I feel horrable, I completely forgot to update this yesterday. I had gotten home from school and fallen asleep, a stupid virus is going around and I was sick because of it. . That with the added excitement of Torra-Con coming up this weekened, updating my story slipped my mind completely. I'm so sorry my readers for not updating on time. Well then, here it is. I hope you enjoy the chapter!
Note: Words Wighout AN: 6,204. Words With AN: 6,327
Note: I was asked in the comments about my updates, just so everyone knows, I try to update every Tuesday, which gives a nice space between for comments and for me to go through and check over the chapters.
=Hiccup=
The last night I felt their presences. I sat alone in the garden and their images appeared in front of me. You can't keep me off of him forever. The darker figure said, as he solidified into a man, his cloths were pitch black, his hair messy and black. Skin gray and eyes glowing gold. His hand gestured at me.
You're still weak Pitch, the second figure said, he was shorter than the first but still much taller than me. He was lean, and in cloths that reminded me of Autumn. Like my hair, it was a warm brown and his cheeks dotted with freckles like mine. He turned to me and smiled, his eyes were dark green.
"Who...?"
"I'm sorry for bothering you." The smaller one said. "I'm Autumn, your spirit and protector." He bowed.
"Don't show off, that's my job you rat." The taller one said. Autumn ignored him.
"We don't normally reveal ourselves to our witch's or wizards but, you've become aware of us." Autumn told me. "I would've rather have met you alone, as it should've been. But Pitch," he gestured to the taller one. "Has decided to try and take over your body."
"What?" I stared wide eyed at them.
"Mmm, yes." Pitch inspected me. "You're smaller than I had hoped." He shrugged. "But holding one of the seasonal spirits means that you're strong. I just simply had to take advantage of your near death state last year."
"Near death..." I frowned remembering the accident at the beginning of the year.
"Yes, and I would've taken control of your body had this rat not been here to stop me." Pitch growled.
"Please ignore him." Autumn said to me, walking over and sitting next to me on the bench. "I've been doing all I can to keep him at bay." He informed me. "But, I can only do so much with you being untrained."
"Untrained?"
"In our magic, well, my magic but you can use it. The stronger you are at using it the stronger I get. This will help me keep Pitch away from you until we're able to merge." He hesitated. "Of course you wouldn't know about that." He bit his lip for a moment, like I do sometimes when I'm thinking or nervous, then brightened. "Here," he snapped his fingers and a pile of leaves started falling around us. They drew together and a book landed lightly on my lap. "It explains what we are, Pitch and I, and how we work with mages like yourself." I opened it and saw the title.
"Spirits?" I asked, glancing up at Autumn. "Like the things in my dreams?" He nodded.
"Your dreams of late have been the spiritual connections between the seasonal spirits. You would represent Fall, or Autumn because I'm your spirit. You were born with me." He explained. "This book will tell you all about it, as well as secondary spirits like Pitch who cannot be born into a Witches or Wizards. Instead they enter a body when they encounter someone who is at the brink of death." I nodded slowly, sort of understanding what he was saying. "It will become easier to process what I'm saying when you start learning how to use our powers."
"Oh, you're including me in this?" Pitch asked, I looked up at the darker spirit.
"If he chooses to learn from you, I can't stop him." Autumn answered the man. "I advise against it," he winked at me. Pitch sat next to me on my other side.
"Listen," he said, "you like learning things right? And you're this big time Dragon slayer now." He added. "You don't want to stick around with losers like Autumn, he'll only drag you down. Now with me," he paused pressing a hand to his chest. "I can take you places, make you a big shot." He explained. "I can help you get that girl," he held out a hand and a shadow version of Astrid formed in his hand, "or who's that boy you like?" Jack replaced her. "Anyone you want."
"I-" I felt dizzy.
"We'll give you some time to think about this," Autumn told me gently.
"We will?" Pitch asked, Autumn shot him a look.
"Call us, oh gods, when did I start including you in things?" Autumn glared at Pitch.
"I'm a likeable guy," he shrugged.
