I stopped. My feet made no noise on the hard floor as I paused, my hands still shaking. I had been running for only a minute, but I was out of breath. A large gaping doorway stood to my right, and I could hear voices.
" Is he alive?" One asked. Dictatious! I finally recognized his voice. " Yes, wake him up. We need to talk." I grimaced at the sound of Gunmar. The large one-eyed troll seemed to talk with a sneer, like his amusement was relayed in his voice.
I slowly peered around into the room. They were in the biggest one I had seen by far, the ceiling stretching up hundreds of feet. The cavern had to be at least two hundred yards wide, the circular area was just massive. Stalagmites and stalactites were everywhere, and there were green glowing crystals adorned every wall.
Gunmar and the troll similar to Blinky -who I figured was Dictatious- were standing in the center, facing away from me.
I couldn't see Douxie.
With a startled gasp, I jumped as someone grabbed my wrist. Spinning around, I sighed in relief as Jim and the others entered my line of sight. Jim let go of me. " What are you doing?" he hissed.
" Saving Doux!" I hissed right back at him. The Trollhunter sighed and looked down, a thoughtful expression on his face. " Claire, I need you to run back the way we came. Remember that big room we passed?" She nodded.
" Go in there and wait. Toby, you too." Claire stepped away. " What are you gonna do, Jimbo?" Toby whispered. Jim looked back at Gunmar, who was talking about torture tactics with Dictatious. " I have a plan, "
Claire and Toby hurried down the corridor, their feet making little noise. A low moan from the room made me look back in. Someone was at the troll's feet, and they were shifting as if having a bad nightmare.
" Okay, Skye. I need you to hide. I'll lure them out, and when I yell 'One eyed freak,' go in. Okay?" I stared at him, my jaw slightly agape.
" But, why? I thought you didn't want to help." Jim looked down and rubbed his head. " I don't. But I can't let you do this on your own." A grateful feeling made me jump forwards and hug him. " Thank you," I whispered.
Letting go of him, I turned and hurried behind a tumble of rocks opposite the way the others had gone. As soon as I was out of sight, Jim started screaming. " Hey Gunmar! Look who escaped their cell!"
I could hear Gunmar snort in rage. " How did he escape!?" Dictatious's voice was much less fierce, but still as enraged. " He must have had help, my Dark Underlord."
" Stop talking and fight me! Or are you too scared? Afraid I'll beat you like last time?" Jim mocked. Gunmar roared, making the ground vibrate. " After him!" Pounding footsteps were coming our way. " Leave the wizard!" The one-eyed troll shouted.
Jim's face lit up with shock and he turned tail and ran, Gunmar not losing a step as he followed. Dictatious came waddling out after him.
" Come get me, you one eyed freak!"
That was my cue. I jumped out and bolted into the room, my eyes fixed on Douxie. He was a small lump on the floor, a stream of blood running away from him at his back. Oh no….
I fell to my knees as I reached him, sliding a bit and cutting my knees. But I paid my wounds no heed.
The wizard had a long cut along his side, and multiple small ones on his arms, face, and legs. His clothes were simple, a hoodie with black pants and a whit t-shirt, but his pants had been so cut they were more like shorts.
His hair was still that dull gray, apart from the blue tips. I lifted a shaky hand and grabbed his arm, pulling him onto his back. Douxie flopped over like deadweight, and a horrible feeling came over me.
Then the feeling vanished when he sifted, a low moan escaped his lips. " Douxie!" I gasped, placing a hand on his forehead. Douxie's eyelids fluttered open and his eyes locked on my face. " Skye…?"
His lips hardly moved, and his words were more of a breath.
" Yes! It's me! You're okay now, you're safe." His eyes closed and he let out a slow, long breath. I held my own until Douxie inhaled again, assuring me of his survival.
I looked behind me, just in case. We were alone. " Doux, we need to go." I said, turning back to him. Douxie opened his eyes. " Where are the others?" My hand slid down his face and grabbed one of his hands. " They led Gunmar away so I could get you out of here."
Douxie nodded slightly, and propped himself up on one elbow, wincing. I grabbed his other hand and slowly we both stood, Douxie leaning heavily on me. His eyes were slited and his face was contorted in pain.
" Hey! Where do you think you are going?" I looked up to the door and gasped as I spotted Dictatious, a spear in one hand. Douxie lifted his arm, and then dropped it, panting heavily. His armband never lit up.
