Bular couldn't help feeling pissed off and outraged. It felt as if every single soul around him didn't take him seriously. Yes, Stricklander's attitude was already bad enough, but at least the dark prince had gotten used to that. However, now his own sister, who was supposed to be on his side, started to treat him like he had no right to take his own actions. Had they all forgotten that the dark brute wasn't a whelp anymore?
Of course, he had screwed that time with Kanjigar (well, more like every single time before that, to be honest), and it certainly had gone against Barverra's plan, so he could understand her initial anger. But Bular at least tried to fix it. No, he had been actually close to succeeding before his unhinged sister had jumped out of nowhere, refusing to listen to any explanation.
It had been so out-of-character for the daughter of Gunmar that her brother still failed to comprehend what exactly had caused that rage fit. No matter how much the dark prince kept thinking about it, everything wasn't that different from running in circles.
There were no doubts that Barverra hadn't had even the slightest idea that the fleshbag was the Trollhunter. Otherwise, wouldn't it have been the perfect opportunity to finally use that perfect plan of hers? Even if it had been against puny and pathetic prey? They would have gotten the amulet for sure then. But no, the female just hadn't had enough common sense to hear out a brief explanation!
Most likely, his sister had thought of that chase as a simple hunt. Couldn't she have picked up some better time for misinterpreting things?
However, her reaction still made no sense. Bular shivered, remembering Barverra's eyes back then - those belonged to the one ready to obliterate, to demolish. Because of something she had perceived as a simple hunt? That would have been the overreaction of millennium then.
Even Stricklander having that kind of reaction was implausible. And the daughter of Gunmar? Hell, Bular was more than sure that she hunted herself occasionally, of course, way more swiftly because impures never mentioned covering her mess.
The dark troll remembered old times, with his sister playing with her prey until they experienced utter despair and begged for death. Most likely, she pulled something like that from time to time.
Though…
Bular couldn't deny the weird fact that Barverra had been out of shape when they had reunited. Had her love for sadistic hunts diminished as well?
Did anything actually matter here?
No matter how much the son of Gunmar thought, he kept coming to the conclusion that his sister was in the wrong and only caused a lot of mess. So why should he have followed her commands instead of trying to find the fleshbag Trollhunter? Perhaps, Barverra's sharp mind had also deteriorated with years or something, and her brother was just a fool for keeping with her planning.
Hadn't he decided to work alone not that long ago? Besides, no one would dare to criticize him when he recovered that accursed amulet!
Yes, it would be more difficult right now, after his sister had screwed the successful pursue. Bular had already forgotten how that human whelp even looked, except the fact that he wasn't that meaty. As for the scent, it had been lost in the sea of other ones of his kind.
Damned fleshbags and their crowded settlements.
The dark brute hated modern cities - there were too many humans around. Those had multiplied too much since the old times, despite being weak.
Of course, there was always an option to ask - ahem, order - Stricklander to show that fleshbag Trollhunter once again. Nevertheless, the son of Gunmar simply hated the idea of that for various reasons. It was no different from openly admitting his own incompetence.
No, he had to solve the problem independently. Much like his sister would do.
Of course, for now, Bular only had the possible direction of the Trollhunter's escape route. As far as he knew, humans were not that fast and lacked stamina, so the skinny whelp couldn't have gotten too far.
The Gumm-Gumm prince could always try to search around a bit, though it took him not that long to realize all the effort was futile.
The son of Gunmar had nearly given up when he caught a scent he truly despised - the one belonging to Stricklander or rather to his fleshbag form. Both were equally disgusting, so there wasn't much difference. It came from the weird metal contraption humans used for faster movement, so the dark troll guessed that one belonged to the winged impure.
The metal thing stood near one of those stupid fleshbag lairs - and that one wasn't Stricklander's. Bular knew well enough where the changeling lived as he sometimes lurked around that area.
Was the Head of Janus Order planning some scheme of his again? The only thought of it had been infuriating. The impure could easily use unsupervised time and pull something dangerous. Stricklander had been playing his own game, no matter how much he tried to mask it as a part of the big plan to free Gunmar.
No, Bular just had to put a stop to that scheming. Dealing with that bastard was long overdue.
The son of Gunmar peeked inside the house carefully in the hope of getting an overview of the entire situation. Much like he expected, the impure was there - together with two unfamiliar fleshbags. The dark brute dismissed the older-looking female at once, but the younger male was rather suspicious. That one looked a lot like the current Trollhunter. Or was it just wishful thinking? At least, the body type matched. Besides, it made sense that Stricklander visited Merlin's champion, probably, in an attempt to outsmart everyone.
