Alright. So. Blood magic's looking slightly more achievable. Synthetic blood ruby is pretty cheap, especially if I get it uncut. The ritual doesn't require it to be faceted in any way so I'm probably just going to be using a bunch of large finger-sized bricks of ruby for this.
Next issue? Gold powder. I need a lot of it.
Issue.
That'll cost me like... four hundred dollars for even a gram of the stuff.
BUT. I found a way around that... but it'll be a complete pain in the ass.
Blood magic can transmute things!
But.
I need blood for that.
A lot of blood presumably.
I mean, silver powder- ten grams worth- is also a hundred an fifty bucks or so... so either way I'm spending far more money than I want to right now... after saving up literally my entire life up until this point I've got about eight hundred dollars to my name.
To be completely honest, the gold powder isn't even the biggest issue I have.
It's the saps and resins.
Redwood sap? Redwoods aren't commercially harvested for sap. Getting redwood sap is borderline impossible unless I want to personally purchase a redwood sapling and basically bloodlet it... but they're also fairly expensive.
The same can be said for willow and rowan trees.
After that?
It turns out that Yew tree sap is HIGHLY toxic. Like, kill you for consuming it toxic. not just 'make you sick' toxic.
Huh.
I... didn't know that.
I'd say that those four things are my largest issue right now.
Amber's cheap in comparison to the synthetic ruby, and even the GOLD can at least be found online!
So. Now I have to figure out how to convince people to firstly collect sap... then sell said sap to me... in addition to a highly toxic poison.
Wonderful!
Guess I'm asking for just 'money' for my birthdays and Christmas.
Oh... and to top EVERYTHING off... I'm being timed.
Six months until the next blood moon.
If I miss it I have to wait around TWO AND A HALF years to try again...
There's probably another issue... mainly the fact that people are on the lookout for people making 'weird' purchases. Mainly tools and technology, but me buying a bunch of trees might raise a few eyebrows.
Maybe.
Will Missy get on my case for suddenly buying a bunch of trees?
Absolutely.
Our back yard is barely big enough for one big tree, let alone four.
But will her pestering be any worse than the pestering she is going hassle me with currently? Mainly because she's noticed my little para-beautification like I had for her.
Fucking hell, I might even just be honest with her if she just flat out tells me she is a parahuman.
I finally reach our home after around twenty minutes of walking. Thankfully I'm not assaulted, pestered or otherwise hassled by anyone- because we live deep in the white- I mean... good part of town.
Nothing to do with the Empire.
Certainly nothing to do with the Empire.
Ignore the nazis for a moment, Jayden. You can't do shit to them yet. Focus on your arcane rituals.
The front door clicks open as I step inside and- oh. Missy's friends are still here. Yaaaaaay.
"Hey." I greet as I shut the door behind me.
"So how'd it go?" Missy asks.
"Well, I didn't get jumped on the way to the library, so that's always a good thing." I admit as I step past. "Anyways, I'll leave you guys to it. I'd probably get in the way of whatever it is you're doing."
"So how'd your research go... book stuff, right? What's it about?"
"A detective in a world of superheroes who can use magic. I was thinking about the logistics of expensive spell components such as gemstones and precious metals and how to get utterly ridiculous things like 'blood of dragons' within a world that has no dragons."
"Oooh." The girl hums. "I see."
Don't like you, thinky lady.
"Anyways, Bye." With that I turn to walk to my room.
[Split]
You know... I could always skip the ritual...
I've read more of that blood magic book and it teaches a method to slap a 'modifier' onto a magic to drain blood in exchange.
I... could... theoretically use the other books using that...
But I might die.
I don't really know how much blood even a simple cantrip would take me. After all, I have pathetic 'normal' blood.
So. Of my seven books that aren't this mad wizard's diary.
I can actually recognize some of them. The first three? Books from dungeons and dragons. The first, an 'arcane' spellbook, next a 'divine' spellbook, and finally a book detailing how to make clockwork golems.
The fourth book was some weird floaty book that wouldn't open when I tried to open it- lack of mana- the fifth was what honestly seemed to be a book on alteration magic from Skyrim, and the sixth is some sort of illusionist book? Something called a 'Mesmer' that involves creating illusionary clones? I can't exactly put my finger on it, but it seems familiar.
The seventh book is of course the Lexica Botania, which if I remember correctly- as it has been a while- is minecraft.
Reasonably... I may be able to just skip over that mana-blood ritual for a bit. Convert my blood into magical energy in order to make floral fertilizer, make pure daisy. Start collecting mana.
But. For that I'd also need to make some sort of magic generating plant. Which will absolutely require more colors of mystic flower petals... and that takes time to grow.
Realistically I should pick what I want now, then...
I don't have many options.
Endoflame. a flower that burns things to generate mana, Daybloom, a flower that generates magic during the day- but has been said it dies easily in non-enchanted soil and finally a nightshade which has the same issue as a daybloom.
