Are you mad at me?
*Angry silence*
You guys are mad at me. ._.
I know! I know! I'm weeks late, and I'm sorry! It's just that I have been preparing for testing which is NEXT WEEK, and I wasn't anticipating the boatload of homework, then practice- You know what? That's not an excuse. I should have kept this chapter as my top priority. I left you guys in the dark with a terrible cliff-hanger, and it was my fault. And I'm terribly sorry. And I'm sorry that this is not the chapter you deserve, but the chapter you need(Did I use that right?).
Oh, and by the way, I was watching The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, and I suddenly imagined Jack saying, "For Atlantis! And for Simone!" in Atlantean. I think I smell a sequel coming on! Also, I just like the idea of Jack charging across the field, running, not flying, his eyes narrowed in concentration, and in slow-motion. Pardon my foul language, but that would sexy as shit. :3
Anyway, here is the gateway to the last chapter!
To your knowledge. :D
I own nothing.
"Wow, a perfect hit." Jack whirled around to see Pitch leaning against the frame of the door, smirking as he looked at the knife embedded in Tooth's chest.
"Jack," Tooth moaned, her hands clawing feebly at the hilt of the knife.
"It's okay, Tooth, it's okay," he said soothingly, turning around to her, trying not to let the hysteria that was bubbling in his stomach from exploding. He imagined throwing himself at Pitch, screaming and roaring like a deranged animal, ripping him apart piece by piece. A strong and powerful urge suddenly attacked him. No! Tooth needs you! he shouted at himself. Trying to ignore the trembling in his hands, he turned back to Tooth, trying to ignore Pitch. Okay, okay. Breath, Jack, breath, he thought. First things first, first things first, um, uh...
He struggled to remember what was the first thing you did when someone was impaled. Was he supposed to remove it? No, wait, check her breathing. To see if it hurt her lungs. He leaned his head down to her mouth, and exhaled a breath that he didn't even know he had been holding when he heard the raspy, but strong breathes. Okay. Check if she's conscious. "Tooth?" he whispered tentatively.
Her eyes fluttered open for a brief second, then closed again. "Yes?" she slipped his hand into hers in reply and squeezed it gently, unable to express his relief in words or thoughts.
"I suppose I must join the knife-thrower's club when this is all over. Would you like to join me, Jack?" Pitch interrupted. Jack ignored him, and tried to remember the next step. If he recalled correctly, he was supposed to leave it in, to prevent more blood loss and causing further injury. Even though the streams of red blood that dribbled down her chest, staining her white top gruesomely, made him want to rip it out, he knew that she would die quickly if he removed it.
Take it out.
He blinked in surprise. What?
Take it out, the Atlantean said urgently. Jack lifted his head and looked around wildly, but she was nowhere in the room. Then again, he supposed that she didn't always have to be in the same room to speak to him. Her voice yelled at him again. Just do it! Do it, or she'll die! It's poisoned! Take it out now!
That got him moving. Without thinking, he leaned over and ripped the knife out of Tooth's chest. She arched her back in a scream as blood and something dark and sticky-looking spurted out of the wound. Jack stared at the black flecks mixed in with her blood. I told you, she said smugly. He ignored her, and returned his attention back to Tooth. She fell back against the pillows, breathing heavily, wincing. "I'm sorry," he whispered, and leaned over and gave her a tender kiss on her forehead.
"It's okay," she panted, then winced again.
Patch it up! She's still bleeding! A roll of gauze and medicine tape suddenly appeared on the nightstand beside the bed. He hastily grabbed the gauze, then slipped his hand under the bleeding Tooth's back and lifted her up. She cringed in pain, and he whispered in apology, "Sorry."
"It's okay," she gasped. "Just- just hurry."
"But Pitch-" He glanced over his shoulder, then froze when he saw Pitch striding towards him, a sort of manic glee on his face. Jack's muscles locked together; he couldn't move. He could only stare in horror as he watched the boogeyman come towards him- until he came to an abrupt stop. His smile slid into a frown as he lifted his hands up, palms forward, and just stood there. Then his face twisted into a snarl, and he lifted one arm up, as if about to punch the empty air. But when he swung, his hand smashed into something invisible. He screamed and yanked his hand back, holding it against his chest, a string of curses flooding from his mouth.
I put a shield up. He won't be able to get past it, but I can't hold back the poison and the wall forever, she warned. I can keep it up for only so long.
Jack nodded, and turned back to Tooth. But when he picked up the gauze again(it had slipped out of his hand when Tooth had screamed)and tried to apply to her, he found that his hands were shaking badly. The roll was constantly slipping out of his hands. The sound of Pitch's cursing, the very audible noise of the pounding on the wall, and Tooth's labored breathing, were not helping at all. As he knelt beside her for the umpteenth time, gauze in one hand and Tooth in another, he felt something crash inside of him. He began to breathe heavily, his heart racing. Despair plagued at him, his whole body trembling.
Suddenly, he felt cool hands cover the one holding the roll. Relax, she whispered, her transparent fingers crossing over the back of his hand. A sudden urge seized him; he wanted to turn around so badly, to see her face. Don't worry. I'm here. Just do what you need to do. She's counting on it. The sound of Pitch's yells and Tooth's gasps were suddenly gone. He couldn't even hear the squeak of a floorboard, or the sound of the battle outside. Don't worry about that. Just pay attention to Tooth. Her hands disappeared from his own, and he was left staring at Tooth again.
