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My pacing was interrupted by a sensation of stepping out into open air...
Looking down, a deep, black hole opened up, the sides of which were jagged like glass teeth within a monsterous maw, green and red flames licking at the edges as a wave of heat escapes into my face, and I was now plummeting into it like a stone. I was only able to get out a quick scream before the closing the rest of it in, the beast has swollowed me. Through obsidian passages I plummet, smashing against edges sharper then any blade, like black dragons teeth. This pain is different, deeper, and sharper, each piercing obsidian tooth just as painful as the last.
... And yet, I fell ever deeper into the depths of this burning flame, yet strangely the flames felt only slightly warm. My mind screamed with dread, but it felt as if my soul yearned to go ever deeper. I could hear them now, the pained cries of thousands, originating from the depths, the sound of so many voices combining into a continuous roar, into the immortal groans of a titanic unearthly beast. My soul vibrated with a mix of terror, and an even more terrifying sensation... longing.
After what seemed days, I slammed into the ground at last, the land around me charred black with ash, as the skies rained burning brimstone. The only light belonged to lava or those strange flames, but even in this depthless darkness I could see clearly. I slowly stood, clutching my chest and stomach in pain, as my gaze followed to the horizons around me, revealing no less than four colossal abominations of flesh and flames, their forms seeming to be in direct defiance of making any form of sense. The lagest colossus in view had a head completely consisting of eyes, with wings of tendrils, and claws longer then their forearms, a massive maw full of glowing white teeth taking up the majority of their chest.
Where am I...? Why does it feel... like I belong?...
Suddenly, a horrifying scream, unlike the cries of pain on all sides, sounded out with a thunderous bass that made the ground tremble. This scream was followed by a voice which pierced into my soul, making sounds humans had no chance of replicating, but for some reason, while I could not understand the words, I knew the intention. It was a challenge to something... I hope this thing wasn't me.
Having no choice, I began to move about the area, trying to find my way back to Fae if I could... Not even eighty paces away, I was able to see a badly burned figure, chained in place through both spikes punching through their limbs, and chained wrapped around various sections of their body. The chains themselves were seemingly made of gemstone, while the figure was clearly not human, only barely passing as humanoid, their seven man tall figure kneeling as their arms were held out to either side by the chains. Their flesh was burned black, with black charred bones exposed in multiple locations with their jaw missing completely, the only parts not burned being golden eyes, and a silver tongue. They seemed to have six arms, and several wing like limbs, I could count nine.
With the crisp, clear sound of the chains shifting, almost like wind chimes, those golden eyes turning to face me, the gaze void of emotion, empty aside from a passing curiosity. Apon seeing me, the figure turned back to the floor, having the air of a once mighty figure brought low. It was quite a sad sight... but that was no reason to get anywhere near them.
Turning, I headed off in the opposite direction. At best, it's some sort of giant chained in place, at worst an angry diety that will go on a killing spree once unleashed. I didn't survive this long by taking pointless risks, and there is no way I'm going to start now, considering what has just happened. As much as I very much didn't want to, I have to get out of here as soon as possible. Fae is on their own, in a land where one can't see more then a few paces, with things that would attack them for no reason hiding within that darkness.
Looking up revealed an obsidian ceiling, with a glass surface, and a singular hole. The one I fell through... Where am I?...
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Many kilometers of walking, unable to tell how much time has past, and not a living thing in sight aside from those titans in the distance slowly lumbering along the horizon. Right now, I strode up a burning hill, before the ground caved underneath me, sending brimstone and ash up in a warm cloud around me. Coughing, and dustimng off, I continued through this cloud, only to be hit with a jagged cold.
Looking at where I am now, I saw a field of ice, clear as spring water, and going even farther down into a black abyss. But it was what lay within this ice which was of concern... People. People of every race, regardless of age or gender could be seen in various poses of desperation, as if they were frozen while drowning, clawing for the surface, as far as my gaze could see...
I was frozen in shock, gazing around at these individuals, their desperate figures filled the landscape below to it's farthest reaches. What in all the burning hells have I gotten myself into?... Suddenly, something rose up from the ice, just as clear, and crudly shaped, as if someone had made a creature from shattered glass. Turning to face me, it suddenly erupted twoards me, trailing a white fog as it flew low, moving like a serpent, opening a mouth too large for what it appeared to be, showing a throat of class teeth. That's when it screamed, a sound filled with the wails of the damned.
