"Okay… Would anyone bother to explain?" Toby frowned, looking at his best friend.
"But I do exactly that!" Jim protested. He had been telling about his encounter with Douxie for the last ten minutes or so.
"Not that… Look, Jimbo, I really don't like that important events continue to happen without me around. It's like all those supernatural guys avoid me or something!" the plump teen complained, with some contempt. "First trolls, and now you're telling me you've met an actual magician?"
Both teens were heading home after another school day, luckily, without any evil monsters on their tracks this time. The second chase in a row would be overkill.
"A wizard," Jim corrected with a sigh. "Though he told me, he's more like an apprentice or something…"
Part of him wished Douxie stayed around for longer or perhaps, met with them after school. That way, he could explain Tobes everything himself. Because, to be honest, at the moment, the lanky teen felt like he was either missing or confusing too many points. Telling his friend about meeting an unexpected ally turned out to be not as easy as he thought. Even though he tried his best to relay all the information, he couldn't help noticing the many unanswered questions. The apprentice wizard had mentioned a lot of stuff Jim knew nothing about.
During that conversation, the Trollhunter hadn't thought about clarifying the new information, and now he had no idea about many things.
Like, for example, the ridiculously sounding 'Gumm-Gumm'. Who or what was that? What about Gunmar's kin? Was Gunmar a parent for Bular and Barverra as Douxie had called them his children at some point?
Besides, there was some treaty between trolls and, well, whatever party the new ally belonged to. Jim wondered if Blinky would be able to tell him about that one.
Not to mention that there was some mysterious 'master', who apparently had told his apprentice to stay away from the entire fight for whatever reason. The lanky teen couldn't help thinking of that one as a rather unpleasant person.
All of that was too complicated.
"And he said you can contact him anytime?" Toby asked with some suspicion. "How? Will you send him an owl?"
"Very funny," Jim rolled his eyes. "Douxie left me his number."
"What a waste of mysterious magical power," his best friend was visibly disappointed. "First, you get a hulking brute who refuses to fight, now there is a magic user who uses a phone. Where's more awesomesauce stuff?"
The lanky teen shrugged. Personally, he was rather baffled himself, though, on the other hand, he was also slightly relieved - there was a limit to how much unusual stuff a person could take.
"In any case, we have a serious problem solved for now," the Trollhunter smiled, feeling some ease. For now, there was no immediate danger above his dear people's heads anymore. His own life being in danger was another matter entirely, but probably there would be an eventual solution to that one as well. "Or, at least we can buy some time."
"Speaking about serious problems, I think you need to call that wizard friend of yours soon," Toby drawled. "Because there's someone else who wants you dead now."
"What?" Jim stopped on his tracks, looking at the plump teen in bewilderment.
"Oh, come on, Jimbo, you cannot just forget about Psycho Steve! He has been searching for you since that time when you didn't appear for the planned duel! Eli says he saw smoke coming from his ears! It seems that you're officially promoted to his enemy number one," Toby informed his best friend sympathetically. "So call your wizard and ask him for a bully repellent or something because next time, Steve will be the one chasing us across the entire Arcadia."
The image of that possibility wasn't too optimistic, but Jim wasn't that sure he wanted to deal with the local jock.
Apparently, Tobes was still focused on the possibility of kicking the ultimate local bully's ass. Not that his best friend was entirely against the idea, but compared to everything else, Steve and his challenge seemed so trivial and puny that the whole matter kept escaping his mind altogether.
The lanky teen had opened his mouth already to share those thoughts when he noticed his mother's car. His legs led him there before he managed to realize a thing.
"Are you supposed to have another shift tonight, Mom?" Jim asked instead of a greeting, some disapproval clear in his voice.
It had to be her free day. She should have been resting at home.
Barbara smiled guiltily:
"Sorry, kiddo, just not that many reliable colleagues at the hospital and busy times... It's temporary - I think it'll end soon enough."
"But what about your dinner?" her son asked worriedly. "I thought you'd be at home tonight and hadn't cooked anything..."
"Jim, honey, I'm an adult woman and can take care of myself," the mother forced a smile. "I ordered some takeout - even if your cooking is superior, I don't mind that one. You should have some time for yourself - try to learn some lines for your play or maybe practice for that chess club... I'll survive."
"Mom," the teen started protesting but was cut short:
"Sorry, kiddo, being extremely late. Talk later. Love you."
For a second, Jim could swear his mom looked like she was trying to escape from his complaints about her crazy schedule and eating habits, but he brushed it off as a fruit of imagination.
"Man, it never ceases to amaze how much of Mama hen you can be, Jimbo," Toby commented from the sidelines. "You're lucky I know you long enough - everyone else would freak out!"
Was it his attempt to cheer his best friend up a bit?
Even though Jim was upset because of his mother's sudden change of plans, a part of him felt tremendous relief. Barbara being out meant that she would never see any supernatural stuff which could possibly happen at night.
Toby seemed restless for whatever reason, though the mystery of that behavior was solved surprisingly fast.
"So, are you going to test that magical talisman from your wizard friend?" he inquired, obviously waiting for something cool to happen.
Jim nodded - his personal experience told him that mysterious objects tended to malfunction. It would be better to know how that kind of stuff worked.
The Trollhunter took out the talisman and tied the cord around his neck. Douxie had told him that the activation required touching a weird symbol on the fang.
