Hi guys thank you for all your reviews and comments. I had to go to the doctor again for my back, seems I have a pinched nerve (yeah). Anyway this arc is about to wrap up, I have lots more stories running around in my head. So be ready :) Enjoy
(With Zephar)
"Damn Leprechaun! Can't believe he took my kill from me." Zephar was absolutely livid as he emerged from the rip he had created; he grimaced as he pulled the small knife from his shoulder. "And how dare they solve the riddle so fast. Hey brat, your friends are annoying you know that?" Zephar cocked his head when all that met his comment was silence. He walked over to the ledge of the cavernous opening, "You still alive down there?"
"Go jump off a cliff." the winter spirit's weak voice echoed
Zephar grinned, "Just making sure," he laughed, "You know, I'm surprised you're still kicking. I've put you in a damn volcano for crying out loud. Grant it, the lava hasn't made it out of the magma chamber yet…but I mean come on the entire place is still like an oven."
"I'm resilient and you're crazy."
"No, I'm insane. There's a difference." Zephar laughed
"I hope you know that when the Guardians get here, your dead right?" Jack's voice faltered slightly
"Even if all four of the Guardians attack me at once, they can't take me."
"How about five Guar…" the winter spirit's voice was cut off as he began coughing
Zephar smiled, "Sorry didn't catch that. I guess air full of ash isn't that good for lungs huh."
"Asshole."
"I try." Zephar bowed, "Now let's see… you have about an hour. Till you fall into... molten lava!"
"Really? I thought snow was at the bottom of a volcano."
"Why would snow be in…Oh you were being sarcastic." Zephar smiled, he then turned and started walking off "Your friends will be here soon. I need to make sure I'm ready to greet them." he removed the suit coat and dropped it to the ground; the increasing smoke began to cling to tan arms as he disappeared into it.
(With the Guardians)
"Please warn us before you do that next time." Bunny glared at Patrick as the rainbow dissipated
"Sorry, I got excited." he smirked as he handed the riddle back to Tooth
The fairy looked at him confused, "When did you…"
The Leprechaun laughed, "I took it the moment I got there and you were busy listening to Pitch."
Sandy smiled, images flashing over his head
Pitch laughed, "Yeah, Patrick is always using me as the distraction." he then stared at the massive mountain in front of them, "You sure Jack is there?" he asked as they all started cautiously up the rocky incline
"Without a doubt, I flipped a coin."
Pitch rolled his eyes; he glanced at North noticing the man's face "Is something wrong?"
"This is the place we fought Zephar last time…" the spirit narrowed his eyes as he glanced around as they came to the top. Black smoke was starting to billow from the volcano's opening.
"We need to be ready mates," Bunny spoke as he pulled his boomerang to his hand, "Zephar probably has something up his sleeve."
A laugh resounded through the swirling smoke, "But I don't have any more sleeves."
"Show yourself you coward!" the pooka yelled as he searched the area
"Oh, I'm the coward." the man's voice seemed to drift all over the place, "Say's the person who sealed a poor spirit away for just having a bit of fun."
Tooth frowned, "Fun? You were killing people!" the fairy's feathers shook with anger at the memory.
"Please, what are a few meaningless human lives?" Zephar wore a wild expression as he emerged from the wall of smoke, "When it comes to a being of my power?"
"If you're so powerful," North stepped towards him, "Then stop hiding behind your human host."
Patrick looked at North, "Wait, what do you mean 'human host'?"
"That is the reason we sealed him instead of killing him." North glared at the smirking man in front of them, "Zephar cannot exist here on the mortal plane without a host body for more than a few hours."
"That's right," green eyes gleamed, "Every April Fools I find a sucker that believes me when I tell them I can give them the heart's desire." Zephar laughed, "To bad they never figure out till it's too late that it's their heart that 'I' desire." he gestured to his body, "Thanks to you sealing me away I have been trapped in this poor fool for centuries."
"Must have been awful." Bunny's voice echoed with sarcasm
"Oh it has been, and it wasn't until I had saved up enough energy from the pranks of mortals that I was able to break out."
"Look I could care less about your body snatching ways." golden eyes narrowed "Where is Jack?"
Zephar grinned, "Let's see…where did I put him?" he rubbed his chin in thought, "I know he's here somewhere…"
Pitch glanced around the rocky landscape, his eyes falling on the ominous opening, "You didn't…" golden eyes widened as he caught sight of the chain extending into the smoking volcano
A snap sounded from Zephar, "That's right…he wanted to 'hang' around till you guys got here."
Pitch rushed forward, he grunted as he was suddenly thrown backwards as a fist slammed into his stomach. He glared as the fist was pulled back through the tear.
