Jack Frost's Story

In the dark of night, a shadowy hooded figure dashes through the forest barefoot. He's a lean, muscular figure dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt and a pair of black cargo shorts. He has a black backpack on his back. He continues to dash until he reaches a clearing that only takes him from the dark spooky forest into a big open grave yard surrounding a giant dark castle. He stops for a second to catch his breath. He turns to see that he is not being followed by anyone and he relaxes slightly. He continues to walk through the dark graveyard until he reaches the moat surrounding the castle. The bridge was drawn up, but that didn't stop the young man. He walked right to the water stepping on it and it freezes at the touch of his feet and he steps onto the moat and walks across as if it were solid ground. He gets to the giant door and pounds on it as hard as he can. The sound can be heard echoing through the great halls of the castle even from the outside. The door seems to open of it's own free will and the figure walks in. He heads directly to the thrown room. Upon getting there he sees the pumpkin-headed grotesque figure sitting on a thrown that looks to be made of solid shadow.

"Did you bring it?" The pumpkin head asked in a hissing voice.

The figure removed his hood and revealed raven black hair with ice crystals forming at it's spikes and a pair of pale blue eyes.
"Of course. It wasn't easy though, and I'm not sure how long the decoy will fool him. Are you sure this is a good idea?" He asked as he pulled a silk black top hat out of his back pack.

"You could always go back to being his lackey, Frost. If that's what you really want."

"Fuck you, Lantern! I'll never be his pet again. I just thought it might be a good idea to consider what we're getting into here. He was imprisoned in this thing for a reason. Sure he loved kids, but he was a killer too and more powerful than either of us. Are you sure he will help us?"

"Well, there's only one way to find out. You know what you need to do."
Frost handed the hat to Lantern, raised his hands and began to form a flurry of snow in the middle of the room building into a familiar three ball shape.

As the snowman began to take shape in the room, Lantern began to laugh and cackle the way he always did when things were going his way. The snowman formed completely and Lantern was about to place the hat on it’s head. “Not yet!” Frost stopped him. “You gotta get all the details first.” He opened the backpack and pulled out a carrot and shoved it in the middle of the snowman’s head, then two pieces of coal for the eyes went in and he carved out a smile. “Now you can do it.”

Lantern placed the top hat on the snowman’s head and the snow began to swirl and flurry around the snowman. The snow flurried and the snowman was engulfed in a cloud of snow and within seconds the flurry was gone and there was the snowman in the full humanoid shape. The eyes had become real eyes and not the lumps of coal that had been there before.

“Happy birthday, snowman.”

“It’s Frosty, you’ll do well to remember that Lantern. Why have I been awakened?

“You’re going to be needed, there is a war brewing and we’d prefer to have you on our side when the fat guy in red decides to unleash hell on us.”

“And you think that because he’s the one who bound my soul to this hat, that I’ll help you just to get revenge?”

“That was the plan, yes.” Frost replied sheepishly.

“You two are pathetic!” Frosty scoffed. “I’d expect this sort of thing from you Lantern, but you, Frost? I thought you were better than this. Wasn’t I a better mentor to you than this?”

“Yes, sir, but that was three hundred years ago, things change. That fat bastard used the Winter Diamond enslave me for centuries and all because I helped you! You owe me old man. I managed to retrieve the diamond while I was stealing your hat. It’s only a matter of time before he notices the fakes in their place, and when he does he’s going to dispatch the silent knights. You know what happens when they get called in, or did you forget about the great leprechaun genocide? You taught me all I know in the winter magic arts, and the biggest lesson was you only fight for a cause. I have a cause and it’s to stop that tyrant from enslaving this realm and using us and our powers to take over other realms. So you can either help us, become his slave, or go back in the hat. Your choice.”

“Maybe you paid more attention to me than I thought. You aren’t the same young child going around playing pranks on everyone anymore. Okay then, I’ll help you. Let’s stop this holy jolly prick from taking over.”

