Author's Note: So sorry for taking so long! Trying to balance The Written Future and this story! It seems a bit rushed and we will be working on the requests!
Be warned, this one is short and rushed due to the fact we really weren't planning to do a part 2 but some wanted closure to this.
If you noticed, this book is getting a small change. The cover of the book has changed, the summary is going through a small change, also, this book is getting a table of contents.
《 °•o0o•° 》
Metal feet stomped through the house, heavy breathing accompanied the noise as the sound traveled down a dark hallway, furniture laying upon the floor, thrown and shattered, holes in the wall spread throughout the house. The crunching of glass as the patter of feet stepped upon the broken picture frames had made it all the more eerie. The silence, beside the Trollhunter running for his dear life, was unwelcoming.
Speaking of the Trollhunter, Jim was frantic as he skidded around a corner, sweat dripping down his forehead and he rested against the wall. With a turn of his head, looking behind only to find no one following, letting out harsh breaths as his metal hand covered his amulet, doing his best to try and breathe for the time being. His mind whirled at how any of this was possible.
He and Claire had been on a double date with Toby and Darci. The idea itself was nice since Jim and the team had barely gotten out and they both had love interests. It was difficult to act as if things were normal since Darci was not filled in on the adventures they had at night.
Jim had been nervous, he and Claire rarely went on dates, well, in Toby's case, they haven't. He didn't want to make things worse, he still couldn't believe that the girl of his dreams was actually interested in him. Messing things up was something Jim didn't want to do, despite the fact that they had shared numerous kisses and she had risked her life for him.
The date was going well until Claire began to act weird. She had ordered a steak raw and asked for it to be dripping in blood. That should have been the warning instead of trying to act like everything was normal, even when Darci was sitting across the table.
However, it got even worse when Claire was fighting herself, a steak knife in her hand, pointed at Jim and her face held a dark grin. He blamed Toby, being threatened by a knife was not flirting. Damn it, why did he believe that!
She had tried to kill him, not even minding that people were around and worst of all, with a steak knife. After the date, Toby had planned to head to the movies, leaving Jim alone with a psychotic Claire due to her saying she didn't feel all that well. After inhaling a raw steak, of course, she wouldn't be feeling fine.
Now, Jim was running for his life when he was introduced to Morgana who was using Claire as a puppet and that kept Jim from fighting back. He couldn't harm her. However, that was Jim's downfall, he couldn't defend himself properly, only armed with soft objects. He tried to leave the house, yet, the exits had been blocked due to the excessive furniture throwing.
Finally catching his breath, he turned, ready to keep going in hopes that he could find a way out, yet, a loud scream escaped his lips when Claire, no, Morgana, was staring at him, another killer grin on her face. On, Claire's beautiful face.
Her hand smacked against Jim's stomach, the Trollhunter flying back into the wall, cracking it before he collapsed to the ground. He was going to be so screwed, this was the second time he was destroying the Nunez's poor house due to the misfortunes of Trollhunting.
Standing with a glare, Jim eyed Morgana, venom in his words, "we will defeat you, just like we did with everyone else, you won't win!" He cried out before taking off, her laughter echoing through the house, sending chills down his spine as the haunting sound followed.
"You think you'll be around, you may be Merlin's Champion, but you will FAIL!" As she called out, the words turned into screeches, Jim's hands covering his poor ears as he ran up the stairs and instantly to Claire's room. His fingers hooked onto the window, using his might to open it, as it lifted, he hadn't noticed Morgana stiff behind him, her hand waving and causing the window to fall, nearly slamming Jim's fingers in if he hadn't been too quick.
He turned to face her, his chest rising and falling rapidly. "What do you want?" He asked in a menacing tone, "Leave Claire out of this and do what you want to me." With no answer, she cascaded closer to him, her piercing gaze staring him down.
Her hand caressed his cheek, and the skin was still as soft as if Claire was touching him, even if it was Claire's hand holding his face, it was not her loving touch that followed. Instead, the fingers buried into his cheeks, a grunt escaping as she held him. His armored hand grabbed her wrist, trying to pull her grip away.
"You out of the way, for the Eternal Night to arrive and no one to stop it," she hissed.
"If you kill me, a new Trollhunter will arrive. No matter what you do, the amulet will choose until it finds someone that will end you."
She let out a sharp laugh, "I know that and that is why you will not die. Instead, you will be resting in a night of eternal sleep, the amulet with you. As long as you are alive, the amulet will not call. There will be no Trollhunter to stop me when the current one is having his beauty sleep."
Jim couldn't hide his worry, the emotion causing her great pleasure. Suddenly, her grip tightened, lifting him from the floor. She began to speak as Jim struggled, his hand gripping his sword but staring at Claire's body had stopped him from going any further. Instead, he swung his legs, aimlessly trying to kick her but as she continued to chant, his energy was draining, and quick.
"No," Jim breathed out, his eyelids growing heavy but he fought, trying to tune out her haunting lullaby. "Let go!" His words began to slur together as his legs stopped kicking, and his grip on her arm had faltered.
