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sorceress-coffee · 4 years

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Where Is My Mind

AO3 Link Phase 2 - Chapter 25 - Episode 20

River’s P.O.V.

Hanging out at the lockers Jim, Draal, and I watched as Mary freaked out over Claire asking Jim to Spring Fling. Apparently, Claire didn’t know ‘the kind of world’ we live in. I’d rather not freak Mary out with the truth. Toby groaned as he met up with us, landing face-first into his locker, exhausted from his new training.

“Everything hurts,” he complained, letting his arms sag next to him, causing Draal and I to smirk.

“First day of training will do that to you,” Jim chuckled, watching as Toby tried to reign his limbs in. “You’re the one who wanted the war hammer after all.”

“Hey!” Toby shot up, soreness seeming to disappear as Jim questioned his weapon choice. “Next time you have to face a creepy troll assassin you’ll be happy to have ol’ Warhammer, Shadowdancer, and Midnight to back you up!”

“Guess Toby did name my lance,” I shook my head, snickering at his codename for Claire.

“Shadowdancer?” Jim chuckled, “I’m guessing you haven’t run that by Claire yet.”

“What? It’s perfect!” Toby tried to defend, causing Jim, Draal, and I to shake our heads.

Draal smirked, punching Toby’s shoulder lightly; well lightly for Draal, “Normally the person who wields the weapon names it.”

My phone began playing Darth Vader’s march, the ringtone Eemeli programmed for himself. “I’ve gotta take this, you two try not to get suspended in the meantime.” I sighed as Jim and Toby ran for the locker room, leaving Draal and me to take the call. I answered quickly, Eemeli and Eri’s bickering the first thing I hear.

“Tell your danger noodle to just tell me where your father is! I don’t like cryptic snakes.” Eemeli sneered, through the phone, the sound of a blade slicing through the brush a constant white noise to the call.

“I told you where to take the Gyre, now I’m giving you directions, why can’t you be happy with that?” Eri hissed, close to the receiver. She sounded close to strangling Eemeli if the irritation in her voice was a clue.

“Eri, why can’t you tell Eemeli where he is? Out of curiosity, since I’m not there, wouldn’t it be alright?” I asked, confused as to why she was still not being clear about where he is.

I heard a disgruntled huff before Eri cut in again, “Fine! He’s in Camelot! We’re here because this is where it should be headed next.”

Dead silence met us as Eri finished her explanation. Draal shook his head, grumbling. “Of course, that’s where he’d be.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, confused.

“Camelot,” Eemeli cut in, growling, “He’s been in Camelot this entire time?!” He shrieked, forcing me to rip the phone away from my ear. “Are the others there too?”

Eri hissed, rustling around on the other side of the phone. “He hasn’t been there the entire time! And I don’t know who the ‘others’ are?”

“The Changelings that left with him,” Eemeli snarled.

“Should I hang up?” I asked as Eemeli and Eri ignored us, in favor of yelling at each other wherever they were.

“Eemeli got the information he needed; I don’t see the point in listening to them fight.” He huffed, glaring at anyone who stopped to listen to the yelling coming from my phone.

I shrugged, hanging up the call, “They’ll be fine,” I sighed out, trying to convince myself that neither one would kill the other. “So, Camelot’s still around? And mobile too?”

Draal shrugged as we headed into the halls, snickering as students parted to stary out of his way, glad his fleshy form was still intimidating. “Not sure about mobile, but yes, Camelot is still around. I personally haven’t seen the castle or its residents in about, nine centuries I think.”

I paused as Steve came running for us, grabbing Draal by the shoulder, screaming “You’re not Steve, I’m Steve! I’m special!” He proceeded to push past us, running out to the courtyard.

“How is he the ‘bully’ Jim spoke of?” Draal asked, watching the doors Steve went through, confused.

I shook my head, just as confused. “Normally he has enough wit to punch someone. This is the first time I’ve seen him lose it.”

Draal nodded slowly, watching the other students as we continued walking. “Even for Fleshbags, this is odd.” He finally spoke as one student was trying to ‘swim’ across the hallway, many others beginning to freak out as well.

