Blinky was waiting for Walter as he came out of the growing darkness, folding his wings around his body as he looked to the dark bulk of the forests that surrounded Arcadia. Behind him, the lights of the city blazed, banishing the night.

And if, no, when Gunmar rises, the power lines that fuel those lights will be the first thing he targets. Gunmar was not a fool. Born of rage and power, he was also a great general and worst of all—no coward. Let human TV shows claim that evil always came with weakness—Gunmar would merely see challenging mankind's endless legions as… Well, a challenge.

Which raises an issue. Gunmar is not an idiot. Trolls will be bringing spears and swords vs. Atomic weapons, tanks and supersonic jets. And yet, Gunmar is not an idiot. So he feels he can somehow counterbalance those tools.

Strickler wished he knew how.

"On time, I see," Blinky muttered. "You must be eager to ensure we continue to protect you."

"I wasn't aware you were protecting me now," Strickler said. "Or are we here, instead of in Trollmarket, for your health?"

"Usurna is not a fan of changelings at the best of times. And it was your dalliance with Angor Rot and the Trollhunter's mother that have put us in this position, to say nothing of the kidnapping of the fair Claire's brother!"

"How are they?" Strickler asked.

"Not good." Blinky closed his six eyes before opening them again. "They still must sleep together, lest nightmares come upon Master Jim, and even with all of our magic, they still suffer the consequences of their time in the Darklands. Claire was ill today, and Master Tobias has told me that both of them are easily startled, and…" he sighed. "He believes that they have not told all about their imprisonment."

"He's not trying to question them, is he?" Strickler leaned forward. Toby was not a bad kid, but his grasp of social niceties had well, never been his strong suit.

"Far from it. He understands that they will heal at their own time and own pace. He has grown, Strickler, from organizing the other humans to protect Arcadia to working with us to free Jim and Claire, he has grown." Blinky put one hand to his forehead and rubbed it. "He has grown as he should not have had to. None of them should have to endure this. What was Merlin thinking? What was I thinking."

"You have done your best to prepare them," Strickler said. "As someone who was on the other side, I doubt they would have done nearly as well without your aid."

"Which is poor consolation for everything they have lost!" Blinky snapped.

Strickler sighed. "Shall I fetch a whip? Granted, self-flagellation may not be as effective on a troll as a human, but I'm told it was once all the rage for senseless and counter productive displays of regret." He didn't wilt under Blinky's glare. "I have been a teacher for decades—centuries. The Trollhunter part was new, but do you think Jim and Claire are the first children I've seen march off to a war not of their making? The first ones to come back with too many ghosts behind their eyes, from the Somme or Tarawa? At least they are fighting in a war that is clearly moral, instead of risking their lives to ensure that the United Fruit Company keeps its tax free status!" He shook his head. "The best we can do is ensure that they live and this war ends quickly and In victory, because until it is over, Jim, Toby and Claire will never be able to put it behind them."

If they ever can.

"We do not know where Gunmar is, if he even made it out of the Darklands." Blinky sighed. "Queen Usurna is convinced, however, and she is not happy at our decisions."

"Yes. My connections—what few I have left—in the Janus order are equally unaware of Gunmar's actions, but none of them are located in Arcadia." Strickler frowned. "I considered attempting to probe the order's headquarters, but that might provoke a reaction that we are not ready for."

"Attempts to build a larger fighting force to take over for the Trollhunter have been…" Blinky shook his head. "Less than successful. Few trolls are warriors, and the fact that the Trollhunter has not been able to rally them has led to…"

"They fear their lucky charm has been beaten," Strickler said. "And the one who would normally step up, Draal has been tainted by his defeat—at the hands of the Trollhunter."

"Yes." Blinky paused. "Gunmar… he will outlive the Trollhunter. He will outlive all of them. Maybe he simply intends…"

"No." Strickler shook his head. "Jim killed Bular. If there was anyone Gunmar loved, it was his son. He will not let time do what he feels he must do, even ignoring the damage to his reputation."

"Then why isn't he? Why didn't he?"

"He wanted to use Jim in the Darklands, and here…" Strickler frowned. "If Gunmar intends to gain vengeance upon Jim, it cannot be a broken Jim. Oh, he could, but it wouldn't be vengeance. He will not wish to forever be known as the king who was too frightened to cast down his enemy when his enemy was strong. To say nothing of the public impact—how many trolls would fight the warlord who killed the trollhunter in single combat."

"So he will not…"

"I do not think so. Besides, I expect Gunmar is taking this time to finalize other plans, to build a power base. Attacking openly, with just a few followers would be stupid, and Gunmar isn't stupid."

"Ah." Blinky was silent for a moment. Then. "All those students. You have been teaching for decades—"

"Over a century."

"Very well, the ones who went to war, who came back… They recovered?"

"Some of them. But never unchanged." Walter had lied too much over his long life. He would not betray Jim and Claire with a comforting lie now.

"Fair Claire was so entranced by Trollmarket when she first entered it…" Blinky's four hands were intertwined. "She actually read one of the books I gave her—impressed Vendel and that is difficult. Jim…"

"Was less into reading."

"Oh, Merlin yes, he tried, even when he was out of his depth." Blinky paused. "Did I tell you about the time that Jim ended up shrunken on the day he had to give a report? It was not long after he found the amulet."

"No, but I would like to hear it…" Strickler smiled.

"Yes." Blinky cleared his throat, eyes seeing something else. "Well, it was due to a rampaging gnome epidemic…"

Walter stared down at the cityscape, letting Blinky's words fill the air. How did I get here? It didn't matter. He was here, and had, for the first time in his life chosen a side that could be defined as other than "My side." What would happen…

Would happen.