Chapter Fifteen: Declaring

"Jamie…" Strickler's voice, rough with pain, resounded from the phone, severing the eerie silence of Blinky's library. "Jamie, I'm alive. Bular wants you to bring the Bridge piece and the amulet… It doesn't matter—they'll kill me anyway! Don't-!"

The sound of a struggle from the other end cut Strickler off mid-warning. "If you ever want to see your mommy's boyfriend alive again…" Nomura's condescending voice suddenly emerged. "Come to the museum at dusk, Trollhunter, and come alone."

Jamie sighed as she hit the end button on the message and lifted her eyes to meet Blinky's six. "I don't know what to do," she murmured in despair. "I've listened to it a thousand times already… If I want to save him, I have to give Bular what he wants!"

"I'm afraid the risk is too great, Lady Jamie," Blinky said remorsefully. "If you give into Bular's demands, it will mean the end of both our worlds."

Frustration seized the Trollhunter at her mentor's words. "How can you say that?" Jamie cried. "How can you tell me that I have to answer every call and then expect me to ignore the man who has been more like a dad to me than anyone else, including my own father?!"

Jamie watched the blue troll's frown deepen and his fists clench. She could tell from the sadness in his gaze that he empathized with her plight, that he hurt for her, but could not see a way to save both the world and Strickler. "Lady Jamie," he murmured. "You heard what he said in the message: they will kill him anyway, regardless of how you choose to proceed. For all we know, he may already be-!"

"What if he's not?" Jamie interrupted desperately. "I can't not save him just because he might be-!"

"And I can't watch you be torn apart like Unkar!"

Jamie's breath caught in her throat at her mentor's words, at the pleading look in his amber eyes. "I couldn't bear it, Jamie…" he continued in the softest voice she'd ever heard him use. "Not you."

How had she never realized how deeply his failed experience as a trainer had affected him? Looking back, it was so obvious in his zealous training and recovery, his over-protective tendencies, his constant presence on their missions. As was their way, the girl approached her mentor, who readily accepted her offering of comfort and connection. "You have been there for me since the beginning, Blink," Jamie murmured, grabbing his secondary hands in her own. "You're the only one who had faith in me when the amulet chose me. You're the one who showed me that I am enough. It's because of you that I know we can save my dad and save the world. But I need you—I need you now more than ever."

Her begging only resulted in deepening her mentor's despondent expression. "How can we possibly save him, Jamie?" he asked, stressed enough to forgo his usual formal address of her. His upper arms flailed expressively. "We were lucky to survive Bular once, but a second time? And when he's expecting us? It would be a suicide mission—one that could doom humanity!"

Strickler had once said that his loyalty to her extended as far as giving his life. The girl knew that her love for him was equally great, but was she willing to sacrifice others—the world—for the chance she could rescue him?

Resolve overtook Jamie's countenance and her eyes hardened. "Do you trust me, Blink?" she asked, squeezing his hands tightly in her own, as though afraid letting go would mean losing his confidence. "Do you believe in me?"

Blinky's six eyes found her two and remained there, searching, contemplating. Jamie could feel her gut twisting as the wait for his affirmation dragged on. She needed this troll's faith, above anyone else's, or the plan forming in her mind would never work.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he spoke, "As your trainer, I can only advise, not make your decisions for you—though, there have been countless times I've wished I could…" Jamie chuckled mirthlessly at his dry statement, eliciting a fond smile from the troll. "And every time you've gone against my counsel, you've not only surprised me, but impressed me. You've befriended gnomes and changelings, changed the minds of the most stubborn of trolls, tamed a stalkling and destroyed the Killahead Bridge a second time." His upper hands moved to cup her jaw and his gaze bore intensely into hers as he declared, "I believe in you, Lady Jamie, with all that I am. Whatever you decide, I vow to stand beside you, no matter the risks."

The words made Jamie's breath catch in her throat and her heartbeat quicken. In that moment, she understood so acutely why the translation of 'Vera Elu' had affected her so; it didn't matter that he was a troll or that he was thousands of years older than she. Jamie never felt so worthy as she did when in his presence—and it made her adore him all the more.

But her dad was in danger and she had to focus, damn it.

"Then, help me," she begged. "Help me rescue my dad and save the world. Help me get the Bridge piece out of the Vault long enough to get him back and get close enough to Bular to take him down."

