The sword of daylight was held straight, its clear, shiny coat reflecting the image of the wooden fence. With a smile, Jim flicks the sword, the metal becoming thinner as it showed each side of his face. Raelle stood beside her brother in her recently discovered second form. In her gargoyle form, her legs are quadrupedal, making Raelle stand on her toes. She has her claws at the ready.
"All right. Do your worst," Jim said as he stood in a fighting stance as Toby prepared to throw the watermelon.
The melon twisted in the air, finding the blade, Jim perfectly cut through the rounded object, and a blue glow emitted from between the slices, letting each piece splinter, leaving no remains as it popped. Jim couldn't help but smile at the sight and raise his sword.
"It slices!" Toby began.
"It dices!" Jim finished.
Toby then threw several apples are Raelle, one at a time. When the apples were close enough, Raelle used her claws to shred them into pieces. The three teens celebrated.
"That was amazing, Rae!" Toby exclaimed.
Jim picked up a bag of tacos with the tip of his sword and let the bag slide down the smooth blade, catching it with his other hand. He set his sword into the dirt patch as he pulled out a taco, enjoying the flavor.
"All right, what else you got?" Jim wondered as Toby shoved a taco into his mouth.
"Mmm. You know, we probably should recycle these," Toby said, grabbing a stack of magazines, "On the other hand, shredding them is more fun! It's less environmentally conscious, but more fun!"
Jim finished his taco and quickly grabbed his sword.
"Pull!" Jim yelled excitedly.
Toby spins and lets go of the stack of plastic-like paper. He falls back with a thud, watching as the target flies through the air and straight for Jim. With an easy slice, a glow of blue once again covers the sliced target, blowing it to pieces. Many little remains of the magazines fell to the ground, covering Jim, Raelle, Toby, and the lawn.
"Oh! Home run!" Jim exclaimed.
"Woohoo!" Raelle cheered.
"It's like a ticker-tape parade of awesome!" Toby said.
The three share a laugh as Draal steps out into the backyard, shutting the door as Toby runs to Jim and Raelle's side.
"What is this mockery?" Draal asked, eyeing the teens.
"Oh, hey, Draal," Jim said, "Just working on some sword fighting skills."
Jim took a swipe with his sword as Draal walked closer to the teens.
"The Sword of Daylight is not a toy to be played with," Draal scolded the teenage boy, "It is a hallowed obligation I have spent my entire life training to be worthy of."
"You want to take it for a spin?" Jim offered.
Draal snorts as Jim hold out the weapon with a smile. Draal watched with small eyes before realizing the situation. His large hand reaches for the sword gently, grabs it, and holds it high, smiling. The reflection of his father appeared before the sword glowed and evaporated, finding its way back into Jim's hands. Draal ducks his head with a hint of sadness as the image of his father is fresh in his mind.
"Sorry. I forgot," Jim apologized.
"If my destiny is to not hold the sword, perhaps it is to teach you how to properly wield it," Draal said.
Draal's eyes catch a floor lamp that had been put in the pile for Jim to annihilate. He picked up the object and threw off the lampshade. Taking furious swings, he walked closer to Jim, backing up with a surprised gasp. The troll had done a few epic movements, twisting and throwing it side to side before pointing the lightbulb at Jim.
Jim closed his eyes and waited for the strike, yet, it never came. His eyes popped open, finding the lightbulb above his head. Jim knew he should have trusted Draal, but after fighting him for the amulet, he was still trying to get used to the fact that Draal had become a part of his life.
"Your blade is but an extension of your body, and your body, an extension of your eyes. Mimic my movements, Trollhunter. You as well, Witcher," Draal instructed the two.
Raelle quickly grabbed a nearby stick and held it up like a sword. Jim held up his sword with a nervous smile. The vast blue troll moved the lamp in many different ways, showing every different angle you could fight with. Jim and Raelle mirrored those movements until the sunset became nothing but a dark blanket that covered the sky, stars dotting all across the pitch-black sky.
Soon, their mimicked movements became a fight. It was between Draal and Jim. The two fought like skilled fighters as they blocked each blow. Draal twisted in his ball formation and pressed Jim up against the house.
"That kinda hurts," Jim groaned.
"A real fight is never predictable, Trollhunter," Draal chuckled, "You have to expect the unexpected and learn to embody the armor, force it to do what you want."