His eyes moved, finding a glowing yellow emitting from his skin, he could feel the emptiness as his soul left his own body. This was really happening. His mind muttered before it grew foggy and his train of thought became no more. His eyes trailed back on the beauty of a face, hoping to dream of Claire if he was forever cursed.
The last thing he saw was Claire's face twist into a successful grin. Then, everything went black.
NotEnrique, who had been hiding under Claire's bed, spectating the whole thing had shivered when Morgana lifted Jim and the amulet off the floor before fading away. Once she had disappeared, he let out a huge gasp.
"This ain't good," he muttered, his eyes drifting to Claire's discarded phone that had dropped when her bag spilled on the floor. His small hand reached out and grabbed it, instantly calling the rest of the team.
Gunmar eyed Jim's limp body, his remaining eye narrowed at Morgana who had entered Trollmarket, dragging the Trollhunter behind her, well, behind the young girl she managed to possess.
"He was supposed to be our Dark Champion," Gunmar reminded, voice dropping into a deep octave. Morgana simply ignored him as she laid Jim on his back, putting the amulet on the boy's chest, and laid his hands over it. His chest didn't move but his heart continued to beat beneath his pale skin, and the position he was in almost made it seem as if he was dead and laid in a casket, ready to be presented in a funeral.
"If I am correct, you tried that last time and failed and Draal will be freed from his hold. In search of that staff, your control will wear. Instead, I took my chance and put him in an Eternal Sleep, the amulet won't choose another if he is still alive."
Gunmar glared, "that wasn't a part of the plan."
"It doesn't matter, as long as his body is guarded, he will not be found. His soul inhabits the Shadow Realm. His friends don't have the amulet or their protector. They have no one to guide them to Merlin's Tomb so you can retrieve the staff without an issue."
"You expect me to believe this will work?"
"Yes, his friends may find Merlin but that man is weakened, the only one to stop us was the Trollhunter, now there is no one." She gave a sharp glare. "Now that my job is complete, you will keep your promise to free me, I took out the obstacles." With nothing else to say, Morgana left, returning Claire's body back home, hopefully, no one suspected a thing that it wasn't Claire but Morgana in their presence.
With a sigh, Gunmar turned to the resting boy, as he grew impatient. After dwelling in the Dark Lands for centuries, his mind had been set on only one thing. Killing the Trollhunter who had murdered his son and feasted on the fleshlings above, ready to claim the land once more. He didn't feel the need to have setbacks but he also knew he needed the help of the Pale Lady to reclaim what was his.
The mother of Monsters had promised an Eternal Night when Gunmar had roamed the woods during the time of King Arthur and after being exiled to the Darklands at the hands of Deya, his solemn focus was to seek revenge and finally watch as Morgana fulfilled her promise.
Now, he was close to finally taking back what was destined to be his. He had worked hard to take Trollmarket for himself and as he laid eyes on the crystalized cage that had imprisoned Morgana, otherwise known as the bottom of the Heartstone, he sucked in a breath.
He could not argue, he knew it wasn't worth the breath. He had to free her fully in hopes to take what was his. Granted, taking the Trollhunter and keeping him alive was not his focus but there was nothing he could do.
He just prayed this worked out and the land above bled under his feet.
Blinky paced the hallway of the Nunez house, Morgana's evil cackle echoing from Claire's room. They had left the door cracked despite Morgana not being able to leave the ropes that bound her to the chair.
Strickler guarded the door, book in his hand and his face twisted in concentration. NotEnrique and Toby watched as Blinky had nearly worn down the floor just by his excessive pacing. Flipping through the pages, Strickler had finally found what he had been looking for. Clearing his throat, he glanced up at Blinky who had immediately stopped, looking at the Changeling with hatred but also worry.
Toby had alerted the team, minus Strickler, only inviting him due to his knowledge when he had realized his friends were not answering their phones. Despite him ditching them for time alone with Darci, his gut feeling had warned him of imminent danger. Leading to where they stood now.
"I have found what we need to get both Claire and Young Atlas back," Strickler simply said, the team perking up and getting closer, keeping their voices low so Morgana hadn't heard their planning. "Claire's body is trapped between the two worlds, the only way to retrieve her is to go into the Shadow Realm while one holds the staff to keep the portal open. Jim's soul is also there, however, the two are very different. His body is asleep, so his soul would be too. We can't talk to it like you can with Claire."
"So how do we save Jim?" Toby wondered.
"More importantly, find him." Blinky cut in.
"First we need to save Claire, she can wield the weapon better to keep the staff open long enough for someone to find him but we need Jim's body. If we take his soul from the realm and it sits in the mortal world too long, he and the soul will die. For it has nowhere to go and it will fade. The Shadow Realm is taking care of Jim, just like a Goblin does with a baby within the Darklands."
Blinky tensed at the news, his fist clenching, "So, what's the plan? They wouldn't leave the body for us."
"No, but they would bring it to Trollmarket, meaning we have to go in and retrieve it," Strickler added.
"So we have to break into Trollmarket, defeat a ton of guards, then beat Morgana as well?!" Toby cried out.
