Chapter 10:
"Uhhh… my stomach is full!!" Ethan groaned, flopping backward on the stone floor of the cave, his mouth still dripping with beast blood. A satisfied grin stretched across his face as he licked his fingers clean.
Across the firepit, Leach,the newly transformed former skeleton stood frozen, eyes wide, face pale. What he'd just witnessed… was nothing short of horrifying. The wolves had feasted like monsters. Ethan had devoured a beast's raw organs like it was breakfast cereal.
The mother wolf looked over. "Aren't you going to eat?"
Leach forced a small bow. "N-No thank you… I think I'm still digesting the trauma."
"Oh, come on," Ethan said, waving a chunk of bloody meat under Leach's nose. "You've got a mouth now. Might as well use it! You were fine handling manly business as a skeleton." He smirked playfully.
"I really did have business to attend!!" Leach protested, snatching the meat with trembling fingers. "Fine! I'll eat!"
He raised the meat slowly to his lips… only for his face to contort in horror.
"I can't do it…" he gagged, turning away as if about to vomit.
Ethan burst into laughter. "Told you!! Knew you couldn't handle it!"
Even the wolves chuckled, their muzzles soaked in crimson.
"No…" Leach growled dramatically, clenching the meat. "I'll eat it… my way!"
He held his other hand high, and a spiral of flame erupted from his palm.
"Now... burn!!" he shouted like a dark warlock, cackling as the flames roasted the meat midair.
The sixth-born wolf tilted her head. "Sheesh… that's kind of dark."
"Yeah, just eat it, not curse it," the others muttered as they returned to devouring their feast.
Ethan raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "How did you do that?"
Leach shrugged. "Simple. Think about the components of fire: fuel, air, spark. Bring them together with magic... voilà."
"Seriously? That easy?" Ethan looked at his own hand.
He closed his eyes and gathered his qi.
"Air... fuel... spark…"
FWOOSH!!
Flames ignited from his fingertips, swirling around his palm like a living spirit.
His grin widened. "I did it…"
Leach stumbled back, stunned. "M-Master! You generated flame on your first try! That's… incredible!"
Ethan turned the fire blue by mentally removing oxygen.
Leach gasped. "Blue flame… That's concentrated! Master, how—?"
"Skeleton," Ethan said, holding the flame before him, "is this how all magic works?"
Leach nodded. "Only for the four core elements. Fire, water, earth, and air can be manipulated like that. But the rest… light, shadow, time, mind—they require more complex channels."
Ethan nodded slowly. The familiar chime of his system rang in his ears.
♧ Flame Ability Gained ♧
♧ Flame Strength: +1200 ♧
He clenched his burning hand, then closed his palm to extinguish the flames.
"So each ability has its own energy reserve… while my core energy boosts my body and enhancements. This system really is a cheat code…"
The Pact Begins
"Alright, everyone gather around!" Ethan said, clapping his hands together.
The wolves circled him, including the mother wolf, now curious.
"Tonight," Ethan said, raising his head with confidence, "you all become human."
Gasps filled the chamber.
Leach raised his hands. Arcane symbols etched themselves into the ground beneath the wolves in glowing gold.
One by one, magic circles bloomed under their paws. A glowing line connected them to Ethan at the center.
"All that remains," Leach said, "is your blood, my lord."
Ethan bit his finger. A drop of blood fell splattering on the line. The runes glowed white-hot, blinding everyone in the room.
Born Again
As the light faded, a soft silence filled the cave. Ethan blinked several times, adjusting to the sight.
And what he saw… made his jaw drop.
Standing where wolves had once stood were eight young humans and one elderly woman, all his age, all completely naked.
The first-born stood proud with blond hair and piercing blue eyes. His build was lean, his posture noble.
"That's me, my lord," he said, kneeling respectfully.
"Second-born daughter," Ethan said, pointing. She had long, wild black hair and glowing pink eyes.
She knelt. "I am yours to command."
"Third-born," Ethan continued.
A boy with short brown hair, a grin on his lips, knelt. "Reporting for duty."
"Fourth-born daughter," Ethan said, smirking.
She had short purple hair and intense black eyes. Silent as ever, she knelt without a word.
Ethan grinned. "Yup. That's her."
"Fifth daughter," he said, turning.
Red hair, brown eyes, a gentle smile. "You are correct, my lord."
"Sixth daughter blue hair, green eyes?"
"Present," she replied.
"Seventh-born son," Ethan said, his tone calmer now. The boy had spiky orange hair and calm black eyes.
Finally, Ethan looked up at the mother wolf now a graceful, tall woman with flowing purple hair and pink eyes, radiating strength.
"And then… there's you."
She gave a proud nod and knelt.
Just as Ethan was about to finish…
"HEY!!!" a voice shouted.
Ethan blinked. A white-haired boy with glowing yellow eyes stomped over.
"You forgot about me!!"
"Oh right… the eighth-born son," Ethan muttered, rolling his eyes.
"Unbelievable," the boy grumbled.
Ethan turned to walk away. "Rest up. Tomorrow's going to be rough."
To be continued...