I am back again with another chapter! I took along time and I rewrote the chapter too many times then I would like to admit, but eventually I just thought screw it. Perfection is getting to my head and it's ruining the fun, so I am going to try en let go if it. This might mean that there will be some inconsistencies, but I will try to keep the main story line steady. That being said, here is chapter 14! Enjoy!
The trollhunter and the assassin silently stood in a forgotten alleyway of Arcadia Oaks. A light drizzle fell down on them as a thick layer of clouds above them hid away all the stars of the night. Both of the hunters stared at an old, wooden door. It was painted red and decorated with old, Celtic symbols, it's design oddly standing out in comparison to the worn down brick walls of the alleyway.
Not that any non-magical human could see the door. Merlin had enchanted the entrance in a way that an average mortal would only see another pair of old bricks with some unprofessional graffiti sprayed onto it. Nobody would find it, if that somebody did not know of its existence. It was a simple and effective spell but Merlin obviously still kept the door tightly locked in case unwanted magical intruders planned to enter.
That unwanted, magical intruder happened to be Angor Rot, his golden irises scanning the ancient sigils on the wooden door.
'Are you sure he won't notice you?' Jim asked with some uncertainty in his voice, his armoured hands on his sides as he looked at the assassin next to him. Although barely noticeable because of the trollhunters red glowing armour, a ring with a crimson ruby was placed securely on his finger.
Angor had been anything but amused by the idea of the ring getting a temporarily new owner. He had experience enough times of being pawned off from person to person, but seeming the circumstances, it gave them the biggest chance of succeeding in stealing the green emerald from Merlin. The stone was a crucial part in creating a portal to the soul and the old wizard was the only known person to possess one. So for the first time, him and the trollhunter had to work together.
It had been the assassin's own idea to infiltrate Merlin's lair, because when it came to stealth and knowledge of magical artefacts, he had the best chance to get by unnoticed. Obviously they couldn't send Draal with him. The guard was a skilled fighter, but he wasn't exactly silent or subtle. Combined with his bright blue hair and giant physique, it would only take seconds for the wizard to notice him. Draal also couldn't simply visit and distract the wizard, because Merlin would automatically assume that Angor would be there too, refraining the assassin from doing his job.
Draal had agreed with the plan, even if his face told a whole different story. The guard pushed on that he wanted to join in on the mission, not liking the fact that he was unable to help. He seemed especially worried about letting Angor out of his sight, holding himself responsible for the prisoner. Not that the guard openly talked about it, but his eyes wouldn't leave Angor as he watched the trollhunter and the prisoner walk away from the lake house. Angor had simply avoided looking the guard in the eye at all. He had to keep his walls up, not wanting the anxiety of someone else holding the ring to take over. The whole reason they switched owners would eventually work in Angor's favor, but the lingering dread of being at the mercy of the trollhunter stayed inside the assassin. He didn't know what the boy was capable off. The hunter was young and the assassin doubted that the kid was aware of what it meant to wear the ring. He sure didn't the last time he held the inferna copula. Or when the boy locked him up in the prison house… Still, Angor had to keep it under control. Defeating the Pale lady was top priority. His own experience was not.
The best option was to give the trollhunter the ring. The boy often visited Claire in the evening, as she was helping Merlin research anyway, so it wouldn't raise any suspicion if Jim entered the lair. Angor would keep himself hidden and sneak in. There probably would be a few magical barriers inside, but the assassin wasn't that worried about them. He had his way of getting passed them unnoticed. Not that he told the trollhunter how. Like hell that he was going to openly discuss the tricks up his sleeve with the boy. All the kid needed to know was that; yes, he would get in unnoticed.
Angor silently nodded at Jim his question, folding his arms as he stared at the door. ' Keep the wizard occupied, I will do the rest.'
'Alright.' Jim replied with a soft sigh, taking a step forward towards the red door, lifting up his hand into a loose fist. 'Here goes nothing.'
The trollhunter knocked on the wood twice, before stepping back and waiting for it to open. When he looked to his right, the assassin had vanished from sight. Jim blinked a moment in surprise, not expecting the assassin to disappear that soon. The boy did not get another second to linger on the thought as he heard the red door creak open. Quickly, Jim looked back to the door, seeing Merlin stand in front of the entrance with an unamused expression.
'Want to see Claire again?' the wizard grumbled with a furrowed eyebrows, staring at the boy. ' How you kids get any work done amazes me.'
'Hi Merlin! That's right, I err… can't disappoint the misses, you know.' Jim awkwardly replied, rubbing the back of his head with his hand as he did his best to convincingly smile back at the wizard.
'So it seems…' Merlin sighed, not looking that convinced at the boy. Still, the wizard stepped back, giving the trollhunter space to enter his lair. 'This is why I never married.' The old man added with a low grumble.
Jim wanted to ignore the old man's remark, but it was the perfect opportunity to give the assassin some wiggle room to sneak passed the wizard. Not that Jim knew where Angor was at the moment, but he couldn't be far. With some fake interest, the trollhunter curiously raised an eyebrow at Merlin. ' I didn't know you used to date.'
