Hello guys, thank you for all the reviews :) I love hearing from you guys. Please enjoy the next part of this arc.
(With Jack)
"Come on sleepy, time to wake up."
Jack moaned as someone patted his face, blue eyes blinked open. The winter spirit immediately filled with dread as he thrashed against the ropes that held him fast to one of the many trees that surrounded him.
"Don't be like that." the man laughed
Jack stopped thrashing and glared at Arvad, "Look I told you I don't have time for this!"
The man growled, "And I can't have spirit's like you pillaging my jungle." green eyes filled with rage, "I have kept Nirapaya free from outsiders for centuries. Then last month a whole plane full of 'doctors' find their way here and start messing with my home." he glared, "Well I took care of them and I'll take care of you the same way." he pulled a machete from his pack
"But you don't understand, I have to find Night's Herald." the winter spirit was on the verge of tears, "My brother is sick and he needs it." he yelped as a strong hand gripped his chin, forcing him to stare into sharp green eyes.
Arvad searched blue eyes, "You're lying."
"My brother will die if I don't find the Night's Herlad!" the winter spirit's voice was full of desperation, "I promise I'll leave, just let me look for it."
"Jack!"
Both heads turned at the voice, Arvad smirked, "Ah, Patrick what brings you here?"
The Leprechaun smiled, "Can't I come just to chat with my old pal?"
Arvad's laughter echoed through the jungle, "Hardly, you always have something you want when you show up."
Patrick glanced at Jack, "Actually I would appreciate it if you'd let the boy there go."
The man looked at Jack then at Patrick, "Give one good reason I should?"
"One, I really don't want to kill you Arvad." mismatched eyes glinted, "Plus, he happens to be Pitch's little brother. So I suggest you let him go, now."
Green eyes widened, "You mean that silent guy that always used to hang around you?" Arvad paled when Patrick nodded
Jack was surprised when the man began to quickly untie him; once he was free Jack rushed over to Patrick, glaring at Arvad.
"You won't mention this to Pitch right?" Arvad spoke nervously as he replaced the ropes into the pack he carried
"Not if you can tell me where I can find some Night's Herald." Patrick said as Arvad walked over to them
"Sorry, I gave you the last three blooms." he raised an eyebrow, "What'd you do with those?"
Patrick laughed, "Used them."
Arvad rubbed his chin, "That sucks," he sighed, "I can honestly say there are no more flowers here Patrick."
"Are you sure?" the winter spirit spoke, his voice distraught
"Yeah snowflake, the flower will not bloom again for another hundred years." Arvad spoke gently, "It takes that long for the seeds to germinate."
"Thanks anyway Arvad." Patrick sighed
Jack's eyes were full of tears as the man disappeared into the jungle; the winter spirit sank to the jungle floor, "Patrick I have to find a way to help him."
The Leprechaun placed a hand on Jack's shoulder, "Come on kid, it'll be ok. Pitch is a fighter, it'll take more than a little sand to take him out." he smiled, "Besides, we gave him the little bit of Night's Herald we had left and he seemed better."
"But it won't be enough Patrick and you know it!" the winter spirit slammed his fist into the ground, frozen tears cascading down his face.
Patrick sighed as he spotted Jack's staff a few feet from them, he walked over and picked it up, "Jack the main thing we can do is be there for him." he spoke gently as he came back over to the crying spirit. The Leprechaun knelt beside him, "Come on, Pitch is worried about you."
Jack smirked, "Just like him, he's the one dying and he's worried about me."
Patrick smiled as he called to his rainbow in seconds both were enveloped in its light leaving the jungle quiet once again.
(At the Pole)
"Promise you won't blame yourself Jack."
Jack simply nodded, "I won't Pitch." he glanced at his brother. The man's grey skin had become pale, dark circles from only being able to catch a few hours of sleep at a time were under his eyes causing his dim golden eyes to seem sunk in. His entire torso was wrapped in bandages; the winter spirit shuddered at the faint crimson that could be seen. It had been two days since Jack's encounter with Arvad; and the winter spirit had spent every moment since at his brother's bedside.
Pitch sighed as he let his head fall back to the pillow, "Jack, it was my choice to protect you."
"I just can't watch you die Pitch." his voice was tight
"I'll be fine Jack." he grimaced as he shifted, "The little bit of Night's Herald really helped."
"You're not fooling me Pitch." Jack growled, "It took three blooms to stop the sand when it infected me, and you expect me to actually believe that a little teaspoon of it will help you?"
Pitch's reply was cut off as he began to cough violently; his body shuddered as the action caused his back to come alive with pain again.
"North!" the winter spirit called as his brother continued to cough and writhe. Blue eyes widened at the little specks of blood that dotted his brothers pillow.
Immediately the Spirit of Wonder was in the room, his strong hands holding Pitch still so that he wouldn't rip open the stitches in his back.
"Damn this sucks." Pitch panted as the coughing subsided, he carefully drank the water offered to him. He glanced at the chair Jack had been in, he sighed when he found it empty, "North please go talk to him."
"Call if you need me." the spirit spoke as he placed the glass on the nightstand. He quickly walked out of the room in search of the winter spirit. He found Jack curled in a ball in an oversized armchair in the sitting room.
"I can't take it North." the boy sobbed as he heard the man walk in, "He's in so much pain." he clenched his fists, "And I can't do a thing to help him!"
"We are doing everything we can Jack." the spirit spoke as he pulled a chair up and sat beside him, "All we can do have faith that he will get better."
"I know but it's hard…"
"Cazador come soon as could. Man of Sand come on Free Days. Had to wait for Small Boy and Small Girl to go to home of Word and Read. "The boy panted as he rushed in, "Where Man in White?"
"Pitch is in his room," North spoke, "We didn't want to move him to the infirmary due to his back."
