A new threat - The guest

North tossed his red coat on the table and rolled his sleeves above the elbow. He collapsed into a chair, completely exhausted. He had been searching Ireland for traces of the Leprechaun, exploring every nook and cranny of Tara and all his other usual hideouts, to no avail. He had also inspected the place where Jack had fought from end to end, still fruitlessly. He raised his head and looked at the restless boy. Something very dark was tormenting his sleep. His groans were frequent like never before.

What are you facing, Jack?

The young Guardian moaned for what seemed hours to North. Then, he quieted down. A tear rolled down his face.
North sighed in frustration.  Despite all his powers and years, he was unable to do a thing. Nor could he visit Jack as often as he wished to: the unsuccessful search for information regarding a possible cure, the kidnapped spirit and their mysterious opponents, coupled with the production of toys and magical items and the severe surveillance that he had put into action were draining all his time and energy.
He stood up and unsheathed one of the scimitars from the armoury, feeling its edge with his thumb. The blade cut through invisible enemies, slicing the awful thoughts that North projected into the thin air. He had long forgotten, the pain of watching from the sideline. Several minutes of empty swings calmed him down a bit.

Something lit inside his pocket. His bright red Christmas ball was glowing. He pulled its hook and a round screen floated. Bunnymund was inside it. Judging from the background, he was in the warren. Hanging on his back, Jamie was observing marvelled.

<<North, could ya lower the security for a second? Your barrier is preventing me from opening a hole in the workshop, and my little passenger here can't endure the cold outside>>

North smiled broadly at the friend's appearance. He was truly able to bring hope wherever he passed by.

<<Of course, my dear rabbit!>> he exclaimed, his cheerfulness resurfacing.
<<Be as quick as you can, though. As for you, Jamie, no thanksgiving lives up to our gratitude. What you are doing, and what you have already done... we'll never forget.>>

Jamie blushed to the ears at the praise.

<<Is something wrong over there, North?>> Bunnymund asked, nodding at the sword.

<<Oh, eh, no, I was just... uh... relax... practising, dah. Anyway, you can enter now.>> muttered the bulky man. The image on the rabbit's screen changed suddenly. He had secured the ball to his belt without switching it off.
<<Thanks for the help, Jamie. I'm not too good at using North's hocus-pocus stuff or what he calls these devices.>>
<<The connection is still on>> the child pointed out. The screen disappeared shortly after Bunnymund started railing.

Less than a minute later, the door opened. Jamie rushed to the bed, while the spirit stayed in the doorway. He beckoned North and whispered:<<How is he?>>.
The man shook his head.

<<His conditions look stable, but something is wrong. He has been in pain for a while.>>

He omitted the tear, not wanting to worry him too much.

<<It's like he is hallucinating, or having some kind of nightmare. I don't understand.>> he added. Bunnymund turned his back to Jamie.

<<Are you sure that Pitch is not involved in this story?>> he asked, throwing a glance behind to see if the child was listening. Luckily, he was watching Jack.

<>

The rabbit nodded, not fully convinced.
<<I'm leaving now. Ya look after the kid, mate. He must be home by tomorrow morning.>>
<>
<<And ya too. I heard that ya and Tooth have been in Ireland. I'll go, too. Who knows, the underground may hold some secrets. Don't turn off the barrier, I'll take the normal exit.>>
<<If anything is wrong, shatter the ball. I'll be there in no time.>>
<<Ya know I can look after myself. Ya should rest a little. Yer of no use if ya can't stand.>>
<<There will be time later. Have a safe travel, Bunny.>>
Bunnymund took leave. North closed the door.

<<He will recover, will he?>>
Jamie's voice was unstable. He was struggling to hold back the tears. The depth of the bond that had formed between him and Jack impressed North. Rarely had a child gotten that attached to a Guardian. It was not adoration. No, it was something different altogether. His affection completely exceeded friendship.
North was undecided about the words to pick. Did he have to lie? No, the kid deserved the truth. But would it be right to upset him?
He walked to Jamie and kneeled to look at him in the eyes. The child glanced down, unwilling to show his sadness. The bulky man pointed the scimitar downward and rested his right hand on the pommel, putting the left one on the kid's shoulder.