"Just call us when you've made a decision. I won't force you into anything, can't say anything about him."
"I think it's a fair trade, if you can teach him things, I get too." He shrugged. "I'm all about fair trade."
"Until you're angry." Autumn rolled his eyes then looked back at me.
"How can I call you?" I asked.
"We're apart of you." He smiled at me. "We don't have to appear for you every time, you can talk with us in your mind." He explained, "just ask for us. Or one of us, you can call us separately."
"Alright..." I nodded.
"I'll summon someone to help you back to your room." He told me, I knitted my eyebrows.
"Why?" I asked confused. He just smiled at me and vanished into a mist of leaves.
"Later kid," Pitch said and I felt his presence vanish. My eyes drifted close and I felt exhausted. When I opened them again I felt like I was moving, someone was carrying me up stairs. I held onto them tighter, surprising him but he didn't stop until we were back in my room. I dropped to the ground and wobbled, nearly falling to the ground.
"Careful." Jack's voice reached me and I looked up at who had carried me here. He helped me over to the bed then set something down on my side. "You okay? I found you sleeping on the bench in the garden."
"I'm..." My voice cracked and I blushed a little. "I'm fine, tired." I responded. He nodded, "I was... sleeping?" I asked and he laughed a bit.
"Yeah," he nodded. "Laying on a bench. I know we did a lot today but I didn't think it would leave you that exhausted." He chuckled a bit. "Where'd the book come from?" He wondered, noting to the thing he had set down on the side table. I looked at it, and it took me a few moments to remember how I received it.
"It's from home." I lied, feeling as if I shouldn't tell the truth. He nodded.
"Ah, well." He looked nervously around the room. "We should get to sleep, heading back to Hogwarts tomorrow." He explained, I nodded and moved to get under the blankets. He did the same on the other side. "Night Hiccup,"
"Night Jack..." That night my dream changed once again, behind the Autumn spirit was a black mist, it crept up on him and I had a feeling that if he collided with it, bad things would happen.
The beginning of the school year seemed to flash by, there was the initial shock when Jack started hanging around me and Merida, and not as much when Rapunzel was seen with us as well. And I hadn't been bullied, at least yet. Each night I would read a section of the book Autumn gave to me, but I hadn't had time alone to call for him or Pitch. My dream stayed the same for a few days, then changed slightly as the spirits moved closer by a few centimeters. Then, when I finally finished the book late on a Friday night I decided that I needed to talk to the spirits.
Gobber had sent me a letter earlier in the week, telling me that Toothless was here and ready for me whenever I had time to see him. It would be a good excuse to get away from my friends with. I'd have to start flying him every day again and would ask Gobber to grant me permission to be his assistant again this year, so I would be able to wake earlier than the other students and fly Toothless. "I'm meeting Gobber for lunch today." I told Rapunzel and Jack when we exited the great hall from breakfast. Merida had gotten used to my running off every Saturday so she didn't comment. "He sent me a letter earlier this week remember?"
"That was from him?" Jack wondered, I nodded.
"He keeps a weekly tab on me for dad." I admitted, this was true. "Sense I don't send him a letter regularly." I shrugged.
"Sounds lame." Jack shrugged. "When do you get back?" He wondered.
"Usually before dinner." I responded.
"That's all day." He complained, "what are we supposed to do all day without you here?" He asked, whining a little.
"You could do homework." I suggested. "It's what Merida did last year." I explained. Jack made a face. "Yesterday you were complaining about being behind in homework already, you need the day for it." I reminded him.
"Doesn't mean I like it." He scowled but let me go when lunch drew near. When getting to Gobbers I spent maybe fifteen minutes with him, summing up my week so he could tell my dad then heading out to the forbidden forest to the clearing that was Toothless's home. He was excited to see me, and overly excited to fly, which I'm sure he hadn't done sense Gobber picked him up not too long ago. Then, we landed near the lake so he could catch himself something to eat.
"Alright," I said to myself wondering how this would work. How was I just supposed to call for... They stood in front of me, bickering about something I didn't catch then noticed their surroundings.
