I hope you all like this chapter a few characters get a bit of the lime light.
The guardians floated in the sky looking at the stretch of Ireland before them.
"So how are we supposed to find them in this entire place?" Amelia asked.
" Well I guess we split up?" North said.
" Is that really a wise choice?" Tooth inquired.
" Do you got any other choice?" Bunnymund added, the guardians continued debating among themselves. Elil on the other hand just laughed.
" What's so funny?" Aspen asked sheepishly.
" Allow me to find them. I'll be faster on my own." Elil said and he slowly faded turning into a huge gust of wind. He passed through the guardians and made his way across Ireland spreading himself out.
Thorn huffed trying to catch his breath, Jayde mimicked the same action. After his fight with Rynn, Pitch suggested that he spar with Jayde.
"Good, Good you are both strong. Jayde I would say Thorn has kept up well against you. Though I know you held back a bit because you didn't want to destroy his bones. I think you both did great you should rest." Pitch praised, both Thorn and Jayde went to sit down.
"Alright so Aqua I want you to go inside the cave and practice. Rai do you remember anything yet?" Pitch asked. Aqua nodded and went inside the cave while Rai shook his head. "That's alright. I think when Star wakes up I will have her speak with you... Since she know you the most."
Rai's ears perked up. " She does?" he asked.
"Yes there's a reason she sought you out so until then just relax and see if you remember anything." Pitch said. " Alright now Damien me and you will spar."
Damien smiled and stood up the dark sky casting shadows on his face to make him seem more terrifying. Everyone sat around watching them both then on some unknown queue they leaped at each other. Pitch created a hammer made of black sand while Damien prepared himself to attack. When a sudden gust of wind knocked the two fighters and their spectators over. Everyone struggled to get up but the wind pushed them down.
"What the hell is with this wind!" Damien spat.
"I'm not sure!" Jayde shouted over the howling wind.
Pitch squinted trying to see this invisble force that attacked them but couldn't see anything. This wind isn't natural. What could be causing it... Unless is it that wind spirit we encountered before? Could he have followed us all the way here? Impossible there was no one behind us for miles did he just follow the direction we came in? "Everyone stay down!" Pitch ordered. "Jayde!"
"What?" she questioned him.
" I want you to release as much heat into the air." Pitch commanded.
"You want me to do what?!" She exclaimed. " Wouldn't all this wind snuff me out like a candle?"
"Not if you go all out with your power! Don't question me and just do it. You're wasting time!" Pitch yelled. Jayde still unsure why tried standing up. "Think Supernova!" Pitch added and Jayde concentrated hard letting all her emotions well up inside her. What did he mean by Supernova? Does he want me to use up all my power? Well at this point I should trust him. Jayde focused all of the feelings of hatred she had inside her. With a shout she erupted with heat, her entire body turned to flame. Everyone who was near her tried crawling away before her flames could reach them. Jayde continued to push herself scorching the ground beneath her. The wind couldn't touch her when ever it drew near it was sent upward. Over time the wind gathered forming Elil. Pitch smile glad that his plan worked.
"What the hell did you do!" Elil demanded his answer some of his clothes,skin, and hair began to let of smoke from being singed.
" Well hot air rises and cool air falls." Pitch responded grinning.
Jayde smiled. " I guess I couldn't be blown out like a candle. " She laughed before falling backward Damien was quick to catch her before she could hit the ground. She saw Damien and before she could argue with him catching her she fainted.
" l guess I should reconsider pissing her off in the near future." Damien joked. " Well I guess your outmatched and outwitted."
Ellil glared down at the spirits below. When a slight breeze came by. He then started laughing. " I was outmatched but I won't ever be outwitted. I sent for reinforcements."
Pitch stood up brushing himself off. " Reinforcements? Who could you have possibly brought..." In the distance he could hear bells. " Everyone get out of here now! Someone go grab Fallen Star and go you guys aren't ready to handle them yet. I will try to hold them off."
Thorn stood up quickly. " We aren't ready for who?" he questioned Pitch.
"It's them isn't it... The Guardians are coming." Damien said.
" Are you sure we're going in the right direction Jack?" Tooth asked.
Jack who was gripping on tightly to his staff which was being pulled by wind. " Hey I'm just getting dragged like a kite here wherever the wind wants to take me. If I had to guess it was Ellil. He is a wind spirit right?"
