The Broken Circle

Rebirth

Ukami floated proudly, another enemy vanquished. Electricity crackled across his gold neck beads and his arms were folded. His skin was black as night and his hair a shock of white. In his millennia of life, his Holy Rain remained a consistent pleasure. It felt great to let loose. But now something also felt very wrong. The arrogant child should be ash, but instead he left behind a roasted corpse. The burned body was draped on stone. There was a sound, soft at first, then gaining in volume. It was laughter. Rising up from the burned body of a man that should by all means be dead. For an inexplicable moment the god of lightning felt fear.

How had he not seen it before? The Aspect of this boy was connected to the Circle in a perversion of the Holy Link. He would not believe it if he did not see it. Before his eyes, a tower of black and red flames consumed the body. Mortality burned away and in the dark fire something else was birthed.

The flames continued to burn as Talul stepped naked and hale from within. The blaze contracted into the shape of wings and followed upon the bastard's back.  He tipped his head back to look up at Ukami, "Once more your Holy Rain fails to "cleanse" me. Do you understand now?"

"I see your Aspect clearly for the first time. That mad bitch", Ukami was angry, bitter, afraid.

"Old debts come calling," Talul rasped, "Ancient blood must be paid"

A thrill ran through Ukami, and all other feelings drowned in the excitement. A real fight! The old warrior in him was waking from a long slumber.  The god licked his lips.

"So you are Vedra's tax collector" he laughed, "Pray to her that you are up for it"

"I know I am. For the people of An-Linel, for the people of the world. Vedra is dead, so too Felaal. You are next."

Felaal had been a lonely hermit, and Vedra had been scatter mad, but the confirmation of their deaths chilled the old god's bones. An-Linel, the great city that teemed with heretics. Washed in his Holy Rain two or three decades ago. And now it's last surviving son stood before him, the darkest heretic in a thousand years.

"Old debts indeed", Ukami said, "I must end you here and now,  I am the shield that protects Holy Order. What my Rains could not do, my hands will."