Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Jim did not awake with a start. It was more like slowly rising through murky water. Muffled sounds from somewhere above him drew him up, but he was in no rush. He did not know where he was, or why he was there, or where he’d been before. He knew he was tired, so tired. So he allowed himself to continue to float up, gently lifted by the sound.

He opened his eyes to find they were covered by something. An alarm beeped insistently from somewhere to his left. Where was he? He reached up and pulled the something off his face. The room he was in was dimly lit by an early morning light. He looked at the something in his hand. It was a magazine. The beeping continued, unabated. He blinked to clear his eyes. It was the old Vespa magazine he used to read when he was…

He bolted upright, eyes wide. He was in his old room. His old room, in his old house. He did it. “It worked! It worked!!” He was back! The alarm clock soldiered on with its noisy mission. Old muscle memory kicked in and he brought his hand down to silence it. He swung his legs off the side of the bed and took it all in for a moment. His room. He took a deep breath, it smelled like home.

Jim gazed out the half closed curtains over to Toby’s still darkened house. Toby! Toby was here! Toby was alive! He jumped up so fast he almost fell over. He was about to run outside to greet his best friend, but the now silent alarm clock reminded him that it was only 6:04am. Toby wouldn’t be here for almost two hours to bike to school. Jim’s insides squirmed with impatience.

What if something had went wrong? What if Toby was still… He squeezed his eyes shut, he couldn’t even think about it. His heart raced. “He’s alive. He’s alive. He’s alive.” he repeated. His heart wouldn’t listen. “It worked. I’m back. He’s here. He’s safe. He’s alive. It’s all going to be fine. I’m going to make it all fine now.” He stated definitively and his heart slowed.

The two hours crawled by at a glacial pace. Every other minute Jim had to fight the impulse to run across the street and break down Toby’s door to find him. He knew he couldn’t. For everyone else this was just another day, only the Trollhunter would be burdened with knowledge of the future. So instead, he decided to cook something, at least he could fill the time. He made lunch for himself, his mom, and Toby from what he could find in the fridge. Then he checked on his mom, fast asleep still in her scrubs, leaving breakfast by her bed. Then he cleaned, then, out of ideas, he just stared at Toby’s house for while.

For the life of him, he could not even remotely remember what homework he might have. It didn’t matter, a bad grade paled in comparison to everything he’d been through. It paled in comparison to seeing Toby.

7:59am. His heart racing again, Jim grabbed his pack and headed to the garage. Standing next to his old bike, he took a deep breath. This was it. He felt like he was going to explode. He hit the button and the garage door groaned open to reveal a tipped over trash can, garbage strew across the driveway.

“Ug, goblins.” Jim lamented. Toby wasn’t there. Wasn’t he supposed be here by now? “C’mon Tobes.”

He walked over and started to pick up the trash, his mom shouldn’t have to clean this up.

“We’re late for school Jimbo!”

“TOBY!!!!!!!” Jim shot up and tackled his friend with all the speed and agility imparted by years of combat training. Toby, unprepared for the onslaught of joy, tumbled to the ground beneath Jim. “Ahhh! Jim! Hey!”

“Toby! Toby!” Jim cried.

Toby pushed him off. “You seem really happy to see me!” Toby grinned. “Are you doing okay Jim?” he asked, suddenly concerned at the intensity of the greeting.

Jim lay on the ground next to his best friend and smiled. “It sure feels good to be back.”

Toby looked over at him quizzically. “Um, okay… Does this mean you didn’t make me meatloaf for lunch then?”

———————

The entire ride to school Jim felt like he was floating on a cloud. He was back. Toby was alive. It was a brand new, fresh start. He felt exhilarated.

Despite being late, he did not suggest they take the shortcut through the canal. He wasn’t ready to deal with the amulet. Not yet. He just needed a nice, normal, boring school day with his best friend. A day without magic, and trolls, and wizards, and responsibility. It would all be there waiting for him later, when he was ready.

Arcadia Oaks High was also waiting for them, and not buried under a walking volcano. School was so wonderfully uneventful. Although, it took everything he had to not hug Strickler repeatedly during history class. Or to not take Claire’s hand and give her a kiss. It was harder than he thought it would be, having these people he loved, people who loved him, see him as a stranger. That would change soon enough, he assured himself.

And soon enough would start in gym, where, at that moment, Toby was failing spectacularly at rope climbing. “C’mon Tobes! You can do it!” Maybe he could moral support Toby up the rope? He sighed, the coach was headed over, this was not going well.

But behind the coach was something the would go well. Claire sat on the bleachers with her friends. “Don’t give up on me. Don’t stop trying until I love you.” Her voice rang in his head. This was his moment.

He walked over. “So, ah, the school play? I hear they’re looking for people.”

Claire stood up and looked at him, and his heart skipped three or four beats at least. She handed him a flyer and smiled. “Have at it Romeo.”

Soon enough Juliet, he thought.

———————

“Good news dude! My orthodontist says I’m almost done with my braces. Only four more years!”

Jim and Toby were walking their bikes through the school courtyard. A locker door slammed. Steve was forcing poor Eli into one of the small lockers, two of his goons egged him on.

Toby cringed and attempted to make himself invisible. “I’m going to head home before Steve finds something big enough to shove me in.” Jim saw the fear in his eyes. An ugly image of Toby lying under half a mountain of debris came unbidden in Jim’s head. He pushed it away.

Jim looked back at Steve, he remembered this. He’d saved Eli before, and maybe with everything he knew now he could do it without incurring Steve’s wrath and a big fight. He propped up his bike and walked over.

“Jim? Ah, Jim, Jimbo??” Toby was horrified. “What are you doing?!”

Jim turned and waved Toby off and continued over to Steve. “It’s okay, Tobes, I’ll just be a sec.”

“Tell me again, dweebface, tell me about the creatures and, maybe, I’ll let you out.”

“Or you could let him out right now?” Jim suggested.

Steve looked up to see Jim and sneered “I guess we have a volunteer for the locker next to him, huh?”

“Oh, hi Jim!” came a way too chipper voice from inside the locker.

“Um, I’d rather not.” Jim replied. He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to figure out how to do it better this time. Probably should’ve done that before he engaged the Hulk here. “I just wanted to tell you, you don’t have to do this.”

“Shut up buttmunch. I do what I want.”

“I know.” Jim held up his hands in the universal sign that he did not want trouble. “I just mean, that, you’re, you’re like a hero around here, you know.”

Steve wasn’t buying it. He snorted and slammed his fist against the locker door.

“You’re like,” Jim searched his brain for a heroic figure, then he remembered the perfect example, “like, Lancelot.” 

“Huh?” Steve had no clue.

“One of King Arthur’s knights.” Jim prompted.

Steve frowned.

Jim tried to remember how to talk to Steve. “Like a knight that kills dragons and stuff.”

A small, 15 watt lightbulb, blinked on over Steve’s head. “Oh! Yeah, I am.” he boasted.

The potential for a fight had attracted the inevitable crowd. Toby stood behind Jim. Jim could hear his breathing accelerated by fear, but yet, he still stood by Jim. Love ya Tobes.

Jim continued “A knight, well, he makes his enemies fear him, but he inspires his people with his good deeds,” Steve looked skeptical, “and his good looks.” Steve nodded, “Yeah, that’s right.” 

“We’re your people Steve, not your enemies.”

The gathered crowd was silent, except for some kid in the back, “Punch him!” — Jim wasn’t sure if that instruction was for him or Steve.

“I mean, we already look up to you Steve, you don’t have to make us afraid to do that.” Jim finished and tried to give Steve his best affirming look.

“I really do look up to you.” A muffled voice from within the locker added.

Steve just stood and stared at him, frozen in, what may have been, thought. Jim couldn’t tell if he was about to get handshake or a punch in the face. He seriously considered the possibility that he may have broken Steve. How long do they just stand here?

“Whatever.” Steve declared abruptly. He shrugged, and hit the locker again. This time the door swung open, and its contents, namely Eli, spilled out.

“Yeah, Steve! All right!” Toby cheered and clapped. There was small burst of applause from the assembled classmates.

Steve looked up, shrugged again, and with a nod to his friends, and a weird look to Jim, walked away.

“Gosh, thanks Jim!” Eli gushed as Jim extended a hand to help him up.

“No problem. You okay?”

Eli nodded rapidly. “Oh I’m fine. A lifetime of being stuffed into lockers has made me remarkably flexible.”

“Oh, ah… good?” Jim wasn’t sure there was a right way to respond to that statement.

Toby picked Eli’s books off the floor and handed them to him. “There ya go buddy!” he said and patted the small boy on the back. Eli smiled.

“Oh. My. God. Jim. That. Was. A. Maze. ING!” Toby effused as they walked back to their bikes.

Jim grinned. “Yeah, that worked out pretty well.”

“Well?!” Toby rolled his eyes. “Oh Mr. Cool here. Yeah, just stood up to the school bully, in front of everyone, and got him to completely back down without a fight — no big.” Toby slugged Jim’s shoulder, teasing him. Jim laughed.

“But seriously,” Toby went on, “seriously Jimbo, I mean, I thought you were gonna die when you walked over there. Steve would’ve punched me so hard, Id’ve needed braces until I was forty!”

Jim looked over at his friend as they continued to walk. Toby was right, that went better than just ‘well’, it went fantastically. The first time, Steve almost punched his lights out, only to fight him later, and continue to antagonize him for a long time to come. Heck, maybe his little speech to Steve sent him on the path to reform far sooner than he’d gone before.

Jim stopped in his tracks. This. This little thing with Steve, it proves that he can change everything, stop it before it ever happens. No Gunmar, no Morgana, no Arcane Order, nobody dies. This was going to work! Hell, with everything he knew, he didn’t even need the amulet.

“Jimbo?” Toby called back to him. “You good? Steve didn’t punch you when I wasn’t looking right? Hah!”

Didn’t need the amulet… Jim looked up at Toby. No. No. It was crazy thought. But… what if? What if he let Toby find the amulet? The amulet had powerful protective magic that had kept him from dying so many times he lost count. It could protect Toby too. Of course, being the Trollhunter pretty much was the opposite of being safe. But despite all the dangers he’s faced while wielding the amulet, he’d still made it to the end. And besides, Toby would have two things Jim never had: Another seasoned Trollhunter in Jim to take all the hard stuff, and someone who knew the future and could eliminate the dangers before they ever happened!

Jim stared at Toby, hope flooded through him. Toby wasn’t going to have to worry about Steve or Gunmar or Bellroc or ANYONE hurting him ever again. He’d made his decision.

“Hey Tobes?”

“Yeah?”

“Take the canal. Maybe you’ll stumble upon something… interesting.” Jim smiled.

“Yeah right Jim,” Toby laughed. “Nothing interesting ever happens in Arcadia. Good luck with Strickler dude, he’s a lot worse than Steve!”

Jim watched Toby walk his bike out of the courtyard and away from school. “Good luck with the amulet.” he whispered. This was going to work. And now, he’d get Strickler on board, and his mom the love she deserved. Then, Claire. This was, without a doubt, the best day of his entire, very eventful, life.

Chapter Text

“Come in.” A genial voice beckoned in response to his knock. Jim opened the door to see Walter Strickler sitting at his desk in the familiar office.

“Ah! Jim! Please come sit down.” His teacher smiled broadly and gestured to a stool by his desk. It was easy, in the moment, to forget that none of this was genuine. He probably wasn’t really happy to see Jim. Frankly, Jim was most likely keeping him from his real work of bringing about the end of the world.

For a moment, the enormity of Jim’s task overwhelmed him. Standing here, in front of this man he would one day call family, it seemed like crazy luck that he’d been able to get his teacher on his side. He remembered how much they’d truly hated each other at the beginning, he remembered how often he’d thought of ending the man’s life.

Strickler’s smile didn’t falter. “Please…” he gestured at the stool again as Jim warily made his way across the room. He dragged the stool in front of his teacher’s large desk and noticed how comically low it was set. Of course it was. At this point Strickler viewed all humans as inferior, and he would want them to feel that way too. He gave it a few spins to raise it and sat down.

“So, what was it that you needed to talk to me about?”

I need to talk to you about dating my mom so you’ll fall in love, turn on Gunmar, and stop trying to take over the world, Jim thought. Now that would be a fascinating conversation. Keep it simple Jim. Baby steps…

“I was wondering if you might like to come over for dinner and meet my mom?” Jim’s voice cracked with uncertainty, God, he sounded like he was seven.

One of Strickler’s eyebrows shot up, and he chuckled in that way adults do when they think they know more than you. “Well,” he cleared his throat, “that is a very flattering invitation Jim. Thank you.”

Jim sensed a ‘but’ coming.

“Does your mother know you’re making this request on her behalf?”

“Well, no…” he grappled with how to salvage this. Why did Strickler come over the first time? Oh, yeah, because he found out Jim was the Trollhunter. Jim took a moment to be grateful he didn’t have the amulet on him for Strickler to find.

Strickler looked sympathetic. “Your concern for your mother is admirable Jim, but,” Yep, Jim thought, there she be. “It would be inappropriate for me to accept such an invitation from a student.”

Crap, this was going badly. Thinking about it, of course this Strickler wasn’t going to waste time going on blind dates. He wasn’t looking for love, he was looking for world domination. C’mon Jim… THINK!

Wait! Strickler may have come to Jim’s house to spy on the Trollhunter, but he’d told his mom that it was because he was concerned about Jim’s schoolwork. Okay! He could work with that.

“Oh no, I, ah, didn’t mean that Mr. Strickler.” He tried to seem embarrassed, which wasn’t particularly difficult. “My mom, she’s just been concerned about my workload. She’s been wanting to talk to my teachers, ah, you, about it. She knows you’re my favorite teacher, so I thought I’d just ask you.”

The flattery appeared to have a positive affect as Strickler laughed gently. “Ah, well, that is a different matter entirely.” His teacher regarded him for a moment. “I believe I am overdue for a conversation with her. Tell her I’ll be reaching out to set up a meeting.”

Jim stuffed the hoot of joy that threatened to escape his throat back down into his chest. “That’s great!! Really awesome!” Oh geez, he sounded waaay too excited about a parent-teacher meeting. “I mean, ah, great. I just… I hate for her to worry about me.” Jim stood, he should probably leave while he was ahead.

Strickler smiled again. “As I said before, your concern for your mother is quite admirable. And might I add, you’ve seemed in rather good mood today. Is everything going well?”

From the office window, Jim could see Claire walking with her friends across the school’s soccer field. He grinned and answered honestly, “Yeah, things are going really well.”

———————

Jim stared at Toby’s house. The light in Toby’s room went on over an hour ago, and… nothing. No excited phone call telling him about the cool thing he found in the canal. No panicked phone call with him screaming incoherently about trolls. Nothing. Zero. Nada.

Jim exhaled hard and switched to staring at his phone. And when that produced no results, he switched to beating himself up.

Crud. Toby probably didn’t even go through the canal. What had he been thinking? Yeah, sure, future Toby never hesitated to jump headlong into danger swinging his ridiculously oversized war hammer, but 2016 Toby? 2016 Toby hated it when Jim made him take the shortcut through the canal, he was absolutely terrified of the long, steep drop to the bottom.

Jim put his forehead down on the desk. Stupid, stupid move. And now, was the amulet just sitting there, waiting? Fear shot through him. What if it had chosen someone else? What if Blinky and Aaarrrgghh were in someone else’s basement right now terrifying them with the news that they were the Trollhunter? How could Jim even help then? It would be like in his vision from Merlin. Gunmar loose, everyone slain… Stop catastrophizing. Nothing, literally nothing, has happened yet.

“I AM GUN ROBOT… PICK UP YOUR PHONE…“

He grabbed for his ringing phone, knocking it onto the floor, then slammed his head into the desk going after it. He sat on the floor, cradling his head, and tried to be nonchalant as he answered. “Oh, hey Tobes, what’s up?”

“Not much. Just doing some homework.” Toby responded. “Hey, you okay? You sound weird.”

Jim forced himself to sound calm and not anxious and confused. “I just bumped my head getting the phone.”

“Ouch. Try not to overexert yourself next time.” Toby teased.

“Um, yeah. Hah, I’ll try.” Jim couldn’t think of a subtle way to ask, his rising anxiety clouding his brain. So he just went for it. “So, um, did you take the canal home?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I did. I don’t know why though, I nearly died on that hill Jim. Died. Dead.”

And, Toby? And you found… C’mon Tobes…

“Oh! You lucked out though, I was gonna give you grief for sending me into that death trap, but I did find something interesting.”

Jim’s heart leapt.

“I thought I heard my name, but there was only this pile of K-spar, just, like, randomly there. Looked like maybe something fell off the bridge.” He mused, “Well, anyway, when I went over, I heard my name again. At first I thought it was some kind of prank, but then I saw this pendant thing in the rocks.”

Jim put his head back and thanked whatever troll deity was looking after his sorry butt.

Toby continued, “I think it might be worth something. It looks old. Or maybe it’s from one of those treasure hunts?”

“Treasure hunts?!” Jim scoffed.

“Yeah, like they have these treasure hunts in cities where if you find the stuff you get prizes. Maybe this thing gets me some merch!” Toby fantasized.

Oh my god, only Toby would find a mystical amulet filled with ancient magic and decide it would win him a new hoodie.

“I don’t think it’s a treasure hunt Toby.” Jim tried to steer back on course.

Toby sighed, “Yeah, maybe not.”

“Has it, uh, said anything else?”

“What? Nah. It’s just some piece of old jewelry. I think I just heard the wind or the cars or something. That canal is pretty echoey.”

“Well, you should keep it anyway.” Like he had a choice on that, Jim thought. “Sounds cool.”

“Yeah… Hey, I’ve got an all day dentist appointment tomorrow, you wanna come over after school? I’ve got a new game, and I can show you this thing.”

“Sure, sounds good.”

“Cool. Night Jimbo.”

“Night Tobes.” Jim echoed. “Oh! And Tobes!”

“Yeah?”

“Maybe somebody will show up with a prize for that thing you found.” Jim suggested, thinking of his troll family and remembering Toby’s reaction to their first meeting.

“Yeah, yeah. Hah, hah.” Toby chided. “Night.” And he hung up.

Jim let the phone slip from his grasp and sighed in relief. Everything was fine, and his plan was in motion. Although, he’d have to think things through more carefully in the future, he reprimanded himself, can’t just leave something that big to chance next time.

He made sure his phone was charged and on when he went to bed that night. A little something told him that he might be getting a panicked call from a newly minted Trollhunter overnight. Well, two really big rocky somethings, he chuckled as he turned out the light.

Jim awoke the next morning to the beeping of his alarm. Holy crap he’d slept great, he felt amazing. Maybe something about not having the crushing weight of two worlds on your shoulders… he mused.

He sat up and looked down at his phone. Oh no, Tobes! Did he miss his call? He grabbed the phone, and as it unlocked, nothing. No calls.

Jim frowned, remembering. Blinky and Aaarrrgghh had visited him that very first night, surely they would’ve done the same with Toby? He started to worry again.

No, no, he would not spend the next few years going in and out of anxiety attacks at everything that was different. He’d changed things — for the better, he was sure — his whole goal was for things to be different. Right? Ug.

“Just go to school Jim, there’s nothing you can do right now anyways.” he ordered himself. Not having the amulet was proving to be almost as impossible as having the amulet.

———————

“Who has an EIGHT HOUR dentist appointment Tobes??” Jim stood in Toby’s kitchen after school, the last light from the sunset filling the room with a golden glow.

“Two molars, plus insertions,” Toby counted on his fingers, “then clean up.” He finished brightly.

“EIGHT HOURS!”

“The man’s a monster Jim.” Toby stated matter-of-factly. “Want some dinner?”

Jim shook his head in amazement. “You can eat after that?”

“It numbs the pain.” Toby explained, rubbing his jaw.

Jim had been waiting all day to see Toby, and he couldn’t wait any longer. “What I want, is to see that thing you found in the canal yesterday.”

Toby nodded, “Oh sure! I mean, it’s just some old amulet or medal or something. I left it in my room.”

Toby walked to the door, only to stop abruptly. “That’s weird.”

“What?”

“It’s here.” Toby pointed at the counter.

And there it was, perched on top of a pile of junk mail, the Amulet of Daylight, the weapon of Merlin’s Champion, one of the most powerful magical artifacts in all the world. Jim, despite himself, felt a pang of longing looking at it. It had been a part of him for so long, and that part of him missed it.

“Weird. Could’ve sworn I left it in my room.” Toby puzzled, then shrugged, “I dunno, I can’t seem to remember where I leave it. Like, it just seems to show up everywhere.” He gestured at the house in general, then rubbed his jaw again, “Must be the Novocain.”

“Anyways,” he held it up to Jim, “it is pretty awesome. Think it’s worth something?”

Yeah, it’s worth everything, Jim thought, and reached out to take it. Before he could though, there was a loud knock at the back door.

Toby jumped, Jim didn’t. “You expecting company?”

“Just you.” Toby said, and headed towards the back of the kitchen just as the door burst open.

“MASTER TOBIAS! WE HAVE FOUND YOU!!”

“Aaaahhhhh!” Toby fell backward with a yelp. “Jim! Call animal control!”

Chapter Text

“Master Tobias?”

Toby had action-movie rolled behind the counter, and was currently lying there silently pleading with increasingly desperate facial expressions for Jim to do the same.

There was a loud crash, followed by the sounds of wood cracking and breaking as Aaarrrgghh forced himself through the doorway.

“Door small.” He observed dryly.

“Master Tobias? Are you there?” Blinky repeated, peering over the counter while side-eyeing Jim with a couple spare eyes.

Toby peeked up from his hiding place. “They talk?!” he squeaked and dropped back down behind the counter. “JIM!! What’s wrong with you?!” He demanded in a hoarse whisper.

It was only then that Jim realized he’d been so happy to see Blinky and Aaarrrgghh, so accustomed to their presence, that his reaction to their sudden appearance was to just stand and smile at them. Which, a glance at Toby confirmed, was very much not the correct reaction to seeing trolls for the first time in your life.

He couldn’t remember his exact actions when Blinky and Aaarrrgghh first came to visit him, but he recalled it involved a lot of flailing about and screaming, then passing out. Not his finest moment.

“JIM!” Toby gestured wildly for Jim to join him behind the counter.

Jim figured it was probably too late to scream, that would look odd at this point. He should do something though. He ran-walked over to Toby, who immediately grabbed him, pulling him down to safety.

“You can’t freeze like that dude! That’s how you get EATEN!” He admonished while trying to keep his voice low.

“Eaten? Oh my goodness no. That would be highly inappropriate.” Blinky had come around the counter and was now looking down on them with all six eyes.

Toby screamed “AAAAHHHHH!!!”

“It’s Aaarrrgghh. Three Rs.” Aaarrrgghh added helpfully as he appeared behind Blinky.

“Yes! And I am known as Blinky.” He bowed slightly, introducing himself.

Toby responded with a whimper of fear, and tightened his grip on Jim.

“He looks scared.” Aaarrrgghh observed.

Blinky didn’t let that stop him. “Master Tobias, you have been chosen! The Amulet of Daylight challenges you to ascend to the most sacred of offices…”

“Orifices? What orifices?” Aaarrrgghh asked.

Jim was trying hard to pretend he was afraid, but he couldn’t stop a snicker from escaping. This was all a lot funnier the second time around.

“Offices. Means responsibility.” Blinky shot Aaarrrgghh a look to silence him before redirecting his attention to the boys. “Unbeknownst to your kind, there is a secret world, a vast,” he spread all four arms wide, “civilization of trolls lurking beneath your very feet, hidden from view.” He finished ominously.

Toby was mute, so Jim helped out. “Trolls?”

“Trolls! Yes trolls!” Blinky enthused. “And it is now your charge to protect them.” He pointed with both of his left hands at the boys.

Jim was confused. “Mine?”

“No!” Blinky snorted in dismissal, and pointed again. “It is you Master Tobias, you are the Trollhunter!”

“Trollhunter.” Aaarrrgghh agreed.

“This honor is yours to accept! So what say you?” Blinky finished with a flourish.

Toby was just behind Jim, and out of his line of sight, but Jim figured his total silence meant he’d probably fainted. After all, it was around this point that Jim had done so when he’d received this summons.

“Protecting? Like, a superhero?”

Wait, what? Jim spun around, Toby no longer appeared afraid, he looked… hopeful. What the…

“A hero, yes! The Trollhunter is a most super hero indeed!” Blinky concurred. “The mantle of Trollhunter is a sacred responsibility. One that has never been passed to a human before. This is a momentous occasion.” He concluded solemnly.

“Awesomesauce!!” Toby jumped up and ran fearlessly over to the trolls, completely prepared to embrace his new destiny. Aaarrrgghh did a little hop of joy that shook the foundations of the house.

Jim sat there, stunned. He couldn’t help but feel the stab of jealousy at how insanely well Toby was taking to the situation. Toby had processed in minutes what had taken Jim days to reconcile. Maybe he really was a better choice? The thought shook Jim’s foundation even more than Aaarrrgghh’s jump had.

“So Master Tobias, are you ready? We should begin your training immediately.”

Toby resembled a child who’d just been asked if he’d like two Christmases. “YES!!” He could barely contain his excitement.

This snapped Jim out of his trance of sudden self-doubt. This was going waaay too fast, Toby hadn’t even summoned Daylight yet, he needed to slow it down. “Hey Tobes,” he stood, “this is a lot. Dontcha think you should, like, sleep on it or something?”

“Who is this skinny human, Master Tobias?” Blinky looked skeptically at Jim.

Toby walked over and put a hand protectively on Jim’s arm. “This is Jimbo. Jim. He’s awesome and my best friend in the world. Where I go, he goes. We’re a team.” Jim couldn’t help but be touched by his friend’s devotion as Toby grinned up at him.

Blinky nodded. “Well then, it appears our new Trollhunter will have a steady compatriot! Welcome Jimbo Jim!”

“It’s just Jim.” Jim corrected.

“Ah, Jim. Excellent.” Blinky turned back to Toby, “Then we have an accord. You have the amulet?”

Toby looked down, he seemed to just be noticing that in all the excitement he’d never let go of the amulet. “Yeah, I do!” He held it up to Blinky.

“Capital! Already, the instincts of a true Trollhunter! Never surrender your weapon.” Blinky pumped his fists with satisfaction. “Now, on to Trollmarket!”

Toby squealed with glee, and hurried after the trolls as they exited. Jim was again at a loss, what just happened? This was not supposed to be going this quickly. He looked over to see Toby disappearing out the door. Well, whatever it was, it was in motion now, and if he didn’t get onboard he would be left behind.

“Wait up!” He called as he ran out after them, into the night.

———————

As they made their way to the canal and the entrance to Trollmarket, Blinky took the opportunity to explain to Toby the basics of the situation and the threat posed by Bular. Toby didn’t seem nearly as concerned about this as Jim had been. It did help that he didn’t ask a bunch of probing questions demanding the details of Kanjigar’s demise. But still, he was taking this all admirably in stride.

Jim had recovered from his bout of competitive jealousy, and realized that this was really all pretty perfect. Where Jim had fought his destiny tooth and nail, Toby took to it like a duck to water. He was a natural.

It was a beautiful fall night, made all the better by not having the son of a genocidal troll dictator trying to slaughter them all. That was yet another thing that was much improved. The first time, Jim had, from moment one, been identified and in the crosshairs of both Bular and Strickler. He cringed at how close to death he’d probably come in those first few days and not even realized it.

But this time, from all evidence he could see, Bular had no clue who the new Trollhunter was, and would certainly not be looking for a human teenage boy. As long as they were careful, Toby would be able to train without having to constantly fend off attacks from Bular and those he employed.

They arrived under the bridge, Aaarrrgghh opened the portal, and they descended the glowing crystal staircase to stand at the entrance to Heartstone Trollmarket.

As many times as Jim had gazed on the magnificent sight that was Trollmarket, he was unprepared for his emotions on returning after so long. A lump formed in his throat, and tears pricked at his eyes. The giant luminescent Heartstone thrummed with a frequency all its own. Jim would not see it destroyed this time. He sniffled and wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

Blinky patted him on the back as he walked past. “Yes, it is quite the sight, isn’t it.”

“This is… whoa…” Toby was at a loss for words as well.

“This way, my friends, there is much to see.” Blinky turned and lead them into the small, underground city.

“Daaang,” Toby exclaimed, “and here I thought the only thing underneath our town was dirt and plumbing.”

As they toured the market, their reception by the trolls roaming its streets was just as disapproving and unwelcoming as Jim had remembered it being. They would learn, eventually, to trust and even like the humans who came to help protect them. Eventually.

With less to distract him this time, Jim noticed how much in his element Toby was down here. Toby busied himself taking pictures and impressed Blinky with his extensive “troll-like” knowledge of the rocks and minerals that made up the walls and streets.

They were standing in an open plaza, admiring an unobstructed view of the Heartstone, when Jim heard the booming voice of a good friend.

“WHAT IS THIS!!”

Jim knew it was a truly terrible idea to hug the imposing troll warrior, but he still spent a few seconds seriously considering it.

“Human feet have never sullied the ground of Trollmarket before, who are these fleshbags?” Draal demanded.

“Believe it or not,” Blinky began, pushing Toby out in front of him, “he is our new Trollhunter.”

There was a collective gasp of horror from the crowd.

Draal was enraged. “He can’t be the Trollhunter. HE’S NOT A TROLL!” He pounded a small crater into the ground to emphasize his point.

Aaarrrgghh stepped in to face down Draal’s wrath. “Amulet chose.”

“Um, yeah, it did.” Toby said hesitantly, and held the amulet aloft.

Draal hissed. “Possessing the amulet, and wielding it are not the same. You are not worthy to touch it.” He advanced with clear intent to take it by force.

Jim reeled, Toby had never activated the amulet, he needed to help him. “Blinky! He doesn’t know what to do!” Crap, Blinky, help him!

Fortunately, Blinky understood. “Master Tobias, there are words inscribed on the amulet. You must read them aloud.”

“What words?” Toby cried, frantically turning the amulet over in his hands. “All I see is gibberish.”

Aaarrrgghh attempted to impede Draal’s progress, but Draal would not be deterred for long. He roared.

“Toby, look again!” Jim pleaded, remembering it had taken a moment to translate into English for him. “Maybe you missed something!”

Toby, terrified, looked again. “I don’t see any… Wait! There’s something…” he squinted, “For the glory… of… Merlin… Daylight is mine to… command.”

Jim focused every bit of energy he had on his friend. “Please, please work.”

The amulet awoke and pulsed with brilliant blue light. Magical energies swirled around Toby as they lifted him from the ground and formed the armor of the Trollhunter, the amulet affixing itself to his chest plate. Draal jumped back in surprise. Jim loosened a shout of joy.

As it had been with Jim, the armor was about eighteen sizes too big when the magic dropped Toby back to the ground. You couldn’t even see Toby’s head. A second later it adjusted to its new master, shrinking to fit Toby perfectly.

The crowd gasped again as orbs of pure light converged at Toby’s right hand, expanding and solidifying to form the powerful sword of Daylight. Once it had resized itself to a human-scaled length, Toby raised it above his head triumphantly, “Awesomesauce!”

Okay, a relieved Jim thought, not the most imposing war cry, but it’ll do. Toby grinned so wide that Jim was sure he could see every wire in the kid’s mouth. He had to admit, the armor suited him, Toby looked good.

“Bushigal!” Draal spat. “I am Draal, son of Kanjigar, and the amulet’s rightful heir!” He rushed forward and attempted to rip the amulet off Toby’s chest, but was repelled violently with an electric flash of light, leaving the amulet stubbornly stuck to the new Trollhunter.

“Amulet chose.” Aaarrrgghh repeated with finality.

Blinky quickly ushered them away as Draal recovered. “We’ll see what Vendel has to say about this.” Draal threatened as they left the plaza behind.

Jim looked back at the fuming troll. He knew there was a good heart under that brusque exterior, and he’d find it. In the meantime, Draal lived to fume another day, and that was enough.

They left the center of the market and headed deeper underground. As Toby marveled at his armored reflection in the mirrored rock walls they passed, Jim marveled at how well his friend was handling it all. Jim recalled the lack of control he’d had over the amulet during those first days, especially when he was under duress. Toby seemed to not have that problem at all. Jim smiled, it was everything he’d hoped for.

“Awww, what happened?” Toby moaned as his armor evaporated and the amulet dropped with a metallic clink to the floor.

“The amulet responded to your unconscious command, Master Tobias.” Blinky assured him. “You are at ease are you not?”

Toby looked dejected. “Eh, I guess so.”

“It senses that. You are beginning to master it already!” Blinky was pleased.

They rounded a corner, and found themselves in an enormous cavern carved out of the rock into the shape of a grand arena.

“And this…” Blinky paused for dramatic effect, “is the Hero’s Forge!”

“Ooooh!” Toby gaped.

Jim’s bones ached at the sight of his old training grounds. So many memories. He half-listened to Blinky explaining the shrine to Trollhunters past, when…

“Blinkous Gladrigal!”

Blinky took an inadvertent step back as Vendel, Chief of the Trolls in Trollmarket, entered the arena. Jim had been intimidated by Vendel since pretty much moment one. Now, after the elder troll’s sacrifice in the previous timeline, Vendel’s arrival pulled yet more at Jim’s overtaxed emotions. He’d known going back would be hard, but nothing in life had prepared him for the emotional onslaught of encountering so many people and places he’d already lost and grieved. Ghosts that now walked once again with the living.

“I wish to meet the fleshbag supposedly chosen by the amulet.” The elder troll walked over and stooped to put his face inches from Toby’s.

“I am Vendel, son of Rundrol, son of Kilfrid.” He introduced himself.

Toby was, yet again, remarkably okay with this. “Hi. I’m Toby, son of Ralph, I live with my Nana. Gahhh!”

That last exclamation came as Vendel unceremoniously plucked Toby up by the arm and began poking his short body.

“Produce it! Produce the amulet!”

Toby fished around in his pocket, a task made harder by attempting dodge Vendel’s pat down, and successfully recovered the amulet.

Vendel dropped him just as unceremoniously. “Ridiculous!” He shook his head in disbelief. “However, the amulet has been know to make ill-fated choices, as you know better than most.” Vendel had turned to Blinky, causing the smaller troll to cast all half dozen eyes down in shame.

Vendel moved to the center of the arena. “If the amulet chose true, the Soothscryer will reveal it.”

As with Jim before him, Toby was forced, despite Blinky’s protests, to step in front of Vendel and onto the giant troll footprints etched into the arena’s floor. Jim had forgotten about this, he quickly searched his memory, what had happened? Clearly, it had been okay. He’d obviously been allowed to continue to be Trollhunter. Surely it would be the same for Toby. Then he swallowed hard thinking about how many things had been different for Toby in just the last 24 hours. There was nothing he could do now but hope.

Again, as before, the Soothscryer, which resembled a giant stone troll head complete with a gaping mouth filled with rows of sharp spinning teeth, spun upwards from the floor in front of Toby.

“Behold the Soothscryer! It will judge your true spirit. Insert your right hand Trollhunter.” Vendel instructed.

What followed was a great deal of reassuring and cajoling, some comically tragic attempts to boost Toby up, a tremendous amount of screaming, and another, to Jim’s great relief, inconclusive result. Apparently humans baffled the machine. Go humans.

Vendel departed, disappointed at not being able to dismiss the fleshbag interlopers immediately, but his visit upset everyone enough to agree training could wait one more night.

———————

The crickets chirped around them as they walked back home, and they were completely drowned out by Toby’s irrepressible, and very vocal, excitement. Jim had briefly been concerned that Toby would be as overwhelmed as he’d been after his first visit to Trollmarket. He shouldn’t have been.

“Oh my God Jim! Can you believe it! Trolls! An underground city! Indigenous gemforms! Magic armor! Magic Jim! Actual magic! Did you see that insane sword?” Toby fished out the amulet. “I’m gonna try that again…”

Jim quickly put his hand on Toby’s arm, stopping him. “Toby, you can’t do that out here.” He gestured around. “You heard Blinky. Bular’s out there looking for the next Trollhunter. You gotta be careful. You can’t show this to anyone.” He pleaded.

Toby scoffed, “I doubt he’s here on our street Jim.”

Jim fixed Toby with a hard look.

“Okay, okay. I suppose you’re right.” With a sigh, he stuffed the amulet back into his pocket. He was quiet for a moment. “But, dude, I looked amazing in that armor. I bet I could get any girl in school.”

Jim laughed out loud. “That’s your take away from tonight?”

“Well, that, and I’d intimidate the hell outta Steve.” Toby affected a deep voice. “Bow and surrender to me Steve Palchuk! Climb into the locker or taste my steel.” He mocked a forward slash with an air sword.

Jim laughed harder. “Gotta admit, I’d pay to see that.”

They stopped on the street outside their houses.

“Well,” Toby exhaled, “that was…”

“Awesomesauce?” Jim guessed.

“Awesomecity.” Toby corrected.

Jim chuckled. “For sure. And Tobes, please, really, please, don’t let anyone see that amulet okay? That Bular stuff really freaked me out.”

“A lot of stuff freaks you out.” Toby countered.

Jim snorted in protest at that and shrugged.

“Yeah, you’re right, I'll be careful.” Toby conceded.

Jim smiled.

“So, tomorrow after school for training?” Toby asked.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“Awe-some! Watch out world, Team Trollhunter is here!”

Jim laughed. “Night Tobes.”

“You mean ‘Goodnight Master Tobias, Trollhunter’.” Toby corrected.

“I’m never gonna hear the end of this am I?” Jim sighed.

“Hah HAH! Never. Night Jimbo!”

Jim watched his friend disappear into his house, happy and eager for tomorrow’s adventure. His fears from earlier evaporated into the quiet of the evening, and when he went to bed that night, Jim slept deeply and peacefully.

Chapter Text

It was a good thing he’d gotten a solid night’s sleep, Jim had forgotten how exhausting those early days had been. The stakes and the effort it took to fight, to exist, had become so immense at the end, that he’d naively thought coming back to this simpler time would be easy. But now he was starting to remember the work required to keep up a normal life while having a secret one, and, well, as hard as it had been to have to give up his human life, it had also been a relief to have just the single one.

It had been what he now knew was just one in a series of long days to come. Starting with making sure his mom was set with food for the day, then school and trying to remember lessons from a lifetime ago, and then today was also audition day. It had gone well, Claire had been impressed and now knew his name. Baby steps.

He’d given Blinky’s speech again. Although, it was weird, he thought — this time Blinky never gave that speech, Toby hadn’t needed the encouragement, so how could he still know it? Was it his now? Time-travel definitely broke your brain if you thought about it too much.

He hadn’t had time to ponder the mysteries of the space-time continuum, or even stay and try to talk to Claire after the auditions, as he had to hustle over to Trollmarket. Toby had gone immediately after school, and had already been there alone for over an hour. Jim knew Toby was fine. He’d just be learning the three rules and dodging rocks thrown by Blinky. But Toby being there alone, it sat badly with Jim.

Jim had arrived just as Toby was learning what gronk-nuks were, and it was just as weird and hilarious as the first time. The lesson had been going smoothly, even if Toby was having a difficult time with offensive maneuvers. He excelled though at the defensive training, dodging and weaving around threats with surprising grace. Jim knew the amulet and the armor enhanced all your abilities and senses beyond any normal human level, but he hadn’t known his friend had it in him to be so agile under fire.

The only hiccup had come when Draal made an unexpected appearance to “help” with Toby’s training. Sparring with Draal, another fun thing Jim had overlooked. Fortunately, as before, Draal was only looking to humiliate the nascent Trollhunter and put him in his place, not end him. Unfortunately, it went about as well for Toby as it had gone for Jim.

Scratch that, Jim realized, it actually had gone a bit better for Tobes. Not that Toby had landed any blows, he had not. But at every one of Draal’s strikes the armor manifested such powerful shields, that where Jim had been decently bruised up by Draal, Toby was just a bit shaken. Maybe his command of it was stronger than Jim’s had been? Regardless, seeing his friend come out of his first fight unharmed eased Jim’s mind.

He had also been relieved that Toby, unlike Jim, had not taken this early defeat to be a sign that the amulet had made a mistake. He wasn’t thrilled, to be sure, but he put it into the proper perspective that he’d barely begun to train, whereas Draal had been training as a warrior for centuries. Of course he couldn’t win or even hold his own. Toby was certain all he needed was more training, and he was determined to work hard at it.

As much as he admired Toby’s healthy attitude about Draal, it forced Jim to wonder what path their friendship with the formidable troll would take now. It had been Jim’s insecurities, idiotically challenging Draal to what turned out to be a fight to the death, that had unexpectedly led to their close friendship. That wouldn’t happen with Trollhunter Tobias. Jim chewed on this a bit as they walked home after training, half-listening to Toby complaining about having both human homework from school and troll homework from Blinky. By the time they got home, Jim figured Draal’s friendship would come in time, that somehow it would work out. And in the meantime, he’d at least be alive to hate them.

Jim let himself in and was about to enact his short-term plan to lay face-down on his bed not thinking about anything that had any higher stakes than brushing his teeth, when he heard voices coming from the kitchen. He hung his pack on the stairs and headed towards the conversation.

His mom was in the kitchen, God help them, preparing food, while chatting amiably with Walter Strickler who was perched on a stool by the counter. They both looked over at his arrival.

“Oh Jim, good, you’re home. Look who stopped by!” Barbara Lake, still in her scrubs, greeted him happily and gestured to their guest.

Strickler smiled graciously. “Hello Jim.”

“Were you with Toby?” She asked.

“Yeah, I was with Toby. We, uh, hung out after school.”

She crossed her arms and gave him a stern look. “And that wasn’t all you were doing after school, was it?”

Did she know? Did Strickler tell her? Had he somehow found out? How? Jim didn’t even have the amulet! Why wasn’t he at Toby’s house? Jim glanced over to Strickler, who was still smiling politely. Jim had forgotten what an amazing liar he could be.

“After school? I was just with Tobes. Homework, video games…” His voice cracked again. When Strickler did come over to their side, first thing he was gonna ask him was how to lie under pressure.

His mother’s expression softened, “Why didn’t you tell me you auditioned for the school play? I had no idea you were interested in theater.”

Jim leaned on one of the dining room chairs to keep from collapsing in relief.

“Not only auditioned, as I was about to tell your mother, but you won the lead. Ms. Janeth was quite taken with your reading, she said you channeled the Bard himself!” His teacher added.

“It was really last minute, I hadn’t planned…” Jim responded to his mother when Strickler’s words caught up with him. “I got it?!” Woohoo!

Strickler nodded, “Romeo himself.”

“Oh Jim, that’s fantastic! I’m so proud of you!” His mother gushed, then turned to his teacher, “You see what I mean,” his mom said, picking up in the middle of a conversation that had clearly been going on for a while, “teenagers, you have no idea what’s really going on in their lives.”

She didn’t know how right she was, Jim thought.

She continued talking to his teacher, “Of course, it doesn’t help, all the crazy hours I work. Jim takes on so much himself…” she turned to look at Jim, “I worry he spends so much time taking care of me, that he doesn’t just get to be a kid.”

Strickler’s expression radiated sympathy and concern. “As I said before, I can assure you that Jim is an exemplary student. I’m sure he will make the most of this opportunity to bond with his classmates.”

Jim beamed at his teacher. The changeling might currently be a supervillain, but man, he was good people.

“And on that note, I should take my leave.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay for dinner?” His mother asked hopefully.

Jim silently attempted to will his teacher to pass on the invitation, he really needed Strickler not dead from food poisoning for his plans to work.

“Thank you, but no, I have another appointment I must get to.” Strickler got up to leave, and his mom left the kitchen to walk him out.

“I can’t thank you enough for being willing to come all the way over here. It’s just so hard, with my work, to find time during school hours…” She said as they approached the front door.

Strickler held up a hand, dismissing her concerns. “No problem at all, Dr. Lake.” He turned to Jim and put that hand reassuringly on Jim’s shoulder. “Atlas too had the weight of the world on his shoulders. I will do my best to help lighten that load for you, Jim.”

Jim smiled at his teacher. He truly missed talking to him.

His mother was smiling as well, at both of them. “Well, thank you so much… again.” She said, a bit flustered. “And, please, call me Barbara.”

Strickler gave a small bow. “Thank you for your hospitality, Barbara. And please,” he pulled a business card out of his pocket, “call me if you have any concerns. Anything at all. My personal number is on the back.”

His mom took the card, and, wait, was she blushing? Adults, they’re adorable sometimes.

And then, with an extremely polite goodnight, Strickler was gone.

His mom had a slightly dazed look when she turned around. “He is, quite charming…”

“Oh my God Mom. I’m gonna need therapy.” Jim feigned offense.

She snapped out of it. “Oh, don’t you ‘Oh my God’ me kiddo! Spill it. Who’s the girl?”

For all Jim’s knowledge of the future, he had not seen that question coming. “What?…”

“You really expect me to believe,” she continued, walking back to the kitchen, “that my son just suddenly developed an interest in both Shakespeare and theater simultaneously?”

Jim shrugged, “Stranger things happen Mom.”

She fixed him with the mom look. “Who. Is. She? Or do I have to get out the yearbook and guess?” She laughed evilly.

“This is why kids don’t talk to their parents ya know.” Jim teased back, then added quietly, “Her name’s Claire.”

“What’s she like?”

“Geez Mom. She’s just in my class, I don’t know her really. Hell, she literally just learned my name today.”

“So, then it’s serious.”

“I’m going to my room.” Jim pretended to leave.

His mom laughed, “No, no, don’t leave me alone here. You know I’ll just end up blowing up the kitchen.”

“Well, for the sake of our house…” Jim grinned as he walked back into the room.

She smiled warmly at him, and reached over to ruffle his hair affectionately. “Well, if this Claire is good enough to gain my son’s attention, she must be pretty spectacular. I’m really proud of you, kiddo.” She kissed his forehead.

“Thanks Mom. I love you.” He said, and he meant it. “Now let go of me so I can try to rescue whatever thing you have dying in the oven.” Jim added, pointing to the smoke starting to rise out of the appliance.

She yelped, and let go. Jim happily spent the rest of the evening making an entirely new, and actually edible, dinner for them.

———————

“Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,

Which mannerly devotion shows in this;

For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,

And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.”

“Romeo? Art you there Romeo?”

Jim looked up. Claire was staring at him with a slightly bemused, slightly annoyed expression.

She tapped her finger on his script. “You’re supposed to be so taken with me that you can’t possibly think of anything else.” She joked. “It’s your line.”

He laughed nervously, and tried, and failed, to avoid the gaze of the small group of students and Ms. Janeth who’d gathered after school to begin reading through scenes of the play.

“Oh, yeah, sorry…” he fumbled with his script, “where were we?” He asked in a small voice.

Claire pointed again at the page. “Here.”

“Ah, um, thanks. ‘Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?’” He read, silently berating himself for getting lost in his worries. Here he was, quite literally sitting next to the love of his life, acting out one of the most romantic pairings in all of literature, and he was bombing.

In the scene, Romeo and Juliet meet for the first time, and all they can talk and think about is love. In reality, he’s here with Claire and all he can think about is… Toby. Ugh. Why?

