Come back! Even as a shadow, even as a dream

Y/n sighed as she submerged her body into the tub, the hot water now kissing her neck. The wrinkles on her skin gave away the hours she had spent on the soapy water. The bathroom had turned into a warm, quiet refuge from the babies running around in the Lake’s house. The screaming, the noisy toys, the spit, the dirty diapers. It all had become too much for the wizard to handle. The only moments of peace she could find were when she would put her head under the water. The world disappearing for an instant, the only noise she could hear was the calming lullaby of her blood pumping under the boiling water.

The tiles vibrated loud enough to make the babies napping in Jim’s room to scream in desperation. Y/n sat up, water spilling out of the tub as she prepared herself to throw the culprit across the room only to look down at Toby’s smiling face on her phone looking back at her. The bubbling anger died down to be taken over by another type of annoyance, the one where you are the only one to blame.

Toby had been texting and calling all day and Y/n had been avoiding his texts and calls all day. She didn’t have a good explanation, she just wanted to be left alone. Since Jim left she hasn’t been able to be alone, not even while peeing ever since the babies learnt to walk. Always working, hanging out or taking care of someone.

Y/n groaned, submerging herself into the water. The tub was the only place where she could be, but from her water tumb she heard someone knocking at the door. She emerged, her shoulders already falling forward.

“Y/n? Honey?” Barbara called.

“Yes, mom?”

“You should check your phone”

—

Y/n’s hand trembled as she opened the door to the bookstore. Toby said that the world may be ending yet again, but that wasn’t her biggest worry. Merlin had been awakened for more than a few days and Y/n didn’t say a word to Douxie. She blamed herself. Why did she always listen to her father?

She breathed in and out trying to leave her fears out on the street.

“And Steve Palchuk, Creepslayer!”

“I have no idea who you are” books flew around the once well kept bookstore, Merlin sorted them out before packing them in a flying chest “but we’re desperate. Thankfully, we have the brute”

Y/n stood behind Douxie and whispered in his ear:

“Oh, he is in a good mood”

Douxie smiled, turning back:

“Hello, darling”

“Hi” she smiled back.

Douxie grabbed her hand and for a moment, they ignored what was happening around them, both lost in eachother’s eyes, in eachother’s warmth. “Aah!” Steve’s yelp pulled Y/n out of the enchantment.

“Careful!” Y/n called out the older wizard and the chest flying behind him for their recklessness“ Are you okay?” She ran to the blonde teenager, using the hand that held Douxie to hold Steve’s head.

“Yes” he sniffed.

“Y/n! That’s great! Now we have the brute and a master wizard” Merlin didn’t turn to greet his daughter.

“Good to see you too” she said sarcastically “What’s going on?” She looked around looking for the messy black haired boy “Where’s Jim?”

“Yeah, where’s Claire?” Toby joined the chorus “I thought they were with you”

“Answers forthcoming. Make preparations. We’ve a journey ahead” Merlin kept packing “and don’t…”

“But, master…” Douxie interrupted.

“ ‘But, master’ me” Merlin finished.

“Are you sure you want to count on these children? They’re clearly not ready for this” Douxie asked.

“Excuse me, college dude, these children fought off a fifty foot extraterrestrial” Steve accidentally punched the head off the enchanted armor.

“Oh, that’s why you kept calling me?” Y/n turned to Toby, guilt creeping up her throat.

“Don’t worry. We…” Toby turned to help Steve fight off the enchanted armor “Dude, let’s go off his head”

“Douxie is right, father” Y/n quickly followed Merlin and Douxie away from the teenagers “They already fought enough things. Kids shouldn’t be fighting. They can’t keep doing this”

“Master, I’m ready for this” Douxie pitched himself full of confidence.

“Doubtful” Merlin said, focused on packing.

Y/n sighed:

“Just hear him out…”

“Silence!” Merlin commanded.

Y/n mouth stayed open, her smile falling into a frown, the words still weighing on her tongue. The familiar warmth of anger quickly ran through her body.

“I mean, silence” Merlin repeated softer “all of you” turning to the fighting teenagers “Can you not hear that?”

The group shook their heads. After the battle, Arcadia was destroyed, again, so the strange sounds could be anything, a car finally exploding or a building giving up. What wasn’t normal was the power going out. Y/n turned her head to the window, in the darkness the only thing she could see was the reflection of the chimney’s fire. She twisted her wrist revealing her staff.

“Something wicked this way comes” Merlin walked to the window followed by Douxie.

Something hit against the glass activating the barrier. Douxie took a step back covering his eyes.

“Shadow mephits?” Merlin turned to his apprentice “Hisirdoux, did you lead them here?”

“No, no!” Douxie waved his hands around, appalled that his master would think that.

Y/n pinched her nose. She felt like she had seen this scene many times before.

“I mean, I don’t think so?” Douxie looked out the window once more.

“Yes, we did” Archie walked up to confirm their mistake.

Douxie nervously chuckled under his master’s incredulous gaze.

“The barrier won’t hold for long” Merlin turned back “We must make egress! Tobias, take my things” with a movement of his arm, Toby went flying on top of the chest through the stairs.

Before Merlin could keep giving directions, the shadow memphits broke down the barrier, entering the bookstore.

“All of you, to the roof!” Merlin screamed, killing one of the creatures with his magic.

Y/n ran behind her friends to the roof only to find the roof as full shadow memphits as the bookstore.

“Why is the roof full of shadow memphits?” Y/n heard Al’s voice. The girl turned and saw the cat biting one of the creatures’ tales.

“Al!” Y/n ran, picking him up before the creatures could return the favor.

“That tasted awful” he shook his head.

“Stand back!” Merlin alerted.

“Everyone on” Before she could turn to look, Aaarrrgghh threw her onto a ship.

“I would like a warning next time” Al left Y/n’s arms.

“Maybe when we aren’t under attack” Y/n stood up pointing her staff to the shadow memphits Aaarrrgghh had on his back, destroying them in a ray of crimson so Steve and Toby could help the troll get into the ship.

As she lowered her staff she saw Douxie grabbing the baranda, distracted by something in the ground.

“Are you okay?” She walked up to him, softly grabbing his elbow.

He didn’t turn back, his mind absorbed by what the blue light of the barrier was reflecting.

“Doux…” Y/n called looking down, finally seeing what paralyzed Douxie: a knight surrounded by dark magic Y/n couldn’t understand.

The knight looked back at Douxie, his empty eyes focused only on the wizard. Douxie shivered when he returned the look. The knight appeared soulless, there seemed to be no emotion behind the visor.

The shadow memphits started to crawl into the mystery knight’s body like they were returning to its home making Y/n shiver. That wasn’t natural.

“Boy…” the dark voice echoed in the wizard's minds.

Y/n’s nails dig into Douxie’s bicep, both frozen in place looking back at the knight while his voice poisoned their insides with fear.

“Look out!” Merlin pulled them down by their jackets before the knight’s spears could reach them.

Y/n stood up, looking back at her father with a frown, not out of anger but out of confusion, she doesn’t remember the knight attacking them.

“Are you alright, love?” Douxie grabbed Y/n’s cheek with both hands and examined every inch of her face.

“Of course” she smiled, shaking the confusion away “Are you?” She grabbed one of his wrists, pulling his hand away to lay in his chest.

“I’m alright” he pulled her closer.

Y/n closed her eyes letting the movement of the ship and the familiar warmth of Douxie wash the adrenaline of the battle out of her sistem.

“What the heck is that?!” Steve screamed.

“Welcome, young squires to Camelot” Merlin announced.

Y/n quickly opened her eyes up, slightly pulling away from Douxie. In front of them, flying in the middle of the night sky stood the old castle that she once called home. A nostalgia ridden sigh escaped out of her lips. The castle was frozen in time, everything looked the same except a big green stone under it but that still didn’t change the strange feeling of coming back home after a long journey that invaded her.

“Camelot? As in ancient-old-people-times Camelot?” Toby screamed.

“Let the old people jokes begin” Y/n turned to Douxie, laughing.

The boy chuckled but his eyes were still glossy with the nostalgia of their childhood home, he was still lost in the emotion of coming back.

Y/n smiled, laying her head against his shoulder letting herself too be lost in what used to be.

“Sir Galahad, how look the skies?” Merlin screamed to the old man keeping watch in one of the towers.

“All quiet, my old friend!” The knight reported back.

Y/n turned to look at Sir Galahad waving back. She messily laughed, euphoria cursing through her veins when she saw he hadn’t changed one bit.

“Keep your eyes on the horizon” Merlin ordered before starting his parking maneuver.

“Oh, lord” Y/n gripped the baranda as she felt the instability in the velocity.

“I say, coming in a little hot, don’t you think?” Archie suggested as he grabbed himself from dear life.

“Rubbish!” Complained Merlin.

“He’s going to kill us all!” Al screamed as the green light slowed down the ship.

—

“Whoo hoo hoo hoo!” Steve screamed as he walked the entrance of the castle.

“Woah!” Toby echoed.

“It’s been nine hundred years since I was last here” Douxie said more to himself, turning around observing the unchanged castle.

“It hasn’t changed a bit” Y/n looked around searching for a small vase out of place but not finding it.

