Lain, Scarred Prince of Lunatics
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He could find happiness in the infinite blue of the sky.  A graceful bird 
flying above falling cherry blossoms gave him peace of mind. Leaning on a 
clear wooden wall, oblivious to the world, Lain looked at the metal shard 
on his bandage-wrapped hand.  The evil silver of the moon gave his daggers
a mysterious glow... It was time.

As a ninja of the Matsumoto Clan, and a high-ranking assassin of the Black 
Rose, his skills have never been so sought after.  His price as a mercenary 
was great, such that men gave up their lives for various tasks of theft and 
espionage.  Of course, assassination was always his forte, and he always 
silently smiled as he let his daggers go through his victims hearts.  It was 
an art... A graceful dance of spinning knives welcoming his prey into death.

To this ninja, only his task mattered. Family, friends, life all came after.  
He never cared for his victims.  Never could anyone see remorse in his bright 
green eyes.  His masters praised him for his skill and "style", and at some 
point gave him a weapon specifically for him, The Dreamsong Katana.

The sun's blinding light makes a glistening crystalline reflection on 
the cool, calm waters of his garden.  An ominous aura of silence blankets 
the bright wooden floor as he meditates quietly.  Behind him standing is the 
one person he has ever treasured in his entire life...

Though he always gave his "art" priority, there was something else that 
mattered to him more.  Another ninja of his level.  Her grace stole his 
stone heart, and she didn't know... she never did.  The Matsumoto Clan knew 
that Lain had his loyalty with his family, the Black Rose, and that someday, 
he would leave.  This would severely weaken them, not to mention take away 
a source of income.  Because of this, they decided to find something that 
would ensure that their beloved ninja would never leave.

As the crescent moon slices the midnight sky, a rush of footsteps breaks 
the silence.

The leaders of the clan were standing around him, holding the bearer of his 
heart.  Her hands were bound, her legs were chained, and her mouth was gagged.  
A long blade was drawn across her supple neck.  He stood with widened eyes,
shocked at this treachery.  He was helpless.  He did not know what to do.  
A tear fell from his cheeks, and he understood.

For years, he killed in the name of the Matsumoto.  Its leaders enjoyed the 
riches they "received" from the payment of his tasks.  Through the curtain 
of greedy laughter, a fragile face stares down in shame.  She knew that she 
held him back.  She was the chain that bound him, and she knew that only she 
had the key.  Lain wanted to be free, he wanted to be loved.  Though he has 
never told a soul, she knew.  His eyes betrayed to her his most secret 
thoughts, and with it, the sliver of pain he always had.  He never wanted 
to kill.

She had the key.  And she did not dare look back.

Lain was awakened by a sudden pain in his heart.  His instincts drew him to 
her quarters immediately, and as he stood before her, a scarlet carpet of 
blood welcomed him.  Never has he cried the way he did that night.  He knew 
that it was for him that she killed herself.  It was for his freedom, and he 
will forever be burdened by the guilt of her death.  The chains were broken 
now, and with a kiss, he left her, lying lifeless with a smile.

A great fire woke the whole province.  Hundreds of men came into the scene, 
and the blaze was extinguished.  It was too late to save the once great dojo.  
No one survived, yet no one mourned.  Death has come to the ones who 
proclaimed her.

Silently, under a great shroud of green, Lain gave his farewell to his love.
He buried her beside a great tree where they used to play as children, and 
upon the rock that marked her presence, a rose swayed with the wind.  The 
clan that he once trusted was gone.  The only person who understood him 
was gone.  He looked back one last time, and he was gone.

He returned to his ancestral home for the first time in years.  His brother,
Zanstere, was out adventuring with his wife, Celeste, and only his cousins 
were present.  Of all of his cousins, he was particularly fond of Elazul, for 
they were both sent away during childhood to train in their respective arts.  
He gave El, as he was often called, a beautiful red bow called the "Rinzetsu", 
which he stole from his former masters.  They talked for days and days, 
catching up on time that was lost.  They talked about Demian, who was now a 
great paladin, and how Kyou always felt depressed.  They conversed about 
everything under the sun.  For a while, his life was returning to him, but 
all things, as they say, must come to an end.  That minute, they talked 
about the Blind Tiger.

A week after his return, a devastating attack from a rival guild left the 
Black Rose barely able to support itself, with hundreds dead and a mere 
handful of the family left.  Lain, while helping Elazul, Kyou and some of 
their assassins, was captured.  He wanted to die fighting, but instead, 
he was made to suffer to satisfy the Blind Tiger Guild's rage.  He was beaten, 
tortured, scarred.  Upon his left cheek, a black rose was "carved" on him, a 
mockery of his former greatness.  His torture went on for days... and weeks... 
and years.  It left him maddened, a hollow shell of his former self.  

At some uncertain point in time, he was thrown away like a rag on the streets 
of a foreign land, which happened to be in realm of Maiaryn, a city called 
L'Renouille.  Angry and confused, he became a wanderer.  He became a mere 
rogue.  Left only with his katana and the dark black cloak of his love, he 
preyed on the poor and helpless.  A duel with a swordsman reminded him of his 
brothers, his fellow assassins.  With his old instincts slowly returning to 
him, he now roams the darkest alleys of the realm in search of not only gold, 
rare artifacts, love, and family, but revenge.

Blood flowed wherever this wanderer treaded.  The trauma of the events that
happened to him hollowed out his heart, but in his mind, he longed for his 
own warmth.  The night was envious as the Dreamsong Katana seemed fit to 
reflect the moon's light - it was smiling...

An interrogation of a Blind Tiger assassin he came across led him to the 
clan called the Doomguards.  That time, he heard they were quite weak and 
young, and he felt that he could help them.  This way, by using this clan's 
resources, he could easen his own quest's burden.  He was surprised to see 
his twin brother before the clan's front gate.  The two halves were whole 
again, and they nodded at each other.  They smiled almost simultaneously, in 
such an evil way that no one has ever smiled before.  The Black Rose was all 
but gone.  It was time to ressurect the beast.