Jim's pov
I groan as i wake up from a familiar nightmare. The final moments of the previous timeline. But this time, Merlin stands there, holding the Khronosphere.
"I'll see you soon Trollhunter." And the Khronosphere changes into the Akiridion Amulet. Then i woke up.... the burden of all of this. I sigh as i get dressed, realizing something felt weird, i feel strange.
I stand and i walk to the bathroom.
Looking in the mirror i spot nothing. Then a knock resounds at the bathroom door. I jump and i see Percy.
"You ok? Cause we got a visitor who claims to be Merlin. He straight up knew who i was, and wants to speak with you."
"Merlin?! What the heck is he doing here so early?"
"Downstairs. Let me know if i need to test Riptide on him."
"Wouldn't be suprised if it works. He's a few centuries old." Percy chuckles as i head downstairs to see the old man in green armor, holding his staff.
"Ah, that Demigod is a man of his word then. We will go over the reasons why you rewound time so far back. I need you to know that i didn't pull Percy and his love into this for any old reason."
"You pulled Annabeth in too? Oh percy's so going to kill you if you tell him directly. Where is she?"
"Oh the Darklands." Merlin says casually, sitting on one of the dining room chairs.
"WHAT?! WHY'S SHE IN THERE?"
"I didn't have full command of the teleport. I was lucky i got Percy here."
"Oh for the love of- has she been found?"
"I wish i knew. But i think you know what you have to do. You have to tell your friends the truth of the past. Soon."
"Why? This is supposed to be mine to bear!"
"Because like it or not, Claire's magic is loosing it's hold on you, slower then I thought. But it is beggining to fade. You will start turning back to your troll form quickly after it grows weak."
I groan, sitting down. My head sits in my hands.
"Ok. But no one's gonna believe me besides Percy. Toby's not ready to face gunmar. I'll have to train him up quickly. Plus i'll have to convert strikler so we can keep an eye on the bridge."
"Your demigod friend can help on that. Oh and you'll need this. To prove your story."
He sets down a very familliar amulet.
"My amulet from the alternate timeline." I smile as i take it, memories flowing through my mind.
"Thanks Merlin. I'll try to do what i can. But you better hurry. Strikler's going to be dropping by to pick up my mom for some coffee."
"With that, i will indeed take my leave." He waves his staff and dissapears.
I sigh and i go up to Percy.
"We need to talk after i wake up my mom."
Percy nods and heads downstairs. I'm so dead if his sword didn't pass through me... for now. I'd have to talk to him about that.
I gently shake my mom awake.
"Strickler will be here soon. Time to get up."
Mom groans as she perks up.
"Thanks for waking me Jim." I nod and head out and i shut my door as Percy sits up.
"So what did merlin say?"
"Besides a warning that i'm turning back into a troll? He told me where Annabeth might be."
"Why are you so careful of your words now."
I sigh, he could see right through me."She's in a place called the Darklands, i managed to survive there for a couple months before i got caught. If she's as clever as you say, i doubt the Gumm-Gumm's will find her. Much less thier leader Gunmar."
Percy uncaps Riptide.
"How do we get her out?"
I sigh,"it will be a rough road, but it starts with me telling Claire and Toby about My timeline. My old life."
Percy sighs,"and what else?"
"Getting strickler on our side. Shouldn't be too hard since he's dating mom, and he even asked me permission if he could. I said i'd trust him no matter what he was, it's actions that count. He makes mom happy. I'll live with that choice."
Percy chuckles."sappy, but a good way to lead into things if he does show himself."
"We'd have to get him. I wouldn't be suprised if he's sussed you out as a demigod. Did you use your powers against Nomura?"
Percy nods."exploded a couple of pipes to make a quick getaway."
I nod.
"Well, i can have claire come here tonight cause mom's got the late shift for a few days." I pull out the amulet.
"But i do need some training under my belt. Think you can help?"
"Are you sure?"
"I'm still mortal, i think your blade will pass through." Percy grabs my hand and puts the tip through a finger, it phases right through.
"Good. Let's go."
I nervously chuckle at percy's slightly maniac grin on his face. I'm gonna get destroyed.
We head out to the backyard and i say,"For the Good of All, Daylight is mine to command." A familiar blue glow surrounds me and the armor and sword form, Excalliber dropping into my hand.
"Is that the sword i think it is?"
"It's Excalliber, sword of legend."
Percy chuckles."let's see how the blades of legends hold up."
"Yours is a legend blade?"
Percy nods."i'll explain some other time, we're here to train, not storyshare"
Percy puts the cap into his pocket and dashes forward, i slash upward quickly to block his direct charge.
That started a terrifying dance as percy pushes me hard, testing my skills, and even disarming me a few times.
"Ok, teach me that disarming trick." I said after the 6th time he used it to send excalliber across the backyard.
Percy chuckles."figured you'd ask eventually."
"Well Gunmar wields a very deadly blade he can summon at will. And it's the blade you really don't want to be touched by."
"What does it do?"
"Makes you a controlled drone essentially."
Percy shrugs,"yeah, no, explains it all. I'd be disarming the guy ten times a minute. Follow my movements, it's actually a really easy move once you get the hang of it."
He guides me through the motions, then tells me to use it on him. I do my best, and i barely manage to get riptide to fall out of his hand.
"Maybe it's a bit harder with a bigger sword?" Percy laments as he pulls out Riptide after it dissapears.
We continue the sparring till the Afternoon. Then toby hears us sparring and percy hits the amulet's edge to make it pop out, and i catch it as he stands with the blade phased through my shoulder.
Toby comes out.
"What's going on? Why's there a sliced apart branch?"
Percy lets Riptide fall."teaching Jim some basics, you a good fighter Toby?"
He shrugs,"i'm not half bad, but i barely held off those goblins yesterday."
Percy raises Riptide,"then lets battle"