[This chapter contains scenes from Episode 14: Return of the Trollhunter from Trollhunters]
Cars sped over the bridge spanning the canal as Jim slowly made his way down the steep incline to the bottom of the concrete trough. He wasn't the only one though. Next to him, Toby also rather clumsily fumbled down the slope, doing his best not to go head over heels and land in one of the puddles of sewer water which had yet to evaporate in the afternoon sun. Claire was there as well, practically skipping behind Jim as he led her towards Trollmarket for her first visit this time around.
The biggest difference though was the presence of Jim's mother, who drove them all to the edge of the canal. She followed behind the three of them with a cautious expression across her face. Jim could understand why. Even after he told her about being the Trollhunter and they had their confrontation with Bular, there was still so much she didn't know. However, he was about to change that. He just had to make preparations.
In the days since they seized Killahead Bridge from the Changelings, Blinky and AAARRRGGHH had helped transport the pieces down into Trollmarket as well as clean up any mess left behind. Jim's days passed by rather normally since the play was a huge success as well. Steve was still Steve and rumors started going around about Strickler's extended leave of absence. Though that was all planned as well. Some things couldn't change, and Strickler insisted, despite Jim wishing he would stay.
The four of them reached the underpass, obscured in shadows, and Jim handed Claire the Horngazel, the amber stone glowing faintly.
"You ready?" He looked both as the dark-haired girl and his mother encouragingly.
"If this helps me get my brother back, yeah. I'm ready." Claire nodded firmly.
"I'm a little nervous, but if everyone in Trollmarker is like Mr. Blinky, I think I'll be okay, kiddo." Barbara managed a smile, putting her hand on Jim's shoulder as she did.
"Just remember, saving Enrique is our little secret. For now at least." Jim repeated his warning. "There's a lot we need to talk about, so let's get going for now."
"Now, you're gonna want to start drawing a semi-circle."
Toby trotted forward to the wall, using his own Horngazel to try and draw the entrance to Trollmarket. Though his diminutive height and rotund figure made it a rather difficult and sloppy affair. By the time he finished, Claire was already standing, hand on her hip, with a smooth glowing outline drawn in the concrete before her.
"Oh! You have it. Okay, never mind." Toby laughed nervously.
Claire placed her hand inside the semi-circle and the concrete began to break away at her touch, a glowing blue light filling the cracks. A moment later, the entirety of the entrance was revealed and both she and Barbara gasped in wonder as they walked inside and saw the massive, spiraling crystal staircase leading deep into the earth below Arcadia.
"Wow!" Claire exclaimed, racing forward as the doorway behind them closed on itself.
"I gotta say, Jim, this is beautiful!" Barbara laughed, looking around in awe.
"Just wait until you see the rest." Jim chuckled before he and Toby began making their way down the staircase. Claire and Barbara followed once again and they eventually reached the bottom, as well as a far more stunning view.
Trollmarket lay sprawled out before them, bustling with lights from a myriad of crystals and buzzing electrical devices. The streets were filled with Trolls of all shapes and sizes, chattering amongst themselves and causing a ruckus. However, the Heartstone drew all their eyes, glowing with a dazzling, amber light that brought life to all Trolls within Arcadia.
"It's… It's beautiful." Claire gasped, her eyes sparkling as they reflected the lights of the crystals, making Jim's heart flutter as he remembered her same reaction the first time. "This place is beyond–! It's beyond, beyond!"
Jim laughed as Claire took his hand, dragging him down the last few crystal steps and twirling around to take it all in. His mom was also wide-eyed as she followed, adjusting her glasses and pinching her cheek to check if she was dreaming.
"You weren't kidding, kiddo." Barbara smiled, looking up at the ceiling far above them, littered with luminescent crystals. "This is amazing!"
"I want to live down here!" Claire exclaimed, giggling as she spun around again and threw up her arms. "Can I live down here?"
"Mm, yeah, no. I don't think so." Jim shook his head as he chuckled.