Because, the voice in his head answered, Toby’s off getting into heaven-knows-what at Trollmarket, while you sit here making goo-goo eyes at your future girlfriend. Gah. He knew Toby was fine. Now that the Draal thing was over, and without the active threat of Bular having identified him, Toby would just be training and getting lectured by Blinky. No problem.

Except, problem. Everything, so far, seemed to be for the better, or at least the same level of not bad. But not being sure of things ate away at his piece of mind. And, after all, Toby had been there with him for every practice, every danger — at least the ones he hadn’t actively shut Toby out of — and he knew he wouldn’t have been here today if Toby hadn’t been there too.

He finally decided that as long he had chosen to be here, he would stop letting his mind be somewhere else. And he’d head over to Trollmarket the second he was done. So he managed to keep it together for the rest of practice, and Claire seemed to be enjoying herself and enjoying her time with him.

“Hey, I thought that went pretty well.” Claire had approached him as he was shoving his script into his pack after practice. “Well, once you came back from wherever you’d gone.” She teased.

“Ah, yeah, I’m really sorry about that. My, ah, grandma’s just been sick and I was worried about her.” He lied, and hated it. He’d figure out a way to bring her on board at some point, but not yet.

“Oh no!” Her expression instantly shifted to total concern, geez he loved her. “I had no idea. I’m so sorry. Are you guys close?”

Please don’t make me keep lying to you Claire.

“Yeah, pretty close. I actually have to go see her now.” Did he? Why was he rushing off? Claire actually wanted to talk to him. Crap.

“Oh, of course! Right.” She said with a kindness he did not at that moment deserve. “I hope she’s okay.”

Jim swung his pack over his shoulder. “Yeah, me too.” Crud, even if he wanted to stay, he couldn’t now. This was just the first practice, he reassured himself, there’d be a bunch more opportunities when “grandma” was all better.

“Well, I’ll see you later.” He turned to leave.

“See you later Jim.”

Then he thought better of it and added,”This was fun, Claire.”

She grinned. “Yeah, it really was.”

In that moment it took everything he had not to walk over and kiss her.

———————

“You did WHAT?!”

Jim had biked to Trollmarket in record time powered by the high of feeling like he was this close to getting his girlfriend back. But he’d come crashing back to earth as he peered into a small hole in the wall of the Trollmarket shop.

“It was essential that the Trollhunter recover the amulet.” Blinky explained. “We cannot let it reside in the hands of vermin.” He said with obvious disgust.

“So you just shrank him without even thinking about it, or, or, testing that thing!” Jim pointed at the ancient device standing next to him.

“The Furgolator worked perfectly!” Blinky bragged, clearly proud of himself for his ingenuity.

Jim shot back. “You don’t know that! You’ve never tested it on anything living before!”

Blinky paused at this, and Jim realized he should have no way of knowing that, he backtracked. “I mean, you’ve certainly never used it on a human before!”

Jim tried to collect himself. This wasn’t great, but it would be fine. Toby would be fine. It wasn’t like he was facing Gunmar in there, just Gnome Chompsky, who they really needed to help rescue all those babies from the Darklands anyway. And Chompsky wasn’t a killer, insane sure, but not a killer. So this was fine. He’d been fine when it had happened to him, so would Toby.  Unless, of course, he wasn’t.

He heard a tiny gnome snarl, and a tiny Toby yelp, and threw himself back down to stare fruitlessly into the opening.

“Toby! Toby… you gotta get the amulet! He’ll be afraid of you in the armor… I mean, you’ll be much more intimidating… “

“Yeaaah. He really doesn’t want me to have the amulet Jim.” Toby’s voice was a muffled squeak from deep within the wall. 

There were sounds of a scuffle and small things being thrown about. Jim tried to get a better angle to see inside, but the tunnel had too many twists and turns in it. All he could see were some flickering lights and shadows.

“Toby! Just get out of there!” Jim yelled.

“Ah, love to Jimbo, but… I’m kinda, ah, tied up right now…” Jim heard high-pitched, maniacal gnome laughter.

Crap! What can he do? He glanced at the Furgolator and shuddered. No, hard pass, there was no way in hell he was doing that again. This wasn’t a life or death situation. Well, unless Toby reverted to his actual size inside that tiny space… Crap!

Jim looked up angrily, Blinky and Aaarrrgghh were zero help, they just stood there helplessly. Then he had an idea.

“Toby, just… just hang in there Tobes. I’ll be right back.” He shouted at the hole.

As Jim ran out of the shop, he pointed an accusing finger at the two trolls, “Don’t even think about leaving him alone!”

“Gnome bad.” Aaarrrgghh observed.

If Jim thought he’d been fast getting to Trollmarket, it was nothing compared to the speed with which he biked to Toby’s house. He hadn’t gone faster when Bular himself was chasing them.

Thank goodness both he and Toby had keys to each other’s houses since they were little. He let himself in without calling out to see if Toby’s Nana was there. Eh, she probably wouldn’t hear him anyway. Jim practically threw himself up the stairs to Toby’s attic room.

The trip back was considerably slower, as he tried to balance the oversized dollhouse on the handlebars of his bike. Once again, Jim found himself thinking this wasn’t supposed to happen. Blinky was supposed to take a day to tinker with the Furgolator before unleashing it on them, he thought as he tried to navigate his way back down the steep canal wall without smashing the dollhouse to pieces.

“Toby? Toby?! You still there?” Jim had made it back to the shop with the dollhouse intact and was now back to yelling at the hole.

There was a nerve wracking silence, then, “Yeah… yeah Jimbo, I’m…” Jim heard Toby grunt, “Ow! Stop that! I’m here Jim!”

“Okay, hold on.” Jim instructed. “Um, hey, gnome! I have something for you! A trade. For the human and the amulet.” He couldn’t believe he’d been reduced to hostage negotiation with a gnome.

“I don’t think he understands, Jim! He… oh snap… Jim, he’s comin’ your way!” Toby warned.

Jim jumped back as Gnome Chompsky suddenly appeared at the entrance to the hole. He regarded Jim warily.

“Foul beast! Release our Trollhunter!” Blinky made motions to try to grab the creature.

Jim put himself between them. “Blinky, don’t! You need to let me try this.”

Blinky huffed and muttered something unintelligible under his breath, but relented.

Gnome Chompsky had retreated slightly at Blinky’s outburst, but was clearly still curious about Jim’s offer.

Jim backed up to stand next to the dollhouse. “This can be all yours,” he addressed the gnome, and opened the doors to reveal the interior, “the whole house. See?” He felt like a spokesmodel on the world’s dumbest game show.

It was working though, Gnome Chompsky was intrigued. He stood at the opening, head cocked to the side, clearly considering the offer.

And now, the big guns, Jim thought. He reached behind his back and grabbed the Sally-Go-Back doll to show to the gnome. “She comes with the house.”

Gnome Chompsky’s button eyes grew large, and he covered his gaping mouth with his tiny hands in excitement and awe.

Jim leaned in keeping a firm hold on Sally, time to close this deal. “I want the human and the amulet. Then, she’s yours.” He wiggled the doll back and forth for emphasis.

The gnome jumped up and disappeared into his tunnel.

“Master Jim,” Jim really liked that Blinky had started calling him that again, “I don’t know why you thought a vicious animal such as that would respond to…” He stopped short as a miniature Toby appeared at the entrance to the hole holding onto, with both arms, a relatively giant amulet.

Blinky was in disbelief. “Master Tobias! You have retrieved the amulet. Were you able to dispatch the vermin?”

“Uh, not quite…” Toby stepped aside to reveal Gnome Chompsky, a small bag of his belongings slung over his shoulder, standing behind him.

Jim put Sally onto the couch in the living room of the dollhouse and gestured for Chompsky to join her. The gnome didn’t need to be asked twice. Almost faster than Jim could perceive, he’d moved from the wall to the seat next to Sally, and put his bag down.

“Jim?” Toby asked hesitantly. “What just happened?”

“Tobes,” Jim smiled, pleased with himself, “I think I just sold my first house.”

Chapter Text

“So Jimbo? What made you think the gnome wanted to live in the dollhouse?”

Jim had been dreading having to answer this question ever since Toby’s successful rescue, and his panic wore off, and everyone was just staring at him. This is exactly the kind of thing he needed to avoid, having the perfect unexplainable solution to everything. Because “I knew the dollhouse would work because I’m from the future” is not an acceptable answer.

He’d managed to evade giving a concrete answer in the moment, insisting he needed to get Toby home and being angry at Blinky, which he genuinely was. But he didn’t get a lot of time to think about it on the walk home — the bikes had to be left at Trollmarket — with Tiny Toby complaining from his pocket and Chompsky chittering from the dollhouse every time his steps jostled them. No good deed goes unpunished, he grumbled to himself.

But now here he was, sitting on Toby’s bed, with his still Furgolated friend perched on the pillow beside him waiting for a response. He, of course, was staying over. He couldn’t leave Toby to fend for himself in a land of giants.

“The dollhouse?” Jim stalled.

“Yeah. How’d you know it would work? That he’d want that more than me?”

Yeah, Jim. How’d you come up with that brainstorm? He chided himself, but also kinda hoped he would somehow magically get an answer.

He looked down at the gnome in the dollhouse, slowly edging his way closer to the Sally doll on the couch, making what may have been small talk. Hah, very small talk.

He looked over at Toby, and realized there was no remotely truthful answer he could give.

“Well, when I was looking into that hole, trying to see you, it looked like he… the gnome, was trying to make, like, a little house or something. I was kinda panicking, and I thought living in a hole in a troll shop was pretty depressing, and I remembered your Nana’s dollhouse, and who doesn’t want a better house right?” It sounded vaguely plausible. “Blinky told me the gnome was stealing lots of stuff from the shop, so he clearly wanted something more.” Jim gestured towards the dollhouse.

Toby exhaled, “I can say, for certain, that would have never occurred to me.”

“Well, you had just been put in some ancient troll contraption, shrunk to the size of a mouse, and shoved into a wall with an insane gnome. You were kinda busy with other stuff.” Jim offered.

Toby’s diminutive shoulders slumped. “Some Trollhunter I am.” He moped. “Needed to be saved by a Sally-Go-Back doll from a stupid gnome on my first mission.”

Jim clucked his tongue in protest. “First off, as you yourself told me yesterday, you’ve barely started to train. Blinky had no business doing that to you so suddenly.”

Toby just shrugged dejectedly. “The Trollhunter answers every call Jim.”

“And second,” Jim ignored the interruption, “you were saved by your loyal sidekick.” He pointed towards himself. “The doll doesn’t get any credit for that.”

Toby looked up at Jim as he continued. “I mean, isn’t that why superheroes have sidekicks? So there’s someone there to help out when they’re in the heat of battle?” Jim thought about all the times he would’ve been defeated or killed if not for his friends. “Being the Trollhunter isn’t about you going out there all alone against the world. It’s about us, working together, as a team.”

“Team Trollhunter.” Toby grinned up at him.

Jim grinned back. “Always Tobes. I can’t imagine, if it was me, I could ever do it without you there.” He stated honestly. “And, I’m really sorry I wasn’t there, I mean, before you got shrunk. I won’t let you down again.”

Toby grinned wider at the sentiment. Jim would’ve given Toby a reassuring clap on the back if it wouldn’t have sent him flying across the room. He opted instead for giving Tiny Toby a very very gentle pat on the head.

“So,” Toby turned back to the dollhouse, “he just, lives here now?”

“I guess.” Jim replied, “I don’t think he’ll be any trouble. He seems happy.”

As they watched, the gnome, who was now sitting hip to hip with the Sally doll, was making his move with the fake yawn arm around the shoulders trick.

Toby grimaced. “Ya know, maybe I shouldn’t feel too bad, that is not a normal gnome.”

“Agreed. 100 percent.” Jim concurred.

“If he’s gonna live here, he should have a name.” Toby stated.

“Any ideas?”

“Nah, I’ll have to think about it.”

Oh hell, Jim thought, it’ll just get us there quicker. “What about Gnome Chompsky?”

Tiny Toby’s face lit up. “That’s awesome! I love it! Gnome Chompsky it is.”

They spent the remainder of the night playing video games, with Toby getting a real workout using the giant controller, and speculating on what crazy thing would happen next in Trollmarket. Well, Toby speculated, and Jim enjoyed his friend’s vivid and enthusiastic imagination. Toby tried and failed to come up with a sidekick name for Jim — Jim being adamant that his moniker would never ever be the GnomeTamer. And Jim made matching tiny, perfect dinners for both Toby and Chompsky, which he found to be far more hilarious than either of them did.

Morning arrived with no change to Toby’s diminutive condition. Jim had been hopeful, but wasn’t surprised given his experience with the Furgolator. And Toby took it with his usual good humor. They both claimed illness, and got themselves out of school for the day. Jim had the feeling his mother was fairly certain two boys saying they were sick on a Friday after a sleepover was a dubious claim at best, but she was still happy with him from Strickler’s visit, so he got a pass.

Jim did realize though, that this meant he’d miss play practice and chance to make inroads with Claire. But he wasn’t about to leave his friend alone like this, at least not until Toby was big enough to not get eaten by the cat.

They decided to make the most of their time by reading up on troll lore and history from the books Blinky had given them. Toby had been frustrated that they were all in Trollish. Frustrated, that is, until Jim “wondered” that if the amulet had translated words for Toby before, maybe, it would do it again. Fortunately, Toby was so thrilled at the discovery, that he didn’t question how, once again, Jim seemed to have the perfect solution.

“Oh! I know this!” Toby called Jim’s attention to the page he was reading by jumping up and down on it. “This is Killahead Bridge. Blinky was telling me about this the other day before you got there.”

Jim looked at the detailed illustration of the bridge, and pretended he hadn’t witnessed the battle first-hand while Toby told him a slightly misremembered story of Gunmar, Merlin, Morgana, King Arthur, and Deya, the first Trollhunter.

“And Blinky and Aaarrrgghh were there! That’s so crazy.” Toby mused. “After they got rid of Gunmar, the bridge was destroyed to keep him trapped in the Darklands, and nobody’s seen it since. At least, Blinky has no idea where the pieces are. Anyway, Gunmar can’t get out without the bridge,” Toby shuddered at the thought, “so that’s a relief.”

Jim felt anything but relief. Killahead Bridge wasn’t lost, it was right here in Arcadia. Or, it would be soon. In the tumult of emotions surrounding his return in time, he’d lost sight of the fact that it wasn’t just about stopping Bular, it was about stopping Bular from reconstructing that bridge and rescuing his father.

Toby had finished his story about the bridge and was quietly engrossed in the book now that it had finally been translated for him, which gave Jim some time to think.

No bridge, no Gunmar, no freeing Morgana, no magic transformation potions, heck, no waking up that grumpy wizard even… He just had to keep them from rebuilding that bridge. In the past, Bular and Strickler had been eight steps ahead of them. But now he was the one who was ahead. Time to use his knowledge of the future to do something really important.

The best part was he didn’t even need the amulet to do it. All he had to do was get concrete proof, not some blurry photograph, to Vendel early enough, and the trolls would put a stop to it. Jim cheered at the thought that so many of the greatest threats he faced as Trollhunter could be ended so quickly.

He couldn’t remember exactly when it was that he and Toby first found the bridge partially constructed, but it was fairly early on in his Trollhunter training, so it stood to reason that it might already be here. He’d need to do some reconnaissance at the museum first, no need to get Toby or Blinky and Aaarrrgghh involved yet. He could be more discreet if he went by himself, and it would save him having to explain why, yet again, he seemed to magically know things.

The irony of embarking on this new mission alone after having just told Toby the night before how being the Trollhunter was about being a team, did not escape him. But this was different. Only the Trollhunter could know of the future, he knew going in that this was, in many ways, a uniquely solo undertaking.

He glanced at the clock, crap, it was almost four and Toby hadn’t deFurgolated yet. Any hope he had of making a miraculous recovery from his illness and still getting to play practice was gone. And along with that, he wouldn’t be getting to the museum today either. 

There was no reason to repeat their after hours break in and trip to the police station this time. It’s not like the bridge was locked away. He’d go tomorrow, Saturday would be a better time anyways. The museum would be busy enough that no one would pay much mind to some kid stumbling into a closed exhibit. And even if they caught him, he’d just get shoo’ed away, and not chased by changelings and goblins.

With his plan formulated, the afternoon passed uneventfully. At least it did until about an hour later when Toby let out a loud squawk, and for the next minute or so proceeded to resemble a living Picasso painting, all misproportioned parts and pieces. It was comically disturbing in a way that was impossible to not to watch.

“Tobes? You okay?” Jim asked tentatively as his now full-sized friend lay sweating on the floor.

Toby’s arm shot straight up giving Jim a triumphant thumbs up. “Awesomesauce!” He wheezed.

———————

It was late on a cool and rainy Saturday morning when Jim set out to retrieve his bike from Trollmarket and head over to the museum. He’d gotten Toby to agree to not go to training until he returned, which, after the Furgolator incident, wasn’t a hard sell. And with any luck, Jim might even have proof of the bridge’s existence to take with them to Trollmarket later.

He’d already come up with an explanation for why he’d have the pictures, that was actually pretty easy, as Toby had just told him about the bridge the day before. So, of course, when Jim saw the bridge on his trip to the museum, he’d be alarmed and tell them. Just like the last time. As for why he was at the museum in the first place, he’d just say it was for school or his mom made him or something. Once they saw the bridge was being rebuilt, he doubted they’d care why he’d gone there.

Arriving at the museum, Jim jogged up the carved granite steps and out of the rain. Eyeing the guards and security cameras, he was glad he took some precautions to conceal his identity. So many of his troubles last time came from how quickly he’d been identified, he wasn’t about to lose his advantage again. He’d carefully picked out his wardrobe for the day to appear as anonymous as possible: a thread-worn baseball cap for an out of state team he found in the back of the coat closet; a nondescript windbreaker he hadn’t worn for over a year, but still, mostly, fit; jeans; and an old pair of Chucks that pressed uncomfortably against his toes.

Even still, he kept his head down as he entered the imposing, domed building. As much he hated the dampness that clung to him, the rain had proven to be his ally today. Not only had it driven more people into the museum than would’ve been there had the weather been pleasant, but, looking around, he noticed that everyone milling about resembled him — damp jackets, hats, jeans — he blended in perfectly.

He decided to take his time and slowly work his way back towards the room that had been the first home to the bridge last time. It wasn’t so bad, he hadn’t been to the museum in a while, and he enjoyed looking at the new exhibits. To anyone who might notice, he was just another person wandering the museum to avoid the rain.

He was chuckling at an overheard conversation, a woman tried to explain a piece of art to her clueless husband — “What do you mean this is on loan from the luge? Isn’t that the sled thing in the olympics?” — when he noticed he was near his destination.

The short piece of worn, silken rope, stretched between two brass posts, wasn’t nearly long enough to span the width of the darkened hallway, and didn’t present much of a barrier. It was there merely to indicate that there was nothing to be found beyond, but Jim knew otherwise. With a quick glance to see if anyone was looking, he slipped quietly past the rope.

It got darker the further he went, but there was enough light to see the archway that opened into the now closed exhibit room. Jim risked a brief glance up to see if there were any cameras watching him, but curiously where there should have been cameras, there were only dangling wires. Why wouldn’t they want to keep an eye on who got near the bridge? He lowered his gaze quickly all the same, these days cameras didn’t need to be big enough to be seen to be just as effective.

He supposed, at this point, they had no reason to worry about anyone finding the bridge. Trolls rarely came above ground, let alone to visit a museum, and any human who might wander in would assume it’s just a part some new medieval exhibition. Strickler and Nomura were nothing if not wickedly smart.

Speaking of, he paused as he got to the entrance to the room to listen for sounds of anyone else. Specifically, a bright pink demon armed with scythes that would melt you if you get too close. He heard nothing but the muffled sounds of the occasional museum goer walking through the room he’d come from. He supposed Nomura probably would be busy right now with her day job as museum curator.

Jim was acutely aware that, in case someone was watching, he had to look like some kid being a stupid punk trying to poke around where he wasn’t supposed to be. So basically, don’t slink around like a highly trained warrior ninja person, and just be normal sneaky — whatever that was. He was also aware of how fast his heart was beating, not with fear, but with excitement. One good pic of the bridge in that room, and a huge chunk of his troubles would vanish.

But as Jim turned the corner into the room, the only thing that vanished were his hopes for the day. The room was empty. Well, mostly empty. To his right were a few shelves with some tool boxes and random junk. To his left was what looked like the unassembled parts of what might eventually be scaffolding, and a couple of shipping crates. The center of the room, where the bridge should have been, was conspicuously empty. No wonder they weren’t concerned about security. He’d come too soon, the bridge wasn’t here yet. Crap.

He probably should have left and come back later, but he was there, and curiosity got the better of him. There wasn’t anything else in the boxes on the shelves but tools and building supplies. Not even anything that looked like it might, say, help reassemble a stone bridge. The scaffolding he ignored, but he took a closer look at the crates. The shipping labels on one said it came from someplace in Indonesia, and the other one from Peru.

He frowned, the bridge had been in England, and the trolls had scattered its pieces sure, but to places halfway around the world from each other? Even with the Gyre, that seemed like a big distance to cover. But it had been a thousand years, a lot can happen…

Jim glanced around out of habit, then tried to heave the top off of the box from Indonesia. It was nailed on tight and didn’t budge. So he moved to the Peru box. This time he was rewarded with the squeak of nails moving against plywood. The box had been opened and then loosely hammered shut again. He adjusted his grip, and pulled harder. The top inched up slightly, then stopped, stuck.

He tried shining the flashlight from his phone into the box, but the opening was too small to see anything within. Maybe there was something in the toolboxes he could use to pry it open a little more. As he turned, he thought he heard something. Not footsteps or a voice, just a whisper of sound, like fabric being pulled over a surface.

He glanced around the room and out into the hallway, nothing. It must have just been someone in the open room beyond. He was on high alert, and probably being over sensitive. All the same, he knew he shouldn’t hang around too long. So he hurried over to the shelf and found a long screwdriver he could use as a makeshift crowbar.

With the screwdriver to help, the lid of the box loosened easily. Jim didn’t want to take it off completely, just open it enough to get a better look inside. He carefully placed the tool on the ground and got out his phone again. At first all he could see inside was straw and bits of wood and paper. He reached in and gently brushed some of the straw aside, and he felt it. Something that felt like stone.

He tried pulling it up to get a better look, but whatever it was, it was too big and heavy to lift. For not the first time since he’d become human again, he missed his half-troll strength. Not nearly enough to go want to go back, that form held far too much pain and sacrifice, but, still, it did have a few clear advantages.

He leaned over a bit further and grabbed at the straw covering the stone, he threw a small handful to the side and, there it was, it had to be. The ancient looking stone was covered in a carving that was mostly obscured by the straw packing, but he didn’t need to see more. This stone was a piece of something that factored so prominently into his personal history, that he’d practically had every inch of it committed to memory. Killahead Bridge, or a least a couple pieces of it, was in Arcadia.

Another soft sound, this time near the entrance, and Jim jerked his head up and pulled his phone out of the crate so fast he scrapped the top of his hand, leaving a long scratch. He ignored it and swung the flashlight around the room, finding nothing.

“Waka Chaka”

He spun back around, a lone goblin glowered at him from its perch on top of the crate. Crap! What was it doing out during the day!

Jim backed up slowly as it growled at him. He could make a run for it, the hallway was just to his left, he had a clear shot. But then what? The goblin wouldn’t pursue him into a museum filled with people, but it had seen him now, and got his scent. It wouldn’t be long before a horde of them showed up at his house.

He continued to back up as the creature jumped down off the crate, advancing on him slowly. He looked around the room and up at the ceiling, this seemed to be the only one. Maybe because it was the middle of the day. He couldn’t leave, and he had no way to catching and containing it. Why didn’t he leave when he had the chance?

His backward progress was halted abruptly as he hit up against the metal shelving on the other side of the room, causing it to creak and sway slightly. He glanced behind him, taking his eyes off the goblin for just a second, to make sure there wasn’t anything else, and when he turned back the goblin was already in flight, having launched itself at his head.

Instinct kicked in and he spun around to the right, grabbing the side of the shelving and pulling it straight down as he jumped out of its path. It crashed to the ground in front of him, the goblin crushed into a pool of green goo beneath it.

Jim didn’t stop to think. He tore out of the room and down the hall, barely remembering to slow down as he entered the room beyond. Everyone would take notice a kid running like a bat outta Hell through the museum. As much as the voices inside his head were screaming at him to vacate immediately, he had to go slowly. Nobody moved fast in a museum unless there was trouble, and he couldn’t afford to draw attention to himself.

Fortunately, there wasn’t anyone in the room on the other side of the rope boundary. He knew he was moving faster than he should, but it still felt like it took a million years to cross the empty room and get to the opening on the other side. When he reached it, he forced himself to pause, look back, and listen. There were no noises coming from the dark hallway, no cries of “waka chaka”, or sounds of alarms.

He turned and walked as casually as he could make himself, moving back into the center of the museum, trying not to look like he was making a desperate beeline for the exit on the other side of the building.

As he walked, he kept an eye out for anything suspicious, but everything seemed fine. No guards rushed over. All the people he passed, even the ones who had been near the room he’d just been in, ignored him as they continued to look at the displays and talk quietly amongst themselves.

His entire lifetime had passed before he was back outside in the cold, wet air. He trotted down the stairs, still at least making an attempt at appearing carefree, down to the bike rack at its base.

It wasn’t until he reached his bike that he dared look back. No one was following, or pointing, or even looking at him. He got exactly one second of calm before his brain, which had apparently been on some sort of emergency panic hold, switched right back on.

CRAP.

That had gone almost as badly as it could have gone. The only worse options were if either Nomura or a large mass of goblins had been in the room. His hands shook slightly as he unlocked his bike. It wasn’t that a goblin scared him, he’d faced far more terrifying adversaries in his time. What scared him was how genuinely close he’d come to blowing it, right out of the gate.

Jim was biking hard and berating himself just as fiercely. All he had to do when he saw that the bridge wasn’t there was leave and come back in a few days. Easy. All he needed was a decent picture of it on his phone. Instead he went on some architectural dig like teenage Indiana Jones.

Now he understood why they’d dismantled the cameras. Last thing they needed were goblins captured on video. And now Nomura would know someone had been there, someone who knew what they were up to. He’d left a smushed goblin, which could’ve been an accident, shelves fall after all. But the damning evidence would be the crate, cracked open, with the tool used to do it sitting alongside. He was grateful that with the timeline reset, the police no longer had his fingerprints, that was something at least.

They’d move the bridge now for sure. His only saving grace was that he already knew where they would put it. He could not be so careless next time, or there might not be any next time after that.

Having all this knowledge of the future had made him reckless. Like with Chompsky and the dollhouse, he was taking stupid chances, and probably sooner than later, someone was going to figure him out. Maybe not specifically that he was from the future, but that something was not right about him for sure. And if the wrong people were the ones that figured that out, he and his friends, and the whole world, would pay the price.

Jim stopped his bike as he got to the bridge over the canal, over Trollmarket, not caring about the rain that soaked through his old windbreaker and made the cut on his hand sting. He’d made a solemn promise to them, to his friends, to the world. A promise that he would make this better, and not worse. And he would not let them down.

Chapter Text

Jim knew two things for sure: the first was that he was going to have to go back to the museum soon, and he was dreading it; and the second that he was exhausted. He’d spent the rest of the weekend waiting for signs that he’d been found out. During the day he waited for the phone to ring or the cops to come and tell his mom the museum was pressing charges for vandalism. And at night he sat up waiting for a gaggle of vengeful goblins to descend on his bedroom.

Neither happened, but between the anxiety-fueled vigilance and sleep deprivation, he was having a very hard time keeping his eyes open during Strickler’s lesson on Ancient Rome.

Something smacked painlessly into his ear, and he jolted upright causing his textbook to fall with a thud to the floor. “Dude!” Toby hissed at him from the neighboring desk.

Strickler glanced over from the board. “Mr. Lake, do you have some information you want to contribute regarding the Punic Wars?”

“Uh, no, I don’t. Sorry.” Jim mumbled, groggily.

“Then perhaps I may continue?”

Jim nodded and retrieved his book. From the back of class he heard Steve snicker.

Mercifully, Strickler didn’t pursue it further. Jim shot a look at Toby. His friend shrugged and mouthed, “You were asleep.”

Jim looked at his notes, class was almost over and he’d written down exactly two words: ‘Ancient Rome’. Well, that was remarkably unhelpful. He’d have to bum the notes off Toby later in exchange for some gourmet lunches.

He tried to focus on the remainder of lecture, but his brain kept finding its way back to the museum. Had more pieces arrived over the weekend? How fast would they put it together? Had they already moved it to the other room? And for the umpteenth time in the last 40ish hours, he really wished he was the type of person who kept a diary recording major events in his life. Not that he could’ve taken it back in time with him, but maybe writing it down the first time would’ve helped him better remember exactly when all these things had happened. Relying on memories from almost three years ago was spotty at best.

The bell rang and saved him from having to pretend to listen anymore.

“Remember everyone,” Strickler raised his voice to be heard over the sound of an entire class getting ready to leave, “you’ll need to have your parent’s permission submitted by the end of the day tomorrow if you wish to visit the museum with us on Friday.”

For the first time that day, Jim was fully awake. The class trip to the museum, he’d totally forgotten. A bunch of high school students wandering the museum could give him the opportunity he needed to snag that picture of the bridge.

He felt some hope again as he leaned down to put his books away, maybe his luck hadn’t run out yet.

“Is your grandmother doing okay?”

Jim startled and sat up too quickly. Claire was standing just to the side of his desk wearing an expression of concern mixed with maybe a hint of shyness.

“Huh?”

“Your grandmother, I hope she’s improved. Is that where you were on Friday?”

“Uh..” Jim had to take a moment to search his memory for that particular lie. “Oh, yeah, my grandma… she’s, ah, doing okay. Better. Thanks.”

From behind Claire, Toby shot Jim an overly enthusiastic double-thumbs up and winked theatrically. Jim scowled at him.

“I’m sorry if you don’t want to talk about it… I shouldn’t butt in.” Claire apologized, clearly interpreting that the scowl was directed at her.

“Oh no! No! It’s fine. Toby was just being an idiot, that’s all.” He hastened to explain.

“Oh.” Claire brightened. “Good! I mean, that’s unfortunate about Toby, but I’m really glad to hear she’s doing better.”

Jim saw another chance. “Actually, it was really sweet of you to ask.”

Claire smiled at the compliment. “Well, maybe this means you can get back to rehearsals now. Steve is, ah, not the most eloquent Romeo.” She added diplomatically.

“I can imagine.” Jim chuckled and stood up, shouldering his bag. “What’s your next class?” It was a dumb question, but he just wanted to extend the conversation as they walked to the door.

“Ug, Trig. It’s not that hard, just boring.” She sighed.

“Jim, might I have a word?”

His successful small talk was interrupted by Strickler’s request. As Jim turned back into the classroom, Claire shot him a sympathetic look paired with a giggle and he felt his insides go all squishy.

“I’m really sorry about class…” he proactively began to apologize.

Strickler stood by his desk and spoke with care. “Jim, I am concerned about this pattern. Especially after speaking with your mother. You do know that it is not your job to take care of your mom, it’s really not. You’re just a teenager, it’s not up to you to shoulder the weight of the world.”

Yes, Jim thought, it actually is. “I know, I just hate to see her worry about stuff.”

“She worries about you Jim.” Strickler responded. “Which,” he cleared his throat, “brings me to why I wanted to speak to you.”

Jim raised his eyebrows, although he had a fairly good idea of what was coming next.

“You know your mother and I met for lunch yesterday.” It wasn’t really a question, but Strickler paused long enough for Jim to nod. “We had a lovely discussion — and not completely about you by the way,” he smiled as a snort escaped Jim, “And I think I’m not just speaking for myself here, but I’d like to see more of your mother, outside of school responsibilities. I know how close you are with her, and I wanted to… “ he searched for the right words, “to honor your feelings here Jim. Your mother can make her own choices, but you must know the last thing either of us wants is for you to be uncomfortable.”

Jim met Stickler’s eyes and gave him a sincere smile. “All I want is my mom to be happy. She was happy yesterday. So I’m good.” Jim paused, “But, thanks for telling me.”

The tension in his teacher’s face dissipated with Jim’s words. “Thank you Jim.”

He took Jim’s hand to shake it, and suddenly dropped his gaze, pulling Jim’s hand out from his sleeve to examine the bandaging that covered it. “What happened here?”

Jim had a lie already queued up for that so he answered without hesitation, “Hah, kitchen accident. Got a little distracted making dinner.”

Strickler raised an eyebrow and gave Jim his hand back. “Your mother has bragged of your skill with a blade Jim, but even a master must take care.”

Jim nodded, “Good advice.”

“Well, I best let you get to your next class.”

“Yeah, thanks Mr. Strickler. And, I’m really sorry about today. I won’t let it happen again.” Jim promised as he headed for the door.

Strickler had begun to turn away. “Take care, Young Atlas.” He said softly.

———————

“She’s kinda hot.”

Steve was standing directly behind Jim and Toby as the class assembled on the steps of Arcadia’s museum. Strickler had just introduced the museum’s curator, a Ms. Nomura, who was waxing poetic about the museum’s recent acquisition of pottery from ancient Egypt.

Steve continued to not listen to a word she was saying. “I’m telling you,” he boasted to his friends, “I bet she’d mess you up.”

Jim stifled a laugh, dude, you have no idea.

The week had passed in a blur of school and training with Toby at Trollmarket. Jim had, naively, thought that not having the amulet would free up some of his time, he was wrong. He’d never been totally comfortable with the idea of Toby training alone, but he’d thought he could rely on his previous experience to anticipate the dangers Toby might face. The incident with the Furgolator had shaken his beliefs about what he could count on.

Every time he thought what harm would it do to let Toby go alone, his mind would fill with a million ‘what ifs’. And it certainly didn’t help that Blinky’s solution to Toby’s lackluster control of the Sword of Daylight was to place him in ever more dangerous situations. He’d turn the Forge on "Full Kill Mode” as Toby taken to calling it — platforms rising and tilting and spinning while giant axes and maces swung out, seemingly randomly from the arena walls — and throw Toby in while yelling terrifying encouragements at him.

“A true warrior is forged in danger’s fiery embrace!” Blinky helpfully instructed one day as Toby leapt from platform to platform, 50 feet above spinning gears of death. “That’s it! Use the fear! Dance with terror and command it to follow your lead!”

Jim wondered if it had looked this horrific when it had been him up there training. Probably.

Draal’s glares and antagonistic posturing whenever they encountered him in the Market wasn’t helping either. Sure, Draal had never challenged Jim to a duel to the death, but only because Jim had beaten him to it. And their every visit to Trollmarket seemed to pose another affront to him. Jim wondered how much longer the warrior troll would allow the fleshbags to desecrate the mantle of Trollhunter, and Jim couldn’t afford not to be there if Draal ever went off the rails.

The high level of control that Toby had over the amulet's defensive and evasive powers was the only thing that kept Jim sane during the sessions. Even as someone who had wielded the amulet, Jim was amazed by it’s power. Toby commanded massive shields of misty energy; he was propelled out of danger by blasts of blue light that made it look like he was flying; and amulet granted him a nimble agility that belied his size.

Toby was also having a blast. He’d never lacked confidence, but the fearless Toby that Jim had grown to know in a future that hopefully would never happen, was quickly emerging. Even if he did wield the sword more like a war hammer.

As much as it eased Jim’s mind to be fully present for Toby’s Trollhunter activities, his obligation had created a new pain.

Jim glanced over towards the front of the group. Claire was standing with her friends Darci and Mary, dutifully paying attention to Nomura’s lecture even while the other two chatted and played with their phones. He groaned to himself, he had only made it to a single rehearsal that week, and Claire had stopped finding reasons to talk to him between classes. He knew it couldn’t be avoided, but this was supposed to be his chance to make this right with her.

The responsible part of his brain knew he should drop out the play, find another way to get close to her instead of just disappointing her again. But the love struck part just kept whispering “maybe” — maybe Toby would want to take a break, or maybe he’d get so astonishingly good that Jim could relax, maybe Jim’s interventions would quickly end the Bular threat. Maybe was both a great and a terrible word.

Jim was still staring at Claire when Strickler suggested that the class explore the museum on their own, and with a collective cheer, the group propelled him forward. Toby, naturally, made straight for the geologic exhibit. Jim trailed behind, not listening, Toby really didn’t need anyone else’s participation to geek out about rocks.

He needed to get to that bridge. And this time, he’d bring Toby. It would probably help to have someone to keep him from being an idiot, and, as Trollhunter, Toby should know.

“So, where to Jimbo?” Toby inquired as the exited the rock room. “Medieval tapestries? That Egyptian pottery the curator was talking about?”

“There is one room I wanted to check out.” Jim took the lead and Toby followed. He needed to double-check that they had indeed moved the bridge after his disastrous first attempt find it.

“Oh cool.” Toby exclaimed, as they entered the room just outside the closed exhibit. He peered closer at one of the paintings. “Ooh! This is the stuff on loan from the Louvre. Sweet.”

Jim ignored the art and headed for the now well lit hallway, the sad rope barrier had been removed. His suspicions were confirmed when he reached the now very much not closed exhibit room to find carefully placed art and sculptures where crates and scaffolding had previously been. He glanced down, not even a single green mark on the floor where he’d left the macerated goblin.

Just to keep up appearances, they poked around the room a bit, looking at the art, Toby, so far, non-the-wiser. It was good, it gave Jim time to review his plan.

When he’d come to the museum to rescue Blinky, the same day he killed Bular, a day that was somehow simultaneously in his past and in his future — yay time travel, Strickler had ushered him through a door located on the ground floor. It lead to a lower level, which was both where the bridge now resided, and off limits to the public. Jim remembered though, that the door hadn’t been locked. Arcadia was a quiet enough town and people generally respected a sternly worded sign. So the only challenge to getting in was how to convince a fairly law-abiding Toby why his mild-mannered friend Jim wanted to play scofflaw. And Jim knew just the thing that would not just get Tobes through that door, but have him leading the way.

There was still well over an hour left in the field trip when Jim put his plan in motion. He lead them to the first floor, and excused himself to go to the bathroom. Less than five minutes later he ran back over to a startled Toby.

“Oh my God Toby! Something’s here!” It was really too bad he was missing all that rehearsal, because his portrayal of ‘Scared Jim’ was spot on.

“What do you mean something’s here? It’s a museum, lot’s of things are…” Toby trailed off as he began to understand. “You mean something weird.” He said pointing down to the ground, or under the ground in this case.

Jim nodded vigorously, “Very weird.”

“Where?” Toby craned his neck to see where the weirdness might be.

“I was coming out of the bathroom, and… just c’mon, I’ll show you.” He tugged on Toby’s arm and started moving them briskly back in the direction he’d come.

Jim stopped them in front of a door with a small yellow sign on it that read:
Lower Level
Employees Only
Closed to the Public

“It went in there.” Jim pointed at the door.

Toby made a skeptical noise and pressed his lips together. “Are you sure? What would a,” he glanced around to make sure no one was there, “troll” he said very softly, “be doing in a museum in the middle of the day?”

“It wasn’t a troll,” Jim responded with the same hushed tone, “it was smaller, and green, with these long skinny legs, and sharp teeth.” He did his best to describe a goblin.

Toby’s eyes widened. “What’d ya think it was?”

“I dunno. But, Tobes, what if there’s more of them?”

Toby looked thoughtful for a second. “I think we need to check it out.”

“Yeah?”

Toby nodded seriously. “The Trollhunter answers every call.”

Jim knew his friend well, and there were two things Toby loved about being a Trollhunter: a mission and a quest. They were going in.

“Think it’s locked?” Toby asked.

Okay, so they weren’t the boldest of adventurers.

“That creature didn’t have any issues opening it.”

“Well, maybe it had magic or something. Like the Horngazel.”

“Why would you need a Horngazel to open a door at the museum?”

“Maybe it’s only an illusion of a door.”

Jim wiped his hand down his face in a manner similar to what he’d seen Douxie do a million times. Suddenly he deeply understood how hard it must be for a centuries old wizard to deal with a bunch of teenagers.

“How about we just try opening it?” Jim suggested.

“What if an alarm goes off?”

Jim decided that what Toby needed was a hard push into the water, so to speak. He walked over and opened the door. “See?” He gestured inside.

“Whatcha doing Lake?”

For a big guy, Steve came out of nowhere. Oh God, not now.

He was accompanied by a couple of his friends. He looked at the door. “Are you sneaking in there?” He said a little too loudly.

Jim had nothing. Why did his plans keep falling apart? Toby stood there looking like someone might come arrest them at any moment.

Steve stuck his head into the dark stairwell. “Cooool. Maybe you’re not a total wuss.” He said slapping Jim hard enough on the back to make him take a step forward. “Let’s check it out!” He gave a nod to his pals, and the three of them disappeared down the stairs.

Jim just stared after them. This was going badly. He jumped when he felt someone else walk past him. It was Toby.

“You said there’s something down there.” Toby whispered. “We have to protect Steve.” He paused for a second. “And that is 100 percent not a sentence I ever thought I’d say.” Then Toby followed them down into the darkness.

Jim marveled at his friend, the hero. You go Tobes. And let Toby lead on.

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving them in total darkness. Jim felt around on the walls until he found a switch. At the bottom of the long staircase was a broad granite hallway similar to the one they'd just left. It lead to other corridors which opened at intervals into stone rooms with high ceilings. Jim supposed that at times when the museum had an excess of exhibits, they could use this space. In the meantime, he noted glancing into some of the rooms, they seemed to be using it for storage.

The room he was looking for, the room with the bridge, was the largest and located at the end of the hallway. Which, he noted with a groan, was exactly where he could hear the hoots and guffaws of Steve and his gang of hooligans coming from. Awesomesauce. At least to Steve, Killahead Bridge would just be another weird old thing at the museum. And Jim took a moment to remind himself that all he needed this time was a good clear picture. Steve wouldn’t suspect anything.

Toby was walking cautiously ahead of him, carefully examining every room, searching for the mysterious creature Jim said he’d seen. Although Jim appreciated Toby’s thoroughness and commitment to the mission, he really needed to speed this up. Might as well use Steve to his advantage.

“We should go check on Steve.” Jim jerked his head towards the end of the hall. “Make sure it’s not in there with them.”

Toby nodded and looked with trepidation down the hall. “Yeah, good idea.”

Together they walked toward the room. Once again, Jim’s heart beat fast with anticipation. Just a few more steps and he’d have his proof and Gunmar would never see the outside of the Darklands again.

The sounds of the other boys grew louder, shouts of “echo”, football plays, other stupid things reverberated back to them. Jim quickened his pace. They’re going to have every guard in this place down here in a minute. Or worse, Nomura.

When they got to the room, the boys were climbing scaffolding and sorting through some miscellaneous art that was being stored there. Steve had found a metal platter and was trying to toss it like a frisbee. Jim was so mortified at the sight of them, that it took him a beat to notice something important. Killahead Bridge wasn’t there.

He blinked and quickly scanned his memory. Yes, this was the same room, he was sure of it. Tapestries lining the back walls, a skylight above them which opened up not directly under the museum building proper, but under the courtyard beside it. This was the same room.

Maybe the bridge was still in pieces, packed into crates. The problem was, he couldn’t see a single crate in the surprisingly little used space. A familiar feeling of panic crept up his spine. It had to be here. It had to. This is where it had been!

Jim ran out and frantically searched the other smaller rooms. Besides the fact that none of the other rooms were remotely large enough to construct the bridge, the few crates he found were opened already, and none had anything resembling the bridge inside. No crate from Peru, no crate from Indonesia, no crate from England labeled “Dangerous Magical Bridge”. Jim felt his stomach drop. It simply wasn’t here.

Toby ran over. “Did you find it?”

It took Jim a second to realize that Toby wasn’t inquiring about the bridge. “No, I didn’t find anything.” He mumbled.

“It must’ve gotten out.” Toby looked around, disappointed, but also visibly relieved.

Jim couldn’t talk, his mind reeled. How could he stop them from building the bridge if he didn’t know where it was?

“Hey! You kids aren’t supposed to be down here!”

The security guard’s voice boomed down the long hallway. Toby jumped, and Jim could hear immediate silence from Steve’s gang in the other room. Crud.

———————

The five boys sat silently awaiting their fate, even Steve had no bravado in the moment. Muffled voices came from an office at the end of the hall, where the museum director, Nomura, Strickler, and Señor Uhl, who’d volunteered to help chaperone the group, all debated their punishment.

Jim didn’t care what they decided to do to them. Detention, suspension, expulsion — what would it matter if in a few months Gunmar and his armies were freed. Just a week before, Jim had held all the power to stop it, and he’d let it slip through his fingers like water. Now he had no idea where to even begin to look for the bridge, and nobody he could tell. He couldn’t give up, the stakes were too great, but, at the same time, he had no clue how to move forward. The only comfort he had was that the Trollhunter’s identity remained a mystery, and the bridge would be useless without Toby and the amulet.

The door to the office opened and Strickler, Nomura, and Uhl walked out. Strickler stopped to stand in front of the boys, looking grim and weary. All five of the condemned stared hard at the floor, dead men walking.

When Strickler began to speak, his voice was not raised in anger, but almost toneless, like his emotions ran too deep to register. “I cannot begin to express my disappointment in the five of you. The museum welcomed us as their guests, and you have shown a complete disrespect to this institution, to the school, and honestly, to me personally as your teacher.” Even without looking up, Jim felt his teacher spoke directly to him.

“The museum has graciously offered to not press any formal charges against any of you. They believe you intended no malice, and they have no desire to punish children. And, fortunately, nothing of any value was harmed. However, in exchange, you will all have detention after school, every day, for the next two weeks. Jim and Steve, this means you will both not be allowed to continue with the school play.” At this Steve looked up, mouth open to protest, but then, met with the steely gazes of the three adults, dropped his head back down.

Strickler continued, “And, all five of you will report here to the museum every Saturday morning for the next month. You will spend those mornings helping Ms. Nomura with whatever she requests and receiving some much needed education on the importance of art and art history as she sees fit.” Jim snuck a glance up to see Nomura fix them with a look that he knew actually could kill them.

“For now, Señor Uhl will take you back to the bus where you will wait until the rest of the class has finished their excursion. And rest assured, I will be calling each and every one of your parents upon our return to school this afternoon.” Strickler finished. Without waiting for any of them to reply Señor Uhl ordered them up and out to the bus.

Jim walked out the museum feeling the stares of all his classmates weighing on him. He knew they’d gotten off lucky, last time he and Toby had ended up at the police station, but it was hard to feel lucky in that moment. He looked up to see Claire watching him with a pained expression. His heart fell. I’ll fix this Claire, I will. He still believed he would, but at that moment he had no idea how.

Chapter Text

His mom had grounded him for a week, so it was probably inevitable that he would end up at 2am on the street outside Eli’s house on his first day of house arrest.

Not that this one was his fault for a change. When they’d returned to school that afternoon, Strickler made good on his promise to call their parents. As Jim waited under the watchful eye of Señor Uhl for his mom to arrive, he’d overheard Eli telling some kids about his best photographic evidence yet of the creepers in Arcadia.

