3Below: The Adventure Continues

Chapter 4: Trollhunters Unite

At the Bluff:

Toby and ARRRGGHH! were at the bluff, waiting for Steve and Eli. However, they were for over an hour now, "Where are they? They said they'd be here," Toby said as he paced back and forth along the bluff, frustrated. ARRRGGHH! watched his friend as he paced back and forth, moving his head as he did. Toby took out his phone once more before looking back at ARRRGGHH!, "We did say 4:00, right?" Toby asked his friend as he stopped his pacing and faced him. ARRRGGHH! nodded in reply, "Well, it's 5:00 now. Maybe this was bad idea," he said as he started rethinking his decision as he started pacing once more. ARRRGGHH! rumbled before he spoke, "Give time. They be here," he said to his frustrated friend. Toby huffed quietly at this but calmed himself. He sighed, "You're right, I'm sorry. It's just... this is important. I just hope this doesn't become and every time we need them thing," Toby said back to his friend in a calm yet frustrated tone. ARRRGGHH! smiled at him in response, "I'll give them a few more minutes then will just go out on an early patrol and head for home. Is that okay with you?" Toby said to the giant troll when he made up his backup plan. ARRRGGHH! nodded once more to his friend. However, they heard a motor bike down the hill. The two looked down the hill and saw Steve and Eli, getting off the moped. Eli turned around to look up the hill and saw the two of them. He waved at them as Steve took his keys and placed them in his pocket. He also spotted Toby and ARRRGGHH! up the hill and just moved his head back, greeting them. ARRRGGHH! waved at the two of them but Toby remain stern as he watched the two boys climb up the hill. "Hey, guys!" Eli greeted them as Steve looked at ARRRGGHH! with a cautious look on his face, contrasting Eli's casual greeting, "You guys are late," Toby said to them, his frustration coming back. Steve and Eli turn their attention back to Toby, "Sorry, my mom wanted me to put all sorts of bug repellant on," Eli apologized with an embarrassed look on his face, "And I got us lost after taking a wrong turn. Sorry about that," Steve apologized as he turned his gaze back to ARRRGGHH! while ARRRGGHH! gave him a smile. "Well, now that you guys are here, let's tal..." Toby started to say but stopped when he heard a noise. The group turned in the direction of where the noise came from, "What was that?" Steve asked as he looked toward the bushes.

