Hey Everyone, here again with another update. In further news, it's my 26th birthday (6/8/18) yay! :D

Now I need to make a confession, I have already written the whole 1st book. I finished it like 5 chapters ago, but I've been doing a lot of re-reading followed by a lot of re-writing. I started this project back in April 2015, and safe to say, my literature has improved since then, so there has been plenty of correcting grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes, hence the delays between chapters 6 & 7. Plus the occasional writer block. But here I am with a new enthusiasm for the story.

Welcome Back to "The Guardians of Winter: The King of Nightmares Returns".

Now in the last chapter we discovered: (1) Jack visited Elsa's Ice Palace at North Mountain (2) Jack met up with Oaken at the Trading Post (3) Jack has disguised himself to blend in with the crowd of Arendelle.

CAST

(In Order Of Appearance)

Characters And Voice Actors

Jack Frost - Chris Pine

Queen Elsa of Arendelle - Idina Menzel

Pitch Black - Jude Law

Icy, Witch of Ice - Mila Kunis

Darcy, Witch of Darkness and Illusion - Elizabeth Olsen

Stormy, Witch of Storms - Megan Fox

At the Kingdom of Arendelle, visitors came far and wide to join the celebration being held in congratulating the Eve of Princess Anna and Sir Kristoff's wedding day. The Palace Ballroom was set and decorated, from the six white marble columns which supported the room to the three huge black iron windows hung bunting and ribbons of blue and gold. Long crimson curtains hung from the ceiling behind the throne with golden ropes featuring decorated tassels.

Meanwhile during the visitor's arrival, Jack had managed to sneak into the Palace through an open cloak room window. As he made his way to the Ballroom he walked passed a huge portrait of the Royal Family. Jack stopped and gazed at the family picture. He saw the former King Agnarr and Queen Iduna of Arendelle in the background with a young teenaged Anna in the foreground, it wasn't long until Jack realised that Elsa was missing. Jack scanned the imagery for a sign until he suddenly spotted her. It seemed that the background scenery chosen for the portrait was in front of Elsa's and Anna's bed chambers. Just behind Iduna's left leg was Elsa's bed chamber door which happened to be open a quarter of the way. A face full of fear could be seen peeking through the gap, this of course was Elsa.

Several tears came to Jack's eyes as he looked into her face, he raised his hand and rested it upon Elsa's cheek. 'I should've been here for her, instead of waiting around 300 years to be a Guardian.' His train of thought was disturbed when he heard some Guards approaching from behind. Jack wiped away his tears and gathered his bearings, he put up his poncho hood and ran to the Ballroom.

Meanwhile at the front of the candlelit Ballroom. Queen Elsa sat upon her wooden carved throne. She wore a blue dress which had a green train inlaid with snowflakes, she had two Guards standing either side of her. She watched Anna and Kristoff laughing and dancing together. She looked so beautiful in her pale green and yellow lined Ballroom gown, her ginger hair was pulled back into a ponytail held together with a gold ribbon. Kristoff didn't look to bad himself, he was dressed in a grey suit and white shirt with a gold bow tie.

From where Jack stood, he got a perfect view point of the entire Ballroom. He could see from the entrance to the throne. After he finished skimming and scanning the Ballroom to find that Pitch had not yet shown up, his eyes focused on Elsa in the distance. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in a very, very long time. He felt a warmth penetrate his cold dead heart. It felt like drinking hot soup on a cold Winter's morning, warming the insides of the body as it re-energises its senses.

As Elsa rose from her throne, the music band stopped playing in acknowledgement and the audience paused to listen to their Queen. "Ladies and Gentleman, will you please raise your glasses with me as I give a toast to the to-be bride and groom; my dear sister Anna and Kristoff. May you both share happiness and love together in all the days yet to come. May all your days be forever full of light and never of darkness."

Suddenly after Elsa had said those final words, an aggressive storm picked up outside as the black storm clouds surrounded the Kingdom. Roaring winds stormed into the Royal Gardens destroying flowerbeds and breaking trees outside the palace. The iron windows became bombarded with broken branches and stones as the wind grew violent. Soon the glass gave way as the intensity of the gusts increased, the wind blew into the room extinguishing the wall lit candles causing the crowd to go into panic.

