Hurrixane-Hehe, I'm pleased I can scare you like that. Don't worry, suffering GALORE is in store for these characters in this chapter! And for the rest of the fic, actually. No more cute shenanigans; we are in the angst-filled endgame now.
merendinoemiliano-Thank you!
T3ddyBearL0ve-Haha thank you! "The doom of gummie-bear" I'm dyingggg lol. Of course Jim made Bular squeal! He was pretty terrifying back there, as I wanted him to be, of course. We all love savage Jimbo, don't we? He's just too good. Haha, I know you're a Claire/Douxie shipper, but I love it when Claire teases Jim about purring. It's too freaking adorable. She's so in love with Jim that she doesn't mind joking with him in the middle of battle lol. Pretty sure they're used to it by this point. Thank you so much! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy that you're as excited for this fic as you are for the movie!
Susanna D-Of course! Sorry, this chapter was quite long to write!
"Welcome back to the twenty-first century!" Douxie announced as the boat flew through the rift.
Jim couldn't help but smile in relief. Finally. It was over. They were back in the present, which meant he could get Merlin to get rid of that horrible hunk of rock. He would finally be free.
"So, what now?" he asked, turning to Douxie.
"We find Merlin and the others," the young wizard answered. "They should be in the same place they were when we left. And how hard can it be to find a flying castle-" the blood drained from his face, and he gulped. "-that's falling from the sky as we speak?"
Jim watched in horror as the magnificent edifice hurtled past their small ship, spewing smoke. It was heading straight for the ground and showed no sign of slowing down.
"We have to do something!" cried Claire. "Our friends are still in there!"
"Way ahead of you," Douxie replied, already steering the boat downwards. They pulled up next to the tower that had a very anxious Merlin on it. "Need a lift?" Douxie remarked, a playful smirk on his face.
"Douxie!" Archie called, flapping over to his master. "But you're trapped in the past!"
"Not anymore!"
"Took you long enough," Merlin grumbled as he climbed aboard. "We have much to talk about." He glanced at Jim, and he quickly averted his gaze.
"Jim!" Toby exclaimed, tackling him in a bear hug. "You're back! I mean, you were gone for like two seconds, but it was probably much longer than that, wasn't it? That's what always happens in those time travel movies-"
"Breathe, Tobes, breathe," Jim laughed, hugging his friend back. "I'm glad to see you too."
"I'm glad to see you are in one piece," Blinky said, smiling at him warmly. "Deya knows how often you get yourself hurt on your adventures."
"Argh happy Jim and Claire home," Argh rumbled, patting Claire on the head with his massive hand.
She giggled. "Happy to be back, Argh."
"Let's get out of here, shall we?" Douxie said, preparing to move the boat away.
Merlin raised a hand. "Not yet! We're missing one."
"Merlin!" a voice cried. A small, lithe figure leaped from the falling castle and landed on Steve. Steve shrieked and promptly fell over. The figure hopped off Steve's chest, and Jim recognized her to be Nari, the defector of the Arcane Order. With a flick of her hand, a gust of wind and flower petals swirled around Steve and brought him to his feet.
Steve stared at Nari, transfixed. "T-thanks, tiny green lady."
She curtsied. "You are welcome, tall blonde human."
"Everyone, hold on!" Douxie shouted. "It's going to be a bumpy ride!"
Everyone screamed as the boat picked up speed. It dodged the castle's many turrets and towers and dove under falling chunks of stone. Argh batted away the smaller boulders Douxie couldn't swerve around.
They escaped from Camelot the second before it hit Arcadia High. It exploded with a massive BOOM, totally demolishing the school. Angry emerald flames rose high into the air. Douxie landed the boat among the castle and school ruins.
Steve wasted no time getting off the boat. He slid down one of its wings and onto the charred ground. "Looks like school's out for the ever," he smirked. His face fell in dismay. "Aw man, I never cleaned out my locker!"
"Your beautiful school home was crushed," Nari said sadly.
Toby leaned over the edge of the ship. "So, now that we've cheated death, quick Q. Who's the little magic plant lady?"
Oh, right. Of course Toby wouldn't know who she was; he hadn't been there when Merlin first introduced her to Jim and Claire.
"Nari," Merlin answered. "She renounced the Arcane Order and sought asylum in Camelot."
"That's what they've been chasing after all this time?" Claire's gaze flicked to Nari. "Her?"
"Yes," he replied. "We must make haste; the Arcane Order aren't far behind-"
"Nari!" a voice bellowed.
Merlin paled. "No."
A chill ran down Jim's spine as the skull fortress emerged from the smoke. The figure with the feathered headdress pointed its staff down at them. "Come back to us and finish the work you have begun!" they demanded.
"You misunderstand our grand vision," the one with the icy staff insisted.
"She is under our protection!" Douxie yelled, blocking Nari from them.
Jim and Claire joined Douxie by his side. "If you want her, you've gotta get through us!" she said. To affirm her statement, Merlin stamped his staff on the ground. A shimmering green shield formed around him and Nari.
"So be it," the feathered figure spat.
The skull's maw opened wide, the creaking of its engines splitting the air. The Green Knight leaped from the fortress and landed in front of them. The ground shook from his impact. He stood to his full height, towering over everyone else save for Argh.
Jim growled, his eyes flashing red. There he was. The creature that was the source of the shard's dark magic. The creature that had caused him and all his friends so much pain.
He was going to rip him to shreds.
Jim unleashed a deafening roar before charging. He summoned Eclipse and slashed it at the Knight, but he blocked it and punched Jim back. The Knight smacked a defiant Toby out of the air and into Jim, knocking them both to the ground. Steve sliced his weapon through the air, but he easily parried it away before kicking him back as well. Argh roared and slammed his fists down on the Knight's head. That rattled him for a second, but he quickly recovered and flipped Argh into the air. The large troll smashed into the dirt with a groan.