"Haven't been here in a while." Pitch said to himself before seeing me. "Hiccup, took long enough!" Autumn looked at me and smiled.
"Have you come to a decision?" He asked and I nodded.
"I'll train with you, uh, both." I added quickly. "Like Pitch said it's only fair but... if I don't like something I'm going to stop." I was mostly looking at Pitch for that, he looked innocently away from me. "I mean, you were in the book and I've been taught about the people you um... gained access too? None if their story's were good ones."
"Well, I am a dark spirit." Pitch responded, shrugging it off. "My way of looking at things are well, not accepted by most people." He moved to stand next to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "But you're the accepting type, you like to give everything a chance. Trust me, you won't be disappointed." He said. Autumn looked wary at Pitch.
"But, I'll start training with Autumn." I told him getting the darker spirit to roll his eyes.
"Your body, your choice." He said slightly irritated. "I'll be over here in the shade watching you learn." He walked off to lounge under a tree. I looked to Autumn and he gave me a small smile.
"I'm glad you accepted." He told me. "It'll all be simple things first, I'm sure you understand the basic contents after reading the book. But it's tiring to learn as much as you'll be." He told me. "How often..."
"Once a week, I might be able to get some more time but I am in school." I responded. He nodded.
"Once a week is perfect," He smiled. "It'll be tiring as I said, so for a while a week is the amount of resting time you'll need between sessions." He explained before we started. We spent two hours working on simple things, summoning leaves was the easiest. Then creating walls with them as well as using them as a mist to cover myself up. "These are the most basic," he said to me sympathetically after I collapsed after the second hour finished and Pitch stood ready for his turn. "It might help if you practice during the break, you'll learn to control it faster." He said kindly before helping me up.
Toothless had sat down to watch me and the two spirits train, he inspected them but didn't near us. When Pitch took over from Autumn I noticed a major change in teaching style. While Autumn was kind and patient, Pitch seemed to want to rush into everything. But the simplest thing for him, summoning darkness and shielding himself in it, was extremely difficult for me.
"It's because you haven't been around me as long as you have him." Pitch complained after his two hours were up. "Now if we were to merge." He said and Autumn was on him.
"You will not-" He gripped the taller spirit's shirt, dragging him closer to him.
"It's up to Hiccup, I know. You've told me repetitively." The darker spirit shook Autumn off as if he were a fly. "Well, at least you can shield yourself in darkness now, we won't have to go over that again." I nodded a bit, remembering what I had read about merging with a spirit. In normal cases someone would not change, they and their spirit would become one and their power would enhance. Making them much stronger than they had been before. But an angered spirit can take over the body of their host, using it as they pleased.
"You did great Hiccup," Autumn told me, smiling. "But you should be getting back, supper will be starting soon and your friends will worry." I nodded. "If you ever need anything don't hesitate to ask," he told me and the two spirits vanished. Toothless trotted over to me and we went back. I arrived back in the castle after dinner started, but I wasn't the only late arrival so I didn't make a seen. I slid next to Rapunzel at our table and started filling my plate, starving.
"Did you have fun?" She asked and I nodded, stuffing my face and swallowing.
"I'll have to take you out sometime." I told her before thinking, she just smiled at me.
"I'm sure the time out with Gobber is something you should keep for yourself." She told me and we ate in silence for a bit. "What do you do?" She wondered.
"We had lunch, then went out into the forbidden forest with Hagrid to take care of the animals." I responded, she smiled at me.
"That sounds fun." I nodded. After dinner, the two of us waited for Jack and Merida just outside the great hall. "I've been looking into dream magic and dreams," she told me. "To see if I could help figure out what you had been dreaming about."
"Find anything?" I wondered.
"A few things," she nodded. "I'll tell you when we find a place to be alone, with the others." I nodded and the two walked over bickering over the work they had worked on.
"You look tired." Jack noted, I shrugged.
"I'm awake enough." I responded, though I was exhausted. We went off to our usual place, a empty classroom on the first floor. "Alright then, what did you find?" I asked Rapunzel. She pulled out her wand and summoned the books. Each had strange labels in different languages I couldn't read.
