Silver Lion
Chapter 9
While the boy's were caught in the police department, Talia was sent to the hospital checking her head injury. Strickler helped convince the police drop all charges against them. Barbara picked up the boys, while June sits by her niece lying in bed. "Good news is you niece just has a slight bump in the head, nothing too bad." The doctor said. "All she needs is some sleep and some ice to calm down the swelling." June didn't hear a word he just said. She continued to stare at Talia lying there the same way when she lost her parents. What was she and her friends doing behind her back? How could she do something like that? "Talia, what have you gotten yourself into?" June asked. Talia remained unconcious since her the fight with Nomura. Her mind drifted off into a dream, a memory. Her father was playing an ocarina to her when she was just a little toddler. They were outside sitting in the back yard in the middle of spring with the sun shining down upon and giving them warmth. The song that Adam was playing to his daughter, had a lovely peacful melody. Whenever Talia listen's to him play it brings her joy and serenity. He told her stories that this song has been played in his family for generations, and that they are descendents of a great knight who battled the forces of evil. The pendendant; their family heirloom, was his symbol, representing strength, courage, loyalty, and justice. He also told her that knight rescued a lion from a giant fearsome serpent, and that lion had become his devoted follower.
Then there were other parts of her memories that were being shown. She remembered always walking into her father's office working on his board with pictuces and strings attached lining them up. Adam was a cop, a dectective, working on a case of some disappearances that have been going around in Arcadia. Talia was now starting to her time spending with her mother. Always painting and drawing, having fun. Beatrice was more than an artist, she was also a criminal scientist. Whenever her father brings her to the scene of the crime or where the last person was before they disappeared, and bringing home the evidence to solve their case. There was also the time when her aunt,June, came over for a visit. They were having adult conversations she was curiouse about, but when her father catches her spying he always puts her in her room.
Talia then started to open her eyes waking up with a huge massive headache. She stood up and find bandages wrapped around her head, and laying in a hospital bed. June looked up and find her niece wide awake, and embraced her in a hug. "Oh, thank goodness you're alright. And also-" she slapped across her face. "What were you and your friends thinking breaking into the museum? All that for a chubby tracker?" Talia remembered going into the museum with Jim and Toby finding the goblin den and that shapeshifting troll. "Toby was desparate." Talia said. "Well breaking the law for a friend is not worth getting you in trouble." June exclaimed. "When we leave this hospital, you are grounded until you apologize to Miss Nomura." Talia looked down guilty and sighed. "Yes, Aunt June."
Once they got home, Talia went to her room, covered her hammock with pillows and put a blanket over it to make it look like she was asleep. She removed the bandage from her head and snuck out through the window. But unbeknownst to her aunt had been watching her through the creak of her door. She turned away leaning her back against the wall and slid down to the floor. June looked up to one of the picture frames hanging on the wall of her and Adam standing on the ocean floor. "She's really like you, Adam." she sighed. June got up and went upstairs to the basment and found a box that holds the belongings of Talia's parents. She opened it and found Beatrice's sketch book of her drawings and one of them had a picture of Bular.
