Chapter 7, Pitch's Return

Pitch circled the now ice covered of it made any sense. All the lights were out. Covered over by solid ice. Yet even still, he felt not a flicker of fear. Nor did he feel any of his power he longed to return.

He reached out his hand, tapping his finger against the ice's cold solid surface.

"Solid ice?" He said, squinting his eyes.

"How could this be?"

Pitch narrowed his eyes as he thought. The only one he knew with the powers of ice was Jack. Could this be his doing? Jack was careless and makes of mess of everything. Surly this had to be him.

"Is this another of Jack's pranks?" He asked, himself.

"How can this be possible? All the lights are out and yet I don't feel a ounce of fear."

He came back around the globe, where he noticed a flickering light inside the ice. Pitch came around to remaining light, where he glared.

"The last light!" he scoffed.

The remaining light over the glob was none other then The last light. The very child who refused to stop believing in the Guardians, who had denied him his revenge. Like how it did not long ago, when all the children lost all their hope and dreams, his light continued to remain.

"Even when all the other children give into fear, one little boy continues to believe," He said, mockingly.

Though it was right at that moment that he then noticed something.

"What's this?" He said, curiously as he leaned forward.

"It's flickering."

Although his light was the only one to remain, this time it looked to be flickering. As if it was struggling to remain beneath the cold solid surface.

But what did this mean?

How was it that all the lights were out and yet he felt no fear from the children?

It was right at that moment he heard his once loyal nightmares swarming above him. Pitch glanced up in awe, stepping back from the glob.

"No, No!" he exclaimed.

"Get back, all of you?"

Suddenly the nightmares galloped down toward him. Only to then pass him by as they made their way toward the tunnel leading to what had been the only entrance to his domain. Pitch stepped back over the bridge as he peered ahead.

"Where are you all going?" He asked.

Right at that moment, he then realized. The only reason they would be leaving was if...They sensed fear! Pitch widened his eyes. Somewhere, a child no doubt may have given in to their fear. But where?

He then looked back at the globe, staring at the last light. Could it be that whatever fear he felt was coming from the small town from where stood the last light?

Slowly he backed away, disappearing into the shadows.

A sudden gust of black sand erupted from the snow covered forest floor in middle of the clearing. Several black horses emerge from the sand as they flew up into the air. Galloping through the blackened night.

Elsa laid fast asleep over a bed in her ice palace. She turned over onto her side, facing Burni her slept next to her. The tiny salamander was curled up next to her, utter small squeals as he slept.

The moons light shining from the balcony doors, reaching all the way over the bed.

Suddenly, the lights was then blocked as a shadow loomed over them. The balcony doors suddenly unlocks and slowly opened with a small creek. It was right then that a nightmare crept into the bedroom, peering down over Elsa with it's glowing yellow eyes.

He could sense her fear. It was so powerful. More so then any of the children. The closer it became, the stronger it became. Snow began to fall from above, picking up as if it was storm.

Feeling the strong current, Bruni opened his eyes. He glanced up, only to see the nightmare looming down over them. He then gasped and stood up. Flames burst over his back as he shooting a ball of fire at it.

The Nightmare quickly dodged and stormed out through the Balcony doors. Elsa gasps and leaned off the bed. The storm of which she had created suddenly ceased. She glanced down and saw Bruni standing over edge of the bed, growling.

"Bruni, what's wrong?" she asked.

The small salamander just stood there, peering forward. Elsa glanced up and saw the Balcony doors were opened. She then smiled, shaking her head. She glanced down to Bruni.

"It's alright, Bruni," she insisted to him.

"It was probably just the wind."

Bruni turned back to her as she scooped her up into her cool hand. The small salamander laid down over her hand as his flames became extinguished.

"There you go." she said.

"Feels better, doesn't it?"

Bruni glanced up to her, nodding his small head. She then placed him down over the bed as he walked over to the doorway. She stood for a moment peering outside at the town lights which shined overhead of the trees. A beckon reminder of the world beyond the forest. A world of which she remained isolated from for so long.

She narrowed her eyes, bowing her head. She then closed the doors.

There was a sudden chuckle of a conniving nature from the snow covered forest below. From the shadows, Pitch stepped into the light of the moon.

"Could it be?" he said, peering up at the balcony above.

