Okay! Thank you to Stacey, PureTempest, and chinaluv for your review and to all who favourite, and is following this story. Sorry for not updating sooner. Lets just get into this okay? Okay.
Chapter 9: "You're Not Alone."
"Ow! Not so tight you dingus!" shouted Bunny as Jack was wrapping one is his feet that were stomped on during battle.
"Well sorry for helping you wrap up your unnaturally large feet you kangaroo," said Jack with a slight smirk on his face.
"You wanna go there, mate?" asked Bunny trying to stand up, only to let out a yelp due to the pain radiating through his back.
"Bunny, please rest. You were severally hurt back there," said tooth as she applied pressure to certain area's of Bunny's back to relive him of pain. "Jack, go help Sandy with North."
Jack quickly oblige to her request and went over to Sandy who was bandaging North right shoulder. All the guardians back at North's workshop and were bruised up and beaten down after their fight. Just like Jack said before, the nightmares were more powerful than ever and seen to withstand the guardian's attacks much easier than before. What shocked them the most was at the guardian's lowest point where all were struggling to even stand, they left. They were about to do their final attack, when two other nightmares came, Whined into the night air and all the nightmares followed them into the darkness of night. All the guardians were both shocked and confused. They had them why not finish it? Where did then gain such power? But the biggest question of all, Where was Pitch? He was always around when his nightmares attacked, but this time, it seemed that the nightmares were on their own. After helping Sandy patch up North, his put his red coat on and walked to the globe. He looked at is and sighed in anger.
"Again! No lights have faded. All the children from that city are fine now and are glowing as before!" said North as be sat down with a thud into a chair and scaring an elf.
Sandy walked up to the globe and walked around it once just to make sure. He walked back to the others and with his sand, created four silhouettes with thought bubbles over their heads.
"He isn't relying on anything he has done in the past, which means he is more dangerous with his unpredictability," said Tooth as she flew near Sandy.
"Also, since the children's lights are still on, that means he is getting his strengths from somewhere else," said Bunny after finally getting in a confortable position to stand up.
"Is it even possible for one thing to give someone like Pitch so much Power?" asked Jack as he flings his staff over his shoulder.
"You'd be surprised Jack," said North with wisdom laced in his voice. "There was once a time where out world was full of pure magic and power that the like of many will never be able to see."
"Have you ever heard of the Stonehenge?" asked Tooth getting excited as her fairies followed suit.
"Do you mean those rocks over in England?" asked Jack earning him a mutter of disappointment from bunny.
"Yes. Long ago it was said that it was a place that many would travel to heal the sick and wounded. Legends tell that taking a small bit of the rock as a talisman would protect you and help you heal," said Tooth with a dreamy look in her eyes.
"Wow," whispered Jack after listening to the story. "Is it true?"
"Perhaps," said Tooth with a smirk as she retuned her attention back to her fairies.
"Well, what happened to those places? Did they just disappear?" asked Jack to the others.
"When Pitch came to power in the early 15th century, He was able to use power from a ancient lake which was rumored to hold evil within its waters. With that power, he was able to start his reign of darkness upon the world, thus starting 'the dark ages', said North pulling out an old book that showed a drawing of a red lake, almost like it was filled with blood.
"I thought he gain power through fear." said Jack, eyes not leaving the picture.
"He was born through fear, But at the beginning he use the magic from that lake to become who he is today. Now he relies only on fear," said Bunny.
"You said there was other places, what happened to them?" asked Jack.
"Human greed." said Tooth sadly.
"I don't understand," said Jack confused.
"In the beginning when they discovered magic, it was considered holy, god-sent or something like that. But then man gave in to lust for power and wars were fought, magic was taken and used until there was no more," said North. "Once the magic was gone, it was gone forever. The red Lake that Pitch used turned orange and was nothing but a very salty lake now. After a while, humans just forgot about magic."
Jack was left speechless for a while. As long as he was Jack Frost, he always felt the magic that The Man in the Moon has given him run through his veins like blood, but to imagine others abuse such magic was saddening. People being very wasteful was a terrible but believable thought. Jack looked back to the guardians.
