The peace that had followed after they shut Strickler away did not last long, unfortunately. Not even ten minutes after Shadowflight had started to try and nap in the library, there was a loud commotion outside.
"Good gracious, what's even going on out there?" Blinky asked Aaarrggh as he shut his book. The larger troll shrugged and looked to Shadowflight, who gave a shrug and a confused warble.
The three poked their heads out to see a crowd of trolls storming past them with Strickler, all shouting as the changeling was shouting for help.
"Entrance!" Aaarrggh yelled, pointing to where the trolls seemed to be marching. Shadowflight nods before bolting after the trolls, taking care to turn himself invisible and taking a quicker route through the rooftops. As the trolls were approaching the stairs, the Nightlight lands right in front of them, allowing himself to be seen and roars at the crowd of trolls.
"Move you big salamander!" One troll that was holding Strickler by his feet yelled. Shadowflight responds with a growl and blasts a small bit of fire at the trolls feet to send him back into the crowd. More trolls tried stepping forward but the dragon blasted at their feet again and again to keep them back until Blinky and Aaarrggh arrived to keep the crowd back.
"What in Deya's name is the matter with you all?!" Blinky shouts at the crowd. "Have you all lost your minds?"
"Get out of our way Aaarrggh!" One troll yelled but the Krubera held his ground.
"No!" He snarled and stood firmly between Blinky and Shadowflight.
"Let us discuss this matter like reasonable trolls!" Blinky states, stepping forward. A small rock flew out from the crowd and smacked him right in the head. "Ruffians! Who threw that?!"
"Where's Jim? He gave me his word!" Strickler asks frantically.
"Put him down! Helped save my mother!" They heard Jim yell before he, Toby and Claire emerged from the crowd to stand at the entrance. "He's...with me!"
"He tried to release Gunmar!" One troll shouts.
"Get him out of here!" Another yells.
"Changelings ain't right in Trollmarket!" Another adds and the other trolls shout in agreement.
"It's not going to make a difference!" Jim argues. "Angor Rot wants me too, and the protective barrier won't stop him!"
"What do you mean?" Blinky asks him in worry.
"He has...a horngazzle." Jim admits and all the trolls start screaming and throwing garbage in his direction. "You have the right to know!" He yells back at the angry crowd.
"Let's throw them both out!" A troll yells as the crowd cheers. "And the lizard too!"
Someone walked back and grabbed Jim by his feet. Shadowflight snarled that turned into a yelp of surprise when he felt someone grab him by the tail and start dragging him painfully up the stairs as well.
"When you finish throwing them out, come back and throw me out too!" They all stop to see Vendel step into the hood of the car to overlook the crowd. "Yes the boy has made grave errors, but he's come through for us more times than I give him credit for. Trollmarket is in danger, and our greatest defense has always been our Trollhunter. He's earned my trust, he should earn yours."
"You can throw me out too!" Blinky adds as he climbs onto the hood of the car.
"And me!" Aaarrggh adds as he stands beside them.
"Us too!" Toby adds before quickly adding, "Technically we don't live here, just saying."
"Same for me, I've always stood with our Trollhunter!" A troll from earlier states as she pays Jim on the chin.
Shadowflight watches as the trolls mutter among themselves before the three holding him, Strickler and Jim release them none too gently onto the stairs.
"What now, our unfathomable leader?" Strickler asks as they get to their feet. Jim motions for his dragon to follow as he climbs up a few steps before turning to face the crowd of trolls.
"Now we get ready to give Angor Rot the fight of his life!" He yells, shoving his fist into the air, earning a loud cheer from the crowd.
The humans, trolls and dragon set about setting up the underground city for a fight. Everyone was setting up walls to block off certain areas made of various things like old TVs, barrels, crates, and other bits of junk. Shadowflight was more than happy to help, flying through the city with a net to collect various bits of junk the trolls wanted to use, earning himself a few pats on the head and some chin scratches from the ones who didn't seem too scared of him. As he was finished dropping off a net full of crates to get set up near the entrance, he decided to stop by the library. Inside, he find the three humans surrounding a table with the odd little green troll he recalled only meeting once and a tiny creature with a red cap on its head. It gave a startled squeal before sputtering some weird sounding chittering noises and running around the table in panic before hiding itself behind the little green troll.