A flood of calmness filled him, clearing his head and slowing his heartbeat. He took a deep breath, than pressed the end of the roll of the gauze directly over the wound, and began to wrap it around her chest, once, twice, nine or ten times, stuffing little gauze pads in between some of the wraps until the roll ran out, directly above where it started. He leaned over and grabbed the medicine tape from beside her, and slit two pieces from it, and pressed it firmly on to the end of the gauze.
Jack glanced up to check on Tooth, then froze when she saw that she was laying limply on her back, hr eyes fluttered shut. "No," he whispered. "No, no, no, no!" Dropping the tape, he got on to the bed beside her and propped her up against him. She didn't even flinch. "Tooth?" He shook her gently. No response. "Tooth!" He shook her harder. Her eyes didn't even flutter. "Tooth, please!" he pleaded.
Suddenly the Atlantean was on the other side of Tooth, her hands clasped over the former-fairies, though staring at him. Her headband was missing, letting her long hair tumble into her transparent and colorless face, framing her eyes, making her worried face more pronounced. "What am I supposed to do?" he cried, gesturing to the body in his arms.
The crystal has special properties. Healing for one. Jack blinked. The voice was Tooth's. The Atlantean gazed him with wide eyes. Use the crystal, she urged.
"B-But I don't know how!" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. He thought she was irritated with him. Suddenly, his arms jerked away from around Tooth's body. His right arm reached into his shirt and closed around the crystal. When before it was cool, it was now burning to the touch. As his arm slid out of his shirt and held the crystal in front of his face, he noticed her eyebrows furrowing in concentration, flickering like a light before him.
Yes, I'm controlling you, since we don't have time to go through it step by step, she snapped, though there was a sense of urgency to her tone. He felt himself lean forward and gave a quick blow on to the crystal. It immediately glowed a brighter blue, and he was strongly reminded of the movie Atlantis: The Lost Empire.
Then you know the rest.
Her eyes snapped open, and her hand was suddenly on his other one, the one that still rested on Tooth's still body. Filling the spaces in between her fingers with her own, she lifted it up in between them.
But it won't be enough.
Flickers of blue light flashed from the spot in between their fingers. Jack could feel a rush of strength shoot up his arm, and shuddered when it traveled through the rest of his body. His skin glowed a pale blue, and a flash of light from his peripheral vision later led him to believe that his eyes had flashed as well. A fierce flash of determination bolted through him. Moving with a sudden burst of understanding, he moved his hand with the crystal in it over Tooth's body and scratched it on the wound. The Atlantean leaned forward, and pressed her free hand against her chest. Her chest glowed a luminous blue. Jack stared in amazement. Then, too soon, it faded away.
She slid her hand out of his, though not breaking contact with him. It is done. Her eyes widened when they caught on something behind him. You stay with her. I'll be back. Then, just like the light, she, too, faded away. As soon as she vanished, all of the strength that Jack had felt vanished. Without a warning, he slid to ground in a heap. He groaned as he rolled on to his back, suddenly exhausted. All of the sound flooded back into his ears. He could suddenly hear Pitch pounding on the wall, screaming obscenely. It took him several seconds to realize that Tooth was calling his name. Using his last few ounces of strength, he pushed himself back on to his knees, and crawled back over to her side. She immediately pulled him into a hug, burrowing her face in the crook of his neck. He jerked, startled, but then his arms went around her waist and he was pulling her closer to him, and suddenly that sweet smell that could only be described at Tooth was around him. He inhaled deeply, trying to commit the scent to memory.
She suddenly pulled back, her fingers clutching his face as she gazed at him fervently. He felt a strike of alarm when he saw the drops of sweat beading at her forehead and the feverish look in her eyes. "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.
"Yes, yes, I'm fine. Thanks to you!" She wrapped her arms back around him tight hug, and her lips were suddenly smushed against his. He made a noise of surprise in the back of his throat, and she pulled away, her eyes bright. "You found out how to use the crystal! You found out how! I mean, I could never get it to work, never, in over a thousand years! But it makes sense, when you first wore it glowed and then-"
A harsh, shattering noise cut her off. She craned her neck around Jack, then screamed. Jack whirled around to see Pitch lying around a pile of broken glass shards, a triumphant grin on his face. "Now," he purred, as he drew out his sword from its scabbard. It glinted menacingly in the light. "How would you like to die, Toothiana?"
Before she could even attempt to answer, an unseen force suddenly knocked the boogeyman on to the opposite side of the room. With a yelp, he slammed into the wall and crumpled to ground. The Atlantean stood in his place, her sword out, her face twisted in a snarl. After all that work, I would prefer for her NOT to die anytime soon, thank you very much! Pitch struggled to his feet, his eyes darting around suspiciously. "Who's there?" he demanded.
Her eyes narrowed as she slid into her stance, legs apart, sword over shoulder. Your worst nightmare. And without a warning, the room literally exploded into colors. Jack yelped as a ray of red and blue slammed into him, and flew across the room until he hit the wall and fell on to the ground beside Tooth's bed. A grunt across the room let him know that Pitch had also been hit. Jack laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling dizzily, until Tooth suddenly screamed. He groaned as he rolled back on to his stomach, and clutched at the bed comforter as he climbed up the four poster back to her side.
