Trying to Stop Forever (Frozen Apart sequel)

Chapter 7- Emily Jane

Elsa

Pitch seemed completely broken.

He didn't look like the Pitch Black she knew, the one with the evil grin and cruel eyes and blackness in his soul.

He looked human. His skin was a pale color, as though he had spent too much time in the dark. His black cloak hung limp from his frame.

He has obviously gone through Hell and back, and here he was, surrounded by people who hated him, and still he told his story.

"My story begins long before this time. A time before your Guardians, a time when we traveled the stars."

His eyes took on a misty look, he was remembering, and he was so sad.

"I had a family, my wife and daughter, Emily Jane."

Suddenly, he broke. He crumpled to the ground, and silently Fear cried. Or what was left of Fear.

Sandy's face fell, he flew forward and rested his hand on Pitch's shoulder. Pitch looked up into Sandy's eyes, and it looked as though they were having a silent conversation. All the older Guardians looked sad, as though they knew what was to come, and didn't want to live through it again.

Slowly, Pitch stood up, supported by Sandy. The smaller man led Pitch over to a chair, which he fell into immediately.

Pitch rested his elbows on his knees, he clasped his hands together as he continued.

"It was during the Golden Age. A time when inventions flourished, before this Earth had been populated with humans, a time of war. We had few enemies, but the ones we did have, they were great in numbers."

He looked straight forward through the walls and to a time that none of them could comprehend.

"The Fearlings. Our enemies were phantoms. Demons. Monsters. All of them were the Fearlings. The Fearlings were and are the embodiment of evil and cruelty. Of them, were the Dream Pirates. They roamed the universe, and they fed off of dreams. I was a hero during that time. My crew and I captured so many of the Dream Pirates and Fearlings, but we never killed them. Maybe it would have been better if we had."

He looked down and tears started to spill to the ground.

"They trusted in our humanity and compassion, trusted that we would never kill or hurt them, just imprison them. So they took the next step. Instead of just taking dreams. They killed. They killed my family."

He shook with uncontrollable sobs. Elsa took a step forward, her own eyes held tears.

When he next spoke, Pitch's wavering voice was filled with sorrow.

"But they didn't. I thought they did. When they attacked our home, Emily Jane had snuck out, to play with the Star Fish in the sky. She was an amazing pilot my Emily Jane", he spoke fondly.

"So when the Dream Pirates attacked, my wife, she tricked them. She jumped out the window, killing herself, and faking her daughter's. For in some cases, such as that of the Fearlings, it is far better to disappear from this world then to know what they have in store for you." his breathing became labored as he struggled to speak around his tears and sadness.

"At the time, I had received word of an attack, so I went to fight the Fearlings. It was a trick. I flew back to my home. And they were dead. I thought they were dead. We captured the Fearlings who had killed them, and I chopped off their heads. My first kill."

His eyes were distant and his voice was flat.

"Eventually, we won the war. We locked all the Fearlings up in a cage at the edge of the universe. And I volunteered to be the sole guard. I stood night and day at the door, holding the only key. Day after night, I listened to their voices. The voices of sorrow and pain as they pleaded for air. So many voices. And then I heard her. My daughter. Emily Jane. She was in there locked up with them. But she couldn't be, because she was dead. Dead with her mother. But I allowed myself to hope, for a father's love is stronger than any other force, and I opened the door."

He dropped his head into his hands.

"They swarmed me. I can still feel them. They went through my body, they tore at my heart and soul. They twisted me. They turned me into a dark monster. I was their king. The Nightmare King. I was unstoppable. Before, all was chaos in their attacks, no order. But with me as their leader, we won war after war and battle after battle. We never lost. Until the warrior Nightlight and his Guardian friends"

He looked up and gave the older Guardians a smile.

"That was when the changed began. Nightlife was born of moonlight and joy. He stabbed my heart with a dagger, which froze me and pulled him in. Together, we were both trapped. He and I were frozen in time. But then I broke free, both of us were freed. And I wrecked chaos. Every time the Guardians thought they had defeated me, I hid in the shadows and grew stronger. But that first encounter with Nightlight was when the clock started ticking. Ever since that one moment, I have been slowly turning back. And from then on, every time I encountered the Guardians, it sped up. The effects of the Fearlings were supposed to be irreversible. And yet I changed. And then you two came along."

He looked to Jack and Elsa with interest and gratitude.

"The Fearlings were so distracted by you two, that their hold on me lessened. And I broke free. They aren't in me anymore, but I can still feel their traces. Their thoughts and plans. And all of the memories."

He looked up to Sandy sorrowfully, "She hates me doesn't she?"

Sandy shook his head and Pitch's eyes lit with hope.

"Who doesn't hate you?", Elsa prompted.

"Emily Jane. While I though she was dead, she had taken refuge with a titan of the skies, and she became powerful. She became who you know as Mother Nature", his eyes shone with happiness and a father's pride.

"What of the Fearlings?", North spoke for the first time.

"They plan to feast on the dreams of the world"

He looked to Elsa, Jack, and Kristoff, "Starting with your Ana."

***

P.S. Guys, I forgot to mention, Pitch's back story- all credit goes to William Joyce, the author of the Guardians of Childhood series(which is what inspired Rise of the Guardians), which @supersized_mcshizzle introduced me to(thanks again by the way!)

Check it out! Its an awesome series!
Last Edited 2016