Something changed after that.
Kael noticed it slowly: the dead responding not to hunger, but to intent. Souls aligning themselves to his will without force, without feeding.
The Witch observed quietly. "You're no longer commanding them," she said. "They're choosing you."
Kael frowned. "Why?"
"Because you don't treat them as fuel."
The realization stunned him.
Power did not only come from consumption.
It could come from trust.