Everyone present looked between each other and at James in confusion and skepticism especially Xarzak as she still didn't trust him so she was the first to speak as she took a step forward glaring at James, "What's the price for this "gift"?
James gave a simple response, "Only your loyalty."
Everyone was even more confused and Grukthar spoke up with a question of his own, "You already have our loyalty as chief of the tribe so when you ask for our loyalty to you mean specifically to you even over the tribe as a whole?"
James nodded but as everyone started to get upset he snapped his tail surprising everyone then clarified, "What I mean by that is not that you would serve me without any question even if it was a detriment to the tribe I don't need blind soldiers I need competent and fiercely loyal hands that can be commanders, leaders, and trusted allies that have my back even if I screw up and fix the mistakes made along the way towards our path of glory and rise to power!! I don't want just a tribe or a large clan I want to make us a Lizard Empire, to reach the apex of even the mighty dragons as we cut a piece of the world out for ourselves!! So I ask for your loyalty to me not to the detriment of the tribe but because I wish for us to rise together and for you all to become my brothers and sisters in arms!"
Everyone was stunned but moved as they wished for this future and thirsted for power so they all kneeled even Xarzak if reluctantly as she too wished for greater power and even if she doesn't trust James fully she too hoped for such a future for her people.
James nodded and made the left gauntlet return to his storage ring exposing his hand as he pulled the Devourer axe out from the storage ring which to everyone present was still a shock as it seemed as if his axe appeared from thin air, James proceeded to cut open his hand as he approached Grukthar first.
Grukthar looked up and opened his mouth taking in the blood falling from James' hand as his very being pulsed and he felt himself changing.
James looked at the new system window asking if he wished to evolve Grukthar and agreed in his mind triggering the evolution to start.
Grukthar went from just kneeling to down on all fours as his body grew larger and his scales thicker and darkened while they changed color while his head grew longer and wider with two 8 inch slightly curved upwards horns growing out of the top back of his skull. The process took a few minutes to complete and as Grukthar stood up he towered over even James at 8ft 4in and his height was only exemplified by his imposing figure chock full of muscle that he made everyone other than James look like a child in comparison. His body is now a giant royal purple Lizardman his eyes changed to a reddish orange, he had become a scaled juggernaut and even James wasn't entirely sure he could take him now if it wasn't for his gear.
Everyone was absolutely shocked by the massive change that Grukthar had undergone even James but even more than that he was absolutely ecstatic as Grukthar's stat window appeared before him.
-----------------------------------------------------------
[Status]
Name: Grukthar
Lvl: (Old)22---->(New)1
Race: (Old)Lizardfolk--->(New)Dragonborn
Class: Warrior lvl 8
Health: 260/260
Mana: 40/40
Height: 8ft 4in
Weight: 453lbs
Attributes:
Strength- 43
Dexterity- 13
Intelligence- 12
Wisdom- 9
Constitution- 26
Charisma- 5
Skills:
Active- Minor Strength Boost, Power Swing
Passive- (New)Psychic Resistance, Pain Resistance, Club Mastery
Spells: N/A
Traits:
(New)Oathbound, (New)Draconic Breath(Fire), (New)Draconic Strength, Iron Scales, Iron Stomach
Aspects: N/A
-----------------------------------------------------------
James was over the moon at how Grukthar had evolved and his new stats but also didn't get why he could see them all like this since he wasn't using [Identify] other than him chocking it up to his blood being what evolved Grukthar and the system essentially having a backdoor inside him.
James wanted to look at those skills and traits especially the [Oathbound] trait but decided to move on to the next evolution as much as he feels like he's going against the natural order by forcefully evolving others before their time. But frankly if it means greater power then he doesn't care.
James stepped over to Ferzath who gladly drank the blood given which after a few minutes the transformed Ferzath was even more bizarrely changed spear like horns grew out from the back of his head as his maw narrowed a little, his scales took on a brighter more ethereal blue, his muscles contracted and expanded keeping a more lean but toned figure, the deep scars across his body started to heal, and most noticeably two large blue leathery wings ending in sharp talons sprouted from his back.
Ferzath wasn't so radically changed as Grukthar but the change was very apparent nonetheless and him growing those leathery wings like those of the dragons sparked greater reverence in those present. Xarzak's doubts were starting to falter and break apart as she saw her father and one of her closest allies Ferzath that she's known since being hatchlings both evolve and take on abilities closer to their mighty ancestors from which they've strayed and revered for many generations.
