Fairy Tail: Origins
Chapter Two
Present Day
"Oh come off it, Cas. If I wanted the child to hear a story, I'd have read to her when she was an infant. This explains nothing of what's going on now. I came to discuss Verona and what /you/ plan to do about her." A very disgruntled and seething Desdemona had finally interrupted the male during his livid (and rather creepily detailed) recant of her childhood. She sneered, giving him a snarl which only gained a faint grin from the God. Ophelia sat off to the side still, having been engrossed in the tale until her mother had stalled it. She saw no harm in the story, though she had to admit it had nothing to do with the troubles her mother seemed to be having. Still.. This was the first time Ophelia had heard so much of her two uncles. She knew she had them, her cousin was proof of that at least. Yet Desdemona had never went into detail about their personalities, not like Casimir had. Lucifer sounded much like Dait, though that wasn't surprising. Her cousin was a demonic brute after all. That Samuel though.. The young wraith could only assume that he'd passed early on. She found herself wanting to know more, especially about the one that had created her mother and two uncles. A slight pout formed on the hybrid's lips and she was about to speak up when a hearty chuckle broke up the newborn silence.
"Come now, Mona. Every great story has a base. The child should know everything so she'll understand." This garnered another sneer and a grunt, Des' eyes glaring daggers as her arms crossed against her chest. Why was it necessary to tell of her childhood? Did he really have to recant the days in which life was.. well, easy? It made her all the more upset to be truthful, though she'd never admit it. To recall such days was forbidden. To hear Samuel's' and Lucifer's names called out so freely put a burden on her mind, despite the fact that she said time and time again that she cared for neither of her brothers. This caused the Goddess to snap slightly, a surge of darkness flaring from around her as she gave a pointed stare in Casimir's direction.
"Skip ahead. Why don't you tell her about our tryst then, if you're so adamant about stories. What of your promises and all of..-" A large hand lifted, halting her words as a rather serious glare was sent in her direction. That brought a smirk to her lips at least, Desdemona knowing well enough that Casimir wanted nothing more than to forget their deep past. This caused Ophelia to become all the more curious, but what was she to do? Nothing of course.. she could only sit there and wait until spoken to. A heavy sigh parted his lips as he turned away from the older woman, glancing back in the halfling's direction as he spoke again. "Back to the story, ne? Now where was I.. ah, yes. Samuel and Lucifer with their endless feud. As the days went on, things on got worse for the two..-" Already underway with details of the tale, Ophelia ignored her mother's pointed stare as the God weaved the elaborate story.
Year X175
He'd done it again. No matter how many times Samuel tried, his older brother was always there to make sure he failed. First was that poor Lilith of his creation.. poor girl. She'd fallen into depravity far too easily, leaving Adam on his own for quite some time. The God couldn't stand this, having his first child on his lonesome. This was what prompted him to make Eve. Living in the paradise he'd shaped for the pair, Samuel was certain that this time, the duo would work out. He'd even warned them of all the troubles they were to stay away from. Sadly.. Lucifer had a way of tricking anyone, even the young God himself. And so, they also fell. Though perhaps.. Perhaps he could keep them and continue trying. Earth had always been present, it wasn't something he'd imagined on his own. Even after confronting Lucifer over the destruction he'd caused, nothing was ever solved. He could feel it in his heart, the reason their father had pulled away from his siblings. Even if he was never to be seen, Samuel always heard the being's voice within his head. He could only hope that over time, even if he too had to pull away from his own creations, the love he instilled within that which he called humanity would prosper.
At the current moment in time, after overhearing his sister telling their brother how he should have given his creations magic so long ago, Samuel was in a dilemma. Did he dare? To be humble and true was all he wanted for humans, but to stand against the things Desdemona and Lucifer created.. It was rather clear what he had to do. He tried time and time again. First from a male he directly spoke to and called his son, though in the end he too was killed for being 'different'. Over the years and decades, centuries even, any mortal Samuel blessed with the ability of magic was seemingly condemned. Warlocks. Witches. Monsters. Had he been mistaken all this time? To watch his creations murder one another time and time again not only broke his heart, but his spirit as well. He couldn't place his finger on it, but the idea that Lucifer was behind the corruption was an obvious one. He brooded quietly as he watched from a magical glass, the scene before him being that of a young child reading in an old library. It made his heart swell, a loving smile gracing his lips as Samuel watched on. Humans were truly marvelous. How he wished they could grow and live freely without pain.. Yet, granting them all the free will he could muster had backfired. Temptation was hard to resist for many, no one person being made the same. Sighing, he sat back in his seat as he tried to get comfortable.
