Hello guys, this story has been simmering for a long time. You have patiently waited and I hope you enjoy. This precedes my Darkness Storyline, (you may want to go back and read to get a better understanding of the characters of which lots will be mine *Patrick being the main one*) It may seem to start slow, but as with all my stories I promise it will pick up speed ;) Enjoy

They say that a true friend comes around only once in a lifetime. That it is a friendship that is worth more than gold, and is more precious than rubies. This is the story of how such a friendship was forged, how a friendship saved a soul from Darkness and started that soul on its path to the light. This is the story of Pitch the Nightmare King, and Patrick the Leprechaun, who became the most unlikely of friends, and their crazy insane adventures that span the length of time.

(Outside of Death's Cave)

Patrick straightened his emerald green vest and fiddled with his golden four-leaf clover cufflinks. He shifted his tall muscled frame from one foot to the other as his nervousness grew. Emerald and golden eyes stared at the ominous stone door in front of him. Its surface gleamed with magma veins that glinted off his ebony skin, the door literally screamed death and despair. He swallowed his rising fear; this was his biggest client yet and he couldn't afford to screw it up. Till now he had only dealt with pixies, goblins, and even a few trolls so this new client was his big break. His reputation as a merchant had been talked about throughout the spirit realm. It was this talk that had brought this new client to him. Faking courage he used the solid bone door knocker.

The door seemed to reverberate, and then it moaned as it slowly opened.

Patrick took a breath, collected himself, and stepped through the doorway. He jumped slightly as the hallway shook as the door slammed behind him.

"So good of you to come Saint Patrick." a smooth feminine voice called from the shadows.

"I am no saint my dear," he smiled in the direction of the voice, "You can just call me Patrick."

A woman dressed in a blood red dress that seemed to flow around her slim frame emerged from the shadows; her raven hair shimmered as it absorbed the light of the flames that dotted the walls. She wore a smile at his comment on her face, "You may address me as Death." she raised an eyebrow, "You arrived a bit ahead of our scheduled meeting time."

"I simply did not want to keep my most beautiful client waiting." his voice was full of charm as he smiled down at the woman.

Death grinned, "You certainly know how to flatter a girl." she glanced up at him, "You are not at all what I imagined you to be." her emerald eyes surveying the extremely tall man before her.

Patrick smiled, "I get that a lot actually." he rolled his eyes, "The whole, short thing was a cruel rumor my brother spread."

Death nodded, "Family can be so difficult at times." She motioned with her finger, "Come, we will discuss my order in my throne room."

As they walked down the dimly lit corridors Patrick could hear screams and pleas echoing from the doors that lined the walls. "Moon what is going on here?" He couldn't stop himself from shuddering.

Death noticed his reaction, "I have lots of pets here Patrick." she laughed, "They arrive wild and unruly," she stopped walking and looked at him, a gleam in her eye "But once you tame them, they become very loyal." she motioned behind him, "Ah, perfect example here."

Patrick turned to see a boy about nineteen literally bounding up the hallway. The young boy's tan skin glinted in the torch light, the Leprechaun could see various scars through the holes in his torn jeans

"Master! I did good." the boy panted slightly as he regained his breath, "I find Man in Black for you." he grinned as he pulled a squirrel tail from his buckskin vest, "I also brought you gift."

Patrick could see the disappointment in the boy's soft brown eyes when the woman simply handed the gift to the shadows.

"You did an excellent job Cazador." Death cooed as she ruffled his obsidian hair, "Where is he now?"

"Muertes put him in room." He frowned slightly, " Muertes hurt him, I try stop."

Death smiled, "That's ok." she looked at the boy, "You know, for doing such a fantastic job you and your brother may roam the surface tonight." she laughed at the pure delight in his eyes, "Just be back by sunrise."

"Thank Master!" the boy then turned and raced down the hallway at full speed to find his brother.

Death laughed as she turned to Patrick, "Sometimes a bit of a reward does wonders for a pet's morale." a wicked grin came to her face, "Though, sometimes punishment is in order." She leaned and whispered to the shadows, then continued down the hallway

Patrick watched as a shadow peeled away from the wall and disappeared down the adjoining hall. He then walked quickly to catch up to her; he followed as they entered into large room. He waited as she sat on an enormous obsidian throne. He stood in front of it, feeling uneasy, "So, your order?"

"Patience Patrick." she motioned to the shadows, "I have a bit of business to attend to."

"Of course, I did arrive early."

Death smiled at him, and then her focus shifted to the opposite hallway. Her eyes narrowed as she spoke in a cold voice, "This won't take long."

Patrick watched as a man bound tightly in chains was led into the room by shadows. His soot colored coat was torn and tattered, stained red by the blood falling from the cuts on his arms and face. Chains tightly encircled his arms and wrists, as well as being wrapped around his chest pinning his arms securely to his side. The man walked stiffly, as if each step he took pained him. Patrick then noticed why, as he caught sight of the large knife still imbedded in the man's left calf. The man didn't even glance at Patrick as he kept his head lowered, eyes focused on the stone floor. An air of defeat surrounded him as he was led to the front of Death's throne; a hiss of pain escaped him as the shadows forcibly removed the blade.

Patrick grimaced as blood began flowing from the wound.

"Oh, Pitch. This is the third time this month…" Death rose from her throne and walked over to him, "When will you learn there is no escape from me."

The man did not respond, his head still bowed as he stared at the dimly lit floor

"You will look at me when I am speaking!" she grabbed his chin and forced his head up

Patrick could then see the man's eyes. They were a dull gold, rimmed with silver. Patrick looked away at the dim lifelessness reflected in them.

