Salah the Wolf

Salah was one of the ten Apak beastlings, the highest class of beasts, created by Rüâk to guard Ánvell. Beastlings are animals with a divine spirit, they live longer than most creatures, and are nearly immortal. Their divinity breathed and sung into them from Rüâk allows them to be far more in tune with the spiritual state of the world, along with the physical. Beastlings are even able to speak as the stellai (humans) can. However the Apak quickly became jealous of their creator's (Rüâk) ultimate divine power over them, so they took part in a ritual to form magical jewels from their souls that would grant them similar powers over both the physical and metaphysical world around them.
Salah was the lone Apak who chose not to take part in this rebellious ritual. His nature is what his name stand to mean, faithful. He was loyal to Rüâk when his kin were not. This cast him as the lone remaining Apak in Ánvell to guard an uphold the commandments of Rüâk. Although he was the only Apak beastling to remain faithful to Rüâk, he was not the only beastling to hold this stance. All thirteen of the Avidor- (the secondary class of Beastlings, meant to serve under the Apak), remained true to Rüâk and to Salah as well. (A large portion of the Malak, the messenger beastlings or third class, also remained faithful to the wolf. However there were some that followed the order of the nine rebellious beasts in their pursuit of power over Ánvell.)
Salah was not just a refuge and a protector to the beastlings, but to the stellai as well. Many of the stellai were enslaved, killed or tortured by the magical gifts of the Apak. The wolf gave them hope of sanctuary in the early days of Anvell, by offering protection and harmony when others would not. Salah formed a resistance to his kin by creating the order known as the Beastling Knights. The knights were a group of thirteen stellai, who each took a covenantal bond to an Avidor beastling. Salah helped the knights form their weapons, called Münblades, pure white swords forged from a material named Starmite.
Salah was a figure that allowed the stellai to continue to live with the hope that one day, the world would be restored to the harmony that Rüâk had envisioned. Through his guidance, wisdom and fierce protection the stellai would expand into the realm of Talskyda. A new home and nation built with the vision of harmony between beastling and stellai.

The serpent gathered all the Apak he could. Drako the dragon. Kron the Lion. Mya the Elephant. Zellâ the crocodile. Züs the bear. Kánok the Orca. Lüna the dolphin. Jün the sea-leopard And ´Yakîrâ the eagle. All were seduced by the song of the serpent. All but one. Salâ the wolf. Who stood standing side by side with Brâm. They would only answer the song of Rüâk. ~ Excerpt from The Fall of Delstar

* If you are interested in reading more about Salah - we have many short stories about the life and deeds of Salah the Wolf, we are prepared to share with you! Please enjoy an excerpt from the story The Moon and Two Stars below.
“I have spoken, Zik. I will not leave the watch-post of my wood. I would be risking the lives of countless stellans if I did.” “Then the great wolf is no more than a coward!” The boy's face twisted with frustration. The wolf’s eyes turned to face Zik. They were fierce, yellow and determined. His voice growled with offense. “Enough young stellan! Take rest here as long as you wish, but do not question my courage again!” Zik trembled with fear and stepped down from his challenge of the wolf. “Forgive me Salah– I spoke out of grief.” The boy stammered. The wolf quickly returned to his soothing voice. “It is okay my son. You are not unwarranted in your thoughts and fears. I do not wish to see anymore stellai parish either. I admire your heart, but sometimes courage can disguise itself as foolishness. I will never abandon wisdom to cater to the will of hatred.”
* Please stay tuned for updates and news - we will be publishing our short stories soon, so that readers can enjoy and explore the world of Ánvell through these stories.