I've made the decision to split this story up(mainly since there will probably over a hundred more chapters to this tale and fitting that into one fanfiction is a little much). There is so much more to this story and I have a lot planned but here is a good place to end it now and sometime this week you can expect the first chapter to the second book following the same timeline. I've loved making this story and really can't wait to continue it. It'll resume about a month or so following this chapter and I'm still debating on titles but right now I'm struggling between, Neverending Threats, and, Till The End. Don't worry, like this story it won't be centered entirely on troll hunting, but there will be more villains and lore included. The same timeline just a fresh start, and I expect the next book to surpass the length of this one greatly. Thank you again for reading this story and enjoy the final chapter(but the first of many) of Forever and Always.
There was no time to think, no time to explain. From what he knew, the main father figure in his life could be dead, along with the many other trolls they'd fought so hard to protect. But he had no time to think about that. Between everything, they weren't ready to fight. But they had to. Forcing Claire awake and practically pushing her into the car without an explanation, he yelled at Toby to stay there since Claire and himself were mandatory and so was Douxie, and they couldn't leave Cassidy and the girl home alone. Without Claire even aware of what was going on, Jim sped down the road, just avoiding other cars.
"Is it the Arcane Order?!" Claire asked, very panicked since she wasn't sure why she was there.
"Aye love," Douxie answered, shuffling through his backpack he'd brought with him.
"You got them?" Jim asked, ripping into the back parking lot of an abandoned storage unit, calling his armor once the car was at a stop.
Douxie nodded, grasping his staff firmly, in the other, holding the backpack containing the Time Maps which would soon be destroyed."What the hell's going on?" Claire asked, climbing out of the vehicle.
"You never told her?" Douxie asked, suddenly recalling that Jim planned on doing it later.
"Told me what?" she asked, ton worried and hand drifting down to her stomach as a mode of protection.
Seeing the fear on his wife's pale face, Jim rushed to her, holding her at the shoulder's."We don't know if this'll work but we need you to try and use Estelle's powers."
"Powers?" she questioned."We don't even-"
"I do, okay. She can manipulate thoughts and emotions, when we say so, I need you to try and use them on Skrael and Bellroc and keep them there. Estelle will be fine," he assured her, aware she only hesitated at the risk of putting their child in danger.
Claire stared at him, winning when in the distance they could hear screams from beneath the Earth's surface."What if I can't?"
Jim watched as Douxie and Nari started running towards the entrance to the Market. Heart beating faster than ever, he looked down at her."It doesn't matter, we don't have the time to worry."
Claire nodded, forgetting how scary it was to be at battle."Let's do this."
A smile briefly found itself on his face but quickly wiped itself away, sharing Doxuei's yells for them to hurry. Turning and running head of her, practically leaving her in the dust, he repeated the plan to lure them to the center, jump out of the way, let Claire manipulate them, giving Douxie and Nari just enough time to trap them. Nodding to Douxie and Nari who were taking a tunnel that led out into the tunnels behind the center of the Market, Jim trotted ahead, soon able to see the gods just ahead. Skrael easily plucked singular innocent souls, wounding or killing them in a moment. While on the other hand, Bellroc, swept everything in the surrounding area away, the thrashing resulting in mass destruction and some deaths.
"Hey, you Assholes!" Jim shouted, trying to think of what Toby would say. He could recall his friend's brief disappointment of not getting to join them but quickly realized that the strange girl could easily be a murderer and if she was, sweet Cassidy would need protecting.
Skrael turned in a quick motion, raising a perfectly straight arm and pointing towards Jim." The TrollHunter has arrived Bellroc." he announced, grabbing his hot-headed friend's attention.
Waiting for another wave of massive troll to collide, crushing one another the death, Bellroc turned towards Jim with a scowl of excitement." Finally, the end has come," she said, beginning to lunge towards him.
Jim jumped onto one of the half-destroyed roofs, using it to push himself back into the air. As he passed, he didn't lay a single blow on either but was slashed at the ankles. Grunting in pain, Jim let his right heel swerve to avoid any further damage. Taking just a second to make sure his foot was still attached to him, Jim turned back to the battle, ignoring the throbbing pain. Throwing himself to the hard ground, he just dodged another blow from Bellroc. Using her own magic, she lifted the TrollHutner up, squeezing him with her heated flames.
"Merlin was always idiotic but choosing a flesh bag? Hah, he's lost his spark." she chuckled demonically, easily throwing him halfway across the Market. He hit the wall hard, able to feel some of his ribs cracking from the inside.
"Fuck!" he shouted in unreal pain, swears easily outrun by the few alive trolls screams for their lives. Biting his lip, trying to roll over, Jim felt Bellroc lifting him once more, preparing to throw him again.
"I expected more, but humans have always disappointed me," Bellroc sighed, though no remorse was present. Just sick love for killing.
Ready to give up, Jim remembered his promise. He'd promised his daughter to be there, and by god, he'd be there for her first birthday." No," he grunted firmly, raising a hand through the pain ran through his whole body. Grasping the edges of his amulet, he pulled it from its spot. His armor fell, and with it, he was able to fall from Bellroc's heated grasp. Gravity pulled him down and he hit the floor of the cavern with a lighter, but nearly just as hard crash."AHH!" he brought a hand to his chest, feeling more bones break and his face beginning to bleed.
