The cheerful chatter of passersby startled the young boy. He peeked around the edge of the old shack, his crimson eyes scanning the surroundings. He saw a couple of women walking side by side, bags of groceries in their hands. They talked and laughed, heading for their homes, no doubt. The boy relaxed, quietly sighing with relief. He slumped down in the soft grass, his back against the wood of the shack. His hair, which was black with bits of red scattered all over, was messily hanging over his eyes. He brushed some of it out of his face, concentrating on his task once more. He wore a black shirt and pants, giving him a darker air than the normally colorful, happy villagers. He wore no shoes though, as he preferred feeling the grass under his feet.

Some might think a village located in the middle of nowhere would be overrun with wild beasts in a day. But that one was quite different. It was an inconspicuous little place along Niflheim's wastelands. It resided far to the west, far beyond the snow fields where the Glacian had been slain. The village had no true name, and it couldn't be found on any map. Those who reside there simply want to remain at peace, hidden from the warring world around them. As such, they simply knew it as "haven", "refuge", or "sanctuary". And what kept it safe from monsters and allowed it to thrive as it did, were the Guardians that lived there. House Necare had longed to disappear, and over time, they constructed the village and did just that.

(By the way, I don't remember if I've already done this in an earlier chapter, but the pronunciation for Necare is neh-car-ee.)

The young boy held his hands out in front of him, palms up. A black haze poured from them, swirling about in a tiny cloud above them. He smiled to himself, watching as shapes began forming. Listening closely, he could actually hear the tiny figures whispering to him.

"Nero..." they whispered, repeating it over and over.

"Nero!"

The boy jolted to his feet in an instant, the dark fog dissipating. He looked up to see his big sister. With long, red hair pulled into a ponytail, her brown eyes were clearly visible and locked onto the boy in a glare. Her apparel consisted of a simple, yellow tank top and a pair of shorts. Like her brother, she was barefoot. She scowled, her hands resting on her hips. Nero fidgeted, having been so focused that he hadn't even heard her coming.

"A-Anora!" He gulped in fear. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"What's it look like?" she snapped. "I was looking for you. Did you really hide here just so you could play around with your magic?"

He clasped his hands together. "Please, Anora, don't tell Mom. I-I'll do your chores for a week, I'll give you all my desserts. But please don't tell."

The redhead tapped her chin. "That's a tempting offer." She then shook her head. "But no, Mom needs to know."

She snatched his wrist and began dragging him away. He struggled against her, begging and pleading as if his life depended on it. But being older and stronger, Anora pulled him along without much effort. Villagers stared as the two passed by them, but being used to the antics of the young Guardians, they did nothing more. The two children finally approached one of the cozy little homes that made up the village. Sitting on the porch of the house was a woman. She had medium-length black hair tied in a braid. Her flowing green dress was printed with colorful flowers, and her feet were covered by brown boots. Her crimson eyes gazed lovingly at the small dragon bounding around in the grass.

The little dragon was no taller than a person. His crimson eyes held a friendly look. His smooth, slender body was covered in pale blue scales, and two vast wings sprouted out from his shoulder blades. His wingspan was actually greater than the length of his body, giving him quite a comical appearance. But as he was still very young, he'd grow into those wings. He playfully bounced and twirled around, creating small gusts of wind. Anora and Nero moved past their baby brother and stepped onto the porch. Nero had grown silent upon their arrival. His mother paid them little attention at the moment though, as she was too busy watching her youngest child.

"Look at Maxim," she said in an overly happy tone. "He looks so silly with those big ol' wings. He'll probably be an amazing flyer though, and he's starting to get the hang of his wind magic. He can actually create a breeze now."

"Speaking of magic..." Anora interrupted.

Calla finally tore her eyes away from the dragon, looking at the two. She narrowed her eyes, her smile shifting to a frown. "What happened?" she suspiciously asked.

"I caught Nero playing around with his magic again."

