" Mom, Dad, I'm home," Alixandre said while being greeted at the door by his sister Justine. She was a small child with chubby cheeks, long silky silver hair, and wide eyes.
" Hey Justine, how old are you," he said.
" I will be six in a few days," she said while holding up seven fingers.
" What does my princess want for her birthday? Big brother will get it for you."
" I... I want a... uh... necklace."
" I'll get you the prettiest necklace in the world." He ruffled her hair and headed towards his parent's room where he knocked a few times.
" I smell a new wolf at the door," said Alexandria.
" Hello, mother. I need to talk to you about something."
The door opened and his mother walked out. She had a towel on, her shoulder-length hair was still wet from her bath.
" What is it?"
" Is there a safe space where I can practice my blood arts? I don't know how dangerous it is. I would hate to hurt my siblings again."
The memory of his car accident on earth flashed through his mind, almost bringing him to tears in front of his mother. His mother noticed her son's sudden demeanor change.
" Again? What happen?
" No. I didn't harm them. It happen on-"
His voice cracked as he tried to speak. The first tear dropped. He held his head high, trying to stop the oncoming flood.
" Son, you can talk to me about anything."
The images of his sister's bloody and broken body resurfaced, causing him to fall into a fetal position, crying and shaking.
" Big brother, are you oka-" Justine said as she crouched, trying to console her weeping brother
" Stay away from me!" he yelled in a voice that didn't sound human, but wolf-like."
Justine jumped back in fear, staring at her brother with teary eyes. She ran back to her room, crying loudly.
Alexandria stood there in shock.
' He screamed at his sister, but he's harboring some pain. What do I do.'
Too afraid to comfort her son, she said " There's a tool shed out back where you can practice your blood art. So please, get off the floor. Mommy will help you."
" I don't need anyone to help me!"
He shot up and stormed off to the toolshed. Alexandria went back into her room, and her back slid down her shut the door as she cried in her arms.
Alixandre locked himself in the shed where he cried himself to sleep.
He woke up hours later to the sound of little footsteps, and a couple of knocks on the door. He opened it and saw a plate of boar meat with little footsteps in the dirt in front of it.
' I screamed at my little sister as if she wronged me, and she still brought me food."
" Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" he said while smacking himself hard enough to cause blood to drain from his head.
Two days had passed since the incident. Alixandre hadn't left the toolshed, and Justine still brought him breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Today he decided to seclude himself from his family and practice the blood arts. He made a tally mark on the wall to keep track of time.
The book was written by a demon woman named Scarlet.
' Blood arts is the magic created by demons with very few of the other races being able to wield it. Users will essentially be immortal'
The first few pages were the history of the blood arts. Even other demons feared blood manipulators, which is why they were hunted down to extinction. The first technique was blood aura. It was the ability to surround the user with blood. It was explained that it was the most important technique since blood can't materialize like other magic. The user had to release some blood from their body while infusing it with the magic around them to create a blood aura.
He sat in the lotus position, manifesting magic energy around him. Next, he slit his wrist which only bled for a split second.
" This is going to be a lot harder than I expected huh."
He cut himself several more times before giving up.
" I'm a blood manipulator. Shouldn't I have some sort of blood telekinesis?' He cut himself again. This time, pointing his left hand at his cut right arm and commanding the blood to come out mentally. His eyes opened wide as the blood moved at his command.
' Next is the magic infusion. The book said to create a form with the magic around you. Then mix the blood in like dropping blood in a cup of water.'
He released some magic around his body in the shape of a teardrop.
' Blood absorbs water, so I have will the blood to swallow water.'
The once clear magic aura around him turned a dark crimson red, covering the entire area around the shed.
*****
" Miss Scarlet, why have you summoned me? said a grey-haired man wearing a butler's uniform.
"One of the magic inscriptions I placed in my books has absorbed a blood art's users' blood in the Pondwell area. I'll give you the location, bring him to me. Alive."
******
Alixandre created a seventh tally mark as today was the seventh day of his practicing blood arts. He sat in a lotus position with various household utensils made of blood floating around him.
' I can manipulate the blood aura around me into any shape that I know of. I can control its density also, but the rest of these techniques seem impossible. Blood mimicry, acidic blood, blood transfusion. How am I supposed to learn these on my own with my own blood?
He looked at the tally marks on the wall and let out a sigh.
' I've been cooped up in here for a week. I need to get Justine a present and apologize. I wonder if she would accept a necklace made out of my blood,' he thought.
He looked at his right arm, full of scars before cutting himself once more. He created a light red string. He crystalized a big portion of blood at its center to make it look like a gem.
' I hope she likes it.'
He made his way into his home, interrupting the family eating breakfast.
He wiped the tears from his eyes as he looked at Justine apologetically.
" Justine, I'm so sorry," he said as his voice cracked.
" When I was on earth, I got into an accident which caused me to lose my left arm and my youngest sister. I've tried to hide the feelings of my past, but it got the better of me. Please forgive me, sister."
Justine got out of her chair and hugged her brother tightly.
" It's okay big brother, I know you didn't mean it."
He smiled, rubbing her head as he hugged her back.
Their parents watched silently, holding back tears.
" I made you something for your birthday. Close your eyes."
He placed the necklace on her neck gently.
" You can open them now."
Justine's jaw dropped as she saw the stunning ruby red necklace.
" Thank you, big brother, Alix," she said while holding back her emotions, trying to be strong for her brother.