I got up from the couch leisurely, stretching my arms overhead as the quiet lights of the TV buzzed behind me. The house was quiet. Not the awkward kind of quiet, But patient. Waiting for my next move.
Walking past the kitchen, I turned down the hall and opened the wood basement door.It creaked and A cool draft drifted up from the bottom.
I padded down the creaking stairs in near pitch-black. Couldn't see a giant made of light even if it were dancing down here. I reached up and yanked the pull cord.
Nothing here.
Figures.
The bulb flickered once, then steadied. I scanned the cluttered basement, half-finished projects, old cardboard boxes, some painting canvas that definitely hadn'tbeen touched ket alone open since the house was bought. I caught a glimpse of myself in the tall mirror leaning against the wall, dusty and cracked along the corner.
I paused.
Not out of vanity. Just… it was still weird. Seeing Jim's face staring back.I recognized it was me. But also not.
The light blinked out.
"…Really?"
I sighed and gave the cord another tug. The bulb flickered again and came back brighter than before, and that's when I noticed movement.
Something shifted behind the stack of boxes.
I slightly tensed. Not in fear, just on instinct. A shape stepped forward, unfolded it's enormous size. And then—
Six glowing eyes.
I relaxed almost immediately, a grin forming before I could stop it. "Well, well."
The creature popped fully into view, arms thrown up theatrically. "Greetings, young human! My sincerest apologies for the fright! It is I, Blinkous Galadrigal, scholar, researcher, advisor, and most importantly—assistant to the Trollhunter!"
From behind the boxes, a much larger figure ducked out. Hulking. Four eyes. Broad shoulders. He moved carefully, trying not to knock anything over.
"AAARRRGGHH!!!" he said, chest puffed with pride.
I couldn't help but chuckle at the terrible introduction. "Yeah. You two definitely nailed the entrance."
Blinky blinked—several times. "You're remarkably calm for a human seeing a troll."
I leaned against the wall. "Well, it's not every day two trolls pop up in your basement. But I've had weirder weeks."
The two of them exchanged glances.
"I'm Jim Lake," I said, offering a hand. "Guessing you're here about this"I said flashing the amulet out from my pocket.
Blinky gasped. "You've seen it? You have it?"
I pulled it from my pocket and held it up. "Been trying to figure out why it hasn't done anything yet."
Blinky reached forward but stopped himself, visibly restraining the urge to snatch it from my palm. "That, young man, is the Amulet of Daylight, forged centuries ago by the great Merlin himself. It chooses its bearer. The Trollhunter."
I nodded. "And you think I'm him."
AAARRRGGHH!!! leaned forward slightly, curious. "You… know this already?"
"Call it a hunch."
Blinky gestured animatedly as he launched into his explanation. "You see, the amulet awakens only for the one it deems worthy—brave of heart, strong in spirit, noble in intention. With it, comes a responsibility most profound: to defend the trolls of Trollmarket from the shadows that seek to destroy them."
AAARRRGGHH!!! looked at him. "Too many big words."
Blinky cleared his throat. "Uh. It's an Bigger job. Big danger."
"Oh. Okay."
I grinned. "So you want me to be this 'Trollhunter.'"
Blinky blinked. Literally. " not for you."
I nodded. "Because it activated when he touched it, right? The kid next to me."
Blinky seemed both relieved and confused. "Yes! Precisely! The amulet of Daylight responded not to your hand, but to your friend's, the one with the loud voice and slightly unfortunate coordination."
"Toby."
Blinky stood taller. "The amulet has already chose, if you don't feel it is yours to bear we could hand it to—"
I interrupted him. "I'll make sure it gets to the Trollhunter."
He froze. "I beg your pardon?"
"I'm not him," I said casually. "But I know who is. And tomorrow, he's busy. Dentist appointment."
AAARRRGGHH!!! nodded solemnly. "Dentist scary."
I shook my head at his antics. "I'll help him it get to him, since you guys cant go into the sun. That's a promise."
Blinky studied me for a long second before giving a deep, respectful bow. "Your clarity is appreciated, Jim Lake. And your willingness to aid the Trollhunter... commendable."
I stepped aside and gestured toward the stairs. "You might wanna get out of here before someone else walks in. Kinda hard to explain this many monsters in one room."
AAARRRGGHH!!! grunted happily and lumbered up the steps, careful not to crush the railing. Blinky followed, muttering something about ceiling clearance.
Once they were gone, I stood at the bottom of the steps for a while, arms folded.
This world didn't need two Trollhunters. But it could always use someone ready to help the one it had.
And Toby?
He was definitely gonna freak.
---
The Next Morning..
Sunlight streamed through the kitchen window, warm and golden. On the counter sat two paper lunch bags. One labeled "Toby." The other, "Mom."
I capped my water bottle and headed out to the garage.
The smell of oil, metal, and sweat hung in the air. My knees cracked as I crouched near my bike, wiping grease off my hands as I twisted the last bolt into place. The chain was tight, the tires were pumped, and the wiring—
The wiring was sketchy, but it worked.
A fully functional electric bike.Well… functional enough.
I'd scavenged parts all night, old power tools, a busted weed eater, random garage scraps. Zip ties, screws, and a metric ton of duct tape held the motor in place. It was janky, but it was mine. And it moved.
Not exactly the weapon I wanted to deal with threats but the only thing worthy of building with my limited supplies, but at least it was fast.
I could have made a tazer but what could that do against a troll?
There was a switch right on the center of the handlebars. Flip it one way, and the motor kicked in for pedal assist. Flip it again, and it switched to full electric. No pedals, just speed.
I clicked the garage door remote and sunlight spilled into the driveway. The breeze hit my face as I pushed off.
It was a smooth ride. Better than I expected.
The movement felt great. Like something I'd built myself. No magic, Just old school trial and error.
Then my phone buzzed.
I coasted to a stop and pulled it out.
It read out Toby Calling.
I answered. "Yo—"
"DUDE!" His voice cracked. "Get to the dentist NOW."
"Whoa, slow down. What's going on?"
"I can't explain. Just get here. Seriously. Now."
Click.
The call ended.
I stared at the screen for a second before flipping the bike's switch to full-electric. The motor whined to life.
Whatever was happening, it wasn't normal. And Toby wouldn't freak out like that unless it was serious.
I pushed forward and took off.