Chapter 2 Trollmarket
We bike ride home after school, Toby still questioning me about last night. I make sure we go past the canals, knowing we won't make it home before the sun sets. That morning Toby had questioned me relentlessly. Before going to school, I made him go out back to try transforming, which he did. At school I watched Strickler notice the Amulet, even as I tried to keep it hidden from him. I knew it was only a matter of time until Bular went after us…
As if me just thinking about him was the summoning spell, there he was, banging his fists on the ground in a long shadow made by the trees. I skid to a stop and turn, Toby doing the same. I lead us to safety, racing towards the canals. As we zoom down the side, I see Blinky and Aaarrrgghh waiting, waving at us under the bridge. I zoom towards them, Toby close behind me. I hear Bular screaming from the trees that he will get us. As we reach them Blinky quickly pulls out the horngasle, opening the gate to Heartstone Trollmarket.
We race inside. Toby pants out, "Who was that? I would have ridden right into him if I hadn't heard the screech of Jim's tyres! I almost…" He tailed off.
"Almost what Master Tobias?" Blinky asked.
"I almost died!" He yells.
"Almost! A very important word. A life of almost is a life of never."
The stairs start to appear, and I run down them; I can't stop myself; I want to see Trollmarket in all its glory again, and now that I'm here, I can't wait a moment more. I stop at the bottom letting the others catch up as I stand there, smiling like a kid who has just found out it would be Christmas every day of the year. Blinky pauses beside me and Toby "This is the world you are bound to protect. This is Heartstone Trollmarket."
"This is...?" Toby moaned in awe.
"Yeah" I replied, thrilled.
"Whoa."
"Pretty much." I end. It's exactly the way I remember it, I am lost for words. Blinky begins walking and we race to catch up.
"Dang! And here I thought the only thing underneath our town was dirt and plumbing."
Blinky begins talking but as I have already heard it all, I didn't really pay attention. I marvel at what I had once thought impossible be possible, I never thought I would see Trollmarket so alive, a home and hearth and sanctuary for all good trolls ever again.
Toby starts listing all the minerals he sees, Blinky remarking, "Your knowledge of minerals is almost troll-like, Master Tobias."
I notice Draal hiding in the shadows, watching us. I try to come up with a plan of how to get him on our side without having to save his life, but nothing comes to mind. I smile and wave at him and he retreats into the shadows. Before I can think upon it more, Toby comes running up "Jim! Jim! Check it out! Maximum Coolosity there!"
I follow him to the heart stone, "Isn't it amazing?" I comment.
Aaarrrgghh says, "Heartstone."
"The life force of trollkind," Blinky adds, "the means that keeps us from crumbling to stone and the source of light and sustenance."
Toby stands before the Heartstone in all its glory. "Okay, that's totally the bomb." All I can do in response is nod in agreement.
We turn away from the Heartstone at the sound of, "What are humans doing here?"
"Fleshbags!"
"Puny!"
Toby leans towards me and comments, "I think we've attracted the paparazzi."
"Friends, there is no need to be afraid, he is the trollhu-" Blinky says, trying to calm down the crowd that has gathered.
"What is this?" Draal bellows.
"I was just getting to that, Draal," says Blinky, beginning to get nervous. It wasn't though I had faced far worse, we all had. I looked into the crowd, seeing so many familiar faces, of friends I had made on our journey to New Jersey. None of them recognised me, most showing hostility, some fear. Just then I realised how alone I truly was, among all these familiar faces, which were no longer showing any friendliness. Connections I had taken time building gone, like they had never existed; to them, they never had. There were also many unfamiliar faces, those who had not made it past the fall of Heartstone Trollmarket, and it strengthened my resolve to make things right, to fix things and keep them all alive. I wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.
Draal roars, pulling me out of my thoughts, "Human feet have never sullied the ground of Trollmarket before! Who are these fleshbags?" I want to step in front of Toby to protect him, but I know that wouldn't do any good. It saddens me to see friends that once trusted me be full of such hatred and fear. Toby must win their trust now, but I will be there to support him. He looks so scared there in front of Draal, but I will not be his shield for this battle, for if he is ever wanting to be the Trollhunter, he will have to win the respect of everyone here and he won't be able to if I fight his battles.
"Believe it or not, he is, um… How do I put this…our new Trollhunter."
"He can't be the Trollhunter! He's not a troll!"
I step in front of Blinky, getting protective of my father figure. No one talks to him like that, not even Draal. I get ready to defend him, to step in just in case something different happens to last time and Draal attacks.
"Amulet chose." Aaarrrgghh pointed at Toby.
Blinky says, "Try to remain calm. Destiny is just-"
I yell at Tobes like he did to me so long ago, happy that I made him practice transforming already today. "Show him, Tobes!"
He stumbles over his words like I had the first time i had transformed in front of a crowd, but he does it, to my relief. "Awesome right?"
"A human protecting us?"
"Bushiga! I am Draal, son of Kanjigar and the amulet's rightful heir!"
Toby says, "Uh, you're his son?" He looks at me, "He's, his son?"
"Does the amulet usually pass from father to son?" I ask as confidently as I can, trying to get him to think, use his head not his muscles. It seems to throw everyone off guard, Draal being lost for words for a bit.
"Well, no," Draal stuttered, then getting his voice back, "I was the next obvious choice, and the honour should have passed to me."
Trying to get him thinking more, "But if I'm understanding this right, Merlin made the amulet, and it doesn't make mistakes so couldn't it have chosen Toby for a reason?"
"A Human for a reason?" Draal mutters in consideration.
Blinky and I start walking past him. Aaarrrgghh pushing Toby behind us.
"We'll see what Vendel has to say about this!" Calls Draal to our reseeding body's.
