Disclaimer: Don't own Trollhunters or any of its characters. I also don't own any of the lines quoted from Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet.
Guess who's back? Back again. Yeah, she's back, tell a friend. Hey! Finally a new chapter! Midterms are over so I should more or less be back to my old updating schedule on Fridays. Big thanks to those helping me with this chapter. And thank you for all the bookmarks, follows, and reviews! Wow, you guys are just fantastic. Seriously.
This was going to be a 5-part story but in order for me to tell everything, it has been changed to a 6 part one, so expect two more chapters in this part before we get to the next episode. Also, if you see any glaring grammar errors or spelling issues, please alert me. I try and catch them but there's always a few that slip through the cracks.
Fallen Too Far will hopefully be updated around Halloween next week.
I hope you enjoy the new chapter!
Bittersweet Sixteen (IV)
Claire tapped her foot against the locker.
Her forefinger drummed against the cellphone case she got last Christmas. She checked the screen again. It was a quarter to four. Rehearsal was in five. She bit down a curse.
Normally, she was never this impatient, but today was different. Atlas hadn't been at school at all that day. The same went for Toby. Where on earth were they?
Suspicious. Definitely suspicious.
Despite her anger at him for trashing her house, despite the mysterious circumstances, despite everything he did—he was the only one who could play Romeo now.
Her dream of being an actress was dependent on this. Being the lead actress of a school play could open so many doors for her, and with her high grades and other extracurriculars, she knew she could get into at least one of the top universities for acting, right? It would show her dedication to the art.
Santa Maria, she really needed this to work.
Darci and Mary glanced up at her before returning to their phones. Claire started to pace back and forth. Her fingers nervously combed through her bangs, a habit she had yet to break. She could have texted him, she mused, but she wasn't sure what to say. She didn't want to threaten him, yet she needed him to know how badly she needed this. It was why she wanted to do it in person.
Not to mention she was still pretty pissed with him trashing her house.
A soft bicycle bell dinged. Her eyes flew to the school entrance. Her prayers were answered. Atlas hopped off the back of Toby's bike, giving the boy a quick salute before heading in. Claire immediately jogged (ran, her mind supplied, don't lie) over to him.
"There you are!" She called out. He paused at the doors to the auditorium.
Atlas stood up straighter, a cute little crinkle developing between his brows before smoothing out into a look of surprise. "Claire?"
"You're early. For once," she said, her frustration riding her words. To be fair, he wasn't exactly the easiest guy to find.
"Did you," he began before stopping mid-sentence, fiddling with the sides of his backpack. Finally, he continued, "Did you get my texts?"
"I did," she confirmed.
An empty silence ensued.
Atlas avoided her gaze. "If you don't want me here I can leave."
Claire scanned the boy, biting her bottom lip at what she saw. He was paler than normal, with a fresh cut across his cheek from ear to nose. She uncrossed her arms. As much as she wanted to ask, she needed another answer first.
"So you're just going to leave again?" She asked softly.
He shrugged. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
"You're not making me uncomfortable. You're just—" She groaned. "Ugh! Can we talk someplace?"
"Not sure. Looks like you've got chaperones," he mentioned, nodding to the two girls behind her.
"Mary, Darci," Claire motioned her head toward the door. "Go. I need to talk with Jim."
"You sure about that, girlfriend?" Darci said, folding her arms. She threw Atlas a lifted eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.
Mary glanced up from her phone. She reached for her bag menacingly. "If he tries anything I brought my taser."
"Girls," she warned.
Mary sighed, waving her hand. "Fine. Come on, Darci, I need someone to take pictures of me for my new profile."
Darci followed after, though not without rolling her eyes. Claire couldn't blame her. Mary changed profile picture practically every day.
Atlas watched them leave before fixing her with an unreadable stare. "Is there something you'd like to say to me?"
She placed a hand on her hip. "What, no apology?"
"I already apologized, but if you want me to say it I—"
She put up a hand.
"I was upset," Claire confessed. "You totally wrecked my house. My parents blamed me for leaving Enrique with you. I would've gotten in less trouble if you'd let him get kidnapped."
"Really?" He said with a curious tone before shaking his head. " I-I mean No, you're right. You're right. You're totally right. Toby and I should never have…fed those coyotes. I never would have thought they would follow me to your place. I'm sorry, again. Truly."
"You're doing it again. You're lying," Claire accused, brows pushing together as her earlier frustration took hold.
"I'm sorry?"
