Fievre

He lay stretched near the Wyrmwound, panting. The fever that had taken him burned hotter than any forge-flame he had ever encountered. The fire within his blood could not burn the pathogens that threatened to take his life, but he was trying, with every ounce of his being.

"Plaguemother," he gasped out, "help me."

In his fevered brain, a vision appeared: the goddess herself. He knew it was a vision because she was small enough to converse with him, although still massive. She bent over his shivering form and smiled with glee.

"So, my sister has blessed you, and yet you come to me."

"As you will, Mother Goddess. My flame and passion is dedicated to you alone."

She reached out a claw and allowed the tendrils of flame seeping from his eyes to blacken it with smoke. "Excellent. Then you will serve me alone." She touched him with her claw, her left claw.

He felt as though the flames were devouring him from the inside out. He had never known such pain. But then, suddenly, it ceased. The vision faded. He stood to his feet and gazed into the Wyrmwound. His eye blazed. "As you will, Mother Goddess."

He turned around. The current group of initiates stared at him in horror, their concentration broken. The supervising Necromancers moved in, threateningly. He glanced back along his body, and saw what they feared. He opened his mouth to speak, and a wall of flame burst forth.

"Not here." A teasing whisper in his ear.

"As you will, Mother Goddess."

The encroaching Necromancers stopped as they heard his words. Confused and afraid, they stepped back.

"Is it a sign?"

"Is the Mother displeased with us?"

"Or with him?"

He took advantage of their uncertainty to take to the air. None followed.

Legends tell of a flaming giant of a Ghoul, who attacks only the heretics and those who resist the will of the Mother. He never speaks a word, except to say, "As you will, Mother Goddess." All else is a destructive wall of corrupting flame. The Council has yet to determine whether he is truly a harbinger of Her wrath, or merely a crazed fanatic about to snap. The only two who know that for sure are the Ghoul and the Mother Goddess Herself, and neither care to share with us the truth.

~~an unnamed Necromancer researcher