Chapter 814: Taking Over The Troll Mountain (5)
After gathering the items and sorting them, it was clear that some held immense potential while others had limited uses. They stood in awe of the magical objects before them, each one holding a unique power that could change the course of their journey.
As the group stood around the pile of incredibly attractive magical items, their eyes glimmered with excitement and anticipation. They knew that choosing the right tools could mean the difference between life and death in the battles to come. Each of them carefully studied the items, weighing their options, before they began dividing the spoils.
Orion, always calculating and strategic, picked up the Ring of Ethereal Vision. "This will be useful for me," he said, sliding it onto his finger and feeling its faint magical energy. "I can make sure no one sneaks up on us again."
Luna, drawn to the Cloak of Shadows, ran her fingers through the dark fabric. "I’ll take this," she murmured. "It’ll let me stay hidden when needed. Perfect for illusions and stealth."
Aisa, with her sharp senses and strength, chose the Belt of Giant Strength. She fastened it around her waist, testing its weight. "This should help when we’re up against tougher foes," she said with a confident nod. "No one can match me in raw power now."
Cy, the one who favored speed and agility, immediately grabbed the Boots of the Gale. "With these," he said, slipping them on and adjusting the straps, "I can outmaneuver anyone in battle." He tested them with a few quick steps, feeling the wind seem to stir around him.
Bella looked at the Staff of Warding, knowing its defensive magic would complement her support role in the group. "I’ll hold onto this. It’s light, and the barrier will keep us safe." She smiled, satisfied with her choice.
The Pendant of the Phoenix caught Orion’s eye once more, and though tempted, he knew Findir would need something when he returned. "We should save this for Findir," Orion said, holding up the pendant for all to see. "It could save his life in a tough situation, and knowing him, he’s going to need it when he gets back from the war."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Findir, being away and most likely fighting the orcs and trolls, would appreciate the life-saving properties of the pendant.
The remaining items were divided quickly. Cy claimed the Bracelet of Waterwalking, noting its potential for quick escapes or scouting across rivers, while Luna took the Amulet of Frost, its cold, destructive power aligning with her approach in combat. Aisa, with a sharp grin, took the Dagger of Venom, her bloodlust already anticipating its deadly effects.
Once the items were distributed, the group stood in silence for a moment, admiring their newly acquired treasures. Each item hummed with latent power, its magic waiting to be unleashed.
Orion spoke up, breaking the quiet. "Findir’s going to be surprised when he sees what we’ve saved for him." They all chuckled softly, imagining his reaction.
With everything divided and organized, the group felt more prepared than ever, knowing they would be equipped for whatever challenges lay ahead. And as they set the Pendant of the Phoenix aside for Findir, a small token of their trust in him, they couldn’t help but wonder what exactly he was facing at that very moment.
Orion’s command was clear: they needed to find a way to store as much of the treasure as possible. After combing through the pile of gold, jewelry, and other valuables, the group quickly realized that there were no spatial bags left behind, likely taken by the trolls. However, what they did find were dozens of rings scattered among the pile—simple in appearance, yet unmistakably enchanted.
"These must be spatial rings," Luna said, holding one up and inspecting it. "The trolls probably thought they were just regular rings. They don’t exactly fit on their fingers, anyway."
Orion nodded. "Let’s use them to our advantage."
Each of them slipped on one or more of the rings, their eyes briefly glowing as the magic activated. One by one, they began pointing the rings toward the pile of gold. As they concentrated, the rings hummed faintly, creating a small vortex of energy that began sucking up the treasure.
The gold coins clinked and rattled as they were drawn into the rings, disappearing into the spatial storage inside. Jewelry, gems, and loose trinkets followed, vanishing into the seemingly bottomless rings. Everyone worked quickly, focused on gathering as much as they could.
"This is so much easier than carrying it by hand," Cy remarked, grinning as his ring absorbed a heap of golden necklaces.
Aisa was more focused, sweeping her ring over a large pile of coins. "We’ll only be able to take what fits," she said, watching the treasure disappear. "Let’s try to get as much as possible."
Eventually, after several minutes of this effort, the rings began to reach their limits. Each of them could feel the magical storage spaces growing full. The rings became slightly heavier on their fingers as the last few pieces of gold were absorbed.
"We’ve taken just over half of it," Orion said, glancing at the remaining treasure. The pile had diminished significantly, but a large portion still remained, glimmering in the dim light. "That’s the best we can do with these rings."
Luna slipped off one of her rings and inspected it, now satisfied with its storage. "It’s enough," she agreed. "We’ll leave the rest. Too much more, and we’d slow ourselves down."
