A Change in the Tapestry

Turning his head to the east where the sun would soon break over the horizon he contemplated the vast world and yet its smallness. It was time, he decided.

With purposefulness in his stride, he clambered down the stone steps calling for his first and second and he hurried through the magical door that would take him away to his small office, hidden in the middle of an ancient forest. Fenaly and Geseg bumped into each other at the door in their haste to obey their leader. Geseg stepped back, and bowing slightly waved the tiny mage Fenaly through the portal. The two stood before the great clan leader, questions in their eyes, but not on their lips.

Koell pulled some sheaves of parchment towards him and yanked a battered quill from the ink well. Looking up as he began to write he said, "It is time that we have a new deity."

Fenaly held her breath and could barely contain her excitement. She pulled her cape around her more tightly and twirled her dagger lightly between her fingers, her eyes dancing with mischief. Geseg, the more reserved Ranger, stood with his feet slightly apart, hands clasped behind his back, yet the ghost of a smile flickered around his lips.

"Might I inquire, Sir," Geseg began, "If the gods will permit our great former leader Ganat to become our deity?"

Koell finished his epistle with a flourish and rolled it up, sealing the edge with a drop of wax and pressing his ring deep into the soft wax.

"We shall see," Koell said with tight-lipped determination. "Take this proclamation to all the Dawnbringers and gather them together for a great ceremony where we shall petition the gods of the stars and moon to grant us our wish."

And so word was spread throughout the realm, and at the pre-arranged date the entire clan gathered within the great Basilica of Divination, hidden deep within the Hall of Dawn. They stood in solemn silence around the circular chamber as Koell knelt in the center of the room.

His deep voice rang clearly through the hall "Great gods of the realm, hear my plea. I humbly beg for your aid." As he said those words, the air began to shimmer and the goddess Tatianna appeared in a cloud of shimmering stardust, followed by Barset, Ganat, Alexandra, Jieni, and Ksilyan, and all mortals dropped to one knee in reverence.

Tatianna spoke first saying, "Rise, Koell. We have heard your prayers, and have granted you an audience."

"Except for Seluctruh, he says he refuses to set foot inside 'that Dawnbringer infested hall' as he calls this place," interrupted Jieni. His comment brought a few snickers from some of the immortals, but were quickly silenced by a stern look from Tatianna.

Koell stood slowly and began speaking. "Since our clan was founded many ages ago, its members have always been under the guiding protection of one of the gods, yet for a year now we have found ourselves without such a protector. With Tarin's presense waning throughout the realm, we request your aid, Tatianna. We humbly ask that you would appoint a divine guardian to our clan, that we might have guidance through the dark of night."

Barset spoke quickly, the excitement beaming from his eyes, "My goddess, would you allow me to take up my blade as protector of this clan? I have been longing for such a chance for many ages, and my soul yearns to feel needed once again, as it did long ago when I was a mortal leader of this clan."

"Peace, Barset," Tatianna spoke softly. "I see your intentions are true, yet I fear you would not be best suited for such a task.."

Barset's face fell. "Of course, Tatianna. You are wiser than I, and I shall defer to your better judgement," he said dejectedly. "If you will excuse me, I am needed elsewhere."

Alexandra and Jieni exchanged worried glances as Barset transformed into long snake-like vines and vanished into the ground.

"Forgive my impatience, goddess of the stars, but whom did you have in mind?" Koell spoke hesitantly. "I do not mean to sound presumptuous, yet it seems as though you have decided the matter."

Tatianna laughed and smiled upon the anxious leader. "I have." She turned to face the assembled immortals behind her. "You all know who I have chosen, so may he now come before me."

Ganat slowly stepped in front of Tatianna, and dropped to one knee in respect for the goddess. "Bright Star, I have served you faithfully since I walked the realm as a mortal ranger, and have continued to do so at your side in the heavens. How may I serve you this day?"

Tatianna smiled warmly at Ganat. A small grin appeared on the faces of most of the Dawnbringers at this exchange, as many had long been secretly hoping for this day to come. Even the lips of the stoic Geseg were turned up slightly, and his eye's sparkled with a smile that would rarely part his lips.

Tatianna unsheathed the Crystal Sword of Star Fire and lifted it high above her head. White flames erupted from the blade as it seemed that the sword touched the very stars above. She lowered the flaming sword gently towards Ganat's bowed head and rested it upon his bare head. A white glow seemed to flow from the sword into Ganat's body, lighting up the entire room.

"Ganat, you served this clan as a mortal long ago, and in return were raised up to dwell within the heavens. The time has come for you to serve your clan again. I would charge you with guiding the Dawnbringers as they strive to fulfill their quest, with aiding them when they have need, and with defending them from harm."

Ganat looked up at the face of Tatianna, shock registering in his eyes. "I-I live to serve," he stammered. "I accept this task, and place the Dawnbringers in my charge. I shall be vigilant, and will lead my clan back to the glory it once had."

With a slight nod, the Star Goddess raised her voice and declared, "By the power of the Stars, I imbue upon you, Ganat Ventstar, all the rights privileges and responsibilities of deity of the Dawnbringer Clan." She lifted the sword back up above her head to touch the stars and the flames flickered and died as she silently sheathed the magical sword.

"Rise, Vengeful Blade. May the Light watch over you and your clan for eternity." Tatianna turned and smiled at the assembled Dawnbringers. "I have heard your plea, and have answered your prayer. I give you your guide, your guardian, and your protector. Serve him faithfully and know that by doing so, you serve me in turn."

Ksilyan speaking softly broke the awed silence that followed. "Tatianna, I feel something trembling within the tapestry. I must go to investigate this matter at once."

Tatianna nodded at him, and he vanished from sight. "Come, let us now leave the Dawnbringers, for I'm sure they have much celebrating to do," she said. With that, the goddess disappeared in a swirl of stardust and Jieni and Alexandra soon followed. When the only god left among them was Ganat, the Dawnbringers erupted into wild cheering and the feasting began.

Ganat was a bit troubled by Barset's abrupt departure and the trembling Ksilyan felt in the tapestry, yet those thoughts were soon banished from his mind as the party began to grow louder and larger. Realizing what had just taken place, Ganat joined in the celebrating with the rest of his clan.

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