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Douxie let out an exhausted breath, as he finally put the broom in the closet. The floor was as clean as it could be and he actually felt proud of himself. Humming a little tune belonging to one of Papa Skull's songs, he flipped off the lights in the cafe and ventured outside, turning the key inside the lock. 

With the door to the building locked, the undercover wizard pocketed the key and started down the street. The street lamps were the only source of light, most of Arcadia Oaks citizens already fast asleep. That's what happens if you work the night shift. 

Douxie turned into one of the back alleys, hoping to cut his way back to the apartment, when he suddenly bumped into someone. 

"Sorry, mate," the teen apologised instinctively. 

The person he had a run-in with didn't reply, their form hidden in the shadows. Douxie squinted, trying to see anything apart from the darkness but to no avail. The light from the street lamps didn't reach the alley, making it difficult to see through the shadows. 

But the longer Douxie stared, the more familiar the figure looked. Something tugged at the back of his mind and he tried to remember why it seemed like he knew whoever was in the alley with him. 

The person tilted their head and, despite them being obscured in the shadows, Douxie could almost see them grin. A shiver went down his spine, and he suddenly felt the urge to run, run, run!

"We-well," he croaked out, hating how his voice cracked at the word. "I have to go. Again, sorry about bumping into you." 

He tried to move past the person, the figure still unrecognisable beyond the darkness. He managed to take one step. Golden ropes shot out from the figure's hands. Before he could react, they captured him, the magic awfully familiar against his senses. 

"Going so soon, little Douxie?" A female voice asked, one the teen didn't expect to hear ever again.

Douxie inhaled sharply, recognising both the voice and the nickname. That can't be. 

"Mor-" 

His words were cut out as suddenly there was no ground underneath his feet. He plummeted down and into the darkness.

"Enjoy the shadows," were the last words he heard before the portal closed behind him. 

Merlin was well-aware he was walking into a trap the moment he put the first step into the darkened Trollmarket. It was his first time seeing it but he could quite tell this isn't what it was supposed to look like. All the crystals were dimmed, their glow almost nonexistent. He knew the trolls couldn't be out in the sun but he was pretty sure they didn't enjoy sitting in the darkness either. 

The muscular Kubera, Aaarrrgghh, if he recalled correctly, was creeping behind him. He could almost feel the troll's muscles tense, expecting the attack to come any moment now. The wizard couldn't really blame him, his own magic tingling at the tips of his fingers. 

He was painfully aware of the disadvantage the lack of the Staff of Avalon presented. He could only hope he could get it back before things escalated too much for him to handle.

Merlin felt pitifully weak without his staff. He could use magic without it but it was heavily limited, most of his power residing in the green crystal of Avalon. As long as Morgana had it, he was at her mercy. And he refused to be at anyone's mercy, much less his old apprentice’s. 

"Be at your guard," the wizard warned his companion as they descended the last of the stairs. "Morgana is not someone to be taken lightly." 

Aaarrrgghh growled in response, the large troll tensing ever so slightly. 

They creeped deeper and deeper into the abandoned town, Merlin only now realising his choice of outwear wasn't really one of the stealthy ones. Usually he'd just cast a silencing spell, however it didn't work only on his armour but also himself. And that would greatly handicap his chances of communicating with the Kubera. 

That, and he wasn't going to use the little power he had left for a silencing spell. There were far more important spells he could spend it on, than muting his squeaking armour. So, cringing at the sound, Merlin took another step, doing everything in his might to do so as quietly as possible. 

The two finally approached where the Heartstone of the Trollmarket used to be. It still baffled the wizard how could the trolls not notice Morgana's prison throughout all the time they lived down here. It's not like you could miss a person trapped inside a crystal hanging above your heads. 

But deciding it was not the best time to dwell on the Arcadia trolls' obliviousness, Merlin set his thoughts to his staff. He reached out through his magic and, sure enough, he could feel it being close. Disturbingly close, he might add, noting that the object was nowhere in sight. That, and the thing didn't answer his attempts to call it to his side, which should have worked if he was in close-enough range (and he most certainly was). 

He was just about to warn Aaarrrgghh, when he saw a gold glow at the corner of his vision. A sword conjured in his hand. Sparks flew to the sides as two metals collided. 

"Morgana," Merlin hissed, noting with dismay that she was wielding the Staff of Avalon. The green gem shined brighter, being so close to the wizard. 

"Hello, old fool," the witch replied, the upper part of her face covered by a golden helmet. "Lost something?" 

"More like it was stolen," he corrected, brows furrowed. He pushed forward and Morgana flew back a few feet. 

"Same meaning, different word," she taunted, laughing at her former master. "Why won't you come and get it, if it bothers you so much?" 

So come he did. 

He might have been weakened by the absence of his staff, but Merlin wasn't useless. If he couldn't fight without his staff, he had no right to call himself Master Wizard. Yes, he wasn't as powerful as he was with the Staff of Avalon. But he could still put up a good fight. 

He slashed. And he cut. Parried and thrusted. He threw a spell here and there just to keep Morgana off her feet (figuratively speaking). To find an opening big enough to get back what was rightfully his. 

He saw Aaarrrgghh fighting the Gumm-Gumms, the Kubera doing fairly well against an outnumbering enemy. Not that he could spare a moment if the troll started losing. The wizard's own opponent was already, and literally, fighting for his attention. 

Speaking of, Merlin barely dodged the next attack, the golden beam missing his head by inches. 

"Growing old?" Morgana taunted, hovering a few feet above the man. "You used to be such a worthy opponent."

"Give me back my staff and we shall see if that has changed," he countered. 

