New tails of Arcadia

Five: wherefore art thow

Jim was looking at the underground city, full of his kind as well as the giant orange crystal behind it all

Now Jim knew why they wanted Jim to protect this world of theirs, nobody would want to lose this

"This is your home?" Jim asked in amazement as they continued to walk down the stairs to enter troll market

"Troll market is home and hearth and sanctuary for all good trolls" blinky explained "this way master Jim, there is much to see, but I acknowledge that you keep your hybrid nature a secret"

"Why?" Jim asked

"Well you know how trolls do not allow humans into their domicile, well imagine what would happen if they found out that you are half human!" Blinky answered

Blinky made a good point Jim thought to himself, if anyone in troll market found out of if Jim involuntary told anyone there, Jim didn't even want to imagine what would happen

"That reminds me, this is for you master Jim" blinky said as he gave Jim his own version of the orange crystal "you can use this to travel between here and your own home as you have just seen"

"Thank blink" Jim said as he took it out of blinkys hands and into his own pocket

As Jim, blinky, and argh entered troll market, Jim took in the wonderful sight of it all

The strange looking building, the crystals everywhere, even the other trolls, of all different shapes, sizes and even colors were astonishing

In the surface Jim never was able to walk the streets of Arcadia, especially during the day

But here Jim felt like he was a normal person for once in his life, although he was scrawnier and smaller than the other trolls around him it did make him feel a little embarrassed but it didn't bother him that much

"Stay close" blinky instructed "you have never been here before, so it might get easier for you to get lost"

"This is crazy!" Jim whispered to himself, before asking blinky something important "so blinky, our kind lives down here?"

"Trolls travel from afar to our market to find comfort and remedies" blinky answered "You'll find most anything you need and sometimes you'll find what you never knew you needed"

Jim then stopped when he saw a strange looking, gnome looking creature from under his feet, looking pretty cute even

"Oh, hey little guy, that's a cute pointy hat" Jim said to the creature as he needed down to get a better look, only for it to show its razor shape teeth in a threatening manner "and pointy teeth!"

"Look out!" Blinky exclaimed as he was the gnome attack Jim, stomping it away "be gone, vile vermin!"

"What is that?" Jim asked as the creature was finally gone

"Gnomes are vermin" blinky answered "pickpockets, scum of the earth, we only tolerate them for their grooming services"

"Grooming?" Jim asked

"They eat the parasites and on the larger trolls" blinky answered

They all soon made it to the looking point of the giant crystal behind the giant pit of troll market

When Jim walked towards it, he felt a great sense of energy flowing from the crystal and into his body like nothing he had ever felt before, it was amazing

"What is that?" Jim asked in astonishment "and what's this feeling I'm getting from just being around it?"

"Heart stone" argh answered