The group was passing a large out cropping of dark rocks jetting forth from the ground reaching several tens of paces into the sky when the ceremonial altar and surroundings came into view. The entire area was dark beyond midnight even as the last rays of passing twilight seemed to become absorbed by every stone. A diamond shaped field of smoothed ground lay undisturbed by the passing of time.
Several raised stones shaped into seats surrounded the center of this forbidding place. And there in the center of it all sat a dark bench of the blackest stone there is. Dragon glass is found only in and around the heart of Hell’s Mouth. The bench sat beneath two large columns with a solitary lintel atop. The entire structure was one enormous piece carved from a single source stone. Flawless and forbidding, horrifying yet breathtakingly beautiful all at once; the altar radiated such power that many guards just stopped and stared, transfixed and unable to move.
“Disgusting!” Moona whispered.
“Moona please, we must see this through.”
“Yes Sulura, I know I may be old but I still have my wits, more ‘en I can say about that lot!” she replied thumbing over her shoulder at the guards who now stared blank eyed into the abyss of power radiating from the altar.
As they finally reached the altar, Sulura was placed upon the bench within and Moona was brought to her along with the water, rags and other items Moona had demanded.
From beneath her clothing Moona produced a pouch and sprinkled some of its contents into a tankard of watered wine before approaching Sulura. “Here child drink this down, it will help with the pain both to your body and shi. There is no going back now is there?” she asked knowing the answer.
Sulura just smiled handing back the tankard and taking Moona’s hand. Pulling Moona close she emptied the contents of her hand into Moona’s and whispered so the others could not hear. “Take this and place it on the final child. When he is born you must take him away quickly.”
“What do you mean third, child these herbs are working fast,” Moona interrupted.
“No, I carry triplets, the third a boy child. After he wakes to this world you must take this gem and the child away into the stone forest where a friend will meet you and hasten your escape.”
Moona just looked at her with questions in her eyes.
“The gem stone will keep you hidden so that you can get away. The others do not know of this third child and must not find out or all is lost.”
“How do you suppose I hid the birth itself, I am only an herb worker? I can perform no such magics any longer.” Moona asked but again knew the answer as she looked into Sulura’s eyes.
“It cannot be helped Moona, you must.”
Just as birthing began, the Assinnu Isten, First of the cult and leader, arrived in a swirl of electrified air. “Has it begun?” He asked to know one and everyone at once. Without awaiting a reply he quickly moved to the altar as though floating on air. Looking to the sky he sees the two new stars on the horizon.
Addressing Sulura, “It is a wondrous fate that has brought you here this eve child. For you shall play a great part in what is to come.”
“Do not confuse my acquiescence with willingness old man, and do not call me child for I am older than you!” Sulura spat at him while Moona’s eyes light with this revelation.
“You think so? I doubt that very much. No matter you have no choice in this.” Turning to Moona, “You will deliver the raven-haired girl child to my man at your side. The snow haired girl child shall not live. Now let us begin shall we. Light the torches and begin the spell working!” The leader barked as he turned to take the largest seat that surrounded the altar.
The chanting began as a low and barely audible murmur that gained in volume and intensity as the zealots repeatedly droned on with their spell.
“BEL GIBIDALAL, SISITU MUZU EMUQ
PULHU ES-INA LAMAGIRI
LASANAN EMUQ ADI ANNU ABANASQUPPATU
ZU ASSINNA ILEQQE BILTU, SEMU!”
“Oh heavens that’s the ancient tongue Sulura! What are they doing?” Moona cried.
“It is more than just the ancient tongue, but more important is what they are saying. They are calling to the Lord of Chaos and summoning his power. They want to bring terror to those who do not submit, from power poured into this altar by paying tribute.” Sulura replied with effort between contractions. “What is more is that they are commanding it. This is a full summoning Moona and it scares me to think where they learned how to do this!”
Soon full birthing came upon Sulura and the sprats were on their way into the world. With a push the first girl child was upon them. Raven hair and emerald eyes already open to the world. She did not cry which Moona noted with curiosity.
The child was quickly taken by the zealots and ushered over to the Isten. Already the snow-haired girl was birthing as Sulura was weakening from the efforts. By the time she managed to push enough for the full birth, her energy was spent.
As Moona cut the cord on the girl a zealot came to her and snatched the child away rushing to the altar.
“Moona quickly, now while they are distracted!”
“Sulura is there no other way, surely you can push more,” Moona pleaded.
“No, I am spent, you must cut the boy from my belly and flee before they sense his presence.” Sulura looked upon Moona with urgency in her eyes that set Moona into motion.
Moona quickly produced a small yet sharp knife from her pockets and set about her task.
As Moona freed the boy child she quickly placed the gem upon him, The Isten began to turn his head toward them, but quickly turned his attention back to the altar. Moona kissed Sulura upon the forehead and fled into the dark unnoticed.
“Do it now!” Urged the Assinnu Isten.
Sulura whispered under her breath.
“NINTI DUL-INA GISHTIL, NADANUTE SHI BALU SARRATUM.”
“Bel Gibidalal awaits his tribute!” And with that, the zealot holding the snow-haired child thrust a ceremonial dagger toward the child’s heart.
As the blade reached the skin, there was a blinding burst of pure white light and energy and the tribute disappeared. At the same time one of the new stars suddenly bursts in brilliance then dims to barely a twinkle. “What has happened Isten? Is this the way of it?” asked the zealot with the dagger.
