'Sup guys! I updated a little sooner than usual(who am I kidding, I'm not even going to pretend I have some kind of update schedule anymore), but I HAD to get this chapter up, because it would not leave me alone. Also, I'm using it as a warning that it will be at least three weeks before I manage to update anything else(I think), because I am going to be moving then. Because of this, my spare time had just dropped from sparse to non-existent. Which will really suck for me later, but I'll get to that at the footnote at the end of the chapter.
Well, I don't have much to say besides that, so I'll just get onto reviews.
KiraTerraMika- Okay, from now on, I'm going to call you Kira, partly because I'm too lazy to type your whole username, and partly because Kira is the name of an OC in another one of my RotG stories, called Seeing Is Not Believing. Yes, I love Artemis Fowl, it's what got me in to writing fan fiction in the first place. It is because of it that this story even exists, so YAY ARTEMIS FOWL! And thank you, I love to hear people tell me they think my fic is well-written, because it gives me more confidence as a writer besides an amateur.
ELLE555- Um, sorry? I don't know your schedule, so I can't help it if my updates add to the chaos.:) And you check this every day? Wow, I think I'm going to take that as a compliment and be flattered. But addiction is good, because it keeps me motivated!
KikaKatTIOI- Mh, yes, who are you? Though I thing I just knocked your cliffhangers out of the ballpark with this chapter.*rubs hands together* Sweet revenge.
Savarra- This next! And thanks!
alexa- Updated!
sassysaw- Is this soon enough?!
Fellowship of Avengers- If you thought that from last chapter, you're going to flip a table after this one.
TippysaurusRex- (from now on, you are Tippy, because I am a lazy author and don't feel like trying out most usernames. I shorten half of my reviewers'.) My my, you did have quite a bit to say! I'm so happy you spent so much time and dedication reading my story! Yes, I was also very surprised by RotG's character depth. They appealed to one's emotions in a way I rarely see out of any kind of animated movie any more. I appreciate your snooping, because it apparently led you to this. As for my description, I just picked out the most attention-grabbing line and stuck it in the summary, hoping it would catch someone's attention. I guess it worked. And I have you checking it every day? I'm rather flattered by that, too, though I must ask, who is Milgarion? Yes, I'm fifteen, but I've been writing for three and a half months shy of a year now, so I've had plenty of time to improve. I also take the various aspects I found particularly good in a book and try to apply it to my own writing, like leaving little hints to a major plot twist, or adding in those little details that everyone on here seems to love so much. But thank you for the compliments! As for the books, I don't think I'm good enough to get a book published. I actually have several ideas for original stories, but I was just going to publish them to Wattpad and call a spade a spade. But now I'm reconsidering, just because of that. Besides, even if no one wants to publish it, I can still post it to Wattpad;) But if they don't, you don't need to give up hope on literacy, I don't think it would be all that bad, because there's MUCH better authors than me out there. But yes, I'm not really a gamer or anything. I only use the computer, and, well, internet in general, for reading or writing fanfiction and going to DeviantArt. Any other time, I will pick up a library book or my sketchbook (I like to draw, too). I also keep a little tacky journal for all of my fanfiction/story ideas, and it had become a hypothetical Bible for me. So, to feed both yours (and apparently humanity's) hope/desire, here is another chapter!
"This is not going to work" Willow murmured. Having already spent over half an hour just trying to get Hysterium to come out of the house, they decided to try getting into the house a try.
Willow was hunched behind Mia's car once again, more snow pressed against her ribs so she could remain that way without passing out. Jack was supposed to get Aly's window open, and once he managed to get the psychotic woman out, she was supposed to get Aly out of there and get her somewhere safe. She was going to try to get the little girl to the woods and hide her in the hollow tree until Hysterium had been taken care of.
Jack was perched in the bare maple tree in the middle of the yard, his staff in hand once more, glancing back at her one final time. Willow nodded and he swooped from the tree to the window.
At this point, their time and options were very limited, so he was going to simply try to open the window. Despite how direct it was, it was the fastest way they could think of to get both Hysterium out of the house, and Willow into it.
Jack stood to the side of the window, so he would not be seen, and touched the frame. Though she could not see anything, Willow knew he was freezing the lock inside, so it would break under the pressure of him lifting the window. After a few moments, his hand slipped beneath the edge and quickly shoved the pane up. There was a slight tinkling sound as the ice shattered and hit the floor, and Jack leapt through the window.