The Knight pointed his sword at Nari. "Nari, you are mine," he rasped.
Douxie turned his staff into an electric guitar and, with a yell, started riffing it. As he played, a beam of bright blue magic burst from it and right into the Green Knight. He blocked it with his crooked blade and dived at Douxie. While they exchanged blows, Jim pushed Toby off him and jogged over to Claire. She was biting her lip with worry.
"Jim, th-this isn't looking good," she whispered, watching the battle. She flinched as the Knight struck Douxie across the face. The Knight raised his sword above Douxie's head. As he stabbed down, a portal appeared under Douxie. He landed behind them, out of breath but uninjured. The Knight's sword impaled the ground harmlessly, and he glowered in Claire's direction.
"We're outmatched!" Merlin said. He tapped his staff on the ground again, extending the shield to cover Jim, Claire, Douxie, Argh and Toby. "I can't hold the shield up for long against him. We must fall back!"
"He's unstoppable," Douxie uttered. "How are we supposed to escape with him on our trail?!"
"I-" Merlin put his head in his hands. "I don't know."
Jim gazed at the scene before him. As always, Toby and Argh were ready to fight, but they were injured. They wouldn't last long against that thing. Claire was throwing portals at the Knight left and right, but he kept avoiding them without a second glance. As for himself…he was still hurt from Killahead. If he lost against the Knight when he was in perfect health in Jersey, what chance did he stand now?
No, Merlin was right. They were outmatched.
"We need an edge," Jim muttered. The shard burned in his pocket, as if screaming at him to use it. He clenched it tightly and took a deep breath. They needed power, and if he had to use the shard to gain it, he would. As much as he hated to say it, it was time.
He brought the shard out of his pocket. Claire stopped firing portals and stared at him with concern and confusion. "Jim…" she said slowly. "What is…what is that?"
Jim took her hands into his own and steeled himself for what he had to say next. "It's…it's something that'll help us get away. That's all."
She looked up at him, fear creeping into her eyes. "Then why-why are you acting like it's the last time we'll see each other?"
"Because I…" he was finding it harder and harder to look at her. "Because it's going to change me. Except this time, I don't know if I'm coming back."
"No!" Claire pleaded, cupping his face in her hands. "No Jim, you can't. Why is it always you? Why are you always the one sacrificing yourself? Don't do it, Jim. We'll find another way."
"There is no other way!" he gestured at the Green Knight, who was beating against the shield relentlessly. Fractures started spreading across it. "We're running out of time. I have to do this." He blinked away his tears and held the shard over his heart. "I love you, Claire."
"Jim, no-!"
"WAIT!" Douxie shouted. "WAIT!" Jim stopped, the shard a mere millimeter over his heart, and watched as Douxie limped over to them, clutching his side.
"You-you can't put that shard in your heart," he panted. His gaze flicked to the rock, to Jim's face, and back to the rock. "It'll transform you beyond recognition."
Jim frowned. "I know, Merlin told me. But if you want to escape alive, I have to-"
"Please," Douxie begged. A chill ran down Jim's spine as he realized just how terrified Douxie was. "This thing…it won't only change you; it'll corrupt you. And not just your body-your very soul. I've seen you struggle when you were exposed to the shard at the bare minimum! What do you think will happen once it's in your body?! If you do this, you'll become a horrifying troll with no memories of who you used to be. I've seen it-"
"Douxie," Claire said, her voice deathly quiet. "Just how long have you known about this?"
He faltered, as if he hadn't thought that far. "I…" he slumped in defeat. "I found out about the shard recently, but I've known of…Jim's possible transformation for a while now."
"That troll in the time map…" she whispered. "That was Jim, wasn't it?" She gazed at him, tears brimming in her eyes. "You knew all along, and you didn't tell me?!"
"I'm-I'm sorry, Claire, but I-"
"It doesn't matter," Jim interrupted, bringing the two's attention back to him. "If I have to become a…a monster so you guys can escape, then that's what I'm willing to do." He stepped away from Claire and tried his best to smile at her. "I'm sorry."
She lowered her head. "No. I won't let this happen."
"Claire, I don't have a choice-"
"I WON'T!" she screamed, snapping her head up. Jim gasped at her eyes-pitch black with glowing purple irises.
Claire rose into the air, as if in a trance. She curled in on herself, dark magic swirling around her. An ear-piercing shriek ripped from her throat, and a shockwave of violet and jet-black magic blasted from her, blowing everyone back. Jim lowered his arm shakily, and his eyes widened.
"Claire," he whispered. "No."
The witch that hovered above him bore no resemblance to the girl he loved. Claire's hair had grown; it now reached to her waist. More white streaks ran through it, giving her a ghostly look. Black veins spiderwebbed across her face. Her armor was midnight black with purple etchings, and long violet sleeves flowed from her elbows. An elegant purple headpiece shone from her head.
She raised her hand and sent a stream of magic at the Green Knight. It burst through the shield, shattering it entirely, and right into the Knight's chest. He skidded back and glared at Claire.
"Go," she commanded, and Jim shuddered at her voice. It was like multiple Claires were speaking as one. "I'll hold him off."
Jim felt like he couldn't breathe. This can't be happening. It was supposed to be me! "Claire, no!" he pleaded. "Don't-let me do this-"
Claire turned to him, shaking her head. "No, Jim. You always sacrifice yourself for us. Now, it's my turn!"
She flicked her hand, and a huge portal opened up beneath everyone's feet.