In the mist of the chaos, Jack was separated from his staff. He soon found himself being buffeted towards the throne, where Elsa was trying to calm the situation. As he was pushed towards Elsa, he noticed he was heading towards a pillar which stood a few metres away from the throne. Jack didn't waste his chance, as he approached the pillar he jumped grabbing hold of the bunting and swung himself around the pillar away from the stampeding crowd. Once he was at a safe distance he dropped down to his hands and knees and scanned the floor to find no trace of his staff. The crowd continued towards the throne, the Queen's Guards ran to tackle the approaching mob, but to no avail. Elsa had to think fast, with a stamp from her foot, ice spread all over the Ballroom floor causing the panicked visitors to slip and fall. Elsa quickly manifested the ice into banks of snow, helping the freaked guests to fall on something soft before anyone sustained any injuries.

As Elsa melted away the ice and snow she ordered her Guards to check on the dazed crowd. Suddenly the wind stopped abruptly, but the black clouds remained circling above the palace. As the guests where helped back to their feet, Elsa ordered the lighting of the three central chandeliers which hung parallel in the marble ceiling. The Trix sisters had sneaked in during the disturbance. They now wore long hooded coats which they had stolen from the Palace cloakroom.

Although no one else at the time had noticed it. It took a while before anyone noticed a dark shadow looming over the doorway. The dark figure laughed an evil cackle which echoed to the four corners of the room. "Even You, my dear Elsa, cannot save them from the Darkness."

The dazed crowd separated and ran to each side of the room, Elsa stared down at the unwelcome guest. "Who are you!" ordered Elsa. As she looked on, the Dark Figure began to approach her slowly, soon his silhouette began to take shape. From what she could make out his hair was black, medium cut and spikey, the figures face was pointed with two luminous moon-like eyes which stayed fixed on Elsa. His face when down into a thin neck and a slender body with two long arms. His skin colour was as grey as death and the rest of his outline seemed to end with a long black V-necked robe which dragged along the floor, occasionally a leg came forth as he walked.

"Oh, I do apologise Your Majesty. But it appears you have a talent for telling jokes," said the dark figure, an evil smile appeared on his sinister face. The crowd around him gasped and some began to fear this stranger. His mannerisms and persona gave a negative atmosphere which seemed to chase away any and all positive thoughts, this was felt by Jack.

Elsa, who was furious, wasn't as easily swayed. To hear her toast to Anna and Kristoff being called a joke, it was most insulting. "Guard's! Seize Him!" she commanded, the Ballroom Guards began mobilising around the dark figure.

The dark figure laughed again, black sand from his robe began to swirl around him, "Please Your Majesty, do you really think I came all this way just to insult You?"

Elsa rose from her throne, glaring at the intruder. "I order You to speak Your name," she repeated.

"I have many names, I am he who hides under your bed when you sleep, I am the one who makes you look over your shoulder, I am your nightmares, I am the creak in the floorboards, I…AM…PITCH BLACK!" bellowed the dark figure, the swirling black sand fired like a shockwave at the Ballroom Guards knocking them to the ground.

Jack ducked just in time as a Guard flew passed him from Pitch's attack. Jack didn't like this one bit; he could tell by Pitch's actions; things weren't about to get any better. 'I have got to find my Staff,' he mumbled as he snuck behind the crowd to search elsewhere.

The Dark Figure continued, "But first, I do feel that every man, woman and child here would like to know that it is because of you, my dear Queen Elsa, that I am here tonight. For it was your fear which has summoned me back. MORE POWERFUL THAN EVER!" his voice echoed as he finished his sentence. The crowd of fearful people all looked at Elsa with confused expression, not sure whether to believe Pitch or not.

All emotion in Elsa's face disappeared as she slowly sat back down upon her throne, his voice echoing through her head. As she thought on Pitch's words, fear had started to show as the floor around her started to freeze. Jack noticed this and sped up his search, he pushed and squeezed passed the on-looking crowd as Pitch advanced towards Elsa, still at a slow pace.

"Found it!" said Jack as he reached for his staff from underneath the drinks table. As he turned he saw Pitch, who had somewhat come to a stop several metres away as he saw Elsa's fear running wild. It seemed Pitch was enjoying every sensation her emotions were dishing out. With Pitch distracted, this gave Jack an opportunity to make the first move. He weaved through the crowd and came to a stop once he reached the pillar closest to the throne. Jack summoned the winds and directed them at the door behind Pitch, which rebounded and hit Pitch square on the back causing him to stumble.

There was something familiar about the iciness of that attack. Wildly, Pitch spun around to face his challenger. But to his surprise, apart from a startled and fear-ridden crowd, no one had stood out to face him. Pitch snarled seeing as his challenger was no more than a coward. He bellowed at the crowd, "Who would be so bold as to challenge me? The King, of Nightmares?!"

