Sandy's Ailment
Even as they moved swiftly towards the infirmary, Sandy began to shiver and shake in Bunny's arms. Instinctively, Bunny tightened his hold on the little man as he began squirming weakly against him. The vile nightmare Jack had fought off, slowly reformed above him and Sandy's breaths came in quick, labored bursts as he struggled once more against the growing darkness. His golden pallor began turning gray and his remaining darkened grains leaked from the folds of Jack's hoodie in broken, drunken waves, leaving a trail of dingy dirt in their wake. "Jack, give 'em another snowflake. Hurry!"
Jack looked down at Bunny in surprise before his gaze shifted to the suffering Dream Weaver. Hurriedly, he summoned another snowflake which disbanded the growing nightmare and eased Sandy's harried breaths. But it was not enough to wake him.
As they came down another hall, North turned and threw wide a set of doors. The yetis leapt forward and caught them before they could slam shut on the rest of the entourage. Bunny took one look around the infirmary before making a mad dash for the nearest unoccupied gurney. With delicate ease, he laid Sandy down. "I know ya not gonna like this." He whispered. "But I've gotta see what's goin on." With that, he pulled off Jack's hoodie and valiantly fought to ignore the amount of dark, melted sand that came pouring out of the folds of the soft fabric. He cringed in sympathy as Sandy shivered and his small hands unconsciously reached for the warmth of the sweater. "I know et's cold. Jus' hang in there." Gently as he could, he strapped Sandy chest down on the bed before covering his mostly naked form with the surgical sheet Phil offered him. Another yeti appeared and offered up an oxygen mask which Bunny quickly strapped to Sandy's face to ease his harried breaths.
North wasted no time in grabbing up several strange looking glass orbs that resembled eyes and carefully went to work setting them at key points around Sandy's body. Not knowing what to do, and puzzling over the strange eyes that were beginning to float in the air above Sandy, Jack flew to the ceiling to stay out of everyone's way. It was just in time too as more Yetis rushed in to assist. Even from up here, Jack could see Sandy shivering beneath the pathetic excuse for a covering. He frowned in worry and started looking around the room, striving to find some blankets or anything he could place over Sandy to help keep him warm. Off to the side, he spotted a cabinet and flew over to investigate. He let out a whoop of delight and gathered up several blankets just as North finished placing the last eye. "Uh, North? What exactly are those things?" Jack asked as he spread the blankets over Sandy's legs and lower back.
North smiled. "Zey are All Seeing Eyes. Watch, you vill be amazed!" Just as the last one rose to join its' brothers, North reached up and tapped it. In an instant, brilliant rays of light shot from one eye to another. Their shining irises shifted in multicolored phases as their light gently suffused Sandy's trembling body. Jack was mesmerized. Their undulating colors slowly coalesced into a four-dimensional image, revealing all the internal workings of Sandy's body. Jack whistled in amazement when he saw Sandy's little heart pumping blood through his circulatory system. He never would have guessed Sandy would have such a delicate skeletal structure for being so broad. Bunny held out a hand and enlarged the imagery of his back.
There was a collective gasp as they all saw the obvious mass of darkness nestled just to the right of Sandy's spine. It was even worse than Bunny had imagined. The thing had long, expanding, tentacles, which were woven tightly around and through Sandy's nervous system. They invaded his spinal column and traveled all the way up to his brain. Bunny gulped in wide eyed worry. "Et's like a fast-growing cancer eatin' away at 'em from the inside. Oh, why didn' ya accept my offer and eat the chocolate during the sleigh ride? Et woulda stopped this in et's tracks! With it invadin' ya senses so completely, et's litta wonda I couldn' find the source!"
In a panic, Bunny began furiously turning the images this way and that, struggling to figure out a way to remove the mass without causing serious damage when another tentacle formed and shot off from the main root. It encircled Sandy's aorta and pulled down tight, causing his body to shudder in pain. In effort to neutralize the evil, and protect his center, his fever spiked again. His dimming light grew stronger, striking back at the darkness. It was just barely strong enough to break the things hold before his light dimmed again.
