"The Axe of Scoran" by Joshua Doten Davids

Dornen can’t help but wonder what to do now as he tosses the pure metal haft into the fire. “Scoran what do I do now? Where do I go? I killed my brother, destroyed my friends and killed too many innocents all in the name of a good religion. So what do I do now? Answer me that goddess.”

A light sibilant voice flows over his mind and through his soul, a voice filled with power and dread that would cause a lesser many to quake in fear. But to the fighter it is a voice he has heard since childhood and one he does not fear any more. “You know what to do Dornen Nasril, choose your path and reach into the flames.”

At first he hesitates lifting up his right hand to stare at it then into the raging inferno before him and the pain he knows will flow through him if he does what the goddess asks of him. he pushes all doubt from his mind plaguing his faith, no his loyalty on the goddess for she has yet to lead him astray and plunges his arm into the flames, into the mass of twisted metal and charred beams.

Searing agony does not lance is way up his arm, the raging heat is nothing more then a faint whisper upon his hand as he feels something solid within the flames. Slowly his fingers curl around it and pull it forth from the fire. As the double bladed axe rises into the air a withering sheathe of flames dances about the blades, at first they are an unholy orange but slowly the color changes to that of a deep dark crimson fire.

As Dornen looks at the blade he holds high marveling at the masterwork of death and destruction the curling snaking flames leap from the blade and burrow into his eyes. With a blood curdling scream of agony the goddess of natural anger, hatred and power floods into the man tearing apart his mind and soul as he becomes something more. Falling to his hands and knees the axe resting on the ground before him as Dornen opens his eyes he once again hears the voice of the goddess, but this time stronger and cleared as if she is standing right besides him. “Welcome to my fold, First Axe.”