Chapter Ten: Piecing
Horror flooded Strickler at the sight that greeted him upon entering the room.
Green goo covered every available surface in a gory illustration of the goblins' defeat; in the cleanest corner of the room, Nomura lay unconscious while one of the few remaining goblins tended to the gaping hole in her thigh that exposed the geode-like insides of trollish beings. Surprised by her obvious loss, Strickler wondered exactly who was capable of overpowering such a fierce changeling.
It was the pile of rubble in the center of the room that chilled Strickler the most. The Killahead Bridge—the monument that was to be the changelings' chance at freedom, respect, home—lay in ruin amidst the gooey bodies of its fallen protectors.
"What. Happened." Strickler demanded, eyes glowing furiously as they scanned the room for a being alive with enough sense to fill him in on the missing pieces of an obviously epic tale.
Fragwa—the new Fragwa, Strickler noticed dispassionately—approached the changeling leader with humble trepidation, head bowed and limbs tucked, skittering upon fingertips alone. Her status-giving permanent-marker mustache was already smeared from nervous nibbling of fingernails. "Waka cha cha…" the creature chattered, placing her spindly fingers back in her mouth upon finishing her simple statement.
Oh, no. This was not what Strickler intended to happen at all when he'd chosen to reveal his true nature to Jamie. Now, he would have to choose his words wisely if he was to remain guiltless in Bular's eyes. "What do you mean, 'The Trollhunter attacked'?!" the changeling cried in outrage. His tone must have been terrifying indeed, for the goblin leader flinched and scuttled backward. "How did they even find us?!"
"Chaka wa cha…"
One Hour Earlier…
Jamie shifted uncomfortably in the bushes as she waited for the museum night guard to finally move to the back of the building. If everything had gone according to plan, the trolls were already inside. All Jamie and Toby had to do was get in without being seen, find the Bridge, and get out before alerting any changelings to their presence.
"So, you're saying that Claire cancelled because Mary needed a girl's day after failing her Spanish presentation?" Jamie asked for the third time.
"Yes!" Toby hissed from beside her. "Jeez, James. For someone who hasn't hung out with her in over a year, you're really having a hard time accepting her bailing on you!"
Ugh. Jamie hated it when he called her that. "It's not the fact that she bailed," she muttered back, "It's the fact that I was glad about Mary failing and then it led to Claire not hanging out with me."
"It's like, instant karma!"
"Sh!" Jamie shushed her friend as the guard's head suddenly swiveled in their direction. The two teens watched in unmitigated terror as the uniformed man reached for the flashlight at his belt and aimed it at the bushes. The Trollhunter held her breath, grateful for her lack of armor, which would have certainly reflected the light and blown their cover.
After a tense moment, the guard shrugged and reattached the light to his hip, turning away and continuing his patrol around the corner of the building.
"Now's our chance, Tobes," Jamie said more softly than before. "Let's go!"
The two bolted around the opposite side of the museum, struggling to remain quiet as adrenaline had them both gasping noisily for air. One of the windows was cracked just enough for Toby to squeeze inside if he sucked in his belly. Unfortunately, the teen was just a few inches too short to reach the ledge and pull himself up. "Jamie!" he whispered. "Gimme a boost!"
Kneeling the way she'd seen cheerleaders do at Steve's games, Jamie proceeded to lift her friend up and through the window with strength she certainly did not possess before beginning her Trollhunter training. After hearing a resounding smack as Toby crashed to the ground inside the museum, the girl leaped up and slinked in after him.
Once safely inside, the two promptly collapsed against the wall, panting and clutching one another's hands for reassurance. "Holy crap," Toby gasped. "We just broke into a museum."
"If we get caught, this'll definitely go on our permanent record," Jamie whispered as the stress of the situation strangled her sense.
A depreciating snort from the shadows finally drew the teens' attention toward the pair of trolls awaiting them. Draal stood with crossed arms beside Aaarrrgh, who grinned and waved. "What record?" the green troll asked in his usual curious way.