Bunny swallowed hard. "Even the best laid plan, won't help, if that thing isn' removed now! It's killin' him!" With that Bunny turned and started issuing orders. Just as he reached over to pull the covers back for surgery, the window shades fell and the lights went out. The all-seeing eyes continued to glow, casting the room in a ghostly light as they continued to project the images of the life destroying shard.
From the darkness, an all too familiar laugh, echoed through the room. "Oh, look at the Guardians fussing and worrying over their little friend. How adorable! And you've got him all set up and ready for life saving surgery. That's something I simply cannot allow!" The shadows around them changed and contorted into a myriad of frightful images. On instinct, Jack shot a stream of ice towards the voice, but missed and hit the wall, showering them all in an impromptu snow fall. Pitch released another cruel laugh. "I see you're aim hasn't improved much! It's really quite a shame, all that power, but an inability to aim it. Unless you're playing with snow balls."
The sound of Pitch's cruel voice ignited the poisons in Sandy's veins waking him in panicked terror. Delirious and frightened, Sandy started struggling against his restraints, fighting to get away as terror filled him with urgency. The darkness, the chains, Pitch's cruel laughter, he was back in that dark cave. His rational mind tried to calm him, tried to show him reason. He hadn't really been there. It had just been a bad dream.
But you're there right now! There's no light; just darkness, with a strange haunting glow mixing with your own light. You know what that means.
Sandy bit fiercely at his lips, fighting with everything he had to stop a scream from forming. They were coming for him. In his entire existence he'd only felt fear like this twice. The first time, was when he'd crash landed on this planet. It was only because of Manny's unselfish wish that he'd survived. The second time was just after he was struck down by Pitch's arrow and completely consumed. He started straining at his restraints. He had to get out before they forced him to release his soundless screams again! He started heaving from exertion.
Angrily, Jack shot several more streams of ice at the dark shadows. "I thought your nightmares carted you off back to your lair!"
Pitch started laughing as his shadows flitted eerily about the room. "Oh, you guardians; so gullible, so naive. To think, you actually thought my creations would turn on me! I don't know how I managed to keep up the act of being terrified!" His shadowy hands splayed up in mock surrender before one face turned to Jack and smiled a wide, sharp toothed grin. "Makes me wish I had a camera!" Jack's grip on his staff tightened even as he felt an unnatural, spidery chill creep down his spine. Pitch laughed again. "I am fear, did you honestly think I wouldn't know how to control my own creations, twisted from stolen dreams? You can't tell me you've forgotten that dreams are given in answer to wishes? And how can an answered wish be turned against the one who made it. Or, in my case, twisted it?" He cackled again before his shadows glanced over at the helpless Sandman. "Awe, look... he's trying so hard not to cry." A dark, shadowy arm reached towards Sandy to give the impression of ruffling his hair. "Don't worry little man; it won't be much longer now. And you know? It wouldn't hurt near as much if you would just let it out. Just open your mouth and scream. I know you don't have a voice, but just going through the motions will help tremendously."
Sandy shuddered as granules of dark sand ran down his cheeks and his lips parted to obey the villain's command. But he quickly bit it down again, barely managing to prevent it from escaping. Crying out in his sleep was one thing. Screaming while conscious and in his presence was quite another.
"Hmmm...Perhaps I have overestimated his resilience, or... perhaps the shear horror of being ripped asunder by my initial strike has left him greatly weakened. Regardless, gauging by his reactions, I'd say he has one, maybe two more hours before he gives in and my darkness completely consumes him." The foul sound of his laughter reverberated once more around the room as Tooth hurriedly reached out to grip Sandy's hand. Soothingly, she brushed a hand through his hair ignoring the painful amount of heat exuding from him. "Don't give up, we're right here. We won't let him take you; not this time." Sandy turned his head to look at her. Gratitude shone in his dim, golden eyes.
"Oh, you're trying so hard to hold onto him. No doubt you'll try to protect the few remaining sweet dreams he has won't you? However, did you manage to return in the first place Sandman?"
