The room was an enormous hall, wide walls covered in the same foul smelling resign, the high ceiling had a huge dome of goo, like that in the chamber in before, that spilled light through out the room. In the center was a throne composed entirely of bleached bones, that jutted out everywhere like a malicious crown of thorns near the top, and the base was formed from piles of skulls, human skulls. And on that testament to death sat a tall, lithe woman.
She was paler than the moon, her skin seemed to glow with an unnatural luminosity, and was clothed in a black dress and robe that covered her feet and seemed to melt with the resigned floor. At first it looked like her dress constantly shimmering, moving and sparkling with oddly shaped patterns. But it soon became horribly apparent that what appeared to be patterns were actually faces, moving faces that were howling silently within the fabric, Morticia's personal collection of souls. Her long iron grey hair framed her narrow face, her milky white eyes stared coldly at them and were in stark contrast to her red ruddy lips that curved upwards, forming a malicious smile. Her legs were crossed as she sat back into her thrown in the picture of comfort and ease.
"Congratulations." She said, her voice, which could have been at one time pleasant, was poisoned with hate. One of the skeletal creatures came from behind he thrown and sat at her side, she raised a talon hand and gently stroked it's skull. "Do you like my necromorphs? I hope they didn't give you to much trouble getting down here."
"Didn't you hear us you daft lune?" Bunny growled. "It's over."
Morticia leaned her head back and laughed. The sound was frigid and rang like a death toll. "Oh, is it now Bunnymund?"
Mother Nature stepped forward, her face brave and set in determination. "Yes it is. Your reign of terror is at an end Morticia. We've got you cornered and outnumbered. But if you surrender now we won't have to force you."
Morticia bore her grey and aged teeth in a grin. "Force me? How? All you have Nature is the out of date guardians, well plus one, a dethroned king, an old pilgrim, three injured and weak spirits and..." She arched her head to get a better view through the small crowd. She stared indecorously as Elsie and Chirin. "And a little girl and her pet goat." She laughed again at Nature. "You must be getting quite desperate Emily. But you're the one's who are finished." She snapped her fingers.
Another of the humanoid creatures tore itself from it's place suspended in the wall, it was much larger than the others, huge in fact. As it neared it could be seen that it was actually composed of eight of the foul monsters all melded together. It lumbered closer, it's grotesquely bulbous fleshy weight shifted from side to side, like a plate of gelatin, that seemed sure to topple as it moved it's heavy legs, and came to tower over them.
Elsie waited for North to give the signal to attack. She waited but nothing happened. She looked to the others, they all remained completely still as the monster came closer still, it's shadow covering their entire group.
A pack of necromorphs dropped from the ceiling and circled them in.
Chirin snorted and stomped anxiously.
Elsie looked again to the front, the monster almost upon them. "North what do we do?"
He didn't move.
"Pitch?"
Nothing.
"Jack!" She grabbed her friends sleeve and pulled hard. He refused to budge, staring blankly ahead like the others. She looked to the pack closing in on them and the hulking monstrosity, it's eight sets of eyes glowing and staring at them intensely, except her and Chirin.
The behemoth raised an enormous foot over Mother Nature.
"Chirin!" They both dashed forward. Chirin's charge impaled his horns into the monsters leg with such speed and force the rotted flesh limb was torn off.
The monster attempted to stumble back but didn't get far.
Elsie leaped into the air, claws raised and with her most powerful strike she could muster brought it down and cut the monster down the middle. It plummeted backwards and landed at Morticia's feet. The others blinked rapidly, looking around in confusion and all stared at the slain monster.
Jack was amazed. "Elsie did you-"
"No time! ATTACK!" She shouted as the pack of necromorphs readied to kill. She and the others met the challenge with vigor.
Morticia stared at her fallen minion, then at the form of Elsie who was cutting through her pack of necromorphs. She had underestimated the girl, she admitted that now. But no matter, in a few hours her plan would be unfolded and nothing and no one would be able to stop her. In the meantime she might as well take care of these pests herself. Taking her skeletal scythe in hand she began making her way through the fray.
