An: though you might feel tempted to skip this, i urge you not to. This chapter contains important information, as well as character building. Besides, who doesn't like a good villain origin story?
Chapter: ORIGIN-A
Before the child of light, there were Seven others. The first was a young man named Jin, who hailed from the 1st realm of Midgard.
Location: Asgard, 1st realm, Codename: Superdimension, Forest of Awakening.
"Urgh...what the fuck?" where the hell was I? "Mum! Dad! Sarah! Noah!" I shouted, calling out to my family, and hearing no response. (What is this place? How did I get here?) The last thing I remember is being at home, asleep in my own bed. Looking around, I recognised the area around me as some sort of forest, or Greenland, or field, or whatever the fuck it was called. A place with dirt, grass, and trees anyway.
Placing a hand into a pocket on my trousers, I grasped a familiar object, my phone. Pulling it out of its fabric prison, I powered it on, unlocked the screen, and began trying to call everyone in my contacts.
*We're sorry, but the person you are call-*
"FUCK!" I shouted in anger. Where the hell was I!? Why wasn't my phone working? HOW THE FUCK DID I GET HE-" I was interrupted by a sound of rustling, the sudden noise in an area unknown, shocking me into staying quiet. "Doggoooo!" (What the shit?) A strange creature suddenly appeared, looking like an abominable amalgamation between a dog and a generic fantasy slime.
...in a way, it was kind of cute.
Until it wasn't.
"Doggoooo!" the creature suddenly shouted, launching itself in my direction. Unfortunately due to my surprise, I was too caught up in my own shock. Unable to move, the creature's attack landed.
(FUCK!)
And then came the pain.
"URK!"
I had been in a few fights before, and taken my fair share of hits. But nothing hurt more than the creature's sudden attack, knocking both air and blood, out of me.
*GACK* "W-what the fuck!?" 'run' I told myself, 'whatever this thing is, you don't want to mess with it!' I spoke to myself again, knocking myself out of shock, and enabling me to move again. And as I told myself to do, I ran, I ran for my life. "DOGOOOOO!" The monster shouted. I refrained from looking back, instead focusing entirely on running away from the monstrous creature.
"Hah, Hah. Haaaaahhh. I better have lost it." I spoke to myself, tired after running for so long, and hoping that I had managed to shake off the creature chasing me. (What the hell was that thing?) I thought. The monstrous being looked like something straight out of Noah's video games, and appeared to be far more deadly. "Urgh, how am I gonna fix this?" I asked myself, lifting my shirt and bearing witness to the quickly bruising flesh on my stomach.
I wasn't a nurse, but fortunately for me, my mum was, and she made sure that I knew a thing or two. (Heavy bruising, bleeding under the skin. Pain centralised around the stomach area, but nowhere else. Eyes blurry though, caused by exhaustion perhaps?) I thought, listing off what I knew. I was hit in the stomach, and I was exhausted. Whatever that thing was, I could only hope that there was no more of them.
...
Did I just jinx i-
"DOGOOOO!"
"OH FOR FUCK-"
"Duck!"
What?
"DUCK!"
Quickly doing as the unfamiliar voice said, I saw a small, thin, shiny, silver object fly over my head and towards the monster. The object hit, going completely through the creature and exiting out the other side. Within seconds, I witnessed the creature disappear into green ones and zeros (Binary code?), and leaving behind a few small squarish objects.
(What the fu-)
"Heya, never seen your face around here, you new here? The names-" "GIVE ME A SECOND!" I shouted, too overwhelmed to talk.
...
After taking a moment to process all that had happened and ignoring most of it, I cleared my throat and began to speak to the strange person. (Girl.) I mentally corrected, seeing her feminine form. "Haah. Sorry about that, I'm just a little overwhelmed. Ever since I woke up, more and more shit seems to hit the fan. Thank you for saving me, what were you gonna say your name was?" I spoke, apologising to the girl in front of me. Said girl gave me a smile, before waving her hand.