Toby took a second to think of an answer the trolls would maybe understand, "It's like, a list of all the things you've ever done wrong that tells people if you're worth giving a chance or not."
"Mmm," Aaarrrgh rumbled his understanding. "Honor."
"If we get caught and you're right about the Bridge," Draal cut in severely, "your permanent records will be the least of your concerns."
Before Jamie could reply, the sound of vehement arguing captivated all of her attention, especially when she realized to whom the combative voices belonged.
"I have not left the Heartstone in a century," Vendel's furious voice echoed throughout the museum halls. "I only did so tonight for the grave peril the Killahead Bridge represents! If you have invoked that danger without just cause…"
"The Trollhunter saw the Bridge with her own eyes," Blinky cried defensively, "and she exposed a changeling! How much more proof do you require, Vendel?!"
"Given your history," the Elder drawled condescendingly, "more than you."
"Hey!" Jamie interrupted firmly as she, Toby, Draal and Aaarrrgh rounded the corner to find Vendel and Blinky locked in a heated stand-off. "What's going on?"
The ivory troll Elder, whose staff glowed eerily in what little moonlight managed to leak through the windows, turned abruptly at the sound of the Trollhunter's approach. "You're late," Vendel said cantankerously, glowering disapprovingly at the two humans.
Toby, sassy as ever, glowered right back at the Troll Elder. "That guard took forever to leave!" he argued defensively.
Aaarrrgh stepped in, scooping up his squat friend to place him atop his hairy green back before the boy could dispute any more. "Here now," the green giant grumbled. "Find Bridge."
Jamie spared her mentor a curious glance and felt her defenses flare at the frustration she found in his returning gaze. "C'mon," she said instead of confronting the obvious conflict that lingered in the air. She glanced around the darkened halls of the museum, marveling at how unfamiliar everything appeared without the light of day. "Let's retrace our steps from the field trip, Tobes."
On instinct, the Trollhunter fell into step alongside her mentor, who immediately dismissed his arms behind his back and lowered his gaze, as he often did when in a contemplative mood. Aaarrrgh carried Toby upon his back and strolled alongside Draal while Vendel took up the rear, observing the team's interactions closely.
"Why was Vendel questioning you after everything?" Jamie asked quietly, though probably not quietly enough considering the extraordinary hearing of her troll companions.
Blinky heaved a heavy sigh. "Let's just say, most of Trollmarket would consider my enthusiasm for exposing conspiracies a little excessive."
"Paranoid," Aaarrrgh interjected from behind.
"He was once convinced there was a plot to rid Trollmarket of all its cat meat," Draal piped up, his smirk evident in his tone.
"Don't forget the flea-troll infestation!" Vendel's voice joined the conversation unhelpfully.
Blinky's ears were nearly flat against his head by the time his friends had finished their detailed assessment of his overly-cautious outlook. "I hate conspiracies!" he crowed defensively, arms waving wildly. "That is why I am dedicated to rooting them out."
"Everyone—even Aaarrrgh—thinks you're paranoid!" Vendel reiterated.
The Conundrum stopped in his tracks and whirled on his team, glowering fiercely. "If it's everyone, it must be a conspiracy!"
"Well, we're right about this," Jamie insisted, grabbing one of her mentor's secondary hands in her own. "The Bridge is here and we're going to destroy it tonight."
The girl couldn't help but return Blinky's smile before she continued onward, dragging him alongside her. After several minutes of meandering through the enormous building, they finally arrived at the door with the "Do Not Enter; Employees Only" sign on the front. Mouth dry, heart pounding in her chest, Jamie approached the white curtain separating them from what could possibly be the world's downfall. With a final steadying breath, she drew the sheet aside to reveal the Bridge, nearly complete save for the missing bits at the top of the arch.
Behind her, Vendel gasped. "It's… true!" His voice was thick with despair and his misty eyes were wide with horror. "It's the Killahead Bridge!"
