Chapter Thirteen – Emerging Earthbound Evil

Peppy long since mastered the ability to mask any unease he might feel, which he usually only used to keep the villagers of Troll Valley at peace. However, he and his students could not deny their tension to each other. Even Delta Dawn seemed to be putting extra work into her bending practice. Almost a month had passed since Titan's appearance. There had been no word from the Dragon's Pass, which Peppy took as a sign that Titan hadn't found Rosiepuff yet. But how long would Titan wait to attack again? He would surely come back to Troll Valley to resume his search for Rosiepuff.

"What if Titan is just rampaging across the country, searching for her?" Smidge asked.

"We would know." Peppy said. "Master Kessie, Master Prowlus, and all the other masters Titan possessed spread their story on their way home. Everyone is on high alert until we hear that Rosiepuff has defeated Titan at last. Titan is cowering in a hole somewhere, plotting the next sneaky trick he'll use to fight."

"I wish we could contact the secret village." Cooper said. "I know that kind of defeats the purpose of 'secret,' but it'd be nice to have some good news."

"It would be nice to destroy Titan once and for all." Suki growled. "Why is he even here?"

"Because he feels he has unfinished business." Peppy said. "Doesn't matter if the spirit is good or evil. There are hundreds of stories of spirits who return to the Mortal Realm because of 'unfinished business.'"

"I'm sure Golden Rose will let us know everything is fine." Delta Dawn said. "Can someone escort me to my room? It's hard to pick up vibrations in a giant treehouse."

"I can help you." Peppy offered his cane sword to Delta Dawn, who used it to tap her way around the halls while he nudged her in the right direction. Peppy glanced to Delta Dawn's face, analyzing her expression. "It is all right to be worried. You and Rosiepuff seem to have bonded."

"She's a great teacher, my hero." Delta Dawn said. "She made me an honorary member of her clan and even treats me like family. I'm worried about her."

"I am, too." Peppy admitted. "But we have to remind ourselves that she's a powerful bender, and she has a lot of people backing her up."

"How do we beat a spirit?" Delta Dawn asked. "Even with bending?"

Peppy chuckled in a soft tone. "You know, I think some people fear bending is because it's viewed as this supernatural, mystical power. Perhaps the benders who used their power to harm people also influenced the idea. But, maybe, the way to beat Titan lies in something more than the ability to use a natural element as your weapon. I always like to say it's not about what the warrior has to fight with, it's about the fighting spirit of the warrior."

Delta Dawn hummed. "Maybe your right."

Despite missing their friends, Suki, Cooper, and Smidge tried to go about their normal days. Suki tried to help her friends unlock their elements, to no avail. Cooper and Smidge hid their jealousy by supporting Suki in her training. It was not very often that they didn't have Poppy around, their unofficial leader. It seemed that Smidge and Cooper looked to Suki for leadership, seeing how her bending abilities made her more skilled in battle; and, ergo, higher in rank. In the mornings, they still did their rounds in the village to check for potential danger.

"Hey masters!" a child troll ran up to them one morning.

"Good morning, Keith." Suki greeted. "What's up?"

"Dr. Plum asked me to find you." Keith said. "She's having trouble with a crazy guy."

"What does she want us to do about it?" Cooper asked as the trio of warriors headed for the doctor's office.

"She just said to find you." Keith shrugged. "Something about Miss Rosiepuff?"

Cooper, Suki, and Smidge exchanged confused and worried glances. They thanked Keith and picked up their pace.

"Thanks for coming." Dr. Plum greeted them at the door. "I do not mean to bother you, but this patient I have has been saying things about the spirit issue everyone is stressed about."

"Care to explain?" Suki requested.

"Well, about a week ago, this guy was fished out of the river." Dr. Plum led them further into the office. "He had a stab wound that miraculously wasn't fatal. I think the frigid water might have helped. I stitched him up and wrapped his wound, and he was comatose until last night. He just started ranting and raving about spirits and the Golden Rose and 'he will return to kill her.' Frankly, a little scary. I had to sedate him to get him to sleep again."