Talia met up with Jim and the others at Trollmarkets pub and showed Blinky and Arrrgh the picture Toby took on his phone, and told them everything. "Are you certain?" Blink asked. "Are you unquestionably, unequivocally-". "I'm certain." Jim interjected. "Could be anything." Arrrgh said. "I concur." Blinky said. "Tobia's photographic skills are less than exemplary." "Okay, it's a little blurry! You try taking a picture while hauling butt, mister!" Toby exclaimed. "Do you really think that this is the killahead bridge? The only thing that leads the doorway to the darklands? And what's keeping Gunmar prisoner?" Talia asked, Jim. "There were troll markings on it. I'm pretty sure I know trollish when I see it?" Jim clarified. "And that woman? That shapeshifter. What kind of troll does all that?" Talia asked, Blinky and Arrrgh. Blinky and Arrrgh spoke in the trollish tongue to keep cover. Talia may have started to learn trollish but she knew what they said. "Changelings?" she asked. Blinky spat out his drink and covered Talia's mouth to hush her. Every troll turned their heads toward them when they heard the forbidden name of those creatures. Blinky laughed and chuckled acting like it was a joke. They turned away like nothing ever happened. He removed his blue stone hand from her mouth, and whispered. "Changelings haven't been talked about in quite some time." A troll came in eaves dropping. Blinky noticed him and said. "Do you mind?" "Whatever" he said. Blinky continued. "In the old world, Gumm-Gumms . . ." The troll eaves dropped again. Blinky gave him a serious look to go away. "Fine" he said, as he walked away. ". . .stole our young and did something unnatural to change them. Their sole purpose: to spy on the world above." Blinky finished. The kids looked at each other and back at Blinky. "What did they do to them?" Toby asked. "Nasty business. Very messy." Arrrgh said. "Man, kiddnapping and experimenting on kids. That's evil." Talia said. "These are the very reasons I doubt your certainty." Blinky said, as he walked with Jim. Talia looked down, thinking about Nomura on what her life may have been like before she had turned into one of Gunmar's minions, and can't help but feel sorry for her or the other trolls that have suffered from his cruelty. Toby put a hand on her shoulder telling her to come.
"I know what I saw." Jim said. "These are serious accusations, Master Jim. Without proof, absolute beldam will ensue." Blinky said. "Well, we have to tell someone." Toby said. "This is our city too." "Who? Our court-appointed psychiatrist? They're never going to believe us." Jim said. Then Talia came up with an idea. "But what if we catch one?" Talia asked. They turned to her. "I mean . . . that should be enough right?" Then an unwanted somebody walked in. "Well, if it isn't the piece of flesh I'll be pound into pancakes tomorrow." Draal said. "I'll look forward to your pain and I'll drink to your death." Jim turned to Blinky. "Death? What is he talking about? I thought this was only a rematch?" "To challange a troll's honor can only end in ruin." Blinky described. "Ruin?!" Talia exclaimed. "It's all right there in chapter three of Brief Recap- You still haven't read the book." "Now, hold on." Jim said. "This fight, I don't know maybe we can, um . . . postpone it?" "Postpone, you say? What a trainer!" Draal laughed. "Does everyone in your company forget how to fight?" Talia stepped in right into his face and said. "Don't talk like to Blinky, you stupid brute." Draal growled clinching his fists. Jim grabbed Talia's shoulder and pulled her back. "Tally, please. There are thing that have been brought to our attention." Jim explained. "Things that have serious implications." "No, no, no, Master Jim, shh!" Blinky hushed him. Draal lunged over and said "By Kanjigar's honor, I would have made your death swift and painless,but, for that act of cowardice, I will show you no mercy when I take back wha'ts rightfully mine." He walked away and turned back to say his final words. "Bid farewell to your loved ones, Jim 'the Dead Meat.'" Jim stood still with an unbelievable expression on his face. Talia put a hand on his shoulder and said. "Don't let that guy get to you, Jim."
Later back at the museum, "I'm telling you the truth." Nomura said to Strickler. "The girl was glowing, she clawed one of my legs, and threw me across the room like it was nothing." she snapped her fingers. "Don't be ridiculous." Strickler said. "A human Trollhunter. How ridiculous is that?!" she said. "There are things in this world that don't make since, and those two kids are one of them. " They entered to the unopened exhibit, Strickler pushed the curtains aside, and let Nomura in, but find Bular sitting and sharpining his blade with his forearm creating a spark. She turned back to Stricker for an explanation. "I'm sorry. You've been compromised." Stricler said. Bular pointed his sword at her making her back up in fear. "Please, Bular, spare me!" she begged. "Groveling, Impure?" Bular asked. "You need me." Nomura said. "If you dispose of me, who will replace me? The boy already knows I'm a changeling. How long do you think it will take for him to find out Strickler is one, too?" "Well cross that bridge when we get there . . . without you." Strickler said playing with his pen. Bular roared and chopped down his sword with Nomura screaming and running. Bular knocked over some crates making her fall. Nomura saw a black spiked green glowing ring she acquired and showed it to him. "Wait! I've acquired the Fetch!" "The Fetch? More changelings?" Bular asked. "But we are nearly finished. What good would it be to bring another-" Bular pointed his blade to shut him up. "Be quiet, impure." he said, then turned back to Nomura. "Go on." "Think how proud your father will be to see his legion grow." she explained. "Prepare the exchange." Bular directed, as he withdraw his blade. "In case we're ever one changeling short."
