Hello all, I'm so sorry for the wait for this next chapter. I was caught up in the stress of finals, plus I had no idea how I wanted it to all go. But I decided that the Underworld will not be that dark. Again, sorry it took so long, I hope you enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Rise of The Guardians

Pitch blinked slowly.

A gold sparkling turning on and off as the darkness between him and his daughter thickened with tension.

Why would she ask something like that? Now?

A thought occurred to Pitch and he blinked again, remaining as still as he could, shaking with uncertainty.

Chaya had only come for her mother.

"Father?"

The darkness in the cavern dissipated and Pitch once again looked directly at his daughter.

"You lied to me," his voice was low, but powerful.

The nightmares surged forward as Pitch outstretched his hand, ready to smote his pain all over again.

"Wait!" Chaya's voice was pitched with fear and he stopped, falling forward a step, his head dazed. She cowered before him now, her eyes wide with fear. Maybe he had been wrong, maybe this was only curiosity. He walked toward Chaya, who suddenly backed away, dropping to her knees as she burst into tears shaking as emotions poured out. Pitch's heart ached for her, why could he not take away her pain? She had been through so much in the last 16 years. Of course she wanted to know about her mother. She needed her and she was gone. Kneeling down beside his shivering daughter, Pitch pulled her closer, trying desperately to block out the darkness of the nightmares from his terrified daughter.

"Chaya, forgive me. I am so sorry,"

"Father… please. You have tell me about her. You… you don't understand," Her voice was lost in tears. Pitch held her higher, his golden eyes wide with fear as he had no idea how to ease the girl's pain.

"You don't understand!" Chaya tried again. "My whole life is gone and I don't know how to get it back! All I've ever known has been taken from me and you're the only one who can make any sense out of it. Please! I have you, but I need to know why I am who I am. I need you and my mother. Please Father!" Chaya's voice had rose to a scream and the nightmares surrounded the pair, sensing the fear. Pitch scattered them with a brush of his arm and a deep growl. Once again, he grabbed hold of his daughter who was sobbing loudly. She was right, she was so right. Everything had been stripped away from her and he had to make it right to her. Rocking her back and forth rather roughly, Pitch looked above him, trying to come to some conclusion on how he could fix it all for his little girl. His precious little Chaya who was crying her heart out to him in the darkness.

Suddenly, he had an idea. It was risky and he knew he would pay dearly for it, but he had to do it, for Chaya. She deserved to have everything set right.

As carefully as he could, Pitch lifted Chaya in his arms, his daughter seemed to have calmed down enough to whimper into his shoulder. Pitch looked left and right around the nightmares, who were slowly snaking back up into the walls. He knew that he was ultimately looking down, but it had been so long since a last visit to that place. He shivered even thinking of it. But this was the right thing to do, there was no turning back now. With one last look at his daughter shivering in his embrace, he plunged down through the darkness, the light of some invisible source giving him a direction. Soon the air became icy cold and Chaya squirmed in her father's arms, shivering now from chill.

"Where are we going?" Her voice was barely audible.

Pitch looked down, not exactly sure how to answer her. For so long he had been a proud and confident dark power, but in the face of his daughter, all his old fears resurfaced and he could hardly think straight. Chaya searched his eyes and did not speak, understanding somehow that her father was trying to fix it. Pitch let her stand on her own as he alighted at the very bottom of his deathly cavern home, still a faint light guiding his eyes in this forsaken place.

He surprised himself when he instantly turned right in the darkness and started walking, almost forgetting his daughter, who raced to catch up with him, her eyes not having the same abilities as Pitch.

"Father?" Her voice faltered softly and Pitch stopped, turning to look at Chaya.

"I will show you who your mother was,"

Chaya's eyes filled with a tiny chink of hope and Pitch's heart reeled. He could do this. Feeling confidence flood through him once again, Pitch took Chaya's hand and led her further into the darkness, through a confusing maze of uneven rock mass and slimy dark puddles. Eventually, Pitch stopped once more, standing a few feet away from a large, formidable blueish rock. There was a strange inscription scratched into the top and Chaya squinted, trying to read it.

"Nisi Mors,"

Pitch did not turn around as he answered what he knew his daughter to thinking of. Her eyes widened.

Only Death.