"What now?" he sighed, then gaped at the sight before him. The Atlantean was thrown into full color and light, as solid as a rock, chrysalis shards glinting around her as she drew herself to her full height, the golden hilt of her blade gleaming. Jack struggled to find the right comparison for her, then realized, with a shock, that he couldn't. There was something incomparable about her, the precise shade of deadliness and beauty that was not in any living creature. The midnight blue dress she wore whipped around her, flashing against her dark almond skin. Long waves of white hair lashed around her face in the wind, flailing in front of her eyes. Her eyes...He sucked in a breath when he saw the color of her eyes. This is not a creature of this world, he realized. The way she stood, how she narrowed her eyes in on her target, her muscles coiling, preparing for attack...This was a being that had come long before him, or any of the Guardians, maybe even Man in the Moon.
They were a blue, a blue that Jack had never seen before. They could be the shade of a cloudless sky, or the color of the unpredictable sea, or even the shade of Jack's own icy blue eyes. In them, flames of rage and fury danced in her irises, part of a bloodlust that Jack had never thought possible of being expressed in just the eyes. The lives of hundreds, maybe even thousands, of dead souls screamed in their depths. He imagined that he could see the reflection of the murder of each and every one of her victims in her eyes. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he wondered if she had actually killed anyone.
"More than you can count," she growled. Jack gasped, though whether it was because he was surprised that she could still hear him, or the fact that she had easily admitted to be a killer, and said it without any remorse was what shocked him, he could never say for certain.
Pitch struggled back to his feet, slumping against the wall, wincing. It was obvious that the blow that had brought the Atlantean to life had injured him more than it had Jack. His gaze landed on the Atlantean, and he frowned. "Who are you?"
"Well, since you obviously didn't hear the first time, let me repeat." She stood upright, her muscles suddenly relaxed as she laid the blade of her sword on her upturned palm, and smiled at him, though not without malice. "Your worst nightmare."
"Oh, is that so?" Pitch mocked. "And what spirit are you supposed to be? A water nymph? A Nereid? A siren?"
She frowned, as if genuinely offended. "First off, nymphs are supposed to be small and lithe, and I am rather tall and muscular, if I do say myself. And Nereids are beautiful and look like they're ready for marriage or whatever. Do I look like I'm ready for marriage?" she demanded, swinging her sword down to her side as she gestured to herself while she talked.
Jack gaped as he watched Pitch actually tilt his head and consider it. "You look almost that age, yes."
"Well then, I must look a lot older than I am," she mused, then shrugged. "And also, sirens have a birds body and a woman's head. I clearly do not have any feathers on me."
"You have a point there," he admitted as he stood up straight. Then he grinned as he raised his sword. "But that does not mean you cannot be handled cleanly and swiftly."
"Forgive me, but I must point out that you are wrong," she said politely, as she raised her sword as well. "You must learn not to judge a book by its cover....Kozmotis Pitchiner." She said his name with a sort of accent, the sound sliding around the walls of her throat and leaving her lips like how snake hisses. Jack was strongly reminded of Parseltongue.
The boogeyman's eyes widened in realization and shock. "You!"
Her grin grew even wider. "I would have thought you would have remembered my name by now, but I guess we all just forget sometimes. Jack!" she suddenly barked at him. He immediately straightened up at the sound of his name. "Get Tooth out of here. I'll hold him for as long as I can, before-" It was at that precise moment that Pitch leaped across the room, swinging his blade at her neck. But her sword was already there; with a quick flick of the wrist, she deflected his blow and swept his feet from under him. Her head whipped around to Jack, who had frozen when Pitch had attacked her. "GO!" she shouted.
Jack nodded, and swept Tooth into his arms. She cried out in protest, but he ignored her, and ran out the room as the sounds of clashing metal continued.
"Jack, who was that? What was she doing there? How did she get there?" Tooth demanded as he hurried down the stairs. The narrow pillar's walls seemed to be closing in around him as he struggled down the spiral staircase, suffocating him. He let out a breath of relief when he reached the hall at the end of the tower.
"I don't know." He set her down and slammed the door behind him. I need something to block it, he thought, glancing around for something that might bar the doorway. There were a couple of fallen pillars, and a few bookcases that had tumbled face-first. He darted towards the smallest pillar, and attempted to pick it up. But it was too heavy; the pillar slipped out of his arms and crashed back on to the marble floor. He groaned, clutching at his white hair in discouragement, then, out of the corner of his eye, spotted a plaque with two French cutlass swords crossed over each other. Maybe...It would be enough to hold back Pitch for a while if he attempted to get past. But it was right below the ceiling, and he couldn't fly without his staff. Thinking quickly, he hopped on the the back of one bookcase, then on to the top of a partly-crumbled pillar. He jumped on to the top of an upright book case, then threw himself at the mantelpiece just below the plaque.
"Jack, what are you doing?" Tooth asked as he pulled himself on to the ledge.
"Just give me a second!" he called over his shoulder, then, with one hand on each hilt, slid the swords out of their cases. They were sturdy, and seemed to be well-built. He flipped them upside down, then leaped back at the door, and stuck through the catches on each side, making sure that at each end was firmly wedged in the catch.