I looked around for an advantage. There was a large throne I hadn't noticed earlier, and I headed to it for high ground. " Get back here, cowards!" I gritted my teeth and ignored him. Half dragging half leading Douxie, we made it to the giant chair and I let go of him, and the wizard collapsed with a sigh.
Then I realized something. I can just turn into a Troll! Why didn't I think of that earlier? I growled under my breath, feeling angry and annoyed.
Dictatious was nearly to us now, his waddling gaint was sort of adorable. Taking a deep breath, I let my emotions channel though my body, a strong feeling overcoming me.
I grew. My senses sharpened and I could more clearly sense the small troll coming our way. I opened my eyes, and my vision was clearer than ever.
Dictatious gaped at me, almost dropping his spear. " You- but, a Changeling!?" With a snicker, I stepped forwards, my teeth barred. The troll tried to compose himself, tried to lift his spear. But his arms were shaking too violently. I stepped again, and lifted one hand. " You don't scare me, Impure." Dictatious hissed. His words seemed to calm him a bit, and the troll stepped forwards. I stayed in place, my fingers curled.
" Come at me, Buttsnack."
He charged, his spear pointed out ahead of him. I waited until the last second, before sidestepping and grabbing the long weapon, pulling it back.
Dictatious yelped as he was thrown along with his weapon, and he hit the ground hard. Having some experience with a bow staff, I found spear wielding to be relatively easy. I spun the weapons above my head and with a twirl, pointed it at Dictatious, who was scrabbling around on the ground.
" No! Please don't hurt me!" He wailed. I inched the spear closer until it was merely inches from his face. A strange urge was telling me to kill him, to finish the fight. That was the troll side of me. I didn't listen, and instead turned to my human side.
I slowly transformed, the weapon still in his face. " Alright, you will tell me how to get out of here, or I pull out your eyes. One-by-one." He winced.
"Not my eyes…"
" What's going on here!?" A loud voice boomed. I turned, and gasped. Swinging the spear from Dictatious, I aimed it at Gunmar who was at the entrance. "S- stay away from us," I stammered.
Out of fear, I transformed into my troll form. Gunmar laughed, a deep, menacing laugh. " You cannot defeat me. I am too powerful!" I slowly stepped back to the throne where Douxie lay, and glanced back.
He was sitting now, his armband glowing. Douxie's eyes were focused on his arm, which was out of the bandage. Most of his cuts and scrapes were gone, and I realized what he was doing.
He's healing himself!
Turning back to Gunmar, I bared my teeth. The large troll laughed, his voice making me wince. " Tell me, Impure. Why have you sided with these humans? What did they offer you?" He shot Douxie a meaningful glare, then looked at me. With a jolt, I realized what he was getting at.
" No!" I hissed, tightening my grip on the spear. " I am nobody's toy!" Gunmar just laughed at me, and I noticed that Dictatious was now at his side. "Then, why did you join them?" I only hesitated for a second.
" I never joined anybody. I was never on a 'side'. You think I remember coming from this- this nasty place? No. I didn't even know what I was until a few days ago!" Gunmar flashed Dictatious a look, and the smaller troll nodded- but only slightly.
"Get her." Gunmar ordered, but Dictatious didn't move. It wasn't until I felt something hit my back that I turned, my eyes widening in shock. Douxie was standing, his hands both enveloped in a deep blue flame, not his usual magic color.
" D- Douxie!?" I cried. " What are you do- AGH!" I shrieked as he blasted fire at me again, and I jumped to the side. A wicked and lopsided grin was plastered across his face as the Wizard blasted at me, and I continued to roll and jump away from him.
Another blast connected with my arm, and I stumbled out of pain. His eyes were filled with malice, and his hair seemed to be getting whiter. That's when three voices that I recognized made me shoot a look over to the exit.
Claire, Jim, and Toby were all being held by Gumm-Gumms, their arms held above their heads. Jim's armour was gone. So was his amulet. With a yelp, I just hardly dodged another blast of blue fire, its heat wave making me shudder.
Jim yelled something, but my ears were focused on the sound of flames sailing through the air towards me. " Douxie! Stop! What's going on? Why are you doing this!?" The Wizard paused, his hands still aflame.
" Why?" he echoed softly. I nodded, clutching my arm. I had discarded the spear in an attempt to increase my speed. Now I longed for the weapon. My tail was curled in front of my legs, its sharp spines outward.
" Because- I need to." His voice made me go stiff. That was not his voice. It was- malformed in some way. Then Jim screeched at me across from the cavern.
