tales of Arcadia

Gnome your enemy

"For centuries, the troll and human worlds stood separate and at peace, divided by bridges that acted as doorways between our two realms. But the Gumm Gumms wanted to devour all of mankind. They were led by Gunmar the Black." Blinky continues "The rest of trollkind fought against him, culminating in the great Battle of Killahead Bridge, the portal to Gunmar's Darklands. After many moons, good triumphed over evil, and our great Trollhunter, Deya the Deliverer, locked Gunmar away, exiling him to the Darklands, and sealed the Killahead Bridge with the sacred amulet. After, we tore it apart, stone by stone. We left the old world in search for peace. We stowed away on a ship called the Mayflower, just a handful of us and some gnomes we'd brought along for comp anionship and nourishment. Finally, we arrived in a strange and exotic realm."

"New Jersey." AAARRRGGHH cuts him off before Blinky continues, "We kept walking. Eventually, we came across a new Heartstone, and we realized we had found a new home under Arcadia."

When he finishes he looks up from his book to reveal Toby, hunched forward, deeply interested in the story. AAARRRGGHH matching his posture while Jim and Y/n sits back to back, fast asleep. In Jim's lap there's an open book in his lap and y/n was still wearing her apron from the previous night's late night shift.

Blinky groans and quietly walks to them, then he slams the book shut in their faces. They both wake with a startle, Jim screaming in Spanish. "Lo Siento, Senor Draal! No me mates!"

"The training of troll history might seem like a minor duty, Master Jim, but..."

Jim interrupted. "Sorry, I pulled an all-nighter studying for my Spanish Comprehension exam and my brain is muy gooey. I don't know. I guess I thought if I'm facing Draal in a week, my training would be a little more... active."

Jim stands with a stretch and a yawn, AAARRRGGHH doing the same. The girl stays seated with a droopy head. Toby comes over excitedly and pretends to fight Jim to make an emphasis. "Yeah, like, when is he going to learn Troll-kwondo? Or Rock-itsu?"

Toby wraps his arm around Jim's shoulders, pulling him down to his size.

"Before one fights, Toby D, one must understand why one fights. For these precious early steps will decide whether a young Trollhunter will become a Deya the Deliverer..." He points to the statue of Deya.

"Or Unkar the Unfortunate." AAARRRGGHH interrupts, pointing at Unkar.

Jim and Toby share a look before Jim steps up to his trainer. "Well, tomorrow, my Spanish exam is with Senor Uhl the Unforgiving. My main concern is for my immediate future."

"A-ha! But, to learn what will happen in the future, one must only look to the past. I recommend A Brief Recapitulation of Troll Lore by the venerable Bedehilde. Volume one of 47." Blinky states dropping the large book into Jim's hands, the boy groans as his body drops with the new heavyweight in his hand. "Okay, but if I don't pass the exam, I'm grounded and I can't be the Trollhunter. Sorry, Blinky, but the amulet chose me, and now I have two lives to keep up." He says backing up.

The sound of footsteps stomping into the Hero's Forge, wakes y/n up again as she stares in confusion at a female troll running up to Blinky with panic.

"Can't a girl get some sleep." She grumbles as she stands up, walking over to the group.

Her quick breaths worries Blinky further.
"Oh, no. Is it the Heartstone?"

"No! No!" Bagduella shouts.

"Stalkling?" AAARRGGHH questions.

"Is Bular in Trollmarket?" Jim asks.

"No! Gnome! Rogue gnome!" Bagduella cried out.

"You gotta be kidding." Y/n mumbles as they follow her.