The Order of Fenrir is probably one of the most reclusive orders, and therefore mysterious, in all of Zion. The seclusion of the order, at the base of Odin’s snowy mountain, lends to that secrecy. Fenrirs pride themselves on their near automatic status as watchers. Many of the order members spend their time perfecting their clandestine skills. They enjoy the company of their membership, but tend to keep clear of other orders. A reputation for being prickly and secretive has thus arisen around them.
The Order is marked by dark leather armor. The penannular is is a six pointed star made by two triangles, one red (front/down) and yellow (back/up). The rank of the member is signified by a rune on the red triangle. The triangles are pinched to activate the device. Unlike many penannulars, the star covers the nano tech which is the black field behind and doesn’t dissipate while in use.
Other than being some of the most gifted watchers in Zion, the Fenrir order are additionally gifted with canids. Every family and group boasts a pack of some canine species, trained by their premier trainer. That trainer has taken to
living in the wilds of Elysion away from the order commune with his many packs. Primus Gediel is the most mysterious of all Fenrirs. Their lead watcher and trainer, he is a descendant of the fallen Prince Gediel. Some in Zion feel that this branch of Fenrir is cursed and will betray the king. They proceed with them under the utmost care. The elders of the clan have taken to remaining inside the borders of Zion in order to dissipate this suspicion but after generations of doing so, the fear and distrust for them has remained. However, Primus Gediel has the favor of many top officials who enjoy working with him, and trust him with the direst of missions in Jahannam. He has yet to fail them in any mission, and has not displayed the symptoms of burning. Those supporting the Fenrir clan do not believe they ever will, and that Prince Gediel was the only broken atman among them.
The allure of Fenrir makes them the rock stars of the Zion orders. The bravest of the Ordo Priori students hope to be selected by the wolves, who come to claim their new members upon initiations. It is a spectacular sight to behold when Fenrir and his packs descend on the school, chillingly majestic.
The following is an excerpt regarding their Primus:
Opening her mouth to speak, Zaajah quickly bit her lip. The approach of a black-clad svarg, prevented another utterance. It was Primus Gediel, the Wolf Leader of Fenrir. He rarely made an appearance in Zion, although the rest of his immediate family made frequent appearances there since the Conflict of Hosts. It was an old wound of great embarrassment to them, having a patriarch among the fallen. Still, he had proven himself solidly and shouldn’t hang his wolfish head in shame or hide from the rest of their kind.
Maybe he just liked to be alone. Whatever it was that kept him apart, he was a brilliant watcher when not being a brooding dog trainer. Zaajah stared at him, hoping he hadn’t overheard the girl. Her eyes lingered on the silver circlet marking his crown and status.
“Wasn’t Maiel supposed to bring her?” Gediel asked, narrowing his pale eyes.
“Wow,” Lena breathed, staring up at him.
Gediel was indeed a striking figure among the lightwalkers. His chunkyshag locks of dark gold resembled the coats of the animals with which he spent much of his time. He also had a pair of great, gray wings. His pale eyes were still bright and clear: a rare blue tone that could instantly become the hue of the wolf. His smooth, fair skin was just as young as the day they met and his well-carved features made him a favorite of all the unmatched females. They particularly remarked on his odd coloration for a younger lightwalker, unique to a few of his age and race. It was a sign of great aptitude and wisdom. Zaajah always thought he was a little too boyish, even when he decided to let his facial hair grow in around his mouth.
The main issue was his link with the dark prince, after whom he was named. More specifically, Gediel claimed a progenitor, what her kind called Jyoti, who was not merely the reason most thought him so withdrawn, but destined to burn down. The women wanted to tame his wildness while toying with the idea of darkness without ever having to cross the khajala. It drew them like flowers to sunshine. Up close, he was certainly handsome, but he was just a gentle, well-mannered engel. It was a shame that Adonai hadn’t blessed a union between him and Maiel. Though she was just a youngling back then and he already a young svarg, there could be no better ketu than one made between the moon order and Fenrir. They had been friends and it made greater sense than pairing her with a strange human.
A svargaduta wouldn’t have diminished the light of her atman, even if his jyoti was an oath breaker. Zaajah hadn’t seen Gediel in quite some time. The watcher was either gone on a reconnaissance mission or in the wild lands of Elysion raising his packs for the armies among the wildest of souls. He lived alone and worked alone—another reason the females flocked around him. There were no others to tempt him away from her should he flatter them with his attentions.
“Mai is home. Shee is due any moment with the new litter,” Zaajah replied.
