Hello to the readers!
~*~ I'm so sorry I haven't updated for a loooooooong time, a lot of you are probably hating me right now. I'm really sorry, things have been really depressing here at home since my dad left and my mom got into a car accident then there's school and a lot of other stuff. I'm so sorry and to make up for it, here's a chappie. It's short but I wanted to get it to you as soon as I could. I hope ya'll understand. Thank you so much to those who reviewed and liked it. You guys are THE bestest ever!
~*~ I do NOT own "Rise of the Guardians" "Brave" "Tangled" and "How to Train Your Dragon"
~*~ Chapter 5 ~*~
Jack felt for his staff, blindly crawling over the stone floor, his hand looking for it. The dust hadn't settled yet and it made his lungs close up. Every time he tried to breathe, dust would enter his system and the air came out in ragged breaths or coughs.
Something wooden bumped his hand. Jack felt for it for a second and yanked it up. His staff, perfect!
Lillith, dazed and coughing, couldn't take it anymore. She spun around, her back against the direction she last saw Jack and flapped her small wings. With great effort, the dust flew to another direction, clearing a space for air.
Jack stood, dusting himself and turned to Rapunzel's direction.
"This isn't your fight, Rapunzel" Gothel had emerged from the dust, a gleaming red dagger in one hand.
"You made it my fight when you took Eugene!" Rapunzel snapped.
Gothel gasped. "How did you-?" she was staring at Rapunzel in disbelief.
"I told her... mother" Lillith stood to her feet. "Or should I even call you that?" Lillith demanded.
"You! Traitor!" Gothel pointed an accusing finger at Lillith.
A black shadow suddenly passed behind Gothel.
"Welcome, Jack" a cold voice cackled. The shadow manifested into Jack's worst nightmare.
"Such a pretty reunion" Pitch laughed. "A girl meets her witch. A boy united with his sister and a nightmare confronted by a dream" Pitch placed his hands behind his back.
"Good to see you home, Emma" Pitch snarled. Lillith clenched her fists.
"Don't call me that" she muttered. Her black katana was an inch from her grasp.
"Oh, I can call you whatever I want. You're mine and you will always do as you're told. You always come running back to me" Pitch laughed.
"No!" Lillith snatched her blade and pointed the blade at Pitch's throat.
"I've had enough... of being told what to fight for! I came here... on my own will!" she yelled.
"Puh-lease, Emma" Gothel snickered. "You can't fight us. We came to your life when no one else did. We gave you your life!" Gothel shrieked.
"No!" Rapunzel piped in. "She lives her own life. You never did own her! You don't own anybody!" she countered, causing Gothel to step back at her courage.
"If Jack hadn't remembered, she wouldn't be like this... an insolent fool!" Pitch snapped. "This is a grown-up fight, little girl. You don't belong. You never will" Pitch said coldly.
"How dare you talk to her like that?" Jack demanded.
Pitch laughed wickedly. "And why are you defending her like that?" he asked.
Jack cast a look at Rapunzel. "She's a close friend" he said. Rapunzel didn't know how to feel. For some reason she knew something tugged at her heart at the word friend. Even with Eugene… she was so confused that she barely heard what Gothel said next.
Gothel laughed this time. "Enough talk. We'll never get this done" she flicked her dagger. "I'll pick you off one at a time"
"We won't be coming one at a time!" Lillith retorted and slashed her katana.
Pitch dodged just in time before the deadly blade cut him in half. Rapunzel grabbed thick strands of her golden hair and flicked them like a whip at Gothel. The woman, not daring to cut the golden hair, sheathed her dagger and jumped back. Jack rode the winds, freezing Pitch, who ran the opposite way.
"You are all fools!" Gothel nodded at Pitch. The man grinned wickedly and snapped his fingers. Nightmares coiled up from the ground, their black hooves and yellow eyes stared at their enemy.
Jack swooped down and landed beside Rapunzel. The nightmares were coming in thousands, their neighing filling their side of the wall with noise.
