The Age of Fairy Tales:

The New Gods

Our story begins after defeating the dark demon king seeking out revenge and becoming the ruler of this world. All in return it was in vain by the heroes possessing the four golden weapons and 7 wielders of the key.

The formal emerald King known as Artura went out with the golden scythe in her hands that the four golden weapons shall not be brought together. Living in the solitude of everything that she had lost including the people of that Kingdom she led is no longer there.

Even during her travels to a destined point travelers would seek out a safe place to escape the Grimm. When those monsters found them, they came in numbers, a large horde descending upon the helpless. Those in peril wasn't gone unnoticed when she came in to save them with the golden scythe in hand to get rid of the Grimm.

"It's her!"

"The former king!"

"No, the Queen!"

"Queen Artura"

After she saved the people from the horde of Grimm the people that she saved recognized her. They were the subjects that she thought had lost their lives in the wilderness even after the fall of her kingdom.

"Our queen!" The travelers all bowed to her.

"Wait!" Artura raised her hand. "Do not call me that anymore. The Emerald Kingdom is gone and I lost the right to have your allegiance when I failed to protect you."

"But you saved us!" One of the people spoke.

"And you have magic again!" Another agreed.

Artura glanced at the golden scythe she wielded that had the power to control the land and all its resources.

"Please, Your Highness. We need your help!"

"Please, lead us again."

They were all grateful to see she was alive and asked her to lead their subjects once again. As she followed their subjects to where the rest of the Kingdom's citizens were located. Everyone cheered and was excited to see their Majesty.

"Our Queen returns!"

"The ruler of the Emerald Kingdom saved us!"

She continued leading the people to find a land for them to live in. She used the Earth scythe to create a new landscape that would be possible to start anew, creating foundations of their new homes, multiple resources, and goods to continue prospering. It was a hidden valley of their new kingdom easy enough to fight against Grimm, bandits, and slavers. The hidden Kingdom of the valley became their sanctuary.

The people would have to continue without magic to learn how to create materials and weapons from the ground up. The formal King wrote down a log of her experience and knowledge back in the day when people had magic of the Brothers were still here. She had written down even archivists keeping a decent record to prevent what had happened long ago that won't be forgotten through time.

To make sure her descendants would know about this, especially her dearest friend that helped her, Aqua the Ocean Knight, made her who she is and became better than ever before. They have highly trained scouts to look outside from the valley of their Kingdom and see how the world has progressed and changed, eventually knowing a different race of humans with animal traits and humanity struggles against not just only the Grimm, but from other people of other kingdoms of corruption that have been known throughout the lands for their misgiven deeds.

"You're Highness."

She was cut off from reading the storybook past down her family line to see one of the scouts had returned. "Yes. What is it?"

"I have just returned from traveling out east when I heard news. A person in blue and silver armor was seen liberating people from bandits and slavers." The scout reported.

Blue and silver armor?

"And that's not all. This same woman was involved with the cult that had summoned the monster known as Sin. Their leader claimed credit at first but the monster returned and destroyed the temple. This same woman wearing the armor was seen and told everyone this cult had created the monster through a practice of vile magic." The scout continued. "The refugees even spoke of this woman's name: Aqua."

Aqua?

The very same Aqua who fought the demon lord alongside her ancestor?

Her Majesty rose to her feet at the sound of this new information. Many of her ancestors', the kings and queens who came before had been told the stories about her ancestor's friend that had avenged her kingdom against the dark demon king that had long ago controlled the Grimm who was now defeated and sealed away. The location once was her ancestor's kingdom and the formrt Kingdom that was once the demon's domain is now covered in earth as known as the Emerald Forest.

Hearing this she and the commanding party that she is leading seek out the Ocean Knight to see this individual herself.

"Gather a small team." She commanded. "I will seek out this Ocean Knight to see who she is for myself."

