North hummed to himself, dressing in robes of deep crimson. A masquerade. Perfect party. Some spirits could not disguise their identity, like Bunny, but some could. He knew that Valentina and Jack were looking forward to it, as they had spent money of horrendous amounts on their costumes. Well… you were only young once after all.

He swept down to the main hall where everything had been decorated in deep greens, stunning reds, and ghostly pale whites. Jack had created a magnificent chandelier of sparkling ice that the guests were gaping at, and North chuckled. One guest, dressed in a magnificent green cloak and blue waistcoat was looking very pleased indeed with himself. Found you, Jack!

A small cough came from behind him. "Um…"

He turned and his eyes softened as pride swelled in his chest. He felt like a father on Prom Night. His little Valentina was a beauty.

Her hair fell gently to her waist, its coal black colour contrasting rather prettily with the silver dress she was wearing, which flowed to the ground and showed off her figure nicely. Her mask was a very pale shade of silver, shaped at one side like a moth's wing – a Lunar Moth if he was not mistaken- and her skin glowed healthily, her grey eyes turning to that shining colour as well. She looked like a moonbeam or a star that had fallen to Earth, and radiated a sort of loveliness that drew the eye towards her. He stretched an arm towards the stairs. "There are many people waiting to dance with you, little one."

She nodded in acknowledgement, but fear flickered in those starry grey – silver eyes, and he smiled. "No call to be afraid. Go, go dance and follow the music."

She walked, little white shoes tapping against each step, and every spirit in that room turned to look at this Cinderella of the stars who had graced them, and Jack in his hunter's costume drank in her appearance, his eyes focusing on her. She felt his eyes and thoughts, and looked up, finding him, and he walked forward, a grin breaking out on his pale face.

"Might I have this dance?" he asked as the violins sang their melodies to the air. Nightlight could be seen dancing with a spring spirit whose flower mask was outmatched by the flowers that grew under her feet as she danced. Bran was actually one of those playing the violins, his brow creased as he coaxed beautiful songs from the strings.

"Yes, you may, sir hunter." She winked at him and they began to move together in a happy waltzing manner, unaware of all else in the room aside from each other and the music.

Maria felt the deadly presence before she recognized its source, fear and anger sweeping through her as she tried to find the Lord of Death.

"How dare he show his face?" she muttered, eyes sweeping across the room before finding a cloaked and masked figure. Pitch bowed to her, and she gripped his fingers. "He's here, I take it?" Pitch asked her calmly as they danced. Maria nodded, her fury resulting in flames crackling along her arms. Pitch made a small shushing sound, and she fumed in silence, the flames disappearing.

Regret showed on the young immortals' faces when the song ended, and they parted to move through the crowd, each with a flushed face from dancing so happily. Val forgot to look where she was going and bumped into a figure clad in indigo blue.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" She smiled, and the figure did not speak but bowed, before straightening.

"Oh… you want to dance?" she asked. Uncertainty struck a chord in her. He was completely dressed in dark blues, but his mask, covering his face, was a little unnerving. At the edges thorny spikes gripped his hair possessively and she almost took a step back, but he captured her fingers and began to dance.

"I'm so happy I got to dance with you."

The voice made her almost shriek in terror as Grim allowed her to reach into his mind, deaths flooding through her. He turned her around so she was no longer facing him, and smiled behind the blank mask. Shadows kept the other dancers back and Jack saw the flickering light as she fainted, and ran to her. Her fingers reached up and knocked away Grim's mask.

"GRIM!" Jack howled the name and flung himself at the other boy, only for shadows to keep him from reaching Valentina. Maria and Pitch looked up to see Grim's pendant become a cracked and ragged weapon, which he tried to use upon Valentina. But the girl had recovered, parting the shadows with a strong blow of her right arm. Jack gathered her into his arms, leaving Grim shaking in fury, before green and purple fire surrounded him, followed by black sand as Pitch attacked with the same vigour as Valentina's mother.

"You dare attack my child?" she screamed, and Grim seemed undaunted, smirking.

"She was not my target, old woman." He flung the weapon towards Jack, who tried to shield Valentina…

It fell to the ground along with Bran.

His grey skin was becoming paler as he heard voices scream his name, felt a dozen shades tug at his soul. The scythe dragged him into itself and nothing was left where the Nightmare Prince had lain dying.

He had seen what had happened, dropped the violin, and thrown himself in front of Jack, and been struck by the Death Lord's weapon. Then Grim saw the scythe begin to mend.

"Oh, that's much better." Shadows claimed the weapon and Grim disappeared, and Pitch fell to his knees.

"No. No. No." Tears of grief wrenched from his eyes and fearlings swept through the hall… before a small hand gripped his. He looked into Val's tear filled eyes and nodded.