Global Awakening: Only I Can Respawn

The bones belonged to centaurs. Those few that were too weak to be converted into werewolves or too wild to be controlled. Their remains were a constant reminder of the curse that haunted both the centaurs and their former king, Lycaon.

"Fire... add more wood to the fire!" Lycaon roared. "This isn't tender yet!"

The servants around quickly rushed to obey the man sitting on a poorly built throne. It was Lycaon, the king of the centaurs. But now, he was nothing more than a monstrous creature.

All the signs of nobility were long gone from him. What remained was an insatiable hunger that drove him to madness.

His body was enormous, covered in thick, matted white fur. He couldn't take his eyes off the horse's leg, eating it up.

The leg had once belonged to a centaur, one of his kind. But that didn't matter to Lycaon anymore. The curse forced him to hunt and devour his kin. Unlike the ones he converted, other creatures couldn't satiate Lycaon's hunger. He needed to consume centaurs.

That was the curse he received for tricking the emissary into cannibalizing his children. Now, he must do the same, only there was no end to his misery.

As he gnawed on the leg, two of his minions entered the cave, dragging a bruised and battered centaur behind them. They had done a number on the centaur. Both of his front legs were broken, and scars covered what remained of his body.

The werewolves shoved the centaur to the ground before their king, while standing guard as they awaited Lycaon's command.

"Ho... this one looks healthier than the last," Lycaon licked his lips. "But who is this?"

Lycaon threw away the half-eaten leg and stood up from his throne. Bones cracked under his feet as he walked, his tall figure casting a long shadow over the centaur.

The centaur struggled to rise but winced in pain, unable to move because of its broken legs. He glared at Lycaon, but his resolve wavered as the king drew closer. He was just that intimidating.

"Tell me," Lycaon continued. "Where are the rest of your kind hiding?"

The centaur said nothing, clenching his jaw. Watching the centaur hold back, Lycaon smiled. It was always entertaining to break someone's spirit. It might be his third favorite activity after eating and mating with female centaurs.

He stepped forward and stomped on the centaur's broken leg. The crack of bone echoed through the cave, followed by a sharp cry of pain as the centaur writhed beneath the king's foot.

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"I won't ask again," Lycaon said, pressing down harder. "Where are they hiding?"

The centaur bit his lip, trying to stifle his cries. He knew he was in a terrible position. Lycaon and his minions had tried countless times to capture the centaurs, but had never succeeded.

After all, the centaurs were always on the move, making it difficult for the werewolves to track them down. That's why the werewolves captured him alive.

The centaur knew if he spoke, not only would he doom his kind, but also any hope for their civilization's revival. But if he didn't, Lycaon would torture him until he either died or got turned into one of them. Either way, Lycaon would succeed in his plans.

The werewolves had gotten lucky this time when they captured him. He was one of the generals who knew where the centaurs were planning to set up their next base.

If they turned him into a werewolf, Lycaon wouldn't just find out the base's location, but also other important details that could lead to the centaurs' downfall.

I can't let that happen... no matter what.

While the centaur was lost in thought, Lycaon chuckled.

"You're strong, I'll give you that," he said. "But even the strongest break, eventually."

With that, Lycaon grabbed the centaur's hand and, one by one, snapped his fingers. Each crack sent a fresh wave of agony through the centaur's body, and he howled in pain but didn't say a word.

"I'll ask again," Lycaon growled, leaning closer. "What are the centaurs planning? And where are they hiding?"

The centaur struggled to speak. He wrestled with his thoughts. Either he could tell Lycaon something and hope that would be enough. Or he could tell him nothing and turn.

"There's… a ritual," the centaur finally admitted. "They believe… it can lift the curse."

"A ritual, you say? What exactly is this ritual?"

The centaur hesitated. He knew he couldn't reveal too much. If Lycaon learned the truth, he could destroy any chance the centaurs had of freeing themselves from the curse. But he couldn't endure much more of this torture.

"It… requires humans," the centaur stammered. "Humans… must perform the trial. That's all I know."

"Humans? Interesting. I haven't eaten those before." Lycaon smacked his lips. "But that doesn't answer my most important question—where are they hiding?"

The centaur's heart pounded in his chest. His gamble didn't pay off, but he couldn't reveal the village's location. His family was there, along with the rest of his people. If Lycaon found them, it would be a massacre.

I need to buy some time...

"I… I'll take you there," the centaur said.

He hoped Lycaon would take the bait. If they take the long route, the elders would notice the centaur's absence and move somewhere else. As long as that happened, nothing Lycaon did would matter.

"Do you think I'm that much of a fool?"

Lycaon's words crushed any hope the centaur had. Even so, he frantically shook his head, trying to fool him.

"N-No, why would I think of something absurd? You can kill me on a whim. I wouldn't dare lie to you."

"I wasn't born yesterday, fool!" Lycaon backhanded the centaur. "You want to buy enough time for them to move. I can practically hear your thoughts!"

The centaur's eyes widened in panic. But he kept lying, as it was his only lifeline.

"No! I'm not lying! I'll take you to them, I swear!"

But Lycaon didn't believe him. He grabbed the centaur's throat and lifted him into the air. The centaur struggled, but there wasn't much to be done.

"I've grown tired of your lies," Lycaon growled. "If you won't lead me to them willingly, then I'll make sure you have no choice."

The werewolf king's claws dug into the centaur's neck, drawing blood. As the centaur gasped for air, Lycaon bit into his neck.

The centaur's body convulsed as the curse took hold. His skin rippled and tore as fur sprouted from his flesh. His eyes rolled back in his head as his body changed.

"No… no… please…" the centaur whimpered in vain.

His bones cracked and shifted as his body contorted, reshaping itself into the form of a werewolf. His hind legs disappeared, turning into a large humanoid shame.

Lycaon grinned as he watched the centaur transform into a hulking werewolf. Once the transformation was done, Lycaon put a metal leash on the werewolf's neck.

"Now," he said, yanking the leash hard. "Take me to the centaurs. It's about time they submitted to their king."