Red Hand Pilgrimage: The Second Age of Darkness.

[Mutant_Lorenor]

((Purple are the words of N'Jal))
((Italics are Lorenor's thoughts))
((Bold Italics are the endless))

Listen to my word, for the word of N'Jal is the truth. The word of N'Jal is the way. Trust in the signs that N'Jal places before you. Blessed are you amongst my followers. Blessed are you amongst my disciples. You who are my son. The son of N'Jal. Tread upon the broken path and you shall know the way into my kingdom. Eternal is the kingdom of shadows. Eternal is the second darkness that awaits the forsaken land. Come to me ye warriors of purgatory.

Voices swirled within the troubled mind of the ghoul. Fragments came at first, but after a few moments, the voices started to resonate louder than ever. I'm close now. So very close to my truth. The very reason for my being here on this world called Althanas. I will discover the very meaning of my life.

The ghoul thought to himself as he saw the tendrils slither across the ground.

Muscles within the vegetation tugged, pulled, and stretched upon itself creating the dragging motion across the stone floor. Lorenor took a quick glance at the nearby skeletal buildings. Turning his attention back to the area he was looking at a few, Lorenor gasped as he saw the stalk of a plant standing upon its own gravity and staring the ghoul right in the eyes.

His hand immediately went to his weapon. But the stalk of the asteroid merely observed the ghoul for a long moment whilst other stalks slid across the ground, about seven or eight more, and began their assault. The ghoul was overwhelmed with a desire to escape the situation but was quickly swept up by the tendrils. Feeling the muscular vegetation wrapping itself around his wrists, ankles, and ultimately, his waist.

Lorenor felt a squeezing sensation as the tendrils grabbed the ghoul and lifted him firmly off the ground. Looking down, the ghoul saw that he was several feet off the ground. He'd been lifted by some sort of supernatural might.

Then, the small warrior was suddenly pulled forward with a shocking velocity as the world became a blur. His senses were momentarily thrown out of whack as he felt the wind blow past him. Lorenor screamed loudly. He wasn't sure if it was an act of fear or anger, or some combination of both.

Be not afraid little one. For I am your salvation.

Came the voice once more.

When Lorenor's senses realigned themselves, the ghoul coughed. Struggling for air, Lorenor instinctively tried to stand and feel his way through the chamber he felt himself him. MetalDrago was someplace nearby to his person, waiting for him. "MetalDrago!? Are you here!?" The ghoul called out to his friend. He heard his voice echo in the large chamber around him. Wind was blowing, but here, the wind had a different sort of taste to it. An intense feeling of swallowing rotten eggs filled the ghoul's mouth and he wanted to throw up. Resisting the urge, Lorenor found the strength to stand on his feet, all though he was bent low. The chamber all around them was a rocky outgrowth. Glowing crystals and other precious stones shined brilliantly along the walls of the asteroid. Lorenor suddenly knew himself to be within the prison of N'Jal. His senses finally came into full focus and the ghoul was better able to observe his surroundings. MetalDrago was a few paces away from him, to his left. Above were a series of stalactites made of raw steel ore and iron. The ore was in an unrefined state, but superheated.

Lorenor saw that the chamber had a high ceiling. All around them, the air glowed with a dark green hue. It was the same sort of air he'd seen flowing from the crash site a few moments earlier. Only this close to N'Jal, the ghoul could see that the air crackled with even greater energy.

Coughing a few more times, Lorenor righted himself. He took a glance towards MetalDrago and nodded. "Let's go." He said softly having nothing else to say to the apparent youth. Lorenor traversed his way across the uneven floor. Guided towards the center of the asteroid, the ghoul moved a few more feet and found himself staring at the source of the radiation. A brilliant glow of light lurked within an area of a natural fountain that spurted out a mysterious fluid. Lorenor walked over to the unnatural fountain, staring at it. Drawn by its power. The green light pulsated at this point like a heartbeat, thumping within the ghoul's head. Lorenor took the lead, standing in front of MetalDrago. With a sword drawn, the ghoul walked cautiously forward to his destiny.

I have to know.

You will know the truth. Come forward my son.

And Lorenor approached the blinding light. As he got closer, the light radiated brighter. Somehow, the ghoul was not burnt by that brilliant glow. Instead, he felt powerful energies pulsing through him. Powerful, living energies. He walked up to the fountain before him and what he saw...

"NO!"

You will know the truth. And a voice laughed in his head as he began to understand what he was seeing. Lorenor turned towards MetalDrago and began to laugh.