Remnant: A world of hopeful beauty and grim horror. There was a time where humanity had reached the peak of god-hood. We were the makers of our own destiny for so long. Unfortunately, all things must come to the end, and humanity's greatness faded as we ascended, allowing the next to take their rightful place. Only I am left to weave a future for this world.
I sat in the stillness. The bustling of the halls, the prayers of the children, the rustling of the leaves even; all was still. I gazed on the once prosperous city. Emotion swelled in my chest as long faded memories flooded my old mind. My face remained calm as I shifted my gaze to the shining sun that set over the western horizon; It's light casting the city in an eerie shadow.
"Our reign has ended," I spoke with solace, "But our legacy continues."
The city began to fade to dust as I waved my hand at the towering structures of gold and silver, which were replaced by the soft greens of the trees. The buildings faded as sand would when a wave washed it out to sea. I left my nest at the top of the tower as it too vanished into dust.
All that remained of the once glorious city was a small stone circle that held pillars of weathered rock which in turn held gray slabs that encircled it like the once historic Stonehenge. An ancient time for another day. I sighed as my eyes peered into every opening in the new forest. I looked into the sky as I raised my right hand. The ground quaked as the rock and dirt of the Earth moved. The molten rock boiled to the surface as new land was forged and the old world was swallowed into the melted rock below the world's crust. New continents came to be as the oceans raged at the alterations, bathing most of the world in the salty waters of the deep.
I lowered my right hand. The world had been reformed. I sighed as I turned my eyes towards the now looming sun that moved over head. My fingers called forth the ashes of the sun, the dust of the land, and the sands of the oceans as they spread across the world. The ashes of the sun formed the birds of the sky; the sands of the deep ocean formed the fish of the seas; the dust of the land formed the creatures of Terra, but one thing remained missing.
I turned to the ground beneath me. It was fertile and warm as the sun shone upon it. The smell of nature wafted through my nose as I plunged my hand into the ground and sculpted the next. A man formed from all of the sands, dust, and ashes of the world as he opened his silver eyes. I smiled down as he looked upon me in wonder. I turned myself to the ground behind me and plunged my hand to form the woman of the world. She looked upon me in fear as red hair covered her left eye. I frowned upon her. I turned myself away from them and waved across the wondrous lands of this new world. "Go, my children. Breed and conquer this world of remnants for you and those who will come after." I spoke with power. My very presence alone dictated my commands, but my words enforced my will upon man. They left and made do with the world I had created for a time until woman returned.
She looked upon me with trepidation as she spoke, "Verily, Oh verily great one! I wish for a gift to help us through the years." she said as she bowed before me. I looked upon her with curiosity.
I spoke with a mighty shout, "Why should I bestow upon you a gift that shall help man?" I questioned.
Her eyes, filled with wonder, met mine as she spoke. "So that I may help those who come after me."
I saw her look back towards the ground in remorse. I raised my hands.
"I shall bestow upon you and your descendants a semblance which shall empower you", I spoke as I put my hand upon her head. "With this, help your fellow man."
She nodded before she sped off, leaving in her wake a flurry of rose petals. I remained alone for a time until man returned to me as well.
He looked upon me with courage as he spoke, "Verily, Oh verily great one! I wish for a gift to protect us through the ages", he said as he kneeled before me. I looked upon him with bemusement.
I spoke with power once more, "Why should I bestow upon you a gift that shall protect man?" I asked.
His eyes, filled with fear, met mine as he spoke. "So that I may protect those that come after me."
I saw him look towards the heavens in prayer. I raised my hands and spoke, "I shall bestow upon you and your descendants an aura which shall guard you." I put my hand to his heart, "With this, protect your fellow man."
He gave a curt nod as he walked away, shimmering as the splinter of his soul pierced through his body.
I looked back at the two. One who was afraid, but found courage in helping others. While the other showed courage, but feared the dangers of the world. "This shall be interesting." I said, a grin growing upon my withered face.
Man grew in my absence, and in that time they grew complacent, losing sight of their ancestors ways as they fought each other in petty squabbles. My patience ran thin as I created the Faunus, men with animal appendages, to help my creations unite. Unfortunately, my man despised and ridiculed their teachings, as they were cast out of the society of man.
