Void.
It was the very first concept that filled everything. In the place that is but a mere dream of a blind idiot god, everything that exists first holds power, and then essence, and finally will. When Void ruled everything, he was not prideful, not selfish, not happy, not angry, not anything really. It was nothing itself, how was it supposed to feel?
An intense urge filled him. The urge to fill himself. Sacrificing some of his own "flesh", the Void wanted to create "something". However, its power was so vast that it didn't just create "something", but rather "everything". He created a friend he called "Creation".
Creation was a loyal concept. Feeling deep gratitude for her creator and friend, she created everything that there is. Stars, galaxies, Universes, Multiverses, Hyperverses, and it goes higher to highest, even concepts known and unknown were all created for her friend. Every time that Creation would make something for Void, Void's heart would shake in different colors. Over time, Void's feelings towards creation started to grow. Thus, their first child was brought into existence: Love.
Love encouraged its parents to make its siblings and they did. With Love as the eldest, a group of thought was born and their parents called them Emotions. Emotions brought color to the world, and once again Void's heart trembled. This was when-
"This bedtime story is boring. Tell us another one!" Cain interrupted the story for a rant, flailing his arms around on the bed in a little act of tantrum. He and his sister were listening to their father's story as they were about to sleep. The father, Dave, was asking himself if the story was really THAT bad. Plus, they were supposed to sleep, so why is the need for an interesting story present in the first place?
"What story should I tell you guys then?" Dave asked his children, closing his book with a tired sigh.
On the other hand, Jubelian, the 2nd child, quickly crawled towards his father and exclaimed, "Tell us about the story of when you and mom first met!". Though, she was scolded for raising her voice as their youngest, who was only born yesterday, was sleeping soundly on the bosom of her mother.
Dave awkwardly stared at his wife, who in turn stared in the same manner. He was about to refuse but when he turned his glance towards his children's faces sparkling with interest, he pondered what to do. He surely can't refuse them now. Then, as if a light appeared on top of his head, he spoke.
"Alright, alright. Sit well." He commanded with a smirk. Seeing this, his wife couldn't help but listen as well. "Our story starts eternities after the earlier event, somewhere in the outer parts of the Kingdom of Lordrith, where most of the lower caste thrive-"
The town of Gilgan.
In a humble town below the humble lake called Gilgan, rumored to home a divine nymph that gave the lake there its name, lived a humble man called Dave. Every day, all day, he plows the crusty soils in hopes of a spring for his flowers. And he gets them, sometimes. But when he does, his garden would turn into a mirror of the divine palace, beautiful and seemingly holy.
Flowers are delicate, and so is the process of their growth. Hence, a man should learn grace and gentleness if such a profession is chosen. Thankfully for Dave, he was born with a talent for his hands. This flower groomer grows many flowers like tulips, roses, irises, even [1]Adarnas, and yet none of them are as lovely as Evelynn.
In the divine language, Evelynn meant "to ensnare".
Such a name is fitting for a lady like her,
For her face resembled the [2]Goddess Freya, beautiful but fierce-
Her hair is reminiscent of the golden threads of [3]Paris-
Her eyes, mirror of [4] Kaguya, the brightest Moon-
Her lips, as red as the Crimson Moon, [4]Akatsuki-
Her attitude might as well be her face, for Evelynn is as kins as a saint, as loving as a hen, and as elegant as a manakin bird. When she gets angry, however, you better fasten your laces, because only then will the warm lady turn into the coldest Giant.
Just as it is hard to make a living, it is even harder to make love. Various men from multiple parts of the kingdom desired her, from the very bottom of the caste to the highest part of it. They offered her riches, their ancestries, their positions, they offered everything that they could think of-
None, however, was able to capture the heart of the fair lady.
Dave had nothing to give except his humble flowers and gentle but gracious symphonies of love. These simple offerings and genuine feelings, for Evelynn, outweighs the mountains of luxuries and power that the nobles were willing to give. Such is the power of love. It can weave 2 completely different threads into 1 beautiful piece of cloth. This short-pursed man took the heart of a far-fetched lady.
Finally, at the dawn of the first day of a new year, they kissed along with the sunrise, a sign that indicates the start of something new-
"-And they lived happily ever after!" The little girl interrupted her Father. "Baby, the book wasn't-"
Evelynn placed her gentle hands at his and smiled.
"You know what, that works too." Dave dejectedly tucked both his children with a sigh.
"That story is boring. Tell me another one!" the elder brother removed the sheets and crosses his arms. He doesn't truly think that the story was boring, he just wanted another story. However, this hurt his Father quite a bit since he thought hard of that one.
"Alright, but after this, both of you will sleep okay?" Dave ignored his child's unpleasant remarks.
"Okay!" the younger sister answered with sparkly eyes.
The elder brother replied without his heart into it, "Okay". Okay, he says, but he's planning to feign his rest.
(Moments later...)
