Chapter 30: Gather the Children

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Thwack!

You and the nightmares each perked up in surprise as a snowball hit Pitch directly in the face. Quickly, Jamie began to laugh as Pitch cried out in pain from the sudden feeling of having his cheek frozen. You yourself stifled a giggle as you watched your brother become angrier and angrier.

However, your own laughing fit was cut short as a snowball hit you directly in the face as well, causing Jamie to laugh even harder. Sparkles from the small snowball drifted down and landed on your cheeks, laying there as if they were icy blue freckles upon your cold skin. You looked down at your hands, blinking the sparkles away from your eyes, yet when you looked back up, your eyes were no longer that golden hue.

The Guardians gasped silently as they stared into your right/dark (E/C) eyes, the specks inside your iris seemingly glowing. North, Jack and Tooth began to laugh loudly as they watched you and Pitch wipe the snow off your faces, only one of you giggling. Jack chuckled and looked down to Jamie, throwing a snowball in the air and catching it again; only to notice the trash lids and the wooden palettes sitting against the wall, "Now let's go get your friends."

Jamie laughed and grabbed some of the sled-like objects, laying down on one as Jack shot a layer of ice onto the ground that led out of the alley. And just like that, the Guardians, Jamie and Jack had disappeared. The nightmares and Nova began to grunt and growl as they were pushed back by the cold, you and Pitch almost being thrown off your steeds.

"Ugh. These kids never know when to stop." You growled loudly, slashing down Nova's reins and taking off into the darkness of the sky. You stood atop the same cloud of sand you were before, staring down at Burgess and watching Jack spread ice onto the roads.

The Guardians and Jamie all slid along the ice that Jack created, swerving from side to side and spinning round and around, each of them howling with laughter; except Bunny of course. They all rode along the ice, from going through loop-de-loops and over cars, it was all rather exciting.

You didn't know what it was, but your cold heart yearned for it, beating a little faster than it was before that snowball hit you. You growled at yourself, persuading yourself that the Guardians were now your enemy.

Yet a small smile crept up onto your face as you watched them laugh and have fun; watching Bunny was most amusing of all, the look on his face as he flies through the air, priceless.

You knew what you had to do.

*

North's, Tooth's, Jack's, Bunny's and Jamie's laughter all stretched throughout the town, children waking up as snowballs hit their windows. It was only when they went to a certain house that it was clear to what their plan was.

Jack held Jamie up towards a window on the second floor of a small house, a young girl, Pippa, opening it with her eyes wide.

"Jamie, how are you doing that?!" Pippa cried out, fearing Jamie's potential fall.

"Jack Frost!" he responded as he pointed to where his shirt was being held, "Come on, we need your help!"

Snowflakes drifted down onto the girls face, the sparkles igniting as she finally saw what was holding Jamie, "Hey, is that..."

"Jack Frost!" A boy shouted from the house across the street; he was fixing himself up in his warm green jacket and making sure his glasses didn't fall off his face.

Next, it was the twins turns to be invited! The both of them woke up with a bit of a fright when Christmas presents landed on their beds.

"Merry Christmas!"

"Happy Easter!"

"Don't forget to floss!"

The boys each ran to their window as the Guardian's passed by on their makeshift sleds, their jaws hanging slack. But their grins returned when they heard the familiar joyful screams of their friend. Cupcake joined the party! And soon enough, all the of the children joined the party!

"Jamie, you were right!" Pippa shouted, following along behind.

"The Easter Bunny is real!" Caleb joined in enthusiastically.

"The Tooth Fairy!" Pippa continued.

"And Santa!" Monty joined.

"They're all real!" Claude, Caleb's twin, shouted.

Each child screamed and shouted in joy as the slid along on their sleds, but unfortunately, their feelings of joy were short lift. Jack stood upright in the centre of the street, no longer creating an ice road for the children and the others to slide along.  Jack, North, Tooth and Bunny, each of their faces fell to the sight before them.

Millions of nightmares surrounded the streets, forming great big thundering clouds that loomed above. Pitch's laughter echoed all around them as he rode a top his own steed, with you beside him on top of Nova's saddle.

"Who! Yeah!" Monty shouted in joy, only now realising the danger that lied ahead and sprinting back in behind the Guardians, his joyful shouts tuning into fearful screams.

"You think a few children can help you?" You said, your sly voice piercing the air, "against this?"

The nightmares, they were creating mass amounts of lightning and thunder around them. It seemed they were washing over Burgess as if they were a tidal wave. North raised his swords out to the two of you, to lose his balance and instead use it as a cane. He groaned in pain as Tooth and Jack both held onto him, Jamie's small gasps immediately being heard.

"They're just bad dreams, Jamie." Jack said, trying to console him and the others.

"And we'll protect ya, mate." Bunny added.

You stared at them all in guilt; however not trying to alert Pitch of your true motives, you placed a seductive grin back on your face.

"Aw, you'll protect them?" Pitch chuckled, thunder and lighting crackling behind him, "but who will protect you?"

The Guardians knew they were far too weak, but still took a step forward, only to stop suddenly.

"I will." Jamie said confidently.

"I will." Cupcake joined, pushing her way through the other children and up beside Jamie.

"I will!" "I will!" Caleb and Claude said, also pushing their way forward.

North and Tooth looked to each other in surprise as each child stood forward, unsure of what to say.

"And me," Pippa said, standing to Jamie's side.

"I'll- I'll try," Monty joined, despite being clearly scared.

The Guardian's each stood behind the children, unaware of the next move. Having children protect them wasn't something they thought would ever happen in their lifetime.

Your bright/dark eyes lit up as each child stood there bravely, even your best soldiers back at the Empire would be far too cowardly to do so. You smiled, no longer being able to hide your proudness for each of them.

"Still think there's no such thing as the Boogeyman?" Pitch growled, the waterfall of nightmares spilling onto the road and wiping out all light that they touched.

"I do believe in you. I'm just not afraid of you." Jamie said sternly, standing forward as the wave of nightmares rushed towards them, The children began to gasp as the Nightmares built themselves up into a high peak, forcing themselves into a tight spire and falling down towards them.

The Guardians and the children each braced for impact, squeezing their eyes shut tightly. But when they opened their eyes, a magnificent golden glow was drowning out the dark.

"Sandman...?"

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