Child of the maw. Draped in dusk.

Heed now, the call of the hungering.

Clutch the shard, the progenitor’s husk

And ‘low the voice o’ the Devourer ring.

Walk these plains of verdant green

Through rolling hills of torrid sand

Carve a path to the rapacious king

And take the black under your command…

In a desolate wasteland, a lone figure traverses a harsh terrain marred by ash, magma, and towering mountains. His skin, as dark as the obsidian rocks that jut from the scorched earth, hints at the unforgiving nature of this unforgiving land. Crimson eyes, like smoldering embers, burn with an inner fire that mirrors the molten rivers that wreathe through this forsaken realm. Dressed in tattered black robes that cling to his form like the very shadows themselves, he clutches a pulsating black stone, its sinister aura a stark contrast to the bleak surroundings. As the relentless heat bears down upon him, the man's strength wanes until he collapses onto the ash and dust, surrendering to the grasp of unconsciousness.

Amidst this desolation, a titanic figure, a Ryokan, emerges from the landscape like a monolithic sentinel. Towering at a staggering twenty feet in height, its four powerful arms dwarfing the unconscious man as it cradles him with surprising gentleness. The Ryokan, a creature of sinewy muscle and tangerine skin, approaches a sheer cliff face with deliberate strides. Its hands find purchase in holds that bear witness to countless ascents by similar beings. With a fluidity that defies its size, the Ryokan scales the rock wall, its form silhouetted against the smoldering sky.

As they ascend, the Ryokan leads the way into the gaping maw of a cave, the rocky teeth of the mountain serving as an imposing entrance. The darkness envelops them, and the rhythmic echoes of their steps reverberate through the labyrinthine tunnels.

Within the heart of this cavernous abyss lies a Herculean fortress of blackstone, its grandeur eclipsing even the mighty Ryokan. The castle's architecture is a testament to the ceaseless passage of time, where towering columns of stalactites and stalagmites have merged together, forming walls and towers. Smooth, polished stone pathways, etched by the meandering course of a subterranean river, snake through the cavern, leading to unknown depths.

Approaching the main entrance, an enormous archway emerges; a convergence of colossal calcite columns. Inside, the castle's interior is bathed in an eerie, dim light emitted by bioluminescent fungi that cling to the walls and ceiling. The air is heavy with age, and the intricate patterns and designs carved into the stone by skilled artisans speak of a civilization long vanished. The throne room, at the heart of the fortress, is a chamber of majestic proportions, its high ceilings adorned with ornate rock engravings.

Gently, the Ryokan lays the still-unconscious man on the floor within the grand chamber. As the Ryokan departs, the massive structure trembles with each weighty step.

After the passing of many hours, the man stirs to life in the presence of a roaring fire and sound of the nearby Ryokan’s palms devouring a hefty slab of meat. He gazes at the enigmatic creature, his savior and guardian in this alien realm, before uttering his gratitude.

"So, I suppose I have you to thank for rescuing me from that relentless heat," he remarks.

The creature, devoid of a mouth to speak, focuses its immense eye on the man, projecting its response directly into his mind.

"Think nothing of it! I don’t see many people around here anyway. I'd be real sad if you died out there."

Though the creature dwarfs the man many times over, the cadence of its response carries an unexpected innocence and an almost childlike charm.

"You're alright with me, kid," the man speaks. "What's your name?"

A radiant smile graces Kirin's visage, his single eye reflecting the fire's flickering light. "Kirin!" he exclaims with a gentle chuckle.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Kirin. My name is Tetra."

With a fluid grace that befits a seasoned wanderer, Tetra rises to his feet and offers a graceful bow before the Ryokan.

"Tetra is a funny name," Kirin remarks with an innocent giggle. "I've never heard a name like that before."

Tetra, his eyes gleaming with a spark of humor, responds in kind, "Well, I can't say I've known any parents to name their child Kirin either."

Yet, a shadow passes fleetingly across Kirin's expressive face, a hint of melancholy tainting his innocence.

"N-not that it's a bad name or anything!" he stammers in haste, seeking to mend his unintended slip.

