Dark Beast
Chapter 4
Jim and the others had a long talk explaining everything to Marshall after he had told them about their friend Talia. "So, let me get this straight. There are good trolls and bad trolls, you are their chosen champion, Claire's baby brother had been switched with a thing called a changeling, and both he and Talia are trapped somewhere in a dimensional prison with the most fearsome, dangerous enemy, named Gunmar," Marshall asked. "Yep, that's entirely it," Jim said. "But let me ask you something how did you contact her?" Marshall shook his head and said, "That I really don't know. I fell asleep while I was doing my homework and the next thing I knew I was in her dream." "So, what you're some kind of Sandman who jumps in girls dreams or something," Toby teasingly asked. Claire elbowed him in the stomach. "Marshall, did Talia say anything else about this resistance she's with? Are they treating her fairly," Claire asked. "Not much, all I can say they want to get rid Gunmar for good. She wasn't sure how they plan to do that, but their leader believed she could be a valuable asset to them," Marshall said. "I just hope that she knows she's doing," Jim said.
The next day, Talia got a rude wake-up call from their big loud horn. "AAAAaaahhh!" she screamed jumping on her feet in a self-defense position. "Are we under attack?! Where's Gunmar?!" A Gumm-Gumm slapped her behind the head, "Get a grip, Fleshbag, it's our training regiment. Now get moving!" She rubbed her back head from the pain. "What scaredy cat and I thought lions were supposed to be brave," one of the Gumm-Gumm's muttered under his breath. "What was that?" Talia threateningly glared. "Uh...nothing," he said, intimidated by her ice-cold blue eyes. "That's what thought," she walked away. His friend chuckled elbowing him. "Looks like the cat got your tongue," he jokingly teased.
Talia made it outside on the training field where every soldier gathered in a line. The drill Sargent came in, "Atten hut!" Everyone straightened up at his order. "Alright Maggots, listen up we have a new recruit today and her name is Talia, but until she earns her warrior name we shall call her, Cat Meat!" Talia then felt like a frying pan hit her on top of her head insulted by the new nickname. Everyone laughed heartedly at the girl. "Alright, first order of business. Drop and give me fifty!" "What-" The Sargent yelled at her face with his foul breath, "Fifty push-ups now!" Talia dropped to the floor and started to do push-ups. "This...is...going...to...be...harder...than...I...thought," Talia gasped.
Throughout the whole entire day, Talia had been dealing with running through the toughest dangerous obstacles than the Hero's Forge. Running from getting eaten by a Nyarlagroth, dodging arrows, sparring with one of the soldiers, even their training exercises were ridiculous. So far Talia had not activated any new ability yet, but she was getting stronger and marks she'd endured were proof.
When it reached around lunch time, Talia went into the mess hall with the others starving and none the less completely exhausted. She took a seat between two Gumm-Gumm's and looked at what was on the table. There were some big, red, looking stones next to a boiling water. "What's that," she asked. "I take it you've never seen a Nyarlagroth egg before," the Gumm-Gumm next to her asked. "You guys eat their eggs," Talia raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have like any fruit and vegetables?" "It's all that we have," the other one said grabbing an egg boiling it in water. "The best way to cook these things. If you eat 'em raw you be choking on gnome poison." He finished cooking the egg and offered it to her. "Here you go, Cat Meat." Talia rolled her eyes annoyed by her new name and took the hot egg. She juggled it in her hand like a hot potato till it cools down, she cracked the egg and released a foul rancid smell with a disgusting looking slime. "Ugh, do I really have to eat this," Talia said disgustedly. "Well, would you rather starve and die? I'm pretty sure you know what that feels like don't you," the same Gumm-Gumm who offered her the egg. He took one of his own and slurp the yolk from the shell. Talia looked at the insides the egg making a nervous gulp, hold her nose and began to drink. The taste was so awful it made her feel like wanting to puke. She swallowed the yolk down her throat and coughed gagging her tongue out. Everyone aroused in laughter by the expression on Talia's face, but it didn't bother her. "I dedicated my entire life of being a vegan and now I'm eating eggs," Talia regretfully said to herself.
