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The snow churned around Jack's feet as he walked past the old training grounds he and Bunny used to share and over to the glaciers beyond, which cut through the clouded sky.
If Jack wanted to get stronger, he would have to train himself in a place he knew well- what better place than a frozen landscape, away from reality. Here the spirit could feel most relaxed, knowing that nothing would come to disturb him. Here, no one knew he existed.
After walking for a while, Jack finally stopped, satisfied that he was far away from the Pole. He stared up at the colossal glacier above him and suddenly began to run towards it determinedly as he threw his staff to the side; his eyes were searching for a easy climbing route that he could practice on.
"Ya also need to focus on ya speed. Dodging is one thing, but ya need to be quicker than your opponent in attacking and defence."
Bunny's words echoed in his ears and, with a cry, Jack launched himself at the first chunk of ice as quick as he could. There was a moment when he was perfectly balanced on the ice but it quickly ended and he slipped, crashing onto the ground below him. Hissing with pain, Jack sprang up and clutched his shoulder again.
"Shit." He muttered, stepping backwards a few steps. "That hurt."
However, gritting his teeth, the spirit raced forward again and leapt onto the same spot as before; he began slipping again, slower this time, and he cried out in frustration.
"Come on! I need to do this! How will I get faster and stronger if I can't balance?!" As a last effort, Jack flung his hands out on the ice…
…and stopped slipping.
"Huh?" Jack muttered and hauled himself up, wobbling slightly. "How did that happen?" He looked over to his hands and saw that instead of bail, he had ice claws. Curiously, he twisted his hands and watched as the rays of sunlight bounced off them, giving them a eerie glow. The spirit then touched the sharp points with his finger tip, running them down the hard edge until he reached the end of where his nail once was. Underneath the ice, he could faintly see the rest of his finger, which comforted him a little- it was helpful that his finger was still the same length as before.
"Cool…" Jack said and began to laugh. He jumped off the ice and took a few steps back again, moving his claws out in front with him.
"Go!" The spirit cries out to himself and sprinted towards the rock. He launched himself upwards with a stronger, more confident leap and landed successfully on the ice, digging his new claws into the wall. Growling, Jack leapt again, aiming for next landing spot he could see. He was slowly climbing his way up the glacier, determined to be as quick as he could so he could become better than he was.
—
"Ya need to be flexible- it will help when ya fightin', when ya need to counter attack."
Jack reached the top of the glacier eventually and sat down, deciding to rest for a while. It was then Bunny's advice was pulled from his memory again.
"I think I'm pretty flexible…" The spirit got up, gazing at the ground below him. "But I guess I better practice." Despite his aching limbs, Jack stretched and then stood in the middle of the snow, taking a deep breath. Then, he began to do a random gymnastic routine; cartwheel, handstand, backflip, crab, other things he made up- somehow he thought that this was t what the Pooka meant, but what else could he mean?
Jack did the same again, but quicker, until he slipped and landed ungracefully on his side; his injured shoulder gave a painful stab, reminding him that he couldn't fight off one nightmare. Angrily, the spirit picked himself off the ground, brushing the snow from his hair, and looked out to the landscape again, watching small flakes of snow swirl in the wind.
Jack pictured that Pitch was in front of him, grinning like he was the last time he saw him. His amber eyes glittering smugly, a blade twisting in his hand…
The spirit charged forward, pretending that this was the battle he was going to have to face someday. Last minute, he ducked under the imaginary nightmare king's arm, swerving his body at a odd angle. He finished with a forwards roll away from him, skidding into the snow clumsily.
Jack finally knew what Bunny meant about being flexible.
—
The sun sank into the horizon, and Jack knew that he would have to return to the Pole soon, otherwise all the yeti would worry.
Jack had spent the rest of the day at the top of the glacier, after collecting his staff from the ground, and began to practice his fighting moves.
Bunny did say strength counts a lot for success…
After lots of ice blasts and punches and kicks thrown at an invisible enemy, Jack had decided to rest and now he was sitting at the edge of the glacier, dangling his legs over the edge.
There was no wind; there was just snow falling gently from the sky, some flakes getting caught in the sun's fading light. Jack reached out and grabbed one of them, twisting it around in his hand with a faint smile. He had always admired snowflakes- there individuality always fascinated him, no matter how many times he created them.
The spirit's smile faded and he let the snowflake slip from his hand.
He felt…empty.
Yes, he had practiced his powers today but nothing had changed.
They were the same. Nothing special. After what the moon told him, he thought that maybe…maybe he would get stronger. But nothing had happened.
They were the same.
Jack stood up and grabbed his staff which lay next to him. His limbs shook and his shoulder screamed painfully, but he needed to train more.
He needed to be stronger.
The spirit looked at the chunk of ice he had created in the middle of the snow and narrowed his eyes, aiming for the centre of it, which already had chunks missing. With a cry, he charged forward with his staff held like a spear and started whacking the ice with all his might.
He shot more ice.
He stabbed.
He slashed.
He jabbed.
The ice began to crumble under his attacks, but Jack wasn't satisfied. He wanted it to shatter straight away, with only one blow. How was he going to kill any nightmares with his powers as they were now?
The spirit cried out in frustration, pausing to catch his breath. The pain from his shoulder was almost unbearable and he could barely catch a breath; something in the back of his mind told him to keep going, keep fighting. Jack charged forwards again, slashing the ice with his staff.
What I really need is a sword…
Suddenly his staff began to glow a deep blue; the spirit yelled and dropped it, causing the glowing to cease.
Jack stared at his weapon. For as long as he could remember, his staff had never glowed blue unless he wanted it to. And even then, it wasn't as bright as that- the glow had practically blinded him for a second.
Cautiously, Jack poked the staff with his toe; it rolled a few millimetres, but otherwise did nothing.
"Why isn't it glowing now?" The spirit muttered, scooping the Shepard's crook in his hand. Still nothing.
"Glow!" Jack yelled at it. Unsurprisingly, the staff stayed in his hands, un-glowing. The spirit growled in frustration.
"Why did it start glowing…" Jack thought back to what he was doing or thinking when it began to act strange.
I wanted a sword! Jack thought and immediately, his staff began glowing again.
"A sword! I want a sword! A really nice one!" The spirit cried out, staring at his staff.
He felt the familiar texture of wood change into a colder, smoother touch beneath his hands. It grew thicker, and shorter.
Just as Jack thought the light would blind him, it stopped.
Instead of a Shepard's crook, he was holding a giant sword in his hand, made completely of ice. The handle was decorated with carvings of snowflakes and the blade was smooth and sharp.
"Whaaaat?!" Jack said in disbelief. He swung the sword in the air, pretending to slash some nightmares. The weapon was light and easy to move. As if it was made for him in mind.
Jack began to laugh, tracing his fingers across the carvings on its handle.
"This is great!" Jack yelled; he turned to the ice that he had been practicing on. "Let's see how good this is…" the spirit charged towards the ice, holding his new sword out to one side, and darted past the ice, striking the side. There was a moment when the ice was perfectly still and undamaged; there was silence then the ice shattered into millions of shards, spraying over the snow. Jack watched, fascinated.
You will discover new heights of your power…
So that was what the moon meant! Jack grinned and smashed his sword through the air again.
He was getting stronger.
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