The darkness of the night swallowed the town of Arcadia. Toby soon tumbled out from behind the car, panting as he ran onto a lonely street. On another street, a pair of headlights coated the road in light. Yet, the man in the car had been throwing newspapers out of his window and rubbing the tired from his eyes. The young man behind the wheel, reaching for the paper as he came to an intersection, Toby running right in the path of the car that wasn't stopping.
Suddenly, the car's tires squealed as the man tried to hit his brakes, seeing the young kid obviously not paying attention.
Toby rolled over the car's hood, yelling, "Holy moly!"
The driver gripped his steering wheel. He looked afraid as he waited for Toby to appear. Suddenly, Toby stood up with his hands on the hood as he made eye contact with the driver. Instead of caring about getting hit, Toby turned to the side, and his mouth dropped in fear. Toby yelped and ran away. The driver was still confused until a flash of orange sped past the windshield, lighting the hood on fire where it had last stepped.
"What the heck was-" He stopped mid-question.
The driver opened his car door and inspected the flaming pawprints on his hood, "Huh?" He scratched the back of his neck, literally confused about what had just happened.
Toby continued to run, talking to himself, "Oh, what are you doing, Tobes? Only an idiot races a creature with four legs."
Toby turned a few corners, spotting a tall wooden fence. However, the height didn't discourage him. Toby leaped onto the fence, gripping it, but couldn't pull himself to the other side.
"I can do this!" Toby encouraged himself as he struggled to climb the fence before it gave into his weight, tipping down and landing with a thud on the concrete.
Toby crawled, trying to get away from the flaming feline. Luckily, Jim had stopped his newly formed Vespa, reaching his hand down to his best friend.
"Hop on!" Jim said as he pulled his friend up, Toby crawling on the back.
"Go, go, go! Go, go, go!" Toby told Jim while putting on a helmet.
"Adios, fire cat," Jim stated before starting his Vespa, but the engine sputters. Panic rose in the two teenage boys as the Vepsa wouldn't move.
"Hey, maybe save the jokes for when we aren't gonna die!" Toby cried out as he watched the fire cat fight through the obstacles of tipped trash cans.
"Come on!" Jim pleaded, trying to start his Vespa again.
The fire cat slowly stalked toward the two teenage boys. The creature then lunged at them, but it collided with the metal of Raelle's shield as she stood between the two boys and the fire cat.
"Go!" Raelle told Jim and Toby.
The Vespa hummed, finally starting and nearly jerking Toby off as Jim sped off. Raelle flew into the air before lowering close to the ground so she would be beside her friend and brother. The fire cat shook its head before chasing after the teenagers. Toby watched as it advanced, gripping Jim's shoulders in fear.
"I can't believe you took that stupid rock to your science class!" Jim exclaimed as he accelerated.
"First, it's not a rock. It's volcanic slag," Toby corrected his friend. "And how was I supposed to know there was a flaming monster hiding in it?"
"You bought a magic rock off a troll named 'Mervin the Monster Dealer'," Raelle said, bending her fingers as she quoted the troll's name and title. "That should have been your first clue. What did you think would happen, Tobes? Ugh, new rule, Toby, do not buy anything from Trollmarket without asking Blinky what it is first. Got it?"
They turned a corner, drifting into the alleyway where Blinky and Aaarrrgghh hid in the shadows.
"Blinky, please tell me you got it!" Jim threw off his helmet and ran to his trainers.
"Of course, Master Jim," Blinky assured. "You've lured the luminaire right into our stratagem."
Aaarrrgghh grabbed something off Blinky's belt, "Stra-ta-gem?" He repeated, sniffing the random item and throwing it, not liking the scent.
"It means brilliant trap," Blinky explained to Aaarrrgghh.
The fire cat had found them, cornering them. Toby and Jim ran in front of Aaarrrgghh and Raelle, so the two boys would be protected while Blinky dealt with the flaming beast. But the four-eyed troll did nothing.
"What are you waiting for?" Jim questioned his mentor. "Throw it!"
"Um, Master Jim, you said this was a luminaire when that is obviously an infernal hellheeti," Blinky said, backing away from the flaming creature.
Jim and Toby found the nearest items and began to throw them at the Hellheeti, but the cat avoided all of them. As Toby continued to throw, he backed into Aaarrrgghh.
"Should I punch it?" Aaarrrgghh asked as his body lighting in a green tint.
"Yeah, let him unleash the fury!" Toby cheered.
"Not yet, Aaarrrgghh," Blinky ordered as Jim stood beside him and threw more cans.
"It came from a rock! How many four-legged flaming creatures come out of rocks?!" Jim questioned.