"Claire, NO!" But it was too late. Jim fell, reaching for her, and the next thing he knew, he was lying on his back on Main Street. Claire was gone. Only the night sky was above him.
He scrambled to his feet. He was going to find her. He was going to find her and bring her back, no matter how many enemies he had to fight-
A hand grabbed his wrist, preventing him from leaving. "Jim, you can't!" Douxie cried. "There was nothing we could do-ack!"
Jim slammed Douxie against a wall, his elbow crushing the wizard's windpipe. "This is your fault," he snarled. "Why didn't you tell her about the shard? Why?!"
"I-I didn't want her to be more worried than she already was," he choked out. "I wanted t-to tell her, but I thought it would be b-best if she didn't know-"
"Excuses!" he roared, applying more pressure on Douxie's throat. He ignored the pleas of his friends behind him. "That wasn't your decision to make. She deserved to know!"
"I know," Douxie wheezed. Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes, and he hung his head. "I know. I'm sorry. This was all my fault."
And somehow, seeing his tears made Jim realize Douxie was just as devastated as he was over Claire. Maybe even more so. Yes, he should've told Claire and Jim the truth, but he was still human. After all, Jim himself didn't tell Claire when he had the chance. Douxie didn't deserve this.
He dropped his arm and stepped back. Douxie collapsed, his body wracking with coughs.
"I'm sorry Douxie, that wasn't-" but Jim couldn't say that wasn't him, because it was. The shard hadn't given him any anger-that had been all him. "That wasn't fair; this wasn't your fault. I-" his voice cracked, and a few tears slid down his face. "I just miss her."
Douxie coughed one last time before slowly getting to his feet. He smiled at Jim, his eyes red. "It's alright, Jim. And even though you say it's not my fault…it still hurts." His expression hardened. "We'll get her back; I promise."
"We can't," Merlin said, walking up to them. "We must hide Nari. There's more at stake than you know."
"Then tell us," Jim snapped. He was in no mood to deal with the wizard's riddles. "Tell us what's at stake, or I'll leave right now to get Claire back."
"Not here," the wizard hissed. "I will, but not here. We need to seek refuge to regroup, but the Order has roamed this planet for centuries. They know all my places of power."
Douxie's face brightened. "I know a place with plenty of power where the Order's magic won't find us. Come on!" He started striding towards a brightly lit store.
Jim followed, but his feet felt like lead. Now that his rage had subsided, he felt hollow. Claire…it was hard to believe she was gone. At least he knew she was safe when they were separated in Camelot, but now? He had no idea if she was even alive.
"Hey," Toby asked, nudging him with his elbow. "I know you're not okay, but…I can't think of a better question to ask, so how're you doing?"
He looked down at his friend and sighed. "Not great, Tobes. Not great at all. I just-I just want her back, you know?"
"We all do, master Jim," Blinky reassured him. "But if anyone can bring her back, it's you."
"Thanks, Blink." He cracked a grin. "I gotta say, you're a lot better than you used to be. Your past self was a real jerk, you know that?"
"Oh, please do not bring that up, master Jim!"
Douxie smiled at the laughter that rang behind him. Sounded like Jim was doing better. Unfortunately, he couldn't say the same for himself. He knew he should've said something before they returned to the present, but he had been too cowardly to do it. Some master wizard he was.
Out of the corner of his vision, he caught a glimpse of bright pink hair. His spirits lifted ever so slightly. At least annoying Zoe would make him temporarily forget his troubles.
"Zoe!" he announced, swinging the door to the tech shop open. "We need a place to lay low."
"Hisirdoux Casperan," she remarked, crossing her arms. She narrowed her cold blue eyes at him. "You have a lot of nerve."
"Yes, like cutting in line," Krel said, clutching his backpack tight to his chest.
"We were supposed to hunt niffins and get burgers, remember?" she continued, ignoring Krel. He grinned nervously. Oops. He had forgotten about that.
"And you are supposed to help me with my problem, remember?" the alien shot back. His gaze traveled to the odd group behind Douxie, and his jaw dropped. "Toby? What are you doing here?!"
Toby ran over to them and slapped his hands on the help desk. "Evil wizards shot down our time-travelling castle and stole weird sorceress Claire!" he burst. "You gotta help us!"
Zoe rolled her eyes. "Ugh. Come on, let's head to the back." She tapped the far wall, and a doorway opened from nowhere. Steve oohed and ahhed.
"What are we doing here?" Merlin grumbled. "We're not safe in this toy store." He reluctantly strolled through the doorway.
Zoe punched his arm. "Yeesh, you brought your boss here?"
Sorry, he mouthed.
She glared at him before leaning over the doorway and shouting, "We're closed to privileged Arthurian toolbags!"
"Zoe!" he hissed.
She smirked and stepped out of the store. "Sorry, Casperan, that's my price when you forget to hang out. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to give your buddies here the guided tour." With a loving rude gesture, she was gone.
Douxie chuckled before following her. As Zoe explained the inner workings of Hex Tech, he turned into the conversation behind him, which was, suffice it to say, very entertaining.
"So, have you always been a troll and was disguising as a human? Just like us?" Krel pestered Jim.
"Um, no, I was originally human," Jim answered. "I just can't believe you're an alien, that's so cool-"
"Akiridion, not alien," he corrected. "And yes, I know it's cool. But this isn't about me; I want to know more about you." Before Jim could respond, he was already moving on to his next round of questions. "You're very blue, why is that? Your horns, what are they made of? You must explain the mechanisms of that armor to me. And why are you so blue?"
"Krel, give the guy a break," Toby chortled. "As much as I love annoying Jim, now probably isn't the best time to be interrogating him."
"Fine," Krel grumbled. "But I won't forget-oh, is that an antigravity ray?!"
