Hi guys sorry for the long delay in updates, I lost my PC for a while, but I'm back now.

Oh, and thank you all very much for liking my story, I highly appreciate it :)

NB= '…' will mean the person is think or talking in their head

NB= "…" will mean the person is directly speaking verbally

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Chapter 3

As Jim was sleeping, he's chest started to glow a dark blue color and he started to levitate in his room. He twitched and twisted as if he was having a nightmare.

"No, No! Please Toby, don't leave me"

As he twisted, he could her Claire's voice, "I'll always be here, and in here"

"I'll fix everything, I promise" Jim murmured to himself in his sleep when suddenly his chest started to ache, and he fell to the ground "ahhhhh! Ahhhh!"

"Jim! What's wrong Jim?" Barbara rushed in to help Jim, who was holding his chest on the ground in pain.

Barbara quickly laid Jim on his back and started to use her stethoscope, which she fell asleep with, on his chest but to her surprise; his heart was beating normal. She looked into his eyes as saw that they were diluted, as if he was in a trans.

"Wake up Jim! Jim!"

Jim finally snapped awake from his illusion as Barbara was shaking and yelling at him to wake up. He still felt sore in his chest as he started to adjust to his surroundings.

"Jim!" Barbara hugged Jim and held him tightly "You scared me there for a while. Don't do that ever again!" Barbara started to cry on Jim's shoulder.

Jim sat there in confusion of what just happened, "What happened, Mom?"

Barbara released her grip on Jim and stared him with equal amount of confusion "You… don't know what… happened to you?" she asked shockingly.

"No. Did I fall of the bed?"

"No, Jim. You acted like you had a heart attack"

Jim finally realized what the soreness in his chest was about, but he couldn't remember ever having the pains in his sleep.

"What happened Jim?"

"I just had a faint chest pain, mom, I'm fine now mom"

"No, you are not fine. I'm taking you to the hospital tomorrow after school. Got it?"

"But mom…"

"No buts! I'm taking you and that's final. I'm not having you die on me before you give me a grandchild."

"Mom!"

"I'll pick you up tomorrow at school after you're done." Barbara stood up and started to walk towards the door.

"Hey, mom?"

"Yeah, Jim?"

"Thanks for everything. And I hope you and Mr. Strickler get a happy ending"

Barbara turned around and walked back to Jim who was standing beside his bed and looking at her, "Thanks kiddo. I really love you too" said Barbara as she embraced Jim tightly. "And thank you too."

"Anytime, mom"

Barbara left the room and Jim clutched his chest again thinking to himself, 'Again with these chest pains, and they just keep getting worse. What the hell are they?'

He laid down on his bed and his eyes started to fall shut again…

Jim opened his eyes to a sunshine ray peeking through his curtains, he stood up and went to go take a bath and saw his mom already left for work. He got ready for school and still had time to spare to make lunch for him, Toby, and his mom. Just as he finished the last sandwich, he heard Toby knock outside, "be there in a sec, Tobes"

The two arrived at school and talked about their experience of the previous night, but it was mostly Toby talking as Jim just listened to his best friend express his excitement.

"You know Tobes it's a great gift you got there, but remember that with great gifts comes an even greater responsibility, or something like that"

"I know Jim but so far the responsibility hasn't been given to me yet"

"It will come" Jim smirked knowing that Blinky and Arrrgh will visit them soon.

"But enough about me. Are there audition again today?"

Just as Toby was asking that question he bumped into Steve.

"Watch it, idiot"

"I'm sorry Steve, didn't see you there."

"Get out of my face, butt breathe"

"Good one" one of Steve's friends commented

Jim started to feel a bit of rage building up in him, "Hey, he said he was sorry!"

"What was that you butt snack?" Steve provoked Jim and it was working. Jim was almost blind with rage now.

"Just leave it, Jimbo. Let's go, we'll be late for class." Toby tried to defuse the situation, but luckily Mr. Strickler came by and saw Jim, who was ready to do something stupid.

"Young Atlas" Strickler greeted as he approached the boys.

"Ah, thank goodness Mr. Strickler…" Toby sighed in relieve.