"No, not yet," Strickler answered. "We have to keep our focus on Claire, the longer Claire is trapped, the stronger the hold Morgana has on her. Jim can last longer than Claire can. We are not defeating Morgana, we are simply putting her back in her cage."
"That is proven to be a difficult task, we are still going against the Pale Lady," Blinky gestured harshly to the door.
"It is different, Morgana isn't at her full potential. She can be forced out of someone else's body. She will fight but it is possible to do. That is her downfall."
"Once Claire is back, we can use the staff to sneak into Trollmarket, and appear right next to Jim!" Toby said excitedly. "No breaking in!"
"With no soul, will the staff be able to detect him?" NotEnrique asked.
"And more importantly, we can't just appear right beside Jim, the Gumm-Gumms will be guarding it. They need to make sure he won't wake." Blinky added in. "Strickler and I will stay and free Miss. Claire. I do not trust you alone!" The troll scolded.
"I have taken the hint," Walt's unamused look and the sarcastic tone were enough to get Blinky fuming, however, he sucked in a breath and continued on with the plan.
"NotEnrique and Tobias, you two must sneak into Trollmarket, unnoticed, there will be no need for fighting if you two can keep out of sight. Aaarrrgghh will guide you. If Gunmar knows you are there, I fear the worst."
Toby grinned, "Don't worry Blink! We got this!" His confident smile had been worn until he stood in front of Trollmarket, NotEnrique perched on his head. "How do we get in?"
"Well Tubby, we can sneak behind the guards that had just come back from scouting." The Changeling hissed quietly, Toby's face twisting in confusion.
"How do you know they come back from scouting?" Toby's head pivoted in the direction of NotEnrique's finger, finding the said guards heading back, the Horngazel in hand. "Oh."
"Oh," NotEnrique scoffs before he quickly took up the slanted concrete wall, hiding from view as Toby followed, struggling but had made it in the nick of time. Toby's heart was racing, he watched as the scouts descended the crystal staircase, ignoring him as he pressed against the stone wall, trying to calm his breathing.
"Okay, now we just have to get down there, great," Toby muttered as he turned to look at NotEnrique, only to find the small troll had vanished. "NotEnrique? NotEnrique!" He whispered harshly before the sight of a familiar green head came into view.
"You comin'? I know of a shortcut, somethin' Mr. Trollmarket couldn't keep me from sneaking in." Toby gave a pleasing grin before following his Changeling friend through a narrow passageway that could not be used by much bigger trolls.
And while Toby had not been the side of a normal troll, he had still struggled to press himself into the opening, the jagged rocks rubbing harshly against his back and stomach, tearing his sweater vest lightly.
"Man, nana will kill me!" Toby cried out as he heard another piece of fabric tear.
"Shh!" The small Changeling hissed out, peeking his head through the end of the tunnel, and we all knew that Toby was rather grateful they had made it out. The tight space already caused issues, him being confined in it longer was something he was not looking forward to.
Yet, Toby couldn't dwell in the thought as he instantly noticed a wave of guards cascading through the deserted streets of Trollmarket. He quickly pulled NotEnrique with him, the two ducking behind crates as the loud metal stomping grew louder, a familiar voice echoing.
"Find Dicatious! Gunmar demands the search!" Usurna cried out, staff clicking against the ground. "He couldn't have gone far!" Toby's eyes peeked through the cracks of the crate, noticing how the traitor had looked nervous, eyes moved frantically around as she searched for Dictatious.
He had to wonder what had happened on why she seemed so tense, not like he cared, she purposely ruined their plans and murdered Vendel as she worked for Gunmar. However, curiosity struck in him, especially since they were also searching out Dicatious who was another that served the Dark Lord.
Shaking the thoughts from his head, he turned to face NotEnrique who watched the guards move away, the duo going completely unnoticed as they appeared from their hiding spots.
"Alright, we need to find Aaarrrgghh," Toby whispered, "he should be here somewhere."
"So, we are supposed to look for both Jim and Aaarrrgghh when one is being guarded and the other is hiding. Great." NotEnrique hissed out.
"It shouldn't be too hard," Toby stated.
However, those words bit him in the rear, it was difficult. They could not yell for him, otherwise giving away their positions, and constantly ducking behind something as guards continuously scouted the areas.
The diving was taking a toll on Toby, and while NotEnrique was having a much easier time, Toby wished for this to all be over, begging silently to find his friends. That was until, one of their hiding spots had been a slight crater near the wall, trash flowing around the area, their bodies easily blending in.
"NotEnrique, stop rubbing against me," Toby warned.
"Uh, that ain't me." He answered back, Toby's body tensing instantly as he slowly turned, whoever had been behind him had copied the action, the two facing one another, however, there was no yell of panic.
Only a tight hug with pure joy. "Wingman!"
"Wingman!" Aaarrrgghh replied, pulling the boy close. "Why are you here?" He quickly added when the realization struck.
"Jim, they brought him here, did you see anything?" Toby asked.
Aaarrrgghh's glare narrowed as he looked in a specific direction. "Saw Gunmar, angry. Leaving Vendel's Quarters."