"Good thinking," Tooth praised warmly as he picked her up, wrapping her arms around his neck. He smiled at her, and started towards the door that would lead downstairs, but slid to a stop, his mouth agape in shock. The doorway had completely collapsed, leaving a pile of rubble in his way. "Oh no," she whispered.
"We'll find another way out," he assured her, though he hadn't seen another way out. A loud crash from above made both of them look up. The ceiling shook and trembled at the crash, letting dust fall; a scream of anguish soon followed. There was another thud, though significantly softer, and then there was the sound of a door swinging shut. Echoing footsteps grew louder and louder. Jack's head swung from side to side wildly, desperately looking for a way outside.
As the footsteps grew louder, he spotted a small door, partly hidden by the shadow of the bookcase behind it. He hurried over to the door and swung it open. He was greeted by a burst of hot air and the open space just above the main plaza of the castle. He leaped back in surprise. Flowing from the landing just below them was the molten fire. Somehow, it had pooled into the plaza, and by the looks of it, traveled down the paths so that the rest of the castle had flooded as well; it had even caught on a few of the walls. Jack's eyes widened as he watched the fire swallowed up a side of the plaza of the castle, and was now making its way towards him. If he had taken another step, they would have tumbled into the fiery pit. And even if it wasn't there, they would have surely died from the height alone.
"Jack!" Tooth cried, tugging at his sweater and pointing behind him. He didn't bother looking over his shoulder; he could already hear Pitch was pounding against the door, and imagined black tendrils leaking through the cracks and attempting to pull out the swords. The thought spurred Jack into action.
"Hold on to me," he gritted through his teeth to Tooth. She nodded and tightened her grip around him. He swung her on to his back and felt her legs tighten around his sides. As soon as he was sure that she was holding on tightly enough, he turned around and got on his hands and knees and backed up towards the entrance, not once taking his eye off of the door. He slid first his legs over the edge, then the rest of his body followed, until he was clinging on to the edge by his fingertips, his feet clenching the small ledge below him.
He glanced over his shoulder and squinted past the billowing smoke and Tooth's hair whipping in the wind. The plaza was deserted. The spirits must have fled when the lava appeared. Just barely, he could see the balcony where Bunny had pulled him in halfway along the plaza. Okay, he thought, flexing his fingers along the edge, I can do this. Take a deep breath, he began to lower himself downwards, brushing his feet and torso against the wall to find potential hand- and feet-holds.
"Jack," she whispered in his ear when he had gotten a meter down, and was holding on to one of the jutted ledges.
"Hmm?" He wasn't really paying attention to her. His mind was on the fact that somehow, Pitch had manged to get past the Atlantean. She had appeared to be an extremely capable fighter, but the scream...He could only imagine what Pitch had done to her. His stomach clenched in worry. She had came out of nowhere and immediately began to help him. She saved him and Tooth and the rest of the Guardians. She had no reason to, nothing to gain. At least, none that he could think of. If she died, it would be his fault.
"Jack!"
"What?" he snapped, his patience becoming strained.
"I hear something," she hissed. "Up on the ledge."
He frowned and glanced up, then froze when he saw a dark shadow cast over the edge. His heartbeat immediately began to race. No! I can't afford to panic! he told himself. "Get in front of me," he whispered to her. She nodded, her eyes wide, and slid underneath his raised arms, twining her arms back around his neck, her fingers knotting themselves in the back of his hoodie. He carefully moved them right underneath the ledge, his right hand gripping the pole firmly. He wrapping his other arm around Tooth's waist, holding her close to him. Their chests pressed together, and he could easily feel the frantic beat of her heart through his sweater. Attempting to comfort her, he pressed his lips against her forehead. She pulled herself closer to him in reply, softly whimpering.
Two long, pointed tips of what looked like shoes suddenly appeared at the ledge. Jack felt a cold, dark shadow being cast over him. A shiver from Tooth let him know that she could feel it, too. He sucked in his breath, suddenly fearful that he could hear him breath. The two tips remained at the edge, just laying there, menacingly. Jack watched, not daring to move, or make a sound. The smoke and heat from below was beginning to waft up around him. He stifled a cough as the dust and smoke danced around in his throat after accidentally inhaling it.
Jack's arms were beginning to get more and more sore as he held both him and Tooth under the rafter. A slow panic began to spread through him, that he would be able to hold on long enough. He could already feel the sweat forming in between his fingers. Just when he became sure that they were going to fall, the shoes suddenly disappeared. Jack exhaled in relief.
Without a warning, something long and sharp landed just besides Jack's fingers. He yelped, his fingers almost slipping, and looked up to to see a sword blade narrowly missing his hand. Pitch's face was grinning like a skull back at him from the parapet walk. "Leaving so soon?" he mocked, before swinging the sword again, this time directed at them.
Jack quickly swung them out the way, and Pitch's sword swung harmlessly passed them. He gritted his teeth, and brought his sword back up again.
Dies irae, dies illa!
Dies irae, dies illa!
"Look! Up on the ledge!" Jack faintly heard someone cry. He didn't notice, more focused on trying to dodge Pitch's next blow.
