Chapter Text
"And if we're meant to be, I will always be here... and here" Jim lifted his hand to hold Claire's cheek one last time. She looked at him and smiled, her eyes bright with tears as he walked away.
He placed the Time Stone into the compartment behind the amulet, it snapped closed and lifted into the air, flying orbs of blue light encircling him, armour forming around his body and pulling him towards the sky.
"What ever happens next... I will make sure this isn't good-bye" His friends stared at him, their eyes wet with tears trying to escape. His girlfriend... Claire, smiled at him, nodding her head in a 'Yes'.
"I promise..." Jim closed his eyes, letting light envelop his world...friends and family.
. . . . .
'Good morning, Arcadia Oaks. It's 4:30 am. If you're still in bed, you are missing the most beautiful sunrise, clear skies, and a beautiful day ahead and Big News'
. . . . .
"Yield Kanjigar" Bular growled expecting surender from his father's enemy. The Troll Hunter.
"A Troll Hunter never yields, I'd rather die" Kanjigar leaned against his sword, pushing himself up.
"Terms accepted" Bular launched into the sky, bringing his full force down onto the concrete that cracked under his weight and size. Punching as Kanjigar dodged his attacks (barely). For his size, Bular's speed is unmatched as he launched at the Troll hunter again. He was thrown into the sky when he made contact with Kanjigars sword, pushed into the concrete and sliding against the ground.
"Your turn Bular, yield" The troll pointed his sword in Bular's face. His armour started to smoke and a blue glow covered his shoulder. The sun was already rising.
Kanjigar was kicked into the air, the sword of daylight just out of reach, covered by the sun. The blue amulet turned grey. "There is nowhere left to run, Troll Hunter. Give me the amulet"
Kanjigar watched as Bular walked towards him, his arms swinging from the force of each step. He ran towards the framework of the bridge that crossed over the canal, climbing each pillar, Bular close behind him. They jumped from beam to beam, trying to land hits on each other. Kanjigar dove under the bridge, hanging to the metal framework until the troll was thrown to edge of the bridge.
"It all ends here. It's me or the sun. Either way, you're doomed" Bular held his arm, still burning after being pushed into sun.
"No, the amulet will find a champion. We will stop you and your master. I may end, but the fight will not" Kanjigar crossed his arms over his chest and fell towards the sun.
. . . . .
beep beep
Jim's alarm clock rang, it was 6:00 am. He pulled the Motor + Pedal magazine off his face and jumped out of bed. Late again this week. He flew down the stairs and started cleaning up the house. Putting books back on the shelf and wiping the table. He smeared some butter on his toast and started typing out a Waffle recipe for his mom. Barbara Lake, who was asleep in her room after a night shift at the clinic. He diced some onions and took out the meat loaf from the oven and made three lunch bags. He put one in the fridge and took some breakfast up to his mom's room. There was a note on the door that read "Late night at work. Sleeping in. -Mom". He sat the food down on the nightstand and took the glasses from his mothers head. Gently wiping the lenses with his shirt and placing it on the nightstand. Jim opened the door that led to the garage. A black and white helmet on his head and a blue bike waiting for him, like it does everyday. He started wearing a helmet more often after he fell down last year and hit his head on the concrete. That was a funny story to explain to his mom, luckily she's a nurse and he only had to wear a band-aid over the massive gash in his forehead. It felt like he cracked his skull open but it was just a flesh wound.
"Raccoons!!" Jim looked at the over turned trash on the floor. His heart and head hurt, like something was missing. Jim felt himself freeze when he looked around. He bent down to the clean up, picking up an empty milk carton and throwing it in the trash can.
"We're late for school, Jimbo." His friend dressed in brown pants, a yellow shirt and a red vest, Toby, tightened his helmet over his head, securing the strap so it fit on his head. He is trying to avoid the same fate his friend went through last year. Steve picked on Jim for a month after the incident.
"Sorry, Tobes. Busy with the lunches." He looked down at his bag. Something felt weird, like he did this before. Deja Vu?? In a dream?? He just brushed it off, worrying about something small like this wasn't worth his time.
"One for me, one for mom and..." before he could even finish his sentence, the lunch was snatched out of his hand. Toby opened the bag and took a deep inhale of the smell.
"Balsamic mushrooms, meatloaf, chunky, sun-dried tomatoes and cardamom. Ooh, taking a chance there, Chef Jim."
He always found it weird how Toby could figure out the ingredients in his food with just one sniff, then again. Toby did grow up with him, Jim enjoyed cooking, so his best friend was introduced to a lot of new food and ingredients besides his Nana's cooking.
"What's life without a little adventure?" Jim put his arm on the bike handles and started to walk. Something was calling to him, in the back of his mind, something told him to take the canals this morning.
"I can't eat this, I'm on a diet" Toby handed the lunch back to Jim. "You've been on...a diet for the last 14 years Tobes...". 'I am pretty sure I said that before' Jim thought to himself. Another case of Deja Vu in the last 5 minutes. That is a new record.
"I know." Toby replied, staring at his friend who was now getting ready to start moving.
