Chapter - 2: Grinding and New Family Members

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" DONE!"

I cried out and spun out lf my chair, launching myself into my bed, my Two Hour thirty-six and twenty-one second with slightly aching hands and fingers.

And it was Beautiful.

What better Bird to draw than The Bird of Death?

*Tti-ring~!*

The familiar soft sound of a Church bell echoed throughout my head and mind as a screen popped into existence.

[ Apprentice-Grade Quest Complete! Your rewards have been transferred to Inventory! ]

*Whoosh!*

In both morbid awe and wonder, I watched as the Crow quite literally clawed himself out of the page, Goosebumps Style.

*Shoosh!*

I blinked in shock as the Crow Drawing turned into pure black particles and wormed into my head.

Now with just a thought, I can [Command] the Crow to do anything I wanted and he will do so whether he likes it or not. Next was what I like to call the [Terminate Button], making the Crow Drawing appear in front of me, letting me do with it any way I wanted. Lastly was the [Telepathic Link] We share with Our Children, allowing me to hear their thoughts, see through their eyes and know where they are always.

' Neat!' I smiled as the Crow placed itself on my shoulder, head, and eyes following everything I follow.

' Cute.' For that, I will give him a name.

" You shall henceforth be Gedeon Lovecraft. First of Many." I said and then I knew pain.

My hands and legs started shaking as I plopped myself and a shaking Crow in the bed.

Taking a pillow, I grunted," Argh!" Why does it feel like my vines are burning?!

[ Soul-Pact Skill Created! - By Naming your First Creation, you unlocked the ability to Use Soul-Pack Magic, an Ancent, and Lost from another world.

Noted; It should be noted, You will feel this Pain every time you bring Life from your drawings, immediately forming a Soul-Pack with your Creations ]

' That's...good.' No. It's absolutely fucking great.

...Only have one question tho.

' Why does it feel like my insides are a bunch of drunk High Schoolers and why is my fucking Dick hard!?'

[ That were two questions, but I shall answer them.

One: Eat better and Work Out. Plain and Simple as that.

Two: Morning Wood ]

I frozen. Morning Wood? How could I get Morning when the Moon is out?

[ Look outside your Window ]

*Whoosh*

Taking off the blanket around me and I blurry-eyed looked at the Window.

...Only to see the motherfucking Sun staring back at me.

I groaned," I have school today..."

Do I? Do I really?

..." Nah. A few days should be enough time to arm myself." I shrugged.

As if waiting for those Fated words to leave my mouth, I heard a ding and a screen flicked in front of me

*Tti-ring~!*

[ Apprentice Author Quest Generated!

Apprentice-Grade Quest: Draw a Dog with Evil Elements.

Reward: 5,000AP(Author Points), Five One Apprentice-Grade Gacha Tokens.

Time Limit: One Hour ]

" One hour?! Are you crazy!? Who do you think I am?!" I paled and felt phantom aching throughout both my hands and fingers.

[ A Apprentice Author benefiting his Rank, wasting time ]

I immediately felt cold water poured all over my body. The System is right.

...Why worry? Just do it and see what happens!

' Thanks, System!'

[ Anytime Author Blake. Anytime ]

And so with a smile on my face, I went to my Drawing Table and got right to work.

In a simple way, We shall show you the process. First was the easy outline of my next Child. Following that were Facial Features, a part of drawing I usually sucked at, but now am pretty damn good at it. And then my favorite part - The Eyes. Drawing the eyes, I followed Nose and Mouth, another part of drawing I usually sucked at, but my Child's eyes looked beautiful and just the way they wanted to me. After a quick thank you to the Coffee Gods and my OCD, I arrived at Step 3: Drawing the Hair or Fur in Our Child's case, something I was actually kind of good at, but am now superhuman-like good, making it seen the night-black hair is alive and moving.

Shaking my head, I grabbed my Drawing mechanical pencil and added the Body.

A few cups of Noodles and Coffee later, I was done and System stop staring at me like that! I will get some different food later. First I wanna arm myself, I don't want to die the second I leave my house. That would be just sad, now, wouldn't it?

" Finally..." Now full and out of coffee and noodles, I begin Step 5: Add Details and Ink the Drawing.

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" Done..." I groaned, not really feeling my hands or my butt at all. Even worst, I'm out of Coffee!

And I need Coffee and I will have my Coffee!

...Sealing up this particular thought aside, I look up and watched as the System appeared.

*Tti-ring~!*

[ Apprentice-Grade Quest Complete! Your rewards have been transferred to Inventory! ]

*Whoosh!*

With barely any acknowledgment, I frowned and clenched my teeth as a burning sensation washed through my vines, seemingly trying to find something.

Fortunately, they found what they were looking after a few minutes later, ceasing any pain or discomfort I was feeling for the last six minutes and forty-two seconds.

And then without warning, my Dog Drawing immediately jumped out of the Drawing and landed on the bed, his eyes locked onto me as his tail and ears shot up.

*Bark!*

The Dog barked, it loud and overbearing, as slobber and drool dripped down his mouth and jaw, onto my bed.

" You shall be - Eason Lovecraft, The Second Born and Protector of The Pact," I stated and knew no pain, thankfully.

*Bark! Bark! Bark! Bark! Bark! Bark!*

I was immediately engulfed in luxurious night-black soft fur and a wet tongue licking my whole face.

Not really knowing what to do, as I never really interacted with Dogs in person. The farthest I got was The Dog from Fallout 4 and The Dog from I Am Legend. And by the Gods, I love both of those and have seen and played through them numerous times. They never get old. Their some of Humanity's greatest achievements...

*Bark!*

Pulling me back to reality was Eason, a goofy smile on his slimy face.

*Caw!*

Skydiving off my bookshelf, Gedeon flew to my right shoulder, his claws softly digging into my shoulder, and his face lowered next to mine, as his cruel yet captivating red eyes locked eyes with the two top rudy-red eyes on top of Eason's head.

Eason stood straighter and held the glare Gedeon was sending. The Dog was even sending his own look back at the Crow.

"... Sorry to break your intense stare-off," I stated slowly. I watched as their head snapped to me and I smiled," But, let me introduce our new Family Member."

The Crow seemed to have sighed but nodded. Eason was just happy to be here, a big wide goofy grin on his face as his tail swung and twirled about, kicking up a cool breeze onto me and Gedeon, who immediately switched shoulders the second he saw Eason's tail moving.

" Eason Lovecraft, this is your Big Brother Gedeon Lovecraft."

*Poke*

I lifted an eyebrow as Eason poked my tummy with his wet nose.

" What?"

He poked again and then locked eyes with me.

My eyes widen feeling something entering my Head. It was soft, afraid, and hopeful all road Into one when It made to my Mind. And then I heard Eason...

("Wh... Yu...")

I blinked," You want to know who am I?"

Even Gedeon looked interested in that, his head looking at me and his gem-like red eyes borrowed a hole into the side of my head, wanting to know!

I chuckled and said the first thing that popped into my mind, which in hindsight probably wasn't the best thing to say. Then again... This is when my best ideas come to me!

" I'm your Father."

Both their heads cutely titled to the right and looked at me. Gedeon had his tail feather and claws up, pulling back much like Raptor claws would. While his Big Brother gave his best impersonation of a Crow trying to look cute, Eason gave me a goofy grin, which reminded me of my younger days for some reason, while his tail and ears were up, looking cute without even trying to be.

" And you are my Children," I added, making their bodies go stiff and eyes roll back.

Before I knew it, I was losing my consciousness.

The last thing We saw was a blue flicker past them, as everything went dark.

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