The sky was gloomy, filled with clouds that were outlined with bright, golden light. Jay, standing outside the hideout, had stared the troll down, waiting for it to make a move. It was a massive humanoid creature that was many times the size of a regular human. Its hands were almost large enough to cover an entire person. The mighty creature has appeared exactly the same in the book, with crimson skin and red horns. It was in a sitting position, and it's back was facing Jay.
And soon noticing him, the beast's large head slowly turned as it locked it's red glowing eyes on Jay. The pure aggression in its face, with its intimidating eyes and wrinkled nose was apparent. It slowly rose up and turned to face him, then producing a thunderous roar which was loud enough to shake the ground intensely.
Then, the troll began rushing towards him in the blink of an eye. Despite the vast difference in strength and the risk Jay will put himself into fighting the creature, he didn't even think back on charging back at the beast. Once he got close enough, he jumped up and landed a powerful kick under its chin, barely knocking its head upwards.
However, the moment Jay planted his feet on the ground, a huge fist came crashing down on him, missing, but creating a shockwave intesne enough to send him flying backwards. Regaining his balance mid-air, the momentum from the shockwave had his feet skimming the ground as he landed.
Once more, he relentlessly charged at the beast, this time quickly suspending himself in the air with the wings he immediately summoned. The creature's fist rushed straight towards Jay, missing once again as he quickly flew around its arm and spun his body in the air to plant his feet in its face.
Then unleashing a barrage of punches on the troll, he was soon swatted away like a fly, which damaged his wings after getting launched into the ground. Watching the scene, Lisa was paralyzed in trembling fear as there was nothing she could do to stop the troll or save Jay.
"Theres absolutely nothing I can do...
Please, Jay ... get back up!" She thought in desperate hope.
However, despite having gotten bruised considerably, his rage and memories refilled him with vigor as he slowly got back up.
"It's been a while since I last talked to a friend."
The creature produced another booming roar which shook the trees as Jay began to run to it.
"Friend...? What's that?"
Another punch came flying at him, once again missing. He jumped on its arm, running towards its face, then hopping on the top of its head and leaping high above it with his body facing the sky.
"...It's someone you would spend time with, and someone you can relate to."
He clenched his fist, getting ready to strike as he spun his body towards the creature in the air. Waiting below was the creature's fist aiming directly at him.
"...They would always be by your side and protect you no matter what, and you'd do anything for them to make them happy."
Then, as both their fists collided in the air, Jay was suddenly planted on it's knuckles and was launched into the sky. And as he fell, the troll grabbed him and slammed down into the ground, creating a massive shockwave as the impact shattered the earth. He was now completely incapable of movement as he laid buried in the ground suffering great injury.
"Alright, then I'll be your friend."
"...But I failed to protect her." He thought.
The beast then reached out his hand to pick him up, but before he could do that, Lisa quickly stood in front of Jay, extending out her hands. The pure terror in her face was apparent, and she began trembling even more. Successfully distracted, the beast stared at her, then drooling. It reached out his hand once again to grab her.
"Lisa...!" He said, abruptly coughing after an attempt to shout.
Then, it slowly raised Lisa closer to its mouth. Although completely motionless, Jay, who was still conscious, was forced to watch her about to get eaten alive. But just right before it began to chew her, Harry flew in from behind it, instantly shattering its skull with his golden battleaxe.
It was too late, however, as Lisa had already been crushed by the troll's large teeth. The only thing that escaped from its clenched jaws was one of her arms as it fell unto the ground, and then, Jay's widened eyes went hollow.
At the same time, the beast had begun slowly turning over, falling onto the ground as blood spilled from the crack in its head. It's mouth opened as soon as its head hit the ground, letting out Lisa's bloodied body.
"Lisa!" Harry shouted, running to her body and picking her up from the ground. Parts of her body had slowly been turning into a soft white glow, as they started to fragment and dissolve into the air.
With the anguish coming from his voice, he shouted again. "Lisa..! Stay with me."
Hearing his voice, Lisa's eyes had slowly opened.
"Dad…" She said, struggling to speak.
"Protect Jay."
She then disappeared as Harry held her, and all that was left of her was her soul, which looked like a white will-o'-wisp. Tears shedding down his face, Harry held her soul with both of his hands as he stared at it. And after a long moment of grief, Lisa's soul was immediately snatched away by a man. It was the same man who organized the summoning.
"Sorry, but I'll be taking that!" He said with a grin.
Harry immediately began chasing after him in desperation, paying attention to nothing but her soul. But right before he could catch up to him, the man vanished into a bursting veil of darkness, which quickly disappeared right after.
Jay had watched the entire scene unfold as he began to lose consciousness. Harry, not able to do anything else, immediately went on an intense rage, screaming it out to the heart's content.
***
Multiple days had then passed since the incident.
Upon waking up, Jay had slowly opened his eyes. He sat up, but struggled in pain, soon noticing he was covered in bandages. Then looking around, he realized he was in a different room, as the walls, bed and furniture were a lot better in quality. A nurse had been sitting in a chair next to his bed.
Upon noticing him awake, she got up and walked out of the room, murmuring outside as she talked to someone. His face was full of despair and regret as he reminisced about the times he spent with his friend Lisa and the incident. Then a long while later, the room door opened, and Harry, looking rather defeated, slowly walked inside. He began to speak.