"French and German." She told us, indicating that she was trilingual. "Each of them mentioned that dreams were messages from our guardians." She told us, "and people with reacquiring dreams are closer spiritually to these guardians." She explained opening the first book to a page with a picture of a child and a light glowing around him. "The guardian's are supposed to guide us in the right direction."
It's a good assumption, Autumn said in my head, I didn't jump in shock but I was. We are, well, I'm here to protect you. I don't know what Pitch wants. He said to me.
"The dreams you have could be a message from yours, well, if you want to believe it." She offered.
"It's reasonable." I responded.
"Has it changed?" Merida asked, I nodded.
"It wasn't much, they had gotten closer, but that's it. It's still pretty far away." I said.
"Well, maybe they had been pushed closer." Jack offered.
"Maybe," I agreed, then paused before explaining the theory I had before before Autumn had revealed himself to me.
You're extremely perceptive. Autumn complimented me.
Thanks, I responded to him, and I could tell that he was smiling.
"That theory reminds me of us." Merida commented. "I mean, you didn't start having the dream until we all agreed to be friends. Well, at least Jack, you and me. Didn't you say that the second dream three of the four had been connected but after Rapunzel joined they were all bound?" I nodded. "So what if this spirit of yours was telling you to be friends with us?" She asked.
"Well, I'd thank him for it." I responded, "I'm glad you're all my friends."
You were drawn to them without my help. Autumn told me. You're all bound together, meant to be together. We parted not long after that and returned to the dorms.
Several weeks passed like this, at an easy pace where I would practice both my magic's and learn more about my friends and myself. Then one day, when I had been using some of the black magic Merida had gotten hurt. It was an accident, I had been alone and trying what Pitch had taught me the week before. Sending a black mist across the room and creating shapes, images of people in it. It had been starting to work when she walked in, the shadow I had created attacked her and before I could stop it, it bruised her ribs.
"I'm sorry," I sat next to her, my head bowed and swearing to myself that I would stop using Pitch's magic. If it was only going to harm people than I didn't want anything to do with it. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." I repeated until she pulled me into a hug, shutting me up.
"Hiccup you didn't-" She started.
"I made that thing!" I told her, tears falling down my cheeks and I pulled away from her. "If I hadn't... if I didn't make it, you wouldn't be hurt." I told her.
"Do you expect me to believe that you made that shadow?" She asked, I nodded. "That's bull,"
"Look," I cupped my hands together and a pool of shadows flooded out of it, without my consent it started transforming in my hand, into a stake and my eyes widened. It tried to attack her again and I grabbed it, it pierced through my hand before vanishing. I cradled my stinging hand. "I'm sorry, I didn't know that I couldn't control it. I almost hurt you again. I'm sorry,"
"We're not having that." She told me, calling to Madam Pomfrey and the woman rushed over.
"Oh dear," she checked over my hand. "How did-" she froze after further inspection before starting to work. She managed to heal it completely but a black mark stayed. "You're not to leave here until I say." She told me before rushing off.
"Hiccup, how'd ya do that?" Merida demanded of me.
I hesitated before answering her. "The spirits." I told her, before explaining everything, and showing her a sample of the other powers I had, they didn't betray me as the shadow's had. "They've been teaching me how to control it." I finished.
"That's amazing." She said, bewildered. "But, you say that this Pitch isn't your spirit? He's just inside ya?" I nodded.
"Pitch Back?" The voice startled us and the headmaster, Professor North stood there. Madam Pomfrey brought him over to me and showed him my hand. He had a grim expression on his face. "This is bad." He said, turning and pacing along the line of cots. "This is very bad. Quickly, explain this to me." He said, I retold the story and he nodded, making sour faces at some parts but didn't interrupt while I spoke. "I see," he said once I finished. "Well, I advise you no longer accept help from Pitch Black." He said, "and it is good to see that Autumn is protecting you from him. He is bad man." He explained. "I will need to speak with your spirit though. If you do not mind."
