The Nightmare King smiled down at the Guardians. He could feel the fear rolling off the protectors of childhood in waves. Pitch couldn't stop his smirk from turning into a grin as he realized that the strongest aura of fear was coming from the winter spirit.
'This is going to be fun'
"Hello Jack, long time no see. How are you? Been sleeping well lately? Hmmmm?" Pitch mocked the Guardian of Fun gleefully, and he was delighted to see an obvious flinch of the young man's shoulders.
"Pitch Black! Why are you here? What do you stand to gain from any of this?!" Jack yelled, but inwardly he knew exactly why the Nightmare King and deity of Lust were working together.
"Why isn't it obvious Jacky?" Eros spoke up from beside Pitch, a cruel smirk spread across his face "We both immensely enjoy watching you in anguish, and I must say, watching the other three Guardians is quite amusing too". Eros had the nerve to laugh at the end.
"YOU FUCKING SCOUNDREL!" surprisingly, North was the one that lost his temper, the old Russian growled and bared his dual swords, leaping towards Pitch and Eros, his fear being replaced by fury. Bunnymund and Sandy followed after the Guardian of Wonder.
Jack gripped his staff and followed after them but was suddenly knocked back by a piercing cut of black wind.
Skidding to a stop, Jack managed to regain his balance and glare up at Eros. Said deity flew down and landed in front of Jack. The two immortal beings were only a few metres apart.
"Now, now Jacky. Four against one is quite unfair don't you think? How about you and I have a little fun instead?"
Eros didn't have to wait for an answer as the winter spirit lunged at him with a fury of ice blasts. Eros dodged them all easily, and directed a gale of black wind in Jack's direction.
"uuggghhh" Jack groaned as he was once again knocked back from the power of Eros's attack.
The black wind whipped around Eros obediently, almost as if it had a mind of its own. It was powerful and deadly sharp. Each time Jack got hit he noticed that rips and cuts began to cover his blue hoodie. If he wasn't careful it could slice him apart.
Jack stood up and continued shooting a barrage of ice at Eros. The two continued attacking and dodging from each other's attacks. Their powers clashed and created bright flashes in the night.
"Is that all you've got Jacky? My, I'm disappointed." Eros taunted with a bored expression on his face. Eros held out his hand; and Jack watched with wide eyes as the dark wind circulated around his hand and created a solid black sword. Eros gripped its handle and swung it twice experimentally before locking eyes with Jack. "Maybe this will make things more interesting" Eros pondered out loud before flapping his wings and speeding towards Jack.
Jack had just enough time to block Eros's sword with his staff. Blue eyes met red as the two enemies glared at each other from their short stalemate. "You're weak, Jack Frost" Eros said as he clashed his sword against Jack's staff.
"Shut up" Jack growled out as he tried to push Eros back. The Guardian of Fun gritted his teeth, Eros was twice his size and he felt himself being overpowered. "You're weak" Eros repeated "You couldn't protect Miss Toothiana or your child. You couldn't protect them. At least, not from me".
'CRASH'
Eros felt sharp pain shoot throughout his body as a tornado of ice and blizzard wind threw him harshly against the cliff face. "urgh" Eros groaned as he shakily stood up. Blinking the blurriness from his eyes, Eros noticed his sword lay frozen and completely shattered by his feet and that he was thrown an impressive several hundred metres into the cliff side.
Lifting his eyes up to where he was previously standing; Eros was surprised to see Jack being surrounded in a seemingly impenetrable sphere of ice and wind. Even from several hundred meters away, Eros could sense the raw power and anger that was being emitted from the winter spirit. "Oh, looks like I hit a nerve there" Eros chuckled darkly.
He unfolded his bat wings and shot up into the sky, but no sooner had he done that his vision was blocked by the presence of Jack Frost right above him. Jack's right hand shot out and grabbed the deity of Lust by the neck with an iron grip. The ice sphere surrounded Eros and he was thrown into the ground head first by Jack. The force of impact created a massive crater.
"JACK!" the other Guardians shouted in concern as they ran towards the crater, momentarily dropping their fight with Pitch.