He shot a green beam of his own. It flew past the shadow witch and hit the ceiling. 

"You missed," she laughed, smirking at the wizard. "Did your sight fail you already?"

"That might have been correct, if I didn't hit exactly where I wanted to," Merlin replied, staring at something behind his opponent. 

Morgana's eyes widened and she turned, just as a large boulder fell at her. She managed to dodge but her grip on Merlin's staff loosened and it fell to the ground. The metallic clang echoed through the cavern. 

The woman hissed in frustration and dove, hand reaching for the lying staff. She never got to it. 

The moment Morgana's hold on the Staff of Avalon failed, it was no longer under her power. Merlin called out to it, his magic and the staff's uniting. The green gem shone brightly and the magic brought the item right into the owner's waiting hands. 

"Now, where were we?" The wizard adjusted his grip and pointed the staff, his staff at the woman. She cackled. 

"You can have that useless stick," she laughed, smirking at the man. "I used up all it's magic to bring forth the Eternal Night anyway." 

Merlin hummed in response, his posture not wavering. He poured more of his magic into the staff, the gem lighting up further. 

"Did you now?" he said, a smirk of his own making a way to his lips. "My dear Morgana, do you really take me for some second-class wizard? What you took was just a glimpse, merely a pinch of my power." 

A powerful beam shot at the witch. She screamed as she was pushed against the wall, Merlin's magic keeping her from moving. 

"How is this possible?!" she screamed, irises like golden flame. "That thing was powerless!" 

"It seems making you Master Wizard was a mistake on my part," the man shook his head. "You are lacking eons of knowledge. If you were only less eager to fight with your brother and focus more on your studies."

"What are you babbling about, old fool?!" Morgana called on her magic, trying to free herself. 

"Wizard's staff only needs a spark of magic to bring back it's full power," Merlin explained patiently. The green gem shone brighter, as if agreeing with his words. "You might have used all that was stored in my staff. But you didn't even come close to taking all of its or my magic."

Morgana sneered, her magic flaring and finally breaking through Merlin's. She shot herself at him, hands ablaze with gold. His shield sprung up to life, deflecting the attack effortlessly. 

Once upon a time, back in the twelfth century, he let himself become too confident. He believed himself to be all-powerful, to be able to take on anyone. This ignorance cost him greatly, taking nine hundred years to replenish his strength. 

This time he won't make the same mistake. This time he won't underestimate his opponent. 

His attacks were relentless, precise. He aimed at weak spots, no longer fooling himself that Morgana could be saved. If she didn't change throughout those nine centuries, there really was no hope for her. And hence, she had to be dealt with.

Sealing her away didn't work. Not like he hoped it would. As much as he didn't want to hurt his old apprentice, she was too much of a threat to be allowed to remain in this realm. Tough times call for tough choices, it seemed. 

Morgana screamed, as she hit the stone wall, the building she barrelled into collapsing under the impact. She pushed herself up, a trickle of blood flowing from the corner of her mouth. 

"Give up, Morgana," Merlin said, levitating closer, the gem in his staff shining aggressively. "You can't win this." 

"Never!" she spat back. A malicious smirk appeared on her lips. "Not when I still have one more card to play." 

She swiped her hand and a portal appeared. And from that portal, to Merlin's utter horror, fell a person. A horribly familiar person. Tied with golden chains. 

"How nice of you to join us, little Douxie," Morgana purred. 

And at that moment, Merlin didn't know what froze his veins more: Morgana's twisted smile or the sight of his apprentice staring at him in terror.

Shadow Realm wasn’t something Douxie would wish on anyone, now that he experienced it firsthand. The darkness was overwhelming, spreading in every direction. There was no up or down in here. One moment he was falling, the next he felt himself rise up. There was no time, either. Days felt like seconds, and hours like months. 

He collided with another rock, one of many levitating through the realm. He hissed in pain, unable to relieve it. The golden bonds conjured by Morgana held fast. He would have thought they would disappear in time but they didn’t. If holding him prisoner in the realm he can’t escape with his own power wouldn’t be enough. 

He had no way of knowing how long he was gone but he was certain Archie had to be worried sick. Even if the familiar didn’t feel Douxie falling through the portal into the Shadow Realm, he must have noticed he didn’t come home. If only he had a way to contact the dragon. But he tried that time and time before, each attempt resulting in absolutely nothing. 

He could still feel the bond between them but it was muted, hidden behind the figurative shadows. He couldn’t be sure but that probably meant Archie couldn’t find him, either. And, even if he did, the shapeshifter had no way to get the wizard out. Whether he liked it or not, he was completely at Morgana’s mercy. Whatever she was planning to do to him. 

Suddenly, he felt his speed rising as if an invisible wind pushed him in some direction. Before he could register anything, he fell out of the darkness backwards, his back hitting the ground hard. Disoriented, he tried turning over so that he could see something more than the stone ceiling. No, not exactly stone. Crystal, glowing golden yellow above his head. 

“How nice of you to join us, little Douxie,” an awfully familiar voice purred to his right. 

He tried to stand up, only for the bonds tripping him and making him fall, this time to his belly. His hazel eyes met Morgana’s green. She was wearing a golden armour, helmet covering the upper part of her face. There was a sick, twisted smile on her lips. The kind that made the shiver go up his spine almost instantly. 

From the corner of his eyes he saw another glimmer, this time a green one. There was something familiar about it. He turned his head in that direction and froze. 

Master Merlin. The old wizard was standing there, Staff of Avalon in his hand, looking as alive as he was back in Camelot. Did he wake up then? But when? How? 

