Nothing.

An empty abyss of serenity and peace. Yet in this there felt an odd sensation of the bleak nothing it truly was. Was this all there was? Surly there had to be something else, maybe there was, but that was not within knowing.

*Clang!*

'Why is that?' It wondered… wait, it? Who was thinking in the nothing? Was ‘It’ thinking? Who is ‘It?’

*Clang!*

Maybe with Its being aware of the nothing, It was now… becoming. What an odd sensation. It had a feeling of knowing, to want to know more.

*Clang!*

It was hungry for knowledge. ‘Were all things like this.’ It wondered. Soon it would get it’s answer. A loud final

*Clang!*

Echoed throughout all things and a being that was an indiscernible height stood aloft, his figure was obscured by the nothing but in his hand he held a small white orb. To say he held It would give too much credit, as It was no larger than a pin prick that lay atop his index finger. This nice man smiled a warm smile and bathed It in light for the first time. The glow engulfed the newly made senses it was gifted before, making It brim with vitality and wonder. All around, brand new things could be made out and It saw white dots across the nothing, now full of many bright somethings! The man dunked It into the flames of one of the somethings, a star that was closest to them, filling It with meaning and purpose. The nice man pulled It from the star and the orb that comprised It was now as large as his hand, he planted a small kiss on the orb and spoke to It, his voice deep and fatherly.

"Do well young one, I believe in you." He said with a smile, which filled the orb with love and happiness.

He then turned to a larger ball behind him and gestured to it with a gleaming smile. "This will be your home now." He said as he pet the orb. "I expect great things from you, you are a chosen, do not disappoint me.” he chuckled “But I know you will not.” The nice man smiled as the orb floated calmly to the large ball, it was far larger than It had expected. "Forgive me." The nice man called after somberly a tear falling from his eye, still smiling as It floated ever further to the ball.

Soon nothing gave way to color! In the color many faces could be seen, they waved as the orb descended to the place the nice man showed him. It could feel itself falling then It picked up speed, too much speed! The nothing was all gone and all that could be seen was new things! Too many things! It hurdled toward the large ball ever growing in size until a brown box was seen in a field of green surrounded by many many more brown boxes! He heard screams of pain and wails of agony and yet he fell faster and faster. He was terrified of this, he preferred the nothing and wished for the scary things to stop. When would it stop?! He knew not but as sudden as the screams came they ended, then he forgot them as he saw a face. A woman held him in her arms and her screams were replaced with a smile like the nice man, except with even more love and much more tiredness. It filled him with a warmth he could never explain. Soon, other figures came into view; a wrinkly one from the middle picked him up and held him high.

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“A boy!” The wrinkly one said “I have a grandson! HAHA!” He almost danced with the baby as he twirled around with it. Suddenly his celebrations were cut short as the woman's voice called to him and made him stop.

“Walden! Give me back my child this instant! Lest I strip the wings from your back!” Walden shuddered involuntarily at this outburst, stopped his twirl and set the baby back into the mothers arms. Even if she was resting in a bed, he knew better than to court the ire of a newly minted mother.

“My apologies, Ryka. I am just so happy to see another grandchild in the family!" Walden pumped his arms and cheered, unable to restrain his joy. This seemed to take the steam out of Ryka's annoyance at her father-in-law. She handed the child to her midwife who had a small white blanket ready to wrap up the bundle of joy.

There was a holy man within the house who aided the midwife in spiritual matters while she swaddled the child. He was youthful and dressed very piously with faded orange robes and tattoos along his neck and cheeks holding religious sayings and the name of his deity. He held a book and read softly from it while waving his free hand above the baby's head. After his whispered blessings, he nodded thoughtfully and turned to Ryka. "Congratulations, Ryka. Your son shows a great disposition! He is of high constitution and a sound mind even only have been born into the world. It is likely that he, like his father, seems to be blessed by our most Holy Kaul!" He almost cheered, but kept himself in check as he gleefully closed his book and hung it from a chain at his waist.

Seizing the moment, Walden reasserted himself into the talks. "Where is my son anyhow!? He should be here with us, witnessing the birth of his child—."

As if on cue, a man burst through the door. He wore heavy plate armor draped with a red tabard that held a icon of a wolf below an upward facing yellow chevron. He was blonde, tall, muscular, clean shaven and was drenched with sweat and dirt. Panting heavily he strode to the crowd that had gathered in his home. "Have I arrived late?" He asked worriedly. “I did not miss it did I?” The crowd simply looked on in a mix of shock and excitement at him. Instead of an answer, a soft cry was heard from the baby as Ryka held him in his blanket. They parted as the man strode to her side, kneeling by the bed. "Ryka, my dear, forgive me. I've missed it."

Ryka touched his cheek softly. "Nonsense Mari, you are here now…" She smiled tenderly and turned his attention to the child. "You may have missed the birth but you are to be the one to give him a name."

This caught Mari's attention and he looked at Ryka with childlike joy. "Him?"

Ryka giggled and held the baby closer to their faces. "We have a son. You get to use the name you wanted to." She said with a coy grin. She nudged Mari with her elbow and held the baby closer to him. "Go ahead. Take him."

With trembling hands, Mari picked up his son and held him high, looking into his eyes. Walden walked closer and patted his shoulder. "Well then Marizhel, what shall be the name of my grandson?"

Mari didn't even look his father's way as he teared up at the sight of his child in his arms. After so long, he was now a father and the feeling was overwhelming. His cry was ugly but full of happiness. "My son… my sweet baby boy." He drew the child in closer. "You will be named after the progenitor of our blood, beginning of our line. General of our most Holy Kaul in the First War. He was known as Zaer. But you… you shall be…"

In such a short time the baby was assaulted on all sides with so many emotions and thoughts both overwhelming and minor. The nice man, who had first smiled at him, sent him here and it gave way to such interesting things. These people, the words they spoke, the place they lived in, the blue sky he plummeted through to get here and the warmness he felt from their words, his mere existence amongst them seemingly being a joyous thing. He did not know what lay ahead but his memories of the nothingness disappeared as if they were never there and only the nice man's smile remained. Soon he knew nothing except his name that his father gave him. Through tears and hugs the blonde man held him up once again and proclaimed to those in attendance.

"You, my son, are Zaerthold!"