first place. He won’t even miss me.”
Shalee waited for Mosley’s response, but when the wolf just sat there and a reply never came, she snapped. “For heaven’s sake! Men are just so ... so ... ewwwwww!”
Western Luvelles
The Temple of the Dark Order
Now, fellow soul ... allow me to tell you about the beliefs of the Order and the great hall where the dark council made sacrifices to Hosseff. At the head of this hall stood an 18 pace tall statue of the God of Death.
Hosseff’s arms were lowered with his palms facing outward. At his feet sat a golden, stone altar. It was two and one half paces long and a pace wide. The altar served three purposes. First, it was the symbol of the Order. Second, it was the only place to offer sacrifices to Hosseff. And third, all dark paladins were laid atop it after they passed to symbolize their completion of service to their god.
Two demon statues hung suspended from the end of Hosseff’s hands. They hung upside down with their claws holding onto the god’s fingers. Their arms reached toward the altar as if they were waiting to receive a sacrifice.
Two elevated platforms, filled with the seats of council members, sat on opposite sides of Hosseff’s altar. The council consisted of 40 elves who had retired from the army. They were strong in the ways of dark magic and skilled with the blessed blades of the Order.
The chamber was large, able to hold two legions, each totaling 3,000 elves. The room was lit with hundreds of torches and their flames reflected off the polished, white marble floor. Between where the legions stood and the altar, the leader of the Order took his place on a circular platform to govern the meetings of the council.
Boyafed, leader of the Order, stood on top of his circular pedestal to address the council. Behind him, the first legion of the dark army, along with those in training, had fallen into 20 columned formations while seven elf men, with brass chalices placed before them, knelt around the base of Boyafed’s platform with their heads bowed.
Boyafed lifted his head toward Hosseff’s statue and held his arms high. “On this Peak, we honor you, mighty Hosseff!”
The gathering responded, shouting, “Our Lord, the wise and mighty Hosseff!” Each stomped his right foot at the completion of the praise.
Again, Boyafed spoke to the statue of Hosseff. “On this Peak, the men who kneel around me shall become your holy servants. They shall don the black plate of your army and deliver swift judgment to any who oppose your will.”
Again the ranks shouted, “Our Lord, the wise and mighty Hosseff,” and then they stomped their right foot.
Boyafed turned to face the first legion. “These seven, brave souls have completed their training, and they have earned the right to be called Holy Brother.”
The ranks shouted, “Hail, Holy Brothers!”
Boyafed pulled his bone-handled dagger from its sheath and held it high. “On this Peak, these men will shed blood across Hosseff’s altar. Their blood will be cherished by our lord. He will take them in as his children and bless them with his Call of Death. They shall become Holy Paladins of the Dark Order.”
Everyone shouted, “Blessed are the children of Hosseff!”
Boyafed stepped down from his platform. With his dagger drawn, he cut into the left palm of each elf’s hand. “Holy Brothers, allow your life’s source to flow into your chalice. Give Hosseff a taste of the being who will serve him.” The Order leader turned toward the statue and lifted his arms. “Lord Hosseff, accept this token of these pure-blooded elves as a symbol of their faith in you ... for their life’s source is now your life’s source.”
As Kiayasis Methelborn and his graduating Holy Brothers watched their blood run into their chalices, the hall filled with another shout of praise for Hosseff.
The seven men wrapped their hands with a pure white cloth and then moved to stand beside the altar. They emptied their chalices across its surface and then each placed their cloth in a neat stack at the center of the altar. “Mighty Hosseff, what was mine is now yours!” they professed. “My service is promised with this offering! I pledge my existence to you, and only you! Blessed are the children of the mighty Hosseff!”
As the hall rang out in agreement, the demons hanging from Hosseff’s hands animated as the stone they were made of turned to flesh. With wings spread, they dropped from