"Cazador see him?" the boy's voice was laced with worry
Jack got to his feet, "Yeah come on." the winter spirit spoke as he wiped the tears from his eyes.
Cazador whimpered as he followed Jack into the room, he immediately raced over to the bed
Pitch smirked, "Hey Cazador how's Jamie and Sophie doing?"
"Small Boy and Small Girl fine, they at Home of Word and Read." brown eyes scanned the broken spirit before them. He whimpered, "Man in White be ok?"
Pitch glanced at Jack, he smiled, "I'll be fine Cazador."
"You tell Small Boy?"
Jack shook his head, "Not yet, I'm about to though."
Pitch frowned, "Just don't tell Sophie," he continued at his brother's look, "I don't want her to know. You'd tell Jamie anyway even if I asked you not too, just give me this Jack."
The winter spirit could only nod, his heart aching with the sound of agony in his brother's voice, "Ok Pitch, I won't tell her."
Pitch sighed as he sank into the bed, "Thank you Jack."
"I'll be back in a bit." the winter spirit glanced at Cazador, "Watch him till Sandy gets back from his duties, ok?"
The boy nodded as he pulled a chair up, "Cazador watch." he grinned at Pitch, "Man in White want hear Cazador Word and Read?"
Pitch glanced at Jack who had stopped in the doorway, a smile came to the winter spirit's face, the man sighed, "Sure Cazador."
Jack couldn't help but chuckle as Cazador began quoting the alphabet.
(At Jamie's)
"Why didn't you tell me sooner!"
Jack cringed at the anger in Jamie's voice, "Look, I didn't want to have to tell you. I had hoped to find more Night's Herald so he'd get better." the winter spirit hung his head, "But I failed and now…"
"No I mean I could have helped him the first day!" Jamie raced over to bookshelf and pulled the large book Pitch had given him from the shelf, "This book not only has mythical creatures but spirits in it as well."
Jack walked over as Jamie placed the book on his desk and began to flip through the pages.
"See on page 124 it talks about all the different spirits of healing," hazel eyes scanned the pages, "Panacea is the one we need to find, according to legend she can cure anything!" the boy was excited as he closed the book
"Yeah, but how would I find her?" Jack asked his hope rising, "I mean, I don't even know where to start looking."
"Well, I would ask my dad but he won't be home for another week." Jamie smirked, "He knows 'everything' about the spirit realm."
Jack smiled, "I bet my dad would know, we can ask him." he glanced out at the sinking sun
"You're better than I thought at this whole 'secret' thing." Jamie smirked, "Oh, before I go I'm going to let mom know where I'm going."
Jack nodded; he waited as Jamie rushed downstairs. A few seconds later he smiled as Jamie rushed back into the room, "What'd she say?"
Jamie laughed, "She said for me to have fun, and be down for dinner after I'm done playing."
"Mom really knows how to play along." the winter spirit laughed as he threw a globe, "Well then come on; we have a short time before you have to be home."
(At the Pole)
"I have never heard of this spirit." North was confused as he tried to calm the excited winter spirit down
"Do you think dad would know where we could find her?"
North glanced at Jack, "I'll go ask him."
"Come get me ok," the winter spirit spoke as he started out the door, "I'm going to go check on Pitch and Jamie." he raced from the room without waiting for North to respond. The hallway was powdered with snow as he flew to the room.
"Shhh, Sandy just got him to sleep." Jamie whispered when he caught sight of Jack opening the door.
"How long can he sleep this time? Jack whispered as he tiptoed over to the bed, he quietly pulled a chair up beside the one Jamie already occupied
An image of a clock appeared over Sandman's head, the hands turning indicating an hour.
"I thought you said he shouldn't go to sleep?" Jamie asked as he watched Pitch's face scrunch in pain
"That's why someone has to stay and watch him," the winter spirit spoke, "If he starts to dream we have to wake him up." he glanced sympathetically at Pitch, "Which means that he only gets an hour at the most of really good sleep."
"Did North think dad can help?" Jamie asked
"Dad?"
Jamie panicked, "Your dad, not my dad."
Jack raised an eyebrow, "Ummm, yeah. He went to ask him now."
The room became silent, the only sound the ragged breathing that escaped from the sleeping Nightmare King.
Sandman glanced at the two boys; he hated seeing them so upset. He motioned for them to leave.
"But I want…" Jack started; he stopped when a picture of a plate appeared over Sandy's head.
"I guess I could go for some," he glanced at Jamie, "Come on, we'll grab some cookies then I'll take you home ok?"
Jamie glanced at Pitch, his heart clenching at the sight of brother, "I believe you'll get better Pitch." to Jack he simply nodded, "Ok"
Sandman watched them leave; as soon as the door closed he frowned. Slowly he released more golden sand into the air; he grimaced as black metallic sand began to pour from the wounds on Pitch's back. Flashes of light exploded as the golden sand crushed the Lurid Sand he was managing to draw out. The Guardian of Dreams knew he would have to stop before the sand became too much for him, but he would do whatever it took to give his brother a fighting chance. Even if that meant that he himself was taking a chance with his very life. After a few minutes he recalled his sand, his breath coming out in gasps. Golden brown eyes narrowed as the Lurid Sand seemed to hiss as it retreated. Sandman glanced at Pitch, who had not stirred once; he hoped that he had bought his brother a little more time.
Please review and let me know what you thought. Ok, so I'm at a stalemate with myself concerning a character. So I have decided to let you guys decide for me ;) Ok so my dilemma is this, should Darkness stay completely evil or should he see the light and become a sort of anti-hero that doesn't give a crap if he kills to protect. Please let me know your thoughts in your reviews. Highest vote wins, (I have a story line for both so it is completely up to your guys) Till Next Time.