Disclaimer: I do now own Jack Frost, Bunnymund or any other characters from the Rise of the Guardians universe, I just love them a lot!
I accidently uploaded an unedited version that was missing a few changes I had made in the actual copy, THIS is the correct one. SORRY .
As Always, thank you SOOOO much to everyone who reads and enjoys my writing! I'm still so shocked to see how many people like my writing! "Seasons of Love" has over 1000 unique views! So thank you to everyone! Here is the 4th chapter of "To be a Guardian" I think there will be 5 total, but there may be a 6th if the next chapter gets away from me, well see!
Jack lay on the couch in North's study, his head in Aster's lap. He was amusing himself by freezing a single strand of the rabbit's fur at a time and watching it slowly melt. Aster paid him no mind, other than to absentmindedly run his ringers through Jack's white hair. They had been like this for the last four hours according to the clock on North's wall; the other guardians were discussing strategy and tactics for dealing with Black. Jack had paid attention to their conversation for the first hour, absorbing all the information they could give him. But after the first hour, the conversation had shifted to possible situations and hypotheticals, and Jack's mind had quickly drifted away.
Jack thought back to their conversation, the part that had actually been interesting, recalling the useful information he had absorbed. He knew that Black was usually in the form of a large black cloud, his rage and hate made it impossible for him to shape himself into any shape that already existed in the world. One touch from him could kill a human, and would do serious damage to an immortal. He used minions, which the guardians had oh so creatively named 'Deathlings', to do most of his fight. That meant that the guardians would have to fight Deathlings, and according to Aster, a lot of them. The conversation had turned to the best way to fight the Deathlings, which basically boiled down to don't get hit by the scythes they had in place of hands, and don't get bitten by the giant mouths they had in place of a face. After that Jack had zoned out for most of the conversation.
Jack was jolted out of his thought by a movement at the edge of his vision. Jamie, who had been standing grim faced by North's fireplace for most of the day, stumbled, catching himself on the mantel. His eyes were wide, his breath coming faster than normal.
"JAMIE!" Jack shouted, jumping up "What's wrong?"
"The sleigh, gather everyone and get in the sleigh now!" Jamie said, his eyes glazed over, seeing something the others could not.
"Jamie, what's happening? What's wrong?" Jack asked, concerned.
Jamie's eyes were still glazed over, his pupils wide in fear "Black… Black is about to attack New York City!" Jamie said, his eyes clearing and looking at Jack, horror clearly displayed on his lined face.
The other guardians leapt into action, each making their way to the door. Jack helped Jamie to his feet and two hurried after the others, Aster falling into place just behind Jack, reaching for his mate's hand.
As they made their way to North's sleigh, Jack questioned Jamie "Jamie, what happened? Why couldn't you tell us about this sooner? Give us more time?" Jack was trying to make sense of the situation given what he knew about the guardian of time's powers and duties.
"I couldn't not tell you…I didn't know" Jamie said, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"What do you mean you didn't know?" Jack asked, just as confused as his friend seemed.
"I mean I can't see Black. I'm only watching him now through the futures of others. He's like a blank spot in the timeline…It's like looking at something with a bright light behind it. You can't actually see it, but you can watch its outline." Jamie rested his head in one hand, pressing his temples with his thumb and forefinger. His face scrunched in on itself as though he was in pain.
"Are you ok Jamie?" Jack asked, wondering if immortals could get headaches.
"Ya…it's just really strange having to watch like this…we have four minutes before the first person dies." He said grimly as the guardians piled into North's sleigh.
"Hold on!" North yelled, snapping the reigns and sending the sleigh forward at full speed. As soon as it cleared the runway North tossed a snow globe ahead of them, opening a portal to New York.
As the guardians appeared above the city, its lights twinkling in the night, Jack felt his heart drop. A mass of shadows were collecting above the city, beginning to descend down on the city. "Scatter! Hold Deathlings away from city!" North called, steering the sleigh toward the heart of the shadow mass.
Sandy, Tooth, Jamie and Pitch all jumped from the sleigh, flying in different directions. Jack leaned over, hugged aster and kissed him quickly "I love you" he said "be careful."
Aster grinned at him cockily "Don't worry about me love" Then he hugged Jack and whispered so only he could hear "I love you to, be safe."
Jack stepped back, nodding with a smile and launched himself toward a pillar of shadow descending on the city. As he approached the billowing darkness he saw it was made up of dozens, if not hundreds, of Deathlings. No description could have prepared Jack for the monsters. They were pitch black with streaks of white running through them, their bodies roughly the size of a horse's with four spindly legs protruding like some twisted insect. Their torso rose above their body, long arms ending in wickedly sharp curved blades. A gaping mouth, lined with razor sharp teeth, took up the entirety of the head. Jack shuttered before continuing forward, loosing blasts of ice from his staff, freezing dozens of the monstrosities solid.
He fought for hours, destroying hundreds of the Deathlings, each one he killed fading into wisps of shadow. He fought until his arms burned and he felt weak from the exertion, and still they kept coming. He was just starting to think that there would never be an end to the creatures when he saw, out of the corner of his eye, the blade of a scythe descending at him. In his exhaustion he had let one slip through his guard. Jack closed his eyes, flinching as the blow fell.
Jack heard the thunk of metal striking wood. JHe opened his eyes to see Jamie, staff up intercepting the blow meant for Jack's neck. "Hey Jack, you don't look so good." Jamie said with a grin, waving his hand at the Deathling, its form tearing in several directions at once.
"Thanks Jamie" Jack said, turning to blast several more Deathlings from the sky. "How is everyone else doing?" He turned, asking the empty air where Jamie had been. Jack shook his head, refocusing himself on the fight before him.
After another hour of fighting Pitch flew by, shouting to Jack "They managed to isolate Black near the sleigh, but they need help." He sped away, throwing bolts of shadow as he flew, each spelling the end for one or more Deathlings. Whatever his reasons, the spirit of fear was certainly fighting with everything he had, and Jack was glad to have him on their side.
It took Jack several minutes to find the sleigh, their positions having shifted over the course of the battle. As he approached he felt a thrill of fear course through him, seeing North alone standing in the sleigh, cutting down Deathlings one after another. "North! Where's Aster?" he shouted! The red clad guardian pointed with one blade to a rooftop where the rabbit was fighting several dozen Deathlings. Jack had to admire his mate in combat, he as magnificent. His twin boomerangs flying, slicing though Deathlings like nothing, never stopping in their dance. He himself was attacking the monsters hand to hand, each kick from his powerful legs shattering another Deathling to shadow. He bounded every which way, leaping through the air, always staying just out of reach of his enemies.
Jack was about to start toward Aster and help when he heard a loud shout from above them. Jack looked up and shouted "ASTER!" he yelled, pointing at the giant shadow that had appeared above them. He saw the rabbit leap off the rooftop, flying through the air, and felt the dread clutch him as he saw he wasn't going to make it.
There ya go! What did you think? I know, you hate me! I'd hate me to, but it's just the perrrrfect place to end! Next chapter should be up in the next couple days!