Winter Moon (Jelsa)

Chapter 35: Jack

"Is everyone okay?" I demanded, staring at the spot where Pitch's priest had vanished, dragging Elsa with him.

"Never better," Astrid answered rather optimistically. 

"I've been better," Flynn remarked, and we burst into nervous laughter.

"I've had enough of this," Rapunzel sighed, untangling her hair from a small metal tree that was in the corner of the storage room. "We need to go to the Elites. Explain everything. We didn't even have a chance to enact your plan, Jack. Elsa's in danger. We should just come clean before it's too late."

I opened my mouth to argue, but hesitated. Rapunzel was making sense. Elsa had told me to get help. 

"Okay," I sounded defeated. "We ask for help."

~ ~ ~

Ten minutes later, we had devised a new plan. Hiccup, Astrid, and I would take a skyship to the Tower and talk to the Guardians. Merida, Rapunzel, and Flynn would take Anna to the Cistern and inform the Elites who were there of Pitch. Hiccup and Flynn would rendezvous to confirm both groups' successes while Rapunzel and I joined the Elites in whatever plan they devised. Merida would keep an eye on Anna, and Astrid would head back to New Dawn and check up on a rumor that Tana had heard. Apparently, one of Pitch's lackeys left a message written in blood across the front of the school.

We apologized to Tana, who was rather angry with us, and took off while we still had the chance.

Hiccup, Astrid, and I hailed a skyship, paid the fee, and asked the driver to take us to the Tower. I didn't really understand why Hiccup and Astrid were insisting on coming along since non-Elites weren't allowed into the Tower, but I guessed they just wanted to make sure I didn't do anything stupid. 

Astrid yawned, trying not to fall asleep. Hiccup, who was sitting next to her, was out cold, his head resting on Astrid's shoulder. Astrid wasn't complaining like she usually did, which must have meant she was really tired.

When had we all last slept?

I didn't feel sleepy at all. Elsa was in danger, and Pitch was back. Those thoughts coursed through me like adrenaline, keeping me alert and awake.

The skyship landed near the front of the Tower. Astrid kicked Hiccup in the shin to wake him up.

"Let's go," she told him.

We thanked the pilot and hurried out, taking in the sight of the Celestial Tower.

Unfortunately, the guards wouldn't let Hiccup and Astrid in.

"You know the rules. No commoners," one of them said.

"This is an extenuating circumstance!" I growled back.

"We promise not to cause any trouble," Hiccup mumbled.

"It's not working," I sighed, looking at the guards' stony expressions. "Why don't I just go alone?"

"Like hell that's going to happen," Astrid retorted. "You'll probably end up doing something stupid like storming Pitch's temple alone."

"That won't be necessary," interrupted a horribly familiar voice. Hiccup and Astrid's eyes widened at the sight of the grumpy grey kangaroo. 

I mean bunny.

"Hi, Bunnymund," I waved glumly at the Easter Bunny. 

~ ~ ~

After marching the three of us into a room on the eighth floor like a prison warden, Bunnymund made us face the disappointed expressions of Sandy and Tooth. 

I didn't waste any time though. Launching into a brief description of what the past few months had been like, I told Bunnymund, Sandy, and Tooth everything that had occurred between us and Pitch. I didn't leave any details out either. Breaking my promise to Elsa wasn't great, but they were bound to find out eventually. Perhaps the Elites would even know why Elsa's powers were so important that Pitch kept trying to kidnap her.

"Why didn't you tell us this earlier?" Tooth demanded when I finished.

"Because," I scowled. "I thought I could handle it. And besides, I was keeping a promise."

"After this crisis is over, law dictates that you'll be revoked from the Elites," Sandy signed. 

I nodded. I would probably go into exile. It wouldn't matter if Pitch killed everyone though.

"Do you have any idea why Pitch is after Elsa?" I asked. 

Tooth shook her head. "Nothing you haven't already mentioned. Political bribes or corrupted influence aren't even plausible theories though."

"Wait," Bunnymund slammed a furry fist on the table. "This makes sense now!"

"What does?" Hiccup asked.

For once, Bunnymund didn't scoff because a commoner asked him a question. He didn't seem all that concerned about wiping Astrid and Hiccup's memories of these events either. "That blood-message from earlier. The one in New Dawn. That's what Pitch was talking about."

I exchanged a look with my friends. The rumor Astrid had been going to investigate was true.

"What did it say?" I asked.

Tooth shook her head grimly. "Pitch wrote a message in blood along one of the school walls. It said, "A new moon is rising. I have what I need. Raise a white flag above the Tower in surrender, and I shall give you the chance to praise allegiance to me, Elites. You have twelve hours. Make the wrong decision, and I shall unleash eternal winter and darkness upon you."

"Dramatic," Astrid observed.

"Eternal winter meant Elsa," I said slowly. "How long ago did he write that?"

"Two hours," Sandy answered.

"Sandy," Tooth rose into the air, iridescent wings fluttering. "Solen needs to know this. And North."

With a mock salute, Sandy vanished in a swirl of golden sand.

"I'll dispatch search teams and find some Scryers," Bunnymund exited the room. Scryers had the ability to do immensely powerful tracking spells. Hopefully, they would find Elsa.

"Darlings," Tooth cried, and a swarm of miniature tooth fairies enter the room. "Look after the two mortals. It's not safe out there. Keep them in the lounge on the sixth floor until I have a chance to deal with them. Give them hot chocolate or something."

Hiccup and Astrid were herded out the room, eyes wide with shock.

"You," she fixed her steely gaze on me. I gulped. Tooth meant business. "Come with me."

"Where are we going" I asked as we hurried up several flights of stairs. Elites bustled back and forth, up and down, left and right. A nervous energy crackled from them. It had been a while since there had been any real danger.

"Hundreds of years ago, when the world was in peril, we looked to the gods for help, Jack. They have never failed us. We are going to consult the gods."