ARRRGGHH! rumbled slightly as he low and slowly walked toward the direction of the noises. He started to sniff the air as he got closer, "ARRRGGHH!, what is it?" Toby asked the giant troll, confused but then suddenly a realization hit him, "Is it the same thing from last night?" Toby asked him as ARRRGGHH! perked up his head, alarmed. ARRRGGHH! turned his head and nodded at him, confirming Toby's fears. He stood there for a moment, trying to decide what to do as he weighed his options his mind. "Uhhh, care to fill us in, Dumbzalski?" Steve asked him, getting annoyed with the secrecy as he crossed his arms over his chest, "Steve, be nice. I'm sure whatever's going, Toby will explain. Give him a chance," Eli reprimanded him, gently but also stern. Toby ignore them as he went over to ARRRGGHH!, "Do we stay or go?" ARRRGGHH! asked him quietly as he kept his eyes on the spot where he's hearing the noises. Toby stood there trying to decide what to do as he carefully and quietly took his Warhammer out of his pocket. As he did so, Steve and Eli silently crept over to where Toby and ARRRGGHH! were, still confused as to what was going on. They were both behind Toby and ARRRGGHH! as they both stared at the spot they were looking at, "What you guys looking at?" Steve asked them, only for Toby to shush him before can continue talking. Seriously, what's going on? Then, suddenly, the group heard a warring sound. Each one of the them perked up their heads when they heard the warring sound, "Uhhh, anybody else hearing that?" Eli asked them as the they all walked backwards to the center of the bluff. The group stood there together looking around, trying to figure out where the warring sound was coming from as Toby draw out his Warhammer, startling both Steve and Eli, "Both of you, grab something to protect yourselves with," Toby ordered them as he kept his Warhammer at the ready. Steve and Eli didn't argue as each of them grab a large branch in their hands, "I knew we should've geared up before we left," Steve commented to Eli, trying to remain clam as Eli nodded in agreement, "Everyone, watch your backs," Toby said to them as he looked all around him with ARRRGGHH! low to the ground, slightly growling. Then suddenly the very robot that appeared the night before appeared. Of course, ARRRGGHH! and Toby were ready for whatever the robot had in store for them, however Steve and Eli were confused, "Seriously, this is what got you guys worked up?" Steve asked them in disbelief, chuckling slightly, "Yeah, it doesn't look dangerous. It looks kind of cute actually," Eli said as he smiles at the floating robot. Again, unaware that the device was yet again scanning each one of them. Then suddenly it made the same horrible sound as last time. The group covered their ears, "OKAY!! NEVER MIND!! IT'S NOT CUTE ANYMORE!!" Eli yelled over the noise. Suddenly, the robot leached out its weapons and came after the group. Like last night, Toby acted first and hit the robot with his Warhammer. The robot was instantly destroyed, "Uhhh, is this what you wanted to talk about?" Steve asked as the group looked down at the robot. Suddenly, they heard the warring sound again, "Sort of," Toby answered as he turned back around to face the threats before him. More robots appeared all of which had their weapons out already, "There's more of them!?" Steve yelled out frightened. However, Toby ignored this as he started to attack the robots as they came at him with ARRRGGHH! following behind him. Steve and Eli watched the scene before them, unsure of what they should do. However, this didn't last very long as more and more robots appeared and started to attack them as well. However, both retaliated and started to fight back, shockingly well for being in so little battles. That is until Steve nearly hit Eli in the head had he not duck in time, "Opps, sorry, Pepperbuddy," Steve apologized to his friend. However, Steve wasn't paying attention and a robot nearly looped his head off until ARRRGGHH! jumped over and swapped out of the air with his giant hand. "Wow, thanks, man," Steve said to him while Eli was unfortunately struggling to keep the robots away from him. Toby soon notice this and helped him. After what seems like a long time, the battle was over. Steve and Eli were taking in deep breaths after the execration of the battle. "Wow, you guys can fight. Well, there's still some things we need to work on but overall, not bad," Toby commented with ARRRGGHH! nodding in agreement. However, Steve and Eli ignored his comment as they were still processing of what just occurred. "What...what...WHAT JUST HAPPENED!?" Steve asked them, regaining his breath only to freak out, "I thought you guys wanted to talk about trolls, not attack by killer robots!" Steve yelled out in total freak out mode, while Eli was on his hands and knees studying at the destroyed robots, "What are they? Where did they come from?" he mumbled under his breath as picked pieces off the ground one at a time, "Well, sort of. This conversation is actually about 15% troll hunting and about 85% killer robots," Toby explained as he chuckled nervously. However, Steve wasn't amused as he crossed his arms over his chest and Eli stopped looking at the destroyed robot on the ground. Toby then sighed, lost at what to say next for a moment before starting again, "Look, the reason why we called you guys out here tonight is because of this. We need your guys' help. We need you guys to be our new full-time Trollhunters," Toby explained to them. However, this only confused the two boys, "But we're the Creepslayerz!" Steve exclaimed with Eli nodding in agreement as he smiled at his friend, "Yeah, Defenders of the Night! Besides isn't the Trollhunters spots already filled up with you, Jim, and Claire?" Eli asked him, while Steve looked around, "Speaking of which, where is Lake and Nuenz? I figure they would be here tonight?" Steve asked, expecting for Jim and Claire to come out of the bushes. However, when the boys looked back at Toby he had a sad frown on his face, "They're gone," he answered them leaving Steve and Eli in shock, "Gone? Gone where?" Steve asked him, confused. Toby took in a breath, "New Jersey," he answered them once more, shocking them farther, "New Jersey?!" Steve exclaimed in shocked. "But New Jersey's all the way across the country. Why did they go there?" Eli asked confused. "Jim and Claire went with Blinky, our other troll friend, and the other trolls to New Jersey to find a heartstone because the one here got destroyed during the battle a few weeks ago. Now, I'll explain what that is later, but the trolls need it for survival," Toby explained to them. Steve and Eli took this news in slowly, as questions flooded their minds, "Okay, but if that's the cause, why is the big guy here?" Steve asked as he pointed his finger towards ARRRGGHH! "ARRRGGHH! stayed behind to help protect Arcadia," Toby answered him, simply. Steve lowered his arm as him and Eli looked towards the giant troll. "This my choice," ARRRGGHH! said to them as he placed his hand on his chest. Steve and Eli stood there in silence for a moment, to process the new information until Eli asked the big question, "Are they coming back?" Eli asked Toby, frighten that he may never see his friends again. Toby stood there for a moment not sure what to say. He looked towards ARRRGGHH! sharing the same look but soon had a look of determination and gave a simple nod to his Wingman. Toby, also with determination gleaming in his eyes, turn back to them, "Yes, eventually.... they will be back. So, until their return, Jim left responsibility to me in protecting Arcadia. To us," Toby explained as he waved his hand to everyone as ARRRGGHH! nodded his head in agreement. However, this left Steve unconvinced at Toby's offer, "Wait a minute, what makes you think that me and Eli can't protect Arcadia on our own?" Steve asked him in offended tone. Toby glared at him, "Because we, me and ARRRGGHH! who's had more experience at this stuff than you two, can't," Toby answered him, seriously. Steve and Eli just stood there confused, "Look, we had a run in with these robots last night. Me and ARRRGGHH! we got overwhelmed very quickly. Look, something new is going on in Arcadia and we learned very quickly that we're not going to be enough. If we can't protect Arcadia on our own, then chances are you guys can't either. We can't work by ourselves, we need to come together as a team if Arcadia stands a chance. Otherwise, Arcadia is doomed. We're stronger together," Toby said to them repeating Jim's words to them. Steve and Eli stared at him amazed by his words, "So, what you say? You guys in or out?" Toby asked them seriously as he placed his hand out to them. Steve and Eli looked at each other before smiling with determination, "We are so in," Steve said as he and Eli placed their hands-on top of Toby's while ARRRGGHH! came around and placed his hand on top of the mountain of hands, "Steve...Eli...welcome to the team," Toby said to them with a big smile on his face, hopeful now that Arcadia got two more protectors on its side.

**Author's Note: Well, looks like Steve and Eli have now officially joined the team. Sorry if this seemed rushed and short but I didn't want to drag it out. That and I'm not good at writing battle scenes but hopefully I'll get better as the story progresses. Maybe you guys can give me advice on how to write out battle scenes? Or give me a tip or two? Anyway, I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far. I'm having a lot of fun writing it. Thanks for reading and stay awesome!