"Things aren't adding up, Atlas. Coyotes don't do that kind of damage. I found claw marks in my brother's bedroom, but they don't match any animal around here. At least not the ones I've seen. I checked my backyard too and found footprints. Big footprints," she said, brushing back her long bang. Inhuman footprints, she wanted to say but kept it to herself. She came closer, voice low. "Be straight with me. What really happened?"
And of course, once again, her question went unanswered.
"There you are, Jim! So glad you're here!" Ms. Janeth interrupted, pushing the doors back dramatically. "I hope the two of you are ready to recreate the tragedy of true love." She turned to Atlas, ducking her head slightly. "Jim, I…About how I acted earlier. It was unprofessional. I let my frustrations get the best of me. You are a child and I am an adult and I was wrong to call you out in class. I apologize. Truly, not just because of the play."
"I…um…" Atlas's shoulders hiked up, his body squirming under her intense gaze. Claire almost pitied him. Almost. "Thank…you?"
Ms. Janeth patted his shoulders before turning around, calling out, "Places in five! Eli, move those blocks to upper stage. No, no, no, not that upper stage. Ugh! Never mind, we'll do them later. Move people!"
Atlas blinked, once, twice, before asking, "Uh, what was she talking about?"
"Steve totaled his Vespa. He's got a concussion. And Ms. Janeth says he can't be Romeo anymore. We can't do Romeo and Juliet without a Romeo, Jim," Claire implored.
"Ha, ha—oh, oh man, that's terrible, poor Steve," Atlas corrected after a glare from Claire. "Okay, but I'm still confused."
"You're the understudy for Romeo, remember?"
He folded his arms. "Why not get Eli to do it? I'm pretty sure he knows both Romeo and Juliet's lines by heart."
"Eli gets stage-fright if he's on stage for too long. That's why we need you. You're the only one who can do it. Please," Claire pleaded. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "I—We need you to come back. I'm willing to beg."
He held his palms up in a placating gesture, worry on his brow. "No, of course. Of course I will."
She smiled in relief.
To her surprise, Atlas actually knew all his lines now. Sure, he struggled with putting the right amount of emotion into them, but once he got going she found herself mesmerized. The sway of his hips, the way he walked—it was as if someone else had taken the reins.
Now this was the boy she saw at tryouts. The slight tilt of his head, coupled with the unmeasurable blue of his eyes, made her heart pound all the more.
Atlas.
Jim.
Romeo.
Everything about him was different. He was the personification of a question, mysterious and alluring. The other girls may not see it (and perhaps Claire was making it all up in her head), but something was up with her co-star.
Something magical.
"He jests at scars that never felt a wound," he quoted. His gaze flickered over to her before returning to the audience. Her skin heated up in response.
Claire barely heard the rest of the monologue, too preoccupied with thoughts of the boy in question.
She shouldn't be feeling this way about the guy who trashed into her home. Coyotes her ass. Did he really think she would believe such bull? Hell, she shouldn't even be forgiving him. The only reason she wasn't grounded from the play was Ms. Janeth pleading with her parents that the show could never go on without her there. She should just focus on her part instead of wondering about the weird Canadian transfer student.
But every time she looked into his eyes, her curiosity grew. The way he gazed at her, as she were the most important person in the room, made her short of breathe at the worst of moments.
Ms. Janeth let out a soft whistle. Claire froze. Shoot, it was her turn now, she nearly forgot!
Claire stepped back into the spotlight. "O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name, Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love," she clenched a hand to her heart. "And I'll no longer be a Capulet."
"Shall I hear more," Atlas spoke, his voice alit with hope that sent shivers down her spine. "Or shall I speak at this?"
He was getting better. Good. With the play fast approaching, she—they needed him to be at his very best.
Claire raised her hand, resting it against her cheek. She licked her lips before continuing, "'Tis but thy name that is my enemy. Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face. O, be some other name Belonging to a man. What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, and, for thy name, which is no part of thee ,take all myself."
Her heart danced as Atlas swerved around, his intense gaze searing her soul. She covered her chest with her forearm, legs shifting together. Her stomach flooded with a giddy warmth she couldn't identify.
Yes, she thought, this was acting. Perfect acting, really. She almost believed it.
"I take thee at thy word," Atlas said, his steps echoing across the stage. She shifted her back to him, watching his shadow grow bigger with every second passed. She felt his breath against the nape of her neck. It took every cell in her body not to shiver. "Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized. Henceforth I never will be Atlas."
"Romeo," Claire whispered.
Atlas pulled away, hand rising to his mouth.
Ms. Janeth snapped out of her trance. "Again, Mr. Lake. And this time, a little further away from each other. Juliet must be surprised by your presence, not expecting it. Ms. Nuñez, back to your place."
