The Rabbit Hole VIII Norn II

"I refused to even celebrate my birthdays until there was a day I could enjoy it with you! You don't realize how frustrating it is not being able to do anything or to check up on someone you care about! I-I've just missed you so much! Not knowing if you were safe killed me!"

Norn teary confessed, before then immediately hugging both Asher and Maema.

To put it simply Norn had been 'taken' to test on to ensure the methods were safe for Asher, and unfortunately, she wasn't afforded with the same treatment meaning she was either awake the entire time or if she was lucky passed out from the pain.

Asher was either asleep or simply couldn't speak or hear much of the time meaning all he was allowed to do was cry, however after realizing Norn was eventually going to be disposed of and despite never actually seeing her and only ever hearing her blood-gurgling screams.

He used all his strength to beg big sister to spare her and that he'll be a good boy and do whatever she wanted, resulting in Aumara ultimately conceding and agreeing to such terms knowing she'll have to be on his good side if a handful of Celestial Lords' barge in.

Even if that was extremely unlikely, mind you this was before Malik, Malous, or a walking cactus for all we knew had arrived.

Meaning she definitely didn't have information to say that a handful of them wouldn't, resulting in Norn being put back together, and healed as if nothing had ever happened almost as if it was all a bad dream.

And sent to the Library to read with Maema, and have her own room, which in itself was something Asher had wished for but refused to have at the cost of a big sister's life.

Not to mention she was only nine at the time, and the only real comfort came from her sneaking in to clean him up and even sneaking him a pillow and blanket at times.

And sometimes even snacks while reassuring him, kissing his bloody cheeks, and promising to save him one day, something big sister had actually allowed.

If anything else she had forgotten the idea of comfort until she found Norn sneaking in resulting in Norn being allowed to sneak in after experiments.

All of which Asher had still very much suppressed until now meaning he was partially forced to realize that his memories of being alone the entire time weren't in fact true.

Despite how it seemed he himself wasn't truly suppressing such things rather his mind chose to do it in his place until now..

And now that the gates were slowly being pried open he remembered those memories?

Albeit only those involving those sweet memories, as if his mind was forced to show anything and had instead chosen the more pleasant memories as a way to prevent the worst of it from pushing open the doors.

Causing Asher having now felt adorably confused yet immensely happy to see big sister Norn to then tearily whisper into her ear and causing her to then nod before then kissing his forehead and flicking Maema's mask now that she 'could'.

Causing everyone to then ultimately smile one way or the other while even Lady Celestine herself couldn't help but giggle.

Resulting in after all the adorable antics and memories, Norn finally realizing who was at the table causing her after taking a seat next to both Maeman and Asher to then worriedly looking to Colin causing him to then reassuringly shake his head.

"You needn't worry! A young mind on the path of magic should never waste its youth on magic alone, despite how it seems I've kept track of your grades, be it written or otherwise. And from what I've seen you could one day become a full-fledged prodigy!"

"You need only time and the knowledge to do so, and now you're gifted with both. You've certainly earned my respect as a mage, refusing that of gifted bloodlines, blessings, and power and focusing on achieving your own is indeed impressive!"

"I've never believed in the term 'base' human or any other for that matter, we're all of the same existence, so such things should never hold as much weight as they do. Of course, there are exceptions however young Aurel's case is far too unique to compare to anything else I suppose"

Colin curiously explained surprising Norn having heard something similar from Avery after she had delivered Asher's letter, causing Bradley, Emilia, Sura, Alfinia, and everyone else for that matter to then ultimately agree while Celes looked at her Divine Mirror with a blank expression,

All the while soon enough, everyone else had finally begun to arrive, surprising Iris who instinctively felt a worrying feeling that came off of Maema.

While as for Annie she was simply happy to see Sabine, Norn, Asher, and even Maema! She played with both Asher and Sabine as babies so of course she'd love them!

Resulting in everyone eventually arriving and ultimately meeting, and also resulting in what many would suspect!

Asher, Sabine, Mili, and the young prince having a blast! While Emilia, Kethryllia, Vivian, Marjorie, Alfinia, Annie, Mai, Ayrenn, Selphie, Celestine, Suna, and Devyn had a blast as well it seemed.

While funnily enough Iris and Scarlet managed to actually speak to Maema on some level.

While Rory, Octavia, Aubrey, Noel, Audree, Laurel, Aubrey, Stella, Molly, and Elyris to some extent, had a blast with Norn! While Liana simply waited for Katie to come back from the bathroom.. without Katie around she simply wouldn't be as social if she couldn't ask Mili questions?

All the while the boys adorably brought daddies and big brothers into the mix resulting in Silas sensing just that joining in as well! Unfortunately, Norn had come to a realization after learning some 'fun' new information.

"How is that possible? Are greater races really that far ahead of us?! It took me three years to become a Highmage! I thought having multiple classes was a myth or for some teasing Inari whose mommy was a Sacred Assassin to show off. I'm just a girl, whose mother called herself a Queen of 'Something' since she never bothered telling me of what!"

"I was only an eleven-year-old girl who was sold to that 'demon' as a way for her to enter The 'Heavenly' Realm and to get rid of her useless daughter. Even if that 'woman' was a Sacred Mage she didn't teach me anything aside from me now having trust issues and an inferiority complex!"