They entered the break room, which had several boxes floating around. Displays lit up the room, and a projection of a forest grove covered the far wall.
"You guys should be safe here," Zoe said. "I have to go back. Do not break anything," she ordered, jabbing her finger in Douxie's face. Her face softened, and she lowered her finger. "But if you really do need my help, just call me, okay? I'll be there."
He smiled. "Of course. Thanks, Zoe."
"Yeah, yeah. No need to get all mushy." With a wave, she shut the door behind her.
"So…anything in here that can stop some ancient evil wizards?" Toby questioned. "It'll be nice to have a moment to catch our breath."
"If the Order has their way, we won't be breathing at all," Merlin said. "Nari, tell them what we're up against."
The petite being gazed bashfully at the people around her before talking. "Since the beginning, the Order has always sought to protect the balance of magic and mortal, no matter the cost." She stepped over to Merlin and clutched at his armor. "But…our actions only brought pain."
Merlin shook his head. "I've spent a millennium keeping their horrors at bay. But it wasn't enough."
"Bellroc and Skrael believe humanity is lost, beyond correction." She touched the wall, and small green butterflies burst from her hands. They flapped their delicate wings, illuminating the room with their glow.
"Now they wish to end it all," she said sadly. "They search for the Genesis Seals."
"What are the Seals?" Jim asked.
"Cute but deadly sea mammals, duh," Steve retorted.
Douxie had the sudden urge to strangle Steve. "You wish. It's the oldest tale in the wizard books. Primal seals that contain the very essence of magic."
Merlin continued, "If the seals are broken, then raw, uncontrolled magic shall rise upon the world, wiping it like a flood."
"Come on! Destroying the world, again?" Krel complained, throwing his hands in the air.
"Tell me about it," Jim agreed.
"All of the Arcane Order must be present to open the Seals. That is why I fled," Nari explained, stroking one of her butterflies.
"I've hidden the Seals away, but we must keep Bellroc and Skrael away from them and Nari, or it is the end of all things," Merlin finished.
Jim furrowed his brow in thought. "If they're after her, then why do they need Claire?"
.
.
.
Claire used to be afraid of the dark. When she was young, she would hear whispers at night. Under her bed, in her closet, they were everywhere. She would try to block them out, but the whispers would eventually swell into a roar. Before long, she would have no choice but to run to her parent's room, tears streaming down her face.
But as she got older, the whispers became less and less frequent. One day, they disappeared altogether. It was the same with her fear of the dark. After all, that was just what it was-darkness. It couldn't harm her.
Since Claire had used Morgana's staff and grew to master her own shadow magic, she even embraced the darkness. It was comfortable, safe. She knew it well, and it knew her.
But there was something about the darkness surrounding her now that screamed danger. Screaming at her that something wasn't right. The quiet of the darkness felt almost…forced.
So, she forced her limbs to move. She got to her feet and slowly opened her eyes.
Claire instantly regretted it. Light, as dull as it was, flooded her vision. She winced and looked away, blinking the spots from her eyes. After her eyes adjusted, she looked back.
She was in a pitch-black space. The only thing that broke up the darkness was a large display. It showed a room with glowing, burnt orange columns. Cogs lay dormant on the other side. But Claire wasn't alone. There was a person standing in front of her.
The person had their back turned to her, focused on the large display before them. They absentmindedly brushed a strand of dark brown hair behind their ear. Claire froze when she saw the white streaks running through the person's long hair. That hair…that hair looked all too similar to her own.
Claire swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "Who…who are you?"
The person turned around, and she stifled a scream. It was her. Except-except this Claire looked so very different. She shivered. It looked like the Claire from her nightmare-the one with black veins and purple eyes.
"Oh. You're awake," other Claire said. She smirked at Claire's horrified expression. "You like my new outfit?" she asked, gesturing at the black armor she was wearing. Long purple sleeves dripped from her elbows, and a crown of the same color was perched on her head.
"You-you-" It was hard for Claire to think, much less talk. "You're the Claire from my nightmare, aren't you?!"
"I can see why you're the top of your class," other Claire remarked. "You're quick to catch on. Yes, I am 'that Claire.'"
"Wha-what happened, I don't remember-" she pulled at her hair. She remembered the Green Knight attacking them. Jim was…was going to do something to himself, and she had felt so-so angry, so useless, that something inside of her had snapped. A surge of power amazing and horrible all at once…then nothing. She looked up at other Claire. "What did I do?"
The other Claire grinned, her teeth a little too sharp. "You let me take over, that's what. I got your friends out of there, but I was captured in the process. Not that I mind, of course. I full intend on helping the Order carry out their plans."
"But why would you help the Order after all they've done?" She bit her lip. "What are you?"
"Because I'm the fun side of you, Claire," she crooned. "The side of you that yearns for chaos and for unbridled magic to run amok. That old fool Merlin was right about one thing: playing with shadowmancy was unwise. It allowed me to manifest. Losing control of your emotions was the final nail in the coffin."
Claire grit her teeth. She wasn't going to let this evil part of her hurt her friends. "You give me back control," she demanded. "You let me out. Right. Now."
She thrust her hands forward, determined to get rid of that thing. But no magic burst from her hands. She lowered her hands shakily. No, no, no…she concentrated even harder, reaching for the magic inside of her, but it-it was gone. She felt nothing.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you," other Claire laughed. "You don't have any power here." She raised her hand and smirked at Claire's shocked face when a purple flame alighted in her palm. "That's right. You're helpless. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a certain Eldritch Queen to rescue from the shadow realm." She turned away.
Morgana. Claire's blood turned to ice, and she ran forward. "You can't! I won't let you!"