“What the hell is going on?” I asked, seeing the teachers joining in, Ms. Harper throwing paint all over her classroom as we passed.

A small glowing orb flew up to my face pausing for a moment. Draal snarled, pulling me away from it quickly. “Don’t let it in!”

“In what?!” I jolted as the orb gave chase. Draal grabbed my hand and took off running through the halls, practically dragging me along as more orbs joined the first.

“Pixies, once inside they give you horrible hallucinations. Nightmares!” Draal yelled back as he tried to dodge more. “That’s why everyone is going crazy!”

“Angor Rot,” I gasped out, realizing this was the plan Eemeli overheard while tailing Strickler. “Draal, we have to find Jim!” I fell back as a pixie rammed into my ear canal, immediately causing my head to feel fuzzy.

“River!” Draal stopped short, pulling the hood of his jacket up and holding his nose. “Are you okay?” He quickly helped me to my feet, checking my eyes.

Shaking my head as the hall began to disappear, I pushed him back, “Find Jim! If Angor Rot is here, Jim will need help.”

“What about the pixies?” He asked, holding my head, trying to keep me focused.

As I blinked, Draal disappeared, the school hallways shifting to the grand halls from my memories when Angor Rot called me sunshine. “I’ll be fine Draal. They’re not real, that’s all I need to know. Now go find Jim.”

“River!” Someone called out as they hugged me from behind, the British accent throwing me off, “I’ve been looking everywhere for you! Aunt Ganieda is having a fit since you teleported from the study!”

I pulled from the person, turning to see a boy around my age with dark hair pulled up in a bun and hazel eyes. “The study?” I asked causing the boy to laugh, taking my hand as he pulled me along the halls.

“Hurry, we can’t let the guards see you,” He explained, hiding behind corners and curtains as we went along, hiding from men in suits of armor.

“That’s the same armor as my dad and Uncle James,” I spoke softly, trying to make sense of the hallucination. Could this be a memory?

“Just because your father is on the guard, doesn’t mean the others are friendly to trolls, you’ve seen where they go if they trespass in Camelot.”

“They don’t know?” I asked, realizing my father and Uncle James were Gumm-Gumm spies at first. “Right, of course, they don’t know. Doux where is mama?” I asked, stopping short at the name that left my mouth, who is Doux?

“She’s in the study with Master Merlin, where you’re supposed to be taking a nap.” He chuckled, pulling me through a wooden doorway into the study.

“It seems Hisirdoux has found the little one,” an elderly voice called from further in the room.

A woman with dark hair, in a forest green dress, came running for Hisirdoux and me, “There you are Moonlight!” She hugged me tight, seeming to come down from a frantic state. “You know you’re not supposed to wander the castle, what if Arthur had seen you? Or the guards?” She asked, holding me back to arms-length, a stern look crossing her features.

“I don’t know?” I asked, more confused. If this is Camelot, why are trolls considered to be trespassers? It’s the magical center of legends.

“Of course,” She sighed, the sternness fading. “You’re only a child, you wouldn’t know.”

An older man with grey hair and green armor joined us, shaking his head as he drew close. “She’ll never learn this way Ganieda, she has no idea of the consequence.”

“There shouldn’t be a consequence.” A curt voice cut in. I turned to see a woman with long red hair, and emerald eyes. She carried the Shadowstaff with her. I immediately felt on edge seeing her.

“Gana!” My mother grinned, walking me to the newest person in the room. “How are the trolls fairing?”

“They’re unhappy, as they should be. However, it seems Sunshine has a habit of visiting them.” She chuckled, petting my hair back.

I ripped away from her at the mention of ‘Sunshine,’ the castle halls bled away to a forest. Gana was leading me through the forest, heading away from the castle. Gold armor covered her from, Shadowstaff held in a white-knuckle grip.

“This was Sunshine!” She called as I turned to look for the others. Why was I alone?

“Where are we going?” I asked, refusing to go further.

