I studied the ruins of some kind of troll building as the caravan followed the road past the sandstone pillars.
If there was time, I would really have liked to come back to this place and do a proper dig. There are archeologists that would give their left nut to find this kind of thing.
I did study archeology at one point even if I never finished, I was good at the practical stuff... and there this stuff was just sitting in the Jungle.
With as much troll ruins as there was around here, Stranglethorn must have been one massive troll city at one point.
A entire fallen civilization.
I glanced over my shoulder at the blue troll driving the cart behind Dawn's kodo. Wonder what they used to be?
"...o what do you think?" Dawn finished and glanced back at me "Are you even listening?" she then asked as I turned back forward again.
"Oh...eh..." I started.
Nope. No I wasn't.
"Sorry, what did you say?" I asked with a small frown. I didn't think I was that deep in thought.
"I asked, do you want to check out the ruins when we stop?" She sighed.
"You have been watching them each time we pass one. We are leaving the Vale in just a couple of days, so you would lose the chance later."
She really is observant. I need to remember that.
"I could always come back later. Not like I could do a proper dig in just a couple of hours." I said, "I wouldn't mind having a look around though if there are some close to the camp."
Speaking of which, researching Westeros history would also be pretty awesome, not that it would be easy with all the attention I keep getting there.
Fuck it. I'll wait until they reach modern age and then read their history books. I'm immortal, I can be patient.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
I took another picture of a pictogram on the wall of the ruin after pulling some climbing plants off it.
We were about a hour ride down the road from the caravan camp. The camp was set three hours before dark so all preparations had time to finish before then such as wood gathering.
Which meant I had a hour worth of time to pick around in this place until we needed to get back onto the Kodo to return to the camp.
"Do you have any idea what those say?" Dawn asked as she traced her finger at the pictogram "They remind me a bit about Aztec markings."
I shook my head happily and took another picture "I have no idea." I said with a grin "I could make some guesses, but they would most definitely be wrong. Even guessing at things as cave paintings you will most likely be wrong at the meaning of them. These are way more complex." When I get back to Sunnydale, I need to see what the local archeology division on the university think of these, just for fun.
"This one look like somebody with a club, hitting somebody else in the head." she said and tilted her head "Well...at least if you squint a bit."
I shook my head in amusement before I looked around, spotting something half buried in the ground a bit further away and I walked over to dig it up with the help of a stick. It turned out to be a small statuette of a tiger.
I did quick scan and when I didn't detect any magic on it, I picked it up "Have you thought about what we were talking about?"
Dawn leaned her back against the stones "I did...I talked with Master Cloudsong. He had no problems with you teaching me as long as it don't affect my normal training or other duties." she then frowned slightly "He looked amused when I mentioned you."
Shrugging I stood up, putting the tiger statuette in my bag. That's going on a shelf when I find myself somewhere to live semi-permanently.
"I have no idea. I caught the same kinds of looks lately from several different people." I said as I shook my head.
That's when I noticed movement in the foliage by the archway into the ruins.
I immediately dove towards Dawn "Get down!" I yelled.
Dawn hit the ground a moment after me and then we were up to our necks in trolls as I threw my shield up to cover both me and Dawn.
Ok, it might not have been that many, maybe ten in total. But the moment they popped out of fucking nowhere, there seemed to be more of them.
I slowly stood up, watching them. When the shield went up they held back, studying us in return.
Most of them were green and blue with face painting, carrying spears, axes or staffs.
"If you wish us to leave, we will leave. This is your area, I respect that. There is no need for violence." I said, speaking as clearly as I could in Orcish as I spread the shield to cover down "Stand up slowly, no sudden moves." I then added in English.
As I felt her get up behind me I started to slowly back away from them.
They really was no threat to me. They were armed with stone and wood weapons for crying out loud!
The lead troll branished his staff, yelling something before hitting the shield with a bolt of lightning. It crackled across the surface before grounding into the ground with a hissing sound.
I started to move a bit quicker. I actually felt the shield weakening at that hit...I could take several more with just as much mana as there was in the shield, but that was still impressive.
The blue leading troll waved his staff once more, hitting the shield with a ball of fire and I glanced back at Dawn "Have something to drive them back?"
She shook her head, looking stressed but like she was keeping her head in check "I can throw lightning or fire...I'm mostly good at healing!"
I nodded "I am also a bit short on non lethal spells. So how about we get a bit creative. How fast can you get to the Kodo and get it moving?"
"Couple of seconds. He is tied up around the corner." She said as she swallowed.
"Good. When I say go, you run."
"I'm not leaving you!" she exclaimed.
I gave her a small grin over my shoulder as another spell hit my shield, this one some kind of ice magic followed my a simple thrown spear "These guys are not a real threat, I just don't want to hurt them. Now...go!"
I said and she ran for it as I shifted the shield, forming a half sphere with it instead of a full sphere to let her our before I borrowed a trick from Mary's book.
Bands of white mana flew at the trolls as I dug into my white mana one more. They dove out of the way, trying to not get hit but the spells followed them, binding their hands and ankles together.
"I'll cancel the spell once we are on our way. Do not follow us." I told them as they yelled and pulled at the white light binding them in place.
I then turned to join Dawn, climbing onto the Kodo "Let's go."
She quickly nodded and got the Kodo moving faster than I thought the damn thing could move as I took a slow breath, trying to get rid of my adrenaline.
Multiple wars and I still react like this to a surprise fight.
Bloody hell.
We had been moving for five minutes when I noticed that Dawn was shivering.
"Dawn, are you ok? Did they hit you with something?" I quickly asked, checking her over. Poison darts. Should have thought about that!
She shook her head "N-no. I'm fine. I-I didn't expect a fight. I haven't been in one since Sunnydale."
I sighed "I'm sorry. It was my fault. I shouldn't have dragged you out to those ruins."
"We knew there was danger. I just..." she started and then sighed "They tried to kill us. They were people. Not monsters. People!"
That's might be the hardest thing to learn. Sometimes there is no difference.
"Yeah." I said with a another sigh as the Kodo slowed down to it's normal speed "Just people.".
AN// Big thanks to Rufus Shinra for betaing this part.
