I actually finished this chapter faster than I expected, so thumbs up all around. However, don't get used to it, it'll probably be a one time thing. Since I am in college I won't be able to update often.
Disclaimer: I don't own any these characters or franchises... but I will one day.
Chapter 7
Pitch allowed a wicked grin to spread on his face as he watched the eclipse begin. Everything was going according to plan, soon the world would be in his grasp again and he would have the family he craved for. And the best part, the Guardians won't be able to stop him.
Chains moving against one another made him turn around to look to the bound dragons. Toothless and Kaydean were pulling and tugging at the bonds that connected them to the ground and the muzzles on their heads kept them from opening their mouths to launch an attack. They were able to growl at the dark spirit as he stepped closer to the dragons.
"Now, now." Pitch chastised the two dragons. "There is no need to be angry with me. I'm just doing what is best for my grandchildren." He swirled his hands around and a small chest appeared. "And that is to make sure that they remain by my side." With a snap of his fingers, the dragons let out muffled cries of pain as Pitch's dark magic started to corrupt the reptiles.
Pitch grinned as he shadow traveled to his grandchildren's cell. They were exactly where he left them hours ago, though at the moment they were tugging on their chains. Though Merida appeared to be the most scratched up.
"I see that you all have made yourselves," Pitch announced to the group as he stepped into their line of sight. "However, we have other business to attend to children." He snapped his fingers and the platform they stood on began to rise. The seasonals all let out cries of shock as they tried to keep their balance.
The platform finally reached the small opening in the ceiling and out into the open air. The five spirits were bathed in the light of the lunar eclipse and the four seasonals felt their power drain. Pitch's grin widened as his own magic started to grow.
Pitch opened the chest and four circlets in the shape of two nightmares appeared each with a different jewel encrusted in the center. They hovered in the air for a moment before they drifted toward each of the bound spirits. The sapphire encrusted circlet fitted onto Jack's head, the ruby encrusted onto Merida, the amethyst onto Rapunzel, and the fire opal onto Hiccup.
The four seasonals looked at each other and raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "What's with the fancy jewelry Pitch," Jack asked.
"Oh, just a little something to repress your memories during your corruption," Pitch said dismissively.
That made all the seasonals freeze with shock. They knew that if they allowed their darker intentions to take over, destruction is close to follow. "Whaht," Merida asked. Hiccup shook his head in disbelief. "If you do this then the world would be put at risk."
Pitch shrugged as he summoned some of his fearlings. "If doing so brings more fear into the world, so be it." The fearlings started to surround each of the bound spirits as they struggled to get free. "However, I don't plan on destroying the planet at the moment so you lot have no fear for that."
The fearlings laughed as they circled around each seasonal before forcing them onto their knees. Jack struggled against the shadow creatures as he glared up at Pitch. "You won't win Pitch, the Guardians will come for us."
Pitch laughed as he kneeled beside the bound winter spirit. "Then where were they when you, your brother, and sisters needed them all those years ago. Where were they when you all were driven mad from loneliness? From rejection? From hate? As a matter of fact, where are they now?" He placed a hand under Jack's chin and forced his bright blue eyes to meet his silvery gold. "Even with your new status, you lot are not as respected as you should be. As a matter of fact, most of the world doesn't even know you exist. I plan to change that." Pitch stood and walked backwards into the center of the circle, then summoned nightmare sand into his hands.
Nightmare sand started to circle each of the spirits as they began to panic. Rapunzel looked pleadingly to Pitch and shook her head. "Please, don't do this Pitch."
Pitch spared her a glance then looked away as four fearlings turned into shadow and surrounded the spirits. "Apologies my dear, but this will be beneficial for all of us." He fisted his hand and the shadows latched onto the seasonals and the nightmare sand formed cocoons around them. Pitch allowed a sinister smile to appear and laughed triumphantly as each spirit screamed out in pain.
Seraphina arrived at the base of the cliff Santoff Clausen was constructed on when she gripped her chest in agony. In her head she could hear the screams of her seasonals as their very existence was corrupted. Slowly she could feel the connection she has with her children begun to break.
However, she pushed the horrendous feelings aside as she started the long hike up the mountain. She had to get to North and the rest of the Guardians to seek their assistance. Hopefully once the eclipse passed, she could give the delusional spirit on the moon a piece of her mind.
Tsar Lunar XII, also known as the Man in the Moon or Manny to his Guardians, watched from his viewpoint on the moon as his seasonals were corrupted. He sighed as each spirit slowly fell into their darker selves. He wish that he could put an end to their torture, but alas with the sun covering his home; he won't be able to spread his magic down to the surface of the planet.
Three of his retired Guardians came to his side and watch as the most powerful immortals on the planet were tortured. Nightlight, the Guardian of the Tsar, felt the most guilty as he can do nothing to help the seasonals. Katherine clasped her hands together in worry as Ombric placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"How could I have let this happen," Manny inquired to his friends.
"Don't blame yourself," Ombric, aka Father Time, soothed. "None of us knew this would happen, even me as for a matter of fact."
"Manny we have to help them," Katherine insisted as Nightlight his head in agreement.
"What are we suppose to do then," Manny retorted as he faced the Guardian of Storytelling.
Nightlight furrowed his eyebrows for a moment before an idea popped into his head. His internal light flashed suddenly and caught the attention of the other Guardians. He flew out of the observatory causing the other moon-based guardians to follow until he stopped in front of two tall double doors.