Jim looked at his empty and only free hand, and he gasped heavily. His breath had been taken from his lungs after being pushed against the wall. His armor and the amulet glowed brightly, each carved line in Jim's armor colored with blue like a stream filling a ditch as the sword evaporated and flashed into his free hand, poking the vulnerable and sensitive spot on Draal.
Draal laughed happily, enjoying the fact that Jim had done it and he had taught it. Jim held his neck, looking at his sword up and down with amusement. Toby's phone dinged, alerting him. He had been playing with a soccer ball while wearing the lampshade like a hat during their training.
"Shoot!" Toby exclaimed, "We're supposed to meet Blinky at the museum now."
Jim puts his sword away on his back, "Ah! We'll work on this more later, okay, Draal?"
"Thanks for the training, Draal. Let's go, guys!" Raelle said.
The three teens started running to their bikes as Jim's armor sheds away and Raelle returns to her human form. The three hopped on their bikes and left the yard. Draal had watched them leave in wonder but hadn't been alone in the human world. He held the lamp close before catching the lightbulb and quickly chewed the glass in his mouth. He moaned happily with each bite before realizing the lamp was out of a bulb. He twisted the lampshade back on before setting it down and smiled.
After arriving at the museum, the three teens rested their bikes against the building. They then climb through the window.
"Mmm. Good, Blinky left the window open," Jim said as he went through the window before standing beside it, waiting for his sister and best friend.
Raelle hopped down from the window and stood next to her brother, "I hope he took care of the cameras."
It was then Toby's turn but is having difficulty fitting through the small frame.
"Oh, geez. It's true. You always return to the scene of the crime."
Jim and Raelle held out a hand, waiting for Toby to grab it, but Toby kept pushing through and suddenly fell through the window. Toby let out a panicked scream as he fell while his friends backed up before Toby could knock them down. Toby stood as he, Jim, and Raelle walked through the hallway, the same one they started their last museum break-in.
"They try to rehabilitate us, but the big house only made us better criminals," Toby screamed.
Raelle checked the ceiling and found an empty concrete ceiling above their heads.
"The goblins are gone," Raelle whispered.
Meanwhile, in another part of the museum, Vendel is looking over a dress on a display stand standing in the corner.
"Ridiculous garment," Vendel said.
He tapped the dress with his staff as Blinky and Aaarrrgghh stood behind him. With a scoff, Blinky looks up at his tall friend, only to turn to spot Jim, Raelle, and Toby running up to them.
"You're late," Blinky said simply, staring them down.
"Sorry. Draal was training Jim and Raelle," Toby apologized before grunting when Raelle elbowed him.
Raelle elbowed her friend, hoping the troll trainers wouldn't find out, but it was too late.
"Draal?" Aaarrrgghh asked in disbelief.
"Training?" Blinky questioned.
"Yeah, he sorta made a home in my basement to look out for the place," Jim explained.
"Of course," Blinky said, "When a troll is defeated in combat, it's completely natural for them to take refuge in the victor's domicile."
"So, you understand?"
"I understand such an arrangement could only end in disaster. Utter disaster!" Blinky exclaimed.
As the conversation dies down, the two trolls turn to find Vendel impatiently standing beside them.
"Are we simply waiting here to be discovered? Or were you planning on showing me this thing you believe to be the Killahead Bridge?" Vendel questioned.
Blinky laughs as he pats Jim's shoulder nervously, "The Trollhunter and Witcher were just about to show us the way."
The group walks toward the covered room, where Jim and Raelle had fought Nomura. On their way, Jim and Raelle explained what had happened that night.
"When we were running away from the goblins, the night we staked out Eli's house, one of them had Toby's tracker," Raelle began, "The next night, we followed the signal to the museum and snuck in."
"We saw Ms. Nomura going into the museum. So we headed in to find the nest and save her. We walked around searching for the nest when we saw her transform," Toby told them, "It was totally freaky."
"And as we were chasing away the goblin pack, we ran past this closed exhibit, and there it was: the Killahead Bridge," Jim finished.
The two wooden doors pushed open, revealing Jim with his sister, best friend, and the three trolls behind him as he led the way. He pushed open the curtain to find the same large blanket covering a hidden object that took on the same shape as the Killahead Bridge.
