Hay people! XD Sorry it's been so long since I last updated! My editor Fantasydreamer244 (once again people this woman is amazing, you should all go check out her stories! XD ) seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. T_T

Fanty PLZ come back I'm starting to worry! DX

But anyway, here's the next chapter! XD I hope you all enjoy it!

Once again I'd like to state (if only so I don't get sued) that I do not own Rise of the Guardians, or The Guardians of Childhood book series (sadly T-T) they belong to DreamWorks, and the original creator William Joyce.

So without any further ado, please let me to present the second installment of:

Of Shadows and Moonlight

Chapter 1: A Change in the Darkness

Deep below the earth's surface, within caves so dark and foreboding that no human had ever dared to enter them, everything was still and silent. Not even a single grain of nightmare sand moved and disturbed the peace. In this place, where the darkness was ever present, not a single ray of light from the outside world could penetrate it. The only light that could be seen was dull, and came from small candle stubs that lined the walls of the caves every so often as you walked through them.

Now anyone else, or at least anyone who was sane, would know that this was a place no mortal should ever be. Every instinct that feared death and willed to survive would be screaming for them to run as far away from this places they could, and never look back.

This wasn't the case for him however, though he was quite sane, mind you. (Though most people who knew him didn't actually believe that.) However, not many people knew him or even believed in him to begin with. Most people couldn't even see him. After all, there was no such thing as the boogeyman.

Or so people thought anyway.

Oh but he is real, and these caves, where the darkness was ever present, they are his home. This darkened realm that is seemingly cut off from the rest of the world was the home of Pitch Black, the Nightmare King.

Not long after his defeat the Guardians, and when he was turned on by his own accursed nightmares; he was able to regain enough power to be able to get them back under his control. The world was full of fear after all, and all of it gave him power. Whether it was something small and seemingly pointless like a teenager worrying about an upcoming test, or something much more serious, like a man fearing for his life while being held hostage at gunpoint - all of it gave him power. So while he was still weak, and certainly in no condition to fight, he was able to regain enough power to not only regain control of his nightmares, but also to be able to leave his lair in just under a few months.

He was still very weak, and needed time to heal and regain power. While at the same time plotting about all the ways he could get his revenge on those accursed Guardians.

Though at this moment he was resting, and surprisingly enough he was sleeping peacefully. For what seemed like the first time in centuries. Normally his sleep was restless, and accompanied by what seemed to be a never-ending stream of nightmares. Many of which were so strong, that he wouldn't even consider giving them to adults. Ironic isn't it? The King of nightmares being tortured by the very things he controlled, and created. However at this moment, he wasn't dreaming it all. His mind was in a state of calming empty blackness, that he'd grown accustomed to over time, though he rarely got a chance to enjoy it, at least when he was sleeping.

He was all but ripped out of his rarely blissful slumber as his eyes flew open, and he shot straight up in bed with the speed that left him feeling disoriented for a moment. Every muscle in his body tightened and he went rigid. Whatever it was that had awoken him in such a way, he had no idea. Something was wrong. He could feel that much for certain. He'd never felt anything like this before, something strange was going on, and he knew it wasn't right. He didn't know what it was. It was as if the very shadows themselves were screaming. He felt numb, and there was a stinging sensation all over his body, as if he'd been electrocuted. But there was no explanation for it. There was no reason as to why or how any of this was happening.

Then as suddenly is this change came, it stopped.

It happened so quickly he almost thought he'd imagined it. Or that it was just one of the nightmares or fearlings acting up again.

This idea however, was quickly thrown out the proverbial window when one of his nightmares came bounding into his room for no apparent reason. The thing had gone mental. It was prancing and jumping around the room like a dog chasing a butterfly. It was an absolute hysterics. That confirmed it, something was wrong, something was very, very wrong. And whatever it was, it was strong enough not only to have ripped him from his blissful sleep, but also to send his minions into a clear state of insanity.

Pitch quickly got out of bed and melded into the shadows. Not only to go investigate just what in the hell was going on, but also to avoid being trampled by the currently psychotic nightmare. Though what he found in the globe room wasn't much better.

Wait, scratch that. It was worse.

Every single one of his nightmares was going out of their mind. Screeching that sounded something like nails being dragged across a chalkboard echoed throughout the room as the nightmares went frantic, running and flying not only into each other, but the walls and the cages that hung overhead. Causing them to break and come crashing to the ground. Great, just great, he had to stop this before the ceiling started to cave in.

"Enough!" He all but screamed in cold, and extremely irritated fury. All the nightmare suddenly froze, whether on the ground or not. They stopped dead where they were and looked over to their (incredibly pissed off, especially for having been woken up) master. Who was currently glaring daggers at the dark horses, just daring them to try something out of line. Most of them half expecting to suddenly burst into flames under his intense glare. Many of them were honestly a bit surprised when it didn't happen.

Pitch was furious, and currently only had one thought going through the forefront of his mind.

"What in the seven Hells is going on here?!"

Though in truth, he really didn't have to ask. He knew exactly what was going on. The nightmares had sensed exactly what he had, and for some reason, were going ballistic because of it.

The calm lasted for a grand total of about 3 seconds.

Then the feeling came back. It was clearly the same, but it was weaker, and this time it didn't go away. It wasn't painful, if anything it just felt… odd, and incredibly annoying. But that still didn't quite explain what it felt like, something was just different - off somehow. The nightmares felt this as well, they didn't know what to make of it either. Though they didn't act out as strongly as they had before, mainly because they knew if their master got any more pissed off, it wouldn't end well for any of them. While some whined slightly, other started to pace back and forth or in circles. It was almost as if they were restless and fidgeting. And to be quite honest Pitch didn't know what to make of it. They never acted like this. If he didn't know for sure that something was off before, he certainly did now. This was just wrong. That's really the only way to describe this idiocy.

Oh yeah, this was wrong, and he was pissed. No, scratch that, he was livid. These were creatures of darkness! They were meant to make children wake up screaming and running to their parents! To bring terror to the hearts of all who saw them! Yet here they were, acting like mindless, jittery house pets! Oh no, he would not have it. This was going to end, he was going to find out just the hell was going on and put a stop to it right now.

The darkness was his domain. It obeyed him, and was his to control. If someone or something thought that they could use or jack with his darkness, his power, then they clearly had no idea who they were messing with. When he found whoever or whatever was responsible for this mess, he was going to give them a nightmare that would keep them paralyzed in fear for the next six months.

So with one last warning glance at his nightmares, he turned and melted into the shadows once again. Off to find out just what in the hell was going on.