As the dust settled; North, Bunnymund and Sandy let out a surprised gasp at what they saw. Jack towered over Eros his hands still holding an iron grip on his neck making it almost impossible to breath. A thick trail of blood flowed down Eros's forehead due to the sheer power of the impact. But despite his injury, Eros was grinning widely, almost as if he was excited by the turn of events. "Well, I guess I misjudged you. It seems even you can be strong when the situation calls for it" Eros said with a bit of difficulty as ice started to spread across his throat from the contact of Jack's grip on his neck.
Jack tightened his grip even more on Eros's neck. As the sphere around Jack began to blow even more harshly and powerful than before, freezing everything within close proximity.
"Listen carefully you goddamn motherfucker. You WILL tell me where you have taken Toothiana and my child. If you don't tell me RIGHT NOW I will be more than delighted to end your existence on this Earth permanently".
The other three Guardians audibly gulped as they heard Jack speak. Over the past few months they have seen a more wrathful side of Jack that they never knew existed. A direct contrast to his normally hyperactive and fun loving personality. Ever since Tooth's disappearance, it seemed that Jack's brain had shut down and rebooted, programmed with only one mission and goal. Find Toothiana.
Never before had the Guardians heard Jack Frost threaten anyone with death.
A light chuckle was heard and all eyes turned to see Eros with a maniacal grin on his face while he laughed. Jack applied even more pressure against Eros's his neck as he gritted his teeth. It took every fibre of Jack's being to not crush his throat.
"Tell me Jacky" Eros managed to say despite having his throat and windpipe crushed by Jack's hand. "How badly do you wish to see your lover and child?"
This statement caught Jack off guard as his eyes widened and he momentarily let his guard down "What do you-"
Before Jack could finish his sentence, Eros suddenly summoned an overpowering surge of black wind, which crashed, into Jack's chest causing him to lose his death grip on Eros's throat. "Gahhhh" Jack shouted in pain as Eros suddenly held him up by his throat, the Deity of Lust gripped Jack's throat with the same amount of pressure and power as the winter spirit had done to him moments before.
"ugh ah" Jack cried out as Eros's applied even more pressure to his throat which was starting to cut off his air supply. Jack tried grabbed at Eros's hand trying in vain to pry the vice grip of his neck. Eros leaned down towards Jack so they were once again face to face. "I've got a little reward for you Jacky" the Deity of Lust smiled sadistically down at the winter Guardian. "You've entertained me quite a bit these past few months, watching your pain and anguish has been most delightful and amusing dear Jacky". Jack could barely make out the words as he was starting to lose consciousness. The months of fruitless searching for his beloved and the amount of power he exerted fighting Eros was taking its toll on his already weakened body. But Eros wouldn't loosen his hold.
"How would you like to go visit Miss Toothiana and your child, Jacky?" Eros hummed in a sickly sweet tone. Despite darkness creeping at the corner's of his eyes Jack managed to register what Eros was saying.
"w-w-what *wheeze* did you say?"
"You heard me Jacky. What is your answer?" Eros said with an amused expression.
"Take. Me. To. Them." Jack growled out.
As soon as the words left the Guardian of Fun's mouth, black wind shot out of Eros's body engulfing both him and Jack. The other three Guardians watched in shock as both Eros and Jack started to disappear into the black wind.
"JACK!" they shouted running towards the youngest member of their group. But they found their paths blocked by a dozen fearlings.
"You didn't forget about me did you gentlemen?" Pitch chuckled as he and his minions engaged the guardians in battle. North, Bunnymund and Sandy attacked the fearlings relentlessy hoping to make a path to Jack and Eros who were slowly vanishing along with the black wind.
"Dammit" North growled out as he blocked Pitch's scythe that was aiming straight at him. "Where is he taking Jack!" North demanded as he pushed Pitch back with his dual swords.
The Nightmare King simply shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly "Who knows?" he said in a bored tone. "Besides..." Pitch's eyes glanced over as Eros and Jack disappeared from sight. He grinned at the remaining three Guardians.
"You're too late".
It was dark. It was cold. His body felt heavy. It felt as if the world's gravity force was pushing down on him. Preventing him from moving a single muscle in his body. "uggghhhh" Jack Frost groaned as he tried opening his eyes. 'Where am I?' he thought to himself. It was dead silent. The only thing Jack could hear was his own laboured breathing.
Jack!
