Chapter 08 – Lost Memory Part 1

It was hundreds of years ago. War began on every single country in the world. Invading kingdoms and seeing a sea of blood was no unusual thing for the people. It drove them to fear but they would still gladly stand up for what they protected. A lot of people have tried to hide from the battle, but the knights would eventually find them and take their sons or husbands to force them to enter the war as knights. Fearlings came out in the night and attacked the townspeople and everyone who had fear clinging on them, almost eating them up. The chaos seemed to have no end.

But, in the forest, a married couple stayed hid and lived there, trying to keep themselves away from the chaos. The couple could not bear a single child, but they were satisfied and contented with their life. They wake up to a bright new day and a fresh new start. They do not think about the disarray happening outside the forest, as they wanted to have a peaceful life, leaving all the problems outside. Eveytime they would sense fearlings come, they would hide underground and not come out until the next morning. It all seemed to be perfect.

"Flora!" the husband called.

Flora came outside of the house, approaching her husband who was collecting some berries.

"What is it, Erebus?" Flora asked.

Erebus wiped the sweat on his forehead with the use of his right arm and handed the basket of berries to Flora, "Could you take these inside? I'll be there in a minute."

"Alright, sweetie," Flora took the basket and headed back inside the house.

Erebus took one glance at Flora, thinking of how lucky he was to marry such a wonderful and beautiful woman. He was lucky to have her all to himself.

After a few minutes, Erebus goes back inside the house and sees the berries at the center of their table with fried fish.

Erebus went closer to Flora, putting his one hand around her waist, "How fast does my wife even move? This is crazy," Erebus teased.

"You have no idea," Flora complicated herself, as she put her hands around Erebus' neck.

Erebus and Flora chuckled lightly, "Alright, let's dig in," Erebus said.

It was just a perfect thing. Erebus and Flora could not ask for anything more. Even though they could not bear a child, they were satisfied and happy with everything they had. And just with the situation they had right now, with all the war and chaos, it did not fit the surroundings for a child, which convinced Erebus and Flora that it was for the better to not have a child.

One night, Erebus and Flora slept peacefully as the night was silent that you could hear the rustling of the trees and the whispers of the wind. The night stayed quiet until Erebus suddenly heard a ruckus from outside. He immediately opened his eyes and looked around. There was no one by the windows, and the unfamiliar ruckus stopped. But, Erebus could not stay at ease. He gently woke up Flora.

"Flora… Flora, wake up."

Flora wakes up with eyes heavy, "What is it?"

"We have to hide underground, now," Erebus whispered.

"Why?"

"Shh…" Erebus put his pointing finger at his lips, signaling Flora to stay quiet. He looked around and checked the windows to see if anyone was out, hearing the second ruckus a second ago.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Flora whispered.

Erebus' eyes roamed around the house and took glimpses on each window and holes around the walls. And as his eyes passed the door, it banged hard and that was when Erebus' instinct was right. Fearlings have come and they were barging into their home. Erebus pushed Flora out of their bed to hide.

"Go underground, Flora," Erebus said in a low voice, "Hurry!"

The door was about to break down, and Erebus was trying to hide Flora from the Fearlings.

"Stay here… No matter what happens," Erebus said.

"Wait… You're not staying here with me?!" Flora realized Erebus' plan and she could not allow it, "No, no… You might not survive… Please, don't leave me!"

"Flora… I'll never leave you… I promise," Erebus caressed Flora's cheek as he looked into her brown eyes.

Flora's tears flowed down her cheeks as she smacked Erebus on the lips before he shut the door of the underground close, for Flora's safety.

Erebus took a dagger and went in front of the door that was tumbled down just in time; right after Erebus was able to hide Flora.

The fearlings walked into Erebus and Flora's home as they roamed around and saw Erebus right in front of them. They floated gently around Erebus as they observed him. Erebus did not let them even feel at least one percent of fear inside him, thinking of Flora and the life he wishes to have with her til the end, to not let fear sneak into him not even for a second.

Flora watched as her heart beated so fast in worry for her husband, and as one fearling went to Eerbus' side, sharpening his fingers, ready to stab Eerbus, Flora could not help but let her emotions take over.

"Erebus!" Flora yelled from the hideout.

The fearlings went past the hideout wall to check where that sound came from.

"No!" Erebus yelled as the fearlings kept him captive.

