Me: I don't own Tainted Ice or ROTG!

Chapter 23

Jack jumped up to avoid the blast, sailing through the air. At least I have an aeronautic advantage, Jack thought dryly to himself. He ducked as she fired more ice bolts at him before he swung his staff to create an ice wave to send them back at her. Dark Elsa smirked and just put out her hand to which the crystals just stopped. Jack gawked and rubbed his eyes, shaking his head. How in the world did she do that? She never did that before! He saw an evil smirk curve up her lips while her eyes narrowed into deadly and maniacal slits. With a wave of her hand, the icicles slowly turned towards him before sprouting more spikes.

"Damn," was all Jack could say.

The ice shards zoomed towards him as Jack bolted around to dodge the ice bolts only to slam into the ceiling. Scowling, the guardian of fun zoomed away as some of the ice spikes pierced the ceiling while the others shattered. Some still managed to follow him as Dark Elsa shot more ice blasts at him, forcing him to make split-second decisions in dodging. He couldn't believe what had happened; Elsa had given into her fear and now she was using it as a weapon. Where could she have possibly gained all that power, Jack mused darkly until he collided into a huge stalactite. Jack grunted and managed to narrowly avoid it but still wobbled and crashed down on the ground.

"Face it, Jack," Dark Elsa sneered. "I have the tactical advantage."

Jack scoffed and struggled to lift himself off the ground. "Yeah right, you just got lucky."

She's right, as long as I'm in this room – there's no way I can do the good 'ol hide in the clouds strategy.

Jack groaned in pain before glaring at the stalactite he had collided against. Now that he was grounded, Dark Elsa had an easier target! I just have to be faster I suppose, Jack clambered back up to his feet and looked at Elsa darkly. But what could he do? He was in a small room, covered by ice. A perfect field of choice for Elsa! Her powers were contained and she had more than enough room to blast him around along with that his room to hide and move around were limited. He slammed his fist on the ground and looked at Elsa. She was right; she was not Elsa anymore…

"I would never serve a false queen," Jack seethed. "I only serve one queen and that – is Queen Elsa of Arendelle!"

Dark Elsa gasped before snarling at him. "She's dead!"

"No," Jack snarled back and stood at full height, showing that he towered a bit over Dark Elsa. "Not as long as I am alive. I am Jack Frost, the Elsa's personal champion!"

Seeing his determination, Dark Elsa screeched in a fit of rage. "Then die! Die with her!"

Jack could see that his words got to Dark Elsa. As he jumped around to parry the ice bolts, he could see Dark Elsa throwing her bolts haphazardly without even having a target. Her eyes flashed with a berserker rage and she screamed and unleashed a storm of ice shards swirling around her and shooting towards him. Jack ducked and leapt over the icicles and shattered a few before alighting himself in the air. More ice bolts fired towards him as Jack spun his shepherd's staff to block Dark Elsa's attacks, watching her laugh psychotically. Seeing the crazed glint in her eyes made his chest feel heavy as he hung his head. But he had to stop her now or Arendelle was going to freeze to death.

Jack… please… kill me…

Jack stopped for a moment and got blasted straight into his chest, sending him towards the wall. He shook his head; did he just hear Elsa's voice? But, he looked at the maniacal Elsa before him as he dodge rolled out of the way. He sprinted off and began freezing the floor, throwing bolts of ice at her. Dark Elsa chuckled and summoned more stalagmites to which Jack easily jumped over. Jack glared at Dark Elsa until he noticed something in her eyes. Deep past the blue snowflake shaped orbs, Jack could see Elsa embracing herself and hiding herself in the darkness. He looked at Dark Elsa who blasted him with a breath of ice, freezing him onto the ground. She stomped her foot on the ground as the stalactites fell from the air and impaled both of Jack Frost's hands. Jack growled in pain as he could feel the sharp tip of the stalactite bury deeper into his palms.

"Why," she growled. "Why won't you understand that I am your queen? I am one and the same!"

As she growled at him, she began blasting him over and over again. Without much room to move around, Jack could only take the hits. She then stopped using her blasts and resorted to scratching his face instead. She snapped her fingers and summoned a dagger. Without any warning, she just plunged it into his stomach and caused Jack to cough out blood and growl in pain. Hearing his pained groans, Dark Elsa looked at him and slowly began laughing. She gently stroked his face with a sadistic grin while playing with the tresses of white hair already matted with a bit of his blood.

"Ohhh, my dear Jackie," she crooned and lay her head against his chest. "I've always been so afraid you'd leave me…"

Jack rolled his eyes with a snort and groan. Yeah, the more I'll leave you now after you just turned me into a cork board.

But he was pretty sure that the joke wouldn't translate considering the time-skips seemed a little different.

"You were always so busy being a guardian," Dark Elsa began to cry softly. "I just wanted you here. I wanted you to never leave me. I hated being alone!"

