We walk down the desolate streets of the outside world and I can’t believe what I’m seeing. We had learned in our history classes that The Great War had destroyed the majority of the United States and laid the ground for what soon became The Western Nation. I saw pictures of the world as it used to be, but not what it has become. Seeing it now is devastating.

The buildings are all either concaved or rustic and worn. Compared to the Academy, everything else is outdated and revolting. People sit on the street with filth covering their faces and torn clothing hiding their bodies. Nobody looks pleased with how their lives have progressed, so I attempt to mimic their expressions. A person with adventure in their eyes demands attention in a crowd of people who have given up on their lives.

I wonder if they are all human.

“I never got your names,” I say to the small group as we walk down the street. I need a distraction.

“I’m Domino Elvy,” the pixie introduces. Looking at her now, I realize that she is unusual for a fairy. She’s petite and childlike, but she is tall. Most pixies are tiny by nature. “I’m twelve,” she says as though it’s an accomplishment to be such a young age.

Nobody else speaks as we continue to walk through the street. I roll my eyes and look at Domino, who is strutting by my side happily. “I’m Snow Annesley and I’m nineteen as of today,” I introduce. She gasps.

“You’re a mermaid. I thought you were the shaman. That’s awesome. Mermaids are beautiful. I should have known,” Domino says with a happy squeal.

I grin and pat her back. “I’m Kole,” I hear from behind me. I turn and look at the vampire that has been following me closely since we left the academy. Kole is such a strong name for a strong person. “And I’m twenty.” I find it interesting that Kole is in my age range. Vampires live long lives, much like mermaids, so establishing a relationship with them isn’t exactly looked down upon.

Unfortunately, they are commonly known for expressing intimacy only with their soulmates.

We continue down the street and the other two Elites remain silent. “We need to find all of these ingredients and I have no idea where to look,” I admit.

“Trolls are typically found in caves and there is only one cave near here. We can check it out,” Kole suggests.

And with such a trivial suggestion, we head in the direction of the mountains bordering the village. Kole leads the group and I follow close behind him. I am repeatedly drawn to the marking that peaks from above his torn, gray sweater. It calls for me to decipher it, but I push my yearning aside and settle for doing what needs to be done. We need to find the troll’s tooth. I notice Kole turning his hazel eyes in my direction every few seconds and try hard to ignore it.

As we near the woods, the few people who were inhabiting the streets disappear. Even the buildings are scarce. For the most part, there is only empty land near the woods. “We must be getting close,” I state absentmindedly.

“Clearly,” a rough looking man says from the back of the group. He wears an eyepatch over his left eye and scars mar the entire side of his face. Other than the scars, he has a baby face with hair only on his eyebrows.

“Are you planning to introduce yourself, shaman?” I ask, narrowing my eyes. I receive no response. We near the tree line and I put on a brave face, but I am secretly terrified. Trolls take vengeance in cruel, ingenious ways, so they are typically avoided by all other creatures, including humans.

When he doesn’t speak, Kole turns his head and grins sardonically. “That’s Keagan Degray,” Kole says.

“Damn it, Kole,” Keagan shouts angrily. I flinch and feel uncomfortable with my back to the man. They provide an excellent distraction for my soaring thoughts as we enter the lush forest and approach the mountainside.

“I know you don’t like to talk—unless it’s with your imaginary friends, of course. I’m just helping a friend out,” Kole says in a conniving way. I wonder whether they are friends or passive-aggressive enemies.

“Spirits,” Keagan corrects tersely.

“Guys…” Domino says in a panic. My attention snaps forward.

“Is this the cave you were talking about?” I ask Kole.

He nods. “Did the bones give it away?” He asks, referring to the variety of both animal and human bones overtaking the floor of the cave. They are noticeable from even here.

“What are the odds that those are his teeth?” Domino asks rhetorically. Without any warning, she jumps in the air and transforms into her fairy form. She is roughly six inches long with wings the same size, but she still looks like herself. Her wings are beating the air rapidly, much like a hummingbird’s.

I stare at the cave ahead of me. “Did we come up with a plan?” I ask. We are literally walking into the troll’s den empty handed.

“Get three of his teeth,” Keagan says sarcastically. I look into the dark, musty cave. I can’t see further than a few feet inside. Seeing through darkness is an essential mermaid skill, so once I’m inside, I will be able to navigate quickly. I can’t say the same for everyone else.

“They sleep through the day,” I recall, thinking back to my species classes. “If exposed to sunlight, they will petrify. They eat people, but they really enjoy children. They’re supposedly large and robust, but dim-witted. I guess we’ll just have to go inside and improvise,” I say with a shrug of my shoulder.

“Let’s go,” Kole says with a nod. I take the lead, knowing that I can see through the darkness much easier than the rest of the group. If the shifter were to change forms, he may be able to navigate equally as easily, but he hasn’t been at all helpful.

Bones crack under our feet and I silently hope the troll won’t hear us coming. It smells of must and rotting meat as we enter the depths of the cave. The walls are moist and the ceiling is dripping, so I take extra caution to avoid any falling droplets of water. Nothing significant lays in our path and I navigate around uprooted rocks and jagged cave walls. Domino sits on my shoulder, trusting me to be her means of transportation.

Domino illuminates the air around her, making it much easier for the Elites to follow. I jerk backward when I almost step on what looks to be a large rock. I fall into the chest of the person behind me and instantly know who I am touching. Kole wraps both arms around my waist and pulls me to the side of the rock before releasing me cautiously. I begin to walk and halt in my tracks. “What is it?” Domino asks, whispering directly into my ear.

I point to the rock—or what I previously assumed to be a rock. It extends across the cave and separates into four limbs and a midsection. The cave above our heads is over twenty feet tall. I suck in a deep breath when I realize what I am facing. The foot of the beast is clearly in a rock state, but its body is made of skin, bones, and blood.

We are face-to-face, or rather face-to-foot, with the troll.