Rise of the Guardians 2

Chapter 51

Rapunzel sat curled up in a corner, tears slowly leaking from her eyes. It had been hours since Breeze had been taken; any hope Rapunzel had had was now gone. There was no other explanation. She was now the lone Guardian left. There was no one else she could turn to for help. Well...except Father Time. And he was nuts.

She could hear the old man muttering indistinctly to himself in the other side of the room. Ever since his outburst when they'd first arrived, he'd kept to himself, and the other and herself had also kept away from him; Breeze had seemed especially unnerved by his condition.

Rapunzel felt a pang in her chest for her lost friends and to keep her tears at bay, she began to sing to herself.

    Flower gleam and glow

Let your power shine

Make the clock reverse

Bring back what once was mine

She could feel the change in her hair, and saw the familiar glow as it raced down the the end on her hair.

Then for the first time since she could remember, something else, something different began to happen and change. Her wings began to glow.

At first it was only the tips and outline of them, but then swirling designs and patterns began to glow, and for the first time since she got there, the dungeon was illuminated. Both amazed and frightened she continued to sing.

Heal what has been hurt

Change the Fate's design

Save what has been lost

Bring back what once was mine

What once was mine...

Her dress was now alight with the same swirling patterns of her wings, and any rips mended themselves. Any cuts she had healed and she felt clean. At the second to last line of her song the room blazed with light. As she sang the last line and trailed off into silence the light in the room condensed until her wings only glowed faintly.

She felt stronger though than she had in days, more determined, more hopeful. She stood up and saw the old man looking at her in awe. Rapunzel felt suddenly very self conscious and blushed.

Father Time grinned "HA!" he rasped "HA! You have broken his darkness, my young sprite. He will have a hard time turning you"

"Pitch?" Rapunzel asked

"Pitch? no no" The old man said "Pitch Black is no more in control than you are."

Rapunzel frowned "He isn't" Breeze and Jack had been sure it was him...

"Oh Pitch thinks he is in command" Father Time said with a ghastly smile "But he's a pawn just like you friends now"

"Who's pawn" Rapunzel asked quietly "My mother's?"

"Nirrhiti" He whispered "The Spirit of Corruption. He finds weaknesses in people and bends them to his will. Pitch wanted nothing more than to be believed and feared in, and Nirrhiti took advantage of that and used him."

"He didn't break you" Rapunzel said quietly

He gave her a sad smile. "He has nothing to manipulate me with. I lost all who I love a long time ago. I gave no help to Pitch to chase you through time, but I am much to weak to help you now"

"Help me now?" She whispered

"Yes he said urgently "You are the only one left, you must stop him!" Rapunzel slowly stood up, a grim determination taking hold of her. "You are stronger than him, my dear" Father Time said "Much stronger"

Rapunzel knelt back down and hugged him. "Thank you" She whispered.

"Least I could do" He whispered "Spread hope, my dear. And love, peace and joy. Remind the children of all that we do for them."

"I will" Rapunzel said smiling for the first time in days.

"Now go, and good luck!"

Rapunzel hurried over to the door. It was thick solid wood. Getting out would be easier said than done. If only she had a weapon of some sort but even if she did she wouldn't know how to use it.

No point thinking of what I don't have. She thought What do I have. She hadn't gotten the hang on creating things out of light, she could make her hair grow, but that wouldn't help her now. The only other things she could do was heal and make things younger. Wait

An idea struck her and she placed a hand on the door and began to sing. As she sang, the door changed shaped and size. When she finished a seed fell to the ground along with two metal hinges.

Rapunzel stepped out into the hallway and started to run.