Explanation

Lazlo found himself once more in the office of the Dunan President. This time there were a significant presence of Dunan Soldiers with him for what he had done in the city of Muse just moments back. He took them on head on as a means of defending himself and likewise he also showed them that he wielded a dangerous True Rune.

Teresa sat down in front of her desk while Shin was being tended by the medics in another room. Coincidentally it was the same room in which Sierra Mikain was sleeping in as of now.

Riddyah likewise was in the office and she was still in shock. Her mind could still not process that the young man beside her is a bearer of a True Rune. And it was that True Rune.

Lazlo stood calm. He had two Dunan soldiers on his left and his right. The young man had no intention to fight them for he had been brought in this office to explain his situation.

"The things you said back outside." Teresa said to him as she sat on the chair behind her desk. "Was it all true?" she asked him.

The Island Nations native did not reply. He was silent and he looked towards his left hand. The curse that he had been carrying was really becoming burdensome for him but still he felt the need to not complain. Destiny is susceptible even to change, as Leknaat said to him. This was evidenced by the fact that the Rune of Punishment entered its Forgiveness Phase when Lazlo had used the power of the Stars of Destiny to protect him from his utter demise.

The Punishment Rune bearer closed his eyes briefly. He continued to hear their voices. The spirits inside the Rune never fade, even though it no longer was a threat to him. They serve as a reminder that each person who bore the Rune was different and yet, in the eyes of the Rune of Punishment, they are all the same.

"I can't speak for you when you judge what is true and what is not." Lazlo finally said to Teresa.

"I took a precaution. Since this reminded me of how the city of Greenhill fell. I did not take any progressive action back then." The Dunan president replied to him.

He did not mind her. His mind drifted to what Leknaat said.

"The time of Atonement has passed, and the time of Forgiveness now begins."

Lazlo kept his eyes on his left hand. The burden, the sins he had committed from the wars back then, it was catching up to him. 173 years of existence can do that to one person.

"Indeed. You have a responsibility to your people." Lazlo said to her. "A heavy one at that." he said.

"Tell me then, who are you?" Teresa then replied to him.

The young man sighed.

"My name is Lazlo." he replied to her. Teresa did not take this likely for she felt that he was a bit sarcastic. He however had no intention to be so.

"I know th-" she tried to interrupt him but he continued to talk.

"I was born in the year IS 288. Though I never met my parents." he began once more. "The mayor of the city of Razril, who was the father of my good friend back then had picked me up as my body drifted in the waters of the sea." he then said.

Teresa and Riddyah listened to his story attentively.

"I turned 14 years old, and I decided to join the Razril Knights." he continued to say. "Back then, I knew Razril to be the place I called home." he said to them.

"How did you get your Rune?" Riddyah then interrupted.

"I will be getting there shortly." Lazlo retorted. "So after I became a member of the Knights of Razril, I was sent on an errand to go to the Island of Iluya to deliver some cargo. Things turned sour when we were ambushed by a notorious pirate in the name of Brandeau. It was the first time I encountered the Rune in my left hand." he said to them.

"So you got it from him?" the girl asked once more, Lazlo did not reply to her.

"We dueled, and in the end Brandeau died due to the usage of the Rune. My commanding officer who was there at the time after I passed out, inherited the Rune of Punishment." he continued to explain. As Lazlo told his story, the images began to be clearer in his head.

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Razril, being invaded by the pirate fleet.

The commander of the Razril Knights stood up from his bed. He looked through his window in his room and saw a huge pirate fleet invading Razril.

His hair was brown, and age had slightly caught up with his face. He wore a brown vest with olive green sleeves on them and grey pants and brown boots. The seal of the Rune of Punishment glowed vividly for he knew it was his last resort.

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Lazlo POV

"Uryah!" I screamed as I took down another pirate with a swing of my blade. Blood spattered on my armor and slightly on my face. The rain grew heavier and the ships were getting more voluminous.

Then, I heard it and saw it. A huge stream of red and black light coming from Commander Glen Cott's Room. I felt the urge to go there and see what was wrong.

Taking off from the Razril Port, into the Hall of the Knights, I took the pathway that led to my room and took the stairs up to the Audience Chamber onwards to where Commander Glen's Room was. It was still locked.

I saw the flight of stairs that led to the top of the fort and I took it and when I had reached the top, I was stunned at what I saw.

It was Commander Glen. He was using the Rune. That Rune Brandeau passed on to him.

