Today I buried one of the people closest to me, Ian. For a reason unknown to me, he decided to break the magic taboo and use the magic of blood. I can't understand why he did it. Did he want to see if he could find anything to heal Hemasitus with this magic? Blood magic has always been considered horrible, but it wasn't a taboo until this disease was discovered. So why did he do it? I don't know if there’s any sense in thinking about it now. I have to take care of Peter and Kasei now, and I have to find that crazy Mateo before he does anything worse....

Edward was sitting at his desk writing another note. Kasei, in her human form, was sitting nearby, eating an orange she bought yesterday and reading a book about legends from all over the world.

“Hey, Ed” she said, not taking her eyes off her book.

“Yes?” He didn't stop writing either.

“Peter hasn't left his room since the funeral. It's already the evening, some time has passed since then…”

“15 hours has passed.” He answered. “The funeral was at seven in the morning, now it’s ten at night.”

“Even the hunger will not make him go out?”

“No, he's probably starving himself again.” He put down his pen and then stood up. “I will pull him out of the room, even by force. It's not normal to not eat for so long.”

“Peter doesn't eat much in general, as I noticed....”

“I know that, and I don't like it.” He approached the door. “I think I'll start controling it more.”

Edward went out and then walked towards his younger brother's room. He wanted to knock, but he stopped because he heard some strange, quiet sounds. They resembled painful sobs clenched with teeth. The golden-haired was terrified, quickly he opened the lock with magic and went inside. Candles lit the room, as the window was covered with a black foil. Peter was sitting by a desk, with his back to Ed. He turned his head around suddenly.

“Why did you come here...?” he asked in a weak and scared voice.

“Well, you didn’t eat anything, you locked yourself in your room again, and I thought I heard...” Ed's attention was drawn to something on the table, something that reflected the light of the candle. When he took a closer look, he saw that it was a scalpel. He came closer. “Peter, what is it?”

“Ah-- Y-Yes, it's just a scalpel. You know, a knife for treatments!” He explained and quickly covered it with his hand.

“...Why is this covered in blood?” Edward asked him, worried.

“Well... You know... I was researching something, and...”

Edward came even closer because he felt something was wrong. He took a good look at his younger brother who tried to hide his hands. And then he saw that the bandage on his right wrist was red.

“Peter...” he began.

“Y-Yes...?” “Show me your hands.”

“But... why...?” he asked terrified and started shaking a little. Ed threw himself at him and pressed him against the wall. Peter struggled, but Ed grabbed his hands tight and immobilized the rest of his body with his own. He let go of his brother's left hand quickly and then tore off the bandage from his right wrist. He saw a few deep wounds, older one along the vein and several newer ones still bleeding. At this sight, Edward's eyes were full of fear, anger, and sadness, his pupils were like speckles. He also tore off the bandage from his left shoulder, and there were also wounds. Edward thought at first that Peter had bandaged the injuries Mateo had inflicted on him, so he didn't ask. But now, knowing the truth, he couldn't believe that his brother had mutilated himself.

Edward slowly let go of Peter and moved away, still looking at him with those eyes.

“Edward... I-I-I...” he spoke with a trembling voice. The older brother couldn't say anything, he moved even further away and then ran out of the room. “ED, WAIT! PLEASE!”

The younger golden-haired boy started crying hysterically. Kasei, as soon as she heard it, got up and ran quickly towards his room. When she arrived, she saw it all: a bloody scalpel, bloody bandages, crying Peter and wounds on his hands. She put her hand to her mouth.

“What have you done?!” she asked terrified.

“EVERYTHING I DO CREATES PROBLEMS, DOESN’T IT?!” He answered with a loud and extremely desperate scream. “I HATE MYSELF! ALL I DO IS HURT OTHERS! I... I... I can't stand it anymore... I can't stand it...”

“P-Peter…” She came closer. “You're not a problem, it's just... It all must've too much for you...”

“Please... Get out...” He moaned. “Peter, I'm not leaving until...”

“I SAID GET OUT!” He pushed her out of the room, slammed the door, and then strengthened the lock with magic. After that he fell on his knees and cried. He cried loudly, pulling his hair with his hands. Kasei was still standing behind the door, listening to his terrifying sobbing. She put both hands on the door and touched them with her forehead.