CHAPTER TWELVE

Blood Magic

When Major Heinrich and I arrived outside the gymnasium, the sight of its closed double doors sent a chill up my spine. It was the reason I avoided this place. Just a glimpse of it never failed to fill me up full of negative vibes.

The guards to either side of the doors — both of them giving me a wary look that seemed almost fearful — pushed them open to let us through. We moved quickly across a short hallway, through another set of double doors, and then into the arena that was packed with a parade of spectators.

Holy crap… are they seriously all here for me?

It wasn’t just the usual pairing of researchers and soldiers either. There were guests dressed in what I assumed was what the civilian adults of Armestys wore. Lavish gowns and coats similar in style to the nineteenth-century aristocracy of my old world, but with far more shining trinkets on their arms and necks, some of which glowed with the telltale signs of magic.

Old men with graying mustaches and high-class-looking women in fancy dresses craned their necks toward the entrance. And to my great shame, I hid behind Major Heinrich’s legs.

Geez, I am really not great with crowds…

I’d never had this much attention before in either of my lives so you could forgive me for hiding. My cheeks were hot, too, and probably redder than an apple’s skin.

“A budding hero must greet his admirers and present a strong impression, Number One.”

Yeah, that wasn’t happening. “Me being ogled at isn’t part of our deal…”

Major Heinrich sighed at my refusal to play this part of the game, goading him to pull me along by the arm anyway and lead me to the giant in his all-black uniform who seemed to dwarf all who were gathered around him.

“Here he is, General,” Major Heinrich said as he let me go and saluted his superior.

His face was more or less the same as it had been a year ago, although General Hauser seemed different somehow. Bigger. Particularly around the mid-section. He was redder in the cheeks too.

Sheesh, someone’s been indulging himself a little too much this past year.

I too gave the general the Armestys-style salute, although the messy state of my PT gear probably didn’t win me any approvals. Apart from General Hauser’s toothy grin, the crowd gathered around him gave me a look I imagine homeless people get from the filthy rich of Armestys.

“Ah, Number One,” General Hauser picked me up by my armpits and lifted me high for all to see like I was some kind of trophy he’d won, “our brilliant young arcanist whose existence is now the talk of the capital, heh.”

As he dropped me back to solid ground, General Hauser glanced over to a blonde man and woman to his immediate right. And from what I could see, they were the youngest members of this crowd.

“Even our esteemed Mr. Wagner and his wife, owners of our state’s most respected newspaper, have come to see you.” General Hauser gave me a wink. “And they brought their pretty little daughter with them. Heh.”

What are you winking at me for—

My gaze drifted toward the couple, and I could almost swear I’d seen them before, although I couldn’t quite place where. What surprised me the most, however, was the girl half-hiding behind her mother’s dress.

She was pretty. I daresay even prettier than Number Three.

Get a grip, Number One. She’s seven… and you’re ancient. Pervert.

Long hair as dark as raven’s feathers framed an oval face whose skin was a slightly darker shade than my pale complexion. Her eyes were a dark amber and nothing like the blue of her parents. Her nose was small and pointy, and her lips were as red as rose’s petals blooming in the spring.

Unlike the other rich people around them, the Wagners smiled at me. Mr. Wagner even moved to shake my hand.

“General Hauser sings your praises, Number One,” he said in a soft, genial tone. “We are looking forward to this demonstration.”

I knew I should have said something then but I was distracted. Shaking his hand was about all I could do while most of my brain function was tuned to the raven-haired girl who was giving me a curious look. Why? Because I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd seen her before, and not knowing how annoyed me. Her father noticed where I was looking, and he asked his daughter to come closer so he could introduce us.

“This is Isabelle,” he said proudly just like a doting father should have. “If I’m not mistaken, you’re both the same age.”

Isabelle didn’t say anything. She just inclined her head in greeting before running back to the safety of her mother’s dress while I looked on in confusion.

Why do I feel like I’ve seen her before… but from where?

Mr. Wagner was asking me something about the living conditions of the orphans in the institute, but I didn’t hear him much. And my preoccupied expression prompted Major Heinrich to get between us probably so I wouldn’t embarrass him.

“Apologies, Mr. Wagner. Number One is simply too excited to show off his talents that he’s unable to hold a proper conversation at the moment,” Major Heinrich lied.

Beside them, General Hauser chuckled jovially. “Yes, these prominent members of our glorious party are equally excited. They came all the way from the capital for this demonstration.”

