TW: minor/temporary character death. 
===

The rain had stopped not too long ago. The stalkling now lay in pieces where it had crashed to the ground earlier after Hunter’s fall.

It had taken Toby a few minutes to register what was happening and where they were heading. Then again, they were taking the forest route instead of the main road, but Toby could still tell where they were. He did grow up there after all.

The odd group of changelings and teens walked in silence. Everyone was tense, no doubt a million thoughts running through everyone’s minds, though the trollhunter was quite sure they were all similar to his own. It wasn’t every day someone you knew got struck by lightning or saw them in the state Hunter was in. 

But there was one question that kept bugging Toby. They had mentioned something about Barbara- surely they weren't talking about Jim’s mom were they? Of course not! There just was no way! Jim wouldn’t involve his mom in this kind of thing especially with how dangerous the nature of their entire team was. But the closer they got, the more that the idea of this “Barbara” they had mentioned was in fact the very same Dr. Lake who was also Jim’s mom. 

But if that was the case, wouldn’t Jim have known about all of this too? 

The thought made the trollhunter stop in his tracks, pulling out the amulet that he had found that day in the canals. 

The amulet that Jim led him to. 

And like clockwork everything seemed to have fit together. Jim did know. He knew this entire time, and didn’t tell Toby? At least that explained some stuff… The sense of betrayal swept over the boy, a tight feeling in his chest as he stared absentmindedly at the amulet in his hand. 

“Toby?” Claire suddenly asked, a gentle hand on his shoulder. “You okay?”

“He knew…” Toby whispered, unable to hide the hurt in his voice. “All this time… and he knew…” tears started to well up in the shorter teen’s eyes as he held onto the amulet tightly, anger flaring up in his eyes as he bit down the urge to scream. 

“He?” Claire asked, trying to understand what was going through her friend’s mind. 

“Jim… he knew… and he didn’t tell me…” he wanted to be mad, oh so mad at Jim. but he just couldn’t. Not with the state Jim was in. Not at his brother in everything but blood. There was just no way to get mad at the blue clad teen. 

A sigh escaped the other changeling as he stepped forward to place a hand on the shorter teen. “Mister Domzalski…” he started, voice soft and filled with empathy. “I know it is hard to deal with such emotions. To find out that the person you trusted the most turned out to have been hiding a heavy secret, but do find it in yourself to forgive young Atlas…” 

Toby stared at the green troll for a second, disbelief morphing into every feature of his face as he connected the dots, taking a step back in surprise. “Mister Strickler…?” Toby gasped out, shocked that someone as innocent as his own history teacher would be a shape-shifting troll. Then again, was Strickler even innocent? He was a changeling after all.

In a flash of green, the troll had been replaced by none other than Strickler, a sullen and concerned expression on his face. “Yes… I am a changeling.” the teacher confirmed, taking a step back away from Toby to give the boy some space to process everything. No doubt that his thoughts and memories must have been all over the place after the effects of the Grit-Shaka. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Toby asked, distrust in his voice as he shook his head slightly in disappointment. 

“Because it isn’t our secret to tell.” Nomura hissed, though not as intimidating in her human form as she crossed her arms. “Those are Hunter’s to tell. Now come on.” she instructed, continuing to walk towards the Lake residence. Without another word, they all started to walk again, following the female changeling’s lead. Though Toby could swear there was guilt in Claire’s eyes. 

The moment they arrived in the backyard, Toby took note of the troll-shaped hole that led to the bushes before he noticed the unconscious form of Hunter laid half naked on a canvas sheet, multiple surgical equipment, disinfectants, bandages, and even a bucket of hot, bloody water, no doubt from cleaning up the wounds. 

Barbara was sitting next to the half-troll, already cleaning and doing her best to stop the bleeding, though obviously struggling with the stone skin. Yet that didn’t discourage her from treating her patient. Next to her was Blinky, doing his absolute best to assist in whatever way he could. 

“Blinky, I need a new towel.” the doctor demanded, the scholar doing as he was told, handing her a fresh towel as she instructed him how to clear her working area of blood so she could stitch up what she could of the wounds. 

The moment Claire saw the scene in front of her, her legs carried her over to the half-troll’s side, taking hold of his good hand as tears started to run down her face. “Please, be alright…” she mumbled weakly, gently pressing his hand to her cheek before she looked up to Barbara. “Please, tell me he’ll be alright…” she begged, watching the Doctor work. 

