For the A-to-Z Challenge 2016, I am blogging info on my current work-in-progress, a YA fantasy/adventure mini-series tentatively titled “The Other World”.
Yesterday I explained that ‘The Other World’ takes place in a Universe full of ancient magic. I also mentioned that one of the ancient magical beings of the world’s past bestowed a form of magic on humans. What I didn’t mention is that those particular humans were all of the same clan – or family, if you will – and that the type of magic they were gifted with was blood magic.
Not much is written about those olden days, for writing itself had not yet come to be created, but I like to imagine that first human clan used the magic in their blood to help all the clans to survive and flourish. Perhaps their blood could help the crops to grow, or heal someone who had been seriously hurt. Regardless, that power was a revered thing, and eventually the other clans decided that that blood magic had helped them all so much that perhaps the human clan deserved to lead them all. That was how the first – and only – royal family came to be.
Over time the blood magic was employed less and less as the bloodline was diluted and the strength weakened. Eventually the reality of the royal family’s power was all but forgotten to the passages of time, until one particularly nasty young prince discovered a musty old book – a journal – written by one of his ancestor’s attendants. The book described how the prior king had tamed a wild beast that was terrorizing the kingdom, and that he’d done it by cutting his own palm and pressing it to the beast’s tongue. The author described how a strange calm had immediately fallen over the creature, all the rage and violence gone out of its eyes, and that it had followed the king around like a faithful pet afterward and until the end if its days.
It was then, reading about how his ancestor had been able to control the creature with not but a slice of his own hand, that the young prince made a very fateful decision indeed.
I hope you’re enjoying the A-to-Z Challenge and my little snippets of ‘The Other World’! If you’re interested in what else I’ve written, please be sure to check out ‘Nowhere to Hide‘, available on Amazon in both hard copy and e-book versions!
No Page Left Blank 
Wow.. What a beautiful theme for letter B.. Blood magic.. And the story is very interesting.. Lovely read.
All the Best for the challenge. Have a good time.. 🙂
Thanks! And thanks for dropping in! I’m glad the topic intrigued you. ^_^
You are always welcome. 🙂
Agreed, very interesting start. Or, middle, or wherever it is in the actual story. 🙂 It’s sort of a “traditional” fantasy genre view, and yet it’s not. Good for you for trying new stuff. 😉
It’s nice to hear you say that, because that’s kinda what I’m going for. It’s got a lot of traditional fantasy themes, but there’s a lot of different, more modern stuff intertwined into it as well…I’ll get to that later on. ^_~
It’s a personal taste thing as well…I just feel the publishing industry is shoving out too many formulaic, cliched pieces, and it’s jading the public…(See all my fancy, big, writer’s words I used?) I’m really trying to do different takes in my own work, so I’m constantly aware of when someone’s project sounds fresh. Good luck with yours!
I definitely feel you there. The traditional publishers put too much emphasis on pumping out clones of whatever has sold well recently; they couldn’t care less about new, interesting stuff that they would actually have to take a chance on. It’s very depressing.
But some of us care and want to get fun new stuff out there! Viva la revolution! XD
I love the tale of how the blood magic began. Awesome!
Jo-Ann
Thanks! I’m a little partial to it myself. 😀
Blood magic. . , since I don’t read a lot of high fantasy, I don’t come across it much. Usually i only see it for curses and binding magic. Then the odd witch spell stuff. This is an interesting take on it.
Most of the time when I’ve come across blood magic in fiction it was an evil thing; the author (or whomever) used the BLOOD aspect to enhance the idea of it being the wrong path. I wanted to try something a little different, with the underlying point that it’s the USER that makes it evil, not the magic itself. ^_^
Ancient blood magic, I love it. In the “hands” of the wrong person, creature control will be disastrous.
I see what you did there. lol But yes, we will certainly get to that in future posts. ^_~
Lol Glad you saw it, I was proud of myself for that one 🙂
Blood magic, I’m intrigued. I haven’t read much fantasy. I need to check it out.
Ooh, perhaps I’ve broadened your horizons? For the win! XD
Very interesting. I feel trouble ahead, and I’ll be back to see what happens next…
Boldly Going Through the Alphabet!
@shanjeniah
Part-Time Minion for Holton’s Heroes
shanjeniah’s Lovely Chaos
Oh, there will be quite a bit trouble coming up very soon, no doubt. >:)
I can’t help but think that prince is going to get himself into some serious trouble.
You have no idea. Ke ke ke…>:)