Blinky smiled wryly, "Vendel will be most displeased when he realizes what we've done."

Jamie grinned back. "Don't worry," she said. "I know a guy who's a professional at distracting trolls…"

"Alright," Jamie said as she slung her backpack over one shoulder. "Does everyone remember the plan?"

The worried faces of Toby, Claire, Draal and Aaarrrgh all stared back at her. From his place on Aaarrrgh's hairy back, Chompsky chattered his excited affirmation. He had the most fun job, after all.

"Come on, people!" Blinky cried when the room remained silent. "It's just a combination of various strategies utilized by the Venerable Benehilde—specifically, those from 'A Brief Recapitulation', volumes 43—!"

"Hey!" Claire cried, holding her hands up to stop the scholar mid-rant. "No spoilers! I haven't read that far yet!"

"Guys," Jamie begged. "Focus! Does anyone need to go over the plan again?"

Again, the room was silent, save for Claire's anxious shuffling. "I only rode the stalkling that one time, Jamie," she said nervously. "How am I supposed to-?"

"You can do this," Jamie interrupted firmly. "As long as you hold the Beastbreaker, she'll listen to you."

At Claire's continuous downcast expression, Jamie realized the true reason for her friend's trepidation. "Have you heard back from NotEnrique?" she asked empathetically.

Claire's eyes became shiny as she shook her head 'no'. "He climbed out the window as soon as I got home and told me to stay inside today," she bowed her head sadly. "Guess we know why now."

Jamie felt her heart break for her friend. The tiny changeling's demeanor had shifted so drastically in the last few weeks, rendering his betrayal a nasty surprise. Jamie knew exactly what the other girl was feeling, having experienced changeling treachery first-hand, and did not resist the urge to comfort her with a hug.

Over Claire's shoulder, Jamie could see Draal shift uncomfortably at the emotional display. "Aaarrrgh and I will distract them long enough for you to come through the back," the troll tried to placate the Latina through his discomfort. "I promise you, Bular will pay for my father's death!"

Aaarrrgh rumbled nervously. "Won't hurt," he said, "will protect."

"We would never ask you to break your vow, my friend," Blinky soothed, placing a hand upon the Krubera's enormous arm. "Only that you draw their attention away from the rescue party."

Jamie smiled at her friends, feeling confident in their plan. "Okay Blink, Chompsky, Claire; let's head to Trollmarket through the basement tunnel, get the Bridge piece, and pick up the stalkling. Draal, Aaarrrgh, Toby; you guys get your distraction ready. I'll see you guys at sunset."

Toby held a fist out to the tiny gnome and smiled a metallic smile. "Give that grumpy goat hell for me, 'kay Buddy?" he cheered on Chompsky.

Chompsky fist-bumped the boy enthusiastically and saluted before scurrying off after the rest of his group.

"Alrighty, boys," Toby said calmly before grinning maniacally at his troll friends, "who's ready to witness the Gumm-Gumm-crushing power of hard rock?!"

It was a deceptively beautiful evening. Over the rooftops and beyond the trees, the sun set fire to the sky as it burned across the horizon. Amidst the colors and twinkling starlight, the full moon hung like a beacon of hope over the lonely girl standing in the alley across from the museum.

"Embrace who you already are…" Jamie whispered her mentor's words to herself. "You are like the moon…" Over and over, turning Blinky's confidence into a meditative mantra and imbuing the phrases with enough power to strengthen her for her enemy's arrival.

When the moment finally came, however, Jamie's stomach still knotted with nerves. Nomura appeared in the alleyway, pretty features gnarled by a nasty smirk. "Nomura," Jamie greeted curtly, raising her chin defiantly. "How's your leg?"

"Better than yours are about to be," the beautiful Asian said threateningly. "I'm surprised you actually came alone. You must really care for Stricklander, if you're willing to give up the world for him…"

"I do care for him," Jamie said firmly. "And I'm not giving up on the world."

Suddenly, a sensation like a giant spider skittering up Jamie's spine made the teen yelp in terrified surprise. She turned her head to see the smooshed face of a green goblin grinning back at her, waving her pick-pocketed amulet in the air victoriously. "Good work, Fragwa," Nomura said and held her hand out to accept the amulet from the goblin. "Now, the Bridge piece…"

Jamie allowed her backpack to slide from the shoulder upon which it hung and unzipped he largest pocket to reveal the grey stone piece of artifact. Nomura spared it but a momentary glance before sneering, "We'll see if it's the real thing. If it's not, you know what fate awaits your teacher."

