Guardians ~ Black Plague ch.5

Jack watched, unable to move a muscle as the tall pale devil inched closer and closer to Black. He wanted to warn her, to scream to do something that would alert her, but these were mere memories, shadows of things that have been. Nothing he does now can or will change anything. Pitch held the same cruel gaze as he did the first time Jack met him. Almost snake like in nature, sending a shiver to anyone who dare look into them. He watch as Pitch quietly stalked closer to Black, extending a pale, boney hand like a talon to Black. He gently gripped her shoulder, causing her to ghasp lightly and spin around to face him, still on her knees overlooking the village. her eyes shone with unfallen tears, making the glittering red orbs shimmer even more. Jack's heart felt as if it was being squeezed within an iron grip. He didnt dare move though it would make little diference now.

" There there little Black," Pitch cooed. His voice was soft and deep, slightly rhaspy, like a harsh wind cutting across the trees. He knelt beside Black, who cringed away in fear. " I am not here to hurt you Black. " He still touched her shoulder lightly. " How-How do you know my name? " She whispered. He smiled in a way that Jack didnt think possible. The smile was kind, almost genuine. Almost. Jack knew Pitch better. " Because I am like you, Black. I am a legend, dispised by many, including this village that you once called home. I, am Kozmotis Pitchiner. But you may call my Pitch. " He smiled again. Loud crys grew from the village. For a moment, the two just sat there, listening to the undecernible voices carried off by the wind. " These people care not for us. I suppose you have learned that by now. " Pitch's grasp on her shoulder tightened slightly, but Black did not look up from her village. " Wh do they dispise us so? I did not mean why I did, and I dont wish for it to happen again but-" Her eyes began tearing up again. " I-I just dont know how to stop..." Pitch rubbed her shoulder gently. " Why do they hate us? Why cant I-I just stop and-"

Pitch took her by both shoulders, turning her to face him. " But why should you stop? You have seen their hatred first hand! This is what you were made for Black, You and I, to rid the world of these insects not worthy of the lives they lead now," He turned her to the village, ignited by a few torchs lining the outskirts of the village. He took her staff between both hands, and held it out infront of her, compleatly trapping her between it and himself. " You were given the tools you need for the job you were created for. " she gently took her staff, lightly brushing her hands against his. " What WE were created for Black. You and I, by a higher power, to destroy this world, so a new genesis can begin, one without the hatred they so unfairly burden you with. " He grasped her shoulders once more, as they both watched the village isnight slowly by torches, angry cries of warning sounding out, becoming buried in the snowy wind.

Her tired, sorrowful eyes scanned the village. " We were made for this? " She looked up to the sky, filled with clouds, looking desperetly in vain for the moon. Pitch held out his hand, a small flicker of smokey shadows dancing on his palm. Black watched in amazment as a small horse leaped from his palm, prancing a circle around them before dissapearing within his hand once more. The voices of the villages rang out more clearly than they ever have, much too clear for them to hear form such a distance. They shouted things much like they were when they chshed Black from the village. " Devilress! " " Black Witch! " " monster! " " Murderer! " " succubas! " and much more rang out. At every word screamed Black flinched, sending more tears cascading down her face through she did not cry.

" They hold nothing but hate for those who are different, Black. That is why they hate us. That is why they must be destroyed."  Pitch whispered in her ear. He touched her back lightly, and the contact made Jack sick for somereason. More sick than he had felt when he saw that man in the ally. He hated the way he touched her, though he could not place why. They had not harmed her, in any way. Maybe it was just because he knew Pitch was truely evil. He reasoned. Black Stood slowly, as if it hurt to move. Pitch followed, but stayed back a step. He smiled wickedly, sending a chill down Jacks spine as Black raised her staff on one hand. The jewl Embeded near the tip ignighted, turning from its devine white to a sickening black and purpleish glow. A string of shimmering black aura erupted from the gem, slowly rising tword the sky. Pithces smile grew wide and darkened as the stream suddenly darted off, heading for the center of the village. It struck the ground, sending a pulse of black rings through the village, washing over evey building or plant every crack and crevece in the brick and cobble stones.

Jack watched as Pitch and Black faded away, and time seemed to speed up within the village. Days went by as seconds, and every second held more horrors. He watched as one by one the towns people grew hidious tumors, or watched as their flesh slowly receded and decayed away, reavaling bright red muscle or in some cases bone. The village grew sicker and sicker, loosing many men women and children every day. He hear the coughs slowly escalate until he could barely hear himself thing. The streets wreaked with the stench of dead and decaying bodys which littered the cobblestones everywhere. Jack shut his eyes as the coughs and wheezes and grans of pain cying for deliverance overcame him until everything was silent.
When he opened his eyes, Jack saw Pitch, Cradeling Black in his arms. They layed beside a large rock wall, still covered in snow. He stroked her hair as she nuzzled closer to his chest. " My little Black, seventeen villages. " He smiled darkly. she placed a hand on his chest, as he ran a hand up her back and cradled the bakc of her head. There it was again. That absoloutly sick feeling the contact between those too hit Jack like a train. The way he holds her, its so..." Jack didnt have quite the word for it. ad the ones that came to mind made him feel worse. What going on between them? He wondered.