Zephar grinned as he sidestepped into a tear as North brought his blade crashing down.
"Get Jack Pitch!" Bunny yelled as he slammed his foot into Zephar as the man emerged, he grinned as Zephar went flying, "We'll take care of this bloke."
Pitch nodded as he jumped to his feet, he raced toward the chain. "Jack! Don't worry we're here!"
"Pi..tch…" Jack's broken voice rasped through the thickening smoke
"I'll have you out of there in a second!" he reached for the chain; his hand was within inches of the metal links when he was suddenly grabbed by his shirt.
"The game is far from over!" Zephar screamed as he flung Pitch to the side
Pitch grunted as his body slammed into Sandman who had been chasing after Zephar, "Sorry Sandy." he spoke as he got to his feet and helped his brother to his
Sandman waved his hand in dismissal; he then turned his attention to Zephar. Images flashed rapidly above him.
Green eyes widened, "You and what army litter box?"
Sand steamed from the Guardian's ears as he whipped his golden sand around the laughing man's ankle. He smirked as he proceeded to slam Zephar into every rock he could find, then with a quick flick he sent the man reeling into the air.
Pitch cringed slightly as the ground shook as the man came crashing back down, "Ooh, at least when you did that to me Sandy I landed in snow."
Sandy grinned, it faded however as the spirit before them groaned
"Damn," Zephar staggered to his feet, "You guys are no fun."
"You're just mad because you're getting your ass handed to you." Bunny smirked
Green eyes narrowed, "I believe it's time for the game to change." Zephar through back his head and screamed as his body began to pulse.
"What the hell!" Pitch yelled as they were all pushed backwards by the waves of power coming off the man in front of them
Maniacal laughter poured from Zephar as his skin began to rip and tear, "You Guardians have never faced someone like me!" a smile that literally stretched from ear to ear came to his face as tan skin ripped open like a seam. A scream of pain escaped him as a large knife found its way into his arm. Green eyes glared at the Leprechaun, "What kind of person doesn't let a guy finish powering up?"
"The guy who has seen Dragon Ball Z." Patrick smirked
"Dragon..what?"Zephar stared at him
"I'm not 'even' going to grace that with a response." Patrick glanced at Pitch, "Can we just kill this uncultured idiot?"
Pitch grinned, "Yes, let's." he rushed forward, his scythe forming as he ran.
Zephar glared, "You are no match for me!" an orb of fire shot from his palm at the rushing Nightmare King
"Gotcha mate!" the pooka flung his boomerang, the weapon collided with the flames instantly dissipating the projectile instantly
"No!" Zephar yelled as he bent backwards just as Pitch's blade sliced mere inches from his face. He twisted into the air slamming his foot into the oncoming spirit. "Now just die!" he screamed as he rushed forward.
Instantly all hell broke loose as the Guardians all swarmed to enraged spirit. He quickly disappeared into the air as they closed in around him.
Tooth slammed her fist into his face as Zephar emerged from the tear; she smiled as his tooth flew across the rocks, "I'll be sure to send you a quarter."
Zephar growled as he touched the place his tooth used to be, "You think you're so cute huh?" the man's body exploded with flames as he rushed toward the fairy.
"Not today Zephar!" Bunny intercepted the oncoming spirit, the air shook as the two spirit's fists collided. The pooka grimaced as his paw was burned, he quickly ducked under Zephar's wild swing. He jumped up and slammed his foot into the man's stomach; he jumped back as North replaced him, "All yours mate."
"Today is your last." the spirit of wonder thrust his scimitars forward
"The game does not end till I say it does!" Zephar screamed as he jumped to the side, the air echoed with tearing as he entered a rip. "You chumps can't win!" the air echoed as he remerged away from the Guardians.
North smiled, "All yours my friend."
"What…" his eyes bulged as a blade tore through his chest.
"You know Patrick, I think I get why you use distractions so much." Pitch smirked as he pulled his scythe from the man's chest
Patrick laughed, "It is quite effective."
"You weren't supposed to win! You where to die here!" he screamed as a he stumbled backwards, blood seeping through his fingers as he held his wound.
"Looks like the games over." Patrick taunted as the man staggered
An evil glint came to his eyes as he raced to the volcano, "Very well," blood spurted from his mouth and ran down his face, "But I'll have the last laugh. See you next year!"
"No!" Pitch rushed forward as Zephar leapt into the volcano, his fingers barely missed the chain that Zephar pulled down with him. "Jack!"
Patrick had to grab his friend before he jumped, "Pitch he's gone!"
Then as if to drive the point home lava exploded into the sky.
Sorry for the cliff (it's in my nature) Please review and let me know what you thought. I love hearing from you. Till Next Time