"Lower the prisoner."
The trolls lowered Jim's cage to the ground. They opened it and dragged him out. Vendel stepped forward in front of Usurna. "Are you still refusing to admit your friends had any hand in this?" he asked.
"It's my fault," Jim said. "I'm responsible. Everything they did was for me."
"Then, this is beyond even my authority. I am sorry."
"James Lake Jr.," Usurna said. "You stand accused of unleashing Gunmar on the world and failing to protect trollkind."
"If you let me out, I can fight."
"You will face trial in front of the Tribunal for your crime. If found guilty, as you say you are..."
"The consequence could be...death," Vendel said.
"But an offer of mercy is on the table. If you surrender the amulet to be destroyed, you will be exiled."
"And your life will be spared."
"I don't understand," Jim said. "Then there won't be a Trollhunter."
"For too long, we trolls have relied on Merlin's antiquated magics to shelter us," Usurna said. "As for the evil we face tomorrow, that is up for our own race to decide. Not some human child."
Vendel looked at Jim. "I'm aware this is a terrible choice, young one," he said. "But it is solely yours to make."
"The trial begins at dawn," Usurna said. "You have until then to decide."
A Krubera troll threw him back into the cage and shut the door.
***
Jim sat in his cage, looking at the amulet. The room was empty, except for one Krubera troll, who was supposed to be guarding him but was asleep. Jim stared at the amulet. "Is this what you wanted?" he asked. "To hurt everyone? To ruin my life? Why did you choose me? I wish I never picked you up in the first place." He threw the amulet across the room. "You made a mistake."
The amulet dinged and glowed. A light came out of it and flew down the hallway and into the forge. Jim's voice echoed through the forge as the light passed every Trollhunter statue. "You made a mistake. I wish I never picked you up."
Another light came from the amulet and flew up to Jim. "So, the amulet was a mistake, eh?" someone in the light asked. "You would not be the first."
"Who are you?" Jim asked.
"You don't recognize me? Perhaps a hint or two. I didn't have much luck being a Trollhunter either. Trained by Blinky? Couldn't last a day? Ripped limb from limb?"
"Unkar the Unfortunate?"
"That's what stuck? I was hoping for Unkar the Ultimate."
"Why are you here?"
"You wish you never picked up the amulet in the first place? Well, I'm here to offer you what I never had. A second chance."
A huge light surrounded him and he was suddenly in his room. His alarm clock dinged at exactly 6 am. He took the comic book that he fell asleep reading off his face and got up. He turned the alarm clock off. "This should not be happening," he said. "I'm in a cage. But where is the cage?"
He got up and looked down the hallway. Everything seemed normal. He saw a note on Barbara's door.
Late night at work. Sleeping in
-mom
He opened the door and saw her asleep in her bed. He ran down the stairs and looked around. "What is going on right now?"
He ran into the garage, put his helmet on, and climbed onto his bike. He opened the garage and saw Toby there. "We're late for school, Jimbo," he said. "No lunch?"
"No, what?" Jim asked.
"You said you were making something special for me this morning. Maybe it's for the best. I'm on a diet."
"You've been on a diet for 14 years, Tobes."
"Long-term goals. My body's still changing."
"So, you don't know that I'm a Trollhunter?"
"Okay, you really have to stop skipping breakfast, Jimbo. It's the most important meal of the day. Come on, we're going to be late for school. Let's take the canals."
"The canals. The amulet." He smiled. "A second chance."
He got onto his bike and followed Toby down the street. "Tobes!" he said. "Go the long way. I don't want to take the canals today."
"Your call!"
They rode down the street, along the bridge above the canal. They heard the school bell ring in the distance. "Final bell!" Toby said. "We're so late, our kids are going to have detention!"
Jim looked down at the canals and saw the pile of rocks and something glowing inside it. He kept riding until they reached the school.
***
"The Peloponnesian War was actually three wars," Strickler explained. "Fought between Athens and Sparta. The first war is known as the Archimedean War. Type that into your search engines."
"I can't believe it," Jim whispered. "Everything's the same...but not the same."
"What's going on with you, dude?" Toby asked. "You've been acting weird all morning."
"I don't even know how to explain, Tobes. Let's meet up with Claire and talk."
"Claire? Like 'secret crush' Claire? Are you taking crazy pills? She barely knows you exist."
"Oh, yeah, right."