A sweet voice suddenly penetrated through the darkness of his subconscious. 'Who's there?' Jack thought to himself as he struggled to open his eyes.
Jack!
'That voice...it sounds so familiar' Jack thought to himself, trying with all his might to regain full consciousness as the angelic voice kept calling out to him.
Jack! Wake up!
'Could it be?' Jack felt a surge of hope beating within his still limp body.
'Its me Jack! Please wake up darling'
At that Jack's eyes snapped open. Sudden consciousness and realization hit him full force as his mind registered the owner of the voice. There was no doubt about it, that sweet voice belonged to no one else but his beloved...
"Toothiana!" Jack shouted as he pulled himself off the cold hard ground, where he was previously lying unconscious. Looking around, Jack saw that he was in a dark cave. There was no light whatsoever. Darkness covered everything.
Out of the corner of his eye Jack caught sight of a flash of bright colours. He stood frozen, unable to turn his head. Scared that if he did, all he would see was darkness. Forcing his head to turn just a little, Jack's heart started beating wildly against his chest as he recognized the colours in his peripheral vision.
Green, Yellow and Blue.
His heart knew who was with him in the darkness but his mind refused to believe it. Ever since he lost her, he kept having illusions. Sometimes he swore to the man in the moon that he saw her just out of his peripheral vision. When he travelled the world searching for her, any bright flash of colours filled him with hope that he found her. And each time he was painfully disappointed. Why should this time be any different? How does he know that his mind wasn't playing a cruel trick on him like the last few months?
"Jack" The melodic voice came again, it didn't sound far away at all. Maybe only a few metres from where he was standing. But Jack still wouldn't respond. He clenched his fist and his eyes were screwed shut. He wanted to hope, but he was so scared. If this really were an illusion it would be the most realistic one he's ever had.
'It can't possibly be her, It can't be' Jack thought to himself as he clenched his fists even harder. He heard a quite whisper come from where the illusion of his beloved was. Then it was silent.
'I knew it, its just my imagination. Maybe I'm going insane?' Jack thought to himself as the pain in his heart shot through every part of his body. Paralysing him.
But then, he heard a sweet and timid voice call out from the darkness again and Jack Frost felt his heart stop beating.
"Daddy?"
Snapping his eyes open Jack whipped his body towards the voice.
"Wha-" He began but his voice died in his throat.
Standing only just a few metres away from him was the Guardian of Memories. His beloved Toothiana. His soul mate.
"Tooth" he heard himself whisper. She looked exactly the way he remembered her. Her feathers shone in the darkness despite there being no light. Her amethyst eyes held the same warm and loving gaze that was only meant for him to see and nobody else. Jack's eyes travelled down and she saw a little girl standing beside his beloved. She looked...human. She had pale skin and her light brown hair ended at her shoulders. She was wearing a simple white little dress and from her back Jack could see a pair of small but beautiful wings. Jack gasped as he looked at the little girl's eyes. They were a clear crystal blue.
Just like his own.
"….Tooth is it…..really you?" Jack whispered brokenly as he took a hesitant step towards them.
"Its me Jack" Tooth nodded her head and Jack saw silent tears start trailing down her face. "I've missed you so much my love" Tooth managed to say through her tears.
Not caring anymore if it was an illusion or if he was losing his sanity, Jack ran towards them, closing the distance between them in less than a second. Bringing both of them into a tight embrace he vaguely registered the fact that they were both warm and he could actually touch them.
This wasn't an illusion.
"Tooth" Jack whispered as he buried his face into the crook of her neck, the familiar feel of her soft feathers and the scent of flowers evaded Jack's senses. He felt tears welling up in his eyes and he made no attempt to blink them back. Instead he let his tears flow freely down his pale cheeks.
Tooth embraced him back. Pulling them even closer.
"J-J-Jack" the Guardian of Memories cried.
"I missed you so much Tooth. I missed you so very much. I looked everywhere for you but I couldn't find you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so very sorry Tooth. Forgive me my love. I broke our promise. I couldn't protect you. Even when I said I would. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Jack pleaded, his voice cracking with each apology he said.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry" he continued like a broken mantra.
Feeling warm hands cup his tear stricken face, Jack lifted his eyes to meet the bright amethyst of his lover's eyes.