Barbara let out an exhausted sigh, never once taking her eyes away from her job. “It's hard to tell… not when he’s like this…” 

“His half-human, half-troll nature and biology has left us at a standstill, fair Claire…” Blinky added solemnly, putting a hand on the shadowmancer's shoulder in comfort. 

"I think it's best we leave them to treat him, Misses Nuñez." Strickler offered, helping the shadowmancer up to her feet as he led the teens inside the house to give the doctor and historian more space to work. 

Nomura walked over to Claire with a glass of water for her to drink from and a handkerchief to wipe her tears away. Claire thankfully accepted the offered items, wiping her tears and taking a sip before focusing on her breathing for a moment.

Toby didn't know what to do. Deciding to stay silent and think over everything. First it was Jim, now Hunter was in danger. Who next? He didn't know. But he did know that it was because of his recklessness that Hunter had gotten so badly injured. Hunter had warned him of the stalkling, told him he almost died once because of one and yet Toby didn't listen. Moreover, he went to look for Bular! 

If there was anyone to blame for their circumstances, it would be Toby. And blame himself he did. How could he not when it was true? If only he hadn't gone down that canal like Jim told him to, if only he didn't pick up that amulet, none of this would have happened, no one would have gotten hurt. 

But then, was that really what he wanted? 

He met so many people, made so many friends, it was just downright unfair. It was like life was playing him, like he was some toy that could be hit over and over again without breaking. 

But why him? Couldn't it have been anyone else?

Gentle hands placed themselves on his shoulder, having the trollhunter look up at the one that made contact, only to catch Claire’s chocolate eyes as she peered deep within his eyes. 

"Toby…" Her voice came out strained and pained yet held the air of authority and strength that he needed to hear. "Hunter is going to be okay…" 

"How can you be so sure…?" Toby rasped out, turning away from the shadowmancer and pulling out his amulet once again, placing it on the table in front of them with a tired sigh. "It's my job to keep everyone safe… but… I seem to only cause more problems…” Toby muttered, sending a hateful glare towards the magical amulet. “I’m no hero, I’ll only mess up again…” he finally scoffed, sniffling as he wiped away a few stray tears.

A pinch to the arm made the shorter teen yelp in pain, rubbing at the offended area while staring at Claire, obviously dumbfounded by her strange action, only to notice her stern gaze. 

“Of course you’ll mess up again.” she started dryly, picking up the amulet and holding it out to Toby. “That's why you have a team- to help you set things straight.” she sniffled, memories of the previous timeline resurfacing, memories of Jim’s attempts of doing things alone, the effects of those actions on him both mentally and physically. “We all know what we’re getting into here Toby. Dying is a very big risk we’ll have to face in this field of work, we know that and we’re willing to risk it.” there was an unreadable gleam in her eyes as she spoke, her voice ever so shaky as she gently cradled the amulet close when Toby didn’t take it back.

“We will get hurt. That’s a guarantee. Heck, who knows, we might even lose some limbs along the way.” she started again, looking up into the trollhunter’s eyes with determination, leaving the stout boy silent for a moment.

“Well I don't want that!” Toby exclaimed, holding himself tightly, as if curling up would make all his troubles disappear. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt…” he whispered, not looking at anything in particular as he sniffled again.

At that point, Blinky had gone inside to boil some more water for Barbara, unable to help himself from worrying about his charge, allowing Nomura to take over the water duty as he listened, ready to step in only to have him be stopped by Strickler who held out a hand to keep the scholar back. Blinky had been about ready to say something when the conversation between Claire and Toby picked up once again. 

“There was something Jim once said…” Claire started, eyeing the amulet in her hands. “Destiny… is a gift…” she stated, her voice shaky as she thought back on the many times those words helped them all. The amulet in her hands glowing brighter at her words, a soft ringing flowing in the air, earning her a curious glance from Toby as Blinky watched in surprise.

“Destiny is a gift…” a voice sounded in a soft whisper, eerily similar to Jim’s voice seeming to come from the amulet in a distorted manner.

