𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 [𝐣𝐢𝐦 𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐱 𝐨𝐜]

Chapter 17 | Always Be Afraid

Liz Walker POV

Gasping for breath, Liz runs down a dark, rocky underground tunnel. She could not remember how long she had been running, but she felt as though it had been for miles.

"My father has waited centuries. The Age of Gunmar is at hand."

The voice of Bular echoes around her as she runs. Chills ran up her spine at the mention of Gunmar, her head throbbing in pain and her chest burning with the lack of oxygen. Then a sharp sensation pierces through her chest towards her heart. Too distracted to pay attention to the pain, she continues to run. Running away or towards, Liz was unsure.

The tunnel was pitch-black, but with her donned Guardian armor, serving as her only source of light, Liz was able to jump over rocks and dodge past stalagmites obstructing her path. However, with every step, she feels the armor becoming heavier, the weight of it dragging her down.

Suddenly, a light appears at the end of the tunnel. Seeing the light, Liz pushes herself to go faster towards it. But no matter how much she ran, she could not reach it. Just then, her front foot stepped into empty space, gravity pulling her downwards as she fell, screaming as darkness consumed her.

A moment later, Liz's eyes blink open, and she notices a looming skull-like throne carved from dark stone. Pale green light shining from behind through open crevices along the rock surface. She slowly pushes herself upright with shaking arms, her armor still donned. She lifts a hand to her head, her headache throbbing much worse than before, almost making her want to throw up right then and there. As for the sharp, piercing sensation in her chest, the pain remains.

Before she could check herself for injuries that may be causing it, the ground beneath her feet began to tremble as she sensed heavy footsteps coming up behind her. Pushing back the pain, she forces herself up on her knees, then onto her feet as she turns to face whoever is approaching, its large shadow looming over her.

Standing in front of her was a giant black troll with two large horns on his head, cracked skin that glows a bright teal, and a missing right eye. His sharp blue eye pierces through the darkness in her direction, making the hairs in the back of her neck stand up. This being was all too familiar to her, often seeing him in her nightmares, and his name was none other than Gunmar the Black.

Feet apart, Liz conjured a sword on her hand, the weight of the blade, giving her some security over the situation as she takes a fighting stance. But to her surprise, the Gumm-Gumm king does not make eye contact with her at all, looking over her form in front of him as though she was invisible. Though she was invisible to the evil troll, he could sense her presence as he sniffed the air. Catching a somewhat familiar but also unfamiliar scent of magic, Gunmar growls deeply.

Taking out his bewitched sword, the Decimaar Blade, he sets it in front of him intimidatingly as she backs up a few steps, her foot knocking into a small rock in the process. Locating her presence, Gunmar strikes down his sword towards her. Evading his blade, she moves in to strike but is stunned when her offense is blocked, sparks of light flying around their contacted blades. Then, a deep rumble of a voice met her ears.

"You cannot hide from me..."

With a sneer, Gunmar catches her off guard by shoving her sword aside with his own and punching her in the gut, the force sending her flying backward onto a rock wall nearby. Slamming against the rocky surface, her sword vanishes, and she plummets to the ground. She crashes onto the floor, her armor deactivating against her will. Her body battered and bruised, she knew she had to get up. Then, she senses Gunmar heading towards her.

"I will find you..."

Her hand reached around her neck for the amulet pendant, but it was not there. Eyes wide with panic, she looks around for it. She finds it a few feet away from her, but to her shock and utter devastation, it is shattered into pieces. Suddenly, sounds of evil laughter echoes across the arena as the tip of the Decimaar Blade hovers next to her head.