Alone, Jack thought for a moment until realization hit him as hard as one of North's yetis. Of course, she had been alone all her life! She sealed herself away because she was terrified her powers would hurt people!

"I didn't want to hurt people," Dark Elsa admitted mildly until her voice seethed with venom. "But then… they started to hurt me…!"

Jack nodded with a nonchalant shrug. "Yeaah, not really the smartest plan they had in mind didn't they…?"

"Even you," she snarled and grabbed his chin roughly. "Even you hurt me! You left me when I needed you the most!"

Jack blinked in disbelief and shook his head. "How… wha? How is this my fault now? You're the one who pushed everyone away!"

"You would never understand! You always had your stupid guardian friends with you!"

"That's because I let them in," Jack snarled and glared at Dark Elsa. "You're just making excuses for your desire of isolation! Stop blaming others and get yourself together, Elsa!"

Dark Elsa froze as she saw Jack's expression darken considerably. She staggered back, feeling his power suddenly start to spike.

"You always blamed others for your isolation! You were the one who chose that life," Jack growled as he didn't notice that his blue sweater suddenly started to darken and the ice patterns turned silver instead of their usual white. "You could have just accepted who you were and tried to learn how to control it instead of banishing that part of yourself! But no," – his voice started sound more guttural and dark as his white hair slowly started turning black. "You decided to throw everything out and shut people away from you and that's why you'll ALWAYS be alone!"

Dark Elsa backed up as Jack had begun to heave heavily. His wounds were still bleeding out as he looked into the eyes of the terrified Dark Elsa. There was something inside of him that decided to snap. His blood began to boil and his veins began to bulge and pulse with power. His teeth sharpened as the power started bursting from his body. Letting out a vindictive snarl, Jack pulled himself away from the ground and shattered the ice holding him. Despite the ice stalactites piercing his hands, he blasted them off and even at his bleeding state – he managed to stand straight as he summoned his staff to him. The elder wood that his staff was made off began turn black and rot as his sweater and pants now had tears. Dark Elsa staggered and stumbled back as she faced a far more terrifying adversary…

"You call yourself Dark Elsa," he growled. "I am Black Frost then. Your worst… freezing… nightmare!"

It was only then that Dark Elsa could feel real fear. She trembled and fell back, trying to crawl away until Black Frost stamped onto the long cape that was strapped onto Elsa's dress. Dark Elsa desperately tried to clamber away until Black Frost nonchalantly brushed the cape back so it would pull her back towards him. She gasped in terror as his eyes flashed instead of the kind blue ones she knew – they were a demonic yellow and his mischievous smirk now turned sadistic. He pointed the tip of his staff to her neck as it began freezing up and changing into a spear. Dark Elsa whimpered in fear as Black Frost bent down to whisper.

"Not so terrifying now are you, sweetheart," he breathed through her ear. "But I'm not gonna stab you the same way you did me…"

Dark Elsa whimpered in fear as Black Frost forcefully pressed his lips against hers. She yelped and tried to push him off but he had pinned both her arms with his own. She struggled and tried to kick him off; her flailing becoming utterly futile. Dark Elsa then ggve up and instead pulled Black Frost closer and met his ferocity with her own. The two ice wielders were entangled with one another when the doors swung open to reveal Anna, Bunnymund, Olaf and, Kristoff gawking.

"Uh, mate," Bunnymund awkwardly cleared his throat.

Black Frost didn't hear him but what they saw rising from the two bodies was different. Black sand started leaving their bodies and swirling above them. Elsa's hair returned to its natural pale blonde colour and Jack returned back to his white haired self. When Elsa opened her eyes and found herself facing Jack, she gasped and the guardian immediately pushed himself off her.

"Oh wow," Elsa chuckled nervously and began running her fingers through her pale blonde braid. "Um... We kind of got carried away, didn't we?"

Jack scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Haha... Yeah..."

Suddenly, they heard something scream behind then when they saw a black fog-like creature forming. Jack immediately pushed Elsa behind him but she shoved hin aside to stand next to him. He gawked and she stared him down, refusing to back down. The guardian of fun sighed; if Elsa wanted something, she was going to get it no matter what happens. He drew out his shepherd's crook and frosted it over to create a double edged blade while Elsa conjured floating ice swords behind her. Jack nodded with recognition.

"Well, someone got creative," Jack chuckled.

Elsa smirked. "You're not the only one who has tricks up their sleeve."

The black fog creature screamed and rushed towards them. Jack met the creature head on but the fog just split in two. What the creature didn't expect was Elsa to unleash a barrage of flying ice swords. The swords ripped and tore through the creature as it lunged back at Elsa. The queen of Arendelle jumped out of the way as it slammed into the post. Jack fought the other half as it swirled around him lime a huge hurricane. He watches it circle around him until a playful chuckle bubbled from his throat. Nonchalantly, he waited and waited before sticking his staff into the whirling hurricane of black dust and the creature slammed into it.

