Hey guys! I know this is pretty late for my already pretty late monthly updates, but I saw that the original publish date for this fanfic was actually today (Dec 30), so HAPPY 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO RESTORING BALANCE! Thank you all so much for following me, even if I have the stupidest work schedule! Hey, you all still like my work, and maybe for my New Years resolution I'll try to keep up on this (even though I'm already obsessed with it and my dreams are plagued with chapter ideas) and have a consistent update time!

Now, I have a lot more to say but I'll just answer this guest review then start haha.

Sweets—n—Treat: Thanks for the A on my research xD and hmm maybe I should put it in the mystery section (if I haven't). As for your questions, one thing is for certain, people have been asking about Jack's head voices. As I've answered KitoH, Jack and Jokül are two separate entities that inhabit one body. It's a very long story as to how that happened, and it'll be explained later on in the series. Also, I was a bit confused about what you meant for your second question, so I'm assuming you're talking about where he went. It takes a ton of energy for Jokül to show up (even more if he completely envelopes Jack), so he was simply resting. He'll be back tho! :D

Heads up, I didn't get this run through with any beta (because I wanted to be published today), so this is unbetaed.

One last thing, I PROMISE (it's super important too)! There will be some MINOR SEXUAL TORTURE IN THIS, LIKE REALLY MINOR, BUT I WANT TO WARN YOU ALL.

I will be sectioning off that part, so go ahead and read on.

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(Hel's Catacombs)

Once the door slammed shut, Jack sighed, "I hope Neffie's going to be fine."

"From my experience in this hellhole, no." Ciara pursed her lips in a thin line.

Jack deadpanned at the goddess. "I know, you're not the only one who spent a while here."

"Well, I've stayed here far longer than you ever had."

"Really?" the winter spirit challenged, "I've stayed here for thirty years."

Ciara rose an eyebrow in mock astonishment. "Interesting, but I've been here for over two hundred years."

Pitch, who had been muting out the two rivals, suddenly turned around, his shackles silent as ever. "Excuse me, what?"

"Well, what'd you think? It's not like Hel would try to discard her 'useful' sister," Ciara snapped.

"Yeah, but still. How'd she keep you here so long?" Jack questioned, "You could literally kick her butt if you wanted to!"

"Blackmail, duh?" The goddess crossed her arms. "Now, let's just talk about something else."

Jack merely smirked. "Ooh, I got under your skin! How'd you get blackmailed by Death of all people?"

"How'd you get blackmailed by Khione then?" Ciara shot back.

Pitch then looked at Jack. "You were once—"

"Yes!" Jack interjected, "Wait, how'd you find out about that?"

"Through Neffie, of course," Ciara teased, "Anyway, you're so curious about me, why can't I be curious about you?"

"You know, there's a difference between you getting blackmailed to stay here and my example."

"I don't see it," Ciara said, "I mean, they are both bitches after all. Plus, we were both imprisoned by them. Me with being bound to this hellhole and you being bound by a marr—"

"Let's not go there," Jack growled, his small smile immediately falling, "I get the point."

"I don't see why you're so triggered Frosty, it's just a—" Ciara stopped when she saw Jack's scowl.

Jack blinked in shock, but once realizing why Ciara paused, his smirk returned, and he joked, "Cat's got your tongue, Cici?"

"What'd you just call me?"

Before the two could start an argument again, the door was banged open by the same guard, except this time Khione was with him.

Oh no. Jack's stomach suddenly flip flopped when he saw the goddess. I think I can taste breakfast, but I didn't eat anything.

"Stupid guard," Khione grumbled, her slight pout fading into a cheerful smile when her eyes landed on Jack. Thus instead of going down the stairwell, she was swept up by her wind and gracefully landed down below.

"Jackie!" Khione cooed, "Missed me?"

