Chapter Text
Jim could only watch in horror as Skrael's titan stabbed an icy arm through Nari's titan.
"NO!" Douxie yelled out.
From their spot on the cliff edge, everyone watched as Nari's titan raised a leg and stabbed Skrael's titan in return. Two screams echoed through the valley, the higher-pitched of Nari's, and the lower of Skrael's, as the titans starting crumbling.
Douxie screamed out again, and almost ran off the edge in an attempt to reach Nari, the little goddess who had become like a sister to him, only saved by Jim grabbing his arm.
Douxie turned and buried his face in Jim's shoulder, clinging onto him tightly. Jim hugged his friend back, not knowing what else he could do to comfort Douxie.
As Douxie sobbed into Jim's shoulder, Toby pointed something out.
"Hey, what's that?"
Douxie pulled away from the Trollhunter as everyone turned away to look at what Toby was pointing at.
There were two orbs of light floating up from where both the destroyed titans were, one green like the magic of Nari, and one white like the magic of Skrael.
Everyone watched confusedly, and the two orbs eventually stopped floating upwards, and instead towards eachother. Green and white combined into a larger orb, both colours flashing throughout, like a marbled effect. Then, the larger and combined orb started flying towards the group on the cliff edge.
"Uhh, why's it coming towards us?" Jim asked, "Doux? You know what that is?"
"Not a clue I'm afraid," Douxie replied, just as confused as everyone else, voice still shaking.
The marbled orb eventually reached the group, and settled over Jim's head.
"What's it doing? Why's it over my head?!" Jim started to panic, very confused by the orb being over him. He took a step back, trying to get away from the unknown magic, but the orb simply followed him. It didn't seem to want to do anything other than float over Jim.
"I don't think it's dangerous? It's just following you around." Douxie's voice seemed steadier.
"Well I would like to know what it is and also get it off of my head!"
"We can worry about it later," Douxie said, turning back to the destroyed titans. "Nari.. she did it. She stopped the titans from uniting..."
Krel's voice suddenly came through a communicator. "Apparently the Fire Titan did not get the memo."
"What?"
"Seklos and Gaylen," Aja said, "The Fire Titan is still marching towards Arcadia."
"No...." Douxie spoke, voice barely a whisper.
"But why? The three can no longer unite. Blinky, are you sure you read the grimoire right?" Jim turned to the troll.
"Of course I am!" Blinky flicked through until he reached the page about the titans. "'When the three unite, Earth will be reborn, back to the age of first creation.' You see?" He read out what was written and flipped to the next page to continue, until Jim reached over and slowly pulled apart the page that had been stuck together.
Blinky gasped.
"'But if only one succeeds-'" Douxie started.
"'That will be the element from which the world will be reborn.'" Blinky continued.
"You forgot to turn the page?!" Toby spat angrily.
"It was stuck and moldy!" Blinky defended.
"And you didn't notice?! You have six eyes!"
"The world was ending, I was rushed!"
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Jim sobbed, hugging his best friend against himself, not wanting to believe it. Not wanting it to be real. He couldn't live without Toby, how could he? Toby had been with him for everything. It was the two of us at the start, it'll be the two of us at the end.
Aaarrrgghh yelled out, and threw the car closest to him, Blinky rushed over to calm him down, only for Aaarrrgghh to grab the Krohnisfere and throw that aswell. The object cracked as it hit the ground, and rolled to where Jim had stood up.
"There's another orb," Aja pointed as she spoke, pulling Jim's attention away from the Krohnisfere.
Everyone looked up, and there was indeed another orb, this one red.
Once more it floated towards the group, and merged with the orb floating above Jim's head.
The orb now showed three colours, white, red and green. It glowed brighter, and then floated down towards Jim, seemingly being absorbed by him.
"What was that...?" Jim's voice cracked.
The only answer was silence, no one knowing what it could be.
The green light of the cracked Krohnisfere attracted Jim's attention once more, and he turned towards it.
"Krohnisfere will make right," Jim mumbled to himself. Having realized something, Jim raised Excalibur and brought it down upon the sphere. There was a pulse of green light, and everyone flinched.
Jim pulled his arm away from his face, and his eyes widened at the small green stone that floated out of the broken Krohnisfere.
"The time stone," Blinky gasped.
"What if it wasn't the Titans this was meant to make right?"
"What do you mean?" Claire questioned.
"'Time unfolds differently, like a flower.'" Jim quoted.
"'Only the Trollhunter will know,'" Claire spoke, having realizing what Jim had.
"Know what?" Krel asked.
"What really happened. 'Time unfolds differently.' If I go back, things will happen differently," Jim stated as he turned to the group.
"And maybe it'll be worse," Douxie warned, "we barely saved the world this time."
"But at the cost of so many we hold dear. Nomura, Nari, Strickler. Tobias." Blinky's voice cracked at the last name.
"But, if things happen differently, Jim can save them all," Aja added.
There was silence as Jim looked down at the amulet. His amulet. "'For the good of all.' No matter what happens, if it's meant to be, it will be."
"Master Jim, if you do this," Blinky started, walking up to Jim, "you alone will be burdened by what could have been."
"Shouldering burdens is what heroes do. You taught me that."
Blinky placed two of his hands upon his pupil's shoulders. "I have cherished every moment with you." One hand reached up to stroke Jim's head, Jim leaning in to the touch. "In these few years, you have grown into a man. A man of courage, wisdom, and honour. I could not be prouder of you, if you were my own son." Blinky's voice cracked at the last phrase, and pulled Jim into a hug. He sighed and pulled back as he walked away. "I will see you again, James Lake Jr. Somewhere, sometime, our story will continue."
"And if we are meant to meet, our stars will align." Aja said, grabbing onto her brother's and boyfriend's hands.
"We believe that," Krel added with a sad smile, placing a hand on Douxie's shoulder.
Claire stared at the ground sadly, before looking up at Jim. He nodded, and she ran over to him, the two embracing.
"Whatever happens, don't give up on me. Don't stop trying until I love you." Claire sobbed.
"If we're meant to be, I will always be here," he placed a hand on Claire's temple, "and here." and then moved his hand down over her heart.
Their lips met in a sad goodbye, Jim knowing it would be a long time before he could kiss her again. They let go of eachother, and slowly pulled theirs hands apart.
Jim pulled the time stone towards his amulet, the back of which opened and absorbed the time stone. The amulet lifted up and spun, before placing itself over Jim's heart. Jim's feet lifted off the ground, the armour slowly formed itself around him, before attaching itself to him.
"Whatever happens next, I'll make sure this isn't goodbye. I promise."
Then, there was a flash of light as the world evaporated.