~Chapter 12~
By the time Pitch arrived at North's workshop the Guardians were starting to grow weary. It was becoming harder and harder to fight off the monkeys. Every time they cut one down there was still another to replace it. Dead monkeys covered the floor, and yet there was still more. It was starting to become intolerable, especially knowing Ember was in danger and severely wounded.
"Where is she!" Pitch shouted as he cut down a monkey. As soon as he had stepped out of the shadows monkeys began to swarm him.
The Guardians had never seen Pitch look so mad in their lives. He was cutting down monkeys twice as fast as them combined and was quickly making his way towards the Guardians.
"Pitch! Ember was captured by the Monkey King!" Jack exclaimed as he threw a monkey off of him.
"She has been injured too!" Toothina added.
"You foolish Guardians! How dare you take her away from me and then let her be captured." Pitch scowled. "Why the hell did the Monkey King capture her." Pitch thought to himself.
"We tried our best to save her, but there are too many monkeys as you can see." North grunted as he cut off the head of a monkey.
"Ugh, you pathetic fools." Pitch sneered. He knew exactly how to get rid of the monkeys. He had after all worked with them at one time, and knew what terrified them most.
Pitch cut down a row of monkeys and before the next row could take its place Pitch summoned all of his fearlings. Every last one of them came flooding into the workshop, killing every single monkey and scaring off the rest that remained. The Guardians finished off the ones that they were fighting and nearly fell over from exhaustion. As soon as the every last monkey was gone Pitch summoned the fearlings back to him. But they did not leave, they merely gathered behind Pitch waiting for another chance to attack.
"I never thought I would say this, but thank you mate." Bunnymund thanked Pitch. Everyone looked surprised that Bunnymund had said such a kind thing towards Pitch, but they all nodded in agreement. If it wasn't for him they would have been too exhausted to keep fighting and wouldn't be able to fight them off any longer. Pitch practically saved the Guardians, which was as rare as Bunnymunds kindness.
Pitch scowled. "If anyone will kill you it will be me. Not some pathetic monkey army. But sadly I can't stay to fight." As much as Pitch wanted to kill every single one of them, he did have to save Ember. With one last glare Pitch disappeared back into the shadows along with his fearlings. He knew exactly where to find Ember, in the Monkey King's hide out.
"Humph, there's the Pitch we know." Bunnymund smirked. They all shared a quick smile, thankful that Pitch didn't decide to release his wrath upon them.
"What a mess." North sighed as he sat down on the couch where Ember had previously laid. The others joined him, glad for a chance to rest.
"Shouldn't we try and help Pitch find Ember." Jack asked, still anxious about Ember.
"No, I think that Pitch has got that under control. I can feel that he will." North answered patting his belly.
"Besides, I don't think any of us have ever seen Pitch so worked up over something. If it wasn't for the hurry I'm sure he would have killed us off then and there." Bunnymund added as he massaged his shoulders. They all nodded in agreement. All they could do now was rest and wait to see what would happen.
Meanwhile Pitch flew to Ember's aid, his fearlings on his heels. He traveled to the forest near Punjam Hy Loo where the Monkey King liked to live. Pitch didn't know if the Monkey King still lived in the same section of the forest he used to, but all he had to do was follow the strong scent of monkey which was stronger than the scent of bacon in the morning.
Thankfully Pitch knew the forest well and didn't take long to navigate his way through it. He soon came upon the section of forest that the Monkey King was known to rule. Sure enough he could hear the howling and screeching of monkeys not far off. But something caught his attention as he was about to enter the Monkey Kings lair. It was a thick black shadowy substance. It was Ember's blood. Pitch growled. He would kill this pathetic excuse for a king.
"Why hello my King." The Monkey King purred as Pitch strode into the center of the Monkey Kings lair. Pitch's eyes flew to were the Monkey King's voice had come from and found him holding his sword against Ember's throat. She was bound to a tree with blood soaking her dress.
"Father!" Ember cried out with a weak voice. She had lost soo much blood by now that it was nearly impossible to function regularly. She was scared, and in so much pain that it was nearly blinding.
Pitch took a step forward, but the Monkey King pressed his sword deeper into Ember throat causing her to wince. "Take one step closer and your precious daughter will lose her head." The King warned.
"What is it you want you pathetic fool." Pitch sneered. He didn't take to kindly to threats.
"Ahh, yes. You know exactly what I want." The King began.
"I'm afraid you will be disappointed." Pitch replied with a blank expression.
"Oh don't tell me you've forgotten already! We joined forces at one time, for the same reason to. To be more powerful! But then you betrayed me, and left me to die at the hands of that Queen." The king spat. "Well, not this time. This time, you will bring me that precious relic of the Queens and I will become the strongest King in the world!" All the monkeys that surrounded them started to screech and howl in excitement at their kings tiny speech.
But Pitch was rather amused. "You really think that I would help you?" Pitch laughed. "You really think such a weak pathetic monkey like you can control me?"
"Oh but I do! You see, I have something very important to you. I have had my monkeys watch you from time to time, and the only thing that makes you hesitate is your darling daughter. Now you wouldn't want to lose her, now would you?" The King taunted as he moved his sword so that a drop of blood came trickling down Ember's throat.
"How amusing." Pitch laughed. "But I'm afraid we will have to cut your little monkey business short."
With one swift movement all the fearlings swarmed the surrounding monkeys while Pitch disappeared into the shadows of the forest. The Monkey King looked around frantically for Pitch, but he was no where in sight. He growled and was about to kill Ember on the very spot when he was knocked down and pinned to the ground by Pitch with a sword at his throat.
"No! Wait please, forgive me!" The Monkey King howled as he tried to pull away from Pitch. But there was no use.
Pitch scoffed. "You really think you deserve such a peaceful fate as death? Ha ha, I don't think so. You're a waist of my time, go back to living your days in misery before I decide to leave you to my fearlings." Pitch scowled as he grabbed the Monkey King by the throat and threw him off to join the rest of the monkeys who were running from the fearlings.
The monkeys all cried as they were chased off by the fearlings to the forests edge. Pitch scoffed and quickly turned to Ember. He cut the vines that bound Ember to the tree with one swift movement and she fell to her knees.
Pitch knelled down beside Ember and took her into his arms. He saw where she had been run through and stabbed along with the shadowy blood that stained her. Ember knew she was close to death, and she was terrified. She didn't want to leave Pitch. She desperately clung onto Pitch, as if she would slip away if she let go.
"Shh, it's going to be okay." Pitch spoke with such a softness he never even knew he had. He picked Ember up and cradled her frail body in his arms. She clung onto him and began to sob into his chest.
"I'm so sorry father. But I couldn't fight them off." Ember sobbed into his chest. She felt like such a burden to Pitch, like everything was her fault.
"It's not your fault, you were seriously injured. Besides, you've seriously impressed me. I had no clue you could fight like that." Pitch admitted. Ember smiled a little through her tears and the searing pain.
Ember clung onto Pitch's robe as he disappeared back into the shadows. he didn't have much time to get Ember the care she desperately needed. Pitch only knew of one place that he could find that help, and as much as he despised the idea it was his only hope. So he moved as quick as the shadows could take him back to the North Pole where he would be able to find help.