“Well except for the flying part” Douxie added.

“Nine hundred years?” Steve chuckled “Yeah right. You’re like 19?”

Y/n and Douxie shared a look, with a smile reminding all the adventures they had in the last century.

“Give or take a few centuries” Archie explained before flying away.

“Wait, don’t leave me here!” Al quickly followed.

“So, how many things can your cats turn into?” Steve asked, following the cats’ flying pattern with his head.

“That depends. How many things are there?” Douxie answered.

“Uh, cool floating castle ship, but what’s the grave danger you keep talking about? Toby ran after Merlin before he could disappear in the endless hallways.

“Ah, there you are” Merlin opened his arms, welcoming his old guests.

“Claire!” Toby screamed.

“Toby!” The girl ran to his friend’s arms.

Y/n ran to the other side of the room, waiting to see her brother only to find Claire and an injured Blinky. She kept her smile, hiding her disappointment in her back pocket as the four of them hugged.

“I’m glad you’re okay” Y/n hugged Claire.

“Whoa, hey, Steve’s here too! How about…How about some love for Steve?”

“Oh. Hi, Steve” Claire pulled away from Y/n, her face devoid of feelings.

“What happened? Where’s Jim?” Y/n frowned, she had waited enough time.

“Follow me” Merlin sighed, walking deeper into the castle.

Y/n turned to Claire trying to look for clues into her face but the devastated look on the young wizard was as terrifying as the broken sigh in her father’s mouth.

She walked through the hallways of the castle with her heart in her palms as she has done many times before. How is she going to look at her mother in the eyes now?

“Jim” Toby ran to the table where Jim laid, kneeling by his side.

Y/n walked slowly, she couldn’t believe what her eyes were seeing: her little brother laying inside a crystal with a spear in his heart.

“What happened?” Y/n asked her voice sharp as the bottom of her staff.

“We were ambushed. Some ancient, dark warrior. An unstoppable knight clad in green who struck down Master Jim” Blinky recounted.

But Y/n didn’t care, the hot tears brewing in her heart didn’t care. All she could hear was: they didn’t do enough.

“Master, is that the same knight we saw at the bookstore?” Douxie's voice appeared through the cloud of anger.

“One and the same. That onyx shard is working its way towards his heart. I placed the boy in stasis, stalling its progress…for now”

‘I didn’t see it’ Y/n mind replays that moment again and again. How can she blame them when she probably couldn’t stop him either?

The anger softens and migrates to her neck, tying itself around her neck pulling tight becoming sadness, guilt.

“If I had my shadow staff, I could’ve saved him” Claire cried.

Y/n wishes she could say that that’s not true but she’s afraid that everyone can see what’s hanging around her neck.

“Who is this green knight? How do I get my hands on him?” Toby’s anger starts to spill out.

“I do not know” Merlin confesses “The green knight said but one name, which chilled me to the bone: Morgana”

Y/n frowned. This definitely wasn’t one of her tricks. At least, it didn’t look like one.

“I hate that lady” Toby said, the memories of the Eternal Night coming back to him “Wait” he looked back at the older wizard “I thought we kicked her bee witch butt to the Shadow Realm”

“Which he appeared not to know” Merlin frowned, still puzzled by the encounter with the mysterious knight.

“So this is not Morgana’s work” Y/n question, certain in her heart of the answer.

Merlin shook his head:

“I cannot confirm his alliances but he wore the emblem of Camelot”

Douxie turned to Y/n, eyes full of confusion and worry.

“Come with me, quickly” Merlin turned, walking away, leading the group across a bridge to his studio “I fear the answer lies in the past. A dark menace is coming, one even I cannot face alone”

The room, as the rest of the castle, was the same as it was a century ago. Y/n could feel the ghost of her long skirt hitting her ankles and the knot in her throat everytime she would enter her father's workspace.

“You are all now soldiers in a war started centuries ago for the world of magic” Merlin opened a small white box, from inside it a blue sphere of light appeared revealing images of the past “Once, the realms of Magic and Man clashed in endless bloodshed” Merlin twirled the circle showing them an image of the late King “King Arthur sought to wipe out magic that ravaged the lands in his was against Gunmar. I brought what few spellcasters I could under my protection to spare them from the sword…”

“Including myself” Explained Douxie.

“And Morgana le Fay” added Y/n when Morgana’s image appeared in the magic circle.

“She was the finest student I ever taught” Merlin observed the memory of young Morgana, his eyes full of proudness, he thought she was destined for great things “…until she tried to kill me” he closed his eyes “Thankfully, in my all-seeing wisdom, I created a secret weapon” he touch the sphere “the Trollhunter amulet. The war came to a standstill and I imprisoned Morgana at the Battle of Killahead Bridge. This Green Knight that assailed us was clearly born of dark magic but I have no memory of him nor what connection he could have to Morgana”

Y/n looked back at the image of his sister, Guinevere’s words stitched to her heart “you can love the person you knew” and that’s what she’s been doing every day, carrying daisies to an imaginary grave, remembering the woman who would free the trolls from the traps, the woman who would sneak her extra dessert but she knew what she saw, what she felt. That Knight is not Morgana’s work

“I really don’t think he had a connection…” Y/n wasn’t able to finish.

“You never do, Y/n. You are not impartial” Merlin cut her off.

“I know what I saw. That magic is not Morgana’s!” Y/n hit the table.

Merlin opened his mouth to protest but the warning bells cut him off.

Before they could turn to see what danger was looking for them, the castle was hit, shaking the entire structure.

“What’s happening?” Claire screamed in fear.

“Have you never been under attack before?” Merlin helped Y/n to get up from the ground “To the battlements!”

Y/n ran, her staff in hand ready to confront whatever was trying to destroy Camelot like she had done many times before. What she didn’t expect was the amount of power their enemy seemed to have. ‘The Arcane Order’ her father called it. She considered herself an experienced wizard and she had only heard that name one time when she was very young and her father made it clear she wasn’t supposed to ask anymore questions.

“Everyone get to safety now!” Merlin ordered as soon as he saw the wizards emerge from the gigantic ship that was trying to board the castle.

The wizard with ice powers attacked first, quickly overpowering Merlin, throwing him into the ground and his staff off the castle.

“I got it” Archie flew behind.

Y/n was impressed. She didn’t have another word for it. She had never seen such ability, especially in wizards that seemed as young as her

Soon enough, cannons were fired making it impossible for anyone to stand.

“We must flee” Merlin ordered.

“I’m on it” Douxie ran to steer the ship away from The Arcane Order.

The castle shook once more, Merlin and Y/n turned, seeing their new obstacle: a bridge made of ice joining the ships.

“They’re boarding us!” Merlin screamed.

“I’m on it” Y/n jumped into the edge of the tower “Go get the staff”

“Steer us clear at my command!” Merlin jumped to another tower.

Y/n pointed her staff to the thick ice that joined the ships, a hot lightning melting the middle of the bridge. She frowned, she felt sweat dripping from her forehead, melting a simple block of a was being harder than it should be. She pulled back, falling backwards into the cold stone of the castle. While the ice wizard built multiple bridges, their ally was bombing the castle shaking the old structure.

Y/n stood back up, nodded her head, her eyes focused on this time, severing the connection between the ships. She tightened the grip on her staff and swung, a big ball of red lightning cut all the communications the ship had.

“Yeah!” Y/n screamed, jumping around alone celebrating her victory. Her short victory.

The wind changed. The wizard heard the crackling of the ice murmuring behind her, she slowly turned around, afraid to confirm her suspicion: all the broken bridges were made new again and were crawling with shadow memphits.

“You’ve got to be kidding me” Y/n climbed to Douxie’s post.

“Archie, find the staff or we are all dead meat!” Douxie screamed fighting off shadow memphits off the steers.

“What do you people think I’m doing?” Archie screamed back from the sky.

The castle shook once more, making Y/n’ stomach turn.

“I officially hate flying” she joked, eyes lost in the horizon.

“We’ll travel by boat. Old style” Douxie nodded.

“Flying castles suck!” Steve screamed

Y/n turned, they were joined by Steve wearing a helmet and Claire.

“Hisirdoux, now!” Merlin screamed.

“Please don’t blow us up” Douxie prayed as he set up the time map and steered the ship “Please don’t blow us up!”

“We don’t have enough power for the jump!” Archie flew close.

“Trust in Merlin” Screamed Douxie.

Archie was wrong. The time rift was opened but the Arcane Order wasn’t about to let them leave so easily. Y/n didn’t see them hit the castle, she just knew she was lucky enough to grab Douxie's hand before falling to the night sky, until she saw his brother fall through the time rift, then, she didn’t feel so lucky.

She looked up at Douxie knowing what she had to do but before she could apologize he nodded. He knew well what Y/n wanted to do and he supported it. They let go of each other's hands at the same time.

Y/n fell as she heard Claire and Steve’s terrified screams but she couldn’t be scared, not when her eyes were focused on Douxie.

A/n: sorry for leaving 👉👈 again

remember to leave love letters and death threats!! 💖

The sun had come out but its light didn’t enter the Lake’s residence, not after the group hung thick fabrics in front of every window and filled every crack where the sunlight could threaten to touch.

