Random Encounters

An Educated Troll

Mon, 28 Nov 2005 00:30:00 PDT

Perspiration rolled down Xarenia's face. Her back and leg muscles burned and twitched as she stood with her back against the stone wall for support. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes as she slid down the chilled stone wall... her back soaking up the cold.

The two trolls, Grilluk and Truuk, plopped down against the wall beside her. Xarenia opened her eyes and let them drift about the room filling her mind with its details. Stone pews led to an obsidian altar with gold engravings on its surface. Behind the altar, a circular engraving of runes filled with silver covered the wall. Murals danced across the other walls--

"This place is bigger than it looks from the outside. We've walked for miles and still haven't found the high priest's burial chamber," said Xarenia.

Grilluk watched Truuk's head nod forward and suddenly jerk backwards. His eyes fluttered and closed as he slipped of into the realm of slumber.

Grilluk turned to Xarenia. "Well, most of the temple is buried under the sand. According to legend, the priests offended the Great Spirit Ratuuka, and he sent a sandstorm to enact his revenge."

"Why didn't he just cover up the entire temple?"

"Because he wanted them to flee into the desert where he had the butterfly creatures waiting for them."

"Those are his butterflies?!"

"He is an insect Spirit. Apparently, one with a twisted sense of humor."

Joints creaked and cracked and popped as Xarenia stood back up. She examined the chamber and wandered about to let sore muscles loosen up. "You seem to know a lot about this for a... well--"

"For a troll? Well, I do attend the university at the northern end of the Sanfijua Desert."

Xarenia looked the troll in the eyes. "Really?"

"Most people just assume we're uneducated. They treat our more savage brethren as the stereotype. They're the minority, but they attack people and get in trouble all the time. That's why they get all the attention."

"So, are there a lot of trolls as smart as you?"

"Lots."

She mused over that and flashed Grilluk a nervous grin. But soon, another thought crawled its way up from the back of her mind. "Well then, what convinces an educated troll that knows all about this place and those butterflies to come out here?"

The troll stood up and yawned. His arms stretched outward to a span that was easily twice the elf's height. He glanced over his shoulder at Truuk as the smaller troll's snores echoed through the chamber. Grilluk chuckled and strolled over to Xarenia as she approached the altar. "We were hired as guides for three of the greatest troll champions in the world. They were on a quest to retrieve the Headpiece of Ratukaa."

Xarenia leaned over to study the engravings on top of the altar. She ran her finger over the different symbols on the altar and silently mouthed the words represented by each.

"We warned them about the butterflies, but they seemed confident they could handle them. We believed they could too," said Grilluk.

"We were wrong."

Xarenia looked up from the altar at the troll and watched as his chin lowered and his shoulders slumped. "Looks like this headpiece is making lots of people take crazy risks."

"Well, not many people are gonna pass up a chance to live the rest of their lives in luxury. Would you?"

"I'm here, aren't I?" Xarenia hopped up to sit on the altar. Her boots tapped against the side of the altar, and she paused for a moment. Grilluk looked down at the altar as Xarenia pulled out her sword.

She tapped the altar with the hilt, and her eyes sparkled. "There's an echo in there. This thing's--"

"Hollow."

Cleanliness First

Fri, 18 Nov 2005 00:30:00 PDT

Arazel raised her scimitar high and focused her attention on the blade. The weapon erupted in a glow that cut through the darkness of the chamber. She took a moment to examine herself and didn't like what she saw. She swiped her hand in front of her body, and dirt and dust peeled off of her armor, clothes, and skin. It swirled into a ball in front of her.

She snapped her fingers and the ball of grime burst into flames and disappeared.

Satisfied with her current cleanliness, Arazel approached the motionless body of the smaller troll. She could see he still breathed, so she moved on to the large pile of sand where Xarenia and the larger troll were buried. She poked at the sand with the tip of her scimitar. "Xarenia? You alive in there?"

Neither movement nor sound came from the pile. Arazel turned to walk away when the sand shifted. The troll's hand broke through the top and forced sand out of the way as his and Xarenia's heads emerged from the pile.

"I'm alive," said Xarenia as she squirmed to further free herself from the sand.

"Good. I was dreading the thought of carrying your corpse back across the desert to give you a proper burial," said Arazel.

