I am Dark and I am Light
RotG fanfic
Chapter Thirteen- Shadows
Authors note: figured out Pitchs plan? Time to find out dun dun dun... Let me know what you think of the chapter and Ill be back tommorow with the next one^^
It was as quick as a light going out. One moment he was flying, the next he was enveloped in the shadow cast by a low hanging cloud.
He'd left the Guardians, not even alerting them to his leaving, having felt a prick of darkness return- and had now returned to balance. But the darkness kept annoying him. It kept scraping at the edge of his mind, trying to gain purchase on it like a constant mental itch. It confused, and slightly worried, him. Both sides'd had their turn. He should be back at balance- the darkness should be content with its half, but it wasn't.
He wasn't paying much attention to where he was flying, when he vanished into the shadow. The sensation was one of nothingness. Whilst the portal from the snowglobe had overwhelmed him with colour, speed and a unique buzz, the travel through shadows was a very deadening experience. It was as though everything ceased to exist. No floor, no sky, no wind, no orientation. He couldn't tell which way was which- direction ceased to matter. It was almost like he was falling, except there was no tug of gravity. He wouldve been completely unsettled by it, if the dark side of him mind hadn't been so calm.
He knew what was going on... somehow. It was a little known fact that all shadows are made up of the same darkness. Some people, like Pitch, who controlled them, could use this connection as a passageway to go almost anywhere... or pull others through.
The world resumed around him, as a floor solidified under his feet. He felt stale, dead air against his skin. He was in some place he'd never seen before, but... it felt, somewhat... homely? No, that was definately not the right word, but it felt as though he was meant to be here- to half his mind, at least. The other expressed a definite lack of comfort about the place, but he was curious as to where, or what, this place it was and what he was doing here. Although, it was getting harder and harder for him to think- that constant mental itch was really growing incredibly distracting!
"What do you want, Pitch?" He called out to nothingness. He was still the shadow limbo, or else he would've addressed him directly. A low chuckle emanated from every dark point in the place- which was to say everywhere. A nerve twitched in his jaw as the darkness in his mind briefly spiked past its usual half, before he got it under control. What was going on? He could just about keep the shadows under control enough to listen to Pitch's words.
"I just thought I'd see how you were. How are you, Jack?" He asked, smoothly melting out of the shadows a good distance away on his right.
The nerve next to his eye was quivering uncontrollably now, but it barely noticeable from the outside- inside, though, more and more arrows of darkness were attempting to break through the peace in his mind.
"What's it to you how I am?" He snapped, the throbbing, incessant pulsing in his head sending him beyond all niceties- especially since it was Pitch, and especially with the burning flame of anger slowly growing within him.
"Oh? I thought we were friends, Jack?" He said in mock sorrow, transporting from the distant ledge to the same one Jack stood on- much closer than his liking. "Are we not?" He asked, falsely innocent.
Jack growled in effort, as the darkness threw itself like a battering ram at the rest of his mind.. and slowly it was gaining ground on him, however hard he tried to hold it back. He shook his head quickly, as though tried to shake the darkness out.
"Stop it!" He shouted, but not at Pitch. His teeth bared in a pained snarl. What was going on? He should be balanced! He'd been light, he'd been dark- why wasn't he back to normal?! What the Nightmares was happening?! He noted the dark curse, started to panic. This was not good.
Red pulsed amongst the blue of his eye, and crept across his scalp.
"Get back! You've had your turn!" He screamed out loud, but the darkness didn't abate, and continued to relentlessly throw itself further and further into his mind. He pressed his fingers, like knarled roots, into his skull. It was like a moment in a sword duel when the blades of the opponents lock, and they push with all their strength against each other... And the black was slowly overcoming him. He had to force himself to breath, as he seemed to have forgotten how to do it on instinct. There was no room for emotion so will power consuming was the fight to hold back the darkness. It was crippling! It wasn't pain, as such, but the unbearable pressure of the force attacking his mind shattered him. Thoughts were barely possible. It was all he could do to try and maintain his weak, feeble resistance. But he was failing. Why?! He should be balanced!
He flinched, and whimpered, as yet more of his defense was ruthlessly destroyed. He pushed back against the shadows like he was holding up a huge weight, but he wasn't strong enough. He was gasping horribly- little things like breathing didnt matter when your very mind was getting crushed.
"That's where your wrong." Pitch's words barely reached him. -What? He thought, choking out the thought like a word from a crushed windpipe. "The darkness came back a long time ago." The sudden realisation shocked him. He felt like he'd been punched. What remained of him that wasn't lost in the battle to keep back the darkness was stunned with horror- it had been there the whole time!... But somehow he'd known it was there all along... It rattled his very core- how he only realised that now?! How could he have been so blind?!
