Chapter 7: 6 - Blood Word
Levreshka quickly leaves the training center, riding away on her loyal steed. Ayra, on the other hand, remains, though her mood is anything but cheerful.
Sasha Valakys, twenty-six years old, fourth daughter of Drakhul Valakys. That's how she introduced herself, offering her fingers for a hand-kiss. The elderly man with her, as I suspected, is her familiar, Dorje Valakys. Based on his name and appearance, he resembles one of those Tibetan monks who spend their lives meditating under waterfalls—yes, I've definitely watched too many movies.
«So, you're the famous predestined familiar...» Sasha murmurs, her tone unmistakably mischievous as she approaches me with a graceful, seductive stride. With each step, her ample chest bounces in an almost hypnotic rhythm. «I never thought I'd see one, considering it's been nearly six hundred years since the last one appeared... I'm quite lucky, though not as lucky as my little sister Ayra.»
«As you can see, this area is already occupied,» Ayra states firmly.
«I know, little sister, don't worry...» Sasha raises her hands in mock surrender. «Father's rules are clear: whoever ranks higher on the leaderboard has priority over the training grounds. My familiar is ranked 228th, while yours... pff... is 2014th. Still, I'll let you use it. Honestly, I'm quite curious to see how you perform as a trainer, considering it's your first time.» Sasha finishes with a mocking tone. «Pretend I'm not even here,» she says, moving to the edge of the small arena.
At first glance, Ayra's relationship with Sasha seems even worse than her relationship with Levreshka. Either Ayra's sisters are unbearable, or she is. But seriously... is that old man really ranked so high? He looks like he just walked out of a retirement home.
«Don't let that bitch distract you!» Ayra snaps, noticing that my eyes haven't left Sasha's buttocks for even a second as she walked away. What can I say? Her buttocks practically screamed, "Hey, look at us!"
«Let's start with the simplest Blood Word,» Ayra says, her gaze serious and focused, like a true professor—though one straight out of an adult film. She extends her arm forward, her fist partially closed, as if gripping an invisible rod. Around her hand, a scarlet aura appears—red and dark like blood, so dense it looks solid—or perhaps liquid. «Blood Word: Telum!»
As she speaks, the red liquid surrounding Ayra's hand begins to stretch and take shape like molten metal, instantly forming a sword, the same deep red as the energy that created it.
This is... amazing! Incredible! And the best part? I'll be able to do the same—being the only one among more than two thousand familiars who can! A rush of adrenaline and impatience shoots through me like an electric jolt. I extend my right arm forward, mirroring Ayra's movement.
«Sanguis energy is controlled directly by the mind,» Ayra explains. «In simple terms, use your imagination to shape the magical energy! You need to visualize a sword in your hand and then cast the spell 'Telum.' Understood?»
Visualize holding a sword. It sounds so simple. My determined gaze locks onto my semi-open fist, mirroring hers. I need to see the sword in my mind. Visualize the sword. Visualize the sword! «Blood Word: Telum!»
...
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not even a tiny letter opener. What a letdown...
Sasha lets out a soft laugh, gracefully covering her mouth with her hand. Ayra, on the other hand, looks caught between embarrassment and disbelief.
«Lyon, are you stupid or what?!» Ayra snaps. «I told you to imagine holding a sword in your hand—it's not that hard!»
«Oh, little sister...» Sasha sighs, clearly amused. «Blaming your familiar for your own incompetence as a trainer isn't very princess-like.»
«Stay out of this!» Ayra retorts sharply.
In that instant, Sasha disappears. A moment later, a red flash flickers behind me.
«W-What do you think you're doing to my familiar?!» Ayra demands, her irritation growing, as she addresses her sister, now standing behind me.
«Simple. Demonstrating how a TRUE trainer operates,» Sasha replies with her characteristic haughty demeanor, thinly veiled by politeness.
I don't even have time to turn around before I feel something press against my back. Something large—very large—and soft. An unmistakable presence... Sasha's boobs! Her bust is fully pressed against my back... and her hands... one gently rests on my abdomen, while the other grips my shoulder, her cheek brushing softly against mine.
«Y-You slut, take your hands off my familiar!» Ayra roars, but Sasha completely ignores her.
«My inexperienced sister isn't entirely wrong,» Sasha begins, her warm voice a soft whisper in my ear. «You need to visualize the sword in your hand, but that's only the final step. Naturally, because of her inexperience as a trainer, she doesn't realize that channeling Sanguis energy—which comes as naturally as breathing to a vampire—can be quite challenging for a human.»
Sasha's voice is so... calm, soothing, and yet undeniably sensual. I hold my breath as her words brush against my ear.
«Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Inhale... exhale... yes, just like that...» Her left hand, resting on my abdomen, moves up and down in sync with my breathing. «Focus on the warmth flowing through your body—the warmth of Visanguis. You need to feel it as a part of yourself, imagine it as a stream of purple light spreading throughout your entire body...»
«Y-Yes... I see it...» I murmur, my breathing growing heavier with each word.
«Now, imagine that flow converging from every part of your body. It flows through your arm and reaches your hand...»
As she speaks, I feel her nail lightly trace a line from my shoulder to my semi-closed fist. A shiver shoots through me, my body hair standing on end as goosebumps spread... her voice is just so... so...
I snap my eyes open. My hand is encased in the same floating red substance Ayra had summoned earlier. I can do this, I must! «Blood Word: Telum!»
The scarlet aura starts to take shape just as I imagined. First, the hilt forms, then it extends upward to create the blade. My excitement skyrockets—I've never felt this accomplished in my life... but the moment doesn't last. In an instant, my creation starts to drip onto the ground like molten wax, first drop by drop, then all at once.
Damn... this is way harder than it looks. Keeping focus on Ayra's naked body, on sustaining the Visanguis, on the flow inside me, and on the shape of the sword all at once demands an insane level of concentration. Who knows if I'll ever be able to pull it off...
«Not bad for a first attempt,» Sasha murmurs as she steps away from me, returning to her familiar, who had stayed at the edge of the arena. This time, her tone isn't mocking but sincere, giving me a faint glimmer of hope.
«I look forward to your next fight, which, if I'm not mistaken, is in two days. See you soon,» she says with a friendly yet slightly mischievous smile, before disappearing in the same red flash as when she arrived.