CHAPTER 10 – Final

The crowd was huge again, all people tried to get closed to the cage, that was hidden by a big blanket. Everyone knew, there is nothing new, but Many of them kept saying; the troll probably died now! Hákon stood up on the top of the box, where everyone could see him easier. He was in the middle of attention.
- Image this, Folk! I catch something new! He is not alone anymore! Here is his lover! – His voice was sarcastic. – At the night, His lover brake in and tried to cut the cage out. I didn't know they are lovers…
The crowd kept saying "one more toll!", "Let's kill them both!" and many other similar voices, but Hákon continued:
- if I were not tying them they would start mating in the cage! I saw it! They were kissing! But I'm asking now! What would you answer, if a HUMAN made friends with those monsters?
- WHAT?
- Crazy! They are murderers!
- They kill us!
- Impossible!
- Oh, really? – Hákon asked back to the different answers. – Let's see the traitor!
Hákon grabbed the blanked and pulled it down. The crowd muted. Nobody said anything. All of them were surprised. They started whispering. The Troll and the traitor tried to see anything in the sunlight. It took a short time, and they see the crowd.
- Oh, girls, I know you are so disappointed – Hákon Continued talking. – I remember how many of you tried to seduce this guy, but he was never showing any sign he'd be interested. I felt myself, there is something wrong about him, I thought he must love males too, and today I found it out. I was right. It was not enough, they both are same gender but they are not even same race!
- Shut up, Hákon. He is my very old friend, he would never hurt anyone. Other trolls neither! You know, you've met them!
- I don't know what you are talking about. – Hákon said is quietly to Mathias.
- Let it. – Tino said shyly. – He not care…
- I won't let it be! I will make everyone to accept that you are not dangerous!
- So, Folk – Hákon lifted his voice; everyone paid attention for him. – What should we do to the traitor? – He pointed at Mathias.
The crowd answered back in differently. Many of them asked for their death, but there were people, who asked for exiling them from the village.
- LET THEM OU, HÁKON, OR I'LL SHOOT YOU!
A voice came from above the crowd. Everyone stepped aside and make the way clear to the owner of the voice who was holding a bow and pointing the arrow at him.
- You can't shoot well, Lukas. – Hákon answered very calm. – You were always so bad with bows.
Lukas let the arrow fly, that hit Hákon's strange hat off. Hákon touched his head that started bleeding, where the arrow went through.
- Next time I'm shooting between your eyes – Lukas said and took out another arrow. – I am not joking.
- Okay, I see, kid, I'm opening.
Hákon opened it with one little more, Mathias looked surprised. The one of the reasons of his surprise was that he didn't notice how to open the cage. The other reason was Lukas, who supposed to be gone for two days. Why is he here now?
Mathias left the cage first, and stood up tall with tied hands. A little boy run to him and poked the adult. Mathias looked at him, he knew the boy well and he could see what the boy want. He helped to untie the ropes on Mathias hands.
Hákon closed the cage after him.
- You are free, you can you go, Mathy
- Let him free too!
- What would you do if I don't? You punch me? – Hákon teased.
- Hákon, I'm still here! – Lukas shouted at him and pointed his arrow at him. – Now step back!
Hákon did that Lukas asked him for. Mathias knew how to open the cage now, and opened it easily. He untied Tino's hands and helped him out from the cage. Tino could not stand by himself he had to lean on something. Mathias left Tino nest to the cage, and went closer to Hákon.
- You were torturing! – Hákon. – You are one of the best warrior here, everyone know that. A warrior never tortures his prey. He let it run or kill it immediately. And WE don't kill without reason. In this village we are using weapons for hunting and protect the village! He had been learning this from the elders!
- He said that too.
- Who?
- You're father. He was my idol. And he killed troll just like me
- What? – Mathias was confused.
- You didn't know? Trolls like him attacked your father. They killed him before you've been born.
- I heard about a bear.
- Mathias! – Tino said from behind him. – Not listen to him. We never attack humans. We run or we protect us. We have weapons for get food or self-protection.
- Oh, you little troll, too bad you are so small, or I would have cooked you. – Hákon stepped closer to Tino.
Tino tried to step back from him. Mathias stood between them and lifted his hand up to ready to attack. Hákon started smiling and the fight started between them.
Hákon took out a small knife and attacked first. Mathias had nothing and picked up the first thing he could reach to defend himself. This fight was pointless and took longer time. Lukas was useless in this fight. This was Hákon and Mathias' fight. If Lukas shot he could hit Mathias too. It was risky. Lukas had no other choice then to watch them.
The crowd was moving and clear the place for the fight.
Mathias attacked with the stuff that he picked up earlier, but Hákon stopped it. He didn't notice Mathias' kick that his him in stomack and fell down. Mathias kicked him on the ground. Hákon was unarmed now.
- Nice. – He said. – What do you think of this?
Hákon stood up with evil smile on his face. He was next to his prey. Hákon grabbed Tino, his arm was around the troll's neck and pointed the knife at him. Mathias could not move.
- throw that thing away or I your beloved troll or sure. And Lukas. – Hákon turned around him. – Don't dare to point it at me, or I'll do it for sure.
- I don't care, do it! – He lifted the arrow again
Mathias run to him and made Lukas to take it down.
Tino was shaking of fear. He couldn't stand on his legs and he could not breathe well. He tried to use his one hand to help himself to get air. But he still couldn't say a word yet.
Everyone knew Hákon was right. They could not believe that Mathias really felt anything for that troll, but all his moves to protect him told them everything. Mathias face showed some fear of losing Tino. He was important for him. The folks were watching them in silence.
- Good boy. – Hákon said.
Hákon suddenly congealed. Something hit his forehead and started bleeding slowly. Hákon fell and Tino couldn't escape from his hand. Hákon fell on Tino to the ground.
Everyone looked back to see where it came from.
- There! – One of guy pointed to the top of a house.
A young boy was squatting on the roof he was wearing strange clothes that was made of different coloured materials with brown trousers. He had a longer tube in his hand. He had very light coloured hair he has two small horns on his forehead.
Many people started to panic around because he was a troll. Mathias knew who he was. It was same trollboy, who he met at the Lake and who lost his mother.
The boy stood up.
- He kill mother, I kill you. – He said and jumped off the roof at the other side of house and run off to the forest.
Mathias just realized Tino was on ground with Hákon on and run to him. Tino didn't move. Mathias pushed Hákon's dead body away and he saw a lot of blood under them. He lifted Tino up, who tried to touch his wound that was bleeding badly.
- at fall – Tino moaned. – knife… in me…
- No… No…. it can't be!
Mathias looked around to find something to help Tino. Lukas went next to them and handed a piece of cloth to him.
- Lukas?
- Help him, don't look at me like that!
Mathias tried to use the cloth and stop the blood. Tino closed his eyes.
- I loved you… - Tino said quietly.
- What are you talking about? Don't you love me?
Tino didn't answer.
- Tin?
Lukas grabbed his arm and examined it and his neck. He shook his head.
- No, it can't be... no…
- He died too.