"As a matter of fact, eleven. Thirteen, if you consider-"
Aaarrrgghh had cut Blinky off, jumping in front of them, getting more outraged, "Can I punch it?"
"Yes!" Jim, Raelle, and Toby responded.
"No!" Blinky told Aaarrrgghh, but he was too late
Aaarrrgghh leaped off the ground, his fist colliding with the Hellheeti, splitting them into three pieces, the beast smaller but increased in numbers. The troll did not hear Blinky screaming not to do it. The three landed in the dumpster, Aaarrrgghh breathing heavily. When Blinky gasped and caught the Lake sibling's attention, the now three fire cats had crawled out, surrounding them.
"I was going to add, make sure you do not feed the fire by attacking it!" Blinky told his friend.
"Oops," Aaarrrgghh simply said.
As they moved closer to the Trollhunters, two climbed the walls while the third one attacked from the ground.
"Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh," Toby repeated, backing up. Jim watched them, backing up as well.
"If we don't want to feed the fire, how do we put it out?" Jim asked his mentor.
"You have sour sap, dew dredge, Lumpkin oil-" Blinky named off, but Raelle cust him off since time was of the essence.
"What about water?" Raelle asked.
"That's the obvious one. Where would we get enough of that?" Blinky questioned. "Mistress Raelle, you are not far enough in your training to summon the amount of water we need."
Toby had taken a picture with his phone while Jim, Raelle, and Blinky communicated, zooming in on a hydrant behind them.
"A hellheeti hydrant!" Toby exclaimed.
Jim spotted what Toby meant and called out to his sister, "Hey, Rae. Mind giving me a lift?"
Raelle held out her hand, "On it."
Jim grabbed his sister's hand before Raelle flew into the air and over the fire cats. She landed near the fire hydrant before Jim summoned his armor and sword.
Raelle quickly ripped the fire hydrant from the ground as the Hellheeties leaped toward her and Jim. Jim smiled in success as the water shot from the concrete. When the fire cats had spotted their weakness, they stopped moving, giving Jim enough time to slash the harsh blast of water, killing two in the process.
They sizzled into nothing as the last one still tried to attack. It jumps over the blast of water, but Jim is prepared. He shoved his sword into the geyser, water rocketing off the shiny blade, taking out the last one until nothing but smoke remained. Jim and Raelle's friends watched from behind, Toby jumping with a laugh before he and Aaarrrgghh fist-bumped.
"Boom, boom," Aaarrrgghh cheered.
"Adios, fire cats!" Toby said, quoting Jim.
As the Lake siblings walked to their friends, Jim returned to his regular clothes as his armor evaporated into nothing.
"Well done, Master Jim and Mistress Raelle," Blinky congratulated. "Another victory for our Trollhunter and Witcher."
"Trollhunters," Jim corrected his mentor.
"Yeah, it's a team effort," Raelle added.
They headed to the street, Jim eying his and Raelle's damage from the fight with the three fire cats.
"Uh, guys, the fire hydrant-" Jim began before Aaarrrgghh stuck the fire hydrant in the ground, upside down, but it stopped the water.
"Eh, good enough," Raelle said, shrugging her shoulders.
Jim and Toby hopped onto the scooter while Raelle unfurled her wings and hovered in the air.
"It's getting close to dawn. You guys better get back to Trollmarket," Jim told his troll friends.
"See you, guys, later," Raelle said before she flew away while Jim and Toby rode off on the Vespa.
In the morning, Raelle was enjoying scrambled eggs her brother cooked while leaning against the counter. Jim was busy cooking an omelet for their mother since it was her favorite. Raelle and Jim hope it will smooth things over between them and their mom. Jim smiled as he flipped it up from the pan before catching it while he and Raelle spotted their mom.
"Morning, Mom," Jim and Raelle greeted.
"Hi," Barbara said bluntly, not even looking at her children. The Trollhunter and Witcher looked at her with hurt in their eyes.
Jim slid it on a plate and turned to her, "Made your favorite breakfast."
Jim and Raelle watched as Barbara poured a bowl of cereal, not even putting milk in it.
"Sorry, kiddo. In a rush," Barbara said before walking away.
Jim and Raelle noticed their mother did not have a smile or a hint that she was at least the slightest happy. The two siblings knew their mother was upset about what happened a month ago. But Jim and Raelle had no choice but to keep their mother in the dark about everything. Rejected, Jim set the omelet on the counter, his fist balling as he broke inside.
"Come on, let's head to school," Raelle told her brother.
Jim and Raelle quickly grabbed their backpacks and bikes before walking to the end of their driveway to meet with Toby.
"Hi, Jimbo! Hi, Rae-Rae!" Toby greeted his friends with a smile, but it quickly fell when he noticed their sad faces. "Are you guys okay? What happened?"
