Morgana's Champion (Jim Lake Jr x Reader)

Chapter 14

"Gathered trollkind!" Boomed Vendal's voice as it echoed around the stadium and over the exited murmuring of the crowds "the trollhunter has laid a challenge before the son of his predecessor, and you shall all bear witness to the ensuing battle which shall be one for the ages!" He then muttered something under his breath that I didn't catch from my place down in the arena, waiting for a battle that could make or break my friend. Literally.

As I stared out into the stadium, the carved troll faces leering menacingly from the tall walls of the stadiums, I felt someone tap my shoulder. Both me and Toby turned around in surprise to see Jim standing in front of us with two sealed envelopes.

"I . . . I want you to have this" he told us mournfully, giving us each an envelope.

"Why are you giving us letters?" I murmured, though I already knew why.

"It says everything I want to say" Jim replied as he cast his eyes downwards as if he could avoid our reactions by not making eye contact.

"You promised me tacos" Toby reminded Jim even though he seemed unable to conjure any amusement or happiness to his voice.

"Now is not time for lunch, Tobes" Jim scoffed affectionately.

"Last week, we went for tacos. I paid." Toby reminded him, his voice now more emotional "you said, 'next time, on me.' You're going to get this letter back unopened after the fight, and when you get back, we'll get tacos."

"Tacos sounds good" Jim chuckled sadly.

I wanted to say something, but for once the words wouldn't come out of mouth. It felt like all my emotions had welled up and gathered in my throat. I believed he could win, but what if he didn't? My mind spun, flicking through all the gruesome, horrible possibilities. I couldn't let him fight Draal.

"Draal, son of Kanjigar, son of Tarigar, Draal 'the destroyer ', come forth" Vendal's voice boomed through the stadium, signalling the start of Jim's victory, or execution.

As he finished speaking, Draal entered the arena in a blur of turquoise and peacock blue. As Draal reached the centre, he vaulted into the air and landed dramatically, pausing for a second for drama's sake before roaring triumphantly, like he had already won. Bile rose in my throat as the audience cheered back, hollering for blood. Aaarrrgghh rested a comforting hand on Jim's shoulder and Jim managed a watery smile.

"It's time to put everything I've ever said to you to practice" Blinky smiled at Jim "with a little luck he'll trip and fall. Now, tell me, rule number one."

"Always be afraid" Jim fired back quickly.

"Rule two?" Blinky continued expectantly.

"Always finish a fight."

"Rule three?"

"About that" Jim replied "I was reading. When the Venerable Bedehilde fought the Hydrabeast, there were no gronk-nucks, but there was a weakness under its scales."

"You read the book" Blinky interrupted, joy lightening the stress lines from earlier.

"-so, it got me thinking." Jim continued excitedly. "Does Draal have a weakness?"

I wanted to point out that everything had some kind of weakness, but I couldn't bear bringing his good mood down.

"He read the book" Blinky continued, not even paying attention to what Jim was saying anymore "he read the book!"

Blinky picked Jim up in his four (thank u @ngoodman2 XD) arms in excitement, smiling like a proud father.

"And now" Vendal's voice boomed across the stadium just as Blinky stopped talking "Draal's combatant, James Lake Jr, sun of . . ." He pauses to think for a moment before someone whispered in his ear ". . . Ba bu rah. Come forth, Human trollhunter"

My heart pounded in my chest as he walked out into the arena, my brain searching desperately for a way to stop this duel. As much as I found him slightly annoying, I cared deeply about him I realised with a jolt. All this did was steel my resolve. Blinky shouted words of encouragement but I could barely hear them over my panic.

"Prepare for battle!" Vendal shouted towards Jim and Draal as gates snapped down, a barrier between me and the battlefield. It was now or never.

"Begi-"

"Stop!" My voice cut off Vendal's sharply, drawing gasps from the crowd. I couldn't tell if it was my adrenaline, but my voice seemed more magnified in the towering cavern than normal.

Vendal paused, his eyes inspecting me as of waiting for someone to jump out and shout 'April fools!'.

"I will fight in his place" I told Vendal. My voice sounded cool and confident, even though my limbs felt like lead and as though my stomach had sunk deep underground to the lowest levels of trollmarket.

Vendal stared at my patronisingly for a moment then burst out in a resounding chuckle that shook the carvern. I'm sure it was the first time he'd shown anything except grumpy indifference since childhood. Indeed, the other trolls seemed too shocked to laugh along with him.

"You, take the place of the trollhunter?" He sneered, "you are little more than a child."

Jim just stared at me in confusion and horror.

"N-no" Jim finally said.

My mind cleared a bit at the sound of his voice. Ignoring Vendal's mocking, I took out my amulet and held it up for everyone to see.

"Listen you salty old goat, I am Morgana's champion and I WILL take the place of the trollhunter."

Vendal froze. His face remained unmoving as he murmured to himself,

"a witch yes, but a descendant of- I thought it was-" he stopped himself and inhaled.

"If the rumours are true, and Morgana helped Bular and the others in the battle for killahead then she is partly responsible for the death of your father." I continued, turning my attention to Draal and adding a mocking note to my voice. "Wouldn't you rather fight the champion of your enemy than one of your ally's?"

I was aware that the trolls would possibly never trust me again, but currently all that mattered was doing everything I could to stop harm coming to Jim. For now, He was the last chance these people (or trolls) had. Draal's vibrant eyes were glazed with rage as he stared at my amulet. It had worked.

"I will fight the traitor" he growled at me, Jim no longer his point of focus.

"(Y/N) I can't let you do this!" Jim ran up to me and shook me by the shoulders " you have no combat experience, you'll . . ." He choked on the word ". . . Die."

"Neither do you" I told him "plus, Morgana sounds way cooler than Merlin, I'm sure I have some super awesome secret power."

Jim was not amused by my attempt at humour but it was too late to argue, the trolls were already roaring for my blood.

"Very well" Vendal scowled, "Draal shall fight the witchling to honour his fallen father."

I pushed Jim back towards the edge of the arena, even though he tried his best to resist me, his attempts were feeble. Even he knew I had to fight now.

"Ready!" Vendal thundered.

I took out my amulet.

"For the triumph of Morgana, shadows are mine to control" I murmured, hoping the words would grant me courage as well as armour.

Draal poised his forelegs on the ground, scowling at me from under his rocky brows.

"Begin!" Vendal finished.

Time slowed as the crowd cheered, there voices mixing into an orchestra of baritone and scraping rock. Draal charged towards me and I desperately held my foible in my hands like it was more than a mere toothpick against Draals bulk.