Chapter 37

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(Jack's POV)

 I went to check on Elsa. I was trying not to worry, Tooth said she just needed sleep, I should let her rest. But still...

Why hadn't I noticed properly or caught her before she fell. Drat, why was I so worried? I hesitated at the door, should I bother her? Maybe I should come back later. No I'll just quickly check in on her and then leave. I won't disturb her, I mean I'm not that worried but maybe she was having a nightmare or something, we would need to know so we could call Sandy. She's fine, I'm fine, everything's fi-

Everything was not fine. Far from fine in fact. Elsa was gone.

---timeskip---

The other Guardians were arguing. Trying to figure out what happened, whose fault it was and what to do next. I knew those answers but they weren't listening to me, not that i tried to tell them. I messed up, this was my fault and I had to get her back. They didn't notice me leave. I didn't have a plan but I knew where to go.

Pitch's lair, the one we found Elsa in. He might have moved on since, but perhaps he hadn't yet, or maybe there was some sort of clue. As I flew my mind wandered. Had she gone willingly or had Pitch taken her? Was she ok? What did Pitch want her for anyway?

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(previously) 

"Dude what are you doing?"

"I'm making a mind map of all we know to help come up with a plan.... also cause I keep forgetting the plan *cough cough*"

"Aren't you worried about someone seeing it? I mean your drawings should probably be classified as a war crime."

"Nah, it's fine I'll just erase it when I'm done."

"Can you erase it when it's written on a wall? Also, why are you writing on the wall?"

"There's no paper here, besides it'll be fine. No way this will ever have negative consequences."

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(Back to the present)

There were what looked like ominous symbols on one of the walls. Was it some sort of spell or summoning circle? It was hard to make out as most of it was faded or smudged. There was a single word that could be made out enough to guess what it was.... 

....Adelle?.....

who or what or where was that?

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(Elsa's POV)

I was tired and injured but I didn't care. I ignored the branches scraping against my skin, I got up every time I fell. None of it mattered. All that mattered was getting there, so I didn't stop, I kept walking. If I had had the strength to run the whole way I would've. I don't know how long it took. I was blind to my surroundings; all I could do was focus on just putting one foot in front of the other.

When I saw Pitch up ahead I knew I had arrived. He seemed more amused than angry. Mocking my failure. Failure to escape, to break free, to move on. He would always win wouldn't he? 

Where they were seemed familiar.

"It does, doesn't it." a familiar, unwelcome voice whispered in my mind.

"Get out of my head!"

"...no"

A shudder went down my spine. The glee with which he said it, the joy of knowing he'd finally won, that I was once again helpless and completely at his mercy. All too aware of and enjoying my distress he continued.

"Look closer, you'll recognize it soon. If not the place then maybe that person on the pier."

There was a figure in the distance. It was hard to make out. It looked like...

Tears welled up in my eyes. How was this possible? 

In a broken whisper I gasped, "mom?"

How could this be? She was dead, she and father had both died. That day when Pitch took me away from Arendelle. Was I dying? Was this the afterlife?

"Not quite my dear." Pitch taunted me, "look closer"

"H-h-how?"

"You've been gone for quite a while now you see. Your little sister is all grown up. You left her behind, all alone. To handle the deaths of her parents and the responsibilities of a queen. You failed her...again."

"No... it's not possible!"

A second figure came up behind the figure across the Fjord. I could just make out their conversation.

"Queen Anna, your sister is gone. You can't keep waiting for her like this every morning."

It was only then that I noticed the sunrise. And with its light I could see more clearly. The lines of age riddled across what I knew to be my sister's face."

"How long?" I asked in a barely more than a defeated whisper.

He laughed before he answered with a self-satisfied smirk. Leaning down to whisper in my ear...

"60 years"

That couldn't be true. I looked around frantically. It was Arendelle but not as I once knew it. The natural landscape remained mostly unchanged but the marks of civilization were different. A new pier, more buildings, a bridge that wasn't there before. Time had moved on. I rushed to the edge of the water to look at myself. My little sister looked older and I suppose I did to but not as much as I should. 

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" I screamed, turning to Pitch.

"Nothing much, I do not have the powers of the moon exactly. Even if I did, killing you to make you an immortal would make your usefulness obsolete." He grabbed me roughly, fingers digging into my arm. 

"I only slowed your growth. So I could use you a little longer. It's the only thing you are good for anyway."

In a sudden burst of anger he shook me violently, " I SAVED YOU FROM YOURSELF AND YET YOU RAN AWAY TO CAUSE EVEN MORE HARM THE FIRST CHANCE YOU GOT. I have never met anyone as stupid, worthless, ugly, incompetent, disastrous, pathetic, evil or idiotic as you!" 

Then, as if someone had flipped a switch he was quiet and menacing again, taunting me.

"What? Are you scared?"

I was shaking, everything around me seemed to be crumbling. I had hurt my sister, robbed her of a childhood, destroyed the livelihoods of so many who used to work in the castle before they reduced the staff because of me. I killed my parents, I left Anna with the burden of ruling I even ruined the Guardians by turning myself back over to Pitch. I was a monster, a burden, a curse, I couldn't do anything right. I deserved all the pain Pitch caused me, it was just my penance for all the lives I ruined. In that moment I finally, truly gave up. As I lost my final grasp on reality I heard one last condemnation from him.

"Oh look, now you're freezing your whole kingdom too."


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