Manny recognized the doors and swiftly pushed them open. Inside was a long hall filled with glass mosaics of spirits currently running around down on the planet. It was at the end of the hall where a chest was placed on a raised platform. With a swish of his hand, the chest opened to reveal canisters with the souls of spirits that are currently dormant.
"Manny," Katherine inquired with furrowed brows. "What is that?"
"Something that will help the seasonals remember who they are," Manny answered as he closed chest before placing it in Nighlight's arms. "My old friend, once the eclipse has passed I need you to journey to Santoff Claussen and inform the rest of the Guardians, you'll know what to do."
Nightlight nodded as Ombric and Katherine watched on with bemusement.
Deep in the recess of the seasonals minds, Jack, Hiccup, Merida, and Rapunzel kneeled on the ground in despair as they covered their ears in an attempt to block out the fearlings words. The fearlings taunted and laughed at the four spirits in an effort to try to bring down their mental defenses. When it took too long for their liking, the dark creatures decided to try a new tactic, something they haven't done for millions of years.
Rapunzel whimpered as she curled up next to Jack in an effort for comfort, when she heard a voice that she hadn't heard for a long time. "You shouldn't have left the tower my little flower," Gothel's mocking voice echoed. "The world is a dark and cruel place, you should have heed my warnings. Every new friend that you have tried to make in this life has turned you away, scorned you for something you had no control over, and no one to really rely on because in the end you. Will. Be. Alone. Again." Rapunzel allowed tears to stream down her face as the woman's words hit her fears hard.
"Yer nothin' but a murderer," Bunny's voice echoed from the dark causing Jack to shoot his head up. "Ya bring death an' despair to everyone on the planet. It's like ah said all those years ago, we should never hav' trusted ya." Suddenly North's voice came into play. "You're not a Guardian, you can never be von of us. A guardian never kills hundreds of children every year, you deserve vorse than ze naughty list." "I guess it's fitting that the ultimate killer should be King of a dreadful season," Tooth's voice finished. Jack had tears streaming down his face as he took their words to heart.
Hiccup gritted his teeth as he tried to block out his father's words. "How could I not have seen the signs? You are weak, useless, and a waste of my time. You're practically a walking disaster, you're just like those beasts you wish to defend, a monster." Tears also fell from his eyes as sobs escaped him.
Merida glared at the darkness in front of her as she gripped her head to block out her mother's harsh words. "Where have I gone wrong with you? You're a princess not some wild child. You actions have very will have cost our lives and now you will pay for them. I never want to see you ever again." She bowed her head as whimpers escaped from her lips.
Suddenly the taunting voices of the fearlings disappeared along with the verbal abuse from the ones they loved. There were quiet footsteps approaching before they stopped.
"It doesn't have to be like this," four dark voices said simultaneously. "You can finally show the world they're wrong."
The four seasonals lifted their heads and gasped in shock at what they saw before them. Standing there were dark versions of themselves with cruel smiles on their faces. Compared to Jack, his version had raven black hair, light gray skin, and glowing yellow eyes. Merida's had wild dark mahogany hair, pale skin, and disturbing grayish-yellow eyes. Hiccup's had midnight black hair, pale gray skin as well, and sharp red eyes. Rapunzel's had long flowing silvery-gray hair, pale skin, and dark red eyes. The dark seasonals walked closer before stopping before the distressed seasonals.
"Don't you think that it's time to finally get the respect you sorely deserve," Dark Jack asked with a raised eyebrow.
"To stop being looked down on and cast out just for being special," Dark Hiccup asked.
"To be able to let go of all of yer frustration, anger, and jealousy," Dark Merida continued, "To finally show the world who yer really are."
"You can show everyone that you can be respected for your gifts, not just your titles," Rapunzel finished. "All you have to do is give in."
The dark seasonals watched in anticipation as their counterparts struggled with their thoughts. Each seasonal knew that they should continue fighting the darkness that surrounded them, but the temptation was too great. They have struggled for far too long with their powers and positions in the world and they just had enough. No one in the spirit community really gave the four their due and only took notice when the Guardians and Mother Nature did. It was time for them to finally get a real foothold in this world.
So the four spirits stood from their crouched positions and bowed their heads in defeat. The dark seasonals smiled maliciously in triumph before they turned into shadows and fused with their counterparts.
In the real world, Pitch watched with bated breath as spheres containing each seasonal hardened for a moment before exploding outward. The force of the explosion caused the Nightmare King to tumble down the hill before stopping at the bottom. He looked up to the alter he left each teen spirit and smirked at what he saw.
Bathed in the light of the lunar eclipse, the four seasonals hovered above the ground with dark smirks on their faces. Jack's snowy white hair was now a raven black color, his skin a grayish color, and his mischievous blue eyes were now a bright yellow color. Hiccup was in his adult form and had his arms crossed over his chest. His scruffy brown was as black as night, pale gray skin, and flaming red eyes. Merida's poofy red hair was now a dark mahogany color, her skin paled drastically, and her blue eyes were now a disturbing grayish-yellow color. Rapunzel's long golden blonde hair became a silvery-dark gray color, extremely pale skin, and dark red eyes. The circlets Pitch placed on their heads remained in tacked and gems that were embedded glowed faintly. Their clothes were darkened versions than what they previously were.
Pitch stood up from his position on the ground and dusted off his robes as the teens floated down from the hill. Once the teens stood before their King, they bowed their heads in respect. The Nightmare King started to chuckle before it turned into a laugh of triumph for he had finally has his Nightmare princes and princesses.
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