YOU GUYS HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG I'VE WAITED TO GET TO THIS PART! It feels rushed, slightly... Kinda? Not really to be honest. But whatever I doubt myself a lot but I hope you guys enjoy this! This has been in my shitty plans since the very beginning! This is a pretty big chapter though. I haven't written this much in for one update in a LONG time. I want to make the chapters a little longer anyway so no big deal though.

Anyway! Enjoy!

"Young Atlas. You have to understand that there are things that have to be done."

"But father, these are children! You're telling me that these kids have to be a part of this?!"

"Do not raise your tone at me."

"THESE ARE INNOCENT LIVES!"

Next thing I knew, my face was aching with this dull pain across my cheek. I looked back at him to see he had slashed me with his stupid little pen key. His eyes were glowing a light yellow and his face turned dark.

"Each life within a war is no longer an innocent life. Each being is responsible or at least soon will be. Know your enemies, Atlas. Always gain the upper hand. These familiars are our way of gaining numbers. They are not harmed in the process." He placed his thumb on my cheek that he cut and slowly glazed over the small open wound. He pulled his hand back and looked at the blood as if it was from any other being within the world and then grabbed out a handkerchief and cleaned it off slowly.

"Go to Nomura and get yourself cleaned up. We will no longer speak of this matter."

"Yes, Stricklander."

"What did you just-?"

I closed the door behind me before he could finish his sentence and touched my cheek lightly. In the brighter light of the hallway, I was able to see that the blood the lightly trickled down my face was not as heavy as I thought it initially was.

It was the first time he had ever laid a hand on me himself.

It was the last time he was ever my father.

As days passed me in a slight blur, I noticed that goblins within the area were more on edge. It was obvious that the missing familiar was noticed or at least that it was noted that I knew what they were planning. Being well known as the Trollhunter has its cons, but the pros of the situation are always welcomed. Especially when it forces the Janus Order to step lightly in their next direction.

Enrique has been taking the situation pretty decently as well. Right before school, I head to Troll Market with milk to feed him and to make sure that Blinky and AAARRRGGHH are well aware of the do and don'ts of taking care of baby infants.

The only positive of being apart of the familiar process is the idea that I know how to take care of a baby and it seems to be more useful than I thought it would be in my life.

Blinky, ironically, is the one that I thought would be more likely to catch on with the ropes of treating a child, but it was actually AAARRRGGHH that caught on the quickest. He was actually able to calm down Enrique after he started crying about me leaving him once again.

But after I would check up on him in the morning and sneak baby food for Blinky and AAARRRGGHH to feed him, I would go to school, go to practice, go straight to Troll Market, check up on him again, do my normal routine of acting like a normal teen in front of my mom, sneak out for my normal nightly sweep, go home and repeat it all in the morning. It was tiring, to say the least, but it was rewarding to know that once I knew that the Janus Order moved onto another target that Enrique would be safe with Claire's family again.

Speaking of which, it has grown difficult to keep this from Claire. Every day she seemed to be more anxious over the idea of what could have happened to her brother. The bags under her eyes carved into her face like a permanent feature. But ironically even with the lack of sleep from worry, nothing else seemed to be out of place. She was memorizing lines quickly and her grades didn't seem to suffer at all, but it was obvious that her own well being did. Even Miss Janeth told her that she didn't have to be at all the practices till the last month of the production and that she could go home and rest instead, but Claire insisted that rehearsal was actually a nice break from everything that was worrying her.

I might have only met her truly about three months or so ago, but I knew her better than that already.

I walked up to her behind the stage during rehearsal and found her laying on the floor with her head and back leaning against the wall and her eyes shut. It was obvious she was trying to use the little bit of time before Miss Janeth showed up to catch some well-deserved rest.

"Claire, no one would hate you if you skipped today."

I watched her eyes flutter open and give me a weak smile. "I'm fine Atlas. Really! It's just-"

"It's a break from the worry. I get it. But it's obvious it all still takes a toll on you." I sat down next to her at this point. She stretched her arms out in front of her and then brought her knees up to her chest. She placed her chin on the tops of her kneecaps and wrapped her arms around the middle of her shins.

"It's just-" She looked over at me for a second and let out a breath that she seemed to have not noticed she kept in. "Difficult. I feel like it's kind of my fault. You know? I'm his big sister. I'm supposed to protect him. I was taking care of him the night before he went missing. I kept telling myself that I locked the window. That I made sure that everything was in place and then the next morning-" She stopped and I heard a hitch in her voice. Instantly I placed an arm around her and rubbed her back as she buried her face within her knees.

