Can't Die

                “What did you do?” the troll screamed in agony. “What did you do to Haf’gifr?”

                The monster started to thrash around wildly. Hod heard a whistling noise and raised his arm in time to block the trolls attack. Yet again Hod misjudged the strength of the beast and was thrown across the cavern floor. Quickly he scrambled to his feet and immediately had to throw himself to the side to avoid being trampled to death by the troll.

                Hod had a moments desperate thought. I can’t let it get to the door and get David and Clair. Hod climbed to his feet and tried to reorient himself. This was always the longest and most dangerous part of his skill. He moved trying to find the place he thought the tunnel would be in. Hod tripped over a raise in the ground and went headfirst into the dirt.

                He heard the footsteps of the troll and twisted around. This time he was wasn’t fast enough and a webbed foot pinned him to the earth. Taloned toes went through his cloths and pierced the flesh on Hods chest. He could feel his shirt becoming wet with his blood. The reeking stink got closer and Hod put a hand up to the things chest. Remembering David’s warning about avoiding the things face. He heard its mouth snap open and closed.  The troll must have been closer than Hod thought because a tooth or horn scratched the side of Hod’s cheek.

                In desperation Hod brought his foot up. He hooked it under the monsters only arm and heaved. The troll left Hod’s chest and crashed into something. Hod didn’t want to think what. According to David there was only really one thing for the monster to crash into. Hod got up and put a hand to his chest. He had to stop the bleeding, he concentrated and iced his wounds. Scrambling he found his way to the doorway and took position in front of it again.

                “The Pretty told me your secret.” The troll rasped. “You not the real Hod. He dead. Along with his brother. You a not-Hod, you is a fake. I will eat you. And when she get ugly I eat her.”

                Even with only one arm the thing was fast and deadly. The main problem was the creature’s strength. Hod knew he himself was strong. Stronger then he should be. The only person he knew that came close was Autumn. Even still, he couldn’t stop all the trolls’ wild swinging of his arm. But Hod refused to be moved from the tunnel opening.

Hod was lucky that he was still wearing his hoddie. It now hung on him in tatters. It wasn’t the best armor, but at least it had stopped the troll’s attacks from being as bad as they could have been. Hod now had long scratches on his chest to accompany the puncture wounds. He also had cuts up and down his arms.

                The creature wasn’t even slowing down. Hod was sure that he was giving as good as he got. He was sure that by now the thing should have multiple broken ribs a broken leg and its arm should be broken. Hod couldn’t understand why the creature was still able to move everything. Hod had heard the bones crack and break. He needed to end this, needed to go help David and Clair. Hod blocked an incoming swing. He twisted and round house kicked the thing in the chest. Hod put all his strength into it, he could feel the troll’s chest cave in giving way to his foot.

                The Toll flew back, crashing into rock this time and just lay there. Hod put his hands on his legs and tried to calm down his breathing. The troll wasn’t dead. Hod could still hear it breathing. Breaths that came in ragged and slow, rattling the things throat. It sounded like it was dying. It should be dying from everything Hod had done to it. Hod turned to go and help David but stopped as the thing spoke.

                “Stupid fleshling” Hod heard the thing move. It sounded like it was getting to eats feet. “You can’t beat me! Mother made me immortal. Can’t die. Always keep coming.”

                The creature rushed at him and Hod blocked its first attack. This time he was able to match the creature strength for strength. Hod felt like something was wrong. The monster moved slightly and Hod heard something coming. Letting go of the creatures arm with one hand Hod was barely in time to stop his own death. Somehow the troll had regained its other arm.