"He will be born small like the prey, but will grow to conquer all." ~ quote from the Laidim Prophecy of the Third Coming.

Tellai'Lachi'kal'Chid. The world of fire and shadow. This was the home of a great race of beings who called themselves the Laidim.

In the months when their homeworld tilted towards the sun, fires licked across the ground and the Laidim danced among them, their long gray arms lifted to the sky, celebrating the warmth. Their songs were joyous, the music filled with laughter. Families and clans ran to the Great Temple, singing praises to B'Lirr, their god.

On this particular day in the Time of Flame, the temple was extremely crowded. For today a beautiful thing was about to happen. A child was to be born to the Iraldi family.

On the Alter stood a high priest, ancient even for the long life spans of his people and nearing the end of his Times.* His ruby eyes were dull, and his ears had long since lost their former elegant length and sleekness. At his feet rested the birthing chamber, where material from Mye'Shirte'Iraldi and Dyem'Kaishin'Iraldi had been combined to form a new being.

The priest lifted his hands into the air, summoning a tongue of flame to rest above his head. "Del ghit'ten aman." He chanted slowly. "Re'I iss kommal. Del ghi'ten aman. Re'I iss kommal"

A child is born. Bring it strength.

The birthing chamber split open, spilling forth a weird green ooze. The crowd gasped as the child within the chamber fell forwards and onto the floor.

Every eye in the temple, whether ruby colored or burnished gold, then went to the great flame. If the child was strong, the flame would move from above the priest and over the newborn.

They waited.

The child hiccupped, and attempted to stand, but slipped on the green fluid and fell again.

The flame flickered for a moment, and a very tiny tendril of it moved over to touch the child's forehead.

Every Laidim in the temple simultaneously gave a great sigh of disappointment. The child would be weak. Slowly the audience began to file out of the Temple, many speaking sympathetic words to Mye'Shirte and Dyem'Kaishin.

When all had left but for the priest and their child, the parents walked up to the alter. They stared at the small creature (under three feet in height at birth!) in a mix of resentment and pity.

"We will call him G'Shirm." Mye'Shirte sighed. "Yes. He will be G'Shirm'Iraldi."

The newly named G'Shirm looked up at his parents, each easily five feet taller than he. Then he looked down again, feeling the weight of their shame on his shoulders.

Mye'Shirte and Dyem'Kaishin left the temple, not bothering to instruct their child to come with them.

* Laidim is the name that my Beasts from Rising Mind give themselves. At the age of 7,000 in their years, (roughly 8,900 of our years) They are sacrificed to B'Lirr, mainly for population control purposes.

AN: This story is to mainly give me a better idea of how my Beasts behave, so that I have more consistency with them in Rising Mind. Most important is the language. SO. If I have an inconsistency in the language (a word meaning one thing in one chapter and another in the next) TELL ME. I'll try to fix it. NOW! READ AND REVIEW!