Unexpectedly, the deep frown of the wizard faded, replaced by an amused chuckle as his eyes suddenly looked into a passed long gone. ' I had my fair share of maidens back in the day. Wonderful women they were, but a lot of maintenance.' Slowly, he raised his brows, his eyes widening a bit like he revisited a traumatic memory. 'Especially Lucinda…'
'Oh err- she sounds like a real piece of work!' Jim was able to force out of himself, feeling anything but comfortable to talk about this subject with the old man. Still, his plan was effective, distracting the wizard for a good few seconds. While the old man was lost in his memories, Jim quickly glanced into the end of the hallway, seeing Angor pop out his head from the left corner, signalling the trollhunter that he had successfully entered. Jim tried to hide his surprise, wondering how the assassin had managed to get in.
'She was.' Merlin mused, stroking his beard as he nodded in agreement. 'Always wanted me to- wait, this does not concern your young ears! Stop wasting my time and get in.' he suddenly grumbled, letting go of his beard, motioning the kid to enter, the frown finding its way back on the old man's face.
He did not have to tell the trollhunter twice as the trollish hybrid scurried inside with a huge relieve, walking through the hallway, heading towards the library. When he entered, he saw Claire sitting at her usual spot behind a small desk, reading a thick, old leathered book. When she looked up, Jim gave her a quick wink. Claire returned an excited smile, knowing too well what was happening. Phase one of operation emerald had succeeded.
Angor moved through the workstation with silent and careful steps, passing a few tables filled with various colored potions and ingredients. In the far corner he could hear the bubbling sound of one concoction boiling inside of a cauldron hanging inside a fireplace. First he kept most of his focus on the noise the wizard and the hunter made as they walked into the library across the hall, but when it appeared that they were fully distracted, he started his search.
It had taken the assassin no magical effort to get into the lair. Sneaking passed humans was the easiest thing to do, because those hairless apes only had a visual field of around 180 degrees. Include the fact that Merlin was old, making his senses even worse, the assassin easily sneaked passed him. Angor had analysed the wizards capabilities centuries ago, when he wanted to kill the old man in the hope that the Pale lady would set him free. This turned out to be an extremely foolish thing to do on Angor's part, he openly admitted, because even through the assassin's efforts, the wizard still managed to lock him up. What Angor did realize was that centuries later, Merlin had gotten old, his bodily senses degraded, acting slower then he used to. The old man's magic abilities were as keen as always, but Angor simply did not have to use magic and the whole problem of getting by unnoticed was solved. Sometimes the simple things worked the best.
Scanning through the endless objects that Merlin possessed, the assassin searched for the emerald that was able to rip his bloody soul apart. How things had changed the last few months, suddenly becoming the trollhunters errand boy… Shaking his head, he quickly discarding the thought. He had to be quick, every second he wasted increased the risk of Merlin walking into the room. He walked through the room, searching through the rubble without touching to many objects, not intending on leaving any evidence of his little visit.
His patience started to crumble when the minutes started to add up and he still hadn't found it. He started to think that it wasn't in Merlin's work station, so that meant it had to be in the library or the old man's sleeping quarters. The assassin stealthily opened the door of the workstation, entering the hallway. He headed towards the man's bedroom first, still hearing the voices of Merlin and the kids in the library.
'So Lucinda, huh?' he could hear Claire curiously ask the old man through the door.
'That is of no interest to you, fair Claire.' Merlin's voice objected.
'Oh yes it is! Spill the tea!' the girl objected with a laugh, clapping her hands as she pushed the wizard to keep talking.
The assassin rolled his eyes, wondering how they kept the old man occupied with such simple conversation, but he moved on, opening the door to the bedroom. It was a small room, with simple furniture and a single, neatly tidied up bed. It seemed the wizard kept all of his clutter inside of his other rooms, keeping his sleeping quarters calm and neutral. The assassin carefully opened various drawers, scanning through the clothes and objects, but still to no avail. The only information he now gained was that the old man only wore white, woolen socks and that the woman called 'Lucinda' occasionally still wrote him letters. Angor assumed that the woman was a witch. No ordinary human could survive centuries of waiting for the old man to reply their letters. Or have the patience for that matter…
Putting the letters back, Angor stood up, deciding that this room was a waste of his time. With a soft sigh, the assassin opened the door again, entering the hallway. Placing his back against the wall, he waited next to the entrance of the library, listening to the conversation. He had to enter the room unnoticed, but he had to make sure that Merlin wasn't facing the door, or he definitely would see it open. The assassin doubted that the old man allowed ghosts to enter his lair, so he had to avoid any noise or movement to be noticed.
The good thing was that he did not have to wait long, as the door got thrown open and the wizard walked out of the library. The bad thing was that the wizard walked out of the bloody library, straight passed Angor. Keeping himself dead silent, he stared with wide eyes at the back of the wizard crossing the hallways towards the workstation.
' You kids are too nosy! I'm going back to work. Do not disturb me.' The old man complained as he walked towards the workstation.
Before the old man could turn around and close the door behind him and notice Angor standing in the hallway, the assassin took a few swift steps, entering the library with rapid speed. Holding in his breath, he once again placed his back against the wall, this time inside of the room, tensely waiting for the wizard to close the door.
