Your Future Hasn't Been Written Yet
by K. Stonham
first released 24th August 2021

Douxie's first sight of Heartstone Trollmarket was in line with what Jim had come to expect from anyone first experiencing the haven.

"Amazing," the wizard murmured, eyes wide as he took in the heartstone, the color, the sheer life bustling about in the caves.

"Gworak himself could not have found a more extraordinary sight," agreed Archie, equally awed.

Jim exchanged a grin with Toby as their party kept walking, and the wizard and the dragon kept looking in different directions, trying to take it all in.

Oddly, for all that the trolls had objected to Toby's presence, and Jim's, they didn't seem to notice Douxie at all. Were they just getting more used to humans being down here? Jim didn't think he'd seen Douxie cast any kind of don't-notice-me spells, so maybe because he had magic he smelled right to the trolls? Jim tried to remember, from his own time as a troll, if Merlin and Douxie had smelled different from other humans. He didn't think they had.

Or maybe it was just that Douxie was good at blending in and not being noticed all on his own. He'd been bumping around the periphery of Jim's life for nearly a year before he'd actually said what he was, and if he hadn't said he was a wizard, would any of them have ever paid him any attention? Who would look for a wizard in a kid who perpetually dressed in a worn hoodie and jeans, and worked multiple minimum-wage jobs just to keep himself afloat?

Merlin was obvious; Douxie was subtle.

Jim's thoughts kept him busy all the way to Blinky's library. Where, to his surprise, he got to see Douxie's awe at the sights and sounds of Trollmarket be replaced by an expression he wasn't sure he'd ever seen on the wizard before: reverence.

Douxie gazed at the shelves and stacks and stacks and stacks of books, the look in his eyes something like helpless hunger.

It was weird.

Blinky appeared and greeted them all. "Ahh, Douxie, wasn't it?" the troll asked. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance again under less fraught circumstances."

Douxie blinked out of his trance and fisted his hands, stuffing them into his hoodie pockets, holding his arms tight against himself in clear I-must-not-touch body language. "Likewise, Master Galadrigal. Trollmarket is incredible. Though I must say your library is surely its gem."

Blinky's enthusiasm slackened a little. "Ahh. And of course the avarice of wizards for books is well-known."

Jim stiffened on behalf of his friend, but Toby beat him to a response. "Hey, what do you mean by avarice?"

"I'm afraid it's true," Douxie said, not taking his hands out of his pockets. "There's a saying that dragons have hoards and wizards have libraries. I just... haven't seen a library like this since Master Merlin's." He smiled softly. "Treasure indeed."

"Okay, I don't get it," Toby complained. "Why books?"

"Books are... knowledge," Douxie said.

"And knowledge is power," Archie agreed.

Douxie rolled his eyes at his familiar, who, Jim noted, had been staying dragon-shaped since the door to Trollmarket had opened. "Power, yes, but more to the point, they're a guide for how to use it. A wizard never knows what problems he'll come up against, so he never stops reading, stops learning. And just as important as what you know is knowing how to find the information you don't know."

"Oh, so like a regular librarian and a research librarian rolled into one!" said Toby.

"Exactly," Douxie agreed. "Though I can almost guarantee that nothing in these volumes," he said with a nod at Blinky's books, "can be found in the Dewey decimal system."

Blinky was looking astounded. "Finally, someone else who sees the proper value of books!" he declared.

"Blinky buy every book he find," Aaarrrgghh said. "A-va-rice."

As Blinky spluttered at Aaarrrgghh turning his own words back against him, Douxie's expression shifted to determined. He freed his hands from his pockets, fingers twitching, and extended one to Blinky. "Master Galadrigal," he said, magic glowing around his offered hand, "will you grant myself and my familiar the freedom of your library? I vow we will neither damage any of its contents, nor use anything we may learn herein to bring harm to you, the denizens of Trollmarket, or the good citizens of the world above. In exchange, I will aid you in your endeavors to the best of my abilities. I vow this on the power of my wizardry."

Blinky's eyes were wide. "That... is an oath I have not heard in a very long time." He considered for barely a second, then took Douxie's hand with his own. "The freedom of my library, Master Douxie, is yours and Archibald's."

Blue light flashed.

"Wizards," Draal grumbled.

"Uhhh, what just happened?" asked Toby.

"Blinkous, it seems, has granted this wizard limitless access to our collective knowledge," said Vendel sourly, coming in the door. He eyed Douxie disapprovingly.

Douxie bowed, Archie fluttering in the air beside him. "Master Vendel. It's been a long time, but it's good to see you looking well."

Vendel's milky eyes narrowed and he leaned forward, studying Douxie. "Do I... know you?"

"We last met at Dwoza," said Douxie. "You were not very impressed with my master's offering."

Milky eyes widened. "Merlin's apprentice."

"The same," Douxie agreed. "I am Hisirdoux Casperan, and any service I may offer in the defeat of Bular and Gunmar is yours."

"Wait. Merlin? Like that Merlin?" Toby demanded, scrabbling for his amulet. His eyes narrowed as he looked at its inscription.

"Very much 'that' Merlin indeed," Vendel said, thumping the ground with his staff. "I am quite curious as to how his apprentice ended up /here/."

"Well, it has been said that Arcadia Oaks is the center of the universe," Douxie said, grinning. Jim wanted to slap a hand to his forehead. "But more practically, there is a thriving magical community aboveground. I'd be more surprised you haven't made contact, but unfortunately they're also a bit isolationist."

"Douxie," asked Toby suspiciously, brandishing his amulet, "how old did you say you were?"

