Ailnea began to feel strange, the sensation starting shortly after she awoke. She knew it had to be the energies of this place, because she was Eldritch, and so were the energies. It was like one magnet attracting another. She could almost feel her body drinking in the rich energies. They made her feel good; the sensation of euphoria they brought on was addictive.

She climbed the small steps to the top and everyone had to stop and catch their breath at the top. There was an Altar; it was more like a pedestal than something designed for sacrifice. On the pedestal was a cracked orange sphere from which leaked all the magic her body was absorbing. She put her hands on it and felt a wave of power rush through her, it was overwhelming, making Ailnea become thoroughly addicted to the powers of The Eldritch. Raising the crystal and holding it to her chest, she cradled the orb like a newborn baby. Then she noticed the inscription on the pedestal, and remembered what she had to do.

“Hy’nsh magorna, ysn’grna, haeia Xlrn’envthy. Mrsmsm’dm, simry qlkotec, haeia Xlm’envthy. Rsterie lexostia.” Ailnea at first read aloud, then chanted repeatedly. The orange sphere grew bright, and Akim waited with eager anticipation, thinking this was it.

The power leaked from the orb had spread out across Dheathain, becoming weaker as it went, more unnoticeable. Yet now an unseen force reached out for that magic, drawing it back in, as powerful in the far reaches, as it was at the temple. The energies began rushing back toward the temple, gathering size and power as they went, rolling like a tsunami. Collecting all Eldritch energies as they went, only the normal magic of Althanas remained. Even the creatures affected by Eldritch magic returned to normal suddenly.

It had taken well over a century for the power to leak to the farthest reaches of Dheathain, yet now it took only about one hundred seconds for it all to return, shrouding the entire clearing in a dense fog none could see through. A low rumbling could be heard, and as the fog cleared, as though a thunderstorm had arrived. The forest around them creaked and groaned, and the eldritch energies broke upon the temple like water. When the fog was gone, all could see the temple visibly repairing itself. Cracks sealed themselves shut, and outlying buildings around the main temple rebuilt themselves. They could hear deeper groaning inside the temple, as the internal structures rebuilt and repaired themselves.

The fog had all condensed and coalesced upon Ailnea. She felt lost inside it, becoming apart of something else that was somehow still her, a drop of water becoming one with the ocean. Then it all died away as the fog disappeared, and by all appearances, it took Ailnea with it, leaving a horrifying monster in its place.

This thing had a face like most humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes and Halflings. Two eyes, a nose, a mouth, ears. Except this thing’s eyes were simply two large blue discs. There were no pupils, no whites, and no other color. Just two fields of cerulean. It had hair, but it was like a living thing. It slithered about like snakes, rustled about like a massive swarm of cockroaches crawling over each other. Then it stood, for previously it had been on its knees, its torso hunched over its knees. As it stood, its robe fell open slightly, and proved to be a female monster. Most curiously, it was wearing the very same robes Ailnea was wearing, and Kythor began to get even more suspicious. On its hands were long curved claws, like daggers. Last of all, was its flesh. The entire monster was one uniform shade of grey, as if it was a living rock. Its eyes were the only variation in color. It matched the temple it stood upon completely in color.

Everyone stared in shock and horror at the sight of the thing before them. It took a deep breath, and upon exhaling, breathed out a puff of smoke. Akim kneeled before it.

“As satisfying as this image is, I won’t give you my powers Akim, you don’t deserve them. I am, well, never mind who I am, my name is unspeakable in your tongue, and if you were to try, I would have to rip out your tongue and tie your vocal cords together. Akim, I’d be happy to oblige if you really wanted to speak my name properly. I took Ailnea’s place in this world. You may call me The Envoy, for it is as close to my real name as you will ever get. I am one of The Eldritch Horrors. If you really want to gain Eldritch power, then rise and follow me inside, I know of a way that doesn’t require me giving you any power at all.” The monster said, introducing itself. Its voice grated in one’s mind, for it sounded like many voices speaking as one in a place with an echo, attacking one’s very sanity.

She descended past Akim, stopped, and looked at Lorenor and Kythor.

“These two, they will come with us. All the rest will be destroyed if they enter my body, my temple upon which we stand, of this I promise.” She said, turning back to Akim.

Standing next to her, there certainly was an unusual feeling of horror that radiated from her body, inspiring unrelenting fear in those that felt it. Most of the monks couldn’t resist, and were slowly backing away. Kythor and Lorenor, two experienced warriors, would most likely be able to resist, much like they could resist the effect of her voice, but would still feel some of it. Akim was too much in awe of what he was in the presence of to even bother with any other feeling. Suddenly The Envoy turned back to Kythor and Lorenor, and gave them a quick telling wink, then moved on.

Ailnea knew it was her speaking, it was her doing everything, but she felt like a child in an adult’s body, everything was so strange. She was afraid Akim would discover she wasn’t The Envoy, that the absorption of so much power broke her mother’s protective spell that made her look human. Her words were based on the memories she had that were clearly someone else’s memories, and the reaction of the strange nameless presence she had encountered in the void. She prayed hard to whoever would listen that the inside of the temple would help her.