Oh crud, Eli’s goblin problem. Because Jim needed another thing on his plate right now. Thankfully, it was close enough to Halloween that everyone thought the flattened goblin was just a lawn decoration that had ended up on the wrong side of traffic, but still, Jim couldn’t take the chance of leaving it out on the street.

All this being why he was now shoveling fetid goblin carcass into a pail to dispose of somewhere far away from Eli. It’s like the universe was making him do penance for screwing up the past so completely. He sulked as he biked slowly back to his house, shovel perched on his shoulder, dead goblin parts in a bucket hanging from his handlebars. Just another super sane night for Jim Lake.

He was in no great hurry to get home. The night was peaceful and still, and held no hint of the total fiasco that his day had been. Needless to say his mom had been less than thrilled to be pulled from work to come pick up her delinquent son. She managed to mention that one about eight separate times on the car ride home.

“I just don’t understand, why would you do that?” She’d asked for at least fourth time. “Were you showing off for this Steve kid?”

“God no Mom! I don’t even like Steve.”

“Was it Toby then? Was he trying to impress them?”

“No! Toby hates them too.”

“Was it a dare?”

“It wasn’t anything Mom! Nothing! It was wrong, I’m punished, it’s over.” Jim crossed his arms over his chest and refused to meet her gaze.

“I get to decide when it’s over.” She drew herself up to her full height to scowl down at him. “And it’s not over because I’m failing to see a reason here. Are you saying that you just up and decided to vandalize a museum because you couldn’t think of anything better to do?”

“We hardly ‘vandalized a museum’. Don’t be dramatic.” Jim threw back testily, and instantly regretted it.

“Do NOT take that tone with me mister. Not after what you’ve done today.” He could tell his mom was done with this argument and him. “Just go to your room. You can come out when you decide you want to explain.”

Jim stomped upstairs. After losing the bridge, enduring Strickler’s ire, Claire’s disappointment, and the painfully long bus ride back to school with his classmates whispering and snickering, he’d thought things had bottomed out for the day. Clearly he’d been wrong.

He wasn’t even mad at his mom. He was mad at himself and the mess he’d made of his life, and now he’d taken it out on her because he couldn’t tell her the truth. He couldn’t tell anyone the truth. Honestly, there was nothing she could say to him that would be a tenth as bad as the way things really were. He slammed the door to his bedroom. It didn’t help.

Jim threw himself on his bed and curled into a ball. He felt like he couldn’t breathe properly, everything was pressing down on him. Why him? Why was everything so hard for him?

He lay there awake until after he’d heard her go to bed, then it was a relief to slip out into the cool dark where nobody was waiting to be angry and disappointed in him. Where he could hide in the shadows of the empty streets.

And now that he’d completed his task and was headed back home, he could feel the weight returning, threatening to crush him. He couldn’t breathe. Without thinking, he took a sharp left, away from his house, and pedaled fast, not even sure where he was going until he saw it.

The lights on the bridge cast eerie shadows on the canal below as Jim dropped his bike and quickly created a portal. He sprinted through the Market, oblivious to everything but his destination. He had no thoughts other than to get there.

He burst into Blinky’s library to find the troll deep in research, standing before a table covered with open books.

Blinky startled, and stepped forward. “Jim?!” Alarm at Jim’s appearance registered in his expression. “Master Jim! Is something wrong?”

“‘Blinky…“ was all he managed to say. Jim felt his legs give out under him as he collapsed to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably. He heard Blinky call his name, but he couldn’t speak. All the anger, all the fear, all the sacrifice, all the guilt, and all the grief, a great yawning chasm of grief that would to swallow him whole, consumed him. His body convulsed with sobs.

Someone knelt beside him, and he felt arms wrap around his shaking body. Four arms to be exact. He screamed soundlessly into Blinky’s embrace.

Blinky didn’t ask him again what was wrong. He just sat and he held him for the long time that it took for Jim to cry himself out.

———————

“There we go. That should have you sorted.”

Trolls didn’t have tissues, so Blinky had brought Jim pile of old rags and a giant mug of cold water. He was currently pressing a cool, wet rag to Jim’s face as gently as his stony arms would allow.

It felt good, soothing his eyes left hot and swollen from crying. “Thanks.” He said hoarsely, taking the rag from Blinky.

Jim blew his nose again and examined his shirt. It was a mess of tears and snot, so much snot. He grimaced.

Blinky sat across from him, and regarded him with concern. “Are you all right Master Jim?” He asked cautiously.

“I’m…” Jim had started to say okay, but he realized he couldn’t. “No, not really. I’m not.” He admitted with resignation.

Blinky's voice was gentle. “Is it an issue with your mother?”

“No. Not really. I just, I can’t, I can’t talk to her right now.”

Blinky nodded with understanding. “So you came here then.”

“Yeah. I’m sorry. I don’t even know why.”

“Sometimes we need to talk to someone who has,” Blinky thought for a moment, “a little distance.”

Jim nodded, he didn’t know if that was the reason. He couldn’t tell Blinky that he was the closest thing to a father that Jim ever had.

Blinky sat silently for a minute. “Would you want to share your concerns with me?”

Of course he wanted to share, he wanted to tell everyone everything and he couldn’t. He couldn’t say a single stupid thing. Jim could feel the frustration welled up in him, filling him, until he had no more room, and it spilled out.

“I messed up. I messed up everything so badly. I don’t know what I’m doing. What I’m supposed to do. I’m supposed to know Blinky, I’m supposed to have the answers! And everything’s wrong! Everything!” Jim’s voice cracked with anguish, he would’ve cried again if there were any tears left in him. “I just want it to go back to the way it was. To before. I just want things to be normal. I can’t do this…” he trailed off, sinking his head into his hands. “I can’t do this.” He whispered again.

Blinky leaned forward and placed a steadying hand on Jim’s shoulder. “Master Jim, you are not alone.”

“But I am. I can’t explain. I just wish it would go away.” Jim answered in a small voice.

“I understand, this is not something you can share.” Blinky nodded. “But, might I offer some advice?”

Jim stared down at the snot-covered rag in his lap and nodded weakly. He couldn’t see what help Blinky could give him, but it was calming to listen to his voice.

Blinky began, “I have lived a long time, even for a troll, and I have found that we will be presented with solutions to most problems in time, as long as we do not despair. However, occasionally, there is a hardship for which no solution is forthcoming, no matter how hard we may labor to obtain it. And we find ourselves wishing for, grieving for, the time before this hardship existed. For that time when we were free of its grasp.”

Jim nodded again, yes, all he wanted was to be freed of this overwhelming responsibility, he wished for that very much.

“Do you know what the key to happiness is Jim?”

Jim looked up, surprised by the sudden question.

Blinky didn’t wait for him to answer. “The key, is to realize that happiness does not lie in having a life unmarred by hardship. Pain, suffering, tribulations — these things can be minimized, but never eliminated. The key is to make peace with that pain. You do not need to love the pain, you do not need to succumb to the pain, you merely need to accept that it is part of you and end your war with it. To battle endlessly with pain such as that, is to battle endlessly with yourself, and that, Master Jim, is a war that cannot be won. Only those who put down their arms, who cease their battles and endeavor to embrace all, the good and the ill, those are the souls who will know joy and peace.”

Blinky placed his hands on both of Jim’s shoulders, and looked him squarely in the face.

“I do not know what pain you carry within you, nor what hardships you must withstand. But I feel I have come to know you, at least a bit. And I can say, with a certainty, that these hardships are not greater than you can endure. You have more strength in you than you may ever understand.” He held Jim’s gaze fiercely. “Stop using that strength to battle fruitlessly with yourself. End this war and you will find that your pain is but a small part of the magnificence that is you, then you will have all the strength you need and you will know happiness.”

The few tears that remained in his body welled in Jim’s eyes as he listened to this troll, his adopted father, and he dared to let a small part of himself believe.

———————

Jim didn’t make it home until dawn had begun to warm the autumn sky. He was relieved to see his mom still asleep, he hadn’t intended on being gone so long. He’d find out later if she’d checked on him during the night and how much more trouble he’d be in if she had. There was no point worrying.

As dead tired as he was, he knew he wasn’t going to fall asleep anytime soon. Jim felt a lot better, calmer, after talking with Blinky, but the mystery of the bridge still wouldn’t let his brain go. Besides, it was Saturday and he was grounded, he had all weekend to rest. Hard labor with Nomura didn’t start until next week. Apparently, 24 hours was not enough time for her to properly plan for their torture.

He was covered in dirt, and snot, and dead goblin, so he showered. He looked awful, like someone had punched him in both eyes. He trudged down to the kitchen afterwards to make breakfast, he had some apologizing to do when his mom got up.

She came downstairs about an hour later. “Did you sleep at all last night?” She winced slightly looking at his red-rimmed eyes.

“No.” Might as well go with the truth.

She nodded. Fights made everything awkward. “It smells good.”

“Quiche. Spinach and mushroom, and we had some Gruyère. Should be done in about 15 minutes.” He played with the oven dials to avoid looking at her.

“Hmm, sounds good.” She stood a couple feet away, and he could feel her waiting for him.

“I’m sorry Mom. I’m really sorry. I don’t know what happened, we just… I was just being stupid. I knew it was stupid. I’m sorry. And I’m sorry I yelled at you.” He didn’t look up as he finished, but then for the second time that day he had a parent’s arms around him.

Things went better after that. They ate, she wasn’t angry anymore, he still got a lecture, but he took his lumps, he deserved it. The only hitch came as she was leaving for work a couple hours later.

“And on Monday I want to hear that you talked to a school counselor, and then I want to speak with them.” She ordered as she grabbed her purse.

“Seriously Mom? I’m already in detention.” He whined.

“Detention does not get you to talk about what’s going on in your head. I believe you’re sorry, I do Jim. But I don’t want this to happen again.” She insisted, and paused at the door. “Jim, you are my life and my heart and I need you to know that. I need you to be okay. Please, for me, just go.”

He nodded unhappily as she left. Crap.

———————

Toby, the little weasel, had not been grounded. His Nana could never seem to punish her sweet Toby-Pie — not that Toby really needed punishment, he was a model grandson.

Toby had come over a couple hours after Jim’s mom left. Technically, having him over was a violation of grounding rules, but what his mom didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. He’d gotten Toby to swear on the amulet that he wouldn’t go to Trollmarket until Jim could go with him. Toby thought it was just because Jim didn’t want to be left out, which was fine by Jim.

They sat on Jim’s couch watching the second Gun Robot movie, and arguing about whether the twist ending was effective, when they heard a loud thump from the basement.

Toby had the armor on before Jim could stop him. “Seriously, Tobes? That’s kinda overkill for a raccoon.”

“You won’t scoff when I’m stopping the guy with a chainsaw from cutting you in half.” Toby retorted, heading for the basement door.

“Oh, it’s chainsaws now?”

“Or an axe, or knives for fingers.”

“And why has my basement become this magnet for serial killers?”

Another thump, followed by shuffling.

Jim stopped arguing.

“Stay behind me Jim.” Toby whispered.

Toby summoned Daylight and slowly pushed open the door. Since a chainsaw did not immediately fly out, their only choice was to head down. Jim could see shadows move in the glow of the furnace. Was this it? Had Bular somehow found him? Toby crouched low and peeked into the room.

“MASTER TOBIAS! What a pleasant surprise! Is Master Jim… ah! There you are!” Blinky added as Jim poked his head out from behind Toby.

Jim descended the steps. “Blinky?”

“Hey Aaarrrgghh.” Toby deactivated the armor and joined them in the basement.

“Toby” Aaarrrgghh said with affection, gently patting Toby’s head.

Blinky and Aaarrrgghh had never been to Jim’s house in this timeline, and they stood awkwardly in the new space.

“Why are you guys here?” Jim asked, “And during the day?”

“Well, we took the tunnel of course.” Blinky pointed towards a large opening obscured by the furnace.

Toby gaped, “There’s a tunnel to Jim’s house?”

Blinky was nonplussed. “Well naturally. There’s a tunnel to your domicile as well.”

“Whaaaaaaaa?”

“We need a way to traverse the distance safely during the day.” Blinky explained.

“Tunnel just practical.” Aaarrrgghh elaborated.

“Exactly.” Blinky concurred.

“Blinky,” Jim said, trying to draw the trolls attention back, “Why are you here?”

Blinky looked surprised at the question. “To check on your well-being of course! After your visit last night, you were in such a state of distress, I would be remiss not to look in on you.”

“Wait a minute!” Toby pointed an accusatory finger at Jim. “You went to Trollmarket last night? Without me?”

“Tobes I didn’t plan…”

“After you made me swear on the amulet not to go?”

“Tobes! Look…”

“And you’re grounded?!”

“TOBY!!”

“Oh dear…” Blinky added.

“Loud.” Aaarrrgghh noted.

“QUIET!” Jim put his hands up to silence them all. He pointed at Toby first. “I was upset. My mom wouldn’t stop, and I just had to get out okay? I didn’t even think about it, I just ended up there. It wasn’t a plan. Okay?”

Toby nodded, but continued to look mildly put out.

Jim turned to Blinky. “And I’m fine. Way better. I need to thank you. What you said, you really did help me. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.” He smiled.

If Blinky had blood under his skin, he might have blushed. “Well, ah, yes, always of service to the Trollhunter’s ally. You are most welcome Master Jim.”

“So you guys are just having these little late night chats now, huh?” Toby interjected sourly.

“Tobes, it was one night.” Jim sighed.

Blinky hastened to defend himself. “Master Tobias, I would have you know, I am quite renowned for my insight. Many have, over the years, sought me out for my wise counsel, Master Jim only being the latest to do so.” He boasted.

Wise counsel. Jim’s sleep-deprived brain flickered on. “Mr. Blink-heh, I’ve got a favor to ask you.”

———————

There were two reasons resurrecting Mr. Blink-heh was as great idea. One, because the last thing Jim needed in his life right now was a high school guidance counselor. And two, because if the time ever came that his mom needed to once again be ushered into this world, having a friendly voice she could trust, even if was attached to a six-eyed, four-armed blue troll, would help immensely.

Blinky was reluctant at first. He felt it too risky to be further involved with humans, but his curiosity about people got the better of him, and he was soon excited to get to act the part of a human school official. And, Jim reasoned, it was only a phone call or two, not a huge risk.

Toby, after being massively bribed with a week of lunches, threw himself fully into what he’d dubbed “The Mom Con”. He ran out the house shouting something about SIM cards and burner phones. He returned an hour later with the means to turn Jim’s phone into an anonymous number for Mr. Blink-heh to use. On Monday, Mr. Blink-heh would call Jim’s mother after Jim and Toby’s detention had ended, to let her know her son had seen him and all was well.

Sunday came and went with Jim scouring the internet, maps of Arcadia, and his own memories, as he complied a list of places the bridge might be located. He would search every inch of Arcadia if that’s what it took.

Monday was interminable. There was the endless gossip and whispering of his classmates. The first detention where Steve, who’d apparently spent his weekend figuring out how this was all Jim’s fault, did everything he could to let Jim know how miserable he was going to make him when this was over. And most painfully, Claire, who would no longer even look at him.

It felt as if a year had passed before they finally stood in Blinky’s library. Blinky had spent his time productively, researching human colloquialisms with mixed success. But as Jim listened to Mr. Blink-heh reassure and assuage his mother, he found himself relaxing for the first time that day. Blinky was a natural.

Unfortunately, his mother also seemed to have found Blinky to be a natural counselor, and requested an in person conference the following day. After a few tense moments of extreme panic, Jim grabbed a pen and scrawled on his hand “video call” and held it up for Blinky to read. His mother, God bless her, agreed to call him when she was done with work.

“So your mother, she’ll be able to see me in this ‘video call’?” Blinky asked, as he watched Toby remove the SIM card from Jim’s phone.

Jim nodded.

Blinky shook his head, and gestured at himself, “Then I fail to see how we’ve solved our dilemma.”

“I think I know. I saw something in one of the books you gave Toby. It’s this mask thing…” Jim suggested.

“A Glamor Mask." Blinky confirmed.

Jim prompted, “We can get one, right? Because it’s that or we have to get really creative with filters.”

A trip to RotGut's with Toby a few dirty gym socks lighter, and the four of them were back in the library, mask in hand.

“Are you sure it’s the best idea?” Jim glanced over at Blinky who was now completely engrossed in Jim’s phone.

“Oh c’mon.” Toby urged. “It’s his big chance to play human. The least you can do is let him pick out his face.”

Jim looked over doubtfully, “I just can’t imagine what human a troll is going to pick to look like.”

A half hour later, they found out.

“All right, you may turn around now.” Blinky said excitedly.

Jim and Toby turned, and were instantly overcome with laughter.

Blinky was confused. “What? I think this is a fine fellow!”

Aaarrrgghh cautiously walked over to Blinky, gingerly poking him with a massive finger. “No like.” He shook his head.

“Blinky,” Jim gasped when he finally could speak, “I really don’t think my mom is going to believe that Keanu Reeves is a guidance counselor at my high school.” Toby wheezed, as he failed to collect himself.

Keanu examined his visage in the phone’s camera, clearly pleased with what he saw, and spoke with Blinky's voice. “I don’t know why she wouldn’t? I look quite the upstanding citizen!”

“Upstanding and internationally famous, yes.” Jim snorted.

Keanu looked confused.

“He’s an actor, in our films. Everybody knows him.” Toby explained, catching his breath.

Keanu nodded. “Ahh, I see. Like Selix Ophid, the great troll orator. His orations were heralded across all the troll lands. Much excitement would preface a visit from the esteemed Selix!”

“Um, yeah. Like that.” Jim relented, wiping his eyes, close enough. “Look, maybe instead of looking like someone else, maybe just try to imagine what you might look like if you were human?”

Keanu raised his eyebrows at this thought, and scratched his chin. “I must admit, I have pondered that many times.”

In the end, Blinky landed on something that looked remarkably like the human Blinky from before, with maybe just a hint of Keanu. It was good enough.

The plan was for Toby to go Trollmarket after school with the SIM card in his phone for Blinky to use. Jim was still grounded and with his mom having worked a day shift, had to head home as soon as detention let out.

She had already started the call by the time he'd gotten home, and he sat on the stairs nervously, listening to his mom speak with Mr. Blink-heh, only relaxing as the call drew to a close.

“Thank you Mr. Blink-heh, this has been really helpful. I’m glad the school has people like you on staff for the kids.”

“Of course Dr. Lake! I’m elated to be of service.”

“I’d like Jim to continue to see you.”

“Absolutely! We already have plans to meet with regularity, I assure you.”

“Great. Thank you. I won’t keep you any longer…”

“Dr. Lake? I hope I’m not out of place in saying that your Jim is one of my favorite students. I have not known him for long, but I can tell he possesses an uncommon kindness and loyalty. You have done right by that young man. I, myself, never had the privilege of offspring, but if I had a son, I would be most proud to have one such as Jim.”

“Thank you Mr. Blink-heh. That means a lot.”

Tears slipped down his cheeks as Jim sat in the silence following the call. Something moved next to him, and he turned to find a box of tissues sliding onto the stairs. He looked up to see his mother smiling down at him.

“I love you kiddo. Always.”

Chapter Text

Ms. Janeth was on the warpath. She was furious at Jim and Steve for getting themselves expelled from the play and ruining her vision. Apparently Eli wasn’t the picture of Romeo she had imagined.

Jim was sitting in Math class, doing what he did in every class these days, thinking about the Killahead Bridge. It had been almost a week since his botched attempt to merely get proof of its existence, and every day that passed that it remained lost to him moved him a day closer to a fate he was desperate to avoid. Today’s fixation was the Janus Order. In his past, Toby and Claire had told him about the changeling spy base hidden in Arcadia, but Jim himself had never gone there and only had some vague ideas about its location.

In this timeline, Strickler was the only person he knew he could ask about the Order’s location. And although things seemed to be progressing between his teacher and his mom, it was nowhere near the point where Jim could saunter up and ask for Strickler to reveal the details of his secret life. Not without courting death anyway. Besides, why didn’t they just construct the bridge there from the start, why even risk the museum? Jim decided there must be some reason why it wasn’t possible, and for now he should probably just focus elsewhere.

He tried to push aside the deep ache he felt thinking about Claire, thinking about the whole team and how much he needed them and relied on them. He’d begun to understand that in a very real way all those people he knew so intimately simply didn’t exist anymore. He recalled the distressed look on Douxie’s face when he’d declared his plan to reboot time. Jim had dismissed Douxie’s concerns as merely worry about changing things, but now Jim realized he should have paid the wizard more attention. Douxie had known what Jim’s plan really meant.

Not that Jim would’ve done any differently. In no way would he accept Toby and so many others were lost and gone. He’d take this world over that one any day.

“MR. LAKE!”

Jim snapped out of his ruminations to find Ms. Janeth glaring down at him, black marker pointed like a sword at his face.

“Nice to know I merit some of your attention, Mr. Lake.” She sneered. “And now how,” she jabbed the marker at the board behind her, “would you solve this mathematical problem?”

Jim glanced over her shoulder at the board covered by a problem so complex he wasn’t sure anyone anywhere had an answer for it. He sighed as he stood up and took the marker.

———————

The one nice thing about detention is it gave him uninterrupted time to try to hack away at the literal mountain of math homework Ms. Janeth had given him as punishment. Not that he’d made much headway by the time they were excused. He hadn’t known this stuff three years ago when it was fresh, and now he was completely lost. Maybe he needed a tutor.

“You comin’ over tonight? Blinky’s giving another one of his lectures. I need distraction.” Toby asked when they stopped at their lockers before leaving.

Blinky had taken the boys’ absence from Trollmarket as an invitation to do some serious troll homeschooling, and with Aaarrrgghh in tow, had begun showing up at Toby’s house every night with a new lesson for them.

Jim winced. “As much as I don’t need more school today, Mom’s on the late shift tonight, so I’ll be there. Mind if I bring this?” He held up his pile of math assignments.

“Hey, I don’t care what you bring, Blinky’s the one with the agenda.” Toby noted, slamming his locker door shut.

Jim was attempting to stuff all his homework into his bag as they walked through the courtyard when Toby jabbed him hard in the ribs. “Toby! What gives?”

Toby jerked his head to the side, and Jim looked over to see Claire exiting the hallway right in front of them. Rehearsal must have just let out. Without warning, Toby angled his body into Jim causing him to stumble and, to his horror, send his books and homework spilling to the ground directly in front of Claire.

“Oh geez! Sorry dude, I totally wasn’t looking where I was going!” Toby smirked as he began to trot away. “Gotta run! See ya later! Sorry man!” He yelled back as his trot turned into a jog, leaving a flustered Jim alone with Claire.

Jim fervently wished he still had the time stone so that he could fast-forward past this moment. He turned slowly to see Claire looking at him. It wasn’t a happy look.

“So, uh, hah, if he wasn’t my best friend, I’d hate that guy.” Jim tried to joke as he bent down to retrieve his books. His joke was met with stony silence, and he couldn’t help but notice that she didn’t make any attempt to help him.

Oh crap. This was horrible. He stood up quickly, books and papers awkwardly shoved into his arms. She wasn’t speaking, but she still hadn’t moved. Here goes nothing.

“Ms. Janeth’s trying to homework me to death as retaliation.” He shrugged down at the mass of papers in his arms. “Um, look, Claire… I wanted to apologize… about the play…”

She cut him off. “I’m going to save you some time here Jim. I used to think you were this sweet guy, but lately, I’m realizing I was wrong.” Jim opened his mouth to explain, but she didn’t give him a chance. “You’re hanging out with Steve, getting in trouble, and blowing off the play even before you got yourself in detention. You know,” she shook her head ruefully, “I was stupidly looking forward to doing this with you, but you clearly couldn’t be bothered. I know you think this is all a joke.”

Jim shook his head emphatically, trying to show her he didn’t, but she wouldn’t stop. “But for some of us, this play, school, it’s important. I have plans for my life Jim, real plans. And I don’t have room for people who don’t respect that.”

Jim wanted to protest, to explain, to tell her how singularly important she was to him, but in the moment he couldn’t think of a single word.

She shook her head again and began to walk away. “I’d say good luck with the homework, but you’ve kinda asked for it.”

And then she was gone.

Jim stood alone in the courtyard in the waning light of the day, papers forgotten in his arms. He should run after her, he should make her understand. What though? What could he possibly tell her that would make any sense?

In a vague memory of a distant other life, Jim recalled that she’d forgiven him for screwing up rehearsal and even invited him over to help with his homework. Why hadn’t she this time? And then it came back to him — the letter. The letter he’d written when he thought he’d been about to killed in a death match with Draal. The letter she’d taken to be a confession about his inner monsters. The letter she’d said made him sweet and vulnerable. The letter he’d never written this time.

His shoulders slumped as he stood watching the shadows lengthen across the courtyard. He had to fix this. He’d promised her he’d never give up on them.

Jim stared at the ground, trying to formulate a plan, something he could do to win back her trust, when a part of one of the shadows detached itself and started moving. He jerked his head up just in time to see a goblin disappearing over the top of the building.

Without a thought, he dropped his books and gave chase. It was hard to follow, him on the ground, it skittering over the rooftops of the school. It looked like it was carrying something.

What was a goblin doing at his school? Jim lost track of it briefly going around a corner, but then he found it again, it had descended off the rooftop and was angling down. Jim peeked from around the corner to see it land and effortlessly swing itself into an open window near the ground.

The long, rectangular window turned out to lead into a basement room. Jim peered inside, there was a decent drop to the floor below, although he judged that he could probably handle it. The opening was narrow, but he just managed to squeeze himself through. There were at least a few advantages to being a skinny kid. He lowered himself down, and hung for a second before dropping quietly to a crouch. He was in what looked like the school's mechanical room. Nobody but janitors ever came down here.

The light was rapidly dimming, and he couldn’t see where the goblin had gone, but he heard a small sharp noise coming from near the big furnace on the other side of the room. Jim moved swiftly across the room, and cautiously approached the furnace. He saw nothing. He walked over and touched it. Yup, it was a furnace. He paced around it, he was positive this where the sound had come from. There wasn’t much space behind the large appliance, just enough room for someone to squeeze in, so it was no problem for him. Another shout out to the skinny guys. It was dark behind the furnace, and he jumped as he stepped on something soft.

Crap! Amid visions of a mob of goblins seeking vengeance for stepping on their brethren, he fished his phone out of his pocket and turned on the flashlight. Jim breathed a sigh of relief, what he'd stepped on was just a stuffed animal. He leaned sideways in the narrow space to pick it up. It looked like a bunny, tattered and dusty from the floor. He held the light up to it. Wait. He’d seen this toy before. Suzy Snooze... That goblin had Enrique!

He frantically swung the light up and around him, nothing but concrete. He aimed the light back down to where he’d found the toy, and then he saw it. A painted wood panel, maybe only two or three feet square. It was mostly flush with the wall, so he tried to pull it out. It didn’t budge. He tried to push it to the side, again, it stayed put. Jim threw his all weight against it as best he could in the awkward space and tried to force it in, it was immobile. He pushed harder, there had to be a way in. Finally, realizing it was futile, he leaned back in defeat, and heard a small “click” as he let go. He pointed the light down and saw that the panel now protruded from the wall by over an inch. He had an idea, and pushed it to the left, like a barn door, and this time it slid smoothly to the side.

Jim jammed the bunny into his back pocket and crawled through the opening. It extended into a narrow passageway lined with pipes and wiring, he was in the space between the walls. He heard movement up ahead and quickly extinguished his light, silently sliding the panel shut behind him. In the darkness he could see the corridor was weakly illuminated by a green glow emanating from the other end, and he moved forward carefully.

The passageway curved slightly to the right, and he had almost gotten to the opening at the other end when he heard a familiar voice.

“Show me the child.”

Jim threw himself back into an open space between the pipes, trying to disappear. Whatever was located at the other end of this passage, Nomura was there!

He heard Enrique coo, and then, “Excellent. Now go, quickly.” She said impatiently as the green glow flared brightly.

“Waka Chaka!”

There was a fizzle of energy, and a burst of light, followed by a second burst of sound and light.

“Well, ‘ello ‘ello. Now aren’t you a tall drink of…”

“SILENCE whelp!”

Jim gasped, it was NotEnrique! He’d just managed to be present for the exchange of changeling and familiar. In a hidden space, under his school!

“Oi! No need to be cross boss lady.”

“I said silence.”

NotEnrique clearly sensed that Nomura was not one to be messed with, and Jim heard nothing more from the young changeling.

The green glow faded, and Jim found himself in near darkness.

“Follow me. We need to move quickly, before the humans notice your absence.” She commanded.

He heard shuffling, a light sound of metal clanging, and then silence.

Jim sat frozen in his hiding place. NotEnrique was here, the exchange had happened. He held his breath in the darkness and listened hard for any sounds of life in the space beyond. He didn’t know how long he sat before he dared to move, but after banging his head on the surrounding pipes he realized he'd just have to risk turning on his flashlight.

He edged himself towards the end of the passage, towards wherever Nomura and NotEnrique had just been. When he got to the there he found that it emptied into a larger room. In the darkness it was impossible to tell how large the space was. He passed his light over the floor near him. There were some crates and boxes scattered about, and a few feet away sat a small folding table. He walked over and found that resting on top of the table was the Fetch. Exactly what they needed to rescue the babies from the Darklands.

He reached out to grab it, but stopped himself. Strickler would have the Fetch later, and if Jim took it now, they’d all know someone had found them, and he couldn’t risk that. Not when he still didn’t know where they’d put the bridge.

He moved past the table, further into the room, trying to see where Nomura and NotEnrique had exited. The space was larger than he’d first thought.

There were even more crates the further he went, and then his light landed on a large metal grate in the floor. Very large actually. It was split down the middle and hinged at the sides so it could swing up and open like two big doors. He edged closer and peered down. It looked like it connected the room with a wide sewer tunnel below. This is how they got in and out without being noticed.

He realized he should leave, he was pushing his luck exploring, and Nomura could return at any time. As he made his way back out, he discovered even more crates and something that looked like scaffolding.

Wait. Crates and scaffolding.

He aimed his light up and around him, scanning the room above floor level. Jim stopped dead in his tracks.

The beam of his flashlight had come to rest on Killahead Bridge.

It had been here, under his feet the whole time.

He paced around it quickly. To his unease, it appeared to be finished and whole. Even the distinctive Eyestone was in place.

Suddenly, panic overtook him. He needed to hurry, surely they wouldn’t leave the bridge unattended for long. Jim forced himself to slow down long enough to take careful, clear pictures. He wasn’t going to make the mistake of not having concrete evidence again. All he needed to do now was get this proof to Vendel and the trolls should take care of the rest.

He retraced his steps back to the opening of the passageway back out. As he crawled in, he turned to take one last look at the ominous stone structure, as if to make absolutely sure it really was there.

It squatted menacingly in the dark room and Jim shuddered. It felt like something alive, like it was just biding its time, waiting to swallow him into the Darklands once again.

Jim felt his jaw clench. Not this time. He was going to make sure that no one went through that portal ever again. He turned and left the room, and Killahead Bridge, in darkness.

Chapter Text

“Great Gronka Morka!”

Blinky covered his mouth in disbelief as he stared at the pictures on Jim’s phone.

Jim had headed straight for Toby’s house after he’d made his discovery. Blinky had been about launch into a lecture on rudeness after Jim barged in, interrupting “Trollhunter Academy” — another thing Toby had named, but had abruptly stopped as Jim held up his phone.

“It’s Killahead isn’t it?” Jim feigned uncertainty.

Blinky shook his head slightly as if wanting to deny all half-dozen of his eyes, “Yes, Master Jim, I am afraid that it can be no other. You see that Eyestone?” He pointed to one of the pictures, “It’s design is unique to Killahead Bridge. There is,” he sighed, “no doubt.” 

Aaarrrgghh peered over Blinky’s shoulder to view the images, and shrunk back in fear, curling in on himself. “Bad. Killahead bad. Gunmar there.”

Blinky reached back to pat his old friend reassuringly, then he furrowed his brow and fixed Jim with a quizzical look. “You said you found it under your school?”

Tedious as “Trollhunter Academy” was, it had proven remarkably useful to Jim. Blinky’s intensive lessons had introduced them to creatures and lore that had taken them weeks, even months, to suss out in the previous timeline. This meant Jim rarely had to hide much of his knowledge of the troll’s world anymore. And on this occasion it meant that, outside of the fact that he’d been looking for the bridge the whole time, Jim could simply tell Blinky the truth.

“Yes.” He nodded vigorously. “Toby had just left, and I was about to leave, when I saw a goblin…” Jim proceeded to relay the story as it had happened to the trolls and a wide-eyed Toby, only omitting the details of who the changelings were and who the owner of the stuffed bunny was.

Blinky fumed. “Vile creatures. Plotting under our very noses!” He looked hard at Jim. “And you are certain you can recall its location?”

“Positive.”

Blinky gathered himself. “Then,” he spoke with determination, “we must bring this evidence before Vendel posthaste. An existential threat such as this must be attended to.”

Yes! Jim had been somewhat concerned that Blinky would hesitate like he had done before, but with undeniable proof, he’d clearly understood that action was required.

Soon after, the four had arrived in Trollmarket, and headed directly for Vendel’s chambers.

“Why Blinkous, to what do I owe the honor of a visit from you and our esteemed Trollhunter?” Vendel deadpanned as they entered, not bothering to conceal his contempt.

If Blinky had noticed the tone of the question, he ignored it. “Vendel, we come before you with a matter of dire urgency. Master Jim has uncovered a heinous plot by the changelings that imperils our very existence!”

Vendel rolled his milky eyes, and dismissed them with a wave. “I will hear no more of your conspiracies Blinkous! Your unceasing fabrications grow intolerable.”

Blinky huffed audibly with offense. “This is no concocted theory, this is an unsettling reality!” He pushed Jim forward, gesturing for him to share his evidence.

Jim dutifully held up his phone, displaying the pictures he’d taken. At first Vendel just blinked at the strange device, taking a moment to register what he was actually looking at. Then his mouth fell open with a soft gasp.

“This… This is Killahead Bridge.” He pointed at the phone in horror, then looked up sharply at Jim. “Where did you obtain these images?” He demanded.

Jim attempted to retell the story of how he stumbled upon the bridge as succinctly as possible. Vendel wasn’t one for wasting time, and, in truth, the elder troll still intimidated the hell out of him.

Vendel listened attentively, his eyes moving from Jim back to the images on his phone. When Jim had finished, Vendel stood silently, head lowered in thought.

“As much as it pains me to admit, you were correct in bringing this to my attention Blinkous.” He spoke to the floor, ignoring Blinky who chuffed with pride. “This sinister discovery is indeed dire and we would ignore it at our peril.”

“Then you’ll destroy it now?” Jim blurted out before he could stop himself.

“Destroy it now?!” Vendel huffed back at him. “I know fleshbags are rash, irrational creatures, but are you mad?”

What? Jim was confused, what would they do if not destroy it? Leaving it out there meant leaving the very tangible threat of Gunmar’s release, an event he knew for a fact Vendel would do anything to prevent.

“What else would you do? You can’t just let it sit there?” Blinky put a hand on Jim’s shoulder to try to silence him, but Jim was already too keyed up. “You’re just gonna let the changelings keep it?! You’re not going to do anything?”

“Blinkous, you might remind your fleshbag charge to pay heed to whom he speaks.” Vendel warned, glaring at Blinky.

Blinky gathered Jim with all four arms, pulling him back as he tried to resist reigning in.

“And you,” Vendel directed a withering gaze at Jim, “although I owe you no explanations for our actions, of course we will do something. This is a matter too serious to be ignored.”

Jim relaxed a bit, okay, Vendel was going to be reasonable. He’d take care of it in his own way.

“We will,” Vendel stated proudly, pausing for effect, “convene the Troll Tribunal to discuss the matter fully.”

Jim’s brain took a full minute to process this pronouncement. Then, “WHAT?!”

Blinky quickly signaled to Aaarrrgghh, who grabbed an apoplectic Jim and hastened to the exit with Toby in tow as Vendel glared venomously at the group.

“Thank you Vendel.” Blinky stammered, attempting to assuage the elder. “We, erm, all of us, are most appreciative for your prompt and insightful attentions to this most grave matter.” As he spoke he bowed and moved rapidly backward out of the room just behind Aaarrrgghh, eager to end the encounter.

When they’d cleared Vendel’s chambers and had entered the relative anonymity of the Market proper, Blinky spun on a Jim still straining mightily against Aaarrrgghh’s gentle confinement.

“Master Jim contain yourself! Might I remind you that Vendel is the Elder of the Market, and your presence here is tolerated at his sole discretion.”

Jim squirmed futility in Aaarrrgghh’s embrace. “Blinky that was ridiculous! The bridge is out there right now! And they’re going to just have some meetings?!” He fumed.

“Keep quiet! Do you wish to start a panic?” Blinky hissed back.

Jim huffed noisily, but stayed silent.

“Blinky, what’s going to happen now?” Toby worried.

Blinky scratched his chin. “Right now, we shouldn’t have this discussion right here. Come Aaarrrgghh, bring Jim.”

Jim ceased struggling and resigned himself to being carried around like Susie Snooze as the group headed for Blinky’s library.

———————

“How long will the Tribunal take?” Jim, having been released, now paced the length of the library, furious at Vendel’s inaction and bureaucratic nonsense. Aaarrrgghh sat on the floor nearby watching him, ready to swing into action again if needed.

Blinky considered the question, “It’s impossible to say really. It will take a couple days for them to gather, then, maybe a few days, a week? Once, they were famously in session for over three months!” Blinky must have realized his mistake as Jim pivoted quickly, his anger flaring. “OR,” Blinky interjected swiftly, cutting Jim off before he could start, “for something of this magnitude, it might only take a day. I understand your impatience Master Jim, but Vendel is wise to seek counsel and not rush headlong into danger lest he make a bad situation worse.”

“So, we just wait for them to decide then?” Toby sat next to Aaarrrgghh, trying to stay out of Jim’s path.

“Well,” Blinky responded, “it is customary for the Trollhunter to be in attendance at any official gathering of the Tribunal. The Trollhunter, after all, is in service to Trollkind.”

Jim stopped. Something nagged at his brain, he didn’t like the idea of Toby being here with the Tribunal. He tried to calm down and focus his thoughts.

“Is that really necessary Blinky? It’s just some formality.” Jim reasoned.

Blinky shook his head. “Master Jim, troll culture takes its laws and traditions quite seriously. The Trollhunter’s absence might be easily perceived as a slight to the other leaders. Queen Ursana, for example…”

Oh crap! Queen Ursana, of course! He couldn’t let Toby anywhere near that traitor. One look at the human Trollhunter and she’d make sure Bular knew exactly who to target.

Jim cut him off. “Blinky, we can’t let Toby be here when the Tribunal comes.”

Blinky clucked his tongue in dismissal. “Master Jim, that simply will not be acceptable.”

“Yeah, Jimbo, it’s fine. I can be here.” Toby added.

“NO!” Jim said a little too forcefully. What could he say? He needed to convince them without outright saying a respected leader of an entire troll kingdom was a servant of Gunmar. “Blinky, you taught us that the bridge is useless without the amulet, right?”

“That is correct.” Blinky said slowly, clearly trying to figure out the purpose of Jim’s question.

Jim continued. “Right now, as far as we know, the one thing we have going for us is that Bular doesn’t know who the Trollhunter is. Heck, there’s never been a human Trollhunter before, so he’s not even considering that.”

Blinky nodded in agreement, still looking unsure at where Jim was taking this line of reasoning.

Jim started pacing again. “When the Tribunal comes, there’ll be trolls from all over coming to the Market. Trolls we don’t know. Don’t you see Blinky? What if one of them,” Ursana for example, Jim thought, “is a spy for Bular?”

Blinky scoffed.

“No, here me out." Jim demanded. "You told us changelings could be anyone, anywhere. Do we really risk losing our single greatest advantage over some formality?”

At this, Blinky raised his eyebrows and stroked his chin. “That is a salient point. However, it’s not as if the Trollhunter’s identity is a secret in Trollmarket.”

Jim was ready for that one. “Yes, but if there were a spy here now, why would Bular not have come for us yet? And yeah, we probably can’t keep the fact that the amulet has chosen a human a secret any longer, sure. But, can any of the trolls around here really identify Toby specifically? Outside of you and Aaarrrgghh, humans are all the same to the them. Just annoying fleshbags.”

Blinky was nodding more rapidly, seeing Jim’s point, but then held up a cautioning finger. “You’re forgetting Vendel. He not only knows Master Tobias, and yourself, well, but would also not abide the Trollhunter forsaking his obligations.”

“Couldn’t you talk to him? Get him to understand?” Jim pleaded. “I know I got… emotional, before, but, surely you could make him see the dangers. I have to believe he’d want to do everything possible to keep us safe from Gunmar.”

Blinky silently pondered this, tapping his finger on his chin. “Yes.” He replied cautiously. “Yes, Master Jim, I believe I could.”

“Thank you Blinky!” Jim smiled, relieved.

Toby piped up, “So, I gotta ask again, what are we doing then?”

They all turned to Blinky, who seemed to take great pleasure in the authority he was being afforded by the group.

“Messrs. Tobias and Jim, you will leave Heartstone Trollmarket tonight, not to return until the Tribunal has concluded its business and disbanded. I will endeavor to convince Vendel that our course of action will prove the most prudent. And Aaarrrgghh,” he walked over to his friend and placed a hand on his furry shoulder, “I must ask you to accompany Master Tobias back to his home, and help guard his safety during this uncertain time.” Blinky concluded solemnly.

Aaarrrgghh looked down at Toby, then back to Blinky. “Leave Trollmarket?”

“Not forever, my friend.” Blinky assured him. “Just for a time. Our Trollhunter must remain safe, and you are the most trustworthy and valiant of guardians.”

Aaarrrgghh smiled broadly at the compliment.

“Awesomesauce! We’re gonna be roomies buddy!” Toby exulted. “We’re gonna have the best time ever. We’re gonna watch movies, play games… You ever played Go-Go Sushi?”

Aaarrrgghh shook his head. “Roomies?”

“Ya know, share a room. Live together. Oh, you’ll see, it’ll be great!” Toby explained.

Blinky clapped his hands together. “Excellent! Then let us waste no more time. The game is afoot!”

As Jim, Toby, and Aaarrrgghh headed for the exit, one more concern weighed on Jim’s mind. He hadn’t wanted to say anything in front of the group, but he hadn’t been completely truthful in saying that no troll in Trollmarket would be able to identify Toby accurately. There was one other besides Vendel, and Jim knew only he and his knowledge of the future might possibly be able to sway them.

They were nearing the stairs out, and Toby was laying down the house rules, explaining that under no circumstances would the cats be viewed as snacks, when Jim stopped, pretending to look in his pockets.

“Ah crud guys, I must’ve left my phone back at the library. I gotta go back.”

“We can wait for you.” Toby offered cheerfully.

“Nah, you guys go ahead. You’ve got a lot of stuff to do. It’s not like it’s gonna be easy getting Aaarrrgghh in your room.” Jim laughed.

“Hah! That’s the truth. You sure?”

“Absolutely Tobes. No problem.” Jim smiled, and turned to head back.

“Jimbo?” Toby took a few steps forward to close the short distance between Jim and himself.

“Yeah? What’s up?”

“I… I wanted to say something before, but it’s been pretty crazy since you came over with the bridge and stuff.” Toby hesitated as he spoke. “I just wanted to say, that, back at school, with Claire, I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would go so badly. I’m really sorry for putting you in that.” Toby looked crestfallen.

Jim patted his friend’s shoulder. “Tobes, it’s okay. Really. You were just trying to be a good wingman. No apologies necessary.”

Toby grinned. “I’ve always got your back wingman. I promise, next time, no surprise attack.”

“Wait, next time?”

Aaarrrgghh perked up, “Wingman?”

Toby ignored Jim and returned his attention to the big troll as they headed out. “Oh dude! We can be wingmen too…”

Their voices faded as Jim turned and jogged back into the Market. He wasn’t sure where exactly to find his target, but he had a good idea about where to start.

———————

The Troll Pub was crowded that night, and Jim had to keep on his toes, dodging and weaving, to avoid being crushed by massive stone feet and bodies. Without Aaarrrgghh as an escort or his armor to protect him, he felt exceptionally small.

Fortunately for him, Draal was not one to hide in a corner, so Jim found him quickly. Draal sat a table smack in the middle of the pub, drinking, well, Jim chose to believe it was beer, and trading boasts and war stories with his buddies. He paid Jim no notice when he approached the table.

Jim cleared his throat loudly to be heard over the din of pub patrons. “Ehem. Um, excuse me, Draal, sir?” He figured a deferential tone was his best shot here.

Draal turned slowly, dramatically, for the amusement of his friends, to scowl down at Jim. “Well well well, if it isn’t the Trollhunter’s little friend. Why are you troubling me, worm? Has the Trollhunter finally come to his senses and wishes to return the amulet to me?”

Jim bit back the retort that the amulet was not, nor would it ever be, Draal’s to give, that wouldn’t help his case. Right now he had bigger things to accomplish than picking a fight.

“No, sir.” God, this was demeaning. “There is something important that I’d like to talk to you about. If you could just spare me a few minutes?”

Draal raised his eyebrows and his voice, and gestured broadly around the room. “The worm has something important to tell me! Oh, please fleshbag, enlighten me.”

Jim swallowed hard, he’d known that there was no way Draal was going to make this easy, and Jim sometimes hated being right.

“It’s something that I need to discuss with you, um,” Jim glanced up at Draal’s three giant friends currently glaring down at him, “alone.”

Draal hissed air out from between his teeth and turned away from Jim. “There is nothing some skinny fleshbag has to say that holds any interest for me. You’ll leave now if you know what’s good for you.”

Jim’s patience was waning. “Then I suppose you no longer have any interest in avenging your father's death.”

With a growl, Draal was on his feet so fast that his stool was thrown back, in an instant he’d grabbed Jim and held him up menacingly. Jim realized he may have miscalculated.

“DO NOT SPEAK OF MY FATHER, WORM! That you exist right now and he does not is reason enough to end you.” He roared.

Jim spoke with some effort as Draal’s grip tightened, squeezing the breath out of him. “I have… information… about… Bular… how you could… get… revenge…” He finished with a groan.

Draal held him aloft for a agonizing minute while he considered Jim’s offer. Or considered throwing Jim violently into a wall. But in the moment, Jim chose to believe it was the former.

“Leave us.” Draal ordered his friends without taking his eyes off of Jim, or loosening his grip.

When they had gone, Draal dropped Jim unceremoniously onto a stool, but not before giving Jim an extra hard squeeze to remind him how close to death he’d come. The stool wobbled dangerously when Jim landed, and he clung to it, coughing hard as cold air rushed into lungs which expanded painfully into his bruised rib cage.

Draal didn’t wait for him to recover. “You have bought yourself one minute before I punt you out of Trollmarket for your insolence.”

The stool stabilized as Jim righted himself, he wheezed and struggled to talk. In his delay Draal snorted and made a move to grab Jim again. Jim dug frantically in his pocket for his phone, then held it up, and Draal hesitated, intrigued by the device and what Jim might be doing.

“This… is… secret…” Jim managed to sputter out, and he showed Draal the pictures of the bridge.

Draal’s eyes went wide and he sat back onto his stool with a thud. “Is that…?” He said softly.

