Merry Christmas everybody and have a happy new year.
The sun shown brightly in the morning sky above the bustling town of Arcadia oaks. And in that sky, cleverly hidden thanks to a combination of magic and Akiridion tech, was Camelot.
This Camelot was different though. Where as in the original time-line the heart of Avalon was destroyed this one was not. However, thanks to Krel and Aja, the castle still received a great many upgrades mixing magic with their technology. Magic suits of armor and Akiridion robots were moving about the castle along with actual knights of Camelot. Coordinated by Merlin and Morgana with the help of sir Galahad and sir Lancelot.
Many changes had occurred ever since the trollhunters found there was more to the meaning of the ninth configuration.
Inside the castle were about half of said trollhunters, finally able to breathe easy and relax for a change. Jim and Claire were lounging about while Krel was operating the castle systems while simultaneously mixing music. Benefits of having two sets of arms. Toby was sitting on top of his floating hammer passing tacos out to his friends. It was a little celebration for them having graduated from high-school early. Time travel helps you plan out studying in between saving the world... And just a bit of Elix-lore doesn't hurt.
The rest of them were off elsewhere. Aaarrrgggh! and Blinky were back in troll market, Aja and Varvatos were on Akiridion-5 assisting the King and Queen, and Douxie was out with Nari on a date while keeping watch for anything magic related.
"Your new set is coming great, Krel." Jim said from his place between Claire and Toby. Two of them lazily hovering in special floating lounge chairs. Part magic and part extraterrestrial technology.
"Of course it is! But this feels like a basic ringtone compared to my sets when it was my turn with the amulet. Now those were my some of my best work!"
"Come on, even your ringtones are awesome-sauce!" Toby said in defense of the King in waiting's music.
That's right, save for Blinky, they each got a go at the amulet until it circled back to Jim. Toby did a great job as trollhunter but victory still came at a great cost. So the time stone was used again to lessen the cost. After him Claire had a turn at the amulet. Then it went to Krel, and Aja, even Varvatos. And then it was Douxie's go at it. It's a shame the pictures of his embarrassed face they took with their phones couldn't make it back with them. He looked like he swallowed the sourest lemon the size of a basketball. And while Blinky denied a turn as wielder he was sent back with Aaarrrgggh! on his turn. Best part: Every time someone went back the time stone restored their memories of the original timeline.
"You're being too hard on yourself. Everybody is gonna go nuts for your new music like always. They did no matter which timeline." Claire added while grabbing her drink through a portal. Even though it was only a couple feet away.
"And don't forget your back to backs with Douxie and Nari." Jim added while taking sip of his drink through a bendy straw.
"Alright alright, I accept the compliments. Now pass me a diablo maximus if you please."
"Coming right up, Dj Kleb!" Toby zipped over, riding his Warhammer like a broom and dropped said food item into the hand of his extended top left arm.
"Thank you." And, as customary for the folks of Arcadia, Krel tossed the entire thing into his mouth.
It was a nice time for them. Just thinking about it brought Jim back to that ninth day when they put it all together.
The Lake household was quiet. Ordinarily there would be some movement quite early in the morning most days. Jim would be up at around 6 preparing food for his mother, himself, and his best friend Toby. However something caused him to sleep straight through his alarm until 8 am. Right around when he would finish cooking. He picked himself up and made his way toward his garage. He had some trash cans to clean up. Once inside he pressed the button to open the door.
When he stepped out into the driveway he did not expect to be bowled over by two bodies.
"AGH!?" Which forced a yelp out of him.
"JIM!/JIMBO!" Two very familiar voices shouted in a strange mix of joy, sadness, and utter relief.
Jim looked up and saw that he was tackled by his best friend Toby and his girlfriend Claire. Only the thing is that he was gonna attack hug Toby when he saw him. And Claire wasn't his girlfriend yet.
"Tobes!? Claire!?" The two got off of him pulled him up so they were all kneeling together.
"OHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH! JIMBO YOUR NOT GONNA BELIEVE-Wait. Claire!? Why are you here?" *GASP* Do you remember!?
"I was ready to ask you the same thing! But first, Jim." Claire turned towards Jim with hopeful, formerly brown now violet eyes. "Do you remember?"
He looked at both of them before saying two words. "Time stone."
The three of them pulled each other into a tear filled hug. It didn't last very long. They were interrupted when they heard a very distinct meow. Though it sounded more like someone saying "meow". They rushed towards the back of the house where under the shade of the woods they were met with an even larger hug. They looked up at who wrapped them up and who else would they see but Aaarrrgggh!, Blinky nest to him, Douxie on his shoulder, and Archie flying above them. The wizard hopped down and spread his arms out for them.
