Dawn of Faith

Chapter 8

The huge mass of North's Workshop appeared ahead of me, and I angled downwards in my flight, my mind still whirling with unanswered questions. The wind whistled in my ears as I descended, wiping my thoughts like a clean slate. The wooden deck groaned under my weight as I landed, small eddies of snow spiraling away towards the outer walls of the building.

"Dawn! Big news!" North called, waving his arms at me as I strolled into the main chamber. The other Guardians perked up as I stood beside them. My stomach knotted itself into a tiny ball. I glanced at the globe, a sinking feeling worming its way into my chest. The lights were starting to extinguish; slowly, surely.

"We might know who attacked us!" Tooth called eagerly, a little too chipper for the dire situation I knew was at hand. My gaze wandered back to the globe, and I couldn't find the enthusiasm to respond to their excitement.

"The lights..." I whispered quietly, reaching a hand up towards the globe. So close, but so far away. I hung my head silently, thinking back to the situation I had just escaped from. The flash of red that had crossed Pitch's eyes was unnatural. His shift in demeanor had immediately followed. His concern and pleas had turned instantly to anger, to revenge. What had caused it? Could a sickness fade and return like that?

"We are aware of lights, Dawn," North responded, a knowing look passing over his bearded face. "But, we know who is real attacker. Which means we can stop more from going out."

"Who is it?" I asked, complying. It was a relief to not have to discuss my expedition quite yet. I needed more time to think, to process. To figure out how to tell them what happened without losing their support. I pulled my jacket tighter around my neck. Perhaps this "attacker" could lead us to more answers.

"It's a spirit known as Queen Halloween. She watches over the children during Halloween night and ensures both treats and more than a few tricks. Something has happened to her though. She's been corrupted," Jack explained.

"Corrupted?" My mind chewed thoughtfully on the word. It could mean any number of things. "Then we should find her," I nodded in agreement, "and see what this is really all about."

I felt a growing sense of apprehension as we approached the den of Queen Halloween. The trees were dead and smoldering, their burnt branches reaching up to the dark sky like claws. Tooth and I flew ahead, keeping watch over the four on the ground. The wind picked up clouds of ashes and blew them into our path, hindering our approach. I brushed soot away from my eyes.

"What if she won't talk to us?" Tooth asked over the howling of the wind.

I shook my head. I had no idea what would come of this meeting. The air was heavy with tension.

We entered a dense thicket of briar shrubs and gnarled trees, and I was keenly aware of the scurrying of spiders and slithering of snakes. Dead vines strangled the trees, blanketed with thick white wreaths of spiderwebs. A creek bubbled by the path, but the green glow and soft hissing reminded me it was not water running through its bed. As we moved further through the forest a dense fog began to creep closer towards us, pulsing between the knotted trunks and jagged rocks. Something was amiss. I took a deep breath, and the reek of smoke filled my nose. Halloween was supposed to be fun, amusing in its scariness. Not this. This was terrifying.

I looked up from the Guardians below and through the trees saw a mountain looming ahead. It was twisted and inhospitable. The small jack-o-lanterns that lined the rocks and the path we walked upon had horrid faces; frozen screams and snarls. The flames were bright orange and blazing hot, sparks flying out of the faces and licking up the sides as if demons trapped inside were clawing to get out.

I landed beside the rest, assuming the dangers were minimal as we neared the cave entrance at the base of the mountain. Nothing had attacked us yet. The gaping mouth dripped with a strange black substance. I cautiously stuck a hand under the dark waterfalls. The substance sifted through my fingers, but did little else. Sand. It was nightmare sand.

"Careful," I said, before taking a tentative step into the cave. Our footsteps echoed as we continued deeper, stagnant water and nightmare sand pooled along the poorly marked pathway. A heavy chill settled in the air; the continual drips of moisture and squeaking echolocation of bats caused the hair on my neck to stand on end. My every instinct told me to turn and run. But I couldn't. Not now. I needed answers.

A huge hallway opened ahead. Bright balls of fire burned in the cavernous expanse of air above us, illuminating the dark stalactites that dripped with nightmare sand. The fleeting outlines of bats flitted between the shadows. Tall pillars loomed on either side of the straightaway, crude features of various monsters sneering at us as we passed by.

At the end stood a high throne on a raised platform, covered in deep red velvet. Flames burst from the tips of the backing, and crawled across the floor at its feet. Jagged thorns curled around the armrests and covered the backing, shriveled black leaves sprouting from the burnt vines.

There was a figure standing in front of the throne, a dark cape licked with fire surrounding it. Two blood-red wings spread from between shoulders covered in raven-black hair. Orange horns swept back from the head, placed just above two bat-like ears that stuck straight out sideways. Even without seeing her face, there was no mistaking her.

"Queen Halloween."