During the ‘Battle of Simonsburg’, many Church of Oners fell in battle. After the battle, they had been raised, returned to life by a friend of Krodnoks, Yyan Kol.
The Church of One hated the Leyas. They veiwed it as evil, a ‘tool of the Devil and his followers’. As such, those who had been raised left the Church, fearing they’d no longer be welcome. They were humiliated, veiwing themselves as walking sacrilege. Some just left, walking out into the desert. Most, however, looked to join the town. And, even though they had just fought against these ex-Oners, the residents of Simonsburg welcomed them into the town.
The crater outside of town was new. 40 feet in diameter, 15 feet deep, it was a bowl in the Earth on the edge of Simonsburg. It was formed by Krodnok, when he took a hit in battle and he fell from the sky. At the time, he had been channeling the Faith of his followers. When he hit the ground, he hit hard, and the Faith ‘rubbed off’, as it were.
Those who visited the site, and who also followed Krodnok, they could feel it. Could feel him in the ground. The crater had become a holy site to those who prayed to Krodnok.
It was at this site that the Ex-Oners had been asked to gather. And they had.
Krodnok had done a lot of traveling in the last few weeks. To Simonsburg, From there to the lab (dealt with a tribe of ferals on the way), then back to Simonsburg. He was back in Simonsburg now, to address the ex-Churchers.
The Earthers had gathered around the crater he had incidently made. He dropped down into the crater, and walked to the center of it. Some of his followers, those who ‘worked’ at the Simonsburg church, including Na’z’ez, had also gathered at the center of the crater, to lend support, if needed. IF…
He made it to the center of the crater, and stopped. The cloak he was wearing, which was made from his wings, billowed slightly in the breeze, and he straightened the cloth around his forehead. Those who were there with him from his church bowed slightly, hands together, and straightened. Na’z’ez smoothed the front of her robe.
“Welcome, all who formerly followed the doctrines of the Church of One,” Krodnok began. "I am Krodnok. And, it is because of me, and my followers, that you are even able to be here.
“You see, you were all dead.” He swept his arm across at the crowd. “ALL of you. All of you were dead. You stand here before me, alive, because I allow it.”
He began to pace, eyes still on the crowd. “You see, you’d have been of use to me dead. It would have been easy that way. But, I decided that there was a better way. You see, I decided that I would give you a choice. Follow me. Put your faith in me. Allow me to do for you, what I have done for those who are here with me today.” He gestured to those gathered in the crater with him. "Let me save you.
“Simonsburg was the obvious location for the first Church of the Devotion. Not for location, but because of what’s going on in this town. This town, where Earthers and Olgogs are living in peace, side by side. You should know by now, full well, what that means,” Krodnok continued. "You came here to destroy this place, just a few short weeks ago. And, almost immediatly after, they welcomed you here.
"We Olgogs are not the feral, uncivilized primitives that you claim we are. We live here, with your kind. With Earthers. And this community is thriving. This city has grown, apparently to the point that it represents some sort of threat to the higher-ups of the Church of One. That’s why you were here in the first place. To eliminate a threat.
"You’ve seen now, first hand, that this place is special. Two weeks you’ve been here. These people, Earther and Olgog, have welcomed you here. You’ve been treated as well as can be expected. Better, considering you where first here to kill these people. Because these people know that there’s a better way. To stand united, againt any and all adversity…
“There exists a greater threat, not only to Olgogs, but to everyone anywhere. The Warmonger. That is what I stand against. And that is why they,” he said, gesturing behind himself to his followers, "have placed their faith in me. They understand what this threat means. And they beleive that I am the only one who has the ability to destroy the Warmonger. I am here to ask you, Earthers who no longer have a light to follow, to follow me, as well. For the same reason that they do.
He let his cloak fall apart, and formed his wings. Once finished, he opened his all four wings open wide, and all four arms. “Put your faith in me. Trust me. Serve a higher cause. Let me save you.”
Krodnok turned around, and walked away. His followers turned around as well, and walked after him. As she left, Na’z’ez looked behind her, to gauge the crowds reaction to what they had just heard.