"Jack" Rapunzel stepped back.
"I'm scared" she whispered, her hair falling to her sides.
Jack, I'm scared...
Lillith's voice cut through the air again, like before with Jamie. Jack looked at her green eyes.
"You're gonna be fine. We can do this" Jack assured her.
Rapunzel sucked her breath and exhaled loudly. "You're right"
Pitch laughed. "The lights are going out again, giving me so much power!" he laughed, rising up in a tornado of black sand.
"You can never defeat us now" his tone made Rapunzel shiver.
"There is still time to turn back, Lillith dear" Gothel held out her hand. Lillith looked up at her.
"No! Never!" Lillith muttered. Gothel withdrew her hand.
"You want to stay? With the brother who never even truly remembered who you were?" she asked, softening her tone.
Lillith shook her head, trying to clear her mind. Not now. Not NOW.
"Don't listen to her!" Rapunzel hissed, grabbing her arm. "She's toying with you!"
"Will you not think for a moment, what will happen if the Guardians get out? They will judge you. Humiliate you! And Jack will be there to see it done. You will never be a part of any family" Gothel said.
Lillith gasped and looked at Jack. He shook his head.
"Not true" was all he managed to say. Lillith turned back to Gothel. Pitch patted Gothel's shoulder and whispered in her ear.
"Do as you wish. You can beat them in this game" Pitch nodded and faded in the shadows. The nightmares neighed in impatience.
"It's the truth, Emma" Gothel said, holding out her hand again.
"No! Stop it! Don't call me that!" Lillith gripped her head her eyes were flashing. Blue, black, blue, black, blue. Rapunzel grabbed her other arm.
"Don't fall for it!" she hissed.
"Jack has never even thought about you for one second ever since you became you, has he?" Gothel snarled.
"He has! He always has!" Lillith screamed.
"But he doesn't care? Shame" Gothel flipped her hair to one side. "Your place is with us. Weren't you one of those who captured the Guardians and put them in cages?" she taunted. "They'll never forgive you. They'll only destroy you! You join me, I will let you live" drawing her dagger again, she pointed it accusingly at Lillith. "Or do you... prefer to die along with them? Your choice dearie. But I'll make sure, if you join them, you'll die the most painful death"
Pain. It was the one thing Lillith didn't want to feel ever again. She does have a choice. But should she?
Gothel held out her hand again. "Come on, sweet. Don't be fool by your past. What's more important is your future" Gothel beckoned to Lillith. The girl held out her hand, ready to accept the offer.
Adrenaline shot up to Jack and he grabbed her arm. Lilith turned back calmly. Jack's blue eyes met her dark blue ones. "No" he said firmly.
Slowly, she mouthed the words: 'You have to believe in me'
Jack tightened his grip. "No" he said again, this time, with a tiny wink. Lillith understood and yanked her hand away, gently. Jack loosened his grip, hoping Gothel wouldn't notice.
"Not this time, Frost" she let the name roll out her tongue with pretend disgust. Gothel didn't seem to notice. She clapped her hands.
"Good choice sweetie. Now what did I tell you?" Gothel raised an eyebrow.
"Mother knows best" Lillith replied with an evil grin.
Rapunzel grabbed Jack by the shoulder. "What are you doing?" she cried softly.
Jack placed a hand on hers. "Don't worry. She knows what she's doing" he said. Rapunzel blushed and ducked to hide it.
"Now. Let's end this" Gothel pointed her dagger at Jack. "I'd say 'Sweet Dreams' but there's no one to give you any" she cackled.
The nightmares neighed in impatience. Gothel smiled wickedly. Lillith came behind her, chin raised. Her katana, bloodied with nightmare sand, slowly wrote in the dust.
We don't have a choice.
Jack nodded slowly, making sure Gothel didn't see. This was going to be pretty fun (if you leave the people-wanna-kill-me part)
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND A CLIFFIE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! I'M SOO EVIL LOL.
HOPE YA'LL LIKE THE CHAPPIE!