“I told you, we’re looking for your friend, Cali,” She turned to look at me. I flinched at her eyes, they were glowing gold, surrounded by black sclera. “Don’t you want to find your friend?”

“Not if I have to follow you,” I snarled, grasping for Midnight but it wasn’t on my belt. Right, this was a hallucination.

A dark chuckle ripped through her throat, “What’s wrong Sunshine? You were never scared of me before.”

“Why don’t remind me of who you are, because I don’t remember an aunt ‘Gana’,” I snarled, eyes burning, even in the open air of the forest I felt like my back was in a corner.

“I have many names Sunshine, but which one will hurt most?” She asked, the black of her sclera began to bleed into her skin, the woman in gold was slowly consumed by the shadows as she stalked forward. The gold of her eyes the only color left as she sneered down at me, not even a foot away. “How about the Eldritch Queen?”

My mind reeled, going back to the only book Blinky could find on my mother. The legend ending in her death at the hands of the Eldritch Queen, “You,” I choked out, blue and orange sparks erupting in my hands as rage began to overtake the hallucination. “No!” I screamed, flashing away from her. I was still in school, what if I hurt someone?

I did the only thing I could think of, I tried to teleport into the sewers under the school. The shadow figure of the Eldritch Queen chasing after me through portals. I stopped short finding my mother, “Get out of here!” I yelled, knowing what would happen if the shadow fallowed.

Lady Ganieda was surrounded by red magic as she appeared to be fighting off the real Eldritch Queen, clad in golden armor.

Green magic began to fill the stony cavern we had teleported to. Merlin entered the fight trying to help Ganieda. “River, get to your father!” He ordered, releasing a burst of magic that threw me back.

I felt trollish hands help me sit up, the only thing I could focus on was gold magic cracking through my mother’s torso as she fell forward. The Eldritch Queen and Merlin both released a large flow of magic as they attacked each other. The air around us began to rip apart, fissures in time appearing all around us.

“Moonlight,” a voice called from behind me, “We have to go, Uncle Merlin will take care of her, she’ll be okay.”

Orange magic ripped through the battle, a female Troll running into the fight, going straight for the Eldritch Queen as a roar left her chest.

I gripped the hands holding my shoulders tight, trying to get closer to the fight. My movement caught the eyes of the golden figure. A sick grin crossed her face as the male troll and I were swallowed in shadows, falling out and dropping into a fissure created by all the magic colliding.

The troll turned me into his chest as we continued to fall, holding me tight to him. “Keep your eyes closed!”

Struggling, I pulled my head from his hand, looking down as my nightmares became a reality. The open sky, the forest closing in fast. It hadn’t been a nightmare, it was a memory. I looked to the troll holding me as we fell, my eyes grew wide as I came face to face with my father’s troll form. Was this the time-lapse?

“Dad!” I screamed as a hand grabbed me from behind, ripping me from the memory. I felt a hilt hit the back of my head; everything began to fog over as the sewers slowly came into focus.

“Sunshine,” Angor Rot sneered as he dropped me, “Memories or nightmares, how broken your mind must be.”

I struggled to stand, holding where he had hit my head. “Either you weren’t going for a killing blow, or the Eldritch Queen is pissed off.” I snarled, backing away from the troll assassin.

The pixies swarm around Angor, flying into a glass lantern strapped to his back. “You’re in luck, Sunshine. I came to make a deal with your Trollhunters.” He smirked, “The pixie invading your mind wasn’t responding to the call, so I happily dislodged it for you.”

“How kind,” I growled, keeping my distance. “Why go to Jim? Strickler won’t hear you out?”

Snarling, he grabbed me by the collar slamming me back into the sewer wall. “Listen close, witch. Strickler holds a ring in his possession. As long as he holds this ring, he controls me.”

“How does a ring have control over a troll assassin?” I asked, thankful the collar kept him from being able to choke me.

“It contains my soul,” He bit out, letting go as he realized he wasn’t doing any damage.

My eyes widened as I reached for the collar, checking it over. “Your soul? You,” I paused, realizing he was telling the truth, “He’s controlling you. How did that happen?”