"It's real," the girl vowed seriously. "I wouldn't risk his life like that."

The changeling's eyes blinked wide with surprise before she managed to school her features into an expression of disinterest. "Follow me," she beckoned the teen.

The trek across the street to the museum entrance couldn't have taken longer. With each step, Jamie's feet grew heavier and her heartbeat quickened nervously. Her plan had to work or Strickler wouldn't be the only one to die tonight. Finally, Nomura led her willing captive through the museum entrance, glancing around automatically to ensure they were not followed before closing the door with a bang.

The sour taste of stress assaulted Jamie's tongue as they reached the Bridge room, swept the curtain aside, and entered without preamble. There stood an unfamiliar female troll as voluptuous as Bagdwella and as toothy as NotEnrique. Seated atop the nearly-completed Bridge, waiting with an anxious expression, was Claire's changeling brother. Finally, Jamie's eyes landed upon Strickler, who hung inverted from the ceiling by a rope. Judging by the bruises that covered his stone skin, he'd been beaten severely before being bound.

"Dad!" Jamie cried, dropping her bag and moving toward the trapped changeling. Nomura's clawed hands stopped her before she could get too far.

"Jamie!" Strickler rasped as loudly as he could. "Why did you come? My life is not worth that of your mother—of the world…"

"'Loyalty means nothing unless it has at its heart the absolute principle of self-sacrifice,'" Jamie threw his quote back in his face. On the outskirts of her consciousness, the girl barely registered the way Nomura's hands tightened around her arms. "You're my family—I won't give up on you."

A dark chuckle from across the room drew her attention away from the changeling. From the shadows, a hulking figure emerged—one she'd hoped to never see again. "A father for a father," Bular rumbled sinisterly. "Terms even a fleshling could understand."

"Bular," Jamie glowered and struggled against Nomura's grip. "Let him go!"

"Foolish fleshbag!" the Gumm-Gumm prince taunted, "You should know better than to think you could stop my father's return when your weaknesses are so obvious…"

"Love is not a weakness!" Jamie declared. "Look at what it's done to your plans so far!"

Again, Bular laughed, his sharp teeth catching the light of the fluorescent museum bulbs. "It's led you right into my clutches, along with the final pieces that will free my father from his prison and unleash him upon your world!"

As if on cue, Fragwa and two other goblins approached the Black Prince, dragging Jamie's stone-laded bookbag behind them. The creatures presented the bag and amulet gracelessly to the troll. Bular, in his haste, tore right through the fabric of Jamie's backpack to retrieve the Bridge piece. He held it aloft victoriously before inserting it into the Killahead Bridge like a 3D puzzle.

Jamie watched with horror as the Bridge began to glow, light radiating from the top of the arch and flooding down to fill the space below like a portal. Beneath the archway, a shadowy figure appeared. "Father," Bular whispered reverently, kneeling and bowing his head.

"My son…" a voice deeper and more bone-chilling than Bular's ghosted through the air from the shadowy specter's lips. "So many centuries have passed since I've seen your face…"

The sound of a raspy whisper emitting from the portal drew Gunmar's attention away from his son, his glowing blue eye veering to the right as he listened intently to whomever was speaking from beyond the window's visibility. "Have you procured the amulet, my son?" Gunmar spoke once more.

"Yes, Father," Bular said proudly, rising from his knee. "You will finally be free again!"

"Then, release me," Gunmar demanded his spawn. "Free me so that we may finally reign over the surface lands and reclaim our destined dominion!"

Bular seized the amulet from Fragwa, who trembled with anticipation. "It is my honor, father," the monstrous troll said as he moved to place the amulet into the circular indention at the apex of the Bridge.

Dread flooded Jamie's heart as she watched helplessly. "C'mon, guys…" she murmured nervously. "Where are you?"

In the nick of time, a thunderous crash echoed throughout the museum as the doors behind Jamie and Nomura suddenly burst open, admitting Toby, Aaarrrgh, and Draal into the room. "Hey, Bular!" Toby crowed as he held his music-player aloft. "Didn't you know? Every good show needs an opening act!"