“Some go their entire lives, living existences of quiet desperation…”

“Our loved ones gave their lives, but we are here in this very moment of quiet desperation.” It was Blinky’s voice that came next from the amulet, voice just as distorted and quiet but also coming from the amulet.

“Never learning the truth, that what feels as though a burden pushing down upon our shoulders…”

“And we’ve learned that what feels like a burden pushing down on our shoulders…” Next was Claire's own voice coming from the amulet as well.

“Is actually… the sense of purpose that lifts us to greater heights…”

“Is actually a sense of purpose that lifts us to greater heights!” this time, the voice sounded like Myrddin- or was it Douxie?

“Never forget that fear is but the precursor to valor,”

“Wait! Are you guys doing that “hero speech” thing?! I love the “hero speech” thing!” an unfamiliar voice sounded, excitedly.

“Never forget that fear is but the precursor to valor!” another unfamiliar voice called out.

“That to strive and triumph in the face of fear… is what it means to be a hero.”

“That to strive and triumph in the face of fear is what makes us heroes!” the same voice from before spoke again. 

“Don’t think…”

“Don’t think.” AARRRGGHH’s gruff voice sounded out next, soft whispers of other voices coming together as if preparing for a battle cry.

“Become…” 

“Become!” a chorus of voices all sounded together, both familiar and unfamiliar. Voices of people still living, and those who have passed on the mantle as a bright blue glow enveloped the entire room forcing those inside to shield their eyes from the onslaught of magical light. 

Shocked gasps escaped the four in the room from the surprise of such a light show, but the moment they opened their eyes again, stunned silence was the only thing that came from them. Each one observing and watching the light orbs being cast around them from the amulet of Daylight, leaving the room rather dim as the orbs offered their blue glow. 

“By Deya’s grace…” Blinky gasped, stepping closer to one of the now many floating orbs of lights around them. 

“What are these…?” Toby asked, touching one of the light orbs, only for it to morph into the miniature silhouettes of two trolls battling on top of Arcadia bridge. Touching another revealed a similar silhouette but this time of a tall, lanky troll, splitting into multiple copies of themselves. 

“Woah…” Toby couldn’t help but breathe out in awe.

“These are…” Strickler trailed off, coming closer to stand next to Toby to observe the images before them. 

“Memories of the amulet.” The unexpected voice of Myrddin sounded from the front door, breaking the group from their wonder as he stepped closer to one of the light orbs, gently touching it to open it up, this one with the image of a troll curled up, seemingly hiding from something. 

“That’s Deya…” Toby whispered, coming closer to the image by the wizard, remembering the tales Hunter had told him once. How could he have forgotten? Every trollhunter before him had had some kind of low before, some kind of doubt about themselves in one form or another. 

The back door slammed open, Barbara coming inside with a panic, forcing everyone to move and rush. All but Toby. At that moment, he couldn't move. Hell, he didn’t even register what the doctor had said. He didn’t even budge when someone rushed past him, accidentally elbowing him. 

It was strange. Like he was drawn to the singular image of Deya the “Deliverer” in her weakest moments, trying to cling to the hope that told him that even with his mistakes, he could still be the trollhunter. Hunter’s voice echoing within his mind as he recalled the tales he was told. 

"Have you ever heard of Deya the "Deliverer"?"

"The first trollhunter?" 

"That's right. She was the very first trollhunter. You remind me of her in many ways." 

"Me? Like Deya the "Deliverer"? Yeah right. Try again." 

"It's true." 

"And what do you think I have in common with the greatest trollhunter of all time?" 

"For one, you both need someone like me to talk you out of your self doubt." 

The conversation played over in his head as he watched the image shift. Deya was still curled up, still trying to hide from her duty, but this time, there was another troll sitting across from her. And he was talking. Like how Hunter described it.

Slowly, Toby reached over to another sphere of light, watching it shift into a battle scene. One troll, splitting into many, yet they seemed to have been having trouble keeping up a giant boulder- the clones seeming to be bickering amongst themselves. Once again, just like how Hunter described it.

One by one, the trollhunter reached over to the light orbs, each one seeming to bring back the stories Hunter had told him before, some he didn’t exactly recognise- probably because Hunter had never gotten to telling them- while the others were spot on. 

Toby couldn't tell how long he had been looking into these ‘memory orbs’ for. He didn’t even know why he was doing it. 