The rune glowed momentarily - and that was all. Jim couldn't help feeling some disappointment - apparently, it hadn't worked.
"Odd… I can swear I've done everything right…" he cut himself short after noticing Tobes's expression. His best friend was standing still with his mouth agape.
"Oh. My. Gosh," he uttered in total bewilderment and then ran up to his friend and even pinched him.
"Ouch," Jim rubbed the hurt spot. "What was that for?"
"It's so cool!" Toby exclaimed. "I know that you're Jimbo, but it's like you're not Jimbo at all!"
The Trollhunter looked over himself in confusion and even checked his reflection on a toaster surface. Nothing looked or felt different from regular.
"I still see only myself," Jim stated firmly.
"Probably, it only works on others," his best friend hummed, guessing the possibilities. "Hey, you've told me that the wizard gave you two of those. Let me try too!"
Some minutes later, the lanky teen finally understood what Tobes's confusing words meant. There was obviously someone standing right before him, and it couldn't be anyone but Tobias Domzalski, yet Jim wasn't able to recognize him at all. It wasn't like his best friend looked like someone else. No, the magic prevented his mind from registering his appearance.
That was definitely cool, and the Trollhunter couldn't help feeling extremely grateful to Douxie.
"By the way, Jimbo," Toby winked conspiratorially. "Have you actually given up on kicking Psycho Steve's ass?"
Jim groaned:
"Seriously, Tobes? Again?"
"No, just consider the possibilities! You can do it incognito now - imagine the talks! A mysterious hero ends the tyranny…" the plump teen made a karate chop.
The Trollhunter sighed. To be honest, he didn't want to deal with Steve in any form. Probably, it would be wiser to change the topic altogether.
"More importantly, do you have any idea when the trolls will visit next time?"
"No idea," Toby shrugged. "Nana had heard some commotion yesterday, so they were leaving in haste. The big guy also tried to hunt a cat. It was rather chaotic…"
"Just great," Jim facepalmed. Hopefully, his inhuman allies would have at least some common sense not to intrude when Barbara was home.
However, to be honest, Jim didn't expect to see Blinky and Aaarrrgghh this night. After all, he had bolted out during the last meeting, and they had made no plans about the next one. Apparently, Toby also didn't remember anything like that.
So, right now, both boys were staying at the Lakes' house. Perhaps, they could have searched for the trolls, but there wasn't even a single clue about their location. 'Underneath' was a pretty broad term. Unfortunately, just wasting time had remained the only option.
The lanky teen chose to cook dinner for both of them while his best friend turned on the TV, flipping through the channels in search of something interesting there.
"Tobes, I'll ask again - did Blinky mention anything about coming tonight? You know, before all of that commotion you've mentioned?" Jim inquired while slicing some vegetables. He felt restless, and cooking always helped him to unwind.
"I'm not even sure anymore," Toby shrugged, stopping messing with the remote momentarily. "Let's see, you ran away, and your troll friends started explaining more about the evil stone lady. She's not someone you want to have as an enemy. And don't be fooled that she's not as big as her hulking brother - they said she's as deadly…"
It wasn't like Jim would be dubious about that one statement. The one sending Bular flying with a kick was undoubtfully strong and dangerous.
"Hm, I think, I asked about a possible solution, then we all were brainstorming, without any result," Toby wrinkled his forehead, going through his memories. "I tried to call you somewhere in between… Then the big guy smelled the cat, we were stopping him…" the plump teen made a huge effort recalling everything about last night. Suddenly he brightened up a bit:
"Oh, I told stone guys they couldn't intrude on your house today because your mom would be at home!"
"Great," Jim drawled sarcastically. "Now we have no idea when they appear next time."
He only hoped that trolls would at least try to consider the situation a bit and be stealthy. It would be a total disaster if they tried to come through the back door like the last time while Barbara was present.
Maybe I just need to tell her.
They used to trust each other so much. So why had it become so different now?
No, Jim couldn't. The whole trollhunting deal was his problem. Besides, his mother would never allow her son to risk his life. If she was against Vespas, there would be no way she could ever permit fighting bloodthirsty monsters.
"I wonder if it's possible to contact Blinky somehow," Jim contemplated aloud.
"How do you think, do trolls use phones? Seeing that wizards do?" Toby guessed. "Would be so convenient to just text them that all is clear on the horizon..."
"Yeah," the lanky teen agreed and nearly jumped as his gaze traveled to the window. Blinky's six eyes were glowing there. Of course, the teen knew the troll was friendly, but it didn't make it less spooky. Those things would need a lot of time to get used to.
"I'll let them in," Toby jumped off the couch, noticing troll visitors as well. "Before any neighbor notices... Jeez, I wonder if stone guys are just wandering at night as if it's the most natural thing ever. And people dare to call Eli crazy! I start to think that Eli is the only sane person around!"
Jim nodded to the rant absent-mindedly - he was more concerned about his next action. Surely, now at least his house stayed the safe place, and his close people were not in danger of becoming prey to the sadistic female troll. However, it didn't cancel that both Bular and Barverra could easily kill the Trollhunter without learning his identity.
"Master Jim!" Blinky exclaimed the second he entered. It seemed it was starting to become a tradition. Aaarrrgghh struggled with the doorway once again, but this time managed to enter with less trouble, probably due to Toby giving him some advice and even trying to assist the brute with the task.
"Hey, guys," the Trollhunter greeted them with a smile. "Though we didn't expect you to come tonight."
