The ball of light intensified it's brightness, ''I was renowned across the world for being the founder of blood magic. A mere slave who rose up to power, joining the current cohort of hero's and worked with them at the time to bring peace across the world. I traversed the world and began being known for how my magic could be used to save people. To heal''
''Over time everyone across the five regions started calling me the same thing The Saint of Salvation. A hero. A genius who founded a new magic pathway of blood using it to heal the masses''
Soren interrupted, ''How is that possible, you said that you were in the hero's cohort at the time. How could you heal them wouldn't the different magic particles conflict in their body only causing them more harm?''
The ball of light replied, ''That's why they called me a genius. That's why they worshipped me calling me a Saint. I found away to make my magic resonate with the respective magic particles in whoever I wished to heal. I founded a way to avoid to issue of conflicting magic particles that affected stronger mages like my comrades, as the stronger you become the less healing methods have an effect on you unless it's a powerful enough one from the same magic pathway''
''So why did they betray you then? If you were renowned as a Saint how could they just kill you?'', Soren asked
The crimson light flickered softly, as if the question itself had stirred something old and bitter. For a long moment the Saint said nothing. When he finally spoke, his voice had changed, ''They were afraid of my power. The potential I held in my hands. I remember that time''
The Saint and his comrades the now Kings and Queens: Rael, Lucedor, Valeria, Zephyr and Seraphine had just joined hands to defeat the calamity beast, a giant dragon that toppled an entire kingdom and reeked havoc across the western region for several decades. After killing the dragon all of them absorbed a large influx of it's essence that it had been absorbing for several decades allowing the six of them to raise their power all the way to rank 5. A couple of weeks before their battle against the dragon the Saint was locked away researching, trying to develop a newfound technique that would help in their upcoming battle. That's where it all started
Rael was strolling around their camp that they had made in a forest near the town, searching for the Saint calling his name, ''Thorne where are you? We need you to come here to discuss something.'' Whilst they travelled together as a group the whole cohort knew never to bother Thorne whilst he was researching his new techniques. Oddly he became very secretive and defensive so they all learned to leave him to his own devices, but as they were getting closer to their battle against the Calamity Dragon the time they had was getting too thin, so he searched for him as they couldn't wait for him to be done any longer
Rael searched until he heard the sound of distant screams leading him to advance quickly in the direction of the screams, but what he found was not only the origin of those screams but also his comrade, his friend Thorne. A man was tied to a broken post driven into the ground. A war criminal- a previous enemy that they had defeated. His armour had been stripped away and his body hung limp, bound by the wrists with rope darkened by blood. The screams were coming from him
Standing in front of him was Thorne
For a moment Rael could not move. The man before him was the same companion who had fought beside him through years of war, the same friend who had laughed beside their campfires. Yet what he saw now felt like someone else entirely
Thorne's hands were red
The prisoner convulsed weakly as Thorne worked with slow, deliberate movements, as if he were studying something rather than harming a living man. Blood ran down the captive's side in thin streams, dripping steadily into the dirt below. The ground beneath him had already turned dark and wet.
Another scream tore from the prisoner's throat
Thorne didn't even flinch
He leaned closer instead, watching the man's reaction with a strange, quiet focus. There was no anger in his face, no rage that might explain the cruelty. Only cold concentration. The kind someone might wear while solving a difficult problem
Rael felt his stomach twist
"Thorne…" he said slowly
The name barely left his mouth before the prisoner cried out again, the sound cracking into hoarse, desperate sobs. His body trembled violently against the ropes, every movement weak and frantic, as if his strength was already nearly gone. Still Thorne continued. Only after several long seconds did he pause and glance over his shoulder. His expression was calm. Almost curious. As if Rael's presence had interrupted nothing more than an experiment. For the first time since the war had begun, Rael felt something cold settle in his chest
Thorne looked over his shoulder seeing the startled Rael, ''Oh Rael. I told you guys not to disturb me during my research, but I guess you have finally seen it. I didn't want to show you guys because I didn't know how you would react. Everyone before you didn't give any positive reviews I'll say that much''
Rael felt his stomach churning, ''What is this? Research?''