Heavy double-pedaled base drums and distorted guitar music flooded the air, mingling perfectly with the sound of Bular's enraged roar. Jamie took advantage of the diversion to kick Nomura in the shin and race from her stone grasp to join Team Distraction at the room's entryway.

"Nomura, Groe!" He snarled at the female changelings. "Kill them!"

"With pleasure, my Prince," the other changeling—Groe?—hissed sadistically as she joined Nomura's side in preparation to fight.

From the corner of her eye, Jamie saw Toby's jaw drop. "Wait," he said slowly. "Gladys Groe? As in, my dentist's assistant?!"

The voluptuous changeling cackled. "That's right, Tubby," she snarked. "If I'd known you were the Trollhunter the day you got your tooth fixed, Lake, you never would have left the office…" With that, the changeling charged, slicing two jagged knives at the defenseless humans, which Aaarrrgh expertly blocked.

"Aarghaumont," Bular growled, eyes narrowed with contempt as he joined the fight alongside the changelings. "My father's finest general, reduced to a pet."

All eyes turned to Aaarrrgh, whose ashamed gaze remained fixed upon the Gumm-Gumm prince. "Aaarrrgh," Jamie murmured in shock. "You were…?"

"No wonder you're a pacifist!" Toby gasped as understanding lit his eyes.

"Too bad for you," Gladys hissed and lunged at the boy, knives outstretched once more. "He's quite the legend among Gumm-Gumms!"

Aaarrrgh growled low in his throat at the vicious changeling's attack and swiped an enormous arm out, smacking her across the room to land in a heap. Bular seized his opportunity to charge Aaarrrgh with relish, slamming his horns against those of the Krubera's with unsuppressed rage.

"I trusted you!" the prince roared as his horns clashed violently against Aaarrrgh's. "I looked up to you—you, who knew my hopes and secrets, who taught me to fight and be strong—you, who left us!"

"Gunmar wrong!" Aaarrrgh growled right back. "Gunmar hurt people, hurt trolls! You don't have to! I change—you change, too!"

"Never!" Bular cried. "I will never betray my father!"

Suddenly, Bular hooked Aaarrrgh from the right, slamming his fist into the Krubera's jaw and dropping the enormous troll to the floor. "Wingman!" Toby cried from the sidelines, watching the scene unfold with horror. "No!"

"I suppose, I should thank you…" Bular taunted as Aaarrrgh stirred, struggling to regain consciousness before it was too late. "Your treachery will make your slaying all the more satisfying."

"My son!" Gunmar's voice wisped from the portal. "Behind you!"

Before Bular could heed his father's warning, a spiky blue figure slammed into the Gumm-Gumm prince from the side, sending the amulet rolling from his grasp. It landed right at Jamie's feet. "Yes!" the girl cried, scooping it up and donning her armor in a flash.

Nomura was hot on Draal's heels, slashing her two curved swords through the air as she pursued her ex-lover vengefully. "What are you even doing here?" the magenta changeling raged against her opponent, slicing more viciously with every blow Draal deflected. "Why won't you fight me, you coward?"

"I will not harm you, Nomura!" Draal cried, holding his hands out not so much in surrender, but in offering as he dodged yet another attack. "There is something I must say-!"

"Spare me, Son of Kanjigar," Nomura hissed, swinging violently at her ex. "I've made the mistake of believing your lies before—I'll not do so again!"

"They were not lies!" the blue troll continued. "I meant every word I ever said to you—until the end..." Draal pinned Nomura's arms by her sides and gazed into her glowing green eyes as he confessed, "I am so sorry I turned on you when you revealed yourself to me. I betrayed you. I should have stood beside you, but I was too angry, too afraid that you were only using me to get to my father and his amulet. When the truth came out, I never even considered you may have truly loved me, too."

The changeling ceased struggling in her ex's grip as Draal's words registered fully in her mind. "You…" she whispered, "You loved me?"

Draal smiled and his gazed softened. "Whether you love me or not, whether you forgive me or not, I beg you return to Trollmarket with us. I will stand beside you and fight for your honor and acceptance—and that of other changelings." He kneeled and bowed his head, arms extending to his sides in passive surrender. "I owe you that much and more..."