Peter's pale violet eyes glinted maliciously as he peered down at the elf before him a sly smirk on the corner of his lips as he relished in the fortune laid before him by way of a glorious pile of red and green poker chips. He pulled and fussed at his pointed beard the shade of deep lilac. Peter had sharp angled features with lightly darkened Arabian skin, it gave him a perpetually mischievous look coupled with his angled brows and neat white smile. His upper half was all but bare naked even in the deep chill that seemed to reside everywhere in that northern region, nothing but the belt of his satchel covered his thin reedy form. His ribs rippled under his skin just below his pecks. His lower half was startling. He wore no pants but a blanket of thick, soft purple fur covered him from his whispy purple happy trail down to his long muscular rabbit feet. The elf stared at his cards for a long time.

"Bahh Gingercrumbs I give! You're a cheat and a hustler, Peter!" He accused, jumping to his feet. His little hands balled up at his sides as Peter chuckled laying out his Royal flush for all to see. He chuckled and raked over the chips.

"You elves make it easy." He said, he opened his satchel and watched as the enchanted poker chips turned into currency as they cascaded. "You're so expressive, the lot of you."

It was then that a banging on the door of the small cabin shook the lot to movement. Like a choreographed dance chairs where tossed from one elf to the other and the round table was rolled off into its hiding place behind a shelf of toys. "Well, looks like my time here is up. Same time next month I'd say.

"Get out of here, thief!" One of the elfs spat. Peter laughed at that, slipping out of the back door with a few short bounds. Once he was out in the soft snow he tested the ground with his paw, wiggling his toes to let his feet sink in. His feet where long and wide and acted like perfect snow shoes but that wasn't what he needed. He kicked away the snow then lept into the air, doing a bit of unnecessary acrobatics before seemingly falling through the soil beneath him. The magic worked quickly as he willed the earth to form a tunnel. It opened up like a hungry black hole before collapsing in on itself directly behind him. It left loosened soil and disturbed snow markings behind as if someone had literally dug a hole then filled it back up again. Inside his tunnel it was a rush of dirt and rock. Peter could sense every stone every cavern down there and moved quick as a bullet past it all. He emerged someplace deep in the same forest that the two Jacks and Frosty where in, erupting from the soil like a cannonball. The Earth opened up for a moment, ejecting frigid air from the north pole before it settled. Dark and silent once again. Peter landed with a soft thump and brushed a bit of soil from the fur on his legs. His legs where viciously powerful in comparison to his reedy upper body. It didn't take more than a glance to know that a single kick from one of those would be....challenging to walk off. Peter hummed and strolled along towards the direction of the nearest town, patting his satchel lightly as he ran though the spooky forrest, each stride a leap to anyone's eyes. He moved like a parkour enthousiast his momentum guiding him more than his mind as he lept up the side of trees and did handstands, vaulting over branches. Some of the trees awoke as he rushed by, snarling and thrashing their spindly branches in his direction some hissing profanities in their whispering crackling voices like the snapping of branches. He stopped suddenly at the sound of someone else in the forest, his ears twitching high above his head almost as if they had minds of their own. Curiosity got the best of him and he veered off his task to see what it was. The kid, Frost was heading for the haunted castle. Peter's violet eyebrow arched dangerously on his forehead and he fingered his pointed beard curiously, his ears twitching as the sound of him pounding on the door echoed loudly through them. He waited till Frost disappeared before he himself vaulted over the wall with little effort landing on the other side with a soft thump. 'What could that icy little bastard want in the lantern's territory? He wondered. There was only one thing that filled the pockets of his satchel faster with coin than poker games, card counting, and delivering messages combined. Secrets. Peter smelled gold to be had and peered up at the crooked towers pondering how best to find a way inside.

Lantern waved a hand and a twisted wooden table emerged from the floor of the castle, it was dark enough to be made of pure shadow. A map of the realm materialized on the table. He pointed to the Northern most region of the realm.

“We’re going to need an army. I have countless ghouls and goblins at my disposal, but they lack a certain military finesse. He has all those elves and they have the kind of strategy my minions lack.” His crackly voice hissed.

