After Mom awoke, Strickler gave Mom some water while Jim and I explained to her about our double life. When we had finished, Strickler asked, "More water, Barbara?" Mom grabbed the picture and drank the whole thing.
When she had finished, she said, "So, let me get this straight, There are good trolls and bad trolls, and somehow, you two?" Mom was interrupted by Strickler who said, "If I may. There is a vast world beneath our feet, Barbara, and your children, specifically your son, has stirred up a heap of trouble."
"Dude!" Jim exclaimed.
"Excuse me!" I proclaimed about ready to fight Strickler on this matter.
"This is all so..." Mom said. Strickler left the room stating that he would give the three of us a moment. Mom continued, "I can't believe that this what you've been doing. All those late nights, getting arrested, you in the hospital... And, you, Mo, how could you of all people not tell me about this? Also, why are you two this... Trollfighter and Wielder?"
"Uh, Trollhunter and Wielder of the Thriskule. And, Mom, don't blame, Mo. I made her not tell you." Jim said and I gave Jim a half-hearted smile in appreciation. It has been very rough these past few months and I have not enjoyed the arguments that the three of us got into when Jim and I arrived back late at night. Mom kept stammering until she got out, "You should be worried about high school and girls. And you, Monica, you should be worried about your job! Not these... Can't you just ask someone else to do it?"
"I'm... I'm afraid it's a... permanent position." Jim said. Then, Jim continued, "They need us, Mom. I know it's hard to believe, but I'm, sorta like, their protector, and Monica has strange ability with the Thriskule that can help turn the tides of war."
"Apparently, I have the ability to literally turn the tides of war." I added. Jim looked at me in shock and I stated, "Hey. I just found out about this yesterday. Didn't exactly have time to tell you with everything going on."
"But, who's going to protect you two?" Mom questioned.
"Our friends. We are not without allies, Mom. Take Draal here." I said pointing towards our knocked out friend. I continued, "He's been living in the basement almost the entire time that Jim has been a Trollhunter. Protecting us. He's the son of the previous Trollhunter, Kanjigar."
"Wait. He's been here these past few months? Has he figured out about your 'secretly wild' karaoke nights that you do when Jim and I aren't home?" Barbara questioned. My eyes widened in horror and I exclaimed, "You know about that?"
"What is she talking about?" Jim questioned. Before Mom could answer, I covered her mouth and answered, "Nothing. Nothing. And, yes, because I temporarily forgot that he was living in the basement." Mom chuckled and thankfully let the subject drop.
"Barbara, you do have to leave. It's-" Strickler was interrupted when the bells started ringing. The basement. Angor Rot knew about the tunnels. Then, the bells exploded as the trap was set loose.
"The basement!" Jim exclaimed.
"What's in the basement?" Mom questioned.
"Draal was supposed to guard it." Strickler said.
"Well, we weren't expecting Mom either." I said trying to defend Draal. The door opened and we stared in horror and wonder as a black ball rolled towards us. We heard some chanting and the lights went out. Great. Just great. This is just like a horror movie. I only hope that none of us gets killed.
"What happened to the lights?" Mom questioned. Then, puffs of pink smoke kept appearing one at a time as the chanting continued. This is happening. Remain calm, Monica. Don't panic.
"Mom, stay close. Monica, guard Mom and Strickler." Jim ordered.
"I can't see you!" Mom exclaimed. Jim turned on a flashlight. The light bulbs started to get smashed and each time it did, Jim and I gasped in fear. Then, Jim said, "For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command." His armor appeared, then I summoned the Thriskule and willed it to transform into daggers. Mom wondered how Jim was glowing and how I now had daggers, to which Jim responded, "It's armor and special perk, Mom. Part of the job."
Suddenly, the pink balls of flame flew towards us. Jim deflected it and I deflected it as it came towards us.
"Stick to the plan. You two know what to do." Strickler said. How were we going to lead him upstairs? As Jim and I stood back to back ready for Angor to show up. We heard a noise and we both turned to see nothing, then a pink ball of flame flew towards us. While Jim deflected it, I spotted Angor Rot. Angor Rot jumped towards Jim, but I quickly got in front of him and blocked him. Angor Rot quickly grabbed my arm and flew me towards the table.
"Monica!" Mom shouted.
