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(Bedross Cave)
"Watch your back Patrick!"
Patrick ducked as an arrow whizzed over his head
A roar of pain filled the air as the arrow embedded into the hydra's tail that had nearly crushed the Spirit of Luck.
"Aww, you do care Eros." Patrick smirked as he ducked under the hydra's mad swing of her claws.
Eros snorted as he notched another arrow and let it fly into serpents face, "I do not free loader. I just happen to not want Iris to lose her favorite possession."
Patrick growled as he leapt sideways avoiding Farina's snapping jaws, "I am not a possession you winged bastard! Iris is my soul mate and if you can't accept that then just $%^& off!"
The spirit paused, Patrick had never reacted to his jabs in such a manner "Patrick…"
"Just shut it." The Leprechaun growled as he stabbed his sword into the hydra's side, "Let's finish here so I can get Assan back to his mother." Patrick ignored Eros as he rushed headlong at the hydra
Farina reared back, startled by the spirit's bold rush. The serpent snaked her head forward gleaming teeth ready to sink into the man.
At the last second Patrick dropped to the ground, sliding under the hydra. With a yell he slammed his sword upwards into the creature's armored chest. Patrick twisted the handle of the sword, grimacing at the sound of something tearing.
The chamber shook with the creature's roar of anguish
Eros covered his eyes as dust and sand rose into the air from the force of the monster hitting the ground. When the debris cleared blue eyes widened at the mountain of flesh that had fallen, "Patrick! Hey you ok!" he rushed forward stopping when the spirit got to his feet
"Gods that was close." Patrick coughed as he dusted his vest clean. He poked the still hydra with his foot, "Thought I'd never get the chance to hit her weak spot."
Eros glanced at the hydra, "I must say I'm impressed Patrick. I had no idea you had sword skills."
Patrick swelled with pride, "I am a man of many talents Eros. For example…"
"Dear gods…he'll never shut up now." The spirit sighed as he followed the bragging spirit in the direction Pitch had gone.
(With Pitch)
"Hey tall, and dark. You've got something in your leg."
"Ass wipe." Pitch snarled when the two ice spirits started laughing.
"Awww I think we made him mad Eider." the smaller of the two smirked
The other spirit rolled his eyes, as he formed another spear of ice, "Just shut up Tundrun."
Pitch had a split second to dodge sideways, he felt the cold as the razor sharp ice grazed past his cheek. At the motion the ice in his knee shifted, eliciting a scream of pain from him.
Assan whimpered as the man holding him nearly fell, he knew that the spirit had to be in tremendous agony. "S…sir…you…you're hurt." Sapphire eyes rimmed with tears as he glanced at Pitch and caught sight of the pain on the man's face
Pitch smirked, "Child I have seen worse than this I assure you." He turned his attention back to the spirits, "I have just one question for you two. Did you harm this child in anyway?"
Tundrun laughed, "Yeah, but what do you care? You're both going to be dead in a few minutes anyway."
Pitch growled, he clutched the boy tighter as the two spirit's started walking towards them
"Nothing personal against you guys really," Tundrun smirked, "It's just Bartholomew ordered us to." He held up a satchel, "Once we got the treasure we were to dispose of anyone that could link us to him. And unfortunately for you tall and dark you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Eider glared at him, he snatched the satchel from the spirit's hands, "Tundrun you moron! We were specifically told to not mention who hired us!"
Tundrun cringed at the other spirit's angry tone, "It doesn't matter really, they both will dead in a minute…"
While the two men argued Pitch took advantage of their inattention, "Assan can you stand?"
"Yes sir." The boy looked at Pitch confused
"Good." Pitch grimaced as he placed the boy on the ground, "Now I want you to stay behind me ok."
Assan nodded, "What are you…"
"What must be done." Pitch grimaced as he leaned over and gripped the spear in his flesh. The spirit nearly passed out as he began pulling, blood ran like a river down his leg as he yanked the ice from his knee and threw it to the stone. The sound of shattering echoed as shards of ice scattered across the corridor
"Damn! I'm impressed. That had to hurt." Tundrun smirked as the sound caught their attention. "Though now you'll probably bleed out." He stared at the blood now cascading down the spirit's leg and pooling on the stone under him.
Pitch grinned, he carefully placed his hand to his knee.
Eider and Tundrun stepped back as black obsidian sand flowed from the spirit's palm and wrapped around his wound staunching the blood flow.
"That's a neat trick." Tundrun smirked, "I wasn't aware that earth spirits could produce sand from their own bodies."
A smile tugged at Pitch's mouth, "Oh, what makes you think I am simple earth spirit?"
Eider frowned, he didn't like the feeling of dread that suddenly settled in the air. A flicker caught his eye, the ice spirit leapt sideways as a tendril of shadow shot from the floor.
Tundrun however was not as lucky, the ice spirit screamed when the tendril ensnared him. The man desperately clawed at the rocks as he was dragged across them "Eider! Hel…" his plea was cut short as his body was dragged into the shadows.