"That's where they must be, can you lead the way, big guy?" Toby asked with a small smile, a simple nod coming from the troll. "Alright, let's go get him."
And with that, they took off.
___ ___ ___
"In there," Aaarrrgghh moaned out, his head gesturing to a tunnel that had supported six guards, each watching in every direction.
"Great, how are we supposed to get in there?" Toby hissed out, peeking his head out from their hiding spots.
"Distract, I take out guards." NotEnrique stood, fingers intertwining as if he was cracking them, stretching out his arms.
"This is me specialty." The small troll said before standing on all fours and hopping towards the guards, "hey! Pinheads, come and get me!" NotEnrique laughed as the brainless guards eyed one another, three splitting off to give chase to the small disturbance.
"Alright, Wingman, do your thing!" Toby said excitedly as his vast friend roared, head tucked low as he used it as a battering ram. While Toby was nervous as they weren't exactly quiet and Gunmar plus his other eyes could be roaming anywhere. However, he didn't think much of it, they had a clearing and they needed to get out of there, quickly.
Toby sucked in a breath, or in other words, his fear, and ran through the battlefield, Aaarrrgghh managing to keep any unwanted eyes off of him. This was easy and while Toby wanted to both celebrate and panic at the thought, he needed to get to his friend.
The sweat dripped from his forehead as his breaths grew heavy, the tunnel was a long stretch which was a normal design for Trollmarket but he cursed it as it felt longer when he ran.
"Stupid tunnels," Toby mumbled, hands on his knees as he leaned forward, catching his breath. His breathing was raspy, scratching against his throat as he wiped his forehead with his arm. He would have sat there, exhausted, if it wasn't for the faint blue light that stretched into his view, his head instantly snapping to the source.
His eyes widened as he stood up straight, slowly making his way to the stone table where the blue light guided him. He studied the form on the table, at a loss for words as he took in the sight.
Toby stared at the pulsating blue beneath Jim's hands, watching it as it followed the pattern of a heartbeat. Despite Jim's chest no longer falling or rising, that was the one sign that Toby knew his best friend was alive, it was the one thing that kept his hopes from dwindling.
From the blue-chapped lips to the discoloration of the Trollhunter's skin, Toby would have mourned him if it wasn't for the amulet. After all, that Strickler described, this ancient spell had forced the boy into a coma, making his symptoms death-like. However, the amulet did not call to another since its current welder was merely resting. Just the thought chilled Toby to the bones, he was ready to rip Gunmar and Morgana to shreds for the act they had pulled.
He looked at Jim's closed eyes, then at his lips that were slightly parted, and let out a heavy breath, this was not supposed to happen. Morgana knew Jim was a threat to her mischief plans and decided to take the matters into her own hands, it upset Toby greatly.
The stout boy quickly turned his head to the entranceway, Aaarrrgghh finally hiding the comatose guards away from anyone's sight. The vast troll gestured quietly for Toby to grab their Trollhunter and escape. Toby trained his eyes back on Jim, nervous. He must get the lanky boy out by himself, he doubted himself that he could even carry Jim, but was flooded with hope and determination, his eyes narrowing as he silently hyped himself.
He gently moved Jim's hands from the amulet, the still limbs falling to the side and freeing the artifact. Stuffing it in his pocket, the amulet humming with every beat, he gently looped his arms under Jim and heaved the boy off the table. The amulet continued to pulse, something that boosted Toby to flee the room and make it back to safety.
Aaarrrgghh checked the corners, guiding Toby down pathways of the dark Trollmarket, avoiding any unsuspecting guards. Toby ducked behind barrels, readjusting his grip on Jim.
"For a skinny kid, whoa," Toby muttered, trying to make sure he didn't drop his friend who was nothing but a dead, heavyweight. A small tap on the stone floor alerted Toby, only to find NotEnrique with a wicked grin. "Dude! Why would you sneak up like that?!" He scolded in a whisper.
"I see we got the kid. How do we get out of here?" NotEnrique said, looking at Aaarrrgghh who was waving them to follow once the path was clear. NotEnrique leaped onto Aaarrrgghh's shoulder, Toby following them behind.
"Aaarrrgghh is leading us to a back door. Going through the main entrance underneath the canal is heavily guarded."
"They don't want Jim gone," Aaarrrgghh whispered, leading them through an alleyway, the simple-minded guards have not noticed. However, they were heading in the direction the trio came from, only meaning one thing.
"They will realize he is missing any second, what do we do?" Toby panicked, Aaarrrgghh glaring at the guards.
"Keep going." Aaarrrgghh said, pointing further down the alley, "keep busy you guys escape."
Toby seemed uncertain to leave his wingman but they were so close to the door. Aaarrrgghh pulled out a horngazel and handed it to NotEnrique, the changeling hopping to the floor. With a nod that he was going to be okay, the brute of a Troll stepped off, leaving Toby and NotEnrique.
