Moonlit Horns (Trollhunters fanfic)

Chapter 26, Answers

Jim stormed through the forest, trying to get his thoughts together. He had left Bular and Sereya only a few minutes ago, but neither had followed him so far. Of course, he didn't expect them to. He made his way to the canal, sliding down and walking under the bridge, where he stared at the wall. He put his hand on the cold stone and watched as blue light suddenly appeared from cracks that split across the wall.

Startled, he backed up a few steps, looking at his hand. A troll walked out from the other side, halting after seeing him. Jim looked at the troll, eyes remaining stern. "Jim..? Why are you here?" The troll asked hesitantly as the wall closed up behind him. Jim just scoffed. "So I knew you too, then? Whatever. Just let me in there. I need to talk to some acquaintances."

"Right, I heard from Draal that you had lost your memories. I guess I did not want to believe it." The troll said with a sigh, turning around and using the horngazel again. Jim watched, arms crossed. "So, are you going to tell me your name?" 

"Kanjigar."

Jim felt nothing at hearing the troll's name. "Interesting, nothing comes up at hearing that name. You must have not been very important." The half-troll said coldly, walking past Kanjigar and entering Trollmarket. "Thanks, by the way." He said, motioning at the door. The troll just nodded before looking away as the wall closed back up.

Jim took his time going down the crystal staircase, feeling one of the large scars on his face. His eyes locked on the Heartstone as soon as it was in view, but he tore his gaze away as a familiar troll approached. 

Draal wore a surprised expression as if he had not expected to ever see Jim again. Surprise turned to concern after he noticed the half-troll's eyes. "By Deya, what happened to your eyes?"

Jim tilted his head, as he himself hadn't seen how his eyes had changed. "What are you talking about?" Jim asked, taking a step back as Draal got closer. The blue troll halted, frowning. "They are black as night." Jim blinked a few times, but seeing as whatever was happening did not appear to be hindering his vision, he would not give them any thought.

"Fine. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you and the others about my memories. I got my brother's side of my story, and now I want the rest of it." Draal gulped, his hand suddenly grasping his shoulder, where his other arm had once been. Before, Jim didn't seem too curious about it, so nothing was ever said about the missing appendage.

Draal nodded, making a note to change the part about how he was the sole cause of Jim's memory loss. "Of course, let's go." He said with a smile, letting his arm fall back to his side as he turned and began walking. Jim followed a few steps behind, which gave the blue troll no amount of comfort.

Though Draal had tried to make small talk, it was obvious that Jim was not interested in the slightest, nor did he seem as happy as the last time they had met. Once they came upon Blinky's cave, Draal announced their presence as the four-armed troll was occupied digging through his books again.

Blinky looked up and grinned. "Master Jim, you have returned! Shall I prepare another writing or reading lesson?" He asked gleefully, walking around the table. He paused, glancing at Draal and suddenly motioning to his eyes. Jim scowled. Everyone was so transfixed by his eyes. He kicked a pile of books to the floor, startling both trolls.

"Stop pointing out my eyes! It is becoming annoying." He roared. Blinky nodded quickly, clearly terrified by Jim's outburst. Draal recovered moments after and had every intention to scold the half-troll, but for some reason found himself speechless.

Jim felt bad for his outburst a few seconds later, sighing and kneeling down to pick up the books, only to have a memory flash before him of the same situation. He heard his brother's voice. 

"What are you doing?" 

Jim stopped himself from picking up the books. That's right, it wasn't his job. He was a Gumm-Gumm, after all. Draal finally cleared his throat. "How about we go get some glug, eh? I know you liked it before, and besides, Arrrg is probably already over there anyway." 

Blinky frowned and shook his head, approaching and picking up the books. Jim shrugged, arms crossed. The two left blinky to clean up Jim's mess and headed for the bar. Sure enough, Arrrg was there, having a brawl with two trolls. Jim watched the scene with curiosity but had a rising suspicion as Draal tried to usher him over to the large tub of green liquid.

The spikey troll got himself and Jim a mug, eagerly handing the half-troll one. Jim didn't drink. He just looked at Draal, waiting. "Are you not going to drink?" The larger troll asked, tightening his grip on his own mug. 

"Depends. Is it going to make me stupid like them?"

Jim jabbed a thumb behind him, where the brawl was taking place. Draal tried to look for convincing words but found none. "If you drink too much, I suppose..." He muttered in defeat. Upon hearing Draal's words, Jim handed his mug back over to the nervous troll. 

"I'm here for answers, not fun."

Draal watched the smaller troll turn and leave, but couldn't find the courage to go after him. He had really hoped the glug would make Jim forget the reason he returned, even just for a few hours. Draal wanted more time to tailor his side of the story to put himself in a good light in the half-troll's eyes.

Surly Bular would have told Jim the truth on his side, so if he could just make his side better... Draal began to scheme when something crossed his mind. He hadn't seen the Amulet with Jim. The troll downed the two mugs, slamming them on the ground, and walked out of the bar looking around Trollmarket for Jim.

Jim made his way up to the Heartstone. Vendel noticed him, and after what had happened before--even with the Heartstone mostly restored-- could not feel at ease anymore, expecting betrayal at any point. "Jim? What brings you up here?" The old troll asked slowly. 

Jim had not seen much of Vendel last time, and so tilted his head. "And you are..?" 

Vendel huffed in astonishment but calmed himself. "I am Vendel. I knew you since you were a whelping. I witnessed your betrayal. And now you stand here like you have done nothing wrong." The old troll responded rather harshly. Jim grinned and approached further. 

"Finally, someone willing to talk about my past. Keep going, tell me everything."

Vendel frowned but nodded. "So Draal was right about you losing your memories then. I'm sure I'll still leave you with some gaps, as I was not glued to your hip, but I know most of your story."

Jim nodded, ears perked and attentive. Vendel explained Kanjigar's discovery and Jim's adoption, then his abduction by Bular. From there he started off when Jim finally returned years later, all the way up to the day of his betrayal.

Jim crossed his arms as Vendel finished his recount. By now Jim had realized that word of mouth only scratched the surface. Nothing anyone else said would come close to how he would have felt during those times.

Yet he couldn't remember his feelings. "Thanks. I'll get out of your fur now." Jim said curtly, turning and leaving the Heartstone. as he trudged down the steps, the troll from before stopped at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at him. "So, Kanjigar. Am I still a son to you?"

The troll flinched at Jim's sudden question. Jim waited for a response but never got one. Kanjigar just passed him on the stairs, saying nothing. Jim scoffed and continued on his way. A part of him wanted to apologize, but that part was suddenly snuffed out by the half-troll's sense of Gumm-Gumm superiority.

After all, There was no doubt about being the son of Gunmar and Sereya. Kanjigar had never adopted him, he had stolen him. Not once, but twice. Brought him to Trollmarket against his will, as Vendel made it sound, despite trying to mask it by saying that Kanjgar had no idea he was a Gumm-Gumm.

Most of the gaps had been filled, now all he needed was Draal and the others to tie up the ends. even if no memories came back from it, he would know exactly who he was, and where he should go from there.

Jim paused for a moment, looking at his hands. He knew they were clean, yet he saw blood on them.