OKAY SO A HELL OF A LOT HAS GONE ON THE WORLD SINCE I LAST SAW YOU GUYS

Let's see...since the last chapter, I went back to college, got really busy, but started doing well (even started to beat procrastination, which has literally been a lifelong bad habit of mine), then BOOM coronavirus comes to the United States and my university tells professors to "start transitioning classes to online, if you're ready." Then literally the next day, my state gets its first confirmed case, AND IT'S A PROFESSOR AT MY UNIVERSITY. SO naturally they sent us all home, gave us an early two-week spring break (during the first week of which I got SICK with a COLD during a PANDEMIC...I'm fine now, but that did WONDERS for my anxiety because I was ALREADY A GERMAPHOBE) so they could give teachers time to get everything with online classes working...and now this is the start of my second week of attending school from my dining room, and as you can probably tell by the frantic capitalization everywhere...the whole damn world's been flipped upside down and I (along with so many others) am still just reeling from it.

I've been sitting on like...half of this chapter for so long, but so much crazy stuff has happened that I haven't been able to finish it...until last night, that is! I just said "screw it," sat down, started listening to the Octopath Traveler soundtrack (awesome game with awesome music, 10/10 would recommend both), and wrote 1200 words. Even though I probably should have been sleeping since I had to get up for school this morning.

Oh well.

Anyway...I apologize for the ranting, but I'm an anxious individual and I just had to get that off my chest. I'll get to the reviews in a second, but one more little thing about the pandemic...

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, IF YOU ARE ABLE TO, STAY. HOME. WASH YOUR HANDS. OVERALL JUST DON'T BE STUPID. YEAH IT SUCKS BUT THIS IS A SERIOUS THING, AND IF WE ALL LISTEN TO WHAT WE'RE BEING TOLD TO DO AND TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS, THIS WILL ALL BE OVER THAT MUCH SOONER. PEOPLE ARE SICK AND DYING AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ARE LITERALLY RUNNING THEMSELVES RAGGED TRYING TO GET US THROUGH THIS. DON'T BE SELFISH. STAY HOME, STAY SAFE, AND PLAY ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS. IT'LL HELP, I PROMISE.

Thank you :) Now...time for reviews, finally!

Thanks so much to Milly34k (He did! :D), Demi clayton, and Not Canadian (That's so sweet of you to say, thank you so much! I'm flattered, honestly :) Also I'm so glad you like Simon! He's my boy, I had to bring him back XD Once again, thank you so much for your incredibly kind words, and I hope you continue to enjoy my story :) for reviewing!

And with that, on with the chapter!


Chapter 26: A Recovered Voice

"Cynthia..." Jack said, without even realizing what he was doing, his voice frail and quiet. "None...none of this is your fault...no one would have expected you to stop him...even I couldn't…"

At the sound of his weakened voice, Cynthia stilled, then after a moment, slowly lifted her head to stare at him with wide, damp eyes. "W-Wait...y-you…you spoke…" she whispered in awe. "B-But...L-Lily told me w-what happened...s-so how…?"

Though she trailed off, Jack did not respond, having stopped listening immediately after the girl had first pointed out that he had spoken.

...she's right, he thought numbly, after a long moment. I just...I just spoke to her without fear...and unprompted, even...how did I manage to do that…?

After Jack stayed silent for another few long moments, Cynthia frowned and said quietly, "J-Jack...I thought you c-couldn't speak…"

"I…" Jack swallowed thickly, not afraid, but instead, somewhat confused at his own lack of fear. "I...thought the same, up until now…"

His voice still wavered, but the boy realized that its shakiness was merely as a result of his vocal chords still not being at their full strength, rather than any actual anxiety that he had become accustomed to accompanying his speech. Even when he practiced with Zephyr, he still felt a small amount of nervousness, most likely at the thought that there would come a day when he would have to speak in front of people rather than his horse. But when speaking with only Cynthia present...he didn't feel even a twinge of fear.

Maybe this is because she reminds me of my sister...? he thought, his bewilderment evident on his face. Or perhaps...because she's less threatening than adults…? Maybe that's part of the reason I can't talk to the other Guardians yet...we have become closer, true, but they are still imposing figures, I suppose, and I have had problems with trusting them in the past...perhaps that's it...

He did not voice his thoughts aloud, however, instead merely saying softly, "Maybe I...maybe I really am getting better after all…"

Because reason aside, this was still a start.

Cynthia continued to stare up at him in awe for a long moment, until gradually, a tiny smile began to form on her tear-stained face. The girl sniffled slightly and hugged him tightly. "I-I'm glad…" she whispered softly. "Y-You...y-you deserve to get b-better…"

Jack blinked in slight surprise at the embrace, but it didn't take long for his expression to soften as he wrapped his own arms around her. "And...and so do you, Cynthia…" he quietly told her. "You've lost so much all at once...I...I know exactly how that feels...and...I know what it can do to a person...but I promise...I won't let any of what happened to me happen to you…"

Or any of what happened to Livi… he added silently, suppressing a shudder.

