Chapter 5: Temple of Light
Opening File: Dr. Barbara Lake
Mother of Jim Jake Jr., ex-wife of James Lake Sr., and currently the fiancé of the Troll Changeling Walter Strickler. Barbara works as a full-time doctor at the Arcadia Oaks Hospital. When Jim was 5 her ex-husband James abandoned her and Jim. Because of James abandoning them Barbara returned to college when Jim was young. Since she was so busy trying to graduate medical school after that, Jim was motivated into stepping up and becoming the main caretaker of the house to help her in any way he could.
Originally ignorant of the world of Trolls and magic, she had to relearn about them twice. Now that she is fully aware of them, she has become supportive of her son's activities though she still worries about the safety of both him and his friends.
When either Jim or his friends are injured on a mission, she provides medical aid for them when magic remedies are not needed.
Close File
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Opening File: Stricklander
A Changeling Troll who had once served the Gumm-Gumm Warlord Gunmar. Going by the name Walter Strickler when he had a human form, before the real Walter Strickler was freed from the Dark World, he acted as a history teacher at Arcadia Oaks High School.
After being in conflict with his student Jim Lake Jr. who had become the first human Trollhunter, Strickler would have a change of heart and help Jim and his friends fight Gunmar. Sometime before the final battle with the Arcane Order Stricklander would become engaged with Barbara Lake.
Close File
Xxx
Camelot Castle, Sky Above Arcadia Oaks, Earth
September 24th, 201X
After the encounter with the giant wolf AAARRRGGHH! returned to Camelot immediately to tell the others what had happened. Barbara, Blinky, and Strickler were extremely worried while Nari explained what it was that AAARRRGGHH! and the others saw.
"Garmr is the monster's name." The primordial demigod explained everyone gave their attention to the short woman. "A soulless monster with an insatiable appetite. It was chained up by the Aesir long ago. It is capable of eating both physical and metaphysical things, such as the barriers between realms and the fifth season that came before Spring and after Winter.
"Great grumbly gruesome!" Blinky said as the six-eyed Troll brought his four hands to his face in disbelief.
"How were the Aesir even able to chain it?" Strickler asked as the former Changeling stepped forward.
"Odin commissioned the Dwarves of Niðavellir to create an unbreakable chain made from "impossible" concepts such as a cat's footfall and bird spittle, impossible concepts were not real and thus Garmr had nothing to eat." Nari explained as she used her magic to create a vine and wrapped it around her left arm to emphasize her explanation. "The name of the chain is Gleipnir, which means 'open one.' I can only think of a few things that would be capable of cutting the chain."
"Is there anyway we can find Jim and the others." Barbara asked. She knew that her son and his friends always had to risk their lives to protect the world, but this Garmr was something she didn't think they could handle on their own.
"I'm afraid not." Nari explained. "I can't sense them anywhere on Earth meaning Garmr took them somewhere else in the Nine Realms. Even with my full power unlocked now even I cannot cross worlds."
Everyone looked downtrodden at this explanation. If they couldn't find a way to reach the others, then the best they could do now was to have faith that they could defeat Garmr on their own and find another way back home.
'Jim.' Barbara thought to herself. 'Please come home safe.'
Xxx
Aflheim, Temple of Light Back Entrance
"Okay now you go Jim." Douxie ordered the Trollhunter.
When the group reached the back entrance, they came upon a mechanism that would open the door. Douxie explained that to open the door they had to operate two mechanisms to create a seal that would open the gate. According to Douxie this gate use to be the original gate and was originally made to promote cooperation between the elves by the Vanir god Freyr. The seal was meant to represent the balance of the realm when Freyr was here. Light and Dark, working together in harmony. Already the light was made thanks to Steve operating one mechanism while Jim was busy operating the dark one.
"How does it look?" Jim asked as he finished pushing his mechanism forward creating the dark half of the seal.
"The seal's complete, but something's wrong." Archie said as he perched himself on Douxie's shoulder. "The gate's not opening."
"Wait." Claire said as realization dawned on her. "You said the seal represents the current state of the realm. The realm isn't balanced anymore and from what we've seen the Light Elves are in control."
"You're right." Douxie agreed with the Shadow Sorceress. "Jim pull you're switch back, Steve once the dark in the seal has receded push yours forward again until the seal is completely white."
"Got it." Jim and Steve said at the same time.
"So where is this Freyr guy?" Toby asked. "If he was promoting peace between the elf guys, he doesn't seem to be doing that again."
