AN: I know not many read this but there's one person that has me keep writing this. This may be trash, but it is my trash.
Stricklander sighs as he drops down the ladder. Holding the Baggle in his hand he would glance down at the simple dead Hearthstone. It was a piece of the Hearthstone from the Darklands simply enchanted with minor spells. The Jaunus order mostly used them to help monitor their test subjects' help but they were very useful medical tools
He pauses voices reaching his ears as he hears Bular and another voice. He had been careful to monitor any of the Order's activities near him in case they tried to usurp his position. But their presence was not what alarmed Stricklander. It was the fact that Bular had personally asked him to check on the health of someone, "I would have thought you were an Impure but your smell is more akin to a Troll surrounded by humans then of an Impure."
"Oh? So an Impure is like a- Mish mash of human and troll," Bular simply nods and keeps explaining. Their voices still faint as Stricklander gets closer.
As soon as he gets around the cover he pauses at the sight before him. Bular stood in the dark sewers eyes glowing faintly as his attention was locked on the more alarming thing. A troll youngling of all things. Shifting forms and drawing both their attentions, Stricklander would carefully take in the smells filling the air.
He did detect some faint familiar stenches. The sewer and ashes were the most prominent smells but there was the faint hint of human on him but it smelled as if he had been exposed to them or their items. Changelings had a far more distinct smell that came from. Yet, even as he approached he could not hide his surprise as he asks, "How did you- If the Trolls of Troll-Market knew you had one of the young we'd be able to leverage for some very useful resources."
The Youngling turns towards Stricklander fully still gripping a goblin in his arms that had now gone relaxed at the petting. "Indeed, but use the Baggle to determine his health. He claims to have lost his memory and I wish to be certain he is not lying," Stricklander would stare at the boy fully.
Taking the pitch black crystal he sighs and would gently rip off a chunk. Crushing it in his hand with a faint grunt he would begin rubbing it across the boy's head leaving a thin black trail of grainy dust. Turning his attention back to the crystal he would let a small amount of magic flow into it.
He pauses as the Gem turns from black to a mixture of sickly yellow with hints of green and. . .orange? Blinking he squints and taps the crystal with his claw, "Strange. I have never seen this before? There is residue of some very strange magic."
Taking out a rag he would wipe the dust off the boys head before putting his dusty hand on his chest. Standing there for a few seconds the glow of yellow would increase and a faint wisp of purple would begin to appear here and there, "There is without a doubt something very bad happened to him but I cannot be sure what exactly."
"What do you mean you're not sure what happened to him," Bular would growl lowering his head to the gems colors. He would stare at it carefully the yellow and green colors inside the gem reminding him of long gone memories.
Taking off another chunk of the crystal Stricklander would remain calm, "What I mean is usually you'd see the Trolls latent mana if they were fine. But this Youngling-"
"Raah, my name's Rah Im kinda getting tired of everyone calling me Youngling," Stricklander would throw a glare at Raah for interrupting.
Clearing his throat he soons continue, "Ah yes then. Raah? Eat this. As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted by the Youngling. I have read distant legends that Yellow is the color of Morgana herself and commonly seen in Changelings and Gumm-Gumms, Green has rarely been seen in Trolls and is most famously seen in Merlin, but there is another shade of sickly yellow that is clashing with the others it looks like? Purple seems to be a shadow magic of some sort. I would recommend sending him to the Order to be examined more thoroughly."
Raah would glare at Stricklander, a heavy feeling in the back of his head. The man had gone out of his way to call him Youngling and it bugged him somewhat. He would pop the gem into his mouth and gag at its sweet taste. Chewing and shivering he would swallow and gasp, "So was I in some sort of magic accident or something?"
Stricklander would wipe the dust off the boys armor as the gem begins to turn a bright blue. Bular pauses and growls, "The only kind of Troll that would have such magic is a Gumm-Gumm. The last time I checked there isn't no Gumm-Gumm within a thousand miles of here besides me."
Stricklander would find himself briefly lost at this. He would pause quickly breaking off another piece and chewing it letting it go from blue to dark green with hints of yellow and black. The gem seemed to be working, "Strange. I'll have to send these results back to the Order but there is without a doubt in my mind that something horrid must have happened to this Youngling in order for him to be radiating off so much different auras."
"Auras? Wait, I thought you said my aura was blue so why are there others on me," Stricklander would sigh as Bular pulled his head backwards pondering for a few seconds.
"No, you see when a powerful enough spell is cast, residue is left on whoever was affected by the spell. You, my dear boy, were affected by some very potent magics and many of them within a short span of time. Blue, is the color you ring of which is the same color a few Trolls tend to give off- although rarer than most others," Bular would watch the boy stand there curiously. He was content that whatever incident had harmed the boys mind had occurred and he was not simply trying to trick him.
Nodding Bular would chuckle softly as he says, "Good. Stricklander, inform Nomura that I will be heading my way there soon and to prepare a second room. The boy will be useful in baiting out the Trollhunter. . ."
Strickler would let the possibilities flow into his mind. If the boy would be a new recruit he was best off as bait instead of a spy for now. And, if the other Trolls of trollmarket suspected he was a Gum-Gum or spy things would turn out nasty- especially if he didn't take to their ideas as well as they would like. But, he would make for useful bait for a trap. Stricklander nods giving a small bow pausing as he spots Bulars knee.
He only paused for a fraction of a second as he says, "Right away." He would glance back at the boy who would stare back his body on guard and tense. Had this boy managed to injure or stand his ground against Bular? That was a feat that most of the more arrogant changelings had failed to accomplish when challenging or fighting Bular before their quick end.
Turning around he would shift back into a human form as he would take out his phone and begin texting Nomura, "Prepare a room. Bular is bringing over a guest."
Behind him he would hear Raah's stomach growl as he asked, "Uh- Do you have anything to eat as well? Its been a good bit since I had a decent meal I think."
Bular would let a wicked grin come across his face as he says, "Why of course. Follow me, we will hold out below the Museum until Day-Break. There is much for me to explain."