"Actually, I can." Other Claire flicked her wrist, and chains wrapped around Claire's body. She fell to the ground, and try as she might, she couldn't break free. Other Claire looked down on her and sighed. "But you won't make it easy for me, will you? Oh, well. I was going to let you sleep here in peace, but if that's how you're going to be, then…"
A portal opened behind Claire. Beyond it lay only inky blackness. She swallowed hard and stared up at other Claire with wide, frightened eyes.
She smiled wickedly. "Farewell, little lamb."
She waved her hand, and Claire was sent flying back through the portal. She screamed as she was swallowed by the darkness. Soon enough, even her screams were drowned out by the suffocating blackness, and she remembered no more.
.
.
.
Jim clutched the shard as he approached Douxie and Merlin. Even though he had lost Claire, at least he get rid of this cursed thing. They were in the present, after all. The deed could finally be done.
He tapped Douxie's shoulder. The young wizard stopped conversing with Merlin and both of them stared at Jim intently. "Yeah, Jim? What is it?"
Jim took a deep breath and forced himself to bring the shard from his pocket. It was still warm. "This," he said. "I want to get rid of it. It's getting harder to resist."
"Right," Douxie nodded his head. "At least we can fix this problem." He activated his bracelet and held his hand over the shard. He glanced at Merlin, who hadn't moved. "Master?"
He pursed his lips. "I…we can't. We can't destroy it."
"What?!" Jim shouted, drawing the other's attention. He flashed them a quick smile, turned away, and lowered his voice to a whisper. "Why not?! You said we could-"
"I know what I said," Merlin snapped. His face fell and he sighed, rubbing his temples. "I did not think we would be on the run from the Order so soon. If we destroyed the shard now, it would unleash a wave of dark magic. Harmless to us, yes, but it would draw the Order to us. They would be able to pinpoint our location through its destruction." He looked up at Jim, regret in his eyes. "I am sorry, my boy, but we cannot do this now."
Jim felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. Are you kidding me?! he wanted to scream. He had held off the shard's tugging for so long, only for his one chance to be snatched away.
"Merlin, I understand what you're saying," he said, his tone turning frantic. "But I can't-I don't think I can last much longer. It's getting harder and harder to resist it."
"I know," Merlin said sadly. "But for the sake of the world, we can't."
Jim squeezed his eyes shut. "Then at least…at least tell me we can go after Claire."
"I empathize with you James, really I do, but we cannot go back to save her."
"Come on!" he growled, snapping his eyes open. "If you can't get rid of the shard for me, at least let us rescue her. I'm not going to leave her behind!"
"Surely there's something we can do," Douxie agreed, gazing at his master with hopeful eyes.
But Merlin ignored him. "The risk is too great for a rescue. We must keep Nari safe from the Order. The fate of existence is at stake."
"This is why nobody likes you, dude!" Toby called from his seat, crossing his arms.
Merlin rolled his eyes. "I care not for your 'likes.'" He fixated a stern gaze on Jim. "Claire Nuñez is corrupted, gone! There is no bringing her back!"
"Or you're just too stubborn to try!" Jim roared, slamming his fist down on the table.
"Please, you both have solid points," Douxie groaned.
"My presence causes such discord," Nari whimpered from her spot on the floor. "I have put you all in danger."
"No worries, veggie lady," Steve said. "You are under the protection of the Knights of Arcadia, which is only me, currently," he added as an afterthought.
Merlin banged his staff on the ground. "I will not jeopardize the mortal plane for one girl!"
"She'd do the same for us!" Jim retorted.
"And look where that got him!"
Jim snarled, his eyes flashing bloodred. The shard burned painfully in his pocket, but he paid it no mind. "What was that, old man?"
"Wait a tic," Douxie interrupted, stopping the situation from escalating further. "I know a way we can rescue Jim without risking the world!" he exclaimed, beaming.
Merlin raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"
"Yeah. And if it works, it will be quite the little magic trick."
.
.
.
Jim leaned forward on the railing, gaze trained on the fortress that floated above. The boat ride, which had been so pleasant only an hour ago, did nothing to ease his anxiety.
He heard footsteps behind him, and glanced back to see it was Douxie. The wizard stood next to him, looking up at the fortress as well.
"Don't worry," Douxie said, breaking the silence. "we'll get her back."
"We have to," Jim said, making eye contact with the wizard. "Because I don't know what I'm gonna do if we don't."
"I have concerns about this cockamamy plan of yours," Merlin spoke, startling both boys. "We're headed right into the lion's den."
Douxie turned away from Jim and faced Merlin. "You gave me a staff because you trusted me, right? So trust me."
"Very well," Merlin said. "I stand by your decision…wizard."
"Everyone knows what they need to do. If we pull this off, we'll get Claire back." As the ship reached the entrance of the fortress, Douxie shouted, "Arcane Order!"
The skull's spotlights shot to the boat, and everyone covered their eyes. "We're here to barter!" Douxie called. The skull's jaw opened wide, and a platform creaked out of it. "And that means…come in."
"And that's my cue," Jim said. He nodded to Douxie and the others. "Good luck. You're gonna need it."
"You too, Jim," Douxie replied. He gave a salute. "You got this, mate."
Jim leapt off the boat and onto the skull. Once he got a good grip, he wasted no time in scaling the fortress. He lifted his nose into the air and sniffed. Maybe his smell wasn't as good as Argh's, but he knew Claire's scent so well it would be easy to find her. Sure enough, her familiar scent wafted across his nose. He followed the trail, climbing higher and higher up the fortress.
He stopped near the top of the fortress. This was where her smell was the strongest. Orange-tinted windows showed a large room with illuminated yellow-orange pillars. And there, standing at the far end, was-
"Claire," he whispered. She was so close! Jim scanned the windows he was perched upon, but he could see no latch. He would have to break in.
