Arthur wiped the blood from his eyes with the back of his hand. The knife still trembled in his grip, the blade dripping dark and wet, but he barely noticed. His focus was on the body.
The goblin lay sprawled in the dirt, chest torn, yellow eyes glassy in death. Yet the tether thrummed through Arthur's veins like a second heartbeat, pulling, insisting.
He reached for it. Not with hands, but with will.
The corpse jerked. Its limbs twitched unnaturally, stiff at first, then looser, like a puppet remembering how to move. The faint glow from the wound pulsed once, twice, then spread like cracks of light through its skin.
Arthur staggered back, breath caught in his throat. His instincts screamed abomination. But the rage burned hotter — this was his now. His kill. His servant.
The goblin's claw dug into the dirt. It pushed itself up, spine snapping into place with a sickening crack. The head lolled for a moment, then lifted. Yellow eyes, once clouded by death, reignited — but they no longer held hunger. They held obedience.
The chains in Arthur's blood pulled tight.
The goblin knelt before him.
Arthur's chest heaved. He felt sick, giddy, powerful all at once. He lowered the knife, staring down at the creature that only minutes ago had tried to tear him apart. Now it waited for command. His first soldier. His first proof.
And in the back of his mind, the barn echoed again — the laughter, the jeers. Coward. Worthless.
Arthur bared his teeth in a grim smile. Not anymore.
He had bound a monster.
And this was only the beginning.
Arthur kept his eyes locked on the kneeling goblin, the knife still loose in his hand. The bond thrummed, strong and undeniable, and yet—something felt wrong. The current in his veins hit a wall, like a door locked tight.
He focused harder, trying to reach out, to grasp the new power fully. For a heartbeat he thought he'd done it—he felt a shape, vast and intricate, the promise of command. Then it snapped shut.
Words carved themselves across his mind, not spoken but etched deep:
Limit Reached.Current Bond: 1 (Progenitor)Expansion Possible: Only through Progeny of Bound.
Arthur staggered back, heart hammering. "What? That's it?" he muttered, voice shaking with disbelief. "Just… one? One goblin?"
The creature stared blankly, awaiting orders. It didn't understand, couldn't.
Arthur's grip tightened on the knife. He wanted to scream, to curse, to tear the truth from the invisible chains that bound him. "I risked my life for this! I thought I could raise an army, that I'd… that I'd finally matter." His voice cracked, echoing bitterly through the trees.
He exhaled, ragged and angry, forcing himself to steady. The tether was real. The goblin was his. Even if the rules mocked him.
"Only through its children…" Arthur muttered, staring into the dirt. The implication rooted deep, unsettling, but also… promising. His hands trembled as the thought sank in. "So you're not just a servant. You're… the start."
The goblin blinked, uncomprehending, still kneeling.
Arthur wiped the blood from his mouth and forced himself to stand tall. His chest burned with frustration, but also a dangerous spark of possibility.
"One goblin," he whispered. "Fine. Then I'll make that one count."