Lost in Phantasm (Merlin Fanfiction)

Part 7: "Captured Again"

In the arena, Garrgan was going over the agenda for the next night's performance. He didn't doubt that the human's day had been terrifying, maybe the giant had already caught him and eaten him. Garrgan hoped this wasn't the case. Even the half of the beginnings of a fight they had seen from him yesterday had set tongues wagging, promising a packed house tonight. He would not even bother with gathering more creatures. 

The giant had this odd habit of toying with its victims till dawn, and then consuming them in private, or something. A battle between a human with a sword and a giant was sure to bring in plenty of gold. Thank the fates Wardell had found him. Anyone else, and Garrgan would not have gotten him so easily. That bit about the Troll King had been a master stroke. The dumb dwarf had no idea that the trolls were their own masters, not ruled by kings, and the only one pocketing any money at all was Garrgan himself. 

Garrgan glanced at his schedule again.

Suddenly, a massive earthquake shook the castle, throwing the trolls onto their faces. When they looked up and blew the dust from their eyes, half of the auditorium was gone, and in its place was a very annoyed, very free giant boy.

"Hey, Wart-face!" he yelled at the trembling monsters, "Bet you never expected to see me again!" 

Garrgan backed away from the hole as stones fell, exposing more and more of the castle to the sun's burning light. The trolls and goblins cowered in whatever patches of shadow they could find. 

In the midst of all the chaos, the giant bent down, grabbed the human—very much alive—from the underground chamber, plucked the wounded unicorn from the platform, and stepped right out of the dungeon and through the wall of the castle.

Garrgan could not move until the giant was outside the castle courtyard. Then he roused all the Underworlders, clanging bells and shouting, "The giant has escaped! He's taken the human and the unicorn! Giant on the loose, don't let him get away!"

Caleb glanced over his shoulder at the monstrous horde chasing after them.

"Oh no!" he cried. "What do we do now, Arthur?"

"Just keep running, Caleb!" Arthur called to him. "You've been their prisoner long enough; you do not want to be caught by them again!"

The boy obediently ran, but he did not make it far before he misjudged a step and tripped on a forest. His hands cushioned the fall for Arthur and the unicorn, but it was still terrifying and very painful. The force of his fall broke his grasp when he hit the ground, and Arthur and the unicorn tumbled away. 

Instantly, the Underworlders burst from their tunnels underground, grabbing and pinning the two smaller creatures. Caleb wriggled free and fought his way out.

"I'll save you, Arthur!" he called, "I swear I will repay you for your willingness to help me! I'll find my friends, and I'll rescue you before long!" With that, he took five mile-long paces into the mountains and was gone.

Arthur could not budge an inch as goblins held his arms and legs tight against the ground.

"So," Garrgan barked as he strode forward, "the human is a smart one, eh? He thinks," In one terrible swoop, the troll hefted Arthur completely off the ground and just inches from his face, "He thinks he can save the giant and the unicorn and himself, all at once, does he?" Garrgan spit in Arthur's face. "You've destroyed our castle, you've gotten rid of our chief entertainment, you think I'm going to let you live, even if you're the only human here?" Garrgan raised his fist, and Arthur did not doubt the troll lacked the motivation or the capacity to crush his skull.

"Wait!" he cried. "I have something you will want!"

"Ha!" Garrgan laughed in his face, "What could you possibly have that I want?"

"Something more valuable than gold."

"All right," Garrgan dropped Arthur, but the trolls still surrounded him, leering dangerously. "What do you have that could possibly be more valuable than gold?"

"A gem," Arthur stated, holding the troll's gaze, "the largest gem the world has ever seen. A single jewel as big as—" Arthur glanced down at Garrgan's hand, "—your fist."

Garrgan's eyes glinted. He crossed his arms. "All right, human," he challenged, "Show me this gem of yours."

Arthur reached into his satchel and pulled out the gem he had retrieved from the thief in the forest. As he had hoped, all the trolls gasped at the sight of it.

"Here is my bargain, Troll," he declared regally, "My life for this jewel. Allow me to go free, and I would willingly part with this priceless treas—"

Before the last word left his mouth, Garrgan wrapped his arm around Arthur's neck, lifting him off the ground in a chokehold.

Arthur squirmed and pulled at the suffocating grip, but Garrgan was too big and strong.

"Let...me...go!" he rasped.

Garrgan had Arthur pinned in one arm, and admired the gem in his other hand. "You should have never bargained with this, human. This here's the Gyth, and it's far more valuable than your life!" his grip tightened menacingly. "You're lucky, though, because the being who seeks this treasure is willing to grant an audience to the being who has it." He dropped Arthur, who could do nothing but gasp, trying to clear the dark spots wavering before his eyes. "Tie him up, lads!" Garrgan barked to his troop. "Bind the unicorn, too. The trio is nearly complete. I say it's time we pay our friend the visit he's been waiting a long time for!"

And so, Arthur found himself the prisoner of the trolls once more. True, they were not returning to the Troll Castle...but where were they going instead? Arthur dreaded their destination.