Chapter 147

Chapter 147

Opening his eyes, Gen felt more alive than ever, his body thrumming with energy. Beside his bed, a bowl of water sat waiting and he gazed into his reflection. His bruises were ugly and purple, his left eye swollen shut, and numerous cuts covered his face but there was no pain or stiffness. Grinning as he realized his dreams had come true he clenched his fist tight, his muscles throbbing as his new-found strength surged through them. This was his discovery, his Insight gleaned in the moments between wakefulness and sleep. He knew that as time passed, he'd become even stronger, his body drawing on the natural energy of the world now that he'd broken down the barriers holding him back. A sheep no more, in a single night, he'd stepped on the path to becoming a wolf.

After gathering his thoughts and organizing the new knowledge in his mind, he strode out of his room and sat at the dining table with Pa as Ma scurried over to check on him. Oh you silly child, stay in bed and rest, you're injured. I'll bring something in for you to eat.

I'm fine Ma, though I am hungry. His voice was stuffy, his lips and gums cut, but he hardly even noticed it. Starving actually. I'll eat out here.

That's my boy. His Pa exclaimed proudly, as if the worthless fool had anything to do with it. Vigorous and hardy, quit fussing over him and fetch him a meal. Thank the Mother Baledagh was merciful, from the look of you, I'd have thought you down and out for weeks.

Merciful? Baledagh had meant to kill him, fearing his potential, and the day would come when that bastard regretted it. Soon, a bowl of rice gruel with scraps of meat sat in front of him, a pitiful meal which he ate with zeal, his body craving sustenance. Finishing the bowl, he asked for more, devouring all the food they had while ignoring his parents. Most of their efforts were going towards feeding worthless Baledagh and his whore, leaving themselves with nothing more than scraps, but this would soon change. It would be so pleasing to watch his bright red blood spray into the air, but not until he begged for death. Yes, Gen would take his sweet time, with so many fun new ideas to try. Patience would be needed though, his strength needed time to grow. No matter, Baledagh sat idle in Qing-Qing's home, too lazy to leave.The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

Pa's incessant rambling quickly ruined his plan. You keep clear of Baledagh, you hear? I finally found myself a seller, heading west two villages over to buy a pair of horses, so I'll be gone for a few days. He means to travel and we'll all breathe easier once he's gone.

At the unexpected news, Gen let out a small sound of dissatisfaction. How bothersome, he'd expected to have more than three or four days. Baledagh was too strong to fight, but with enough time, Gen would eventually surpass him. Even the meagre meal he'd eaten was enough to invigorate him, and with heartier meals and time, he'd become unparalleled.

Then again, wolves hunted in packs. He could gather more beside him, enlighten them to true strength. Excusing himself, he strode out the door and found his two best friends, Kash and Deng, and after convincing them he was fine, they set out for a hunt. He'd need the extra food anyways, and out in the woods, they could speak freely. Kash was a year older, though not as strong, a perverted scamp who lusted after every woman he met, while Deng was the same age, a meek toady who followed behind the two older boys.

They kept stride as he led them through the forest, moving silently at a run for almost fifteen minutes before Kash spoke. Damn Gen, you look like death worked over, but you ain't missed a beat. Don't you want to slow down and you know... look for tracks?

Don't worry, I know where I'm going. He wasn't sure how, gut instinct guiding him, but it felt right. They continued in silence for several minutes before he stopped and turned to his friends. This is stupid, we've known each other since birth, we're like brothers. Normally you two never shut up, speak your mind.

His friends glanced at one another panting, their weak bodies unable to keep up with his new self. Deng was the first to speak, wringing his hands like a worthless loser. Nothing to say, little chief. We'll steer clear of that bandit and all will be well.

Besides, no need to be so sour. Kash chimed in. Plenty of other women out there, ain't like Qing was anything special. That Bei, she's got the curves a man needs and she's head over heels for you. I ever tell you how jealous I am? A snap of your fingers and you can have any girl you want.

Hmph, with the meagre strength he had before, these idiots would kiss his feet if he demanded it, a spineless pair. How would they act if they knew his true strength. Jealous? You shouldn't be, you could have the same.

Oh, I'm far below young chief Gen, There's no women pining after me. Kash gave a self-depreciating chuckle. After that bitch Lai spread that nasty rumour, none of the girls will give me a second glance.

But... But that's how you become Defiled... Kash's voice was almost pleading, his body shaking in fear.

How long have you known me? Aside from the strength, do I seem any different to you? Defiled? Am I a crazed cannibal now? He rolled his eyes and wiped his chin, tasting the salty blood. Becoming Defiled is a fairy tale, I see this clearly now. Cast aside your fear, give in to your anger, and seize true power for yourself. Stand at my side and together, we will become warriors without equal, and take what truly belongs to us.

Smiling at Kash, he eagerly anticipated the look of comprehension, but the idiot was still confused even after Gen explained everything so patiently. What a disappointment. Naturally setting loose the power within him, he watched as it swirled around Kash, whispering to him, enticing him with the secrets of the world. Kash's concern and confusion melted away and Gen continued to push. You wanted Bei and Lai? Then take them and anyone else who catches your eye. Who will stop you? Let me ask you this: who stopped that bandit who raped your sister? Or the bastard who killed your cousin because he didn't like the way he looked? No one, because the strong thrive, and the weak endure. Which would you rather be?