Jack slowly backed up against the wall as Khione stepped closer to him, only to be stopped when Khione suddenly grabbed ahold of the chain between his wrists. He internally screamed when the goddess yanked on the metal, jerking him towards her.

Hands on the soot covered ground, Jack tilted his head up and replied, "You wish, Snær Bikkja."

Khione chuckled, squatting low enough to be eye level with Jack. "Oh my prince, we both know that vulgar nickname has no effect on me."

"Slut."

Everyone in the room stared at Jack, a mixture of emotions on each of their faces as they processed what he said. Ciara was plain amused, Pitch was surprised, and the tightened grip on Jack's chain was enough of a clue to tell that Khione was livid.

Ciara was the first to snap the tangible silence with a snort. "Ooh Frosty, never knew you could ever say that!"

In fact, it wasn't me who said tha— Jack interrupted his thought with an internal shout, 'JOKUL!'

'Yes, Ungr Vetr?' Jokül responded.

'It was you, wasn't it?'

'Perhaps so; however, you know she deserved it.'

Jack instantly ignored the other's ranting when Khione suddenly stood up, lifting him above the air, a steely hold on the iron link in her hand. The goddess drew him close, to the point where the blue fabric of her robe slightly tickled against his bare chest, her other slender hand holding his chin hard enough to bruise.

Khione moved her lips to his right ear, her viciously cold breath brushing against the shell of his ear as she whispered, "You shall regret ever saying that, my prince, for you are no match to me here in this dungeon. Understand?"

Even though he was supposed to be the Winter Sovereign, her king and ruler, it took an effort for Jack to hide the slight quiver in his voice as he choked out, "What if I said that it was Jokül?"

His response instantaneously melted away the tension in the room.

Khione barked out a laugh and drew Jack away from her, still keeping him above the ground. "Of course he would dare speak to me as such, I should have known. I apologize deeply, Jackie. May you ever forgive me?"

"Sure?" Jack stared at Khione in confusion. Wasn't she about to kill me a second ago?

"Very well." Khione gently set Jack on the ground and detached him from the wall.

Because of Jack's bewildered expression when his ankle restraints were unlocked, Khione continued, "Now Jackie, do not presume I came here to simply flirt. I have a task with you."

"I honestly was hoping that you just came here," Jack remarked, "but I guess I shouldn't have expected that."

Khione merely lifted herself and Jack off the ground with the assistance of her wind, carrying them off to Gods know where.

"You know, taking off the blindfold would be really helpful right now."

"Of course," was Khione clipped response before a faint light washed over his eyes.

Once again he was bound onto some table, this time in a laid out position with his arms and legs spread out. Not only that, there was an array of spears, swords, daggers, and other sharp weapons covering up the wall beside him, some coated with dried blood, others shining in the torchlight. When he looked at his feet, there were some metal contraptions that reminded Jack of fairy wands, each wand having a star at the top that glowed their own color: lava red, ice blue, electric yellow and chalk white.

Khione moved from her chair at his side to snatch the electric yellow wand, pressing a button at the bottom to cause it to buzz with electricity. Maniacally, the woman edged closer to Jack, wand clasped in her right hand.

Jack did not like where this was going.

"Now as you very well know," Khione began, drawing Jack's attention off the device, "Hel is curious about your human past."

Jack deadpanned, locking his eyes with the goddess. "No kidding."

Khione ignored him as she continued her monologue, "As such, she has trusted me into breaking you down enough to spill the information she desires."

"So, you're going to use pixie wands to make me talk?" Jack rose an eyebrow.

"Not just any pixie wands—wait."

Jack snickered as Khione fumbled with her words, even after she smacked him across the face leaving a stinging handprint on his cheek.

"Stop your foolish laughter at once. These devices are designed to ensure pain from four different elements: fire, ice, electricity and air," Khione huffed.

"Basically what Nefra can already—ow!"

Jack yelped when the wand was brutally slapped onto his chest, his muscles contracting together. The goddess glared at her captive, teeth clenched together.

