Millus, who has now taken in Lina's form, sat silently in the corner of the dark, damp pit. He copied Lina's earlier posture, demeanor and nature; he had perfectly embodied Lina, but his mind was anything but idle.
His thoughts briefly wandered to the weapon he had received as a reward after completing his very first quest, he was able to acquire the Crimson Dusk, an enchanted rapier forged from the condensed essence of a collapsing star. The weapon's potential was immense, but it was yet to be completed, it required him to temper it with his true blood to fully awaken its power.
"Now is not the time for that," he dismissed the weapon from his immediate plans for now. His mind focused back to the current task at hand, infiltrating the tribe and using them for his own gain.
Ping~
The sound of the quest notification echoed in his mind. Then a glowing notification materialized before him.
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Quest Update: acquiring lackeys.
Use the people of the tribe to create the firstborns of your aberrant bloodline pawns.
Conversion Rate:
10% success, 90% failure.
Success will forcibly change the target's race, evolving them into Dhampir. Their essence (blood) will not be consumed.
Failure will result in the target's death.
Notice!
Targets who do not submit may lose their memories upon conversion.
The targets who submit willingly may retain their memories.
The target's submission influences the success rate of the skill.
New Skill Unlocked: Blessed touch of dark lord.
Rewards: ???
Failure Penalty: None.
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His crimson eyes narrowed on the notification as he read through the details, then a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
"...Interesting," he muttered in a low voice laced with intrigue.
In this very moment, the pit seemed less like a prison and more like the perfect starting point for his plans.
The night grew deeper, and the Bear Wolf tribe busied themselves with the final preparations for Lina's sacrifice. The crude chants of the villagers along with some of their shamans mingled with the crackling of the fire at the center of the settlement.
Unbeknownst to them, Lina had already been teleported to safety, protected under the watchful care of the Lunar Wolf, Kaela.
At the heart of the village, Gabo sat drinking with his entourage of sycophants. Around them, barrels of poorly fermented booze, made from the sour fruits of the forest, were emptied without restraint.
One of the men leaned closer, his breath reeked of alcohol. "Tribe heir, why not taste her for the first and last time before sacrificing her to the forest deity?" he slurred with a twisted grin spreading across his face.
Gabo sneered at the man and shook his head. "Heh. I've grown lost interest in her. She's not as good as she used to be," he said dismissively, before taking another swig from his mug.
Another one of his lackeys smirked. "Then why not lend her to us for a few hours? Before the ritual she's going to die anyway," he chuckled.
Disgust flashed across Gabo's face, and he slammed his mug down. "Are you a filthy animal? Even the dogs in the southern marsh wouldn't touch her. She brought this on herself for not accepting me."
The group fell silent, the tension heavy in the air.
The silence was broken by the approach of one of Magbo's hunters. The man stopped a few paces away from them and called out, "Tribe heir! The Chieftain has summoned you into the chieftains house."
Gabo turned around lazily, while he drained his mug in one long gulp. Then without sparing a single word to his companions, he followed the hunter back to the chieftain's house.
Inside the wooden house, Magbo sat solemnly in the center, his large frame casted a shadow across the dimly lit room. His tattoos, the tribal marks, are symbols of power passed down from his ancestors, they glowed faintly in the firelight.
"Gabo, come here," Magbo said with a grave tone.
"Yes, tribe chief," he replied, before stepping forward and bowing his head slightly.
Magbo's voice carried the weight of authority as he spoke. "We will commence the sacrifice at dawn. Prepare her. Have the women of the tribe clean her body and dress her. Then, summon the elders and the shamans to carve the sacrificial marks onto her flesh."
Gabo swallowed his saliva, his throat suddenly went dry when he heard the marks. "Y-yes, father," he said, his voice slightly wavering. "Is there anything else I should do?"
Magbo nodded, his expression darkening. "After the ritual is completed, we will carry her body to the cave where the forest deity resides. We will present her as an offering and request for its favor. With us acquiring the deity's blessing, we shall expand our territory further south, first we will be conquering the southern tribes, and then we will challenge the people of the grasslands."
'The people of the grasslands?' Gabo spoke inwardly.
"Go now, and complete the rituals, then I shall pass on to you the secret of our tribe," Magbo proclaimed while dismissing him with a wave of his hand.
Gabo bowed and left to carry out his father's orders without questioning him, his steps were heavy with unease at the thought of fighting the people outside of the forest.
Before the sun's first rays touched the dense canopy of the Northeastern Ancient Great Forest, the Bear Wolf Tribe had already begun their preparations. The fires were lit, the stone tools were sharpened, and the air hummed with an ominous energy.
Gabo marched with a group of men towards the pit where Millus was being held.
When they arrived, Gabo's eyes narrowed at the sight of guards dozing off near the pit. His irritation boiled over as he grabbed a small log from the ground and hurled it at one of the sleeping hunters.
"Wake up, you lazy dogs!" His voice was sharp and commanding.
The startled guards scrambled on to their feet, while rubbing their eyes and mumbling for apologies.
Gabo pointed his fingers at the pit. "Bring her out! We're preparing her for the ritual!"