The fearlings took Flora and Erebus away from their humble home. They were walking around the forest, preparing to possess the two's bodies. But, Erebus and Flora stayed fearless. And, after a while, Erebus found a perfect time to distract the fearlings and to try to escape, thinking of Flora's safety, first.

Erebus removed the bonds that kept his hands tied and tried to fight away the fearlings, Flora ran away as Erebus ordered her to do a while ago, slowing herself down for Erebus to keep up with her.

Flora was able to escape, and hid from behind a tree, while Erebus was still caught by the fearlings. As they made him kneel down in exhaustion, a fearling came back, holding Flora by the back…

"Flora!" Erebus yelled as he tried to get closer to his beloved wife.

"I'm sorry, Erebus," Flora said.

Erebus did not give up, he struggled and beat up the fearlings on his side, but as Flora struggled as well, the fearling pushed her away, resulting to letting her go and fall down the hill.

Flora shrieked as she fell down, which caught the attention of Erebus.

"FLORA!" Erebus screamed as he tried to get closer to his wife, but he was stopped by the fearlings, and he soon saw his wife lying down on the ground, unconscious, with her head bleeding, like she was in a puddle of mud, as she hit a rock.

Erebus was filled with sage and sorrow, he could not forgive what the fearlings have done. He charged at them with all his might, but he could not get them. The fearligns floated around him and chuckled evily. Erebus did not understand on why the fearlings seemed to have gotten stronger by that minute, and before he was able to realize it, it was too late. Erebus has let his guard down and the fearlings has found his body to possession. The fearling roamed around him to possess this body, and after a few seconds, after screaming in pain and refusal to letting the fearlings get inside of him, the shadow-like creatures were successful. Erebus' Golden brown hair turned into Black, with his tanned skin being gray, and suddenly wore a black outfit. The fearlings have gotten inside his mind and heart, not making him remember anything but his beloved wife, Flora. This rage for her death kept the fearlings stuck inside of him. He had no ways of escaping it… Which, lead to naming himself "Pitch Black", with the title of "The Nightmare King" or the "Boogeyman".

After a few years, Pitch roamed around the forest to look for people he could let them feel extreme fear, until he saw a town he has never seen before.

"Oh, look. A new place to give people fear," Pitch smiled evilly as he went to the place.

He roamed around and planned to go to the rulers of that town, but something caught his eye. Pitch saw a woman by the market. She was facing behind him which is why he did not recognize her. Her dress seemed so familiar and so did her presence. He knows this perfectly, he was getting closer to her until he was interrupted by something…

"GOTHEL!" a woman called out from a stall in the market.

The woman faced to Pitch, not knowing that he was there, and as Pitch saw her face, he was so surprised to see Flora. It was his wife. He could not understand. He saw die, bleeding in the ground, unable to help the love of his life, yet, what was she doing here? Maybe it was just someone that looked a lot like his wife, but even her smile, her curly, black hair, and her red dress, was a lot like Flora's.

Gothel went closer to the woman by the stall who was selling Hazelnut, "So, are those fresh?"

"Of course! By the way, how are your memories? Have they returned?" The woman asked.

Pitch was shocked to hear this from the woman… Loss of memory… This must be Flora.

"Unfortunately, no. I'm sure, they'll come back someday," Gothel smiled.

The woman chuckled, "Well, at least that huge wound you had in your head is gone."

"Well, you're a good doctor," Gothel teased as she bought some Hazelnuts.

Pitch looked at the woman closer, and he was sure of it. The woman he was looking at was his wife. And by the amnesia, and what the woman said that she had a terrible wound in her head, it just were perfect matches and signs that told Pitch that this was Flora.

"Flora?!" Pitch called nervously.

"'Flora, it's me," Pitch raised his hand and placed it on Gothel's cheek, trying to caress it, but it just passed through her. Pitch's heart was deeply broken.

Pitch stared into Gothel's eyes as he smiled genuinely; he has felt happiness once again after years. He did not want to leave Gothel's side ever again. After all, he has made a promise to her. And so afterwards, he did not leave her.

He watched over her for years, but because of that, Gothel frequently had nightmares every night. She would dream of fearlings and the night they attacked her and Pitch, refusing her to remember anything about them and Pitch. Her memories did not return and because of the frequent, sleepless nights she had, she got so interested into witchcraft that she studied it for years, until she even learned some Alchemy.