"What do we do, Vendel?" Blinky asked, equally breathless despite his earlier certainty.
"Aaarrrgh crush it!" the green giant exclaimed. His eyes darkened with pent up aggression.
"Whoa, Buddy!" Toby said in an attempt to placate, patting the giant upon his head. "What if we need the Bridge for something later? Like, if Jamie needs to go in and take out Gunmar or something?"
Vendel snarled, "That would pose too great a risk! Sooner or later, dark forces will seek to reassemble the Bridge and unleash Gunmar onto this world. We cannot afford let that happen!"
Before the team could come to an agreement, Aaarrrgh's nose suddenly flared as he sniffed the air intently. "Aaarrrgh, what is it, old friend?" Blinky asked, laying one of his hands upon the giant's.
Aaarrrgh's eyes hardened and fixed upon the far side of the room, where Jamie finally noticed the shadows shifting ominously. "Goblins!" he growled, the sclerae of his enormous orbs flooding with darkness.
As though called forth, several small, spindly creatures with green skin, bulbous eyes and sinister smiles emerged from the darkness, skittering like spiders. "Waka Chaka!" the goblin at the fore of the group cried, rushing the Trollhunters.
Jamie watched with horror as the creepy critters raced toward Toby, who stood trembling like a leaf. In a flash, she leaped defensively in front of her friend. "Lady Jamie!" she heard Blinky cry distantly, despite his close proximity. "No!"
It was too late. On instinct, her armor appeared, her sword slashed through the air, splitting the goblin closest to her friend in two and sending his gooey green guts splattering around the room. The horde of green creatures stopped, as if shocked that a mere human had dared to harm one of their own.
Or, Jamie thought with dismay as she realized the consequences of her actions, shocked that the Trollhunter turned out to be a human…
A stone hand slipped into her armored one, jolting her out of her horrified stupor. She turned and met Blinky's six, terrified eyes. "Run, Lady Jamie!" he cried.
As if his command had broken a spell, the room burst into a flurry of action. The goblins charged, crying in their simple language while the trolls bolted toward the double doors from whence they came. To their dismay, they turned to find the goblins had surrounded them and closed the door behind their backs. "Why don't we just fight them?" Jamie asked as she took a battle stance between Draal and Blinky. "There are a lot, but they seem easy to kill!"
"Goblins are vengeful creatures who will mindlessly punish murderers of their hive!" Blinky explained as the creatures approached ominously, chattering and snickering nastily. "Now that they know you are the Trollhunter, they will stop at nothing to avenge their fallen brethren!"
"What do we do, then?!" Toby cried from atop Aaarrrgh's hairy back.
"Whatever you do," Vendel commanded, swinging his staff and splattering two goblins mid-air, "do not be afraid! Goblins crave the pheromone of terror."
"Too late," Aaarrrgh rumbled, backing away from the approaching creatures.
The goblins cackled and chattered in their simple language, their yellow eyes shining maliciously as they skittered after their prey. Jamie felt a shiver wrack her body—their spindly limbs reminded her too greatly of spiders for her to not be terrified.
It was thanks to countless hours of track training that Jamie was able to keep up with the phenomenal stamina of her troll friends. Even with the surge of adrenaline, the armor felt heavy enough to slow her swings dangerously. No matter how many of the creatures she splattered into green goo, more just kept coming. She didn't feel ready to face a horde of anything, let alone vicious, angry goblins.
"Aaarrrgh," Jamie demanded desperately as she, Vendel and Draal worked to take out the little beasts. "Protect Toby!"
"He cannot!" Blinky cried as he dodged another goblin. "He's a pacifist!"
"What?!" Toby cried in alarm, peeking out from his cowering clutch to the giant's hairy back. "I thought I was safe with you!"
"You are," Aaarrrgh rumbled. "We break Bridge!"
