Forgiveness

It was a dark night, raging thunder has roared and lightning had snarled here and there. Storm clouds littered the sky, and there no sun, no moon in sight.

Neutral Grounds, probably one of the more peaceful towns in Fiore. He had known a great number of people who retired here in an elder age, seeking a life a normality and content, and many of them had captured such a lifestyle. But it made Isaac think... why did they resort to a life of peace? They may have retired from their previous lifestyles but no physical or mental condition appeared to be a notable obstacle they could not cross in order to achieve more. This world was full of mysterious things, things dangerous and docile at their finest, places uncharted and raw, ready to explore. People, human and inhuman alike ready to confront and develop with, no matter how evil the price. So why did they choose a life of silence and peaceful solitude over these sacred pleasures and experiences?

But the truth is that Isaac was not questionable at them... but at himself.

What did they have in their souls that he didn't? What part of them gave him a peace of mind strong enough for them to move on, but not him? How can these much weaker, simple minded people achieve things not even he could, even at such power? What did Isaac seek? He sought to repent for his sins, and repay the debt he owed. He sought to attain closure and forgiveness, to right his wrongs and to turn his very being from a curse to a gift. But he was alone in the quest. There was no one to guide him. It felt as if it were just yesterday that he had been a twenty four year old young man who had a wife and newborn. A young man who sought adventure and love. He was a young man who abandoned his royal responsibilities as a prince to achieve his own dream and grow closer to his family. Hell, he didn't even know what his dream was. He wanted to explore.

But it was as if he was forced to grow up ten years too early. A mysterious disease broke out and killed tens of hundreds of people left and right. He had to perfect life, worked at an orphanage, had a family... but it was because of his foolishness that he was in this mess. He was desperate for salvation and treatment. He knew that he was infected, and he knew that his wife, child, and orphaned children were bound to drop dead due to this cruelness. So he joined a cult... a cult that pledged that they had a cure. A treatment like no other.

Isaac was convinced to join, and in return for the cure, he had to... serve their God.

But could Isaac even call it serving? No. - He was convinced that this serving was murdering, cannibalism, rape, torture, stealing, sadism... it was anything but bringing harmony to Sin. It was never harmonious in the first place.

But it didn't matter. His spouse was skinned alive and his son was taken. He was forced to use his vile body to defile the bodies of children. He brought genocide upon several peoples and was forced to eat their spawn. Eat their youth.

But the cure was no help at all. Isaac was still diseased, but since he overdosed on the liquid treatment, he was forced into a state of extensive mortality. One may even call it immortality. One may call it eternal youth. One may call it a miracle.

But Isaac calls it his punishment. So he joined the Rune Knights and ever since, thought he could repent for his sins by serving the ones who truly meant good and executed justice in the finest way possible. But until recently, even he realized that his 'master' or 'saviour', the Magic Council, was not the closure he sought. He realized that eradicating evil was not the answer, just as eradicating light would change nothing. He realized that he Magic Council has never truly acted on anything. He realized that righteous were spat on and the scum were worshiped.

He realized that dark nor light did not exist. It was another control method...

The Magic Council tells you that the bad people are the ones who rebel against them. They say that evil is what their definition is. But yet they never truly acted on it. These factions that he served in were nothing but the Council's dogs, and Isaac had slowly found closure in being released from his position.

But even visiting Fairy Tail, and being admissioned into this mysterious faction, even so...

He didn't know.

He didn't understand what other purpose he had.

But... even in those grim times he served the cult, and lived a life of blood and terror and anarchy, he did make one friend. Which is why he was here at an abandoned chapel, covered in greenery but now somewhat creepy now that it was storming. It was like some sort of building you'd find in a horror movie.

But Isaac knew what was on the inside, and approached the gates to the building. It had been a few months since recent events, and Isaac looked like a hobo if anything. He wore a tan shawl through the dark, storming night, and had a long, scratchy and untrimmed beard that would stretch down his neck. Some may call it gross and unhealthy, but Isaac was too questionable to care about his appearance.

His knee-high boots were soaked in the rain water, realizing how far he had walked to visit this place. But he had know idea what to expect. Isaac's eyes were both tired and had little light in them, truly on the brink here, mentally.

Isaac sighed and approached the gates, realizing that the lock was worn down and rusty and could be easily take off. He leaned down to carefully inspect it's features before twisting and turning it until it fell off the entrance, then pushing the gate open as it made a weak creaking sound.

Eeeeeek... was the only sound it moaned before Isaac walked past it, closing it behind him. His eyes gazed at the building and squinted. It really hasn't changed... He thought to himself.

To his sides were graves here and there, and noticed that a few of them had newly placed flowers on top of them. It was at that sight that he realized that he was home. It was no monster, no, but his dear friend.

Isaac's head slowly drifted away from the graves and continued toward the chapel doors. Even though the building's stone walls were worn and dirty, the doors seemed nicely polished. Now standing in front of it, Isaac looked at the mahogany door with a melancholy expression, placing a palm on the door silently, and standing there. A moment of silence passed by, and he made a choice... to go in or leave. Was he really wanting to see him again? The two very much still friends, but... would he be able to face him? Isaac was the one always guiding him. Would this be a transition he was willing to take?... Isaac made the conclusion to try anyway and pushed the door open as rain dripped off of the nearby windows.

Creaaaaaaak.... Was the smooth moan the door made as Isaac stepped in and looked around as he removed his hood. He had longer hair than a few months ago, and was a complete mess. He glared into the darkness, and quietly closed the door behind him before walking down the isle, which had been decorated with red walking rugs. Candles had been set around the room, and had been gently lit, illuminating the room dimly and pressing a calm, peaceful feeling to the room.

"Kotomine? Are you here?" Isaac called out. But no one answered, he only heard dim footsteps. "Kotomine."

