CHAPTER 6:

NIGHTMARES AND SPECTERS

Well, this is the longest chapter I've written. Hope you guys like it.

{Elsa's POV}

My eyes startled open. I was lying on the ground in a dark place. I don't know where I was and I was afraid. Conceal, don't feel. I slowly rose to my feet. I was trembling so much it was actually difficult to walk at first but I slowly calmed myself and took a few steps forward. I couldn't make out anything, it was pitch black. The surface was smooth and I couldn't feel anything around me, I couldn't feel anything. There was no wind, no heat, I was in a place of complete darkness and nothingness. I could feel my nerves building up, I needed to get out.

I started running, not caring where I would end up, I just had to get out of this place. After what felt like an eternity, I saw a light. It was far away but it was there. Hope began to well up inside of me. I eventually made it to the light but as I got closer, it shone brighter and brighter until it became blinding. My steps became smaller, my enthusiasm diminishing, the fear was back.

Eventually the light subsided and I was able to see properly. I was in Arendelle but it wasn't the same. It was stuck in a ferocious snow storm. The fjord was frozen, the houses were covered with frost. Was this my doing? Despite the harsh weather, I was able to walk with ease. How could this have happened? I was making my way to the castle, my hands clutching my arms, when I saw a horrendous site. Before me stood one of the residents of the kingdom completely frozen. He looked horrified. I held back a gasp. Was he dead? Did he die because of me? I moved closer to the man when I noticed everyone else. All the citizens had been frozen and they all held the same face of fear. Oh, God, what had I done? Anna.

I had to make it to the castle, I had to make sure that my family was safe. I made my way to the castle and as I entered, I saw that even the insides of the castle were covered in a sheet of frost and ice. My powers were more powerful that I thought. I made my way to Anna's room and along the way I was greeted with the same faces of terror plastered on the servants and maids of the castle who were also frozen.

I had never noticed how large this castle was. Why is it that when you want to get somewhere, the path always seems to take forever? I eventually made to Anna's room and quickly rushed inside. I hoped that she was alright. Please, not her. The door burst open and I saw my parents perched over an ice figure of Anna who held the same expression of fear as everyone else but hers was the most devastating to look at. I had even hurt her. My parents turned around and stared at me, they held a somber expression. "How could you do this, Elsa?", my mother asked with a grievous tone. She then began crying, burying her head in her hands as she fell to her knees. My father's expression changed from that of sorrow to rage. "You couldn't control it and now look what you've done!", he screamed at me. "Conceal, don't feel. Was that too much to ask for?!". I began to tremble, I had never heard my father talk like this before. I was so afraid, I began to back away. "You can do nothing but hurt everyone around you, you're nothing but a curse, you should've died instead of Anna!", he barked at me. The fear had taken over, my heart was beating so fast, I was hyperventilating. "Please, mama, papa...", I pleaded with them. I didn't mean to do this. My father grew angrier and began to shout out profanity at me. Each word made the fear grow stronger and I couldn't take it anymore. "STOP!", I closed my eyes and screamed. My eyes slowly opened and what I saw were my parents, frozen like everyone else. Oh, God, everyone was dead because of me. I can't control the curse.

Frederick. I needed him. He was the only one who can help me now. He's the only one who can help me control the curse. I ran out of the castle as the tears ran down my face. Where was I gonna find him? I didn't know where he went, I didn't know anything about him. I ran through the kingdom and wherever I looked, I saw more faces of terror. I could do nothing but bring pain and destruction. I really was a monster. Eventually I came to a stop in the middle of the docks where I saw him, Frederick. He was just standing there, his back towards me. A glimmer of hope passed before me, he can help me, he can fix everything. "Frederick", I say out, my voice a bit weak but he heard me as I saw him stiffen up. He slowly turned around and I was horrified to see that he was slowly turning into ice, he held the same look of terror as well. Had I done this to him? He fell to his knees, wincing in pain. "Elsa, why? I tried to help you. Why would you do this to me?"