Angor snarled, “Magic that ancient is out of your grasp Witch, Merlin’s heir or not. It’s primeval magic.”

I growled at the implication, “Why would I try to take someone’s soul? I’m not heartless!”

“Neither was the Eldritch Queen, at first,” He sneered, turning to head further down the sewers until the shadows swallowed him.

I sighed, teleporting up to Strickler’s office, knowing Angor had advised him not to be here for the pixies. Taking off, I began to run through the halls, trying to find the others. Hopefully, they weren’t infected.

Draal stormed out of the gym as I closed in on the doors, relief washing over his face as he spotted me. “River!”

I grinned, jumping for him as I reached the doors, hanging onto him like a koala, “You’re not pixied! Where’s Jim?” I worried, knowing Angor Rot had found him.

“Right here,” He groaned as Toby helped him out of the gym, armor disappearing as the boys and Claire met up with us.

I sighed in relief, untangling myself from Draal as I tackle hugged Jim, “Oh thank Deya! Angor said he made a deal with you, did he hurt you?” I rambled, looking for injuries.

“Angor? He found you?” Jim asked, holding my hands still.

“Yeah,” I winced, pulling a hand back to rub where he hit my head, a knot already forming. “I teleported down in the sewers, my magic started flaring during the,” I paused, unsure if it was only hallucinations or memories woven in. “The pixie attack, since I couldn’t tell who was around me, I went down there. I guess when he called them back, the one in my head was being stubborn. He had fun getting it out.”

“He hit you?” Draal snarled, checking the back of my head immediately. “No blood.”

I nodded, groaning as it made me a little dizzy. “Yeah, didn’t bother to attack after getting the pixie out, but the ring.” I looked to Jim, “Strickler’s controlling him.”

Jim nodded, huddling close as the police showed up to the school, corralling all the students and staff to the front lawn of the school. We quickly separated from the others, heading over to the school sign, relaxing as they counted off all the students.

“Strickler has something called the Inferna Copula, it contains his soul and allows Strickler to control him,” Jim explained as he climbed to sit on the sign with Claire.

“So, if we get the ring, he’ll leave?” Toby asked, hopeful that we’d get a troll assassin off our backs.

Leaning into Draal’s side, I nodded slowly, careful of the hit. “That’s what it sounds like. If Strickler isn’t controlling him, he won’t have a reason to keep attacking us.”

“Other than the fact that he hunts Trollhunters.” Draal grumbled, wrapping his arm around me to keep me steady, worried about the bump even without blood.

Jim groaned, settling his head in his hands, “Right, that’s something we have to consider.”

Toby grinned, hitting his leg, “Who knows maybe he’ll be so grateful you gave him the ring, he’ll quit the hunting business!”

I chuckled relaxing as the cops began to leave, clearing us to go home once Strickler returned. “That’s a good thought Tobes.”

Eemeli’s P.O.V.

“Oh, great!” I snarled, seeing the call had been disconnected. “She hung up!”

Eri slithered over my shoulders, tiny amethyst eyes boring holes through my skull, “Maybe she wouldn’t have hung up if you weren’t yelling!”

“I’m not the only one yelling here snake,” I snarled, pulling her from my shoulders and dropping her onto my backpack. Using a machete, I hacked through the underbrush in the middle of the Amazon forest. “Why would they drop a castle in the middle of the Amazon?”

“It’s the largest forest in the world, it would be the easiest place to hide a castle right now.” Eri huffed, dropping her head on my shoulder, staying mostly on my backpack. “Where would you hide a castle, Rusty?”

“New York, on top of a sky scraper, Gargoyles style,” I snickered, watching Eri tilt her head in confusion out of the corner of my eye.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” She pouted, sensing the teasing.

I shrugged, ducking under the foliage as the trees opened up a little. “Not surprising if you’ve been cooped up in a castle your entire life, Noodle.” I paused, looking up the length of the trees, “Imagine buildings taller than the trees here, some going up higher than the clouds. That’s where I’d park a castle. That way you get the mysterious castle in sky vibes next to a decent Starbucks.”