“We can help with that.” Frosty answered with a dry echo in his throat. “We can bring about an army of snowmen that will obey any command.”

“There’s one problem in that.” Frost spoke up “To control them we’d have to be in a place to view the battle, that would leave us vulnerable to attack. We’d also have to split up to attack from multiple flanks if we wanted even a hope of taking out the silent knights. They’re trained assassins, they’ll know this is coming the instant that Nick finds out the diamond and hat are fakes. We’re going to need more recruits, more people with powers, if we are going to take Nick out. The trouble is he has half the realm brainwashed into believing all the fairy tales about him and that he’s a good guy.”

“I know of two princesses; one the heiress to the Altantian throne, the other a gullible basket case, given the right persuasion, I’m sure they could be lead to believe that taking our side in this battle would be in their best interests.” He said as his carved grin got big and maniacal.

“You don’t mean asking him to help?!” Frost asked a look of fear in his eye. “C’mon, even you aren’t that crazy. He’s the only one in this realm more power hungry than Nick himself. He’s been banished to the gumdrop fortress in the Southern sugar fields, we’d have to break him out. He’s under the highest security in the realm, is this really the best idea? We’d be unleashing one of the darkest sorcerers in the realm just for the sake of winning this war.”

“Exactly, we set him loose on that fat bastard, then we use the shadow diamond to banish him once he’s finished the job. He’ll never see it coming.”

“The shadow diamond? And I suppose you know where to find that too?”

“No, but luckily someone in this castle does.” He paused a second before looking to the rafters and calling out “ You can come out now delivery bunny. You didn’t think you could go hopping through my forest with out me knowing you were here did you? These trees are my servants and I see all that they see, hear all that they hear. Now show yourself, hatchling of the golden egg.”

Peter cursed aloud, nearly slipping out of his hiding place on the rafters. Which he'd found after sneaking in through a window that had been loose and cracked open. His large feet weren't meant for proper climbing and led to absurd clumsiness. He toppled out backwards but managed a twist and a flip landing right side up beside Frost. He flashed a charming grin. "Fancy seeing you lot here I must have taken a wrong turn, I was looking for the Blackjack party. I heard there was fresh cider and pumpkin pie." He grinned and chuckled nudging at Jack Frost with his elbow.

They didn't seem to be greatly amused but he shrugged. "You can forget any of that, I'm a messenger not a thief. I take no part in your disgruntled rebellions I have a perfect job you know. I make a fortune off those elves." He nodded. "But no worries I'll speak not a word of what I heard here I promise." Peter backed away from the trio heading for the door

“You don’t seem to be fully aware of the gravity of thee situation. We don’t need your help, we need your information. I can’t just allow you to leave. It’s well known that you trade in secrets, Peter. I only need one from you, the location of the Shadow diamond. You take us to it and you’re free to go. If not, I’m sure we can find it without you, but the question is will you be able to survive when we do?"

“Wait!” Frost spoke up. “We don’t need to threaten him, surely there’s something he would take in trade for this information, let’s be reasonable here.” He said giving a slight smile to the purple bunny-man. He blushed a little. He’d never admit that he had always had a thing for the rabbit, but he couldn’t bare to see Lantern hurt him just for information that may or may not be accurate given his reputation for being a swindler. Frost had no doubt that he would try to play both ends against the middle in this, but Frost was quite the trickster himself and had his own plans for this war.


“Yes, surely there’s no need to resort to threats and violence, I’m sure there’s a price we can agree on.” Frosty agreed.

Peter hesitated and crossed his arms tapping a paw on the stone floor looking from the lantern, to Fosty, to Frost. He caught the slight smile and his violet gaze lingered on the boy. Peter was never sure what to make of him. The eternal boy who was likely at least twice his own age. Frost was a trickster, it was one of the things he liked about him, always thinking three steps ahead a laugh on the tip of the tongue. He made for an admirable opponent and a valuable ally. The blushing however took him a bit by surprise. One of his long ears drooped to the side as he tilted his head thoughtfully.

