The couple continued to travel towards Exilis, making a stop in Lenio Forest at Nox’s Shrine for a short communing with the Goddess of Death. Meanwhile, Azazel continued to train his abilities and understood better how the shadows did, learning to get answers from the silence. Slowly, their Caterva got a name on their own, The Abyssanctum Caterva, after both Azazel and Occultess learned to travel the Realm of the Gods through dreams and visions. The warmblood stallion communed with Umbra on a regular basis, his dark aura getting stronger until he could manipulate it for a short period of time, shaping it as he desired.
Umbra watched over them and decided to grant to their next foal a powerful blessing. After they reached Exilis Forest, through Azazel, Umbra sired their foal, bestowing upon the unborn foal great power. Old and forgotten legends spoke about horses born from Gods that had immense power compared to the simple mortals. Their duty was to watch over the mortal worlds and make sure all was in its place. But the knowledge these horses had was forbidden to be passed to the simple mortals, only the most hardworking diplomats having a chance at attaining it. These guardians had from their god parent the power to reincarnate and return to watch once again the mortal worlds. During those times, Umbra gave away secrets to a dedicated diplomat, only to find out the secrets became known by the simple mortals. The other gods questioned and blamed Umbra for his decision, leaving him with no other option than to destroy the island, sinking it to the depths of the ocean. Once with the destruction of the island, the guardians born from gods disappeared and no god ever gave away their powers to the mortals. But Umbra decided to leave behind the past and risked, hoping a new guardian to be born to become the protector of the Dark Followers.
During the pregnancy, Umbra and Azazel kept their eyes upon Occultess, knowing that the draft mare loved to explore and interact with the wildlife she encountered, sometimes interacting with massive felines that never attacked her. Even if all the wildlife was causing her no harm, Azazel continued to guard her with his own life, scouting the forest after lone horses and herds that could be hostile to her. Months passed and the foal in her womb grew bigger and bigger, being closer to its birth. As she felt the first kicks and pains, the draft mare laid on a flower bed, waiting for the moment.
The foal proved to be a warmblood colt, his coat a dark brown covered in large black markings. The colt stood on his small and long legs as fast as he could and already begun to trot around the two horses. Umbra watched from the shadows of the forest, a smile forming on his muzzle as the first Demigod had been born again after decades of extinction.
During the day, after Theldrassil’s birth, Umbra and Azazel discussed about the Demigod foal and Azazel had to make sure no horse learned the truth. Umbra was unsure about the reactions this could create among the gods but he could not accept if any would touch his legacy, the foal being his full responsibility. He could already see the dark aura of the foal, darker then the aura of his parents and his future seemed promising.
But not only Umbra was watching the scene, two other gods glancing with hatred in their eyes at the black warmblood stallion. “They will pay!” said one of them. “At night we will strike and kill Azazel first. The mare and the foal will soon follow him in death!”
Honestas continued to spy on the group and waited patiently for Umbra to leave. As the dark god left, Honestas begun to plot his attack. The full moon rose on the night sky and the colt nested near his mother while Azazel watched around guarding them. The stallion glanced around the forest, sensing something he could not explain, a power similar to Umbra’s but different. Ignoring his senses, Azazel thought the power he felt to be the power of Theldrassil, his Demigod son. He laid near his mate and tried to fall asleep, but a heavy sound made him jolt, ready for battle.
