It's a question of
trust...
It's a question of watching everything we've built up
crumble to dust
it is all of these things and more
that keep us together.
-Depeche Mode-
Conception
by Evan
A long time ago...
The last of the ancients met in the ether. One porcelain and gold, one sun kissed and raven black. They felt each other’s hair, each others eyes and lips while they spoke without words.
They’ve taken him. The dark one sobbed. Her third new born child was gone. Another child doomed to be warrior but blessed as a savoir was gone.
Yes. There were tears in her paler companion’s eyes. My son is dead as well. The shadows had seeped into the cracks of her light and hope. Her child taken and slaughtered by Talpha's minions, his destiny as a warrior stolen from humanity. Nodding, she held the other ancient being close crushing the quaking body to her own. Why did this happen again and again? "We have to try again." They must bear the future. Their children were the only breath left in a gasping world.
"I can’t." The other begged.
"You must:"
They did.
She could feel the pain soaked down into her thighs. The contractions were coming closer and sooner. She held her tremendous stomach and lay back, her pale gold hair clung to her face and neck . Her other stood by the sky waiting, her own stomach swollen with child. More smoke then flesh, they only dared to leave the haven of the ether when they were going to give birth.
"He is coming." She warned as the pain ripped through her again, "He is very close now."
The other turned, her black eyes steadfast and powerful. Her weapons were drawn and her smile so hopeful. "How soon?"
"He is very anxious and strong!" she panted, sweat poured down her pale brow.
The other held her twin blades high. "Hurry." The light was leaving the sky. "Please?" If the shadow armies came again, they would die for certain.
The child came without a single tear. Her other gathered the new mother and child to fade into the sanctuary of the firmament where they curled together all three to sleep, warm and safe.
Many days went by and her dark other became sickly as her child grew in her womb.
"What is wrong?" she asked her.
Her other was slow to move her long raven black hair from her face, her skin that was loved by the sun was now ashen. "This will be my last child."
"Do not say such things."
"I love you."
"Say that to your son."
"I want our love to become theirs." She coughed, becoming weak but giving a fragile caress of the sleeping baby boy only weeks old, but already showing the pale gold strands of hair of his mother. Her other hand rested on her unborn child that slept within her. "Promise me."
Her lover died the next morning and the other son was born. He did cry, loud enough for the gargoyles to flutter out of the branches and take to the gray sky. Dark and steadfast as his mother, wide eyed and just as amazed.
She gathered both new borns and left the netherworld forever intent for earth. Not even the ether would hide them now from the shadows that wanted them all dead. The journey had been hard and she was very weak. Her milk had dried and both of the children were dying. It was dangerous to keep them together, they had to be hidden in the mortal world where Talpha would never find them. She sought a place were warriors were made and left her own golden haired son there on the doorstep. In her nature, she knew the man that would discover him was true and good, and would prepare the child for his destiny. Before she could falter, or linger one moment longer with the baby she would never see again, she then fled into the clouds to find a place for her lovers wailing child.
But she was too weak. Soft tears of her failure stung her face as she lay dying unseen in the heart of a large city. After all of it to fail now was her last thought. The child’s sobs quieted as her heat slowly left her body, but its small cries were not unheard. And though it wasn’t who she had in mind, the children of the streets took him as their own. And in their own way were a finer master than she could have hoped to make ready the child that would grow to be Earth's last but finest chance.
(Thank you Mink & Jink for all of your help!)