As Cade and Lyrica made their way home from school, the sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows that danced across the cobblestone streets of their quiet village. The gentle hum of life surrounded them—children's laughter, merchants shouting their wares, and the sweet aroma of baking bread wafting from the bakery. But that tranquil atmosphere shattered with the piercing scream that echoed through the air.
"Did you hear that?" Lyrica gasped, her wide eyes meeting Cade's with a mixture of fear and concern.
"Stay close," Cade commanded, his instincts flaring. He quickened his pace, leading her through the winding streets toward the source of the commotion. As they crested a small hill, the scene before them turned his blood cold.
Three hulking forms loomed over the village, their grotesque silhouettes punctuated by the light of the sinking sun. Hollow trolls—clumsy, towering brutes that were more shadow than flesh, with empty eye sockets and jagged teeth that gleamed like knives. Their wooden clubs thudded against the ground, leaving destruction in their wake as they cackled and bellowed, hungry for the souls of the living.
"Cade! What are they doing here?" Lyrica exclaimed, her voice trembling as she clutched tighter to her father's arm.
"Stay behind me!" Cade warned, steeling himself for the confrontation. The trolls were never this close to human settlements, and the implications of their presence sent a wave of dread through him
As they approached the village square, the chaos intensified. Villagers were screaming and running for cover, their faces painted with terror as the trolls rampaged through stalls, sending goods flying and tossing people aside like rag dolls. Cade's heart raced—not just with fear, but with a fierce determination to protect his daughter and the innocent villagers caught in this nightmare.
"Protect the villagers!" Cade shouted, his voice a commander's rallying cry. He focused on the trolls, fists clenched tightly as he prepared for battle. He had sworn to walk the path of a loving father, to be a protector, but now the primal instinct to defend those he loved surged within him.
Just then, one of the trolls swung its massive club, the sound of splintering wood cracking through the air as it connected with a nearby stall. As chaos erupted around him, Lyrica stepped forward, instinctively wanting to help. But then, a colossal arm swung in her direction, catching her off-guard—a brutal backhand from one of the trolls sent her sprawling to the ground.
"Lyrica!" Cade's heart dropped as he rushed towards her, fear etched across his face. She wiped her chin, revealing a streak of golden blood—a mark of both her lineage and vulnerability.
Seeing his daughter hurt ignited a fire within him, colder and darker than anything he had felt in years. The world around him blurred as the rage surged forth, a beast awakening from its slumber. He had tried so hard to forsake the violence of his past, but watching her blood trickle down her chin shattered whatever restraint remained.
"Now they will pay," Cade muttered through clenched teeth, his eyes narrowing into icy slits. Ignoring the voice of caution that screamed in his head, he surged forward, movements fluid and instinctual as if he had never stepped away from the chaos of battle.
With a roar echoing through the square, he leapt at the closest troll, launching himself high into the air. His fist connected with the troll's skull with a sickening thud, the sound reverberating like a bell. The creature crumpled under the force of the blow, the impact caving its head inwards, brain matter spraying out in a grotesque display of violence.
"Cade!" Lyrica shouted, wide-eyed as she staggered back, horrified yet mesmerized by her father's ferocity.
He didn't stop. As the other two trolls turned their attention towards him, Cade seized the opportunity, racing towards the fallen troll. He ripped its jawbone free with brutal efficiency,