CLAIRE HAD REALISED THE GRAVE MISTAKE SHE HAD COMMITTED, recalling why Angor had taken her purse. She now had to face the consequences which would come when telling vendel.
"She allowed Angor Rot to obtain the Horngazel?" Vendel asked calmly but he was visibly furious "the very key past trollmarkets defences?"
Marc stood forward "we're all to blame, we didn't stand a chance against him." he said standing by her side "and besides isn't there a way to deactivate it?"
"This isn't like a subscription, it doesn't just expire Marc." Toby told.
The trollhunter came to their defence "it's not their fault, it's mine. I should've gone to the school to get the incantation, I should've faced Angor Rot. Not them."
Claire admitted "It was in my purse. We were dangling off the roof, he cut it off and left."
Toby comforted her "it was a great every day purse, it went with everything"
Elizabeth stood up "there's still time before sundown"
"Angor Rot rarely attacks during the day..." Jim told hoping to convince Vendel but he was cut off instead.
"He is unpredictable at best! And if there isn't anything to stop him from creating havoc in trollmarket... then you have just put more than yourselves at risk." he told.
Before this argument could continue the sound of strickler calling out echoed "that sounds bad.." she muttered before they ran to the commotion.
Aaarrrgghh and blinky stood their ground "lets discuss this matter like reasonable trolls!-" a rock was thrown at his face "ruffians! Who threw that"
Stricklers whined "Where's Jim? He gave me his word!"
The sound of sparks alerted them all and silenced them, the chaoswielder stopped and nodded to jim "put him down! He helped save my mother, he's with me."
A troll was outraged "he tried to release gunmar!"
"Get him out of here!"
"Changelings aren't right in trollmarket!"
"Get rid of him!"
Jim tried to convince them "its not going to make a difference. Angor Rot wants me too, and the protective barrier won't stop him!"
They were confused, Blinky stood forward and asked "what do you mean?"
He scratched the back of his head "he has a horngazel." They began shouting and throwing anything they could at them "look, you have a right to know!"
"The chaoswielder is here! What use is she to us, if she can't protect us!?"
She frowned "I know you're afraid but rioting and doing this won't help with any of this!" she shouted trying to talk some sense into them.
They ignored their words and one of them shouted "let's throw them all out!"
They picked them up by their legs, the rest of the trollhunters called out "its not their fault!" Claire shouted.
They began chanting "throw them out!"
Vendel came to their aid and stated "when you finished throwing them out... come back and throw me out, too!" he told them, "yes, our protectors have made grave errors, but they have come through for us more than i give them credit for." he admitted "trollmarket is in danger, and our greatest defence has always been our protectors!"
The trollhunters stood by vendel, as did a few other trolls. Elizabeth teleported out of the troll's hands and back to solid ground before they dropped them "what now our infallible leaders?" Strickler asked.
Standing at the top of the stairs, Jim told them all "we get ready to give Angor Rot... the fight of his life!" he shouted.
And so did they prepare fortifying their defences and readying their weapons, Elizabeth trained Marc to hone his abilities in preparation for this fight.
"You need to focus on that centre energy Marc." she said as he struggled with creating an orb in his hands.
"Ugh! Its hopeless!" he said shrugging his arms "it was so much easier when we were actually in danger." he said holding his head in his hands.
She smiled and stood in front of him "because you had something worth fighting for, you wanted to protect Claire"
He scoffed "I ended up helping with nothing!"
Sighing she placed her hands on his shoulders "in your mind you have to know this, there is always something worth fighting for" Marc took those words to heart and tried once more, closing his eyes he steadied his breathing and began. His hands started to glow as an orb of energy started forming "you're doing it!"
He opened his eyes and gasped before laughing nervously "I am!" he smiled before throwing it at her, which she immediately redirected back towards him. His eyes widened but he somehow managed to catch it, she was shocked by his quick learning, that she did not realise that he threw it back at her sending her on her back.
She sat up unbothered by the pain "how did you learn that trick, that fast?"
Shrugging he helped her up "just followed your lead, come on let's join the others!"
Elizabeth felt an odd feeling in her chest once she saw the abilities he possessed seemed to be growing stronger, catching up to him she told him "it took me days to perfect my counter attacks. You did it in a few minutes! How?"
He gave her a smug look "oh i see what's going on here..."
"There is nothing going on here! it's just..." she sighed before telling him "you're getting better, great job."
They walked into Blinkys library and heard names being recited by NotEnrique "Tobias, Elizabeth, Barbra, Claire, Blinkous, Aaarrrgghh..."