"Who is he? Where did he come from?" Smidge asked.

"Not sure. Couldn't get that out of him." Dr. Plum pulled back the curtain of the bed in the corner, revealing a grey-skinned troll with dark pink hair. His chest was wrapped in bandages, and he muttered feverishly.

Suki approached the troll and touched his shoulder. Almost immediately, the troll's eyes flew open and he grabbed her wrist. Suki held up a hand to stop Cooper and Smidge from running to her. "It's okay." Suki soothed. "You're all right. You're safe."

"No…..not safe…she's not safe….." the troll murmured. He sat up fast and then doubled over in pain.

"Don't do that!" Dr. Plum scolded. "You're finally not in danger of dying, so don't screw it up again."

The troll looked around. "Where am I?"

"Troll Valley." Suki said, rubbing her wrist. "Who are you?"

"I am Chaz, the guru for Lake Town." The troll winced and rubbed his torso where Titan stabbed him.

"Lake Town?" Smidge repeated. "That's miles from here!"

"What happened to you?" Cooper asked.

"I was attacked by a spirit who is hunting the Golden Rose Clan." Chaz said. "I tried to stop him, but he escaped and now he's loose and if we don't stop him soon—"

"Slow down." Suki said calmly. "Maybe we should take you to the palace. You can explain everything to us and to our master."

Chaz agreed to this, and the Troll Tree warriors helped him to the palace. Smidge went to find Peppy and Delta Dawn, and everyone gathered in the training area so Chaz could share his story.

"I have helped ghosts before. I helped them move on and journey to the Spirit Realm where they belong. When this ghost came to me, Titan, he was very insistent that I help him gain more power. He even threatened a very good friend of mine to persuade me." Chaz sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I swear, I never would have helped him if he had not taken her. Bliss Marina is my best friend, and I was afraid he would kill her."

"You were faced with a difficult decision." Peppy assured. "Continue."

"I told him that he could become more powerful, have a more solid presence in this world, if he stayed for a full cycle of the moon." Chaz said. "It doesn't give him a lot more power, but it does make him more solid and harder to send back to the Spirit Realm. I tried to stop him from leaving. You can see how well that went."

"I'm glad you survived the ordeal and ended up here to warn us." Peppy said.

"How did you survive, anyway?" Delta Dawn asked.

"I'm a spiritual man who believes the gods work in mysterious ways. When the gods send you a blessing, you don't ask why it was sent." Chaz said. "Tell me: I have heard the rumors, but is it true that there is a living Golden Rose Clan member?"

"She's our bending teacher." Cooper answered. "She's also like family to us, and we're a little protective of her."

"I hope you will be enough." Chaz said. "Is she here? Is she safe?"

"No and yes." Smidge answered both questions at once. "She's with some of her family, off in another village and searching for a way to stop Titan herself."

"And no one knows where she is?" Chaz clarified. "Not even Titan?"

"As far as we know, they're hidden." Peppy said. "Kai showed them some sort of camouflage technique with these painted symbols. Supposedly, it keeps them from being seen by ghosts. We anticipate Titan returning to Troll Valley first to find out where Rosiepuff went."

Chaz nodded slowly. "I wish to stay until he does arrive. I can help you prepare, put up charms and carve symbols that should keep the ghost from the palace."

"What if we didn't worry about keeping him out?" Delta Dawn suggested. "If Titan doesn't know where Golden Rose is, he's going to interrogate us first, the people closest to her and who would know where she had gone. Maybe what we need to do is draw him out."

"What are you thinking?" Suki asked.

"I'm thinking we don't want him to do to us what he did to Lake Boy." Delta Dawn said. "If we were far enough from the village, creating enough noise to draw attention to us, Titan would come straight to us instead of finding some poor sap to use as bait or leverage against us."

"That's crazy!" Chaz gawked. "Your blindness must've muddied your senses if you think attracting this ghost is a good idea! Are you saying you wish to proceed as though you were a swimmer with an open wound in a pond of piranha?"

