Sun and Moon

12 - A new dawn

Sandy beamed as the spirits swarmed him to welcome him back.

''Sandy !''

''So glad to see ya back, mate !''

Then he made a question mark float above his head as his eyes landed on Jack. It was true it was the first time the Sandman was meeting him. Hiccup introduced them, a beaming smile on his face and an arm around the boy's shoulders.

''Sandy, meet Jack Frost.''

''Ourr new frriend.'' North added, his voice tender.

He stepped closer and rested his large hand on top of Jack's head, softly patting it as he had gotten the habit to. Jack's eyes filled with wetness as he was moved, and even more when Tooth and Aster nodded in confirmation. Then Jack looked back to Sandy, who was smiling too. He formed other symbols. The spirits recognized the scene of his death, the two sand clouds facing, and they also saw a silhouette darting to Sandy's rescue. It was Jack. So Sandy had seen him too, back then ? The scene disappeared and got replaced by a snowflake, and this simple symbol, along with Sandy's smile, was enough to say the ancient spirit was grateful and happy to meet Jack. He offered his hand and, when Jack shook it, Sandy used his other hand to gently pat Jack's.

The spirits stepped back and watched, the children too, as Sandy formed a sand cloud to raise to the sky, before starting to spread his dreams in the whole town. In the whole world. The Guardians didn't have a globe to check it out, but they could feel the lights blinking on everywhere, because their magic was getting stronger. Sandy also felt this surge of magic because, soon, giant sand creations started to stride the park and the streets. Giant dinosaurs, dolphins, unicorns, manta rays, bird origamis, snowflakes, dragons... Everything the children in town were dreaming of.

While Jamie was marveling at a school of fish, he was suddenly hit by a snowball on the back. He met Jack's mischievous eyes, the spirit was juggling with another ball. Jamie then realised that all these snowball fights he had with his friends, which noone knew who had started, had surely been started by the spirit. It made him grin and laugh, and he bent to prepare his own amunation. As soon as Monty was hit in the chest, the other kids joined in. Yetis, elves and fairies joined too while Sandy hovered back to the ground, in the middle of this new battlefield, an amused smile playing on his lips.

Hiccup was looking at the scene with a smile, his eyes specifically focused on Jack who was playing with the kids. North stopped next to the viking and did the same. A comfortable silence surrounded them, before Hiccup gave something to the spirit of Christmas. North glanced down on the red russian doll with big blue eyes. He took it in his palm and squinted his eyes to Hiccup.

''I assume it meanz you found yourr centerr ?''

Hiccup's smile grew bigger, making his orange eyes sparkle.

''I'm not just a fire spirit. Granted I'm not a Guardian of childhood, like you guys, but there is something I'm defending. My center is the devotion, the will to protect others. I'm a peace-keeper. I'm a Protector. Like Jack.''

North looked back to the younger spirit, only to see him topple backward dramatically, hand on his chest as he had just been hit by little Sophie. It made her giggle. She could see him too, now.

''Jack rreally iz good boy. He haz been hurrt but haz no angerr frrom it. Rreally good hearrt.''

''A winter spirit with a warm heart.'' Hiccup mused, almost dreamily.

North snorted a bit.

''With yourr hearrt too.''

The viking looked up at him, confused.