"Shhh, I think he's waking up!"
"What do you mean 'shh'?"
"Guys, be quiet!"
"Is it possible for a dude that can literally com-bust to have a fever?"
"Jack, shut ya mouth!"
"Bite me bunny, or would you like a carrot instead!"
"Why you little-"
"Shut Up ..."
Slouched and leaning against the trunk of a tree, Inferno attempted to peel open his eyelids. Was his face wet? And ... cold? Since when does he get cold? The numbness and nip of the winter air was almost foreign. He'd forgotten the prick and pinch of ice, and he certainly didn't like it.
"What happened? Where am I?" He asked in a low grumble, blindly rubbing his forehead with a slippery hand. Ow!
"Bloody 'ell Jack! How hard ya hit him?"
"Oh, I'm sorry! Next time, I'll ask the dude politely if he'll stop trying to Barbecue us all!"
"Guys, do we have to do this now?"
"Tooth is right, there is no point in arguing over such man as this?"
"Let's just get this over with, shall we?"
"After you!"
"Ladies first Bun- AH!"
"Bunny!"
He had absolutely no idea what was going on, but Inferno kept his mouth tightly closed. Something was telling him not to interrupt the short banter they were having, for his own sake. Oh, and his head hurt like someone had dropped the moon on it! But, now oblivious to the chatter in the background, he tried once again to open his eyes, letting a slither of light dance through to meet his pupils. After blinking a couple of times, he prized his eyes open fully to be met with a blue and silver silhouette crouching by his side.
"...What?"
"Someone needs to learn some manners!"
"Jack!"
"Ok!" The last response was a little louder than the previous and was left echoing round Inferno's dull head. "What do you remember?"
Well, that question was softer than he expected. The boy was - his name? Jake Frost? Jamie? Is there a Jamie? Josh? Jack? Jack! Jack ... Frost? Anyway, he was calm and seemed more fragile than most, holding himself easily upon his knees. One arm was resting on his thigh, the other wrapped around the staff, towering above them both. Then panic struck him. He couldn't remember hardly anything. Why was he in a pile of snow, soaking wet, shivering and surrounded by the Guardians. He hated the Guardians so why was he just lying at their feet and not torturing them in some form or another?
"Hey, you still with us?"
"Hm? No. No, I don't remember anything." He had to do something, tackle one of them, hold one of them hostage. He could of sworn there were children near-by. Why not snatch one of them.
At first Jack frowned, but then he began to smirk. "Jeez, next time I'll just give him a brain freeze!"
Tinkle
"Yeah, or ask Sandy to knock him out with dream sand." North chuckled.
Jack's shoulders shrugged in the direction of the jolly ball of sand, hovering next to Tooth, before turning back to Inferno.
"Ok, let's start from the beginning. Do you know who we are?"
"Yes."
"Do you know what we are?"
"Uh huh."
"Do you know why you're here?"
"Not fully, but I know we aren't on the best of terms." Grab a kid!
"Right ... do you know why you want to attack us at every chance you get?"
"Yes."
The word came out of his mouth before he fully knew he remembered. And then the hatred and fury came flooding back into his mind and a small spark of energy flickered in his chest and fingers.
"Care to share?" Jack said with a raised eyebrow, slowly rising to his feet, in between North and Bunny.
Inferno hesitated for a moment before saying simply and blankly, "I hate you."
There was silence. All the Guardians wore expressions of surprise and confusion. It was a full minute before Bunnymund finally spoke. "Well this is awkward." He cleared his throat before continuing. "Any reason why you hate us? Didn't get to find any eggs at Easter? No presents from Santa?"
"No! Nothing as pathetic as that!" The flames were growing. The kids won't do. Get a Guardian.
"Then what?" Chimed Tooth. Her eyebrows were knitted together in a mix of guilt, confusion and anger.
Inferno just shrugged then stated, "You are with him!"
He pointed a long, bony finger towards Jack's chest. Taken aback, the Winter Spirit's piercing blue eyes widened, his eyebrows rose and his lips parted to let his mouth hang open.
Next to the boy, however, Bunnymund merely crossed his arms and scoffed. "What could Jack do? Are ya kidding me?"
The Blaze-Man leaned forward and began to get to his feet, the simple action causing his head to throb. Never the less, he paced forward till his nose was almost touching the Easter Spirit's and said with a dangerously deep, quiet voice, " ... Do I look like I'm kidding?"