"Hang on!" Jack shouted to Tooth, and didn't wait for her to give him the okay. He released his grip around her waist and threw himself at the next ledge, the breath of the sword against the ends of his hairs. Tooth gasped when they slammed into the stone, but didn't slide off, to his relief. He gripped the stone ledge tightly with both hands and wedged his feet in the wall, making sure he wouldn't slip.
Solvet saeclum
In favilla!
Pitch grunted as he sliced the sword through the air again. Jack jumped to the next one, gripping the rail of the parapet and the jut. Pitch growled as he brought down his sword down. Tooth tightened her grip around his neck as he slipped from one and gripped the next ledge. Now they were dangling from the ridge. He forced himself not to look down, knowing that he would instantly become paralyzed and then Pitch would have them.
Determination pumping through him, Jack grunted as he pulled himself up, one arm wrapped around Tooth's waist, and pulled them into a crouch atop the ledge. Tooth was gripping him tightly in the front with her legs, squeezing hard enough to suffocate. For the first time, he was grateful that he had such a narrow frame. The boogeyman slashed again, and Jack yanked Tooth out of the way as they jumped on to a carving of a Crusader, one arm around its neck and the other gripping its blade; Pitch's sword became wedged in the stone behind them, erecting a scream of frustration out of its welder. While he was preoccupied with trying to pull his blade out, Jack whispered something in Tooth's ear. She nodded, and let go of Jack and began to climb on to the statue, Jack right behind her.
By the time Pitch had managed to yank out his sword from the ledge, Tooth was struggling over the railing of the walk. He snarled, and stalked towards her. Jack saw him about to slice Toothiana in two, and instinctively threw himself at her, knocking her out of the way just as the sword plunged into his arm. She cried out as she slid on to the parapet walk.
Quando Judex est venturus!
"I should have known you would have risked your life to save that half-breed," Pitch spat as he wrenched his blade out of him, erecting a cry of pain from Jack. "Just as you did to save your sister. And look what happened!" he shouted. "If you had only joined me-!"
Jack took a deep breath, then heavily pushed himself to his feet, holding his wounded arm The wind tore itself around him, his white hair whipping in his face. Despite the pain in his arm, and the soot and smoke in the air suffocating him, he laughed. It felt wonderful. And the look that it wrought out Pitch's face was simply priceless. "And be made into some kind of Dark Jack Frost? Oh, no. That's not for me! Same thing I said to Man in the Moon," he added. "And what happened? What happened?" he repeated. "I fell in love. I got a family who loved me. And what did you do? You tried to take that away from me. But you-" He broke off as a hacking cough interrupted him. Once it was over, he wiped his mouth with his bloody arm, and continued, "you failed. You just made it even stronger. And even if you hadn't made it stronger, I would rather die than join you," he finished.
Pitch's face was a mask of utter shock. Jack had never seen a person look so surprised or disappointed or...hurt. For a split-second, he felt sorry for him. Then his face twisted into a snarl, and whatever pity Jack had felt was gone. "Then if I can't have you," he hissed, drawing back his sword, his eyes glinting dangerously. "No one can." Pitch suddenly moved so fast he was only a blur, and the next thing he knew, he could feel the tip of the blade poking out of the small of his back. At first, all he felt was his body go rigid with shock. He faintly heard Toothiana scream his name, and Pitch cackling, but he couldn't be sure of either one. All he could hear was blood pounding in his ears, and the dull roar that seemed to have no source. He looked down in disbelief at the sword buried all the way to the hilt in his belly. Then the first wave came. He cried out as he doubled over, clutching his stomach. So much pain. Jack had been stabbed before, but this. This was worse. So many times more worse.
The boogeyman cackled even louder as he ripped the sword savagely out of his stomach. Jack felt his body twist with the motion of the blade, half-falling, half-sliding forward. He crumpled into a heap atop of the statue, and began to slide off. Panicking, he flailed his uninjured arm around, and grabbed the first solid thing he felt, which was the end of Pitch's cloak that pooled around his feet. Suddenly, Jack felt something in him detach. As if in slow motion, he felt himself gravitate pull away from his body, and found himself hovering a few feet away, and watched the next few moments from above. He watched himself grip Pitch's cloak with both hands as he fell off of the statue and swing over to the parapet walk. When his body hit the stone, a foot or two below, he grabbed on to one of the carvings with his uninjured arm, and yanked on Pitch's cloak with the other. With a yell, the boogeyman hurtled over the railing into the space below him.
Flammis acribus addictis.
Pieces inside of him suddenly clicked, like a puzzle that had just been reunited, and he was back in his body again. Ignoring the flood of the pain radiating from his gut, he tightened his grip on the jut, get a grip against the ledges with his feet, glancing over his shoulder just in time to see Pitch falling past him. A flood of relief spread through him, and he was about to rest his head on the wall when he felt cold, bony fingers close around his ankle. He looked down to see Pitch dangling below him, gasping as his weight dragged him down, and desperately clung to the ledge. Suddenly Tooth was there, leaning over the rail to grab his arm. She grunted as she attempted to pull him up, but to no avail.
Voca me cum benedictis.
