To Ally with the Guardians

Chapter 7: Recuperate

Mallory watched as Angelia approached the two boys.

"We need a plan, guys," she said.

"I'm not stopping until the Yetis are inside," Matt said.

Mallory still didn't know exactly what was happening. Whisper had told him she was trying to save some of the children from her planet, but he wasn't sure how making the Fearlings scream and freeze would accomplish this. He couldn't see what was going on with them very well, though, and- wait a second, did that Fearling just turn into a little boy? What the...

"Whisper!" the Easter Bunny said. "Let the Yetis inside!" She hesitated for a moment before flourishing the fingers of the hand that didn't look like it was holding up the sky. With her face contorted into a pained-looking grimace, the darkness that hung around the Yetis and the Tooth Fairy moved upward, preventing them from seeing the Fearlings but making the entrance to the workshop visible to them. That was when Mallory realized that Whisper was shaking. Using her ability was taking a lot out of her.

The Yetis looked confused for second before the Easter Bunny told them to go inside, that everyone was heading down to the bunker to evacuate. Whisper was no longer standing straight up but crouching slightly, the distressed expression still on her face.

"You should go inside, too," Tooth told the Bennetts.

Mallory nodded. "Come on." He led Jamie and continued to carry Sophie into the workshop, where they followed the Yetis and elves to a place where a section of the wall had been pulled away and exposed a dark stone staircase.

Sophie shivered, so Mallory held her tighter, careful not to misstep and fall. It was sort of difficult to see as he moved forward into the passage. It seemed to give off a vibe that there was danger nearby. Sure, there was a threat in the area, but Mallory still didn't appreciate the feeling. He personally could take it, but he didn't want his children to be afraid.

He looked down at Jamie in between the long shadows cast by the Yetis around them. The boy was staring straight in front of him, his hands in fists at his side and his chest thrust high. But when Mallory caught his eye, his son's determined gaze wavered.

Sophie buried her head into her dad's shoulder, her arms around his neck and upper torso. A tremor shook through her body again, and Mallory didn't know if it was caused by fear or the cold temperature helped only by the torches and body heat of others.

The distant screaming from the Fearlings stopped, and Nightmares began to chorus. A few seconds later, a loud boom echoed through the passage, no doubt the tunnel being shut.

But no one paused to listen, continuing toward what lay for them at the end of the stairs.

*/*/*/*

As Matt began the trek back down the seemingly-endless spiral staircase, his friends in front of him and the Guardians and Whisper behind him, he refused to accept defeat or that he may be somewhat further from his goal of saving Haven and Vivian. Sure, he had used up some of his curing orbs, and he, Duran, and Bunny couldn't go back to the workshop to read whatever book the Pooka had been planning to have the humans read, but those were just minor setbacks.

Matt stole a glance at Whisper. She was their new ally. He, his friends, and Bunny could include her in their plans. She appeared to be able to control darkness to a certain extent, which was useful. She didn't look well, however. Her shoulders sagged, and she huddled against the wall as she walked, propping herself up with it. She stared at her feet instead of in front of her- at least, that was where her head was tilted- and was displaying none of the energy Matt had heard in her voice when she had first spoken to him.