"Jim," Strickler said. "Would you agree with Herodotus—"
"Strickler!" he said. "I mean, uh yes, yes. Absolutely."
The bell rang and the students filed out of the room. "Jim," Strickler said. "May I have a word?"
Jim dropped his things and they both bent down to pick them up. "Jim, you seem distracted," Strickler said. "I believe I'm overdue for a conversation with your mother."
"No, no, no! Stay away from my mom!"
He picked up his backpack and walked out of the room.
***
"I want all of you to be made of iron," Coach Lawrence said, poking Toby's stomach. "I don't know what I feel sorry for. You or the rope!"
Jim walked up to Claire. "Claire! We need to talk!"
"Sorry, have we met?" she asked.
"Right, you don't know who I am. I mean, you do, but...I mean, you will!"
"Come on, Claire," Darci said.
"Wait! Jim said. "Your brother's name is Enrique, but pretty soon, he'll be Not-Enrique."
"What are you talking about?" Claire asked.
"Sorry," Darci said. "We were just going away from you. So, bye, whatever your name is."
Jim took the Romeo and Juliet flyer from Claire. "But Shakespeare! You're Juliet and I'm—"
Claire took the flyer from him and walked away.
***
"Tobes, I'm telling you," Jim said after school. "In my other life, she's my girlfriend."
"Man, you dream big," Toby said. "Even in my imagination, I'm only a duke."
"It's not my imagination!"
Jim looked over and saw Steve shoving Eli into a locker. "Tell me about the creatures," Steve said. "And maybe I'll let you out."
"Okay," Toby said. "Nothing to see here."
"Wait, last time I intervened, Steve fights me."
"Better Eli than you. That kid's performing a public service."
Jim made his way over to Steve. "You were telling me about the monsters you saw this morning," Steve said to Eli. "With fangs and what was it again?"
"Stone for skin!" Eli said from inside the locker. "In the canal."
"If I do nothing," Jim said. "Steve won't be on my case. I won't have to worry about him anymore."
"Dude," Toby said. "You've been a real braincase all morning."
Steve looked at Toby. "What did you just call me, buttsnack?"
"Uh, nothing?" Toby said. "Jim? Jim?"
Steve walked over to him and punched him in the face.
***
"Distract me from the pain," Toby said while they were walking home. "Tell me again. I have a Warhammer?"
"And you're a duke."
"Ha! And I thought I had a big imagination. Look, Jimbo, we're nobodies, but that's okay."
"It's not—" he stopped and walked ahead. He looked down at the pile of rocks. "I can prove it! Tobes, come here."
He ran down to the canal and dug through the rocks. "Where did it go?"
"You wanted to show me a pile of rocks?" Toby asked.
"No, Tobes," Jim said. "The amulet. It was right here. Maybe someone else was chosen."
"Well, Jim, this has been memorable. And since somebody forgot my lunch today, I'm going home to eat. I'll see you tomorrow."
Toby got onto his bike and rode down the street. Jim looked at the pile of rocks again and a light came out of it. "It's a mundane life," Unkar said. "But at least you are alive."
"You could have helped me out," Jim said.
"They can't hear me. Only you can. Besides, what would I have said? Talking ball of light says 'listen to the boy. He once possessed a magic amulet'?"
"But then who has the amulet now?"
"That is the Trollhunter's concern. Remember, you are just Jim Lake Jr. You're getting a second chance. Enjoy it. It may surprise you."
***
Jim woke up the next morning with a smile on his face.
He successfully did his Spanish presentation.
Barbara brought him breakfast in bed for his sixteenth birthday.
He rode down the street on his new Vespa.
He cooked an omelet for Barbara
He saw Claire while walking down the sidewalk. She was with her parents and Enrique. He waved to her, but she didn't wave back.
He watched Claire star as Juliet with Steve as Romeo.
He sat in his backyard, hearing Draal's voice in his head. "If my destiny is not to hold the sword, perhaps it is to teach you how to properly wield it."
He started doing fighting stances in his backyard, imagining Draal there with him.
He got up in the middle of dinner with Barbara, not saying a word.
He walked down the street as night and into the bark. He saw Strickler get out of his car and into the museum. "Killahead Bridge," Jim said, following him. He heard Strickler's voice in a different room. "You're sure he hasn't told anyone?"