By this time, Bular and Aaarrrgh had both recovered from their respective blows and resumed their battle. Toby and Jamie, however, were struggling against the particularly nasty changeling whose knife-work had turned out to be the stuff of nightmares.

"It will be a shame to lose you as a patient, Tubby," Groe snarked as she swiped at the stocky boy and deflected Jamie's sword simultaneously. "I always looked forward to our bi-weekly sessions of suffering."

"I hear there's an opening in hell for torture-happy changelings," Toby quipped while Jamie hacked at the changeling's fat head with her sword. "I'd be happy to give you directions!"

Groe snarled and redirected her knives toward the Trollhunter, who struggled against the changeling's skill. Even Nomura hadn't been this intimidating!

As though dragged down by the thought, Jamie stumbled and crashed into Toby, knocking them both to the floor. "Say 'goodbye', Trollhunter…" Groe smirked victoriously down at the floored humans, aiming her knives at their throats…

Only to be interrupted by the most terrifying shriek in existence: that of a stalkling.

"Yes!" Jamie's triumphant cry was drowned out by the enormous explosion that blasted a hole in the ceiling of the museum, sending giant bits of debris falling to the floor. Blinky, Claire and Chompsky flew into the room on the back of their stalkling through the slowly-dispersing dust. Groe didn't have time to turn back to her enemy before Jamie jammed Daylight through her stone back.

Apparently changelings, unlike trolls, turned to dust upon dying, resulting in Jamie and Toby being covered in the powdery remains of Gladys Groe.

"Ugh," Toby moaned dryly. "This is the exact opposite of awesome sauce."

"It's grody flour," Jamie replied, hacking Groe-dust out of her lungs.

"Hah," Toby chuckled. "Groe-dy flour."

Jamie cringed at the tasteless pun and took stock of how her team was doing. Chompsky was busy gnawing through Strickler's bindings. Blinky was dropping Dwarkstones on goblin groups like a crazy-troll. Claire was guiding her mount around the perimeter in a wide circle, eyes scanning the area for NotEnrique, who was nowhere to be found.

To her surprise, Draal and Nomura were poised for battle, taking on the horde of goblins tasked with defending the Bridge from invaders. Aaarrrgh was still locked in heated combat with Bular.

"I'm going to help Aaarrrgh," Jamie told Toby. "You help Draal and Nomura with the goblins. And try not to let Blinky hit you with a dork-stone."

"You got it, JL," Toby said as he readjusted his football helmet and held his baseball bat aloft, charging the splatter-prone beasties with a Xena-like battle cry.

Jamie took one last steadying breath before joining her Krubera friend in battle against Bular.

Meanwhile, Claire was too busy scanning for her baby brother to notice the goblins chattering in the remaining rafters, poising to attack her from above. "Waka chaka!" they shouted and leaped, spindly arms outstretched for the Latina's throat.

"Sis!" NotEnrique cried, emerging from the shadows to intervene as quickly as his little legs could carry him. "Look out!"

At the changeling's command, Claire turned and let out a shriek of surprise as the goblin's hands wrapped around her throat, cutting her off mid-cry. The stalkling immediately responded to his rider's distress, thrashing through the air enough to make Blinky stop flinging explosives in favor of holding on.

NotEnrique leaped across the rafters as the stalkling whipped by and collided with the green creature gripping his sister's throat, sending both him and the goblin falling to the floor. The goblin splattered upon impact while the changeling lied still where he landed.

"Mi hermanito!" Claire cried and forced her mount to land beside her fallen brother. Desperately, the girl reached for NotEnrique and scooped his limp form into her trembling arms. "I've got you!"

The tiny green changeling stirred in his sister's embrace, pain contorting his features into an agonized grimace. "Oi, Sis…" he slurred, betraying the depth of his delirium. "Careful o' me scruff—I jus' bushed it this mornin'…"

Claire laughed through the tears welling in her mahogany eyes. "You're gonna be okay, NotEnrique…"

"'m sorry I tricked ya, Big Eyes," the changeling murmured as his eyelids grew heavy. "I thought carin' about ya made me weak. Turns out, I was…" he trailed off, words giving way to groaning.

"Silly baby," Claire said in a watery voice. "We'll always be stronger together…"

"Take care o' Mum 'n' Dad fer me…"

"Claire!" the despondent moment was interrupted by a panicked Blinky. "Look out!"