The assassin's eyes fell on the hunter and girl, both sitting behind the desk, staring at him with big, shocked eyes, realizing that the assassin almost got caught. He glared back at them, indicating that they had nothing to worry about. Not because he felt a sting in his pride as the children witnessed him almost messing up. Nope, it was simply that infiltration included risks and Angor obviously was fully aware of them. Hearing the door of the workstation close, the assassin immediately continued his search, walking to the far back of the library to keep himself away from sight.
'So…' Claire started, trying to act casual and keep the conversation going, although her eyes where still following the assassin. ' How was your day Jim?'
' Nothing special, but I'm glad that I'm here.' Jim replied, standing up from his chair and walking towards the door to close it, hoping to give the assassin a bit more cover that way.
Both the kids kept talking like nothing was going on as Angor kept rummaging through the shelves and closets. His scowl deepened when he still hadn't found the emerald. Where the hell did that old man keep it?
He stopped his rapid search when he suddenly heard a faint whisper behind him. He cautiously turned around to look at the direction of the mysterious sound. He stared at an average closet that he already had searched through, but this time he gave it more attention. Something inside of him told him that the whispers where the direction he needed to go. It pulled him towards the closet, but this time, the assassin crouched down and laid on his stomach, to look under it. On first sight, Angor could only see dust collecting itself in the shadows, but his instincts told him there was something more. He reached out his hand under the closet, closing his eyes as he listened to the faint whispers. After feeling around the dust and little rubble, his hand bumped into something solid, the whispers increasing, a sudden excitement in its voices as Angor grabbed the invisible object with his hand.
Pulling it out from under the closet, he noticed that the object had a glamour over it, making it invisible. It seemed the wizard agreed that sometimes the simple things worked best. If it wasn't for the mysterious whispers, the assassin would've looked right passed the object. With a swift motion, Angor lifted the spell. A black, obsidian box appeared in his hand, old sigils carved into its surface. Narrowing his eyes, the assassin let his fingers trace over the material, trying to sense another safeguard, but after a quick search, he could find no such thing. Deciding to try his luck, he placed his hand on the lid, opening it.
The assassin's eyes slightly widened when he saw what was inside, it's green glow reflecting in his eyes. In the black, obsidian box he saw the emerald green hand of Morgana, radiating a soft, pulsating glow. It's fingers where slightly crooked, like the hand was ready to cast any enchantment the Pale lady wanted. For a moment, the assassin was distracted by the artificial hand, the whispers increasing as he hazily stared at it.
As his eyes scanned the smooth, green artifact, he noticed that a piece of her thumb was missing, like someone had broken it off. The size of the missing piece looked as similar as the green emerald that Merlin used on the night of the soul search. It seemed that Angor did not find the thing he was looking for, but found it's source instead.
Angor shook his head, closing his eyes for a few seconds as he closed the box. The hand explained why the whispers lured him towards it, or the Pale ladies soul to be exact. Her magic still lingered in the object. It was perfect for his plan to create a soul portal, but it was better to get out of here and put the hand away somewhere safe and distant from himself, feeling the unease of Morgana's call for him.
Standing up, he quickly put the box into the backpack he had borrowed from the hunter before they started the mission. Glanced behind the bookshelf, he checked if the coast was clear. When he did not hear any sounds of Merlin approaching the library, he walked towards the hunter and the girl.
'Did you find it?' Jim softly whispered, looking a bit nervous. He never was that good in acting like nothing was out of the ordinary.
Angor gave him a quick nod, motioning his hand to tell the boy that they should get out of here as soon as possible. Claire took that as her cue, following the plan to lead them towards the entrance.
' Bummer that you have to go already, Jim. I'll walk you out!'
With a bit of surprise and disbelieve by how well it went, Jim and the assassin walked out of the alleyway, the hand securely hidden in the assassin's backpack.
' I can't believe how easy that was!' Jim laughed, putting his hands in the air in excitement. ' You were like a ghost in there!'
The assassin shrugged his shoulders. There never had been much room for failure in his line of work, but yeah, it went smoothly, if he thought about it. ' Part of the job.' He simply replied as they turned the corner. The drizzle had stopped, a chilly breeze remaining while both hunters walked on the sidewalk.
' Trollhunter!'
Jim's eyes immediately widened when he heard Merlin's voice call for him, his heart skipping a beat when he heard the armoured footsteps of the old man walk out of the alleyway. In a blink of an eye, the assassin vanished out of sight, just before Merlin turned the corner.
The wizard spotted Jim not that far away, standing alone on the side walk with an uncomfortable grin on his face. Walking towards him, he huffed with annoyance.
' Did your mother not teach you that it is considered rude to leave without saying goodbye to the owner of the house?' Merlin grumbled as he approached to boy.
Jim doubted that the wizard owned the building he occupied, but to avoid suspicion, the boy apologized. 'Sorry, Merlin. Busy times, you know how it is.'