"Whats going on here?" she asked upon hearing the names.
Toby looked towards her "Gunmar sent a warning."
Jim was lost in hearing the names, she noticed this and placed her hand on his shoulder "there's no going back now, when we find the last stone, we will finish this" she told him softly but noticed how he grew more and more worried as the list went on.
"It goes on for a while, you don't need to listen to all of this" Toby told him.
Claire told jim "its like you said, we shouldn't focus on the fight tomorrow, but the fight today."
"Its too bad you guys have been collecting stones to kill gunmar and not angor." Marc told gulping as he heard the name of him and his father.
"Or so you think" strickler walked in, he told them "maybe you do have a stone, Angors eye."
Jim grabbed the jar and wondered "you're saying I can use this in my amulet?"
Toby became excited "Jim you're gonna level up again!"
"If cut with the proper guidance" he told.
Jim agreed "show me where to cut"
____________
In heartstone, jim began cutting the eye "unlock its dark power, and you'll be able to ward off his magics." strickler said before pointing "cleave here ever so gently."
Claire glanced at the power stone on the table "Liz? You think you'd be able to carve this now?"
Glancing towards it she nodded "shouldn't be all that difficult now, i think." she muttered. Using her powers she began carving the stone carefully. After removing it she saw the glowing blue rock, hesitantly she reached out for it, Marc grabbed her hand.
"Liz, careful!"
"I got this." she told shrugging his hand away, they all stopped what they were doing and watched. The stone glowed in her hand and she gasped as she felt its energy coarse through her. She breathed out and the glow began to dim, feeling the burning disappear she opened her eyes and checked her hands. Glancing at jim she gave it to him but he was hesitant " it should be normal now."
He trusted her and took it out of her hands before placing it in his amulet, his amulet glowed red before it diminished to its blue " what do you think it'll do?"
She shrugged "time will tell, i guess. Just tell me as soon as it does, don't want you turning into a real turd again." she teased jokingly.
He chuckled, "I'll make sure of that."
_________________
They all prepared for the fight, Claire readied her shadow staff, Aaarrrgghh bonded his hand to strengthen it, Marc readied his newly found powers, while Toby fought with his hammer.
"Stubborn hammer, we're supposed to be on the same team!" he groaned while trying to pick it up. She was quick to help by lifting it with her staff but he only fell again.
Jim kept carving the eye "follow that facet there" strickler mentored "careful now, you only have one chance at this"
After finally carving it down to its core he placed the stone in his amulet. Then he and Strickler left for the gyre.
Elizabeth took the chance to speak with Agnar in his cell, transforming into her armour. Once she came in he looked at her proudly "In all honesty, I would have never thought the day would come, where I saw you be a true--"
She silenced him " don't say it" she told him, she walked to his chains and unlocked them. "Angor is coming, and chances are, Dandril will be sending him some back up." she said before standing in front of him "I am going to need you."
He was shocked but stood up "I will fight with you to the end, wielder." he said bowing humbly.
The stones began to rumble "he's here... go to the town square, hold your ground there!" she said before running out.
"Does Vendel know?!"
She looked back at him "he knows, just... be careful! They might think you're on the wrong side!"
Teleporting to the blue stone stairway and asked "he's nice enough to knock at least?" she said, preparing her weapon.
"I believe he's attempting to intimidate us!" blinky shouted shutting his ears.
Jim scowled and told them "he's expecting us to hide. I say we take the fight to him!" he looked at them all "draal, hold the stairs. blink , Claire, Marc, robes, protect trollmarket. Liz, Aaarrrgghh, NotEnrique, with me!"
"I'm rather comfy where i am." NotEnrique told.
Elizabeth teased him "aren't as intimidating as you say you are huh?"
Draal knocked the changeling forward and looked towards her "good luck."
"You to"
She flew up the stairs and stood in front of the wall waiting for the others. NotEnrique took the horngasel and Jim transformed "for the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command." he readied his sword "we're not letting him pass us! What the-- watch out!" he shouted, pushing him and Liz out of the way.
A golem of stone punched through, aaarrrggh quickly ripped the totem out of it and destroyed it, the changeling was quick to point out "wowza, big guy, let's keep it PG. where's Angor Rot?"
She quickly realised "he's coming in another way, we need to get back to trollmarket!"
"The gyre station!" Jim shouted.
They ran down confusing the others "what happened where's Angor Rot?" Claire asked.
"There he is! Let's do this boys!" a troll shouted with their crew.