There's other variants of the Nightshade and Daybloom that don't have that issue of being really fragile, but they are so far outside of my capabilities that it isn't even funny.
So.
In terms of options I have Endoflame.
Which requires red petals, grey petals, and brown petals equal to the other two groups of petals combined.
Magic petals.
Not normal petals.
Which means I need to grow one white flower- at least, probably two just to be safe- one brown, one grey, and one red to even get started in this druidic bullshit.
Which...
Is achievable... I guess... it'll just take a while...
[Split]
I prick my finger and let out a small hiss between my teeth. I reach out slowly and wince as I press the injury down on a flat piece of steel. I slowly drag my finger around in a circle, creating a streak of red on the metal.
I create several more interlocking circles over the course of minutes, strange symbols are drawn within those circles by my bloody finger.
I nearly passed out the first time I did this, but... I've kind of grown used to it.
Being light-headed, dizzy, and tired.
Fuck blood magic.
The only thing keeping me going is the small twinge of satisfaction I get every time I see I'm making progress in order to STOP doing this shit.
I've had to completely change my diet as well. Chicken, tuna, or lean beef with spinach, or kale alongside an orange or two.
No high-calcium foods in order to let me absorb more iron. So no milk or cheese. I do need a bunch of vitamin B as well, so that's eggs and Avacado.
Missy has kind of gotten off my back after seeing me not do anything spectacular immediately. Life has... pretty much gone back to normal.
As normal as it can be with two parents who are at each other's throats but too stubborn to divorce, a super-hero little sister and you are LITERALLY doing blood rituals in your closet.
Speaking of which...
As I begin to grow slightly lightheaded I absentmindedly nod, a spurt of blood shoots from my slit fingertip like a geyser and coalesces into an orb about the size of a grape.
With a flash it turns to red mist that dissipates. The cut on my finger sealing in that same moment.
The cantrip. 'Heal Minor Wounds'. In the game it just heals one hitpoint of damage.
One hit point seems to be more than enough to heal the cuts on my fingers so I don't have to make my family question where all the band aids are going.
I cracked open the divine dungeons and dragons spellbook to learn that. It seems to be a mix of cleric and druid which is quite interesting.
And... it also let me realize that if I tried to cast even a level one spell I'd probably die from blood loss.
Shame. There's some fun spells if I remember correctly... like one which lets you 'keep watch' all night, giving you a full-nights rest as long as you aren't doing anything strenuous.
I sit a small vial of mixed dust in the center of the magic circle I had just painted on the steel sheet. Most of the dust appears to be golden. The rest? Silver.
As I raise my hand away from the little salt-shaker sized jar, the blood across the steel sheet glows briefly before evaporating like it was never there to begin with- REALLY helpful as now I don't have to explain to Missy why I have a metal plate in my closet covered in blood if she ever looks in here.
Looking closer at the vial, I can now see the entire thing is full of gold dust.
Transmutation isn't easy... I can't just slap my hand on something, bleed on it, then turn stone to gold. It's more the magic circle that turned the silver into gold.
There's a lot of factors that went into that little circle.
Turning a valuable metal into another valuable metal helped A LOT. But the magic circle is what mattered.
The book taught me a blank 'Transmutation Circle' then gave me a bunch of assorted symbols of various materials and meanings that could be useful- even some 'magical' materials which deeply interested me although I don't dare to touch those yet- the silver being in powder form also likely helped a little.
So. Basically I had to craft that transmutation symbol more or less from scratch.
That makes it sound harder than it was. It was basically just a 'fill in the blank' puzzle with what I wanted.
A breath leaves my lips, shoulders slumping as I reach out and grab the little jar, looking over it with an inquisitive stare.
That's roughly a gram of silver that has been transmuted to gold over the past four months.
The past five months have been... pretty interesting.
I bought some silver and the synthetic blood ruby.
I was the only person here when they arrived so I'm not sure that Missy even knows about that.
Then a month later I bought a sapling... then another sapling... and finally a fourth sapling over four more months alongside gardening supplies.
I have some 'mystical' flowers growing in the little garden outside as of this very moment.
None of them have bloomed so they more or less look like normal flowers right now.
A low breath leaves my lips as I close my eyes, placing the gold dust aside for the moment.
All I need now is that piece of amber which should be arriving in a few days.
I shakily rise from the floor and make my way to the bathroom, planning to wash my finger so I don't get any blood on my pillow, not that there should be much left outside my body... but better safe than sorry.
I look to the hallway as I step out only to freeze as I nearly bump into Missy who was walking out of her own room, she's wearing dark colors, eyes widening as we both stand there for a long moment.
"..."
I wordlessly step past her as she quickly lets out a small stutter. "Jayden! What are you doing up so late?"