The Gumm-Gumm had already considered destroying the entire building and killing everyone inside (maybe even the hateful impure) when the changeling exited the house. Bular wondered if the green bastard could notice him as it was rather dark already, yet that one was surprisingly well-aware of his surroundings.
Walt knew that expecting his luck to be limitless would be extremely foolish and short-sighted. Even if everything had gone according to the plan so far, something complicated could happen as well. His hunch proved to be right too soon as he had noted the too-familiar shape, barely concealed by darkness.
Dealing with impulsive imbeciles was the last thing the man wanted to do right now.
"You shouldn't be here!" the Head of Janus Order pointed out coldly. The son of Gunmar had already played his role in the plan, and now it would be better to keep him away from Young Atlas for some time. "I'm in no mood to cover for your mess once again."
Strickler was obviously annoyed. He hadn't expected the dark troll trailing the teen right to his doorstep. The only worse situation would have been Barverra hanging nearby, but at least that scenario hadn't become true. Still, Bular near the Lake's residence meant that all the work regarding winning more time had been flushed down the toilet.
Though…
The changeling tried to consider everything once again. When Jim had entered the house earlier, he hadn't looked that winded up - simply scared. So the History teacher assumed that the chase had ended some time ago, leaving his student some time for recovery.
The son of Gunmar hadn't been that good in tracking, so…
Yes, the most likely scenario would have been Bular simply roaming around until he had stumbled upon something.
Something that could work as a hint...
Stricklander cursed inwardly as the sudden realization had hit him. The dark troll had noticed his car. So, in the end, the changeling had been simply not careful enough and ended up giving away the Trollhunter's location.
That one was just a disaster. Knowing the Gumm-Gumm prince, he would definitely try to attack as soon as possible. He had no reason to wait or stall.
"Is that one the fleshbag we need?" the dark troll demanded.
Or maybe there was still a way out of the unpleasant stalemate. It was quite a godsend that Bular wasn't interested in humans.
"Why would you assume that?" the Head of Janus Order drawled, faking nonchalance. "I've shown you the Trollhunter already. It's not my problem that you've lost him…"
"Don't fool around, impure!" the son of Gunmar growled. "Why are you visiting this hut then?"
No, he certainly had no proof. Stricklander was sure that he could get away effortlessly.
"You know, unlike certain someone, I need to be careful and keep my cover…" Walt continued, putting some annoyance into his tone. "And to do that, I should play my assigned human role. Of course, you imbecile have no idea, but it's normal for a good teacher to visit their students, especially ones with problems."
Bular scowled. That elusive manner of speech was the exact reason why he couldn't stand the winged impure. What kind of game was that bastard playing? Something told the dark troll that the hut belonged to the Trollhunter. On the other hand, everything had been too suspicious. What if Stricklander tried to pull some trick?
Barverra, most likely, would have been able to tell for sure, but the son of Gunmar lacked that kind of skill.
"You should return to the hideout," the changeling continued after not receiving any response. It was a good sign. "I suppose you lost the Trollhunter earlier?"
"I've nearly gotten him!" Bular growled with barely hidden frustration all of a sudden. "If Barverra had never stepped in, I would get the amulet!"
The memory of that made him clench his teeth and wish to destroy something. It felt like a true betrayal from his sibling, his kin.
"What?" Stricklander wasn't able to hide genuine surprise this time. Yes, he knew for sure that Young Atlas had gotten away, but he guessed it was because of him outwitting the dark troll. Well, there was a space for some kind of ally being involved, but Barverra helping the kid to escape? Just what was her plan?
That damned female certainly continued to be a wild card in the game.
"It's like you both try to protect that fleshbag excuse of the Trollhunter," the son of Gunmar continued in anger. "Do you know that Father has no tolerance for traitors?"
"Your father cannot stand recklessness too, as far as I'm aware," the changeling replied confidently. "I can imagine your sister also decided to choose a more sophisticated approach."
Walter couldn't believe himself - even if it was for the sake of preventing Bular from ruining the complex plan, he still had just defended Barverra's actions, even though those made no sense to him as well.
No, wait. The daughter of Gunmar got the name of the supposed enemy from the winged changeling. Could she possibly know that the one her brother was chasing was James Lake Jr.? It would have meant that she had found him shockingly fast - was it even accomplishable, not to mention that the female believed the lanky teen to be simply a fake lead?
What kind of connections could she possibly have?
