PERIL 7

Morning came way fast than I thought it would. I stretched my arms and legs and I remembered what we have discovered last night so I immediately take note of everything including what Fred told us. Calix cooks meals for me and Lance as well.

"Before I left Earth, I only wish for you all to complete your mission and your safety"- Freya said as she gave us a very warm smile. "Thank you, Freya, I also wish you a happy and peaceful life"- I bowed as we left the house. Along the ride, they are talking about some things while I was just listening to the radio.

"Today's news was all about the repetition of what happened 100 years ago. Many people have left the town in order to avoid the rumors about being the victims of the cursed year. That is all for now, we wish everyone on a safe trip. Hoping that this will be over soon."

"So many people already left the land?"- Mina worried.

"But how about you Gesielle?"- Fred asked.

"No. I won't leave the land. Not until I completed finding all 18 dolls and my Grandma. I don't care if this land would become haunted and creepy as long as this mission of mine was over"- I replied, I just sighed in a very frustrating way. I cannot lose hope, not now! I better find a telephone to contact my parents outside the country.

We stopped on a fun land. The area where we can see the people who are fond of circus. "I think this place has many dolls. This is the place where there are many puppets and doll show over the years"- Lance acquired. "I agree, maybe we can find most dolls here"- Mina said. Lance carries the dollhouse and we begin to walk inside from the old gates.

This place was creepy. Very creepy.

I stopped when I saw a glass shelf with 5 dolls on it. "Those dolls are like wearing different costumes for Halloween"- Mina said. We went closer to have a good view of those dolls. We stopped in our tracks the moment we heard some taps.

And I was surprised to see an old man. "These dolls are created by God! They can talk like humans and can do anything!"- he said, somewhat worshiping those dolls though. "Tsh, crazy"- Lance uttered.

"Oh, no young boy I am not lying. No kids can ever buy these dolls since they are found in the cavern of the witches. They are very expensive and magical!"

My ears perked up as I heard 'witches'.

"I want to get them"- I spoke. "You? A normal girl?"- he was now laughing but that won't change my mind. "I need those dolls. How can I get them?"

"You must defeat me through a game of chess"- he said. Damn it, I hate chess but I always see my Grandma was good at it. I think I might remember how she played it.

"Deal. If I win, I will have those dolls. If you lose, tell us what's wrong in this place."

"Deal"- he smirked and he uses his magic to form a chessboard.

I was focusing on the game. I was even sweating, even my hands were trembling and my mind was not in its proper state right now. My Grandma said that the Queen is the power here since it can move to any number of unoccupied squares in a straight line vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, thus by this type of strategy in this piece, the Queen can also combine the moves of both rook and bishop. The Bishop moves diagonally, the pawns were on the first defense, the knight moves in the L-pattern, and the King is the one that moves exactly one square horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. and Rook moves horizontally or vertically. Man, this old man was pretty good at playing chess! This is gonna get ugly.

"Check"- he said. Shit, what to do what to do?!

"Only one wrong move of your piece young lady and you will lose"- he was now laughing, I have to win!

I sighed. The only thing left on my side was; Queen, Bishop, Knights, and 3 Pawns. How am I going to finish this?! I need those dolls!!

I move the Queen...

"You lose!!"- he said. What?! NO!!

"No old man, you're wrong. She moved exactly the Queen to the right place. Your King has no purpose to kill the Queen. She did the right move to the Queen. You just cheated"- Lance breaks out the triumphant of the old man.

"What?! No, I didn't!"

"I saw you moving your eyes in the same direction as your King in a wrong move. You knew that she doesn't know the rules of playing chess and yet you let her play. You cheated"- Lance pointed out. He again used the dust that he uses when we are at the restaurant and I see that the arrangement of the chess pieces is all different.

"See? She didn't cheat though she loses a lot of pieces. You must admit that you're the one who cheated"- Lance smirked.

The old man scoffed so madly right now. "Fine. She wins, I will tell you everything"- he stands up and opens the glass shelf, and holds the dolls. The old man lits up and it is revealed to be a small little man. "Just as I was thinking, you're a troll. Your job is to play all people's weaknesses and in that way, you can easily win through that insane games"- Lance Spokes.

