The Beginning of the End

They all turned to face the portal, waiting to see which team was returning. Walt and Barbara lead their teams out of the portal.

"Nomura!" Draal rushed over and lifted his mate into his arms.

"I'm fine, Draal. It doesn't even hurt anymore."

"You lost an ARM!"

"So did you!"

Walt chuckled and shook his head before turning to the knights.

"Has there been any change?"

"Skrel just passed into California," Darcy relayed, "But Nari was still stalled in Brazil when we checked a few minutes ago."

He nodded slowly, "Alright. And did you have a plan in case we didn't get back in time?"

"Yes," Toby stepped up, "Aja, Krel, and Darcy were going to use Akoridian tech and fire arrows to fire a range attack while Steve and I went at them head on."

Walt continued to nod, making his way over to the map table, "That's a good plan. Especially for what you had to work with. I think we can build off of it now that we have more people."

"Don't look at me," Liza looked through her bag, "The water artifacts aren't even working at half power. And the ones we used against Belrok are shot."

Walt winced and looked out over the valley. He was quiet for a moment.

"What about fire magic?"

"Not much…My fire rings might be able to do some damage but I really don't have much more than that."

"Alright. Then I want you to hang back. You can join in the range attack and use the fire rings if you need to. Charlie, Archie, I want you two to join Toby's range team as well. The rest of you will join him and Steve in the ground team. Otto, you'll join me in the aerial team taking him head on."

His little brother nodded mutely and turned back to the parapets. Another portal opened and everyone held their breath. Jim and Lenora lead the charge out of the portal; Douxie and Claire hot on their heels; and Seamus, with Nari perched on his shoulders, bringing up the rear.

Lenora launched herself at her husband with a squeal of delight. At the same time, Jim latched onto his father.

"We did it, Da! We got Nari back!"

Walt laughed and watched Seamus prance around with Nari. Archie swooped down into Douxie's waiting arms. Lenora leaned back and wrapped an arm around Toby. She looked around.

"We're short two."

Otto swallowed thickly and looked at the floor, "Zey're boz going to be ok but…Mary vvas hit by Skrel and Eli…Eli vvas stabbed by Maranda."

All the color drained from Lenora's face and she raced down the hall into the healing hall. All eyes turned to Walt.

"You're team was the only one I would call wholly successful," He admitted, "For all the other teams either someone got hurt or we failed entirely."

Seamus snarled until Jim put a hand on his shoulder. Lenora whisked past in a blur. Otto sighed as he followed.

"I need to make sure she doesn't kill zem. No vone let Liza follow us!"

"Like I don't have bigger problems right now," Liza dropped her bag and looked at the map, "I'll kill him later.

Walt shook his head and turned his attention to the map, "On that note, everyone should rest up while we have the chance. We have a little time before Skrel reaches Arcadia and their trajectory goes through unpopulated parts of the mountains. We'll head out to face him the second he reaches the Arcadia National Park."

He wait for the knights, wizards, and dragons to disperse before putting a hand on Nari's shoulder. She looked up at him, green eyes boring into his own.

"Nari, before you were taken you said 'Trollhunter make nine, Kryosphere make right'. We found the nine. We found two times the nine."

Nari giggled and looked around the room at the Trollhunters still assembled.

"But…How can the Kryosphere make this right? It shows the future. It can't fix the past. It can't heal Nomura or undo what happened to Eli and Mary. It can't repair the damage Belrok caused in Hong Kong or bring back the dragon-trolls who fell in the trollmarket there.

Nari just smiled softly up at him, "I do not know HOW it will make right. Only that it will. You must trust that your family will be able to help you and that it will all make sense in time."

Walt hung his head and turned his attention to the map table. The tiny figures of the Titans were still making their way across the map.

"I'm sorry we've had to ask you to fight YOUR family."

Nari shook her head, "I do not want to fight them. But I do not want them to destroy this world either. All I can do now is hope I can convince them to change their minds. There is still good in this world. Maybe they'll be convinced to give them one more chance."

