Golden

Hidden Strengths

The battle was pitched and heated, trolls falling in big numbers on both sides. Jim was stabbing and slashing left and right, barely keeping himself alive while trying to keep tabs on all his friends. Claire was kicking a soldier through a portal, Toby's warhammer slammed through the back of someone's head. Aargh was taking out ten at a time, and Blinky used a broadsword to fend off an immense changeling.

Just as Jim turned to help Blinky, the changeling whipped its tail across Blinky's legs, knocking him flat. The young trollhunter screamed "Blinky, get out of the way!", but it was too late: the changeling raised it's serrated blade above its head and slammed it down directly into-

And stopped, a fraction of an inch from Blinky's chest. In fact, everything stopped. Blinky scrambled away from his would be killer and surveyed the battle ground in shock. Everything was frozen, even the flying sweat and blood of the combatants. It looked like someone had used a kirosect, and yet something felt distinctly wrong. Blinky reached Jim and reached for his shoulder experimentally, but his hand went through the trollhunter. "Wha- what's?" Blinky spluttered. He looked back at the changeling and saw... himself? Yes, it was Blinky's body, still pinned under a jagged blade. Blinky backed away, breathing hard.

Was he dead? But that couldn't be, he had never even felt the blade split his skin. This couldn't be how it worked. Blinky started to hyperventilate, panic making him want to curl into a ball and cry somewhere. A familiar deep voice resonated right behind Blinky, and he jumped. "Blinkous, welcome. I was looking forward to seeing you again, although I didn't realize it would be so soon."

The blue troll gasped. "Vendel? But... you're dead! I am sorry we could never have a proper funeral for you." Vendel waved this off. "My death was not at the most convenient time. We have much to discuss." Blinky's mouth opened and shut a few times as he frantically tried to process. "Am I dead then? And what's all-all- this?!?!" The historian waved his arms around to indicate the frozen panorama around them.

Vendel hesitated, looking unsure. "You are almost dead, in a way." Blinky raised his eyebrows. "I was under the impression that death is a yes or no subject." Shaking his head, Vendel waved his hand, replacing the battle with the familiar walls of his rooms. "Foolish Galadrigal. You brought back Aarghumont, did you not?" Blinky frowned and replied lamely, "That was different. We just reversed the creeper's sun, while I'm about to get run through."

Smiling a little now, Vendel placed a hand on Blinky's shoulder. "Usually you are correct- death is final and irreversible. But in some cases, death can be, in a manner of speaking, cheated." Blinky was still confused, but the fear and shock was starting to fade a little. "So how does this relate to me, exactly?" Vendel sighed waved his hands once more. "I think I should show you, rather than try to explain."

Then they were standing in Vendel's rooms once more, but a different part- his healing ward. "This is my memory of the night you were born." Blinky cringed when a long scream broke the quiet. His ears twitched when an infant's wails started a second later. "Is that me?" The blue troll asked. Vendel shook his head, rumbling, "No, that's Dictatious. Just watch."

The two trolls waited for what felt an eternity. No matter how long it had been, Blinky's straining ears never heard his own first cries. Then, Vendel's tall figure ducked out of the room, carrying something in its arms. The Vendel that had taken Blinky to the memory motioned for the short troll to follow the memory version as he walked slowly to the center of the heartstone, head bowed.

The tiny bundle in memory Vendel's arms was placed in a small niche cut directly into the heartstone, and the older troll bent over it, whispering some sort of chant. Blinky saw the sadness on the other troll's face, and his eyebrows knitted. He looked down at the bundle, seeing it clearly for the first time, and recoiled in surprise.

"I don't understand. What- is that me?" Vendel nodded and Blinky protested, "But it can't be- that child looks...." The scene paused, and ghost Vendell said, "Stillborn? Yes. It happens almost every time with twins, your mother was upset but not surprised. Blinkous, you were born dead. I placed you in the heartstone so that your soul could join those of our ancestors. And then something extraordinary happened."

Their surroundings unpaused, and Blinky watched Vendel wrap the tiny figure in a small blanket and touch its face, then turn to leave. But orange lights began to stream from the heartstone, weaving themselves around the room, concentrating around the dead child. Blinky watched himself be lifted into the air, disappearing in the blinding sphere of light. Memory was pressed against the wall, watching in awe. The glowing orb was slowly lowered, and the older troll caught it in his outstretched arms. The bubble burst, and Blinky could see his baby self open his eyes and yawn- very much alive.

Memory Vendel dashed out of the heartstone, shouting to Blinky's mother, "He's alive! He's alive, it's a miracle!" Ghost Vendel made the memory disappear, and the two trolls were back on the battlefield. Blinky sat down on a shield, unable to believe what he had just witnessed.

Vendel turned away, and Blinky was shocked to see guilt on the elder's face. "Blinkous, I owe you an apology." The six eyed troll frowned and placed two hands on Vendel's arm. "Why would you keep this from me? Six hundred years and I never knew the strangeness of my own birth!"

The old goat closed his eyes. "I made your mother promise not to tell you- I had no idea what had happened, and I knew that this mystery could put you in danger." Vendel paced a few steps before continuing, "You started exhibiting magic when you were two. Then I knew that you could be seen as a weapon- or a threat. I used my own magic to suppress yours." Blinky's eyes widened. "Is that why it's never worked for me? Dictatious and I experimented with it as teenagers, but I could never create so much as a spark." Nodding, Vendel's face fell.

"I should never have taken it from you. I should have let it grow and strengthen with you, so that you could learn to control it, come what may." Blinky shook his head. "I'm not saying that what you did was right- in fact, I'm very angry. But I also understand that you did what you felt you must to protect me. Is there a way to reverse this block?"

Vendel nodded, placing his large fingers along the sides of Blinky's head. "I can do so, if you want." Blinky whispered "Yes" suddenly afraid. "This will give you great power, channeling the soul of the heartstone through you." Blue and green lights started to swirl around the trolls, and Blinky's head suddenly ached. "Remember that I believe in you Blinkous. I believe that the heartstone chose you for a reason, and I know that you are stronger than you think. You are capable of so much..." Tears slid down Blinky's face as Vendel's face vanished, suddenly replaced by the scene of battle.

A scream tore the air, and Claire turned just in time to see an arc of gold light cut across the combat. Ash was tumbling through the air around Blinky, and the troll was glowing. Jim was kept from reaching his mentor by throngs of combatants, but he could see the raw magic flowing from Blinky's hands. He was laughing maniacally, launching balls of golden fire that disintegrated any enemy who dared approach.

Jim finally reached Blinky and had gotten a foot away before Blinky noticed him. "Blinky! How are you doing this?" The blue troll smiled, and Jim saw that the chiseled marks on his skin were shining brightly, much like Aargh's did when he was angry. "I do not believe that this is the time to explain Master Jim!"

---sometime later---

"So... you're a wizard?" Toby asked incredulously, eyes wide. Blinky shrugged, no longer glowing the still conscious of the power waiting at his fingertips. "As good an analogy as any." The battle had ended in victory for the trollhunters, and while the war itself was far from over, Jim felt a lot more positive about their chances now that Blinky had such powerful magic. Claire smiled, fiddling with her shadow staff."I just wish he had told you sooner. Still, I totally get that he wanted to protect you." Blinky created a small fire that danced around on the fingertips of one hand and reflected in his eyes. "Yes, but I haven't been a child for quite some time. Now it's my turn to do some protecting." With this he doused the flames and readied for the fight to come.

*I just had this idea and had to do it :D Let me know if you liked it, and thank you so much for reading!*