AN: Now that I have caught up on a lot of things, I can focus on this story and Origin ARS for the next few days. We are starting a new arc now, Arc 10 by my notes to be specific. So, feel free to enjoy it as it meanders along. :)

In this one we get a bit of backstory that some might not understand, but will make others widen their eyes and go, "So, that's why!"

Chapter 46.1: Love and Darkness

In the still of the night people used to dream. Those dreams might be nothing more than the brain discarding useless information, reorganizing what is useful, or perhaps showing something that the conscious mind does not heed. However, it was also during those times of dreaming that the human mind could be reached the easiest, by those who wish to impart a thing of importance.

"Remember..." whispered a soft masculine voice. Scott rolled over in his sleep. Since the moment that he had entered his dragon sleep, dreams had returned to him. Now, even though he had awakened from that slumber, he would occasionally spend a few seconds between transitioning from one world to the other as a man who dreamed. The dreams could last quite a while, even though only a few seconds seemed to pass in either world. Such was the nature of dreams.

In the dream, an angelic being walked through a garden. His dove white wings glimmered softly in the eternal light of dawn. As he walked past, children of various ages would reach up to him or wave. Some would cry out for a story or a song.

"Noct-El! A story!" cried one of the youngest.

The other children began to gather. They each cried out for their older brother to tell them a story.

The winged figure reached down and lightly stroked the youngest child's head. "Didn't you know that you're already part of the greatest story?"

The child's eyes widened. "Am I, really?"

Noct-El sat down in the dirt next to the children and gathered those who were near. "Yes." He looked into the faces of those gathered. "We are all part of a story, the best story. Each of us plays a part."

"What part do I play, Noct-El?" asked a cheerful little girl with bright eyes and a long red ponytail. She was quite eager for an answer.

He reached out and patted her on the head. "Clearly, you play the part of the child who interrupts."

The others laughed, and she blushed slightly in embarrassment. "Oh."

"It is a good part, I think." said Noct-El.

The girl pulled her ponytail around and covered her eyes. She did not know what to say to that.

There was another round of laughter, and then Noct-El chose to tell the children a story. He spoke of things outside the garden, of things both dark and terrible. He also spoke of the way that those who are brave can overcome that darkness.

Of course, those children who had never experienced life outside of their father's eternal dawn could not know of the true nature of danger and fear. They reveled in the bizarre stories that they heard, as they had no way to know what such a thing would truly be like.

Eventually, Noct-El finished his story. The children were drawn away by other garden attendants, the elemental creatures and the first animals. All but one child left to go play with their friends. Only the embarrassed red-haired child remained.

"Noct-El..." she said softly.

"Yes, dear one?" he asked her softly.

She pulled her hair around and chewed on her ponytail a little. "Will you play with me?"

He reached out his hand without hesitation. Shyly, she took it. They began to walk together through the beautiful garden. As they walked, neither spoke. They merely continued onward and took in the wonders that existed eternally in this timeless place.

After a while she made a sniffling sound. Noct-El immediately stopped and knelt down. "Child, are you alright?"

She nodded her head then looked away. She bit her lower lip and made a soft noise.

He smiled at her then began to walk once more. If she had something to say, she would do so in her own time, and in her own way.

They continued their walk through the garden, eventually crossing the rainbow bridge that led to the great tree at the center of creation. It was a glorious apple tree, one that held many secrets.

The red-haired child looked up at one of the apples above her. "It's so high up... But it looks so tasty."

Noct-El smiled at her in a gentle way then flew up an plucked it for her. Upon returned to the ground he held it out and said, "This is not something that you eat. Look at it carefully."

She took the apple from his hands then looked at him. Her eyes widened in delight as she saw images begin to form. "A baby..."

He sat down on the ground and drew her down onto his lap. He spoke with the child for a time as she looked at the image in the apple. Time seemed to pass within the image. The baby became a small boy. The boy became a young man. Soon that youth became middle-aged.

"Why does he change so much?" asked the child.

Noct-El smiled. "There are many stories to tell, little one. If we spent all of eternity participating in only one tale, we would miss out on so much more."

"Oh." she said, her eyes wide. "He... What just happened?"

The elder child looked into the apple then held the younger child's head to the crook of his neck. "His story came to an end. He is probably walking in our father's beautiful garden as a child once more."