"As insane as it sounds, I think Delta Dawn is onto something." Suki said. "We're some of the best warriors in this area. Master Peppy, Delta Dawn, and I have bending abilities, which makes us stronger."

"I think it's also safe to say we're willing to make sacrifices for the safety of our family." Cooper added.

Peppy twisted his mustache between two fingers, thinking. "I think everyone is right. We must consider the safety of the people of Troll Valley. We understand our enemy. Titan is hellbent on eradicating the last of the Golden Rose Clan. That's always been his main focus. When he possessed our comrades-in-arms, they were always trying to get to her. Titan does not care about anything else. However, we have seen that he will go to great lengths to ensure his mission is complete. He is going to come here. That much, we know for certain. All we can do is hold him off, try to defeat him, and do what we can to keep him from our friend. Yes, Chaz, we are willing to die for her. If you are not, we do not blame you. You do not have the same connection with her. Suki, send a message via arrow to our neighbors and ask them to keep watch over the village while we are away."

"Via arrow?" Chaz repeated in confusion.

"The kung fu masters in this country set up a message system using archers." Suki explained. "We can send messages to each other through these chains. In fact, with my air-bending, I think I can send the arrow all the way to our friends."

"Good." Peppy nodded. "We will leave as soon as they arrive."

"You are all insane!" Chaz snapped.

"You can help us fight or you can help us defend our home." Peppy said. "We appreciate you passing on the information about Titan."

Once their allies arrived and secured the safety of Troll Valley, Peppy led Suki, Cooper, Smidge, and Delta Dawn outside the boundaries of the valley. They went to a place often called the Valley of Stones, so named because it was a wide, flat field littered with boulders.

"This is perfect." Delta Dawn smiled. "So many rocks to throw!"

"And it's far enough from the valley that everyone will be safe." Peppy said. "Now start practicing. Make some noise."

Everyone paired up and tried to act like it was a normal training session. But they were too on edge, and all they could focus on was preparing for a big fight. Delta Dawn constantly paused in her practice to feel for Titan's coming, even though she knew a ghost could sneak up on her without a problem. When night began to fall, the other warriors often looked to her to determine if anyone was coming.

"You should get some rest." Peppy told his students. "I will keep watch."

"Can't sleep. Too stressed to sleep." Cooper said.

"With all due respect, Master, we would rather not be caught off-guard by Titan." Suki said.

"Then meditate. Do not allow your senses to be clouded by your worries or sleepiness." Peppy tensed, and he drew his sword. Everyone readied their weapons and took their stances.

"Wait, don't shoot!" Chaz called. "It's me!"

"What made you change your mind?" Peppy asked.

"It occurred to me that you do not have the ghostly knowledge I possess, no pun intended, and I thought I should help." Chaz said.

"And you're terrified of this thing becoming an earthbound demon." Delta Dawn added.

"Of course I am! Besides, he attacked my home, hurt my friend, and tried to kill me. Nobody does that and gets away with it!" Chaz had his saxophone ready.

"Don't get too excited." Smidge said. "First, he has to find us."

"And I have."

Everyone tensed up this time, and they spun around with their weapons ready as Titan's spectral figure drifted towards them. He looked to each warrior in turn. "I thought that, by following you, I would find the Golden Rose. But you've only led me to these demon-lovers."

"You followed me?" Chaz growled.

"Don't feel bad. He uses everyone." Cooper said.

"The Golden Rose is gone, far away from here where you cannot find her." Peppy told Titan. "I would recommend you go in peace."

"I really do not want to harm any of you." Titan said. "I'm certain you want to dispel the dark spirits from this world, as I do."

"You are using a noble pursuit to mask your murderous acts." Peppy said. "You did not make the world pure. You stained the dirt with the blood of innocents."

Titan sighed, as though he were a father exhausted by his children. "Very well. I'm going to have to kill you now."

"Bring it on." Delta Dawn launched a couple boulders towards Titan's voice, but he avoided them. Titan shot into battle, drawing his sword. Peppy parried his blows, and Titan pushed him away to block Chaz's strike. Suki fired an arrow, and Titan ducked and flipped Chaz over his shoulder. Cooper and Smidge tried to attack at once, but Titan swung his sword at Cooper and threw his head at Smidge. Both of them jumped back to avoid the strikes. Titan's head floated back to his shoulders, and the battle continued. Suki threw a punch, creating a blast of air that sent Titan flying.

