Everything seemed to happen very slowly in the moments following the explosion. Jack was vaguely aware of motion as Kristoff threw himself over Anna, driving her to the ground in an attempt to guard her with his body. Someone yelled out-Jack thought it might have been North-but then, everything fell apart around them. The wall shuddered as it took the relentless blows of cannon fire, and then, began to crumble. The window shattered as residual shrapnel peppered it, sending glass and metal fragments spraying across the carpet.

Jack lunged to the ground, covering his head instinctively as another thunderous boom shook the castle. The wall was blown inwardly as a cannon ball finally found its mark, whizzing through the air before crashing through the opposite wall. He could hear Anna's shriek over the crumbling brick, could hear his fellow Guardians yelling out in shock as the wall disintegrated further. Jack squinted through the smoke, coughing violently as he frantically looked to make sure everyone was alright. He could vaguely make out North's mass near Sandy's glittering silhouette, and though he could not see Bunny or Tooth, he could hear the rabbit's colorful curses and assumed he was alright and had seen to it that Tooth was as well. "Everyone okay?" He called out, ducking his head to avoid a wayward brick as it bounced to the carpet.

"Just goddamn peachy!" He heard Bunny growl, followed by Tooth's murmured affirmative.

"We're...we're fine." Kristoff answered, and Jack could hear Anna's anguished sobs from his direction.

"Us as well." North confirmed. Jack could see him sitting up amidst the destruction of the room.

Jack slowly got up, looking at the damage with complete and utter shock. The north facing wall had been obliterated, a large hole exposing them to the outside world below. Small flames licked at the curtains, and pieces of brick and broken glass littered the room. The dust from the explosion clung to them all, and as he tried to run his hand through his hair, Jack realized there were chunks of wood and crumbles of brick there too.

"We gotta get out of her. Right goddamn now!" The dust had settled a just enough, and Jack could see that Bunny was already on his feet. "If they shoot another round up here, we're all gonna be a mess against the wall."

"He's right." North had risen as well, and Sandy was helping Kristoff with Anna. "Kristoff, you must rally the castle's militia. Get as many civilians to safety as you can...we will handle the rest."

Jack was only faintly listening, his attention drawn more closely to the scene unfolding below. The soldiers were advancing at an alarming pace, readying their cannons for another blast. And in the distance, Jack could see the hellish beast, prancing triumphantly...no doubt rallying another round of soldiers just beyond the crest of the hill. He was so engaged in his hatred of the horseman that he nearly didn't see the band of warriors that had drawn close to the castle, just to the left and almost concealed by one of the large courtyard trees. It was the scent of gunpowder that drew his attention, and it was with horror that he realized the cannon was pointed directly for the castle.

"They're going to hit us again!" He yelled, stumbling back away from the gaping hole in the wall. "Get Anna out of here!" Jack called to Kristoff, glancing back at the couple. The blonde male was already in motion, pulling the terrified redhead through the door. There was no more time for direction however, as another horrific crash made the castle quake. Jack gritted his teeth against the screams he heard from other rooms, knowing that there was nothing he could do for those people. The best he could do for them was to fight the evil invading their home...and that was exactly what he intended to do.

The Guardians were ready...each one of their faces set hard with determination. Jack did not wait for North to make the call on their next move, however...for he already knew what it was. "Start on the the horseman. I'll try and slow down the troops." He said, the finality in his voice meeting no resistance from the others. It seemed that they too understood that Arendelle's only hope was his ability to push the attack back with snow and ice.

"Freeze 'em solid, Frost...and we'll teach Pony Boy to play nice." Bunny said, the dark humor in his voice not quite matching the lethal quality of his features.

Jack didn't bother with a response. He had been pushed to his breaking point, and in the wreckage of Elsa's loss, all he knew in that moment was a faint and detached sort of hatred. Hatred for the horseman. Hatred for the troops. Hatred for Pitch. But most of all, hatred for Grim. For it was he that had put everything into motion...he that had endangered Elsa and torn the world apart from the beginning. It was all so senseless, so callous, so evil...and Jack had had enough. Grim would suffer for his wrong doings.