"Nah, its fine, dealing with monsters can be really stressful. As I was saying, the name's Claire, what's yours?" The now-named 'Claire' spoke. She was average height and had hair and eyes the colour of chocolate. "My name is Jin, sorry again about shouting, I woke up not too far from here, and my phone ain't working, so I'm kinda lost. Having to run away from whatever the fu-heck that creature was, did not help." I replied, taking note of the girl's confused expression.
"You woke up in the forest? Any idea why? Did ya perhaps drink a little too much or something?" Claire suggested, unfortunately being wrong. "No, I'm not even old enough to go out drinking with friends. Besides, I clearly remember going to bed last night." I was 17 years of age, old enough to drink in the comfort of my own home as long as I was with family, but not legally anywhere else.
"Huh." Claire started, giving a sound of recognition. "Were you kidnapped?" She suggested. "Doubt it, why would I be dumped in some random forest? Wouldn't they at least take my phone?" I asked. "Oh right, it's a little off topic, but aren't phones some fancy thing that's recently been produced in Planeptune? How the heck did ya get yourself all the way here in Leanbox?" Claire asked. (Leanbox? Planeptune?) this was sounding like the premise of some shitty fanfiction.
"Er, I must definitely be far from home, I've never heard of either of those places, besides, phones are common where I come from." I responded. Trying to keep myself calm, while also trying to ignore the black dots that gathered in the corner of my vision. "Uh-huh, hey, are you okay, you look like yer spacing out." the black dots continued to appear, my focus waned, my head was getting light.
"Urgh, this better be... A bad dream." (Dammit Noah...Why did you have to keep...Me up with that damn...Game) Darkness claimed me before I could complain further.
"Hey! Stay with me!"
END OF ORIGIN-A
Successor notes I-realms-Midgard
The realm of Midgard, due to the existence of what the children call 'multiverse theory' , is split between countless universes. Many things stay the same, such as the lack of beings the children call 'Gods' , as well as a lack of magic. What differs is usually something inconsequential, such as the time one awakens at, being shifted seconds later.
However there does exist more noticeable changes in some, for example there exists a universe where the children acquired the knowledge necessary to traverse the stars, whereas in another they lack the ability to merely cross an ocean.
If there is one constant however, it is the power of their souls and limitless potential. Lacking the protection of 'Gods' and the mystical powers of the arcane, the children of Midgard had only themselves and those around them to rely on, and therefore gathered a form of strength potentially greater than those of the other realms.
'Choice' was one such power, free will being exercised more, in lieu of some greater power. Though there existed among them belief in fate, in truth, they had no need of my interference. Their actions were their own, and thus they lacked excuse, but not purpose.
'Balance' a state where the forces of light and dark combat each other as equals or are non-existent. Due to the nature of the children of Midgard being both benevolent and malevolent 'Balance' is always in effect. Though they cry out against injustice, it was imperative that those cries weren't always heard.
To burn or to rot, neither was an option.
So they laugh, they love, they give. But they also cry, they hate, they take.
It is something that 'confuses' me. Why are the other realms so different?
Why must my hand be forced?
Chapter: ORIGIN-B
Appearing in Asgard, the child was scared and confused.
When I awoke, it was once again somewhere unfamiliar. Four walls, a window, a door, and a single bed that I found myself lied upon. (Where the hell am I now?) I was a bit out of it, still being a little tired from just having woke up, but I was still aware enough to be confused.
"Ah, you're awake then." A voice spoke. Turning my head, I took notice of the person in the room, it was Claire. "You gave me quite the scare you know, passing out so suddenly." (Oh for fucks' sake. WHY!) why couldn't it have just been a damn dream! "Ah, shit. Suppose I should thank you for bringing me here. That being said, where are we?" I spoke, trying my best to stay calm, reasoning with myself that losing it would do no good.