"Why's Chomsky so terrified of Shadowflight?" Toby asks as the said dragon squeezes his head between him and Jim.
"Maybe dragons eat gnomes?" Claire suggests with a shrug. "Then again he is kind of scary at first glance."
As if I'd eat that tiny thing, it's not even big enough to feed a baby dragon and it has sharp teeth. Shadowflight thought in disgust as the little creature Claire a gnome barred it's teeth at him before blowing a raspberry.
"Let's just ignore the fact that Gunmar has a full list of who he's planning on killing." Toby says dismissively.
"It's like you said, we shouldn't be focused on the fight tomorrow, but the fight today." Claire says.
"It's just too bad we're gonna be wasting our time collecting stones to kill Gunmar and not Angor Rot." Toby adds. "I mean we have a dragon on our side, but he's injured and definitely not in good shape to be fighting."
Shadowflight huffs in annoyance. This wound was nothing compared to the injuries he'd seen on other dragons like his father, the only dragon of their species he'd seen with the most scars on his body that made him look fierce and feral. If anything, this was probably the first of the many battle scars he'd gain in his life, even if it wasn't from a dragon.
"Or so you think." The four turn to see Strickler walk in with a book in hand. "Maybe you do have a stone, Angor's eye."
Jim turns to pick up a glass jar with the weird black ball Shadowflight remembered finding on the stairs of the house. "You're saying I can use this in my amulet?"
"If cut with the proper guidance." Strickler responds.
"Show me where to cut."
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Shadowflight watches his human as he and the changeling were busy cutting away at the eye with a strange rolling stone, curious to see what would happen. He didn't get what was so important about that eye, but apparently it was going to help Jim against the troll that had been giving them trouble since that day in the woods. Whatever it was supposed to do, he hoped it was enough to help.
After a while, the eye was now reduced to a tiny glowing red stone that Jim placed into his amulet, causing it to elevate off his hand and glow brightly before dropping.
"So what's this supposed to do?" Jim asks as he places the amulet back into his pocket.
"You'll see." Strickler responds with a smile. "Now, I suppose that's all I can do for now, unless there's anything else you would like for me to do."
"I think that's enough, for now. Let's get you somewhere far from here where Angor won't find you."
The three soon we're walking through the city, Shadowflight glaring at the trolls who kept throwing angry looks at Strickler but kept their distance.
"Are you sure there isn't anything more I can do?" The older man asks as they approached a large metal contraption Shadowflight had recalled getting into once, which brought him some unpleasant memories of the motion sickness he felt after the first and last time.
"The other trolls don't trust fighting alongside you, and honestly, neither do I." Jim admits.
"You've kept your word, after everything I've done. Once again, you've proved why you are...the hero. And I am..."
"Someone who could change."
"Your idealism is nearly contagious." Strickler says with a roll of his eyes. "My gratitude cannot be enough."
He extends his hand to them to reveal a glowing blue stone in his hand.
"Gee, a friendship rock?" Jim asks skeptically as Shadowflight sniffs it. It smelled old and dusty, which meant it probably didn't taste good so he probably shouldn't try eating it.
"After you are done with Angor's eye, I thought you could use Gunmar's." Strickler states, ignoring the remark. "You need the last Triumbric stone to defeat Gunmar, I've held onto it for centuries. I kept it close in case you drove a hard bargain to protect me."
Ah, another troll eye. Definitely not something he'd want to eat. Shadowflight sat back as he watched the two talk for a bit before Strickler climbed into the metal contraption.
"You may not believe me young Atlas, but I do wish you luck, and hope we do meet again." The older man says before looking to Shadowflight. "Try not to let him get into too much trouble. Keep him safe."
First Jim's mother, now that troll smelling human, guess everyone really likes telling me to keep my human friend safe before they go somewhere. Shadowflight thought as the metal thing speeds off. Like I really need reminding.
"Come on bud, let's get back to helping everyone get ready for the battle." Jim says as he tucks the glowing eye stone into his jacket pocket. "It's almost time."
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The second they heard the loud pounding coming from the stairs, Shadowflight was already feeling sick to his stomach from nervousness. Trolls were running around screaming as they ran for cover back towards the city. The pounding above was shaking the room, sending small bits of rock falling down near them.