Talia was back in her room swinging in her hammock thinking about Jim's match with Draal. Jim maybe becoming a natural, but he only had weeks of training and he almost got killed by that changeling at the museum. She looked over to her book shelf, went over and pulled a photo album of her and her friends when the were just little kids. She remembered the time when she started elementry school, but she was always alone. Kids made fun of her hair, teasing her, and calling her names. Talia tried her best to control her anger, but when was to the point where she couldn't take it anymore, Jim showed up. He offered her a seat at the table with Toby in class, it was hard for her to believe, but she happily accepts. During her time spending together with them was the best time of her life it was like having brother's. And when one day Steve and his gang came up picking on them, Talia used her skills she had learned in martial arts and beated them up. They all ended up in the nurses office and stayed home for weeks, and she ended up with a three day suspion for it. But now Jim is finally making a stand for himself and there was nothing she could about. All she can do right now is pray and have faith in him. She held her book close and tight to her chest, landed on her knees, and began to sobbing.
When the day had finally arrived for the rematch between against Jim and Draal. Talia looked through the gate at the stadium of the Hero's Forge with the crowd cheering and chanting. Jim came over to Talia and handed her a letter. She turned around, took it, and said "What is this?" "My last words to you." he answered. She looked at it, her hands shook, crumbled it in her hand in frustration, threw it to the floor, and grabbed and shook his shoulders. "You're not gonna die, Jim! You're going to beat him! You're going to win! Don't you dare give your will to me just yet got it!' she cried. She leaned her head against his chest and loosened her grip on his shoulders. "You have to." "Draal, son of Kanjigar, son of Tarigar, Draal 'the Destroyer', come forth." Vendel announced. Draal rolled in with the lights on him and made a big dramatic entrance. The crowd cheered as he showed off with his arrogance. Arrrgh gave him a big pat on the should wishing him luck. "It's time to put everything I've ever said to you to practice." Blinky said. "With a little luck, he'll trip and fall. Now, tell me: rule one." "Always be afraid." Jim answered. "Rule two." Blinky said. "Always finish the fight." Jim answered. "Rule three?" Blinky asked. "About that. I was reading, when the Venerable Bedehilde fought the Hydrabeast, there were no gronk-nuks, but there was a weakness under its scales." "You read the book?" Blinky asked. "So, it got me thinking. Does Draal have a weakness?" Jim asked. "He read the book, he read the book!" Blinky embraced him in a hug. "Books tasty." Arrrgh said. Talia looked at him raising an eyebrow. "Do you guys eat everything?"
"And now, Draal's combatant, James Lake Jr., son of . . ." One of the trolls whispered his mother's name to remind him. "Ba-bu-rah." Vendel announced. "Come forth, human Trollhunter." The gates opened and the crowd booed. Talia furiously yelled, "WILL YOU ALL JUST SHUT UP!" "Tally!" Blinky restrained her. The guards escort JIme to the stadium to face his fierce rival. "Fight from your heart, Master Jim. It's stronger, stronger than any rock." Blinky shouted. The gates slammed down to the floor. "And certainly, stronger than mine." he quietly said. "Prepare for battle." Vendel announced. The crowd cheered andthe fighters got into position. "Here we go. I am doing this." Jim said to himself. "Begin!" Vendel announced.