Pitch turned to her, a small smile of sympathy etched in his face. Chaya took a step back, a sudden rush of fear coursing through her; matched with a desire to get away from this place as soon as possible, her mother forgotten for the moment. She should've listened to Jack, she should never have come, she should never have trusted her father. Before sheer could move, Pitch's shadow covered her and she felt a strong pressure on her chest.

Chaya screamed as she felt herself being dragged into a wind current, but before she could scream again, the world went completely black, as did her senses.

Pitch held his daughter close to him, stroking her hair back gently, muttering simple words under his breath as he looked over her peaceful face. He had thought it best keep her sleeping until he had to. The strange new place would frighten anyone to death and he needed her to trust him. Looking up, Pitch watched as the deathly creature before him hulled a large oar through the sparkling, luminescent blue water below they're oddly shaped craft. It's bow ended in a sharp curve which reached right back over half the ship, leaving a small amount of darkness in the back of the boat, where Pitch sat perched with his daughter splayed in his arms.

Pitch smiled briefly, to which the monster steering responded to with a snarl. A deathly chill ran through Pitch.

Here he was, back again in the home of his bride.

The dwelling place of the Shadow King.

The Underworld.

As the goblin-like thing continued the ship across the bright lake, which contrasted the atmosphere greatly, the more and more Pitch was reminded of his past visits here. The rock formations depicting skull heads, gaping mouths and death itself resonated deep within him and he shivered. How Chaya, his wife, had been such a light in this oppressive place was beyond Pitch. But even with all the power this kingdom possessed, none of it was used for evil. Death visited these ghastly islands without the effort of war. Only the few that were welcomed as guests were allowed come and go as they pleased. Being related by marriage to the King himself, Pitch was given this privilege as a wedding gift, if ever he should need it. This was the only time that he could bring himself to come back and he hoped to be his last. By the looks of the sidelong glances he was getting from his grisly guide, he was not so sure this 'privilege' was valid. Though, he had been admitted still and he did not feel dead, so he could only live on that hope. Chaya herself was connected by blood and was allowed free passage.

Pitch looked down at his daughter, who's face was twisted, a frown on her lips and furrow in her brow. She was not coming to, Pitch had made sure of that; she must have been dreaming. Holding her closer to him for the chill, Pitch closed his eyes as self doubt washed over him one again.

Was he doing the right thing? Was this what Chaya wanted when she asked to know about her mother? He could have just told her back in his own cavern. But still, he wanted Chaya to know about her mother from the one who knew her best of all.

Her father. The Shadow King.

Once again, Pitch gave his guide a half-smile.

"How long until we reach the throne room?"

The goblin growled once again, looking at Pitch as if he were a meal.

"We get there when we get there," his voice was gravely and many octaves lower than a human being's. Pitch nodded curtly and pulled his daughter closer, leaning in close to her head as he looked up at the roof like mass above him. The rock had been carved and defined by many, many hands and Pitch was not sure what it was supposed to look like now. At first he saw a face with fangs baring at him, but after a second look, he noticed it looked more like a dragon, a billow of fire forming what he had first imagined to be a hand with claws. But he could not be sure and it was best not to question his stone cold craftsman.

After a long and cold hour, Pitch finally felt a bump at the front of the boat and noticed they were by land. He had been curled up, his head buried in his daughters hair when he felt the boat stop. Smiling out of relief, he raised his head to look up. He instantly stopped smiling.

A hoard of countless and varied monsters lined the shore of the alluring lake.

Pitch took a deep breath, he knew he would have to regain his composure in front of this crowd. Slowly, he unfolded himself from Chaya, laying her gently across the death like gondola seat. He stood up as carefully as he could, not wanting to disturb his sleeping daughter. He smiled at the grim crowd, spreading his arms to hold them akimbo. The welcome gesture did nothing for him and he stood frozen before the gruesome pack. He put on a false smile that is body did not feel.

"It's been too long, my friends!"

His words echoed across the rocks of the illuminated expanse. A darker looking goblin grunted heavily and it echoed as well, easing some of Pitch's nerves.

