Peorth Even an hour on from Lind's declaration, I couldn't get that faint blush off my face or my heart to stop beating rapidly against my chest. She can go days without saying anything, and sometimes I'm lucky to even get a complete sentence from her, then on other days like this she'll sweep me off my feet with just her words. "Nee-Chan?" I looked towards the voice. We were all sat outside in the gardens. My parents sat together drinking tea and were chatting lightly, whilst my older sister Melia was still testing Lind by throwing objects at her at very high speeds to see if she could catch them. I don't know though how Lind catching things will prove that she's a good person for me to be dating exactly, but this was Melia, I've learnt to accept these weird things about her. "Yes Luso?" I answered. My brother sat next to me on the grass. I ruffled his hair lightly, but his stubborn pointy hair stayed in place as it always did. "I don't like Lind" he exclaimed bluntly and crossed his arms like a child about to throw a tantrum which reminded me of Skuld slightly, except for the fact that Luso is slightly older than her. "You don't like anyone I date though." "Yeah but I really hate Lind-sensei, she made me switch to Mist-sensei during term two. You know what Mist does to students that don't listen to her? She makes us play dead on the floor whilst people take her picture! I prefer Lind's teaching." "Oh? Am I hearing this correctly? You hate Lind for switching your program but you actually prefer her?" He realised what he has said about the person he supposedly hated and he shook his head quickly. "No! I like nothing about Lind. I hate her because she's going out with you." "Luso I think you're going to have to get over your hate. She already got past father so I don't think you'll be much of a challenge." I sighed and patted him on the back. "Oh yeah?! I'll show you who can be a challenge!" He jumped up and materialised his axe and started charging towards Lind. "Luso!" Just what is he trying to prove here? I looked towards father to see if I should stop him, but he just smiled in an amused fashion and took a sip of his tea. Melia too saw father's glance and gave the two room as she flew towards me and sat down. Luso leapt into the air and raised his axe high, the Valkyrie dive, a classic beginner move. I wasn't fearful for Lind not at all, in fact I think she'll welcome a fight after living peacefully at Keiichi's for so long. Lind didn't look phased at all nor did she materialise her own axe, she probably wanted to give Luso an advantage. He swung downwards but Lind simply side stepped behind him, causing him to hit the ground instead creating a large crater. Knowing Lind was behind him, Luso grabbed the end of his axe and swung it behind him, but again Lind just sidestepped. This exchange of hit and miss continued for a while until Luso began to show signs of tiredness. Changing tactics he backed off and spun around quickly, spinning the axe with him and lunged it at Lind. For some reason Lind didn't' move she stood there and braced herself for the attack. It happened in a heartbeat. Clasping her hands together at precisely the right moment she managed to catch the head of the axe between her palms, only sliding back slightly. Pressing her hands together she compressed the axe till it broke and dematerialised completely. "I'm not giving up!" Luso screamed again. "Yes you are" my mother spoke. The four of us made our way towards Lind and Luso. "But a Valkyrie never gives up!" he piped. "And you're a Valkyrie in training, and you're only never meant to give up against an enemy. Lind's not your enemy she's your sister's girlfriend." "But-" I bent down and kissed him on the forehead. "I know you want to protect me Luso, but trust me I'm in no safer hands than Lind's. Now why don't the both of you shake hands and make up?" "Peorth I believe I've done nothing to provoke-" Lind said but I quickly elbowed her. Funny how she can sidestep an attack in an instant but can never see when I'm going elbow her. She obediently put her hand forward. He put his out and they shook. Then it seemed he tried a thunder spell and tried to transmit it through their palms but it backfired, probably because Lind is more powerful than him and the thunder was transmitted to a bush that vaporised. Then without warning, he kicked Lind's shin and ran off sticking his tongue out at us. "Honestly, I'm so sorry Lind. Just wait till I get my hands on that boy." Mother exclaimed as she flew off to catch him as did father. Melia went to heal the bush. "Sorry he has a sister complex" I said. "I hadn't noticed. Well at least he managed to hit me at least once." "Really I didn't know he hit you during the fight. "Correction, the hit just now." She put her hands on my shoulders and leaned on me shaking the hit leg. "It really hurts." "That's pathetic the great ice Valkyrie Lind is injured by a mere kick on the shin from a teenager?" she scowled at me and stood up properly then smiled lightly. "Did you know I used to train with my father like that? I think I was a bit younger than Luso at the time, but I was taught enough to rival a full Valkyrie's ability." "I didn't' know that." "I still never beat my father however." She paused and took hold of my hand and squeezed it lightly. "Let's go home." I didn't need to ask which home she meant, I knew. Though we had been staying on earth at Keichi's house, it wasn't home, more like a vacation home. Our home