Blood Charm: III. Inner Darkness

The Blood Charm
Chapter 2 - Inner Darkness


"General Khur's log, entry 117

Strangely quiet day today. Scouts reported enemy movement 3 days ago but still no sign of an attack. No doubt this is the calm before the storm.

Annika has requested that she be assigned to Secondary Defense. It's about time! I was beginning to wonder if that girl would ever stop being such a bleeding heart. Surely my stories of wartime glory have inspired her fighting spirit! Still, I must admit I was a bit surprised. She was always so intent on being assigned to scouting missions in order to avoid shedding blood. And now all of a sudden she wants to be assigned to Secondary. I wonder if there is something more to her sudden change of heart."



"Doctor Blith's journal, entry 93

There have been far less injuries for me to attend to recently. I am thankful for this break in action, while it lasts.

I've spent the extra time continuing my research on pain relieving drugs. The experiment with the purro roots was a failure. I am unable to repeat the success of the first test. Perhaps it is not the root itself that provides the results I seek.

There is something strange about the way Annika is acting lately. She usually comes in for her weekly check-up without a single scratch. She told me she refuses to shed the blood of another and always insists on taking missions that do not require her to fight. But today she came in with a large gash on her left arm. She told me she has been assigned to Secondary Defense, which is a surprise to me. Her superiors have always been understanding of her decision to avoid violence. It seems strange that they would suddenly assign her to such a position. I can't quite explain why, but somehow I think she wanted to be assigned there."



"Reina's diary, entry 66

I am concerned about Annika. We've been friends since childhood and I've always known her to be a kind and gentle person. Everyone knows that if it were not mandatory, she would have never enlisted to the army. She always tells me how she'll leave the army as soon as she has served the required two years. But lately she's been acting really strange. She smiles less now and seems so intent on fighting. She also spends a lot of time by herself. She didn't even say hi to me in the training room today.

I know it sounds crazy, but I think it has to do with the Blood Charm. That's what Annika and I call that medallion she found the other day because of the blood-red coloured stones that decorate it. She told me she liked it because it symbolized the worth of blood and how it was wrong to spill it. She wears it around her neck all the time. Is it just coincidence that she only started acting like this a couple days after she found it? I talked to Doctor Blith today and he agreed that there is something strange about the way she's acting.

I told her I was concerned but she said she was just having a mood swing and that I was just being paranoid. But my gut tells me it's more than that.

Tomorrow, I will speak with Doctor Blith about the Blood Charm. I think I will also tell him about Annika's troubling past. I promised not to tell anyone about her... condition. But I don't think I have a choice."

Jellyfish Heaven

The goal was the paint a picture that is soft, calm, and beautiful; just like the person I painted it for.

Blood Charm chapter 2 coming soon...

The Blood Charm
Chapter 1 - Annika



"General Khur's log, entry 103

New recruits came in today. I see a lot of promising faces and potentially powerful fighters. As always, there are some who do not wish to fight. Already gotten two applications for non-violent scout missions. Bah, where do all these self-righteous pacifists come from anyways? Our great city is at war! In time, they’ll see the only way to truly defend our great land is to fight!

Besides, with Annika as a full time scout, we don’t need any more scouts. I’m certainly not interested in appointing more scouts just to appease those weak-minded peace lovers!

I may have failed to convince Annika that spilling the blood of our enemies is necessary to defend our home, but I will not fail to do so with the new recruits.”



"Doctor Blith's journal, entry 81

Mending the wounded can be so tiring sometimes. Today I worked non-stop; I did not even break to eat till my shift ended. In this time of war, I am thankful for General Khur’s sturdy and confident command of the army, but sometimes I think his impulsive orders cause more harm to the soldiers than necessary.

Annika has brought me the purro roots I requested, as well as her usual stories from her various scout missions. I will begin the experiment on the roots as soon as possible."



"Reina's diary, entry 56

I have been assigned to patrol duty for the next week. That's just the nice quiet break I've needed. Though I still intend to continue my rigorous training.

Today, Annika came back from her scout mission in the Yette Forest with a strange looking medallion. It’s forged with solid silver and decorated with blood-red gems. She says the forest is full of hidden treasures. Gosh, I'd love to explore that forest one day."

Mutant Moth

Blood Charm: I. Hidden Curse

The Blood Charm
Prologue - Hidden Curse

“Among blue flowers it laid, glimmering in the morning light; so beautiful, with its brilliant jewels and intricate design. Yet it was the bleakest of curses that hid behind this façade of beauty. Indeed, no one could have known the dark future that this charm would bring…”

Things I Painted For Other People

These are two paintings that I did for other people. Painted while I was slacking off at work.

My next post will most likely be the first installment of the Blood Charm series (finally).

Thing

Just practicing from photo ref so that the next attempt at the first Blood Charm illustration doesn't turn out as bad as the previous attempts.

Work's keeping me busy so it's hard to find free time to do this. But I'm not out for the count just yet! This project WILL be manifest, or I'll die trying.