"Oh, sorry," he coughed, no longer facing Claire. "Henceforth I never will be Romeo."
They continued through the rest of the afternoon, though something about that moment stuck with her. Why did he say that? He didn't mess up like that on his other lines.
Ugh. Right when she thought she finally had a handle on understanding him he did something different, causing her to step back and reevaluate.
Even after rehearsal had finished, she couldn't stop from watching as he downed a water bottle. His throat bobbled with each sip. He had a larger Adam's apple than she expected. Maybe it was because he was so skinny. His hair glistened with sweat from the lights, long bangs brushed back, emphasizing his pale skin and high cheekbones.
Down girl, she told herself.
Claire zipped up her backpack. For a moment, she clicked on her cell to read the messages before returning to stare at the boy. Darci and Mary left her a few texts before they went home, mostly ranting about Mary's love life and tomorrow's quiz. Her mouth twitched upwards. It was strange how the three of them clicked, even though they were all very different people.
Not unlike Atlas and Toby actually. Or Atlas and herself in a way.
"Do I have something on my face?"
"Huh?" Claire said.
"You're staring."
"Oh, wow," Claire chuckled, cheeks burning. She adjusted the straps of her bag. "I guess I was thinking."
He swung his bag over one shoulder, teasing, "And what is on fair Juliet's mind?"
"Something her Romeo said earlier."
Atlas paused halfway down the stage's steps. "What do you mean?" He asked.
"Back there earlier. You didn't mess up on any of the other ones except that one line."
His shoulder rose, features smoothed out into an unreadable wall. "Which one?"
"You know exactly which one I'm talking about."
"It's nothing. Just a slip of the tongue."
"It wasn't a slip," she asserted. "Atlas, is everything okay?"
Once again (could the woman not read the mood? Ugh. Adults) , Ms. Janeth broke up their conversation, clapping for the students to gather around. Claire sighed.
Once the remaining members formed a semi-circle, she announced, "Great rehearsal. No, in fact, stupendous! Ms. Nuñez, make sure to remember your blocking. Mr. Lake, remember to go over your lines. As for the rest of you: memorize, memorize, memorize. Opening night's just around the corner, thespians."
By the time she caught up again with Atlas he was standing at the exit. She was taken back by what she saw. The confident mysterious teen from earlier had been replaced with a ghost. Atlas's skin was washed out and gray. His back was erect, legs body twitching at the slightest of noises.
They both jumped as something flew by. Claire looked to the sky. Was that a hawk or an eagle? Maybe bigger. She couldn't tell. Vultures weren't native to this area though.
"Shit," Atlas whispered, glaring at his phone screen.
"What?"
"Nothing, it's just…Toby's caught up with something, I think," he glanced up at her. "Uh, maybe I can walk you home?"
"I think my parents would kill you if they saw you with me. And anyway, they're picking me up," Claire said.
"Oh, well," he laughed nervously. "I just Maybe we could keep each other company, until your ride comes."
Claire was getting sick of this. "Alright, seriously, is everything okay?"
"Uh, yeah, just, um I'm worried about the weather," he tried to assure.
"You're lying again," Claire said. "What's wrong? I thought we were friends."
Suddenly, she found Atlas inches away from her. She took a step back. How had he gotten so near to her without her noticing? "Are we?"
Oh wow.
She gulped.
Good question.
Where was Ms. Janeth when you needed her?
"I…right now, I'm honestly not so sure." She reached out, her fingers lightly touching his face. He flinched back a moment, but didn't stop her. Her heart clenched. "Who gave you that?"
Atlas pulled back. "I…I fell down the stairs. It's no biggie."
Her heart sank, another one of her theories confirmed. "It looks like something cut you. It's new too. Did it happen today?"
"I made a mistake. I won't make the same one again." He turned his head. "Can we drop this? I don't want to talk about it."
Was it his dad? Without warning, all the memories of his past bruises and scrapes came flooding back. What if…what if the monster Atlas was talking about was his family?
What if the coyotes had been something his family cooked up? Was he covering for them in some way?
He crossed his arms, eyes guarded. As much as she desperately wanted to ask, she knew enough about abuse victims to not pressure them. She clenched the sleeves of her jacket, relenting to the request with a soft nod.
The stood in silence, side by side. What should she do? What could she do? Should she tell her parents? CPS? The police?
What if they didn't believe her? Bruises and cuts could easily be explained away by something else.
Her line of thought was broken by her parents driving up to the pickup lane, honking along the way. She covered her face. So embarrassing.
"Well, thanks again for stepping up today. You really saved the play," Claire stressed. "It's supposed to rain soon. Toby might not get here in time. Is there someone else who can pick you up?"