No one in the room dared say a word, Pitch's eyes continued to dart from Man to Woman, sensing if it was someone from the crowd of faces. Icy nudged her younger sister, "Was that you?" she whispered through gritted teeth, Stormy scowled, "Like I would be dumb enough to challenge him, thanks. If it was me, you'd know about it." she hissed. Icy and Darcy rolled their eyes back to the display of mystery and suspicion. Pitch seemed to not let this go, he continued staring and guessing making the crowd even more fearful hoping it wasn't them.

Jack seized his chance; it was time to make a stand. He appeared from behind the pillar and walked out in front of the throne, he banged his staff to the floor which echoed through the room. This caused the crowd's transfixed gaze on the dark stranger to shift to a shoeless boy with a shepherd's crook in his hand. The entire room gasped as they stared upon Jack, they were unsure whether to be glad or worried that a boy had made the first move against man. (Boy vs Man scenario, that is a nod to Peter Pan BTW :D)

Pitch's eyes darted round to face his rival, his expression turned into one of laughter. "I might have known it, the only one who defeated me 10 years ago is here to save the day." Jack held his nerve against the dark figure. "Are you here running errands for that old Man, or have they abandoned you just like I told you they would?" he mocked.

Icy gazed at the boy, 'How could this weakling have bested this dark stranger? There's nothing to him,' she thought. Icy and her sisters had witnessed cosmic giants and fought against huge beasts, but this boy didn't come anywhere near that level of competition. This couldn't be the attacker, right?

"What do you want Pitch?" asked Jack, he spoke with a blunt and direct voice.

"Oh, didn't you hear? It's a celebratory party for the wedding of some princess and her boyfriend. I just came to offer my blessings." Pitch smirked, he knew he could end Jack; he had all the fear he needed. But first he wanted to play with his meal.

"Funny, I don't recall the boogeyman being invited to a party such as this," Jack replied flatly, some of the crowd sniggered at the pun. Pitch growled, it seemed the playing-with-your-food tactic was Jacks play also, probably a ploy to avoid conflict or at least to delay its inevitability.

"And I don't see your name on the guest list either, what shall I put you down as? One Guardian of Happiness or a 400-year-old boy cursed with agelessness who will lose everything as the world grows old. You choose?" said Pitch smirking, he was searching for a way to get inside Jacks head. Oh how he enjoyed messing with people's emotions.

"I'll take Jack Frost thanks, or the one that kicked your arse…again, you choose?" replied Jack as the cockiness of a teenager began to take hold.

That did it, not only had his tactic come back and hit him in the face; but now Jack was getting into Pitch's head, the time for banter had come to an end. "It appears Ladies and Gentlemen, one of your blessed Guardians has come to your rescue, let see how that pans out?" he snarled as black sand from his robe fired and hit Jack sending him into the ceiling.

Icy sniggered as she witnessed the Guardian fall to Pitch's attack. This boy was no competition, he's just words and hot air. Since the battle in front of her was boring to say the least; she began squabbling amongst her sisters suspecting that it was Stormy who'd attacked Pitch.

As Jack fell to the wooden floor, he found that Pitch's attacks felt different. Of course he hasn't faced this foe for a decade, but he felt stronger and more determined. Jack got to his hands and knees, winded and panting heavily. Jack's initial plan of attack wasn't going to work, he had to come up with a new strategy, fast. 'Elsa… what have you done?' he thought.

Jack looked up from the floor straight into Pitch's face, now wearing an expression of triumph and a slight hint of disappointment. It seemed Pitch had expected more from Jack; this was just too easy. It felt somewhat unfair, not like Pitch cared much about the fairness factor of any battle. He was clearly bitter towards the Guardian for past battles.

Jack decided not to give Pitch the satisfaction of being the strongest man in the room, he just plainly smirked at the dark figure. "Seems you've been practicing in your exile, your grace," Jack mocked and fired a bolt of ice from his staff knocking Pitch to the floor. This got Icy's attention. Not only was she wrong; but this boy had the exact same power she had. 'Who is this guy?' she thought.

Pitch raised from the floor, "Is that all you've got Frost?" he taunted.

Jack picked himself up from the floor, he gave no indications to the crowd that he was nearly out of energy with the amount of fear in the room. He didn't need anyone to see Pitch as the stronger foe.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," Jack replied, he began to swing his staff firing bolt after bolt of Ice at the dark figure. Pitch began to find it difficult to deflect every single attack with his black sand, eventually Jack's attacks broke through and hit Pitch squarely on the chest knocking him to the floor.