Willow's eyes were locked onto the dark square, Jack's form unseeable through the shroud of darkness. There were a couple of minutes of tense silence, no sound touching the air except for the quiet whisper of the winds. Then, ice threaded through her veins when a thick cloud of icy blue billowed from the window, the pillar of pastel smoke solidifying into the jet black of the insane woman's dress. The same thin tendrils floated away from the ends of her hair, sleeves and skirt hem, but in a more stiff, uniform pattern than before. Agitation was etched clearer than a marker on her cherubic face. Had one not known better, you would think her to be a person who could do no wrong. Pretty features and wide eyes that oozed innocence.
Seconds later, Jack had slipped back out the window, he and the Queen of Insanity locked in the most intense glaring contest in Guardian history.
"Well, that wasn't very nice." Hysterium pouted.
"Neither is stalking an eight-year-old." Jack countered dryly.
"Stalking? No, no, I was simply visiting the little girl!" she trilled, the falsetto striking the air with a sharp ring.
"Oh, please."Visiting" from a dark corner of the room and watching her sleep? That's just plain creepy." he retorted, dipping his posture into a defensive stance.
A musical chime emitted from Hysterium's mouth, but the melodious laughter soon shifted to a sinister cackle. "Creepy? To call such a simple notion "creepy" is a bit of an exaggeration, boy. No, I will show you creepy."
Her hands clenched and Willow's eyes widened at the wicked glint of the small, black shruikan knife in each one. Both were simple in design and deceptively small, however, when the petite woman's arms whipped back and let the tiny daggers fly, they missed Jack by a hair's breadth before sinking nearly hilt-deep into the hibernating maple. If he had not ducked a fraction of a second later, they would have hit home in his chest.
The white-haired boy was immediately on alert, loosing half a dozen bolts of ice in succession. Hysterium's small form dodged the first few with apparent ease, but for the remainder, her form blurred to blue smoke and they whipped through the cloud. She solidified, but her face was drawn into a grimace. So, if something struck the fog, it still hurt her.
Dodging another round of the shruikans, Jack sent a wave of ice at her, pushing Hysterium back a good ten feet. He just had to distract her long enough for Willow to slip inside. Another flash of ice, then freezing the knives in the air. They fell to the ground with a heavy thunk.
Willow edged around the SUV as they moved out of the yard, the pain in her side having shifter to a sharp, constant burn of which she had gotten used to enough that she could ignore it for the time being. Within another few minutes, Hysterium was fully concentrated on Jack, and they were both out of the yard. Jack flicked his hand toward the window from behind his back, signaling Willow.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped from behind the cover of Mia's car and walked across the yard as quickly as her side would allow her, almost managing a jog. Her long strides brought her to the window in a matter of seconds, the adrenaline suppressing her pain. She glanced into the open window to see Aly still curled up asleep beneath the galaxy quilt, though the little girl's brows were furrowed.
Stepping into the room with the practiced motion of using a window as a door, Willow crept up to her bed. The chill of the room from the open window had Aly clutching the blankets close. For a moment, Willow did not want to wake the girl, but she shook her head. If she didn't, they would be right back where they started.
"Aly, wake up!" she whispered sharply, lightly shaking her shoulder. Her eyes popped open almost immediately, fear flashing in their deep brown depths for a moment, before recognition flickered.
"Willow? What are you doing here?" the girl whispered, glancing at the clock. "It's four thirty!"
"I know, but you have to listen to me. You're in danger." Aly's eyes widened, but she nodded. For once, Willow was actually glad for her supposed ability. It made situations like this much easier to handle for someone so young. "There's someone trying to hurt you, but I'm going to keep you safe. I have a friend with my, his name is Jack Frost."
"Like the winter story?"
"Yes. He has white hair and a blue jacket. He carries a wooden staff with a curved end. He won't hurt you, he's here to protect you, too, okay?" Aly nodded, though her hesitation was clear.
"Okay. Now, come with me. I'm going to take you somewhere safe." she said, holding out her hand.
"Wait, what about Mama and Dad?" she asked.