"My dad is too busy. I'd ask to go with you," he said, gesturing to her ride. "but your parents are glaring like they want to kill me right now."
Thunder rolled above them. Atlas flinched back.
Claire placed a hand on his arm. "Atlas…"
He took her hand off his arm before giving it a soft squeeze of what she guessed was reassurance. "You should go. I don't want you to be caught up in my problems."
"Take care of yourself," she whispered.
"I'll try." His eyes flickered past her to the school. "I think I've got another ride in mind in the meantime. Eli! Hey, Pepperjack!"
The boy balked at the sound until he saw it's source. Hesitantly, he answered, "Yeah?"
"Remember that invitation to come over to your place?"
"I've got homework," Eli said.
Atlas wrapped his arm around the other boy's shoulder. "So do I, what a coincidence! Let's work on it together."
"Really?" Eli asked, perking up.
Atlas waved goodbye, his attention no longer on her anymore. Was it ever? Not since they left the auditorium she thought. She followed his line of vision to the sky. Though she couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, something in the back of her head caused the hairs on her neck and arms to stand up. She couldn't understand why. It was just a thunderstorm, right?
Even still, she closed the curtains to her bedroom for the night, unable to shake the primordial unease within her.
Once again, Atlas was a mystery. Was he being abused by his family? Or was he hiding something else?
Any normal girl would have dropped him.
But Claire had never been a normal girl.
Not by a long shot.
While he hadn't planned on visiting Eli's place so soon, the timing couldn't have been more perfect.
Eli bounced around the room. Literally. Atlas wasn't joking. He was like a ball of energy and nerves, condensed into a short nerdy teenager that couldn't have weighed a hundred pounds soaking wet. They spent the last half hour going over the little trinkets in his room, which, while not boring in context, was inevitably moreso when one added Eli's long elaborate descriptions of each and every doll he possessed.
Atlas checked his phone again. Toby had only texted him once that he was on his way, but how long that would take was still unknown. It had already been thirty minutes. Not good.
Had the stalking gotten to him? No, he distinctly reminded the creature hovering nearby on his way to Eli's. At some point it disappeared, though Atlas had an inkling it was still around. Watching. Waiting. It was only a matter of time. They would need to catch it off guard somehow.
"This is my collection of superhero action figures, limited edition by the way, but the Superman one is even rarer because it was made during the Golden Age of comics, " Eli babbled, his voice high and words blending together so quickly Atlas wasn't sure if he could keep up for much longer. "And this over here is my board of mysteries, and—"
"That's nice, Eli, but I thought we were going to do our homework together," Atlas interrupted.
Eli visibly deflated. He scratched the back of his head, looking away. "Oh, right, sorry. It's just, I haven't really had anyone over before. Most of my friends are online. I mean, Toby and I talk at school every once in awhile, but he mostly has been hanging out with you, so we haven't really talked much outside of our shared classes. Which is fine, by the way, we weren't ever close, not like you and him seem to be."
Atlas sunk his teeth into his inner cheek. The familiar guilt began to eat at his insides. He was so going to regret this.
"Oh hey, " Atlas remarked, hoping his voice wasn't as monotone as he felt. He pointed to the third row of figurines. "Are those Gunrobot figures? No way. Where did you get these?"
"Oh man, have I got a story for you!" Eli exclaimed, his cheerful demeanor returned.
As the boy continued his explanation, Atlas took a step back, using the peripherals of his vision to examine the room. It was quite normal by all accounts. Sure, the 'board of mysteries' was a little weird, but nothing on it could be traced back to him.
Yet, his mind provided.
The room was relatively safe sans the large window near the bed. A gust of wind rattled against the glass. Atlas shuddered. Though he could not see past the area lit by streetlights, he could sense the stalkling's ominous presence. It was like an itch he couldn't scratch at the back of his head. Or perhaps he was simply paranoid. Probably both.
"You know, I didn't think you would ever visit," Eli said, interrupting Atlas's train of thought. "Most people don't. Most people think I'm crazy."
Atlas gave the boy a sympathetic smile. If only he knew. "You're not crazy, Eli."
His words must have meant something to the boy, if the glistening eyes were any indication. Eli rubbed the sides of his arms, his vulnerability displayed for all the world to see.
How human. Atlas envied how he and the others could be so open about their feelings. Even with Stricklander he did not have that luxury, not completely. He could never talk about his work as the Trollhunter or all the stresses that came with it. Neither could he discuss what he went through with the human scientists or the Janus Order with Blinky, Toby, and the rest of their group. They could never understand. Not really.
