Dark Beast

Chapter 3

Far beyond the labyrinth of the Darklands, a fortress where lives the Dark Underlord himself sitting upon a throne made of the heartstone of this world, but now it's dark and hardly any life left to keep him alive. When he had learned the news of his fallen son and the one who had slain him it angered him so he clinched the stones as they light up green conducting electricity, the teal vessels shown upon his skin glowed bright, he jumped out of his throne enraged and punched the floor leaving a mark. "My lord," a troll with four-arms wearing a cloak came before him. "What has troubled you?" He looked up to him with his only eye and already knew the answer. "Ahh, yes, it is a tragic moment of our dark prince," he sympathized. "Of all of the Trollhunter's he had slain he met his end at the hands of a human child," The Dark Underlord said. "This husk of a heartstone continues to whether away I fear my time is slipping away." "You must not lose hope, Master," A changeling entered the throne room. "My Janus Order will find another way to liberate us, so we may reclaim the surface lands as soon as possible." "You had better be right, Impure, I have waited far too long and I have no desire in patience," Gunmar growled walking back to his throne.

"You want me to what," Talia asked completely and utterly lost. "Join our cause and help us defeat, Gunmar," Skarlagk offered. Talia stepped back, "You expect me to help you? After you threw me to the wolves and left me for dead?!" Talia exclaimed. "That was a test to prove what you are and see what you are capable of," Skarlagk said, came in close to her face. "If you do intend on defeating Gunmar, then you must discover more of your abilities. I can help you if you let us." Talia looked at her in the eyes, "Tell me, what is it you have against Gunmar that makes you and everyone here hate him so much? And why would you help me?" "We blame Gunmar for the loss at Killahead, these trolls broke free and no longer follow him. I..." She reached her satchel, took out a skull of a troll and pressed it against her head. "Wish to avenge my father, Orlagk." Talia looked at her and see that she was serious. She took pity on her and asked, "How old were you when he killed him?" "In human years, I say around close to your age. I was so terrified when it happened I fled like a coward," Skarlagk answered. "I-I'm sorry," Talia said. "My family was killed by his son, Bular, and I was only five back then." Skarlagk put her father's skull back in her satchel. "I guess we have something in common, Young Lioness," she said. "So will you join us?" Talia had thought for a moment and reached a decision. "Yes."

In the Hero's Forge, Jim continued training, increasing to develop his skills. He performed stunts through the obstacles, hit many targets with the Sword of Daylight without even missing a single one and finished. "Excellent job, Master Jim," Blinky said. "You are getting stronger every day." Jim removed the amulet and deactivated the armor, "Thanks." Blinky saw a look on his face and said, "Is everything alright, Master Jim?" "I'm fine it's just...I'm worried about Tally she's been in there for four days," Jim said. Blinky placed a hand on his shoulder, "She's not the only one trapped in the Darklands. Chompsky and Jinx are in there as well fighting for their lives, and I'm pretty sure they'll survive no matter what comes their way. Who knows they might run into each other." Jim looked at him and smiled appreciating his support.

Somewhere in the neighborhood of Arcadia oaks, Marshall finished unpacking all of his stuff to their new home. "Marshall, I'm going to town to get pizza," his father called out to him. "Okay, dad," Mashall said. He pulled out the last remaining item from the box and revealed to be a photo in a picture frame of him and his parents when he was a baby. He looked so much like his mother for a boy and his father still has a tone build body, short black hair, with a short trim beard, and green eyes. His mother died when he only reached a year, his father told him there had been something horrible from her past she had endured since childhood and far too complicated to explain, and it was the very reason they've been moving from state to state. Marshall wondered if she had abusive parents that are totally possessive of her and it's the very reason she took off with his father. Marshall placed the picture frame on the table and went outside for fresh air.