Pitch tried to tell Gothel to sotp for it has changed her, but she could not even hear, resulting to not listening to Pitch.

"Flora, please. Stop this madness, this isn't you."

Gothel kept trying to make potions.

"Please… Return to the one I know. Where's the loving wife I married? The one who saw the good in everything and refused to even hold a dagger? Flora, please."

But, Gothel did not even notice anything Pitch said… Which Pitch decided to just keep on watching her, no matter what.

Years passed and Gothel was already of old age. She lived in the forest and Pitch still stayed by her side… Struggling to fight the fearlings inside of him.

One day, he followed Gothel into the forest. She only had with her a lamp and wore a black cape. As Gothel searched for an ingredient for a potion she was trying to make, she spotted something glowing in the dark night. She went closer and saw a flower glowing so brightly like the sun.

"It's so bright," Pitch said as he went closer as well.

But, as he went closer, the light of the flower lessened, for which it seemed that the fearlings inside of him were eating up the light of the flower.

Gothel groaned in annoyance, "Why won't this darkness leave me be? Go away."

Pitch felt sadness once again and knelt beside Gothel, "I'm sorry, Flora, if I keep on giving you nightmares… I never wanted you to be like this. Alright… I'll leave you alone… But, I promise you that I'll check up on you every once in a while… To see if you're doing good. Take care, Flora… I love you."

Pitch faded away in the darkness as the story of Rapunzel and Jack started.

On that span of 18 years, Pitch was not able to visit Gothel, for the fearlings inside of him were getting stronger by the time and he feared that he might hurt Gothel. All he knew was that Gothel lived, now, in a tower, hidden from all of the people.

One day, Pitch was finally able to control his fearlings, and he was so sure that he would be able to keep it inside of him until he reached the tower.

"Flora?"

He looked around and saw the broken mirror, and such long, brown hair cut inside. He looked all over the tower but, was unable to find Gothel. He started to feel uneasy.

"Flora, where are you?"

He looked outside the window and looked below, and saw Gothel's black cape.

He immediately went closer to it and took the cape, looking around to see if Gothel was just hiding behind the trees, or maybe she just left it there or it fell from above.

But,as he took a closer look at the cape, he saw ashes around it and it only meant one thing.

Pitch was once again, filled with rage, unable to see the love of his life for one last time before she left, and most importantly, he was not able to protect her at the last moment. He could not accept his second failure of unable to protect his wife. He screamed in rage and fearlings came and possessed him more, making him much more stronger and forgetting everything he had. The only thing that filled his heart and mind were fear, darkness and rage. Gothel was the only one that kept love in his heart present, but now she was gone, the one left in this heart from the real Erebus was gone. He has longed to revive Gothel, but this time, he had no memories and felt no love for her at all, the whole reason to revive her was to seek revenge on the people who killed her and to gain more power, making her an alliance.

But, before he could ever start on that, he has to collect off ingredients and create spells that would create the perfect one to revive Gothel. To get these, he had to attack every single chosen ones of the Man in the Moon. Centuries ago, most of the ones Man in Moon chose were turned into fairies, which did not leave Toothiana as the only one. They lived in the forest below Toothiana's palace, making her the queen of all of them. For Pitch to succeed, he had to take a part of each fairy's power and use it for the spell, which made him end up slaughtering every single one of the fairies… Leaving Toothiana the only survivor, for the guardians and the noble, brave fairies protected her from all kinds of harm Pitch tried on them.

After 3 centuries, Pitch was able to create the perfect spell and decided to try to get rid of the guradians but failed, because of the new guardian, Jack Frost.

"I know what it's like to be alone… To long for a family."

These words of Pitch of which he said to Jack kept echoing in his head.

"Pitch.. Pitch!"

Pitch suddenly wakes up from a tight sleep. He was dreaming all along about his past life.

"Get up. We're about to attack," Gothel said as she went back to looking at the Globe.

Pitch looked around and saw a part of his arm turning back into Sandman's dream sand, which meant that thhe fearlings were being lessened, and he did not like this.

"Alright, let's take them out." Pitch exclaimed as he stood up.

Here ya go. just as I promised it would be quick in uploading. Hahaha! I tried sticking to the original concept of Pitch as good as I can so I hope it turned out fine. Don't worry, there are still lots of twists you must be expecting. Please review! I hope you liked it! ^^