He gave Major Heinrich an imperious glance.

“Which I know will be no less than extraordinary,” he finished.

The certainty in the general’s tone sounded more like a threat to my ears. But Major Heinrich was confidently gazing back at his superior when he replied, “You will be amazed, sir. I am certain Number One will be perfect today.”

Fuck, way to pile on the pressure…

General Hauser chuckled again while patting Major Heinrich amiably on the shoulder.

Uh, where’s the angry man who forced kids to beat on each other? What happened to that guy?

Just like Major Heinrich, General Hauser had changed too, and not just physically. He seemed less like the tool he had been when we first met and now looked more like a clown while he pandered to the crowd and sang my praises to high heaven.

The dude hasn’t even seen what I can do and he’s already telling them I can split the sea in two…

I glanced sideways at Major Heinrich who noticed my look and just shrugged. It was almost like he too — an ardent stickler for the rules — hadn’t been pleased by his superior’s new flamboyance.

“Now, let us take our seats,” General Hauser shooed his guests toward the raised stands, “so the demonstration can start.”

The Wagners followed the others to their seats, although Isabelle had glanced over her shoulder to look at me. She mouthed something that might have been “Good luck.”

Okay, just for that, I'm going to put on a good show.

General Hauser gave Major Heinrich a you-better-not-fuck-up look before he too left the hardwood floor to just me and the major.

“Do you need anything, Number One?” Major Heinrich asked.

He motioned one of the researchers over. It was a man carrying another heavy jar of blood in his hands.

“I don’t need that, sir. I just need my gauntlets and a bit of iron.”

Major Heinrich raised an eyebrow at me, and I realized that seeing me in action against Captain Wolf yesterday probably worried him a little.

“That’s all?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Don’t you want one of my subordinates for you to—”

No, definitely not.

Honestly, I couldn’t believe he wanted me to turn another person into a broken marionette. Didn’t he realize how traumatizing that had been for me the first time?

“Um, not necessary, sir. I’ve got a different idea in mind.”

Major Heinrich frowned at how pale I suddenly looked, but he acquiesced to my request. My gauntlets were brought to me by one of his soldiers. While another soldier dropped an inch-long iron pipe at my feet.

Man, I missed you guys.

I put the gauntlets on slowly so I could take in my surroundings more thoroughly. Soldiers were guarding every exit while several more of them patrolled the edges of the arena.

No chance to escape, huh… and Captain Wolf’s not here either.

I had hoped to see my master there so that I could confirm that he and Number Three were safe, but Major Heinrich probably didn’t want Captain Wolf anywhere near General Hauser who might have favored him over the major seeing how they were both decorated war heroes.

Yeah, I bet you don’t want him complaining about you to your boss.

“Are you ready, Number One?” Major Heinrich asked.

“Just about,” I replied. “Should I get started?”

“Not yet.” He turned to the crowd with a brilliant smile ready on his face. “First, we put on a show.”

Major Heinrich introduced me to the gathering as if he were the experienced host of a talent show. There was a lot of hand-waving, achievement-listing, and promise-making. All of which he laid squarely on my shoulders like he didn’t care that he was just adding more pressure to my already heavy load.

“I urge you to suspend your disbelief and give in to the magical acumen of our boy wonder as he leaves you under the thrall of shock and awe and fill you with hope for the bright future of our glorious state!”

After a spattering of applause — yeah, yeah, his intro wasn’t half bad — the major finally gave the floor to me.

Spotlights sprung to life from high above to train on me — and no, I didn’t know how they were doing it. Perhaps an arcanist who could harness light energy had whipped it up. Or maybe they had some superpowered gaslight lamps I didn’t know about stored away for a moment like this one. Still, it was turning into a show.

Seconds ticked by while I endured all the stares and began my usual breathing exercises. “All matter is energy. And all energy can become matter.”

My mantra worked to calm me down well enough. At least enough that I was no longer in danger of puking yesterday’s breakfast onto the floor.

“Alright, Number One,” I picked up the iron pipe by my feet, “time to dance like a monkey…”

I smacked the back of my right forearm against the underside of my left forearm in an x-pattern so that the iron bands between the ones of ‘sword’ and ‘shield’ would link together to form the ‘iron’ and ‘knife’ I needed to start the show.

A shower of blue sparks consumed the iron pipe in my hand, destroying it into tiny bits of matter before transfiguring these pieces into the four-inch-long kunai I envisioned.