When I crashed, it shattered the table and I groaned as I stood up. I looked over and saw that Jim was pinned back against one our barriers. Angor Rot said, "You did not run, brave hunter, but the brave are the first to die."
"Jim!" I cried out. I grabbed one of hardcover books and threw it towards Angor Rot while exclaiming, "You will not hurt my baby brother!" Angor Rot turned and charged me once again, but I quickly got out of reach before he could run into me. He attempted a second charge proclaiming, "I will kill you and your brother, Wielder. I will make your brother watch as I slay you before his eyes!"
"No!" Jim exclaimed. He attacked Angor Rot from behind and I shouted towards Strickler and my mom, "Go! Go! Get her out of here!"
Strickler grabbed my mother and had to practically drag her out of the room as Mom shouted, "No! Not without my children! No! Jim! Monica!" I saw out of the corner of my eye as Strickler got her to the basement. I returned my attention back to Angor Rot. Jim and I fought two on one, but Angor Rot was an incredibly skilled fighter. He kept blocking our strikes and missed the traps we had set off. I grabbed Angor's arm and flipped him over my shoulder.
He threw his dagger towards me, but before it reached me, Jim deflected it with Daylight. Suddenly, Angor Rot performed his magic and he was able to wield Daylight. He struck Jim and flew him back several feet.
"Jim!" I exclaimed. I quickly got in the middle of the fight and had my daggers in a cross formation blocking Angor Rot's strike just like it did Draal's. I held him at bay as Jim moved behind me and went towards the cross bow that had the Lobe Stone. Angor Rot ditched me and went after Jim. Jim ducked behind the counter, then fired the cross bow at Angor Rot, who caught it with ease.
"You'll have to be faster than that." Angor Rot said. I quickly stood next to Jim. Then, the two of us ducked as all the metal objects in the room flew towards him. There was a moment of silence and stared at my daggers and recalled what Draal told me long ago about them: It is said that in the their time of need, The Thriskule can be wielded by the Trollhunter. In return, Daylight can also be wielded by the Wielder.
"You think that you can stop me with booby traps?" Angor Rot questioned as he climbed out of the rubble.
I turned to Jim and said, "Jim, time to switch weapons." I forced my daggers into his hands before he could protest and the daggers transformed into a replica of Daylight. Except green.
"What about you, Mo?" Jim wondered.
"Trust me!" I stated. Jim didn't say another word and I charged towards Angor Rot exclaiming, "Rule Number Three!" I kicked him in the Gronk-Nuts and seized Daylight from him and wielded the sword of the Trollhunters. I turned towards Jim and explained, "In their time of need, the Thriskule can be wielded by the Trollhunter and Daylight can be handled by the Wielder."
"Let's do this, sis." Jim stated. I gave a curt nod, then two of us dodged Angor Rot's strike.
We continued fighting and I was struggling on how to use Jim's weapon and kept ducking and dodging as Angor Rot kept fighting with with the dagger that he retrieved. Jim made this sword to appear a lot lighter than it actually was. Angor also was now wielding one of the kitchen knives. Jim came from behind him, but Angor Rot quickly kicked Jim in the gut, which sent him flying backward.
"No!" I exclaimed. I quickly charged at Angor Rot, but he turned quickly around slashed my right hip with the kitchen knife. I screamed in pain and Jim shouted, "Monica!" Angor grabbed me and threw me against the wall and I felt something in my shoulder pop out of place. I looked at my hip and saw that the cut was deep.
This is what I get for not having armor and fighting in a place with not enough space to move around.
Then, Angor turned around and encased Jim who was coming at him at full speed in a net that was filled with the pink flames from earlier.
Angor Rot grabbed my good arm and forced me on my knees in front of Jim. Tears were streaming down my eyes from the pain of the popped shoulder socket and the gash on my right hip. Angor Rot grabbed my neck and forced Daylight against it.
"Monica!" Jim exclaimed struggling with all his might to get free.
"I'm sorry, Jim." I cried.
"Now, you watch her die." Angor Rot said, but before he could deliver the final blow, a sharp object almost like a knife, flew threw the air. I collapsed to the ground and turned to see Strickler. The magic on Jim disappeared and he ran over to me and lifted me up gently.
"Monica, no." Jim said with tears in his eyes.
"Jim, I'll be fine. Finish the fight." I said.
"Let's put this mad dog down. Upstairs!" Strickler stated.
