Chapter 2

Fear is the only darkness

Authors' note: This chapter is written in Caine' POV. I'm not the best at this, so if its awful lol... that's my best excuse, so bare with me. If you DO like it though ... well... at least I'm doing my job right. So I hope you enjoy it. I had fun writing it...

Disclaimer: Oh yeah, I dont own... stuff...

Rather, I own not David Carradine ((such a pity too... considering what I could do with him if I DID own him)), nor do I own Kung Fu, (( not for lack of trying mind you... damn copyrights being so expensive)). I just like to play with Caine now and again... ;).

I had never seen such a thing, this cavern. It seemed as though forgotten... Where am I?... And why do I feel more at ease here then I've felt since arriving in this strange place. This cave, feels like home... I cannot explain it, but the feeling is so strong within me. As I look around, I see things, symbols carved on the walls, symbols of a language that appears forgotten, as neglected and forgotten as this place itself. I move to the walls, perhaps hoping to decipher this lost tongue, the foreign signs.

I am certain that I've never seen it, I'm in fact almost certain that no person on earth has ever seen it. I seek now to explore this hollow in the earth, removing my pack, and bedroll, laying it on the dust covered ground. It is in this action that I first see it, the object...

A mirror, my reflection staring back at me, is the only other thing in the space that I can see. I approach it, taking in all of it. Into its golden rim are more of the unfamiliar writings. Now more then ever, I feel an ever present sense of danger, yet, despite this, I cannot resist moving toward this strange mirror, my mind screams to my body to stop. Yet for all its efforts... I cannot make my legs stop moving.

As I stand now, right in front of it, my face all that can be seen in its visage, my hand moves to touch the rim of it. My fingers run over then smooth gold, tracing the embossed lettering that is carved into its luster surface, its elegance and beauty surprising me. As my hands traverse it, I am nearly brought to a shiver of euphoric pleasure, my body now trembles slightly. My mind it tells my hand to move away, to return to the world I knew. I know now... my body will obey my mind no longer, moving of its own accord...

My fingers now trail, downward, onto the smooth, reflective surface of the mirror itself, my fingers reflecting off of it. I lift my hand away, my mind's curiosity sated, and I breathe a sigh of relief. My relief turns to shock as I see something seeming to cover my fingertips. It is as reflective as the surface of the mirror, yet molds to my fingers, clinging like moss to an aged tree. I shake my hand, attempting to free it, but now it connects to the mirror itself. For the first time that I can recall since childhood, I feel it... Fear, darkening my very soul. The mirror again draws me to it, this time using force of physical prowess, I am afraid...

It covers my whole body.... it's consuming me...

I see a bright light as the mirror ... It also seems to swallow me, as like the mirror... I feel it cover me just as the mirror has... I am drawn into it... my body flowing into it... a pure white agony flows through my veins and my being... My soul even begins to ache. I am able to release one last scream as I try to leave, turning with all my power and might trying to escape... But the grip of this ancient power... it is far too much... even for me. I finally give in, letting this unknown darkness surround me... The words of my master Poh... my only comfort, ring true in my ears, as if there to comfort me...

"Fear not the unknown grasshopper... for it is not the darkness... Fear is the only darkness..."

As these words resound in my mind's eye... I allow myself to be consumed... no longer afraid...