When they arrived in the library Jack heard North give a small gasp, the sheer size of the entire room was tremendous but it was the towering shelves that bulged with books and scrolls that were truly impressive. Blue flames around the library kept the room from utter darkness and complimented the moonlight entire library was run by a combined force of owls and strange deer-like animals. Large glass doors took the place of walls and opened out on to a architecturally sound balcony. In the center of the rectangular room was a spiraling staircase leading up towards more levels of endless books.
"Please sit." Fira invited in the friendliest tone Jack had heard her use since they'd arrived, each obliged and sat around a suddenly appearing round table.
"You said that the Guardians have urgent matters to discuss with me." Fira spoke plainly.
"Yes, are you aware of someone called the Nightmare King?" Asked Tooth.
"Yes, I'm very much aware of his handiwork from last Easter." She replied. Jack flinched and looked at the bristling Bunny across from him.
"Don't know 'ow ye'd be so without yer pride to show ye' face rabbit after tha, no matter 'ow cute and fuzzy ye' think it is." A deep voice commented. Jack watched as Bunny whipped around to glare at whomever had interjected.
Tobias had recently entered the room with an unfamiliar figure behind him, bowing to the side, Tobias revealed a large cat and exited the room closing the heavy marble doors behind him. This was no ordinary cat, this elder cat strode on two legs and wore an ancient expression upon his face. He was only an ear length shorter than Bunny, and his greying snow colored fur was matted giving the feline a rustic look. His pupils differed in color with the left being a golden shade and the right a deep cerulean, a stony persona and deep scars on his furred chest birthed a intimidating aura around his figure.
"And you'd be?" Bunny retorted venomously, obviously annoyed by the cat's previous comment. The ancient feline smirked darkly and turned his attention towards Fira.
"Ye' called for me, dearie?" Although his voice was raspy an underlying paternal tone aimed at the young redhead could be detected.
"Yes, Blon let me introduce you to the Guardians of Childhood; Guardians this is Blon, record keeper of the ages." Blon kept his eyes on Bunny then licked his chops and redirected his gaze to the rest of the Guardians.
Jack continued flickering his eyes to and from Bunny's stressed figure and the mysterious feline record keeper.
"Now, what's it ye' all come ta disturb we good magic folk for, Guardians?" Asked the wizened cat, whose glittering irises revealed his blatant curiosity.
"There's been a message from the Man in the Moon, a prophecy of sorts involving the Nightmare King." Answered Tooth.
"Well dearie, THA be something a'right." Blon absentmindedly commented.
"We believe that-" Tooth continued until to Jack's surprise the old cat began to stare at him and interrupted uncaringly.
"Oi! Now dis 'ere be a strange sight 'deed. Why ain't dis 'ere Jack o' Frost!" Blon gave a mad cackle then continued animatedly. "What's lil' Jack o' Frost doin' 'ere in me palace on 'ere hot rock in de ole sun days? Oh I never woulda thought, Jack 'o Frost bein' 'ere wit Miss Fira 'n' Blaze! Who be pullin ole Blon's tail? I seen me loads of fings never nothing like dis." The mad cat continued to laugh and as Jack looked around the table for some type of safety, and then he met Fira's soft and perplexed eyes.
The cat managed to calm his laughter much to the gratefulness of the uncomfortable Guardians in attendance.
"What's so funny about me being here? I'm not exactly on the same level of weird as a talking cat." Jack commented.
"Guessin' youngins don't do too much star reading 'ese days. Well boy yer in fer quite de treat yes ye' are." The feline replied cryptically totally ignoring Jack's previous statement,
Jack would've replied if not for Fira's deep gaze that seemed to have been locked on his form. Fira quickly resurrected the previous topic of discussion.
"I was left to believe that the Guardians had already dealt with the Nightmare King, why are you bringing this to me now?" North returned with a reply for the fiery girl.
"Because-" before he could complete his thought Blon interrupted North.
"I assume it's der accommodation de' Guardians is providin', checkin' on de other magic folks seein' if is alrite." Fira nodded in understanding at the feline's word. Jack furrowed his brow in confusion, Blon continued to change the subject anytime someone tried to reveal the prophecy.
Jack went over it again and again in his head unable to decipher why Blon continuously ignored the seriousness of the matter. From the expression on North's face he was thinking similarly.
