CHAPTER 6: The Birth Of Noon

3. As it is now, "armick vei on ki," (R~meek vay on key~ day of the warrior) Everyone dresses up in traditional red and orange Sojudi garments, with festive meals and party attire, something the Sojudi people have never shown of themselves. And then Mardis comes out on a horse and carriage, dressed highly of himself, holding the crystal given by Anora, with gladness and pride. 

"I can't believe this," Nalaiya says looking out the window of their room again, "we are sitting here in beautiful fine garments over nothing, this is sick." 

Shaking his head, Nooun walks away from the window where Nalaiya is, saying, "I can't withstand this, I'm going to be by the lake if you need me." Noo-un leaves them as Nalaiya follows saying, "Nooun? You can't leave now!" 

By the time she is outside, chasing after him, Noo-un leaves through the crowd of people, and then her and Sano's parents suddenly surprise them saying, "hi babies!" With excitement, they hug them tightly as Sano and Nalaiya hug them back, but Nalaiya can't seem to stop looking for Noo-un with her eyes, as the lake was never close to the shelter, which they had to walk a good while to get to during training.

"He's training, right in a festival..." She says in her head. 

...

They stay with their parents for a while, focusing on the festival instead of Noo-un. As the festival still goes on, Noo-un trains by himself, with a stick as a weapon, fighting right beside the lake, staring into his own reflection on the bright but sandy sunny day in the outskirts of Sodun. 

The animals sounding off as usual, and even the creatures flying or scurrying, but out of love brings peace to Noo-un. 

As he continues, the sound of something dropping in water occurs, causing him to turn around and look, " Is that a..? " He gets closer and grabs the item saying, "crystal??" 

Noo-un holds it while marveling at it, but he then says, "this red color...This rock is not just a rock but one from the heavens, my crystal, the crystal! I must be..."

He gets cut off by the blowing winds, seeing the animals running away from it, then it gets hotter, as the sky flashes to noon after morning, back into the evening time as he is the warrior of Noon. 

Noo-un jumps up and down happy, until he hears, "hello, warrior." He turns around to see Nalaiya on the pathway, dressed finely and looking delicate, she walks over to him saying, "see, my dream was right, you are the warrior, and you acted cautious on it, when noon is in your name." She hugs him tightly saying, "the Creator knows best, you are warrior material, not Mardis, so we need to expose him, I bet you that witch is there lurking somewhere." 

Noo-un grabs her hand as she is about to walk away saying, " we need a plan first, right?" "The crystal, the real crystal is our plan." 

She holds it, saying to him, "I heard it turns into a necklace, which you'll wear finely." 

"I've heard..." He smiles.

Nalaiya puts a big smile on her face as well, then she hugs him again saying, "I'm so proud." 

"Thanks, mom..." He says jokingly.

"Oh stop, I'm not acting like your mom, just a loyal friend."

They leave together afterwards and make it back to the festival, where they run into Noo-un's mom and foster siblings, along with his grandma. 

"Mom!" He shouts, running over to them happily, hugging his grandma and foster siblings. 

"We made it, we are all so proud." 

"Thanks, mom." 

"Of course." 

Walking up to his parents, Nalaiya introduces herself, saying, "hi, I'm Nalaiya, a friend of his." 

"Nice to meet you, darling." Salma smiles at her.

"I've brought my delicious food for the festival as well." Noouns grandma says. 

"It is all for the warrior Mardis I see..." Nalaiya quietly lets out.

Noo-un looks over to Nalaiya, but as he is about to speak, Sano and his parents show up saying, "there they are." They all greet each other, talking for a bit until Salma says, "let's go up and see the warrior." 

Noo-un looks to Nalaiya and Sano, as Sano whispers to him, " you are the warrior?" 

Stopping in his tracks, Nooun tells everyone to step to the side, with him taking a deep breath to let them know what he wants to say, "I have a confession to make...Mardis is not the warrior, I am," He holds out the crystal, saying, "see?"

They stare at the glowing and beaming crystal, saying, "this is another crystal...But Mardis has one too?" 

"No, Mardis' is fake, Noo-un has the real crystal mom, because his eyes are glowing, Mardis's didn't even budge at all, he lied for the fame. We need to get him." 

After taking the time to explain it all, Salma and the foster children especially agrees with her son that he should show them, with Sano and Nalaiya's parents agreeing with them.

They walk through the crowd as the mentor and camp director starts talking, saying, "here is our warrior, from dream to made man, Mardis! The Warrior of Noon!" 

Everyone claps and cheers as Mardis holds up the crystal smiling, until Noo-un shows up saying, "I am the real warrior of Noon!" Everyone stops and stares at him as he looks serious as ever while saying such words, causing Mardis to budge saying, "what are you talking about? I have the crystal right here?" He holds it up for all to see.

"So do I." And Nooun does the same, causing people to be blinded by its brightness, as Nooun's eyes flow brightly as well, like fire. 

"What the...No I am the warrior!!" 

"Then prove by actions, not words!" Noo-un shines the crystal on Mardis's, causing it to disintegrate and crumble like the sand around. 

All the people marvel at Noo-un, as he is the true warrior. Then the earth starts to shake, and a dragon like creature comes from the ground right after all this, running into Mardis, knocking him in the air somewhere while it obeys to Nooun's words.

Noo-un starts saying, "my ride, to Southern Island..." 

Before getting on the creature, he looks at everyone in awe, saying goodbye to his family and friends, and he even kisses Nalaiya.

"Goodbye Nooun, come back a champion." She says to him after the kiss.

He nods to her, then Sano says to him, "have fun and stay strong."

He laughs with him, "I will."

After giving his family hugs and kisses, he jumps up on the creature, with everyone clapping for him, especially when his family and friends give him another goodbye.

He says goodbye as the creature flies him off to Southern Island. 

~ The End:) Next Volume IV: Anun (Afternoon)