Isten bent down to the raven-haired girl and placed a gemstone upon her heart. “The power of light has waned!” Isten cooed then looked back startled. He then stood and began to approach Sulura’s bloodied form with a look of questioning mixed with concern. Suddenly he stopped and turned toward the altar, his expression changed to one of pure awe. The Isten closed his eyes, tilted back his head, and spread out his arms as energy began to flow from the altar into him.
The other zealots began to feel it as well. A dark smoky energy poured off the altar from out of the dark stone and fed the power hungry followers of chaos.
When all the power was absorbed, the Isten opened his eyes and turned to the raven-haired girl child. The child was absorbing the last of the power from the altar.
Her eyes once a brilliant green turned to a deep black before him. Power beyond anything he had imagined emanated from her tiny form. The Gem he had placed upon her dissolved and joined her flesh leaving a rune marked upon her chest, glowing a deep red. “And now you are mine to control little one. I shall call you Salmetu, dark priestess. Yes, an ancient name of power for such a powerful tool!” Isten said with a maniacal chuckle.
Isten turned to the bench where upon Sulura, barely conscious, lay bleeding to death. “Where has your Moon Mother gone, child?” he said with a slight curl to his lip. “Has she bled you so that you may die quickly without suffering, much? Not to worry we shall find her, but not now. Someone has to spread the word of what has transpired so that they will know the power and submit without question.”
With this last statement Isten turned from Sulura and walked back to where Salmetu lay quietly observing her surroundings with wisdom in her eyes beyond that of a new birthed child. He picked her up and carried her to an awaiting basket. Placing her within, he turned to the zealots. “Clear the area and return to your mundane lives until called upon. As always our identities must remain hidden until the time is right.”
“What of the mother, Isten?” A zealot inquired. As if on queue a howl echoed in the distance followed by replies.
“Leave her to the wolves she will soon breathe her last breath.” As Isten turned he placed a chain and pendant over his head and tucked it under his robes. As his features began to change he turned and disappeared with the child into a swirl of blackness.
Moona was already well on her way to the Stone Forest when she could feel the darkness around her. It was as if all the light was being drained from the heavens and pouring toward the place she had just fled. Off to the East she could make out the outline of Hell’s Mouth looming in the distance. Even the deep red glow from its fiery maw seemed to dim to the barest of a shimmer.
“Oh this does not bode well little one.” She said looking down into the deep emerald eyes of the bundle she carried. Soon she found a place to sit and rest for a minute. She was certain the gemstone that Sulura had given her for the child was working, as she was able to walk right past the guards without them noticing her.
Once a guard turned toward her as she stumbled and made some noise, but he simply dismissed the noise and turned away. “Let’s have a look shall we young one,” she said handling the gem and turning it over. “Ah this would be it, ancient runes are here.”
“I’m not sure exactly what they are but they work. I know someone who could tell us,” she said with first a fond look then a scowl. “Someday maybe if we must, but for now we need to get moving. This trusted friend of your mother’s will not likely wait forever and we need to get far away from here.”
Then Moona heard the wolves and a shiver ran through her body as she realized what their presence meant for Sulura. “Oh DAMKIANNA, save us all!” She whispered to the sky as she picked herself and her burden up, making her way toward the Stone Forest.
Back at the altar Sulura was alone barely holding on as she turned to see them. Approaching slowing from the darkness surrounding her, came massive forms. Red glowing eyes piercing the shadows to look upon her. As they drew closer, their gleaming white fangs stood in contrast to the black fur of their bodies. One by one they arrived and surrounded her weakening form lying prone upon the obsidian bench.
Try as she might, she was unable to muster energy enough to move or resist the inevitable. As the last of the beasts came to sit next to her, she noticed with silent fear that they appeared to wait for something. And then she saw it, another wolf coming from the misty shadows.
This wolf was different, smaller than the rest by at least half yet more powerful in its presence. The white wolf, female it appeared, approached Sulura and without pausing dragged its tongue across the wound in her belly. Raising its head to the sky it let out a bellowing howl that shook the night.
Fear and exhaustion overtook Sulura and her world went dark.
***
Far away to the cold north sits Britengate, site of the altar of Creation. Around the altar Priestesses and followers of the light gather to bear witness to the cataclysm. A short time earlier they all felt a weakening as the light drained from the altar and a new star burst out and dimmed on the horizon.
“It is the prophecy!” proclaimed the high priestess. “Darkness will fall upon the people and evil will spread among the land. The Lalli Mah has been broken.” She stated without expression.
Across all of Aurderia and beyond people and creatures alike looked to the heavens to see the new stars one bright and burning steady, while the other burst forth and dimmed to near nothingness. A great feeling of sadness filled many while others seemed to brighten with malicious glee.
Back in New Draven, some of the great council meets in closed session. “It has happened as prophesied, I can feel the shift already” said a female member at the table.
“Yes, it has. The Lalli Mah is at end. We must act now to take control before things get out of hand” replied the chancellor entering the room from behind the table. “We must institute the old ways and control power. Consolidate our gifts and prepare to defend our ways.”
***
A Dark robed man made his way down an unlit corridor toward a dead end. He reached out and with a wave of his hand the wall slid inwards and to the side, stridulously scrapping upon stone floor. As the man moved into the opening the wall slowly slid back into place.
Inside the hidden chamber a luminous orb in the center of the ceiling came to life illuminating every corner of the space. The large room was walled with shelf upon shelf of ancient looking tomes. At its center was a large stone table covered with various implements and tools used for magical workings and spell craft.
The man’s destination was a cluttered desk at the far corner of the room where sat a large basin emitting a light glow of reddish light. The man walked around to better view the dragon glass basin filled with a viscous red liquid. Upon the surface of the blood filled vessel was scrawled a message.