Jim nodded vigorously.

“And it’s near?”

Jim nodded again.

Draal’s expression hardened. “You will tell me where it is now and I will grind it and Bular into dust.”

Jim shook his head, finally regaining his breath and his voice. “No, not yet.” Jim held up his hand in warning as Draal threatened to grab him again. “I’m the only one who knows where it is. Hurt me and you’ll never find it.”

Draal reluctantly sat back down. “What do you want from me then?”

“I want you to have your vengeance Draal. I want to stop Bular and his plan to bring back his father with that bridge. I want that more than anything.” Jim explained. “But in order for that to happen, I need your help.”

Draal eyed Jim skeptically, but was listening and not trying to kill him, so, progress.

“As we speak, Vendel is calling the Troll Tribunal to discuss what to do about this.” Jim held up his phone again for emphasis. “They’ll be here soon. And, don’t ask me how I know this, but when they come, there will be agents of Bular with them.”

Draal’s eyes flashed with anger and he threatened to stand again.

“I don’t know who it is Draal!” Jim lied. “There’s nothing we can do about that. Please, sit.” Jim hastened to add as he prayed Draal would agree to help him. “The Tribunal, and the spy, will be looking for the identity of  Trollhunter. Right now, the fact that Bular doesn’t know who, or what, the Trollhunter is, is our greatest asset. Toby, er, the Trollhunter, and I will not be back in the Market until they’re gone. What I need from you is to agree not to tell them about us, not to even talk about us. Don’t give them any information that could lead them to us. If you do that, as the Trollhunter’s ally, I will make sure that you are the first one in when we go to destroy it.”

“And if the Tribunal decides on another course of action?” Draal challenged.

“Like I said, I’m the only one who knows where it is, and where Bular will be. Whatever the Tribunal decides, I guarantee that you will have the location and access to the bridge.” Jim responded. “All you need to do is keep quiet for a few days while they’re here, and it’s yours.”

Draal sat on this for a bit. “And why should I care if the Trollhunter perishes? The amulet will just come to me then.”

Jim winced, time to take another potentially stupid risk. “It didn’t come to you last time.” Jim rushed to finish as Draal snorted with anger. “You have to know there is no guarantee who it will choose. And besides, if the Trollhunter dies, I may die, and with me gone the location of the bridge is gone too. You really want to take that chance?”

Draal huffed, but settled back into his stool. “I agree to your offer fleshbag. You have my word that I will remain silent. But if you do not…”

Jim held up both his hands. “I will! I will. I promise. I want Bular and everything he has destroyed. I want it more than you can know.” Jim promised. “You are Trollmarket’s greatest warrior.” Draal looked slightly surprised and dubious at this statement. 

“I know I shouldn’t say that as the Trollhunter’s friend, but, right now, you are. You’re our — you're my — best shot at ending Bular’s threat to us.” Jim admitted. As much as Jim worried about keeping Draal alive, making this promise to him now was the only way to get the spiky troll onboard. And he’d make sure that Draal would never face Bular alone.

Draal grunted and stared at his mug. “I could finally avenge my father.” He said in a low voice.

Jim bowed his head, feeling his friend’s pain. “I promise, you will have that.” He vowed both to Draal and to himself.

Chapter Text

“Mr. Palchuk, Mr. Lake, you’re with me. The rest of you stay here and help Mr. Fernandez.”

And with that, Nomura ended any hope of a tolerable Saturday morning for Jim. Toby gave him a helpless shrug as Nomura led him and Steve away. Great, now he’d get to spend fun quality time with a pre-Creepslayerz Steve and an angry changeling assassin. Awesomesauce.

Maybe dealing with these two would at least keep his mind off of the Troll Tribunal, which, according to Blinky, was set to begin deliberations about the Killahead Bridge problem later that day. He could only hope they’d come to a sane conclusion, but with Queen Ursana there he wasn’t optimistic.

Nomura lead them through the museum and towards back rooms not open to the public. Steve had painfully elbowed his way in front of Jim, and was currently walking in a weird stop-start manner in hopes that he could trip Jim up, or maybe just annoy the hell out of him. If Steve was going for the later, his plan was working perfectly. Jim puffed out an exasperated breath. He was so sick of fighting with people who had just recently been his friends and allies.

He’d never given much thought to what it would be like to go back in time, prior to actually doing it that is, but when he had thought about it, it had seemed like a fairly easy prospect. You go back, you know everything, you fix it, boom, done. But he was rapidly discovering it was far from the fantasy you'd think it is. And easily the hardest thing to deal with was the people.

You take for granted that the people you know now are who they’ve always been, and, for pretty much everyone, you’ll never really have the ability to test that belief. But he had, and almost every interaction now was a shock, with the possible exception of his mom. Even with Tobes, even with his best friend, this Toby was still different than the one who… than the one he left behind. Jim never had to censor himself, or lie — well, mostly never — to Toby before, their friendship was effortless and comforting. Now, while it had glimpses of that former ease, it was strained and Jim found himself longing for his “old” friend.

And it was a hundred times worse with those who had started out as enemies. When Strickler had come to pick up his mom for their date the night before, he was, of course, warm, polite, and affable with Jim. And Jim felt it would be so easy to slip into the pattern of trust and kinship that he’d forged through sweat and tears with this man. But he couldn’t. This Strickler was a changeling bent on the destruction of the world as he knew it. This Strickler had plotted to move the instrument of that destruction under the very school where he taught children he pretended to care for. This Strickler had the spark of humanity deep in his heart, but it was barely more than potential at this point.

Nomura directed them to a large room off of a back hallway. Steve briefly tried to block the doorway and force Jim into a confrontation, but with a single sharp glare from Nomura, he instantly backed down. Apparently she didn’t need her troll form to have that effect on people.

The room was filled with tables and equipment used to examine and perhaps repair the works housed in the museum. Nomura turned and pointed at a long row of old filing cabinets lining the far wall.

“You will go through everything in those cabinets. Get rid of the empty folders, and catalog and consolidate everything you find.” She instructed curtly as she handed them each a clipboard with some paper attached.

Steve looked like someone had just asked him to, well, spend a nice Saturday morning going through old filing cabinets in the back of the museum. With a final, “Now”, from Nomura, they trudged over to begin their labors.

The cabinets were larger than they’d looked a distance, and covered with a thick layer of dust that made Jim’s throat itch. It looked like these files hadn’t been touched in forever. This was definitely the punishment Strickler had been hoping for.

Jim figured he’d better get started before Nomura thought of something worse for them to do. He picked the first cabinet and opened the top drawer. The files inside looked like museum pieces themselves, he wasn’t sure how there could be more dust inside a drawer than on top of it, but these cabinets had somehow managed the impossible.

Nomura turned on some classical music and settled herself at one of the long tables on the other side of the room, and Steve, after a couple minutes of hesitation, opened up the top drawer of the cabinet next to Jim’s. They’d worked like that for a bit, the quiet only broken up by Nomura’s music and occasional coughing from an unexpected dust cloud, when Steve edged over and “accidentally” bumped the drawer Jim was working on, almost slamming it shut on his hand.

“Dude! What is your problem?” Jim yelped, trying to keep his voice low.

“You’re my problem, Lake. I’d be sleeping in right now if it wasn’t for you.” Steve sneered.

“I seem to recall you walked through that door pretty well on all on your own.”

“You had the door open already. I didn’t know we couldn’t go down there. And you just stood there and let me go.” Steve glared at Jim.

Jim chuckled humorlessly. “Yeah, like me telling you it was off limits really would’ve stopped you. Sure.”

“You wanted to get me in trouble. You’ve always been jealous. I’ve seen the way you look at Nuñez, you didn’t like the idea that she’d be kissing these lips instead.” Steve puckered his lips in a vulgar parody of a kiss.

“Yeah, and I’ve seen the way she looks at you. I’m sure she’s much happier kissing Eli.”

“Shove it buttmunch!”

Steve’s outburst earned them a glare from Nomura. “Back to work!”

They both feigned attention to the their respective cabinets. “Nobody forced you to do anything Steve. For god’s sake, just take some responsibility for once in your life.” Jim hissed.

“What are you, like 60? You sound like him.”

In the heat of the moment, Jim saw an opportunity and took it. “Oh, you mean Coach Lawrence? Isn’t he dating your mom? I bet it’s fun having him over at your house all the time.” Jim didn’t know what made him say that. He knew how painful the subject was for Steve. The Claire crack just ripped at an open wound and he wanted Steve to hurt too.

“What? That’s a lie.” Jim could see fear flash in Steve’s eyes.

“Then I guess I didn’t see him drop you off this morning. Guess he didn’t spent the night.” Jim prodded.

Steve’s eyes went wide, and his voice cracked. “Shut it Lake! You say anything to anyone and you’re dead. They won’t even find the body.”

Nomura cleared her throat menacingly from her seat, and both boys snapped their attention back to the filing cabinets.

They returned to working in silence, and Jim had time to regret what he’d said. He knew Steve wasn’t a bad guy, he’d just had the same rotten luck with fathers that Jim had. If only he hadn’t brought Claire into it.

Steve sniffled. Jim shot a sideways glance over, it was probably the dust. Another sniffle. Crap. Now he’d made Steve cry. Some hero he was turning out to be, he sighed. Here we go, let’s bond with Steve.

“My mom’s dating Mr. Strickler.” He said reluctantly.

Steve, his back to Jim, snapped his head up. “Strickler?!”

Jim pretended he wasn’t happy about it. “Yeah. I guess we’re both doomed.”

Steve wiped his nose on his sleeve before turning around with a lopsided smile. “Oh man, I’d take the Coach over Strickler any day. Does he talk like that all the time?”

“Like what?”

“Like all England-y and stuck up.”

Jim chuckled. “Hah. Yeah, pretty much.”

“Sucks dude…” Steve commiserated with a shake of his head.

“Could be worse, could be Uhl.” Jim shrugged.

“I dunno, he does have a pretty sweet truck.”

Jim smiled evilly. “But don’t you get the feeling that he’s a little too close to that truck?”

“What?… Oh! Dude! You’re sick Lake.” Steve laughed for a minute at the thought, then sobered. “Hey look, you don’t tell anyone about Coach, and I keep quiet about Strickler.”

“Deal.”

“Doesn’t mean we’re friends now.”

“Course not. That would be tragic for both of us.”

Jim glanced over to see Steve smiling as he resumed his work. Maybe this won’t be so bad after all, he thought. And for once, he was right.

———————

“Wake up, wake up!”

Jim opened his eyes to a plate of what he knew were completely inedible pancakes and his mother’s smiling face. It was the second sixteenth birthday of his life, and he was already looking forward to it being over.

“Special birthday pancakes for the special day! Sixteen!” His mom grinned.

Jim sat up and unenthusiastically took possession of the cursed pancakes. “Thanks Mom.” 

“Now I know you don’t like your birthdays, but this is a big one, we should do something special tonight.”

“It’s okay Mom, Tobes said he has plans for us after we’re done with detention tonight.” Which was actually true, Jim thought.

His mom frowned briefly at the mention of detention, but then brightened. “Well, far be it from me to get between bros.”

“Mom, please…”

“I know, I know, you hate it when I use youth lingo.” She laughed.

“The fact that you said “youth lingo” shows just how far you are from youth lingo.” Jim grinned back.

She held up her hands in mock defeat. “Okay fine. I’ll just take my non-youthful advanced degree in medicine downstairs. And,” she added as she left his room, “I’ve got one more surprise for you!”

Oh yeah, the not-a-Vespa blender. Maybe in this timeline he wouldn’t eat it.

Toby’s plan for after school turned out to be the same as Jim’s first sixteenth birthday. Although the Vespa ride without being hunted by a killer Stalkling was far more enjoyable.

Back at Toby’s house afterward, they sat on the floor of Toby’s bedroom going through the Vespa catalog Toby had snagged, and watching Aaarrrgghh play video games.

“He’s gotten really good.” Jim observed.

Toby looked over and sighed. “Yeah, it’s kinda annoying. He beats me all the time now. You’d think he’d have more trouble with the controller and his giant fingers.” He puzzled.

Toby’s phone buzzed, and he grabbed it. “It’s Blinky. He’s in the basement.”

“Blinky?” Jim asked, surprised. “How’d he text you?”

“Oh, I got him a phone.” Toby answered matter-of-factly. “Hey Aaarrrgghh, we’ll be back soon buddy.”

Aaarrrgghh turned from his game and waved them goodbye. “Happy Day Jim!”

Jim smiled. “Thanks Aaarrrgghh.” Then back to Toby. “You got Blinky a phone?”

Toby trotted down the stairs ahead of him. “Yeah, he needed it.”

“Who’s he calling?”

“Oh, no. It’s for the calls from your mom.”

Jim stopped dead in the middle of the kitchen. “My mom is calling Blinky??”

Toby turned around and rolled his eyes. “No, she’s calling your guidance counselor, Mr. Blink-heh. That was your bright idea, remember?”

“But, that was supposed to be just for the one time…”

Toby shrugged. “I guess Blinky did too good a job, cuz she calls him lots. Anyway,” he opened the door to the basement, “it was just easier to get Blinky his own phone.”

How did he not know this? Jim made a mental note to have a talk with his mom later. And Blinky.

They found Blinky eager to greet them as they descended the stairs. “Ah, you’re both here, excellent.”

“What’s up Blinky?” Toby greeted the troll.

Blinky puffed up a bit with importance. “I come bearing news of the Tribunal. They have rendered their verdict on the matter of Killahead Bridge.”

Jim’s stomach flip-flopped, of course this would happen on his birthday.

“And…” Toby prompted.

“And, they have decided that Trollkind must take action to destroy it and extinguish the threat of Gunmar for all time.”

“Really?” Jim realized he hadn’t dared to have real hope that this would happen, and this news might be one of the best birthday presents he’d ever gotten.

“So what’s the plan?” Toby asked practically.

“Well,” Blinky began, “it will take some time for the Tribunal to formulate an exact plan and put it into effect. But, currently, they are favoring a covert mission and the deployment of a small force of our best warriors to hit our enemy unawares.”

Jim perked up, that sounded pretty perfect. The changelings seemed secure in the secrecy of the location, and, at least when he was there, definitely left the bridge unguarded sometimes. Honestly, it wasn’t foolish of them, if he hadn’t had some dumb luck, he couldn’t think of how he would ever have found it. With some reconnaissance on his part, and they could get in and out before the changelings knew what hit them.

But Jim had celebrated too soon, Blinky wasn’t finished.

“And, of course, there is no question that this force will be lead by our valiant Trollhunter.” Blinky announced with a flourish and slight bow towards Toby.

“I get to lead a MISSION! Awesomesauce!!”

“No!!”

Two heads and eight eyes turned to Jim in confusion at his outburst. “The only thing that makes the bridge dangerous is the amulet, and now you’re going to deliver it right to them?? What kind of plan is that?”

“Now Jim,” Blinky reached out a consoling hand, but Jim stepped back, “with our Trollhunter leading our finest warriors, and the element of surprise on our side, those wretched changelings will never get the chance. As you humans say, they won’t know what hit them!”

“Yeah, Jimbo! I’ve been training for weeks, I got this.” Toby reassured him.

No, no, no… Jim’s head swam with all the things that could go wrong. This was Ursana’s doing, he was sure of it. There would be no surprise, she’d tip Bular off, and then send in Toby with the amulet gift wrapped for them. He had to stop them, but he couldn’t for the life of him think of a way how. He had zero proof of Ursana’s treachery, and she was far too smart to give him any. And with the trolls’ slavish devotion traditions, there was no way they’d do a mission like this without their Trollhunter.

He briefly considered locking Toby in a room to keep him away until it was over. Jim could see the hurt in Toby’s eyes at what he perceived to be Jim’s lack of faith in him.

“Tobes, it’s not you. You’re doing great.” Jim tried to assuage his friend. “It’s just why take the risk? Why take the amulet to them?”

“Our leaders are most wise, and I’m positive they have considered that very possibility. And, clearly, they have found greater merit in the Trollhunter’s participation in this mission. I’ve found over the years that I can trust in the soundness of their conclusions.” Blinky reasoned.

But one of them is a traitor! Jim found himself backing out of the room, he needed to be alone, to think, to figure this out.

Toby stepped forward. “Hey Jimbo. I know you worry about me. But it’s cool, we got this. You’ll be there too, you’ll see. We’re Team Trollhunter right?” His friend spoke gently.

Jim shook his head slightly, he had to find a way out of this. “I just, I gotta go.” And he turned and darted up the stairs.

He heard Toby call his name and say something about his birthday as he ran out of house. His birthday. It’s as if someone had put a curse on the day. How could he have believed anything would be different this time.

Jim’s mind raced. If they got Toby, they’d open the bridge, and… and the world would end, that’s what would happen. He let himself into his darkened house, his mom must’ve had to stay late at work. He paced the through the empty rooms without bothering to turn on the lights. He had to stop this, everyone was counting on him.

In the darkness, he tripped on a small table near the front door, kicking one of the legs and knocking it loose. As he bent down to reattach it, it came to him, how he would stop the portal from opening. And he didn’t need anyone’s help.

Jim left the leg of the table on the floor where it had fallen and ran for the garage. That bridge would never open because he was going to steal of piece of it tonight.

———————

Sneaking back into the basement room of his school had been easy. And after a few tense minutes of hiding, he was certain the place was empty.

Jim switched on the headlamp that he’d brought to free up his hands and eased himself into the room. The bridge loomed in front of him, patiently waiting for his return. Every instinct he had told him to go, to put as much distance as he could between it and himself. But that wouldn’t help Toby.

He stared at it, it seemed even bigger in the semi-darkness, and he forced himself to approach it. He needed to take a piece from a spot they wouldn’t notice, he couldn’t have them knowing their hiding spot had been found.

In the end he decided to take a piece from the side opposite the Eyestone, the “back” he figured. There was a shadow created by a carving that jutted out near the bottom of the bridge. It could obscure a missing piece. He wasn’t sure how big a chunk he’d need, but probably something of decent size. The bridge was ancient, and the stone had been worn down over the many years, and he could see chips and dings where the stone had been damaged. And yet, he knew, these small missing pieces were not enough to keep it from functioning as the portal. In the end he decided on a piece the size of a brick should suffice.

Jim knelt down and removed a rubber mallet, a small chisel, and a cloth from his backpack. This was the riskiest part. He placed the cloth over the portion he wanted to remove, hoping it would muffle the sounds of the chisel.

Jim took a deep breath, held it, then gently brought the mallot down onto the chisel. Despite his care, the room reverberated with a metallic “clink”.

Damn acoustics. He stopped and listened for movement, prepared to run. Nothing. A few more seconds, still nothing. He slowly let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding in.

He pulled back the cloth and examined the spot he’d struck, there was a small crack. A couple more well placed strikes and he could pry a big enough piece off. He placed the chisel as carefully as he could, “clink”. Stop, wait… try to remember to breathe this time… wait. Nothing. Good.

After two more strikes, the cracks were finally big enough that he would be able to carve a piece out with some strategic chisel wiggling. As he worked, he stayed on high alert. He knew he wasn’t making much noise, but every twist of the chisel seems to fill the large room with sound. Almost there… almost there… then a chunk of what used to be part of Killahead Bridge crumbled off rather anticlimactically into his hand.

YES! Success! Try activating the portal now suckers!

He'd pocketed his tools, slipped the chunk of bridge into his backpack, and started to back out, when he found something was in his way.

“Got what you came for young Atlas?”

He spun around so fast he lost his balance and landed ungracefully on his butt. Strickler loomed over him, eyes glowing yellow.

“I knew it!” He spat in a low voice. “You’ve been acting suspiciously for weeks! You’re, somehow, working with them. Now the Trollhunter’s sent you here to do their dirty work.”

Jim crab walked backward on all fours trying to find a way to escape. “I’m not working with anyone! It’s, ah, it’s, ah… ah” Jim cast about desperately for some plausible reason why a high school student would sneak into school at night to take a piece of an old moldy bridge hidden in a secret basement room. Lightbulb! “It’s a dare! Yeah, Steve… he dared me to. There’s been a rumor that there was a room down here. He said he’d beat me up if I didn’t go and bring proof.” Ok, that was, sorta kinda a reason.

Walter Strickler did not agree. “Please. Let’s not insult us both Jim.”

Jim thought for a second about doubling down on the lie, but one glance at Strickler told him that was never going to work. Okay, let’s try the truth. “Nobody sent me, I came on my own.” 

His teacher’s eyes narrowed, “Stop lying boy and tell me where the Trollhunter is. Are they near?”

Jim realized that despite the heated tones of their discussion, they were both keeping their voices low. Why would Strickler care if he was heard?

“I told you. Nobody knows anything about this!”

Strickler was close enough now that he made a grab for the backpack that Jim held awkwardly in front of him. Jim managed to roll to the side, just out of his grasp. God, the changeling was fast.

His teacher straightened, and continued to advance. “I don’t know how you could’ve gotten involved with this Jim, but for your mother’s sake you need to stop now. This is not a game you can win.”

“It’s not one you can win either.” Jim retorted, desperately looking around for anything he could use to help himself.

Strickler’s eyebrows arched and he laughed despite himself. “What do you know of what I can do?”

This was not the ideal venue for convincing Strickler to turn from the dark side, but Jim was out of options. “I know Gunmar made you some big promises he has no intention of keeping. You really think that after you let him out he’s gonna, what, like make you mayor or something?”

Strickler was thrown, “What do you know of Gunmar?!”

“I know everything!” Jim figured his only shot was going straight for it. “Gunmar’s going to kill you the second he has power. Think about it Mr. Strickler. You teach history. Do fascist dictators ever tolerate those they find inferior?”

“Only humans are inferior.” Strickler snarled.

“Really? They call you ‘impure’. To Gunmar a changeling is no different than a human. He’ll slaughter you all the same.” Jim jumped to his feet.

Strickler shook his head. “You cannot know this. Any of this.”

“But I do! And tell me this, who’s going to protect my mom when you’re dead Mr. Strickler?” Jim decided to play all his cards, at this point he had nothing to lose. “She loves you.”

His teacher startled at that, his eyes wide at the thought of it. “She… she does?” Then he shook his head again, “No. No more games boy, this is over now.”

As Strickler lunged forward, Jim noticed a crowbar near his feet, he threw his backpack behind him and grabbed it just as Strickler got close.

Jim swung with a solid upward strike, but the changeling was too fast and it failed to land. Jim knew that without the amulet or a real weapon he stood no chance against Strickler.

Rule number three. While Strickler was still reacting to his missed strike, Jim kicked hard, and his teacher went down with a grunt. He tossed the crowbar away and grabbing his backpack, sprinted towards the way out. He jumped, launching himself at the small opening, when something jerked back on the collar of his jacket, stopping his momentum and throwing him roughly to the ground, knocking the wind out of him.

“I will take that.” Strickler panted as he loomed over Jim and with lightning speed, reached down and snatched the backpack from Jim’s grasp. He removed the chunk of stone, and threw the empty pack onto Jim’s chest. “Now go home, Jim.”

Jim panicked, desperate he pleaded. “Please! You know I’m right! Please don’t do this! Don’t let my mom to die!” His voice wavered with genuine sorrow, and his eyes stung with tears.

His teacher paused and looked at him, his expression changed and softened, and Jim saw it, it was the face of his friend. The moment was over when they both heard voices coming up from the opening to the sewer at the back of the room. Someone was coming.

Strickler looked hard at Jim, then picked him up and shoved him toward the passage out. “Get out of here!” He ordered through clenched teeth.

“Not without that piece of the bridge. Give it to me!” Jim pleaded and reached out. The voices grew closer.

“I’m giving you your life. NOW GO!” Strickler hissed.

Jim had no more time, he threw himself into the passageway and tucked himself deep into the hiding place he’d used before. He heard Strickler move, and then the clink of stone on stone, and he knew that Strickler had made the bridge whole once again, just as the voices of Bular and Nomura entered the room. From the safety to his hiding spot, Jim listened silently to their conversation.

“Who is here? Show yourself!” Bular bellowed.

Jim tensed, did he see me??

“It is I, my lord.” Strickler replied.

“What are you doing here?” Bular demanded.

“Just checking to make sure that everything was in perfect order for your father’s arrival soon.” Strickler lied smoothly.

“I have things well in hand,” Nomura responded. “You’d do well to keep your own affairs in order.”

“My affairs are my own business.” Strickler said with real anger.

“You’ve been getting very close to the human female, should we be concerned?” Nomura coo’ed evilly.

“You doubt my loyalty? Might I remind you of your miserable failure to secure the museum?” Strickler admonished her.

“SILENCE! Impures bickering like children. It sickens me.” Bular was done with the discussion apparently.

“Of course.” Strickler sounded so obsequious, it made Jim’s insides squirm.

“Of course.” Nomura echoed.

Jim heard them move deeper in the room, and realized that this was his chance to escape. Quietly, carefully, he eased himself down the passage and out the basement. He’d failed. What was he going to do now? How could he stop them from handing Toby, the key to the portal, right into Bular’s hands? And even worse, now Strickler knew that he knew.

Maybe, just maybe, he'd convinced him. Right at the end he’d seen it in Strickler’s eyes, that decency, it was there, if only for a moment. And he let Jim go, that’s gotta mean something.

Thank goodness he wasn’t the Trollhunter, thank goodness Strickler hadn’t found the amulet on him, there’s no way he’d ever give Jim a chance then, and the bridge would already be open. Jim had no ideas as he biked home, but anything he could do would have to wait until morning now.

Chapter Text

Dread was probably the right word to use. It would about sum up how Jim had been feeling since the second he woke up from an uneasy sleep. It hung about him like a dark cloud, obscuring everything else. Strickler knew. And Jim had lost one of the only advantages he’d had — anonymity.

True, Strickler did not know about Toby, but he was smart, so how long would that take? Had Strickler told Bular about Jim after he'd left? If so, why let him go at all? And what would happen today? At school Jim found himself peering around every corner, readying himself for a fight whenever a door opened, just waiting for a horde of goblins or changelings to come for him, it was exhausting.

Toby sensed Jim’s mood and had spent the morning unsuccessfully attempting to cheer him up. He’d interpreted things as Jim worrying about the impending mission, which was only partly true. Jim wasn’t about to tell him how much worse it really was, not unless he had to.

And finally, the moment he’d been most dreading arrived, it was time for history class and he’d have to face Strickler for the first time since the previous night. He tried to calm himself as he approached the classroom. It’s not as if Strickler was going to do anything in that moment, not in front of a roomful of kids. But seeing him and not knowing what the changeling had planned for him made Jim want to be almost anywhere else.

He entered behind Toby and saw his teacher had his back to them, writing that day’s lesson on the board. Jim quickly took his seat and lowered his gaze, gripping onto the desk as if it were a his only life preserver.

“Is there a test today I don’t know about?” Toby whispered from his seat.

“Huh?” Jim looked up at him.

“Looking kinda nervous there bud.” Toby inclined his head toward Jim’s white-knuckled hold on the desktop.

Jim tried to rouse himself from his anxieties. “Uh, no, no test, I’m just, worried.”

Toby clucked. “Psh, dude, it’s what I’ve been saying, you gotta let it go a little. Nothing’s happening today.”

Jim snuck a glance over toward Strickler, who was still writing on the board. Something’s definitely going to happen today. “Yeah. It’s just… hard to do that.” He responded.

Toby shot him a sympathetic look. “I know, you worry, it’s your thing. Just, ya know, try, okay?”

Jim nodded and looked down again.

From the front of the classroom, he heard Strickler clear his throat, class had begun. It was both better and worse than Jim had thought. Strickler seemed perfectly calm and normal, like it was just another regular class on just another regular day. He smiled as he answered questions and joked easily with them, but Jim couldn’t help but notice that not once, not one single time, did Strickler allow a his gaze to rest on Jim. And when he walked around the classroom, he seemed to make a point of avoiding the space where Jim sat. It was almost worse than if he’d confronted Jim directly.

When the bell rang, Jim gathered his stuff and got up so quickly he almost took the desk with him. He hoped to get lost in the mass of students exiting the room.

“Dude, where’s the fire?” Toby noted Jim’s rush.

“I just gotta go.” It wasn’t a great response, but he didn’t want to stand there. “Bathroom.” He added.

Toby nodded. “Nature calls. See you at the lockers.”

Jim was nearly at the door when the shoe finally dropped. “Mr. Lake, a moment?”

Jim froze. There was a second, just a second, when his brain offered up only one option: RUN! But run where, to what, and how would that help him or anyone? The moment passed, he turned, keeping his eyes down, and walked slowly over to his teacher’s desk.

Toby passed him on the way out and gave him a little pat of encouragement. It did not help. And then he found himself once again alone with his former friend.

“It’s clear you’re aware there are things we need to discuss.” Strickler’s voice held no emotion. Jim simply nodded, and looked up to see his teacher’s expression was equally inscrutable.

“Then I will expect you in my office immediately after school. I will let Señor Uhl know you’ll be late for detention today.”

Jim wanted to refuse, nothing good could come of that meeting. He thought about the secret room behind the changeling’s office. Would he take Jim there to torture him? Would others be waiting to take him prisoner like they had with Blinky last time? Anything was possible. But he had no choice, this was not something he could ignore or run away from. He was still the Trollhunter, he came back to fix things, not hide, and if Strickler did try something, he’d find he was in for a fight.

Jim swallowed hard and nodded. “I understand.”

“I’ll see you then.” Strickler added curtly, by way of dismissal.

So now he had an exact time, Jim thought has he exited, he’d get all the frightening answers to all his terrifying questions after school today. And the dread grew a hundredfold.

———————

Toby was confused. “You don’t know why he wants to talk to you?”

Toby had been waiting for him at their lockers. Lunch was next, so they were taking their time.

“No idea.” Jim lied, and stuffed more books into his locker.

“We’re already in detention for three more days.” Toby puzzled. “You can’t be in more trouble… can you?” He cocked a quizzical eyebrow at Jim.

You have no idea. “I have no clue. He didn’t say anything about what he wanted to talk about.” Well, partly true, Jim thought. He really needed to stop feeling better about saying things that were still 75 percent lies.

Toby shrugged. “Weird. Maybe it’s not a bad thing… Ooh!” Toby’s eyes went wide, “You think he wants to talk about your mom?!”

Jim looked up grumpily from where he was crouched. “Let’s not go there. Nobody needs that.”

Toby giggled.

“What the hell?”

Jim noted the angry voice was both definitely not Toby and definitely female. He swung his head around to see Claire standing over him, one hand on her hip, the other pointing into his locker.

“Wha…” was all he got out before she cut him off.

“Why the hell do you have Suzy Snooze in your locker?” She demanded.

Oh crap. Jim looked up and saw the stuffed rabbit that he’d jammed into the top shelf of his locker after discovering the bridge, then completely forgotten about in all the ensuing events.

“Um…” he really had nothing.

Claire crossed her arms, and glared furiously at him. “We’ve been looking all over for it. Enrique’s been acting totally weird without it. And you just have it? I can’t even imagine why.”

“Ew, are you like stalking her or something?” Mary Wang, who was standing next to Claire, wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Jim stood up awkwardly in the tight space. “No! No, of course not. I… I just…” He glanced at Toby helplessly. Toby, in this case, also knew Jim couldn’t tell her the truth, that her baby brother now resided in the Darklands with the other stolen familiars.

“Well?” Claire tapped her foot impatiently.

“We found it in front of the school last week.” Toby blurted out. “We were just getting here and saw it lying on the curb.” Toby started to pick up momentum as he got going on his story. “Yeah, I was gonna ride past, I mean, it’s just an old stuffed animal. But Jim, he was like, we should take it, someone might be looking for it. He’s always doing stuff like that. We were late for class, so Jim put it in his locker. I guess we just forgot to take it to the office to put in the lost and found. I’m really sorry about your brother Claire.” Toby finished.

Jim stood there stunned. Toby was literally the best wingman in the business.

Claire had uncrossed her arms and looked less angry and more confused.

Jim felt Toby poke him, then mouthed the words “Give it to her.”

Oh, yeah. Jim reached up and grabbed Suzy, handing it to Claire. “Sorry, I forgot about it. I had no idea it was your brother’s.”

“Aww, that’s sweet.” Mary cooed.

Claire took the rabbit and examined it, as if maybe Jim had done something else to it. Apparently satisfied with the condition of the toy, she returned her focus to Jim. “Well, sorry I accused you. I guess, I should thank you for this.” She held up Suzy. “Enrique will be so happy to have it back.”

“Um, no problem.” Jim stammered. “I’m just glad it found its way back to him.”

“Yeah.” She glanced down at the bunny, and after an awkward silence looked sharply back up at Jim. She fixed him with a stare hard enough to make him uncomfortable. Was she going to scold him again? For what?

“I… I can’t figure you out.” Was all she said before she abruptly spun around and marched away.

Mary, who was left in her wake, giggled nervously. “Well, bye I guess.” And trotted after her.

Jim stared after them. “What the heck was that?”

“Women, man. Complete mystery.” Toby shook his head in bafflement.

Jim turned back to Toby. “And dude! Way to come through with that story!”

Toby grinned. “One of my better moments, I must say.” He puffed with pride. “I mean, we can’t, you know, tell her the truth. She’d want us locked up.”

But they had told her before. Jim searched his memory, it was the night he had to rescue her from the goblin attack. She’d previously snuck into his house — which, seriously, who’s the stalker anyway — and seen Draal. She’d wanted nothing to do with him, but then he’d gotten a chance to be her literal knight in shining armor, and nothing was the same after that.

He sighed, that wasn’t going to happen this time. Toby had all the shining armor. He was snapped back to the present when Toby slammed his locker shut.

“Hey, we better get to lunch before we run out of time.” Toby urged, “You’re gonna need your strength for Mr. Strickler.”

Jim cringed, he’d blissfully forgotten about that for moment. “Yeah, I probably will.”

———————

Jim stood outside Strickler’s office, trying to breathe. He felt lightheaded. He knew from experience this was no way to go into battle. And, whatever awaited him on the other side of that door, there was definitely going to be a battle. Whether of words or weapons, he would soon find out.

He steadied himself. This was still his plan, to get Strickler on their side, it was just a little ahead of schedule, that’s all. And he had an advantage, he knew Strickler’s heart, he knew, even now, that the changeling had a fondness for him. He’d used that to reason with him last night, and it had got him out unharmed. That meant something, he decided.

He exhaled and focused, as ready as he could be, and raised his hand to knock.

“Come in Jim.” A voice on the other side of the door beat him to it.

Game on. Jim entered and closed the door behind him, no one could see or hear what would happen next. Strickler sat behind his desk, his face, like before, devoid of any sign of emotion. Power move, Jim thought, a good strategy to psych out your opponent.

Jim crossed the room and his teacher gestured for him to take the stool, Jim remained standing. It might be awkward, but he was at a massive physical disadvantage here, and starting from a low sitting position would do him no favors should the situation required action.

Strickler retracted his hand with a nod. “As you wish.”

There was silence as they sized each other up, both waiting for the other to make their opening move. Jim cracked first.

“You let me go.” Jim left it a statement, not a question, hoping that starting by affirming the mercy his teacher had shown him would lead to more of the same.

Strickler nodded, giving up nothing.

Jim knew the changeling was counting on him being afraid, losing his patience, of somehow unintentionally revealing information, and however hard it was, Jim had to keep himself collected. That said, they also couldn’t just stand here having a staring contest all night. “I wasn’t lying before. Nobody sent me, I came on my own.”

Strickler squinted at him, trying to suss him out. “Even if that’s true, you’re still working with them, you know them. Otherwise there’d be no reason for you to undertake such a foolhardy mission to sabotage our efforts.”

It was Jim’s turn to nod.

Strickler’s affect changed to one of concern, but Jim knew him too well, it only for show. “Jim, I don’t know how you, of all people, could possibly have become involved in this, but it’s bigger than you understand.”

“I think I understand it pretty well.”

“Perhaps, but you’re going to get hurt. For your sake, for your mother’s,” Strickler paused for emphasis there, “you must walk away now.”

“It’s far too late for that Mr. Strickler.” Jim stated calmly.

His teacher raised his eyebrows at that, but didn’t comment further on it. He paused and looked down at his desk, Jim figured he’d be changing his tactics since he wasn’t getting anywhere playing on Jim’s fear.

“Does Barbara know?”

That one threw Jim. “Know what?”

“About any of it. About what you’re doing.” Strickler looked up. “About me.”

Jim understood. “She doesn’t know anything about it. I also wasn’t lying about her feelings for you. And I won’t break her heart by telling her that her boyfriend is trying to end the world she loves. I’ll leave that for you.”

Strickler’s eyes flashed with anger. “You don’t understand anything.”

Jim saw his opening. “Why do you love her Mr. Strickler? I mean, she’s wonderful, the best person I’ll ever know. But why’d you pick her? She’s a doctor, all she’s ever wanted to do with her life is help people, heal people, serve the greater good. Pretty much the opposite of everything you’re doing.”

“Do NOT overstep your bounds, Mr. Lake. I am still your teacher and your senior, I will not tolerate disrespect.” Strickler snarled.

Well, hit a nerve there. Jim decided it was time for a change of tactics on his part.

“I think you care too Mr. Strickler. I see it when you teach class, you care about us. You care about me, or you wouldn’t have let me go last night. I think that’s what my Mom sees in you. She sees someone like herself, someone who wants the world to be better.”

“The world will be better.”

“Oh yeah, better for who?” Jim shot back. “Changelings will always be at best second-class citizens in Gunmar’s world. Don’t you want more? Don’t you want a world where you can be with my mom, be a teacher, a friend, a mentor, a world where you can be yourself?”

Strickler chuckled ruefully. “Such a world is a fantasy. You are too young to know Jim.”

“Maybe you’re too old to see the possibility.” Jim retorted.

Strickler snorted dismissively.

“What if I could offer you a way out?” Jim decided it was time to play his hand, it was a risk, but he had to take it.

“You?” Strickler laughed. “You are but a child, what could you possibly do.”

“More than you think. You’re right, I know the Trollhunter, I know all their plans.” He had Strickler’s full attention now. “I can make you a deal. Help us. Help us destroy the bridge, stop Bular, and end the possibility of Gunmar’s return, and we’ll, I’ll, make sure the Trollhunter grants you asylum. You could be your own man, nobody’s dog on a leash.”

Strickler growled in anger. “I am no one’s dog.” He said threateningly.

Jim didn’t let himself get derailed. “Can you honestly say Gunmar doesn’t believe that?”

His teacher looked defiant, but said nothing.

“I’m giving you a chance Mr. Strickler, which is more than Gunmar will ever do. A chance to live your life the way you want. A chance to be with her. A chance to be happy. Please take it,” Jim pleaded, “for her.”

Strickler looked, for the first time, conflicted. His teacher sat in thought for an uncomfortable amount of time. Jim fought the urge to say more, a wrong word now might end any possibility of swaying the man.

Finally, in a quiet voice, Strickler spoke. “And what would you have me do?”

YUSS!!! Jim prayed his internal celebration didn’t play out in his face. “For now, nothing. Unless,” Jim hesitated, “you’d bring me a piece of the bridge?”

“That would be out of the question. They would know, it would never work.” Strickler shot back.

“Fine.” Jim held up his hands, showing he’d let it go. “Then nothing for now. Just don’t tell them anything. I’ll know soon what the Trollhunter’s plans are going to be. When I do, I’ll get back to you.”

“And what do you hope I can accomplish? I can’t defeat Bular.”

“I don’t need you to defeat Bular, others can do that.”

“Then what?”

“You’re going to help me keep the Trollhunter and that bridge as far apart from each other as possible.” Jim finished.

Strickler raised his eyebrows once again. “If I cannot defeat Bular, what makes you think I can take on the Trollhunter?”

Jim smiled. “Oh, you’re not going to fight them. Leave that to me.”

Chapter Text

Two more days had passed since Jim had worked out an uneasy alliance with Strickler, and still no word had come from the Tribunal as to when exactly they were planning to execute the mission to recapture and destroy the bridge. And the wait was starting to wear on Jim’s nerves.

“Damn it!” He hissed, frustrated by his third paper cut of the day.

It was Saturday morning and they were back doing time under Nomura’s command at the museum. Jim and Steve had only made it through half of the filing cabinets the week before, so Nomura reasoned it was only fair that they get a chance to finish. How thoughtful of her, Jim observed ruefully.

Nomura sat, as she’d done the week before, at one of the tables behind them listening, as she always did, to classical music. Jim’s recent moment of bonding with Steve had resulted, as Steve had predicted, not in a friendship, but at least in a mutual respect and understanding. Although, Jim noted, without Steve’s antagonizing, the morning had been pretty boring.

Unfortunately, this gave Jim time plenty of time to think, or more accurately, overthink. He looked over at Nomura, she seemed so staid and innocuous in her business attire, quietly examining pottery. In a just a few days, maybe a couple of weeks, he’d be facing her on the battlefield. It was hard to imagine that the vicious assassin who’d once terrified him, could spend countless hours peacefully employed in such a mundane place as a museum.

Jim had always assumed that the museum job was simply a cover for her. All changelings took jobs that would position them in key places where they could influence events to fit their schemes. But after observing her these last couple of Saturdays, Jim wasn’t sure that was the case.

Although she was, ostensibly, there to keep an eye on them, she was also clearly engrossed in her work. She would carefully, lovingly even, examine all kinds of art pieces. And he heard her occasionally humming to the songs she was listening to, so she clearly knew her music. He’d never really thought about her interests beyond Peer Gynt, but of course someone as intelligent as she was would have explored more than just a single piece of music. Jim wondered just how much about Nomura’s inner life he’d never known.

“Hey? Are you watching Star Wars?”

Both Jim and Nomura were surprised by Steve’s unexpected question.

“Pardon?” Nomura asked.

“Um,” Steve seemed to be reconsidering the wisdom of asking her a question now that he was the target of her stern gaze, “I just thought I heard Star Wars music?” He finished with uncertainty.

Now that Jim was paying attention, the music that was playing did sound oddly familiar.

Nomura squinted at them, clearly considering if answering the question was even worth her time, before she replied. “No, Mr. Palchuk, I am not watching Star Wars.”

Steve looked chastened. “Oh, uh, sorry.”

Nomura’s expression softened slightly, if that’s a word you could use to refer to the fearsome changeling, and she turned fully to face them.

“The music you are hearing is ‘Mars, the Bringer of War’ by Gustav Holst. It’s from a famous suite of music entitled, ‘The Planets’.”

“Uh, ok.” Steve nodded without understanding. “Did he copy it from the movie?”

Nomura sighed. “Quite the opposite actually. Holst beat them to it by about sixty years.”

“Oh.” Steve shrugged.

Jim figured that was the end of it, Nomura had hardly been interested in conversing with them, but Steve seemed to have touched on something with her, and she continued.

“Actually, many songs that are popular today were inspired by acclaimed classical works. Here,” she grabbed her phone, tapped a few times, and a new song played on the speakers, “where have you heard this?”

“That’s sounds like it’s from Jaws.” Jim replied.

Nomura smiled. “It’s not. It’s from Igor Stravinsky’s ‘The Rite of Spring’ and it also predates Jaws by about sixty years. But, you are correct that it was, at the very least, the clear inspiration for the main theme of the movie.”

Jim had never seen Nomura this engaged in a topic before, well not since they’d had nothing but time to talk while trapped together in the Darklands. But at that time, they’d both been lonely and scared, and talking helped fill the void.

Nomura continued. “It would take hours to list all the music, movies, television, and books that have taken direct inspiration from the great works of the past. New creations derived from the likes of Shakespeare, Austin, Homer, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and Wagner. That doesn’t even cover all the stories and songs based on mythologies imagined thousands of years ago by societies long since vanished.” She paused, and looked thoughtful. “People today, they’re in such a rush to consume, desperate for something new, only to be immediately forgotten when the next new thing comes along. They never realize that everything they love is from the past. The classics, they’re always there, and they have everything you need. To understand the past, is to know the future.”

Jim blinked. Wow. Nomura, he realized, was far deeper and far more human than he’d ever imagined.

In response to their silence, Nomura turned and wrote something on a piece of paper. She tore off two pieces, walked over to the boys, and handed one to each of them.

“Here, consider this homework. I’ve written down the name of a piece of popular music and the name of a film.” She explained. “By next week I want you to tell me what classic work inspired each of them.”

Jim looked down at his assignment. It read: “ ‘Seven Nation Army’ by The White Stripes, and ‘Clueless’ (movie).”

He looked back up at Nomura and she, uncharacteristically, smiled at him. He grinned in return.

“RAP MUSIC?!” Steve exclaimed gesturing at his piece of paper.

Nomura chuckled at his bewilderment, before quickly regaining her steely composure. And Jim found himself liking her more than he could ever fear her.

———————

“I think I may have permanent lower back damage.”

Toby had been lying on the floor of his bedroom for the last twenty minutes.

Jim sat on Toby’s bed, using his laptop to research Nomura’s homework. “Your back is fine.” He reassured his friend for the fourth time.

“Oh yeah sure, Mr. ‘all I had to do was some office paperwork’.” Toby shot back. “They made the rest of us move boxes around in the basement for hours. I think that violates child labor laws.”

Jim rolled his eyes. “It was boring as hell, and I got homework!” He waived Nomura’s paper in the air.

“Whatever,” Toby dismissed him, “I’m in too much pain to convince you how much worse I’ve suffered.” Toby attempted to sit up with a theatrical wince. “Maybe if I got one of those things where you hang upside-down by your feet…”

Jim had been focused on the laptop when he heard Toby yelp loudly. Startled, he raised his head up to see Aaarrrgghh dangling a wriggling Toby by his feet.

“GAH! Put me down!”

“Wingman feel better? Back better?” Aaarrrgghh inquired politely.

“GAH! YES! Yes, better, much. Down please!”

Aaarrrgghh gently placed Toby down to rest awkwardly on the floor again and smiled. “Aaarrrgghh help wingman.” And patted Toby on the head.

“Yes, yes, you’re the best Aaarrrgghh.” Toby replied with a sarcasm that was happily lost on the big troll.

Jim guffawed.

Toby shot him a glare. “You mock my pain.”

Jim just laughed harder.

Toby was spared further indignity when his phone buzzed, Blinky was waiting for them in the basement. Jim offered to help him off the floor, but Toby waived him off. “I’ll take none of your pity, thank you very much.” He limped over-dramatically to the door, Jim trailing behind barely trying to contain his amusement.

Blinky was serious when they arrived downstairs, and Jim knew before he spoke what the news was, any mirth he’d felt a moment ago had evaporated.

“The Tribunal has decided.” Blinky solemnly announced. “One week from tonight, we retake the Killahead and our freedom! And with our new Trollhunter to lead us, only victory awaits.” Blinky clapped an excited Toby firmly on his back.

“Awesome!” Toby turned to Jim. “Our first real mission! How cool is that?!”

Jim had been trying to prepare himself for this moment. This was happening, and no amount of sulking or cajoling on his part was going to stop it. The best he could do now was to be there to help control what he could and protect Toby. And with Strickler onboard, they had a real chance.

“Yeah Tobes, it’s great.” He realized he sounded about as excited as someone going to the dentist.

Toby patted his shoulder and gave him a reassuring grin. “Don’t worry Jimbo. I’ll take care of you.”

