The Shadow's Bane

Always Be Afraid

Jim's POV:

So that's how I had ended up in Berk. Still not sure myself who had knocked me out back in Arcadia, I became frightened when I woke up in foreign territory.

The first rule of being a Trollhunter. Always be afraid.

I know. I know. Ever since I had been trained by Blinky my first reaction on acting out on anything was fear. Thus, me running away from Hiccup's place as soon as his mom walked in simply because I wasn't ready to be seen myself in front of his people.

Because of my hasty decision, I got an arrow in my arm after being captured by a coupled of skilled vikings who were currently on night patrol also searching what I soon came to learn as the red blur.

Also known as my evil self. Something that I knew I had to tell Hiccup about, but was just too afraid too.

Now here I was, sitting back in Hiccup's bed with not just him and Toothless keeping watch over me. But another woman as well. A woman that resembled Hiccup a lot through her long braided brown hair and kind eyes.

"And after all this time, Gobber was right," the woman, Valka said in awe. Unable to look away from me for some reason.

Then again, I was a troll, so to speak. Half troll, some may argue. But since I still burned in the sun, I begged to differ.

Just because I bled red and had five fingers on my left hand, didn't make me any different from Blinky or AAARRRGGHH!!!. If anything, it only made me closer to them.

I groaned as Hiccup pulled the arrow out from under my arm from where it had pierced me. "We need Gothi. And the antidote. Mom, can you get Gobber too please? He can translate Gothi for us," I heard Hiccup say in my dazed state.

"But Hiccup. Who is he? How do you know if this half breed isn't the red blur that we have been searching for these past weeks itself-"

"For the last time. He isn't an it. He is my friend. And his name is Jim," he suddenly snapped. "I'm sorry," he said. "But Jim is hurt. And I need to help him so that he can help us."

"I will get Gothi and Gobber then," Valka said before leaving the room.

Once she had left and it was just us again, Toothless appeared next to Hiccup who I managed to give a weak smile at. "You... didn't tell her about us," I said, only just managing to speak. Because the more I moved, the faster I could feel the poison spread.

Hiccup smiled. And Toothless made that weird, but friendly growl of his again. "They're not ready to know," was all he said.

Then before I could say anything, Toothless nuzzled his nose under my arm and looked up at me with those big green and mesmerising eyes of his that made me stare back at him for a while. I laughed and so did Hiccup when I used the remaining strength I had left to pat Toothless on the head with my right hand.

"Hey Toothless. It's good to see you again too," I said.

"He missed you," Hiccup said, also smiling. Which was when I also remembered the real reason that I might have been sent here for.

"Hiccup?" I asked. My face instantly fell which he noticed. "If I am to stay and help you find this red blur, there's something that I need to tell you then. Something about me that might help us put a stop to this red blur."

Those words got him interested. "What is it?" He asked.

I sighed. Then winced as the poison rose up slightly.

"First thing you should know, you're not the only one searching for this so called red blur. Back in Arcadia, my friends and I are also searching for it. And at one point, I almost had him," I explained.

"Him?" Hiccup asked. "Jim. What do you mean by him?"

So I told him about the Deep and what I had told Strickler that day before he left to go back to Berk. It was a struggle, but eventually I managed to get everything out. "...And when I finally did manage to see him for the first time... it was me, Hiccup. It was myself from the Deep. Now I don't know myself how he got out for sure. At first, all he was was my biggest fear. I had no idea that this was going to happen after Gunmar and his brother. You have to believe me, Hiccup," I said.

It wasn't like he didn't process my words before he spoke. If anything, he spent more time thinking of what I had just told him than talking.

"Don't worry," he said. "I believe you. And now that you're here, we will stop that red blur. Together Jim." His words made me smile and forget about the poison for a second.

"If I live that long to see it," I said which made Hiccup pull out the sides of his messy brown hair out of forgetfulness.

"Oh dragons breath. How could I have forgotten. My mom should be back by now with Gothi. The antidote-"

As if on cue, the door suddenly opened and in walked Valka with an old lady and large viking behind him. It was his prosthetic hand and leg that made me feel not as bad about my own troll form anymore. Not to mention that Hiccup also still had his prosthetic foot.

"Mom, did you get it?" Hiccup asked. As for Gobber and Gothi, they could not stop staring at me until Gobber gave out a cry of delight at my appearance.

"I knew it! I knew it! So trolls do exist. Now I just need to know. Why the left socks, Troll? For all you know, you could be the red blur yourself-"

"Gobber, meet Jim. My friend. Mom?" I asked again.

"I've got it, Hiccup," she said.

Then before I could say anything, Gothi came over to me with a bowl of green liquid that reminded me very much of the green liquid that Merlin had given to me and held it out to me with a not so amused look on her frail face.

For a moment I was confused. Then I understood. I looked at Hiccup. "I'm not drinking that," I said.

Out of frustration, Gothi banged her stick on the ground before going over to the fireplace to draw lines in the ash. "She's says... you will if you want to live, you stubborn... brute?" Gobber looked up at me at that last word. Frustrated, Gothi slapped him with her stick. "Sorry. I meant... troll."

We all looked at him. "Her words. Not mine." She slapped him again.

"Okay. Fine. I will drink it," I said. Then accepted the bowl and downed the fowl liquid. Instantly I started to feel better. "Thank you, Gothi," I said which she smiled at. And then drew some more.

"She says, you're welcome. Anything for our... Trollhunter?" Gobber looked up at me at that. I couldn't say that I wasn't surprised myself.

"How did you...?" I asked.

"Your amulet," Gobber translated.

"What about it?" Valka asked.

Gobber looked down as Gothi drew some more. "Keep Jim safe. For he is the only one... on Berk who can catch this red... blur. Don't underestimate the Trollhunter."

"Hiccup?" Valka then asked. "Is there anything that you would like to tell us?"