"Oh, you're in my house, or more specifically, my parent's house. I brought you here after you fell asleep. Would have brought you to the clinic, but you didn't seem injured enough. A bruise is nothing compared to what monsters usually do." She spoke. (Monsters could do worse?) I questioned, though I quickly reasoned that she was right. After all, if such a small, cartoonish looking things like those slimes could hurt me enough to leave a bruise, what could other, more fearsome creatures do?
(Where the hell did I end up?) I questioned once more. Things just kept on getting worse and worse. "Anyway, are you feeling better now? Me and my mum used what little healing magic we knew to try and fix you up." Claire spoke. "Well, apart from feeling a little tired, I'm fine." If weird creatures like the one that attacked me existed, then why the hell wouldn't magic? It was a bit of a leap in logic, but that was thrown out the window ages ago.
"Quick question. You said we were somewhere on 'Leanbox', can you tell me where that is?" I asked, curious on where I was. Claire seemed surprised at my question, at least at first, before shaking her head, presumably remembering my situation. "Ah, that's right, you wouldn't know... Well, anyway, we're currently in a town called Gears. My parents and I have lived here our entire lives working as medics." Claire explained, ironically explaining nothing, as I didn't have enough context.
"You mentioned being on Leanbox, can you please explain where exactly that is?" I asked, once again leading to Claire looking surprised, the look not fading away this time. "Y'know, Leanbox, the land of green pastures? Ruled by Lady Green Heart? One of four landmasses in Gamindustri?" I gave her a blank look. "How in the heck do you not know any of this?" I shook my head dismissively. "I'm not from around here, I don't know what I don't know, okay?" I replied, not wishing to disclose more than that, lest I make myself look like some kind of insane person.
"You're a weird one, you know that?" Claire spoke, ignoring my question. I gave her another blank stare. She had no right to call me that. In my opinion, this entire world was weird. "Anywa-" "How the patient, oh daughter of mine?" An unfamiliar voice spoke, interrupting Claire. A woman, clearly older than Claire, and from the way she called her 'daughter', her mother. She shared Claire's eyes. But her hair was longer, and blonde in colour.
"Oh my, it appears our patient is checking me out, sorry young man, but I'm taken~" I blankly stared at the woman. Who the hell introduces themselves like that? (I swear my face is going to end up staying this way.) I thought, referring to my use of blank stares. "I did not ask, nor do I care. I am, however, grateful for you and your daughter's assistance. So for that, thank you." I spoke.
"Oh please, I would be a poor medic if i couldn't heal a mere bruise, think nothing of it, it's my job after all." Claire's mother spoke, her daughter nodding at her words. "As I was about to say, what do you plan on doing now, Jin?" Claire asked, asking a valid, but harrowing question.
The truth was, what could I do? I was stranded in an unknown place, in an unknown world where monstrous creatures wandered. What could I, a normal 17-year-old boy do?
"I don't know." I answered honestly, causing both Claire, and her mother, to look at me with concern. "My daughter told me you woke up in the forest. Do you have anywhere to go?" the older woman asked. "No. This place is unknown to me, as is everything about it. I don't know what Leanbox is, other than the fact that we're on it. I know monsters exist, if only because I faced one and got injured." I began, trying my best to stay calm. Something that kept proving to be more and more difficult.
"I can't contact my family, in fact, I'm pretty sure there's no way to find them here."
"I am alone, and you have the fucking gall to ask if I have anywhere to go? NO! NO I DON'T!" I replied, my emotions getting the better of me. (God damn it! Why me...WHY!)
There was a moment of silence.
"I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have shouted like that, especially to someone who helped me." I apologised, realising how unfair it was to lose my temper at those who healed me. I felt a pair of arms wrap around me in a hug. Claire's mum was trying to comfort me. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. How about you stay with us for a while?" She spoke, her as well as her daughter giving me small smiles of comfort.
