Sempiternal

What is a God?

Most would tell you of a benevolent old man in the sky who watches over his creations with love in his heart and compassion in his gaze. Others would tell you that God is nothing but a sadistic monster who thrives off the suffering of man.

Or perhaps God is merely an idea? The idea that we created because we fear the unknown and so that we can blame something for our unjust actions.

And some men would say that God is dead and we are the murderers.

I do not know.

What I can be sure of is that humanity has the power to will and not to abject concepts of destiny and predetermination.

The power of human determination which if great enough can bend the world to their whims.

In the world of Remnant, the story of four young girls and their friends take front and centre stage their lives something out of a fairy tale.

They are destined to save the world as they will it to be so.

But most people are not born to save anything.

They are born to struggle and survive until they meet their end serving no higher purpose as they cry about being bound to fate and causality.

Except for one.

This is the story of one of those strugglers but he does not struggle against life but instead survives against the torrents of destiny that lives in his blood.

Shall we see what happens?

18 Years Before RWBY

I am Cain but once I was known as a man called Finnius Grim.

I light the candles in front of the icon of the great dragon whose stone visage is set in a permanent snarl.

I used to be an unenlightened heathen forced to be tossed on the wayside for the future of humanity and their whims.

Disrobing the top half of my body I presented the great icon the picture of my scarred and inked body mimicking the image of the dragon all over my body through the median of pain.

I was born a Snake Faunas with unknown parents, left to grow and die alone where I reached my twenty-fifth winter preparing for the final moments of my life.

Prostrating myself before the great beast I started praying before him asking for forgiveness for my negligence and to watch over my coming days.

Until one day when I was on the verge of slipping off to the next world, I received a vision. One of grand radiance! A magnificent creature came to me in my dreams! A dragon calling himself F'ar D'zim told me of my destiny, to become the messiah and herald his return to the world of Remnant and cleanse it of all impurities.

Looking up again I could see that one of the candles had begun to wane and I knew that my Lord was not pleased. There was only one way to earn his forgiveness and that was to offer him blood.

My blood.

Picking up the Lash I began my penance of ninety-nine lashes to the back for F'ar D'zim loved the blood of the wicked.

How could I refuse such divine summons, surely it was fate that brought me before his majesty? I gladly accepted perhaps it was the reptilian blood in me that saw him naturally as my progenitor.

*THWIP* "Twenty-one…"

I awoke- no that is not correct, I was Reborn from the vision and set about preparing for his arrival but first I would need to find other believers of the faith and to do that I must walk the Earth.

*THWIP* "Twenty-Nine…"

I rechristened myself as Cain and went about spreading the divine gospel and sure enough other enlightened individuals found themselves following me to the path of salvation from the poorest beggar to the richest baron, human and Faunas they all found themselves crying inside for absolution.

*THWIP* "Thirty-Five…"

And what better way to find Absolution than in the cleansing fire of a great God?

*THWIP* "Forty-Eight…"

For the next twenty years I would rarely receive visions from my Lord unless they were important and by His name they were. He told me that in order for him to return he would need a vessel of his kin. I spent months trying to figure out what he meant and for a brief period of time, I heretically believed that it was me to become the vessel.

*THWIP* "Fifty-Five…"

It was until after I did my deserved self-flagellation that I remembered a legend I heard about mythical Faunus who supposedly existed in Remnant hidden away in the remote parts of the world. There were stories of Griffin Faunus whose massive wings would let them own the skies forever, Kraken Faunas who lived below the sea and were said to have giant tentacles capable of sinking warships but the one that held my attention were even rarer…Dragon Faunas.

*THWIP* "Sixty-Eight…"

They had the majestic horns of a dragon and the strength of earthquakes with their rage being hotter than the magma beneath the crust of our planet. I knew that it was a sign of our God guiding us and so utilising the connections I had made within my flock I spent years tracking any sign of them as there were rumours that one was spotted during the great war eighty-five years ago.

I must have them.

*THWIP* "Seventy-Four…I'm so sorry my king"

Then one day a miracle came! I had found two people living so far away from remote civilisation that if I were not so rigorous in my quest, I would have missed them.