"N-Not at all." I said, calling for Autumn. The boy appeared next to me, scaring Merida. She stared wide eyed at him as he turned to meet North. They spoke quickly, and in another language. Autumn not needing to ask why he was there, having been able to see and hear everything that had happened. He explained it to me a while ago. As long as he remains my primary spirit, and I trust and accept him, he can see, hear and feel everything I do. Our thoughts can even connect.
"We will have to find way to separate Pitch from Hiccup." North finally said in English.
"The other seasons can help." Autumn responded. North thought about this.
"It is dangerous to wake them before ready." He noted.
"It could be our only chance." Autumn said sighing. "I can only do so much, as soon as Pitch realizes that Hiccup wont accept him anymore, he'll start attacking me trying to take my place."
"This is problem." North started to pace again. "So, the only reason Pitch hasn't tried to take him is because Hiccup has been training with him?"
"At the moment yes, and he's still weak." Autumn agreed.
"Then the boy keeps training." North said.
"Pitch will catch on, and it's dangerous. Merida was attacked," he gestured to her. "And Hiccup doesn't want to use that magic any more." North sighed.
"Then there's no other choice." He frowned, turning to Madam Pomfrey. "Send for Jack Frost and Rapunzel Corona. Dismiss them from their classes for the remainder of the day, as well as these two." She nodded and left us. Silence followed and Autumn took a seat next to me. Taking my injured hand and looking at it. The black started to recede but didn't completely vanish.
"That's all I can do," he said to me. "I bring forth death not life like my sister." He explained.
"So, you're a spirit?" Merida asked him, he looked at her and nodded. "Wow, this is... wow..." He smiled a bit.
"Shocking?" He asked, she nodded. "It can be," he agreed. "But you'll get used to it." He said, "I'm sorry, if there were any other way to help Hiccup I wouldn't ask to wake your, and your friend's spirits so early." He said, "but my brother and sisters are quite nice." He smiled a bit.
"Summer," I said quietly for only them to hear and Autumn remained silent for a few moments after.
"You think...?" He asked but Jack and Rapunzel had arrived. Both confused and shocked when seeing Merida sitting on a bed. They rushed over asking a ton of questions and it was a few minutes before the three of us had the chance to explain.
"I'm alright." Merida finally said when she had the chance. "Just a wee accident," she lied. "It's nothing." She said before pausing. "Hiccup's the one we should be worrying about." She added before I could protest. Rapunzel looked up at me first, then noticed the spirit next to me.
"Who..." She started then saw my hand. "What happened to your hand? It's turning gray." I glanced at it, the small circle that had been there was starting to spread.
"I can't stop it Hiccup," Autumn told me, worried and annoyed with Pitch. I took my hand back and hid it in my robes. "Maybe Spring could, when she wakes." He said quietly. I glanced at the two friends on the opposite side of the cot.
"It's complicated." I told them, looking down. "Uh... this is Autumn," I introduced the boy next to me.
"Oh, good. You are here!" North said to them, nodding in approval. "There is much to discuss." The next hour was filled with explanations, lots of questions and much confusion.
"I'm curious," Jack looked at me. "When have you had the time to even have these lessons?" He asked, I blushed.
"When I visit Gobber each week." I answered, not looking at them. "I spend a lot of time in the forbidden forest and use it for that..."
"That explains why your out for so long." He noted, I gave a sheepish smile.
"Hiccup," North grabbed my attention. "I think, you should call Pitch." He said to me.
"What?" My eyes widened. "I can't even control his magic I won't be able to stop him if he tries anything."
"Pitch won't try anything with me here." North dismissed my fear. "I fought him before, no big deal." I stared at him, unsure, then looked at Autumn who looked as wary as I felt about it.
"Give it a try," he told me. After a moment I nodded and called for the darker spirit.
"Finally!" Pitch complained making Merida jump as he appeared sitting on the end of her bed, he stood and stretched. "You know it get's lonely without company, and I swear, it's been hours sense Autumn left." He looked around at everyone. "Oh we're having a gathering," he said. "Well, not worth my time," he pointed to Jack. "Not worth my time," Rapunzel, "you're that girl my shadow's attacked." Merida. Autumn grabbed onto Pitch.
