Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In the beginning… 

The boy looked around as nothing, but death and destruction crashed around him. His fellow Lumen Sages were doing what they could, summoning angels to destroy the witches. The goal of obtaining this so-called “Left-Eye ‘’ for the Creator Jubileus. The ground shook beneath him. Another summoning must’ve occurred. Sounds of screams echoed around him. The home, as he knew it, was turning to shambles, and there was nothing he could do. A small boy born into a war he didn’t even know he was a part of. He turned his head to see third sphere angels flying past him. He followed as fast as his legs could take him. Unfortunately, his path was cut short. Pieces of the ground in front of him broke off. Cautiously, he walked toward the edge. The boy gazed down to see the slaughter of Lumen Sages and Umbra Witches alike. A man with long blonde hair ran past the bodies, skillfully maneuvering across the battlefield. 

The boy took a shaky breath before leaping off the platform. He landed on shaky feet. Carefully jumping from pieces of broken debris to make it down to the battlefield. His last jump was unsteady. He collided harshly with the ground, rolling to a stop. The harsh whence of pain that escaped him left his eyes watery. He couldn’t cry. A man doesn’t cry. That’s what his father always told him. Slowly, the small boy rose to his feet. Forest green eyes flashed left and right at the sight before him. Bodies, blood, injured people and destruction. There was so much going on and not enough time to process it all. He wanted to find his parents. On quick feet, he searched the playfield. They had to be around somewhere. 

After a bit of time passed, the boy found what he was looking for, but not the way he expected it. His father was being ripped to bits by an enormous beast. It looked so dragon-like, a surreal feeling passed over the boy. His father let out one last shriek of fear before being gulped down by the ferocious beast.

“FATHER!!!” The Lumen boy yelled. 

   The monster turned its head toward him, dark red eyes glared into his. The boy froze in place. Fear was all he could think. All he could feel. The dragon-like creature let out a dark roar as it entangled its body in hair. 

“Henry!!” a woman cried out from nearby. 

The boy turned to see his mother running toward him. Unbeknownst to him, the monster was making its way toward him. The woman screeched again, urging him to get away from where he was, but the Lumen boy couldn’t move. He was in shock.

“Henry! Henry, get out of there!”

His name was falling on deaf ears. The events of his father’s death replayed over and over in his mind. That monster’s eyes, the scene of blood pooling out from his fellow Sages. With a few more steps, the boy was close to death. The woman got to him first, pushing him out of the way harshly. The monster’s jaw latched around her torso. He could hear a loud crunching sound as it snapped down into her bones. The boy hit the ground harshly, yelping in pain. Before he could make any sudden movements, a flash of blue light appeared behind him. His body was being sucked into some sort of portal. He gazed up at his mother. Her smile was weak as blood began dripping from her lips.

“Mother?” He called out to her. Trying so hard to run against the current that was sucking him into the portal. He failed; his body being yanked back. He flew into the portal, his mother’s dying gaze. “MOTHER!!”