She grasped a long cloak and draped it over herself to cover her features and picked up a small rod that then extended into a long golden scythe. She wore a skull-like mask not just to conceal her face but her eyes as well if any word about her ancestors and her relatives is in danger because of the abilities of their eyes. Not long ago when the word got out once before people came from outside of the valley trying to capture these silver eye people.

Xxx

Among the many tales that have been passed through the history of the Remnant, none are rarer than the Tale of the New Gods. Said to have been born from the leftover magic of the old gods who forsook Remnant, these New Gods rose up to defend mankind from the threat of the Grimm. Like the old Gods of before, there were only two of them but their power was more than enough.

The first was the Black Queen.

She was garbed in black, eyes red like a Grimm and hair stark white. She was considered the most skilled in magic, able to destroy Grimm with a wave of her hand, crushing and burning them instantly. She was passive around her husband but had a dark killing intent that supposedly matched the God of Darkness himself.

The second was the White Knight, later known as the Emerald King.

He was the diplomat of the two, always looking for a non-violent solution but when called for was a skilled warrior, besting any opponent in his way.

Together these two would form a kingdom that would rule over the majority of the western lands of Remnant that would be known as Sanus and the Dragon Continent known as Draconis but the majority of the people aside from those who considered close allies of the Black Queen would remain clear of Draconis. While their rule was long and far, they would eventually come up against a rival who was famous in the eastern lands that would be known as Anima.

The Ocean Knight.

"…And so the Gods stripped humanity of its magic."

Salem was careful in explaining what had happened to humanity after her beloved had died out of fear he would come to hate for what she had done and tried to do. She had instead told him that the Gods had come believe humanity was unworthy of their gifts and stripped them of the magic they had given in the first place before departing this world.

For his part, Ozma was silent as he pondered over what he had been told as he glanced out a window. He had decided to hold off in telling Salem about his task and the Relics until he had a better idea of what the situation was. The God of Light told him she had changed, that she was no longer the woman he had loved.

And yet, even if she looked different she still felt like the woman he had fallen in love with long ago.

"No magic to protect them from the Grimm and yet humanity seems as divided as ever." He mused, looking out the window.

"Are you surprised? This world is quite literally godless. These Humans have no one to guide them. Perhaps that's all they need."

"What are you saying?" Ozma asked while taking a sip from his tea.

"We could become the gods of this world." Salem suggested with a smile. "Our powers surpass all others. Our souls transcend death. We can mold these lands into whatever we want, what you want, create the paradise that the old Gods could not."

Ozma was troubled at first, but then smiled in agreement with Salem. The two of them looked each other in the eyes as Salem placed an affectionate hand on Ozma's shoulder.

Both were confident they could unite the world for different reasons.

However, they would soon be in for a big surprise.

Xxx

After the battle with Yunalesca, many people from the nearby villages witnessed what had emerged from the last surviving temples revealing the monster known as Sin again. After the monster left the land and retreated into the sea, many of the people came over to see what had happened and noticed two girls leaving the Temple of Yevon, looking a bit worn out from a fight.

"Look, I see someone."

"Maybe they know what happened."

Aqua and Poppy had left the temple behind them, wanting to return home when they found themselves surrounded by many people, no doubt from nearby villages.

"Excuse us, young ladies. But we noticed the monster Lady Yunalesca had named Sin emerge from the temple." An elderly man said, opting to speak for the crowd. "We thought she destroyed."

"Yeah, why it is alive?"

"Did Lady Yunalesca fail?"

"Are we in danger?"

Most of the villagers came over and witnessed to ask the two what had happened. Aqua and Poppy shared a look with each other and then looked at the villagers. The mentor and an apprentice told the whole truth that those cult leaders of Yevon have sacrificed people to restore their magic and trapping their souls and beings in stone. Many of the people couldn't believe this had happened they had trusted those cults for so long that they never realized what father and daughter have been doing.

Soon enough everyone from that village and far beyond the messengers as well went out, to tell the truth about those followers Yevon. A few weeks later most of the followers abandon their mission even those who were believers who didn't know about it did the same and told the people the truth. It seemed the Cult of Yevon would fall apart and be scattered to the winds.