That was too alarming as it meant that Barverra could easily check every teen in the neighborhood until she found the Trollhunter. Apparently, Walt's time was way more limited than he could imagine.
However, right now, the Herald of Doom had become his unwitting ally, even if it was a temporary thing. She had convinced herself that Stricklander had given her a fake name. As long as that self-deception stayed, the Head of Janus Order was free to act as he wished.
For how long though?
"Anyway, I have no time right now," the changeling turned away from Bular and walked to his car. "I have more students to visit, you know... And you can waste your time on the wrong fleshbag if you wish so."
Any other day he would refrain from such an obvious provocation. Now? The dark troll wouldn't attack tonight, that was for sure. Not after the mention of his father and not after the vague comparison to his sister. Those had always been Bular's weak spots.
Stricklander had heard more than enough rumors about Gunmar's upbringing methods. The Gumm-Gumm king had planted the ultimate loyalty into his whelps and encouraged rivalry among them. They said the vast majority of the Skullcrusher's children fell victim to fights in the hope of proving their worth to their father. Something like that would never go away entirely. Even now, the changeling often noticed some lingering rivalry between siblings, especially from Bular's side.
No, despite all the unpredictable factors, everything was going according to the plan...
"How could we possibly miss something that huge?" Zoe voiced the thought the entire team had. However, the truth was that it had never been that difficult to stay oblivious about any troll presence in Arcadia.
In the end, Douxie and his friends had only learned about Bular's activity because the son of Gunmar had never bothered about covering his tracks. His sister, on the other hand…
Yes, Barverra had the reputation of someone with a strategic mindset. Of course, she could easily keep a low profile if needed.
"We would miss even Gunmar himself," Douxie sighed after giving it some consideration. "We lack information about the underground society…"
Lack of information was the understatement of the decade. They knew nothing - starting with the number of Trollhunter since the first one and ending with if trolls were still interested in keeping the treaty they had with humans. Everything could have happened during those nine centuries.
No wonder that their small team had failed to make any contact with the Trollmarket. And now they had the situation where the first human Trollhunter had already encountered both of his enemies.
Well, at least, the teen had managed to get away, according to Archie. The familiar had decided to follow Merlin's champion and ensure his escape before hurrying to Douxie.
The main problem was in the absence of any trail of Gunmar's children. Whoever was covering for Bular had already done their job.
"And here goes our plan to play on defense…" Zoe kicked a pebble in frustration. "I'm more than sure that Gumm-Gumms won't give the boy a chance to relax. What will we do?"
It was quite a stalemate. Their small team was walking towards the Lake's residence while brainstorming possible solutions.
"We can still go with a magical protection plan," the young man argued.
"The resources are limited," Archie shook his head. "How many spots can you cover?"
The cat-dragon was right. Even if both he and Zoe tried their best, they would manage to put gut defense spells only on a limited number of places. Not to mention that even the best protection spell could break down once an appropriate amount of force was applied.
Zoe suddenly stopped dead in her tracks.
"We are thinking in the wrong direction," she stated slowly. "There is no need for magical protection…"
"Of course, there is," Douxie disagreed, though with slight confusion. He couldn't deny that the hex witch had definitely found some solution to their problem.
"No, Casperan, think a bit!" the young woman sighed. "Instead of protecting, we should ensure that the enemy won't find the Trollhunter!"
Douxie's face lightened at once as he understood what exactly his girlfriend meant. She was right - it would be way easier to make it work.
"Concealing magic?" Archie hummed knowingly. "It can work…"
Ironically, while being persecuted and hunted for centuries, magic users had come up with a great variety of ways to hide and escape. It was nearly impossible to find a wizard or witch who knew nothing about that.
Zoe was right - they simply needed to look at the problem from a different angle. And now, every single next step started to click in place.
"We'll need a concealing barrier over the Trollhunter's house," Douxie started confidently. "A conditional one…"
In the end, James Lake would most likely prefer to continue with his regular life, meaning that his home couldn't simply disappear altogether. Instead, they had to put some conditions for finding it. Yes, that would be more complicated magic, but Merlin's apprentice believed that it was still within his sphere of expertise.
"Keep it human-only?" the hex witch suggested.
"Bad idea," Archie protested at once. "I won't be able to enter then. As well as those barbarians… I mean good-meaning trolls…"
"Should we block Gumm-Gumms then?" Zoe gave another idea.
Douxie wondered if it was a good solution. Yes, it sounded perfect in theory, but the thing was that Gunmar's children had found the human Trollhunter too quickly.