Calla's expression turned to one of anger as she focused her gaze on the boy, who'd grown pale out of fear. "Nero, how many times do I have to tell you. Do. Not. Use. Your magic."

"B-but it's not fair," he lightly argued. "You can use your magic, so can Anora...even Maxim is allowed to do more than me."

"None of us bring about daemons," she told him flatly.

"But if I just practice, maybe I can learn how to not summon daemons! If you'd just-"

"That's enough, Nero!" His mother raised her voice as she stood. "The last time you 'practiced', you got your father killed! We've built up too much here to sit and watch you ruin it all with your cursed power!"

Nero clenched his fists. "But Dad wouldn't have-"

Calla's palm made contact with the boy's cheek, silencing him. Anora, and even Maxim, had stiffened where they stood. With wide eyes, Nero slowly placed a hand over his red, stinging cheek. He peered up at his mother with fear.

"Be quiet! You have no right to even mention him! Now go to your room! And if I catch you using magic again, there will be a much worse punishment waiting for you!"

With that, Nero darted inside, running straight to his room. He slammed the door shut behind him, already fuming. Though his room was shared with his siblings, he hoped neither of them would bother him for quite some time. He stormed over to some building blocks on the floor. They had been shaped into a dragon by Maxim and Anora. Nero kicked the blocks, destroying the structure and making a mess.

"It's not fair, dammit!" he quietly yelled to himself. "Why am I the one born with this stupid power?! All it does is make everyone hate me! I just want...to belong." His rage turned to sorrow as he thought about it more and more.

He loathed the fact that his magic made him somewhat of an outcast. He never got to use it freely, not at all like the rest of his family. The only one who'd ever given it a chance was his father. Years ago, when Maxim was only three years old, Nero had tested out what his power could do. As a result, daemons appeared, and his human father was killed. Calla did all she could just to save her children, but she'd lost her husband. Nero was blamed for it, and was forbidden from using his magic. And for a long time, he didn't want to. He feared his own power. But over time, his curiosity grew. He wanted to learn how to properly wield his dark magic, and understand just what it could do. But whenever he used it, it had to be in secrecy, for his family was against it.

Nero spent all afternoon laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He didn't even leave for lunch or dinner. He honestly couldn't care less about his rumbling stomach. He was far too upset to eat anyway. Unfortunately for him, his siblings entered the room that night. Already in their night clothes, they both appeared to be ready for bed.

The boy sat up, giving his sister a cold glare. "Thanks for ratting me out, Sis."

Anora shrugged, climbing onto her own bed. "I'm not the one who was using dangerous magic that could doom our whole village, now was I?"

Maxim scrambled over to his big brother's bed, his scarlett eyes gazing up at him. His short, red hair was disheveled, meaning Calla hadn't brushed it after his bath. "Nero, Nero, could you read me a story?" he excitedly asked.

Nero narrowed his eyes at the child. Despite the way Maxim was always friendly and fun, Nero despised him for being the perfect, adorable kid everyone loved to death. He was better than Anora though. She was just a goody two-shoes and a big mouth who always acted better than him. It really made him sick sometimes.

Nero huffed, a permanent frown on his lips. "No. If you want a story, go ask someone else."

Maxim then went over to his sister's bed, but before he could even speak, she laughed at him. "Don't bother, Max. I don't read baby stories."

He pouted. "But I can't go to sleep without a story! And I can't read it myself or it won't work!"

Nero smirked. "Guess it'll be a long night for you, then."

Anora snorted lightly at that. "Just go ask Mom to read to you or something."

The little boy went over to his bed to sulk. "But Mom's mad right now. She's scary when she's mad."

Anora rolled her eyes and groaned. "Just get into bed and be quiet. That goes for the both of you."

