GREED: ALL FOR WHAT?



Legion-6 and his escorts joined the crowd. The crowd made way for them when they noticed the two Betas. They made their way through the crowd until they reached someplace close to the center where the pack leader was. They stopped there and waited for the ceremony to be over. The pack leader was speaking when they arrived. He noticed their arrival but he didn't stop talking.

"...and so we will lay our fallen warriors today in the embrace of their ancestors. They fought bravely and with honor. They have done me proud so I shall allow them to be in peace with our ancestors."

The crowd listened silently as he spoke. No one moved or spoke. Even the children were quiet and solemn. The entire atmosphere of the assembly was solemn. A lot of warriors died today so they are being buried at the totem pole. It is where all their ancestors have been buried. It is an act that is more than a simple tradition. There is some significance to the act of sending their warriors to their ancestors. 

The pack leader ordered solemnly. "Carry them to the embrace of their ancestors. Let them be at peace."

Some warriors came forward and began carrying corpses to the pillar. A wizened old Warrog stood by the pillar. This Warrog is as tall as the Alpha that he first met but that's only if he straightened himself. His back is bent and he has grey hair on his head. His fur is thin and aged. The skin beneath it is wrinkled too.

The wizened old Warrog is the shaman and the only Omega of the tribe. The shaman dug into the corpses of the dead warriors for their vitality cores. He used a knife and his hand to split open the chest cavity and remove their hearts. 

The vitality core is within the heart. The hearts he dug out are larger than usual and very strong. The shaman then crushed the heart against the white pillar or totem pillar. It is as if he smeared the pillar with the heart. Then corpses are thrown into a fire that burns them to ashes.

The white pillar began to glow brighter the more hearts were crushed against it. It absorbed each heart as if it were made up of porous absorbent material. It soaked up the crushed heart leaving only the blood smear. These blood smears form a contrast against the white surface of the pillar.

The pillar absorbed the hearts and glowed brighter. The blood smears on its surface also began to move about on its surface. The speed of their movement increased as more warriors were buried in it. There are a lot of corpses because the dead warriors of both packs are being buried. 

It is not the fault of the warriors of the opposing tribes that their park leader didn't surrender. They would have been their fellow pack members now had the dishonorable pack leader surrendered. What matters is that they listened to their pack leader even when they had lost. They fought honorably to the last man standing and they will be honored with a proper burial. 

The pack leader has given them that privilege because they obeyed orders even in the face of death. Besides, they have the right to be buried at this totem pole. Some of their ancestors were buried in it too. This totem wasn't this big earlier today. It is bigger because the totem pole of the two tribes has been combined. It has grown stronger just as the park leader is currently growing stronger.

Only the family members of the dishonorable pack leader won't be given a burial. Their corpses are to be left outside the city to rot. They will never enjoy the embrace of their ancestors because of that decision to not surrender. It is a punishment that is part of the culture of the Warrogs.

Legion-6 thought to himself, 'It is as if it is alive.'

He is talking about the pillar. The pillar became very bright. It brightened the dim environment and shed light everywhere. Legion-6 felt spiritual fluctuations from the pillar. There is a lot of spiritual energy within it. The totem contains the accumulation of thousands of years of Warrogs. So it is able to display spiritual fluctuations that should only be seen in living things. 

The pack leader continued to speak after everyone had been buried. "Our warriors have gotten peace. They will rest today and some will take over their mantle. The world moves in a cycle of life and death. We have lost some warriors today and we will gain some warriors today. Let us bow our heads in respect for our ancestors."

Everyone bowed their heads including Legion-6 when he noticed that everyone else was bowing. He felt the spiritual fluctuations of the totem pole reach a peak before it suddenly exploded. A wave of spiritual energy swept the crowd of ten thousand. The wave passed through everyone and even reached past the gate at the entrance of the valley.

He felt the spiritual fluctuation slam into him. It didn't clash with him as it should when spiritual power from two different beings meet. Instead, it drilled into his body like a fish in water. It reached within him to his core and tugged at his divine ability. It wanted to activate his divine ability but he restricted it. 

Nothing happened for a short while. The surroundings remained silent. But the spiritual fluctuations finally took effect in others. He heard growls from several places in the crowd. 

The pack leader shouted. "Secure them now."

Several warriors scattered into the crowd. They found the sources of the growls quickly. One of those sources was close to Legion-6. He saw a young female Warrog growl. Her teeth and nails began to grow out. They elongated into monstrous things. 

Then she fell to the ground. Her body began to spasm and shake. It looked like she was having a seizure or a fit of epilepsy. Her body began to undergo more changes as she shook.