"It's like someone pointed him out to them," the young man finished after sharing his concerns. "Who could know that the new protector is James Lake?"
"Except guys from the Trollmarket and us?" the pink-haired girl frowned. "No idea… Archie said the kid was discreet enough…"
"A leak perhaps?" the cat threw in his own theory. "Where is the guarantee that there are no spies down there?"
"It doesn't sound likely," Douxie disagreed. "The spot of ambush makes no sense then... But it doesn't matter that much. The point is that the possible ally exists - and they are not a Gumm-Gumm. So we need to select a different condition now and think about investigating that mysterious person later…"
Everyone went silent, thinking about existing options.
"What about keeping away anyone with hostile intentions?" Zoe proposed after some ideas had been discarded. "Granted, it is a complex formula, but shouldn't it be the best?"
"Right," Merlin's apprentice nodded. "But… We also need to cover the Trollhunter's friend's house. He can be a target as well… And I believe that I have remembered another method that will help a lot."
"Really?" Zoe couldn't help showing some skepticism. "I cannot think of one…"
"Let me give you a hint - witch hunts," Douxie suddenly smiled mischievously.
The girl groaned:
"No wonder that I couldn't find anything. You know, I hate remembering about those… But you're right, the thing we used back then is perfect. I'll find some for you…"
"Great!" the wizard-in-training hummed. "So, we are putting concealing barrier tonight, and tomorrow I'm meeting with our Trollhunter. The talk is long overdue…"
"Yep, too late to meet the boy already," Zoe whistled after checking the time. "Knocking at anyone's door at this hour will rather grant us a date with police… Though… One of us can enter without raising any suspicions…"
"Me again?" Archie stared at the hex witch in disbelief. "What am I, an errand cat?"
"Please, Arch, just check on him," Douxie joined the girl. "No need to tell anything, simply pretend to be a regular feline and be nice…"
Jim had trouble sleeping that night. A true terror was climbing up his spine. Each shadow hid a monster, and those were cackling, whispering, and making fun of the teen. The second he lowered his guard and closed his eyes, those would jump out, mercilessly ripping apart their prey.
Of course, all of that was just a fruit of imagination. Still, it didn't mean that there was no real danger. When Blinky had told Jim about Bular for the first time, the boy had gotten the full grasp of the evil troll's viciousness and strength. No wonder that the previous Trollhunter had fallen.
Nevertheless, after some consideration, the teen concluded that Bular didn't terrify him that much. No, of course, he still had no idea how to handle that one and most likely would try to escape during the next encounter as well.
Yet, that was the kind of danger you could more or less predict and avoid. The dark troll was bold and straightforward, meaning that outsmarting him would work.
However, there was that Barverra... The one that didn't feel like a threat during her initial appearance yet turned out to be way more dangerous. An incomprehensible enigma.
Why had she saved both boys if her goal had been the amulet's recovery? Was it some kind of complex scheme? An attempt to win Jim's trust?
If there had been no Blinky with his book, the young Trollhunter would have never questioned the female troll, seeing her as an ally.
What would have happened in that case?
A horrible foreboding clutched Jim's heart without mercy. He didn't want even to imagine that 'what if' scenario.
How could the teen continue on the path as the local protector of both trolls and humans when there would always be a lurking evil threatening his mother?
And not only her as Jim had realized soon enough - everyone close to him could end in the same situation. Toby, Nana, Mr. Strickler, Claire, Eli, some other people he knew… Even Steve could get there as the list could easily end as an infinite one. No one deserved to be hurt, not even the local bully.
Yes, Jim dreamed about adventure, but if losing every single dear soul was the price he had to pay, then he would refuse the deal at once.
The smartphone started to vibrate, indicating an incoming call. The boy glanced at the screen - it was Tobes, trying to reach him for at least the tenth time since the lanky teen bolted out of the Domzalski's house.
Was it so weird that his best friend was worried sick after getting no indication that everything was right?
Yet, Jim hadn't picked the call even once. He didn't want to hear anything at the moment, be it encouragement, worry, or disapproval.
It was so easy to imagine Toby trying to lighten the mood somehow, throwing some jokes. Or perhaps, he would pass the phone to Blinky, and the troll would give another inspirational speech…
The point was that nothing could change the situation. Jim seriously doubted that his allies had found the way out.
The vibration stopped, and for a moment the teen thought that his best friend had given up. It seemed he jumped to the conclusion though as after some seconds he got a streak of messages.
Sent stony guys home.
You ok?
Call me.
Jimbo, seriously, just give a sign that you're still alive!
