8000s BC
Glarris looked at the group of humans as they interacted. Two in particular had caught his attention a year ago. The first was a girl of 16 years named La. The second was a man of 26 years named Ro.
In Glarris' many years he had seen plenty of humans swindle other humans, but not the way these two did.
A year ago Ro put on a show pretending to be the messengers of a deity called Bal. Ro would tell a story of how Bal's messenger La would be coming and would burn half of their crops in three days if they did not sacrifice two of their herd and make offerings to him. The humans shunned him, going so far as to even throwing rocks at him.
Glarris had thought the man Ro was a fool and quickly put him out of his mind.
It was what happened three days later that interested Glarris. In the middle of a very dark night as he was hunting a near silent laugh caught his attention. He turned away from his intended prey and towards the source of the noise. He saw the then 15 year old La. She was kneeled in the middle of the crops, hidden from all mortal eyes. She was holding dried grass and had a look of concentration on her face. His eyes widened when he saw the grass suddenly catch on fire. La giggled and started spreading the fire. What was even more astounding to Glarris was that even when she touched the flames she did not burn.
When the morning came exactly half of the crops were ashes.
The following day Ro came back saying that Bal's messenger La would be coming at sunset and that everyone was to bring an offering.
As the sun hit the horizon La walked into the village wearing an elaborate mask and clothing, with her hands flaming. Ro then pointed to one of the biggest 'disbelivers' saying that they sinned against Bal. La would run up to them and touch their face with her hands burning them and leaving a scar on each side of their face, marking them for all to know.
Some stepped forward to defend their loved ones against Bal's messenger La, but when La's flames grew brighter and bigger they all stepped back and looked away from her in fear.
"Rejoice! For Bal has chosen this place to be his blessed city!" Ro said loudly once no one else tried to challenge them. "Bal wishes for a temple to be built in his name for La, his most loyal messenger, to stay in order to give this place its daily blessing. Bal's messenger La shall take your chief's hut until this shrine is built!" Ro bowed to La. "Bal is benevolent and has given me supplies for the temple and food to make up for what he took in retribution for your disbelief!" Ro paused. "All Bal asks in return is your eternal devotion."
Glarris laughed at the audacity of these two humans as he watched them covertly from the forest. He had never seen any human or vampire with this much… bold cunning.
The female interested him greatly. Her ability to produce and control flames intrigued him. He was even more interested though in her lack of being burned. If he changed her, well his immortality could truly be ensured if her gift could protect him from fire.
Along with that she was quite lovely. Vamperism would only enhance that beauty.
It only took the villagers a month to build the temple. It was the largest building in the village with four rooms. La and Ro stayed in the temple.
Glarris quickly found out that those two were lovers. This fact annoyed him. He had already started considering La as his own, even if she didn't yet know he existed. He was just waiting for her body to fully mature.
Those that La had burned when she first came to the village became the most devoted followers of Bal. They brought daily offerings of food and monthly offerings of luxuries such as fine clothing and intricately carved furniture.
La enjoyed having all the villagers at her beck and call. She considered them to be complete morons, like children easily manipulated. There initial fear had caused them to bend to her will, but it was the knowledge she and Ro brought with them that made them happily accept the two schemers into their community.
Ro taught them all new farming and fishing techniques. They even brought them a small flock of four legged domesticated animals that the villagers had never seen before. Their village was much more prosperous because of it.
A year passed as Glarris watched the small village grow. It started trading with the other villages and drew in more riches. The offerings to the temple became extravagant and people from other villages started visiting the temple. Having so many people coming and going made it easier for Glarris to hunt more often while still being close to La.
As the sun drooped behind the horizon Glarris decided to at last formally meet his young La. He walked unseen along the dirt paths and between the small huts.
He decided to be polite and to knock on the large wooden door rather than just walking in as he usually did. A moment later Ro opened the door widely before completely freezing. He had never seen such a fearsome yet divine looking man before.
"I've come to see La." Glarris said, trying not to be too intimidating. Ro snapped back into his usual mind set.
"She is to be addressed as Bal's Messenger La, or The Divine La." Ro's voice was authoritative despite him being scared of the large male in front of him. Glarris snorted and pushed aside the human gently.
"I do not care what lies you feed those humans, I won't be a party to them." Glarris walked into the temple. From the slow pace of La's heartbeat he knew she was asleep.
"You can't go in there!" Ro shouted as he stood back up and grabbed onto Glarris' arm. He tried to yank him away from La's room, but Glarris hardly felt the tug, nor did he care about it. He only started caring about the noise Ro was making when La's heart rate started accelerating. With a measured force Glarris backhanded Ro, sending him back to the ground and making him fall unconscious.
