Dawn of Faith

Chapter 18

My eyelids fluttered open, taking in the gentle yellow light around me. For a moment, I believed I was back in the Twilight, until I registered Sandy's wide yellow eyes. I took a deep breath, my body heavier than lead to my weakened limbs.

"Dawn!" Pitch cried, pulling me closer into his embrace. I could feel the cool touch of his hands against my skin, and I relaxed into his arms, too tired to move.

"Are you okay?" Tooth asked hurriedly, zipping up beside me. Her cheeks and colorful feathers still glimmered with tears. I lifted a finger to brush them away, and she laughed through her remaining sobs.

Using Pitch as support, I slowly sat upright, my head swimming. Sandy pressed something into my hands, and as I glanced down, I saw the golden outline of my pendant. It shone brightly in my palm, almost humming at my touch. My heart sank as I raised my eyes to the globe, the lights I had almost given my life to revive now extinguished.

"I need to find my center," I said, to nobody in particular.

"Your center?" North asked, his voice filled with concern.

"Yes. The Man in the Moon told me I had to find my center. If I don't, we'll..." I paused, fighting against my desire to share everything the Moon had said. Should I tell them? Would it only worry them more?

Sandy tugged at my sleeve. We're fading. We know.

"Man in Moon told you that?" North asked, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

"To find my center...only then can I help the Guardians restore the children's belief and unlock my true power. But...I don't know where to start. All Moon told me was to look to my friends for guidance."

"Oh Dawn, where do we start? I thought your center was the day. The sun? Light?" Tooth guessed in quick succession.

"No, that would be too simple," North stated, pacing in a wide circle. "She is spirit of day. But center," he continued, patting his chest, "is something more."

A shadow passed over my features. "We don't have time for guessing. We're fading." I looked to the three Guardians beside me, an idea sparking a glimmer of hope. "How did you find your centers?"

They glanced at each other uncomfortably.

"Jack found his by looking at memories from his past life," Tooth explained, "but you don't have any memories aside from what the Moon has told you. Since you came before the rest of us, I don't have your teeth either. I'm sorry."

Trying my best not to appear discouraged, I smiled in response. "That's okay. We'll figure this out." I paused, noticing a distinct lack of contradictory voices. "Where's Bunnymund and Jack?"

"They ran off after Fear. When you...what did happen to you?" Tooth asked hesitantly. They all watched me, wide-eyed, and I heard the faint jingling of bells as North's elves gathered at the edges of the room.

"I...I used up all of my energy. I was so focused on trying to protect you, I didn't realize what I was doing to myself. The Man in the Moon brought my spirit to what he called the Twilight in order to safeguard it. Had he left my soul in my body, it would have been destroyed." I flicked my eyes towards Sandy, who looked at me knowingly, his expression a mix of sympathy and reprimand. "Sandy knew, and tried to warn me. I'm sorry, I should have listened."

He smiled at me, shaking his head. It wasn't your fault.

Slowly, I began to tell them more about the events that unfolded in the Twilight. While we spoke they gave suggestions regarding my center, but none that sparked any recognition. After hours of discussion, we were no closer to discovering my center than when we began. Pitch had remained eerily silent since my return. I sighed in frustration.

There was a loud slam! from a few rooms back, and a few quiet curses that wandered into where we were gathered. I carefully stood up, facing the doorway as Jack and Bunnymund finally reappeared. Bickering amongst themselves, their expressions flooded with relief when they saw me.

"Dawn, mate, don't scare me like that," Bunnymund chided, gracing me with a rare, genuine smile.

I laughed as North proceeded to tease Bunny, and filled them in on what I had seen and heard. When I had finished, the two latecomers looked towards each other. Bunny quickly turned away with a scowl, brow knit and nose twitching.

"Did the Moon really speak to you?" Jack asked inquisitively, slyly freezing an elf that strayed too close to his staff.

"I was just as surprised, but this appears to be urgent. We have such little time and...if it were that important, why wouldn't he tell me?" I pulled at my hair in exasperation, knowing fully well why he wouldn't simply give me the answer. The weight of several lives weighed upon my shoulders, threatening to overwhelm me. But I couldn't give in to the pressure, not now. Not yet. I had lived over a thousand years too long to allow myself to give up so soon.

"That is not Moon's way. You must find center yourself." North said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

Sandy nodded, floating up to eye level and giving me a comforting smile. We'll help you.

I thought for a moment, staring up at the newly lit globe. The lights of the children sparkled like wishes in the sky, reinvigorating me. Reassuring me. I had a center. All I had to do was find it. Where to begin searching, however, was beyond me. "I have so many questions...where do I even begin?"

"Well..." Pitch said quietly from behind me, speaking for the first time in hours, "why don't we start with a legend?"