"Come on. We can do this," NotEnrique said, leaping to the door and Toby following behind them, the sound of panic was heard behind them, the trolls had found out that Jim's body had been missing, all of Gunmar's army being alerted. "Almost there!" The small changeling cried, dragging the horngazel against the stone and opening a door to the dark, outside world.
The victory was on the other side, until a shout alerted Toby, guards charging down the alleyway and right to them. "GO! GO! GO! GO!" Toby yelped, he and NotEnrique making a haste exit, the guards drawing their swords.
Right as the swords snagged Toby's vest, the entrance to Trollmarket had closed, shielding Toby and NotEnrique from the dangers within the wall. Sliding down the side of the wall, Toby let out a shaky breath.
"We did it," Toby said breathlessly, quickly fumbling with the amulet and relaxing even more when the heartbeat continued. "Good, his heart is still beating. Which is weird, I can't feel it beneath the sweater."
"That's because it's Troll magic, if he weren't the Trollhunter, he would be still alive but we wouldn't know it," NotEnrique stated. "Let's get out of here, I have a bad feelin' they are alerting Gunmar."
Toby nodded, standing up and nearly dropping Jim before the two headed off back to Claire's house. Their hearts pounding heavily.
Within Trollmarket, Gunmar fumed, killing a guard who had nothing to do with the predicament. His anger rose at the empty table and Morgana hadn't said anything on the matter yet. He had come so close, the Trollhunter was finally out of the way and his friends had freed him once more.
He turned to guards who shivered under his gaze, "bring the boy back to me!" He commanded, all the guards quickly pouring out of the entrances, praying for their lives that they didn't come back empty-handed. Gunmar turned to Usurna, missing her flinch. "If Morgana speaks, you come to me."
Toby huffed when he stopped at the front door of the Nunez house, beads of sweat dripping from his forehead as he gently laid Jim's body on the porch. NotEnrique scrambled up the post, heading to Claire's bedroom. Despite NotEnrique not explaining what his intentions were, Toby had easily figured out what the small troll had in mind.
There was no way he could continue carrying Jim through the house and up a flight of stairs, his body ached and he nearly fumbled with the body due to his clammy hands that could barely grip anything. Toby reached for the door handle before it swung open rapidly, Blinky staring back at him.
"Where is he?" The troll muttered as if just asking about Jim's whereabouts had torn at his soul. Toby didn't say anything, licking his dry lips and pointing to the side, where the Trollhunter still lay, uncomfortably if anything.
Blinky gently pushed past Toby and scooped his master in his arms, cradling the boy close to him. He rubbed his stone hand against Jim's forehead, sighing sadly.
"Did we manage to free Claire from Morgana?" Toby asked, Blinky turning to face the boy and putting his free hand on Toby's shoulder.
"It was quite a challenge Tobias, however, yes, our dear friend is free from her clutches. Now we should get inside, I have a strong feeling that we are being searched for." Toby nodded saying he needed a glass of water and was never exercising again.
Blinky didn't wait for Tobias who dug in the cupboards for a small glass, instead, he continued back up the stairs to where Strickler had been tending to Claire's dizzy form. She had been asking numerous questions all while she tried to regain herself.
Her head quickly turned to the direction of the door opening, Blinky solemnly standing in it and Jim's body barely visible with how many arms the troll had cradled him in.
Claire's eyes narrowed in confusion before she shakily came to a stand, "what happened?"
"Morgana, when she had possessed you, she had also taken Master Jim's soul. Perhaps his soul lays where you had. Within the Shadow Realm."
"Indeed," Strickler hissed as he pulled open the cover of the book, flipping through the pages. "His soul lies with his torment and grief."
"Well, how do we know what torments him? I'm sorry, but we nearly die every day!" Toby mentioned. "I'd be tormented over everything."
"Killahead bridge." Claire instantly said, snapping her fingers. "The battle, I remember how much it bothered him. He lost but won one of the biggest battles as a Trollhunter. His first major one. Both Blinky and Draal were affected. Blinky was held captive as a lure and Draal risked his life for them. He beat himself up afterward."
"Then that's what we shall be in search of, Claire, if you may do the honors. Your experience will keep the portal open." The girl nodded, face full of determination as she pulled out her weapon, which had now been fully her's after battling Morgana for it.
"Perhaps we should keep an eye on a certain someone," Blinky hissed as Strickler rolled his eyes.
"I suggest you hurry, Jim is at stake." The former teacher simply replied as Claire summoned a portal, grinning happily at the sight.
Blinky turned to Toby, giving him a nod before letting it swallow the two, their bodies cascading through the darkness, Toby screaming for most of the duration as he eyed his situation.
"Alright, let's find that bridge!" Blinky yelled, voice nearly muffled by the depth of the Shadow Realm.
___ ___ ___
"Look, there's Killahead!" Toby cried, stopping as they eyed the dark bridge, a blue ghostly figure slowly moving around, seeming to haunt the large attraction. After feeling like an eternity of searching, Toby couldn't help but breathe out as he recognized the figure, hand over his chest as slowly relaxed.