"Can a person punch glass quietly?" he wondered aloud. Scrunching his face, he punched his fist through the glass. It instantly shattered. The pieces of the broken window-and Jim-crashed to the floor. He groaned. "Apparently not."
"Jim?"
He gasped and shot to his feet. Claire was staring at him with disbelief. "You…you came for me?"
"Of course I did," he said. He ran over to her and wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. "And I always will."
"I'm glad you came," she said, gazing up at him. She grinned, her irises glowing brightly. "Because now, I can do this!"
Without warning, Claire blasted him in the chest with a ball of dark magic. He skidded back, panting. Luckily, the armor had protected him, but it still stung.
Jim stared at her, shocked. "Why-why'd you do that, Claire? It's me!"
She sneered as she rose into the air. "Yes, I know it's you, Jim Lake. But the girl you see before you isn't the one you're looking for."
Horror dawned upon him as he realized this wasn't the Claire he loved. This was…this was something else. Something wicked.
"Bring her back," he growled, a dangerous tone in his voice.
"Mm, no." She laughed when he bared his teeth at her. "Aw, how cute. You think you're scary. But, if you're so desperate to see her, why don't you join her in the afterlife?!"
Claire cackled as she started firing purple blasts at him. Jim called up his shield and used it to deflect the shots back at her. She didn't even bother dodging and disappeared into a portal behind her instead. He looked around the room frantically, but there was no sign of her.
Jim heard the familiar whoosh of a portal and looked behind him.
Claire smiled. "Hello there."
She kicked his back, making him fall flat on his face. He flipped over on his back just in time to see her thrusting a glowing purple dagger at his face. His eyes widened and he grabbed his shield just in the nick of time. The dagger sparked against the metal. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders, and Jim couldn't help thinking how gorgeous Claire looked with long hair.
He blinked and furrowed his brow. Focus, Jim! Now isn't the time to admire Claire's new do!
"Claire!" Jim pleaded, his arms shaking. "This isn't you. I know the real you is in there somewhere. Fight her!"
"Claire is gone!" she screamed, her purple and black eyes flaring. A portal opened under Jim, and he found himself falling from the ceiling. She shot a beam of dark magic at him, causing him to smash into the wall. He crumpled to the floor, wincing.
But he refused to give up. Claire wouldn't, so neither would he. He rose to his feet, ignoring the pain it caused him. "We always find a way to save each other," he said, smiling at her warmly. "I love you. We belong together."
"I don't…" Claire gripped her head, her eyes flickering between purple and chocolate brown. Her face contorted in pain. "Jim…" she choked out, and Jim beamed. That was her normal voice! She was still in there.
The brown in her eyes faded, and his spirits fell as purple replaced it. "No, we don't!" she screeched, throwing disks of magic at him.
"Claire!" he cried, rolling to avoid the disks. "You're not making this easy!"
Suddenly, a golden portal appeared in midair next to Claire. "The girl is gone, Trollhunter," a familiar voice said.
Jim gasped when he saw who the voice belonged to. It was none other than Morgana, shadow staff in hand, fully bedecked in her golden armor.
"Morgana," he hissed, narrowing his eyes at her. "You just won't die, will you?"
"The Order had other plans," she answered coolly. "There's no way out, I'm afraid, for any of us."
With a yell, she dived towards Jim. She swiped at him with her staff, but he dodged and aimed a blow at her face. She darted to the side and jabbed him in the side. He grunted in pain. Thinking fast, he swept her legs out from under her. She fell with a cry.
Jim summoned Eclipse and made to strike at her heart-but something stopped him. He glowered at the coal black chains that were wrapped around his sword before glaring at Claire.
She snickered. "Forgot I was still here, did you?"
She yanked Eclipse from Jim's hand. The sword clattered to the floor before disappearing in a puff of mist. Before he could summon it again, more chains wrapped around him, pinning his arms to his sides. He struggled as he was lifted into the air, but the chains were too strong. Unable to break free, he settled for giving Claire a dirty look.
"Aw, don't look at me like that," she purred. "Don't die with that nasty expression on your face. Speaking of which…Morgana!" she snapped, looking down on the sorceress. "Get up and finish the job."
Morgana glared at Claire with so much hate and fury that, for a split second, Jim thought she was going to fight her. But then her anger passed, and she sighed in defeat. "Very well."
She stood up, golden magic flaring to life in her hands. She stared at Jim, and he swore he could see pity and sorrow in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Trollhunter."
Beams of bright magic struck Jim, and he screamed in pain. This-this was far, far worse than being fully exposed to the sun. It felt like nails were being stabbed into every fiber of his being. Even his bones throbbed in agony. He thrashed against the chains, ignoring how each movement sent daggers of pain shooting into every limb.
Finally, he managed to get one of his arms free. He tried to summon Eclipse, and to his horror, discovered he lacked the willpower to do so. He was in too much anguish; he couldn't think straight. He was going to die here.
His fingers brushed against the familiar lump in his pocket. Yes. Jim jammed his hand into his pocket and whipped out the shard. No. He wasn't going to die. Not when Claire needed him. Not when the world needed him. He was going to survive.
He plunged the shard into his heart.
Jim shrieked as the shard burrowed deep into his chest. He gasped as power unlike anything he had ever known flooded through him. His limbs coursed with new strength, and with a yell, he ripped the chains apart.
He crashed into the ground, clutching his chest. Tears streamed down his face as the searing dark magic flowed through his veins. He cried out as his bones snapped and popped, reconfiguring themselves into something horrible and twisted. His muscles doubled, tripled in size. His head felt like it was splitting in two, and he gasped as something burst from his skull. Sharp things began growing all over his back and arms. His howls of agony turned into a deafening roar.