"Is there a way to find out if there is any magic left for Pitch to use?" asked Jack.
"Yes, but…" started tooth before drifting off awkwardly.
"What?" asked Jack
"You gotta asker her," said Bunny to North.
"Ask who?"
"But I just polished my workshop," complained North
"Who are you talking about?"
"We're desperate North," said Tooth.
"Guys…"
"But last time they nearly destroyed everything." Complained North again.
"HEY!" Shouted Jack as he slammed his staff into the ground, letting off frost and snow through North's workshop. He earned their attention and froze several elves in funny positions.
"Who are you talking about?!" asked Jack one last time. Sandy calmly walked over to Jack and created a image of a woman.
"Okay, it's a girl." Said Jack. Sandy then formed the earth with the sand.
"Girl…earth?" asked Jack to himself until it finally clicked. "No way! We are not asking Gaia!"
"Jack she is one with this planet, if there is any magic left within it, she would know," said Tooth.
"She hates my guts because I wouldn't let her hurt Elsa, Why would she help us?" asked Jack.
"Because she hates Pitch more. She will help," said Bunny using his boomerang to chip at the ice.
"You guys can talk to her. I'm leaving," said Jack walking towards the window.
"Jack, we just fought several nightmares. You need rest," called Tooth
"I'm fine. If she got any news, come find me," called Jack as she jumped out of the window of North's workshop and took to the air like a bird.
"Pfft! There he goes again trying to act all high and mighty," said Bunny crossing his arms in a huff. Sandy used his sand to form a Band-Aid with a question mark over his head.
"If he says he okay, then all we can do is rely on his words," said Tooth as her wings began to sag in sadness.
"Tooth, Bunny, rest while I try to contact Gaia. Jack's right, it will be easier without him," said North as he and Sandy walked to his office. Tooth sat on the floor gracefully while Bunny just plopped down with a thud.
"I hope Jack's okay," said Tooth as her fairies continued their tooth collecting.
"Jacks strong, He'll be fine," said Bunny. Tooth smirked
"Is that an actual compliment for the guardian of fun, Bunnymund?" asked Tooth smiling at using his full name.
"Shut up Toothiana!" whined Bunny as Tooth let out a small laugh.
XxXxXxX
Jack flew as far as he could until the pain was unbearable that he had to stop. He let himself just fall to the ground as he let go of his staff and gripped the grass as if his life depended on it and let out a scream of agony. His breathing was jaggered and his body was shaking like he actually felt the cold air surrounding him. He would never said it out loud, but those nightmares, there were too strong. His injuries from last time were barely healed up and now, he felt like there were shared of glass through out his body, poking and twisting through his skin, muscles and bones. If he fought anything else and got hurt, he would of healed up within a few minutes, but the nightmares magic was so strong and sickening, Jack could barely move without wanting to scream. Jack didn't know how long he laid on the ground but by the time he looked up, he could see that the sun was directly over him. Slowly, he sat up and grabbed his staff for support, got to his feet. He slowly let the wind carry him high enough to see where his landed. He could see a small town with a polish flag so he assumed he was somewhere in Poland. In a distance he could see a creature flying through the sky with great wings and a rider on his back. He knew it was Gaia. Normally, he would of froze her griffins tail, which would of caused her to yell at him while he would laugh at her angry face, but he was too tired and just let her pass by in peace. He slowly lowered himself onto a tree branch and let his eyes fluster shut until his mind was blank.
JACK DREAM
Jack opens his eyes to a world of snow and ice, But the ice is tainted with darkness and no voices can be heard over the fierce wind that blows through the sky. Jack tried to take to the sky but the wind won't listen to his commands and throws him like a ragdoll to the ice-covered ground. Pain radiates through his body as the wind kept whipping at his skin.
"Hello?" he called to the dark snow-covered world. But no one answered. Not like anyone would hear him .
He started to walk through the snow, he could feel the darkness in the snow and ice . He tried using his staff to thaw the ice himself, but the magic was too dark for him to manipulate it. Suddenly the ice cracked under his feet. A suddenly feeling if deja vu , he tried once again to take to the sky, but he wind was pushing him down now. The ice under him gave way and he fell into darkness. He landed clumsily into North's workshop, but it wasn't like he knows it is. The windows were shattered, there were broken and half-made toys lying around and there was ice slowly but gradually creeping in through the doors and windows. Freaking out, Jack began to look around the dark building.
