Meanwhile at the North Pole.
North was working on some new tools so as to be even quieter this year, since the whole witch thing had began, delivering presents was more and more dangerous. He sighed, remembering a time when only those who believed could see the guardians, "when did humans develop there inner sight?" he asked the moon not expecting him to reply. When the moon suddenly shone brighter, North knew something was up.
He didn't wait for the Man in the Moon to tell him what he wanted before pulling the lever and calling the guardians to the North Pole using the northern lights. But the moon wasn't waiting for the others to arrive. There was no time. He shone brightly in the centre of the tiles representing the current four guardians.
"You created a new guardian?" North asked, surprised, "shouldn't you wait for the others?" he also asked, looking around.
The moon ignored him, as the picture of Jack Frost appeared, North frowned, "very new," North said uncertain who the boy with the staff and white hair was.
Sandy and tooth then arrive, Bunny moments after, "what's wrong?" they all asked at once before seeing the figure of Jack.
Two words could be heard clearly in the guardians mind, "Jack Frost," they knew the moon was telling them the name of the newest guardian.
"What's with the hurry?" North asked, knowing there was something seriously wrong, the North was wise and patient, this wasn't like him.
The moon showed an image of snowflakes.
"A winter spirit," Bunny translated without a problem, the kid looked like he would be one.
Then flames, surrounding the figure.
"Fire?" tooth asked confused, but then it all made sense, "the humans have him?" she asked.
The figure vanished and the moon light shone bright on the globe, on a specific town known a Burgess.
Sandy didn't wait for the other guardians leaving out the window. There was no time for a game of charades right now.
"We have to hurry, he wont last long after they set him ablaze," Tooth ordered following Sandy out the window, followed by her fairies.
North ran towards his office searching for a snow globe, Bunny opened up a tunnel and hoped he was fast enough as he entered it head first.
Recently spirits being caught by humans had become a growing problem, and although the guardians were used to this by now, running to the rescue of others. This was different. Never had the moon spoke to them in such panic. This child, whoever he may be, was important. He was a guardian. And the fact he appeared to be a child, was also terrifying.
The hay had finally been placed, the kid was defenceless, but he continued to beg, "please! I didn't do anything!" he explained.
The man from earlier who had held the scythe, approached, holding a torch with a burning flame, "creature of darkness, demon, may you and your witchcraft return to hell where you belong," he spoke coldly and threw the flame into the hay that caught ablaze immediately.
The wind desperately tried to blow the flame out but unfortunately just made it worse. Jack screamed as the heat overtook him, he could barely breath. The sudden heat was unbearable and he could see the flames closing in on him.
"Please!" he shouted with the last breath he could take before the smoke made it too hard to breath. The flame finally closed in and he could feel how his skin and flesh burnt. He cried, tears falling down his face, he struggled the movement only made the already unbearable pain that slight bit worse.
And the pain, it was terrible, he could hear the sizzling of flesh, see how his skin was burnt of and feel the red hot burning. He fell limp yet unfortunately kept consciousness. He had no energy to fight a losing battle. He simply stood there, limp, held up only by the chains. He looked out at the people wishing for a distraction from the pain. Everyone stood there, cheering, he couldn't breath and although his heart beat had sped up, he felt how it now slowed, he could hear it loud and clear.
Just as he was about to close his eyes for what he believed would be the end, he saw something in the sky, something that flew.
"Leave him alone!" someone shouted from the very back. A grey figure he couldn't quite make out stood tall a weapon in his hand.
Then there was something falling from the sky. Jack though he must be hallucinating, he closed his eyes, tears falling down, he couldn't take the pain, it was too much for him.
Bunny stood at the back of the crowd, far from the winter spirit, he was the distraction in the unspoken, unplanned, plan. And it worked, everyone was looking at him. Sandy had used his dream sand to leave the entire town drowsy, although he had not the power to put them all to sleep, not with the amount of adrenaline they all had.
Tooth, followed by thousands of fairies, were, with the help of the wind bringing in rain clouds that were slowly putting out the flames.
Jack felt the water fall on him, and subconsciously froze it in an attempt to keep it around for longer before the fire evaporated. Tooth was hoping to put the fire out. But North had just arrived and he could not wait that long.
The child looked lifeless enough already and he feared the worse, without hesitation he ran into the flames and reached the kid, he felt the flames burn him but couldn't care less, they were less harsh now with the rain.
"Jack," he spoke, but the kid didn't react, North found the rope that had held his hands behind his back had already burnt of, but he needed to get the chains away, finding the lock he pulled out his sword and quickly broke it. Pulling the chains of and the small child into his arms, he jumped of the platform onto the ground, throwing a snow globe on the ground he looked up at Tooth before vanishing.
Tooth then looked around, spotting the staff from the image the moon had sent them, she flew down and grabbed it before heading back towards the North Pole, Sandy meanwhile had informed Bunny of the missions success. Bunny who had been on the roof of a house dodging stones and other stuff thrown up at him nodded to Sandy who floated up into he clouds.
Bunny jumped behind the building, creating a tunnel and disappearing before any human could even see where he had gone, the only thing left a small flower.
They all met back at the North Pole, they were all panting, it was a minute before they recovered. Tooth flew over to North, "...is he?" she asked hesitantly.
North frowned, looking down at the child, he looked terrible, his whole body was black and red, his clothes were burnt yet he was so covered in ashes it was hard to tell he was a person at all. North moved his hand over to his face, "he is breathing... but very barely, it is a struggle, we must get him to infirmary immediately and take care of him if he is to survive," North said looking at the young childs face, or at least what could be seen of it.
Tears filled his eyes, "you are safe with us," he whispered to the child, knowing yet not caring that the kid could not hear them.