The Rise and Fall of Manesh Книга · Подбираемое

A year after the first ziggurat was built in Urduk, the Vicious God sent a blight on men once again. His mighty offspring, a vrakhir named Manesh, descended upon the world in a storm of blood-red lightning bolts. And only Asser, the Priest-King of Urduk, had the courage to face the demon. He fought bravely, but was crushed. Manesh ripped out Asser's heart, dismembered him and sent pieces of his body to all corners of the world. And then he became the King of Urduk.

Asser's wife, High Priestess Naneka, wept for three moons. Her tears made the River flood the fields for the second time that year. But then, Sheema visited Naneka in her dream and told her what she had to do. Naneka travelled to the mountains and pleaded to the wind spirits for help. They answered. They helped her find and reassemble Asser's body, and also gave her a tooth stolen from Manesh. Naneka used it and with the power of her spells, she brought Asser back to life. He was too weak to fight Manesh, but strong enough to lie with Naneka. He died again afterwards, but soon Naneka bore a son, whom she bestowed with his father's name.

Many years later young Asser, a grown man at that point, took up his father's sword and slayed Manesh in a duel on top of the Urduk ziggurat. Though the wait was long, peace was finally restored and lasted for centuries to come.