The Goblin Nation - 56 Power Headache

The troll continued to chase after them until they were in the town square. The wall of flames ends here. Instead, the town square was encircled by a small trench filled with wooden planks. They were originally going to be used as the fuel for the flames, creating a cage made of fire, but Stick’s followers couldn’t do it because their stinkbombs were tampered with, and they had to find replacements.

They took small rocks lying on the ground and retrieved Stick’s prototypes from his shed. These prototypes were similar to the bombs Stick used against Cala. There were two variants. One of the versions had a stronger smell, while the other one was meant to irritate the eyes of its victim.

Stick followers were climbing the buildings surrounding the square while carrying buckets and bags filled with rocks. Those that returned from the shed were carrying small bottles filled with the compounds used on the stinkbombs. Smoke’s archers followed the troll on top of the roofs. They assisted those carrying the heavy bags. Once everyone was ready, they took their battle stance on the roof’s edge, aiming their bow at the troll.

Root and Mist managed to get their supplies on top of the roof just in time. “Root help use slingshot, Mist gives rock and bottle.” Mist pulled Root towards the giant slingshot. Another goblin by the name of White was already stationed on the slingshot. “This White. White this Root.” Mist introduced each other.

The two shared greetings and got to work. Mist handed them a bottle. White and Root pulled the string as far back as he possibly can with the bottle inside the leather pad. The troll stood in the middle of the square while brothers ran around it.

The troll was confused. It didn’t know who to chase after, or more accurately, if it should chase any of them at all. While chasing the goblins to the town square, the troll realized how narrow its attention was when its emotions flare-up. The troll found it odd how there was no wall of fire blocking his path now, but there could be traps waiting for the troll. Before, he would smash buildings without the care in the world only for that building to catch on fire. If not for its thick gambeson being wet from the snow, the troll would have been engulfed by the flames numerous times. The troll was far more careful now, extending its sword far away from it to create distance between the goblins. It was now on high alert.

Then Stick placed two fingers on his mouth and whistled. The troll realized that the square might not have been surrounded by fire, but goblins surrounded it, and they were ready to attack. Smoke, Stick, and Shuja ran for cover while Rock took a top from a barrel and used it to shield Dawn and himself. Rocked held Dawn as tightly as he could under their wooden shield. “Rock know Dawn can run under roof, right?.” Dawn jokingly remarked.

Smoke’s archers fired first. The troll got down in a fetal position. The arrows flew straight towards the troll’s back and penetrated the outer layer. “Troll like porcupine.” White joked, but none of the goblins on the roof with him laughed.

The troll stood up once more with arrows sticking out of its back. It looked up to the sky and screamed so loudly that the buildings near it began to shake. Then it ran towards a barrel and hit it with its ax. The barrel flew towards one of the roofs with archers stationed on them. “Slingshots, fire!” Stick yelled. One by one, goblins with slingshots fired their rocks and glass bottles towards the troll. The stones were nothing but pebbles to the troll, but then it caught a whiff of something vile flying towards it.

The troll swung its weapons across the air, creating a strong gust of wind that blew the bottles off course. Each bottle it smells the troll would swing its weapons blowing them all away, except for one. White and Root were the last to release their bottle. It flew past the gust of winds and rotating weapons and landed right on the troll’s face. That bottle was the one meant to blind its victim. The first stinkbomb of its kind did not work on Cala; however, it had the opposite effect on the troll. It worked perfectly.

The troll grunted in pain. It dropped its weapons and tried to rub through its helmet and mask. Noticing the troll’s weakness, The brother leaped into action. “Grab its back and climb up!” Smoke yelled.

“Bro, watch out!” Rock yelled.

With its eyesight gone, the troll began to rely on its sense of smell. Despite the awful smell of the liquid on its face, a troll’s nose can distinguish the different odors on the air. And it can even focus on one type of smell. The moment Smoke got close, the troll noticed his scent and slapped him flying. Smoke landed on a pile of crates. “Don’t stop! We need to expose him to the sun.” Smoke got back up his, “Get his helmet off!”

Stick took out his sickle and jumped on top of the troll’s back. The troll tried to get him off its back, but Rock caught one his hands and held it down. Rock struggled to keep the troll hand from reaching for Stick. His feet would hover one inch off the ground from time to time. Shuja stayed far away, shooting arrows at the troll’s helmet. The impact of the bolts made a loud clinking sound annoying the troll.

Eventually, Shuja ran out of arrows, and the troll regained its composure. The troll grabbed Rock and threw though a window of a building. Then It grabbed Stick and slammed him on the ground. Luckily, a pile of snow softened his landing. Stick looked up and saw the troll towering over him. Stick could not help but yelp in fear and crawl away. The troll tried to punch the fleeing Stick, but Smoke and Dawn managed to get in between while holding spears. The punch broke their spears and sent the three flying.

“Stick, are you ok?” Smoke jumped up and ran towards his brother.

“I’m good,” Stick answered, “but how are we going to win against that?”

“Don’t worry. We will win!” Smoke tried to lift Stick’s confidence, but a seed of doubt was planted within Stick’s mind after realizing just how small he was compared to the troll.

Dawn got up on her feet. She saw Rock climb out of the window with his face covered in blood. But Dawn could see behind the bloody mess his face was covered in. Rock looked surprised and upset. This was the first he was sent flying like a rag doll the children would play with. Others may have bested him with better fighting techniques or experience, but never with brute strength. It was his first time feeling weak.

Meanwhile, the troll stood still. The archers and on top of the roof were not sure if they shoot at it. The troll did not move as if it was a statue. Did they win? No, they did not. The troll stopped moving because it smelled something familiar. An odor that was coming from something it held dear.

It ignored all the other odors in the air and focused its nose on that one scent, tracking its origin. First, it was Stick, then Stick’s followers, then finally, far away from the town square. Outside the town’s border. The troll found where the smell was coming from.

Then it ran.