Chapter Text
Jim now understood how it felt to die, the adrenaline rushing through your body, doing everything to prevent the inevitable. Was this what Bular felt? It felt wrong. He could no longer feel his feet or his hands, already losing the rest of his senses.
At the edges of his blurring vision he could see Draal fighting off Angor, he could barely hear his roars. Gunmar already had the staff, and left in triumph. He almost didn’t notice when Draal picked him up.What he did feel was the jump to reunite with their friends, sending pain throughout his body.
He heard the pained screams, the desperate reassurance, but there was nothing any of them could do. He could feel the pained breathing of Draal, he could feel the blood rushing out of him. What scared him most wasn’t his own death but that of his friend’s.
Jim knew that he was beyond saving, he knew that Angor Rot had perfect aim, he knew that even if they left now, which they couldn’t, he would bleed out in minutes. He could hear Claire pleading for him not to give up; he felt her hands on him, as if to stop the bleeding. It wouldn't work. It was too late.
Claire had her hands covered in Jim’s blood, and it was starting to stain her clothes. Her sleeves now a dark mess of blood. He was already dead but it couldn’t be true, she refused. They had made it so far and they were almost there.
The cavern was collapsing, crystals fell onto them, only shielded by Aaarrrgghh. She didn’t want to go, not without him.
“He’s gone Claire”, Blinky pleaded, “Without the magic of the staff-”
A deep rumbling could be heard, crystals and dust flew everywhere. In the distance she could see Angor Rot climbing, trying to escape. She wanted him to die.
Draal still had the body in his arms, his body had started to shake, the exhaustion and the deep wound on his chest making it worse.
Aaarrrgghh led the way, deflecting any crystals or stones that fell. They ran across the edge of the cavern, doing their best to stay alive.
“There, an opening”, Toby shouted.
“Allowing us a way to be trapped more?”, Blinky questioned, his voice shaky.
“Or a way out. Got to think posi-”, Toby started before remembering whose blood was staining the crystals on the floor. They made their way to the opening, which turned out to be a tunnel they had no choice but to follow.
Nobody dared to speak, the only sound coming from the cavern collapsing. They moved forward following Aaarrrgghh’s lead, taking them even deeper into the tunnel.
Claire hadn't moved from Draal’s side, her hands still covered in Jim’s blood. The jacket she once took such good care of was now draped over Jim’s body. She wanted to cry, they all did, but they couldn’t, not right now, right now they need to find a way out. Aaarrrgghh stopped sniffing the air.
“This way”, he grunted grimly. He motioned them down the tunnel until they reached a large room with a pedestal in the center. On the pedestal laid an armored elderly man covered with cobwebs.
“Great Globus, it’s him”, Blinky gasped, getting closer.
The rest approached the pedestal, staring in awe at the old man. Claire was the only one that didn’t approach staring at nothing.
Suddenly three glowing blue orbs rose from Jim’s pockets and entered the old man’s eyes. After a second of silence the old man’s eyes flew open and he jolted up, scaring everybody but Claire, who hadn't fully processed what was happening.
“Where’s the Trollhunter?”, he pointed at Toby, "Are you the Trollhunter?”
Toby shook his head. The old man scanned the room as if taking notes of everybody, when his eyes finally landed on Jim’s body, realizing what had happened.
“Oh… I see”, the old man, who Claire now realized must be Merlin, said mournfully. He approached the body slowly. “I expected him to be much taller, and older… much older.”
Merlin sat back down on the pedestal, in deep thought. His face didn’t give anything away, but he looked sad. Nobody wanted to interrupt the wizard, except Claire, she wanted to get out, she wanted to go home.
“How do we get out?”, Claire asked quietly, speaking for the first time since Jim’s final breath. As if on queue the room started to rumble and water started to drip from the ceiling.
“Uh… How’s it raining underground?”, Toby asked worriedly.
“The cavern collapsing must have diverted the waterfall”, Draal answered quickly, doing his best to shield Jim’s body from the water. Aaarrrgghh immediately moved to hold the roof.
“It would be great if you used some of your awesome wizard magic”, Toby shouted over the rumbling. The ground was starting to shake, but only a little.
“I can’t, I used it to seal Morgana”, Claire flinched, “We need the power of the Amulet.”
“That not possible”, Aaarrrgghh grunted as more water was starting to filter through the ceiling.
“I’m afraid Aaarrrgghh is right, it was destroyed so that we could find you, and well…”, Blinky trailed off.
“Hand it over”, Merlin instructed. The group paused, remembering where the Amulet pieces were. Merlin looked annoyed and then realized the problem as Claire reached for Jim’s pockets.
