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(Bedross Cave)

The calm waters of the pool were shattered as Patrick's head broke the surface, the spirit was grinning madly still full of adrenaline from their escape.

"Phew! That was a close one huh?" Patrick's voice echoed off the walls, he watched Eros shake the water from his long blond hair. "That's why I shave my head." Patrick said with a grin.

"We're not safe yet you moron!" Eros yelled at him, the spirit turned and notched an arrow, "That monster will be after us in moments!"

Mismatched eyes widened as Eros pointed his bow at the ceiling, "What are you…"

Eros didn't answer, the air rippled as he loosed the arrow.

A loud crack resounded when the tip pierced the base of a large stalactite.

"You might want to cover your ears." Eros smirked then he snapped his finger

"Oh shi…!" Patrick's eyes widened as the air rippled with power, a bright light expelled from the arrow followed by a loud explosion.

Assan yelped as the man hunched over him, sheltering him from the shower of rocks that showered down as the stalactite fell. The boy could hear the water roar as the stone split it.

When silence once again filled the air, Patrick glanced up his eyes falling on the pool that now was plugged up, "You could have warned me you were about to do that."

Eros shrugged as he waved his bow away, "It was either that or the hydra simply follows us up and we are back to square one. At least now she has to work to get to us."

Patrick sighed, he glanced down at Assan, "You ok kid?"

Assan nodded, his wet hair sticking to his forehead "Ye…yes sir."

"Sir was my father… just call me Patrick." He smiled trying to reassure the scared child

Eros snorted, "I would hardly call that piece of scum you consider father a 'sir'."

Patrick glared, he started to retort when Eros suddenly motioned for him to be silent, "What is it?"

"Notice anything missing Patrick?" Eros's voice was quiet as he scanned the cavern.

"Not really…though there seems to be less bats around now that you brought the roof down…" Patrick glanced around the empty space before him.

"Moron…." Eros rolled his eyes, "Your little demon pet is gone. Probably off to slaughter an innocent village."

"Pitch is not a demon." Patrick growled taking a step towards Eros, he stopped when Assan started shuddering, he glanced down at the boy "What's wrong kid, you hurting?"

Assan shook his head, whimpering slightly, ""The…there's…something in the…shadows…" the boy pointed to a large rock next to the tunnel entrance where two golden orbs were gleaming in the blackness

Mismatched eyes followed where he was pointing, he smiled as he recognized his friend's eyes "Pitch, come on out."

"No."

Patrick cocked his head at the man's response, "Come on Pitch, if it's what Eros said than you know he's an idiot."

The Nightmare King's voice snorted, "As if I give a damn about what that heart stealing monster thinks of me." Pitch's voice went quiet, "I was more concerned about frightening the child anymore than he has been already. So I decided to hide in the shadows, thought it would be better if the child didn't see me, since I might scare him." The Nightmare King's voice sounded forlorn as the boy's fear washed over him, "Seems I was correct."

Patrick's heart sank at his words; he knew how bad Pitch wanted to simply be accepted and not feared. "You won't know unless you come out Pitch." He glanced at Assan who was still staring at the shadow, his face full of fear "In fact by you hiding you're scaring him more than if you were to simply show yourself."

"You think?"

Patrick couldn't help but hear the hopeful tone in the man's voice, "Just come on out Pitch." he watched in fascination as the shadow rippled and his friend emerged.

Eros smirked as the Nightmare King came from the shadow, "Well what do you know. The demon didn't run off after all."

"Shut up Eros." Patrick glared at the spirit, the he turned his attention to Assan offering him a reassuring smile, "That's just Pitch. He's a good friend of mine." The spirit glanced again at his friend, "He is the one who helped us find you so fast."

Assan stared at the man now standing in front of the flickering light of the torches, there was an air of evil surrounding him yet at the same time an underlying tone of goodness. The Naiad had never felt such conflicting auras from one spirit; it almost seemed to him that there were two spirits before him instead of simply one. Assan decided that he would trust the man that had rescued him "Than…thank you."

Of all he was expecting the child to say, Pitch was not expecting that. A genuine grin came to his face, "It was nothing child."

Patrick smiled, glad that the boy had chosen to not fear the spirit "All right Assan let's get you…"

A muffled roar echoed, followed by the entire chamber shaking interrupted him.

Eros growled as he notched an arrow, "It would seem that we are about to have com…"

The spirit didn't get to finish before all hell broke loose.

Rock and water exploded upwards as Farina burst from the cavern floor, her scales shimmering in the torchlight. The hydra's undamaged eye gleamed with murderous intent, "I will line my cave with your bones!" the monster roared shaking the ceiling as she crawled out

"You should really see a decorator." Eros smirked, "Don't you know bones are last season?"

Farina growled, the rock under her feet turned a dark grey from the water cascading off her body, "You will be the first to die archer, how dare you scar the Queen of Serpents!"