"That he is." North answered driving the sleigh.
" So does that mean he's in trouble or that he found them." Bunnymund asked Sandy shrugged with a question mark over his head.
" Well the fact he's pulling Jack towards him could mean both together." Amelia said.
"Wherever it is pulling us we're reaching the end of the forest." Aspen added.
"You can tell that?" Amelia inquired intrigued.
" I'm a nature spirit. I guess you can say I have this internal map of the world. Well only of the world's vegetation so when a tree is chopped down a bit of the map disappears. So I can tell when we reach the edge of a forest or not." Aspen explained.
"Crazy. That must stink knowing that the amazon rain forest is going away slowly right." Amelia said.
" Yeah it more painful really. Were getting really close to the edge." Aspen said. All the guardians began searching around for Ellil as they went forward across Ireland. Sandy squinted his eyes because he saw something in the air. When he realized what it was he began tugging on North's coat.
"What is it Sandy?" North asked and Sandy began pointing in the direction of the floating object. " Do you see something?" Sandy nodded rapidly forming an E above his head. " Got it old friend." North then sped up the sleigh in the direction where Sandy pointed. Leaving Jack and Tooth to catch up.
" The guardians are on their way right now?" Thorn asked. " We're just supposed to leave you here to deal with them?"
"Yes. Now Rai go get Fallen Star and warn Aqua. Damien carry Jayde and Thorn you will be in charge. Get out of here." Pitch ordered.
" Not happening!" Thorn yelled back at him.
"Yeah I'm with him on that one. I don't agree with this one bit...Why does he get to be in charge?" Damien complained.
"Seriously that's what's bothering you about the situation?" Thorn queried.
"Hell yeah why the hell are you in charge I'm stronger than you are." Damien argued.
"Enough! Just get out of here before they get here." Pitch scolded them.
"It's already to late for that Pitch." Jack laughed. The Boogeyman looked up to see all the guardians floating along side Ellil.
" I suppose it is. Though it isn't to late for them to make their escape." Pitch said.
Rai emerged from the cave carrying the unconscious Fallen Star, Tooth was the first to take notice. "Fallen Star." she gasped. Everyone's attention turned to Fallen Star.
" I'm still gonna have to disagree with you on that one." Damien said to Pitch.
Pitch got angry." You know what Damien you can discuss group leader later."
"That's not what I meant Pitch. I meant that I'm not going to run away. I'm fighting in your stead so you take the others and go. Thorn take Jayde. Now get out of here I will catch up soon enough." Damien explained handing Jayde over to Thorn.
Thorn nodded and was about to leave when Rynn stepped forward. " I'm not going either." she declared.
"What?" Thorn stopped. " Are you crazy?"
"No I'm just tired of running. I think it's time the prey stepped up and became the hunters." Rynn said.
"Wow talk about a personality change." Damien joked.
" Fine if she's staying so am I." Thorn said and he handed Jayde over to Pitch . " Okay Pitch take them and keep them safe. Alright which guardian wants to get their but kicked first?"
"Cheeky fella ain't he?" Easter bunny commented. " Alright I'll take you on."
" Too bad you'll be facing me." Rynn declared. "Pitch take the others and go the three of us will be fine." Pitch nodded and made three nightmares appear and ordered the others to get on took off to the skies some of the guardians gave chase while some remained to fight Thorn, Rynn, and Damien.
" Aw alright I'll tango with you little girl." Bunnymund said and he hopped out of the sleigh on to the ground. Rynn smiled and began to transform until she was a wolf in front of a large rabbit. " Uh-oh." he uttered then began running Rynn let out a snarl and then gave chase.
" Well that's hilarious. Okay who's next up to bat?" Damien asked.
North pulled out his dual swords. " That would be me." He then charged at Damien but Thorn stepped in North's way and formed a sword and shield of bones tethered together by his thorn vines.
"Sorry but I will be your opponent." He said to North who laughed and continued his attack hacking and slashing at Thorn's raised shield. While they were preoccupied Damien was left with Amelia and Aspen.
" Aw come on you guys left me with the only two chicks. Thorn trade with me." Damien complained.
" Now is not the time just deal with it." Thorn replied hastily and Damien groaned.
Amelia took the scythe off her back. " Why you scared of fighting to girls." she told him.
