Light and dark. Good and evil. Black and white. All worlds contain some measure of both. One cannot exist without the other. Whether such ideals take the form of physical or psychological entities depends on the realm, but ultimately both will intertwine and corrupt the other in some small way.

The goddess Palutena ruled over Sky World and the Overworld, bringing prosperity to the people - both angels and walkers alike. The goddess Medusa of the Underworld raised demons and brought destruction to the other lands within the realm. From the beginning these two goddesses competed against each other for control of Angel Land with battles that Palutena seemed to win. However, Medusa was simply buying time to create a plan that would destroy Palutena and those that followed her once and for all.

That plan was set into motion 2000 years ago. Neither side will give in. The war still goes on.

Light has started to entwine with darkness and now some demons are turning against Medusa. Darkness has begun to corrupt light, and the angels of Sky World are no longer the pure forms they once were. Some may see this as the end of the world...they would be wrong.

Without darkness, there can be no light. Without hate, there can be no love. They are mirror opposites; two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other. They need each other to exist, and together they are stronger than either one alone. One angel will combine both dark and light in order to bring peace to his realm. Yet it is the path to his victory that shows his true strength and why balance is needed in the world.

This is where our story begins...

XXXXXXXXX

"Lady Palutena, we have no time. Medusa is rallying her troops and will be ready to attack soon. Two of the greatest generals in the history of Sky World are now dead and our army is struggling to keep morale up. You have to do something with the boy now!"

Palutena sighed wearily, leaning back in her throne. She looked at the centurion who had just come in from the battlefield to deliver the grave news. His red tunic was ripped at the shoulder and coated with ashes. The latest battle between the goddess of light and the ruler of the Underworld had been devastating for both sides, but this time the losses that occurred were more personal to Palutena. The goddess knew that the lieutenant was right and a decision needed to be made, but how could she abandon the little angel just like that? The child of two of her most skilled warriors and good friends was now an orphan at the tender age of eleven. She had known the boy from the day he was born. He was such a sweet little thing, the perfect definition of an angel in her eyes. But she didn't have the time to take care of him and simply couldn't leave him all alone in the palace with no guidance…if Medusa came here, which she likely would, he would get hurt. It was for the best to send him away.

"My Lady," another ash-coated centurion spoke while brushing back her blonde hair, "He has blood relatives. Let them take care of the child."

Palutena shook her head, "I'm not sure about this, Emily. You know that the family has a reputation of –"

"My Lady, he will be much safer with the Greystones. Besides, how could they deny their own blood? I'm sure Tavor will accept his nephew in as family."

"Oh, of course…because the only thing the Greystones care about are each other. And even then they fight amongst themselves," Palutena muttered to herself.

Emily's wings fluttered slightly with impatience, "You know he has no other relatives! All of them on his mother's side are dead. This is all he has. Either he goes to them or to an orphanage."

Palutena winced inwardly, wondering if an orphanage was the better idea. They were rather full these days after so many years of fighting and she knew that the children there may not get all of the attention they sorely needed. The goddess knew the story behind the child's father's life…why he left the Greystones, took his wife's last name and broke off all ties with them. Now here she was, sending his child to those monsters.

If Sora and Lucian knew what she was doing to their child…oh, how they would hate her.

"But it's for the best," Palutena told herself as she walked down the hallway with Emily to where the child was currently staying, "He's such a dear thing that nobody could hate him."

She lightly knocked on the door, and in a moment a somewhat plump maid answered, "Gracious, my Goddess -I didn't expect you so soon!" She hastily curtsied and her wings fluttered slightly, "Come right on in."

The maid, who was dressed in a clean white chiton with a pale blue border lead the way into the room. She moved beside a short stool in the center of the room. Sitting on it was a youth with mussed brown hair, wearing a plain black t-shirt and jeans. His brilliant white wings seemed bright against his dark clothing. On his feet there were brown sandals.

