Dark and Light: Blood Moon - Chapter 10
Authors note: I'm sorry! I know Im such a cruel person for doing this! But anyway we all get the of our favourite psycho please review- it really does mean a lot just to hear your random comments or thoughts^^ this halter is specially dedicated to Gray White Shadows for you amazing lovely incredible 5 million word review! I still can't thank you enough for how much that made my day- thank you sooooo much! And for also putting up with my rambling replies^^ see you in two days!
He thought it would hurt. He thought it would be like rusted nails were pressing into his skull... but it wasn't. It was all so simple, so easy... But so wrong.
The darkness slid back into his mind like it had never left, but it felt as invasive and horrible as a centipede crawling to his brain through his ear. He wanted to get it out, but had no way to stop it. It squirmed it's way in- the vast link to the rest of the darkness reattatching itself, like it was opening up a hole in his mind filled with thick, menacing clouds of darkness. The whispers of constant, burning hatred and anger reformed at the back of his mind once more. The crazed insanity flickering erratically about his thoughts... Then, it settled.
Oh god, he thought... Overland, was back.
There was a strange silence under the ice. The core's noise had lowered to a constant buzz. Tooth not daring to make a sound, as she stared, horrified, at his motionless, silent figure. The red light of chaos still dancing madly about ice. Jack's face had gone expressionless, betraying the ferocious fight within.
Inside his mind the light fought desperately to force the darkness back. To lock it behind closed doors, as it had done once before. But something was different. It was almost like he'd forgotten how to fight the darkness in his mind, it had been so long- and there was something else... The darkness somehow seemed wilder- and stronger. He should have it trapped at the edge of his mind by now, but he didn't- he was still struggled to hold his own against the viscously fighting darkness. He could just barely stop it taking over his mind- let alone get any control over it!
It was so close to taking control, it was terrifying. He was trying so hard not to be afraid, because fear was one of the paths that led to darkness- if he got afraid now, it might just overcome him. But, how could he not be scared- his worst fear was looking into a mirror and seeing red eyes glaring back... and now he was living it. He wasn't just scared- he was absolutely terrified, and that made him all the more scared, because the darkness was using that fear to gain purchase on his mind. Now he was the one getting forced towards the very edge of his mind.
He was getting pushed further and further no matter how hard he fought. He was so close to getting thrown out of it completely- he was on the very edge of falling out of his mind. Please, no- if the darkness ruled him at a time like this, the Guardians didn't stand a chance! He couldn't let that happen! No! He remembered that oath he had taken- he would protect the children. Guard them with his life! He would uphold that oath- whether he was a Guardian or not! He would not let the darkness destroy his friends- it would not get rid of him!
Just as he would've been wiped out completely- swept out of his mind like a leaf in a gale- he somehow used the last of his strength to catch a weak hold on his mind. He concentrated all his focus onto that feeble grip- determined not to let go- but it was like trying to keep hold of a tiny float of ice in the midst of a raging ocean. Each wave almost dislodging him, but, through some miracle, he remained. Every passing second almost beat him out again, but he didn't let go. He wasn't gone- wasn't gone- still here, he told himself, desperately. He was still here. But only just. The darkness had close to all of his mind under its sway... which meant it was in command.
Tooth's eyes widened, as the spirit before her finally moved... He took one... two steps away from the orb. Silent. He was just Jack now- his surname was meaningless, because he wasn't either anymore. But this, right now... was this Overland or Frost she was seeing before her? She didn't know, but was she was absolutely terrified of the answer. The red light thrown out from the core made Frost's white hair look the same demonic crimson as Overland's. It was impossible to tell which it was. White made to look like red? Actual demonic red? Or some combination of both?
With a flick of his heel, Jack kicked his staff up- which side he stood on remaining a mystery... until it landed in his hand, squarely... as a scythe.
Overland's scythe.
That was no trick of the light- his hair really was the colour of chaos. The long, curved blade of the weapon glinted malevolently in the scattered light of the core. The demon who held it swung it round in a wide circle. Then, he sighed in satisfaction.
"Back, at last." He grinned. Now the blood moon was right.
