The Two Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia Book One: Just the Beginning

Chapter 18: Lyonna's Day Out

"What is that?" A troll asked in fright as something scurried through trollmarket.

"Is that a human?" Another asked in shock.

"A human intruder!" Bagdwella shouted, "It stole my stockings! Call the Trollhunters!"

_

"Never did I dare think I would see such a sight"

Jim and I were in the void yet again. The elder Trollhunters were replaying our conversation with our friends from the day before.

"It must be the Triumbric stones," Blinky was saying, "Three shards of legend tied to Gunmar's lifeblood."

"Because we're going to destroy him," I spoke from inside the vision.

"You found the Birthstone?" One of the Trollhunter's voices asked.

"They think they can kill Gunmar?"

"We told them they couldn't!"

"Silence!" Wanjin exclaimed.

"You said it was impossible to kill Gunmar," Jim accused them.

"But we found a way." I told them, "You're either a lousy council. Or the worst liars."

"We needed to deter you from making a grave mistake." Kanjigar protested, "You were lucky enough to obtain the Birthstone. But the Journey will only grow more treacherous from here onward."

"With all due respect." Jim started to speak, "You said the Trollhunters should work alone, but if it weren't for our friends, we wouldn't have the first stone."

"They won't listen"

"He mocks us!"

"What's the point in council?"

"Foolish children."

"If you insist on risking the lives of those you care about," Wanjin looked sternly upon Jim and I, "I implore you to listen to reason!"

"Trollhunters," Draal's voice penetrated through the void, "trollhunters!"

"My son!" Kanjigar heard him and started to usher us back to reality, "He seeks you! There is trouble in Trollmarket! An intruder! Go!"

"An intruder?" I looked shocked, "How'd it get in?"

"Go!" Wanjin bellowed.

_

"We don't eat humans!" A troll growled.

"What if she's a changeling!" Another yelped in terror.

The trolls of Trollmarket surrounded a large burlap sack that hung from the ceiling. Something inside was wriggling around, trying to escape.

"Hey! Stop!" Jim and I raced up, "You're scaring it!"

"Let it go," Jim told them, "We're the Trollhunters, we'll deal with it. Let it go."

One of the onlooking trolls cut the back down and it dropped to the ground with a thud. A voice from inside yelped and began to mutter incoherently. The same troll lifted the lip of the sack and a young woman crawled out, grumbling obscenities. She had short dark brown hair and a slender nose and was wearing a light blue short-sleeved T-shirt, jean shorts, and crumpled white socks underneath a pair of tattered white tennis shoes. Her hair was slightly pulled back by a dark headband and her bangs were clipped to the side by a pair of hair clips.