Chapter 7: Easter Hope

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As the duo kept fighting, Pitch materialized at their blind spot and pulled the string of an invisible bow. An arrowhead made of black sand was materialized and he aimed for Sandy but waited, having a plan in mind.

Suddenly, a group of nightmares came from Thanatos' blindside and hit her, sending her off the dream sand and into the sea of nightmares. Acting quickly, she used her scythe to deflect whatever she could.

Sandy noticed and immediately went to attack and help her, letting his side open for the sneaky attack of the arrowhead that hit him right between the shoulder-blades.

"Sandy!" she shouted as she sliced another nightmare and had a small opening, allowing her to see the dark sand had started to cover his small body.

Pitch laughed menacingly while Sandman turned to face him. "Don't fight the fear, little man" he laughs more. "I'd say sweet dreams, but there aren't any left"

Thanatos watched with wide eyes, tears threatening to spill as she watched the only guardian to ever treat her nice, to never be afraid of her; fade away and she could do nothing about it; he was no human with a soul.

She started to slice nightmares and stepping on them, rushing towards him, but the short man turned to look at her and rose his hand to stop her. She didn't obey and kept trying to reach him while watching with watery eyes as the brave guardian closed his glowing yellow eyes before being taken over by the black sand. Then, he disappeared.

"No...no!" she shouted she narrowed her eyes, the iris glowing a dangerous red as she suddenly jumped on a nightmare and then on another and made her way towards Pitch.

Pitch laughed as he quickly commanded his nightmares to attack, knowing she stood no chance against his endless army of dark horses. Yet, she fought each one with punches or sliced as she tried to come closer to Pitch.

Her mind was clouded, she didn't think and didn't care. She just wanted to make him pay for what he did to her, for what he did to the children and for what he did to Sandy. She was almost in front of him when a nightmare hit her straight on the chest, knocking her back.

Taken by surprise, she almost lost the grip on her scythe and flew back only for another nightmare to slam on her back. More quickly attacked and quickly brought her hands in front of her face as she tried to protect herself, slowly falling but being pushed around by the nightmares.

That was until something passed by her and she felt a cold wind touching her. Lowering her hand, she saw Jack charging into head-on into a wave of nightmares that had bundled up together perhaps to try and finish her.

"Jack!" she shouted as he saw him being devoured by the wave.

She landed with her back on the hard floor of the sleigh but kept her eyes on the wave, fear for the spirit clouding her heart which would ache if it was beating. Suddenly, they all sensed a new power and a white glow came from within the wave.

Jack clutched the staff forward, feeling the need to avenge Sandy and protect Thanatos. A new power surged through his entire body and a darting ice-light rippled through the Nightmares. They exploded into black sand-like fireworks over the city, knocking Pitch away with a scream.

"Jack!" North shouted his name as the spirit was now falling down, barely conscious.

Tooth quickly caught him and landed on the sleigh panting. She placed his head on her lap and looked at him as he started to gain consciousness.

"Jack, h-how did you do that?" she asked him.

"I...I... I- I didn't know I could"

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The sleigh landed back into the underground garage North had, right beneath the many layers of thick snow of the North Pole. Thanatos was the first to jump out, her head hanging down and her hood covering her head and face.

Sandy's death affected her the most for more than one reason but there was someone who kept pushing the thorn that bled her heart without any mercy.

"What do you mean Thanatos? You are the Grim Reaper, Death itself! You must bring Sandy back" Jack said as he jumped and landed in front of her, his eyes showing guilt and fake hope as his mind tried to grab any information, he had in order to stay sane and not accept the loss.

"You know I don't have that kind of power. Even if I did, I cannot bring Sandy back"

"Why?"

She tried to walk but he stood on her way. She was getting annoyed and tired by all of it and she wanted to be alone. Her loyal friend was still held by her left hand and it was shaking as she tried to contain her temper.

All the guardians looked in silence, worried about what might happen next but also having no idea of what to do. A part of them wanted to root for Jack and believe that Sandy could be saved but another wanted to help Thanatos and well...prevent her from unleashing some power she might possess.