"K.O.," Jack smirked.

Suddenly, the black dust creature suddenly rejoined together before looking at Anna. Elsa gasped in terror as she saw her sister being targetted. She knew she had not been there for Anna when she had needed her the most. And now was the time. Now was the time to show that she cared. Without any hesitation, Elsa bolted as fast as her feet could carry her before jumping in front of the creature. The creature phased through Elsa as a huge light burst from where she stood. She gasped as Jack gaped, wide-eyed with fear wrenching inside him. Elsa staggered and tried to hold still until she felt someone's arms wrap around her. She looked back to see Jack but instead found Anna holding her tightly.

"Elsa," she hoarsely whispered, trembling.

Elsa struggled to control the power surging. "A-Anna..."

"I'm so sorry, Elsa," Anna whimpered. "For everything..."

Elsa laughed softly with a bittersweet smile. "It's not your fault, Anna. You didn't want to be alone. And I... Should have been there for you when you needed me. When mom and dad died, I was just so scared that I couldn't protect you because of what happened before."

Anna wistfully smiled. "Well at least you gave it your best."

Elsa's tearing slowly broke into an uncontrollable sob. "Anna, I'm sorry too..."

The two sisters hugged one another as Elsa felt the dark powers overpowering her and Anna could feel her limbs becoming heavy. Jack, feeling too weak, tried to drag himself to Elsa but his old wounds ripped open. Kristoff found himself being blinded by the light and Bunnymund could barely see anything. Soon, Anna turned into ice and Elsa crystallized into a black crystalized statue of herself. Jack gasped and ran towards the two sisters.

"Anna! Elsa," he cried out as he began whacking the statue with his bare fists. "Anna! Elsa...!"

Bunnymund hopped towards Jack, grabbing the teenage guardian away before he could make his hands bleed further. "Jack! Stop! You're gonna kill yourself, mate!"

"Elsa, Anna," Jack sobbed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

Kristoff hung his head as they looked at the crystal formation of the two sisters.

"Aww, so sad," a voice mocked from the shadows.

Jack, Bunnymund and, Kristoff glanced at the windows that shattered open. North and Tooth came tumbling in. Olaf yelped and hid behind Kristoff as Pitch materialized in front of them. Jack couldn't believe how powerful Pitch had become. Two black stallions whinnied as Pitch absentmindedly conjured a throne for him to sit on.

"Pity," Pitch shrugged. "Oh well - not all fairy tales end happily. Isn't that just how life is?"

Jack glared at Pitch as he spun his staff and pointed it at Pitch. "You're going to pay...!"

"Is that so, Jack," Pitch sneered. "Come and get me!"

Bunnymund grabbed Jack's shoulder. "Jack, back down. This guy is just toyin'...!"

Jack paid no heed and leapt forward at Pitch. The guardian of fear gasped as Jack kicked him in the stomach. He tumbled back and summoned his black scythe and swung it towards Jack. Undaunted, Jack growled and froze the staff before swinging his staff to shatter it into pieces. Pitch gasped and gawked in admonishment, staggering back. How did Jack suddenly do that? A hitch jammed itself in his throat as he stepped farther away from Jack. His heart throbbed against his chest as the room around him darkened and frosted over. Ice started forming on the columns as Jack sauntered menacingly towards him.

"You tainted Elsa's power," Jack growled and waved his staff, flinging a stalactite towards Pitch.

Pitch yelped as the stalactite smashed against his left shoulder.

"You forced Elsa to activate her powers and run wild," he snarled with a menacing glint flickering in his eyes. "You drove more fear into her by turning the people against her...! You made me abandon her when she needed me the most!"

Bunnymund could hear the anguish burning from Jack's voice. As much as he was the guardian of fun, Jack had his limits. He could see tears brimming from Jack's eyes as blood dripped from his wounds. Jack staggered and limped towards Pitch. Bunnymund felt a tap on his shoulder when he saw Kristoff gawking and trembling.

"Sh-shouldn't we stop Jack," Kristoff asked. "If he brings down the castle, people are gonna be wondering how a single blizzard took out a powerful empire?"

Bunnymund shook his head and watched Jack vent out his rage. "As much as I want to, mate, I have never seen Jack this vengeful. Besides, keeping that aggression pent up inside of him is never a good thing. You may as well let him let it out."

Kristoff nodded and watched Jack continuously unleash his rage and blast him with ice. He could only swallow nervously and step back. Nobody wanted to be in the between Jack and his prey. If there was anything he knew about hunting, it was that...

Getting in between the prey and predator was not the best thing unless you wanted to die.

That's chapter 23! Please don't forget to review!