I must be more careful. They nearly caught me today. There were so many, with ropes and chains. They had one held down and waited till I found it to kill it and they came at me. They would have got me to if they'd just tried to kill me but they wanted to catch me, like they did with Glorn. When I saw those chains I fought like the Beast was inside me. They paid for Glorn.
Is it true what they say? That they make us their bullock? They said they'd take me to slave for the Eye with the other Trolls. Could that be my darling Gloden? I do not want to hope for this, and yet I do.
Oh, I was too strong for you, in the end, wasn't I, little crushed things. The little squeakers are crushed now. I'm bigger and stronger than you think. Only Papa was Cavetrollen but Mama was Garganten. She told me about her kin in the high mountains. But she could find no other of her kind for a mate so she took Papa and made me. And so I am bigger and stronger. It is what my Gloden loved about me. He said our boy would be bigger and stronger too. Oh my boy, my boy.
oOo
I know the way to that place. I have to go and see. What if he is alive, or Fodden. Do I remember the way? It was so long ago, with Mama. She bought me and Papa back to his home. Here. She bought us here. I can not go there now. Too deep. Too near the Beast. He would squash me like I would crush a crawly thing. Ai. I can not go that way.
Quiet for so long now. I must go to the Firemountain and find my kin. But how to go. Outside is no good, either. The maggots would catch me. Or the little things, if the Eldar helped them. No, I cannot go.
oOo
Up I'll go up to the top! Nothing up there but cold and cold stuff and cold rocks. I will wrap my bed around me and take my dead squeakers. The cold will keep them better. Come on maggots, quiet, quiet. The moon is up and your living brothers are outside or so I guess. I'll go up the way the axeboys made. Maggots know that way too but I think they are all out chasing their quarry. Quickly now. Go!
"Hrnnng." That was hard work. The axeboys made little jags to run up but they are too small for my feet. Longer than I remember but there is light up there. I am nearly there. There is something up there. I can hear it. Not maggots? The Skything is up now and they hate it. It hurts my eyes but they hate it. I do not know wh….. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA The Beast! The Beast is here!" I hear it. Fly! I … what? …hear it… Never have I heard it thus. So weak. In pain. Never in pain. Does it die? I must see.
It is a tiny thing that has him and how can that be? What is the light it carries? It pricks with its sword and "Aaaghh!" The light! The Skything itself is in his stick.
The little thing has broken the Beast upon the mountain. They are high but I can see. But now the Skything is back in the Sky and the little thing is fallen and looks dead.
Ah, now I come to understand. The little thing with the stickpin is the Skything's son. The Skything comes from the Sky and takes him up and holds him to her breast and lays him back down upon the mountain top. So bright, so bright. I can no longer see anything. But this I know. She grieves for her boy. I know, I know. I weep for you too, great mother. I will weep for you.
oOo