The path of the blood mage is not one that is taken lightly. It is a perilous as you are reviled and hated and hunted. It was anathema to use blood magic and if caught would be the death of the mage.
There are certain magical users who use there own blood such as Shamans. For the rest it would be there destruction.
Fane was a good man but he had a secret, his family had a dark history. His grandfather was a part demon, darker than most he tried to force his wills onto the unsuspecting humans and other magical community members. He was finally banished to the Dark World.
What people didn’t know was Fane was haunted by the deaths that his family had caused. He could speak with the dead and they constantly were in his mind. They kept telling him what his family was like and how they wanted the whole line to pay.
The constant harrassment that he felt weighed heavily on him. He thought when he married Jemalyn and had the twins Edgar and Louise that things would then be better.
The problem was that the ghosts kept pushing for him to do nasty things to his family. For the last 13 years he had been fighting the destruction for so long. What he didn’t know was that the demons had other plans. They wanted Fane to be brought into the fold and become as evil as they were.
He was watching his teen children as they were playing with the soccer balls that had been given as part of their birthday present. They were really enjoying them and even gaining skills.
He saw a flickering image all in greyish tinged ghostlike image. He could see hand signals and his hands moved fast. It signalled danger.
He turned just in time to see a few dark clad figures wearing masks where all you could see was the eyes. He turned and started to cast the spell that would put a shield over his family.
A dark black bolt of lightning struck down from the skies called forth by the creatures. He screamed as he saw his kids struck down at the tender age of 13.
He saw Jemalyn running out throwing the most powerful levin bolts that he had ever seen her throw. She was going all offensive with her spells. She was a poor defensive mage so he allowed the power he had been about to cast on the twins and redirected it at his wife. The bright silver aura erupted around her as lightning crackled and struck the shield. The shield imploded with the ruthless aggressive electrical strike.
He saw a knife flash and slit his wife on the forearm. She screamed as the blood started to pour out of her arms. He heard the guttural stirrings of the magic and he felt the draining sensation as his power was being drained. He he saw the disintegration spell connect with his wife. He screamed out her name and jumped out of the way of a powerful levin bolt.
He was losing his power, the spell they had cast was draining away his power. He knew that he had very little time left and he could see the three beasts of men coming toward him. He had one chance but it would be hard and would cause his death. He had nothing left to live for other than vengeance.
He grabbed his own knife and slit his hand open. As the blood fell to the ground he cast his mind and his power which was fueled by his blood and anger and loss. He formed the gating spell and quickly dove through.
He landed in a lump at the foot of a statue of one of the demon kings. It was a huge mansion where few lived. He had tears sliding down his cheeks. This place was secret only his family knew anything about this place.
He crawled into the abandoned mansion. It was so dark this place but he got to the couch and there he passed out.
This was his families place that had been destroyed when the the demons from the family had been driven back. Being part demon he had access to many things that others didn’t. He could access the most vile places and not have to worry about being corrupted by the darkness. Oh how he wished he could be corrupted by the dark now. His family that he had made for himself all killed by the assassins. Who had hired them and why?
He vowed he would find out and make them pay. First he needed to replenish his magic and then he would strike back.
He could approach the remainder of the Enedrial clan but to do so would put them all at greater risk than ever. He had options but it meant summoning the ghosts of the past to him and finding the right ones to get the answers. He also had plans to summon his ancestors and have them help him with his vengeance.
Demons where not to be trusted in any shape or form but if he had to make a pact with them he would in a heartbeat. His family deserved vengeance.
He allowed himself to go into unconsciousness. As he slept his nightmares would have been the thing even the demons feared. It was a side affect if his special power. It was also a way to move through his anger and allow himself to feel the grief of his family.
—–
He finally awoke and his head ached. He had overused his magic he saw a figure standing there and he knew he was doomed. His cousin Shane stood there with his sword on his hip and armoured up. “I am so sorry Fane” the deep voice intoned.
Fane looked at his cousin and could see the grief in his eyes that mirrored his own. Shane had never had a family he was close to and had been adopted as a close family member of his. He would be feeling the grief as well of the death of his family. He also would help but only for justice which is not what Fane wanted. “You know I love you. I can smell the taint of blood magic on you. What you did will forever taint your magic. I also can sense what you are after you want revenge. I can’t follow you down there but nor will I prevent you from it. This will be the last time we meet as friends and family. If you go too far you know they will send the Spirit Warriors after you.”