Yeah, that’s right — a seven-year-old kid just performed intermediate-level transfiguration. Que the roaring applause.

My gaze drifted toward the crowd, searching for that raven-haired girl whose face I couldn’t get out of my mind. And when I found her looking back at me with excitement plastered on her face, memories of my early days in the nursery flashed across my mind. I wasn't sure why though.

Pushing away this distracting thought, I pulled off my left arm’s gauntlet and then pulled up my shirt sleeve so everyone could see my exposed forearm.

I cannot believe I’m about to do this… seriously.

Then I raised my kunai high for all to see.

I’m doing this just like in the movies, right?

Then, to the gasps of the crowd, I cut my left forearm with my knife so that blood poured out of the wide gash to trickle down my arm.

Holy hell, it fucking hurts!

It wasn’t just the sight of blood. Even the smell of it made me queasy and nearly caused me to falter. But Major Heinrich eagerly goading me on reminded me that it wasn’t just my life at stake here. And knowing that Captain Wolf’s and Number Three’s lives also hung in the balance, well, that just doubled my desire to fulfill my need for self-preservation, didn’t it?

I think I can get in the zone now.

I raised my arm high so that more of the blood could coat my arm just before I summoned as much natural energy as I could muster into me.

The spectators applauded again, and I assumed most of them had noticed the telltale sparks of magic gathering around me.

Alright, I’m going with a show of force here. That ought to rile them up more.

In my mind, I began programming my desire, encouraging the energy I’d accumulated to follow the simple set of instructions I set into my improvised enchantment.

Spread blood around the forearm and hand. Then force as much iron as I have into the coating. All four grams if need be… and then—

I hadn’t learned any preprogrammed enchantment spells as there was no one to teach me. So, I had to get creative, and luckily, there was a whole life’s worth of movies and television still bouncing around in my brain to inspire my creative juices.

The first time I cast an enchantment while being fully aware, I’d used my desperation to save Number Three as the fuel for my spell. Now that she was technically safe, that particular emotion wouldn’t work anymore. I turned my gaze on Major Heinrich instead, remembering how he’d caused me so much pain yesterday that I had broken through to a state of self-actualization without meaning to.

Come on… come on.

A minute had passed, and people were beginning to look bored. Major Heinrich was certainly staring daggers at me now.

Even though my hatred of him was pretty strong, I realized that this emotion, this anger, wasn’t what I was looking for. It was like tasting ketchup instead of the hot sauce I needed for my spell. Besides, hating someone wouldn’t trigger my survival instincts.

As Yoda said, hatred only leads to anger and that only leads to suffering, not success…

Perhaps it could be something other than wanting to survive. There were three other needs to fulfill to reach a state of self-actualization, weren’t there? Just like with Number Three. My desire to protect her, that’s what made my enchantment work. So maybe going negative wasn’t the way. Maybe…

Almost out of instinct, my eyes searched the crowd and found Isabelle Wagner staring back at me — suddenly, a thought occurred to me. It was the possibility that this feeling of familiarity was due to the fact that she might have been one of my discarded crib mates. Although highly unlikely — and it wasn't like the Wagners said they'd adopted her or anything — but that incredibly hopeful thought was all I needed to make my magic work. And that’s when I felt a tug in my arm.

Um, I think that worked.

My gaze never left Isabelle’s while I instructed the magic in me to make up the difference of iron content in my blood so that there would be enough of it coating my now bloody arm. I wasn't entirely sure, but hoping that one of my lost crib mates might have found a place to call home, that was such a powerful feeling that it only helped to fuel my concentration, which had reached its peak so that it was now easy for me to sense the iron in my blood.

Now for the tricky part.

I commanded the iron in the blood to harden around my arm and watched as its red hue darkened to match the increased iron content provided by the natural energy my magic had converted into matter. Yes, it may have sounded like just another transfiguration spell, but it really wasn’t. Particularly because blood, being part of me, was off-limits to the first two schools of sorcery. To be clear, there were no blood benders or blood mages in Aarde. At least not until today.

Hell yeah. Strengthening enchantment unlocked.

I formed a fist with my now blackened hand and raised it high for all to see. And with their eyes fixed solely on me, I smashed the ground with this ‘Iron Fist’ and the arena’s wooden floorboards gave way. Then wide cracks appeared where my fist broke the wood and spread out like spider limbs across the wooden floor.

A moment after their shock wore off, and the stadium was filled with applause.