Moon Glaive

Chapter 3: Indu

"I made it! I made it!" Pure joy coursed through her veins, so much so that she stopped moving.

*Rooooooaaaaaaar!*

The troll's pudgy, dark-red fingers clutched the edge like a hook. Cracks formed as the sound of splitting earth and rocks filled the air. Before they broke away, the troll shot up. It agilely flew into the air like a bird despite weighing more than five horses.

*Boom!*

Two foot-shaped craters appeared where the troll landed. The tree it held was splintered at the top, creating multiple spear-like tips that would gore Indu into paste.

Its lips were curled in a demonic grin. Indu didn't have to be a mind-reader to know it was gloating. It knew she was trying to escape. It was indulging in her mind-numbing fear.

She had to run. She had to run! But the fear she had worked so hard to overcome rushed over her like a tidal wave. Her feet were firmly planted on the ground, her eyes locked onto the eyes of the horrific monster approaching her.

This was the end. Indu had no more chances. Even if her body were to miraculously move, she could never outrun a troll whose speed exceeded a horse's.

Indu saw her sister's smiling face, telling her how much she enjoyed the half-moons. She saw her father, who had protected her at her most vulnerable times. And finally, she saw her mother, her body obscured by moonlight as she explored the mountain path with Indu.

"I'm sorry." Tears streamed down her cheeks. She had to live for her family to prevent the heart-wrenching grief from when her mother died from striking them again. But now, there was nothing left.

"I finally found you, damn troll!" Blood-chilling cackling came from above. A falling shadow grew until it collided with the troll-like a meteor. The troll instantly burst into a mess of blood, flesh, and bone, its body reduced to meat paste.

It was so sudden Indu didn't realize she was covered head to toe in disgusting troll blood. Its nauseating scent overcame her. The gruesome image seared itself in her mind. Combined with the stress of escaping for her life and exhaustion from hiking for so long, Indu promptly fainted. As her body collapsed on its back, she heard a smooth yet husky man's voice.

"Oh no, she's fainting."

...

A soothing heat, warm like a midsummer evening post a misty rain, enveloped Indu. Her hands clutched a soft, smooth article that easily rolled between her fingers. It almost felt like...fur? She had always wanted a fur blanket and had recently made the request to her father. It would arrive in a few days, and she couldn't wait to wrap herself in its comforting embrace while the autumn chill permeated the air once she got home from her monster search...

"The monster!" Indu abruptly shot straight up and yelled, which she instantly regretted. A wave of vertigo caused her to sink back down. Her eyes frantically inspected her surroundings, which seemed to be a cave.

Its ceiling reached ten meters in height. Bits of mosses and ferns lined the walls like little arrows pointing up. A dim light shone somewhere in front of Indu, but she couldn't see it while lying down. It shone in a way that emphasized the dreariness of the cave walls. Thankfully, the cave's end rested right behind her, putting a partial rest on her anxiety.

Indu sat up very carefully this time, letting her back lean against the wall. Her eyes remained closed while doing so, and now that she was sure no dizziness would ensue, she opened her eyes.

Indu first noticed the dazzling silver wool blanket covering her neck to toe with plenty of space to spare. She blushed. She had thought it was a fur coat, only for it to be something completely different. It was stupid of her. She couldn't even identify the material she slept in. How worthless was she that she couldn't identify something as simple as that?