Xarenia's response was a glare cut short by the leathery hand that latched onto her skull and ripped her out of the sand. He shook her to clean her up a bit and dumped her on her rump on the stone floor. She picked herself up and looked at the troll as she dusted herself off. "Thanks."

The troll patted her on the head and smiled a toothy grin. Xarenia stepped back to a safe distance and continued to brush the sand off her clothes. "Safe but trapped. Gotta wonder about our luck sometimes."

"You mean your luck," said Arazel as she strolled over to her fallen camel. She rifled through her bags and pulled out a long, green dress.

Xarenia eyed the opening in the wall and all the sand blocking it. "Got any ideas on how to get out of here?"

"I have a plan, but it'll take some powerful magic. I'll need time to prepare," said Arazel. She tore a long strip of material off the dress as she headed toward Xarenia.

Xarenia gave Arazel a puzzled glance. "Why are you tearing up your dress?"

"It's not my dress. It's one of your dresses. I keep it around for scrap material."

"You wha-- Ow!" Xarenia felt the blood sink away from her face as Arazel wrapped the material around the wound on Xarenia's arm. She made sure to tie it nice and tight.

"Now, I need to get ready for this spell. You're the expert in finding treasure, so why don't you take..." Arazel gestured to the larger troll.

"Grilluk," said the troll. He pointed over to the smaller troll who just started to come to. "And this is my cousin Truuk."

Arazel walked Xarenia closer to the trolls. "See, you can take Grilluk and Truuk with you to find the headpiece we're looking for."

"Will you be safe here by yourself?"

Arazel grinned. "I'll probably be safer here than with you."

Ratukaa's Honored Followers

Wed, 16 Nov 2005 00:30:00 PDT

Priests, warriors, mystics, artisans, and nobles--essences captured in stone--lined the walls of the high priest's ceremonial chamber at the top of Ratukaa's temple. The statues honored the Great Spirit's finest servants. Firewynd of the Cursed Plateau--champion of the first tribe to worship Ratukaa, and the only living creature ever granted permission to don the deity's armor in battle. Kutra-shii--ruler of a thousand cities devoted to the Great Spirit. Taurin Serason--blood descendent of Ratukaa's elven mistress and founder of the underrealm city sanctuary of Resula Cur. Just three of the legendary followers of Ratukaa represented here.

Century after century, they held vigil in their stone coffin of a chamber. Year after year, cold eyes stared at a dust-blanketed floor and crumbling ceiling. Day after day, the statues hoped for the return of Ratukaa's faithful. This day... would not be the day they waited for.

Thunderous sound echoed off exploding stone as the temple wall ripped open. Firewynd's torso skidded over the floor to the opposite wall. Kutra-shii's head bounced around the room. Taurin's arm shattered as it hit the ground. The rest of their broken bodies mixed with the collapsed temple wall that scattered across the chamber as sunlight illuminated clouds of dust swirling over the rubble. Among the debris was a troll... legs failing, skull cracking, and eyes fluttering.

He dropped to the floor, unconscious.

Arazel's camel jumped through the opening in the temple wall. Its front leg wedged between stone blocks as it landed. Bone twisted, flesh tore, and joints separated with a pop.

Arazel drew her still glowing scimitar. It flew through the air as fast as the strongest of winds and sliced through the canopy poles as she braced her feet on top of the camel's hump. The creature fell, and Arazel pushed the canopy up out of the way and leapt away from the camel just before its neck plowed into the debris and snapped.

Arazel cleared most of the debris and balanced herself to stay on her feet after she hit the ground. She slid across the dusty stone floor slowing to a stop on the far side of the room. She remained focused and still.

Outside, the larger troll raced across the sand with Xarenia over his shoulder. His legs overextended their stride, and he leaned forward and slowed down trying to regain his footing.

"You're slowing down. Don't slow down. Go faster. Go faster!" Xarenia watched the wave of sand pull close enough she could touch it with her outstretched hand if she wanted to. The troll sped back up to put more distance between them and the sand.

"If I go any faster, we'll fall," said the troll.

"And if you slow down again, this sand's gonna violate us like--"

The troll dove through the opening in the temple wall. He pulled Xarenia forward and twisted his body, so his back would absorb the impact against the pile of broken stone. Xarenia braced herself as the troll crashed into the debris. She watched him grimace and could only imagine the pain he felt. She opened her mouth to ask if he was okay, but before she could get the words out, the wave of sand hit the temple wall.