Toby was also anxious, it wasn't that difficult to deduct that. But Jim was simply not ready for the talk with him. With a sigh, the lanky teen turned off the phone and put it near the alarm clock.
A barely audible noise picked up the boy's attention, and he nearly jumped, looking around in a panic. All the latest events proved to him that everything, no matter how crazy it seemed, could become a reality out of the blue.
Nevertheless, this time the reason for the unexplained sound was surprisingly trivial - the open window (had he left it open?) and an unfamiliar black cat with an unusual, Q-shaped white patch of fur on its chest, sitting on the table. Apparently, it came inside some seconds ago.
It was so random that Jim nearly forgot about his previous anxiety.
Why had that little guy jumped inside? Nana was the only cat owner in the neighborhood, and her pets occasionally visited the Lake's house, looking for some food or following Toby. However, Jim was more than sure that this kitty didn't belong to his best friend's grandma. He would have noticed the one so distinct looking.
"Hey, little friend," Jim smiled sadly. "Not sure what are you doing here, but there's no food, so you'd better look somewhere else."
Of course, there was no response - as if the black cat could talk to him! Yet the teen felt calm talking to that fluffy guy. It was a perfect way to forget about his own troubles.
"Are you lost? I think you've gotten a wrong house," the teen continued. Maybe he actually needed some distraction at the moment - anything that wouldn't remind him about all the supernatural threatening his life and peace of mind. The lost kitty was trivial enough to play that role.
Jim wondered if he could pet his fluffy visitor - being around Nana's cats taught him that not every feline was open to touches by people they didn't trust. Some would try to escape, while others could turn aggressive all of a sudden. In the end, the boy decided against it - he didn't want to scare the kitty.
Yet the black cat took the initiative, jumping off the table gracefully and approaching Jim. The next second, the teen felt a gentle nudge.
"You have no collar, so it'll be not easy to find your owner, I guess. On the other hand, your Q is pretty distinct and rare," the teen contemplated aloud, scratching the fluffy visitor's chin. For a second, he could swear that the feline was listening to him with understanding, but most likely, it was just an illusion. Well, probably after so much troll-related stuff during the last few days, it was easy to suspect everything to be more mysterious than it seemed at first.
Apparently, Jim had made a mistake - the moment his mind drifted to supernatural and trolls, everything related to the amulet, 'sacred obligation', and two evil trolls becoming his mortal enemies returned to haunt all of his thoughts. The temporary comfort the back cat had brought vanished without a trace.
"Honestly, I wish I had your problems, kitty," Jim shared his frustration with the fluffy guest. He was definitely going crazy with all of that. First, there was talking to the inanimate object, and now he was complaining to the animal. Some days ago, that alone would make him question his own sanity. Now? He didn't even care about that.
"How do you think who and what I should protect? Why is there a choice between responsibility and my family's safety?" the teen asked, and the feline replied with a sympathetic 'meow', before nudging his hand once again...
"You know, Jimbo, you're my bro, but you can be such an ass sometimes!" Tobes's greeting the next morning definitely wasn't kind or supportive. If anything, the plump teen looked tired and upset. "Would it kill you to send me back the message telling me that everything is OK? I haven't had any proper sleep because of that!"
Jim stayed silent as the sense of guilt was gnawing at him. Toby was right - he left him in the dark, not bothering to keep him updated as if it was some total stranger and not his best friend since kindergarten.
"You know, we brainstormed a bit yesterday night together with the multi-eyed guy and the hulking brute," the plump teen continued. "About how to solve your problem with the sadistic female monster. We could use your input too."
"Stop it," Jim harshly interrupted the incoming rant. "Just... It doesn't matter anymore."
There could be only one way out.
He jumped on his bike, hoping that his best friend would leave the topic alone. The lanky teen tended to ride faster, so it was quite a shock when Toby caught up to him.
"Doesn't matter? What do you mean?" he huffed, panting heavily. "There are two evil trolls with a wish to rip you apart right now! Of course, we need a plan!"
Tobes didn't understand. Otherwise, why would he be insisting on trying to fight the danger?
"There's only one possible action - I'm going to give up this 'sacred position' or whatever. When Blinky comes again, I'll tell him to find someone else," Jim let out his frustration, speeding up again.
How could he possibly go along with that kind of delusion? He wasn't a part of that supernatural world!
Yet Toby wasn't intended to let him go that easily as he stubbornly closed the distance once again, even if it cost him a great effort.
"You must be joking!" he yelled. "Are you going to just run away?"