"North, Tooth, Sandy! "called Jack, but again, no one answered.
"You damn kangaroo!" screamed Jack, even it is earns him a beating, he needed to find someone. Anyone. He hears something moving within the darkness and saw a silhouette of someone.
"Oh thank god. I was worried for a second," said Jack with a small smile. But it quickly faded. It was just it a dark silhouette. No face, no marks, nothing to show who he or she was.
"Your fault," it whispered. Jack started to back away but his legs wouldn't move.
"It's all your fault!" it shouted as it shot one of its arm towards Jack and darkness shot towards him. It hit Jack directly in the chest and caused him to be pushed on the floor and flew hard.
Jack looked up to see the once again, he was somewhere else, but he didn't know where. He was in a room made completely of ice, but a shattered chandelier was in the center and there was spikes if ice on the walls. He stood up, began to walk around until he saw a woman standing on the other side of the room. Her skin was porcelain pale, her hair was almost but not quite white, she held herself with grace and poise. He knew who it was.
"Elsa?" he called to her.
Elsa turned around but Jack took a sharp breath once he truly saw her. He eyes were still blue but were dulled, void of any emotions. Her face was the same. Like something off a glass doll. She wore a long black dress with a slit on the right side to show off her leg. Her sleeves were translucent black and had a cap that was tattered at the ends and had jaggered snowflake designs on it. Jack was scared. This wasn't his Elsa.
"Elsa, what happened to you?" asked Jack walking towards but stopped when four ice daggers shout through the ground. He looked back to Elsa to see that she was the one who was controlling the dark ice.
"Elsa, why are you doing this?!" yelled Jack, not knowing what to do now.
"Kill him…"
Jack froze. He knew that voice. Breathing hard he tried to talk to her again.
"Elsa please this isn't you," he called but she didn't hear him. Several icicles formed in the air.
"Kill him now!"
With one movement, Elsa shot the icicles at Jack.
"ELSA!"
END OF DREAM.
Jack shot up from his sleeping position, hand on his heart and his skin clammy. That wasn't a dream, but it didn't seemed like a normal nightmare either. Jack shrugged, felt like this was just his over-active imagination at the works after the pervious nights events. He looked to the sky, the sun was setting. He stood up, feeling less pain that he was in earlier and let the wind pull him into the sky.
"Take me to Arendelle," said Jack to the wind. He had a sickening feeling in his stomach that his dream or whatever it was, was only the beginning.
XxXxXxX
Elsa was once again, waiting. Today was long and tiring. After last night's nightmare, she didn't fall back to sleep. Her mind was racing after the bogeyman threatens not only her family, but her friend. When dawn came, she dressed, put her almost useless gloves on her and called one of the maids to find her parents. She waited until they arrived. She begged them to let her tutors to teach her in her room, but her parents wouldn't allow it.
EARLIER TODAY.
"Please father, mother. I am begging you, let me be tutored here," Elsa begged. Her mother and father looked at her confused, but Elsa wasn't going to tell them why she was requesting this.
"Elsa we don't understand. Why are you asking for this?" asked her mother trying to reach for her but Elsa quickly moved around.
"It's the only way to protect you," whispered Elsa but her father heard her.
"Elsa, you can control your powers. Look I have for you new gloves. They are stronger than the last ones," said her father showing Elsa white gloves. Elsa shook her head and turned away from them. They though she was talking about her powers.
"You don't understand," said Elsa as she looked out the window. She could see the confusion in both of her parent's faces but trying to explain what is happening will do no good for them.
"Them please Elsa. Tell us. Help us understand," begged her mother with a sad smile. Elsa turned to her parents as a small tear fell from her eyes.
"How could you ever understand? You're not cursed," said Elsa. Suddenly her father's hands were wrapped around her shoulders and she was face to face with her father.