Blue eyes stared into hazel ones, both equally terrified.

“Ma-” Hisirdoux started, but was suddenly lifted in the air, gold magic trapping his movements.

“What now, Merlin?” Morgana taunted, tracing a line down Douxie’s cheek, her nails leaving a mark on his skin. 

“Why do you have my apprentice?” the Master Wizard questioned, his staff’s crystal glowing brighter. 

“I thought I was your apprentice, too,” the woman pouted but her eyes were showing her true intentions. 

“You lost that right when you sided with Gunmar and attacked Camelot!” Merlin bit back, brows furrowed in anger. “Let go of my apprentice. Now!”

“Ah, ah, ah,” the shadow witch tutted, circling around the trapped boy. “Are you sure you’re in a position to demand anything, old man?”

She clenched her fist, and the bonds around Douxie’s body tightened, earning a pained yelp. 

“Hisirdoux!” the Master Wizard called, locking eyes with the prisoner. 

Douxie had to blink, taken aback. Was that actual fear he saw in his master’s eyes? Was he afraid for him? But that couldn’t be. Master Merlin was never afraid. He never saw him scared back in Camelot. Why now?

“Ma- Master,” Douxie managed to cough out, despite the bonds pushing on his throat and chest. His vision was spinning, the lungs not getting enough oxygen. “Don’t… worry about… me.”

“Aw, little Douxie is trying to play the hero,” Morgana taunted, her laughter ringing in the boy’s ears. “You lost one apprentice, Merlin. Do you really want to risk losing one more?”

Hisirdoux could barely see, dark spots dancing in front of his eyes. His eyes were ringing and his chest hurt so much. He heard Morgana and Master Merlin talking, but couldn’t recognise the words. His breathing was raspy and shallow, less and less oxygen entering through the tight gap. 

Suddenly, the pressure disappeared. The magic holding him in the air left. He fell limply to the ground, gasping and coughing. Hands grabbed him and he instinctively tried to push away. That only resulted in an ungraceful fall as it turned out his bounds didn't disappear. 

Maybe he wouldn't be in such a panicked state if he could see or hear properly. But his vision was blurred and there was this awful ringing in his ears. And last he remembered, he was held prisoner by Morgana. So excuse him for freaking out. 

The hands appeared again but this time they were softer, more careful. They gently touched his shoulders and propped him up. 

"-doux, calm down, boy," a voice cut through the noise. He knew that voice. 

Douxie turned his head where the person speaking should be. His vision was clearer than moments ago, but it still seemed like seeing the world through the fogged up window. The green glow and silver armour were comfortingly familiar, though. 

"Master," he rasped out, his throat hurting with each sound. 

"Silence, Hisirdoux," Merlin ordered and the boy was taken aback. 

Did he do something wrong? Why was Master Merlin ordering him to be silent? Could he have angered him somehow? Maybe the wizard was disappointed that his apprentice let himself be caught and used as leverage? 

His vision finally cleared and he looked up to his master. The blue eyes were staring right at him with… was that worry? Douxie opened his eyes in shock. This wasn't the stoic man he knew all this time. 

Merlin's eyes moved to look past Douxie, his brows furrowing. 

"Unbind him!" he ordered. Morgana laughed. 

"And deny you the chance to show off your powerful magic?" Her voice was taunting. "Besides, I have a world to conquer." 

"My Trollhunter-" 

"Will fall, as will all of his allies," the witch cut him off. "And just so you don't follow me too fast…" 

There was a flash of gold and the boom as the magic hit the stone ceiling. Cracks started to appear, the whole structure beginning to fall apart. 

Merlin swore, turning to his apprentice. 

"There's no time to undo your bindings," he said, eyes jumping between the boy and the collapsing ceiling. "I'm going to have to carry you." 

"But Ma-" 

"And don't But Master me, Hisirdoux," the wizard didn't leave him any place for argument. He leaned over, getting his hands under the boy. 

Everything after then happened in a blur. 

Douxie saw an exceptionally large boulder detach itself from above their heads. Master didn't. So, without thinking, Douxie pushed. His magic flared, hitting the man straight in the chest. The wizard fell backwards, shocked. 

And then the boulder fell. And Douxie saw and felt nothing more.

People say that when accidents happen, things seem to go in slow motion. Painfully slow, giving an impression of being able to stop whatever's going to happen. When, in reality, they themselves move as slowly as everything around them. Forced to watch in helplessness. 

Bullocks. 

If things had really happened in slow motion, Merlin would have been able to do something. Freeze the time. Push Hisirdoux away from danger. Make a shield. Blast the damned boulder to oblivion. Anything.

But he hadn't been graced by this. Instead, things happened so fast that he only registered what had occured after the rocks stopped falling and the silence filled the cavern. 

Once his mind caught up, the wizard sprung to life, crying for his apprentice. Getting no reply only served to up his already high heart rate. His magic hummed impatiently, searching for any sign of the boy. 

Finally, one of the green wisps hovered over one of the larger piles. Merlin's throat tightened as he noticed a hand sticking out, the familiar charm bracelet stuck to the wrist. 

Forcing himself to stay calm ("Magic is emotion, Hisirdoux."), Merlin focused on the pile. Slowly, one rock at a time, he dismantled the abomination trapping his son apprentice. 

Once the last boulder had been removed, the wizard wasted no time running to the boy's side. He was pale. Not his usual paleness. His skin was almost blue and for a second Merlin was scared he was too late. His armour's squeal bounced against the walls as he fell to his knees, hands shaking. 

"Please, Hisirdoux," he pleaded as he forced his fingers to stop shaking and put them against the boy's throat. 

