Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Feast

Chapter 1
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A man walked into the room carrying a hot drink. "Professor Strissen, are you still analyzing the new shipment of crystals we received recently? How about a break?"

"I am not analyzing the batch of crystals but one in particular. I have never seen one as unique as this." The assistant sat at a table near the Professor. "It reacts to other crystals."

With a sigh, the assistant voiced, "Well, please be careful." Black dust filled the room as if it was on cue, and a thud echoed.

"Ouch! What was that?"

The Professor tumbled backward onto the floor. His assistant rushed over, hands spread out so he wouldn't run into anything, to help him.

"Professor, Are you alright?!"

"Yes, I am alright." Able to still move, he reached up and grabbed the assistant's hand. "It would seem that it doesn't enjoy being touched too much. It pulled the mana out of the crystals in my pocket. Hurting me in the process. I knew this had to be something unlike any crystal we have studied."

The assistant turned as the dust settled. "Hmph, well, I would have to agree with you. Should I be congratulating you?"

"Congratulating me on what exactly?" Unsure of what he could be talking about.

"The fact that it seems you now have a baby boy. I believe it has your eyes, Professor."

The two men, with eyes wide, stared at a baby on their examining table.
With a quick head turn, "Go find the nearest Runner. Have them grab the closest Beastiary and inform them our new toy decided to wake up."

With an anxious and pale face, the assistant hurried towards the exit, opening a door that was a few times larger than him. Giving one last look at the child before moving into the hallway outside.

The man in the room stepped closer to the child—picking him up with white-gloved hands. With a lengthy inhale and an even longer exhale.

"I am sorry, young thing. I wish I could hold onto you and see what mysteries you contain. However, you have woken up. Which means you are no longer a resource. You are a beast that many influential people will control. I can't imagine what your life will entail. I just know that it will be a lonely one."

With a loud smack, the door slammed open.
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*Bang* *Bang*. Two loud slams on a metal door. I suddenly sat up from my half-asleep daze. My heart raced, sending shivers down my spine. Were they here for me? The 2 knocks meant that it was time to get up. It's been a long time since someone has come by this cell. This cell was home for me. The walls are just a hole carved from a large rock. I know every nook and cranny. This cold and dark crevis is all I know. It's all I dream about.

I began to rock back and forth, hoping they would just forget about me. It seemed they sometimes did, but my dreams were crushed.

*Bang* *Bang*

"Ash, get up! I know you can..."

I yelped but quickly became silent. The one who reacts often gets the worst punishments.

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The metal door swung open, revealing a tubby man in the doorway with rags stitched together for his clothes. His face of disgust was so sharp. I am sure that nobody could stand against it.

"Frank ordered me to retrieve you. You spawn of the abyss. Now, HURRY UP!"

I couldn't look at him and continued to rock on the floor. With a snarl, he grabbed me, leading me from behind. I squirmed initially from the touch of his hands. Something about being touched made me uncomfortable.

As we moved through the dark hallways, we made our way to the main hall. He shoved and prodded me every few seconds. We got close enough, and I started to hear various forms of shouting and bantering. We emerged from the large doors and entered the room. Three long tables were lined with multiple kinds of food, and around 30 to 40 men were sitting and eating. They were celebrating something.

I kept my head down.

We stuck to the side and made our way to the front. This portion of the hall was elevated from the rest, and another table was perpendicular to the ones below.

"Sir Frank," The servant announced. "I have brought Ashe to you as you ordered."

Sitting in the biggest of the chairs was the boss of these ruffians, Frank Liongate. A man with long black hair and a beard. He wore dark armor, which I had only seen once before. Only when he was getting ready for a hunt. I immediately found it odd, especially for a feast like this.

"Good, you may leave Tug." Frank gave a wave, dismissing Tug. "Ashe, come and sit by me at the head table."

I moved to his left side and sat on the chair next to him. He ate and drank as if I wasn't there. While I sat and acted like I wasn't there. Frank went through 3 cups of wine and what seemed like 3 whole chickens. After a few more bites, he gave a wave. Instantly a few of his lower servants approached. These were not typical human servants. These are Factils, a race of short mushroom men. It is rare for them to speak or do anything for themselves.

"Bring this kid some food. He is, in fact, the guest of honor of this evening. A whole pig will do."

Frank turned toward me and grinned as wide as his face would allow. Something was wrong, very wrong. The servants brought out a plate with an entire pig on top of it. It was a rare opportunity to eat anything. Even though I had the physique of a human, I was, in fact, not. I could live without food if I wanted. Well, I didn't have a choice. Food was stripped explicitly from me, so I couldn't get any stronger.

Frank gave me a nod. I opened my left hand, and a black gem began breaking through the middle of my palm. It didn't take long to pull it out with my other hand. Taking a deep breath, I blew black dust into the tiny gem and tossed it.

Before hitting the table, the gem burst into dust. Twirling and spinning until it formed a dark gray creature. No taller than a few inches, the head was in the shape of an oval and made up most of its body. The legs and arms were incredibly skinny, and it took all its effort, with those thin arms, to hold its head up. It looked at me with its large black eyes, and I gave it an order.

"Can you eat that pig that's behind you?"

As I asked that question, I realized that it had no mouth. Once I gave the order, however, a large smile, going ear to ear, formed across its face. The creature turned and ran head-first into the pig. Not without stumbling and face-planting a few times, trying to keep its head up.

I turned back towards the man next to me. He had already begun to eat and drink again. I gathered up the courage and spoke, "What has changed? In all the time that I have been here. This has never once happened." I made it clear with my tone that I knew something was up.

Frank turned towards me with that awful grin. He whispered into my ear, "A man heard about you and is more than eager to have you. Willing to make me richer than most of the lower nobles. Thank you, guest of honor." Raising his glass.

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