𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 [𝐣𝐢𝐦 𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐱 𝐨𝐜]

Chapter 9 | Trolls, Meet Human Trollhunter

Liz reached the bottom set of the stairs with Blinky as the boys behind her stared in awe at the underground metropolis view of Trollmarket. Pausing besides Blinky, she glances at the boys behind her as she finally voices out her concern. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"You don't have to worry. Nothing has happened, Lady Liza. " Blinky assures her, looking up at the boys coming down the stairs after them. Liz sighed, glancing at the trolls mingling about, muttering to herself. "Yet."

"This is your home?" Jim asks in amazement, gesturing to the metropolis awaiting for him to explore. Blinky replies. "Trollmarket is home and hearth and sanctuary for all good trolls."

"Including human," The troll added, gesturing to Liz who gazed warily at the bustling crowd of trolls. Turning towards Trollmarket, Blinky leads the way beside Liz as the rest of the crew follows behind. "This way, my friends. There is much to see."

"Dang! And here I thought the only thing underneath our town was dirt and plumbing." Toby admits.

As they walk through the market, Liz could already sense trolls staring in their direction, noticing human strangers behind her trespassing nonchalantly through their domain. She could sense their resentment, the feeling rather familiar to her when she first came to Trollmarket many years ago as a young orphaned child. Though that was in the past, she was thankful that she was no longer the receiving end of it. If only looks could kill, they would already be the walking dead.

Behind her, Liz hears Blinky giving them a warning. "Stay close. Besides our Guardian, no other human feet have ever graced the grounds of Trollmarket before."

"More humans?" A female troll questioned in shock. AAARRRGGHH stood behind the boys protectively. "Friends."

Walking ahead of the rest, Liz was holding her breath in anticipation, waiting for any signs of trolls attacking. She has no choice, but to intervene if it comes down to it. She has to defend the Trollhunter, whether she likes it or not. Could her night get any more worse?

"So, your kind, you all live here? Even Liz?" Jim asks Blinky, curiously.

"Trolls travel from afar to our market to find comfort and remedies. You'll find most anything you need and sometimes you'll find what you never knew you needed." Blinky responded.

Liz continues to walk unflinching as she sees tiny gnomes scuttling around by her feet. They knew who she was and gave her distance. For fear or respect, she does not know nor pay any mind to it as long as they do not cause trouble for her. She hears a commotion behind her, but does not pay much attention, knowing the threat of gnomes were bare minimum. To her, that is.

She walks through the Plaza, towards the lookout where the view of the Heartstone is most prominent. Toby gasps behind her in shock, then hears him run back to get his best friend. Upon reaching the lookout, Liz settles her hand on the rock wall as she stares at the spectacle with the rest of the crew coming up besides her, the boys' eyes staring out at the glowing Heartstone. AAARRRGGHH introduced the main power source of Trollmarket. "Heartstone."

Blinky comes up behind the boys. "The lifeforce of trollkind. The means that keeps us from crumbling to stone and the source of light and sustenance."

"Okay, that's totally the bomb." Toby remarks. Liz smiles warmly, happy to share the feeling she once had when she first set eyes on the Heartstone. However, that happy moment came to an end when a group of trolls shouts behind them, grabbing the crew's attention.

"What are they doing here?"

"More humans?"

"Fleshbag!"