"Have you achieved what you've wanted, Sam?" The voice was a familiar one, though he didn't respond right away. Over time, because of the occasional request to mix his blood with that of his siblings for odd experiments, beings much like themselves had been created. Though none could compare in power or standing, many had began to call them Gods and Goddesses as well. This group of individuals, one in particular had become what most would call his companion. Tall and slender, blonde hair fell in thick waves as she eased next to him. A simple smile he loved oh too much graced her lips, her emerald eyes staring at him as he gazed back. Venus, a Goddess that was often acquainted with love and adoration, was the sole being that Samuel had ever been greedy enough to want for himself. Easing an arm around her waist, he pulled her closer until she was on his lap, his arms wrapping around her as he hugged her tightly. Her very presence centered him, it always had. That was the nature of her magic after all.
"Not yet.. One day, no matter the darkness they've tainted this world with has grown, there will be a light that shines brighter. I merely hope I'll live until then." This caused a gentle slap to come across his cheek, Samuel chuckling as the female huffed and pouted against him. Death wasn't something that came easily to Gods, though it wasn't impossible. He knew that in due time, he too would face the inevitable. Perhaps only Desdemona would outlive them all, after all. The slight thought of his sister caused his smile to falter, Venus readily noticing as she shushed him gently and cupped his face within her hands. "No no no, no frowning dear one. My darling, you'll live on forever. You've made sure of that when you created all of us. What have they made, ne? Demons and beasts.. but you, beautiful Samuel of Earthland.. You created the most wonderful of all things." Her words soothed him, causing his smile to return though it wasn't nearly as vibrant. He could only hope that she was right after all..
Year X239
Tears. Blood. Fire and brimstone.
To say that hell had been unleashed upon earth was an understatement. Not even the cruel Lucifer had planned on such a deed after all.
Samuel wept as he held a small child in his arms, crimson smeared across the young boy's face as the God's large hands gently clutched him to his chest. Why had things gone so wrong? Yes.. he'd witnessed a great deal of torment over the last few centuries. He'd seen brothers murdering their fathers, mothers strangling newborns. Wives betraying husbands and everything in between. Yet.. nothing compared to the utter slaughter that had crashed down onto Earthland. Nothing Des or Luce or even himself could have done would have prevented this disaster. All of it was thanks to one individual, a young girl who had once been the purest of all his children. His joy. His darling and beautiful pride.
"..Verona..."
The name held a bitter taste to it as Samuel let go of the boy, gently laying him down on the burning grass as he stood. Looking all around him, humans and Gods and demons alike lay in not pools, yet almost a river of blood. There was nothing he could have done. Decades prior, each God and Goddess that came into existence had been given one job, made to swear one oath in order to live among that which they were sworn to protect. No interference. Samuel believed in it greatly. He'd watched as humans grew and built gorgeous things. Buildings and cities. He watched as they used the magic he granted them to the fullest, making life amazing and enjoyable. He regretted that, in this moment..
He had watched the battle from above, helpless as the red haired female cut down child and man alike. To see warriors hardened from war fall to their knees, blood spurting from their throats and mouths.. It sickened him. Even the demons that crawled upon the earth thanks to Lucifer's adamant refusal to leave Samuel's world alone met their end in an instant. She appeared frail to all who stood before her, but that was her strength. Verona was always underestimated and that gave her the upper hand every time. Even he had underestimated her..
Walking through the scorched field, he could tell this was but one stop on her rampage through the lands. The once fruitful country of Enca was now in ruins. It had been Venus' domain for some time, but after catching a toxic disease that ate away at her magic, Samuel had lost his love many years ago. His heart felt the emptiness all the more as he gazed out over the mounds of dead bodies. Losing Venus had put a large burden on Samuel. His anchor gone, his love for others was forever faltering over the slightest of instances. Walking through the carnage, his eyes hardened more and more as he looked at those who had met their end by her hands. Ranging from young to old, no one was safe from her wrath, from her despair. It was truly astonishing.. how such a girl who had mirrored all of his resolve for peace and love and grown so bitter so quickly. Was this what his father had felt as he watched Desdemona and Lucifer grow up? He was envious of their power and might, their ability to work freely with no attachments. However, he felt anger as well. To have that which he'd worked so hard on treated so horribly.. Samuel grimaced as he looked out over the distance, the once blue sky turning a dark red the further out it went. It was clear now. To save humanity, he'd have to do the one thing he said he never would. The God would have to step in and take care of things himself.