But first, Jack would see to it that his plan failed.

He lunged from the gaping hole in the castle wall, taking to the stagnant air outside. Smoke burned his eyes, and the scent of gunpowder was overpowering...but Jack would not be stopped. He had never wanted to hurt anyone...it was not in his nature to cause harm, after all. But his hand had finally been forced...and the soldiers that dared to threaten Arendelle would soon feel his wrath.

The sky became turbulent and dark, and it's bloated clouds began to roil. Jack swung his staff, sending an icy burst to the earth below. The ground froze immediately, causing the soldiers confusion as their horses began to slip on the suddenly treacherous terrain. One by one, Jack began to target the soldiers nearest to the castle, sending freezing blasts at each man. Some cried out as the frostbite sank deep, others cursed the sorceress Queen of Arendelle for their pain. Their speculations didn't matter to Jack as he continued, working through the crowd like a whirlwind. Let them think what they must...for in the end, they would learn that Arendelle could not be taken.

The storm continued to brew as Jack called upon the icy north wind. It whipped mercilessly across the land, sending the temperatures plummeting. The soldiers had begun to panic, many of them beginning to scatter. Their wardrobes were insufficient for the winter environment, and Jack knew it wouldn't be long before they began to retreat. The Arendelle militia was far more equipped to fight in the cold...after all, they had just experienced Elsa's winter. They had the upper hand, and Jack fully intended to help them along in their mission to defend the kingdom.

Some of the higher ranking officers were not so easily deterred, however. Jack noticed two of them as they packed gunpowder into a massive cannon that was pointed right for the heart of the castle. Furious, Jack flew towards them, shooting a blast of ice straight for the open mouth of the barrel. It froze instantly, just as they lit the fuse. Jack pressed forward, encouraging the ice to the thicken within the inner workings of the cannon. At the same time, he directed the winds to pummel the heavy weapon, driving its aim away from the castle as it fell heavily on its side. The soldiers had begun to desperately try to right it when there was a muffled thump from somewhere deep within the cannon. His plan had worked.

The cannon ball was lodged in the tube, frozen solid and unable to move. The gunpowder had ignited and with nowhere to release its pressure, the cannon itself exploded in a fiery mess of hot metal and flames. Though he could not see the soldiers, Jack was certain that they were no longer a threat, and he moved on.

Meanwhile, the Guardians had sprung into action as well. The Horseman of War hadn't been hard to find...his trail of destruction was growing greater by the moment. Fires blazed on the horizon not far from the clearing, and gunfire could be heard in the distance.

Bunny was the first to arrive, and he was ready from the moment he lunged from his tunnel. His boomerangs whizzed through the air, their trajectory right on the path of the Horseman. The demonic creature lifted his shield as he reigned in his horse, the animal's footwork sure and true. There was a clang as One of the boomerangs hit the shield, bouncing off the metal ineffectively. The other missed its mark, returning to Bunny's waiting paw.

A sharp crack split the air, announcing Sandy's arrival. He used his whips, aiming for the legs of the horse. One found its mark, wrapping around the thick hock of the creature. It squealed in rage, rearing up as its rider brought down his sword upon the restraint. He cut through the sand, freeing the animal before spurring it into motion once more.

Black smoke billowed from the burning trees, making the air thick and hazy. Bunny did not see Tooth's advancement until she was very nearly on top of the creature, shouting out in rage. The horseman whirled to face her, swinging the sword in a deathly arch. Tooth tried to evade it, but she had been moving far too quickly and was far too close...

Bunny acted without hesitation. He hurled two exploding eggs, at the same time lunging forward, pushing her from the sword's path. The eggs found their mark, one hitting the armored chest of the horse and the other glancing off the tip of the sword. The animal shrieked in surprise, prancing backwards from the impact. It's rider somehow maintained his grasp on the sword, but lost the speed of decent. Even so, Bunny was still in the path of the sharp blade, and there was no evading its wrath. He cried out in pain and rage as the blade sunk deep into the meat of his shoulder, instantly opening a wound that poured a torrent of blood across his grey fur.

