Shattered Light
By: Linkmaste
Part IV: The Ancient Ones of E.N.I.A.C
"All the world's a stage with men and monsters merely players-they have their entrances and exists, and one man and monster in their time plays many parts, their acts being seven ages."
-Shakespeare
Author's Note: Welcome to Part Four! The final part to this story! I know we are JUST about to get back to the final battle but I think we should look at Azazel. What do we really know about him? What about this Naomi character? Well, this is how Azazel had everything done. I had to hack and slash a lot of this chapter-it was becoming too lore filled for my tastes but I think this is pretty good idea of what I was going for. Yes, this is the same ENIAC that helped Ryo in Brave Tamer (however, I did not play the game so I'm sorry if I missed details).
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. I own Eve, Naomi, Iro, Azazel, Chaos, and Domovoi.
Chapter Twenty Four: E.N.I.A.C
A long, long, long time ago...
There was nothing.
No sights, no sounds, no touch, no sensations, and no thought. It was all dark, cold, desolate and empty. Within the void, nothing was everything.
Then all that changed. A spark-a light produced out of the void. It was a small golden light, but it was warm and enticing like a warm smooth velvet blanket draped upon anything that the light touched.
And to it, thought came to be. The idea of it able to produce sounds, and concepts surprised it. Such a strange...way of being. Before it had no idea this was even possible. That light had awaken it.
"...Hello?"
It-the voice called out into the darkness. It stood beside the small light as close as it could. For something deep within it wanted nothing more than to have the light keep it company. It was it's life line, a way to survive. It provided a security, and it didn't want to go back to being in the darkness-to being nothing.
It's voice continued to call out. Someone must be here! It can't be all alone! For some reason, that made the voice feel something...fear? What was this fear? The voice didn't like fear.
"Hello! Is-is anyone there?"
"H-Hello?"
The response jolted the original voice. Straying slightly towards the new voice, the being reached out and touched another hand.
"I got you." The first voice comforted.
"It's so dark..." the mysterious voice observed. "I can...I can feel."
"Come into the light...stay by me."
The second voice complied, following into the light. The two figures looked at each other, perplexed at each other's appearances.
"I've never seen anything like you."
"I've never seen anything like you." the second voice replied. "What...where..."
"Project PX running online, sir."
"Very good, Naomi. We will start by running basic algorithms. I'll call Major Smith and let him know E.N.I.A.C is looking well."
"Yes, sir."
The voices stopped. Who were those other voices? The two figures looked into the small glowing ball of light. In it, they could see a older human woman in her sixties facing at them, looking like she was hitting something on the table. One of the figures reached out to try and touch her. Alas, it was not possible as its fingers went right through it, it was all an illusion. The woman in the light, had not addressed the two figures, but looked like it was concentrating past them, looking at 'algorithms'-whatever those may be.
"Naomi...I like that name." The first voice spoke longingly.
A name! That is what they needed, to identify themselves! The fear it first felt seemed to melt away slowly the more time had passed it was with the light. Light was good, light was protection.
"Is that what I shall call you then?" the other figure asked. A delight passed through 'Naomi'.
"Yes, I will decide to call myself Naomi. What should we call you? You need an name as well."
"Hazel, have you received the numbers yet?"
"Not yet, Naomi. Have some patience, darling."
Back in the light, was a man with dark hair and a goatee. He was waiting at a machine watching paper pour out with numbers on them. He looked at the older woman at the machine with teasing smile. Something told these two that they were close.
"Hazel..." the second figure like the way it rolled off its tongue. It looked at the handsome dark haired man. It liked the name but it needed a little but of a change...It pursed it's lips when it found the solution: "I would like to be called Azazel." The figures shook hands. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Naomi."
"Likewise, Azazel."
Over time, they gained information and processed it. They met more figures that emerged from the darkness. The third one of their group named itself Eve. The name came from after watching in the light, a young girl run around trying to play with the 'keyboard'. Then, it was Iro, who named itself after an 'engineer' who fixed the machine. Then, it was Chaos. It named itself after someone shouted the word while fixing a small fire. To him, he liked the concept of unpredictability happening.
Through the light, they learned...and adapted. The light grew bigger, and made the area around them become more manipulative-ever changing. With their yearning, they changed the environment around them. They added chairs, a table, background trinkets that added depth to the room. It started to become less of a dark endless void and more of a copy of the room that the light was showcasing. More information was processed by them. They were called Project PX formally-a electronic general purpose computer, but they liked the name ENIAC for themselves. Each initial was made for them. It suited them. A group that banded together to get away from the darkness...and absorb information at an alarming pace.
"One day, this program will help start a whole new virtual world." Naomi typed into the computer, adjusting her posture. She looked at her co-workers. "Wouldn't that be amazing? A whole other world...I wonder what it would look like..."
"Probably wires, and code." chuckled Hazel, taking a bite of his lunch. He chewed thoughtfully, looking at the screen. "You're missing a patch there."
"Shoot. Thought I got that." muttered Naomi.
The group looked at each other. They could create a whole new world here! Imagine, something more grand than just a simple 'office'. Eve clapped her hands.
