Chapter-13

They knew that they were puppets on a string, but they were puppets with a 'will'.

When forced to build the worlds, they made things that ate them too.

When forced to make life, they made things like death too.

When forced to make humans, they made things that would devour them too.

But this time the puppeteer made a move.

A circle was built to protect the feeble.

So they made things that would lure the humans, miracle drugs, beautiful stones, powerful artifacts, all kinds of 'lure' were cast. Then they just waited, for the disasters to strike the oblivious.

***

A pair of amber and green eyes were staring each other, one filled with annoyance and the amber eyes gleamed with intrigue.

Ethan had just started to train the cat. Right now they were playing fetch, or more like trying to move the cat for food.

He first found out the favorite food of Milo, the black feline who was becoming a little chubby, then he made sure that his mother didn't feed Milo that particular food too much, which was quite easy, just mentioning that Milo was getting too fat and that it should get a healthier diet.

So now that he was getting a little less food, and that too not his favorite, Ethan knew that this is the best time to maximize the effect of training with reward.

He look at the being radiating annoyance, and with its 'will' said 'I would give you more if you get that ball for me' while feeding it Shuri. Meat from a bird-like animal, which was lightly roasted.

Milo just ate it and then faced away, not even bothering to move away from Ethan.

Here was the cat, thwarting Ethan's wicked devices with pure laziness.

'The nerve of this little thing' Ethan's brow twitched 'Fine, if that's how you wanna play it'

Ethan then used the plan B, 'Make the cat drool' or 'operation temptation'. Taking out fully roasted and spiced Shuri and biting it, Ethan showed no restrain as the cat sniffed the air and meowed. 'Give me.' he sensed it say.

Ethan smiled and pointed at the ball. 'Pick it and give me' said he with 'will', with his increasing mastery of it, he could now do so without touching the cat.

It hesitated, weighting what was more important, 'rest or food, food or rest' a wave of air carried the delicious smell of those roasted Shuri 'food or food'. Gluttony won over sloth, and thus he fetched the ball, a small round object that netted him some tasty snacks.

Ethan patted him while saying "Good job, Milo" his 'will' making it possible to converse, while Milo just purred.

Ethan made Milo do lots of tricks: shake, roll, stand, all he could make it do while it still hungered for Shuri. Till he ran out of them. Then the cat did a complete 180 in its attitude, meowing disdainfully it left to lay in a patch of sunlight.

He too didn't disturb it further, as it was time to learn from his mother.

He had asked her to teach him a little about acupuncture, though she hesitated a bit at first but agreed after a bit persuasion with puppy eyes and a promise that he won't do it without her being present.

He had been learning for a few week without actually touching any needles, first was about the clusters of nerves present in our body, touching them made him ticklish a fact that did not go unnoticed by her mother, then he was given 4 dolls, with red, white, and black dots and lines on them, then his mother taught him about it, the red being the blood continuation network and major veins and arteries, black being the nervous system and white being the nen pores with the current guess of how it circulated. The last doll was completely blank with its peach color. All of them were very simplified versions and easy to remember with the help of his system, things were coming along nicely and his mother praised him.

Today he was going to practice with the 4th doll.

First time holding a needle, he marveled at how thin they were.

"Stray away from the arteries, too deep press lighter, no there are a clusters of nerves there" Amelia guided him, a solemn & serious look replaced her usual cheerful smile.

Amelia looked at the dolls, they were quite precious to her. They represented one of the many things her mother had taught her in that short period that she lived with her.

"Mom, why do we not press here ?" Ethan asked a dazed mother.

"Ah, its because its a part where there are a few delicate muscles which may spasm when pressed" she said, smiling with nostalgia when she remembered how her mother answered similarly albeit it was asked by her at a much older age.

The lesson was progressing smoothly when suddenly Amelia stepped on something sharp, it was a toy that Ethan was messing around with his 'will' and had sharpened it.

"Oww, why's something so sharp here? Ethan could you get the first aid box."

Ethan complied, feeling a little guilty and when he got back, she asked him to clean it with cotton, apply the antiseptic and then a bandage.

When he was finished, Ethan questioned 'Why did she ask me to do all of it ? Not that I am complaining'

He looked at his mother with contemplating eyes before taking her hand and 'willing' to scan her. He felt it was relatively easy for him to scan her and then got the reason why. There was a dark 'will' that was consuming her 'will' and a smaller one near her brain too.

Amelia looked at the bizarre actions of her son, being relatively immune to them she allowed him to continue.

After thinking a little he made a few assumptions while asking her "Mommy, can you not heal yourself ?"

Amelia was a little surprised at the quick wit of her son but replied "No, I can't"

"Can you use nen ?"

'If she can then its all good, but if she can't...'

"No, I used to, but mommy had to give it away to save someone very precious to me."

'Aah, so that's it.'

Ethan close his eyes, and sent his 'will' with the intention to 'remove' that particular will near her brain. He felt as if he was 'arguing' he felt as if he was 'fighting' ,an argument which he was loosing, so he exhaled steeled his heart and with the new breath, he 'ordered' to 'leave'. He felt a drain of both his life energy and his 'will', feeling both a little nauseous and weak. But the 'will' in her mind left. Amelia felt it too, she could feel it herself, as if one of the chains that she had put on herself broke.

Ethan relented, he was panting, but he had never been more elated after using his power before. He had finally done it, he had just controlled the amount of his life energy through 'will', and had been successful in lessening the stress of his mother too.

"Ethan! Are you alright ?" asked she, worried.

"Yes, I am fine, but more importantly mom! do you feel anything change ? " Ethan asked, grinning. "I think you will be able to heal yourself again." said he, a little proud.

"Yes, I did, but Ethan how did you did it ? You didn't sacrificed something did you !?!" asked she, horrified at the very though.

Ethan reassured her that he didn't and also asked her to check if she was indeed able to heal herself again, which she was able to.