No, that was a lie.

He wanted to find something, anything that would give him the confidence to pick up the amulet once again, anything to make him believe this was worth it. Anything at all.

"There's one more tale I never told you earlier. One not many know about.”

Hunter’s voice returned, the scene of the half-troll by his bed that night resurfacing in his mind. Now that he thought about it, there was something heavy within his words, heavier than his secret of being a half-troll. 

The stout teen looked around, trying to find another orb to touch to see what memories it held. Yet he found none. There were no more lights floating about like strange holograms. And one by one, the memories started to fade from around him, eventually leaving him in a relatively dark room, his only light coming from the amulet on the table.

In the end, he wasn’t able to find that one memory that proved to him that he could do it. That he could become, as Claire had said. Maybe it would have been best for him to give up the mantle entirely- maybe even give it to Draal, or even Hunter if he survived. 

Carefully, Toby picked up the glowing trinket, ready to head outside to the backyard where everyone else was at. Where he should also be, worrying about Hunter’s safety. Except he was once again stopped from moving as he watched more lights form into silhouettes from the amulet. Most of the figures Toby could recognise at a glance. 

AARRRGGH, Blinky, Claire, Myrddin, three others he couldn’t recognise but felt were familiar, himself, and finally, up front, holding up a strange sword with curled spiked cross-guard, seeming to be leading them all into some kind of battle. 

“Jimbo…” Toby whispered, trying to reach out to touch the image, only for his hand to distort it and force it to change into another scene. One in which the figure that represented Jim seemed to have been in a clash with some kind of strange person with a staff before changing again to a moving yet blurry memory. 

A scene in which the group ran up to Jim all happily cheering for what seemed like their victory, only for Jim to stop short and turn around in a panic before running off, leaving the group behind. Eventually, he stopped in front of some debris, pulling and moving a large chunk away, revealing Toby; battered and beaten, leaving Jim to grieve as the stout boy fell limp in his best friend’s arms. 

Toby felt sick. Who wouldn’t be if you were just shown your own death? He couldn’t do much except sit there on the couch, staring at the scene mortified. What even was this? Some kind of prediction of the future?

“It’s the memories of the past, Tobes…”

—

“He isn’t breathing!” Barbara yelled with a barely choked back sob, getting the attention of everyone that had been inside, including those who had just arrived with the once master wizard- everyone but Toby- as they all rushed outside. Douxie, Claire and Zoe rushing over to help Barbara. 

Claire couldn’t do much except hold onto Jim’s hand at that moment, praying with everything she had for her Boyfriend to come out of this alive and in one piece. How she wished she could use her magic like she used to be able to, if only she could turn him back into a human, then Barbara could help him better. 

A sob left the Latina as she continued to mutter prayers for the once trollhunter’s safety. Zoe had fallen besides Barbara, having had some medical experience from when she had been a nurse in one of the many wars she had been a part of, using her magic to help close off the smaller, harder to reach wounds on the Half-troll while Nomura did her best with CPR, having turned back to her troll form to be able to even budge the half-troll’s own stone skin. The entire group was silent as they all watched the wizards, changeling, and doctor work on Jim, doing their absolute best to bring him back. 

“Come on. Come on…” Douxie mumbled to himself, trying to reach Jim with his magic, calling for him to respond. Yet nothing happened. 

“Hunter, my boy… please, wake up…” Blinky whispered quietly, getting closer to place a hand on his head, gently brushing hair away from his face. 

“Come on, Lake… you’re tougher than this…” Steve voiced out, the rest of the creepslayerz- which now also included Mary and Darci- also adding in their encouragements. 

“Please… Kiddo…” Barbara sobbed, gently cupping her son’s cheek, Strickler coming over to her in his troll form to wrap his wings around the Doctor. 

“Young Atlas…”

“Fleshbag…”

“Little Gynt…”

“James Lake Jr.…” Claire cried out, her entire being shaking with sobs as she cried on the side of her boyfriend’s chest where his injuries were minimal. If only she could use her magic, if only she could be of some use, then maybe Jim would have been better already. They all stayed as silent as they could. No one wanted to believe that he was gone, yet they couldn’t do anything at all to save him. 

One tear, two tears, three… they continued to fall from Claire’s eyes onto Jim’s torso as she sobbed and listened for a heartbeat. Anything. 

