In this form he had no heart, but if he did, it would be beating rapidly.

Snow cursed.

“what… What the hell is going on?”

Lifting his smokey humanoid head, he took in his surroundings. He was floating in the middle of a castle split in two.

He couldn't see anything inside them; they were made up completely of their respective elements.

But at the same moment as he was looking, two forms shot out of each side draped in the same elements as the split castle itself.

When they clashed, it sent a shock wave through the whole mysterious realm.

But the waves didn't stop; they only intensified and grew longer but also came faster and faster.

Every shock wave felt like a ripple in time as much as it felt like the aftermath of two powerful forces clashing.

Soon the shockwaves slowed and grew weaker and weaker, until they stopped completely.

And the area around Snow was ravaged; both of the sides of the split castle were utterly destroyed. And in the middle of all this chaos, the two figures kneeled in front of one another.

Now that they were still, Snow could see them clearly; they were formless and vaguely human-shaped just like him.

There were only two differences between him and them, and it was that one was made up of complete darkness and the other of radiant white.

And that both of them shared crowns matching their colors floating above their heads.

Snow’s formless shape stared at them.

And at the same moment, the two figures turned to stare at him as well.

Seemingly becoming aware of his presence. Snow rallied back from their gaze, the two figures raised their hands.

And then the world pulled him closer to them until he stood over their kneeling forms, and their outstretched hands. Fear and confusion were grasping Snow’s mind…

but more than that, curiosity had the biggest hold on him right now.

Who were these two mysterious rulers, and why was he seeing them? Their hands didn't look so menacing up close. It was almost like they wanted help from him.

Like they wanted him to choose the victor of this battle…

“you?... you want my help?”

Snow was stunned. He was frozen, his mind questioning the event before him and also questioning the answer it awaited from him.

But then something clicked… And an answer appeared in his mind.

Why should I pick? Why should I help? No…no,

I know the answer.

If Snow’s formless head had a face, the two figures before him.

They would have seen a snarl

“I'll be the one to win this battle. I've never asked nor been offered help once in my life”.

“So no…I'll take your crowns for myself, I'll take your power and your castles,”

“I'll take them all, I'll take IT all. And rule them both for myself.”