Jim and Raelle didn't answer their best friend's question, only looking at each other with sad expressions.
Raelle looks at Toby and says, "We'll tell you about it on the way."
Jim, Toby, and Raelle hopped onto their bikes and pedaled to school. The three rode in silence for a few minutes before Toby spoke.
"So, what happened?" Toby asked his friends.
"My mom is tell upset with me and Rae," Jim told Toby. "She barely talked to us this morning. And I made her favorite omelet for breakfast, but she said no."
"She passed up your famous egg white manchego omelet?" Toby gasped at the shocking sentence as he did circles around Jim and Raelle, who pedaled straight.
"Yep," Jim and Raelle confirmed.
"I mean, it's been like a month, and she's still not talking to you about the whole hospital thing?"
"Not a word," Jim mentioned, not looking at his best friend.
"Brutal," Toby commented. "You know a woman is beyond angry when she starts dishing out the silent treatment."
"Toby, Jim and I don't know how to fix this. We can't tell her the truth because it will put her life at risk, or she'll put us in the crazy house," Raelle said.
"Then Jim had to go and make things worse by promising Claire he was gonna save her brother," Toby mentioned as he pedaled beside Jim and Raelle.
"He's trapped in the Darklands. I can't just leave him there, Tobes," Jim told his friend.
"You know who else is in the Darklands? Gunmar," Toby responded.
"Don't remind me," Jim huffed.
After arriving at school, Jim locked up his bike and put his bag on. Raelle was leaning against the bike rack with her bag on and holding a couple books while Toby wiggled his eyebrows at passing ladies before looking to the side.
"Oh, no. Dillweed, five o'clock," Toby alerted his friends.
Raelle and Jim looked to the side to see Steve and his two friends walking up to them. The head idiot is making an L with his fingers on his forehead.
"Lakes," Steve said to Jim and Raelle before saying to Toby as he pounded his fist on Toby's helmet, "Jumbo."
As the three idiots pass by Jim, the Lake boy decides to take Steve down a peg, "Hey, fixed your tooth. Now, all they gotta do is fix your face."
Toby and Raelle smile at Jim's smart remark, while Steve turns around and starts walking backwards.
"What did you just say? When I get you alone, payback's coming. Pooh!" Steve cackled as Jim and Toby shared a look. But Raelle rolled her eyes and was annoyed.
"You want to break another tooth, Pal-Jerk? Or how about you step into my office and I can help you loose all of them," Raelle threatened, punching her right fist into her left hand.
A tiny amount of fear appeared on Steve's and his goon's faces before walking away at a more hurried pace. Raelle held her hand to Jim and Toby before the two gave her a high-five. The bell rang, and they headed off to class.
In the classroom, Jim had thrown his book on his desk, the object landing perfectly, but when Toby had attempted it, the book slid off his desk and onto the floor. Jim and Raelle sat down while Toby picked up his book before sitting down. Jim and Raelle's ears caught Mary and Daric's conversation. The two girls are sitting next to the Lake siblings.
"I heard he was run out of town by the mob," Mary said.
"I heard he got a mail-order bride and moved to North Korea," Darci said.
"As if," Mary scoffed before she turned to Jim and Raelle, calling them out. "Where do you think Mr. Strickler went, Jimmy-Jam? Rae-Rocket? You two should know. You guys were his faves."
"Who, us? Oh, uh I don't know. He probably just needed a vacation," Jim replied for himself and his sister.
Toby leaned to Jim and Raelle before he asked, "You really think Strickler might come back?"
"Are you kidding, Toby? After the beatdown and Bular turning to dust, Strickler would have to be an idiot to ever return to Arcadia," Raelle told her friend.
Jim opened his book as Claire scooted closer, facing Jim and making sure she was as close to him as possible.
"So when are we saving my brother?" Claire asked the Trollhunter.
"Claire, we can't just waltz into the Darklands," Jim told her.
"Yeah, it's uncharted territory. We have no idea what's in there other than a dark troll named Gunmar who wants to rule the world," Raelle explained.
Toby pushes into the conversation, "We just saved the trolls by keeping Killahead Bridge closed. Imagine what they'll do to us if they find out we want to open it."
Jim made a small gesture and a tiny smile, hoping she understood the risk. A piece of paper had hit Toby in the face as he folded his arms.
"Guys, this is my brother, and NotEnrique's driving me nuts. You know how many times I have to change him? He knows how to use the toilet. He chooses the diaper," Claire told her friends, pleading with them to help her.
"I get it. We'll get him back. We just can't risk releasing Gunmar," Jim said.
"Admit it, you're going back on your word."
"I'm not," Jim argued.
"You are," Claire turned, her back facing the Trollhunter, and Jim turned his gaze away.