Through with trying to convince him, Gen turned about and started a campfire, setting slabs of meat down to cook. No sense dragging it back to the village, he'd be forced to offer it to Baledagh, so might as well eat it out here. He made quick work of the carcass, stripping flesh from bone with ease, the powerful giant no longer imposing now that it lay dead. The smell of blood filled his nostrils as it sprayed over him, covering his body in the warm, wet fluid.

Turning at the sound of footsteps, he spotted Kash scrambling to flee into the forest. Whooping with joy, Gen ran down his prey, catching it quickly and throwing it to the ground. Turning around with arms outstretched, his prey pleaded with tears in its eyes. Please Gen, don't -- Gen's knife carved through flesh like tofu and he delighted in the tortured screams echoing out into the otherwise silent forest. Raising his fist again and again, he lost himself in a frenzy, beating his prey until he stared down at a mangled mess of pulp and bone, unrecognizable to anyone who might come across it. Breathing hard, Gen tasted the blood of his former friend sprayed across his lips and all over the forest ground, feeling an odd emotion eating away at his stomach: Guilt.

Dropping to his knees, his chest tightened as he struggled to breathe, warring with the emotions inside him. Screaming into the skies, he pushed aside his guilt and turned his thoughts away. Why should he feel guilty? He'd given Kash every chance to join him, patiently explaining the way of the world to him, sharing all that he'd learned and would come to own, and what did he do? Betray him. Kash would have told everyone that he was Defiled, and that was unacceptable. The worthless idiot didn't know how to appreciate his wisdom, deserved what happened to him, and it was of no consequence. Gen would find others to join, more acceptable comrades. Sitting down amidst the beautiful, vibrant carnage, he waited for the meat to cook, letting his instincts take over while chewing ravenously on bits of fat. No need to think so much, easier to empty his mind and follow his instincts.

After feasting to his heart's content, he packed as much of the butchered meat as he could and left most of the carcass behind. Following his instincts north through the forest and away from the village, he moved without thought, running past village after village without slowing, his body full of energy, the twin claws hanging on his belt by a scavenged leather thong. Better for his whereabouts to remain a mystery, so his triumphant return would come as more of a surprise, but before anything could happen, he needed more wolves, more warriors. The sun fell before he stopped to eat, wasting precious time cooking before setting out again, moving through the darkness without difficulty, another wonderful discovery.

When the sun rose again, he didn't bother stopping to cook, devouring the meat raw as he moved. Much more efficient this way, and far more delicious. The chewy, grainy texture alone made it a better meal, and he wondered why he ever bothered with cooking at all. A second day passed in the same way before he consumed the last of his meat, but it didn't matter. He'd arrived at his destination, the smell of death embracing him as he strode into a burnt village, meeting the eyes of pillaging bandit and despairing villager alike, smiling at the surrounding carnage. Here were his wolves, his pack, his brethren and together they would tear Baledagh limb from limb.

Hey, ye one of ours? I ain't ever seen ye around before A little bandit sheep approached him with a sneer on his face and weapon in hand, but Gen ignored the worthless lout. Glancing around, he quickly found several kindred spirits interspersed among the sheep, each one acknowledging his presence, seeing him for who he was. One of them intercepted the idiot lout and directed Gen towards the centre of the village. The power was thick here, in the bloodshed and carnage, the anguish and hatred fuelling his brethren and festering inside the sheep, so they too might learn of true power if they survived. Voices rose within his mind, empowered by his surroundings, whispering to him as he wandered through the remains, delighting in the creative expressions found throughout the area, the bodies posed and toyed with in the most imaginative ways.

In the village square, he came across the man he'd travelled so far to find. Standing to one side, Gen enjoyed the show with a smile on his face, the massive warrior toying with a few villagers, their screams filling him with ecstasy and longing. The voices told him to wait patiently, whispering for him to embrace the violence and become stronger through surrender and he relinquished all his senses to them, their satisfaction echoing in his mind. Lost in the pleasure, he stepped forward and drew his knife, grabbing a lovely little maiden with half her face missing, her mouth babbling insensibly from the pain. Beautiful.

A powerful backhand caught him in the face and he reeled from the impact. Snarling at the warrior, he readied to leap forward to kill, but the voices stopped him. Dark-haired and clean-shaven, his assailant looked every bit the handsome hero if not for the gore covering his body. Brandishing a red-hot knife from the brazier beside him, the warrior spoke with a deep gravelly voice. Yer new so I'll let it pass this once, but these are my toys. Been expecting you for awhile now, ain't good to keep yer comrades waiting so long.

There are people I need to kill. A village, only a day or two away. Gen couldn't tear his eyes off the weeping girl, wanting nothing more than to fight the warrior and take her for himself, but the voices persuaded him otherwise. There were plenty of other sheep to devour.

Looking him up and down, the warrior broke into a grand smile, as if seeing an old friend. Good, good, you'll fit in nicely. Why not, one village is the same as another. Call it your welcoming gift, best to remove all traces of your past anyways. We'll head out in the morning, go have your own fun elsewhere and burn everything when yer done. Gotta cover our tracks ye see, can't have the army coming down on us. No one cares about dead villagers, but our activities bring too much scrutiny. Thumping his chest, the warrior proudly exclaimed, Yer a Firebrand now, working under Xiao HuoLong, the Laughing Dragon. You listen well and we'll kill to our hearts content.

Ha, not wolves, but dragons. Yes, Gen was finally where he belonged.

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