While the hill rejoiced, there had been ample confusion in the plain. So much so that when morning came, with dawn arrived the first sacrifices.
The tributaries had sent a couple each as offerings.
Their arrival had caused even more misunderstandings. With some being under escort, there was a great deal of tension; so the kobels brought them up the path and to a field where they were kept under guard while they searched for Etelet.
And the shaman apprentice, in turn, warned the tower.
There would be another ritual.
The winged kobel, on the roof, was the first to see him come. He had got up and looked from above at the tiny kobel rushing in, wearing those traditional leather clothes.
Inside were the followers, the warriors, with Tuorka among them. The old warrior had slept there in a room reserved for him. He paid no mind to the apprentice but saw the crowd fret. He himself frowned when he saw the two fawns that followed the kobel everywhere.
Tunu was above, with Savae.
The two once called came down a few minutes later to see the room still frantic at the news. What they could not understand was what Etelet proposed.
"Shouldn't it be our champion? Why Uokror?"
"Yes!" A female joined in. "Our champion could use those sacrifices!"
But the apprentice was ignoring their voices. He wasn't even debating. When he saw Tunu he turned to him as well.
"Sacrifices have arrived. Uokror will perform the ritual."
"You heard him!"
The scaled kobel had not yet understood everything and could not care less. Whatever his friend wanted, his friend would get. Their crowd went outside where the winged kobel had landed.
It was still hard for all of them to imagine that beast as one of their own.
It was just too intimidating.
But Tuorka explained what little he had followed and Uokror nodded at it all. And when the chief arrived, meeting them on the way he too agreed in turn.
So soon enough, preparations were on the way and Uokror was led to the wyvern's lair.
There, at the entrance the winged kobel stopped. His eyes were fixed on the skull still hanging above, bleached by time.
"Go in." Etelet explained. "When you hear the horns, come out. Not before. When you come out, the sacrifices will come to you. Wait for them. Then feed."
"Feed?"
It had been a word Tunu had used many times yesterday and still the beast looked puzzled. But Tuorka interceded. He pushed the others away to be able to talk freely with Uokror.
As they did, Tunu and Etelet convened as well.
"He doesn't know what feeding means." The apprentice stated.
"Of course he does! We are following the same path!"
"Whatever. He needs to feed."
"And not leave anything, yes, we'll tell him. Don't worry, Etelet! I'll make sure nothing ruins the ritual."
On the other hand the old champion and the beast were still not done discussing. If the winged kobel was calm, Tuorka was barely hiding some anger.
But finally, they broke off. Uokror would feed.
For now, all he had to do was enter the cavern. Go and hide in the lair, meditate or anything he wanted until the signal. And he stood there, for several seconds, at the entrance watching the depth beyond.
Tunu could hardly imagine what those heavy horns on Uokror's head were able to perceive.
Finally he went in. Everyone sighed. Now was the time to install and lit the braziers, to bring more poles for torches and ready the dyes.
When all was set in place, the offerings aligned in one row before the entrance, Etelet made his speech. The tribe had assembled above, their champions forced to hang with them, while captives and tributaries filled the grounds below.
"The kobels are sons of the wyverns! We share their blood and heritage! It is our right and fate to rise far above all else, it is our destiny!"
But when he talked the kobel was addressing the crowd of savages as well and those, in silence, at those words with some secret zeal. All they saw was a furry lizard yelling excitedly.
"And now, another one of us has risen! Uokror has ascended! He has reclaimed his blood, his rightful place among the mighty! You will follow his path! You will tread in his steps! To us kobels, the realm is the limit!"
Tuorka was listening as well, sit not far from the current champions. His face expressed just as much pride as any other.
"But for those cursed with bad blood, with the lesser, with the weakling, how can you stand in his trail?! How can you bask and share his presence!? What do you have?! What will you give!?"
"To dream!"
He gave the signal. The horns blared.
It took a minute, then another, as it did back then. But after some time the winged kobel came out, causing a shock for the lower crowd that had not seen him yet.
Emerging from the damp darkness, he truly looked in his element. Anyone would have truly believed he was a wyvern in every aspect.
But once out he stopped. In the silence, the first couple approached him.
Tunu, from up the short cliff, was trying to guess how his alter ego felt. He himself, at the time, had been weak, hesitating to feed on such a sight. But Uokror was ahead of him. So the scaled kobel thought he would not wait for a second.
Uokror turned his head to Tuorka, then back to the offerings.
The tips of his wings seized their heads at the same time, and squeezed. Then he pulled their bodies up and his large maw did short work of them.
Then another, then another and as he did the crowd behind started to cheer.
The reality was, Uokror was starting to struggle. There was just so much flesh, a wyvern's stomach was full before the half of it. Where Tunu's appetite was insatiable, his quickly ran out. So he was taking more and more time to swallow.
But to the crowds it looked more like he was taking more time to enjoy it.
The last few proved difficult, but as he started on the last it was the kobels' turn to cheer. And Tunu, the moment he could, went all out screaming Uokror's name. He set the tone, the others followed: the cacophony of voices became rhythmed.
Tuorka had not joined them.
In the mayhem few noticed, but the old champion was looking at the beast below that was forcing itself to snatch the last bits of meat out of bones, almost choking from it.
Once done, the beast stood there, looking around.
For a moment the crowd on the plateau was ready to rush, some of them willing to throw themselves at his perceived hunger. But Etelet intervened.
"You now tread in the path of the mighty! None can beat you, none can harm you anymore! The blood you spill will make you invincible!"
And he gestured for Uokror to follow him.
The both of them walked as a path opened before them, all the way to the road, this time up toward the hilltop. The kobels were cheering, but their voices were drowned by the sea of clamors rising all around, from the lower plateaus of the hill and beyond.
Like wildfire, cries answered cries. The whole region was clamoring the name they heard.
Uokror.