Bjorg snapped his fingers to create a whirlwind of fire. "Bring General Hazug the mother of the next Knaast generation," he ordered his fiery creation.
A dedicated devotee, Hilde sang in the angel's ancient tongue. Her lonely voice echoed and amplified into a spectral, eerie choir as they waited.
A few minutes later, the supernatural whirlwind returned and when the flames fade out Charlene Knaast, Bjorg's wife appeared on the altar.
Hazug entered the cave. He wore the same looks Ella admired over a thousand years ago. He was a handsome vision out of Norse mythology. He rambled into the great hall with his lips crooked in a sneer.
"The master graces us with his presence," Bjorg greeted him.
"We're honored and humbled," the adorers chorused.
Hazug stood beside his priest and cast an amused eye to Sterlig.
The Renegade general's lips curved in a cynical smirk.
His deep baritone sounded, but only to his soldiers and the Allegiant group. "See, Sterlig; I damn their souls and they worship and love me."
"They don't understand."
"Poor bags of dirt," Hazug mocked, but just as fast his voice changed and vibrated with contempt. "They don't care, you idiot. They want fame, fortune, beauty. Soul and eternity make a too immaterial concept that is very vague for their simple minds."
Sterling's serious, stern face alone was Renegade's answer.
Hazug laughed at his trembling human adorers. "They guess I am hungry."
The evil creature turned to his priest. "Break a handful and release my flames."
"Wonderful!" Bjorg cheered and snapped his fingers.
Fifty of the followers howled in despair as they fragmented into flames.
The Renegade general breathed back his fire. "I am refreshed. Do you regret causing their soul's definite loss, Bjorg?"
Perfect honey blond eyebrows crooked, surprised. "Why? I broke the useless, the whiners, the boring. I lost nothing and now we can bring in some more useful."
"Yes, why would you care, my dear priest? Your fellow humans mean nothing to you."
On the black stone, Charlene, the Priest's wife, screamed. The Renegade studied her bare body with predatory purpose.
Determined, Hazug raked his eyes over her bountiful breasts and grabbed the plentiful mounds as he bent to muffle her with a ravenous kiss as his hidden claws burst out to cut deep.
Charlene's stomach cramped under the demon's assault and the child slid out of her.
General Hazug glanced in the newborn's direction and moved for a better angle.
The wailing baby flailed her arms, splashing on her mother's blood and the demon growled, "Appetizing. I feel like gobbling you up."
The six Renegade generals committed to creating the most powerful warlock ever assured only the strongest survived.
Death at birth meant constant cleansing in the lineage.
"Let's see if you get to live," the voracious creature said to the baby, as he lifted her tiny body to his mouth and licked drops of blood from the soft skin, so then I ate fear of the predator had a reason to kick in.
Then, he stared into the little girl's royal blue eyes and she stared back unflinching. "No fear. You are strong. You can live. Sylvia shall be your name."
Hazug drew a gold dagger from his belt and cut the child's umbilical cord with a precise movement of his wrist, handing the weapon to Bjorg. "You keep this dagger until she can learn how to use it."
"Yes, Master. Shall I groom her as the future Priestess?"
"No. I will skip her generation. She may breed me the most powerful warlock ever, a high priest. Use the time to improve your skills to be the generation's Counselor."
Bjorg grinned. "A Counselor? Feeding on the new priest's power and harnessing his forces?"
The Renegade snorted. "Yes, you nailed it. We have a business to finish."
The Knaast nodded and waved his hand to call Hilde, and the singer approached, prostrating to lick the Renegade general's feet.
"Take the infant and feed her, Hilde," Hazug ordered, passing her the newborn.
"I am honored, " she said, her eyes swimming with gratitude. She was human, with a human body. She was there to sing and serve the others, and she saw it as an honor.
Bjorg touched the woman and flames licked the air around her and the baby. Every Knaast Priest received Hazug's fire so the man could perform witchcraft and kill.
Sylvia Knaast growled like a hungry animal, and her two small hands tore apart the golden tunic to free the woman's breasts.
The wolfish little Knaast pounced with her mouth gaped, and when the little girl caught a pink nipple between her gums in a toothless bite, Hilde's skin broke and blood gushed.
As the newborn feasted on Hilde's living fluid, Bjorg's spell stopped the woman's body from reacting to the severe loss and flooded her with sexual pleasure. The victim's legs failed, and she melted down onto the stone steps, moaning.
The Allegiant colonel's sword's flames flickered as he pulled it from the scabbard to stop the shameful act, but General Sterlig lifted his hand. "Back off, Bolnick"
The colonel fought his instincts as he put away his long blade. He grumbled. "I know. Hazug is free to lend his flames. But using our angelic essence to hurt is horrid, Sterlig."
"I agree, Bolnick, but that woman chose death. We can do nothing."
Hazug smirked, talking to the Allegiant officers. "Hilde became a worldwide famous singer and her son will become famous too. She received from me; it's her turn to give back."
"She will die and doom her soul," Bolnick growled his indignation, but Hazug only shrugged. "Yeah."
The Renegade General tilted his head as he turned his attention to the Knaast Priest. "Do you still want your wife?"
"Charlene is yours, Master."
Hazug smiled wider and bent to whisper, "Charlene, thank you for the beautiful girl," he said and killed her with his claws through her throat. His pointed teeth came out to devour the woman.
In the spiritual realm, Hazug's disguise was transparent, and the Allegiant's watched revolted the Renegade general's horrible feast.
"I don't understand. Charlene was Bjorg's wife. Why do the Knaast priests comply with it, Colonel Bolnick?" Pacij asked astounded. It was the first time the officer saw a birth cult.
"Diamonds. Hazug pays a field of diamonds for a Knaast spouse. Bjorg craves power, captain. Riches mean power.
"And Hazug likes to put his despicable show to me," Sterlig added with disgust.
The Renegade looked at him and grinned, bloody teeth full of gore. "I aim to please. I think you like to watch. You never miss a birth cult."
Pacij drew his blades with lightning speed, ready to swing. Bolnick and Venlig grabbed him.
"You wretch," the captain snarled, tugging at Bolnik's and Venlig's hands.
"Pacij," Sterlig commanded and the Allegiant officer stopped fighting against his comrades' restraining hands.
"You keep your dogs in a tight leash, don't you, Sterlig?" Hazug asked with false admiration. His vertical pupils did not hide the mockery as he examined Pacij.
Sterlig ignored the bait. "Honor binds us, Hazug. Fear binds your followers. There's a difference."
Hazug looked around and snorted. "Yes, my way is much funnier."
His provocative words echoed for many minutes after the Renegade had disappeared.
Hilde lay parched dry on the stone step as Sylvia Knaast swigged her to the last drop.
Bjorg knelt, picked up the baby, and snapped his fingers.
Powerful hungry flames turned what was left of Charlene's and Hilde's corpses into ash.
The Knaast Priest snapped his fingers to create a whirlwind of fire and dropped the sleeping child in its eye.
"Take Sylvia to the nursery in the castle."
The flaming supernatural beast left the cave with the newborn Knasst, the future mother of the Knaast heir.