"Good morning, Arcadia Oaks," The radio announcer spoke over the radio of a passing car, "It's four-thirty am. If you're still in bed, you are missing the most beautiful sunrise. Clear skies and a beautiful morning ahead!"
A troll trampled over a plastic cup, crushing it underfoot as he backed away from another troll. The other troll, however, seemed much lighter than the other, his silver armor glinted in the rising sun. The lighter troll's blue skin was covered by glittering silver armor, and his massive horns were sticking out of his helmet. His opponent, a much darker, menacing troll with cobalt skin, reddish eyes, and a larger pair of horns that curled around his face. The very end of his right horn was seemingly chopped off, perhaps from a prior battle. He wore a kilt and a wide belt, decorated with the skulls of the creatures he'd murdered, and two more skull-adorned belts crossed his chest, to hold his swords. His left arm was wrapped in leather at his wrist.
"Yield Kanjigar" The dark troll growled, his deep voice filling the canal.
"Daylight never yields," Kanjigar panted as he gripped his gleaming sword, "I'd rather die."
"Terms accepted, my swords shall glisten with your blood, just as they had at the death of Wanjin the Wonderful," The dark troll snarled. He leaped into the air and landed directly next to Kanjigar. The fight resumed, and Kanjigar hit the dark troll straight in the chest, causing him to fly many feet back. The Daylight trollhunter held his sword against the dark troll's face.
"Your turn, Bular," He sneered, "Yield."
The sun rose just slightly above the bridge that went across the canal, causing Kanjigar to hiss in pain as he began to smoke. Bular used the sun's distraction to push himself upwards and land a harsh kick to Kanjigar's face. The remaining trollhunter skid backward a few feet, and his sword flew from his hand, landing in the early morning sunlight. Bular charged toward Kanjigar noticing the loss of his weapon. But Kanjigar was quick to run and reach for his sword in the sun, his hand burned at the contact of the light, which made Kanjigar groan at the pain.
The amulet on Kanjigar's chest began to flicker weakly.
"There is nowhere left for you to run, lone Trollhunter," Bular taunted him, "A pity young Wanjin is not here to save you, now. Give me the amulet!"
"Never!" Kanjigar cried before he turned and ran up the bridge above them. He paid close attention to the open beams that could lead to a fall to the waiting claws of the sun; instant death for a troll like him. He unsheathed his sword and prepared to fight Bular once the dark troll appeared. Bular growled once he arrived under the bridge, behind Kanjigar, and kicked him away; making the final Trollhunter fall beneath the beams of the bridge, hanging for his life. Both were hanging below the beams for dear life and swung themselves back into the safe shade above them, but before Kanjigar could try to run away, Bular dropped onto him from above. The action made Kanjigar lose his sword to the river of sunlight that flooded the canal below.
Bular laughed; the sound was deep and malicious, he reached for the amulet that was kept on Kanjigar's chest. But the daylight trollhunter grasped the evil troll's arm and thrust it into the sun, causing it to turn to stone almost immediately.
Bular screamed in pain, and backed away from the trollhunter, cradling his arm, watching as Kanjigar stood shakily.
"It's me or the sun," Bular stated, "Either way, you'll meet the same sticky end that your friend did."
"No," Kanjigar replied, a look of faith written on his face, "The amulets of Moonlight and Daylight will find new champions. We will stop you and your master. Wanjin and I may end, but the fight will not."
Kanjigar slowly backed up until he stepped off of the edge of the bridge and fell into the sunlight. He crossed his arms and tried to close his eyes in peace as he burned. He was nearing the ground quickly, before he finally turned to stone completely, and shattered to pieces on the floor of the canal.
Bular tried to run and get the remaining amulet, but the sun rose even higher. He roared in frustration and punched the stone wall of the canal before running off into the shady woods, leaving the final amulet in the pile of stone Kanjigar left below the bridge.
YOU ARE READING
The Two Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia Book One: Just the Beginning
FantasíaJim and his best friends have been dragged headfirst into a world that is not their own. He and Raelynn have been chosen as this other world's protectors. But Raelynn and her sister have secrets, secrets that will have to be revealed if the team is...