"What? No hugs for the rest of us."
"WINGMAN!" Toby cried even more at the presence of his other best friend. They had once more became a mess of hugs and tears of joy. Though not as messy in the hug department since Aaarrrgh just scooped everyone up into his giant arms. During the hug Jim's, Toby's, and Claire's phones started ringing. They pulled them out and to their surprise and utter delight all showed the same million digit area code.
They eagerly answered the calls. And who else but Aja, Krel, and Varvatos would be on the other ends. Calling straight from Akiridion 5.
"Glorious! Our long distance cell phone calls have reached our friends!" The commander's boisterous voice was the first to be heard coming out of the phones.
"Friends! If by chance you remember us please stay right where you are! Krel is almost ready with the teleporter!"
"It's ready! I've locked on to their phones coordinates, get ready to step through!" A blue wormhole came into existence just a few feet away from the group. They had to cover their eyes from the brief flash. When the flash ended the wormhole had a clear view of the neon light of the akiridion royal palace with their remaining friends on the other side before they stepped through into the forest.
"Friends! It is so lively to see you all." Aja said with happy tears running down her face. And again they all piled in for another group hug.
"This is a truly GLORIOUS reunion! However there is still a pressing matter that awaits us." The commander was right. Happy as they all were, there was someplace they all needed to be.
The ten of them went to canal. No matter the timeline, there was always the pile stone that was once Kanjigar the courageous where the amulet was waiting for its user. The trollhunters crowded the rock shard, watching the amulet glow with its original vibrant blue light. The akiridions in their human disguises and Blinky and Aaarrrgh! shielded from the sun and the view of the bridge by umbrellas that Toby grabbed from his house.
"So." Jim turned to look at his friends. "Who do you guys think it'll pick this time?" Only to find them all looking at him.
"Sorry Jimbo. Swords are great and all but the Warhammer is my true calling." Toby conceded.
"As amazing as it was, blue is more your color than mine babe." Claire declined the amulet.
"Same for goes for me. You wear the armor best." Krel declined too.
"It was very lively, but it wasn't meant for me." Aja added on.
"I am afraid this is a glory you are more fit for than I, young hunter." Varvatos too withheld.
"Once was enough for me." Douxie predictably declined as well. He gladly used it when it was his turn, but praising his old man's name every time was just too embarrassing.
Jim looked towards the final two members of their group. "I guess that means you guys too? Blinky, Aaarrrgggh!?" When he asked the two trolls they all heard the amulet hum with power before they heard Merlin's voice.
"James Lake Jr."
"Destiny is a gift. And this is a destiny meant for you, master Jim." Blinky, while ready to fight and assist his friends, never considered himself a warrior in the first place.
"Amulet chose." Aaarrrgggh! said. Both their words bringing him back to the very beginning of the whole adventure.
Jim only smiled at the familiar words. He cleared away the stone pieces that covered the amulet and held it in his hands before he spoke.
"Don't think, become."
It took a great deal of work on all three ends but it was all worth it.
Our heroes did everything in their power to ensure the best possible outcomes were achieved. Knowing of the triumbric stones different locations allowed them to collected all three in one swoop. The only difficult part would have been Strickler's allegiance at the time. However, introducing him to Barbara helped to turn him over more quickly. Especially after they killed Bular on the very first night. Arrrgggh and Varvatos helped make that possible.
Without the gumgum prince lording over him he felt more free than he ever had been. It also helped them win the good will of Draal and troll market all the quicker. Afterwords they made Toby's hammer, plundered Gato's keep, reconstructed Killahead, and woke up Merlin without losing his staff. They also tracked down the inferna copula, Angor, and the shadow staff. Turns out giving him his soul outright was all they needed to have the assassin as a willing and surprisingly cooperative ally against Gunmar. Even returning the souls of the trollhunters he killed.
All that allowed them more time to train and regain their strength and plan out multiple raids on the darklands. First to rescue the children used as changeling familiars, Enrique among them despite their preventative efforts. NotEnrique being a great help at navigation, despite all his complaining. Then they had to steal Dictatious back from the darklands. Turning him over with the promise of survival and being exonerated of his deals with the skull crusher was hands down the easiest task.
On the interstellar front: Varvatos along with Krel and Aja were able to stop Morando's coup before it ever began. This time when the general approached the commander with an offer for revenge he was met with a trap. The three with the help of Zadra were able to catch the traitor off guard and kill him well before Aja and Krel's ceremony. But that wasn't all. They arranged to have all of Morando's loyals apprehended. They also took the liberty of repurposing his designs for the OMEN bots to bolster Akiridion's defenses. When the time came for the ceremony both were more than ready to take on the responsibility.
