The sounds of battle echoed through the Forbidden Forest as four massive shadows emerged from between the ancient trees. Each footstep sent tremors through the ground, and their hulking forms blocked out what little moonlight filtered through the canopy above.
Char momentarily set aside thoughts of the defeated poachers scattered around him. His pulse quickened as recognition dawned - these were the trolls that he and Hagrid had been searching for. The settlement had found them instead, drawn by the commotion of the recent fight.
There was no time to process this stroke of luck. Four pairs of small, beady eyes fixed on him with unmistakable hunger. The trolls had been wandering the forest for days without a proper meal, and something about the young wizard made their mouths water with anticipation.
"Hungry!" The lead troll's voice rumbled like distant thunder.
*Boom. Boom.*
Their massive feet struck the forest floor with increasing urgency as they closed the distance. Char's grip tightened on his bat as he studied his approaching opponents. These creatures were nothing like the textbook descriptions - they were living mountains of muscle and bone, each one capable of crushing him without effort.
His eyes narrowed with calculating intensity. From within his robes, he withdrew a potted goldfish spider plant, its ethereal glow immediately catching the trolls' attention. Their already eager expressions transformed into something approaching ecstasy as they caught sight of the magical plant.
The two younger trolls, though still measuring close to three meters in height, surged forward with reckless abandon. Their massive hands reached greedily for the plant, completely dismissing the small wizard holding it as insignificant.
That dismissal would prove to be their first mistake.
Char's bat whistled through the air with devastating force. The impact sent shockwaves through both young trolls' arms, accompanied by the sickening crack of breaking bone. They stumbled backward, clutching their injured limbs and releasing ear-splitting wails that echoed throughout the forest.
The sound transformed the adult trolls' interest into pure rage. They scrambled for their crude wooden clubs, each weapon roughly the size of a tree trunk. With coordinated fury, they brought their weapons down toward Char's head.
He raised his bat in a defensive position, and the collision that followed was unlike anything the Forbidden Forest had witnessed. The sound resembled the clash of prehistoric titans, reverberating through the trees and sending nearby creatures fleeing in terror.
The impact drove Char's feet several inches into the soft earth. Despite his legendary strength, the combined force of two adult trolls was staggering. These creatures had earned their 4X danger rating through sheer physical might - power that could shatter dragon scales and topple ancient trees.
Char's arms went numb from the impact, though he managed to avoid serious injury. The sensation was deeply unpleasant, like being struck by a pair of boulders dropped from a great height.
He drew a steadying breath, initially planning to employ his usual strategy. The Pruning Charm would destroy their weapons, followed by thorns to bind their limbs, creating an opening for a decisive counterattack. It was the same approach that had worked against the Halloween troll.
But then something on his system panel caught his attention.
The legendary abilities related to his physical attributes - legendary life, legendary strength, and others - were glowing slightly brighter than before. The improvement was subtle but unmistakable, triggered by the recent collision.
Memory flooded back of his fall while attempting to plant an Elber tree. The impact with the ground had produced a similar effect on his legendary abilities. At the time, he had theorized that external training was necessary for advancing from legend to myth.
Now that theory had been proven correct.
Char studied the faint but definite changes on his system panel, then made a decision that would have seemed insane to any observer. Instead of destroying the trolls' weapons, he raised his bat in challenge.
"Is that all the strength you have?" His voice carried across the clearing with surprising authority. "Come again!"
The trolls, still reeling from the force of their own rebounded attack, roared in renewed fury. They hefted their clubs once more, driven by primitive anger and the promise of an easy meal.
Char met their charge head-on.
The second collision was even more violent than the first. Both trolls staggered backward, and one crashed heavily to the ground. But Char wasn't unaffected - his ears rang with a persistent buzzing, and his vision blurred momentarily.
However, when he glanced at his system panel and saw another barely perceptible brightening of his legendary abilities, a surge of energy coursed through him. The sensation was like taking the most potent stimulant imaginable.
"Not enough," he called out, advancing toward the fallen trolls. "Come again! Try harder!"
