2 The First of the Nine

The little Nevermore continued on hoping around while thinking out some random thoughts.

"Other.....birds.....not talk?....."

"Me.....not find...more power.....more knowledge....."

"Why.....am I here?...purpose.....what?.....to grow....."

These were its thoughts, but it didn't really speak or formed the words or anything.

(Authors Note: The Grimm isn't really thinking some words. I just wanted to showcase what it was thinking, it didn't think of the words but it was thinking the thought of those words. Please Understand, I don't know how to explain my stuff properly.)

"I can tell you." A woman's voice said.

Salem appeared in front of the bird, levitating above it as she stared at the small Nevermore before landing on the ground.

"You are a Grimm, a very interesting Grimm."

"?!?!Grimm?!?!?!" The bird tilted its head.

Salem was amused at the Grimm's reaction. It wasn't scared, nor did it feel to be obedient when it was within her presence.

Normally, a Grimm would immediately become a docile pet when she called it. But this one, just said something to her in reply.

'I can read its thoughts, as well directly convey my thoughts to it.'

"My name is Salem, the Queen of Grimms, the Mistress of Darkness. I am the one who created you, who gave birthed to you. Your mother if you will."

She then walked up to the small bird as she locked her eyes with its own, "Tell me young one, why have you stayed here for so long. Haven't you felt a desire? The urge to grow? The desire to cause chaos?"

"Yes....but more stuff here.....Want to see.....Want to understand....No leave.....All too big, no small spots.....No energy.....no grow."

Salem had a smile as she gently grabbed the small bird and carried it on her hands.

The Nevermore didn't resist as it knew that the entity before it didn't have any ill intent, just like the rest of the creatures in this land.

Salem then began to inspect its body, "You are a strange little one. I've been watching you. Most young Grimms leave my domain after a few months or even weeks, but you've stayed here for a year and still didn't grow a feather."

She then gently spread its left wing, "There hasn't been a Grimm like you that gained intelligence for a thousand years. Other Grimms may have learned and adapted after living for hundreds years. But they aren't smart as you, little one."

She chuckled softly as she felt something that she hadn't felt in a long time.

Curiosity. True Curiousity of the Unknown.

"You say you want to 'know'. So what do you want to 'know'?" Salem asked.

"Yes. I want to know what to know. I want to know what others know. Maybe what you know...." The little Grimm telepathically replied while nodding its head.

"You don't know…...what you want to know?" Salem sat on a nearby stone as she held the bird.

"How much do you know?" She continued.

"Know.....Know....little....That's why I move around....to learn....to know...." The Grimm replied.

"Poor sweet child. That is a very wise answer…..but you also made a mistake." Salem said as she placed her pale hand on the little Nevermore and gently rubbed its back.

The Nevermore tilted it's head to the side in confusion, "Not understand.....Wise not know.....Be one mean not other.....Explain....Want wise...."

"Now now. You do not gain wisdom when someone always gives you the answer." She cooed as if she was speaking to a child.

"Think back on what I said. Did I ever say that you were wise or not. Wisdom and Knowledge are different things you know..."

The Nevermore gently flapped its wings, "No….I not wise...but not not wise… sometime wise... sometime not….?....too little knowledge...."

"Yes, you understand how little you know. The world is far bigger than you can imagine." Salem said.

She could tell that the little birdie was hanging on to her every word, It was extremely intelligent.

She had been doing this for centuries, finding what an individual wants and directing them towards her own goal as a way to fulfill it.

It was her way on how she managed to get some human pawns. She would play mind games on them and trick them to her will.

Although she had never needed to do so for a Grimm. As their desires are already fixed to their purpose.

Even the most intelligent of her Grimms are very instinctual and likes to find negativity and feeding on humans.

In her very long life, she had never seen a Grimm who would not only, choose not to grow, but also actively avoid negative energy to do another thing for their own goal.

"With such a large world, why are you staying here? The outside world has so much to offer." She caressed its back again.

"Not know outside…..only know here…..outside unknown....might die....but I want know outside....but not want go.....not understand.....too little know...." The Grimm replied.

"I see." The Dark Queen was perplexed.

This wasn't the survival tactic that the most intelligent of Grimms employ. This was something foreign to their species, it wouldn't give in to its urges and would truly act on its own desires.

"Despite how much you want to go, you're scared of the unknown. Hehe, you are right to fear. The world outside is on natural reaction really, that place isn't like my domain." She caressed the bird again.

"Grimm's far older and stronger than you, die by the dozens everyday outside. At your level, you wouldn't last a night."

The little bird slightly shivered. He has always seen those large and powerful Grimms in this domain. They were ALOT of them, and he wanted to be as strong as them.

But they would still, easily die outside?

"Scared.....this scared? This place safe....but no new...Outside, not safe, but all new…...want go, but want live.....leave no live...stay no learn....worse than not live….."

Salem smiled, "You are right to fear the unknown, it stems from your lack of strength. But the solution is so simple."

This was her play, this Nevermore was clever, too clever to waste away in her borders. A piece this powerful shouldn't be staying in the back row.

Especially when that piece would only get better over time.

Furthermore, she could feel a strange power from this Grimm. It a power that was completely new and unknown to her.

"You only need to gain more negative energy, feed on the creatures with souls and strengthen yourself. Believe me, the outside world has more than you could ever gain than here."

She then continued, "Specially knowledge. You want to learn right? Then you have take it from them, take it from the humans."

The little bird was pumped up a little, "Get strong, need energy.....What soul? And where to find?"

"Don't worry, little one. You will know it when you feel it." Salem smiled.

She had unleashed something that this world had never seen.

"I will be giving you gifts. You are mother's first born. I wouldn't want my child to go out without some proper tools to defend himself." She said.

She had to invest in making this Grimm stronger. She wanted it to be her greatest weapon.

Salem then touched the head of the Nevermore with her finger. An ominous dark red light was flowing on to her arm and it was being poured on to the Grimm's body.

The Grimm didn't feel anything, so it just tilted its head in wonder.

"Hehe, you will know my gifts soon enough. You will feel them as you grow, they will strengthen you in every soul you devour. They will help you on your quest for knowledge and power."

Salem then stood up before she raised the bird to the air. She declared as her voice carried out some strange power that made all the Grimms in the land turn to her.

"From this day forward, you will be named Swain! The firstborn of my children! The first of the 'Lords'!"

As if all the Grimm's in the domain heard her words. All of them faced to the named Grimm, and they loudly roared all together.

They were celebrating the birth of their Queen's 'son'.

"Now go, learn and grow. Make me proud my son." She said as he placed the bird on a purple crystal nearby.

"Weird power....Thank you…..Salem....Mother....my name? What name?" The little bird telepathically replied as it tilted its head while letting out a caw.

"You child, are my new favorite. You need to go outside, don't worry about being killed. The gifts I gave you are very special. Furthermore, you will not be going alone, there will be others. They will help you in your quest." Salem said as she flew to the air and left.

The Nevermore watched as her leaving figure. She was flying towards the distant tower.

"I have gifts....I can feel it.....Thank you mother....good bye mother...."

Without looking back, the young Nevermore flapped its wings and it took flight.

He didn't notice it, but his eyes were glowing even brighter than before, and his body were radiating a dark and dangerous aura.