"Yes, Hel absorbed the power of the Harmony Spirits she killed into each wand," Khione seethed, hitting Jack's shoulder hard enough to singe his skin, "I am already annoyed at your petty squabbling. Do not bring forth my anger any further."

Even though the warning sent off bells in his head, he still replied, "Really? What would you do if I did?"

A beat later, Khione zapped his crotch.

It felt as if a million shards of glass suddenly sunk into his organs, shredding them apart as if they were nothing but melted butter. He screamed when the shards burrowed deeper into his body, splitting himself in half. Sharp explosions ignited within his genitals, setting ablaze the entire lower region of his body.

He just wanted the pain to end, end, end! What had he ever done to deserve such anguish?

Just when his eyes were about to roll, the current stopped as abruptly as it began.

His whole body ached, from his lungs taking in as much oxygen as possible to his curled toes. How was he going to be able to survive the interrogation if it hadn't even begun yet?

Khione smirked when Jack spasmed from the aftermath. "Like I said, do not play cocky with me."

"Got that." Jack rasped out, eyes now glued to the wand.

"Now, I have merely one question to answer and that is all," Khione spun the device in her hands as she talked, "What are the names of your parents?"

'Do not even dare tell her, Ungr Vetr!' Jokül's voice suddenly boomed in his head.

"What?"

After a zap on his thigh that added more to the accumulated pain, Jack gritted his teeth. "It was just a question!"

"You do not answer a question with another!" Khione yelled.

Jack shouted back, "You do if you don't understand the point of the question! Heck, how am I supposed to even know that?"

Khione crossed her arms. "Everyone knows their parents' names. I knew my father's for millennia."

"That's because Boreas uses his name in the court! You'd be insane if you didn't know his name," Jack responded, then muttered, "If you're not already."

His teeth clamped together as his chin was suddenly jerked upwards by a chilled hand, forcing him to peer at the dark scowl set on her face. "By the Gods, when will you ever learn to not annoy the one who has the upper hand?"

"When it isn't fun to annoy people?"

'I would be quiet if I were you," Jokül piped up in his head.

Jack nearly rolled his eyes. 'Kinda too late for that.'

Instead of an electric shock, Jack felt teeth sinking into the flesh of his neck, causing him to frown at the goddess when she sat up once again. "What was that?!"

"It seemed you were not understanding the point of the shocks," Khione stated, "Thus, I tried a different approach."

"By biting me?!" Jack indignantly shouted.

"Yes, and did it not work?" Khione commented, "However, that was not the point of why you are here."

"Yeah, I kinda know that. Though, I'm not spilling anything just yet," Jack added, jangling his bound wrists, "so it'd be best to just let me go."

"Are you sure about that?" Specks of frost from Khione's hand spread across Jack's browline as she traced them. "I could still waterboard you to talk. I heard it was very effective for Hel."

She cackled when the boy gulped nervously. "Oh don't be scared of that, Jackie. I could never imagine doing something as harsh as that."

'But that doesn't mean she won't do anything worse, Ungr Vetr.'

'I get it, Jokül.'

"Alright then, what will you do?" Jack asked, gaze slipping on the other wands at his feet.

Khione smiled as she replaced the yellow starred device with the red starred one. "This."

A fiery sensation traveled through his veins, originating from the soles of his feet. It was as if lava was being poured all over them, heat sinking into his bones.

"YOW! Okay, I get it!"

She stopped digging the wand in his feet. "Will you say your parents' names then?"

"I don't even know their names!" Jack replied, exasperated, "I can't really give a name unless you want me to make up one."

Khione abruptly moved the wand to his groin, tip barely touching the sensitive area. "I don't believe you at all, my prince. I shall give you one last chance or else enjoy this."

The radiating heat causing his stomach to flip, and he blinked his eyes harshly, tears falling from his eyes. "Like I said, I have no clue what to say."

