Cold and dark. That's all I remembered in the beginning, rising slowly up from the frozen waters into the below-zero air. It was late, and the night's breeze and shadows nipped at every part of me. The frigid air clung to my breath, making it visible as slightly transparent clouds. Looking around to take in my surroundings, I noticed that it had been a pond that I awoke in.
Jack Frost...
The voice seemed to come from everywhere, but said nothing but a name. Jack Frost. Was that my name? Is that who I am?
"Who are you?"
Silence. The voice didn't explain itself, nor introduce or show its host.
"Please, tell me why I'm here. Who am I?"
Once again, silence. I balled my hands into fists and cautiously walked over the thin layer of ice covering the pond. A staff lay on the surface. Though I couldn't remember much about myself, something inside me recognized it as my own. I reached down and grabbed it, looking it over. A walking stick? Why would I need a walking stick?
As I touched the bottom of the staff to the ice, I had to look twice at the effect it gave. A thin layer if intricately designed frost had quickly spread from the point of impact outward.
"What...?"
Raising the staff again and scouting the area, I took a few unsteady steps forward and slid the bottom of the staff across the ice with me. That frosted layer appeared again, covering my tracks. I let out a quiet, amused laugh; the sound was unfamiliar and strange-sounding, but at the same time felt natural.
I spend a few minutes more painting the scene with frost, snow, and ice before being interrupted by a strong wind. It lifted my small frame high into the air, forcing me to thrash about in order to regain my balance. My cloak fluttered and thrashed around me, as did my hair, which affected my stability as I glided around the area. It didn't last, of course, and I plummeted to the ground soon after, catching myself of a tree branch.
I chuckled quietly and pulled myself up to crouch on the branch, surveying my surroundings from a higher vantage point.
"Wow..."
In the distance, I could see a well-lit village. I waited a few moments for the wind to pick up in the right direction, then rode it over to the warm, comforting sight.
The village was not as warm as it seemed. People cowered and cried out for help, but no one stopped to help each other. Children ran, tripped and were trampled by other people who were putting themselves before anyone.
"Hey - stop!" I cried out, running to one of the fallen children.
"Are you alri—huh?"
As I reached towards her to help her up, my arm phased right through her.
"Wh-What... Why can't I—"
A loud, ominous laugh echoed through the village, sending everybody screaming and running for their homes. I looked around rapidly as people – literally – ran through me. What was going on? Where did that laugh come from?
Was it the reason everyone had been so terrified?
"Poor, poor people... So full of fear, so hopeless..." a smug voice chuckled. A dark, shadowy form appeared infront of me after all the villagers had disappeared into the buildings. "And who is this? A wandering frost spirit?" it scoffed.
"Who are you?" I had a feeling I'd be asking that a lot in this lifetime.
The shadow began to form as a tall, pale man with black unkempt hair. His eyes were a pale but piercing yellow with grey flecks scattered about.
"Pitch Black," he introduced formally with an overly exaggerated bow. He looked up at me and smirked. "Commonly known as The Boogieman. Pleased to meet you."
"Why are they all so scared of you?" I realised after asking it that I had sounded extremely oblivious. It was easily recognizable that he wasn't here to help the people. I hadn't thought that through.
Pitch flashed a toothy smirk and threw out his arms dramatically. "I am the monster under your beds, the demon in your closet, and the cause of all your nightmares!" he shouted through the village, voice echoing demonically. I heard children and babies stirring and crying at multiple locations. "I'm the bringer of fear and the nurturer of terror in all that breathes... Do you understand now?"
I was absolutely frozen. Parts of the man's shadow had started to reach towards me during his explanation and were now connecting with my own. I spun around quickly, half expecting to see something standing behind me, but there was nothing.
Turning back to Pitch, I fought the dark, cold fear that I could feel building up inside of me. "What do you want from me?" I asked, cursing the shaky breath I gave out afterwards.
"What is your name?" he asked in response, smiling innocently.
"Jack... Jack Frost," I responded hesitantly, tightly gripping my staff. Maybe I could protect myself with it, but I doubt this man would be intimidated by some snow and fancy ice patterns. Blunt assault? But how would I know if he'd be here in a physical form or that shadowy one again...
"Jack Frost... Oh, so you're Jack Frost! The one nobody will ever believe in..." he smirked. He nearly slithered closer to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders with his claw-like nails digging into my arm.
"You know..." he started, leaning a bit closer as to whisper into my ear, "together, we could be so much more."
I could feel his breath against my ear and neck, snapping at my senses like a serpent tongue drenched in venom. It was sickening, but it paralysed me to the point of not being able to move. What could he possibly have to gain from me, when I barely knew who I was?
"Just think, Jack... What could scare people into never leaving their homes? Cold—" he gripped my shoulder tightly and caused me to wince, "—and dark!" He backed away from me rather suddenly and watched as his shadow peeled itself off of the ground, forming a terrifying feral creature that let out an unearthly shriek.
I fell to my knees at the sound and gripped my hair tightly, head pounding. Being driven to this state, just from a sound... How powerful was this man?
"Stop it... Stop it!" I cried, starting to feel a familiar burning sensation just behind my eyes. I very quickly got lightheaded and my vision blurred and I let out a rather loud scream, flash freezing the vicinity.
I heard Pitch laugh like mad and the shrieking stopped. If it had gone on for even a moment longer, I would have been forced into unconsciousness.
Still, though, I was paralysed once again. Not by intimidation, but by pure fear. I could feel it, growing and growing, manifesting itself in me. All my thoughts, all my memories began to corrupt each other and my mind began to crumble into an uncontrollable mess. Without being mentally aware of my surroundings, I felt my body slowly rise to its feet, still tightly gripping my staff in one hand to the point where my knuckles had gone white.
"Shall we?" Pitch lured, extending one hand as his shadow creature sunk back into the ground. Though I was unaware of why and not exactly in my right mind, I took his hand and he led me into the eternal darkness.