Scars of the Punishment Rune (Suikoden FanFic)

ACT 1 - The Traveler's Curse

175 years. That's right, 175 years. It basically sums up this bearer's travels. In that time, one could have encircled the entire world and one could have seen all the secrets of it. But again, if we are talking about feasibility, no one survives for that long.

Unless, he or she, bears a curse of what is known as a True Rune.

His footsteps echoed as it hit the grassy plains that were underneath his feet. His body was covered by a black hooded cloak. His shoes had a white cutoff on its toe area and the rest of it was black as well.

The person walked towards the grassy plains and in plain view he sees a settlement in which he could rest for a while.

...

...

...

Last night in camp

He sat down near a campfire which he had made for himself. The man then warmed his hands near the fire and it was seen that he wore cut off gloves which were black. Among his gear also lay twin blades of the same size.

"175 years." his voice said. It was the voice of a young man in his teens. "Roaming this earth for such a long time." he said once more.

The young man let down his hood and what was revealed was that of a face that had a pair of blue eyes on them. His hair was brown but it was long as it reached up to his shoulders. A red bandana was worn likewise across his forehead.

"Lazlo." he heard his name be called.

A spirit manifested itself behind him. Lazlo did not looked surprised at all for he had seen her before. She was wearing an all-white dress with a veil hood over her head. Her eyes were always closed.

"Leknaat." he called out to her.

"How long has it been since the fall of Kooluk?" she asked him rhetorically. It seemed that she always tested the true rune bearers.

Lazlo stood up. He was a bit more mature now but still he retained his persona of nonchalance.

"156 years." he replied to her. "A lot has happened since." he said as he looked towards his left hand. The hand which housed the Rune of Punishment.

Leknaat took notice of this and indeed she saw that he was carrying it with a burden in his soul. Though even if it was detrimental to him, Lazlo accepted his fate without question.

"Indeed." she replied to him.

"Scarlet Moon fell to the Liberation Army. Now it is called the Toran Republic." Lazlo said to her. "Highland likewise has faltered and now it is part of the new Dunan Republic." he said to her.

"So you have been watching them. The other True Rune successors?" Leknaat asked him. She had granted the leader of the Liberation Army and the Orange Army their respective True Runes.

"Ted's Rune now lays in the hands of the former leader of the Liberation Army." the young man said to her.

"If you knew the conflicts in this region, why did you not take part in them?" the lady in white asked him.

Lazlo looked towards the horizon. He felt his left hand pang a bit. The True Rune he bore was a bit unstable but it is in its forgiveness phase so it no longer poses a threat to take his own life.

"That's not for me to decide. They are not the battles I wish to partake in." he replied to her.

Leknaat sighed and let out a faint smile.

"It looks like the Rune of Punishment is in good hands." she said to him and she disappeared once more.

"Destiny like everything else, is susceptible to change..."