Chapter 28: Little ones

A hundred hours had past, it was happening at last, my babies are about to be born. I experimented with the hosts because why not, on one of the them I use my Life Spawn once while I use it multiple times on the other one. The host with multiple life spawn use on him was dead for a few days now, his corpse bloated up and I could see the younglings swimming underneath his bloated skin. The one who got it once wasn't much better, he also succumbed a few hours later. His body wasn't as bloated but it was still just as disgusting to look at.

The birthing process was wierd from the start. It was magical, in the most literal sense. It was slow and painful, they would have died form their wound either way but even so it was unnecessary grotesque. At first the ability cause some parts of the flesh to blob up, I couldn't see much from the outside but it looked alot like tumor, a whole bunch of tumors cluttered together. The tumors caused belly to build up gas and liquify causing it to bloat up, it was like the belly of a woman pregnant with quintuplets, the meat from the arms and legs are transferred to the bloated belly. This caused the limbs to thin out till all that was left of the arms and legs was bones covered by a thin skin. After that something I couldn't quite see hatch from the tumor as if the tumor was an egg and it begins eating the host from the inside. The body when they hatch from the tumors was not like the ones they have now, it more resembles a tadpole, which got me quite worried, I wanted something that was more like me and not something else. I don't have anything against frogs and toads but for a rat other rats are preferable. The face of the hosts distorts several times in an expression of immense pain. I certainly don't want to see it so close again and it was the most painful death I have ever seen.

On the blooted belly of one of the host, the movement underneath the skin no doubt caused by the younglings eager to get out, was evident and it become more intense every passing moment. They were about to burst out.

Due to the skin being stretched thin by the liquid, it looked like burn blister taken to the extreme, I could see the shape pushing its way out. I took a step back not wanting to be in the splash zone when it pops. And when it pops it pours, at least twenty litres of whatever liquid was inside poured out. Smells like purulent drainage. Along with the disgusting liquid came twenty one ratlings.

They looked like a normal rat but without skin, they were nearly as big as me from the start. All of them lined up and looked at me with what I think was reverence. Now that they were actually born, I could feel a connection with them. From the looks of it they could feel it too. The bond between us was of magic and it was strong.

I couldn't speak so I decided to communicate with them through sign language. It was awkward but they somehow got it. I command them to split in two groups and wave my paws as a signal to let them move apart form the other group. It feels really good to have some authority, the other batch was taking longer and there have yet to be any movement of the belly.

I was waiting for the other batch to burst out, it might take another day of two before they got out. Wierd how the batch that got out first were from the host I use my ability seven times on. I thought it would take longer since there were more rats inside to feed. The skinless bodies of theirs gives the impression of incompleteness, like what if they got out too quickly and needed more time inside or did they not have enough protein. I'll have to confirm once the other batch comes out.

For now I have to do something with this ratlings. I point at one and turn my pointing claw arround, the one I was pointing moved around in circles. I point at another and did the same but this time the one I was pointing just turned around. They were really good at following my command, they always did exactly what I wanted them to do despite what gesture I used. I looked at one at it jumped three times, and finally did I realise it was through though and not gesture command.

It was the magic link that binds us and I focused my mind on the link. I could feel them from it, not enough to directly read their thoughts but enough to somewhat feel their presence. I ordered one of them to move away, it moved quite the distance and I could feel the link weakening. It have a limited range it seems, though it felt like I would still be able to tell if the connection suddenly disappear, like if it were to die I feel like I will still be capable of telling what happened even from half the planet away. I also felt a faint connection to the ones not born yet as well.

While I focused on the link, I can tell their emotions by looking at them. I have to directly see them too, the one I send away I can't tell anything but any of the one I am looking I can tell exactly what was in their mind and what they were feeling.

Most of them were feeling frustrated and envious, the source of their frustration being not ordered by me and they were envious of the ones I ordered. They seems to be quite fanatical and obsessed with me. I decided to test something further and called one to stand before me, I ordered it to closed its eyes and stand completely still.

While it was doing that I bit off a piece of its ear, I was curious what they would feel when I directly hurt them. And it was feeling ecstatic? Its emotion was filled with pure bliss and if I haven't ordered it to stay still it would have gracefully jumped into my jaws, so it may become one with me. And the ones looking at what happened now feel even stronger envy. I decided to ignored there emotion to preserve my sanity and use my ability flesh inspection and the list showed up.

[Name: ]

[Level: 1]

[Species: Flesh Ratling]

[Skills: ]

[Abilities: ]

[Partial Evolution: ]

[Health: 7/7]

[Mana: 0/0]

[Strength: 6]

[Speed: 4]

[Durability: 2]

[Intellect: 4]

[Will: 3]

[Skill point: 1]

[Ability point: 1]

[Evolution point: 1]

[Stat point: 0]

All I see was the potential for great things and it pleases my greatly.