Chapter 14; New Allies & Challenges

A month had passed since the Battle for Killahead Bridge, and the town was at peace. But there were still problems for the Kamen Hunters. Like for right now, Toby was being chased by a medium size cat made of fire. As Toby ran for his life, he said to himself. "Oh, what are you doing, Tobes? Only an idiot races a creature with four legs."

"Just keep running. Jim should meet up with you soon." Seth said, threw Toby's Bat Phone as it led Toby to Jim. Toby soon ran into Jim on his finished Vespa. "Hop on!" Jim said to Toby and Toby put on a helmet and got on. As they were driving away and something felt wrong with the vespa, Jim said to Toby. "I can't believe you took that stupid rock to your science class!"

"First, it's not a rock. It's volcanic slag. And how was I supposed to know there was a flaming monster hiding in it?"

"You got it from a guy called "Mervin the Monster Dealer." That should have been your first clue." Noah said as Jim drove to a dead end where Blinky and Aaarrrggh were. Jim then said to Blinky. "Blinky, please tell me you got it!"

"Of course, Master Jim. You've lured the luminaire right into our stratagem." Blinky said before Noah said over the Bat Phone. "And we're almost there. Oh, and can't you just call it a "trap" instead of using a big fancy sounding word?"

"No Master Noah. I like stratagem, after all it means "brilliant trap." Blinky said as the fire cat caught up to them. Blinky didn't use the trap and Jim said to Blinky. "What are you waiting for? Throw it!"

"Um, Master Jim, you said this was a luminaire, when that is obviously an infernal hellheeti." Blinky said as they threw whatever they could at the fire cat. "Should I punch it?" Aaarrrgghh said as he started to glow. Toby then said to everyone. "Yeah, let him unleash the fury!"

"Not yet, Aaarrrgghh." Blinky said to Aaarrrgghh, and Jim said to Blinky. "It came from a rock! How many four-legged flaming creatures come out of rocks?"

"As a matter of fact, 11. Thirteen, if you consider–" Blinky said before Aaarrrgghh stopped him and said. "Can I punch it?"

"Yes!" Jim and Toby said before Blinky said. "No!" Blinky was right. The moment Aaarrrgghh punched the fire cat it wasn't destroyed, it just turned into three separate fire cats. Blinky then said to them. "I was going to add, "make sure you do not feed the fire by attacking it!"

"Then maybe a rainstorm will stop them!" Noah said as Soul, in his Undine Archer form, rolled up on a motorcycle that had a yellow base with a gold outline, a lion's mane like guard for the front, and four wheels of different colors. One wheel was red, another was green, another was blue and the last one was brown. Soul got off his bike and pulled out the bow. They then placed the Soul Jewels inside and their Driver said. "Undine Archer! Final Attack!"

"Final Attack, Rain Arrows!" Soul said as arrows of water came down and put out the fire cats. Jim and the others then noticed Soul, who turned from Undine Archer to Efreet Fighter, "Elemlion is still a cool looking bike, but could use a better name." Toby said, walking up to Soul, and then Noah said to Toby. "Hey, my bike, I get to name her."

"But your naming skills stink." Seth said before Noah hit Seth's side. Jim then said to Soul. "Thanks for the help guys."

"No problem. After all, we're Team Kamen Hunters, right?" Seth said and Jim nodded yes. Noah then noticed the time and said. "We better get going, it's almost dawn. See you in Trollmarket." Soul, Jim, and Toby then got on their rides and went back home, while Blinky and Aaarrrgghh returned to Trollmarket.

The following morning, Jim was making breakfast for everyone. Well, mostly everyone. After what happened at the hospital, Jim, Noah, Seth and Barbara have been on bad terms, but Jim was the one who had the worst. So if they saw one another it was mostly small talk or they would get into a fight. Noah had finished his breakfast after seeing Barbara leaving for another early morning shift and said to Jim. "Jim, we need to fix this, before it gets even worse."