The trolls share a gasp as Blinky looks at Vendel, clearly showing the elder troll to not doubt so quickly.
Jim, Raelle, and Toby grabbed the edges of the large cloth and pulled it from the large piece beneath it-well-tried. After a bit of struggling, Aaarrrgghh gently moves the three to the side.
"Me," Aaarrrgghh said before pulling the cloth off with ease. Jim, Raelle, and Toby's faces dropped as they realized what hid beneath the tarp was a Viking ship standing within the vacant bridge's spot.
"Oh no," Jim and Raelle gasped.
"That is not a bridge," Vendel mumbled, upset that he wasted his time coming into the human world and finding nothing worthy to set his eyes upon.
"But it was right here! You saw it, Tobes. You took a picture of it!" Jim said.
"It was, eh It was out of focus, and I did forget to turn on the flash. We were running so fast. We were being chased, you know? Maybe we only thought we saw it," Toby said, second-guessing what they saw.
"We saw a bridge, Toby!" Raelle exclaimed, "A bridge with markings which were on Killahead Bridge! What else could it possibly have been? Because we know that it couldn't have been the Viking ship!"
Jim watched with a worried face as Toby hadn't backed him up. Vendel turned and looked at Blinky, who backed up, and Vendel advanced, his large glowing staff coloring the sides of his face, which showed all the angry curves in his stoned face.
"Blinkous Galadrigal, I've not left the Heartstone in a century. I only did so tonight because of the grave peril the Killahead Bridge represents," Vendel pointed out, "For you to invoke that danger without just cause-"
"If Master Jim and Mistress Raelle say it's so-" Blinky began before Vendel interrupted him.
"You will be only too quick to believe them. You've never met a conspiracy theory you didn't like," The Elder troll pointed stated.
"I hate conspiracies. That is why I am dedicated to rooting them out."
"Like you rooted out the plot to rid Trollmarket of all its cat meat?"
"That was a misunderstanding," Blinky defended while Jim and Aaarrrgghh shared a look. Aaarrrgghh gave a quick nod to Jim, causing him to look back with his eyebrow raised.
"Or the time you were convinced we were infested with flea trolls?"
"Precaution is the soul of virtue," Blinky argued, hoping to turn the favor towards him.
"Everyone in Trollmarket thinks you're paranoid," Vendel said.
"If it's everyone, it must be a conspiracy!" Blinky yelled back, already proving Vendel's point.
Vendel sighed and rubbed his hand on his face, which was monstrous compared to his head.
"It would seem your pupil is desperate to play the hero, while you are desperate to see danger where none exists. The young Witcher may have sensed something, but it is clearly, no longer here," Vendel said, "Aaarrrgghh, take me home."
Aaarrrgghh's eyes widened as Jim, Raelle, and Toby watched with sad remorse. He groans and steps away, and Toby laughs nervously and heads off as well. Jim, Raelle, and Blinky were left, the moonlight giving the scene a much more depressional feeling.
"It was right here," Jim mumbled in defeat. He looked sadly at the large ship, not noticing Blinky stepping up to him at first.
"Perhaps Vendel's right. Perhaps I have flooded your imagination with flights of fancy. I blame myself," Blinky mumbled. Jim and Raelle looked at Blinky in disbelief.
"Not you, Blinky. You have to believe me," Jim said.
"We know what we saw. It was the bridge," Raelle insisted.
Blinky sighs and faces the brother and sister, "If the proof isn't here, it has to be somewhere. You worry about your studies. I'll worry about this."
He placed one hand on each teen's shoulder. The siblings' facial features easily read sadness, guilt, and possibly even betrayal. Blinky gave them a reassuring smile, and the two returned with a fake smile.
The next day, cars drive by as Jim, Raelle, and Toby walk their bikes to the corner on their way to school.
"Say what we saw wasn't just an illusion, and they really did move it. How could we possibly find it?" Toby asked.
"Well, I don't think we're gonna be lucky enough to stumble on it again, Tobes," Jim said, "But one thing's for sure. That curator did not move it by herself."
"No doubt," Raelle agreed with her brother, "Someone here in Arcadia has to be helping her rebuild the bridge or vice versa."
The three looked both ways before crossing and slowly making their way into school.
"Other changelings, perhaps?" Toby suggested.
Jim's eyes were dragged to the side, finding Claire waving to her parents.
