THEY WERE SITTING IN THE GYM LISTENING TO THE COACH BUT WERE MOSTLY TALKING TOGETHER, except for toby who was busy looking at the dancing mascot.
"And his eye is glowing. And then, the dream just keeps reminding me that I'm completely way out of my league!" Jim told the two about his nightmare.
Elizabeth thought for a moment "Maybe it's just you having a second thought about this? Or just that you're afraid?" she noticed toby and asked "um toby are you okay?"
"Who is that masked mole? You ever wonder?" He asked not taking his eyes off of it.
She thought for a moment then smirked "ooooo do you have crush on the mysterious masked mole tobes?" She said placing her chin on her hands.
"What no!"
Jim rolled his eyes and frowned "you didn't hear a word I said just then, did you?"
"Sure I did you had no problem sneaking into the darklands, to save Claires brother but now that kanjigar says you've got to face gunmar, you're having nightmares about him and that you're way out of you're league" Toby told jim still while focusing on the mole.
The two were shocked by his ability to multitask, then Jim told him who was under the mask "it's bill aronstein"
"Bill moved to wisconsin. This is someone else artistry. Someone with feminine wiles." He told as he continued observing.
Elizabeth facepalmed and chuckled "are you sure you don't have a secret crush?"
Jim laughed and asked "how do you even know there's a girl under there?"
"Trust me dude. I know women, and that is all woman under there" Toby stated as he looked at it in awe. Elizabeth gave him a blank stare.
They heard the coach begin to talk about spring king and Queen. Elizabeth ignored since she knew there was no possible chance, she was the quiet girl after all.
"Mary Wang! "
She chuckled when she saw her get excited, Claire shrugged her shoulder and Elizabeth shook her head and reached for her drink bottle to get some water.
"And finally... Elizabeth Wallis! "
From shock she accidentally chocked on the water and started coughing jim patted her back "He's joking right?"
Jim chuckled and shook his head "he doesn't joke that much."
She felt her self shrink as she leaned back into her seat hiding again "now it's time for the boys! Steve palchuck!"
The three rolled their eyes as Steve stood up and relished in the attention "that's right plebes! Obvious!" Elizabeth grimaced in disgust when he looked back at her and winked.
"Eli pepperjack!" He announced. They booed while the three cheered for him happy that he was acknowledged atleast "hey no booing!" The coach scolded.
Toby noticed how nervous jim was "you're worrying too much about gunmar!" He said punching Jim's shoulder "relax dude, now that the plays over you can focus on your training full time!" He began throwing punches at the air "learn some cool new moves, master some deadly arts!"
"And finally! Jim lake junior! "
Jim was unimpressed and didn't feel like he wanted to while toby on the other hand was ecstatic "that's you!"
"What?"
Steve was unhappy "really? Buttsnack?"
Eli turned towards him "time for some friendly competition"
"Eat snack, pepperjack!" He told while cackling.
The two protectors were now worried "how are we gonna have time to-- liz tell me you know a spell that makes clones."
She huffed "unfortunately I don't, and I don't do spells."
"Thats not important right now, guys! You have the chance to be king and Queen of the school!" He said lifting their hands up "you know what that means!?" He gasped "that would make me Duke! Vote for liz and Jim for spring king and Queen! " He shouted.
The two groaned out as they were now under more pressure.
__________________
They left to trollmarket and Jim entered the void while Elizabeth was meditating.
Jim was struggling to block the single hits coming from his predecessors as he heard their whispers.
"Blinkous and my son have trained you well in the art of single combat, but rarely will your enemies do the courtesy of striking one at a time!" Kanjigars voice echoed as he struck jim knocking him down.
"Alright enough!" He said while catching his breath.
"So you yield" a womans voice asked.
"Yes yeah, I yield. This stopped being fun a while ago." He told tiredly.
Kanjigar lent his hand "you must be prepared to face gunmar."
"Well..." he sighed "i think you guys just made your point that I'm not." He stood up and looked at kanjigar "I'm not strong enough to kill gunmar, even with my friends."
"We needed to be hard on you because you weren't gonna listen to us. You had to see for yourself. " kanjigar explained.
"Besides there's no way to kill gunmar."
"He's invincible."
"No he's not!"
"So far as we know"
"What do you know!?"
Jim was confused "what do they mean?"
"That sword of yours has fought him many times but has never killed him." He told "your weapon and armor were crafted with a singular purpose in mind... to protect both our world's. Don't forsake that solemn mission to save one human child." He began walking away but gave him a few more words "and don't let your love for the chaoswielder, stop you from making sacrifices."