"I'll figure something out." Jim knew the only way was to tell her about everything, but didn't because of a fear that if Barbara knew about their superhero lives, then she would get involved and get hurt, or worse. And that it sounds crazy.

On the way to school, Toby talked to Seth about their little side project. "So have you found any other way into the Darklands to save Claire's brother?"

"No. The only way in and out for a person of our size is the Bridge, and we can't use the Bridge. I hate to say it Jim, but Claire's brother is lost. She will have to make do with Teika being her baby brother." Seth said before Jim said. "No. I promised Claire that I would save him from the Darklands."

"But Seth's right Jim. The only way to save Claire's brother is to open Killahead Bridge, and that is a very high risk." Noah said and then Jim said to Noah. "Come on Noah, you can't tell me to leave Claire's brother behind, too?"

"No, but if we must lower the risk, because if we fail, then Gunmar will be set free." Noah said as they arrived at school.

At school, Steve had finally got his tooth fixed and was back to being a bully. But after everything, they weren't scared of him anymore. And after Strickler disappeared, many rumors started to circulate and each one was more ridiculous than the last. After some students talked to Jim, thinking since he was close to Strickler he knew what happened to him. Jim just told everyone that Strickler went on vacation. Once they were in their seats, Toby said to Jim. "You really think Strickler might come back?"

"After what went down, he'd be a fool to ever show his face again." Jim said to Toby and then Noah said to Jim. "Strickler is no fool, Jim. If he does return, I don't think we will like it."

"Hey guys." Claire said as she walked up to them and took a seat. After taking a seat, Claire said to them. "So when are we saving my brother?"

"And here we go again." Seth said, hitting his head on his desk. Seth then raised his head and then said to Claire. "As we told you many times, Claire. We have only one way into the Darklands and it is also Gunmar's way out."

"Yeah, 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." Toby said to Claire and then Claire said to them. "Guys, this is my brother and Teika's driving me nuts. You know how many times I have to change him?"

"Can't you train him to use the toilet?" Noah said before Claire said. "He already knows how to use the toilet. He chooses the diaper."

"Gross." Seth said before Jim said to her. "I get it. We'll get him back. We just can't risk releasing Gunmar."

"Admit it, you're going back on your word."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I am not."

"Are."

"Ok, if it makes you feel any better, Blinky said we can bring you."

"To Trollmarket? Seriously? When?"

"After school." Jim said before Coach Lawrence walked in the room and started to teach Strickler's history class. After school, everyone took Claire to Trollmarket. Jim gave Claire the Horngazel and said. "Are you ready?"

"If this helps me get my brother back, yeah, I'm ready."

"Just remember, saving Enrique is our little secret. If any of them were to find out–"

"Don't worry, lips are sealed." Claire said before opening the doorway. Once they were inside, Claire started to look around, not listening to Toby or Seth about some ground rules. Once the trolls saw Claire didn't like her. To them having five humans was like an infestation to them. Soon Claire ran into Aaarrrgghh and Blinky. Claire then said to Aaarrrgghh. "You're… You're…"

"Aaarrrgghh." Aaarrrgghh said before Blinky said to Claire. "Well, if it isn't the fair Claire. We've been expecting you."

"Blinkous Galadrigal. Jim told me you helped him face Drall and slay Bular. And that Vespa! Best birthday ever. Your wisdom must rival that of the Venerable Bedehilde." Claire said as the others joined them. Blinky gasped and then said to Claire. "You've read A Brief Recapitulation of Troll Lore?"

"Volumes 1 through 47. 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." Claire said and that made Blinky very happy. So happy that he hugged her, started to spin around and say over and over that she read the book. Blinky then let go of Claire and she took off again. "She's a flower." Aaarrrgghh said before Seth said. "Yeah, but she has one too many thrones for my liking."

Claire then ran into the Troll Pub, she ran into Vendel, who wasn't happy. "You're Vendel, aren't you? Claire Nunez. I am so humbled you've accepted me, the first human female in Trollmarket?" Claire said to Vendel as the others finally caught up to her. Vendel then said to Claire. "No! I accepted a human Trollhunter, the two in one human Kamen Rider, and allowed the pudgy one to stay for moral support. But this? A fifth? It's an infestation!"