I was shaking my head. I couldn't have done this. "I didn't mean to. Please, Frederick, you have to believe me. I never meant to hurt anyone.", I said in between tears. I stared at him as he constantly winced in pain until eventually he gave me one final look. "You will only hurt those around you." And with that, he was frozen solid.

My eyes burst open as I realize, it was all a dream. I was breathing heavily, my hands clutching the bed sheet for dear life. I looked around and saw that my entire room was covered in ice and frost. Conceal, don't feel. I needed Frederick now more than ever.

The rest of the day had gone by normally but that nightmare lingered in my mind throughout it all. What did it mean? Was the fear meant to take over? Was I only ever going to hurt people? These thoughts remained even during my lessons with Frederick.

A few months had passed now since we began training. He had originally told me to use the belief that one day I would be accepted as a way of controlling my powers but over time, that idea seemed to drop. Other than that, he had helped me understand what else I could do with my powers. I had learned that I could form solid objects with my powers. He had instructed me to make an item, like a table and eventually, with practice, I was able to make it but it came out rough and jagged but Frederick didn't seem disappointed. He didn't acknowledge or commend any of my efforts so I knew that he was impressed. He was a strange man. It took a lot of effort on my part to make those small objects but Frederick was patient and with his help, eventually, I would be able to make amazing things, like a castle.

My worried state did not go unnoticed by Frederick as he began to question what was wrong with me.

{Frederick's POV}

A few months had now gone by and our training had only shown a few signs of progress. I had taught Elsa to use the strength of her resolve to outweigh any fear that may be lingering in her mind but apparently the fear is stronger than her hopes. I had decided to use the fear itself but that would be a slow process. She would deny it and therefore I'd have to ease the idea into her. Other than that, her powers had grown. She could conjure up objects with her powers and despite the rough condition they would come out as, it was still quite impressive. We did have many mishaps from time to time. She would try to release a fair amount of magic but she would end up losing control causing the energy to fly in all directions. More times than I'd like to admit, I was also hit by one of those energy blasts and seeing him hit, despite knowing that it didn't hurt me, destroyed her.

Elsa always remained focused in our lessons, more than a child in her age should be, but today she seemed distracted and it was effecting our training. Today, I had been teaching her on how to be able to use her powers for longer periods of time without getting too exhausted. If she wanted to achieve the grand feats I knew she was capable of, she needed to be able to gather the strength to do it.

"Elsa, you're distracted.", I said as I coughed a few times.

Her head jerks towards me, she was obviously daydreaming.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was just...thinking.", she explained.

"Until you start paying attention, we won't be training. I do not want to see you in this state tomorrow.", I said. I knew my voice held an undertone of disappointment and that's what probably made her head slink down but I didn't say anything to reassure her.

"I'll be back tomorrow.", I said as I made my way to the window. Over the last few months, I had revealed to Elsa how I went and came in to and from the castle. She was genuinely surprised to see what else I capable of.

"Stop.", she said. I did as she said but I didn't turn to face her, only remained standing with my back to her.

"Can you, can you stay with me tonight?", she pleaded.

This question had caught me off guard. I didn't expect such a request from her, why was she even asking me that? I slowly turned around to stare at her, coughing a few times. I looked at her, raising my eyebrows asking her to elaborate.

"It's just that, I've been having these nightmares and I've been really scared. I can't talk about them with my parents, they might think it's a sign I've been losing control.", she begins crying.

This was not something I wanted to hear. The fear was strong and I needed to know the full extent of her fear. I moved back and sat down on one of the frozen chairs Elsa had made today. I evened out all the rough and jagged parts, the cold didn't bother me anyway.

I gestured for her to sit down on her bed. She did so obediently.

"What did you see in your dream?"

She clutched the covers of her bed, she was trembling. She swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat. She lets out a small breath.