The war consul met for its first and final meeting. Nervous faces plagued the Lake’s living room as the queakes grew closer like the worry in Arcadia’s defender’s chests.

“I’ve taken the liberty of constricting a rudimentary model of Arcadia” Blinky put the final piece on the table: a milk carton.

Y/n laid against the wall that was directly behind Blinky. From her place, she could see her father fuming, ready to jump at the troll’s face. She threw many warning glances to her father, trying to convey in one simple look “Please, for the love of god, let him finish before you scream”

“If we focus our defensive efforts here, then when the Gumm-Gumms attack…” Blinky stopped at Merlin’s mumbles, looking up at the wizard, his eyes twitching in irritation “Do you have something to say?” Blinky crossed his arms.

“This is a waste of time!” The wizard threw the model to the floor.

Y/n pulled herself from the wall and straightened her back.

“You broke the museum. You philistine!” Blinky screamed as he lifted the carton of milk from the floor.

“Our focus is not Arcadia, it is Trollmarket. If we destroy Morgana, we stop the Eternal Night” Merlin and Blinky walked around the table like two angry dogs waiting for the other to attack first “The trollhunter and I must venture into Trollmarket”

“While Gunmar and Angor Rot turn Arcadia into an all-you-can-eat buffet?” Screamed back Blinky.

“For having six eyes, you are very short sighted. Defeating Gunmar is pointless if Morgana is…”

“And defeating Morgana is still pointless if everyone in Arcadia is dead!” Blinky hit the table as a new queake started “I don’t know my own strength” he pulled back, convinced that the tremors were a consequence of his anger.

“That was the third tremor today” observed Strickler.

“At this rate, I fear the Eternal Night will be upon us within the hour” Merlin nervously scratched his beard.

“The battle of the bands is on. The square will be packed” warned Claire, the image of all her friends running through her head.

“Everyone in Arcadia is there” screamed Toby “Well, anyone who’s cool, at least” he lifted his brow.

“So not you?” Y/n smirked.

“Hey!”

“On the bright side, with everyone clustered, we know where the Gumm-Gumms will strike first” Merlin pointed out, ignoring the teenagers spat.

“How is that the bright side?” Claire screamed.

“Trollmarket will be deserted and Morgana will be unprotected” Y/n explained her father’s logic.

“Gunmar and Angor Rot are my fight” Jim walked down the stairs “First, we’ll do what we can to clear Arcadia Square. So no one gets hurt” he sentenced.

“Actually, there’s no “we” until the night falls” Blinky put his hand on Jim’s shoulder, remembering his new disadvantage “In your current form, sunlight will burn you as much as any of us trolls”

“Maybe Merlin can whip up some SPF on million?” Toby looked at the wizard.

“Uh” Merlin looked at Y/n.

“We’ll go with the children and put a stop to this battle of the bands” Nomura stepped up.

“Then am I to fight Morgana alone?”

“I’ll go with you” Y/n grabbed her father’s arms, laying her head on his bicep “Just like last time” she looked up at him smiling.

“No” he looked down at her frowning “Do you think I don’t know what you've been doing?” he lifted his brow.

Y/n let go of him, slowly stepping back. She felt her lips shake but her eyes didn’t shift.

“I…I don’t know what are you talking about” her voice didn’t shake.

“I may have been asleep for a thousand years, Y/n but I haven’t slowed down” he looked down at his daughter and with a look he disarmed her “I want you far away from Morgana” his voice going deep enough to reach her bones.

Y/n nodded.

“I’ll go. Keep safe” Aaarrrgghh broke the silence.

“Thank you, oh, very, very, big one” Merlin thanked Aaarrrgghh the way he spoke to Y/n when she was child.

Y/n felt tears brewing at the bottom of her throat. She shook her head. This was not the time to fall down to an old wound.

“The moment of truth is upon us all. With fortitude and bravery, we can end the threat posed by Morgana, Gunmar and Angor Rot for all time!” Blinky said.

“Oh, yeah!” Toby screamed.

—

Y/n hung her bag in her closet with the steadiest hand she had in a while. An old practice found her after a thousand years, she never knew why but before something big she would clean up her room. Before the battle of Killahead exploded she cleaned her whole room leaving a small bouquet of wild flowers by her bed. Maybe, young Y/n thought it would make it easier on the grievers, maybe it relaxed her before facing death. She still didn’t know.

“Knock, knock” Jim knocked on the open door.

“Hey, Jim” Y/n closed the door of the closet and turned to her brother “What’s up?”

“Are you…are you okay?”

Y/n frowned

“Of course” she smiled “Are you?”

“Yeah. It’s just…” Jim followed Y/n through her room “What happened with your…is weird calling Merlin your father” he chuckled.

Y/n laughed.

“You can call him Merlin” she opened her night stand and pulled out a hunting knife.

“Woah. That’s bigger than the usual one” Jim looked closer at the knife.

“This one is from Camelot” she pulled out the knife out of the sheath revealing a shiny blade with an ‘A’ engraved at the top.

“Whoa” Jim got distracted by the old relic “It’s really old”

“Hey! It’s not older than me” Y/n put back the knife in the sheath and hid it away in the waist of her pants.

“Well…” Jim laughed.

“Shut up” she laughed back.

Their laughter died down, staying in silence, in each other's company like they did many times before: on the couch laying next to each other while some movie played in the background, while Y/n played piano and Jim laid on the floor listening to the music, sitting in the dining table doing homework until late hours of the night, while Jim cooked and he swatted her hand away from the ingredients, they stood there face to face for what could be the last time.

“Jim” Y/n whispered, scared that death may find them in the darkness of her room “I know we can’t promise to each other to survive” she looked up to his eyes. Since the transformation, her brother was taller than her. She put her hand in his cheek “Promise me that if something happened to me you’ll remember I had a long life and you’ll take care of mom”

Jim shook his head.

“You’ll be okay” he grabbed her hand “We’ll all be okay”

“Yeah” Y/n smiled. She envied her little brother’s optimism even before facing a war with the deadliest wizard and the angriest troll he actually believed they all would be okay “but in case you’re wrong…”

“I’m not” he insisted “Is this about what Merlin said? Is this about Morgana?”

Y/n blinked a tear away.

“No. No” She hugged him “Jim, my father just…likes to make a spectacle out of his anger”

Y/n pulled away. She saw the nervousness in his brother’s face. He was unconvinced.

“I guess this is the worst and the best time ever, huh?” She sighed, graving Jim’s hands, guiding him to the bed “Merlin is mad at me because…because I never forsake Morgana like the rest of the world did”

Jim frowned.

“I know…I know Morgana is evil, Jim, but I know her, she wasn’t always like this” she felt like she’s been repeating this explanation so much throughout the century that it’s been tattooed to her throat “When I was a kid she was the only other female sorcerer that I knew and she was kind and beautiful. She would play with me and braid my hair and she would make magic something fun and something to be proud of. Not a chore or something shameful” Y/n laughed remembering running in the forest hand in hand with Morgana, little golden lights surrounding them. She dried away the tears that fell without her permission “She was my older sister and I’ve been grieving that Morgana. Not the one that hurt Claire or the one that is about to do all this” Y/n squeezed Jim’s hand and looked deep into his eyes “I’m not going to betray you. Please, tell me you believe me”

“I know you’re not going to betray me” Jim nodded, a little offended that Y/n would think he would think that “You’re my sister”

A sob escaped from Y/n throat. She threw herself into Jim's arms one last time.

“And you’re my little brother. Always. Human, troll, gnome” she pulled back “ I don’t care. You can’t run from my love.

“I don’t know if I want to be a gnome” Jim chuckled.

“I’ll ask NotEnrique to teach me how to speak gnome just to talk with you” Y/n kissed his forehead.

Y/n phone vibrated it, distracting the siblings from their talk.

Errand boy 💙:

Where are you??

“Shit” whispered Y/n putting her phone back in her pocket “I guess our sappy time is up”

“I’ll see you later” Jim smiled.

“I’ll see you later” Y/n nodded.

—

Y/n walked alone to Arcana Square. Each step made her question the possibility of everyone’s survival. Last time, Douxie and her came out alive at the price of Morgana’s life and a century without her father. What would this war take?

The square was packed. Y/n found Douxie’s blue hair amongst the crowd like a ship finds a lighthouse in the night. She pushed between the sea of dancing sweaty teenagers to get to him.

“Doux” she grabbed his arm before the sea could separate them.

“There you are” He smiled, grabbing her hand.

“Here I am” she kissed his cheek.

Y/n chuckled when she saw Douxie’s blood rush to his cheeks. For a moment, they were two teenagers on a date and not two soldiers about to embark on their second war. The music stopped dropping the weight of reality back to her.

She got close to his ear and whispered:

“Doux, I…”

“Good job, whatever that was” Señol Uhl said to the microphone.

Y/n shook her head, distracted by the teacher’s words.

“What is it?” he turned, their noses almost touching.

“I came to warn you” she got closer, pressing their bodies together “Morgana is bringing the Eternal Night now” she took the knife out of her pants.

“What? What about M…”

“Doesn’t matter” she didn’t let him finish. If he didn’t ask, she couldn’t lie to him “Promise me you’ll be safe” she put the knife in his hands.