"Later," Claire said before she walked away.
"Oh, no. Claire," Jim ducked into his bike, which was no help.
"Claire? A changeling?" Toby questioned.
"No. When I thought I was gonna die, I wrote Claire a letter, too, and told her everything," Jim said shyly, hoping to end the conversation and run without seeing Claire.
"Everything?" Raelle questioned.
"Everything," Jim repeated. He steps onto a pedal and pushes himself quicker to the stairs. He quickly picks up his bike in the hope to avoid Claire as she walks up to the school.
"There you are!" Claire yelled. Jim froze in his tracks at the sound of her voice. He had been caught.
"Hey! What's up, Nunez?" Toby waved.
"Hey, Colby. Hey, Raelle," She greeted as she walked past them.
"It's Toby. Not that it matters. You can call me whatever you want," Toby said before he fell off his bike, a groan escaping his lips. Jim stood on the steps, holding his bike as he watched her with careful eyes.
"You've been looking for me?" Jim doubtfully said as Claire stood beside him.
"You didn't run into Ms. Janeth yet, did you?" Clarie asked.
Jim removes his helmet as Toby struggles to get up before Raelle helps him.
"Is she mad I couldn't make rehearsal yesterday? Something kinda came up," Jim chuckled, "Steve filled in. That's what understudies are for, right?"
"Uh, you haven't heard? Steve isn't the understudy anymore. You are. She's tired of you never showing up, so she made Steve Romeo," Clarie told him.
"Come on! But I memorized all my lines!" Jim argued, defeated. Claire walked ahead of him.
"Doesn't matter. Ms. Janeth is on the warpath for you. I'd watch out," Clarie walks away as Toby and Raelle stand beside Jim.
"That's going to be hard since we have algebra with her," Raelle pointed out.
Suddenly the bell rang, causing Jim to panic.
"Right now!" Jim exclaimed before running with his bike into the school with Raelle following him.
The two locked up their bikes before sneaking into Miss Janeth's classroom and to the back of the class.
"As it is true for any such equation. For instance, let's take 3X-" Miss Janeth's sentence cuts short as Jim is nearly at his desk and Raelle is already seated, "So, you won't come to rehearsal, Mr. Lake, but you arrive to class. I saved you the best seat, front row."
Everyone had turned their heads at this point, watching Jim with tired expressions.
"Oh, boy," Raelle mumbled.
"Of course," Jim chuckled before sitting at his new desk as the teacher turned to face the class.
"As I was saying, every algebraic equation requires balance. Not unlike, say, actors in an ensemble!" Miss Janeth exclaimed.
She moves closer to the young boy with a glare and her voice raising. He looked at her nervously before letting out another chuckle.
"For instance, every piece of this equation plays an important role. That is unless variable X is a zero. X has no role. X doesn't show up. X lets the equation down. Then, the entire play- I mean, equation- falls apart! It becomes impossible!"
She wrote fiercely on the whiteboard, her face having numerous expressions as she marked the board with a giant X while Jim leaned back in his desk, eyes wide and his eyebrows raised fearfully. Eli watched Jim with panic and hid his face.
Ms. Janeth turns around, the marker being held with white knuckles as she lets out her heavy breathing. She quickly gathered herself up before pointing the marker closely at Jim's face as he leaned his head back, trying to avoid the black whiteboard marker being used almost as a weapon.
"Mr. Lake, how would you solve this mathematical problem?" Miss Janeth asked.
Jim smiles nervously before leaning to see the board, finding her rage fit on it. He cleared his throat and cringed.
When school was over, Raelle was at her locker getting her things before walking out with her bike. She and Toby waited just outside the school for Jim. The two eventually spotted Jim heading their way but stopped when Clarie caught up with him.
The two could tell Jim and Claire were talking about something but were unable to tell what they were talking about. Claire rested her hand on Jim's arm as he smiled before lightly punching him and laughing. Jim sighed, lost in love as his hand grasps where she touched. Toby and Raelle shared a look before walking over to Jim.
"Hey, Jim. What was that all about?" Raelle asked her brother, but Jim sighed in response and smiled.
"Okay," Toby said, "Come on, let's head to Trollmarket."
The three teens hopped on their bikes and peddled to Trollmarket.