"Y-yes, Tribe Heir!" stammered the guard who'd been hit.
Gabo sneered and added, "And take her to the women so they can clean her up!"
Inside the pit, Millus had been listening to the commotion from above. His crimson eyes, hidden beneath Lina's facade, reflected a cold hearted calculation.
'Just as I thought,' Millus mused silently in his mind. 'They're moving quickly to secure their ritual, and I'm now curious as to what their deity looks like.'
As the heavy wooden cover was removed and light spilled into the pit, Millus allowed the guards to haul him up roughly.
He stood before Gabo, Millus remained silent, his blank expression expertly mimicking Lina's earlier demeanor.
Gabo stared at him and gave a cruel smirk. "So, you'll finally amount to something," he sneered. "This sacrifice is to redeem yourself for summoning that evil omen. It's the least you can do."
He folded his arms and leaned slightly closer with a mocking tone. "Now, let's hear your last words."
Millus stared back at him, and replied unblinkingly and silent.
Millus' lack of response made Gabo click his tongue in irritation. "Tch," he muttered, before delivering a kick to Millus's stomach.
Thud!
The kick wasn't strong enough to kill a person, but it was enough to send Millus staggered backward. He allowed himself to fall to the ground dramatically, coughing and retching.
"Cough! Cough!" Millus forced himself to spit blood, further selling the illusion of a frail and broken Lina.
Gabo grinned, satisfaction flickering across his face. He straightened his posture and gave a gesture toward the guards. "Bring her along."
Without waiting for a reply, Gabo turned and strode toward the altar, his entourage hurrying to follow.
As the guards dragged Millus toward the women's quarters, Veda's voice echoed in his mind with a calm and steady voice.
"Millus, you could simply slaughter them all now and make them into your lesser pawns," she suggested to him.
Millus didn't give an immediate response. Instead, his crimson eyes flicked toward Gabo's gradually fading form in the distance.
'I know,' he replied silently. 'I just want to see how far they're willing to go, to hurt someone who trusted them.'
His thoughts paused for a moment, his emotions wavered beneath the cold calculation of his elevated intelligence stats.
'And when the time comes,' he added, 'I'll do what needs to be done. Efficiently.'
Veda remained silent as Millus contemplated his next move.
Millus, still disguised as Lina, was handed over to the women of the tribe. They led him silently to the sacred grounds, a secluded hot spring surrounded by thick foliage and ancient stones engraved with faint tribal markings.
The air was heavy with the scent of herbs, and steam that rose in soft wisps from the warm water.
One of the younger women approached him from behind, her hands hesitating for only a moment before beginning to untie the rough animal-hide clothing. His eyes faintly flickered with discomfort, but he remained composed.
'I accounted for this possibility… to some degree, but…' His thoughts trailed off as the women began their work, they carefully removed the grime and dirt from his body.
Then warm water mixed with crushed herbs washed over his body, and their hands scrubbed him meticulously, perhaps too meticulous for his comfort.
'They're reaching… every nook and cranny… guh.' His thoughts betrayed his embarrassment, but he maintained his silence with some occasional twitching of his eyebrows.
The women were unaware of Millus's true identity as a man, but they marveled at Lina's beauty. Some even whispered quietly to one another, their voices were filled with either envy or awe.
The polymorph skill Millus had used hadn't merely copied Lina's appearance, it had changed even his body composition to that of a woman, enhancing her natural features to an ethereal level that matched Lina.
After finishing the bath, the eldest of the women approached. Her wrinkled hands carried a white robe embroidered with delicate patterns which was made from a silk producing bug. She draped it over Millus's shoulders, her eyes was filled with quiet sorrow.
"Lina," the elder woman said softly to him, her voice mixed with regret. "Child, I am sorry. I am sorry for not being able to protect you. There is so little I can do… but you should leave.
Run through the forest. Return to the grasslands if you can, there, the people will accept you wholeheartedly. You must know what the chief and the elders intend to do."
Millus blinked his eyes, he was momentarily caught off guard. In all the cruelty he had seen from this tribe, this was unexpected, there was still a spark of kindness that surprised him.
"It's alright, Elder," he replied, he kept his voice as gentle and reserved as he imagined how Lina would have responded. He carefully avoided saying too much, as they might discover who he was, since his knowledge of the tribe's customs was limited.
The elder nodded slowly, sadness was visible on her face. "Such beauty, and such kindness… if only we were the one who had found you" she murmured, almost to herself. "If not for the greed of the tribe, you could have bloomed so beautifully."
Her words lingered in the air, full of regret.
After the cleansing ritual was complete, the women escorted Millus back to the village. His appearance is now pristine and radiating a captivating beauty, it drew gasps and whispers from the men who saw him.
They stared unabashedly, awestruck by Lina's transformation. Even Gabo, standing at the center of the gathering, couldn't hide the hunger in his gaze.
"She looks… perfect again," Gabo thought while licking his lips. "The women must have done something to her."
Millus noted the lust in Gabo's eyes and felt a faint flicker of disgust. 'Fucking disgusting, this piece of crap,' His elevated intelligence allowed him to suppress the emotion almost immediately, but the observation was noted.