“H-Henry”

~~~

“Henry. My name is Henry.” The Lumen Sage whispered. 

He looked up at the being before him. It was clear this being was no mere mortal. A god figure of some sorts. Regardless, Henry was uneasy being in the presence of whoever this is. He narrowed his gaze as the god circled around him slowly. The increasing feeling of uneasiness grew as the awkward silence continued on. 

“Yes, yes. You will do just nicely.” The god spoke. That caught Henry’s attention.

“For what? Who are you?” He asked. Two questions he needed answers to.

“I am Aesir. The creator of the Eyes of the World. I can bring back your peace, your parents’ salvation. All you have to do is help me get the Left-Eye.” Aesir explained in great detail. The boy couldn’t seem to read him. A neutral tone in both his voice and his eyes. He was uncertain of whether he could trust this entity. 

“Just the Left-Eye? What about the right one?”

“You need the Left-Eye to retrieve your parents from the beast that swallowed them whole. As for the other eye,” A man leaped through a nearby portal. Long blonde hair, a mask, and the sigil of a Lumen Sage. The same man Henry saw minutes before his parent’s demise. 

“Who’s that?”

“The Right-Eye, Balder. This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” 

Aesir let out a soft laugh, his hallowed voice the only thing to be heard in whatever dimension they were pulled into. Henry felt a deep sense of concern within his stomach, but he pushed away the feeling. He believed this god could help him, and he’d help him. They always taught the young Lumen Sage to honor the will of God. Maybe it applied to the will of other gods, too? He’d do what it takes. 

Henry recalled what Aesir had just stated. The boy turned to face the person beside him. This was Balder? The same Lumen Sage that was cast out from the clan, reprimanded for birthing a child with an Umbra Witch. He heard many stories from the Lumen Elders, but despite the stories, he still wanted to meet Balder for himself. He admired all the work he’d done before betraying the clan. The man could abide by the rules set for the rising of Jubileus. Although Henry didn’t understand half of what the Elders tried to teach, he still looked up to this so-called outlander. 

Balder stood still, his gaze hidden behind the mask. He hadn’t spoken a word. The man just stood there; his fist clenched tightly around something. Henry wanted to ask what it was, or even attempt to ask him if he was okay. The boy pressed his hand to his. Balder flinched away quickly. He huffed in irritation, taking a step back. Ouch. Henry’s face dropped. Disheartened at the man’s reaction. He didn’t take it too personally. It was weird to just randomly touch a stranger, but it hurt. 

“You, boy.” Aesir pointed to Henry.

“Henry.”

“Yes, Henry. Find the Left-Eye and keep tabs on her. Report to me with any new findings.”

“How will I know to get back here?” The godly being raised a hand, a small pocket watch appeared out of thin air. He placed it into the boy’s hands. Henry tilted his head in confusion. How was this going to help?

“Time is of the essence, little Lumen Sage. Do not disappoint me.” Aesir’s voice held no emotion, but he could feel the weight of the message from the child. 

A portal emerged from behind the boy. Once again, he felt sucked into the strange door to another place. He was scared. It wasn’t fun the first time and it wouldn’t be fun the second time. Both Balder and Aesir watched in silence as it pulled him back. Neither of them bothered to wish him a goodbye or good luck. 

“Wait! You still haven’t told me how this watch would help–” his question was short as it engulfed him in the portal, transported through time and space to God knows where. Henry could only hope he’d meet Aesir’s expectations. He closed his eyes tightly, bracing for impact. It’s time he faced the world alone. 

Chapter Text

Henry was flung from the portal, barely landing on his feet. He looked around to stand in an alleyway. The boy walked into the open, gazing around the new environment. There were so many people out and about. Small shops and businesses were open along the busied streets. Henry hadn’t seen so many people in one place outside of the sacred grounds. It was always “too dangerous” and yet here he was. There was no danger in sight. The air was clear, and the sun was beaming into his skin. 

As he continued along the sidewalk. There was no sense of familiarity in this town. The boy wasn’t acquainted with anything that he saw. Everything was new and exciting. He waved to a few friendly faces, taking in the kindness people showed him. This was a strange place… Where exactly was he? There wasn’t exactly a town sign nearby for him to read. He didn’t even know how to get out of the town. Aesir just tossed him there. 

“Are you lost, son?” A man asked. Henry turned to face the stranger. The boy blinked twice. The man stood behind a flower display, smiling down at him. There were so many flowers! For a moment, it sidetracked Henry. The man cleared his throat, snapping the Sage’s attention back into focus.

“Oh! Right, haha. Sir, where exactly am I? What’s the name of this place?” Henry inquired. 

“This, my boy, is Noatun! We’re at the bottom of the most glorious mountain in the world, Finbulventr.”

“Fen-ba-ver? Flin-banner? Fi-”

