Midnight

5 - Jim Lake Gets All of the Beatings

Jim was on his first day of training as a Trollhunter. He could still feel the feeling of Blake's little sister, Ash's punch. He squirmed a little but he shook off the feeling.

He stood in the middle of the Hero's Forge or his training area while Blinky was observing his stance. Blinky instructed how to properly wield his sword and his proper stance when battling a bad troll known as Gummgumms.

On the side, watching Jim train, was Toby and Arrrgh. Arrrgh was eating from a bag that Toby gave him. It has a couple of VHS tapes and some hairballs.

"The Trollhunter lives and dies by three rules," Jim startles from that word, "dies". It made him feel slightly worried.

"Rule number one: always be afraid," Blinky states. Arrrgh repeats what Blinky had pointed out, Jim shrugs and smiles, he was feeling confident but once he faced towards Blinky he noticed a rock flying at him. He gasps and ducks quickly. Arrrgh catches it and then eats it.

"See? Fear is good. Keeps us alert. Keeps us on guard. Makes us vigilant," Blinky says as he prepares to throw another rock. Jim dodges that one and Blinky continue to teach Jim about the rules about being a Trollhunter. Jim seemed ready and understanding of the first rule.

"Two: always finish the fight," Blinky states as he started to throw one rock at a time, it was like he had a giant pile of rocks behind his back and throwing each one from his four arms and Jim dodged and reflected each and everyone that was thrown at him.

"Always finish the fight?" Jim questions. A rock was suddenly thrown at him from behind where Arrrgh and Toby was.

"Kill!" Arrrgh exclaims from the side, Toby points at him.

"Indeed. The Trollhunter must always vanquish his opponent through death," Toby thought it was harsh of that. The world of Trolls was, unfortunately, an unforgiving one.

"Hence, the third rule: when in doubt, always kick them in the gronk-nuks," Blinky finishes. Jim questions it and as he did, Blinky stomps his foot two times and a large blade came from the ground heading toward Jim. He was slightly close but it went to an area where all guys and girls don't want to be kicked.

Except Jim has already felt that kind of pain from Blake's little sister. Jim was a little confused that one-third of the rules to being a Trollhunter was kicking someone in the crown jewels.

Suddenly, a large blue Troll came into the Hero's Forge. It was Draal. Jim had an awful time with him when they first met in Trollmarket. To be reminded, Draal tried to rip the amulet away from Jim but they both went flying and was Kanjigar's son - the rightful heir of the amulet.

"I thought the great Trollhunter might accept my services as a sparring partner. Part of your training regiment, isn't it?" Draal says the last part of his sentence with a deep and threatening voice at Blinky.

"In due time," Blinky says and tried to continue Jim's training.

"Why wait?" Vendal's voice echoed from the walls. All of them looked up and saw Vendal leaning over the balcony in the wall, he wanted to see how the Trollhunter can wield his mettle.

"Actually, the sword's more made of, like, daylight," Jim cuts in, getting that one word one of its meaning.

"He means your ability to cope in the face of adversity," Blinky explains.

"Oh. Yeah, I'm still working on the whole "mettle" part, plus, you know SAT words," Jim says. He was still getting used to the whole Trollhunter thing and the formality they use with ancient words.

Vendal declared them to spar. Draal, however, was unusually happy about them sparring - known as fighting each other like test one's ability to the adversity.