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Camelot's last floating tower fell out of the sky, slamming down on Morgana's dying body and King Arthur's corrupted form, crushing both the Green Knight into rubble and the Pale Lady into a bloody pulp. It hit the ground with a thud that shook the ground like an earthquake, making everything tremble violently.
A shockwave of yellow magic shot out, cutting through the air as it swept over all those still gathered in the wooded clearing.
Jim's massive full blooded troll form, having been flickering back and forth from having the toxic yellow glow of the Arcane Order's power controlling his mind lighting up in lines across his stone flesh and the bright electric lilac purple of Claire's magic trying to override it, went from holding his girlfriend up by the neck to curling his body protectively over her.
Claire gasped softly, the magic washing over her making her hair stand on end and her skin tingle all over. It held the threat of far worse things in it but Jim's body was between her and it. His breath was hot on her neck, body shuddering on top of her in silent distress for a moment before going silent.
As the yellow light faded, Claire pulled herself free of the suddenly limp hands and scrambled to her feet. She turned to face the hulking figure anxiously as she backed away and out of reach, a horrified gasp escaping her as his head slumped bonelessly down onto his arms. She breathed heavily, chestplate of her armor heaving with each gasping, shuddering breath. He'd – he'd shielded her. At the last, he'd wrapped himself around her to protect her from the magical shockwave. Now . . he – he was so still. Her magic glowed on his form still, bright purple having replaced harsh yellow. Had she killed him in her effort to break the hold on his mind?
The large troll lifted his head with a groan and she couldn't help but flinch back at the unearthly purple-white glow of his eyes. He shook his head, the spiked strands of his mane shaking in response to the movement but he did not make any move to continue the attack. He seemed confused, focused internally. A shudder went through the large frame and the purple lights slowly faded from the lines carved into stone flesh. The unnatural glow disappeared from his eyes which widened as they met her gaze. They were blue. His eyes were blue. Claire thought her heart was going to burst from joy and relief. That was Jim staring back at her. Jim was free from the Arcane Order's influence. Jim was ok!
Claire pressed a hand to her mouth, body jerking from the force of the sob that escaped her, her vision blurred around the edges from the sudden wave of tears that filled her eyes. She never thought she'd get this again. She had been so afraid that, if she looked at him, she'd never see him looking back at her again.
“Claire.” Jim breathed in a mix of wonder and surprise, voice a deep rumple but unmistakably his own.
“There you are.” Claire smiled at him through her tears, so happy she felt like she was fit to burst.
Jim returned her smile and pushed himself up. Bright blue light suddenly flared out from the right side of his chest, from were the Amulet of Daylight had once been embedded. He froze, letting out a little breathless gasp of pain and surprise, and looked down at it, baffled. The light suddenly shot across his chest and he reared back in shook. A look of horror spread over his face understanding struck him. Where the light had passed over it, the blue skin of his chest had been replaced by all to terribly familiar gray stone. He knew what that meant. He had seen the same thing happen to AAARRRGGHH!!! and far too many others.
The others recognized it too.
“Jim!” Toby cried out in horror from behind him and burst in a run towards his best friend.
“No!” Claire exclaimed, choking on a sob. “Jim!” She shot forward, rushing to him. This couldn't be happening! It couldn't be happening! She'd just gotten him back!
“Claire!” Jim cried out in fear and reached out one large hand towards her. Whether in a silent, desperate last minute plea for help or out of the need for the comfort of a last bit of physical contact would never be known.
The rough gray stone consumed him completely with a crackle and a final flare of bright blue light half a second before Claire reached him.
“Jim!” She jerked to a halt before she could collide with him, drawing herself up short with such a suddenness her boots slid slightly on the grass. She let out a horrified gasp as she stared up at his frozen features, fixed into a look of fear, mouth still open from calling her name. “Oh, Jim.” she breathed in horror, reaching up to take his face in her hands with great care. She knew from experience that the gray stone that made up dead trolls bodies was quite fragile compared to that of a living troll's flesh.
She just never imagined such knowledge would apply to Jim.
Jim had turned to stone, for all intents and purposes now no more then a statue.
Jim was dead.
He was gone.
“No.” Claire choked out and she burst into sobs, the dam holding back her tears finally breaking as she collapsed against his chest. “Jim.” The stone under her hands was already cold, rough and a bit gritty to the touch. Troll bodies were not as warm as human ones, not being a warm blooded mammalian race. But had their own sort of warmth, like a rock left out in the sun in winter or a reptile. It was pleasant and comforting in its own way. But no warmth lingered in Jim's body, seeming to have been leeched out of him as quickly as his life had been ripped away.
The stone beneath her fingers was utterly cold and lifeless. Despite how hard they had fought, how hard she had fought to get him back. It had all been for nothing. A pointless struggle. He was gone.
Jim was gone.
“No.” she sobbed brokenly, forehead pressed to his lifeless chest and eyes squeezed tightly shut. “No. No no no. Jim!”
She shouldn't have let them be separated so much in Camelot, she should have found some way to keep close to him. Then maybe she could have had a few more minutes with him. But she had never thought . . . after everything they had gone through, that he had gone through, after all they had survived, the thought of losing him had seemed incomprehensible.
Now she'd never get the chance. She'd never see his smile again. She'd never hear him talk again. Feel his arms around her or hear him laugh or just enjoy being close to him.
He was gone.
Jim was gone.