Douxie frowned:

“What?” He looked down “Why are you giving me Lancelot’s knife?”

“Because I’m scared, Hisirdoux” Y/n voice shook like the queakes that had been shaking Arcadia “Please”

“It’s okay” Douxie held her cheek “We’ll be okay” With his other hand he took the knife “I’ll take the knife and I’ll give it back to you in the daylight”

Y/n nodded, no words could escape out of the knot of her throat.

Douxie gave her a reassuring smile and softly kissed her lips. The warmth of his love reminded her of the home that always had existed inside him, the memories that were safe with him.

The feedback of the microphone made them pull apart. Claire stood on the stage, armor on, ready to announce to Arcadia that the world they know doesn’t exist anymore.

Douxie whistled, making Y/n and Claire turn. He gave the teenager two thumbs up, trying to give her the courage to sign her siren song.

“Great work” Douxie pointed to the armor.

Y/n bit her lip, looking down.

“Uhm, hello. Can I have your attention?” Claire asked the confused crowd. “Look, I’ve got something to say. Something about this town. Listen to me. Something dangerous is coming. Strange things happen in our town”

“You didn’t prepare a speech, didn’t you?” Douxie chuckled.

“Uh uh” Y/n smiled at Claire’s brave attempt of convincing Arcadia of the unbelievable.

“Tonight, when night falls, you need to run”

“You need to run” Mary sang, starting to play their instruments.

“Oh god” Y/n whispered, covering her face when she saw Claire keep begging the audience while her friends innocently made it part of the show.

An explosion was heard from behind the audience. Y/n didn’t need her magic to know it came from the canal. She turned and saw a tornado of black fire musicalised by the terrified screams and incredulous gasps of the people of Arcadia. The torch had been lit. The war had begun.

Y/n couldn’t take her eyes away from the smoke. The amount of power used for the spell sent a chill up her spine. She felt like her ship had sunk at sea and was only capable of observing the fire from underneath the water. Her feet were glued to the floor, her instinct was screaming to let herself drown, to run and hide under rock until everything cleared but her reason knew better.

She squeezed Douxie's hand, hoping his voice was able to pull her from the sea.

“Let’s get everyone to safety” he said.

Y/n turned. He was ready. Not a drop of nervousness or fear traveled through his eyes.

She nodded, saying a final prayer before letting go of his hand, running to opposite sides of the fight. In that moment, Y/n decided to not think about anything other than the danger she had in front of her because if she started to think about her friends with a Gumm-Gumms’ blade to their necks, she would lose her mind faster than the trolls blade could cut her in half.

Y/n stood next to her friends in front of a wall of Gumm-Gumms that double their size and number.

“Oh my gosh. This is happening” Toby tightened the grip on his war hammer. The Gumm-Gumms hit the spears rhythmically against the floor announcing their strike “Not another flying truck!” The boy screamed when he saw the truck appear from behind the impenetrable wall of Gumm-Gumms.

With a quick movement of her wrist, Y/n, prepared her staff to return the truck to the troll that sent it.

“Jim!!” Claire’s scream made Y/n look up, never lowering her staff.

In the middle of the air, Jim cut the truck in half with ease before it could reach his friends in the ground.

The Gumm-Gumms lowered their spears, pointing them towards the trollhunter, slowly pushing forward, cornering the team against the empty stands.

“For glory!” Blinky’s battle cry brought forward the trolls from TrollMarket that were ready to fight for their home, giving the team the opportunity to escape the death trap the Gumm-Gumms had put them in and Y/n the opportunity to fight in Douxie’s direction.

She cutted and stabbed with the sharpest part of her staff, making a mental note to remind herself to sharp it back after the battle as she avoided the rain of stones that fell each time a Gumm-Gumm died.

Y/n’s eyes scanned the square until she found Douxie trying to catch his breath about to be speared by a Gumm-Gumm. She felt the adrenaline in her veins multiple, she could feel her brain work overtime as she jumped to the troll’s elbow and pushed the whole length of the staff until her hand touched the throat of the Gumm-Gumm. She stayed there as she felt the tremors of the creature collapsing under her, she wanted to observe the complete destruction of the one who dared to try to hurt Hisirdoux Casperan.

“Y/n?” Douxie catched her before the Gumm-Gumm completely collapsed on the ground “are you okay?”

She turned around, a frown on her face.

“Are you okay? He almost impales you” she pointed to the pile of rocks with the red gemstone of her staff.

Douxie flushed. He didn’t hear him coming.

“Thank goodness you were here, love” he pointed to another pile of rocks “That one punch me in the stomach”

“I swear they are bigger than last time” Y/n threw a rock to the Gumm-Gumm fighting one of the trolls from TrollMarket in the distance turning it into a pile of rocks instantly.

“Maybe” Douxie said, taking a Gumm-Gumm out with his guitar “Oh, fuzz..”

Y/n turned to Douxie. Claire’s friends were being cornered by a Gumm-Gumm. She started running but Douxie was faster, he jumped on top of the Gumm-Gumm throwing it to the ground and finally knocking it out with his guitar.

“I’ve always hated those twits” he grunted.

“Wow” Mary blushed.

“You all right, lovelies?” Douxie turned around, smiling.

The teenagers giggled.

Y/n rolled her eyes at Douxie’s charms with a small smile on her face. She moved her hand, hiding away her staff before climbing to the stage.

“Hey, girls” she turned to Douxie with a smirk on her face “Romeo. Let’s get out of here before more of these things find us” she jumped down.

Douxie tried to catch Y/n's eyes while they helped Darci and Mary climb down but he couldn’t. She was too on edge, or at least that’s what he told himself.

The four of them walked close to the stage when Douxie saw a part of the curtain laying on the ground making a tent.

“Here” he pointed out as he pulled away the fabric.

The four of them crouched down and sat on the floor.

“Where should we go?” Darci grabbed Y/n’s arm.

Y/n looked around the city. Everything was dark, infested by Gumm-Gumms. Running without a place in mind implied fighting and she couldn’t ask that of the girls.

“What about the library?” Y/n turned to Douxie.

“Is too far and I’m not sure how secure” Douxie pointed with his eyes to their new addition.

Y/n nodded, understanding both messages.

“Is too far and I can’t activate the barrier with them there”

“Aren’t you Jim’s sister? You should know what to do!” Mary screamed, grabbing Douxie’s bicep “Do you workout?” She asked, the terror long gone.

Douxie looked up to Y/n and lifted up his brow.

Y/n rolled her eyes and focused on keeping guard.

“This is not the time, Mary!” Darci almost screamed at her friend.

“Sorry…all I’m saying…”

At that moment, Y/n thought that the sound of Strickler’s wings were god’s trumpets as he opened the sky to receive her.

“Stay here” she ordered, running out of that tent of madness before Douxie could stop her. She took her two pinkies into her mouth and whistled to catch the attention of the flying changeling:

“Hey!”

“What are you doing?! Are you mad?!” Strickler screamed back.

“Meh!” She lifted her shoulders “Where do we take the civilians?”

“Careful, love!” Douxie warned, pointing to the Gumm-Gumm charging at her.

Y/n looked down and found the remains of another Gumm-Gumm. She lifted a rock and threw it to the head of the dead Gumm-Gumm’s friend. The Gumm-Gumm fell, hitting its head against a fire hydrant.

“You were saying?” She screamed back at the changeling.

Strickler blinked, impressed at the fighting abilities of Barbara’s older child.

“The school” he pointed.

“See you there” she ran back to the hiding spot before more Gumm-Gumms could singled her out.

Y/n crouched down to face two impressed faces and a proud one.

“C’mon. Let’s go to the school”

“That was impressive! How did you do that?” Mary screamed.

“Yeah! That was so cool! I mean your aim?” Daci screamed.

Y/n turned to Douxie for help.

He nodded, agreeing with the teenagers.

“Let’s go!” Y/n stood up.

“But school is the last place I wanna be” Mary winned.

“Let’s. Go” Y/n sentenced before starting to run on the ruins of Arcadia Oaks.

Y/n ran like a horse with blinders on. The only thing that mattered was getting Mary and Darci to school. She wanted to be useful, to help get down the amount of Gumm-Gumms running around but getting sidetracked wouldn’t help either.

“Y/n!” She heard Douxie’s scream.

She ripped her blinders, stopping in place and turning back to see Douxie fighting with a pack of shadow memphit half a block away.

“Shit” Y/n mumbled.

“Ew! What are those?” Mary stepped back even farther away.

“I’ll be alright! Keep going!” He screamed back, stepping on the creatures.

“Are you sure?” Y/n was ready to whip out her staff and be over with the situation.

“Yes!” Douxie screamed ever louder when he saw her wrist twitch “Go”

“Let’s go” Y/n nodded and resumed her running not before giving him a last reminder “Doux, burn them!”

The three of them kept running through the guttural growls of the Gumm-Gumms. Among those awful sounds, they heard two friendly voices:

“Darci! Mary! Y/n!” They heard Claire and Toby screams.

“Claire! Toby!” The teenagers ran to her friends. Seeing them gave them extra strength needed.