"I knew I should have stayed in my workshop," Vendel griped as his gaze turned toward the charging Krubera, giving his goblin assailants just enough time to leap onto the Elder's prominent horns and dangle irritatingly.
Jamie's terror mounted as another swarm of goblins surged toward the team. Without Aaarrrgh at her back, the Trollhunter was finally beginning to lose hope in their odds of survival. "There are too many, Lady Jamie!" Blinky cried from beside her, stomping on another fallen goblin before it could reach his thick legs. "We must escape before it's too late!"
Before she could even chance looking away from her enemies long enough to concoct an escape plan, an enormous crash shook the museum, stunning all present into stillness. Every eye, including those of the goblins, turned toward the Bridge, which lay in a crumbled heap beneath Aaarrrgh and Toby. "Yes!" Toby hooted victoriously from atop Aaarrrgh's back. "You're the troll!"
Aaarrrgh wasted no time turning his blackened eyes toward the exit and charging furiously. "Follow!" he cried and blasted the doors off of their hinges.
"Run, Lady Jamie!" Blinky ordered his goo-covered pupil.
Jamie complied instantly, pausing only to drag Draal away from his obsessive destruction of the distracted goblins. Even after burning so much energy in battle, running was the one thing she felt like she could still do…
Present…
"So what you're telling me," Strickler drawled as Fragwa's tale came to a close, "is that a human girl is the Trollhunter and she somehow managed to break four trolls and another human boy into the museum on your watch, defeat your army and destroy the Bridge?!"
By this point, Fragwa had curled into a tiny ball of terror, pointy ears flat against her back, bulbous eyes wide with fright. "Wakaka, cha-cha ka!"
"I don't care how formidable she is!" the changeling roared. "She is a fleshling—a child!"
"You may care," a raspy voice resounded from behind Strickler, "when you find out she is one of your precious pupils…"
Strickler whirled on his magenta coworker to find her inspecting the bandage job the little green goblin had done on her leg. "So glad you could join us, Nomura, as we uncover exactly why every member of this operation has proven to be wildly incompetent," he drawled and fixed the changeling with a glower. "Perhaps you would care to contribute your side of the story?"
"Of course, Stricklander," Nomura replied, struggling to stand and testing the weight-bearing capacity of her injured limb. "Anything that will grant me retribution from the Trollhunter and her friends…"
Strickler prayed his coworker's contribution would not be too helpful as he listened to her recount her version of events.
Thirty Minutes Earlier…
The fact that the spindly creatures had ceased pursuing the fleeing team of Trollhunters did not register as being suspicious until they reached the exit, which was blocked by a lithe, magenta troll with long dark hair.
The group stopped short, the warriors taking up defensive stances, the rest hiding behind their fiercer friends. "Nomura," Jamie heard Draal whisper from beside her.
"Miss me, Draal?" the changeling snarked, smirking nastily at the blue warrior. "Sorry to hear about daddy…"
"Oh my God," Jamie gasped and turned toward her sparring partner. "This is her?!"
Draal groaned and rolled his eyes, obviously irritated by the human's tactless reveal of his lingering affection for the changeling who'd broken his heart. Seizing the opportunity presented, Nomura cackled and drew two dangerous-looking curved swords from their place on her back. "Ooh," she taunted, "sounds like somebody wants to rekindle what we had!"
"Rekindle this!" the deadly troll roared and rolled at the changeling like an enraged bowling ball.
As though well-acquainted with Draal's favorite attack, Nomura leaped through the air, flipping easily over her adversary to land before the battle-ready Trollhunter. "So," she snarled as she circled Jamie threateningly. "You've come to destroy the Bridge…"
"Well," Jamie snarked, holding Daylight aloft defensively, "we were just gonna look at it—this is a museum, after all."
