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| K.R |
The priest laid a hand on the Iron Wolf amulet at his breast and said; 'We bind the beast with sacred oaths to Russ and the Allfather, and we of the priesthood purify our battle-brothers with rituals and devotions to strengthen their resolve...
' For most, that is enough yet not enough for Aknar and his warriors.' the young Wolf reply. He expected a pious retort from the old priest, but when Lakkan spoke, his voice was surprisingly compassionate. 'It is not our place to judge these warriors,' he said with conviction. 'Even the ancient Dreadnoughts must sleep between times of war, lest they succumb to their feral natures. How hard must it be to keep one's soul intact after a thousand years of war, much less three.'
The Wolf Priest shook his head solemnly. 'It is a testament to their courage and honor that they have endured as long as they have.' The young Space Wolf nodded thoughtfully. 'But… is there no way to restore them?' Lakkan stiffened slightly. The young Wolf was straying into the proscribed territory of the priesthood. 'The transformation is a gradual one,' he said guardedly, 'but once begun, the process is inexorable. As the wolf within gains power, it exerts physical changes on the body.'
He gestured in direction to the Chapter Master Wulfen walking nearby. 'Much depends on the will and the faith of the warrior. The degradation can be halted, sometimes indefinitely, but it cannot be undone.' The priest's words sent a chill through the young Wolf veins. 'The Long Fang have said that my eyes have changed color,' he said numbly. 'How much longer do I have?' The priest sent a ruthless look at the young Wolf and told him 'Until the darkness take you away from the path of the Allfather'. The young wolf gazed down at the priest words and whispered, 'I recognize my failing and will be sure to correct it.'
Lakkan took a gaze at the frozen unmoving mist kept in permanence above their heads; ' The Allfather is the Lord and Master for without Him we are nothing, By the agony and bloody sweat, By Thy Golden Throne and Thy death, By Thy destruction and re-emergence as the guardian of men, Keep and strengthen us, we who fight for Thee. '
In remembrance of the ancient one's... 'Oje, Svessl, Hekken, Orm Or'msen, Vossul, Bane Fel, Sfen, Saarl, Aerdor, Andras'...
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