As I walked off the stage, the adrenaline from my performance still coursing through my veins, I felt lighter somehow. The message I'd tried to convey not just to the audience, but specifically Toby – seemed to have found its mark. Mrs. Janneth was already making lightning speed notes on her clipboard, and I caught her eye and what looked like an approving nod.
"Jim Lake," she called out, "please see me after we're finished here. I'd like to discuss your new Romeo role."
Claire was beaming as I rejoined them in the front row. "That was incredible! I've never heard that monologue before. Did you write it?"
"Something like that," I said, still catching my breath. "Just felt like the right words for the moment."
Toby was staring at me with an expression I couldn't quite read. Recognition, confusion, and something that might have been the first spark of understanding all mixed together.
The rest of the auditions passed in a blur. Mrs. Janneth wrapped up with promises to post the cast list by Friday, and students began filtering out of the auditorium. As we gathered our things, Claire turned to us with an infectious smile she'd worn ever since my performance.
"Well, I should probably head home," she said, shouldering her backpack. "Mom's making her famous enchiladas tonight, and I promised I'd help with the salsa."
"Lucky you," I said, and partially meant it. The simple normalcy of family dinner felt like a delecasy I'd personally never got to experience and the previous jim hadn't in a long while.
Claire hesitated for a moment, then stepped closer to me. "You know, whatever inspired that speech today... it was pretty amazing. I hope Toby was listening too." She glanced meaningfully at my friend before looking back at me. "Some people need to hear that they're capable of more than they think."
Before I could respond, she reached up and gave me a quick, playful kiss on the cheek. "Break a leg with whatever comes next, Romeo."
And with that, she bounded up the auditorium steps and was gone, leaving me standing there with what I'm sure was a ridiculously cocky grin on my face and Toby making exaggerated gagging sounds beside me.
"Ugh, get a room," he said, but there was something lighter in his voice now. "Though I gotta admit, that was pretty smooth. 'Break a leg with whatever comes next' – like she knows you're about to do something epic."
"Maybe I am," I said, grabbing my own backpack. "Come on, let's get out of here before Mrs. J changes her mind about my creative liberties with Shakespeare."
We pushed through the auditorium doors and into the late afternoon sunshine. The parking lot was mostly empty now, just a few scattered cars and the bike racks where we'd locked up our rides. As we walked toward them, Toby's chatter filled the comfortable silence.
"So seriously, did you just make that whole speech up on the spot? You sounded like some old wise mentor."
I unlocked my bike, considering his words in my head. "Sometimes the right words just come to you when you need them most."
"Uh-huh," Toby said, fumbling with his own lock. "And sometimes my best friend starts talking like he's some kind of mystical warrior poet and I wonder if I missed a memo somewhere."
I couldn't help but chuckle as I swung my leg over my bike. "Trust me, Tobes, when there's a memo worth sharing, you'll be the first to know."
"I better be," he said, finally freeing his bike and climbing on.
We pedaled out of the schools parking lot and onto the main road, our bikes rolling against the pavement. The sun was hanging lower in the sky than I'd expected, casting longer shadows across our path.
"But seriously though," Toby continued, his voice carrying over the sound of our wheels, "did you really mean what you said up there? About fear being the precursor to valor and all that philosophical stuff? Because it sounded like you were trying to tell me something specific."
I was about to answer when a sound cut through the afternoon air that made my brain go on the fritz. A low, rumbling growl that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. I'd heard that sound before, in moments when the boundary between worlds grew.
"Bular."
"Toby," I said, my voice tight with urgency, "we need to move. Now."
"What? Why? I was just asking about your very inspiring. and slightly confusing—"
The crash of splintering wood from somewhere behind us cut off his words. I didn't need to look back to know what was coming. Bular had found us, and he was done playing games.
"FLESHBAGS!" The roar shook the ground beneath our wheels, and this time Toby did turn around.
What he saw made him pedal faster than I'd ever seen him move.
"WHAT IS THAT THING?!" he screamed, his voice cracking with terror.
"It's Bular!" I shouted back, pumping my legs as hard as I could.
