Bang Goes a Troll (11 page)

Chuck Armstrong was spinning a pistol on his finger. “Let's get this party started,” he said.

“Gentlemen, Lady Semolina, if you would join me behind the security door?”

The hunters filed out into the corridor, and the Baron pulled a lever on the wall. Metal bars lowered in the archway, sealing off the dungeons. The hunters peered in through the bars.

“Blud, get ready with the bait!”

Blud revved his engine. He turned the bike to face the end wall of the dungeons, then the Baron pulled a second lever and the end wall started lifting up, revealing the snowy valley outside. It stretched out in front of the dungeons. The snow looked blood-red in the setting sun. Spotlights came on in the valley, lighting up machines and contraptions on either side.

“Behold the Predatron!” the Baron said. “The most thrilling hunting range known to man.”

Blud sped out on the motorbike, dragging Dr. Fielding along the snow wrapped in the blanket of meat.

Baron Marackai pulled a third lever and the doors of the cages sprang open. The trolls bounded out, charging on all fours into the Predatron, following the scent of the meat.

Orson glanced at the Baron. “You'll pay for this,” he said.

“Hadn't you better save your precious Dr. Fielding from those trolls?” the Baron chuckled. “Run, Mr. Orson, run!” The Baron grinned as Orson shook his fist, then strode out into the valley.

“Hunters, proceed to your vehicles!” Baron Marackai said. He turned and marched the hunters down the corridor and through the big wooden door.

Each hunter jumped into a pedal-cart, clutching their weapons.

“Let's hunt these beasts!” the Baron told them. As he stepped into a cart, the Baron felt a tug on his coat. He pulled it into the cart then sat down and pedaled off up the tunnel.

“Yee-ha!” Chuck Armstrong shouted, excitedly.

Lady Semolina blew loudly on a hunting horn.

The Baron rubbed his hands together.

“FIRST STOP: SKITTLE ALLEY!”

U
LF LAY BENEATH THE GUILLOTINE STRUGGLING IN
the chains. He glanced up at the blade, then across to the rats chewing on the blood-stained rope. Through the open hatch, he could see the sky darkening. Any moment now the full moon would rise.

A trail of sparkles burst through the hatch. It was Tiana!

“Ulf!” she called. “They've dragged Dr. Fielding into the Predatron. They're hunting Orson and the trolls. We've got to do something!”

“I can't move,” Ulf called.

Tiana flew to the guillotine blade. “Oh my goodness,” she said.

“Quick, stop the rats!” Ulf told her.

Tiana saw the rats gnawing the rope. She flew down and kicked one on the nose. The rat snapped at her tiny foot and she darted out of the way. Tiana grabbed the rat's tail and tugged it, trying to pull the rat from the rope, but the rat flicked its tail sideways, sending her hurtling across the room. Tiana picked herself up from the floor and flew back. Rats were scurrying up and down the rope, gnawing and chewing it. She blasted them with sparkles and they squeaked and scattered. Then they turned and ran back again. “It's no use, Ulf,” Tiana said, pulling a rat's whiskers. “I can't stop them!”

The rope was fraying where the rats were chewing it.

Ulf stared at the guillotine blade. “You have to
try,” he said. “I can't get out.”

He wriggled in the chains, but they were fastened tight. “I'm locked in,” he said, glancing at the padlock.

Tiana kicked and punched the rats. She blasted and prodded them, but they kept nibbling the rope. “There are hundreds of them!” she screamed. The rope was creaking, about to snap.

Just then, the door opened. A head poked in with large white eyes, pointy ears, and a fat snout.

“Gumball!” Ulf said.

It was the little goblin. He scampered in.

“Oh, that's all we need!” Tiana cried, tugging a rat's ear.

The goblin held out his bony hand. “Shiny,” he said, smiling. He was holding the key to the padlock!

“Where did you get that?” Ulf asked.

“I took it from the nasty man,” Gumball said, proudly.

The blade was hanging by a single strand.

“Quickly!” Ulf said.

Gumball put the key in the padlock. “Friend,” he said, turning it.

At that moment, a silvery light shone into the room. Ulf looked up at the open hatch. He could see the moon outside. His eyes f lashed silver and he felt the bones in his chest cracking. His skeleton began realigning. Dark hair started growing over his whole body. A thick tail grew from the base of his spine. His nails lengthened into claws. His muscles bulged. Fangs split through his gums. He tore off the chains and sprang forward just as a rat bit through the last strand of the rope. The guillotine blade slewed down the wooden uprights, thudding into the ground.