was my apartment in heaven, the only place in the entire universe where our hearts could be at peace with each other. Once we arrived at my apartment, Lind sat down on the sofa. I went to sit beside her but she took my hand and guided me to sit on her lap. I straddled her and draped my arms over her shoulder to which she gently held my waist. My head rested atop hers and she kissed my neck softly moving down slightly each time. This is more than just a sexual act, these touches, these caresses, these motions are the reaffirmation of our love to each other. This is being connected to each other. Lind needn't tell me how she feels, I understand just by the touch of her hand to mine or the light kisses she gives me. "I love you too," I whisper to her. She lifts her head slowly and looks at me, almost scared like a child. "Will you still say that after you know my past?" "For as long as I breathe I will still say it. Nothing from your past can scare me away. I'm here for you, now and long after this is over." I kissed her forehead lightly and I knew she was smiling. A silence filled the room momentarily until Lind spoke up. "Then you'll need to remove the memory augmentation spell on me. All will be known to both of us." "You don't know anything?" "I know fragments and those fragments scare me." I nodded and held her face with both hands, looking into her eyes the entire time reassuring her that she is not alone through this. Muttering the spells words, a bright light filled the room as we delved into her hidden memories. The sky was dyed red with blood. Once beautiful green fields were filled with large gaping craters and stains of blood and bodies of all sorts covered the floor. The sounds of explosions and the anguishes screams were commonplace to those that still lived in the war filled areas. A large group of people quickly ran as fast as they could through the fields hoping not to be seen by the enemy, the devil. What had probably started as a grudge and blood feud between a god and a devil had escalated into a full-scale war involving all and sparing no one. It seemed the war was approaching its end, the Valkyries seemed to be gaining ground against the devil army, but that didn't mean that the common folk were safe yet. The group of people had made it across the field and into the outskirts of a city. Just a bit more and they would be in Valkyrie protected land and they would be safe. The group consisted of two Gods, three Goddesses and two children. The mothers in the group held onto their children for dear life as they ran. One of the men motioned for everyone to quickly hide behind a building. "Rend-sama we are being followed" whispered the dark haired god. The other god pulled him away so they would talk more freely, so to not worry the others. "When did you notice?" "I felt a presence just before we entered the city. It's only one though, we should be able to over power him together." The slightly older God smiled at his enthusiasm. "You forget Leo that I used up a lot of my power already" he paused and looked at his family. His beloved wife was tending to their daughter's wound on her arm. The girl was barely ten years old and yet she was already caught up in a war but yet she was still so brave. With her pale blue hair and soft eyes, she looked like an exact replica of her mother, how time had passed he thought. The God made his decision. "Leo I want you to take everyone and head towards the city centre as quick as you can." "But Rend-sama we can't-" "You are not to fly. You'll be too easily seen. Keep within the shadows of the buildings and smoke. You will know you've reached the Valkyrie barrier when you are able to see a statue of Kami. I will fight with our new friend and buy you all time." "I can't do that Rend." "You can and you will. This is an order I'm afraid. Leo this is not the end. The end happens when you lose hope, so keep hoping as I am." The younger God watched in dismay as his mentor walked away from him to have a few last words with his family. Rend approached his family, etching the picture before him of them together in his mind. Whoever was following them was strong. Leo was wrong whoever it was following them started much, much earlier and they had a blood lust. His wife approached him with Lind holding her hand. "You're planning something aren't you?" she asked knowing his plan anyway. "I am going to do what any Valkyrie would do in this situation." She bit her lip at him in frustration. "What would a father and husband do?" "Exactly the same thing." "I can't change your mind can I?" Tears fell down her face and she leaned into his chest. "The simple fact of knowing that you and Lind are safe means that I will have done my job." He kissed her briefly before he knelt down to face his daughter. "Lind, my little girl. I am with you always. When you grow old, when you mature, when you have your own family, I am with you." "Papa-" Lind cried trying to hold back her tears. He always told her to be strong, she can't cry now of all times. Instead, she hugged him with such a force that he nearly fell over. Reluctantly ending the hug, he stood nodding to his subordinate that they should head off. With last look at his family, he summoned forth his axe and shot up into the sky. "Lind quick we have to go" the girl's mother said with evident tears on her face. Again, they ran but with more fear knowing that this time the bright sparks and explosions in the sky were Rend and it was evident he was