Survival

Chapter 12: Massacre

"Nooo!" screamed Tooth as she zipped to North's aid taking on the twisted form of Jack while North sunk to his knees, then to the ground as blood the color of his suit spread around him following the frost patterns in a demented version of beauty.

Pitch's laughter reverberated through the underground tunnel.

Things were dire. North was down and the remaining Guardians were being drained of their magic as he was being healed. He could not die as long as the others were strong, but he would take a long while to fully recover if they all made it out.

Pitch was on the prowl; circling his prey like a cat toying with the victim before consuming them. "Well done Jack. Now, finish the others."

Jack, who had been standing there staring at his scythe dripping in crimson glanced at Pitch before springing into action to fulfill his purpose, his reason for existence: the please Pitch. Quick as a flickering candle he disappeared into the shadows, his new hunting ground.

"Be on ya guard! 'E could pop up anywhere!" Bunny and Tooth were near the felled Cossack while Sandy was vigil at their only visible exit. The fearlings pulled back, seeming to sense that what ever Jack was going to pull would not distinguish friend from foe, thus putting them in reckless danger. There were sentient beings after all with survival instincts. No use in getting in the way of Masters new Weapon. Weapon was a strange creature. He had hurt many of them before and destroyed legions, yet now he was Master's. He was even smelling like them more now: fear, darkness and grit. No touching Weapon allowed. Must help, but best stay out of the way.

A strange cackle started to echo through the chamber seeming to exude from every darkened corner. It was disconcerting and a little frightening. The Guardians felt trapped. How on earth could they take him down without harming him? Impossible. How on earth could they take him down without killing him? He was obviously bound to Pitch now so if they harmed Jack, he would pull from Pitch to heal and vice-versa. They had to break the bond.

"Sheila! Any ideas?" Bunny's ears were constantly swiveling in every direction trying to deduce the origin of the laughter or hear the rustle of cloth to indicate Jack emerging. Nothing. No clue. They were virtually fighting blind. It was dim as it was.

"Let's make this more interesting, shall we?" As his inquiry ended so did the light sources. Pitch Black. They were totally in his domain at his mercy. The only glow visible was from the glinting eyes of the nightmares laying siege to the impending battle and Sandy with his glittering whips.

*slice*

Screaming. Tooth was screaming. A scythe had descended into the joint attaching one of her iridescent wings to her back. Now it hung limply at her side. She was grounded.

"Tooth! Sandy, swing your whips to try and see wa's goin' on! Sheila's down!"

It was bad. The cut had gone through and only a few tendons were left intact. The drain on their magic intensified as now two guardians were in desperate need of healing. Making a split second decision, Bunny grabbed North's sleeve and Tooth's hand slapping his foot twice on the ground and falling through his tunnel.

Just as Sandy was about to follow, Pitch couldn't help but through out a taunt. "Deserting a child now are we? Oh how the mighty have fallen. It's alright. I am his hopes and dreams now. No need for you now is there!" Sandy couldn't take it. His whips sang though the darkness to ensnare the Nightmare King only to close on empty darkness. With so many shadows, Pitch was going to be impossible to capture. Reluctantly, Sandy jumped to join Bunymund in their tactical retreat. There was nothing they could do it this situation. They needed to heal and draw their quarry into the light. They need a plan.

Back in the lair Pitch snapped his fingers. The torches flickered to life again to reveal a kneeling Jack at his feet. "Well done." He reached out and ran his spidery fingers through soft black hair. How strange it was to see Jack with grey skin and black hair, but how gratifying. No more insults, defiance or playing hard to get. He was his to do with as he pleased. Sure it would have been better to break Jacks will through the proper ways ensuring his eternal loyalty, but there had not been time for that. The Guardians had been closing in and drastic measures had needed to be taken to ensure victory in this battle. He would win the war in the end, free Jack's mind once again and break him properly and slowly. Pleasurably. No time constraint or annoying others to look out for. Just the two of them.

Jack leaned into the faint touch of his Master. He had pleased him; had fulfilled his command. That was his purpose, and it gave his great pleasure to fulfill it. He was noticed, wanted, and being helpful! When he followed orders he was not making a neusence of himself or making a mess. He was creating a new order where Pitch was happy. That was all that mattered. All others were not important and would be eliminated as necessary. He remembered the Guardians from Before, but how he had a clearer view of what had really transpired: he had been used because of an order from the Man in the Moon. He was not needed anymore and was never wanted in the first place. They had turned on him so easily before and would do so again if he tried to care and get close to them once again. It was inevitable; unless he protected himself now.

