The Epic battle will be in the next chapter. I suppose its two more chapters tops, and I'm nearing the end and I have more motivation that I've ever had now the end is coming.

One review for the last chapter XD Then again I did update just a day or two ago. Ah well.

Chapter 21: Unmasked and Seen.

Jo watched quietly as Jack made his way to Jamie's window. Beings like the winter sprite where more suited to coming face to face with people. Jack had been denied that attention too long.

For now, Jo preferred to remain at the sidelines. Ayver, as he heard he had been called, stood beside him; his green cloak fluttering smoothly in the cold wind. Spring seemed out of place on this night.

Jo looked over his shoulder, and his sight he could see that black wave drawing nearer and nearer. Pressure set in his chest; his heart started pounding. Something was coming. He looked to the sky; where the Moon was blocked from his sight.

"What is it you've planned, Man in the Moon?" He murmured, and was surprised to find a hint of venom in his voice. That scared him a little; that he was talking to someone he considered a friend like that.

Yet some tiny part of him felt he deserved it. Who was he to meddle with people's lives?

Who Indeed.

It was no question but a statement. Jo glanced at his side, frozen, and found Ayver wandering back away, shooting a blank look at him. Behind him a shadow was cast.

The silver spirit turned around, and saw a darkened space in the middle of the damp street. The green grass of Spring was blackened by its wake.

A hooded figure, with an unmistakable scythe, stood watching. And the first thought that came to Jo's mind, was that he'd never have thought of the bearer of death as having green eyes.

"Death?"

Yes.

"Why are you here?" He cleared his thought, "If you don't mind me asking?"

The Grim Reaper looked over his shoulder at the sky; whether he was looking at the blocked Moon or the black waves Jo didn't know.

"The Balance will be restored today. The Man in the Moon's affairs need to be righted again."

Jo scowled. "Wait...are you saying this is his doing?"

"His, and The Fearling's Nightmare King. All are the cause." The green eyes stuck his with their gaze, "I did not same blame, Per Say."

The Silver Spirit said nothing to Death. Jo thought for a moment that he should really be scared; but then again with everything that had happened in his existence...he'd ceased being surprised.

Then another thought occurred to him.

"So...Do you know who that girl was? The one that trapped me...?"

His husky voice trailed off as Death turned away. "In a better path, Anguish should have kept an eye on her more. But, this path will have to do. There are many futures."

Jo must have looked upon the Keeper of Death like he had three heads, as he was glared at by the later a moment later. "She was once a servant of the one you call 'Tooth Fairy.' A part of her taken and made into something different by the fearlings."

Jo's mouth fell open. "You're saying...she was one of the Mini Faires?"

"Now she is a creature of Darkness. One that tampers and destroys memories. Even yours."

Before the silver boy could question him, he waved a hand. A black and white scene appeared, transparent and surreal before him. Jo stared in astonishment. What...?

He saw his sister, His Mary, handing the wooden, bound box of his teeth to the girl. To the dark fairy that took them, a much younger and softer looking one. She stared at the box, and the black sand crept over...

The breath he drew caught in his thought as the scene vanished like candle smoke. He dropped to his knees, as they'd lost all feeling. That girl- she'd been the one. She made him forget...

"...Why?" he stared at the pavement below him, shaking, "Why?"

He looked up. The Grim Reaper was gone. Ayver hovered near Jamie's home, watching Jo with a look of sympathy and worry.

Jo stood, and wiped the ears away from his eyes. He didn't know why they'd come, or why he was letting them fall. Those times he'd been alone without happier times to look back on...someone had done that to him on purpose.

Why?

His head was bent, and he could see his shadow, cast by the dim light of the fading street lamps.

Jamie turned around as the snow fluttered around him. The cool, sparkling dots fell towards him.

Jo's hand fell away from his face as his shadow moved.

"Jack Frost."

"Joseph..."

The voice seemed so familiar it hurt. Jo stepped back, again and again, as his shadow raised up; its feet still attached to the ground. It rose up like a vampire, and a masked face came into view from the shadows. A pair of brown eyes that he'd seen in the mirror every day of his life met his.

Jamie turned around, and gaped at the scene.

"Jack Frost."

Jack stepped back, breathless with laughter and joy. "B-but that's me! Jack Frost! You said my name!"

"Anguish?"

The dark figure, so much like Death himself, stared back. Those eyes seemed...incredulous. And even watery.

"You said my name..."

Jamie's astonished expression was now filled with wonder as Jack came closer; the snow fell around them. "C-can you see me?"

His head moved up and down by the tiniest bit. "C-can you see me?"

His laughter was shaking and breathless again. "He sees me!"

That warmth he'd seen in his memories, from his life, came back to him. "He sees me!"

"So you see me at last."

Jo could only gaze at him. "Who...are you?"

That masked head lowered, and those brown eyes where vague and sorrowful.

"You remind me so much of him..."

The boy tilted his head; silver hair flopping a little. "...Who?" His voice was quiet. Snow was falling around the street; coating the spring grass.

"Alecvander."

And he raised his hand to his mask. Jack and a little brown-haired boy came running out of the house- and they both halted when the Frosty Spirit gasped.

The street lamps sparked, and went out. The black sand began creeping from corners and cracks in the roads; anywhere where dark thrived. Jo stared, unblinking at the figure.

Alecvander...?

And the mask came away.