Glarris moved aside the small flap of fabric that constituted a door and walked into La's room.
La's heartbeat had slowed down again as Glarris looked around, seeing perfectly in the dark. He was surprised by the grandeur of it. Instead of the dirty floors that most buildings had there was flat, polished stones. Various pelts were strewn on the floor and the large feather stuffed bed. The frame of the bed had the images of flowers, fruits, and vegetables carved into it. A small contraption Glarris didn't recognize was smoking, giving off a sweet scent. A bowl near the bed had fresh fruit in it. A chest in the corner was cracked open and Glarris could see many outfits and masks.
He sat down on the bed beside her, causing her to groan and twisting slightly in her sleep. He lightly caressed her face, enjoying the fact that she would one day be his, that he'd finally be truly immortal, no longer having to fear the flames.
To wake her up in this manner would probably startle her though, and that simply would not do if he wanted his plan to work.
Glarris walked back to where Ro was unconscious on the floor. He picked up a half filled glass and tossed the contents at the human. Ro shot up, sputtering and wiping at his face.
"Get up human!" Glarris hissed and Ro was filled with fear. He clamored to get back on his feet. "Wake up La, and do so quickly." Ro opened his mouth to protest. "If you defy me I shall break your arm and your screams will wake her." Ro scurried into La's room.
"La, you have to wake up. We have to run." Ro whispered into La's ear as he shook her.
"Wha-what's wrong?"
"There's some sort of demon out there-" Glarris chose that moment to enter the room.
"Talented, conniving, and lovely La. It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. I am Glarris." He made sure to give her his most charming smile. La tried to look indignant at this man who had the nerve to come into chambers uninvited, but with Glarris' keen sight he saw through her practiced façade.
"We have to leave now." Ro said in a foreign language.
"The only reason you're not dead," Glarris began in the same tongue as Ro had used, "is because I believe La would not appreciate me killing you. Yet, if you keep talking that reason will cease to have meaning." Ro looked at La pleadingly, despite him being almost twice as old as her. La motioned for Ro to calm down. He opened his mouth to speak again and she sent him a quick glare that silenced him instantly.
La stood up from her bed, abandoning the sheets and furs that covered her. Glarris enjoyed the air of confidence she had, despite only wearing a skirt and necklaces. She nonchalantly pulled on one of her better priestess robes that went down to her ankles.
"Drink?" La offered as she held up a half full jug of wine. Glarris laughed but declined. "Very well. Why are you here at this dark hour?" La asked as she poured herself a glass and sat in the only chair in the room.
"I've been watching you two for a while now. Your methods of taking from the lesser humans have entertained me greatly." He chuckled again and La's face remained impassive. "That wouldn't have kept my attention that long though." Glarris looked at one of the candles that were lit. "What interests me is your talent, the way you started that fire in the field, the way it didn't hurt you."
"We all have our talents." La said in a bland voice, but she was grinning.
"Some talents are more impressive than others." Glarris suddenly frowned. "By the standards of my kind I am wholly unremarkable, without talent, but amongst you humans I am gifted above all others."
"Your kind?" La was very interested in what he was saying, despite Ro's warning. Glarris had an other-worldly appeal that frightened her, but that fear was surpassed by curiosity.
"We have no name, we merely exists. There is no need for us to create a name for ourselves." Glarris trailed off and La nodded for him to continue. "I am a superior being to you humans with unmatched speed, strength, and intellect." Glarris was looking at Ro as he spoke, further scaring the man. "Most remarkably I am immortal, never dying." La narrowed her eyes at his statement.
"That which has a start must have an end." She said confidently.
"And that is why I am here. With you by my side I do believe we could achieve an immortality with no end."
"Ahh, so it is fire that makes your kind mortal."
"Unfortunately."
"So I could kill you this instant if I wanted."
"By the time a single flame touched me I'd have already snapped your delicate neck." To prove his point he ran behind her and lightly brushed her neck before returning to his original spot. La had only seen a blur.
"I see you did not exaggerate your speed."
Glarris was once again impressed by La. Her composure was not only based on years of lying, he could hear her heart thudding away against her ribs. Its pace had only gone up slightly after his stunt. Ro's heart, on the other hand, was racing faster than the breaths he was gasping. Glarris wouldn't be surprised if the man fainted soon just from the pressure his emotions were putting on his body.
"Despite the show I put on to my followers I'm only mortal. How would having me around help you in the long run?" La had already figured it out, but she wanted to hear him say it.
"Quite simply I'll turn you into one of us, into an immortal."
Ro suddenly stood up and stood between La and Glarris.
"No, I won't let you take her." He said while trembling. Glarris was once again surprised. He knew the two of them had some sort of relationship, but he didn't know it was this strong.