*THWIP* "Eighty-Seven…"

All these years I had spent planning and preparing and it was so close to fruition, I sent the strongest of my children to go and retrieve them in order to prepare for the ritual and then the one true God would come back and rule Remnant with me by his side in glorious conquest of the wicked.

*THWIP* "Ninety-Eight…"

And now I await my children's return with a suitable vessel and then the day of reckoning will begin…

*THWIP* "Ninety-Nine, I bask in your most gracious and kind heart my Lord know that from this point on my faith is unquestionable in you!" I screamed to the statue as the pain from my back soon turned to pleasure as I thought about Him watching me.

I placed the lash back into my robe and pulled the top half back up covering my upper body and allowing my Aura to heal my wounds slightly I still needed the scars to remind me of my mistake.

A knock at the door of my room brought my full consciousness back to reality.

"Enter!"

A young man walked in with the ceremonial red robes covering him head to toe making his identity hard to place.

But that was the point was it not? To show that who they were before they joined the Flock meant nothing and that we were all children of the Great Dragon.

"Ah Hello child! What news do you bring me?" A genial tone in my voice as I beckoned him to come closer to me.

He did so and kneeled before me. "Prophet Cain, the group you sent to retrieve the Vessel has returned they await you in the main hall."

I felt a smile tugging its way across my face as even I could not contain my excitement "Thank you my child, you may go about your business." I put a hand on his shoulder conveying my gratitude as he smiled and hurried out of the room before me.

The hour of ascension is soon! Please just wait a little longer my Lord.

I hurried to the main hall passing by other prayer rooms and other acolytes who bow as I pass by recognising me as their Messiah.

I slowed down as I got closer to the main hall to maintain my strength over them. While I loved all my children some would take advantage of my weakness of emotion to try and usurp me.

It is only natural for the son to try and surpass the father after all.

Walking in I saw two of my strongest children standing in front of the biggest statue of F'ar D'zim who loomed over the hall with his majesty.

I always feel safe here.

The first was a giant of a man called Mikhail who stood an impressive eight feet with the strength to back it up, in his hands was a small bundle which seemed to move about in his massive hands. I looked up to his face to see his almond eyes staring down at the bundle of cloth in reverence.

Next to him was my son Raphael a snow leopard faunas who has been with me since the beginning of this undertaking, his tail swished back and forth with his face set in grimness as he made eye contact with me for a few seconds before looking away.

Good. He knows I'm still the favoured of our King and saviour.

"Approach my sons." They followed my commands but seemed to be hesitant as they waited a moment before taking each step.

I felt rage build inside me for this insulting delay but kept it down.

I must remain in control.

Eventually, they reached me and kneeled before me "Holy Prophet we have returned from our quest, but we bring…unexpected news." Raphael refused to look up at me as Mikhail presented the bundle to me.

I looked inside to see a sleeping babe. It had a tuft of dark crimson hair atop its head and tanned skin but stuck out the most was the two tiny stubs sticking out of his forehead. The animal inside me immediately recognised the majesty of this creature as I instinctually wanted to submit.

However, a boiling anger began to make itself known inside my soul.

I asked for a fully-grown dragon and they bring a babe? I cannot tolerate this they've shamed me! F'ar D'zim will never forgive me! A hundred lashes! No…A thousand! Yes, that will be enough to earn forgiveness, but first…

"Raphael? Turn your gaze upon me," He raised his eyes up from the floor to look at me "Yes Pro-AAAAAH!"

I took one of those eyes in response and held it between my fingers as he lay there clutching the now empty socket.

I will never tolerate an insult like this to me again!

"You lost sight of the mission Raphael it is suitably appropriate that I take one of your eyes so that you may fully focus on the vision of the Great Dragon." I fiddled about with his eye before throwing it away in the corner of the room hearing it wetly slap the floor.

Raphael continued to scream on the floor before I put my foot over his mouth to silence him. He now had his full attention on me.

I will not be ignored.