Xxx

The story long ago tells of a temple where really few people have gone up there and witnessed the glorious Temple that was up in the mountains seen only by those who were apprentices of those two knights that live up there have seen the temple up close and inside. The reason why one a few people have seen this marvelous Temple because both Silver and Bronze Knights had taken them as their apprentices. When they did they came back not just as skilled warriors some of them became more skilled, intelligent, and enlightened to do wondrous things that helped the world. Eventually the word had spread far and wide about the wondrous Temple among the mountains and even spread to the wrong ears like bandits and corrupted leaders who tried to seek out this Temple but no matter how much they tried they couldn't locate or enter it at all.

Legend says long ago that the Silver Knight or Ocean Knight using her powers mixed within a magical staff at hand creating the home where she could be at.

A lot of people described the place was that the grounds made of marble and gold. That made a lot of people wish for the rumored hoarded treasure hidden inside; although, the truest treasure is the knowledge that resided within the temple. The library held information that had aided the world with its misgiven troubles of diseases and lack of architecture.

Being in this Temple was not only just raising and training warriors. They found ways of certain remedies and systems that are possible for many people can do.

Aqua and Poppy went back to their home to take some rest to recover their strength. They needed a new plan of attack against that monster since it got the last one of the power sources from each of the temples that it had destroyed and recovered. Aqua was taken to what had been her room back in the original temple of the Land of Departure to rest. Meanwhile Poppy went out to the training area to harness her skills and awaken her semblance so that she could fight beside her mentor and that she won't be useless.

Xxx

As for Aqua, as long as she had time to rest up she had to find a way to eliminate that monster again. Seeing that creature glance at them in that one moment, especially her let Aqua know that the monster the people had named Sin knew better not to take the chance even in a weakened state and it knows that she will be able to destroy Yevon for good. She had a feeling that that thing won't open its mouth again while she's around and make sure of that.

The only thing now is how to locate it. With that being the case she has to seek out the other relic like the Staff of Creation.

Then she remembered the Spirit of Knowledge, Jinn.

The being known as Jinn suddenly stopped with an inquisitive look on her face now. "Of course, me being summoned to aid in finding said knowledge only happens when someone summons me to the mortal realm from my lamp to ask me one of three questions. How you are here is interesting."

"I…I was told to come here by someone named Drasil. She said you could answer my questions." Aqua explained.

"Drasil…So she sent you to me." Jinn smiled as she floated around Aqua. "How rare it is for someone to appear in her realm."

"I have questions that I need answered. I need to understand why I am here." Aqua said, watching as the spirit hovered around and then stopped right in front.

"Well, I am supposed to answer only three questions every one hundred years but that only applies when mortals summon me from my lamp. But since you are here, directly in my realm I can bend those rules a bit." Jinn said, leaning forward while resting her chin on one arm and her cheek on her free hand. "So I will answer three questions you ask of me."

'I need to find the Lamp that holds Jinn.' Aqua thought to herself before she closed her eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.

Xxx

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"RUN! RUN!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Far from the temple, a village was under attack by a Nevermore that flew over and was ready to swoop in and crush its prey. Suddenly, a purple energy surrounded the Nevermore, causing it to be bent and folded into unnatural positions. The Nevermore disintegrated and the villagers looked up to see a man wearing regal robes while holding a scepter in one hand, and a woman in black robes levitating in the air side-by-side above them.

They stared for a brief moment and then all bowed down to the couple in reverence.

Word would spread of two beings wielding the power of magic against any foe or Grimm out there, saving villages and their people would respond the same way: bowing in reverence, worshiping these powerful beings.

They would hail these two magical beings.

A Black Queen who could control the Creatures of Grimm.

A Warrior King with a magical scepter whose power matched his wife's own magic.

Together they were unstoppable.

Together they united the surrounding land.

Together they were the New Gods.

