His eyes were fixated on her corpse. Underneath the black soil she went, forever to stay. The tears hung from his eyes, threatening to spill. His eyes stung from the pain, yet he still felt a warm hold from behind him. The boy relied on the warmth that was transmitted to him, yet it was still futile as the tears fell one by one on his face. His face was contorted in pain as he saw the cold face of Marianne slowly disappear underneath the dirt that built up.
He couldn’t stand watching anymore, instead burying his face into the warmth behind him. He could feel his hair being pat, and a soft tone spoke to him.
“I- I’m sorry.” Junia spoke softly to the young boy in front of her.
Beside her was the icy face of Marcus, the sorrowful look of Jules, and the crying face of Elena. A thud was heard behind Viran from a shovel, Rufus had been the one to bury Marianne’s body. Her grave had a sorrowful atmosphere, and Viran felt it intently. Most of the sorrow had come from him, after all. The boy was aware of the expressions everyone around him was making, yet he still wondered just what kind of expression was on his face.
Slowly Viran could feel pats over his back as they began to leave. First went Marcus, then went Jules, followed Elena, and now Rufus left the two alone. Junia herself wanted to go as well, yet she lingered alongside Viran for his sake. She knew he wanted to stay longer, and if she left he would follow behind her.
Seeing the child stick so closely to her gave Junia a thin smile, yet the smile portrayed the sadness and empathy she herself felt.
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The days had gone by and the tears had faded from Viran. He felt himself prepared to finally know the truth.
“What happened to Marianne…” Viran asked Marcus and Jules shyly in a large tent. The smell of blood had disappeared and was instead replaced with a metallic smell that made Virans nose buzz.
“Unfortunately the wind mana that was entrapped within her ruptured her many roots and damaged her magic circuit. When she used a spell to save you, that was the final nail in the coffin.” Jules said despondently. “Due to the nature of her innate gift and the damage to her magic circuit, her sight became haywire and by then it was unlikely that she saw only the emotions of people. It’s likely she saw something far different and far more terrifying, and eventually the shock finally killed her.”
Jules' words were saddening for Viran, he felt he himself was responsible for her death.
“How did her innate gift change so much…?” Viran asked.
In response Jules coughed lightly, and began.
“A Kieller’s sight is a bloodline innate gift, something that can be passed down for generations to come. What makes their sight so terrifying to behold, though, was the fact that there were cases where they changed immensely from near death experiences or training. Before her innate gift had already been damaged to a point where it could not be healed at all, and now that her magic circuit became inert the mana that flowed to power her innate gift was gone. In that situation her sight became something else entirely, and we do not know just what she had seen.”
To these words Viran slowly began to understand. His knowledge on innate gifts had always been superficial after all, and it took time to understand completely. He wanted to ask more about how it happened, but he felt he wouldn’t completely understand about it all. There was also something he was more interested in, though.
“How… What happened to her before…?” Viran asked, just asking felt like his heart was jumping inside of his chest. His fingers twitched and his brain trembled.
Marcus' eyes noticeably twitched as well, he knew the reason for it all. Jules on the other hand began to tremble unconsciously, he himself knew more about it all than anyone in the camp. Though because of this he wasn’t sure he wanted to tell Viran, after all he was partially responsible for the sad fate of the Kiellers.
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“... The Grand Mage Kieller two centuries ago was a prodigy that knew no bounds. No one could control their curiosity nor their spirit, and through that millions died including the Grand Mage themself.” Jules began, his voice cracking occasionally. “The thousands of refugees surged into the Empire and the countries it would soon conquer, and they demanded justice. But if the Grand Mage themself was already deceased who would be responsible?”
The question asked resonated with Viran, and he could infer the answer immediately.
“...The Kieller Family as a whole.” Viran spoke softly.
“The new refugees could not be bargained with in this manner, especially the magic users. The Leaders of every country, including our Emperor, decided how to deal with the Kieller Family. What happened next was an international coalition obligated to capture those with Kieller blood, and they were a very large family.” Jules spoke with a deep sadness.
“How were they able to identify them?” Viran asked.
“Simple really, the Kiellers are very unique. Their bright golden hair is not often seen among the countries of the West, and there were many organizations that specialized in tracking down individuals across the region. It wasn’t long before each Kieller was either dead or captured, and soon the trouble began for them.”