Their experience as wielders made them the perfect mirror tag team in their spars against Varvatos and their parents. Of course they couldn't win outright due to their age but they managed show how much they both improved and grown by fighting to a standstill. They've never seen their mama and papa so proud. They set off afterwards towards earth and recruit allies along the way in the mother ship. Stuart welcoming the royals as always. Only hard part once they landed in Arcadia was convincing area 49B they were friendly. But sharing some technology had them eating out of the royals four hands.
As for Douxie he had arguably the most difficult job.
He had the oh so pleasant task of going back to the twelfth century and getting Arthur and Morgana to reconcile. Much easier said than done. He used the timemap before anything else to see the every possible route that wouldn't erase anyone in the present. It took days of sleepless searching and cataloging every possible major change he could enact but next to nothing would work toward his favor. Out right reconciliation was proven nearly impossible the first time they tried.
His very first thought to rectify this was to prevent Guinevere's death. If she never died to the stalkling than Arthur would have much less reason to fear and hate magic. There was something missing though. Unlike any potential timeline being either blue or red, depending on how it will affect the present, this potential route was a swirl of both. If he tried to save her then it would shift towards red. Same if he pushed Morgana or Arthur to save her. Anyone from Camelot would result in failure. Then his mind shifted to someone that the three encountered long before. That they failed to protect the first time as well.
Nari.
Just as she was the key in understanding the ninth configuration she was vital in this endeavor as well. Douxie went back to when she first encountered the three. Back when they were children. It took some convincing but he encouraged Nari not to be put off by Arthur's zeal to protect Guinevere and Morgana and to keep an eye over the three. She would offer a flower to Arthur when he waved his wooden sword at her with a kind smile as she did with the girls. A small change that made the greatest difference. Even if he refused the flower.
And Douxie saw the differences when he went forward in time to the time of the battle for Killahead. For one she was successful in keeping Gwen alive. Nari saved her from the stalkling and Arthur saw the good in the magical beings that shared the land as much as the harm they could do. Arthur was just as stern as he was but he became more companionate towards them and more proactive against Gunmar and his horde. Even allowing Nari refuge when she split from the Arcane order. In her gratitude she offered her assistance to Camelot and gave the young wizard kiss as a token of appreciation.
Claire won a pretty penny in her bet with the others on who would make the first move.
When the time came for him and Merlin to forge the trollhunter amulet and his staff some ingredients had to be changed. Now that Morgana never turned evil banshee queen. The solution was to substitute her hand for Bellroc's left. The remaining members of the order attempted an attack on Camelot that ended in their retreat/separation with the loss of said limb and Excalibur being damaged. Nimue fixed the blade for them, not as a prisoner, but a free and willing aide to Camelot thanks to the changes.
The battle concluded much the same but proceeded a bit differently. Arthur and his knights met the gumgums at the bridge, Deya was selected as trollhunter and turned the tide of battle, Gunmar and his horde sealed away, and Bular thrown from the battle. Arthur and Lancelot having survived. Meanwhile Douxie, Merlin, Morgana, and Nari faced off against Bellroc and Skrael. The remaining members of the order outnumbered and outmatched, lost to the four. Skrael was incapacitated and forcibly expunged from the battle while Bellroc was defeated and later transported to be sealed in the primordial heartstone. Merlin fell to sleep after the battle much the same and Arthur would go on to rule his kingdom with Guinevere, leaving Excalibur in Camelot with Morgana and his knights while they traveled on the castle into the present.
Then came the final stand against Gunmar and Skrael. Without the leadership of Strickler and the babies being freed from the darklands the Janis order fell apart almost immediately. Going into hiding or turning to stone in the sun for the really unlucky ones. Losing the skull crusher a third of his forces. Usurna was also a problem to be taken care of. Fortunately they made it so she never had the chance to assassinate Vendel or control the changelings. Aaarrrgggh! was able to out her wrong doings in front of the krubera much the same way while recruiting allies. She drowned in the florida swamps and the krubera joined the heroes. Cutting another third from Gunmar's potential forces. The final key was to incorporate Excalibur into the amulet. Easy to do since it wasn't destroyed like last time.
The heroes gathered their friends and allies in the forests of Arcadia. Jim and the trolls along with the twins and their extra terrestrial forces facing the bridge head while the wizards waited for Skrael in troll market. Both battles, while well planned out, were still hard fought victories. Gunmars horde poured out of the bridge on mass with the skull crusher bringing up the rear. Jim and Toby lead the trolls and Aja and Krel brought in the Akiridion cavalry. All while Claire and the wizards fought against Skrael and a freed Bellroc in the same anti magic field they built at the heartstone. A dangerous battlefield, but a leveled one.