Damien laughed. "Me afraid? Don't make me laugh. I invented fear!" Amelia shrugged off his retort and charged at him but the world around her warped and soon she wasn't in the woods but back home in the bayou.
" What's going on here? Why am I back home?" She asked rhetorically she looked around and then water rushed all around her rising and flooding the area underneath her feet. Amelia quickly ran to the trees to get out of the rapid waters but every time she got closer they pulled away from her. Taunting her and making it impossible to ever reach them. she eventually gave up and looked around for another way to get out. The water reached her chest quickly and soon she would be forced to swim. Amelia cursed and placed her scythe back on her back and began swimming toward land but she realized the river soon turned into a lake. " What the hell is happening?" she inquired as she waded in the water. When something in the water moved past her. She immediately turned to see nothing on the surface. Then felt something brush against her foot. Amelia didn't check around this time whatever was in the water was something she didn't want to meet she tried again to reach the shore and when she got closer something emerged from the water for a moment. Amelia froze as if trying to process what she just saw. She debated whether to continue forward or swim in the other direction. The shore was only a few feet away from her. Taking a deep breath she desperately swam for the shore, with each stroke she would see something moving in the water. Eventually Amelia reached the shore dragging herself on to it. " Thank god I got out." she sighed in relief when there was a deep growling from behind her. She slowly looked over her shoulder to see a large beast. Amelia let out a scream as the beast grabbed her by her foot and began taking her back into the water. Amelia writhed and flailed trying to get out of the beasts clench but it's jaws were secured around her leg. Back in the water she tried to keep herself above water but eventually she got pulled under to meet the fate that awaited her.
Aspen stood a few feet behind Amelia and watched as she screamed and rolled around on the ground. " What did you do to her?!" Aspen shrieked as she ran to Amelia's aid. " Amelia! Amelia what's wrong? Tell me!" Amelia didn't respond and began gasping for air while Damien laughed at the spectacle. "Stop laughing!" She ordered to Damien and looked up to see that he was gone. In fact everyone was gone except her and Amelia. " What? Where did everyone go?" Amelia responded with only more screams and gasps. Aspen turned her attention back to Amelia and continued trying to snap her out of her panicking state. A large glow began to illuminate Aspen and Amelia casting their shadows on the ground. Aspen turned to face the glow to discover a roaring fire engulfing the forest around them. Aspen stood up quickly and began to cry. " The forest its dying." she cried and she collapsed to her knees as she was hit with the cries of pain of the forest. "No! No! Nooo!" She yelled at the sky gripping her head.
Damien stopped the illusion and both Aspen and Amelia fainted from the pain. " That was too easy." Damien said. " Are you done yet Thorn?"
" Just about." Thorn replied as he had North at sword point. North's sword broken a couple of feet behind him.
"You don't have to do this." North said.
"I know but I want to. All for Fallen Star. Just be thankful I'm not a killer." He said and then hit north with the back-end of his sword rendering him unconscious. " All right, now I'm done." he said walking over to Damien. " Dude couldn't you have I don't know beat them quietly I swear I nearly went deaf from their screams."
"Hmm let me see... Probably but I just don't care. Beside nothing makes me feel more accomplished than my enemies screaming their heads off. So where did the mutt go?"
" I don't know but we should go the other guardians went after Pitch and the others."
" Let's get going then." Rynn said rising from the shadows.
"Ah there you are. Well I don't know about you guys but I can fly. What are you guys going to do?" Damien asked them.
" Well I just learned that I can travel through shadows. So I'll just hide in your shadow." Rynn answered and stepped on his shadow phasing into it.
"Creepy... I like that. Alright well I could carry you Thorn your used to that by now." Damien joked.
" I don't need your help just try to keep up." Thorn retorted and began running he spread out his thorn vines and used them to slingshot him into the air where he then continued to propel himself. Damien shrugged and began flying.
" Come on Pitch you can't possibly hope to outrun us." Jack shouted as him, Tooth, Sandy, and Ellil flew right behind Pitch and the others gaining on them with every second.
"It doesn't hurt to try Pitch replied." Pitch replied while Sandy made an airplane and began to shoot sand bullets at Pitch's nightmares. "What the? Everyone be careful and-" Pitch was cut off as his nightmare was hit causing it to panic and buck. " Aqua take Jayde!" He said quickly tossing Jayde over to Aqua who barely caught her by the hand and slowly pulled Jayde up on to the nightmare. Pitch made his nightmare disappear now in the air he floated waiting for the other guardians.
