Dark Beast

Chapter 1

It had been two days, since the battle at the Arcadia museum, Talia had been traveling across the Darklands through the infernal labyrinth no food and no water. The wound she had indure from Strickler had already healed when she had first arrived so it was never a problem. But the heat was making her mouth dry giving her dehydration and she was starving.

Everwhere she turn she reaches a dead end and everystep she took she was getting weak. When Talia could not take any step further she dropped on her knees exhuasted. "How am I suppose to find you kid if I don't where am going," she said to herself. "Oh guys, I wish were here. I don't know what to do." Tears were beginning to develop in her eyes and was starting to lose hope. Talia had been surviving from being eaten by giant worms, fire cats, and had been keeping clear from Gumm-Gumms. If they know she was here, they would notify their master, and hunt her down.

"Who..Are...YOU," Talia opened her eyes and looked up to see a white torch ahead. "Who ... Are...You," it repeated. She did not know weither she was hallucinating from her lack of food and hydration or if it was real. The light started to come closer questioning the identity of the lost girl. Talia could feel the warmth of the burning ghost and then began to realize that this was real. She unleashed her power and got ready in position for whatever was coming her way. As the torch got closer, she swiped her claws creating a gust of wind lighting out the torch.

Instead of extinguishing the flame, it turned into a red skinny looking troll. He coughed getting the dust out of his throat. "Hey...what's the big idea," he coughed. Talia raised an eyebrow dumbstruck by what she was seeing. "Are you...a changeling," she asked. He stood up clearing his throat. "Part changling...and I'm also part Helheetis got it from my mom," the strange changeling said. Talia still looked at him confused. "You know fire cats," he described. "Your dad made out with a fire cat," she asked even more weirded out than ever. "O-o-kay, well look...uh," before she could finish the strange changeling interjected. "Rob," he said. "Wha-" "Rob, that's my name," he clarified. "Okay, Rob...I have to find someone very important ,so if you don't mind I gotta go," she slowly walked around him attempting to continue the path, but he stopped her. "Where are you going?" "To a place called, Nun-ya" she said not looking at him. "Nun-ya," he asked. She looked at him and said, "Nun-ya business." She continued walking.

Rob followed her leaving fiery footprints behind continued talking trying to get her attention, but she tries her best to ignore him. When she had finally had enough of his annoyance she activated her power again, and left him in the dust. "Hey where are yah partner!" he shouted. He turned into a fireball once again and sped up after her. Talia looked back and saw the persistent changeling. "Oh, come on!" she yelled, as she accelerated her speed trying to lose him.

It took awhile, but she was finally rid of that weird annoying changeling. However it may have given her a light head. Her stomach growled once again demanding food at once. "Ugh...where can I find food at this joint," she said to herself. She felt the ground shake below her feet and saw the earth crack. The girl rolled up her eyes annoyed and said, "Oh, no not again." A giant worm with horns and a glowing tongue burst out of the grounds trying to swallow up Talia. But she grabbed onto it's teeth preventing herself from being eaten. "No way your eating me today, Stink Worm!" she yelled, as she jumped high out of it's jaws, dived down giving it a powerful punch in the head, and finished it with a somersault axe kick. The thing died crashing it's head and Talia made a perfect landing on her feet. "Hmpf, well that was easy," she said. Before she could continue her head started to spin and fainted.

A couple of Gumm-Gumm scouts were searching the area looking for something. One of them saw traces of of blue glowing blood leaving behind a trail. He informed his friend and followed the river of blood and found a giant worm lying dead with it's head bleeding, and that was not the only thing they found. A young girl with silver-hair lying unconcious next to the beast. One of the poked it's spear at her seeing if she was alive. Talia cracked her eyes open as she regains a little concious and sees to big Gumm-Gumms before her. She tried using her will to pull herself up, but she was out of strength. "Hey, check it out," one of them said. "This one still has some fight left in her," the other said. "Humans taste exquisite when they're alive," the first Gumm-Gumm said. "Let's tie her up," the other said. "Skarlagk, would be pleased," the other said bringing out a chain. They grabbed ahold of the weakened girl, knocked her out, and bind her in chains.

Talia cracked open her eyes finding herself tied up in chains and lying ontop of one of the giant serpents with one of the Gumm-Gumms who had captured her riding it. She tried to summon her power to break free, but she was too weak to do anything. The serpent began to slow down and stopped, one of the Gumm-Gumm's picked up Talia and lifted her over his shoulder. "Hey guys! Look what we've brought for dinner!," he said. Talia tried to lif her head to see what's behind her, but didn't have any once of strength left. Her pendant slipped off from her neck and landed on the ground. The other Gumm-Gumm saw this and took a good look at it. "Hmm, pretty," he said.

Talia was now in their kitchen in a cage with a cook gathering and mixing ingredients. She smelt the horrible stench it made her feel sick. Talia was still to weak to say anything. She feared that this may truly be the end of her. Although she didn't understand why they plan on eating her and not presenting them to Gunmar instead.

A female Gumm-Gumm with powerful muscular arm's set her serpent stead away in her stables and saw a couple of Gumm-Gumm scout's gloating. She walked up to them and they didn't even notice yet. Then something shiney caught her eye and saw a little silver chain wrapped around one of their claws with a medal and a lion's head on it. The scouts took notice and quickly kneeled before her, "Skarlagk! Please forgive us...we-we did not realize your presence," one of them said. "What is that thing around your finger," she asked. He looked at her confused no idea what she was talking about. "Your hand. Give it to me!," she commanded. He showed him his right hand but not the one she was refering. "Your other hand!" she yelled. He jumped quiveringer and presented his left hand where the the little trinket was. She removed it from his finger, examed the object, and recognized it. "Where did you get this?!"

The Gumm-Gumm cheif had all the recipes in for his special soup all, but one. He turned towards the caged girl, open the gate, he was about to grabbed until the doors burst open halted him. "Stop!" the Skarlagk ordered. "Skarlagk, I was just-" But she cut him off. "Do not kill this one!" She turned to the weak skinny girl. "Not this one."