TOA Book 1: Rose Gold's Adventure

Become Anew

We waited. We waited for what felt like an eternity.

We didn't know when or if Jim was gonna come back. Until later that night, something came through the door.

Barbara went to see what it was. It was Jim.

"Jim. Are you ok?" Jim passed out and some of us lead him to the couch.

That was when I got a good look at him. He was about as tall as Strickler, blue skin and hair with dark horns. He was wearing the eclipse armor.

He looked... different, to say the best of it.

All that was going through my mind was why. Why did he do this? What did Merlin do to him?

The more I thought about it, the more I was angry at Merlin. How could he do this to Jim?

"Ok, spill it." I said walking to the kitchen to talk to Merlin, "What did you do to-"

I was confused at what I saw, but at the same time, I wanted to laugh.

Barbara was threatening Merlin with a broom that Strickler was holding back, "Tell me exactly what you gave my son, or heaven help me, I will..."

"A concoction you won't find in your medical books, I promise you." Merlin said calmly.

"'Promise?' 'Promise?'" She swung the broom several times, "You promised to help Jim."

"What has happened?" Blinky asked.

"Ask the wizard."

"Oh, hey, guys." I said, "When did you come in?"

"Um..." Claire said from the living room, "Guys? He's waking up."

Blinky made his way to the living room and saw Jim's new form, "Great grumbly gruesome."

"Honey, do you feel ok?" Barbara asked, sitting next to him.

"He's fine." Merlin called.

"We're not asking you." Blinky said.

"I... I'm fine." Jim said. He noticed his hand and how big and blue it was, "Ah! What's wrong with my hand?"

"Nothing's wrong with your hand." Claire said, "It's just a little meatier."

"In a good way." Toby said, "It's like you leveled up."

Aaarrrggghhh!!! sniffed Jim and backed away, "No like. No like Troll Jim."

"Aaarrrggghhh!!!, wait." I tried to say. I decided to give him space. He needs to process this.

Amber walked up to Jim with her jaw dropped, "Whoa. Did you suddenly get, like, ten times hotter?"

I smacked her arm telling her to shut up.

"My elixir transformed our Trollhunter into something not quite human, not quite troll." Merlin explained.

"Like a changeling?" Toby asked.

"No." Strickler said walking up to Jim, "Changelings switch from fully troll to fully human. Jim is... neither."

Jim hopped to the kitchen to try and see what he looked like. He was looking at his reflection in the toaster.

"Well, he's got some moves now." I said.

"This isn't so bad. You know, after a little haircut, we'll find you some sunglasses, maybe a good dentist, huh? I know one. You'll be right back to normal." Toby suggested.

"I'm hideous." Jim said.

"You're really not." Claire said.

"I'll say." Amber smirked.