Why would anyone receive such abuse? Is there even a logical reason within reason to beat a child like that? Those questions were going through Sakura's mind. Deep in her heart, she wished that something good would happen to this child, but that would only be an impossible wish. It seems that the more time goes by, the worse this whole story gets.
From that day on, Alek understood that showing his pain to others would only hurt those around him. He knew that Frederica tried to help him because she saw him suffering, because of that, she is gone forever. She didn't even say goodbye. She vanished into thin air and left no trace. He could feel the emptiness the woman left when she left.
'Is it always going to be this way', he wondered, but there was no one who could answer his question. His brilliant mind couldn't understand why all that was happening. No, maybe he did understand, but in the wrong way. Showing his true self only causes problems. Not letting herself get carried away with sadness and pain again was the best choice he could make so as not to hurt anyone. This time he had to lock all those feelings deep in his heart, so he would never let them out again. Frederica is gone, but there are still people in this mansion who can still smile. Maybe that was what he had to do. This sacrifice that would bring him happiness if he can realize everything as his mind dictates.
'All of this... it's very difficult'
He curled up on his bed, feeling pain in his body, where the wounds under the bandages seem to hit him like blunt knives.
'What should I do, why should I do it, what should I do it for?'
There was simply too much to answer.
That same year was the least bleak year Alek Gusev had ever lived.
...
...
...
Ten years old. He has become a little taller, but his body is still a little thin. His friendly smile had almost completely faded. Only a slight frown of pursed lips remained. He looked like a lonely boy in the moonlight, smiling and remembering all he has had to live through. He had only lived for ten years, but he had lived through so much in such a short time.
'Where is father?'
The last time Alek saw his father was two years ago. The man never appeared in front of him again. Birthdays passed locked in his room. Sometimes he watched the children of the maids playing in the garden. The children's smiles brought him some peace. To think that children his own age could enjoy life so much filled him with hope. Sometimes it seemed as if that radiant smile could return.
He just needed to get up. Although...
...
Blood is spilled on the ground. Broken glass is strewn across the carpet. He has fallen almost unconscious, staring at the ceiling with a blurred field of vision. His body is weak, but he still resists the torture. Although tears stream down his face, inside he wanted to scream and run away.
He needs to run away from all this.
He is scared, sad and confused.
This time Biserka had been more aggressive than ever. She went so far as to hit Alek over the head with a glass bottle.
There was always yelling and insults involved, but never a concrete reason for this mistreatment. At least, Alek still couldn't find that reason. The only thing he understood was that, when his drunken mother came around, he had to be prepared to scream and cry as loud as possible. If he didn't cry, if he didn't scream and resist the pain, Biserka would only hit him harder. This time it was that way, and the result was the worst so far.
Even if it looked like Alek was going to bleed to death on the floor, Biserka didn't even show any compassion. It was as if this woman wished for the death of this child.
Sakura didn't want to watch this anymore. It was already too much. She didn't understand all this senseless suffering. It was horrible. No one could like to see something like this. Who would even think of something like this? This child is breaking. No one can do anything to help him. Already there is only screaming in the depths.
That same day a new thought arose for Alek.
To cry and scream to make his mother happy, to smile so that others would think that everything is fine and not to worry, to try to get used to this lifestyle and love this life to be happy.
Yes... that was her wish. A wish that was getting stronger and stronger.
Alek Gusev wants to be happy. To achieve it he had to do that.
'It's okay...', and that thought was what supported his will. 'It's going to be all right...', he closed his eyes as he fainted. 'It's always going to be okay... I'm getting used to this now.'
The chains and shackles of his past traumas began to forge....
-In Sakura's room-
Waver was watching his adopted daughter in silence. He was holding her hand in the hope that she would open her eyes. He looked down remembering the girl he saved all those years ago. She has grown up a lot, though to him Sakura will always be that shy little girl.
Times are always changing. For people, for the whole world. Life changes, molds and twists forming painful stages that people will inevitably go through.
"Sakura...", he opened his eyes. "I'll come back to your side. Just wait for me", and she stood up from the chair. Beside him was Melvin, who had never seen his friend like this before. Although he is usually very friendly and joking, this time the seriousness on his face showed that he could no longer take this as amusing or as a joke. His friend was suffering because of this.
The only thing Melvin could offer Waver as a friend was his unconditional appreciation and money to spare. If need be, Melvin would also jump into the fire if it was for his friend. Although he's ashamed to admit it, Waver has always been a pretty amazing guy who gets into trouble all the time. He's also very funny because he pretends to be a tough guy, but inside he's just a scared young boy who wants to see his friend, his king, one more time....
"With the necessary care, Sakura will be able to stay healthy by the time she wakes up. You can leave peacefully. I won't let anything bad happen to her. Besides, the pretty maids will take care of everything. They are professionals, my friend. You're too overprotective of Sakura."
"Maybe..."
"And now you admit it. You're too worried, but you're also worried about your students. Don't make them wait any longer. Go to them. As the adults that we are, sometimes we have to take care of the younger ones. Even though we're still young, too. You know, you can consider a man old when he reaches forty. We're still a decade away from that, so-"
"Shut your mouth already. You're ruining the moment. You might as well throw yourself out the window."
