Alex did his best to hold still as for the second time in his life the needle neared his eye. The first had been when his mentor had marked his face with the red flowing tattoo. Now he was changing that red to black.

His mentor was dead. No love lost there. Never would be. But he was no longer owned by that monster who taught him to be a killer. This was his way to declare his freedom from that binding. It was easier to have it recolored rather then try to change it to some different design.

Another show of his defiance. Just like the dragon tattoo over the scars on his back. Defiance towards the nation he had no love for. Nor the lords that ruled it. Brume born and abused by one of those who held power till the man was murdered. Murdered by the man he had called mentor for many years.

Each scar was a reminder of where he’d come from. What he had survived. Marked him as someone who wasn’t ready to die yet. Each tattoo another show of his strength and will to keep pushing forward despite whatever hell the gods threw at him.

The newer scars? The ones Anata had given him? Badges of pride more then anything. Marks of hard work and training against someone he considered better then him. He’d keep improving. Keep showing his defiance and will to survive. Gods be damned.

That reminder helped him to relax and let the person work on recoloring the tattoo.