"T-that would be nice. T-thank you." I spoke, sobbing as I did so, my situation getting to me. After an unknown period of time, the older woman let me go, and grasped my hand. "Let's go. I'm sure you'll want to know where you'll be staying, right?" I nodded, my head filled with embarrassment due to my hand being held as if I were some child. "I have an idea; he can share a room with me!" Claire suggested, making my embarrassment disappear completely.
"Um, no offence, but I'd rather not." Besides the fact that we were strangers, we were also two teenagers, assuming Claire was as old as she looked. There was no way It'd be appropriate. Even discounting that, I was someone who preferred having some privacy. "Hmm, well, it's either that or the sofa, we don't have any spare rooms." The older woman spoke, sounding as if she actually agreed with her daughter.
"You barely know me, why be so trusting?" I asked, genuinely curious. The older woman responded first. "Aww, after you poured your heart out like that, how could I not want to snuggle you until you feel better, I am a mother you know~ Motherly instinct rules above all!" She spoke, saying the last part with extreme enthusiasm, wrapping me up in another hug as she did so. "And you agree with this?" I asked the younger woman.
"Well duh! I was the one that suggested it!" she spoke, being as excited as her mum. (Fuck it, better than being homeless.) I thought. "Oh, right. Would your husband be alright with this? I mean to bring a stranger into your home, much less allow them to sleep in the same room as your daughter, would he really be okay with that?" I asked. While I had thought to not look a gift horse in the mouth, I also couldn't help but also be curious.
I mean, if I was in their shoes, there was no way in hell I would let a stranger in my home.
Claire's mum gave a sickeningly sweet smile, before her daughter whispered into my ear. "Dad listens to mum. Whatever she says goes." She spoke. (Huh, sounds like home.) back home, mother was the one who called the shots. Her and dad argued at times, but inevitably, mother would win. We even had a saying: 'he who angered mother, shall find the devil taking notes'.
Indeed, in front of my mum, even the devil could cry.
"Wait, what about here?" I asked. How was I on a bed if there was apparently no spare room? In response to my question, Claire laughed, and her mother smiled. "Oh, that's because this is me and my husbands' room." Huh...awkward. "Ah, my apologies." I spoke, quickly getting up.
I did not feel comfortable lying in the bed of a married couple.
END OF ORIGIN-B
Successor notes II-realms-Asgard
Condolences, I had let an aspect of 'Emotion' reveal itself. It shall not happen again.
Asgard, unlike Midgard, did not share eternal balance as the universes of Midgard did. Instead, there existed higher beings the children hailed as 'Gods' as well as magic. Children of Asgard lacked the will and power of those in Midgard, instead looking towards their 'Gods' for guidance. These beings held power far greater than the children and held the duality of benevolence and malevolence in far greater amounts.
The existence of both 'good Gods' and 'bad Gods' should have meant that Asgard would also have no need of my aid.
Yet the cycle of Benevolence verses Malevolence began to break.
One child rebelled against the malevolence, and together with the aid of his fellow children, as well as the aid of a benevolent 'God', began to slay them, usurping their thrones, and taking upon themselves powers too great.
Therefore, the wheels of fate were put in motion, and from the corpses of the once worshiped beings, spawned monstrosities that devoured the children of Asgard.
The benevolent one retaliated, as did the demon child. A 'God' split in four, and wish made to the world. All done for the sake of peace, unknowing of consequence.
Thus, my hand was forced once more.
Again
Again
Again
Again
Again
Again
Again
And Again.
This realm, and countless universes within it, so much change.
So much aid.
Even when one 'God' was brought before me, and brought under my banner, my interference was still needed.
The tree of life, source of all things, and parent to all, still required my help. Thus I would not, could not, falter.
Even as I began to tire.
Chapter: ORIGIN-C
At first there was hope.