"I am not."
The bell rang before Claire pitched in, "Are."
"Okay, if it makes you feel any better, Blinky said we can bring you," Jim informed her.
Claire quickly turned around, excited, "To Trollmarket? Seriously? When? Are we going now?"
"After school. But try not to let the whole world know."
Coach Lawrence walked in, ending everyone's conversations. "All right, butts in seats. You too, Nuñez. Since Strickler's a no-show, I'm subbin' in. We got some book-learnin' to do."
Mary turned and grinned at Claire, mocking her, "You spend so much time with Lake, you're practically swimming in him."
"We're just friends. End of story," Claire told Mary.
Coach Lawrence walked to the door and began stretching.
"Okay, people, who can tell me what happened in the year 1989? No, seriously, I don't remember. It was a crazy year," Coach Lawrence said before a piece of paper was thrown at him. "Really, Palchuk?"
After school, Jim, Raelle, Toby, and Claire peddled to the bridge. The four teens went down the canals and stood beneath the bridge. Raelle pulled the horngazel out of her bag before handing it to Claire. The four teenagers stared at the sealed entrance of Trollmarket. Claire is gripping the key to the hidden world.
"You ready?" Jim asked Claire.
"If this helps me get my brother back, yeah, I'm ready," She responded.
"Just remember, saving Enrique is our little secret. If any of them were to find out-" Jim began telling Claire before his sister interrupted him.
"We'll take you deep into the woods under a full moon and sacrifice you to goblins," Raelle told Clarie before letting out an evil laugh.
Toby and Jim look confused at Raelle, while Claire looks slightly terrified at the Witcher.
"What? No!" Jim exclaimed at his sister. "Why would you say that?"
"Oh, come on. I was only joking. What? I can't have a little fun? Jeez get a sense of humor," Raelle said.
"Don't worry, lips are sealed," Claire told the Trollhunter.
Toby headed to the concrete, holding a rock and scraping against the stone wall.
"Now, you're gonna want to start drawing a semi-circle." Toby looked over to Claire, who had already done it. "Oh! You have it. Okay, never mind."
Claire pressed her hand inside the semi-circle, the concrete breaking beneath her touch, and a glowing blue filled the cracks. Soon, it broke away, the split pieces disappearing and the entrance opening. She gasped, and her hand dragged against the smooth wall.
"Wow!" Claire gasped.
Toby, Raelle, and Jim followed her, the wall rebuilding itself as if nothing ever happened. Claire headed towards the ledge of the tall cliff, the staircase appearing from within the wall.
The crystal staircase. This is more than I...I-I never would have-" Claire ran down the steps, too excited.
"Oh!" Toby exclaimed, chasing her. "Hold up a sec! We need a few ground rules here, okay? The locals are not friendly to outsiders. The first time we came here, Jim almost got killed."
But Claire ignored Toby's words and just kept going.
"I don't think she heard you, Tobes," Raelle said before she, Jim, and Toby hopped after her.
Claire continued to run, but as an orange glow had colored her face, she had stopped, the scenery breathtaking. Her eyes traced over the scene before her, Jim, Raelle, and Toby finally catching up.
"It's... It's beautiful," Claire breathed.
"Welcome to Heartstone Trollmarket," Jim introduced.
Claire's hand quickly found Jim's hand, causing the boy to be still.
"This place is beyond!" Claire dragged Jim down the stairs. "It's beyond, beyond!"
Jim let her hand go as she continued, stopping farther down the steps and throwing out her arms.
"I want to live down here. Can I live down here?" Claire asked.
"Mm, yeah, no, I don't think so. I don't think that's a good id-" Jim began, but Claire took off before he finished his sentence.
Jim, Raelle, and Toby tried to keep up with Claire, but she was surprisingly fast. The excitement of seeing Trollmarket for the first time was probably the cause. Eventually, the trio lost sight of Claire.
"Where did she go?" Toby wondered as he and his friends looked around.
"This is not good," Jim said before an idea came to mind and turned to his sister, "Rae, do you think you could track Claire in your gargoyle form by your sense of smell?"
"What do I look like to you? A bloodhound?" Raelle questioned. She briefly contemplated Jim's idea before saying, "Alright. Fine."
Raelle quickly transformed into her gargoyle form before sniffing the air of Trollmarket for any trail leading to Claire. After a few sniffs, Raelle picked up Claire's scent.
"Got her," Raelle said before following the scent with Jim and Toby behind her.
The three teens ran past various trolls, who looked shocked, which meant they had seen Claire. Eventually, the trio saw Clarie talking to Blinky and Aaarrrgghh. As the three approached, Raelle returned to her human form.