"The shadow diamond, huh?" He said, carefully tugging on his beard. "Well I can tell you one thing none of you would survive the journey" He said chuckling lightly. "If you're so intent on sticking it to the man I'd advise a different route. Perhaps a healthy dose of picketing?"

Peter pushed a chair back and plopped down on it folding one leg over the other. He smoothed his fingers through the soft purple fur along his shin, scratching at it a bit. Then he took his satchel and spun it to rest it in his lap proceeding to dig through it's contents. The bag was magic of course and worked like a magician's tophat....or a tardis. It' was bigger on the inside and could carry anything that fit through the hole and pockets. Everything Peter owned and carried for delivery was in that bag, it was his most prized possession and his life. He never parted with it.....ever. Peter paused and looked suspiciously at the three. "Who is it you plan to release with it exactly?"

“Once again, rabbit, you seem to be unaware of the true nature of things. We don’t intend to use the diamond to release him, we plan to use it to control him after he’s been released." Lantern sneered with his glowing grin growing a bit brighter with the thought of the power he’d soon have.

“It’s a safety net.” Frost elaborated. “We’re going to need soldiers, there are two nearby kingdoms with the forces we need, but neither of those kingdoms will listen to the two biggest pranksters in the realm and a snowman, but given the correct persuasion they will be more likely to listen to reason, and even if they refuse, he alone could be powerful enough to turn things in our favor. We’re going to release the darkest, most vile and twisted entity to ever walk this realm, the only person more corrupt than Nick himself, Necros Nocturne or, as you probably know him, the Boogie Man. The shadow diamond is the only way he can be controlled so it’s vital that we retrieve that before we release him. Of all the people in this realm, you hold more secrets than anyone, name your price and I personally will see to it that you get paid, but please show us."

Frost thought back to the story he had been told countless times growing up with Cryo about the origins of magic in Ulternarealm. He had never believed it until Nick came back from his quest with the Winter diamond in hand and the first thing he did was to force Cryo’s soul into the top hat with an irreversible curse. Only them had he seen proof of the origins of magic. The story replayed itself in his mind as they awaited his answer.

It was eons ago, before there was even life on the planet. A large gem fell from the sky crashing into the ground creating a huge crater that would later become Avalon lake. The diamond was filled with magic in its purest form. The magic leeches into the very planet itself and infuses it. Time goes by and the creatures and beings of this realm learn to use magic and it becomes natural to them. After several millennia, a group of wizards decide to seek out the source of magic. They find the diamond and retrieve it from the lake only to realize that the power it contains is infinite. They become convinced soon after that the diamond is too dangerous and if it were to fall into the wrong hands, it could mean the end of Ulternarealm. Their first thought was to destroy the diamond, but they found out that both the diamond and the power it contained were indestructible. Having run out of options the wizards created a magic mirror with which to reflect the diamond’s power back onto itself. The power was enough to fracture the diamond its nine core elements making them the sources of individual types of magic throughout the realm. The winter diamond the source of ice and snow powers, the shadow diamond the source of the powers of darkness, the geo diamond the source of earth powers, the sun diamond the source of the powers of light, the sky diamond the source of the powers of air, the ocean diamond the source of water powers, the blaze diamond the source of fire powers, the leaf diamond the source of plant powers, and finally the lightning diamond the source of electrical powers.

Frost knew the secret of the diamonds that few others did, only from his own experience with it, it seems that the diamonds could only control or be controlled by someone who used the type of magic it was the source of. Frost now had the winter diamond in his backpack, which had similar properties to Peter’s satchel, and he had no intention of giving it up without a fight. He also knew that when the time came for it, Lantern would have to be the one to pull the Boogie man’s strings… or at least let him believe that he had to. Lantern was a bit of a wild card if someone were to try to retrieve all the diamonds; he could control or be controlled by the blaze, leaf or shadow diamonds as he was a user of all three types of magic. But the likelihood of a pure wizard trying to reforge the source diamond wasn’t that high as most of the creatures of this land couldn’t master more than three classes of magic, let alone all nine it would take to do so, but he knew that Nick was planning on trying and had to be stopped.