"Pitch what are you doing?" Rai questioned him.
"Buying you time. Don't worry the others will be here soon." Pitch assured. " Now keep going get them to safety." Rai nodded and they pressed on.
"Wow Pitch how noble of you." Ellil said. " Now just before we take you down I ask what happened to the girl you took?"
" You would have to beat me first to find out." Pitch said and launched a wave of sand. Jack smiled and leaped into the sand staff first causing it all to freeze. Pitch glared and cursed through clenched teeth but continued his attacks. Jack in turn just kept freezing his black sand. Pitch eventually stopped and came at him with his black sand scythe. Before he could reach Jack, Sandy grabbed him with his whip and began fling him around then sent him crashing to the ground. On the ground lying on his back Pitch sent dozens of nightmares at them the Guardians flew down with Tooth in the front and destroyed all of them.
"Way to go Tooth!" Jack cheered and the Guardians touched down in front of Pitch who groaned.
"Alright Pitch tell us what you did with the girl." Ellil demanded.
"Not gonna happen." Pitch responded. Ellil got angry and send slashes of razor sharp wind at Pitch cutting up his body. Pitch put down his hand. "Still not gonna happen." Ellil growled and sent a dozen more. When a wall of water appeared in front of Pitch. The guardians looked confused.
"Uhh Pitch can't do that." Jack said.
"No but I can." Aqua said appearing from behind a tree and walked over to stand by Pitch with both hands raised.
" It can't be I saw you die." Ellil uttered.
Before she could respond to that Pitch carefully stood up and questioned. "Why are you here? Didn't I tell you to stay away? Is Rai here too?" Aqua just simply nodded with a little fear in her eyes. Pitch saw and calmed down. "Let's go now!" Pitch commanded creating another nightmare. Aqua nodded she dropped her hands along with the shield so she could climb on the nightmare. Pitch quickly got on and rushed to the skies barely dodging another attack by Ellil. Of course the guardians came after them once more. This time they were closer Ellil materialized in front of them cutting them off before they could move anywhere else they were surrounded by the other guardians. Ellil who was so angry then created a tornado which hit both Pitch and Aqua causing them to be tossed around violently between the guardians.
A flash of lightning and Rai appeared riding his nightmare."Enough!" Rai shouted and charged at Ellil with no weapon just the nightmare. Ellil scoffed and sent razor wind blades to attack him. Rai and his nightmare were hit causing the Nightmare to dissolve and Rai to fall head first toward the ground. Tooth gasped.
I'm falling? Why does this feel so familiar? Have I fallen from the sky before? Aqua began screaming from inside the tornado. Was that Aqua? Her and Pitch are still inside that vortex? I can't give up now. I have to... I have to... I have to Fight! Rai quickly opened his eyes instead of falling he stopped floating in the air. He noticed the tornado was still going the guardians were arguing with each other. Rai turned his body and was now standing. Storm clouds gathered and swirled around above them.
"Just stop it Ellil! You're hurting them." Tooth shouted at Ellil who just laughed. She looked up and noticed that it was getting darker and getting harder to see. She looked back at where Ellil was floating but could barely see him. Another flash of lightning and Rai was standing behind him Tooth screamed. Ellil slowly turned.
"Miss me?" Rai asked the group. He punched Ellil sending him crashing into Sandy. The tornado stopped and Pitch and Aqua began falling." I still don't remember everything but I remember how to do this!" Rai lifted hands and the storm turned violent. Rain began to pour, wind grew stronger, thunder and lightning clashed. " Goodbye." Rai said and struck all four guardians with lightning. They all let out quick shrieks of pain before they we're sent down. Rai smiled for a moment before realizing that Pitch and Aqua had fallen. "Oh no. Pitch! Aqua!" he shouted and dove down but met halfway by Thorn and Damien who were carrying Pitch and Aqua.
"We leave you guys alone for ten minutes and this is what happened. I heard of it raining cats and dogs before but this is ridiculous." Damien joked holding Aqua.
" Oh thank god you guys are ok." Rai sighed.
"Good now let's get going something tell me this isn't going to hold them off for long. Not bad though Rai. So this is your true power." Thorn said.
Rai shrugged. " I guess so." Then they went to retrieve Fallen Star and Jayde.