Post by elrich on Mar 20, 2016 21:27:54 GMT -5
Night befell on the coniferous forest, tucked high within the mountain tops of the western United States. This was an isolated unsettled forest far from the influence of man and their settlements, lying undisturbed save for the small wildlife that lived there for thousands of years. However, long before the times of man, when this world lay unclaimed and wild, there were rituals put into place, settlements and buildings hidden away. The earliest priests of Hell, with their ancient knowledge of the beginnings of the universe and its many pathways, had come to this very location and built an altar. Along with serving as a location for their religious practices, this altar was also infused with the energies of Hell, allowing the priests to channel themselves from this world to the world of the damned. As the eons progressed, the ancient practices and knowledge of these priests were lost to the horrors of the Underworld, and the passage became forgotten to all. Or so it was thought. As the twilight faded from the horizon and the shadows of the night swept the forest, an even more unnatural black hue took to the area. Evil seeped into the skies as ancient runes lit from the soil, for the earth may have reclaimed the site, but there were magics more powerful than Mother Nature. Two pillars of violet energy rose forth from the circle of runes, and slowly began to glide along the borders of the altar. As time progressed, the pillars of energy rotated more quickly, always maintaining the exact distance from one another. The vile aura that had encompassed the area only grew in intensity, as evidenced by the sudden communal unease by the creatures in the forest. Birds let out a cry of warning and scattered into the night skies as rabbits ran, a sudden fear from an entity they knew nothing of. Within moments, the pillars were moving so quickly that it would appear to the naked eye that they had fused together, forming a perfect cylinder of energy surrounding the rotting altar. The ground began to shake as a portal erupted from the center of the energy, connecting this world to the pathways of the universe. For a single moment, the ancient and lost roads of the Creators, the race of priests who had discovered the truth of the ways of energy and the universe itself, was revealed. From within the depths of the opening, a man emerged, falling feet first from the twisting nether to land on the stone altar in a crouching position. For a moment he stared down at the altar, allowing his sense to take in everything around him. He had spent the last few years training his body in the Shadow Realm, he hadn't experienced anything other than crushing darkness and the wails of the tortured souls of the universe. The portal above his head continued to rage, the sound of harsh winds roaring from his ears. He couldn't help but take that moment in, and smile. It was a moment of serene calm, a scene of beauty that took Elrich back to earlier times, times that were simpler and happier. The moment passed, and his smile did as well. His eyes, also violet, began to glow as the violet energy surrounding the portal dispersed suddenly, a loud boom filling the air and causing the ground to shake. Elrich watched as the concentration of energy flew over the treetops, like a wave gliding through the water. He didn't know how long it would be until a burst of power of that size would dissipate, but he knew that would go for miles. The barbaric civilizations of this world hadn't developed an understanding of magics and energy, yet there were those on this Earth that were more than capable, and they would be able to feel that blast. The portal overhead collapsed upon itself and faded away, leaving an unnatural calm over the clearing.
Elrich rose from his crouch and jumped down from the altar. Surveying around him, Elrich was quick to realize that he was unfamiliar with where he was on Earth, his past experiences with this world had not been on this part of the planet. He sighed, his hands feeling through his dark purple hair. It had grown considerably during his time away, and it was accompanied by an untrimmed beard. Obviously it hadn't been a concern for him during his time in the Shadow Realm, but this simply would not do now that he had time to worry about it. With a flick of his right hand, small wisps of darkness twirled around his head, hissing ever so slightly as they glided through the air. The edge of these wisps coalesced and hardened into a sharp blade of sorts, and he watched lazily from the corners of his eyes as the wisps darted through the air, slicing the unwanted hair from his face and head. The grooming process was completely momentarily, and Elrich shook violet strands of hair from his boot as he continued to walk along. As he came upon a large rock, he decided to scale the rock and take a seat upon the top. As he crossed his legs to sit down, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a pile of compressed fabric. As he shook the fabric and let it out, it took the form of a worn black top hat, weathered but still in relatively fine shape considering. As he plopped the hat upon his head, Elrich frowned a bit and considered his options. I could either wander around all by myself, unsure of where I am and how I could accomplish what I want to do. Or, I could attract the attention of old acquaintances, with the added risk that they may or may not wish to kill me. With a mischievous laugh, Elrich knew which route he would take, pointing his left index finger towards the sky. For a moment he concentrated, channeling the dark energy that composed his body onto his fingertip into the form of a ball. As the energy continued to gather and compress, the ball went from black to a dark green, and the energy took the shape and form of a skull. Elrich then allowed the ball to fly up towards the sky, watching it for as long as his eye could track it. As he lost sight of the orb, Elrich bounced his head gleefully, awaiting the show to take place. The sky suddenly erupted with light as an explosion rocked the sky. A giant black and green skull floated in the sky, acting as a beacon to project Elrich's location. He yawned and continued to stare up at it, wondering to himself how long it would take for someone to find their way here. He would give them until the sun rose, otherwise he would figure things out his own way.
Elrich rose from his crouch and jumped down from the altar. Surveying around him, Elrich was quick to realize that he was unfamiliar with where he was on Earth, his past experiences with this world had not been on this part of the planet. He sighed, his hands feeling through his dark purple hair. It had grown considerably during his time away, and it was accompanied by an untrimmed beard. Obviously it hadn't been a concern for him during his time in the Shadow Realm, but this simply would not do now that he had time to worry about it. With a flick of his right hand, small wisps of darkness twirled around his head, hissing ever so slightly as they glided through the air. The edge of these wisps coalesced and hardened into a sharp blade of sorts, and he watched lazily from the corners of his eyes as the wisps darted through the air, slicing the unwanted hair from his face and head. The grooming process was completely momentarily, and Elrich shook violet strands of hair from his boot as he continued to walk along. As he came upon a large rock, he decided to scale the rock and take a seat upon the top. As he crossed his legs to sit down, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a pile of compressed fabric. As he shook the fabric and let it out, it took the form of a worn black top hat, weathered but still in relatively fine shape considering. As he plopped the hat upon his head, Elrich frowned a bit and considered his options. I could either wander around all by myself, unsure of where I am and how I could accomplish what I want to do. Or, I could attract the attention of old acquaintances, with the added risk that they may or may not wish to kill me. With a mischievous laugh, Elrich knew which route he would take, pointing his left index finger towards the sky. For a moment he concentrated, channeling the dark energy that composed his body onto his fingertip into the form of a ball. As the energy continued to gather and compress, the ball went from black to a dark green, and the energy took the shape and form of a skull. Elrich then allowed the ball to fly up towards the sky, watching it for as long as his eye could track it. As he lost sight of the orb, Elrich bounced his head gleefully, awaiting the show to take place. The sky suddenly erupted with light as an explosion rocked the sky. A giant black and green skull floated in the sky, acting as a beacon to project Elrich's location. He yawned and continued to stare up at it, wondering to himself how long it would take for someone to find their way here. He would give them until the sun rose, otherwise he would figure things out his own way.