The floor began to rise, the sounds of the gears were grinding, and when it reached it's peeked, parts of the floor were beginning to move. Draal leaped forward and attack, Jim jumped down and landed on the second floor, Draal came after him, Jim rolled out of the way from his fists slamming the ground. Draal grabbed one of his legs and swung him against the wall. Jim slid down on the narrow pathway, and nearly fell to the bottom of the pit where the machine is running. Draal raised his fists in the air arising the crowd. Talia looked through the gates irritated by his big ego. "That guy's an idiot." she said. Draal jumped and spinned down on the wall to the narrow path, and almost hit Jim. He continued to spin around the ring and when he was about to flattened, Jim threw his blade and stopped him. Draal looked up surprised by him stopping his attack, even the entire crowd was surprised as well. "I never taught him that. Did you?" Blinky asked, bewildered. "He's a natural." Toby cheered. Jim swung his blade and aimed it at Draal again, but he knocked it out of the way. "And there goes that move." Jim said. Draal roared came at him with another spin, and Jim started to run. "Ten whole seconds! He's not dead! That's a fortuitous sign." Blinky said impressed. "Don't jinx." Arrrgh said. "Come on, Jim, take him down!" Talia shouted.
Draal rolled up against the wall and around, then jump untucking himself from his boulder mode, and came at him with a punch. Jim braced himself for an impact, but then all of a sudden he was shielded by a blue aura. JIM!" Talia cried. Vendel was surprised by this, Blinky and the other's looked away in fear. Draal grabbed his leg again, slugged him in the air, and striked him to the floor next to him going up. Jim's side was burning, aching inpain from the last blow Draal inflicted upon him, and when they reached the top he looked up seeing Draal ready to finish him off. The floors moved again and left him hanging. Talia gripped hard on the gates her fingers were giving them a crack as she watched Draal showing off arising the crowd, making his way toward Jim, stepping on one of his fingers, making him fall to the next moving floor. "He's getting killed! Do something!" Toby shouted. He tried to come to his aid, but Arrrgh pulled him back. "Forget being a pacifist! Save Jim!" "He cannot. This is Jim's fight." Talia turned back and said "Well I'm putting a stop to this!" She attempted to rescue Jim, but Arrrgh pulled her back too. "Let go of me!" she struggled.
Draal took the floor that reached Jim and walked his way over to him. Jim saw him coming and kicked him "Rule number three!" Draal yelled in pain grabbing his gronk-knuks with his eyes closed. The crowd grimace after witnessing the pain. Draal opened his eyes but found the boy out of sight, he looked around to find him, but what was unbeknownst to him Jim hiding behind his back. "By Deya's grace, he found it!" Blinky cheered. "Found what?" Arrrgh asked. Toby and Talia's face lightened up seeing their friend still alive. "His weakness! Draal's blind spot!" Blinky explained. Jim took a few steps back and saw a scy swinging down and thought of an idea, so he walked over to it. "You cannot be the Trollhunter! You're a boy!" Draal yelled. " I am the son of Kanjigar!" Jim made it over to where the scy was locked in and said. "And I am Jim, son of Barbara." Draal turned around and spotted him. "And the amulet chose me!" he said. Draal roared in anger, Jim waited for the right moment and heard the scy coming down, jumped out of the way and hit Draal knocking him over to the edge of the stadium. Then everybody gasped by the unexpecting victory. The crowd then began to cheer for their champion, and Draal was now hanging over the edge with a river of lava.
Jim got up limping his way over to his defeating enemy. "Yes, he did it!" Toby cheered. Talia stood in awestruck for a minute and then smiled. "He made it." "It's not over yet. He has to finish the fight." Blinky said. The crowd began to chanting, repeating, 'Finish the fight!". Jim made his way over the edge where Draal was. Draal tried to pull himself up but no avail. Jim summoned his sword and pointed his sword. For the first time ever in Draal's life, he was starting to become more afraid. Jim saw it in his eyes. He lifted his sword over his head brought down his blade, Draal looked away, but Jim didn't follow rule number two. He pierced the sword down in the ground and used it to reach his hand out to him. Draal looked up confused. Why would he spare his life after everything? 'The fight is to the death." he said. "House rules, not mine." Jim said. "Come on, man. Don't make it weird." Draal took his hand, Jim's armor glowed giving him the strength to lift him back up on the stage, but then the crowd started booing. Talia should be angry at these people for their pride and ignorance, but it didn't matter to her anymore because her friend had won and survived. She ran over to Jim and embraced him "Jim!". "Ow, careful, sore now." Jim grimace. "You should have killed me." Draal said.