Sweet Pale Lady, he would give anything to forget today. Once the damn stalkling was done with he was going to have a nice long nap.
"It's just…" Eli started, licking his lips. "I see things, you know? Weird things. Things that don't make sense."
Atlas settled his back against the wall. This was one of the reasons he was here. He pressed deeper, "Would you like to talk about it?"
"Really? You're not messing with me?" Eli said, eyes narrowed.
"No, not at all. Why don't you tell me all about it?" Atlas implored.
Without warning, Eli began to word vomit everything and anything he saw since he was a kid. Inwardly, Atlas groaned. Once he reached the present however, his dialogue changed. "And then, a couple of weeks ago, I saw these creatures made of rock fighting each other. It was intense!" Eli exclaimed, waving his fists in excitement. "The battle was insane. I was so scared. I couldn't move."
Atlas leaned forward. "What were they fighting about?"
"I don't know, but I wasn't the only person there either. Some hooded person was in the trees too I think."
Ah oh. "A hooded person?"
"Yeah, and get this, just a little while ago, I saw the hooded person again, only this time, I have proof!"
"What kind of proof?" Atlas asked, arms folded tightly to his persn.
Eli beamed, pulling out his cell. He clicked it on, before showing Atlas the picture.
In the back of his mind, he cursed in every single language he knew. Still, he continued to retain his mask. Only Stricklander's training had protected him from outwardly portraying his thoughts.
It was him alright. Definitely him. He had hoped the image would be blurry, maybe even unrecognizable, but humans and their phones were too good these days. He could make out his glowing eyes, even against the flash of the camera. His horns were easily distinguishable, as was part of his armor. It was strange, seeing himself crouched over, his claws outstretched, eyes blown wide in surprise.
Stricklander would have a conniption if he found out.
If.
"I think it's a demon or something," Eli explained.
Atlas shook his head. "It's not a demon."
Seriously, why did everyone associate horns with demonic creatures? It was almost insulting, to be compared to the little impish creatures of legend. They were changelings. Or trolls. Not…demons.
"Huh?"
"I mean, it's, uh," he stuttered, scratching the back of his head. "It's gotta be a devil or something, right? Look at the horns. It doesn't have a tail either. Demons usually have tails, right?"
Crap, why did he chose devil? He should of gone with troll, but he didn't want the boy coming any closer to the truth than he already had. But come on, devil? As if that was any better than a demon. Honestly, there wasn't really much of a difference when one got down to it. Still, devil sounded way better than demon.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Eli affirmed, holding the phone close to his face. He adjusted his glasses. "He's kinda handsome too, in a weird, monstrous sort of way. Devils are supposed to be, right? Fallen angels and all that. Makes more sense I guess. I thought he was incubus demon or something."
Atlas's jaw slackened. He gave Eli a wide-eyed look. "What."
"Oh, um…Just kidding," Eli nervously laughed. "Totally a monster. An Arcadian monster. Oh! The Devil of Arcadia Oaks!" He leapt from his seat. "I gotta write this down. One sec. Mom!"
"Wait, Eli—"
The door slammed shut. Atlas's gaze zeroed in on the phone, still attached to the charger at the desk.
It would be better for everyone if the phone mysteriously disappeared.
But Eli would easily figure out who stole it. Atlas looked around the desk. Smashing it against the floor would be suspicious, as it had been connected to the charger. So would turning it off and hiding it somewhere Eli couldn't reach.
Atlas's gaze landed on a coke-can a little ways from the phone case. Hmm. The gears in his head began to move. Now, that could be plausible. He picked it up for a moment and shook it. It was three-fourths empty. Taking out the water bottle in his bag, he filled the can to the brim before 'accidentally' knocking the drink over onto Eli's phone.
A simple mistake on Eli's part, Atlas imagined. Just for insurance, he rolled the can's remaining liquid over to the computer's CPU. Once finished, he poured the rest of his water bottle into fan vents. The monitor immediately shut off, the entire device shutting down not long after. He tried turning on the cell. It was dead too.
It was a necessary evil, he reasoned. That kind of information getting out to the public would be detrimental for everyone, Eli included. He knew Eli had good intentions, but he knew many humans would think differently. Best to nip this at the bud, as his dad liked to say.
Atlas picked up a paper and pen, jotting down a quick excuse. He chuckled. This actually went better than he expected. Now all he had to do was fight the stalkling.
Fight the stalkling.
The stalkling.
Wait, Atlas's eyes widened. How long had Eli been away?
The sinking feeling returned to Atlas's gut. The window behind him shook. A bright burst of light pierced through the sky, followed by a roll of thunder so loud his teeth rattled within his head. The lights switched off. He could hear a small explosion nearby, the powerline for the entire neighborhood going off.
