Disclaimer: I don't own Noir. Please don't send Noir after me. And sending lawyers after me would be even worse. If the owners of Noir would like to erase this work then contact the author or FanFiction.net to have it removed.
Warning to readers: This is a prequel that contains major spoilers. Watch the anime first! The author's notes will be located in the final chapter.
Noir: A Perfect Blade
Chapter 4: The Edge
The Sapling must go out into the wilderness. Facing the harshest of challenges, she will strengthen herself. With the proper amount of water and light, she will grow to become Noir.
A lone figure walked through a barren wasteland. Wrapped in a white cloak, the traveler paused and raised a pale hand under her hood to wipe away sweat. As her hand returned to her side, a tuft of reddish/lavender hair peeked out over her face. The girl looked to be about 9 or 10 years old.
Chloe climbed over a ridge and looked down upon an old city. The buildings were of a traditional Middle-Eastern style, but the tanks and jeeps resting in the streets marred their beauty. Gripping the hilt of her dagger, she walked down towards it.
As she neared the main gate, a truck carrying other travelers drove past her. Looking into the eyes of the passengers, she recognized a fanaticism that mirrored her own. Everyone here wore cloaks to protect them from the ravages of the sun. The giver of life burned relentlessly in this city of corruption.
One look into the eyes of the gate guards was enough to let her pass. Surely she was one of them. A soul burdened with sin. As she walked through the city streets she saw gun-toting mercenaries. Men who would take any life merely for money. Chloe pitied these animals. For while they killed to survive, she was destined for a greater purpose. It was the reason she came to this god-forsaken place. For while she had been baptized by the fire of Noir, shaped in Corsica, and tempered at the Manor, Chloe needed to sharpen her edge.
The happy squeals of other children distracted her. She looked to the source and saw several youths playing a game of hide and seek. Chloe smiled. She'd played that game with Altena often at the Manor. After all it was useful training for one such as her. But these children were not destined to be Noir. She sighed as she turned away from them. It would be better for them to be granted death now, while their souls were pure. For very surely the day would come when their souls would be black enough to be harvested by the Two Hands of the Soldats.
Chloe walked farther into the city. After memorizing every street and alley, she made her way towards the temple at the center of it all. As she walked up the stone steps, a soldier called out to her. "Hey boy, take this before going inside." Chloe resisted the urge to strike him for addressing her like this. She turned to him and saw that he held out a torch. Taking it from him, she bowed slightly then continued into the darkness of the temple.
The only person inside was a sickly old man. His tattered turban lay on the floor next to him as he knelt at an altar. He finished his prayer then looked at the intruder. "You have neither food nor medicine." He paused to cough. "Why are you here?"
Chloe smiled as she dropped the torch onto the stone floor. "Bin Laden, you have committed many sins. The time has come for you to pay for them all."
The man's eyes widened. "You're not American. Did they hire you? Who are you?"
"Noir." It was the last word to fall upon his ears before dying. Chloe frowned as the man's body lay quivering on the ground. She looked closely at the wound and saw that she was a few millimeters off. Raising the dagger again, she jabbed it between the vertebrae of his neck, snapping them apart.
Satisfied that the corpse lay still, she looked at the room. There was a door leading to a changing room. She exchanged her tattered white cloak for a fresh green one. It seemed a bit large for her. As she pulled the hood over her head, she heard voices in the main hall. "It must have been that boy in the white cloak! Find him!"
The door to the room burst open and two soldiers rushed in. Looking about they saw that the place was unoccupied. Cloaks of various colors lay strewn about. One of the men looked out the window but could see nothing beyond the crowds of cloaked men and women filling the streets.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
As time passed she would perform more black deeds on her path to becoming Noir. She kept the green cloak as a reminder of the first sacrifice she took on that path. Although the cloak had become worn and tattered Chloe's edge sharpened. She was a perfect blade. Finally, the time came to measure the growth of the Saplings.
Chloe stood before the other two. To the side lay the dead corpse of a corrupt judge. Kirika looked beautiful. She fought the judge's guards with flawless grace. Mireille on the other hand was sloppy. She was no match for Chloe.
"And you are?" Mireille pointed her gun at Chloe arrogantly. If only the daughter of Corsica new who it was that truly stood by her side...
