Dawn of Faith

Chapter 26

We did not have to wait very long. It was only minutes before Fear crashed into the room, crushing beams beneath his giant claws and smashing through walls with his long, thrashing tail. He had grown vastly since we last faced him, no doubt the result of his short, fearful reign.

His smoldering red eyes glared down at us in contempt, his smoke-filled nostrils flaring. He held his wings out behind him, blocking our view of the sky. A low growl rumbled in his chest.

"What is the meaning of this?" His gaze swept across the Guardians standing before him, surely no longer as fearful and docile as he had remembered. "The audacity you have to display such colors...one might be led to believe you have not yet given up?" A forked tongue slithered between sharp fangs, a terrifying sneer curling the corners of his lips.

"We're not afraid of you!" Tooth cried angrily, feathers rustled and wings fluttering.

Fear laughed heavily, his thunderous chuckles shaking the ground like an earthquake. "My little fairy, I never doubted that. You are all too stubborn and dull to understand the fear you should be facing. But no matter. You shall soon enough."

A ray of light rose from the pit of his stomach, and a great beam of fire exploded from his jaws, aimed towards Tooth. She ducked her head, flitting backwards, but the flames never reached her. Ice shot its way up through the flickering fire, striking Fear like a sharpened spear. He bellowed, recoiling. His eyes widened as he looked down upon the frosted spirit standing protectively in front of the fairy.

"How..." His expression narrowed, a vicious snarl breaking across his face. "You haven't. You couldn't have!" he shouted in frustration, claws shredding the floor and tail lashing about in fury.

I watched his movements closely, the way his fiery eyes flicked to me, boring holes into my soul with their wrath. The Guardians held back, still wary, as he slowly turned to face me. I held my bow tightly, my fingers gripping the string. I would not give in to his piercing gaze. I would not give in to his intimidating presence. I would not give in to his fear.

"What have you told them? How did you figure it out? The one thing I could control, the one fear that kept me out of their reach! You..." He reared his head, a fearsome roar escaping his massive jaws. His talons lashed out at me, and I released the arrow, which flew into the palm of his clawed hand. Bunny's boomerang sliced through the pointed nails, shattering them. A piercing cry echoed around the room as our attacks connected with the void of his form..

Tooth flitted about his head, barraging him with blows, distracting his attention from the rest of her companions. Bunny's boomerangs and egg bombs were aimed towards his face, blinding him as he swung wildly in an attempt to connect with anything or anyone. Jack skated around the bottom of his figure, freezing limbs and disarming Fear's flames whenever he chose to use them. North danced around the flurry of claws to strike at Fear's stomach, his swords slicing through the softness of the dragon's underbelly. Sandy's dreamsand whips cracked across Fear's wings, tearing holes through the delicate skin and sending ripples of light through Fear's ethereal form. Pitch's scythe sliced across the scales, ripping the void open, and catching Fear's thrashing tail as it flailed wildly about. My arrows peppered Fear's body, aimed towards his face, around his eyes, into his mouth. They pierced his wings and scattered across his neck, some finding their mark while others skittered off his darkened hide.

I couldn't help the joy that bubbled up through my chest. Watching the Guardians work together to combat Fear, succeeding in our attempts to subdue him, I felt the first glimmers of hope flicker through my mind. We could beat him. We could win. We could save the children.

A roar exploded from his jaws, and he slithered back. His breathing came in huge pants, his forked tongue lolling as he heaved air into his massive lungs. Black blood oozed across his scales, his body shaking with the effort of remaining on his feet.

"You may have discovered and dispelled your weakness. You may have beaten me back. But you haven't won." His bloodied lips peeled back into a nasty sneer. His figure began to fade. "You're fighting against time. Slowly, your minutes are ticking away. And I'll be waiting. If you wish to survive...well, you'll have to find me." Sinister laughter echoed through the demolished room.

"I don't think so, mate!" Bunny shouted, charging him, but it was too late. Fear, with one final jeering snort, disappeared into nothingness. Bunny swiped through the empty air, an angry cry sweeping across the desolate scene. Without hesitation he slammed his foot on the ground twice, vanishing into his tunnels, chasing down Fear in a blind rage. The rest of us looked to each other in despair.

We had failed. Fear had run, like a coward, but there was nothing more we could do. We had been given a chance, and we had lost it. It was over.

Time was against us.