Chapter 15

Maru saw how Al's dull brown hair become the vibrant color of red, as well as his dark eyes, become golden. It changes instantaneously as if someone switching the lights on and off. It keeps flickering from brown to red, golden to dark eyes. Maru's hands trembled while his eyes water. His body feels hot as his heart hammered on his chest. He can feel his sweat trickling down his face.

For the first time, Maru felt a deep fear. He can feel the strange dark aura that emanated from Al's body. The cold hands on his neck tighten its grasp mercilessly around his throat. Any minute could take his life away. Instinctively, he shrinks his body as he wants to run away. He struggled underneath the tightening hands of Al and golden murderous eyes.

But what makes him fear is how Al trying to control his magic. He barely does it as he grit his teeth. He can feel Al slipping out and the dangerous aura leaking out of him.

He didn't make a mistake before. He did saw his eyes turn golden as his hair became red. So it was true. The mage in the Slums really does exist.

There was a book he read recently. He found it at the secret door of the office of his father.

It was the Bizedras House's secrets. And only with the blood of the Bizedras family could go inside and open that secret door. The room consists of the family's wealth and heirloom but at the center of it all was a black book.

In that book, written was secrets. It was a compilation of information, that passes generation after generation. And each secret was in full details, how, where, who, when, and histories of each house. The book answers all questions.

But what caught his attention was the information about a mage in the Slum.

The Slums is the lowest of the lowest, there's nothing in there except empty land. The only people who lived there were the people who had nowhere else to go and people who are hiding from someone, that's why it becomes a dumping ground.

There are many reasons why this land was empty but mostly because of the fear of getting under the illusion vortex that's why no one wants to get even near the Slums.

The information in the book describes the mage as someone who has red hair like blood and golden eyes that gleamed in the night. He was in the Slums but no definite location. No one recognizes and seen this said mage, it seems like a phantom that appeared once and was overlooked by everyone. The only reason why it was in the book was that because of rumor.

The said mage is a blood magic-user.

Blood magic is an ancient and dangerous form of magic. They use their very bodily fluids or blood as the potent force, as well as the essence of life itself, of their magic. It was very powerful magic but has the equivalent of the user's own life forces. Instead of borrowing the elementals' affiliation towards elements, they use their blood to directly use magic. Their blood is used to cast spells, enchantments, and even curses.

This is an ancient version that predates word-based magic and was considered to be more powerful. They used their own blood, and blood contains life essence. Comparing it to the borrowed magic from elementals, the latter is more powerful. It's strengthening what was already potent to others, through their blood itself can be used as a deadly weapon.

This kind of mages came from a long line of lineages from thousands and hundreds of years ago. They inherited this from generation to generation. Every blood magic-user has the inherent power within their blood to fuel spell-casting and magic. It varies how powerful blood was, sometimes only a single person's blood has power, and any other blood is but powerless. Some blood may be indicated to be more powerful than others.

Since their magic came from their blood and lineage, there are very distinct characteristics to distinguish a blood mage, that they only can have. All of them had at least one of the features: red hair and golden eyes, or either one of those two. Some even only had one golden eye and the other eye is a different color. Nevertheless, the power they hold is better than ordinary mage.

Blood users become extinct and disappeared when a catastrophe happened.

The zerg swarm.

The first swarm killed most of the blood magic-user. Not because they were in the frontline of the war it was because they were targeted by the zergs. The magic inside their blood is delicious food for them. Now, they perished.

Since then blood mages have become a myth.

Not until the mage in the Slums appeared.

Although it was not confirmed that the mage in the Slums, was existing and had the same features. Even if it was just a rumor, the fact that there's a rumor about it means something similar was in the Slums.

When he was kidnapped, he knew that he will be going to the lower region, in Aros, the closest city in the Slums. It was a coincidence that he will be kept in the warehouse at Calles, a little closer to the Slums. He took this opportunity and Maru came to the Slums.

It was to find that mage and ask him about his curse. He thought Al was only a Master Mage who can use five elements. That he integrated the five elements together and form the golden particles. Maru didn't realize that the person he saw on the dumpster was actually the rumored blood mage.

He was really surprised. He found him.

Maru bowed his head and slowly closed his eyes. He stops struggling and let Al do what he wants. He clenched his finger for a long time and his nails were white. He opened his mouth trying to speak. His voice was hoarse and trembling, with a hint of repressed crying in it. "I think, I'm in danger."

Maru slowly raised his head in a blurred sight he tried to look at the golden eyes of Al. He struggles to breathe but smiled and reached for Al's hand that wrapped around his neck. He opened his mouth, "They want me..."

...dead. He tried to finish his sentence but his sight darkens as he lack of oxygen, forcing his body to shut down.

On the verge of unconsciousness, he didn't see how his sweat rolling down his body transformed into a darker hue of blue, a water element indigo.

It lingered around him as it floats, waiting for him to use. And then it suddenly fall down in a blink as if it didn't happen. It was only brief, but that seconds Al knew what is happening.