Frost thought there was no such thing as the 'Shadows'? But then he always had been an idiot. 'No such thing'. No master and ruler of the shadows. No almighty power to command the infinite armies of shadow. He thought. Oh but there was. Always had been. He was a very naughty boy- he'd kept all the darkness' biggest secrets hidden from dear Frosty. The idiot thought there was no Shadows... But there was. There was a 'big, bad shadow master'- and frosty knew him well. The reason frosty had never felt, seen or heard from this power was quite obvious. Because he heard, saw, felt and battled him every waking second of three hundred years.
He was the Shadows. The greatest power of all the darkness.
If little frosty wanted to believe his staff worked because of some stupid fake reason, who was he to stop him. Frost had been delusional to think he hadn't been singled out- grasping at stupid, fake straws. He had been chosen. When the last almighty power of the darkness- the one that had taken over for him when that miserable excuse for a spirit got rid of him temporarily- planted the core on the moon, it knew it was dead meat. So, naturally, it used the core as a trap- to lure the little Guardians in. But the real trap wasn't for them... it was for him.
Now the last power was gone. Everything in the darkness was his to command. He was the-! He was interrupted as ice shield gave a giant shudder. Excuse me, I was monologuing, he thought to himself. Then, he realised he was scowling- almost angrily- at the wall, or ,more precisely, the things trying to break it.
Why was he scowling? Sure they'd been rude, but they were on his side so he wasn't going to kill them for it- this time. So why was he scowling? They worked for him, right... no, he realised. No they didn't. They wouldn't listen to his commands to cease attacking the dome. They were so stupid- and so pathetically unlinked to the darkness- they refused his orders. Only linked to the old core that the old Shadows created. That must be why he's scowling, he decided.
Fight the moonbeams- fight the moonbeams.
Now why should he do that? He thought... It would be fun, he decided- red destroying red, like fire fighting fire- and wouldn't it be great to cut down and attack once again. Yes- such brilliant fun. The petty, stupid fireworks should be cut anyway- pathetic, weak, moon loving light balls- they weren't even real darkness. Besides, he attacked whatever he wanted- being partly dark wasn't going to save them. Once a slave to the moon, always a slave to it, he thought. They were useless, unpure insects- not worthy to be a part of the shadow. He'd show them true darkness.
"Master." He heard the voice from the shadows, and turned to see a nightmare enter the space of the dome. It entered smoothly from the dancing shadows the core created. "You have returned it." It said, bowing down before him. A slow smirk spread across his face as he watched it sink down to it's knees- completely at his mercy. Bowing- now that was more like it, he thought.
More nightmares gathered beneath the ice, and a few grotesquely humanoid fearlings clung to the ceiling- he could feel many more of them waiting in the darkness between shadows, listening to his every word. The amount gathered was huge- the moons darkening had awoken many dormant dark creatures and now they'd come to their king. He grinned round at the assembly- oh yes, he was king now. He hadn't had much time to play with this after he dethroned Pitchy- now he could play all he wanted. So many little minions to have fun with- like those little, plastic soldiers he could order, and nobody cared when they broke. What fun little toys.
"What is your command, master." One of the fearlings from the ceiling asked- obviously eager to exact the will of darkness. He chuckled, menacingly. Orders... Now that sounds fun. Time to play, he thought.
"Destroy the moon lights." He told them, through the connection of shadow. Darkness fighting darkness- what destruction! This was going to be great!
"But, master." One of the nightmares pointed out. "They are one of our own." It noticed, confused. He smirked.
"Ha! You call those pathetic torch lights one of us? They are weak. Stupid, moon loving halflings. Only a part of us through our own strength and control- they aren't joined to our realm. Ha- they deserve to be wiped out! They aren't worthy to hold the power!" He told them. There was an raucous of consensus among the dark beasts throughout the shadows.
"But.. master." An unusually tall nightmare pointed out, putting a slight mocking twist on the word 'master'. "Aren't you also only part darkness? Only one of us through control?"
It's eyes narrowed in an accusatory stare against him. Even the nightmares around it seemed scared by its daring- and rightly so. He glared at it for a moment- noting the doubt spreading through the darkness, along with fear of what he'd do in response. This one was too clever for its own good. One of Pitch's old nags was it? Oh yes, old blacks favourite. Apparently it was still loyal to it's old master. Only part darkness? He'll show it darkness.
Black ice rose up from the ground, fluidly reaching up and trapping the nightmare in its grasp. A dozen deadly, black needles shot from the roof of the dome around them- just avoiding the fearlings hanging there- and stopped barely a grain away from the mare. It screamed in terror as the spikes barely missed piercing it's eyes.
