"You're me?" Jim asked wheezily, more awake now. As usual, he turned to his normal method of denial, and ignored the obsidian growth on his hand.

"No!" the thing growled, offended. "I am a piece of corruption within your very soul!"

"But you still are part of me, then."

"DETAILS!" Not-Jim roared, then calmed and resorted to growling.

"If you want my body, why not just kill me?" Jim sighed, motioning to his obviously weak self, barely able to clasp Daylight in defense. The creature still kept its distance— it had learned to be cautious when Jim pretended to give in and then attempted to take a stab.

"Are you that stupid, or just tired? I need your body to have a body idiot. If it wasn't for that, I would've killed you on sight. As it is, breaking the rest of your will is needed. It will be… fun," the creature hummed, dancing showily away from Jim's weak sword swings. It gave a mock little wave before bouncing off into the darkness. From afar, he saw it wink and give a little "follow me" motion.

Hold up—

The darkness wasn't so dark that way?

Jim snatched hold of the scraps of adrenaline and surge of hope and bounded forward, seeing a small ray of light peeking through a stone. He touched it reverently, then drew out his sword to begin chinking away.

—-

He crept out, ducking beneath the orange crystals of Vendel's room, watching as Usurna killing Vendel was projected magically to his friends, who cried out and gave him a tight hug.

—

When he exited the room, he briefly wondered how he had gone through all that in the space of what appeared to be a few hours and wandered for miles in caverns only to turn up feet away from his starting spot, but decided to chalk it up to magic. That seemed to be the explanation for most things in his life these days.

Along the way out, all the while attempting to avoid Usurna's guard, he glanced at the back of his hand, and… nothing was there. Well, Blinky did say the Deep messed with your head…

Perhaps none of that had even happened?

In fact, now that he mulled it over, what sense did any of that make? A shadowy troll version of himself that was slowly turning him into Gunmar's servant? That sounded ridiculous even in his head, let alone out loud. Besides, why would a clearly evil creature show him the exit if it were to break his will? It made no sense.

Jim simply released his muddled thoughts and focused on Blinky's yammering of evacuation plans, plans to tell the troll public, and escape before Usurna did something even more terrible.