《Chapter 4》 Arslid the Abomination

Once the crying has stopped, my father has finally regained his composure as he wiped the tears off his face.

He gently places my body on the ground, being extremely careful as to not drop me.

My father immediately notices Grimsly and Crowley, the two ash golems who were standing right beside me the entire.

They both sat down, watching the emotional moment attentively of the two; father and son. The first time seeing each other.

Neither of the two ash golems shows any signs of aggression or aggravated behaviour, almost like bodyguards. They pay attention to their surroundings.

This strangely odd behaviour then puts my father on guard as his body stiffens a bit, his muscles tenses.

The atmosphere around my father changes as a strong flurry of sand unfurled beneath his feet. His expression hardens, becoming serious.

'It almost feels like I'm looking at a totally different person.'

My father then clenches his hand together, with his fingers forming hook-like claws, as the surrounding sand gathers around them, forming a layer of sand armour around him.

'I can't allow these dangerous demonic beasts near my son! I must protect, Arslid!' My father instantly thought.

His bare instincts told him that Grimsly and Crowley are considered a potential threat.

So my father then raises his right hand and was just about to attack the Grimsly and Crowley.

However, I quickly intervened in place, in order to not escalate things any further, as I raised both my hands up to get my father's attention.

"Ka-ka! (Papa!)." I called out to my father.

"Huh!"

My father responded with a face full of confusion, as he couldn't make heads or tails over the current situation.

'Come to me!'

I commanded the two ash golems Grimsly and Crowley through the mental link.

Grimsly and Crowley then walk up to me, sitting down right beside me, as they looked on at my father's reactions.

'Are the demonic beasts following his orders?'

My father first thought as he instinctively felt the mana connection between me and the two ash golems.

"Mana link? Are those two your familiars?" My father said to me with an anxious look.

I tilted my head sideways in confusion. Neither confirming or denying his statement.

My father then looks at me, and then down at two golems. Finally, at me again.

'I think my father has finally noticed the mental established between myself and the two ash golems.'

I could see the obvious look of confusion plastered on his unkempt face.

'I guess who wouldn't after they saw a crippled child being surrounded by rock beasts. You would be mildly alarmed and worried about the child's life.' I commented.

The confused look on my father's face didn't last long, as it was soon replaced with a smile. A very creepy smile to be exact.

'I'm not really in a place to judge my father's looks after what he has been through.' I lamented, feeling slightly sorry for him.

My father then drops down on his knees, with his head hitting the ground hard that scratches appeared on his forehead.

'He prostrated.' I thought.

"Thank the Terranyvibovern (Earth Primordial God) for blessing my son with Guardian Beasts to protect him. Please watch over him, I beseech you..." My father cried to towards the heavens as his voice echoes in my ears.

"He is all that I have left in this world. Don't let him leave me." My father spoke quietly to himself.

However, his body trembles slightly as he spoke those words.

'I think that is the first time that I have ever been touched by someone. Even though this is the first time that we ever met...'

Afterwards, my father then gets up from his prostrated state.

He proceeds to pick me up and carry me in his arms like a bag of luggage. Though I don't say I dislike this kind of view though?

Grimsly and Crowley then got up, as the two ash golems are following me, right from behind.

'I wonder what do Terrakhan (Rock Demon) babies eat? Do they actually eat rock minerals like a full-grown adult Terrakhan?' I suddenly thought.

As I contemplated on what do baby Terrakhan eat and their diet. My father then brings me to an empty Flat stone table as he places me softly on top of it.

Afterwards, my father then takes something out of his satchel, hung around his side.

He held a black rock, with partially small white crystals inside, in his hand. Whilst, he slowly brought the black rock crystal towards my forehead.

'Wait a minute! Aren't I suppose to eat rock minerals and stuff. Why is he placing the black rock crystal against my forehead?'

'How am I suppose to eat it if it does not go into my mouth.'

'Can I even eat it with my underdeveloped teeth?'

System Notice Do you wish to absorb a [Small Iron Quartz Crystal]? Y/N

'What!'

I screamed internally, whilst watching the blue screen pop up in front of me.

'Yes, because why the hell not?'

I immediately gave the system my confirmation, as I felt an uneasy new feeling wash over me.

'This made me feel uneased...' I commented.

The small greyish horn protruding at the side of my forehead began to glow, emitting faint particles of light.

The glowing light particles then slowly envelopes the entirety of the small black rock crystals.

The white iron quartz crystal from the black rock then began to dissolve, right before his very eyes. They all became minerals which are then absorbed by the underdeveloped horn.