"Jim told me you helped him face Draal and slay Bular. And that Vespa! Best birthday ever," Claire told Blinky as she lifted some of his arms as Jim, Raelle, and Toby stood behind her and the two trolls. Claire then comments to Blinky, "Your wisdom must rival that of the Venerable Bedehilde."
"You've read A Brief Recapitulation of Troll Lore?" Blinky gasped.
"Volumes 1 through 47," She informed the troll, "It took me a while to decipher the symbols. But once I got past the Fifth Declension, I started to get the hang of it."
Blinky grabbed her and spun with her excitedly, "She read the book. She read the book!"
The moment Blinky sets Claire down, she goes off exploring Trollmarket more.
"She's a flower," Aaarrrgghh said.
The three teens and two trolls followed after the excited Claire. Eventually, they follow Claire through a narrow pathway of Trollmarket.
"Bagdwella's Fine Gifts! Is that where Toby adopted the gnome? What's a Rotgut's? Is it food? Oh, is that the Troll Pub?" Claire asked her countless questions as she explored.
Blinky and Aaarrrgghh shared a look as if she was getting a little too crazy with this new experience.
"There goes the market," A random troll called out.
Inside Troll Pub, Vendel sat at a lone table, sipping his drink as happy music played. The elder troll turned as he heard a clapping noise, only to find Claire standing behind him. Vendel spits his drink while Aaarrrgghh and Blinky run through the entrance. Blinky gasped when he saw them. Two smaller trolls passed by with drinks, and the two trolls quickly chugged them while Claire looked up at Vendel, who was shocked.
"You're Vendel, aren't you? Claire Nuñez. I am so humbled you've accepted me, the first human female in Trollmarket, "Claire had held out her hand for Vendel to shake as her other hands were pressed against her chest.
"No!" Vendel yelled, but she wasn't frightened. "I accepted a human Trollhunter and allowed the pudgy one to stay for moral support. But this? A third? It's an infestation!"
"Vendel, I, um I can ex-" Jim started, but Claire had begun to speak in a language that shocked everyone. Troll. Vendel smiled as he listened to the teenage human girl. Since Raelle could understand Trollish, she heard Claire say it was an honor to meet Vendel and to be in Trollmarket.
"She speaks Troll. And Trollmarket is honored to have you as well," Vendel told Claire before saying to Blinky, "Oh, Blinkous! If only the amulet had chosen such a learned and delightful fleshbag."
"Hey!" Jim said with a bit hurt. He saluted Claire, which she had done back with a chuckle before Vendel left.
"You speak Troll?" Toby exclaimed.
"Yes," Claire replied. "NotEnrique's been tutoring me."
"That was awesome, Claire," Jim commented before he and Claire high-fived. The two smiled as they did.
"Vendel loves you, and he hates everyone," Raelle said.
"He kinda tolerates you, though, Rae. But that's only because you're the Witcher and kinda scary," Toby mentioned.
"Mr. Blinky, Trollmarket is amazing, and there are so many cool things. But if it's okay, there's one thing I have to see," Claire said before blinking.
A moment later, so did Blinky, each of his numerous eyes simultaneously blinking.
The four human teens and two trolls ventured to where the remains of Killahead Bridge are kept. The team stepped up to a revolving door, Claire watching it with her heart slowly breaking. Aaarrrgghh stepped up, placing his hand on the sensor, and the carvings were filled with a golden color. The gears above the door began to spin as the door dropped into the floor, followed by the next one, then the next. Claire looked at Jim's awaiting hand, grabbing it before returning her attention to the tunnel. Jim was shocked before looking at her with a smile. Blinky, who had caught sight of it, pieced everything together before smiling. They all followed Aaarrrgghh into the tunnel, a single spotlight falling onto the pieces of the bridge.
"The bridge," Aaarrrgghh said as Jim and Claire let go of each other so she could step forward, dropping down to the Eye Stone.
"More specific what used to be Killahead Bridge. Every piece accounted for, even the Eye Stone. Hopefully, this will give the girl some closure," Blinky added before asking Toby, "She does understand why we cannot allow the bridge to open?"
"Well, you said it yourself, we'd be fools to open the bridge and risk letting Gunmar out," Toby said, nudging Jim, who watched Claire with sadness. "Right, Jim?"
"Oh, of course," He replied. "We'd be crazy to do that."
"Shush," Raelle told Jim and Toby, allowing Claire a moment as she touched the stone.
"Hey, buddy, it's your sis. Don't you start thinking I've forgotten about you? We're gonna get you back. I promise. See you soon, little chicharron," Claire said before gently kissing the stone. She wiped her eyes before standing and walking back to her friends. Claire then puts a hand on Jim's shoulder, "Thank you for giving me that."
