The Lone Griever: EIN

(WARNING: This story contains a scene depicting intense and brutal imagery of a violent hallucination. Please read with absolute caution. If violence triggers you, please don't read any further.)

***

Showering in frigid water, his mind wanders. Once again he withdraws to his mind. Even further than he did from earlier. He ventures deeper and deeper into his mind; even further into those secret places once more. Yes, those secret places where memories ought to stay.

In his youth the young man, named Ein, often sought solace and kinship in his clan. But on ‘that day’ and with seething hatred, Ein severed all ties with his clan. Like a loner gone astray; more like a wolf akin to his pack, now becoming a stray wolf.

Not even the holiest of light can obliterate the darkness in their wretched hearts; the same darkness to which those wretched hearts cleave from shadows of unbound evil: The Griever vie against each other for the Alpha Wolf position within the clan. One after another embroiled in a power struggle spawning sects from their kamikaze hatred. They’re killing each other in this madness. They’re like a severed snake…

…will they join or will they die?

Feh, it doesn’t matter. The Griever Clan will continue to die, one by one, until the very memory of them perishes in that old burning heap Gehenna. It’s burning… oh so constantly burning and churning.

*** *** ***

A few moments later…

*** *** ***

After showering, he’s dressed and ready to go, but before he heads out, Ein grabs a newspaper clipping laying on the floor, adjacent to his mattress's corner. He stoops and retrieves it. The headline reads:

“THE RAGNAROK TRIALS.

JUST THREE MORE SEASONS AWAY!!!”

Ein scoffs and stuffs the clipping in his jacket pocket.

He heads out the door without giving a damn.

Outside, Pandemonium is rising! Everybody scatters. They flee for safety only to have their bodies ravaged and devoured by emaciated hellbeasts and netherwolves.

Beasts of ominous origins, they surround the innocent and they ravage their bodies them; devouring flesh, blood, and bones in diabolical carnage.

Human blood violently spills: it flows into thick crimson pools only to be lapped by these beasts borne of hellfire and brimstone. Each of them compete over their morsels to devour and blood to lap:

Damnation!!! Damned abominations!!! Damnation to all of these abominable bastards!!!

Blood chokes the air, putrid sanguinary fumes rise and proliferate across the sky. The survivors, they have yet to be killed.

A murder of crows causally descend while more of them ominously glide and casually descend.

The air is cold around the bodies, left untouched; bodies left untouched for the crows who exist through the very fabric betwixt life and death. With haste they peck at the fleshy, pulpy shreds of bodies everywhere…

Of all things, one of the crows pecks an eye from a gnarled skull

…and Ein lies in the center of this massacre. He is there to witness the murder of crows take what was left for them. The crows rip and tear off the flesh. He hears the crows squelching and slurping the flesh.

Ein is a witness to the crows; chewing the blood and flesh and bones snapping to pieces as the beasts masticate.

The flesh splattering blood from the constant pecking, ripping, and tearing by the crows’ bloodied beaks…

Will Ein live or die? Heaven or Hell or betwixt them in Purgatory?

Ein, what will you do…

*** *** ***

a calm passes; silent as the whisper of a sigh Ein breathes… relief In a moment’s respite.

Savage and berserk though merely a facade of mind; Ein survives another hallucination.

He is a schizophrenic; from birth with the thorn already in his mind...

Ein lifts himself up.

“…maybe I’ll go to the gym another day.”

Ein rattles his mind with thoughts of going to the gym and thoughts of returning to his room; but either way, the rain arrives.

A bit or two drops from a drizzle then to a downpour. Those not inclined to the rain open their umbrellas. The umbrellas explode in iridescence; colors and patterns illuminating in such iridescence in an otherwise the gloomy mute city, Gungir.

The rain expunges all of the busy noise and all of his marauding thoughts.

Ein smiles just enough to denote meager joy, even as he is doused in the rainfall.

“I’m not alone, if you’re by my side…” a voice calls out to Ein… a voice that's always on cue like a mother calling to her child.