In the break from the battle, Jack quickly turned to the throne and threw a snowflake at Elsa's forehead; this stopped the spread of her fear almost instantly. She blinked several times as the Happiness flooded through into her fear-ridden mind. She looked up and met Jack's blue eyes looking straight at her, in more of a friendly stare than a gaze. 'Who are you?' she thought.

A groan from behind brought Jack's attention back to the battle, Pitch rose from the floor, like a serpent preparing to attack. "It seems you've still got some fight in your old age, old man winter," he snarled as he wiped away the remanence of ice from his robe of black sand.

"Old age, eh?" Jack remarked as he blasted Pitch with a combination of Ice and Wind sending Pitch flying backwards into the cumbersome oak Ballroom doors. "And what are you? A random bloke that terrorises children in his night gown?" Jack taunted. Icy found this intriguing to watch, this boy, could command the Ice and the Wind. She soon felt an itch to get involved in the battle and test the Guardian to his limits.

Pitch growled and disappeared into the floor, some in the room began to cheer thinking Jacks quick words had warned off the intruder. Their applause was soon stopped when Pitch's shadows appeared around the room circling the crowd, an echoing laughter could be heard from every corner of the room. Jack hated this, typical of Pitch to use this tactic to get more of the crowd fear-ridden and gaining energy from it, thus depleting Jacks spirit. "Be gone Pitch, this doesn't need to get any worse," he said defiantly.

Jacks eyes darted from shadow to shadow prepared to make the first move before Pitch did. "Of course it does, I've come too far for anything else," echoed a voice; a dark shadow rose behind Jack and prepared to strike him with his scythe. The crowd gasped as the weapon was swung towards the unknowing Guardian. Then something unforeseen happened, Pitch found himself slowing down as his swing got slower and stiffer. Jack turned to see Pitch solidifying in ice; Jack stumbled away once he noticed the scythe coming towards him. Soon Pitch was trapped as an icy statue, his eye's however continued to dart from side to side, attempting to identify his attacker.

Soon the crowd broke into an applause when Elsa walked out from behind Pitch, "I have a rule, never stab someone in the back, the honourable way is to face your attacker," she said to Jack.

Jack just blew her words away, "What are you talking about? I had that in the bag,"

Elsa stood with her hands on her hips, "Did you now?"

Jack just pulled a cheeky grin and turned to Pitch, the ice started to develop tiny cracks as Pitch began to resist his imprisonment. "That ice won't hold him for long; we need to get everyone out of here, quickly." he replied. Deep down Jack was convinced that Pitch was toying with them; he knew he was stronger than what he'd initially shown. Guards within the audience marshalled together and began to lead the guests out of the Ballroom. Elsa commissioned five of her Royal Guards to surround the frozen Pitch at spear and sword point, ordered to attack at the faintest sign of movement.

The disappointed Trix, who were underwhelmed by The Nightmare Kings performance, decided that this was the opportune moment to get involved in the battle, it was time for the Guardian and this glorified monarch to witness true power.

As the Guards began to escort the shaken visitors from the Ballroom. The lead Guard stopped in his tracks, the door had disappeared in front of him. He looked up and down the wall wildly, "Where's the Exit gone!" he called, fear lacing his voice. The guests stared at the distressed Guard.

His superior Officer walked up to him, "It's right in front of you, can't you see?" he scolded.

The Guard turned to face him, both of his eyes had turned black. "No I can't," he panicked as he reached up to feel his eyes. Upon seeing the blinded man, the crowd started to back away from the exit as the man began to scream and whimper.

Panicked screams began to fill the room as the Royal Guards surrounding the immobilized intruder began to lose their sight as well. They dropped to their knees clutching their heads, weeping and whimpering. Clearly the party wasn't yet over, it was only just beginning…

The Fight has Begun...

Thank You all for supporting the story.

Please continue to review and comment.

The concluding Chapter will follow in a Month. Granting me time to add more content as well as editing.

I'm seeing a lot of suggestions for possible team members, although I have somewhat written drafts for books 2 & 3, I don't really have any plans to add those characters. But that being said, those characters may be part of a different team that Jack may recruit in future books. Particularly Captain Cold, Periwinkle, Iceman and may be Loki.

Keep your ideas coming, I stand firm to the belief that there is no such thing as a bad idea. Keep being creative. Write you next time.