The wind picked up, changing from a high pitch scream into a low wail. Atlas's heartrate quickened. His gaze traveled to the computer monitor, his image reflected back at him.
He sucked in a gasp.
She sat so still he almost thought it was a statue before she arched her long neck, inclining her head to the side like a swan, wings wrapped around her long extended claws. She waited behind the thin strip of glass, not even a meter away from him. How had he not noticed her presence?
Slowly, she opened her eyes.
Oh sweet Pale Lady.
Atlas dropped to the floor as the window was blasted open by her poweful wings. His hand immediately reached for his bag. Pulling out one of his daggers, he slashed from behind, catching her off guard. She screeched, nearly breaking his eardrums.
She bulldozed into him. Atlas grunted as all the air left his lungs. Waiting for his friends was no longer an option.
He summoned the amulet, enchanting, "For the Glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to—"
Her jaw snapped forward; he jerked back, empty-handed.
Atlas looked between her and his hand, dumbfounded.
Oh no.
Oh hell no.
That bitch.
Atlas growled. Using his feet, he kicked her In the place he'd injured her earlier today. She screamed, pulling away. Atlas snatched up his bag, examining his possible exits. She had positioned herself between him and the door, which meant that escape was a no go. Great. This was stupid. Incredibly stupid, but what other choice did he have?
Atlas made for the window and jumped. The drop wasn't so terrible as the thorny bushes that bit at his flesh. He hissed, rolling out of the bushes onto his side in the grass.
He heard her above, struggling to get out of the small window. On the first story, he heard Eli's mother rushing the both of them into the basement, despite Eli's loud protesting. Something about tornadoes?
The stalkling would be down soon enough, which meant Atlas needed a plan. One that didn't involve the amulet apparently.
Just his luck.
Groaning, he picked himself up, sprinting for the other side of the street. Along the way, he jerked off his gaggletack, stuffing it inside the backpack. Once behind a large, discreet (he hoped) tree, he changed out of human clothes. For once, he was actually prepared.
He dressed out of his human clothes within seconds, revealing baggy black sleeves and pants underneath. It would only be a few minutes before he turned back, meaning he needed to get the armor on in less. He slinked into the chest plate first, followed by his armguards and bracers. His fingers were fluid and quick, adrenaline fueling his body. His body had already started shifting too. Good. He would need that strength. Just as he was about to reach for his cloak, the tree above him creaked.
Atlas gulped.
She crashed into him, using her chest as a battering ram. Atlas screamed as her talons dug into his side. He could feel his ribs crack under the assault.
Her nose brushed against his face. She reared back, cocking her head from side to side. It was at this point he came to a horrible newfound realization: she'd discovered his secret. He hadn't finished transforming, so she had connected the two scents together.
There was no turning back from this.
He needed to finish her off. And soon.
Lightning flashed from above. She tried to spear him with her beak, but only caught the side of his hood.
He pressed down on the compartments in his armguards, triggering the two hidden daggers inside. Bringing up his arms, he crossed them and stabbed down hard enough to break the troll's skin. She loosened her hold, allowing Atlas to slip out of his cloak.
He almost laughed. Not only did she have his amulet but now she had his cloak.
Happy Birthday to me, he thought bitterly. Weren't birthdays supposed to be about getting things and not having flying stone monsters taking shit away from you?
She thrashed and span around in mid-air, trying to dislodge the cloak that had tangled itself around her neck, which was hard to do considering she was also trying to dislodge the daggers in her feet. It gave Atlas just enough time to escape with his things, into the woods he knew like the back of his hand.
Atlas needed to regroup and plan. She might be faster and stronger, but she didn't know this city like he did. He leaped from tree branch to tree branch before breaking through the forest to another row of houses. His feet clamored against the roof tiles. The rain had yet to fall, but the humidity was there, casting a soft mist across the town.
His phone rang. He pressed speaker.
"What the fuck, Tobes?" Atlas growled. He looked behind. In the distance, he saw her break through the trees, rising higher and higher into the sky before she vanished into the clouds. "Where the hell are you guys?"
"Sorry, sorry. AAARRRGGHH! got stuck in my room and I had to go get Blinky from Trollmarket to help me get him out. We're almost at Eli's house though. Where you at?"
"Running for my life, currently," he said, stopping on top of a nice two-story home only a street or two away from the canals.
"A bit more specific?"