She started to shake lightly and I felt this side of me feel like it was all my fault. I knew where Enrique was. I knew that he was safe. I knew that I was purposely trying to keep this information away from her. I knew that what she was going through within this moment was half due to my actions and it destroyed me to know that I was basically causing her to crash.

I caused this to happen to her. It's my responsibility to fix it.

"Claire, it wasn't your fault. Whoever did this, I promise you, will be found. Whoever took your brother will pay for what they did. I promise you this."

She pulled her head out of her knees and looked at me with a face that I thought would actually kill me. Her eyes were red from tears and were filled with this sheer sense of loss. It gripped my heart.

"I shouldn't say this, but they found out that whoever broke in seemed to of tried to come in again." I gave her a curious look and shifted her position so that her legs were behind her and she was facing me fully. "Promise me that this won't leave the two of us." I nodded.

"You've got my word."

She took a deep breath and put her hand in her lap. She looked back up at me before she decided to speak. "This morning, we went into my brother's room to make sure that nothing has changed. We've been checking on it every day to make sure that nothing like a ransom note or something has been placed or if he just magically reappears. But this morning, the window was open and his shelf above his crib was halfway off the wall." I gave her wide eyes in reply but she kept going with her story.

"Nothing else was broken and nothing was added but one thing was missing. A picture of me and Enrique." She looked down at her hands to watch herself toy with her sleeves. "The police have no idea what this could mean. They think that whoever came in was the same person but they have no idea what they wanted. My parents think that they are trying to make a threat or understand how important my brother is to us but it's been causing me to be restless at night. Just the idea of the person that took my brother now has a photo of me as well." I watched her as she shivered at the thought. "It's been tormenting me ever since."

A picture of her and Enrique is missing? But that makes no sense. The goblins have been in check. Unless-

Unless they were planning something else. Unless they were checking if I was stupid enough to put Enrique back. Stricklander did comment on how close he knew Claire and I were getting. Maybe he thought that I would rather have her happy than watch her crumble.

Which means the goblins went back. But why would they want a picture of Claire? Unless-Unless one of them died. If the leader died then-

I swear to Deya if they go after her I will slaughter all of them.

I placed a hand on Claire's shoulder and tried my best to give her a calm smile. "Claire, everything is going to be alright. I promise that nothing will happen to you."

"How can you say that?"

Because I'll make sure of it.

"Because if you have no faith, then what's the point in moving forward?"

That night I made a purposeful watch over the streets. I normally wouldn't go through the town when on night watch due to how usually goblins and trolls tried to stay out of the human eye, but it was obvious that at least the goblins were pushing the limits. I had to stay on my toes and not knowing where Claire lived was going to be a problem if I was going to try to make sure nothing happened to her. So I went down every street and every alley. I watched telephone cables and forest edges. I doubled check street light tops and kept a sharp eye on my surroundings.

Nothing seemed to have caused a commotion.

I made this a nightly routine soon after. Making sure nothing was happening within the town as well as the outskirts. I wasted a few days doing this and then it hit me.

I can't keep this up for long though. They are planning something and I have to figure it out quick. What better way to figure things out then to go right to the source?

I took my time packing my things after history and told Toby not to wait up for me since I had to go talk to Miss Janeth real quick before gym to talk about extra problems to help me with the material we went over today since the next hour was her prep anyway. He took it like I thought he would and told me that he'll try to not to be noticed by Coach without me. I made sure to not seem in a rush and made sure the rest of the kids left before I walked up to Strickler.

"Alright Mr. Strickler, I have a question. You spoke of war today of how when leaders died in the past, their followers tried to piece any evidence possible to go after who caused it. What would happen if it was someone that was innocent within the encounter?" I looked him right in the eye and watched as he gave me a knowing grin. He seemed to sweep his eyes across the room to make sure no one was within the classroom before he spoke.

"If this is about Ms. Nuñez, then I have to say that I have no control over the situation." I felt myself growl lowly within my throat.

"They are your pest, put them in check." Strickler laughed lightly at my demand. "What are you laughing at, Stricklander? This is violating the laws in place between our agreement of human interaction and your or-"

"Child. You of all people should know that once the- pest, decide who is to pay for the death, then they will stop at nothing for the debt to be paid. You're lucky enough that they haven't pounced at the opportunity already. Usually, they attack by now. Quite wonderful that they learned to tread lightly when they know that you're around. It must be difficult for you. Especially when you try to bring in a useless law that you've created to stop it. Are you that frightened? Of a few goblins?"

