All of us made our way towards the crowds that have gathered and we pushed our way through to see what was going on. It was the Tribunal. What were they doing here? Toby exclaimed, "Whoa! All the troll heavyweights are here. Hey! Wise Wumpa lady!" Our wumpa friend looked over at us, but ignored us. That was strange.
"Who summoned the Tribunal, Vendel?" Blinky questioned.
"The Tribunal summoned themselves. Word of the Trollhunter's stupidity to enter the Darklands has spread like the plague. And now, they're calling for the destruction of Killahead Bridge." Vendel said. No, they couldn't do that.
Claire ran in front of Vendel and said, "But, if they destroy the Bridge, Jim won't be able to get out."
"I'm well aware of that, and I'm trying to prevent it. Let's go, Blinkous." Vendel said.
"They can't do this. That's my brother in there!" I shouted towards them, but they ignored it.
"We must keep searching. Master Jim's time is running out." Blinky said. He signaled for us to go under and I told Claire and Toby to go eavesdrop on their council meeting while I tried to find a last minute attempt to see if we could find a way to free Jim that could convince the council to stop what they were doing. I poured through the books in Blinky's library as quickly as I could, but I couldn't find anything. Come on, Monica. Jim is counting on you. Not even fifteen minutes later, I got a text from Toby that they were going to destroy the Bridge.
No, this can't be happening. I dashed out of the library and met up with the others who were on their way to Killahead Bridge. Toby asked, "Monica, did you find anything?" I shook my head and we made it to the gate of the Bridge only to be stopped by Draal who said, "Whoa, there. I'm afraid the vault is off-limits until the Tribunal ends."
"Draal, the Tribunal's going to tear down the bridge with my brother in it!" I exclaimed.
"Bushigal! They can't do that!" Draal exclaimed. He opened the vault that had Killahead inside. He drew out his ax and stated, "They're not going to get through us." Draal, Claire, and I got inside the vault while Blinky helped Toby.
"Break the controls!" Blinky shouted.
"You know, if only I had a portable war hammer. Oh wait. I do! Let's rock this joint!" Toby announced. He activated his war hammer, slid down the stairs, and smashed the controls to the vault.
"Way to go, Toby!" I cheered. Draal fist-bumped him and Toby questioned, "So, now what?"
"We hold them back as long as we can." Claire said.
"For Jimbo." Toby stated.
"Always had a thing against authority." Draal said.
I summoned the Thriskule and notched an arrow to the bow saying, "We will not let them take my brother away from us."
"Let us hope Master Jim is near." Blinky said. The gateway was opened and we prepared ourselves. As the Krubera guards came through, Draal charged them, but the Krubera knocked him down. As Claire charged them next, I shouted, "For the glory of both Merlin and Morgana, the power to wield the Thriskule, to turn the tides of battle-" I was cut off when one of the Krubera grabbed me. His grip tightened and my ribs felt like they were being crushed.
"Let me go!" I yelled. The Krubera released his grip as he was knocked to the side by Draal.
"Don't you touch her." Draal growled and he kept the Krubera at bay. I regained my breath and I looked to see the Bridge glowing again. He's coming back! There's a chance.
"The amulet!" Toby shouted.
"Look, he's coming through He's coming through!" I yelled.
"It's Gunmar! Tear it down. Now!" Usurna ordered.
"It's not Gunmar, you fools! It's my brother!" I proclaimed.
"No! Wait! We're here! We're right here!" I heard Jim yell. I heard a baby crying and I realized that it must be Claire's baby brother. No. They couldn't trap them there. I ran towards the Bridge yelling, "Jim! Jim!"
"Monica!" I heard him shout.
"Stop her! Gunmar cannot obtain both the Wielder and the Trollhunter or all hope is truly lost!" Usurna shouted. I was grabbed by two Krubera and they took away the Thriskule. I shouted, "JIM!" I struggled against the Krubera with all my might, but their grip on me remained firm and the rest of the Krubera guard continued to destroy the Bridge.
