Atzi had waited till everyone was asleep to head out for patrol because their older brothers (though Lucas is their twin) and younger sister didn't know about the supernatural world. Just outside their place, Bollan and Calan were waiting for them to head to Trollbridge to meet up with Max and Eamon. "It looks like you survived your reunion with your family," Eamon said with a smile. "Well, I think he wants to get through the end of the holidays to head home and back to normal," Zi said knowing that they wanted the same thing. Eamon being the resident warlock knew that Zi had a basic level of magic that helped them to blend in to the crowd.
"It's weird to be connected to something like the Heartstone," Max said to the rest of the group as they sat at the bottom of the canal. "It's more like a tether but it's hard to describe," Bolland said who was on his back on the bottom of the canal. "That's true and trust me I had a piece of the Coral Village heartstone with me at all times as a bracelet after I first shifted because I nearly died and it was what kept me alive till I could be returned to Trollmarket," Atzi said remembering when they had gotten the bracelet after they first shifted with a piece of blue heartstone shard from the center of the Coral Village Heartstone. "What about your core isn't that a very similar thing to the heartstone?" Calan asked wanting to learn more about his friend's core. "It's more like having a second heart that could be seen but I get where you three are coming from when it comes to describing it because it's hard," Max said placing his hand over where his core was. Eamon had looked over the group of four knowing that he could never have the same feeling due to the fact he was a wizard and human so it was something that he couldn't comment on it. "We should start patrol before something happens," Bolland said getting up from the ground and starting to walk from underneath the Troll Bridge. He shifted into his troll form which towered over the rest of the team in both human and supernatural forms.
Max, Calan, and Zi all shifted as well though Zi is a bit shorter than Calan and Bolland. The reason why Zi was shorter than Calan and Bolland is because they are Axoltroll who mainly live underwater though their height often helps them swim through water. Eamon is the only human on the team though not being able to shift is something that made it easy for him to do things the rest of the team couldn't do. "Split up as usual?" Cal asked after he had gotten up. "Yeah though send a flare if we find ourselves in a fight that we need help," Eamon said summoning his staff. Once they had a plan in hand the group of five split up to do their patrols though little did they know that they were being watched. Zi had a feeling that they were being watched as they were heading to the forest though kept their guard up just in case. They had been in the supernatural world long enough to trust their feelings when they have them much more if they had them during patrols. The rest of the team learned firsthand that when Zi has one of their feelings to know to trust them they learned to trust their feelings as well. Zi went on with their patrol under the branches of the trees with their guard raised knowing that one wrong move could end their lives.
Back at the Lake residence, Cabraken, Metzli, and Lucas knew that Zi was hiding something from them. "Atzi is hiding something and it's big," Cabra said looking out the window to the forest. Tegan and Lucas knew that Cabra had a thing against Zi though it had been years since the thing that happened between them. "Just drop it Cab it's been years since it happened plus whatever they are keeping a secret it's for a good reason," Metzli said trying to get her oldest brother to get off Zi's back. "Then you know that am right that they're hiding something from us and from Mom?" Cabra asked knowing that they were right about secrets. Lucas knew that their twin had always been a person of secrets though something had been going on with Zi for the last decade. "You want to go after Zi don't you?" Lucas said looking at his brother before getting up and grabbing his jacket from the chair that it was on. The trio went out the back door after checking that their mom and grandma were both asleep in their respective rooms before heading into the forest behind the house. They found a trail to walk down to see if they could find Zi but they found something in front of them that was staring right at them. "Isn't that a troll?" Lucas asked without taking his eyes off the troll. "Yeah but what kind?" Cabra asked in return. It didn't take long for another troll using two short swords to come between them and the bigger troll.
"Step away from them if you want to keep your life," Zi said through their teeth with their swords up. "You're just a pathetic Axoltroll out of their depth plus you're going to be a prize when I kill you," said the troll. The rogue troll ran right at Zi and when he had gotten close they stepped to the side before cutting his arm. The rouge troll stumbled a bit before coming to a stop at the wound and it was already turning to stone even if it was bleeding. "You are so dead and you better hope that there is someone to bury your body," the troll said before trying to run at them again and getting a spine to the chest. "Well that got him good," Zi said before picking up on something nearby. Zi turned their head to see that it was their dad with his sword drawn looking right at them. "Today is not my day," Zi said knowing that one wrong move would get them hurt or killed. Jim took a look at the troll in front of him and then at his kids whom he hadn't seen in years. Calan, Bolland, Eamon, and Max came to the open area where they found their friend with their siblings and father. "This is not going to end well," Calan said watching everything going down. Jim stepped forward before swinging his sword at Zi but was surprised that they blocked his attack. Zi knew that they didn't have the experience that their dad had.