"Delta Dawn, we could use some earth-bending help." Suki said.

"I don't want to hit you guys, and Titan doesn't send vibrations in the ground that I can sense." Delta Dawn said.

"I'll help." Cooper stood beside Delta Dawn. "Okay, move two inches to the left and shoot a rock, straight ahead!"

Delta Dawn launched another rock, and it hit Titan in the chest and pushed him back. He kept coming, resuming the battle. Chaz used his saxophone like a staff. Smidge used the extent of her kung fu knowledge, even picking up the boulders nearby and throwing them. Peppy had his sword, and he carefully shot fire to prevent catching the grass at his feet. Cooper stuck by Delta Dawn's side, helping her earth-bend. Suki used her signature bow and her new air-bending skills. However, with the exception of Chaz, none of them had ever fought a ghost before. Titan could dodge blows or make it so strikes when right through him. He was a skilled warrior in life, and he clearly had not lost his touch after death. The battle was a bitter stalemate. Chaz tried to use charms against Titan, but few were effective, which only increased his fears.

Titan telekinetically lifted a few rocks and threw them. Everyone scattered, and Suki lunged back into the fight first. She swung her bow like a staff, and Titan blocked her strike. They stayed locked in that position, pushing against each other in a fight for control.

"Why do you defend her?" Titan demanded.

"She's family to me." Suki growled. "And I don't like people who threaten my family."

"She is a demon and must be destroyed." Titan said. "Besides, you cannot beat me. You have no way of sending me back to the Spirit Realm."

"We'll find a way." Suki jumped back, loading an arrow into her bow. "I would rather die fighting, keeping you away from the people I love, than allow you to harm them."

"You will die, then." Titan warned.

"Then I will drag you to the Spirit Realm with me!" Suki shot the arrow.

Titan stepped aside and watched the arrow fly past him. He looked to the lightening horizon. He grinned at Suki. "So be it."

As everyone returned to the fight, Chaz saw the sunlight peek over the horizon. He gasped. "No…."

As soon as the light hit Titan, he was consumed by a glow. Everyone recoiled, watching in shock as the rocks and dirt below crawled up Titan's body and covered him. The figure developed leathery grey skin, glowing red eyes, pointed teeth, and pitch-black hair. Titan's armor reformed, made from pebbles that fused together and then stuck to him. More rocks and pebbles became a stone sword for him to use.

"Is this the 'turning into a demon' thing you warned us about?" Cooper gulped.

"Yes." Chaz breathed. "He is an earthbound demon, with a full body and everything."

"That means I can feel him. Now, I can do this!" Delta Dawn shot a tidal wave of rocks, which knocked Titan off his feet. "We can't stop fighting."

"No, wait!" Peppy stopped his students. "We need a new plan."

"Think fast, because he's coming!" Chaz warned.

Peppy looked around. The forest was too far away. There were only boulders all around them. "Delta Dawn, can you get us underground?"

"Uh, sure." Delta Dawn said, sounding puzzled.

"On my signal." Peppy said. "Suki, launch him back!" Suki used her air-bending to send Titan flying again.

"That's going to make him madder." Smidge warned.

"Delta Dawn, get us underground!" Peppy ordered quietly.

Delta Dawn suddenly understood, and she used her earth-bending to get everyone ten feet down. She covered the new hole she made, casting them into darkness.

"I can't see a thing down here!" Smidge complained.

"Oh no, what a nightmare!" Delta Dawn said sarcastically.

"Sorry." Smidge said. "But what good are we down here?"

"Here, we can have a moment to discuss the plan." Peppy said in a hushed voice. "We have to trust that Kai has helped Rosiepuff, Poppy, and Branch to find a solution for defeating Titan. It was foolish to think we could prevent a fight between Titan and his prey. So, you all need to run. Escape, and find the secret village."

