Patriarch Cain
I was plunged into a deep silence, my heartbeat quickening as I surveyed the room. Every clan was present, their officers gathered, except for Yadha, who represented the last survivors held captive.
With a sudden movement, I pushed my chair back, causing it to scrape loudly against the floor. The others quickly followed suit, rising to their feet in unison.
I locked eyes with the man who had emerged from nowhere to ask for my allegiance—the same man who had risen from the ashes of a ruined clan to become one of the strongest leaders. My instinct told me to distrust him because of his human nature—such fearless, ruthless, and twisted creatures. Yet, deep within me, something screamed that if I rejected his offer, I would regret it even after death.
I didn't understand why I felt this way; his words were not inherently appealing. But it all made sense—the cursed forest had long needed to be conquered. If anyone had the ability to achieve that, it was him.
He would succeed where others had failed. From what I gleaned, it wasn't territory he coveted; it was not the subjugation of our clans that interested him. No, he sought to attack the very food chain itself.
Instead of being prey, he wanted to make us predators.
As I processed this, I recognized the truth in his nature. It was innate to want to dominate; it was part of what made humans who they were—part of their essence.
He was human.
And I was too, even if only partially. He had awakened something within me—the dormant desire to dominate.
We had suffered too much at the hands of these creatures. We had killed each other over trivial matters like hunting grounds. So many lives had been lost, families shattered, mothers forced to watch their children—flesh of their flesh—devoured before their eyes. It was time for all of this to end; it was time for us to make a choice.
A choice that would change our lives forever.
I continued to gaze at Cliff, feeling a strange mix of dread and comfort emanating from him. He had the demeanor of someone destined to lead; he had the makings of a king.
And he was the master I was to serve.
My limbs felt weak, not from fatigue but out of instinctive respect. In the presence of this man, I had to demonstrate my allegiance.
To hell with what the elders of my clan thought! To hell with their opinions! If they opposed my decision, I would follow my own path.
As my right knee touched the ground, I adjusted my posture, bowing deeply before him.
"I, Cain, patriarch of the elf clan, swear my loyalty to you. My peers and I will follow you to the ends of time," I declared, my voice straining as I spoke.
Suddenly, behind me, I heard Akumu shout, "I, Akumu Ibara, son of Kagerou Ibara, and my clan swear loyalty to you. We dedicate our lives to your service!"
One by one, the others echoed him, even those from the Orleth clan joining in.
Then, I felt a warm hand on my shoulder—a soothing sensation that coiled around my essence stones like a serpent wrapping around its prey, intertwining with the energy of my stones.
In that moment, I felt powerful. I felt whole.
[You have forged a Soul Pact with the individual Cliff Brown.]
[Your mana concentration capacity has increased.]
My eyes widened in astonishment. I didn't know what he had done, but it resembled the technique my clan had developed to tame creatures deemed "beasts." The realization that he had used it to bind me to him was both unsettling and exhilarating.
"You can rise," I heard him say.
Without hesitation, I stood up, his hand still resting on my shoulder. He flashed me a confident smile.
"I will use this strength to serve my lord," I vowed.
He nodded slightly and moved toward the back of the room, where Akumu and the others had bowed, likely to offer him the same allegiance.
He glanced at the rest of the room, a hint of annoyance creeping onto his features as he shook his head and continued on his way.