Wow. Ten chapters already. Not much to really say here. Enjoy the chapter!
The search for Jack seemed to drag on and on endlessly, though it had only been a few days.
None of them had rested, putting all their energy into the search. North and Anja had taken the sled out numerous times as they searched from the air for any indication of where Jack might be held.
Each day that they turned up nothing was more frustrating than the last. A fear had crept into their minds that they may no longer be looking to save Jack, but to simply bring his body back.
That fear was not helped by the fact that a number of known assistants to Death were being seen searching about in many of the areas the Guardians were looking. North had explained to Anja that while each of the Spirits had died before they had become who they were currently, they were still alive. While it was possible to kill them, it was incredibly difficult, but still possible. Death, or those who worked with him, were the ones who had their hands in the events that took a person's life, at least usually. With one of the parties involved being a fallen angel, it was anyone's guess what might happen.
Early into the sixth day, Spookie, North, and Anja were brought out of a discussion of where else to look by one of the yetis, the one Jack called "Phil" bursting in.
"Ach!" North cried as the force with which Phil had opened the door blew the papers they'd been looking over across the room. "Why do none of you grasp concept of knocking?"
Unfazed by North's exclamation, Phil began talking rapidly, pointing out to the main room. Unable to understand him, Spookie and Anja waited as North listened to receive a translation. As the yeti spoke, North's face fell. "This cannot be good."
Ignoring the questioning looks from Anja and Spookie, North stood and moved into the main room. Both of the girls, as well as Phil, followed him.
Standing near the Guardian symbol on the floor was a boy who appeared to be about 14-15. His body was partially covered in red, blue, and yellow feathers, with his arms morphed halfway into wings, and a tail sticking out of a hole in his pants. His clothing was older, closer to something worn during the late 1800s. The yetis were all keeping their distance from him, and North could easily pick up why.
An aura of death lingered around the boy, coupled with the smell of ash and soot. He was a reaper, one aligned with fire, and the deaths caused by it. While he wasn't Death himself, that didn't make the news any better.
"What are you here for?" North all but demanded. "I would think it is too cold up he to be creating fires."
The boy looked up at the Guardian with eyes that showed wisdom beyond his visual age. "Actually, some of the most lethal fires occur in the cold, since it creates more of a need for heat and fire, and water sources tend to be at least partially frozen." At the boy's words, North scowled. "I can see you're impatient. Death wants to meet with all of you."
"I'm sure he does." North replied, though the tone in his voice made the boy tilt his head.
"Oh, you're not happy that he was going to offer his assistance in finding Jack Frost?" The boy sighed, turning to walk towards one of the windows. "Well, I guess that's the answer I'll have to give him. Such a shame, too…"
Spookie stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "What do you mean 'such a shame?'" She asked. "What's going on, Drake?"
The boy, Drake, shrugged. "We were willing to show all of you where Jack was, since he's going to need you guys in order to get out of there. But, since North doesn't want anything to go with us, I guess Death will be the one to go. I'm sure you're smart enough to figure out what that will mean for Jack."
Drake's words seemed to rile up a bit of anger in North, who stepped closer to the feathered boy. "Where does he want to meet?" He asked, barely containing his anger.
"The Warren." Drake replied, "Since that's the supposed safe area for conversations now, it seems."
Calming himself a bit more with a controlled sigh, North turned to Spookie. "Contact the others, and let them know to get to the Warren as soon as possible."
Spookie nodded, sending out her spirits to find the others and to relay the message.
As they waited for the others to arrive, Anja moved closer to North, tapping his arm to get his attention. "What is it, Anja?" He asked, keeping an eye on Drake as the boy began to walk slowly around the globe, examining it, and seeming to take no notice of the yetis, who were constantly moving away from him.
"I don't like him." She whispered, watching the feathered boy as well. "He feels…off."
"He is a reaper." North replied. "When he was given new life, he was made assistant to Death, at least one of many. Like Tooth, it can be hard for Death to be many places in small amount of time. So, he has reapers. You are likely feeling that energy."
Anja shook her head. "It's not that. It's…something different. I'm just not sure how to explain it…"
…
The other three Guardians arrived not too long after too long after Spookie had sent out the spirits, which allowed all of them, as well as Drake, to move through one of North's portals into the Warren.
"Alright. We're here." Bunny grumbled, wanting to know exactly where Jack was so that they could get him out of there. "So, where's tall, dark, and deathy?"
"Right here." The response made Bunny jump with a yell, as it had been given from directly behind him. The reaction made Death chuckle a bit. "Well, I can see you're still has jumpy as ever, Bunnymund."
The Guardian of Hope let out a growl, and started to step towards Death, when Tooth put a hand on his chest to stop him. "Bunny, now's not the time. We need his help to find Jack." She then turned to Death, hovering in the air. "Could you please tell us where Jack is?"
Death smiled a bit, though there seemed to be a bit of a smirk hidden in the smile. "Why, of course I can, seeing as you asked so nicely." Silence followed after he spoke, lingering for a minute before he spoke again. "Oh, you mean now?" He asked, looking around with his eyebrows raised in mock surprise. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you meant right now." He looked over to Drake, the boy having moved to stand next to him. "Did you know that they meant right now, Drake?"
Drake shook his head. "No, I didn't."
By this point, the four Guardians, Spookie, and Anja were all at least a little bit annoyed.
"Enough, Death!" North snapped, surprising the others with his outburst of anger. "I am in no mood to play games with you!"
"Games?" Death asked, placing a hand on his chest as he took a small step back. "I'm not playing any games. I'm just stalling. Tell me, North, how secure is your workshop, supposedly, from Man in the Moon's spying? Don't you think he heard Drake telling you that I had discovered where he and Jizrael are holding Jack, or you telling Spookie to gather the Guardians together? You may as well have used the Northern Lights to write it across the sky." As he spoke, his face grew stern and serious. "They want to crush all of you. Do you think they're going to simply leave Jack alive now that they know you're moving to rescue him?"
He watched as the anger grew, and the horror began to form on their faces as he spoke. Okay, so maybe he had times where he enjoyed his work a bit too much. Flicking his wrist, he produced a small, black, round stone. "My reapers only get these when there is a soul that needs to be collected. I haven't gotten one in ages. Considering that, as well as our current conversation, who's do you think this is?" The head Reaper glanced around at the Guardians, and the two girls, before speaking again. "Well, why don't we find out for sure?"
Without waiting for a response, he threw the stone against the ground, extending the area it affected to encompass the entire group, whisking them away from the Warren.
They reappeared in a tunnel of some sort, unsure of where exactly they were. What they were sure, however, was that the screams that were filling the tunnel belonged to Jack.
"Hmmm…" Death mused, him and Drake were the only two unfazed by the screaming. "I wonder if we made it in time."
The others weren't about to wait around to find out the answer.
As always, read and review. I'll shoot for the next chapter being out this Friday!