Much to the other Guardians' surprise, Bunnymund stepped back. As much as he hated to admit it, that man could be intimidating!
"What did I do?" The question was quiet and frail, almost a whisper and nothing like the Guardian of Fun's usual joking tone.
Inferno snapped his gaze from Bunnymund to the teen spirit beside him. "Let me tell you."
Flashback
"AMOS! AMOS! AMOS COME BACK HERE!"
His name was echoing around the forest but he didn't care. He wasn't going back there. That was the final straw! No more teasing from the village boys, no more orders from his mother, no more beatings from his father. He had had it! He wasn't going back.
The scrawny 17 year old was darting through the trees, away from the village and choruses of Christmas Carols joined with his name interrupting the cheer. His bare feet snagged on broken twigs and slippery moss-covered dirt. What he had ever done to deserve this, he didn't know. All he could think of right now was running and not looking back - EVER!
The sun was setting and the orange glow was beginning to fade. Soon it would be dark and below freezing. He had to find somewhere to sleep for the night. In the morning he would sneak back to his house, gather some supplies and run for the next village, then the next, then the next ...
Moonlight weaved through the trees casting intimidating shadows on the forest floor around Amos' feet. His thoughts distracted him from his path and before long his concentration was non-existant. While his mind nagged away at itself, he subconsciously found a cluster of trees and gathered wood, branches and leaves, enough to make a small fire. It had begun to snow and the wind was picking up. Perhaps a blizzard was on the way he thought to himself. Any other day, people in the village enjoyed the snow. Sometimes, it was a cause for celebration. Tonight, however, would mean he would need to keep himself warm - and alive. Amos was a sickly teen, with a greyish palour and constant dark bags under his eyes. Winter was the season which caused him to come down with fevers, colds and even from the comfort of his own wooden house, hypothermia.
Thankfully, he was still shivering, but parts of his body were beginning to numb. Amos piled the fuel onto the forest floor and, grabbing two stones, sparked the flames to life. The light emitted a rich luminescent glow. Feeling the instant heat, Amos curled up beside the fire and allowed his eyes to become transfixed on the flicker of the flames tongues. Not three minutes later, exhaustion took over and he drifted off to sleep ...
XXXX
Amos woke to a low rumbling sound in his ears, but unmistakably growing. Thinking he was just dreaming, he allowed himself to nuzzle back down into the crook of his elbow and sleep engulfed him once more.
XXXX
The next time Amos woke was not to a rumble, but to a roar and the smell of smoke. What was going on? Opening his eyes, he jumped to his feet and was struck viciously by shock. The whole forest around him was on fire. Branches were falling to the floor with resounding crunches and snaps, smoke mixed with the wind of a blizzard and the bitter nip of ice. There was no fresh air and the atmosphere was sticky and thick. Bewildered by the abrupt turn of events, Amos just stood and blinked, leaning against the tree he had slept by. How? Perhaps the wind had blown the flames? Maybe the fire had just spread? His mind was telling him to run, to yell for help but he was unable to move. The orange blaze held his mind from rationality and somehow, he didn't want to leave. The Inferno was warm, welcoming. It intrigued him and offered to feed his curiosity. It looked like oblivion and the abyss began to draw him in further.
Snap, crackle, CRACK!
From the tree above, a thick branch plummeted through the air towards Amos' head. He knew no more of that night ...
End Flashback
"When I woke, I was covered in a blanket of ash and confronted by the Moon. It told me I was saved." Inferno looked towards to sky then back to the Guardians. "Then a man came out of the shadows. He said he could help guide me. Help me understand. So I followed him and he told me of you and your-" He paused and eyed Jack's staff, "-'abilities'. And that's when I knew."
Tooth looked at the man with pity. With a soft tone she asked, "Knew what?"
"Knew that Jack Frost was the reason I died and am like this."
Each of the Guardians turned to look at Jack. The Winter Spirit wore an expression so full of guilt and hurt, it would have made even the happiest being on Earth to become glum. With eyes sparkling and knuckles white, Jack turned to Inferno and met his expressionless stare with his own emotion-filled one. "I'm so sorry."