The remainder of the black rock, which is not absorbed by the underdeveloped horn, then turned into ash and dust which flows through the gap of his hand.

System Notice The user has consumed 100g of [Small Iron Quartz Crystal]! The status debuff [Malnourished] has been removed! System Notice By consuming 100g of [Small Iron Quartz Crystal]! Your Defence, Endurance, Dexterity has been increased by 0.1 stats point!

'Does this mean that I don't have to actually 'eat' the rock minerals, just in order to eat the minerals?'

'This is very interesting! I've also gained some minor stats increased from absorbing rock minerals and metal.'

'To think that my horn has this kind of function.'

System Notice The user has discovered a known fact about the Terrakhan race! Your Intelligence stat has increased by 2! System Notice

Species Dictionary: A Terrakhan's horn is a special set of external organs called [Mana Horns] or just simply mana organs.

Their only function is to breakdown rock minerals and metals into raw matter and mana. So it can directly be used to aid the user's body in development and growth.

'So I would still gain additional stats points after completing the necessary feats in our everyday life.'

'This is a lot like learning but it is much more fun.' I commented.

* * * * *

A curious thought suddenly pops up in my head, since our mana horn aids us in absorbing matter from rock minerals and metal.

Then what about my father who has his mana horn shattered and broken.

'So how will he eat then?' I thought.

I started at the shattered black crystal horn hung on the side of my father's forehead. It didn't take long for my father to notice my intense glare.

"What is it, boy? Do you need something, Arslid?" My father asked me a question in which he didn't expect me to respond.

I just simply point at his broken black crystal horn, with my left hand.

It's much lighter and way easier to move. So I can lift it up and point with ease, without worrying for the weight of my arm.

My father wasn't certainly amused as he immediately realised what was going on, in which he forced himself to smile in front of me, and starts speaking about words of praise about me.

"You are quite smart, Arslid. My baby boy is intelligent... You must have realized by now, what the mana horn is used for." My father spoke in a calm and steady voice, at a pace I can easily understand.

"Eto! (Yeah!)" I responded.

"Well, I won't go into too much detail, but I had my mana horn broken as a result of a duel, that which lead me to my current state." My father said to me, feeling slightly depressed and sad.

He touches the stump of his missing left arm, with his only good one left.

"Ha-Hu!" I cried.

Author's Notes:

Arslid's Status Screen

Status Screen Name: Arslid Sex: Male Age: 1 Day Old Race: Terrakhan {Rock Demon} Subrace: One Horned Terrakhan Bloodline: N/A Class: N/A Level: 1 State: Malnourished Titles: First Cry Stats/Attributes Health Points: 107.1/107.1 Mana Points: 228/228 Strength: 3 Wisdom: 74 Defense: 5.1 Intelligence: 43 Agility: 5 Willpower: 11 Endurance: 3.1 Spirit: 11 Dexterity: 4.1 Charisma: 2 Constitution: 4 Luck: 2 Available Stats Points: 0 Skill List Active Skill - [Astral Magic Lv1][Golemancy Lv1][Core Creation Lv10][Minor Earth Control Lv1][Thought Acelaration Lv.1] Passive Skill - [Automatic MP Recovery Lv2] Racial Traits/Exclusive Skill - [Mineral Absorption Lv1][Interspatial Storage Tier 1]

Grimsly's Status Screen

Status Screen Name: Grimsly Age: 1 day old Race: Ash Golem Golem Type: Beast Subrace: Hellhound Variant Grade: 1-star Core Rank: Bronze Level: Lv1 Titles: Stat/Attributes Health Points: 120/120 Mana Points: 106/106 Strength: 8 Wisdom: 4 Defense: 10 Intelligence: 2 Agility: 4 Willpower: 1 Endurance: 10 Spirit: 1 Dexterity: 6 Charisma: 1 Constitution: 10 Luck: 1 Available Stats Points: 0

Crowley's Status Screen

Status Screen Name: Crowley Age: 1 day old Race: Ash Golem Golem Type: Beast Subrace: Jaguar Variant Grade: 1-star Core Rank: Bronze Level: Lv1 Titles: Stats/Attributes Health Points: 120/120 Mana Points: 106/106 Strength: 6 Wisdom: 6 Defense: 8 Intelligence: 4 Agility: 7 Willpower: 1 Endurance: 10 Spirit: 1 Dexterity: 9 Charisma: 1 Constitution: 10 Luck: 1 Available Stats Points: 0 Skill List Active Skill - [Fire Claw Lv1][Fire Slash Lv1] Passive Skill - [Earth Skin Lv1][Stealth Lv1] Racial Skill/Traits - [Untiredness Lv1]