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****
The sun was still high in the sky as I began deploying the golems. The city buzzed with activity, blissfully unaware of the danger spreading through its shadows. I envied that luxury—the freedom to ignore the looming threat. But I knew tonight, everything would change.
I'd already pinpointed every black seed location using Liam's intel. My plan was simple: two golems per seed, positioned on the outskirts to protect them and strike simultaneously when the time came. Fourteen ice creatures, each engraved with a golden snowflake on their chest, ready to battle the darkness.
I summoned the first golem in an alley near an old warehouse. The process was still new to me, but my movements were steadier than the day before. I formed a golden snowflake in my palm and pressed it against the ice colossus I'd sculpted from snow. Magic pulsed through it, and the golem stirred to life, its icy eyes glowing with a crystalline light.
It turned its head slowly toward me and awaited my command.
"Stay here. Guard this position until my signal."
It didn't reply, but its stance tightened as if understanding. I stepped back, studying my creation briefly before moving to the next location.
The second golem took less time to summon, but I already felt a faint weariness creeping in. No time to slow down.
Third location. Fourth. Each new summon demanded more energy. The cold, usually natural to me, felt heavier, like a weight pressing on my shoulders. I paused to catch my breath, leaning on my staff.
*You knew this wouldn't be easy, Jack.*
I tried to convince myself it was a good sign—pushing my limits, harnessing power I hadn't fully mastered. But part of me couldn't ignore the fear seeping into my mind.
*What if you can't hold out until the end?*
I shook my head and flew to another district. This was a physical and mental trial, but I had to see it through. The city sprawled below me, calm and bright, oblivious to the battle that would unfold in a few hours.
By the sixth location, my hands trembled slightly after animating another golem. My breaths grew shorter. I'd never summoned so many creatures at once. This power, incredible as it was, came at a cost.
*Hold on, Jack. Eight more.*
I pressed on despite the mounting exhaustion. Each golem I left behind reassured me as much as it drained me. They'd be my frontline, but if they failed, all would be lost before the real fight even began.
The tenth golem was tougher. My staff felt heavier. I crouched on a rooftop overlooking a busy avenue, stealing a moment to breathe. The city thrived below—people walking, cars rolling, children laughing. A normal scene.
*What if you fail?*
A shiver ran through me, not from cold, but from the thought of this normality vanishing. Of Pitch winning. Of the city drowning in endless nightmares.
"No."
I stood, gripping my staff. "Not happening."
If pushing my power to its limits was what it took, so be it.
I raced across Toronto, placing the remaining golems one by one. Each summon grew more painful, each golden snowflake harder to shape. My body begged for rest, but I couldn't stop.
At the final location, the fourteenth golem took form. I took longer to stabilize it, my breaths ragged, legs leaden. But when its eyes lit up and it straightened, ready to obey, a wave of satisfaction washed over me.
It was done.
I scanned the city. The stage was set. The trap laid. But one thing was clear… I wasn't ready for a fight this intense. My body knew it. My mind too. Yet I had no choice.
I inhaled deeply and looked up at the sky, at the moon still visible in daylight.
"Let's hope this is enough…"
As the sun dipped toward the horizon, I braced myself for the longest night of my life.
***
Night fell slowly over Toronto, draping the city in a cold, dark veil. Inside the Gordons' living room, the air was thick with tension. Everyone knew tonight would decide our fate against Pitch Black.
I stood at the room's center, staff resting on my shoulder, watching Liam and Melinda finalize preparations. Liam, bundled in a thick coat, nervously double-checked the map of black seeds.
"Everyone ready?" I asked, scanning the room.
Liam nodded resolutely. Melinda shot me a piercing look. "*I* am. Still hoping this plan isn't madness."
I took a deep breath and forced a confident smile. "It's our best shot. Now, let's set it in motion."
With a fluid motion, I conjured a golden snowflake in my palm. Moonlight pulsed softly through me as I let it drop to the floor. The snow around us reacted instantly, swirling as if alive.
Within moments, several ice golems materialized in the room. Each bore a golden snowflake engraved on their chest, a mark of their bond with my power. They loomed imposingly, their massive bodies carved from frost. One slowly raised its arm, as if awakening to newfound consciousness.
Liam, mesmerized, approached one of the ice giants and tentatively touched its solid arm. "They're… really here to help us?"
I nodded. "Yes. Each will take position in the snow, ready to ambush Pitch's nightmares."
Melinda crossed her arms. "And the one staying with Liam?"
I conjured another golden snowflake and placed it on a small snow pile, which molded into a jovial snowman. Unlike the towering golems, this one was smaller, friendlier. It waved cheerfully at Liam.
Liam burst out laughing as the little creature lobbed a snowball in greeting. He caught it midair and fired back. "He's awesome!"
"Glad you like him—he's the last one I can make. He'll alert us to any changes, like I explained earlier. At the slightest sign of danger, I'll be here in a flash," I replied, exhausted.
Melinda, despite her stern demeanor, cracked a faint smile before refocusing. "Alright. Let's get to work."
With a flick of my staff, I ordered the golems to move. One by one, they left the house, slipping silently into the night to hide in snowbanks. I could sense their presence, each tethered to me by this newfound energy.
We waited minutes that felt like hours, the silence thickening.
Then, a shadow shifted in the distance. A black mist crept slowly down the street—the sign Pitch had taken the bait.
I turned to Liam and Melinda. "It's time. Stay here. No matter what, don't let anything in."
Liam swallowed hard but nodded. "Be careful, Jack."
I gave him a reassuring smile before stepping outside, staff clenched in hand.
The black mist seeped through the streets, coiling around lampposts like a living tide.
"He's coming…" I muttered.
Shapes formed in the fog—horses with shadowy manes, twisted figures gliding soundlessly across the ground. The nightmares were here.
I tightened my grip on my staff and looked up at the moon. "Alright… let's begin."
I drove my staff into the ground and inhaled deeply. An icy shudder raced through me before exploding outward.
A blizzard erupted instantly, a relentless snowstorm tearing through the street, engulfing the black mist in a shroud of ice. The wind howled, carrying biting gusts that pierced the shadows, scattering the mist and slowing the nightmares' advance.
Pitch's horses reared, whinnying under the icy assault. Some faltered, their forms flickering in the blizzard's fury. Others pressed forward, but their struggle was clear.
I clenched my fists, breath ragged. "You wanna play? Let's play."
The golems, hidden in the shadows, awaited my signal.
The battle had only just begun.