"You don't me the Son of Gunmar! SHOOT Really, really bad news! And he wants us dead!"
Behind us, the thunderous sound of massive footsteps began gaining ground. Bular was fast – faster than any creature his size had a right to be. Trees snapped like twigs as he charged through them, taking the most direct path toward us.
"PATHETIC INSECTS!" his voice boomed across the landscape. "I WILL GRIND YOUR BONES TO DUST! I WILL FEAST ON YOUR TERROR! I WILL HANG YOUR ENTRAILS FROM THE HIGHEST TOWER AS A WARNING TO ALL WHO DARE—"
"Okay, okay, we get it!" Toby interrupted, somehow finding his voice even while pedaling for his life. "You're very scary and creative with threats! Points for originality!"
The sun was dropping faster than I'd realized, painting the sky in shades of orange and red that would have been beautiful under any other circumstances.Bular was right behind us chasing the ever growing shadow of the night.
"Toby, look at the sky!" I called out, pointing upward without slowing down.
His eyes followed my gesture, and I watched understanding dawn on his face. "The sun's going down fast!"
"Too fast," I agreed, pushing my bike harder. "We need to find cover before—"
Another crash, closer this time. I could smell particles of smoke on the wind. Bular was closing the distance between us with every stride.
We flew down the hill toward the canal, our bikes picking up speed as gravity worked in our favor. But it wouldn't be enough. The shadows were lengthening by the second, and soon the sun would be completely gone.
"Jim!" Toby's voice was tight with fear. "What happens when it gets dark?"
I didn't answer, mostly because I didn't want to voice what we both already knew. When full darkness fell, Bular wouldn't have to worry about the sunlight limiting his movement. He'd be at full strength, and we'd be...
The sun disappeared behind the horizon like someone had flicked a switch.
"There!" I pointed toward a cluster of large storm drains up ahead. "We can hide in there!"
We dove off our bikes just as we reached the concrete structures, dragging them behind us into the shadows just as Bular's massive form came thundering around the bend. My heart already at a rapid pace due to pedaling halted against my ribs as we pressed ourselves against the cold concrete, trying to make ourselves as small as possible.
The ground shook as Bular's footsteps passed by our hiding spot. I held my breath, watching his enormous shadow move across the opening of the drain. After what felt like an eternity, the sounds faded into the distance.
"I think he's gone," Toby whispered.
"For now," I said, but I was already moving. "Come on, we need to switch bikes."
"What? Why?" Toby looked at me like I'd lost my mind. "Jim, this is really not the time for—"
Another roar, much closer than before. Bular had circled back.
"Just trust me!" I said, grabbing his handlebars. "Take mine, I'll take yours. Now!"
We swapped bikes just as the thunderous footsteps resumed, growing louder by the second. I could see Bular's silhouette cresting the hill above us, his red eyes scanning the area like searchlights.
"Toby," I said, my voice urgent but steady, "you need to transform. Use the incantation."
"The what now?" Toby's voice cracked.
"The amulet! Say the words! Just remember what I said on stage – don't think, become!"
Toby looked down at the amulet around his neck, then back at me with wide, terrified eyes. "Jim, I don't know what you're talking about! What incantation?"
"For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command!" I said quickly. "Say it!"
Toby took a shaky breath. "For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command!"
Nothing happened.
"For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command!" he tried again, louder this time.
Still nothing. The amulet remained dark and lifeless against his chest.
"It's not working!" he said, panic creeping into his voice.
"You've got to believe it," I said, even as Bular's shadow fell across us again. "Don't just say the words – feel them!"
"For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command!" Toby shouted desperately.
The amulet flickered for just a moment, but then went dark again.
There was no more time. Bular had spotted us.
"GO!" I yelled, and we both jumped on our bikes – well, each other's bikes now – and took off down the path.
This time I was on Toby's bike, which meant dealing with this heavier friction against myself and different gear ratios. But Toby was on mine, and the lighter weight and electrical motor meant he could actually move faster than usual. We flew down the path toward the canal at the same time, taking the shortcut through the narrow gap between two concrete barriers.