The village priestesses, adorned in ceremonial garb, began to arrive as the first light of dawn touched the forest. The ritual was drawing closer.
They arrived at the village, then they proceeded in the middle of the tribe, then he stood at the center of the village in front of the crudely carved bear statue.
His face was covered to hide his expression as he observed the gathering crowd.
The air was tense, charged with the tribe's fervor. Then Magbo emerged behind the statue, his towering frame silencing the tribesmen instantly.
"I thank you, Elder Priestess Mala, for preparing Lina for the prosperity of the tribe and for aiding us in cleansing the bad omen!" Magbo's voice boomed, it was loud enough for all to hear.
Millus noted the name with interest. 'So, her name is Mala…'
Mala, the elder priestess, offered him no reply. She simply bowed and left with the other priestesses, their departure was quiet but deliberate as they wanted no part in this.
Magbo didn't react to her lack of deference, the priestesses were considered above the usual tribal hierarchy. So Instead, he turned back to the gathered crowd.
"Now that we are ready, we will head to the lair of the forest deity!" Magbo declared. "We will present her to the deity to receive its blessing of prosperity and drive away the omen from our forest!"
The villagers erupted into cheers, their voices echoing through the forest. They began their march eastward, toward the cave where their so-called forest deity resided.
Millus was kept in the center of the crowd, surrounded by guards to prevent any escape. As they marched, Gabo approached from behind him, his expression was smug and self-assured.
"Lina," Gabo said, his tone was unusually soft. "There's still a chance for you to live. Become my mate, and I will offer you freedom under me. You can gaze at the sky, and live as you please… I'll even persuade my father or you."
Millus suppressed a sneer. He could sense Gabo's uncertainty through his voice, he wasn't even sure he could even sway his ambitious father.
Then without hesitation, Millus replied coldly in a mocking tone, "I would rather die than be with a dog like you."
The words cut deep into his ego, which made Gabo's face twist with anger. His hand rose in the air, ready to strike Millus in the face, but a sharp voice stopped him from the side.
"Tribe heir!" Bak-am's authoritative and firm voice rang out. "Stop what you're doing. If she's injured, the cleansing ritual will be for nothing. Do you want to anger the chieftain before we even reach the deity?"
Gabo abruptly stopped, his glare shifted to Bak-am. For a tense moment, it seemed that he might retaliate, but he lowered his hand instead.
"Fine!" Gabo spat out, his frustration was clear. He leaned closer to Millus and hissed a whisper, "Keep your pride, then. You'll die soon enough, and I'll relish seeing your face being for mercy."
As Gabo stormed off, Millus thought, 'So there's enmity between him and Bak-am… interesting.'
Gabo approached Bak-am, his rage bubbling over. He jabbed a finger into Bak-am's chest. "Watch how you speak to me! I've had enough of your meddling! I am the future chieftain and you will obey me!"
Bak-am slapped Gabo's hand away with disdain. "You can give me orders after you've become the chief and completed the rite of passage. Until then, you're still a cub. Don't presume to speak to me that way."
Gabo's face darkened, and he clicked his tongue in frustration. "Tch Your days are numbered, Bak-am. You should leave while you still can… while I'm just the heir."
With that, Gabo turned on his heel and left, his entourage followed closely behind him like obedient dogs.
Bak-am sighed, he shook his head and approached Millus. "You should have run when you had the chance. You could have lived longer, the tribe won't touch the priestess tribe as they are protected by the forest."
Millus remained silent, his cold gaze fixed ahead of the path as they continued walking.
Bak-am sighed. "Fine. If that's your choice then, so be it," he said, with a voice of resignation.
'Don't be a hypocrite' Millus thought, his expression blank. 'You could have saved her far earlier if you'd done something. But instead, you chose to watch and let her suffer.'
After hours of marching through the dense forest, the tribe finally arrived at the mouth of a massive cave. The entrance was shrouded in shadow, and the air was thick with an otherworldly presence.
Magbo stood before the cave and raised his arms. "Behold, the lair of the forest deity! Here, we will offer our sacrifice and receive its blessing!"
The crowd cheered once more, their voices filled with zeal and anticipation.
Ping!
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Quest Notification
Quest: Divinitum Extraction
A fragment of Divinitum has been detected within the cave. Extract the divinity.
Reward: Unlock 'Veda' System Function Shop
Failure Penalty: None
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Millus's eyes narrowed as he read the quest. 'Divinity? And a shop function?'
'Veda, can you explain,' he muttered internally.
Veda's calm voice replied to him, 'The shop function is currently locked, but you can unlock it by acquiring Divinitum. Divinity is a source of power drawn from worship. The more followers a being has, the stronger their divinity. It is versatile, granting god-like abilities, but be warned, attacks fueled by divinity can permanently damage the soul.'
Millus processed this information quickly. 'So this so-called forest deity has gained power through generations of worship from the Bear Wolf Tribe. Then confronting it head on might be dangerous.'
He gazed at the dark entrance of the cave, his expression was unreadable.
'Let's see what kind of being they're worshipping. But before that…' A faint smirk appeared on his lips. 'I'll turn every single one of them into my puppets.'
End of chapter