Nomura lunged just in time to dodge Draal's next attack, prompting Jamie to pursue. Together, the troll and Trollhunter worked to take down the most formidable adversary Jamie had fought to date. Swing, miss; swing, block—that was the order of things for what felt like forever, until suddenly, the heel of Nomura's sword collided with Draal's temple, flooring the giant troll. "No!" Jamie cried, fighting the compulsion to help her dazed brother-in-arms. She had to keep her head in the fight.
The ferocity with which the changeling turned upon the Trollhunter stunned her as she parried Nomura's sudden two-sworded attack. "You think you can beat me, fleshbag?" Nomura hissed, pushing harder against Daylight. Jamie felt her heart rate spike as her legs weakened under the changeling's strength. "I am centuries older with hundreds of years of training under my belt!"
Under my belt… The wording granted Jamie a stroke of genius. She didn't know if her idea would work, but she couldn't afford to not try. With a burst of hope-fueled energy, the girl swung her leg up hard until her shin collided with the space between Nomura's legs. Apparently, Rule Number Three applied regardless of gender, for the changeling dropped immediately with a cry of pain.
"Yes!" Jamie hissed victoriously, aiming the tip of her sword at Nomura's throat. Her eyes collided with Aaarrrgh's long enough for her to silently direct him to check on Draal. Thankfully, the gentle giant understood and meandered over to their fallen friend.
The girl turned back to Nomura to find she had recovered more quickly from her assault than a male would have, but her eyes still creased with the ghost of pain as her gaze found Jamie's. "Is that all you've got, human?" she egged with a snarl. "Go on—kill me!"
Whoa. Jamie was not ready for that. Sure, she probably could, especially given Nomura's vulnerable state, but this was a person. She wasn't a freaky-spider-like goblin or even a little gnome. She was human probably 95% of the time—and her friend's ex on top of everything…
Jamie's hesitation cost her and Nomura seized back the advantage. Before the Trollhunter could recover, a pink stone fist collided with her much softer jaw. Pain ricocheted throughout Jamie's face, blood flooded her mouth, and a tooth dropped from her lips with a tiny clatter upon the marble floor. "Fuckshit," Jamie lisped as Daylight disappeared so the girl could cover her quickly-fattening lips.
Time seemed to slow as the changeling rose to her full height, snarling viciously down at the bloodied human. "Go to hell, Trollhunter!" she cried, raising both of her swords above her head in preparation to strike.
Vaguely, Jamie recognized the voices of her beloved friends, crying her name desperately. It was enough to spur the girl back into action through the pain. As the swords came down, Jamie dived and rolled out of the way. An agonized scream tore through the air. Jamie turned and saw Vendel's staff buried in the changeling's thigh, the Elder's eyes narrowed in contempt.
"Vile creature!" Vendel hissed, twisting his staff vindictively and sending Nomura's swords clattering to the floor. "You are unworthy of being slain by the Trollhunter's sword!"
"Holy crap!" Toby cried from atop Aaarrrgh's shoulders. "Vendel's a badass!"
With that, the Elder slammed his goat-like head against Nomura's, knocking the changeling out cold.
Present…
"How disappointing," Strickler said dryly. "For a moment, it sounded like you were actually useful during the fight."
"I was grossly overpowered!" Nomura raved defensively, cringing as she accidentally put too much weight on her bandaged leg. "Three skilled warriors against one hardly makes for a fair battle!"
"You should have killed her while you had the chance," Strickler cried, despite the bitter taste the words left in his mouth. "Instead, you toyed with her and your ex lover."
"She's your pupil," Nomura accused, changing tactics. "You should have known that she was the Trollhunter before this!"
What to do, what to do… Strickler mused as he fixed his fellow changeling with a hard stare. He could deny any involvement with the Trollhunter, but that could run the risk of making him appear incompetent. At least, he wouldn't look like a traitor. Which would be worse in Bular's eyes?
The man made a snap decision. "If she were one of my students," Strickler drawled, "I would have certainly known so before tonight…"
"That's where you're wrong, Stricklander," Nomura stated. "It was the same girl you punished for wandering into the Bridge room on your field trip last week."