Nodding his eyes sunken and bloodshot. “You are right what I must do is somewhere you can’t follow. I will never forget you Shane bit you are right we won’t meet again in the same way. I know what I must do and you have your own job to do”
Shane hugged his cousin and then left quickly. Fane looked at the fireplace and quickly created a fire with his magic.
He concentrated on the fire and began to chant a spell that would bring to him one of the demons still left. It was time to make the pact.
From the fireplace stepped a large human who was very thick and muscular. He had two horns on the sides of his head that were black. His skin was a bright red and looked to glow. “You called me”. He sniffed the air “Not quite human” he said angrily.
Fane nodded “I did your excellence. I wish to make a pact with you. Teach me the use of blood magic and after I complete my task whatever you wish is yours.”
He smiled showing very sharp teeth “You hurt and you want vengeance I can sense that. The anger you use feeds me so you wish that pact what you must do is send power from the darkest emotions to me. If you do this then I will add to your abilities and ensure you have the knowledge of what you need.”
Fane nodded “Agreed.” As was custom he slit his hand open and allowed the blood to fall to the stone.
The creature roared loudly “Accepted.”. He shot a beam of pure darkness enveloping Fane. “You will be able to shadow-walk now as well as your original power and you can also be in contact with me at any time with telepathy. You can also send me energy at ease. You will call me Master Dacroix. “. He stepped back into the fire. Where he had stood he had left three large tomes all red and he could see they were made from skin of some creature probably another demon.
He touched the books and felt a deep hatred enter his mind he also felt the sick feeling as he started to open it. It was a powerful book.
The first spell he saw was a transformation spell to transform into a demonic being temporarily. This was interesting as it made you skin very armour like, gave you claws and sharp teeth. This would be good if he needed to intimidate someone.
The next spell was a dampening spell. What this meant was that it would dampen the blood scent in the magic he used. It would be good as some magical cultures use blood magic as well like Shamans. He could damp it down and then he could pretend to be a shaman.
The third spell in the book was a powerful spell to change your physical look. This could be used in conjunction with a dampening spell then he could hide in plain sight.
It wasn’t just his look as well the ghosts tended to be a great trigger that meant he couldn’t hide. It wasn’t good and he didn’t know how to get rid of the spirits anymore than he could fly.
He knew they were needed especially if he was to find the assassins for his wife and children. It would take persuasion of the spirits or he knew he was strong enough to coerce them if need be. He hated doing it as it hurt to force the spirits and his body ached for days after.
Tomorrow he will begin his vengeance and may God have mercy on any soul who stands in his way.
——–
Shane entered the main office of the Spirit Warriors reluctantly as he had been feeling off since the tragedy. Could he have been infected with the blood magic issues because he had tried to help. He knew magic didn’t work that way and Fane hadn’t cast a single spell in the time they were together.
“Shane director’s office now” he heard and quickly went to the director’s office.
Veryna was the current director of the group with a rank of Colonel. She did what she needed “Shane I was sorry to hear about your loss. “
He began to speak but she cut him off “I also have proof you met with Fane what were you thinking? He is blood path mage now”
Shane shook his head “I had to see him and try and turn him back to us. He is my family and he deserved to have someone talk to him before there is a hunt for his blood.”
She glared “You will have no further contact with him nor will you have anything to do with his case and the hunt for the rogue mage.”
He nodded “I understand but he knows that shall we meet again it will be for battle and not for pleasantries. I know my duty and he knows it as well. I will do what I need to Director whether it is in accordance with your wishes or not. If you think you can stop me you may report me to Lieutenant General Jagged Anderson I had his direct permission for my side mission”. With that he got up and walked out pleased with himself for telling that shrew what was what. Don’t mess with family especially not a long established one.
He left the office and knew that things weren’t as easy as he would like to make it out to be. He was upset and could feel his mind becoming hazy with the anger. He would have to do something about it but whatever it was it would have nothing to do with his family.
——–
Three weeks had passed since the death of his wife and children. Fane was in one of his properties that his father had bought years ago but kept hidden. He hadn’t seen the need to report this place as his. It was a castle in Austria and was high up in the mountains.
It was dark and gloomy and there was always snow in the area. It also was home to many of the wild animals some predatory others not.