"Don't worry, they're safe. I'll have you back before they know it." she smiled as reassuringly as she could. Aly slipped out of bed, and Willow was glad to see her pajamas were both long-sleeved and flannel. The young girl shoved her feet into a pair of snow boots, and then grabbed Willow's hand.
They walked to the window, and Willow glanced around to make sure Hysterium had not returned, before stepping back out into the snow. She held out her right hand to help pull Aly through the frame. Once they were both outside, Willow tugged the window back down, leaving a gap just big enough to slip her fingers under.
"Okay, we're going to go to the park. I have a place for you to hide." Willow said, grasping the girl's hand. Aly began to run, but stopped when she ended up jerking Willow's arm.
"What's wrong? What aren't you running?" she asked when she saw the older girl gasping.
"I got a bit hurt, but I'll be alright." she answered. Grinding her teeth so that her jaw ached, she began to jog. It didn't hurt as much as she expected it to, as it was a very uneven jog. She mostly pushed off with her right foot, landing strangely on her left to help absorb the impact. It still hurt like the touch of death, but it was not unbearable to the point she had to stop, though adrenaline still played a fairly large part in that.
Aly kept up with Willow's limping gait rather easily, though the cold nipped at her small body. She watched as her closest friend struggled to keep moving, just to keep her safe.
She knew one thing for certain. She chose the right person to put her trust into.
(*)
Jack ducked again, the tiny knife whizzing above his head. Three strands of his snowy hair drifted in front of his face, before joining the equally white flakes coating the ground.
"Oh, such a shame to cut that pretty hair!" Hysterium cackled, sidestepping to avoid the thin stream of compacted ice rocketing towards her. Three more knives appeared in between each of her fingers, and her hands arced to let one from each hand fly.
Jack rolled forward, swinging his staff before he had even straitened. The hooked end managed to catch one of her ankles, jerking her to the snow. Thick strands of ebony hair were thrown into her face as she landed. Shoving them from her eyes, she looked up to see Jack standing over her, staff inched from her face.
"Not so cocky now, are we?" he asked.
"Oh, you got me." she rolled her eyes and her body dissolved into the ground.
Jack cursed, whipping around to find the maniacal woman.
Haunting laughter echoed above his head, and he looked to see her in the high branched of a pine tree. She peered down at him, swinging her feet lightly.
"What a misguided little Winter Spirit. Don't you know that you can't corner a Creature? We all have intangibility, just in different ways. You can't honestly tell me you haven't seen Pitch shadow travel." she teased.
"Pitch is a Creature?" he asked, allowing his curiosity to show.
"Of course. Did you honestly think that the Man in the Moon would create such a sinister Spirit? No. He serves his purpose in the world, just like the rest of us do, but Creatures are far more unpredictable than you Spirits. There's no telling if we'll be good or stray to the dark side." she chuckled, before dissolving once more.
"Besides," her voice cooed seductively into his ear, "Do you really think old Tsar Lunar would have the Guardians do his dirty work if he couldn't just do it himself? No. The Moon holds no influence over Creatures. We are created through interference of another Creature, but only if they have affected enough of their true being."
"Wait, what?" Jack asked, slightly confused. Her explanation had drifted to an area he wasn't really sure how to comprehend.
"Ah, ah. I've said too much." she said, her form blurring once more. "I think it's time I check up on that little girl anyways. Nice try to get me out of her room, but I knew that Willow was here the whole time. Do you think I really don't keep up with my pawns?" With that, she was gone with a thin wisp if blue in her wake.
(*)
The thick silhouettes of trees seemed to reach for them as Willow and Aly moved through the forest. Willow looked up at the nearly full disk in the sky, the soft glow barely reaching them through the dense trees.
Please, Manny, if you're there. Keep Aly safe.
Willow tugged the girl between the trees, moving more from memory than actual sight. If she remembered correctly, the pond should only be a couple more minutes away.
Her thoughts sang with scenarios, and her concentration slipped from the smallest second, but it was enough. her boot caught the exposed root of an ancient oak tree, and she fell into the snow.
A single cry ripped from her throat as her side flared sharply. Well, there goes not moving the break.
"Willow!" Aly scrambled to pull the older girl from the snow, pulling her arm around her tiny shoulders and holding her without much strain, since she wasn't all that heavy. "Come on, we have to go!"