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I tried to go for the black blade, but found nothing, the blade and armor having remained with my body. So instead of facing it, I rolled to the side, this strange ice serpent twisting around to follow my movements. Now, I was close enough to see details within the clear ice surface, from the eight eyes going around it's head, two on either side of the head, two on top, and two beneath the jaws. Within these jaws were needle-like teeth dripping with a clear fluid that was likely some form of venom, no tongue, just lots of teeth like arrow heads rippling in waves deeper into it's body. No weapon, no armor, facing a monster... I turn and sprint away, while it could fly, it dosen't appear to be all that fast, so as long as I don't slip on the ice, or otherwise lose speed, I can keep ahead of it in a dead sprint.
The ice was clear, but not smooth, giving me enough grip with my bare feet to keep from slipping, that being said, I am definitly falling if I have to make a turn. I could feel the wind from the ice serpents movements as it tried to bite my tail, so I drew it around my waist, holding it in place. In doing so, I noticed two things, first my tail was covered in black scales, and secondly my feet have been replaced by three toed hooves... If I didn't have a flying venomous serpent as long as six carts chasing me, I'd take the time to freak out over this change in my body...
Right now I have two choices, get this thing to quit chasing me by running like a demon... which I may actually be at the moment, or by making it think I wasn't worth the trouble of killing by fighting it to a stand still... Already my lungs were burning, so the running idea was seeming less and less viable... While the ice was not smooth, the fact it was all crystal clear kept the wave-like formations from being able to act as cover, so the best I could use one for would be to keep it between me and this thing.
Suddenly, I slipped on the back of one of the larger ice waves, slamming the back of my head against the ice, and sliding down into the slick sink hole between the waves. I won't be able to get out in time to avoid the serpent, the walls are too slick. Looking up revealed that serpent to be diving at me akin to a hawk, mouth still wide open to catch me. I crouched down, and covered my head, screaming in denial of my death... and then it slammed down onto my head, forcing me to the ground.
I could see the ice serpent trying to force itself farther down, and feel the force being placed onto my temples... I think it's stuck on my horns... Feeling them, I found my horns to be spread like antlers, unlike before when they followed the curve of my skull, now they were out, and tipped with several sharp points. My best guess is that the ends of my horns were lodged into this things mouth, keeping it open like a dentists vise. Holy fucking hell that was a close one! Saint Cajetan, I thank you for your blessing!
But now I am stuck against the ice with this serpent yanking my head side to side as it tried to force my head into it's mouth... My tail whipped around and slamme into the serpents side with a crack, causing the creature to flinch, but then it forced itself down more forcefully. This being the only thing I could do, I kept whipping the serpent, the tip of my tail growing numb from the cold and pain of the impacts... infact I think it's bleeding by the red drops being flung everywhere, my tail not the serpent.
This wasn't working, so I moved to trying to pull myself out from under it, using my tail to hold onto the spot behind it's head, like one is supposed to do with snakes, I attempted to move it left as I tried to slide right... but this stupent serpent just kept forcing itself down. By this point my chin was rubbed raw against the ice, and my gums were bleeding from being slammed into the ground repeatedly. As terrifying as this thing was to face unarmed, the serpent very clearly didn't have an inkling of intelligence.\
I spun at the waist, causing my body to twist out from under this creature, but by the Father this hurt my neck! I rubbed it, as the serpent wreathed against the ice in a thunderous fit, spreading cracks through the ground. I can't tun, so I have to stand my ground here... Fuck me...
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The serpent rose into the air again, circling above me, rotating slowly in a way that gave every eye a chance to gaze at me. I took this chance to see if this change had given me any sort of weaponry, but all I could find would be the sharp antler-like horns on my head, and my tail, which was indeed bleeding, the bone of the tip exposed. Am I going to have to kick this thing to death?
The serpent dove down, just like before, but this time I slapped it aside with a crack of my tail. While it wasn't as if I sent if flying, I managed to shift it aside enough to avoid being forced to the ground again. Given as good a chance as any, I lept at it, and kicked down as hard as I could, causing myself to nearly jump clear of the ice pit, but despite my efforts to get out, I slid back down helplessly.
Rolling over, I found the serpent not a pace away, mouth agape once more. I spread my legs to catch it's mouth at snout and chin, causing the serpent to send me through the air as it launched me clear of the pit... But now I am at tree height in the air above uneven ice ground. I used my tail to keep myself facing the ground, much like a cat would, But when I tried to roll with the impact, I slammed into the upward slope of another wave. Before I slid very far, I rolled over to look at the sky, searching for the serpent, but finding only the obsidian ceiling... Slowly, I stood up, listening, and looking... Suddenly the serpent burst out of the side of the wave, as easily as if it had just swam through water.
I ducked under it as it sank into the ice on the other side, vanishing from view completly despite how clear the ice was. Not as in it went far away, I mean it straight up became invisible when in the ice... Wait, was that even the same serpent?... Oh heavenly Father, what hell have I been thrown into?...
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