the surprised troll and ignited him, turning his whole body into a blaze.
“Wwwwaaaggghlar!”
Waldo had never seen anything ignite so fast. It could not have burned more fiercely if it had been dipped in pitch. To his horror though the troll refused to lay down and simply die. It stumbled forward, screaming in its death throes.
XXX
Bones slid against each other under her shoulder. Impaling pain robbed her breath as she tried to gauge what had happened to her and what was that noise. There was heat, and this foul smell of burning compost.
From where she lay, she opened her eyes and saw fire, moving fire, howling with pain, but what took her breath away was not only the engulfed form trying to reach her, but Waldo was pulling at its leg, bare handed and burning to keep it from clawing at her.
“Darling…” She whispered.
Worry and horror filtered through their bond. She could sense it as real and alive as any emotion she had ever felt. Waldo was in as much pain as he had ever experienced, yet he refused to let go. His hands were burning, but he wouldn’t let go.
All to keep this fiery beast from reaching her.
In a final, desperate swipe, the troll threw his arm backwards to snatch Waldo by his throat. Alice knew it was too late, the troll’s arm whipping around too fast even if she could move. Her husband’s eyes closed, fear came flooding through her bond with him.
But the hand never reached him.
The arm dropped and the living pyre stopped moving, stopped howling. It just collapsed.
Ashes fluttered into the air. Crumbling to nothingness, the troll’s limb, torso, and head all just disintegrated.
XXX
Soothing energy flooded her, bringing her sharp pain to a numbing ache. Trepidation filled her bond, laced with nervous uncertainty. The light from his hands hurt her eyes, yet she could not fault him for it.
“Does it hurt?” He asked, his voice tinged with concern.
His hands were still red and raw. He had healed himself just enough to get full use of his fingers. Staring at him as he continued to poke and test certain parts of her shoulder and arm she felt completely at ease.
“I was able to set the bones but soft tissue damage is something I want to heal only after I see to Gronk. You shouldn’t be in any more pain. I need to conserve my mana until we’re out of this marsh. I am sure-”
Alice leaned over and kissed him.
He looked absolutely confused.
“What was that for?”
“You destroyed your third familiar to save me.”
“Well, it wasn’t just you. It wasn’t exactly cooperating and it would have also done who knows what to Gronk and me. I didn’t really have much of a choice. I-”
“Darling?”
“Yes?”
“Just say, ‘Yes, I did, my love.”
“But, you know I did. I just said-“
“I know, just say it.”
“I just did.”
“No, say ‘Yes, I did,
my love.”
“I don’t really see the point.”
Frustration began to build. “You will fight with a troll while it’s on fire to protect me but you won’t call me your love?”
“Fighting the troll was necessary. You already know how I feel, so why do I need to say it?”
After The Rabbit (Waldo Rabbit Series) Page 24
