Proper Ends and New Beginnings

It was the day right after Noah and David had returned from their failed trip to complete the Trial of Ice at Heaven's Peak. Noah, Edna, Lawrence, and the baby Ellie were all sitting at the table for breakfast.

Noah: "I know I said that I would take the main role taking care of Ellie, but can I just have one more day off?"

Edna: "That's fine, but what for?"

Lawrence: "This 'one day off' isn't going to turn into years off somehow, right?"

Noah: "No, no. I promise it's just for one day. I thought about it on the trip to the mountain, but my family never got a proper burial, so I wanted to ask David to help me do that."

Edna and Lawrence gave each other a quick glance and then looked back to Noah.

Edna: "That's fine, better go ask him now before something else comes up for him."

Noah finished his meal and ran off to David's forge. Noah knocked on the door and soon after, David opened it.

David: "I know you said you were going to continue training with me, but it's a little early ain't it?"

Noah: "I was hoping you'd help me out with something instead of training today."

David: "Oh? Depends on what it is. Nothing that'll get me in trouble."

Noah: "It won't. I want to bury my family. I wouldn't have been able to do it on my own even if I wanted to before I left, so..."

David: "I get it. Let's head out now then, that should give ourselves plenty of time to finish up by today."

David walked back inside and grabbed a shovel. He then turned to Noah.

David: "Are we going to write anything special, or will a proper burial work fine?"

Noah: "Just a burial works, I don't know what I would write anyway."

David: "Alright, you're helping out on the digging by the way."

David grabbed another shovel and tossed it to Noah. The two then left to head out to Noah's old home. It had been almost three months since he had lost his family. He had no idea what state the area would be in.

David: "Do you know the way from here?"

Noah: "I wouldn't have known, but Edna and Lawrence told me where they found me, so I should be able to figure it out from there."

David: "That's not exactly promising, but I'll trust you."

Noah: "They said they were just on a normal walk when they found me. Should be about ten minutes I think."

Before they entered the forest, Noah stopped.

David: "Nervous?"

Noah: "Uh, I think we might just want to get Lawrence to show us how to get to where they found me..."

David: "What happened to 'I can find it.'?

Noah: "Shut up."

Noah pouted as they went to get Lawrence. He agreed to show them the way and soon after made it there.

Lawrence: "Alright, here we are. Be safe, and don't be back too late."

Lawrence walked back to home as Noah took charge on directions.

Noah: "It shouldn't take that long to get there. Last time I walked this way I was in pretty bad shape and passed out mid-walk."

It took around an hour to make it to the clearing in the trees, where the remains of the once happy home sat. David was surprised to see the area. It was a near perfect circle in the middle of the woods that likely took a large amount of time to clear out properly. Noah's body was trembling a bit as they approached. David put his hand on Noah's shoulder to help calm him down.

David: "I know it must have been hard. I hear you still haven't talked in detail to anyone apart from Edna and Lawrence. I'm here for you, so let's give your family a proper sendoff."

Noah: "Yeah... thanks."

As they walked up to the home, they saw what remained of the bodies. At this point it was all skeleton as insects and time ate up the contents. Noah tensed up at first, but took a deep breath.

Noah: "Let's dig not too far from here."

David: "Alright. How about to the right of the home?"

Noah: "Okay."

The two started to dig the three holes. Noah wasn't getting much done as he wasn't strong enough to dig quickly, so David was doing most of the work. It took a while, but the graves were dug, the remains put into them, and then covered up. They simply decorated the graves with rocks surrounding the dirt mound with a piece of wood from the broken home placed in each grave.

David: "Well, I'd say we did a good job overall with it, don't you think?"

Noah: "Yeah... thank you for doing this. It means a lot that I was able to do this."

David: "Do you want a moment with them?"

Noah: "I'll wait until the anniversary date. Each time I'll give my life story so our talks get longer every year I visit."

David: "I'm sure they'll be looking down and listening each time."

Noah: "I hope."

David: "They will, don't worry."

Noah: "Do you think they're mad I have a new family?"

David: "Not at all kid. I'm sure that they are just happy to see that you lived, and that you have a purpose to live. You have good opportunity to live life in front of you, so take it and run. It's weird to see a kid dub himself the father instead of an older brother, but I'm sure in the end that Ellie will be blessed to have you raising her. An-"

Noah: "If you say anything about Lynn, I'll hit you really hard."

David: "That'll be the end of my speech then."

Noah: "I knew it! You always bring her up!"

David: "Of course, why wouldn't I?"

Noah: "I get kissed on the cheek on time and you star-"

David: "What's this about a kiss?"

Noah realized that he had made a terrible mistake and refused to talk any further. The entire way back to the village Noah was silent and David was laughing at him.

David: "Alright kid, I'll see you tomorrow morning right?"

Noah: "Yeah, though I won't be staying as long anymore since I have to start taking care of Ellie."

David: "Right, good luck with that. It'll get easier as she grows, so don't give up too quickly."

Noah: "I just had to be with you teasing me for over a month while we went to a mountain, I'll be fine with whatever happens."

David: "I'm sure you will. See ya tomorrow then."

Noah: "Bye."

With his family, Noah also has buried his past, and now it was time to move forward. He decided he would live his life to repay Edna and Lawrence, and to make sure Ellie never had to go through the troubles that he did. Potentially taking on the Trial of Ice was still a thought that floated in his thoughts, as it would help to make the country safer for Ellie, but as usual, he remains undecided. Taking care of Ellie would still be a shared job until she was a bit older. She slept with Edna and Lawrence due to the unpredictability of how Noah's nightmares would make him react, so it was the safer option. Regardless of the exact details, Noah's 'parental' life began here.

--6 Years Later--

As usual another nightmare woke Noah up. He shot up from lying down to sitting in his bed. It was the natural reaction. He didn't cry over it anymore as after all these years Noah had mellowed out due to them. His emotions were much easier to control at this point. The same nightmare over and over was annoying, but he adapted to it as a normal part of life. It might have been the way he sat up, but the bed creaked loudly.

???: "Are you okay?"

That voice would make him smile a bit any time he heard it after waking her up.

Noah: "Sorry kiddo, did I wake you up?"

Ellie: "Obviously. Why else would I be awake right now?"

Ellie had grown to be rather blunt with her responses, but it was cute in its own way. Noah predicted this attitude would last for a while.

Noah: "My bad, my bad."

Ellie ran up to Noah and hugged him. Any time he would wake her up she would always come to sleep with him. She was still on the smaller side so it didn't bother Noah too much.

Ellie: "I'll protect you the rest of the night!"

Noah: "Seems pretty backwards to me."

She laughed and the two laid down. That smile was worth dying for, and Noah would actually do that if the situation called for it. She was his reason to die as well as his reason to live.

To Noah, Ellie is the world.