The battle at killahead lasted until the morning. At the end of it the gumgums were defeated, Gunmar was slain in his weakest state, and the darklands crumbled away to nothingness. On the other hand the wizards battle only lasted a few minutes before they converged with the others in the forest. Bellroc and Skrael were skilled, but the lack of magic and numbers they were up against had them killed fairly quickly.
As for the town there wasn't much to be said. The folks of Arcadia were evacuated before the battle to area 49b. No matter which timeline they get used to things like this pretty quickly. Any part of the town where the battle spilled into was fixed up pretty quickly and people went on about their daily lives. Just with a bit more magic and extraterrestrials.
So in short: Akiridion 5, Trollmarket, and Arcadia are thriving. The heartstone was still providing protection to the trolls, Gaylen's core is secure, and most everyone in Camelot is still alive.
Thus through all their efforts over the course of roughly one year they finally have well deserved down time.
*Munch munch* "So," *Gulp* "Since you've graduated from educational prison, any plans for the future?" Krel asked through his diablo maximus.
"I got some plans with Darci for tomorrow. Plus, we gotta get a head start on the next instalment of Kleb or alive." Toby said, to which King in waiting nodded.
"I'm free until my mom and Strickler start on the new room for the kids in a few days. What about you, Claire?"
"Well, I was think of going to see some family. My little prima in just got back from some reform summer camp and I thought she'd like some cheering up before she starts high school."
"That's nice. Does she live close or far away?" Toby asked swinging around on his hammer with more tacos.
"Is anywhere far for us?" Claire asked back. "But she lives in Connecticut with her Mama."
"Quite the distance for this planet. But why though?" Krel asked.
"Not really a big story to be honest. My papa's brother married tía and moved for work when she was still little. They were actually going to move back to Arcadia again, but my Tío got sick and passed away before they could so they ended up staying in Connecticut."
"Sorry to hear that."
"Bummer."
"It's alright, things like this happen sometimes. But that's why I thought it'd be nice to visit. And despite all that, Luz stayed positive and happy. Even if she can carried away sometimes." Claire smiled at the thought of her little cousin's resilience.
"As if we don't." Krel snarked earning a high five from Toby.
"Want me to come too, or is it a solo trip?" Jim asked.
"Thanks Jim. I'll need some help with this cheering up quest. Apparently they were making her balance checkbooks for a good chunk of the summer." The boys nearly gasped at that.
"Savages." Tobias said what they all thought.
"Anyway, I'm gonna let my Tia know and portal there tomorrow morning as a surprise." Claire laid out her visit plan for Jim.
"Sounds good. I'll be ready whenever you are."
"Well have fun you guys. Down time is awesome and all, but crazy is always right around the corner when it comes to us." Toby advised as they finished off the tacos.
Later that day on the boiling isles
Luz had her face pressed against the front window of the Owl house. Her nose fogged up the glass as she stared out at the makeshift portal door they finished setting up earlier in the evening.
"You know, staring at it won't make the morning come any faster kiddo." Eda said walking behind her.
Luz sighed. "I know. But we're so close and I'm crazy nervous!"
"All the more reason you should take a load off and calm down for when morning comes. Now come on and check what King and I found on the crystal ball. It's wild and sure to take your antsy mind of things for a bit." Luz smiled from Eda's offer.
"Okay, I guess. So how wild we talking?" Eda laughed.
"You're so not gonna believe this! Somehow a couple of human brats are having a custody battle over death and-"
"Get back here quick! One of the twerps just started attacking his character witness!" King called from the other side of the living room.
"Wha-" Luz couldn't state her confusion in time as Eda yoinked her from her spot and bolted for the couch.
"I'LL JAB YOU GOOD YOU FILTHY BUG!"
"WHY WON'T YOU LOVE ME DAD?! I'LL BE ANYTHING YOU WANT ME TO BE!"
"I WANT YOU TO BE DEAD!"
And like that her mind was free of anxiety for the rest of the night as they watched the violence of a paranormal custody battle.
So this came to me after finishing tales of arcadia and watching the owl house. Anyway good news is i'll try and update more frequently. I made the mistake of taking summer classes this year with no break between spring and fall. but never again.
Also I have figured out what my author name will be should I ever try to publish for real or ever start my own. The name itself has about five different references to different stuff. I won't reveal it just yet but I will tell you the initials
H.H.H.
Speaking of references I hope you guys get the one at the end. And no this isn't a triple crossover I just thought it would be funny.
Anyway I hope you enjoyed and I wish you all a merry christmas and happy new year.