The Lothirill Part I

CHAPTER I: The Eyes in the Shadow

Gorwane looked up to the sky, the moon shown beautiful and bright with light. Large beams of white light streamed forth from the heavens and shined straight upon Gorwane. He struggled to get up. He looked around and shivered. "Night is upon us, like it never has been before," said Gorwane, looking at a Dwarf that lay quiet, gazing up at the sky on the grass. The grass waved and a gust of wind blew out the fire. "Curse it!" shouted Gorwane, stepping towards the fire. He pulled out flint and tinder and struggled to make a fire. Sparks flew, but then disappeared into the cold summer night. Gorwane looked up, he heard the rustling of trees and the crackling of twigs. He clutched the hilt of his sword and stared at the forest that lay in front of them intently.

From out of the corner of the Dwarf's eye, he caught Gorwane pulling his sword out of sheath further and further. The Dwarf jumped up. "Do you see something in the forest?" asked the Dwarf. Gorwane did not reply, only stop pulling out his sword. He looked at his horse and the Dwarf's pony of which they used only for luggage, never riding; they lay asleep, peaceful and without worry. "No, it must be the wind, but something troubles me that lies deep within the forest. It would be good to move the moment light strikes the land, to be careful, Daegan," said Gorwane.

"We have moved through the Firestride Mountains and luckily survived, no one will ever dare to follow us," said Daegan.

"Our way is watched, mind you, I don't know how, I don't know for how long it has been or will be, I just know it is," said Gorwane.

"What makes you say that?" asked Daegan.

"Well, let's think. It's extremely quiet and we are in Troll territory and the horses, they lie peaceful. Even when we were still in the Luthwain Forest they were rowdy, there is something here," said Gorwane. "Men," laughed Daegan, "full of strange feelings and ideas." "I am going to sleep, wake me if you need anything," he added. Gorwane looked back at the forest. He loosened the grip upon the hilt of his sword and let it fall back into his sheath. He looked down at the ground.

That night was pitch-black, but something caught his eye. He stooped down; his face almost touched the ground. He squinted and then saw a large track upon the ground.

He examined and after a short while, music burst out and echoed through the land. It was the horrid sounds of Trollish instruments. The trumpets were made from bones and their drums were made from animal skin and rotted wood. Gorwane dived to the ground, hoping for their presence not to be known. He looked east and saw a large single file line of Trolls with spears, helms, swords, axes, clubs and many more marching towards the Elvish lands of Glorithen. Gorwane sighed as he let his face fall into the dirty, broken soil of the Troll country of Blacruhk. Daegan turned to his sighed and began to snore loudly. The moon shone bright upon his face. Soon the Trolls turned their paths eastwards down the slope and into the Firestride Mountains, hoping to enter the Elvish country through the north. Gorwane looked up and realized that Daegan was wrong and he was right. If the Trolls, being as simple minded as a two year-old child, were brave enough to travel into the Firestride Mountains, who knows who could've followed their path. At length Gorwane stood up. Eastward towards the Firestride Mountains he looked.