Atlas sent him his coordinates. "She's gaining on me. I'm not sure how much longer before she—"
Too late. She dived down, her atrocious roar shaking Atlas down to his core. Every cell in his body warned him to run. She opened her mouth, ready to swallow him whole. It was only by mistake that he survived, his foot falling through one of the rooftops. A second later and his entire body went through, smashing against the hard ground below.
Atlas hissed. If his ribs hadn't been broken before they certainly were now.
His eyes flickered toward his phone. The screen was cracked, but overall it appeared to be in workable condition. Whew.
A girlish scream startled him. He bared his fangs in alarm. At first, he'd thought it was the stalkling, but the pitch was completely off. It also sounded familiar. He pulled himself off the floor, examining his landing area.
It was a bedroom. A guy's by the look at it. There was a dozen sports trophies on top a plain bookcase. Ribbons adorned part of the wall as well. Atlas could hear a pitiful muttering from the bed. It didn't take him long to figure out who it was. The bandage around his head could not disguise the boy in front of him.
Steve Palchuk.
He fell into Palchuk's bedroom.
Oh wow, so his birthday could get worse. Who knew?
"The power of Christ compels you!" The boy yelled, throwing a water bottle in Atlas's direction. He caught it.
Oh, this day was just getting better and better.
"What the fuck, dude?" Atlas said. He squeezed, destroying the plastic container in mere seconds. The bottle cap shot off into the corner of the room.
Steve froze, arms brought up in a bid for protection. "Please don't kill me."
The stalkling circled above, looking for a way inside. Shit. They didn't have much time. He looked around.
There were two options he could take here.
One, he could use Steve as a meat shield against the stalkling, especially since it didn't seem to mind attacking him when certain others, like Steve, were in the vicinity. Perhaps it didn't consider Steve a person? Or maybe it was a dumb stalkling? Either way, it could easily provide him a few minutes to escape and find his friends. Steve was larger than the average fleshbag teenager. He would provide decent sustenance and iron to the stalkling's diet. Really, he was doing the monster a favor. In Bular's words, Steve was as they say, "a tasty snack".
A month ago, old Atlas would have chosen the first option in a heartbeat. Steve was the personification of everything he hated about humanity: their arrogance, their disgust, their hatred, their fear—he found little to no redeeming qualities in the boy.
Sadly, he was no longer that Atlas.
With great reluctance (really great, he wanted to emphasis, because he was pretty sure he was going to regret this), Atlas went with option numero dos.
"Okay, you," he gestured between Steve's form and a small door to the side. "Into the closet, now."
When the boy didn't move, Atlas picked him up. The teen kicked him in the shoulder. In the end, Atlas had to half drag, half carry Steve over to the small room.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Steve stammered. "Put me down! Mom! Mom! Help! I'm being kidnapped!"
"Shut up," Atlas ordered. "I'm not kidnapping you. It's for your own good, human."
"I'm not gonna—holy shit, what is that!" He said, pointing to the shadow at the window.
Crap. They didn't have time then. She was already here.
Atlas dropped the boy into the closet, shutting the door.
"Stay quiet, unless you want her to eat you," he advised.
Steve opened the door slightly, one eye peeking out. "Who in the hell are you?"
"A monster," he answered.
"Are you…" Steve gulped. "Are you a good monster?"
Atlas let out a painful laugh, grasping his ribs. "I try to be."
Shards of glass flew through the room as the creature of the hour made her appearance. Her wingspan was even more fearsome up close, with powerful muscles and sleek bones highlighted by the lightning streaking past behind her. It must take a lot to keep her in the air. That or magic. Probably magic, he thought.
Atlas pulled out more daggers. He should have brought his great sword. While it was no Daylight, it sure as hell could cut through stone better than what he had now.
She lunged for his throat, but Atlas was faster. He did a half-pirouette underneath her right wing, grabbing hold of his cloak that still hung her neck to hoist himself onto her back.
While no 'Mother of Dragons', Atlas reacted to every move she made. She reared upwards, trying to dislodge him. Still, he held on. Well, more like rode, but same difference right?
Unfortunately, he forgot to take into account that she could fly and Atlas?
Well.
Atlas probably shouldn't have jumped on her back in the first place.
She soared out of the bedroom, gliding over the street. Thunder boomed around them; his insides jumbled around, teeth clattering together. She smacked one of her wings against a streetlight, sending both of them into a downwards dive toward the concrete.
"Atlas!" A familiar voice called. It didn't take him long to find the owner. Toby straddled AAARRRGGHH!'s back as they approached the two.
"Jump, Master Atlas!" Blinky yelled a few paces behind.
"I can't." Atlas called back, "She has my cloak!"
Blinky shook all four hands in the air. "We can get you another bloody cloak!"