"The Aesir and the Vanir use to be at war with each other." Douxie explained. "It eventually ended in a peace agreement that was sealed with the Aesir king Odin marrying the Vanir queen Freya, Freyr's own sister. Unfortunately for Alfheim, Freyr couldn't accept his sister's decision to marry Odin. He returned to Vanaheim and left this realm to its fate."
"To be fair…the Aesir did set him on fire that one time." Archie said in Freyr's defense.
"So, Odin is married that Freya?" Jim asked as he stopped pulling his lever once the dark was gone from the seal allowing Steve to operate his lever.
"Myths state that Odin is married to a woman named Frigg." Claire stated.
"They're the same person actually." Archie answered. "Frigg is Odin's pet name for Freya, it means 'beloved' in Norse. And they're no longer married. They had a divorce sometime after their son Baldur demanded that Freya lift the curse, she placed on him."
"What curse?" Toby asked.
"An invulnerability curse." Douxie explained. "Baldur's death is the first sign of Ragnarök's start and Freya doesn't want her son to die so she placed it on him, she unknowingly did Odin's own work for him. But the curse doesn't work the way you think, it takes away your ability to feel anything. You can still get hurt but with the curse you won't feel it and your body will heal from all injuries. The only way to break the curse was with mistletoe but Odin and Freya scoured the realms of that plant leaving it extinct and Baldur doomed to be cursed forever."
"I know parents can be overprotective but that seems to be a bit much." Jim said as Steve finished the seal.
"Okay I'm done." Steve said as he looked at the completely white seal.
"Good work everyone." Archie said as the doors opened. "Through the doors now, they'll close on their own in a few minutes.
The group followed the small dragon's advice and made their way through the door. The room they were now in was dimly lit but was something else entirely. Plant life was everywhere but in a way that was naturally fine metal and marble stone helped decorate the room. But what seemed odd was that at the other end of the room was a Dark Elf statue wearing a Light Elf's golden mask.
"What's a Dark Elf statue doing in the Light Temple?" Claire asked.
"That's just how the elves looked before the division." Archie answered.
"The division?" Toby asked.
"Yes," Douxie explained. "The Elves weren't always split between Light and Dark; you know. This statue depicts them before the war. Before they discovered the power of the Light. The Elves who would become the Light Elves spent so much time around it they eventually changed into what they are now."
"A magical evolution." Jim said upon realization as he kept his hand of Sir-Barks-a-Lots head.
"Exactly." Douxie said as the group made their way through a corridor and came across a large room. The walls were surrounded by plant life, at the base of the room was a lake, and shooting up from the lake was a pillar of light.
"And this is the Light of Alfheim." Archie said.
"And that's the Lake of Souls." Douxie said as he pointed to the lake the light was coming from.
Jim, Claire, Toby, and Steve were left awestruck by what they saw. It was all beautiful.
"And as you already know by now the Light Elves built the temple to harness it's power, they became addicted to it, and Alfheim's forever war began." Douxie said.
Before the group made their move forward a rather loud noise was heard outside. It sounded almost like an explosion.
"Any idea what that was?" Steve asked as he nervously gripped Toothache's handle.
"I don't know but it probably isn't good." Jim said as he detached Excalibur from his back and moved forward with Barks following him. "Come on, we need to keep moving forward and find a way back home."
The rest of the group followed suit not knowing what that sound was.
Xxx
Meanwhile,
Alfheim Forest…
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Roland Deschain wasted no time in his attack on Garmr. The three-story tall wolf monster avoided most of the Gunslingers attacks, Light of All infused bullets amplified by the Seven Chakras of Aura caused explosions in every spot of the forest they landed on. Each explosion cleared away parts of forest leaving craters. Roland eyed the beast wherever it went, Garmr then changed tactics and charged at Roland. The Gunslinger pointed his Sandalwood guns at the Garmr and right when he pulled the trigger the beast fired a colossal blast of ice from its mouth at the Gunslinger. The bullets impacted the ice and created a mist around the Gunslinger. Acting on instinct Roland tried shielding himself, but this left him open from Garmr to grab him in its jaws.
The suddenness of being grabbed caused Roland to drop his guns. Garmr began to savagely shake the Gunslinger around all while trying to press its fangs into him. Thanks to his Aura being stronger than ever Roland was still safe though his Aura was still being damaged. The Gunslinger tried punching the wolf in the face to force it to release him. Roland's punches were doing some damage thanks to his Light of All and Seven Chakras enhanced strength. The wolf had enough and Garmr viciously threw Roland away causing him to crash through several trees and skid across the ground. Using his light wings Roland dug them into the ground allowing him to plant his feet on the surface and slow his skidding until he stopped.