"It is not like we have anything else to do. Let us try it!"
Soon, they had to expand their area and light. Chaos started it by using what they learned about 'Earth' and copied it into their world. Land...sea...skies...grass. Naomi updated the clock, keeping track of how many days, months, minutes, and years had passed. Azazel learned his ability was to create other worlds like this one, but he had to maintain them...or else they would collapse. Frequently, he would travel but never seen another Naomi, Eve, Iro, Chaos or even himself. They were the only one of their kind. A constant. He kept busy maintaining the other worlds. Everything was connected, everything had constants and variables.
Eve had an idea along with Iro. They wanted to create a friend. With their abilities, they created an egg that had black spots on it. Eventually, it hatched into a strange but friendly creature. Pleased by what they had done, they created more. Eventually, they made a land where all life would restart. The creatures would roam and play, and if their data was destroyed, they would regenerate into this land. It was a perfect cycle.
"Let's call it...Primary Village! Our first place!" suggested Eve, giggling. She started to take upon the form of a young child with flaming red hair, and bright green eyes. Iro, had taken the form of a man with brown hair and brown eyes, and a large stocky body. He enjoyed Eve's company.
Naomi had taken the appearance from the woman she first saw. Her short grey hair, and bright blue eyes made her wisdom reach beyond her years. Azazel had done the same-attracted to a man with such a charming appearance, and personality. His bright yellow eyes were the only thing he changed. It seemed...right. Finally, Chaos took upon an older man with red eyes and long silver hair.
Together they all experienced the internet, a connection to other computers or 'lights'. More creatures were created and named 'digital monsters'. They were simple beings. Naomi even created guardians to help with the eggs. She named them Dominimon. They would be caretakers, and help protect the life ENIAC created at the Primary Village-their first major accomplishment.
Years passed, information evolved, ENIAC's abilities all grew. Naomi was in charge of time, Azazel controlled reality, Eve took charge of life, while Iro had space. Finally, Chaos chose to help the balance in the world. Each was important to the worlds, to the digital and even the human world since it relied on the internet so much. People were connecting, technology grew, society started to change depending on the internet changing. They found out their abilities worked on the human world just as much as the digital one. It was a massive responsibility.
Azazel was a more curious one. Frequently, he was perplexed by Chaos's duty of balance.
"There must be as much dark as there is light." Chaos said.
"Why is that, Chaos?" Azazel asked.
"Because, with too much darkness we would go back to the way we were before. And too much light, we would lose appreciation of darkness. One needs the other."
And so it was, in the digital world the five named themselves The Ancient Ones. They didn't meddle in the business of the digital creatures and let them evolve on their own. Too much handling could cause consequences or make things worse. For the time being, all was well.
Until, many, many years later, Chaos became ill. Something in his code was becoming twisted, and damaged. Instead of protecting the balance of the world, he sought to destroy it. He renamed himself UltimateChaosmon and sought to vanquish everything.
Distraught, the Ancient Ones had to lock him away, and healed the world that had been damaged severely. Distraught, they had to find someone else to hold the power of balance. Another Ancient One was needed.
"We will create one." Naomi said firmly. "All of us."
And so they did, an old man with bright pink eyes, and long silver hair. Domovoi seemed to be well, however he only spoke in riddles and rhymes. Azazel chuckled,
"I thought it would be amusing to have him speak in rhymes."
The others were not as easily amused. Azazel had a strange way of coping with the loss of Chaos since he was close to him. His attitude was conceited, as he developed a wall to separate himself from the others.
More time passed, and more things came to be. The creation of a faster internet, the birth of the Royal Knights, Demon Lords and Holy Angels, the Great Sovereigns, even the creation of D-Reaper they all observed.
However, Azazel grew bored. He saw humans as incapable beings, needing constant reliance on ENIAC's intelligence and the internet's vast wealth of wisdom. Wars were started and helped by them, suffering was constant. The things that people would record with their videos...it was sickening. However, the digimon were not any better. They were savage, unable to create or have advanced thoughts or emotions. They would devour one another without hesitation for their data just to become stronger. While digimon had logic and power, humans had creativity and emotion. There was no middle ground.
In every reality, it was the same way. Digimon had no complex critical thinking. They downloaded each other's data to survive and didn't even feel guilty of it! It was like cannibalism, and it was disturbing to watch. In the human world, wars were different, countries winning would change but all that stayed the same was death and suffering on one side or another. For something that created him and his friends, humans were utterly, utterly stupid.
One day, he had an idea. He could make a combination-a mixture of human and digimon...it would be perfect! He brought the idea up to the others. Naomi gazed at Azazel,
"My friend, it would be unwise to do such a thing. It is unsure what it would be like meddling with human's biological composition. They may die from it."
"A little bit of risk is always needed, Naomi." Azazel replied. "It would shaken things up around here wouldn't it, darling?"
"To mix things together, may produce an appealing recipe. But, to combine human and digimon? A mess it would come to be." Domovoi warned.
"He is right. We will not take such a risk." Eve folded her arms, looking unimpressed.
Iro put a hand on Azazel, "Brother, let us continue helping in the digital world."