The Conundrum barely managed to shield the girl and her brother from the fight ensuing between Jamie, Aaarrrgh, and Bular as the three stumbled around the museum, swinging and slashing as they went.

"Give up, Bular!" Jamie shouted over the sounds of battle. "Everyone on your team has already changed sides or died. It's all of us against you!"

"I'll never surrender!" Bular roared as he charged Aaarrrgh, head-butting the Krubera hard enough to ground him once more. "My father needs me!"

Despite the war, Jamie ached with understanding. "I get it!" she cried and dodged a swing from the Gumm-Gumm Prince. "I almost sacrificed the entire world to save my dad tonight."

All around them, the others were slowing down as the goblin numbers dwindled, whether by death or retreat. Jamie watched Bular's red eyes scan the area, seeking hope out of a desperate situation. Instead, he found his enemies turning their eyes—and their weapons—his way.

Suddenly, the troll's hands swooped underneath Jamie's sword and wrapped around her torso, pinning her arms awkwardly in his grasp. Her companions shouted in alarm and outrage. "Move and she dies!" Bular roared, stopping his enemies in their tracks. In a display of dominance, the Gumm-Gumm gave a sharp squeeze around Jamie's middle, eliciting a sharp cry of pain as he displaced the air from her lungs.

"Jamie!" Blinky cried desperately from beside Claire's trembling form, reaching a hopeless hand her way.

"Don't hurt her!" Toby cried from the other side of the group, dropping his bat in a show of automatic surrender.

Jamie could feel Bular's vindictive chuckle rumble through the two-fingered hand that squeezed her so tightly. "Your friends are loyal, fleshbag," he said in an almost respectful manner. "Too bad it won't save you…"

Again, his grip tightened and Jamie whimpered. She could feel her bones straining under the might of his hands. Her arms contorted awkwardly and Daylight disappeared. Vaguely, she could hear Strickler begging, smooth-talking, saying anything to get the troll to let her go…

Something snapped just before pain flooded Jamie's torso. Whatever had broken so agonizingly had offered her just enough room to wiggle her arm up and out of the monster's grip. She refrained. Steady, she clung to the grounding thought. Wait him out…

"You are weak, a fleshbag, a child!" Bular growled, the warmth of his breath ghosting dangerously across her face. "And it will be the death of you and all you love…"

Jamie clenched her eyes shut and willed her heart to be strong. "I am not a child!" she declared with the last of what little air remained in her lungs. "I am a Trollhunter!"

With that, she yanked her arm up and summoned Daylight to her free hand just in time to stab Bular through the center of his chest.

"No!" Gunmar's horrified cry reverberated throughout the demolished museum as he watched his son turn to stone around the victorious Trollhunter. The Gumm-Gumm's anguish drew Draal's attention back to the task of destroying the Bridge. Utilizing his signature move, the troll rolled and crashed into the structure, sending it tumbling to the floor in pieces.

Seeing this, Aaarrrgh broke the stone arm that clutched Jamie in an eternal grip. She promptly crumpled like the Bridge had before her.

The battle was won. The world was saved. Strickler was alive.

"NotEnrique!" Claire cried over her changeling brother's tiny body, rocking and weeping miserably as she cradled him in her arms. "Don't die! Please…"

Strickler limped to the traitor-turned-hero and inspected him carefully. "He's alive," he stated, "but barely so. He needs a healer—now."

"Toby," Jamie rasped, clutching her pain-flooded side. The boy was by her in an instant, followed by Blinky, who scooped her into a delicate four-armed embrace. "Take Claire and NotEnrique to Trollmarket on the Stalkling. I'll go with the others."

"What about you?" Blinky asked, his eyes flooding with concern. "You're injured, too."

"NotEnrique needs help more than me," Jamie insisted. "I'll only slow him down."

Jamie tried to smile as she watched Toby walk away and lead his crush to their waiting stalkling; however, the pain snared her lips into a grimace. Her mentor instantly curled his arms around her more fully and stood. "Let's get you to Trollmarket, Lady Jamie," he murmured soothingly.

"I'll carry her," Strickler said suddenly, limping toward the girl and troll. "My wings are still uninjured."