For a startling moment, nothing happened. Merlin's heart dropped. Eyes widened. 

But then… he felt it. 

It was weak, barely perceptible. But it was there. 

Hisirdoux was alive. His son apprentice was alive. 

Muttering a quick spell to get rid of those blasted golden chains tying the slender body, Merlin turned his focus to assessing the boy's injuries. He was unconscious, that's for one thing. There was a deep gash on his forehead, blood seeping down in a steady stream. That certainly wasn't good. 

The wizard cursed himself for not wearing any materials, his armour completely useless in stopping the bleeding. He didn't know what was Hisirdoux's shirt made of but cloth was cloth. He ripped a long piece and tied it around the boy's head. The blood didn't stop but it definitely slowed, so that was something. 

His eyes set on his apprentice's body, noticing the unnatural angle his left arm and right leg were. Most certainly broken. It was a good thing he was unconscious. That would make setting the bones easier. Hisirdoux twitched when the bones snapped to the place but didn't wake up. 

There were a few more smaller gashes and scratches along the boy's arms and legs and some more on his face. Luckily enough, none of them were life-threatening. 

All in all, Merlin had to get Hisirdoux to the healer. And fast. 

He eyed the caved-in entrance, rocks blocking the only way out of the cavern. He could try lifting them as he did with the ones trapping his apprentice but it would take too long. Forcing his way out in any of the directions, would only bring more harm than anything else. 

The old wizard cursed profoundly. He now regretted never attempting to learn portal magic. Shadowmancy wasn't the only branch capable of creating them, though it was the most advanced at it. Nevertheless, Merlin never saw the need of learning to create portals. And he highly doubted he would be able to teach himself in time to get Hisirdoux to safety. 

Suddenly, he heard something. Perplexed, he tried to locate the sound, eyes scanning the stone walls. They finally focused on the rocks blocking the entrance. Intrigued, he came closer. 

There was a steady knocking. It took him a moment to realize what it was. But when he did, his heart filled with hope. 

Someone was removing the rocks from the other side. And it could be only one person. Or a troll, actually. 

"Aaarrrgghh?" the wizard called. Another rock was removed. 

"Aaarrrgghh make exit," the Kubera replied from the other side. "Just wait." 

Merlin almost laughed with relief. Hisirdoux had a chance after all. 

"Work as fast as you can. I need to get to a healer, fast," he asked. The troll stopped working. 

"Merlin hurt?" Aaarrrgghh sounded worried. 

"Might as well be…" the wizard answered, looking back at his unconscious son apprentice. "Please, hold on a little longer."

Morgana was defeated, banished to the Shadow Realm with no way of return. She tried to take Claire with her, but the Latina managed to escape. 

Jim looked around, noting his surroundings. Citizens of Arcadia Oaks, both humans and trolls, mingled around. Some were still wary but he could see they were warming up to themselves. Despite all the events that led to it, at the end of the day all Arcadians were brought together, creating bonds of mutual respect. 

"Everyone alright?" He turned to his friends. Several nods and confirmations answered his question. 

"Anyone saw Merlin and Aaarrrgghh?" Claire spoke up, looking around. 

"Not since they went down to the Trollmarket," Toby admitted from his spot on the ground. "The night is still going, though."

"I hope they are unhurt," Jim mused. He didn't care much about the wizard, but the troll was one of his close friends. They lost him once and the Trollhunter wasn't sure any of them could go through the loss again.

Just then, a voice cut through the air. It was the voice all of them recognised but never heard it sound so desperate. 

"I need a healer!" 

Jim jumped off the bridge, landing in front of the man, Claire, Toby and Blinky stepping through a portal right next to him. 

Merlin was frantic. His eyes were wide with terror, crying for healer. He cradled a body in his arms, the person clearly unconscious and heavily wounded. 

"Hey, isn't that this waiter from that café?" Toby said as he noticed who Merlin was carrying. "What was his name? Something weird… Draxie…? Dixie…?"

"DOUXIE!" Something small and black zoomed past them and hovered over the unconscious boy. "What happened to him?!" 

"Not now, Archibald!" Merlin snapped, the teens only now noticing the creature looked like a glasses-wearing cat with dragon wings. 

Jim was confused. Both by Merlin's behaviour and Douxie's presence itself. Why was he with the wizard? Why was he hurt? And what was with the strange cat?

"Trollhunter, please," Merlin's voice brought him back to the scene at hand. The wizard was looking at him pleadingly, something strikingly similar to concern in his eyes. "Please, save him. I- I can't lose him." 

Frankly, Jim didn't like Merlin. But his feelings had nothing to say here. Douxie was hurt and in need of medical attention, as fast as possible. 

"Claire, my mom is on shift right now." He turned to his girlfriend, the shadow mage quickly catching up. 

A portal sprung up to life and he jumped through, followed closely by Merlin, the strange cat and, finally, his friends. The wizard didn't make any comments about the portal and shadowmancy, which only brought more questions for the Trollhunter. 

The hospital was in chaos. People crowded the waiting room, nurses running back and forth, trying to help as many people as they could. Jim saw a hint of red hair at the back of the room. 

"Mom!" he called. 

Barbara turned, eyes staring through the crowd. She noticed her son and all but ran towards him, bringing him to a hug the moment she was within range. 

"Jim. Oh my god. Are you okay? You're not hurt, aren't you?" She grabbed his face between her hands, eyes searching for injuries. 

"I'm fine, mom," he assured with a smile. "But-"

"Dr Lake, please," Merlin cut in before the half-troll could explain anything. 

