Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia

19: Airheads

Claire swung her staff around the forge. "Why won't the shadow staff make a portal?" she asked. Draal walked over to her. "Slow down, young one," he said. "You must learn to empower the staff itself. Focus. Imbue it with your will."

Toby was punching Aaarrrgghh's hands like a punching bag. "I don't get it," he said. "Claire just joined the team and she gets to handle the super sweet, megamatic portal stuff? I've been by Jim's side since day one and what do I get?"

"Got me, wingman," Aaarrrgghh smiled.

"Aw, buddy!" He said.

Claire was back to swinging her staff around. "The shadow staff is a weapon of great—"

Claire almost hit Draal with her staff.

"Power."

Toby swung a broom around and accidentally hit Aaarrrgghh in the face. Claire continued swinging her staff around. "Why won't this thing work?"

She swung it around more and a small portal opened near her. "She did it!" Aaarrrgghh said.

"No way!" Toby said. "How did she do that?"

"I made a portal!" Claire smiled. The portal disappeared and she looked at Draal. "Did you see that? I made a portal!"

"Yeah," Toby said. "If we need to teleport an olive or a baby mouse."

"What did you just say?"

"I said you have an awesome staff and you totally deserve it!" He then mumbled. "Even though you lost the Killstone."

"Excuse me, Mr. God King, you were the one in charge of getting the stone and blew it!"

"Should we stop them?" Aaarrrgghh asked Draal.

"Nah," he said. "It's the forge. Let them spar."

They started fighting with the broom and staff. "If Jim were here—" Claire said.

"But he's not here. Do you know where he is? Jim's getting chewed out right now by ghosts because of your butterfingers!"

***

Jim stood in the void with the blue balls of light around him. "We'll get it back."

"You said your friends would make you stronger!"

"It's one setback!"

"Setback?"

"Angor Rot will carve him to pieces!"

"Is he stupid?"

"Worse. Naïve."

"They are right," Kanjigar said. "You are too focused on your fight tomorrow, not the fight today."

"He's killed Trollhunters before. That means some of you can help me."

"When Angor kills his prey..."

"And he always does..."

"Their soul is devoured."

"It is true," Kanjigar said. "Those defeated by his hand are gone forever. We were once concerned your devotion would get your team killed. We now fear it is your team that will get you killed."

Jim appeared in the forge again and saw Claire and Toby fighting. "And who are you calling newbie?" Claire asked.

"I've been eaten by a troll," Toby said. "What have you done?"

"I've been keeping your butt alive!"

"Oh yeah? Well, I've been there for Jim since the beginning."