With their rings full and glistening with gold, the group gathered in the center of the treasure room once again, prepared to move on with their newfound wealth. They were already thinking about the next steps, but for now, they had done all they could to secure what was theirs.
After retracing their steps through the vast cavern, the group eventually found what appeared to be the barracks where most of the trolls had once slept. The room was massive, with thick stone walls and towering ceilings, clearly designed to accommodate the giant creatures. As they stepped inside, the stench hit them like a wall—an overwhelming, putrid mix of sweat, rot, and grime that had built up over who knows how long. The beds, made from rough-hewn slabs of stone and covered in filthy animal skins, were enormous, fitting the trolls’ massive size.
"Ugh, this place reeks," Cy groaned, waving a hand in front of his face. "We can’t sleep in here like this."
Aisa frowned, nodding in agreement. "It’s better than the prison cells, though. Let’s clean it up as best we can."
With no other options, they set to work. Using scraps of cloth, wind magic, and whatever water they could summon, they did their best to clean the troll filth off the beds and walls. But the smell lingered, deeply ingrained in the very fabric of the room. No amount of scrubbing could fully rid the space of its foul odor, though they managed to make it just bearable.
Eventually, exhausted and desperate for rest, they accepted their fate. Each one of them claimed a bed, settling in despite the permeating sense of gunk still clinging to the air—and to themselves. The animal skins covering the beds were rough and scratchy, but the softness of the bed beneath was a relief compared to the cold, hard stone floors they had been forced to endure in the prison.
Orion lay back, arms behind his head as he stared at the towering ceiling. "Better than stone," he muttered with a wry smile, trying to ignore the faint scent that still clung to the air.
Luna, in the next bed over, chuckled softly. "I won’t complain. After that prison, this is luxury."
Aisa stretched out on her bed, pulling her cloak tighter around her. "We’ve been through worse," she said quietly. "At least we can rest now."
They all tucked in for the night, grateful for the relative comfort, despite the lingering grime and smell. There was a quiet sense of relief in the room—being free, having treasure, and finding a place to rest, no matter how unpleasant the conditions.
Later that night, as the silence of the cavern settled in, Orion was stirred awake by an uncanny sensation. He felt a pair of eyes fixed on him, watching intently. His senses sharpened, and though his body remained still, he knew exactly who it was without needing to look.
With a soft exhale, he cracked his eyes open and, sure enough, there was Bella. Crouched down next to his bed, her hands resting on her knees, her piercing eyes, usually so confident, now looked worried and uncertain. She was watching him sleep with such intensity that Orion could almost feel the weight of her thoughts pressing down on her.
The moment their gazes met, Bella’s eyes widened in surprise. Realizing she had been caught, she quickly ducked her head down, as if trying to hide from his gaze, her face partially hidden behind her disheveled hair.
Orion couldn’t help but chuckle softly. "You want to talk about something?" he asked gently, his voice still carrying the warmth of sleep. "I’m here to talk."
Bella hesitated, still avoiding his gaze for a moment, but the sincerity in his tone was hard to ignore. Slowly, she raised her head, her expression softening, though her brows remained furrowed with concern.
"...I wasn’t sure if you’d want to talk," she admitted quietly, her voice low, almost a whisper. "But... I do want to vent about something. I’ve only told it to Cy."
She hesitated for a moment longer, before finally accepting the gesture, moving to sit beside him. The weight of whatever had been bothering her hung in the air between them, but Orion knew that she’d open up when she was ready.
"So..." Bella began, twiddling with her fingers. "When we all split up, I got trapped in some kind of alternate dimension. I was forced to carry out a bunch of trials and they were really hard... like really fucking hard. There was a point where I think I lost my mind."
Orion didn’t say anything but listen, watching intently as Bella began to grow more agitated and angry the more she thought about it.
"I’m sorry... it’s just... I felt so ugly. My regeneration could hardly keep up. I was scarred from head to toe. You could no longer call me human with how I looked. I was just a mannequin of wounds, but I found somebody. A dragon who took me under her wing and trained me. It was fun and she never made fun of how I looked until I went back to the underworld... and fuck... no matter what I did, people would always stare at me. Trying to find work was hard. Trying to find love was hard. I had become so strong that I easily killed whoever talked bad about me, but..." She trailed off once again before putting on a fake smile. "... whatever... my body is fine now so I shouldn’t be complaining."
She let out a long sigh before leaning her head against Orion’s shoulder. "Just let me stay like this for a bit. I’m so tired..."