The man stepped closer, cradling the unconscious boy to his chest. The cat was flying over his shoulder, looking equally worried. 

"I know you and I don't see eye to eye, but please…" he looked at her pleadingly, showing the boy to her. "Please, save my son." 

Trollhunters gaped in shock at Merlin. Did he just call that boy his son? Jim couldn't wrap his head around it, no matter how much he tried. 

Barbara took one sight at the unconscious Douxie and clenched her jaw. Jim knew she was switching to doctor mode immediately. 

"Put him on the stretcher," she ordered, already turning on her heel. "Cindy, surgery room number 3, now!" she called to one of the nurses who quickly nodded and ran off. Barbara grabbed the said stretcher and the moment Douxie was laid down, started to push him in the direction of the surgery room. "What happened?"

"He got trapped under the cave-in," Merlin replied through a tight throat. 

"He what?!" the cat, Archibald, as the wizard has called it earlier, screeched. "You were with him!" 

"He pushed me away!" Merlin yelled back. "By the time I could react, it was already too late!" 

"You're useless," Archibald scoffed, landing on the stretcher, and pushing against the boy's hand. 

"No animals allowed," Barbara stared at the cat, her brows furrowed. The cat glared back. 

"I'm not leaving. Where Douxie is going, I am, too" he stated, and Jim somehow knew it would be impossible to make the animal do otherwise. 

Mom seemed to get the same idea, because she didn't repeat herself, focusing on the injured boy. 

"I see a gash on the head. We'll have to look into it to make sure there are no brain injuries. Arm and leg look like they were fractured but the bones were set back to place," she eyed the wizard who nodded. 

"If he is to heal properly, I had to set them as soon as possible," he replied. 

They arrived by the surgery door and, without stopping, Barbara wheeled Douxie in. Merlin and the others were stopped by a nurse just outside the door. 

"Please, wait here," she said and turned on her heel, walking through the door. 

They stood in the corridor, the emotions only now slowly going down. Jim side-eyed Merlin, the wizard facing the surgery, his usual calm demeanor completely gone. He was pale, his irises were wide and his hands were shaking so badly that the Staff of Avalon was knocking against the floor. 

"So…" Toby slided closer to the man. "Son?" 

"What?" Merlin replied, his gaze only for a second leaving the closed door to stare at the teen in confusion. 

"Douxie, the waiter," Toby nodded towards the room. "Is he really your son?" 

"No. Yes. I don't- Urgh!" The wizard seemed to not know the correct answer, which certainly looked suspicious. "Not the right time, Tobias," he finally yelled, stomping the foot of his staff against the floor. 

The green power exploded in the corridor, the lights flicking off and on. The door to the surgery opened and a very pissed off Barbara glared at them. 

"Either control yourself or go somewhere you won't do damage by turning off the electricity," she said, before walking back in, the door slamming behind her. 

Trollhunters looked at each other. No one wanted to anger their go-to doctor. 

Merlin huffed, before sitting down on the floor and closing his eyes. 

"Um…" Toby once again tried to get the wizard's attention. The man glared at him. 

"What now?" he asked, irritated. 

"The neverending night is kinda still going, so maybe you could…?" 

The wizard mumbled something ineligible before grabbing his staff and standing up. 

"Boorah Azuth!" he said, hitting his staff against the floor again. 

The power surge exited the crystal but it didn't cause power cut this time. Instead, the red clouds cleared and the sky turned blue again. 

"There, happy?" Merlin glared at the teens, daring them to say anything else. 

"Peachy," Toby grinned sheepishly. 

The man huffed once more and sat back down. 

"You can all go now. This doesn't concern you," he said, waving them off. 

"No one should be alone in a time like this," Claire argued, everyone nodding in agreement. 

"Suit yourself," Merlin replied, closing his eyes. "Now, don't disturb me, unless it has something to do with Hisirdoux." 

With those words, the wizard went still as a statue. And the Trollhunters could do nothing more but wait until the surgery was over.

It wasn't until hours later that the light over the surgery room blinked off. Merlin immediately opened his eyes and stood up, not paying attention to anything but the door. They swung open and a very exhausted Barbara stepped through, wiping at her eyes.

"And?" The wizard didn't as much give the woman time to gather her bearings. He had to know how was his son apprentice.

"He's alive," Barbara gave the man a short glare before answering. "There was an internal bleeding to his brain but, luckily, it didn't seem like it caused any damage. At least as much as we could tell without him being awake."

"There won't be any," Merlin said, not sure who he was trying to convince. "Hisirdoux is a fighter. Always have been."

"Well, as I said, we'll know more once he's awake," the woman repeated, stifling a yawn. "Which won't be for another couple of hours. And now, if you excuse me, I have to get some coffee or I'm going to drop where I stand."

"Can… I see him?" the wizard asked, sounding so much smaller than he was. Barbara looked at him, an unreadable expression on her face, before she smiled softly.

"Of course, he's in room 546. Go back the way we came from and turn left on the first crossing," she replied.

"Thank you," Merlin said. If the woman was surprised to hear the words from him, she didn't show it. "I mean it."

"I know," she smiled and turned around. Then she turned back to the wizard again. "Just so you know, I'm still mad at you for turning my son into a troll," she pointed a finger at him, brows furrowed.  "But me being mad at you doesn't mean I won't help an innocent kid. Regardless of his relationship to you." With those words, she finally walked away and entered one of the rooms labeled Staff .

The wizard didn't dwell in the corridor much longer. He didn’t care if the Trollhunter and his friends stayed or came with, but preferably the latter. Following the directions left by Barbara, he quickly found the room she said Hisirdoux was resting in. Taking a moment to compose himself, the man pushed the door and entered.

