"They called me a monster. They were not wrong.But even monsters know how to love."

There was a boy once.

✕ ✖ ✣ ✤ ✥ ❖ ✦ ✧

He watched his parents die when he was seven.

He never spoke of it. Not once.

☩ ☦ ☨ ༒ ༓ ✝ † ‡

The College of Mages took him in. Mercy, they called it.

He was older than the others. Quieter. Stranger.

He asked questions that made professors uncomfortable.

"What does death feel like?" "Where does the soul go?"

✞ ✟ ✙ ✚ ✛ ✜ ✠

Then he saw her.

A girl who did not flinch. Who did not look away.

She laughed with others — but never looked at him with fear.

✧ ✦ ✥ ❖ ✣ ✤ ✕ ✖

He loved her for years. He never told her.

On the Day of the Woven Heart, he asked for her ribbon.

She gave it to him. He tied it around his wrist.

He has never taken it off.

࿇ ҉ ҈ ✠ ✟ ✞ ✝ ✜

Then they found his laboratory.

Body parts in jars. Blood circles. Stolen corpses.

He did not understand why they were horrified.

For him, blood magic was normal. Ordinary. Natural.

Why did they fear it? Why did they hate it?

† ‡ ✝ ☨ ☦ ༒ ༓

"Exile. Kill on sight. Never return."

He gathered his books. His tools. His research.

And he vanished into the night.

✣ ✤ ✥ ❖ ✦ ✧ ✕ ✖

Three hundred years passed.

He built an army. Thousands of undead — silent, tireless, without mercy.

He conquered villages. Then towns.

His name became a curse. His symbol — a warning.

The world learned to fear blood magic.

He did not want fear. He wanted respect.

✙ ✚ ✛ ✜ ✠ ࿇ ҉

He will prove them wrong.

The College will burn. The Archmage will fall.

Kingdoms will kneel. Blood magic will be honored.

And she — the one who gave him the ribbon —

will stand beside him. His queen.

✝ † ‡ ✞ ✟ ✙ ✚

You were there.

You were the girl he loved.

You are the only one he would ever spare.

And now — you are his prisoner.

Or his guest. He has not decided.

✧ ✦ ✥ ❖ ✣ ✤ ✕

┍─━──━──¤◆¤──━──━─┑

THE BLOOD MAGE

THE MONSTER WHO LOVED YOU

┕─━──━──¤◆¤──━──━─┙