losing. "The centre isn't that far away now!" Leo yelled. They ran faster down the pathways, weaving in and out of the fallen building debris towards their goal. As they ran Lind looked to the skies eager to find her father. She gasped in horror and stopped running when she saw his lifeless body fall through the sky. Her mother looked at the sight and her heart broke into a million pieces. "Leo look after Lind!" She yelled "But M'Lady!" "Lind I will be back," she said to her daughter, before flying to husband. "Damn it!" Leo spat. He looked at the women and two children with him, they still needed him. "Let's go!" He began to run but stopped abruptly and turned around slowly. There standing behind Lind was a demon soaked in blood, his sword held very close, too close, to Lind's neck. Leo motioned for the other women to run to the barrier, they could still make it. Lind gulped nervously trembled, but she was smart enough not to move. Leo took a step forward and drew his own sword. "Hah! You want to fight?" the demon cried pushing Lind aside. She fell to the ground and quickly crawled behind a large piece of debris. "ARGH!!" Leo yelled. He dashed forward with his sword in front of him. The demon easily parried the blow pushing Leo to the side. He kept attacking but each blow was matched by another after another by the demon. With a swift back kick to the head, Leo fell to the ground. "I so hoped that Rend's lackey would be more fun than this." The demon stepped over Leo and held his sword high and plunged downwards. Leo attempted to block but it was too late. Leo's sword fell from his lifeless hand and rolled near Lind, who bit her Lind trying not to cry. She loved Leo like an uncle and now he was gone trying to protect her. "Pathetic" the demon muttered. Lind quickly peaked through a gap and saw as he flicked his sword quickly cleaning it from all the blood it had gained. She gasped when he kicked Leo's body aside and then he saw her. Lind backed away knowing her hiding place was useless now. He licked his lips enticingly and slowly walked towards her, taking pleasure in her fear. Suddenly a force flew at the demon so quickly that Lind didn't want to blink. The force grabbed the demon and slammed him into the ground dragging him across the floor until the sliding stopped. It was her father. Rend used the momentum to punch the demon with all his might in the face. He kept at it and held the demon by the throat. "Lind. Go now!" "But Papa-" "Listen to me and go!" "I can fight!" "Fight and you will die. I will search for your mother and give you enough time to flee. You must leave now and wait for the reinforcements to arrive." "What about you? What will hap-?" "Go!" Oddly, both Rend and the demon glowed a bright red colour which quickly faded away. The demon used the opportunity to push back and they toppled over several times till the demon came out on top. Using one hand to hold Rend down the demon slipped a small knife out from his boot and stabbed Rend in the side of his ribs. Rend struggled more but soon his body couldn't fight anymore and his limbs fell to the ground. The demon triumphantly stood up but toppled over. In pain he clutched his side and saw too that he was bleeding from his ribs. "What the?" he said in confusion. Lind quickly ran towards the demon, grabbing Leo's sword in the process and thrust it forward at his heart. The sword made contact and stabbed the demon in its entirety piercing out through his back. Lind took deep breaths and ran towards her father who breathing was getting shallower and shallower. "Papa quick get up." "I can't move Lind," he gasped. In terror, Lind saw that her father started to bleed from the front of his chest. She pressed her hands against it hoping to stop the blood but it didn't work. With one final smile Rend closed his eyes and stopped breathing, the demon too fell to the ground. Lind I gasped as if I had been starved of oxygen as Peroth and I left the world of my memories. I felt tear on my face, had I been crying this entire time? It didn't matter. I broke down completely. I cried and held Peorth as tight as I could needing that form of contact. It was like a flood of memories into my mind. I could finally connect all of the flashbacks together into one horrible nightmare. The truth that had been hidden from me for so long was finally known, and it made me want to vomit inside at what I had done. "It was me. I killed my father" I sobbed, the guilt was unbearable. "You did not kill your father. It was the doublet system not you" Peorth said. "I still did it though. I still stabbed that demon through the heart. If I hadn't, my father would still be alive." "You did what you had to. You protected yourself and your father. I saw Rend-Sama's dying expression and it was not one of anger or hate at you. He smiled the only smile a father can give his daughter. He was thanking you. He was proud of you." I wiped the tears from my face and looked at Peorth's gentle face and her kind expression. She was still here. After all that, she was still here as she promised. I thanked whatever Kami or force that allowed us to meet and bring us together. I give my eternal thanks to them. There is not another soul on this earth that can make me feel as reassured and safe as I do when I am with her. With her one smile, I could feel the guilt leaving me. I held her tighter and cried into her. "Thank you" I mumbled through the tears.
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