StarLight

Chapter 64: Battles on Two Fields

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Arya
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"Perhaps, if we get through this, I could talk to my constituents about the eye of Gunmar." Strickler spoke.
Skylar straightened, eyeing the changeling.
"You mean the constituents that abandoned you?" She questioned, narrowing her gaze.
Strickler narrowed his gaze in turn as Jim continued to focus on tightening the rope.
"Other constituents." Strickler stated sourly.
"Funny, I thought you only worked with changelings and goblins. They followed you when Angor Rot was under your control, but now you have nothing. You're of no use to them. You never really were." Skylar countered with.
It seemed she was just continuously finding a way to fight the impure.
Even as they worked together.
"What's in it for you? Helping us kill Gunmar. Surely it isn't just about your best interests. Sure, if Gunmar does get out he will come after you, yes, but that isn't the only reason. Is it?" The tone in Skylar's voice was accusatory.
She didn't trust the impure.
For good reason.
But the question from before entered my mind again.
Why didn't she like Strickler before she found he was a changeling?
What about his act put her off exactly?
"Does it matter?" Strickler spoke, the fight leaving his voice.
He was done pushing against her, that much being obvious.
"I think it does." She replied with, eyes narrowed once more.
However, just as she was about to say more, her hand shot out, grabbing something from the stairs just as Draal noticed it.
"What is that?" Draal questioned.
"Angor's eye. He's been watching us." Skylar growled out, looking around.
I grabbed a nearby empty jar, handing it over to her.
Just as she placed the closed jar under the sink, the handle to the front door jiggled.
Jim waved his hand through the air, causing Draal to move into the basement as I hid behind the counter, Skylar moving to the wall dividing the hall from the living room as Jim and Strickler hid behind the table they were using for cover.
Skylar summoned her armor, her whisper of the enchantment barely reaching my ears.
The door then slowly opened.
"Hey, Kiddo's, you home?" Dr. Lake called out, causing my eyes to widen.
"Guess I have the day off after all." Dr. Lake added on.
"Mom, Watch out!" Jim shouted as Skylar lunged, barely pushing her mom out of the axe's way.
"Why is there an axe in the door?!" Dr. Lake shouted.
"Barbara, are you all right?" Strickler asked, effectively gaining a glare from Skylar as she helped her mother up from the ground.
"I'm fine. Whoa! Holy... how? what is?" Barbara struggled as I slowly made my way towards the fiasco.
Jim chuckled nervously, glancing at Skylar who had her forehead in her palm while Barbara looked over to Strickler.
"W-wait, why are you here? And why are you holding a crossbow?" Dr. Lake questioned.
"Me? Uh, yes." Strickler fumbled, 'hiding' the crossbow between his back.
"Well, we're... Jim isn't doing so great in history and he needed to do a project in order to pass. Strickler, Arya, and I are helping him... Currently." Skylar stated.
Suddenly the bolt to the crossbow let loose, causing me to duck as Skylar facepalmed.
"Butterfingers." She muttered while I glared at the changeling.
He wasn't good at making friends as glass littered the floor.
Draal then burst out of the basement.
"No, Draal, get back!" Jim shouted before the giant troll roared in Dr. Lake's face, yelling for Angor Rot to die.
This has quickly descended into chaos.
Skylar and I exchanged a look, what else did we expect?
Draal stopped, realizing there wasn't a threat.
"Um, hello. Sorry." He stated, which only caused Barbara to scream and pepper spray him.
I moved over to Skylar, neither of us trying to help the troll as he ran into the traps, eventually falling into the bookcase and ending up underneath it.
"Is it too late to give up being the trollhunter?" Skylar asked from next to me.
"Considering you killed the gumm-gumm prince and that there's a troll assassin threatening to kill us... I think so." I replied as we watched Jim take on the role of trying to calm the protective mother.
"Damn... I think you're right." Skylar sighed, turning her gaze to Draal's unconscious form as we lifted the bookcase off of him.
"Think he'll be okay?" I asked, gesturing to the troll.
"Eh... He's hardheaded." She replied as Strickler guided Barbara to sit down.
Skylar then nudged the trolls arm with the tip of her shoe.
"Yeah... He'll be fine." Skylar concluded before walking over to stand next to Jim.
"So, let me get this straight. There are good trolls and bad trolls... and somehow, you?" Barbara spoke after gulping down a pitcher of water.
