Tainted by Blood

A/N : Major novel spoilers in Faydens backstory so comic readers, read at your own risk)

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Entering the infirmary I see Arthur slapping himself.

He didn't notice me as he lays back down and speaks, "What are you doing Arthur..."

"Now that's the million dollar question ain't it?"

He froze before turning towards me.

"What are you doing here Fayden?"

"What? I can't come to see how my own brother is holding up? You wound me Arthur..." I say, holding a hand over my chest.

He deadpans at me, "I've known you for long enough to realize when you're acting."

"You're no fun,"

He keeps staring.

"Hey, I really did come to see you." I say as I walk towards him.

"You know exactly how I am, you did keep Zeke here as an impromptu bodyguard." He's suspicious, and rightfully so.

I did come here to tease him after all.

"Fine, I came here to talk."

"About what?"

"About a certain action of a certain silver haired elf. Sound familiar?"

His face pales considerably.

"Relax, no one knows about our...circumstances. Its not like they can arrest you for it."

"Its more of a moral issue." He mumbles.

"Ehh, don't worry about it. We've been given a second chance, we gotta make the most of it. We are no longer what we once were we're completely new people. Our past life doesn't define us anymore Grey." I whisper quietly enough that neither Sylvie nor Zeke hears me.

"Wait....how do you know that name?!" He turns towards me, his expression a mix of confusion and surprise.

"I really let that slip out huh? Sigh." I pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration.

"Were you someone who knew my old self?" He asks, ignoring what I said.

"If we're going to have that talk right now, might as well invite them in. I feel bad keeping this from them."

"Wh-What?! Are you seriously considering telling Mom and Dad about it now-?!"

"Oi calm down! I didn't mean our parents, I meant them." I point towards the two mana beasts in the room.

"Oh... Are you sure?"

"I am. now, before we go into the details of our past life, we should explain to them about us being reincarnated."

"Alright."

'Zeke, come closer, we...we have something to say to you guys'.

'O..okay?'

He seems alarmed at my tone.

Meanwhile Sylvie settles herself on Arthur's chest.

Taking one of the chairs I sit down, and soon Zeke comes to my side and curls up beside me.

'So, what did you want to talk about?'

'We're reincarnators.' I blurt out mentally, if that's even possible.

'Rein what now?'

'Reincarnators, meaning we have lived another life before.'

'Oh that? I've known about it for a while.'

"What?!" I speak both verbally and mentally.

Meanwhile Arthur too has an expression of shock on his face.

'Since when?'

'Since you fought the Elderwood Guardian and entered phase 2....it allowed me access to your memories since the shield you put up was broken. I'm sorry for hiding it from you.'

He slumps down and whimpers in apology.

Gah! The famed puppy dog eyes!!

'I-It's fine. But why did you hide this?'

'Because I was afraid...'

'Afrai- Oh...I see.'

'You're not angry?'

'No Zeke, I'm not angry in the slightest. I am different now, I'm no longer that...monster I guess would be the correct term.'

'I wouldn't say that...'

He commented weakly.

'But that's exactly what I was Zeke, a monster through and through.'

'I know seeing my memories like that must've been downright terrifying, but you don't need to be afraid of me Zeke, not now nor ever.'

'I won't, I know you have changed into a kinder man.'

'Good.'

I let out a sigh of relief.

Seems like there was nothing to worry about in the first place.

Looking at Arthur it seems he has finished his talk as well.

"So, how'd it go?" I ask him.

"She already knew..."

"Same here."

"Now on to how I know your old name," I began.

He snaps his head towards me.

"There was once a boy, from whom life had taken away the ones he cherished the most..."

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When he was seven years old, back then he was still happy even though he rarely showed it, his parents were taken from him.

A civil war had recently taken place in his nation and his parents played an important part in it. Some remnants of the revolution remained and they wanted revenge.

And so he was taken in by his aunt, whose entire family despised him, bar their son who actually treated him kindly.

They formed a deep kinship with each other, but fate is a cruel thing. 4 years later those same people who killed his parents attacked him once again.