The horse was on the move again as Bunny fell, thundering across the clearing as the horseman readied himself for another attack. Tooth fell to Bunny's side, her violet eyes streaming. "Bunny...Bunny, no...no..."

"It's alright...I'm gonna be fine..." Bunny tried to assure her, but from the hot moisture he could feel creeping down his back...even he wasn't so sure.

The thundering grew louder, and he glanced up to see that the horseman was baring down on them both. "Tooth, get outta here!" Bunny snarled, pushing himself to his feet despite the fact that he had grown dizzy.

"No, I won't..." She began to defy him.

"Goddamn it woman, you're gonna die if you stay put. Get in the sky!" He cried, pushing her back forcefully. Bunny stumbled, but somehow managed to to remain upright as he raised one of his explosives in wait of the impending attack. He would wait until the horseman was practically on top of him before he'd detonate the egg. The chances of making it were slim, but if he was going to go down, he'd take Grim's henchman with him.

So long as he could stay conscious...

Two glittering whips snapped out, wrapping around the front legs of the war beast. Sandy yanked the whips, pulling the animal's feet out right from under it. Bunny had just enough time to throw himself out of the way as the creature fell, skidding across the ground on its with a scream of pain as it spilled its rider. Bunny landed on his torn shoulder, and the pain was exquisitely fierce...enough to make his consciousness waver and blackness threaten to overtake him. He knew he couldn't get up, and frantically looked for Tooth, praying she'd done as he'd asked as flown to safety. She hadn't, of course, and even through the smoke he could see her wings began to flutter as she started for him. "Tooth, no!" He yelled weakly as the horseman stepped between them, sword raised.

There was an ear piercing clang as metal and metal collided. North had appeared, intercepting the blow with his own sword. The horseman swung again, but North was ready...deflecting blow after blow with expert maneuvers. The horseman moved with inhuman speed, unexpected for his mass. North fought gallantly however...he was in his element in hand to hand combat, after all.

Bunny clawed himself to a sitting position, attempting to reach back for his boomerang. He felt lightheaded and was vaguely aware of just how saturated his fur felt against his skin...it wouldn't be long before he lost the battle and slipped into the comforting arms of unconsciousness. Even so, he intended to try to disarm the horseman...

One of North's swords went flying, and the horseman swung his own for the other man's throat. North managed to step out of the way, but even as he did, the demon was swinging again. He was too fast...even Sandy's whips could not gain purchase on the blue of metal. With the last of his strength, Bunny hurled his remaining boomerang at the horseman, falling back to the earth the second the wooden handle left his grasp.

It whizzed through the air, and it was clear that the horseman had not been anticipating it. The boomerang caught him in the wrist with a horrific crack, causing a snarl of rage to escape the beast. He lost his grip on the sword, just as North swung again. The blade caught demon's exposed bicep, opening a wound that did not bleed red. A fresh river of a thick black ichor spilled down the muscled arm of their enemy...and while there should have been a cry of pain, all the demon did was laugh.

Two more swords appeared out of thin air, and the war advanced upon North once more. Sandy cracked his whips at the monster, connecting with flesh again and again, opening wounds that the creature didn't even seem to notice. And North was growing weaker, trying hard to keep up with the blows that the horseman delivered again and again.

The fire from the forest had advanced, the first flames beginning to lick at the edge of the meadow. Tooth had gone to Bunny's side, and was struggling to drag the unconscious rabbit to safety. The war horse had managed to free itself from the whips that had dropped it, and was attempting to rush to the aid of its Master. Sandy was fighting it back with his cracking whips, but like its rider, the horse was unnaturally fast. It was clear that the group was struggling, outmatched against the strongest of Grim's army.

