The Great Gig in the Sky

The first appearance of a Purgatorian was a title held by Drakan, one of the newest that Elias had recruited. His intense stare found those of the trained soldier and his jaw tensed as he did his best to quiet the racing thoughts running through his head. Now was a time to set things into motion, to let these Purgatorians know what was expected them and how they could ensure the success of their pack as a whole. He raised his head and gave Drakan a nod when he spoke, Elias was thankful for the ambition flowing from the young man before him though for now he remained quiet.

His red son was next, greeting him with eyes just as intense as his own. He seemed curious, eager.. perhaps a little uncertain, but that uncertainty was a product of not knowing his direction in all of this. He would soon find out. Elias offered him another nod to answer his question. This was a meeting, but not everyone had assembled quite yet.. so again, he was quiet.

One of the slaves poured in next, and Elias seemed to let his stare linger on her as he thought over the plans he had for their Lambs. The next reaping was quite some time away, which gave them plenty of time to mold these souls into something more valuable.. but without Zepars, it was nearly impossible to expect anything to come of it.

Daelos came in quietly and seated herself next to Miach, and the thoughts that had been troubling the Apollyon seemed to quiet to nothing as he offered her a slight smile. He was thankful for her presence. Not long after her came in Zuriel, and still the sight of her dual-tone blue gaze made Elias' heart beat faster and force himself to be aware of the spell she still had on him. Even in the midst of a meeting, Elias stepped forward and greeted her with a strong and loving lick to her cheek, standing beside her with his tail raised and an air of confidence. She was a large reason for that confidence, though he would do his best not to let his attention linger on her and remained focused.

He stood tall beside Zuriel and peered over to Merit when he came in. The black and gold of the boy was something that still struck chills down Elias' spine, but those ruby eyes were something the king found comfort in. He offered him a smile and a thankful nod for his appearance and continued to wait.

Pari and Terra trailed in and no one else seemed to follow, leaving the Apollyon to believe these were the wolves that had been on the land today. He would have to track down the rest in time, but for now, he was focused on these souls that had stepped forward.

"We are a new pack on these mountains, but our presence here is something that I feel the land recognizes as old. I plan on securing our presence here for many generations to come, and in order to do that.. it is time I have told you what your part in this plan could be." He peered over them as he thought for a moment.

"For each of you that I placed into the rank of Purgatorian, I am sure you realized that this rank was never meant to be a permanent one. Purgatorian is the rank for those that have wandered in and shown interest in our strength. In order to become a part of that strength, you must first find what role it is that you can fill here in Ruina. The work of Ruina is something that has been in order for eons, and our work is never done. Because of that, you can expect to have a duty and a purpose for the rest of your days.. and with that duty, I would hope a sense of accomplishment and glory. Your soul will rest here with honor, like the many that have fallen before you. Ruina, in our native tongue, means The Fallen.. and everything we do is in honor of where we came from. Part of your test as a Purgatorian is first a test of trust in these spirits. You must connect with them, honor them, feel them.. because they are what molds everything that we do here. If you do not have a connection with them, you will not feel your sense of accomplishment.. and that is no use to the pack."

He paused for a moment, taking a good look at each of their faces.. as if gauging for any sort of distrust or doubt. He hoped to see curiosity but knew that this concept was.. farfetched to some. Hopefully, not them. He continued.

"As a Purgatorian, you are not required to remain on our lands or even remain loyal. This period is a period of time where you may decide if this lifestyle is right for you. If you decide to remain on our lands and dedicate yourself to the cause of Ruina, to the collection of souls, then you will be oathed into the pack. You will become blood of my blood, and you will gain the protection and service of the pack as a whole.. with the price of lifelong loyalty. So think hard on this." He took a step back from Zuriel and began circling around those that had gathered, reading them.. he even offered a nudge of his nose to Merit and Miach as he tested the muscle tone in their shoulders. They were his sons, of course, he was most curious about them.

"In order to claim your place in Ruina, before you can even think about sharing our blood.. you must first complete your Rite of Passage into our ranks. From Purgatorian stems three main duties, the duties of the Dommiel, Dagon, and Zepar."

"Dommiels are our warriors, our soldiers. They spend time training off pack lands on many different terrains around the continent, they set up camps off-site and make our strength known to other packs. They report back periodically, and in times of war they are summoned immediately. They are our defenders, our attackers, our glory. To be a Dommiel takes a lot of guts, and to apply for one could be your downfall if you do not have the strength to be doing so- so think wisely. Think confidently. You must travel to The Battlegrounds here in Boreas in the company of a higher as a witness, find yourself a challenger and defeat them in a spar. You have two chances to do this, should you fail your first attempt. If you fail your second time, you will be placed among the rank of the Lambs for your foolishness.." He glanced to Pari, "Dommiel is our most sought rank by young and capable males, but combat is not any greater a glory than what is found in the ranks of Zepar and Dagon, know yourself. Know your capabilities. Know how you will most help the pack grow in strength."

"Dagons are our hunters and healers, swift and strong.. capable of taking down prey here around packlands and keeping us strong, at full health. To become a Dagon, you must prove your worth as a hunter even if your primary work will be in medicine. As an herb collector, you will travel to foreign lands in search of the best herbs.. and this rite I have set up for you will prove if you are capable of awareness in lands you are not used to. You must bring back a meal equal or greater to your own weight in my chosen trial grounds. You might think.. how will I possibly prove this in the middle of Winter, when prey is scarce? I have set up traps all across the Rock Garden to our northeast, where this rite will be held. Find these traps, execute them to the best of your capability. Do not find yourself carelessly stuck in one of these traps, be alert and aware. That is part of this test. If you end up trapped, you have failed.. and again, you will be deranked as a Lamb and the fate of your duties will no longer be your own choice."

"The last path is that of the Zepar, our guardians.. our shepherds. They watch over these mountains and train in them daily, they keep themselves fit for endurance runs in the event that one of our Lambs escape. They are our first defense in the event of a siege, their strength is vital to our survival. On top of their training, they care for our Lambs. We will set up schedules for those that choose Zepar and it is important that you arrive on time and in good health to perform your duties and care for these Lambs. To be plentiful in Lambs is to be rich in souls, and strong as a pack. We work with each Lamb to strengthen them and mold them into something useful for the good of Ruina. Your test to become Zepar is to find a new soul to claim for Ruina, either willingly or by force. Find someone to recruit and bring them to me to be weighed in worth. You should be searching for someone strong in either mind or body, a useful soul for Ruina. If they are deemed unworthy, so are you.. and again you will be placed as Lamb, and deemed unable to decide your own fate."

He stopped in the center of the crowd that had gathered, looking around to each of them as he retired his weight to his haunches, ending his piece. "I appreciate your presence here today, and I will be here to answer questions should you have any, though for now you are all dismissed. Make Ruina proud, our ancestors are watching you closely during this trial."