The next morning, Ki met up with her little disciples and began to teach them a little more while correcting some of their mistakes.
Ki had been quietly collecting both of their blood during the month of training from any small wounds that they received by accident.
This was in preparation for their mystical arts, previously Ki was hesitant about her brothers suited type but after acquiring the frost wolf it had been decided.
The northern frost wolves have very high agility, decent strength, poor endurance but also have a good sense of smell and resistance to cold environments.
Since her brother was training to take up the path of a heavier sword he would have to sacrifice his speed a little in order to do so, the enhancements from the pact would help to make up for some of the weakness.
He would also gain a reliable companion to fight along with to make up for any other problems he might encounter.
Ki brought her brother Leon to her research room. "Little brother, as a reward for your hard work during this time I have decided to give you something but promise sister that you will treat it with care."
Leon's eyes lit up upon hearing his sisters words. "What is it? What is it?"
Ki rolled her eyes at her brother's naivety. "It's a frost wolf from the northern lands. We had previously had some problems with them in our forest in the past but I happened to come across a wolf pup and thought to gift it to you. If you raise it well it will become your greatest helper."
"Oh it's so fierce! Sister why is it hurt so much?" Leon's eyes showed concern for the wolf pup who sat in the cage with its weary gaze fixed on the brother and sister.
"It's previous owners didn't treat him well. That's why I want you to make a pact with it to give it a friend and partner." Ki smiled upon seeing her brothers kindness towards the wolf pup. 'He has always had more interest in animals and bugs than most things. This will be the best thing I could give him."
"Partner? Friends? Do you think I can be his friend? Sister I want to!" Leon smiled happily as he raised his clenched fist to his chest as if making a promise to his sister.
"Good my little brother, I will begin soon so you must first drink this before you begin and remove your shirt." Ki began to tell him what he should do next.
Leon blushed in embarrassment but then quickly followed his sisters words, soon he fell asleep while Ki poured a drink for the wolf pup but did not yet place the bowl in the cage.
Ki took out a mixture of herbs and liquids in a bowl which was all mashed and mixed together, she then dipped a ceremonial dagger into a jar full of Leon's blood and began chanting as the blood dripped from the dagger into the bowl.
Then she moved onto performing the same act with the blood of the wolf pup, the droplets of blood slowly blended into the mixture and began to merge with one another after Ki finished her chanting during the ceremony. "It's finished."
Ki separated the mixture into two and began to dip a thin needle into one of the half's of the mixture, she placed her hand on Leon's chest confirming his heart was located in the correct place and began to slowly perform a series of stabbing motions on his chest where his heart was located slowly drawing out more and more complex markings. 'It's a good thing I put him to sleep for this. While I can endure the pain he cannot since he is only 5 years old.'
After an hour of deep sleep for Leon was enough was Ki to finish the small markings on his small chest.
The markings remained on his chest after the completion of the ceremony as if the ceremony and marking stages were still incomplete.
Ki nodded her head upon this sight. 'Usually upon the completion the markings fade into the skin but not this one as it is only half completed.'
Ki turned to the wolf pup and pushed the bowl into the cage, soon after she removed the sleeping wolf pup and placed it on the table to begin her work.
Placing a blanket over her brother in another part of the room, Ki went back to continue the final part.
She checked the location of the heart of the wolf and began to shave its hair around that area and began to use the other half of the mixture.
Another hour passed and a small amount of sweat was dripping down Ki's face after her intense concentration during the marking of the tattoos on both the wolf pup and her brother.
During the completion process the markings by their hearts began to glow at the same time, their hearts began to beat loudly and in sync, some changes seemed to take place on Leon's body as he grit his teeth in pain.
His body was heating up so Ki removed the blanket and began to apply a wet cloth to wipe his body down.
She placed the wolf back into the cage during the completion of the contract.
The beast tribe has 2 types of ways to gain power, one was through sacrifice in which they offer up the bodies of their killed prey to gain their strength within their markings.
This way is a weaker version of the two because the user does not gain all of the strength and even has to kill more of the same type of species to gain more strength.
If a rare and powerful animal is offered then they may gain great strength as a result but would lose their strength to grow even stronger, those animals which are weaker and more populated are often used in the east if they choose to take this path.
Leon however was not suited to that kind of method, her brother was more suited to making a contract with a beast to gain strength.
Rather than the sacrifice which is in the form of 'taking' the contract is a form of 'mutually sharing'.
Both Leon and the wolf pup are still in their youngest and weakest states right now but once they grew together they both would benefit from the contract.
Leon would gain an overall permanent boost in his agility and speed, a little in his muscle strength, his body would be able to resist the cold better and he would gain a greater sense of smell.
The abilities he also gains upon activating his markings would be to further increase his strength for a short period of time which is sort of a berserk or beast instinct state so Ki had to warn him not to activate it unless it was absolutely necessary.
The two hearts were now connected to each other so they could have a closer connection and sense each others emotions and intentions, this helped to improve the strength of their bond over time and work together but of course caution should be used before letting the beast free as some may turn against their contractor during the early stages of the contract.
The wolf does not gain much from the contract at first since usually their owners are originally weaker but Ki felt that the stronger Leon becomes the more the wolf pup would eventually be able to grow in the future.
The eastern beast clans did not have any martial artists of high rank that also used mystical arts so it was hard to guess the results of combining the contract relationship with someone of that realm.
There are beasts that exist in the world that are ranked as mythical, divine or godly beasts because of their overall strength that can rival martial artists even in the higher realms of strength.
Perhaps the combination of the wolf pup and her brother through the contract may one day create a new divine beast.
Ki quickly checked her brothers appearance and noticed no obvious changes, sometimes during the change the body structure shifts to suit the animals strength type.
In Leon's case his body was still well built for his age and would grow up with broad shoulders and muscles which would result in slow and clumsy movements but instead his muscles and bones became more compact and easier to make use of after the completion of the contract, this helped to make his movements less stiff and let him move and attack faster than those who were usually of similar strength to him.
Ki checked his teeth and laughed. "The boys got some sharp canines. I wonder if he will be mad or happy about this."