The trolls' fury knew no bounds. They grabbed their clubs with renewed determination, intent on smashing this insufferable little creature into paste. But Char's resilience exceeded their primitive understanding. He seemed to grow stronger with each impact, while they grew weaker.
Wave after wave of crushing blows followed. The ground around them became churned mud, scattered with splinters from the trolls' clubs. Even with their incredible strength, the repeated impacts began to take their toll. The bases of their palms split open, blood streaming down their arms with each swing.
Char's condition was hardly better. His arms had swollen considerably, and he could taste copper in his mouth. But each glance at his system panel revealed continued improvement in his legendary abilities. The progress was slow but steady, and every increment was precious on the long road from legend to myth.
As the battle continued, Char felt changes occurring within his body. Streams of warmth flowed through his muscles and bones, strengthening his life force and increasing his power. Meanwhile, the trolls' movements became increasingly sluggish, their strength waning with each exchange.
The tide of battle shifted gradually but inexorably. Where once the trolls had possessed overwhelming advantage, now they found themselves merely holding their own against a single small wizard. Then even that began to fail them.
Finally, with a tremendous swing that seemed to draw power from the very earth beneath his feet, Char's bat connected with both trolls' clubs simultaneously. The wooden weapons, weakened by repeated impacts, couldn't withstand the force. They flew from the trolls' hands, spinning through the air before crashing to the ground and shattering into countless fragments.
The two adult trolls collapsed to their knees, their strength completely spent. They would not rise again to fight. The younger trolls huddled fearfully behind their elders, their primitive minds finally comprehending that the tiny figure before them was a foe beyond their ability to defeat.
But instead of pressing his advantage, Char surprised them all. He reached into his robes and withdrew several of Hagrid's rock cakes, tossing them toward the exhausted trolls.
The familiar scent of food immediately captured their attention. Despite their injuries and exhaustion, the trolls' eyes lit up with excitement. They devoured the rock cakes greedily, then looked hopefully at Char for more.
"Tasty," one of them managed to grunt. "More..."
Char's eyes flickered with interest. His previous encounters with trolls had taught him the basics of their crude communication. He made simple gestures, conveying his message through a combination of movement and basic sounds.
"Follow me," he indicated. "There is food."
The four trolls exchanged glances, their limited intelligence struggling to process this unexpected development. Just when Char thought they hadn't understood, both adult trolls slowly lowered themselves to the ground in a kneeling position, bringing their young with them.
They began to mutter in their guttural language, repeating a word that made Char's eyes widen in surprise.
"Gronnak," they chanted. "Gronnak... king!"
Char stood frozen, gradually realizing what was happening. These trolls believed he was the legendary king from their own folklore - the strongest troll who would provide homes and food for his people. His demonstration of superior strength had apparently fulfilled some ancient prophecy in their minds.
His face displayed a mixture of confusion and mild horror as he contemplated his new title.
"No," he protested weakly. "I'm not... who told you about a troll king?"
He imagined his future introductions in the wizarding world. While others might claim titles like "Member of the Order of Merlin" or "Dueling Champion," he would apparently be known as "Char Sprout, the Legendary Troll King!"
The thought sent a chill down his spine.
No matter how much he tried to correct them, the trolls continued their chanting. Eventually, Char resigned himself to dealing with this misunderstanding later.
"First, let's get you back to raise goldfish spider plants for me," he muttered. "We'll work on the proper titles gradually."
He turned to lift the still-unconscious Hagrid, preparing to leave the Forbidden Forest. The four trolls fell into line behind him, their new king leading them to promised lands of food and shelter.
---
Time passed in a haze of semi-consciousness. Hagrid's head felt as though it had been filled with lead, but memories of the recent battle gradually returned. He jerked awake with a start, his eyes immediately searching for his young companion.
"Char!" he called out, relief evident in his voice.
Fortunately, his worst fears hadn't materialized. He found himself in the familiar surroundings of his hunting lodge, not some poacher's den or black market facility. Better yet, Char was sitting nearby, apparently unharmed.
"Weren't we ambushed by poachers in the Forbidden Forest?" Hagrid asked, confusion evident in his voice. "I remember being knocked down. What happened after that?"
Char's expression grew serious as he crafted his response.
