A large volcano towers above charred, blackened ground. Its earthen shell long replaced with wave-like molten rock, magma bubbling and swimming in the spider-web cracks scattered across the ground. A thin silence pervades the air, a pause in nature's breath as it waits for a spectacle. And then a boom resounds as the volcano erupts and an ocean of lava pours down from its tip toward the valley below.

The lava reaches its climax and the magma slows as it flows across the ashen ground, spreading yet another layer of molten rock as it solidifies. Nature's fury withdraws once again as the volcano's bubbling lava recedes back into its shell. A silence follows, as deathly as the last, only accompanied by floating black ash scattering down from the air above. The ash gently permeates the ground in a layer of film as if covering its nakedness.

As the last of the ash settles, it begins to stir once again. The air carries a will as it directs the ash in a rhythmic tempo, drawing the tiny particles into a congealed shape. The shape solidifies more and more until it outlines a small humanoid creature, a mixture between a fairy and a goblin with only his slender, elongated tail that ended with a heart-shaped point to identify him. An imp. The black ash that formed him gives off an almost dusty colouring. As he finishes forming, his two eyes open, glowing brightly for but a moment before receding to display two beautiful amber irises’. The world stays silent for but a moment longer before the air gives way.

With the loss of his support the imp drops the short meter to the ground and slams into it with a thud. Many following thuds occur in unison as his kin follows in his steps. The imp blinks slightly as he takes in his surroundings, the clear sky and savage landscape filling him with a strange emotion. As his eyes travel downward he notices the cracks spread across the ground, forming rifts in the earth. With a natural motion, the imp shuffles slightly to peer over one of the cracks, his eyes widening as he stares down in fascination at the bubbling magma below. Its gentle warmth invites the imp in. Unable to contain himself, he stretches his hand forward and dips a finger into the lava.

The imp watches in mild surprise as he sees its finger start to erode. Something in the back of his mind tells him this is wrong, but the imp only continues to stare as the blazing red liquid finishes eating through his finger and falls onto the ground, eroding the earth until he reaches a place that is no longer willing to give way. The imp tilts his head as he stares down at the lava, his mind trying to piece together an answer to the mystery.

And then the imp smiles. A pure, blissful smile. He can still feel the searing pain from his missing finger. But more than that, he felt curiosity. A burning curiosity that continues to bubble up inside of him. An oddity of an imp it seems, for while he stared down at the lava with a curious smile the imps around him were already tearing into each other savagely. It is as if seeing a deer grazing amidst lions, oblivious to the danger next to it.

This imp is an anomaly. A blip in the code of creation. But an anomaly isn't exempt from the laws of nature. He learned that fast as he felt something bite into his arm, causing him to reel back in shock. The imp musters as much strength as he can to shrug off the imp clutching onto him. His fist slams into the others face, sending them reeling back.

Yet their eyes are alight with a madness he found himself lacking. Staring into those manic depths the imp hesitated for a moment, and in that brief moment the imp pounced once again. Desperately attempting to shrug them off, he slams his fist over and over against it in distress. He feels something crack under his fist but through his hazy, muddled mind he can't make sense of anything.

Finally after what seems hours to him, but was only moments, he felt the other imp release their hold. Collapsing into a gasping heap, the imp slowly lets his eyes drift downward. And they widen as his mind clears, and sees the caved in face of the other imp. Shivering, he brings his hands to his face and stares at the black blood caking them. Before he can grasp what he has done, a grey energy streams from the dead imp’s body and into his own. The imp shivers again, this time as a euphoric feeling fills him from the energy streaming through his body.

The pain and anguish from killing the imp dwindles and then disappears as he revels in this exuberant feeling. His eyes turn slightly crazed as he feels the same type of madness he saw in the others. The imp turns to his myriad of kin still engaged in their battles. he watches, he waits…and then he pounces.

His cries of war mingle in with the others as he tears into another imp, the various exchanges drawing more blood and more pain as each offer parts for a kill. An arm, a leg…a tail. He loses much in his carnage before he finally takes hold of his mind and tears himself out of the madness the euphoria induced. He struggles to keep hold of himself as the energy pours into him, improving his body bit by bit down to its very foundation, whispering to him that if he just took another piece, another life, he could become so much more.

He rips himself away from the battlefield and totters to the edge of the volcano's valley, an abhorrent feeling welling up inside of him as he stares down at his mangled body. When he first awoke, he felt curious. Now he feels like a monster. A struggle fills the imp as his eyes flicker, two versions of himself clashing against each other, neither willing to relent. What does he wish to be? Or rather, what is he? The difficult question revolves around his mind as he seeks an answer.

Eventually the struggle teeters out and clarity and resolution replace it. The imp looks back at the others, watching them fight, their mad eyes and ecstatic faces painting them insane. He turns away and looks forward towards the craggy, charred earth and bubbling magma that trails an unending land. The imp closes his eyes as he finds an answer within himself. Free. No matter what, he wishes to be free. He doesn’t look back as he picks himself up and walks away. His lone back walking toward the horizon paints a strange picture when one looks behind, and sees the carnage still transpiring behind him.