Devoth explained, “It was agreed that we would not kill our own. That is why our ultimate punishment is banishment, not death. We fight among ourselves, yes.” He grinned, making the statement seem an admission of a guilty pleasure. “But in something like this—a matter to be decided in blood—we let our slaves represent us. It is an honor for them. These are special slaves, selected to be divine children. They are elevated above other slaves. Before you are totem warriors of the eight clans of the Auldek. Here. See over there?”
He leaned across Rialus, pointing first toward groups of warriors who had feline facial tattoos, and then the others as he named them. “The Shivith, the spotted cats. Those over there are the Kern, the blue cranes. They look slim, yes? Delicate? Don’t be fooled. They’re deadly. The Anet clan worships the hooded snake. The Kulish Kra—those with their backs to us—black crows. Those gray ones—Antoks. The wolves represent the Wrathic from beyond the Sky Mount. The Fru Nithexek are brothers of the sky bear, but they are weak, few in number. The Numrek … have no totem.”
“And there”—Devoth drew back so that Rialus could see past him to the last group—”are the snow lions, the Lvin. Those are mine. My lions. My totem.” He timed this announcement perfectly, for the Lvin were the last to enter. Though Rialus had no idea what a snow lion was, there was no mistaking the impact of the slaves so named. They came roaring like some beast of the Talayan plains. Most of them had white faces, sometimes tattooed or painted down across their torsos. In the center were the largest men, several of whom sported tresses as white as snow. As they marched and yelled and smacked life into those around them, their locks danced about them like snakes writhing.
“There are other totems in the land,” Devoth continued, his voice low and filled with pride, “but they are small. Ants. These are the eight clans. We are the ones who decide the future; and today, we fight for the honor of being the spear point. None of your race has seen this. None other ever will. Enjoy and feel privileged.”
Both enjoyment and feelings of privilege lived somewhere far from Rialus’s present state of mind. He had yet to sort out the intricacies of Auldek social and political life. He doubted he would understand it all even if he spent years in Ushen Brae, which he prayed to the Giver that he would not. Over the last few days, Rialus had seen enough of the slaves to know that they were often tattooed, adorned with jewelry, and physically modified. But the changes were minor on the household servants. These warriors were monstrosities. Yet they were the Auldek’s own creations. Why do that to them? Why not do it themselves if the Auldek found such things attractive?