Crystal Winter Frost

After five days of supposed resting, Alanna and I were wary of whether Manny would start to train us or not. Alanna was also starting to bother me with questions, and so it was getting irritating.

"Crystal, Crystal—d'ya think Manny is going back on his word?"

"Crystal, Crystal—d'ya think Manny's gonna show up as a human being?"

"Crystal, Crystal—if the Guardians aren't gonna train us, then who will?"

"Crystal, Crystal—"

"Alanna, please stop." Conceal, I thought, then shook my head. That only encouraged fear to grow.

You're a Moon Spirit and a Nightmare Assassin now, so you can't create fear. I thought to myself again.

"Just have patience." I opted to say to Alanna—not without a long eyeroll.

Just then, Uncle Kristoff came into the living room where we were seated. "Girls, could you please explain why there is a large wolf-like creature, a woman with wings, a short man with golden sand, and another that looks like Santa Claus on the bridge, and why they're on a sleigh with flying reindeer?"

"Eeeeeeeeee!" Alanna let out an excited squeal. "They're finally here!"

"What did I tell you?" I looked at my cousin pointedly. "Good things come to those who wait. Like, actually wait."

Alanna gave me a pout and pushed past her father to go greet the 'strange people' coming towards the castle. Sighing, I followed Alanna too—after all, they were the Guardians, close friends that worked with my father, as well as my godparents. It was only polite to formally greet them, even though I knew they would bring painful memories to my mind.

Even though I had gotten better, the thought of where Dad and Mom were had never left my consciousness. Every day, I worried about them and hoped they would return soon, but Gale never came with news, nor did Nokk, Bruni, or the Earth Giants.

"Well, look who is here to greet us!" I snapped out of my thoughts and found myself standing in front of North, one of my godfathers. His booming voice and accented English resonated across the grand sitting room, which we had found ourselves in. I waved at Uncle North apprehensively.

"Did you prepare cookies?" he smiled with an eyebrow raised.

My eyes widened about three sizes and I gulped—we had not yet prepared any.

Fortunately, Alanna saved my life by shouting, "Yep! Loads and loads of them in the kitchen!" My cousin then proceeded to grab Uncle North's hand and led him to where the cookies were waiting.

Aunt Tooth flitted over to me, eyes twinkling with excitement. "Come, let's see those pearly whites!" With that, she pried my mouth open and started to examine my teeth—I had long since given up on protesting and begrudgingly obliged, and tilted my head upwards. "Just like your father's and mother's, sparkling white as freshly fallen snow." Aunt Tooth remarked proudly, but I felt tears starting to well up in my eyes.

My aunt seemed to sense my discomfort and released her strong grip on my jaws. "What's wrong, honeybee?" she asked tenderly.

"Nothing," I said quickly, brushing away my tears.

A hand came to rest on Aunt Tooth's shoulder. "Toothiana, leave her be."

In response, my aunt just looked up fondly and swatted the hand away. "Oh, none of your beeswax, Bunny."

"Hi, Uncle Kangaroo," I grinned and chuckled.

The Easter Bunny in question glared at me. "Dear me, shiela, how many times have I got to mention this to your family? I'm not a kangaroo, and it would do you good to remember that."

Alanna chose this moment to bring Uncle North back into the sitting room. "Uncle Kangaroo! Aunt Tooth!" she screamed. Aunt Tooth chose to giggle while Uncle Kangaroo (ahem) Aster facepalmed himself.

"Don't make me bring out the boomerangs." he groaned.

While Alanna was busy entertaining Uncle North and strangling Aunt Tooth and Uncle Aster with a giant bear hug, I snuck away from the group to a corner of the sitting room. Uncle Sandy was waiting for me patiently, and I gave him a grateful glance as I approached him.

As soon as Alanna and I were born, the Guardians were immediately chosen to be my godparents (courtesy of my father). I appreciated them and thanked Manny that they came at just the right time to train us. I hardly ever got to see them because of their busy jobs, so this was a great opportunity to reconnect with all of the Guardians. However, I always gave Uncle Sandy my full attention. Truth be told, he was the easiest to talk to because he was a great listener.

"Hi, Uncle Sandy. Thanks for waiting, as always," I smiled.

Uncle Sandy created a smile with his dream sand in response.

"Any news on where my parents are?" I asked softly. Uncle Sandy shook his head sadly, and I sighed. "I hope they'll come back soon," I continued, and Uncle Sandy nodded his head to answer.

Suddenly, Uncle Sandy used his sand to form an image of a girl, then the sand zoomed into her brain. He formed the next images so rapidly that all of them just changed into a blur. I could barely see my mother and father holding hands, then the sand swept it away. I saw myself with Alanna, but it seemed we were accompanied by other people (but I wasn't sure who they were). Uncle Sandy finally slowed down and the dream sand made a question mark above his head.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't catch all of that."

Uncle Sandy sighed, and the dream sand showed me a cross and a thought bubble.

