Eric leaned against the thick trunk, closing his eyes for just a moment. Gary padded softly beside him, the faint shimmer of his fur catching the dappled light through the trees. For a little while, it was quiet—almost peaceful.
Then it came. A roar, sudden and raw, tearing through the forest like a wound. Eric's eyes shot open. Gary's ears twitched, tail stiffening even in his ghostly form.
Eric's heart hammered. "What the hell—"
The sound came again, closer, sharper. Something massive moved unseen in the underbrush, shaking branches and rattling leaves. The air seemed to thrum with it.
Eric grabbed the sword, suddenly aware of every small sound in the forest. Gary stepped in front of him, alert but calm, a silent guardian.
The brief rest was over. Whatever had roared was near, and it wasn't just a distant echo.
Eric swallowed hard. "…Looks like our nap's done."
Eric leaned against the tree, trying to catch the sight of the other creature, when another roar tore through the forest. He snapped his head toward the sound. A massive troll staggered into the clearing, limping heavily, its body lacerated and bleeding from deep gashes, yet it swung its club with terrifying force.
Soldiers were in pursuit, shouting commands and lunging at the creature with swords and spears. One soldier dove for the troll's leg, barely dodging a wild swing that sent dirt and leaves flying. Another tumbled backward as the club smashed into a tree. The troll roared again, furious and pained, swinging with unrelenting fury, but it refused to fall.
Eric pressed himself tighter against the tree trunk, heart hammering. Beside him, Gary remained close, a faint shimmer against the forest floor. The ghostly wolf's ears twitched, eyes fixed on the battle, but it didn't move forward. It didn't need to—Eric didn't know how much help he could even provide, and Gary's presence was subtle, almost spectral.
"…Crazy," Eric muttered under his breath. "These guys… they're insane."
All he could do was watch as the clash raged on, soldiers pressing their attacks, the troll retaliating with bone-crushing swings. The forest seemed to hold its breath, waiting to see which side would falter first.
The troll bellowed again, limping but relentless, and suddenly it broke into a run, trying to escape the soldiers. Its massive form barreled through the underbrush, branches snapping beneath its feet. Eric froze. The creature was heading straight toward him, oblivious to his hiding spot.
Gary's faint shimmer tensed beside him. Without warning, the ghostly wolf lunged at the troll, teeth bared, but passed right through the creature's leg. The troll didn't slow. Gary's spectral form collided with the troll again—again, nothing.
Eric's eyes widened. "What…?" he whispered, confusion twisting his gut. Gary could touch him—had even nudged him, warmed his hands—but here, against the troll, he was nothing. Useless.
Panic rose in Eric's chest. He shoved off the tree and sprinted, boots crunching on roots and moss. Behind him, the troll's heavy footsteps pounded, closing the distance with terrifying speed. Gary floated beside him, trying to keep up, but every time he lunged toward the troll, he passed right through it, ineffective.
Eric cursed under his breath. "Great… just great." He dodged a fallen branch and pushed himself faster, heart hammering. The wolf was useless against this thing—and now the troll was coming for him.
The forest blurred around him. Every step felt heavier, every breath hotter, as he ran blindly, Gary's shimmering form sticking close but accomplishing nothing. Eric's mind raced: he had survived storms, fire, and blood—but a ghost wolf and a charging troll? This was new.
And terrifying.
Eric tore through the dense forest, roots twisting beneath his boots, branches clawing at his sleeves. The roar of the troll still thundered behind him, shaking leaves loose from the trees. Deeper he ran, heart hammering, every step fueled by panic.
Earlier, a group of soldiers had been tracking the troll, pursuing it through the forest after it had attacked a nearby outpost. Eric hadn't been part of their mission—he'd just been trying to rest. Now, the chaos of their fight spilled into his path.
Gary floated beside him, a faint shimmer in the underbrush, his attack were ineffective against the troll but unwilling to leave his side. Eric cursed under his breath. The wolf could touch him, even nudge him, but against the lumbering beast it was nothing. Useless.
He darted between trees, dodging low branches, listening to the thundering steps behind him. Somewhere further ahead, he glimpsed the soldiers, swords raised, weaving through the trees in pursuit of the troll. They were focused, shouting commands to one another, trying to stay coordinated against the monster's wild swings.
Eric's chest tightened. He slowed slightly, trying to assess the scene, but the forest around him was thick and dark. The troll barreled on, ignoring everything in its path, heading straight for him. Panic clawed at his throat.
"Gary, stay close!" he yelled, not expecting an answer. The wolf simply nodded alongside him, eyes fixed ahead, shimmering faintly in the gloom.
Every step took him deeper into the forest, farther from the soldiers and the only hope of backup. The roar of the troll grew louder, and Eric realized the rest wouldn't matter unless he found a way to survive the next moments.
Eric crashed through a wall of thick ferns—and slammed right into someone. Both stumbled, gasping. For a moment, Eric's heart nearly burst with relief. A soldier. Armor scuffed, sword drawn, face pale but alive.
"Thank the gods," Eric breathed, half laughing. "There is a troll attack and all the other soldiers are fighting it !" he blurted out, voice raw and desperate.
The man froze, eyes widening. Then the troll's roar ripped through the forest again, closer and louder than before.
Eric turned to look back at him—only to find empty space. The soldier was already gone, crashing through the brush in full retreat.
For a heartbeat, Eric just stared, disbelief mixing with a sharp edge of dread. Then the ground shook behind him. The troll's bellow rolled through the trees, snapping him out of it.
"Right," he muttered, breath catching. "Run Idiot. Run."
And he did.