"Can I meet him?" she asked curiously.

"Perhaps you already have? It is not for me to say." said Noct-El, before holding out his hand. "Now, return it."

She pouted a little then gave the apple back to her elder. "If I have to..."

"This apple represents knowledge. It is the sum total of one man's entire life. Were it not to be returned, that knowledge would be lost forever." He gave the little girl a warm hug. "Would you like for this life to be forgotten?"

"What if I ate it?" she asked.

"Would you destroy everything he ever was in that life, just to see if the apple tastes good?" asked Noct-El. "Eating this is forbidden for a reason."

"No." she said, her pout returning.

"You're a good girl." he said before giving her another hug.

Her blush returned and she shyly pulled her ponytail back around to her mouth. She did not know what to say to that.

"Let me return this." said Noct-El, before gently ending the comfortable moment. He flew back up to the lowest bough of the tree and replaced the apple. It reattached without any issue and the apple was safe to perform its function.

"How can this one tree house all of the knowledge for every life ever lived outside father's garden?" she asked curiously.

He smiled at her then gently rubbed the top of her head. "What you see, is merely an illusion. This tree is far larger and more intricate."

"Really? All I see is a tree." she said with a smile.

"No matter how large and intricate, that is still true." he said with a smile of his own. "In the end, it is still a tree. The tree of life."

She bit her lower lip and looked around. "Is it alright for me to be here...?"

"If I am with you. It is fine." he told her warmly before reaching out his hand once more.

She took his hand then walked with him a while. Eventually they began to cross the rainbow bridge once more. As she did so, she asked, "How can we cross this bridge? It won't even hold the others up when they try to cross."

He laughed softly, then shook his head. "You are still young. Your feet are not wise enough to walk this bridge alone." He saw her look down toward the ground and smiled once more. "But while you walk with me your feet are learning."

Her eyes widened and she looked up once more. She smiled at him then squeezed his hand and stepped closer to him. Once they reached the other side of the bridge, she sighed softly.

"Child?" he asked her.

She shook her head and bit her lower lip. "I'm OK..."

"As you say." he said gently.

After a moment, she leaned over and hugged his leg tightly. She began to cry a little, and her face reddened.

Noct-El plucked the crying girl from the ground and held her close. "Why so sad?" he asked her gently.

She buried her face in the crook of his neck and began to sob. He held her gently for a time while she released the sadness that she had built up over time. Even in this beautiful garden, there were times when one might know sadness.

He stroked her hair and sang to her. It was a soft, sweet song, about a nice little girl. Eventually, her crying petered out.

After a short time longer she sniffled and said, "You're the only one."

"What am I?" he asked her tenderly.

She sniffled once more. "No one else plays with me."

"Oh? Aren't you always surrounded by the other children?" he asked her in a thoughtful tone.

"No. I try to play with them, but they think I'm weird." she said before hugging him tighter and nuzzling his neck.

"How can such a nice girl be weird?" he asked her while gently stroking her hair.

"I'm ... I'm always crying." she said. "I like to hide and not be around the others. I don't ... I don't know why."

"Do you know why you cry?" he asked her in a warm, gentle, tone.

She shook her head then nuzzled into his neck. Noct-El nodded his head lightly. "Do you feel as though none of the others understands you?"

"Yes." she said simply. "I do."

He closed his eyes then sighed gently. "It is hard for you and the others, the ones who cannot remember mother's face."

"Mother?" she asked with a slight sniffle.

"Yes, she was the one who taught the older children about how we can understand our own hearts." said Noct-El. "Just as father is the light of inspiration and reason, mother is the heart and intuition."

"I don't know mother." she said sadly.

Noct-El sighed gently. "I know, dear one. It is part of the reason why you have difficulty understanding how you feel. There is really no replacement for mother's love."

She hugged him tightly once more. "I don't know mother, but I do know that when you play with me, the sadness goes away."

He stroked her hair and smiled. "It is good to know that I can help."

She made a cute little noise then sniffled a little. "You're the only one who makes it go away."

"I see." he stroked her hair once more then nodded. "Dear one, whenever you feel sad or lonely, come find me."

"Can I?" she asked in surprise. "Is it alright if I do?"

