Sage didn't know he could be driven to move that fast. Not once. But now, he was, as the two ran in the direction of the worlds hope, wonder, memories, dreams, and fun.
"We should be close! Let's hope North Wind told us the truth about this room having the Guardians," Lea replied, now stopping towards a metal door.
Sage snarled, seeing it being locked. "Lea, get behind me, quick!"
Not wasting time, Lea hurried away from the door on what Sage was about to do.
AAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOO!
"ZETSU TENROU BATTOGA!" Sage yelled, calling upon the wind and using it to harden his attack as he smashed into the metal door, snatching it off its hinges.
Lea stared in amazement, looking at the door and then Sage. "Now that was awesome. Nice!" she grinned with Nightlight giving a thumbs-up.
Sage panted. "Thanks, but let's save the compliments when lives aren't in danger."
"Right! We better hurry," Lea said, trying to stay focus and hurried in the room.
Once entering inside, she realized that the dungeons seemed completely bleak and dark. It seemed hard to tell how far and wide the room was. The only things that seemed to stand out were what appeared to be four coal-colored marble slabbed containers that were in the shapes of coffins and in the center. Each one had a living being inside whom were all lying completely asleep. They all seem to be surrounded by an unearthly glow that twisted and spiraled around them.
Lea went closer with Nightlight helping her see better, only to gasp sharply while covering her mouth in shock.
Sage growled at the sight of the Guardians. All were literally grey and almost lifeless, black tears streaming from their eyes.
"Lea, lets hurry," Sage said, snatching the iron bars that stood between them and the Guardians before snapping it with his fangs.
"We really need to get them out now!" Lea exclaimed, hurrying to see her favorite myths and legends being tortured in their sleep. The sight of them made her feel sad, angry, and concerned all at once. "Wait a minute! We're missing someone. Where's Sandy?!"
The blonde teen was correct! Within these strange coffins only held Jack Frost, North, Tooth, and Bunny.
Sage looked at the sand floating around the room. "One guess, and it's not good. Lea, how do you want to do this?"
"I...I don't know! I'm not even sure how to solve this!" Lea nearly shouted in panic, placing both her hands on her forehead while hyperventilating. "This is beyond anything I ever encountered!"
Nightlight tried to help calm her down by climbing up to her shoulder and gently patting on her neck.
Sage thought for a moment. "Lea... that thing you did before with Nightmare Easter Bunny. Could you do it again? Only amplify it with your bracelet and Nightlight?"
Lea stopped hyperventilating and looked at Sage, thinking about what he said. "...That...actually might work. But the amount of belief and courage I need to do for this plan? ...I'm not sure. There's just so much pressure here and many things that can go wrong! What if instead of fixing the problem, I end up making the situation worse?!"
Sage shifted to human form, resting his hands on either side of Lea's face that forced her to look into his calm blue eyes.
"Lea, remember. Do not doubt yourself. You did it before and you can do it again. Just remember what you're fighting for. Remember the happiest moment you had with the Guardians," Sage explained.
Lea remained stunned. Staring into those cold blue eyes reminded her of the Guardian of Fun when going on her first adventure in meeting the other Guardians.
Closing her eyes while taking a deep breath to let it out slowly, she grabbed Sage's hands and gently moved them away from her face.
"...You're right, Sage. That's exactly what I have to do. Maybe even more than that," Lea replied, opening her eyes and smiling confidently. "Let's save the Guardians of Childhood."
Sage smiled. "Let me know how I can help."
"I'll need you to help me find the biggest nightmare sand to reverse it into dreamsand. If we do that, it should be enough to strengthen the Guardians of Childhood from vanishing into nonexistence," Lea replied.
Sage nodded. "Kay. Stand behind me."
"You got it," Lea said, moving to position.
Relaxing the tension in his body and focusing his mind, Sage opened his eyes, revealing the warm golden yellow. Looking around, Sage growled as he half shifted in front of Lea. His nails growing out and pointy while his fangs grew from his mouth.
"It's...right in front of me...four feet." Sage growled, his voice deep and husky.
"Okay...Here it goes," Lea muttered, taking a deep breath to move towards the direction of where Sage was pointing.
Just when she was about to get close, Nightlight sensed something wrong and tugged Lea's arm. Noticing her wooden toy's actions, Lea quickly moved back with Sage when they heard maniacal laughter.
"Easier said than done," came a voice.
In front of the heroes where the nightmare sand was formed into Jackmare! Instead of wearing a jacket like his original, he had on v-neck undershirt with vest, trousers, and poncho. From when Jack Frost first became a spirit three-hundred years ago.
"Oh, no. Not you again!" Lea exclaimed, quickly grabbing her hockey stick for battle and standing back.
