Just One Believer Chapter 1

After all these years, his vengeance resulted in failure. If the children saw him, manipulating his black sand to clash against the Guardians, to rid of them once and for all, how could they not see him after their battle? His robe, all tattered and torn apart, revealed his bruised gray skin. He felt too weak to compose himself. All, but a handful, of Nightmares were against him. Nobody would ever expect to see someone as menacing as the Boogeyman to ever cry, but alas, his defeat left him mourning.

However, this was not his first time he had ever felt this woeful. Before the Boogeyman, there was Kozmotis Pitchiner. During the Golden Age, General Kozmotis Pitchiner led the Golden Army into capturing fearlings. He also had a daughter, nowadays known as Mother Nature. Upon their defeat, the fearlings were imprisoned in another planet. Every soldier hesitated to guard the prison. Finally, Kozmotis volunteered to keep watch of the prisoners.

The general was miserable. Constantly, the fearlings would moan, and Kozmotis was forced to hear their melancholy cries and heartbroken whispers. He was at the brink of insanity. Fortunately, he thought lovingly of his daughter, and that was enough for him to stay strong and vigilant. The fearlings knew of the strong devotion he felt for his daughter, as the dark spirits would often catch him sporting a longing look in his eyes as he would stare at his precious locket, where he kept a picture of his daughter.

They made sure to catch him when he felt his most desperate to interact with his daughter. It was amazing, really. Just one glance at his locket kept him prosperous. The fearlings imitated her voice, “Father, father help me!’’

Kozmotis eyes widened. No, it couldn’t be her. Again and again he tried to assure himself this. The fearlings wouldn’t give up so soon ,though. A shiver ran down his spine. The fearlings imitated his daughter’s cries, “They locked me in here! Father, please, save me!’’ They would mimic sobs. Kozmotis clenched his teeth and tried not to cry. Those bastards trapped my daughter in there with those, those monsters!

He was giving in to the fearlings. He actually believed his fellow soldiers locked his daughter inside the prison. He felt a lump in the back of his throat. He was furious. “Don’tcha wanna save your daughter? All you hafta do is unlock the prison.’’

“You have best not hurt her, foul beast!” His warning was met with a burst of laughter from fearlings.

“Father! Please, I’m scared! They’re gonna kill me!’’ They mimicked her cries perfectly, for it convinced Kozmotis to open the gate, separating the fearlings from the outside world. Not even Pitch remembers how he was then possessed by a legion of fearlings, thus being transformed into the Boogeyman.

In his perspective, he was betrayed by the Golden Army. They locked her inside. They wanted him to be miserable. Ever since, Pitch has yearned for revenge. He tainted children’s dreams, and turned them into nightmares. This era was known as the Dark Ages, where Pitch overpowered all children. He traumatized them, made them anxious to the point where they never felt safe.

It wasn’t until Manny appointed Sandman to become a Guardian that the children of the world felt vulnerable towards Pitch. Damn that Sandman, and his pleasant dreams. Damn the Guardians.

If only Jack Frost had joined him. All the things they could have accomplished. Then again, it was probably for his own good. Ever since the incident that took place in the Golden Age, he has felt hesitant towards any intimacy with another being. His mind couldn’t stop wondering about Jack. After the Dark Ages, Pitch has been alone, questioning his existence. Invisible to the world, hated by everyone, since the man was the manifestation of fear himself. He suffered alone for centuries, just like Jack Frost. No matter what they did, they were never acknowledged.

Take Jamie’s sledding incident as an example. It was something out of the ordinary, yet the children, or Jamie, suspected it to be a supernatural force. It was just a cool stunt that Jamie had somehow pulled off. Pitch Black, night after night, inflicting nightmares upon children was just brushed off as a bad dream. He wasted his time hiding under beds.

Then, they were both doubted by the Guardians. Jack Frost, not as much. It was mainly the Easter Bunny who had complications trusting the childlike immortal, but in the back of he knew the others weren’t so sure of his abilities either. He had to prove himself to the Guardians, in order to become more trustworthy. Pitch, however, was forever loathed by the Guardians. Jack Frost was the only one who felt anything but contempt for the Nightmare King. Actually, he felt concern and empathy. He knew what it was like to be cast aside and confused. He felt guilt after Pitch’s defeat.

The winter sprite ran his fingers through his ivory locks. He paced back and forth, worrying about Pitch. It was becoming routine for him. Each day, his mind would travel back to their confrontation. Pitch’s words ring in his head.

“Maybe, I want what you have. To be believed in!’’ They had a common background. They suffered by themselves. “I do know what it’s like to be cast out, to not be believed in! To long for a family! All those years in the shadows, I thought no one else knows what this feels like, but now I see I was wrong. You don’t have to be alone, Jack.’’

Out of all people, someone as malevolent as the Nightmare King offered Jack friendship. To him, this was a sign. Pitch could change. He feels compassion; he isn’t as evil as other people tend to make out.
If only the other Guardians knew. They didn’t have to be enemies. They could co-exist with each other and create a balance of fear and bliss for children around the world. Unfortunately, not everyone is that considerate.

It’s been almost five years since the big battle. There was nothing for him to do. In both hemispheres, it was either Spring or Fall. He sighed to himself. If only he could stop thinking about Pitch.

Finally, an idea struck him. To bring closure, and end his guilt, it would probably best if he visited the Nightmare King himself. This way, he can assure himself he’s doing fine and has no hard feelings, or so he hoped.

The grip on his staff tightened. Whatever happened, he had to be prepared for any threat. He tried to keep his serious composure, yet his stomach was tied in a knot. Sweat ran down in all directions on his forehead. Why was he so nervous? In a hushed voice he called out, ‘’Pitch? Are ya here?’’

Golden eyes pierced the darkness cast by the shadows in the lair. ‘’Frost. I wasn’t expecting you. What brings you to my lair?’’

Jack gave a sigh of relief. “I, I was just,’’ he hesitated. His face flushed red. Pitch smirked. “I wanted to check up on you.’’

“And you expect me to believe that? Did North send you?’’ Jack frowned.

“No, I was worried about you! I haven’t stopped thinking about you! I just wanna get you out of my head!”

“Hmph, whatever you say.’’ Pitch didn’t believe his excuse. He rolled his eyes. Jack bit his lips, holding back tears.

“Stop! Believe it or not, I care about you, Pitch.’’ He sighed. “I can’t bear to see anyone like this, even you. I don’t want you to be alone. I know it hurts to have no one believe in you. Pitch, I believe in you.” The youth hoped this was enough to change the Boogeyman’s mind, to at least enlighten him. “You don’t have to be alone.”

The dark spirit scoffed, “Oh really? Then tell me why you refused my offer.”

“Because, there’s a difference between being believed in and being feared. More than anything I wanted to be believed in. If I joined you, children would fear us. That is not what I want. I doubt you want that either.’’

Pitch’s mind raced. His memories, all running in his mind. The fearlings, the Golden Army. “Get out.” Of course Pitch didn’t want this. He was forced to do this. For vengeance, otherwise, his daughter would have died in vain in that prison. “You don’t know what I suffered! You don’t know anything! Leave, leave while you can!”

Jack’s heart skipped a beat. He immediately left Pitch’s lair. What has he done? He somehow upset Pitch. What if there was more to him, besides hiding under beds and scaring kids? What happened to him?