"Blasted flesh bag!" Bellroc cursed, her and Skrael starting towards the ground to finish him off.
As his own blood pooled around him, Jim found it nearly impossible to breathe. He gasped, torso convulsing upward, breathing growing harder as the remains of dead trolls blew over him. Through blurry eyes, he could see Bellroc and Skrael, levitating down toward him at a rapid pace.
"NO!" Claire screamed, horrified seeing her husband's ruined body. Anger built inside her, a more powerful emotion than she'd ever felt. It filled and overwhelmed every conscious thought she had. Nothing but that anger was present as she stared both demons dead in the eye.
"She's doing it," Douxie exclaimed, throwing a closed fist in the air as an act of celebration. He watched as the Arcane Order froze, brains infested by Claire's anger like a swarm of pixies invading them.
"Yes but we can celebrate after," Nari reminded him, holding up the final Time Map. While Jim had been beaten by the Order, the wizard and sprite used the back tunnels to place all four Time maps in specific spots so when they activate them it would trap them in a square.
Douxie nodded, grinning as he placed the final Time Map down."Let's finish this, shall we?" he asked, holding his hand out like a gentleman.
Nari giggled but quickly stopped, looking down at the Time Map."I should go with them,"
"What?!" Douxie asked, exasperated by the suggestion."Why-why would you-"
"It isn't just their hate and want for death that's dangerous. It's their magic, the same magic I possess. Our only purpose was to create and keep balance, now there are others to keep the balance, I have no reason to stay. My presence could be dangerous... it's best."
Douxie frowned deeply. Over the year he'd grown close to Nari, not in a romantic way, but a friendship type." The choice is yours," he said, having no right to tell her what she couldn't and could do.
Nari smiled, nodding her deer-like head."We must go now. Miss Claire can't hold it for long."
"Yes," he agreed, watching as Nari ran towards the center of the Market, just below where Bellroc and Skrael hovered. Wondering if that would be the last time he'd see his friend, Douxie yelled at himself to get a move on with the plan."Don't fail me now," he said starting up the first Time Map." Nari now!" he shouted, running to the one closest to him.
"Nari," Skrael said, turning down, trying to break from Claire's influence.
"Trader!" Bellroc bellowed, soaring down to the sprite.
Nari kept a firm stance, starting up the two Time Maps she was closest to."Douxie!"
"On it!" he replied, sliding along the rubble, giving power to the final map. Around the Arcane Order, a blue box trapped them in, sucking them down towards the black hole below.
"NOO!" Bellroc screamed as she and Skrael were sucked in.
Nari stared wide-eyed, waving a hand as she two was sucked into the pit of darkness."Goodbye," she whispered up towards her close friend who watched as she was pulled down into a place she'd never leave.
"No," he sighed, falling to his knees. unluckily, the ground he was perched upon was unstable, causing him to start falling down towards the portal. Luckily, Claire finally freed from the influence, latched herself onto his hand. She groaned, trying to pull him up, not in the same shape she was two years earlier. Once a few inches up, Douxie was able to bring her leg up, pushing himself the rest of the way before falling onto his back beside Claire."It's done," he sighed, unable to truly believe it was over.
Claire smiled, gasping, gently feeling her stomach." It is... Jim!" she yelled, running to her husband while Douxie scanned the area to see how many were alive." Jim," she gasped, lifting his bloodied and mutilated face. She ran her fingers down the side of his neck, relieved when she sensed a slow pulse." Call an ambulance!" she ordered, pressing her sweatshirt against his chest where he was bleeding most of all."You'll be okay Jim, I promise."
. . .
For the first time in years, he felt safe. There was no reason for it, the events of the previous... or who knows how long it was but never the less, the horrific memories of the Arcane Order's defeat still repeated in his head like the record had broke. and though feeling safe, he didn't feel right. Like no matter how hard he tried, he could never sleep. It was like all his senses were awake when he couldn't even manage the feat. Nevertheless, all he wanted was rest, but at the same time, that was the last thing he wanted. It pickled his exhausted mind, feeding over if sleep was right or not, but soon enough it seemed his body made the choice for him.
All he heard was music or humming. It was sweet and soft, familiar. He definitely knew it but from where? He wondered greatly, who it was coming from and soon he was answered.
He'd always tried to imagine Cassiyd's visions, and the dream - so vivid and real - was the closes thing he'd chalk up to a seer experience. Opening his mind or eyes, he was met with a girl. She appeared six and wore shoulder-length jet black hair with natural white tips. Her eyes were round and entrancing chestnut but were also so familiar. Two girls ran past her playing with what looked like dolls.
"Come on Lindsay!" they both shouted, running around him as he stared, entranced at the girl. Did they mean his sister, he wondered stepping forward, nearly stumbling back when the figure changed. The small girl before him morphed into a lanky 16-year-old boy with the saw short monochromatic hair and chocolate eyes.
