Each droplet of blood fell onto the Goddess’s face, instantly being absorbed into the stone bust. Agni quizzically at first. He wasn’t entirely sure of the purpose but with each drop of blood he could feel his senses slipping away. By the sixth drop his sight had become dark, his mind hazy and within the next instant he found himself in a different place.

All was black, yet there was a strange light that seemed to “hang” in the very air itself. Air was the wrong word to use in the sense that the atmosphere seemed to be composed of grey smoke. As Agni looked down it seemed as if his very body was made of a dense smoke as well, creating form for his ‘body’.

As he looked about Agni slowly became aware of a massive wall which extended upwards as far as his ‘eyes’ could see. This too was made of the same smoke like material, though Agni could tell the structure was more dense -- imposing and absolute. A few meters away there stood a figure, one he recognized and in the same breath was a complete stranger to.

“Speak. What is it you desire. You have six questions.” The stranger said. His voice was deep, raspy -- almost like a screech on the wind. The figure spoke slowly, stretching its words as if the very act of speaking was a labor. If Agni had to pick a word his first impression of this being was -- inhuman.

“Where am I?” He asked as he gazed upon the mysterious speaker. It was a strange sensation indeed to be unable to recognize the features of someone, still that was the case. The more Agni tried to focus on the person before him the harder it became to distinguish features.

“Ha.” The figure seemed to find his question humorous.

“This is a place known to many, but traveled by none but the most clever and brave. The world from which you reside call this the Abyss.” The figure hissed the final word, the sensation of the word ‘Abyss’ seemed to reverberate through Agni’s body.

“Who are you? And What is the purpose of this place?” Agni then asked.

“I have no description of myself that you can comprehend. You may call me the Gatekeeper. The Abyss is a realm where life and death sit upon a razor’s edge. Here you can obtain anything you desire, for a price.”

“So, for example if I wanted the power to rule the world, or to become a god -- I could find that here?”

“Yes.” The reply was simple and effective, but Agni couldn’t help but feel there was more insight behind the answer than the Gatekeeper was willing to share.

“What dictates how to obtain what I seek?” Agni next asked. With only one question remaining and a strange sense of growing foreboding, he decided to be more deliberate with his line of questioning.

The Gatekeeper was silent for a few moments, then he chuckled to himself.

“Very good.” He practically hissed, his body seemed to flare up as he spoke.

“By force. By wit. By exploration. By sacrifice. There are many ways to obtain that which you seek but all require effort or exchange.”

For his final question Agni decided to test the assertion that ‘anything’ could be acquired in the Abyss by asking for information. The Night Mother said absolutely nothing regarding his “purpose”. The Acolyte seemed to have an idea -- but didn’t elaborate. He wondered what the Gatekeeper would share with him--if anything.

The instant Agni asked his question the composition of the Gatekeeper seemed disturbed, as if a strong wind caused the smoke to rise to vapors. He resembled more a man aflame than a wisp, Agni could feel a ferocious wave of anger emanating from the Gatekeeper as he began to speak.

“To slay that which has corrupted the cycle of life and death. The betrayer who’s name we shun to speak. The being that has thrust the world into darkness and decay.” As the Gatekeeper spoke Agni could hear the sound of thunderous wailing, thousands of voices joined in anger and sorrow -- all of them from behind the massive wall.

As the Gatekeeper settled down, his anger subsided, Agni noticed a change in the figure’s spectre. He now had a more definite form, that of a man in a long black cloak. If Agni had to describe it, it was the textbook description of Death itself. The Gatekeeper reached into his cloak and pulled forth an orb which hovered over his palm.

“Your pact with the Abyss is honored. Your service to the Night Mother must be fulfilled. You may now freely come and go.” The bright blue orb floated over to Agni filled him with a sense of weight as it moved into his body. Suddenly Agni felt more “present” in this realm. His hands had taken on their normal appearance, as the rest of his body.

Before Agni’s eyes a massive gate appeared, and beyond it hundreds of swirling wisps, some with faces of anger or sorrow.

The Gatekeeper lifted his hand and pointed his two middle fingers towards Agni, within an instant Agni was back in the Acolyte’s Temple. It took a moment for him to grow accustomed to the density of his own body again, it was as if his spirit had once more become tethered to a bag of flesh.

“What the hell was that?” Agni asked as he ran his hands along his arms and shoulders.

“There is one rule that all who walk the Abyss must follow. One rule that must be adhered to no matter what. None can tell you what the Abyss is, it can only be experienced. All answers await there -- for a price.” Alynna said as she tended to her wounded hand by wrapping it with gauze.

“Fine. What can you tell me about the one who has corrupted the world with decay? The nameless one.”

Alynna’s mood soured slightly at the mention of this topic.

“To say this world is covered in darkness is not an understatement. The nights are six days long, followed by three days of sunlight. These three days are only due to the Night Mother’s blessing. Like all worlds in all realms, the laws of nature exist. The only one who can alter these rules belong in the realm of Gods.

The person of which you speak, stole Godships and altered the laws of reality into a reflection of their own desire. This person then used their powers to curse the Goddess and throw the laws of nature into turmoil. Death is no longer an option and the world is ruled by the undead.”

“So you’re saying that my purpose is to slay a God? But not just any God, a Necromancer?”

Alynna nodded.

“Ha! Ha ha ha ha!” Agni laughed aloud at the sheer absurdity of the notion. He could barely survive a cabin of spiders, or the undead humans shuffling outside the settlement walls. God Slaying? It sounded more like a cruel joke than anything.

Alynna on the other hand seemed as if she expected this type of reaction. She stood silently for a time while Agni’s reaction ran its course. Finally after he settled down she continued.

“As you’ve said, for normal humans God slaying is impossible. You are by no means normal, you simply need to grow your strength. In your meeting with the Gatekeeper you were given something, and your Night Sign has been released. You must learn to use this power to your benefit, it will greatly assist you in your quest.”

It was as if her words fell on deaf ears. Agni had completely tuned her out as he bent over to grab his weapon and walked towards the exit of the temple.

“Where are you going? We aren’t done. You’re making a terrible mistake!” Alynna said, trailing after Agni.

“I am done. This is madness and I refuse to be a part of it!” Agni said as he shrugged the woman’s grip from his arm and stepped outside. The next moment he found himself doubled over as a burning sensation began to rise throughout his body. He sank to his knees, writhing in pain as the heat of fire surged through him.