Pitch swung below him, trying not to look down at the pit of fire. All of his Nightmares and henchmen had left, either destroyed by the molten rock or killed by the spirits. He couldn't summon any more, the heat and fire warding off all dark magic. He glanced to the side, then spotted a ledge carved into the shape of a gargoyle. It's not over yet. Gritting his teeth, he leaned to the side, stretching his torso, arm out, until he could reach it. A grin spread across his face when his fingers closed around the statue's foot.
Confutatis maledictis,
Jack could feel himself slipping away, like a child being pried away from the shore and swept into the dark sea. He tried to keep his head afloat in the darkness, but the heat from below was almost literally melting him, and the pain from his stomach continued to threaten to send him into unconsciousness. His hand began to slip from Tooth's.
"Hold on," she gasped, feeling his grip on her hand loosen on hers. "Hold on." He looked up at her with half-closed, sleepy eyes. Before, she had loved the look on his face, but now it terrified her. In her desperation- and mostly her long hair whipping in her face, obscuring her vision-, she didn't notice Pitch climbing on to the ledge beside her.
Gere curam mei finis!
Suddenly, she heard a dark laugh to her right, a laugh that sent chills down to the bottom of her feet. She turned her head to see Pitch climbing to his feet atop of the jut, leering at her. She stared at him, her eyes wide with horror, as he raised his sword above his head, still laughing. The fiery colors from the side of the castle lit up the sky behind him, the colors orange and gray mixing together in the smoke and fire. The light flickered madly in his eyes as he laughed even louder. "'Give them pleasure!" he cried. "'Give them the same pleasure they have when they wake up from a nightmare!'"
My pleasure. Tooth didn't hear the words, but they rang loud and clear in her head. Bright blue eyes, almost identical to Jack's, appeared behind Pitch, gleaming in the fire's light. Without a warning, the fire from behind suddenly yanked itself from away from the rest of the flames and swirled around in midair, in between the two. Both Tooth and Pitch looked up in surprise as it sifted and changed. Magnificent wings with a span longer than Tooth arms beat themselves at the edge of the flames. Long lion legs kicked out, knocking the flames away, followed by the body and tail, with the little tuft of fur at the end. Talons clawed at the air as the fire parted from its chest. Tooth stared in wonder as it swung its eagle head that seemed to merge seamlessly with its body out of the blazes, the flames reflected in its mystic, ancient eyes.
"A gryphon," Tooth breathed. A protector from evil, witchcraft and secret slander. It had been so long, so very long, since she had last seen a gryphon. For these animals do exist in India and are held in veneration as being sacred to the Sun; and the Indian artists, when they represent the Sun, yoke four of them abreast to draw the images; and in size and strength they resemble lions, but having this advantage over them that they have wings, they will attack them, and they get the better of elephants and of dragons. Her father's legend of them rang in her closed her eyes in a silent prayer, then opened them. "Thank you," she whispered.
As if in reply, the gryphon cawed, throwing its head back. It was beautiful, the fire's gleam catching on the end of its fur, on each separate thread of its feather. The light around it parted into elegant strands that twisted itself around its lion body gracefully. They followed it as it cawed once again, this time rising up, then, moving in sync with the strands, dove at Pitch. He dropped his sword to his side, his eyes wide and jaw agape as the fire surrounded him. Tooth watched in amazement as it obscured him from her view. Pitch screeched loudly as the fire latched on to him, covering every single inch of his body. His sword fell from his hand as he collapsed to his knees, still crying out. He tore at his clothes, desperately trying to bat the flames off of him, but they only curled around his wrists and ankles and pinned themselves to the stone ledge, leaving him on his hands and knees.
The gryphon, who had been hovering above them, landed at where the ledge began, and snarled, beginning to walk to him. Pitch gasped as it stalked towards him, its tail whipping from side to side, sparks flying from where its paws hit the stone. They dug into the ground and left deep, glowing crevices behind it. He began to struggle, but winced when the fire cut into his clammy skin. Unable to flee and escape, he could only watch with a growing terror in his eyes, his pupils eclipsing his irises as the gryphon neared him. It stopped right in front of him, less than a paw step away. It bowed its head so that they were eye-level. Fire caught on to the edge of its wings and made a narrow ring around its paws, but it did not seem to notice.
"No," Pitch gasped, beginning to struggle again.
Her eyes gleamed, and suddenly they were the same striking blue that Tooth had seen before the gryphon had appeared. She opened her beak, and spoke only a single word. But it rang out across the courtyard, bouncing off of the flamed walls and echoing off into the mountains, ringing of irony. Irony and justice. "Yes."
Without another word, the gryphon reared up and dove at him, screeching. Suddenly, there was a loud cracking sound. The fissures in the ledge that her paw steps had left had dug all the way through the stone. With a loud snapping sound, the shelf split away from the wall and began to fall. The cuffs around Pitch suddenly disappeared, and he fell backwards, the talons locked deeply into his chest. As he free-fell away from them, he opened his mouth. Then Tooth heard a scream. The same agonized scream that she had heard earlier. Full of death and pain. Of agony and lost. Of a man, a man who had lost everything and sought to gain everything. Of Pitch, she thought. And with that, he disappeared into the smoke below.
Tooth stared at the place where Pitch had vanished, her mouth agape in shock. Of course, the gasp she heard surprised her even more. "Tooth," Jack whispered. She jumped and almost let go, having thought that he had lost consciousness long ago. And when she looked down at him, it was only the faint rise and fall of his breath that told her that he was still breathing.
