Blood bending is a very rare ability that is not magic, but rather is tied to mana. When Aethon was born he had very high levels of Mana which is life force, which allowed his body to awaken SANGUINAETHER. Sanguinaether is a specail type of blood bending. It is only found in Aethons bloodline. He was the first person in over 200+ years in his bloodline to be born with the ability. Unlike how blood bending would normally work where you can summon your blood and manipulate it to bend to your will and create weapons and use it to fight by infusing magic into it and making it stronger by enhancing it with mana, SANGUINAETHER can do more than that.
The 4 main abilities are:
1.)BIOLOGICAL INTERFACE:
-Capillary Infiltration: blood can be turned into threads and enter the body. These microscopic threads seep into the microvasculature of the BRAIN and SPINAL CORD.
-Nero fluid Binding: This makes the threads bind with the cerebrospinal fluid which allows it to circulate into key neural junctions, specifically the HIPPOCAMPUS{which is responsible for memory}, AMYGDALA { emotions}, and the PREFRONTAL CORTEX {which helps someone in their decision-making}.
2.) MEMORY WARPING
-False Memories: By stimulating specific neuron patterns, false memories can be implanted in a persons mind.
-Memory Swaps: It can be used to replace memories of trauma with something else which in turn makes the person forget a specific traumatic event.
-Emotional Recoloring: This will keep the person's factual memory intact but will change their emotional responses.
This can be achieved through sanguine waveforms which are bioelectric pulses that are encoded with willpower and enhanced with magic that print onto the part of the brain that focuses on emotions. Kinda like a tattoo but for the brain.
3.)LOYALTY ENCODING{Once the persons brain is effectively warped, they become blood bound to the Sanguinaether user.
-Vascular Sigil imprint: a thread of blood is etched into the person's blood network that triggers a dopamine-serotonin flood whenever they obey or please the weilder{This is basically like a treat for them after doing something that pleases the Sanguinaether user}. When they don't do what they are told to do, they are hit with a pain that causes withdrawal like neurological pain.
-Mirror Empathy Loop: a type of link that makes the person feel what the welder is feeling[PAIN, ANGER, HATRED or it can be projected onto them using a specific type of magic{you gonna have to read the story to see what it is}.
-Memory Loop Triggers: If the subject attempts to resist, it will activate illusions and memories that will help to reinforce loyalty.
I4.) IF THE INDIVIDUAL STILL REISTS, A RITUAL CALLED 'THE CRIMSON BLOOD' WILL BEGIN. THIS IS WHERE THE SUBJECT IS NEARLY DRAINED OF ALL THEIR BLOOD, THE SANGUINAETHER USER WILL TAKE AROUND 300 ML OF THIER BLOOD, INFUSE IT IN THE SUBJECTS BLOOD, MIX IT AND THEN PUT IT BACK IN THIER BODY. AFTER DOING THIS THIER IDENTITY WILL FRACTURE, AND ONLY THIER LOYAL SELF WILL REMIAN.
THE SIDE EFFECTS OF USING SANGUINAETHER ON SOMEONE ARE:
-Fractured Psyche, this is where a person may suffer from echo flashes, which are random flashes of memories of their past self.
-If the person is strong enough, they can resist the control by using their mana, but if they fail they will have seizures, go mad, and become blinded by rage and try to kill everything in their sight. This is because they used mana which is life force.(again,will be explained as the story progresses).