"Being called a princess was just some name that woman gave me since being a Silver Human or whatever that meant, was some sort of a crime? And even then I only managed to become a Grandmage before I was sold off! And now I hate anything, Silver!"

"Even if everyone at the academy told me it was impressive it still didn't stop that 'demon' no matter how much I resisted. How am I supposed to get stronger now when I hate being pitied by gods I never knew existed? I only accepted that blessing of youth because it was a necessity!"

Norn 'rightfully' complained having felt the unfairness of it all and 'just' that.

Surprising everyone, especially those parts that she had ultimately decided to scrim over?! As if it was some minor details that no one would care about?! Surprising even Asher having known none of it causing Sabine to then bravely go, where no one had ever asked before.

"Mother had explained to me in a way that the same could be said for those who weren't born of The Ancestral World or at least seven generations after where the eighth generation unless born of two ancestries would be forced to obtain it later on. However, with every generation comes difficulty"

"Humans and those born of Divinus naturally could be seen in a similar light. Or at least that's how mommy and big sister Avery had explained it, to put it simply unless you were born or associated yourself with that of those 'greater' races you'd see very little improvement unless you were a Follower of Aurora"

"There are always exceptions and ways to go beyond such obstacles, however, that's not important at the moment! Please excuse me if I'm insensitive if not a little blunt.. but what do you remember about your mother? And what was your environment like during your childhood?

Sabine bravely asked, surprising everyone by how blunt it truly was and causing Norn to then surprisingly nod before then ultimately fixing Asher's hair.

"That 'woman' you could call my mother looked like the much prettier and older version of me, she was refined, elegant, scary, and a perfectionist, I don't have a daddy because she had made 'arrangements' through a temple I've never heard of?"

"I've only learned what temples are after entering the academy, I didn't believe gods existed until Miss Celestine had taken me to the academy and introduced me to Mr. Colin since I couldn't grow in that strange abyss"

Norn honestly explained.

"I tried to enter The Temple of Celestia to ask but they couldn't help me. Not like they actually checked mind you?"

"If temples and gods are really that useless then I'd rather remain a godless 'base' human, at least that 'demon' wanted me, and it's not like I could pay for anyone's services, I've only ever been 'taken' care of after entering the academy, so I simply couldn't afford to?"

"And I didn't want to ask for help from Mr. Colin or Avery, because if a temple and their god didn't care then why should they? I don't want to be anyone's burden and I refuse to give anyone the opportunity to 'help' me when their temple didn't even want to?"

Norn honestly explained further, surprising everyone even more and causing Celes to then immediately spit out her wine having not paid attention at least until it revealed the involvement of her temple and even then she was astonished by the fact they suddenly wouldn't help her?!

There are literal programs in place for just that, temples aren't just a singularly pointless place, be it orphanages, free healing, debt relief programs, or anything really, there's a reason why temples were so popular to others who may or may not even believe in a god or pray to one.

While Annie would no doubt give her a piece of her mind now, while at most Avery would send a letter.

Causing Celestine to then sadly nod, while as Colin couldn't help but feel at fault, perhaps if he had spoken to her or visited her before her visit to Lady Celestia's Temple she wouldn't have experienced such a thing.

A poor young mind on the path of magic had seemingly been derailed and he took full responsibility for it!

All the while surprising the others even more having not realized her faith had been so decimated and without anyone there to explain or prevent it she'd continue to feel abandoned.

Causing Selphie to then pout and Jade to then explain it all to the young prince until finally after several more moments Norn had finally continued where she left off.

"Anyways, I no longer care about that woman or my ancestry anymore, but if you 'really' want me to answer the rest of your questions then I will, for what little they'll do? Before I was no longer that woman's daughter and sold off to a blood demon, I lived in a white and obsidian palace?"

"It also had diamonds embedded in the ceilings with a little red carpet but not those strange patterns making my previous home smaller and less impressive? I liked it? I played with mommy's scary puppets, read her books, and played in the halls?

"Usually alone, and when I did visit that 'woman' her appearance changed, and she asked about my progress. From what I could remember at least after I caught her in her other appearance she had pointy ears, and she looked cold. She told me to keep it a secret! And sold me three days later.. now I hate the number three"

Norn surprisingly ended before then nibbling on a spicy breakfast skewer and playing with Asher, surprising everyone even more due to how open and honest she was about it all, and how she didn't truly care about the gods or whoever hears her speak.

As if much-needed venting, all of which were consolidated in several bursts! Mind you she wasn't yelling rather she spoke of it as if one would at the table while slightly distracted by also playing with someone which in itself was quite bizarre.

Unfortunately, Silas being Silas took it as she wanted to know these things! Which in the scheme of things was the truth, but the truth someone had actively said they no longer cared about, or at least 'pretended' to no longer care about it, causing Silas to then playfully nod.

"Your mother appears to be a former Snow Elf Spy who had eventually become a Queen one way or the other? From my knowledge, it has been known to happen, but as to why I suspected that she was the former would no doubt be because she hadn't decimated not only the kingdom but its people as well immediately after the fact?"

"The Snow Elves had been known to do this several millennia ago, the reason why it stopped was that no one had known at the time until they were bold enough to showcase it resulting in The Many Greater Races ultimately interfering and punishing them"

Silas playfully explained.