3Below: The Adventure Continues

Chapter 1: Not So Fun Summer

It's been a few weeks since Jim, Claire, and Blinky left with Merlin and the other Trolls to search for a new Heartstone in New Jersey. Leaving Toby and AARRRGGHH! to protect Arcadia until they return. That is, if that ever happens. For the most part, things have been quiet...in the troll department at least. Cleaning up and rebuilding Arcadia, is what brought the real noise as well as some uninvited guests. Obviously, word has gotten out that trolls exist since there was no way to cover up a power-hungry troll warlord, his army of Gum-Gum soldiers, a resurrected troll assassin, and an equally, if not more, power-hungry witch trying to take over the world by covering the Earth in an endless night. Now everywhere you look in what used to be the sleepy town that was Arcadia, a news anchor was on every bit of surface of Arcadia, while the rest of the citizens work to restore their town its former glory or at least to where you can still drive around the square. For the most part, despite the pesky news anchors, Arcadia has return to somewhat normal. With the rubble now cleared, it was all in the matter of rebuilding which no doubt will take the longest. Given the fact that pretty much half of downtown was gone. Getting the new anchors out of town will probably prove difficult. Every time Toby walk into town, he was flooded by news anchors, asking him question after question about...well, everything. Fortunately for Toby, they didn't know he was one of many responsible in protecting and saving Arcadia. At least, he hoped they didn't. Otherwise, he'll probably go insane from all the questions. Of course, no matter how many questions they asked him, they'll never know the full story and that was going to stay that way. Luckily, today the population of news anchors has gone down, and Toby was able to walk around Arcadia for the first time without being swarmed with questions. As he walked around his half-rubbled town, he started to walk towards the canals where Heartstone Trollmarket is located or what's left of it anyway. Canals and the bridge were closed off for obvious reasons, but Toby can still look down the hole where Gunmar's army entered Arcadia and where the Enteral Night had occurred behind the gates and police tape. From where he was standing, Toby could make out a few buildings in Trollmarket where just him and Jim visited as well as the heartstone itself, which out all, proved to be the most devasting site. What used to be a giant stone that gave off a radiating strong but warm orange glow was now dull, black, and dead.

As Toby stood there, reminiscing the good times he had with Jim, Claire, and their troll friends, sadness entered his heart. If he was being honest with himself, this was not the way he thought his summer would start. He had hoped by now that Gunmar was long gone and he and his friends would be spending the summer celebrating his defeat like they did with Bular's death with the rest of Trollmarket and continuing their training and trollhunting missions while keeping the existence of trolls from the world above. Together as a team. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. A lot has happened since then and that was putting it mildly. From Gunmar getting out of the Darklands to now, it hasn't been pleasant at the slightest. While Gunmar's defeat was no doubt the most relieving event to ever happen and Morgana's banishment also having the same effect, Toby couldn't find himself to be happy about the situation. Jim got hurt during the battle, Claire lost her Shadow Staff, and now the trolls were left without a heartstone or a home for that matter which led them to leave Arcadia along with Merlin to find a new one. Toby, naturally, wanted to go on this exciting quest with his friends but instead, Jim left the responsibility in protecting Arcadia to him. Obviously, the mere thought of protecting Arcadia by himself was daunting. That is until AARRRGGHH! revealed that he'll stay and help protect Arcadia instead of going with the other trolls in search for a new heartstone. Claiming that it was his choice. Toby, at that moment, felt better but he was still devasted by the fact that his best friend was leaving. Fearing that he would never see him nor Claire again but both promised that they will all return soon as they can as well as promising that when they do, they'll get tacos and enchiladas. However, that day, to Toby at least, seem to draw farther and farther away. Even though Jim, Claire, and Blinky have been gone for only a few weeks, it felt like years to Toby. To add more salt to the wound, Toby has been texting them non-stop to see how everything was going with them. Unfortunately, they haven't replied to any of them. Even Barbara and Claire's parents haven't heard of anything from either them. No doubt, he was worried. Worried that they haven't made any progress in finding the heartstone that Merlin claimed that was all the way in New Jersey but even more worried that something has happened to them. He kept telling himself that maybe they haven't had time to text or where they were had bad phone signal, trying to calm his nerves but no matter what, he always seemed frazzled. He just felt very alone now despite the presence of AARRRGGHH! keeping him company as well as his girlfriend, Darci. However, he hasn't really contacted her as much as he should.