"Exactly," Jim glared at his best friend but decided to have some mercy and slowed down significantly. "It's for better for everyone involved… For mom, for you, for guys at the school…"
"But what about your wish for an adventure?" Toby asked quietly. "Yes, it was scary yesterday with that big bad guy throwing trucks, but we managed to escape..."
"Only because another one of villains intervened," the lanky teen added curtly. "And it turned out that we have no proper fighters on our side! Speak about unfair..."
"Jimbo, it..."
"What 'it', Tobes? Do you even realize how lucky we were that our enemies didn't pursue us till our houses yesterday?" Jim snapped - all the recent stress was getting on his nerves. "Have you listened to start with? No idea, what you imagined, but for me, the only thought of Mom being hurt was too much! There is a difference between risking my own life and endangering everyone else! I cannot do that!"
They continued their way to school in total silence. It seemed as if Toby wanted to say something but failed to find the right words. Jim pretended he hadn't noticed that.
It was barely their first fight ever.
Both boys would make up eventually.
They always did.
Yet, this conflict was way different from anything they had ever had. After all, there was no compromising solution this time.
It wasn't like the talks could change anything. The fact remained - there was a cruel female troll lurking somewhere in shadows, the one who wouldn't see any problem in targeting her enemy's family or friends. It was just a matter of time until someone would be hurt or even dead.
Why had Jim even come to the conclusion that he could be a hero? Were heroes supposed to lose everyone because of their obligations?
Probably. How many heroic tales did contain some tragedy? Perhaps, one needed a certain mindset to fit those shoes…
No, it would be simply better to return to the trivial, boring, suffocating routine and simply forget about all the supernatural stuff that had happened till now. Why hadn't the teen been content with his previous life? Was it that bad or something?
There was a loving mother. No dad - but had he ever needed that dead-beat guy? Tobes was the best friend one could wish for. Mr. Strickler readily provided a piece of adult advice when there was a need for it. And Claire might have noticed Jim in any case.
If anything, it would be better to focus on more earthly problems. The boy could put more effort into improving his studies - his Spanish, for example, was in a pathetic state. Probably, Math could use some improvement as well. And wouldn't it be nice to try listening to Mr. Strickler during History lessons after all the life advice?
There was also the matter with the school play, and if the teen hoped to continue impressing his crush, it would be way more productive to learn actual lines from "Romeo and Juliet". That was a rare chance to get close to Claire. Maybe it could even end in actual dating, because why not?
And probably Jim should have started to think about the long-forgotten deal with Steve and his challenge. With all the crazy stuff around, it had slipped his mind, which left the boy in a rather bizarre situation. Apparently, the local bully was actually waiting for him to appear (for several hours, according to rumors). So the blonde jock was furious at the moment and most likely proclaimed Jim his mortal enemy number one or something. That was the actual human danger he should have focused on. Not bloodthirsty trolls.
The lanky teen was sure that he wouldn't be able to deal even with that one. Tobes would definitely suggest using the amulet to kick Steve's ass, but honestly, Jim didn't want to get involved with any magical stuff anymore. Well, at least, right now, he could avoid the local bully's rage, and probably, he would invent some good plan to solve this trouble soon enough.
And the world safety, the mantle of Trollhunter, stopping the monsters' plan... All of that wasn't for Jim. Blinky most likely would imagine, that Destiny itself led the teen to the amulet, but was it true?
Wasn't all of that just a ridiculous coincidence? The canal wasn't his common route to school, he didn't even take it every time he was late. Toby and Jim had only headed that way because they wouldn't have been able to arrive in time if they had simply sped up. And what had been the reason for that delay? An additional time to prepare lunches? No, not exactly - Jim had been that late because instead of trying to cook something more familiar, he had decided on some experiment. In a nutshell, he had only found the amulet because of the meatloaf. That was a seriously messed joke from Destiny.
Who he tried to fool? Did he actually wish to give up, to abandon everything?
'But what about your wish for an adventure?'
Toby's question refused to let him go. In the end, his best friend knew Jim the best. The truth was that he wanted to continue. How could he simply ignore the fact that there was a threat to the world?
The teen had heard before that sometimes people needed to make sacrifices for the sake of the greater good. That one life was neglectable if it was for saving many or for reaching a greater good. So, was the world expecting Jim to ignore the matter of his close people's safety?
It's unfair.
The teen didn't care if his thought sounded immature or whiny. A part of him wished to get a solution to the dilemma. Some teachers had already noticed his mental state and asked if everything had been alright. And Mr. Strickler had even suggested another talk at his office. There had been so many attentive adults - and not even a single one of those could truly help.