The other creatures shrank back, making a path as the crimson shadow king to approached it.
"I've proven myself- as I'm pretty sure you remember when I thrashed that sorry excuse for a dark spirit. Your dear old master- Pitch." He taunted darkly, running the blade of his scythe delicately along its neck. He enjoyed the fear in it's eyes for a moment longer, then removed the spikes- though he kept it encased in the ice. It dropped its head right down in a pitiful show of submission, but he ignored it, bored, and turned to address the rest of the creatures- both present and in shadow.
"I've earned my spot among the darkness- what have those little spotlights done? We should destroy them like the half dark, unpure weakness they are- it's our job to snuff out lights isn't it? So where's the loss in destroying these useless pathetic lamps? We are far more superior. They are just stupid. Unpure. Weak. And now... Dead." He finished.
Not bad or his first speech as royalty- he was getting himself psyched! The shadows were going crazy with excitement!
"What of the others, master?"
"Shall we destroy the Guardians too?" The thought excited them even more.
"What about this one- you want us to get her?"
No- not the Guardians! Leave them alone!
"No." He said, drawing surprised glances from all his audience. Wait, why had he said that? Why shouldn't they attack the Guardians? No, wait- they couldn't attack the Guardians- that was his job! They were his! His trophies! His to annihilate! His to destroy! "Leave them to me." He said, smoothly. I want to deal with them, myself." He said. Many of them looked disappointed- like they were going to charge at them regardless. "And if any of you think about attacking my kill..." He threatened. The spikes from the ceiling returned- and this time they didn't spare the nightmare, still trapped in the ice. It's dying scream faded, as it disintegrated into thin air. The spikes slowly retracted into the ceiling.
Any of the nightmares who'd thought of disobeying him, now trembled at the idea. They bowed their heads and quickly moved away from the terrified Tooth Fairy as though she had an infectious disease. But, as the nightmares shuffled away, it allowed Tooth an easy view of their king, and his burning, crimson eyes that seared into her- the twisted eyes of the boy she used to love so much. Now they promised her pain. Pain that he couldn't wait to inflict.
"Well then..." He said, still watching and taking pleasure in Tooth's terror, as he let a sick, sadistic smirk twist across his face. He met Tooth's eyes for a moment. Soon, he promised. We're going to play together very soon. Then, he turned away to face the clear window that showed him the moonbeams outside. "...Lets go attack some moon balls." He told them, savage insanity lighting his eyes with red sparks.
"But master, we are not strong enough to take on the chaos." One of them protested. The nightmares were only fear- and fear was a few steps before chaos. They weren't strong enough to take on the moonbeams, as they were right now. He laughed. Oh, how silly of him- he forgot to give them that little boost of power, didn't he.
"Under your old master, perhaps." He told them- reaching out to them with the power of chaos and slowly suffusing them with his almost limitless power. Their previously pus yellow eyes turned a dark, bloody crimson. "But with me, I think you'll find...you're much stronger." He finished, sealing them within his grasp. Now, they truly were his. His red army, under his iron command. Under Pitch's control, the useless fear couldn't hope to stand up against the pure, red chaos energy. Now, they matched it. Now they were the most powerful force in the world. The strongest darkness, and the strongest army... and it was his to play toy soldiers with.
He couldn't wait any longer. Let the fun begin.
He hurled himself at the barrier of ice keeping him from the battle- slicing it open with an explosion of red that erupted from his scythe. He took off in a sphere of of invisible energy- huge chunks of debris raining around his, as he charged straight into the fight.
"Stop the ones attacking the Guardians!" He commanded through the shadows. "I want them fresh for when I cut them down." He grinned as he pictured it- pure chaos, and destruction, and a final end to the pathetic Guardians. The smirk twisted further, and he gripped his scythe in readiness to attack.
Behind him numberless, blurred figures of the nightmares and fearlings erupted from cavern- the fearlings sprouting ragged, cloth like wings and taking to the air. Hundreds upon hundreds of them streaming out from shadows surrounding the dark core- their single, unified scream tearing through the sky... and, at their head... their king.
The savage, insane, blood red demon- shooting ahead, eager to destroy. Scythe flashing under the crimson glow of the moonbeams.
The Guardians worst nightmare.
Overland had returned.