But this time there was only one casualty, Ryan, his cousin was the one who perished, all the while shielding him.

That is when the boy should have broken but he didn't. He persevered.

But he couldn't stay in the country any longer now, there were too many memories associated with the place.

And so the 11 year old kid ran, he ran from his relatives, he ran from his home, he ran from his past.

He finally found refuge in an orphanage of all places, but he wasn't going to complain.

There he met a trio of friends.

Nico, the more enthusiastic one who had a knack for inventing things.

Cecilia, the shy girl afraid of her own power.

And Grey the last one with an air of indifference around him, one would say he didn't care about his friends, but they would be dead wrong, for Grey was the one who cared the most.

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"Markus..." Arthur breathed out.

"Ah ah," I raise a finger, "Lets tell them more of our story before all that eh?"

He nods.

"Anyways so where was I? Ah yes the orphanage..."

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At first he was afraid of forming more bonds, for he feared they would be severed once again, but eventually he relented.

(A/N: I'm gonna skip most of their backstory since novel readers already know, but comic readers....what are you doing? Go on read the novel. Its worth it, I swear.)

The headmaster of the orphanage became a surrogate mother figure for the kid.

And he had faith that for once in his life there would be happiness.

Only if he knew.

Years later Headmaster Wilbeck was killed, a bullet to the head, that's all it took.

Grey vowed vengeance on the ones who killed her.

And Markus...he was already on the verge of snapping and this...this broke something in him. For he no longer felt emotions, only numbness.

He left the orphanage, he will not take the direct approach like Grey as there is no guarantee he will become King.

He chose the more...illicit way.

But before that he needed to become stronger.

So he went around the country to learn all there is to ki arts.

That is how he found his mentor.

He trained under him in all 4 sects, and more.

Soon he was moulded into the perfect killing machine.

He knew what he was becoming yet he never took a step to prevent it. After all why would he, he didn't feel guilt or remorse anyways.

That turned out to be a mistake.

He finally began feeling emotion again, but it wasn't necessarily good.

He felt joy and satisfaction, by killing people.

Inside he was disgusted by himself but he couldn't change it.

Thankfully his mentor had a bit of humanity in him.

Seeing that he would become consumed by bloodlust at this rate he made preparations so that he doesn't.

And that was by threatening the only 3 people he called friends. Needless to say he tried his best to change.

Even then it took a long while to get back to the husk he was.

He still wasn't fixed, he was still broken and numb.

He didn't enjoy killing nearly as much, but it still brought him sick satisfaction to see the blood flowing down his arms, and the life leaving his victims eyes.

He still hasn't completely cured himself of that. (Remember he hasn't actually killed anyone yet, only the Elderwood Guardian.)

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My voice cracks at that as I look at my hands and imagine blood stained on them. No matter how much I wash them they don't go away. And I have come to terms with it.

I will have this burden with me till the day I die, truly die this time.

And yet why does my vision blur? Why do I feel this self hatred and disgust?

"It's okay, you don't need to tell them the entire story now," Arthur said, his eyes filling with their own tears as he pulled me into an embrace.

I thought I put that all behind me.

I thought I swore I wont let my past haunt me any longer.

Turns out it isn't that easy.

My sarcasm is only a front to hide what I really am.

"You have changed, a lot more than you think. You have feelings now, you are loved by Mother, Father, Ellie, the Twin Horns, Tess, Zeke, Sylvie, me....you have people that genuinely care for you now."

And that's when the final vestiges of my emotional defense fell, and the tears flowed like rivers.

He says nothing and just keeps rubbing my back to comfort me.

Maybe, just maybe this time my life won't be as painful...

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Authors Note :

Whew!

Now that was exhausting.

So how was it?

I feel like this is the best I have ever written, even though emotionally charged scenes aren't something I'm proficient in, well that's what I think anyways.

And for all those out there disappointed in this story for not diverging from canon, how's this for some divergence? (Get it? Divergence? No? Guess I'll just sulk in the corner then...)

Anyways that's it for today, been a while since I wrote such a long chapter.