"It's not that... I've actually never met my parents," Kirin reponds. His confession hangs secluded in the air, saturated with the weight of his past.

“I see..” Tetra starts while stepping closer to the giant, bridging the gap between them.

"I'll let you in on a little secret," he whispers.

Intrigued, Kirin leans in, his one eye fixed attentively on Tetra.

"I never knew my parents either."

"Really?" Kirin responds, his astonishment plain on his face.

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"Really! I've been wandering the world for years, trying to find some proof of their existence other than this stupid rock." Tetra displays the mysterious stone for Kirin's perusal.

Curiosity sparkles in Kirin's eye as he gazes at the peculiar stone. "Ooh. It's pretty. Do rocks normally throb like that?"

Tetra's lips curl into a wry smile. "I would imagine not. However, the closer and closer I've gotten to this place, the stronger the pulse has gotten. I guess my progenitor was trying to lead me here for something..."

A spark of connection ignites in Kirin's mind. "Maybe you were being led to me. Maybe we're brothers!"

Tetra pauses for a moment, taken aback by Kirin's earnestness, before erupting into laughter that reverberates through the cavern with a resounding echo.

"I'm sorry, my boy," Tetra says between chuckles. "I don't mean to laugh at you. I would merely find it remarkable if somehow we both came from the same creator."

Regaining his composure, he continues, "Though, I suppose we do live in a strange world. It's certainly far from an impossibility."

Amidst the cavern's mysterious depths, Tetra's mind finds itself in contemplation, his keen eyes discerning the enigmatic markings adorning the throne, the faded patterns etched into the ceiling, and the cryptic symbols skittered across the walls that confine him.

"Perhaps I was led here for you to find me. You and I would make a great team, don't you think, Kirin?"

The radiant light in Kirin's single eye intensifies with enthusiasm. "Absolutely, Tetra!"

Tetra's displays a mischievous grin, eyes twinkling with intrigue. "Good... I'm glad you think so."

With purpose in his stride, Tetra makes his way toward the grand archway that serves as the entrance to the throne room.

"Now," Tetra begins, hanging his words in the air, "how do I get out of this cave?"

In a moment of unanticipated levity, Kirin emits a thunderous belch, the sound echoing throughout the stone chamber.

"Oh! Excuse me," Kirin chortles, unembarrassed by his unexpected outburst.

Gently, the Ryokan reaches down, his prodigious hand enveloping Tetra, lifting him with tender care. Together, they depart the regal hall, making their way toward the cave’s exit.

As they approach the cavern's mouth, the brilliant rays of the sun paint the walls with glimmering patterns of light, revealing the desolation that awaits below. A vast, unforgiving expanse stretches out before them in the form of a gargantuan crater carved by a cataclysmic impact of ages past.

The surrounding terrain bears the scars of a cosmic confrontation, its once-vibrant lands now reduced to an arid wasteland. Layers of ashen sediment and coarse gravel cloak the earth, while massive boulders and thick stone, dot the barren landscape, like the shattered remnants of a forgotten realm.

At the heart of the crater, a pulsating maelstrom of tenebrous energy surges and coils, ensnaring any unfortunate creature that ventures too close. Its voracious tendrils writhe and consume, a whirling dervish of shadow and demise.

Amidst this perilous abyss, Tetra, resolute and unwavering, imparts his intent to his newfound companion, Kirin.

"There, Kirin, in the center. That is where I must go."

"But, I never go to the center, Tetra. Everything that gets anywhere near there gets eaten by the shadow monsters."

Tetra, however, carries an unshakable confidence and, to allay Kirin's fears, he presents the pulsating stone once more. It thrashes with an otherworldly vigor within his grasp.

"The stone will protect us. I need only for you to trust me, okay?"

"Oh– okay, Tetra. I'll trust you," Kirin relents with measured trepidation.

“Then forward, my boy!” Tetra commands, pointing his outstretched arm towards the very epicenter of the ominous vortex. Kirin, in response, crouches and springs into action, bounding down the mountainside towards the perilous heart of the crater.

As they draw near the outskirts of the abyss, Tetra disembarks from Kirin's massive hand, placing his feet upon the scorched ground.

