When Jack landed in burgess, his anger had only intensified. He quickly located Pitch's lair, and used his staff to make the dirt hole bigger, the hole barely big enough for a mole to fit, never mind the lean figure of the dark spectre. Once Jack was satisfied he'd fit, the winter boy jumped in, staff lighting the way as frosty power darted over it. Bare feet hit the floor, as blue eyes darted around, anger and worry overpowering any sense of self preservation he had. His head swivelled left and right, his eyes roaming over the cavern, as he finally took in the destruction around him.

Everything was crumbling.

The cages that had been hanging on his last visit were scattered along the floor, dented and marked with scratches in the dark metal. The walls were cracked, and huge chunks of the stone structures were scattered along the floor. Jack jumped forward, the wind carrying him further into the cavern. He wandered around, and found himself in what looked to be an old throne room, a sword leant against the blackened stone, the only bright object the winter spirit had come across. It seemed out of place, a relic among the crumbling kingdom, a beacon of light in the darkness. Curiosity took over him, and he crept forward, eyebrows furrowing as he got closer. The scabbard was adorned with golden symbols set against white ivory, the swirls and design seeming regal and so out of place. A pale hand reached forward to touch, it when a voice rang out in the darkness.

"Jack?" the white haired youth span and saw the hunched figure of Pitch Black.

Anger flared again and Jack's staff crackled with power.

"Where. Is. He." he demanded through clenched teeth.

Pitch frowned.

"Where is who? Why are you here frost?"

The winter prince glared, and the room temperature dropped several degrees.

"Don't play coy Pitch. Hiccup. Where is he."

The dark spectre stared at him before chuckling. The sound was quiet at first, before building in tempo. The response startled Jack, who blinked, staff lowering slightly before he regained his stance, weapon trained on Pitch.

"Oh this is fun. First I get broken into, now I have my enemy accusing me of kidnapping his precious boyfriend."

Jack gritted his teeth and he vaguely heard Tooth telling him off in his head.

"I haven't seen the brat b-"

White ice shot from Jack's staff and hit Pitch in the chest. As the dark spectre hit the floor, the winter prince blinked, and looked down at his staff.

He didn't mean to do that.

But on a more important note: why hadn't Pitch moved? It was a simple shot that was easily dodged. So why hadn't he?

"Pitch?" Jack's voice was small as his anger subsided, enough for him to see the other spirit struggling up.

"That was unnecessary." came the wheezing reply.

Confusion and suspicion rushed into Jack's brain as he gripped his staff.

"But as I was saying. I haven't seen the boy since you found us. What happened? Lover's qu-"

"Shut it Pitch. I know you're lying. I found black sand and you the only one I know who uses the stuff."

"And your hypothesis would be correct, if I hadn't been broken into earlier." the nightmare king glared at the boy, before leaning against a wall, slowly sliding down. Jack's concern shot forth. Never had Pitch let his guard down so much in front of him.

Maybe once upon a time, long ago but never in the recent 250 years.

"Pitch, what happened?" Jack's voice softened, and he lowered his staff, letting the wood hang loosely in his hand. The tall spectre groaned, and let his head fall back to rest against the wall behind him. The winter prince moved forward, hostility draining from him and horror taking it's place as he finally got a good look at the man.

It was clear there had been a fight. And Pitch...

Pitch had lost.

Blood was smeared across a gaunt face, hair messy and in disarray, while his clothes were ripped in places. There was a deep cut on Pitch's cheek that oozed blood, a bruise forming around an eye which seemed like it didn't want to open. Jack's pale hand twitched as a golden eye bore into his blue and the teen could see exactly how broken the man in front of him was. He'd lost everything: his home, his livelihood, his friends...

His purpose.

A bloodied hand twitched and Pitch struggled to form a sigh.

"I don't know her name. She turned up when I was relaxed and just... attacked." Pitch frowned, wincing as his leg slipped slightly. "I'd just managed to get the nightmares to calm down, when the next thing I know, I'm part of the wall and it..." the nightmare king's breath hitched and he coughed slightly, causing Jack to form a small ice cube in his hand.

"Here, this might help."

The dark spirit looked from the frozen cube to Jack's face.

"I'm sorry. I just... I need your help."

Pitch scoffed, and a shaking hand reached forward for the frozen water, before slipping it into his mouth. A shuddering sigh escaped through Pitch's nose, and Jack smiled.

"I'd forgotten how you did that." came Pitch's small voice.

Jack knelt down, staff held in the crook of his arm.

"Came in useful didn't it?"

Pitch laughed slightly at that and Jack's smile widened.

"Imbuing ice cubes with magical healing properties? Extremely. Who taught you again?"

Jack shifted slightly, and gently placed a finger on Pitch's swollen eye, blue magic swirling over the darkened flesh. Jack's eyes closed, and the swelling went down rapidly. A few seconds later, only the bruising remained and Jack's eyes re opened.

"That's as much I can do for that." Jack muttered, head spinning slightly.

Pitch smiled gently and sighed.

"Jack... Thank you. I'd hope under different circumstances... What happened between us..." Jack placed a hand gently on the dark spectre's cheek.

"Hey, don't worry about it."

Silence settled over the two, and Pitch leaned into Jack's gentle touch when suddenly a clap startled them.

"Oh well isn't this just sweet? Two star crossed lovers, atoning for their mistakes. It'd be shameful if anything disrupted it. Oh! Too late it seems."

Jack span, staff out and his body shielding the injured form of Pitch.

"Who a-"

"Nirriti." Pitch's voice made Jack freeze.

He had heard about this spirit.

She was ruthless.

The winter spirit took in her image, blonde hair cascaded around an heart shaped face, caramel skin that looked smooth and soft to touch. She was beautiful.

But deadly.

The goddess of pain stalked forward, heels clicking against the stone floor, and Jack tensed, ready for a fight.

"Oh good to see your still awake! It's a shame I'll have to change that really. Tell me, have you met my... Colleague?" a man seemed to just appear behind her slightly.

He was short, not as short as Sandy but shorter than Jack himself, his face looking anything but friendly. A sneer was etched on his rounded face, and the winter prince fought back a shiver.

"This is my friend Kubera. He'll be assisting me on our... Experiment shall we say." her brown eyes latched onto Jack, and a sudden spike of fear swept through him. There was a black sword strapped to her side, metal glinting in the light of Jack's staff.

Jack himself knew he didn't have a chance. If Pitch couldn't fight, he would have to defend the dark spirit against these... Well... goons. Adjusting the grip on his staff, Jack stood up, his body still positioned between Pitch and the two deities. Some small rocks fell to the right behind him, but he ignored it, putting the sound down to Pitch shifting.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, cursing how his voice shook slightly. Nirriti smiled, her teeth glinting at him.

There was that sound again. He was about to turn when she replied.

"Well my dear, Pitchiner here is assisting me in our little experiment. There's just one thing left we need."

Jack had a terrible feeling about this.

"And what's that?"

A footstep behind him made him spin, and point his staff at the one who was sneaking up on them, frost and ice darting out to enclose the attacker and neutralise the threat.

Well, he would have if the world hadn't gone black around him, and his staff fell to the floor with a clatter, pain lancing through his head as something metal collided with it. As he crumbled to the floor, Pitch cried out before Kubera hit him hard, causing the spirit to black out. Nirriti walked forward, hips rolling and her blue skinny jeans framed slender legs as she stood over the unconscious winter spirit.

"You."