Chapter 46: It turns me on!

"ASPECT ONE!"

"HEMOVENATION!"

Sarah’s head jerked upwards almost violently.

Her entire body tensed.

Sharp cuts opened across her palm as though sliced with invisible blades, and blood began to rise from her veins.

They streamed upwards without leaving the slightest trace of blood loss on her skin.

"UNIVERSE, SHE’S DONE IT!" Druid exclaimed.

Star’s eyes lit up. "Perfect! Perfect! Keep going!" he encouraged.

’Hang on.’ His excitement faltered as a thought struck him.

Sarah had just called out her Aspect, yet, all her blood did was just flow out her veins. It hadn’t made any definitive move, like an attack or defensive manoeuvre.

’That’s not possible. Could she have techniques branching out from her Aspect?’

A Mandate(main ability) contained ten Aspects, each requiring its own arduous process of unlocking. Those fortunate enough to awaken a second Mandate would have another ten to contend with. Yet, on rare occasions, an Aspect could develop techniques of its own.

’Could Sarah be one of those rare cases? If so, she would have to split this Aspect-one energy thread as well, name them, then call them out, for an output.’

But as though to clear Star’s doubt...

"BLOOD WHEEL!"

The rising blood spun into a crimson wheel, its sharpened edges whirling like a saw.

With a piercing hiss, it swept sideways, cutting through the air before Sarah abruptly halted it.

The wheel continued spinning in place, a few droplets scattering into the nearby river.

Star shifted aside, watching it with wide eyes. ’Good, she has control.’

Jesper stared in disbelief, while Jeremy’s jaw dropped. ’She just called out another move. And that was after she had already called out her Aspect.... Could it be?’

Druid also looked utterly stunned, and even Kessarah couldn’t conceal her astonishment.

Before anyone could say more, Sarah drew the Blood Wheel back. It collapsed into a swirling mass of liquid, which gathered into a sphere above her palm.

"CRIMSON SHARDS!" She yelled again, spreading her arms.

The sphere burst apart, transforming into dozens of sharp, blood-red spikes that hovered around her, their pointed tips gleaming in the light.

"I knew it!" Jeremy blurted. "Her Aspect branched out to techniques. Universe, she’s badass!"

Druid turned towards him. "If she learns to control those properly, she’ll be terrifying."

Kessarah sighed "Yeah of course she would."

Druid stared at her for a fleeting moment before looking back towards the spectacle.

And it seemed it haven’t ended.

The spikes melted back into liquid, gathering into another sphere above Sarah’s palm.

This time she first exhaled.

Them in a more sedate tone, she bellowed.

"BLOOD SHROUD!"

The sphere just began to revolve slowly.

Everyone stared with renewed anticipation.

Little Jeremy was the highest, his mind body and sould had been pulled in.

One second, two seconds, 15 seconds

But nothing else happened.

He blinked. "That’s it? Uh common."

Others also stared in disappointed silence.

Star tilted his head slightly, studying the floating blood with growing curiosity.

He looked down at Sarah. She remained silent, but her brows knitted in concentration.

"Scary?" he mumbled.

Even Zuru had nothing to say.

Gradually, the the blood slipped back into Sarah - Her eyes returned to their normal colour - The tension in her body eased and the cut in her palms sealed up.

She drew in a deep breath, held it briefly, then exhaled, allowing the lingering strain to leave her.

She remained seated on the floor; legs crossed, hands brought together and face bright and simple. A composure that was nothing short of mature.

Well...

It didn’t last.

"I DID IT!"

She sprang to her feet.

Before she could think twice, her arms were already around Star in a tight hug.

"Mm?" Star froze, completely caught off guard by the sudden warmth pressing against him.

His hands just remained awkwardly suspended at his sides, seemingly uncertain on what to do with themselves.

But in that instant, Sarah realised what she’d done.

’Crap.’

She released him so quickly that anyone watching might have thought the embrace had never happened.

Her hands slipped behind her back, and she stared determinedly at the ground, scratching the back of her head.

"Um... thanks."

Star blinked. "Uuuh? Y-you’re welcome?"

He promptly looked away, a faint blush spreading across his cheeks.

"Actually you... you uhm... did most of the-uh... hard part."

Sarah stole a glance at him. The tips of her ears growing warm.

"It’s just..." She began tracing aimless patterns in the dirt with the toe of her shoe.. "You-you are a good sensei."

Star felt his head swell proudly. He rubbed the back of his neck. "You are not a bad student yourself."

He glanced at her briefly before looking away again.

Druid raised a brow. "Kezara remind me. What exactly did those two say when they were asked if they were together?"

Kezara’s expression tightened. Without answering, she swung her training staff low and swept Druid’s legs from beneath him.

"Ugh!" Druid hit the ground heavily.

"Kezaraa?!"

Kezara tossed the staff onto his chest. "You shouldn’t lose concentration during training. I win."

She turned away, muttering enviously, "...And whatever their reply was, it is none of your business. Ugh!"

Druid frowned up at her. "If I didn’t love you, I’d charge you with treason."

"Yeah, yeah." Keziah waved him off and headed towards the cave.

However Sarah and Star still stood in that awkward moment.

Sarah finally lifted her head.

"Um... Star?"

He turned towards her. "Yeah?"

She hesitated, suddenly looking less certain than she had while wrestling with her own power.

"I have something to tell you."

