Chapter 5: In A Cave Of Cold And Dark

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Far under the warren, deep into the earth, a dark and dangerous force was brewing. The walls to which this creature was confined shook uneder the force delved from pure anger, and day by day, a hunger was built up so strongly that it could only be quenched by the sweet, cold taste of revenge. 

Two years.

A cold draft blew through the cavern, which might have seemed strange; this far into the earth, there was no wind. 

Two years of captivity.

A ball of black sand whooshed through the air and shattered like glass against the cave wall. 

Two whole years of being trapped down here, with nothing but my thoughts and this USELESS sand!

In a dark corner, a pair of glowing yellow eyes shot open. Out from the shadows stepped a man, clothed in a robe so dark it was almost invisible in the cavern's dim glow. His skin was gray and sickly, and his once handsome face was marred by anger. In a fit of rage, the man roared, and black sand shot from his fingers, swirling around the cave like a black tornado before exploding. The being concluded his temper tantrum and calmed himself.

I need something stronger than sand. An army of nightmares far more powerful than before. 

He concentrated, and a small Nightmare horse appeared. It pawed the floor, and stepped close to the dark man, curious. The figure ran his hands through the Nightmare Colt's hair, and it whinnied happily.

Horses made of sand. Ha. What I need is something that can take the form of anything; a shape-shifter. Oh, what fun I'll have.

The man remembered a time when he had destroyed an entire race of beings with the fearlings; but they has become useless to him, and he had ceased using their power.

I wonder..

He closed his eyes, and called forth a demon as black as night and as transparent as a ghost; a fearling. Alone, a fearling could shape-shift and inspire fear, but they could not physically touch or harm a living being. A nightmare, however, was a single form that would and could attack if needed. An idea sparked, and the strange man brought the fearling and the Nightmare closer. As the two touched, black sparks shot out of the space between them. The beings were reluctant, but the man pushed them into each other, causing a blinding explosion that threw him backwards.

When he opened his eyes, he saw what appeared to be only a Nightmare at first glance, but upon closer inspection, he saw that it was solid and leathery. Suddenly, it shape shifted into a giant spider, clicking its pincers. It transformed into a cobra, an alien, and an exact copy of the mysterious man himself before switching back to its original horse form.

Yes..yes...YES! 

The cavern was filled with maniac laughter, and the dark man used his newfound strength gained upon creating this beast to shatter the cavern walls. He turned to his monstrous creation.

"What a pretty little terror. Go. Collect the others, fearlings and Nightmares, and show them what to do." 

The beast nodded and disappeared. The man laughed, and pursed his lips.

This is perfect. Revenge is close at hand.

He chuckled. Oh, all the power he wielded.

And to think, they thought they'd seen the last of Pitch Black.

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