The place had no hyrdo and no internet. He was fine with that as he didn’t care about the tv or internet. All his research was done via spirits.
The spirits of this place were vastly darker than any place he had been. He knew what his father had done here. The dark magic rituals his father had used here before he was banished to the dark world was so devastating and had killed hundreds of people. He used their energy to open more destructive magics.
The spirits feared him as the anger had seeped into his very soul. He had been sending power to the demon since his deal. He had been learning a lot including how to make a blood ward that could block scrying as well as any form of teleportation.
These were active on his walls now but he didn’t have to design them just add more strength and power to them.
He had also been talking to the spirits of this place. Talking to them he knew the sad history of this place as well as how each of the spirits died in their mortal lives.
From what he had gathered this place was set up as an energy syphon. Any spells cast at it would syphon off and power the shields and other wards. His father was a gifted mage even if he did go to far. He had seen the power already and the spirits who lived here could also power the wards. He could force them to do it if need be until the power had been exhausted. Sometimes that would destroy the the spirit but most of the time it would vanish to appear once it had regained some power.
There was a place he had set up which had an amplification effect for spirit talkers he had questioned five spirits that lived further away. They were at this moment gathering information for him. They were becoming us familiars and he was very pleased he could use and control them. He also could commune with the undead but they had a lot more willpower and he couldn’t control them as he did with spirits.
For the most part he lived alone but there was one person that stayed with him most of the time and that was Callisya a female vampire who was very dark and wanted to see people die. She was gifted with seeing the future and that’s one of the reasons she was with him. She saw death and destruction in his future which she thrived off of. She was also strong in there magic and was teaching him little tricks to hide the magic he was using.
She was conniving and was not to be trusted in the least. He had taken to sleeping with her just to feel something. He was using her as well she knew a lot of information that would prove useful in escaping the clutches of the magical council. She had spent over a century now running from the Royal Court and knew how well to escape or hide as she saw fit.
He was concentrating watching the spirits flow around the castle. He could see them much clearer since he embraced the darkest of magics. The boost he got from Master Lacroix when he made his pact was still growing. He had thought it would be a one time boost but everytime he sent negative energy to him the power he had increased.
Within the months he could now reach anywhere in Europe with his spirit talk which before was not possible. He could also see the where before he had to cast a spell to see them clearly otherwise they were just wisps of smoke. He also found he could see through the illusions that the vampires and other demonics cast. He now saw there true visage.
Callysia entered the room seductively. She walked whole moving her hips from side to side. She also wore high heels that showed off her calf muscles and mini skirt that was so tight. He smiled at her, allowing himself to admire the body. The white of his eyes were no longer white but a vibrant red. He hadn’t realized that this was common until he was reading more of the manuscripts that Lacroix had left him.
“Dahling” she said in a drawl of the southern USA style. Even though she had never been to the Americas. “I have some news for you”
He nodded “Speak wench”. He growled looking at her as if she had interrupted something important. He was gathering his thoughts at the time she entered.
She smiled sweetly “I have found one of the Assassins. You won’t like what I have found but we can start your questioning with him”
He looked angry “Spit it out already. Geeze you make a story out of a sentence”. He was getting more flustered with her all the time, another affect if using blood magic.
She grinned knowing the answer and knowing that the information could easily start a war “The Assasin Cadre were hired which is not good as they will never give answers but we can at least exact some vengeance. The name of the one I was able to find was Laryn. He is a strong opponent but is not known for close quarter fighting. I have located him at The Mystical Tavern.”
He knew the name of that bar well. It was a safe haven for anyone as no violence was allowed to take place in that hallowed place. Any breaking of the rules usually landed them in hot water and some of the time it ended in the ultimate death.
Could he reach there quick enough. He could shadow walk but even that wasn’t a guarantee that he would be able to do what was needed. He wanted Laryn in his castle as he would be able to do things here without fear of being found out.
What fool would hire the Assassin Cadre and not just one but three members. He needed to know the truth and once he found out who was responsible they would pay the ultimate price.
He grabbed Callysia and jumped into the shadows. They disappeared into the shadow and he could feel the draining affect that normally happened. The shadows were much like the spirits and needed to be fed and it so happened the fed on his own life force.