Sand poured through the opening, and within seconds, it buried Xarenia and the troll. The sand covered the opening plunging the chamber back into darkness. The sand shifted and settled as dust drifted back down to the floor.

Nothing moved in the sand.

Disarmed

Mon, 14 Nov 2005 00:30:00 PDT

The larger troll looked over his shoulder to see the wall of butterflies positioned to crash down on top of Xarenia. He slowed his pace and reached back for the girl. She leaned forward to grab his hand running faster than her legs could carry her and lost her footing. Xarenia stumbled and made a desperate leap forward latching her grip onto the troll's wrist.

She dangled behind the troll bouncing along the sand while the butterflies snapped at her heels. One of the creatures opened its maw wide and dived at her neck. Instincts took over, and she ducked her head behind her free arm. As the monsters fangs tore through the leather material over her arm with ease, the troll yanked her forward. Pain exploded through her arm and chest.

Xarenia screamed.

The troll slung her onto his shoulder as he sped forward. She could no longer feel her arm or hand and closed her eyes at the thought of her body parts lying in the sand while these little beasts shredded through them. She patted her other arm on her shoulder and tapped her way down her arm. Her arm was still there. She peeked to confirm it was still intact. Bloodied and cut open but still there.

She looked up from her wound and faced the horde of butterflies behind them. "Arazel!"

Arazel led the group as her camel raced to the top of a dune. She glanced back to find out what Xarenia was whining about this time and watched as the creatures crept closer and closer to them. Her camel cleared the hill, and up ahead, she could see the top of the buried temple jutting up out of the sand.

She yelled at the smaller troll and pointed to the structure. "We need an opening in that wall."

He nodded and sprinted ahead of Arazel. She guided her camel directly behind the troll and placed her hand on the hilt of her scimitar. Her blade began to glow.

The larger troll felt a panicked tapping on his shoulder. "How fast can you run?" said Xarenia.

"Why do you--" The troll turned his head to address the girl, but something caught his attention. That something resembled a wave of sand rising up between them and the butterflies.

I Was Being Sarcastic

Fri, 11 Nov 2005 00:30:00 PDT

"Rend!" The butterfly charged Arazel.

Her auburn hair and silk dress danced in the wind as she stood motionless and watched the creature approach.

"Maim!" The butterfly drew closer to Arazel.

She held her ground.

"Destroy!" The butterfly flew within range of Arazel's scimitar.

She didn't make a move except when her stance shifted as she grew bored waiting on the little monster.

Then, she smiled.

In front of Arazel, a pillar of sand rose up from the desert floor. The column of sand pulsed and separated into multiple fingers as it formed a giant hand. The butterfly spotted the magicked obstacle and changed direction to avoid it, but the hand was too quick. Sand fingers wrapped around the creature's body.

Xarenia and the trolls held their breath as the hand squeezed tight. They watched and waited until they were positive the butterfly had died. They leapt from their cowering spot and danced and sung and hugged.

While the others celebrated, Arazel approached the fist of sand. She heard a weak mumble from within and commanded the hand to open up. The mangled butterfly flopped about like a dying fish... a dying fish with something to say. Arazel leaned closer, and the creature whispered something to her.

She turned and sprinted to her camel. "Time to go!"

Arazel bounded onto the back of her camel and raced toward the cliffs. Xarenia and the trolls looked over to the dying butterfly and scratched their heads. A shadow crept over the fist of sand, and the trio turned their attention to the top of the dunes.

And they took off running after Arazel. The trolls with their long, smooth strides caught up with Arazel while Xarenia straggled behind. To her rear, a dark cloud of butterflies thundered down the dunes.

Xarenia fell further behind. "Arazel! Wait for me!"

"Didn't you say you could make better time on foot?

"I was being sarcastic!"

That Defining Moment

Wed, 09 Nov 2005 00:30:00 PDT

Xarenia's eyes followed the troll's finger to where it pointed at a nearby dune. A butterfly with wings of gold and violet flitted down the side of the dune toward her. "That's what you're afraid of? A butterfly? This is some kind of practical joke, isn't it?"

Xarenia sheathed her sword and strode over to the butterfly as the creature floated closer to her camel. The butterfly struggled in the desert breeze and resembled a leaf lost in the currents of an Autumn wind.

The larger troll stayed crouched behind Arazel. "But it has razor-sharp fangs and--"

"And beady, little eyes that tear at your soul," said his fellow troll.