Y/n smiled. She could hear them talking but couldn’t understand them. Her heart was beating in her ears reminding her that she left Douxie behind.

A burst of wind pushed Y/n forward, pulling her out of her mind. She looked up confirming her fear. Stalklings were hunting around them.

“Stalklings!” Y/n warned but it was too late. Before she could finish her warning, the creature flew down, its claws open, ready to grab Darci and fly away into the night.

“Toby!” The girl cried.

“Darci” Toby ran behind the creature, using his war hammer to follow them into the sky.

Y/n, Claire and Mary stood there, looking at the sky, waiting for their friends to come back down, listening to the struggle beyond the sky. They stood there, hearing the creature screeching with no sight from them.

Toby’s giggles made the girls turn around, taking out the grief from their chest. Darci and Toby had escaped the stalkling without a scratch.

The group kept running, avoiding more Gumm-Gumms and monsters in their last lapse than in their whole journey to the school.

Y/n watched Mary and Darci being escorted by Toby to the safety of the walls of the school.

“Do you think they’ll be safe here?” Claire asked.

“I hope so” Y/n smiled “But I think your teachers have it covered” she chuckled at the teachers running around threatening creatures they didn’t understand how dangerous they were.

—

“Have you got everyone to safety?” Blinky ran to the trollhunters.

“Yep. The ones who couldn’t make it home are hiding at school” explained Claire.

“Why is the eclipse still here?” Toby looked up at the sky “Wasn’t Merlin supposed to have his magic back by now?” He turned back.

“I don’t feel his magic yet” Y/n looked in direction of the canal “Something must’ve happened”

“Where is that wizard?” Claire complained.

“Morgana probably had a million tricks ready for him. We…” Y/n turned back. In the distance she heard her brother’s screams “Jim!” she followed the painful screams. Her legs tired of running the length of the city, of avoiding death multiple times but not stopping once until they saw him.

“Jim!” Claire screamed.

On the roof of the museum, Gunmar stood on top of Jim’s chest, he had him under his blade, using his power to try to convert him into his first human Gumm-Gumm.

“We’re too late!” Toby screamed.

Y/n felt her heart skip a beat, her hand slowly losing grip of her staff. For a moment, she imagined a world where Gunmar won, where she lost another sibling, where she couldn’t save her brother.

“In their darkest hour, I burn brightest!” A crimson light illuminated Jim, gaining back his strength, pushing Gunmar back by his sword.

Gunmar grunted, anger dripping out of his nostrils. He shook his head, trying to focus his strike through the rage. He repositioned his sword and changed once last time. Jim easily avoided Gunmar’s angry strike, hitting him while he was distracted.

“No” the troll looked down to the gash that went from his waist to his shoulder “It cannot be!”

“It is”

Blinky took a step forward. His eyes couldn’t believe what was happening. The long awaited end had finally come. His people could finally live in peace without having to fear another war coming. It was finally over.

Gunmar screamed, his body exploding into an expansive ball of light, destroying all the Gumm-Gumms that were still standing before finally becoming stone.

Jim looked into his dead eyes:

“For Draal” he kicked his corpse off the roof, finalizing the battle.

Jim observed the pile of rocks for a moment before jumping off the roof.

“Jim!” Claire jumped the pile of rocks that used to be Gunmar to jump into Jim’s arms.

“Ow! Careful. Sunburn” Jim hugged her back.

“You did it, Jimbo!” Toby screamed “Daylight went supernova”

“At long last, after centuries, Gunmar’s war is at an end” Blinky looked down at Gunmar’s remains, at the nightmare’s remains.

Y/n patted Blinky’s shoulder. She may not be a troll but she lived in Camelot, Gunmar had occupied enough time in her nightmares.

“And you, my dear boy, have ended it” Blinky shook Jim by the shoulders with a smile on his face.

“Um, not to be a total buzzkill, but why is the night still all eclipsey?” Toby interrupted.

Y/n pulled her eyes from the black sky towards the heavy footsteps coming their way. The grip on her staff tightened making her knuckles go white, her body still in high alert.

“Wingman!” Toby started to run towards the troll.

“Where’s my father?” Y/n walked closer to Aaarrrgghh.

“In trouble” he pointed to the sky “Morgana”

Y/n followed his finger. From the tornado of fire she saw Morgana flying down in her golden armor and green cape, just like the last time she saw her. Her laughter echoed around them, like a song trapped inside Y/n’s mind. She felt dizzy. She had to be dreaming, this has to be a nightmare but the world wouldn’t be so cruel? Right?

“But Merlin’s plan…” Blinky turned to Aaarrrgghh.

“Not work”

“Indeed”

The trollhunter team stood there, observing the sorcerer descending from the sky. Not knowing how to react.

“Don’t despair, weak ones. Your lives will soon be over” Morgana laughed, her palms charging with magic.

“She’s beautiful” Toby sighed.

Claire turned to Toby, giving him a nasty look.

“But totally evil” he frowned “Yeah, yeah, we have to stop her”

“Without Merlin, how can we?” Blinky asked.

Y/n felt the side eyes of the troll burning her cheek but she couldn’t do more than what she was doing: observing the impossible before her. She imagined talking to her dead sister through vessels but she never thought she would see her again.

“I…” no words escaped her.

“Merlin’s champion” with an elegant movement of her arms she moved the rocks that Gunmar’s body left behind, leaving the path to Jim clear “I have so looked forward to meeting you” she chuckled.

Y/n tried to move but her body didn’t seem to answer her. She wanted to run and protect Jim but her will was in shock just like her heart.

“And then killing you” she moved her hands again this time pushing everyone out the way except Jim and Y/n.

Jim pulled daylight, jumping to strike Morgana before she could do more harm. The wizard smiled at the trollhunter’s boldness. She barely moved her hand, tying him with a golden rope.

Jim fought against the trap that lifted him into the air and close to the wizard’s face but it was in vain.

“Good morning and…good night” she moved her finger, throwing Jim miles away where the eye couldn’t see.

Morgana sighed, turning her sight onto Y/n.

“I was hoping that this time we would be in the same side, sister”

“You’re alive” was all that Y/n could muster.

The wizard cocked her face, examining the confused girl in the ground.

“After all this time…” Y/n shook her head “You’re alive”

“Well, of course” Morgana got closer, her voice full of something Y/n couldn’t decode “Where did you think I was all those years?”

Y/n looked up, her eyes burning with all the tears that she had been spilling for a century:

“Dead”

“You help him imprison me” Morgana didn’t believe her.

“He said we were going to help you!” Y/n tried to clean the tears as they fell but she wasn’t fooling anyone “I thought I was getting my sister back after the battle”

Morgana laughed, pulling back.

“Morgana” Y/n said, her voice soft.

The wizard disappeared into the distance, where the eye couldn’t see.

Y/n shook her head, trying to not lose the hurt she was feeling. She lifted her staff and used the dagger that Morgana had left on her heart to make a portal to find Jim. Her first attempt failed. Her hand was too shaky to mold the shadows.

“Fuzzbucket” she cursed, throwing a car a couple blocks away “Focus, Y/n, these are your friends”

Y/n took a deep breath, carefully lifting her staff back up. Her mind replayed her conversation with Morgana, her father treating her like a child in front of everyone, the hurt the curse did to Douxie, the amount of pressure that was put on Jim.

This time, the shadow bended at her will. Y/n crossed the portal but it was late. Morgana had everyone tied up with her magic.

“I showed your friends mercy, trollhunter, so they can watch you die” Morgana threw Jim around the pavement as his friends helplessly watched.

“Morgana!” Y/n grabbed the golden rope that tied the wizard and Jim together and cut it with her staff “he is just a boy!”

Morgana lifted her brows as she watched the younger wizard kneel next to the trollhunter.

“For the love I have for you, I won’t hurt you, Y/n but do not intervene” Morgana frowned. She moved her fingers returning the trollhunter to a painful tie and gently pushed Y/n to the side, immobilizing her hands.

“Morgana, please don’t” Y/n screamed, fighting with the rope.

“Pale lady!” Angor Rot scream stopped all pleas.

Morgana turned:

“My champion! On time for the grand finale” she moved to the side to reveal what she had accomplish “Here. For your efforts” she pointed to Jim “I give you the honor of finishing him”

Angor Rot ran, dagger in hand, ready to strike but when the moment came, he didn’t stab Jim, he punched Morgana, almost throwing her out the bridge.

“Witch! I am no one’s pawn!”

“You! What did you tell him?” She stood up, throwing Jim against one of the pillars.

“The boy reminded me who I fight for”

“You fight for me!” Morgana screamed, attacking him with her magic.

“This is the end” Angor Rot growled, avoiding Morgana’s attack.

Everything happened so fast. One moment, Y/n was still processing Morgana’s rebirth, the next, she’s standing in front of her strike, wishing that heaven looks like the forests in Camelot.

Morgana’s ties had always burned. Y/n had always been too weak to break them when her sister didn't want her to break them but when she saw the movement of her hands, when she heard the serious proportion of death, Morgana’s rope broke like cotton.

“Y/n!” She heard her friend’s desperate calls as her body hit the cold cement. She left her eyes closed, her body was too tired to keep fighting.

“Y/n?” A soft voice called.

