"C'mon slow poke! I thought this was supposed to be 'the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself.'" Jack teased as they landed in DunBroch amongst the stone pillars encircling them.
"Yeah, well, we had some…technical difficulties," Hiccup eyed Merida, who had a huge smile on her face. She started tickling Hiccup and he lost control for about two seconds. Jack did not help much, but took advantage to take the lead.
"What is this place?" Rapunzel asked, spinning around slowly. The stones towered over even North and Bunnymund, the tallest of the group.
"This the remains of the kingdom that fell due to greed and jealousy. Long story…don't ask." Merida remembered her mother telling her the legend of the four kingdoms hundreds of years ago, and she was sick of hearing it when she was alive. She did not want to bore herself again.
"Um, Merida, isn't there some kind of demonic bear roaming around here?" Jack asked, looking a little worried.
"Nah, I freed Mordu's spirit, and made sure no one got cursed. It helps that I'm a spirit. No need to frost over the situation, Frosty!" Merida teased.
"I hate that name…Frizzy!" Jack smirked.
"Hey guys, um, this is all fun and what-not, but, um, the crystal?" Rapunzel asked. Hiccup turned and walked up to one of the stones.
"Hiccup, whatcha doin' mate?" Bunny asked. Sandy had a question mark above his head.
"Oh, right! I forgot you guys can't see it." Hiccup turned to look at everyone's puzzled expressions. "There's the crystal right up on top of this stone. Toothless!" Toothless came over and let Hiccup jump on his back. He flew up to where Hiccup could reach the crystal. It was nestled safely in a big crack on top of the stone. "Thanks Buddy!" Hiccup patted Toothless' head as they landed.
Suddenly, the stone started to glow a bright orange. "Whoa, that felt weird." Hiccup shook his head.
"Now you have bonded with crystal. Feel good, no?" North asked. Hiccup nodded, still a little dazed.
"I don't," Pitch suddenly appeared on top of the pillar the crystal was just in. "But I would feel better if you handed me both of the crystals you now have, and there will be no fuss." Pitch held out his hand, as if expecting they would just give him the crystals.
"No way!" Jack shot ice at Pitch, who easily blocked the attack.
"I don't have time for this now!" Pitch cried. "But if you want, I do have an old friend of mine who would enjoy your company, especially a certain red-head." Pitch said, grinning at Merida. There was a loud roar.
"Oh no, how could you, Pitch! You murderer! I made sure this wouldn't happen!" Merida said as she aimed an arrow at Pitch's head.
"Don't be ridiculous! This is Mordu, and he is back for revenge…and blood."
"But…I…"
"Sorry, I would love to explain, but I have things to do, so if you're not going to give me the crystals, then I will be on my way and meet you at the next rendezvous." And with that, Pitch disappeared into the shadows as Mordu let out another roar.
"What's the plan?" Rapunzel asked, frying pan pointed at the beast.
Merida thought a minute. "Jack! Hiccup! Tooth! Fly up to that big pillar and start to push. Everyone else, push from the ground. We can squish him, and the spirit will be set free! I'll distract him, now go!"
"But Merida! I won't let you face him alone! It's too dangerous!" Hiccup said worriedly.
"Trust me, Hic, I can do this…I'm not afraid." She gave him a warm smile. He felt butterflies in his stomach.
"Ok, I trust you. C'mon Jack!"
"Right behind ya!"
"Over hear everyone!" North shouted. He was already trying to push. Bunny came up beside him. Sand flew right above their heads and pushed the middle.
Rapunzel had an idea. "Tooth! Help me move some of these smaller rocks next to it. That way it will be easier to push."
"Good idea!" Tooth and Rapunzel started throwing the rocks to the side as the others pushed with all of their might. But the rock would not budge.
Hiccup and Jack were circling Mordu like hawks. Merida kept trying to shoot arrows at him to lure him closer to the stone. When she noticed they were struggling, she started to doubt herself.
"Hiccup! They need help! It's not moving. See if Toothless can blast it over!" Hiccup directed Toothless over next to Sandy, and waited for Merida.
"Jack! Help me push him towards the—AAH!" Mordu clamped down on Merida's bow with his jaws and threw it off to the side in pieces. Merida quickly drew her sword.
"You ok?!" Jack asked.
"Uh, yeah, never better." Merida was shocked at how much stronger this Mordu was. Then she looked into its eyes and saw that they were yellow…just like Pitch's Nightmares.
Mordu stood on his hind legs. Merida started to back up, sword pointed at the bear's nose. With a roar, Mordu kept walking towards Merida. Jack landed right next to her, staff pointed in the same direction.
"We need to be moving the other way." Merida said.
"You're right. Take my hand." Jack reached out. As soon as Merida grabbed it, he flew around till they were standing right in front of the pillar everyone had cleared and readied to push. Mordu spun around and went back down to all fours.
"Ready Hiccup?" Merida asked.
"Yeah…I hope this works." Hiccup looked at Toothless, who gave him a reassuring look. They flew away so Toothless could get a "flying start."
"Everyone, when I say run, you run, ok?" Merida said, without taking her eyes off of Mordu. The bear roared again and started to run. He was only three feet away, and Merida shouted, "Run!" everyone scattered, Toothless shoved the pillar with all of his might, sending it over and on top of Mordu. Then, it was silence. Everyone panted, relieved that it was over.
Merida looked over, expecting the spirit to be released, but, instead, a nightmare came out. He snorted at Merida and began to charge. Toothless shot a fireball, engulfing the nightmare in flames.
"Is everyone alright?" Tooth asked, hovering around making sure herself. They all nodded.
"Well, at least we still have the crystal, so, North, where, OH!" Merida grabbed her arm and looked at it. Claw marks were on her arm from where Mordu must have scratched her when he tore her bow from her. Blood was leaking out through her long sleeves.
"Merida!" Hiccup jumped off of Toothless, and ran over to her. Rapunzel quickly started unbraiding her hair so she could heal her friend. Merida winced, as it started to sting a little.
"It's ok, it won't hurt much longer." Rapunzel assured her, wrapping her hair gently around Merida's wounded arm. She started to sing, but her hair already started to glow. Rapunzel was shocked. Her hair never glowed without her singing the song.
"Es crystal." North answered her confusion. "When you touched it, its powers became a part of you. Now your hair has more power than ever." Rapunzel smiled. She did feel much stronger, and was relieved she did not have to sing the entire song and could quickly heal her friends when needed.
"Much better. Thanks Rapunzel!" Merida threw her now-healed arm around Rapunzel.
Rapunzel smiled. "Anything for a friend."
"Let's get out of here. This place gives me the creeps." Hiccup asked, getting on Toothless.
"Are you sure it won't slow you down?" Jack teased before shooting up in the sky.
"What? Oh! Hey! Wait up cheater!" Toothless soared into the sky after Jack. Everybody else just stood and looked up after the two young spirits. North started to laugh.
"What's so funny, mate?" Bunny asked.
"They do not know where next destination is. Let's hurry up and make sure we win so they don't get lost."
"Where is our next destination?"
"Corona."
Everyone boarded the sleigh. It was a little more crowded since Merida squeezed in, but they managed. As they took off, no one bothered to look back behind them at the nightmare watching them in the shadows. Pitch came out into full view and watched as the guardians flew off. He threw out his hand and it disappeared into the shadows to jerk out the nightmare.
"Pathetic." The sand fell to the ground, lifeless. "Maybe I'll just let them get the last two crystals without any interference. Besides, I'm almost ready for the real fun that is sure to be most frightening."