I could feel something else in the descending darkness of death. Emanating from his wicked clawed hand. It reminded me of when I had taken Sania’s bond. The stupid bastard’s own Neuma was in that energised claw which was now plunged into me.

Despite my failing mental state, I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth and pulled at his Neuma. Unlike my own, which wouldn’t respond. Grigor’s Neuma did.

I wasn’t sure if it would do anything to save me, but petty or not, as a final act of defiance I would take the bastard with me.

I pulled and pulled at it into my core before I lost my tether to consciousness and the last of my strength ebbed away.

Sania

I watched as Clive slowly died, waiting with acceptance for what would surely come to me. Pain lanced through upper Abdomen, my core rebelling against the loss of its bonded partner, just as my own heart did.

This past moon had been both the worst and utterly the best of my entire life, and as my life slowly drained away, I smiled through the tears that ran down my face. It was a full life until the very end with my soul mate doing everything he could to save me against impossible odds.

I crawled slowly over to his body as the huge Woltar pulled his hand from Clive’s abdomen and raised them in the air victorious.

No one tried to stop me. Before I made it halfway, I dropped to my face in the soil. The only energy remaining enough to lay eyes on my lover, my Alpha, one last time before our souls reunited in the great beyond.

Grigor

“Curse you Demon spawn,” I spat at the dying man in front of me. “I have a pack to save, and you think to stop me after everything we’ve fought through and suffered!” I knew he was a man and not a demon, despite his size and strange limbs. He was too brave to be a demon. None of those I’d ever met would sacrifice themselves in such a way for another. Part of me respected him. If things were different, I may even have been able to work with him. But things weren’t different. We needed somewhere to live, and recover after so many years of fighting and losing.

I felt a strange tugging at the energy of my Claws of Rending Salvation. Pulling my hand from the strange hybrid with a slight shiver at the unpleasant sensation. I stood up and raised my hands in the air as victor of these lands. It was a great day.

Some awful pain seared in my stomach. I had suffered a great many injuries and tortures in my life, and this was among the worst of them.

Willing my body to stay upright, my traitorous knees still buckled beneath me.

A notification popped up.

Soul-Bound.

You have been Soul-Bound by another. They have drawn portion of your Neuma into their own. This is an unbreakable bond between you and your new master. You are now at their behest.

Warning: Be cautious of the distance between you and your master. While this will vary on individual power levels of both parties, you will die should you move beyond a safe distance.

Warning: Do not cause intentional harm to your master or twice that pain will be visited upon you.

Warning: Should your master die, you will die with them.

I couldn’t comprehend what was happening. This didn’t make any sense. Had I just caused my own death after all of this? All these years, uniting the beast tribes of the north and finally escaping, only to fall here to a weakling half demon. I had killed level sixty demons single handedly and this is how I would depart from the world.

Alert! Your master is dead. Ten seconds remaining before his soul departs for the afterlife and your life is forfeit.

Resurrection:

Your master meets the requirements to be revived. Do you wish to transfer life force into your master, so that you both may live? (Cost -1 level. 0/3)

…9

…8

…7

…6

…5

…4

…3

“Yes! Ancestors yes! I do!” I choked out in desperation.

The pressure in my abdomen slowly receded. I lay on the floor like I’d been stamped on by a dragon. The exhaustion I felt permeated my very bones.

Guess Who’s Back

I was jolted from unconsciousness by a sudden influx of energy. The wound I had taken closing up on its own accord. To my side, Grigor lay star fished, like he’d just been shat out of a giants arse.

Sania was several feet away, similarly, splayed on the ground. I half crawled half ran over to her. Even if I was attacked by the surrounding beast kin, I didn’t care.

It turned out that it wasn’t the other beast kin I had to be most wary of. It was the fucking God of notifications again. Half way over to her, my vision filled with a stream of them causing me to fall. At least I landed next to her.

Congratulations, you have used Soul-Bind on an enemy during a battle turning them to your cause.

Congratulations, you defeated a level 51 Woltar. For a total of 510 experience points. +10 Experience points for every level your opponent was above your own. +210 points.