Jim smiled weakly in return.

Blinky surveyed them, rubbing his hands together. “Well then, much to do! We should get back to Trollmarket…”

“No!” Jim interrupted. “We can’t, not until the day of the mission.”

“But Master Jim!” Blinky pleaded, “Surely with the plan in place, Master Tobias needs to train, and we need your reconnaissance.”

Jim was firm in his reply. “And give the spy an entire week to report back to Bular? No. I can tell you what I know, and Toby, well, he can train here.”

Blinky made a dismissive noise. “This is hardly the place…”

“It’s a safe place.” Jim stated definitively. “It’ll do.”

Blinky huffed an annoyance, but presented no further argument.

Jim continued, “Aaarrrgghh and you can help, and I,” Jim turned to Toby, “I was thinking I could help with your sword work.”

Toby looked incredulous. “You?! Since when did you know how to use a sword?”

Jim was ready for this one. “You remember when Mom sent me to sleepaway camp five years ago?”

“Yeah, you hated it.”

“Yeah, I did. But they had a fencing thing that I kinda liked. How’d you think I got so good with knives when I cook?”

Toby pondered this. “Wow, you never said anything.”

“Really wasn’t relevant until now.”

“Good point.” Toby acknowledged. “Ok, that would be cool.”

Jim smiled. “Great, we can start tonight.” He paused, “You know, if your back can take it.”

Toby made a face and smirked. Blinky panicked.

“Master Tobias, have you been injured?! And on the precipice of battle!” He had hastened over to Toby and was now fussing over him.

Toby waived him off. “I’m fine, I’m fine. Jim’s just being a jerk.” He stuck his tongue out at Jim, who smirked back.

Blinky took a step back, shooting Jim a confused glance. “As long as you are well. We need our Trollhunter hale and hearty.”

“Fit as a fiddle, Blinky.” Toby grinned.

With that settled, Jim decided it had been too long since he stupidly pushed his luck and figured now was as good a time as any.

“Um, Blinky, I was wondering…”

“Yes, Master Jim?”

“This whole thing with the bridge, I know you guys aren’t worrying, but, it got me thinking about Gunmar. I mean, even you gotta admit this is a really close call.”

Blinky frowned, but nodded.

“In one of our lessons, you said there were these stones that the legends said could be used to fight Gunmar.” Jim prompted.

Blinky regarded Jim skeptically. “Are you referring to the Triumbric Stones?”

“Yeah!” Jim feigned ignorance. “Those. Wouldn’t it be a good idea, as a precaution, to get them?”

“Master Jim, the location of the Triumbric Stones has been all but lost to time. It would be nigh impossible.” Blinky protested.

Of course Jim knew exactly where the stones were, the problem was he could only get one of the three on his own. The Eye of Gunmar was in Strickler’s possession, and, hopefully, with a new trust between them, however uneasy, he’d be willing to part with it. But for the other two, he’d need help. Frustrated with Blinky’s reluctance, Jim came as close as he’d come yet to just blurting out what he knew, instead he took a deep breath and pushed on. 

“But we could try? Blinky, you’re the smartest person, er, troll, I’ve met. I know you could figure it out.” Blinky was always more than susceptible to praise.

“Well, ah, I am flattered Master Jim, but…”

Jim pushed further. “And a quest to retrieve them would be pretty fantastic training for the Trollhunter here.” Jim punched Toby lightly on the shoulder.

Toby all but exploded with excitement. “OH MY GOD A QUEST! I’ve always wanted to go on a quest!!”

“You have?” Jim teased.

Toby fixed him with a look. “Where, exactly, have you been the last ten years of our lives?”

Blinky gave Jim a curious look. “You make an excellent point Master Jim.” He then regarded Toby who was currently expressing his joy in the form of his happy dance. “All right, I will begin my research tonight. It is wise to give our Trollhunter every advantage.”

“WOOHOO!!!” Toby was jubilant.

Okay, Jim thought, he had a week, possibly a quest, some sword fighting lessons, and a changeling on the inside. He’d worked with less he admitted.

———————

The week had passed in blur of training and planning, and before Jim was ready, it was suddenly Friday, and a beautiful fall day in Arcadia. In other life, he would’ve been looking forward to a fun weekend with his friends. Bike rides, hikes, movies, maybe snuggling around a campfire with Claire. In another life.

In this life, it was the last day before a battle that could change everything, a battle he’d been sure, just a few short weeks ago, that he could prevent. As Jim sat barely listening to Strickler’s lesson on early American history, he was, even by his generous assessment, a nervous wreck.

As much as Jim had tried to prepare, there were just so many unknowns. They’d triumphed the first time, but so many things had been different. Not the least of which was that they’d had the element of surprise, meaning there were only a precious few changelings present to oppose them. And while Bular was the only Gumm-Gumm not in the Darklands, with Ursana’s forewarning, he’d surely have some formidable changelings there waiting for them. Changelings like Nomura, who was a fearsome foe even on her worst day.

What and who exactly would await them when they got to the hidden room? Strickler hadn’t heard of any change in Bular’s plans, but Jim knew from the past that Gunmar and Bular hardly considered it a priority to keep the changeling in the loop when it came to the details of their plans.

And speaking of Strickler, as much as Strickler seemed to care for his mom and be on board with Jim, he couldn’t shake the memory that it had been Strickler himself, not Bular, who’d forced Jim to place the amulet on the bridge the first time they’d opened the portal. Would he remain an ally or betray Jim in the end? Jim wanted to believe in his teacher’s goodness, but his fears held powerful sway on him too.

“Mr. Lake, could you tell us the infamous role Benedict Arnold played in the Revolutionary War?” Strickler’s question forced him out of his head for the first time since class had started.

“Um, he was a traitor. He was going to surrender the forces he commanded to the British, and when he was caught he defected to their side.” Jim was glad it wasn’t a hard question. Everyone knew about Benedict Arnold.

His teacher smiled. “Yes, exactly. Arguably he is considered the worst traitor in American history.” Strickler continued to direct his comments towards Jim. “His treachery was made all the more vile in that, previous to the moment of his betrayal, he’d served the Continental Army bravely and faithfully, earning him the complete trust of General Washington. We remember him not just as a historical figure, but as a cautionary tale that no matter how much you may think someone has proven their loyalty to you, they can always betray you.”

Was he imagining it, or was Strickler speaking specifically to him and not the class? And why was he talking about betrayal on the eve of the battle? Was he speaking of his betrayal of Gunmar? Or was he giving Jim a warning, that he could not be trusted to play his part tomorrow?

Jim felt his heart beating faster as he focused on his teacher, searching for any signs of his true intentions. Strickler turned his gaze away from Jim and once again lectured the class. “I’m sure all of you can recall a time when a trusted friend or ally turned on you at a critical moment. Perhaps you were able to forgive their betrayal, but often the damage done is far too great to ever be repaired.”

Jim’s mind reeled. This couldn’t be some coincidence, that Strickler would pick this topic on this day, it couldn’t. And if it wasn’t, was he telling Jim he was going to betray him tomorrow? Jim gripped his desk so tightly he swore he could hear it crack under the strain.

His teacher turned once again to address him. “Imagine if Benedict Arnold’s plot had not been discovered in time. One man’s betrayal could have doomed an entire nation to defeat.” He sneered, and, just for a second, Jim thought he saw his eyes flash red.

Jim panicked, his whole plan to protect Toby and keep the portal closed hinged on this man who had basically just admitted he was planning on betraying them. Jim looked frantically over to Toby, who sat listening to the lecture, blissfully unaware that the man standing before him was plotting his death. He had to do something, he had to stop it, to stop Strickler.

How could he have been so stupid? He’d been fooled by his own memories of a future Strickler into believing that the man who stood before him was something more than just a vicious murderer. Jim felt an anger rising to replace the fear inside him, and he heard a low growl escape his throat. Strickler would soon find out what a terrible mistake he’d made underestimating him. He’d never get a chance betray them, Jim would kill him first.

Jim winced as he felt sharp pain in his fingertips. He looked down to see he’d been squeezing the desk so hard that he’d left cracks and indentations in its surface, and bruising under his nails had turned them a dark purpley blue. No, wait, he examined them more closely, they weren’t bruised at all. They weren’t even really nails anymore, more like… like claws.

Before he had time to process it, the pain spread from his hands, up his arms, and arced along his spine. He gritted his teeth and sucked in a breath as it tore through him. His mouth felt, wrong. He reached up and discovered his canines had grown long and pointed. Oh god, no. No, this can’t be happening.

A fire raced across his scalp as the skin spilt. He touched the top of his head only to feel the hard points of horns rapidly emerging. No, no… this couldn’t be. It made no sense. He’d gone back to his old body, a body that had never been subjected to any magics. He didn’t even have the amulet anymore. There was simply no way he could be turning back into a troll.

Jim put his head down on his desk and tried to cover it with his arms. He could feel that his hair had grown longer and coarser over ears that extended far beyond where they should have stopped. His clothes were tight and uncomfortable, and he could hear the fabric at the seams begin to tear. He groaned in pain, and it was only a partially human sound.

Somewhere in front of him, Strickler droned on, and the sound of his voice fueled a rage in Jim that quickly overcame his terror. This was his fault. Somehow, the changeling had done this to him. He had to pay.

Jim growled again, loud enough this time that he could hear the shocked gasps of the students around him. He knew he should care, he should be horrified that Toby and Claire and all his classmates, were seeing him turn into a monster, but he didn’t. All he cared about was his rage and its target. He was done waiting, done hiding, Strickler had taunted him for the last time.

He stood and felt the desk come with him. He’d grown too large, and it clamped onto his legs like a vise. He roared in frustration, and reached down with bare arms now a slate blue stone, and easily rended the metal into two twisted pieces which he tossed aside.

Stickler had glanced back at the commotion, and seeing Jim, now stood frozen in fear. Jim smiled as he advanced. Good, let him be the one who’s afraid now.

Jim could hear his classmates cry out and scramble to get away from him, they didn’t matter, they were meaningless now. He threw off the tattered remains of what had once been his shirt, and dropped to walk on all fours. It felt sturdier, more natural to his new form.

Strickler was backing away slowly as Jim grew closer, he seemed bathed in a red mist, everything was tinged with red. His teacher stopped as he bumped into the wall, and he gasped audibly as Jim towered over him. Jim reached out with a massive hand that scooped Strickler up to hold him aloft, he lifted him easily, like he weighed almost nothing. Jim could sense the power and the magic surging through him, he could see the terror and bewilderment in the changeling’s eyes, and it felt good.

He squeezed and was gratified as Strickler gave a wheezing gasp. Why had he wasted so much time, so many years of his life, trying to help these people? He caused himself so much stress and needless anxiety, trying to fix all their problems, trying to give them all happy endings. Strickler gasped for air again. Jim snarled. They were all so weak and pathetic. He was the Trollhunter. He was stronger and better, and he didn’t need any of them. They only served to drag him down like anchors.

Jim roared and threw Strickler against the wall, he impacted with a cracking of bones and fell lifeless to the floor. Jim felt the room shake with the sound of his fury.

“Jim??” A small voice came from far below him. “Jim? It’s okay, you’re okay.” He looked down, it was Toby, he approached Jim slowly with his hands extended, attempting to calm him. He looked so puny, so insignificant.

Jim roared again, and the room shook even harder. Toby cowered under the onslaught of noise, still pleading. “Jim? Jim? Please. It’s okay.” Jim roared louder, and the building shook so hard he thought it might collapse. All he could see was red.

“JIM!! WAKE UP JIM! Please!”

Jim’s eyes snapped open. It was dark, and he could barely see. His mother was hovering over him, practically sitting on him, shaking him and saying his name over and over.

“mm… mom?” He squeaked out in a weak voice.

“Oh thank god.” She breathed out with relief. “Jim, honey, are you okay? I heard you screaming. You were having a nightmare and I couldn’t wake you up.” She reached over and brushed the hair from his face. It felt wet, and he realized he was soaked with sweat.

“Oh sweetie, are you all right? You were so distressed. It was just a bad dream honey.”

It was the middle of the night, and he was in his bedroom. He wasn’t a troll, and there was still almost a full week before they would go after the bridge. Jim looked up at his mother, but found he couldn’t speak. He latched onto her waist and clung to her tightly as fear overtook him.

Chapter Text

“That’s impossible, I would know.” Walter Strickler stated dismissively.

Jim was in Strickler’s office after school on Monday, and had just informed him of the troll’s imminent attack plan.

“Would you?”

Jim knew his teacher still wasn’t fully convinced Gunmar could not be trusted to keep his promises to the changelings. Jim could sympathize, they’d been an underclass for so long — monsters to humans, “impure” abominations to trolls — he could understand how Strickler’s desire for a better life for his people and himself could undermine his logic. But, as much as Jim could sympathize, he had to put an end to that delusion now, both for his teacher’s sake and his own.

“Of course I would know!” Strickler snapped. “I’ve been at the heart of planning this since before you were born. My position with the Order has put me in the innermost circle of leadership, next to Bular himself.”

Jim nodded. “And yet, the trolls made this plan days ago, and this is the first you’re hearing of it.”

Strickler’s jaw clenched and he looked away from Jim, staring silently out the window. They both knew that word from Ursana would’ve reached Bular long before now, and if Strickler were truly on the inside, he wouldn’t have had to wait for Jim to tell him about it.

Jim gave him space to let it sink in, that Bular and Gunmar had their own agenda that had never included him or his kind. That had to be a kick in the gut.

After some long minutes, Strickler spoke, still gazing out the window. “Perhaps you are mistaken…” He said softly.

Jim tried to recall the stages of grief. What would this be? Bargaining? He hoped that was near the end.

“I’m not.” He stated quietly, then added. “I’m sorry.”

Strickler spun to glare at him. “I do not need the pity of a child.”

Jim stiffened. Crap. His teacher’s whole world was crumbling around him, Jim had to stop acting like a know-it-all, even if he kinda was.

Strickler turned his gaze down towards his desk with a long exhale, seeming to gather himself. “Bular has requested more of the Order be present next Saturday. He had told me it was for a ritual to prepare the gateway… I had never heard of such a thing, but… “ He growled in frustration, and brought his fist down on the desk.

What stage of grief was anger? The first? Oh god, Jim thought, we don’t have time to go backwards here.

Strickler was glaring at the fist on the desk as if it specifically had wronged him. “They used us!” He spat, then sunk back into his chair and stared absently in Jim’s direction. “We never had a chance.” He finished, sinking his head into his open hand.

Acceptance! That’s the last stage Jim knew. Huzzah? Jim didn’t feel triumphant looking at the beaten man in front of him. Love for the man who could one day be his step-father swelled in him, and he fought every molecule in his body to not go over and comfort him. To tell him to hold on, to tell him about the love and family that awaited him, just around the corner.

Other than words of comfort, which, given Strickler’s earlier outburst, would not be well received right now, Jim couldn’t think of a thing to say. So it was relief when Strickler broke the uncomfortable silence.

“Tell me the full plan.” The words sounded almost devoid of emotion, but Jim could hear the rage just below the surface.

With palpable relief Jim laid out the plan as he saw it. The objective was simple: Keep Toby and the bridge as far apart as humanly, or inhumanly as it were, possible.

To that end, Strickler was to position himself near the grate that lead to the sewer below so that he could be as close as possible to Toby when he entered the room. This would be a bit tricky for his teacher, as while Toby would surely be near the front of the attack, he would most likely be preceded by at least a couple of fierce troll warriors, maybe even Draal, and Strickler would have to avoid attracting their attention lest he become the focus of their attack.

Provided he could achieve that, he would pounce and “attack” the Trollhunter as soon as possible. Driving him back, away from the bridge, with luck even back down into the sewer below, all under the guise of a fierce battle. Jim would hang back, helping to defend the Trollhunter, and Strickler, from any other changelings who might join in the attack.

Jim had to assure his teacher a number of times that the Trollhunter would not put up a true fight. Of course, Jim hadn’t yet told Strickler about Toby, and he was sure that the man pictured himself fighting a being who looked more like Kanjigar and less like, well, less like Toby. This also meant that Jim would have a lot of explaining to do with Toby later. Jim decided to leave that problem for future Jim to deal with.

With luck, Draal and the other trolls would be able to subdue Bular and take the bridge without Toby needing to get anywhere nearby. Without luck… Jim didn’t really want to think about that, but his plan was for Strickler to fly Toby out, although he’d yet to inform his teacher of that. How do you tell a guy you know he has wings? Jim was angling on it not coming to that.

“And how will I know the Trollhunter?” Strickler asked skeptically.

“He’ll be the only other human there who isn’t me.”

His teacher’s eyes went wide. “A human Trollhunter?!”

Jim nodded wearily. “I know, I know, impossible, unprecedented, inconceivable… all the things. And yet, it is.”

Strickler continued to look dubious.

Jim’s eyes narrowed. “I’m surprised that news hadn’t made it to you guys yet. It’s hardly a secret in Trollmarket.”

“Apparently there is a great deal of news that ‘doesn’t make it’ to me.” His teacher huffed bitterly.

Jim bit down the “I’m sorry” that threatened to come out his throat and just nodded in return.

Strickler shook his head as he processed it all. “Then I guess we have it. You will keep me abreast of any changes to any of the plans, and I will keep you informed of what I may discover. As little as that may be.” He finished mostly to himself.

Jim stood, and found himself once again pushing against the boundaries of his luck. He really should be used to this feeling by now he thought.

“There is,” he started cautiously, “one more thing that would really help the Trollhunter, us…” he looked hopefully at his teacher. 

Strickler raised his head warily to meet Jim’s gaze, a wordless question in his expression.

“I know you have the Eye of Gunmar. It’s doing you no good, and we need it now.” Jim hoped he sounded authoritative and not like some whiny kid asking for more toys at the store.

Strickler looked, very briefly, like he was about to deny everything. Then after some mental battle that played out behind his eyes, he resigned in the face of the overwhelming absurdity of all the things Jim knew that he had no business knowing. He grabbed his pen, and went over to the bookcase behind him. Jim feigned shock, for whatever it was worth, as it parted to reveal the hidden room. Although he needn’t have bothered as his teacher never turned around.

Strickler moved directly to open a small panel located beneath one of the tables in the room. Jim couldn’t see past his teacher as he bent down, but Jim saw him remove something from his breast pocket, fiddle a bit, then put it back. He heard the panel snap shut, and when Strickler turned back around he held a small box made of dark polished wood out to Jim.

Jim took it, and cautiously cracked open the lid. There within lay the Eye of Gunmar, cradled in a bed of soft cloth.

“I hope neither of us is making a mistake here.” Strickler cautioned softly.

Jim swallowed hard and stared at the stone. “I hope so too.”

———————

Toby landed on his back with a audible thud, even on the soft, grass cushioned ground.

“OW! Geez Jim!”

Jim dropped his sword and leaned down to offer his friend a hand up. “Well, if you wouldn’t keep shifting your weight to the wrong leg every time you block, you wouldn’t be so easy to knock on your butt.”

Toby took his hand and leaned on Daylight to get up. “It just… it feels wrong.” He complained, rubbing his backside. “Seriously, ow.”

Jim scoffed. “In less than a week you’re going to be up against people who will want to do a lot worse than knock you on your ass dude.” He admonished. “Fighting with a sword is like a dance,” he continued, echoing something Draal once told him, “and you must bend and move with your opponent as you would a partner. You must take the lead or be swept aside.”

“Jim, you’re a terrible dancer.” Toby grumbled.

“I’ve gotten much better recently.” Jim shot back. “Besides, I’m not the Trollhunter.” Saying that felt like so much of a lie that Jim was surprised that he even got the words out at all.

“C’mon, Trollhunter. Let’s dance again.” He prompted as Toby groaned and raised Daylight up in front of him.

Jim raised his own sword, a thick, too heavy broadsword that Blinky had said was the smallest he could find in the Forge. Jim adjusted his grip yet again, the weight was all off, and he’d have to practice a ton to get used to it. It probably wasn’t the swordsmith’s fault. After all, it had been built to be wielded by troll arms, and not his skinny human ones.

As he pressed in on Toby with a series of thrusts intended to force him off balance again, he found himself staring hungrily at Daylight. Whenever he found himself near it or the amulet, especially in times of heightened emotions, he swore he could almost feel it call to him. The palms of his hands tingled as he vividly remembered what it felt like to hold it, to wield it. It was nothing like the cold, clunky thing he held at that moment. Wielding Daylight was like, well, it was perfect. It felt like nothing less than an extension of his own body, and it moved to its target effortlessly, almost without conscious thought.

He stumbled as his memories caused him to forget his actual weapon and Toby caught him off guard with a cross-strike to his left side.

“HAH-HAAAH!!!” Toby cried triumphantly. “Gotcha Jimbo!”

Jim grunted, his pride a bit wounded, “Not yet you haven’t.” He growled as he lunged forward.

Toby yelped and dodged pretty effectively actually, Jim thought. “Hey, dude, go easy!”

“I told you, no one is going easy on you next Saturday!” He spun and brought his sword down to collide with Daylight.

They continued like that for a couple of hours, until night had long since descended on Toby’s backyard.

“Uncle!” Toby panted as he deactivated the amulet and flopped onto his back in the yard. “I’m DONE.”

Jim hovered over him, sword still raised. “Oh c’mon Tobes, it’s not that late. Another hour.” He pleaded.

Toby raised his head. “An hour? Dude, you’re a machine. I gotta rest, and we both still have homework.”

Jim snorted. “Seriously? Homework isn’t more important than this.”

“It is for those of us who plan on having lives after next Saturday.” Toby retorted, dropping his head back down. “And, in case you’re wondering, that would be me.” He pointed his thumb back at himself.

Jim lowered his sword, but continued to stand above his friend.

“Geez dude. Power down Gun Robot. Okay?” Toby added, patting the ground next to himself.

Jim sighed and plopped down where Toby had indicated. It was clear that this was one battle tonight he wasn’t going to win.

He glanced over at Toby sweating profusely onto the lawn. “As long as we’re taking a break…”

“DONE!” Toby shouted.

Jim rolled his eyes. “Fine. Done. As long as we’re done for the night… happy?” He paused waiting for response.

“Oh ecstatically, yes.” Toby’s reply dripped with even more sarcasm then he was currently sweating.

“So, um, there’s something I’ve been needing to talk to you about. I’ve been trying to find the right time, but, I’m not sure there is one.” He began hesitantly.

This got Toby’s attention, and he turned over onto his side to look at Jim.

“It’s about next Saturday, and, some other things. But, it’s gotta be a secret. You can’t tell Blinky. Not even Aaarrrgghh.” Jim inclined his head in the direction of Toby’s bedroom window, where the shadow of Aaarrrgghh’s hulking form could be seen illuminated by the flashing lights of whatever game he was currently engrossed in.

Now, Toby was fully intrigued, and sat up to face Jim. “What is it?”

Jim swallowed. If he couldn’t get Toby to buy into the plan, all his work with Strickler would be wasted. But he’d procrastinated this as long as he could, he had less than a week, it was now or never.

“I sorta found us an ally on the other side…” he began carefully.

Toby’s mouth dropped. “Someone who’s working with Bular?!”

Jim nodded.

Toby thought for a moment. “But that would be a…”

“A changeling, yeah.” Jim finished the thought.

Toby puffed out a long breath. “How? Is it someone we know?”

Jim rubbed the back of his neck in discomfort. “Yeah, actually, it is.”

“Who??” Toby was practically vibrating with curiosity.

“Um, ah, it’s… Mr. Strickler.”

Toby would’ve definitely had to sit down if he hadn’t already have been there. “Whaaaaaaaaaaaaa????”

“Yeah. “ Jim sympathized. “I know.”

“But he’s been…”

“Yeah.”

“All this time?”

“Yeah.”

“Holy crap.”

“Yeah.”

Suddenly, Toby’s eyes went wide with fear. “JIM!! YOUR MOTHER IS DATING A CHANGELING!”

“Dude, keep it down!” Jim waved his friend off. “I’m completely aware of who my mom is dating.”

“But she’s in danger Jim!”

“She’s really not.”

“But…”

Jim put a hand on Toby’s shoulder. “She’s not. You really think I’d just sit here knowing my mom is in danger?”

“Well, no but, Jim, a changeling…”

“He loves her.”

“He WHAT?!”

“He loves her.” Jim shrugged. “And, I think she loves him.”

Toby was at a loss.

“Look, you’re missing the bigger point here, which is he’s on our side now.” Jim paused hoping his words would register.

Toby looked incredulous. “But… how?”

“I told you. He loves my mother, he doesn’t want to see her get hurt.” Jim explained. “Changelings aren’t what Blinky has told us they were. They aren’t evil.” Jim held up a hand as Toby attempted to interrupt. “Sure some of them are, but so are some trolls, and some humans. Changelings have been used and abused by everyone pretty much since the beginning. How would that make you feel?”

Toby shook his head slowly. “I guess, I hadn’t thought about it like that before.”

Jim patted his shoulder. “It’s okay. Neither had I.”

“So, he’s going to help us?” Toby asked. “How?”

“That kinda brings us to the secret part.” Jim winced slightly. “And your part in the plan.”

“I have a part?” Toby brightened.

“Well, duh, yeah, yes, you’re the freaking Trollhunter. It’s kinda your show.”

Toby puffed up with pride. “Well, lay it on me dude.”

Jim launched into a detailed explanation of their plan, taking care to emphasize the dire importance of Toby and the amulet staying as far from the bridge as possible, to which Toby made a disappointed face.

“But shouldn’t I be where the action is? I’m the Trollhunter.”

“That’s the point. The action will come to you.” Jim said while at the same time praying it wasn’t true. “Your main job is keep the damn portal closed. Draal and all the other trolls can fight, but you’re the only one with that power. Don’t you see?”

Toby nodded as it sank in. “Yeah, yeah, I need to protect us from Gunmar.”

“YES!” Jim’s internal celebration was loud and raucous. “Exactly. Mr. Strickler, he’s going to help you with that, by giving you a reason to stay away from the bridge. It’s important that you don’t really fight him. Save that for Bular.” Again, Jim’s words belied his thoughts.

Toby nodded again, more vigorously this time.

“So, you’re in?” Jim asked hopefully.

“Yeah.” Toby replied, a bit skeptically.

“And, you’ll keep it a secret? Even from Blinky and Aaarrrgghh.”

“Do we have to?” Toby pleaded.

Jim was adamant. “You know how Blinky feels about changelings. He’d never, in a million years, allow it.”

Toby nodded sadly and looked down. “But, how do you know we can trust him?”

“I trust him.” Jim stated. “And you can trust me. Okay?”

“Okay.” Toby looked up with a mixture of hope and fear. “I trust you Jimbo.”

———————

Jim was in his room, trying to focus on the homework that he still didn’t find that important when he got Blinky’s text. Not knowing Jim’s mom wasn’t home, he was waiting for Jim in the basement. For a split second he panicked, had Toby cracked already? It had barely been an hour. No, he reasoned, Toby had promised, he trusted Jim, and he wouldn’t have gone straight to Blinky. Regardless, he’d find out what it was about in a moment, and he headed downstairs.

Blinky smiled as Jim descended the stairs. “Good evening, Master Jim. I hope I’m not bothering you?”

“No bother at all Blinky.” Jim returned the smile. “What’s up?”

Blinky shuffled his feet, and looked pensive. “I was hoping we could talk… without Master Tobias present.”

Oh, this can’t be good. “Oh, uh, sure, yeah.”

Blinky paused, and seemed uncharacteristically at a loss for words. All the alarm bells in Jim’s head started ringing.

“I’ve been concerned,” Blinky began carefully, “about you, Master Jim.”

Jim attempted to derail this train of thought before it could leave the metaphorical station. “Blinky, if this is about that night a few weeks ago, I’m much better now. Really.”

Blinky nodded. “Well, yes, partly, it is. But it’s about more than that.”

Jim braced himself, unsure of what was coming other than a terrible certainty that it wouldn’t be good.

“I know, from that night, you have hardships. You said there were things you could not share with me.” Blinky explained. “I believed, at the time, those hardships had to do with your life, with your absent father, with your school, perhaps even with your mother, who I know you love quite dearly. But I have begun to wonder, frankly, more than wonder, if your hardships are not of such a mundane origin.”

Jim swallowed hard. He could feel a cold sweat forming on the back of his neck.

Blinky continued. “There is something about you Jim. Something extraordinary, otherworldly even, that I cannot place my finger on. There is a weight on you, you look at the world as though you were seeing it as a ghost. It’s a look I’ve only seen in those that have endured fearsome battles and terrible losses over many years. It is not a look I would ever expect in one as young as yourself.”

“And you know things. Don’t think that’s escaped my notice. You always have an explanation that sounds plausible enough, and I know I am a pedagogue of highest caliber and have introduced you to much about our world. But often you speak of it as if you have intimate knowledge, knowledge that comes only from years of experience, of which you have none.”

“And yet, yet… I find myself wanting to trust you. I sense nothing but goodness from you. You truly seem to care a great deal about my world, about Trollkind, and certainly about your friend Tobias. Your intentions seem nothing but honorable and true, but it is becoming clear that you have an agenda that you keep hidden. And out of concern for our Trollhunter and our mission, I can keep my tongue no longer.”

Jim held his breath.

Blinky fixed Jim with a hard stare. “What secrets are you keeping Master Jim? What are you not telling us?”

Jim reeled. He thought he’d been so careful, so clever. Of course Blinky would see — nothing escaped his six eyes. He was truly the wisest person Jim ever knew, and Jim knew a great many smart people.

He was trapped, stuck in a paradox. There was no way he could tell Blinky the truth, and also, no way to lie. His mind grasped at the only straw Blinky held out for him, that, for whatever reason, Blinky trusted him. Jim only hoped it was enough.

Jim exhaled and regarded Blinky, who stood patiently awaiting his response. An almost overwhelming urge to confess everything consumed him. It would be so easy, telling Blinky, and such a weight off of him. But the tremendous responsibly he had undertaken would not be lifted so easily, and he resisted. He trusts me. Jim held that singular thought as he began.

“Blinky, you’re right. I know… more. But you’re also right that I care deeply for you all, for all of this. More than you may ever know. I would give everything, do anything, to protect it, I would lay down my life gladly if it ensured your safety. But the one thing I can’t do, is tell you why.”

Blinky furrowed his brow as he took in Jim’s words.

“You said you trusted me. I need you trust me now. I need you to trust that, although I can’t say why, my every action, my every thought is only for the good of all. Please Blinky. I know it’s a leap of faith and you are a person of logic, but please, for all our sakes, please take that leap.”

The silence felt oppressive as the two stood facing each other in the dim light of the basement. Blinky was deep in thought, and Jim could only pray he’d made enough of a connection with his old mentor, his troll father, to make a difference. He didn’t dare move, he barely even allowed himself to breathe.

Finally, after what could only have been an eternity of waiting, Blinky let out a slow, long breath. Every muscle in Jim’s body tensed.

“Then you leave me with no choice, Master Jim.” Blinky intoned as Jim’s heart sank. This couldn’t be how it ended, it couldn’t…

Blinky looked Jim square in the eyes. “I must trust in you.”

Jim blinked. He couldn’t speak, he didn’t dare. He felt tears forming as his heart overflowed with love and gratitude for this troll.

Blinky smiled. “I won’t say I’m happy with your response, and I do hope that perhaps, one day, you will be able to tell me what you cannot now share. But, I will trust in you until that time comes.”

“Thank you Blinky.” Jim breathed out through tears.

“And,” Blinky held up a finger as he backed out of the room towards the entrance to the tunnel the trolls had made, “there is one more thing I came here to accomplish.”

Jim wiped his nose on his sleeve as the blue troll briefly disappeared behind the furnace. He returned pulling a cart behind him, which he positioned in front of Jim.

Blinky cleared his throat. “The other night, on what I believe was your birthing day, when you ran out, upset, Master Tobias took the time to explain to me the pain that day held for you. I am genuinely sorry Jim. Tobias also told me of the human custom to give gifts.”

Blinky pulled something out of the cart, and held it out for Jim. “You dropped this when you ran out that night.”

Jim took it and saw that it was the Vespa catalog he and Toby had been looking at on his birthday.

“I had recalled I’d seen some similar parts in my collections.” Blinky gestured at the contents of the cart.

Jim’s heart swelled as he looked down to see, sure enough, the parts for his 1955 Vespa piled unceremoniously before him.

“I thought that, perhaps, we could…”

Blinky’s words were cut short as Jim ran past the cart and threw his arms around Blinky’s waist. “Thank you Blinky! This is the best present I’ve ever gotten.”

Blinky hugged Jim back. “Well, of course you are welcome, Master Jim. I’m pleased you like it.”

“But Blinky,” Jim pulled back confused, “you came here because you had concerns about my behavior. And you still brought me a birthday present?”

“Ah, yes,” Blinky smiled, “that’s true. I suppose I was hoping for the best. Maybe I’ve grown soft and foolish in my age, but, as I said before, I trust in you Jim.”

Jim grinned widely, and held onto Blinky tightly. “I won’t disappoint you Blinky.”

Blinky patted him gently on the back. “I know you won’t Jim.”

Chapter Text

The stench was overwhelming, almost enough to make Jim forget what he was about to do. It was Saturday evening, and he was standing with Toby and a couple dozen of Trollkind’s fiercest warriors in the sewers directly beneath the secret room currently housing Killahead Bridge, and things had already gone badly awry. He didn’t know why he was surprised, it was pretty on brand for him at this point.

He ticked through a mental list of past week’s events, anxiously searching for some other calamity in the making he had missed. But, as far as he could tell, the week had actually gone about as well as it could. 

Toby, although still nowhere near Jim’s skill level with the sword, even when Jim was still relatively new to it, had improved greatly with the intensive training sessions. Even if it did result in him to complaining loudly and frequently about all of his new aches and pains. And Jim felt hopeful that paired with the amulet, and his and Strickler’s assistance, Toby would come out of this unscathed.

Blinky had kept his word and his trust. And on one night when he’d come over to work on the Vespa with him, Jim could tell he was on the verge of uncovering the location of the first, well second for Jim anyway, Triumbric Stone.

As for cutting down the stone Jim had gotten from Strickler, he’d had some luck there. The local community college shared art space with Arcadia Oaks High, and he was able to steal his way into their stone and jewelry studio. He’d brought the freshly cut stone to Toby, telling him the truth, that it came from Strickler. It dropped into the amulet to fit perfectly, although whether he’d remembered how to cut it correctly or not had yet to be seen.

His man on the inside, Strickler, had, not unexpectedly, been told nothing new on what Bular had planned for today. Other than that they had gathered a number of changeling loyalists to be present for Bular’s “ceremony”. Jim had tried and failed to get Strickler to give him the Fetch, only to discover, for some reason, this time it was in Nomura’s possession. Jim didn’t reveal his reasons for wanting it, he wasn’t sure how the changeling would take to the idea of having his familiar freed, but Strickler had said he’d at least look into it.

Jim had also been relieved to see the large number of trolls the Tribunal had gathered for the mission. Queen Ursuna, of course, had lobbied hard for a smaller force, arguing it would be “cleaner and faster”. But wiser voices, lead by Vendel, as Blinky had recalled for Jim, had thought it best to prepare for the worst, and risk sending too many than too few.

And so everything was, maybe not well and good, but mostly fine, when he and Toby had arrived at Trollmarket just a couple hours ago. Jim couldn’t help but feel exhilarated to be back in the Market after so many weeks absence. He missed that place, his second home really, terribly. And Toby was bursting with nerves and excitement over his first real mission. The simple fact that nothing seemed overtly wrong should have been Jim’s first hint that disaster lay ahead.

As they gathered to leave the Market, Blinky and Aaarrrgghh had come to see them off.

“Might I say, Master Tobias, that you look positively resplendent! We could ask for none better to lead us to victory today.” Blinky gushed as he fussed over Toby’s armor.

“Thanks Blinky!” Toby chirped.

“And Master Jim,” Blinky turned to face him with a slight frown, “you look… ah… alert and ready to assist!”

It was a nice recovery, Jim thought. Trolls, outside of the Trollhunter, didn’t wear much armor to speak of, they didn’t need it. And he felt positively naked standing there, surrounded by giant stone trolls, and next to Toby in his armor. Jim hoisted the sword he’d used all week to rest on his very unprotected shoulder. Toby had offered him the dinner tray he’d used in the previous timeline, but Jim, politely, declined. His trusty blue zip up, would have to do. Hopefully, his evasion skills were still up to snuff.

“Prepare to move out!” Draal, their de facto leader, commanded, before turning reluctantly to Toby. “With your permission of course.” The words dripped with rancor.

“Um, yeah, that would be good, I guess.” Toby answered, hesitant in the face of Draal’s scorn.

Draal rolled his eyes and moved to the head of the group.

“Well, best of luck!” Blinky wished them brightly. “Although I’m sure you won’t… Aaarrrgghh, what are you doing?”

Aaarrrgghh had stepped past Blinky to stand next to Toby.

“Aaarrrgghh going. Protect wingman.” He declared.

No. Jim blanched, this was bad.

Blinky paused. “Are you sure?” He asked hesitantly.

Aaarrrgghh nodded and moved his hand to rest gently on Toby’s shoulders.

“Then godspeed my friend.”

“Oh heck yeah!” Toby cheered. “This is going to be epic!” He fist-bumped a happy Aaarrrgghh.

This was most decidedly not going to be epic, Jim’s thoughts raced as he trailed after them, down into the sewers, leaving the Market behind. Why hadn’t he considered that Aaarrrgghh would come? The friendly giant was still a pacifist in this timeline, but, clearly, during his time in Toby’s bedroom he’d bonded powerfully with the boy. This was a disaster. Now, when Strickler “attacked” Toby, he’d be getting the fight of his life from a former Gumm-Gumm general.

With every step that brought them closer to their fate, Jim’s desperation grew. Should he just tell Aaarrrgghh? Crap. How the hell could he possibly explain his allegiance with a changeling to Aaarrrgghh of all beings? He watched Toby chat animatedly with Aaarrrgghh, like he wasn’t about to be plunged into a centuries old war.

Remember the plan Toby! Make Aaarrrgghh understand! Crap! Even if he could think of a way to explain, they were completely surrounded by trolls, all of whom would overhear, none of whom would possibly understand. Worse, they would take him, or, even worse yet, Toby, for a traitor. Then everything would be lost.

And so Jim found himself, standing in the stench, moments away from a fight that could destroy everything he’d come back to repair, and his plan was already failing. He edged closer to Toby.

“Toby!” He whispered. “The plan, remember?”

“Huh?” Toby whispered back.

“Toby THE PLAN! We literally just went over it an hour ago!” Jim hissed.

“OH! Yeah. Yup, got it Jimbo.”

C’mon Tobes, understand. “You’ve got it, but Aaarrrgghh doesn’t.” Jim jerked his head towards Aaarrrgghh waiting patiently next to them.

Toby looked over at Aaarrrgghh, and for a second Jim despaired that he’d never figure it out, then Toby’s eyes went wide. “Oh… no… Jim… what do I do?” He looked at Jim desperately for help.

Jim didn’t have any great ideas. “Lose him? There’s probably going to be a lot of commotion when we get in there. Just, try to get away from him. I’ll try to distract him too. I can’t imagine that’ll be hard.”

Toby nodded. “Okay, I’ll… I’ll do my best Jim.”

The scout Draal had sent forward returned, and Draal signaled silently for the group to advance.

Jim grabbed Toby’s arm as they were swept up with the others. “Just, whatever you do, just stay away from that bridge.”

“I know, I will.” It was the last thing Jim heard from his friend before they were separated by the scramble to climb up into the secret room.

Jim found himself ungracefully lifted and half thrown up into the dark chamber above. It was quiet, save for the soft sounds of the trolls stealthily ascending into the space. Jim cast about for Toby, finally locating the gentle glow of the amulet a few feet away from where he stood.

Where were the changelings? Jim tried in vain to push his way through the growing crowd of trolls, toward his friend. Where was Strickler?

Suddenly, the room resounded with the piercing sound of metal grinding against stone and he froze in place. A deep, unmistakeable voice cut through the silence that followed.

“BRING THE TROLLHUNTER TO ME.”

The room illuminated with a sickly green light, and Jim’s heart stopped, they were surrounded by changelings. Bular stood, across the room, at the top of Killahead Bridge. So confident in his triumph that he clearly felt he needn’t sully himself with a fight.

There was an excruciating stillness as the combatants sized each other up. Where was Strickler?! Then, with a deafening roar from both sides, they hurled themselves into the fight.

Jim threw himself to the side, barely dodging a clawed fist which impacted heavily on the troll behind him. He had to get to Toby. The space around him was filled with hard stone, sharp blades, and talons. He dropped to roll behind a massive Krubera troll as they lumbered forward, simultaneously wrestling two smaller changelings.

Jim stood and turned, just in time to see the axe blade headed straight for his torso. Muscle memory kicked in, and he brought up his own blade to deflect it, the impact throwing him back to the ground. He landed painfully, and quickly brought his sword back up to block the next blow, but whoever had attacked him had moved on.

Jim jumped back up. Where was Toby??

The room was in chaos. The trolls, being larger, plowed forward through the changelings, and towards the bridge. Soon the fighting had expanded to engulf most of the room. At least now Jim had some space to move.

Then he heard it, coming from somewhere to his left, and deeper into the room. “WINGMAN!”

Jim charged towards the sound of Aaarrrgghh’s voice, jumping and dodging the bodies and weapons flying around him. I’m coming Tobes, hang on.

He slid behind a big grey troll fighting against a six-armed changeling, and finally saw the cool, blue fire glow of Daylight. Toby was using the weapon defensively, blocking two changelings attempting to trap him from opposite sides. Beside him, Aaarrrgghh had Strickler cornered, and was advancing on him.

Jim ran forward and locked eyes with his teacher, there was nothing either of them could do. Jim tried to motion for Strickler to get away, when he felt something snag his ankles bringing him crashing to the floor. He twisted around to see a small, orange changeling with double rows of sharp teeth grinning evilly. It launched itself at him, and he barely had time to raise his weapon.

He was able deflect it, hurling it to the side, but in the process, had the ill-weighted sword knocked from his hands. He pushed himself up to a sitting position, and turned to see the changeling gather itself to charge at him again. Jim lunged for his fallen weapon, but the changeling was too fast. Jim kicked out, attempting to knock it back again, but it grabbed onto his foot, holding tight.

With his other foot, Jim kicked off his shoe, loosening it’s grip so he was able to shake it off. Then he kicked it again, sending it sliding back, and, unfortunately for it, directly under a massive troll who steamrolled over it without even noticing.

Jim flipped himself over, grabbed for the sword, and ran, but Toby, Aaarrrgghh, and Strickler were gone. What the… ? They must’ve been driven further into the room. Crap!

Jim sprinted in the direction of the bridge, scanning the room for any sign of Daylight or Toby. He saw Draal close to reaching Bular, but prevented from going further by Nomura who had locked with him in fierce combat.

He was still running, and searching, when he heard Bular bellow from his perch atop the bridge.

“BRING HIM TO ME!”

Jim followed Bular’s line of sight to see the flash of Daylight and Toby, now way too close to the bridge, fighting off the advancing changelings, and holding his own, although just barely. Aaarrrgghh was nowhere Jim could see.

Jim had turned and headed towards his friend, when a winged figure dropped down from above Toby and snatched him up just as one of the changelings was on top of him.

Strickler! Strickler would get Toby safe and away from the bridge! Jim slowed his stride in relief, only to see the figures begin to wobble in their flight. Strickler had grabbed Toby from behind and Toby clearly didn’t know what had taken him. Jim saw Daylight flare brightly before both figures plummeted to the ground. Toby landed heavily on the bridge, while Strickler fell somewhere behind it.

Jim felt himself scream Toby’s name, but the din of the fight drowned out even his own voice. I’m coming Toby! He lunged into the thick of the battle surrounding the bridge. He should’ve been crushed, sliced, or otherwise mangled, but by some miracle or maybe just powered by sheer will, Jim got himself, finally, to the base of the bridge. He was too late, Bular had Toby, and despite Toby’s efforts, was dragging him steadily toward the Eyestone.

Jim bolted onto the bridge to find himself blocked by a burly changeling covered in pointed spikes. The changeling growled and charged, and desperate to reach Toby, Jim channeled a strength that he didn’t know he still had. Suddenly his sword didn’t feel so ill-weighted, and with one smooth swing, he struck the changeling, knocking him off balance. With a roar, Jim didn’t waste his momentum, landing blow after blow until forcing his opponent off the side of the bridge.

Without pausing, he spun and sprinted up the bridge just in time to see Bular rip the amulet off Toby’s chest in an electric flash of blue light and hold it aloft.

“NOW FATHER, I WILL BRING YOU HOME!”

He pinned Toby against the side of the bridge, as he slammed the amulet into the Eyestone. Jim braced himself, but the bridge remained unchanged, the portal didn’t open. Bular roared in frustration, and lowered his head to direct his anger at the captive Trollhunter.

Jim, sword raised, launched himself at Bular and threw his blade against the troll’s back with everything he had. It did little other than draw Bular’s attention, and he backed away from Toby to consider his puny assailant.

Jim knew he’d never survive a fight with Bular, not without the amulet, but he used the momentary distraction, and ran at Toby, sliding under Bular’s attempt to grab him. He flung himself at his friend, hoping his momentum would throw them both over the side and off the bridge. He’d worry about the amulet later.

He was almost successful, but Bular reached out with inhuman speed to stop Jim in his tracks and pin both of them against the side of the bridge.

“YOU THOUGHT YOUR LITTLE FRIEND COULD SAVE YOU?” Bular sneered at Toby. “YOU’RE ALMOST TOO WORTHLESS TO KILL.”

Bular’s weight was crushing against them, and Jim wondered why they weren’t being flattened. As if in answer to his unspoken question, he noticed a dim blue light surrounding both of them. Even not activated, the amulet seemed to be shielding them both, although not well, just enough to keep their bones from shattering.

As Bular monologued something about the glorious return of his father, Jim freed one of his hands and reached out for the amulet. It remained just out of reach from where he was pinned, no matter how hard he strained to get it.

With a massive shudder, all the markings on the bridge flared to life, and with a rush of sound and air the portal finally opened.

“FATHER! YOU ARE FREE!” Bular cried, triumphant, and looked down at them. “THE HONOR OF KILLING THE LAST OF MERLIN’S CHAMPIONS, EVEN ONE AS PITIFUL AS YOU, WILL BE HIS.” Then he smirked. “I’LL EVEN SAVE ENDING YOUR PUNY FRIEND HERE SO IT WILL BE THE LAST THING YOU SEE TROLLHUNTER.”

Jim was flailing wildly now, still trying to grab at the amulet. Toby saw what Jim was doing and struggled to free his own arm to help. Jim looked out from his captive vantage point, the poorly ventilated room was filled with dust and debris from the fighting and the open portal, and it was getting impossible to see. He tried in desperation to locate Aaarrrgghh or Draal, but found neither. Surely they could see them trapped here. Surely they must be coming.

Then Jim saw something that turned his blood cold, something he’d vowed he’d never see again. A monstrous shadow moved in the light streaming out of the portal — Gunmar was coming.