Peter waved his hand dismissively. "Control....release. Same difference." He pulled out a map, a common map of the realm that any of them could have gotten from a shop somewhere but this was Peter's map it was covered in scribbles and notes some of the marks moving on their own as situations across the realm changed. "The Shadow diamond. Well from what I have it's in the Summer King's territory right now. Midas has been keeping it as far from Nick and you as he possibly could." He nodded at Lantern. "Of course he can't use it, don't think anyone on that side of the world really can but they...pretty much have it in the one place Nick hasn't put his grubby little cookie hands. Sandman's Desert. Nobody crosses that place not without falling asleep and wasting away out there. Even I can't tunnel through that. Even then no one really knows where it is in that. It's all just sand." He gestured to the expanse of desert.

The sandman was another dark blotch in the history of the realm. Tensions between him and the Summer King sent him into a bout of madness sending him into an uncontrollable rage. He'd always been...a fragile creature lost in a world between dream and reality he often lost touch of the differences. The stress sent him into a horrid night terror and with his power he ended up wiping out the Summer King's former city. People dropped where they sat, collapsed mid day into eternal sleep as sand storms whipped through. The desert continued to spread through the land with frequent storms for almost fifty years. Sandman himself was never seen again but plenty of rumors state he wanders his desert lost within the dreams of those that lay buried there, mad as the hatter himself. No one is quite sure what started it all but all agree the blame lay with Midas, the cursed king, the King of Summer.

Peter had a smile on his lips, slight and mischievous, there was something he wasn't saying.

“So you’re saying the Shadow diamond is somewhere in the golden city, buried under the Sandman’s desert? We can’t step foot in the desert, but there has to be a way to get to the diamond.” Frost said as he kept an eye on Peter. He was hiding something, he knew how to get the diamond, but he was holding back. He recognized the smug grin no matter how slight it was, he’d given it himself too many times not to. “But you know a way in there don’t you? You know a way around the desert or under it don’t you?” Frost asked calling him out.

Peter grinned broadly and chuckled. "You and I ought to play a little poker some time, I like a challenge. But before I explain to you lot the way in I want to name my price. One of the king's guardsman had a short sword made of enchanted glass. The blade is as sharp as diamonds and just as strong. I'm going to need a weapon to protect my ass if you lot are going to be waging war with Nick." He looked at the three expectantly. "It should be in the throne room or somewhere near there. As for the way in. There is a place where some of the ruin is left exposed right on the edge to the north. It looked to be some kind of shack at first when I saw it at a distance but looking at some of the layouts it seems to be a service entrance of sorts....or an escape door. It's about a mile in but if we catch it on a clear day when the wind is dead calm it might be safe enough to cross that short path from the forests to the north into the ruins. But of course before we do any of that we have to cross the Fathoms and I get incredibly sea sick." He frowned at the last bit. He could feel his stomach turning into knots already. It wasn't a long ride but still.

As usual when the clock struck midnight, there was not single soul wander aimlessly outside their house. If there were, they were either actually very busy or extremely stupid. The silent that was starting to engulf the countryside was disturbed by the sound of horse’s hooves pounding along the dark eerie road. The movement was so fast that it created a trial of blazing hoof prints on the road. It also set the bush along the side of the road to fire. As the night get thicker, fog started to gather around the area. “As usual, huh…buddy” the head started to talk.”It was so generous for Death to bestow the power to talk to me, right buddy?” Other than the head starting to talk, Dullahan was the same as usual which was only focusing about the task that Death had given to him. Although he never questioned the order that had been given to him, but this particular task make him wonder about it.

“Giving me the silent treatment again, huh….What are you actually again, a mouthless ghoul? Oh…. right I forgot you don’t even have a… huh, wait I’m not actually ready yet, put me down you moron!" Despite the head's unwillingness, Dullahan held the head high above him. In split seconds, using his supernatural sight, he could see all three figures that he was searching for talking inside a castle.”There you are.” a deep, cryptic voice came from Dullahan’s body.”Wa...Wa….wait, what?! You’re can actually talk buddy?” obviously the head was confused as he never even heard Dullahan speak before. Ignoring the head's question, Dullahan held his whip high signaling the horse to move even faster.