When they are in Trollmarket, Jim is in the same state as he was at school and the ride here. As they walked through Trollmarket, Blinky tried to explain the situation to them.
"The matter at hand, Master Jim, Mistress Raelle," Blinky said before noticing Jim was still lost in his own world, "Master Jim?"
"Master Jim!" Aaarrrgghh's booming voice caused Jim to jump as he was pulled out of his thoughts.
"Yes, sorry," Jim apologized, "Paying attention. Paying attention!"
The group of five walked down into the darker parts of Trollmarket, while Blinky continued.
"As I was saying, assuming that Killahead Bridge was in Arcadia, and it was indeed, as you say, delivered to a clandestine location, that would mean more changelings, scavenging, assembling, and disassembling. If we prove that the museum curator wasn't working alone, then Vendel might start believing that you saw the Killahead Bridge."
"So, we find another changeling," Jim said.
"Stop saying that so loudly."
The same eavesdropper that was listening to them a couple of days ago was again listening to them.
"Do you mind?" Blinky asked.
"Whatever," The Troll said before walking away.
"Changelings have not been heard or seen in Trollmarket for centuries. The mere word could cause hysteria."
"Then how do we find one?" Jim asked.
They stop in front of a large wall, covered with drawings and simple detail. Only two tiny doors stood out.
"RotGut's," Aaarrrgghh said.
Jim, Raelle, and Toby were shocked, looking at the wall with wonder. They saw a giant carved statue of a troll above them as the group steps up to the colorful wall.
"Purveyor of fine charms, totems, and spells," Blinky said, "Follow my lead."
Blinky knocks as the large gem moves open to reveal a troll's large, red eye.
"Ailment or curse?" He asked.
Another door opens as a second troll's large, green eye appears.
"Oi, numbskull! I'm supposed to answer it!" The second troll scolded.
"But I already did answer it."
"What is not clear about "I deal with the customers, "The second Troll closed his door, "You handle the wizardry"?"
"Hold a tick," The first troll said before closing his door.
Even with their doors closed, arguing behind them even though the group can still hear them.
"Good, Rot. Stick with that," The second troll, Gut, said before looking at the group, "Welcome to RotGut's. How may we service you?"
"Totem, my good troll," Blinky said, "We suspect one of these fleshbags may be a changeling."
Rot opened his door as he hummed in question and looked at the three humans who looked back at him.
"Other fleshbags," Aaarrrgghh said protectively.
Rot looked at them and answered, "You're gonna need a gaggletack."
Gut chuckled, "Unfortunately, you see, we're running a bit short on those. Very hard to get."
"But I've got a bag of them right here," Rot said, calling out the lie.
"What in the world? If you'll excuse us for one moment," Gut said before closing his door, "Ey, what are you doing? I'm trying to drive up the price over here."
"I thought we were trying to help these nice lads," Rot said before closing his door.
"Gaggletack?" Toby asked.
"Rare artifact," Aaarrrgghh told him.
"Exceedingly rare. An object of great mystery. With physical contact, it reveals the true nature of a changeling," Blinky explained before turning to find the door opening.
"Why don't you open the door..." Gut ranted as Rot looked at the team.
"Step back, please," Rot said.
Guts still ranted in the background, "...our hard-earned bits and bobs?"
A little drawer pushed open as a horseshoe flew from the opening and smacked right into Toby's face, knocking him to the ground. Jim winced before picking it up.
"It hurts!" Toby cried out on the floor.
"It's a horseshoe," Jim said.
"Made of pure iron," Aaarrrgghh answered as Toby stands, a little wobbly at first.
"Why would you put such a precious thing on a horse's foot?" Blinky questioned.
"Huh?" Jim asked as he, Raelle, and Toby shared a look.
"Beware. Changelings are swapped with their human counterparts at birth. So, it is likely these troll-pretenders have dwelt amongst you for decades," Blinky warned them, "They could be anyone. Used car salesmen, tax collectors, television executives."
"I can actually believe there are Changelings as tax collectors," Raelle said.
"Dentists," Toby said.
"Yes, especially dentists," Blinky said.
"So, who do we start with?" Jim asked.
Toby took the gaggletack from Jim's hands, "Oh, I've got a few ideas."