"If you had seen me, seen how cold I was, seen how alone and lost I was, I could have lived. If you weren't there that night and if you hadn't of found it fun to freeze me to death, I wouldn't of lit a fire. If you hadn't conjured a blizzard, the fire wouldn't of spread-"
"There's no way of knowing that-" Bunny interrupted, defending Jack who seemed to be backing away from Inferno little by little, his eyes fixated on his feet and looking disgusted at himself.
"Yes there is! He did it! He killed me! He was the reason for the fire! The moon saved me but why am I like this? Cursed? Alone? I was always alone! Always the odd one out. That was until I found someone who understood me. He helped me and saved me from myself. He knew what it was like to be different and alone."
Now it was North's turn to become inquisitive. "He? Who is he?"
With that question, Inferno's lips curled at the edges and his eyes darkened. Eyebrows drawn together and head tilted upward, he replied, "Pitch Black."
The effect was instantaneous. Tooth let out a small squeal and fluttered back to the huddle of children, who had remained silent in the background. Sandy's dainty hands curled into fists and wisps of sand protruded from his ears. North's face darkened and, if the others weren't mistaken, he growled. Bunny jumped back in surprise at their old foes name but then turned to Jack, who was still looking at the floor as if nothing had changed. The teen's eyes were the only part of his body showing any emotion. They were flickering everywhere in his sight of the floor as if searching for something small and lost.
"He told me all about you, he told me who you are and what each of you can do. And who you care about ..." He added with a dangerous tone and a pointed look towards the children. Just as he said those words, flames blazed out of his palms and thrust each of the Guardians back. Tooth and North barreled towards the petrified kids, whilst Sandy was thrown behind. Bunnymund and Jack hurtled into near-by trunks of thick oak trees and fell to the dirt. Happy with this result, Inferno advanced towards the Guardian of Fun and Hope.
"You. Will. Pay!" Roared Inferno. Bunnymund leaped up and grabbed Jack's arm, assisting to ascent with his. Both stood together and held their weapons ready in their palms. But the Blaze-Man merely laughed. "Not this time!" With a flick of his wrist, Bunnymund's - new - Boomerangs turned to ash.
"They were bloody new!" He spat at their rival. But before he had a chance to make a move, a small yelp beside him cut him short. Jack's staff was on the floor and smoking slightly. Bunnymund turned to his friend and saw his face contorted with anguish. "Jack?"
Smirking, Inferno snatched the staff from their reach and carelessly tossed it behind him. "Wouldn't want that getting in the way would we." He shook a finger teasingly in front of their faces then cracked a flaming whip across each of their cheeks, knocking them to their knees.
"Jack!"
"Bunny!"
Tooth and North's screams from the distance rang in their ears. But the next was heard and listened to above them all.
"Hey!"
Jamie No! Jack thought to himself. He tried to stand but was too weak and fell back to his knees.
Inferno, on the other hand, seemed amused and enjoying the havoc he was causing. "What a brave little boy. Foolish, but brave."
"Please! Stay away from him!" Jack begged, tears threatening to fall.
Jamie, however, stepped forward and grabbed Jack's staff.
"You can't do anything with that, little boy. No one can, except your friend Jack over there, but he's busy right now." Then Inferno remembered Pitch's warning. Destroy the staff! "Give it to me."
"No." Jamie squared his shoulders and looked behind him at his approaching friends. Cupcake stood by his right and Claude and his brother by his left. Monty and Pippa stood behind.
"I said, Give it to ME!"
"No!"
"ARGHHHH!" Inferno had lost his patience and darted towards the children. Instinctively, Jack flung himself in the same direction.
What happened next happened to fast ...
Authors Note:
I am so sorry for the long wait. Longest chapter so far and I had a lot of explaining to do. Next chapter is the last! Can't believe it! Thank you for all your lovely reviews, it's wonderful to here such a major and successful response. I would of posted this up sooner but have been incredibly busy. Main reason being I went to Radio 1's Big Weekend last weekend which was when I was meant to write it. Sorry ... that took priority. Taylor Swift, Olly Murs, Imagine Dragons, Clean Bandit, Rita Ora, Foo Fighters and George Ezra were kind of a big thing! Also, I've been struggling with anxiety and panic attacks a lot since January. So to go to a festival on that scale was a really big step for me, but I did it! Yay! As always, please favourite, follow and review. It really helps to motivate and get my brain moving :) I'll hopefully post up the final chapter very soon. See you then - Ellie x P.S: Thank you again ;)