Chapter 16: The Princess and the Troll

The magical mirror became a whirlwind of snow and fury as the Frostheart brothers and their royal guard met the snow troll's rage head-on. Leopold moved with the icy precision of a blizzard, his blade flashing with an ethereal light as he carved intricate patterns of frost magic into the air, each strike forcing the monstrous creature back a step.

Caspian, his silver hair whipping around him like a banner of defiance, fought with controlled ferocity, his every movement a study in deadly grace. Ice shards, sharp as dragon teeth, erupted from the ground around the troll, launched with pinpoint accuracy by a flick of Caspian's wrist. The other nobles, their initial terror giving way to a desperate courage, rallied around the princes, their blades flashing in a desperate dance of survival.

But the snow troll, its massive frame composed of ice and fury, was a creature of immense power. It shrugged off the nobles' attacks as if they were mere annoyances, its roars shaking the very foundations of the ancient forest. One swipe of its massive, ice-encrusted club sent a group of seasoned knights sprawling like rag dolls, their carefully polished armor crumpling under the force of the blow.

From her position on the viewing platform, Elura watched the battle unfold with a mixture of awe and terror. She'd seen her brothers train countless times, witnessed firsthand the power they wielded, yet the raw, primal brutality of the snow troll's attacks made her blood run cold.

As the princes launched a coordinated attack, the troll roared a deafening challenge that echoed through the mountains. The icy blast they unleashed, a combined effort of their magical abilities, struck the creature with a force that sent it reeling. But the beast was not easily defeated. With a snarl that filled them with horror, it shook its massive head and turned its fury towards the viewing platform.

The crowd, a hushed murmur of fear and dread, watched in horror as the troll began to lumber towards their direction. Its massive, clawed feet crushed the snow beneath them, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The princes, sensing the imminent danger, exchanged a desperate glance.

"It’s heading this way!" a noblewoman shrieked, her voice cracking with terror.

Elura, her initial shock giving way to a surge of adrenaline, drew her dagger, her gaze never leaving the rapidly approaching monster. "Guards, form a defensive perimeter!" she commanded, her voice ringing with authority that belied her youthful appearance. "This is no time for fear. For Snowfall!"

The royal guards, their faces grim but resolute, snapped into action, forming a protective barrier around the terrified nobles. Crossbows were loaded, swords drawn, and shields interlocked, a wall of steel and resolve against the oncoming storm of ice and fury.

Sonne, watching through the enchanted mirror, never took his eyes off the monstrous creature rampaging its way through the forest, calmly adjusted his position, placing himself between the onrushing monster and the princess.

"Hmm, looks like your brothers need a bit more time," he remarked casually, his tone at odds with the thunderous crashes that heralded the troll's approach.

Elura, her gaze flickering between the approaching troll and the unexpectedly stalwart strawberry merchant, couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude, tinged with a healthy dose of bewilderment.

"You… you should seek shelter with the others, Master Sonne," she stammered, gesturing towards the huddled mass of nobles behind her. "This is no place for… for…"

Sonne, his eyes scanning the huddled nobles, offered a wry smile. "I'd rather be near you." he replied, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.

Sonne's words, spoken with a disarmingly casual air, hung in the air between them, a stark contrast to the approaching thunder of the snow troll's rampage. Elura, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs, could only stare at him, a mixture of gratitude and disbelief warring within her.

"You… you would risk your life for mine?" she stammered, her hand tightening around the hilt of her dagger. It seemed absurd, a simple strawberry merchant standing against a creature of myth and ice, yet there he stood, his presence surprisingly steadying in the face of imminent danger.

"I'm not risking my life for anything-" Sonne started to explain, but the words were swallowed by the roar that erupted as the snow troll burst from the forest's edge. The creature, a behemoth of ice and fury, towered over the assembled guards, its frosted breath clouding the air around it. The ground trembled with each thunderous step, sending a ripple of terror through the spectators.

Sonne's gaze flickered to Elura, catching the determined glint in her eye as she gripped her dagger. He'd yet to see the princess in action, but the air around her seemed to crackle with a suppressed energy that spoke of untapped power. Perhaps magic ran as deeply in her veins as it did in her brothers, he mused, a flicker of curiosity battling with his concern for their immediate safety.