The next day at school, Toby and Jim are testing the gaggletack on anyone they suspect of being a Changeling. Toby tested it out on Coach Lawerence, Jim then tried it on Eli, and Toby set up a horseshoe toss stand. For almost an hour, Toby was at the stand, and no one showed up. Then it was Raelle's turn. The three were hiding behind the curtains in the theater, watching as Steve and Clarie rehearse their lines.
"Shall I hear more, or shall I speak-" Steve said before Raelle threw the horseshoe and did not miss its intended target. The iron artifact bounced off Steve's head and to the large drapes.
"Steve!" Claire yelled out as Steve leaned over in pain.
"Hey!" Steve shouted, "Who did that?-"
"What?" Claire mumbled.
Steve groans and holds his bruised head as he searches for the culprit.
Raelle quickly swiped the horseshoe away and handed it to Toby.
"Your turn," Raelle said.
By the end of the day, the three teens were exhausted from their activity. In the outdoor locker hall, Toby walks through a crowd of people, touching everyone in his path but earning nothing. Afterward, Toby met up with Jim and Raelle by the lockers.
"Any luck?" Raelle asked.
"Nope," He replied.
"Yeah, we struck out, too," Jim said.
"I don't believe that's appropriate school attire."
They turned around and saw Strickler walking by a trio of girls talking as he informed one of them.
"You, uh, try this out on Mr. Strickler?" Toby asked.
"Come on," Jim said, "You really think he is one?"
Toby looked at the horseshoe before looking back up at Strickler and heading in his direction, but Jim stopped him. The two begin fighting over the horseshoe. Raelle just stood by and watched them.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Now? I don't want to embarrass ourselves," Jim said.
"You just don't want to admit that Strickler-," Toby began.
"We don't want you to upset anyone who grades our final exams!" Raelle told him.
"Fine!" Toby lets it go, leaving the horseshoe in Jim's hands, "Okay, we'll do it later."
Toby pulls it suddenly away from Jim and throws it in Strickler's direction. The points of Strickler's shoes barely touched the Gaggletack. Strickler looks at the three teens with an unreadable expression.
"Whoopsy! Slipped," Toby said.
"Sorry," Jim quickly apologized.
"Yeah, sorry, Mr. Strickler. These two were seeing who can throw the horseshoe the furthest," Raelle explained.
Jim walked over to retrieve the gaggletack, but Toby moved his arm in front of his friend, stopping him in his tracks.
"Uh, mind picking that up for us, Mr. S?" Toby asked.
"And waste such idle hands as your own, Mr. Domzalski?" He scoffed.
"Our backs. Coach Lawrence put us through the wringer this morning," Jim responded with a chuckle.
Strickler watched with amusement. Claire interrupted the moment by walking over to them and picking up the gaggletack. Jim, Raelle, and Toby sigh as they realize Claire is not a Changeling.
"Here you go, Mr. Strickler," Claire holds the gaggletack out for him to take, "Here's your horseshoe back."
"Thank you, Ms. Nunez, but that belongs to Mr. Lake," Strickler said.
"Oh. Well, that would explain the flying horseshoes. So not going to ask," Clarie gave the gaggletack to Jim and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Strickler walks over to the Lake siblings and says, "Take care of your back, Young Atlas. Such is the danger of carrying the world on one's shoulders. And try not to get into trouble, Young Artemis. Such is the danger of looking out for everyone."
Strickler left as Claire looked at the Gaggletack and then Jim. Raelle could not help but feel that something was going on.
"Very suspicious," Toby said.
"Suspicious?" Claire raised her eyebrow at his words.
Jim jumped slightly at her voice as he said, "Claire."
"Still here."
"What's up?" Jim asked.
"You're still coming home with me, right?"
"Oh, right! Claire and I are gonna go to her house... for math stuff," Jim told his friend and sister before he gave Toby the horseshoe. Jim then walked away with Claire.
"Well, I'm going to go home and work on my voice. Let me know if you need any help, Toby. And try not to get killed," Raelle said before walking away.
Now alone, Toby looks at the gaggletack and says to it, "And, now, my horseshoe-shaped little friend, we expose the definite Changeling in our midst."
After getting home, Raelle did her homework before doing a little training. Raelle grabbed a glass cup from the kitchen and went to the backyard under the night sky. She placed it on the large rock before stepping a few feet back. Raelle stared at the cup in front of her and took a few breaths, waiting for whatever to come naturally from her.