"Because I can't!" she suddenly snap, lifting her head and spread her hand, her scythe missing an elf by inches. "Can't you see? I barely have control over human souls, how can I help a spirit that has none?!"

"Wha-"

"Spirits don't have souls okay? If you die, you die; kaput. I was there when each guardian was chosen. When you die, I come to collect your soul but if Manny chooses you, I just watch! I am powerless in general! I could not even defend myself from the nightmares and help Sandy! Will you drop it?! Sandy is dead because of me and he is not coming back, EVER!!"

There was a sudden silence in the room, not even the reindeers dared to move and make noise with their bells. Everyone just stared as Thanatos panted heavily from her outburst. Her chest could swear was moving like a living person and her hood was threatening to fall her face.

The shadows around them seem to have come to life, ready to assist their mistress as a dark atmosphere formed. Jack watched with wide eyes, not knowing what to accept and process first.

The fact that spirits had no soul and that they could die or that she was there when everyone was chosen, including him. Before he could ask or say anything, the young woman was consumed by the shadows and disappeared; leaving an empty spot where she once stood.

He looked at the guardians and then walked away, needing a time of his own to mourn and process everything that was happening. No-one stopped him and instead accepted the fact that Sandy was gone.

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Back at the Globe room, the mood was grim and sad. They had to mourn the loss of their friend and brother who perished the same night. The 3 Guardians stood around the special circle and Tooth placed a glass lantern on the Guardian symbol, where Sandman's likeness was. She looked around her, seeing her family. They all held hands; their heads bowed in silence. North even shut his eyes in grief and she felt her own head lowered.

All around the symbol were other lights; the Yetis stood by, as do the elves. They nodded their heads, making the bells chime, creating a dirge for the Sandman. One yeti sniffed and was comforted by another yeti.

As they mourn all together, Jack has isolated himself to mourn in silence and Thanatos had shown no sign. Once the ceremony was over, North went to look for Jack, but no one dared to search for the Angel of Death.

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At the Globe, the lights were dimming.

"Look how fast they're going out!" Tooth pointed out.

"It's fear. He's tipped the balance" Jack suddenly said as he walked into the room with North behind him.

"Hey, buck up ya sad sacks! *Bunny hops onto the console* We can still turn this around! Easter is tomorrow, and I need your help! I say we pull out all the stops and we get those little lights flickering again!"

They all nod and then notice that Thanatos was not present.

"Where is she?" Jack asked and everyone exchanged glanced, but no one replied. He left out a sigh and frowned his eyebrows in thought. "I think I know. Come on" Jack said as they went into the elevator.

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Thanatos was outside of the workshop, sitting on the cold snow as the strong winds blew as wide as the conflict of emotions within her core. Her red eyes glared daggers at the puffy and unmarked white blanket in front of her, her legs under her chin and her hands wrapped around them in a protective manner.

The scythe had disappeared, and her hood was covering her head, even though the winds were threatening to pull it down. Salem had tried to comfort her, but she simply sent him back into her sleeve, not wishing for any company.

She spent her time there, wishing she could feel the cold or the snow in hopes of forgetting the pain she felt within. The battle replayed in her mind constantly, each time showing Sandy getting hit and then disappearing as she just stood frozen.

She was supposed to be a guardian and be strong, protect against evil but there she was mourning in defeat. Pitch was winning, the darkness of his side growing so powerful she could feel it tipping the balance of the world.

She heard the doors opening and the sound of steps crushing the snow, but she didn't want to acknowledge them. Instead, she kept torturing herself with thinking of the battle and feeling the guilt taking over her soulless body.

"Thanatos" Jack's voice reached her ears despite the winds.

"What?" she replied coldly, not moving a muscle.

"We have a plan, mate. We can still change everything with Easter" Bunny said, and she scoffed.

First, because the rabbit actually called her 'mate' and nothing insulting and second, because he believed they still held a chance. The hands grabbed the cloak on her shoulders and turned into fists, trying to control her emotions.