"You have nothing to be sorry for. None of this is your fault Jack. Stop blaming yourself. I know you've been looking for me. I know you searched the entire world relentlessly for me. You never stopped searching and you never gave up hope" Tooth said as she gently stroked Jack's cheeks. "Its not your fault my love, you have done nothing wrong" she placed a small chaste kiss on the winter spirit's lips. "I missed you too Jack. I missed you so much. I love you" she whispered.
Jack let out a chocked sob before crashing his lips against Tooth's in a passionate kiss. Jack poured all of his love into that kiss and he felt Tooth do the same. Breaking apart from the lack of air Jack wasted no time in peppering Tooth's face and neck with passionate kisses.
He kissed her forehead, her nose, her cheeks, her eyes, her neck and her collarbone repeatedly.
"I love you" he whispered with each kiss. Bringing his head back to meet her's Jack claimed her lips in another passionate kiss. "I love you, Tooth" he whispered against her lips as they broke apart again. "I love you too Jack" she whispered back. Just as he was going to giver her another kiss, Jack Frost felt a small tug on his sleeve. Looking down he saw the little girl clinging onto his side like he was her lifeline.
Tooth followed Jack's gaze and she smiled warmly down at the little girl. Leaning over Tooth whispered into the winter spirit's ear.
"Jack, meet your daughter. Isis Overland Frost"
Jack's mouth hung open, he tried talking but all the words died in his throat.
'My daughter?...my daughter?' Was all Jack could think of as he stared into the clear blue eyes of his little girl.
Tooth leaned down and planted a soft kiss on the little girl's forehead "Say hello to daddy, Isis" Tooth encouraged. The little girl beamed and hugged Jack's waist even tighter.
"Hi Daddy!"
Isis let out a small surprised squeak as Jack wrapped his arms around her and brought her into a tight and loving embrace just like the one he gave her mother.
"Hello darling" Jack whispered as he planted soft kisses into her daughter's smooth brown locks. Isis smiled but confusion showed on her face when she noticed that her father's shoulders were trembling and his entire body seemed to be shaking.
"Daddy? Are you ok?" She questioned. Jack didn't reply, he only held her tighter.
'plop' 'plop' plop'
Isis felt soft wet drops fall onto her shoulder as her father's shoulder trembled even more than before.
"Isis. My baby girl. My sweet little angel. I love you. Daddy loves you so very much. I love you." Isis heard her father choke out through his tears. The pain laced in her father's voice struck a cord in her little heart as she felt tears start sliding down her face as well.
"D-D-D-Daddy" she began to cry "Isis loves you too daddy" she sobbed into Jack's chest.
Lifting his right arm, Jack brought Tooth, who was just watching the father-daughter reunion quietly, into the embrace as well.
"Tooth. Isis." Jack whispered to his two girls. In the darkness of the cave, the Guardian of winter hugged his lost family close. Refusing to let go.
Jack didn't bother to hide his broken cries. At this moment in time he wasn't the Guardian of Fun anymore. He wasn't an immortal being and he definitely wasn't the happy go lucky winter hellion anymore.
At this moment in time, he was just Jackson Overland Frost. Toothiana's soulmate and Isis's father. Nothing more and nothing less.
At this moment in time, he was reunited with his family.
Hey guys, yeeeaaahhhh so i've got a lot of explaining to do don't I? You guys are probably wondering why I dropped of the face of the earth for the past few months (LOL kinda like Tooth).
Well my excuse is, UNIVERSITY. Its a pathetic excuse. I know. But its the only one i've got. Honestly Biomed and Engineering do NOT go well together (man, what the fuck was I thinking enrolling into these two courses?). Anyway so yeah, University has been beating the shit out of me all this time so I haven't had a chance to update this story at all even though I promised you guys. Man, I'm such a fucking douche bag. I'm sorry guys I really am. I've literally had no time for this story even though I was dying to update it. I'm so sorry.
Unfortunately, University is still gonna be kicking my ass for another month or two, so I probably won't update anytime soon. I know this sounds selfish what with my whole promise of writing chapters non-stop, but I really don't have time. So please enjoy chapter 11 and I will get chapter 12 out as fast as I can (provided University doesn't drive me to suicide first).
Thank you all for your reviews and support! Remember this story is not dead, I WILL finish it. This promise you guys can trust.