Hemasitus - A parasitic disease of blood, caused by the parasites of the same name.

Origin: unknown; Type: Magical; First occurrence: approximately 1200 years ago.

First case recorded: Nihoria.

Description: Disease with a 100% mortality rate, widespread throughout the world. No news of any cure. Symptoms usually occur one week after the infection, interspersed with short periods of remission, which result in a sudden deterioration of the disease. The parasite feeds on the infected tissue. Effectively neutralizes all poisons.

Infection route: any contact with the infected blood, usually through the skin.

~ Common Medicinal Encyclopedia, Voyca, 645 C.E.

Chapter 2

The Deity of Wishes

„Hey, there's something I've been curious about.” The grey-haired boy turned to his golden-haired colleagues, who immediately shifted their gaze to him. „I once read that forests do not grow in the desert regions, so why is it growing here, and with so many fruit trees too?”

„It's all a result of the earth magic” Peter explained. „The better the spell, the tastier the fruit and the more valuable the plants.”

„That makes sense. After all, some plants are created by magic. For example, the Frozen Flower...” He said dreamily.

„So let's try and make it!” Ed yelled.

„Do you know how to do it?” Ian asked. „Our grandmother said something once or twice about that… so...” Magic gathered around his hand, then he put a leaf and a flower together on the ground, and tried to fill it with his magic. The effect was not satisfactory, the only thing that appeared was the frost, which quickly melted. Ed wasn't happy about it.

„Oh, by the way, I wanted to ask, what happened to your parents?” the grey-haired boy asked. Gold-haired brothers looked at each other.

„Our mother got infected with a terrible disease, and father... he just disappeared one day. What about your parents, Ian?”

„My dad died in the war, and my mum was researching a disease and she got infected, and died too.”

„Was it a blood disease?” Peter asked. „Well... I guess so, because she was testing blood.”

„You know, I always wanted to be able to cure this disease...”

„To cure it? Do you want to be a medic?” asked Edward.

„Well, Grandma Cassandra knows a lot about medicine. I like to read her books sometimes.”

„Oh! I like this subject too!” the grey-haired shouted out excited.

„Why don't we ask her if she can teach us?”

„Do you really want to be medics?” Ed repeated the question.

„Actually, why not?” Peter asked. „I could at least cure other people who have it.”

„Exactly, we would find a cure, so that no one else would have to die like our moms!”

„I hope you know that it's not that simple...” Ed said annoyed.

„So what? We are going to work for a dozen or so years, and eventually we will succeed!” Ian shouted proudly. „Come on, Peter, let's go to Grandma's!”

Ian grabbed Peter by the hand and ran towards Cassandra's house. Ed was amazed that they were speaking quite seriously. He followed them. When he entered her house, he saw Ian and Peter kneeling in front of the elderly woman. Edward laughed at the sight.„Why are you laughing?” said the embarrassed grey-haired boy.

„Because you look funny!” He continued laughing, but when he felt Cassandra's cold gaze on him, he fell silent and stood up straight.

„So you want to become medics?„ She raised her eyebrow. „Well, well. That's good. You will be the heirs to my skills.”

„Really?!” Ian shouted excited.

„Thank you, Grandma!” Peter added. „Yes, we will start learning tomorrow, in the early morning. And you will work hard... You will work so hard, that you will become masters in your profession. I will make sure of that!”

Ian and Peter were so happy that they started running around Cassandra while laughing. Edward, although he didn't show it, was proud of his brother. Suddenly he thought that he also had to start doing something himself.

It's been four years since then. Under Cassandra's watchful eye, Ian and Peter opened a clinic in the village and started their business. Many of the residents were very surprised that the fourteen-year-olds could be so familiar with the treatment; but that was only the beginning of their journey. Their teacher knew what exactly they wanted to treat well, and supported them. After three years of hard study and practice, the time has come.

„Your test is in a month's time” she said. „Are you sure about that? Are you sure you are ready to see death, and sacrifice many years for the research?”

„Yes” Ian answered seriously. „We haven’t been working for all these years studying all our current knowledge, just to give up now.”

