𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 [𝐣𝐢𝐦 𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐱 𝐨𝐜]

Chapter 39 | Adamant Oath

As soon as Liz grabbed the boys' hands, the trio instantly found themselves in front of Vendel's Workshop, the Heartstone glowing light pulsating at their presence in greeting.

"Well, that was –" Jim started but was cut off by Toby's ecstatic shout. "AWESOMESAUCE! We're definitely using this again from now on!"

Amid their excitement, Jim notices Liz tipping forward, feeling her hand loosening from his. Sensing something was wrong, he instantly tightened his hold of her hand and moved in front of her, breaking her fall with his body.

"Liz?" Jim called her name, holding her upright against him with her head on his chest and his arm around her waist for support. Replied with nothing but silence, Jim peered at her face and noticed she was unconscious, his brows furrowing when he saw her face pale with sweat beading at her temples, as well as the blood soaking through the sleeve of her light blue sweater and his jacket sling.  "Oh no. Tobes, help me get her inside. We need to —"

"Master Jim! Tobias! Lady Liza!" A frantic voice shouted, catching the boys' attention to see Blinky and AAARRRGGHH running towards them. "I am relieved you're alive!"

"Blinky! Liz got hurt. She needs Vendel!" Jim said, holding the girl with dear life as the two trolls drew close. Blinky steps forward for a closer look, his face turning grim when he sees the severity of her current state. "Oh my...we best hurry. Here, let me take her."

Blinky collected the unconscious girl from the Trollhunter with all four arms and rushed inside the workshop, followed by the rest. Upon their arrival inside, Vendel looks up from his tome and quickly notices the unconscious girl in Blinky's arms, his eyes widening at the blood-soaked sweater and arm sling.

"What in Merlin's name happened?" The village elder questioned. As Blinky brings Liz over to an empty worktable nearby, Jim answers. "It was my fault. Liz followed after me when I went to confront Bular. He had this dagger and stabbed her in the shoulder."

"Did she don her armor?" Vendel asked as he carefully removed the arm sling jacket and pulled back the sweater over the girl's shoulder to find the source of the bleeding.

"She did, but somehow the dagger went through her armor and –" Jim replied until Vendel interrupted, shaking his head. "That should not have been possible. The Guardian's armor is enchanted to protect its host."

As he said this, Blinky handed a bowl of water and a hand towel to Vendel, who then cautiously began wiping away the blood from the wound, his eyes widening at the black and dark green veins spread across the peri-wound area. Blinky gasped at the sight as the elder troll continued. "Unless she was struck by a cursed weapon of cold iron."

"Cold Iron?" Toby spoke up. "You mean like the ones used to repel supernatural creatures?"

"Indeed, that is correct, Tobias." Blinky nodded with a grave expression. "They are forged using a special process at lower temperatures than normal iron or steel to preserve its delicate properties that deprive supernatural beings of their strength. They can also be enchanted for a specific purpose."

"Not only was Bular's dagger made of cold iron, but it must have also been enchanted solely to weaken and poison the Guardian," Vendel stated, his lips set in a grim line. "I can stop the bleeding. However, the rest is beyond my capabilities."

Jim frowned, shaking his head. "No. No way. There has to be another way. She's a witch, right? She has to have healing powers or something that can help her."

The trolls glanced at each other in shock at his knowledge before Blinky coughed, reluctantly answering, "I'm afraid Liz won't be able to heal on her own. She may have healing capabilities, but they only apply to others, not herself. That is why she has the Guardian Armor to protect herself from harm. How do you know she was a witch, Master Jim?"