Xarenia glanced at the trolls looking for any telltale signs--red or glassy eyes, runny nose, a case of the jitters, drooling. She hoped she'd see something that might indicate they were drunk or drugged or both. Though she didn't have much expertise in trolls, they looked sober enough to her, but she pressed forward anyway. Her camel watched her approach and turned his nose up at her. Then he eyed the small insect drifting toward him. He watched the butterfly get closer and closer. The camel turned to the butterfly and snorted through its nose sending the critter reeling backwards.

The butterfly growled.

Its little body stretched and elongated. It stared at the camel with bloodshot eyes and foamed at the mouth as huge fangs sprouted from its mouth. "Kill!"

It dived at the camel's throat. The camel's thick, coarse hide was no match for the butterfly's fangs. Its teeth sunk in as deep as they could, and the insect wiggled and twisted until a chunk of flesh peeled away from the animal's throat. Blood sprayed out of the wound, and the vicious insect frolicked under the blood as if it were dancing under a cool shower of rain on a scorching summer day. The camel's knees wobbled, and its body swayed as Death swarmed in to fill the empty void left by its escaping blood. When Death became too much for the camel's body to bear, it collapsed into the muddy sand beneath it.

There are moments that define a person. Where actions bubble up from a person's essence to show the world the true spirit, heart, and character they carried within. Soldiers proved themselves in battle. Heroes saved the day. Great leaders became legends. And for someone like Xarenia...

"Hi. I'm Xarenia, and I'm just gonna hang back here to help keep you guys safe... just in case it gets by Arazel," said the young elf to the trolls.

Arazel glared at the cowering trio before she hopped down from her camel. "Oh, I see. You were ready to go up against these two trolls, but not one little butterfly."

"I have this acute fear of butterflies," said Xarenia.

"Since when?"

"Since ten seconds ago when it tore that camel to pieces."

Arazel rolled her eyes and approached the butterfly. She stopped a safe distance from the creature and rested one hand on the hilt of her scimitar. The polished silvery metal of the weapon shined brightly as it reflected the sun's light. Then, the shine separated into sparkles of light like hundreds of stars surrounding the blade. The miniature stars grew brighter and brighter until the blade gave off a warm glow.

The shimmering blade caught the butterfly's eye, and it turned to face the elf. It watched the wind swirl around the girl, playing with her hair and teasing the folds of her dress. The creature gnashed its teeth as it stared at her with its blood-red eyes.

Arazel matched the butterfly's gaze and remained calm. She moved not a single muscle and expressed no emotions while she waited for the creature to make its move. The monster became restless but held its ground.

The wind whistled as it skimmed the dunes, and a tumbleweed skipped between priestess and creature--the only thing in the desert brave enough to cross their path.

Playing in the Sand

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 00:30:00 PDT

A pair of desert trolls exploded out of the dune in front of Xarenia's camel. Her camel spooked at the sight of the trolls with their oversized teeth and knotted, powerful muscles. He spun sharply and fell backwards, finally succeeded in throwing Xarenia from his back.

Xarenia hit the sand and rolled into a crouched position with her sword drawn. The thin, elfish blade she held shimmered with rainbow colors under the desert sun and looked more like a show piece than a practical weapon. It's ornate handle could easily fit in with the decor of any nobleman's home, and the etchings on the blade could put a painter's masterpiece to shame. Xarenia adjusted her grip on the sword as she faced the trolls and readied herself. "Arazel! Keep back. I can handle these two."

Arazel laughed. She didn't chuckle or giggle or snicker politely... she let out a hearty laugh that could easily be carried miles upon the desert wind.

Xarenia glanced over her shoulder. "Do you really have to laugh like that every time I start a fight?"

"It's just easier to get it out of my system before coming to save you."

Xarenia glared at her for a moment preparing her retort when she heard the trolls' footsteps squeaking as they hit the sand. She focused on the trolls to observe their movements and visualized the fight to come. She adjusted her stance and prepared to strike, but the trolls stirred up a cloud of dust and sand as they dashed toward her and disappeared within it.

The cloud hit. The sand worked its way up Xarenia's nose, down her throat, and into areas of her clothing she really wished it hadn't made it. She swung wildly where she could only guess the trolls might be.

Nothing.

She paused and listened to the sounds surrounding her, but everything grew quiet. She swept her sword in a circle around her immediate perimeter to make sure they weren't standing over her waiting to strike.

