... Long story short, this story is initially a project for my history class. We're discussing racism and prejudice and all that junk, so I came up with this. I think, it's pretty fuckin great, but hey, we'll see my grade later! I hope you enjoy this little Darksiders fic, and it might just make you think about the magic of friendship. lol
btw, i do not own Enariel! I heard the name in one of Aslynn's stories, Lostlight, and it just melted my heart! btw, if you haven't read Lostlight, or any of Aslynn's stories, go and do that! now.
Do it now, fuckers. ):^I
Racism doesn't chose people.
People chose racism.
-Probably the President
Ophelia was always gifted in the Celestial arts and philosophy. Especially in regards to the prejudices of Angels against Demons. She learned this lesson at a very young age.
She was adored by many, so to speak.
As was any young angelic student. They were perceived as precious, and were crammed with as much knowledge as one could possibly fill them with. Angel children were sponges, literally soaking up any little thing they were told, and they learned quickly. Ophelia learned quicker than most, so she was of particular interest to others. Including her custodian, Aboddon.
About twelve years of age, she was rather clever. She was handsome, too. A little fair thing with a head of springy silver curls, golden eyes, and a swirling silver sigil that fell over her left eye. She was prestigious as a student, and prided herself on her knowledge as an individual. Many of her scholars were very pleased with all of her hard work and studying, including her favorite angels, Azreal and Enariel. Azreal was her most favorite teacher, and Enariel was like that of a big sister to her. Always helping her and teaching her what she knew, and in return, Ophelia would tell her things she had learned.
She never would have told Enariel this lesson. She never told anyone. Ever.
It was an autumn day, near dusk, and outside of the stone tunnels leading away from the large lookout of Lostlight, Ophelia sat by the brook and read her reading texts, practicing her foreign languages. She liked to sit there under the huge tree and read for fun, listening to the water running out from the city, the birds and their harmonic songs, and the sounds of nature in general. She liked the quiet of the outside. Often times, Zedekiah would allow her to do her studying outdoors, finding that she focused more while enraptured by nature.
One evening, Ophelia was drawn to the sounds of what sounded like sneezing in the far woods. Ophelia never really went into the woods, but the curiosity was so strong in her to know who in their right mind would be out at this time and be in the woods, of all places. So she followed the sounds.
She wasn't pleased with what she saw. And later on, she would come to regret that.
Up in the trees, a few meters away, sat a creature Ophelia never thought she would see in all of her life: An Akuma. Right there, out in the open. She was small, about the same size as Ophelia herself. She was red in skin color, bearing some bright yellow stripes that zigzagged across her face like the stripes an animal would bear. Her hair was a murky white, falling straight and slicked back so to make room for her horns. She was dressed all in rags, carrying a few parcels and what looked like a canvas.
God, what a disturbing display! Ophelia had never even seen a demon in all her life, but this one was rather the ugly type. The very sight of this Akuma made Ophelia squeal, catching the attention of the little demon in the tree. It startled her so much, that the thing seemed to lose her balance, knocking her clean from the branch. The impact sent a few leaves scattering, almost like the leaves wanted nothing to do with her as well. Then again, why would they ever want to touch something as ugly as her!
Both angel and demon stared at one another. Golden eyes fixed on arresting purple ones. Ophelia stood rigid in the wind, staring at the cowering Akuma on her bottom. She looked genuinely scared. What was she even doing here, Ophelia wondered. Demons certainly did not belong in Lostlight. She was taught in school that demons were to be terminated on sight, always. They were nothing but trouble. Sheer evil.
But Ophelia couldn't kill anything if she wanted to. Instead, she just yelled at her to go away.
"P-p-p-please don't strike me dead!" The little red thing wept suddenly. She clasped her hands in front of her, in a praying sort of fashion and shook her head. "I wasn't trying to be any trouble! Just please don't hurt me, miss! I was doing no wrong! I was only sitting there to capture your likeness! I'll never do it again, I swear!"
Ophelia suddenly panicked. "Don't be so loud, fool! you'll certainly be caught! Just go if you want to-"
She stopped mid-sentence and blinked about several times.
"You were... doing what now?"