Hisirdoux was asleep on the bed, looking exceptionally thin and pale. There was a bandage around his head, his left arm and right leg were put in plasters. There was some tube sticking out from the boy's arm, and some kind of machine by the bed which let out a beep every second.

Merlin sucked in a breath, suddenly realising how close to losing his son apprentice he really was. He was truly glad Trollhunter's mom was doctor first and an angry parent second. She still seemed to not forgive the wizard for turning Jim Lake Jr. into half-troll. Not that the man cared what she thought about his actions.

Nevertheless, if she spoke the truth, she really did save Hisirdoux. And for that, he couldn't be more grateful.

Merlin would never admit it aloud, but the boy had really grown on him. He sure has changed, the scale of which Merlin had yet to uncover. He would be a fool to believe those nine centuries didn't leave any mark on his apprentice. He only wished he didn't change too much for the wizards to still recognise him.

"I was wondering when you'll come in," a voice cut through the silence of the room. The wizard looked that way and saw Archibald, the shapeshifter lying curled next to his familiar.

"I spoke to the doctor," Merlin replied vaguely, not elaborating. Archibald hummed in response.

There was a moment of silence between the two, only the sound of the machine, once-a-second beeping filling the room.

"Mind explaining to me what happened?" the shapeshifter finally asked, golden eyes staring into the blue ones.

"I was hoping you would tell me," Merlin huffed. "How did Hisirdoux end up in Morgana's claws?"

"Morgana?!" Archibald shouted, standing up abruptly. Hisirdoux moaned in discomfort, and the dragon quickly laid down again, pressing against the boy's side. Only when the boy had calmed down again, did the shapeshifter turn his attention back to the wizard. "He was with Morgana?!"

"How did you not know that?" Merlin's brows furrowed in scepticism. "Is he not your familiar?"

"Look, all I know is Douxie had a closing shift at the café three weeks ago and he didn't come home," Archibald replied. "He suddenly disappeared and I couldn't locate him. I knew he was somewhere , I could feel our bond. But it was as if someone was blocking it, making it impossible for me to find him."

"That might be him being in the Shadow Realm," the wizard gripped his chin thoughtfully. "It is a different plane of existence and it might have been muting your familiar bond."

"Perhaps," the shapeshifter agreed, his tail swinging from side to side. "I should have gone with him."

"You're not his guardian," Merlin replied. It's not your fault.

"I'm his familiar!" Archibald argued. It is, and don't try denying it.

"And I'm his master," the wizard pointed out. If it's anyone's, it's mine.

They stared at each other as if arguing without words, before finally Archibald huffed in irritation and turned away his gaze.

"So, what happened?" the dragon asked, pointing his tail at the unconscious boy. "Did she do this?"

"Indirectly," Merlin answered, his eyes landing on his apprentice's face. He looked so peaceful as if he just fell asleep after a long day of work. "It seems she figured Hisirdoux could be used as a leverage against me."

"And I presume it worked." The wizard couldn't quite place the emotion behind Archibald's eyes.

"She collapsed the ceiling," Merlin continued, omitting part of the story.

It's not like he would admit how terrified he was when his former apprentice started to choke Hisirdoux with her magic. How the boy's rasped screams and desperate attempts to breathe chilled him to the bone. How his own throat seemed to close on itself, not leaving any sounds out. How desperately he wanted to plead, beg Morgana to let the boy go, only for his voice to betray him. That only after several failed attempts to speak, the shadow witch took pity on the man and finally, finally released Hisirdoux. That he was too relieved to stop the woman from creating the collapse, to stop Hisirdoux from-

"Then why didn't you protect him?" Archibald asked, his gaze accusatory. "You remained unharmed, while he's in the hospital bed. Why couldn't you protect your own apprentice?!"

"He pushed me away!" Merlin argued back, the gem on his staff shining brighter.

"Of course he did," the dragon huffed angrily. "He still cares about you, you know? After all those centuries," he added more softly, looking down on his familiar.

"Don't you dare to insinuate I don't." Merlin came closer, his eyes narrowing.

"Well, you have an odd way of showing it, then," Archibald was openly glaring now. "Unless caring in your dictionary means leaving your apprentice on his own for nine centuries and then, when you finally come back, getting said apprentice hurt in a battle that had nothing to do with him!!!"

"I didn't ask for it! " The wizard was seething, the green glow almost blinding now. " I didn't tell Morgana to find Hisirdoux! I didn't ask her to kidnap him! I didn't ask her to imprison him in Shadow Realm for three weeks! I didn't ask her to use my own apprentice against me!" He was pretty sure everyone in the hospital could hear them but he didn't care. Not when Archibald didn't know what he was talking about. He took a breath, suddenly feeling his voice crack, tears welling in his eyes. "I didn't ask Hisirdoux to save me… but he did. I did nothing to deserve him. Nothing."

And then, Merlin cried.

People were predictable. Once you knew the type, you could easily decipher what action would cause a specific reaction.

And Merlin Ambrosius, Archie decided, was the most predictable of them all. The man always reacted the same, thinking himself guiltless and omnipotent. Always right and never in the wrong. This is just how the wizard was and, as much as Archie hated his attitude, it was something he knew, something he could expect.

He definitely didn't expect Merlin to shout back at the shapeshifter. He didn't expect him to admit his wrongdoings concerning Douxie.

And he certainly didn't expect the wizard to break down.