Finally, the torture ended. He felt no more pain. In fact, he felt stronger than he ever had before. And he was so, so angry.
Jim stood, uncaring to how he now towered over Morgana and Claire.
Claire's eyes watered, her eyes back to brown. "Jim…no…" The purple flooded back, and she furiously wiped her eyes. "What have you done to yourself, Trollhunter?" she demanded.
"What I had to," he growled. He couldn't help but be relieved that his voice still sounded the same.
Her nostrils flared. "It matters not what form you take to me," she scoffed. "I will still end-"
Jim's hand shot out and wrapped around Morgana. For a split second, he stared at it in shock. His hand-it was massive. And the worst part was, his right hand was definitely lacking a fifth finger. One of the last signs of his humanity was gone.
His sadness devolved into rage and he roared, throwing Morgana into Claire. The two smashed into the ground on top of one another, groaning. He huffed and started approaching them, determined to bring Claire back once and for all, when he detected a tinny yell.
Jim paused. He strained his ears, and once again he heard that same high-pitched scream. His eyes widened when he realized who it belonged to. It was Steve! The negotiations-they must've gone wrong somehow. They needed his help, which meant-
He looked down at Claire, an unhappy moan rumbling from his chest. Which meant…he had to leave her behind.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'll come back for you, I promise." He dug his claws (which looked considerably sharper) into the floor and wrenched out a large chunk of metal. "But I can't have you following me, so…" He hurled the slab into the ceiling above Morgana and Claire. Pieces of the ceiling crashed down on them, burying them completely.
But Jim knew that wouldn't hold them for long. Abandoning his stealthy approach, he smashed through the wall like it was cardboard and started climbing his way towards the screams. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught his reflection in a window. He screamed and nearly lost his grip on the fortress.
Jim stared at his reflection, panting. He couldn't recognize the thing that stared back at him. He was as enormous as Argh now, maybe even a little bigger. For some reason, he was bare-chested and wore black shorts. The only remains of the Eclipse armor was a pauldron on his right shoulder and vambraces on both his forearms. His scruff had thickened into a wild mane that stuck out in every direction. Light blue crystals protruded from his back and forearms.
The amulet glowed a bright red from where it was embedded in his chest. Cracks had spread from the amulet and across his whole body. His legs, arms, they were everywhere. The etchings glowed a furious red, bathing him in a haunting light.
He shakily ran a hand along his horns, which had grown much longer and thicker. He started as he felt a smaller pair of horns that curved below his large ones. At least when he was half-troll, he sort of resembled his human self, but now…any features of his humanity was gone. Even his eyebrows had disappeared.
Jim relaxed ever so slightly when he realized his eyes were still their normal ocean blue. At least he still had that. But still…with his gigantic form and glowing carvings, he was unrecognizable. He looked more like Gunmar than himself-
An explosion from his right distracted him from that horrible thought. He quickly climbed his way to the others, refusing to look at the monster he had become.
.
.
.
Douxie stared in shock at the Green Knight-or should he say, King Arthur. He couldn't believe he was actually standing right in front of them, very much alive. At the same time, he knew this wasn't the Arthur that had ruled Camelot (for the most part) with kindness. The Arcane Order…when they resurrected him, they had corrupted him somehow. The person that glared at them now with sickly yellow eyes was not their friend.
"No," his master whispered, shaking his head. "It cannot be…"
"I'm afraid it is," Arthur answered coldly. He raised his sword, which Douxie recognized to be a tainted Excalibur. "Your ruse has failed. Hand over Nari."
Douxie's bracelet flared to life. "We'll never give her up!" he shouted.
"You are outmatched, boy. It'd do you well to-"
A deafening roar cut off Arthur mid-sentence. A blur of blue leapt down from the ceiling and crashed right into Arthur. The figure then picked up Arthur and flung him into the far wall. As he slumped to the ground, the figure turned to Douxie and Merlin. His heart stopped.
It couldn't be. He didn't want to believe it. But… "Jim?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
The colossal troll before him flinched. "Yeah…it's me." It was so very odd to hear Jim's voice come out of that beast. He smiled bashfully, and Douxie noticed how sharper his fangs had gotten. "I may have, um, used the shard."
"I can see that," he mumbled, his gaze roving over Jim's new form. He looked exactly like the troll from the time map, blue crystals and all. Except for the eyes-those were still deep blue. I guess it really was inevitable, he thought sourly.
Arthur stood up, bringing their attention back to him. He studied Jim. "I always said you were a beast, Trollhunter," he rumbled. "If you didn't believe me before, you should now."
Jim growled and lowered his head, ready to charge.
"I see my mark has finally took you," Arthur said. He raised Excalibur. "Now, obey."
His sword flared yellow, but nothing happened. Confusion flitted across the former king's face. "What-"
Jim's horns rammed into Arthur's chest. The king skidded back, clutching his side. He whipped around to Douxie and Merlin, seething with rage. "You!" he spat. "You cut my connections to him, didn't you?!"
Merlin smirked. "Guilty."
He gnashed his teeth. "When I get my hands on you, I will-"
"You'll do nothing," Jim snarled, punching him across the jaw. "You leave them alone!" He smashed his fist into his gut, before grabbing Arthur's shoulders and headbutting him with his massive horns. He stumbled back, clutching his head.
"Do stop messing around, Green Knight," Skrael said, sounding bored. "He's only a troll."