"Ro, we're merely discussing terms. No need for you to ruin that."
"But-"
"No need to act childish." Bella said, cutting him off. "Glarris has an advantage in this situation and you talking just frustrates us both." Ro looked down at his feet easily shamed due to years of manipulation on La's part.
"Besides, what do you have to offer La? Another year of living this sham? Many villagers are already suspicious of you two despite the growth you've caused. And then what? Moving onto another town? Leeching off them till they try to kill you? You might be able to pull it off, but what about when one of you dies? Your scheme requires at least two people. Ultimately it ends in death." La remained impassive as Glarris talked. Ro's eyes went wide as he took all this in, clearly not having thought that far ahead. "I, unlike you, can offer her countless years, access to all the riches she could desire, and a world larger than you can imagine."
"What you're saying sounds very appealing, but surely there are downsides you have yet to mention." La was trying to read his expression, but she couldn't.
"Yes, the change from your kind to mine is torture. It leaves you incapable of having children. It also makes it so that you need to feast on the blood of humans." La considered these prospects. "In the end the pain and deaths are worth it."
"And what of Ro?"
"He is no use to me. I suggest he grabs all the treasure he can tonight and leave this place before it turns against him."
"Your proposition interests me." La considered the possibilities, living forever gave her so many new opportunities. It wasn't the eternity though that seemed to clench the deal for her; no it was the promise of gaining a better mind, a better intellect.
"Please don't leave me. We're a team. Without you they'll surely kill me. I can't go back to our village. They'd stone me for stealing you from the chief's son."
"Come here Ro." La said, her arms spread wide. He fell into her embrace. "You promised me riches and adventure and you fulfilled that promise tenfold, but now I must go on a new adventure. You love me, don't you?" He could only nod in response. "Then think of this as your final gift to me, the gift of letting me go." Ro clutched onto her tighter. "When the first worshiper comes with the sun tell them I am consulting with Bal on grave matters. Talia should be coming around noon. You can't see it, but she loves you. Use that to your advantage. Spin her a story and slip away in the night with her and as much riches as you can."
"But…"
"Just do it, Ro. This is the best outcome for all of us." He remained silent at first
"I'll do it, but only because I want you to have the best of this world." Ro said before giving her a deep kiss. La wiped the side of her lip when he was done before looking at Glarris.
"I'm ready." La said confidently while standing. Glarris smiled before picking her up and disappearing from Ro's sight. Ro wept for thirty minutes before becoming stoic and determined. He was finished packing by the time the sun peaked from behind the horizon.
A world away Glarris set La down before grabbing a different human and draining him right in front of her. Glarris watched her as he did. She did not cringe away or scream, instead La just raised an eyebrow in morbid curiosity.
Without speaking Glarris dropped the man and bit into La. She took in a startled breath before it turned into a scream as his venom was introduced into her system. He licked his lips as he looked down at her, savoring the taste of her blood. Her screams, although ear piercing did not bother him. He'd heard so many over his lifetime that they faded into the background like birds tweeting.
He held her as she changed, not out of compassion or comfort, but out of greed and a sense of possession. His plan had gone smoother than he'd anticipated. She was finally his and with her came true immortality.
He found it amusing, how she clutched onto him as if somehow that would dull her torture.
He watched her features change as the venom burned her. Her beauty was as grand as he'd expected it to be. Glarris was so caught up staring at her altering form that he didn't notice that instead of her skin becoming cold it grew hotter and hotter.
As the second day ended he finally took note of the increasing heat, it was almost painful. He tried to pry her off of him, but the more he struggled the hotter it got. Just as he was about to bite off her arm she lit up, fire radiating from her body. Glarris screamed in anguish as the flames destroyed him. He tried to push La away, but his hands turned to charcoal. La seemed to only hold onto him tighter as he flailed. Seconds later he was ash.
On the third day La's transformation was complete. Her red eyes cracked open. She was laying on her back, looking up at the sun. She blinked a few times in confusion before sitting up. The area around her was scorched. La looked down at herself she was naked, save for a fine layer of ash that covered her.
She laid back down and covered her eyes, trying to understand what was happening, what had happened. Her mind was blank, she couldn't even remember her name. She sighed. Her throat was hurting, but she pushed aside the sensation, trying to focus on any clues that might still be in her head, even something as insignificant as her own name.
La growled in frustration, startling herself. She suddenly stood and focused on the sun again as she sifted through the stray, useless bits of memory. None of them made any sense. Finally two words came together, causing a glimmer of recognition in her thoughts.
"Bal-La." She tested the name on her lips. It felt right.
What do you think of Bella's origins?
Hope you liked the story! I started a new Bella/Aro story btw.