The Nameless Warrior [NOEL]

The day had been like any other, Noel and Leon had spent time together exploring new things.

As always, Noel cherished every second.

But as the evening deepened and dinner came to an end, Leon calls out Noel.

"Noel..."

She turned to him, blinking in curiosity. "Huh? What is it?"

Leon’s gaze was fixed on her with an intensity that sent a strange flutter through her chest.

"I want to be with you tonight."

Noel froze.

Her entire body stiffened, her face igniting in an uncontrollable blush.

"W-W-What are you saying?!" she stammered along with eyes wide with disbelief.

Her mind immediately raced to all sorts of implications, her heart pounded so loudly she thought the whole world could hear it.

Leon, realizing the weight of his words far too late, turned just as red.

"A-Ah! I-I meant, I want to sit with you for a while! That’s all!" he blurted, frantically waving his hands.

A hot, awkward silence fell between them…

Neither of them dared to speak.

Noel, still visibly flustered, cleared her throat,

"But why are you asking that all of a sudden?" she finally asked, breaking the silence.

Leon exhaled as he met her gaze.

"Actually… I wanted to learn more about what happens to you."

Noel’s breath hitched.

Leon’s voice was determined. There was no teasing and no hesitation, there was just an earnest desire to understand.

"I know you’re troubled by things only you experience," he continued, "Even if it’s futile, I wanted to help."

Noel’s eyes widened slightly.

For a moment, her heart ached.

To think that Leon, would want to share her burden, even when he had no way of grasping the nightmare she faced each night…

It was overwhelming.

It was beautiful.

A small, tender smile crept onto her lips.

With that, they moved to her room.

They sat near the window, the dim glow of the outside world spilling into the quiet space between them.

She inhaled deeply before beginning.

"It has been months since I started appearing in this world. A world so vastly different from my own. I remember how lost I felt…but then, there was you."

She turned to him, her gaze lingering.

"I don’t know why, but you knew about me. And strangely, I felt something too. It was…familiar. Like something I had forgotten but could never truly lose."

Leon remained silent, simply listening.

She had been expecting a response, but he simply nodded, urging her to continue.

"Every day felt exciting. New. Everything I did with was fun. With you, I wasn’t a noble burdened with responsibilities. With you, I could simply be Noel."

A faint blush dusted her cheeks.

"I suppose in some way, it felt like I was on a date with you every day."

Leon’s eyes widened slightly,

"I see…" was all he said,

"You treated me. You showed me places I never imagined. You introduced me to things I never knew existed. And because of that…I was happy. No…" she smiled faintly, "I am happy."

"But…" she hesitated, her expression shifting.

"Every night, it appears. A shadowy figure with glowing red eyes. I don’t know what it is. I don’t know why it comes for me. But I know this, it doesn’t belong to this world..."

Leon clenched his fists.

"The strangest part?" Noel continued, her voice growing quieter.

"The time I have to wake up in my world is the exact time it kills me in this one."

Her fingers curled into her lap.

"It’s as if it’s an alarm. A cruel reminder that I don’t belong here. That I must return, whether I want to or not."

Her voice trembled slightly.

Leon saw the flicker of pain in her eyes.

His hand moved before he could think…

Warm.

Noel’s breath hitched as she felt Leon’s fingers gently intertwine with hers.

"Leon…"

His eyes burned with quiet determination.

"So…it will appear again tonight?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Noel gave a bitter smile.

"It already has."

She turned her gaze toward the moon.

And there it was.

As always, the Red Eyed Shadow.

Leon followed her gaze, but…

He saw nothing.

"It’s time for me to go now," Noel murmured.

"Noel!!!"

But he was too late.

A sharp pain pierced her chest.

Leon saw nothing but her fading form.

The girl who had smiled so beautifully just moments ago…

Disappearing.

Vanishing into nothingness.

Leon’s hands clenched.

His body trembled.

"Noel…!"

But she was gone.

Darkness swallowed her.

And when she opened her eyes…

She was back in her own world.

Same room. Same bed.

Noel felt a soft warmth curled within her.

Leon.

Even if it was futile, even if he could not see the horror she faced each night, he wanted to help her. He cared.

The thought alone made her heart flutter.

Her lips curled into a smile. A gentle blush tinged her cheeks as she lay there, lost in the echo of his voice, the memory of his fingers tightening around her own.

"I want to be with you tonight."

The way he had fumbled, the way his ears had turned red, Noel pressed a hand to her chest, as if trying to contain the foolish excitement swelling within her.

Just then, the door creaked open.

"Young lady, are you awake?"

Her personal maid entered, but upon seeing Noel, she paused.

"Are you unwell? Your face is red."

Noel startled.

"Eh?! A-Ah, it's nothing! I'm perfectly fine!" she hurriedly waved off, though the heat on her face betrayed her.

The maid gave her a long, scrutinizing look before sighing.

"If you say so, my lady. I shall prepare your attire for the day."

Noel’s day passed in mundane routine. Though, her mind was elsewhere.

She had researched relentlessly, digging through ancient texts, faded scrolls, even forbidden journals. She had found nothing.

Yet, she refused to give up.

And so, she found herself at the Temple of Levedin once more.

Noel’s eyes were drawn to one thing alone.

The pillar.

An ancient engraving, depicting a warrior clutching a long spear.

"Young lady."

A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

She turned to see the priestess standing nearby, her hands clasped in prayer.

"Has the engraving piqued your interest?"

Noel hesitated before shaking her head. "No, I was simply curious about what this was."

The priestess smiled.

"If you are truly interested, I will gladly tell you what I know."

Noel didn’t respond, but the priestess continued anyway, her voice carrying the weight of blind faith.

"This warrior…he has no name. None that remain, at least. Not in scriptures, nor in sacred texts. Perhaps his name was never meant to be known. After all, what need is there for a name, when one's deeds speak louder? He was one of the many warriors under Lord Levedin's divine command. A nameless soldier, yet a force that shook the heavens themselves."

“During the War of Divinity, when the gods clashed against the forces of darkness, this warrior stood at the frontlines. He wielded his spear not as a mere weapon, but as an extension of divine will.”

Noel remained silent,

"The demons feared him," the priestess continued,

"The crimson-eyed monstrosities, foul creatures who refused the wisdom of Lord Levedin, sought to usurp the balance of creation. They were not mere beasts, nor simple villains. They were mad gods in their own right, their minds shattered by ambition and cruelty. They did not seek power they sought to become the new creators."

"The war raged. So brutal, so catastrophic that even Lord Levedin himself had to descend from the celestial throne. And alongside him…his warriors. Divine figures, unshaken and eternal, whose only purpose was to enact the will of their god. This warrior…"

Her eyes flickered toward the engraving.

"…was one of them. Perhaps a lesser piece, a mere fragment of the divine. But nonetheless, he was Levedin. As all his warriors were. Not a human who earned his place in history, not a hero who carved his own legend. But simply…a manifestation of the god himself."

She bowed her head in devotion.

"Levedin alone remains. Levedin alone is all that matters."

This wasn't simply faith. It was absolute, unquestioning devotion.

Noel had hoped to find a clue that might have tied this warrior to the red-eyed shadow but there was nothing.

By the time Noel exits the temple, the sky had begun to darken.

Shadows stretched long across the cobblestone streets, torches flickering to life as the town prepared for nightfall.

Yet, this evening…Noel did not return to her chambers.

Her heart weighed heavy with unanswered questions, but beyond that…

Her feet carried her elsewhere.