I looked down upon the world of man in sadness. I looked for a time until my attention was caught by a wolf. The wolf ran from a bear as it leaped and slid under the logs and branches of the forest. It skidded as it turned left and bolted into a hollow log. The bear ran after it, but found that it couldn't reach the small wolf in the log.
Suddenly, several wolves leapt out of the dewy foliage, and onto the bear. The bear roared in pain as the wolves bit into it. The bear swung its paws around until it eventually died. The small wolf that had hidden in the hollow log came out and rejoined his pack. The animals sat around their prey as they began to eat the brown bear.
I looked upon the scene as I thought of man. Alone they were weak, but together man survived. So to unite man there needed to be a common foe. I thought for a time until I created mans ultimate foe, the Grimm.
The Grimm plunged the world of man into anarchy as they rampaged through their villages, and killed their women and children. Man had to retreat into the centers of their continents. They locked themselves in the walls of my making, or their own. They defended themselves for several hundred years.
I looked down upon the world, bored of watching. I wished to head to the realm of man and so I did. I descended from the heavens above the clouds and walked for a time. No man paid an old man like me any mind as they continued their business. I looked at their meager lives in dismay, until I saw the gates to their walled city open. A lady on a trotting horse moved through the gates a she rode her steed to the stable at the entrance of the town. She removed her hood which showed her red hair and allowed her silver eyes to radiate in the morning sun. She walked off towards one of the storekeepers, and traded a bag of medicinal weeds for a few silver coins. She started to walk back towards her horse when she saw me staring at her. We looked at each other for a time, not saying a word until I spoke.
"Why does man wallow in self pity, confined to the walls of the creator?" I asked her. She looked at me in confusion.
"I suppose it's because we can't fight back", she said sadly. She looked defeated, but not without hope. I saw this and put my plans to work.
"Do you not have aura and semblance?" I asked. She looked on in even more confusion at my second question.
"What are those?" she asked. I looked at her in bafflement. Man had forgotten his gifts so easily? No this mustn't be. I cannot allow such an affront to exist any longer.
I looked back at her until I put my left hand at the back of her hip and my right on her forehead. I spoke with a thrum in my voice. "For it is in passing that you shall achieve immortality. Through me you shall become a paragon of the creator, and shall with virtue and glory have your soul released from thee." I removed my hands and stepped back to see her glowing.
"What has happened?" she questioned me in anger.
I gave her a glare which showed my disapproval of her anger before I spoke. "I have unlocked your gifts," I spoke calmly, "though you will need practice. Train with your sword and shield; semblance and aura. Use these gifts to protect humanity and teach what I have done."
I turned around and was about to walk away when I heard her call out to me. I gazed back at her lazily as she ran over, rose petals following in her wake.
"You have given me something priceless, so I must repay your kindness. I doubt I could offer you anything material, so I offer my family's loyalty to you" she said.
I looked at her, a small smile forming on my face. "What is your family name?"
She thought for a moment before she responded, "The Rose family. Now who am I giving my loyalty to?"
My smile formed into a grin as I looked at her. I reached my hand out to her, which she took. A burning sensation shot into her back as I shook her hand. She ripped her hand from my grip as she pulled her cloak off her back. On her back was an infinite loop put into a circle with strange written engravings encircling the circle. I looked at her with amusement.
"Congratulations. You have given your family's loyalty and service to your creator", I spoke. She looked at me in shock as I left.
I eventually gave humanity "Dust" to help them fight the creatures of Grimm. Humanity expanded its cities and borders. Eventually I settled into a lonesome cabin where I met four maidens who taught me something I never thought I'd ever learn. The tranquility of winter, the beauty of spring, the joy of summer, and the splendors of fall. I gave them some of my power as I did the first man and woman; I sent them to continue their wonderful works as Jesus did with the apostles.
Many centuries have passed since then, and now I find myself bored again. I feel like the weight of sleep is always tugging on me, pulling me to my chair like I'm bound by chains. I need to escape this. I stood up and sent myself down to the world of Remnant as this generation of man had named it. I find myself thrilled by this new adventure. What should I do? Become the richest man in the world? Or perhaps invent space travel. The possibility is endless. Maybe I should be a student even?
"Yeah, student. I like the sound of that."