<<I… don't know. I don't know how long his sleep will last, or if it will ever end, and how. I wish I could answer you, but the truth is that what is going on inside him is beyond my knowledge. But…>> he paused. Jamie was clouding over. A tear rained on the floor. No, you must not give up hope. North thought. He stood up and spoke with renewed strength, like the first ray of the dawn defying a stormy night.
<<But I am sure that he will get better and will wreak havoc everywhere once again in no time. He is fighting a dark force, and will is his only weapon. But he is strong, and resolute. He has been waiting for three hundred years for a person who could see him, never letting go. We shouldn't, either. We mustn't. Just give him time, and he'll get back to nipping at people's noses, throwing snowballs and freezing drinking fountains. He is too much of a rascal to lay quietly in a bed. I feel it.>> he slapped his paunch, attempting to make the child smile.
<<In my belly!>>

Jamie chuckled feebly. His face brightened, chasing the fog of resignation away. He brought the chair closer to the bed and moved it so that it was facing the pillow. North thanked him silently.

<<There is something I want to check.>> he stated, opening the door. Three elves came in, carrying a glass bottle of water and two plates, one filled with cookies and one with fruit.

<<I'm leaving you alone for some minutes. If you need something, just whistle, or ring an elf.>>

The elves gave off an alarmed expression and distanced themselves from Jamie, but at North's scowl they went back their places, frowning.

<<I'm fine.>> the kid replied, much to their relief. When North was about to exit, he turned around.<<Mister Santa, I know that my presence here is unusual, and against the rules. I do appreciate it, and there is no other place where I want to be in. Thank you a lot.>>

The massive man bowed his head.<<It's my honor. And please, call me North.>>

-

The barrier had finally been switched off. The figure flew on the roof of one of the exterior turrets, and stopped there, waiting. A battle against two Guardians at the same time would have led to certain defeat. He had sensed the rabbit approaching and exploited the occasion. The Leprechaun's power was granting him invisibility. He had put up a very tough resistance, but his companion's coercive means had eventually cracked him.
The black lantern glowed ominously, but no one could see the alarming light.
After a couple of minutes, he saw the Easter Bunny darting through the snow dunes. That was the ideal chance. He leapt off and drifted toward a dark window. The glass broke, but the noise went unnoticed. The only thing left to do was to find the boy and abduct him, if he was still imprisoned in his nightmare. Or to remedy, otherwise. But first, he needed to get rid of North.

-

North dropped the pile of tomes on the creaky table, which was already blanketed by dozens of unfolded scrolls and open volumes. His old magic books. He had been browsing through them to find a cure to Jack's condition since he had taken him in his base whenever the investigations had allowed him to. The library was enormous, with an innumerable amount of wood shelves. Some of them were tidily disposed in lines, others were leaned against the walls, hiding them up to the high ceiling. Shining orbs were floating all around the place, enlightening the stuffy room.

No… no… no!

He punched the table as the umpteenth research had resulted in one more failure. He angrily tossed the hardback away. It stopped mid-air and flew to fill its place in a shelf.
The man buried his face in his elbows, folding his hands on his nape. He let out a shout of frustration, which echoed in the chamber and bounced back to him.

There is nothing! Nothing! he thought furiously, leafing through the grimoire in the grip of a blind frenzy. He threw it behind his back, and was about to examine the next one when a squawk prompted him to turn around. A yeti was stroking his forehead, where the book had it him.

<<What's wrong now?!>> North questioned harshly, impatient to get back to his activity. The yeti flailed about his arms and mumbled his message.

<<The antenna exploded?>> the man repeated. The creature nodded frantically. North sighed. He longed to stay in the library, but his belly was telling him that something terrible was going to happen.

<<Give me my swords.>> he ordered, imperious, and descended to the basement.