Reborn in Blood: The Trials of a Leech. Book 2 - Bloody War

A small, almost unnoticeable flash of pain in my hands and eyes lasted for a few seconds before disappearing. As I looked at my once clawless hands, I marveled at the sharp, deadly talons that had replaced them. My eyesight was much better than before, the cave's darkness now as clear as daylight letting me see everything down to the last detail. The hellish essence changed me in subtle but significant ways. I wondered how much tougher and more powerful these claws would make me. Excitement bubbled within me at the thought of the next tier. Each step of this transformation promised new abilities and greater power.

" Master I was not excepting you to have reached the first tier of Hellish Essence. This is quite wonderful, to have reached this leave in just two and a half years." Vorthan said with a voice filled with reverence. Looking down at Vorthan I watched it cry tears of joy ran down behind the mask dripping onto the floor.

As I observed Vorthan, my new servant, I couldn't help but feel a mix of curiosity and trepidation. "What is the difference between demons and devils?" I began, my voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of urgency. "What is Hellish Essence? And finally, how do I control my sin powers without them tearing me apart from the inside?"

"Which one should I start with master?" Vorthan asked.

"Start with sin control so I don't freeze to death first, then I can learn about hellish essence, now tell me how to control them!" I replied wanting to get this over and done with.

"Yes master, to control a sin is both easy and hard at the same time, and to control it is to accept it as part of yourself and carve a rune on your body where the power gathers. This will allow you to face your sin making it submit to you. Though Wrath should be burning you not freezing you." Vorthan said tilting his head obsevering me. "Was your Wrath hot and wild when you first accepted wrath into your soul correct?" he asked.

"Yes after I said I wanted Pride and Wrath I felt them enter me. Pride has stayed the same arrogance, but Wrath went from hot and wild for me to cold and heavy. The change happened after I kept remembering the past before I made the pact with the Arch Demon of Blood Vlados. I used the chair to keep the memories buried deep inside me and once they were locked away that's when the change occurred." I told him while looking back at my claws.

"You aspected a sin before even learning to control it. This is... You are an amazing master, though this may be even more troubling now since you changed your sin to match a dormant magical aptitude. If need be master sacrifice me to make it submit. I will gladly die for you." he said bowing his head even further.

I guess the description I got of him was correct then, they are fanatics. It would be a waste to throw it away after I just got him so I won't be sacrificing him. "I won't use you unless it is necessary, as I plan on keeping you around until the day we both die. Or did you forget that you are mine now? " I said with a wide grin that was hidden beneath my hood-like face.

"No, I would never master, please forgive my needless words. Master already aspected a sin so of course you could make it submit!" he said with the fear that he was insulting me. He was even shaking now. It is cute how he shivers as he tries his very best to apologize to me.

This is enough messing with him. "Alright, we should begin how do I create this rune and where should I place it?" I asked him.

"We should be alone when this happens since you will be put in a position where it shows your source of power. And since these demons are only pact-bound when they die or when the pact is over they could tell or even take advantage of it. Plus filth like this should never see the majestic rune you create since that will influence how your Royal insignia is created in the future, and I would rather them not taint it. But we can discuss things of that matter after we have finished this first." Vorthan said with venom as he looked at the demons around us.

To ensure our privacy and safety, I conjured a dome of dark blood, a barrier imbued with my burgeoning power. The crimson shield shimmered around us, opaque and forbidding, pulsating with a life of its own. The other demons, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, recoiled slightly. Their eyes, glowing with infernal light, darted towards us, curiosity mingling with wariness. "Guard us," I commanded, my voice ringing with authority. "Protect this space, and ensure no one attempts to see within."

The demons hesitated for a moment, their innate defiance warring with the compulsion of my order. But Vorthan, still kneeling at my feet, raised his head and spoke in a voice that brooked no argument. "You heard the Master. Stand guard and keep your distance." he said. With a collective growl of submission, the demons obeyed, forming a perimeter around the dome. Their menacing forms stood as sentinels, eyes trained outward, vigilant for any threat that might approach. Within the dome, the air felt charged, heavy with the weight of the conversation we had just shared.

Vorthan's tears had dried completely now, leaving his face a mask of solemn purpose. The silence inside the dome was profound, broken only by the faint hum of the blood magic that enveloped us. It was as if the world outside had ceased to exist, leaving only this space, this moment, and the knowledge I sought to grasp. "Now, Vorthan," I said, "Teach me. Show me how to wield this power and navigate my chosen path."

The demon rose slowly, his movements fluid and deliberate. He stood before me, a towering presence of dark energy and ancient wisdom. He extended a hand, clawed and scarred, a silent offer of guidance. "Very well, Master," he said, his voice a deep, resonant echo within the dome. "Let us begin."

