Chapter 8, To Protect Her

Jack soured high above of the clouds as he made his way back to Burgess. Peering overhead, he noticed a mass of dark clouds amassing over his former home town. Jack paused mid air as he gazed in awe at the storm below. Baby Tooth was right.

But this couldn't be his doing. how could there be a storm over Burgess?

Unless...

"Oh no." Jack said, widening his eyes at the realization he had feared.

It had to be Elsa. She must be in Danger.

"Pitch!" The young Guardian then exclaimed.

Jack then dove down into the dark clouds below. Plowing through the darken clouds, Jack was then swept up in the harsh currents of the winds. Jack spun around through the air, struggling to maintain control of himself. He felt a gust of wind and flurry of snow blow into his face, causing him to be blown back. Jack covered his face with his arm as he quickly caught himself. He then slowed to a stop before he flew on ahead through the storm, struggling to fight against the hard winds and snow which fell so rapidly over the town.

Yet even with the harsh winds and snow, the winter spirit continued to push through as he made his way to Burgess. It wasn't long before he had emerged below the clouds.

Jack flew down to Burgess, the strong currents of the storm swept him from all sides. He came down to one of the houses below, where he landed over the roof top of one of one of the houses below. He peered up and gazing out over the town. All of Burgess was covered over by a thick grey mist as snow fell rapidly from above.

Jack suddenly felt something rush past him, catching a glimpse of a familiar black creature.

"Wow!" he gasped.

He glanced back where he saw one of Pitch's Nightmares galloping overhead. It was then that it circled around as another came into the view.

"Nightmares!" Jack exclaimed.

The two came up into the air before turning around and began galloping toward him. Jack stood up, holding his staff at the ready. One of the nightmares galloped up to Jack and just as it was about to attack, the winter spirit flung his staff at it. The nightmares was then struck with a surge of his powers of ice and snow, causing it to disburse.

Just as the horse of black sand disbursed, the other nightmare came at him. Only for Jack to blast it with his magic, causing it to freeze and disburse into snow.

Jack then suddenly heard the sound of more of the Nightmare horses. He gazed out over the town, where he saw more of the horses ridding off over the town.

"Oh no!" Jack said.

It was then that he heard a familiar whistling sound, followed by a sudden gust of wind and leaves. Jack glanced up and saw it was Gale.

"Gale?" Jack said.

Gale swept up behind Jack and blew him forward, whistling. Jack leaned forward as his hoodie was blown over his head.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Jack said, brushing his hoodie back.

"Cut it out. Listen, I need to find Elsa!"

Gale whistled as he swept passed him. He once more uttered another whistling sound before he flew on ahead toward the castle. Jack flew off after him.

Jamie peered out his bedroom window at the storm outside.

"A snow storm?" Jamie asked, curiously.

It was then he some something black pass by the window, followed by a familiar sound of a horses neigh. Jamie gasped as he fell back. He recognized that sound. It was the sound of Pitch's Nightmares. Jamie then gasped.

"Oh no," he exclaimed.

"Elsa!"

Jack followed Gale as they flew high above the forest. He then gazed ahead and through the thick grey mist, he saw the the castle up ahead. Jack gasped as he flew ahead toward the castle. He landed over the balcony, where he came in through the open doors.

"Elsa!" He called for her.

Jack came into the room, where he saw Elsa curled herself within her bed.

Jack rushed over to Elsa. He came up next to the bed, where he tried to shake her awake.

"Elsa?" he said.

"Elsa, wake up!"

Elsa squinted her tightly shut eyes as she groaned.

"No... please..." she then uttered.

"Please don't leave me again."

Jack then paused as he glanced to her, curiously. She groaned as she uttered a faint word.

"Anna..." she said.

"Anna...no..."

Jack squinted his eyes, glancing to the side.

"Anna?" He said.

There then came a laughter from the darkness which filled the castle. Jack widened his eyes. He then turned, holding his staff at the ready. He glanced around the room at the shadows at every corner.

"Why if it isn't Jack Frost," Said a quite familiar voice.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Pitch!" Jack exclaimed.

Pitched uttered a conniving laughter. It was then that he emerged from the shadows behind Jack at the far side of the bed.

"Now, is that anyway to treat an old friend?" Pitch asked.

Jack gasped as he turned and saw the pale grey figure cloaked in black. He held out his staff to him, glaring at him.

