He waited for Tyranis to answer, although he suspected the man would be more than willing to take a walk with him. He grinned some, his paw that was still resting on the rolled up bones shifting slightly and causing a bit of clatter.
"I usually start off by heading to the burning mountain, checking on the levels of the fire within and then the altar that we have hidden." He wasn't sure if Tyranis already found the ram skull and dagger on a seat of goat and jackal pelts, but even if he had.. Elias wished to explain it further.
He lowered his head to pluck the pelt from the ground finally and took off with a bit of excitement speeding him down the mountainside. He had grown to love these mountains, reminding him so much of the single mountain they grew up beneath. Now they had three, and everything seemed so perfect in the air up here.
He raced to the mountain, partially testing his son's ability to keep up with him while a grin spread around the package he held tightly in his teeth. It took some time to get down the mountain, and once he did he had to trot across the flatter land and regain some of his stamina before hiking up the volcano. Traveling up the volcano was a different matter, the air burned there. He could not stress himself to the point of deep breathing, so he took a slow climb until he stood at the fiery gates of Hell.
He dropped the hide about three feet from the edge, which was as close as he dared to venture to that heat today. A kick sent the pelt rolling until it disappeared into the pit of the volcano and he finally turned to face Tyranis.
"Do you feel them here, Tyranis?" He smirked.
"In Ruina, we bury our fallen and the souls we have to offer to Apollyon here. The fire that burns in this mountain's core is a gift from Apollyon's heart, it acts as a gateway. It claims everything immediately in the name of Apollyon. Your grandfather was laid to rest on a mountain just like this.. as was your grandmother and.. many of your aunts and uncles." He stared into the glow of the fire on the rocks around them as he remembered each of their faces... sorrow full on his features for just a moment before it became masked once again.
He looked to Tyranis with a calm smile as he walked away from the mountain.
"If I die, Tyranis, it is very important that I be laid to rest here just as they were. There is a ceremony we go through... we prepare our fallen and gather to honor them. In Ruina, we devour the flesh of our fallen until only the skeleton they were built upon remains. By devouring their flesh, they strengthen us as we strengthen them and allow their souls to continue watching through our own souls. They appreciate it. Afterward, we give their bones back to Apollyon here so that they may run with him until they are brought back to us again." Perhaps now it made sense why he brought all the bones of their kills here. He looked up, through a sky full of ash he could still see the sun shining and it made him grin. Just as the sun broke through the ash in the sky, Elias would grin even when on the grim subject of death. He could feel it.. he could feel them.. and he knew that even when his time came, it wasn't over. He just hoped they would be proud of him when that time did finally come.