"Hey, blame Jim. He brought her here." Seth said to Vendel and then Jim said. "Vendel, I, um… I can ex–" Claire then spoke troll and said everything she just said again. Vendel cracked a small and said. "She speaks Troll. And Trollmarket is honored to have you as well." Vendel then said to Blinky. "Oh, Blinkous! If only the amulet had chosen such a learned and delightful fleshbag."

"Hey!" Jim said as Noah laughed a little before Vendel left. Toby then said to Claire. "You speak Troll?"

"Yes. Teika's been tutoring me." Claire said before Noah said. "Oh, like how Seth is learning Troll from Blinky." Then Jim said to Claire, giving her a high five. "That was awesome, Claire. Vendel loves you and he hates everyone!"

"Mr. Blinky, Trollmarket is amazing and there's so many cool things. But if it's okay, there's one thing I have to see." Claire said to Blinky and Blinky knew what she was talking about. Blinky then took them to the Trollmarket Vault. The vault was made from a rock that couldn't be broken and magic runes stopped any magic from breaking the three giant doors guardian whatever was inside the vault, and inside that vault was Killahead Bridge. Noah then said to Claire, as she walked to the pieces. "Claire, this is Killahead Bridge."

"More specific… what used to be Killahead Bridge. Every piece accounted for, even the Eye Stone." Blinky said before Claire touched the Eye Stone. Blinky then whispered to the others. "Hopefully, this will give the girl some closure. She does understand why we cannot allow the bridge to open?"

"I seriously doubt that." Seth whispered before only Blinky heard him. As for Claire, she whispered to the Eye Stone, like it was Enrique. "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." She then returned to others and said to Blinky. "Thank you for giving me that."

"Master Noah, can you and the others be so kind as to give Miss Claire the rest of the tour? I need to share a word with our Trollhunter." Blinky said and then Noah said to Blinky as they started to leave. "You got it." They then took Claire to the last spot, the Hero's Forge. As they walked to the arena, Toby said to Claire. "Prepare yourself for the Sacred Grounds, where Trollhunters are broken and remade into warriors. The Hero's Forge!"

"All this for one Trollhunter?" Claire said as she looked around and then Seth said Claire. "Not just Trollhunters. This is where Noah and Toby get some training too."

"You don't train here?"

"When we turn into Soul, I gain the experience Noah gains during training. So I don't need to train. Besides, I spend most of my time here making them." Seth said as Elemlion, M.B., H.Q., plus a scarlet spider on the medium size and had wheels at the base of each of its legs. Claire looked at them and said. "I know about your bike, phone, and cleaner robots, but I don't know the spider."

"First they are not robots, they are teammates. And the spider is called Webmaster. He's been helping Draal for the past month." Seth said before pointing at Draal, who has spent the past month looking for his dad's pieces and putting them back together. Claire then walked towards Draal and Kanjigar and said. "Is that Draal? Kanjigar's son?"

"In the flesh… stone. Stone flesh." Toby said they followed Claire, who was looking for Kanjigar. She then said to everyone. "What's that statue he's making?"

"I do not make statues. This is my father." Draal said to Claire. Noah then said to Claire. "When a Trollhunter dies, their remains are placed around the arena, so future Trollhunters could learn from them, well that's what Blinky told us."

"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 said before Seth said. "Not unless you want everyone to get caught up in it, and kill Toby."

"I agree with Seth. That would be a bad idea." Toby said before they heard the sound of gears moving. Back with Jim and Blinky, they were going over Jim's Vespa. "The drive belt's slipping. Pass me the wrench." Blinky said to Jim, and Jim said, giving Blinky a wrench. "Hey, you're right."

"So, you brought Claire to Trollmarket. You really like this girl. No secrets between you two. Screwdriver?"