Jim shouted before angor could attack anyone else "Angor!"
He smirked upon seeing them both "let me introduce you to some of my friends!"
Golems began climbing up into trollmarket, and portals tore through letting in shapes of corruption. They ran down the stairs and began pushing back the golems, Elizabeth used her sword and pinned one of the shapes down "go you handle Angor! We got this!" he nodded and ran down.
Elizabeth saw the struggle that agnar was facing and teleported to his side, Marc came with them "what do we do?!" Marc shouted.
"Hit them! With everything you got!"
Corruption rained down and them and Elizabeth used her powers to rip it apart, Marc used his method of counter attacks to use their hits against them, amazing Agnar "i guess i underestimated you"
She looked up towards the portals in the sky and gathered her energy in her hands "by the power of Merlin! Go back to where you belong, Freaks!" she yelled before blasting them and forcing them close. Panting she fell to her knee "he'll send in more, focus on the golems for now!"
The fight only grew from there, Angor held his grudge against the hunter "you destroyed, my soul hunter... now i shall harvest yours!"
The sound of a car horn rang in the air, and Jim smirked "it's not hunter, angor, its hunters!"
"Eat chrome!" blinky yelled ramming angor "got him! I drove, did you see? I drove a human automobile!"
Angor picked the car up and threw it with blinky still inside. The golems kept getting more and more, overwhelming the trolls and trollhunters.
Elizabeth saw this and faded into her powerful state once more, blasting as many of them as possible.
Marc recalled a comic of his and called out to her "Liz!" She gave him a confused look "listen this sounds stupid, but come closer!" he yelled before blasting another one of them.
She ran towards him and her voice echoed "what do you want?"
"Remember the tornado of doom?"
She went out of her state "now is not the time for comics Marc!" she yelled before blasting three at once.
"Use your telekinesis and spin me around!"
It took her moment but she finally realised "get ready!" she shouted before spinning him around her.
He blasted as many as he could and fell to the ground, Elizabeth lifted the totems of their remains and destroyed them "great plan Marc!"
Standing up he stumbled "oh, I think I'm gonna barf!"
She cringed "sorry- woah!"
A shape of corruption carried her up into the air and took her into the chaos realm, she grunted as she fell to the stone ground.
Sighing she looked around "if you're gonna attack do it now!" she shouted holding her sword in her hand.
A purple light shone at the end of the vast hall, curiously she walked towards it but remained cautious as she held her sword close. A hand slammed down onto it making her gasp and pant "what?" she asked, shocked by the sudden pain.
"The chaoswielder has returned!"
An echo resounded, orbs of light came out of the dark attacking her. She fought back against them but did her best to keep her eyes on the figure advancing towards her, destroying each one of those orbs she pointed the tip of her sword at the person's neck, flinching as she realised it to be Dandril.
"What do you want?" she asked, glaring at her once ally.
He chuckled "is that how you greet a friend?" he asked smugly, pushing the sword to the side, beginning to encircle her, he was calm while she was vigilant.
"What. do. You. want?" she asked again through gritted teeth.
"You cannot possibly think that I would ever lure you into a trap?" he asked, his voice never faltering.
Scoffing she threw back at him "you're one to talk."
He chuckled "I hate to admit it, but you have come a long way since the last time I saw you."
Before she could say anything, the sound of chains alerted her. Spinning around she lifted her sword up allowing the chain to wrap around it. With all her might and power she threw her attacker to the side revealing who it was "how are you still alive?"
Slamming him against the wall she pinned him with her energy before turning to look back at Dandril "what is this, what are you trying to do?"
Azoroth chuckled "thought you weren't one to hear someones plan-" he grunted as she pushed him further into the wall.
"Zip it."
Dandril had his hands together "I come to you with a proposition, Eliza-"
Throwing a ball of energy at him, she roared "you lost the privilege of ever calling me by name!"
His eyes widened and he said again through his teeth "as I was saying, wielder, i come to you with a deal, follow me." She lowered her guard slightly and turned to Azoroth letting him go. With her sword she directed him to go in front of her, he huffed and went on "smart we are now less likely to stab you in the back"
She scowled "you already did.." muttering under her breath.
They stood on a cliff, given a full view of the battlefield and the pillar of balance "what are we doing here?"
He told her "the pillar of balance, so elegant, yet destructive when exposed to the wrong energy" he laughed lightly "reminds me of you."
"What are you getting at?"