Nightlight got out his diamonded-dagger spear and went into a defending stance.
"Hey, princess. Did you miss me?" Jackmare asked, grinning his sinister smile at Lea. "You didn't really think Pitch Black would leave his prisoners unguarded, did you? My Dark Master thought of a back-up plan in case you or anyone else would try to free them by sending us here," Jackmare sneered.
"'Us?" Lea repeated that last part the Anti-Guardian of Fun mentioned, worried about her answer.
Just then, two more and final Guardians took shape next to Jackmare.
On his right was a Nightmare version of the Tooth Fairy. Her body and feather details were completely made of black velvet sand like the others. And her sand-colored eyes were magenta pink.
And on his left was an evil Nightmare Sandy. It was a perfect duplicate of him but in black colored sand and his eyes, for once, matched the same golden colors as Pitch's animal minions.
This was the final battle: Lea, Sage and Nightlight VS The Anti-Guardians of Fun, Memories, and Dreams.
It all came down in deciding whether Earth falls into darkness forever or gets its light back once more. And neither team will be backing down.
Quickly shifting to his wolf form, Sage snarled, snatching one of Dark Tooth's wings in his fangs and throwing her against the wall. Raising his head, Sage released a large howl.
AAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
"You little-!" Dark Tooth growled. She shot up and charged forward at Sage, coming toward him with incredible speed. But even she was too slow. Sage dodged at the very last second and grabbed Dark Tooth by the leg. He smashed her repeatedly into the cold, hard ground until she had no fight or consciousness left.
Lea quickly tossed Nightlight toward Dark Sandy so he could battle him while she took her fight against the Anti-Guardian of Fun.
Nightlight jumped all over the place as Dark Sandy tried to trap the puppet in his hands, but Nightlight was nimbler than he looked. He effortlessly jumped out and delivered a hard blow to Dark Sandy's face.
"This is where it all ends. Hate, darkness, and fear shall rule this world. Give up now while you can," Jackmare replied, swinging his staff to hit Lea. He blasted a shot of dark ice, but Lea dodged with ease.
"Never! I won't let you take away what the Guardians protect and stand for!" Lea exclaimed, blocking Jackmare's attacks with her hockey stick while avoiding him as well.
"But we already have. It's too late for them. You already lost. I can already sense the fear within you. You're not a hero. You're just a weak, pathetic, clumsy teen who should have grown up already. You still carry a baby toy around that was made by two people who are dead. All because you don't want to move on and forget them,"
Lea felt like tears forming in her eyes. She became off guard just enough for Jackmare to kick her to a stone wall before collapsing to her knees.
"Face facts, Lea. You are nothing. The only thing that makes you something is your little walking toothpick," Jackmare taunted, walking towards his defeated teen and pointing his staff at her
The blonde teen felt hurt on the inside, desperately wanting to give up.
"LEA!" Sage shouted, getting her attention. "Remember who you are. Remember your belief!"
Hearing her friend made Lea close her eyes and steadily took a few deep breathes in calming down.
"…No…You're wrong about me. I've always been brave and strong, with or without Nightlight. And despite all my flaws and doubts, it doesn't make me weak or pathetic," Lea said, clenching her fists and not lifting her head up just yet. "You're not real, and I won't let fake fears like you break my spirit again!"
When she said that, Lea lifted her head, grabbed plus pulled Jackmare's staff close, and placed her left hand on his chest. Once doing that and concentrated, the Anti-Guardian of Fun began to turn golden colored.
Lea's entire body glowed with a golden aura. Bright streams of light came all around her. Her belief grew as bright as the radiant light she gave off. The darkness began to shrink as she shined.
"NO! STOOOOP!" Jackmare yelled, shouting in agony until he disappeared in a floating pile of dreamsand.
"Sage! Nightlight! Let's end this nightmare, together!" Lea shouted, already running towards the remaining Nightmare Guardians her friends were fighting.
Nightlight nodded his head, focusing deeply to increase his light before touching Nightmare Sandy in making him into dreamsand and landing on Lea's right hand.
Focusing deeply, Lea closed her eyes again. She let the warmth of her beliefs flow within her. Lea kept thinking of her past good experiences with the new friends she met. Along with her family...even her departed ones.
Sage shifted before stepped forward, resting his hands on her shoulders, providing his own memories of joy, happiness, fun, and hope.
The strength of Lea's hope grew immensely. Nightlight joined Sage and Lea, their power overflowed.
I can do this. For the Guardians. My friends. My family...my cousins!
Her crystal bracelet and Nightlight glowed brighter than ever. Lea used one hand with her bracelet to reach towards the Nightmare sand with the other for Nightlight to get close in doing the same.
Sage smiled as he felt the warmth grow from Lea. "Together, Lea."
