Secret of Frost and Moon

Understanding Fear

Alaia Skyhawk:

Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, the Guardians of Childhood, or any related characters etc. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes.

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Chapter 124: Understanding Fear

"Are you sure about these candidates? Do you think they have it in them, to learn to understand the truth of Fear?"

"As sure as I can be. They're the best out of the bunch I had to pick from."

Jack and Kosmotis stood either side of the doorway, looking through it into the room on the Moon Clipper where the six Steward candidates were sat entertaining themselves with various quiet tasks. Yeress and Rheen. Orund and Wover. Therime and Toris. Two women and four men, all of which held an ingrained terror of Fearlings. Kosmotis could sense it in them, and it would be a barrier they'd have to overcome. At the very least certain precautions would have to be taken.

Kosmotis glanced at Jack.

"Their understandable issue with Fearlings will need to be dealt with first. At present they will be an irresistible magnet for them."

Jack clicked his fingers, a handful of circular bands of frostdust materialising to hang from them. Just large enough to be worn on the wrist.

"Same thing that worked for you, should do it. Strong enough to ward them against any chance of possession, but weak enough to have no effect on their fear levels. I thought things over a lot while I was on Lumeris, and I decided that another thing that worked for you would be the best place to take them for their first test and outing." He grinned. "'Thrill seeking' isn't in their vocabulary. They've no idea of what it's like to have Natural Fear and Fun mix."

Kosmotis raised his eyebrows, but was also wearing a slight smile of humour.

"And which amusement park did you have in mind? Remember, the six of them will be visible. Which means the need to pay for entry."

Jack reached into his hoodie's pocket with his other hand, and pulled out a wedge of tickets.

"What do you take me for? It's not like the great sculptor, Jackson Overland, is short of cash. Last time I checked, I was a multi-millionaire and pushing towards being a billionaire thanks to some companies I bought-out. I need to set up some more charitable projects to spend my profits on. Six tickets is nothing; I could buy that amusement park if I wanted to."

Kosmotis had the grace not to look put-out by that remark, but then it was no secret that the Guardian of Fun was more wealthy from his art and recent investments, than the Guardian of Wonder was from his long-established timber business. Even if both also spent all their profits on others. It was an undeniable advantage when your work involved inspiring millions of children. Of course not all immortals were impressed, but then the ones who looked down on it didn't understand the costs involved.

Jack and Sandy were the only Guardians whose work could be done entirely for free. Tooth, North, and Bunny all distributed gifts, which required sourcing and finance of supplies. Especially since Tooth had now moved permanently away from giving dropped coins collected from around the world. Her little trinkets were far more popular than money, with famine now a dimming memory in formerly-deprived regions. One of the companies Jack had bought, now had an entire production-line dedicated to manufacturing the basic components of those trinkets. Although naturally it was a team of North's highly-experienced yetis who did the final assembly and quality checks.

Shaking that thought aside, Kosmotis set off into the room.

"Then I guess we should get started."

The six candidates heard the sound of the two immortals' entrance, all of them rising to their feet. All of them had been given new clothing so they would fit in with Earth's population.