No. She was recognized! How could all his plans have gone so wrong? The only thing that could make this situation worse, Strickler decided, was if Bular had found her out.
As if on cue, an enraged roar resounded throughout the museum, causing the windows to shudder and the displays to shake. "The Trollhunter has escaped!" The Gumm-Gumm prince cried. "And it's all your fault, Fragwa!"
Simply glad it was not him under Bular's scrutiny, Strickler turned his gaze toward the trembling goblin, who strolled backward as inconspicuously as possible given the current situation. As the Black Prince emerged through the wooden double doors, the goblin leader lost her courage and fled.
Bular, never one to miss a hunt, bolted toward the fleeing creature and caught her in his clawed grasp fewer than five seconds later. Her eyes bulged under the strength of his grip. The remaining few goblins chattered in indignant outrage as Bular's hold tightened further and further until Fragwa burst, coating his three-fingered hand in her gooey entrails.
Despite their reputation for being vengeful creatures, none of the goblins dared to exact retribution for their needlessly murdered sister. The Black Prince was far too terrifying to take on with such few numbers.
Sensing this, Bular chuckled and flicked the goo off of his hand with a few shakes. "I have wasted too much time tonight in pursuit of the fleshling Trollhunter," he stated, tone final. "Strickler, do you know of any young human females with dark hair and pale skin?"
"That would be half of Arcadia Oaks High, if your observations match those of Nomura's and the late Fragwa," Strickler said in what he hoped was a relatively detached tone of voice. "I believe there are three young ladies in one of my History classes who would match the description. If we could procure a new changeling spy, we could root her out and take her down."
"I don't just want to take her down," Bular snarled and held aloft a now two-fingered hand. "After tonight, I want her to be my final meal before we call forth the Eternal Night!"
Strickler frowned, brow creasing with worry at the disturbing sight of Bular's mangled hand. "What exactly happened tonight?" he asked carefully.
The troll glowered, obviously frustrated with the turn the night had taken, but chose to divulge anyway…
Fifteen Minutes Earlier…
As Nomura fell to the floor in an unconscious heap, Jamie felt four stone hands grab her and twirl her around. Her blue eyes collided with Blinky's concerned six. "Lady Jamie," he murmured, cupping her jaw to inspect her injury intently. "I am afraid this will require more than a simple healing potion to repair."
"'s okay," Jamie slurred as he ran a thumb gently across her swollen, purple lips. "That'th what dentithtth are for." She cringed at the awful, terrible, social-life-wrecking lisp. Oh, for the love of-
"You should not have hesitated," he replied dolefully. "And I should never have set the precedent with the gnome that it is acceptable to forsake the three rules of Trollhunting when your life is at stake! You could have been killed!"
The girl could not help but smile at her mentor's distress on her behalf. "I'm fine, Blink," she said, gripping his hand in her own. "We did it—we tore down the Bridge and lived!"
"But not for long…"
The unfamiliar gravelly voice drew a gasp of surprise from Jamie's bruised lips. Her eyes flicked to where the voice had spoken to find a pair of red eyes glowing ominously from the shadows of the darkened hallway. Then, a black beast emerged, revealing curled horns, a massive muscular body, and a gnarled jagged smile.
"Bular!" Vendel hissed. The Elder turned his horrified gaze toward his companions and commanded, "Run!"
Everyone complied, troll and human alike, racing out of the museum as fast as their legs could carry them. Unfortunately, running from the Black Prince was not nearly as effective as evading the goblins, for Jamie, the slowest of the group, was soon snatched from her place upon the ground.
"Gah!" she screamed, unconcerned with how strong she appeared when confronted with losing her life. "Help!"
Bular simply laughed at the Trollhunter's display of terror. "Finally," his nasty breath blew in Jamie's face as he spoke. "I have you now, Merlin's Champion!"