As they exited the shadows twenty minutes later he could feel the power to The Mystical Tavern. He couldn’t enter the tavern because as soon as he did he would be spotted and the assassin cadre vampire would run. “Your turn Callysia. You need to bring him out here and then I will use the spirits to overwhelm him which will out him unconscious. Once that happened we will bring him back here for some fun”
She smiled sweetly and shook her butt towards him “Your wish is my command or Master of Mayhem”
Callysia entered the tavern and saw the vampire she had been looking for at a booth watching the door. They knew each other and had spent a lot of time together over the years. In fact she had introduced him to the leader of the assassin cadre Ibrahim. She walked over to him and he smiled at her. As she reached him he grabbed her and pulled her tight kissing her deeply.
She smiled “Well well well Laryn. Aren’t you the naughty boy. I have missed you but are you insane going after the mage. What is Isabel say if she had witnessed that.”. Isabel had been his sire and was put to death by beheading for betraying one of the Queen’s.
He laughed “Can’t say much of anything can she. I’m so happy you are here, been much too boring without you. Now what are you doing here?”
She smiled “Betrayal and destruction of course. The mage that you destroyed his family he is outside waiting for you. We are going to play a different game. I am betraying him, what human could think I would abandon my duties to the Royal Court. Come outside his spirits will knock you out but when we get to the castle you will awaken and we will kill this mage”
Smiling he nodded showing is full trust in Callysia. He tossed some money on the counter and they left. She allowed his arm to go over her shoulder. They exited the bar and when they got a block away he saw a very angry red eyed man staring at him. He uttered a guttural charm and the spirits went into the vampire immobilizing him.
He went up and grabbed him roughly by his long black hair. He then walked through the shadows. When they got back to the castle in the mountains he tossed the assassin into a dungeon cell. He would have a lot of fun with this evil person.
—–
Callysia entered the cell as Laryn lay there. She dropped the key careful not to touch it with her bare hands. It would show traces of magic but didn’t go back to her. She was anticipating the pain and the death that was to come.
He opened the cage door and started to move. She all of a sudden screamed loud about an escape.
He tried to run but Fane stood there tall and muscular with a demon skin armour suit on. “You dare try to escape”. He cast a spell of of smoke which quickly knocked him out. It drained his energy giving it back to the blood mage.
When he woke up he felt the pain on his body and the thirst had overcome him. The double crossing evil bitch. She had convinced him of this plan then made sure he was caught. He had no energy to spare now.
——-
Fane entered the room and saw how his spell had effected Laryn. The thirst must be overpowering him and all he had was what little power he had saved up. He looked at the pathetic excuse of a vampire.
“You have information I need Laryn. You will answer these questions and then you will be released.”. Lying came easily to him these days.
“You will get nothing from me. Our contract is our bond and we won’t break it”
The large red eyed being just looked closer and said a few words in a language long lost to the common groups. His eyes began to glow and lightning shot out and enveloped Laryn.
“Now who sent you to kill my family”
He shook his head a dnjist kept glaring. This time the bolt of lightning was double strength. The scream could be heard through the entire castle.
He begged “I know not who hired us”
Glaring again Fane allowed his mind to open and with the epiphany that came from years of experience he asked “Who are the other assassin’s?”
He sent another bold triple the power into the vampire “Dellys and Ciamma. They were with me. Dellys sent the bolt that killed you children and Ciamma destroyed your wife. I was merely there to assist and to get them out after the job was done.”
The spirits were whispering in his mind and he knew that he was telling the truth. He had no clue who hired him to destroy the family. He also knew with a certainty that he wouldn’t get information on where the others were as from what he had found out by the spirits almost never would the Assasin Cadre ever stay together. They could both be in another continent for a job.
This didn’t go quite as planned but what did it matter he got what he wanted and the amount of energy from the pain he had caused would feed Lacroix as well as fuel him for months to come.
“Since you know so little I guess this is goodbye. I told you I would release you but you know that’s not going to happen. You destroyed my family for money. Taste the fire”
He yelled the words to cast a powerful fire spell. It engulfed Laryn with ease turning him to dust in just a few breaths.
He looked at the fire “This is my oath of blood Master Lacroix. With this I swear to find who ordered the death of my family and will make them pay.”. He sent pure energy into the void that was Master Lacroix.
It wouldn’t be today but someday Fane would have his vengeance after that who cared. He would take what he could and then he would go after someone more powerful than him and fight a death duel.
To be continued in Path of Blood.
Crazy Canadian Writing 