Xxx

"Look at them, Brother." The God of Darkness pointed and seemingly 'sneered' at the image of Ozma and Salem as they were worshiped. "Does that look like they are uniting humanity for us?"

The God of Light remained silent as he just looked on.

"And you warned that fool Ozma not to seek out that wretched woman but he sought her out anyways." The God of Darkness chuckled. "It seems even Ozma was not willing to accept your wisdom even though you revived him."

"There is still a chance he will succeed." The God of Light pointed out.

"Oh really?" The God of Darkness shook his head. "You are in denial. His feelings towards blind him to what she has become."

"What your pool made her." The Light Brother retorted.

"I had no way of foreseeing that." The Dark Brother scoffed but then mused. "Still, it is an interesting outcome. A mortal who was given immortality from your pool and then transformed in mine. Light and Darkness, come together."

"Life and Destruction working as one." The Light Brother nodded. "A strange form of evolution but one we did not approve."

"We washed our hands of this world and its conflicts. The woman and Ozma can do as they please no matter how foolish they are." The Dark Brother then waved his hand and conjured an image of Sin. "I am more interested in this."

The Light Brother was silent as he too looked on the image of the monster. "It is not of that world or a creation of ours."

"Yet the tool to make it was your Staff of Creation." The Dark Brother reminded. "So different and yet so similar to my Grimm."

"What would you do, Brother? Create even more Grimm even though you have stated you would not return?" The Light Brother questioned.

"I do not need to be on the failed remnant to create more of my wondrous creatures of Grimm." The Dark Brother brought a hand to his chin. "And since Aqua is there, it can even be considered her presence is changing the world even more so than we had considered."

The Brother of Light had no argument against that as Aqua appearing there again after so long was a surprise even to him.

"It seems there is more to this Keyblade than we thought." The Dark Brother continued as the image of Sin changed to show Aqua resting in her bed. "If she has the power to become a time walker than we can perhaps learn even more."

The Light Brother was in agreement of this. "I have considered this possibility as well. She said before that the Keyblade is a natural conduit for magic."

"Perhaps we should begin looking into ways of creating something to match her weapon." The Dark Brother suggested.

"What are you implying?"

"The Keyblade has defeated my Grimm and weapons I had created for chosen humans to fight against her. Her intervention against that woman convinced me to spare her from being hunted by my Grimm but that does not mean I do not wish to continue further testing her, especially in light of this new development."

"You are suggesting…we create something different than before?" The Brother of Light seemed surprised.

"You created four Relics to represent the four gifts we gave to mortals: Knowledge, Creation, Destruction and Choice and just now created this Relic of Time while before you created the Horn of Passage and the Sail of Heaven for the Keyblade Wielder." The Dark Brother suggested to their surroundings. "And yet, Aqua has managed to skirt the rules of the Relic of Creation. That has shown me that perhaps we have…limited ourselves."

"Limited ourselves?"

"Aqua has shown us that there is more to the four fundamental gifts we made the mortals of the experiment from. You heard her speak of the Heart and the power it gives, allowing her to wield a weapon as powerful as the Keyblade." The Dark Brother recalled speaking with Aqua before Salem and her army attacked. "What if the four gifts are not the end but the beginning?"

"Something else to create from aside from humanity." The Light Brother caught on, a strange feeling of excitement washing over him. "Inspiration for a chance to create more than what we thought we knew. Brought on by the words of young mortal who had nothing but hope to return to those she cared for. Evolution."

"That is perhaps yet another concept to draw upon." The Dark Brother dispelled the image of Aqua and turned to his brother. "Inspiration, Hope, Evolution, Heart, Time, Passage, and so much more."

"So much we could create and if only because we have watched the trials of this one mortal who came from outside the experiment." The Light Brother held up his hands which his brother immediately copied. "What else shall be made here?"

And so, for the first time since they had left Remnant, the Brothers Grimm began to create. They had no idea what at first but as new ideas and thoughts based on what they had seen from Aqua, these new thoughts and ideas began to immediately take form and as they did, the Relic of Time began to evolve and grow with new rooms and chambers forming for the new Relics that instantly appeared.