"Bathroom." I deadpan. "What are you doing up so late... in a hoodie and jeans... while wearing shoes?"
"..."
"..."
"Are you on drugs, Missy?"
"Wh- No!" She hisses.
"Sneaking out to some party?"
"W-Well..." The girl weakly winces. "Y-Yes?"
"Hn. Be careful. Mom and dad certainly couldn't give a shit about us, but I'd be sad if you got kidnapped." I harshly reply. "Bring a knife. Or better yet, just don't go at all."
"R-Right..." The girl sputters. "It was kind of just a spur of the moment thing... I realize it was kind of a bad idea. Ahahah you should- uh- get some sleep Jayden!"
"..."
"..."
"Right. Right. Hypocrisy aside. Goodnight Missy." With that I continue past.
[Split]
Pov: The resident fox-like thinker.
Missy holds a box in her hands as she walks through her house, a second blonde following after her.
"Why are we doing this... exactly?" The freckled blonde asks aloud with a slow blink. "I thought we were pretty clear that he's not a parahuman... as he didn't really do anything."
"But that's just it, Lisa. He keeps buying weird shit!" Missy frowns. "He bought and planted four trees... FOUR! Now he bought something else?"
"He could just have a gardening hobby... it's not like he's buying circuit boards, pistons, power tools, and massive glass vats." Lisa shrugs.
Missy throws open the door. "Jayden!"
"Uuuuuuuugh." Lisa can hear the boy groan, a pen clatters against the doorframe as he holds his hands up in exasperation. He sits at a desk towards the back of the room, a nearly empty plate of food in front of him. "Missy. Will. You. Knock. PLEASE. What if I was changing?! I swear. One of these days I'm going to lock that damn door and you're going to crash face-first into it and I am going to laugh. A lot."
"Why would you bring food to your room not even ten minutes ago if you were going to change?" The girl blinks.
"I don't know." He scoffs. "Maybe I spilled something on myself? Who knows."
He turns, chair swiveling. "Now, need something?"
"You said you ordered something?" She glances down to the box in her hands.
"Oh?! It showed up! Awesome!" Palpable relief shows on his face.
That's odd...
He stands up, taking the box from her hands. "Thanks, Missy!"
He grabs a pocket knife from his desk and casually slices open the tape of the relatively small box.
Not much could fit in there... a watch perhaps? Maybe a rubik's cube?
She takes the time to observe the boy directly, he looks... vaguely unwell.
He has faint dark circles under his eyes, his skin slightly pale, his fingertips look lightly bruised, he appears a little dazed and lethargic as well.
Is he sick?
He dumps the box into his palm, unwrapping the grey parchment which had been wrapped around whatever he bought... Amber?
Huh...
"Jayden..." Missy begins quietly. "You've been buying a bunch of really weird stuff recently... the trees... now this? Are you a tinker?"
"Jesus. Can't a guy collect cool looking rocks in this day and age without people springing to 'oh, he's got to be a parahuman'. He waves his hands in annoyance. "Also. Are you really doing this in front of your random friend whom I've met all of like... once? What if I was a tinker? You trust this girl enough that she won't say anything?"
"Of course!" The blonde exclaims.
He seems... annoyed at Missy.
"Being a parahuman isn't a game, Missy." The boy continues, the irony of the situation striking Lisa. "I know that life can sound so glamorous, and all that bullshit. But frankly having superhuman powers has got to be a pain in the ass."
He turns back to his desk.
"Jayden... you'd tell me if you were a parahuman, right?"
"Sure. If I were a parahuman I'd tell you." The boy sighs, he turns, giving her a half-lidded stare. "Happy?"
That stare...
Ah.
He knows Missy is a parahuman.
His gaze strays to her own, his frown deepening slightly before rolling his eyes and returning to his food.
"Okay... um... sorry, Jayden." Missy weakly continues before she quickly slinks out of the room.
Lisa lingers for a moment as she can hear the boy whispering under his breath.
"I swear, we're just as stubborn as our fucking parents."
The girl's lips thin as she turns and walks out of the room and closes the door behind her.
"Lisa." Missy mutters, tears prickle in her eyes. "I-I messed up... he's mad at me now!"
"Missy." The freckled blonde sighs before slowly nodding. "Yeah. He's kind of annoyed at you."
"What can I do?! You're the smart one! How do I fix this!" The girl who can warp space around her whispers in blind panic.
"Tsk." Lisa hums. "Alright. Yeah. So. Let me kind of walk you through my thought process. Why do you think he's a parahuman."
"Be...cause he keeps buying weird stuff?" The girl mutters dejectedly.
"And why did you think he was a parahuman before?" Lisa continues.
"Because his appearance changed?" The girl mutters.
"Mhm? Something that happens to all parahumans, right?" She crosses her arms over her chest. "Now answer me this... does Jayden have eyes?"
