Rise of the Wolf God

Five Seconds

     It takes five seconds to make a decision. He looked back at the school he was teaching at, and then the road ahead. "One," An image of a green eyed woman burned into his mind, and then the image of a figure clad in all white robes, "Two". Images of his students came to mind, a ginger with steely grey eyes, a boy with golden blonde hair and emerald eyes, and a young woman with a cheeky grin, dark skin, and short brown hair. "Three ..." Azre Lupis, a peculiar man with long white hair, silver hued eyes and tall in stature looked back. "Four ..." Azre clenched his hand into a fist, feeling the regret sinking in. 

     The last image he had time to process was a prediction for the future lest he decide not to go on his voyage. Bloodshed. Azre's lack of action bloodied the hands of his students. A war breaks out between two external forces. A tale of light and dark as old as time. Iranga's wrath came down like a smiteful hammer on the students of Ilisty crushing their spirits and bodies. The Academy and those supporting it fought back valiantly yet the moon god squashed their oppression with little concern for the consequence of his actions, that is what he predicted. "Five," Azre's eyes narrowed on the path ahead now. He marched forward.

     The trail was a long stretch of forest, opening up onto a grassy plain after about two hours of walking. Azre was fine with this though, years of padding through forest and mountains trained his body for long hauls. Besides, if he did get tired of walking he could always shapeshift into the form of a large white wolf. A blessing and curse that came with Lupis blood. 

     He trekked forward into the grassy plains, the crescent moon dimly lighting his path. Azre breathed in the scents around him, letting the sound of wind bristling stalks fill his ears. He figured that this journey wouldn't be all peaceful. He should try and enjoy the moments of quiet that he has now. Azre was on a mission after all.

       From a time before Azre himself the Lupis bloodline became cursed, the Wolf Gift that they once shared was corrupted by a deity of the moniker Iranga. Iranga, fueled by grief and vengeance, cursed their blood to never rest. He made sure that anyone carrying the name Lupis would live half of their life as a mindless beast, hungry for the flesh of the ones that they loved. However, that stopped with Azre. Azre had made some powerful friends from working at the magical Ilisty Academy. Ilisty was a place of magic and combat practice. It made everything from witches and wizards to sacred warriors wielding the will of their patron gods.

     When Iranga saw that someone from the Lupis bloodline had precious people in his life he tried to destroy it. Iranga underestimated Azre's bonds and resolve. Through the help of two of the students and all of the faculty they were able to rip Azre's soul from Iranga's cold grasp. At least that was what they intended. 

     When Azre's soul became free it sapped the life essence of Iranga with it, rendering the moon god weak. He met with a vision of the past as his soul returned to his body. Azre's ancestors waged a war on Iranga before. Iranga tore members of the Lupis bloodline asunder like wet paper, tossing the remnants aside and launching towards the next victim of his wrath. Instead of cowering before the rotten deity Azre's ancestors courageously charged head on, challenging his might courageously. The battle was fought arduously on both sides, causing great loss for the Lupis bloodline, but additionally deterring the coward god Iranga. This showed Azre that there was a chance. Even the ancestor's, cursed as they were stood up to such treachery, and brought fear into the deity's heart as they did. Further than his own will, it was willed before he was even born that a member of the Lupis bloodline would rise against such malady, such rotten influence.  Azre then decided that he would end Iranga once and for all, so that the malicious Iranga couldn't rule over people who had the Wolf Gift any longer.

    He stopped after a half a day's more walking. There wasn't any sign of civilization around Azre. To each cardinal direction existed only green fields and forest lines. The pink sun peaked out from the horizon, on the verge of rolling through the sky awake and bright. From the direction of the rising sun stood the first step in Azre's extensive journey. The border town by the name of Red Quartz