Ulf looked out at the moon and howled.

“Gumball, you did it!” Tiana called, flying to the goblin. “You saved Ulf!”

She planted a kiss on Gumball's fat snout. “Sorry I was mean to you,” she said.

Gumball blushed.

“The others need saving now,” Ulf growled. He leaped up and scrambled through the open hatch.

“Go, werewolf! Go!” the little goblin called.

Ulf bounded into the Predatron.

I
N THE MOONLIGHT, FAR UP AHEAD
, U
LF COULD
see the trolls lumbering through the Predatron. Spotlights shone from the steep slopes on either side of the valley, their beams criss-crossing the snowy ground.

As a wolf, Ulf's senses were sharp. He could smell the trolls' fear. He could hear Baron Marackai's voice: “Let the fun begin!”

Ulf bounded on all fours, following the meaty trail in the snow where Dr. Fielding had been dragged behind the motorbike.

“Be careful, Ulf,” Tiana cried, flying after him.

Ulf scanned the valleysides. He saw Baron Marackai high up, standing by a hatch, holding a megaphone to his mouth. “Bone, show us the beasts!”

On the side of the valley a spotlight swivelled, sweeping a beam of light on to the trolls. Ulf saw Orson striding after them.

“Release the boulders!” the Baron called. “Knock them down like bowling pins!”

Ulf heard a clanking sound and the creaking of levers. He saw a large metal chute pointing down into the valley. It was moving, aiming for the trolls. With a loud rumble, a boulder rolled down the chute. It thundered into the valley and tore across the ground like a huge bowling ball, just missing the trolls.

“Bone! More boulders!” the Baron called.

The metal chute swung sideways, adjusting its aim. A second boulder rolled down and Ulf saw Orson run to protect the trolls. The giant stepped in
front of them and smashed the boulder away with his fist. A third boulder came hurtling after. Orson caught it and threw it to the side of the valley. Then he blocked another with his shoulder. Boulder after boulder came thundering down. Orson tried to block them, but there were too many for him to stop. One of them struck a troll, knocking it to the ground.

“Troll down!” Baron Marackai shouted. “Guns at the ready!”

Ulf started running for the fallen troll, Tiana whizzing alongside him. He saw five hatches open in the valleyside. The five hunters appeared, each holding a gun. The spotlight shone on the troll.

“Fire!” Marackai commanded.

Shots echoed around the valley and bullets whizzed through the air.

“BANG GOES A TROLL!” the Baron shouted.

The hunters cheered.

Then the troll sat up, shaking its head.

“It's still alive! You missed!” Baron Marackai called. “Reload, hunters!”

The hunters took aim at the troll as it was getting to its feet.

“Fire!”

As more shots rang out, Ulf saw Orson throw himself in front of the troll. The bullets thudded into Orson's chest and he crashed to the ground.

“Bang goes the giant!” the Baron laughed.

“Yee-ha! I got him,” Ulf heard.

“Well done, Mr. Armstrong,” the Baron called. “Hunters, back into your carts. Next stop: the Drowning Pool!”

The hatches slammed shut and the spotlight swivelled, sweeping its beam up the valley.

Ulf raced to Orson. The giant was slumped on the ground. There were bullet holes in his shirt.

“He's dead, Ulf!” Tiana said.

Slowly, Orson sat up. He put his hand inside his
shirt and picked out a bullet. He winked at Ulf and smiled. “Good thing I packed my chainmail vest,” he said.

Tiana hugged Orson's ear. “Thank goodness you're okay.”

Ulf grinned with his fangs. Then he glanced up ahead. He could see the trolls further up the Predatron, sniffing the ground.

“Come on,” he said. “They're in danger.”

U
LF RACED AFTER THE TROLLS.
T
HEY WERE
approaching a wide expanse of water that spanned the width of the valley. Ulf could see the meaty trail from Dr. Fielding's blanket leading on to a rusty metal bridge.

“Dr. Fielding went that way, Tiana,” he said, pointing over the water.

Ulf bounded ahead of the trolls and leaped on to the bridge. He looked down, seeing the full moon reflected below him. Then he felt the bridge wobble and looked back. The trolls were following behind him.