"What's going on here, Steve?"

"Sorry Mr. Strickler we were just walking by, and Jim here dropped his pen, and we were just giving it back to him" Steve took out a pen and gave it to Jim while whispering in his ear, "you and me. Friday after school." Steve and his friends continued onward to their class.

Jim stood there and finally snapped back to reality after Strickler tapped him on his arm.

"Are you doing ok, Young Atlas?"

"Uhm... Yes, thank you Mr. Strickler."

"Why don't you come to my office for a while, then we can have a complete discussion?"

"I have gym class now Mr. Strickler"

"Don't worry, I can cover for you and tell the teacher you weren't feeling well and went to the nurse's office" Toby pitched as he could sense that Jim needed that talk from Strickler.

"Thank you, Mr. Tobias. Now, Jim, shall we go?"

Jim followed Strickler to his office while he could still feel his emotions running wild with him.

As they arrived in Strickler's office, Jim took a seat opposite side to Strickler.

"So… what did you want to talk about Mr. Strickler?"

"Your mom called me this morning and asked me have an eye on you today, because you had some sort of an attack last night."

"Yeah, it was just a small pain, nothing to worry about"

"Doesn't sound like it, the way your mother described it. It could be a panic attack that occurred. I suggest you take it easy, Jim. It could be your busy life that is causing this"

'Yeah, it's about to get busier' Jim thought to himself. "Thanks for the advice, Mr. Strickler."

Jim started to get up, but Strickler stopped him, "Young Atlas, please stop" he gestured for Jim to sit back down, and Jim obeyed and sat back down.

"Yes, Mr. Strickler?"

"I know you are not… yourself today, Jim, but that still does not explain why you almost got into a fight today. You know you can trust me, so what's on your mind?"

'If I tell him the truth, he might try and kill me here and now before I even finish the complete explanation' Jim thought to himself.

"I just lost my cool for a bit there Mr. Strickler, but I assure you that it won't happen again"

"Good to hear." Jim stood up and went to the door just as Strickler started working on a few documents on his table. "Oh, and Young Atlas, you and Tobias should be careful during the night. I heard one of your classmates talking about weird creatures in the night. I know it sounds silly but please do heath my warning"

Jim was surprised to get a friendly warning so early on from Strickler, but he already knew who the message really was meant for, Toby. "Thank you, Mr. Strickler, and don't worry I do know the night is to be feared" both Strickler and Jim stared each other intensely, until Jim walked out the door. Strickler was shocked at Jim's reply to his warning but just shook it off and continued to work.

After school Jim and Toby talked their usual conversations as they walked towards the gate but just then Steve also came by, while talking to his friends. Jim stopped and took a deep breath and told Toby to walk on without him. Toby saw Steve approaching and resisted until Jim gave up and let him stay.

"Butt snack. Don't forget, we have a fight on Friday. And don't even think about not showing up."

"Look Steve, I'm sorry, and I don't want to fight you. I'll do anything else to make it up to you"

"Anything? Ok then. You know which car is coaches? I want you to go spray paint it tomorrow"

"No, Jim don't do it. If the coach catches you then you'll be in big trouble"

"I have too. I don't want to disappoint anyone again." As Jim said those words, he thought of the last time he punched Steve and got himself scolded by Claire.

"But if you do this than won't that still cause some people to be disappointed in you?" Toby tried to reason with Jim

"Then what do you suggest I do Tobes? Either way I'll be in trouble."

"Just don't do any of them"

Jim thought about it and looked at Steve who was awaiting his answer, "I have a different idea. How about a game of dodge ball in the gym hall?"

"Ok sounds interesting, but what does the winner get?"

"If you win, I'll do whatever you tell me for a week, but if I win, you leave every one of my friends alone. Deal?"

Steve started to laugh and looked at Jim with a smile, "Fine, then we'll do that tomorrow after school"

"What happened to Friday?"

"You decided the rules, so I'll decide the date, and your butt whopping just got rescheduled"

"Fine by me, see you tomorrow"

Jim reached out his hand for Steve to shake and Steve grabbed it and pulled Jim closer "I'll only need 1 throw."