Although, Azazel didn't let it go. The idea gnawed at him, and he couldn't resist the temptation to just try it. So, he waited for an opportunity...and to his luck, it appeared.
The girl was dying anyways...it would be a good thing to help save her! She didn't look happy about it at first, but eventually she was starting to enjoy it...and she grew from it. It made things certainly interesting. However, the others were appalled when he showed them his work.
"Look what you have done! We agreed that we would not create hybrids!" Naomi shouted.
"Why? Why deny me? Are you all jealous?" Azazel challenged. He knew they were just envious of his powers and abilities! He was in charge of other worlds, and realities. What more of a important job could there else be?
"No, but now they cannot live a normal life! They are forever changed!" Iro replied, anger in his eyes.
"And you caused a ripple effect! It will take forever to clean this up." Eve shook her head at Azazel. "You are a fool!"
Azazel fixed his suit, something he started to wear recently. It made him stand out from the other's in their brown cloaks and white robes. He folded his hands calmly behind his back.
"You are not yourself-Azazel, are you alright?" Naomi walked up to her friend with a worried expression, something strange and uncharacteristic of her. She was the cool and collected one. Emotions were never her strong suit.
Azazel had seen life... and he had seen death. He had seen love... and he had seen hate. He had killed...he had saved...and it was boring. It was all becoming so boring.
"I am perfectly fine, darling."
"I beg to differ, you seem quite bitter." Domovoi said. Azazel ignored him.
"Naomi, do you wish to contain me like you do with Chaos?" The challenge sparked gasps from others. Naomi narrowed her eyes.
"If you are to become disruptive and threaten the balance of these worlds, then yes."
"Well, try! You do not have enough power to contain me!" Azazel's pride swelled and bloated. He was starting to become consumed with power. With hungry eyes, he tried to attack Naomi, but she simply stopped him in time with a hand gesture.
"Enough! We will not stand for this! Not after losing Chaos." Naomi let the others put their hands out, glowing bright. "Azazel, this is for your own good. Do not ever come back."
With that, Azazel was cast out and sent back in time, a long ago. He grew angry...and enraged at what they had done. He was abandoned by his friends! Carrying an injured ego, Azazel vowed that he would have his revenge...and destroy everything they ever created together. Starting with Primary Village.
The plan came together slowly. He had travelled to another reality named Witchelny. There, he had recovered a spell called Shattered Light. It would prove useful for him to control the more powerful digimon but it was hard to maintain so he would have to pick his digimon puppets carefully. At this time, the three main groups were just forming. They would be suitable.
The plan failed miserably. When he first attempted to conquer Primary Village, the Ancient Ones had took precautions and made it disappear. Azazel needed time to find his hybrids, his creations. And time he had plenty of to formulate a new and improved strategy.
The plan clicked together slowly. Piece by piece and detail by detail. Some things he had to travel across realities for...others were ready for his whim. Azazel needed to make sure his hybrids never strayed from their destiny. Plus, he had a reserve hybrid just in case-the little girl, Ai Haruki wasn't at first suitable-but who knows? She might prove powerful.
It took awhile and lots of searching but, he found a place called Rolling Meadows Facility where two vials of Lindy's code and DNA were kept. It was perfect. Easily distorting cameras, blotching the reports, and retrieving those vials was critical of his scheme and he stole them. He mixed in some code from other digimon and voila! He had Kazu and Makoto-two new glorious hybrids!
Then, he intercepted Destiny and Fate's prophecy. A few things had made him be concerned such as those Tamers and their powerful digimon, but he knew the hybrids were on his side. He would lead them (plus two more he will create) to destroy Primary Village along with a few select digimon from each of the great groups. He would also have to skew a few things and stop the two prophets. Naomi might notice but by the time she gathered the others...it would be too late!
After Primary Village would be burned, and the last digi-egg crushed beneath his feet... then, the others would come. And he would make them pay. He would make them all pay for what they did to Azazel: the Master of Realities!
Author's Note: Well, there you have it! The beginning of the digital world-and Azazel plus the other Ancient Ones are technically Gods. That and UltimateChaosmon was originally a God too but once the others locked him away, he lost a bit of power.
I named Eve after the Christian religion from the first woman created. I found it suitable that she's in charge of life and helped create the very first digimon.
Iro is named after Avatar (on of my favourite characters) if you wanted to know. Plus, it's hard finding names starting with I for men.
Naomi was named after Christian religion again and it means 'pleasantness' as a deep contrast to Azazel which is a demon's name. So, in a way, Azazel is a fallen angel since he was cast out of ENIAC.
Hey! If you haven't yet, please check out my Deviant account! It's the same username I use and I post some really cool art for this story along with other fanfiction covers I create for authors! It would mean a lot!
Next chapter we are getting into the final battle! Let's see what the groups can do! Gallantmon is fighting the Royal Knights, Sakyuamon is fighting the Demon Lords, and MegaGargolmon is fighting the Holy Angels which includes his sister and Lopmon! As well, the hybrids are just coming in and going to fight Azazel, and the prophets Fate and Destiny are injured-maybe Naomi will help them? See you next week!