Archie stared at the man, eyes wide. The man's shoulders trembled as he collapsed onto the floor. Tearstains marked the floor. And Archie, for the first time in his fourteen centuries of being alive, didn't know what to do. He just sat there, body frozen in shock, and watched the usually calm and composed wizard cry his eyes out.

It took a few seconds too long for Archie to finally get a hold of himself. He shook himself off, let out a deep sigh and jumped down to the floor, slowly approaching the weeping man.

"If you were to tell me that back in Camelot, I would have probably agreed with you," the shapeshifter said. "But," he continued, taking a glance back at his sleeping familiar. "After all those years, I realize that's not true."

Merlin didn't look up, but the shaking subsided. Archie took it as a signal to go on.

"You might not know this, but you saved him, saved us back then," he said slowly. "And I don't mean only from the guards. Even if we did manage to evade them, someone else would have found out about Douxie's magic, one way or another. And nobody would be there to stop them from killing him, this time. As much as it pains me, I'm not strong enough to protect Douxie. Not the way I would like to." The dragon looked at Merlin, but the man still continued to look away. "If it wasn't for you taking Douxie as your apprentice, he wouldn't have lived that long."

That finally got a reaction. The wizard looked up at the shapeshifter. His eyes were red-trimmed and, Archie decided, didn't fit the man at all.

"What do you mean?" he asked and Archie had to stop himself from hitting his head against the wall. For being Master Wizard, Merlin was sometimes pretty dense.

"Well, for one, possessing magic back then was not something one was ecstatic about," Archie explained slowly. "You had King Arthur's favour, but most magic-users weren't so lucky. I thought you knew that."

"Of course I knew!" Merlin huffed angrily. "But what did you want me to do? I couldn't take in all of them."

"I'm not saying you could. I'm only explaining the background," the shapeshifter replied calmly. "Douxie was thrown out from his own village for who he was. His parents tried to protect him, but the villagers were merciless." Archie's eyes dimmed. "Did you know they killed his mother in front of his eyes? He's having nightmares about it until this day."

Merlin's eyes widened in horror. He had heard rumours of how people treated magic-users across the kingdom, but to kill a woman who was only trying to protect her child? And to do it in front of said child's eyes? How could anyone be so cruel?

"After we met, we had to constantly move," Archie continued. "Not only because of Douxie's magic, but also because we couldn't find a place to stay anywhere. We were on the run, Merlin. Taking us in back then saved us, in more than one way. You gave us a sense of safety, a place we could call home." His gaze moved back to the unconscious boy. "At least he did."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Merlin asked, looking somewhat calmer than before.

"Because I need you to understand just how much Douxie owes you. We owe you," the shapeshifter replied simply. "You were the first person since his parents' death, who looked at him and saw a person, not an abomination. The way he is now is heavily influenced by that time we spent in Camelot. He owes you his life." Archie's eyes stared into Merlin's. "So, Douxie sacrificing himself to save you… It was his way to pay you back. To say thank you ."

Merlin nodded, too stunned to reply. Archie was about to say something more, when the quiet grunt from the bed cut the silence. Both the wizard and the familiar looked that way immediately.

Douxie was waking up.

Everything was blurry, Douxie decided. The sounds were as if coming through a thick wall. He was touching something, but it felt like he was only doing so with his fingertips. His mind was slow and fogged-up.

The boy tried opening his eyes, succeeding after a third attempt, first two blinding him almost immediately. When he finally did open his eyes, everything was blurry, as well. As if he was supposed to wear glasses but left them somewhere, so he was now sentenced to seeing the world all blurred and foggy.

"... not for ... more hours," someone vaguely familiar said somewhere to his right. The voice sounded like warm ambers after the fire had died out.

"... wizard … faster than humans," another voice answered, this one more harsh but gentle at the same time.

Douxie tried to sit up but his body didn't want to cooperate. So he turned his head instead, two blurry figures appearing in the line of his vision. The smaller and black one seemed to be hovering mid-air, and the bigger and silverish-grey one stood just a couple of steps from where he was laying.

Something tugged at the back of his mind. The blurs, their voices, they seemed familiar somehow. If only the damned fog would finally let go and allow him to function properly.

"Douxie?" The black blurr hovered closer and, his vision slowly clearing, the boy could see golden eyes staring at him from behind the spectacles.

"Arch..?" Douxie croaked out, finally recognising his familiar. "Wha' 'appened?"

"You were hurt. You're in hospital," Archie replied, whatever was blocking his ears clearing out as well.

"Hurt? I don't-" Douxie's gaze moved down and he noticed his left arm and right leg both perched up and covered in plasters. How did he-?

Suddenly, his mind cleared and a flood of memories hit him at full speed. Morgana's shadow abducting him on the way from the café. The unknown time spent in the Shadow Realm. The crystal cavern. Master Merlin and Morgana. The collapse. The boulder.

He shot up in shock, eyes widening. The sudden movement sent a flare of pain through his body. He hissed and folded into himself, not expecting it.

"Careful, boy. You might have a faster healing process, but that doesn't mean you will be fine after just a couple of hours," a familiar voice cut through Douxie's coughing fit.

The boy looked up, shocked, staring right into the blue eyes he knew all-too-well.

"Master Merlin," he breathed out, the said man looking at him with concern. "You… you're here."

"Of course I am," Merlin huffed, sounding offended. "Where else am I supposed to be?"

"Are you alright?" Archie flew into his line of vision again and gently landed on his legs.

"Fairly," he replied, still confused. "What about Morgana?"

"Sealed away in the Shadow Realm," the Master Wizard said, emotion in his voice Douxie can't quite place. "Trollhunter and his team made certain of that."