It was a space barely wide enough for a bike, definitely too narrow for a massive troll. Bular slammed into the barriers with a frustrated roar, the impact sending cracks spider-webbing through the concrete.
"Toby's diet saves the day!" He called out as we emerged on the other side.
He was grinning despite everything.
We were almost to the canal now, the familiar territory where I'd first met Blinky and AAARRRGGHH originally. I just had to hope they were still around, still willing to help.
"This way!" I shouted, leading us down toward the water.
And there they were. Blinky stood near the water's edge, his four arms gesticulating wildly as he spoke to AAARRRGGHH, who sat on a boulder nearby. They both looked up as we came skidding to a stop in front of them.
"Master Jim!" Blinky exclaimed. "And Master Tobias! How fortuitous that you should—"
"No time for fortuitous!" Toby interrupted, jumping off his bike and pointing back the way we'd come. "Big scary troll monster thing is chasing us! We need help! Like, lots of help! All the help you can possibly give us!"
Blinky's expression grew grave. "Ah. Bular has found you."
"You KNOW about this thing?" Toby's voice went up an octave. "How about you guys help us! You guys are definitely strong enough."
"We couldn't hope to possess the strength to face Bular," Blinky said sadly, shaking his head. "He is far too powerful for the likes of us."
Toby turned to AAARRRGGHH with desperation in his eyes. "What about you? You're huge! Surely you could—"
"AAARRRGGHH pacifist," the large troll said gently, his voice like distant thunder. "No fight. No hurt."
"PACIFIST?!" Toby threw his hands up in the air. "Of all the times to meet a pacifist troll!"
The ground began to shake again. Somehow, impossibly, Bular had found another way around the barriers.
"We must flee!" Blinky declared, his four arms moving in urgent gestures. "Follow me, quickly!"
As we grabbed our bikes and ran, I called out to Toby over the sound of approaching destruction.
"Focus, Toby! When you say the incantation, you have to focus! Don't just think the words – feel what they mean!"
"I'm trying!" he shouted back. "But it's kind of hard to focus when there's a giant troll trying to make me into a Toby sandwich!"
We were approaching the riverbank now, the water rushing beside us in the darkness. This was it – our last chance. If Toby couldn't transform here, we might be done for.
"The river!" I pointed ahead. "That's our only hope! Toby, you have to do this now!"
I could hear Bular crashing through the trees behind us, getting closer with every second. There was no more time for encouragement, no more time for explanations. It was now or never.
I made a split-second decision. Dropping my bike, I spun around to face the approaching monster, putting myself between Bular and Toby.
"Hey, uglier-than-usual!" I called out, grabbing a fallen branch from the ground. "Over here!"
Bular's red eyes fixed on me, and his lips pulled back in a savage grin. "THE LITTLE FLESHBAG WISHES TO DIE FIRST? HOW CONSIDERATE!"
He charged straight at me, and I barely managed to dive to the side as his massive claws raked through the air where I'd been standing. I rolled, came up running, and grabbed my bike again, using it as a shield as Bular's next swipe came down.
The bike frame crumpled like paper, but it absorbed enough of the impact to save me from the worst of it. Still, Bular's claws caught my shoulder, tearing through fabric and skin with burning pain.
The force of the grazing blow sent me flying through the air. I hit the ground hard and rolled, coming to a stop right at Toby's feet just as Bular reared up for what would definitely be a killing blow.
Time seemed to slow down. I could see the terror in Toby's eyes, but underneath it, something else was building. The same spark I'd tried to kindle with my speech on stage was finally catching fire.
"For the glory of Merlin," Toby said, his voice steady and strong for the first time all day, "Daylight is mine to command!"
This time, the amulet blazed to life.
Blue light erupted from Toby's chest, wrapping around him like living lightning. His clothes transformed into gleaming silver armor, his body enveloped as the magic took hold. When the light faded, Toby stood before us transformed in every way that mattered.
He was the Trollhunter.
Bular's charging attack met not the terrified teenager he'd been pursuing, but an armored warrior who barely blocked his massive fist with a giant blade and pushed back with surprising strength.
"Now that," Toby said, his voice freaking out "Is what I call an upgrade!"
But even as he held Bular at bay, I could see the strain on his face. The amulet was flickering, its light growing weaker by the second.
"The portal!" Blinky shouted from somewhere behind us. "Master Tobias, the transformation will not hold much longer!"
I looked around wildly and saw it – a swirling blue vortex that Blinky had somehow opened on the wall as I waa distracted. AAARRRGGHH was already moving toward it, gesturing for us to follow.
"Toby, we have to go! Now!"
Toby gave Bular one final shove but was send back by his fist, luckily in turn sending the massive troll stumbling backward, he got up turning and sprinting toward the portal. I was right behind him, my shoulder screaming with every step.
Blinky dove through first, followed by AAARRRGGHH. I was next, feeling the strange tingling sensation of magical transportation wash over me. Behind me, I could hear Toby's footsteps and Bular's roar of rage.
I tumbled through the portal and hit solid ground on the other side, rolling to absorb the impact. A second later, Toby came flying through, his armor flickering and fading even as he landed. The portal snapped shut just as Bular's claws reached the threshold.
We lay there for a moment, breathing hard and trying to process what had just happened. The amulet around Toby's chest had gone completely dark, and he was back in his regular clothes, looking exhausted and confused.
"Okay," he said finally, sitting up and staring at the spot where the portal had been. "I was definitely not imagining that, right?
Blinky replied helpfully. "A remarkably brief transformation for a new Trollhunter."
"Why did it run out?" Toby asked, looking down at the amulet with a mixture of wonder and frustration. "I was just getting the hang of the whole 'super strength' thing, and then poof – back to regular old Toby."
Blinky's expression grew thoughtful, and he rubbed his chin with one of his four hands. "I confess, I do not have a complete answer. The amulet has never chosen a human before, so its interaction with human physiology is... unprecedented."
"So basically, I'm the test case for whether humans can actually do this job?" Toby asked.
"In essence, yes," Blinky admitted. "Though I suspect your humanity is both the source of the limitation and, potentially, your greatest strength."
As we picked ourselves up and dusted off, I became aware of our surroundings for the first time. We were standing on a wide platform made of what looked like blue crystal, with stairs carved from the same material leading down into a vast underground space.
We all began to head down and reaching the bottom it was more thhan I expected espite completely expecting it.
"Welcome," Blinky said with a sweeping gesture of all four arms, "to Trollmarket."
I followed his gesture and felt my breath catch. Spread out betweeb us was a sight that defied description – a massive underground city built into the walls and floors of what must have been a natural cavern. Crystalline formations provided soft, light throughout the space, illuminating bridges and walkways that connected different levels and platforms. Trolls of all shapes and sizes moved through the market, going about their daily business with the comfortable rhythm of a community that had existed for centuries.
But what really caught my attention were the workshops. I could see forges and anvils, mechanical contraptions that looked like they belonged in a steampunk inventor's dream, and tools that I couldn't begin to identify but that made my engineering-minded brain practically buzz with excitement.
All the inventions I could finally make to defend myself, I thought, my mind already racing with possibilities. With access to troll craftsmanship and magical materials, the things I could build...
"This is incredible," I breathed, taking the first step down those crystal stairs.
Toby was right beside me, his earlier exhaustion forgotten in the face of this wonder. "Okay, so let me get this straight again. I'm apparently some kind of chosen warrior, you somehow knew about all this beforehand, there are giant murder trolls who want to kill us, and there's a secret underground city full of friendly trolls right under our hometown?"
"That's... a pretty accurate summary." I said.
"Well," he said, now completrly down the stairs beside me, "I guess my life just got a whole lot more interesting."
As we descended into Trollmarket, surrounded by the soft glow of crystal light and the comfortable bustle of troll civilization I finally felt ready to jump into action.
After all, destiny was a gift. And Toby was finally ready to unwrap his.
—————
I legit had 4 exam in this single month my bad guys.