Merlin simple grunted, giving the boy another bothered look, before discarding Jim's behaviour for simple 'teenage issues', crossing his arms as he spoke. ' Anyhow, I need you to carry some heavy equipment for me. I don't like to admit it, but my bones cannot handle the same amount like they used to.'
' You don't say.' Jim uncomfortably replied, feeling the unease of having to enter the lair again when Angor still was somewhere in a 25 feet radius around them. The boy couldn't simply decline the wizard's request. The trollhunter had to answer every call. ' Let's head back inside then.'
Merlin raised a fuzzy brow, like the boy told him something completely ludicrous. ' Inside? The equipment I am talking about would never fit inside my office. No, we are going to my storage room!'
Jim tensely bit his lip, running a hand through his hair as he tried to keep his posture. ' W-where exactly is this storage room?'
With a swift click of the old man's finger, a luminous green portal in a form of a door appeared behind him. ' A different dimension of course. Where else do you think I keep my things?'
The trollhunters eyes widened, feeling his stomach drop as he stared at the portal, nailed to the ground. Well… shit.
Merlin impatiently sighed as he stared at the boy's big surprised eyes. Such weird creatures, teenagers. Turning around he headed towards the portal, trying to quicken the pace. ' Come along, boy.'
' Y-yeah.' Jim muttered, keeping an eye on the back of the wizard, before he lifted both of his hands and grabbed the glowing red ring around his finger. Walking towards the portal, Jim pulled the ring off, taking one deep, regretful breath in before dropping it on the floor. The enchanted jewellery tinged a couple of times on the pavement, before rolling to a stop behind the trollhunter.
'I'm sorry.' Jim softly whispered behind him, before stepping through the portal. The green door immediately vanished after the trollhunter passed through, leaving Angor and the ring behind on the empty sidewalk.
Angor had been staring at the ring in silence for a good few minutes, the sudden change of events taking a while to settle in his mind. He simply stood there on the pavement, eyeing the jewellery reflecting the street lights, the chilly wind floating passed him. Under normal circumstances, Angor would've noticed the goosebumps growing on his skin, denying the fact that Draal maybe was right that he should've worn a jacket outside in the cold autumn night, but his mind was fully focused on the ruby lying a few feet away from him. The mission and the emerald hand in his backpack where completely forgotten, like it's importance just left with the hunter through the portal.
He barely could believe it, but after weeks of imprisonment by the ring he was finally alone. There was no cautious eye monitoring him, fearing that the assassin may suddenly attack them. No speeches, orders or complains about his behaviour. Obviously he knew he wasn't completely free, still being bound to the ring, but the silence that surrounded him almost felt nostalgic. The assassin wasn't even mad at the hunter for leaving the ring behind. Strategically it was the logical thing to do to still let the mission succeed. It was hard to be angry when it also suddenly provided Angor with the solitude he had longed for since he entered the Lake house.
Still, now that he finally had it, he found himself lost on what to do. Maybe he should've been excited about this. This was what he wanted right? Finally take control of the wheel. The first thought was to grab the ring and bold. Get the hell out of this forsaken town, gather some weapons along the way and go in search of the Pale lady. She wanted him to find her anyway, so it wouldn't be that much of a challenge to figure out her location. The problem was that Morgana still had control over him. If he went out there with no one to stop him if the witch decided to take him over, his chances of defeating her would drastically drop. If he followed the plan he had with the trollhunters, if he was lucky, he could find her as well. He already had collected the soul emerald. A few more steps and he could reach the same goal. He also doubted that Draal would appreciate it if he suddenly left. The guard's opinion shouldn't matter, but still, as weak and foolish as it sounded, if Draal said he cared about him, it would hurt the guard if the assassin left, didn't it? His captors never liked it when Angor tried to leave. So what to do?
Taking a few steps forward, the assassin crouched down, picking the ring up off the side walk. Surprisingly, nothing happened when he touched it. He had expected the wizard to have some more tricks up his sleeve, but it seemed the old man did not reach the assassin's expectations on this one. Thoughtfully, he let his fingers slide over the smooth, golden surface. Angor could go back to the lake house, but didn't that mean…
Why would you go back to your captors?
Angor lifted his head in surprise, the all to familiar voice echoing in his mind as he cautiously checked his surroundings. It was a bit foolish to do so, he knew that no one was there. Still, he analysed the abandoned street, standing up and straightening his back, keeping the ring securely in the palm of his closed hand. Of course the woman decided to talk to him when he was having a bloody dilemma. With an annoyed grunt, the assassin started walking in a random direction. He didn't know what he was going to do yet, but it was for the best to at least leave Merlin's lair behind, just in case he came back. At the same time, he tried to ignore the voice in his head, pleading for him to listen.
They can not be trusted, my champion. This is your chance. Leave!
Angor clenched his jaw, trying to not listen to the woman. It frustrated him to no end that Morgana kept telling him things that he agreed with. He knew he was able to leave, but if he was still stuck with the ring and had a part of her in his soul, wasn't he simply leaving one prison and walk right into another cage?
They are using you! Their kindness is a lie.His kindness is a lie.