Claire managed to get past the Krubera guarding her and shouted, "Enrique! Stop! That's my brother! Let him through! No, no, no, no!" The Krubera was about to attack her, but was stopped by Draal. I continued struggling against the Krubera that were holding me back. He was so close. My brother was so close. They can't destroy the Bridge. Claire looked through the portal and shouted, "Stop! Please! He's coming through! You'll hurt him! It's Jim and Enrique! Jim!"
"Claire!" I heard Jim yell.
"Jim!" Claire yelled.
"A little more! Just a little more!" I heard Jim shout, but the Krubera kept knocking the Bridge down.
"No!" Claire yelled.
They will not hurt my brother! I summoned the Thriskule out of the Krubera's hands and it reappeared in my own. I managed get out of one of the Krubera's grip and knocked the other one aside. I charged towards the portal ready to get my brother out of there, but the Krubera struck the final blow and the Bridge collapsed.
"NOOO!" I screamed. I shielded my eyes from the dust and when the dust cleared, I saw Claire with her baby brother, but where was mine? With tears streaming down my face, I cried out, "Jim! No! Jim!" I dug through the rubble and I found his amulet. I clutched it against my heart and whispered, "Jim." I began weeping, which turned into gut wrenching sobs.
"You killed him! You killed him!" Toby screamed from behind me. I didn't turn around to see what was going on. I didn't care. All I could think about was how he was so close yet so far. I felt numb. I couldn't believe it. I failed him again. I felt arms wrap around me, but I couldn't feel their warmth. I couldn't feel anything until I felt another hand on my shoulder and I turned to see Draal. He looked at me with worry. Feeling came back and I realized that Claire and Toby had enveloped me in a hug. While Blinky and Draal had their hands on each side of my shoulder. How long had I been there crying? Because Usurna, Vendel, and Usurna's guards had left.
I am not the only one here who has suffered a loss. I am not alone. I stifled my sobs into soft cries and I placed one hand on Claire's arm and the other and Toby's and I whispered, "Thank-you."
"Let's go someplace help." Blinky said. Shakily, I stood up. Draal wrapped his arms around and we went together to Blinky's library. Once we got there, we sat in silence for a while.
"He was right there." Toby said.
"Jim... he got you back. He kept his promise." Claire told her brother.
"This is my fault. I could've done more." Blinky said placing his hand on Aaarrrgghh's statue.
I slammed my fist that had the amulet in it onto the table and declared, "No. The time for grief is over. There has to be a way to get Jim out of that horrid place! That place will not be his tomb. I will not give up on my brother! I refuse too! He would never give up on any one of us. We cannot give up on him!"
"Monica's right. We can do more. There has to be a way. There has to be something we haven't thought of. Claire, you said it yourself. As long as the amulet doesn't call to anybody else, we know he's okay." Toby said. The amulet started to glow. No. Don't let it be a calling to another Trollhunter. Don't let it be that. I felt someone's hand on my shoulder and turned to see Draal. I gripped his hand. A blue light flashed out of the amulet and the amulet lifted into the air.
"James... Lake..." It said.
"It's calling." Claire said. The amulet hooked onto Aaarrrgghh's statue and kept saying something in trollish over and over again. We all gathered around Aaarrrgghh's statue.
"I don't understand. It's not making any sense. " Blinky said. We asked him what it meant and Blinky said, "The troll is the key, the key to the hunter. The troll is the key, the key to the hunter. Over and over. It must be a glitch." We were curious if it was broken.
"No, this is something else. I think that it's trying to tell us something." Draal said while observing it.
"They're helping us!" Toby exclaimed. We asked who and Toby explained, "The voices in the amulet, the ghost council."
"You mean the Master Trollhunters." Draal corrected.
"That's what I said, right?." Toby retorted.
"What are they trying to say?" Claire questioned.
"The troll is the key, the... Aaarrrgghh is the key! But, that's impossible. He's-" Blinky was cut off by Toby who embraced Blinky and saying, "Gonna get us Jim back! Did you hear that Claire, Monica, and Draal! If we save Aaarrrgghh, we save Jim!"
"I don't believe it!" Claire exclaimed. Blinky, Toby, Draal, and I cheered. Toby and Blinky fist bumped each other and I embraced Draal and he embraced me. Then, Blinky declared,
"Now that is some glitch!"