Winter solstice is the best time for what Sandy has planned. It is the longest night of the year, and it is one of the few times where the Balance is at its tipping point. It is that very time where Dark begins to give away to Light, as the yearly cycle starts over. In the earlier days of time, humanity used sacrifices of all sorts to appeal to the Spirits as a means to coax the Winter into pulling away and allowing for Spring to come, and the sun to stay longer in the sky.
But now is not the time for Darkness to give away to the Light, the Dreamweaver thinks, as he finds his way into the mouth of a cave that he knows will lead him to the domain of the Boogeyman. Time is something he will need a lot of, if what he has planned is to work.
The Darkness is waiting for him. He can sense the eyes of several Nightmares watching him, and as the sand they are made from used to be his, he can also sense their own feelings of rage and unease. They hate him, but they also fear him, fear how he can turn them into golden dreams and wishes. And while he pities them (he remembers too well how it felt to have the black sand devour him), he knows it is a much needed advantage, and that he can't afford to back down.
The Darkness stirs as he finds his way to the main chamber of the massive lair, and what might be millions of eyes seem to open, golden and white and lighting up the darkness around the Sandman.
You know why I am here. Sandman says, deciding not to mince his words. I will fight you if I have to, but it will be easier if you give me what I want.
The Darkness responds with a whispering laughter, the sound of a thousand Fears and Shadows, of Phobias and Paranoia.
We know what you want, little Dream… they hiss and cackle. But the question is, will he want you? After all… and he can feel a thousand mouths baring their teeth in nasty grins, you didn't treat him very nicely.
Sandy frowns, but the Darkness continues, still laughing and cackling among themselves.
But we will humor you this night… Since you made the effort to come into our parlor…
The Sandman blinks, then frowns even more. That can't be right, he says carefully. There are traditions for this kind of thing…
The laughter dies down fairly quickly, and he can feel an almost oppressive glower from the thousands of eyes surrounding him.
The time of traditions is dying. The Darkness replies solemnly as. Your ilk is proof enough of that, and he sensed that as well. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
'Maybe I am tired of hiding under beds!' A faint memory of a voice snarls in the back of the Sandman's mind, and he pushes it aside for now. There is time to ponder over that later.
In the name of the Balance which rules this night, he tells the Darkness, I am here to bring Pitch Black with me to the upper world. I am willing to take on this challenge! He is almost tempted to wield his whips, to force the Darkness into submission. But at the same time, he knows that is not the proper solution.
The Darkness is silent for a long time, and for a moment, Sandy is almost convinced that he has been left alone. But then he feels the eerie smiles return.
Very well, little Dream… The voices hiss. You shall have your challenge.
There is a clatter of chains, and a cage is lowered from the ceiling. It is a spiky and awful thing, and the Sandman almost feels sick just looking at it, because if Tooth's fairies had a hard time inside them, how has it not been if Pitch is inside of it.
The bottom opens in the bottom, instead of the side, and the long, limp form of Pitch Black spills out. He lands on all fours, and the shadows pull him to his feet. Sandy wants nothing more than to rush to him and embrace him and tell him that everything is going to be okay… but he knows that now is not the time for such things.
He knows the rules of the challenge. After all, it is part of an old story.
You have until sunrise. Do not look back. Is all the Darkness says, and then it pulls away.
Sandy turns to the tunnel he came from, and leads the way.
Nightmares and Shadows watch as Sandy leads the way. He shouldn't be surprised, but it feels as if the path has grown longer, and more winding in the time the Dreamweaver spoke to the Darkness. It takes all of his patience to not simply throw all caution to the wind, and grab Pitch and outright bolt… but no. There are some rules you can't break, and especially not on a Solstice Night.
The thought of Solstice Nights reminds Sandy of the younger years of Humanity. Of a time, when things were different. While things were hard, for humans or spirits alike, it was still a fairly pleasant time. He remembers a time not long after some of the Pantheons had formed, of the honorary names he and Pitch had been granted, as Morpheus and Phobetor, or the days when some of the traditions had taken shape in the form of the spirits who sacrificed themselves in one way or another…
He wonders if he would go mad the way poor Orpheus had, when he lost his Eurydice, should he be so unlucky and lose this challenge.