"Well I certainly wouldn't mind coming here as a vacation spot." Barbara nudged Jim with a coy smile. "Or maybe for a date?"
"Good idea, Dr. L!" Toby panted, catching his breath after the descent. "There's some great rocks down here, and you can get pretty much anything you need at Rotguts!"
"Rot… Guts? Is that like… an arcade?"
"Not really, mom." Jim shook his head. "Come on. Everyone else is waiting."
Sitting down in Blinky's study, Jim looked around at all those present. Of course there was Toby, Claire, and his mom, as well as Blinky and AAARRRGGHH, but he also made sure to invite Draal and Vendel beforehand. After all, they had their own roles to play if Jim hoped to make the best possible future come true. Not just for Trollmarket, but for the world.
Vendel, of course, had been less-than-pleased that he brought not just Claire, but his mother as well. However, just as last time, Claire impressed the rather crotchety old Troll with her knowledge of not only Troll lore, but the Troll language as well. And Barbara was well-mannered enough she managed to win over Vendel with words alone. Though it probably helped that the elder Troll had been much softer and more lenient this time around due to Jim's accomplishments. Hopefully that would mean everything would be much simpler.
"Thank you all for coming." Jim glanced around the room, feeling a little nervous as he addressed his friends. "There's a lot I need to talk to you about and, now that some danger has passed, I think this is the best time to do it."
"Master Jim, please do enlighten us." Blinky nodded along, though his six eyes showed clear concern. "You have just defeated Bular the Butcher and we have reclaimed Killahead Bridge, yet you look as if Gunmar himself were staring you down."
"Speak, Trollhunter." Vendel agreed. "I have chosen to trust your actions, and you have shown great results."
"Thanks. First, there's somebody else who I need to introduce." Turning to the entrance of Blinky's study, he saw a shadow in the staircase and, a moment later, a figure stepped out, dressed in a hoodie and jeans with long dark hair sporting an indigo streak. The teenage boy looked a little punk-rock but, other than that, he was completely unassuming. Save for the bespectacled cat riding on his shoulder.
"Another fleshbag?" Vendel raised an eyebrow with exasperation in his voice. "Don't tell me you wish to start a colony in Trollmarket?"
"Smells familiar." AAARRRGGHH grumbled, sniffing at the air. "Smells like magic."
"Did the fleshbag bring the cat as a peace offering?" Draal chuckled. "Well, I accept!"
"Lay off, you oaf." Archie clucked his feline tongue, leaping off Douxie's shoulder and strutting across the table. "It's rather rude to treat a guest that way."
"Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh! The cat just talked!" Toby exclaimed.
"Tobes, you've seen flying Trolls, Changelings, and hordes of Goblins. Why does a talking cat surprise you?" Jim rolled his eyes.
"Well he's also wearing glasses!" Toby reached out to nudge Archie's glasses only for the feline to bat away his hand with a paw.
"Enough of that." Archie sighed before strutting back over to Douxie's feet. "I should have just stayed back at the bookstore."
"No worries, Arch. I'm sure Tobias is just messing around." Douxie chuckled with a little smirk twisting the corners of his lips. "How do you do, everyone? The name's Douxie, nice to meet you."
"Trollhunter, explain." Vendel turned his attention back to Jim and everyone else followed.
"I know this is a bit of a surprise for… well, everyone." Jim scratched the back of his neck. "But Douxie is a wizard. Actually, he's Merlin's apprentice."
"Merlin?" AAARRRGGHH tilted his head.
"Great Gronka Morka!" Blinky gasped. "The Merlin? I can't believe it! Master Jim, is this true?"
"Yeah, something like that." Douxie nodded along, looking over at Jim for reassurance. They had discussed their plan for a bit, but there were still a lot of variables. However, Jim learned after much trial and error that he should trust his friends.
They were strongest as Troll-'hunters'.