"Not long enough, Pitch," The goblin spat his name like a disease and Pitch flinched inwardly. He knew that he had lost all friendship with the Shadow King after the death of his only daughter, but the bonds could not be completely broken. He was here and he was still alive. The time passed had frozen the King's heart to him, but Pitch knew how to melt it. He smiled more, letting his arms relax.

"I have come to see the King,"

A second creature stepped forward, a full head taller than the goblin. He sported heavy and dangerous looking horns that curled in and around his head. It's white clamy complexion was hideous, as if wet clay had been slapped all over the disgusting thing. It snarled at Pitch, pointing a crooked claw toward the ship.

"Who's that?" His voice was guttural and Pitch instinctively stepped between his daughter and the mass, bristling before him, now that they had all spotted Pitch's guest. An unsettling buzz spread throughout the creatures.

"Is she dead?" Another voice rang from the crowd.

"Why was the King not called?"

Pitch shook his head, reminding himself that he had to do this. This was all for Chaya and they would not hurt her. They couldn't. He straightened his shoulders and puffed out his chest proudly.

"This is the granddaughter of the Shadow King,"

Silence once again met his words and he stopped, looking once more at the pasty horned creature, assuming him to be leader of sorts; he was not the tallest, but he seemed authoritative. He decided to dispense with pleasantries.

"I demand you take me to see the King. This is his granddaughter and she will not be harmed. I wish to show her to her grandfather,"

The dark goblin stepped forward threateningly, Pitch shifted to once again stand between him and Chaya. The goblin sneered at him.

"How do we know this is her? You gave her up!"

Pitch flinched again, this time visibly. The goblin smiled cruelly, his slimy teeth glistened; he had found Pitch's weak point. Others soon joined in the game.

"He's right, you abandoned her!"

"You left her with strangers after her mother was still warm in her grave,"

"You're as selfish as they come!"

Pitch clenched his fists.

"Enough!" This time his voice created a thunderous noise as some of the rocks above them came loose and fell into the shimmering lake. Some the smaller creatures crept back, while the others merely waited. They were stronger than Pitch, but they could not kill.

Pitch was breathing heavily, his head down and his face in shadow. He looked up after a moment, his eyes clouded and a grimace set in.

"Take me to the King,"

Although Pitch had not expected the creatures to believe him, he had not expected the verbal onslaught. He had been visibly shaken and they had seen his weakness. But he was determined to prove them wrong.

He carried Chaya in his arms the whole way to the throne room, refusing to let a single creature near her, growling loudly if one got too close. Chaya whimpered softly in his arms, evidently still dreaming. Filled with sympathy for the broken little girl in his arms, Pitch stroked her hair gently, cooing into her ear, his instinctive sympathy surprising him. Eventually, after a long trudge in the inner most thicket of underworld creatures, Pitch was lead into the open carven hole of the throne room, home to the Shadow King himself.

The crowd surrounding Pitch finally dispersed and the boogeyman of the world was left face to face with the the real dark power of this underworld and beyond.

Although not as large as some would suppose, the King was an impressive figure. He was easily three times the size of Pitch himself. Rippling muscles covered his entire body, a black cloak covered his lower body, thrown over his shoulder to reveal a thick and solid chest. A dark, metal crown encircled his head, blue jewels sparkling in the light of his eyes, which were unnaturally bright. Long, black hair flowed from underneath the crown, covering a large portion of his exposed chest. He held a heavy golden sceptre in one hand and the other was resting on the head of a massive dog like creature. It's head was larger than Chaya herself and several horns ragged down it's body, making it look more like a dragon. For all his impressive and gruesome appearance, the King himself was rather gentle. His rule over death was by design, not violence.

A deep silence reigned the throne room as Pitch looked up at the father of his bride once again.

The King leaned forward, his stare boring into Pitch.

"Why have you returned?"

Pitch shivered slightly as the booming voice of the King washed over him. As gently as he could, Pitch lay Chaya on the floor, deciding now was the moment he was going to wake her. As the King watched unmoving, Pitch pressed into the back of Chaya's neck, adding gently pressure until he heard her gasp. Swiftly he took a step back and once again, spread his arms wide, watching as his daughter come awake before the dark King. He smiled proudly.

"I bring you your granddaughter. Chaya!"

Chaya's scream echoed through the chamber.

There it is, hopefully the wait was worth it. Read and review and enjoy! Cheers