Anora switched off the lamp by her bed, which had been the only light source on in the room. The girl then curled up under the sheets. Maxim did the same, swiftly dozing off despite whining about not being able to sleep without a bedtime story. Nero listened to the two lightly snoring. He quietly got up and left the room, going to the bathroom instead. He closed the door and flicked on the lights. He growled to himself, tired of the constant rejection. What would it take for him to find a way to fit in? He stood in front of the mirror with his hands in front of him. Black mist poured from his hands into a cloud in front of him. While doing so, his thoughts went to the one person who'd also been curious about his magic. Dad.

The black mist suddenly swirled about uncontrollably. Nero gasped, his eyes growing wide. In the haze of blackness, he could make out a shape. He squinted, trying to see it better. Is that a...face?! The boy felt a bit panicked at the odd shape, until it spoke.

"Nero..." it said.

The boy's jaw dropped. That voice sounded so familiar, and looking closely, he recognized the person his dark haze had created. "D...Dad?"

"Don't worry, Nero, I know you were given this power for a reason. I'm sure there's more to it than meets the eye."

Nero thought hard on that. Those words...were some of the last things he'd told the boy before the incident. But that left so many questions. This can't be real. Is it like a mirror that reflects my thoughts? But I remember Dad saying those exact words to me. So maybe it's more of a manifestation of a memory? The boy dispersed the black mist and hurried out. He quietly exited his house, eager to find out just what his magic could show him. He was determined to find out its purpose. He sprinted a short way from his home into the middle of the village. Nearly the whole area was dark, aside from a few lanterns hanging by some of the homes.

With no one around to see him, Nero let loose. Black mist poured from his body, blanketing the area around him in a thick layer of the fog-like substance. He concentrated, trying to remember more about his father in hopes that he could recreate his image again. The mist swirled and moved around. The boy set his gaze on the moving shapes until they abruptly stopped.

"Dad?"

A low hiss erupted from the fog. Nero stiffened, watching as multiple pairs of glowing, golden orbs pierced through the darkness. His eyes grew wide as he watched several imps emerge from the haze. They cackled maniacally, and Nero backed away in fear. He suddenly noticed that more daemons were appearing within his clouds of darkness. He swiftly dissipated the mist, but it was already too late. There were many imps, goblins, and hobgoblins all around. As if on command, they all left the boy only to terrorize the village. Nero was in shock, unable to move. He stood by, watching as the nocturnal monsters ransacked homes, breaking in and dragging screaming people out. Chaos ensued, and Nero was at the heart of it.

It wasn't until a screeching roar echoed through the village that Nero was broken out of his trance. He turned his gaze to the sky above, where he saw his sister, in her dragon form, flying overhead. She was beautifully colored gold across her back with a white underside. Most of her body was covered in scales, except for her angelic wings, her plumed tail, and the feathers adorning the back of her head behind her golden horns. And her feet were much like a bird's talons, which gave her a very avian appearance. Anora hovered over the village, and from her body, a brilliant golden light shown. It was as if the sun itself had appeared in the sky. The rays of light obliterated the daemons in an instant.

By the time Calla came forward, it was already over. The angel-like dragon dropped down to her mother's side, a dim light still emitting from her body. "Excellent work, as always, Anora." The woman then scanned the area, her eyes fixing on Nero. She began storming over to him, causing him to gulp in fear. She stopped in front of him, snatched his arm, and yanked him forward. She didn't even need an explanation. "Look!" she yelled at him. "Look at what you've caused, Nero!"

The boy glanced around, seeing people wounded and scared. He was ashamed of what he caused, but he still believed he couldn't take all the blame. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to! This...this is why I have to find out how to control it!"

"No, this is why you should never use it!" It was easy to tell how furious she was by her tone. "You brought harm to so many people tonight because of your damned magic! You are cursed! I'm ashamed to call you my son!" Nero's eyes grew wide. "A Guardian would never risk the lives of others!" She turned on her heel and started walking away, but paused to look over her shoulder at him. "You're not, nor will you ever be, a Guardian! And if you can't learn to obey, then I suggest you don't come home until you do!"