Jim looked upon the angry, disappointed crowd and walked up to make his stand. "Look, I may have not followed your rules, but neither did the amulet when it chose me." But the crowd still continued to boo. "Right now, over our heads, changelings are in Arcadia." Jim announced. Then everone gasped and their face expressions turned to shock. "What is he talking about?" Vendel asked. Talia stepped in and said. "And they're building the Killahead-!" Blinky rushed in and covered her mouth with both hands and grabbed Jim with his third arm. "Silence the both of you! Say no more." The crowd returned to their booing. "They have a right to know!" Jim exclaimed. "And you have a right to listen! Ours is an ancient race." Blinky said. "It will take time to win hearts and minds." Jim and Talia looked back and saw Draal walking in shame with everyone throwing things at him. "Why are they treating him that way?" Jim asked. "You spared his life, but destroyed his honor." Blinky explained. "He will never be able to show his face in Trollmarket again." Talia never liked Draal for his twisted arrogance and for him being cruel, but for once in her life she felt pity for her enemy.
They walked out of the forge celebrating Jim's survival and victory. "Oh, Praise!" Toby laughed and embraced Jim. "You're alive!" "And sore. Ease up." Jim said. "Just one more minute." Toby said. "Arrrgh, Blinky. . . a word." They turned to find Vendel in a dark hallway. Arrgh and Blinky gave Jim a job well done, and say that they will go out and celebrate feasting on tacos.
Talia assisted Jim walking him home from the battle for his life, and opened the door to his house. "I'm really proud of you, Jim. You won yet another fight." she said. "Thanks, Tally." Jim said. "Hey mom, I'm home. Tally and I are just going upstairs and jump on homework." Barbara reached out her hand waving them. "In here. Guess who brought tea?" Talia raised an eyebrow and looked at Jim. "Oh, not Strickler again." he moaned. They walked into the dining room and saw the human guise troll sitting have tea wih Barbara. Jim and Talia faces turned to shock. Talia saw her covered in dark aura again, and the eyes of a killer. "Wha'ts she doing here?" she whispered to Jim. "Don't you kids have something to say to Ms. Nomura?" Bara asked. The kids looked at each other and decided to play along. "I'm sorry, Ms. Nomura." Jim said. "I'm sorry too, Ms. Nomura." Talia said. "We should've never gone into the museum in the first place." Jim said. "It was wrong and unforgiveable, and we deeply apologize." Talia said. "That's more like it." Barbara said. "But not as sorry you're going to be for coming into my home, with my mother." Jim threatened walking over to Barbara. "So, you'd better leave now, or else we'll all be sorry." "Jim she's our guest. What's gotten into you?" Barbara was starting to lose concious and fell asleep with her head on the table. "Mom!" Jim said. "Barbara!" Talia came to her aid. Nomura clicked her tongue in disappointment. "That speech was very moving." She got up from the table, Jim and Tally stepped back as she walked over to them. "Too bad she won't remember it when she wakes up and finds your body!" Talia grabbed her pepper spray as Jim reached for his amulet. Nomura slapped across her face knocking her down, and grabbed Jim's back throwing him into the kitchen. Jim reached out for his kitchen knives but they weren't where they were suppose to be. "Looking for these?" Nomura came in revealing her true self with the knives in her hands and aimed them right for him. Jim grabbed a pan and deflected them. Talia got up, grabbed Nomura's hair and pulled her away from him. She unleashed her power and striked her with her claws, but she dodged them. Talia hit her with a round house kick throwing her right into the living room. Jim reached for his backpack, grabbed his amulet, summoned his armor and helped. Nomura did a helicopter kick and knocked them down, Talia got up, and tackled her. The troll punched her in the face but ended up breaking her hand causing her to scream. Talia got her pinned down and said. "It's over, Nomura! Just give up." But Nomura never gives up. She spat in her face blinding Talia and kicked her across the room. Nomura grabbed her neck in a choke hold and strangled her. "Tally!" Jim cried. He spotted the her pepper spray, grabbed it and sprayed in Nomura's face. She screamed in pain and held onto her burning eyes.