"We kept a watch over your humble abode," the multi-eyed troll explained, "and saw your mother leaving."
"Okay," Jim wasn't sure how to feel about his new acquaintances' stalking tendencies, mostly because he had no idea how discreet they could be, especially Aaarrrgghh, who had too many troubles because of his size alone. Even now, the big guy kept hitting furniture and complaining about small cave while Toby was entertaining himself by feeding the guest with different inorganic objects.
"Anyway, it doesn't matter, Master Jim," Blinky started to pass back and forth. "Today we've come to discuss the possible solutions to the unfortunate predicament! I've consulted with the accumulated troll knowledge and…"
The young Trollhunter couldn't help feeling grateful for that. Yes, of course, there was no need to rack the brains about that one anymore, but the fact that trolls were willing to help already meant a lot. They both couldn't fight and apparently needed their protector to deal with villains, but maybe they could provide support some other way. Besides, they genuinely cared - and that was the most important.
"Thank you for bothering, but there's the solution already," the lanky teen intervened in haste before Blinky managed to begin some long and complicated speech.
"Yeah, Jimbo met a wizard today," Toby nodded while throwing Aaarrrgghh some empty can - supposedly extracted from a trash bin.
"Care to explain?" the multi-eyed troll raised his stony eyebrows, waiting for some clarification.
Jim sighed and started telling about his encounter with the mysterious teen for the second time. At least, Blinky was more serious than Toby when it came to that kind of stuff, so he listened attentively, only asking some questions occasionally.
"I see," the scholar murmured after the Trollhunter finished.
"Is it bad to trust Douxie?" the lanky teen asked carefully, as he couldn't tell a thing from Blinky's expression.
"Oh, no, Master Jim, it's quite the contrary," the multi-eyed troll shook his head. "Everything you've told me highly suggests that the youngster you met is clearly on our side. I had some doubts at first because magic users are not that united and often stick to different factions, but that Douxie seems to be Merlin's associate."
"The same Merlin as the one whose name is on the amulet?" Toby butted in as he got bored of testing Aaarrrgghh's eating capabilities.
"Yes, the almighty wizard," Blinky nodded. "I've heard that he gathered and protected several magic users. It isn't surprising to have some of those around. Besides, from time immemorial, humans gifted with magic stood as intermediaries between humanity and fantastical beings. Alas, their allegiances tend to vary greatly nowadays - some hate humans, some are against any supernatural, some cannot stay both, not to mention the sheer amount of in-between cases..."
"So can we trust Jimbo's new magic friend or not?" the plump teen interrupted, not going to give the troll any chance to end it in a lengthy lecture.
"Obviously, yes, Tobias!" Blinky exclaimed, looking slightly offended. "Haven't I told that already?"
Jim felt a tremendous relief - amid all those horrible news during the last few days, at least now something good had happened. Maybe it wouldn't be that desperate anymore, with no way to escape. Yes, there were still evil trolls lurking somewhere, but he had time now and another ally, apparently. Who knew, maybe, luck had finally decided to smile at him as well...
Everything just seemed to spiral out of control, and the daughter of Gunmar hated that with passion. So many efforts to keep her troll and human lives separate - and the moment the fleshbag Trollhunter had appeared, everything was flushed down the toilet. Suddenly, Stricklander had found the way to win himself a superior position, Bular had gone out of control, and Jim...
Her dear boy somehow had ended amid the battlefield without even realizing a thing. One of his schoolmates was the Trollhunter, the enemy of the Gunmar's kin. Well, that teen most likely was as incompetent as any modern kid who had only a vague understanding of what a sword was, let alone could wield it. No, the danger was in that foolish child being too close to Barbara's son, in the same building, maybe even in the same classroom occasionally.
Stricklander could possibly unleash something on the enemy, Bular could do another crazed raid of his - and Jim would always be in danger to become collateral damage.
The only thought of that made the mother's heart freeze from true horror. It was rather ironic - that was exactly the fear she used to instill into the Skullcrusher's enemies, the one that the dearest ones would suffer. Back then, the Herald of Doom had always wondered why it had worked perfectly every time. Now she knew for sure. Karma had caught up to her or something.
Yet Jim and his behavior also puzzled her - back after he returned home after that horrifying pursue by the son of Gunmar, the teen hadn't brought it up.
At all.
As if it had been something as trivial and not worth mentioning!
It was one thing to keep silent while his History teacher had been present. Barbara actually felt proud of her boy averting his mind from monsters and trying to discuss something else instead. However, even after Stricklander had left, Jim had refused to share anything with her.
Just why?
Her son had to be scared - Bular was more than capable of terrifying even seasoned warriors sometimes. Was it that difficult to say simply something like 'I've met a monster today'? Yes, that sounded ridiculous, and most people would take the statement as some kind of a lame joke but had the mother ever doubted her dear boy's words? No, Jim had always shared everything with her...
Really?
A dubious thought wormed its way inside Barbara's mind. It had taken only one visit from the hateful impure for her to discover that there were more than enough things in her son's life she had no idea about.
School play.
Chess club.
Slipping grades.
Who knew what else could be added to that list of things Jim had either forgotten to tell her or outright decided to hide?
Well, Bular and his chase, apparently.
Who in their right mind wouldn't look for some competent help after encountering anything supernatural? Or at least someone to ensure that they were still sane? Before that, Barbara had been one hundred percent sure that Jim trusted her entirely. The realization of it being the other way hurt a lot.