She can see Missy's expression pause, the answer dawning on her, she cringes, guilt radiating off her body. She can only offer up a single word of response. "Oh..."
"Yeah." The thinker agrees. "He's probably a parahuman, he's just being difficult because you didn't tell him and walk in there trying to accuse him when you yourself haven't even for a moment been honest with him."
"I-I need to go back and-" Lisa stops the girl by placing her hands on her shoulders and gently leading her away.
She ponders for a moment trying to find the words to explain this. "He's annoyed right now... let him cool off for a bit. Give him a day or two. Then go to him- Knock on his door- and be honest with him. Talk to him, explain why you hid it from him, apologize for it, and he may tell you about his powers... or he might want to make you wait a bit. Just whatever you do, do not immediately go to the PRT. Ask him if that's what he wants to do. Just don't go behind his back and betray his trust like that."
"Right now he isn't really angry with you, irritated and annoyed, maybe even a little petty, but not really angry. If you tell your parents about it, they'll jump to the Prt and force him to join, and while yes it's the best decision... boys don't want to feel powerless without any control of their lives. You can voice your disagreements, you can try and convince him, just don't force him to do it."
"O-Okay..." Missy sniffles. "I'll do that... I'll ask him tomorrow."
[Split]
Pov: Returned
I swear, Missy, asking me if I'm a parahuman just flat out like that when you yourself have been hiding that for the past like... eight months.
Not even a word to me about it.
Whatever.
Tonight's the night.
Either this ritual works, I get magic blood and slowly start condensing my own magical energy so I can stop stabbing myself... ooooor this ritual can't actually use synthetic blood rubies and I fucking die.
Sixty-forty in 'it'll work's favor.
I mean, synthetic gems are basically identical to mined rubies. This'll totally work.
That leads to me. Right now. In the back yard, bleeding over a large aluminum sheet and creating a large ritual circle upon it.
Where did I get the sheet of Aluminum?
Craft store. One of the only things I actually bought in Brockton bay. Said I wanted it to make noise for a student film I was making... you know, the 'wugu wugu wugu' of wobbling a metal sheet. It's a CLASSIC sound!
My eyes stray upwards as the moon begins to rise into the sky, it should be eclipsed anywhere between ten to fifteen minutes from now which means I don't have much time left.
My finger finishes the final small circle before connecting it to three others with lines. I do the same with three lower circles as well, creating a mirrored triangle.
I draw a much smaller circle at the very center of what I have created... then comes the drawing of runes. Gold dust is sprinkled onto the two triangles, I almost don't have enough gold dust, but I manage to complete the sigil, then I pour the sap from the trees into a few of the smaller circles alongside pieces of blood ruby which I had cut up into small squares with my father's hacksaw.
I place the amber at the very center of this elaborate rune, and now?
I just need to lay down and put my heart above that little piece of amber. So I take my shirt off any lay down, looking down at my chest where I carefully reach out with a bloody finger and draw a mark on my chest right above where my heart is.
I am feeling extremely lightheaded right now. This is by far the largest ritual circle I have ever drawn, I've probably burned through a pint of my blood at least, my vision is darkening but I have to keep going.
With one small streak I allow my arms to fall to my side, my breath coming out in sharp pants as my vision swims. The amber rock pokes uncomfortably into my back, my breathing is unsteady
I definitely should have sat some blood aside... shit... it's getting kind of... dark...
[Split]
I snap awake as it feels like fire courses through my veins, I nearly bite my tongue as I can see glowing red lights all around me, the symbol on my chest brightens into a deep cherry red.
The moon above is a bloody orange color, I can feel my back make contact with the the metal plate behind me as blood rushes in my ears, my heartbeat thudding in my chest as I writhe and groan.
Suddenly I fall limp, like a puppet that had its strings cut, a dull ache fills my entire body, my veins feel like they're on fire.
I weakly groan as I stumble forwards, it appears that the blood has been completely burnt off the metal sheet, as had the symbol that was on my chest.
I stagger back towards the house, not even bothering to put my shirt back on as I hold it loosely with one hand.
I leave the numerous small jars and bottles behind, I'll pick them up in the morning. They're kind of out of the way as well so it doesn't really matter.
All I want to do now... is go to bed. My head is pounding, my hands feel like they're on fire. Every step feels like my feet are encased in brick.
I slip in through the back door, make my way through the kitchen then turn and march up the stairs.
I make it to my bedroom door and step inside, pain and exhaustion filling my body as I gently shut the door behind me.
I walk all of five steps before collapsing onto my bed, not even bothering to slide under the blankets, my body feels too warm. I think I'm running a fever.
Either I die in my sleep or I wake up with magic blood.
The pain has shaken my earlier confidence.
Fifty-fifty.
Either I get a weapon that will let me eventually fight the endbringers... or I die.
Hey, either way I can stop worrying about basic muggers!