Nothing could have prepared him for the blistering agony when Khione grounded the hot metal against his crotch.

He screamed as pain shot from his genitals once again, this time it being an engulfing flame set to burn his entire body from the inside. No, it was the core of the fire, the blue, that swallowed him. It worsened as Khione tried different angles, and he tried to squirm to get away from the penetrating heat, only in vain when Khione managed to dig deeper.

'Jokül, stop the pain!' Jack screamed desperately, 'Please, help!'

The other, in return, sighed. 'I'm so sorry, Ungr Vetr. Nightlight and I are trying something, but we cannot do anything as long as you're bound.'

'What can I do then? You told me to keep my parents' identities a secret, but it couldn't be that bad for this!' Tears welled up in his eyes, even after the burning metal was removed.

'If they find out, you shall be in a worser predicament than now.'

Khione looked down at him in pity, and maybe even sadness, as she held up the wand. "I did not wish to inflict so much harm upon your body, Jack. However if you remain so stubborn, I have no choice."

'Do not DARE say anything, Ungr Vetr, or you shall regret it! Please, do it for both of us,' Jokül whispered before his influence faded away, not being able to keep the connection up with the little strength he had.

It's just me then. "I won't be saying anything anytime soon, Khione," Jack responded coldly before groaning, "Though, mind going at least a bit gentle on that region?"

Anger flashed in the goddess's eyes. "I shall not do any of your requests if that means you will still keep quiet."

Worth a try, Jack thought, Hmm, I wonder if Jokül would yell at me for saying that.

(Okay, this is where things get sexual a bit, not much, but yeah. I'll tell when it's done too!)

However, it seemed that Khione did have enough sympathy to grab the blue starred one. If Jack could guess from the color, it was the ice wand.

He accidentally let loose a sigh as the cool metal numbed away the agony left by the heat, but winced once the cold started biting into his flesh.

Khione, frowning at the lack of reaction from Jack, moved the device to his chest, swirling the tip of the star against his nipple. She grinned when Jack failed holding back a whine and continued her ministrations much harder.

He squinted his eyes, tears slipping away as he was overwhelmed with a bout of pain with a bit of pleasure mixed in. The worst part was Jack had no idea why, of everything, there was that hint of pleasure pounding at him while Khione tortured him. Thus, Jack did the only thing he could think of doing.

He sobbed.

He sobbed as Khione sped up her movements and began to nip his other nipple. He sobbed as she gently wiped away his tears and taunted him with betraying Jokül. He sobbed as the pleasure increased and he was helpless to stop it.

Soon his body started quivering like a taut bowstring, the knot growing in his stomach causing him to start heaving.

"Please just stop, Khione," Jack begged, voice wispy as he silently retched, "P-please."

"I am heavenly sorry Jackie," Khione replied, "I can only stop once I get the information I desire."

Jack then opened his eyes, locking his despairing blue with her lustful black. "I don't know much about their names, Khione, I really don't."

"It's not that you do not know," Khione whispered as she brushed the tip of the cold star against his collarbone, "Your stubbornness is the only cause as to why you do not answer."

"Touché, I'll give you props for that." He nearly moaned when the wand hit a cluster of nerves on his neck, Khione lewdly grinning at the catch of his breath and continued teasing the area.

Jack didn't dare to open his mouth until she paused for a second, then he rushed out, "But still, I only heard them say it in passing!"

In victory, Khione put her face against her crossed arms on the table, face close enough to Jack's for him to smell her minty breath. "In passing is good enough for us. Now be a good little Sovereign and tell me what their names are, and I shall let you go back to the cell."

Ugh I'm so sorry for this Jokül, even if I don't know why you're so eager to keep it a secret. Jack glanced at Khione's waiting face before looking down again. Though, maybe I could use their other name.

"Iah and Selene," Jack answered, "Their names were Iah and Selene."