The Akuma swallowed the wetness in her mouth and wiped her tears on the inside of her arm. "I... was just sketching... My master sent me to deliver a parcel to a customer, and I was just heading back! I saw you and thought you were pretty, so I snuck up here to draw you. I'm sorry, I'll never do it again, I swear-"
"Shoosh~!" Ophelia consoled. "I... I'm not mad. But... but things like you don't belong here. You have to go now, before one of the superiors show up. Plus, you might just get me in-" her words trailed off when she saw the dark scratches of the Akuma's previous sketch. It was almost identical. Ophelia knew her own face well enough to know what she looked like. And she had to say, this Akuma had skills!
"Did you do this all on your own?" Ophelia asked.
The demon nodded her head. "I learned from my master. He doesn't illustrate people, but he does illustrate still life. I taught myself to draw people."
Ophelia bent over and picked up the canvas. She looked over the details and guidelines very carefully, noting every step that was made to create her face. The circles and lines, other shapes, almond eyes, springy curls, her smile.
"M-my name's Duleb." the Akuma whimpered in a tiny voice.
Ophelia blinked. She remembered that she was with a demon, one of the bad ones for that matter. An Akuma. They were the weakest and most undesirable ones. But this one was polite, it seemed.
"My name is Ophelia. Listen, Duleb, you can't be here. I know you have caused no trouble, that I am aware of, but you must leave here before-"
"Before what?" the tiny creature interrupted. "This is a secluded place. I have been here for a while now and no one but yourself decides to ever stick around. That's why I come here to draw. This place is much safer than anywhere else in Lostlight. No angels have ever found me here, save you." Duleb interrupted.
Ophelia pondered a moment. She supposed she was right. Ophelia had come here ever since she could remember. It was nice and far from the school, and town in general, so it made for a great escape to go and study in peace. This really was a safe place. And if what this demon said was true, than she was right about it being secure. Ophelia came here very often, and never noticed her. Wait a minute-
"How do I know you aren't lying?" she asked sternly, crossing her arms over the white frills of her dress.
Duleb frowned. "I am not lying... But I can understand your skepticism. Why trust a demon, right?"
The Akuma reached behind her and pulled forth a flax bag that had been draped over her shoulder, hanging low behind her back. She pulled back the flap and mentioned for Ophelia to peek inside. There were colored wax sticks and canvases inside. Some of them all used up and colored on.
"I like to draw this place. It's much nicer than Hell, as you might already know. It's very pretty here, and I enjoy capturing these images and keeping them with me to remember."
Ophelia reached inside and grabbed the first one she could. It was a miraculously detailed image of the outskirts of the town, the top of the Crystal Spire, and in the distance, some griffons were in flight. It was just a jumble of yellows and blues and greens, but Ophelia took the time to see everything else. Every last detail.
"You have a miraculous talent, Duleb. I wish I could draw things like these." She sail with a smile. She seemed to have forgotten what the child before her even was to be smiling the way she was.
"Well... I have plenty of time before I have to check back with my master. I... I could show you how to draw... If you want! If not, I could just leave!" Duleb insisted, more comfortable around the angel, but not too much.
"I would like to learn! My superiors can all draw, and I would think it a wonderful trade to learn!" the angel replied, clapping her hands together.
While Ophelia scribbled, she displayed her work to Duleb, sitting cross-legged in front of her. "It's awful, isn't it?"
The demon shook her head. "No, no! You have only started! This is a trade that takes time and hard work! You'll get it in time, trust me!"
Ophelia continued on with her scratching. The quill was starting to hurt her hand, but she was determined to draw that bloody flower, if it was the last thing she did! How hard could it be, anyways? It was a flower! This wasn't like she was trying to capture the exact likeness of the Argent Spire! It was a simple flower!
So why did her flower suck so hard?
"Duleb, while I'm working here, why don't you tell me about yourself?" she asked. "I mean, I hardly know nothing about you, other than you're a talented Akuma."
"Oh, I suppose so. Only if you promise to do the same."
"Wonderful! Now, tell me everything!" the angel cheered.
"I... I'm not sure where to start..." Duleb murmured while she fingered her chin.
"How about, at the start?"
Angel and demon exchanged giggles. "Well, my father worked as a hired hand for one of the many Demonic mercenaries here in Sophia. Unfortunately, my dear mother died during my birthing. Three years later, a Trauma trampled my father as he worked the Valley of the Lyra. I was left an orphan with no other known relatives or family. Since the Hell is not set up to take care of orphans, I migrated to the Bafament Woods, where I spent the next few years trying to learn my alphabet and mathematical tables. While in the woods, I learned that I was to stay away from any stranger I came into contact with. If I ever went out and encountered a stranger, I would be robbed and lose any provisions I happened to have, and getting the things I need to survive was hard.
