Bryan’s POV:
I strapped the two sheaths on my belt and wore the black bracelet with the ever shifting stone on my right arm. I fixed my glasses and was ready for combat practice.
“Come on, hop on my back and I’ll take you down,” Jack said as he kneeled down and had his back in front of me.
“Are you sure this is saaaafe?!” I asked but didn’t get an answer because the instant Jack felt my hands on his shoulders, he flew off.
Jack flew out the door and down the stairs. He got to the living room and everyone was waiting for us there. North, Tooth, Sandy and Bunnymund all stared at us as if we’re circus performers.
“Jack! You’re time with Bryan is not until after his training with Tooth!” North bellowed angrily even though he was smiling and having fun watching us.
“Yeah! But the kid’s gotta have some fun!” Jack answered as his laughter and my laughter echoed through the walls of the living room.
“Jack! He might fall of! Be careful!” Tooth shouted at us as her eyes flickered with concern.
Sandy tried to stop Jack by making a makeshift stop sign and a makeshift whistle that he tried to blow even though no sound came out.
Of course, Jack being Jack only passed through Sandy.
“Come on, Jack. Put me down before North gets angry,” I said as I patted his back with a smile. Of course he followed my instructions and settled on the floor in front of the Guardians.
“What is that, little one?” North asked as he quickly took notice of my sheaths and taking much interest in the emblem of gold that flashed against the light.
“I got it from Pandora’s box that daddy gave me for my birthday,” I answered as I showed him one of the sheaths that I unstrapped. Their reactions were truly shocking, even for me.
Tooth gasped as she covered her shocked mouth with her hands, Sandy readied his whips of sand as if he was expecting a bad guy to appear, Bunnymund growled and readied his boomerangs as if he too was about to confront the same enemy and North was shocked but he tried not to look scared.
“Why? What’s wrong with it?” I asked, suddenly worried if I offended them.
“It’s the emblem, little one. It is of the Dark Warlord,” North said as he inspected the emblem.
“He left wrath and destruction wherever he went. He made plagues out of dark tooth fairies from the black forest,” Tooth told the story as if she reminisced a memory full of hurt and pain.
“He made my first warren the first black forest,” Bunnymund said bitterly as a growl escaped the corner of his lips.
“He made dreams cackle and sizzle into nightmares, nightmares that even Pitch himself would be terrified with,” Sandy depicted through his images. If it weren’t for the grave situation, I would have celebrated because I can finally decipher Sandy’s images.
“He made it snow blood and darkness,” Jack added bitterly.
“He made it storm blizzards one Christmas night so I couldn’t bring the gifts to the children,” North told me as he rested his large hands on my shoulder reassuringly.
“He seems such a bad guy,” I answered, kind of getting small with their glares at the sheaths. I felt kind of guilty with it even though I wasn’t the Dark Warlord.
“He was, little one, he was,” North agreed as he sat down beside the Guardians on the sofa.
“It’s okay, Bryan, don’t worry about it. Maybe your dad just got these from the Dark Warlord. It’s not like your dad was the Dark Warlord himself,” Jack reassured with a smile.