"Y-You...you w-won't…?" came Cynthia's timid reply.

Jack smiled gently and shook his head. "On my honor as a Guardian...I promise that I won't." He carefully nudged her a bit, getting her to sit back up and look at him before he nodded firmly and said, "And I assure you...I don't break my promises. Alright?"

It took her a moment, but the younger sprite soon mirrored his smile and nodded in return. "A-Alright." She sniffled again and wiped away her tears, and though her eyes still lacked their usual light, her posture seemed just the slightest bit more relaxed than it had been before.

Mhm...perhaps I will be able to help her a bit after all, Jack thought fondly. Or...perhaps I already have, somewhat.

Suddenly, Cynthia's eyes widened and she jerked her head up to look back at him with a slight gasp. "W-Wait!" she exclaimed. "You...y-you need to tell the other Guardians you can talk now, r-right!?"

Jack almost instantly stiffened, his throat practically constricting itself as though in protest of speaking to anyone else. After a deep breath, though, he was able to choke out, "I-I...I don't know if that's necessary…"

The girl pouted. "B-But it is!" she insisted, the waver in her own voice gradually lessening, likely due to distraction. "They...they have to know that you're getting better, right!?"

"I...I suppose…" he answered nervously, not meeting her eyes. Logically, he understood that it would be a good thing to ease the other Guardians' minds about his condition. They already had far more important things to worry about, so it would be the least he could do to grant them peace of mind on the subject.

But...he was still so scared.

Truthfully, he was not even sure why he was still afraid to talk to everyone else, and that frustrated him to no end. Physically speaking, he was perfectly capable of holding a conversation, even if his voice was still a bit weak from the abuse his throat had suffered. Mentally, however, the task seemed almost insurmountable.

...but he couldn't stay silent forever. He knew as much. No matter how much he secretly wanted to hide away from everything that was transpiring, mute and invisible, Jack knew that he had no choice but to step up and find his voice once more.

He was a Guardian, after all. And there would soon be a great many people in need of protection, children and adults alike.

Jack took a deep breath to calm himself. ...it will be okay, he told himself firmly. Remember...they consider you family. There is nothing to fear.

"...alright," he said finally. "I'll...I'll talk to them."

Cynthia smiled genuinely. "Good," she said softly. "I'm...I'm sure it will make them happy!"

At this, Jack couldn't help but return the smile. "I get the feeling that you're right…" he agreed quietly. He paused, thinking for a moment. "Come to think of it…" he said slowly. "I believe the others were planning on meeting with Rayla and Shiro today to discuss a plan of action. They invited me to come...though I never really gave them a definitive answer…"

"Well, then you know what you have to do now, right?" Cynthia asked, head tilted slightly. "Go! Make your answer yes! Okay?"

The boy chuckled slightly and nodded, holding his hands up in defense. "Alright, alright! I'll...I'll go. I suppose now is as good a time as ever to start being useful…"

Jack stood up, collecting his parchment, quill, and ink, but did not yet make his way towards the door. Instead, he hesitated a moment, then smiled slightly at the younger sprite. "Cynthia…" he said softly. "...thank you."

To his slight surprise, she shook her head. "No…" She gave a small smile as well, a bit of sadness still present in her eyes, but the tear tracks gone from her cheeks. "...thank you, Jack."

Jack would be lying if he claimed his heart didn't melt at the child's words. As such, he was sure to stop to hug her one last time before at last steeling himself and striding out of the room, his hopes for both his and Cynthia's recovery just a little bit higher than before.

()()()()

When the young Guardian quietly approached the small group that had formed next to the lake at the center of New Iskald, he very nearly lost his nerve altogether. All four of the other Guardians were there, as well as Lily, Simon, Rayla, and Shiro, and every one of them seemed quite surprised to see him. Evidently, despite the other Guardians' invitation, they hadn't expected him to actually show up.

He didn't blame them.

However, regardless of his reluctance and nerves, Jack took a deep breath and walked over to join them. He swallowed thickly, trying to calm himself, even as his heart pounded at the thought of speaking.

This fear is irrational… he told himself silently. Nothing bad will happen...everything is fine. I...I am fine.

"Jack…" Tooth said softly. "You decided to come after all, then…?"

After a moment, Jack nodded stiffly. He vaguely noticed that his legs were shaking.

Aster seemed to notice this as well, and he frowned. "Ya didn't have ta drag yerself all the way out here if ya weren't feelin' up ta it, Frostbite," he pointed out. "We woulda filled ya in later either way."

A few of the others murmured agreements, but Jack had stopped listening. His eyes were closed and his fingers were curled into fists, his entire body filled with tension.

Come on… he thought. Just...speak.

He released a breath.

"...no," he said softly. "No. I...I can't stay on the sidelines any longer. I…" He paused to swallow the lump in his throat. "...I want to be part of things."

Silence.

A solid ten seconds passed, during which nothing was said, and it was only then that Jack dared to open his eyes and view the frozen stares of his shocked audience. The boy bit his lip, still fully tensed up as he quietly waited for someone else to say something.