"Don't say that. Never say that you are cursed. You are gifted with a power. You can control it, it will take time but you can control it," said her father with a serious tone, his eyes never leavings Elsa's. Elsa could feel more tears fall from her eyes and a longing to tell them, but who would believe her that she was being threaten by the bogeyman and that she knew Jack Frost.
"Please, just let me stay in my room," she begged once again.
"You can't stay in here forever sweetheart," said her mother.
"But.." started Elsa.
"I'm sorry, but you will continue your classes. Outside your bedroom. Your mother is right. You can't stay here forever," said her father.
BACK TO THE PRESENT
She understood that her parents thought they were doing the right thing. The new gloves were indeed powerful, it caused her hands to feel numb, like before. It didn't matter. It was hiding her powers and that's all she wanted for now. Jack would be upset wit her for thinking like this, he would be upset that she called her powers a curse. She could feel her eyes starting to sting and a lump forming in her throat. She didn't want to do this. He was the reason she survived this long, away from her family, her sister, her life. But now he was in danger, because of her. She let her head drop into her hands. How many people are going to be in danger because of her? Because of what she can do?
"I am doing the right thing," she whispered to herself.
A knock on her window catches her attention. Slowly, she lifts her head to see Jack was waiting outside with a small smile on his lips. She was hesitant for a second. She didn't want to do this. Her heart was battling her mind on whether or not Jack should stay in her life. Her mind wanted him to be far away from her while her heart long for him to be with her. Her mind won out. As long as Pitch was near, no one was safe around her, not even a guardian. Slowly, she walked over to the window and pushed it open for Jack to fly through.
"Hey snowflake," he greeted her like usual, but Elsa didn't respond. She was trying so hard to stop tears from falling.
"Elsa, are you okay?" asked jack again causing Elsa to stiffen.
"You didn't come here last night," she whispered since her throat was feeling constricted.
"Elsa, I am so sorry. I would of come, but something happened. You know guardian duties and such," he said lightly.
"Its now or never," thought Elsa to herself as she took a deep breath and turned to face Jack.
"Jack, I think I need to be alone," she said trying so hard not to show emotion through her voice.
"I understand," said Jack but Elsa knew he didn't understand. "You're upset I didn't show up last night. I'll make sure that next time…"
"No Jack," she whispered loud enough for Jack to hear. "I mean its time for me to be alone. Without you."
"Elsa. I don't understand," said Jack with worry in his voice which made Elsa heart falter.
"I don't need you anymore," she said. She could feel the tears in her eyes starting to sting.
"Don't lie to me Elsa," said Jack in serious voice that almost scared Elsa. "Why do you want me gone?"
She was breaking. She could feel her inner thoughts begging him to help her and protect her. A tiny tear fell from her eyes but she turned her head quickly and wiped it away. She will not break. She had to let Jack be free to be the guardian that he was. He must be so tired of trying to help her control her powers. He was going to hate her, but she had to do this
"Forgive me," she thought to her self before finally speaking.
"I am to be queen one day. I cannot and don't want to rely on someone who is thought of as folklore," she lied.
She could see Jack face fall and her heartbreak into two. It was such a disgraceful and horrid thing for Elsa to even think, let alone voice, but if this get Jack a safe distance from her, then it must be done. No more will she cause people pain from something she never wanted.
"You don't mean that," said Jack looking broken.
"I do," said Elsa lifting her chin, trying to act regal, but wanting to collapse and admit to everything. Her face falter for a second due to the guilt growing inside her, but Jack caught sight of it.
"Please Elsa, tell me the truth," begged Jack trying to reach for her, but she acted as coldly as her powers and turned away from him.
"That is the truth. Just leave me alone," said Elsa as tears started to fall but she refused to show them to Jack.
"Don't send me away Elsa," Jack whispered.
It was too much for Elsa. He sounded as broken as she believed she was. Her heart began to pound, almost like it was telling she to go to him, tell him everything. He can help you. Suddenly her mind began to work again and she could think of only one thing.
"Conceal, don't feel"
And that's exactly what Elsa did. She took everything that she felt and pushed it down deep inside her until her tears dried up. She wouldn't look at Jack, she hurt him too much, but she kept believe that it was to protect him.