"This, my dear guest, is our lovely home!" the older woman spoke, making exaggerated movements with her arms as her daughter laughed at her antics. I looked at the younger woman with a raised eyebrow, as if to ask, 'is this normal?'. She nodded her head. "Anyway. Claire, show Jin where your room is, I'm sure he'll want to make himself familiar." Claire nodded her head, grabbed my hand, and led me further in the house, letting go of my hand when we went up a flight of stairs.
"My bedroom is there. It's opposite the bathroom, so don't worry about that." she spoke, pointing to her room, then the door that presumably led to the bathroom. "Wanna check my room out?" she asked, sounding a little too excited for what amounted to showing a guest where they'd be sleeping. "Uh, sure, I guess." I replied, not expecting such enthusiasm. I was quickly dragged into the girl's room.
(This is surprisingly normal.) I thought, taking in the sight that was Claire's room. The walls were painted a light red. In fact, I'd make a guess and suggest that was the entire theme of the room, judging by the fact that nearly everything was covered in the same colour, well, that and white. "What do you think, pretty neato, huh?" I was initially going to give her another blank look, but immediately realised that would make me look like a right prick.
"It's...nice, I guess. I can't really complain, though, why the hell is there only one bed?" I responded. "Because before now, only I slept here, you dummy." she responded, looking at me as if I were some idiot. "Didn't you offer to allow me to sleep here? Where am I gonna be sleeping then?" I asked. Confused on the sleeping arrangements. (Unless...No, that'd be fucking stupid.) unfortunately for me, my thoughts were correct.
"We'll be sleeping in the same bed, duh!" Claire replied, as if it were the obvious answer. I wanted to protest, obviously. But I had nowhere else to go, and didn't feel like questioning shit any further, lest I lose what goodwill I was being given. "Okay." I replied simply. Looking at the bed, it luckily looked more than big enough for two. Hell, there was two pillows as well.
"So, er, do we each pick a side then?" I asked, referring to how we would sleep. "Yup, though I already call dibs on the right side, I like being closer to the window." Claire replied, pointing out the window that was to the right of the bed. "Come and sit with me." Claire spoke, gesturing for me to sit beside her.
Doing as she said, the young woman spoke again. "Mind if I ask you some questions about your family?" She asked, Smiling politely. "Sure, I guess." I replied. Her family were kind enough to allow me, a stranger, to live with them. I could answer a few questions at least. "Hmm...How many people lived with you? Do you have any brothers and sisters?" The brown-haired girl asked, her question bringing good memories to the surface of my mind.
"Heh, where do I begin?" I asked rhetorically. "Well for starters, there's me, my brother Noah, our little sister Sarah, and my Mum and Dad. I have quite a few other family members; aunties, uncles and cousins, but I never saw them often." I started, smiling fondly at the memories surfacing. "What about Grandparents?" Claire asked, causing my smile to falter.
"Ah, well...I never knew them, none of my siblings did either." they all died years before I was born, living only in my mum and dads' memories. "U-um, sorry..." Claire apologised. "Don't be. How in the hell were you supposed to know? Anyway, back to your original question. My Mum and Dad were both pretty average, though my mother was exceptionally scary if you made her mad. Noah and Sarah though? They're anything but average. Sarah was, is, a bit of a brat, though that's to be expected, considering she's the youngest."
Sarah Ordinarius, 10 years old. Cuter as a puppy, but far smarter than she had any right being. Noah and I lost count of how many times she got us into trouble.
"She would always use her status as the youngest to get away with things Noah and I wouldn't when we were her age. Strange how age makes people go soft...Anyway, Noah is my younger brother. If I had to describe him in one word, it'd be 'protective' . Don't get me wrong, if anyone tried something on anyone of them I'd kick their arses. But Noah was far worse. He could be scary sometimes, as pathetic as it sounds. Though that wasn't all he was. He was weird in other ways too, he liked fighting, but not pointlessly. He liked cooking, but would rarely do so unless asked, or if he needed to cheer someone up."
Noah Ordinarius, 13 years old. The protective hound of the Ordinarius household, a title he held barely over our Dad.
