AU: So this was based on an old PJOrp of mine and I couldn't get rid of the idea of the main character as a little kid so I wrote this. Enjoy, I guess? :P and R&R if you want.

"Character, like a photograph, develops in darkness" By Yousuf Karsh

Chapter 1

Deep in a dark cave in the middle of nowhere sat a child no older 8. He played silently with the toy he had received when he was five years old. The cube was already broken, it was missing a few blocks and its colors had already paled from use. It didn't matter anyway; he couldn't see anything in the darkness of the cave. Still, he played with it imagining the bright colors and rearranging the pieces around as if he could still solve the faded puzzle.

To the boy, its purpose was years ago, along with his interest in it. He had grown tired of it but had little else to do. Something in the back of his mind tried to come forth, and he paused with his hands around the broken toy. He tried to grasp the thought, and reached out with a hand as if that would help. The thought was lost almost as fast as it had come. He shouted out in frustration as he tossed his cube aside. He slumped against the cave wall in defeat and ran his hand along its rough surface. He literally knew every ridge of the cave as well as the back of his hand and the familiar shapes comforted him. He closed his eyes to a more welcome darkness.

A single word escaped his lips, pleading for comfort. "Mother?" he asked.

The shadows instantly swallowed that one word, seeming to take it away. Then the walls started repeating his plea, and his own words were thrown back at him, almost as if they were mocking his need for company. Just when the echoes died out he was given a reply.

"Yes, little one?" a tired voice answered. A hand rose from the earth and stroked the boys white hair out of his face. He had referred to the voice as "mother" ever since he could remember but he had never seen the owner of the voice. The boy smiled regardless, feeling reassured. She was always there and he was never alone, that was all that mattered to him.

"I want to see it again," he said. "the bright, big thing."

Despite not seeing who the voice was, he could feel the mood. It felt like it was smiling. The voice seemed to think of the demand as amusing.

"Of course you can, Mortis, I will always give you the things you need to become complete. However, your uncle is gone for the day. But there is a different light of equal beauty."

The cave shifted around and seemed to free Mortis, opening the world to him as the earth shifted for him. The surroundings were immediately illuminated before him in a bath of white light. Trees, and jagged rocks littered the area but that wasn't what captured his interest. The boy stared at the source of the light, almost enchanted by its beauty. The perfect glowing sphere was almost reflected off his pitch black eyes. It didn't even burn to stare at it as it did when staring at the sun. He stared at it for what felt like hours, watching it as it slowly climbed its way through the sky. He watched it up until the cave closed around him again, surrounding him.

"Mother, what was that one called?" he asked. A hunger crept from his soul when he thought about it, the same way it did whenever he saw the sun. Bloodlust was what the voice had called it. He smiled at the words and the meaning behind it.

"That was the moon, Her name is Artemis, younger twin and sister of the sun. One of the gods that you are destined to destroy."

That fact settled into the young boys mind as he lied down on the cool surface of the cave. Not only did he have to kill the warm bright sun, but he had to kill her too. He had to rid the world of many beautiful things and the moon was only one of them. And that didn't bother him.

"Mother?" Mortis asked, suddenly feeling cold and alone.

"Shhh." She said. "You must rest little one. It's the winter solstice and tomorrow we start." A blanket of dirt surrounded mortis in a gentle way as if responding to his need for warmth

He obediently closed his eyes to sleep as he yawned. "Tomorrow mother?"

"Tomorrow I release you. And in ten years time you work to complete yourself and in the end finally finish the gods."

Mortis nodded, already half asleep. Being told this numerous times since he was born from the pieces, the plan was engraved into his head. "good night mother," he said, already anticipating the excitement that was promised to him.

"And one last thing, little one. Starting tomorrow you have to refer to me by my name. Call me Gaia"

AU: ...hmmm... tried to end that in an ominous way... fail on my part -_-

(I might just keep this as a one-shot ...or turn it into a "Submit your own" thing ...or just make a full blown story. *shrugs*)