Jim winced in pain as he strained against his confinement, the dim shield projected by the amulet was the only thing that kept him from being crushed completely. Toby’s face was a mask of pain as he tried to wrench his arm free to help him. Jim glanced down at the portal again, the shadow had grown larger and more distinct, he was almost out of time.

Then, just as he faltered, he heard Draal roar “FOR MY FATHER!” from his left, while simultaneously Aaarrrgghh thundered “WINGMAN!” from his right. And with an eardrum-shattering crash, Bular was thrown off of them.

Suddenly left without support, they plunged to the ground, knocking out what little wind they had left in them, the amulet’s magic dissipating. Jim quickly gathered himself, and crawled over to Toby.

“We’ve got to get the amulet!” he howled over the combined sound of the open portal and the battle of titans raging right behind them.

Jim looked over to see Draal, Aaarrrgghh, and Bular in brutal combat. Bular slammed Aaarrrgghh to the ground, while Draal delivered a savage blow to Bular’s back. Bular roared in pain, as Aaarrrgghh lashed out from below. Jim ripped his gaze away, he couldn’t get distracted, they had to close the portal, it had already been open too long.

He hauled Toby up and they both leaned over the side of the bridge, clinging to it and each other for support as they seized onto the amulet together. The room was filling rapidly with a dense fog of dust and debris and the raging war could only be heard now. Jim and Toby both pulled on the amulet, for an agonizing moment it seemed stuck fast, then, with one more tug, it broke free in Toby’s grasp.

Toby held it aloft as he summoned the armor. The bridge heaved violently as Jim still hung partially over the edge, searching the portal and the room for signs that anyone had come through, but it was impossible to see clearly through the haze. From behind him he heard Bular wail.

“NOOOO! FATHER!!!”

Jim glanced back to see Draal and Aaarrrgghh take advantage of Bular’s distraction to ram him bodily off of the back of the bridge. Draal jumped down after him, and Aaarrrgghh turned towards them.

Jim peered back down, the portal had become a swirling vortex sucking in everything in front of it. Even from above, Jim could feel it tugging powerfully on him.

The roars of the combatants had become shrieks of terror, as changelings and trolls both fought to keep from being sucked in. The crates and junk scattered about the room streamed into the portal. Jim saw a small changeling claw briefly to remain outside the opening, but lose its grip as something large smacked into it, and in a second, was gone.

Jim could feel Toby trying to get him down off the bridge, but he pushed him off. He had to see it close, he had to be sure. The bridge rumbled dangerously again, the sheer force of the vortex pulling it apart from the inside.

“JIM! WE HAVE TO GET OFFA THIS THING!” Toby yelled.

The light from the portal had turned a sickening violet hue, and flickered erratically as it began to collapse. And just as Jim decided it was safe to end his vigil, a bright pink clawed hand reached out from under the bridge. Jim gasped as Nomura strained to pull herself out of the vortex.

Their eyes met, and her’s were filled desperate fear. Her grip faltered and instinctively Jim catapulted himself further over the side of the bridge to grab for her hand. He heard Toby scream and felt something latch hard onto his ankles. He grasped for Nomura, and with Herculean effort, she wrenched a hand free and reached up to lock onto his wrist, he grimaced as her talons bit into his flesh.

Jim glanced back to see Toby hanging onto him for dear life, he was quickly joined by Aaarrrgghh, who grabbed bodily onto a rapidly sliding Toby.

“MUST GO NOW!” Aaarrrgghh bellowed and pulled back hard.

Nomura tightened her grip as Jim was lifted up, but the blood from the wounds her talons had rendered made his hand slick, and she began to slip. With Toby holding his legs, Jim let go of the bridge with his other hand and clasped onto Nomura with both hands, trying desperately to keep her from dropping into the vortex that had become even more powerful in its last moments of life.

Jim groaned in pain as she slipped even further. Somewhere above him Toby was screaming at him to let go, but it wasn’t an option. In this timeline he won’t go to the Darklands, and no one will be there to save her from Gunmar. He won’t let that happen. I won’t let you go. She looked up at him in pure terror as he felt her hand break from his grasp.

“NOOOOO!” he howled, as enormous blue hands plunged down to latch firmly onto her arm and his, yanking them up and free of the vortex’s dying gasps. DRAAL!

The stones of the bridge sounded a horrible, piercing whine as they strained to the breaking point. Jim felt Draal wrap himself protectively around him as they were propelled into the air by the ensuing explosion. After a couple of sickening seconds spinning in free fall, they came crashing to stop, Draal’s stony body absorbing the majority of the impact.

Jim didn’t know how long he laid there — ears ringing, head pounding, cocooned in Draal’s still form.

“Draal?” No answer. Oh god no… “Draal?! Draal??? Please Draal!”

“As I just saved your worthless fleshbag life, you would think I’d have earned the respect of a moment of peace.” Draal growled, but Jim caught the mirth in his tone.

“DRAAL, you’re ok!!” Jim shouted with far too much joy. Hopefully, the warrior would take it as Jim just being happy to be alive, but, truthfully, he didn’t care. His friend lived.

“Thank you Draal. I owe you.” He said quietly, then added. “Think I can get out now?”

Draal grumbled amiably and uncurled, groaning a bit with discomfort. Jim stood to find himself in a transformed room. The bridge, which had loomed ominously before, was now reduced to rubble and the air was swimming with a swirling fog of settling dust.

Where’s Toby? Jim frantically scanned the room. Toby had to be all right. He had the amulet and Aaarrrgghh. Please… please… His heart stopped when he saw the silhouette of Aaarrrgghh’s prone form lying a few feet away. Jim scrambled over the rocks and debris, ignoring the pain of his own injuries, only able to think of his friends. Of Toby.

As he got closer he detected the blue, protective glow of the amulet fading from around Aaarrrgghh. Thank you Merlin. He prayed it had done its job and sheltered his friend yet again.

“Aaarrrgghh! Toby!” Please be okay.

At the sound of his name, Aaarrrgghh turned his head and cracked open an eye, a smile grew on his face and he rolled over to reveal Toby, still clad in armor, clinging to his chest.

“TOBY!” Jim threw himself onto his friend, laughing and crying in relief.

“Hey Jimbo.” Toby replied softly, hugging him back. “How ‘bout next time you try to kill yourself, you gimme a head’s up first?”

Jim sniffled and laughed. “Hah, sure thing Tobes.” He released his friend and moved to stand. “It really wasn’t a plan or anything.” He reached down to help Toby up.

“Oh geez Jim! Your hand!” Toby pointed at Jim’s extended arm in horror.

Jim finally took notice his own injury, and indeed, it did look awful. His wrist and hand were a mess of lacerations and blood. He wasn’t about to bleed out or anything, but shock from the injury would explain the swimming feeling in his head. Well, that and being hurled out of an explosion while encased inside an armored troll. Jim tore off a strip of his already torn shirt and wrapped it tightly around the cuts as his mom had taught him. It wasn’t pretty, but it’d hold for now.

“We gotta get you to the hospital asap.” Toby muttered with concern as he watched Jim finish his wrapping.

Oh crap. Mom. A few bruises and scratches he could explain, but this… she was going to have questions, and he’d better think of some answers.

“Seriously Jimbo,” Toby raised his gaze from Jim’s wrist, “what were you thinking? Why save her? She tried to kill us!”

Draal nodded in agreement. “You fought bravely, but you put us all at risk for the impure.”

“She’s not an impure!” Jim snapped back before catching himself. “She didn’t deserve to be banished there.” He stated, staring levelly at Draal.

Draal shook his head, and appeared like he might argue, but then he looked Jim in the eye and sighed as he relented. Warriors have an understanding that sometimes things just need to be done without explanation.

“Where’d she go anyway?” Toby peered into the murky darkness of the room.

Jim looked around, it was still almost impossible to see more than ten feet away, but Nomura had, in her usual fashion, vanished.

Draal grunted. “I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of her.” He turned to Toby. “In case you were concerned Trollhunter.”

Worry flashed briefly across Toby’s face as he swallowed hard in response, but Jim noted the most important thing in Draal’s statement. He’d called Toby the Trollhunter. Not the interloper, the fleshbag imposter, the thief, the fat worm, or one of the dozens of other unflattering nicknames he’d come up with since they’d first come to Trollmarket. Draal had finally accepted them, Jim thought with a smile.

A thundering crash from the last of the Killahead bridge collapsing caused them all to start, and Jim’s smile quickly faded as he surveyed the ruined battlefield. They’d won the bridge, but at what cost? And, wait…

“Draal,” Jim asked urgently, “what happened to Bular? I saw you go after him.”

Draal’s angry snort was not encouraging. “The coward fled.” He spat. “I was set to pursue, but then you had other plans.” He rolled his eyes at Jim.

Jim took in the magnitude of his decision to save Nomura. As much as he worried that Bular was still out there, he’d never regret saving her. “I’m sorry Draal. I didn’t… Thank you. Again.”

Draal nodded. “You fought well — for fleshbags.” He shrugged with a small grin. “And you fulfilled our mission, destroying the portal and the bridge. As I would expect no less from our leader.” At that he inclined his head toward Toby, who puffed with pride despite his fears.

Jim smiled again. “We couldn’t have done it without you,” he turned to Aaarrrgghh, “and Aaarrrgghh. Bular had us pinned, without you both, it might have ended very differently. We owe you our lives, twice over.”

Aaarrrgghh grinned wide, and pulled Toby in for a massive hug. “Wingman safe now. Aaarrrgghh protect.”

Toby embraced his giant friend. “Awww, big guy, what would I do without you?”

That made Jim think, someone else had been trying to protect Toby too. What had happened to him? As he scanned the room, he saw something move behind the wreckage of the bridge.

“I’ll be right back.” Jim begin to walk toward where he’d seen the figure.

Draal made a move to follow him, but Jim waived him off. “It’s okay. I won’t go far. I’ll yell if there’s anything.” He added in response to Draal’s hiss of disapproval.

Jim’s progress was slow, the dust still hung thickly in the air, making it hard to see, as he stumbled over the scattered remains of the bridge. He arrived at the spot where he’d seen the figure, and saw nothing but rocks.

“Young Atlas.” Came a hoarse whisper to his right.

Jim spun to see his teacher crouched behind a large stone. “Mr. Strickler?” He moved closer to see the changeling was cradling his left wing, which bore an ugly gash from where Daylight had struck him.

“Mr. Strickler…” Jim gasped, “are you okay? Toby, he didn’t mean to… he never… he didn’t know it was you…” He reached forward to help, but his teacher held up a hand, stopping him.

“I know he didn’t. I’ll be fine.” He answered in a low voice. “But the last thing I need right now is for anyone left here to see me consorting with the enemy.”

Jim gasped again. “You’re going back? But you can come with us now.” He gestured in the direction of his friends.

Strickler shook his head. “No one knows what I tried to do here today. And this,” he inclined his head towards his injured wing, “will at least serve as excellent cover for me. I was injured trying valiantly to bring the Trollhunter to Bular.” He flashed a rueful smile. “Besides, it will be more useful for both of us to have me on the inside.”

Jim was unsure. He trusted his teacher, but he didn’t trust for his safety with the changelings. Not with Bular still very much at large. It was clear, though, that Strickler had made up his mind.

“Be careful,” Jim cautioned, “with Bular still alive…”

“I know, he can’t be trusted.” Strickler interjected.

“He could kill all of you if he thinks you failed him.”

His teacher nodded wearily. “I know. All the more reason for me to return.” He sighed. “To help them.”

That was a reason, Jim realized, he could not argue with. Who was he to tell Strickler not to do the very thing he himself had spent the last few weeks of his life doing?

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know about Aaarrrgghh coming.”

“And I’m sorry I didn’t know about Bular’s full plan.”

“Just… take care.” Jim couldn’t think of anything else to say in the moment.

Strickler bowed his head slightly and then vanished into the haze surrounding them.

Jim’s shoulders slumped as he surveyed the broken bridge. It belonged to the trolls now, but how many were injured or killed in the attempt? And what of Bular? What revenge would he exact on the changelings for this failing? And on the now known Trollhunter for stopping him? Jim shuddered, this felt like a pyrrhic victory at best.

“Jimbo? You okay?” Toby called out.

“I’m okay! It was nothing!” He called back.

He could dimly make out his friends as they headed over to him. And as he haltingly moved to join them, he tried to comfort himself with the fact that today they had prevailed. With his friends at his side, they’d beaten back Bular and kept Gunmar imprisoned. And with Strickler on the inside, Toby with his first successful turn as Trollhunter, and Draal now a battle-forged friend, Bular would soon enough cease to be threat.

Jim determined to keep this thought as the weary group assembled and made a plan to head back to Trollmarket.

Chapter Text

Barbara Lake wasn’t the kind of parent who yelled a lot. She was a slow burn, and rarely raised her voice at Jim. He always knew he was in real trouble when she got quiet, that’s when she was really upset. And she hadn’t made a sound since they left the hospital.

As soon as they’d gotten back to Trollmarket, Toby had made good on his promise to get Jim, despite his protests, to the emergency room to tend to his wounds. His mom had shown up as they were suturing in stitch number six of the thirteen total he would receive. So much for his faint hopes that they somehow wouldn’t page Dr. Lake when her only son showed up badly cut and bleeding in the ER.

“Oh god, Jim! What happened?!” She gasped as she rushed into the room.

Jim knew he didn’t look good. Both he and Toby were covered in dirt and bruises, but without any armor to protect him, Jim had faired far worse than his friend. His clothes were torn, and what skin was exposed revealed way too many small cuts, from what exactly he wasn’t sure. Maybe a swirling vortex of exploding death? And then there were the giant ugly bruises blossoming on his ankles, where the changeling had grabbed him, and at the base of his neck, where Bular had pinned him onto the bridge.

His mom covered her mouth in horror at the sight of him. Jim knew she saw people in worse shape than him everyday, but there was clearly something about seeing her own kid lying damaged in front of her that made the doctor in her take second place to the mom.

“Jim…” She sucked a breath in and moved her hand to his shoulder, looking him up and down, assessing his injuries. Jim grimaced, still a doctor.

He turned his head, a bit stiff with bruising, to look up at her. “Mom, I’m okay. It was just a stupid accident. I’m fine.”

He and Toby had prepared a cover story on their way to the hospital. There was no way he could explain injuries this extensive with an “I fell off my bike” kinda excuse. And, as he had before with Claire and Suzy Snooze, Toby had proven to be quite adroit at this.

“Yeah, Dr. Lake, it was crazy.” Toby began. “Me and Jim wanted to check out this construction site. Well, me mostly. I wanted to scout the location. I’m making this new movie, it’s about the robot apocalypse, and there’s this band of survivors…”

His mom cut him off with a warning scowl. “Toby.”

“Oh, yeah, sorry…” Toby flashed an apologetic, wincing grin. “Well, anyway, we were looking around and I asked Jim to climb up onto this ledge… I would’ve gone myself, but I had to see what the shot would look like…”

“TOBY!”

Toby winced again. “Um, yeah, anyway. I guess it wasn’t really bolted in or something? And it broke, and Jim fell into all this metal sheeting and cut himself pretty bad. We came straight over here.”

Jim looked at his mom hopefully. He had to admit, Toby, with all his interest in movies, was an excellent actor, he almost believed it himself.

His mom was still focused on him, and frowned as she thought. She moved over to get a better view of the cuts on his wrist the ER doctor was still suturing.

“How’s it looking Alex?” She asked him, of course they knew each other, Jim realized.

“The cuts are pretty clean, I’d say something very sharp.” He responded without looking up from his task. “He’s lucky they weren’t any deeper, they came dangerously close to the artery. Should be healed up in a couple weeks.”

She didn’t respond, but Jim could see the knot of worry forming between her eyebrows. She wasn’t buying their story, he could tell. Crap.

Alex the ER doc cut the last bit of stitching, and wrapped Jim’s wrist in fresh gauze. “And, there we go. Now, keep this bandaged for the next 24 hours, then I want you to clean it and rebandage it twice a day.” Alex looked up at his mom and shrugged. “Eh, you know the drill Barbara.”

She nodded, but said nothing, still fixated on Jim’s wrist.

Alex stood, and turned to his mom. “Could I get a word?” He asked quietly. They left the room and the boys, closing the door behind them.

“Do you think she bought it?” Toby asked hesitantly.

Jim scowled. “No. I don’t think so.”

Toby looked down, dejected. “Oh. I’m sorry Jimbo. I tried.”

Jim reached over to pat his friend’s arm. “Hey, Tobes, it’s not your fault. You did great, it was a really good story. Mom’s just, ya know, not a regular mom…” he sighed.

“Yeah.” Toby affirmed glumly.

They sat in silence, both worrying, until the door finally opened and his mom walked back in.

“Let’s get you both home.” She said perfunctorily, not really looking at either of them. 

This was bad, Jim thought as he swung his legs off the bed and gingerly pulled his torn jacket over his newly bandaged wrist. Really bad.

And now that they were back home, standing in the dark kitchen, she still hadn’t uttered a word, not even to Toby when the dropped him off.

“I’m, uh, gonna try to get cleaned up.” Jim tried to think of something else to say, some extra explanation to put her at ease, but he couldn’t.

She nodded, dropped her purse on the counter, and walked over to the refrigerator.

Jim stood awkwardly for a moment before heading upstairs. The only thing he knew for sure was that when she did start talking again, he was in for a world of trouble.

———————

It was late by the time he’d cleaned up and Jim hoped, as he exited the bathroom, that his mom had just gone to bed. That hope was dashed at the sight of her empty room, and the light still illuminating their living room below.

With a deep breath, he descended the stairs to his possible doom, to find his mom sitting on the couch, a half drunk glass of wine in front of her.

“Um, well, I guess I’m gonna go to bed now. Sorry about today, I didn’t mean to make you worry…” Jim offered while standing at the edge of the room, eager to make his escape.

His mom looked at her glass and took in a long breath with her whole body, Jim could see her shoulders rise up and down with the effort. “Jim,” she finally looked up at him — had she been crying? “I need to talk to you.” She said softly and patted the couch next to her.

He swallowed hard, and reluctantly padded over to gingerly sit where she’d indicated. It didn’t feel like she was angry, if anything, it felt worse, and he wasn’t sure why. He looked at his hands and tried to pull his shirt sleeve down over the bandages, as if not seeing it would make her forget.

He could feel her staring at him now. “Jim, I need you to tell me what really happened today.” She said bluntly.

“It was like Toby said Mom. We just were stupid, we shouldn’t have been messing around in that building…”

“Jim… stop. Just… stop. Please.” She grabbed fast onto his forearms with both hands and looked pleadingly into his eyes. “I’m your mother and a physician, you think I can’t see the signs?”

Jim held his breath, something big was coming.

“Your behavior has changed, you’re getting into trouble at school, you’re isolating yourself — except for Toby. Sometimes you disappear at night, and when you are here you’re having night terrors. You jump at every shadow, and sometimes when you look at me… Jim, you look like the people I’ve seen in the clinic who’ve been through…” She paused as she caught a small sob before it fully escaped. “People who’ve been through hell Jim. And now, now, you’re hurting yourself!” She held up his bandaged wrist with one hand and touched his bruised neck with the other. “And I don’t know why??” She shook her head as a few tears ran down her face.

Jim had to look away, it was too painful. This was on him, he was doing this, he was hurting her and he had no choice.

“Jim, look at me, please… I want to help you, you have to let me. I’m sorry, I should have done something sooner. I… I thought, maybe you were just going through a phase. Maybe you were finally moving away from needing to take all the responsibility around here. All the responsibility for me.” She held his injured hand gently in both of her’s. “I didn’t want you to feel even more pressure. Part of me knew it was bigger than that, but I… I should’ve said something sooner, I’m sorry Jim. I’m so sorry.”

Jim wasn’t sure when he’d started to cry, but he blinked away the tears.“Mom, I’m not hurting myself! Really. It’s not that, I promise.”

“They wanted to keep you for observation.” She said abruptly.

“What?”

“At the hospital. They wanted to keep you for observation. For your safety. I only convinced them not to because they trust me. But… maybe this is more than we can handle by ourselves…”

Jim felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. He couldn’t get put in the hospital, not now, not with Bular loose and the future still in jeopardy.

“Mom, please, I’m okay…” He frantically tried to assure her.

“The more you insist you’re okay, the more I know you’re not, Jim.” She cut him off with a sad shake of her head, as she brought her hand up to cradle his face. “It’s okay sweetie. Sometimes we all need help, it’s not your fault.”

Jim stood. “I don’t need help mom!” He snapped, before seeing her face set into a determined scowl. He was out of options, there was only one thing he could do now.

“Mom, gimme fifteen minutes. Maybe twenty.” He headed for the stairs.

“Jim! We’re not done here.”

“We’re not, I know! Fifteen minutes Mom!” He yelled back as he sprinted up the stairs.

“Jimbo, I just fell asleep. It’s been a reeeeeallly long day.” A sleep-addled Toby was arguing with him on the phone.

“Yeah, and it’s going to get longer now.” He growled back. “And bring the amulet.”

“The amulet?”

“Just bring it Toby!”

He heard what he decided was a grunt of agreement and hung up. Then he quickly sent a text. A couple minutes later his phone dinged in response, he replied and headed back downstairs just as there was a knock at the door.

For almost fifteen, very tense minutes, the three of them — Jim, his mom, and Toby — sat in uncomfortable silence before there was another knock at the door. Jim jumped up before his mom had time to react. He opened the door and smiled slightly, hoping this plan would work.

“Mr. Blink-heh??” His mom stood as Jim dragged a glamor-masked Blinky into the room.

“Er, yes, hello Dr. Lake!” Blinky waived awkwardly at her as Jim shoved him onto the couch next to Toby.

“Jim! You called your guidance counselor? After midnight? On the weekend?” His mom admonished him before turning to Blinky. “Mr. Blink-heh, I don’t know what Jim told you to get you to come here at this time of night, but, I’m so sorry. Jim’s been under some stress lately, and…”

Blinky raised his currently human hand, looking a little surprised that he only had the two, to stop her. “Dr. Lake, please, there’s no need for concern. What happened with your son today… Well, Jim felt I can help you to understand that.”

His mother blinked in confusion. “You know?”

“Er,” Blinky suddenly looked uncomfortable, “yes. I do, in fact.”

His mom sat back in her chair now and eyed them all suspiciously. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but someone needs to start talking, and quickly.”

Toby and Blinky practically gave themselves whiplash as they spun in unison to look at Jim. Here goes, well, everything…

Jim started at the beginning, with the amulet and the canal. His mom was a logical person, she needed facts, evidence, plausibility — as crazy as the story of his life had become, he knew he had to lay it all out for her.

“And so, we destroyed the bridge. Bular’s still out there, but everyone’s safe for now.” He finished.

His mom looked horror-struck. “Jim,” she said in an eerily calm voice, “we need to go back to the hospital. You need some help.”

“Mom, I know what this sounds like, but it’s the truth.”

“Jim, it sounds like a delusion. A very detailed and elaborate delusion.” She stood. “Toby is not some Troll Killer…”

“Trollhunter.” Toby interjected, then withered under her angry glare.

“And Mr. Blink-heh is your human guidance counselor.”

Jim glance over at Blinky, who looked like he might have been sweating, if that was possible for a troll.

“Jim! Jim, look at me!” His mom was starting to get angry in her concern. “We need to go to the hospital now. It’ll be all right.”

Jim ignored her. “Toby, do your thing.”

Toby looked unsure. “Now? Here? In front of your mom?”

“Toby! I’m not asking you to strip, just show her the armor.” This was way more exasperating than the first time, Jim thought.

Jim yanked Toby up and pushed him out into the foyer, where there was some space. “Go on!” He ordered.

Toby pulled out the amulet.

“Jim, please.” His mom had gripped him by the shoulders. “Please, Toby doesn’t have magic armor, Jim.”

Toby raised the amulet.

“Toby, you don’t have to pretend. It’s not helping him.” She urged Toby.

Toby glanced uncertainly at Jim, and Jim nodded for him to continue.

“For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command.”

As Toby plunked back to the ground, looking a bit too sheepish to be the big hero Jim had talked him up to be, his mom had a death grip on his shoulders.

“WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!”

Jim extricated himself from her protective hold. “I told you Mom. Toby’s the Trollhunter!” He said brightly.

“No. Oh no no no. That is not possible.” She backed into the living room shaking her head. “There is a logical explanation for, for, that…” she gestured in Toby’s direction.

“Mom, it’s okay.” Jim walked toward her, she just needed a minute to take it in and calm down.

“No. Jim, we have to go. To the hospital. Now.”

“Mom…”

“Jim,” she pleaded, “Toby is not a magic knight and Mr. Blink-heh is not a gnome!”

“A TROLL if you please.” Blinky shot up off the couch, completely offended.

His mother just stared at Blinky blankly.

Well, might as well rip all the bandaids off at once. Jim nodded at Blinky.

Blinky sighed and reached up to take off his mask.

Barbara Lake, the strongest person Jim knew, a person who wouldn’t flinch at any gruesome injury she was presented with as a doctor, took one look at Blinky, screamed, and passed out.

It actually didn’t go too badly with his mom after that, Jim thought as he cleaned up the kitchen later. After assuring a shrieking, panicking Blinky that he hadn’t killed her on sight, they moved her onto the couch, and she came to after just a few minutes.

There was a lot of reminding everyone to use their calm, inside voices, and a bunch more explaining. But Jim made some tea and snacks, and Blinky’s voice, once he calmed down, really was extremely soothing.

His mom finally seemed to be starting to reconcile with her new reality as the first light of a new day crept into the room. Toby, now out of the armor, was asleep and snoring obnoxiously on the couch. And Jim was feeling all 80 of the hours it had felt like he’d been awake for in the last day. He yawned loudly.

“You should go to bed.” His mom said wearily.

“So should you. Don’t you have a shift in a couple hours?” He retorted.

She rolled her eyes at him. “Yes, Mom.”

“And I, too, should take my leave.” Blinky stood, and bowed slightly. “Dr. Lake, Master Jim.”

“Thank you Mr. Bli… Blinky.” His mom said. “For helping Jim.”

“The honor is all mine, you can be sure.” Blinky smiled, and bowed again, before heading to the basement.

“Do I want to know why he’s going into our basement?” His mom asked absently as they watched Blinky leave.

Jim considered it. “Um, probably not right now.”

She nodded, clearly having processed enough for one night. “I’m heading up. You should too.”

“In a minute, I’m just gonna straighten up the kitchen.”

She shot him a chiding look.

“Hey, I can sleep in tomorrow, remember?” He shot back.

She raised her hands in surrender, hugged him for a very long minute, kissed his forehead, and went upstairs. Halfway up the stairs she called back down. “And don’t think we’re done talking about this!”

“Yeah, I figured.” He sighed as he walked to the kitchen.

He loaded the dishwasher, and scratched at his bandages. His hand throbbed and itched, a painful token of yesterday.

God, was it only yesterday? Twelve short hours ago he was a bundle of nerves heading for Trollmarket and Killahead Bridge with Toby. Geesh. Jim blew out a long breath. He was going to sleep for a month.

He was about to turn out the light and head upstairs when he heard the tap on the back door. Instantly, his mind was filled with thoughts of Bular, coming for his revenge. Bular doesn’t politely knock, Jim, he scolded himself as he went over to see what it was.

Still, he felt all his muscles tense has he turned the knob, and swung open the door to reveal — nothing. Just his backyard bathed in the early morning light. He relaxed, and walked down the steps to stand in the grass. It probably had been nothing, just him hearing things after a really long day.

He yawned again and turned to leave when a rustle in the trees across the yard made him spin around, prepared for a fight. There was something out here.

“Who’s there?” He called out as he approached the tree line, still shrouded in darkness with the sun just rising.

Another rustle of leaves, and he dropped to a crouch. He didn’t have a weapon, but he’d fight if he needed to.

A soft laughter drifted out of the trees. “I doubt you’d stand much of a chance Little Gynt.”

Nomura? Jim drew himself up to see glowing green eyes hovering a few feet in front of him. Nomura was perched on a low tree branch, smirking at him. If she was there to kill him, she probably would’ve already, he thought. Emboldened by this, he stepped forward.

“What do you want?” He demanded.

“I’m here to ask you that same question.” She replied.

“What do I want?” He pointed up at her. “You’re the one in my backyard.”

She squinted at him. “Whatever you think you’ll get from me, you won’t. I’ve repaid you for yesterday by not killing you today.”

“I don’t want anything from you.”

“Liar.” She hissed. “You would not have saved me without a reason. A plan for me. I won’t be used.”

Jim sighed. Changelings sure were an insecure bunch. “I don’t have a plan for you other than keeping you from being trapped in the Darklands.”

She hissed again in challenge.

“Look, at the museum, while we were working, I saw you. You really care about all that stuff — art, history, music — it’s not just some cover for you. You care. And you made me care. Hell, you made Steve care.” He peered up at her immobile face. “There’s a lot more to you than you let people see.”

She moved slightly, as if to leave. Jim searched for the right thing to say, but all he could think of was the simple truth.

“You want to know why I saved you Nomura? I saved you because you’re worth saving.”

He saw her eyes go wide with an expression that resembled fear, almost like he’d drawn a weapon on her. And maybe in a way he had. She quickly collected herself.

“Fine.” She deadpanned. “I’m sure you’ll reveal your true reason in time, Little Gynt.”

And before he could protest, she’d disappeared in a fluttering of leaves. Jim squinted up into the trees, he knew she didn’t trust him yet, but he also knew that at least a part of her wanted to. He’d be dead now if she didn’t.

He sighed, which quickly turned into a giant yawn. He really needed to get to bed. As he neared the house, he noticed something propped up next to the door. He must’ve walked right past it on his way out before.

Jim reached down to pick up the small package neatly wrapped in brown paper. He carefully unwrapped it, and smiled. She’d brought him the Fetch. He glanced back out into the yard knowing he hadn’t seen the last of his prickly friend.

———————

Everyone at school on Monday was in a funk that the “gas explosion” that had happened under the building over the weekend, had not been deemed serious enough to cancel classes. Jim was just grateful for an uneventful day.

There’d been a sub for Strickler, which was concerning, but not, he reminded himself, unexpected. His teacher had sustained a nasty injury. Maybe he’d try to get his mom to call him tonight.

After school, he and Toby walked their bikes over to the canal. They were in no great rush to get to Trollmarket, and, truthfully, they were both still exhausted from the weekend.

“So, your mom still freaking out?” Toby asked as he eased his bike down the steep side of the canal.

“A little, maybe, I guess.” Jim considered it. “She still wants to talk about stuff, but she was way too tired when she got home last night. I’m probably in for it tonight though.” He laughed humorlessly.

Toby winced in sympathy. “Sorry Jimbo.”

“Yeah, it’s okay. She’ll get there. And it’s probably for the best that she knows, ya know?”

Toby nodded. “You got the Horngazel?”

“Yup.” Jim reached into his bag, and withdrew the key to Trollmarket, tracing a fluid, arcing line across the wall in front of them. The portal opened in a flood of light, and they went through, leaving their bikes outside.

“Hey, what insane thing do you think Blinky’s got planned for us now that we’re finally back to training in the Forge?” Toby smirked.

Jim opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, someone behind them said something first.

“Holy shish kabob.”

Jim spun around just in time to see the portal close behind Claire who stood staring at them in wide-eyed disbelief.

Crap.

Chapter Text

There were a lot of things Jim loved about Claire. He loved her fierce independence, her fearlessness, her curiosity, her confidence, the way she always spoke her mind, the way she wrinkled her nose when she smiled at him, and her stubborn pursuit of her goals. He loved all of Claire so much that he’d overlooked how all these qualities added up to the exact nightmare scenario that was now staring at him, panic-stricken and plastered to the rock wall where the portal had just been.

“Whaaaaaaaa…” Toby unhelpfully commented.

In fairness to Tobes, nothing particularly meaningful was popping into his head either. In moments like this, Jim liked to comfort himself with the knowledge that things could have been worse. For instance, the first thing she could’ve seen was some horrifying, massive troll instead of just a magic portal and glowing rock stairs.

“Master Tobias? Master Jim? Is that you?” Blinky’s voice called up from below them.

Crap.

“Ah, yeah?” Solid answer there Jim, he chastised himself. Claire was now pointing at them, and mouthing something he couldn’t make out.

“Well, enough lollygagging! Training should’ve begun an hour ago!” Blinky’s irritation reverberated up the crystal staircase.

“Yeah, um, sorry?” Jim fumbled, not taking his eyes off Claire. “Just, ah, just give us a sec, ok?”

He held out his hands and moved towards her, he just had to get her to calm down a little…

“WHERE THE HELL IS THE DOOR?!”

Jim could see her feeling along the wall behind her.

She pointed at him again. “YOU STOP! STOP RIGHT THERE!”

Jim froze.

She alternated her gaze and her point between him and Toby. “I knew something was wrong with you two! Something weird! I knew it!” She glared at Jim. “What did you do to me?!”

Jim was at a loss. He reflexively looked over at Toby, who looked back at him blankly through a sheen of flop sweat. Great. Our Trollhunter, always ready for action. Jim was on his own. Okay, he could handle this.

“Do to you? You’re the one that followed us!”

“WHAT DID YOU DO! YOU LET ME OUT NOW!” She screamed back at him.

Okay, maybe he couldn’t handle this.

“This tardiness is unacceptable!” Blinky grumbled from below. “I don’t know what you two are thinking, but just because you secured the bridge does not end the threats we face.” Blinky’s voice grew louder as he yelled at them.

“Uh, Jim?” Toby pointed at the stairs, and Jim realized to his horror that Blinky’s voice wasn’t getting louder, it was getting closer.

Jim felt his brain seize up along with his heart. Maybe he could just run over there, open a portal, and push her out before she saw Blinky. But then what? Then she’d just be out there… knowing. A reckoning was coming, whether he liked it or not, and he was out of time.

Claire saw him move closer and pushed herself back even further against the wall. “LET ME OUT OF HERE!”

“Master Jim? Are you all right?” Came a concerned query from near the top of the stairs.

Despite his growing panic, Jim turned from Claire to glower at the stairs. He might not be the manliest man around, but, geez, he didn’t sound like a girl.

“WHO IS THAT?!” Claire demanded.

Jim snapped out of it. “TOBY!” Toby’s head snapped up in response to his name. “Go! See if you can stop him!” Jim hissed the order.

“What?”

“Just buy me some time!”

“Oh!! Yeah!” Toby grabbed his backpack and ran for the stairs. “Hey Blinky! Let’s get to the Forge…”

But he was too late. Before Toby even got to the first step, Blinky’s blue head crested the top of the stairs, and around the time his second pair of eyes came into view, Jim squeezed his own shut, bracing for the inevitable…

“AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!”

Man, Claire could really scream. Or maybe the crystals just provided some excellent acoustics, but Jim’s ears were ringing even before Blinky added his voice.

“YOU BROUGHT ANOTHER HUMAN?!” He pointed, aghast.

Toby threw himself, arms spread wide, between Blinky and Jim and Claire. “We didn’t bring her! She just… she just… showed up.”

Jim looked back at Claire. To her credit, he noted proudly, she had not fainted. Her face was completely drained of color, and she stood paralyzed, but she stood.

“Claire, it’s okay…” he started.

“It is NOT okay. Not ‘okay’ at all!” Blinky boomed from behind him.

Jim spun, annoyed, “Blinky please! She’s scared!”

“She’s scared?!” All Blinky’s eyes were wide as he gestured at Claire.

“Blinky!” Jim snapped, and then winced as Claire screamed again.

“EVERYONE JUST STOP YELLING!” Toby commanded.

The silence following Toby’s outburst was pronounced.

“For Pete’s sake guys, just stop, it’s not helping anything.” Toby continued. “We’re all freaking out here okay? But let’s just take a minute and think about it. This isn’t anyone’s fault.”

Jim was in shock. Toby was right. He could see Blinky calm a bit too at his friend’s words. Wow, go Tobes.

“I mean, it’s kinda Claire’s fault…” Toby added.

Aaaand, moment of leadership over. “Toby!” Jim admonished.

Toby shrugged. “What? Did you invite her?”

Jim shook his head and looked back at Claire, still as petrified as the rock wall behind her. He’d always known she was coming on board this train eventually, he’d just imagined it would have been under less chaotic and uneasy circumstances. But as much as he needed Claire personally, they needed her on the team. And here she was. So it might as well be now.

“Blinky, she’s our friend.” Jim didn’t look back to see if Claire agreed with that assessment. “And, she’s here. And…” He fixed Blinky with a knowing look, “she can help us.”

Blinky narrowed his eyes, and huffed out an audible breath. “This is… one of those things then, Master Jim.”

Jim nodded silently.

Blinky shut his eyes and pressed his hands together in a gesture that resembled a prayer. “You are proving to be most challenging, even in these challenging times.” He said by way of surrender.

“Thank you Blinky.” Jim let out a long breath. One down… He turned to Claire, and approached her slowly, trying his best to be as unthreatening as possible.

“Claire, it’s okay. You’re safe.” He began cautiously, he could see her breath quicken with fear. “This,” he gestured behind him, “is Blinky. He’s a troll, and he’s our friend, and this is his home. The door you came through is gone because it’s magic, but we can get it back, you’re not trapped.” He was close to her now, and while she still looked terrified, she was listening to him and allowing him to approach.

“Look, I wish I could ease you into this, but… magic is real. Trolls are real. A lot of things we all thought were stories are actually real. Toby and I,” Jim pointed back at Toby who waved enthusiastically, “we’re helping them. We’re helping them fight against some really bad stuff. If you come with me, us, now, we can explain, okay?” He held out his hand.

She looked at him, and his hand, with skepticism. “This is real?” She breathed.

Jim nodded. “Yeah. It’s real.”

She peered over his shoulder at Blinky. “And he’s… okay?”

Jim smiled and chuckled slightly. “Yeah, he’s our friend. He’s really nice actually. A little bossy…”

Blinky cleared his throat loudly in protest.

Jim chuckled again. “But he’s really nice.”

She looked from Blinky to Toby to him as she thought. Jim kept his hand out, waiting, not sure how long he was supposed to do that, but not wanting to discourage her either.

She took a long breath in and out through her nose, and gripped her bag tightly against her chest. She nodded at him stiffly, and stepped forward, to his disappointment past his proffered hand, to stand in front of Blinky.

“It’s nice to meet you, sir.” Her voice wavered a bit, but she met his gaze steadily.

Blinky’s expression softened at her deference. “And it is my pleasure to make the acquaintance of a friend of Messrs. Tobias and Jim. You may call me Blinky.” He bowed his head slightly.

She giggled nervously, but smiled at the troll.

“So ah… how do we get her to Blinky’s place without Vendel noticing?” Toby asked the million dollar question.

Blinky fixed Jim with an expectant look.

Jim shrugged. “Luck?”

———————

It had proved to be sheer dumb luck that had gotten them to Blinky’s library without incident. They’d moved slowly, and awkwardly across the market, shuffling and crab-walking in tripod formation, the three of them surrounding Claire, who had Jim’s jacket and Toby’s backpack thrown on top of her.

It was a torturously long journey made worse by Claire’s curiosity. She kept poking her head out, desperate to see the new world she’d plunged herself into. Occasionally vocalizing her amazement or confusion only to draw swift rebuke from Blinky or Jim.

Couldn’t she just, for once, just for a little bit, listen to them? Jim elbowed her down for fifth time. He wanted to be annoyed, she was being annoying, messing with his plans. But he hadn’t been this close to her since, well, since he came back, and the feeling of her pressing up against him made his chest ache with memories. He grunted in frustration and repositioned his jacket on top of her head, and tried not to notice her glare up at him.

Anyone paying any attention to them would’ve for sure known something was up, their dumb luck was that the trolls generally didn’t pay them much notice anymore unless they really made a spectacle of themselves.

Jim wanted to collapse in relief as they pushed Claire around the final corner and into the library. Collapsing would have to wait though, as he immediately heard her cry out followed by something heavy thudding to the floor. He launched around the corner to find Aaarrrgghh, looking scared and confused, sitting in front of Claire who was swinging her bag like mace.

Toby raced forward to defend his friend. “Whoa whoa whoa! Put down the bag!” Toby positioned himself between Claire and her target. Claire stepped back, unsure.

Blinky rushed to Toby’s side. “Really?! Is violence always the answer with you humans?”

Toby held out one hand to Claire, and gestured to Aaarrrgghh with the other. “Claire, this is Aaarrrgghh. He’s my friend, totally harmless.”

“Wingman?” Aaarrrgghh looked pleadingly at Toby.

Toby patted his arm. “Don’t worry dude. This is Claire. She’s cool. She just wasn’t expecting you. Right Claire?”

Claire dropped the bag, looking a bit sheepish. “I… I’m sorry… Arc.”

Aaarrrgghh blinked at her. “Aaarrrgghh — three ‘R’s.”

“Arrrg?” She glanced at Toby who nodded in encouragement. “I’m really sorry, Arrrg.”

Aaarrrgghh stood, but stayed cautiously behind Toby. “She’s friend?” He asked, and if Jim didn’t know better, not without a trace of sarcasm. Maybe living with Tobes was rubbing off.

Toby patted his arm again. “Yeah, big man. She’s a friend, don’t worry.”

“Maybe we should all just sit down.” Jim addressed the tense group, and tried to herd them over to the table surrounded by large stools.

Blinky huffed and fussed over Aaarrrgghh, and gave Jim a stern look that made it clear that the trust he’d afforded Jim was stretched about a far as it would go without breaking.

Jim flashed him an apologetic smile and tried to get Claire to the table as fast as he could without actually touching her. Toby, Blinky, and a reluctant Aaarrrgghh following.

And then, for the second time in as many days, Jim found himself in a strained silence about to initiate yet another loved one back into his weird world. They started with the basics, then layered in how they got involved, finally ending with the battle for the bridge.

“That was you guys? The gas explosion?” She exclaimed.

Jim rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at the ceiling. “Explosion, yes. Gas, no.”

“You were fighting a battle. Under the school. On the weekend.” She muttered more to herself than them. Then she spun quickly on Jim. “All those practices you missed — you where here, with him.” She pointed at Toby.

“Yeah.” Jim shrugged.

“And at the museum, you were looking for the bridge when they caught you.” She added with growing understanding.

Jim nodded and smiled. Maybe this would turn out okay after all.

“And you,” she turned to Toby, “you’re a troll hunter?”

“THE Trollhunter!” Toby grinned. “The one and only defender of the realm.” He bowed deeply, while Jim rolled his eyes so hard he was sure it would give him a migraine later.

“You should show her Tobes.” Jim encouraged him, though in truth Toby needed no encouragement.

Toby launched himself off his stool, ever the showman. “Prepare to be amazed!”

And she was. After a moment of stunned silence, Claire jumped off her own stool and bounded over to where Toby stood, doing his best ‘blue steel’ expression while modeling the magical armor.

“That is the coolest, most epic thing I’ve ever seen!” She gushed. “All this comes from that?” She pointed at the amulet on his breastplate.

“Yup!”

She reached out, then hesitated. “Can I?”

Toby beamed. “Absolutely!” And stood up even straighter.

The pain Jim felt, watching her marvel at Toby and the Daylight armor, was almost physical. It came on suddenly and split through his chest like a blade. He winced, and bit down a whimper that crawled involuntarily up this throat.

Through watery eyes, all Jim could see was Claire standing in front of him, reverently touching his chest and looking up at him with admiration and affection. His pride at being her knight in shining armor — that wouldn’t happen now.

He blinked and tried to shake away the jealousy, longing, and remorse that had so quickly overwhelmed him. It’s not like Toby was making moves on her. Toby knew Jim’s feelings, and Jim knew, that as close as those two had become in the past, their feelings for each other had never been even remotely romantic.

It was more knowing that this time it wasn’t him she was marveling over. That it would never be him…

“And check this out!” Toby waggled his eyebrows and held out his right arm away from her.

Claire laughed and looked in wonder at Toby’s outstretched hand, when Toby frowned.

Jim snapped out of his head, suddenly concerned.

Claire turned back to Toby. “What?”

His brow furrowed in concentration. “I… I dunno. Daylight isn’t there.”

Toby now had Jim’s full and complete attention. Why couldn’t he summon Daylight? What if Bular attacked? He’d be defenseless. He…

Jim’s thoughts were interrupted as Daylight flared to life in Toby’s grasp. Jim let out and audible sigh of relief, as Claire gasped with appreciative awe.

“Wow! That’s beautiful!” She declared.

Toby beamed some more, all trouble forgotten. “Isn’t it? This thing can really do some damage! I’ll show you soon.”

Claire had backed away from Toby as he showed off the sword with some flashy trick moves.

“Did you use that in the fight under the school?” She eagerly inquired.

“Oh, yeah, you bet!” Toby cut and slashed through imaginary opponents. “I had them on the run!”

Blinky stood and stepped forward nervously. “Your enthusiasm is to be commended Master Tobias, but let’s not vanquish my collections!” He yelped as Toby spun dangerously close to the bookshelves.

Toby caught himself, and slowed. “Sorry Blinky.” He grinned and held the sword aloft, clearly on a roll now. “And don’t you worry Claire, I’ll be using this bad boy to rescue your brother real soon!”

Jim's heart officially stopped.

“My… my brother?” Claire stammered, confused. “My brother is fine. Why do you need to rescue him?”

Toby dropped the sword and it vanished as he realized his mistake. Toby had known that the stuffed rabbit Jim had found belonged to the baby who was taken to the Darklands, and after Claire identified the toy as her brother’s, Toby had easily pieced it together.

They just hadn’t had much time to discuss it yet, with the battle and all. And they both knew that in the short term, Enrique was completely safe. But now…

“It’s nothing.” Toby covered badly. “I… I didn’t mean your brother…”

Claire was having none of it. “No, you said you needed to rescue my brother. I’ve just found out about trolls, and magic, and secret wars, so don’t tell me it’s nothing.”

Blinky interest as also piqued. “What is this about Lady Claire’s brother?”

Toby had backed away from Claire and was looking desperately at Jim. “Well, it was Jim really. Jim found Claire’s brother’s stuffed bunny when he followed that goblin…”

Jim couldn’t breathe again. For god’s sake Toby. Just. Stop. Talking!

Jim heard Blinky take a sharp intake of breath and hiss “A CHANGELING!”

Claire rounded in on Jim. “What did you do to my brother?! Is that why Suzy was in your locker?”

“I didn’t do anything to your brother! I’ve never even met him!” True, at least in this timeline.

“Jim, is this true?” Blinky also moved to corner Jim, who’d now backed himself into the table. “The goblin and the baby you were chasing… it was Claire’s brother?”

“I didn’t know at the time!” Jim lied. “And then it was too late. I knew we’d be able to get him later.” This was very bad, and he couldn’t think of a way out.

Blinky shook his head, and Claire exploded. “GET HIM FROM WHERE EXACTLY. My brother is fine. He’s at home right now! You’re not getting anywhere near my brother!” She pushed her finger angrily into Jim’s face.

Blinky’s shoulders fell. “Oh, Lady Claire, I’m so, so very sorry.”

“WHAT IS GOING ON! YOU STAY AWAY FROM MY BROTHER!” She shouted at Jim again.

Blinky took a deep breath, “Claire, your brother, the one at your home right now, is not the human child you think him to be. He’s been replaced with a changeling. Your real brother resides now with all the familiars in the Darklands.” He placed a hand on her shoulder in support and sympathy. She pushed it off.