"Jack!" She immediately began to try and lift him up on to the railing, but he had become dead-weight in her arms. His hands, which weren't gripping on to her wrists anymore, started to slide out of her grip. "Jack, please," she pleaded, struggling to keep him from slipping out of her hands. But it was too late- he slid through her fingers and fell towards the ground. "NO!" she screamed, clutching at the air where he had been.
Suddenly, he came to an abrupt stop, about a couple dozen feet above the fiery pit. Then he slid between the pillars below and out of sight. Tooth gaped, then began to wonder if she needed glasses.
Jack numbly heard a soft voice murmuring to him, and felt the soft cushion of fur around him, with two arms cradling him like a baby as they pulled him to the ground. "Bunny," he said weakly, feebly waving his arm to feel for the rabbit. By the tips of his fingertips, he could feel more thick fur, then, underneath, strong, tense muscles on a thin cord. He reached up and wrapped his arms about what he presumed to be his neck.
"It's okay, mate, I got ya," Bunnymund assured him, pulling him, then called, "North! Sandy! I got him!"
Footsteps thundered down the hallway, getting louder as they neared. "Is he alright?" North asked anxiously.
"He's awake. But just barely." There was a pause. "No, that looks like a sword wound. Jack? Jack, can you hear me?"
"Yeah," he gasped, then winced, clutching at his stomach as a sharp pain stabbed him there.
"What happened? Where's Tooth? And Pitch? We saw him fall, but-"
"JACK!" The feminine cry rang out through the hallway. The voice was instantly recognizable; it were the heartstrings that tugged at his own heart. Without even thinking about it, he opened his eyes. Sandy and North were kneeling beside him, the underside of Bunny's chin crammed into his view. But he didn't see them; all he saw was her standing at the end of the corridor. At that instant, she had never looked more beautiful. Her black hair fell around her face, framing her beautiful amethyst eyes. Oh Moon, those eyes. Her face was pinched with worry when he had opened his own eyes, but it was now relaxed when she saw him staring at her. A grin spreading across those adorable cheeks, she began to run towards him, her bare feet making little sound as she ran towards him. He weakly lifted his arms, knowing she was going in for a hug. "Jack!" she cried again as she ran into his arms, burrowing her face in shoulder. "Oh my goodness, Jack, I thought I lost you!"
"Now you know how I felt," he joked, then gasped as he felt another jab of pain in his abdomen.
She pulled back, alarm on her face. "What's wrong?"
"My...my stomach," he groaned, clutching at it.
"Pitch stabbed him with his sword. And in the arm," Tooth told the others, her face tight with worry again. "Do we have anything? Any potion, any spell, anything for him?" she asked desperately.
North shook his head. "None that we can make in enough time. Perhaps Man in the Moon-"
"No." His voice came out stronger than he had anticipated. Everybody turned to look at him in surprise. He shook his head. "No. Pitch was right about one thing. That Man in the Moon-" He began to cough violently, blood spurting from his lips. Tooth gasped and reached for him, but he waved her away, his face grim. "The Man in the Moon does not care for us. He-He just keeps us alive for us to whatever he wants. He has us to do his dirty work."
"Jack, don't! Pitch is making you think this," Tooth begged.
"No, I'm not, Tooth!" he shot. "Think about it. He didn't do anything when you were kidnapped, or us. He didn't do anything when we were turned back into humans, or when we fought the battle!"
"But what about when you got out of chains?" North protested.
"That wasn't him. That was..." The Atlantean flashed behind his eyelids, her gleaming blue eyes and tangled white hair. The way she fiercely fought for him and Tooth, somehow transferring her own powers to him so that he could be free to save Tooth. Had willingly given up her life to protect them from Pitch, had dove into the fiery pits to ensure that Pitch would be killed. He felt a pang in his stomach that was not from his pain. He squeezed his eyes close, trying to keep himself from crying. "That was someone else."
"Who?" Bunny demanded.
He only shook his head. For some reason, he wanted to keep the Atlantean to himself. At least, for now. Jack took a deep breath and opened his eyes to see a crowd gathering at the end of the corridor. A few of the spirits were openly weeping. I must look worst than I though, he realized. He started to cough again. More blood flew from his mouth. Tooth whimpered, laying her head against his shoulder. He sifted her fingers through her hair, gently running them through the strands. "Well, you guys might as well say your good-byes," he sighed, relaxing his body against Bunny. "I'm not getting better any time soon."
"Jack, you cannot think this way!" North pleaded.
"Just give us time, mate, we'll have you fixed up in a trife," Bunny promised.
He shook his head again. "I'm not gonna make it, Bunny. I can feel..." I can feel myself being dragged away. Every single moment I stay awake is just another moment that I have to endure extreme pain. I can't feel my extremities, my insides feels like they're on fire. I can barely breath, I can barely keep awake. He swallowed. "Just...Just stay with me. Until the end."
"Of course," Tooth assured him, her voice scratchy. Tears were beginning to form in the corner of her eyes. She clasped her hand around his and held it up to her lips, gently kissing the back of his hand.
