When Jason woke up, he was in his bed. How long was he there in that world of blackness?
His stomach growled. He was hungry. So either it took a lot out of him, or he was unconscious for a day or longer. He pulled back the blankets and set up. The bed was drench in sweat. He would have to wash his bedding and take a bath. Jason stood up. While in nothing but his undergarments, he walked over to his dresser for a clean shirt and trousers. His eye caught something in the mirror. He turned his head to get a better look. The mark on his left shoulder blade had changed. Before, it was just a big blob of blackness. His father once said it looked like a handprint, which at the time, Jason could agree. But now? It had similar markings to the ones that were on the black box going around the mark.
"It looks like the seal breaking caused runes to show," a familiar voice sounded in his head.
"Balthazar?" Jason whispered.
"Yes, it seems I can have the pleasure of talking to you outside of that realm of blackness. Do you know it was like an isolated prison cell, only the scenery changed based on what you were looking at? Unable to talk to anyone but myself? I guess the scenery changing is still the same, but you can hear me now!" Balthazar's laughter sounded in Jason's head.
"Do you hate me for being your prison?" Jason could not blame Balthazar for it, for he could not imagine what it would have been like, being trapped in isolation for 15 years.
"No, I do not hate you. Believe it or not, I accepted this task willingly. It was a chance to live again, it might not be my own body, but it was better than what happens in the Void of the afterlife." Balthazar's tone was somber. Although Jason could not see him, it wasn't hard to imagine Balthazar's expression.
"It is good to know that this was not forced on you, you have lived my life through my eyes, but I know nothing but your name. I'd like you to tell me more about yourself as I go about my day. I can not stay hidden inside my room all day it is too unlike me, so my parents might catch on that something is wrong, and they like to be involved in my life."
With that, Jason went down to the well to draw water for a bath. As he worked, Balthazar told him that he had lived in this world around 500 years earlier. Murdered by his own daughter.
Jason interrupted, "Wait, you were murdered by your own daughter? "And from the way you make it sound, it is like you could care less about it."
He could not wrap his mind around it, he would have been angry, but then Balthazar had 500 years to think about it and get over it.
"I happened to be a tyrant, and she felt if I was dead, she would end the suffering and bloodshed of our people, as for what happened after my death is a story for another time," Balthazar explained.
"That is enough about me now. Jason. We need to talk about you and the gifts you have been given. I have noticed some of them are starting to awaken, which means the sooner I can explain what is happening to you, the better."
Jason had finished his bath and gotten fully dressed by this point, but right as Balthazar said he was about to awaken some of these gifts, he had run into his mother lily.
"Oh good, you are finally up. What happened after we left the room? I went in to ask you if you wanted lunch since you had not come out for breakfast, only to find you on the floor. You were damp with sweat and burning up." Lily's concern was evident in her voice, and she had come up to him and placed her hand on his forehead to check if he was still feverish.
"I am fine now, mother," Jason tried to downplay what had happened. Because he did not want to lie to her about what really happened, for he was not a good liar and felt that she would know right away if he had lied to her. He also wanted to continue with his conversation with Balthazar to find out what he had meant, and that meant the sooner he could get his mother off his case, the better.
"Are you sure? You were out for a good day, which is very unlike you. I am your mother, so it is my job to worry about you. I also know how much you sleep. I have noticed candlelight from under your door when you stay up over half the night. So you sleeping a whole day and night plus you having a fever is odd. I mean, in the 15 years we have raised, you have never been sick, and that old alchemist Marvin had no time to come look at you. So I was worried sick."
His mother knew a lot more than he had thought, but it did not mean she knew all his secrets, and there was no time to dwell on it. If it was known, he could not lie his way out of it.
"Mother, the fever is gone. After you and dad left the room, I had touched that box, and I think the whole situation got to me, and the next thing I noticed, it was all black. I guess it was a lot to take in, and my mind just got overwhelmed. Now I have to figure out what happened to my sister. I need to learn to fight better than I can now. Dad can not teach me anymore." His voice was firm, and his determination showed in his eyes. He had a lot to do, and it has already been 15 years. The longer he waits to start looking, the less information he will be able to find. Plus, he was doing his best to hide his white lie. After all, he had told the truth but had just left some things out.
Lily looked at him. Her eyes seemed to try to pierce his soul, it seemed. Finally, she spoke again, but it was not what he expected.
"Then you need to choose an apprenticeship that will allow you to learn how to fight, but also if magic does flow in your family, you need to see Marvin about learning it from him as well. But you need to hide that from everyone else. I do not need to remind you why right?" She was shaking. Jason could see it. He was her only son, but she needed to let him go down a dangerous road without Vareth and her to protect him.
"Thank you, mother," Jason said as he hugged her, "I will do my best to live."
As he walked away, he had let out a big breath of air. He had not realized he was holding in.
"I think I need to talk to you before anything else if it helps you in the long run. It is better to be informed rather than ignorant. Go into the storage shed and pick up the training sword you made."
Jason followed Balthazar's advice. Once there, he picked up his heavy training sword. Well, it was heavy last time he picked it up. Now it was oddly lighter.
"As you can tell, you are already stronger than before. Your strength before was because the seal was weakening over time, but when you touched the black box, it removed one of the seals, possibly two of them."
"Do you know how many seals there are?" Jason could not help but ask
"I do not. But if you bring attention to yourself to the wrong people, it can be horrible."
What did Balthazar mean by that? The mage hunters?
"Let us not waste any more time Jason, your body is already changing. But to know for sure how much has already changed, I need you to draw blood." Balthazar's tone was urgent, but why did he need to cut himself?