„We must succeed.” Peter added. „We are doing it in the name of our ancestors, and our mothers.”

„I understand that.” She smiled. „I can see that the pupils have surpassed the master. I am very happy to have such talented heirs.”

„I will do everything I can to ensure that your efforts are not in vain” said Peter with a smile.

„Alright. And remember: never use any blood magic. Do you understand?” „Understood.” They both answered at once.

~

Ed slowly opened his eyes. He didn't know where he was, he wasn’t fully conscious yet. It was only when he heard some voices that the brain fog dispersed fully. He raised his head a little and looked around. He was in the clinic, dressed in a white, long shirt. Suddenly somebody held him tightly. It was Kasei, and just like him, she was dressed in a patient's clothes.

„You idiot!” She was screaming with affection. „How could you not have escaped when I asked you to?! Idiot, idiot, idiot..!”

Ed moved his gaze further away. He saw grandma Cassandra and Emerald. He sighed quietly and then embraced Kasei, who was sniveling in his arm.

„You're the idiot if you protected me and didn't run away” he said with a mean smile. Kasei pushed him away, got off his bed and stood by the women. She was not as hurt as Edward, but her condition was not very good either. Then he also saw Peter, sitting in the corner.

„I think you have something to explain to them.” Emerald called him. Peter nodded his head slightly, got up and came closer.

„That’s right. It was Mateo who beat me up.” He admitted. „I didn't understand why. The previous day I took another patient's life. I broke down... but Ian said that soon I would not have to kill anyone anymore... that I would see that everything would be all right...” He spoke in an increasingly trembling tone. „And when Mateo beat me up, I was afraid that something might have happened to Ian. And when I came here, my fears started to deepen... because Ian was nowhere to be found....”

„Why didn't you tell us it was Mateo...?” Ed asked.

„I didn't want to give him away... Besides, if something really happened to Ian... It was my fault and I just deserved it...” Tears appeared in his eyes. „Mateo was right... we shouldn't have tried to treat this disease... and it's because of me that Ian isn't here now...”

„Peter!” Ed yelled and quickly jumped out of his bed to him. He clenched his hands on his shoulders and started to shake him. „You did it for our mothers, for all those people, and for the animal-people who suffer, you improved their lives at least for a little bit! Ian and you were happy to heal them, Ian wanted to heal them, so don't say it was for nothing!”

Then Ed felt a piercing pain in his whole body, he bent over and started coughing persistently.

„Dumbass, don't move like that. We haven't given you any medicine yet!” The grey-haired woman scolded him.

‘ We did... okay?’ Peter thought. ‘Yvon was standing on her feet thanks to my medicine... Oh, no, no... I'll still fail, I'm sure...’ He turned his face away.

„So... what about Mateo?” asked Ed, who had already calmed down a bit. Cassandra gave him a bowl with a specially prepared potion medicine.

„We have not found him yet, but my people are searching the village and the surrounding area.”

„What has this Ian even been thinking...” Grandma Cassandra whispered angrily. „I have always been saying: no blood magic... Oh, Peter....” she turned to the golden-haired man. „You don't even know what a tragedy this is for me... You don't even know how much I feel sorry for you and Ed that all Matevigo's anger is now upon you....”

„Matevigo... he seemed like a good friend of yours.” Emerald added.

„He was eternally opposed to the Ian’s fight against Hemasitus. I understand the worry, but it already turned into an obsession... Just look at what he has done to them.” The grandmother pointed to the three victims.

„Don't worry, I'll catch this madman.” She assured. „Your injuries should heal faster after drinking these potions. I'm going back to work, I have to find this bastard.”

„Then I'm coming with you.” Ed said seriously.

„No way, you're supposed to rest now, and so is your brother and your fennec fox.” She ordered and left. Ed got upset.

„I'll walk you home, there's no need for you to lie here. Peter. Today I will take care of the clinic, so go with them. All of you should rest.” Cassandra said, and then gave Ed his clothes. He grabbed them and looked at Peter and Kasei. He couldn't believe their own friend could have done this to them.