He looked down at her "if the pillar is exposed to corruption it won't end the cycle of Chaoswielders, it will continue the battle of imbalance." he explained, he noticed her immediate interest "the pillar balances corruption therefore turning corruption to chaos, chaos is shunned thus turned to corruption, and so on and so forth."
Her eyes widened in realisation "but what's the point in fighting each other?" she asked herself as she watched the battle below occur.
"Whether you wish to admit it or not this war will never end, each individual will do what they believe is right." he answered for her, staring at the pillar with determination.
Shaking her head she backed away from him slightly "and what are you trying to do?"
He turned to her and stared at her eyes "By destroying the pillar there will be no need for balance, both will be free" he walked towards her "no more war, only freedom"
"By anarchy?" she asked as she backed away careful as she was now near the edge.
Chuckling he shook his head "as I said" he told as he glared into her soul "everyone will do what they believe right!" he pushed her off of the cliff.
Azoroth was confused "she'll still live, my king"
"I know what I am doing, do not question it" he warned as he watched her disappear.
Gasping she stood up and looked around her to find herself back in trollmarket. Claire found her and rushed towards her "Come on Jim needs our help!"
Elizabeth was still in shock but nodded, they ran to the forge and found themselves blocked by a barrier, they watched as Jim was too weak to fight against Angor "Jim, no!" she shouted trying to make it through but her emotions were too overridden for her to use her powers, looking at Claire's staff she shouted "Claire your staff!".
Before she could go in Toby rushed through appearing above Angor "up here Rot head!" he shouted.
Jim took the opportunity to use his dagger against him, Angor turned to stone and was shattered by Toby's war hammer. Draal lifted up the gate and Elizabeth slid through quickly rushing to him "Jim!"
She grabbed him into a tight hug "is he gone?"
"He better be," he said, looking back at his remains.
Toby remained angry "yeah, he better be."
They gasped as his remains glowed blue, lights began to escape "finally.."
"Our souls are free.."
"We return to our brethren"
Their whispers echoed and Claire asked "what I mean, who are they?"
"These are the spirits of our fallen brethren" Kanjigar told as his spirit appeared "trollhunters who lost both soul and life to Angor rot. Our brothers and sisters shall take their proper place in the void and rest in peace, thanks to you James lake jr. and your friends." he thanked gratefully before admitting "you were right, you are stronger together we are in your debt, but the day will come trollhunter, when you must finish the fight alone."
Draal stepped forward as he looked at his father "father?" he reached out to him.
"My son, I am so sorry for pushing you away." he said, he hoped he hadn't left this world leaving his son to face it by himself "i am so proud of you"
"father ... father!" he shouted as he watched him disappear again.
______________
They stood by the statue of their fallen friend saddened by his death, both protectors felt guilt boil within them for not being able to do anything. The worst of it all fell on Toby, as he lost not only a friend, but a piece of his family again.
Jim backed away while the others left to comfort Toby "hold onto that anger Toby, save it for the darklands" Claire told.
Elizabeth looked at his stone face "there has to be a way to bring him back." she whispered, out of the corner of her eye she saw Jim leave "jim?".
He left on his own, and stood alone in front of the crumbled bridge, he placed the final stone in his amulet. The words shifted and the amulet turned red, he recited the incantation "for the doom of Gunmar, Eclipse is mine to command!" he shouted.
The once blue glow his armour would emit whenever he transformed was now red, as he was lifted in the air his armour formed revealing it to be now pitch black and engraved with red. Falling back down he observed his hands and saw the new armour, looking at the bridge he hesitantly pulled his amulet away.
"Master jim!" blinky shouted.
He turned around and shut the gate "dude what are you doing?" Toby asked.
Elizabeth realised what he was about to do and slammed her hands on the door "jim, you can't do this on your own! Please open this gate!" her voice cracking "you promised!"
He heard her voice and told her "the amulet chose me Elizabeth, this is my mission not yours!" her eyes widened upon hearing this "I can't lose any more of you" he muttered before looking back at the bridge.
They tried banging on it but it was no use "maybe i can try manually overriding the lock!"
She backed away and went into her spiritual form not caring about her body, she stood in front of jim blocking his path to the bridge "jim, please. Think about this! Think about what you're doing"
"Elizabeth please, stop. I'm not changing my mind." he urged.
"This won't end the way you think it will" she told hoping for him to listen.
He sighed and walked towards the portal "yes. It will" he told firmly before moving straight through her.
Her eyes widened at what he just did, for the second time she was invisible to the ones she loved, before she could follow him the portal shut and she was left alone, her voice weak as she looked at it horror "jim, no..."