Jim picked up Tally and helped her upstairs to the bathroom, locked the door and turned off the lights. Nomura shooked off the pain, swiftly crawled upstairs like a spider, whistling the song 'Peer Gint' looked around to find them. Talia shook her head and woke herself up. Jim hushed her to keep quiet. Nomura kicked one of the doors open to find a room but no sign of the children. They stayed quiet as best as they could, but then Talia sneezed. Nomura herd her, and looked back with a deadly smiled and walked over to the locked door. The kids prepared themselves for her coming their way. She reached her hand underneath and clawed the floor. "You can't hide forever. Trust me . . . I would know." Nomura jiggled the door knob to open, Talia stepped in front of Jim and growled waiting for her to strike. But then there was silence, absolute silence. The door slammed open Jim fell back, Talia charged but Nomura was nowhere in sight. There was a sound of a roar and fighting, the house began to rumble. Talia's power weared itself off, and looked at Jim, they went and looked out the nearest window and saw Draal fighting her on the street.
"Draal?!" Talia said. Nomura jumped on the roof and over to the back yard and Draal pursued. Jim and Talia ran downstairs and saw them fighting through the windows and reached outside. Nomura went after them, but Draal jumped in blocking her attack and knocked her away. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "Deliviring you pain again, Nomura." he said. "Do not touch the children." "Suddenly you're honorable? Sorry to hear about daddy." she said. "Bular always like the way he screamed." Draal roared and threw a punch, Nomura ducked, Draal threw in an upper cut, she flipped back and caught her blades in his horns. Draal charged as Nomura held on a strong as she could. She jumped back landingd on the fence, leaped into the air and cut one of his arms. Draal screamed in pain, Nomura swung her blades again and attacked him, Draal held his arms up gaurded himself with his hard skin, he stepped back, then caught her blades, slamming her body to the ground swung her in the air and out of sight. "Impure." he spat and turned to the kids. "You were right." "So you're not here to kill me?" Jim asked. Draal came up and said. "Not kill. Protect." Jim's armor shut off, Talia caught him in his exhausted state. "Whoa, I got ya." Draal picked up the amulet and handed it to him. "Take it. Don't make it weird." Without hesitation, Jim took back the amulet. Draal walked inside the house. "You going to be okay?" Jim asked. "I am." Draal walked over to the unconcious Barbara, sniffed the tea Nomura had made, and flicked off one of the cups. "But, are you? Your battles won't always be waged in arenas." Talia and Jim listened. "You won't have time to prepare, to study your opponents weaknesses as you did me." Draal came up to Jim and said. "You are the Trollhunter. It is time to start being afraid." He sighed and said. "Since I cannot go back to Trollmarket, I will guard your home." "That could be a problem." Talia said. "Yeah . . . I don't think my mother would be down with that." They turned to her snoring with her mouth open. Jim removed her glasses and set them on the table.
Draal went downstairs to the basement and picked out and ate the coal from the furnis. "This is nice. Here I shall protect you and your fleshbag mother, Bar-bu-rah." he said. "Actually, Draal, her name is pronounced Barbara." Talia said. "That's what I said." he said." "No,no,no, it . . .ugh you know what never mind." she said. "She will awaken soon. I protect. I don't clean." Draal said. "Right. We'll get right on that." Jim said, as he grabbed his broom. "Fleshbag . . ." he snorts and says "Maybe you'll make a good Trollhunter, after all. When that time comes, I will be proud to fight by your side." Talia studied him and saw that he was serious about all of this. She remembered about Kanjigar saying that all his son ever wanted was to make him proud, and that there are other ways to find a solution. But most of all if they were to win the hearts and minds of these people, they have to earn it. Jim most of all. "Thanks, Draal." Jim said.