"I gave you a simple task Pitch, spread fear to a world already trembling in the dark." she growled, "And you failed."

Pitch didn't respond, even when Death tightened her grip, leaving cuts on his skin.

"And then you have the audacity to try and escape from me? You have become worthless to me," she threw his face from her grasp, "Perhaps I should just end your miserable existence."

Patrick was surprised at the look of pure joy that crossed the man's face. It fell, however, as Death continued

"But that would be too good for you…" she smiled, "No; I believe I will break you until you are nothing more than a shell, an empty husk." she patted his face, "Won't that be fun?"

Golden eye's flashed briefly, "#%&* you." his voice was ragged

"Insolent dog!" Death screamed as she slammed him to the ground

Patrick winced as the room echoed with the sound of the man hitting the stone floor. He stared as the woman grabbed the man by his hair and force him to his knees.

"I will make sure you can't run from me for a long time…" the woman snapped her fingers; she smirked as a dark tendril of shadow wrapped itself around the man's left leg. She glanced at Patrick, "You might want to look away."

Patrick had to shut his eyes as a bone shattering crack resounded off the walls, followed by a heart wrenching scream. He opened them slowly; he stared at the man who now lay on his side, lines of crimson on his cheek. Patrick cringed at the sight of the twisted limb that had obviously been shattered.

"Now, go to your room until I come get you." Death patted his face then she snapped her fingers.

Patrick watched as the man clenched his jaw as the shadows began dragging him down the hall. As they passed him, Patrick's mismatched eyes met gold ones and in that brief moment Patrick could almost hear the silent plea for help. Then the man looked away, as if he had resigned himself to always be in trapped in his hell.

"Now, back to business."

Patrick was torn from his thoughts as the woman's voice pierced the air, "Yes…your order."

Death smiled as she sat down on her throne, "I am looking for an ancient scroll, do you think you can retrieve it for me?"

Patrick raised an eyebrow, "And exactly who has this scroll?" he took a parchment of paper offered to him by a shadow

Death laughed, "Oh, it has been lost for over a thousand years. I had just heard that you can get your hands on anything."

"My reputation precedes me," Patrick faked a smile, but the truth be told he was disgusted with the woman in front of him, "I will see what I can do." he glanced down the corridor he had seen the shadows drag the man, "And if you have no other orders I will take my leave."

Death held out her hand, "It has been a pleasure doing business with you."

Patrick glared at the blood that was stained on her hand, he politely bowed, "I try to refrain from physical contact, it interferes with my magic."

Death's eyes widened as she lowered her hand, "Oh that is an interesting bit of information."

Patrick smiled, "Yes, very few are privy to it." he loved the way she took his lie hook line and sinker

"I will keep it to myself."

"I'm sure you will."

Death was distracted by a shadow whispering in her ear, "Are you sure his soul has faded?" the woman's face was full of indifference

Patrick nodded to her; "I remember the way out if you have other business." he smiled as she simply waved in dismissal. He walked down the way they had come, his mind racing with everything he had just witnessed.

"Who you be?"

Patrick stopped as an angry voice growled behind him, he turned slowly. Behind him stood a boy in his early twenties, his face snarling with anger. The Leprechaun gulped as he caught sight of the bits of bone braided in the boy's long choppy hair that was black as night "Umm, I'm Patrick and I was just leaving."

"You no leave." The boy growled as he stepped forward, he pulled a hatchet from the bearskin jacket that covered his muscled chest, "Master no let no one leave."

"Muertes! Leave be."

Patrick recognized the boy from earlier as the youth came running up

"Cazador stay out way," the older boy snarled, "Muertes kill, then take Trespass back to Master."

Cazador shook his head, "Man in Green no Trespass, see with Master." He grinned,"Master seem happy him here."

Muertes narrowed his eyes, "If Master be angry you take blame."

Patrick stepped aside as the boy pushed past him and took off toward the exit.

Cazador sighed as his brother left, "Sorry Man in Green, brother get angry when no recognize."

"That's ok," he glanced at the grinning spirit, "I'm Patrick by the way."

"Master call me Cazador." The boy smiled, "I did good today."

"I saw that." Patrick spoke as he realized that the boy before him was completely oblivious to Death's evil, "What exactly happened?"

"Man in Black run away again."

"So, you went and got him huh."

Cazador smiled, "Oh, yes. Master get Cazador and brother to bring him back every time." The boy cocked his head, "Him run away lots now. Muertes catch him this time by throwing blade." He frowned, "Cazador try to stop him, but he already hurt Man in Black."

"Death didn't seem mad about that though." Patrick huffed

"No, Master no get mad when Man in Black hurt." Cazador scrunched his face, "Master no care when Muertes or Man of Spikes hurt him." He paused, as if a thought had just occurred to him, "Perhaps that why him run…"

"That'd be a good reason."

Cazador perked up as a howl echoed, "Muertes call, time for hunt." He raced down the hallway

Patrick watched him leave; he could hear a scream echoing from the way he had come. He sighed as he recognized the sound as the same scream that had come from Pitch earlier. "I don't get involved." he thought angrily as he walked forward. He was relived as he saw the opening of the doorway, "It is the code I built my business on." But his mind flashed with the image of the man's haunted golden eyes, he sighed in defeat, "Moon, curse my bleeding heart." He glanced back down the hallway, "I'll be back." he then disappeared in a brilliant burst of colors as a rainbow enveloped him.

All right guys, and it begins ;) (Insert music here) Please review and let me know what you thought. Till Next Time.