Light in the Black

katk

Jack frowned as North's sleigh approached the storm. It was big and violent, a clear display of Winter's power and a warning to those who would attempt to go against him. And it became clear in person this would not be the kind of storm Jack would create. His were always pure white and always held a sense of playfulness in how the snowflakes swirled around, while this storm was tainted with darkness and the snowflakes were fast and violent as they whipped around the area.

"I cannot fly into storm," North decided. "We will crash."

"Jack," Seraphina spoke up. "Do you think you could get it under control?"

"I'd need a few hours and absolutely no distractions," he answered as he continued to survey the area as they landed. "It hasn't been contained at all. And it'll fight against me if it was made by Winter."

"You'll probably alert them as soon as you start trying, anyhow," Johanna spoke up. "They'll surely be on the lookout for any disturbances nearby."

"They'll expect Johanna and Jack," Seraphina thought aloud as the group climbed out of North's sleigh. "They should be the first ones to go in. We can provide backup if necessary."

"Ya want to send the two that they want to kill the most in there alone?" Bunny questioned, his eyes narrowing. "I don't know much about Yersinia but ya know the instant he gets a chance, Winter's going to try to drag Jack back to his lake."

"They most likely will not have known that we've come along, too," Seraphina countered. "We have an element of surprise on our hands."

"And if we don't?"

Seraphina's gaze went cold at Bunny's insistence.

"Then we protect my children so they can get the job done, Aster."

"We're wasting time arguing about this." Sparks were dancing from Johanna's form; Jack guessed she was just as antsy to get in there as he was. "You two can have your spat later. Jack and I will go in first, and we'll call for help if need be."

"See if there's anyone in danger because of the storm," Jack suggested. "Try and lead them to safety."

North nodded. "Good luck, comrades."

As soon as Johanna and Jack disappeared from their friends' sights, a bubble of clearness surrounded them, making them stop short.

"They're making us easier to find," Johanna suggested.

"Then we'll make it fun," Jack smirked. "Hey, Wind! Stir things up a bit, would ya?"

The wind broke through the barrier that the storm was trying to create around them. Jack had trouble being able to make out Johanna a little to his left, but he knew that meant it'd be harder for Winter and Yersinia to sneak up on them.

"So what's the plan?" Jack asked, having to almost yell about Wind for Johanna to hear him.

"We need to take down Father Winter first. This storm will make it nearly impossible for me to go for Yersinia without him interfering to stop any fire."

"And what of Yersinia?"

"Don't let her touch you. It's a paralyzing burning sensation, and that will only be heightened with your winter powers."

Jack began looking around, wondering where to even start with trying to find the two spirits. All he could see was muted white swirling around in a mad fashion, with the occasional outline of Johanna as he tried to not lose her in the storm. Gripping his staff tightly, he stepped forward, only to feel the snow start to move beneath him.

"Wind, take us up!"

Jack and Johanna shot into the air seconds before the snow that had previously been beneath their feet was suddenly swirling up like a tornado, chasing them. Johanna grabbed Jack's hand to keep them together as they got swept up quickly in the mass of white, which tried to throw them every which way as Jack tried to get it under control.

"Let go of me and shield yourself! I'm going to try something!"

Jack hesitated before releasing Johanna's hand, and a moment after he created an ice barrier around himself, a burst of red sparks shot out from Johanna's form, melting the tornado into tiny droplets. Steadying themselves on the wind, both spirits looked around quickly as a familiar dark laughter began ringing through the air.

"Come out, Winter!" Jack yelled. "Don't hide behind your storm like a coward!"

"If anyone's the coward, Jack, it's your fellow Guardians for not coming with you." Winter's figure appeared not too far ahead of the pair, his dark smile manic at the sight of the two. "Sending the two most vulnerable all on their own? Makes our jobs easier."

"Indeed."

Darkness seemed to bleed into the storm just with Yersinia's presence, the temperature dropping further and making Johanna shiver.

"This time, I'll make sure to burn you past the point of return, you pest!"

"If you could even touch me in all of this," the woman laughed. "In this kind of storm, your powers are only as good as a speck of dust in the wind. I have the almighty being of winter on my side. You are nothing now."

"We have our own allies that can take you down," Jack growled, gripping his staff tighter as some of the snow started to swirl around him in protection. "I've turned Winter's power on him once and I can do it again."

"We'll see about that, Frost."

The fight broke out so quickly that Jack could hardly keep up and process everything without putting himself in more danger. It was ice against fire, darkness against fun, one attack after another as Father Winter tried to capture Johanna and Yersinia tried to get to Jack. The two siblings were too focused on keeping the other's attacker away to do much of anything else. And Jack wasn't getting enough time to even try and get the Guardians' attention for help.

That was when he felt paralyzing torment against the front of his neck, and he realized, as Yersinia made it close enough to close her hand around his throat, that the ear-splitting scream that pierced the air was coming from himself.

"Jack!"