I snarled as I watched him grin then scribble on a post-it note and hand it to me with a cheeky grin.

"Now, Atlas, run along now. Miss Janeth won't be waiting for long or you might just hide away to gym class already. I know how terrible you are with math."

I grabbed the note without any showing of aggression and made my way out of the class. "This isn't over with, Strickler."

"I wouldn't imagine anything less from you, Atlas."

While the day went on, I kept wracking my brain around the idea that Strickler presented.

Have the goblins actually learned to be frightened of me? Usually, they're reckless and jump at the opportunity at any moment to strike. Especially to repay for their fallen. But they haven't taken their shot. They haven't been any activity. Unless something else is holding them back, I have no doubt that they are foaming at the mouth to get their hands on Claire. They are not the brightest of species so if anything if holding them back at this point, it would be by force. Like being held within a cage or something.

I have no idea what is happening and for once, it terrifies me.

Usually, I have somewhat of an idea of what would be happening to some degree. If I don't understand some of it, then I usually understand the whole plan that is being commenced at once. The Janus Order is one for repetition and goblins are known for being creatures of instinct. They're predictable. Timely. Always easy to watch and plan for.

But for once, they've got me completely out of the water.

"You look like you've got something on your mind." I looked beside me to see that Toby was watching me intently as we were making our way toward the gym. I forgot that this was apart of the 'make sure no one suspects a thing' part of my routine.

"Kind of. It's nothing though."

"You know, if it's about your lady love-" I watched him put his hands together and pressed them against his cheek in a mocking high pitch tone. "Then you can just say so." I smiled at him and punched him lightly in the arm. "Hey! I'm just saying! I heard a lot of people, especially Mary and Darci, have been talking about her lately. A lot of people are worried about her, you know? I just kind of figured you would be too. No need for the punching."

I chuckled as we reached the doors for the gym. "Yeah. I'm worried about her." I gave him a cheeky smirk as I continued to speak. "But there is always a need to punch you, Tobes."

"Well, one has to fight for his Juliet's honor."

"Shut up."

"OOOO! You're being rude! I'm gonna tell your mom."

"You can tell her when I make you visit her through the hospital."

"Threatening too? Wow, she'll be so disappointed!"

"When did you get so dramatic? Maybe you should have auditioned too." He laughed at that one.

"You and I both know I would be the one that would freeze like stone and look at the audience as if I was a cardboard cut out." I chuckled at him as he started to make his depart for the front gates. "I'll talk to you later Atlas!"

"I'll be counting on it!"

"I'm still telling on you!"

"My threat still stands!"

I laughed at our antics as I entered the gym and made my way to the stage. It was always great to have moments like that with Toby. He always had this way of making me feel like I'm normal. Even after I came back after all this time, he makes it seem like nothing has changed. It's a nice break from the daily bullshit I get stuck with.

I took a look around the gym and noticed that I was oddly the first to appear for practice. Usually, Eli would be practicing on stage at least but it seemed he was nowhere to be seen. I shrugged it off and went to go place my backpack at my normal spot behind the stage. I stopped though as I heard the slamming of the gym door and the sound of rushing footsteps. I looked behind me, already in defense mode, until I noticed that it was Claire.

She had her arms wrapped around herself and she slowed from her running. She was constantly looking over her shoulder as she continued her way forward.

"Claire?! Is everything alright?" She looked over at me and I saw worry wash away from her body. "Atlas!" She ran up to me without hesitation.

"Claire? What's going on?"

"I- I don't know. I just feel like I'm being followed." I looked behind her to see a familiar shadow dash pass the gym doors.

In broad daylight? Seriously? They haven't learned a thing.

"Stay close to me." I walked briskly to the door with Claire hot on my trail. I slammed open the door and looked both ways. Claire was by my side in an instant.

"Did you see someth-" She stopped and jumped as we both heard the crash from down the hall. "What the-?!" I put my arm in front of her like I have before and stood between her and where the noise came from.

"Whoever you are, you better show yourself!"

You better fucking not.