Thorne responded, ''Yes I've found enlightenment. Through my research I found that my blood magic resonates with the recipient's own magic pathway, but what if it could do more. What if I could resonate my own mana particles with others? I can solve the issue of conflicting mana particles, I would have the potential to cultivate every magic pathway''
Rael just looked at Thorne, not even moving just listening shocked, 'Dangerous'
'He has no emotion when dissecting a live human right in front of him labelling it his research and now he's talking about he's gained the possibility to cultivate every magic pathway'
Rael clenched his jaw. If what Thorne was saying was true… if he had truly found a way to make his mana resonate with others instead of conflicting with them. Then the implications were terrifying. Every mage was bound by the limits of their own magic pathway. Fire mages could not wield wind. Earth could not wield lightning. Their bodies simply rejected foreign mana, tearing themselves apart if they tried to force it. But if Thorne had truly solved that problem
Rael's stomach twisted
'A man insane enough to conduct experiments on living people and at the same time being able to blend with society as a normal person. What would happen when he gains more power? What would he do when his ambition grows stronger?'
At that moment Rael had made a decision. He would expose his fellow comrades crimes to the rest and after they defeat the Calamity Dragon they would put him down and stop any future practioners of blood magic
Then it came to the battle against the Calamity Dragon. They won. Absorbed new founded power. Elevated their ranks from 4 to 5 and before any of them could celebrate they all turned their weapon on Thorne gutting him and sealing him in a cage diminishing any power he had
When I woke up I saw myself nailed no a cross and slowly wheeled onto a grand stage
The sky above the city was grey, heavy with smoke and ash, and the roar of voices struck my ears before I could even lift my head. A sea of people stretched out before me, packed so tightly together that the square looked like a living mass. Their faces twisted with fury. Their eyes burned with hatred
I could hear the herald long before I could see him
His voice carried across the crowd, loud and theatrical, each word dripping with condemnation
"Behold the monster who betrayed humanity! The butcher who slaughtered innocent people! A liar who told the world he was a hero!''
The crowd erupted in rage
"Demon!"
"Monster!"
"Kill him!"
My arms were stretched wide against the wood behind me, iron nails driven through bone and flesh. Every movement sent fresh waves of agony tearing through my body. Blood ran down the length of the cross in thin streams, dripping slowly onto the wooden platform beneath me
But the pain barely mattered, because when I lifted my head, I saw them. Standing at the front of the stage. My former comrades. The heroes
They stood tall in polished armour, cloaks draped over their shoulders, the people cheering their names as if they were saviours. Not one of them looked away from me. Not one of them showed even the slightest trace of regret
The herald's voice rose again
"This man, once called a healer, conducted vile experiments upon the bodies of men! He butchered prisoners of war in the name of twisted research! He sought to create a power that would corrupt the balance of magic itself!"
The crowd roared louder, their fury feeding on every word
Then someone in the mass shouted it first
"Kill the Slaughter Demon!"
Another voice joined
Then another
And another
Soon the entire square thundered with the same chant, thousands of voices shaking the air
"Kill the Slaughter Demon!"
"Kill the Slaughter Demon!"
"Kill the Slaughter Demon!"
The cross was lowered into place at the centre of the stage, chains locking it upright so I could not move. Soldiers stepped forward carrying torches, their flames dancing wildly in the wind.
The herald raised his hand
"For the crimes of treason against the heroes of mankind… for the slaughter of prisoners… and for practicing forbidden blood magic…"
He paused, letting the crowd fall into breathless anticipation
"This demon will burn"
The torches were thrown
Flames crawled across the wood first, slow at the beginning, licking along the base of the cross before climbing upward. Heat wrapped around my body as the fire spread, devouring the dry timber beneath me
The smoke rose thick and black
The crowd screamed in triumph
"Kill the Slaughter Demon!"
"Kill the Slaughter Demon!"
"Kill the Slaughter Demon!"
And as the flames finally reached me, swallowing the wood and flesh alike, I watched the heroes who once called me their friend stand there in silence
Not one of them moved
Not one of them spoke
They simply watched me burn
'I just wanted to help people. To use my talent to help others. Why is this happening to me why did they betray me! Rael!'
Thorne's throat was being burned as he spoke bringing him immense pain but he didn't care as with the last embers of life he shouted, ''I will come back! When I do I'll start by killing you first Rael and then I'll continue by killing the rest of you one by one! Sweet revenge I can't wait!''
Thorne laughed manically as his final words were said, slowly vanishing by the blazing inferno that burned him alive, until his laughter slowly stopped
''That is how I died''