"Isaac?" A deep, rich voice responded to his second calling, and revealed a tall, middle aged man (Who looked to be Isaac's age) with long hair that went down to the nape of his neck. Wearing simple vestments and a golden cross around his neck, a cassock coming with it. He had dark, black eyes and brown hair, lighter than Isaac's.

The man had walked in from a corridor to the side with his arms folded behind his back. At the realization of the intrusion, he calmly walked up to Isaac and cupped his hands to his cheeks and smirked. "My dear Isaac, and pleasure to see you so alive. I thought I'd never see you again."

Isaac smiled weakly and placed a hand over his in a brotherly kinship, "I could say the same thing about you, Kotomine. Healthy and peace, as ever..."

Revealed to be the man he was looking for, Kotomine's smirk lessened into a smile and removed his hands from his cheeks and returned to their former posture, folded behind his back. "Yes, well, it's not like we have a choice. Heh."

"I suppose... but I see you've been giving the graves flowers on a basis. Are you still...?"

Kotomine closed his eyes and shook his head, chuckling, "Holding on? No. I have moved on. Those days have gone and passed, and I have accepted and forgiven myself for what I've done and continue to respect their deaths til this day. You still seem to bare a burden however, Isaac." His voice seemed to become a bit more tense when addressing Isaac, more out of sympathy than anything.

Isaac simply sighed and closed his eyes with a nod, "I need your guidance, Kotomine."

"Are you in search for guidance or answers? You seem lost, Isaac. I shall help, but with what?"

"It's... I've recently been let go from the Rune Knights, you see." Isaac grunted, taking a few steps towards a wall leaned against it and peered down in irritation. "I thought that I could repent for my sins for offering my life and body for the cause of peace and saving lives. But then I realized that I am stealing more than saving. I no longer serve the Rune Knights nor police Fiore. How else shall I serve my curse and burden, Kotomine?"

Kotomine listened quietly before sighing, "I see. Well, you can't repent any further, dear Isaac..."

At those words, Isaac felt his chest tighten and his breathing grow weak. He could no longer... repent? Was he stuck living with this burden forever then? Or until he died? Was he stuck with this curse and this foul body as a grim reminder of what he has done? What was he to do with the rest of his life? Neglect him? Force death upon himself? What more was there to do? Isaac glared down further, lifting his hand to sight and looking at it with a hatred. A passionate disgusting.

"Because you already have, Isaac." Kotomine walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Lift your head, Isaac."

"..."

"You have spent centuries using your life and body to repay for the sins you have made and to repent for the debt you owed when you and I served that vile cult. I realize this, and you have been forgiven. We all have been forgiven. What happened long ago was out of our control, and all but you have moved on and accepted that they have been forgiven.  Our friends that we have known for the longest have lived out the remnants of their lives doing the best. Now you must do the same..." Kotomine smiled.

Isaac lifted his head to his words with eyes struggling to hold back tears, all of the moisture clogging up in the corners of his eyes. They began to run down his cheeks silently, and frankly, it was the first time he had cried in years.

"I've... been forgiven?"

"Yes, Isaac, dear, you have. All of those who death hath gripped are now in the hands of a greater divinity."

Isaac frowned, wiping his eyes dry, "Even if I no longer bare this burden... this curse what am I do to with the remainder of my life? I can't remember a time where I have freed myself from service..."

Kotomine smirked, a dark shadow casting over his face. "Listen Isaac, you and I both know that we have little time left. No more than centuries, both no less than decades.. you have spent your life doing the righteous and executing the justice. But you must start to live a little more... dangerously."

"Dangerously, you say?" Isaac glared.

Kotomine only returned an even darker smirk in return, taking his hand and slowly pulling up the sleeve to his garnet. "Look at my arm, Isaac."

On his arm were large, crimson markings that sharply overlapped each other, also revealing how muscular his friend was.

"Tattoos?"

"Heh heh heh... more than that, Isaac. I rationed the remaining medication we were given long ago and embedded it into ink, marking myself with these symbols of freedom."

"I thought that the cure could no longer be found... never mind, I suppose you do know how to ration properly. But what is the point of marking yourself?"

"I've made... alterations. You see, Isaac, these markings grant whoever has them unimaginable physical power. You may be masculine now, but... which you wish to restore yourself to it's true potential? These markings grant power on even a magical level. Please, you are now free from your sin and have been blessed with freely living your life. Take risks, and live more dangerously. We have centuries to change our lifestyles, anyway, if you don't like it..." Kotomine outstretched the same arm with the tattoos with a grim smirk, wanting to take Isaac's hand. "Trust in me."

Isaac simply stared down at the hand in silence. What was he to do? Was he to abandon all that he had been given? His law enforcement career, and friendships he had made... but, what was there left to lose beyond that? Isaac had now held a grudge for Magic Council, and could not attain closure with their doings with the power he had now. Sighing, Isaac came to the the conclusion.

"I've always trusted in you... let us get started tonight."

Kotomine began to snicker, "It is a quick process, and you may be able to avert appearances as you so please. You have made the right decision, Isaac. Especially for this new lifestyle."

Afterwards...

And so, Isaac spent the rest of his week littering his body with ceremonial tattoos. He had fixed his original appearance, shaved, and styled his hair. Due to the medication's properties, his eyes reverted to their original color, an emerald green and had attained a... much more menacing form of which he could switch to at will.

It's like he said... I have to live a bit more dangerously, now. Heh...

(This topic is a quick transition for Isaac to resolve his starting plot and to seek out much more 'evil' intentions. This also explains how he got his tattoos, size, body build, hues, and stature in his alternate form. This topic is where Isaac transitions from a legal mage to a mercenary/illegal wizard.)

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MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS