Song of the Vikings - Draal x OC

5. Win, Lose, or Draal

"Are you certain?" Blinky questioned. "Are you unquestionably, unequivocally-"

"I'm certain," Jim interrupted. "It was definitely the bridge."

After the museum debacle of the night before, the trio had gone back to Trollmarket to inform Blinky and Arrrgh. While looking through the photos Toby had taken during the night, Jim had come across one that looked eerily similar to the Killahead Bridge - the only door to Gunmar. Unfortunately, the picture was extremely blurry. Kit leaned up against the wall with their arms crossed as the conversation continued around them.

"Could be anything," Arrrgh gruffed, tilting his head to one side.

Blinky huffed. "I concur."

"C'mon guys, back me up here," Jim said, turning to Toby and Kit, both of whom had been silent during the exchange.

Toby shrugged. "I mean, I didn't pay a lot of attention. There was a lot going on."

"I was more focused on the cops," Kit chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

Taking their discussion on the road, Jim continues his attempts to convince the two trolls as they all make their way into a nearby bar.

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"I'm telling you, the bridge was there!" Jim protests. "It was protected by some sort of troll who looked kind of like a human."

"A changeling!" Toby exclaimed.

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say in a room of trolls, because gasps and worried looks were cast towards the group as Blinky shushed Toby.

"Changelings," Blinky whispered, "have not been talked about in quite some time. In the old world..." he trailed off as the listening ears of a nearby troll leaned in a bit too closely.

"Do you mind?!" Blinky shouted, causing the troll to scoot off. "As I was saying, in the old world, Gumm-Gumms stole our young and... experimented on them to change them."

"What did they do to them?" Kit asked, hesitant.

Arrrgh sighed sadly. "Nasty business. Very messy."

"Those are the very reasons I doubt your certainty. I do not question you saw a bridge, but Killahead?" Blinky sighed. "It would take years to collect all of the stones - decades, even! You would need an army of Changelings."

"I know what I saw!" Jim retorted.

"These are serious accusations, Master Jim," Blinky huffed. "Without proof, absolute bedlam will ensue-"

"Well, if it isn't the fleshbag I'll pound into pancakes tomorrow." 

Kit groaned before turning away from the blue troll, throwing their hands up in the air as they stand from their seat. "Nope, not doing this right now."

"Sit back down." Jim grabs them by their shirt collar and they collapse back with a huff.

Draal's smirk darkened as he stared down at Jim. "I look forward to your pain and I'll drink to your death," he snarled, rolling his shoulders back and slamming his cup down.

Kit then sat up, a look of confusion crossing their face. "Wait, hold up, death?" they questioned, Jim nodding in agreement.

"I thought this was just a rematch," Jim muttered out, eyes widening in fear.

"To challenge a troll's honor can only end in ruin," Blinky lectured. "It's all right there in chapter three of A Brief Recap- you still haven't read the book, have you..."