With a grunt, Willow forced her legs to keep moving, though the pain was definitely hindering her this time. She began speaking, forced to give vocal directions to the girl.
"Okay, just a little further. When we get to the pond, there's a tree with a big rock against it. That's the hollow one. Go to the right." she directed when the almost nonexistent path forked. "The pond should be a minute away, going straight."
The night was quiet, save for the rough shuffle of Willow's steps and the soft whisper of Aly's. Willow could almost see the pond, when the inevitable, almost expected, tendril of blue snaked into their path.
Willow stopped when it swirled into a slender pillar, and she pushed Aly behind her back. Her eyes narrowed in pure hatred when Hysterium's form took shape, but the maniacal woman simply smirked.
"Going somewhere, dear?" she asked softly, but the malice was unmistakable.
She felt Aly's fingers clutch the back of her jacket. "Maybe I am. Lovely night for a stroll."
Hysterium chuckled, bringing an almost inaudibly whimper from Aly. "Well, I'm afraid it has to be cut a bit short. I'm going to make this simple. Give me the girl, or I will take her anyways. I'm not going to harm her, but she has a remarkable gift. I want to train her."
"Over my dead body."
She sighed and shrugged. "Suit yourself, my dear. You were a good pawn while it lasted, I got my information, but you've outgrown your usefulness. You've developed a mind of your own, and we can't have that." The dull glint of the knives in her hand pushed Willow to curve her body further around Aly's tiny frame. The pain in her side was well down the list of her concerns, and she barely felt it. Standing strong, she braced herself, knowing she was about to play the most dangerous game of keep away in her life.
Hysterium tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Though, that was never an issue until that little Winter Spirit stumbled across you. I suppose I'm going to have to get rid of him once I'm through here, hm?"
Her hand flicked with lightning reflexes, and Willow only barely managed to dodge the knife. She pushed Aly into the snow, before blocking the girl with her own body. "Keep behind me, and if I tell you to run, run, understood?" she hissed. Eyes wide, Aly nodded.
Willow pulled the girl from the snow, pushing her head down, and then ducking as another knife whistled over their heads. "I'm going to get you to the tree. When I do, climb up the inside, there are little grooves to grab. There's a branch not too far up with a hole in it from the inside. Pull on it, and that branch is hollow." She crept around the tree, using the thin wisps that trailed from Hysterium's being as an indicator to where she was. "There's going to be a few things inside. Just push them out and climb inside, make sure to put back the cover. Can you do that?"
Aly nodded once more, but tugged her sleeve, before saying, "Willow, I'm scared. That crazy woman is trying to hurt you, and I don't want you hurt. You're my best friend!"
A pang shot through Willow's chest at her words. "I know, but don't worry. I'm going to be okay, because Jack will be here soon. Remember him? He's going to help us. Just get to the tree, you'll be safe in there. My Papa and I spent two years hollowing out almost the whole thing, so you'll be protected. Just make sure you close it tight and don't make any noise, okay?"
They darted behind another tree, the soft gleam of the pond's ice now visible.
"Aly? Where are you my sweet girl? I'm not going to hurt you. If you come out, I'll leave your friend alone." Hysterium's voice echoed.
"Don't listen to her." Willow whispered. "She's not telling the truth."
"Willow? Please be okay." Aly whispered. She wrapped her little arms around her slender waist. "I love you, and I don't want to lose my friend."
It took every shred of Willow's remaining willpower not to cry at her words. She whispered her it'll be alrights and whatnot, but she knew it wouldn't be alright. Hysterium would stop at nothing to get her and Jack "out of her way", but as long as Aly was safe, Willow could handle that. Jack could take care of himself, and that was all that mattered.
Jack. Now that it was down to the wire, she regretted the things she had said. When lives hung in the balance, something live an accidentally found journal seemed so insignificant and petty. She pushed him away, just like everyone else, over some stupid book she should have probably burned years ago. Or thrown it into the lake, too.
And now, she was probably going to end up either extremely hurt or dead and the last thing he's going to remember are the horrible things she said.
Well, if she couldn't set things right with, what she now realized was, the one person she cared about most, she was damn sure going to protect the other most important person in her life, with her life in necessary.