"The True Noir." Chloe smiled. She was more certain of her destiny now than she had ever been.
*To be concluded*
Warning to readers: This is a prequel that contains major spoilers. Watch the anime first! The author's notes will be located in the final chapter.
Noir: A Perfect Blade
Chapter 4: The Edge
The Sapling must go out into the wilderness. Facing the harshest of challenges, she will strengthen herself. With the proper amount of water and light, she will grow to become Noir.
A lone figure walked through a barren wasteland. Wrapped in a white cloak, the traveler paused and raised a pale hand under her hood to wipe away sweat. As her hand returned to her side, a tuft of reddish/lavender hair peeked out over her face. The girl looked to be about 9 or 10 years old.
Chloe climbed over a ridge and looked down upon an old city. The buildings were of a traditional Middle-Eastern style, but the tanks and jeeps resting in the streets marred their beauty. Gripping the hilt of her dagger, she walked down towards it.
As she neared the main gate, a truck carrying other travelers drove past her. Looking into the eyes of the passengers, she recognized a fanaticism that mirrored her own. Everyone here wore cloaks to protect them from the ravages of the sun. The giver of life burned relentlessly in this city of corruption.
One look into the eyes of the gate guards was enough to let her pass. Surely she was one of them. A soul burdened with sin. As she walked through the city streets she saw gun-toting mercenaries. Men who would take any life merely for money. Chloe pitied these animals. For while they killed to survive, she was destined for a greater purpose. It was the reason she came to this god-forsaken place. For while she had been baptized by the fire of Noir, shaped in Corsica, and tempered at the Manor, Chloe needed to sharpen her edge.
The happy squeals of other children distracted her. She looked to the source and saw several youths playing a game of hide and seek. Chloe smiled. She'd played that game with Altena often at the Manor. After all it was useful training for one such as her. But these children were not destined to be Noir. She sighed as she turned away from them. It would be better for them to be granted death now, while their souls were pure. For very surely the day would come when their souls would be black enough to be harvested by the Two Hands of the Soldats.
Chloe walked farther into the city. After memorizing every street and alley, she made her way towards the temple at the center of it all. As she walked up the stone steps, a soldier called out to her. "Hey boy, take this before going inside." Chloe resisted the urge to strike him for addressing her like this. She turned to him and saw that he held out a torch. Taking it from him, she bowed slightly then continued into the darkness of the temple.
The only person inside was a sickly old man. His tattered turban lay on the floor next to him as he knelt at an altar. He finished his prayer then looked at the intruder. "You have neither food nor medicine." He paused to cough. "Why are you here?"
Chloe smiled as she dropped the torch onto the stone floor. "Bin Laden, you have committed many sins. The time has come for you to pay for them all."
The man's eyes widened. "You're not American. Did they hire you? Who are you?"
"Noir." It was the last word to fall upon his ears before dying. Chloe frowned as the man's body lay quivering on the ground. She looked closely at the wound and saw that she was a few millimeters off. Raising the dagger again, she jabbed it between the vertebrae of his neck, snapping them apart.
Satisfied that the corpse lay still, she looked at the room. There was a door leading to a changing room. She exchanged her tattered white cloak for a fresh green one. It seemed a bit large for her. As she pulled the hood over her head, she heard voices in the main hall. "It must have been that boy in the white cloak! Find him!"
The door to the room burst open and two soldiers rushed in. Looking about they saw that the place was unoccupied. Cloaks of various colors lay strewn about. One of the men looked out the window but could see nothing beyond the crowds of cloaked men and women filling the streets.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
As time passed she would perform more black deeds on her path to becoming Noir. She kept the green cloak as a reminder of the first sacrifice she took on that path. Although the cloak had become worn and tattered Chloe's edge sharpened. She was a perfect blade. Finally, the time came to measure the growth of the Saplings.
Chloe stood before the other two. To the side lay the dead corpse of a corrupt judge. Kirika looked beautiful. She fought the judge's guards with flawless grace. Mireille on the other hand was sloppy. She was no match for Chloe.
"And you are?" Mireille pointed her gun at Chloe arrogantly. If only the daughter of Corsica new who it was that truly stood by her side...
"The True Noir." Chloe smiled. She was more certain of her destiny now than she had ever been.
*To be concluded*