"Listen closely, because this is important. And a little hard to believe." Jim grimaced as he took out the amulet and placed it on the table. "This isn't the first time we defeated Bular. It's not the first time we took back Killahead Bridge either. We do a lot more too. We save Enrique and all the Changeling's Familiars in the Darklands, and we kill Gunmar. I know because I lived it. But there's a greater threat out there. Something bigger than Bular or Gunmar. It's a threat we only barely managed to beat, and I came back because I know we can do better."
Jim felt his heart racing as he did his best to explain, but he saw a lot of confused looks around the table as the others sat in silence. Luckily, Douxie stepped forward, runes whirring to life along his bracer as he cast a spell.
"Jim's telling the truth." Douxie reiterated as images from Jim's shared memories floated in the air. "I was kinda iffy when he came to me too, but I saw what he's been through."
Flickering magic illuminated the room in a low, blue glow as Douxie continued to project images around.
"He used the magic of the Time Stone to travel back to the day he picked up Merlin's Amulet and became the Trollhunter. I don't know why it brought him back here but, apparently, it's where he needs to be. Cosmically speaking." Douxie smiled over at Jim before pulling all the many images back into his hands, causing them to disappear in a puff of smoke.
"... That explains… so much." Blinky scratched his stone chin with one of his many hands, mumbling to himself. "How you were already so skilled and knew so much. How you acted as if you had seen the outcome already."
"I wasn't sure what would happen if I told you." Jim admitted, chewing on his lip.
"Dude, Jimbo, that's crazy! Time travel! Like that one time in Gun Robot?" Toby leapt out of his seat, mouth agape as he jumped up and down like a little kid. "So cool!"
"So, the Trollhunter has already accomplished quite alot it seems." Vendel stroked his long goatee as he nodded along. "Though, what is this danger you speak of?"
"Wait, wait, wait!" Toby interrupted the Troll elder. "Jimbo! What if the future changes because you're telling us you come from the future?! Isn't that a huge time paradox thingy you see in movies all the time?! That'd be a huge problem!"
"No worries, chap. I've got you covered." Douxie smirked as he rotated the runes on his bracer once more. "I've got a nifty little gadget called a Time Map. I attuned it to Jim's amulet and memories so I can see if we're staying on track. It's not foolproof, but it's a good stopgap for now."
"Look, I know it's a lot, and I really want to tell you everything, but we can't risk it." Jim sighed, looking at the faces of all his friends. "I didn't want to keep this a secret though."
"Jim, thank you." Barbara stood up, walking over and taking his hand gently. "Though, it's kind of hard to believe. My son's from the future? It was crazy enough when you told me you hunt Trolls after school."
"Yes, Master Jim. We understand." Blinky nodded. "Tampering with time and space can lead to drastic and unforeseen consequences. Though I too wish I could know more, I trust you implicitly."
"Just tell me who to punch, and I'll punch them, Trollhunter." Draal gave a toothy grin and Jim couldn't hold back a laugh.
However, there was one person who hadn't said anything yet. Looking over, he saw Claire staring off into space. She was chewing on her lip and looked both confused and taken aback. He wasn't sure what was wrong but, as she turned to look at him with her large, dark eyes, he felt a poignant guilt pierce his heart.
"If… If you're from the future… does that mean… you knew Enrique would be taken?"
"... Yeah…" Jim nodded, struggling to give his answer.
"But you didn't stop it? Because that would mess up the timeline?"
"That's not it." Jim shook his head. "I didn't know when they took your brother. Just that they did."
Claire suddenly stood up, fists balled at her sides. She looked at Jim intensely for a second as tears welled up in the corners of her eyes before she darted out of the room.
"Claire! Wait!" Jim called out after her.
"Go on after your girl, mate. I'll fill in everyone here." Douxie immediately slapped Jim on the back, propelling him forward. "I reckon she needs a bit of one-on-one time, don't you think?"
"Thank, Doux."
"Hey, Jimbo! I need some one-on-one time too, you know!" Toby called out as Jim started running up the stairs. "Save some time for me, time traveler!"
"Me too, Jim!" Barbara also raised her voice and Jim smiled as he ran after Claire.