Jamie watched in terror as the troll closed his eyes and opened his massive maw, teeth gleaming terribly in the light as he drew her head closer. Oh my God, he's going to eat me! Jamie realized in despair.
With that recognition, the girl did the only thing she could think to do. Summoning Daylight into her grasp, Jamie drove the tip of her sword down into one of the massive stone fingers that gripped her, reveling in the sound of the troll's agonized cry as the digit detached and turned to stone around her torso.
The drop, however, was less than satisfactory. Jamie could not suppress her pained gasp as her back collided with the concrete sidewalk, knocking the wind from her lungs and probably bruising her skull.
All she registered in the next few moments were stone hands upon her form…"Aaarrrgh! Take her!" A back full of hair against her skin…"I can't hold her!" The gleam of Toby's braces dancing across her vision…"Blinky! Help!"
"Jamie!" Blinky's voice called to her. "Lady Jamie! You must wake up!"
"Wha-?" she murmured in confusion. Her eyes flickered open to see stars jostling around above her in time with the racing stone figure that cradled her limp form in his arms.
"Wake up!" Blinky cried once more. Her eyes finally locked with his, enabling her to register the panic in his gaze. "Bular is nearly upon us!"
"Fuck," Jamie hissed and summoned her sword once more.
"No!" her mentor clutched her desperately. "Run! Do not fight him! Trollmarket is just ahead!"
Bular's enraged howl was all it took to convince the human to heed her mentor's advice. Rolling from his four-armed grasp, the girl raced alongside the blue troll and took in her surroundings. They were just at the edge of the forest and the canals were in sight. All they had to do was keep going…
But the world was so swirly…
"Keep going, Lady Jamie!" Blinky begged, reaching for her with one of his lower arms. "Do not give up now! We are nearly there!"
Her legs felt like jelly. Her arms flopped along at her sides. "Gotta… keep… going," she murmured and allowed her trainer to drag her alongside his racing form.
The sudden slash of pain along the back of her neck would have dragged her back down had it not been for Blinky. He was the only one who remained to drag her through the slowly-closing portal to the underground city. Had they been a moment later, they would have been trapped on the surface with Bular.
Instead, the two crossed through the glowing portal in the nick of time, collapsing upon the glowing crystal staircase in each other's arms. Jamie reveled in her companion's heavy breaths against her neck as he cradled her in a grateful embrace. They were alive. They had survived Bular and the destruction of the Killahead Bridge.
"We did it," the girl murmured dizzily against her mentor's stone chest, clutching his suspenders like lifelines.
"You are injured," he whispered into her hair, lifting to inspect the blood-covered hand that once rested against her wounded neck. "Vendel!"
"Blinkous!" Jamie heard the Elder's reply from further down the stairs. "Is the Trollhunter safe?"
"Safe, but wounded," he stated, hoisting the girl up to her unsteady feet. "Come along, Lady Jamie," he said softly. "I will help you."
Shamelessly, the girl leaned all of her weight upon her mentor, practically stumbling over each step until her obviously-concussed mind registered her arrival at Vendel's workshop.
"Whoa," Jamie murmured, glancing around at the various tomes, vials, and trinkets in unconcealed awe. "How did we get here tho fatht?"
"Vendel," Blinky's voice was strained as he laid the girl upon a stone slab. "Potions, now!"
"Is she going to be okay?" Toby asked from across the table, grabbing his friend's hand in one of his own.
"Of course, she'll be okay!" Vendel stated as though the answer were obvious. "These sorts of injuries are some of the easiest to heal in human beings—especially with magic!"
Several strange flavors later, the smell of mint permeated the air, dragging Jamie back into consciousness. Her body felt easy and light as she opened her eyes and sat up to find her closest friends, human and troll, gazing at her with concern. "How do you feel, Trollhunter?" Vendel asked uncertainly.
"I feel…" Jamie wiggled her fingers and toes, rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck. "Awethome!"