His eyes widened and he clenched his fists, Jim would never sacrifice her for himself. He promised that but he needed to not let them know. He returned to the forge with guilt as he saw Elizabeth still meditating while draal waited for his return.
"Did you see my father?"
He walked towards him "I did" he said sadly before taking off his armor.
"Did he speak of me?" Draal asked hopefully.
Jim lied to keep him at ease "Yeah, he wishes the soothscryer could let you in but, you know the rules are rules."
He knew that he was lieing and huffed "it's alright trollhunter. You don't have to lie to protect my feelings."
He sighed and told the truth "he said we can't kill gunmar. I would only be leading my friends to their death and..." he glanced towards Elizabeth "and that I need to make sacrifices."
Draal growled "too bad, I was looking forward to proving him wrong"
"So was I. "
A large thump caused Elizabeth to exit her meditating state and stand up "aaarrrgghh What's wrong?"
"Blinky."
_________________
They walked in and saw Blinky reading books and walking around the library "lady Elizabeth good to see you here!" He walked over to a stack of books and hand them too her "these are all the volumes regarding chaos."
She grunted at their weight and teleported home to place them in her room before coming back "thanks Blinky but is everything okay?"
He didn't answer and saw a book that he needed "haha there it is!"
"How long has he been like this?" Jim asked aaarrrgghh.
"Long time."
"Maybe you should switch to decaf."
Blinky stood infront of jim "according to legend only one scholar. The dishonourable bodus, uncovered a method of wounding gunmar."
"The trollhunters just told me there wasn't anyway. How do you do it?" Jim asked.
"No one knows, gunmar had bodus and his students hunted down and dispatched in a most unpleasant manner." He looked at Elizabeth "Draya was one of those students but survived, and she was the only one before daya that in the face of gunmar, managed to wound him"
She sighed "you know I would call her in but I haven't heard anything from her for two weeks." She remembered how she didn't recall anything from that night "and you guys still haven't told me anything! "
Blinky spoke quickly "well that is easy, you passed the first threshold, attacked Dandril, then resumed to attack us, before fighting draya and Agnar, you wounded draya but agnar managed to tame you" he explained. He didn't even give her a moment to process any of this.
"This book the final testament of bodus-- this is the last surviving copy of his work! This is the key!" He told clenching onto the book "and I'm going to burn it."
They all gasped "long time!"
He burnt the book and they tried to put it out, Claire covered it with blanket but all that remained was ash.
"Did you just destroy the only chance in saving my brother!"
"And to kill gunmar! " Elizabeth said angered by his actions.
He calmed the both of them down "the message is hidden within the book, see!" He blew away the ash and what was left behind was trollish "haha! I'm so glad that worked!"
"What does it say?"
In darkest tide, where daylight darest wane
The myrddin wylt obscured a shadows bane
Toby asked "What's a 'myrddin wench'? "
Claire explained "it's an ancient name for merlin."
The words triggered a vision in Elizabeth, she saw the chaos realm flash before her eyes and a bright beam shoot out of the core and destroy all that was around it. Panting she backed away to catch her breath.
"What just happened? Are you alright?" Jim asked.
She ignored him and walked back to the table "continue."
Four forces elemental thou must seek.
In marshaland, caverns deep, mountains peak,
And immortal winters.
Where worthy perish, ye will prevail in night
And eclipse all who quarry with thy might
"Is anyone freaked out about this evil perish poem?" Toby said fearfully.
Jim spoke "no, it said we can prevail! We can win! He hid a shadows bane!"
"gunmars bane?" Aaarrrgghh asked.
Blinky thought for a moment "it's referencing a weapon of insurmountable power, formed by four forces unhallowed." He grabbed four books from the shelves "of course! It's referencing the triumberic stones! Four shards of legend tied to gunmars lifeblood lost to ages."
"Where chaos lurks in the immortal winters..." Elizabeth whispered to herself.
"If we seek out these stones..."
Jim put the pieces together "we can kill gunmar!" He yelled joyously "Blinky you madman you did it!"
"We make the weapon and wham! Gunmar is done-mar!" Toby stated happily.
The two trolls saw their excitement and warned them "caution!" Aaarrrgghh told.
"Indeed the triumberic stones have been hidden for centuries, but if I can decipher this text, master jim, then you shall--"
Claire finished it for him "eclipse all who quarry with thy might."
_________________
The next day of school began and Elizabeth waited for the boys at the hall. She was tired meaning she was close to sleeping again "Elizabeth you to?"