At the moment, Jim had a free period and escaped from everybody, hiding at the secluded spot behind the school.
Steve was roaming around the school grounds in search of his newfound nemesis. There was Toby, who was definitely worried sick about his best friend. Maybe there was someone else who at least knew who Jim Lake Jr. was and cared enough to notice his obviously troubled state.
He wasn't in the state to talk to any of them.
"A bad day?" a calm voice asked, and the next moment the boy noticed its owner, who seemingly appeared out of thin air. No, that one had obviously simply sneaked to the secluded spot to have some alone time, or maybe even in an attempt to hide from some troubles. It was quite unfortunate for the stranger that the lanky teen had already been there.
"You have no idea," Jim answered with a sigh and turned away. He didn't know that slightly older guy. Was that an upperclassman? In any case, the stranger's question was likely just trivial politeness.
Just go away already. Don't you have your own problems?
The thought was surprisingly unfriendly, but the teen didn't care if he looked rude.
"Perhaps, I can surprise you, James," the response was unexpected, no, it was outright bonkers. For a second, Jim wondered if he had misheard.
He turned back to his new company, trying to get a better look of him:
"Do I know you?"
Even though Jim asked, there was no way it was true. The stranger had a distinct appearance, be it his black hair with indigo streaks or clothing choice, or even knowing gaze of hazel eyes. Jim was sure he would remember someone like that. There was some mysterious air around that guy too.
It was as if he was older than he looked.
"Well, no," the stranger chuckled uncomfortably all of a sudden, losing a good chunk of his enigmatic presence at once. "Fuzzbuckets, seriously, this talk is not as easy as I've thought... I'm Douxie, by the way," he suddenly held out his hand.
"I'm Jim, though, I guess, you've known that already," the younger teen shook it with some hesitation. The whole conversation was kind of random so far.
Was it just his imagination, or did it actually sound as if the new acquaintance had been looking for him specifically?
No way.
There was an awkward pause. Jim wondered if he should have asked how his new acquaintance had learned his name. Maybe he was someone like a friend of a friend. Perhaps, Tobes had asked him for help.
Hopefully, not Steve.
Though, to be fair, the older teen didn't look like someone who would have any common interests with the local bully.
"The old man didn't want me to get involved," Douxie muttered, apparently to himself rather than anyone else. "But it's just unfair..."
Unfair. Someone had brought it up as well. Of course, there was no way the odd new acquaintance could know about trolls.
"Unfair? What exactly?" the younger teen raised his eyebrows in confusion. A part of him wished that Douxie's 'unfair' was the same as his own.
As if something like that is possible.
"Well, the fact that you need to face something too much for you to handle without getting any help," the new acquaintance responded with a sigh.
It took some painfully dragged seconds before the meaning of the phrase had reached its target. Jim stared at him in total bewilderment. Yes, there was a burden that could be clearly described like that… But Tobes was the only other human who knew about that one!
"You mean..." he started carefully.
"Your mantle of the Trollhunter, yeah," Douxie ended the phrase without any hesitation and quickly added before there was any other question: "You see, I'm a part of all that stuff... Even though I'm not supposed to get involved before..." he suddenly stopped as if not sure if he could continue.
"Before what?" Jim asked, not liking that sudden silence.
"Don't worry, it's not your concern," Douxie waved it off with a troubled smile. "Just me acting on my own, instead of following the order I have... I'll deal with that one myself. The only thing you need to know is that I'm on your side, and I can help."
"Okay," the younger teen shrugged. All of that was seriously confusing to the point that he had momentarily forgotten about his recent dilemma. "Though I doubt that you can defeat evil trolls which are out for my blood..."
"I can't," Douxie even didn't try to argue. "Well, perhaps, I can deal with a regular Gumm-Gumm, but Gunmar's kin is out of my league… But I can solve the problem with your close people being in danger."
"How?" Jim couldn't believe his own ears. Actually, he had thought about every possibility, but unless there was a powerful bodyguard for each person in his circle, it felt like there was no good solution. And judging from what Toby had told him in the morning, Blinky also hadn't been able to come up with anything worth mentioning. Yet now, the mysterious guy was trying to convince the Trollhunter that he had some way.
Did he have a squad of allies somewhere?
"Well, your enemies will be chasing the Trollhunter and those close to him. We just need them to think that Merlin's champion and Jim Lake are two different people," Douxie responded seriously.
The younger teen barely refrained from a bitter chuckle:
"And how is it even possible? I'm no expert, but I believe that trolls aren't blind, and they'll easily recognize me during the next meeting."
