Lie Ren was blissfully off in dream land when a feather light rustling stirred him from his slumber. "Did you dream about it again?" he asked without ever opening his eyes.
"Uh huh," a voice choked out weakly as the owner slipped between the boy's sheets. She nestled herself under in the crook of his arms with her head laying on his chest. It was Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren's best friend sense a time that until yesterday felt so far off.
"I thought you had gotten over it?" Ren asked with grog in his voice, sleep already threatening to swallow him up again.
"I thought I had too," Nora said, her voice lacking its usual exuberance. It was now replaced by a stifled whisper that was only broken by light sobs.
"It'll be okay," Ren said as he stroked her ginger hair. "Nothing like that is ever going to happen again. I promised that I'd protect you."
"I know," she replied happily, a smile flashed across her face. "Hey Ren…" she said as calm as she could. Ren let his eyes crack open to find Nora's turquoise orbs staring intently into his magenta. "Boop," Nora said as she tapped his nose, another smile on her face.
Ren's drowsy expression broke into a warm smile as he ruffled the girl's hair. "Go to bed Nora," he said before he fell victim to sleeps powerful grip.
Sleep would come much slower to the girl he cradled in his arms. Tried as she might to sail her way to dream land her thoughts were tormented by Vale's recent Grimm breach. The blaring sirens. The terrifying roar of monsters that stormed the streets. The agonized screams of people who couldn't fend for themselves. Though Nora fought as valiant as her name sake, these sounds took her back to a time where she wasn't as brave. A time when she wasn't as bright. A time where she knew no hope.
Sirens blared to a deafening roar, a sound so shrill that Nora would never forget it. "Mom, what's that sound? It's so loud," a young Nora whined as she covered her ears, fruitlessly trying to protect herself from the indomitable ringing.
"It's nothing," her mother lied as she pat her daughter head. Magnhild, the combination war hammer and grenade launcher that Nora would someday wield, was clutched tightly in her mother's grasp.
Screams of terror could be heard just beyond their home's walls along with the hungry cries of Grimm. Nora and her family had lived in a small settlement that was serving as one of the beginning for human expansion in Vale. It wasn't far from the kingdom's capital, but just far enough to see the occasional Grimm. Except today there was just your occasional small beast that had wandered to close. There was an organized pack of them; Ursa, Nevermore, Beowolves, King Taijtus, Boarbatusk and many more. They had spontaneously swarmed the small settlement and were currently terrorizing the town. The few huntresses and hunters that lived here had taken up arms to fend off the attack. They had even radioed to the capital to request reinforcements but everything seemed bleak.
"Mom's go help fight the Grimm," her mother said as she pat her daughters head. "I'll be right back I promise."
Nora could feel her heart sinking. She couldn't believe her mother's words. The world outside their house seemed so scary right now. The air was a storm of violent sounds and the earth rumbled as buildings toppled. "I don't want you to go," Nora frowned as she tugged on her mother's gown.
"It'll be okay," Nora's mother smiled one last time. "Boop," she said as she poked her daughter's nose, a silly gesture of affection that they shared. After that, she left a very afraid Nora alone in a home that suddenly seemed too big for a ten-year old girl.
Nora waited for her mother, suffering through the terrible roars and blood curdling screams. The thundering explosions that made her tiny heart jump and rattling of the earth that shook her to the core. She waited through it all, while trying to cover her eyes and ears from the chaos. Then, the unimaginable happen. Half of Nora's home was blown away as a gigantic Boarbatusk charged through. Grinding to a halt it stared at her, blood coated its tusk, and angrily snorted. Nora, gripped by terror could only shake her head, trying to wish the Grimm away as she crawled for safety. The Boarbatusk squealed before reeling back onto its hind quarters, ready to mow the small girl down.
An explosion ripped through the air. The Boarbatusk was gone, now sent flying far off into the horizon. Before Nora stood a woman in gleaming gown, speckled with dust and blood. She had long ginger lock and eyes that glittered like the sea. Though battered she stood proud before Nora, a mighty hammer resting on her shoulders. "Stay the hell away from my daughter!" she roared before lunging back into the fray like some goddess of war.
Nora had long sense fainted from shock and wouldn't see her mother's final charge. The battle for the city would rage on around her unconscious body that would be protected by her homes wreckage. The battle would drag on into the night, ending with the eventual defeat of the Grimm at the cost of nearly the entire towns populous. Nora would eventually be roused by a team scavenging for survivors.
"Where's my mommy?" the ginger girl would ask only to receive silence. Though she was young she understood what it meant, her mother was gone. Nora could feel her heart break as reality crushed it with its harsh grasp. The memory of sirens, pained screams and the Grimm's bestial roars burned themselves into Nora's mind. The sensory overload caused her emotions to run rampant inside her, it was as if everything was happening again all around her. She could remember everything, feel everything. Tears began to stream down Nora's cheeks as. It was all she could do. All she had left were these bubbling emotions that threatened to eat her alive.
A plate shattered to floor, scattering what looked like an untouched meal onto the floor. Though the sound was jarring and caused a moment of alarm all onlookers met the scene with sighs and rolls of their eyes. Except for one. A boy with hair the color of midnight and magenta eyes was kneeling down, attempting to clean up the mess. "Nora, you have to eat," he said with a sigh.
Lie Ren was Nora's oldest friend, even before the Grimm attack on their home. They came from neighboring families so the two had always grown and played alongside each other. Now, they lived in an orphanage at the heart of Vale for children who had lost their parents to Grimm.
