I'm hoping to finish this fic this month, so here's another chapter. I get around two comments for every two chapters nowadays, and to those who have commented, followed and favorited, thanks so much.
I'm not asking for mindless praise or compliments, but someone on Deviantart outlined that no writer or artist never showed some of their work to someone. It sounds a little deep, but just a word now and again reassure people that they're doing good, and alerts them if it's tipping to the bad. This one fic I started out with, people where enjoying it and I got comments guessing what was going to happen next, discussing things and what not that they liked.
Though this may be my fault. My writing style has become a bit over 'rambling' and detailed, and perhaps that's whats throwing people off. I'm trying to make things simpler, but I can't seem to help it :/
I wonder what happened to the people who read the previous fics in the series but don't want to finish it? Guess we all loose interest at some point ^^ Thanks so much to those still reading and still commenting. You are very helpful :)
Nearly to the end. Three chapters left, tops.
Chapter 20: Jack n' Jo
The streets, to many who did not believe in the mystical and unseen, looked restless. The wind was blowing ominously; not harsh but not gentle. The light of the dim street lamps in cities and towns where night had fallen, where the greatest storms where brewing, flickered and buzzed.
They trembled in the darkness around them; the swings of parks brushing back and forth; creaking.
Unseen by all was the black, slithering sand. It slithered and slid through the streets like a gradual flood, building up slowly. The streetlamps where snuffed out as it swarmed passed, one by one.
The black shadow whipped like the wind, tossing the sand out of the way at its speed. Its slid around the corner- but the fearlings, this time, where aware of him. They had grown too powerful to let him slip by.
Shapes clawed out of the black sand; not just horses but sharp hands and distorted images, with gaping mouths that glistened in a burnt yellow, like their eyes. Anguish's head jerked backwards as his lithe, fabric-like form was caught by those creeping fingers.
He scowled and spun around, his body becoming a sweep of black air. The fearlings hissed and shrieked in fury and lunched at him.
He gritted his teeth and leapt into the air, determined to keep avoiding them. It was then that the masked spirit caught sight of silver and blue, a rushing blur some streets away over the rooftops.
Anguish's eyes widened and he gaped. "Ah!"
He shot like a jet through the air towards him; the cloud of black sand reaching after him with an echoing screech. He spun in the air, and his shadow form blocked the path of Jack Frost and Ayver.
Ayver's face split into a smile and Jack stumbled on the ice he slid across. He regained balance as Anguish caught hold of his hood and pulled him back up straight.
Jack's eyes sparked with recognition and he gave a crooked grin.
"I know you..."
Anguish didn't have the time to be surprised. Flustered, he replied, "Well it doesn't matter, now does it- we have to find Jo now!"
He seized Jack's wrist in one bony hand and Ayver's in the other. While the rabbit boy didn't seem bothered, Jack shuddered noticeably.
"Jeez, your hand is cold!"
Anguish ignored him and swooped forward, the wind howling in his ears. He swept in a fluid motion through the narrow gaps between the nightmares that were closing in on them. Jack started throwing out ice at them- but to his horror they barley remained. The ice cracked and crumbled off the black sand, and the black figure hissed at him.
Jack stared back at it dumbly as he was pulled along, and a second later they sped up. He yelped.
"WHOA!"
He forced his eyes open against the rushing wind, distorted roars ringing around the three. The figure pulling his dodged a deformed silhouette that poorly resembled a human came right at them from the front.
"What the heck- that wasn't a horse!"
The shadow pulling him along seemed beyond flustered now, "Fearlings! They come in all shapes when powerful enough! We have to keep in the light!"
Easier said than done, it seemed. Jack found that whenever the three pulled towards light, it snapped out as they passed. Streetlamps where going out; the sky was covering with clouds. The Moon was vanishing behind the suffocating darkness.
Jack gritted his teeth. "Pitch..."
"We'll deal with him later. First we have to find Jo!"
Jack looked up, "So where is he-whoa!" They narrowly avoided another bunch of fearlings. Ayver yelped loudly and kicked one of them away with his large foot.
"Genevieve has him near the lake."
She would go to a place that would remind her of where she grew up...I suppose.
Jack wasn't able to question him on just who this Genevieve was, as a moment later the fearlings overtook them so suddenly that Anguish cried out. Their hands and claws slid around Jack and Ayver, pulling them away- but they tore at the spirit and he wailed in pain.
Jack reached out to him, but he was dragged backwards. The pitch darkness swallowed him up. He and Ayver were dragged away- and Anguish continued fighting.
He tugged and the sharp, painful black sand that had grown so powerful that it could harm the dead. He had not felt such panic or pain in so many years- and for a moment his mind tricked itself into to thinking: I'm going to die.
