Branch was so shocked that he did not notice that Riff had let go and ran away, pushing King Thrash's wheelchair in front of him.
The lava from the volcano flowed dangerously along the rock walls. Branch cried with fear, began to back down... But he stopped suddenly, he had just remembered something, someone who was still in the volcano.
Without even thinking, Branch rushed inside, towards the throne room. Most of the Trolls who ran the other way to escape had not even noticed the puppy troll rushing head down to a certain death.
Except, of course, only one person.
- WHERES BRANCH?? Poppy screamed, panicked, but Hickory shrugged, before escaping with the others.
The pink troll began to turn her head in all directions; Where was he right now ?? It was at this moment she saw him going into the volcano:
- BRANCH!!! She screamed before she followed him, without thinking.
She still had the strings with her, place on the guitar she wore on her back. Soon a pile of rocks fell behind her, blocking the only exit.
Poppy didn't even pay attention to it, well decide to find Branch. Soon, the air fills with smoke fills her lungs, making her cough hard.
- BRANCH! She called again the gray troll, looking for him in the traped room.
But she suddenly had to throw herself on the side to avoid a burning projector that fell on her. At once, the guitar fall from her back and was crushed under the weight of the projector.
But she didn't even realize it... Branch's life was far more important than the magical music strings that had just burned in the flames.
Nearby, Branch was running as fast as he could between the debris. Soon he entered the throne room, And he saw it; there, the egg was in its cage above the wildfire.
- I'M COMING! He shouted at the not born baby, then jumped on the wall to reach the cage.
It was covered in ash and coughing hard as Branch caught the cage and went down to the ground, running towards the exit... But seeing that the rocks had fallen and blocked any possibility of escape, he let out a whimper of fear.
When suddenly
- B-BRANCH, WHERE ARE YOU?? A coughing voice that he would have recognized anywhere called him.
Poppy was here.
He quickly opened the cage where the egg was locked, hid it in his hair, sheltered from smoke and flames. Then he looked for her, going back into the debris to find her. He began to bark with all his might, his heart pounded in fear; where was she?
- POPPY!! He screamed when he finally saw her.
She turned to him, he was there, a few meters from her. Tears came to her eyes as she ran towards him, Branch rising on both of his legs as she threw herself into his arms.
- Branch! I'm so sorry for what I said, I shouldn't have push you away like I did !! I... I should of listen to you ! I am so so sorry Branch !
Tears flowed down his cheeks as he buried his face in her neck, sobbing and tightening his grip on her. He didn't want to let go, he would never run away from her again.
But their reunion moment was soon cut off by another pile of burning debris that he was about to fall on them. Poppy uttered a scream of fear as Branch pushed her out of harm's way.
Growling, she opened her eyes again, the heat sweltering and the smoke gave her another coughing. Branch was in front of her, asked her if she was okay.
- Branch... Zoom zoom, she commanded him.
He caught the rope tied up at her waist, and, pulling on it so that she follow him, guided her between the deadly flames.
Poppy was coughing more and more, and Branch was desperately looking for a way out. All the main exits were blocked by the rocks that had fell in front of them... Branch tried to dig, to move the rocks... But it was useless, they could not escape through there.
- Branch... I can't breathe... Poppy whispered behind him, which encouraged him to run even faster to found a way out.
An idea came to his mind, and he rushed towards the dungeons. The hole through which he had entered... Maybe it was still accessible?
And he was lucky, the tunnel that led to the hole was there. Branch crept inside without hesitation... But he stopped moving forward; Poppy had collapsed to the ground behind him, unable to move.
- Poppy! He exclaimed, returning to her, panicked.
She let out a new coughing quintee caused by the toxic air around them. Branch let out a cry and tried to push her to get up... But she was too weak, too exhausted.
- B-Branch, please, save yourself... Save your skin... She begged him, gently pushing him away from her, tears streaming down her ash-covered cheeks.
But Branch refused, desperately clinging to her... If she stayed there, he would stay, they were attached to each other.
He then crept under her cape, next to her, refusing to leave her alone. He crossed the gaze of the pink troll who smiled at him softly.
And then,
And then she said those words back to him.
- I.. I love you too, Branch... boom boom... She whispered, laying a sweet kiss on his forehead.
Branch closed his eyes, placing a kiss on her cheek to give back his affection for her.
- Branch loves Poppy too...
If they would died, it would be side by side, tied up to each other.
Outside the volcano, on the beach, everyone seemed to have escaped the disaster.
Barb looked at the volcano with a look that meant everything; how much she had just realized what she had done... She promised herself, she would listen to them, never again would a disaster like this happen, never again would she put anyone's lives in danger like that. The strings had burned. She knew it because all the zombies had returned to their normal form. Maybe it was better this way... Because she had realized as a lot, they did not need the strings ... It was their choice to make a harmony, by that of the strings... The music came from them, from their hearts.
And she had to apologize to someone now...
- Where is Queen Poppy? Barb asked, deciding to apologize to her.
But of all the trolls, no one knew where the queen was...
- I know she was looking for Branch when we escaped... Hickory explains
Then the realization struck them like a thunderbolt.
- EVERYONE, WE GO BACK TO THE VOLCANO!! Barb screamed, grabbing her guitar to go find the two missing Trolls.
Branch stayed with Poppy for long minutes, not moving an inch. His weak heart beat against his as he kissed her tears in the darkness of the room.
In the silence of the room, a micro suddenly fell to the ground, startling Branch.
Branch stared at the strange object for a few seconds, letting out a little sound. Immediately, the same sound in a giant speaker next to him. Curious, he hit the ground several times with his foot, the sound resonated even louder.
It was his last chance.
Branch left Poppy sides to approach the micro. He reached out to touch it... He had thumbs, he grabbed and lifted it up to his chest.
Ba dum, ba dum, ba dum...
It was the sound of Boom Boom that resonated in the speakers. Branch remained silent, letting the sound of his heart resonate in the debris.
Outside the volcano, the trolls were digging into the blocked holes. King Pepy was the most determined, so much so that he had to be forced to stop for a few minutes because his breath was short.
Barb was throwing loads of lightning to try to open a passage... But she was cautious, the last thing she wanted was for the volcano to collapse on the two trolls.
When she stopped to catch her breath, however, she heard a sound in the debris.
Ba dum ba dum...
A beating heart, was she dreamimg?
- WAIT! Lee was exclaiming as she put her hand on Maya's shoulder, you hear that?
- EVERYONE, SILENCE! LISTEN! ordered QueenEssence.
Everyone was silent, confused... There, the heartbeat came from where the dungeons were.
- Oh god... QUICK GUYS WE MUST HELP THEM!! Trollex rushed to the weak melody of hope.
And it was when the first rays of light touched Branch's blue-grayish skin that he collapsed from exhaustion next to Poppy.