Eros grinned as he bowed, "I am truly sorry your majesty. I was unaware of your status, I simply thought you were an oversized worm."

The cavern echoed with the hydra's enraged roar, the ground cracked under her as she launched at the spirits before her.

Pitch placed himself in front of Patrick and the boy, he startled when Eros appeared in front of him

"Get the boy out of here." Eros raised his bow, "I'll handle this."

A loud twang sounded, followed by Farina's pained shriek. The hydra reared backwards shaking her head trying to dislodge the arrow from her muzzle.

Pitch startled when Patrick thrust the young boy into his arms, "Patrick what are…"

"Run, get the boy out." Patrick continued when Pitch started to protest, "I've got to help Eros."

"Why?" Pitch glanced at the spirit now shooting arrows into the beast's face, "You should just let the hydra eat him."

Patrick grinned, "I should, but he is Iris's brother and she'd never forgive me if something happened to him." The spirit smirked, "Plus, I have the only weapon that can kill that monster."

Pitch sighed, "Just be careful Patrick."

"I got this Pitch," Patrick called to his friend as the Nightmare King turned and raced towards the exit with Assan, he then turned his attention to Eros and the monster in front of him, "Hey Eros, mind if I cut in?"

Eros jumped sideways, narrowly avoiding the hydra's teeth as they snapped inches from his head, "Sure, have at it." the spirit flipped over the whip like tail that flicked at him

"Thank you." Patrick grinned as he rushed forward, a flash of silver filled the air as he pulled his new favorite sword out. His muscles bulged as he swung the blade at the mountain of monster in front of him.

Farina shrieked as the blade cut into her side, "You lowly spirit! I will rend your flesh and feed you to the bats!"

Patrick smirked as he leapt back, his eyes falling on the blood now cascading from the grievous wound "Sorry to disappoint your majesty, but you will be the one feeding the bats this day."

Eros crossed his arms and leaned against the cave wall as the Leprechaun launched another attack at the hydra before him, "Well I must hand it to the guy. He's got flare." The spirit shook his head as Patrick slid under the reptile, the cave filled with the creature's scream of pain as the blade left a trench in her skin. He shook his head when Patrick danced over the hydra's tail and onto the monsters back and began taunting her, "Patrick will you hurry and finish this? We really should go after your demon pet. He may decide to eat the child if he gets hungry."

"Damn it Eros for the last time! Pitch is not a demon!" Patrick yelled back at him as he dodged the hydra's snapping maw. He glared at the man, "Now either help me or shut up."

A grin came to Eros's face, "Oh all right." The spirit notched an arrow

The air snapped as the arrow pierced it, then the cave filled with another roar of pain from the hydra as Eros joined in the fray.


(With Pitch)

The long corridor echoed with rapid steps as the Nightmare King raced through it towards the exit, the young Naiad clutched tightly against his chest.

Pitch glanced down when he heard a whimper, "Are you ok child?"

Assan clenched his teeth, "I…I'm fine…" he startled when the man stopped and placed him on the ground.

"No you are not." Pitch spoke as he began checking the spirit over. He frowned when he caught sight of the bruising on the boy's torso, he gently pressed on the skin.

Assan cried out when pain shot through him, tears rimmed his eyes.

"Sorry child," Pitch sighed, "You have several broken ribs…" golden eyes gleamed "… did the men that took you do all this?"

"Not all…" the boy's voice was quiet as he watched in fascination when the man flicked his wrist, a cloud of obsidian sand rose from his grey palm, "The hydra broke my ribs when she slammed me against the stone." He jumped when the sand spiraled down and began to wrap around his torso

"It's ok, I am simply bracing your torso to lessen the pain. I know being moved jostles the ribs and that can be excruciating."

Assan smiled, "You speak like you've had broken ribs before."

Pitch nodded as the sand wrapped itself around the boy's skin, "I have…but there were no braces used…"

The boy glanced at the spirit, he could see a haunted expression flicker across the man's face

"But that's not what is important." Pitch spoke as he gently picked up the boy's arm, "What's important is getting you fixed up." He frowned, "Your arm is broken as well..." Pitch ran his hand the bruised and swollen limb, he quietly commanded his sand to wrap around the boy's arm.

Assan whimpered as the spirit picked him up carefully, "Eider broke it when I tried to escape."

Golden eyes gleamed as the boy sank against his chest as he began walking, "That bastard will pay, I swear child." To Assan he simply smiled, "Well you are safe now child and you will be with your mother soon I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." A cruel voice sliced the air

A scream tore from Pitch as pain shot through his body, golden eyes stared at the large spear of ice now protruding from his knee. "Not good." Pitch thought as he caught sight of the two men now stalking towards them.


Cliff! Please review and let me know what you guys think. I love hearing from you and seeing how you are liking the story. Till next time.