We stood there in silence for a little while longer before I ushered her back into the gym. "So I am being followed. Great." I watched as Claire starred at the gym doors and wrap herself within her arms. I felt like I was useless. I couldn't tell her what it was or that I would protect her because she had no idea the lengths I was going to already. It would make it more dangerous if she knew what really was happening.

No, not really. You're just afraid of her hating you.

I shook my head and put my hand on her shoulder. "Claire, breathe. You need to stay calm." She looked at me like I was insane and opened her mouth to speak but I cut her from even starting. "Hear me out." I watched her slowly close her mouth before I started to speak once more. "You remember my little spat with Steve right? How I wouldn't even let him near you?" She nodded slowly. "Remember that as I promise you right now that whatever is going on here, I won't let anything happen to you. Alright? Not while I'm around. You have a ride home after practice right?" She shook her head.

"No. My mom has a late meeting tonight with the council."

"I'll walk you home then. Whoever is after you won't attack you if you have someone nearby. That's probably why they didn't do anything not long ago." She got close to me and placed her head onto my shoulder.

"Atlas. I'm terrified." I felt her shake against me as I wrapped my arms around her. "I know Claire. But I promise that nothing will happen to you."

"How can you be sure of that?"

"Because I'll make sure of it."

During practice, Claire and I were able to make it unnoticeable that she was shaken up. Whenever we were apart we made sure another actor or member of the production was with her. If not, then she was with me. It was easy due to how our characters were on stage almost always.

Afterward, the darkness outside of the school greeted us gratefully. We walked in silence for the most part. She just walked beside me as I basically was in defense mode with my eyes darting around as much as possible.

"Atlas?"

Her voice pulled me out of my state of clouded protection. I looked over at her and saw she was looking at me with a questionable look.

"Why are you doing this?"

I tilted my head at her as if she asked me if I could find X to a triangle equation. "What do you mean?" I watched her wrap her hands around the straps of her backpack and looked at the sidewalk as we continued our walk. She looked like she was trying to make herself smaller. She seemed sheepish.

"I mean. Like- I understand why you stood up for Eli. But all of this might be in my head. It might have just been perfect timing or something when it came to that crash. It all just might be a coincidence."

Trust me it's not."

"I just, I don't know, wonder why you're doing all this."

How do I answer that without revealing something I don't want to?

I was silent for a moment. I felt myself get nervous suddenly. I put a hand through my hair and chuckled nervously.

"Claire, even if this is all within your head I would still do the same. I care for you." I watched as she looked back up at me and I smiled. "I wasn't much for one to have real friends while growing up. It was kind of hard for me to trust people with all the stuff with my stepdad. All I ever knew really was the kindness of my mom and Tobes. But with you, I feel like I could tell you anything." I looked away from her and looked at the path before us. We were now heading toward a small roundabout like that of what Tobes and I live in. "I know it kind of sounds weird since I've only known you for like five months or so, but I care for you a lot and I protect those that I care about. Even from things that might just be in their head."

I felt a hand touch my forearm and I looked back at Claire almost instantly to see her with a small smile.

"I care for you too."

By Deya's Grace, I think I about had a heart attack.

I smiled in reply as the rest of the walk was in silence. It wasn't long before she stopped before a house that had a Rapunzel's tower like feel to it. Very much a Claire like a house with a small forest-like area behind it.

Keep that noted, Atlas.

"Thanks for walking me home, Atlas."

"No problem, Claire."

"Text me when you get home."

I crossed my heart with a single finger and lifted my left hand. "Scout's honor."

I walked away after I watched her enter her house. Before I left the street though, I typed down the name of it on my phone.

I'll be visiting again soon.

I went home and did my normal 'nothing wrong here just a normal fifteen-year-old' routine before I used my bedroom window as my normal escape to the night. I made sure that I texted Claire though. I held the amulet tightly in my hand as I made my way quickly to the street Claire's house was. I decided that tonight it would be fine for me to skip my normal check on Enrique for a little bit. That I would check on him before I would go home.

I walked slowly so that I was unnoticed as I made my way to the forest area behind her house. I put my hood up and slammed my head against a random tree as I started to drown in my thoughts.

I didn't think any of this through.

If the goblins do show up, what the fuck am I going to do? I can't just put on my armor yelling "YEET SLIME BITCHS" or something! I could just take her somewhere safe but the only place where the goblins can't get her is Troll Market and it took trolls YEARS to be okay with me, THE TROLLHUNTER, for being human. Trolls like Draal would frighten her as well as be threatening to her well being.