They both needed to talk - before that sudden rift between them turned into an impassable abyss.
Nevertheless, right now, the daughter of Gunmar planned to make sure that her reckless brother would stay as far from her child as possible. Everything else would have to wait.
It was her fault for not giving Bular any instructions at the very start. Didn't she know him well enough? Was it that surprising that the son of Gunmar didn't care about fleshbags? That he acted as he wished? That he was frustrated and enraged? Not to mention, Stricklander might have played his own role there with some provocations or manipulations.
No, the right decision would be to stand as the united front. Despite all the flaws, Bular was Barverra's family and the one who wouldn't betray her. Yes, she still was angry with him for scaring her son that much, but the female was willing to let that go. After all, her brother didn't know it was his own nephew - the son of Gunmar would never think about harming the teen in that case.
Yes, without any doubt, both of the Skullcrusher's children should have focused on recovering the amulet as soon as possible. But first, she needed to find Bular, who wasn't at the hideout once again.
Honestly, it was rather annoying as searching for the dark brute always ate a lot of time. On the other hand, Barverra could see the reason for that. Her brother was a proud warrior, and staying coped in any place would drive him crazy. He would prefer to fight or hunt or even spar with someone. The daughter of Gunmar mused about the old times when the infamous Butcher was always on the move, either bringing down some enemy or destroying some fleshbag settlement. He might have lacked strategic planning, but he was far from the enemy one could ignore without facing the consequences.
Bular certainly missed those times when he was in charge and could prove his dominance.
As for his sister... Lately, she often caught herself on the thought that a simple fleshbag life was enjoyable as well. Yes, as the Herald of Doom, she used to possess unimaginable authority and influence. Her name alone was causing either fear or reverence and she was free to act whatever she wanted as her father gave her total freedom in decision-making.
Yet, Barverra was alone back then. She couldn't joke around with her troll minions as she did with some co-workers, there wouldn't be anyone approaching her with wise life advice or supporting kindness like Nana, or greeting her with a genuine smile like Toby.
Yet, I work to destroy all of that warmth.
No, the daughter of Gunmar could save all of that - she just needed to ask her father to give Arcadia to her. No one would ever dare to hunt on the Herald of Doom's territory. The Skullcrusher was destined to rule the world - and it would be just an everyday survival for fleshbags when the takeover happened. However, Barverra could at least create a safe haven for some people. And if someone ever dared to open their mouth and accuse her of the inappropriate behavior... Well, her memory wasn't failing her - the daughter of Gunmar still remembered how to shut up those for good.
What was the point of thinking about all of that? There was no other way - she had been born to the dark troll king, and the only possible path was to fight for his side. Barverra's fate had been sealed before her birth. It was either villain role or death - there had never been any other option.
Surprisingly, this time it hadn't taken that long to find her brother. Bular was roaming around not that far from the canals. For once, the brute had actually thought up a working strategy, choosing to wait for an ambush instead of playing a wild goose chase with the Trollhunter. The kid would need to appear at the Trollmarket eventually, so attempting to catch him near the entrance would make the most sense.
Barverra hummed in approval. Whatever some other trolls believed, despite all of his reckless tendencies, the son of Gunmar wasn't such a dimwit, and his sister knew that well enough. She just hoped he would think more about his actions in the future.
Suddenly, Bular stopped in his tracks as the wind had brought him his sister's scent. If his expression turning sour was an indication, he wasn't that happy to see her. Well, their previous encounter hadn't ended nicely, so the son of Gunmar was probably still sulking.
He could be such a big baby at times.
"What are you doing here?" the Gumm-Gumm snarled viciously. "Trying to sabotage the plan again, you traitor?"
As expected, it wasn't like Bular could easily forget about their fight the day before. Barverra had noticed the marks her claws had left on his arm. Those were even deeper than she had thought initially. The Herald of Doom had overdone it, apparently.
But 'sabotage'? What was the point of overdramatizing?
"Since when your foolish hunts and exposing us to fleshbags are part of the plan?"
If her brother waited for an apology, he would get none. Nevertheless, the daughter of Gunmar definitely didn't expect that kind of dumbstruck reaction from her brother - he looked genuinely shocked, to say the least.
"No, I've imagined that you had no idea what exactly you had ruined at first… But don't tell me you still are not aware. That was the fleshbag Trollhunter, you know," the dark troll spat in the end. "The one I hunted when you decided to interfere!"
What is he talking about?
That was simply impossible.
"Which one of two?" Barverra asked in a deadpan tone. Deep inside, she felt overwhelmed by multiple emotions, so it was quite a miracle that she had remembered Toby also being there. So the female tried to grasp even that straw.
Bular, however, destroyed even that faint hope as he uttered with annoyance:
"Skinny one, of course! Do I look that desperate to ever pick a twig as a dinner? The fat one was just a bonus... Well, supposed to be before you ruined everything."
His complaints fell into deaf ears as his sister stood in total bewilderment, trying to get a hold of her feelings. The world around kept spinning for some reason - it was as if she hit her head too hard.
Yes, it had to be the reason. Someone had attacked her from behind, and now she just got some hallucinations.
Alas, Bular's words were pretty much real.
It wasn't true. It simply couldn't be. The amulet would never pick up one of the Gunmar's kin - that bastard Merlin would never leave such a loophole to abuse.
But what if?