"I will not ask what happened to the original Vessels as I can infer from the child and the smell of blood about you but know this," I leaned down where both him and a fearful Mikhail looked at me unblinkingly "You have set back the ritual possibly years due to your…misjudgement but know that I forgive all my children eventually." I whispered to them barely containing my boiling fury.

I looked over to Mikhail who stared dumbly at me and then to Raphael who gazed at me with fear and hate in his eye.

"Am I not the kindest father?" I felt a smile stretch across my face as the love for my flock returned back as they both nodded their heads furiously.

Yes…I love them and they love me.

I lifted my foot off Raphael with some of the blood from his eye staining the side of it and watched him slowly get back on his knees.

Turning my back on them a plan began to form in my head.

I cannot watch the Vessel grow personally there are steps and rituals that must be prepared in the meantime that will take years to get ready. I cannot give the Vessel to one of my children they would be too extreme and might break it so perhaps…Yes, one of the slaves would do…

"Give the Vessel to Servus #435 he will raise it in the meantime while we prepare the steps for the ritual," I turned my head and let my anger seep into my gaze "I trust you can follow this instruction Mikhail? Or must I teach you discipline as well?" He shook his head and hurriedly made his way to the slave's wing.

Raphael also began to move towards the medicine wing clutching his now empty eye socket.

He has not learnt his lesson. "My child where do you think you are going?" He turned back to look at me "You must come with me and beg for forgiveness from our Lord he is the most displeased with us," He looked afraid and reluctant.

He should be! Humiliating me like that!

He followed behind me though as we marched to the repentance room. Even though the wounds on my back had not healed up yet I could not help the tightness in my groin as I thought about how much I would need to beg for F'ar D'zim's forgiveness.

I licked my lips in ecstasy as I thought of the coming pain and the future of His coming.

I can't wait…

I awoke to the sound of stomping feet down the hall of my cell corridor, I recognised the heavy footfalls from anywhere it was Mikhail although it was impossible to not recognise him due to his massive size.

He was a big bastard not that I would ever tell him that to his face as I value my life very much in fact!

Either way, he was coming down to see someone and I sure as shit hope it wasn't me, I got enough on my plate right now without worrying about these nutcases feeling like beating me within an inch of my life just because I might have breathed out of the wrong nostril.

I could hear the footsteps coming closer and closer to my cell as dread built up in my stomach as he came nearer until finally, the robed form of that hulking beast loomed outside of my cell looking directly at me.

I stood from my bed and stood at the back of my cell wall upright and paying attention as that golem glowered at me from the outside.

Ah fuck it wasn't a good run on life but it was a run nonetheless.

It seemed as though we would stare at each other until the moon put itself back together when I noticed one of his hands pulling out a key and using it to open the cell door. I also noticed that he was holding a bundle in his other large arm which seemed to toss and turn in his arms.

What the hell is that?

"How can I help you Master?" Bowing before him hoping he wouldn't crush my head. It was always humiliating doing this, where did all of my pride go?

Probably disappeared in the last 15 years of my enslavement maybe?

A growl was my response as the bundle was thrust in front of my face which caused me to look up at the towering giant "…The Prophet has chosen you to raise the Vessel to be ready for ascension...This is a great honour…You should feel proud…Your miserable life has some worth to it…" He talked as he walked; slow and lumbering sentences as though he wasn't comfortable in what he was saying.

I looked down into the bundle to see a small little babe with a tuft of dark crimson hair and two little horns sticking out of its forehead. I could see that this wasn't a normal kid something was different about it although I couldn't place my finger on it.

Wait a second…Raise!?

"Hold on a minute what do you mean raise!? What's so special about this kid?" Then I stopped and realised who I was speaking to and gulped in preparation of my certain death.

Well, this wasn't how I expected it to end, nice one you fucking moron.

Luck seemed to be on my side today as Mikhail merely huffed before forcing me to hold the baby, then turned around to leave the cell. "That child is the Vessel of a being far greater than you can conceive slave…so I will forgive for your slight…The Vessel will be responsible for saving the world…and take the worthy to Zion…it will be beautiful..." He then lumbered out of my cell and locked it behind him.

"What the fuck was that?" I questioned before looking down at the kid again. Is it a boy or girl? I opened the bundle a little bit to check.