Archie gently bonked his head against Douxie's chest and the boy absentmindedly started to run his hand through the familiar's fur. The rhythmical purring vibrated through his whole body.

"Hisirdoux, do you not trust me?" Merlin suddenly asked. Brown eyes move to the wizard, confused.

"Of course I trust you, master," he replied, unsure why the man was asking a question like that.

"Then why did you push me? Why didn't you tell me about the boulder?" the wizard continued. "I could have stopped it, saved us both."

"I…" Douxie didn't know what to say. "There was no time," he tried explaining. "And if one of us could go out alive, I figured I'd be better for it to be you."

"So you wanted to sacrifice yourself for me?" Merlin questioned further. Douxie turned his gaze away, ashamed. "Hisirdoux, you are not allowed to do that. And don't-"

"But master-"

"- but master me," he finished with a smile, which quickly turned into a concerned frown. "Hisirdoux, you are worth much more than you think. I might have not shown it enough times before but I care about you."

"I-" Douxie was lost for words. Merlin really cared about him?

"I have matters to attend to which I can't prolong much longer," Merlin said, before the boy could process what he shared before. "But I will be coming back. You are to stay in bed and listen to the doctor." He turned towards the door and almost left, before looking back. "Archibald, I can trust you with making sure he does rest properly, can't I?"

"I will sit on him, if I have to," the shapeshifter replied, earning a sound of betrayal from the bed-ridden boy.

"Good. I'll see you soon then." With those words, the wizard walked through the door and left.

Douxie stared at the door, stunned and still not quite understanding what had just transpired. A sudden weight on his chest made him fall back and lay down on his bed.

"Archie!" he wailed, as the familiar laid himself on the boy's chest and curled into a ball.

"I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted," the dragon yawned. "I'm going to take a nap. I suggest you do the same."

Having said that, Archie closed his eyes and let out a relaxed sigh, falling asleep rather quickly. Douxie stared at his familiar with the mixture of shock and betrayal. Then, deciding he didn't have anything else to do, he closed his own and let the soft purring on his stomach guide him to the land of dreams.

The evening sun was almost fully set. A group of trolls and people gathered on the edge of Arcadia Oaks' forest.

"Do you really have to go, Jimbo?" Toby asked, his eyes teary.

Jim, towering over his best friend in his half-troll form, smiled and put a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"The trolls need me to protect them, Tobes. You know that," he replied.

"Then let me go with you! I-I'll explain it to Nana. She’ll understand!" the redhead pleaded.

"Tobes, I need you and Aaarrrgghh to protect Arcadia while we're gone," Jim explained softly. "Besides, I'm not leaving for forever. It's just until we find a new place for the guys to stay." He nodded towards the trolls gathered among the trees.

"Don't worry, I'm going to make sure he won't do anything stupid," Claire came over in her purple armour, grinning at the boys.

"Hey!" Jim cried out, offended.

Douxie watched the teens say their goodbyes from a little further away. He was standing next to Merlin, Archie perched on his usual place, the boy's shoulder.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Merlin asked for the uptenth time. Douxie rolled his eyes.

"I am fine, master," he replied. "You don't have to go mother-hen on me because I got hurt."

"You almost died, Hisirdoux, and in a situation that could have been easily avoided, if only you used this head of yours," Merlin scolded, smacking his apprentice with his staff. The boy yelped at the hit and rubbed the back of his head. "And I'm not mother-henning you. Don't be ridiculous."

"Whatever you say," Douxie grinned back.

They stood in silence for several seconds, watching the group interact. If Douxie had to be honest, he didn't want Master Merlin to go. He just got him back after nine centuries. And now he was leaving again, for who knew how long.

"I guess I'm staying behind," he said, not sure if he was speaking to the man or himself. 

"I need you to keep an eye on the things out here," Merlin replied. "For reasons I can't explain yet, this town is important. You're the only one I can trust to keep it safe."

"Alright." Douxie didn't feel convinced, but it was nice the wizard was at least trying. "How long will you be gone this time?"

"I don't know." Merlin shook his head. "Hopefully, we'll be back in six months at the latest." He looked towards the group at the edge of the forest. "Right, time to go!" he shouted, gaining the attention of the others.

Douxie stood back, as Merlin gathered everyone who was coming and got ready to leave. Toby joined him and nudged in the shoulder.

"Sad to see your dad go?" the chubby boy grinned. Douxie blinked.

"Who?"

"Duh, Merlin, obviously," Toby nodded towards the man. Archie snorted, and the boy eyed him oddly.

"He's not my- Where did you get this idea?!" Douxie gaped at the redhead.

"He called you his son," Toby explained, looking perplexed.

"What? When?" The wizard was getting more and more confused by the second. "He called me… son?"

Merlin now seemed to be doing everything to not look in their direction. It was actually quite odd how interesting the trees were.

"Alright, we're burning the moonlight!" The Master Wizard called out, still looking away.

"Right, see you, Tobes." Jim waved his hand goodbye.

The group started to move away, Douxie still too stunned to react. Most of the trolls disappeared already, and now it was only Jim, Claire, Blinky and Merlin at the edge of the forest. They slowly turned away, and one by one walked away, Merlin staying the longest. The man took one step, and that's when Douxie reacted.

"YOU CALLED ME A SON?!" he yelled, staring at the wizard but he didn't react, disappearing behind the trees.

"He sure did," Archie spoke up, shifting into a dragon and hovering mid-air. "He also cried over your unconscious body and made me comfort him."

"What?!" Douxie turned to his familiar in shock.

"He's his master, by the way," Archie turned to Toby, who was staring at the shapeshifter with his mouth agape.

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa??????"