"Is he knocking? Is that some sort of troll war etiquette?!" Toby asks nervously as the pounding continued.
"I believe he's attempting to intimidate us!" Blinky responds as he plugs his ears.
"He's expecting us to hide, I say we take the fight to him!" Jim says before turning to the group. "Draal, Shadowflight hold the stairs; Blink, Claire, Tobes, protect Trollmarket; Aaarrggh, Notenrique, come with me."
"Umm...I'm rather comfy where I am." Notenrique says. Shadowflight looks to Draal, who nods, before the dragon turns and swats the little troll up the stairs. "Ya brute!"
"This should be fun, just the two of us guarding the stairs to protect the main city." Draal says as he hefts his axe. "Kind of like what we did at the house."
Shadowflight cringes at that, recalling how poorly it ended for them the last time they tried defending anything together. That ended up with Draal getting sprayed in the face with something that burned and knocked out, while he got his tail stepped on and got stabbed later.
"Right, my bad. Bad example." The troll mutters. "Know what, I'll just keep my mouth shut."
They hear a loud roar from upstairs that was followed by something breaking, and then silence. Shadowflight looks up the stairs anxiously expecting the creepy troll to be running down the stairs, only to hear Jim yelling loudly about a diversion.
"Protect the city! He's coming in another way!" They hear him yell. "Get ready to fight!"
"What happened, where's Angor Rot?" Claire asks as she rushes to the stairs, just as Jim is rushing down.
"There he is!" A troll yells, pointing to a set for stairs where the troll assassin was descending.
"Angor!" Jim yells loudly.
"Trollhunter! I have some friends I'd like you to meet!" The troll says before flinging something into the chasm. The floor began shaking wildly as large creatures made of glowing stones arose and started advancing towards them.
"You get to Angor, we got this!" Claire yells as one of the creatures gets close and she strikes it in the chest.
Shadowflight bounds after Jim as they run towards the enemy. Some of the glowing rock creatures try blocking them, but one swipe of Jim's sword and a blast to the chest from Shadowflight gave them enough room to keep advancing until they got close to Angor.
"When will you learn that Daylight is mine to command!" The troll yells as Jim's sword suddenly vanished from his hand. The armor suddenly began to glow gold and the sword immediately vanished from his hands, reappearing in Jim's hands. "No!"
"Guess I should thank you for giving me the "stink eye"!" Jim jokes as he pokes the amulet on his chest.
Angor gives a loud roar as he lunges at the human, swiping at him with his knife as Jim blocks and dodged the attacks. Shadowflight kept himself to the back of the assassin, whacking him with his tail and swiping with his talons to give Jim the chance to get him when his back was turned.
"You destroyed my soul hunter, now I shall harvest yours!" Angor yells as a loud honking noise is heard.
"It's not hunter Angor, it's hunters!" Jim yells as Shadowflight grabs him by the arm to yank him out of the way of Blinky, who drove a car right into the assassin and crushed him underneath.
"I drove! Did you see?!" Blinky yells as he stuck his head out of the car's window. "I drove a human automobile! What a thrill!!"
His happiness was short-lived as Angor suddenly lifts the car and flung it, sending it crashing towards the stairs. Shadowflight cringes at the sight, hoping he was okay at least. But right now was not the time to be focused on Blinky if these glowing rock things were surrounding him and Jim as quickly as they took them down. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the assassin troll looking towards Toby, who was struggling to lift his weapon. Shadowflight gave a loud roar of alarm as the troll flung a knife towards the small human and bolts towards him, ignoring Jim yelling for his friend. Before he could even reach the human, Aaarrggh just right in the way of the knife that flew right into his chest.
"No!!!" Toby screams as his friend starts to turn to stone before his eyes and rushes over to him. "Aaarrggh?"
"Wingman..." the troll murmurs before he turns to stone completely.
Shadowflight soon reaches the two and nudges the statue, hoping his friend would respond, but Aaarrggh remained motionless. The dragon croons pitifully and looks to Toby.
"I'm gonna kill you!" He suddenly screams, grabbing his hammer and ran at Angor, swinging at him wildly and missing him while screaming.