Nodding, the blonde teen kept believing and let her hand touch the black sand. Nightlight used both his tiny wooden hands and spear to touch it, too.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Dark Tooth screamed, as her body glowed and turned into golden dust.
Soon, all the creatures of darkness were erased.
As the two remembered their happiest points, golden sand began to fill the room as the Guardians rapidly began to come back into color.
Soon, some of the Dreamsand began to fly out of the dungeons and pass the room Macy, Katherine, and Sage's family were before it got out of the island.
"Whoa! You guys seeing this?!" Macy asked, seriously amazed here.
"Beautiful," Whampire said, watching some of the sand transform into a school of fish, circling him plus his family, and scattered.
"I know, right?!" Macy exclaimed, not leaving her eyes off the dreamsand.
Wildmutt even tried playfully chasing after a few more sand-like creatures being formed. There were manta-rays, cub tigers, and so on.
When the sand crossed past Kailash with her unwell friend, it brought the colors and strength back into the Guardian of Imagination. She got up and jumped off her feathered friend.
"They did it," Katherine replied, grinning.
"Katherine! You're okay!" Macy exclaimed, seeing the Guardian of Imagination moving and talking again.
"Thanks to Lea and Sage. However, I believe they could use some more help,"
Nodding her head, the Brunette Vigilante looked at Whampire and said, "Stay here and watch over the scumbags for me. I'm going with Katherine."
Sage opened his eyes and smiled at seeing the dancing dreams that surrounded them.
After opening her eyes, too, Lea finally admired the gorgeous sand above her head.
"This is beyond amazing!" Lea exclaimed. She was happy until she noticed the Guardians were still trapped in their eternal coffins of slumber. "Huh?! What!? I thought that trick would work and free them!"
"Maybe they just need a good friend to wake them up," Sage suggested, knowing how his little sister needed him when she had nightmares.
"Yeah, but how are we going to do that with those weird shield things surrounding them?" Lea questioned, getting closer to figure out a plan.
Curious, Lea got out her hockey stick and tried hitting Jack Frost's coffin shield with it, only to have no effect on it. She then let Nightlight try breaking it with his diamond daggered staff by going on top of the coffin, but it had zero scratches on the shield, too.
"Okay, we really need to think of a better plan here. Whatever these shield things are made of, it's practically invulnerable to out weapons," Lea deduced.
"Well, when brute force doesn't work, look at things from a different angle," Sage said, moving into a handstand.
"Hmmm..." Lea placed a hand on her chin to rub it in thought.
While doing that, Macy and Katherine showed up to the dungeon.
"When the moon rises," Macy started.
"So shall we," Katherine added, showing that she and her short-haired Burnette friend were really them.
"We came to check on you two. And by the looks of it, seems that you need some help," Macy pointed out, talking about the coffin traps. "Mind giving us what we just missed here?"
"Well, we were able to make sure they don't turn into Nightmares, but...they're still stuck," Sage said, whom remained upside down.
"Pffft, seriously?! No sweat," Macy held back a chuckle while bringing out her katana. "I can open those things in less than two seconds."
The Brunette Vigilante was about run in and hit one of the coffins until Katherine sticked her arm out in front of her to stop.
"I wouldn't advise that idea, Macy. Too risky," Katherine spoke up. "You could end up stabbing the Guardians within the coffins. And by the looks of it, these shields seem to run from the same essence as Pitch Black. My guess is that it works against force and fear."
"Okay, so if we can't bash these coffins open, then what can we do?" Macy asked, putting her katana away.
"Try to reach the people inside," Sage said, getting himself right-side up again.
"How? We can't even wake them up while they're still trapped inside those things," Macy replied.
While thinking, Lea felt a tug on her jacket to see Nightlight-whom was still standing on top of Jack Frost's coffin-trying to say something. Once getting her attention, he was acting out being scared on one side, giving a kiss while moving to the other, and then putting his hands together to rest his head as if sleeping peacefully.
Although it may seem like total gibberish to others, Lea completely understood what he was saying and smiled.
"Nightlight, you're a genius!" Lea exclaimed to the toy before looking back at her friends. "I know what we have to do! Sage, go to Tooth's coffin! Macy, take Bunny's! Katherine, go to North's! I'll handle Jack's!"
Sage stared in confusion but nodded. "Okay."
Macy and Katherine were both perplexed on what the blonde teen had in mind but did what she said.
"All right...now what?" Macy questioned, standing in position next to Bunny's coffin. "I am seriously lost here."
"Katherine mentioned that the coffins' shields work against force and fear. So, why not use something that is neither of those things?" Lea explained.
"You mean like kindness?" Sage asked, getting in front of Tooth's coffin.