"Good bye Jack," she finally said with a dry throat.
She felt the wind pick up in her room and her hair was going everywhere, but she didn't move until the wind finally died down. She did it. She destroyed the only friendship she had since Anna. Her tear can out so fast she didn't realized that the sobs were coming from herself. She wiped her tears away but more came after. She walked over to her bed and saw the teddy sitting there with an innocent smile on it. She picked it up and hugged it so tight, she thought it would tear. She turned to close the window but she saw that ice covered the entire panel with a message written in the ice.
"You're not alone. When you ready, I'll return."
A warm feeling flooded Elsa heart and she couldn't help but let hope enter her mind and her soul. Jack wouldn't leave her. He believed in her. Her mind was scolding her for getting her hopes up. She needed to be alone to stop herself from hurting people but her heart was speaking louder than her mind right now and all it was saying was believe in Jack.
"I'll miss you Jack," She whispered to the wind as she closed the window. Before she got ready for bed, she placed her palm on the glass and with all the concentration she could conjure, she created a snowflake pattern on Jack unique frost pattern without freezing anything else. With that she hugged her teddy and went to bed.
XxXxXxX
"I'll miss you too snowflake," said Jack.
After he left Elsa the message, he flew to one of the roofs near Elsa room. Jack was still worried about Elsa, her behavior tonight just proves what he feared earlier, something was happening and it wasn't something within his control. Elsa was scared of something as he bets his immortality that it involved a certain nightmare. All he can do is be her friend and help her when she wants help. Jack lets out a sigh and sits on the roof crossed legged with his staff in his lap. He looked up to the sky to see Manny up there lighting up the sky and keeping the deep darkness at bay.
"What's going on?" asked Jack to the sky.
Once again, he was silent. Jack laughed bitterly, what did he think that Manny would answer him? Through his lifetime as Jack Frost, he heard Manny speak three times. Once when he told him that he was Jack Frost, second time when he was told that he was the guardian of fun, finally when he told Jack to teach Elsa. He was mysteries and quiet. I guess that was his way of telling Jack that he needed to figure this out on his own. Jack lowered his head, trying to figure everything out.
"Who are you talking to?"
Jack Jumped into the air. He quickly turned around to see a young 9-year-old girl with two strawberry blonde braids, blue eyes and was waiting for him to answer. It took Jack a minute to realize who she was.
"Are you Anna?" asked Jack carefully.
"Yea, why?" asked Anna with an innocent eyes. Jack couldn't help but laugh at her. She was adorable.
"Tell me who were you talking to," said Anna getting impatient.
"I was talking to…" started Jack but didn't know if she would understand. "The moon?"
Anna stared at him for a minute before she burst out laughing causing Jack to laugh as well.
"You're weird. I like you," said Anna, getting closer to the edge of the window before her hand slipped and Jack caught her but his staff hit her window and frost began to cover the glass panel. Anna eye opened wide and Jack cringed hoping she wouldn't freak out.
"Are you Jack Frost?" she asked. Jack could only nodded. Anna let out a squeal of happiness and ran into her room and returned with a book.
"I knew you were real! I knew it, I knew it!" cried Anna jumping up and down where she stood. She grabbed Jack's hand and dragged him into her room "Can you make it snow?"
"Yea," said Jack as he floated into the air and spinning his staff in his hand, it started to lightly snow in Anna's room.
"This is awesome!" cried Anna, as she ran around her room laughing. Jack watch as Anna and saw how alike and yet different Anna was to Elsa but somehow, it seemed like they balanced each other out. Jack decided that he was going to keep an eye on Anna as well; she seemed lonely like Elsa and needed a friend. Suddenly he felt a tug on his pants and looked down.
"Do you wanna build a snowman?" asked Anna. Jack grinned.
"Sure," said Jack as she started to help her gather snow.
End of Chapter 9
I kid you not, there are legit legends of certain area that people believed held magical properties; Google magical area on earth and it will show you from Stonehenge to the red river in china. I'm not saying its true but it was fun a fun read. Next chapter, we are jumping ahead to when Anna is 15 and Elsa is 18, which mean, Pitch is going to show how truly powerful he is.
Bye bye.