Somewhere in the Darklands, Jinx and Chompsky had been searching for the Changeling Nursery nonstop. They were covered in dirt and grime and when they've reached to the top peak of a rock they herd a cooing sound and looked up finding chained baskets hanging from the ceiling. "I can't believe it," Jinx said. Chompsky chuckled with happiness. "We've found it! We found the-" he covered his mouth from getting excited. "We found the nursery." Chompsky chattered telling him it's not over yet. "You're right, we still need to find which one of these babies is Enrique," Jinx agreed. He offered him a paw, Chompsky hopped on as he lifted him up and placed him on his head. "Hold on tight, cowboy," Jinx said. He jumped to the first basket and read the tag on the child's name and date of birth, "Eloise Stemhower, born 1894. What have they been feeding these kids? He looked over and saw the sweet happy baby girl reaching out wanting to pet the kitty. Jinx was adored by her cute innocent nature but was also sadden that these kids have been taken from their families for a long time and they don't even know that they're trapped here. Chompsky poked his head to help him focus. "Uh...yeah, I hear ya, buddy."
He jumped from basket to basket, making sure he read each of their names carefully and when he found the right name he was looking for he looked at the happy baby boy showing his baby teeth. "It's him!" Jinx whispered. Chompsky jumped off from his head and got a good look at him touching his face with his little hand. He turned to Jinx on what they should do next. "I could carry him back to the portal, but he's too big for me, and he'll just slow us down. So, I'm afraid he's just gonna have to hang tight for a while," Jinx said, gently patting his head. "Don't worry kiddo we'll come back for you and I promise...you'll be home soon."
Jim brought Marshall home with him and introduced him to Draal. "So that's a troll," Marshall looked at the big, blue, spiked-stone, stagged horn being. "Yep, Marshall meet Draal. Draal, Marshall," Jim said. Draal looked at the boy suspiciously and sniffed him. "Well he's not an Impure, but Trollhunter are you sure we can trust this boy? You have just met him," Draal asked. "I know it sounds weird, Draal, but he actually spoke with Tal in a dream and he already knows about all of this," Jim said. Draal continued examining the boy making Marshall a bit uneasy. "Tell me, Sorceror, give us one good reason why should believe you," Draal asked. "I-I-I don't," Marshall said intimidated by Draal's appearance. "Look, I don't know how I was able to come in contact with Talia or why this is happening all of a sudden. But when I felt her in the dream...it was real. I know it sounds crazy, but...I want to help. If I can contact her before I can do it again and I'll do anything I can to help I promise." Draal looked at him real good and could tell right away he was serious. "Well alright then," he smiled. "You're okay by me."
After from a whole day of the resistance gruesome training, Talia, rested on the stone hard floor sore and exhausted. "Congratulations, on surviving your first-day training, Cat Meat," the Gumm-Gumm next to her teased. "Let's see how long you last in this pit." Talia looked and gave him a death glare. She looked back up the dark ceiling and went to sleep.
Talia was back in her dream with Dawn and Marshall in the grassy fields. "Talia," Marshall asked. "Marshall!" Talia ran up to him. "Did you give the message to Jim?" "Yeah, it took a while but I was able to get them to believe me and now I'm helping you and your friends," he said. He jumped back startled by Dawn yet again. "Still afraid of Dawn," she teased. "I'm not much of a cat person," Marshall chuckled. Talia took his hand and placed his hand on Dawn's head. "See? She won't hurt you. She trusts you," Talia said as she lets go of his hand. Marshall looked at her then back at the silver-furred lioness and feel her purring against his hand like a domestic cat. It was weird at first but it was also comforting. "Marshall," Talia asked. "Hmm," he said. "I just want to say...thank you for your help it means a lot," she said. "Anytime," Marshall said. He stopped petting Dawn and came up to her. "Hey, since we're here maybe we should just. You know, so the trollhunters know how you're okay," he said. "I like that," Talia said.
Skarlagk came into her headquarters with the map of the labyrinth she drew on the wall, scrolls and books on the shelf, and weapons hanging on the wall. She went to her shelf pulled out a scroll, unrolled it showing drawings of knights with lion spirits bursting from within fighting against an armada of trolls. "Gunmar, you had better say your last prayers 'cause when the time comes we'll be ready and soon you die."