"Feel free to fetch him." Blinky calls back, "In the meantime, lots of Trollhunting business to be done. Draal, wonderful to see you, as always."
We walk towards The Hero's Forge, happy that we avoided conflict, and to see Draal alive and well again, even if he hates us at the moment. For it is easier to change how someone feels than it is to bring back the dead. Toby is amazed at everything as we enter; I am still just in shock from seeing everything again, in one piece. Toby retransforms, the amulet falling into his hand. He asks what happened and Blinky explains that he's at ease. I'm not really listening for I want to see the forge again.
"This is The Hero's Forge." Blinky announces into the space.
"Magnifico!" I say, for it is just as impressive, no matter how many times you see it. Toby goes to look down into The Deep, but I don't follow, still vividly remembering my time down there. I have no wish to relive it or anything that came just after that. I call for Toby to come back.
I look up at all the Trollhunter's of the past. Toby does to, which Blinky takes notice of. Patiently, he explains to Toby "Your predecessors, Master Tobias. A line of heroism that reaches back to the age of Merlin. This is the place of the final repose for Kanjigar the courageous. One day there will be a statue of you here, Master Tobias. One day very far off in the future of course."
I agree with that, and he will if I have anything to do with it. For I have promised myself I will be Toby's shield and support, no matter what happens.
Toby looks towards Blinky, "Yeah, about that, there's just one thing I'm not getting."
"Just one?" I question. He was taking it better then I remember…or is it my memory failing me?
"You guys are trolls," Toby remarks "so Trollhunter sounds a little like you hunt yourselves, you know?"
Aaarrrgghh answers, "Hunt bad trolls. Gumm-Gumms." I unconsciously shiver at the name, remembering all that we lost to them here in this place.
Toby thinks and replies "It's not really the scariest name, is it?"
Blinky blanches. "In trollspeak Gumm-Gumm means bringer of horrible, slow, painful, and thoroughly calculated-death. But do not be too concerned, Master Tobias. The Gumm-Gumms were exiled to the Darklands centuries ago. Only one roams free."
Aaarrrgghh adds, "And wants to kill you."
"Wait, Bular is one of the unspeakably evil trolls?" Toby gasps.
"Indeed, his father and the rest of their number remain exiled to the Darklands, but they have been trying to escape for centuries. I sense ill times upon us. Hence the need for us to begin Master Tobias's training now. Step back please. A little further Master Tobias. Oh, very well."
Blinky pushes a button which starts everything up. Instinct kicks in, and I dodge and duck out of the way of the swinging blades, showing off all the training I had done. Once I realise what I'm doing, I get to the side as quickly as possible, just like everyone else has done, before anyone can comment on what I had just shown. We hear "Blinkous Galadrigal," and he quickly turns off everything with another push of the button. Then again, "Blinkous Galadrigal. I wish to meet the fleshbag supposedly chosen by the amulet." I stand there, smiling like an idiot, happy to see Vendel again, alive, and well.
He walks up to me, and I try to stop myself from grinning, instead attempting to contort my face into shock and wonder.
"I am Vendel, son of Rundle, son of Kilfred."
"I am Jim Lake Jr, son of Barbara. But I don't think I'm the fleshbag you're looking for."
Toby waved with his amulet in hand, as Vendel walked over to him. "Uh … Toby, son of Ralph. I live with my Nana."
"Amulet chose." Aaarrrgghh, pointing to Toby.
Venldel ponders, "Hmm… so Draal tells me. Ridiculous! However, the amulet has been known to make ill-fated choices, as you know better than most."
Toby is looking nervous, and I can't help but say, "What if there is a reason that it made that choice?" remembering Unkar and how he had helped me realise that I had to keep the amulet no matter the consequences. He like no other Trollhunter could give me the right words to do what needed to be done.
Vendel turns to me, giving me the option to back out of what I said or to repeat it. I think of Merlin and know that the amulet does not make ill-fated choices and that it wasn't Unkar's fault that he was just a victim in this centuries-old war. "I said, there probably was a reason that the amulet made the 'ill-fated choice' as you said."
Vendel slowly walks up to me, staring intensely, looking me over. "Well, that is to be seen, fleshbag." He turns and walks away "If the amulet chose true, the Soothscryer will reveal it."
"Please! Master Tobias hasn't had even an hour's training!" Blinky begs. Vendel points at the ground where the footprints are, Tobes stepping forward and placing his feet in the right place, revealing the Soothscryer.
"Behold, the Soothscryer!" Vendel proclaimed. "It will judge your true spirit. Insert your right hand, Trollhunter."
"Is it dangerous?" Toby questions, terrified.
"You can do it Tobes!" I yell, remembering how scared he was when I did it for the first time.
"You will see." Was Vendel's only ominous reply.
"Jimbo, come and help me!" Toby calls.
"Ok, Tobes" I lift him up and, with a gulp, Toby inserts his hand, and it closes around him. He screams in fright, frantically trying to remove it. After a moment, it spits him out.
"I'm alive!" Toby shouted gleefully. Then, looking up at Vendel, he asks, "Well, what is it?"
"Hmm… Inconclusive."
"Inconclusive?" Toby hollers "I'm not doing that again! What does that mean?"
"It means, Trollhunter, that there's never been a human to bear the mantle before. The Soothscryer needs more time to render its judgement. Let us all hope you live long enough to see." With those conclusive words, he walks off.
We do some more training, though I stay on the sidelines for most of it, watching Toby and giving advice. I find that Blinky is looking at me as much as he is at Toby. I ask him if there are any books, I could borrow that taught Trollish so I could learn as much as I could so I could help Toby. He agreed to lend me some books. After Toby collapses with exhaustion, I suggest to Blinky that it's time to call it quits for the day. With that, Toby and I leave Trollmarket and ride home.