“I suppose hell has frozen over because Ein Griever is actually enjoying himself right now… aren’t ya?”

That damned name.

That damned clan.

…mingled emotions thrashes about in his heart; it becomes a conglomeration of rage, vexation, and revulsion for his clan…

…but not for the person who uttered that damned name; that damned clan, The Griever.

Ein responds bitterly.

“I go by Ein; just Ein and only Ein. You should know that by now Gwen.”

Gwen can't help but to snicker. She loves to tease him like that because she's eight full seasons older than him. (eight full seasons equating to two years.)

She loves to tease Ein like a big sister does with her little brother… especially when she addresses him with his clan’s name, just to rile him up a bit… though there is one thing that baffles her: what is it about his seething hatred for the Clan when… nevermind… (She stays her tongue… because she just remembered.)

Gwen is a young woman with motherly instinct; her choppy black hair says otherwise; but she considers her hairstyle as a bold fashion statement: it denotes feistiness and ferocity. Her wardrobe is based on her penchant for that certain color.

Gwen is hoisting her green umbrella over her head…

(…for Gwen, green is such a mesmerizing color. She has a penchant for it.)

Under her umbrella, Gwen is calm and dry. She gives Ein a quick once over analysis; her eyes are doused with that same certain color as twine they behold the blonde hair veiled over Ein's face.

There’s something about his savage ways that she just can’t break away from.

Ein locks eyes with Gwen’s seductive gaze; Ein’s steel blue eyes glow as twine they behold her exquisitely voluptuous figure shaped by a nice set of breasts and an ass to match. Gwen's svelte figure and fair visage completes her sharp looks. Her overall beauty is more exquisite than that of any supermodel’s with a more exquisite visage than theirs but that damned name.

…why did she address him with that damned clan's name?

Ein sighs.

“You coming with me or what,” asks Ein in a not-so-subtle way.

Gwen is tickled by his abrupt invitation. Her eased posture slightly tenses up but being the stern yet motherly young woman she is, she giggles and maintains her composure.

“Here Ein… don’t be stubborn. If we’re going anywhere, join me under my umbrella before you catch a cold...”

“No thanks,” Ein abruptly interjects.

He advances a few paces forward. Gwen clicks her tongue.

“I address you with your clan's name and it saps the life outta ya.”

Ein stops in his tracks. He taps the tip of his shoe against the cobblestone street and retreats to his mind.

Dead dejection envelops his mind like infinite darkness squelching what little light is left in his heart.

A tense moment of silence settles between the two, like lovers meeting in a tryst… but for now it’s just them, Ein and Gwen.

Anxiety sets in. Ein shoots a sharp glare at Gwen.

“You coming or what?”

Ein heads off.

Discontent Gwen sighs and places a hand on her belly. Silent sentiments linger, as the two take off… (but Ein will he be ready for what’s to come?)

Gwen rubs her belly once more. As she rubs she still feels her chiseled abs, a nervous tic she developed.

Discontent Gwen sighs and rejoins Ein.

*** *** ***

The duo arrives at the Fenrir Gym. Ein recomposes himself and maintains a lax demeanor. He collects himself and organizes his thoughts as he approaches the stoop.

Rain continues to drench him. Gwen wags her head and clicks her tongue.

Gwen’s words echo into oblivion as his mind thrusts him back to the past…

…back to that decisive moment where would sever all ties to his clan... all of them but one…

“I didn’t have a choice…”

Gwen tilts her head to the side.

“Are you ok Ein? You’re getting a fever, aren’t you? Quick, let's get inside…”

Ein bitterly grunts. “Will you get a hold of yourself!? It's nothing to get your panties in a bunch about.”

Ein bursts through the gym’s entrance; leaving Gwen behind.

Vexed by Ein’s blunt ways, Gwen rolls her eyes once more.

“You’re more of a mystery to me than to yourself... Ein Griever; but in order to end your strife, you must first unlock your heart to others”

She rubs her belly and breathes an anxious sigh before stepping

The air is moist and humid.