Oh, no, Jamie felt her face flush as she remembered the tooth she'd lost to Nomura's fist. Apparently, saving the world came at a cost. Whatever. Her reputation was trash in both worlds anyway.
Blinky's smile could have lit the room. "Excellent!" he exclaimed, grabbing her left hand with three of his own. "Or, should I say, 'exthellent'?"
"Who cares about the lisp?" Toby cried joyfully. "We survived Bular! We're basically superheroes now!"
Jamie laughed at her friend's antics before turning to Vendel expectantly. "What do we do now?"
"We must find a way to keep the changelings from rebuilding the Bridge," the Elder declared. "Whatever it takes, whether that means rooting out every changeling in Arcadia or raiding the museum and reclaiming the Bridge pieces, we must ensure Gunmar does not return!"
"Already done!" Toby piped up smugly, holding an enormous stone victoriously above his copper head.
Jamie gasped as understanding dawned: it was a stolen piece of the Killahead Bridge. "Toby!" she cried joyfully. "You're a freaking geniuth!"
The boy turned toward his troll roommate and patted him affectionately. "Wasn't my idea," he grinned at Aaarrrgh, who simply smiled back bashfully.
"Aaarrrgh," Blinky said, approaching his friend with a proud gleam in his six eyes. "Your brilliance has ensured that the Bridge can never be opened! As long as we protect the missing piece, the world will remain whole!"
"Which means Trollmarket must increase its security," Vendel stated, dampening the mood and bringing the prematurely-celebrating friends back to reality. "We shall station guards at every entrance into Trollmarket and equip them with gaggletacks; citizens should endeavor to exit only when absolutely necessary and remain in pairs when roaming the surface; and the Bridge piece should remain locked away in the Vault for safekeeping."
"I don't know about trolls," Toby said uncertainly, "but humans definitely wouldn't follow those rules without a good reason. How are we going to get Trollmarket to comply without telling them about the changelings?"
The group took a moment to mull over this statement. "I don't think we should keep it from them," Jamie decided. "I think, if we let them know what'th going on, they would trutht our judgment and actually agree with uth…"
"You're as bad as Blinkous if you truly believe knowing the truth would be enough to convince Trollmarket of adhering to protocol!" Vendel declared.
"It is our choice whether or not to keep ourselves safe, is it not?" Blinky cried, fists clenched and brow furrowed.
Aaarrrgh hummed, "Keeps others safe, too, though."
"Okay, happy medium," Toby said. "Tell everyone what's going on, let them make their own choice about going out alone, and still keep the Gaggletack-equipped guards at all the entrances. Autonomy meets safety. Sound good?"
Everyone exchanged approving glances before Blinky spoke. "I agree with Tobias," he stated before turning to Vendel. "Ultimately, the decision rests with our Elder."
Vendel sighed tiredly. "I agree as well," he relented, obviously reluctant but probably too tired to argue further. "Unfortunately, with Bular lingering on the surface, it may be best that the humans remain in Trollmarket until sunrise."
Jamie and Toby shared a delighted glance. "We get to have a slumber party in Trollmarket?!" Toby cried. "If only I'd brought my popcorn!"
"Oh, my God," Jamie giggled. "You and food, bro."
Toby shrugged and smiled. Hopefully, after tonight, the humans would be allowed back in the city. And hopefully, Jamie thought darkly, I can get into the dentist before I have to say another word with the letter 's' in it…
Dearest Readers,
OMG, long-chapter. Hope y'all enjoyed. I swear, the lisp is gone next chapter.
To 17: Yes, Darling, there will be Draal/Nomura later. Thank you so much for always reviewing. Your opinions keep me going. 3 Sorry there wasn't more Blue-Boi in this chapter—he's busy moping about Nomura. ;)
To merendinoemilliano: Oh, goodie! Constructive criticism! *sits attentively* Please, tell me, how would you recommend I make Jamie less of a Mary-Sue?
Yours,
Elora Story