"Oh, she's also got the amulet too," Atlas added.
Blinky audibly smacked his forehead.
The stalkling evaded AAARRRGGHH!'s grasp, rising to the sky once more, though not without picking up another passenger.
Toby leapt for the creature's leg. Atlas tried to reach for the boy, but the upward motion and the stalkling's beating wings made the action impossible.
As they flew higher and higher, a new terrifying thought emerged.
Atlas could survive higher altitude. Toby couldn't. Not for long at least. Not to mention the drop was already deadly. Which meant only one thing.
"Holy crapple sauce, we're going to die!" Toby screamed, his arms constricting around the creature's ankle. She tried to throw him off, but Toby held on.
"Tobes, you have to jump," Atlas ordered. "Now. Any higher and you'll get killed"
"Only if you jump too."
"I can't," Atlas said. "She has the amulet. She has my cloak. If she returns to Bular with them, then it's game over. For all of us. I have to finish this."
Toby shook his head. "No way! The amulet isn't worth your life!"
"Tobes, just…" Atlas pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're my best friend. I need you to trust me on this, okay?"
After a moment's pause, Toby nodded hesitantly. "Alright, I believe in you. Just…don't get fried by any lightning, okay?"
The teen let go, shrieking as he fell down to earth. Up ahead, the clouds swallowed them whole. Thunder rumbled forth. The stench of ozone sizzled the air.
Even though his best friend was gone, the words clung to Atlas's breast, soaking into his thoughts as a new plan formed.
It was crazy.
No, it was insane. But what if it worked?
"Tobes," Atlas laughed under his breath. "You're a fucking genius."
Lightning streaked across the clouds. Every hair on his head stood up. This was his last chance.
"Hey, you, yeah, you, ugly ass bitch! ," Atlas yelled, holding his longest blade into the air. It would be missed. "I don't know about you, but it's been a long ass day for me and you know what I'm craving right now?"
The stalkling's eyes widened.
Atlas smirked.
"Some fried chicken!" He yelled as the lightning struck his blade.
The deadly current burned his skin and seized his muscles. It was more pain than he had ever experienced in memory. Every nerve screamed as the energy took over. His entire body went into full on spasms, traveling upwards into the stalkling. He wished he could have seen her face, but all he could remember afterwards was the view of the fast approaching ground below him.
"Catch up, AAARRRGGHH!" Blinky directed.
"Hurry, hurry, hurry!" Toby yelled.
Atlas smacked against AAARRRGGHH!'s mossy chest. A few moments later, the stalkling smashed onto the ground, breaking off into a million pieces. In its wake, the amulet shined, rising up to rejoin its owner.
Toby crashed into him. "Oh man, oh man, oh man. I thought I was gonna lose you, dude."
"Ugh," Atlas voiced. His tongue felt numb. He began moving it around, trying to find his speech again.
"But dude, you did it. I can't believe you did it! I mean, I knew you could, oh you know what I mean," Toby said, wiping his eyes. "That was close. Way too close. How do you feel?"
"Crisply, fried, seared, scorched," Atlas groaned. "Take your pick."
"Uh," Toby scratched his cheek sheepishly. "Could you be a little more specific?"
"I don't think I can feel my arm," he coughed.
Toby inspected the limb before letting out a low whistle. "Is it supposed to be that color?"
"Master Atlas!" Blinky called, peering over Toby. "Is everything alright?"
"This has been the worst birthday ever," Atlas moaned.
AAARRRGGHH!'s ears dropped. "Sorry."
"Well," Toby scratched his head. "At least you got a cool lightening scar?"
"What, no 'gee, Atlas, that was amazing, you're so cool and strong'?" He tried to joke, wincing in pain as AAARRRGGHH! shifted him into a sitting position.
Toby smiled warmly, his arms coming loosening into a soft hug. "Gee, Atlas, that was amazing, you're so cool and strong."
He patted the boy's head, ignoring the pain it produced. "Much better."
Atlas finally peered down at the damaged arm. A thin pattern of white veins traveled up from the top of his hand to his shoulder. The clothing had been charred, but at least he still had all his limbs.
Whether they would be functional or not was a different story.
Blinky seemed to voice his thoughts on the matter. "Not to worry, Master Atlas, I have just the solution for something like this. There's a recipe in my library I'd gotten a century or two ago for just this kind of situation and with a day or two of rest and relaxation, I'm certain you'll be good as new."
"Try explaining that to Stricklander," he mumbled.
"Stricklander?" Blinky said, lips pulling upwards.
Atlas sighed, resting his forehead against AAARRRGGHH!'s chest.
Later.