"I thought you liked her too, Blink. Everyone else did." Jim said, giving Blinky a screwdriver. Blinky took it and said. "I don't think Master Seth likes her, but she is lovely. I can see why you'd got to the ends of the Earth for her. Or say, the Darklands? Sometimes, the heart leads you down paths you should not cross."

"How did you–?"

"Figure it out? Your devotion to this girl is as obvious as a glow worm to a huldre fish."

"Blinky, it's her brother. I made her a promise. I—"

"But you know the danger. If you went in alone, you'd be killed. Which is why we will answer every call."

"You said I have to answer every call. Now– Wait, did you just say "we"?"

"Aaarrrgghh and I discussed it. We knew you were going in, with or without our approval. But… if Claire's brother is important to you, then he's important to us. For folly or for fraught, we are a team." Blinky said before giving Jim a hug. Jim returned the hug before his Bat Phone turned on and Seth said threw it. "Jim! Blinky! We need help in Hero's Forge! NOW!"

"We're coming guys!" Jim said as he and Blinky ran to Hero's Forge. At Hero's Forge, the training arena was fully active, Toby and Claire were in on the platforms, The Soul Gadgets were keeping Seth body safe, and Aaarrrgghh and Soul, who was in their Sylph Archer form, were destroying medium size ants that were bronze colored and coming out of the arena. As Soul was shooting the ones close to Toby and Claire and dodging the ones trying to attack them, Noah said to Seth. "You had to add ant's to the training equipment!"

"Hey, Training Ants, or like Toby said, "T.A.'s" are going to help us train."

"Yeah, but you can't control them."

"Yeah, but I don't know… Oh, Jim and Blinky are here!" Seth said as they joined them and Jim said seeing Claire in trouble. "Claire!"

"I'm fine for now. Help Toby!" Claire said. pointing to Toby, who then said to Jim. "I swear, I didn't touch anything!"

"He's right. The arena just turns on by itself." Noah said to Jim before Jim said. "Can't it be turned off?"

"Draal's trying, but whatever is going on is affecting his arm too." Seth said and then Blinky said pointing to the Soothscryer. "There's a manual kill switch inside the Soothscryer! Go, Master Jim, Noah, Seth!" Jim then put on his armor and Soul followed him, and turned into Sylph Blade. Jim and Soul killed the T.A. 's in their way as they jump onto the blades. Once on the blades they climbed up them and jumped onto the platforms with Claire and Toby. Jim had Claire, and Soul had Toby. Then they both jumped with Claire and Toby in hand to the main platform. There Soul turned into Undine Blade and protected Claire and Toby as Jim reached into the spinning teeth of the Soothscryer and pulled the kill switch. That stopped everything, and Claire said as Soul returned to normal and the remaining T.A.'s disappeared. Claire said to them as Toby helped her up. "Is this normal?"

"Nothing's normal around here. Get used to it, sister." Toby said before the eyes of the Soothscryer started to glow. "It's calling to him, at last." Blinky said before a bright light came from the Soothscryer and once it was over, Jim was gone. Noah then yelled to Blinky. "Blinky!? What just happened to Jim?"

"He has been summoned." Blinky said and that didn't really tell them anything. As for Jim, he found himself in an area that looked like the Hero's Forge, but it was blue, a starry night, and had a ghost feeling. As Jim was looking for his friends, balls of blue light then attacked him and said that he was a mistake. Jim then said to the balls as he defended himself. "Who are you? Where am I?"

"Are you worthy?" A male voice behind Jim. Jim turned around and saw a male Troll ghost wearing the Trollhunter armor. Jim tried to fight the ghost, but in a flash, Jim was disarmed. The ghost caught Jim's sword and pointed it at Jim's neck. Jim then said to the ghost. "But only a Trollhunter can wield Daylight."

"We are Trollhunters!" The ghost said and now that Jim got a good look at him. Jim noticed that the ghost was Kanjigar, and then said looking at the statue to make sure he was right. "You're Kanjigar. The voice from my amulet, that was you!"

"Our amulet! We are the Council of Elder Trollhunters." The other ghost said together. Kanjigar then returned Daylight back to Jim and Jim said to Kanjigar. "Oh, man! Now, I'm dead! That stupid Soothscryer killed me in the Forge."

