A Ballad of Sacrifice

Finishing an evening patrol of the borders, Sephiran was walking beneath the amber glow of the setting sun. Dusk was settling within The Polar Sound, lulling his domain into a quiet state. A gentle breeze carried the scent of pine and saltwater to him, mixing with the decaying corpses along his border. A wonderful aroma indeed. Snow flurries danced all around him, as snowfall started to accumulate on the forest floor. Stopping, he shakes it from his pelt, testing the air for any outliers. His falcon is soaring in the sky, patrolling with the ravens, and his serpent is wrapped loosely around his neck, reveling in his warmth. With a snort, the Sultan’s about to head inward to complete one last patrol of the beach. But before he can depart from the borders, his panther companion, who he’d sent to check on Aurelia, was crashing through the underbrush, emerging frantically and urging its master to his Sidi’s den. Blood. Pups. Aurelia, gone. There is an immediate shift inside of Sephiran- a whirlwind of raw emotion, a visceral clenching of his jaw as he takes off in the direction of Aurelia’s makeshift den.


The metallic tinge of blood is heavy in the air as he approaches her den, shoving his way past the curtain of dead vines. The scene that unfolded before him was… harrowing. Even for Sephiran. Blood contaminated several sections the floor, matted heavy around a thin layer of lichen she had been using as her bed. Claw marks were etched into the stone, sweat and sputum intertwined with the scent of blood, a testament to the struggle that just occurred here. But where was Aurelia. A snarl erupts from his jaws, his eyes darting around the room with frantic intensity. It moved from one corner to another, as if she would suddenly materialize in front of him. But instead, something far beyond his comprehension appeared.


As he pushed her belongings aside, searching for whatever secrets lay hidden in the confines of her den, for the clues that would lead to her location. His gaze settles on the disfigured, grotesque corpses laying on her makeshift bed, adorned in vernix coating and reeking of the early stages of decay. His throat becomes tight, eyes widening as he nears the bodies, bringing his head down to nudge one of them with his snout. Lifeless and cold. Every muscle in his body tenses, nails digging into the stone, as if seeking to draw blood. She did this. Aurelia did this. His face contorts with fury, his jaw clenching tight, his eyes ablaze with an intense fire. Did this. Did this. Did this. He becomes consumed by a singular focus- that Aurelia had given birth to the pups, and left them to die in the bitter chill of winter, having condemned them with her ritualistic beliefs. He’s blinded to reason to logic. She cursed them. Cursed them. Cursed them. He does not contemplate that these pups were stillborn at birth. Liar. Liar. Liar. Sephiran does not contemplate his actions, he moves on instinct, driven by indignation and resentment. “Find her!” He seethes, snarling at his panther, before grabbing the lifeless bodies and rushing out of the den.


Her scent is still fresh in the area, paw prints etched into the snow, leading them in the direction of Caedes’ workplace. Why. Why. Why. His chosen Effendi Haakim, it was logical that Aurelia would seek assistance in such a dire situation- but Sephiran could not piece that together. He was blinded by his rage, a cataclysmic force on the brink of explosion, as he forced his way into the male’s workshop without hesitation. The scent of blood is heavy, mixed with the tinge of amniotic fluid, urine, and mucus, and underlying it all, is the smell of a herbal concoction. His eyes are darting across the room, catching the large, scarred frame of Caedes looming over something in the far corner. Sephiran surges forward, the corpses clenched within his jaws as he shoves the male out of his way, pushing him back. The soft, weakened cries of pups slice through the silence, stronger than the nearly lifeless groans of Aurelia who was anchored down on the den floor. Three, tiny, squirming bodies were nestled at her abdomen, bloody and adorned in an array of mutated features, but alive nonetheless. But Aurelia… she was nearly lifeless. Limp yet somehow, rigid. She looked exhausted beyond belief. The turmoil of the event etched into every inch of her body. The scene was… intense. It should have elicited an almost humanitarian response from Sephiran, or any wolf for the matter- an empathetic sincerity to offer comfort and support, to admire her vulnerability and applaud her efforts. But, within Sephiran, there was nothing of the sort. Only the desire for retribution, the need to inflict pain, to regain control, the primal instinct to dominate and destroy. She did this. Did this. Did this.


And he will make her pay. “You fucking bitch.” He seethes, hissing through the lifeless bodies dangling from his jaws. He drops them onto the floor, and they fall with an audible thud, right in front of her face. Their scent is undeniable, unmistakable- even with her closed eyes, she will recognize them. “You worthless, disgusting, vile witch.” Sephiran is seething, spitting saliva in her face with every syllable, growling a melody of venomous rage. “Your taunts did this.” He does not think. He only acts. With Caedes bearing witness, Sephiran unsheathes his blade and stabs it straight into Aurelia’s shoulder, piercing down to the head of her humerus. He twists it, the serrated end gnarling her muscle into a mangled, sinewy mess. “Your cursing did this.” He twists it again before ripping it back out. Then, Sephiran completes a volatile act, fueled by derangement and resentment. He brings the blade down onto the neck of the corpse closest to him, beheading it with a single, fluid motion. The three, feeding pups sense the palpable shift in the atmosphere, and start whining louder. “Your ‘praying to your goddess’ did this.” He snarls, taking the severed head and throwing it at Aurelia’s face. It was a grotesque thing to do. But he didn’t see the lifeless bodies as his children- he saw them as victims of Aurelia’s manipulation. Of her deception. And she would reclaim them and atone for her sins.


“Are you satisfied now, Aurelia?” Another snarl, and Sephiran descends upon her, the head of the mutilated pup in his paw. He rubs it against her face, like an owner punishing an animal, pressing it against her cheek, her muzzle, her lips. “Their deaths are because of you.” She’s not fighting back, but she’s still conscious, he’s sure of it. And so, Sephiran pries her jaws open, shoving the head into her mouth to make her taste her sin. “Reabsorb it.” He seethes, manic and vengeful. “Tell your goddess to give it back to you.” His throat tightens, eyes narrowing as he fights back… water. Water in his eyes. Why? “You did this.” But even with the fury of raw emotion whirling inside of him, Sephiran’s voice does not crack. His paws do not falter. He moves with methodical precision, shoving the head deeper down her throat, gagging her with it, wanting her to revel in the taste of her stillborn child. But of course, it won’t go down- she’s gagging, but barely. Her gag reflex is nearly absent at this point. An indication that she is not long for this word. Why. Why. Why. “Reabsorb it.” He repeats, as he takes his blade and stabs her again. “Reabsorb it.” He pulls it out, and stabs her again. “Reabsorb it.” Another round of sickening, gut wrenching stabs. “Reabsorb it!” He screams, dropping the blade and using his paws to bash her head against the ground. Over. And over. And over.


Until there is nearly nothing left.


"Sephiran Saxe"