Walt hummed. The chamber went quiet. Liza's nails clicked on the table as she watched the titans. Merlin sat next to Charlie as Archie tried to herd the New Knights over to sit with them. Otto and Lenora returned from the dungeons and slipped into the healing hall, Toby hot on their heels. Walt squeezed Nari's shoulder and stepped out onto the parapets with Draal, Nomura, and Arrrgh. The sky was beginning to turn blue as the sun rose, the mountains protecting them from it's deadly light.

Walt closed his eyes and sighed. On a normal day, he'd be dropping the twins off in Trollmarket before heading to the school. Jim would be racing his cousins to the canal; meeting Seamus and Claire and Aja and Krel. But they would never have a morning like that again. He was king of Avalon (Whatever that meant), Jim was leader of Heartstone Trollmarket, and there was no way to know if Failkov and Coranda would let their children stay on Earth after this.

"Hey."

He jumped and looked up. Nomura was looking down at him from her mate's shoulder.

"Don't do that, your face will freeze. You're doing that thing."

He blinked, "'Thing'?"

"Where you make yourself sick worrying. Right now? You're probably worrying about being king or about what's going to happen about the kids," She smiled, "And you're right. It's never going to be that way again. Even if we win. So much is going to change. But one thing I've learned over the centuries here is that it will still be Arcadia Oaks. Avalon, Trollmarket, the Akoridian Embassy, it's all still here in Arcadia. It'll be different, but it's not like anyone's moving to New Jersey or anything. Sure, people's jobs are going to change, people won't live in the same houses anymore but these changes won't happen all at once. And they were going to happen eventually."

She was quiet for a moment, looking out over the town. From Avalon's battlements, they could see all of it, the school, the museum, even the hospital and the cul de sac they had called home for the past seventeen years.

"To be honest," Walt took a deep breath, "I think things have been changing for a long time. Ever since those kids picked up the amulet in the canal that day."

"Before that," Draal whispered, "I remember the first time you came to Trollmarket, forcing my father to listen as you made your deal. Trolls started to look at Changelings differently after that. THAT'S when things really began to change. Maybe all of this was inevitable. Like how the younglings were SUPPOSED to go to the past."

Walt nodded and closed his eyes. Even in the shadows, he could feel the sun's warmth on his face. It would be a beautiful day.

LLB

Walt sat on the steps before the throne of Avalon reading one of the many books from the library.

"Never thought I'd see that again."

He jumped. Morgana smiled and sat a step or two above him.

"You used to play in these steps. You and Mordred."

Walt marked his page and turned to face his mother. But she didn't say any more. He looked ahead again. Charlie was curled around the knights and wizards, looking to all the world a dragon with his hoard. Walt sighed and let his head drop.

"Mum…I have no idea what I'm doing."

"What do you mean? Otto told us the plan. It's a very good plan. You and Toby work well together."

"Not that. I know it's a good plan and we have at least a chance of subduing Skrel. I meant Avalon."

"Oh."

"I don't know what Avalon even IS now. Let alone how to rule it. I doubt leading the Janis Order will have given me much experience. Especially since I was a spy for much of the end."

Morgana hugged her knees.

"I don't want to be like Uncle Arthur but I…Don't want to be the compleat opposite either. And it's not like I really have anyone I can ask because all the royals I know are reformed Gumm-Gumms, teenagers, or lightyears away!"

"Wally! Deep breath," Morgana put a hand on his shoulder, "It's going to be ok. Maybe not right away but in the long run. You can always ask Angor and I for help. Not only can we help you get in contact with Failkov and Coranda but I DID have the same tutors as Arthur. We can help you change some things. Give Avalon a little more balance. But you have to trust that we'll help you."

Walt sighed and hung his head. He leaned into his mother's touch for a moment before smiling mischievously up at her.

"Speaking of our family: have you told Angor yet?"

Morgana got very quiet.

"Mum!"

"We've been busy! Mary only just woke up and Eli's still out. I haven't had a chance to tell him."

Walt rolled his eyes but nodded nonetheless. He turned his attention back to the knights. Liza stumbled as Archie herded her over to the rest of the group, pulling on her shirt when she refused to sit down.