"Miss Blaze, forgive me for interrupting but there seems to be a matter of the utmost importance. A flame has gone awry." A small white owl perched upon Fira's shoulder and whispered into the shell of her ear.
Fira cringed inwardly but otherwise maintained her composure, she would not allow the Guardians to witness any of her shortcomings.
"Thank you, Ira, I will take care of it." The snowy owlet outstretched out its downy wings to fly back to its' roost somewhere in the high columns and pillars of books.
"If you would excuse me, an emergency situation requires my attention. Allow Tobias to keep you company." As if he'd heard his name Tobias appeared with trays of refreshments and more tiny glowing spheres.
"Alright everyone let's not keep our guests waiting!" Tobias cried out, bemused. With a short symphony of claps the small teacups and saucers whizzed towards the table. The small sparks set down the saucers and cakes then flittered back to Tobias.
"What are these things?" Jack asked aloud. One tiny spark had stayed to clean up a small spill from Bunny's tea. It bobbed up and down above the table its' bright yellow light casting a small shadow onto the marble surface.
Tobias returned, "Oh, these little angels? Why, they are the true keepers of this here estate! Created by Miss Blaze herself, I call them Glenlings, aren't they adorable?" Bunny raised a furry brow in disbelief.
As if he could read minds Tobias continued."Don't be confused these aren't just tiny balls of fire. Look closely and you'll see." Jack couldn't contain his curiosity, with a small tap of his staff a clear disk of ice formed in his palm. Lifting it to a bright blue eye, Jack peered down at the glowing orb.
Within the golden radiance was a small person, and like their mistress that had created them, these small people were humans made of fire. Scarlett flesh and golden hair, with sparkling eyes and pixie physiques.
This Glenling was male and appeared to be very angry about being spied on, there were some angry squeaks and then the ice disk was no more. It had been melted into a puddle of warm water.
"Toby, he just-." Jack trailed of perplexed and slightly amused.
"Well there you go again Jack making enemies everywhere." Bunny commented. As always Tooth tried to appease everyone, "I'm sure that's not true, Bunny, the poor thing was probably just scared."
Tobias didn't react to his new nickname or the comments made by the Guardians but he couldn't help but chuckle at Jack.
"Master Frost, meet Hearth the Glenling, a personal favorite of Miss Blaze. He's a hot-tempered one, isn't he?" Jack watched as the small Glenling floated back to Tobias, most likely to complain.
"So they're fairies?" Jack asked.
"Don't let them hear you say that Master Frost, to a Glenling being called a fairy is considered demeaning because-"
"Because they aren't simply tooth couriers, they represent the sparks of imagination and if they aren't recognized as such it means they've failed their purpose." North smiled gently at North's answer, and then looked at him, "I would have never thought a Guardian would understand the mistress' thoughts, forgive me I should not have expected anything less from the Guardian of Wonder." At that moment Fira re-entered through the library's large double doors.
She gave a small, surprised smile when she saw the little Glenlings in the room, the positive feeling was obviously mutual amongst the small creatures as they rushed towards Fira. Surrounding her in a small cloud of light, small squeals and laughter caught Jack's attention; Fira and the Glenlings seemed to be sharing a rather amusing conversation, it was put to an end when Fira sent the Glenlings and Tobias off and turned to the waiting Guardians.
North kept an eye on Jack who was watching curiously, "Took you long enough. You're not exactly the best hostess, are you Fi?" The Fire Spirit in question tensed and a few of the fires in the library flickered black but then regained their normal blue hue.
"Well it's good that my purpose isn't to serve you, Jackie." Fira replied with sarcastic sweetness and a smile. Jack was prepared to answer with another witty remark, but Fira had already gone back to ignoring his existence. The Fire Spirit, now facing North, spoke.
"One of the younglings found this, it seems to still be intact but I don't know if anything important was damaged." She held a small bell in her hand. The burnt metal was dented and the decorative ribbon that was usually tied to the bell was gone, leaving only a red string behind.
"It seems to have survived, only one way to find out." North replied. The old Claus lifted the tiny bell in his large hand to his ear and shook it gently. Jack watched the old man's facial expression suspiciously but North gave nothing away.
"What is it?" Tooth asked softly. Bunny and Sandy waited patiently for North to finish, Fira watched from the corner of her eye and Blon simply listened with his eyes closed. Slowly North stopped shaking the bell and set it gently on the table, "The Guardians are needed, it's Pitch." Each one of the Guardians began to prepare for their return to the North Pole.