Pitch is so quiet, but then being a creature of shadows, that shouldn't be such a surprise. But it is unnerving, even though Sandy knows the unnerved feeling for what it is: A simple attempt at trickery, in order to make him look behind him. But Sandy steels himself, and concentrates on thinking about something else… And still, his thoughts stray to the old days…
He still remembers the Boogeyman's expressions when the Man in the Moon had begun to gather his Guardians. Of how Pitch had been surprised at first, especially when learning that the Moon Spirit had spoken to Sandy, to North, to Tooth… anyone but him. And then being told of how they had wanted him to step down, so that humanity could be allowed to properly grow…
Back then, Sandy is ashamed to admit, he had not given it much thought. The Moon had wanted Pitch as a Guardian, and he had rejected it. It had not felt important then.
It was not until Jack Frost had been brought in for his own initiation that it had properly clicked. How horrible a lack of communication could be, when you had been alone for a long time. And Jack had been alone for 300 years, but Pitch had despite honorary names and titles in Pantheons been alone for so much longer…
And he is so quiet. Why isn't he saying anything? Has the Darkness taken his voice as well as his strength?
Sandy remembers how it feels to be smothered by the Darkness and shudders. It amuses any shadows and Nightmares that watches them as they continue to walk, with the creatures hissing and making jeering laughs.
What makes you think he wishes to be with you?
How can you be sure he is even following you?
Why would he want to anyway? You Guardians haven't exactly been at their most merciful…
Sandy says nothing. He has already had this discussion with the others, before he came here.
What makes you so certain he is worthy of redemption? Other shadows whisper. A leopard cannot change its spots and why should it want to?
Bunnymund had made a similar argument, Sandy recalls. He remembers how he had harshly replied 'well you have forgiven Jack, haven't you?'
'That's different!'The Guardian of Hope had retorted. 'He didn't try to kill us!'
'He took the teeth and my fairies,' Tooth eventually responded. 'He could have done so much worse, and if given the chance, he still might!'
Whatever sympathies she'd had for whatever reason, they were nonexistent by now.
Jack and North were the only ones still willing to at least make an attempt. Neither would give a reason as to why, but they trusted Sandy's strength and wisdom.
But do you trust yourself? The shadows whispered. After all… he nearly killed you.
That he had, Sandy agrees. But that was the thing, wasn't it? Bunny had almost lost his holiday, Tooth had lost her teeth and the memories with them… but Sandy had almost lost his life. It didn't mean the loss that the others had experienced were less significant, but if given a chance, both would have been regained at some point.
And the first step of redemption was to be forgiven by at least one person. And if Sandy didn't take the first step, who would?
They are so close now… or are they? It is hard to tell, but Sandy swears he feels a light breeze against his face. It is still so dark however, so it is impossible to tell if they are close to the entrance, and it is still dark, or they are far from the entrance, and dawn is coming.
Around the Dream weaver, the shadows continue their hisses and chuckles.
Forgiveness from someone is one thing… but who says he wants it? They jeer. Who says he has any remorse for what he has done?
Sandy frowns, remembering a battle in the Dark Ages, of Tooth trying to appeal to the Boogeyman.
'Why… Why are you laughing?'
He grimaces, shaking his head at the image. That was different! From another point of view, one could argue that they had been in the middle of battle! Neither side had the time to feel guilt or remorse over a life lost beforehand…
Oh but he wishes that Pitch would say something, be it to agree or disagree, or even to laugh… and not in that mad cackle of his. There was a time where the spirit of Fear had been one with a sense of good humor, where he and Sandy could share stories of some of the weird dreams humans had, when they in rare moments had shared their powers, be it for simple amusement or under the influence of Dionysus' wine…
It could be like that again, Sandy thinks to himself. Perhaps not right away, but with enough time given, time that has healed whatever wounds there might be… they might not be perfect, but they would be together again, and that would at least be a start. Baby steps and all that…
Finally, finally he is certain that they are near the exit. He knows for sure, when he sees the outline of the mouth of the cave, and Sandy picks up his own pace, trusting his instincts that tell him Pitch is not far behind him, that soon this will all be over…
The first rays of the sun peek over the horizon, just as Sandy exits the cave. He stops, and draws in a deep breath… Far up in the sky, he can see the faint outline of the moon, and quietly hopes that he has not failed….
He turns around.
The figure of Pitch Black steps out into the light…
You looked!The shadows shriek with glee.
And the Darkness laughs as the figure dissipates in front of the Dream Weavers shocked eyes.
Sandy shakes off the shock and tears into the cave, wielding his whips and ready to put up a fight… but all he finds is a wide, round cave, with no tunnels leading anywhere. Just simple, jagged rock, shaped naturally from water and generations of animals shaping a home.
He can feel the deepest of the shadows smile with a toothy grin.
Ask yourself this… the Darkness purrs before Sandy can even begin to furiously object.
Did you truly win… or did he follow you in the first place?
Better luck next time, little Dream.