Again, nothing.

Xarenia waited for the dust to settle. She scoured the area squinting through the sand in her eyes, but there were no trolls to be found. "Okaaay. There were a couple of trolls around here, right?"

"Over here."

Xarenia turned and found the trolls... cowering behind Arazel's camel. She rubbed her eyes to make sure she was seeing this correctly. Unfortunately, that forced the sand deeper into her eyes.

As Xarenia dropped to her knees crying and screaming, Arazel sighed and turned to confront the trolls. "Excuse me. Why are you hiding behind my camel?"

The eyes of the larger troll darted around from dune to dune. He looked up at Arazel but still kept an eye on his surroundings. "We heard you mention you're a priestess of the Great Wind Spirit, and--"

The smaller troll, startled by something he saw out of the corner of his eye, jumped backwards and crawled behind his fellow troll. "Please, don't let it get us."

"We've been hiding under the sand for days, but now, you're here. You can use your magic on it," said the larger troll.

"On what?" Xarenia approached the trolls tugging at her shirt in a futile attempt to get rid of the layer of sand under her clothes. Even though the trolls appeared to be no threat, she kept out of their reach to play it safe.

The smaller troll poked his head over the rump of Arazel's camel and panicked as he pointed to something behind Xarenia. "That!"

Stupid Camel

Sat, 05 Nov 2005 00:30:00 PDT

Stone cliffs glared across miles of desert sand appalled by the two riders daring to even approach them. One of these riders could feel the unwelcome stare from the cliffs looking down on her... judging her... deeming her unfit to be in their presence. But to Xarenia, the cliffs were a beacon of hope. Her destination was in sight.

Just before the cliffs, a tall section of hand-worked stone jutted up from beneath the sand. The last visible remnant of a temple of worship long ago wiped from the memories and histories of man by the cleansing desert sand. All that was left of it was rumors and legends. An unholy ruin cursed by the great Spirits. A victim of the desert's wrath for defying the sand and wind and sun for too long. A sanctuary fat from filling its belly with the gold and jewels of those seeking favor from a great desert Spirit.

Xarenia eyed the cliffs as her camel plodded along over the dunes. She spent hours watching the cliffs as her skin continued to crack and peel beneath the moisture-robbing sun. But the cliffs didn't get any closer.

"I bet I could make better time on foot," said Xarenia. Her camel cocked his neck to the side to glance back at his silk and leather clad pest of a rider, and then he got mad. Xarenia latched herself onto the camel's back as he twisted and bounced around to topple her. But the harder he tried to throw her, the deeper her nails dug into his sides, so he calmed down hoping she'd loosen her grip.

"Stupid camel."

The beast snorted and stopped dead in its tracks. Xarenia jerked forward and grabbed onto the camel's neck to keep from falling off. As she steadied herself, the camel spun its head around... giving her the evil eye.

"Arazel!"

Arazel pulled up beside Xarenia and lowered the book she was reading. She sat in the shade provided by a silk canopy and four poles attached to a harness worn by her camel. The sun and desert terrain couldn't reach her, and Arazel maintained a pristine appearance atop her camel where she looked like royalty... an aspect that also carried over to her tones and inflections as she spoke.

"I've already told you. I don't have any spells that will keep the sand out of your p--"

"No. Not that. I'm just wondering why your camel is so well-behaved and mine's... well, mine's a demon camel."

"Demon camel?"

"He doesn't like me."

Arazel leaned over and scratched Xarenia's camel behind the ears. His body twitched for a moment and then he grinned.

"You got a good deal with these camels then. Yours is obviously a good judge of character."

"You really think I got a good-- Hey!"

Arazel reached into her saddle bags for a flask and a crystal glass. The corners of her mouth curled up into a mischievous smile as she poured her wine.

"If you want your camel to be well-behaved, you just have to remember that they respond nicely to confidence... and some select herbs."

"You drugged your camel?"

"I'm a priestess of the Great Wind Spirit of the Eastern Desert. This is my domain... I can do whatever I want here."

"But drugging your camel?"

"It's just a relaxing blend of herbs, and he actually likes them. They make him happy."

"Well, I want a happy camel too. Hand over the--"

Xarenia watched the sand ahead of her separate as tremors rippled up through her camel's legs from the disturbance underground. "Why is the ground rumbling? Sand isn't supposed to rumble, is it?"