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A dark day. Rain poured hard and the wind howled like a wolf on a full moon from outside. Strickler did what he had to, all his centuries of hard work led to this very moment. It is now that he could prove how much worth his kin could offer, how much he could offer. Though behind the mask of lies he had grown used to wearing, he had grown close to the boy that was under his arms, he could only wince as Jim let out a scream while the amulet in his hands connect with Killahead Bridge like a hand in a glove.
He felt something hard connect with his chest and was thrown off. He opened his eyes but he could only make out the blue light that surrounded the room. The next thing he knew was that there was a whirlpool that originates from under the bridge. The silhouette of a big dark troll appeared — more spine-chilling than Bular — and everyone in that room knew who he was. Despite the pain, he desperately dug his claws on one of the exhibit's posts.
Everyone was hanging on — or at least trying — as the whirlpool sucked in all surrounding air into the Darklands itself. He tried to make out his surroundings, all he could hear was Nomura's cut off scream. A big burst of light flashed before him and—
Darkness.
Every sound he could make out was muffled. Strickler held his head -- where a throbbing pain originated from -- then his horns, trying to feel if they were still attached to his skull. Yes… good, he mused as he felt it. His vision was blurred as his body ached under a broken piece of what used to be the wall. He stood up, finally finding his balance. He gaped as the first image he could properly make out was Gunmar, The Gunmar, Gunmar the Black, the Skullcrusher. It was him. And he had his foot over the Trollhunter. The rest of Jim’s crew was unconscious. Jim himself was desperately trying to fight back, ripped from his armor and breathing heavily under the clawed foot of Gumar.
The Gumm Gumm king himself was about to crush Jim then and there when he heard himself yell , “No!” -- his voice cracked, but it couldn't have been any less defiant either way -- Strickler stood still, both Gunmar and Bular’s attention went to him, I said that?! he was internally cursing himself, why in the bloody Darklands did I just say that?!
Bular was first to snarl. “Why have you interrupted my father, impure? Can you not see-“
Gunmar gave a low growl, making Bular immediately pause. He slowly turned to Strickler, eye burning blue. “Speak, Stricklander.”
“I, uh…” he couldn’t find the right words — or rather, the right lie — to explain himself. He looked at Gunmar then back at Jim, a pang of guilt shot through him. “I…” He had to play the power play with precision and caution, the wrong word would cost him his head. He looked around and noticed that he was the only changeling in the room, a scream from Nomura rang through his ears, she was sucked in… Otto, of course, that coward is long gone. Now, he had to speak for the rest of his kin. “I suggest not to kill the boy…”
Gunmar was one to listen — more than his son, at least — and put his foot away from Jim, who was barely breathing. “And why is that?”
“Because,” he cleared his throat before continuing, “why should you end it for him now, if you could let him pay for what his predecessors did?” He gestured at Killahead.
Strickler knew that Jim would be relatively safer in the Darklands. But why on Earth would he even care for the boy to live? Of course, he was a changeling. He always needed a way out regardless of the side he’s on. And if he was trying to speak truthfully for himself, deep inside, he wanted Jim to live. After all, he got this far, at least reward him for it.
Darklands no longer had Gunmar, which cancelled out the greatest threat he would likely face in there. And if things were to go south with Gunmar for the sake of his kin… well… he knew the boy would never forgive him, but bargains can always be made.
“Yes.” Strickler was baffled by the Skullcrusher’s answer. “He will suffer for the mistake his predecessors made all those years ago.”
Strickler noticed that the gateway to the Darklands was still open. Gunmar ordered his son to throw the Trollhunter in the Darklands, and he did so. Gunmar wielded the Decimaar blade with might and destroyed the bridge almost flawlessly, so that no one will come to the aid of the Trollhunter.
“What of these ones?” Bular asked, getting both Gunmar and Strickler’s attention. The GummGumm prince gestured at the pile of unconscious bodies that were near Killahead. As it seems, both Draal and Aaarrrgghh tried to cover Blinky, Toby and Claire from the crash, though all seemed alive, the rest of Arcadia will now feel terror. It will taste the rage and the GummGumm king.
“They’re…” Strickler thought for a moment before a devilish smirk was drawn on his face, “useful.”