Sandy couldn't answer, but his mind recalled the brilliant gathering of children in Burgess. It was their young leader, Jamie Bennett who figured out the oldest, most powerful spell known in the entire universe. Together with the rest of the Burgess believers, they uttered it like a prayer and pulled him out of the darkness. He recalled fondly the amazing light and warmth they had conjured to surround him and reform him. It was thanks to them that his life had been restored and his soul set free.
The sweet, wonderful memory eased his terror further before Pitch spoke again. "Ahhh, was it perhaps Ombric's favored first lesson? Such a simple, yet powerful spell; too bad for you I had anticipated the potential of such a spell being cast when I crafted my arrow to take you out. I'm certain you recognized the feel of it. You remember how your fingers blackened when you and that accursed Nightlight rescued a dear, sweet Katharine? Hmm…I wonder… whatever happened to those three nuisances?"
Sandy tried to take a deep breath, to calm his racing thoughts and regain control. His friends were right there beside him, and they were ready to fight on his behalf. His fists tightened in his restraints as he fought to keep calm. He couldn't let his fear take control of him; not again, no matter how much easier it would be.
"Yes, fight as hard as you want but it's inevitable. My darkness will consume you. And when it does, all your sand, all your power will belong to me, permanently. And you know, I might keep your soul around, trapped in the body of a Fearling. My, what a perfect little pet you would make as I herald in the dark ages return." Ripe fear coursed through Sandy's body as dark images of the grim future clouded his mind. Unable to take it anymore, Sandy tried to curl into a small ball to hide, only to be stopped by the unyielding restraints. Tooth's grip on him tightened. "Sandy, Sandy listen to me. You can't give into the fear. You're stronger than all of us! If anyone can survive this, you can. You've survived one doozy of a space crash. You came back from his darkness when his arrow claimed you. Together, we'll beat him! You just have to hang on.
"Oh, what a touching speech. What fond memories." The shadows wiped at fake tears. "You know, I really will miss the learning experiences I've had dealing with you. But before I forget..." He trailed off as a shadow solidified on the opposite wall, drawing everyone's attention away from his intended victim. Grinning, Pitch finally took on his more stable form and appeared right behind the fairy queen. Sandy's eyes widened in horror as Pitch lifted a cruelly carved dagger, which glinted in the low light. Sandy immediately started hyperventilating. He strained and pulled furiously at his restraints as the villain teasingly raised a finger to his lips and winked. Terrified, Sandy struggled harder. He had to break free and prevent another cataclysm. But with almost no dreams to call upon, and not enough sand to use as his voice, he was practically condemned to watch. Panic surged through him as he struggled harder. The knife inched its way ever closer to Tooth's back.
"Sandy. Sandy what's wrong?" Tooth asked, her eyes darting back to his.
Pitch's cruel voice echoed from the other side of the room as the decoy continued to lash out at the other guardians. "Oh Sandy." It sang out gaily. "You might want to say your goodbyes. While you still can."
Sandy bucked harder but it was to no avail. Come on, come on! He pleaded. One last stand! Unwittingly, he released the silent, pent-up scream and wrenched a hand free to cast a stream of dingy yellow sand out towards Pitch, narrowly missing Tooth's face. It caught around Pitch's wrist and forced the vile blade to drop harmlessly to the ground. Relieved, Sandy pressed his brow against the gurney as he struggled to maintain tension on his last, weakening strand of sweet dreams.
Tooth immediately spun around and struck out at the villain. One hand tied, Pitch let out a laugh and leapt easily out of the way. "Oh, little Tooth Fairy wants to take on the big bad Boogieman?" he jeered twisting his hand in Sandy's loop as his other gripped the dingy yellow whip. "And, did my eyes deceive me? Did I see a sweet, little scream escape you? It was tiny to be sure. Not near as long or as tortured as I would have liked, but it was still quite endearing that you would willingly release it for a friend. It's really too bad that little stunt of yours just left your heart wide open to my poisons! I was so hopping the game would continue a little longer." With that Pitch urged his fear into the darkening grains of remaining dream sand as Sandy continued his weakening struggle.
