"Do you think our journey now would be safe?" Haben asked, his gaze shifting from the path ahead to Ishlar, who was mounted on his horse, his eyes scanning the horizon with practiced precision.
"Of course," Ishlar replied calmly. "Vanthelis gave me a teleportation portal and something called a Healing Salve. It will keep us safe if things go south."
Haben nodded, though unease lingered in his chest. The path ahead wasn't going to be easy. Their journey required more than just strength — it required cunning, and that was something Ishlar had in spades.
Before they could proceed much further, a rustling noise came from the trees, and a green-skinned humanoid appeared before them. Dark green skin, tusks jutting from its lower jaw, and muscles rippling across its body. The creature grinned, showing sharp teeth, and behind it, a dozen other figures appeared, all of similar stature and menace.
"A troll," Ishlar said in a low voice, his tone calm but with a hint of disdain. "Not uncommon. Their blood is used in rage potions back on our continent."
The trolls snarled, sizing them up. It was clear they weren't here for a friendly conversation.
Ishlar's hand tightened on the reins of his horse as he dismounted smoothly. "Stay back, Haben. I'll deal with this." His voice was authoritative, his tone brooking no argument.
With that, Ishlar raised his sword, the dark energy of Frostmourne shimmering under the dim light. He summoned Death Coil, a surge of necrotic energy that erupted from his hands. It struck the closest troll, sending it flying backward, its body trembling under the force of the dark magic. The coil didn't kill, but it drained the troll's strength, leaving it weakened.
As the trolls began to advance, Ishlar motioned toward his ghouls, waiting nearby. With a growl, the ghouls surged forward. Their grotesque forms lumbered toward the trolls, attacking with vicious strength. One of the ghouls collided with a troll, tearing into its flesh. Another ghoul hacked away at the leg of a third troll, its claws sinking deep into the muscle.
The trolls fought back with wild fury, their crude weapons swinging in all directions, but the ghouls were relentless. Ishlar's own actions were swift and methodical, using his Death Coil to further weaken the trolls and heal himself, while his ghouls tore into the bodies of their enemies, regrowing their wounds with every piece of flesh they consumed.
One troll, wielding a massive club, swung at Ishlar with brutal force, but Ishlar parried the blow effortlessly. He countered with a quick slash to the troll's midsection, sending it stumbling back, its blood spilling onto the dirt.
"Pathetic," Ishlar muttered, his eyes cold as he surveyed the battlefield.
Haben watched in awe as the ghouls tore into the trolls' fallen bodies, consuming them to heal their wounds and grow stronger. His eyes were wide with excitement. "These ghouls... they just keep getting stronger the more they eat! This is incredible!"
Ishlar looked at Haben with a cold, calculating expression. "Vanthelis explained it to me. The ghouls are bound to me. Their life... their very existence... is tied to my will. If I order them to fight, they will. If I command them to feed, they will. But they are nothing more than tools—tools I can use in my pursuit of power."
Haben's excitement faltered for a moment. He had understood the ghouls were powerful, but hearing that their very life was in Ishlar's hands gave them a different kind of weight. "You control their lives, then? That's... unsettling."
Ishlar's smirk deepened. "Power always comes with its burdens, Haben. But trust me, they are loyal. And they are effective. They're nothing like the trolls we just slaughtered."
The battle raged on for a few more moments as the remaining trolls, realizing they were outmatched, began to retreat into the jungle. The ghouls didn't let them go easily. They gave chase, their ravenous hunger pushing them to devour what remained of the fallen trolls.
Haben quickly moved to collect the spoils, grabbing weapons and trinkets from the fallen trolls and passing them off to one of the ghouls. "These will be useful," Haben said, though he couldn't help but glance nervously at the ghouls as they feasted.
Ishlar, meanwhile, was already assessing the situation, his gaze trained on the tracks left behind by the trolls. "Stay focused, Haben. We're not done here yet."
The two of them moved swiftly, tracking the retreating trolls through the dense jungle. The ground was soft and wet, their footsteps muffled by the thick foliage, but the trail was clear. They eventually came upon a hidden valley, thick with trees and shadowed by the canopy overhead.
Ishlar's eyes gleamed with cold calculation as they reached the top of a hill. Below them lay the trolls' small village. It was a crude settlement—huts built from wood and leaves, crude fires burning in the open air. The trolls moved about, unaware of the two intruders watching them from afar.
"We need to act fast," Ishlar muttered, his gaze narrowing. "The wounded trolls will alert the others. If we wait too long, this place will be swarming with reinforcements."
Haben looked at Ishlar, his excitement now tempered by the urgency of the situation. "So, we strike now?"
Ishlar nodded. "Yes. The time to strike is now. We cannot let them recover and regroup. This is our chance."
Haben grinned, his eagerness returning. "Then let's make it quick."
Ishlar motioned to the ghouls. "We'll need to be swift, but silent. Move in quickly, and make sure the trolls don't have time to alert the others."
The two retreated into the shadows, hidden from view. They would need to be fast, silent, and efficient. The trolls had been caught off guard, but if they were given the time to regroup, they would become much more dangerous. And Ishlar had no intention of letting that happen.
"We strike now," Ishlar whispered, his voice cold and filled with resolve. "No mercy."
With that, they moved forward, ready to strike before the trolls could call for reinforcements.