"*huff* *huff* *huff*" Panting from the effort Roland looked back toward were he was thrown from and seeing all the damage he had unintentionally done. "UGGHHH!"
Roland's body began to violently twitch all the while his vision was showing him the other Nine Realms. Jotunheim, Vanaheim, and Asgard were shown to him. But when he saw Asgard he saw a frail old man with an eyepatch over his right eye. Roland could tell that he was far more dangerous than he appeared to be, especially with the ornate staff he held. Roland could tell that the staff held power greater than even Mjolnir.
"You've had a power that was a combination of Gan's Light and the gifts given to the people of your world for a few weeks and you think your already a master at using it." The old man said with a scoff. "If you survive this, I'll be sending my grandkids to bring you to Asgard so we can talk about Garmr's rampage."
Roland, using all the will he could muster, than used both of his hands to hit his armored head making his twitching stop and restored his vision. Panting, he thought about the Light of All. A power that made his strength greater than what it already was, granted him a Light that could smite his enemies, and finally the power cross space and dimensions. That brief moment of his loss of control caused by the pain Garmr inflicted made him see other worlds, and one of their inhabitants spoke to him.
"Odin…" Roland said. The All-Father was already aware of the Gunslinger's presence and wanted to talk to him.
*GROWL!*
Roland looked back at the path he was thrown from and saw the monster approaching. Taking a deep breath Roland summoned his guns back to himself and holstered them on his sides. In his hands he summoned a glimmering steel blade to his right hand and a shield to his left hand. Both monster and Gunslinger stared each other down. The beast growling and the man silent for he had nothing but contempt for this soulless beast.
"AAAGGGHHHH!" Roland yelled as he used his wing to fly straight at the monster and Garmr barked as it charged at the Gunslinger.
Roland brought up the sword and Garmr readied its jaws to bite down once more…
Xxx
Meanwhile,
Inside the Temple of Light…
The group of humans, dragon shapeshifter, and wolf had made their way through the Temple of Light and it was oddly quiet. The group hadn't encountered any resistance from the Light Elves at all despite the fact that this temple was both sacred to them and their capital. They made it to an elevator that was built around the Light of Alfheim. Douxie said that the lift was their way to the top of the Temple, so they activated it, and it began to take them up.
"It's still weird how we haven't run into any of the Light Elves." Claire said.
"I know what you mean." Jim agreed with his girlfriend as he scratched Barks' ears. "We could be walking into a trap."
"You two worry too much." Steve said as he planted Toothache onto the floor and leaned on it. "The Light Elves are probably too busy outside dealing with the Dark Elves."
"Congratulations Steve, you just jinxed us." Toby said with his eyes lowered at the former bully.
"No, I didn't Domzalski." Steve said defensively.
The lift had brought them to the top and the group found themselves on a rather larger floor. They were at the center of it and at one end was a female Light Elf dressed in elegant white robes with gold trimmings. Her legs and face are armored in gold. She was distinguished by her golden crown-like headdress. And in her hands were twin swords made of magical light.
"I told you so Steve." Toby said with a smirk.
"Shut it buttsnack." Steve shot back.
"Let me guess that's Queen Alva." Jim said as Barks growled at the floating Light Elf.
"She looks a lot more intimidating the last time I saw her." Douxie said as he readied his staff.
Alva looked at the group and pointed one of her swords at Jim.
"Face me in battle Trollhunter!"
"What did she say?" Claire asked as she drew her last cutlass.
Douxie turned to Jim and said, "She's challenging you to a one-on-one duel mate."
Jim was surprised but steeled himself. "You guys stay back, you too Barks, I got this."
The Trollhunter and Elf Queen slowly began to approach each other, but that movement turned to charging. The Queen swung her blades and Jim parried with Excalibur. Jim side steps but the Queen was quick to react and swung a blade that sent Jim back causing his Aura to briefly flash. Alva moved back and crossed her swords together and sent a wave of Light Magic in the shape of an Axe at Jim. Jim was still momentarily stunned by the hit he took and was hit by the magic attack.
"Jim!"
"Bark!"
"Come on Jimbo, you can do it!"
"Kick that creeper's butt Lake!"