"Nineteen," Douxie replied cheekily.

"Yes, and he's been nineteen for nearly nine hundred years," Archie added.

"WHAT?!"


Jim went off to acquire a gaggletack while Toby had been hustled off by Draal and Aaarrrgghh to blow off his frustration and anger in the Forge. Douxie, the object of Toby's feelings, had been sat crosslegged on the floor of Blinky's library the last Jim had seen him, huge book open in his lap, with another in front of Archie right next to him. They'd both looked as content as clams.

Jim knocked on the huge door. One of the windows opened. "We don't sell to humans. Go away!" The window slammed shut.

"But I have socks," Jim called, holding up a gallon Ziploc bag containing those very items.

Rot's window opened. "Socks?"

"Stinky dirty smelly gym socks," Jim said. He opened the bag and pulled one out, waving it temptingly. Ugh, it reeked.

Gut's window reopened. "We don't need socks!"

"But, Gut, you love socks!" said Rot.

"Look, all I need is a gaggletack," Jim said.

"Haven't got any. Go away!"

Jim sighed. "Look, I didn't want to do this," he said, reaching into his messenger bag and pulling out another Ziploc. "But... nylons," he sing-songed, waving that package at them. Claire had retrieved them from her mom's trash just for this purpose. They had both been pretty sure that the trolls wouldn't care the slightest about the fabric runs that had ruined the garments.

"Nylons." That was naked longing in Gut's voice. He wavered for a second, then- "Fine," he snapped. "You have a deal." There was a moment's scuffle behind the closed door, then the iron horseshoe came flying out. Jim caught it easily.

"A pleasure doing business with you," he said, and handed over both prizes, tucking the gaggletack safely away in his messenger bag.


Toby would generally describe himself as a cheerful person. Even the anguish of learning he would need years of braces hadn't made him angry. But right now, he was mad, and it boiled out of him like lava.

"He's- a lying- liar- who lies!" Toby said, grunting at every feeling-driven slash of Daylight.

"Your emotions are getting the best of you," Draal said, easily blocking each move.

"Toby has too much anger," Aaarrrgghh agreed. "Need to calm down."

"How can I calm down when that- ARGH!" Toby whirled and threw his sword away. It vanished, then reappeared in his hand. He narrowed his eyes at it. "And I hate you too," he informed the blade.

"Hey, guys, what's going on?" asked Jim, entering the Forge.

"The Trollhunter," said Draal, "is letting emotion overwhelm him."

Jim set his bag down near the entrance and stepped out onto the floor. It wasn't moving at the moment. Luckily. Toby didn't know how Jim would do if it was. "Maybe cool-down katas would help?" he suggested. "What about that one you showed us the other day, Draal?"

"I don't want to cool down!" Toby snapped.

Jim's eyes narrowed. "All right," he said, and walked over to the heap of weapons against one wall. "How about you take it out on me, then, and we'll see if that helps you feel any better." He picked through the heap for a minute, then pulled out a sword. It was plain, and nowhere near as cool as Daylight, but Jim swung it with ease.

Toby totally did not miss the way Draal and Aaarrrgghh exchanged a look, shrugged at each other, then settled back to watch.

"Okay," Jim said, taking a spot in front of Toby. "Tell me what's bothering you."

"He lied!" Toby said. "/You/ lied!"

"About what?"

"You said he was nineteen, and you knew he wasn't!" Toby finally swung, an overhead strike. Jim somehow raised his blade at an angle, and Daylight went skittering off it.

"He's physically, mentally, and emotionally nineteen," Jim said. "That's all that counts to me."

"Why's he living in your spare room if he's that old?" Toby demanded, trying a thrust. Jim dodged it, smacking Toby's blade to the side. "He's probably got piles of cash sitting in some offshore bank account somewhere!"

"Tobes, he really, really doesn't. It's hard to build up savings when you've got like no legal identity and have to move every few years because you're not aging." Jim dodged another few wild swings, dancing backwards.

"He's got magic and a dragon! Why does he need you?!"

Jim's face changed. "Because he's lost too many people, Toby, and I know what that feels like!" Jim suddenly shifted to offensive moves, striking fast; Toby had to keep blocking just to keep up. "He's lived for nine hundred years, Toby, don't you think he's watched everyone he's cared for die?"

"You're my best friend! He can't have you!"

"I am not a toy!" Jim yelled. Then he faltered, stepped back. His blade lowered; his breath trembled. He looked up, and Toby was struck by the expression in Jim's eyes. He looked like he was in pain. "I'm your best friend, Toby," Jim said softly. "And I know it's always been you and me, but that doesn't mean we can't have other friends too. I'm learning to open up, and I think you need to too." He turned and started walking away, shoulders slumped.

No! I can't let him leave like this! "Jim?" Toby said.

Jim half-turned.

"I'm sorry," Toby apologized, voice small.

Jim gave him a wan smile. "I know, Tobes. Just, think about it from his point of view too, okay?"

"I'll try," promised Toby. "We solid?"

"Solid," confirmed Jim, and cast the sword back into the pile of weaponry. He shouldered his messenger bag back on, and left the Forge.

"Well," drawled Draal, "that was enlightening."

Aaarrrgghh nodded.

"Now that you've worked your feelings out," Draal said, "shall we resume training in earnest?" And he switched on the Forge.

Toby bit back a curse as the floor tilted and he scrambled to keep up and not die.

There was one good thing about things trying to kill you, he decided: they temporarily swept uncomfortable conversations entirely out of your mind.