Chapter 14

The two Guardians continued their conversation in the frozen garden. Tiny bits of snow started to fall as Anya recalled Eren's real name.

"Chayim," Anya said again then she giggled, "Not to be rude, but I think 'Eren' was way better."

"You think so? So do I…but…" Chayim walked and rest his hand on the frozen guard-rail overlooking a frozen pond.

"Eren Jaeger was my father's name."

"Oh…" Anya looked down at the ground, "Did you love your father…?" she asked, hoping to lighten up the mood.

"I love my parents…they're the best of the best." The boy said with a smile. He picked a small stone from the ground and threw it at the frozen pond.

"They love me and my sister wholeheartedly." He began, "Back in my world, my father and my mother were the heroes of my people. Although they were both strict to my sister and I, I didn't mind it." Chayim picked up another stone and threw it again to the pond.

"What was your…" Anya stopped, choosing her words carefully, "World look like?"

Chayim thought for a moment then smiled.

"It was peaceful… I lived in the palace." He said and looked at the Catherine Palace.

"My father and mother and together with their 'friends' were the Kings and Queens of my kingdom. Our kingdom was vast and rich in resources and minerals. But…" he paused for a moment. "We were bounded by walls."

"Walls?" Anya looked at him, startled.

"Yes…big, tall walls." The boy sighed and closed his eyes, "I remember going up to a portion of the wall and saw a vast, wide open land. The breeze of the air coming from the outside was peaceful too."

"Why was your kingdom locked behind walls?" Anya asked while looking at the frozen pond.

"Because of the rogue Titans," Chayim said and opened his eyes, "This rogue Titans wants to conquer our kingdom and extort all of our bounty. My mother and father and friends always fought them, but thanks to the walls…they can't enter…" he finished off and smiled.

"But you can't go out…" The boy blinked, startled from what the girl had said.

"Yeah…we can't." he sighed again and looked at the grey sky. "Because of that…I always dreamed of the outside world." He picked up another stone and threw it at the pond.

"I always asked my father about the outside world…and you know what he always tells me?" he looked at Anya.

"Protect this kingdom…and your wish will come true." Chayim looked down at the pond and sighed.

"And what happened?" Anya asked again, curious.

"I don't know…I can't remember." Chayim sighed again. He then turned around and smiled at the girl.

"Now enough about me, I'm curious about you." Anya was startled at his words. He has been speaking about his life, so she supposed it was only fair she told him hers.

"Well…I can't really remember."

"Well let's start with your name." Chayim asked as they both began to walk on the snow covered ground.

"'Anya' isn't your real name too right? Is that your Guardian name? Or…?" he asked the girl whose head was down.

"Well…I can't remember my name too…" the boy was startled from what she said.

"Wait now that's cheat-"

"No, Chayim, I can't really remember my name…but I saw a glimpse of my memories." Anya, troubled by the boy's response, said.

She looked around the frozen maze garden, checking if there is someone, other than them, in there. Then she looked at Chayim and spoke.

"I'll show you something…" Anya said and she raised her right hand, inviting the boy to hold her hand.

Chayim smiled and said, "I think I should be the one inviting a lady like you." Anya blushed as he took her hand, and they slowly entered the palace.

Poveglia Island was an island in Venice. The island was abandoned and considered a very strange place. The island was haunted, not only by ghost, but by its bloody history. There used to be a hospital once on the island, for the mentally ill or long term patients, suffering from tuberculosis during the Venetian plague.

Sailors, coming in or out, of the city avoided the island during the night because of its unrestful residents and the rocky coast beside it.

There shouldn't be anyone on the island.

Suddenly, a shadow appeared and crawled from the water and onto the dock. Then, a man slowly formed from the shadow and stood.

"Ugh…finally I reached this place…again." Pitch, in displeasure, said. He slowly walked, or more glided, towards the rusty gate that welcomed him to the island.

Just as Pitch passed through the gate, he stopped after a green orb popped out from the trees and hovered in front of him.

"I'm here to speak with him." Pitch said in a normal voice. The orb just glowed but didn't move. "It's urgent." Pitch added, his tone sinister.

The orb then slowly hovered along the stoned path. The Boogeyman grunted and followed the light.

They pass through trees and thick, poisonous bushes, then passed through a gate of a cemetery, until they stopped in front of a large wooden door to a large building.

The door slowly opened with a loud, menacing sound of creaking. Pitch passed the arch above him, bearing the name of the building.

POVEGLIA PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL

Inside the hospital, the Boogeyman walked slowly onto clearing, which was the lobby.

He stopped after he sensed someone looking at him.