"You went after her?" He hissed.
"Maybe," Autumn punched him, making him stumble backwards into the bed again.
"That was rude," He commented before appearing next to me. "Hiccup, calm your spirit please." He wrapped an arm around my shoulder. I flinched away from him. "Aw, common kid I told you that the shadows aren't trustworthy. Not my fault your friend walked in while you were using them."
"You poisoned him." Autumn accused.
"Well, if we want to be technical Jack poisoned him." Pitch argued. "Last year, remember?" I saw Jack pale.
"You chose to slip in," Autumn hissed. "No one else gets the blame but you."
"Oh common, what else do you expect me to do?" Pitch rolled his eyes. "Wait around another few years for the next child that almost dies? I take what I get."
"You pathetic piece of sh-"
"Autumn," North cut him off. "There are children in the room."
"Oh wonderful," Pitch rolled his eyes. "You're here. What, am I on the naughty list?"
"There is special list reserved for you." North respond. "My kill list." Pitch only rolled his eyes.
"Clearly I'm not wanted here." He noted. "I'll take my leave," Autumn made to grab him but Pitch just vanished.
"I'm going to murder him." Autumn scowled. "Did that accomplish anything North?"
"It showed the kids what they were up against." North noted. "More than we would've been able to explain." Autumn groaned in frustration and sat back down. "Now we need to wake their spirits, so they can start training."
"You can have fun with that." Autumn responded.
"I will not be the one doing the waking. Elsa will." Autumn looked up, confused for a moment before the blond entered the hospital wing.
"You called for me?" She asked, shyly stepping into the room and looking at us all.
"Yes, come here." North waved her over and she came, Elsa was in our grade. She was a Slytherin like Jack but kept to herself for the most part. "I ask for favor, these three need to have their spirit's awakened. You are only one who can do it." He explained, Elsa looked at them then back to north.
"Why?" She wondered. "They're not ready."
"A complication came up," he said. "And one of them is awake already," he noted to me and Autumn. "Because Pitch-"
"Oh," She nodded. "So, they need to train and be ready for..." her voice drifted but she nodded. "I can do it." She finally said. "It'll be slow, but it's the safest way." She said.
"Perfect, I also request that you help them with training." North said. "This is your choice but it'll make things easier." The way North was explaining this it was as if he expected Pitch to win and take over my body.
It's likely, Autumn told me privately. I have been worrying about it for a year now, the only thing that put a resistance on his battle with me was that you willingly agreed to learn how to use his magic. I didn't respond, trying not to think of what will happen after this. Pitch is surely going to start fighting for control now.
"Move to the cots," she told Rapunzel and Jack and they didn't question her. She glanced at me. "You should watch this," she told me. "It's a useful skill to know, though rarely used." She started with Merida, making her lay back on the cot and then hovering her hands over Merida's body and slowly moving them back and forth. It looked like she was imitating waves washing up on a shore and after high tide Merida started glowing. She didn't push back like she had before, instead a hand moved over Merida's head and gently rested on her forehead. When she pulled away, the light followed and formed into a body, then grew features. Her hair was fire, flickering like such. Her skin light tan, and eyes glowing a warm brown. She has on an outfit that shimmered as if made out of heat.
"Summer," Autumn said, the brown eyes flickered to him and she smiled.
"Autumn," she responded. "You look different."
"It has been a few hundred years." He agreed smiling at her. Elsa barely glanced at the spirit. Instead she beckoned for me to follow her, I did.
"Think you can do it?" She asked him, moving me over to Rapunzel. "It's fairly simple, you just call the spirit forwards. You'll feel it's energy." She told me, moving my hands to the correct starting position. I nodded and imitated what she had done before, Elsa watched for a moment before moving onto Jack. It didn't take long for the remaining two spirits to be called forwards.
We started training daily with either Elsa or one of the teachers. "Elsa," I asked when it was just me and her. She barely glanced up from the book in her hand, having started to finish school work while I warmed up. "Why do we never see your spirit?" I asked her. She did look up at me this time, taking me in fully.
