Gensosuikoden: Paths of Idleness

By: Chii Motosuwa

Disclaimer: Suikoden and its characters belong to their respected companies (Konami and such) and no money was made in the production of this Fanfiction.

Despite the defiant front Luc had put up while being around the blonde sister of his mistress, he did very much lie about what was mainly put in to question. For one thing, Leknaat was fully aware of the Souleater's presence while the son of General Teo McDohl and his entourage were on the island. Not knowing would have gone against the seer's very proud existence. As for the idle 'threat' he just put up. To cause Windy any trouble would just act as another waste of time.

But when he thought about it... how long has it been since Leknaat came before him, calling herself the guardian of the True Runes and offering him 'freedom'? Four...? No. Almost 5 years have passed. So... would he truly just stand still and do nothing, or would he protect his saviour at all costs in exchange for that freedom?

'Freedom, huh?" he thought to himself as he wrapped his hand around the cell door to swing it open.

The moment the door screeched to a halt, a voice rang from within the darkness.

"You were the last person I thought I'd see..." the occupant of the room said quite maliciously. "I suppose witches must really work hand in hand."

There he was... tousled red hair, pale skin smeared red with the tint of blood from his open wounds, brown disdainful eyes that almost pierced right through the younger boy's very body... a voice that was both in pain and very much annoyed at his presence.

"So what does that make you?"

This man...

"Their dog?"

He hated him.

"I guess even when you're bleeding to death; you still don't know when to shut up." Luc raised his chin as he glared back into the older man's face. "I was sent here to heal your wounds, so you don't die just yet. That woman appears to have some use for you later. Just thought you wanted to know that, Ted... was it?"

"Hmph. And if I don't want to be healed?" Ted snorted as well as flinched from his injuries, leaning hard against the wall behind him to keep his balance.

One hand was cradling the wound streaked across his side and around his abdomen, while the other clawed into the wall. To Luc... the man definitely looked in pain.

"Your friend."

Ted suddenly froze all movement.

"He'll cry."

The older boy slipped a few inches down the wall, his legs barely keeping him up anymore. Eyes lowered towards the floor, overshadowed by his red hair, while a small saddened smile appeared on his mouth.

What the hell...?

Luc's brows furrowed as he watched him.

Over one stupid person...

"Fine..." Ted muttered quietly.

You'd agree to it over one stupid 'friend'...?

"Let's get this over with..."

They'll kill you anyway... You'll still die...! So why...?

"You..." Luc could barely hide his annoyance.

Why would you do this for one stupid person?

"What?" The red head raised his head and looked at him.

As he thought.

"No..." the younger boy lowered his head and looked away. "It's nothing..."

He really hated him.

Human. A species of Homo sapiens usually characterized with the skill to walk on two legs. Indicative of weaknesses, imperfections, and fragility, but also a strong sense of will and need to survive. Equipped with minds that allow them to make their decisions, adapt to their surroundings, develop a livelihood and currently takes more than a large majority of the current residents of the surface.

So... what would that make him?

"You seem distracted, child."

Luc lost his grip on his pen, causing it to drop on the floor and roll across the room, all the way to the dark-haired woman's feet. The woman was called Leknaat. She was the seer of the Scarlet Moon Empire, and sister to the Court Magician, Windy. His 'mistress'.

"O-oh... no... I'm not..." the boy clumsily tripped on his words while Leknaat merely smiled at him.

Leknaat knelt down and picked up the pen before moving towards where the boy was sitting. She placed a hand on the table where Luc had placed various books, many of which were sprawled open. She took the one closest to the boy and began to flip through the pages.

"..." Luc refrained himself from fidgeting as the woman was browsing at his choice of reading.

It was almost a wonder to him on how Leknaat manages to know what was in her hand. She was blind after all.

"This again?"

Luc could only assume that the years she had lived must have given her some sort of skill. Perhaps...

Leknaat closed the book with a loud snap, causing the boy to flinch slightly. She sighed before placing the book back on the table.

"You should not fret so much about the past, Luc." The woman said to him gently. "Those fixated with the past are blind to what's before them and what's to come. Only fools follow that path... If you keep this up, you shall never move forward."

"...My lady..." he slowly turned away from her, his cheeks burning slightly in the mixed feeling of shame and controlled indignation.

What did she mean by that? Is she implying he was blind to want to know and understand his very being? Move forward...? Move forward to what? Twelve years and there was still nothing around him to move towards to. The only familiar things were these books... the dust... the constant silence... and even the damp air... the loneliness... the walls.

There were always walls.

Was that even something proper to say to him?

He squeezed his hands into tight fists, thinking about the possibility that Leknaat may have belittled his very existence. He was quite aware he wasn't normal. Not that it mattered... Not that she really cared. He knew about Windy... that massacre Harmonia issued to dispose of their clan. The True Runes. Always the true runes. He bit his lip as that annoying sensation of his chest tightening painfully came to him. He was aware what this was...

Frustration.

Stop.

Indignity.

Stop it.

Weakness.

No!

It was like something suddenly snapped. Instead of managing to keep silent as always, the words left his mouth before he could stop himself.

"Why did you save me from that place?" the brunette asked suddenly, the usual controlled under-tone vanishing completely from his voice. "Why do you care about what becomes of me or my future?"

Why? Why can't he stop himself from speaking any further?

"Why must you even pretend like I'm human? We're not family. I don't need your pity."

There was a long pause of silence before Leknaat finally turned to him. Emotionless as she usually was, there were times when she showed little traces of what Luc could understand as emotion. Right now... he knew... he had said too much.

"Do you need to prove that you are human to accept any form of kindness?" she asked in return. "What will you do once you find out the answer to your doubts?"

What...?

"Do you truly believe that once you attain your truth, you will laugh and smile and be able to live like most humans do? Live a normal life?"

"Lady Lek—"

"You will waste your years away chasing a foolish answer. You need to learn Luc... that even if our time has stopped, our souls still age. We still feel pain and agony... we learn the same way as any mortal does." Her voice was stern as she spoke to him. "Why does humanity matter so much to anyone? They are no better than you or I. Humanity has their flaws... It matters not if one is or isn't."

She walked closer to Luc, placing a hand gently on his head.

"They are not superior in the eyes of gods."

Luc's eyes widened at her choice of words. Something cold ran across his body, a chill freezing his very blood. What... did she mean...?

"You stink of that curse. But you're trying to hide it. Why?"

Luc raised his head and pulled his right hand away from Ted's injury. So... he knows as well.

"How...?" the twelve year old asked reluctantly.

"Like I said, you stink of that curse. I've lived long enough with and without the rune to notice." The red head replied. "Even without the Souleater... The way you pull away from the slightest touch. You distance yourself instantly. And your eyes... they give you away. You're cursed."

You have no idea...

"I see..." Luc muttered and turned his gaze back towards Ted's wound.

...what it means to be cursed

"So why do you hide it?" the teen asked again.

"Because..." Luc's voice faltered for a moment and fell into a mumble.

...what it means to suffer from your very first breath.

"It's disgusting."

...when your very life was never your own.

Ted looked at him with furrowed brows. Something about this boy felt wrong... very wrong. There was something... like a darkness waiting to consume him. Something Ted once felt a long, long time ago.

Like a nightmare waiting...

Waiting...