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Under Vorthan’s guidance, we set about creating an insignia that would symbolize my newfound power and authority. The process was meticulous, requiring patience and precision as we delved into the essence of my being to craft something that resonated with my soul. Vorthan instructed me to close my eyes and focus inward, seeking the core of my identity amidst the swirling maelstrom of thoughts and emotions. I felt his presence beside me, a steady anchor amid my inner chaos. "Feel the pulse of your spirit, Master," he intoned softly. "Let it guide you."

I took a deep breath, centering myself. As I delved deeper into my consciousness, images, and sensations began to coalesce—a landscape of memories, desires, and fears. Slowly, a pattern emerged, intricate and compelling, like a delicate tapestry woven from the threads of my very soul. When I opened my eyes, Vorthan had prepared the materials: dark ink infused with Hellish Essence, a quill made from the feather of a fallen angel, and a sheet of parchment that seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly light. "Now, Master," he said, his voice a low rumble, "imprint your vision upon this parchment. Let the insignia take shape."

I dipped the quill into the ink, feeling the dark energy coursing through it, and began to draw. The lines flowed with a life of their own, guided by my hand but imbued with the essence of my being. Swirling curves and sharp angles intertwined, forming a sigil that was both beautiful and menacing, a perfect reflection of the duality within me. Time seemed to stretch and bend as I worked, each stroke of the quill a deliberate act of creation. Vorthan watched in silence, his eyes gleaming with approval and pride. The insignia grew more intricate, layers of meaning hidden within its depths, until finally, it was complete. I leaned back, studying the finished design. It pulsed with a dark radiance, the Hellish Essence infusing it with power. This was not merely a symbol—it was a manifestation of my will, a mark of my dominion over the forces I had begun to command.

Vorthan stepped forward, examining the insignia with a critical eye. He nodded slowly, a rare smile curling his lips. "Well done, Master. This insignia is a true reflection of your soul. It will serve as a beacon of your authority and a conduit for your power. And once you have evolved enough it with help you create your very own royal line."

I felt a surge of satisfaction and pride as I gazed upon the insignia. It was more than just a mark; it was a part of me, a testament to the journey I had embarked upon and the challenges yet to come. "Thank you, Vorthan, but we must continue," I said, my voice firm and resolute.

After the insignia was completed, Vorthan turned to me, his eyes burning with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. "Master, the insignia must become a part of you, bonded to your very essence. Open your chest and expose your heart. I will keep you alive through the process and embed the insignia within. This way, you will be able to confront your sins and control them."

I nodded, steeling myself for the ordeal. Vorthan's confidence in the necessity of this act gave me the strength to proceed. He guided me to lie down on a stone slab, the cold surface pressing against my back, grounding me in the reality of what was to come.

Vorthan's hands moved with practiced precision, drawing intricate sigils around the perimeter of my chest. I felt a surge of dark energy as he completed the circle, a protective barrier that would keep me alive through the ordeal. His claws glowed with a dull red light as he prepared to make the incision. "Do not fear, Master," he murmured. "Trust in my soul which you now own master. I will let nothing hurt you as long as I live."

With a deep breath, I nodded. The next moments were a blur of pain and surreal detachment. Vorthan's claws were impossibly sharp, and with a few swift movements, he opened my chest, revealing the beating heart within. I watched in a daze, feeling no pain, only a profound sense of disconnection from my physical form. Vorthan carefully lifted the completed insignia, now glowing with a pulsating energy that mirrored my heartbeat. He held it above my exposed heart, chanting in a language older than time, invoking the dark powers that bound us. The insignia began to descend, its glow intensifying as it neared my heart.

When the insignia touched my heart, a searing pain unlike any I had ever known surged through me. I felt the essence of the insignia merging with my flesh, its power infusing my very being. My vision blurred, the world around me dissolving into a maelstrom of light and shadow.

"Stay with me, Master," Vorthan's voice cut through the chaos. "Focus on your breath, on the rhythm of your heart."

I clung to his words, grounding myself in the sound of my heartbeat, now inextricably linked to the insignia. Gradually, the pain subsided, replaced by a sense of profound unity. I felt the darkness within me more acutely, but it was no longer a wild, untamed force. It was part of me, bound and locked inside of a cage.

Vorthan’s chanting ceased, and with delicate care, he closed my chest, the protective sigils ensuring that the wound healed seamlessly. The process left no external mark, but I could feel the insignia's power deep within, a constant reminder of the pact I had made and the path I had chosen. But even so, during the entire time, my HP never dropped a single point.

Closing my eyes, I focused on Pride first. Its essence was a shimmering yet insubstantial presence within me. I concentrated, drawing my awareness deeper into its core, feeling its nature—my desire for recognition, validation, and superiority. But without the augmentation of one of my magical talents, it was like a shadow, lacking the substance to fully challenge me.

Wrath on the other hand was trying to break through the cage holding it locked in my soul. Cold and dark power gnawed at the bars of its prison. The anger kept growing worse as each second passed.

Thinking to myself, I began to plan this out. If I take control of Pride first It may be able to help me fight and control Wrath.