"Young Tobias, Mistress Raelle, would you be so kind as to give Miss Claire the rest of the tour?" Blinky requested. "I need to share a word with our Trollhunter."
"No problem, Blinky," Toby replied. "Follow me."
Claire waved goodbye to Jim as she, Raelle, and Aaarrrgghh followed Toby out of the room. As they followed Toby, Raelle could tell that Claire was curious about where the boy was taking them.
"Where are we going, Toby?" Claire inquired.
"You'll see when we get there," He replied. "I don't want to spoil it."
"Toby, are you taking us where I think you're taking us?" Raelle asked, knowing where Toby was taking them.
"Yep," Toby confirmed.
The rest of the journey was silent as the three followed Toby. Eventually, the four reached and walked through a familiar tunnel that Toby, Raelle, and Aaarrrgghh had gone through before. The one giant troll and three human teens walk on the rock bridge as they enter the Hero's Forge.
"Prepare yourself for the Sacred Grounds, where Trollhunters are broken and remade into warriors. The Hero's Forge!" Toby declared.
"All this for one Trollhunter?" Claire asked, marveling at the Forge.
"I mean, I train here, too, when we need to up our game, get ripped, maximize our squat cores. You know, hero stuff," Toby said, trying to flex his muscles.
Claire's eyes went past her friend and found Draal, "Whoa! Is that Draal? Kanjigar's son?" Claire then walked toward Draal.
"In the flesh..." Toby said as he and Raelle followed Claire. "Stone. Stone flesh."
As the three teens ventured toward the troll, Raelle saw he was putting together his father's stoned remains.
"What's that statue he's making?" She asked.
"I do not make statues," Draal said a bit too harshly. "This is my father."
"Took a while to track down all his remains," Toby told Claire as Draal walked away. "Hate to be there when we have to rebuild Jim, right? What a mess. Well, I just grossed myself out."
"Me too," Raelle said.
"You fight in an arena surrounded by the remains of dead Trollhunters? That is... the most heroic thing I've ever seen. Can we turn it on?" Claire asked before running off.
"Maybe now's not the best time," Toby said before following Claire.
Raelle quickly transformed before flying high into the air. She then landed in front of Claire, towering over the human teenage girl in her gargoyle form.
"Toby's right, Claire. The Forge is extremely dangerous," Raelle told her. "Jim and I have nearly died here countless times. And the only reason why we're still alive is because I'm the Witcher and Jim is the Trollhunter."
Suddenly, with no warning, the Hero's Forge was activated. The platforms widely moved and rose as the giant axes and blades swung. Before Raelle could get her friends to safety, a large axe hit her. Fortunately, Raelle's reflexes were quick enough, and she shielded herself with her armored wings.
"Rae!" Toby and Claire cried out to their friend.
Raelle's armored wings caused her to bounce off the axe and fly through the air. Once in the air, Raelle unfurled her wings and tried to rescue her friends, but the blades and axes prevented her from reaching them. It was almost as if the movements were not random but controlled by something else. Something that didn't want her to save them. Raelle tried repeatedly, but the axes and blades kept getting in her way.
"Ugh!" Raelle groaned in annoyance at the Hero's Forge and its weapons. "All I'm trying to do is save my friends!"
Raelle looked down and saw Blinky and Jim had quickly raced to the arena. The two watched the platforms move widely, the deadly blades and axes swinging. Raelle flew down and landed beside them.
"Guys, I don't know what happened," Raelle said. "One minute, everything was fine, and the next, it was like the Forge was possessed. I tried to get to Claire and Toby, but the Forge kept preventing me, almost like it didn't want me to rescue them."
Jim looked around for his friends and soon found Claire, who was on the thick side of the platform.
"Claire!" Jim called.
"I'm fine for now," Claire told Jim before pointing to Toby, "Help him!"
"I swear, I didn't touch anything!" Toby said as he lay atop a rising sideways platform.
"The controls!" Draal grunted. He tried to turn off the Forge, but the control wouldn't register his mechanical arm. "This blasted arm!"
Blinky pointed to the way top, the Soothscyer sitting there, waiting with an open mouth, "There's a manual kill switch inside the Soothscryer!"
"You deal with turning off the Forge while I try to rescue Claire and Toby again," Raelle told Jim.
"Got it," Jim quickly donned his armor, running to a swinging axe while Raelle flew up.
"Go, Master Jim! Go, Mistress Raelle!" Blinky cheered.
Jim easily jumped onto it and landed on the rising and falling platforms. As Jim rushed toward the Soothscyer, Raelle flew to help Claire and Toby.
Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Oh- " Toby screamed as the platform stopped harshly, causing him to bounce off, only to hang over the edge. Raelle gasped as Toby heard a familiar clink, an axe falling from its hold and swinging to Toby.