He kicked his legs, moving towards Jim who seemed lost in a daze, mumbling incoherent things. He frowned slightly, hands reaching out for his friend, however, it simply slipped through him, the lanky boy unaware of their presence.
The troll sat behind him, mind racing as he knew what he had to do, watching Toby uselessly struggle to get a grip on Jim was heartbreaking, the boy didn't know how to connect with him. It was Blinky's turn.
"Move to the side," Blinky mumbled and Toby did as told. Closing his six eyes, Blinky sucked in a breath and began to think. Toby raised an eyebrow, pushing himself back as he lost his balance slightly.
"Master Jim, I am so proud of you." He began to mumble, "the first human Trollhunter and you're proving to be villagante, I dare say you are better than Kanjigar. I had faith in you when I first met you, my boy, I got attached and sometimes I cursed Merlin for putting you through this. However, you are the Champion, you will be successful despite Trolls' doubts. If you had never found that amulet, I would have never met you and I cannot imagine how dull and upsetting my days would be. I hope this works because, by Deya's Grace, I could never leave you here. My son."
The last two words stung in Blinky's throat, his body shaking due to adrenaline, and luckily Toby hadn't heard. However, Jim had, his blue transparent soul began to fill, blue pouring through the outline and completing him.
Blinky had done it. He nearly choked when Jim was able to be touched. He knew Jim could hear what was said, he prayed that the boy remembered it when he woke.
However, Blinky had no time to reflect on it. They had to go.
He quickly grasped onto the unconscious soul, whimpering. Keeping a safe grip on the resting spirit, Blinky turned to Toby who was shocked, mumbling incoherent words. "Let's leave this wretched place."
"Agreed," Toby said, following Blinky as they floated to the opening, "how did you connect with him?" Blinky looked down at Jim, his heartbeat now finally echoing around them, a pleasant noise to Blinky and Toby.
"I said what I had to." He simply answered before their bodies fell through the swirling vortex, yelping when they hit the hardwood floors of Claire's room, the said girl dropping to the floor. Not wasting any time, Blinky scrambled to his feet, hurrying to the bedside and gently letting the soul suck back into its rightful spot. Jim's skin finally returns to a healthy pigment, his lips regaining their color, and his chest beginning to rise and fall before his eyes fluttered open, his hands moving to grip the blanket.
As he came back to reality, the first thing his eyes locked onto was Claire. He had remembered her being the last thing he saw and hoped that this Claire staring down at him, was his loveable Claire and not Morgana. He froze when he saw tears welling in her eyes, a smile growing on his face.
As if she would break him, Claire gently placed a hand on his cheek, the tension in the air lessening when her boyfriend leaned into it, her heart pounding.
He missed her so much, seeing her big brown eyes this time filled with love and concern had warmed him. Gosh, he was never letting her go again. Jim watched as a tear fell from Claire's eyes, feeling the same warmth on his own cheeks. The moment was pure, and Jim wished that it would never end. Until Toby quickly pushed past Claire, an excited smile resting on his face.
"Dude! Do we have a story to tell you!"
If someone were to walk up to Steve and tell him that everything he believed in was false and that he'd care for James Lake Jr. he would laugh in their face, spit on them and simply call them crazy. Why would he care for Jim Lake when throughout the span of time that he knew him, he called the boy a loser, pummeled his best friend with DodgeBalls, even threatened to fight him? Obviously, his care for Jim was barely even thought of.
Even after he and Eli - which is another shocking piece of information, he and Eli - had discovered Jim's secret and that Claire and Toby were in on it too, it went from seeing two nerds and a smart, popular female, to three fearless superheroes. But back to being said, even after he was starting to get in on this Trollhunting but stayed a part of the Creepslayerz, he hadn't bullied Jim and Toby as much but he still didn't find a spark of worry for them.
Until now.
Steve ran through the trees, branches bruising his face but he didn't care. He had been wearing his Creepslayerz get up at the time, not minding the grime, or rips the clothing may obtain, but what stained his shirt, something he did in fact mind, was the splotches of blood.
Blood that was not his.
What was even more heart-racing was the fact that a pair of metal legs and arms were swinging limply as he ran. His face was dripping in sweat as he heard the heavy stomps of trolls following him.
Steve and Eli had promised they would help Jim find that spy after they ruined the mission because they had tackled him down in the middle of the street with a net and concussing him.
That was definitely Eli's fault.
However, when Claire had messaged Jim that same night asking about his whereabouts, Steve and Eli responded to the text for Jim, explaining everything. Yet, when Claire and Toby got to the house, worry written all over their faces, Jim had woken up wanting to fight even against their wishes.
The boy was stubborn, Steve had to give him that. No matter how many times he and Claire had argued about a simple fight or not, Jim never gave up once. Even in his state, it shocked Steve that no matter what, Jim was going.
Jim ended up winning the argument but with his head damage, Toby ended up babying him till they reached the woods. After nearly toppling over due to dizziness, Claire had threatened to portal him home which caused another fight and Jim had stayed, again, somehow getting through Claire and continuing to fight for he was the Trollhunter and perfectly capable too.