And then there it was. 

A soft, rhythmic sound. 

Shooting up into a sitting position, Claire stared wide eyed at her Boyfriend’s unconscious state, taking note of every detail she could. She couldn’t feel a pulse, his usually warm stone now cold as ice, his breathing completely halted. There were no signs of life, they had all but given up hope of saving Jim, yet there was a rhythmic sound. 

The sound of clockwork.

No, they could still save him! They could! But how? Claire wondered as she looked over everyone in the group when it hit her like a ton of bricks, the moment her eyes landed on the new arrival of AARRRGGHH and Vendel in the backyard, carrying a bunch of materials to help recovery. Quickly wiping away her tears, Claire set to start her work. 

“We can still save him!” she exclaimed, catching everyone off guard as she rushed to move everyone into position. Barbara, Strickler, and Blinky were placed on his right side, each one of them carefully touching Jim’s injured arm as instructed by Claire. Next, the shadowmancer moved the creepslayerz over to the unconscious teen’s legs, making them touch him too before she turned to look at the rest of the trolls, positioning Draal, AARRRGGHH, Vendel, and Nomura by Jim’s head. Next, she took the heartstone staff from Vendel, carefully handling it to carefully touch it above the half-troll’s heart, earning her confused looks from everyone, yet no one questioned her in hopes of this working. 

“My magic is weak.” she started, her voice shaky as she held onto the staff tightly. “So I’m going to need everyone’s help to help me focus and activate my magic.” 

Catching onto her plan, Douxie and Zoe both took hold of one of Claire’s shoulders each as they started to charge up their magic, allowing it to flow into the shadowmancer who smiled at them. “And we’ll help.” Archie commented from on top of his wizard’s shoulder, ready to offer some of his own magic for the cause. 

Slowly, the shadowmancer gathered up all her magic as dark veins started to appear on her skin, the wind around them picking up as she started to condense her magic into the heartstone staff, making the orange crystals glow with a shade of purple as she started to draw on the magic and energy of those touching Jim. The magic channelling causing her pendant to glow a bright purple with wisps of inky blackness.

It had taken a few minutes to divert all that energy into the Half-troll, waiting patiently as they all watched the shadow magic disperse from around them as Claire collapsed to her knees, being caught by Douxie and helped up by Vendel. 

They all watched, breaths baited, watching for any signs of life. 

A minute, then two. 

Nothing. 

Then small flickers of neon blue lights started coursing around Jim, as if searching him over slowly before finding their way to his heart where they disappeared, only for more to follow. The process repeated itself a couple of times as Jim’s body slowly lifted off of the ground, the sounds of the ticking of clockwork loud around them, a chime echoing like a grandfather clock. 

And at the twelfth chime, pieces of magitech armour materialised around him, encasing him in its protective neon shield before everything came to a grinding halt as Jim was slowly placed back down, silence once again filling the backyard as they all observed him, parts of his trollish features lessening and a more human looking teen laid asleep on the ground surrounded by a soft cyan blue glow.

Carefully, Claire took a step forward, hope filled her eyes as she observed her boyfriend once again. And this time, she let out a sob of joy, seeing him take a breath once again. “I-it worked…” she whispered to herself, before turning to look at everyone with a wide relieved smile. “It worked! He’s alive!” she exclaimed, earning cheers from everyone all around her, getting a hug from Douxie and Zoe, both of them praising the shadowmancer for her work. 

“As much as this is a good thing, Jägare is not out of the woods just yet…” Vendel huffed, unable to hide the relief and worry in his voice as he got to work with Blinky, Barbara, and the wizards who had to force the armour off. Yet they didn’t dare take the shadowmancer away from the Half-troll just in case they needed her magic once again. 

Eventually, Hunter was left to heal with the power of the heartstone staff as Claire held it between herself and Jim as they all waited for the once trollhunter to wake up. And wake up he did, groaning and grunting in pain as his breathing became pained and laboured the moment his consciousness started to return to him. 

By that point, only a few of them stayed awake as the magic used had most likely drained them all- mostly the creepslayerz including Zoe, yet Draal, AARRRGGHH, and Nomura had also fallen asleep without a heartstone, acting as beds for the humans. Claire, although tired, refused to sleep just yet, wanting to see her beloved get through this traumatic event. 