-----------------------------------------------------------
[Status]
Name: Ferzath
Lvl:(Old)16--->(New)1
Race:(Old) Lizardfolk--->(New)Dragonewt
Class: Warrior lvl 5
Health: 190
Mana: 100
Height: 6ft 2in
Weight: 260lbs
Attributes:
Strength- 23
Dexterity- 27
Intelligence- 10
Wisdom- 10
Constitution- 19
Charisma- 5
Skills:
Active- Swift Strike
Passive-(New)Ice Resistance, Pain Resistance, Club Expert, Shield Fighter
Spells: N/A
Traits: (New)Oathbound, (New)Frost Veil, Iron Stomach, Quick Foot
Aspects: N/A
-----------------------------------------------------------
James was excited for the coming battles of everyone evolved like this so he quickly moved on evolving both Jorg'ath and Xarzak in quick succession which Jorg'ath evolved into a Dragonborn as well but not nearly as massive staying about the same size with some more muscle mass and his scales taking a deeper green hue. Xarzak underwent a similar but also vastly different evolution to her father, she too became a Dragonborn but she kept her lithe and toned figure but her scales truly took on not just the color but the glistening shine and beautiful depth of an amethyst as 4 horns sprouted from her head 2 large crystaline glowing purple and black horns that curved along the side of her head with two much smaller ones that jutted out. Her claws were sharper and the tip of her tail had taken on the shape of a well sharpened glaive, and her eyes had turned to the same color as her new scales glowing with power as with every breath she took small purple whisps of energy danced out from the sides of her mouth wishing to be released.
For some reason James couldn't see her [Status] window like the others but just looking at her she had become the most special of the 4 that had now evolved beyond their meager existence as Lizardfolk.
James was frustrated at not knowing what she could do but he let it go since he'd find out on the battlefield.
Unbeknownst to James, Xarzak even through her excitement and reveling in her new power and how she'd grown to trust him she had a secret that would expose everything as to why James can't see her Status window and a few other things and she had no plans to ever expose such secrets or it would be her end like it had almost been all those years ago.
After they all finished enjoying their new bodies and reigned in their excitement everyone pledged their fealty and all bit Xarzak started revering him almost fanatically which is what James wanted. Soon after everyone in the village knew of James' miracles and what it has given their people. James then went in to evolve all of their warriors and hunters creating several more Dragonborn and Dragonewts before he needed to stop as he only had so much blood he could use before it started to really affect his status.
James then went to eat and returned to his hut where he checked out the room in the back separated from where he'd been meeting everyone this whole time where a bed made of vines, grass, and large leaves from larger plants within the swamp and he laid down to sleep and as expected his people and new tribe the "Dragonblood Rulers" as he had renamed it all were ready and excited for the things to come as now they had a path, a guiding hand, a champion, and maybe even one day a king to bring them to glory and a better way of life so while James slept they sharpened their weapons, increased their training, and prepared for the slaughter they'd bring to any who stood in their way in the days to come.
.....
Several hours later early the next morning James awoke feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day and he tackled the day to day tasks with his lieutenants handling the assignment of labor and helped him with bigger decisions and as the day progressed James evolves the rest of the village as the women and children hadn't been evolved yet unlike all the combat ready males.
By days end the village was in even higher spirits, they were slowly increasing their food stores as most of the hunters were Dragonewts who could fly for decent distances hunting more effectively than they would be walking around the swamp or swimming through the waters leaving themselves open to ambush by the beasts of the swamplands. And everyone had become stronger with only the unborn hatchlings remaining to be evolved and James was going to customize them as perfectly as he can so he waited and recuperated before he did that.
As night fell upon the second day as Chief for James he felt something was off, the normal buzz of the swamp from the bugs and beasts had grown silent outside the walls of the village, and James wasn't the only one to notice as every able bodied warrior and hunter including the new lieutenants got to their positions and got weapons ready.
Suddenly a scream of pain was heard as one of the Dragonborn guarding the gate was pulled through the gap in the fence into the dark by force tearing scales off in the process as he dragged across the spiked wood with only roars and screams echoing the aftermath of it and by the time James got over to the gate it had grown silent again with the other guard backing away from his post staying vigilant but not abandoning it like some coward.
Low but loud gutteral growls were heard beyond the gate as if it came from a massive alligator frustrated at the loss of a meal before the gate started shaking and being pounded against thundering slams sending shivers down everyone's spine as the large wooden gate shuddered.
The coming battle was one everyone was excited but also anxious for and soon they'd find out which was better. Their new strength and abilities, or the unknown enemy hitting their gates like a battering ram.