A/N: I recently started playing Aion again, and was overcome by a desire to start a fanfic on it, especially as there are so little Aion fanfics on this site. There should be more -.- Please review if you can. I will also be upping the rating to an M later on in the story as some dodgy themes will begin to grow as the story progresses.
Chapter One
The little girl of six years sat on the lap of her half-brother, who was seated in a comfy armchair within the cosy library of his manor. Her back was snuggled warmly against his chest and his arms encompassed her small frame, holding a book in front of her which she peered at with curiosity and interest.
"And so Aion granted twelve humans with divine power, which allowed them to ascend to become Daevas," he said softly, his voice clear. His fingers traced the lines of words across the page so that the little girl could follow them with ease.
"Can you read the next line, Bera?"
The little girl frowned, but felt her determination harden at the challenge. She was able to read well for her age thanks to her brother's help, but she struggled with the harder books. This was one of them – a book on lore and history.
"The Daevas were given the power to fight the . . . the Ba-Balaur, and free the humans that were made slaves to the Drakan rule. These Daevas became known as the . . . the . . ." Bera trailed off, struggling to formulate the letters she was seeing into a sound in her head which she could say verbally. She looked back at her brother. His gentle, emerald eyes gazed back.
He smiled. "The Empyrean Lords."
"The Empyrean Lords," Bera repeated with a smile of her own. She turned her attention back to the book. "One of the Empyrean Lords, Lord Israphel, proposed peace talks with the Balaur, which –"
Her reading was interrupted by the doorbell and Bera glanced up, distracted. Her body automatically tensed in anticipation, and often excitement when the doorbell rang. When the doorbell rang, it meant there were people at the door, people that Bera had normally never met, and so they were new faces to look at, sparking her curiosity even further.
"Keep reading," her brother urged her gently.
Bera's gaze lingered for a moment longer at the doors to the library, before she turned her gaze back to the sea of words before her. She continued from where she left off. "– which caused conflict amongst the Empyrean Lords, and so the Cataclysm was born."
A knock came at the library doors and Bera looked up. The right door opened and their butler stood in the doorway, head bowed.
"I apologise for the interruption, Lord Atherton. There is someone here to see you," he said.
"Can it not wait?" Her brother sighed. "If it is another one of Lord Fasimedes's mere messengers, then send them away, Daniel."
"Forgive me, Lord Atherton, but it is one of Miragent's Holy Templars."
Bera felt her brother tense and she peered up at him in confusion. "Julius?" She said in a small voice, suddenly nervous at the change in his aura. The gentleness had vanished from his eyes.
His gaze flickered to hers and some of that gentleness returned. He smiled his warm-hearted smile that Bera loved so much.
"Sorry, Bera," he said lightly, picking her up and sitting her in the chair while he stood. "I will be back soon once I have taken care of our visitor."
"Should I read on?"
"Yes, and then you can explain it to me when I get back. If you understand it well enough, I will buy you something. How about a necklace?"
Bera beamed and nodded vigorously. Julius looked pleased and left the library with Daniel. Her brother's long golden hair swished behind him. It was plaited down his back to his waist, very different to Bera's black, ringlet hair.
Bera was now left alone within the peaceful library. She loved this library and the books within. She associated them with Julius. They lived together in their own small world in Oriel, close to the sea.
Turning her attention back to the book once again, Bera began to read out loud eagerly, determined to make Julius proud by understanding the history of her world.
She listened to the sound of her young voice as she read. The flow of her reading was halted and slow, nothing like the smooth fluidness of Julius's voice when he read. Bera felt her heart sink slightly. She wanted him to read to her now. She wanted to be beside him, enveloped in his gentles and warmth. He was the only figure in her mind and heart.
What of parents?
She knew she had some once, but apparently they had died a few years ago. Bera did not feel anything though, because she could not remember them. Her world was Julius, and Julius only.
Bera realised she had stopped reading and was staring at the ceiling. Remembering his promise of a little gift, she shook her head vigorously and began reading aloud again.
She could hear something else aside from her voice. Bera paused to listen.