"Sort of. You see, back in the day, when my grandparents were still around, I used to have a hard time sleeping in somewhere that wasn't my own home," Lea explained, looking down at Nightlight with a small smile in the memory. "I was scared that something would come get me as soon as the lights would go out. So, every night, my grandparents would sing me a lullaby before saying goodnight and kiss me. Whenever they kiss me goodnight, to me, it felt like magic. It would take away all the hurt of day...At least, that's what they've told me."
"So...how exactly does this help us?" Macy questioned, definitely lost on where Lea was going with this.
"You want us...to kiss them?" Sage asked.
"Weeeell yes," Lea bashfully admitted, nervously chuckling while rubbing the back of her neck.
Macy just looked at the blonde teen as if she had lost her marbles. "...Okay, anybody else got a better idea that doesn't sound something like a sappy fairytale?"
"No, wait! That might actually work," Katherine replied, looking at North's coffin that's in front of her. "A kiss is a hopeful element. If we each bring out our own love of the chosen center in the Guardians, it should let us break through the shields and wake them up."
Sage looked at Tooth before sighing.
"Sleeping Beauty...Oh boy. Macy, don't hit me later, please?" Sage asked, knowing he is probably going to have a field day with his girl in doing this.
"I won't hate you nor say anything about this if you promise to do the same for me when I'm stuck kissing this furball," Macy quickly remarked, raised her hands in defense while pointing at Bunny.
"You both do realize that it doesn't have to be on the lips, right? It can be just on the cheek, nose, or forehead," Lea explained. "This isn't a true love's kiss thing we're doing here, for crying out loud."
"And as much as I admire North, I only see him as a brother," Katherine reminded. "Besides, my heart belongs to someone else, as well."
Sage looked at Katherine with a smile. "Then he is a very lucky man."
Katherine lightly chuckled, giving a sad smile while turning her head away. "If only he knew of my existence to know that,"
Sage looked at her in confusement. There was something she wasn't telling that involves whom she loves.
"Okay. On the count of three, we're gonna give them the kiss of goodnight together. Everyone ready?" Lea asked.
"One," Sage said, leaning close to Tooth's forehead.
"Two," Macy said, moving forward towards Bunny's cheek.
Katherine and Lea looked at each other before sharing a nod. "Three!"
Once doing it at the same time, the nightmare shields gave away like vapor for them. Sage kissed Tooth on her forehead, Macy gave a quick peck in the left cheek for Bunny, Katherine did a kiss on North's right cheek, and Lea left a passionate fast kiss in Jack's nose.
"OI! WHO LET THE KANGAROO OUT!" Bunny yelled, waking up with a start.
"GAH! Down, Crazy Rabbit!" Macy shouted, quickly getting in fighting stance with Sage quickly shifting into his wolf form to defend his girl.
"Bunny, relax! You're safe!" Lea immediately said, trying to calm him down. "We helped save you plus woke you up from Pitch's Nigthmare sand and becoming Nightmares!"
"Ah, carrots! Can't believe that dingo blindsided me," Bunny growled before catching sight of Sage. "Uhhh…that is a big dog."
"Don't worry. He's not gonna eat you nor attack you," Lea assured, trying to keep the Guardian of Hope from freaking out when he's already been through enough torture in one day.
"That's Sage, and he's not a dog," Macy corrected, now giving a quick look at Lea. "Not one word to the others about this."
Sage flashed a peace sign with his paws. "Sup."
Lea raised her hands while moving her hand to her lips like she was zipping them before flicking away the key and giving her a thumbs-up.
Just then, she started to hear the other Guardians begin to stir up.
"I just dreamed all my teeth were falling out!" Tooth said, white as a sheet.
"That's pretty typical," Jack said, slowly getting up. "Lots of people dream that. It's not that scary."
"It is if you're the Tooth Fairy," North replied, groaning a bit.
"Take it slow, everyone. You've been out for a while," Sage warned, as the other Guardians woke up and got to their feet.
"Not to mention nearly drained from existence," Macy remarked, trying to help Bunny up.
Lea watched Jack Frost rubbing his eyes before meeting them with hers.
"L-Lea?" the Guardian of Fun questioned, feeling his forehead. "How...Am I still dreaming?"
"No, Jack. You're definitely wide awake, and what you've been through was no dream," Lea said, before lunging herself and hugging Jack Frost. "I'm so glad you and the others are okay."
Sage looked to Macy and smiled. "Let's get out of here, guys and gals. I think a more peaceful place is needed."
"I second that," Macy agreed, smiling lovingly. "Somewhere for all of us to get to know each other better and catch up on what has happened."
Katherine, whom still had a dazed North by her side, lowered her snow hood to hide her face until it was the right time to reveal herself to the rest of the Guardians while leaving the dungeons with everyone else.