Alien (Wizards Sequel to A Dangerous Game)

~4~

Callista, as (Y/n) had learned, was actually kind of cool. Misunderstood, driven from her home, yet had just the kind of humor that the Akiridion very much liked.

Jim was a little less enthusiastic about everything, but he pitched in on their conversations every once in a while. He could tell a good dad joke when he wanted to.

"So, you all look like that?" Callista asked, leaning against the bars.

"Well, not exactly. I'm...above average," she laughed at herself, "but yeah. We're all blue and glowing."

"By above average-"

"I am a professionally trained assassin," (Y/n) said. "I worked hard for this."

"Who do you assassinate?"

"Royalty."

"Really?"

"Well, I probably shouldn't kill Arthur, but believe me, I'm tempted."

"Can we stop talking about death?" Jim asked dryly. "I'm cell mates with a skull. It's getting old."

"Buzz kill."

"Come on, skinny, we're just killing time." Callista cackled. "Get it?" Jim groaned and face palmed.

"If I get bored of making death puns, that's when I'll break us out," the former assassin said. "But for now, Jim, stop killing the mood!" Callista and her laughed again.

~

After several more death puns and annoyed barbs from Jim, Claire and her entourage ran down to the dungeons and declared they were breaking them out.

"You didn't even need me," (Y/n) said as she cut her own bars, pushing them open and stepping out. She stretched, watching Claire, Jim, and Douxie free the rest of the trolls and goblins.

"Arthur's out for blood," Claire said. "All of you need to head to the woods."

(Y/n) was about to say something when Steve's rapping suddenly cut through. "My Lord Arthur's in the building! Watch out y'all, he's here to do some creep killing! Get out of here!"

"Kleb," she whispered.

"Alright, everyone stay calm," Douxie called. Not going to happen. A split second after the words left his mouth, chaos erupted from the now free trolls, goblins, and gnomes. (Y/n) yelped and jumped out of the way, pressing herself flat to the wall while everyone else either got trampled or clamored to get out.

"(Y/n), come on!" Douxie shouted, grabbing her arm and pulling her off the wall once most of the trolls were gone. Jim, Claire, and Callista were nowhere to be seen, but the noise above them was still loud as ever. "You have to go with them!"

"To the Wild Wood place?" she asked as the wizard started pulling her upwards. He forced her to stop, checking to see if Arthur was nearby, but the guards had already flooded out to try and stop the trolls.

"Yes. Can you get there on your own?" She blinked. "Please, (Y/n), this is important. Go find Jim. Get him there at least. I have to go help the others." He gave her a reassuring nod then turned and sprinted out the doors, yelling for Archie.

"Great," she grumbled to herself, taking off after him. "Thanks for the detailed instructions and pairing me with someone who doesn't like me very much."

Upon exiting the castle, she scaled the wall, jumping from roof to roof, trying to spot Jim. "You know, he's the great Trollhunter," she said, still talking to herself. "I bet he doesn't need a stupid assassin as a crutch."

Then she spotted him, limping with Claire through the streets currently void of guards. (Y/n) jumped down, running up from behind. Claire whirled around, hand up, but the former assassin threw her hands up first.

"Look. Douxie told me to get him to the Wild Wood," (Y/n) said. "Claire, I think you need to stay here. You can trust me. I won't hurt him. I jumped after him, anyway."

Instead of acknowledging her, Claire turned to Jim, giving him a sappy speech about protecting the rest of the trolls. When shouting sounded from behind them, (Y/n) ran forward and scooped Jim up.

"Sorry!" she yelled as she started running. "But I think you want to talk to him when it's not his dying breath!"

He was a troll. He was kinda heavy. And it was really awkward. But they made it to the gates ahead of the rest of the group other than Callista, who joined them right at the last minute.

"Wait," (Y/n) said, setting Jim down. "You guys are allergic to the sun, right?"

"Oh, no," Jim whispered. "Everyone get back!" Except no. Arthur and his buddies were right behind them.

(Y/n) jumped when the gate suddenly slammed shut, buying them some time. But the sun was advancing and now they were pinned.

And to add to it all, the gate had updated to having spears and swords stuck through it.

The former assassin grabbed her serrator and activated the shield, almost instantly getting squished by Jim as he pressed back against the rest of the crowd.

"What now?" she wheezed, the pressure advancing on her shield. She suddenly noticed the blue glow around the bars of the gate. Douxie.

Then the pressure was suddenly lightened and she turned her head, seeing the shadow of the castle extending over the path.

Magic. Yay.

But it was what they needed. So, without further hesitation, the group of trolls and misfits ran off towards the forest without a second glance.

Well, until the gate went up and Arthur, ever the happy one, chased after them on horses.

And Jim conveniently fell right when they started to catch up.

"Everyone's a master of convenient timing now, aren't they?" (Y/n) said, unsheathing her serrator and skidding to a stop by the Trollhunter. She held up her serrator to defend him as the leading knight, surprisingly not the king himself, drew close, raising their own sword, when the ground shook beneath them and the knight was knocked clean off their horse. The creature whinnied loudly and wheeled around, bolting off. Arthur held up a hand, shouting orders to his men as they all slowed to a stop.

(Y/n) turned her head as a voice boomed above her, making her flinch. Point was, though, that they had a distraction, their rescuer, a huge black troll with blue lines threaded through him, was giving them an opening, and they needed to take it.

So she helped Jim onto his feet and together they limped off into the woods.

"You're crazy," Callista said, startling the living daylights out of the assassin yet again when she popped out from behind a bush. "You would have fought Arthur?"

"'Course," (Y/n) said, finally releasing Jim and letting him slump momentarily to the ground to rest with the other trolls. "Anything for my new best bud."

"Hey," Jim panted, grabbing her attention. "Thanks for sticking with me." She blinked, then looked back at Callista.

"Well, once everyone's caught their breath, we should keep moving," she said. "No doubt Arthur will come looking for us later, so we'll do better the farther in we are."

"Come on," (Y/n) said, offering her hand to Jim. "I can carry you again if you want me to."

"No, no," he said, standing up on his own. "I've got this. Let's go." She shrugged, glanced at Callista, then, with all that out of the way, started off into the forest.