"What is it tobes?" She asked tiredly.
He ran towards her and grabbed her face "you and Jim are going to be king and Queen and you're wearing that, and your glasses!?"
She gave him a blank stare "but I always where this and my glasses?"
"Thats what I said!" Jim told as he sat down next to her.
"Guys you two need to go find a costume! For me please!" Toby pleaded.
Elizabeth huffed "fine! We'll try and throws something to together! Come on jim." She grabbed Jim's arm and pulled him along with her.
They walked into one of the classrooms and tried to find something "the things we do for toby huh?" Jim said laughing lightly.
She giggled "Yeah.. what do you think of the theme of stationery items?" She suggested pulling out a notebook.
Laughing they continued talking while searching for a theme.
Elizabeth noticed something in the shadows outside "what is that?" She asked Squinting her eyes.
"Is that a troll?"
Shaking her head she winced "that staff! Whatever that is, it uses chaos!" Grabbing his hand "let's go check it out!"
They ran out into the field and looked around, Jim stopped by a spot of mud before going to find anything else. The ground rumbled slightly and Elizabeth looked towards it Gasping "Jim watch out!"
A giant figure of mud and grass stood above them, Jim ran away and hid behind a tree avoiding getting hit by it "I know we just met but what are you!-" he yelped as the thing knocked him across the field
Elizabeth rushed infront of jim and used her powers to block a hit, her forcefield was destroyed after the first hit and they jumped out of the way.
She noticed a figure in the shadows watching as they evaded that things hits. Knowing that it would be risky she created a force of energy in her hands and used it at them but it didn't effect them, screaming she dodged another hit. They knew they were helpless when unarmed and transformed.
"For the glory of merlin, daylight is mine to command!"
"By the power of merlin, chaos is mine to wield!"
Jim ran towards it and stabbed it in the back but it wasn't a troll so it did not effect it. Elizabeth unsheathed the corruptor and tried to see if it's head was any different.
She stabbed the top of his head but it was a feeble attempt "oh come on!"
The thing grabbed them both throwing them to either sides of the field. They got back up and ran towards it, Elizabeth evaded it's hands but jim wasn't so lucky. He summoned daylight and cut off the things hand off weakening it. She did the same and cut off its leg.
They backed away from it as it limped towards them, Jim took the chance to jump on its arm and hit his chest causing an opening. He saw a small golem figure and called out to liz "liz your sword!"
Nodding, she threw her sword at the figure destroying it, the thing fell and they finally managed to catch their breaths "quite the fight huh?" She asked.
"Quite the fight." He agreed.
Elizabeth went to retrieve the corruptor and gave the figure to jim in which he destroyed. "Who do you think made this?"
"I don't know but we're gonna find- AH! " He slipped on the mud and caused Elizabeth to laugh loudly.
"Here let me-wait! No!"
___________________
Toby and Claire tried to stall for jim but coach Lawrence took the mic away from them "Jim lake is disquali-"
Everyone gasped when they saw a tired liz and Jim covered in mud, walk through the gym doors "what the heck is that?" Toby asked.
"Looks like lizzie and lake have been digging around the dirt!" Steve said, she glared at him and flicked a piece of mud towards him "my shirt! What the heck even is your theme lake?"
"They look like a... mole!" Eli told.
Everyone began chanting mole and the two were very unhappy about it "we're not moles we just--"
Toby took the mic from the coaches hands and announced "Jim lake junior and lizzie Wallis, are here to present their theme! Mole mania!"
They began to cheer for the theme and Claire took the mic "the audience has spoken, Jim and lizzie are the winners!"
Coach Lawrence snatched the mic "oh apparently, Claires the Queen. But, yes, they win the challenge" he lowered the mic and asked Claire "are pairs allowed?" She nodded wanting to make the two into a duo, knowing the crush that jim had on Elizabeth.
The crowd cheered and the coach silenced them "anyways there has been a sudden departure, I have heard word that principle levit has taken an indefinite leave of absence. We will him well, but he sent an email recommending an interim replacement, which we all support."
Elizabeth leaned to jim "you don't think..."
"Please welcome principle strickler!"
He walked from in between the four of them receiving glares from them all "what is he doing here?" Jim asked infuriated with his presence.
"I thought you said he would be a fool to ever come back." Toby asked worriedly.
Elizabeth's eyes narrowed once she saw a ring on his finger that held the same energy from the figure that she saw in the shadows before.
He looked back at all of them with his eye glowing red "I'm very glad to be back. And excited to get started. But let it be known, with me in charge, things are going to change."
"This isn't good..."