Author's Note: Hi everyone! I'm back with the next chapter of Autumn Magic. This chapter marks a significant turning point in the story as we approach the planned climax. I hope you're all enjoying these chapters and the expanding universe, which includes North's wife and some hints about a certain character's life and death. Anyway, without further delay, enjoy!
Jack slowly came to inside the icy cavern, his head throbbing and every muscle in his body aching. The pain was so intense that he couldn't move. All he could do was curl up, as excruciating as it was, and wait, left alone with his thoughts in the cold, dim space.
His mind quickly turned to Hiccup, the memory of his failure to save him haunting every corner of his consciousness. The notion that Pitch had returned only added to the torment, and it felt like the weight of the world was pressing down on him, threatening to break him mentally.
Jack lay there, his thoughts spiralling into a dark abyss, his spirit battered and bruised. Until suddenly, the heavy snowfall and howling winds that had surrounded him seemed to fall silent. In a moment of quiet, Jack mustered the energy to peek a look out from under his curled-up form.
Jack was confused by the fact that the snow was still falling just as heavily and the wind seemed to be blowing just as strong, despite the sudden silence that had enveloped the cavern. He strained to make sense of the peculiar circumstances when he heard a familiar voice, a voice that cut through the eerie silence.
Taken by surprise, Jack squinted his eyes, trying to focus, and saw the approaching figure of a little girl. He could just make out her silhouette through the dim light. It was his sister, Emma.
Jack was startled as it had been centuries since he last saw his sister, Emma. The memories of the past came flooding back to him. He had saved her from drowning, only to fall into the frozen over lake himself. It was that selfless act that had led to his transformation into a guardian, granted by the Man in the Moon.
He had watched over Emma for the rest of his life, even though she couldn't see him. He had been there for all of her milestones, from birthdays to her wedding, the birth of her children and grandchildren, and eventually, her death. It was a silent, bittersweet duty he had carried out with love and devotion.
So, it was a startling sight to see his sister appear before him as the little girl he had saved. Jack's voice quivered as he spoke, "Emma, please, just go. I can't bear to see you like this."
The spectre of Emma remained silent, slowly approaching him, step by step, until she stood just a meter in front of him.
The spectre of Emma tilted her head, her demeanour so childlike and innocent, it was both comforting and disorienting. She offered a childish grin, her voice soft as she spoke, "It's good to see you again, Jack."
Approaching him, she gently cupped his cheek in her hand, and her smile was one of pure happiness. Then, in an unexpected move, she threw her arms around him in a warm embrace. Jack couldn't help but return the gesture, holding her close, but the action stirred up old feelings, emotions he had thought he'd overcome in the centuries since her passing. Instead, they resurfaced like an old wound that had never fully healed.
Tears welled up in Jack's eyes as he spoke, his voice choked with emotion. "I'm scared, Emma. I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me. I feel so weak, so unable to protect anyone."
Emma let out a soft laugh, her voice filled with warmth. "Jack, you saved me all those years ago when you were just a simple mortal. You selflessly gave your life to save mine, without magical abilities at your disposal. You've always had the heart of a guardian, even before you became one."
Hearing Emma's words and feeling the warmth of her presence, Jack's voice broke as he said Hiccup's name. Before he could elaborate further, Emma seized the opportunity to pull away from their shared embrace. She sat beside him, her playful tone belying her youthful appearance, revealing the wisdom of the woman she had become by the end of her life.
With a knowing smile, Emma questioned, "Does this Hiccup mean a lot to you, Jack?"
Jack sighed heavily, his heart heavy with the thoughts of Hiccup. He nodded and began to describe Hiccup. "He's shy, nerdy, and…"
Before he could finish, Emma playfully poked fun at the situation, finishing his sentence, "He melts your heart."
Jack couldn't help but laugh softly, confirming with a saddening smile, "Yeah, he really does."
Resting her head lightly on Jack's shoulder, just as she had as a child, the two siblings took a moment to enjoy each other's company. The weight of their separation in life in the air as they held onto this precious moment.
Emma's voice was soft and filled with nostalgia as she spoke, "I could feel you there, Jack, at my wedding, the birth of my children, and on my deathbed. Even if I couldn't see you, I always felt your presence, and it brought me comfort."
Jack was caught by surprise but didn't say anything. Instead, he remained silent, savouring the words of his sister.
Emma continued, her voice filled with warmth, "You may not always be able to see me, Jack, but I'll always be watching over you, just as you did for me."
A sleepiness began to wash over Jack, and he felt his eyelids grow heavy. Just before he succumbed to slumber, he heard Emma playfully add, "And Hiccup too."
Jack awoke sometime later, still in the icy cavern, a sense of wonder and confusion lingering within him. Had the image of his sister and the heartfelt conversation they shared been a mere dream conjured by his mind in the desolation of the cavern?
He dismissed the thought, recalling how vivid and real the encounter had felt. Her head resting on his shoulder had felt tangible, like flesh to flesh, not something he could easily dismiss as a figment of his imagination. A warm smile graced his lips as he remembered the playful voice of Emma in his head. Even after a lifetime of experiences and gaining wisdom in her old age, she was still the same child at heart.
Jack's moment of warmth was abruptly snuffed out when he felt a chilling presence behind him. He rose to his feet in alarm, turning swiftly to face a sight that sent shivers down his spine. There, in the desolate cavern, stood one of Pitch's nightmares in the form of a mare. The nightmare let out a soft, eerie neigh as Jack's attention fixated on the creature.
Instinctively, Jack raised his staff, preparing to unleash a blast of icy magic at the nightmarish entity. However, to his surprise, the nightmare mare stood its ground, almost as if it was challenging Jack, daring him to make a move. The standoff between them lingered, the tense silence echoing in the cavern.
After a tense minute, Jack slowly lowered his staff, and the nightmare mare watched intently as he did so. Only when he was certain the creature wouldn't attack him did he speak up, addressing the dark equine.
"Did Pitch send you looking for me?" Jack's voice was cautious, laced with concern.
In response, the nightmare mare let out another eerie neigh, a confirmation that sent a shiver down Jack's spine.
As Jack considered the idea of calling on the other guardians for help, the creature seemed to anticipate his thoughts. It stepped forward, an unspoken directive in its demeanour, as if conveying that Jack was to come alone or not at all.
Reluctantly, realizing that involving the other guardians might endanger them, Jack made a decision. "Okay," he murmured, finally, coming to a conclusion. "Take me to Pitch."
With a shaking hand, Jack reached out, hesitantly placing it on the creature's wispy mane as he hoisted himself up onto its back.