"Trust me," Nomura said. "I know him. He's stubborn. He works alone."
"Good," Stickler said. "Then all we have to do is lay the bait and Gunmar will be free,"
***
Jim waited near the canal until he saw two trolls carrying some supplies. He hopped into the wheelbarrow as the barrier opened up and the trolls carried him through.
He ran through Trollmarket and he heard Blinky's voice. "Perhaps you should consider reading my books instead of eating them." He pulled a book out of Aaarrrgghh's mouth.
"Blinky!" Jim said.
Blinky yelled and jumped back, knocking a few books over. "Human! Begone, fleshbag! Or...or else my sizeable friend here will eat you!"
"Aaarrrgghh is a pacifist," Jim said.
"Pacifist," Aaarrrgghh said.
"How did you know that?" Blinky asked.
"Unkar sent me back in time to give me a second chance."
"Unkar?" Blinky laughed. "That's impossible! No troll, not even a spirit holds the power to change fate itself!"
"Fate changed, okay? And now, I need to find the Trollhunter. They're building Killahead Bridge!"
"Killahead?" Aaarrrgghh asked.
"Actually," Blinky said. "We believe you, young human."
"Finally," Jim said. "Thank you."
"Aaarrrgghh," Blinky said. "Go find the Trollhunter, Draal."
"Draal is the Trollhuner?"
"And have him bring a gaggletack," Blinky whispered to his friend again.
"You think I'm a changeling?" Jim asked.
"Quick! Restrain him!"
Aaarrrgghh tried grabbing him, but Jim jumped out of the way. "He's escaping!" Blinky said.
"He's got moves," Aaarrrgghh said as Jim ran out of the room.
"Indeed," Blinky said. "Clearly his evil masters have trained him well."
***
Jim climbed through the sewers and laid down on the street. "Why can't I find someone who believes me?" he got up. "Strickler!"
***
Strickler stood in the extra room in his office. "Goodbye, Arcadia Oaks High," he said. "Consider this my resignation."
He closed the secret door, holding a box of his belongings when Jim ran in. "Strickler! We need to talk!"
"Jim!" he said. "These aren't my normal office hours. I believe you mean Mr. Strickler."
"I know, Strickler. I know you're secret. I know everything."
Strickler laughed. "And what would 'everything' entail?"
"The Killahead Bridge."
"Killa-what?"
"I know, you're a changeling."
Strickler reached into his box as his eyes glowed yellow. He swung a knife at him, and Jim jumped back before it touched him. "I know you want to release Gunmar!" Jim said. "So, changelings will gain the respect they deserve. But you're wrong. It doesn't happen that way. You will always be an Impure to him."
Strickler kept lunging at him with the knife. Jim picked up his pen from his desk and removed, the lid, showing the key. "How do you know all this?" Strickler asked.
"I know it because I was the Trollhunter. I've lived this, but I messed everything up. And now, I'm stuck in the past, and believe it or not, you and I work together to put an end to Gunmar once and for all."
Strickler pinned him onto the desk with his knife in the air. "A human Trollhunter?" he asked, letting go of him. "This would change everything. Why on Earth would I ally with a Troll—"
The lights started to flicker, distracting him from his thoughts. "You believe me, then?" Jim asked. The ground started to shake, knocking things off the shelf. Jim looked out the window and saw a fiery explosion. "It doesn't matter now," Strickler said. "I fear it's too late. The invasion has begun."
"We need to get to the museum."
***
Jim and Strickler ran to Strickler's car. "Why do you want to go to the museum?" Strickler asked. "There's nothing but death there."
"That's where the amulet is," Jim said. "If it started this, It can undo it."
His phone started ringing and he picked up. "Tobes?"
"It's true!" Toby said. "Everything you said is true! What the heck is going on?"
"Find Claire and get somewhere safe," Jim told him.
"Claire?"
A changeling started chasing him. "Now for the main course!" she said.
Jim heard Toby screaming before the line went dead. He and Strickler got into the car as the radio announcer started talking. "This is not a prank, I repeat, this is not a prank. There have been strange animal attacks all over town. People are advised to stay indoor—Donny! Shut the door! They're coming!"
Strickler turned on the car. "Let's get to the museum."
They drove through the street. Buildings were collapsed, there was fire everywhere, streetlamps were tipped over. "So, if you are from another future," Strickler said. "What happens to me?"
