Daylight is Mine to Protect

Defender

Those worthy enough for adventure are brave. They are strong and smart and speedy and stubborn. 

Those who actually get adventure have gotten in by chance. A chance that they took the canals instead of the main road. A chance that their parents decided to throw them away. A chance that there was a Heartstone under their town. 

Those lucky enough to survive? Well, that's all it is. Luck. Luck that when gravity came again, there was something to break your fall. Luck that two souls made it back before the others killed you. Luck that a friend was there to save you when the world was against you. 

Luck that a shot of yellow struck your shield and rebounded. Luck that the impossible you were facing wasn't so impossible against their own magic. Luck that they tripped into the abyss and couldn't make their way back out. 

I breathe deeply, heavily. My shield smokes with burnt magic. My hand trembles with the force of keeping it upright. 

I stare at the spot where Morgana and the portal once were. There is nothing now. No sign of the struggles we all endured to force her back where she came.

"Destroy the staff, Toby!" Claire yells, tossing it to him like a hot potato.

"Right behind you!" Toby calls, swinging his hammer down. 

All but a flash of light and the staff is gone. And, with it, any chance Morgana may have of escaping.

"We... did it," Toby realizes. "She's gone."

I don't sense her in my mind anymore. But I keep my shield on my arm in case she would pop back into existance.

"Hey." It's Jim, speaking from behind me. "Thanks for deflecting that magic. I didn't see it until you had blocked it."

"Well, consider it payback for trying to kill you," I say with a grimace. "Though I doubt it makes up for it."

"Since I tried to kill you back, I'm sure we can call it even," Jim replies, grinning. 

"Morgana is gone, Gunmar is dead, and the changelings have been brought to our side." Blinkus smiles, faint tears in his eyes. "I didn't thought I would see the day."

"Speaking of the changelings," Toby notes. "What should we do about them?"

Many of the changelings have started waking up. None of them look too hurt. "I suppose they'll go back to living their lives as humans," Blinkus theorizes. "Changelings have always blended in with the humans. They will have no problem going back."

Like a blade of grass in a hellish landscape, Merlin appears in the swirling torrent clouding the sky. "Morra azuth!" His green energy spreads across the tunnel and into the sky, making it look like green cotton candy.

"Oh," Blinkus remarks. "Now he shows up." I roll my eyes in agreement. 

The sun breaks through the clouds in thin rays. "We should get you guys to some shade," Claire points out. The three trolls hop over the side of the bridge to hide under it and watch the sun make its way through the clouds.

Merlin floats over to us. "You," he speaks to Jim. "Have made me proud, champion. I am forever in your service." He bows to Jim. He looks over at me. "I assume you will not be stabbing me in the back anytime soon?"

I chuckle darkly. "If I told you, that would ruin the fun." 

Merlin sighs. "I am truly sorry about what I did to you. I fully anticipated that you might be affected by the Trollhunter's transformation. It was necessary but brutal."

"I don't think I can accept your apology." Merlin's eyes widen. "Maybe one day I will, but what you did to me... it changed me. And, sure, it wasn't all your magic. But your magic's what sent me over the edge. That's not something I can forgive so easily."