"Tundrun!" What the hell did you do to him!" Eider screamed at the man smirking at him
A jagged smile came to Pitch's face, "At the current moment your friend is being torn apart by the shadows of the Between." He laughed at the horrified look on the man's face, "Oh but don't worry, you will be joining him shortly."
Eider stepped back, "That's…that's impossible! Who are you?"
"The Nightmare King, demon of the Dark Age." Pitch bowed slightly, he grinned at terror now emitting from the ice spirit, "at your service."
Assan whimpered, "No wonder I felt such an evil aura from him." The boy watched as the spirit that had rescued him advance forward
"Why are you helping the brat! You who took thousands of lives within the span of a month." Eider spoke as he continued to back away from the spirit slowly limping towards him.
Pitch shrugged, "Perhaps as recompense for my sins," he narrowed his eyes, "But my reasoning is none of your concern. You concern should be that you are ready to meet the Keeper of the Abyss." Pitch ducked when the man suddenly threw the satchel he had been holding at him, he glanced up at the fleeing spirit now halfway down the corridor, "Tsk, people tend to forget. No matter where you go the shadows will find you."
Assan cringed as Eider's screams reverberated off the stone walls as he, like Tundrun, was dragged pleading into the blackness of the shadows.
"Damn, I lost control." Pitch thought as he felt Assan's fear wash over him. He turned slowly and forced a smile "Sorry about that child…"
"I…ummm…I…" Assan took a breath, "Thank you."
Pitch raised an eyebrow, he hadn't expected that "Aren't you afraid now that you know who I am?"
The boy smiled, "Oceanus teaches that like the sea a person is ever changing. What you were in the past is not the same as you are in the future." Assan glanced at the floor, "I am young so I have only heard the stories and legends of what you did. I was not there and do not know the whole story so I do not have the right to judge you."
"And you are how old child?" Pitch smiled, he felt as if a weight was gone. He had fully expected the boy to be terrified of him after witnessing his power and finding out who he was.
Assan smirked as the spirit limped over to him, "I will be eleven in a month."
"I could have sworn you were older." Pitch smiled as he reached the young spirit, "Come let's…" he stopped when footsteps resounded in the air.
"Pitch! You ok!"
"I'm fine Patrick." Pitch sweat dropped when his friend raced up to him
Mismatched eyes fell on the black sand wrapped around the Nightmare Kings knee, "Oh and that's just a fashion statement huh?"
"The men that kidnapped me attacked us. He took a spear to the knee." Assan spoke up
Eros smirked as he came up catching the boy's statement, "I guess that means your adventuring days are over demon."
Pitch growled, his scythe forming in his hand, "How about I end yours heart eater?"
"As if you could." Eros narrowed his eyes as he notched his bow leveling the arrow to Pitch's chest
"Ok guys let's just calm down." Patrick spoke quickly as he got between the two spirits that were ready to kill each other, he glanced at Pitch, "So if they attacked where are they?"
Pitch growled as he let his scythe dissipate, "I sent them to the Between for the shadows to devour." He shrugged at Patrick's expression, "You told me if they had harmed the child I could kill them. They hurt him…"
Patrick shook his head, "Yeah but…"
"Hey you two, look at this." Eros's voice interrupted them
"What is it?" Patrick was at the man's side, he glanced at the satchel the spirit was examining
"The treasure that those bastards were after." Eros growled as he held up an ivory object
"Are those…eggs?" Patrick stared at the three similar objects still in the satchel
Eros nodded as he placed the egg he held back with the others, "Yes. See the mottled gold flacks within the shell?" he pointed to the eggs, "That is a sign they are hydra eggs."
Patrick frowned, "What the hell would Bartholomew want with hydra eggs?"
"We'll find out later. Right now we need to dispose of these…" Eros startled when Pitch snatched the satchel from him. Blue eyes narrowed, "Demon what are you doing?"
"Why must we dispose of them?" Pitch glared at the man now getting to his feet
"Because, you halfwit, they are monsters." Eros snarled
Pitch glanced at Patrick, "They didn't ask to be…"
Patrick's heart clenched at the sound of sadness in his friends voice, he knew that the situation struck a chord with Pitch. He sighed knowing that Eros was right however in this situation, "Look Pitch, these hydras will need their mother and unfortunately Eros and I…kind of removed her." He shook his head, "At the time we were unaware that she had young."
Golden eyes gleamed, "Fine!" the Nightmare King tossed the satchel into the air
The others watched in amazement as a tendril of shadow snaked into the air and caught the bag. With a hiss the shadow dragged the satchel into the blackness.
"Why'd you do that?" Eros stared at the empty space the satchel had disappeared into
"Taking innocent life is the job of a demon right?" Pitch turned and stormed towards the exit.
"Pitch…" Patrick watched his friend leave, his heart clenching at the spirits words. With a sigh he scooped Assan into his arms and hurried after Pitch.
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