Everyone made mistakes, was it that farfetched to assume the wizard had missed that possibility? Or he could have counted only living Gumm-Gumms, overlooking ones born in the future. Or there was some other factor.
Then...
Jim behaved weird lately - was him finding the mysterious artifact the reason? Was he hiding his new responsibility?
Her son often took the shortcut through the canal - had he done that the day when Bular slew Kanjigar? Had he picked up the accursed artifact?
There was an attempt from her boy to start a conversation about monsters recently - wouldn't it make the most sense if he encountered one he could call that? Had their enemy already met Jim?
And then the reluctance to tell anything about Bular and his chase - couldn't that be explained by the fact that the Trollhunter also should have kept trolls existence a secret?
That would mean that the treacherous trolls from beneath Arcadia had contacted her son. The mother didn't even want to start imagining what they could possibly tell him about Gunmar, Bular, and her. There hadn't been any single good action from her side. Even if they had kept to brief information, it would still have been the description of despicable villainy. What if her son would turn on his family after hearing all of that?
Barverra's heart sank - everything made too much sense, every piece fit too perfectly into the entire picture.
Yet...
I refuse to believe before I hear every fact.
That was a silent oath of the mother. There was no way that the enemy's side had claimed her dear child. There had to be something more to her brother's story. Something that would make perfect sense without Jim being the Trollhunter.
"Bular," the daughter of Gunmar started slowly and quietly, "I was there, and I didn't see any magical armor or amulet. How do you know that it was the Trollhunter?"
Exactly, now that she had considered every single option, that part was odd. Without any doubt, Merlin's champion would have figured how to use the artifact in his possession after some time. Not to mention that something had made Bular - who wasn't that good in distinguishing fleshbags - attack Jim and not anyone else.
A part of Barverra's mind was afraid to hear that there had been some undeniable proof, so she nearly sighed with relief after hearing the answer.
"Stricklander showed me that one," Bular admitted with an awkward flinch. Most likely, he had realized himself that his source was dubious, to say the least.
The Herald of Doom didn't know if she wanted to laugh or go and rip apart the winged bastard. She should have guessed that all of that was a part of his scheme. How could she have possibly forgotten that the impure had planned to use Jim as a fake lead? Of course, her son wasn't the Trollhunter. And all the oddities? Just a fruit of her imagination.
An odd behavior? He was a teen, so some rebellion could be expected.
Mentioning monsters? Jim had already explained that those had been Eli's crazy stories.
All the deal regarding Bular was more difficult to understand, but, most likely, there was a good reason for that silence too.
"Dear Brother, have you seen that kid using the amulet?" the female inquired, even though she had known the answer already. There was no way he would have ever seen Jim using the amulet - because her son didn't possess that accursed thing.
"No," Bular admitted after giving it some consideration. Anyone in the right mind would have summoned the armor - especially the fleshbag, who had no natural protection, unlike trolls. Yes, that skinny whelp and the other one had been screaming something, but honestly, the dark brute hadn't bothered to listen to their pathetic squeals at all.
Now the son of Gunmar had started to have some doubts as well.
"Do you imply that Stricklander pointed to the wrong fleshbag?" he asked. The impure could easily do that - he was on his own side, after all.
"Exactly," his sister hissed. "That's why I hope you stop attacking random targets before discussing it with me - otherwise, you'll be dancing to the winged bastard's tune."
Yes, that was the proper approach - from now, there would be more predictability to her brother's actions. She wished dealing with Stricklander and his schemes was as easy. But no, that one was dead-set on complicating her life.
Bular nodded, obviously infuriated by the fact that he was used:
"We'd better make the impure pay if he thinks that he could make a fool of the Skullcrusher's kin!"
Barverra mused about the possibility - the idea of dealing with the treacherous changeling for good was tempting for sure, however, she couldn't allow any reckless steps at the moment. Stricklander was far from being a fool, and having some trump cards of his own to ensure his own survival and keeping the current position was a must for him.
Yes, the female was well-aware of his knowledge about the Trollhunter's identity, but she also expected something else. Something giving the impure the undeniable advantage, like...
Like awareness of her son.
Exactly, Stricklander had to know about Jim, and it didn't even matter how he had gotten that information. With all the recent worries, the mother somehow had forgotten about that suspicion, even though ignoring it would be a grave mistake.
That was the only reason why the Head of Janus Order had set Bular on her son - wasn't that the best way to see if the teen had any protection?
That had to be an elaborate trap, and she had fallen for it like a total moron. Barverra stopping her brother from hurting a human child could mean only one thing - that she cared about that one to the point of going against her kin.
And, of course, Stricklander appearing at her doorstep had been a bold way to declare that he knew everything.
The female's mind trailed back to that day, trying to remember how the entire conversation went and if there had been any suspicious phrases. But no, everything hadn't been that different from a regular talk any conscious school teacher would bring up.
The Head of Janus Order was definitely a genius when it came to mind games, she would give him that.
The only unpleasant thing the daughter of Gunmar had noticed back then had been Stricklander demonstrating that he knew Jim way better than her. Had that been his goal? To show Barverra that he was closer to her son than she could even imagine? Close enough to take away his life any second?
Some things still refused to add up. If the impure knew everything, why wasn't he bolder? It would have made much more sense to tell the daughter of Gunmar that her cover had been blown before Jim's return and, after that, simply continue with his mind games.
Unless...
