‘ ... Cultivating is the process of strengthening the soul with world essence and in turn strengthening the body. The colour of the soul determines how accepting the soul is to world essence…’

It has been many years since that snow filled night where I watched the mysterious woman disappear never to be seen again. My circumstances were very confusing at first as back then it was very hazy and hard to concentrate, it could have been my feeble body or something else. Spectral fragments of memories littered my mind for a large stretch of time which I estimated to be in years. I ended up living a very peaceful life in an orphanage in a small village in some foreign country.

And today marks the first day I regained my sense of self and it is very peculiar if I have to say to be in a younger body. In the small wooden room in which I reside is very unfamiliar in my dominant memories from before I fought the Demon King, but from the seemingly foreign memories, it is familiar. This new body comes with a slight feeling of suffocation.

Wooden boards creak behind me, with the slight squeak of a door opening. I hear a voice from the door.

“Sanguis, it's time for the …” 

Before the person can finish I spin around, senses stretching to the limit.

Thud, thud, thud.

‘I will not be caught off guard by a demon.’

Thud, thud, thud.

My mind attempts to utilize my body as a weapon. The girl standing at the door is familiar. A mana construct forms in my hand.

‘She is a demon, there are no horns.’

Thud, thud, thud

The mana begins to take shape, quickly solidifying in my ready palm. I recognise the raven black hair and green eyes.

‘You are -’

Pain breaches my thoughts threatening to tear my head in two. The mana in my hand dissipates. My heart starts to burn, while my hand moves in response. Darkness begins to close in on my consciousness, my will can’t withstand the coming tide of pain.

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***

“This way,” an elderly woman ushers a bald, aged man in black robes through wooden corridors. “Our orphanage is gracious to your Scarlet moon clan’s support over the years. The children within the age range you requested should be awaiting ahead eagerly. But just to caution you, since we reside in a small village, there are only two children to select from.” The elderly man nodded in confirmation.

Cries echo through the hallways, “Sanguis ...Sanguis … wake up, Sanguis!” 

The elderly woman quickens her pace to a wooden door further down the hallway. She rushes over to the prone body, checking its condition.

The Elderly man motions with his left hand and two transparent blue crystals appear in his hand. Holding the crystals before the children, they change from transparent to an assortment of colours.

‘The girl has a purple soul with yin nature, a rare find. Without any guidance, she could easily become a journeyman in her lifetime. But with the correct cultivation techniques and resources she could reach or surpass grandmaster, qualifying her to become a successor to the clan. And the boy has an attributeless white soul, also rare but not as strong. He could reach Journeyman level if he worked hard.’

After contemplating on the results of the soulstones, the Elder man stores the stones away, with a flick of the persistence.

“Calm down, Lilith, Sanguis is just unconscious at the moment with no physical injuries. He will wake up with time.”

Lilith nodded in confirmation to elderly lady’s words and calmed down.

"I will be taking both children with me. Make sure both children are ready to leave by the Sun down."

Ivan strides through the door leaving the room with Lilith left stunned.

***

“Mana is the escences of all magic. Without it we can not change the world around us. It …”

“But what does mana look like?”

“Gabriel, I was getting to that,”

“But you were about to start rambling about the uses of mana, I just want to know how to use it.”

“Impacients will lead to your doom. Remember patience yields focus, and focus is essential for-”

“Mana control, I get it but get to the point where we can manifest mana.”

“There is no point arguing with you Gabriel. Pay attention Sanguis.”

I focus on Elyanna, my friend and magic teacher, standing with her burned purple hair and azure eyes, arguing with Gabriel. Gabriel blonde hair glints in the afternoon light, his red eyes raging for a fight.

‘I remember this. This was the first magic lesson I had with Elyanna and Gabriel.’

I reach out to feel my mana, cool to the touch. I allow it to discapate with no resistance.

“Find us!” 

Both of them are staring at me with empty eyes.

“You must find us, Sangius. For that is your fate.”