A shadow that floats on a wall only stays a shadow on the wall until it disappears into the shade of something bigger. It was never too important. Never too irrelevant. It just was. With or without it, there wasn't much of a difference. For Pitch Black, the shadow on the wall was the only companion he had. It followed him everywhere, through the caverns and pathways that filled his home. If you took the time to think about it, the shadow was a strange phenomenon. The only source of light was the occasional rays of sun that filled the hole under the bed. The shadow was always there. Maybe it was Pitch's doing without him realizing it. If it was, he didn't care. At least there was something else around.
The cave of networking tunnels worked like a spiderweb. This is how Pitch Black knew almost immediately that he was not alone. Someone… no. Two someones, had appeared at the entrance to his lair. He closed his eyes and sunk into his own shadow. Reappearing in the globe cavern, Pitch gripped the black, metal bars that surrounded the structure. The twisting caverns pieced together with columns of eaten away rock. The hanging stalactites, accompanied by deep burrowing tree roots that had broken through the cave's surface made for lovely decoration and an excellent addition to the brooding atmosphere. Pitch sneered at an unlucky spider that had found its way inside.
'Those irritating Guardians. Of course once wasn't enough for them, they're back for a second helping of doing whatever they want.'
His grip around the bars turned white as the quiet echo of voices slowly grew louder. It didn't take long before his singular shadow was accompanied by two others.
"What happened at the cottage?" Jack asked Idyss, now returned to his viking form. The height of the caves was too short, forcing the Sheep Guardian to hunch over. In any other situation, it would have been very funny to watch. A massive, barbarian esque viking forced into a rather uncomfortable pigeon stance and occasionally hitting his head on a low hanging stalactite. He reminded Jack of a fluffy, white T-Rex.
"When the Lady sent you away, all of her focus became fixed on defeating the vultures. I, as her servant, did my best to do the same. At first it was just those two. But once they went down there were two more. And then five. And suddenly we were surrounded by an army of nearly twenty of them. What was worse, they began to overwhelm us.
"There was a point in the battle where the difference between the vultures in the sky and the ones slowly burning away on the ground were indiscernible. At that moment, I saw the Lady stop her fighting. Her eyes glowed bright, and she rose into the sky, the galloping hooves of the four winds beside her. And she looked at me. 'Idyss!' She said to me. 'He must live to see this through! He's the only one who will fix this!'
"The Lady sent me away, just as she was swallowed in a sphere of them. I became the sheepdog, and went away to find you."
Jack struggled to take his eyes off of the viking. In other words, Ambrose had sacrificed herself in order to help him. By sending Idyss, her guardian, away, she had jumped headfirst into the fire. That meant that if Jack didn't succeed, she would have given in for nothing. A massive hand on his chest stopped him. Idyss stood at a mouth, where the cavern ceiling suddenly rose high above them. They had arrived.
"Oh wonderful." Pitch's eerily smooth voice glided off the walls. "So it's time for round two of 'Torture the Boogeyman' is it?"
Jack entered the large hall cautiously. "I'm not here for a fight, Pitch."
"Sure!" The man said, appearing in an oval shaped corridor opening. "That's exactly what I was told the first time. Your fellow Guardians all with good intentions, they said the same thing when they first arrived. And do you know what they did, Frost?"
Jack shook his head, holding his crook tightly.
"They weren't pleased with the answer I gave them. When I claimed not to have heard of what they were accusing me of, well of course they would think I was lying! 'He's Pitch Black!' they said! 'Remember what he did last time? This must be him!' And they attacked me, anyways." With every word, he took a step closer to Jack, and now he stood mere centimeters away. "So whatever it is you want, Frost, I don't have any interest."
"Pitch, I promise I'm not here to fight you." Jack said. "I don't understand why the Guardians came after you either, and I'm sorry that they did."
"Pfft." He threw his hand in the air, turning his back. "And why should I believe any of that?"
"Because I came to ask for your help."
"My help?" Pitch asked, a heavy roll of surprise accompanying it. "Why on earth would I ever help you?"