"Be careful!" Kirin shouts.

Tetra turns to face Kirin with an assuring smile and a thumbs-up, before venturing into the abyssal shroud.

Within the oppressive darkness, Tetra navigates the obscure void, clutching the pulsating stone within his grasp. Suddenly, as if guided by some unseen force, the stone takes flight, hovering ominously in the air. Its ascent is accompanied by an ear-splitting, soul-rending screech, as the surrounding darkness drawn is consumed by the stone’s insatiable hunger

At last, when the very last vestiges of shadow have been devoured, the stone plummets to the ground with a resounding clang, revealing a metallic door buried beneath the ashen sediment.

Bending down to retrieve the stone, Tetra notices that its eerie pulse has been replaced by a more sinister black glow. With the stone carefully tucked and his curiosity piqued, Tetra endeavors to pry open the door. However, his efforts prove fruitless as his grip falters upon its smooth surface.

"Kirin!" Tetra cries out.

The Ryokan’s response reverberates in Tetra’s mind. “Tetra!? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Kirin. But I need your help. Hurry on over!”

Sensing no immediate threats, Kirin bounds over to Tetra with haste.

"What is it, Tetra?"

"See if you can open this door for me."

Kirin locks his gaze upon the shimmering entrance, contemplating for but a moment before taking swift action. With tremendous force, he smashes through the rocky earth, wrenching the metallic door from its confines.

"Got it!"

“Well done, Kirin” Tetra congratulates, offering a grateful clap upon the Ryokan’s thigh before peering into the inky void of the revealed passage.

With an air of caution, Tetra entrusts Kirin with a task most paramount.

"Well, Kirin, I have to see what's down here, but I'm afraid the passageway is a bit too small for you. I need you to stay up here and stand guard. Can you do that for me?"

Kirin gives a series of rapid nods, assuring Tetra of his dedication.

"Yes, Sir!"

“Good”

And with that, Tetra descends into the subterranean depths, landing hard in the blackened, profound stillness.

As he traverses the corridor, torches adorning the walls ignite one by one, casting a chilling glow. Three imposing vessels line the back wall of a room at the end of the tunnel. Scanning his surroundings he notices that one of the vessels is marred by an opening in its side. Unnerved, Tetra surveys his surroundings. His eyes fixate on an unsettling sight: an undulating mass of crimson and ebony writhing in the far corner of the room.

Without taking a step, Tetra retrieves the stone, extending it towards the mass. Swift as a serpent, the foul accretion lunges forward, attaching itself to Tetra's hand and voraciously consuming the stone's haunting radiance.

A foreign voice invades Tetra's thoughts, as if whispering from the beyond this realm.

“Seek…and Consume…”

Annoyed, Tetra recoils, flinging the vile mass onto the chamber's floor. The creature, deprived of its meal, expands and writhes. It transforms into a shadowy replica of Tetra himself, different only in a stark pair of horns atop the doppelganger's crown.

Both Tetras confront each other, mirroring each other's movements, eyes gleaming with duplicity.

Tetra, dissatisfied by his own caution, takes action. His eyes flare with an incandescent red, and shadowy hands manifest, seizing the doppelgänger by its maw and tearing it asunder amid a wretched, blood-curdling cry.

With its form shattered, the shadowy entity retreats, recoiling into the pulsating stone, which Tetra promptly crushes beneath his heel.

Above, Kirin's voice reverberates through the cavern's darkness.

"Are you okay, Tetra?"

Tetra, shouts back, reassures his friend.

"I'm fine, Kirin!"

Examining his hands, Tetra observes his veins oscillating between a brilliant red and Stygian black. Concentrating his thoughts, he calls forth the shadowy power once more.

"It seems that I've got what I came here for…"

Climbing back outside of the chamber, Tetra approaches Kirin, a proposition laced upon his tongue.

"Kirin, how would you like to have a family?"

Kirin's eye widens with astonishment, his voice alight with jubilation.

"A family? I've always wanted one of those!"

Tetra, a menacing carmine gleam in his eye, divulges his grand design.

"Yes, Kirin. You and I are going to have the biggest family the world has ever seen…"