He let Gunmar, Bular, and their army to handle the invasion to Trollmarket, which went as smoothly as one would think — not at all. But despite the chaos the GummGumm army caused on the streets, they managed to reach Trollmarket. Both Toby and Aaarrrgghh had a horngazel with them, in which Gunmar put to good use. Gunmar’s priority number one was to invade Trollmarket and get its Heartstone. And he and his army did so successfully, with Strickler with them every step of the way.
Gunmar sat on a makeshift throne — made of the remains of the trolls who wished to oppose him — as havoc ensued on the overworld. His army — those who are not terrorizing humanity — gathered around the former Heartstone of Trollmarket, which was now Gunmar’s ‘throne room’.
The Skullcrusher let out a low growl-like chuckle, “I… feel… powerful,” his devilish cackle continued as he stood up to deliver his monologue, “The army that has been taken away from me will be replenished by those whom these pathetic trolls tried so desperately to protect; their people, their whelps, are now to serve me. This world, these miserable fleshbags will now see the wrath of a King ripped away from his kingdom all those centuries ago. I am the Skullcrusher! And world is mine to rule.”
Strickler kneeled with respect as the rest of Gunmar’s army — including his son, Bular — at the GummGumm King’s short speech. Gunmar waved his sword as a signal for his followers to depart at once and continue with their duties. Since Gunmar achieved what he came for, Strickler thought of coming back to the Janus Order to make a formal announcement of their ‘King’s’ arrival but Gunmar quickly called him up before he could see himself out.
“Yes, my Lo- King,” Strickler was quick to correct himself as he answered.
Gunmar stood intimidating and tall, but Strickler did well in keeping his composed demeanor, no point in faltering now. “You, Stricklander have proven yourself worthy.”
“I have.” A changeling’s pride got the best of his words, but the Skullcrusher brushed it off.
“I must conquer more land… And I am to seek… something,” Gunmar mused. “Therefore… me and my army will depart by the turn of dusk tomorrow.”
Strickler thought for a moment. Why was he giving him, a changeling, all this information. Did he gain the GummGumm King’s trust so quickly? “I, ah… see…”
A smirk appeared on Gunmar’s face, tusks bared, “You miss the point, impure.” Strickler couldn’t hide the confusion from his expression before Gunmar continued, “I will need a worthy subject, perhaps a general of mine to look after this town as a venture through my conquest.”
“Do you wish for me to accompany Bular as he—“
“No. My son is to come with me.”
The puzzle wasn’t that hard, yet Strickler had a little bit of trouble as he pieced it together. “Then…”
“You, Stricklander, will be the… baron... of this land. Just make sure to keep your kin in line.”
“Y-yes! My King,” Strickler accepted the honor. “But where do you plan to venture?”
“North.”
“I will inform the Northern US branches of the Order quickly, that they may prepare for your arrival,” Strickler suggested as he took a bow.
“Good.” And with Gunmar’s response, Strickler departed.
It was the first time he would see Arcadia as a whole after spending the rest of his evening helping conquer Trollmarket. He took a step out of under the bridge and saw the fiery chaos, the outcome of what he — in extension — had done. He wanted this, did he not? Then why was there this bitter feeling of guilt?
He walked through the ruins of Arcadia, it was dead. Everyone either left or were in hiding. Or, they had suffered a fate far worse than a simple death. His chest felt tight and heavy by every loose human limb that laid on the empty streets. He tried not to think about it too much, but his thoughts drifted into something that he never thought would make his chest ache as bad.
“Just between you and me, when Gunmar rules the surface, I’ll do my best to look after your mother.”
He shot his eyes open with his own words ringing in his ears. “Barbara…”
-
-
A flaming red and yellow was bursting from outside the hospital’s window. Fire, why was there a fire? What was happening? Everyone was panicking as they entered the hospital for refuge. But others started to barricade the doors. Barbara tried to tend to those she can but it didn’t take long before half the hospital’s power was out, one of the two backup generators were damaged, thus, only a few parts of the hospital was on.
Barbara quickly made a run to her clinic, it was getting late and she doesn’t know if her son was safe. He wasn’t answering her calls, it made her breathing falter, a wave of worry came over her.
“Pick up, kiddo. Pick up… please...” she quietly cried. She heard screaming and panic from outside. Her curiosity getting the best of her, she peeked through the door and saw… things, big, stony creatures, like out of a fantasy novel. She went back and and barricaded her own door, turning off the remaining lights and hiding behind the curtains as one of the creatures walked by her door.