"It's not for me to know...yet?"

Uncle Sandy gave me a thumbs up in response.

"I feel like it's a prophecy of some sort," I tried to clarify, but Uncle Sandy just shrugged. Even though he acted like he didn't know anything, it still seemed he was trying to hide something from me—I believe the glint in his eyes gave it away.

"Alright, girls, enough of this. We train now, in the basement." Uncle North boomed in his thick Russian accent. "All right!" Alanna screamed. I gave Uncle Sandy a quick wave and joined my cousin, who was running out of the sitting room to the basement.

"First order of business," Uncle North told us when we got to the basement, "is getting your mandatory weapons."

Alanna rubbed her palms together excitedly as our godfather took out a vial. "First one: pixie dust. Extremely important in capturing the nightmares. Works like Sandy's dream sand, but it is also already activated by children's Belief. If the child who has a nightmare already Believes, it will make nightmare killing easier."

Uncle North handed the vial to Alanna, who carried it in her arms like a baby. "I'll keep this safe," she told him firmly.

"Good," Uncle North replied, "This should be enough for the year."

Next, Aunt Tooth stepped forward. "This," she gestured to a jar at her feet that had magically appeared. "Is the Purple Potion. We've never given it a specific name, but if Manny tells you to use it, then you must. Bring it with you on all your trips to defeat nightmares, just in case." She set the jar of Purple Potion down on a nearby stool.

Next, Bunny presented an array of jars (that sort of looked like Easter eggs). "Hand-crafted and extremely breakable," he said and snapped his fingers. The jars duplicated and flew to shelves attached to the basement walls. "Take around five each on your trips, and trap the captured nightmares inside the jars."

Lastly, Sandy stepped forward with my wand in his hands, as well as my ice gun. I'd almost forgotten about those—living in placid contentment (and denial) for a week could let the most important things slip from your memory. I subconsciously took a step backward, fearing the worst, and looked at Alanna worriedly.

"I can't do this. Not with those," I whispered. "The wand and gun can't control my powers anymore."

At least, not after Pitch came to 'visit.'

"What's all this?" Aunt Tooth frowned. "Fear isn't the right way out of this, honeybee. Nothing will work, Crystal, if you don't believe in yourself. The only way that you'll be able to find your parents is by persevering and taking action. Who knows, maybe Manny has a plan for you and wants you to be a Nightmare Assassin, just so that you will be able to get your parents back."

"For the umpteenth time, Crystal Winter Frost, we're always here to help!" Alanna threw her hands up in the air. "So come out of those locked doors—" my cousin knocked on the side of my head. "And help us!"

Then, Alanna spoke softly. "Do this for Arendelle. Do this for your parents."

Uncle North placed a hand on my shoulder. "Your wand and gun have been enchanted so that it will help you track down the nightmares, and add reinforcements to defeat them effectively. Just wave your wand in the open air and Gale will lead you to the children whose nightmares must be annihilated. As for your gun, the ice powers should combine with moon magic so that the nightmares will be easier to kill."

Uncle Sandy nodded.

"Thank you," I looked at Uncle North, then Uncle Sandy. I reached my hands out slowly and retrieved the wand and ice gun.

And at that moment, my life took a dramatic turn.

For three weeks, the Guardians stayed in the castle to train us. Alanna and I would head to the basement every day and practice our magic skills and how we should combat our foes. No actual weapons were used, apart from the ones we were given, which was quite miraculous. The Guardians simulated nightmares for us to defeat, and we became faster and stronger after each battle. Sometimes Uncle North or Uncle Aster would bark out commands to dodge, kick, swipe, blast, run...however, once we grew more confident, they ceased to speak and merely watched us as we tackled the challenges given to us.

Once, I heard Aunt Tooth and Uncle Aster whispering to themselves in their bedroom.

"Aster, do you think we're pushing them too hard?" Aunt Tooth asked.

"No, we aren't—we're just making sure they're able to defeat the nightmares." Uncle Aster responded confidently. "They're strong girls. They should be able to handle this."

"I think Pitch's power has diminished—"

"Nonsense, Toothiana." Uncle Aster sighed. "We must expect the worst."

"And do you know where Crystal's parents are?" Aunt Tooth questioned, changing the subject. "North said you might."

"I don't," came the shocking reply. "I tried looking on the globe in his workshop, but they're nowhere to be found."

"Can't we just locate them with our powers? I could send my fairies—"

"Sweetheart, don't tire them out. The elves tried, the yetis tried. They've searched every single corner of the earth, and they've come back without them."

"Poor Crystal," Aunt Tooth sighed, and I turned away. I never wanted sympathy from my situation—all I wanted were my parents, safe and sound back in Ahtohallan, like always.

But then again, I was now a Nightmare Assassin. I was now well equipped and ready to fight anything that came in the way between myself and my parents, and I would do whatever it took me to find them.