Nobody notices. Nobody gives a damn.

Some athletes train by themselves while others are sparring with one another for the upcoming Ragnarok Trials.

Ein is here to polish his martial arts.

He scheduled a sparring match ahead of time, in case his sparring mates late again

He takes a look around the gym and notices his sparring mate has yet to arrive.

“Damn it… she always does this.”

Gwen takes off her soaked raincoat, revealing an alluring green and black training leotard and an incredibly chiseled body.

Ein notices a slight bump protruding from her core, a bit of a bump between her chiseled abs.

He exchanges a gaze with Gwen who simply blushes and aptly covers the bump with her mini vest.

“What the hell are ya staring at me like that for,” asks Gwen with flushed cheeks.

Ein begins to reply, but a youthful voice cries out.

“EIN!" cries the youthful voice.

His sparring is a young woman with a long and spikey, blonde hairstyle.

She's wearing a baby-blue training leotard with the jacket tied around her waist. Her white midriff top exposes a strong and chiseled core.

Bursting with vigor she joins Ein and Gwen.

“I actually beat you to the gym for once."

Ein chuckles, "a blue moon appears once in every season,” he jests.

Gwen watches the two firmly embrace each other. She sincerely sighs with warm content.

“I’ve never seen you so happy before Ein,” says Gwen.

She's relieved without a need to cobble together an explanation for that slightly protruding bump, but she is also saddened that Ein may have found another mate…

She directs her attention to the young woman.

“And you are?”

The young woman extends a hand towards Gwen. “I’m Ava, Ein’s younger sister.”

Ava smiles, but Gwen’s heart rapidly beats.

“This is the one… from that day… Ava Griever”

[“Griever!?”] Gwen doesn’t budge an inch.

Befuddled, Ava whispers in Ein’s ear.

[“Real ringer ya got for a friend here Ein.”]

Ein rolls his eyes and whispers back in Ava’s ear.

[“Just ignore her. She’s a ditz.”]

[“Don’t be mean Ein.”]

Ava approaches Gwen slightly concerned.

“Um… Gwen… Are you okay?”

Confusion addles her mind.

She replies, “yeah it’s just that…I thought you were…dead”

Astonished, Ava chides Gwen. “That's the wrong way to greet someone. I was expecting a ‘hello’ or something…”

Ein rolls his eyes, “Gwen what the hell is wrong with you?”

Gwen realizes her error and instantly becomes flustered again. Her cheeks flare with a bright, red and warm blush.

“Oh no. I don’t mean anything by it. I just…”

“Damn it, Gwen!” Ein bitterly remarks. “You’re such an airhead.”

Ein’s hostility towards Gwen upsets Ava.

She aptly defends her… as if she knows something…

“No Ein she has a point”, says Ava.

Ein calms down.

“Sis, you don’t have to defend —”

“And you would’ve been dead too Ein,” continues Ava.

“Whatever,” Ein shrugs, befuddled by Ava’s strange behavior.

A slow smile spreads across Gwen’s face, but her ignorance is feigned.

The odd behavior she displayed when she saw Ava was just a charade, though still she was shocked from seeing Ava after nearly four cycles of the four seasons.

"…Ava has grown so much."

She says it to herself lest, the Griever Siblings overhear her.

Gwen is grateful for the role she played… but wait!!

…all of a sudden Gwen feels a strong thump in her belly!

“Huh!?”

She hasn't even been that far along and yet; Gwen’s face still beams with joy.

She passes a coy glance at Ein and places a hand on her stomach.

Befuddled, but somewhat aware of what Gwen is hinting at, Ein observes the slightly small but noticeable lump in Gwen’s chiseled core…Gwen is abashed; her cheeks flush with a warm red in hue. Ein watches her; carefully and…

…his heart swells with joy; a melting sensation once long gone. He rubs his cheek; it’s warm and flushing red…

Gwen approaches Ein.

She takes hold of his hand and she sets it upon her bump between her chiseled abs…after anxious moments... Ein slowly smiles.