Time had passed since she had helped create this world, and now many angels were switching from the 'old fashioned' clothing to newer designs by other worlds. Many elders still wore chitons and togas, but children and young adults found it easier to move around in pants and sweaters. Palutena didn't care either way, although she still wore what she always had before - the same 'old fashioned' tunics, chitons and dresses. She could still recall Lucian teasing her about being 'such an old lady'. He was more interested in newer designs and clearly his son felt the same way. Amazing, the things you missed.

The poor young angel had his face in his hands, and his shoulders shook with sobs. A normal reaction for anyone who had just been told his parents were dead. His wings were wrapped around his body, hiding most of himself from view. Once in awhile the lights above flickered, showing the brilliant golden sparkles hidden within his wings.

When Palutena first heard the child's name, she was confused by it. She had heard plenty of weird names in her lifetime, but this one was certainly an odd. At least, Palutena felt that way until Sora explained the name meant, 'yellow or gold', not 'a hole'.

"Hello, Pit…how are you doing?" The goddess bent down on one knee to get closer to the little angel's level, "Are you alright?"

Pit looked up at the goddess. His young face streaked with tears and his eyes were red from crying. "How can I be alright?" he whispered, "My parents are dead. Medusa killed my mom and dad in one blow." He began to cry again.

"Oh, Pit," Palutena whispered back, and she drew him into a hug. While Palutena loved all of the little cherubs in Angel Land, there was a special place in her heart for Pit. Whenever his parents were sent off to fight or were on a special mission, Pit wasn't taken care of by a babysitter – Palutena and the workers in her palace looked after him. She had watched him grow up from being a little baby to almost a young man. And now she was probably going to lose him.

"What's going to happen to me now, Lady Palutena?" Pit whispered.

Palutena stood up for a moment and motioned for the two other women in the room to leave before kneeling again. The maid listened right away, but Emily's eyes narrowed first before departing. Emily had always been jealous of Sora's position in the army considering the living centurion was much older than her dead counterpart, but Emily simply did not have the rallying skills that Sora did. Of course somebody needed to take Sora's and Lucian's old places, a decision Palutena wasn't keen on making.

"I'm sorry, Pit, but you cannot stay here…I'm sending you away."

"Goddess…you cannot do that!" His shaking arms grabbed the sleeve of Palutena's dress, "Please, let me stay with you! I don't want to go with a stranger!" His pleas made Palutena's heart almost break, but she had no choice.

"You're not going to live with a stranger…you're going to live with your uncle."

Pit gave Palutena a strange look and let go of her arm, "But…my parents said I had no relatives left. Grandma and Grandpa are dead."

"They told you that for a good reason," Palutena thought to herself. Outloud she said, "Pit, you do have relatives alive – just not on your mum's side. Your dad's older brother Tavor is willing to take you in. He'll treat you like family."

Pit was quiet for a moment, and then he whispered, "How many other relatives do I have otherwise?"

"There's your aunt Kara, who is Tavor's wife, and their son, Boris – I believe he's twelve. Lacey is your father's older sister, the middle child of the family, who currently is traveling abroad. Your grandmother is no longer alive, but your grandfather, Madigan, is retired and living outside of Rain City. And there are plenty more great-uncles and great-aunts and cousins twice removed and whatnot. You actually have quite a big family."

The young angel shook his head in disbelief, "Why didn't my parents tell me this? I always thought it was just me and them!"

The goddess settled for the simplest answer, "Your father had some...disputes with them in the past. He took your mother's last name in order to split all ties with them."

"Oh…so what is their last name?"

"Greystone."

"It sounds…dull. Like a gray stone. Hey, that fits!"

Palutena let out a small laugh and hugged Pit closer. Oh, how she was going to miss him!

"But I will be able to keep my own name, right? I like my name."

"Of course," Palutena said, smiling through her tears, "I would never want anybody to change Pit 'Kid' Icarus, the son of two of the best heroes this world has ever known."

Just started this new fanfic; I'm not sure if people will like or not, but I shall continue to write. I hope you will enjoy this!