He watched his mother leave with watery eyes. Anora glanced at him for a brief moment, then held her head high and turned away as well. Upset by everything, Nero ran. Even though he knew it was dangerous to leave the village at night, he did it anyway. He wasn't even afraid of the daemons or beasts that could possibly attack him. The grass under his feet quickly shifted to dust and dirt. Flora flourished only within the village, thanks to Calla's magic over plants. Outside was a desert wasteland like the majority of Niflheim. Nero had no idea where he was running to, but he finally slowed to a stop. He glanced back in the direction he came from, his tear-stained face showing disdain.

"They're all stupid, every one of them! Well if Mom thinks I'm going to come back with my tail between my legs, she's got another thing coming!" He climbed up onto a large, flat rock, curling up on his side. "I'll stay right here. I don't need them."

Nero wasn't sure how long he'd stayed out there. It seemed as if he'd only closed his eyes for a moment, but the morning sun lighting the sky proved otherwise. He hadn't moved all night. Growling to himself, he angrily slammed his palm against the stone. He began to wonder if it was worth it. He could go back home, apologize, and do as he's told from then on. But not being allowed to use my magic? That's like saying I'm not allowed to be myself. His train of thought was broken by the sound of footsteps. He sat up, realizing a lone man was approaching. Where'd he come from? The man wore layers of dark-colored clothes, even had a black fedora on his head. His hair was a red-violet color, and his amber orbs locked onto the boy.

A friendly smile graced his lips. "Well, hello there, young man. Whatever are you doing out here all alone?"

"I could ask you the same thing, mister," Nero suspiciously said.

"Oh, I'm just a weary traveler hoping to seek shelter someplace safe. You wouldn't happen to know where I could find a place, would you?"

Nero pointed his thumb behind him. "My village is that way."

The stranger hummed in thought. "Really? I don't remember a village being out here."

"You won't find it on a map. It's the 'refuge' for people who want to go undetected."

Nero could've sworn the man's smile widened. "My, I've always wanted to see that place. Tell me, is it truly a home of the Guardians like the tales say?"

Nero arched an eyebrow. "Who wants to know?"

The stranger chuckled. "Ah, forgive me, I forgot to introduce myself." He gave a sweeping bow. "Call me Ardyn."

"Nero. And if you really want to know, House Necare created the village, so yes, they live there." The boy noticed a glint of something dark in his eyes. Ardyn began to walk past the rock Nero was on. "Wait a minute." The man stopped and turned back around to look at him. "What do you want with my family?"

Ardyn looked surprised for a brief moment. "Oh...so you're a Guardian, are you? Is that why you're out here?" Nero only crossed his arms and clicked his tongue. He was surprised when Ardyn actually took a seat on a smaller rock in front of him. "You seem like you could use a friend. What do you say, want to talk?"

Nero found the man very weird, yet somehow inviting. The boy found himself explaining what had happened to the stranger. He told him about his power, his family, and what he did that caused his current predicament. Ardyn listened attentively to everything. For once, Nero actually felt like he had a friend---someone who understood him.

Ardyn chuckled, shaking his head. "Some people just don't appreciate those with unique gifts. Trust me, I'd know. I've been in similar situations. But I find your magic quite fascinating, and very useful."

Nero narrowed his eyes. "What are you getting at?"

"I'll be honest, I'm not seeking shelter... I'm looking for a Guardian that will suit my needs. And you, Nero, fit the mold perfectly." The boy's eyes grew wide. "If you become my Guardian, I can give you even more power." He stood and slowly circled around Nero. "You'd be free to use your magic as much as you like, you could seek revenge, and you'd have a place where you can truly belong." Ardyn paused, a wicked grin on his face. "Join me, Nero. The darkness invites us, and the light only denies us."

A smirk steadily spread across Nero's lips. Just the idea of all that Ardyn promised gave him a sense of security. He could finally grow stronger, after so many years. He could rid himself of those who'd made his life a living hell. He could finally have a home that actually felt like home. It was enough to persuade him.