"Jaime?" he asked sincerely confused. Watching closely, the boy pulled out an amulet... his amulet.
He exhaled, eyes shutting then glaring down at the amulet." For the glory of Merlin Daylight is mine to command." he recited, daylight forging itself to him, but not in a way Jim had seen. The amulet burrowed itself, cementing its presence in his chest. Around it, the armor he wore, formed itself to the boy with not the ideal "man's" body, in ways, much more feminine.
"No," he screamed, but it only left like a whisper, nearly silent. His brain feuded over being conscious or unconscious and during such war, the scene before him perished like any dream would go as if it never happened. but unlike most dreams, he could remember every aspect of it. Remember, every little part of the girl name Lindsay, the shy and timid girl, and then the boy named Jaime who looked nothing like the boy he'd met. This young man wore no fear, but at the same time that could be considered a flaw since one of the main rules of being the TrollHunter is to always be afraid. In the back of his clouded mind, it hit him that his son was the Trollhunter. The burden of the world now reset don his shoulder's and that meant he could very well be...
The humming returned. It wasn't the same. It was more familiar than before. He'd heard it more tha once. He knew it but couldn't track it. After a grueling defeat, his brain finally allowed him to awaken. Struggling since his eyelids felt like they weighed hundreds of pounds, it took him a minute to pry them open and as he did, the song grew louder. A blinding light, made him want to retreat but he forced himself to continue. The battle felt harder than any other he'd faced, and soon he won.
Blue eyes blinked, taking a moment to adjust to the bright lighting of the room. Suddenly, all his emotions and senses returned, overwhelming him before he used them as they were made to." C-Claire?" he questioned, unsure if he were looking at her since whoever was beside him had their head bent forward, long hair falling forward.
At the relieving sound of his crackling voice, Claire threw her head up, black and white hair falling down messily atop. Her face seemed drained and thinned but still held the same amount of beauty he always saw. Her chestnut eyes which were already flooded with tears, refilled, and her lip quivered, shocked to see him awake. Out of joy, she laid her head down on the bed, specifically on his lap. The weight brought the teen a surprising amount of pain and he groaned without even trying. Hearing his shriek of pain, Claire sat up again, worry in her eyes.
"I'm sorry just... relieved you're awake," she admitted, bringing her petite hand up, stroking his torn-up cheek gently. The feeling brought him great comfort, though he expected she'd been by his side for however long he'd been asleep, but only at that moment could mentally process her actions.
Eyes trailing to her hand, then to her, Jim was relieved to see she seemed well. Her arm did don a few bruises and scars, hopefully, non-permanent ones. However long it had been, it had to be some long period of time since her bump was larger than he recalled, even more, obvious in her tight, long sleeve maroon shirt." How long... have I been asleep?" he asked, a tint of hesitation mixed in the confusion and relief.
"Three weeks," she answered genuinely shocking her husband." They had to medical induce you into a coma. You broke two ribs, bruised another, and broke your foot but they're almost healed over." it wasn't the answer he wanted nor expected. The shock was short-lived when sadness quickly replaced it.
"You were alone," he said, the two of them barely able to manage Cassidy and part-time jobs together, but alone and repairs and recoveries from a world-ending attack, the stress was unimaginable.
Not one to sugar coat things, Claire's smile wilted."It's okay. When your mom heard what happened she and Strickler drove up and so did my parents. Toby had to go back, though he didn't want to, and made me swear I'd have you call him once you woke."
"Heh, course he did. So our parents have been in our house for the past three weeks?" he asked, not wanting to know the insults cast from his mother in law who was known to be a stuck up.
"Don't worry," she laughed, hand falling from his cheek and to her stomach." they're all staying in a nearby hotel, but most of the day have been helping me and the occasional wounded troll."
"Ophelia Nunez? Really?" he questioned, unconvinced.
Setting her hand on top of his, Claire sighed."It shocked me but she'd always one about helping the community."
"Well, I didn't think that included trolls, in her opinion obviously."
"Of course," she smiled, gripping his hand, their wedding rings clinking."I'll tell you one thing, you're a good guesser."
Jim's eyebrows scrunched up."What?" he asked, still slightly drowsy by the meds.
"When I came in they had to check the baby and were able to tell the gender." lifting his limp hand, she pressed it against her swollen stomach. Leaning forward, their foreheads connected and she couldn't hide her smile."That's Estelle."
Though he'd been well aware before her conception, it was still shocking to know they'd soon have another little girl and Cassidy would have a little sister."Does our other little girl know?"
"She's the only one besides you, sorry but I couldn't wait." she apologized, smiling as she felt Jim spread his fingers so they covered some of the area that covered her stomach.
"Oh that's fine," he smiled, looking forward to seeing his little Cassidy."I love you."
Claire chuckled through her pursed lips."I know."
"Forever," he swore, tilting his head to the side, a surprisingly painful action.
She smiled, leaning forward so their lips connected."And always."
After finishing writing this I've decided the name of the Continuation will be, Till The End. Draft is halfway done so you can expect the finished product by the end of the week.