"At a decade old, I encountered a demon merchant named Vulgrim, who found favor in me and took me on as an indentured servant. As an indentured servant, I will work five years for my master, and then I will be free. I receive no money for my labor, but the master is supposed to give me food, a place to live, and training in literacy or a trade. I have mainly helped sell goods ever since I got there. There used to be more indentured servants doing the work for merchants like Vulgrim, but the slaves they are bringing in from Nergal have replaced many of them.
"My period of servitude is almost up. I have not had much education and the Legion army have taken most of the land. Since my main job has been selling things and delivering them, I do not have many other skills. Art is all I have. I think I learned from a demoness I met while I was young. She was the only one who was ever so kind to me. I think her name was Josephone. For a while, she said I could stay with her and help manage her Healer's post, but the pay is very little and I have seen how others quickly get into debt at the Healer's store. In addition, Josephone was taken away by the Legion Soldiers so she could be made useful. I think she is going to be a personal Healer to one of our Great Lords. Now, I think I am going to move westward towards the mountains. The environment is not as bad and the authorities do not like people moving west because it causes trouble with the Old Ones. But I'm no trouble, at least I don't think I am. Still, it sure is foolish how the Dark Lords have forbidden people from moving over the Bafament Mountains. Nevertheless, I think I will join others who are defying the Dark Lord's royal governor in Sophia and go west. Out there are open land and the opportunity to create my own future."
That was something. This demon wasn't just a mindless brute after all. She was, well, she was a person. Like herself. A normal person with goals and aspirations. Dreams and hopes, things she wanted to do with her life, other than destroy others, take lives, or plot the demise of Heaven.
"Your turn. Explain yourself, angel." Duleb said meekly.
"Oh! Well... I am a student. I live with my custodian, Aboddon and our family at the Ivory Citadel near the Crystal Spire. Like many homes in the Ivory Citadel, Hampchester's center is common and surrounded by a few shops, a school, a very large Library, and the church. Most families live near the church. My home is a large place, but Aboddon works very hard managing all of the important things a man of his status is tasked with. He is the leader of our Hellguard. We are not that rich and the amounts of time we spend in our schools hinders us from doing much, but I make the best of my spare time, I think, especially since Aboddon and the boys go out ant train as soldiers and the girls and I make our own clothes. I earn extra money selling fruits and doing sewing for people in the Citadel.
"Aboddon and Azreal are determined that the children get as much education as possible. Every day, they walk into town for school. We also get our news from the town. Once or twice a week, Aboddon goes to the White City to learn about recent events. And every day we go to the church in town. The church is the most important part of Angelic society.
"I am worried about my future, especially around the boys. They are all so strong and smart, but I just want to be a simple Scribe. Others want to be soldiers and Archons, but I don't want to stretch myself so far... The oldest boy has taken an interest in religion, so Aboddon has decided to send him to the college to be a Archon. The next boy, though, like many in our family who cannot comprehend such things, is talking about going to the Faneguard, or enlisting in the White Army. I hope that my trade will come as sufficient enough... I don't want Aboddon thinking me a failure..."
Ophelia looked up from her painting for a moment and saw those purple eyes staring at her. She stared back, then flashed her drawing at her. "This makes us friends now, doesn't it?"
For a moment, Duleb's features faltered for a moment. She had never had any real friends, not for long, anyways. Most other people thought Ophelia was too quiet, too awkward. The very thought of being a friend to an angel, of all things, made her a bit scared. Ophelia always got nervous and scared when she tried to talk to other angels and make friends.
However, that fear was soon overrun by the chest-tightening feeling of promise and blithe. She would very much like to be friends with Ophelia. Even if it was unbecoming of any demon or angel to associate themselves with the other race in any way other than that of a simple , Duleb seemed nice enough.
"Would you be my friend? Even if I'm a demon?" she asked in that little accent of hers.
Ophelia smile and reached over, clasping the red and yellow skinned hand in her own white gloved ones.
"I'm not as prejudiced as my brothers and sister. I'll be your friend. I'll be your best friend."