Chapter 4

"The last part of what we needed for our plans were finished successfully during our slumber."

Tristan shifted slightly at the mention of their earlier sleeping predicament. 

He continued to listen to Alexiel attentively though without fail. Thankfully today was still his big day!

"We are both Classified as level 2 mutants with a General threat level. 

Fortunately, or otherwise, those are of course the lowest estimations of our abilities given to us by the state with the limited information they could collect on us during our mandatory registration. 

Without the gory awakening recap, my Blood Regeneration ability when used on others gives rise to a limited healing factor.

Although the state legislation has collaborated with large Corporations like the Red Rosary Medical to ban the use of mutant bodily donations. 

Through other more underground channels my family has found a way to provide security and resources for our livelihood by doing shady business with a few underground clinics.

We're even in business with some more or less appetizing creatures of the night. 

After years of working together and receiving feedback from their experiments, its been found that not only does my blood generate a small healing factor in the patients, they are also likely to see reverse aging, the clearing of impurities and sickness, and also achieve a level of satiation."

Tristan was very interested in hearing all this as he knew it played a huge part of what was gonna happen today. 

Alexiel made sure he still had Tristan's attention after giving him a moment to digest what he had just said before he continued. 

"Through the few secret experiments we did with your ability at school, your Crystallization ability not only allows you to turn your body into that crystal like substance in parts or full, but you can also turn other organic or inorganic materials into crystal with greater expenditures of your internal energy. 

What's even more striking is your ability to absorb things you've crystallized and use them to strengthen and heal yourself!"

Alexiel took another breath, he couldn't help mulling over the same thoughts he always had after they found out this part of Tristan's ability. 

Maybe if Tristan's parents would have allowed for further testing of his ability he may have been fully healed a long time ago. 

An ability that lets you turn anything you want into such a strong substance that can be absorbed at will and used to enhance oneself is not easy to come by. 

It's very likely that Tristan's ability was under-evaluated given his youth and grievous injuries. 

Alexiels ability awakened at the tender age of five, that was 9 years ago. Back then they definitely wouldn't have used his blood to test on other humans to see its effects. 

And its, not so noticeable, reverse aging and satiation of animals in experiments, would be much more likely assumed that the animals have lost their appetite and may even be ill afterwards. 

After the hospital and evaluation team sent him home his father was in a rage at the fact that they considered their little boy's blood dirty! 

Can you imagine having access to a near unlimited blood bank that could be used to save many lives but being refused the option of donation because you're a mutant? 

This disgusted his father greatly. Bags of blood started filling up in the house and the only thing he could do was throw them out. Just the thought of that would send him into a rage everyday. 

Alexiels father, Karlito was a very shady man to begin with so it didn't even take him a week to think of other options when it came to this situation. 

Already having some contacts in the underground industries he quickly found an unregistered doctor that was willing to take a few units of blood on a test drive. 

This was a turning point in the family's life and the amount of income they could get their hands on increased many fold. 

Average adults usually house about 10 units of blood in their body while this son of theirs could easily generate up to 40 extra units of blood a day. 

For unregistered doctors and clinics with poor connections getting resources for their private clients will always be an issue. 

And now this son could produce a resource that would never lose demand, how was this not a major win? 

After being scorned by the regulations industry Alexie's parents never let him go back for further evaluations and was very comfortable sitting at home and silently collecting money. 

As Alexiel grew older his ability to produce and its positive side effects increased as well. Not only did the doctors need to use just a fraction of the normally required blood, but the success rate of their operations increased tremendously. 

Alexiel was not just their proverbial golden goose but literally! After many years they had created a solid network for themselves but were smart enough to keep their head low. 

Mutants or not,  no one in the family had a very strong offensive ability and hiring too many outsiders for protection would generally cause more problems later down the line. 

Karlito insured the safety of their home and hired engineers to create the wristbands that Alexiel wears that extracts blood and stores it in tempered vials. 

Alexiel also had a few ideas about his ability that he never shared with anyone. When his blood was introduced into the body of another person he could always feel a small link to them.

Nothing concrete or substantial, but a small tug that linked you to a favorite place that you missed going to, or a craving of what brings you comfort. 

He never explicitly met those patients he donated to, but every so often as he walked the streets or traveled to different places sometimes he would feel that tug grow closer as he passed by certain strangers. 

There are a few cases that stood out, like this young girl who stopped and stared at him as they grew closer in proximity. 

She even almost called out to him but in the final moments her parents just grabbed her hand and led her down the street. 

Even without asking,  Alexiel knew she must be a patient that had been treated with his blood on a number of occasions. 

Growing up with all these minor connections left a soft burden on Alexiel that grew substantial as his mind and awareness expanded. 

That feeling of being connected to so many people, to have touched so many lives, yet for there to be such a great distance between them. 

It's not like he could walk up to people and declare he had saved their lives or in the very least helped them get more healthy. 

That was just improper and he was never someone who felt others owed him. Even more so because these were all people who had paid for their service, they didn't owe each other anything more after such a transaction. 

They helped him live a more than fulfilling life and they got to live healthier lives, everyones already winning, no need for unnecessary complications. 

Even still, that burden left Alexiel feeling very lonely. Like having a family that lives far and wide but being unable to be happy and healthy and loved together. 

Tristan was an excellent friend to him. What really drew Alexiel to chase after Tristan was really his air of loneliness. 

It had shocked Alexiel the level of deprivation this fellow student was going through and he immediately knew he wanted to do something to change it.

It took months of hard work and patience on his part before Tristan finally started letting him in, and after a little over a year they were finally able to start sharing the deeper parts of themselves with each other. 

Now after almost two years of figuring things out Alexiel was ready to help give his best friend a better life! 

"You asked earlier if the blood was in one of the vials in the fridge, the truth is I've been storing the blood in my body, my heart to be precise, all this time.

I've collected the freshest, most potent blood, and have been keeping it compressed in my heart. Thankfully I've had almost ten years worth of practice manipulating my blood.

We will use my blood essence for this, its 100 units of blood compressed and refined to perfection. 

My heart is brimming with power right now. Tristan when I let it out you must, without fail, immediately begin Crystallization to prevent any breakdown!" 

Tristan was shocked and excited! This had to work! 100 units of mutant blood that's known for it's healing! Their plan had to work! 

"Mmm!" 

Tristan nodded seriously and had a very fierce gaze! He was fully ready!

"We're lucky really, we would have had to wait for after school if this was a regular day. Now we can start immediately!"

Alexiel stood up and motioned Tristan to follow suit! Face to face Alexiel had his palms facing up and Tristan held his palms a foot above waiting for the blood essence to emerge.