"Go!" She pushed the little girl forward. Almost there, just a few more-
"I'm sorry, dear, but I just can't let you get closer than that."
Willow froze. She turned to see Hysterium glaring at her, the usual mocking smirk long gone.
"It's nothing personal, but this simply can't keep happening. You've made a nasty habit of meddling in my plans, so I've decided to remove the problem at its source." Her chin tilted downwards, and her eyes took on an eerie glow. A single knife danced through her fingers, intricate flips and weaving trailed by the thin layer of blue mist that clung to the blade.
"No, leave her alone!"
Ice clutched Willow's heart at the defiant voice. Before she could stop her, Aly stepped out from behind her, the girl's usual timid air abandoning her.
Hysterium's icy gaze flicked to the little girl. "Ah, there you are! Have you decided to take my offer?"
Willow went to pull the girl back behind her, but Hysterium's focus snapped back to her. "You move another inch, and I'll kill you right now. Then who'll protect the little brat." she spat, and Willow reluctantly withdrew.
"If I go with you, you won't hurt Willow, right?"
"Of course, my dear! But you have to promise to be a good girl. I can't have an insubordinate little pet, now can I? Obedience is everything." she chided.
"Pet? I'm not gonna be your pet! I just don't want you to hurt Willow!" Aly replied, shivering in her pajamas.
"Well, that's the deal, hon. You come with me and I train you and refine your abilities to suit my needs. In exchange, your friend lives to see another day." Willow opened her mouth, trying to tell Aly it was all a lie, but Hysterium snapped, "Not a word, or it may not just be you that gets hurt."
Lividity rolled off of her in waved, but Willow remained silent.
"How will you train me? I have to go home!"
"If you take me offer, you won't be going home. I have a new home for you. Don't worry, your parents will get over it, and it's not like there's anyone else to miss you."
Aly's eyes widened. "No, you can't do that! I don't want to go!"
Hysterium gave a melodramatic sigh. "I was afraid of this. If you won't come with me, you're simply no use to me anymore."
Time slowed down in Willow's mind. She saw every twitch of the mad woman's muscles, every shift of her eyes as her target shifted, every little movement as her arm drew back.
"No!" she shrieked, leaping in front of Aly as her arm snapped forward. The pretty little knife tumbled end over end, reflecting moonlight in flashes that almost spoke to Willow. I protected her, but this was the cost they seemed to say.
She hit the snow, not feeling anything now, no pain, no relief, nothing but rage. She turned to Aly. "Go, now! GO!"
The little girl sprinted off, and Willow rose to her feet, hate and anger burning bright in her eyes.
"Quite the stick in the mud, aren't you?" Hysterium mused.
Instead of replying, Willow did the last thing the insane woman expected. She lunged at her.
"You have taken everything from me! My father, my childhood, my goddamn sanity! I don't know who the hell you think you are, but I am through with your shit!" she screamed, pinning her arms to the snow they had fallen into after Willow tackled her. "Something good happens to me, I get I friend who actually cares about me, and you ruin that, too! Now, he'll remember me as the bitch who gave him the cold shoulder the last time she saw him! I never even got the chance to tell him-" she faltered, and her guard dropped by a fraction, but it was enough. Hysterium dissolved from beneath her.
"You're right, I did." she said from behind her, no remorse whatsoever in her voice. "And apparently it was a wasted effort, because you're not going to make it to sunrise, I'll see to that."
Willow lunged again, but this time, it was expected. Hysterium sidestepped, but reached out as she did so, her fingers grasping the collar of her jacket and shirt, deepening the existing rip in her shirt.
"It's a pity you just didn't submit to me, I would have taken you away from your mother and I could have used this feisty temper to my advantage. But now, you're in my way." Her other hand came up, poised between their chests'. "But this is the last time you interfere."
Her hand thrust forward, pushing the knife already lodged in her chest in until the hilt met her skin.
Willow screamed out as the blade severed her flesh like ice, the hilt bruising her skin. Hysterium released her collar and she crumpled to the ground.
The only thing that showed Hysterium had ever been there was the thin trail of blood leading away from Willow's curled form that dripped from her fingers and a ghostly laugh.
(*)
Jack's eyes scanned the dense trees desperately, praying to any deity that would listen that he would find Willow and Aly.
He should have never let her go alone. Nothing ever goes right when they split up.