“Master Jim.” she heard Blinky breath in horror from the the other side of the clearing. AAARRRGGHH!!! let out a low mournful rumble, an inarticulate sound of grief. Someone else began to sob, loud and broken, and she distantly realized it was Toby. Toby who had stayed behind in Arcadia and so had had even less time with Jim recently. Toby whose last experience with Jim before he'd come under the control of a corrupt King Arthur, was his best friend injured and sealed away in crystal. And now Jim was dead. She couldn't imagine what Toby must be feeling. Her own pain was indescribable.
She weakly struck the cold stone chest with a fist as she continued to sob. “No! No. No. Jim!” her fingertips caught onto the markings carved into the dead stone flesh and she clung to it tightly. “Please!” she choked out “Jim, please. Please don't leave me.” Claire sobbed, choking on her tears. She pressed herself closer to the cold stone statue, embracing him to the best of her abilities. “Please,” she whispered, “not like this.” one of her tears tumbled down her check and fell, not on the grass that had already been soaked at her feet, but on one of Jim's cold stone hands. The small drop of water was absorbed into the gray rock. Pale blue light suddenly flared out, a sharp and piercing note filling the air. Claire stumbled back as it spread rapidly over his body, lines of glowing blue splitting and contacting over the gray stone in a shatter pattern as a loud cracking sound filled the air. Clair was seized with sudden horrible understanding. He was breaking!
“NO!” Claire screamed.
Jim's body crumbled to pieces before her eyes, falling apart. The gray stone collapsed into a pile, the broken pieces of his petrified hair rolling against each other as they fell to the ground. Dust and grit billowed out into a thick cloud from the impact.
The cloud slowly faded, the sight of the broken remains becoming clear.
And that of the figure crouched on the grass in the middle of the rubble.
Claire stared at it, uncomprehending for several long seconds. She stared at it – him – looking so very small compared to the troll that had been standing there seconds before. The skinny human frame was curled into a ball, arms wrapped around his torso and legs folded under him, his head of straight dark brown hair bowed so that his face was hidden from view behind the curtain of his bangs. He wore jeans and sneakers and . . . and a very familiar blue sweatshirt.
It . . . couldn't be.
“Jim?” she choked out faintly, not daring to hope.
His whole body flinched at the sound of her voice and then his head shot up. Blue eyes shot open, wide with shock and met her gaze once again.
Claire sobbed, fresh tears streaming down her face as she pressed her hands to her mouth. Her whole body shook as she stared at him, unable to believe her eyes. It was a miracle.
He was alive.
Jim was alive!
“Claire?” he questioned her in concern, brow furrowing in worry as he noticed her tears and red rimmed eyes. He pushed himself to his feet and stumbled as he stood up to fast, tripping over himself. He started to reach for his head with a bemused expression spreading over his face. He froze, staring at his hand that hovered in mid-air in front of him with a confused look for a moment. He lowered his hand and brought the other one up to hold them in front of himself. He looked down to stare at his hands. He turned them over and over, this way and that, staring at them as he wiggled the pale beige-pink digits uncomprehendingly, as if he didn't know what they were. He clenched his hands into fists and flinched, eyes going wide. Realization slowly dawned on him, turning to shock then joy then he burst into tears. Jim fell back to the ground, legs buckling out from under him.
“Jim!” Claire exclaimed and rushed to him, dropping to the ground beside him. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close, hugging him against her. Jim responded by hugging her back, body curling against hers as he clung tightly to her like a baby koala, fingers clutching at her armor like a lifeline. His body shook in her grip as he sobbed, tremors running through his frame. Claire couldn't help but relish the feeling of holding him so easily despite his clear distress, the feeling of his arms around her without the fear of being crushed and feeling his heartbeat through his shirt. It had been so long. So very very long.
“I'm human.” he choked out, still staring at his hands. “I'm human.” He'd thought he'd stay a troll or half-troll forever. He'd thought his humanity was just another causality of the war against Gunmar.
“You are.” Claire tearfully confirmed and hugged him tighter and pressed her check to the top of his head. She wasn't letting go of him ever again. She wasn't losing him again. She'd make sure any wizard or troll or demigod who tried to take him would regret it. She'd fist fight the grim reaper if she had to. At that moment, she felt like she could win.
“Jimbo!” Toby appeared at a run from around the remains of Jim's troll form and tackled them both, grabbing them both in a tight hug.
Jim yelped in surprise as he and Claire were nearly knocked over then burst out laughing as he realized what it was that had hold of him. “Tobes-!”
“I thought you'd died!” Toby exclaimed, drawing back to reveal his tear stained face. His features hardened and he grabbed Jim by the shoulders and shook him. “You turned into a evil mind controlled full troll, then you turned to stone and died and know you're alive and human again and I'm not letting you out of my sight ever again, mister. Do you understand me?!”
Jim couldn't help but grin despite Toby's fierce expression and scolding tone paired with an imperious finger wagging in his face. He'd missed his friend since leaving Arcadia, video calls just weren't the same as hanging out in person. The thought of dying without saying goodbye to his best friend had been terrifying. He was so happy to be back. “Whatever you say, Tobes.” he agreed cheerfully and grabbed at the shorter teen, pulling him and Claire into a group hug.
Claire smiled, sniffling as she hugged them both. She expected there would be more to do, more battles to fight, and in the very near future. But for right now, she was determined to enjoy the fact they were alive and together again.