A/N: Well, this is quite unexpected. I wonder why I've got a thing for pairing FE mages…I guess it's just because they look good together! If you read the summary, yes, this is Knoll/Natasha. Don't like, don't read.

Chapter 1: Son of Darkness

"Well, here we are, Knoll."

The young shaman-in-training glanced up at his mentor, Noir.

"Sir?" he asked. "What place is this?"

Noir looked at his apprentice. "This is the temple, where the clerics and bishops of Grado reside. They specialize in Light Magic, so don't expect our lot to mingle with theirs, and vice-versa."

Knoll nodded his head. "Yes, sir."

"I am going to speak with the Archbishop first. Wait here for me. Don't worry, I'll be quick." Noir said. Knoll gave another nod and watched Noir walk up the staircase to the Archbishop's office.

It seemed as if Noir had forgotten the time, because seconds turned to minutes, minutes turned into hours, and the day wore on and on. Knoll's jaw was about to dislocate from yawning. Suddenly, he felt a pair of eyes boring into him, and he quickly spun around.

A young girl with blonde hair and bright blue eyes was looking at him. She was really looking at him, as if staring into his soul. The senior cleric who was with her quickly pulled her away.

"Don't look at him. That's a shaman, those blasphemous mages that think they can control the world through abominable means." The senior cleric said loud enough for Knoll to hear. Knoll lowered his head and quickly batted his eyes so no one would notice the tears forming in them. Just because they studied Dark magic didn't mean they were evil, were they?

Noir returned shortly after. "Come on, Knoll. It's time we leave these hypocrites for good." Knoll agreed on that. After hearing what the Senior Cleric said about them made Knoll's blood boil about these light wielders. They profess goodness to serve the Goddess, and yet backstab people. Noir was right. Bishops and Clerics are hypocrites.

He resolved not to have anything to do with their kind.

Five years passed quickly. Knoll's talent for the Dark Magic was commended, as he was promoted to be one of the court shamans. Prince Lyon turned to them when Emperor Vigarde turned ill, and now they were using their knowledge of Dark Arts to discover if the Sacred Stone of Grado held the answers to Vigarde's illness.

Lyon couldn't bear to part with his only family in the world. He still needed Vigarde's advice and support as he gradually learned the ropes to control the kingdom of Grado. Unfortunately, the "sacred" stone didn't make things better. Vigarde succumbed to his illness, and the stone has resurrected him into a mindless puppet.

Lyon was possessed by the Demon King sealed within the stone, and with its influence on him, he threw all those suspected of not being loyal to him into prison, to be executed on schedule.

Tiny scratches now marked the days Knoll was in prison. He did this to keep his mind busy. What to do now? He had failed the prince, failed his mentor. He truly was the bastard Son of Darkness.

End Notes:

Sorry if this introductory chapter is quite short. I promise that the upcoming ones will have more dialogue and less boring background and descriptions. 'Til next chapter! Thanks to all those who were able to keep themselves awake!

MidStri