"After all theses years..."

Seeing his once loyal Nightmares circling above the castle, it could only mean they sense it as well. The fear which had granted him such power so long ago. But was snatched from him. Pitch then grinned, bearing his teeth. For now stood another chance to take revenge on the other Guardians.

Pitch the laughed as he peered up at the moon, which stood over the clearing.

"You thought you've gotten rid of me, old friend," He said.

"But I promise you, this has only just begun. Soon me and my Nightmares will grow stronger. And you precious Guardians won't be able to stop us this time.

"I'm going back!" Jack announced as he turned.

"Jack, wait!" North insisted as he came up behind him.

Just as Jack was to fly off, North grabbed him by the shoulder. Jack glanced back at him.

"There is something that you must know of Elsa." he insisted to him.

"It can wait, North," Jack claimed to him.

"No, Jack," North claimed.

"This is important."

One of Tooth's fairies glanced up at the skyline above. It was there that she saw the moon coming into view. She gasped. She then flew up to Tooth and came in front of her. Zipping back an forth like a humming bird as she tried to get her attention.

"What is it, baby Tooth?" she asked, curiously.

Baby Tooth glanced back, pointing at the skyline above. Tooth looked up and saw Manny coming into view.

"Uh, guys!" she said, pointing at the skyline above.

Jack, North, Bunny and Sandy each glanced up and saw Manny in the skyline above.

"Manny?" North said.

Manny light then shined down over the balcony below. Stepping to the side, The guardians each glanced down to the light. It was there that a shadow emerged which was revealed to be... Pitch!

"Pitch?!" North exclaimed, glancing back up to Manny.

"Pitch?!" Bunny gasped, glancing up at the other Guardians.

"Pitch is Back?!"

Sandy glanced up to North and Jack as a question mark formed above his head.

Jack narrowed his head as he thought. How could Pitch be here?

Unlesss...

"Elsa!" He said in realization.

Jack then turned and flew up into toward the skyline above.

"Jack!" Tooth called out to him.

As Elsa slept, Bruni laid wide awake next to her. He cocked his head, peering up at the Balcony doors. He squinted his eyes, weary as he uttered a low growl. Though was careful as to not cause himself to burst into flames.

Suddenly, he hear a voice from the corner of the room. He then paused, glancing off to his left. He scurried up to Elsa and peered up over her. It was there that he saw a strange tall figure with pale grey skin, black spiky hair and a black rob emerge from the shadows.

"My sweet little Elsa," he then said.

"My, my, you haven't changed a bit."

Bruni came over Elsa. He came to the edge of the bed, where he hunkered down, growling. Small flames emerged from his back in intimidation.

Pitch just smirked.

"Oh, how cute," he said.

"You have a little pet."

He reached his hand down as if he was going to scratch under it's chin. Only to have Bruni to bite him on the finger. Pitch gasped at the intensity of the bite. He then threw the salamander to the side, causing him to hit up against the wall.

Pitch growled in pain.

"You little..." he said, glancing down at his burning finger.

Pitch glanced up to Elsa, subsiding the pain of his finger. Over top of her, her dreams was depicted in snow. A memory of long ago with her and her sister skating together in the ballroom.

"Awe, how sweet," He said sarcastically.

"Two little sisters so full of joy and happiness..."

Pitch then scoffed. He glanced to the reflection of Anna, which caused him to frown. Her sister fear was his greatest power all those years ago in the dark ages. Until she came along and took it all away with all her love. And then the man in the moon came along with his Guardians, giving all the children hopes and dreams.

Thanks to her, he spent centuries in isolation. Hiding under the beds of children, forgotten and deprived of his powers.

"Why don't we change that," he insisted as he reached out his hand.

"By adding a little touch... of fear."

With but a light touch of his weakened power, black sand began to cover her dream. The memory of them building a snowman sudden changed. As the blank sand covered the snowman, the two sisters gasped as it began changing into something else. Elsa filched, squinting her eyes tighter as she moaned fearfully.

"Anna..." she said.

"Anna... no!"

Once more snow began to descend from above and began picking up like a storm. The very sight of which caused Pitch to grin, sadistically. He gazed up as he watched the dream change form into a creature of his own creation.

At long last, his powers had returned.