What are those creatures? Why is this happening? Where’s Jim? Was he safe? Did one of those— no. She couldn’t — shouldn’t — believe that. She raised Jim to be strong, and the unspoken truth was that he was stronger than she ever was. And she believed that. Maybe he found shelter? They’re bound to meet again, right? But now, if she wants to meet her son again, she needs to make sure her son still has someone to meet.
Barbara need to plan, she needs to find him. But first, she needs to get out. With the amount of people, especially the wounded ones, the hospital won’t be able to accommodate that many. Their supplies would last for only 12 to 14 hours at best. Not even a day.
Barbara had slept the night through. If she had any chance of escaping and finding her son, she needed all the energy she can have. It was the break of dawn and the first thing she set her eyes on after waking up was her phone.
[4 missed calls, 2 unread messages.]
She opened it. And looked at the caller ID.
[“Walter”]
[Walter: Barbara, are you okay?] [Walter: Where are you? Are you hurt? I beg you’d tell me, please.]
She had to text back — assuming that Walter survived the night — maybe he could help her, Jim is his favorite student, right? Besides, she needs someone with her right now, and it’d be best if it was someone familiar. Without a second thought, she dialed the number and hoped that he was still around to pick it up.
“Hello?” she asked when the ringing stopped, indicating that someone picked it up.
“Barbara!” a surprised yet worried voice answered. “Where are you? Are you alright? I’ll come to you.”
“I-I’m fine, Walt,” she answered, “Are you okay? Where are you? I've been here, at the hospital, since the attack.”
“I’ll be there soon, stay safe for n—“
Before he could hang up she suddenly blurted out, “No!” It was louder than she had intended. Barbara took a deep breath before continuing, “I mean… it’s not safe if you leave where you are now. The left wing of the hospital is barricaded, it’s full of those- those things, and it’s— there’s a lot of injured people, I don’t think they’d allow anyone—“
“Nevertheless,” he cut her off, “I’ll be there.”
The call dropped. Strickler looked at his phone once more. Why was he doing this? a thought came, before a text came in.
[Scaarbach]
He opened it without hesitation and read what it said. Otto was informing Strickler that the changelings are becoming restless, they have yet to be told what to do. Some are furious that it is finally their time to reign, yet only GummGumms are allowed to conquer.
Strickler took his priorities at hand and weighed them. Barbara is safe and it was still the break of dawn. The Order, his brethren needed a leader. As of now, he needed to fix the latter. He took to his car and drove to where the Headquarters was located. The ‘Travel Agency’.
“Ah, mein freund. I thought you were never going to come,” Otto greeted him as he entered. Strickler could only roll his eyes at the remark. “They are waiting in the projector room.” Otto gestured the way, guessing that Gunmar had already spoken to Stricklander.
The projector room was on the other side of the labyrinth-like headquarters, it felt like a long walk to the two changelings. Otto couldn’t keep silent, asking what Gunmar told Stricklander before the GummGumm king left to travel north.
“Gunmar gave me a great honour…” Stricklander began, “he told me that I was… in charge... of Arcadia.” A small smile — though unnoticeable — came to Stricklander’s face, the honor was great indeed, especially how it came directly from the Skullcrusher himself. Though he could have chosen to ask for more than just that, but who was an impure against a great king anyway?
Otto gave a light chuckle, in which Stricklander gave a glare as a reaction. Otto looked at him, demeanor calm and composed, with a witty smile on his face. Stricklander raised a brow.
“Stricklander, Thane of Arcadia,” Otto remarked before walking past Stricklander who had stopped for a few moments to process what the other changeling said. In all honesty, it had a nice ring to it.
Strickler caught up with Otto, masking his thoughts from the earlier statement. Before they entered the projector room, near the doorframe, Otto waited for Stricklander and gestured him to come in first.
“Let us simply hope that this one doesn’t end in a tragedy,” Otto muttered under his breath as Stricklander walked by, loud enough for him to hear it.
Before he continued, Stricklander looked back at Otto with one last glare before making his way.
This was it.
To gain respect.
To have a seat in the throne of power.
It was everything his heart desired.
Wasn't it?