Vacuse had no qualms about beating children, even beating the hell out of them. So, because his soul is old, he shouldn't hold a grudge against children?
Maybe if the realities were different, but as it is, the world is what it is, and a child will kill just as easily as a grown adult if given the chance.
Vacuse's hand went forward, and he gripped her chubby hands, his own thin fingers clamping over hers. He smiled at her gently. "It's going to be painful."
She didn't have time to fully digest what he said when Vacuse snapped one of her fingers, the pinky.
There was a short moment of silence when the only sound everyone heard was the snap that sounded like a twig breaking.
And then.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
She screamed, a squeaking sound like a dying pig. She tried to jerk away from him, but Vacuse's grip was like steel.
"Please! Please! Ple...!"
Vacuse snapped two of her other fingers at once so hard that a splinter of bone sliced through her hand, and blood began to flow. She shouted even more, but then her eyes rolled in her head, and she fainted.
"So fast? A shame. And I was going to ten," he mumbled.
Vacuse stood, and all the children flinched as one. Even all the other bosses looked away from him and down at their plates.
They've seen bullying before, but what Vacuse just did was nothing they've seen before. It was pure cruelty, and it chilled them to the bones.
Vacuse's mouth curled.
Once, before, he was one of those cowering bastards.
But never again.
He kicked her body away and returned to his seat to sit, then he pointed at the other four bosses. "You, you, you, and you, come here right now."
All the children were staring at him, shifting in their seats. The bosses stood up immediately. They understood enough that a new, much stronger power was among them, and they didn't want to mess with him.
Vacuse pointed at the table. "Bring all your plates over. You guys were talking badly about me, right? You'll starve for today!"
One of them opened his mouth to complain or maybe agree, but Vacuse didn't wait to find out as he punched him so hard he spun before he fell on the ground. "Just do as you're told."
They did, giving him their food.
All the food was disgusting, but it was all they had, and Vacuse needed to bring his body back from its malnourished state.
"Well? What are you bastards waiting for? Eat!"
He shouted.
And all the other children began to eat, one eye on their food and the other on Vacuse, as if he might be beside them and punch them if they didn't keep their eyes on him.
The other bosses stood behind his back, doing their best not to breathe too loudly.
Up in his place, the head servant sneered. "Would you look at that, turning his back to his enemies without a care. Seems we might have a slightly better bastard this time around."
He turned to another servant. "Hey, go check on that girl. If she's dead, you know what to do. This is a cruel place!"
☆☆☆▪︎▪︎☆☆☆
"In this world, there exists an invisible energy known simply as the Force, a primordial power that flows through all life but can only be harnessed by a rare few. Those born with the ability to tap into the Force gain superhuman abilities: enhanced strength, speed, resilience, and perception. These individuals are known as Force Wielders or users," the head servant said.
He raised his hand, and a small blue energy flickered above his palm. "This is the most powerful humanity can reach."
It was after their breakfast, and the tables and chairs had been cleared away while the children sat on the ground.
"If you can harness the Force, then you can be promised a good life as a soldier, or even become a retainer for a Soulbearer."
Vacuse nearly snorted. Maybe it was different in the other families, but in the Vorrakyn household, where strength is the only rule and law, Force users are glorified servants.
The head servant leaned forward, and his eyes darkened. "For your sake as children of the Dragons, I hope you have the ability to use the Force because with that alone, your life will be better."
"Then I will tell you about the Soulbearers."
"Among the Force Wielders, a rarer subset transcends the natural limitations of the body, of being human. These are the Soulbearers, individuals capable of forging Pacts with legendary beings from other realms.
"When a Pact is made, the Soulbearer fuses a part of their Force with that of the creature. Soulbearers can only bond with a single entity, and such will determine their standing in the world."
Vacuse nodded. In his past life, he only bound with a lesser beast, and that meant his standing in the family was far low on the ladder. The type of beast bound determines the type and level of power and potential of a Soulbearer.
He clenched his fist, and his eyes flashed. He could still remember the forbidden spell that killed him was about.
'This time, I will climb to the very top'
The head servant's eyes shone. "Each family of Soulbearers has a Pathway that's exclusive to them. Some guilds or associations have as well. A Pathway is a portal, a way that links to the world of such entities and where the Soul bond will be made, and they will be drawn into your soul space."
"We, the Vorrakyn, have the only Pathway of the Dragons! We are the riders of ash that rule the sky. We have the Pathway of the ancient beasts that can swallow the world, shatter the sea, and make the sky fall! We are the Vorrakyn!"
His words made everyone suck in a sharp breath, their hands clenched, and their blood boiling as if his words had called the Dragon blood hidden in their blood.
Even Vacuse was caught in it, more so as he'd seen one of those ancient beasts. He had felt the power, and he wanted nothing more to be one of those legendary riders that made the Vorrakyn the most powerful House in the Azgarath Empire at one time.
He took a deep breath.
'But then, this is a new chapter for me. My previous life is meaningless, but this time, I will raise the House to greatness and rule the sky'
The head servant nodded in satisfaction at the effect his words had. He snapped his fingers. "And that is why you are all made, to help the House leader to raise the House to the height it was once!"
Suddenly, everyone was caught in it, to be the one to raise the House and stand in the sky above everyone.
But the head servant and Vacuse knew how cruel those realities were.