But this time, the stubborn idiot was wrong, he had gotten dizzy once again as his adrenaline was running low and was taken out very gruesomely.
And Steve, well, he was the only one around. Perfect.
Now, he held Jim in his arms, worry transforming his face as he continued to run. There were a couple of grunts from the Trollhunter as he was gently and on accident, tossed around but luckily Jim was awake. His forehead was caked in blood and the only protection he had was, in fact, the armor and if he fell asleep, one, there was a big chance that he'd never wake up and two, the armor would vanish. This was upsetting because they had spent a hard amount of time just to try and clear the first cut on his forehead, but this time, it reopened and it was way larger in size than it had been before.
"Hold on Jim, we'll lose them," Steve muttered and silently cursed to himself. No, they wouldn't, the sun had set which had started the attack and it seemed like every minute, the Gumm-Gumms had nearly caught up to them.
If this moment wasn't so serious, I'd laugh at them for such an idiotic name. His mind wandered for a second.
Jim groaned, whimpering as he rolled his head against Steve's shoulder. Claire, Eli, and Toby have all been separated, the trolls splitting as well which didn't comfort Steve but he knew that there weren't as many trolls chasing them as he thought and perhaps he would run into the Trollhunters.
A sword whizzed past the pair, startling Steve. They were close and Jim was starting to get heavy with the armor. Steve shuttered, this was his fault. Jim was near to losing the battle of remaining awake, he had no way of reaching anyone for the matter because running for his life seemed more important than fumbling with a phone, and he had nothing but a stick to defend himself with.
Looking back, Steve's panic grew higher. There was no way to outrun them, somehow they had cut more distance between the two and he didn't know how much longer he could last before they were caught. However, as determination flooded through him, his eyes narrowed and looked back at the Trolls. No matter what he chose, he'd still have to fight and the time was now, it was something he couldn't back down from.
Steve quickly dashed to the right, laying Jim against a thick tree before arming himself with the stick he had been managing to keep a hold on during the chase. "Hold on Jim, I'm going to show these buttsnacks that they messed with the wrong man!"
Jim groaned, blinking his eyes quickly as he tried to regain focus. He had taken one look at Steve before glancing behind the blonde brute. In a flash, his arm reached for his thigh blades before he weakly tossed them at a troll, managing a strike and instantly turning the beast to stone.
Steve was shocked, and clearly his face didn't plan on hiding it. However, there was no time to fanboy over something like this and somehow make sure that he and Jim made this out alive and it was nothing easy especially since the Trollhunter, the only one who can really kill them, could barely keep his eyes open.
If anything, Steve could at least say he had one form of a weapon. Hit a stick hard enough, it could do a decent amount of damage, as long as it was thick enough. Luckily, the one that Steve was dragging around was a decent one, so he hadn't failed just yet.
His eyes set on the four trolls cornering him, the fire burning within him raged. He let out a loud battle cry, his eyes forming into a glare.
And then he swung.
—-
Damn it, Jim. Claire cursed, jumping through another portal. She had been trying to track her idiotic friend who decided to run off with a head injury. Sadly, she hadn't found him after leaping in and out of portals so he had to be on the move. She had got distracted and cornered by numerous trolls, letting the Trollhunter escape her line of sight.
They had been close to the location of the spy, chasing him down like a pack of wolves. The victory was cut short when trolls had swarmed them the moment they set foot in the woods. They had chased the spy until he hid within a small cave, no chances of escaping them. Thankfully Toby and Eli had kept moving in the direction of the cave while the rest were held back.
The last time Claire had checked if Jim was still okay, he had been slicing at them, managing a few hits but his footing was becoming unstable. Then she had looked away when a Gumm-Gumm nearly took her head off. She was so distracted that she hadn't noticed Steve jumping in, only for Jim to be knocked to his feet and not getting back up. Next thing she knew, the pair was gone in a flash and so were half of the trolls that cornered them.
Her head became dizzy after her tenth portal jump, she ended up against a thick rock as she caught her breath, the staff laying beside her. She was getting better with the staff but the amount of emotion that she poured into it had drained her. Her arms ached from the fight, muscles burning until it all became numb.
You need to find Jim and Steve. Her mind reminded her, her focus back on her friend and the state she had seen him in.
With a heavy breath, she pushed herself up to the ground. She couldn't stop now, she had to find her friends and help them. She should have put up a better argument when Jim fought to stay. No matter what she said, he never backed down. It was as if she was having a one-sided conversation. He was a hopeless cause sometimes.
Opening one more portal, she winced and hopped through, her mind echoing one name repeatedly and she'd be damned if she couldn't find him.
Steve didn't know how long he had been swinging helplessly with the stick. He wasn't even paying close attention, his mind filled with rage as he stood in front of Jim, hitting the trolls who had dared to advance. Granted, he wasn't armed properly but he managed to dodge the blows.
The trolls moved slow, their pace was lacking and Steve knew they were losing energy. He knew he would pass out any second but he refused too, he had to keep fighting so then when Jim was better, he could use this against him. That was until his stick had been chopped, their swords slicing through it like warm butter.
