Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/1042137. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Choose_Not_To_Use_Archive_Warnings, Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Rape/ Non-Con, Underage Category: F/M, M/M, F/F, Multi Fandom: Young_Justice_(Cartoon) Character: Cameron_Makent Additional Tags: Dark, Pedophilia, Child_Abuse, dark!Cameron Series: Part 4 of Plot_Bunnie_Farm_Escapees Stats: Published: 2013-11-12 Chapters: 1/? Words: 1078 ****** NightFall: Angelic Nightmares ****** by sirensoundwave Summary Youth and innocence does not translate the same way in the world of Devas as it does to mortals. So very few things do. These are the tales of Cameron and the family he forged through blood, lust, love, dark magic and the depravity of the human soul. Notes Hey all. This is my Nightfall side story, which I recommend you read first to lessen confusion. And understand why there's an M rating. This will focus mostly on Cam and his 'siblings' in all their sweet yet terrifying glory. Warning: Messed up shit ahoy. Seriously. See the end of the work for more notes   The notion that a soul reaver had to be contracted with a pure heart to devour was...inaccurate. Really all you needed to offer something the reaver wanted depending on the tabor asked. So why were children often sacrificed? A long time ago, and order of monks sought to destroy the breed of deva. In their minds, they were the same as the servants of Satan that took human souls. Hence the misnomer of Soul Reaver...literally 'soul taker'. The mistake stuck mainly because they didn't call themselves anything to begin with. That and men on a holy quest weren't going to nitpick about such a small oversight. On their part. Anyway they believed that such wicked creatures couldn't tolerate something as pure as the lifeforce of an innocent child. That the sheer power would cause one to waste away or weaken enough to be killed with mortal weapons. In this manner Reavers would slowly die out removing a temptation into sin thus ensuring spiritual salvation to their flock. They created false summoning spells that forced the Reaver to accept what the spell told the summoner to offer...a child's beating heart. Seriously. Let's explore the glaring flaws in that logic. First of all, purity in the biblical sense has nothing to do with the power of a child. Their sense of wonder, naivety, and beliefs did. Which is why there were plenty of adults with the same strength. The reason it was so dangerous was the same reason an overfilled balloon exploded; too much pressure. The way to get around that was simply to suck out a part of the their life force when the deal was enacted and take the heart once the task was finished. Humans are more susceptible to losing energy when they were feeling extreme emotion. such as anger, despair or pleasure. Next, this actually increased the reaver population. Though perfectly capable of mating and breeding, a human whose heart was eaten became like their killer. Bound to them until the creator was certain the fledgeling could survive alone at the very least. A fact known to Reavers for centuries. The very reason a child was typically NOT accepted; they became somewhat of a burden, needing more care and time to grow. Lastly, it saved no one. A human child still died, often another person's slaughter was the reaver's task to complete, and the first thing said reaver usually did once free of their forced covenant was done was torture and/or murder their oppressor. On the off chance they were weakened by what they consumed, well you know an injured wolf still has fangs...and claws. It didn't help that Reavers are also the living embodiements of yin and yang. You can't get something for nothing. The fact that they would help someone get what they want in exchange for less homicidal things...like the promise to help someone else. Or give up drinking. Really anything so long as the reaver deemed it sufficient. His maker had grown bored of her existence. An old one, she remembered how things were before their purpose was warped by human and their self righteousness. She chose to deal with Mahkent Sr because the light inside his son was of the very rare type that could actually be fatal to her. One that had remained innocent and gentle despite the corruption and cruelty he'd been bred from. Before she died, Abigail transferred her knowledge to the young boy so he would not be lost. She thought she was doing him a favor in her last act alive; becoming like her was a blessing compared to the hellish end she knew he would meet at his father's bare hands instead. Cameron spent his first few years as a reaver alone. He lived with humans of course (social services kinda doesn't small kids living alone or with supervillains) but didn't meet another like himself until he created Joaquin at age 13. Someone else decided to use the false summoning spell. Abigail's parting gift transferred more than knowledge. Once he experienced his first summons, the desire to create and nurture children of his own was awakened. At the same time as his male teenage hormones kicked in; sex drive clashing with maternal instinct And thus his twisted little family began. Joaquin , Mindy, Tulio and little Pippa. His dearest ones. His children. His siblings. His lovers. **OF** "Are we in trouble?" Pippa asked as she climbed onto the table to avoid the mess on the floor. It was a good thing the table was very sturdy, she had to kick and wiggle just to shimmy up there. She hated being so tiny; she and Mindy were the exactly the same age but the brown skinned girl was a whole foot taller. It wasn't fair! Well, poor Mindy was crying her eyes out with her face pressed into Joaquin's shirt. The blue fabric was turning purple from all the blood running down the gash on her forehead. "Nope." Joaquin shrugged. The Portuguese boy regarded the whole scene with an apathetic gaze, stroking his sobbing sister's hair. "Tulio is." "Wait, what?!" The blonde boy fumed. "Let's see. You went out alone when big brother said not to. Then some fruit loop followed you home. Mindy got kicked in the face by said weirdo. Then you kinda turned his brain into jelly...that's now all over the kitchen. Cam is gonna freak!" "I got bored! And how was I supposed to know if could blow stuff up like that?!" Yeah. Four children aged 7 to 10 were standing in a kitchen with a dead body sans head. When the 9 year old snuck out of the house his siblings were all otherwise engaged; the girls were playing with their 'dolls', Joaquin was making everybody sandwiches assuming Tulio was was playing video games. So, it startled them all when the front door burst open and a blonde streak followed by a shaggy brown one ran in. Mindy was on her way to the table, crossing the front hallway when she was mowed over and her face hit the end table causing the gash. Tulio, became enraged that his sister was hurt...well he wasn't sure what he did but now, the would be robber/molestor/killer's grey matter, blood and skull fragments strewn about the room...and they were more worried about their big brother being mad at them. It must be Tuesday. *end*     End Notes This is just a sample. There will be more as we see how this creepy little family lives out their lives filled with homicide, dark magic, smut and fluff. Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!