“No, no, son. Finbulventr. Listen closely. Fin-bull-ven-ter.” Henry tilted his head a little at the man’s annunciation. His little brain was ticking like clockwork. With a deep breath, he tried one more time to say the name. 

“Finbulventr?” Henry said carefully. Did I get it right?

“There you go, champ!” The man clapped his hands with a chuckle. The Lumen boy smiled at the shopkeeper. This was the first time he got applauded for doing something right. It felt good.

“Here, take any flower you want. On the house.” Henry reached for the lilies. He pulled one from the bunch and smiled warmly. He inhaled deeply, the scent flooding his nostrils. A flash in his mind of his mother’s smile. This was her favorite flower. Henry released a shaky breath.

“Thank you, sir.” 

The man reached over his stand, brushing his hand through Henry’s curly brown locks. “Hope you find what you’re looking for, son.”

The little Lumen Sage let out a laugh of his own before making his way down the sidewalk. He kept sniffing the flower, tears pricking the edges of his eyes. The boy refused to let the tears fall. Men don’t cry, so neither would he. Henry knew what he had to do. The boy was determined to get his family back, no matter what. 

Henry walked around the small town some more. Maybe he could find out where the exit was. Just as he continued forward, a strange feeling rushed over him. His eyes peered ahead at a flying squirrel running along the ground. An odd shape necklace around its neck. Henry picked up the pace, wanting to get up close and personal with the creature. The boy made his way down a flight of steps, leading down toward an exit. He stopped in his tracks as a strange feeling rushed over him. There was a small glow coming from his eyes. His hands went to his head, wiping his eyes quickly. Another wave of energy hit him, causing the boy to snap his head toward the sky. 

A figure was falling down. As the figure came closer to the ground, he made out the shape of a woman. She nearly landed on the squirrel; her legs parted so that she didn’t stomp it on impact. The Lumen Sage felt an intense amount of power from the woman. He felt he needed to speak with the woman. She stood up straight, turning toward the steps. Henry stood there in awe as she continued up the steps. As she walked past him, it was as if time slowed. Her eye left eye locked with his, and for a moment he could’ve sworn he saw a red glow come from her eye. Their gaze broke, and she continued on into Noatun. 

There was no doubt something was strange about that woman. She gave off a strange sense of energy. Not just any strange feeling, Henry could sense the magic coming from her. The Lumen Sage gazed at the exit. He could leave, but there was a possibility he’d never uncover the truth about who that woman is. She could lead him to the Left-Eye… or maybe she is the Left-Eye. The flower fell from his hand as he turned on his heel. Henry went back up the stairs, determination in his eyes. The woman was far ahead, but not out of eyesight. 

Henry followed her around, keeping his distance and staying out of eyesight. She walked to an empty street toward an odd red portal. Recalling what he was taught, Henry tried his best to transform into his bird form. It took him a while, but he finally transformed into a beautiful cockatoo. It was hard to fly, but he figured it out… slowly. He perched atop the roof of a nearby building. His forest green eyes peered at the short-haired woman below. She was talking to some bald man with sunglasses. Henry could recognize the strange insignia on the portal as a demonic symbol. No doubt this man was something straight from Inferno. This only made the young boy believe more that she was the Left-Eye. It was associated with darkness. What other form of darkness could there be aside from demons?

The woman walked away from the demon man, going about her day. Once she was far enough, Henry flew down to the ground. He transformed, his hands atop his knees, hunched over. The Lumen Sage felt drained. He never had to transform like that. He knew how to transform. Lumen Sages weren’t supposed to learn their transformations until they were 15 or 16 years of age. Henry was only 12 and even though he didn’t stay as a bird for long, it still took a lot out of him. 

After finally catching his breath, he stood up straight and looked around. He didn’t see the woman anymore. A groan of frustration escaped his lips. What was he going to do if she left the small city? What would he tell Aesir if he lost the potential Left-Eye? All these questions began running amok in his head. Little did Henry know, the person he’d been tracking peered out at him from above. She stood atop a building, smiling down as she watched the boy’s short tantrum. Down below, Henry felt the same sense of magic that he felt when he was near the strange lady. He turned his head toward the building's roof. There was no one there. 

Must be all in my head. Whatever. I need to get a move on.