He didn't have long to ponder. The lead guards met the snow troll's charge head-on, their swords flashing in the sunlight as they wove a tapestry of steel and courage against the monster's raw power. One particularly brave, or perhaps foolish, knight launched himself at the creature's legs, his blade a silver blur as he attempted to injure the behemoth.

The troll, however, reacted with surprising speed. With a roar that seemed to split the heavens, it brought its massive, ice-encrusted club crashing down, pulverizing the unfortunate knight and sending a spray of snow and ice arcing through the air.

The clash of steel against ice echoed across the clearing, a desperate symphony of ringing blades and guttural roars. The remaining guards, their faces pale with exertion but resolute in their duty, fought like wolves defending their den, their movements a blur of coordinated defense as they struggled to hold back the snow troll’s relentless assault. Each swing of the creature's massive club sent tremors through the ground, cracking the frozen earth beneath their feet.

Elura, a whirlwind of silver and ice, danced just beyond the fray, her hands weaving intricate patterns of frost magic. Shimmering shields of ice materialized from thin air, deflecting stray chunks of ice and deflecting blows that would have crushed lesser beings. Her magic, imbued with the raw power of Snowfall's heart, flowed around her like a living blizzard, bolstering the guards' defenses and slowing the troll's advance.

A low whistle escaped Sonne's lips as Elura conjured a particularly impressive wall of ice, its surface shimmering with an array of frost-covered runes. The snow troll, momentarily surprised by the magical barrier, slammed into it with a roar that shook the very foundations of the viewing platform. But the ice held, the runes flaring with a cold, ethereal light as they absorbed the brunt of the impact.

"Impressive, isn't she?" Captain of the guard, a grizzled veteran with a scar that bisected his left eye, chuckled, momentarily distracted from the battle. "The princess has a gift, that's for sure. Ice magic like you wouldn't believe."

Sonne, his gaze still fixed on the unfolding battle, nodded slowly. "A family trait, it seems," he remarked, his tone laced with a hint of amusement. "Your princes seem to wield it with a certain… mastery as well."

The captain snorted, a gruff sound that spoke volumes of his respect for his royal charges. "Aye, the Frosthearts are a force to be reckoned with when the ice starts flying." His gaze, however, remained wary, fixed on the ongoing struggle between the guards and the enraged snow troll. "But even the strongest ice can crack under pressure."

The captain's words proved prophetic. The snow troll, its initial surprise giving way to a renewed fury, slammed against the ice wall again, this time with calculated force. The ice groaned in protest, cracks spider webbing across its surface as the runes flickered erratically.

The nobles, huddled behind the barrier, watched in a mix of fear and thrill. Their faces were pale and drawn, their eyes wide with terror as they witnessed the troll's relentless assault. The barrier, a fragile shield against the monstrous creature, seemed to be on the verge of collapse.

Elura, stood at the forefront of the nobles, her brow furrowed in concentration. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she fought to maintain the barrier, her hands trembling slightly with the effort. The runes etched into the ice glowed with an ethereal light, but even they seemed to struggle against the troll's immense strength.

Outside the barrier, a group of guards tried to engage the troll, but their attacks were easily swatted aside like flies. The creature was too powerful, too relentless, and its icy breath chilled the air to the bone.

As the troll's attacks grew more ferocious, the nobles behind the barrier exchanged fearful glances. They knew that their fate was sealed if the barrier were to break.

Elura, sensing the growing despair among the nobles, gathered her strength and channeled her magic into the barrier. The runes glowed brighter, and the ice seemed to harden, resisting the troll's assault with renewed vigor.

But the troll was not to be deterred. With a deafening roar, it launched itself against the barrier once more, its massive body shaking the ground. The ice cracked and groaned, and the nobles behind it gasped in terror.

It was then that Caspian and Leopold, their faces grim with exertion, arrived, the rest of the hunting party trailing behind them in various states of disarray.

"Elura!" Caspian roared, his voice barely audible above the din of battle. "Get everyone to safety! Now!"