Fleshlings

Stupid, dumb, weak, fleshlings. Hag’gifr stared up at the two humans on his beach. The dark on was staring into the water with funny eyes. It was the gold one, the gold one is the one that mother wants. The gold one was stupidly looking at the ground. He was going to suck the marrow out of their bones. Haf’gifr giggled, letting a couple of bubbles escape his mouth. The giggle turned to a snarl, how he hated these humans. How easy they were to lie to, how easy they believed.

He was old enough to remember the time of the Gods. He remembered the fire burn his skin. He could remember the god nails cutting his flesh. The troll smiled, they had come to take his pretty’s then and he had killed them all. His pretty’s hadn’t been so pretty then so he had to eat them. Slowly, there screams were pretty too.

Now fresh ones had come to take his new pretty away. The dark one and the gold one. The gold one has to be saved. Mother said he was the key. The key to bring his brothers and sisters through the hedge. Mother had tried with others, but none of their hearts had the power she needed. She only needed his beating heart, maybe mother wouldn’t mind if he had one bight. They had their backs to him. The thing erupted from the water, a smile splitting its face and showing the multitude of teeth within. He almost reached them and still they hadn’t turned around. He reached out his claws ready to rip off the dark one’s head and throw the gold one to the ground. His mouth opened wider, already savoring the sweet flesh. Where did the dark one go?

All the warning Haf’gifr had was the touch of cold and then a hammer crushed his side and sent a bolt of cold and pain through his middle. There was another hammer blow of ice and pain hit him. Haf’gifr picked himself up from the water’s edge. The dark one was staring off to the side of him and jumping on his toes. Slight shivers of fear ran through the troll. The dark one’s eyes glowed. Breathing hurt.

“It man shaped. Seven feet tall. Ten feet in front of you. Stay away from the head.” The Gold one said. Haf’gifr looked over at the gold one. What was it doing? The dark one came at him. Haf’gifr snarled, he was going to enjoy eating this one. He extended his talons ready to take the dark one’s head off.

“Duck!” the gold one yelled. Suddenly the dark one wasn’t there again. There was the pain of cold and Haf’gifr looked down his arm to where the dark one had a hold of it. The dark one spun and its other hand went into Haf’gifr’s shoulder and he felt the cold hammer again. There was a crack, Haf’gifr roared in pain and threw the dark thing away. It landed lightly and turned to face him. This dark thing was dangerous. Haf’gifr needed to be careful. His hands felt like hammers. Snarling he pulled his shoulder and put it back into place. He could feel his mother’s magic healing his sides and starting to take effect on his wounded shoulder.

The troll looked over at the gold one. He was dangerous too. He was the dark one’s eyes. Haf’gifr smiled, time to blind the dark one.

“It’s coming at me, Ho….” Too late for the dark one and the gold. Haf’gifr backhanded the gold one. It flew twenty paces and hit a tree. The gold one’s body crumpled and fell the to ground. The tree broke and crashed behind him. Hag’gifr lopped over and smelled the body. It still breathed, the heart still beat, it still had its skin. Mother will still be happy. Mother can still add the gold one to her collection and still have its heart. There was a breaking branch and Haf’gifr jumped away, still it was a little too late as the dark ones leg caught the trolls tail and sent him spinning.

“David! David, are you alright!? David, are you hurt!? Where are you!?” the dark one had his hands in the air and was looking around violently. Haf’gifr smiled, this would be fun. Just like the time he told the one pretty she could leave and then found and ate her. Haf’gifr stalked the dark one slowly. It kept calling to the gold one and spinning around. Haf’gifr swung at its head meaning to take it right off with his claws. Somehow the human got hits hand up in time and stopped his death. But Haf’gifr was to strong and sent the week fleshling to the water’s edge. Somehow the dark one was able to land on its knees. It was again calling for the gold one. The sound hurt the troll’s ears, he snarled. He was going to make it stop.

He stalked over to the thing still on its knees. It was going to eat it this time. Haf’gifr tensed his muscles ready to leap and then… his world was pain. Haf’gifr ran, he ran to escape the pain. He ran into the water and turned snarling. The gold one was standing over the dark one protectively. He was holding a wooden club and was staring at the troll while he helped the dark one to his feet. How was the gold one moving, why did it have a wood thing? This was a cheater fleshling. It was going to eat both the dark one and the cheater fleshling. Slowly so that they felt much pain and Haf’gifr could hear there screams.

Suddenly a new pain filled his mind. This time the pain was as familiar as his own skin. It was mother. She wanted them now, and Haf’gifr could eat what was left. Bring them into the caves she said. We’ll kill them there she said. In the dark, in the maze. Haf’gifr smiled. This was still fun. He could still taste there flesh. Haf’gifr lopped out of the water and past the dumb fleshlings. Time to take them to the entrance. Time to take them into the ground.