Winter Moon (Jelsa)

Chapter 38: Jack

The city was in chaos. The Elites were running about, digging up protocols and weapons that no one had used in a hundred years. Civilians were locking their doors, and raiding shops for supplies. The Dark Moon cult was beginning to appear all across the continent, with vast forces.

Solen had received his orders from the gods. They were to fight back and eliminate the threat. Moon had ordered us to kill Elsa on sight. She was the only thing keeping Pitch in physical form.

I had only one goal in my mind though. I had to get to Elsa before them. But first, I had to convince the other Guardians to side with me. 

I raced down several flights of stairs to a room where I had requested the Guardians gather. To their credit, they were all their. North, Tooth, Bunnymund, and Sandy. 

"Hurry up," Bunnymund grumbled. "We don't have all day, you know?"

"I know how to stop Pitch without killing an innocent," I didn't waste a beat.

"She's not exactly innocent. She's a magic-user who's been hiding from us," Bunnymund growled.

I didn't bother to ask how he had figured that out. 

"Well, boy? If you have something else to tell us, spit it out!" North demanded.

"Okay, okay," I tamped down on my rising frustration. "If we can subdue Pitch by knocking Elsa unconscious or something, just long enough to do some soul magic, then I can bind my soul to hers and we can fight Pitch."

Tooth's eyes widened. "You really want to go against Vana's advice?"

"You guys spoke to Vana?" Sandy asked.

"Gods! I'll explain later! People are about to die. I need you guys to be on my side!" I shouted.

"Soul magic's dangerous stuff," North frowned. "I've worked with it before. It's going to be extremely risky."

"Okay, look. Pitch is obviously not at his full power yet. He's inhabiting the body of a thirteen-year-old girl. All of us together should be able to subdue him, long enough for you guys to do a soul-binding spell or whatever, and for me to give her my strength to push Pitch from her mind," I said.

"Here's the catch about soul-bonds," North replied. "They link your souls together forever. If Vana said that it would be enough to fight Pitch, then maybe you stand a chance. But you're literally linking your lifeforce to hers. You'll lose your immortality, Jack, and the-gods-know-what-else."

"If you really want to save her that badly, then we'll help you. The Elites' mandate is to save lives after all," Tooth murmured gently.

I sucked in a breath. Lose my immortality. Bind myself to Elsa forever. Save her life.

It wasn't much of a choice.

"I'll do it."

~ ~ ~

I flung open the exit of the Tower and froze in shock. It was snowing. And not just soft flurries. It was a blizzard. 

"This is Elsa's power," I muttered. I never knew it was this strong. But if a god was controlling her, then who knows what she could do. 

"We're never going to find her without a Scryer!" Tooth raised her hands and a magical shield formed around us, keeping out the snow. 

Bunnymund bounded up to us. "Taran just contacted me. Head for New Dawn."

Taran, I knew was a Scryer, capable of finding magical things and people. 

"The school?" North muttered in disbelief.