Y/n slowly opened her eyes. The sunlight coming through the tree caressed her body, nurturing it from the outside in. Here, there was no pain, no tiredness, no war.

She smiled at the familiar tree filled sky. She turned her head and saw the familiar purple flowers that she knew so much. Maybe her wish was granted. She sat up, picking up a flower and taking it to her nose, the smell pulling her into a hug like a greeting from an old friend.

“Little Y/n, you are far away from home”

Y/n stood up, her hand calling for her staff that wasn’t there. She turned back to the place where the voice was calling. Y/n blinked a couple times thinking her eyes were deceiving her. Standing just a couple steps away from her was someone she thought long gone.

“Queen Guinevere?” Y/n frowned.

“It’s been a long time” Guinevere walked up to Y/n.

Y/n gasped, her knees buckling into bow when she saw the Queen’s unmistakable green eyes.

“There is no need for that here” Guinevere lifted Y/n from the ground, pulling a leaf out of the girl’s hair.

“What?” Y/n looked around “Aren’t we in Camelot?”

Guinevere chuckled:

“Yes, but I’m no Queen here. I’m just…Gwen” she smiled.

“Gwen” Y/n repeated, the name foreign in her mouth “Am I…?”

“Not yet” Guinevere locked their arms together and started walking “You were injured”

The memories of the battle came back in flashes: the fight with Morgana, Angor Rot helping them, Angor Rot dying, Jim jumping in front of Morgana’s strike but Y/n being faster and then, the trees.

“I remember… Morgana…” Y/n stopped “I have to save them”

“From what?” Guinevere had no urgency in her voice.

“From Morgana. I have to help her too”

Guinevere shook her head.

“You can’t help everyone, Y/n” Guinevere smiled “Sometimes, people have to grow on their own”

“But they are kids and Morgana…Morgana is hurting” Y/n frowned “I thought you would understand”

“Is their destiny. You can’t fight with destiny” Guinevere explained, her voice soft like velvet.

“I don’t accept it!” Y/n closed her fists.

“Destiny does not need or want your permission”

Y/n let the tears fall freely. She knew this but she couldn’t accept it. Not for her family. Not this cruel destiny.

“I can help my brother and his friends survive. I can help Morgana change” she pleaded.

Guinevere shook her head.

“You can help your friends but you cannot change Morgana, you can only love her”

“Why?” She cried “She deserves better”

Guinevere smiled, looking at a butterfly passing by.

“Yes, she did” the woman cleaned the tears from the girl’s eyes “but, sometimes, life isn’t about deserving”

Y/n looked up at Guinevere, she looked so young. In her eyes, she could see all the unlived life shining through. If someone could understand fairness maybe it was her.

“So, I should let her rot in her anger?” Y/n wasn’t angry at Guinevere, she was mad at the world.

“No. You keep loving the person you knew” Guinevere turned to the side.

Y/n noticed the creek flowing next to them. The creek where Douxie and her would tempt luck one too many times, the creek where they decided to abandon Camelot before the kingdom fell years later. Across it, amongst the darkness of the trees she saw a figure walking towards them and this time, she didn’t call her staff.

“Morgana” Y/n whispered when the woman put her feet in the creek. She walked through the creek, the violent current of the water did not disturb her.

“Birdie!” Morgana engulfed her in a hug, no shadow in her voice.

“Sister” Y/n cried, her nails digging in Morgana’s corset “I’m sorry…I’m sorry”

“No…no” Morgana pulled back with a smile, the smile that Y/n remembered, grabbing Y/n’s cheeks “Don’t apologize”

“They want to kill you” Y/n sobbed “Maybe I can save you”

Morgana shook her head.

“Let them”

“No” Y/n hid her face in Morgana’s neck “I don’t want to lose you”

“I’m not gone just because you cannot see me” Morgana brushed Y/n’s hair with her fingers “I will be in the other side of the creek”

Y/n pulled back, her puffy eyes full of confusion.

“It’s time for me to go, Birdie” Morgana tiredly sighed “I haven’t been myself in awhile”

Y/n looked to the other side of the creek. The forest grew thicker, darker but the longer she saw it, the more she wanted to go.

“Y/n?! What happened?!” She heard the echoes of her father’s desperate screams.

“You have to go back” Guinevere put her hand on Y/n’s back “Your friends still need you”

Y/n nodded.

“Thank you for your words, Gwen. It was nice seeing you again” Y/n hugged the woman.

“You have grown into a beautiful woman, Y/n” Guinevere hugged back.

Y/n turned to Morgana, her heart turning into itself knowing it was the last time it was going to see her again.

“I’ll miss you all my life, sister” Y/n wanted to disappear in Morgana’s arms but she knew she couldn’t.

“Then, I hope you’ll miss me for a long time” Morgana chuckled, squeezing Y/n tight “I wish that Hisirdoux and you live a long and happy life. After that, you can come back to me. We have all eternity to be together”

Y/n chuckled.

“I love you, sister” Morgana said into Y/n’s hair.

“I love you too” Y/n pulled back.

Guinevere stretched her hand and Morgana took it. The ground started to shake, throwing Y/n to the ground but it didn’t seem to bother the older women. Morgana stopped in the middle of the creek and observed Guinevere disappearing into the forest. The ground shook once more, throwing the trees around Y/n to ground.

“Morgana!” Y/n screamed, stretching her hand, trying to reach the woman in the creek.

Y/n woke up, gasping for air. Her chest felt like one of the trees had fallen on it.

“Birdie, are you alright?” Y/n felt the familiar callous hand that had brought her to life brushing away the hair from her face.

She blinked a few times, her eyes adjusting to the new bright light. Between the blurriness she recognised the crystalline blue eyes watching her, the eyes that had followed her all her life.

“Mmmh” she lifted her heavy hand and grabbed her father’s wrist, pushing his hand against her cheek

“You’re alive” Merlin sighed in relief.

Y/n wasn’t sure but she thought she saw a tear fall from her father’s eye.

“I think so” she looked down at her chest with a teasing smile.

“Y/n!” Jim crawled closer.

“Jim” Y/n sat up, pulling her brother into a hug.

“You scared me” Jim pulled back.

“I told you I’ll see you later, didn’t I?” Y/n stood up.

“Don’t ever pass out again, okay?” Toby hugged her back.

“I don’t think I can promise that” she chuckled.

“Just do it” Toby insisted.

Claire rolled her eyes in complicity.

“Fine” she smiled.

The boy let go of her.

“I promise”

“The eternal night is finally over” Blinky watched the ruins of the entrance of TrollMarket.

“Heartstone gone” Aaarrrgghh closed his eyes.

“In Deya’s name…” they prayed for the place they once called home.

“Then we’ll need to find a new heartstone out there” Jim walked up to them, putting a hand on their shoulders.

“I’ve heard tell of a heartstone in a place called New Jersey” Merlin said.

The trolls turned at the news of a new home.

“Well make preparations and gather what we can from TrollMarket” Blinky nodded.

“We live at nightfall” Jim said.

The night came faster than everyone expected. There wasn’t enough time to say goodbye. There never will be. Y/n spent the afternoon reminding her soul that nobody died, that this goodbye was not permanent, a new concept for the inmortal. When the sun started to fall down and her soul started to relax, a new thought crawled her way up to the top in her lists of anxieties: staying behind.

She paced her room, the nail on her thumb almost gone as she thought about how she would tell her father she wanted to stay.

“You seem nervous” Merlin entered Y/n’s room.

“I’m not going with you” Y/n stopped, the thought escaping her mouth before she could think of an excuse “I…I didn’t mean it like that” she turned to the door where her father was standing “I’m sorry…I…”

“It’s alright” Merlin chuckled.

“What?” Y/n frowned. She was sure her father would want her by his side like he always did.

“Y/n, you’re a woman now” Merlin walked around Y/n’s room observing the pieces of a life he wished he could have shared with his daughter “I should've realized that before. It’s time for you to grow on your own”

Y/n swallow the confusion from her throat.

Merlin stopped in front of Y/n and grabbed her shoulders

“Whatever you choose would be alright with me”

“You must be spending a lot of time with Barbara” she smiled, burying herself in her father’s arms “Don’t disappear for too long”

“I won’t” Merlin kissed his daughter’s head, pulling back to see her eyes.

“Besides, someone has to make sure Douxie gets his staff” Y/n joked, unable to hold her father’s gaze for too long.

Merlin rolled his eyes.

“Make sure that boy doesn’t burn the city” he walked away, stopping at the door “and, Y/n?”

“Yes?”

“Not a word of this to Hisirdoux”

She nodded, the secret now weighing heavy on her chest.

—

Merlin watched as Y/n hugged her mother at the edge of a shattered Arcadia Oaks. Barbara had made her part by staying in the safety of the hospital, aiding the wounded.

The clanking of metal made them turn back.

“Hey!” Jim walked out of the woods with a smile, Blinky and Aaarrrgghh walking alongside him.

Barbara walked to Jim, tears filling her eyes.

“I promised I’d never leave you” Jim looked down.

“Honey” Barbara grabbed his cheeks, lifting up his face “I knew this day would come. I just…never knew when” she smiled.

Jim pulled his mother into a hug.