"Alright then," Khione said, placing the wand down with the others. Jack sighed in relief, but soon his eyes widened when he saw Khione picking up the white starred wand. "I had some amazing plans with this, too bad I cannot accomplish them. Although, I never declared when exactly you'd return."

"W-wait Khione, please d-don't do—"

Jack couldn't finish his statement before the white star was on his chest, his breath escaping him. As he gasped for air like a fish, Khione leered at him, her eyes shining with enough lust to put Aphrodite to shame.

"I have always wondered how a breathless kiss would come from you, Jackie. Perhaps, now is my opportunity to see."

With that, she dived into his gaping mouth, one hand holding the wand against his chest, the other running through the individual strands of his tangled hair.

He writhed against her, but the way she straddled his hips caused his frantic movements to deepen the kiss. He tried to free himself from her grasp, but the gentle yet steely grip she had on the nape of his scalp locked him in place. He held in all his tears, but the overwhelming sense of forced pleasure made him release them.

In his anguish, the piece of metal slithered from the center of his chest up to his neck, rhythmically tapping on that sweet spot once again. Her tongue tangled itself up with his, slowly stroking his stoic tongue as her lips rubbed against his chapped ones. Black dots swam in his darkening vision as pangs of desire shot down his spine like ripples of energy, the knot in his stomach growing even stronger. He couldn't do anything with that fierce hold on his breath she had, except letting loose soft whimpers.

Once she heard him, she shut off the wand. Air suddenly rushed into his body, everything flickering dark as unconsciousness was near him, but not close enough to take him out of there. Her lips were still against his, not even resting to give him oxygen.

Then, she stopped kissing him, a thick line of saliva running between them. He took the opportunity to breathe in more air to fill his lungs. Still, Jack couldn't help but feel worried, especially with the lascivious grin plastered on Khione's face that grew as his discomfort levels rose.

His worry was for a good reason when she slipped back into his mouth for a second time. He heard the soft plink of the wand after she had discarded it, instead using her fingers to massage that same spot on his neck.

Regardless of the kiss, he couldn't keep some of his desperate noises to himself, unintentionally turning her on. As such, her fingers began seeking more of his skin, slowly exploiting parts of him he didn't want touched.

His eyes widened when her finger hooked onto the rim of his pants.

(Okay, the sexual torture is over now!)

However before she could go any further, someone yelled, "What is going on here?!"

Khione instantly untangled herself from him, legs still straddling his hips, as she stammered, "Hel!"

The goddess, in return, glared at her ally. "Get off of the boy."

Khione complied, jumping off him as quickly as she got on and sat in the chair beside him. He couldn't help but pant in relief, even if it was Hel that saved him.

"What the fuck happened?!" a voice shouted, "What the shit did you damn do?!"

That was when Jack noticed the others: a shocked Sabrina, a sympathetic Acheron and a fuming Ciara that was bound by chains held by the Halloween spirit.

Ciara's lethal gaze fell on him, and he knew that he was quaking like a leaf, a tirade of never ending tears falling from his eyes, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Khione could no longer continue the game she was playing, and he was relieved by that.

Once she looked away from the stomach wrenching sight, Ciara hissed, "You are a fucking whore!"

Before anyone could stop her, Ciara tackled Khione off her chair in fury, Sabrina blocking off Jack's view. By the sounds of crunching cartilage and grunts of pain, he had a fair idea of how gruesome the fight was and jerked in fear.

Noticing the flinch, Sabrina knelt down till she was eye level with him and slowly combed through his hair. Jack tensed, slightly shivering when the emotions he felt through the kiss rebounded back at him.

Wide eyed, Sabrina stopped and kissed his forehead. "I apologize Jack."

He shook his head. He just wanted to be left alone, to not be touched by even his friends. Jack knew that his avoidance to touch was a troubling issue, yet he couldn't bring any strength to care.

After awhile, it seemed that Hel's patience was waning. "Enough with this nonsense!" Hel barked, "What are you waiting for, servant? Break it up!"

