GREED: ALL FOR WHAT?

The skins of the recruits became the recipients of the attention of the burning leaves. The leaves licked their skin and burned it like any fire would do. But they don't burn haphazardly. The wounds they leave behind form black lines that look like the drawings of a chain. 

The process of initiation is very painful. Fire licked their skin to form patterned injuries. The dormant law fragments in their skin were activated with divine energy. The divine energy of Order was used so the law fragments were reinforced instead of being completely destabilized. 

The process of reinforcement was accompanied by the destabilization of the divine energy of the sun. The law fragments were broken down by the divine energy of the sun and then reshaped with the divine energy of Order. So it is like a metal smith using heat and some extra metal to weld pieces of metal together. All of these led to the creation of simple black lines on their skin. 

The recruits have to endure the process or it will be ruined if they move. It is not that the tree father cannot make the runes even if they move. It is the fact that they do not have the mental resilience strong enough to withstand the pain. In that case, the rune will be useless on themthem even if it is completed. 

It is a difficult process but it is not one that they are not prepared for. They exercised painfully for most of their life. Their bodies and minds have been broken several times by the intensive training. The pools of diluted divine life energy in their academy healed and put them back together for them to repeat their exercise so they are no strangers to pain. 

The bodies of the initiates are strong and their minds are resilient. Besides, they are transcendents, they have perfect control over their bodies. They just have to will themselves not to move. How difficult is that? 

It is not that difficult since only 3 of the 11 failed. Or it seems to be very difficult since 3 of them failed despite years of preparation and perfect control of their bodies. 2 of them moved away from the embrace of the wind to avoid the pain so the flow of leaves to them stopped. The 3rd one jerked away in agony. Their tattoos became incomplete because of their actions. 

The three that stopped were dejected but they didn't make any sound or complaints. They remained in line with the others. It was only after the initiation for the others was completed that the leader gave the order to move. The initiates followed after him wordlessly.

He didn't turn back to his initiates as he said, "You three will return to the academy for another round of training. You can return for another try when you have been deemed fit. Know that this is your last chance. If you fail it, then you will not be able to serve the great god as a demorgorg. For the rest of you, you will continue to follow me. You are not demorgorgs yet until you get your first star."

This group of the leader and his initiates separated once they reached the edge of the outer sanctuary. There were soldiers waiting for them at the edge. These soldiers are different from the ones that patrol the edge of the outer sanctuary. They are trainers of the academy. 

These trainers took the initiates with incomplete tattoos back to the academy with them. As for the remainders, they followed the four-star demorgorg just as they were instructed to do. Their entire bodies from head to toe have been etched deep with the chain that binds them. 

This chain is not fixed in position. It is moving about. In fact, it is jiggling and clanging against each other like normal physical chains. It is as if they are draped with actual chains and not tattoos of chains. 

The behavior of their chains is different from that of the full demorgorg leading them. The chains on the body of the four-star demorgorg are taut and tight. It is as if something is straining against it. 

The initiates also don't have a face on their backs like the full demorgorgs do. They will soon acquire the face. It is what they are going to get now to become full demorgorgs. Each one of them is excited but they culled that excitement in favor of focus. They will need that focus soon. 

The four-star demorgorg led them to a gated compound. The security at the gate let them in quickly once they saw that they were a group of initiates. Such a sight is very common to them. 

The initiates were then led to an access vault that led to an underground complex. This complex is where they will get their first star. They have been training for it all their lives and have been here several times so they were not spooked or scared of the unnatural sounds of moaning and groaning that can be heard from the cells within the complex.

The cells are all identical. They are small secured rooms that closely resemble prison cells. Each cell is separated from the others by thick enchanted walls made of metal. 

The complex itself was built by the god-king himself. It is a large underground structure that is more than a kilometer long and wide. It is highly fortified and secure. 

The complex looks like a prison because it is a prison. Each cell contains a demon. It can be said that the demons are imprisoned, which doesn't seem odd as that is the only way to contain a demon. But the conditions of their imprisonment will make one pity them. 

The initiates were led to the first level which is for low rank demons who are the equivalent of mana entities. They had to pass through several layers of security protocols just to reach this relatively harmless location. Below this level are more powerful and sinister demons. They can't handle those yet so they will stop here. 

----

A/N: Bonus chapter for 1000 power stones.