He hadn't been sure and just kept checking his theory. Yes, that one had to be the reason.
Stricklander continued to be that dangerous, unpredictable factor. Barverra had to find some way to put him on a leash and quickly.
Oh, yes. Hadn't the impure given his phone number to her? If Gumm-Gumm methods hadn't worked, the female could always use a more subtle approach.
Bular was watching his sister with some confusion. Some time ago, she went silent, and changes in her facial expressions didn't promise anything good. Especially that smirk in the end - that one was legit terrifying. The dark troll decided that it would be wiser to leave her alone and focus on keeping the watch until the Trollhunter appeared.
He was also quite furious with Stricklander. Who could imagine that the impure would ever dare to use him as a pawn to his plans? No, he shouldn't have been surprised - Bular had always depended on the cover the Janus Order provided. And their leader had never been above controlling the dark prince. The son of Gunmar still wondered why his father had put in charge someone so dubious - back before the Killahead Battle trolls like that never lived for too long. The Skullcrusher hated those with passion.
Bular had a hunch that Stricklander would betray them eventually. He only needed a good opportunity for that.
No, they certainly had to recover the amulet as soon as possible and stop this pathetic kind of living. Barverra's presence tonight was a blessing - they could hunt the fleshbag Trollhunter together. And the real one this time, not the one the winged bastard had tried to pass as a target.
A sound of steps and some distant conversation made both siblings drop their musings at once and focus. Barverra leaped on a tree branch gesturing Bular to take cover in bushes. They both were more than ready for an ambush, even though their goals differed slightly. The son of Gunmar planned to kill the Trollhunter while his sister leaned more into scaring the teen to death. Her main priority was to learn his identity and then approach the kid as Barbara Lake when there was a chance.
The enemy party was appearing one by one - first, Barverra got a glimpse of a hulking frame. It didn't take her too long to recognize the deserter general Aaarrrgghh. The next one was a four-armed and six-eyed troll she knew nothing about - most likely that one was neither an authority figure nor a capable warrior nine centuries ago. And the last came two human teens.
Two? That was unexpected. Had the fleshbag Trollhunter involved someone else in the dangerous venture? That was surprisingly irresponsible.
Though, maybe it was actually for better for their side. Wouldn't that unexpected ally become a weak link? Maybe, it would be possible to get to the amulet through him…
The Herald of Doom focused more on both boys' appearance. Hopefully, she would recognize at least one of them. They had to be from the neighborhood.
Yet…
No matter how much she strained her eyes, she couldn't recognize any of them.
No, Barverra obviously saw both the Trollhunter and his friend and could even discern their expressions due to her night vision, but her mind refused to register anything when it came to their appearance.
How was anything like that even possible? Unlike some other members of her kind, the daughter of Gunmar never had any trouble with telling fleshbags apart. Not even before her father had been sealed in the Darklands. And especially not now, after living with humans for centuries.
She wondered if Bular had the same problem. Well, it wasn't as if he could notice any difference from the norm. Besides, he didn't need to recognize his target for killing it.
The son of Gunmar attacked with a roar, not waiting for any command - though was there any need for preemptive planning when there was only one combat-capable foe, and that one was a pacifist, according to the reports? At least, her brother had enough brains to position himself right before the canal, effectively blocking the escape route to the Trollmarket.
There was no point in continuing with theories. Barverra slipped down from her branch and landed behind the enemy. They may have lacked in numbers to surround them completely, but even the current tactic would be effective enough.
She could see the ambush being successful - the group obviously panicked, especially humans. Though the multi-eyed troll didn't fare that much better. The only exception would be the deserter general - his tremendous battle experience showed in the way he held his own ground, his eyes searching for the possible opening for an escape. The rumors said Aaarrrgghh had abandoned any violence, but he still could create the most trouble out of four.
The daughter of Gunmar remembered the general from the past days - and that one was the last troll one would wish to mess with. Even Bular wouldn't have taken him down that easily. A fracture of that former glory would be enough to pose a threat.
"You've been running for too long," the son of Gunmar grinned in delight. "The amulet shouldn't stay in the puny fleshbag's hands anymore! Give it to me - and your death will be fast and painless!"
Barverra scowled - she would definitely need to tell her brother not to attempt any negotiations. Apparently, he had no idea how to do those right. Not to mention that he clearly was celebrating the victory too fast, much to his sister's chagrin. At least, it didn't seem that he let the anger rule his actions this time. That was some improvement.
Aaarrrgghh tried to put everyone behind his back, his eyes darting between two enemies. So the information about his 'pacifism' wasn't fake, otherwise, he would attack already. The Trollhunter's side was wasting an outstanding asset. Barverra was sure that the former general could have distracted both her and Bular to win enough time back in the old times.
The daughter of Gunmar noticed some movement. One of the fleshbags made a careful step back and took out the amulet. So that was the new Trollhunter. Another attempt to recognize him turned into a failure. She couldn't memorize or even discern any of his features. Hair color? Height? Body type? She couldn't even tell what exactly the boy was wearing.
It was as if some higher power blocked her ability to tell humans apart. It wasn't just a weird coincidence. No, someone on the Trollhunter's side had found a way to protect Merlin's champion.
"For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command," the teen whispered frantically - and nothing happened. He tried to repeat it several more times, his voice cracking more and more with each attempt.
Bular laughed and jeered:
"It seems you need to be a proper hunter for it to work, not a pathetic prey like your kind!"