As the words were spoken Viran became increasingly interested in this information, after all Jules own words were spoken in a manner that piqued his own interest. Not only that, but the information he was given explained Marianne’s situation.
“Many countries wiped out those they found, others hid members of the Kieller Family in order to preserve their bloodline for their own uses.” Jules stopped for but a moment, yet Viran understood just what was about to be said. “The Empire had enslaved the Kiellers years ago, and even now they suffer underneath the Empire.”
Viran’s hands clenched harshly, his fingernails bit into his skin and drew blood.
“Many people incorrectly perceive the Emperor, especially the Nobles. They really think the Emperor has no control over his own subjects. Hmph.” Marcus snorted harshly, clearing demeaning the Emperor himself. Yet Viran held no qualms over that, after all he didn’t care much for the Emperor he had never seen nor met.
“The Kiellers were bred for their abilities and through their innate gift, and with this came torture, brainwashing, and terrible deeds. The Kiellers weren’t responsible for the Empire’s current hegemon, yet instead they were responsible for being able to keep it all together thus far.” Jules eyes tinge harshly in guilt over the matter.
“Was that why Marianne always spoke of the endless cycle, the degrading shame she felt her entire life? She was brainwashed?” Viran spoke unbelievingly, he couldn’t accept any of that.
“Nn.” Jules nodded his head affirming himself, his gaze became shaky.
“No. No, no no. That doesn’t make any sense! How can she be brainwashed to believe such nonsense!” Viran said as he held his head up, he felt like it was all a nightmare. He couldn’t believe someone so kindred like Marianne could have suffered so much due to the sins of her ancestors. It was unbelievable and illogical to him.
“It’s likely her innate gift was damaged because the torture was too rough for her-.” Jules spoke before being cut off by Viran.
“Slow the fuck down!” Moments pass by as Viran holds his own head. His brain shook and his vision became shaky, he felt everything around him become obscure. The walls, the floor, Jules and Marcus, his vision became hazy. He feels as though his life is going out of control. He felt alone.
“With a damaged innate gift she was useless to the Empire, so they let her go. She hated herself because she was bred to do so, and being let go from the Empire must have been some sort of punishment for herself she thought. That’s why she became so fixated on redemption through you.” Jules spoke his entire thoughts out, ignoring the plight Viran found himself.
“Just hold a goddammit minute!” Viran yelled, prompting Jules to stop talking. A sincere look of grief was plastered on his face and shown vividly.
Hearing all of this at once, Viran didn’t want to believe it. The brainwashing, the torture, and the redemption Marianne spoke of. It was too unbelievable for him to believe the kind and beautiful Marianne to ever have gone through such a thing, it was too unbelievable for such a terrible thing to be condoned by the Empire at all! Viran’s eyes crossed when a sudden thought popped up into his head.
“Why do you know all of this?” Viran spoke harshly, his eyes now glaring at Jules. Seeing this Marcus sighed softly and put his chin on his hand, his face never twitching. Noticing the silence of Jules, he lightly kicked him- waking him from his stupor.
“I… I am responsible for many of their troubles. The sins I have now cannot be washed away anymore.” Jules spoke, his eyes glistened.
Viran nodded slightly, urging him to continue.
“I was in search of something important, so I went into the service under the Emperor. I was a healer for the Kiellers and I was also a researcher, so I naturally became accustomed to what kind of magic they used. That’s how I was able to tell Marianne was nearby, it was through a detection spell I used that I became aware of Marianne being nearby.” Jules spoke only to be slapped across the face by Viran.
Just hearing what Jules had done brought his tears and anger over the boiling point, and he lashed out. Despite that no mark was left on Jules face, and instead his own hand felt hurt. Watching over this calmly, Marcus didn’t intend to interfere at all.
“You… You watched them all die? For money?” Viran spat out fury.
“It wasn’t for money, I was unaware of what they were doing for years. After finding out, I couldn’t stop then. I had a goal that was so close to achieving, I couldn’t give up then.” Said Jules.
Despite that, all Viran could not help but look down on Jules harshly, after all he had participated in something he thought was terrible. The brainwashing and torture of an entire bloodline for the use of the Empire’s betterment, for some it may sound like a necessary sacrifice but to Viran it was not. But despite it all, Viran could not help but be in amazement. Just what was Jules goal?
“Why… Why did you do it then?” Viran spat out.