Raelle took a final breath before letting out an atonal, quivering sound. She watched cracks starting to form on the glass. Raelle kept it up before the cup eventually shattered.
"Yes!" Raelle cheered, throwing her arms up in the air.
Raelle ran back inside and grabbed two more cups that would not be missed. She quickly placed them on the rock before stepping back. Raelle takes a deep breath and sharply exhales with a hiss. The cups were sent flying as they shattered.
"Excellent work, Misstress Raelle!" Blinky commented.
Raelle looked to her left and saw Blinky being lifted over the fence by Aaarrrgghh, who climbed over. The two trolls walk over to the teenage girl.
"What are you guys doing here?" Raelle asked.
"We believe that you, Master Jim, and Tobias might be in danger," Blinky replied, "But Tobias might be in more. We want you to come with us to protect you and help Tobias."
"Ok, well," Raelle looked at her watch, "Toby should be at Dr. Muelas, the dentist, right now."
"Excellent. Come, we have not a moment to lose."
Dark purple and black smoke with light purple electricity appeared around Raelle. When the smoke and electricity disappeared, Raelle stood in her Gargoyle form. Raelle took to the skies and flew to the dentist's office as the two trolls followed her on the ground.
When they arrived at the dentist's office, Raelle landed on the roof as the two Trolls climbed up. Raelle returned to her human form. The three looked into the building through the skylight window, watching as Gladys slowly moved a weapon toward Toby, lying helpless in the dentist's chair. Suddenly. Blinky dropped from the roof and into the room in front of Toby.
"Halt, Changeling!" Blinky said, "Or else my giant friend will tear you limb from limb!"
The larger Troll grunted as he had a difficult time fitting through the window.
"Maybe later," Aaarrrgghh said.
"Um..." Blinky chuckled before he was around the room by the Changeling.
Blinky ran past a painting of the beach, a sunset. Thinking it is real, he acts as if he is in pain.
"Oh, it burns!" Blinky cried before realizing it was fake with a chuckle, "Oh, it's just a painting."
Gladys goes after Blinky with the drill. Blinky ran from her, knocking everything down in his path as Aaarrrgghh swung his large arm down, only for Gladys to hit him with the drill. They race around Toby, who is still lying numb in the chair.
Aaarrrgghh reached down again, grabbing her arm and keeping her from committing more harm. She struggled to get out of his grip as Blinky grabbed the large lamp and blinded her.
"Prepare to meet doom!" Blinky exclaimed.
Raelle slipped by Aaarrrgghh and jumped through the window. She landed on Gladys, causing her to hit the floor as her tool bounced away from her hands. Raelle rushed over to Blinky and stood beside him.
"Aha! Not bad for a historian!" Blinky cheered.
Gladys wipes her lip furiously as a scowl, her teeth gritting as she blindly reaches for the weapon she had meant to grab, but instead, her fingers grab the gaggletack and lift it to the sight of her eyes. With a gasp, the blue lightning appeared from the gaggletack, showing her true form. They watch terrified as Gladys stands with a nasty snarl. She was hideous with yellow skin and too of a roundish face.
Anger filled the Changeling, causing her to throw the horseshoe at Blinky, who dodges with ease. Instead of the iron gaggletack hitting a stone head, it instead knocked against blue large containers that released gas as it was hit. Blinky watched it spray rapidly before looking at Toby.
"What's that?" Blinky asked.
"Laughing gas," Toby said, his words muffled by the contraption keeping his mouth open.
Soon, they all fell into fits of laughter as a trash can flew at Blinky's head, knocking him over. Not even affected by the pain, he lets out a fit of laughter. Raelle tried not to breathe as she covered her mouth, but it was too late, and she began to laugh uncontrollably. Aaarrrgghh, who wiggled in the window, breathed in the humourous smoke and joined in the pool of crazed laughter.
Blinky crawls behind Toby, the smoke making him almost invisible. Not engaged in battle, Toby tried to get the feeling back in his fingers and arm while Blinky and Gladys chased each other around the room, spinning Toby as they passed and choking up laughter.
Toby watched as the room spun, realizing that nothing was working, put more effort into receiving his phone in his back pocket. With the achievement, he pulled out his phone and verbally celebrated.
"You foul-mouthed wench!" Blinky called Gladys.