"Oh-Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh!" Toby screamed.
The axe was getting too close for comfort, but before it could pierce Toby, Raelle scooped and flew him away to safety. Raelle hovered high above the Forge. Toby, noticing he was still alive, looked at Raelle and hugged her.
"Oh my gosh, Rae! Thanks," Toby sighed. "You're my hero!"
The platform that Claire was on began to turn to cause her to climb up it and hang off the edge.
"Okay, I can use your help now." Claire said.
Raelle noticed her brother stop in his tracks and turned toward Claire, wanting to help her.
"Jim, focus on the Soothscyer. I'll get Claire. Aaarrrgghh!" Raelle called before she quickly dived toward the giant troll.
Toby screamed with his eyes closed at the sudden drop and felt his stomach drop from the free-falling. But Toby's screaming stopped when he felt the drop end and opened his eyes to find himself in Aaarrrgghh's arms like a baby.
"Gotcha," Aaarrrgghh smiled.
After dropping off Toby, Raelle flew toward Claire. As soon as Jim saw his sister heading to rescue Claire, he headed to the very large metal belts and climbed up them, right to the Soothscryer. Raelle soon reached Claire and held her bridal style before flying toward the others. Raelle set Claire on the ground, and the two stood beside Blinky, Toby, Aaarrrgghh, and Draal, watching Jim.
Soon, Jim had made it to his destination, stabbing the stone with his sword and using it as a stool to reach the mouth of the carved Troll head. He looked at the teeth that rotated viciously and without thinking, shoved his hands inside. Jim kept working with the Soothscyer, shoving himself almost inside. Jim's eyes grew as the teeth had stilled and the machine died. The platforms straightened out, the gears stopped turning, the axes and blades stopped swinging, and the Forge returned to normal.
"Is this normal?" Claire questioned.
"Nothing's normal around here. Get used to it, sister," Toby responded.
Above, the six eyes of the Soothscyer began to glow, the blinding light catching everyone's attention.
"Uh-," Jim said with a bit of fear, the gang below him gasping as the light grew brighter.
"It's calling to him, at last," Blinky said, proud of the moment.
The light was too bright, causing them to shield their eyes, a ringing noise occurring as well. Jim went eyes wide before screaming as he was sucked inside the machine. The light and ringing died down. When everyone looked where Jim was last standing, but he was not there.
"Jim? Jim? Jim?!" Raelle called.
"No Jim," Aaarrrgghh said.
"What do you mean, "No Jim"?" Claire asked, reaching her hand up for him. "There was definitely a Jim."
Blinky's hands closed together as he couldn't help but smile, "He has been summoned."
"Summoned? What do you mean Jim wa-"
Raelle stopped mid-sentence, causing her friends to be concerned. The two human teens and trolls saw Raelle's eyes glowing white. Raelle stood tall with an emotionless face. While Blinky, Aaarrrgghh, Draal, and Toby knew what was happening, Claire had no clue.
"Raelle? Guys, what's wrong with her?" Claire asked, walking toward Raelle before Toby stood between the two.
"I wouldn't go near her if I were you," Toby warned Claire. "Blinky said it's best we don't go near Raelle when she's like this if we want to stay out of the hospital."
"It appears Mistress Raelle has been summoned as well," Blinky answered Claire.
Raelle opened her eyes and found herself amongst the statues of previous Witchers. But Raelle felt that something was different. Her feeling was confirmed when she began to hear whispers and the statues' eyes glowed white.
Raelle quickly stood in a fighting stance with her sword in one hand and her shield in the other. But what happened next caused Raelle to make her weapon and shield disappear. Black and dark purple transparent smoke emerged from one of the statues, covering her head to toe. The smoke left the statue before circling Raelle and floating before her. Soon, the smoke appeared as the statue where it came from. The statue of Alvara. The smoke form of Alvara opened her glowing white eyes before tenderly glancing at Raelle, like a mother to a daughter.
"Alvara," Raelle gasped.
"Hello, Raelle," Alvara greeted with a smile. "It is so good to see you, young Witcher. We are all so proud of you and your brother for defeating Bular and preventing Gunmar from being freed. You have accomplished a great thing so young in life."
Raelle's demeanor relaxed, and drops the fighting stance, standing regularly, "Thank you. Uh, can you tell me what is going on?"
"Oh, yes, of course. You have been summoned by the council of Witchers just as your brother, Jim, was by the previous Trollhunters in the Hero's Forge."
"Oh, right. Blinky told me about this the first time I went Avatar State," Raelle remembered.
"Yes," The spirit confirmed. "And I have to confess, we all found that show quite enjoyable."