---

Beyond the river, where the forest marked the outskirts of the Diconoc Kingdom, the strange girl remained hidden behind the tree she’d been watching from.

One eye peeked around its trunk, fixed on the distant training ground.

For a while, she said nothing. Astonishment was all that rested on her expression. Then a delighted smile crept across her face.

"She’s a natural," she murmured, her voice tinged with admiration.

Her gaze lingered on Sarah.

A soft, unsettling giggle escaped her.

"Perhaps she’ll be useful after all."

She tilted her head, and the amusement in her eyes darkened.

"Perhaps she’ll help me draw him out."

Another giggle slipped from her lips before she withdrew behind the trees.

...

Sarah hesitated before finally approaching Star.

"About earlier..."

She clasped her hands together, her fingers twisting uneasily as she lowered her gaze.

"What about it?"

"I didn’t mean to, Star. I..."

She swallowed, staring at her intertwined fingers.

"I’ve spent my whole childhood fearing... fearing..."

Her faltered, but she quickly cleared her throat. "Star wh-when I saw you..."

Her voice faltered again.

"I-I didn’t mean to look at you like you were—"

"Stop."

Star shook his head, his expression suddenly closed off.

"I don’t want to talk about it."

He turned and began walking away.

"Star, please. I just wanted you to know that I’m never going to—"

"What part of I don’t want to talk about it don’t you understand?!" he snapped.

Sarah flinched.

The sudden sharpness of his voice silenced her.

Even Jeremy, who had been watching from nearby, looked up in surprise.

"Fuck." Star mumured. He turned towards Sarah again, his voice quieter this time.

"You shouldn’t have brought it up." He shook his head. "You really shouldn’t have."

Then he walked off.

Sarah remained rooted to the spot, her hands falling limply to her sides.

Zuru, who had been ready with some remark of his own, closed his mouth. Even he could tell that his sister had been hurt.

For a few moments, nobody spoke.

But then...

Jesper eventually lifted his head and glanced around the clearing.

"Wait. Where did Star go?"

---

Beyond the river, deep within the forest bordering the Diconoc Kingdom, the strange girl remained concealed behind the trees.

Her movements made no sound, and her presence was so faint that she might as well have been a phantom drifting between the shadows.

A childish giggle escaped her lips, as if that was just her hobby.

"Oh, how emotional."

She tilted her head, her smile widening.

"Not that I care. If anything, I like it."

Her eyes gleamed with peculiar delight.

"Vehitoshi should be mine alone."

Another giggle slipped out, high-pitched and strangely carefree.

"I think it’s finally time to make my first move—"

"And what might that be?"

The voice came from directly behind her.

"Wha—"

The girl darted around, her smile vanishing as she found Star standing a short distance away, watching her with a thoughtful frown.

She looked genuinely caught off guard.

’How? How did he find me? How did he even sense my presence?’

She had been careful. She had concealed herself, suppressed every trace of her presence, and watched them without once revealing her position. Yet somehow, Star had appeared behind her without warning. She was now the one that hadn’t even noticed him.

Star studied her face, searching for any hint of familiarity. It had been a long time since he’d last been in the Diconoc Kingdom, but he couldn’t recall ever seeing her before.

"So you really were just watching us, listening to us, spying? Who are you?How long have you been following us, and why? And did you think I haven’t noticed all this while?"

The girl’s surprise slowly melted into amusement.

"Haaaaaaa, Don’t you think that’s just a lot of questions?" she giggled.

She tilted her head, regarding him with an almost affectionate curiosity.

"And yes. Universe. I just keep underestimating you. What is it? The third time now. Ugh. I really shouldn’t do that, should I?"

Star’s frown deepened. "What are you talking about? I don’t even know you."

The girl feigned disappointment, pressing a hand against her chest.

"Oh, how cruel. And here I was thinking we had something special going on."

She began walking towards him.

Star didn’t move, though his expression grew increasingly wary. And something about that movement creeped him out, but the curiousity in him seemed to overpower every instinct that told him to alarm his friends.

"I said I don’t know you."

"I heard you."

She continued approaching, her smile never fading. When she was finally close enough, she lifted her gaze to meet his.

"And that’s precisely why I want you to follow my plan."

"What—"

As she spoke, a thin stream of pink ooze drifted from her mouth. It floated towards Star with weightless grace before slipping into his eyes.

The pink substance coiled around his irises, spreading across their blue until they glowed with an unnatural radiance.

That was it.

Star didn’t move.

He just looked up at her, his face totally blank and clueless.

"I will... follow your plan," Star murmured, his voice strangely stiff.

The girl smiled.

"Exactly."

The pink glow vanished and Star’s eyes returned to their usual blue.

But when he looked at her...

A faint evil smile curled across his lips.

She smiled back.

Evilly.

Then suddenly... blood began pouring from her leg.

"AAAAAARGh!"

The girl crumpled to the ground.

Star immediately turned towards the distant clearing and raised his voice.

"Help! Druid! I think someone’s injured over here!"

Druid looked up from across the training ground.

"What! How the hell did Star get all the way over there"

All of them stared at him blankly, clearly as clueless as he was.

"Come on!" he shouted, already rushing towards the river.

All of them followed suit.

As their footsteps drew nearer, Star bent over the girl.

She looked up at him.

They smiled at each other.

"I followed your plan," Star whispered.

She raised a hand and cupped his cheek.

"Aw! You look so hot, when you’re lost."

"It fucking turns me on!"