"If I may." Strickler began before gesturing to Skylar.
"There is a vast world beneath our feet, Barbara, and your daughter stirred up a heap of trouble." Strickler explained.
"Says the one that wanted to release Gunmar." Skylar retorted with.
"This is all so... so..." She trailed off.
"I'll give you two a moment." Strickler spoke, turning away as Jim turned to follow.
I glanced at the mother and daughter as they talked with hushed tones.
I sighed, walking over to the others.
"He's here." Skylar suddenly spoke, causing me to look up.
"Barbara, you do have to leave." Strickler ordered as Skylar pressed herself against the basement door just as something purple began hitting all the lights.
"He's in the basement." Skylar called, gaining everyone's attention.
"What's in the basement?" Barbara asked as I pushed against the door aswell, it slamming open briefly.
"Draal was supposed to guard it." Strickler spoke as something pressed against the door.
Something then rolled through, all of us following it with our eyes.
It glowed a faint blue as it rolled towards Jim and Strickler.
Purple suddenly exploded around us, causing Skylar to groan as she flared her wings.
Blue dancing orbs slipped between her feathers, floating into up to illuminate the room, making small paths down the hall and through the rooms.
"When did you learn that?" I breathed out.
"Just now." She muttered, the pressing against the door having stopped.
Slowly, we pulled away and Skylar pulled her sword free as I grabbed my daggers.
Jim grabbed one of the stray axes that was still laying around.
Strickler stayed close to Barbara.
I found it odd that Skylar didn't hesitate to do so.
She had put that aside to focus on the bigger threat.
"Skylar, you're glowing. How are you glowing. And your wings?!" Barbara called out into the dark.
"It's my armor." Skylar spoke offhandedly, slowly looking around the area we were in.
"Stick to the plan. You know what to do." Strickler spoke.
"Who do you think made the plan?" Skylar countered.
I take back what I said about her putting it aside.
A purple ball suddenly flew at our group, causing us to separate from each other.
"You did not run, brave hunter, but the brave are the first to die." Angor's voice echoed around us.
Skylar was suddenly tackled by Angor Rot, her wings giving her the advantage to flip the situation.
He was kick to kick her off, pinning her down again as I came up behind them, jumping into the air.
Skylar landed a kick to his side as I landed on his back, wrapping my arm around his neck.
His eyes widened a fraction when he saw me.
He knocked me off him, barely dodging Jim's swing as Strickler tried to escort Barbara out of the house.
Skylar then ran up the stairs, Angor following suit.
I ran after them, soon entering Jim's room with Angor stuck in his own trap as Skylar walked out of the closet.
"Thank you for the idea. I wanted to see how it works for myself." Skylar stated with a smirk.
Jim switched on the light as I frowned.
"Strickler chose the lights. UV lights, just like the sun. Not exactly my taste, but... It does the job." Skylar added as though it was an after thought.
Isn't this a bit... Wrong?
My eyes met his as Skylar leaned in.
"You blamed the wrong people. You destroyed it yourself and we both know it. It'd be a completely different story if it wasn't. What I wouldn't give just to completely destroy you here and now. Bit by bit." She spoke lowly, never taking her eyes off him.
Barbara then busted inside, pushing pass both Strickler and myself.
"Stay away from my kids!" She then shouted, hitting Angor Rot with the broom, causing him to fall out of the trap.
"Mom, get out of here now!" Skylar ordered, worry written over her features.
A ball of purple fire shot at them.
Jim grabbed onto the doctor trying to pull her away from the battle as Skylar and I fought.
Skylar quickly pulled a number three before Angor threw me aside, my back hitting the desk as Angor grabbed hold of Skylar, slamming her into a wall as he began cutting off her circulation.
Strickler then changed into his true form, attacking Angor.
Skylar grasped at her throat, coughing as she readied her sword, her glare sharper than a thousand elf steel daggers.
"Arya, help Jim get our mom out of here." Skylar suddenly ordered, her sword becoming two.
I gave a stiff nod before grabbing Barbara's other hand and leading her out, Jim following behind us as Skylar jumped back into the fight, fiercer than before.
A shiver ran through me.
No human of this time fought like her.
There was something primal about it, as if it wasn't even really her, but something else living deep within.
Barbara cried out, causing me to look back as a cut formed on her neck, a ugly glow surrounding it.
This wasn't good.
Draal suddenly ran past us.