"Not with some magic involved," the mysterious guy disagreed.
Magic? The things had taken quite an unexpected turn. Though, was it so far-fetched. The amulet was clearly a magic one, and Merlin's name had gotten thrown a lot…
"Luckily, they invented something helpful centuries ago. Proved to be of great use during witch hunts... Used it myself when needed to keep incognito," Douxie continued as he took an animal fang on a cord out of his pocket. In a way, it resembled a simple accessory or a lucky charm one could find at some street vendor. Though, probably, magical objects had to be inconspicuous.
As he examined a weird talisman, Jim wondered if he had lost the ability to be surprised by now because it was shockingly easy to believe in magic. The world was definitely a way bigger and more unexplored than anyone would guess at first.
Douxie continued with some explanation:
"It's the kind of magic, which confuses perception. People see you, but their mind simply doesn't recognize you as you. So, you can keep your identity protected. Think of it as being a masked hero. It's just magic instead of an actual mask."
"Really?" Jim perked up for a second but then realized something: "Wait, I don't think it'll work - both Bular and Barverra have seen me already."
Apparently, they would also need a memory erasure.
"It'll work," the older teen shook his head. "You'll probably be greatly surprised, but many supernatural beings have trouble when it comes to telling apart humans. And even if Gunmar's children are good in that, for how long have they seen you? As far as I know, Bular didn't chase you for that long, and Barverra only glanced over you. Would you recognize anyone after that?"
"Well, no," Jim agreed reluctantly. Of course, he would have recognized someone who stood out, but… The teen couldn't deny that he had a generic appearance. For the first time, it actually seemed to be an advantage.
Some kind of inner voice whispered to the Trollhunter not to lower the guard so fast and that there was something he had missed.
Jim waved it off - most likely, it had been just paranoia. Now there was some hope for the way out, so he had to calm down his feverish mind.
"Oh, I've forgotten, your friend needs one as well if he decides to stay by your side," Douxie searched his pockets and found another talisman.
"For the one I've just met, you know too much," the younger teen stated boldly, not sure how to feel about that one. It was pretty creepy, to be honest. "Wait, were you stalking me?"
The awkward twitch told Jim more than enough.
Seriously? First Blinky, and now this guy too?
"Well, not personally," Douxie chuckled, "but my friend has been watching over you since you found the amulet…"
"For that long?"
It was hard to comprehend. Why hadn't they contacted him earlier then?
"You see," his new acquaintance scratched his head nervously with an apologetic smile, "my master told me to stay put until he summons me, but it wasn't like I could ignore everything supernatural and magic-related around me... You know, occasional monster hunts... And since I moved to Arcadia, I dealt with some stuff here as well, including preventing Bular from killing locals..."
Jim wondered if Douxie had chosen to avoid answering his question deliberately, or there had been some other reason.
Was it wrong to be slightly cautious? In the end, the last one the lanky teen had taken for an ally had turned out to be the enemy.
"So, were you in the previous Trollhunter's team?" Jim asked, wondering why Blinky had never mentioned that. It would have felt more reassuring to know there were other humans fighting monsters.
"To be honest, it's complicated," Douxie answered after giving it some consideration. "I'm on the same side, but my team always acted independently... Most likely, no one at the Trollmarket knows about our existence, even though we attempted to establish the contact several times..."
"Then, how have you learned about my situation?" the younger teen asked in confusion. It simply made no sense if the mysterious guy had no connections to trolls. "Wait, you've told your friend have been stalking… I mean watching me from the moment I've found the amulet… Was he there accidentally?"
There was no response for a while as if the new ally didn't know what to tell. Jim even let some doubt creep into his mind. Why was it so difficult to answer that simple question? Could he even trust someone he had just met?
"We were trying to find the Trollhunter," Douxie said guiltily. "My friends and me. You see, once upon a time, trolls and humans fought side by side. Yet as the time had passed, that treaty apparently stopped having any meaning. It was like we gave the entire responsibility of protecting both worlds to the troll side. It never felt the right thing to do, no matter what my master told me... And honestly, your entire situation has been the last straw for me. From now on, I'll also do my best. It's not ok to ignore the evil and hope that the problem will solve itself."
Jim felt guilty for having even a momentary doubt - his new friend seemed to be a sincere person. Of course, he didn't understand many things his sudden ally talked about, but the intent behind those words was clear as a day.
Apparently, the sun had risen again after some darkest hours…
A/N
Poor Jim believes that the situation becomes better. It's not(((