Jim reoriented himself and saw that Alva had combined her swords into a double blade and used her feet to charge at the Trollhunter. Alva swung the blade multiple times to hit Jim but he was able to block with Excalibur every time.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Jim than sent a wave of Excalibur's at Alva who separated her swords back into two and blocked the attack though she was pushed back and almost lost her footing. Using her magic, she was able to dash forward to Jim and swung again. Jim parried with Excalibur and jumped back while sending forth another wave from Excalibur which forced Alva to dodge.
'I need to end this now!' Jim thought to himself as he gripped Excalibur with both hands and that was when he noticed it. His hands were glowing green!
'What is this?' He thought as he brought his left hand up and saw the glow, upon closer inspection he saw that the glow had strings going through it. He also saw Alva combine her swords again and she threw the double blade at him.
Jim dodged to the right and as he saw the double blade pass him, he saw green energy strings move from his left hand and latch onto the blade. Everyone present was surprised, even the Light Elf Queen. Jim used Alva's surprise against her and as he saw the strings recede to bring the weapon to him, he swung his left arm toward Alva causing the blade to move towards Alva. The strings detach and the weapon is impaled into Alva's chest killing her. Jim placed Excalibur on his back and looked at his hands, the glow disappearing.
"Was that my Semblance?" Jim asked himself.
"Jim!" Claire called out.
Jim turned to see his friends run up to him and Barks nuzzling against his leg.
"Jimbo was that your Semblance?" Toby asked. "Cause let me tell you it was awesome sauce!"
"I think it was." Jim said. "Not really sure how it worked it was sort of like when I made my Half-Troll form's old Semblance work for the first time."
"You used some sort of energy strand their mate." Douxie said with a hand raised to his chin before he started walking for the exit. "Come on we better not dwell on it here, who knows what else could still be guarding the Temple."
"Don't need to me twice bro." Steve said as both him and Toby followed suit.
"Are you coming Jim?" Claire asked her boyfriend.
"Yeah, I'll be right there." Jim said as he looked at his hands again with Barks sniffing them in curiosity, the young wolf not realizing what his owner is thinking.
'Strand. Good name for my Semblance.' Jim thought to himself before him, and Barks followed the others.
Xxx
Top of the Temple of Light…
When the group got outside, they saw that the top of the temple was filled with plants and gorgeous architecture.
"Not what I was expecting the roof of this place to look like." Toby said with a little awe in his voice.
"The Temple of Light's roof was meant to be an outdoor garden to exemplify the beauty of the Light Elves work." Archie said as he got off Douxie's shoulder and used his wings to fly next to the group.
"We should find a good place to see Tyr's Temple over…" Douxie said before he was cut off by a sound.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
The group quietly followed to where the sound was coming from and after coming across a corner, they found a makeshift blacksmith stand with Sindri operating it.
"Sindri?" Douxie and Archie said at the same time upon recognizing the Dwarf.
The Dwarf in question turned around upon hearing his own name and smiled once he saw the two.
"Hisirdoux Casperan and Archibald the dragon." Sindri greeted warmly as he set down his tools. "It's been centuries!"
"I'd say you old germophobe." Archie said as he flew over and landed on Sindri's worktable. "We didn't expect to find an old friend in forsaken realm."
"Germ's? Oh is that what those little beasties are called now." Sindri asked. "Uh, Archie, can you make sure not to-"
"I won't touch your equipment Sindri." Archie said with a rather deadpan look.
"Douxie who is this guy?" Jim asked.
"This Dwarf here is Sindri Huldra." Douxie said as he introduced his friends to the Dwarf. "Him and brother Brok are the ones who made Thor's hammer. He's also the first person to discover germs thanks to the help of a Vanir witch so now he's a germophobe."
"Can't be to certain around those little beasties." Sindri said.
"You and your brother made Mjolnir?" Claire asked in awe.
"One of our finest works though my brother and I aren't happy that its now in the hands of someone who is an even bigger doofus than Thor." Sindri said, Jim and Claire knew he was talking about that Johnny they met during the Crom Cruach Crisis. "Brok really cussed up a storm when he learned the news. So Douxie who are your friends?"
"Right where are my manners." Douxie said. "Sindri this is Jim, Claire, Toby, Steve, and the wolf is Jim's pet Barks."
The adolescent wolf approached the dwarf and started sniffing him though he flinched a little.
"I can tell you mean well boy but try not to get a little too close." Sindri said as he noticed a certain sword on Jim's back. "Is that Excalibur? I take it you're the Jim Lake Jr.?"
"I am." Jim said. "How do you know me?"
"We Dwarves can move between the Nine Realms and Odin's been keeping tabs on Midgard since Baldur's curse was lifted." Sindri said making Douxie and Archie's eyes widen. "I'm sorry to hear about Merlin's death Douxie."