"I destroyed your soul, your fight is with me!" Jim yells as he runs towards them before Angor could strike his friend. "Not them!"
"As you wish Trollhunter!" Angor sneers as he blasts something at Jim, who immediately takes off into the city, Angor right on his heels. Shadowflight follows, snagging Jim and tossing him onto his back to ride.
"The Forge! That place!" His human yells as Shadowflight dodged another blast for Angor. The dragon did as he ordered, rushing towards an area with a sign in shape of a glowing fist that Jim pointed to.
Jim held on as his dragon ran over the bridge and immediately flung one of his metal boomerangs to hit the activation button. The Forge whirled to life, the floors shaking and lifting as he immediately leaps from Shadowflight's back to grab onto one of the elevated floors.
"Clever hunter!" He hears Angor sneer as he rushed for higher ground. "Just you and me now!"
Jim leapt and dodged the blasts sent in his direction, leaping onto the changing floors of the Forge. He couldn't see Shadowflight or Angor anywhere, but he knew they were close. He heard a loud yell and barely turned to see Angor fly at him, hitting him right in the chest and knocking him right to the floor.
"The Heroes Forge, more like a cowards grave." The assassin sneers as Jim gets to his feet.
The Trollhunter glances up to see something rippling in the air on the moving floor panel behind Angor and a familiar pair of bright blue eyes that were looking straight at him. With a loud yell, Jim rushed at Angor and swung Daylight. The assassin dodged his attacks. He heard a roar as Shadowflight emerged and leapt at Angor, clawing at his face and attempting to bite his head before he was thrown to the floor with a loud thud. Jim leaps back as Angor attacks, but not quick enough for the assassin to knock Daylight out of his hands and send it flying into the chasm.
"Enough of your games!" The troll sneers as he knocks Jim to the floor next to Shadowflight and began to chant softly. Suddenly, everything in the forge began to collapse and fall back into its place, sending the two falling. Jim felt his dragon grab for him before they both painfully hit the floor.
"Do you ever wonder how you lived this long?" Angor asks as he drops to the floor and sends a blast of energy at them, earning a pained yelp from the dragon as he is tossed, releasing Jim in the process. "The only reason you're alive is because you let your loved ones fall in your place! Your teacher, the changeling! Your mother! Your dragon!"
Every mention was another blast at Jim that he kept trying to dodge. He could hear his friends on the blocked off entrance of the Forge yelling his name and trying to get through, and out of the corner of his eye he could see Shadowflight attempting to get up but kept collapsing onto the floor in pain.
"And now your simple friend Aaarrggh, is dead!"
"No!!" Jim screams, Daylight reappearing in his hand as he swung the sword at Angor, only for him to knock him back onto his knees.
"But where are your loved ones now, hunter?" The assassin sneers as he draws out his blade.
"Up here rock head!" The two look up in time to see Toby emerging from a shadow portal with his hammer. With Angor distracted, Jim took the opportunity to kick his hand that held the knife to plunge it into his chest. As his body turned to stone, Toby brought his hammer down on Angor's neck, causing his whole body to crumble and fall to the floor in a pile of stone.
Jim gives a sigh of relief as he gets to his feet, walking over to Toby as he brought his hammer down on the broken pieces of Angor for good measure. He hears a small warble and both turn to see Shadowflight limping towards them, but giving them one of his gummy smiles.
"Jim!" Jim looks the other way to see Claire, Blinky and Draal hurrying towards him and Toby. Claire throws her arms around him in a tight hug, which he returns. "Is he really...gone?" She asks him, looking to the pile of stones.
"He better be." He responds.
"Yeah, he better be." Toby agrees before kicking the pile of rocks.
They gasp and jerk back as blue smoke and bright blue orbs of lights began to emerge from the stones, little whips of voices murmuring as they flew up into the air.
"Who are they?" Claire asks in awe as they watch the glowing orbs merged together and a figure with large horns wearing armor similar to Jim appears before them.
"These are the spirits of our fallen breatheren, Trollhunters who lost both soul and life to Angor Rot." The figure responds. "Our brothers and sisters shall take their proper place in the Void and rest in peace, thanks to you James Lake Junior. And your friends, you were right. You are stronger together, we are in your debt. But the day will come Trollhunter, when you must finish the fight alone."