There was suddenly a loud twittering sound. Jack was too tired to turn his head, and simply closed his eyes. Suddenly, he felt a little peck on his cheek. He peeked through one eye, then opened both and managed a weak smile. "Hey, Baby Tooth," he rasped, lifting his other hand. The hummingbird with gold dusting on her back landed on his fingers, tweeting sorrowfully. "Hey, don't worry. I'll be fine."
"Jack, mate..." Bunny began, but Tooth quickly shushed him. "No, I want to say something," he insisted.
"It's okay, Tooth," Jack reassured her, then glanced up at Bunny. "Go ahead."
"Okay. I know that we've had...well, we've had some really tough times together, eh, mate?" That earned a small chuckle out of him. "I know I was pretty bad to you, when we first met, and when you first became a Guardian. But that's because I didn't know you all that well. And now, well...you're actually pretty cool, mate." He hesitated, then went on. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I said and did to you."
"It's okay, Bunny. I knew you cared," he teased, but at the same time, a warm feeling went through his stomach.
"I'd like to say something, too," North suddenly announced. He sat besides them on the ground, and began. "Jack, over the past few months, I feel like we have really bonded. I feel like you are my son."
"Woah, there, big-guy. I haven't gotten to that stage yet," he joked, though the feeling was now reaching his toes. Sandy shouldered North aside, jumping up and down, signs flashing above his head wildly as he tried to show Jack all of his feelings. "Um, okay, that's not helping, but thanks little man," he said, using the same words that he had used when they had first met. Sandy threw his hands up in exasperation, and just leaned over and hugged him tightly, wrapping his small arms around his thin frame. A spark of alarm went through him when he realized that he could barely feel the sandman hug him. "Thanks, Sandy," he said quietly. The sandman could hear the faintness in his voice, and immediately let go, nodding to Tooth.
"Jack-" Tooth began, but he cut her off.
"Tooth, I don't want you to say anything. I know how you feel about me. If you don't already know about how much I-" Another cough interrupted him. He wiped his mouth with his arm, and went on. "If you don't already know how much I love you, and in each way, I left a journal, in my room, in Burgess. I wrote entries about how I felt, about each of you guys. And Jamie." A pang went through him when he thought about the little boy. "I-I would like it, if one of you guys could tell Jamie what happened. Stay with him, for as long as you can."
"I'll do that," Bunny promised.
"And Bunny?"
"Yeah, mate?"
"Could you do me another favor?"
"Of course." He motioned for him to bend down, and whispered something in his ear. Bunny pulled away, a concerned look on his face. "Are you sure, mate?"
Jack nodded. "I don't think I can trust her with anyone else," he whispered.
"Trust who with anyone else? Jack?" Tooth stared at him accusingly, but he was still looking at Bunny.
"Can you please do it? Please?" Bunny sighed, then nodded. "Thank you, Bunny." The numbness was spreading through him now, locking on to everything below his torso. He swallowed hard, the tears coming back. "Guys, I-I can't feel my legs."
Tooth leaned forward and pressed her lips in a gentle kiss, then laid her head on his chest, tears openly running down her tan cheeks. "I love you," she choked, .
"I love you, too," he whispered, then tilted his head so he could see everybody. "I love all of you guys," he announced.
"And we love you, too, Jack," Bunny assured him, holding him tighter.
"No matter what happens to you, or us," North rumbled.
Sandy flashed a single word above his head. "Always."
Jack smiled, tears burning at the back of his eyes. The light from the fire outside was slowly fading away, to be replaced with the sunrise's warming glow. In his mind's eye, he could see Death beckoning to him. He wasn't in the dark cloak and terrifying staff. He looked like...an old friend. He took a deep breath. I began in darkness.
And I'll end in light. The thought made him smile even wider. And Jack Frost finally let go.
His hand slid from out of Tooth's, hitting the floor with a soft thud. His head rolled to the side, turning away from the other Guardians, as a single tear rolled down his pale cheek.
"Jack!" Tooth cried, reaching for him, but it was too late.
He was already dead.
Jack had always imagined that when he reached Heaven, he would hear the sounds of great gates opening, maybe the sound of a choir as he entered. He didn't think that the first words he would hear was, "Dear Neptune have mercy, what are you doing here?!"
I'm not joking, I cried while writing that ending. Tears and everything. I especially started choking up when I said that he couldn't feel his legs. Dear Neptune, that was emotional. :'( Well, at least for me. I had to literally picture EVERYTHING, then translate into words. Even though I know what's gonna happen after, I was still crying. And you should know that I am NOT an emotional person. The only time I cried during a book was, hmm, let me think, NEVER.
Well, I hope that scream was loud enough for you, Screamindivr145!
Hopefully, this was enough to suffice your needs. :D Don't worry, there'll be another chapter.
Maybe.
Anyway, if you could write a little review down there and press the send button, that'd be great. :P
Here are the translations for Sanctuary Part II, or also known as And He Shall Smite the Wicked:
Dies irae, dies illa (Day of wrath, that day)
Solvet saeclum in favilla (Shall consume the world in ashes)
Quando Judex est venturus (When the Judge is come)
Confutatis maledictis (When the damned shall be cast down)
Flammis acribus addictis (Into the searing flames)
Voca me cum benedictis (Call me with the blessed)
Confutatis maledictis (When the damned shall be cast down)
Gere curam mei finis (Help me in my final hour)