Daylight is Mine to Protect

Change

I sit in the cage for what feels like days but is probably only a few hours. My stomach makes the occasional grumble of protest, but I've gone enough days without food to not notice it much. 

It's lonely. I thought I wouldn't mind, but I do. There are no other trolls contained in the numerous cages, and no one stops by to see me. 

I try training, but my shackles prevent me from doing much, so I soon stop. I try getting off the shackles, but I can't even see what they're made of, let alone look for weak points. 

Whatever I do, it all comes back to me being alone with my thoughts. 

I feel nothing for those trolls. Does that make me a monster?

I freed Morgana. She is more powerful than I thought possible. Especially compared to Merlin.

I hope Blinkus and Aaaarrrgghh are okay. Surely the Trollhunter has helped them by now... right?

Do they think I betrayed them? I mean, Merlin told me to free Morgana. But, I get the feeling he'll think I still messed up somehow.

Are Isha and Liazare the only changelings that responded to Morgana's call? Maybe there's hope after all.

What are those rumbles? I sure hope they aren't something too bad.

Who were those people at the Battle of the Bands? They don't seem to be working for Morgana, but it can't be a coincidence that they were at the Battle of the Bands at the same time. One of Gunmar's maybe? I shiver at the thought.

It takes me a bit to notice, but there is something calling to me. It's a distant tugging, trying to warn me of something. 

I try to listen, but it's not exactly something you can hear. In fact, it's like nothing I've experienced before.

With a start, I realize my armor has materialized onto me. I try to unsummon it, but nothing I do works. 

Panic comes quickly. I try prying it off me with my staff, but, for leather, it is surprisingly tough. Even worse, it seems to be constricting around me as time goes on.

Then, a jolt. It feels like I'm falling through water. Drowning. I open my mouth for air, but nothing comes in or out. Darkness closes in, making the world seem like a light above water, steadily closing as I fall deeper into the liquid. I try to make my way out-- to swim for the surface-- but the weight of my cloak is holding me down, dragging me into the depths.

But still I fight. I kick and grasp and fight and scream a scream with no sound as the light that is reality fades away: I have only succeeded in slowing my descent into darkness.

I will not go down like this. I won't, I won't. I rip and tear at the leather binding me to the sea. Scratches appear where none were before. The spot where the Trollhunter's amulet had once been glows purple than grey than purple. Feeling invigorated, I try harder. I put everything I have into surviving.

The Protector's cloak seems to be warring against me as I try to force it off of me. Flashes of purple and green light shoot off of it, searing me every time one touches my skin.

Then, it goes grey for the final time.

I crow at my success and look up, intending to swim back to the surface. But, the light of reality is gone. I am stuck in an endless abyss with nothing but my own sanity.

*      *      *

I wake up. I am outside my cage. I don't remember how I got here. Nothing about the cage is disturbed. It's like I just teleported.