“My brother’s a change thing?! What’s a change thing??” She erupted, focusing her ire on Blinky now.

Blinky shrunk back a bit in the face of her rage. “A changeling. A twisted malevolent creature, able to take the form of one we love. Sent to our world by the very evil we seek to vanquish.”

Claire trembled slightly with anger as she looked from Blinky to Jim. “If Enrique isn’t at home right now, then where is he?” She said with affected calm.

Jim couldn’t bring himself to speak. He knew there was no way out of this, but, somehow, part of his brain irrationally hoped that if he just didn’t say anything, she’d let it go.

Blinky had no such hesitations. “Your brother, your Enrique, has been taken to the Darklands. Rest assured, he is completely safe and will be well taken care of. A changeling can only take the form of someone who lives, no harm will come to him.”

Claire stared hard at the floor as she processed this. “Then you’ll take me to these Darklands, and we’ll get him back now.” She stated flatly.

“Lady Claire!” Blinky impeached. “We cannot simply go to the Darklands. To do so would risk the release of our mortal enemy. And besides, we have just destroyed the only means of entry. I’m afraid rescue, at this time, is impossible…” He trailed off.

Claire spun on him. “DESTROYED?? Do you mean that bridge thing you were fighting over? That’s how you get to the Darklands? You said you have that here! Just rebuild it and we’ll go!”

“NO!” The word came out unbidden from Jim’s mouth.

She spun on him, fully enraged. “NO?! You don’t get a say in this Jim Lake!” He winced as she spat out his name with complete rancor. “We’re going to rebuild that bridge, then we’re going to get my brother. Now.”

Jim shook his head. The almost last thing in the universe he wanted to do was fight with Claire, but making her angry paled in comparison to the possibility of Gunmar’s release.

“No. No one’s ever using that bridge again. It’s too dangerous.”

She tried to interrupt him, but he forced himself to push through her objections. “Claire, you just found out about this, you don’t understand how bad things could get if we open that bridge again. Like apocalypse bad. Like the end of everything!” He pleaded. “There’s another way, I know there is, we’ll get your brother back, just not with the bridge.”

Jim was grateful that Claire had not yet awakened the shadow magic within her, because he’d have already been portaled somewhere he’d probably never get back from judging by her expression.

How could he tell her about the Fetch? That all they needed was some time, a gnome, and a wizard, and all the familiars would be free. Once again, the burden of his knowledge threatened to crush him. If Toby had just kept his trap shut, Jim could’ve revealed the solution when the time was right. Now she just thought he as some jerk who wouldn’t let her save her brother.

Claire looked daggers at him, and hissed. “You knew. You knew my brother had been taken and you didn’t tell me. Were you ever going to tell me?”

“Claire, it’s not like that…” Jim begged.

“And now, now, you just get to decide that we don’t save him?” She spat, a tear trickling down her cheek.

Jim felt his heart rip from his chest. “Claire! We’ll save him, I promise…”

“You know I have better things to do with my time then wait for the lot of you to show up for training.” Draal stormed in.

Claire stopped glaring at Jim to yelp in surprise.

Blinky facepalmed with three of his four hands. “Oh dear, we forgot about Draal…”

Draal stopped short to stare at Claire. “Good gods. They’re multiplying.”

———————

Two days had passed since Claire had joined their merry band, and Jim had spent both of them in a funk.

After they’d explained their new recruit to Draal, Claire calmed a bit, but refused to sit near or even look at Jim. Sticking instead to Toby. Like he was any more innocent, Jim thought bitterly.

Blinky had also been moved by her distress and assured her that he would use every resource he had to locate another means of rescuing Enrique from the Darklands. And Jim determined that sooner than later, he’d find a way to use the Fetch now in his possession to reunite her family. He could only hope she’d eventually see his true intentions. At least they’d been able to convince her to delay a confrontation with NotEnrique until they had a plan.

The one bright light was that Blinky had discovered, for a second time, the location of the Birthstone. And tomorrow, after school, they were off on their first quest to Gatto’s Keep. He just had to make sure Toby loaded up on Diablo Maximus burritos.

He snuck a peek over at the back of Claire’s head. Aside from being a bit friendlier with Toby, and much chillier to him, she appeared as if nothing had changed. She listened attentively to Strickler’s lesson, taking her usual careful notes, and laughing quietly at something Mary whispered to her.

Jim sulked. Maybe if he’d kept the amulet this time around, maybe it would’ve been better. Crud. No point thinking like that, it was Toby’s now, and that was for the best. After all, the bridge was destroyed, Gunmar was still imprisioned, and even Draal still had both hands. Bular was a threat, but one Jim knew they could overcome.

Class ended with Jim having taken exactly zero notes. He’d bug Toby about it later.

“Mr. Lake, a moment?” Mr. Strickler inquired with a casual tone as Jim packed his bag.

“Yeah, sure.”

He’d been happy to see his teacher had returned that day. From what Jim could tell, he didn’t seem any worse for wear. Although, how an injury to his wing would manifest in Strickler’s human form was a puzzle to Jim.

Strickler leaned against his desk, waiting until they were alone, then he walked over to the door, closed and locked it.

Jim swallowed nervously. “Mr. Strickler, is everything okay?”

He watched his teacher’s shoulders rise and fall with a heavy breath as he turned.

“No, Jim. No they’re not.”

Jim tensed. Had something changed? Had Strickler switched sides again?

Stickler walked towards him, and Jim gripped his bag tightly. It wasn’t much, but it was the only weapon he had.

As his teacher passed his desk, he stopped and sank down to sit on the edge of it. Only then did Jim notice the dark circles under his eyes, the unkempt hair that was normally perfectly quaffed, and the general weariness about the man.

“Mr. Strickler, are you okay?” Jim put down his bag and walked forward. “You were hurt…”

His teacher waved his hand dismissively. “I’m all right Jim. My injury will heal, quicker than it would for a human too.”

Jim was relieved to hear that, but something clearly was still wrong.

Strickler’s eyebrows pressed together as he spoke. “Something’s wrong at the Janus Order — something’s… off.” He began. “It’s more than just we lost the bridge, something else is going on, but for the life of me, I cannot figure out what.”

“Has Bular made a new plan now that he can’t get Gunmar free?”

His teacher’s head snapped up. “That’s just the thing. Nobody’s seen Bular since the battle.”

Jim sucked in a breath.

“Or nobody’s admitting it anyway.” The changeling looked over at Jim. “Don’t get your hopes up.” He said clearly noting Jim’s expression. “There is little chance he’s dead. If he was, someone would know. I would know.”

Jim slumped a bit at that. Frankly, he would’ve been surprised if his luck had been that good.

“The Order’s in disarray. Fractured by those who want to free themselves of Bular after the disaster of the bridge, and by those still loyal and hoping for his return.” Strickler sighed and gazed out the window. “I’m trying to do what I can to quietly help as many as I can get away. It’s… not easy.”

Jim’s heart went out to the man, his friend. He wished he could do more. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“The Trollhunter’s sidekick?” Strickler chuckled. “Every changeling knows you from the battle now. How you fought alongside the trolls and defeated Bular. I doubt you’d be very welcome at the Order, even amongst those who no longer wish to serve him.”

“I just meant… There must be a reason you’re telling me this.”

“There is, but it’s not to help me. It’s to help you.” Stickler looked him square in the eyes. “Tell the trolls, tell them something is wrong. I wish I knew what, but I fear Bular is planning something big. Something very big.”

Jim eyes went wide, he had only one thought. Morgana.

Bular was going to bring about the Eternal Night with or without his dad. That had to be it. He’d tell Vendel to increase security at Trollmarket. And they had to get the rest of the Triumbric Stones and now Merlin’s staff as well, quickly, before it was too late.

He worried Claire may have joined them at the worst possible time. She may hate him right now, but he’d sworn to do everything in his power to protect her and everyone he loved. And that was true now more than ever.

Chapter Text

Toby and Claire were fighting again. Jim sat on the hard, cold stone floor of the Forge and leaned back against the wall as he watched them go at it. He knew he should go over there, but he was just too tired. Not physically, well, a little he supposed. Mostly he was tired of thinking.

God, everything since he came back was so complicated. Everything was so much work. And just when he thought it was okay — they had the bridge, Draal and Strickler were friends again, his mom was onboard, Trollmarket and the world were safe from Gunmar, and even Nomura was coming around — just when he thought he could relax… BAM! Claire hates him, Strickler’s about to have a nervous breakdown, and Bular’s plotting the end of the world, again.

Jim hugged his knees to his chest, turned up the music on his phone, and closed his eyes. He just needed to get away, just for a little bit, just for a minute.

His respite was short-lived, and ended when something hard smacked against his shin.

“OW! What the hell?” He opened his eyes to see Toby, in full armor, staring down at him.

Toby’s mouth opened and closed, mercifully muted by the music in Jim’s headphones. He frankly didn’t care, Toby looked annoyed, and Jim didn’t want to hear it today.

In a remarkably swift movement, Toby reached down and snatched the headphones off Jim’s head.

“Dude!” Toby snorted, “Cripes, you haven’t heard a word I said have you?”

Jim blinked up at him sullenly. Not today Tobes.

Toby gave Jim’s headphones the side eye, then put one of the speakers up to his ear, and rolled his eyes. “‘Chances’ again? You know all this emo crap is going to rot your brain. No wonder you’re all MOOD today.”

“I don’t need your music snob attitude right now Toby.” Jim angrily reached up to try to grab his headphones back, but Toby held them just out of reach.

Toby smirked. “How ‘bout I give them back after you get your emo butt off the floor and get some sparring practice in with the rest of the class, huh?” He jerked his thumb back over his shoulder towards where Draal was showing Claire how to properly block an attack with a sword.

Jim huffed out an impatient breath and glared up at his friend, he knew how to fight just fine already, let the rest of them practice. “Give them back now Toby.”

Toby narrowed his eyes and swung the headphones around his finger like a hula hoop. “You know, I went to all the trouble to make you ‘Toby’s Kickass Playlist’, you could, at least, listen to some actual music while you sulk like a weenie.”

That’s it. Enough. Jim sprung up and lunged for the headphones.

Toby deftly sidestepped the ambush. “Ho HO! And he’s on his feet folks!”

Jim growled, and charged at the boy as Toby turned and ran back towards the center of the arena.

“Hey Draal!” Toby yelled gleefully. “New student incoming!”

Draal instantly spun and dropped into an attack stance, and Jim realized too late that he was about spar whether he liked it or not. He reached down to grab a spare training staff lying nearby, there was no way he could take Draal on, even for practice, bare-handed.

Draal looked thrilled. “HAH! A fight. Excellent.” He barked out in his gravel voice.

Jim grunted as he picked up momentum and threw himself towards his opponent. Draal sunk even lower to thwart Jim’s easiest strike options, and…

“BLINKOUS GLADRIGAL! WHAT HAVOC HAVE YOU BROUGHT UPON US NOW?”

Jim slid ungracefully to a stop, slamming into a stunned Draal. Couldn’t Vendel just enter a room like a normal person for once?

Blinky startled awake from where he’d been dozing, leaning against Aaarrrgghh, and jumped unsteadily to his feet. Since Draal had joined their training, Blinky had put the bulk of his efforts into their more scholarly pursuits, and left the physical stuff to the warrior.

Vendel marched over to Blinky and peered down at him with open displeasure. “Yet once again, and I do not know why this continues to surprise me, you have recklessly invited danger into our midst.” He extended his hand, and lowered his voice ominously. “Now, hand it over.”

Jim wasn’t sure whether or not Blinky knew what the “it” was, but his troll mentor spread his arms wide, and shrugged in confusion. “Vendel, you will have to forgive me, I am quite unaware…”

“BLINKOUS!!!”

Blinky shrank visibly under Vendel’s ire, and stared hard at the floor, looking for all the world like a kid being scolded by their dad.

Vendel snorted loudly, and shoved his open hand closer to the troll cowering beneath him. “NOW.”

“Vendel, I really don’t…”

“Do you think that I do not know what goes on in my market Blinkous? Do you think me a fool?” Vendel thundered. “I may not learn of your ridiculous, hair-brained schemes soon enough to prevent you from executing them,” at this he gestured over towards Claire, which really wasn’t fair to Blinky, Jim thought, she’d sprung herself on him as much as any of them.

Vendel continued, “But they never escape my notice. I will NOT ask again. Hand. It. Over.”

“It’s… I don’t have it here. It’s in my library…” Blinky stammered.

Vendel reeled, and was clearly resisting grabbing and shaking the smaller troll. “You left Gunmar’s birthstone UNATTENDED!” He took a step back, shaking his head. “I do not know what possessed you to seek out what until now had merely been a fanciful story. Then to actually undertake, with only the aid of a few fleshbags… apologies Trollhunter,” Vendel nodded curtly to Toby, “to retrieve it yourself from a realm as perilous as Gatto’s Keep. And then, to bring it here. Right to the heart of our world…” He shook his head again. “The sheer number of calamities that could have ensued boggles the mind.”

Thoroughly chastised, Blinky continued to stare at the floor, and remained, quite uncharacteristically, silent.

Vendel sighed audibly. “Then come, we must retrieve it at once.” And with that he turned and headed out of the Forge, Blinky begrudgingly in tow. “And the Trollhunter as well.” Vendel added without looking back.

Toby shot Jim a desperate look. Jim shrugged, and jogged over to him.

“ONLY the Trollhunter.” Vendel boomed. “No sidekicks.” Jim stopped dead. But how… he didn’t even look back… and why was everyone calling him a sidekick suddenly…

Toby gave him a plaintive look. “I wish you could go instead of me…”

“Come Trollhunter.” Vendel commanded with more than a little impatience.

Toby jumped, and with a gulp, trotted out after them, leaving Jim, Claire, Aaarrrgghh, and a very confused Draal alone in the Forge.

———————

It was a couple of very anxious and distracted hours before Toby and Blinky returned.

Draal, of course, was furious that they had a. gone to Gatto’s Keep yesterday in the first place and b. gone without him. It took an inordinate amount of convincing, and placating, and, when that was failing, plain old whining and a solemn promise to never exclude him again. Even then, Draal remained fairly salty toward Jim as they waited. Great, trapped in the Forge with two people who hate me. He was really on a roll, Jim thought bitterly.

Honestly, taking Draal with them would’ve been massive overkill. It had gone, well, Jim couldn’t really use the word “smoothly” for the experience of being eaten and essentially pooped out by a volcano-sized troll, but, things had “passed” according to his plan.

He was proud of Claire for, once again, solving the riddle, despite the fact that she shot him a scathing look as he very unintentionally and dopeily beamed at her in the moment. Naturally, they were all still swallowed. But they found the stone, dropped some burrito bombs, and made their egress. Jim even managed to keep Blinky from messing around with dangerous, unlabeled potions. Mission accomplished.

Jim had gone back to moping and listening to moody music, if only to avoid the awkwardness of both Draal and Claire making a very clear point of ignoring him, when Toby walked back in.

Jim shot up and was over to Toby in an instant. Toby regarded him with an uncertain expression.

“Well?” Jim asked breathlessly.

Toby’s mouth twisted as he chewed on his bottom lip. “I mean, I guess the good news is I got a new stone.” Toby pulled out the amulet and opened it to reveal the newly cut Birthstone lying just next to the Eyestone Jim had cut right before the battle.

“Vendel let you cut it?” Jim asked, surprised.

Toby nodded slowly. “And that’s not all.”

Jim’s eyebrows shot up in question.

“We’ve got a new quest. Tomorrow we’re headed for some swamp in Florida to get the Killstone.” Toby answered quietly.

Jim’s worry radar lit up. “Hold on. Since when is Toby D so ‘whatevs’ about a quest?”

Toby tilted his head back and scrunched up his face. “Since Vendel reamed us both out. Jim, he was NOT pleased to see I had Gunmar's Eye already. And it’s not like I could tell him you got it from…” Toby lowered his voice to an almost inaudible whisper, “a changeling.”

Jim swallowed hard, yeah, he didn’t think that one through. “What’d you tell him?”

“Me? Not much, that you’d found it… somewhere.” Toby said. “Blinky gave him some much more elaborate and ‘BS’ answer, but I don’t think Vendel bought it. And Blinky didn’t seem very happy about it either.”

Jim hissed out a long breath of air between his teeth, and looked up to see Blinky, now standing a few feet behind them, leveling Jim with a tense stare. “Yeah… “ Jim pulled himself fully upright. “I’m sure he’s not.”

Toby snuck a peek over his shoulder, and shuddered slightly. “Sorry Jimbo.”

Jim patted his friend’s arm. “It’s okay Tobes. Don’t worry.”

Toby headed back to training, and Jim guessed to fill in the rest of the gang, leaving him to face Blinky alone.

“Master Jim…”

“Blinky, before you start, I told you…”

Blinky cut him off. “I know very well what you told me. AND I know even better what I was committing to when I told you I’d trust you. But you cannot simply not inform me of things of this magnitude.”

Jim winced.

“You already had the Eye of Gunmar?” Blinky continued. “I won’t even ask you from where you uncovered it… or how it came about to be cut, as Vendel commented, ‘most perfectly’, but Jim, “ Blinky sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead, “to leave me unprepared to discover it, in front of Vendel no less… He already considers me to be of… questionable reliability, even before the nonsense I had to concoct on the spot to cover for this complete lapse in your judgement.”

Jim shrunk in on himself. He’d let Blinky down, one of the first people besides his mom and Toby to really believe in him. Worse, he’d made him look suspect and foolish, both in front of Vendel AND for trusting him. Once again, he’d gotten cocky and careless with his knowledge — thinking he had all the answers, when everything that had happened since he came back had only shown him he really didn’t understand anything.

“Blinky, I’m so sorry… I didn’t think…” Jim’s eyes stung.

Blinky huffed. “No you did not. Clearly.”

Jim felt a few tears track slowly down his cheeks. He opened his mouth, but was at a complete loss for words. How could he explain this?

Blinky was looking at him with a mixture of irritation, frustration, and maybe, Jim hoped he wasn’t imagining, compassion.

“This is a most dangerous pursuit you have engaged us in Master Jim. I have to believe you understand that. Vendel is upset because he sees no obvious reasons to assemble something as powerful as the Triumbric Stones. And, frankly, with the bridge in our possession, I find myself in agreement with that assessment. If Bular or the changelings were to get ahold of the stones…”

“But they won’t!” Jim blurted out, then shrank back again at Blinky’s glare.

“There is no guarantee of that Jim. You know that I am sure.”

Then something occurred to Jim. “Then why continue? Why cut the Birthstone? Why send us to get the Killstone?”

Blinky fixed him with a steady gaze which was both simultaneously unsettling and affirming. “Because you have been right before.” He answered simply.

Jim just stood silently, not quite sure what to make of it.

“Don’t think it’s escaped Vendel’s notice either,” Blinky admonished, “he may not have seen as much as I, but he is the wisest among us, and knows more than you can possibly fathom.”

Jim swallowed hard. When he’d first come back, he’d naively assumed this was his mission, that he alone could and would put everything right. How could he have been so wrong? No one else may know about the future, but literally everyone in his life was involved in this, had a stake in this. They were putting their lives on the line, and they didn’t even know what that line was. And here he was just rashly making these decisions for them all.

“We, Vendel, I, must assume there are unseen things more terrible to come.” Blinky paused and looked pleadingly at Jim. “Unless you can tell me…”

“I can’t. Blinky… I want to… you have to know that, I do, but I, I just… can’t.” Jim choked out.

Blinky sighed and was thoughtful for a moment, then placed a hand on Jim’s shoulder. “Then we proceed. We obtain the Killstone, and reunite the Triumbric Stones, and Deya help us all with whatever lies ahead.”

———————

“You know, I’d never really considered it as a career option before, but I gotta admit, I make a pretty awesome king.” Toby declared as they exited Trollmarket into the dusk of the autumn evening.

“You were pretty awesomely pompous and overbearing. I suppose that’s kinda like a king.” Claire snickered and rolled her eyes.

Toby stuck out his tongue at her. “Oh yeah? And who got them to trust us and not eat us with his amazing magic armor? And who got us both a party and the stone? That’s some leadership right there.”

“Weeelll, technically Draal and Aaarrrgghh were the ones who got the stone from Blungo, Mr. Leadership King.” Jim pointed out.

Toby glowered at him. “That’s ‘Your Royal Sovereign Highness’ peasant.” He sniffed. “And besides, every king has his trusted knights to fight for him. I mean, King Arthur had like a whole table of them!”

Jim laughed, mostly because Toby had no idea how close he was to joining with those knights.

“My apologies, your majesticness.” Jim bowed low.

Toby mock dismissed him with a wave of his hand. “I will let your insolence pass on this occasion, as you have served me well for many years.” Toby then turned to Claire. “And your great beauty…”

Claire snorted with humor. “Don’t even go there TP.”

Toby instantly dropped his kingly bearing to whine, “Geez Claire, you know how much I hate that… I never should’ve introduced you to Nana.”

Claire giggled.

Jim sighed, he couldn’t help but go all squishy at the sound. He hoped that in the semidarkness of the evening she wouldn’t notice. Things between them weren’t as bad as they’d been a few days before, when she openly despised him. Now, with a couple of quests under their belts, she seemed to have settled on a chilly, but civil, working relationship. Baby steps Jimbo.

The quest had gone well, with the addition of Draal’s help they’d managed to get the stone without too much trouble. And Trollhunter Toby was all the more impressive and attractive to future queen Wumpa, so hopefully a bond had been forged there as well.

It was Saturday night, and they’d left the Killstone with Vendel for safekeeping. Not that he’d given them another option. Jim was looking forward to a night off just hanging out with Toby, but first he was getting the rare treat of spending a little bit of extra time with Claire as they walked her to her friend Mary’s house.

She’d insisted she was fine on her own, but they were gentleman, and both of them were well aware the world she’d entered into was way more dangerous than she knew. It was actually Toby who’d really put his foot down on the matter, although he’d winked broadly at Jim afterwards, ever the wingman.

Claire had informed them she’d gotten out of her parents’ overprotective grasp by telling them she was spending the afternoon and overnight with her friends. Jim didn’t dare ask her what story she’d come up with for Mary and Darci to get them to cover for her until she got there.

They were about halfway there, and taking a shortcut through the park, when the friendly conversation they’d been having about the day took the inevitable turn for the worse.

“And now that we have all three stones, you can get that Eclipse blade, and we can finally get Enrique!” Claire enthused.

Jim’s stride and pleasant evening came to a crashing halt. “What?!”

Claire stopped, and spun in irritation. “I don’t want to hear it Jim. This isn’t your decision.”

“Not my decision? How is it your’s?” God, why couldn’t he stop himself?

Claire walked the few steps back to him and pointed a finger an inch from his face. “Because. It’s. My. Brother.”

Something about the direct challenge triggered Jim. She was always so maddeningly stubborn!

“We’ll find another way. One that doesn’t put the ENTIRE WORLD at risk.” Jim gestured wide.

Claire pulled her finger away, and huffed, “The really great thing about all this Jim Lake, is that Toby and I don’t even need you.”

Toby looked like he was willing himself to be swallowed by the earth as Jim turned on him enraged. The little traitor!

Toby put his hands up in front of him. “Now, now Jimbo… I was gonna tell you… eventually… Claire and I just thought we could totally…”

“OH YOU AND CLAIRE JUST THOUGHT… what, that you guys could just, ya know, fire up the good old end times together?” Jim bellowed.

“Man, with all that drama, you really should’ve stayed in the play Jimbo.” Claire’s statement dripped with sarcasm.

Jim knew he should stop, this was the same unending argument they kept having, neither side was going to yield. And he knew, in time, he would win. He had the Fetch, it was inevitable that they would rescue Enrique. It was all just so insanely frustrating and he was just too worn out to be patient.

“Um, guys…” Toby said hesitantly.

Jim had turned back to Claire. “Nobody asked you to join in on this you know.”

“Oh I know, believe me.” Claire spat. “Enrique would be an old man if I’d waited for you to tell me anything!”

“Guys?” Toby said a bit louder.

“At least there’d be a world for him to grow old in!” Jim spat back.

“GUYS!!” Toby shouted and they were both shocked into sudden silence. “What’s that?” Toby pointed across the park.

Jim peered into the darkness between the trees. At first he didn’t see anything, but then, in the dim light cast by distant streetlights he saw what Toby saw. A massive, shadowy form moving slowly towards them.

Bular’s found us.

“You guys, we gotta run.” Jim hissed. There was no way they could fight Bular here. Not by themselves, not without weapons or a plan. Not with Claire… Jim looked over at her, her face had transitioned from rage to fear, and he would sacrifice himself before he would see her get hurt.

For once, it seemed, they were all in agreement as they turned in unison, only to be confronted with another hulking beast directly behind them. 

Jim yelped, and they all jumped back. They were being surrounded. He looked closer at the creature. It appeared to be made of rock, but it was no troll. It uttered a low grunt, or maybe a muffled growl, as it reached for them. And there was the unmistakable squishing sound of mud along with the scrape of stone on stone as it moved.

Jim blanched. It wasn’t Bular. It was a golem. Angor Rot had come for them.

“Toby!” Jim shouted. “The amulet!”

Jim tried to keep his eyes on the beast in front of him, while also attempting to scan the trees around them for any sign of the assassin. He has to be near…

Toby chanted the familiar words, and there was a flash of light.

“Jim?” Toby called to him.

Jim turned back, “There’s this totem, like a small figurine, in it’s chest. You gotta hack it out and destroy it.” He commanded his friend. He’d have to figure out a story later for how he knew that, but for now, there wasn’t time to be clever.

Toby looked at him quizzically. “JUST DO IT TOBES!” Jim roared.

With a yell, Toby ran forward and slashed at the golem. Good man Tobes.

Jim noticed that the golem that had been across the park was getting close and he scanned the ground for something to fight with. A branch, some rocks, anything. He backed protectively towards Claire.

“Jim? What are those things?” She cried.

“They’re called golems. They’re not alive, I think.” Jim answered. “They’ve got this magic statue, a totem, in their chest. The only way to stop them is to get it out and destroy it. We need something to hit it with.”

Claire stared at him, maybe trying to figure out how he knew this or maybe just trying to reconcile how things like this happened to her now, but she must have come to a decision to deal with it. Her expression hardened and she began to scan the ground around them.

Jim kept searching the trees, Angor had to be near. What was his plan? Jim could hear Toby frantically hacking at his golem, and Jim realized he had more pressing matters at that moment then locating Angor.

Suddenly Claire sprinted away from him, and panicked, he cried out. “CLAIRE!”

“Got it!” She trotted back, triumphantly bearing a large branch, which she held out in front of her as Draal had instructed when he taught her to use a training staff.

Jim resisted the powerful urge to marvel at her bravery and skill, this wasn’t exactly the best time to swoon over her. He almost tripped as he stepped back. He looked down to see all of Toby’s hacking had dislodged some stones from the creature behind them, and Jim stooped to grab a handful of them.

The golem that approached them was different from the first. It was composed of branches and twigs, held together with packed earth.

As it closed in Jim hurled a stone at it, aiming squarely just under it’s left shoulder. “Claire!” He called out. “It’s where the heart would be! Aim for that!”

“Got it!” She answered, a bit too enthusiastically Jim thought, and jumped forward to strike the beast decisively against it’s upper arm.

Twigs and bits of wood flew out from it’s body, as Jim’s rocks and Claire’s strikes continued to pummel it. After some minutes, Jim couldn’t say how many, they’d worn away it’s shoulder and chest to the point where Jim saw his opportunity. With careful aim and a practiced windup, he launched one final rock. It hit the golem dead on, shattering through its chest and sending the totem flying out it’s back.

With a cry of triumph, Jim ran to where the small figure had landed, and unceremoniously crushed it under his shoe. And with a groan of wood splitting, the golem crumbled to kindling.

“WOOHOO!!” Claire celebrated, smiling broadly at him. He grinned back, their previous fight, in their moment of triumph, forgotten.

“Hey Tobes, how’s it go…” Jim’s question sputtered out as he turned to find nothing behind him. No Toby, no golem, just a scattering of rocks in the grass.

Oh no.

“Where is he?” Claire asked the question that consumed his mind.

Jim was frantic. “He can’t be far, we weren’t fighting that thing for very long.” He scanned the park around them.

“There!” Claire shouted.

Jim spun and saw she was pointing towards bright, blue flashes of light in a dense cluster of trees not far from them. He sprinted towards it without bothering to see if she was following.

I’m coming Tobes.

Still a bit winded from the fight with the golem, Jim’s lungs ached as he pushed himself to run even faster. As he neared the grove of trees, he could see two shadows in the now faint yellowish glow. One small, round, close to the ground, and one tall and lean, towering over it. Angor.

“You let him go!” Jim screamed as he neared.

Bright gold eyes flicked up to gaze at him, before narrowing in contempt. And Jim was shocked to see Toby, kneeling and doubled-over, armorless, on the ground in front of the assassin.

Jim was almost to them now. “Let him go!”

He had no idea what he would do when he reached Angor, even with the armor, Angor was an almost unbeatable opponent, and Jim didn’t even have a weapon. It didn’t matter, he’d tackle him bodily if he had to. Anything to get him away from Toby.

Angor Rot chuckled at the non-threat Jim posed. “I see your sidekick has come to save you Hunter. Adorable.” He flashed Jim a sinister grin, and summoned a portal behind him. “I’ll save that enjoyment for another time.”

Jim slid to a stop, and crouched next to Toby as Angor stepped back towards his escape.

Toby looked up at Jim with bloodshot, horrified eyes. “Jim!” He gasped. “He has the amulet!”

Jim’s head shot up, and, as if in response to his unspoken question, Angor smiled and held up the amulet. “I will see you soon, Hunter.” He promised as he tipped himself into the black void.

“NOOOOOOO!”

It was the word in Jim’s head, but he hadn’t spoken it. Before he could think or move, someone flew past him and plunged into the portal as it spiraled shut.

CLAIRE!!

Jim jumped up too late to stop her. Oh god, no. “CLAIRE!”

But it was useless. Claire, the amulet, and the portal, were gone. Toby whimpered softly at his feet.

Jim felt something in his mind splinter and break. He felt dizzy. Claire was gone. The amulet was gone. Angor had them both. Which meant Strickler had them. Which meant Bular had them. Which meant… he’d come all this way back… and lost.

Someone moaned, it was a horrible choking sound, a mourning sound. He realized it was coming from him.

The air in front of him went dark. He was passing out. Except as the darkness grew, he remained stubbornly standing. Something flew out of the darkness and smacked him squarely in the chest before falling to the ground by Toby at his feet. He looked down, blinking in disbelief. It was the amulet.

Then, with a gasp, Claire plummeted out of the darkness to land heavily on the ground below. The portal sucked itself shut, this time, for good.

The silence around them was punctuated only by their gasps for the air that only then seemed to return to them.

“What was that?!” Toby panted, finally ending the quiet.

Jim looked at Toby, at the amulet in the dirt next to him, at Claire shaking and white-knuckling her newly acquired Shadow Staff, and he felt a powerful rage.

He knew what it was all too well. The real question was why, after everything, did Strickler send Angor Rot after them? And nothing on this earth or beyond was going to stop Jim from getting the answer.

Chapter Text

Jim scowled as he looked into the Forge — anger and frustration, and a hideous sense of helplessness, snaked uncomfortably through his mind. Yesterday, after Angor’s attack, he thought nothing was going to stop him from finding that damn changeling and wringing the truth from his lying mouth, but, as it had been ever since he came back, what he thought he could do and what actually happened were two very different things.

After they’d recovered from the attack, they took Claire, still clinging to the staff like a lifeline, back to her house. Jim was loathe to leave her, but Toby was a wreck, and now deprived of his staff, Angor wouldn’t be back that night at least.

Losing the amulet and his brush with death had shaken Toby to his core. Jim saw no marks of a spell on him, but there wouldn’t have been a need to steal the ability to wield Daylight when Angor thought he had the amulet. Still, Jim was wary.

“Tell me again,” Jim prodded with strained patience as he sat across from Toby on the bed in Toby’s room, “how did he get the amulet? Did he trap you? Did he say any words that you didn’t understand?”

Toby curled in on himself, and squeezed his eyes shut. “Jim, I told you. I don’t know!”

Jim huffed, and tried to center himself. Toby was freaked out. Jim needed answers, but hammering his friend wasn’t helping either of them.

Jim reached out and placed a reassuring hand on Toby’s shoulder. “Hey, Toby, it’s okay. We’re okay. We got rid of him, and we got the amulet back too.”

“You and Claire got rid of him.” Toby’s voice was raw and small. “I was… I was useless. Helpless.”

“Hey, hey…” Jim said softly, and knelt on the floor in front of his friend. “That’s why we’re a team, right? Team Trollhunter. We got each other’s backs.”

Toby nodded weakly. “I suppose.”

Jim fixed him with a steady gaze. “Nothing to suppose, it’s just the truth. None of us can do this on our own, we need each other, we rely on each other, and we’re stronger together. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Toby stared at the floor, not meeting Jim’s eyes. “But I’m the Trollhunter Jim. Not you. Not Claire. Not Blinky, Aaarrrgghh, or Draal. Me.”

He raised his head then to face Jim, and Jim almost wished he hadn’t. There was a horrible, haunted look in Toby’s eyes that Jim had never seen before. Not even in the future with everything they’d been through.

“I answer every call. The amulet chose me.” He practically pleaded with Jim. “And… and… I just… couldn’t. I couldn’t stop him Jim. He, he just… “

“Hey,” Jim placed his hands on both of Toby’s knees, “whoever this guy is, he’s way powerful, and he got you alone, it’s not your fault. He clearly knew what he was doing, and you’re, we’re, all new at this. What he did, he could’ve done to any of us.”

Toby nodded, but it didn’t give any indication that he believed Jim.

Jim pursed his lips, and exhaled slowly through his nose. “Look, let’s go through what you can remember one more time, so we can tell Blinky tomorrow, and he’ll have answers, ok?”

Toby nodded again.

“We were all fighting the golems… “ Jim prompted.

Toby took a deep breath. “You and Claire were fighting your’s, and I kept hacking away at mine, in the chest, like you said. And then I got it, this little statue fell out, and I crushed it, and the whole thing just collapsed. I turned to help you guys out, and, and that’s…” Toby shuddered at the thought, and Jim squeezed his knees in reassurance.

“That’s when everything just went black. I thought, maybe I passed out. Maybe it had hit me or something… but then, the light came back, but you were gone. Or, I guess, I was gone, somewhere else. And he was there.”

“It’s okay Tobes.” Jim whispered.

“I raised the sword, asked him what he’d done, who he was, where we were, but he just, laughed. That actually kinda pissed me off.” Toby chuckled mirthlessly. “So I took a swing at him, but he was so fast Jim, like smoke. Every time I swung, it was just empty air. And he kept laughing. Like I was nothing. Like it was all beneath him or something.”

Toby shook his head. “Finally, I just screamed ‘What do you want?!’ And he said he came for the Trollhunter, for me. I told him that wasn’t going to happen. And that’s when… I’m not sure what really… there was a flash of yellow light, it was really bright. And I felt, cold. Like weird cold, like it was starting from my insides out.” Toby shivered at the memory. “And then the armor just… disappeared, and I was on the ground and he had the amulet. And that’s when you came.” He finished quietly.

Jim sighed heavily, it wasn’t a lot to go on. “I should’ve been there sooner. I’m sorry Tobes. BUT I was there, we beat him together, and now that we know he’s out there, we’ll do it again and get rid of him for good, okay?”

Toby nodded glumly.

“Tobes, there’s a reason it picked you. You’re worthy of this.” Jim inclined his head to the amulet resting on the nightstand. “And he couldn’t take it from you. It came right back.”

“Claire got it…”

“WE got it back.” Jim stated definitely. “The team. Like we always do.”

Toby looked up at him, a whisper of hope in his expression.

Jim continued. “Look, we knew going in this wasn’t going to be easy. We knew it could get scary. But we’ve haven’t backed down yet, and we won’t now. Blinky will have info, and this guy won’t be able to surprise us like that ever again. This is tough, but we got this.”

“Team Trollhunter.” Toby said, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Always.” Jim replied. But while he smiled at his friend, he swore on everything he was that Strickler would pay for what he’d done to Toby.

———————

Now they were all back in the Forge, still stunned from the attack, and all off their game. Jim snorted in frustration as he watched his friends struggle to come to grips with things they’d already sorted out — in another life.

Between their description of the attacker and Claire’s new staff, Blinky, with alarm, had correctly identified Angor. Which was, of course, little help to Jim, but made the others feel better in a way. It’s always nicer to be able to give the thing trying to kill you a name.

What would have been help to Jim was if he could find Strickler. But with it being Sunday, and with his mom on a double shift, and with Jim not even knowing if Strickler had a house — did he just live at the Janus Order?? — Jim was forced to wait impatiently for school the next day to get his interrogation and his answers.

Jim furrowed his brow at Claire’s unsuccessful efforts to activate the staff. It seemed that despite his interventions, magic found her again, although… differently. He turned to Toby’s wobbly attempts to fend off Draal as the later put him through a training drill. Something was wrong and he couldn’t put his finger on it, and the nagging feeling that he was missing something important, something critical, was starting to drive him nuts.

It was probably anxiety, he told himself. And, hell, he was smack in the middle of reliving a past that was playing out in some sort of funhouse mirror image of his memories — that’s gotta mess with your brain for sure. That was all it was. Yet the nag persisted.

His ruminations were interrupted by Blinky, who trotted in, visibly winded by the effort, to summon Toby to Vendel’s chambers. That used to be me. Jim watched as Blinky hustled Toby out of the Forge, towards a destiny that was no longer Jim’s.

And why would that bother him? He was still the Trollhunter. He didn’t need acknowledgment of that. He didn’t need Vendel’s approval, or Claire’s admiration, or even the amulet to know what, to know who, he was. But the bother settled itself next to the nag in his brain, only adding to his frustration.

Jim was in the middle of sparring with Claire, him with a training staff, her with her Shadow Staff, when Toby and Blinky returned.

“Ow!” He yelped, as she cracked her staff against his raised forearm.

“That’s for taking your eyes off your opponent.” She retorted with a little bit more aggression than he was reasonably comfortable with.

Draal hummed and clucked in agreement.

Jim shot him a glare to which Draal shrugged as if to say “fair fight dude”.

“Well,” Blinky announced as they approached, “it has been achieved. The Triumbric Stones now lie together within Master Tobias’ possession.”

Toby looked less pleased, and more unsure, about that declaration. Claire looked hopeful in a way that unnerved Jim, he’d have to keep a close eye on both of them from now on. Although, if he could say there was an “upside” to Toby’s disastrous run in with Angor Rot, it was that it certainly would make him think twice, heck, probably make him think 20 or 30 times, about the prospect of risking going up against Gunmar.

“Well?” Claire was the first to speak after an awkward silence, the team all gathered around an increasingly uncomfortable Toby.

“W-well… what?” Toby looked down at the amulet in his hand.

Claire rolled her eyes gently. “You gonna try it? Isn’t that the point? That it’s supposed to give you, like, special stuff?”

“The Eclipse Blade to be exact.” Blinky interjected.

Claire looked over at Blinky with mild annoyance, she was still getting used to him. “Yes. That.”

And Jim had to admit, he was decently curious himself to see Toby in the Eclipse armor, even though a chill ran through him when he thought of that armor’s primary purpose. No, don’t go there. It’s just more assurance, more protection for Toby, that’s all it is.

“I guess?” Toby’s reply was more question than answer.

He turned to Blinky. “What do I do?”

Blinky, well, blinked back. “I… I’m unsure. There’s nothing in the books I found on how to activate the stones. I would assume it would be self-evident.”

Toby looked lost, and Jim was confused.

“Didn’t it do something when you put the stones in?” He asked, remembering how the amulet activated and lit up like a fireworks show when it had been him.

Toby shrugged. “Not really. Why would it?”

Jim frowned, maybe it was different for different people? “Maybe just read the words on it.”

Toby shrugged again as the group gave him some space. “For the glory of Merlin…”

“What? No.”

The group turned their heads in unison to look at Jim after his outburst.

Crap.

“Um, sorry…” Jim stammered, “it’s just, um, are there any different words on it?”

“No.” Toby turned the amulet over in his hands. “Why would there be?”

Jim was keenly aware of all Blinky’s eyes on him.

“I just figured, you know, the stones would change it somehow… I guess?” Yeah, great recovery Jimbo.

Toby shrugged yet again. “Nope. You got any other suggestions or should I try again?” He added, not without a touch of sarcasm.

Jim shoved his hands into his pockets. “Hah, no. Sorry. Fire away Tobes.”

Blinky squinted at him, Jim could see the wheels turning in the blue troll’s head. He looked away.

Toby cleared his throat. “For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command.”

There was a magnificent explosion of light and color, as electric tendrils of magic danced around Toby’s floating body before gently setting him down onto the Forge floor.

Toby looked down at himself. “Nope, nuthin’.” He muttered looking at the familiar silver armor.

Jim’s brain sputtered a bit before spitting out an idea. “Try summoning the blade. The Eclipse blade.” He added quickly.

Toby held out a hand, Daylight forming. Toby turned it back and forth, examining it.

“Looks the same to me. Maybe it’s just got a different power?” He suggested.

Jim’s stomach twisted unpleasantly. They had the stones, why didn’t Toby have Eclipse? It had all just been there for him. Something was very wrong.

“Ah fudgeknuckle.” Claire sighed, disappointed. “There’s probably something else we have to do. Some mysterious ancient ritual. Right Blinky?”

Blinky’s eyebrows shot up. “I do not know. As I said, nothing within the texts indicates anything more than the mere presence of the stones is required. However, much has been lost to time, perhaps more research is in order.”

The group nodded, assuaged for the moment.

“Magic’s all well and good. Means nothing without some solid training. Back to it recruits!” Draal grumbled amiably, and turned back towards the center of the arena, Claire, Toby, and Aaarrrgghh close behind.

Jim stayed where he stood. This was bad. Toby couldn’t summon Eclipse. Why?

He startled when Blinky cleared his throat. He’d been so engrossed in thought he hadn’t heard him approach.

“Are you going to do the proper thing and tell me this time? Or do I need to lecture you again.” Blinky leveled him with a cocked eyebrow. “Honestly, I’m good either way. I’ve got a great lecture planned for this.”

Jim peered up at him. Crap. He should’ve figured Blinky was well past the point of blind trust.

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s just, there isn’t anything more we have to do. When you first put the stones in, there should be new words to say, to call Eclipse. I don’t know why they aren’t showing up.”

Blinky’s expression shifted. “If that is true, that is a concern indeed.” He thought. “Is there anything different than what you know? Anything at all?”

Well, Toby’s the Trollhunter this time… 

Then a lightbulb clicked on and Jim slapped his forehead. “Angor Rot!”

“He’s different?” Blinky asked, confused.

“No, no… “ Jim shook his head, “Yesterday he did something to Toby, some spell that affected the amulet, that’s gotta be it!”

Blinky looked hesitant. “But the amulet only had two stones in it yesterday…”

“Doesn’t matter. He can get control of the amulet, I’ve… seen it.” Jim admitted.

Blinky gasped softly and let out a slow breath. “If that is true, we may be in greater jeopardy than we imagine.”

Jim swallowed hard, as they both looked over at Toby, laughing as he play-sparred with Aaarrrgghh.

“Don’t say anything.” Jim said, not taking his eyes off his friend.

“Do you think it wise to keep things…”

“Blinky, you didn’t see him yesterday. We can’t… he can’t… look, just until we know something more okay?” Jim looked over pleadingly.

Blinky nodded slowly. “All right. For now.”

“For now.” Jim repeated, and the bother and the nag grew louder in his mind.

———————

Jim marched down the hallway with purpose. He’d thought he’d be nervous, but now that he was in the moment, he found himself wound up by adrenaline and a whole day of waiting for this.

He paused when he got to the door of Strickler’s office. He’d skipped history class that day. He just couldn’t do it, he couldn’t sit there with Strickler for an hour, knowing what he’d done. Knowing he’s sent an assassin for Toby.

He’d tried to corner Strickler first thing that morning, before school, giving Toby some flimsy excuse as to why he had to leave early. But the changeling was nowhere to be found, leaving Jim frustrated in his unvented anger for the entirety of the school day.

And now, finally, he’d get his answers. He knocked.

He heard a chair squeak, and a soft thud.

“Come in.” Strickler sounded tired, but unfailingly polite.

Jim exhaled a sharp breath through his nose, and pulled open the door with more force than he’d intended. His teacher was, as always, sitting at his desk across the room.

“Jim?” He asked, surprised.

Jim turned and shut the door, again, a bit harder than he should have. He turned and walked toward the desk.

Strickler blinked. “Jim? Is something wrong?”

God, he’s acting so innocent! Is something wrong?? Yeah, you’ve done something wrong all right…

Jim’s lips pressed into a hard line, and he quickened his pace.

His teacher’s eyes widened as Jim rounded the corner of the desk. “Jim! What’s going on?”

Jim didn’t slow as he barreled into Strickler, grabbing him by the lapels, and sending the wheeled chair his teacher sat on slamming back into the wall behind him.

Jim tightened his grip, and stuck his face inches from the changeling’s. “Call him off NOW.”

Strickler sputtered in surprise. “W-what? Who? Jim??”

“Why did you do it? Huh? Bular put you up to it? Or is this your genius plan to take over?” Jim spat, barely pausing from breath. “It’s NOT going to work!”

Unfortunately for Jim, his teacher was quick to recover from his shock.

“James Lake Junior, YOU WILL UNHAND ME NOW!” His eyes flashed as he grabbed Jim by the wrists, twisting them painfully and efficiently off his jacket. He pushed Jim back and stood, the chair clattering to the floor behind him.

Jim fell back against the desk and glared up that the changeling.

“I do not know what’s gotten into you, but this is beyond the pale.” He glowered down at Jim.

“I thought we had a deal!” Jim snarled back. “But you were just biding your time until you could send in your assassin.”

Strickler paused, and blinked rapidly. “My… what?”

“He failed you know. We know how to defeat him. Sending Angor after us was your biggest mistake.” Jim sneered.

“Angor… Rot?”

Jim wanted to scream. “Just STOP! Stop already. I know you did it! I know you have the Inferna Copula. Drop the act.”

Strickler eyes went wide, then narrowed, as his mouth set at a weird angle, stuck somewhere between a snarl and a smile. He held up both his hands.

Is he surrendering? Good.

“Now call him off.” Jim threatened.

His teacher’s snarl-smile now looked annoyed too, and he turned his hands in front of Jim. “Jim, please, think for once.”

Is he actually trying to teach me??

Jim opened his mouth to reiterate his threat when something caught his eye — Strickler’s fingers were bare. His mouth clicked shut and he swallowed hard.

“Ah, there. Finally.” Strickler put his hands down, but continued to scowl at Jim. “You really need to work on your diplomacy and negotiation tactics Jim, if you wish to be the emissary for the Trollhunter.” He said sarcastically. “Observational skills too.”

Jim’s mind tried to grapple with this. There’s no way the changeling would remove the ring if he’d summoned Angor, he’d be dead in an instant.

“But… you have it. So how… who?” Shaken, Jim thought out loud.