"Wait, you guys have seen Avatar the Last Airbender?" Raelle questioned.
"Of course," Alvara replied. "All Witchers, past and present, share memories. In a sense, we are one."
One by one, smoke appeared from the other statues before taking the form of the witchers. Raelle stared at the spirits, whom Raelle knew all their names, of her previous lives in amazement.
"Woah," Raelle breathed before asking Alvara, "Why have I been summoned by you guys?"
"Because it is time for you to take the next step in your training, Raelle," Ophelia answered. "We have seen you take the steps in your journey with Blinkous guiding you, but now it is time for us to lend a hand."
"We will aid in more than just your training," Isolde informed Raelle. "We shall offer guidance in any way you may need."
"We shall be there for you just as we have been there for all," Sigrid said.
"There is also something we wish to discuss with you, Raelle," Alvara said.
"Really? What?" Raelle questioned.
"Your and your friends' plan to sneak into the Darklands to recuse your brother's girlfriend's brother," Ophelia responded.
"There is a risk of Gunmar being freed from the Darklands or you and the Trollhunter perishing on this rescue mission," Sigrid told Raelle.
"Some of us are hesitant about this plan, Raelle. You or the Trollhunter have never faced Gunmar or ventured into the Darklands. We know that you both defeated Bular, but-" Isolde began.
"But none of you have fought Gunmar," Alvara finished. "I have fought Gunmar, and he is an opponent who always goes for the kill. You and the Trollhunter are still learning. We fear you will not be a match for Gunmar when you both face him."
"We ask that you exercise caution, young Witcher," Ophelia said. "This mission you have planned with the Trollhunter and your friends is one not meant for the faint of heart."
"I know," Raelle spoke. "But I, my brother, and my friends are not going to stand by. We fight. I am a Witcher. A gargoyle. Same as you. We exist to protect the world from those who wish harm."
Raelle's past lives looked at each other and spoke in a language Raelle barely understood. She managed to get every other word but still had trouble. The young Witcher could tell they were moved by her little speech. The previous Witchers then ended their conversation and looked at Raelle.
"We wish you good luck on your journey, Raelle," Alvara told her. "Know that we will always be there for you."
Alvara leaned forward and kissed Raelle on the forehead. Suddenly, the infamous and blinding white light returned. But the bright light was accompanied by purple light and dark purple and black smoke. The light and smoke enveloped Raelle.
Meanwhile, in the Hero's Forge, Claire and Toby's eyes go back and forth to the platform where the Soothscryer had sunk and Raelle's motionless body.
"What do you mean, he's in the Void? The Void sounds like a very empty word. A bad word," Claire angrily said, concerned about Jim.
"Yeah. And are these happy ghosts we're talking about here, or soul-sucking poltergeists?" Toby inquired.
"They will not suck his soul. They will merely peer into it. He is now under the spiritual guidance of Master Trollhunters, just like Mistress Raelle, who is now with her previous lives," Blinky told Claire and Toby.
"Ghost guidance counselors? Jim and Raelle get all the cool stuff," Toby said with a hint of jealousy.
Blue poured from the cracks in the floor, causing Toby and Claire to back up, Jim's body appeared from the blue smoke, and his fists balled as he groaned. Finally free from the void, Jim fell to the ground, his butt landing on the ground. Meanwhile, the white light faded from Raelle's eyes as she returned. Raelle blinked to adjust her eyes as she returned to her human form. Upon seeing the Lake siblings return, Blinky, Aaarrrgghh, Draal, Claire, and Toby ran toward them.
"Hey! You're back from the other side!" Toby happily said to his friends.
"Wow! So trolls and ghosts exist. What's next? A Midsummer Night's Dream? Fairies?" Claire wondered.
"Fairies?" Blinky nicely scoffed. "Preposterous! Fairies have not left Avalon in centuries or have remained greatly hidden like the rest of Oberon's children, the beings of pure magic." Blinky looks at Jim and asks, "What did they say?"
"They said they won't stop us," Jim replied as his sister helped him stand up.
"What would my father stop you from?" Draal questioned.
"From going into the Darklands," The Trollhunter answered. "But if we're going in, they said the only way we're getting out alive is if we kill Gunmar. And with Strickler gone, maybe we have a chance."
"And what did the previous Witchers say, Mistress Raelle?" Blinky inquired.
"They said they're going to start being part of my training. They also know about us planning to go into the Darklands," Raelle responded. "They told me they think we're foolish for going into the Darklands because we've never been there or faced Gunmar. And that we're not prepared enough." Raelle turns to her brother and smiles at him. "But I told them my friends and I fight to protect the world. And my past lives said they're not going to stop us."
"Then let's get to work," Jim said with determination and a smile.