The Cold Dark

Frost flew above the cities, high above the modern skyscrapers and lights. His dark blue hoodie flapped in the breeze. The color served to accentuate his ice-blue eyes and silver-white hair. He reveled in the sensation of flight, as he always did. It has been months since Pitch was seen disappearing into the dark hold of his own childhood nightmares and so far? The world was a pretty good place, especially for the kids. 

The adults still had their share of problems, but Frost wasn't too worried about them. Having lived hundreds of years as a spirit, he'd watches as empires fell, kingdoms rose, wars broke out and peace settled back over many lands. Always, he'd worked to make sure that children were safe from raiders, encasing their trails in frost and guarding their flight to safety with suddenly-impassable trails filled with snow and ice. Once, when war had threatened millions, he worked small miracles; covering windows in frost, freezing hinges on doors and cupboards to trick their pursuers into thinking that no one could have gotten inside those hiding places. With a small stab of regret, he recalled that even he couldn't save everyone, but it had been years ago. And he wasn't alone anymore.

He was more than the Spirit of Winter. He was a Guardian. Of 'fun,' specifically. It kept him very busy but he enjoyed every moment he played with the kids. When he grew tired he visited North, Tooth and Bunnymund.

Frequently he saw Sandy making his rounds and they'd stop every so often to rest in a coffeeshop in Istanbul. No one could see them, but that didn't stop him from playing the occasional prank on the baristas.

That is, almost no one could see them. After his third prank there, one of the baristas quit (she hadn't appreciated the frozen hot cocoa which was becoming a favorite of one or two customers) and the guy they hired could see him. He was a teenager named Derya and he served them coffee when he worked, leaving it by the windowsil on an empty table at the back of the shop. The locals all thought it quite amusing. Thankfully no one paid attention to the fact that he always cleaned up the - empty - cups at the end of his shift.

Sandy and Jack sat across from one another, Sandy with a pleased and blissful look on his face as he sipped the coffee. Jask likewise did the same, ever-fascinated at how it warmed his pale hands. As hot as the coffee was still, it could never burn them. In the middle of a sip, he paused. His brows gently drew together.

A small rock seemed to settle in his stomach, far colder than he thought still possible. He glanced at Sandy and noted the other spirit had paused too and was looking around as though he were trying to see beyond the walls and ceiling. Their eyes locked and Jack nodded. It was time to go.

Derya blinked as his silent friends go up and flew out the door almost faster than he could follow. He laughed though, when the falling cups startled a poor woman walking right by them, who shrieked and jumped. He helped her up and laughed, saying it was only Jack Frost leaving in a hurry. She smiled at him and offered to help him clean the spilled drinks.

Sandy and Frost races across the skies, searching for a portal to use as a shortcut. Spotting a frozen pond in a nearby park, they descended. The feeling was tightening and they both felt it. Something was very, very wrong.

But what?