The loud snoring of the drooling rascal filled the bedroom. It looks like he wasn't a child who keeps promises to himself. Both parents tucked their children good night before leaving the room.
"They're finally asleep-" Mother hugged Father tightly, sniffing the huge, toned back of her husband.
"Evelynn, don't tell me you want a fourth one, the recent child was born just yesterday-" Dave turns around to face her wife. He was concerned about her.
"What if I do? Huh? What are you gonna do, my Davey?" She traced rings around his chest with a flirty demeanor. Dave IS concerned, but seeing that she's this enthusiastic about it-
"Oh, you already know what I'm gonna do. I did it countless of times already-"
As they were about to kiss, a loud banging on their door interrupts them.
"Help!" A raspy voice called, still desperately hitting on the wooden door and continuously shouting the same word over.
Dave cautiously peeked through the other side of the door through magic. It was a single man carrying a large basket covered with a red cloth.
"Who are you?" Dave observes the man with an irritated face. Who is this cockblock? - he thought as he clenched his fist. Behind her is Evelynn with her sword unsheathed.
"I am Sir Jake Francis from the Kingdom of Paris." the stranger spoke with a forced voice. People honored by the priests of Paris call themselves with a 'Sir' honorific.
"He's a [5]Parisian." Dave whispered to his wife, who further upped her guard. "And?"
"… I'm sorry. I cannot disclose more than that-"
"Then you are wasting your time, honorable knight. I will not let a man whose background I do not know into my house, even if it is a knight blessed by the gods of [6]Muspelhell-"
"But what if it's not a man?"
"… W-What do you mean by that good sir?" Dave is confused by the stranger's claim.
"I have a child with me."
"!!!"
The couple looked at each other for they see no child.
"W-Where is it? Bring the child out." Dave stepped back, ready to fire his magic.
"I… cannot. It is co-co-cold out here. He might die. Please, I have a portrait of him at least-" with his trembling hands, he brought a portrait framed with gold. In it, is the image of an infant and her mother.
Without a moment of hesitation, Evelynn opened the door.
"Come in." she extends her hands, still wary of the stranger. Dave stared at his wife with an exasperated sigh.
"I ca-ca-can't." Jake's pale face brightened and blurted a chuckling cough. When Evelynn stared at his lower half, it's trembling and completely frozen.
"Good heavens!" Evelynn blurted out in shock. Dave rushes to the kitchen to boil some water.
"P-Pay no hee-heed to it. Quick! On my back… is a basket. There lies… Adam."
Evelynn quickly reached out for the basket covered with a thick blood-red cloth that resembled a knight's winter cloak. The basket cradled an infant sleeping soundly.
"P-please, take good care of him." Jake pleaded.
Evelynn held the infant, lulling him to sleep.
"We will." She said with a resolute look. It gave Sir Jake a sense of relief.
"M-may I speak my final words?"
She said nothing but a nod.
"Be strong little light. The path ahead will be full of tragedy, pain, and despair. But, this dying knight wishes you great perseverance."
Sir Jake walked a distance away from the house. His shaking hands struggled to unsheathe the sword on his waist but still managed to gallantly strike a chivalric pose facing them. With all the strength he has left, he pierces the floor with his sword, leaving it stuck on the ground like a lantern post. On a final struggle for motion, he shouts-
"This is… my first gift to you, Little Light!"
"Wait!" Dave rushes back with his kettle of warm water. However, it was too late.
With his final breath expired, Sir Jake died, his honorable corpse disappearing into a swarm of [7]glowflies. It was a bright and warm reminder for a dark and cold night.
*~~~*
[1]Adarna is a type of flower that grows in the Eastern Continent called the Kingdom of Tzu. It is a flower with a gradient of colors from the rainbow. When it multiplies, they become a fantastic gradient array of beauty and elegance.
[2]Goddess Freya is one of the gods in this verse. Like her Norse counterpart, she is described to be very beautiful to the point that her face is considered ethereal. However, she is just as fierce with her magics.
[3]Paris is the Kingdom on the Western continent. They are famous for their abundance of Gold due to their worship of the Great Sol (Also known as the Sun).
[4]There are many moons in the world of Azaquell. The largest one is called Kaguya. She is a Nyx of the East. Another is Akatsuki. He is the red moon, as well as the second largest.
[5]There are 4 continents with 4 kingdoms to rule them; New Bjork of the North, Tzu of the East, Lordrith of the South, and Paris of the West. The stranger is a Parisian, which means that he's a westerner.
[6]Azaquell has 3 rings (yes, it's a flat world), The outer ring Niflhell where giants live, The inner ring Midlands where the 4 continents are fixed, The inner ring Muspelhell where gods reside. Muspelhell is also where the sun descends.
[7]Glowflies are butterflies that have evolved to glow in the dark. They are native to the Eastern continent as well as some parts of the Southern continent. Their glows vary in colors.