"I've merged with mine," she responded. "She's become a part of me, completely." She explained and I nodded. I already knew the basic concepts of merging with your spirit. "It was when I was younger," she said, as if deciding that I was ready for this story. "My powers were out of control and I nearly got me and my younger sister killed." She said. I nodded a little, "I think you're ready for an advanced skill." She stood, setting her book down on the desk she had been sitting on, she took off her cloak and rested it on her chair. I hesitated in following the action, when I did I tried to keep my poisoned hand from sight. "It's one of the ways to merge a spirit and wizard, it both binds you to yours and allows you to help bind another spirit and soul together." She explained before teaching me the basic steps. When she finished I hesitated in repeating them.
"What if Pitch takes advantage of it?" I asked worried.
"He shouldn't be able to, as long as Autumn is protecting your soul Pitch can't reach it." She waved off my worries. "Common, I'll help you with it. For a while, it'll be strange, having a combined form." She told me, "but Autumn will help you adapt, then, like always he'll give you advice when you need."
You can do it, Autumn said to me, and I could feel his protective embrace around me. I won't be able to come out anymore, but I'll always be here to help you. He explained, I nodded.
"Then let's start, I'll be your backer, helping bind your souls." She said and we started the technique. It took longer than she had shown with added magic and I felt light. As if my body was being lifted with the autumn wind. But seconds before it ended, I felt pain rip down the side of my body. I gripped onto my head, trying to stop the spinning and hearing a chuckle I know shouldn't be there. "No," Elsa rushed to my side, supporting me as my legs gave out. "He shouldn't have been able to reach you!" She said, helping me to sit.
I clutched my head tighter as the pain grew worse, as if I was fighting with myself, struggling to gain or keep control. In my head I could picture Pitch advancing on Autumn throwing a mass of spells at him and Autumn standing defensively, blocking off all the attacks and occasionally sending his own in return. But Pitch was winning. The door to the room opened and the others entered, it was time for a group lesson. "Stay out!" Elsa called and I felt a chill, as if a block of ice had been placed near me. "Hiccup you have to fight this," she told me, gripping my arms and making me look at her. Her icy blue eyes piercing into mine. I couldn't find my voice to respond to her. "You can't let Pitch win," she told me. Of course I knew that. I didn't want him to win.
In my mind Autumn was starting to gain control over the fight. The pain started to numb. "Hiccup, listen to me, can you hear me?" She asked I nodded. "I'm so sorry," she told me. "I didn't know he was able to disturb this. I'm sorry I put you through this." She told me, "But you need to fight this." She said, I nodded, sending my strength to Autumn. In my head he advanced, pushing Pitch back into the shadows. Then finally, the pain stopped.
Thank you Hiccup, Autumn said to me. I could feel his exhaustion. I started to relax my hands moving away from my head before she caught my poisoned hand. It had spread like wild fire, the small spot it had once consumed now covered my entire hand and was starting to reach up my arm.
This isn't over. Pitch hissed at us both. I'm apart of you now. And my poison will consume you. For a moment I believed him, and fear rippled through me. The gray started to spread again.
Hiccup, I won't let him harm you! Autumn told me sending a warm wind to surround me, then he formed next to us. His hand rested on my arm and the poison receded, back to covering just my hand. "I'll keep him away from you." He said, kneeling next to us. "I swear, for as long as I can I'll keep him away from you. We'll find a way to expel him from you." I looked at him and nodded.
"We have to stop this first." Elsa said to the both of us, gripping at my hand. She glanced up at me. "How long has it been here?"
"Sense the day I stopped using Pitch's magic." I responded. "But it was small before just now." She nodded and traced a finger up my arm to the point where it had stopped earlier, the middle of my forearm.
"This will hurt," she told me. Tracing a circle around my arm, it did hurt, and a band of blue wrapped around where she circled. "Only I can remove this." She told me. "If it ever reaches this point again, you need to find me. Until then we'll look for a cure." I nodded.