Finally, North threw back his head and laughed, startling each of the others out of their daze. "Jack!" the man exclaimed with a wide grin. "You are able to speak again! That is wonderful news!"

Jack felt some of the tension in his muscles begin to drain away in the presence of his fellow Guardian's joy, and he managed a small smile. "I...yes," he said with a slight nod. His voice came noticeably easier this time. "I'm...still finding it difficult, but...I can speak."

Sandy clasped his hands together and smiled, a distinct look of pride in his expression as he looked at Jack, which caused Jack's own smile to widen fractionally. The little golden man said nothing, of course, but Jack still felt as though he knew what Sandy would say if he could: I knew you could do it.

Tooth, meanwhile, looked to be almost on the verge of tears-joyful tears, that is. "Oh, Jack..." she said, smiling as well. "You've improved so much so quickly!"

"She's right, mate," Aster added with a nod, unsuccessfully hiding a grin of his own. "Yer somethin' special, ya know that?"

Jack looked away with a sheepish chuckle, already feeling a blue blush creep across his face. He honestly felt that all of this praise was...unnecessary, to say the least. After all, what exactly had he accomplished? Speaking? An action he had already been familiar with for the majority of his life? He felt a bit like a child that had just spoken its first word.

Still, though, he did not argue with the other Guardians, since he knew what they would say. They'd tell him that, after the amount of trauma he had suffered, including being conditioned into silence, being able to speak again was a huge step in the right direction. And logically, yes, he was aware of this. But regardless...he still could not shake the feeling that it was insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

"By the way," Simon began curiously, pulling Jack's attention away from his embarrassment. "How did you manage to speak again? Up until now, you've been dead silent...what changed?"

The young sprite merely offered a slight smile as he said softly, "I had help." Then, he shook his head. "But please, enough about me...I can tell you more later. For now...we came here to figure out a course of action, didn't we…? Don't let my progress distract you from that purpose…"

Though...I suppose I'm happy as well, he thought. Every word I speak becomes easier...for the first time, I...I truly feel as though I am going to be alright.

With this in mind, he turned toward Rayla, who was the first to begin to speak.

"Despite the good news you've brought, you're completely right, Jack," she said with a nod. "We must turn our focus to coming up with some sort of plan...it will be certainly difficult, seeing as we do not know where Ebon has fled to, but for the sake of us all…" She frowned. "We must try."

"And as such," Shiro added. "Our first priority should probably be to actually find out where Ebon went, and what he's planning to do next. Whether it be by way of scouts, magic, or something else...we can't do a thing if we don't know what's going on."

Here, Toothiana's smile faltered. "Truth be told, I've already sent out my fairies to search for signs of Ebon and the sprites he took with them, but…" She looked down, wringing her hands worriedly. "...not one of them has returned yet."

Jack frowned, worries of his own beginning to surface in the wake of this revelation. He silently prayed that no harm had befallen the fairy scouts, but he had a sinking feeling that this was not the case.

The fairy queen took a brief deep breath, shaking her head as though to clear it. "However…" she continued, composing herself. "I will, of course, continue to wait for them, should they eventually return to me with information."

Rayla nodded solemnly. "Of course," she agreed. "Now...have there been any more efforts to find the Fearling?"

Here, Lily spoke up, though she seemed uneasy. "I have been trying to locate him, as well as some of the others, with a Clairvoyance Charm," she told them. "But...no matter whose name I use, I've been unable to produce anything more than white mist." She shifted anxiously. "Arios was also skilled in other forms of magic besides his natural snow sprite abilities...it is very likely that Ebon is using that skill to cast protective charms that block me from being able to see him, or any of the sprites with him…" Lily sighed. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help."

Rayla shook her head at this, saying softly, "There is no need to apologize. This Fearling is a dangerous foe...we can't expect to be able to deal with him easily."

"Mhm...but that begs the question," Shiro said, an eyebrow raised. "If scouts and magic haven't worked...how do we find him?"

Suddenly, a new, yet painfully familiar voice echoed through the underground city, causing all of the tension that had previously fled Jack's body to abruptly return, his breath catching in his throat.

"Oh come now...why make this so complicated?"

Jack stood frozen as he and the others stared across the surface of the lake, where, just above the center of the body of water, a large, translucent magical projection was forming. Swirling mist soon settled to create a person's image. An image that each one of them had grown quite familiar with.

An image that bore Arios' face, but Ebon's eyes.

The projection of the Fearling smirked viciously, baring his slightly pointed teeth as his yellow eyes glinted.

"If you wanted to see me so badly...all you had to do was ask."


:0

:) ...see you guys next time! Hopefully I'll be able to update relatively soon, heh...but since I'm still getting used to online schooling (and homework is starting to build up), we'll have to see. But I promise, this story will be completed! I won't give up on it, nor will I give up on Becoming a Guardian, so stay tuned!

'Til then, Sapphire316, out.