Nothing To Fear..

"we are not afraid of the dark - we are afraid of the things which lurk within it.. deep in the realms of shadow a man is confronted with the abyss and as we have so often been told - the longer one stares into the abyss.. the more likely it is that the abyss shall stare back.."

Prologue
Phobias sat alone as he often did late at night, pondering to himself the nature of the Great Divide which seemed to possess the minds of his fellow Absolutes - after a short while he got to his feet and walked silently across the darkened fields.

As he travelled Phobia became aware of a familar presence, that of Nightmare, a lesser-aspect of himself, wandering across the night sky in the form of a grinning spectre Phobia affording a nod and a smile as the creature silently entered a nearby home.

Phobia's smile grew as the inevitable sound a mortal scream broke the silence of the night and he continued on his way - that was until another presence came over Phobia, one he had not felt for centuries..

"..Metus?" Phobia called out, turning around to gaze upon a spiralling vortex of monstrous images, swirling around like a maddening storm - floating in the centre of the vortex was a stuffed bear sitting atop a slab of stone.

"..Father.. why have you forsaken me?" a high-pitched voice spoke out from the stuffed bear, its lifeless eyes staring at Phobia like burning coals.

"..I had no choice, Metus.. you were uncontrollable.. did I not give you freedom?" Phobia replied.

"..alone.. forever.. no.. Father.." the high-pitched voice raged, the lifeless eyes staring - as if piercing into the very soul.

"..you are still a part of me, Metus - you must understand.. like Nightmare and Panic.. you remember them surely?" Phobia said, becoming concerned as he found himself with no place to run.

"..take me.. home.. Father.." the high-pitched voice demanded, the creature floating towards Phobia - the swirling vortex following it in the process.

"no! I - I can't! Metus! listen to me! they would not allow it!" Phobia exclaims.

"..then.. you are enemy.." the high-pitched voice declares, a violent explosion occuring as it left the scene - the explosion sufficient to knock Phobia to the ground.

After a few moments Phobia rose to his feet, rubbing his head as he sensed yet another presence nearby - turning around: "..and I suppose you had a hand in this?".

"..Perhaps.." a dark voice notes from the shadows as a cloaked figure with glowing yellow eyes manifests nearby,

"..what can you have to gain from this?" Phobia asked.

"..to watch you suffer.. dear brother.." the cloaked figure replied, before vanishing like a ghost.

Phobia frowned as he thought on this, "..then you leave me no choice, sister.. than to beat you at your own game..".