Trollhunters Aftermath

Chapter 11 Not Jim

Claire's POV:
(Written by @Kodbro)

It had taken a few tries, but eventually we managed to knock Jim out and tie him up before he could cause any more harm.

What he had said about, Gunmar rising though...

"That's it. I'm calling the Creepslayers," I said.

"W-what?" Toby asked, turning away from unconscious Jim to look at me. "But Claire. We can always call Merlin. He may know more about what's going on with Jim than Steve and Eli do. After all, they are only amateurs."

"We don't have time for Merlin. Plus he doesn't even know how to use a phone. And in case you've forgotten, he was the one who turned your best friend and my boyfriend into a troll. I don't think we can deal with him right now. No. We have to try and solve this problem on our own."

"Or maybe not entirely alone," Strickler suddenly said from behind us. I turned to see him standing next to Barbara.

"Walt, what are you thinking? Is Jim okay?" Barbara asked.

"Yeah. I can cope with Troll Jim. But please don't tell me that he is turning into anything else," Toby said.

"If anything, it's actually quiet the opposite," Strickler said.

"And here I thought Merlin was the one who never made sense," Toby mumbled.

I watched as Strickler walked forward to Jim who was now lying on the couch with his head hanging down and his eyes closed. "Grave Sand," Strickler announced. "When I gave some of it to Jim the first time, it took away his humanity... changed his voice even. But now that he's a troll, who knows what it has done to him. He is still Jim. But not quiet Jim."

"Walt, what are you saying?" Barbara asked, concerned. I could tell how worried she was.

"Back when I was training him, I used the Grave Sand to unlock the Darkness within him."

"Darkness?" I asked. "What Darkness?" So far I didn't like the sound of this Darkness.

"No time. What does matter right now is getting to Jim emotionally. Jim," he said directly to Jim then. "If you can hear me, listen. I know what you're going through. I know I tried to teach you to embrace the Darkness before you defeated Gunmar. But you're stronger than that. I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt Toby. And I know you care greatly for Claire. And what about your mother? Does she deserve any of this? You were always my favourite student, Young Atlas."

I was impressed at Strickler's choice of words. They were very persuasive.

Just as we began to lose hope, a slight moan came from Jim and he lifted up his head. "W-what happened?" He asked. Then, "Strickler? What's going on? How did I get here?"

"Jim?" I asked unsurely. He looked at me. Happy, but confused. I gasped out of joy at his return. "Jim!" I said before flinging my arms around him.

"Claire," he said.

"And they're having a moment," Toby said just as the doorbell rang.

"I will get that," Barbara said. She disappeared and then it was just us three again.

"Jimbo! We thought you were a goner," Toby teased.

"Not until you hear what we have to say," another voice suddenly said. We turned to see Eli and Steve staring back at us.

"Steve?" Jim asked. He smiled.

"Hey Butsnack," Steve said.

"But before we do maybe you can all fill us in with a few thousand more questions," Eli said.