"You are 15" Jim started pedaling down the drive way. Wind whipping through his hair, it wasn't a Vespa but it did the job well.
"Long-term goals. My body is still changing." His short and chubby friend slowly pedaled behind him. "I'm right... I'm right.. I'm right behind!! Toby started picking up some speed, riding down the block. He was only a few feet away from Jim who started peddling even faster. Toby's legs were going to fall off before he even got to school.
"IT'S 8:00" Jim made an abrupt turn heading for the dirt road. He looked at Toby struggling to keep up with him.
"WE'RE GOING TO GET SUSPENDED, ON ACCOUNT OF MEATLOAF!!" Toby screamed back, getting suspended because of meatloaf didn't seem to bad but he would rather not have that on his school record. 'Tobias Domzalski, Suspended from Arcadia Oaks High for being tardy, Reason: Meatloaf?' Doesn't sound that good on his record...or does it?
"TAKE THE CANAL TOBES, IT'LL SAVE US 5 MINUTES" Jim screamed out to his friend that was picking up some speed thanks to the downward momentum. He had to find out what was calling him from the canal, even if his friend hated that route, it would save them 5 minutes. They turned onto the dirt path between some houses.
"NOT. THE. CANAL!" Toby stammered behind him, he really hated the canal... really, really hated it. He would burn it down if possible. Still wouldn't stop Jim from taking it.
"Oh live a little" Jim enjoyed teasing his friend and showing off. He jumped over a rock and flew into the air landing with a sick spin.
"IT'S LIVING I'M WORRIED ABOUT!" He rolled his eyes. 'I have to admit, Jimbo's bike tricks look insane. I would break every bone in my body if I tried that.' Toby stared at his best friend.
"Come on, Tobes. Don't you ever want a little more excitement?"
"Hahah..No. I don't." 'What part of this looks like I want excitement?' Toby looked down and back up in front of him.
Jim jumped over the ledge of the canal and into the air, landing perfectly. Toby on the other hand, used the canal as a see-saw, the momentum took him from one side of the canal to the other, before he landed face first on the ground. Jim stopped and looked around, like something was supposed to happen.
"JAMES. LAKE." A voice echoed through the canals....The voice that called to him in his dream this morning.
"HA! How awesome are we? Awesomeeeee" This voice on the other hand came from his friend that was now on the floor, face planted so deep into the concrete that half his face turned grey.
"Hey. Hey Tobes. Did you hear that voice?" Jim walked towards the pile of rubble...rocks?? Jim wasn't that good at identifying stuff, besides cooking ingredients. This pile of something layed just a few steps from the bridge. Like it was thrown over the edge.
"What voice?" Toby ran towards the rocks. Standing right next to his friend.
"JAMES. LAKE." The voice shouted through the canals, sending both teens flying back. Toby let out a scream, similar to that of a girl.
"THAT! THAT PILE OF ROCKS KNOWS MY NAME!!" Jim stared in shock.
"It's a pile of K-Spar. Minerals don't talk." Toby crossed his arms and looked to the general direction his friend was in.
Toby had this knowledge about minerals and rocks. He could identify any rock just by looking at it. Jim always found it funny when Toby would point of rocks and list facts about the when they were younger. It reminded him about Fishlegs from How to train your dragon who would list out facts about each dragon. Jim even had the main dragon, Toothless, as his laptop wallpaper.
"There's got to be a walkie-talkie in here or something." Toby ignored his friend who was reaching for the rocks.
Drawn to this blue glow coming from the rocks, Jim moved towards it. It hurt his head looking at it, like he was supposed to have whatever was under those rocks. He lifted one of them up to see a weird looking object.
"Huh. It looks like an amulet." Jim didn't take his eyes off it.
"Who's doing this!? Come out now!" Toby still ignoring his friend.
Blue and silver with arms like a clock and a troll-like head at the top. This weird engraving that looked like another language at the top of this object. Jim lifted it up and stared at it, examining each side until he got to back of the amulet. Small compartments covered it, he pulled at one of the metal pieces and it opened with no problem. A dull green stone was tucked into it. He pulled it out and held it in his hand, hard and cool. Jim put the stone back and closed the compartments...For safe keeping, he would take a look at it later when he wasn't late for school.
"Hello? I'm listening." He lifted it to his ear but nothing happened. Except for the school bell that just rang, scaring them both.
"UGH! FINAL BELL!!"
Jim and Toby ran towards their bikes. "WE'RE SO LATE, OUR KIDS ARE GONNA HAVE DETENTION!!" Toby added, like that was going to make things any better. Jim had an awful headache and now he's going to get into trouble. Can this day get any worse.
"Come on, Tobes. We can still make it." Jim stopped before he got to his bike. Hand still holding his bag.
"Tobes...Do you feel that. I think somethings watching us." He looked around. His eyes drawn to the grate that covered an entrance to the sewers. It didn't feel bad. It actually comforted him, the sensation felt pleasant, like he knew whoever was watching him .
"Jimbo...We really don't have time for this. I need to pass and being late won't help." The teens hopped on their bikes and peddled away.
' . . . . . '
"It chose a human.." Six glowing appeared through the grate. Following them with his eyes.