131. A Price for Every Theft (2)

Carlos raised his spear. The system panel for the hostile-damage claim appeared beside him again, waiting for an answer.

He looked at it for one second. Then he closed it.

The panel disappeared.

Everyone on the other side of the marker went quiet.

Leon's confidence returned first. He thought Carlos had backed down. Carlos turned toward Brann.

"That troll. The one under your hammer. Use Crushing Blow on its head."

Brann looked down at the Marsh Troll trying to force its damaged knee straight again. Brann grinned this time and asked again, thinking he had heard wrong.

"Head?"

"Kill it."

Brann raised the hammer with both hands. A glow formed on the hammer's head before it came down.

The sound did not carry far. It was too heavy for that. The troll's body jerked once against the mud, then stopped.

Its knee did not straighten again.

The other two trolls watched it fall still. So did every Lord beyond the marker.