Pitch was different. He wanted him. He had betrayed Jack before by breaking promises, but that was because Jack had been on the wrong side. Jack had been an enemy at the time. Pitch had never wanted to fight Jack in the first place but Jack had kept throwing himself into the fray. Now they were both in the dark. The dark was fun, free and full of possibilities. In the dark they would never betray each other. While Jack was not indispensable to Pitch, he was useful and Pitch loved him. He had never said so, but it was evident in the way he looked at Jack and fulfilled all of Jack's needs. Those golden eyes would gleam whenever they raked over Jack's figure giving Jack shivers.

"Come, we have much to do." Pitch placed his hand under the frost spirits chin and raised him to a standing position and moved toward the deeper parts of his labyrinth leading Jack along.

He was sitting on an iceberg. It was almost 50 years since that fateful winter of 1868. Fifty years since the first time he had marred his frozen wrists. Not much had changed since then. No one talked, noticed, called, comforted or touched him. All alone. Forgotten and miserable. At least he had his ice to play with. 'Time to experiment, get my mind off this depressing track. Maybe make something as invisible as myself. See if anyone notices that!' Idea in mind he twirled his staff expertly before thrusting it into the glacier he was poised upon. Concentrating on the structure of the crystals, aligning them just so, allowing light to travel though them unhindered like glass, he allowed them to grow and spread. Once he felt drained he hopped back to admire his handiwork. 'Beautiful. It reflects the setting sun perfectly. If only frost could always hold this much color. I could paint even more types of patterns for the kids. They seem to enjoy bright colors more than white, grey and blue.' As he sat atop his masterpiece the sun sank below the horizon taking the color with it. Now all that was reflected in his work was the starry sky. A thick band of stars overhead were exceptionally breathtaking.

With the sky clear with no moon to taunt him, and sea being so glassy, Jack let his thoughts wander. Of course that was never a good idea. The moment he was not busy with his hands and/ or magic, his mind would take a dark turn remembering all whom he had harmed, killed or distressed. Why was he here!? What purpose?! All he ever did was mess things up. The faces of all he had done wrong by floated to the forefront of his memory. What was the point of trying to do anything? He only ever made things worse. He should probably just isolate himself in Antarctica for the benefit of humankind. No one needed him anyway. Just a nuisance.

He did not notice that as his thoughts spiraled downward so did the surrounding temperatures. It was noticed, however, by a certain ship enjoying her maiden voyage. The RMS Titanic. All was well with the path ahead clear as crystal. The watchman, ever vigilant noticed that the stars seemed warped up ahead. They were being refracted through something. Ice! An invisible iceberg. How was that even possible?! He raised the alarm, but too late.

So absorbed was Jack in his thoughts that he did not notice he had company until the glacier beneath him jolted. Something massive had hit it broadside. Raising his head from his knees he saw what he had wrought. Destruction. A ship had not noticed his creation fast enough and now his masterpiece was becoming as destructive as it's creator. The destiny for all things invisible apparently. 'What have I done? What can I do?! I have to help!'

Over the next few hours were the worst of Jacks immortal life thus far. Every time he would reach for a human they would shudder and die of overexposure. He was an Angel of Death. 'It's no use. I have to try something else. What is the root of the problem. The hull!' Giving up on helping individuals he decided to try and freeze the rip in the hull closed. Too late, there was too much water on board, and as he froze it, it trapped those in the lower decks to their doom. There was no way to restrict his powers to the water directly touching the rip with his emotions as frayed as they were. His magic was out of control trying to fix the situation and wreaking more havoc in it's wake. He had doomed them all. It was all him. 'Should I stay vigil to see them to their end or leave to give them a chance to survive? There is nothing helpful I can do. I kill everything I touch. Best to leave and take my curse with me. Hopefully at least that way one might survive.'

Mind made up after his hours of frantically trying to help Jack left to give them a chance to live. Why was he cursed so? Flying to the north pole Jack slumped against a snow drift and broke an icicle off a nearby overhanging rock and got to work.

A/N Sorry this has taken so long. I have been living in the animation lab and not sleeping working on this film. The interview with Pixar went amazing though, so hopefully I will have good news in a month. It's a residency internship for a year. Fingers crossed!