The Brothers were very thankful to have met Aqua and looked forward to seeing what else they could learn from her.

Xxx

Oscar frowned as he watched history repeating itself right in front of his eyes. "So, Salem and…Ozma are together again."

Neo and Terra watched from behind, observing the images of Ozma and Salem as they landed before another group of humans who bowed and worshiped them.

"So, you acted like a God in that life." Neo folded her arms behind her head. "Yeah, I can see that happening."

Terra watched as Oscar clenched a fist and his shoulder slumped. "Except it wasn't you. Oz-"

"Oz is part of me now, even if I still call myself by my birth name." Oscar exhaled softly. "We raised a beautiful kingdom that stretched far across the land that would one day be known as Sanus. Salem's power over the Grimm allowed her to halt their attacks on villages that struggled to hold them off. Ozma was the warrior who trained and lead other warriors into battle once the kingdom's army was formed."

"An army?" Terra glanced between Oscar and the project on the bark of the tree. "Aqua…"

"If Queenie finds out about Blue being there she could send whole armies after her." Neo caught on to what Terra was about to say. "…Though, I am not sure we should be worried."

Terra glanced at ice-cream themed wielder. "And why is that?"

"Aqua has faced Salem who had army with her before and that was before she got her old Keyblade back…and then got it upgraded into that new one." Neo shrugged, recalling how Aqua told her what had happened between her and Salem before. "She had an army of magic users with her at the time and Aqua still beat them. Now it's just her, past Oz, the Grimm and a whole army of simple people wearing only armor. She can take them out easily."

"I fear you might be overestimating Aqua's chances, Neopolitan."

Neo looked over her shoulder, seeing Penny who glided towards them and landed softly next to Oscar. "I wandered where you wondered off to."

"I have been attempting to fully understand the nature and limits of being the new Drasil." Penny answered, glancing at Oscar. "Though Aqua held her own she did not technically defeat Salem."

Neo rolled her eyes. "Okay, so she never said she outright beat Salem and her army. But technically she held her own and pretty damn good from what she said."

"Yes, Salem and her forces underestimated Aqua." Penny nodded. "Aqua was able to take them by surprise since she was both skilled in the art of combat and magic. Salem and her forces relied more on their magic but Salem's immortality still took Aqua by surprise and the Brothers intervened at the last second. Salem will be wary if and when she hears about Aqua and she might have Ozma to help her under the right circumstances. Not to mention, her dive into the Grimm Pool and the resulting transformation has made her even stronger than before."

Oscar glanced away at that.

"So only two magical people this time. Plus we already faced Salem as a Heartless and we did okay. Pretty sure Blue can handle normal Evil Queen on her own." Neo shrugged. "She along with me and Terra took down Red and her friends as the Maidens. I don't see how it can be a problem when it's pretty clear the Keyblade outclasses the magic on Remnant."

"It's worrisome because Aqua will not fight to kill anyone Salem might send after her." Terra spoke up. "If Salem is vindictive as I have been told, she'll do anything to take Aqua down."

"Fortunately there a few factors that Salem will likely overlook." Penny spoke up. "Like the fact that the Grimm have been forbidden to hunt Aqua on account of her services towards the Brothers on the day Salem and her army attacked."

"Oh yeah. Aqua mentioned that too." Neo recalled. "Lucky girl. Not from Remnant and is likely the only human alive who the Grimm won't touch. How does she do that?"

"It's just who she is." Terra said, watching as the image in the trunk of the tree now showed Aqua who was still resting. "But she still has her hands full with that monster called Sin."

"It is likely so will Salem and Ozma soon enough." Penny stated. "With them going around the land, acting as the New Gods, it is inevitable that they will encounter Sin."

Oscar looked at Penny. "You see this?"

"I see countless possibilities, Friend Oscar. Only time will tell which one is likely to come true." Penny answered.

"So it's another waiting game." Neo sighed.