Steve tried to crush Jim's hand but to his surprise, Jim was calm and pushed back with equal amount of force and power.

As the group walked away and Toby and Jim waited for Jim's mom. Jim froze for a second as he could sense someone spying on them somehow, and he had a clue of who it could be; Bular or Strickler.

Jim's mom pulled up and the two got in and went to the hospital. At the hospital Jim went through a heart monitor and a few heart exams, but nothing was wrong. His mother was dumbfounding to this information, but also relieved, but more questions popped up in her head about what could really be happening to Jim. She let the boys go home, but Jim gave her the lunch he prepared for her that morning. They left and swiftly went to Jim's house. As they came in talking to each other, but Jim stopped immediately and gestures for Toby to be silent. Jim picked up an umbrella he had at the front door "put on your armor, Tobes." he whispered.

"I tried but it's not working" Toby nervously whispered back.

"Focus, Tobes, and say the incantation"

"Ok… For the glory of Merlin, daylight is mine to command…"

"Hey Tobes, how is that armor coming"

"Still working on it… For the glory of Merlin, daylight is mine to command!"

Just as Jim was about to incant his amulet to protect them, Toby transformed and was shocked and excited, but Jim quickly silenced him and told him to focus. As they quietly walked towards the basement.

"Quiet, Arrrgh, they might hear us"

"Sorry, Blinky"

After Jim heard their voices, he was relieved but couldn't act like that because to everyone they never met before.

"Whoever you are… we are armed and ready to kill you!" Toby yelled from behind Jim.

"Don't attack young masters. We mean no harm"

"Young masters? Who the heck are these guys, Jimbo?"

"Let's go and find out"

"What? Are you crazy? They could be killers"

"Don't worry, you have a magical sword and I have amazing umbrella skills. We'll be fine, I promise you Tobes"

"Ok fine, but if I die, I'm haunting you for the rest of your life."

That joke hit a sensitive spot in Jim, and he started to have flashes of Toby's dead body.

"Now shall we go meet our intruders?" Jim asked, trying to get the vision out of his head.

Toby nodded and they slowly walked up to the door and Jim opened it and quickly took guard outside as Toby followed. Jim was calm because he knew that Blinky and Arrrgh was harmless. As the boys walked down the stairs, with Jim leading. As they got to the bottom, Blinky and Arrrgh were standing at the heater.

"Ahhhhh! What is that?!" both of the boys exclaimed as they met the two rock figures in the dark.

"Do not fear master Tobias, I... sorry 'we' mean you no harm"

But Toby fainted from the fear of the new unknown creatures.

"Tobes!?, Tobes!"

"Oh dear. I did not mean for this outcome, I'm sorry young Master…"

"It's Jim, my name is Jim Lake." Jim replied while trying to wake Toby with the umbrella, trying not to touch him and get blasted away.

"Ah, master Lake. Sorry for frightening you and the young trollhunter. I am Blinky and my big friend over here is called Arrrgh."

"Hi. It's Arrrgh with three r's."

Jim tried to look like he was afraid of the two giants, as to not give away his cover, as they were explaining themselves.

"Ugh… I just had the weirdest dream. Hey, Jimbo… Ahhhh! What are those things?!" Toby asked as he saw Jim talking to the two unknown creatures.

"It's ok, Tobes. This is Blinky and Arrrgh, they are friendly…"

"Indeed, we are, master Tobias, we mean you no harm."

"Jim, how does it know my name? And why aren't you afraid of them?"

"They told me the reason why they are here, and it has to do with that amulet you found."

"Ah, yes, as we were telling Master Jim here, we are here to ask for your help to protect us from evil trolls."

"Me, protect you? You are like 3 times bigger than me."

"But It's your sacred duty master Tobias…" Just then a loud bang came from outside the house.

"What was that?" Jim asked.

"I don't know, but Arrrgh and I came alone and weren't being followed, of that I can assure you."

As the grouped looked at each other with confused faces, they could hear slow footsteps that sounded like it was coming from the backyard. They all rushed up stairs and as they approached the kitchen entrance, the door blew open and green smoke slowly crept through the house as a metal foot step through the doorway…

To be continued…