The assassin did his very best to keep himself calm as he turned a corner, feeling the dread slowly rise in his chest even though he put his very best efforts in not letting it affect him, walking through another abandoned street on the edge of the dark forest of Arcadia. He tried to keep his eyes fixed on the road, keeping himself grounded, but for some reason, the voice of the witch was stronger then before, like she managed to rise out of the depths in his mind, the echoes decreasing as her words where clear as day.
Find me. Please, find me. I can set you free!
A low growl came out of him as he nervously increased his pace, anger towards his weak behaviour rising to the surface as he decided to reply to her. No one was around anyway. ' All you have done is lie to me. Why would I believe you?' he lowly bit back, clenching his fists.
I would never lie to you, my champion. I truly need your help and you need mine. I am close by. Come to me.
The assassin abruptly stopped walking, his breath stuck in his throat as the realization of her words kicked in. ' You're what?' he uttered with widened eyes.
I managed to shake them off for now. I am in the forest. Come to me!
The assassin's golden eyes slowly shifted towards the edge of the forest across the street, the trees slowly fading into the darkness the streetlight could not reach. Suddenly the silence hit him hard as he intensely stared into the void. Was she truly near him? It could be another lie, but something inside of him truly wanted to find out if she was there or not. If she was, then this was his chance to stop her. He could finally put an end to this.
Come to me.
The assassin blinked a couple of times, feeling himself grow hazy as the Pale lady's words reached him. The lingering dread fading into the background as a sudden longing came forward, like something was pulling him into the forest. Faint whispers that floated between the trees, calling for him. Like a part of him that he had been missing finally told him to come back home, only now realizing the constant void that still lingered inside of him. He previous doubts left his mind, the mission forgotten. Maybe, this was the right decision. She was right there. All he had to do was go to her and it all would be solved.
Let's be together again, my champion.
Before Angor even realized it, his feet started walking, his blurred vision locked with the edge of the forest as he crossed the street. A wave of calm washed over him, his previous hesitation and distrust no where to be found. All of his focus went on finding the Pale lady as he entered the forest, leaving the streets of Arcadia behind.
The chill breeze blew through the trees, the sound of rustling leaves filling the forest as Angor kept on walking. He could barely see where he was going, nor did he had any clue where he was going, all his senses dulled by the whispers that pulled him towards a certain direction, guiding him softly. He couldn't remember what he was doing anymore, only that he was finally going to meet the Eldritch Queen again. The whispers told him it was alright. It was safe. It was the right thing to do. She knew what to do. She always did.
The concept of time had left as well, as he did not know how long he had been walking through the forest, hazily moving forward. With calm breaths he walked, whispers dancing around him, his mind blank. After a while, how long he could not tell, through his blurred vision, he saw that he entered a clearing in the woods, it's area a bit less dark then it had been before. In the middle of the small, grass circle, a thin silhouette stood silently. It's form turned towards him, acknowledging Angor's presence as the assassin stepped forward without any hesitation. The whispers told him it the figure could be trusted, the invisible pull circling around the unknown person, inviting Angor to approach. Halting in front of the silhouette, the assassin simply stood, staring into nothing as he waited for the whispers to tell him what to do next.
A part of his blurred vision faded, the face of the figure coming into view. Warm, green emerald eyes looked back at him with delight, a relieved smile welcoming him as Morgana stood in front of him. Her long, silk red hair graciously fell down on her shoulders, wearing the same golden dress, bare feet touching the dirt ground. She looked like a divine, golden being, giving him a beacon in the endless darkness in the forest. A warmth went through the assassin, finally seeing her in reality instead of his dreams.
Give me the ring, Angor.
Without much thought, the assassin lifted the hand that was holding onto the ring. Morgana lifted her hand as well, placing it under Angor's hand, already accepting the gift the assassin was going to offer her. Slowly, Angor loosened his hand, feeling the ring slip away from his fingers.
A sudden, ear thundering roar appeared from the right, as another figure with flashes of red light appeared, tackling the witch in front of Angor. Both figures disappeared from his vision, rolling over the grass and dirt, dangerous growls coming from both of them. Ring still in his hand, Angor lowered his hand again, his blurred vision trying to make out what was happening. Morgana seemed to have disappeared, replaced by a much larger figure, larger then the red armored silhouette. Both roughly fought each other, the angry growls increasing as they tried their best to end the other's existence. Still, it did nothing to the assassin. He simply stared at them, not doing anything.
Kill the hunter.
Angor came into action, taking a few steps towards the fighting silhouettes. Without any hesitation he called upon Morgana's powers. Opening his other hand, he summoned a dagger made from shadows. With the bit of vision that he had left, he analysed the luminous figure, trying to attack the big figure with his sword. The person did not seem to notice Angor. It was a perfect position to be in. All he had to do was wait for the right moment to strike. Tightening his grip around the dagger, he lifted it into the air, aiming for the hunter, his eyes following his target's movement.
The moment came when Angor noticed the hunter getting pushed back, creating an opening in his vital points in the stomach. The assassin immediately went for it, energy shooting through him as he moved forward, intending on shoving the dagger deep into the hunters ribcage.
A sudden doubt rushed back to Angor, the previous security getting pushed aside as he kept himself still, questioning on what it exactly was what he was doing. Why was he trying to kill the hunter?
