Rise Of The Guardians: The Celestial Awakening

Chapter XIII

I do mind spending every day, out on the corner in the pouring rain. Look for the girl broken smile. – Runner Runner, She Will Be Loved

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I sat along the sidelines of the frozen pond, watching Jack skate with the kids. I quit the effort to try and skate after falling on my butt multiple times even when Jack stilled held on. I had no problem sitting, observing from afar as the kids laughed and played with the beautiful snowflakes Jack conjured up.

My fingers caressed the palm of my hand where Jack's hand held on to, still feeling the numbing sensation.

"That's a good look for you." Jack appeared out of nowhere, crouching down beside me.

Without realizing it I had been smiling the entire time, but now that Jack pointed it out, I raised an eyebrow and pursed my lips at him. "Pfft...whatever." I playfully replied.

He revealed a heart-melting smile.

I broke eye contact and stared at the kids who continued to play. "T-those kids sure adore you."

"Yeah." Jack seemed almost embarrassed at the compliment.

The group of kids waved at us as they continued with their enjoyment. Jack was the first to wave, while I, felt a bit nervous, gave a pathetic flick of my hand, but Jamie seemed to have gotten a friendly laugh out of it.

"They seem to like you." Jack nudged my arm with his.

I shrugged. "I guess..." Then the thought occurred to me. "Hey, what was that whole thing about them being able to see me?"

Jack was deep in thought for a moment before answering. "Well, you need kids to believe in you to become a guardian and if they believe in you then they can see you."

"And if they don't believe, they don't see me?"

"You become invisible to them."

"Like a ghost?"

He nodded, his grip tightening on his staff. "The kids, they're all a part of what it means to be a guardian."

"So..." I took a minute to gather my thoughts. "You were finding out if they could see me and if they see me it means they believe in me and if they believe in me it means I'm a guardian."

"Yeah, but...we don't know what Guardian you are, even the kids don't know." Jack seemed troubled by all this, more worried than I was.

I started laughing it off like it was a joke. "Well it could mean I'm just a normal human being."

"The moon chose-"

I abruptly stood up, hands curled into fists. "We don't know for sure, Jack. The guardian stone showed someone, but that someone isn't me."

Jack stood up and came close. "Why are you refusing to accept the fact that you were chosen to become a guardian."

"I'm not denying anything...because I-" I groaned in frustration, pressing my fists to my forehead.

"You what?" Jack pestered.

"I can't be a guardian," I shouted at him and it caught the kids' attention. Taking a deep breath I calmly spoke. "I can't do what you guys do."

The kids started to gather around.

"Not yet, but once we figure out-"

I turned away from him, my hands digging into my pockets. "I'm just some runaway that has no idea who she is, where she came from. I'm nothing special."

"Hey..." His slender fingers reached around my arm as he then whispered my name.

I shrugged it off and started walking away, "I'm sorry." I whispered as I disappeared into the trees.

Big mistake to start walking aimlessly into an unknown forest, because once I calmed down after a few minutes of walking I couldn't figure out how to get back. Then again, maybe it was for the best, I'd only end up going back to the guardians and that whole argument would start up again. I tried using the stars to navigate my way back, but they were so dimly lighted that it was hard to figure out, then there was Manny.

"I don't know what you want from me, I don't know what you want me to do." I began to speak to him, my heart aching as he only appeared to be half the sphere he was. "I'm sorry, but I just-" A sudden snap of a branch made me jump out of my boots, when I turned around below me was a little girl.

She giggled as she ran circled around me, making whooshing noises. Her blonde hair swished back and forth as most of it covered half her face. But the green eye that was visible illuminated in the night.

"Uh, hi." I kneeled down to her eye level.

She didn't reply with words, but she smiled brightly. Her whole body was jumping around, she couldn't keep still.

"Maybe we should head back, before everyone worries." I figured that she followed me on her own because the thought of one of the guardians letting a child roam around during the night, into a forest alone seems doubtful. "Let's go, Sophie." I took one step forward and felt the warmth of a tiny hand intertwine with mine.

Looking down, she stared back, hopping in place making deep imprints with her blue boots in the snow.

I cleared my throat and started to take little steps so Sophie could keep up, but it seemed I had to be the one to keep up for she tried to jog ahead while pulling my hand in the direction, I hoped was the right way back to everyone.

While we headed back, the sound of more than just mine and Sophie's footsteps through the thin layer of snow caught my attention. I gently tugged on Sophie to make her come to a halt, and hoped it was just my mind playing tricks, but I was wrong. Peeking over my shoulder there they were, those black sand Nightmares treading behind us.

"Oh no." I gulped and without a second thought I scooped Sophie up into my arms and booked it.

Jumping over fallen trees, dodging sharp branches at eye level and zigzagging through the forest, all to throw the Nightmares off our trail, but they weren't going quit anytime soon. I held Sophie on to dear life, and even felt her short arms wrap around my neck as her face buried into my shoulder.

"Everything will be all right, Sophie, I promise." I croaked the words out as I was short of breath from the running.

And finally, up ahead, through a couple of trees the frozen pond was there, and a little more ways away everyone was gathered. From the pit of my stomach I forcefully cried out to them. "Help!"

The instant I noticed the twitch of Bunny's ears made me aware that he heard, and looked out towards me. The rest of the guardians and children followed his gaze.

It didn't take long for me to yell out to them again, and with the looks on their faces they knew exactly why.

Jack immediately skated across the pond as the others followed closely behind, but a sudden force of black sand cut us off from each other's reach. I pulled back, shielding Sophie away as more Nightmares started to circle and surround us.

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