Chapter 14: Hard Journey
It was now the night of Hogler's first day. He had made it to the base of the North Mountain and was very tiered.
"Should I go and meet the second challenge tonight? Sleeping is a better option but what if I run out of time tomorrow? Well, I am in earth now. That might be far enough, right?" Hogler debated inside of his own brain. He ended up deciding to keep going. He could sleep when he was reunited with Elsa.
Meanwhile, Elsa and the rest of that group was resting. They were still tiered from saving Oaken's life earlier that day. Elsa wanted to keep going but she could tell that was a shared feeling with the rest of the traveler. Even Sven was slowing down about seven miles before they stopped. Elsa knew it was for the best. She went over to talk to Anna.
"How are you feeling," Elsa asked.
"More tiered than the last time I traveled this way but I was younger then," Anna answered her sister.
"Well, looks like you are holding together better than others," Elsa responded as she motioned towards Eugene, who exhausted from the day, "But then again it is only about six more miles to the mountain's peak, where we will find Hogler!"
Kristoff poked the small campfire they had made with a thick stick.
"Yes, but those last six miles will be the hardest. They are straight up. It will take at least five hours, and that is if we move quickly," Kristoff said.
"Well, then we will have to move quickly. We must get to the top of the North Mountain by sundown tomorrow. If not then the consequences will be too much for me to bear," Elsa said. She looked at Anna as if to say 'Can you help me?'
"We'll do the best we can. Don't worry! It will all be good in the end," Anna said but she was not certain that she herself believed that to be true. To be honest, Anna was not really sure of anything any more- not since Pabbie stopped talking to her. She could not get out of head a quick side comment Pabbie had made to her one time, "This is bigger than you or any human for that matter. I must intervene on this occasion. I do not want to but I am commanded to by higher powers than I am". Who was it that had higher powers than the great Pabbie? "Will I ever know that answer," Anna thought. Then the young girl looked around at the people she had traveled with on this mission to the North Mountains.
Elsa looked nervous and her ice powers were beginning to go off.
"Elsa, we will save Hogler. I promise," Anna said.
"But what if we do not," Elsa asked.
"Failure is out of the question. We must do what we came to do," Rapunzel said.
"But even if we do make it to the top of the mountain how will we know what to do when we got there," Elsa asked.
"Pabbie said we would know. I trust him," Anna responded.
Hogler was standing face to face with his second challenge- a giant troll with teeth made of what seemed to be solid steel and tusks that seemed to made from the branches of trees. It was a huge creature and Hogler hoped he did not need to fight it.
"Hogler, I assume that is the name you were given," the troll spoke in a deep, booming voice.
"It, it is," Hogler said trying to cover the fact that he was uneasy about this opponent. Hogler could swear he heard his voice crack.
"Well, I am the chief of philosophers for The One. He brings me close to him whenever he needs something explained. Tell me, are you wise in human terms," the troll asked.
Hogler thought about the question for a while. He was not quite sure what answer the colossal troll was looking for. If he answered yes then surely the troll would ask for proof but if he said no the troll would think Hogler mentally weak.
"Well, Hogler, are you wise," the troll repeated.
"I rule a powerful nation. Some level of wisdom is needed but there are those that are more wise than I," Hogler answered.
"Ah, a good answer, Hogler. That was perhaps even a wise answer. Now I know this will not be an easy challenge for me to win."
Hogler was feeling confident now. "Name your challenge, O wise one," Hogler said.
"A test of questions is what The One has asked me to give you. I turned this into a competition more fitting for me and I believe you will like it better. Here are my rules. Each of us asks three difficult questions. If I answer more correct than you do then I am given permission to send you back into The Other Side but if you happen to conquer me through your human wit then I let you be on your way with a secret from The One."
"Sounds like good terms. Let's not waste time. You begin," Hogler declared.
"I shall start with an easy one- by my appearance what type of troll am I," the giant troll asked.
Hogler knew there were five types of trolls but he never bothered to learn those types. He only knew two- earth and ice. It was certainly neither of those. Hogler looked closer at the troll and got a good glimpse at it for the first real time. It was not as big as Hogler first thought, but it was still a larger troll. Hogler could see red spots all over the troll. Then he was confident enough to make his guess.
"You, sir, are a fire troll," Hogler said.
"Good! Took you long enough, though. This might yet be easy," the troll said.
"It is my turn now! What is the prince's of Arendelle last name," Hogler asked thinking he had stumped the troll.
"Make it fun for me. That question is too undemanding unto my brain. His name is Kristoff Bjorgman," the troll answered quickly, "Round two, Hogler: From where did the trolls first com from."
Hogler remembered reading about the origins of the trolls in "Of Trolls and Humans", the book he had been reading. However, he could not remember a specific place being mentioned.
"The trolls came from the division of earth and the sun," Hogler answered. He had read something about that and hoped it was the correct answer.
"How did you know this," the troll asked.
"Knowledge is a weapon. Now I too will ask a more difficult question. On what date did the ones rebel," Hogler asked.
"Even easier than the last one. It was the second year on May 30," the troll said.
Hogler knew he had to get the next question correct and then stump the troll philosopher in order to have any hope to see Elsa again.
"Tell me- what is my pace of birth," the troll asked.
"How is that at all a fair question? Where were you born?" Hogler asked.
"It is a question. It fits the rules. Answer it- NOW!" the troll said.
Then it came to Hogler.
"You were born in Mullich, weren't you," Hogler asked.
"How did you know? How did you guess? No, I have failed. Forgive me, The One! Mercy! Mercy!" the troll exclaimed. Then he fell over- dead.
"Hogler, good job you have defeated the second challenge- a metal test. I give you this one tip for the future- there is no troll in your third challenge but watch your step," Hogler heard a voice say. The voice sounded like The One.
The second challenge was defeated. Now there was one left. AS Hogler looked up he could see the sun rising in the sky. This was a big day!