"Pitch, even you have to admit that what's been going on is affecting you too!"
"If you haven't understood already, I've no clue what's going on! Theft of the dreams of children? Sure I'm not good, but even that isn't something I would do. I'm not trying to send them to their deaths!"
"And that, Sir Black, is why we need you to help us." Idyss finally emerged from the mouth of the cave, coming to a stop behind Jack. Pitch frowned at the Sheep Guardian.
"Idyss of The Flock?" He questioned. Jack's eyes jumped back and forth from Idyss to Pitch.
"Wait, you two know each other?"
"Sir Black and I were once great allies, friends even."
"Really Idyss, friends? I couldn't get you to leave me for a moment's peace."
"What happened?" Asked Jack, still in complete surprise. When Idyss had suggested Pitch Black before he hadn't expected it was because they knew each other.
"It-"
"Doesn't matter." Pitch cut off the viking. "Both of you are leaving now." He sunk into his shadow, his figure looming on the walls.
Jack sighed and his grip on his crook relaxed.
"Children all over the world aren't dreaming. If they continue like that, they'll end up losing their morality. The traits that make them huma. There won't be anything for them to be afraid of because they won't fear!"
Pitch's shadow stayed.
"Can't you see this affects you too?" Jack pleaded with the shadow. "What's the point of striking fear if there's no one who could even feel afraid? The dreamless sleep has already started affecting me too. It could easily happen to the other guardians. Even to you!"
The shadow still didn't move. Jack was just about the turn away when Idyss finally spoke. His voice came out in a surprisingly low grumble.
"The Azrael has fallen."
The shadow vanished, and an eerie silence filled the halls of the cavern. Low vibrations filled Jack's ears as Pitch's voice bounced off the stone.
"What…?"
Idyss nodded. "The Hela struck her down."
"The Angel of Death… defeated by Hell's Warden… is gone?"
Jack felt his throat close up at the talk of Thana's death. Pitch reappeared at the rails of the globe. The look in his eyes started the winter spirit. They looked confused. Afraid. Maybe even remorseful.
"Sir Black, surely now you understand how serious this is. The Hela isn't afraid to bring down who she needs in order to refill her cells. I know you know the way to Elysium. To Hades' realm. Please help us make this right."
Pitch was silent for a while. The metal globe slowly turned on its axis, flickering yellow lights wavering here and there. One went out and another took its place somewhere else. He sighed.
In a flash, he reappeared inches away from Jack's face.
"Frost," he half whispered. "The battle you're asking me to enter defines the delicate balance of life and death. If you fail, there will be no saving the fate of humanity. If I join you, and we fail, who do you think will receive the ultimate blame?"
A shudder passed Jack's lips. He straightened himself, and looked Pitch in the eyes. "If you help us, we won't have to worry about losing. I won't let Thana's death be for nothing. And I'll make sure the guardians don't touch you. On my word"
"On your life, Frost." Pitch jabbed a finger into his chest. He straightened and thrust his hand out. The shadow that followed him around inflated like a balloon before it swirled into a churning black abyss. A ghostly breeze pulled at Jack's hair, sucked towards the hole. Eyes frozen on the abyss, he opened his mouth.
"Where are we-"
"The entrances to the different realms always change. They never stay in the same place. However, there is always the ancient tunnel in Greece. This will guide us to the one closest to us."
Pitch glanced expectantly towards the winter spirit. When Jack realized, he shook his head.
"I'm not going in first!"
"Oh come on, Jack!" Idyss gave him a hearty slap on the back. "It's just a portal. No harm!"
"Well then why don't you go first?" Jack argued.
"A shepherd must guide his flock. And you, Jack, are the shepherd of this mission! Our leader must lead!"
Jack stared at him with a look that read are-you-serious? He sighed and turned towards the portal.
"Atta boy!"
Suddenly, Idyss' massive hand gripped the hood of Jack's hoodie. He felt himself rise off the floor.
"Hey! Hey wait a minute-"
A scream left his throat as Jack was tossed into the portal. Whatever light had filled the cavern was sucked away, and his vision swirled into pitch black darkness.