Cold Grey Light of Dawn

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

It had been a couple days before Matthew had time to go attack Pitch. He was flying lazily towards his current lair. He was always able to hone in on where the Nightmare King was if he had souls. He landed on the edge of the entrance and tucked his wings tightly behind his back. He dropped down into the cave pulling his dagger.

"I thought you'd be here soon." Pitch purred in his ear. The Canadian didn't react and he laughed appearing in front of him. "I can never scare you, darling."

"You're not that 'scary.' You're 'cartoonishly scary.'" Matthew said with a shrug. The spirit of darkness looked offended. "Anyway, you know why I'm here."

"I do." Pitch smiled wickedly. He made a scythe out of sand. "I'm not going to just give them up this time."

"That's fine." The Reaper hummed as the Nightmare King jumped at him. He blocked the scythe and broke the pole with his dagger. He lunged at the man and slashed through his chest.

Pitch growled and made a new scythe. He brought forward a hoard of Nightmares. Matthew smiled and easily slashed through them on his way to the man. He slashed at him again, but he hopped out of the way. The Nightmare King swung his scythe aiming for his chest. The Reaper jumped back through a shadow behind him. Pitch managed to turn and see him, but not stop is attack. The Canadian tackled the man pinning him to the ground.

The spirit of darkness snarled and overpowered him switching their positions. The Reaper smiled slipping back through the shadow Pitch created. Matthew appeared behind him, but the Nightmare King was ready. He made another scythe and blocked his dagger. He pushed the blond back and he smiled bringing forward more mares. The Reaper sighed and easily slashed through them or squished them between two force fields. They weren't threatening at all to him.

"I should have never taught you how to shadow jump." Pitch growled as he advanced. Matthew smirked as he attacked again. "Or fight." The Canadian faked a slash with his dagger before punching and braking his nose. "You're more annoying than Frost."

"Thank you." The Reaper smiled watching the man hold his nose as it healed. "Now, please just give back the souls."

"No." Pitch snarled. He sighed in annoyance ready to beat the spirit of darkness and get the souls back.

Matthew jumped at the king of Nightmares. The spirit of darkness smirked and grabbed him by the coat. He pulled him through a shadow. Pitch threw the Reaper into their new environment. He easily corrected and landed in a crouch taking in his surroundings. He immediately recognized the globe and yetis looking at him. The Canadian growled glaring at Pitch.

"Can't run for ever." The spirit of darkness smirked. Matthew clenched his teeth in annoyance. He quickly picked him up by the throat with his magic and yanked him off the globe.

"Birdie?" North yelled bursting out of his office seeing the pair. The Russian ran to his side pulling his swords. He smiled over at him, but Matthew didn't smile back.

"They don't even know your real name?" Pitch laughed as he made a shadow and reappeared back on the globe. He waved his hand bringing forward another hoard of Nightmares. He smiled and they quickly rushed forward.

The Reaper growled and put up a force field protecting him and North. He made another behind the mares and quickly snapped them closed squishing them. He dropped the fields and spread his wings launching himself at Pitch. Matthew wanted to get him out of the pole so he wouldn't break anything. Pitch was prepared for his strike.

The Nightmare King countered him with his scythe, but still hadn't manage to land a hit on him. The Canadian slashed across his chest and Pitch stumbled backwards. He jumped forward tackling him. Matthew dropped them into a shadow, but the spirit of darkness switched the end location on him. He brought them back into the pole. Pitch pinned the Reaper to the floor with his scythe to his throat.

Matthew coughed and struggled pushing back against the pole that was cutting off his air. The impact had knocked the wind out of him and he was disoriented. He immediately felt for a shadow, but there wasn't one big enough for him to slip into. He growled renewing his efforts trying to get Pitch off him. Suddenly the weight was gone and he was able to breathe again.

"Birdie! Are you okay?" Jack asked quickly helping him up. He shot a blast of ice at the Nightmare king to keep him back.

"I'm fine." Matthew said finally catching his breath rubbing his throat. His eyes were still on Pitch. He was kept back by the winter spirits ice attacks. "Thank you."

"How'd you get here?" Jack asked raising an eyebrow.

"Probably not the best time." The Reaper said shaking his head.

"True." The Guardian shrugged.

Pitch had had enough of his attacks and brought forward more mares. They rushed at the pair and both easily cut them down. North was near them too cutting through the mares. The other Guardians were there as well after a few minutes and didn't seemed surprised that the Reaper was there.

The Nightmare King was constantly attacking Matthew. He wasn't fairing too well against the blond. He was covered in dozens of small wounds that were healing. There were still mares all around them, but they were only going after the Guardians. The Reaper was getting bored with the fight. He grabbed Pitch by his collar and threw him to the ground. Matthew jumped on top of him pinning him to the ground with his dagger to his throat. The Reaper made sure to not cast enough of a shadow for him to escape through.

"Give me the souls back." Matthew growled. Pitch glared at him and he could hear mares stomping towards them. He made a dome over them and the mares ran into it. The man looked nervous. "Now."

"Fine! Fine!" The spirit of darkness said realizing the Reaper wasn't messing around. He quickly brought forward most of the fearlings. He waved them away and moved the dagger threateningly. "There!"

"All of them." Matthew demanded pressing the sharp blade to his throat.

"Okay!" Pitch said hurriedly bringing the last few. He always got scared when the Canadian got angry. He waved them away. "Now, just let me go Honey."

The Reaper smiled sweetly and slit his throat not caring that the Guardians were there and watching. He leaned over him creating a shadow and dropping him through back to his lair. Matthew dropped the dome and stood up. Jack was at his side in and instant. He quickly checked him over for wounds.

"Are you okay?" The winter spirit asked worriedly.

"I'm alright. He didn't cut me." The blond said and Jack sighed in relief. "Just a few bruises."

The other Guardians were watching them closely. North, Tooth and Sandy were smiling and Bunny was frowning. The pair didn't notice the four staring and forgot where they were. Jack reached up and traced his jaw brushing his hood down. He smiled leaning into his touch.

"Birdie! You're so cute!" Tooth squealed and the pair jumped in surprise.