Alerted by Tooth's furious cry, the others turned from the decoy to add their strength to hers. Boomerangs, Ice shards, and swords clanged deafeningly throughout the infirmary as Sandy struggled to hold onto his blackening whip. He pressed his brow into the pillow and gritted his teeth. Hold, I've got to…hold on. It's too late for me, but if I can just hold on long enough, they should be able to catch and lock him up. When his dark yellow whip turned completely black, he gasped in pain as liquid fear pierced his veins. His heart felt like it was being ripped from his chest, but he refused to let go. He would not let him harm anyone else.
Cackling wildly, Pitch easily broke Sandy's weak hold and leapt into a welcoming shadow. "Well, that was fun." He cackled as Sandy released the last of his sands and made a desperate grab for his burning chest, struggling just to breathe. "It's really too bad you couldn't hold me Sandman. Just remember what I told you and I'll see you again real soon. Oh, and you will be a good boy and destroy your friends before you come to my lair, won't you?" Pitch's ominous laugh reverberated off the walls and echoed in each dying cell of Sandy's ailing body. Just as Pitch had hoped, the Dreamweaver had opened himself up for the poisons final attack, just for the sake of a friend.
He had failed. He'd failed Manny. He'd failed the other Guardians. But worst of all, Sandy had failed the children. Pitch had bested him for the second and final time. And worst of all, the other Guardians were doomed to fall at his hands! Pain and sorrow surged through him as he entered a series of long, painful convulsions. He thrashed wildly within the confines of his restraints unable to breathe as the dark fires raged unopposed through his body and mind. Viciously, they showed him the blood that would soon be on his hands and feet as they made him dance upon the dying forms of his friends. They would make the Guardians beg for death long before they permitted the final blow to fall. The vile visions left Sandy screaming breathlessly in agony as his body's thrashings rose to blistering new heights.
Bunny quickly released Sandy's restraints and ripped off the oxygen mask, attempting to force feed him another chocolate. Sandy felt the sweetness touch his tongue and struggled to swallow it down, desperately hoping it would end this nightmare but it just wouldn't go down his esophagus and he began choking. Jack anxiously called up several snowflakes to nip at his nose but even they didn't seem to help as raw agony continued to course through his tortured body and mind. His fever escalated out of control. The light emissions of his skin pulsated brighter than the sun. His lips opened and closed spasmodically, straining for air between his unbidden screams. Bunny quickly replaced the mask, but it just wasn't enough.
In sorrow, Bunny's long ears dropped to his shoulders as he struggled to hold Sandy close and steady. Tears began gathering at the corners of his eyes as he frantically fought with the machine to give him more oxygen, but it just didn't help. Sandy was going down sooner than Pitch had projected. In the next moment, Sandy's light went completely out, and his graying skin began to blacken. Sandy had screamed and released his last dream for the sake of a friend. There was nothing more the Guardians could do for him.
Authors Notes:
The idea of Pitch's arrow being tipped actually comes from Medic201's story: Sandy's Sick day. They graciously let me take the idea and run with it.
Pitch's shadowy decoy is based off the Rise of the Guardian's 3DS game. Yes, I'm so lame I've actually beaten the game... twice and I have a 3rd game started.
If by chance you're wondering about the elves wearing Yeti's hats in the previous chapter...that's from DreamWorks comic book Rise of the Guardians. It's a really small book with two comic strips. The tale of Dingle, his over sized family and Yeti's hats comes from the 2nd one entitled: With Friends Like These...
Again, I would like to thank Demi Clayton and Milly34k for their wonderful reviews. I would also like to show my appreciation to the one person who's chosen to follow this story thus far. It's kind of surprising how much all of this would mean to me. I just hope this dark little chapter doesn't scare you all away. And a big shout out to all the other readers who are too shy or too busy to post a review, thank you for stopping by and working your way through the story. I appreciate it. :)
With luck, I'll get the next chapter posted tomorrow.