Commiserations: You Died.

Hidden skill unlocked. Soul Survivor.

You can and have been revived from death by those Soul Bound to you.

Requirements for Resurrection:

1 Soul bound follower willing to freely invest one level for every ten levels you have attained. Current level requirement 3 soul bound servants.

(Due to the increased depth of bond, Soul Mates can take the place of two soul bound servants and may offer up to two levels.)

Ultra-Rare-Achievement: Soul Survivor

Very few have truly died and lived to tell the tale.

Ultra-rare achievement 10,000xp

Level up:

Congratulations. You have reached Level 31:

Congratulations. You have reached Level 32:

Congratulations. You have reached Level 33:

Congratulations. You have reached Level 34:

Congratulations. You have reached Level 35:

Congratulations. You have reached Level 36:

Congratulations. You have reached Level 37:

You have 60 Stat points to distribute.

“We’re alive, Clive. This is remarkable.” Sania said across the bond. “Now we must find a way out of this. I can’t lose you again.”

“You won’t.” I replied with more confidence than I had any right to feel. “Give me two seconds. I need to allocate points. I’m sorry about you losing your levels too,”

“That’s not even a consideration. Put whatever points you have into speed so we can escape.

“That hopefully won’t be necessary. Gimmie a minute.”

I knew what I needed to do and despite the rude awakening on Constitution, I stayed the course with Sania’s original plan, but for a couple of minor deviations.

I put 4 into Intelligence to bring it to 25 and counter the demon racial trait. I put 10 points into Perception meaning they were now both a solid 20. Next, I went against the plan and put a further ten into Internal Connection. Flying was Neuma Intensive, and Neuma Exhaustion through low Internal Connection had literally just killed me. I wanted to put even more in, but held off. I hoped increasing it would allow me to regain my connection to the Neuma.

After that, I considered twenty to be a good base level to be at physically and I thought it would be worth it to ensure all of my physical stats were that at least. I brought speed and stamina up to 50, then purely against Sania’s advice, I put the remaining three points into Charisma.

Level 37

Physical statistics:

Strength: 50

The capacity to exert and resist force.

Dexterity: 20

Skill and ease in hand-based activity.

Agility: 20

How effectively the body can move into a range of different positions.

Speed: 50

Rate at which the body can move.

Stamina: 50

Period at which body can effectively sustain prolonged activity.

Constitution: 101

The ability to withstand physical punishment.

Mental Statistics:

Intelligence: 25 (-5 Racial Trait)

Knowledge and its application.

Charisma: 13 (-5 Racial Trait)

Charm, coerce, inspiration.

Perception: 20

Awareness of surroundings

Spiritual Statistics:

Ethereal Awareness: 0

Attunement with the Gods and spirits of Gulithea. (Necessary for Ethereally supplied magical ability.)

Internal Connection: 31

Attunement with oneself. (Necessary for cultivation of one’s own inner power)

World sense: 2.11%

Knowledge of Gulithea.

Xp to next level 660/1500

With that hastily done, I spoke to Sania again. “Okay, up we get. There are things to sort out.”

“Why can I hear every word you say? What have you done to me Demon?” A deep, throaty voice said.

“Ah, Grigor, welcome to the party in my head. Before we chat any further, do you mind calling your slavering horde off?”

“You should not refer to these brave people in such a way,” Grigor retorted.

“What the fuck Clive?” Sania asked her voice a mixture of confusion and awe.

“That you deem to take the souls of my people is of great concern. What manner of evil creature are you?”

I was still amused with Sania swearing. That was literally the first time I’d heard her do it.

“Okay, Sania, meet Grigor my new Soul Bound servant. Grigor, Meet Sania, my Soul Mate, which is completely different because the bond goes both ways. As for your brave people. You are invading our pack territory, with the intention of suppressing the people already here through violence because you want their home.

