1st of Ymiden, Arc of 717
Today was the day.
The first day of a new season. The day that thousands of Bred Lotharro swarmed the loud, tightly packed city square. The day that they were measured and weighed by their god most holy, and judged for their worthiness. To see their contributions to Uthaldria be held aloft in the eyes of their god, and if found of merit, be rewarded with what all Bred Lotharro yearn for. The thing that Bred Lotharro struggle their whole lives to achieve.
To earn their Rebirth.
This was Covah's first time at the Ascension Festival. He could have gone earlier in his life, as for the Lotheren one reached adulthood as young as sixteen, but Covah had never felt like he had earned the right to attend. After all, it was only the worthiest of the Bred that received Rebirth, and the young man had admittedly not accomplished much in his life until now. Now, however, Covah finally felt as if he had put in the work, the effort to finally earn Thetros' notice. After all, he had already gained the attention of one Immortal, what was one more?
Covah smiled at himself, brimming with uncharacteristic confidence and baring his newly-gotten fangs for any to see. He was still getting used to the gifts Karem had bestowed to him not days before. It was strange, to have to become accustomed to the feeling of fangs in one's mouth. Or to stare into the mirror, and see that your eyes had gone from green to gold. Strange, but not bad. It was almost like discovering that, after an entire life of believing one was right-handed, that you were in fact left handed. It was different, and at times exceedingly strange, but it felt...right.
"Alpha, there are many people here. Are sure you wish for me to appear?" came a deep, rumbling voice which echoed in his mind.
Then there was Taranis. The giant, ethereal black wolf padded alongside him in his spirit form; its heavy head bearing dusk orange eyes which stared up at him inquisitively. He walked without weight, always at his side and always willing to share his thoughts on any matter. Covah was still getting used to the idea of having a familiar tied to his soul, much less having the wolf stalk his every move and call him 'Alpha' whenever he addressed him.
Covah shook his head in annoyance, running a hand through his newly neat hair. The man was dressed in his finest, albeit his only, clothes. He wore a clean white linen shirt, a bright red bandanna around his neck, and brown leather pants; all coupled with his recently shined brown leather boots. He had even bathed before coming to the city. Covah usually wasn't one for neatness or changing the way he dressed for others, but this was Thetros. If looking and smelling nicer gave him a better chance to impress the Immortal of Uthaldria, than he would ensure that not one speck of dirt remained on him.
"Yes Taranis, I need you to appear. If Thetros sees you, he will be sure to grant me Rebirth! So please stop hiding and take form." Covah reprimanded his familiar, nerves turning his thoughts irritated in harsh. He looked down as Taranis' smokey, near-shapeless body shifted to solid black fur. The beast stood tall and proud beside Covah, like a storm wall bearing down against a clear horizon. It's orange eyes met Covah's gold with dissatisfaction, and the wolf let rumble a low growl as it adjusted to the pungent stench of the city and of the crowd they stood in.
"Alpha, I question why you need this...other Immortal. You already have the favor of the Wolfmother, must you divert your attention to this lesser god?" Taranis snarled up at Covah, its thoughts dripping with displeasure at the reason for his appearance. Its gaze held that of Covah's, unblinking and filled with unmentioned challenge for dominance.
Covah was quick to reprimand the Omega for its challenge of pack order, knowing that canines depend on strict social hierarchy. To capitulate authority, even once, was akin to passing the rank or crown of leadership to a rebel without resistance. The young Lotharro bent low, at eye-level with the wolf, and let his lips slip back to reveal a toothy snarl. A growl, dry and dark as coal, crept slowly out of his throat as he stared down his familiar. The wolf, recognizing that his challenge had been answered and remembering his place, turned his tail low and exposed his throat to Covah, a sign of submission. Covah took a step towards Taranis, and his familiar let a pitiful whine ring into the air and licked his hand for forgiveness.
"You call me Alpha for a reason, Taranis. I know the importance of pack, and I will not betray that," He paused, thinking for a moment how best to describe this to an animal not aware of a Lotharro's loyalty to their Immortal. "Thetros is also of my pack, as much as Karem is, and he reigns as Alpha over all Lotharro. If we are to become greater in this pack, we must all submit ourselves so that Thetros may judge our accomplishments. With luck, he will find me worthy. This is the wish of every Lotharro, just as it is the wish of every wolf to honor his pack." Covah stood tall once again, uncaring of the few wayward glances tossed at Taranis and his interaction. He scratched the black wolf behind the ears, acknowledging that the test of dominance had passed and all was forgiven. "Do you understand?"
His familiar nodded its agreement, glad that his Alpha had not punished him too severely for challenging pack order. Together, Covah and his wolf waded through the thick crowds which lined the city square. Uthaldria was alight with the prospect of Ascension, with every Lotharro partaking in some sort of festivity or another. Merchant stalls sprang up every which way in the square, hawking their goods to both locals and the foreigners who had made the travel to reach the legendary festival. Lotharro challenged each other to tests of strength, and it wasn't uncommon that a crowd formed a ramshackle wrestling ring just to watch the beast-like men fight for fun. The city seemed to sing with energy, and had Covah not been so single-minded in his focus to find where the Immortal would be granting Ascensions, he might have partook in the festivities. That, however, wasn't Covah's way. Once he had a goal, he stuck to it with the stubbornness of an Sakarum. Today, despite circumstances, or perhaps because of them, would prove no different to the man.
The sounds of horns blaring turned both his and Taranis' head toward the center of the city square. Crowds had begun to move in rapid succession away from the stands and the stalls and the games, and towards the horns which echoed across the city. The Ascensions had finally begun.