"Zi doesn't have the experience that he has," Bolland said pointing out that Zi was mostly dodging. Jim was shocked by the skill that Zi had though it didn't take long for him to notice 2 new trolls standing next to a wizard and an Akiridion. They raised their weapons knowing that there was a chance that they were going to get attacked and they were right. Zi had tripped over a tree root which gave Jim an opening to go for the other four. The four brought up their weapons and blocked his attacks while Zi had gotten to their feet. Zi had gotten back into the fight with swords drawn and they watched their dad's footing. Jim put his sights back on Zi knowing that they were going to be the hardest fight out of the five. Zi dodged every attack and parried each blow but didn't dodge the sword when Jim cut their left side. They put their hand on the wound before seeing blood on the hand and before being forced to shift back which took Jim by surprise. "Atzi that you?" Metzli asked when she saw Zi getting on their feet. "Yeah but why are you three doing out here which by the way you almost got killed," Zi said with some anger in their voice. Jim looked at Zi clearly for the first time in years and it was also the first time that they fought at all. "Why didn't you say anything about you can shift?" Jim asked Zi once the shock wore off. "Why would you care because you weren't there even though you stayed away from them three as well," Zi said with cold anger in their voice.
Jim stood there shocked knowing that Zi was right and he didn't realize that they had to grow up as an outsider. "I was trying to protect you four but I was wrong," Jim said staying where he was at. "I always understood why you kept me at an arm's length because you're the Trollhunter and might die, Dad. But did you ever think that by doing so you might be pushing me away rather than protecting me?" Zi said with anger. Everyone minus six people in the open area was taken aback because they never heard Atzi's anger with a calm look on their face looking at Jim. "It was the only way to protect you and the rest of the family," Jim said trying to point out his side of the argument. "The only way to protect us. There were other ways like coming back to check in so Cadra, Met, and Max could see you but you chose to stay away," Zi said trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to flow down their face. Jim knew that Atzi was right on the fact that there were other ways but he chose the easy way out in terms of protecting his family. He started to walk away when he started to hear Atzi sing and the song brought him back to the group.
'Follow me home, if you dare to
I wouldn't know where to lead you
Should I take chances
When no one took chances on me
So, I watch from the dark
Wait for my life to start
With no beauty in my memory
All that I wanted was to be wanted
Too young to wander forest trails
Alone and haunted
Born into shadows
At least you have something
Something to cling to
Visions of dazzling crystals
I'll never see again
And the memories were lost long ago
But at least you have beautiful ghosts
Perilous night, their voices calling
A flicker of light, before the dawning
Out here the wild ones
Are taming the fear within me
Scared to call them family
And be broken again
Is this hope just a mystical dream
All that I wanted was to be wanted
Too young to wander forest trails
Alone and haunted
Born into shadows
At least you have something
Something to cling to
Visions of dazzling crystals
I'll never see again
And the memories were lost long ago
But at least you have beautiful ghosts
And so maybe my home
Isn't what I had known
What I thought it would be
But I feel so alive
With these warriors of night
And I know that this life isn't safe
But it's wild and it's free
All that I wanted was to be wanted
I'll never wander forest trails
Alone and haunted
Born into shadows
With them I have something
Something to cling to
I never knew I'd love
This world they've let me into
And the memories were lost long ago
So I'll dance with these beautiful ghosts
And the memories were lost long ago
So I'll dance with these beautiful ghosts'
Zi started to limp home with their hand failing to cover the wound from Daylight. "Tomorrow is going to be interesting though we are going to pay considering that it's Hell Day," Calan said before following Zi to make sure they didn't fall from the limp by tripping over a branch. The rest of the group followed to head back to the Lake Residence. "There is something that you can't fix Master Jim," Blinky said before heading back to their camp. Jim didn't realize that Blinky was watching the whole thing but he had to agree with him on that fact.