That was quite an intriguing conclusion, and Barverra wondered if it could be true. Maybe fleshbags were not able to use the amulet properly to start with. Perhaps, it worked for trolls only. However, before she managed to consider the possibilities, Aaarrrgghh suddenly shoved aside her brother, who lowered his guard (again!), and created a so-much-needed opening.
"Run!" the multi-eyed troll yelled, making their party scatter.
The daughter of Gunmar cursed under her breath for allowing such a stupid mistake. Yes, their foes were far from being dangerous, yet the treacherous general still possessed more than enough strength for causing distraction without actual fighting. Bular was really careless to relax.
Barverra made a leap, landing right before the Trollhunter, who yelped and lost his footing. To be honest, she felt sorry for the silly kid who had no idea how deep in trouble he was. He had simply ended in the wrong place at the wrong time - and now the son of Gunmar was more than willing to take away his life.
The female troll, on the other hand, was willing to let this enemy go. It was just a child, not someone who would create any problems in the future. Not to mention that he could possibly be Jim's acquaintance, maybe even some kind of friend. Wouldn't her son be sad if one of his schoolmates disappeared without a trace?
No, they needed the amulet only, and its owner's survival had nothing to do with their end goal. If Bular hadn't started with his half-assed negotiations already, she would attempt that approach. Something along the lines 'give me the amulet, and you and your friend are free to go wherever you want' could be perfect. But no, with her brother around, no one would ever trust that.
Well, there were other non-violent ways.
"We haven't finished talking, kid, so care to explain where you're going," she stated coldly, unsheathing one of her swords. That would be the best approach - simply scaring the teen until he preferred to throw away the accursed artifact that would definitely ruin his life. Good thing that Barverra specialized in terrifying.
Well, to the Trollhunter's credit, he didn't seem like the one who had totally given up already as he continued with attempts to summon his armor even when he was backing from the enemy.
"For the glory of Merlin... Ugh, stupid amulet, why aren't you working? I knew I should have sold you on e-Bay!"
Barverra nearly laughed at that panicked rant. The boy certainly didn't belong to this world of fighting and strife. She wouldn't even need to try so hard as the kid was on the verge of getting rid of the magical object.
Yet, it didn't go as planned.
Aaarrrgghh appeared out of nowhere, interfering once again, and threw himself between the female troll and her target. The daughter of Gunmar clicked her tongue in annoyance - what was her brother doing?
"You look pathetic, traitor," she hissed at her enemy. "What has happened to the one who was akin to a natural disaster?"
Maybe it wasn't the best time for taunts, but honestly, she couldn't help commenting after taking a good look. The one Barverra used to know was fierce and intimidating, his eyes always glowing with aggression. This Aaarrrgghh, on the other hand, wasn't that different from an overgrown cat or dog.
A predator who had lost his teeth, domesticated and tamed. A genuinely pathetic existence.
You're not much better, you know.
The inner voice whispered critically. Maybe it was right, but it didn't matter. So what if she wasn't worth her title of the Herald of Doom anymore?
At the moment, the daughter of Gunmar was more interested in recovering the amulet without any bloodshed, even though it didn't fit her reputation. And for that to work the proper way, her brother should have engaged with a traitor while she was dealing with the foolish child who got something he should have never possessed. Yet, everything had already gone out of control.
Barverra cast a quick glance around to get some grasp of the situation. She saw neither the multi-eyed troll nor the second human. Were those hiding or something? Bular seemed to be in the middle of the attack, and the Trollhunter...
"For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command," it was rather unexpected that the boy's voice sounded so collected now, even though only some moments ago he was panicking and scared. Moreover, the amulet finally decided to work for the kid the second Bular hit him.
Everything seemed to slow down as all the eyes were glued to the mystical scene before them.
Even though Barverra had seen the magical armor before, it was the first time she had witnessed the summoning of the Daylight, so she was taken aback by the sight of the pieces appearing out of thin air. There was some kind of beauty in that, some kind of mystical power.
Magnificent and mesmerizing, something fit for a true warrior. The Trollhunter wielded the essence of sunlight, the one bringing death to any troll.
So that was the magic that had banished the Skullcrusher and sealed him and his hordes in the Darklands.
Somewhere in the background, Aaarrrgghh used the opening and escaped down the dried canal. The Trollhunter followed suit as Bular tried to ambush him. Well, most likely, it wasn't that easy to retain courage with a giant dark monster running towards you.
The daughter of Gunmar, however, stood still as if thunderstruck. She had to join. There was a need to make sure that they would secure the amulet this time. Oh, and she definitely had to stop her brother from causing more damage to the human kid. Yet it felt like some kind of power was holding her back as she watched the events unfolding at the bottom of the canal.
The Trollhunter was odd. There might have been some kind of magic protecting his identity, but Barverra couldn't get rid of the feeling that he felt familiar. Was there something in the way he moved? His manner of speech? His overall impression?
It was as if the answer was right on the tip of her tongue, but she still couldn't get a handle on it.
Besides, the teen decision to fight back was unexpected. No, unexpected would be quite an understatement. It was illogical and unbelievable that someone with no experience, both in battles and encountering, monsters suddenly stood his own ground.
The boy wasn't familiar with a swordfight. His slightly stiff swings and awkward stance made it painfully obvious. How could it be otherwise in the modern era? The age of swords had passed a long time ago, together with art to fight. No one had ever explained to the kid not to make such wide swings or how not to end in an unfavorable position because of the enemy's counterattack. Hell, he hadn't even an idea what kind of tactics to use against a bigger opponent!