Arthur scowled before charging at Jim. He slashed Excalibur across Jim's arm, but the blade sparked harmlessly against the crystals. Arthur dodged one of Jim's blows and kicked him in the side. As Jim stumbled forward, he swung the sword at Jim's head, the blade a golden-black blur. Jim knocked the sword away in the nick of time and jabbed Arthur in the stomach. He bent over, wheezing.
"Huh," Jim snorted, cracking his knuckles. "Not so tough now, are you?"
A portal opened in front of Jim, and Claire stepped out of it. "This is for making a whole ceiling fall down on me," she said, raising her hands. "Brossor gath zar!"
Streams of violet and black magic swirled into the amulet in Jim's chest. He threw his head back, howling in pain. Arthur quickly took advantage of his suffering and kicked Jim in the chest. He rolled onto the ground, whimpering.
Claire turned to Douxie, smiling. A chill ran down his spine. Oh, he did not like the way she was looking at him right now.
"As for you…" She flicked her hand, and glowing chains sprung from her wrist and coiled around him. He rose into the air, struggling. "You're going to stop being so much trouble."
"We propose new terms," Skrael rasped. "Give us Nari…" he pointed to Douxie, grinning. "…or he dies."
"I'm sorry! This is my fault!" he cried. His head drooped. Just let me die…
"I know not what darkness twists you, but you will not harm the boy! Not while I draw breath!" Merlin declared, his staff blazing with light.
He thrust his staff forward. Gleaming emerald chains wrapped around Bellroc and Skrael, pinning their arms to their sides. He sent more flying Arthur's way, but he dodged them all. He dashed towards Merlin, deflecting the wizard's attack with Excalibur. His hand reached for his throat and he slammed Merlin against the window. Without hesitation, he stabbed Merlin through the stomach.
"No!" Douxie screamed. No, no, no. This wasn't happening; it couldn't be real-
Arthur shoved Merlin through the window, shattering it on impact. His master started falling down to the cold, unwelcoming ground below.
A sorrow and rage unlike anything he had ever known overcame Douxie like a tidal wave. "NO!" he roared.
A shockwave of magic exploded from him. It broke the chains around him and caused the whole fortress to shake. He floated higher into the air, clutching Archie in one arm. With the other, he held his staff. An aura of electric blue magic surrounded him. His hair floated around his face like he was underwater.
He tossed Archie down to Jim. "Get out of here!" Jim nodded, grabbed Steve, and started pounding to the boat.
Douxie flew out the broken window and dove after Merlin. The night air whipped around him, stinging his eyes, but he didn't care. He urged himself to go faster, hellbent on getting to him before the ground did. He finally grabbed his master's torso and pulled him close. He shot a beam of magic from his staff, slowing their fall. They landed on the ground amidst a cloud of dust.
He lowered Merlin to the ground gently. He looked at the bloody wound in his stomach and instantly wish he hadn't. "Hang on-hang on, master. Hang on!" he begged, gripping the wizard's arm so tight his knuckles turned white.
He was dimly aware of the boat landing behind him. Jim, Steve, and Archie gasped in horror.
"Hold still. I can fix this!" No, you can't. "I can fix this! I can-"
Merlin's hand squeezed around Douxie's. "Stop Hisirdoux," he wheezed. "No one can. Do not blame yourself."
Tears slid down Douxie's face. "I'm sorry," he sobbed. "I should've listened to you. I should've told Claire; I should've told Jim; I-"
"No, no," he whispered. "I'm sorry. You deserve better than an old fool like me."
"You've got it wrong. You're Merlin, the greatest wizard of all time! I'm a nobody who doesn't even deserve to be a wizard." He leaned his head on his master's chest, his body wracking with sobs.
Merlin placed his hand on Douxie's head. "Don't say that," he murmured. "I gave you that staff…for a reason. I saw a glimmer of greatness of what you could become." Douxie looked at him through wet eyes, and he cupped his face softly. "And the greatest thing I have ever accomplished…it wasn't creating the Trollhunter amulet." He smiled. "It was saving you."
Douxie shook with grief. "I'll try and make you proud," he said, voice thick.
His master gazed at him with nothing but love and pride. "You already have…son." He closed his eyes, his chest coming to a slow stop. His hand fell to his side.
"No-no, you can't go! You can't go! I'm not-I'm not ready…" Tears streamed down his cheeks. He wrapped his arms around Merlin and held him close. He squeezed him as hard as he could, as if that could bring him back to life, back to him, somehow.
Instead, his master's body turned into a pile of ash. He gasped as what little left of his master fell through his fingers and into a mound of dust on the ground. It wasn't fair. He couldn't even have his master-his father-to look at anymore, even in death.
"Douxie, I'm…I'm so sorry," Jim said. Steve placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
Archie padded up to him and rubbed against his hand. "I-I can't believe he's gone," he said hoarsely.
A gust of wind came down over them, blowing the ashes up into the night sky. What remained was a smoky gray book with a white crystal in the center. Douxie picked it up and held it close to his chest, wishing with all his heart it was his master he was hugging instead.
"What is that?" Steve asked.
Douxie stood up. He wiped his face, but more tears sprung unbidden to his eyes. "It's all we have left to guide us," he whispered. "Other than that…we're on our own."
A/N: So, Claire's evil self has taken over. Troll Jim is now monster Jim. Douxie's choices have finally come back to bite him in the ass. Yep, a lot happened in this chapter. I hope you guys liked the direction I went in. I didn't even know what to do for this chapter when I first started writing this fic, but I thought it would be pretty neat if Claire and Jim swapped roles (sort of).
Don't worry, this chapter is only the beginning of monster Jim. He'll be around a LOT for the rest of the fic, to make up for all the wasted time in the show. (I'd be pretty worried about that spell Claire placed on him if I were you...)
Thank you guys for reading, and I'll see you in the next update!