"You're right. I am a troll who lives in that cavern hundred years ago. I make these 5 dolls who can talk and entertain children in the circus in order for me to live like a human and earn a living. But many witches see what I did and told the people that I was a fraud for making talking dolls. Which causes them to destroy this circus. I was here protecting my dolls and waiting for someone who can take care of them. Here you go, young lady."

I hold the five dolls. They suddenly shook through my hold and started to jump off my hands and they lit up together.

"Pretty girl!"

"Never seen a girl in so many years!"

"Gosh her eyes are like a doll too!"

"What is she wearing?"

"Is it November yet?"

"Nope. It's not November but July. Who are you guys?"

"My name is Zeke Renvers, this is Theodore Frolly, Logan Sparks, Connor Leon, and Hunter Drift"- the doll with bow and glasses said. "May I look at 5 of you? Your shoes or your backs?"

"SURE!"- They said. I look at each of them:

Zeke - 2

Connor - 3

Logan - 4

Theodore - 5

Hunter - 6

"You guys are dolls number 2-6. Please look at the dollhouse. I need to know your places"- I open the dollhouse and let them see it. Their faces were all amused by what they see. I was shocked to see that Theodore, Logan, and Hunter's place is the bedroom. While Zeke and Connor are on the stairs. They also lit up and the colors of their mutant-colored clothes have now become colorful and it really matches their clothing. "WOW!! NEW COLORS!!"- they happily exclaimed.

"I guess they are connected to that dollhouse. Where did it come from?"- the troll asked. "It came from a ghost girl. She told me to find all 18 dolls and I was searching for my Grandma. Do you know anything around here?"

"I'm an old troll, but those dolls can tell you. My time has come, thank you"- the troll smiled and we were surprised to see him suddenly become a stone a fades.

"By the way Miss Doll Eyes, what's your name?"- Logan asked. "I'm Gesielle Stoneheart-Lee"

"And who are these guys?"- Theodore asked.

"That is Lance Akerman from the church. Fred Vermin, Calix Klauffer, Axel Brenner, and Mina. They are with me and you guys are going to be part of us now. So, can you tell me what happened here?"

"The cavern where we came from is in the islands after the Golbin forest and the Wolves layer next to these areas"- Logan added. I showed them the map. "Do you know where I can find the missing part?"

"Actually, we have the missing piece"- Theodore expressed, and they all bring out some broken pieces of the map from their clothes. Zeke then grabs my map and they did some magic to it and it was now all complete. It sure is a brand-new map now. "This is the map of what happened a hundred years ago. After the circus is the Goblin forest and next was the Wolves layer and then the island"- Connor said.

"What's in the cavern? Trolls?"- Mina asked. "Nope. There are no trolls left there aside from Mr. Troll who just fades. But on that island, the cavern there was full of gems that you can use to defend all monsters and the Devil as well"- Zeke said. "So you are telling us that one of the gems there can defend us all?"- Axel clarified.

"Yes. But first, we need to finish those areas before we go to the island."- Hunter replied. "How are we going to pass those areas when it was scary at all?"- Mina asked. "Don't worry, take this"- Theodore then hands me a stick. "It's a stick. How can I protect myself when I'm just a human?"

"Wait for it"- Theodore said, the stick lit up and it flies up. Then, it becomes a different stick now. "It's still a stick, tsh what a waste of time"- Lance hissed. "Look. Try it to that stone plant"- Connor said. I point the stick to the stone plant and the plant becomes alive.

"What the heck?!"- I was dreaming or what?! It was not a stick, it was a wand!

"That, My Lady is a magic wand. Trolls made magic dolls like us so as a gift from the 5 of us, we gave you that wand."- Zeke said with a smile. "And whatever you're thinking or you're saying before waving the wand, that will be the result of the one your pointing at"- Hunter said.

Hhmm what shall I do to this...

It was actually pretty exciting!

"This happens in the year 1889. This circus is the only time where humans and monsters become one. The 5 of us entertained every child that would stop by our place. We are making stories for every child but like the troll said. The witches called him a fraud and they are the reason why some trolls who make magic dolls become stones and eventually fades like our old troll. Luckily for Mr. Troll that he saved us as well as himself on that tragic day"- Hunter said.