𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 [𝐣𝐢𝐦 𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐱 𝐨𝐜]

Chapter 3 | Tracking the Amulet

Liz Walker POV

The sun was setting, casting the sky in colored hues of orange, pink, and purple over Arcadia Oaks when Liz and Douxie arrived home from work. After greeting Douxie's shapeshifting familiar, Archie, Liz heads to her bedroom. Setting down her things, she found a folded piece of paper with Barbara's contact info and home address. While scanning it, Liz remembers that Jim still has the Amulet of Daylight. Looking outside her bedroom window at the darkening sky, she knew she had to act fast. Grabbing her keys and sliding the paper into her denim inner jacket pocket, Liz left the apartment.

When she arrived in the suburbs down the street from the Lake Residence, the sky was dark. Liz parked her motorbike to the side, turning off the engine. Removing her helmet, she shook her wavy hair and glanced around the area. Liz gets a weird deja vu, feeling as though she has been through this same street once before. She sees a white two-story house to the right end of the road across from another two-story house painted green with brown-framed windows. She felt a pull like she was tied to a string, leading her towards it for some reason. Liz got off her bike and walked forward, standing in front of the house. A classic rock-faced foundation carries thick, squared white columns supporting the front porch's roof, with two front windows peering from the second floor above. She feels like she knows this place. It feels...familiar and...comforting. But why can't she remember it?

Liz shakes off the feeling, reminding herself to think about the task at hand, turning back to face the Lake Residence. She heads toward the back of the house with a wooden fence separating the backyard from the forest beyond. Jumping over the fence like it was nothing, Liz looks and scours her surroundings for a way of entry into the house. Peering inside through the back kitchen window, Liz sees Jim on the couch talking on the phone, analyzing the Amulet. Then, the crash echoed through the house, causing Jim to turn around and Liz to duck and hide from being seen. After waiting in silence for a moment, she peeks through the window once more and sees the Amulet resting on the coffee table but no sign of Jim. Where did he go?

Just then, Liz hears a scream followed by more screams and loud voices. Looking inside to her right was the basement door wide open where the noises were coming from. Liz goes to the back door with no time to waste and incites a spell to open the door. "Causa crepitoose."

With a click, the door unlocked, and Liz entered the Lake Residence. Summoning her sword from her gauntlet bracelet, she began to walk down the stairs cautiously. However, she pauses her steps when she immediately recognizes the loud voices. Blinky and AAARRRGGHH!

Shaking her head, she waves away her sword and peers down to see Blinky speaking to Jim, who stands in front of AAARRRGGHH as if trapped. "And it is now your charge to protect them. For you, Master Jim, are the Trollhunter. This honor is yours to accept. So, what say you?"

Jim moans and faints to the ground. Both trolls look down at the unconscious boy in surprise. AAARRRGGHH questions, "Is that a yes?"

Liz goes down the steps and responds, gaining the trolls' attention. "I don't believe so."

The trolls look behind them and shout in surprise to see their Guardian there. "Lady Liza!"

Crossing her arms over her chest, Liz looks at them with scolding eyes. "What are you both doing here? You are not supposed to be in human territory."

"We are here for Master Jim. He has been chosen as our new Trollhunter."

Liz shakes her head in disbelief. "That's absurd, Blink. There has never been a human Trollhunter."

"Until now, Lady Liza. The Amulet has spoken and chosen its next champion. You must have heard it down in the canal." Liz frowned at this, remembering the voice of Kanjigar calling the boy's name but not remembering seeing Blinky. "You were there?"