I banged my head lightly against the tree as my first encounter with Draal came to mind.

"You're the Trollhunter?"

"Merlin called upon me, yes. Almost three years ago. I've been in combat training for almost six."

"You're still a mortal."

"So?"

"I can still destroy you with a simple flick of my wrist."

"And all I need is for you to step into the sun and you'll be a statue."

I looked back at the house as I decided what was best within my head.

If the goblins show up, I'll take her to Troll Market. If not, then I'll go to Troll Market and see how Enrique is doing. Either way, Troll Market is the safest place. I would just have to have her know that she cannot be seen. But if the goblins get too close, I have to kill ALL of them. I have to be sure of that. If any of them are left, they would follow and that would be both annoying and just plain shitty because it would ruin the idea of getting them to stop coming after her.

But I swear to Deya if I hear that stupid phrase one more fucking-

"Waka-chaka..."

I SWEAR TO DEYA!

I dashed out of the bushes and stuffed the amulet in my hoodie as I saw shadows approach behind the house from behind. I climbed the nearby tree with ease and used its branches to slightly place myself upon her roof. I took light but quickened steps to get myself to the part of which I figured she would be which was the window to the small Rapunzel-like tower that was attached to the house. I got myself to her window and tried to see if it was open. When I noticed that she locked it, I tapped lightly. I watched as her form rose slowly from her bed and looked at her window. I tapped once more and tried to get my face into view as I pulled my hoodie off my head.

She rushed to the window and opened it. "Atlas?" Her voice was barely above a whisper but it was obvious my appearance made her awake. "What are you doing here?"

"We can't speak much, but we need to get you out of here."

"What do you mean?" I looked back to where I knew the goblins were coming from and noticed we had about a minute to get her moving.

"You know how you felt like you were being followed?" She nodded. "It wasn't in your head. We need to go. Now." She looked at me with worry. "Claire, I promise I wouldn't be here if it wasn't dire. I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't serious. We need to leave." She looked at me as I held out my hand for her to take as if she was contemplating something within her head but she eventually took it with a stern nod.

"I trust you. But what's going on? Who's after me?"

"I'll tell you once you're safe."

Not long after we were dashing through the forest to the left of her house. I took the liberty of my knowledge of Tobes and mine's old routes as kids to my advantage. I kept a good grip on Claire's hand as I lead her through the forest. That was until she pulled it out of hand.

"Atlas! I need to know what's going on. What is following us?"

"Claire-"

"Atlas please this is terrifying me."

The ruffles of bushes behind her made me instantly put her behind me. "I tried to keep you out of it." I pulled the amulet out of the pocket of my hoodie.

"Keep me out of what? Atlas!"

"Stay behind me."

I held the amulet tightly as a goblin jumped out of the bushes. "WAKA-CHAKA!" Blue light swirled around my hand as I heard Claire scream.

"WHAT IS THAT!?"

"DAYLIGHT IS MINE TO COMMAND!"

In a flash, my armor was on and I pulled my sword from my back. "Stay behind me!" One of the goblins behind the first dashed straight at me and I sliced it with ease. One tried to go for my feet but I ended up basically punting it instead with a shake of my head.

I swear these things never learn.

I just continued slicing and dicing them as they came. One after the other, I just tried to keep up with their movements. After what felt like forever, the last one lunged at me and I slashed it in half. With a heavy breath, I put my sword back on my back and put my hand on my face to get some of the goblin slimes that resided there off.

I turned around slowly to face Claire to see that she stood there with more awe than I thought she would. She took hesitant steps toward me and then placed her hand over the amulet when she got close enough. "This- This is not a costume." I laughed a little at her reaction.

"It's definitely not." I put my hand under her's as I let the amulet fall and the armor disappear. I pulled my hand back to show her the reasoning behind everything. "This is the Amulet Of Daylight." I chuckled at myself as I watched her look at the contraption.

"You know what's weird about this moment, Claire?"

"Other than the fact that you have a magical object that has random armor appear from nowhere and that you just literally basically drop-kicked and fought a horde of slime beings? What?"

I gave her a true laugh as I placed the amulet back in my pocket.

"I thought if anyone what going to know the truth about what I go through, it would be Tobes. But in the time that I've known you, you've always seemed to surprise me, Nuñez."

5000 words later and here we are! The beginning of my true plans for this story. *Rubs hands evilly* I CAN NOT WAIT FOR THIS! I hope you guys like this update and have a wonderful day!