Commander Glen fell on his knees as he held on to the rocky fence of the fort beside him. He faced slightly towards me and he noticed that I was there.

"I said…not come.." he said to me. His voice filled with agony.

I couldn't speak. This was the first time I saw the Commander in a weakened state.

His left hand shone a bright red and I noticed mine as well. What does this mean?

On cue however, Snowe made his way towards where the two of us are. He, like me, was unable to comprehend the situation.

"Commander! Commander!! Are you all right?!" he screamed as he made his way towards the dying Glen Cott. "Sir! What in the world is happening?!" he asked once more with a sense of urgency.

I on the other hand continued to stand there like an idiot. I was trying to wrap my head around what was going on. I then remembered that Brandeau passed on the same Rune to the Commander.

Am I next?

"You idiot…" the Commander said. He directed it to me. "You will…suffer…the same fate…" he continued to say to me.

"What's going on!???" Snowe shouted as he backed away. The power of the Rune was going haywire now.

"You…idiot…" I still heard the commander say. "I… am…sorry." he said to me once more.

This is one of those times that I feared for my life.

Commander Glen Cott was reduced to ash after the Rune had transferred to me and I felt my body get light.

Moments later. I passed out.

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Present time, General POV

"The Rune latched on to me around the time just before Kooluk invaded the Island Nations." Lazlo explained to Teresa. "In the year 307, I along with a few people led the Island Nations to their fight against Kooluk to gain their independence." he said to them.

Teresa listened. Part of her felt that Lazlo was telling the truth, but a little part in her was not able to believe him.

"The Rune at that time had reached what was called its Forgiveness Phase." he said to her.

"Forgiveness Phase…?" the president asked her.

"The Rune of Punishment is one of the most dangerous True Runes. It is considered the deadliest." he said. "For it feeds on the life force of the one who wields it." he explained to them.

"No one has lived long enough to wield it." Riddyah then said outloud.

Lazlo looked towards her. He was surprised that she knew the nature of his True Rune.

"How come you were able to live long enough?" Teresa then asked him.

"The Forgiveness Phase of the Rune has stopped its parasitic nature. It will only resume when I perish." Lazlo said to her in response.

"I don't get it." the president said once more. "There is still a hole in the story. How come you are still living for such a long time? It is impossible for one to live as long as you have been living. Even if your story is now beginning to become truthful to me." Teresa concluded.

The bearer of the Rune of Punishment sighed. He looked far off through the window this time while he walked towards it. The Dunan soldiers were still uneasy for they knew of his power.

"Bearers of the 27 True Runes stop aging, and are often immune to disease." Lazlo said to Teresa. Somehow he had heard Leknaat's voice overlap with his as he said that.

President Teresa was surprised at this thought. She found it hard to believe but at the same time her gutfeel was right. Lazlo was telling the truth.

"Immortal is what describes them." Riddyah said as well.

"It doesn't mean that we are immune from other causes of death. True Rune bearers are just immune from disease and death from old age. Physical harm can still kill us." Lazlo said to her.

Teresa rubbed her temples as she was digesting all these information.

Lazlo turned behind her.

"The pieces became unclear when I said I was from Razril. For it was common knowledge in this day and age that the city and port Razril has been reduced to mere ruins since the civil war between Gaien and Razril in the year 402 to 404." he said to her. "And for that commotion, I am indeed sorry." he added.

"Why are you here then?" President Teresa said to him.

The True Rune bearer looked through the window and saw the night sky once more.

"Like I told you before, I have many reasons, but sometimes I feel like there is no reason at all." he said. "I have told you all that I can tell. It's your call now if you still need the feel to arrest me." he said to her in response.

Riddyah saw maturity in him. He may have had the look of a person in his late teens, but his wisdom was more than that. She knew how he felt.

The Dunan soldiers moved close to Lazlo and they likewise held Riddyah.

"I will not be arresting you. But you will be put in the Muse City Inn and will be kept a close eye on by the Dunan soldiers for the incident caused in the city." President Teresa said.

Lazlo sighed.

"Right." he said to them.

"And Lazlo." President Teresa stopped them while Lazlo and Riddyah were being escorted by the Dunan soldiers out of her office.

"Hmm?" he asked her.

"I accept your proposition." She said to him. "You are to investigate the recent events in Caleria. You leave first thing in the morning." she added.

Lazlo smirked at her.

"All right." he said.

And he and Riddyah were escorted out of President Teresa Wisemail's office.