Chapter 12: Vain's Past, part 2

Three years later, Vain has just return from a three hour hunting mission with a group of trainees. He left the group as soon as he returns and runs deep into the mansion. After a few minutes of running he stop in front of Luvia's room. But upon opening it, he found it empty, and when he saw someone walking down the halls, he ran to them.

"Hey! Where's Luvia?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you, it was an order by leader."

"Tch, damn you old man."

He started sprinting down the halls, running towards the arena. When it was in sight, he grab his sword, and jumped down from the spectator seats. He landed in front of Luvia, raised his sword, and blocked his father's giant double edged sword. He looked back and saw that Luvia's hands were tied behind her back and that her legs were shackle to the ground. He turn to look back at his father, with anger seeping out of his core.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm stopping you from ruining my life! You stupid s****y a*****e! I won't let you or anyone take her from me!"

"Please son, get out of the way. I'm doing this for your future. I'd let it gone on too long, thinking you use her and throw her away, but you didn't. You've grown soft because of her. So I'm just getting rid of the problem."

"How the f**k is she a problem!? I'm not your piece of s**t to mold into what you want! I'll carve out my own path and she's part of it! If you want to cut her, then you'll have to cut me!"

His father raised his sword high and said, "She's weak, pathetic, worthless."

"You're wrong!"

The spectators around them, sitting in the seats, started saying stuff as well, "She's a mistake.She can't do anything right. She's dead weight. Always letting us clean up her problems. She's a cry baby that can do nothing but cry at everything."

"You're all wrong!"

"It's not too late to stand down and be the next leader of the clan, my son."

"If being the next leader mean I lose her then, I don't need it."

"I see, if you won't move then... you should just die!"

After saying that their father swung his sword down hard and fast. Vain reverse his grip and brace his arms against his head, for the impact. When Vain's guard was struck, he fell onto his knees, and felt one of his arms breaking. But he continue to push against his father's sword. Seeing their leader and his son in a stalemate, the audience got up from their seats, and climbed down onto the dirt arena.

"Understand this son, you're strong. But one man alone cannot kill all of us!"

"I won't know till I try. I swear it on my pride that I'll kill you all! SO F*****G COME AT ME!"

Vain knocked his father sword back and ran closer to Luvia. Blocking a sword that was aimed at her. Before killing the attacker and blocking another. Repeating the steps over and over. Soon they called for more backup, increasing their numbers to ten thousand. Even though the arena can only support a thousand people. Anymore and they have no room to swing their swords. So the rest just waited their turn and filled the missing spots left by their comrades.

Vain fought ten at once, killing two with every swing, and blocking the other eight. Soon they started to target him as well. Making it more difficult for him, since he has to avoid injuries while guarding Luvia. But it gave him an increase chance of killing more people. As the exchange goes on, Vain starts getting small cuts on his body. Until someone swung from below, cutting Vain's left eye from the chin up to his eyebrow. Vain didn't scream out in pain, as blood drip down his chin, and just kept killing. Soon he had killed two thousand people, but his clothes were completely torn, blood covered his body from head to toe, and he couldn't see out of his left eye.

Without him knowing they open a path for their leader and he swung his huge sword down. Vain only manage to parry it to the side with his left hand. But his father wields a double edge sword for a reason, so he brought his sword back up, and completely cut Vain's left arm off. The group of men and women around them cheered for their leader. Running back towards the weaken Vain, and attacking at his cripple side. Vain decided not to care about himself anymore, as blood spew out of his left shoulder. He kills everyone that were aimed at Luvia and took the stabs from his attackers.

After killing a thousand more, their father signal the others to back away, and Vain stab his blade into the ground. He had multiple swords impaled into his arms, legs, and body. Blood came out of his mouth and his wounds. As he fights back the death creeping up on him. Luvia struggle against the ropes, crying, and screaming at Vain.

"Stop big brother! Please stop! That's enough, you've done enough! I... I don't want you to die because of me! Big brother!"

Vain wanted to say words but he couldn't, even if he didn't want to admit it, his body was hurt and tired.

So he spoke in his head, "S-Shut up... I don't remember saying I'll die. I can't afford to die. Not here, not yet."

Then a voice spoke inside his head, "Come on Vain... you're a lot stronger then this. You're suppose to protect her, right? If you make her cry, can you really call yourself a man?"

"W-Who are you?"

"Me? Hm... just call me CT. I've been watching you for quite some time and I must say I found you somewhat... entertaining. If you were to die now I'd be bored. I can't have that now, can I? So how about it, want power? Enough power to make everyone beg for mercy? Enough power to entertain me more?"

"Last time I check, I'm not your entertainer. You piece of s**t."

CT laughs and said, "You're right, you're right. Then how about I just give it to you and let you show these punks mayhem?"

"I don't need your help, so f**k off."

"I see, I see. Then I guess I can probably just leave it to her."

"Huh?"

Vain snap out of his daze and sees his father's sword inches away from his face. In front of the sword was a barrier and when Vain looked behind him. Luvia's hands weren't tied behind here back, but in front of her, as she was the one who cast the barrier.

"Don't tell me..."

"Yep, she actually begged me for it. Even though I was already willing to give it to her. So... what's it going to be? Will you join her or let her walk this path alone?"

"Tch, it's pretty f*****g obvious now. Someone has to be beside her when she breaks again. I can't just leave her alone, also... one of us in this s****y world has to dirty their hands and that person is me."

"Oh... I see, I see. Interesting, then show me how far you're willing to take it. And I hope that when we meet one day, you'll be fun to play with."

Dark energy starts to swell around Vain, devouring the swords stuck in him, and recovering his wounds. As he screams from the amount of pain that seeps into his body, a black arm, with dark energy seeping out of it, comes out of his shoulder. Once it appear, he stopped screaming, and struck Luvia's barrier eating it, before eating his father's sword. His father and everyone watching, for the first time in their lives, experienced fear. They were petrified in place at what was happening. But soon broke out of it, when Vain's body was completely envelope in a giant ball of darkness.

Once it started to die down, what they saw made them all run for their lives. But his father stood in place staring at a giant dark beast, about five meters tall, in front of him. It stood on its hands and legs, three spiky tails protruded from behind it, each three meters long, big white sharp teeth, its entire body made of black metal, and yellow eyes. It stared at their father, before giving a loud roar, and opening his mouth to eat him. Luvia put a barrier around their father, but Vain ate through it, striking the ground hard, with his face, causing dirt to fly into the air. Once he lift his head up, there was nothing there, but a giant hole. He then roar again and crash through the arena to pursue his next meal.

(Back in Elence, in present time)

"That about sums up my life."

"I see, but I still don't see how that makes you a bad person. Aside from the killing."

"That's just my personal opinion. Now get some sleep, it's getting late."

Freena giggle before saying, "Okay, but... one more thing."

She gave Vain a peck on the lips, before resting her head against his right shoulder, and closing her eyes. Vain stared at her for a few minutes, before staring back at the stars. Soon Freena was fast asleep and her body slipped off his shoulder. But he caught her with his arm and gently laid her down, with her head on his lap.

"You and Luvia are both unfair. But now... I'm curious. Have Void and Veto met CT? I'll have to ask them, once we're back."