"While you do what? Fight Titan yourself?" Suki demanded. "We are not going to repeat the Creek problem."

"We do not have time to argue this!" Peppy snapped. "Rosiepuff needs to know that Titan is stronger and going to find her eventually. I can distract Titan while you all escape."

"I think I can get us closer to the forest, where we'll have more cover." Delta Dawn said. "But he's going to hear that."

"That's all right. The moment you get the chance, run. I will keep him occupied. Chaz will help you move without being detected by Titan." Peppy said.

"With all due respect, Master, I do not agree with this." Suki said.

"You do not have to agree with it. You only need to do as I say." Peppy ordered.

"But you can't—"

"Having the ability to bend an element does not make your rank higher than mine!" Peppy hissed.

"I am only trying to keep the people I care about safe!" Suki almost shouted. "I'm tired of watching my family risk their lives when there's usually a better way!"

Peppy sighed through his nose. "Who says I'll be killed?" Nobody answered. It was hard to see anyone's expressions, yet each warrior sensed what the others felt. Peppy cleared his throat. "Delta Dawn, get us as close to the forest as possible."

"Everyone, find a wall and follow it." Delta Dawn ordered. "Once you see daylight, run right for the forest."

Everyone found a wall, and they heard rocks move as Delta Dawn created a longer tunnel. The moment they could, they ran/stumbled down the tunnel. Very suddenly, the roof broke open and the sunlight streamed through. Peppy's eyes adjusted first, and he leapt out of the hole to beat Titan back. Their swords clashed while Delta Dawn helped the others exit the hole.

"To the forest!" Cooper called. "Hurry!"

Titan tried to get around Peppy, but he would not let the demon pass him. Their weapons bounced off each other, the sharp sound piercing the morning air.

"You are beginning to irk me." Titan growled.

"Well, you've been irking me since you started attacking my friends, so I guess we're even." Peppy mocked.

"If you do not leave me to my mission, I will punish you severely." Titan warned. "Even my soldiers suffered punishment when they disobeyed me. Discipline, honor, purity. Those were the values I followed, what I expected from my men. We had a noble quest—"

"What is so noble about killing other trolls?" Peppy demanded. "All you ever did was demonize people who were different from you. Why?"

"Cortez was right about the benders." Titan said. "They deserve to be destroyed. If you sympathize with them, it makes you no better. Surrender now and tell me where the Golden Rose is, or you will die."

Peppy twirled his sword skillfully. "I choose death over selling out my friends."

"So be it." Titan lunged once more, and he aimed to kill. Peppy managed to parry the blows, and he hoped the others managed to escape. Titan still had his telekinetic powers, which he tried to use to his advantage. But where had the experience of a soldier, Peppy had the years of a kung fu master.

"You seem to be slipping." Peppy noted as he disarmed Titan. "Did you forget mortal beings can tire?"

"Did you forget that demons have other powers?" Titan snarled, and fur appeared on his back while his nails lengthened to claws. His back curved a bit, and his face took on wolfish features. The beastly demon jumped towards Peppy, who dove to one side and rolled to his feet again. When he turned to face Titan, he found the demon disappeared. Peppy strained for any sound of Titan's footsteps. He flinched and squinted against the sunrise in his eyes.

Then, Titan appeared and landed on his back. The beastly demon clamped his teeth onto Peppy's shoulder. Peppy shouted and struggled to get the beast off him. He heard what sounded like a blade puncturing flesh, and Titan screeched in pain. Peppy fell backwards and Titan fell off him. But he gritted his teeth when Titan accidentally stomped on his ankle and broke it. Peppy looked up and his eyes widened at the sight of Suki clinging to Titan's back with her dagger plunged into his shoulder. Titan's beast features reversed, and he grabbed Suki by her hair. He yanked her off his back and threw her into the boulder beside Peppy. She landed on her feet, but Titan pulled Suki's dagger from his shoulder and thrust it into her torso. He pinned her to the boulder behind her, and he stomped his foot on Peppy's back to keep him on the ground.

