Author's Note: Hello everyone and welcome back to "The Winter Child!" Sorry for the late update. My family and I are currently in the midst of making last-minute preparations for our trip to Seattle tomorrow...which leads into my other announcement! XD I won't be posting Friday through Monday-Thursday since we'll be out of state those days. =) I'll put this up on my profile too so I don't confuse anyone if I don't post at the listed time. XD We'll be back by Wednesday, and if we aren't too busy unpacking, I'll post a new chapter for this fanfic then. =D
Anyway, that's all I have to say! XD I hope you guys enjoy this new part to "We Are Family," and I'll see you all when I return! =3
~ LXXXVIII ~
We Are Family, Part Four
When night fell
It was finally time
To face Pitch Black
Hopefully for the last time
...
Night fell quickly, and the Lunar army was making their way to the designated area. Sandy and the scouts had gone out and scanned their surroundings and found Pitch's Fearlings and Nightmares lurking within the woods. The Nightmare King was near, and all they had to do was lure him out.
They were all aware that Pitch probably knew that they were there already. They came to a large, open prairie of snow. There was nothing but blankets and blankets of white. The faint silhouette of more forest stood far away from them as they gazed around.
Everyone quickly began to set up and take their places, moving almost automatically. The plan had been rehearsed several times, and Jack still remembered the final rehearsal they had back at the camp.
"Pitch is going to come at us full force," said Mercury, standing in front of the diagram of the battlefield. All the soldiers, Tsar Lunar, the Guardians, and Jack stood around the table, watching intently. Mercury moved several black figures further down the map. "He'll have an entire army waiting for us, and he won't stop until he's defeated us all.."
"We've all faced Fearlings and Nightmares at least once. And we know that they can't stand daylight," Aster said. Mercury moved the white colored figurines —which represented the Lunars, Guardians, and Jack — to the are that represented the woods on the map. "Which is why we'll keep Pitch fighting in the dark long enough until the day finally arrives."
"There isn't a lot of us, so we'll have to use the open area to our advantage," said North, gesturing to the wideness of the clearing on the map. "We shouldn't get too close together that things become too muddled. If we can keep the Fearlings and Nightmares from getting into packs, then we should survive the rest of the fight."
"The Guardians, His Majesty, and Jack will be in charge of keeping Pitch busy. Once he's down, Jack will draw him into the trap," another soldier—Mulin—said. "And once that dark matter's encased Pitch, the Nightmare King no longer be able to rule."
During his part, Mulin sent a glance in Jack's direction, a strange look in his eyes. The snow sprite felt himself stiffen a little, but he didn't blame the soldier for the look.
He was wondering why a boy like him was in the middle of the battlefield. Jack knew that everyone here expected him to have some sort of plan when he'd finally face Pitch. But so far, all he had shown was that he had incredible dodging abilities, he was light on his feet, and he had the Wind at command. Jack could fight, but he knew that he wasn't the best. He didn't know how long he'd last in battle.
"If you feel yourself slowing down, stay near us," the Guardians had told him. "We'll defend you."
But Jack didn't want to be defended. He was supposed to be defending. If he backed out in battle, he'd disappoint everyone. And at the end of the day, he was the bait luring Pitch to the dark matter trap.
Jack felt his gaze drop to the table as everyone around him cheered. Tsar Lunar gave one last speech of encouragement before everyone left to prepare to leave. Jack only tuned in for the last part.
"Know that all of you are doing a great service Lunslruna," he said. "You are all heroes. And once we win this battle, we'll never have to worry about another Nightmare or Fearling for as long as this Tsardom stands!"
"For Lunslruna!" one soldier shouted.
"For Lunslruna!" the room erupted. Jack couldn't bring himself to join the enthusiasm. Deep down, he felt that something was going to go wrong. Deep down, he felt a stirring dread that wouldn't leave him alone, even after trekking to the battlefield with the others.
Deep down, he felt—no, he knew—that no one saw him as a hero.
What they saw was just a boy, pretending to be a soldier.
…
It was freezing, but it wasn't Windskald's temperature. It was something else, something more ancient and foreboding.
Pitch Black. He was waiting for them.
Everyone fell silent as they stood at the forest edge, waiting for the Boogeyman to show himself. Night had cloaked itself over Windskald, and what would've been a helpful time to have some light, the Moon was hiding behind a thick blanket of clouds.
Jack felt himself shiver as the familiar feeling of pure fear coursed through his body. He had faced Pitch many times, but his aura still gave off the petrifying feeling that almost made him want to turn around and run back to camp.
But he couldn't. He had to be there. He had to help save the children and Lunslruna.
He was the key to winning this battle, though he was still figuring that out himself. But Jack didn't want to abandon the Guardians. He didn't want to leave anyone behind.
The ranks had been formed, with the top soldiers, Guardians, and Tsar at the front. Jack was in the third row, and as courageous as he had felt going out there, he still couldn't bring himself to face Pitch again. The snow sprite gripped his staff and pulled down his hood, attempting to block out the harsh winds that whipped around him. Jack's Wind was swirling around him like a blanket, hoping that the action would quell his nerves for the upcoming battle.