And before you fucking wax lyrical about your current situation as a soul bound servant, you just fucking killed me and told me you were going to essentially break my Soul Mate into a submissive child bearing slave? I don’t intend to use compulsion on you because it fucking sucks, but you need to recognise your position here. You’re not in charge anymore and if you didn’t have around four hundred dangerous looking pack members surrounding us I’d kill you.”

“I…”

“Ba,ba,ba. I’m not fucking finished, Grigor. Right now, I hate you. But I have a sense that might not always be the case. I heard some of the shit you were muttering at the end of the fight there, and I think we might have a little to offer each other. So call your people off and let’s have a talk about what happens next.”

“Of course,” he said, and I heard his physical voice boom out.

“Everyone! This fight is over. Take care of the prisoners as if they were pack. I must speak to these two.”

I was surprised at how easily he agreed before realising, I told him what to do and he had no choice but to do it.

Sania and I got to our feet, and stood together watching the surrounding reactions. Disbelief was most prevalent.

“What is going on Grigor?” Another Woltar asked.

Nikio, level 49 Woltar,

These guys were as tough as hell. I looked around at other identifiers of those who had come closest.

Grastad level 38 Nystiobek

Feen Level 46 Woltar

I checked out one of the Krysan. Though to be fair, he was taller than most of the other rat kin, standing well over five foot. I assumed he was also ascended.

Scralex, level 43, Kuryosa

“How is the demon alive?” Nikio continued.

“He is not a demon, Niko. I will tell you all after I have spoken properly with him.”

“I will come with you to equal the numbers.”

“They are no challenge to me. I will be fine alone with them,” Grigor said commandingly. To which Niko shook his head. Eying Grigor suspiciously.

“What are you not telling me?”

“Why do you insist on pushing me Niko. Have I ever intentionally done wrong by the pack?”

“You have not, but this situation with the demon is strange.”

“I agree, and I will explain everything once I have spoken with him. You must trust me.”

Niko nodded. “I will remain close by, though. In case it is a trap.”

Grigor responded with a bitter laugh. “A trap. Do not worry Niko, I am on my guard for any traps.”

Grigor turned away from the agitated Niko and led us into the whitan. He was strange one to read. I could really sense the intelligence in him, which was at odds with the brutal demeanour he exuded.

“Hey, Grigor. I’m glad you’re willing to talk this out. I have high hopes for a peaceful resolution.

“As do I or I will kill you and forfeit my life.”

“Heh, highly unlikely now, mate.”

“Do not doubt my resolve.” He replied in a wooden voice.

“Do not doubt mine,” I replied mimicking his tone.

“I have already beaten you. I relented because I do not wish to die but I will not be demeaned either.”

“Grigor, you absolutely cannot under any circumstances kill me or kill yourself or tell any of your people to kill me and if they do try, you must do everything in your power to stop them.”

After I spoke, I could see his whole body become rigid as my demands took hold of him. His face turned thunderous. “What have you done!”

“I’m making a point.”

Grigor stared at me horrified as I continued.

“The main point I’m trying to make is that if I want to kill you, I could tell you to ram your fist right up your arse and turn your glowy grey shit on. That’d make a mess, right?”

“Clive,” Sania said with a gentle warning. “It is not a good place to be on the end of your control.”

“Yeah, well neither’s on the end of this asshole's glowing claws. Right now all I care about is that Grigor here is a good doggy, or I’ll make him go sniff Nikos' arse if he hasn’t already.”

She snorted at that. “You can’t. That’s evil.

“I’ve never said I wasn’t evil,” I mock protested.

She laughed again in delight. It was a strangely empowering moment amongst the blood and the mud to have that camaraderie with her.

Grigor growled at me. “Free me from this curse. You took the level, you are alive. Free me or end me.” He was boiling with indignation.

“Before you start shouting the odds, let’s just lay everything out on the table, Grigor.”

“No. Tell me now. How do we break this link. I understood why you did it, and I promise I will respect you and even leave these lands if I must. But I have too many people who rely on me to be beholden to this curse.

“I get you, mate. I really do. But we’ve all got people we need to protect. You need to tell Sania and me your story before we do anything else.”