"You know, this is a special way of stabbing I learned when I was only a common soldier. I used to save this for my enemies, always keeping them close by so I could watch them suffer." Titan told Suki, who writhed in his tight grip. "I hit just the right place for you to bleed to death inside. It will be slow and painful. You will die of blood loss in about five days." He twisted the knife, and Suki screamed. "Now, you'll bleed to death in three days."

"Leave her alone!" Peppy tried to rise, but Titan shoved him down again.

"I think I have a little time. Perhaps I will stay here and watch you choke on your own blood." Titan mused. "Then, your body can be my message to Golden Rose."

"Not this time!"

Chaz swung his saxophone like a bat and hit Titan's head. Titan's head didn't come off this time, but the blow distracted him long enough for Peppy to twist himself out from under Titan's foot. Smidge punched Titan in the face. Cooper kicked Titan with his back legs, and Titan went flying. Delta Dawn launched several boulders at Titan, burying him.

"Let's move!" Cooper ordered. "Come on!"

Peppy scooped up Suki and tried to run, but he forgot about his broken ankle. So, Delta Dawn tossed him and Suki on her back and everyone ran for the trees.

Titan shoved the boulders off him, injured but not defeated yet. His opponents were gone. "Run, then. My mortal body will heal, and I will find you. Give the Golden Rose my warning: her time on this earth is limited."

Once they were sure they were far enough away, the warriors stopped. Chaz carved symbols into the dirt, hoping to keep them hidden and protected from any and all spirits. Peppy slid off Delta Dawn's back and laid Suki on the ground. She wheezed, clutching her bleeding side.

"What part of my plan was confusing to you?" Peppy demanded, tearing off strips of his vest to wrap her wound.

"I remember…..when you once…taught us…..no troll….left….behind….." Suki winced.

Peppy looked to the others. Everyone had an injury of some kind, but his and Suki's were the worst. "Master?" Smidge piped up. "What do we do? Go back to the valley?"

"No." Peppy said.

"But Suki needs a doctor!" Cooper said.

"Frankly, we all do." Smidge pointed out. "But you and Suki need medical attention and fast!"

"Dr. Plum won't be able to save her!" Peppy said. "She needs something more powerful. We need Rosiepuff."

"I agree." Delta Dawn said. "Golden Rose needs to know about Titan's new form and powers."

"How do we find the secret village?" Cooper asked. "Even if we make it up the Dragon's Pass, it's long and treacherous and we wouldn't know where to start."

"Kai did say there were scouts up there, redirecting travelers." Peppy said. "We can call out to them, let them know we're friends."

"I can find the village." Delta Dawn offered. "At least, I think I can. As long as there's earth or rock nearby, I can sense the vibrations of a village."

"It's a long shot, I know." Peppy made sure Suki's makeshift bandages were secure. "But it's her only shot at survival."

"As you wish, Master." Smidge nodded.

"We need to be fast, but safe." Chaz said. "I know the symbols needed to hide our trail from spirits."

"I can carry Chaz and Smidge." Cooper offered. "Delta Dawn, can you carry Master Peppy and Suki?"

"Not a problem." Delta Dawn nodded. "Hurry!"

Peppy cradled Suki in his arms and hopped onto Delta Dawn's horse half, holding onto her shoulders. Chaz helped camouflage everyone and joined Smidge on Cooper's back. Peppy glanced to Suki, who had passed out and whimpered in her sleep.

Father, please help us. Peppy prayed. I tried to ask for so little after you died. I tried to solve my own problems. But I need your help. Please. My students are meant to outlive me. I can't lose another one. Guide us to Rosiepuff.

Everyone jumped at the bright light that appeared on the ground. The light stretched into a trail that disappeared into the forest.

"Follow the light!" Peppy ordered. "My father is helping us."

"Grandmaster Ryu?" Cooper asked hopefully.

"Let's move!" Delta Dawn urged. She and Cooper galloped away with their friends. The symbols and charms Chaz used would most surely keep them hidden from Titan.

Unfortunately, nobody noticed the small blood trail Suki accidentally left behind.