So, despite flooding in Colorado, I have managed to type out two more chapters! Thank you all the wonderful readers! You are all Guardians.
Chapter 11: Louder Than Thunder
Tooth and Sandy flew through so many tunnels they lost track of where they were, how they got there and occasionally each other. Sandy kept having the ominous feeling that they were a little bit lost as he followed Hell's laughter and the sound of Tooth's wings deeper and deeper into the darkness. Suddenly with an echoing cackle, Hell disappeared in a blast of sparks, causing a wall next to Sandy to crumble to the ground. Tooth clenched her mouth shut; They were at a improvised entrance to Pitch's lair. "Oh, visitors. Welcome Guardians; Finally here to do me in?" Pitch's weary voice came from behind them, then with a faint rustle, in front of them.
Bunny's Warren
"Pitch just had HAD to make his entrance a big one, didn't he?" Bunny said angrily, still crouching next to Jack. Jack was looking at the ground, not bothering to brush his white bangs away from his eyes.
North looked at Jack with a frown, then answered, "Well, Bunny, he's Pitch."
"Pitch is a drama queen and an absolute diva personified in an evil minded person of incredibly dark power." Jack stated flatly. North and Bunny looked at him, surprised that being silent for so long, Jack had finally spoken. Bunny had to wonder had really happened in the fight with their newest adversary to make Jack go silent. All the Easter spirit knew was that he didn't like it, or any of what had happened at all.
Pitch's Lair
Hell whirled into appearance, taking Tooth into a ferocious battle within seconds and Sandy pinned Pitch down on the black, stone ground. "Hey!" Pitch yelled, the dreamsand burning his skin. Hell saw them and stopped fighting for a few seconds, giving Tooth the upper hand in their fight. The battle continued after that, and somewhere in the middle, Sandy and Tooth switched enemies so Tooth fought Pitch and Sandy fought Hell.
Sandy got Hell in a headlock, and Pitch and Tooth fought for a few minute after Hell was subdued before Tooth was holding Pitch's own dagger at his throat. There was utter silence. Multiple pairs of amber eyes watched from the shadows and more joined them as the Nightmare army recreated itself from their master's fear, and the Guardians'.
"Do it." Pitch gulped, and the fairy did not hesitate to drive the blade home.
Hell's scream gut-wrenching scream was louder than thunder. "NO! PITCH!" Sandy tried and failed to keep Hell contained.
So quiet and quick were Pitch's last words, that had Tooth been farther away, she would have missed them. "Tell Jack, t-tell him, do not fall, do not give up hope. Please, please don't...don't hurt Hell…please…" The King of Nightmares choked on his own words, and he whispered one final thing as the last breath left his lungs. "Remember to…...live."
"I-I just…I…" She could not finish her sentence. She had just killed a living, breathing being; a fear-causing pariah, a mentor, a protector, and a father. And in the process, a dark side of Tooth came out in ways she had hoped it never ever would. She could also now see something else about Hell that she had not realized before: Hell, however evil, was 17 and still, in some ways, a child.
I'm *almost* sad about killing him off...and he's Pitch Black of all people!