The man next to him shivered. "Mind asking your Wind to move over a little?"
"Oh, sorry," said Jack. The Wind lowered and settled at his feet. "She…does that when I'm feeling nervous."
The man—well, actually, not a man. When he turned his face, Jack realized that this wasn't an adult, but a boy who looked just about his age. He had blonde hair that looked almost white and pale grey eyes. His lips pulled into a smile.
"Well that's nice," he said. A small sigh slipped past his lips. "I wish I had an invisible companion like that. Although probably not wind. I'm not very fond of the cold. Hey, you're the fabled snow sprite, right?"
"Fabled? I don't think I'm that old," said Jack.
"But everyone talks about you," the boy said. "So it's almost like you're one. Besides, you were chosen by Tsar Lunar. And he's practically a living legend himself!"
"Will you two hush up over there?" someone snapped behind them.
"Who's 'you two?' I'm doing most of the talking!" the boy shot back. Jack couldn't help but snicker.
"I'm Sirius," the boy introduced himself. " But I'm not that serious. I'm also not a dog constellation, although I think that'd be pretty cool."
"I'm Jack," Jack said. He looked around them. "This is a odd place to be making introductions."
Sirius chuckled. "It is. But friendships tend to blossom at the oddest moments."
Friends? Wow, that was fast. Jack was a pretty open person, but he'd been so reclusive for the past few days, he'd nearly forgotten how to approach someone.
Sirius yawned. "Man, I probably should've squeezed in another nap before this. These boots are killing me…"
"You do realize we're in a life-or-death situation, right?" Jack asked.
"Oh I'm fully aware," said Sirius. He turned to Jack. "That's why I'm out here. I have a family back at home—my sister and widowed mother. My dad was killed by those things, so I enlisted to get back at them."
"But don't you have to be at least 25 to enlist?" Jack asked. He'd learned about the Capitol customs a long time ago with Ombric.
Sirius smiles wryly. "What they don't know won't kill them. Besides, they needed as many volunteers as they could get. I'm not going to just stand aside and watch those monsters tear any more families apart. I may not be a Guardian or even a snow sprite like you, but I can still fight. And I intend on winning."
Jack stared, stunned. Sirius was just about his age, and here he was, acting as if he were several years older. Jack looked down, jealous that he couldn't have the same confidence as him.
But this is different…He doesn't have the entire kingdom's fate on his shoulders, he tried to justify. But he knew that, no matter how big or small this was, there was no excuse for him being so cowardly. This was the final battle. The final standdown between Lunslruna and Pitch.
The final standdown between him and Pitch.
Pitch fed off of fear, and the Bogoeyman had taken advantage of it more than once in the past. Jack couldn't always rely on someone to save him. He needed to stand up for himself.
Jack wasn't going to let his fear of Pitch control him anymore.
And sure he was a snow sprite, a race that's widely hated. He could feel it even now, the judging glances and wary looks. But right now, in this moment, Jack had to overcome this deep-seated fear. He needed to stand up for himself. For Lunslruna, the children…
And all the snow sprites who had been taken by Pitch.
"Thanks, Sirius," Jack said. The teenager look at him confused, but Jack was already making his way through the soldiers. He mumbled quick apologies as he bumped into people, but he needed to get to the front before Pitch and his army made their entrance.
Finally, he broke through the wall of soldiers and found the Guardians and Tsar Lunar standing there. Jack took the empty spot next to Aster. The Pooka sent him a glance.
"I thought ya wanted ta wait in the back," he whispered, so low that only Jack's ears could pick up.
"I did," Jack replied quietly. He looked at Aster. "But then I changed my mind."
The two faced to the front. And Jack felt Aster give him a quick pat on the back. They returned to their solemn stances and continued to wait in silence.
Then, up ahead, the Boogeyman and his army emerged. Splotches of black billowed on the horizon. The screeches and screams of the Fearlings and Nightmares rang through the empty field around them. Then, the Nightmare King himself emerged. His cloak billowed viciously in the wind, and his amber eyes flickered with malice.
The Guardians, Tsar Lunar, and the Lunar army behind them raised their weapons, ready to strike.
Pitch stared at them with a frightening calm. Then, he blinked ever so slowly.
The wave of Fearlings and Nightmares tumbled and rolled through the snow.
Battle cries erupted into the air, and the army charged.
And that was the beginning of the fateful Battle of Windskald.
Author's Note: *Epic battle music intensifies* ='D
Oh, and by the way, Sirius is a character that'll be featuring in my original fantasy series that's currently in zee works. =D I'm still not sure whether or not I'll post it on FictionPress (I haven't had any time to make an account yet XD), but we'll see when the time comes. =D
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you all in the next one (when I come back, of course! X)).
Until the next chapter!
~BeyondTheMoon1203