Slowly, Jim blinked his eyes open, hissing in pain when he tried to move his body. Claire couldn’t help but smile, watching Jim wake up, holding his left hand in both of hers. “Jim…?” she whispered out, hoping he would have been conscious enough to recognise her voice.

Another groan escaped the once trollhunter as he slowly turned his head to face her, his eyes clearing up ever so slightly, beads of sweat starting to form on his forehead from the strain of his body. “C-Claire…?” he managed to stutter out, a shaky hand lifting up to touch her, an action the shadowmancer didn’t refuse as she took his hand in her own, allowing the heartstone staff to fall to the ground beneath them, giving off a resounding thump as it hit the dirt. 

“I’m here… I’m here…” she reassured him, gently pressing his hand to her cheek tears of joy once again welling up in her eyes. A small lopsided smile formed onto Jim’s face as his vision cleared slowly with every blink he took. 

“Glad to see you haven’t joined the others in the void!” Douxie exclaimed softly, a wet chuckle escaping the wizard as he knelt down next to Jim and Claire, giving the teen’s head a small ruffle. 

"Z-zero out of ten… did it twice, never again." Jim said, barely over a whisper in a lighthearted manner.

"You better not…" Claire said, letting out a watery laugh, her shoulders shaking in barely held back sobs.

“Don’t scare us like that again, Kiddo…” Barbara whispered, also coming closer, gently caressing her son’s face the moment she was on her knees before her professional doctor’s mask returned to examine him once again with the help of Strickler, rewrapping his bandages and reapplying some medical salve. 

“Truly a miracle of miracles…” Vendel grumbled, tone unamused though they knew the old troll felt relieved at Jim’s survival as the elderly troll started to pack up his supplies. “I trust you are more than capable of taking care of young Jägare, Lady Bah-bu-rah?” he asked, slowly picking up his staff from Claire’s offering hands when she lifted it up for him to take. 

“Of course, Venerable Vendel." Barbara said with a smile, glancing up once at the elderly troll before resuming with her duties. "Thank you… for coming to the aid of my son…" she spoke weakly, tears once again welling up in her eyes in relief but managed to blink them away as she worked, easily changing bandages and making sure Jim was stable. 

"Do not thank me, thank the shadowmancer." The elderly troll said with a soft hum of amusement just before he turned to face the recovering half-troll, crouching ever slightly to place one hand on his head. "May you have a quick recovery." Vendel said, slowly slipping his hand away from the teen to start his trek back to the market with Strickler as his escort through the sewers, but not without a parting word to the boy. 

"It is best if you have your entire team." And with that the elder was gone, leaving some supplies for Barbara to use just in case. 

Silence once again washed over the entire group, allowing for Jim to relax for a few moments before the tranquillity was interrupted by a quiet and rightfully confused stutter from the six eyed scholar. 

"J-Jäga- Jim- Hunter- Master Jim…?" Blinky asked, now unsure how to address the boy, wanting to be respectful of him but at the same time finding it quite difficult to wrap his head around the events of the last couple of hours, his mind racing with unanswered questions.

A soft chuckle left the teen as he tiredly peeked at his once mentor, fondness clear across his exhausted features, his lungs flaring up in pain from the action yet he didn’t care. “Any will do, Blink…” he managed to wheeze out after a while. 

Shuffling in place, Blinky wrung all four of his hands together, a nervous energy enveloping the scholar as he took a step forward towards the half troll in the shadowmancer’s arms the moment Claire gave him the all clear to come closer. “I…” he started quietly, taking in every aspect of the half troll in front of him. “You…”

Blinkous Galadragal had always found pride in himself for knowing so many big and complex words, words he could easily pull out at a moment’s notice. But standing there, watching Hunter’s injured form, half turned into his human figure- who was apparently Jim, Master Tobias’s best friend- made it too difficult for the scholar to find the words he needed to express himself in the moment. It wasn’t many times he had stood in the same room as Jim Lake Jr., with the human boy that had entered trollmarket for the first time with his best friend. The boy who had a great effect on Master Tobias’s mood. 

To Blinky, Jim Lake Jr. is a stranger.

