Guardian with claws (A RotG fan-fic)

Chapter 16

*POV Jack*

I summoned the wind to take me as fast as possible to the Pole. But I was afraid it was not fast enough. Pitch had already been standing in front of Anna. If he wanted to hurt her, he would’ve already done it. I ignored the goosebumps forming on my skin, seeing the Pole coming into vision. Just a few more minutes…

        Not wanting to waste time on going to the door, I busted in through a window, startling several elves. North was in his office, sculpting some sort of toy from ice. As I threw open the door, a part of it got smashed.

‘How many times have I told you to…’ North exclaimed. He stopped abruptly when he turned around and saw my expression. ‘Jack! What’s wrong?’ he asked, frowning worriedly.

‘It’s Anna,’ I said.

*POV Jamie*

When I reached my house, I wondered why I’d listened to Anna. I mean, I had helped defeating Pitch before. Why couldn’t I do it again? My mom didn’t expect me back yet, so I turned around and ran back. Even though I had never been as afraid as I was then, I found the strength to continue. I was not going to just abandon her! I cared for her, even after she had yelled at me.

*POV Anna*

My legs didn’t run as fast as I had wanted them to, but nonetheless my surroundings turned blurry. Suddenly, something hit my ankles, and I was sent sprawling on the ground. For a moment, I felt dizzy. Then a slight chuckling reached my ears.

‘Now now, Anna, no need to hurry,’ echoed around the street.

‘Pitch,’ I grumbled, getting up. ‘What do you want?!’ I yelled furiously. Why couldn’t he just leave me and the rest of the world alone? But no reply came, making me angrier every second.

        I started to run again, but was immediately surrounded by lions made of black sand, with glowing golden eyes. Lions? I thought the nightmares were supposed to be horses? I frowned, not knowing what to do next. The lions circled around me, growling.

‘I noticed your confusion,’ Pitch said. I swirled around to face him. He was standing amongst the lions, a victorious smirk on his face. ‘You see, my previous nightmares, the horses, were not strong enough. I have spent the past two years improving them, and this is the result. Aren’t they pretty?’ He just stood there, casually stroking one of the lions.

        I didn’t know what to do. I had never been in a situation like this before. Pitch looked up and laughed, glancing at something behind me.

‘Ah, look. The guardians are here, too,’ he said delightedly. ‘Do they still use that old sleigh? How pathetic.’ I turned around and saw he was right. The guardians were racing towards us, closing in fast. I also noticed the little figure of Jamie, as he ran back with a determined expression on his face. I closed my eyes for a moment. Why couldn’t he just listen to me, only for this once? I didn’t have much time to think about him though, as Pitch continued to speak.

‘Too bad they are too late,’ he said. Once again I swirled around, right in time to see Pitch give the lions some sort of command, the familiar devilish smirk on his face.

The lions stopped circling.

They jumped.

And charged.

*POV North*

‘No! No, no, no, no!’ Jack yelled, his eyes darkening with the same anger as when Sandy seemed to die. A gust of wind lifted him up from the sleigh, and blew him towards Pitch with twice the speed of the sleigh. I couldn’t believe it. We couldn’t be too late!

        But the nightmares were attacking. There was no doubt about that. They didn’t attack Anna though. They went after Jamie. Why would Pitch do that? He already had Jamie on his side, sort of. Attacking him would be rather absurd. Thinking of it, I realized that was like a definition of Pitch: absurd.

*POV Anna*

Pitch could hurt me as much as he wanted, but he stayed away from Jamie. No way I was going to let him get away with this. I spotted Jack flying down from the sleigh, coming to Jamie’s aid. Good. Then Pitch was all mine.

‘This time you’ve gone too far,’ I hissed. Before he realized he was in grave danger, I stood in front of him. I kicked his against his ankle and let out all of my frustrations on him. ‘Take them away!’ I yelled. ‘Take them away from Jamie, you poor excuse for a boogyman!’

        But it had no use. He grabbed my wrists.

‘You want them away from Jamie?’ he said venomous. ‘Fine!’ Then he pushed me to the ground and disappeared in black shadows. I got up and looked over at where Jamie was still not seeing Jack. The nightmares had left them. The problem was, they were coming after me now.

And there was no escape…

*POV Jack*

My eyes met with Anna’s and for a moment, I thought everything was going to be fine. Then I saw the lions heading for her. She sent me one pleading look, before the nightmares blocked her from my vision. I heard her desperate scream for help. Then everything turned silent.

Too silent.