"Hahaha. You're so funny. Wait... That was a joke, right?"
Waver left the room in silence leaving Melvin to wonder.
"Tell me what was a joke..."
Maybe this wasn't as sad as it seemed.
-Fuyuki Church, Japan-
The wine in the glass was sweeter that day. His smile of hidden intentions was shown plastered on his stoic face. That was Kirei. He had just received very important and interesting information.
"Assassin has been summoned in London", almost laughing, he referred to Gilgamesh offering him a glass of wine.
If an Assassin is summoned, no one would care. Surely Assassin would be among the first to die in the war. However, both men met a very peculiar Assassin. This time they could not underestimate a servant for his class. What was going to interest Gilgamesh most in all of this was the description of the servant in question.
"According to witnesses, Assassin seems to wear an old hooded cloak that hides his face. He was seen using daggers to fight a magus in a faraway place. Though after that, it's all just hearsay."
Gilgamesh took the cup. "It can't be a coincidence, can it? If so, it would be a very funny thing. Let's see, I think I just remembered something. That night ten years ago I saw something interesting. When I was covered in that disgusting black mud, a bit away from me, the jester and Saber seemed to want to kill each other, but then I realized that they were both just saying goodbye. Huh, it's so weird it's funny. My eyesight never fails, much less my ability to 'feel'. That night I could see and feel something odd about the jester. There was something that was following him, imprisoning him. It was an unknown incorporeal being. Maybe that was the reason why Assassin was so different from the other half-breeds in that war."
"I know what you mean..."
They both knew many things about this, about the war and the Holy Grail. There was something inside that omnipotent container.
The evil of all mankind.
Angra Mainyu...
-Moon Tower-
It was a long investigation that led them nowhere. Reines lay on the bed thinking about what to do next. Gray, on her side, was sitting near the table in the corner reading a book. From time to time, she would give quick little glances at Assassin, who was reading a book on the other side of the room.
The two were so far apart that it was impossible not to understand that somehow both this girl and the servant didn't want to talk to each other. That's more of a misunderstanding, though. No one really hates anyone.
"That ash you found on the bed doesn't lead us anywhere. There's no trace of anyone entering the room", Assassin said. He didn't take his eyes off the book this whole time.
Gray noticed something in that. Assassin usually had his Mystic Eyes activated whenever he was reading, but this time that wasn't the case. Beneath his dark glasses, normal silver eyes watched the letters forming words on the paper. The boy also seemed to have a strangely tired aura.
This also reminded her of something. It was three long days without someone offering him mana. Also, counting the two days they've been in this place, Assassin has gone almost a week without someone helping him with his mana shortage. If that is the case, how can Assassin still be here?
Regarding Assassin's earlier question, Reines did not answer. She just kept lying on the bed thinking with her gaze lost in the sheets.
"Assassin boy", Add, in his cage that was on the table next to Gray's book, looked at the servant. "You disappeared for three days before. You need mana to exist. How did you get it?"
Gray was startled. That was a question she had for Assassin and Add blurted it out just like that. But it was also a timely question and, strange as it sounded, Gray wanted to be alone with Assassin so she could ask. That had been ruined by Add's intervention.
"How do you think I got mana?"
Add said nothing. Instead, Reines answered. "Two days ago there were reports of different murders in London's prisons. Fifty victims, all of them with their throats slit" It was as if she was on autopilot, because she was still pensive. She didn't seem to realize what she had said.
On the other hand, Gray put the book down on the table and looked at Assassin.
"There's your answer", the servant said.
Before he could ask anything else, someone knocked on the door. Assassin didn't take his eyes off the book.
That book... he had read it before.
-???-
The torn sheets of paper fell in front of his eyes. Biserka is tearing apart the books in Jasha's study as Alek watches silently. All the words written on the sheets of paper, all the stories and all the information that had been accompanying him for the last years were shredding, falling to the ground like the white feathers of a bird. The stories that never betrayed him, that never left him alone. The only thing in this world that seemed to make him happy was lost in a fit of anger from this woman.
'I was just reading... I was alone and quiet... I never hurt anyone...', the boy thought.
He was just enjoying the stories in the books until his mother came in and started tearing everything apart. He didn't know why she was like this. He felt that after this, just like always, he would be beaten by his mother to a pulp. The wounds under the bandages began to ache. His heart raced with fear.
The desire to fix all this; to make his mother smile. The desire to return to the happy times, where he could smile with his family. The desire to be happy; a desire that was fading.
Even if seeing all this mess was hurting him, he kept repeating the same thing over and over again inside his mind.
'It's okay...', he closed his eyes. 'I'm used to it...', and he clenched his fists tightly.
What followed was needless to say, for it was the same as always, the boring routine to which this child is subjected. Every passing day, every hour, every second, every brief instant. It was all getting so monotonous.
But his will is strong. This child possesses the strongest will of all people. No matter how much suffering he has to go through, the pain, the sadness, the desire to end this misery, his will compelled him not to let himself fall.
A powerful will; a heart as fragile as glass... Which of these two will break first?
Three more years passed in the same way until the event that started the legend of the savior of mankind began.
To be continued...