The Cygor continued forward, following the path of blood laid out before it. A single, large eye took up most of its bestial face, staring blankly ahead along its route. The fur, skin, and a majority of the flesh had begun to slough off, dropping to the floor as it walked – burnt away by the magical fire that sort to consume the creature. Despite all this, it carried on. In the remains of its arms, it cradled the source of the magic tightly, protecting the large rock from harm even as the rock harmed the Cygor.
They had spent the best part of a day surveying the fallen objects, selecting the largest one to be carried back. Jeremius’ seers had used their god-sent witchsight to find the one with the greatest reserve of magic, the one that would be most suited to their plans.
With one of the magical rocks – fallen Celestial Objects – secured to a Cygor, the congregation had begun the walk to the Vine Gate, covering Concendia in the holy blood of the Scattered Flocks. The beast had followed, as his visions had shown him it would.
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The beast collapsed. Celestial magic had eventually burnt it out completely, but it had completed the task set for it. With a crash, both Cygor and Celestial Object landed within the nearly finished ritual circle that had been drawn around the Vine Gate.
“We call on you, oh Feathered Lords, oh greatest of gods! Send forth your favoured children from the nests beyond, and let them feed upon this realm of mortal worms!” Jeremius screamed, finishing the last ritual marks, and driving his blade through the writhing beastman at his feet.
It would be as his visions had dictated. The children of the true gods would walk this realm, and be his to command. Deacon Jeremius would no longer be overlooked by the Church once the Beastlord completed its goal, and he would be the one to deliver the solution!
As the magic from the Celestial Object seeped into the ground around the Realmgate, and the gate absorbed the magic from the ground, the sky darkened. The eyes of the entire gathered congregation locked onto the Realmgate, and Concendia held its breath.
Above: The Visions of the Vine Gate – Painted by Deacon Jeremius, the Cawing Carrion of the Church of the Scattered Flocks
