"May I ask a question?"

"Ya' may."

"What are all these herbs for?"

I wiped the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand in one slow motion, smearing dark-colored mud all-across my forehead. My legs were numb from all the walking, my feet caked in dried mud. My arms felt weak and my hands were trembling. My shoulders were sore and I could feel a sharp pain in my lower-back. "'Dere be a lil' greenskin in Bogpaddle 'dat pay good coin for 'dese herbs mon." She answered as she continued to lead the way, not once turning her attention away from what lay before her. "B-Bogpaddle...?" I asked, licking my lips, tasting my own sweat. "Ya' mon, we be headin' 'dat way tomorrow." I could barely contain my excitement. I grinned for the first time in what seemed like forever to me. Bogpaddle was a goblin settlement, and, like most goblin settlements, they were neutral grounds. I knew this because me and my fellow men, Light bless them, stopped at Bogpaddle on the way to Marshtide Watch. We were all reinforcements called in from Lakeshire. The plan was to stop and rest at Bogpaddle before continuing to Marhstide Watch, which we did.

It was on the way to Marshtide Watch where everything suddenly went so horribly wrong.

I could still remember what happened. Me and my fellow men were traveling down the road that led from Bogpaddle to Marshtide Watch. The trip, while a little rough, wasn't particularly difficult. The worst thing that had happened before "the incident" was when we were attacked by an angry strider in the middle of the road. No one was hurt, thank the Light. Well, no one was hurt except the strider, anyway.

Then they came...

From out of the shadows, these short and grotesque creatures attacked me and my fellow men. They descended upon us swiftly and though we tried to fight them off, we failed. It all happened so fast too. All I could remember are the sounds of battle-cries and the shrill screams of my brothers as they were slain one by one. I remember our horses fleeing into the swamp, and I believe one of our horses was soon picked off by a crocolisk on hitting the water. It was terrible and soon I was the only one of our reinforcements that remained. I remember staring down what I believe was a raiding party, alone. I could recall their razor-sharp fangs, their twisted faces, and those menacing, glowing eyes peering up at me from beneath their tattered hoods.

I ran.

I had hoped that I would lose the mongrels in the swamp. I was wrong, and I payed dearly for it. If it wasn't for that wind serpent, those filthy animals probably would have finished me off. In-hindsight, I wished they did...

Jin'za suddenly stopped before a river. She then turned to face me, puncturing the soft ground with the end of her staff. She looked at me expectantly from behind her mask. "Well mon...?" She asked, one hand on her hip. I looked right into her eyes and quirked a brow, unsure of what exactly it was she was asking of me. "W-Well, "what"?" She huffed and then performed a slow sweeping motion with her arm, gesturing toward the river. "Aint'cha' gonna' carry me mon?" I blinked, slightly taken aback by her words. "What?"

"Is dat' not what a propa' gentlemen do mon? An' 'ere Jin'za be tinkin' ya' Alliance-types enjoy bein' da' "knight in da' shinin' armor"."

"W-W-Well I-I mean-"

"Besides, Jin'za dun' be wantin' all 'dat swamp water getting' into Jin'za's things and ruinin' Jin'za's herbs mon."

"M-Makes sense, but, ah-"

"Do ya' want ta' spend da' rest o' ya' days hoppin' n' croakin' mon?"

I sighed, defeated. I then took a deep breath and positioned myself behind the troll.

I can not believe I am actually doing this...

It was a very awkward experience, carrying the troll, one that I had prayed to the Light I would never have to do again. Ever.