Toby quickly dialed a number and still spinning as he mumbled into the phone. Raelle summoned her Scourge and tried to hit the Changeling but missed since she was under the effects of the laughing gas.
Suddenly, Jim pushed open the door to find the dentist's office havoc. Everyone was under the influence of the laughing gas Aaarrrgghh was hanging through the window, Raelle was standing with her Scourge in hand, and Toby was riding the hanging lamp while Blinky and the changeling laughed away.
"What in the world?" Jim wondered.
Toby smiled at the sight of his friend, "Jimbo!"
Jim barely let out a chuckle at his friend's demeanor before hearing the horrid voice of the Changeling.
"The Trollhunter!" Gladys said, "Die!"
She pounced on him in his distracted moment as Aaarrrgghh and the rest of the group watched with worried eyes. As Jim was thrown to the cans of Laughing gas, spilling out a little more, Blinky and Raelle began to laugh again as Toby fell from the lamp, making the two cackles even harder. Gladys jumped back at the Trollhunter, who gasped and quickly brought out his sword.
With a punch that dazed the Changeling, Jim took the chance to take a swipe at her, pushing her back. Gladys managed to find the lamp and shined the bright light into Jim's eyes, which covered his sight with his arms, leaving him vulnerable. With a tug of his leg, Jim was pulled down and then suddenly pinned as she forced his arms to the ground with an evil snarl.
"Perish, you worm!"
Jim struggled within her grip, groaning as he tried to escape. Jim looked back at Toby and Blinky, who cowarded in the corner. Toby holds a lamp that resembles the one Draal had trained Jim with. Remembering the advice he was given, Jim watched as she lifted an arm for the killing blow.
"Die!" Gladys yelled.
Jim concentrated on his sword, the metal evaporating before appearing in his other hand as she bent forward to slice him open with her claws, but before she could even touch him, the sword pierced her skin. Gladys lets out a gasp as blue smoke sprouts from her stab wound. She quivered in fear as lightning shocked from her stone figure while Jim stepped toward his friends and sister, who watched fearfully.
Gladys's mouth fell as a large blast of dark blue smoke filled the room as the Changeling's life ended, turning to ash. As the explosion died out, the area was shaken with car alarms blaring in the distance. As the smoke cleared, everyone stood in the places they had last stood with grey smears coating their bodies, while Jim looked like he had seen a ghost.
"There goes proof," Aaarrrgghh said, still hanging from the skylight.
"Oh, my gosh! She's in my mouth!" Toby said in a panicked voice as he coughed, "Oh, my gosh!"
"Oh, no! I killed our only evidence of Changelings in Arcadia," Jim said in defeat as he pulled off his amulet, and the armor disappeared, Blinky stepping beside him.
"And my dental hygienist!" Toby added.
"You finished the fight, Master Jim, and in self-defense, for that matter," Blinky told him. The effects of the laughing gas are now worn off, "Vendel may continue to have his doubts, but we continue to have our lives. A fair bargain, I'd say."
"Plus, this proves that there are more Changelings, Jim," Raelle said, "We'll get our proof one way or the other."
"Just out of curiosity, what are you guys doing in Toby's dentist's office?" Jim asked while Toby freaked out, wiping off her ashy remains.
Aaarrrgghh continued to struggle to enter the building from the skylight.
"I thought it was possible that danger may come to either of you should you cross paths with the wrong Changeling. So, went to Mistress Raelle, and she took us to Tobias," Blinky explained.
They jumped as a loud bang occurred. Aaarrrgghh had finally dropped from the tight grip of the window. He stood up with a pair of teeth and clanked them together as he spoke.
"And curious," Aaarrrgghh added.
"About what?" Toby asked.
"You humans have a concept that is quite foreign to us," Blinky breathes into Toby's face, who suddenly pulls back as he gags, "Oral hygiene."
Blinky laughed, but no one else had, so he stopped and looked around. Jim, Raelle, and Blinky headed out the door. Aaarrrgghh tried to follow them, but he could not fit through the door, so he climbed back up the window.
"Hey! Uh, excuse me, wait! Look at this place," Toby looked around the disheveled room as Aaarrrgghh tried fitting through the skylight, "Do you have some magic artifact that can clean up this mess?"
"Yes. I believe it's called a Tobias," Blinky said as he walked away.
"I was afraid you'd say that," Toby sighed.