"What did you do to her?" Jack asked, sternly.

"Oh, nothing," Pitch insisted to him.

"Just a small touch of fear to bring the most glorious of nightmares."

As Jack heard Elsa utter a small moan of despair, the guardian felt a sudden surge of anger. This one felt much different then how it usually had done. It was as if Pitch had attempted to hurt someone close to him. But he had only met her today. And yet this felt different. It wasn't his duty as a Guardian. It was as if he had to protect her from anyone that would even attempt to harm her.

"I told you, Jack," Pitch continued.

"You can never kill fear. All it take is for one single ounce of fear."

He then glanced down at Elsa.

"And this one's fear is more powerful then the rest." Pitch claimed, caressing her icy blond hair.

Seeing him touch her in such a way, Jack's grip over his staff tightened immensely. His anger suddenly got the better of him as he turned and swiped his staff at him. Sending a surge of his ice magic at the Boogieman. Pitch was then struck by the sudden blast of ice, sending him flying back up against the wall. Jack leaped over the bed, blasting a bolt of ice magic at him. Pitch quickly got out of the way of Jack's blast before sending a surge of his black sand back at him.

Jack acted quickly as he quickly jumped out of the way. He then blasted back at Pitch with more of his ice magic.

There was a bright flash of light from the inside of the castle, followed by several grunts and groans. Gale glided into the room to a small corner, where Bruni was laying unconsciously over the icy floor. The wind spirit flew down to the small blue lizard. He uttered his whistling in an attempt to wake him up. Bruni squinted his tightly shut eye lids before opening them. He lifted up his head, shaking it as he then glanced across the room.

It was there that he saw Jack frost fighting that man in black that appeared from the darkness. Gale continued to whistle to him, insisting that Elsa was in danger. Though Gale's insistence was not needed. For he recognized Pitch as the one who had threw him against the wall. He growled, small flames bursting from his body.

Jack continued to blast Pitch with his ice magic. Pitch blocked his every attempt with his his black sand. He then threw a gust of black sand at the Guardian. Before Jack could even react, he was struck by the black sand, sending him flying back against the wall behind him. Jack slid down into a sitting position. Pitch uttered a manacle laugh.

"I must say," He said with a conniving grin.

"It feels so good to be given power again. With fear this strong, could you just imagine how it will fair with all the children of the world."

He glanced up at Pitch, glaring immensely. He wasn't going to allow Pitch to bring fear to the children as he had done to Elsa. Picking up his staff, Jack tried to get back up. Pitch was just about to strike Jack again with his black sand. When suddenly, he was struck by a sudden ball of fire. Pitch gasped as he turned away, covering his hands with his face.

Jack glanced to his right and saw Bruni standing across from him, small pink flames along it's back. Bruni once more spat a ball of flame at Pitch, who quickly dodged the Fire spirits attempt. It was then he heard the sound of one of his nightmares over the balcony of the castle. Pitch quickly ran toward the entrance of the balcony.

"No you don't, Pitch!" Jack exclaimed as he got back up.

Jack ran after Pitch as he quickly leaped up over the nightmare's back and galloped off into the storm. Jack leaped up over the railing of the Balcony and chased after him. Gliding through the falling snow, he chased after Pitch as he rode his nightmare above the forest. He came up behind Pitch, who glanced back to the young Guardian. Though before he could react, Jack gripped his staff and shot a bolt of ice magic at him.

The bolt struck the nightmare, causing it to disperse and for it and Pitch to fall into the woods below. Jack flew down into the woods and landed over it's now snow covered floor. He held his staff at the ready. Only to find that they had disappeared. Jack glanced around the woods.

"Pitch, where are you?!" Jack exclaimed.

But he heard nothing, except the winds of the storm. Pitch was nowhere in sight. He must have escaped into the night. Slowly, Jack lowered his staff as he groaned in contempt.

"He got away." he said, narrowing his head.

He couldn't believe this. Pitch was now back and now the children were in danger once again. Just as Manny had shown on the globe-

Jack the gasped as he then remembered.

"Elsa!" Jack exclaimed, glancing back in the direction of the castle.

He then leaped into the air and flew back toward the castle. It was right at that moment that Pitch emerged from the darkness from which he hid as he glanced back up at Jack. He then chuckle so connivingly.

"This is only the beginning, Jack," He insisted.

"And this time, you and the other Guardians won't stand in my way."