After Talia had agreed to Skarlagk's offer, there was one more task she had to do and that...was getting a haircut. "No way! When I said I accept your terms and join your resistance I didn't mean by losing my hair!" Talia struggled tied up in her seat. "Be quiet! You won't lose that much," Skarlagk said. "We can't risk you getting exposed to Gunmar or any of his followers, and that long hair of yours will just give it away." Another Gumm-Gumm came in with a pair of scissors and other sharp utensils wrapped in a sack. "Yeah, but that still won't help! What good is cutting my hair if it's still the same color," Talia asked. "It's not like you have any dye or something." "I do not know what this dye you speak of, but I may have something that can help." The Gumm-Gumm barber came in with his scissors in hand, "I've always wanted to do this!" he chuckled. "If you snip one piece of my hair, big guy, I will break one of your fingers. He chuckled snipping his scissors as he got close. "Please don't," she whimpered. He ignored her and began his work. She dramatically screamed as he trimmed her hair.

Talia took a long good look at her in dew in the mirror, her hair length now reached to the sides of her face, Skarlagk came in and tossed her some new garments. "Here, toss out your old ones they look torn and tattered," Skarlagk said. Talia picked up the clothes from the ground and asked, "How...where did you even get these?" "Most of us spit out the human remains," Skarlagk answered. Talia dropped her jaw disgusted and completely horrified. "Don't worry I washed them...more or less," Skarlagk assured. Talia took a whiff of the fabric but didn't find any trace of stink on it.

She got her self-dressed and walked down the hallway to where she shall be resting for tomorrows big training. "So, am I really going to have to bunk with the guys that tried to kill me?" Talia asked. "Don't worry, I've already informed if anyone of them even so much tries to harm you will have to deal with me," Skarlagk said. They reached the end of the hallway with a pair of giant doors and Skarlagk opened the doors to the warrior's chambers. The Gumm-Gumm's stopped and saluted to their warrior queen. Talia came up to her side and got a good look at their quarters. I was big with plenty of space, there were a lot of Gumm-Gumm's in the room each with their own bunk. "Whoa," Talia said. "Get some rest, you'll need it for tomorrow's training," Skarlagk said, as she shuts the doors. Talia looked at the crowd in an awkward silence. "Sooo, who am I bunking with," Talia asked.

Every Gumm-Gumm went to sleep on their own bunk, but all Talia got was a place on the cold hard floor. "Thanks for the kind hospitality guys I really appreciate it," she sarcastically said pouting with her arms crossed. She heard one of them fart in their sleep and plugged her nose disgusted, and really annoyed. "I guess I'm gonna have to make the best of this."

Talia drifted off into a dream and met up with Dawn at the fields. The same place where she and her family used to come. Dawn sat on the grass with her big cat looking over the horizon where the sun rises. She wraps her arm around her lion embracing her in the hug grateful to know she is alright and whatever she saw in her last dream was nothing. Dawn's ears perked up when she heard the sound of footsteps brushing through the grass and turned to the source in a defensive position. Talia turned around too and finds a boy around her age. "Who are you," she asked. "I should be asking you," he said. "Where am I exactly? And what's with the lion?" Talia stood up and looked at him, "Wait, you mean you don't know?" He shrugged and raised an eyebrow. Talia petted on Dawn's head to calm her down and walked up to him. "Did you by any chance fell asleep or something," she asked. "Yeah, but... wait are you saying this is some kind of dream," he asked. "Well yes...and no," Talia said. "You see where you are right now is my mind." "I'm in your head," the boy asked. "Yes," she answered. "What am I doing inside your head," he exclaimed. "Hey, don't freak out on me I don't know," she said.

Dawn walked up to her and startled the boy. "Relax, she won't bite. This is Dawn my lion," she introduced. "And I'm Talia, Talia Sturges." " Marshall... Wait, Sturges? You that girl that disappeared on short noticed and went to travel with your Aunt on some business trip?" "Business trip what are you talking-" Talia then realized something. "You go to Arcadia oaks Highschool?!" "Yeah, but-" Talia ran up and grabbed him looking him in the eye. "Do you know of a boy named, Jim," she asked. He nodded his head for an answer. "Listen, I know we just met, but could you send him a message for me please for me please," Talia desperately asked. Marshall wasn't sure whether this was real or not, but the way she looked at her he knew she needed help.

The next day, Jim, Toby, and Claire were about to walk into until they were stopped by their new classmate, Marshall. "I need to speak with you three now," Marshall said. They all looked at each other confused on what could someone like him possibly want from them.