If You Trust Me - An Onward Fan-Novel

◊ Chapter 32 ◊

Previously on Onward...

After attempting to turn Gedeon's clones against their master through a dance battle—with the prize being the medallion itself—Ian is caught in the act by the real Gedeon, who once again tries to get under his skin. Luckily, Barley comes to his brother's aid, and together they do battle with Gedeon and his clones—which ends with the medallion in Ian's hands, but with Barley held hostage!

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◊ Fire and Lightning ◊

Gedeon had Barley in a chokehold. A chokehold the very strong older elf for some reason could not escape from on his own. It was way too powerful, even for him! The gremlin also gripped his wizard staff in his opposite, dominant hand. He grinned evilly at the younger Lightfoot, who stood there with a face of fear as his enemy held hostage the person he cared about most. But his fear was also mixed with absolute fury.

"Let him go, Gedeon!" Ian pleaded in anger.

"Oh, I will...as soon as you give me that medallion," Gedeon warned as he used his staff to point towards the S.S. Medallion, whose pendant had taken up the younger elf's entire palm.

But now holding the talisman close to his heart, Ian shouted, "NEVER!"

Gedeon let out a chuckle. "'Never'? Well then...I guess I'll just have to explode your brother's head with some Arcane Lightning."

Ian felt all the color begin to drain from his face, especially as he watched the gremlin lower the tip of the dark wooden staff closer to his brother.

"You wouldn't dare," the young wizard let out slowly. "You-you can't!"

"Oh, I can, and I will," Gedeon threatened. "Observe..."

Still clutching Barley tightly, with the older Lightfoot struggling, the conniving gremlin turned to face the cavern opening his wagon clone had entered through earlier.

Now aiming his staff towards the rock formation that laid on top of it, Gedeon declared, "Voltar Thundasir!"

A long strand of sparkling, but dangerous lightning spewed from the gremlin's staff, and made its way toward the rocks. As the lightning hit the red, cavernous rocks with a BANG, they all began to fall to the ground with impact. Soon the opening was completely caved in and blocked with rocks.

Ian gulped. Gedeon could master Arcane Lightning, just like he had. The wicked wizard was not joking around.

Soon Gedeon turned back to face the younger elf, pointing the tip of his staff towards Barley's head again.

"Well, there goes your safest way out of my cavernous lair...away from my spider, Taran...," he said malevolently. "So...what's it gonna be, Ian? Your dear brother or the medallion? Your choice."

Ian felt his breath shaking. All he could think about was how this could possibly be happening to him. The younger Lightfoot really didn't want to put Barley in danger, and was firmly insistent to him before they'd even left for their quest that he should've stayed out of the way. But now here the older elf was, in danger, just as he feared!

"DON'T GIVE IT TO HIM, IAN!" Barley cried in his struggle. "I CAN TAKE HIM!" But at that moment, the gremlin choked him further. "Ahhrgh!" he strained.

"I've got the Strength Spell at my side! He won't last much longer...," Gedeon warned as he put pressure on the younger wizard's brother. "Even the simple utterance of 'Voltar'  is enough to spew just a little lightning out of my staff! You gotta decide, kid."