"You seem to be troubled my friend." Pitch looked up after the green orb shoots up and went inside a lantern, which was held by a bony hand of a hooded man.

"Evening. I'm back…" Pitch paused then continued, "For I've been defeated." He added with disgust.

The lantern of the man glowed in a bright green light as he laughed. The Boogeyman made a side glance, annoyed that he was being ridiculed by someone.

"Walk with me Pitch, tell me everything that had happened." Pitch looked up and was about to protest, but he only saw the man's back facing him and moving away.

Pitch and the man stood on top of the light house, which had a great view of the city.

Pitch eyed with disgust the city and its glittering lights that chase the darkness away – his own darkness to be precise.

"I know Pitch…I also hate this city…their inhabitants." Pitch didn't look at him; his face was locked in a frown.

"Your so-called nightmare giants were weak against my enemy." The Boogeyman said. The man didn't answer.

"The giants that you lent me were defeated by the blasted Guardians! The mission failed and I didn't get her…Anya…the Guardian of Nature."

"Hmm…that's very unfortunate." The man must've formed a smirk on his face under his dark hood, laughed lightly.

"This isn't funny! You told me that it can defeat them! But it didn't, instead they just turned and transformed into a golden sand-"

"The giants…my giants were certainly undefeatable…in some certain circumstances. Now Pitch, tell me; what really happened?" The man's voice was serious enough to cut the Boogeyman's sentence.

Pitch clicked his tongue and said, "The reason why your giants were defeated was because of a new Guardian…that can transform into a giant."

The hooded man made a side glance at him, under his hood. A gigantic Guardian...interesting. The man smiled.

"Pitch, my friend…let us not worry over that matter anymore. I have a plan and you're going to lead it." Pitch golden eyes darted to the man and saw his eyes. The man's green eyes flashed and looked at the Boogeyman's, his face still shrouded by the darkness of his hood.

"What is it…?" Pitch then slowly formed a sinister smile.

The door of the chapel slowly opened as the girl looked in. She walked inside together with Chayim and slowly approached the ground filled with red roses in the middle.

Chayim looked around. Half of the roof of the chapel was already gone and the mighty pillars that once must've been sturdy marble were now full of cracks.

'This place can go down anytime…' Chayim thought with caution as he passed through broken pews.

"Here Chayim." The boy stopped as the girl kneeled down to the floor and touched a rose from the ground.

"I can see some of my memories whenever I look at my roses…" Anya begin, "I can see the great hall of this palace filled with men, wearing tuxedos and top hats, escorting and dancing with women, wearing different ball gowns and party dresses." Anya pointed at the cold earth with her index finger.

"They were all happy, Chayim, they were dancing and drinking champagne and laughing…" Slowly a golden light came out from the tip of her finger and seeped in to the cold earth. Slowly a single rose sprouted and joined the group of roses.

"And then…a group of people were standing on the grand staircase. They were waving their hands. The people bowed to them. I think they were a family… and I was standing beside them and also waving." Anya said as she faced Chayim.

"Chayim, did you see the portrait on the staircase?"

"Yeah, they were the Royal Romanov Family…they were the last royal family of Russia."

"Those were the same people that I've seen in my memory." Anya said as she looked at the grey sky through the broken roof.

Memory of Romanov…huh…? Chayim eyed the girl.

"Say Anya…" Anya looked at him. "I'm only guessing but…are you perhaps…" Chayim paused, choosing his words carefully, "Related to the emperor, you know…like one of his daughters?"

Anya blinked, confused and unsure of how to answer.

"Are you saying that I'm a Duchess-?"

"Grand Duchess."

Anya laughed suddenly. The boy was startled from her response.

"Chayim, I can't be."

"Why not?"

"Have you seen the way I act? It's not Duchess-y like…and um…I'm only a 'Lady'." Anya said, refuting what the boy had said.

"Yeah but...it just sounds like you're one of the royal family."

"That's very impossible…" Anya denied again.

The door of the chapel suddenly opened. The two looked at the door and saw Bunnymund, the Guardian of Hope.

"Anya, Eren, there's trouble, big trouble!" Bunnymund said.

"What happened?" Anya asked, startled from what the rabbit Guardian said.

"Someone is attacking the Lorax's lair right now. We have to help him!" The two looked at each other. Anya was frightened from what the Guardian had said.

"We're coming." The boy said after the rabbit hopped away. He looked at Anya again.

"Are you coming Anya?"

Anya swallowed, and felt fear began to crawl around her insides. But then she gave a look of determination and spoke.

"Yeah! I'm ready!"

Updated! Chap 14 is up!Who was the man walking with Pitch? Is he an ally or also an enraged guardian? Special thanks to Sumi-Sprite.