Chapter 2. Say you're sorry...or face your doom...
The night carried on getting colder and colder. The wind blew hard and deafening, it howled through the trees like screaming banshee's. The sky was dark with clouds and it eventually began to snow very hard.
"This doesn't feel right, my belly says so." North said with concern, looking out the window of Big Root and watching the snow fall.
"North if you would have just given me that telescope I could've identified him! But you just had to do the worst things North!" said Ombric in worry. North was about to argue, but the wizard carried on. "When we saw him in the sky it didn't even cross my mind that he was a winter elf. Believe it or not, his race was not even on my list to find, I'd forgotten. How could I have forgotten such a marvelous – powerful race of elf?!"
"Mmmarvelous and powerful?..." asked North in thought.
"That's what I've heard. I've also heard that they are...very charming." said Ombric. North laughed.
"Pff! Charming? Bunny says they are the, 'most annoying creatures to ever exist!" he said.
"That may be true for some." answered Ombric. "I have met them and they are just as human as you and I."
"Bunny I guess can over exaggerates on things sometimes." North chuckled.
( )( )( )
A couple hours went by in silence. The children were all sleeping snugly in their beds, and soft hoots of Ombric's owls could be heard.
The only other sound to be heard was the howling wind blowing through the trees outside and the soft pitter-patter of snowflakes hitting the window.
But then there was a knock at the door of Big Root. North and Ombric, who had been sleeping and snoring away at the fire, startled awake at the sudden noise.
"Eh? Did you hear that?" asked North sleepily. They had intended to stay awake to keep an eye on the storm, but the eerie sound had somehow lulled them to sleep.
"I think so." Ombric wiggled his mustache.
There was another impatient knock at the door, louder this time.
Both North and Ombric scrambled out of their chairs to get to the door first. But once they reached it they stopped. Both hands hovered hesitantly over the knob. North looked at the old wizard with consideration.
"This is your house, so you open it." North said, lifting his hand and backing away.
Ombric took a deep breath and ever so slowly turned the knob and opened the door...and in that moment the wind died down to nothing but a breeze, and so did the snow.
This made Ombric hesitate but he opened it wider anyway, wide enough to poke his head out.
There standing on the porch was the same elfin child with brilliant blue eyes from earlier. He had moppy white hair and chalky pale skin. He wore no shoes, only an old pair of clothes and a leather cloak.
"Good evening?" The boy asked the wizard politely. Standing in a way that made him look mysterious.
Ombric could think of no reply to that, he wouldn't at all call the evening 'nice'.. "Why are you here?" he said instead.
The smile faded from the elf's face. "To remind you to say sorry. From earlier!"
At this Ombric was surprised to know that that was the reason the boy was here in the middle of the night, all for a little apology?
Ombric looked around at the wavering limbs and branches of Big Root. The creaks and groaning of an unhappy tree being blown around by the wind. He looked back at the boy before him. "You are very lucky that my tree has taken mercy on you." Ombric said lowly. The boy looked up warily, hearing the nasty whispers the tree spoke about him. "What is your name?" Ombric asked, opening the door wider and allowing North to peek through as well behind him.
At this the boy straitened up and grinned widely. "I am Jack Frost! The greatest and most powerful winter sorcerer of- ...well, this day in age." he bowed. "And it is an honor to meet you Mr. wizard...I assume anyway, that you are a wizard?"
"Awe, very...impressive." North whispered behind Ombric, unimpressed.
"And it is an honor to finally meet you as well." Ombric chuckled.
"Now say you're sorry!" Jack Frost demanded.
"But it is not me who should say sorry, for it was not I who attacked you. And to be truthful, it wasn't an attack." said Ombric.
"I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!...now who did it?" Jack Questioned.
Ombric moved aside to reveal North standing behind him.
"Ah-ha, the hunter..." Jack said. Moving his staff in front of him in a protective way.
North cleared his throat. "My apologies, forgive me about earlier...I thought you were bird." North said and lied pathetically. Ombric elbowed him in the ribs. "-And we will forgive you if you could stop this storm and leave-" He got elbowed in the ribs again.
Ombric didn't want the elf to leave, he wanted to talk to him, it was the only chance he had to know if other unseen creatures still existed.
But Jack beat him to it. He grinned. "It is not in my tradition to let my opponents go so easily." he said. "And so you shall face the terrible wrath of Jack Frost's winter blizzard! MUAHAHAHAHA!" he laughed and the wind suddenly carried him off and the storm began once more...