On the other hand, there were glimpses of an actual talent here and there. It wasn't as if the teen was totally hopeless, just inexperienced. Barverra could vouch that if the kid had been born several centuries ago, he would have many opportunities because of that. And for now, it turned out to be just enough to survive his enemy's attack.
Well, that and the fact the Bular didn't take the target seriously at all. Most likely, his pride was playing a decisive part in that. There was no way that the son of Gunmar, the infamous Butcher, one of the strongest trolls living, would go all out on some fleshbag whelp even though that one was the Trollhunter. That would bring him more shame than praise. Even the Skullcrusher himself would criticize such an approach.
Nevertheless, even slacking Bular was too much. Barverra noted that the teen managed to get a perfect hit on his foe's forearm. Or at least it looked like that for a second because the sword just stuck slightly in the stone skin. The female troll clicked her tongue unwittingly - the swing was good, yet it lacked proper strength behind it. With that angle, it was not that impossible to inflict way more damage or even cut off an entire arm, or...
The daughter of Gunmar froze all of sudden as the realization hit her - even if it was just for a brief moment, she was clearly rooting for the enemy.
It was simply ridiculous. It was easy to explain why Barverra could have some sympathy for that kid - that all was due to decades of life among fleshbags. Yet anything more than that would make no sense at all. Was it because deep inside, she couldn't help comparing the boy to her own son?
Though if Jim were there, the mother would never simply stand and watch, no, she would engage her own brother in the death battle, regardless of consequences.
It was pointless to think about ifs or buts.
The Trollhunter wasn't her son, that one was for sure. And any other child's survival wasn't her problem.
So why was her heart aching so much?
Barverra nearly sighed with relief when the teen managed to escape to the Trollmarket together with his allies. Luckily, Bular was too far to notice that - they didn't need another family discord right now.
The female jumped down the canal gracefully, still keeping some distance from her pissed brother, who was punching the bridge in pure rage.
"I guess we've failed again," she commented dryly, not sure about her own feelings. On the one hand, the daughter of Gunmar felt greatly irritated, but on the other... Wasn't there some unexplained relief that there was yet another delay to the plan's completion?
It's like I don't want Father's return.
The thought was random, but was it that far from the truth? The Skullcrusher's new conquest would bring strife and chaos. Most likely, there wouldn't be any safe or peaceful places left. Would the mother ever have the guts to introduce Jim to all of that? Yet, she would have to. No, not only that - Gunmar would demand his grandson's full participation. Could she doom her dear child to walk that road? To become a ruthless and heartless warrior, like it was expected from the Skullcrusher's kin?
She shouldn't have thought in that direction - there was simply no other choice. From the very start, Gunmar and his family were enemies of humankind, and it would never change. Barverra had been there centuries ago and witnessed the perfect demonstration that fleshbags were more than willing to destroy everything supernatural once they had a chance. It wasn't the question of beliefs or preferences, no, their path was the only one giving a chance for survival.
But no, the so-called peaceful trolls would prefer to hide underground, never being able to relax on the surface as they had to avoid fleshbags!
"Once the fleshbag goes out, I'll rip the amulet of him!" Bular's furious roar broke up the unpleasant thoughts.
"Good luck with that," Barverra snorted skeptically. She couldn't believe that her brother was still dead set on the violent approach, despite it being inefficient. They had lost the momentum, that was for sure. Now, any attempt to secure the artifact by force would grow more pointless as time went by.
"What?" the son of Gunmar glared at her threateningly. "Care to repeat?"
"I wonder why it's so difficult for you to get something that obvious," the female shrugged. "The Trollhunter is down there, among those traitors. It would be brainless of them not to make a plan to ensure that neither of us will get the amulet. They may give him some battle-capable allies... Or just force him to stay underground. Something like that. And even if they do nothing, you simply cannot guard this entrance forever - you'll stay here until the morning, that's for sure. No one has obscured the sun, as far as I know."
She could hear her brother growling angrily. Most likely, he realized complications himself. The first two were debatable, however, the daylight was something nobody would deny.
"Let's ambush him tomorrow night," he proposed less confidently.
No, sometimes she started to believe that Bular was actually hopeless.
"Bular," the daughter of Gunmar started slowly, "if the kid isn't braindead - and I'm sure he isn't - he'll just go in and out while the sun is still high."
Her brother punched the bridge once again.
"We'll need a different approach," Barverra continued calmly. "Something more refined and thought out."
To be honest, she couldn't shake off the feeling that everything was going in the best direction for her. After all, wasn't she the one who would prefer not to take away the Trollhunter's life? If the daughter of Gunmar managed to convince her brother to refrain from violence, that would become a piece of cake. Not to mention that Bular wouldn't intrude in the school or pull some other kind of dumb stunt.
Meanwhile, she would be able to investigate a bit and discover the teen's identity. Of course, some kind of mysterious force obscuring her ability to recognize the Trollhunter was quite an unpleasant surprise, however, there could be some way. She simply had to check every male student in Jim's school.
A/N
Bular just dropped a huge bomb))) Who thought that Barbara would believe in it? But no, the secret is still safe. Stricklander's reverse psychology worked better than expected.
I initially planned a cliffhanger right after the big reveal, but nope, I am not that cruel.