But at the same time, this boy in front of him was Hunter. The welp that had tried to help in the most unconventional methods ever. The welp that brought changelings into trollmarket. The welp that Vendel trusts with his life. The welp who he had hurt once, who had forgiven him so easily, and the one who willingly took up his offer of refuge. The one who took great care in handling his library books, the one who cooks and cleans when he could not, the one who lends an ear to his ramblings and theories. The one that looked up to him like a father.

To Blinky, Jägare “the Hunter” is his son. 

Seeing the typhoon of emotions raging within Blinky’s downcast half-a-dozen eyes, Jim forced himself to move, much to the protest of everyone around him, an action which prompts the historian to move and help the half-troll back down to rest some more to allow Barbara to continue changing his bandages. 

“Blinky…” Jim called out, unable to hold back the pained squeak in his voice as he continued to watch the older troll. Observing how his emotions all came together in his worried gaze at the tone of the teen’s voice. “Tell me…” he hissed out in pain the moment he accidentally strained himself too much as he practically collapsed onto Claire, using her for support as he did his best to relieve the rattling ache in his chest. 

It took a moment of silence before Jim could see the moment his father figure’s demeanour broke, allowing the flood of emotions to wash over him yet still keeping his voice soft, every word coming out heavy with concern, pain, and anguish, leaving a tight feeling in the half-troll’s chest. “Why did you lie to us…?

Unable to look up to his father figure, Jim looked elsewhere, trying to find anything to distract him from the pang of guilt pooling in the pits of his stomach. “I… I c-couldn’t tell…” he whispered, a soft whine escaping him as he tried to cower away, only to have his good hand held in a firm, stony grasp comfortingly. 

“Why not?” Silence followed after, Jim looking up to face his girlfriend, wishing for her to lend some help with dealing with the scholar. 

“Jim…” Claire started, gently cupping her boyfriend’s cheek, watching how he weakly nuzzled closer to the warmth of her palm. “I think… I think it's time to tell them all the truth…” she whispered, earning her a head shake and distressed whine from Jim who slightly pulled back, desperation evident in his sparkling blue eyes.

“No, Claire. You know we-”

“She’s right, Jim.” Douxie voiced in, cutting off the half troll as the wizard walked over with some fresh bandages for Barbara to use. “We know it's dangerous for us to go about telling people this secret of ours… but after what happened today, I’d rather we take the risk of telling them than us going in unprepared when an unexpected event happens. You can’t do this alone, and you know better than most that we are going to need all hands on deck for what we have planned, Jim. It's time we told them- the timeline’s already changing and we can’t risk anything like this happening again…” Douxie said, handing the younger teen the circular disk he had only ever used twice in his life. 

Another whimper escapes Jim as he goes through the only option he had at that point. And, maybe, it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe then, he wouldn't have to keep secrets anymore from his family.

But what if… Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, a determined gleam crossed his eyes as he let out a weak growl, taking his amulet- the Excalibur amulet- from the once master wizard. “Alright…” he finally resigned, allowing his shoulders to relax as he took in deep breaths to calm himself. 

“Young Hunter…?” Blinky asked, worry thick in his voice as he gave the teen’s hand a firm squeeze, curiosity in his many eyes.

“Gather everyone up…” Jim wheezed, gently brushing off Blinky’s hands as a spark of blue magic enveloped him, helping him up to his feet with Claire and Barbara right there next to him, also helping him up to his feet, making sure he didn't strain himself too much . “It’s time we stop the lies…” and slowly, with the help of Claire and his mom, Jim made his way inside, leaving Douxie and Blinky to round up everyone else present. 

Once through the backdoor, Jim watched Toby with half-lidded eyes as he watched the vague depictions of the final battle’s aftermath. He watched how Toby’s expression morphed from that of anticipation and questioning to one of horror and disgust the moment he realised what he was seeing before his eyes. And Jim couldn’t help the anguished crack in his voice as he spoke up, slightly startling the new trollhunter. 

“It’s the memories of the past, Tobes…”

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A/N: Yes, Jim did in fact die for a second here. 

And yes, Jim and the others are about to come clean to everyone including the creepslayerz. 

I'm also thinking of making a complementary story for this one just for fluff random shenanigans that are briefly mentioned here because I just can't manage to fit it in between chapters unless they're major developments °3° do tell me if you'd like to read something like that too!