" THE AMULET!"
Douxie's head snapped to him, anger flaring in his eyes.
Of course! Jim's amulet could work for me!
Trembling with fear, rage, and confusion I held out a hand towards Jim's general direction. Closing my eyes I searched. For something, anything. And I found it. The amulet, on one of Gunmar's pockets.
Come to me.
With the order, the Amulet was activated, and I opened my eyes. The amulet suddenly ripped apart fabric as it flew from Gunmar, straight to my hand. Douxie yelled in anger, and Gunmar roared in annoyance.
The small amulet reached my hand and hit my plma with so much force that I stumbled a bit. I could feel the weapon humming- as if it were excited for the combat ahead.
Clutching it in my hand, I turned back to Douxie. The flame in his hands seemed to be bigger, more powerful. "Why are you doing this? You don't have to!" I pleaded. The Wizard only scoffed. " Like I said earlier, we are only trying to make this world a better place. One where all wrongs have been righted. Arthur cursed all of his descendants to death for his crimes, and that is why you must go."
I stared at him, dumbfounded. " What?" Douxie just sighed and rolled his eyes, but the flames in his hands remained. " You are his last descendant, Skye." Narrowing my eyes, I gripped the Amulet harder. " Douxie- don't make me do this."
" Well then- it's just great that my name isn't Douxie." he hissed. So taken aback by shock, I was unable to dodge his first attack. I was hit square in the chest and flew back into the rock walls, the breath driven from my body. Claire screamed, Gunmar laughed, and Jim winced.
Standing slowly, I glared at him. Taking a breath, I spoke. " For the honor of Morgana, Moonlight is mine to control!" Armour materialized, and I lifted from the floor. Spreading my arms wide, I allowed the metal to attach to me, covering me in black and gold armour.
I landed, and a great matching Battle Axe appeared in my hands. Douxie screamed a horrifying, inhuman scream and charged at me, both hands facing my figure. My axe raised, I leapt forwards.
We clashed, his shoulder slamming into my chestplate, and I grabbed both of his arms, my axe thrown to the side. Pulling him from the ground, I got his face up to mine and hissed.
" Look in my eyes, and tell me everything's not fine." The words escaped me as a growl, and Douxie kicked at my stomach, making me drop him. " This isn't you!" He backed away, and then sent another charade of fire to me.
A shield appeared on my arm and I raised it, protecting my head. I held my palm open and the axe appeared, a scowl etched on my face. My blue eyes were blazing as I charged, my arm behind me.
Douxie laughed, his tone of voice sounding crazed. His staff appeared and our weapons clashed, the sound of metal on metal ringing in the room. True, my axe was sharper than his staff, and true, it was able to cut through most anything, but his staff was magic. He probably enhanced its strength somehow.
He went to stab at my stomach, but I parried the blow and counterstruck, swinging at him with the flat of my blade. I didn't want to kill him, no matter what he had done. No matter who he said he was.
But- I was still confused as I swung again and hardly missed his outstretched hand. He blasted my axe from my hand, but it just materialized right back.
Why had he said his name wasn't Douxie? What did he mean? I dodged a blow from his staff and struck again. Who else could he be? I was so confused and- and lost. If he had never been Douxie, never been the person I thought he was- then who was he?
I hesitated in thought, and he stabbed at my face, hitting my nose. I tumbled backwards, letting the axe drop from my hand. Shrieking in surprise, my feet slipped out from under me and I hit the ground, my back arching in pain.
Douxie stepped over me, his staff pointed at my head. Panic and pain blurred my vision, and adrenaline was pumping through my veins. " Alright Impure. Time for you to go." He hissed, panting. I shrank turning back into a human and was barely missed by another blast of blue fire.
I grabbed both of his legs and pulled, so he fell as well landing on my legs with a grunt. Shoving him away, I scrambled back to my feet. I was exhausted, my body wasn't used to this type of exertion.
Douxie slowly stood, his eyes locked on mine. " Please… don't do this! I-" Beaking off with a yelp, I jumped to the side and hit the floor hard, jumping back to my feet. The wall was scorched black where his attack had hit.
" Douxie- stop!" I yelled.
" I told you already! My name isn't Douxie!" He yelled back, throwing his arms down at his side. Throwing my own up in exasperation, I slammed a foot into the ground. " Then what is it?" He stopped, his face falling for a moment.
" My name-" He inhaled, and I took this short opportunity to lean on my knees. " My name is Mordred."