“I hope you find what you’re looking for” Barbara let the silent tears fall “Just call often. Every day. Twice. Text. Now and then?”

“Of course, mom. I love you” Jim chuckled

“Not more than I love you, kiddo” Barbara squeezed tighter.

Jim looked up, seeing her sister observing the scene teary eyed. He lifted his hand knowing that Y/n would run to take it, pulling her into the hug.

“I’ll miss you, Jim” she said “Please don’t get an accent”

“I’ll miss you too” Jim laughed.

“Are you ready, Master Jim?” Blinky walked up to them.

“Ready as I’ll ever be” Jim answered, dissolving the hug.

“I don’t know what tomorrow brings but with our trollhunter by our side, I don't fear it either” Blinky looked at Barbara.

“I really appreciate that, Mr. Blinky” Barbara smiled.

The grass rustled making Jim turn, relaxed as he was sure, the worst was behind them.

“Claire,” he frowned “I can’t ask you to…”

“You didn’t ask” Claire walked up to him.

“She has enough credits to graduate early” Claire’s mom explained “We’re treating this like some time abroad”

“As long as she comes back soon” Claire’s father frowned, pointing at Jim with his finger as if after all the darkness Jim has seen he could be a danger to him.

Jim laughed, relieved that he could have Claire by his side.

Y/n heard the familiar flutter announcing the changeling’s presence. Strickler flew down with NotEnrique in his arms.

“Good luck, young Atlas” he nodded.

Jim smiled before starting his pilgrimage to New Jersey.

“Wait! Wait for me!” Toby’s screams made everyone stop in their tracks. The boy ran until he got to his best friend's side “Whew!”

“I thought that one was staying with you” Merlin whispered in Y/n’s ear.

“Dunno” Y/n shook her head in confusion.

Toby kneeled down trying to recover his breath “Boy, these goodbyes are tough, you know. Nana wanted me to take Mr. Meow Meow P.I., but he does not travel well” his smile dying when he noticed no one was following his enthusiasm “What?”

“Tobes…”Jim sighed “You have to stay”

“What?! You’re going on a quest. I love quests. We go everywhere together”

Jim grabbed Toby’s shoulder:

“I’m hurt. Claire lost her shadow staff. You are the only one who can protect Arcadia”

“Did you tell everyone that Doux and I are bad at our jobs?” Y/n whispered, a smile cutting across her tired face.

“I think they can realize it for themselves” Merlin chuckled.

“No, Wingman” Aaarrrgghh took a step forward “I help. I stay”

“So, you’re staying with me…and you’re leaving?” Toby cocked his head.

“But we’ll be back. Someday”

“You better” Toby engulfed Jim and Claire into a hug.

“And then, we'll get tacos” Jim said into the hug.

“And enchiladas” Claire added.

Y/n turned to Merlin

“Father”

“Hmmm” Merlin looked down at her daughter.

“I wanted to give you this…before you leave” Y/n pulled an old cell phone from her pants “It’s my backup phone. Jim said he’ll help you to text and call” she smiled at the idea of her father having to text “It’s faster than letters”

Merlin smiled

“Thank you” he picked up the device, unsure how to grab it.

“Be careful they’re weirdly fragile, well nowadays” she shook her head, trying not to enter in a weird rant about phones “I put my number in. When you get a “letter” from me it’ll say Birdie”

“I’ll wait for your letters” Merlin patted Y/n’s head.

“Keep Arcadia safe” Jim said “You’re its only trollhunters now” he got closer and whispered “and keep an eye on Y/n. She wanted to stay here and I think something is going on”

Toby nodded.

“I heard that!” Y/n walked to Toby, jokingly punching his arm.

—

Y/n sat in the quietness of her room and waited for her mother to fall asleep. She slowly opened the window so the rail wouldn’t squeak, she jumped out her room into a small pile of dirt that would soften the blow. A routine that she had done before in a world where Merlin was just a legend and trolls was something you would see on tv.

She walked the destroyed streets of Arcadia. Tonight, not even the moon dared to leave the safety of her house, only Y/n.

She climbed the stairs thinking of one thing: Hisirdoux. Douxie’s apartment was dark like Arcadia’s streets. Y/n took off her jacket and hung it by the door along with Douxie’s coats, she kicked off her shoes and walked to the bedroom in her snoopy socks.

“Hey, kids” She petted the cats cuddling on top of the dresser as she walked to the bed.

Y/n pulled the covers away, sitting on Douxie’s bed. Douxie getting pulled by the movement on the bed, his sleeping mind knowing the routine by heart.

She finally laid down, her lungs breathing normally once her head hit the pillow.

“Hhhm…Y/n?” Douxie's arms surrounded her, pulling closer to him.

“Goodnight, Doux” she turned to him, hugging him back.

“I’m glad you’re alright” he whispered into her head.

“War is over, Doux” she kissed his collarbone “Let’s sleep”

A/n: and that was the last chapter of Trollhunters!! I’ll see you in Wizards!!

The amount of times I read this beast is unholy

remember to leave love letters and death threats!! 💖

Y/n laid in the couch of her house with a transformed Jim on her lap. She whispered a lullaby lost to time as she moved the hair away from his crunch up blue face. From the kitchen, she could hear her mother threatening her father but she ignored the screams, trying to make her lullaby the only sound her brother could hear in his slumber.

“Uuhm…guys he’s waking up” called Claire as soon as Jim started moving.

Jim groaned, taking his hands to his head, quickly standing up when he realized where he was.

“Honey, do you feel okay?” Barbara ran to his side.

Y/n stood up giving Jim space to come to.

“He’s fine” Merlin screamed from the dining room, annoyed with all the fuzz surrounding Jim.

“We’re not asking you” Blinky said.

Barbara grabbed his son’s face, trying to send him some kind of peace through her soft hands.

“I’m fine” Jim grabbed his mother’s arm. Jumping back into the couch, screaming in horror when he saw his hand was no longer pink and made of flesh “Ah! What’s wrong with my hand?” Jim observed his hands, his once rosy, five five finger extremities were now blue, four fingers trollish hands.

“Nothing’s wrong with your hand…It’s just a little…meatier” Claire explained with a smile.

“In a good way” Toby chuckled “It’s like you leveled up”

Aaarrrgghh walked forward, sniffing Jim, shaking his head at the new smell:

“No like. No like Troll Jim” he pulled away.

“My elixir transformed out trollhunter into something not quite human, not quite troll” explained Merlin.

“Like a changeling?” Asked Toby.

“No” Strickler examined Jim’s face as Y/n and Barbara helped him get down from the couch. “Changelings switch from fully troll to fully human. Jim is…neither”

Jim ran to the kitchen, jumping through the table, grabbing the toaster to observe his new appearance in the reflection.

“This isn’t so bad” Toby followed him “You know, after a little haircut, we’ll find you some sunglasses, maybe a good dentist, huh? I know one” he pointed to his teeth “You’ll be right back to normal”

“I’m hideous” Jim kept looking at his reflection, mourning his human face.

“You’re really not” said Claire with a sincere smile on her face.

Y/n pulled back from the scene in the kitchen with a smile on her face, glad for the friends her brother had.

“Hhm. Troll. Jim is troll…like Aaarrrgghh” Aaaarrrgghh laughed, happy at the realization, running laps around the house to release the happiness that his body couldn’t contain.

“Forgive Aaarrrgghh he’s emotional and I'm at lost” Blinky pointed his finger to Merlin “Why would you do this to him?”

“To prepare him for the final battle. He is now capable of feats we never thought possible” Merlin explained.

“Like what?” Jim turned, interested in Merlin’s words.

“Let’s go outside” Y/n grinned imagining the range of Jim’s new abilities.

—

The night was warm. Y/n and Merlin stood with their backs to the warm wind, arms crossed observing an excited Aaarrrgghh prowling a transformed and excited Jim.

“Now then, we don’t know the limits of master Jim’s…or should I say “Troll Jim’s” new form, so let’s try to take this slowly” Blinky warned as he observed Aaarrrgghh and Jim boxing.

“Good one” Aaarrrgghh chuckled after Jim landed a punch “Troll” he punched him back sending him flying back through the fence.

“Are you even listening?” Blinky scolded.

“Sorry” the bigger troll stopped laughing.

“Master Jim” Blinky called into the night.

Jim jumped out from between some bushes

“I didn’t feel a thing!” He ran back, charging at Aaarrrgghh.

“I like new Jim. Troll Jim” Aaarrrgghh got ready to receive the attack

Jim jumped in the air grabbing Aaarrrgghh by the neck, pushing him to the ground. The troll was surprised by the force his friend had but was able to stabilize himself quickly.

“I got you” Aaarrrgghh held Jim in his arms.

Jim easily escaped the bigger troll’s grip.

“Troll Jim strong” observed Aaarrrgghh.

Jim punched Aaarrrgghh in the face without feeling a thing.

“Troll Jim fun” he grunted, slapping Jim’s stomach.

“Half troll, full hunter” Merlin pointed out to Jim and Aaarrrgghh wrestling in the ground “You’re welcome” he pated Blinky’s shoulder before disappearing into the house.

Blinky threw the wizard a dirty look and looked back at the younger sorcerer.