He turned his gaze to the hall leading to the healing chambers. His brother and sister-in-law were, no doubt, fussing over their daughter and son.

"Some family we make, huh?"

"I don't know. I think we're going pretty good," Morgana sat back and rest her hands over her belly, "It may have taken centuries but you and your siblings put this strange family together. You didn't have to do that. In fact, if I remember correctly changelings were taught NOT to form relationships like that. You built this family despite everything being stacked against you."

She sat up and cupped his face. Her hold forced him to meet her eyes. Walt smiled and pressed his forehead against hers. Then, he picked his book back up and leaned against his mother's knee to read it. The throne room was quiet once more. Walt found he wasn't paying as much attention to his book as he meant to. He kept looking at the children, at the map table, up at his mother, out the window and over the Arcadia valley. Barbara tiptoed in and sat at his side.

"Mary's asleep again and Eli woke up for a moment but he's out again, too."

He nodded and pulled her close. Morgana squeezed his shoulder and made her way back to the medical wing. After watching her go Walter led Barbara over to the table, still holding her tight. Belrok was keeping a steady pace, even as they made their way across the Pacific Ocean. Skrel would reach the Arcadia mountains in only a matter of minutes.

"Should we get the kids?" Barbara whispered.

"We're here, Da."

Jim led his team over, looking no more rested than when they had sat down. Walt nodded and put his other arm around his son's shoulders.

"The plan has changed a little bit since we have Nari with us now," he admitted, " Shadowmancers, I want you to bring Nari's Titan to the valley. It will put the two of them on the same level and, with any luck, she'll be able to talk some sense into them. The rest of us will proceed as we had planned but as distractions so that Nari can get close. IF Skrel can't be reasoned with, THEN we will turn to combat. Understood?"

He wait for their nods and words of confirmation before leading them all out the door and to the Northernmost mountains of the valley. Barbara cast a shadow over the valley to protect the trolls. Skrel appeared over the mountaintops.

"Now!"

Claire, Angor, and Barbara opened a portal over the park and the Earth Titan dropped through. Liza grabbed Nari and used one of her artifacts to teleport them to the helm of the titan. Aja, Krel, and Darcy threw out their hoverboards and circled the titan, firing from the air to keep Skrel in place. Charlie and Archie flew out behind them, Merlin perched on the older dragon's shoulders. They attacked the titan's chest with fire, sword, and blasts from serators.

On the ground, Draal and Arrrgh led the charge with Steve and Toby upon their shoulders.

With the Earth Titan fighting the Ice Titan, the shadow mancers were free to join the fray. Barbara, Claire, and Angor flew close to the ground and used their spells to trip the titan. Douxie rode Seamus's shoulders as the werewolf twined his way between the titan's legs.

"Ready, Fleidermaus?"

Walt shook his head. They leapt over the railing. Walt and Otto flew at the helm of the Ice Titan, careful to avoid Nari and the Earth Titan, while Lenora and Jim flanked the Earth Titan.

Nari and Skrel grappled, throwing each other around the small valley that made up the park. Though the spirits could be heard arguing, much of what they were saying was lost to the sounds of battle.

"...have the power…change it…"

"...hope…the waters…lost…"

"There is…time…we can…"

"BECAUSE I KILLED THE LADY OF THE LAKE!"

Skrel's shout was accompanied by a blast of freezing wind that knocked all of the flyers out of the air. Both titans came to a halt and everyone on the ground stumbled.

Not taking their eyes off the titans, the Trollhunters rushed together on the edge of the valley.

"Did I hear that right?" Seamus shifted, "He thinks he killed Mary?"

Claire nodded and cast an amplifying charm.

"Skrel, I know that you are scared," Nari brought her titan to a rest, "But one thing I have learned from my time living with humans is that that is ok."

"I-I KILLED my Guardian, Nari." Skrel's voice was a whisper of wind once again, bareilly audible even with Claire's charm, "Even if you are right. If this world can be saved…the waters are lost. I do not know what I would do."