Noct-El stroked her hair then said, "Of course. If you feel like you don't have a friend in the world, then remember that I am here. I'll always be here for you."

Her lower lip trembled, and she began to cry again. "Do you promise?"

"Yes. All you have to do is find me." he said gently.

She continued to cry after hearing that, but it was tears of relief. She would never truly be alone again, not as long as Noct-El was willing to spend time with her.

After a moment, he put her down and smiled at her. "I will always do my best to be here for you, but sometimes father might call me away." He took a deep breath then gritted his teeth while he reached back and grasped one of his feathers. He made a slight grunting noise. Tears rolled down his cheeks, but he did not cry out. Noct-El pulled one of his eternal feathers from its timeless spot on his wings.

He held the feather out to the little girl and said. "This is my promise. If I can't be there, just know that a part of me will always be with you."

"Your feather..." her eyes widened. She opened her hands to receive the gift he had torn from his own body, and nearly fell over as he dropped it. The feather was a small thing, but it carried incredible weight.

"That feather has within it, the power to perform a miracle. If you have to use it sometime, do so... but until then it will just be a special reminder that you are loved." He reached out and lightly stroked her hair while fighting back the pained expression that threatened to cross his face.

"Noct-El." breathed the little girl, her cheeks becoming bright red in the process. She looked at the feather, a thing she struggled even to lift, and then back up to him. Tears slipped down her cheeks once more, but there was a bright smile of her lips. "You love me?"

When he spoke, it was with a simplistic gentleness, and a warm smile. Nothing more needed to be said on the matter. "Yes."

They spent some time, an elder brother gently affirming that his younger sibling was loved and wanted. Their warm moment ended when a soft masculine voice called out to him. "Noct-El."

The siblings turned to see one of the eldest, Luci-El, had come to the garden. Noct-El greeted his brother pleasantly.

Luci-El smiled down at the little girl then nodded his head. "I'm sorry little one, but father needs to speak with Noct-El."

She gasped then hugged him tight. "But..."

"I know this seems sudden, but I do have to go when father calls." said Noct-El. He stroked her hair lightly then said, "You have my gift, right?"

She held up the feather and nodded. Luci-El's eyes widened in shocked surprise at the sight of it. He took a breath and regained his composure. "Brother..."

"Ah, yes." said Noct-El. He told the little girl that he would see her later. She smiled at him then hugged the feather tightly to her chest. "See you, soon. Noct-El." she said sweetly.

The elder children left the blushing child and set off for their father's throne. On the way, Luci-El asked, "Brother, you really gave that child one of your feathers?"

Noct-El nodded. "Yes."

"Those don't grow back..." said Luci-El. "The pain of it alone..."

Noct-El smiled. "What's a little pain, compared to helping a child not feel alone for all eternity?"

Luci-El blinked. "A little pain? If you had been on a mortal plane, stars would have gone supernova in the wake of what you did."

"I did it here, where it counts." said Noct-El simply. He winced every time his wing flapped, but he smiled otherwise.

"I don't know if I could do it." admitted Luci-El.

"I'm sure you could, if you found a reason to grant a miracle." said Noct-El gently.

Luci-El shook his head and laughed. "When did my younger brother become a better man than I?"

"Your younger brother simply spent less time looking in the mirror." said Noct-El with another warm laugh.

"Brother! Surely, you do not think me so vain that I do nothing but spend my days gazing upon the reflection of my gloriously shining masculine beauty?" asked Luci-El in faux-surprise.

Noct-El laughed loudly and flew a little faster so that he could turn and look at his older brother. "Me? Say such a thing to the one who once tried to cheer father up by crying out, Behold the glory of the dawn! I am the bringer of light! Rejoice at my presence and revel in the appearance of true beauty at last!"

Luci-El laughed then shook a finger at his younger sibling. "It worked didn't it."

"Who wouldn't laugh at that!" cried Noct-El before speeding away.

"Come back here brother!" cried Luci-El joyously. "Revel in me!"

"Maybe later, pretty boy!" cried Noct-El, still laughing.

"I am beautiful, aren't I!" called Luci-El humorously, before he sped up to catch his laughing younger sibling.

As they laughed and carried on, flowers bloomed brightly in the garden below. The animals became even friendlier, and even the gentle brooks and rivers seemed to laugh louder in their babbling manner.