Y/n lifted her shoulders and followed her father into the house. She carefully placed her feet on the ground every time she stepped, afraid that the wood would creak under her weight. She didn’t want to be heard. She had one objective: to find Morgana before her father.

The floor didn’t betray her once but the doorknob squeaked when she tried to open it. Her breath got stuck in her throat. She turned around, her wide eyes finding Strickler’s curious ones.

“Y/n?” Merlin’s voice echoed through the house.

Y/n’s legs started to shake like a childhood nightmare had come to life. She looked up, her mouth open but her voice died on her throat.

“No, Merlin. It’s me” answered Strickler.

Y/n frowned.

“The door is open. I’m closing it” Strickler opened the door giving her the opportunity to leave “I don’t know what happened”

Y/n nodded. She took the opportunity without thinking twice. She ran before Merlin could appear in the living room.

—

Arcadia’s park was almost empty. Y/n stood close to the entrance as she observed the only visitors left: a group of teenagers and an elderly couple watching the scenery.

“You’re late”

Y/n looked around. The owner of the squeaky voice was nowhere to be seen.

“Over here!” Whispered impaciantly.

Y/n looked down at the bush next to her, between the flowers there was a familiar brown mouse. She crouched down, moving the leaves to observe the creature from up close.

“Finally!” He stretched his hands up to the sky.

Y/n frowned. She knew this mouse.

“Alfred?”

“Who else?” He cocked his head.

“I didn’t recognise your voice. You never…mouse up?” She picked him up from the dirt.

“The gates of hell are open. I have to hide”

“You felt it too?”

He nodded.

“Father made Jim into a troll” she confessed.

“Merlin? He’s all in” he played with his tail.

Y/n nodded.

“I want to find Morgana”

“What?” Alfred’s hair stood up “No”

“Maybe if I talk to her…”

“No”

“Let me try…I’m the only one she won’t hurt”

Y/n and Alfred stared at each other. They both knew that the girl was right. That somewhere in all that madness, in all that anger, the wizard had a soft spot for Y/n, for her little sister, for the one she has to protect. They also knew that Morgana still had the hope that, one day, Y/n would betray her father and would join her in her crusade.

“Fine” he whispered, not happy with the idea.

Y/n looked up. The old couple was still looking at the passers by, the teenagers were still talking amongst themselves. No one was watching. She took Al into the deep of the bush and walked a couple of steps back.

“I do not completely approve” he walked out of the bush back in his cat form.

“I know” sighed and started walking.

Alfred jumped to Y/n’s shoulder and said:

“Do you have any idea about where we are going or it’s just vibes?”

“I’m thinking about Morgana and letting her magic take me there” she said, focusing on the thin golden string “Also, vibes? I don’t like that you’re spending too much time with Douxie’s band members” she joked.

“You just described a mix of vibes and magic. Am I wrong?”

Y/n rolled her eyes.

She pulled on the hot string through all Arcadia until she found herself in an all familiar path.

“Trollmarket” she looked down at the canal.

“Let’s get down” Al jumped down from her shoulders.

They started climbing down when Alfred stopped on his tracks “Y/n?” He looked down

“Yeah?” She jumped down to the floor and shook the dirt from his palms.

Before the cat could speak his mind the floor started buzzing quickly escalating into an earthquake that threw Y/n to her knees. Al ran to the wizard’s side and clinged to her jeans.

The earthquake ended as abruptly as it started. The wizard and the familiar shared a look before sharing their suspicion.

“Morgana”

They both started walking to the entrance to trollmarket when a familiar clanking of an armor made Y/n stop.

“Father?” She frowned when she saw Merlin with his ear glued to the ground “What are you doing?”

“Looking” he mumbled as he walked to a wall and smelled.

“Insane” whispered Alfred.

Y/n bitted her lip and looked at the pink sky trying not to laugh.

“Do you need help?” She asked, hoping he wouldn’t ask why they were there.

Merlin kept walking around in circles, his mind lost in thought.

“You! It’s all your fault” Claire appeared in front of the older wizard in a fit of rage, her shadow staff pointing to his throat.

“What’s going on?” Y/n took a step forward while her father wouldn’t move, his hands resting on his hips.

“Jim vanished. Now my shadow staff can’t find him” Claire screamed without turning his gaze from the older wizard.

Y/n sighed.

“Mmh” Merlin scratched his beard.

“Are you even listening to me?” Claire insisted, shaking her staff.

“You can’t find Jim because there is no Jim. At least not the one you knew” Merlin grabbed the point of the shadow staff and inspected it up close.

“Listen up, puzzlemaster…” Toby screamed, losing control of his bike.

“I’m sorry, Claire…” Y/n started.

“I don’t know what you did to him” Toby regained control and rode up to them “but when this is all over, you’re turning him back” he pointed to Merlin with a nuggat nummie.

“Back?” Merlin grabbed the sweet from the teen’s hand “there’s no “back” he took a bite “It’s permanent” he walked away leaving them with the heavy knowledge.

“What?” Y/n’s voice was softer than she expected.

Merlin looked back at the frown on her daughter's face. Confusion and hurt merging together, he hasn’t seen such discomfort since the day Morgana was declared enemy of Camelot.

“You can’t leave it like this” she said. Half a plea, half a demand “He’s my brother”

In a lot of ways, Y/n was still the girl that grew up too fast. The prodigy of Camelot. The daughter of the greatest wizard to ever exist. The girl that Camelot had clawed her open and forced to be women with no time to be a child. But time away from eyes that need too much and give too little has made her grow. Grow stronger. Grow tired. In Arcadia, she could occupy space without having to kneel.

“He’s half troll, half brother”

Y/n had to consciously keep away her nails from impale her palms. She looked at the sky once more and among the clouds imagined herself in another universe.

“Look down” Al pulled her pants.

Y/n sighed, lowering her head to see her father kneeling down on the floor.

“What are you doing?” She frowned, no humor in her voice.

“Mm yes, yes” Merlin licked the floor.

“Gross! What’s your deal, dude?” Complained Toby “You trolled Jim. You lick cement”

“Amazing” Al couldn’t believe what he was seeing, he wished Archie were here to share this moment.

“Are there any other secrets you’re keeping from us?” Toby continued.

“Oh, plenty” Merlin licked the floor again.

“You can always assume he is hiding something from you” Y/n added, arms crossed.

“Tell us” said Claire.

“But then they wouldn’t be secrets” Merlin stood up, half a smile on his face.

“But then they wouldn’t be secrets” Y/n quietly mocked at the same time the wizard spoke.

Al giggled at the boldness of her friend. He had heard Y/n asked her father to let her in once too many times and he had heard as many times the door closing.

The ground started shaking again. Al jumped to the safety of Y/n’s arms. Toby hugged Claire for stability and comfort. The shaking stopped even faster than the last one, worrying the older wizards.

“Are those quakes coming from Trollmarket?” Claire asked, looking down in worry for the place she once knew.

Y/n and Al shared a look.

“Worse. Morgana” Merlin turned to Claire “We need to find the Trollhunter”

—

Y/n ran through Arcadia to the rooftop of the school when she got Toby’s call. She followed the voices until she saw her brother surrounded by the people he loved.

“I can’t live in your world anymore. I can’t be in the daylight” he cried, walking backwards to the edge of the building “I can’t eat dinner”

“Who cares about all that stuff” Y/n said out of breath “Your essence hasn’t changed. Your soul hasn’t changed”

He kept backing away from the world he once knew.

“Let us help you” Barbara reached out but Jim pulled back, he kept walking until he reached the edge of the building.

“Master Jim” Blinky appeared out of thin air.

“Ah!” Jim screamed in terror.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?” He stepped out of Aaarrrgghh’s hand and walked forward making Jim walk away from the edge, back to his friends “There seems to be something different about you. Why, with a few more eyes and arms we could be related” he gave him a friendly punch in the arm.

“Troll brother!” Aaarrrgghh tried to reach the top of the building.

Jim chuckled.

“What am I Blinky?” He asked, seriousness returning to his face.

“When I gaze upon you, do you know what I see?”

He shook his head.

“I see a champion. A friend. A son. A magnificent son” Blinky took him by the shoulders and hugged him

“I’m scared” Jim said into the hug.

“Goodness gracious, who isn’t?”

Claire and Toby ran to hug his friend and Y/n closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, thankful that Jim was able to find a center in his new form as quickly as he did. A slow clap made her open her eyes.

“Splendid” Merlin said “Team trollhunter is back together. I knew you would figure it out”

Y/n rolled her eyes.

“Ah. This has been rather heartwarming,” he continued.

“Why don’t we treat it as such?” Y/n put her hand on her father’s shoulder making him turned to her

“Unless you plan to hug Gunmar to death…”

Jim rolled his eyes.

Merlin turned back to the trio:

“I advise we make ready because, as you say these days, “the fight is on”

“We didn’t practice this” Y/n sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

A/n:*Douxie will return in the next chapter*

aaaah we are so close to the end of trollhunters!! Are you excited for wizards?!! 🕺

I’ll see you next week!!

remember to leave love letters and death threats!! 💖

And listen to the bonus track don’t make me mad🔪Charly Garcia is one the best musicians in the world