Claire managed to fish out the pieces of the Amulet without breaking down, handing them over to Merlin as quickly as possible, her hands shaking. Merlin inspected the bloodstained metal and crystal before starting to put it all together. He worked fast, muttering as he went.
As the rumbling started to get louder Toby seemed to realize something, a look of fear crossing his face, but after looking at Claire chose to keep it to himself.
While they waited Blinky and Toby started to move pieces to block off the entrance. Claire had moved away from the entrance and now stood beside the wizard with Draal. It wasn’t long before Merlin spoke up.
“I’m missing a piece”, he said.
“I gave you everything we had”, Claire quickly said, slightly panicked.
“Are you sure?”, Merlin pointed at the Amulet, “I’m missing a piece that goes right here.”
Merlin quickly looked back down at the Amulet, before looking back at Claire. He stared at her hair for a few seconds, before opening his mouth once more.
“I need one of those things in your hair”, Merlin demanded. Claire paused before realizing he wanted one of her hair clips. She handed the clip over as a loud howl could be heard. In the back of her mind she recognized it as a flood gate. He put the clip into place and held it up.
The amulet started to spin and shine, just like when Jim summoned it to himself that fateful night. Just as it started to gain speed Jim’s voice boomed across the room.
“Claire… Nuñez”,
“What is it doing?”, Claire looked over to Blinky, she already knew the answer.
“It’s calling a new champion”, Blinky answered in awe. Claire stood there unsure, before finally looking over at Jim’s body.
“Say the incantation”, Merlin hurried. Claire’s face turned serious, the voice of Jim still calling her voice. She slowly grabbed the Amulet, silencing it, turning it over and reading the inscription.
“For the glory of Merlin”, she paused taking a breath, “Daylight is mine to command.’’
The room filled with blue light as three orbs moved from the Amulet to her heart. She started to float as the armor appeared around her slowly shrinking to fit her. She landed back on the floor as Daylight appeared in her hand.
“Now what?”, she asked, looking towards Merlin.
“You’re the Trollhunter now, the amulet is yours”, Merlin said, “Only you can access its true potential.”
Claire turned over to the room’s entrance, the sound of rushing water could be heard even louder now. She twirled the sword in her hands, the memories of Jim doing the same thing flooded into her head. The full weight of her anger and sadness crashed into her.
Tears started to streak down her face, and just when the water was about to reach the entrance of the room, a loud chime, like a clock reaching twelve could be heard in the room. The crystal in the Amulet, which still had Jim’s blood on it, started to turn purple.
The color started to bleed into the rest of the armor. As the armor's color fully changed all the shadow in the room started to elongate and spiral around Claire. And when the water finally rushed into the room, breaking apart the barrier Blinky and Toby had made, it split in two as if diverted by an invisible force.
Tendrils of purple smoke started to emerge from the armor, shielding the group even more. Everybody shattered in awe, even Merlin was surprised.
After a few more seconds one of the rooms walls broke open, letting the water drain. Claire fell to her knees shaking as sobs raked through her body. The group stood there as they watched the armor slowly turn blue again before it disappeared leaving the Amulet in Claire’s hands.
The adults were laughing in the living room, playfully jabbing at each other's performances. For a few moments they had relaxed and trusted that their children were safe. They were laughing like school children, making fun of Dictatious’s horrible line deliveries.
When they heard noise in the backyard they were immediately in high alert, but then realized that it must be their children. They rushed to the back door expecting to see their children safe and sound, with the staff and Merlin.
What met them was their worst nightmares made real. Nobody moved from the door, the sight was too shocking. The first to move was Stricker, he slowly walked up to Draal, who didn't react. He looked into Jim’s face, at peace, his dark hair stuck to his face. He touched Draal’s shoulder, who responded by roaring.
The roar managed to shake everyone from their shock, and they started to move towards their family. Barbara stayed in the doorway staring at the corpse of her only son.
The rest of the group was scattered across the backyard, Blinky and Aaarrrgghh were laying against the fence, Dictatious sitting with them in a rare silence. Toby, with his face and clothes all scratched up, was laying on Aaarrrgghh’s side, his Nana sitting next to him trying her best to comfort him.
Claire was kneelled on the floor next to where Draal previously stood. The blood on her hands had already dried, and in her hands was the Amulet still bloody. She was shaking, from the cold or the emotions coursing through her it didn’t matter. Tears were still streaming from her eyes, quiet sobs breaking the silence.
In the far corner stood Merlin, looking at the stars. It had never crossed his mind how much he had missed the stars. And for the first time since he got his staff he cried.