"I accept."

That was all Ardyn needed to hear. Almost instantly, magical red chains shot out of his body. Nero concentrated, a single black chain slithering out of his chest. It didn't get far, as Ardyn's chains wound themselves around it until they were tied in knots. The ghostly bond faded from sight, and Nero grasped at his chest, overwhelmed by the new power flowing into him. It felt as if he was being pumped with energy. His crimson eyes began to glow from all the energy, and warped, twisted thoughts filled his mind. He had a new desire to help the spread of darkness, but more than anything, he wanted to spill the blood of Guardians. His idea of vengeance turned into a craving to rid the world of his kind, and finally stand at the top.

"Go now, use this new power to exact your revenge."

Nero glowed with a dark, hazy light. His body grew and morphed, ripping his clothes. His spine elongated into a tail, wings grew from his shoulder blades, horns sprouted from his head, and his nails grew into long claws. His dragon form was solid black and, at his age, about half the size of what he should be, but his strength would prevail. He spread his wings and took off, flying back toward his village. It took no time at all to get there, and from his wings, a black fog spread. The sun was blotted out because of it, and daemons emerged. Screams and cries erupted from the people below as the nocturnal creatures did their job.

A sudden light shown from the ground below along with a piercing howl. The light cut through the haze, causing Nero to hiss and reel back. He was caught off guard by Anora shooting up toward him. She collided into him, sending them both whirling through the air. Nero was quick to sink his claws into the white and gold dragon. As soon as she was injured with scratch marks, her light dimmed. Anora had never fought another Guardian before, so she was quite inexperienced. But Nero was quite the opposite, he was out for blood, so the way he fought was like a feral, starved beast. The black dragon then zoomed in, ramming his sister in the chest. His forward-facing horns were thrust into her flesh. With a pained yelp, she fell to the ground below. All her light had faded as Nero landed to finish her off. He snatched one of her horns in his jaws, and twisted her neck, snapping it.

With Anora out of the way, Nero noticed his brother's corpse strewn about on the porch of his house. He'd already been killed by the rampaging daemons. The black dragon inwardly grinned. He was surprised at how enjoyable the whole thing actually was. It was as if he was finally inflicting the same anguish he'd always felt upon his family. Now there was only one left.

"Nero!" The beast turned his head. Behind him was Calla. She looked around, seeing her children lying dead. She furiously set her gaze on Nero. "What do you think you're doing?! This is not how Guardians act!"

Nero snarled. He flared his wings out, darkness pouring from them. Hushed voices erupted from the haze. "Guardian," they hissed. They then copied Calla's voice and said, "You're not, nor will you ever be, a Guardian!"

The woman stiffened, her red eyes growing wide. She recalled her words perfectly. She then sighed, and raised a hand up, bringing with it massive vines that erupted from the earth. The vines wrapped around Nero, pulling him down to the ground. He wriggled about wildly, trying to break free. He managed to move his claws to tear off a few, then quickly got to work on some of the others. Calla sighed, her eyes softening. As much as Nero had always frustrated and angered her, she had never wished any of this for him.

"I do not want to hurt you, Nero..." She painfully watched her son thrash like a feral monster. "But I will if I must. It is my duty as a Guardian."

Her body glowed brightly, growing and changing. As a dragon, she was twice Nero's size, about as big as a behemoth. Her scales were a light green with a blue hue down her spine. She had four beautiful wings that were shaped and colored like a butterfly's, with vibrant greens, blues, reds, and yellows, and outlined in black. She had small frills around her head with the same butterfly shape and color. She let out a high-pitched screech. Nero clawed off the remainder of the vines, then charged at his mother. She boldly stood her ground, creating a vine wall around her. Nero skidded to a stop, spread his wings, and took to the air. Almost immediately, vines shot up from the ground, trying to skewer or grab at their airborne foe.