Jim didn't answer him as a thought came to him. "Mom!"
He quickly dialed Barbara's number.
"I'm eaten, aren't I?" Strickler asked. "By that savage brute, Bular!"
Barbara picked up the phone. "Jim! Where are you?"
"I'm okay!" he said. "I'm with Mr. Strickler."
"I don't know what's going on. I'm coming to you. Tell me where you—"
"Mom, you need to get somewhere safe. Lock the wards."
"Listen, I need you to be safe. Honey, I love you."
"I love you too."
He heard an explosion on the other end. "Mom? Mom!"
"They've hit the cell towers," Strickler said. "We're almost there."
They were only a few yards away from the museum when Bular stepped in front of them, causing them to stop the car. "Impure," he said. Strickler looked at him with fear in his eyes. "Get out of here!" Jim told him. "Get out of her!"
Strickler drove the car in reverse. "You better be right, Trollhunter," he said. "There's no—"
The car got tipped over upside down. Jim crawled out of the car and saw Gunmar standing there. "After all you've done, Stricklander," Gunmar said as Strickler crawled out of the car. "you would flee in our hour of triumph?"
"Gunmar, your Dark Excellence," Strickler said. "You are out. I so wanted to be there but uh...I had papers to grade."
Bular stepped behind him and growled. The two trolls surrounded him. They both had swords in their hands. "So, that's how it is," Strickler said. "Go," he told Jim. "Get out of here. They want me, not you."
"I can help you fight them," Jim said.
"It's too late." He changed into his troll form. "Go to the museum!"
Jim ran as fast as he could down the street while Gunmar and Bular chased Strickler in a different direction. He ran into the museum and saw Nomura with a group of blood goblins behind her. "Come along," she said. "You're missing all the fun."
Jim hid behind a statue and they walked past him. He ran into the room that held the bridge and saw many statues surrounding it. The closer he got to them, the more he realized they weren't statues. Saw Draal there, as still as a statue. "Draal..." He got closer to him. "I'm sorry..."
The amulet wasn't in its place on Draal's chest. He looked around and saw the amulet in pieces on the ground. He picked up the pieces. "For the glory of Merlin, daylight is mine to command. For the glory of Merlin, daylight is mine to command. Come on! Please work!" he fell to his knees. "For the glory of Merlin. Please! Please! Unkar! Anyone! I can't do this alone!" tears started to fall from his face and he dropped the pieces onto the ground. "Please. I am the Trollhunter!" he stood up and looked at Draal. There was a sword on his back. "I am the Trollhunter. I am the Trollhunter. I know I'm the Trollhunter."
He climbed onto Draal's back and pulled the sword out. "I'm the Trollhunter. Amulet or not."
A light flew up to him. "If you walk out that door, you will die," Unkar said.
"What choice do I have?" He asked.
"There's always a choice. Run away, save your skin."
"That's not who I am. Out there, they need a Trollhunter, and a Trollhunter fights until the end."
The light grew and turned green. A different voice sounded from it. "Now, you're getting it. My amulet does not make mistakes."
"Your amulet? Merlin?"
"You know, it is customary to kneel before a wizard."
Jim got down on one knee. "You did this."
"Gunmar is free, Trollmarket is in peril, and of all creatures in our world, I chose you. Now, show them why."
Jim lifted up the sword and walked out of the museum. He saw Gunmar. They made eye contact. Jim charged at him. A bright light surrounded him, and he was running out of his cell. The sword was gone. He saw his friends in front of him. "Master Jim," Blinky said. "Is everything alright?"
Jim picked up the amulet and Claire walked over to him. "Are you okay?" she asked. "Did they rough you up?"
"No, Claire. I'm okay!" he smiled.
"We've come to escort you to the Tribunal," Blinky said.
"They say if you're found guilty, you could die," Toby said. "Is that true?"
"He could walk free if he surrenders the amulet," Usurna said. "What is your choice, Trollhunter?"
"The one where he doesn't die?" Toby said.
Jim stepped forward, closer to Usurna. "No," he said. "I'm keeping my amulet."
The armor appeared and Toby looked up at him. "Are you serious?" he asked. "That's what you want?"
"Yeah, Tobes," he said. "Never been more sure. I'll face whatever comes my way."
"Jim..." Claire said.
"So be it, Trollhunter," Usurna said. "Your trial awaits."