There were voices, Julius's and that of another man. They were raised.
The hair on the back of Bera's neck stood on end in alarm. Was it an argument? Why was Julius arguing?
Curious and worried, Bera moved the book from her lap and slid off the armchair. Carefully, she tiptoed out of the library and towards the front hall.
She came to the last corner.
"She is the Key, Lord Atherton! Will you deny us salvation out of your own selfishness? Lady Ariel, through Lord Fasimedes – Governor of Sanctum – demands that you bring Beralin Atherton to serve as seen by the Daeva of Prophecy!"
The foundations of the house began to vibrate as the earth shook beneath. Bera pressed herself up against the wall, eyes wide in terror, clamping both her hands over her mouth to calm her shallow breaths. Was it an earthquake? But Elysea never had any earthquakes. The land was too stable.
"I will bring Bera to Sanctum when she is of age, and Lady Ariel will meet her personally when the time comes. But I will not allow her to be used as the Key. I do not care what the prophecy speaks. I will not allow it!"
"But, Lord Atherton –!"
Thunder rumbled above. "I said, NO."
Silence, save for the terrible groan of the earth and thunder.
"Tsk. Fine. I will report this back to Lord Fasimedes and leave you be. But you cannot keep fighting what is meant to be, Lord Atherton."
"I will fight it," Julius hissed.
The door slammed shut, leaving the front hall in growing stillness as the rumbling thunder and the groan of the earth quietened. Bera stayed where she was, frozen to the spot with her heart pounding in her chest.
Why were they arguing?
"DAMN!" Julius's voice cracked out like a whip, accompanied by a terrible bang. Bera gave a startled cry, before she pressed her hands against her mouth again, shaking.
There was a beat of silence.
"Bera?"
Fearfully, Bera gathered the courage to peer around the corner of the wall she hid against. Julius stood facing against the wall, his fist raised and against it, the cause of the deafening bang. His expression fell in dismay as his eyes landed on her. She had never seen such an expression on his face. There was fury, mingled with hopeless desperation and despair.
A sharp pain split Bera's chest.
"How long have you been standing there?"
Bera lowered her trembling hands ever so slightly and opened her mouth. "N-not . . . long . . ." She whimpered.
Julius's expression grew pained and he looked away.
"Wh-what . . . were you arguing about?"
Julius's green eyes met hers briefly, before he then turned away, looking tired. "I am sorry, Bera, for frightening you," he whispered, walking away. "It might be best if you don't disturb me for a while."
Bera watched his retreating figure. The pain in her chest turned to agony. A terrible fear struck her. What if he never turned to look at her again?
She could not bear to see him walk away from her. She could not bear to see him make such an expression.
"J-Julius!" She ran up to him and caught his hand with her own small ones. "Julius!"
Her brother stopped and looked down at her with wide eyes. "Bera," he gasped.
"I don't mind if you frighten me," she said desperately, her eyes blurring with tears. "Just please don't look so sad. Please don't walk away from me!"
Bera blinked back her tears, struggling to look strong and not weak. But within her, emotions swirled and raged. She felt so weak, so pathetic and young.
Julius knelt down to her level, his eyes despairing. There was so much sadness in his eyes. Bera had never noticed it before.
With her shaking hands, she placed them on either side of his face and kissed his forehead, just as he always did to her when she was upset. It was different to when she kissed him goodnight, for that was a peck on the lips, which was normal in many families.
She pulled back. "I will try to grow up fast," she said in a small voice. "So you can tell me what is making you upset. Then you will not have to be so sad by yourself. I will help you, in every way I can."
Julius stared at her, his lips parted slightly and Bera saw the shine of tears within his own eyes. "Do you really mean that, Bera?" He whispered.
Bera nodded. "So please, please don't say such things. I will stay beside Julius forev –"
She was cut off as Julius pulled her to him, embracing her tightly. His scent enveloped her, and Bera could feel how his body trembled.
"I will protect you, forever," he murmured, his voice breaking. "No matter what awaits us in the future, I will always protect you, Bera."