Acheron paused for a beat then leapt into action, Jack clenching his eyes shut and turning away.

"Jack, just open your eyes," Sabrina whispered softly, "Jaack."

Jack whined as his head was moved towards the fight; however when he looked at the area, he saw Acheron holding onto a part of Ciara's chains, allowing Khione to stand up and frost the gashes she received. He was relieved to see that Ciara had only some bruises which she shook off.

"I thought we had agreed that Jack would be mine!" Khione growled.

He was shook. What?

Hel gave her a deathly stare. "I have; however, you shall do as you please with him afterwards."

The winter spirit in question felt his stomach flip, bile soon crawling up his throat as his nausea increased. Due as you please? He didn't even want to think about what Khione had in store for him later on, knowing that he would start vomiting if he did so.

Skip that, he was already spewing out bile, gurgling on it because of his lack of strength to move his head to the side. Nevertheless, Sabrina had other plans and tilted his head towards her, not disgusted by the sheets of bile and water that erupted from his mouth.

This brought Hel's attention, and with a sideways look at him, she told Khione, "Leave."

With a final glare directed to Ciara, Khione stormed out into the hallway, blue robe swishing behind her.

Hel took the link out of Acheron's hands and ordered, "Make sure she goes to her quarters, and bring me Jack Frost's garment."

"Yes, Master!" Acheron replied before following the infuriated Snow goddess.

Hel handed Ciara's chain to Sabrina, Ciara sending a grieving glance at Jack.

The goddess nonchalantly scanned the panting Winter immortal, his heaving ceasing once Khione left. She moved to hold the teen's chin, forcing him to look directly in her red eyes. "Hush now, Jack Frost."

Even though she was the enemy, even though he was her captive, even though it was her fault in the beginning for this mess, he couldn't help but repeat over and over in his soft voice, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

As the other two stared in shock, Hel shushed his mantra with her hand. "Do not thank me just yet, Frost."

She then closed her eyes, rubbing her temples in annoyance. "Why had I ever let her have a go at him without watching her?"

She then turned to her daughter, still having a firm grip on Jack. "Give me your dreamsand."

Sabrina's eyes widened at the request. "H-how did you—"

"Give me the dreamsand!" Hel snarled, "Now."

The Halloween spirit complied, slowly pulling out the item from her satchel and handing it to her.

Hel opened the small cloth bag and dipped three fingers inside, catching bits of the sparkling, golden sand. Pulling the drawstring, Hel tossed the bag back to Sabrina, who caught it instantly and shoved it away.

Jack tried to edge his face away from her fingers; however, her hold on his chin restrained him from moving. He twitched when her fingers brushed against his brow line, lightly kneading his scrunched skin. Immediately, a wave of drowsiness washed his body, relaxing as the death deity continued.

His vision darkened as he allowed sleep to take him away from the world.

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That's it for this chapter (and go ahead and kill me now for what I wrote)! Now, I was going to say was that I actually managed to get the FULL series of Guardians of Childhood at the library and I AM SO THRILLED! My friends have seen that excitement already too haha.

Not only that, but 2k views already in ONE YEAR?! I'm so excited that I reached 2k!

I dunno what else to say tbh other than to review and stuff. So yeah, reviews are welcome :D And I didn't forget the OC list haha (no updates so yeah).

List of OCs Mentioned So Far:

Mother Nature (GoC character with OC traits)

Tsar Lunar XII (GoC character with OC traits)

Anemone

Themis

Hel

Holler

Yuki-Onna

Khione (Sortaish from PJO with OC traits)

Bedelia Doiteain

Erantha

Ashun

Nefra/Ma'at

Ciara/Adrestia

Sabrina Hallows

Acheron

Morana

Gwenith

Old Man Winter

Beira

Boreas (Sortaish from PJO with OC traits)

Yas

Gwendolyn