He was terrified now. Little remained that wasn't under the thrall of darkness. "You've over extended yourself." The words were getting less distinct, but another hard blow stuck him. All the time he'd been doing something good, he'd been in balance... but that meant-! Shadow claws! The dark was having its time! And he couldn't hold it back- no! No... what was he going to-. The transition was now almost complete, as he went from pilot to passenger- no longer able to control anything, though a microscopic amount of light still remained.
He snarled viscously at the shadow man in front of him- a sinister, twisted grin forming around his bared teeth, as he reached a realisation.
"I'll just fight you, old man." He snarled, convulsions wracking his whole body, and chest. He hated Pitch with every fibre of his being. He'd gone against him before- he could do it again now. His plan had backfired. He was dead meat. But, the satisfaction of victory was short lived.
Pitch bent down to the hunched over spirit, lifting his head up to face him with a single finger.
"Oh really?" He said, the words sounded like they were coming through deep water. "But it won't be me you're fighting." Jack's eyes snapped a little wider at this, as dread took over him. What did he mean by- no... His failing mind beat feebly back against the darkness, as a horrible suspicion gripped him. No, no- I can't- no!
The shadows covering the cavern engulfed him. Pitch disappeared, as he was transported through the darkness.
No! He was going to take him to-! He strained and pushed against the darkness of his mind with desperation born only of one about to lose everything. No! Nooo! If he had any control over his body, whatsoever, he'd be crying and screaming right now. He'd never fought so hard against the darkness in all his life. He couldn't- no!... Because, it wasn't his sake he was fighting for... But even his desperation driven strength wasn't enough. Please... no... he felt himself slipping under.
The last thing he felt was the world resuming again, and a voice, distant and barely audible.
"Jack? What're doing over here, mate?"
No...
Tears should've fallen with that final, broken plea, but he was swamped by the ocean of shadows.
The world went black, and the darkness ruled all.
Finally. He had complete control. The goody two shoes side had been annoyingly hard to subdue this time, but, no matter, it was time for some fun. He turned to face the rabbit behind him, a malicious grin on his face. That rabbit was an enemy. One of the Guardians- but also, the one who'd insulted him so. He was going to pay for every word.
He watched him shrink back- shock and fear in his eyes, as his ears fell back. He was afraid... He relished the thought, and laughed. He was going to have so much fun with this beastly big Bunny. He took a step towards him, swinging his scythe like a pendulum in front of him, as he strode closer and closer to the rabbit who backed away in fear. The sensation of his terror growing was just delicious.
With a quick movement, he saw him reach into the holsters that held the oh so terrifying bits of stick. He'd barely flinched his paws, when the demon released his fury. He whipped the scythe round, cutting through the air in a blood red arc. A shock wave of red energy shot out from the blade, striking the rabbit before he could even touch his pathetic twigs. It knocked him clear out of the tunnel, back into the open warren. The two other Guardians looked over as he hit the floor... and there... emerging from the shadows... the very one they recently called friend.
Demon, crimson eyes glowing. A sick snarl of a smirk disfiguring his face.
They were all struck by fear- not just of their former friend, but the thought of what he would do... and what they might have to do to stop him. They didn't want to fight him, and definately not hurt him, but it didn't look like they had a choice... and they hated that they were left with no alternative. It was enough to shake the most hardened of warriors- the sight of a possessed friend coming to kill them.
Imagine a best friend coming at you, with a knife, intent on murder... Its hard to imagine, but that was the reality the Guardians faced.
But just when they thought they saw the worst of the situation, the stakes suddenly rose incredibly. A fragile crack sounded from beneath the dark spirit. He looked down, dispassionately, and saw a broken egg- bits of shell, scattered around his foot. The dark grin on his face grew considerably. The Guardians had just enough time for complete dread to hit them. The eggs. He was going to go for the eggs! No- Easter was reliant on those eggs! The kids... if there weren't any eggs for them to collect... Well, Tooth knew best of all what would happen. They couldn't let that happen. With Pitch on the rise, they couldn't let such a fatal blow to belief be dealt. They shivered to even think what that might cause... and so it was that when the spirit of darkness lifted his scythe high above his head, ready to swing down, they were frozen with horror. This is going to be fun, the red demon thought.
North managed to snap out of it.
"Jack." He said, calmly- beseechingly. There was no response from the dark beast. "You don't want to do this." He edged forwards slightly.
Aww, trying to appeal to his sense of goodness is he? Win him over with the power of heart? Stupid, fat, bearded man- didn't the moon side tell him? He didn't have a heart.
With a echoing, deafening boom, he slammed the end of the scythe into the floor.
An obliterating tidal wave of red chaos flew across the ground.