"What's the point? Do you think little Easter will do anything? You are delusion"

Bunny was offended and he pointed a finger at her. "Why you-"

North placed his hand on his shoulder, holding him back. He shook his head, motioning for him that it was not the time to get into any arguments and fights. He dropped it and took a step back, letting the Jolly man take over.

"Thanatos, now it's not the time to give up. We can still change this, and we need your help"

"My help? You better off without me"

"That's not true. You are...you are Thanatos, the oldest Guardian and with some very good fighting skills *Bunny scoffed but the duo paid him no mind* We cannot do this without you. The children need you"

At the mention of children, she imagined all those kids waking up from nightmares, cowering at the sight of each shadow. Those lonely kids who she took their parents way, having no one to hug them and calm them down. All those children who he used against her-

No, she should not be thinking of that. She closed her eyes tightly and bit her bottom lip hard enough to feel something. Her muscles tensed and even with the hood on, the guardians knew they hit some sore spot.

Jack suspected it was at the mention of children, recalling how she acted at the orphanage, but something was telling him; this was much bigger. Suddenly, she stood up and pulled her hood down.

She spent a whole minute starring at the snow below her before turning her body sideways, glancing at the guardians with her red eyes that had turned as cold as steel itself. "Let's do it"

Shocked, they all blinked. She had changed her mood rather fast but was also the fact that her tone held no excitement. Instead, it possessed a calm before the storm threat and along with her gaze, making them quite uneasy.

That was until Jack cleared his throat. "Shouldn't we get going?"

"Right. As much as it pains me to say, old friend, this time Easter is more important than Christmas!" North said as they all entered the workshop and headed to the elevator.

Bunny is shocked for a moment and then grins. "Hey! Did everyone hear that?!"

"We must hurry to the Warren. Everyone, to the sleigh!" North said and took a few steps, but Bunny stopped him.

"Oh no, mate. My Warren, my rules. Buckle up"

He thumped the floor of the workshop and a massive hole appeared, taking the other four Guardians, two elves, and two yetis.

"Shostakovich!" North said before they all fell into the hole.

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The group was sliding down Bunny's tunnel. Bunny was first, bounding ahead of everyone with North hot on his trail who was sliding on his back. Jack was surfing/skating, Tooth was hovering along with the pile while Thanatos, who was last, was sliding down like North.

The tunnel dropped them into an opening and North, Jack and Thanatos landed on top of each other while Tooth flew before she could fall as well.

"Ah haha. Buckle up. Is very funny" North commented as everyone stood up and took a good look around.

"Hehe. Welcome to the Warren" Bunny said, Jack and North watching around in surprise.

There were endless green fields and hills with tunnels. Exotic plants and flowers, giant egg-shaped statues and many more.

"Wow" Jack commented and Thanatos gave a silent nod in agreement.

She had heard of the Warren but never visited...well, for many obvious reasons; including the tense relationship she had with the Pooka. She stood by Jack's side, taking in all the bright and different colours while also feeling the magic and energy of the place.

It overwhelmed her, her head almost feeling dizzy at the sudden change of environment. Truth to be told, she liked it. She had never been to a place like that and she liked it. The way it made her feel, the bright and happy colours.

Is this how Hope feels like? She questioned, having no other name for the feeling that had replaced the coldness in her soul.

Her small gazing was interrupted when Bunny got into alert. He turned his attention and body towards the first of the many tunnels, his ears perking up and his nose twitching.

"Something's up," he said, once he realized that something was odd.

Everyone exchanged a look, uneasy and tense in case it was some of Pitch's minions.

Suddenly, a horde of Bunny's undecorated eggs came running out of the tunnel in fright; indicating that something was chasing them. Everyone ignored the fact of the walking eggs and instead, got into a battle-ready stance with their weapons dropped. Yes, even Thanatos took a similar stance.

Bunny's Easter Island Sentinel Eggs spun their faces around to look mean and intimidating, ready to also join the battle if it indeed a battle would take place. They waited for the eggs to hide before Bunny take the lead.

He let out a war-cry, his boomerang raised and charged towards the tunnel. The Guardians and Jack followed his example. Thanatos was quiet but she made sure the grip on her scythe was good and her muscles ready to swing the deadly weapon.

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