Do not waver.
The whispers intensified, the softness being replaced by a certain impatient sharpness, trying to pull Angor's attention back to the hunter. It did not help the hesitation growing inside of the assassin, feeling a stubbornness fight the invisible force. He did not know what was going on, why did something try to force him to continue?
His muscles tensed up when he felt the force angrily pull him harder, wanting the assassin to continue. Clenching his grip around the dagger, he tried to keep it from moving. He didn't like this. The calmness had completely faded and something told him that something was incredibly wrong.
Angor. I am warning you. Stop defying me.
The whispers dissolved into one, clear and serious voice. The witch her tone had changed from sweet and caring into something cold, sounding displeased and angered by his rebellion. Immediate cutting dread carved through the assassin when he heard it. This voice he did recognize. He knew it all to well, having experienced this side of her too many times back in the day. He had infuriated her and if he did not do what she told him, something awful was going to happen.
His lungs painfully tightened by the thought but he kept himself still, refusing to attack the hunter, even though the sirens in his head screamed at him to listen to her. Tightly shutting his eyes, Angor tried to put all of his efforts in letting go of the knife. He was probably going to regret this, but the stubbornness inside of him seemed to be stronger then before, refusing to listen to her. If he had to face to consequences, so be it. It didn't feel right to kill the hunter.
With a growl, the assassin managed to pull his arm down, the dagger dissolving in his shaking hand as he forced himself to take steps backwards, away from the hunter. His vision started to slowly return as he forced himself to take some of the control back in his own hands, trying to get air into his lungs.
Have it your way.See how you like when I stop playing nice.
The sharp, wicked voice cut through him like ice, like a freezing dagger entered his skull, white pain shooting right through him. The sudden agony made him grab hold of his head, grinding his teeth as all his muscles tensed up. Damn it, how was she able to suddenly have so much control over him?
Trying to keep himself standing, he forced himself to withstand the pain that tried to split open his skull, but his body eventually took over, tensing up, eyes shut tightly as the pain forcefully increased. Something angered and aggressive tried to infiltrate his soul, his whole being getting cut open. His vision started to fade, a furious ocean took him over quickly. With his last remained will, he tried to push back, but he felt himself slipping away, into the unforgiving darkness.
Jim angrily jumped back, creating distance between himself and the big man in front of him. Frustration was written all over the trollhunter's face, fed up with himself that he had let go of the ring to go help Merlin. If he would've known that this was going to happen, he'd never let go of it.
The old wizard had asked him to move a giant telescope, hidden away in an enormous dimension where the wizard kept his larger tools. It was quite smart, always having access to a large story room and normally Jim would be mesmerized by the magical place, but his mind was somewhere else, nervously thinking of the ring he had just left behind. Still, he had to hide his emotions, having to hide to Merlin that something was amiss.
It had taken some time to move the giant object, the telescope too heavy, even for a troll. Still, with his strength he was able to eventually push it forward with some effort and time. When Jim had placed the telescope in yet a different dimension, this was apparently a different work station of the wizard, he quickly asked if they could go back. Luckily, the wizard agreed, creating a portal to the alleyway. Jim had quickly said his goodbyes, ignoring the wizards offended look and walked away from the lair, turning the corner where he had left the ring.
The trollhunter verbally cussed when he saw that the ring and Angor where not there. He frantically looked around the street, but he couldn't find them anywhere. Why had he been so stupid? Luckily, his senses where heightened as a hybrid troll, making him able to use his sense of smell. It had been a real game changer really. If he knew the person long enough, he could identify them easily. Not that Jim knew Angor very well, but one upside of living under the same roof was that all of the residents smelled like his home. Jim grew up there, he would recognized his mom's laundry detergent anywhere. So, he quickly picked up the scent, following it through a few streets until it lead him to the edge of the forest.
Without any hesitation, the teenager ran into the woods, trees flying by as he charged forward into the direction of the trail. His ears where focused on his surroundings, trying to hear any sign of movement. It had taken some time, his eyes occasionally shooting up at the sky, noticing that the heavens where starting to brighten, the morning almost upon him. Luckily, the trail grew stronger, making Jim put back his focus on the search. Speeding up, he noticed a clearance in the forest, where two figures stood. One was surprisingly big, almost matching up to Gunmar, holding his hand out to another smaller figure. The scent surrounded the area, so the trollhunter quickly identified the man as Angor. He immediately jumped towards the clearance, charged at the bigger man, who's smell was foreign. Tackling the man, the both of them rolled away from Angor, over the dirt and grass. Jim jumped away, summoning daylight as he readied his stance. He immediately had to use his sword to block the income of an ax, colliding heavily with his weapon. It was not a match with the hybrids strength, but it still had to make him put some effort into it. This big man was strong, even for a human. Pushing the ax away, Jim roughly kicked the man away, creating distance.
Standing straight, Jim cautiously looked at the figure, keeping his sword ready as he spoke. ' Who are you?'
A low rumbling laugh came from the man as he stood up, staking a step forward. ' Do you not recognize me, trollhunter? I see you have gotten an improvement.'