North's remaining sword clattered to the ground as the horseman laughed demonically. Sandy moved to avert the fatal blow that would surely connect with North, but he was knocked aside as the horse thundered past him. North knew that there was no time to get out of the way, even as he threw himself to the side. He anticipated the pain, and in that final moment, anticipated looking upon Mariya's beautiful face once again.

Only, the blow never came.

The temperature suddenly dropped, and North opened his eyes in time to see a bright blast of blue rocketing through the air. It connected with the chest of the horseman with such force that he was blown right off his feet, sent tumbling through the air. Another blast hit him again, even as he was attempting to rise to his feet.

Jack landed a few yards from the beast, still not stopping his attack. He swung his staff again and again, not giving the rider a chance to recover from each blow. His features were hard, his blue eyes as cold as the ice he was creating. The rage in his heart seemed to permeate the air, and as he continued to advance on the war lord, he thought he could sense its first inkling of fear.

North had collected his swords and Sandy had stepped to Jack's side, his sand whips frenzied as he struck out with the same relentlessness that Jack was displaying. The horseman cried out in rage and in agony, thick black ichor dripping to the grass at his feet. The three continued to advance, driving the creature backward...until suddenly, it's mount appeared.

The horseman managed to get a grip on the saddle as the animal galloped by, pulling himself into the seat. Jack did not hesitate, taking to the air immediately in pursuit as the horses's hooves left the ground. He shot another blast, missing this time as the horse evaded him...and then, both horse and rider disappeared into the flames of the forest. Unwilling to give up, Jack collected his energy, and with a determined cry he unleashed his power into the burning trees. The blast froze everything in its path, steam billowing to the sky as the flames were extinguished.

The horseman was gone. All that remained was the charred landscape of the forest, still sizzling from the ice that had taken away the flames.

"Jack..." The gruff, exhausted tenor of North's voice drew his attention from the treeline.

The three of them were gathered around the lifeless form of Bunny. North had shed his jacket and it was wrapped around him. Tooth was at his side, crying softly while Sandy tried to comfort her. When he'd entered the clearing, all Jack had been aware of was that his family was in danger. He had not noticed that the rabbit had not been in battle...his only focus had been driving away the monster that was threatening the Guardians. What he saw below made his heart seem to stop and his blood to run cold.

Jack landed next to them. Feeling stickiness beneath his feet, he glanced down and saw that it was blood. The grass was soaked, and there was no doubt it had come from Bunny.

"No..." Jack whispered, blue gaze meeting North's. "Is he...please tell me he's not..." Jack's throat thickened, and he couldn't finish.

"No. He's alive." North said gently. "He's lost a lot of blood though. We need to get him back to the Pole immediately."

"Oh Bunny..." Tooth whispered as she stroked the fur on his cheek. "Please stay with me...please don't go."

"He's strong, Tooth. He'll pull through this." North told her gently. His wise blue eyes made it clear he was aware that the nature of their relationship had changed...and he felt sorry for the fear she was experiencing over the one she loved.

Jack had desperately wanted to get to Elsa. To fight the battle that would bring her home to him. But as he looked upon Bunny's limp form, he remembered how the rabbit had saved him from Pitch's scythe in their last battle. He remembered how Bunny had gone to Elsa to make her believe in him again, all to spare him the agony of being forever unseen to the woman he loved. He remembered every sarcastic remark, every humorous comment during the time they'd spent together. Bunny was his friend, his brother...and he needed to help get him to safety. "Get a globe, North. I'll help you get him home." Jack said, moving closer to Bunny. "Let me?" He asked Tooth gently.

She pursed her lips and nodded, moving back to let Jack pick up his friend. "But Jack...what about Burgess?" She asked softly.

"I'm still going. Pitch and Grim are going to pay for everything." Jack said as he hoisted Bunny off the blood stained earth. "Bunny saved my life once. I owe this to him...and he'd do the same for me."

North said nothing, only nodding as he threw the Snowglobe and opened the portal that would take them home. Jack didn't look back as he stepped through, holding his friend tightly as they were swept into the Medical Bay.