North had just cut down two of the necromorphs when something suddenly flashed, catching his attention. He turned and caught the blade of the scythe with his swords just before it could cut his throat.
Morticia smirked heinously. "Not bad for an old man."
North had to wonder what had happened to her, before she had been so peaceful and kind if not a bit socially awkward. Now she was cruel and carried an insane gleam in her eye like a mad man's.
"What's the matter, cat got your tongue?" She cackled then her expression turned to one of cold malice. "Your going to die here North. You and all your friends." She swung again and again, North hardly able to keep pace. She had gotten stronger, not just her powers but physically too.
A necro lunged at him and when he turned to block it's blow Morticia knocked the sword from his right hand, slicing into his pocket. There was a metallic clang as the scythe's blow was blocked by the snow globe that toppled out.
North gripped his remaining blade with both hands and continued his struggle to keep his defense. With a strong swipe from the pole of her scythe she swiped out his legs from under him, his sword dropped from his grip.
Morticia brought down her scythe. North was quite shocked when another scythe made of black sand halted the other an inch from his face. He looked up to see Pitch, his face full of hate.
"If anyone's going to destroy the guardians it's going to be me." He forced Morticia back, his superior battle training forcing her to take up the defense.
She retreated, trying to find a point to attack, but Pitch was well trained and new the how to keep out of an enemy's attack range when on the offense.
"Pitch why fight me? We can work together. We can rule this world. We can destroy the guardians"
"A tempting offer. But I don't share." He made a false swipe fallowed by a vertical chop, forcing her to throw her scythe up to block and causing her to stumble backwards.
She narrowed her eyes glaring at him and then at the two necromorphs stalking up from behind. "Fine then, have it your way!" She dodged back as the two skeletal monsters lunged, nearly knocking him off his feet.
His scythe dissolved, Pitch thrashed, throwing one the necros away. The other held on, trying to tear at him with claws and fangs.
Elsie finished off the last of her necromorphs and spotted Pitch and Morticia. The death spirit flicked her wrist, the blade of the scythe lifted up vertically to the staff, forming a javelin. She took aim at the nightmare king.
Elsie didn't know what happened, her vision turned red, she no longer felt the weight of her fight as she rushed to his side.
Pitch saw the javelin but didn't have the time to react. Suddenly the necromorph was pulled from him and he was sent through the air out of harms way.
Jack and Pitch watched with frozen terror as Elsie turned and caught the javelin in her claws.
Jack smiled and cheered. "Ha! Way to go El!"
Elsie grimaced still holding the weapon. There was a burning sensation in her gut.
Morticia smiled cruelly. "Your fast." A drop of blood crawled along the blade's edge before falling to the floor. "But you weren't quite fast enough."
Jack's smile faded as the lone drop was soon joined by many others. Morticia pulled the javelin back.
Elsie lost her breathe as a gush of blood spilt out of her midsection and she fell to her knees.
Morticia raised her javelin. "Foolish girl."
Chirin gave a fierce roar as he leaped in front of his master, taking the blow. He fell onto his side, a large gash in his hind leg.
"Chirin!" Elsie cried and reached for her closest friend. The burning sensation returned but worse, spreading through her like fire.
"You people just don't know when to quit." Morticia growled, retrieving the fallen snow globe. "Fine then. Die together." She threw the glass globe directly behind the two injured warriors. The portal opened to somewhere frigid and white. "Rest in piece." She waved her arm and a wave of green essence knock both Chirin and Elsie through.
The portal closed.
"NO!" Jack cried. "ELSIE!"
The guardians could only stare. More necromorphs made their way into the chamber through the tunnels and began in on them.
Pitch stood and gathered a great cloud of nightmare sand that covered the entire hall in a thick dark fog. He and the others took the opportunity to escape, fleeing down the nearest corridor. They turned down another hallway, then another trying desperately to find an exit.