"I'm glad to hear your condolences mate but you said the curse Freya put on Baldur was broken?" Douxie asked. "How is that possible mistletoe's extinct."
"Someone found a way." Sindri said.
"Out of curiosity Sindri why are you in Alfheim?" Archie asked the Dwarf.
"Oh, I'm investigating why Tyr's Temple in this realm isn't working." Sindri explained. "Apparently Odin cursed this realm to keep the Light and Dark Elves from spreading their war to other realms and it will only be broken if they learn to cooperate."
"Wait I thought we needed the Temple to go home." Steve said.
"Looks like we'll have to find another way." Jim said.
"If you need to return to Midgard, I can help with that." Sindri said. "Brok and I are currently working with Freyr, and we found a new way to move around the realms without getting Odin's attention, I can-"
BOOM!
A loud explosion cuts off the Dwarf and everyone goes to the ledge to see what is going on. They see a battle raging on a light bridge leading to the Temple's front entrance. They saw Garmr fighting the armored form of Roland Deschain. Garmr used its front paws to stomp on the ground causing pillars of ice to sprout from the ground almost pushing Roland back. The Gunslinger leaps into the air and the giant wolf opens its mouth and fires an ice blast at him trying to freeze him in the air. Roland strafes around in the air dodging each blast and shoots his guns at Garmr. Four enhanced gunshots hit Garmr in the knees stunning it. Roland holsters his guns and creates a massive spear of Light. He flies higher into the air above the wolf and with all his strength he throws the spear, and it impales Garmr's head. The monster staggers before falling onto its side, no longer breathing.
"Well looks like our job's done." Toby said after seeing Garmr get killed.
Roland lands on the bridges and his armor disappears in a flash of light returning him to his normal form breathing heavily.
"ROLAND!" Jim called out upon him and Claire recognizing the Gunslinger from their first encounter with the Fallen.
The Gunslinger looks up at the Temple's roof upon hearing his name. He creates a Todash portal that brings him to the group. He staggers a bit, but the group helps steady him.
"Thanks." Roland said as he catches his breath.
"Roland, you look younger." Claire said as she and Jim noticed that the Gunslinger didn't look like he was in his fifties anymore before noticing his right hand. "And you got your lost fingers back."
"A lot's happened." Roland said. "I gave up my Semblance for a great power called the Light of All, it made me young again and healed my old wounds, then a week ago I awakened an even greater power that merged with the Light of All. I'm not used to using its full power, yet it takes a lot out of me."
"Well, why were you using it now if you haven't fully mastered it yet?" Jim asked the Gunslinger.
"To kill Garmr." Roland explained. "The god Gan sent me on this mission and now it's complete."
Roland walked away from the group and leaned against a wooden mural. He turned to the group as they began to talk about something else. He breathed deeply before he noticed something. He looked at the mural and saw that upon closer inspection it was a door. He opened it a little and looked inside.
"This is interesting." Roland said after seeing what was inside. He quietly closes the door so he wouldn't get the others' attention. He looked down to see that Jim's pet wolf was right next to him and gave him a confused look. "Let's keep this our secret." Roland said as he petted Barks' head making the wolf bark happily.
"What's going on with Garmr?!" Steve asked urgently.
Roland and Barks returned to the others, and they saw that Garmr was getting back up with all of its wounds healed. The group was stunned, and Sir Barks-a-Lot growled at the monster.
"Oh fuzzbuckets." Douxie cursed.
"I don't get it Roland killed that thing!?" Toby said.
"Garmr's still alive because it doesn't have a soul." Sindri explained. "That's why no one's been able to kill it. I figured maybe Deschain's powers might have been able to succeed."
"But we've killed things without souls before." Jim defended.
"Not against Garmr you haven't." Sindri said.
The giant wolf looked at the group and barked angrily at them before turning around and raising its front paws in the air and bringing them down. A dark portal is created, and it goes through it with the portal closing behind the soulless monster.
"Our job isn't done yet." Jim said to the group. "We're going to need a new plan.
Name: Jim Lake Jr.
Species: Human (Formerly Troll/Human hybrid)
Aura: Green (Formerly Red)
Semblance: Strand (Formerly Spirit Caller)
Jim has discovered that after being returned to human form and the loss of his spirit caller Semblance he now has a new Semblance he now calls Strand. This Semblance allows him to manipulate psychic strings of green energy. As he has just discovered this Semblance he is still learning how to use it.