Snippet #1909952

Azrah was pleased to see how her fierce and hard people were developing. Considering their choices, they were truly worthy of her and as soon as that happened she decided to give them even more gifts.
Her red priestesses were not at all numerous, but slowly one of them developed a kind of leadership over the rest. The goddess spoke to her in her meditation and guided her to gather all the other priestesses along with the warriors and common folk, representatives from their conquered villages and have them all ready for her at mid day around the shrine.

Farra did as she was bid. Curiosity and eagerness burned at her soul to see what her beloved goddess would bestow upon all of them next... and so the moment came. The sun was scorching and the eternal flame burned brightly in the brazier of the shrine... with a burst of that powerful flame, Azrah appeared to her people and so she spoke.

“My flaming warriors, both men and women, there is still much to be done. I can see the fire has forged you into worthy, strong people – on this day you shall have more gifts. “
She turned to her warriors who were still armed with the beautiful agate tipped weapons, weapons they never parted with. their tattoos covered with a film of sweat that made their muscular bodies shimmer in the raging sun.
“My powerful warriors, you shall have my first gifts. You have covered the land with dread well... and I mean you to keep doing that and turn as many as you find in your path to my worship. They will bend the knee, truthfully, of they will perish!”

The warriors let out their war cries and plunged their weapons towards the sky, roaring “Azrah! Azrah! Fire will consume!” to the hearing of their goddess passionate words. Azrah smiled upon them gestured for them to be silent.
“Behold, my warriors!” and as soon as she spoke, flaming beings slowly emerged from her fire taking the shapes of giant wolves with flaming red eyes. As the flame settled down on the beasts bodies, it slowly turned to mahogany fur, yet their eyes would forever be as red as Azrah’s flames. All the people gathered froze in amazement as the huge beasts slowly marched to the warriors in perfect “V” battle formation. The first and most powerful giant wolf of all would belong to the chieftain of the warriors.

“You will no longer hunt and raid on foot, but on these magnificent beasts. They will carry you swiftly and fight by your side wherever you may go. They will protect you and those who will be fortunate enough to get bitten or maimed by these wolves will be doomed. Their wounds shall never heal.”

The entire gathering roared in amazement and adoration... but Azrah was not nearly done.

“There is more, my servants. There is more. But first I will show you how to reach even further greatness.”

She spoke to them of the roles they were to take. The red priestesses, lead by Farra, were to watch over both the conception of the new generations and their births. Since these women were the ones to open up the bodies of the deceased and cut their hearts out to be consumed, they slowly developed an interest in anatomy. Perhaps, as time passed, they would become the healers... but these were still early days. It was also their roles to bless the agate weapons of the warriors and they would do this with blood and fire... so that blood may always be spilt, but never the warriors and that fire would guide and burn inside the wielder to make him stronger and lead him to victory. Azrah had also guided them to inspire her warriors and they were to do so by reminding the men of the power of flame through voluptous dances that were held in a circle around the shrine.

Azrah told her warriors that they were to guide their powers in raids that took them in the plains to the south-east. Also, she had a small part of them sent into the furthest village to the north – west and see to the building of a shrine in that particular village. They would also take one of the red haired priestesses with them, chosen by Farra, and be patron priestess there as soon as the shrine was complete.

Construction required people that knew how to handle the working of leather, wood and stone. Those who were not warriors would be put to such labors. Hunters were to provides with the skins of animals so that leatherworkers would craft rough leather armors for the warriors, adorned with various patches of fur from the different animals that were brought. Masons and woodworkers were put to build the shrine in the north – west village, that would be soon named Firrent, as well as transforming the shrine in Azrah’s central village that was steadily growing into a temple made of wood, stone, bones of both animals and men and leather. They were all instructed to build the temple around the old shrine.

“You all know your roles and you are expected to excel at them! And now... my most beautiful gift to you...” She raised her molten arms to the burning sun and let out a deep roar. Smoke covered the skies and melded into the clouds above the shrine. A flash of lightning... then another, followed by another until six of them were counted. Where these lightning bolts struck, a great black fire took to life and from them, other great creatures, that had never been seen before, took birth. Black scales covered their bodies like perfectly polished obsidian, eyes as yellow as the core of fire, smoke fuming from their nostrils. Dragons. They were just slightly bigger than the great dire wolves she had created on the same day, but much more impressive. All at the same time, they screeched breathed fire towards the skies.

“My warriors! Behold! These dragons will take you up into the skies allow you vision that man had never seen before! Use them in your battles, they will aid you by burning the enemies but also grant you the gift of seeing the entire battle unfold beneath you!”

Each chieftain would have a dragon, except for the sixth that was given to Farra, the grand priestess.