A/N: Hello. I'm not even gonna say anything... just read this and be as shook as I was when I wrote it... If you could, please leave a review about how you think the story is going and if there is anything you'd like to see! No promises, but your idea might be implicated in the future!
Bits of rubble and rock rained down on Pitch as he sputtered and got to his feet. Eyes wide, he stumbled back to brace himself against a rocky wall.
"H-How did you do that?"
Jack looked back up at Pitch with the same baffled expression - the anger he'd felt just moments before had dissipated for the moment.
"I… I don't know…" Pitch's breathing hitched as his confidence wavered.
"If… If you guys don't mind," came Lily's strained voice, "I'm very uncomfortable right now."
Jack snapped to attention and rushed over to Lily's side. Pitch could only watch, frozen in stupefaction.
"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
Jack tore through the black sand that was binding Lily and lifted her off the table.
"No - at least not physically."
Jack nodded and helped her stand. Still taken aback by the events that had just unfolded, he glanced at Pitch. Neither of them felt like a fight anymore.
"We'll be leaving now," he said gruffly.
Pitch managed to get a hold of himself, though all his arrogance had dissolved.
"It seems as though our favorite winter spirit has already left."
—
Back at the workshop, the guardians swarmed around Lily with worry.
Dozens of questions came shooting at her as she tiredly sat on her bed.
North's booming voice invoked sudden silence. "Hey, HEY. Everybody calm down. Let girl rest."
After a few parting notes, they all left and shut the door behind her. All four guardians then turned their attention to Jack, who had been standing quietly outside the room.
"Jack?" Tooth flittered nervously to his side. "Are you okay?"
Jack looked up and they all gasped simultaneously.
"Your… your eyes!"
Jack's once brilliant blue eyes were now a fiery orange, glowing as if they themselves were ablaze.
Bunny, who under any other circumstance might have said, "you might want to get those check out, mate," looked on in concern for his fellow guardian.
Jack averted his gaze, looking down to hide his eyes. "I don't know what's happening to me."
Tooth placed her hand on his forehead and then quickly withdrew it, startled by what she felt. "Jack, you're… feverish," she exclaimed.
The normally smooth and chilled skin of the winter sprite was now hot and riddled with sweat.
Jack staggered and grasped at his staff for balance. "I… I…"
Unable to stay upright, he collapsed to the ground, his staff clattering to the tile floor.
—
The darkness was comforting. Jack hadn't slept in a long time.
In fact, he hadn't slept since before Manny had brought him back.
It felt like he was blanketed by peace - like he was wrapped in warmth. Warmth. No, fire. He was on… fire?!
Jack started awake, gasping for breath. Phil, who had been staring intensely at him, jumped back in fright.
Jack didn't even have the wits to apologize. Yelling in agony, he tore the sheets off and toppled to the ground. His skin felt like it was burning.
Intense pain ripped through his veins and he clawed desperately at the skin on his arms in an attempt to rid himself of the searing fire burning underneath it.
Phil ran out the door to get help, returning with Bunny and North.
"What's wrong, mate?!" Bunny rushed to Jack's side troubled by his uncharacteristic suffering.
In two big strides, North was next to him, grabbing his hands. They were shaking and bloodied.
Bunny and North stared in horror at the deep gashes Jack had made in his arms.
Whimpering, his voice broke as he gasped, "It burns."