“Coffee?” She asked, referring to River’s caffeine addiction.

I laughed, nodding, “It’s a coffee shop, Noodle. There’s probably one on every block in New York.”

“That’s dangerous,” She shuddered, slithering up more on my shoulder as we calmed from our argument that led to the phone call. “If River lived somewhere where she could get coffee on every block, she’d combust… and not from her magic.”

I bent over, laughing so hard that I began to wheeze, “Good call, we won’t park it in New York!”

“Neither of you will be traveling further if you don’t identify yourselves.” A gruff voice snarled from behind us, the sound of metal unsheathing alerting Eri and me to a real fight.

I put my hands up as I slowly turned to face the owner of the threats, blinking as I came face to face with an older looking Jim in a suit of Armor bearing Camelot’s crest, “Jim? What the hell happened to you? Did you get old?”

The man paused, shock flashing through his eyes before he zeroed in on Eri. “Eirwen? What are you doing back here? Where’s River?” The knight began to ramble.

Eri popped up, grinning at the knight, “James! River is safe in Arcadia, well, not so safe. That’s why she sent us.” She explained quickly.

“Us?” James, James Sr., I’m assuming, asked, directing the question to me.

I rolled my eyes, shifting into my troll form, “Us,” I snarled before shifting back. “I’m Eemeli, a Gumm-Gumm defect and new ally to your son, the Trollhunter, and Lady Ganieda’s daughter, River.”

James eyed me for a moment before nodding, “This way,” he waved us, heading back to a ship-like vehicle.

Eri nodded to the vehicle, curling around my neck in an almost comforting gesture. Who knows, the Danger Noodle might be growing on me.

“Come on, Rusty! We’re going to the castle!” She flicked her tongue out in excitement. Scratch that, I can’t wait to toss the noodle back at River.

“Yeah, yeah,” I grumbled, climbing aboard after James, watching him closely. “So, a boat on grass? How effective is that?”

James smirked back at me before grabbing a lever, the same twisted look Blinky got while driving the gyre bled into his eyes. “Hold on!”

We took off. Into the sky. Did I mention I hate flying? I screech, sitting down quickly, claws shifting out to sink into the boat/plane vehicle of doom I was in. Yeah, I really hate flying.

James and Eri’s laughter flittered through the rushing air as he slammed the lever back, taking us up further into the clouds.

Eri grinned, getting in my face as we broke through the clouds, “Ready to see home?” She asked, excitement filling her tiny little serpent eyes. All I could do was nod stiffly. She pulled back, and there, where Eri’s head had been, was a section of the original Camelot castle, in the sky. Flying.

“Oh, no,” I groaned, holding on tighter as we flew into the castle, James roughly docking the ship.

“You can let go of the floor now,” He snickered, shifting into a dark blue troll with a short mane of black hair and sky-blue eyes. The Camelot Armor still present in this form. “You’re safe unless Garridan decides to barrel roll the castle.” He grinned, jumping out of the ship.

“I’d rather jump,” I groaned, retracting my claws before carefully climbing out of the flying monstrosity. Once my feet were securely on the castle grounds, James took the lead heading further into the castle. It’s strange walking through a place that used to kill us on site. As we walked through, I noticed only humans and changelings in suits of armor. “So, Eri hasn’t been around full-blooded Trolls before?”

Pausing, James peered over his shoulder at us, eyeing me for a moment before continuing. “The Trolls had to find another Heartstone to survive. Staying away from one for so long makes it easier to corrupt them, so Changelings and humans are all that remain.”

I nodded, analyzing our path as we headed up into a tower. “Aren’t these the same humans that tried to…” I trailed off, eyeing the knights I recognized suspiciously.

“That was before the alliance, and before Lady Ganieda’s,” James sighed, arriving at a tall wooden door. “Before that battle. Now we work together to keep the peace where humans and Trolls coexist.”

James knocked on the door once before heading into the room, waving us in after him. “This is ‘War Room’ or what used to be, it’s main use is strategy and defense check-ins.”