As they make their way to the castle through the forest, the head noticed something quite unusual.”Hey, Mr. mystery, look at what we got here. The forest seems to be infused with some sort of magic and that’s why it does’t ignite as they should be”.”Hello…am I talking to myself here?” There was no response given by Dullahan.”Oooh…great now you’re night dreaming again, Great! Fuck you buddy”. While the head continuously cursed him, Dullahan started to recall the order that was given to him thus his mind wandered off.

“*sigh, look like those kids played a very dangerous prank there. Don’t they know that their action can mess with the balance of the universe…” Death seem to be restless, a very strange action indeed.”*sigh Dullahan, pay a visit to them and tell them especially that brainless, stupid, troublesome , good for nothing Jack that their plans will not lead to a happy-ever-after.And one more thing, if they try to mess with you, send me a ‘call’. I’ll be glad to bring my subordinates to pay them a visit” As Dullahan was about to leave, Death incited some spells. Dullahan was taken by surprise “Don’t worry; I’ll only seal your death power so that you can speak to them. I’ll also cast a spell so that the head can talk and be my eye. Another thing though, the head can be a bit annoying to you, but don’t worry he’s much more useful than you know...I hope you can co-operate with him and send my regards to those three” said Death before vanishing to thin air.

“Hey Mr. Silent guy, we’re finally arrived” the head’s voice snapped Dullahan out from his flashback. “Right in time” that cryptic voice was heard again. Dullahan dismount his horse and made his way to the gate of the castle by foot. The horse vanished as his owner arrived in front of the gate.

“Provided you know where the sword is, it’s all yours as long as we get the Shadow diamond.“ Frost smiled at Peter.


“It would be best to keep me in the hat, I don’t believe the heat would be good for my present form.” Frosty sighed. “Melting wouldn’t be very much help to anyone.”

Frost nodded and lifted Frosty’s hat and put it in his backpack. The lifeless snowman that remained blew away as Frost lifted his hands and worked his magic. He then looked to Peter. “If it gets too bad for you, I could always freeze the water so you could walk across rather than having to sit in a rocking boat.”

“It would seem we have another visitor.” Lantern sneered. His eyes glowed blue as he used his powers to see through the eyes of the trees. “Great, the horseman. Guess Death didn’t want to do his own dirty work.” He sighed as he and the others made their way to the draw bridge at the entrance to the castle . “I honestly don’t see the point of even having a moat when everyone finds a way around it.” He lowered the draw bridge and it dropped inches from the horseman.

“What do you want horseman? We’re very busy right now, what ever Death wants, we really don’t care. There are bigger things to take care of right now. You’re welcome to come with if you feel you must explain, but otherwise stay out of the way.” Frost said exasperated.

The three of them started to head out to the Fathoms so that they could eventually reach the Golden City and hopefully reach the throne room where the Shadow diamond was being held. Once they had that, they’d be one step closer to getting what they needed to take down Santa.

Peter exited the castle alongside Frost and Lantern with his soft half hop-stride of a gait. He glared up at the horseman and grinned. "So many lost head jokes." He murmured for Frost and Lantern to hear.

"Can we help you, sir?" Peter said in a louder voice. He glanced at Lantered as he spoke and heard only mention of Death. "If this is about the dice, please tell your master I had nothing to do with their misplacement and that I may or may not have seen a suspicious leprechau- I mean.....little person using a set of dice that look oddly like faery bones and that he should check with him."

Peter side stepped away from the horseman keeping Frost between them as if he expected the body to reach out and grab him and give him a sudden pat down. "If by some wild chance you're here about something else then disregard everything I said and pretend you didn't hear it. Also I am not with these two so if you arrest them leave me out of it. I simply feel like......going fishing in the Fathoms....yes. Excellent season for sea bass."