"I don't want it," Nora growled bitterly. They had been staying at the orphanage for nearly a week and Nora had barely touched her food. She ate what little she felt she could stomach despite Ren's efforts in coaxing her to eat.
"You'll get sick if you don't eat," Ren warned, trying not to raise his tone. He scratched his head, his hair lacking what would come to be his iconic pink streak. There had to be a way to get her to feel better.
"I don't care," Nora barked.
The room fell silent in wake of her outburst before it filled with chatter, gossip about how 'Nora was at it again'.
"Nora…" Ren sighed heavily, trying to find his words.
"I won't do it Ren."
"Come on," Nora said reaching out to her, moving to poke her nose. "Boo-"
His hand was met with a harsh slap, knocking it away. "Don't do that," Nora growled, daggers in her eyes.
"I'm sorry," Ren said immediately. "I was just…trying to cheer you up."
"Don't," Nora said coldly as she hopped from her chair. With clenched fist and heavy feet Nora stormed her way back to her room, a series of cots where all the children slept in one giant hall. She climbed into her bunk and rested her head between her knees, wanting to shut herself away from the world.
She could still hear it. The blaring sirens, the howling Grimm and the terrified screams. Then there was the last exchange she had shared with her mother. It was all burned into her. Nora scratched her nose, she could still feel her mother's final caress on her skin. It was their little way of saying hi, I love you or it'll all be okay. It had always put a smile on her face, but now it only served as a biter reminder. Then there was Ren, who tried to recreate the act. Ren had seen the exchange between Nora and her mother countless times, but he didn't understand the meaning. He had only seen it on the outside. He only knew that the act could make Nora smile. His intentions were good but right now the gesture only made her heart ache.
A mighty roar sounded causing Nora's heart to leap into her throat. All the memories of that day flashed through her mind. She covered her ears. Shut her eyes. She wanted to wish it all away. Then came the snickers and laughter. It wasn't a Grimm but another child playing tricks on her. Still is sounded all too real as the cries from that day. Her head pounded as her heart thumped in her ears, tears began to trickle down her cheek.
"Knock it off!" she heard just above the memories racing through her mind. There was loud thumping, cheering and screams. A scuffle had begun.
"Stop that!" someone shouted. "You two stop that!" an older voice commanded. It was one of the orphanage's caretakers, come to separate the fighters. "Lie Ren, you know better than to start fights."
"I didn't-"
"Enough!" They commanded for his silence. "A deputy from another city is here to see you. He's thinking about adopting you."
"But-"
"No buts Ren," and that was the final word.
The fighting quelled and the children separated, leaving a whimpering Nora alone on her cot. She didn't know when the shaking stopped. When all the sound and her mind were finally silent Nora did her best to wipe the tears from her eyes. She hated it here. All the other kids were mean to her. They all wanted to force her to eat or do things she didn't want. Nora felt sick to her stomach. She hadn't slept in days. Every hour of her days was haunted by her memories. She couldn't take it. She wanted to leave.
So little Nora walked, walked as far as her little legs would take her from the orphanage. She wanted to be as far away from that place as possible. She couldn't escape her memories but she could definitely escape those people. She could still hear the children's laughter. They loved to torment her. "Sneak up on the freak," they called it. She was a game to them. Well, no more. She'd leave it all behind.
It was then that she heard another roar causing her memories to come flooding back. This time it wasn't another child playing a prank. It was a real Grimm. A small Beowolf had found the poor girl. It had sniffed out Nora's rampaging emotions and now it had come to feed. Nora's legs gave out from under her. Fear took hold as she imagined the Beowolf as the giant Boarbatusk that destroyed her home. Except this time there wouldn't be a brave warrior maiden to come to her rescue. The Beowolf howled before charging at its prey.
Nora let out a scream in what seemed like her final moments. There was a flash of green and the Grimm was sent tumbling a few feet. Between her and the Grimm stood a raven haired boy. "Don't worry Nora," he said before let out a breath to calm himself as he fell into a fighting stance. "I'll protect you."
The Beowolf growled, angered that someone would keep it from its meal. It charged again pouncing on the boy who would be the appetizer before the main course. But Lie Ren was swift. Having been trained in his youth in the martial arts he was already an experienced fighter. He bobbed and weaved around the creatures claws as he dodged its drooling maw. However, Ren lacked a true hunters experience and could never prepare for an animal's tenacious natural instinct. A claw cut him across the shoulder and sent him spinning to the ground, where he landed at Nora's feet.
A deafening bang rang out as a pulled pierced into the Beowolf's flesh, the beast felled. A shot fired from the Anti-Grimm weapon wielded by the deputy who had come to adopt Ren. Nora hadn't heard nor seen it. All her senses were now focused on Ren. Her eyes swelled with tears as she approached him. Nora shook him trying to make sure he was okay, not stolen away by Death's unforgiving grip like her mother had been. "Please be okay," she whispered frantically. "Please be okay Ren. I can't lose you too." The tears came so heavily now, clouding her vision.
"Boop," came the boy's weak voice as she felt a finger tap against her nose.
Nora opened her eyes just enough to see Ren's dim smile. Her heart sank as she blamed herself, he had gotten injured trying to protect her. But her heart swelled in knowing that he was okay. She was happy to know that her best friend and savior was right here by her side.
TBC
