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Nomura followed the two trolls further into Trollmarket, her helmet vanishing but armor remaining as she still felt on edge. It certainly was a site to behold, the colors and soft glow of the Heartstone. This was something no changeling could ever dream of seeing. Blinky was talking, pointing to different parts of Trollmarket but she could barely hear.
Looking up at the large Heartstone, she could almost feel it's effects. She was certain that had she been in her troll form she'd feel it fully, but as it were she already felt better than ever, after her race from Bular. Her lungs no longer burned, and she felt better than she had in centuries. She couldn't help but feel at ease here.
As they passed through the streets of Trollmarket, she heard mutterings of 'fleshbag' and disgust in some trolls voices. More used to appall though, considering she was still in the armor. She wondered if a certain troll was around and had heard the news. She chuckled internally. Well he was certain to find out soon.
"And this is the Hero's Forge." Blinky said as they entered a large colloseum type room. "Where trollhunters of past and present have trained."
She looked around the room. It seemed almost unimpressive, it's orange walls blank save for some gravings. Standing on pillars around the room she noted that there were statues of every trollhunter of the past. Both famous, and... infamous she noted recognizing some of the trolls.
"Blinkous Galadrigal." An elderly voice rang out. The three in the room turned to see a goat like troll approach, with a long staff made of Heartstone."What's this I hear about you bringing a human into Trollmarket?"
Nomura knew who this troll was, but never had seen him.
"Ah, Vendel, yes." Blinky walked over to Nomura, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Not just any human, but our trollhunter!"
Vendel walked over to her, looking over her still armored form with milky white eyes.
"The trollhunter is a human? How intriguing. I am Vendel, son of Rundle, son of Kilfred."
Nomura cleared her throat and gave as pleasant a smile she could muster.
"I am Zelda Nomura, daughter of.... No one." Her voice trailed off.
"'No-one'? I don't think I've ever heard that kind of name for a human before." Vendel stroked his beard.
Nomura cursed herself. It had never occurred for her to think of fake names for parents. And she was already not in the mind set to think of something on the spot.
"No. What I mean is... My father died in a War so I never knew him, and my mother... She wanted nothing to do with me. So in a way, I am daughter to no one."
"Oh dear." Blinky muttered.
A look of sympathy passed over Vendel's face. "My condolences, Zelda Nomura."
She shook her head hoping to never have to speak on this subject ever again.
"It's alright. And please, you can just call me Nomura. I don't really like being called by my first name." She mustered a smile at the old goat. He gave her a slight nod.
"It is curious how the amulet would choose a human of all things. Then again it has made ill-fated choices in the past, as you know better than most Blinkous."
Nomura looked over at the four armed troll who tensed at his words.
"What does he mean by that?" Nomura wondered aloud.
"Blinky trained trollhunter before." The larger green troll grumbled, pointing to a statue of one of the previous hunters, one that looked fearful in death. "Unkar the unfortunate."
She recognized the name, a laughing stock of a trollhunter among Gumm-gumm and the Janus order alike.
"What happened?"
"Torn. Limb from limb." ARRRGGH made a ripping motion with his hands.
"Ah." That's a bit disconcerting.
"We shall see how she measures up as a trollhunter." Vendel said, approaching the center of the room.
"But she's only just transformed tonight!" Blinky said, concern in his voice.
Vendel frowned, clearing his throat, and pointed to an indented marking on the ground. Curious, Nomura approached it. Obviously he expected her to stand on the marking, which she did. Her armor and amulet flashing and from the center rose a totem of sorts.
"This is the soothescryer." He said, gesturing at the mechanized totem; gears seemed to be moving within it's mouth.
"What do I do?" She asked, curious.
"Place your right arm into it's mouth. It will measure your merit as a trollhunter."
Oh. Uh oh. Would it reveal her secret?
"Will I get my arm back?" She was unable to hide a small level of concern from her voice.
"That is part of the test." The old goat seemed to smile menacingly at the prospect of her losing her arm and failing this test. Well, if her secret would be revealed, might as well be now.
She approached the soothescryer and stuck her armored arm in it's mouth, which promptly clamped down; startling her. She tugged are her now trapped appendage and she seemed to like all feeling from below the elbow. Did it really just amputate that part? Was it able to?
As these questions all reeled through her mind, as she tugged fruitlessly at her arm, it released her. It happened. Just as suddenly as it clamped down, and she stumbled backwards off balance. Rather than falling over though, ARRRGGH caught her, giving a warm smile. She returned it in thanks.
"Well?" Blinky asked curious as anyin the room.
"Hmm. Inconclusive." Vendel muttered.
"What does that mean?" Nomura asked, wiggling her fingers to bring the feeling back into them.
"It means more time is needed to determine what kind of Trollhunter you are."
Before she could respond, a shout came from just outside the forge.
"Where is this fleshbag that stole my birthright?" The fury in the voice was unmistakable.
Nomura could barely contain the grin that wanted to grow on her face as a familiar hulking blue troll stormed into the room.
"Ah, Draal. Meet the next trollhunter." Blinky said with a nervous smile, gesturing to Nomura."
The fury from the younger troll was palpable.
"Bushigal!" Draal spat through grit teeth.
Oh. This was going to be fun.