He let out a gasp as his eyes looked at the stick which was barely three inches. "Oh no," he mumbled. Deciding there was nothing else but to accept his fate, his body quickly covered Jim's, his eyes squeezing shut and waiting for the blow to take his and Jim's life.
Yet, the blow never came, instead furious grunts were heard, loud thuds meeting Steve's ears and his body tensed. As the noises went silent, he hesitantly opened his eyes, turning to meet a raging Claire who was letting out heavy breaths, her eyes narrowed at the swords and unconscious Trolls.
Steve couldn't hide the fact that he shivered when Claire's piercing gaze met him. He had never seen this side of her. He hasn't seen any of them like this! He had felt like he was inside a dream, yet, no matter how many times he pinched himself in order to wake up from this haunting dream, he could only feel the pain, the exhaustion, the shock, and he could hear his headache as he kept thinking.
All proof that this wasn't some idea from his twisted imagination.
The girl stomped over, gently pushing Steve away as her eyes softened, her hands lifting to hold Jim's face, his blue eyes fluttering open and a weak smile formed on his lips. He mumbled a small inaudible "Claire," and she instantly reached for him. Her body shaking as Steve stood to the side.
Claire's anger had vanished at the sight of him, only to raise once he was feeling better. She had barely made it, finding Steve giving up. She knew if Steve was the only one on his feet, kicking trolls in their Gronk nuts, then Jim was definitely out of commission and it worried her.
Her tight grip around Jim was proof that she had been so close.
Her head turned towards Steve, the bully no longer had a tough stance, instead, his back was slouched, his hand holding his leg that seemed to be bruised and swollen. He had fought hard and she couldn't even be mad at the boy which was shocking, to say the least.
Glancing at Jim who had gone completely slack, her panic arose. His eyes were closed, the amulet ticking as if it was warning them. Acting quickly, she commanded Steve to grab Jim. Despite Steve's injuries, he had lifted the Trollhunter off the ground, cradling him close.
Opening a portal, Claire turned to Steve, "When you get to Trollmarket, ask for Blinky and Vendel, they will know what to do. Don't get distracted at what you see." She said simply, Steve nodding with a small gulp.
"Where will you be?" He asked, stepping up to the black hole, nervous.
"I'm going to find Eli and Toby. Just make sure you guys are looked at." She said, gently shoving Steve in the portal and letting it close. Steve was already on the other side safely, remembering what Claire had said.
And as Blinky raced towards the blonde, Steve looked down at Jim, the armor vanished completely and he was finally unconscious.
Saying Steve was nervous was an understatement.
When Jim opened his eyes, he didn't know what to expect. His body was lying still on a slab of rock, countless blankets beneath him, and draped over him. It was a few seconds before pain shot through his head, his teeth clenching and his hands fisting the blanket. His mind wandered thoughts of why his head hurt so bad and where was he?
He tried to move his head, only for the room to begin spinning and making his nauseous worse. With a soft whimper, he kicked his legs, trying to stand or sit but his body ignored his commands and continued to lay there helplessly.
Jim finally went still, staring at the ceiling above him and recognizing it instantly. He was in Trollmarket. Suddenly, a wave of memories flooded his mind but everything was blurred, even the figure that had covered him and another holding him close.
He jumped when frantic feet were heard, his teeth playing with his lip as he tried to turn his head, this time succeeding. His eyes landed on his friends who nearly stumbled over their feet. Blinky had reached his bedside first, one of his hands gently feeling Jim's forehead.
"Master Jim, how do you feel?" Blinky asked, his voice soft and comforting.
Jim let out a deep breath, "my head hurts." Blinky let out a laugh.
"You are concussed, my boy. You need to take it easy. We have to postpone your training for a few days." Before Jim could argue, Toby had pushed Blinky aside, an excited smile on his face.
"We found the troll spy Jimbo! We caught him for you, Eli screamed the whole time and I was awesome with my Warhammer!"
"I did not!" Eli whined. His voice startled Jim which Toby had noticed right away.
"Don't worry Jimbo, they won't tell. Steve was the one who brought you here." Jim turned his gaze to Steve who was using a set of crutches, the bully's face held no emotion but once he had met Jim's gaze, his tough facade faltered.
Jim smiled, mumbling a small thank you before Eli's excitement had poured out. "This place is so cool! I can't believe Trolls really exist. Don't worry I won't say anything but this is amazing, and you-" As his ranting continued, Jim ended up drowning him out.
He liked Eli, he was glad the boy liked it, however, he had felt a hand on his arm. His eyes met Claire who wore a smile. He knew she was worried but he also knew he was in deep trouble with her. He could tell she was ready to scream at him when he didn't have a killer headache.
Jim smiled as Eli's voice was heard again, the team surrounding him as they took turns sharing stories. Steve had bragged about how he saved Jim's life. Thankfully Steve was still the same, ignorant self, however, he could tell easily that Steve cared, even if the bully didn't admit it.
His head pounded but with his friends surrounding him as Eli even climbed onto Aaarrrgghh's back, he felt at peace.
His team just got a little bigger.