Jim narrowed his eyes, observing the man. He was tall, tanned, his black raven hair short, stubbles covering his jaw. The man was wearing a dark leather jacket with a black shirt and denim pants. It looked worn, like the man had been out here in the woods for quite some time. Jim could not recognize the men, but when he met his eyes, a hint of a memory rose to the surface. The big man had red, glowing eyes, staring at him through the dimmed early morning. He had seen those red eyes before. The teenager had met the same color for many times when he had looked death in the eye. Jim widened his eyes when things started to click.
' Bular!' The trollhunter growled, shocked by the unwanted surprise. ' Even you came back? How strong is this curse?!'
' Nice to know you have not forgotten me.' Bular the butcher replied, lightly grinning as he readied his ax, not letting Jim of the hook. ' Now get out of my way.'
' I'm going to stop you again, Bular. Don't do this!' Jim ordered back, readying his own sword as well. However Bular had managed to survive this long after the spell resurrected him, Jim didn't know, but he couldn't let the son of Gunmar roam free.
Bular did not listen to the trollhunter's warning, charged forward to attack. Their weapons collided as Jim defended himself, anger written on his face when the former bullish troll decided to choose battle. With many offence and defence, Jim was able to fend the man off, even though Bular's attacks where heavy. It was similar to Gunmar's, but that was to be expected. Like father like son, Jim guessed. Still, the trollhunter took the upper hand, his hybrid strength and speed assisting him in his fight.
' It's hard to fight as a human, isn't it?' the trollhunter bit at him when he kicked the bigger man away for a second time, being reminded of the many times Jim had to run away for his life when Bular tried to kill him back when he was a human.
The son of Gunmar quickly sat up, his expression not amused as he furiously looked back with burning, red eyes. ' Do not compare me to those low life fleshbags!' he growled, tightening his grip on his axe. Standing up, he kept where he stood, analysing his enemy. It seemed Jim was right, the bullish man now searching for a different way to attack the boy.
Suddenly, Jim felt a hot, burning sensation on his horn, making him tense up, grabbing his horn as he jumped away from his position. Painfully rubbing the burned spot, Jim noticed that a ray of sunshine started to shine through the trees. The sun was rising quicker then he thought, Jim realized when a sense of panic. He did not feel like turning into stone.
In the corner of his eye, he saw Bular ran passed him in a flash. Jim tried to grab a hold of him, but before he could, he saw that the bigger man ran into the sunlit side of the clearance. The trollhunter had to stop himself, before he ran into his death. Bular turned around, a victorious grin on his face as he cockily looked back towards the hybrid troll in red armour. ' Number one rule of being troll, trollhunter. Never battle at dawn. If you do not want to end up like the former trollhunter, you will have much to learn.' he snarkily grunted, letting one hand go of the axe.
Jim couldn't hide his anger when Bular used his own trick against him. He couldn't cross the line and the sun was quickly rising. In a while, there would be more sunshine then shade for Jim to move through. He couldn't attack Bular if the bigger man remained in the sunlight.
' What the hell are you doing here?!' Jim yelled at him, metal grinding in his fingers as he tightly balled his fists.
' Well, helping me of course.'
Jim's eyes shot towards the uncomfortably icy, sweet voice, seeing Angor, still wearing the black outfit and backpack like the last time they spoke, walk into the sunlight towards Bular. Two black voids stared back at the trollhunter, a wide wicked grin on his face as crimson once again came from his nose.
The trollhunter glared at him, his anger only growing when he saw that the witch had taken over Angor once again. Jim had already dreaded that she had something to do with this, his fear now proven by the possessed assassin facing him.
' I can not let my servant get in the wrong hands, now can I?' Morgana mused as she stood still next to Bular, putting her hands on her sides.
' Give the ring back, Morgana!' Jim roared, not knowing what to do if he couldn't cross the line.
' Do not worry, trollhunter. I know how to handle him. He will be fine!' Morgana sweetly assured him, presenting the ring in her hand. ' No one as pathetic as you should be allowed to hold such a powerful tool.'
Jim felt the panic grow inside himself, not knowing how he was going to stop this. Looking around the area, he tried to find a way to get closer to them.
Morgana giggled, slowly taking a few steps closer towards the edge of the sunlight. ' You better think quick. The sun is almost coming up and you have little time left to correct your mistake.' she playfully told him as she continued forwards. ' Leaving the ring behind was not a smart thing to do. Leaving him all alone like that. You are supposed to be a hero, but all you do is make things worse, don't you darling?'
Jim angrily glared back at her again, her words only fuelling his anger. ' I did it to protect him!' he yelled back, holding his sword tightly in his hand.
' Well, whatever your reason, you do not seem to handle it very well.' The Pale lady told him back, stopping in front of him, at the edge where the shadows began. ' You can not win this, trollhunter.'
Her wicked grin faded, her face turning serious as she dangerously looked into the trollhunter eyes. The witch stood very still, her vessel looking like a mere puppet on strings, waiting to be ordered again to move. ' You are simply one of the many trollhunters standing in my way. Just one fly, trying to do what all the others before him did. Die. You are too weak to safe anyone! You simply postpone the inevitable, such a waste of my time.'