"Why?"
"It will help me figure out what changes and what stage they are at…. Hopefully"
"You mean you do not know for sure if it will?" Jason still set the practice sword down and went to the weapons rack on finished weapons. There he picked up a dagger and sliced his finger.
His blood was a glowing red! He had cut himself before, but it was just normal red blood. Wait. Jason could feel something else wrong, but he could not place it yet. A drop of blood dripped from his cut and fell to the wood floor. When it landed, it burned the floor like it was a drop of molten metal. His blood was boiling hot!
Balthazar's laughter cut off his thoughts.
"I see, ha-ha, your body is no longer just human blood!" Balthazar said, the excitement oozing from his voice.
"Not human blood?! What do you mean by that? What am I now?" Jasons slammed down the dagger, its blade entirely going into the wooden floor. He was angry. He felt like his life was being toyed with by someone for entertainment.
"Relax, kid, this is a blessing. I finally understand why I was picked for this."
"I am glad one of us is happy with this whole situation, but can you care to explain to me why?" His frustration was bleeding into his voice.
"I never told you what I was in life, did I?
Jason stopped. No Balthazar only mentioned how he died, killed him, and lived 500 years ago roughly.
"I was not human, Jason. I am sure you have heard of my kind before. I was a Demon Jason. But not just any Demon but the world's first Demon lord. I was the first to unite all the demon clans and wage war on the angels. I slaughtered humans and angels, Jason. I was no hero." Balthazar was not lying, no as far as he knew, He had not lied to him once.
"Great, I am sharing a body with a mass murderer." That sarcastic reply was the only thing he could say to distance himself from the reality of what Balthazar had told him.
"Jason, your blood contains fire demon blood, as well as fire angels blood. They might sound similar, but they are not. More like two sides of the same coin. One is better to use to destroy and the other to purify, but the result is the same."
"So I am no longer human but a half breed of a demon and an angel?"
"No, you still have human blood in you, Jason. As well as demon and angel blood. It means you can use their methods to get stronger, Jason. And I can guide you."
"Their methods? "
"You see, unlike humans, Demons, and Angels, magic flows through their blood. Were as humans, they require more of a mental strength that can take forever to cultivate. Angels gain strength by using a mediation technique. However, I do not know one. Demons, on the other hand, eat hearts of anything that contains magic." Jason could picture Balthazar's toothy smile as he heard that last part.
"That sounds disgusting, Balthazar. Animal hearts are not my favorite. They are more like my least liked food."
"Jason, when your dad made you eat those hearts. They were cooked. Demons have to eat them raw and fresh."
Jasons' mouth went dry. Raw? Fresh? That is messed up!
"Now that demon blood runs in your veins, it will taste delicious, trust me. But let me break this down for you. Human magic relies heavily on mental strength. This is important to you because when you do learn human magic, all that studying you did growing up has helped but up that strength. Angels are more like inner strength. Meditation allows them to control their bodies' blood flow and helps them with mental strength as well. But angels can not use human magic.
Lastly, demons, eating hearts, do what mediation does for angels, except mental strength and physical. Angels are faster than a demon, but a demon can overpower an angel with strength. Any questions?"
"I have no clue what to ask, but no way am I eating a raw heart!" Jason was firm. It did not sound appealing at all.
"Demons and Angels also grow stronger over time, but it is slow."
"How long do angels and demons live for?" Jason had heard of angels and demons before. However, nobody liked to talk about them out of fear it would draw them to visit. So his knowledge was more superstition and rumors rather than facts.
"That's difficult to say. I lived for a good 300 years and was still in my prime. But I have never heard of a demon dying of old age because they normally die in combat. Same with angels."
"Will I live longer then?"
Eternal life and immortality were a myth, but who was not interested in it?
"The human blood makes it hard to know how long you could live for. It could be 2 or 3 times the average human life span." It sounded like Balthazar was uninterested in living longer, but maybe that was due to him living before.
"Are you saying I could live up to 200 years or more?" Jason asked, the excitement evident in his voice.
"Longer if you eat hearts." Balthazar's reply killed all excitement
"Nope, not doing it." Jason was not going to give in.
"I need to teach you how to control your demonic fire and angelic fire as soon as possible. Humans fear angels more than demons because angels are the overlords of the human world right now. They are not kind rulers either." Balthazar's reminder hit heavy.
"It is because of their tributes they demanded that taxes are so high, and when they can not be paid, blood is paid instead," Jason said as more of a reminder to himself.
"The war of the Gods takes gold, Jason, and the angles are the Goddesses enforcers. Worship her or not. She still wants your gold and silver but openly reject her and lose your life. Remember that. Your father has said those words your whole life. Speaking of which, you can go talk to him now.
With that, Jason went to talk to Vareth. He could hear the pounding of the hammer on metal, so he knew exactly where to go.
When the forge came into sight, he could tell his father had been working the fire for a long time, and judging how it was moring still, it was a good indication that he had worked all night. He did that when he was stressed out.
When Vareth saw him, he kept the hammer away, but his voice carried over the sounds of the hammer striking hot metal.
"You are awake, I see. Have you seen your mother yet?
"Yes, we spoke just before I came to see you."
"I see, good. Did she tell you to seek Marvin?"
"yes."
"Are you?"
"I wanted to speak to you first. I need to learn to fight with a blade, not just practicing like I have been, practice and combat are different, and I know that."
"And you want my suggestion on who to seek to help you with that, am I correct?"
"Yes, Father."
"Let me tell you a story first, son, but I feel you need to hear it and not just go with what I say. Because if I am wrong in my guess about who I want to recommend, then they very well could kill you."