"Jay." He said quietly.
"Your injuries were too bad to be left alone, so I sent you to the nearest hospital in the kingdom. You can stay here for now, they'll provide you everything you need. I hope you enjoy the rest of your days in the kingdom. I'll get going now. Goodbye, Jay."
"Wait." Jay said as Harry looked back.
"Are you going back home?" He added, hopping off his bed.
"Yea." Harry replied.
"Let me come with you." Jay insisted, momentarily stumbling and falling.
"No." Harry declared.
"Stay here, Jay. There's no point in you coming back right now, not while in that state."
He then began walking away again.
Staring at Harry as he exited the room, Jay slowly got back up and slammed his fist in the wall. Later then, he sat back on his bed, not moving for a while, as he was grief-stricken and couldn't do anything else.
Time continued to pass by, and every couple hours, the nurse would come back in to check on him, giving him meals. Then, the days began to pass by. Finally, his wounds had now fully healed, and Jay proceeded to take off his bandages. Exiting the door, he rushed out of the hospital and took off to Harry's cabin.
Having arrived, he knocked on the door, and it soon creaked open.
"What is it, Jay?" Harry said.
"I'm sorry." Jay responded, tightly clenching his fists.
"If it wasn't for me, Lisa would have still been here. I was the one who caused all of this. I killed her … and if I wasn't so weak, I could have protected her...!"
"Jay." Harry said, almost interrupting him.
"It wasn't your fault. I already know you gave it your absolute best to save her. You tried, and even though you failed, you still gave it your all. I respect that. If any normal person ever encountered something like that, they would shit their pants and run for their lives. But you, you didn't run away; You faced it with pure bravery."
Jay then remained silent with an agonizing look. Then, a loud growl was heard from his stomach. With embarrassment, he sucked his teeth and looked away.
Laughing, Harry then said, "I'll whip up something for you to eat. Come inside and sit down."
"Well ... can't say no." He thought.
Jay proceeded to walk towards the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down as waited eagerly for his meal. Moments later, Harry came walking in the living room with two big bowls of steaming soup.
"Here you go." Harry said, handing out one of the bowls of soup to Jay.
He then sat down and proceeded to eat. As Jay's eyes gleamed, he began to devour the soup, and Harry looked astonished as he witnessed him finish his meal in seconds. After a while, he soon got up and headed out the door.
"I'll be back." He said to Harry, leaving the cabin and entering the forest.
As he slowly walked around the forest, he began reminiscing of the times he walked around the forest with Lisa talking about spirits, and the times he played tag with her, and the times they went out to search for herbs. He vividly remembers the delightful smiles that he always saw on Lisa's face.
He then started searching for herbs.
"Chamomiles." He said as he began ripping them out the ground and collecting them.
Then arriving back at the cabin, he walked to the basement entrance, switched the light on, and proceeded down the stairs. He walked up to the table and sat down, then placed the herbs in a mortar, and thoroughly crushed it with a pestle.
He then stuffed it all in a jar and poured the contents with alcohol. Noticing another jar which might have been complete, he poured out the liquid into a vase, and placed it on both of his hands. He soon closed his eyes and thought of what Lisa told her.
"Just think of the energy inside of you, and imagine releasing it out of the palms of your hands."
After having done so, the dark green liquid inside the vase lit up, becoming brighter in color and starting to glow, which became more intense with each second until it lit the entire room. He then closed the vase and put it in his pocket as he smiled softly.
"...Jay!"
He immediately turned around after hearing a voice whisper into his ear. But, once he looked behind him, there was nothing he saw. He had thought that perhaps the voice was nothing but a figment of his imagination, and sighed. He then walked back upstairs into the room he used to sleep in, and watched the painting of her mother.
"...Save me!" The voice said after a short moment had passed.
"...The inn…" It added.
Slightly widening his eyes, Jay was then convinced that Lisa might still be alive, and had been calling out to him for help.
"Lisa!" He said to himself.
Rushing back to Harry, who stood outside the house's entrance, he had called out his name.
"What is it, Jay?" Harry replied.
"Lisa's still alive! I think I know where I can find her, and possibly even her mother." Jay asked.
"How would you know?" Harry asked
"She called out to me. I heard her voice tell me to save her."
"But she's already gone. Are you alright…?"
"Giving up and sitting on your ass shouldn't be an option. If we look for clues around the Coyote's Den that she went to with her mother, surely we can find something." Jay said, reassuring Harry a little.
"You should probably go take a rest—"
"Harry." Jay said with stern eyes.
"This will probably be the last thing we can do for her. It's better to stay hopeful and gamble for success than sulk around in despair. Just trust me on this. I promise you, I will find them. And when I do, you won't regret it."
"...Alright." Harry said after a bit of thought, and soon he sighed.
"I'll come with you."
He then got up off his seat and stretched, then placing his hand on his chin.
"The place you said was Coyote's Den, right? I used to go there all the time with my daughter and her mother for vacation. I think I remember where it was... We can stay there for a bit."
"That man…" Harry said.
"Coyote's Den is a popular place to get food and stay, maybe we can find whoever kidnapped her there." He then walked outside and beckoned to Jay.
"Let's go."