Ikli gestured to a guard who shortly brought a chalice into the hands of their leader. He then took a knife from his back pocket, which shined a black luster as if carved with gems and obsidian.
He then proceeded to slice his left hand's forearm and let the blood flow to the chalice. It was not long till it filled a quarter of the cup and he then turned to Tubo.
"Do you swear fealty to me and only me?"
Ikli asked in a demanding tone.
"Yes, your majesty."
Tubo replied with nervousness in his voice.
"Do you swear to uphold the pride of the Steel Muscle group?"
Ikli immediately asked after he heard the confirmation.
"Yes, your majesty"
Tubo became more nervous than before. Seeing that his sought after power is now within seconds, he almost cried. After years of waiting and yearning, it culminated to all this.
"Drink this blood infused with my power and it shall grant you my power. Remember your oaths as you are now linked to me. I will know if you have betrayed your own words."
Ikli said that while giving his hand with the chalice out to for Tubo to reach.
Tubo carefully walked up the steps while his eyes stayed on the chalice containing power. He stared at it as if he was afraid of it disappearing and vanishing.
He reached out and held the chalice in his hands. This is now the most awaited part of his life. His life long dream of gaining power is now within his hands. All he had to do was drink this blood.
'This is finally it. I can finally gain power after all these years. All those torment I received is now worth it in the face of this source of power. I can finally protect my family.'
Those were the thoughts of Tubo as he reached out to the chalice.
That last part was hidden deep inside his heart. He didn't even realize he had this thought. He just ignored it while he looked at the chalice filled with blood.
"YES YOUR MAJESTY!"
Tubo exclaimed as he took the chalice and drank its contents.
All these emotions surged in him and even memories that was unfamiliar to him, appeared in his head. All the cacophony made by the rushing emotions and adrenaline made him tumble as his head started hurting.
All the emotions now became background as the stinging in his head started to grow stronger.
He held his head with both his hands and started to press it as a remedy for the pain. It did not do good and the pain still proceeded with more power and sting than the last.
It felt like his head was exploding and changing in a fast and abnormal way. He did not notice the change in his soul.
"Work hard Tubo, this base will help you cultivate just by being here."
Ikli said that while facing Tubo, who was screaming with no sound coming out of his mouth.
Tubo did not hear the words of his leader and just laid on his back and tried to endure the pain. Even if he tried to listen, all he would hear is a muffled sound.
Although the recipient did not hear it, it seemed that those words were not only directed to Tubo, but also to the two captives watching the show.
In all the events that just happened, Bang and Ligi's jaws dropped even further.
They had never seen someone receive power from a leader before. They didn't think it would be this painful.
For Ligi, the sight of someone writhing in pain superposition to the face of his father was strangely comforting. He felt happy in the deepest part of his heart that his father was experiencing pain.
Then two guards came and constrained Tubo. They lifted him up and took him to an unknown hallway into the darkness
"The show's over. You better take a rest now in preparation for tomorrow. I expect a lot from you."
Ikli spoke while clapping, which broke Bang and Ligi out of their stupor.
Two other guards started to guide the two captives out of the throne room.
Bang walked and followed the guards while Ligi kept an eye to the hallway where his father disappeared.
Led to a small room that is made with polished stone, Bang and Ligi saw two beds protruding from the side walls.
It could not even be called a bed since it was just a flat surface. There were no windows in this room except for the glass rectangular hole in the door. The two guards locked the door as they left.
The only light source in this room was a crystal-like structure in the top corners of the room which only had a dim glow.
Bang settled in the bed and just stared at the ceiling. Ligi sat on the corner of the room and just stayed quiet.
Ligi could not sleep and just kept seeing the flailing figure of his father. It was a bag of mixed emotion that he could not understand that kept him up.
After a long silence, Ligi heard Bang speak.
"So..... that's your father huh."
Bang felt awkward and tried to initiate a conversation with Ligi.
There was a moment of pause and Ligi finally spoke.
"Yeah"
Ligi spoke in a soft voice. Maybe he was tired from the chaos or maybe he was ashamed, Bang didn't know.
Silence once again reigned in the dimly lit room. Sabik put his hands on his head as a makeshift pillow and just closed his eyes.
"Why did you save me?"
Ligi finally initiated the conversation.
'Well, the system told me to do it or I'd die. But I won't tell him that.'
"Well, I had to save you."
Ligi thought that Bang was someone who couldn't bear to see someone bullied. A figure of justice in this cruel world. His opinion of Bang became even better.
That is what most people assume when they hear words. Unbeknownst to Ligi, those words held a different meaning to Bang.
"You didn't even know me before you saved me. I could have been the one who taunted those guys with malice."
Ligi said that with a stronger voice as he was looking for an answer.
"Didn't matter"
Bang replied again in a carefree manner.
Ligi thought that this carefree manner was a sign that he would be helping those who need help no matter the circumstance.
There was a short silence before Ligi spoke again
"I didn't provoke them. I just looked at them briefly and they took offense to that."
Ligi felt the need to defend himself and better his reputation.
Bang didn't respond. He didn't react because he wasn't the one who did all that. It was the system. If given the choice, he would have escaped by himself.
After a long while laying on the bed, Ligi finally felt tired and closed his eyes. Unknown to him, the sun had already started to rise.
+++++++++++++++
QUEST
-Main Quest
•Save your future crew member
# Go to the Limaw's nest
+++++++++++++++
The next morning, Bang woke up and saw Ligi. Ligi looked like he hadn't slept a wink. Looks like seeing his father act like that really did a number on him.
There was a sudden knock on the door. A guard unlocked the door and entered their room.
"Supreme leader is summoning you"
Once again back at the throne room, there were more muscle heads than before. They all wore nothing but shorts and patterned leaves on their waists.
They looked ready for a fight to the death. Bang was not ready for a fight to the death. He didn't even know what will happen to him when the fight gets tough.
Ligi was trudging his feet on the floor. He didn't sleep much and it was evident on his eye bags.
In the crowd of the muscle heads, Ligi and Bang both noticed a man. This man had a lean and muscled body. He looked like he was in the pinnacle of his health.
With all of the muscle heads healthy and strong, this man wasn't particularly unique. The only difference was that they recognized this man. Ligi probably knows this man more than anyone. It was his father.
Contrary to his weak and feeble body from before, Tubo was now brimming with strength. This was the cause of the ritual from before. He gained power from a leader.
Ligi almost couldn't recognize his dad. His dad finally recognized him and looked in his direction. It was only for a moment and his dad looked away again.
Everything was the same as before, the only difference was his dad's muscular body.
They were then handcuffed with a steel plate. This was impossible to break compared to the vine ropes from before.
"I wish all of you good luck. You'll need it."
Ikli gestured for the guards to get moving. He clearly did not want to waste any second.
With seven guards including Tarim and Tubo, they set forth on their journey to the place of either fortune or misery.