The year was 412 A.D., and yet again, Rome felt the harshities of the world and suffered from the Greed and corruption of man. While he added to the downward spiral of the state of the world, Lucifer had made his way through Italy and inflicted despair and mayhem where he saw fit. Over the years, he wove deception, treachery, and mistrust amongst those in power, so naturally, he set up residence.
Rome had always been famed as great and mighty, and like a destructive moth to a flame, Lucifer was intent on watching it burn. Once embedded amongst the rich and powerful, he began to sow the seeds of discord and discontent amongst its people, specifically those who had been subjected to the vile acts of the Christian crusaders. He brought to light the deficiencies of the Roman empire and provided insight to those who had been ill-informed or deceived by those who preached the word of God and Rome's righteous glory.
As a result, the Visigoths, Germanic Pagans who had suffered from starvation, excessive taxation, and corruption, were rallied. They had been convinced to no longer accept or tolerate the Romans and Christianity, so they rose against the empire that swore to serve them, ransacked the city, and took anything that wasn't nailed down.
Every rebellion needed a leader, and Flavius Alaricus, better known as King Alaric of the Visigoths, famed for his thick, wavey walnut hair, intense eyes, and golden armor, led the armies that pillaged Rome. At the height of the rebellion, King Alaric tried to remain civil and even went so far as to negotiate with Honorius, the Roman Emperor, in hopes of ending the war peacefully. After he ransacked Rome twice and left it in smolders, Alaric took pity on Honorius and agreed to meet with him to negotiate a peace treaty, and though this treaty could have ended the pain of all parties that suffered, Lucifer had other ideas for these two.
He decided to use his seductive powers and destroyed all trust and faith between the rival monarchs. Alaric, who had been attacked by Sarus, an imperial of the Amal family, believed Honorius had attempted to have him assassinated. Now convinced Honorius' word could no longer be trusted, Alaric rallied his people once again and ransacked Rome for a third and final time. Sarus, though a hereditary enemy of Alaric, had no reason to attack him and his men. As a result, history would forever see his motive as a mystery.
Alaric took the wealth of Rome, as well as much-needed provisions and supplies. Angry for their betrayal, Alaric also saw fit to not only reap the valuables from Rome but also take the Emperor's sister, Galla Placidia. After he left the capital, Alaric took Galla with him to Gaul, and for months, celebrated and reveled in his spoils. He eventually succumbed to illness in 412 A.D. and opened the position of King to his brother-in-law Ataulf. Ataulf was able to mend an alliance with Honorius, their pact cemented by the marriage of Galla and Ataulf in January of 414 A.D.
Before her marriage to Ataulf, Galla found she was with child near the moment of Alaric's death. Out of fear that Ataulf would find out and kill her or her baby, she hid her pregnancy well. Once she had the baby boy, she fled to a nearby church and left the baby in a pew after she begged God for forgiveness. She quickly found a priest and confessed her sin to him before she ran out the door and left the babe behind.
The priest, an older man named Remus, took in the boy, named him Dimitri, and raised him not only as his own but to be an active member of their church. Dimitri grew to be a brilliant and strong young man of faith. He learned to read and write and fervently studied the word of God. Within Dimitri, Remus saw signs of a kind-hearted soul, so to nurture and expand these traits, Remus put Dimitri in charge of the Sunday School program and the children who came to the church. Dimitri took on the responsibility and cared for the younger kids as well as showed a kind of brotherly love for them. He became a role model, which in a small way, helped make up for the lack of family that Dimitri so yearned for.
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The Origin of Temptation
Fantasy(The First installment of the Split-Soul Series) You've heard the story before of Lucifer's fall from grace, but have you heard it told like this? Recently expelled from Heaven, fallen angels Lucifer and Lilith are exiled to Earth. While there, God...
