𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 [𝐣𝐢𝐦 𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐱 𝐨𝐜]

Chapter 8 | Bular the Butcher

Liz Walker POV

Immediately after school, she headed to her apartment on a skateboard, only to leave on a motorbike. The sun gradually descended the sky, covering the buildings of town in shades of pink as Liz drove her way through the streets. She was on her way to meet with Blinky and AAARRRGGHH but was chilled to the bone when she heard the familiar roars and growls of a troll. Eyes narrowed, Liz could only name one ferocious beast. Bular the Butcher.

She turns her bike around the corner, heading towards the sounds, her mind racing. Why is Bular in town, close to humans? With the sun still in the sky, how could he risk himself from being exposed? Unless...Her eyes widened in realization. Jim!

Speeding up, she follows the roars and growls. Then, she can hear crashing close by. As she passes by another street, she turns to see Jim and Toby on their bikes, riding swiftly with Bular catching up behind them. The two boys turned into a narrow alleyway, leaving Bular in the dust. Nodding approval at their quick thinking, Liz speeds up and drives her way around to follow them on the other side.

Seeing the two boys far ahead, Liz continues to tail them. She continued to follow them over the canal and into the residential area when she saw them turn left at a three-way intersection. Looking over her shoulder, she sees Bular chasing after her. "I see you, Guardian!"

Her eyes narrowed in concentration as she picked up speed on her bike, only to slow before making the turn at the intersection. She swerves to a stop when she notices the boys standing with the trolls, staring at her and her ride in surprise. She shouts at them, gaining their attention. "Why have you stopped? Bular is on his way!"

Before she could say any more, Bular appears from around the corner, growling at them. Quickly, Liz steps on her gas pedal and shouted to the crew. "Follow me, boys! We'll be safe in Heartstone Trollmarket!"

Quickly, the crew ran and rode down the dark neighborhood street. Behind them, a row of power lines snaps as they fall to the ground, narrowingly missing Toby who was saved by AAARRRGGHH. Having turned into the forest, they went through the trees. Behind Liz, she hears Blinky shouting. "Master Jim! Don your armor!"

"I've been trying! The amulet won't listen to me!" Jim says.

"Did you speak the incantation?" Blinky questions. Exasperated, Jim answers. "I've been incanting the crap out of it, and it's not working!"

"Just focus and incant, dude!" Toby shouts behind them, hanging onto AAARRRGGHH for dear life. Ahead of them, Liz shouts over her shoulder. "You have to be earnest, Jim! Reciting the incantation without will won't work! Try thinking about your loved ones and the need to protect them!"

Picking up speed at the last moment, Liz flies into the air until she starts to descend, the ground rising below her. Pulled by gravity, she lands at the bottom of the canal, her tires screeching as she swerves her bike to a stop on the opposite side. Taking off her helmet, she looks up to see Jim still at the top landing with everyone else sliding down the canal. "What is he doing?!"

Quickly, she throws her helmet away and leaves her bike behind, running towards Jim. Damn it! Is this boy trying to get himself killed?!

However, she was too late when Bular punched Jim, blue light bursting as Jim flew into the air, transforming into his armor. Fully armored with the sword in hand, Jim landed hard at the bottom of the canal, cracking and shaking the ground beneath him. Jim grunts as he struggles to lift his sword, facing towards the approaching Bular, who lets out a roar.

Liz shouts. "Run, Jim!"

Shocked out of his reverie, Jim pants running down the canal towards the rest of the crew waiting beneath the canal as Bular runs parallel to him from the top landing. To their dismay, Bular jumps down and lands in front of Jim, intercepting his path to safety. Blinky shouts to Jim. "Use your sword, Master Jim!"