No sooner had he thought that, did he hear a loud shriek.
"No!"
"Willow." he whispered.
"Go now, GO!"
Jack looked for the source of the sound, but he just couldn't place it. He stopped, listening carefully.
"You have taken everything from me!"
There! He looked over to barely make out the tiny shapes of Willow and Hysterium, and he couldn't help but feel a swell of pride when he saw her pinning the Creature to the snow. It was short lived, however, because she disappeared just like she had with him.
He heard a bloodcurdling shriek of pain, and his heart dropped to the ground. He watched as Willow crumpled to the ground, and Hysterium walk away, before vanishing.
"Willow!" he shouted, slamming into the ground.
His staff slipped from his fingers as he dropped to the ground beside her head. She was curled in on herself, but the blood that was slowly soaking the snow was more than enough. For the first time in decades, tears pricked at his eyes.
Her head weakly turned, snow stuck to her hair that was matted into thick clumps. "H-Hey, Jack."
It took everything he had to muster the pathetic excuse of a smile he plastered on. "Hey."
Shifting her position, Willow turned to lie on her back, holding herself up with her elbows. Tugging at the fabric of her jacket, she pulled it aside to reveal the knife in her chest. After a moment, she grunted and fell back into the snow.
"Well, there goes my day." she said wryly, forcing a rough chuckle, but it quickly turned to a grimace of pain.
Jack could only stare in horror at the knife buried hilt-deep into her chest, fear gripping him as blood dripped from it in thick rivulets before falling to the snow. A single tear budded in his eye, before falling. It froze halfway down his face.
"Nah, it'll be fine." he murmured, not believing himself for a second.
Her lips pulled into the most miniscule smile, and she tried to laugh, but it ended up a cough. Blood dripped onto her lips and sprayed on the snow, marring the stark white perfection.
Jack's heart seemed to rip from his chest at the sight of it. He gently pulled her onto his lap, stroking her tangled hair. She gasped at the motion, but did not cry out. Her breath became more ragged by the minute and she struggled to keep her eyes open and hold the blissfully ignorant darkness at bay that crept at the edges of her vision.
He grasped her hand, but the chill of her skin only frightened him more. He couldn't remember the last time he was this afraid. He struggled to find words, but there simply wasn't anything he could say. More tears froze to his alabaster face.
She began to wheeze and choke, fighting to breathe. More droplets of blood flew from her lips, joining the others on the snow. Finally, she reached up and placed a hand on his cheek, the blood on her fingers in stark contrast with his skin.
"Jack." she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"I'm right here." he said, holding her hand to his cheek.
"I'm sorry I was such an ass. It was a stupid book, and I overreacted. Thank you for being there when I thought I was alone. I want you to know that you're the best thing that ever happened to me and I would trade everything for another minute with you." Tears traced the blood on her cheeks as she gasped again, stuttering through her words. "No one in my life has ever meant as much to me as you. Promise me you won't forget me. Promise me, because... be-cause I..."
She never finished, though. Her hand slipped from his face, leaving four streaks across his pallid skin. Her other hand slackened in his grip as her eyes fluttered closed.
For a moment, he seemed unable to process what exactly had just happened. Eventually, though, it registered that her chest was still and she was not moving.
"Willow... Willow! Open your eyes, don't leave me! Please, don't do this!" Jack pleaded as more salt froze to his face. He shouted and wept, but her eyes did not open again.
Finally, his shouts subsided and he hunched forward, shoulders shaking. Her last words rang through his head relentlessly. He laid her head gently onto the snow, her blood staining his hands crimson and his hoodie dark. Still shaking, he pulled her jacket to cover the knife. Her words haunted his mind again.
"No, I won't forget you." He chuckled mirthlessly. "How can I forget the only person I ever fell for?"
He kissed her forehead, before picking up his staff. He did not look back as he leapt into the sky, the glittering starts mocking him with the beautiful night sky.
Scraping the salted ice from his cheeks, his eyes narrowed, becoming cold and unremorseful. The hunt had begun.
Hysterium would pay.
...um, yes. So, please don't call the National Guard, or anything, since I can't update for three weeks. At least I didn't do what Kika did, because she left cliffhangers three updates in a row for three different stories. Thank god I only have this one.
So, erm... review?