Calla was down below, within her wall, watching her son circle from above. Her attempts to catch him in her vines were futile, as he dodged and swerved around every one. Nero got an idea to give him an advantage. He spewed more black mist from his mouth and body, completely shrouding himself until Calla lost sight of him. She looked all around, trying to find the young Guardian. When Nero saw an opening, he swooped in, raking his claws against her back, ripping flesh. He swiftly dove back into the darkness again. With a screech of pain, Calla summoned forth numerous vines that violently thrashed about. Nero was caught off guard by one. It slammed into his side, knocking him out of the air and sending him down to the ground. Calla heard where he landed, and flew through the darkness. She found Nero just as he was rising to his feet.

Before he had a chance to move, Calla pounced on him. He was pinned down on his stomach, his mother's claws on the top of his head, keeping him in place. He struggled to free himself, growling angrily. Calla pressed down on his head, her claws digging into his scaly skin, drawing blood. The sight of it caused her rage to subside. Her willpower shattered at the situation she was in. As much as she hated Nero for what he had done, he was still her son. She knew deep down that she needed to end it---that he was a monster now. But how could she kill her own child? I...I can't do it, she told herself. Nero froze, feeling the pressure on his head being lifted. He slowly shifted, looking up at the bigger dragon with wide eyes. She stood over him, softly gazing down at him. She chirped, leaning her head down to him in hopes that she'd be able to reason with him.

Nero suddenly lashed out, his shock disappearing. He scratched her face, then lunged forward, clamping his jaws around her throat. Calla thrashed, but Nero held on, shifting around to hang onto her side. Calla's breathing grew labored as she began giving up the fight. Not only was she unable to continue the battle, she was also unable to hurt her son. With tears streaming from her eyes, she slowly hobbled over toward her home, ignoring all the pain she was feeling. Once Anora and Maxim's bodies were in her view, she collapsed. Her eyes closed and her life faded. Nero finally released her and stood up. He roared triumphantly, his muzzle and claws stained with blood while the small wounds on his head trickled blood. He watched in amusement as daemons scrambled about, having their run of the village and seeking out any survivors. A low chuckle broke through the darkness, followed by footsteps. Ardyn emerged with his permanent grin on his face.

"Well done, boy! And here I questioned whether you'd truly go through with it. I'm impressed." He went over to Nero's side, his focus on the fallen dragons. "Hmm, I think you'll be quite the useful ally after all. If you can do this to your family, I can only imagine what you could do to other Guardians." Nero snarled at what he was implying. The thought of slaughtering his own kind until he was the only one left sounded good to him. He hated Guardians, and no longer considered himself like them anymore. "Calm yourself, Nero. In time, we can both obtain exactly what we want." He laughed darkly. "Be patient, my friend, for our time will come."

~~~~~

"Nero." The Guardian was snapped from his thoughts. His red-streaked black hair was damp from the rain and clung to his face. Ignoring the scenery of Altissia, his crimson orbs focused on his master. Ardyn gave a crooked smile like he always did. "Back with us? You appeared to be lost in your thoughts."

Nero glanced at Ravus, not wanting to say much with him around. He never trusted that Tenebraen. "It's nothing."

"Let me guess," Ardyn said, "you're still thinking about going after the prince's little Guardian?" He knew he was right by the way Nero shifted his gaze. He chuckled at him. "Come now, get over this grudge. That sweet girl could prove useful, and it would be such a waste to kill off such a unique Guardian." Nero growled lightly. Ardyn's expression then turned serious. "And Nero? Do keep in mind that you are to remain out of the conflict that ensues with the Hydraean. The gods have some control over your kind, and I'd hate for you to be treated like a puppet."

Nero gave a small nod. "As you wish. I shall only act upon your command."

(By the way, this is Nero in human form. And just so you know, he basically dresses all in black with leather pants, a zip-up jacket, and boots. Kinda like Gladio only not so exposed.)