Ethan’s fists clenched at his sides, his emotions swirling in a tempest of rage and confusion. "You talk about humanity as if it’s some fragile thing to be preserved," he spat, his voice quivering with emotion. "But what about the humanity you’ve torn away from those you’ve turned? What about the families they’ve left behind, the lives they’ve destroyed?"
Roth regarded Ethan with a mixture of understanding and something akin to pity. "You see, Ethan, humanity is indeed fragile, but it’s also resilient. It’s not something to be taken lightly, nor is it something easily stripped away." He paused, the red glow of his sword casting eerie shadows across the dimly lit street. "The choice to preserve or forsake humanity lies not with me, but with those who bear the burden of my gift."
Ethan’s anger simmered beneath the surface, but he found himself listening, drawn in by Roth’s words despite himself. "And what choice did you give them?" he demanded, his voice raw with emotion.
Roth’s expression softened slightly, a flicker of regret crossing his features. "I gave them the choice to embrace their new nature or to fight against it," he explained. "But ultimately, the decision was theirs to make. Just as it is yours now."
Ethan’s gaze faltered, his anger warring with a newfound sense of uncertainty. "What choice do I have?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Roth reached out a hand, the ball of blood hovering above his palm pulsing with an otherworldly light. "The choice to embrace your anger, your strength, your humanity," he said softly. "Or to let it consume you."
For a moment, Ethan hesitated, the weight of Roth’s words pressing down upon him like a physical force. Then, with a steely resolve, he nodded so Roth pulled close with his teeth extending slightly as he bit into Ethan’s neck.
The transformation took place immediately as Ethan completed his transformation with red eyes, Roth meanwhile had a big smile on his face as he said "It seems you are quite fortunate" He said as he pointed to Ethan’s body.
Ethan looked down at his body to see how a part of him was still covered in red crystal yet it didn’t feel foreign anymore, it felt more like a part of him. Raising his hand, a small red crystal appeared in his hand, but he soon fell to the ground with a dark vein in his eyes as he began looking around.
Roth, seeing that, stretched out his hand holding the ball of blood. Ethan had no hesitation as he reached out and grasped the ball of blood swallowing it, feeling its power surge through him like a tidal wave.
Roth seeing him enjoying his new state and power said "This will be your new life from now on" Ethan looked at Roth before stating "I choose to fight," he declared, his voice echoing with a newfound strength.
Roth nodded, a ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Then fight you shall," he said, his voice a whisper on the edge of reality. "But remember, Ethan, true strength lies not in the power we wield, but in the choices we make."
Roth no longer paid mind to Ethan as he pointed to the beast king carcass and said "Bring it back to the castle, it may be of some use"
Ethan thought he was the one being talked to as he was about to ask Roth on how he planned for him to carry a beast this huge, but was taken back when he heard a clanging of chain with a thudding heavy steps.
Ethan looked back to see a ghost of a woman walking out from a building behind them, in the woman’s hand was a corporal chain that chained the huge male corpse walking behind her.
The woman bowed toward Roth, not paying no mind to Ethan as she pointed at the beast king corpse to which the huge male corpse behind her walked forward, easily grabbing hold of the beast king corpse and hefting it to its shoulder.
Roth, seeing that looked towards Ethan and said "Follow me" He said as he turned into a dark smoke heading fast into the forest.
Ethan looked back at his town, his friend and their corpses, he looked into the distance with his new power he could feel the heartbeat of a lot of people heading back to the town.
His guess was that they were the one that managed to escape, clenching his fist hard and looking at where Roth disappeared into. Ethan kicked off the ground, the next he saw was himself appearing in the outskirts of the forest with an unexpected speed as he almost planted his face into a tree.
Ethan looked back with a surprised expression to see how far away he was, he caught the sight of the woman and male corpse walking towards him, the next time he blinked they were next to him.
Before he could say anything, they once again walked back past him, quickly extending the distance. Ethan followed behind as he tried to keep up but for some reason he was always a step behind while the woman and corpse seemed to be taking a casual stroll.
So focused on passing the two, Ethan had no idea when a huge dark castle appeared in front of him. Ethan was so taken back by the castle, he didn’t know when the woman and the man disappeared.
Hesitating, Ethn walked towards the castle as he took note of the excess mist around which for some reason made him comfortable. Walking up the stairs to the castle, Ethan places his hand on the castle door before pushing it open only to be met with a dark eerie hallway.
Walking across the hallway, he occasionally caught a glimpse of a ghostly female silhouette passing by. Ethan found himself walking for about an hour in this huge castle yet he hadn’t found Roth.
Meanwhile Roth and his sister were in their throne room, watching Ethan stumble his way around the castle. Xerosis had a frown on her face as she asked "Did you pick an idiot for your gift?"
Roth also had a frown on his face as he watched Ethan but soon smiled as he saw Ethan closing his eyes. Ethan opened his face to see his new surroundings, he immediately with his connection took note of Roth before he caught the sight of Xerosis sitting not far away from him.
Ethan took a deep breath, steadying himself as he approached the twin thrones. Roth had a smile on his face while Xerosis regarded him with a mix of curiosity and disdain.
"You took your time but You’ve made it," Roth said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Welcome to your new life, Ethan."
Ethan glanced between the two demigods, feeling the weight of their presence. "What are you?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Roth leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Because of a troublesome existence in your continent, Knowledge about the gods has been suppressed, but I am sure you know of the godling races?" Roth asked to which Ethan nodded.
"Then you must know about their progenitors, the demigods," Roth said as Ethan’s eyes widened as he looked at the two.
He took two steps back in fear, already making a connection, with a shaky voice he asked "Which god is your parent?"
Xerosis answered this time as he said "Keles, the goddess of death and darkness"
Hearing that, Ethan perked up as he said "Then Esther and the others are now with the goddess?"
Roth frowned as he answered "Yes and so?"
Ethan immediately knelt down as he asked "Can I see them?"
Roth and Xerosis looked at each other hearing that as they began laughing "You want to see souls already claimed by mother?"
Ethan’s heart sank as the laughter of the demigods echoed around the dark, eerie throne room. He felt a surge of anger and desperation but forced himself to stay composed.
"Please," Ethan said, his voice strained but determined. "I need to see them. They were my friends, my family."
Roth leaned back in his throne as his voice got deeper and darker, turning to his sister, Roth asked "Have I been to cordial with this creature"
Xerosis shrugged at his words. Turning to Ethan, Roth gestured as Ethan’s body began floating up, Fear appeared on Ethan’s face as he felt his body was no longer his.
"I thought giving you free will and not imposing my opinion and power on you will work best for the betterment of our new race. It seems I was wrong, I should have started by making sure you understood your place and position"
Ethan Felt his body squeezed like how clothes are done to make sure there was no water left in it before hanging it up. "From now on, you make no demand to us like we are your servants, earn your place amongst us before you start talking to us as an equal’’ Ethan heard Roth said as his body was dropped mid air to the palace floor.
Ethan thought he would be in pain but he felt his body quickly healing up and adjusting itself. He looked up to see Xerosis eyes looking at him with pity "You are lucky, it’s us you were talking too. Mother would have turned you to dust for making such a demand"