Okay, definitely a boy.

I looked again at the kids face it was scrunched up while he was still asleep, although that seemed to have jinxed it as soon as I thought that because his eyes opened to reveal slitted eyes that were a molten gold.

Uhhh now what?

The kid could only look up in confused awe as he gazed at me, his eyes were way too distracting and it seemed like he would never blink.

…Might as well introduce myself, I guess.

"Hey kid we gotta establish some ground rules okay?" A gurgle was my response "The left side of the cell is my side 'aight? And the right side is yours okay? Look they even got a bed for you and everything," I pointed to the right side of the cell and the kid followed it to see a bed identical to mine on the opposite side. "'kay now I'm gonna go and put you over there and you just don't bother me alright? Cool." I moved over to the bed and went about putting him down on his bed.

The kid watched me all the while as I slowly put him down.

Gently does it…almost there aaaaaand the-

He blinked.

And blinked again.

Then I noticed that the kid's eyes began to water as he was left to lay on his back while I stepped away from him.

*Sniff* *Sniff*

"Oi kid, you better not start cry- "I was cut off as he started sobbing quietly to himself and I could hear it getting progressively louder. Something started twisting in my stomach as I watched the kid- no the baby cry to himself.

That just ain't right…

"H-hey there little guy don't cry now look," I stepped back towards him and picked him back up into my arms where he slowly stopped crying "See? I've got you, now right? So, no more crying 'kay?" I don't know what took over me but now I just couldn't seem to drag up the will to put him back down.

I walked back over to my bed and sat down with me slowly rocking him in my arms which managed to put a toothless grin on his face.

…He's actually kinda of cute in a way.

"Well I guess if we are going to do this whole raising thing then we better introduce ourselves properly, starting with our names," I stopped for a moment to realise that I could not actually remember my name as it had been so long since I last heard it. All I was now was Servus #435 and that I was somewhere in my late fifties.

A chilling thought for sure.

Had I really been in here for so long? My hair had started to go white because of my age.

But then maybe that is suitable.

"You can just call me Grampa kiddo! And I will call you…Huh." It just occurred to me that this child did not have a name to him either "Well I can't just call you kid for the rest of your life, can I? Lets think of a name for you shall we?" I leaned my head back in thought as I attempted to brainstorm good lad names.

Crimson? No too easy. Spike? God, no even I'm not that cruel to do that to a kid. Ooh, what about Gilbert? Oh, fucking course not what am I thinking? Damn this is hard.

I looked down to see the kid again staring up at me with that same smile on his face which started to make me stretch one across my face.

For some reason, the words of Mikhail began to ring in my head again.

'The Vessel will be responsible for saving the world…and take the worthy to Zion'

Zion huh?

"Hey kid," he looked up at me with those golden eyes in curiosity "What do you think of the name…"

"…Zion?"

A loud giggle was my response as he began rustling about in my arms with a smile on his face "Oh you like it huh? A completely original name from me by the way!" A grin split my face.

"Well, then Zion it's a pleasure to meet you! My name is Grampa lets be good to each other okay?" another giggle was my response "Well I'm glad you agree too! But we should get some sleep 'aight? I can see your eyes nodding off." He let out a little yawn and began to close his eyes while snuggling in closer to my warmth.

I layed back into my bed with Zion still laying on my chest and wrapped in my arms as my thoughts began to wonder.

I looked down to stare at the sleeping babe.

"…Hey kid, I know you can't understand me so I'll get this off my chest now." I took a deep breath and exhaled "This isn't a place for a child to grow and if you ask me you probably have the shittiest luck on the planet to end up in this hellhole," I felt pressure behind my eyes "…there'll be times when you want to give up, scream, cry and just let it all go but trust me kid things do get better in the end," I freed one of my hands to wipe at my eyes "Even if you end up against the wall fighting against all odds just know this…Grampa's got your back, okay kid?" His response was to wriggle closer to me and let a puff of air come out of his nose.

"…Goodnight Zion, see you tomorrow."

And with that, I closed my eyes drifting off.

Hope you guys enjoyed it.

See you in the next chapter!