Strickler cocked his head. “How do you know I have it?”

Jim paled, and lied. “The trolls… they know more than you think.”

“Doubtful.”

“Then you explain how I know.” Jim bluffed.

Strickler opened his mouth, then closed it. Gotcha.

“So, if you’re right, and I have it, then it couldn’t have been Angor.”

Jim shook his head, still thinking. “Oh, it was Angor Rot. Shadow staff, portals, golems…”

The room was silent for a beat before both Jim and his teacher came to the same realization. Strickler lunged for his desk, roughly shoving Jim aside, and grabbed the key to his secret room. It was barely open before he threw himself across the room to a safe embedded in the wall. Geez, how many safes did this guy have?

A half a minute passed before Jim saw his teacher back slowly away from the wall.

“It’s… gone…” He gasped.

Jim blinked. “Gone?”

Strickler turned, his hand over his mouth, and the look in his eyes — Jim had just seen a similar look in Toby’s — terrified, hopeless.

“But who?” Jim whispered.

His teacher shook his head slowly, without putting down his hand, maybe he’d forgotten it was there. His shoulders rose slightly with an unspoken answer.

Jim reeled. This wasn’t happening. In the past it was Strickler, he’d summoned Angor… except, this was clearly no longer anything like his past. In his past, he’d stopped Bular.

Jim clenched his fists, this was Bular. He’d sent Angor, like his father before him. He had to be making his play for the Eternal Night by getting rid of the Trollhunter. Crap, how did he not see this?

“Mr. Strickler, it’s Bular, it has to be.”

His teacher looked at him, his shoulders sagged, and he dropped his hand. “Yes.” He said quietly.

“We’ve got to stop him.”

Strickler raised his hands in a gesture of helplessness. “I couldn’t even stop him from getting the ring.”

“Are you still in the Order?”

“Yes, but… I doubt I have much real authority anymore.” He winced.

Jim felt a sudden pang for the man. “Look, just information. Anything. From anyone. Anything you can get.”

Strickler nodded absently.

Jim felt his chest tighten. This was happening, despite everything, it was happening. Again. Panic rose up from the depths of his mind, clouding his thoughts.

No. Not now. I didn’t come back to fail.

He searched his mind frantically, but only one option presented itself. They couldn’t raise Morgana without Merlin’s staff. Destiny it seemed, despite his best efforts, was sending him right back on same path he’d been trying so desperately to avoid. A path that led straight to an ancient wizard’s tomb.

Chapter Text

Hey everyone! Long time right? So I wrote a comment on the last chapter, but I don't know if many people will see it, so I thought I should just drop something here. Okie...

So, first, I HAVEN'T ABANDONED THIS FIC. Seriously, I think about it a lot actually, and I'm about 60% done with the next chapter even.

But here's the thing, I, like Jim, have PTSD. It's a big reason I wanted to write this from Jim's POV and it makes it incredibly easy to get into his head. And mostly these days I manage it pretty well, but part of managing it pretty well is recognizing when I'm struggling and doing the self-care I need to keep my mental health in a decent place. About three months ago my work got pretty intense (I'm in IT), and I love my job, it's fine, that's fine, but I found myself really starting to not have the emotional energy to write all the angst that is this story. Jim's PTSD became a bit of a trigger for my own.

Being creative, drawing/writing, is a huge stress reliever for me, and suddenly that stress reliever was causing stress. So, kinda accidentally, I pivoted pretty hard to some super light, silly, fun stuff (Klance/Voltron lol). And it's been great, the EXACT OPPOSITE of this angsty tome here. I smile and laugh a lot when I work on it, which is what it's all about right?

I'm being patient with myself and waiting to be ready to pick this up again. I can't say exactly when, but I don't think we're talking about years here. Probably a couple months is my best guess.

I have got so many cool surprises planned for you, and answers to some of the mysteries Jim's been encountering, I really can't wait to be able to share it. I also don't want to force myself to write and mess up my mental health. Nor do I want to slap something quick out. I really want to do this story, and Jim, right.

I'm sorry having to pause this, but I'm hoping you guys understand. I love my stupid story and I, probably more than anyone else, need to see it to it's conclusion. It's just going to take a bit longer than I planned.

Hope all is well with everyone! And at least it's almost spring (I live in a cold area of the world, looking forward to not having to wear 18 layers to exit my house)!

Thank you thank you thank you for reading!
-- petey :)

P.S. I'm going to be participating in some Trollhunter events this summer (July) over on my tumblr! Although I'm very much hoping to be updating this again by July. And if you're interested in my thoughts or klance or rando art I'm also on Twitter and Instagram:

Tumblr: https://badsongpetey.tumblr.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/bad_song_petey/

Twt: https://twitter.com/badsong_petey

Chapter Text

It didn’t take Jim long to formulate a plan. Okay, it wasn’t a great plan. If he was being truly honest, it wasn’t even a good plan. But desperation and panic make for powerful incentivizers, and Jim would take what he could get. As he laid awake in bed that night he tried and failed to ignore the fact that he’d come back in time to take control of events and guide them to a safe and happy resolution, and instead he’d found himself increasingly lost, flailing about, barely having time to react as the past spun inexorably out of his control. He exhaled audibly as stared up into a night that seemed far darker than it had been before.

———————

You know the look that parents can give you? You know — The Look. It’s way worse when it’s coming from three pairs of eyes.

“Master Jim,” Blinky intoned, “don’t you think it’s past time to, as you say, ‘come clean’ to your compatriots?”

“And what exactly would that accomplish Blinky?” Jim challenged.

Blinky scoffed, “You mean what would being honest and upfront with your closest friends and allies accomplish?? I assume you mean other than trust, strengthened bonds, and, oh, I don’t know, maybe being prepared with a decent plan?”

“I have a decent plan.” Jim huffed as Blinky fixed him with, if possible, an even more intense version of The Look.

Jim groaned and avoided Blinky’s gaze by staring at the carved stone ceiling. He didn’t need this right now, he was long past tired and Bular was out there doing god-knows-what as they stood here and argued about things he could not change.

They were in a small room off of Blinky’s library. The rest of the team was in the library proper, waiting for them. Jim had called them together to share the bad news he’d gotten from Strickler and set his “not great” plan into motion. But this plan involved Blinky, and Blinky was being characteristically difficult.

“Now, what I think would be best…” Blinky began.

“Blinky, please.” Jim interrupted and dragged his eyes down to level them with the blue troll. Blinky huffed out a short breath and crossed all of his arms.

“I know…” Jim said, then softer, “I… I know.” He felt all the annoyance drain from his body as it was replaced by the impossible heaviness of his task.

“I know I’ve asked you for so much, and, really given you so little… I know. But you know, I can’t tell you why I know what I know. God sometimes I wish I could! I wish I could just dump all of this…” Jim stopped before he devolved into despair. He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders.

“Blinky, I’m not asking you to lie to them. I want to tell them everything I told you. Just instead of saying you heard it from me, we’re going to tell them you found it in your research.”

Blinky snorted.

“They’ll have all the facts! Nothing would be different. I mean, that is, if you still trust me.” Jim looked up at Blinky with his best sad puppy eyes that he knew the troll was nearly helpless to resist.

The eye-roll he got back was epic. “I trust you Jim, I…” Blinky paused as he looked back at Jim. “I am singularly out of my depth here Master Jim. I was never a troll of action, my place has always been to observe, study, to be on the sidelines. What you shared with me, this knowledge you have, and everything that’s happened… It’s so, so… BIG. And I fear I am not of equivalent stature to undertake it.” He finished quietly.

Jim placed his hand on Blinky’s shoulder. “I can say for certain that you are.” He smiled. “And I can say for certain that we will not succeed without you. Without you being there, in the front, in the action.”

Blinky took a long breath. “For the life of me, I do not know why suddenly I’m listening to a welp younger than some of my toenails.” He smirked.

Jim let out a barking laugh. “That’s disgusting Blinky. Thank you though.”

Blinky clapped him on the back, causing Jim to stumble a bit. “Well, let us put this fiasco into motion then, shall we?”

———————

The fiasco in question began with Jim informing the group that he’d heard, with a wink to Toby, that Bular sent Angor Rot after them which garnered an enraged growl from Draal. Blinky countered this news with his own “research” which pointed to the Staff of Avalon as being key to bringing about Eternal Night, which, after Bular’s failure to rescue his father seemed like his next possible move.

The group agreed fairly readily to the plan to find Merlin’s tomb and the staff before Bular. Aaarrrgghh was willing to go along with Blinky; Toby was still nervous remembering the attack, but, as always, game for quest; and Claire and Draal were, weirdly and mildly unsettlingly, equally enthusiastic about the whole thing. Draal probably hoping for another shot at Bular, and Claire gripping the Shadow Staff as if she was about to charge into battle. Jim would really need to keep an eye on her, for her own safety, of course.

It felt strange, Jim thought as the group headed to the gyre, the last time they did this they’d had a big sendoff with all the families, and all of them then portaling off into the unknown. Now the relatively calm walk out of Trollmarket to a destination Jim knew could be easily reached in a single day, was a bit anticlimactic.

Jim adjusted his backpack as they settled into their seats for the trip. He had managed to remember that with magic suppressed in the tomb, things like flashlights and rope would come in handy when they got there. Blinky announced that his research pointed them towards an ancient gyre in England, before unceremoniously launching them on a quick but nauseating journey across the ocean.

Finding the ancient gyre really did require some research on Blinky’s part, but with the information Jim had, it hadn’t taken him long. A short walk, and some good, old-fashioned door busting from Aaarrrgghh and Draal, deposited them into a cobwebbed gyre station which had probably sat unused since Merlin’s time. Jim tensed as they clambered into the gyre, there was one piece of information both he and Blinky had held off on telling the group.

“So, where’s this thing go to anyway?” Toby inquired, coughing as he blew 900 years of dust off of his seat.

Blinky shot a knowing look to Jim before answering. “If my research is correct, this gyre should take us directly to Merlin’s tomb.”

“Oh, great!” Toby smiled as he sat, kicking his legs with nervous energy.

“Yes,” Blinky coughed, “great. There is, ah, one caveat though. The map, and the key to our transport there is contained within your amulet Master Tobias.”

Toby fished the amulet out of his pocket and jumped down from his seat. “Okay, no prob! What’da I do? Say the words? Or maybe” he waved the amulet dramatically in the air, “there’s some mystical energy that will sense it?”

Jim cringed, this was the part that had kept him up most of the night.

Blinky took a deep breath before answering. “Master Tobias, when I said the key was contained within the amulet, I meant that in the most literal fashion.”

“Whhaaaa?” Toby was confused.

“It is inside the amulet.” Blinky sighed.

Toby held the amulet close to his face and peered at it, turning it around. Then he tried to pry it open with his fingers.

“Is there some kinda combination lock for this? Cuz, I don’t see how we can get this open. Ya know, unless we smash it or something.” Toby laughed.

Blinky looked ill and stayed silent.

Toby’s laugh sputtered out. “Heh, hey Blinky, there’s a way to open it right? Right?”

Blinky slumped. “Alas, Master Tobias, I…”

“BOLLOX!” Draal bellowed. “You’re saying we break my father’s amulet?! The sacred trust of the Trollhunters?? You are mad!”

“Now Draal, I don’t suggest this lightly, if there were some other way…” Blinky cast a desperate look at Jim.

“No. Not an option.” Draal shook his head. “All to find this staff we think Bular might want? No, I say we turn back, if Bular gets actually gets this staff, then I’ll personally be more than happy to relieve him of it.”

“If Bular gets this staff, he raises Morgana, brings about Eternal Night, AND then releases his father!” Jim couldn’t stay silent anymore.

Draal spun on him. “Then we’ll stop him!”

“How Draal? Toby can’t even summon Eclipse!” Jim heard Toby make a noise, but he couldn’t stop now. “We’ll be helpless to stop them, this is our only chance!”

Draal shook his head while Jim barreled on.

“We don’t need the amulet if Bular can’t get to the Darklands and can’t get to Morgana. And I have to believe that if destroying the amulet was part of Merlin’s plan, then that plan also will include restoring it.”

In the past, the wizard himself, who Jim very much hoped not to awaken this time, fixed the amulet. Jim was banking on a certain rock star of an apprentice to do that job when they got back. How exactly he’d convince Douxie to help was a problem for future Jim to solve.

“And what about my brother?”

Jim turned to see Claire standing behind him, fire in her eyes.

“Without the amulet, we can’t rescue my brother.”

“We’ll fix it!” Jim responded.

“HOW??” Claire glared at him, “Are you suddenly an expert on mystical amulets? You holding back on us Jim? Or do you really just not care?”

Jim’s draw dropped. “Not care?! Everything I’ve done is because I care!”

Claire made a loud, dismissive noise. “You’re so willing to throw away our chance to save Enrique!”

Jim groaned and rubbed his temples. This was impossible. Toby couldn’t, wouldn’t, go to the Darklands even if he could summon Eclipse. Hell, Jim could and fat lot of good it did him. But he could never explain that to her.

He turned to his last chance for this, his best friend, his wingman, who was currently looking at him with dread and clutching the amulet in question tightly to his chest.

“Toby…”

“Jim, no, I… I… can’t…” Toby’s voice trembled. “I’m the Trollhunter. I just can’t. I know,” he sniffled, “I know you don’t think I can do it, but I will Jim. The amulet chose me, I… I can do it.” He finished without conviction.

Jim was overcome with the need to comfort his friend, Toby had done nothing but be there for him in the past, and now Jim was hurting him.

“Tobes, no! It’s not… ah, god, it’s not that I don’t believe in you. Of course you’re the Trollhunter. Eclipse or not.” Jim took a deep breath and launched into the best argument his sleep-deprived, stressed out brain could conceive of the night before.

“Toby, being the Trollhunter, it’s not about glory. You know that. It’s not just about waving a sword and vanquishing the enemy, it’s about making the hard choices. It’s about doing what’s best, even when it’s difficult, even when it costs you, even when it’s… a sacrifice.” He felt the hot tears on his face before he even registered that he was crying, but he held Toby’s gaze unwaveringly. He owed his friend that.

“Maybe… maybe that’s the test in this. Maybe that’s what Merlin needs you to have… the courage to make a tough call. The courage to make a sacrifice. The faith in yourself to not need the magic to still be the Trollhunter.” Toby was crying now too. “I know you have that courage Toby. I knew you had it even before the amulet chose you.”

For a long moment there was silence, save for the sniffles of the two boys holding onto each other like their lives depended on it. Whatever arguments Claire or Draal might have still had, were left unspoken. What happened now was up to the Trollhunter.

Toby hiccuped and stepped back, wiping his nose on his sleeve. He looked down at the amulet, then up to Aaarrrgghh.

“Wingman?”

Through whatever strange bond existed between them, Aaarrrgghh understood the unspoken question and trundled off of the gyre. He returned a moment later carrying a large stone.

Toby sighed audibly and placed the amulet down on the floor of the gyre. Nobody moved. He knelt down, gently touching it. “For the glory of Merlin.” He said softly, then stood and nodded to Aaarrrgghh.

Aaarrrgghh raised the stone above his head, and, without a second of hesitation, dropped it with punishing force. When he picked it up, Jim winced. It was done, the amulet was destroyed.

———————

“I’m gonna be sick.” Toby dry-heaved as he clutched the cave wall just on the inside of a curtain of water.

“Hate gyre.” Aaarrrgghh’s voice was muffled as he laid face down on the ground next to Toby.

Jim wasn’t feeling the greatest either. Once they placed the stone containing the map into the gyre, the final leg of the trip was wilder than any they’d been on before. And that was definitely saying something.

“A hidden entrance!” Blinky exclaimed as he stepped through the waterfall.

Jim reached over to lend Toby a hand as the group moved deeper into the cave. Draal taking point, and Aaarrrgghh, having recovered from his prone position, guarding the rear. Both old warriors ever vigilant against any threats. But, unlike last time, nothing ominous awaited them here. Jim couldn’t help but find relief in the fact that this time they entered the tomb with Draal at their side instead of bound as a mindless prisoner to Gunmar.

They came to a halt as Blinky translated the inscription carved above an archway leading further into the darkness. “No magics here. It appears this hallowed tomb is warded against sorcery.”

Claire grunted and pouted as she waved the handle of her staff in front of her. “Ug. My shadow staff doesn’t work here either!”

“Guess the amulet wouldn’t have been much use then anyway.” Toby chuckled softly.

Jim smiled patted him reassuringly on the back. Good ol’ Tobes, always finding the positive.

“We’re not done yet Trollhunter.” He winked.

The smile of gratitude he got back was worth every ounce of pain he’d endured since returning. And they fell silent again as they crept forward into the tomb.

At first it was all exactly as Jim recalled. A room, trapped between two times, containing a riddle. He tried hard to be patient, to not jump to the solution he already knew. He only knew it because of Claire, and he felt strongly that she should still have the opportunity to solve it.

He may, however, have “accidentally” bumped Toby just a little, when the kid missed stepping on the correct stone. Then, moments later, he theatrically exclaimed, “Gee, that’s weird! Why is there a bag of seeds here?”

Claire, of course, solved the riddle, again, like the genius she was. Scowling slightly at Jim when she caught him staring at her like the love-struck idiot he was.

But before he could linger on it, they were up the tree and into the pitch black. Jim fished the flashlights he brought out of his pack. Answering questions of how he’d thought to bring them with a shrug and a vague answer of “seemed like a good idea.”

They ooh’d and awe’d over the timeline they found, Blinky, ever the teacher, giving them an impromptu history lesson. It was only when they got to the images of themselves, that Jim tensed. This was… wrong.

There were the likenesses of the three of them, carved in lightly reflective lines into the wall, but behind them were images of Blinky, Aaarrrgghh, Draal, and decidedly not the menacing form of Angor Rot. Jim spun, anticipating an attack that didn’t come.

“Impossible! The timeline appears to continue beyond the present!” Blinky marveled, oblivious to Jim’s odd behavior.

Jim swung his flashlight around the room. Nothing. Behind him, his friends continued to study the ancient mural. Well, he supposed, it makes sense for Angor not to be here. Last time they came, Gunmar was here, and left Angor waiting to ambush them. Odds are he’d beaten Bular to the punch this time.

“Great Gronka Morka!!” Blinky exclaimed.

Without the disruption of Angor’s attack, Blinky had been able to continue looking at the mural past the illustration of their group, and when Jim turned back around he could see clearly what had frightened his mentor.

It was a picture of Morgana, dressed in the full battle armor that Jim remembered from the Endless Night. She was depicted floating and holding the Staff of Avalon, lines of power radiating around her. And most terrifying were the forms drawn beneath her. Bular AND Gunmar stood, giant and battle ready, about to attack.

Jim felt the color drain from his face. No.

Blinky turned, a desperate look on his face. “Master Jim we…”

“We’re not too late.” Jim cut him off. He wasn’t sure if he said it more to assure himself or the group. “We have to find that staff, now.”

Toby hesitated. “But Jim, if this wall shows the future…”

“The future can be changed!” Jim snapped, then felt immediate regret seeing Toby shrink back from his outburst. “We’re here to change it, right Tobes?” He addressed the larger group. “We’re not going to let them win this. We stopped Bular once, we’ll stop him again.”

“I swear on my father, that filth will not taste victory while I tread this good earth.” Draal growled.

There were serious looks exchanged, and nods of agreement, and a “Stop bad trolls” from Aaarrrgghh, before Claire added, “There must be another door.”

Yes! The trap door in the floor with the spinning blades of death! Jim swung his flashlight beam over the ground while the others searched the walls and ceiling.

He’d swung past the pile of rubble a couple of times before he registered properly what it was and ran over. “Oh god no.”

“Jim?” Blinky hustled over to him, the rest following. “What is it?”

They stood amongst the scattered rocks which surrounded a hole in the floor opening into a vast room below filled with giant beams of sparkling, glowing, white crystal.

“By Deya’s grace. It appears we have found the innermost sanctum. The heart of Merlin’s tomb.” Blinky exclaimed reverently.

“You sure?” Toby countered.

“Only one way to find out!” Draal answered a bit to cheerily, and dropped into the hole. Before Jim could even open his mouth, Draal was quickly followed by Claire.

“Wait…” Jim started.

“C’mon dude, isn’t this why we came?” Toby elbowed him, then looked up to Aaarrrgghh. “Wingman?”

Aaarrrgghh nodded, scooped Toby up, and with a “Geronimo!” from Tobes, they were gone.

Jim was sputtering a bit, and Blinky hesitated before jumping himself. “Master Jim, what is wrong?”

“This…” Jim gestured at the hole that was supposed to be filled with sharp, spinning death rocks. It had clearly been broken, ripped apart by something. It dawned on Jim then, Gunmar had used Draal’s metal arm to stop the blades before. But without Draal, or the arm…

“I… I think Bular’s here.”

Whatever Blinky was going to say, he appeared to change his mind. The look on his face hardened as he clapped Jim on the back. “Then we must make haste.”

Jim felt himself nod, trying to take reassurance in Blinky’s presence, and without another word, they jumped together.

———————

The crystals were just as beautiful, and just as perilously slick, as they had been before. Maybe it was because he’d gone so long without the magic of the amulet, but Jim found the journey down to the heart of the tomb where the staff lay, to be more arduous than he remembered. He could no longer keep up with Draal and Aaarrrgghh and found himself losing sight of them. He worried briefly, before he heard Draal’s voice bellow up from somewhere below.

“Well, that’s a fine thing. And what are we supposed to do now?”

It took a couple minutes for Jim, Blinky, and Claire to reach the crystal ledge where the two large trolls and Toby, clinging to Aaarrrgghh’s back, awaited them. But it didn’t take more than a glance to see the problem. Below them the crystal cavern had completely collapsed.

Jim’s blood froze. There was only one thing that would have destroyed the cavern so completely, Bular had gotten the staff. Jim was too late.

Draal turned to Blinky. “I don’t suppose your research gave you any clues about what to do next?”

Jim felt, rather than saw, Blinky’s gaze on him, but he was paralyzed, he could only stare into the abyss and panic. Bular had the staff, how did all of this get so far out of his control?

“Guys, I don’t think going back up is an option. It was one thing to slide down, but there’s no way we can climb this.” Claire sighed. “Ug! If only my stupid staff would work!”

“Um, it’s not like you’ve gotten a portal to open anyways.” Toby added unhelpfully.

“I swear Toby, I am sure it will still hurt if I hit you with this.”

Jim heard a grunt, and the distinct sound of stone chinking against crystal, then Draal’s grumble. “Blast this wizard. There’s a reason no one’s missed him.”

There was silence for a bit and Jim could feel Blinky move to his side, but before Blinky could speak, Aaarrrgghh called out. “Cave! There!”

Jim finally looked up to see Aaarrrgghh pointing to a small hole across the cavern. It was slightly below them, and partially blocked by fallen rocks, but if they moved laterally, and worked together, they could make it. And without any other obvious means of egress, it’s not like they had any choice.

It took longer than he thought it would. There was more than a bit of bickering, and one terrifying moment when Claire lost her footing on a jump, nearly falling into the blackness below, only to be saved by Draal’s lighting-quick reflexes and swung to safety. But they eventually found themselves standing in front of the cave entrance, Aaarrrgghh clearing the debris from the opening.

Jim was still reeling from the loss of the staff, and hadn’t even grappled with figuring out how he would tell the others, but none of that would matter if they didn’t get out.

They peered into the darkness beyond.

“Well, it seems to be an opening, maybe it leads to the staff?” Claire said hopefully.

“Yes, an opening.” Blinky replied ominously. “Thus affording us the opportunity to be trapped somewhere else.”

“C’mon Blinky, you just gotta think positive.” Toby cheered.

Blinky sighed and looked back at Jim as the group moved forward. “I’m not entirely sure I know how.”

They’d been walking in silence for a bit, scrambling over boulders and shards of crystal jutting at precarious angles from the cave walls. “This is taking us nowhere.” Draal moaned. “We need to go up!”

“Hmm. Right. Yeah, look for some stairs. Or better yet, an elevator.” Toby snarked while shooting Draal double finger guns.

Aaarrrgghh was looking at Toby and chuckling, so he smacked headlong into the low beam of crystal crossing their path. “Oh!” He grunted, rubbing his nose before ducking underneath.

Beyond the beam, the tunnel split, running in two directions: one ending in shadow, the other into a dim light. “That way.” Aaarrrgghh said pointing toward the light.

Something pricked at the back of Jim’s mind, this all seemed too familiar, he just needed a minute to process it. The group rounded a turn and found themselves in a vaulting cavern.

“Whoa!” Toby breathed.

Blinky stopped in his tracks so Jim bumped into him from behind. “Great Globus, it’s him.”

Oh no. Jim pushed to get out from behind Blinky and was greeted with the sight of the absolute last thing he’d been wanting to find.

Claire gasped. “Is it really?”

“Must be.” Aaarrrgghh answered.

“Merlin.” Jim groaned.

Chapter Text

When Jim was little, maybe starting around six or seven years old, he’d sit on the front porch for hours just staring down their street. He remembers believing with absolute certainty that any moment he’d see his father’s car round the corner, heading home. He’d do this day after day, week after week, and it didn’t matter how many times he’d be disappointed. Every time he sat down to wait, every time he heard a car approach their street, he’d have absolute confidence that his dad would come. He believed it so fiercely, so completely, that for him, it became reality. It was fact. It was inevitable.

That belief made the sobering realization years later that his father really was gone cut that much deeper. Because it came tied to the lesson that, for some things, no level of belief or desire was enough to change reality. Some things are indeed inevitable.

He’d clearly not learned this lesson well enough, he lamented as he stared dumbly at the prone figure covered in centuries of dust and cobwebs in front of them. Or maybe the universe just felt like kicking him when he was down for funzies. That was entirely possible too.

“Woooaaahhhh!” Toby squirmed as he fished the now glowing amulet stone out of his pocket.

Blue light illuminated his face in the dim light of the cavern as he turned the stone over in his hands. He glanced back a Blinky, who nodded solemnly in a silent encouragement, then turned his gaze to Jim.

Jim very briefly considered stopping him. He also briefly considered giving up entirely on the whole saving the future thing and just turning around and running as far as he could as fast as he could to anywhere that wasn’t here. But he didn’t. Reality wasn’t going to change simply because he wanted it to. He sighed and tried to give Toby a smile that looked real.

Toby nervously grinned back and took tentative steps toward the sleeping wizard. Jim knew what came next. He wanted to look away, to cower behind Aaarrrgghh or Draal until it was over. But then as Toby neared Merlin, a trio of lights escaped the stone to dance momentarily over his head before darting down and disappearing into the wizard’s body.

For a long moment, long enough for irrational hope to bubble up within Jim, nothing happened. The silence of Merlin’s tomb was deafening.

And then Toby startled and jumped back nearly losing his footing as Merlin sat up abruptly with a long, wheezing gasp. The group looked on in shocked silence as Merlin’s gasp sputtered into a choking cough. Toby stood frozen in place as Merlin slowly got control of his breathing and turned to look at the boy.

“Are you the Trollhunter?” He asked, eyes narrowing slightly.

Jim couldn’t see the face Toby was making, but he had a pretty good idea of what his friend was thinking.

Merlin pulled himself up to a proper seated position and swung his legs over the side of his… er, bed?… to peer skeptically at Toby.

“I thought you’d be taller! Yes… I expected much taller…” he mused, brushing the dust off his armor. “And older. How old are you? Ten?!”

“I… Uh, I’m…” Toby stammered.

Merlin cocked an eyebrow at this.

“I’m sixteen, uh, sir?”

Merlin deflated a bit at this news. “I guess I was only off by… um, six plus four, carry the one…” he gestured in the air as he muttered to himself before his eyes grew wide, “fourteen YEARS!”

There was a pause while to the two stared at each other, and then…

“HOLEE MERLIN, IT’S REALLY YOU!!” Toby exclaimed.

Merlin huffed. “Exactly what kind of troll are you?”

“I’m not a troll, I’m a Toby!”

Merlin grunted, and he raised his head to regard the group assembled behind the Trollhunter. Jim braced himself as the wizard’s eyes passed over him. Why should he be nervous, he wasn’t the Trollhunter, well, not literally at least, in this timeline. But he felt Merlin’s gaze as if it had physical weight as it momentarily rested on him before moving on to Claire.

“And who is this lovely creature.” Merlin coo’d.

Before Jim could step defensively in front of Claire, Blinky bounded forward.

“Blinkous Gallagrigal at your service!”

Merlin raised a finger dismissively. “Not you… You!” He pointed at Claire.

Jim snorted as Claire laughed. He knew Merlin was just being his annoying self, but there was no way he was flirting or whatever with Jim’s alternate timeline girlfriend.

“Claire Nunez, sir.” Claire answered softly, stepping out from being a massively disappointed Blinky.

Merlin bowed his head, “A pleasure my dear.”

“Oh, sure, she’s ‘my dear’…” Jim muttered.

“Your sageness,” Blinky said shaking off his disappointment, “we are…”

C R A C K

“Ew.” Toby winced and backed toward the group as Merlin, ignoring Blinky, unceremoniously cracked his back and hopped off the platform to begin a wincing series of stretches.

“I seriously don’t wanna be old.” Toby said.

Their group remained mildly horrified as the wizard completed a seemingly endless set of stretches, loud cracks and pops emitting with alarming frequency from his joints. Until suddenly…

“Okay, first things first…” Merlin righted himself with a speed that defied his age. “Where might my staff be?”

Jim felt his brain stall, “Um…”

Merlin fixed him once again with a curiously powerful gaze. “Staff of Avalon? Emerald at the top? It’s rather dashing.”

“We haven’t found it?” Toby volunteered.

“Haven’t found it?” Merlin glanced up the at entrance behind them.

“Well, yeah, we were looking for it when we found you.” Toby stated.

“We had to take a detour because the cave had collapsed.” Claire added. “But now that you’re awake, I’m sure you can help us find it in no time.”

“Collapsed?” Merlin’s looked shocked. “The crystalline chamber? What do you mean ‘collapsed’?”

“She means just that old man. Broken apart, gone.” Draal offered bluntly.

Merlin’s expression evolved from shocked to outright fear. “No…” he breathed.

Blinky moved forward, arms out to try to placate the wizard. “Your excellence, perhaps you haven’t realized, but it’s been a millennia since you first slept. Surely, unforeseen events might have transpired in the interim.”

Merlin’s head snapped up. “No. Not this.”

Blinky stepped back.

Merlin pointed at the entrance behind them. “That chamber was no mere occurrence of nature. It was created and infused with powerful magic, my magic, for the sole purpose of housing and preserving my staff.” His voice gained volume as he spoke.

Jim shrunk in on himself. He knew exactly what was upsetting the wizard. But, like so many things since he returned, this was knowledge he should not have rightly possessed. So he kept uncharacteristically quiet as the wizard revealed the dire news to his friends.

Merlin looked down and shook his head slowly, “There is only one thing that could destroy the cavern.” He paused dramatically as he lifted his head back up, “The staff has been taken.”

A collective gasp of disbelief reverberated through the group.

Blinky was the first to recover. “But… but that would mean… “

“Bular.” Draal spat, not far behind Blinky in his realization.

“This is bad.” Aaarrrgghh cringed.

“Bular??” Merlin’s eyebrow arched nearly up to his receding hairline. “Gunmar’s welp?”

“Yes. Bular, as the only Gumgum spared banishment from the Darklands, he has been taking up his father’s cause and working with the changelings to free Gunmar, and, we now fear, bring about the Endless Night.” Blinky answered.

Merlin huffed out a long breath and drew his hand down his face in a manner reminiscent of his apprentice. Jim couldn’t help but wonder who got it from whom.

“Well then, if Bular now possesses my staff” he turned and leaned heavily on the stone podium, “then it is not just the staff that has been taken, it is our hope.”

Seeing this scene play out again, similar, but different, Jim couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness for the wizard. To give everything you had, put your hope in the future, and then awake to have to fight the same exact battles you thought had been put behind you — Jim could relate now in a way he never could before.

It was Toby, though, ever empathetic, who reached out first to the ancient wizard. “You said you thought I’d be taller, and older… How’d you know we were coming?”

“Well Toby,” Merlin turned and soberly addressed the boy, “it is because I am your father.”

Another collective gasp from everyone but Jim, who really didn’t think the joke worked nearly as well with the circumstances surrounding Toby’s parents’ absence. Whatever though, it’s not like Merlin was famous for his tact.

Merlin’s face broke into a grin, “KIDDING!” he giggled. “I can glimpse the future. It’s not a perfect gift though.”

“Clearly he foresaw our arrival here… to rouse him from his slumber!” Blinky barely contained his excitement.

“Why were you sleeping the first place?” Claire asked.

Merlin smiled as he answered, “It was the cost of battle my dear.”

“What battle?” Aaarrrgghh inquired as they all stepped forward to surround the wizard.

“Why the Battle of Killahead of course!”

As Blinky protested Merlin’s involvement in the battle, Jim sighed, and resigned himself to reliving this particular reliving of history that Merlin was about to take them through. Although it was old news to him, the group needed to hear it, and it did give him some time to think.

Jim tried his best to feign awe as Merlin’s magic flooded the cavern with a brilliant green light that receded to leave them standing on the lush grassy floor of a Medieval forest.

“I remember this place!” Blinky exclaimed. “The forest of Killahead!”

Merlin nodded, “As well as I remember it, at least.”

Jim let himself fall to the back of the group as Merlin walked them through the battle, pointing out key persons and events. Maybe it was because it was only a memory, but nothing looked quite the same as when he had fought there, not so long ago. With all the trouble he’d had lately accurately remembering events from just three years ago, he supposed trying to remember hundreds of years past must be nearly impossible.

Or maybe it was because he’d yet to go back in time to fight in this timeline. But hadn’t he? He rubbed his temples trying to chase away the building headache caused by the complications and disappointments of his trip back in time. Had he changed anything for the better?

Jim was puzzling on that when he stumbled upon the frozen figure of a younger Draal, springing into battle against his opponent.

“Now there’s a fearsome fellow!” Draal laughed as he joined Jim, clapping him so hard on the back that Jim fell ungracefully to his hands and knees.

Draal snorted amiably and crossed his arms, stepping back to regard his younger self. “I cut quite the dashing figure, if I do say so myself. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Jim chuckled as he pushed himself back up to standing. With both Draals, past and present, in front of him, he couldn’t help but smile. This. Whatever mistakes I’ve made, I’ve done this. Draal lives.

He must’ve gotten lost in that happy thought longer than he realized.

“And just what are you grinning at fleshbag?” Draal asked. While he’d stopped calling Jim most of a very long list of unflattering nicknames, “fleshbag” had stuck. Although the tone with which it was delivered was far more affectionate than it was derisive these days.

Before Jim could retort, Draal’s smile vanished, twisted away by pain and sadness as he looked at something behind Jim. “By Deya…” He said softly.

Jim turned. It took him a minute, but then he saw what had captured the troll’s attention. Through a sea of bodies suspended in time, there was one, the portrait of a warrior in battle — Draal’s father, and Jim’s predecessor, Kanjigar.

Draal was already moving, and Jim followed closely behind. They stopped in front of Kanjigar, his arms raised high about to deliver what will surely be a crushing blow to the enemy. Draal dropped to a knee and looked up with reverence.

“Father.”

It occurred to Jim that this had been him, years ago, looking up at the face of his hero, taken from him by a war he would never see ended.

“Draal?” Jim felt like his voice came from somewhere far away, it sounded so small. “Were you afraid? Afraid you’d die here?”

Draal was so quiet and motionless, Jim wasn’t sure he’d heard his small, far-away question. It was too much, too invasive. Jim was an idiot. Here he was with Draal clearly mourning this ghost of his father, and all Jim could think about was his needs. Needing to know that Draal wasn’t scared when he sacrificed himself for Jim last time. Needing to not carry so much guilt. So much grief.

“Only an idiot isn’t afraid.”

Jim startled at Draal’s sudden reply.

“Didn’t that four armed fool teach you the basics?” Draal turned to face him. “Rule number one.”

Jim would’ve rolled his eyes if he weren’t so relieved at the gentle teasing. “Always be afraid. I know. I just…” He glanced up at Kanjigar, “It’s just…”

Draal followed his gaze, understanding dawning in his eyes.

“War isn’t kind. And a warrior expects no kindness. The battle goes to the strong, the prepared, and, unfortunately, the lucky.” Draal’s voice was uncharacteristically soft. “If life were just… bah, if life were just there would be no need for warriors, no Trollhunter, and my father would be someone I could talk to instead of this vacant facsimile.” He gestured at the Kanjigar above them.

“I won’t say I feel no fear Jim. But I will say that I fight because life is not just. Because someone needs to fight for those that fall victim to it’s unfairness. It’s why my father fought, and I daresay, seeing you and the Trollhunter in battle, it’s why you fight too.”

Jim listened silently, his eyes pricking with unshed tears at Draal’s words.

“I can’t say I don’t miss my father. But he died a hero, he died fighting for what is good and right. He never sat by and let others suffer in his stead. And when the next battle comes Jim, I will enter it willingly, for far more than I fear death, I fear doing nothing to protect those I love from harm.”

Jim swallowed hard against the lump that had formed in his throat. What Draal said, it was how he felt too. Scared, terrified sometimes, but far more scarred for those he loved, and for the a future where he did nothing. Ever since Merlin had shown him in that dream so long ago the terrible ramifications of his inaction, fear had hardly seemed like a daunting reason not to fight.

It had never really occurred to him everyone around him felt the same. That when Draal threw himself in front of Angor’s blade, or when Strickler took up a suicide mission against the ice titan, that they’d felt the same fear. The fear for him, the fear for the people and the world they loved. It was a sobering realization. He’d been so selfish, he realized suddenly, taking this all on himself all this time. And now that selfishness had thrown him into a past where he’d taken that agency away from the same friends who gave so much to him in the past.

If he got through this, when he got through this, he would be different he vowed. He’d stop making choices for them, he’d give the people he loved the respect to let them decide what their future would hold and what risks they needed to take. He’d be better when this was over.

“Come now,” Merlin called as he approached with the rest of the group, “there is more to see. The real battle is over this way.”

Jim blinked himself out of his self recrimination to follow the group to where Merlin, past Merlin that is, was locked in an epic battle with a Morgana at the height of her powers. It was the same scene he’d experienced in Merlin’s memories years ago, but yet it felt so different.

For starters, it took him a moment to even remember that the Jim he was supposed to be now did not know Morgana. Standing next to him was a Claire that had barely begun to use the shadow staff and had never been possessed, and she stared with wide eyes instead of seething hate at the woman before her. His own feelings had become far more complicated as well.

He knew, given time, that Morgana would come for Claire. He knew all the terrible things she’d done, that she came a within a hair’s breath of bringing about the Eternal Night, and killing him, and so much more. And yet, she’d save them too, at the end. And she’d helped Claire once, protected her, mentored her, even as she herself had been betrayed, used, and thrown away.

And as close as he’d grown to Strickler, as fond as he was, as happy and then as grief-stricken as he was for his mother — hadn’t Strickler also done unthinkable things and tried to kill him multiple times? People were far more complex than he used to think, and the hardest thing he was finding about being the Trollhunter was dealing with a world that stubbornly refused to be black and white.

The forest vanished in a flash of light, returning them to the cavern. A cavern that was shaking violently.

“What’s this now?” Merlin pressed his hands together, fully collapsing the illusion.

“Why is it raining underground??” Toby fretted.

Blinky peered up into the darkness. “The cave in must have diverted the waterfall into the mountain!”

Oh no… How did he forget all the important parts?

The rumbling grew louder as small rocks began to rain down with water.

“That sounds like a lot of water…” Claire added with concern.

Merlin groaned as he leaned back against the podium that had held him safely sleeping for centuries. “Centuries later… it never gets any easier…”

Toby spun around. “We could really use some of your ‘awesome wizard magic’”, he wiggled his fingers theatrically, “to, ya know, get us outta here?”

“Yes, that would be quite lovely.” Merlin glared down a Toby. “But weren’t you listening? I just said I used most of it to trap Morgana. To escape we’ll need the power of the amulet.”

Toby gulped. “We, ah, kinda smashed it to get here?”

Jim hadn’t noticed the first time, but the look that flashed across Merlin’s face in that moment resembled every time Jim managed to forget some important detail from his past. Maybe he didn’t have to feel so bad about forgetting things…

Merlin pinched the bridge of his nose. “Ug, yes… Well, hand it over.”

Toby wore his most guilt-ridden expression as he fished the broken pieces of the amulet out of his pocket and handed them over to the wizard.

Merlin’s eyebrows shot up, “Oh… You really did a number on this thing.” He observed.

Toby chuckled nervously and shot a pleading look at Jim.

“But you can fix it.” Jim added, less of a question than he’d intended, but in the moment of peril, nobody seemed to notice.

Blinky stepped forward. “Of course he can! His hands…”

Merlin held up a hand to stop whatever speechifying Blinky was about to engage in, but fixed his gaze on Jim. “Of course you know I can.”

And with that he turned and began tinkering with the broken amulet, muttering to himself as he worked.

The cavern rumbled again threateningly.

“Would you please be quiet!” He yelled.

“It’s not us, it’s the rubble!” Toby explained the obvious.

With the wizard preoccupied, Blinky, Aaarrrgghh, and Draal began to gather large stones to try to damn up the entrance to the cavern. Jim however, was preoccupied with trying to remember what he did to save them the first time.

He’d said the oath, but, with something extra. It had come to him in the moment, but seemed to have disappeared quickly when the danger passed. It hadn’t been the first time the amulet seemed to “speak” through him. Surely it would be the same for Toby. Jim glanced up at his friend helping to pack small rocks into the cracks in the makeshift dam, and worried. Toby hadn’t yet seemed to make the same connection he’d had with the amulet.

“I fear we haven’t much time.” Blinky interrupted his thoughts.

Merlin gave an exasperated sigh. “I’m doing my best! It’s been centuries you know!”

As the roar of rushing water grew ever louder, Toby and Claire ran over to the wizard, Jim followed.

“Could we get an ETA on the fixing there Merl? Mind if I call you Merl?” Toby asked.

Merlin side eyed him dangerously. “Not if you don’t mind spending the rest of your life as a cockroach.” He muttered.

Toby gulped audibly.

The howl of wind resonated through the dam, dislodging some of the stones.

“You’re out of time wizard!” Draal yelled as he and Aaarrrgghh tried to physically brace the dam with their bodies.

Merlin grunted. “A piece is missing.”

“What?” Toby shrieked, “I gave you everything I had!”

“Focus!” Merlin commanded, pointing at the nearly completed amulet. “We need a small piece, something…”

And then Jim’s brain finally turned itself on. “Claire! Your hair clip!”

Claire startled, but understood and quickly handed one over to Merlin.

“Thank you, fair Claire.” The wizard replied as he popped the clip into place and handed the amulet to Toby.

“What’da I do?!” Toby pleaded.

Merlin shot and exasperated look at both Toby and Jim, “You’re the Trollhunter, and you alone must tap the amulet’s true potential!”

Toby swallowed hard and looked at Jim. As the sound of the oncoming flood grew nearly deafening, Jim took Toby by the shoulders and pushed him to the head of the group, to face the entrance.

“Draal, Aaarrrgghh, get behind us!” He shouted.

The two big trolls moved with a speed that belied their size to stand flanking Toby and Jim from behind.

“Activate the amulet Toby!” Jim shouted, praying that the words would come to Toby as they had to him.

Toby nodded and raised the amulet above his head. “For the glory of Merl… uh, in, Merlin, Daylight is mine to command!”

And nothing. Water began to spurt out cracks in the dam.

“Jim?” Toby glanced back at him apprehensively.

Work brain work! What did I say??

Larger rocks were pushed from the dam as water sprayed in the room. Toby held the amulet out in front of him now, as if it alone would protect them from the flood.

That’s it!

“Toby! Repeat after me!” Jim commanded as the dam burst and water exploded into the room.

“Daylight will protect us!” He screamed as he placed his hands on both of Toby’s shoulders and threw all his weight into bracing his friend.

Toby kept the amulet in front of him as he repeated Jim’s words. “Daylight will protect us!”

Daylight burst into life with a shower of blue sparks in Toby’s outstretched hands just as the deluge was about to bury them. The blade burned almost white as it sliced into the water, severing the torrent into two streams that passed on either side of the group, creating a safe pocket of dry land in between.

“By Jove… “ Merlin remarked.

Toby grunted as the force of the water pushed him backwards. Jim felt Aaarrrgghh and Draal join him in supporting Toby. But their salvation was temporary. Soon the cavern would fill with water and they would drown.

A rock fell with a massive crash off the wall to their left. That was it! A weakness in the stone! Without the time to explain, Jim used his grip on Toby’s shoulders to aim the stream of water to hit the wall where the rock had fallen. As the water hit the wall, it shook briefly, then crumbled to reveal the exit. Light flooded the cavern as the torrent abated, flowing harmlessly out of the newly created opening.

“Ha HA!” Blinky triumphed. “The instrument of our deaths, has been turned into the means of our egress!”

Toby collapsed with a groan, dropping the sword to the ground, and bringing Jim down with him.

“How…” Toby took a deep breath, exhausted. “How… did you… know… what… to say?”

Jim rolled off his friend onto the damp stone and shrugged. “I, think I read it in one of Blinky’s books. Like other stuff you can say to make the amulet do stuff.”

Toby stared up at him, then smiled. “Damn, I guess we can’t say that we’ll never use what we learn in school again, huh?”

Jim chuckled, “I guess not. Sorry.”

Toby closed his eyes and grinned. “Don’t be. That was awesome.”

———————

As the weary group, plus one grumpy, ancient wizard, settled themselves into the gyre for a nauseating ride home. Jim’s phone, outside the magical dampeners of Merlin’s Tomb, noisily rejoined the living with a seemingly endless series of alerts.

“Well, someone’s Mr. Popular!” Toby winked and poked Jim more painfully in the ribs than he’d probably intended as he was still wearing his armor.

Who’d be texting him now? Pretty much everyone he knew was here…

Mom!

Jim frantically fished his phone out of his back pocket and flicked open his messages. At least a dozen unread messages awaited him, but all were from Strickler.

As he tapped them open, he skimmed quickly past the exclamation points and all caps missives, his heart stopping as his eyes were drawn to the final message:

“Where are you Jim?! Maybe the TH has been taken already and we are lost. Our headquarters have fallen. Jim, it was Gunmar.”

———————

Chapter Text

Hi Dear Readers :)

Dropping in here with another note. I wanted to say that I have not abandoned this story, despite needing a hiatus from it. I've had, a hard year. I'm okay, it's going to be okay, but I just have not had any energy to write this story. This isn't an easy story to write because of how it deals with trauma, and I did not have it in me to work on this past year.

I have actually been picking it up and working on it a bit over the last month though. And I can't say when I'll have a new chapter exactly, BUT I have been starting to feel the need to get this written and to the finish line. I'd really like to give Jim and the team and myself (and you all) some closure on this, and maybe even make Jim's bad choice at the end of RotT into something meaningful.

As always, thank you SO VERY MUCH for reading, leaving amazing comments (I read them all), and being a Trollhunters fan. Happy seventh anniversary of the show to you all and extending my hope for us all to have a peaceful and hopeful and productive new year. Especially Jim lol.

With love,
Petey :)