The girl felt her mentor tense through his protective embrace and couldn't stop the grateful smile that curled the corners of her lips. She rested her good hand reassuringly against the Conundrum's stone chest. "It's okay, Blink—I trust my dad to get me there."

Blinky's six-eyed stare met hers and his ears flicked downward with displeasure. Obviously unable to find fault with the plan, the troll sighed reluctantly and passed his charge off to Strickler, who accepted the girl gingerly into his arms.

"Alright, people!" Blinky hollered at the remaining trolls and changeling. "Let's gather up the Bridge and head home before we're spotted! No time to waste!"

While Toby loaded Claire and NotEnrique onto the stalkling and Blinky bossed around the rest of the team, Strickler spread his magnificent bat-like wings. "Do you remember the day I first called you 'Little Athena'?" he asked suddenly.

Jamie wracked her tired brain to recall the exact moment and smiled. "Yeah…" she said slowly. "It was the day Steve and I broke up."

Strickler smiled back, yellow eyes soft as he regarded her fondly. "Though you were always brilliant in my class and strong on the field," he stated, "that was the day you emerged from the fire a wise warrior. After what he did to you, you could have gone back to him—to that situation—but you stayed true to who you are, you stood up for what you believed love should be, despite how much it hurt and despite the backlash from your schoolmates." The changeling smiled fondly at the girl he viewed as his own daughter, "No matter what lies beyond, no matter what the citizens of Trollmarket think of you after tonight, know that I am, and always have been, proud of you."

Immediately, Jamie reached her uninjured arm around the changeling's shoulder, pushing all the love she felt for him into her wimpy embrace. "I'm proud of you, too," she whispered, "no matter what."

She felt his chuckle rumble through his stone chest as he held her only slightly-more tightly than before. "Let's be off, Trollhunter," the changeling said. "A new life awaits us!"

Warmth bloomed in Jamie's chest as she gazed fondly at each of her friends. Claire, Toby, Draal, Nomura, NotEnrique, Strickler, Aaarrrgh, and Blinky—they had shown up today for her, because they loved and believed in her. She couldn't have asked for a better team, a better family. "Not Trollhunter," she said with a smile as the group of Bular-slayers took off for Trollmarket. "Trollhunters."

Dearest Readers,

Finally—FINALLY—we wrap up the coming-of-age arc so that we can get to the real reason we're all here without feeling bad about ourselves. :) For my FanFiction-dot-net readers, it's time for you to go to AO3 and check out the trigger warnings (if you haven't yet) because they're gonna start appearing within this next arc. Yum. Otherwise, if you only like warm-n-fuzzies, enjoy this sweet little story about growing up and STOP.

There we have it: Bular's dead; the Bridge is gone; Strickler is Jamie's troll-dad; Jamie is getting mad-hot for Blinky (who is absolutely oblivious); Toby and Claire are getting closer; Aaarrrgh, Draal, and NotEnrique now have honorary human siblings; Nomura and Draal are on the path to reconciliation… Gunmar watched his son die. :'( No one ever got sucked through the portal—hmm… And the bad guys never discovered that they need the Trollhunter to open the Bridge… Think it'll change anything? ;)

To 17: I totally get why you'd want more than 13 episodes of Jim building up to face Bular, but I feel like it was necessarily short. Bular is such a relatable bad guy compared to the other big bads (though, not compared to the supporting baddies, like Dictatious and Angor and Strickler…) that I almost don't want to kill him off (and hopefully I made it so that my readers wanted him to have a second chance by the end, too), but it HAS to be done. *shrugs* Choices have consequences, people. *foreshadowing galore!*

To merendinoemiliano: Thanks for the advice. I will definitely check out that fic! I have NO idea what an ethero boy is—I was simply dropping mad hints about the fact that this is a BLINKY/JAMIE fic, so he will DEFINITELY NOT be her father figure here. XD As for the fight scenes, this is first and foremost a smutty-romance fic. Enjoy the gratuitous Conundrum-sex.

To Nene9131: Douxie IS awesome and TOTALLY needs more fans… Unfortunately, the cat (not Archie) is out of the (proverbial) bag about the main pairing. Douxie gets a girl, but not our main girl (sorry, Love). Go look on AO3 for trigger warnings if you want to keep reading. *thumbs up*

Yours,

Elora Story