Rise Beyond Celestial

With a brutal gesture, he plunged his claws into his left hand, letting his own blood flow, which mingled with the red orb. Drawing in a deep breath, his necklace glowed faintly red as his usually silent heart began to beat. Slowly, his body began to change: his bat-like red wings pierced the flesh of his back, a curved horn emerged from his forehead, and his ears became pointed. Corrupted mana surged from him, transforming the air around into a storm of pure malevolence.

He clenched the sphere between his two hands, holding it firmly as it struggled to break free from his control. "Blood Slave," he murmured, and the sphere burst, releasing a bloody mist that enveloped the entire village.

Minutes passed in stifling silence, the moving, thick mist obscuring the view. Then, slowly, silhouettes began to form in the fog. About fifty villagers appeared, those who had survived the transformation, kneeling before Linfer with silent deference. Their altered appearances: they were paler, thinner, and their bulging eyes shone with an unhealthy red glow. Their appearance was more humanoid than the Wendigos Eden had known.

Linfer observed them with satisfaction, his mischievous smile unchanged. "Loyalty problem: solved. Communication problem: solved. Power problem: solved."

These villagers may not have had any particular magical affinity, but their rapid regeneration and increased strength, fueled by the corrupted mana, made them perfect soldiers. Additionally, while they retained their consciousness and personalities, Linfer was their absolute master. He could read their thoughts and, if necessary, kill them with a simple mental command.

He snapped his fingers, observing them with cold authority. "Separate into two groups. The first will begin construction immediately. The second will come with me." His smile became even more cruel. "After all, there are other territories to pacify."

One of the transformed men, visibly troubled but obedient, raised a trembling hand to draw Linfer's attention. "Master," he said in a hoarse voice, hesitating, "What are we?"

Linfer thought for a moment and answered honestly: "How should I know? Slaves created from my blood? If you want a name... Then what was the name of this village?"

"The village was called Wendigo, Master."

"Well, that will be your species from now on: the Wendigos."

The man shuddered, his red eyes lowered in submission, and he nodded. "Yes, Master."

"Any other questions?"

"Can you tell us what you expect from us for... the construction? I doubt our skills are up to the task..."

Linfer slowly turned his head towards the young woman who seemed to have no fear, her red eyes piercing his, he had already noticed her when he killed her, she was one of the few who didn't beg for her life.

"As if even inferior beings can be interesting." A twisted smile stretched across his lips, and he replied with icy sweetness:

"Your name?"

"Nestia... M-Master."

"Resistance!?" Linfer raised his eyebrows in surprise. He hadn't really used this ability apart from a few times when he wanted to discreetly kill a boring noble in the empire. He used a blood slave. But he knew one thing, his slaves never showed resistance. This was a first, and this case interested him.

"Don't worry. What I'm asking of you is simple: build the foundations of an empire. The materials? Your own blood, if necessary. And the plans... You'll receive them directly from me, in your mind. You don't need to understand. You just have to obey. And Nestia, you'll come with me."

Linfer, satisfied, turned to the rest of his servants.

"To work, Slave!"

...

Linfer strolled with his hands behind his back towards the next village, followed by Nesta and a dozen Wendigos.

"What's interesting about these lands?" he asked, his tone nonchalant.

Nesta paused, hesitant. "I don't understand, master..."

Under the sweetness of his eyes, she hurried to answer. She had, in a way, understood that when Linfer seemed to be at his happiest, it was then that he was the most unstable and could unleash his murderous madness at any moment.

"Before your arrival, there were about ten independent villages in the area. They were often in conflict with the Astavi tribe to the south."

"Astavi?" repeated Linfer, raising an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Yes. They are much more developed than us. Their territory is vast, and they gather millions of inhabitants under the banner of their leader, that old cunning fox."

Linfer sketched a smile. "From the sound of it, you don't hold them in high regard."

"The Astavi dominate all around us, and they don't hesitate to crush the weaker ones, us independent villages. In fact, they are quite recognizable with their fox ears."

"And apart from them, are there any other organizations that could pose a problem?"

Nestia thought for a moment before answering. "There are the bandits of the northern mountains. It is said that they possess forces above average, but... I don't know if it's just rumors. The only thing I know for sure is that within the Astavi tribe, it is said that their leader can manipulate fire."

Linfer suddenly stopped, his gaze became more piercing. "Manipulate fire? Interesting."

He turned to the dark sky, pensive. "Could it be these famous mortals..."

He made a sign to his Wendigos and resumed his walk. "First, let's unite the surroundings without alerting this tribe. I'm sure my brother has already infiltrated them. It remains to be seen what method he will use.

...

Linfer walked silently through the alleys of a sleeping village. The flames of the torches swept the shadows, but they could not detect the presence of his Wendigos who glided behind him like ghosts. He stopped in front of each house, observing the souls within. His hand rose, silent as a shadow, and a dozen Wendigos descended upon the village.

Without a sound, they eliminated the elders, the sick, and those who would no longer serve his vision of the future. The rest, the youngest and strongest, were left untouched. Dawn rose over half-empty villages, but the terror of the night was never mentioned. Those who remained knew all too well that they lived thanks to Linfer.

Linfer was no longer interested in pointless violence. He had a vision. An empire where loyalty would be ensured by fear, where power would be consolidated in his army, and where communication between his subjects would be fluid, without chaos or rebellion.