Henry made his way toward the town exit, but he immediately stopped in his tracks as angels flew past him at a rapid speed. Without a thought, the Lumen Sage ran after them. There was no telling what they were up to, but angels always had a reason for appearing at random. The boy leaped down the steps into the center of town, stopping to see the same woman from earlier. She stood in awe at the sight before her. Henry couldn’t quite make out what was going on. He ran around to see a young boy in a yellow sleeveless shirt. There was a hood atop his head, covering his hair and a bit of his face. The boy leaped into the air; a sequence of cards flew from his hand. It took out the angels quickly. Henry was in shock as well. He watched as the boy interacted with the woman. He heard her name briefly; Bayonetta.

The conversation between them continued on. When the boy disappeared, the woman was left alone. She stood there for a while, looking off into the distance. Henry didn’t dare approach her. She certainly didn’t look like any of the locals, let alone like something a Lumen Sage would wear. The woman made a circular motion, stepping through a purple-shaped spell of some sort. Just who exactly was she?

“So how long are you going to keep following me for?” The woman stated. As she turned to face the boy. She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and smirked.

“I-I’m not following you.” Henry replied. The woman took long steps toward him, standing before him in a matter of seconds. 

“Really? A little birdie told me you were watching my every move.” Does that mean she recognized him as the bird?

“Who are you? Why were you speaking with a demon? Who was that boy? What-”

“Hold the phone there, little one. That’s a lot of questions. None of which is your business.” The woman raised a brow at him. Henry was getting riled up with her. 

“Just tell me one thing. What’s your name?”

“Cereza or Bayonetta, and you are?”

“Henry. Another thing…”

“Go on, little boy.”

“I’m not a little boy. I’m a Lumen Sage. A man.” 

Bayonetta’s eyes widened at Henry’s announcement. We believe all the Lumen Sages to be wiped out. How could one exist in the present day? Balder was the last of the Sages, and Bayonetta was certain she didn’t have any secret siblings. She gazed up and down at the boy’s attire. He held the symbol of the sages on his chest. The white, black, and gold colors his outfit had were just screaming “I am a Lumen Sage”. 

“The Lumen Sages haven’t been around for a very long time, little one. They were all wiped out. Now unless you’re playing dress up, that’s odd. I suggest you come clean with what you’re doing.” Bayonetta circled the little boys, peering her gaze at him. 

“I’m telling the truth, lady.” Henry took a step back. 

He locked eyes with Bayonetta. That same dark glow from her left eye appeared once more. An uneasy feeling rushed down Henry’s spine. A voice in his head telling him that this is the person he was supposed to find. Just as he was about to confront her, angels appeared from the sky. They surrounded them, reading their weapons.

“Angels? Why are they here?” 

“You can see them?” Bayonetta asked in shock. Before she could get her answer, an angel stood in front of Henry. They cut him away from Bayonetta.

“Step aside Lumen Sage. Let us deal with the Left-Eye.” The angel spoke. Henry gasped in shock. The pieces of the puzzle were coming together.

“You’re the Left-Eye?” He shouted at Bayonetta.

“I prefer the Umbra Witch. I haven’t been called the Left-Eye in oh so long. Step aside, little one. Let the grown-ups do the talking.”

Bayonetta pulled out her weapons, her tongue grazing across her lips as she readied for battle. Henry watched as the angels went toe to toe with the witch. Her moves were fluent and precise. Henry’s heart raced at the sudden battle. It reminded him of what had occurred earlier in his day. The destruction and fight around his own home. He wanted to rush in and stop the fighting. The sounds of bullets flying, affecting the angels. It took them down one by one. Henry was scared. If Aesir needed this woman, the Left-Eye, how in the world was he supposed to achieve that? There was no way he could take her on alone, but he wanted his family back above all. The boy looked at the left behind weap0n. He picked it up and clenched it, a thought coming to mind.

Bayonetta dealt with the last of the angels swiftly. She wiped the subtle sweat from her brow and smiled. She was proud of the work she had done. Before she could check on the boy, she quickly side stepped an incoming attack. A sharp blade just barely missing her face. Time slowed for a moment, and she locked eyes with her attacker. Henry’s face dawned with a scowl, it flooded his forest green eyes with grief and anguish. Time resumed at normal speed as the Lumen boy landed on the ground, whipping around to point the weapon at her. It was a little bigger than him, but he could make do with it.

“Just what the hell are you doing with that, little boy?” She asked with a sting of hostility. 

“...” Henry didn’t respond. He stood there in silence, tightening his grip on the sword-like spear. 

“So, it’s going to be like that, eh? So be it.”

Bayonetta frowned at the boy standing before her. She wasn’t one for fighting children, but she didn’t take disrespect from anyone. This scene before her felt familiar, in a way. It was almost disheartening. She had to fight her father, the last Lumen Sage. Madness blinded him, and now she’d have to fight another Lumen Sage who may be the last of his clan. The woman wondered when the cycle would end. 

There stood them both. The Umbra Witch and the Lumen Sage.