82 A New Religion

Rezi Grimbelt was now sitting in her father's shop after the mysterious visitor had left. She looked at her arm and examined the serpent tattoo burned into her skin.

She could feel it, it was alive. It hungered. If she didn't feed it, she would be its meal.

"Father what am I supposed to do?" said Rezi with a distressed look on her face.

"Daughter, it has given you a glorious opportunity. A god has blessed us with his gift. We must fulfill his wishes," said Ol' Batmer smiling.

Ol' Batmer begin weaving. He hadn't weaved in years, his old hands wouldn't let him. The flames of destiny had renewed his vitality. He had to serve his new god well. Maybe he could receive even more gifts.

Ol' Batmer spent days stitching together an ordinate red robe with a flaming serpent surrounding a hammer inlaid on the chest.

"This is it!" said Ol' Batmer as he dawned the robe.

"Daughter what do you think?"

"What is this father?" said Rezi as she looked at her father dressed in a strange robe.

"This is the attire the Templars of Flame will wear," said Ol' Batmer as he showed off the robe.

"With these red robes we can recruit other people to join our religion and worship the great Forge God Soulless." he said with pride.

"I like it, I think you should add more embroidery when you make one for me, father. I am the Saintess of our religion, after all," said Rezi, now daydreaming about her own stylish robe.

She had warmed up to her role as Saintess after taking some time to think. The Forge God had bestowed his grace upon her and her father in their most desperate time. She was young and had thought of the Toad Gang as a colossus that no one could defeat.

Now that she had the backing of a God, why should she fear the Toad Gang? If they came, they would be the first meals she fed to the serpent.

Life was peaceful for Rezi and Ol' Batmer for a few weeks. The Toad Gang had not sent anyone yet to seek revenge. It was the calm before the storm. Rezi and Ol' Batmer never left the shop. But worked on creating red robes and praying daily to the Forge God Soulless.

One day a message came to Rezi. 'Build an altar for prayer' appeared in her head, along with instructions on how it should be made.

"I will Forge God!" said Rezi. She sold everything they had in the shop at half price to afford the materials she needed to build this altar. She had put her entire faith in her Forge God.

~~~

"They haf sol offff ev… ev.. erythang at halfff pric? *hickup*" said Bodas Toadfeast as he drank a dwarven ale.

"Yes, sir." said the informant.

"It seemss theirrr *hickup* acker haff leffft. Theeey waant tooo es.. es… esccape?" said Bodas as he downed more ale.

From his understanding on how his gang members had died, they had been attacked by at least a Tattoo realm dwarf. If a Tattoo realm dwarf attacked, he could not defend himself. He had drunken himself into depression.

"My Toad Gang hasss nevfr soffert huumil.. *hickup* humilation," said Bodas as he crashed his mug into the table.

"This city is our playground, if we don't set this straight other shops will think of rebelling," said a gang member.

"Weee *hickup* strik to… tonigh… *hickup* bef… ore they can escapeee!" said Bodas as he wiped his mouth of mead.

"Let everyone know our Toad Gang can not be crossed," said a gang member.

Bodas stood up and raised his drunken hand, eliciting fever in the crowd.

"Yeah!"

"Down with the rebels!"

~~

That night the Toad Gang was out for blood! They would make an example out of the tailor! Bodas had sobered up a bit for this grand event. They gathered together all the members of Toad Gang with torches lit, ready to take down the shop!

"Ol' Batmer come out and meet your doom," said Bodas.

Ol' Batmer and Rezi walked out in their red robes. Bodas could see no fear in their eyes.

"Are you ready to meet your death," said Bodas.

"Repent and the Forge God will forgive your transgressions," said Rezi.

"Forge God? I'm the only God in this town!" said Bodas as he walked forward, his belly swaying back and forth.

"Have mercy Forge God for they know not of your great name, I will enlighten the masses," said Rezi.

"Burn them!"

"Kill them!"

"Take them all down!"

"Forge God, teach these infidels to put some respect on your name," said Rezi.

A voice rang in everyone's head.

'Why haven't you made my altar yet mortal?'

A gigantic fiery serpent came out of Rezi's arm and circled around her. It was majestic, breathing fire as it appeared before the dwarves.

The serpent caught the Toad gang off guard.

"Was this what killed burnt my gang members?" said Bodas.

"The Forge God is merciful. Repent now and he will spare you," said Rezi.

'Why should I spare them?'

"Forge God please, they will learn to pray devoutly to you. Have mercy," said Rezi as she kneeled.

Bodas took a defensive stance. He could tell this fiery serpent was powerful. More powerful than him.

'I'm in danger,' thought Bodas.

"This was just a misunderstanding, Forge God," said Bodas. His tone had quickly changed.

"Kneel and worship the Forge God and he will spare you mortals!" said Rezi.

Bodas figured there was nothing to lose, worship some serpent or get eaten. He was a simple dwarf.

"We respect you, Forge God," said Bodas as he kneeled down.

The other members of the Toad gang soon followed his lead.

"You shall be the first acolytes of the Forge God Soulless," said Rezi as she passed out the Acolyte robes they had stitched together.

'Use these people to spread my faith and do not bother me unless there is something important.' the voice said to Rezi.

The serpent disappeared back into her arm.