Rage rose in the trollhunter, staring at the woman talking to him like he was just a small object in her way. Whatever the witch wanted him to think, he was the trollhunter! He would win this fight because he wanted to protect his family and friends.
' but, your foolishness has given me some luck, so I will give you a deal; I can make you more powerful. If you have something to offer to me, I can make you the ultimate trollhunter. You finally will be able to successfully be the guardian of trolls.'
Jim stared at her with baffled eyes, his fighting stance wavering a bit when he heard Morgana's offer. He was aware that she had evil intend and still she managed to give him something that felt truly desirable. The boy knew he shouldn't listen to her but he didn't feel unequipped for this. He could not stop the danger from happening to his friends and family. Even Angor, who Jim promised to make things right, got into Morgana's claws because of his choices.
' How proud your mother would be if you finally could defeat the danger you allowed into her life.' Morgana pushed on, putting a hand on her heart as she looked at him with deep, empathetic eyes.
The teenager felt his hands shaking in anger, spitting fire at the witch. She simply stood there, throwing his deepest thoughts against him like she knew him her whole life. He felt himself wavering, the constant doubt finally getting the light of day. He had to stop her before he was going to do something even more stupid then letting go of the ring.
With an angry roar, he felt the burning sensation of the sun on his stone skin when he threw his hand forward, grabbing hold of Morgana's sweater. Roughly, Jim yanked her into the shadows, throwing her further towards the edge of the forest. The witch rolled numerous times over the ground before she slid into a stop, lying motionless on her back in the grass with his eyes closed. The backpack had fallen of her shoulders when Jim grabbed her, now lying next to the boy's feet. Jim immediately jumped forward, trying to ignore the screaming pain in his hand as he reached the witch and took a hold of her neck, holding her tightly down on the ground.
' Give me the ring.' he dangerously growled, his anger and pain blinding him wildly.
The prisoner opened his eyes in surprise, his golden irises return as he felt two insanely strong hands wrapped around his neck. Looking up he saw Jim furiously looking down at him, roaring to him to give him the ring. Adrenaline immediately took over his body as Angor quickly grabbed the boys hands, trying pull them off and get himself loose from the stone hard grip.
' Where is it, witch?!' Jim kept yelling, still blind in rage, bearing his fangs at the man.
'Hun-ter!' Angor managed to get out, putting all his efforts in trying to get Jim off of him. His chest started to burn, but Jim did not move, his furious eyes hatefully keeping him down. Well, if the boy did not want to listen, so be it. With one quick, strong kick, Angor hit him straight in the gronk nuts. With immediate effect, the boy's expression changed into a painful shock, his eyes widened as he let go of the assassin, rolling on the ground next to him with an agonizing squeal he had not heard since he entered puberty.
Angor rolled away as well, taking in deep, painful, rasping breaths to get the air back into his lungs. He really started to get tired of people trying to choke him to death. There where other bloody ways to kill him, be creative.
' What the… hell, hunter!' he managed to push out through the breaths, giving the boy a murderous glare. Jim had his eyes squeezed tightly shut, letting out a pained groan as he laid on his side in a fetal position.
When Angor's breathing started to regulate again, he quickly sat up, ignoring the pain he felt in his throat and lungs. It took a moment for him to get all the information in, the last moment he remembered was him standing on the side walk, staring at the edge of the forest. He tasted crimson in his mouth and his body felt tired and cold, like he had walked for hours on end, which probably was the case. Now, it was already morning, like the hours had gone by in a blink, birds happily chirping and the sun shine lighting up the open area in the forest that he found himself in.
In the sunlight, he saw a man he did not know, but the assassin felt himself instantly grow cautious, the whole air around the bigger man not falling to Angor's liking. The way the big man smirked in malicious content, made the assassin think of someone else he knew.
Standing up, he kept his eyes on the big man, taking a few steps back to observe him. Behind him, he heard Jim stand up as well, although a bit slower, trying to keep a groan from coming out.
' The sun is almost coming up.' Jim grunted, straightening his back as he looked at the assassin. Even though there where many questions left unanswered, the deadly sun rays could not be ignored. ' We have to go!'
Angor looked at the edge of sunlight, slowly approaching as the time went by. It frustrated him that he couldn't fight his opponent and find out who he was, but the trollhunter was right. One wrong movement and the boy would turn into stone and this would only get harder the higher the sun went up. With an irritated growl, the assassin shot forward, reaching for the backpack that was already half lit in daylight. Quickly he ran back, away from the sun lit side of the area before the man could start a fight with him.
' Follow me.' the assassin ordered the boy as he ran passed him, back into the dense forest. Jim shot one glance back at Bular, still standing in the sunlight with an ominous smirk on his face. Scowling deeply, he showed his fangs to the man before he turned around and followed the assassin back into the woods.
Oooh, Bular made an appearance! I wanted to put him in the story for a while now and wrote many scenario's where he was, but I wanted an dramatic entrance. I think this was a nice one to put in, so tah-dah, Bular the Butcher back in the game! Hope you enjoyed it! tah- tah!