"You are not dead. You are still in the Forge, in a way. This is the Void. A place between worlds for the Trollhunter to receive counsel from those who came before. We've been waiting and watching. Growing restless until you've proven yourself."

"The arena going haywire, that was you? Wait, you've been watching me?"

"There are no secrets here." Kanjigar said before creating a cloud that showed Jim killing Bular. "We've seen all. Your triumphs and your deceptions." Kanjigar said before creating a cloud that showed Jim making a plan to save Enrique from the Darklands with the others. Kanjigar then said to Jim. "We know what you plan to do, young Trollhunter. You court danger and death."

"We have to go."

"We"? A Trollhunter works alone. If you bring those you care for into the Darklands, you all will be swallowed by it. To be a Trollhunter is to make sacrifices. I had to distance myself from my son to keep him safe. Something you have failed to do!" Kanjigar said before creating a cloud that showed him walking away from Draal, and then Draal losing his arm in the Battle for Killahead. Jim regretted what happened to Draal's arm, and then said to Kanjigar. "Look, I'm not perfect. I know. But maybe my friends are the reason I'm the only one here still… breathing?" Saying that made the ghost of the Trollhunters really mad.

Outside, Blinky told them about how Jim was in the Void, and Claire said to Blinky. "What do you mean, he's in the Void? The Void sounds like a very empty word. A bad word."

"Yeah. And are these happy ghosts we're talking about here, or soul-sucking poltergeists?" Toby said before Seth said. "I don't think they will be any poltergeists, but I don't think they will be happy ghosts."

"So Jim is getting an earful from the past Trollhunter. But how will Jim get back?" Noah said before a light appeared in the center and then Jim returned to them. Everyone ran to Jim, and Toby said to Jim. "Hey! You're back from the other side, dude!"

"Wow! So trolls and ghosts exist. What's next? A Midsummer Night's Dream? Fairies?" Claire said before Blinky said. "Fairies? Preposterous! Fairies lost the war to the pixies centuries ago."

"So Jim, what did the ghost Trollhunter of the past talk to you about?" Noah said as he helped Jim up. Once Jim was up, he said to them. "They said they won't stop us."

"What would my father stop you from?" Draal said and then Jim said to them. "From going into the Darklands. 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."

At the same time, deep in a lost jungle, Strickler, Otto, plus a goblin had spent that last mouth looking for a special temple. "How much further, Otto?" Strickler said to Otto and Otto said to Strickler. "Should be just up ahead, mein Freund. The old tomes were cryptic on his whereabouts." Then a few more minutes later, they found the location they were looking for. The location was a temple, but it looked like nature was trying to destroy it.

Inside they reached the central location, and that location had someone buried in rocks and chains on each limb, and next to the body was a white staff that had a violet Soul Jewel at the top. Strickler then checked his notes and found a ring that was glowing in the mouth. Strickler then put on the ring and released the chains, but nothing happened. Strickler then said to Otto. "Is, uh… Is he alive?"

"Don't look at me." Otto said before he and Strickler made the goblin check the someone. But the moment the goblin got close, the someone woke up and grabbed it. The someone was a male troll, his horns were like a crown, his eyes were black with a yellow glowing for the eye color, and he looked like he was rotating away. That troll looked at Strickler and Otto and said. "Who has awakened me?"

"I have, Angor Rot." Strickler said to that troll. Angor Rot then said to Strickler. "You know my name. A shame I will never know yours." Angor Rot then killed the goblin, then broke his chains, and then grabbing the staff. The staff turned blacked and the Soul Jewel started to glow and give off a flame effect. Angor then tried to kill Strickler with it, but the ring was stopping him. Angor Rot looked at the ring and said. "My ring. My flesh. My soul."

"Yield to me! For I wear the Inferna Copula." Strickler said and Angor Rot called off his attack. "You have killed thousands. You are chaos incarnate. And you are… mine." Strickler said before doing an evil laugh.