Gediel smiled. He was the reason Maiel had the pack at her hip. It hadn’t taken long after Argus’s arrival to figure that out. Despite her protests, she wasn’t able to locate him and bring the pup back. Come to think of it, Gediel was all but completely absent since the wolf showed up and Maiel’s hand was passed to Dominic. Zaajah’s eyes narrowed, wondering about that intriguing detail. No. That was impossible. She and their friends had already exhaustively gone over that possibility. But, then, what if he was responsible for Shee, and not just Argus?
“Can you tell me why they told us no watchers? It would have been a great help getting this one across, but Maxiel had it in his head more than two guardians would have brought all of Jahannam onto us,” Zaajah said, shaking herself out of her gossipy, meandering thoughts.
Gediel shrugged and shook his head.
“If I can be of any assistance, have her call on me directly,” Gediel said.
“If you can be found,” Zaajah said.
Gediel opened his mouth to respond to Zaajah’s remark, but was immediately cut off by Lena.
“You’re the dog man? Mai said I could come see you and play with the dogs,” Lena said, beaming excitedly.
Gediel crouched in front of the girl so he could see her better. He stood very tall, like most of his kind, who commonly reached above seven feet in height. He smiled at her pretty cinnamon-colored face. Zaajah couldn’t help but be warmed by their moment. It was quite adorable.
“I am. Some call me Wolf Leader because I raise the packs who serve in the Legions. I teach them to chew the malefic limbs of the dark dwellers, so they can’t hurt little girls like you,” he told her. He gave her a bright smile.
“But you may call me Gediel.” He shook her hand. As she held his hand, Lena studied his digits, poking from the black, fingerless gloves, and refused to let him go. Lena very much liked dogs, and this was a kindred being, very much like them.
“Did you raise Mai’s puppy?” Lena asked, pulling at the loose buckles of his leather coat.
“Argus? No. Maiel raised him on her own. Taught him everything he knows.”
Lena stroked his wing and then touched his svarg crown, not daunted by the one duta in all of Zion who could intimidate even the king.
“Does Argus really go into the bad place with her?” She touched the shoulder where his penannular should have been. She made a circle with her finger and traced two opposed triangles.
“Primus,” she whispered his rank.
Gediel looked slightly sad. Lena pulled at his boot buckles. She was a rather uninhibited and curious child. Too curious perhaps.
“He has gone to that place. Yes.”
“Because you’re soldiers.”
“Yes.”
Zaajah watched the exchange and saw that she should take Lena on to her destination before she asked any more questions, like the one in her own mind. She would be mortified if the child asked him something as personal and painful as that. And by the direction of the conversation, it was getting close. She was sniffing out Maiel around the corners of his thoughts.
Taking the girl’s hand from his sword hilt, Zaajah cleared her throat.
“We should be going. The soul keepers are expecting us,” Zaajah interrupted, sensing his discomfort.
“I look forward to your visit, Lena,” he told the girl with a sweet smile.
Lena grinned back, chewing her nails and giggling. Even she was affected by his presence. Zaajah rolled her eyes and shook her head. Someone needed to match this young svarg before he had all of Zion in a stir.
Gediel rose to his full height, towering over Zaajah by more than a head. He shifted his doublet back into place. He gave a sharp nod and suddenly looked stressed. Zaajah turned Lena from him before she asked him what he had just sensed.
“Tell Maiel that I’m here if she needs me,” Gediel said to her back, sounding more distressed.
Zaajah hesitated, looking over her shoulder at him. A shadow flickered on his face. He turned without another word and made his way down the opposite corridor, disappearing in the crowd. Zaajah’s breath stopped; whatever affected him had touched her too.
“He loves her,” Lena said.
Zaajah’s mouth became a flat line.
“We all love her,” Zaajah said, guiding her along again.
“Not like he does.”
The words bit Zaajah’s core. It wasn’t possible. Maiel had a ketu, and had been so for a long time to a man she desperately loved. The friendship between her and Gediel had waned ages ago and love was never possible between them. Besides, the hearts of svargaduta were true. They didn’t lust like silly souls. Zaajah chewed her tongue, thinking of Gediel’s jyoti. Her khata was no Grigori, either. The sooner she placed the child with her caretakers the better. The shadow that afflicted Gediel now afflicted her. Some change had come to Zion, a grave and uneasy change. The vision and the girl’s words were a warning. – The Shadow Soul, Book 1 of The Trailokya Trilogy.
Below are images of the Order and some of their members.
Click here to learn more about the Orders in The Trailokya Trilogy, and let me know what Order you think you’d belong to in the comments.
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