"He could be quite uncaring towards others, bordering on sociopathic, yet once he began to know someone, he became quickly attached. 'Contradiction' is another word I would call him." As weird as he could be, however, he was still my little brother, and I loved him. "They sound like lovely people. Even your brother." Claire spoke, causing my smile to widen. "Yeah, they are..." I spoke. Losing myself in memories.
"Big brother, what's a 'Penis'? I saw the word in one of Mummy's books."
"Ergh, Um, well, you see..."
"PFT HAHAHA! Joking! I know what one of those are. The look on your face!"
"Tch, I haven't the slightest idea why you choose to associate with so many people, they'll only hurt you in the end."
"Maybe so, but to truly live you have to take risks."
"...Perhaps. Just...be careful, please. I don't want to see you get hurt."
"..in...j...JIN!"
"Huh, wha?" Oh, right, Claire must have been calling me."Were you daydreaming or something?" She asked. "Urgh, yeah, sorry. Was lost in memories is all." I replied, noticing the look on Claire's face go sour. "You miss them already, don't you?" Hah, give the girl a medal... "Yeah..." I normally wouldn't, it hadn't been that long, but I was in some other world now. I had no way of knowing how to get home, or if it was even possible.
A reality that would have some rejoice, was nothing but a horrible nightmare for me.
"Hey..." Claire started, wrapping her arms around me. "We'll get you home somehow, I promise. For now, just consider your stay here a learning experience. Besides..." I felt her head lean in closer to my ear. "You get to sleep in the same room as a girl, now doesn't that sound nice~"
Nope.
"Sorry, not interested." We just met, besides, she had to be joking. From the looks of her face afterwards, I was right. "Hmph, really? You're no fun." The girl spoke, unclasping her hands from my person, and gently pushing herself away. "Since it's getting late, do you wanna go to sleep?" She asked. The yawn that escaped my mouth answered for me. "I'll take that as a yes. Turn around for a second will ya, I got to get changed."
I did as asked, and before long, the two of us were lying in the bed. Claire was quick to fall asleep, clearly more comfortable with the situation than I was.
(How the hell had things come to this?) I thought, the events of the day repeating within my mind. It all was just so surreal. I fell asleep in my bed at the end of a normal day at college, only to suddenly wake up in some unfamiliar place, and be attacked by a monster of all things.
I did not sleep easy, to say the least.
END OF ORIGIN-C
Successor notes III- Stranger project
Due to the countless worlds under my watch, I had devised a plan that would ensure balance. If there was a lack of 'Choice', of 'Balance', then I would simply have to 'add' some.
Those of Midgard contained what the children of Asgard naturally lacked, what the demon child tried to take. If their power were to mingle with those of Asgard, then perhaps my aid would not be required.
And so I began, at first taking a single child from Midgard, but swiftly another as soon as the first chose rebellion. Cries of injustice, a vow of vengeance, a single day, turned into such a horrific night.
I must confess, I indeed 'felt' something, but I could not falter.
A single life, or tens, or hundreds.
What were they, when compared to everything?
At first, power, given when they themselves were insufficient. Then a focus on light, one that could combat the vilest of darkness. Before finally, past memories were removed, as to allow for a focus on their mission.
Five souls fell, as two survived and swore their revenge, before the eighth, the child of light, would bring 'Balance'.
If not by choice, then by force.
END OF CHAPTER
An: what is a story without at least somewhat fleshed-out villains? This was both easy and difficult for me, as while I knew and planned out their motivations, writing entire scenes filled with dialogue and descriptive text of past events is difficult.
To put it simply, continuity. I'm sure I've messed up somewhere, heck I'm pretty sure I know exactly where. And I'm not just referring to this chapter. But alas, I am a lazy man who just wants to continue writing rather than backtracking.
Feel free to tell me how you felt about the story so far. (Hint hint, notsosubtlehoundingforreviews.)