Nari crossed over to the Ice Titan and slowly took her sibling's hands. Skrel trembled at the helm even as she guided him down. The ethereal blue glow faded from his eyes and they both sank to their knees.

"Skrel. If you had killed the Lady of the Lake all northern waters would have ceased. Mary is ok and so will you be."

"She-She is alright? Ung Kona is alive?"

Nari nodded, "Yes, Skrel. Your lady is-"

She stumbled as the other spirit slumped against her. Both Titans crumbled and fell to their resting state.

"Is he ok?" Elizabeth knelt beside the spirits.

"Yes. He is just exhausted. The Titan takes a lot of energy to control and he has been acting against the will of his Guardian."

"That, coupled with the emotional distress of supposedly killing Mary," The rest of the team arrived behind them.

"That would tire out anyone," Seamus leaned against his father's arm.

Nari nodded. Elizabeth slowly eased Skrel off of her and into her own arms.

"I say we take him back to the castle for now." Barbara knelt beside them, "Not only will it separate him from the Ice Titan, but we can prove Mary is alive when he wakes up."

"Agreed. And we need to check on Belrock's titan as well," Walt agreed.

Elizabeth heft Skrel to her shoulder and Nari stayed close to her side as Angor made a portal for them all back to the castle. Upon arrival, Elizabeth took Skrel down to the medical wing where he would be able to see Mary as soon as he woke up. Nari scampered along behind them and sat beside Skrel's bed, waiting for her sibling to wake up.

"Nari?" Walt sat beside her once more, "Can I ask you something? About what you and Skrel were talking about?"

"You have been asking me a lot of questions these past few days." She smiled, "But you may."

"He called Mary his 'Guardian'. What exactly does that mean? He's thousands of years old, she's barely seventeen."

Nari giggled and looked down at the slumbering duo, "We each have a guardian. A spirit from whom we get our powers and whom we must answer to."

"Like Manny and the Guardians of Childhood?"

"In a way. Without them, we cease to exist. Skrel's is The Lady Of the Lake. His 'Frúin við vatnið'."

"So, when Mary became the Lady of the Lake she became his guardian."

"Yes. We had thought that she was asleep like mine and Belrok's guardians."

Skrel's eyes snapped open and they sprang up to hover over Mary, sending frost over the surface of the tables and walls. Freezing winds spiraled around the room. Nari stood on their abandoned table.

"Þú munt ekki snerta mig og þú munt ekki snerta frú mína!"

"Skrel," Nari reasoned, "It is ok. No one is going to hurt her and no one is going to hurt you. This is her family."

The winds whorling around the room slowed but Skrel stayed where they were. Nari sat cross legged on the table and watched them. Eli whimpered. Mary's face scrunched up, though the frost melted long before it reached her.

"Skrel," Lenora used the tone of voice usually reserved for her children, "I need you to calm down. Please. The cold is bad for Eli and Mary."

"Mary can not handle the cold as well as the last Lady of the Lake." Nari explained, "You must be more careful."

They nodded and slowly lowered to the ground. Otto draped another blanket over his daughter and Seamus brought over her red cloak. Then Merlin limped into the room, leaning on his sword. Skrel flared again and the wizard found himself frozen to the wall.

"Skrel! Stop!" Barbara leapt forward to free him.

"Hann fangelsaði frúna mína áður! Ég treysti honum ekki til að skaða hana ekki aftur."

"I know that, Skrel," Nari sat back on the table, "I was there. But Douxie freed her."

Skrel lowered their staff but kept their gaze fixed on Merlin. Lenora sighed and draped another blanket over Eli.

"Well, Walter," Morgana crossed her arms, "Now what?

LLB

Icelandic Translation:

Þú munt ekki snerta mig og þú munt ekki snerta frú mína!- You will not touch me and you will not touch my Lady!

Hann fangelsaði frúna mína áður! Ég treysti honum ekki til að skaða hana ekki aftur. - He imprisoned my Lady before! I do not trust him not to harm her again.

German Translation:

Fleidermaus - Bat (Because of his wings)

AN: Well, that took 2000 years to finish...In my defense, The past couple months have been a little crazy. But here it is! Hope you like it!