Jim nodded back to me and saying, "For you, Mo." He set me against the wall grabbing the Thriskule and charged up the stairs while Angor Rot was distracted. But, as Jim was going up the stairs, Angor grabbed him and pulled him down, but, before he could pull him down fully, Strickler jumped over Jim and knocked Angor to the side. Angor attacked Strickler, but before he could do anything, Jim shouted, "Hey! You hunt Trollhunters? Hunt me! Or did you forget that I'm the one who destroyed your soul?"
Angor tossed Strickler to the side and charged towards Jim. I attempted to stand up, but groaned in pain. Strickler came over to me and said, "You need to stay here, Ms. Lake. You've done you're part. Now, we'll do ours."
"Make sure that Jim is safe." I said as I heard noise from upstairs. Strickler nodded, then ran up the stairs to aide Jim. When no other noise was happening, I assumed that the trap that we had set for Angor Rot worked. We had devised the same trap that Angor Rot and set up for Jim long ago that enabled him to enchant Daylight to turn against Jim.
Then, to my horror, Mom showed up and gasped, "Monica! Are you alright?"
"Never been better, Mom, but, seriously, I'll be just fine. What are you doing here though?" I questioned.
"To help you two. Oh. That monster is going to pay for hurting my baby girl." Mom growled. She ran up the stairs and I heard her shouting upstairs. Oh no. I heard Jim scream, "Mom, no!" They were in trouble. Then, I heard movement beside me and saw that Draal was stirring. I heard fighting upstairs and I was panicking. I struggled to get up. I managed to get up to my feet, but when I took a step, I screamed in pain.
"Monica!" Draal exclaimed. He caught me before I fell and questioned, "This was Angor's doing, wasn't it. By my honor, he will pay for this."
My attention was diverted towards my mother crying out in pain. My eyes widened in fear and I turned to Draal and said, "Go! I'll be fine. They need your help." Draal nodded and charged up the stairs screaming in rage. Jim was walking down the stairs helping our mom who was injured.
"Mom!" I exclaimed. I gritted my teeth and stood up making my way over to them. Then, I asked, "What happened?"
"Angor Rot struck Strickler. You shouldn't be standing up, Mo." Jim said.
"My side hurts. Why--?" Mom was interrupted by Jim who said, "Come on, I have to get you out of here."
"I don't know how I'm going to carry Mom and you." Jim stated as he reached the bottom of the stairs. Judging by the state of Mom's wound, I couldn't imagine Strickler being in much better shape.
"Then, go. Leave me. I'll only slow you down. You'll need Strickler to drive and he can't have any more energy wasted by carrying me." I said. Jim was about to protest, but I stated, "My life is not the one hanging in the balance right now." Jim looked towards my mother and I knew that I had won the argument.
"Go! Get them out of here!" Draal shouted from upstairs. Strickler came running down and was about to help me, but I said, "No. Go with Jim and my mother. They will need whatever strength you are able to spare." Jim, my mother, and Strickler left the house and drove away. A few moments later, I could no longer here Draal's battle cries. Something was wrong.
Using the bit of strength I had left, I crawled up the stairs. I would've summoned the Thriskule, but Jim was using it and he needed it more than I did at the moment. I saw glowing in the room and feared that the worst had happened to Draal. I crawled towards the entryway. I armed myself with a book prepared to fight Angor Rot if I had too. I stood up trying my best to ignore the pain though I knew that this small amount of strength wouldn't last long. I charged into the room and realized that Angor Rot was not in here. He had gone out the window and after Jim, Mom, and Strickler.
I landed on one knee and, to my surprise, I saw Draal who was in a stasis trap.
"Draal!" I exclaimed. I could here him grunt in surprise. I had to get him out there. I took a deep breath, stood up, and charged at Draal. I pushed him out of the stasis trap and trap was broken. I cried out in pain as I landed on the wound of my right hip. I breathed heavily as I knew that I used up the last of my strength.
"Monica!" Draal exclaimed. He carefully lifted me up and carried me to the basement towards the tunnel. He said, "Why did you stay behind? You were supposed to go with Jim and the others."
"Would've slowed them down." I said.
"Don't worry, Monica. I'm taking you to Troll market now. You're going to be alright." Draal promised. My eyes grew dreary and my body weakened from the loss of blood. Then, I passed out as Draal carried me through the tunnels. To Troll market.