Despite his situation, he laughed bitter and finally managed to break free of their hold. His form seething with pain, Anguish swooped high into the sky, to the awkward safety of what was left of moonlight.
He spotted Jack and Ayver being pulled down a black portal- The Lair? Maybe. Anguish clenched his pale fists and dived downwards through the fearlings, had his heart been beating or have been really there at all, he was sure it would be pounding in his ears.
He was barely strong enough to transport himself to the underground base of Pitch, and how he managed it with how weak he was feeling he'd never know.
Anguish bolted from the shadows towards the globe; where the fading glittering specks where all the real light left. He toppled against Jack and Avyer, who had just been fighting off the nightmares around them. Being a spirit he didn't actually knock them over- but the gust of wind and the suddenness that came with him did the trick.
The three fell on the ground and stared up in alarm as the nightmares closed in.
The globe in the North Pole overflowed with the horrible black sand; spinning around like a whirlpool. The bright colours and polished walls stiffened like old wallpaper and the yetis watched hopelessly as Pitch waltzed into the view.
"You're all free to go! We won't be needing any Christmas Toys this year thank-you!"
He bowed low with a spring in his step. The lights fading at his feet grew fewer. He crooned mockingly, "Look, still seven precious little children who still believe...six." He stepped on one, and it was gone.
"Five, four."
Both feet pressed on another two, his voice growing loudly, his face expression savagely delighted.
"Three...two!"
And one was left; a tiny flicker in the world. Pitch stood straight, in the sight of the Moon triumphantly. He raised his hand and snapped his finger.
The light remained.
His face twisted from its joy to a snarl. Pitch turned and stared with loathsome glare at the light.
"One."
Jack raised his head. His brow furrowed in a curious look as the Nightmares seemed to real back; as if...distracted. He tilted his head as they retreated just a little.
What the heck...?
He turned his head to the globe- where a single golden spark remained. His heart leapt and Jack hopped onto the broken sphere, staring down at it.
I knew it...!
"Jamie!"
Jo felt sick.
He couldn't find the strength to struggle against the black bindings around him anymore. That sinking feeling in his chest had stretched out, little by little it grew strong. His skin felt cold and the blood was burning in his body, and his hands and feet felt numb.
His head bent, he breathed long and hard, trying to keep himself steady. His mind threatened to waver away from consciousness.
So cold...and dark...
He cringed and lowered his head more. Fat lot of help it was, though.
He let out a slow, shuddering breath. He had no idea how much longer he could go on like this. He simply felt helpless, and his eyes began to sting with tears.
The blue tint that had masked his vision when he was afraid would not come. Sandman was gone- and now he felt truly alone.
But then a sudden chill wrapped around him; like a breath of fresh air. He forced his eyes open and saw the blue-white sparks fly across the sand around him; then green sparkles, and then a final whipped from what looked like black velvet.
His mouth broke into a grin when he saw Jack swoop towards him. The older boy sliced through the black sand with his staff, and He and the strange rabbit boy began pulling him away.
They gripped his arms, pulling as the black sand held tight. Then that velvety form swooped closer again and slapped at him; Jack shot his ice once more-
"Whoa!"
Jo and the others went flying from its horrible embrace, speeding through the air at the force they had pulled. The silver-haired boy was pulled along by the shoulder by Jack.
He glanced over his shoulder at the black sand that tried fruitlessly to follow the group as they swept away.
"...Thanks, Jack." The winter sprite looked at him and grinned crookedly.
"No Problem, Silver Man."
Jack looked around. The masked spirit they'd been with had vanished from sight. Taking to time to dwell on Dead People who couldn't really be killed more, he called through the wind.
"Ya wouldn't know how to find the last kid that believes, would you?"
Jo, still breathing heavily, gave a lopsided smile.
"It's what I'm supposed to do..."
With a spark of hope, he allowed the blue tint to cover his eyes. He didn't think he'd have managed it without the other two there.
And his sight flew past him; over buildings like a formless breeze.
And it found a child with gold and silver floating around his little frame, sitting on a bed opposite a toy rabbit.
"I found him!"
"Jamie!"
Jo glared at Jack, "If you knew who he was, then why did you ask?"
Jack shrugged sheepishly, "Its kinda hard to see with all these things." Jo, who hadn't been paying attention due to his weakness, finally noticed all the street lamps were flickering out, and black sand was sliding everywhere; through the air. No nightmares yet- just the calm before the storm.
"Alright...this way!" Jo pointed in the direction of Jamie's home and used his sight to keep track. But then he saw something else.
He looked closer; past the boy, over the rooftops and into the sky. Not too far away...he saw Pitch upon a Nightmare- and a giant wave of black sand was following behind him.
"Oh...This may be a problem."
A giant. Wave. Is a comin'
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