"You were indeed knocked out initially, Hagrid. But you recovered quickly and got back on your feet. The poacher leader was so frightened by your fury that he fled without looking back." He paused, studying Hagrid's confused expression. "That was two days ago. If you hadn't woken up soon, I would have had to fetch Madam Pomfrey."
Hagrid looked puzzled. He had no memory of the events Char described, but more pressing concerns occupied his mind. His eyes welled up with tears, and soon he was crying so hard that the cabin's ceiling shook.
"Merlin's beard," he sobbed. "Char, I nearly got you killed. I should never have brought you into the Forbidden Forest. This is all my fault."
Char observed the extensive injuries covering Hagrid's body. The poachers had been ruthless in their attack, and Hagrid had clearly suffered greatly while protecting him. Despite his own pain, the gentle giant was consumed with self-blame over endangering his young friend.
"It's not your fault at all," Char assured him. "It was my desire to find the troll settlement that gave the poachers their opportunity."
It took considerable time and effort to console Hagrid. Eventually, his tears subsided, and he glanced out the window. What he saw there made him gasp in amazement.
Behind the hunting lodge, in addition to the original troll, four more massive figures could be seen moving about.
"This is... a troll settlement!" Hagrid exclaimed. "When did they arrive?"
Char allowed a note of admiration to enter his voice. "They witnessed your entire battle, Hagrid, and were deeply impressed by your courage and strength. They wanted to follow you, so they came here of their own accord."
Hagrid looked stunned. "Is that really what happened?" He frowned, trying to remember. "I do have vague memories of someone fighting with trolls..."
As Hagrid continued to process this information, Char quietly reviewed the events of the past few days. The ambush in the Forbidden Forest had clearly been orchestrated by Quirrell, another attempt to eliminate him. The poachers' focus on him specifically left no doubt about their true employer.
A cold light flashed in Char's eyes. Quirrell's persistent interference was becoming intolerable. Like a persistent parasite, once attached, there seemed to be no end to the trouble he caused.
If Char hadn't harvested the piranha algae when he did, this encounter might have ended very differently. The poachers had been experienced fighters, far more dangerous than the typical conflicts between young wizards at school.
Reflecting on the shortcomings exposed during the forest battle, Char's initial excitement over his gains was tempered by reality. He still had significant gaps in his magical knowledge, particularly in protective spells and counter-curses. These deficiencies needed to be addressed quickly.
But the rewards from this encounter were substantial. Looking toward the trolls outside, Char counted five total, including the original Halloween troll. Though two were juveniles, they were just as effective as adults when it came to catalyzing goldfish spider plants.
These five trolls could provide enough "forgetfulness" daily to grow more than two hundred pots of goldfish spider plants. Combined with the forty pots he could maintain in the castle, his total harvest per batch now exceeded two hundred and fifty pots - more than triple his previous capacity.
This increase would significantly accelerate the progression of his recently upgraded gold-level Magic Perception Enhancement toward platinum level.
Additionally, Char's attention returned to his system panel. The collision with the trolls had produced measurable improvements in both legendary power and legendary life. Though the gains were modest, they represented the only method he had discovered for advancing legendary abilities toward mythical status.
With five trolls now at his disposal, he wondered how far he could push these two crucial abilities along the path to mythology. The possibilities were intriguing and would require careful planning to maximize their potential.
As these thoughts and calculations occupied his mind, the clock struck midnight. Suddenly, fireworks erupted over Hogwarts Castle, their colorful displays lighting up the night sky. The festive atmosphere was unmistakable, and even the trolls stopped their activities to stare in wonder at the brilliant explosions above.
The magical display interrupted Char's contemplation, bringing him back to the present moment. He took a deep breath, watching the celebration unfold.
Christmas had arrived.
The timing seemed particularly appropriate. After the trials of the Forbidden Forest and the acquisition of his new troll allies, the holiday season promised both rest and new opportunities. There would be time to consolidate his gains, address his weaknesses, and prepare for whatever challenges Quirrell might devise next.
But for now, he simply watched the fireworks paint the sky in brilliant colors, surrounded by his unlikely collection of magical creatures and the steady presence of his loyal friend Hagrid.