The face he saw stuck pain and sadness into his heart. Jo couldn't look away from it, though, neither could Jack or Ayver. A long, button nose, sharp eyebrows and soft brown eyes. Wider lips than his own; with high, sharp cheekbones and chin that looked so familiar. The features of Alecvander; leaner and young.

His expression was cold and sorrowful; black stains seemed to fall across his lips and cheek like splattered ink.

A handsome face that was, true to his being, filled with that Anguish. And Jo could feel tears fall down his face as he remembered Alecvander, how ill he'd been, and how helpless he'd been to stop him from fading away.

His mentor's imagine in his mind, Jo dropped to the floor and sobbed. Jack stared at Anguish will a far away look, remembering the times he'd been alone. That first time someone went through him.

He closed his eyes and stared at the ground. Jamie tugged at his sleeve. "What is it...? Who's there...?"

Ayver avoided Jack's eyes as his friend looked at him. He felt a pang in his chest and took a deep breath. "Some very important people you need to know about, Jamie."

A smile tugged at the boy's lips. "More...Guardians?" He grinned. Jack smiled back and walked over to Jo, taking him by the shoulders and pulling him up.

He smiled at Anguish's sorrowful face; and the spirit smiled softly back.

"The Guardian of Believe himself. We wouldn't be getting any fuel for anything if it weren't for this guy."

Jamie stared at what to him was empty space. "What's he like?"

Jack grinned. "Very English."

Jo scowled at him and wiped his cheek. Jack chortled and turned back to the Jamie. "He 's a boy your age."

Jamie's face broke into an exited smile. "Really?"

"Yeah!" Jack patted Jo on the back. The Silver boy shook his head. "And he's isn't alone...The guy who brings ya all those spring days, the flowers and the trees and you're fruit- he's here too! And he's got a buddy who gives you treats at Halloween and makes everything spooky!"

Jamie looked around in excitement, nearing bouncing where he stood. The black sand closing in on the street seemed to back away a little. "Really? What do they look like?"

Ayver was frozen on the spot, his mouth open and expression much like that of Jack's upon his name being said. Jack smiled smugly, raising a hand.

"Welp, Ayvie here looks like a giant bunny you're age, like Jo the Belief guy."

Jamie spun around, "Like the cool Easter Bunny?"

Jack shrugged, "Smaller, and in my opinion, way cooler."

Ayver grinned at him happily, and Jack raised his hands in a 'don't mention it' gesture. Jamie suddenly whooped- and pointed at the rabbit boy. Ayver jumped back in alarm, then pointed at himself.

Jamie was beside himself with joy. "I can see him! Wow, You're awesome!"

Jack laughed along with him, "And Jo wears a lot of silver. Silver suit, like Sandman...and silver hair."

He grinned at the English boy in question, who shook his head at him.

"You're more childish than I am, Jack, and you're hundreds of years older..."

But Jamie was staring at him now. His husky voice faded away as he looked back at the freckled boy.

"Wow...a Silver Man..." Jo stared at him quietly. It felt so strange..being seen again. He hadn't been like this as long as the others, or like Ayver he hadn't been isolated from the start.

He smiled a little. "Hey. How are you?"

Jamie jumped up, "Wow, you are English!"

Jack laughed from the sidelines. Jo shot some silver sand at him like a squirt from a water gun. Jamie nearly leaped in wonder as Jack continued, "And Hal's about somewhere. He's an orange guy who gives you treats and stuff. Keep an eye out for him at Halloween. He can get annoying."

Jack shrugged as he said this. For a moment everything seemed perfect; that what was happening and going to happen didn't exist. He'd never felt this happy...

Avyer was staring, gobsmacked, as Jamie poked his ears curiously, babbling away about how his sister loved the flowers he brought and that Easter Day had been awfully nice.

Jack looked over his shoulder to find the shadow Death had shown him; but found him along the street, staring up at the sky.

Jo saw him too, and spoke quietly. "Ang-Angu...ish?"

Jack smiled and called to him, oblivious. "Oy, Anguish, we gotta introduce Death's messenger ta Jamie!"

But he didn't turn around. And he saw why when he looked up.

The boys gasped in alarm as they saw the black wave; reaching up to the sky, had suddenly bolted closer. The sleigh came crashing down onto the street; the reindeer shuddering to a halt. North dragged himself from it, and Jo sprinted towards him.

"Jo!" He coughed, reaching out for him. Jo caught him and tried to steady him, and he used his once mighty sword as a cane. "You are okay...thank goodness..."

Tooth scrambled out after, in a similar pale state. "Jack!"

"Tooth!" He ran over and caught her by the arms, to stop her from falling.

"You came back..."

"Wow, you guys!" Jamie came running over next, Ayver behind him. North stared in wonder this time. "The last light..."

Jack looked around. "Where's Bunnymund?"

The Pooka dragged himself from the sleigh; slamming down on his stomach. His fur even looked pale. Ayver shakily went over and reached out to help him- but he raised a hand to stop him.

Bunnymund looked up at Jo and grinned tiredly. "There ye are, mate. Been wondering' where ya got to."

Jamie stared at the guardians with uncertainty. "What happened to you guys."

All but Jamie heard the answer to that question.

"That happened."

Anguish stood behind the sleigh; again long the road. He stared up at the sky, and as they did so as well, they saw the figure of Pitch upon a rooftop, staring down at them with malice.

"Boo."

Well darn. Its the Nightmare King.