A tall man with raven hair held in a braid was pouring over documents, most seemed to contain Trollish runes, however, many had human languages scrawled across their pages as well. “James, this better be important, an entire hollow of pixies have gone missing recently, if they’ve ventured into human society, who knows the amount of damage they could cause.”

“Probably the amount happening at school today.” I huffed, irritated that the man hadn’t even bothered to look up from the papers.

His head snapped up at my voice, confusion taking over his features as he looked between myself and Eri, processing what I had said. “School?” He finally asked.

“Good to see you too Garridan,” I huffed, Eri curling around my neck, relaxing her head on my shoulder.

Garridan shook his head, sighing as dropped one of the scrolls. “Eemeli, never thought I’d run into you again, and you’re here with Eirwen?”

I nodded, “River sent us,” I explained simply, wanting to gauge his reaction.

He tensed, standing straight at the mention of River. All the documents covering the war table completely forgotten as he strode up to Eri and me, eyes flashing gold as a warning. “Repeat that.”

I flinched at the shift in attitude, “River sent us. She, along with our new Trollhunter, is asking for your help.” I began, Garridan cutting me off before I could continue.

“I can’t leave the castle simply because a call is too hard for the Trollhunter, or my daughter, to accomplish.” He stated, turning back to the table, intent on returning to his work.

James nudged my back, gesturing to Garridan. Taking the hint, I steeled myself for a possible outburst. “Stricklander, the Janus Order, is targeting River specifically. Strickler brought in an assassin to kill Jim. Angor Rot.”

Garridan paused mid-step, hands clenching tight at his sides. “You mentioned a school?” He bit out, back still facing us.

“I followed Strickler to Angor Rot last night, Angor was planning something huge for the school and advised Strickler not to be there. You have an entire hollow of pixies missing, which hasn’t happened since they won the war with the fairies centuries ago. Who could possibly have ways of controlling them?”

“Morgana,” Garridan snarled, turning on his heel quickly, “and by extension, Angor Rot.”

“So, as you can imagine, this isn’t a call they’re having ‘difficulties’ with. They’re in danger, real danger.” I huffed, unsure if I wanted to tell him the last piece River mentioned. “And, it’s only going to get worse. They’re planning on entering the Darklands to rescue the goblin-napped human babies. Darklands also means Gunmar, and the only way out, per the council, is to kill Gunmar.”

All color drained from Garridan’s face, “If River goes into the Darklands, Gunmar could use her to free his army.” He tugged on the braid resting over his shoulder reminding me of when River tugs on the hood strings of her jackets. “That’s a fight they can’t win, not with what Kamaria has told me.”

I winced, remembering River’s birthday, “Yeah, good job on that one, she almost blew up the Heartstone.”

“That sounds familiar,” James coughed, looking away as Garridan leveled him with a glare.

“Alright, I will go.” Garridan nodded, more to himself than any of us.

“Really?!” Eri cried out, surprised that he was willing to leave the castle.

“James,” Garridan spoke, the voice of a general commanding the attention of his soldiers. “You’re in charge while I’m gone. No matter what happens, protect the Heart.”

James nodded, clasping his brother’s shoulder tight. “She’ll be safe, and so will our guest.”

Garridan deflated slightly, nodding to him as he waved for me to follow. “If they’re truly dealing with Angor Rot, then River is in more danger than I thought possible.”

“So, Gunmar is the second most dangerous?” My brow furrowed in confusion as I kept in stride with Garridan, “Is that because he’s in the Darklands?”

“No,” Garridan grits his teeth, retracing the path James led us through, heading back to the ship. “Gunmar doesn’t have a direct connection to Morgana, Angor Rot does. He’s her champion after all.”

I paused at the ship, mind racing, “I don’t understand, the Eldritch Queen was sealed away, she could be dead. What would she want with River?”

“What did she want with Merlin?” Garridan asked, leveling me with a hard stare, “She wants to rip the magic from his blood, magic that now resides in River’s. She can use River’s magic to eclipse the sky in eternal night.”

I could only blink, processing the threat that laid before my friend. River was in more danger than any of us realized, more danger than Gunmar could ever be.