"I was in a dark place and I was scared. I started walking but I couldn't find my way out. After a while, I saw this light and went to it. It got me out but I ended up outside, in Arendelle and there was...", she held her breath. "Everyone in the kingdom was frozen. They were all frozen and they were all so scared.", tears began to form in her eyes. "I ran back here to find my family but I only found my parents, they were standing over Anna who was frozen.", she said as the tears began to drop. "My parents were so upset. My mother began to cry while my dad got angry at me, saying I was a monster and that I didn't deserve to live. I didn't mean to but I ended up freezing them too.", Elsa wiped away some of the tears. I leaned forward, my hands clasped together. This wasn't a normal nightmare. "And then I just ran, trying to find you and when I did, you were freezing too and you said that it was my fault." The tears began to run down her cheeks once more.

I leaned back into the chair, my hands still clasped together. Elsa continued to sob for a few more minutes until I finally spoke up. "Did I ever tell you what a specter really is?"

She looked up at me, tears still visible in her eyes but her curiosity was building up. She slowly shakes her head. I coughed a few times. "You probably wonder why I cough so much too?". She nodded.

"As I told you before, a specter is a type of spirit. A unique form designed to... punish people. A punishment that goes beyond death.", her eyes widened, her tears no longer there. "A specter, like a human, feels hunger, thirst and the need for sleep but unlike humans, it can never fulfill those wants. Whatever I eat turns to ash, water can never me and no matter how much I want to, I cannot go to sleep.", I explained as a few coughs escaped me. Elsa's knees were now raised, her arms and head resting on them. "So, I'm always in a state of hunger, thirst and insomnia. But it doesn't stop there." "There's more?", she asked, obviously amazed and horrified hearing about my physical state. I nod my head. "Whatever the physical state your body is in when the soul is extracted is the state it will forever maintain. If your soul was ripped from you when you were injured then that injury will stay with you forever. I told you that those people who gain magic have to use a large amount of energy to properly use but there's more to it. I had become well versed in dark magic and it has a very dear cost. It slowly kills the one who wields it." I raise my sleeve and show her the fatal effects of dark magic. All the veins in my arm were blackened and bulging out. They went all the way up to my chest. She seemed terrified. I rolled my sleeves down.

"I used to have this vile that I used to drink. It helped me in withstanding the adverse effects of the magic but now that I'm a specter, I have nothing so I had to live with it. That's why I cough so much, I'm sick." Elsa's mouth was agape, she didn't know what to say. "Elsa, the reason I'm telling you this is that, I have seen what darkness truly looks like, I myself am part of it and I can assure you that you will never give into your dark side and will never hurt anyone. From what you've told me, you felt immense pain and guilt for even thinking that you hurt someone and you really think that you're capable of doing something so terrible?" Elsa's eyes scanned me, she opened her mouth to say something but closed it immediately.

After a few seconds. "I don't know. I could hurt them by accident.", she said as her head lowered. "You won't I'll make sure of it.", I assured her. This made her look up and give me an appreciative smile, I didn't return it.

I got up from the ice chair, realizing how late it had gotten from not only the the bright moonlight emanating from the window but from Elsa's lazy eyes. I coughed.

"You should get some sleep, don't worry, you won't have anymore nightmares." She nodded and tucked herself in. I came in close to her. "Hey, Frederick?"

"What?"

"What did you do?", she asked innocently. I raised my eyebrows in confusion.

"I mean, you said that they made these specters for punishment. What did you do?"

I contemplated telling her my crimes but decided against it. "I'll tell you another time.", I simply said and it was enough for her. She shrugged and her body slunk back into the bed.

"Thanks, Frederick, for everything.", she muttered as she slowly fell into a deep sleep. I stared at her for a few brief seconds and made my way over to the window. I held back a few coughs so as to not wake her. I reached the window and spun around, facing Elsa. I began to chant a spell I had learned. I made gestures with my hands in the air, forming symbols that remained in the air. They hung there and when I finished chanting, I pushed the symbols with my hands and they drifted towards Elsa. As soon as they reached her, they vanished.

That oughta keep the nightmares away. She's not yours to take, Pitch Black.

I gave her one final look before leaving.

"Goodnight, Elsa."