I made it two steps out of my tent, enough to feel the chill morning air, before a heavy, full bodied blow knocked me clean off my feet. A metal covered limb connected solidly with my shin. I reacted on instinct twisting myself to the top of the tangle of limbs. In an instant, I freed my sword-arm, able to partially unsheathe the blade and angle it against the offender's throat. I glanced towards the face I was a moment away from relieving of its body. I stared into a frightened face of the unlucky Long-Rider, his eyebrows raised in shock. I raised myself up off his chest, and raised my blade from his neck.

"WHAT, in the BLOODY-DAMN FEL IS GOIN ON?!" I half-yelled, He flinched as spittle of saliva landed on his face.

He his eyes reopened, not meeting my own, but lower. "t-t TROLLS." He stuttered in reply, his checked flushed red.

I followed his gaze... my assets had done their best to try to escape the limited confines of my tribal vest during our scramble. I freed the rest of my blade from its sheath, awkward from its length. Then brought down, hilt first on the man's temple. His head lolled to the side, and I let forth a deep sigh. I'd be lying is I said that both of the last two actions were done in reflex, but it felt good. I extracted myself from the, now unconscious Long-Rider, rising to my feet as I adjusted myself. I stormed off in the direction of the commotion, sword drawn, bare-foot, and possessing a near, all-time high, level of irritability. Nearing the eastern edge of the camp, 15 or so Long-Riders crowded together just outside the woodline. We had only drawn close to the northern edge of the Dark-Wood yesterday afternoon, and already it seemed to hold up to its dangerous nature. The remains of four trolls twitched and stirred, filled with arrows and pinned to the ground with spears. Their movements earned them an occasional extra spear thrust or arrow, as only through fire, would their lives finally cease. Even a troll split asunder into multiple pieces would continue on. A new troll would be born, growing from each single lump of flesh within a fortnight. The situation seemed handled however as Marion, arrived moments after me, joined by another senior looking Long-Rider, both bearing torches.

"You four, gather wood, the fires must burn hot, we have to be sure there is nothing left. You three scout out the surrounding area, but don't go too far into the woods." Marion appeared comfortable in her authority, giving commands as she set her torch to the trolls, their thick, oily skin catching alight easily.

"The rest of you, continue your duties at camp, Saora," I turned to her surprised she would address me, as she had been avoiding me for the last few days, "If you would, Go find the Captain, and update him of the incident. As your place as Shield Maiden, you should be at his side anyways." Marion's tone made it clear that last phrase was meant as a reprimand.

"Sure, Sure." I replied, following it with a sigh. I turned my back on her and walked back towards the center of the camp.

I found Luke sitting outside his tent, carefree and enjoying his breakfast. He turned to me, hearing my approach and proceeded to choke. I sighed again, watching his shoulders tense up, coughing out his breakfast, before laughing with teary eyes.

"HAhaha, Saora-hahaAH... what has-yah' lookin so disheveled this mornin? Yah hear about the trolls?"

I slumped down on a stump across from him. "Yeah, surprised me this morning, thought it was something more serious."

"Ah, no matter, best yah go find ya boots at least, we're off to ah late start today."

I made no move to get up. "Still its weird though ain't it? you ever heard off four trolls attacking a whole contingent before?"

"Ah the dumb beasts only think with their stomach, jus look'in for their next meal."

"I know their pretty dumb, but would have them so hungry as to attempt to make a meal outa fifty armed men?"

"Who knows? maybe they were just an extra stupid bunch."

I stand, speaking my final thought before walking away. "Just doesn't seem right Luke."

I awoke in the darkness, MY Darkness.

Something foreign disturbed ME? Within MY Sanctuary.

An unknown lance of mana probed the darkness, feeling out my own resting power.

I let it leave uncontested. This would only be the beginning. While the one who sent forth that lance collected his findings, I had attained my own knowledge. For within that mana, I sensed the all too familiar presence of the Fel. It was enough to assume the caster's intentions, but I relaxed in my darkness, there was no need to act now, but precaution was necessary.

I began the gather my mana, that had been slowly ebbing since I laid to rest.

For that which should be left in slumber, had awakened.

That which should be left in peace, was angered.

But I had time, My time was limitless.

For patience is the first lesson of Sorrow.

We hastened our march, delayed by troll incident. Luke desired us to reach Senechal by midday, giving us time to relieve the First Contingent, so they could begin their own journey back to Salearn. It seemed our rush was unneeded, however, as the small village came within sight well before midday. We proceeded on, skirting around the village and pushing on the outpost that stood between it and the Darkwood. I stood off the side, thinking of trolls, as Marion and Luke performed the formal change of the guard with the First Contingent's commanding Lieutenant.

Trolls were said to simply spring forth into existence, mostly around places teeming with mana. I was no mage, but it was easy to infer the Darkwood qualified as such as it was a veritable breeding ground for trolls. Breeding, of course, being the constant brutal in-fighting, in which they tore each other to pieces, thus spawning more trolls. The trolls of the Darkwood, however, varied greatly from the more common cave-bound trolls who bore a weakness to both the sun and fire. Able to bask in sunlight, with thick skin, and just generally larger and meaner than the average of their race, the Darkwood Trolls were the more often encountered in the Kingdom of Valskarn. With the Darkwood covering much of its South and Eastern borders, It fell on the Long-Riders to cull their numbers.

Luke's heavy patting on my shoulder garnered my attention.

"Yah com'in or nah?" He spoke as I realized that the First Contingent of Long-Riders had already vacated the outpost, making their final preparations to depart.

I followed Luke into the outpost. I was really nothing more the than a small flat area surrounded on all sides by a tall circular wooden fence of spikes, lorded over by various tall, wooden lookout towers. It would never hold against any real siege, but then, it would never have too, as passing through the Darkwood, alone or surrounded by thousands, was a folly the Saren Empire had attempted many times, before finally learning better. The only wooden structures being an aid station, and a small cabin used as a headquarters building.... I knew Luke would take residence in the cabin, likely joined by Marion, So I sought out the farthest spot I could be from it, riding my horse near the eastern spike wall. Finding a nice clear patch of dirt with a prebuilt campfire and its own makeshift chairs, I dismounted my mare and began claiming it as my own.