Dawn of Faith

Chapter 22

It was sunset, and the last few rays of golden light stretched across the darkening sky. Fresh snowflakes began to drift downward, and I welcomed their cold kisses against my face. The Guardians had returned to North's Pole, reinvigorated with newfound hope. As I stared up through the broken roof, the events of the day swirled about in my head, my brain refusing to believe the truth that had finally been exposed.

Faith.

How could I have been so blind? Through their wishes, I embodied the hearts of all children. I was the physical entity of their belief in the Guardians. Of their belief in me.

"Dawn?" A quiet voice echoed across the hall. I turned to face the source of the sound, smiling as Jack wandered up, sitting beside me on the floor.

"You've been here a while. Are you alright?" He asked, staring up at the barren globe devoid of light. A blanket of snow had begun to settle at the peak.

"Yes. I'm contemplating," I responded, propping my chin one hand.

Jack tilted his head quizzically. "Contemplating what?"

"Finding my center."

The winter spirit smirked, throwing his hands behind his head and following my gaze to the darkened globe. "Guardian of Faith, huh? Doesn't sound terribly fun. Too much responsibility."

"Not all of us have the liberty of taking snow days, Jack. Someone has to do the important jobs."

"Are you calling me unimportant?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"No, of course not. Everyone's jobs are equally important. Just ask North."

He chuckled and playfully punched me in the arm, and I couldn't help but laugh. An amused silence fell upon the room, and we both gazed up at the globe, side by side.

"What do we do now?" He asked quietly, voicing concerns that had plagued my mind relentlessly since the previous night.

"I don't know, Jack. I really don't. I hate to admit it, but we are useless when it comes to battling Fear. Only Pitch has been able to touch him, and we still don't understand why."

Jack remained silent for a moment, and I turned to look at him. His attention was fixated on the staff lying across his lap, running a finger along the frost-filled grooves.

"Why do you trust him?" He asked, and for a moment I was afraid of another argument over the idea of Pitch's presence. But as he faced me, his expression was soft; inquisitive rather than accusatory.

Nodding slowly, I paused for several seconds before finding the appropriate words to respond. "I have known Pitch for a very long time. I have seen many sides of him. He was once good natured and kind, as loving of the children as we are. As anyone else, he had days where negativity got the better of him, but it was nothing a wish or a dream couldn't heal." I sighed, sad memories flooding my mind with misplaced and conflicting emotions. "His actions since the Dark Ages cannot define him. I remember when he began losing the battle against Fear, before he was truly lost. It was a sorrowing transformation. I witnessed the nightmares take over him. I could sense his hesitance whenever he sent dreams, the tainting of wishes as he placed them in the sky. His condition only worsened as time went on, and as much as I wanted, I could do nothing to help him. Then one day, there was no return. The Man in the Moon banished him from spiritdom."

I breathed in deeply, allowing my words to settle in. It was painful to relive those days. Despite all the years that had passed, I could still feel the heartache as strong as ever. Jack only nodded, silently encouraging me to continue.

"But the Moon knew what had happened, even when I doubted him. The Man in the Moon knew that Pitch, the spirit I loved, was locked inside, and refused to harm him. Fear had to be driven from his host. For many years, before Fear grew so powerful, we were able to keep him suppressed. But when the Dark Ages arose, the Moon realized we couldn't fight Fear by ourselves. And so...he created the Guardians. Fear can never be destroyed, only kept at bay. You were created to defeat not Pitch, but Fear, and to protect the children from his reign.

"But the control exerted over Pitch was more powerful than the Man in the Moon had realized. When Pitch's recent defeat did nothing to remove Fear, the Moon knew something more drastic had to occur. I expect he believed I could revive the ancient sentiments that dwelled within Pitch's heart, the feelings that had been suppressed by Fear. He hoped that by exposing me, those dormant powers might rise up in Pitch and allow him to break free. At least, that is what I've been able to piece together. And in the end, we succeeded. He's no longer trapped under Fear's control. If anyone would give him a chance, you...you might have noticed the difference." I cleared my throat, stopping myself from saying anything more.

Jack listened attentively, thoughtfully. He perched his chin on his hands, biting his lip. "What was he like before? You mentioned he was good, and kind. Would you...explain? A little more?" He asked. Surprised, I smiled, amused by the slight hesitancy in his voice.

"He wasn't perfect. Nobody is. But he was loyal, almost to a fault. He was so mindful of the children, spending many days watching them play. He would learn their personalities, discovering their wishes long before they drifted into his hands. He cared for them, loved them as if they were his own." I paused, allowing myself to bask in the pleasant recollection. "There were days when he wasn't always with the children. We would paint the sunrise and sunset together, sculpt the clouds into interesting shapes for the children to guess as they lay in the meadows beneath us. We would shower them with bright rays of warmth and cast cool shade for them to rest under." I stopped momentarily, a reminiscent smile finding its way across my lips. I shifted my wings, sending a plume of snow to the ground behind me.

"He struggled with doubt, though. As a spirit of the night, he was often seen as both the spirit of dreams, and the harbinger of terror. The eerie darkness that shadowed the earth spooked them, and their imaginations ran away with fearsome creatures, despite the beautiful images Pitch brought to them in their sleep. The children loved his dreams, but grew fearful of his night. The doubt and frustration overcame him, weakening him to Fear's grasp. I lost him because he loved the children so much, their smallest misgivings tore him apart."

Jack remained quiet, his face cast down towards his hands. I could feel the cold now, settling deep into my bones. When I spoke again, my voice was soft, laden with the emotion of stifled tears.

"Pitch is not the monster everyone believes him to be. But I don't know how to prove it to anyone else." I clenched my jaw, feeling tears streak down my frozen cheeks. I regretted having opened my mouth. I had allowed my entrapped feelings to pour out, and they hung in the air like a dense blanket. I avoided Jack's gaze, fixating my stare on the blank globe in front of me.

There was a gentle touch on my knee, and I could sense the faint chill of Jack's fingertips. I closed my eyes. A hand rested upon my shoulder, far too heavy to belong to the frosted spirit beside me. I turned and glanced behind me, finding the figures of the Guardians huddled in a semi-circle. They all had varying degrees of emotion clinging to their faces, and I felt a red blush dash across my cheeks.

"How long have you been sitting there?" I asked, my stomach sinking to the center of the earth.

"We heard everything," Tooth responded, her voice sensitive to the hesitance in mine.

"We, y'know, had no idea, mate." Bunnymund joined, his pink nose twitching.

"And we believe you," North smiled, patting my shoulder with his massive palm. He took my hands, helping me to my shaky feet. He wrapped me in a bear hug, and I could feel the warmth of their trust spread through my body like the flickering tendrils of a growing fire.

You poured your heart into your story, Sandy chimed in, floating up to take my hands in his, it would be wrong of us to doubt you now.

"Let's figure out a way to defeat Fear, together." Jack said finally, his smile pushing me to tears.

"Thank you..." I managed to whisper, overwhelmed by their trust and acceptance, their willingness to accept Pitch after all this time. I knew my words would never be enough to express my gratitude. "Thank you."