Today was the day.
The first day of a new season. The day that thousands of Bred Lotharro swarmed the loud, tightly packed city square. The day that they were measured and weighed by their god most holy, and judged for their worthiness. To see their contributions to Uthaldria be held aloft in the eyes of their god, and if found of merit, be rewarded with what all Bred Lotharro yearn for. The thing that Bred Lotharro struggle their whole lives to achieve.
To earn their Rebirth.
This was Covah's first time at the Ascension Festival. He could have gone earlier in his life, as for the Lotheren one reached adulthood as young as sixteen, but Covah had never felt like he had earned the right to attend. After all, it was only the worthiest of the Bred that received Rebirth, and the young man had admittedly not accomplished much in his life until now. Now, however, Covah finally felt as if he had put in the work, the effort to finally earn Thetros' notice. After all, he had already gained the attention of one Immortal, what was one more?
Covah smiled at himself, brimming with uncharacteristic confidence and baring his newly-gotten fangs for any to see. He was still getting used to the gifts Karem had bestowed to him not days before. It was strange, to have to become accustomed to the feeling of fangs in one's mouth. Or to stare into the mirror, and see that your eyes had gone from green to gold. Strange, but not bad. It was almost like discovering that, after an entire life of believing one was right-handed, that you were in fact left handed. It was different, and at times exceedingly strange, but it felt...right.
"Alpha, there are many people here. Are sure you wish for me to appear?" came a deep, rumbling voice which echoed in his mind.
Then there was Taranis. The giant, ethereal black wolf padded alongside him in his spirit form; its heavy head bearing dusk orange eyes which stared up at him inquisitively. He walked without weight, always at his side and always willing to share his thoughts on any matter. Covah was still getting used to the idea of having a familiar tied to his soul, much less having the wolf stalk his every move and call him 'Alpha' whenever he addressed him.
Covah shook his head in annoyance, running a hand through his newly neat hair. The man was dressed in his finest, albeit his only, clothes. He wore a clean white linen shirt, a bright red bandanna around his neck, and brown leather pants; all coupled with his recently shined brown leather boots. He had even bathed before coming to the city. Covah usually wasn't one for neatness or changing the way he dressed for others, but this was Thetros. If looking and smelling nicer gave him a better chance to impress the Immortal of Uthaldria, than he would ensure that not one speck of dirt remained on him.
"Yes Taranis, I need you to appear. If Thetros sees you, he will be sure to grant me Rebirth! So please stop hiding and take form." Covah reprimanded his familiar, nerves turning his thoughts irritated in harsh. He looked down as Taranis' smokey, near-shapeless body shifted to solid black fur. The beast stood tall and proud beside Covah, like a storm wall bearing down against a clear horizon. It's orange eyes met Covah's gold with dissatisfaction, and the wolf let rumble a low growl as it adjusted to the pungent stench of the city and of the crowd they stood in.
"Alpha, I question why you need this...other Immortal. You already have the favor of the Wolfmother, must you divert your attention to this lesser god?" Taranis snarled up at Covah, its thoughts dripping with displeasure at the reason for his appearance. Its gaze held that of Covah's, unblinking and filled with unmentioned challenge for dominance.
Covah was quick to reprimand the Omega for its challenge of pack order, knowing that canines depend on strict social hierarchy. To capitulate authority, even once, was akin to passing the rank or crown of leadership to a rebel without resistance. The young Lotharro bent low, at eye-level with the wolf, and let his lips slip back to reveal a toothy snarl. A growl, dry and dark as coal, crept slowly out of his throat as he stared down his familiar. The wolf, recognizing that his challenge had been answered and remembering his place, turned his tail low and exposed his throat to Covah, a sign of submission. Covah took a step towards Taranis, and his familiar let a pitiful whine ring into the air and licked his hand for forgiveness.
"You call me Alpha for a reason, Taranis. I know the importance of pack, and I will not betray that," He paused, thinking for a moment how best to describe this to an animal not aware of a Lotharro's loyalty to their Immortal. "Thetros is also of my pack, as much as Karem is, and he reigns as Alpha over all Lotharro. If we are to become greater in this pack, we must all submit ourselves so that Thetros may judge our accomplishments. With luck, he will find me worthy. This is the wish of every Lotharro, just as it is the wish of every wolf to honor his pack." Covah stood tall once again, uncaring of the few wayward glances tossed at Taranis and his interaction. He scratched the black wolf behind the ears, acknowledging that the test of dominance had passed and all was forgiven. "Do you understand?"
His familiar nodded its agreement, glad that his Alpha had not punished him too severely for challenging pack order. Together, Covah and his wolf waded through the thick crowds which lined the city square. Uthaldria was alight with the prospect of Ascension, with every Lotharro partaking in some sort of festivity or another. Merchant stalls sprang up every which way in the square, hawking their goods to both locals and the foreigners who had made the travel to reach the legendary festival. Lotharro challenged each other to tests of strength, and it wasn't uncommon that a crowd formed a ramshackle wrestling ring just to watch the beast-like men fight for fun. The city seemed to sing with energy, and had Covah not been so single-minded in his focus to find where the Immortal would be granting Ascensions, he might have partook in the festivities. That, however, wasn't Covah's way. Once he had a goal, he stuck to it with the stubbornness of an Sakarum. Today, despite circumstances, or perhaps because of them, would prove no different to the man.
The sounds of horns blaring turned both his and Taranis' head toward the center of the city square. Crowds had begun to move in rapid succession away from the stands and the stalls and the games, and towards the horns which echoed across the city. The Ascensions had finally begun.