The time has come..

[TalonofWindspeak]

A shrill and sturdy voice breaks as the newborn is delivered in the Clan Shield Breakers Quarters. The mid-wife holds the newborn as the cord is quickly tied and cut.

Speaking weakly, Mili asks to see him. The mid-wife hesitates, "We have not much time", quickly she takes the newborn to her side and raises him to Mili's eyes. Mili nods and falls back weary. The mid-wife hurries off to another area of the Clan quarters. A guard motions and places a key in a hidden lock and a door magically appears and swings open. She steps inside as the door closes behind.

As the mid-wife hurries down the passage she can hear the preliminaries of the Ceremony, a number of chanting voices coming from the room ahead.

Stepping out into the larger sanctuary, the baby is taken from her by a cowled Runecastor. Shallow channels carved into the floor radiate inwards to a basin surrounding a pedestal. The baby is placed on the pedestal, the Runecastor stepping back all the while chanting and channeling a strong weave of magic into a focal point above the baby, the focus suspended in mid-air.

Other cowled figures surround the dais chanting in unison, the chanting increases as sharp knives are drawn across palms, blood trickling downwards into the shallow channels on the floor and flowing slowly to the center basin and dais.

With the blood puddling around the dais in the basin at the base of the pedestal, the chanting reaches a fevered pitch, the air about the baby begins to move as if boiling, as the newborn's cries are washed out by the louder chanting.

A loud crackling sucking sound is heard and the air seems drawn from the room itself. Flames flick and spew forth and the rancid smell of sulfur and brimstone belches from the the focal point, bringing with it the feeling of intense heat and animosity.... but nothing is burned, nothing harmed... except for the feeling of desperation as the air explodes in fury.

Suddenly a meshing of the flames reveals a vague figure and a face, a hand, then a body emerge. A beast steps from the conflagration and putting down one foot then the other, revealing itself to the ritual partakers. A pleasing smile as the voice booms, "You have succeeded I see and have a gift for me?"

The Runecastor nods and reaches into his robes bringing out an egg, large, white and looking somewhat crystalline, handing it to the beast.

The beast speaks, "Most excellent, as usual, the Shield Breakers maintain their oaths and strengths, in procuring such and the promised path will be taken, and the one..." Reaching now with the egg in one massive hand, it picks up the baby gently in the other.. and quickly steps back into the flaming portal as it snaps shut.