09-14-2017, 10:03 PM
Tearen took a deep breath, and upon exhaling, the world around them seemed to slip away. What took its place was Hell, in as literal a term as possible. Craggy spires of black rock ascended into a bruised red sky full of sundered, cracking moons. Poisonous fog rolled over the landscape as herds of pale, naked slaves plodded over the cutting stone ground. They were driven by hulking, infernal beasts dressed in the skins and skulls of children, cackling and hooting loudly as great demonic vultures swooped down and disemboweled the lollygaggers. In the black distance, the sullied and charred ramparts of Minas Tirith sat hollow and empty on the barren mountainside. Tearen's students blinked and gawked before steeling themselves against the terror. It was implicit that this was a vision the Shadow was broadcasting to them, but that didn't make it any less viscerally upsetting.
"The Underverse, or more accurately, the Omniverse, should Diablo ever have his way with it. I aim to prevent this, or its approximation. You must understand, I pass on knowledge of these powers at great risk to the Omniverse." Nealaphh said softly, at last switching the vision away from the torturous vista. What took its place was, perhaps, even worse in its own regard. It was a long city street, shadowed under the light of an eclipse. Buildings were frosted over, and frozen, lifeless alien corpses lie strewn in the street. The silence was apalling, save for the chilly wind. Tearen pointed gravely up at the orbital body blocking out the sun, dooming the planet to a slow, icy death.
"That...is me." Tearen continued. "...or rather...what I was before being brought to the Omniverse. I spread death and disaster with impunity at the behest of one I thought was greater than myself. I used the same power to kill these people that I use to levitate rocks. Scale means little when you are attuned as I was."
He turned back and looked at their chilled faces, grim and stunned in disbelief.
"I committed genocide, atrocities untold. I cared little for why, even less for who. Given the perspective of infinity, I thought myself free from the bondage of guilt and accountability. I became this, though, not because I had the power in and of itself. I became this because I took it out of desperation and ignorance. I was ill prepared for the temptations of godhood."
The visions finally ended, and the normal light and warmth of the jungle returned, though the memory of deep cold lingered in the other Primes' bones. Tearen could no longer look them in the eye, and turned to face the trackless, foggy forest. He could feel their confusion and anger intermingling. This would be the real test to their commitment.
"When you ask me questions of 'can peoples minds be controlled by this power', you must think in more literal terms. Yes, you can influence the thoughts of others with sufficient practice, that much is trivial. The true danger is allowing your own mind to be controlled by this power. Grasp your place in the universe, by all means. It is your birthright, but understand this..." Tearen said, shifting his form to the glassy, emaciated body he was created with. Glowing scars from the underverse still glowed on his naked back, festering and gleaming with malice.
"...to walk this path is to court becoming what you hate. I was saved by being returned to mortality by force. I thank Omni for that. Your answers just now have gladdened my heart, and I trust that you here would not intentionally use this birthright for malice. Ask now but two things; that you dream deeply tonight and journey within yourself. Take stock. Reflect. If, in the morning you are confident in your resolve and..." Tearen paused and swallowed hard, "...can still stomach the thought of my presence, I will unlock the first stepping stones of these talents in your minds. I would have preferred to teach them at length but...I have my own doom to fufill, and the time draws near."
With that, Tearen took the form of a crow and flapped away into the night, leaving his erstwhile disciples in flabbergasted silence...
"The Underverse, or more accurately, the Omniverse, should Diablo ever have his way with it. I aim to prevent this, or its approximation. You must understand, I pass on knowledge of these powers at great risk to the Omniverse." Nealaphh said softly, at last switching the vision away from the torturous vista. What took its place was, perhaps, even worse in its own regard. It was a long city street, shadowed under the light of an eclipse. Buildings were frosted over, and frozen, lifeless alien corpses lie strewn in the street. The silence was apalling, save for the chilly wind. Tearen pointed gravely up at the orbital body blocking out the sun, dooming the planet to a slow, icy death.
"That...is me." Tearen continued. "...or rather...what I was before being brought to the Omniverse. I spread death and disaster with impunity at the behest of one I thought was greater than myself. I used the same power to kill these people that I use to levitate rocks. Scale means little when you are attuned as I was."
He turned back and looked at their chilled faces, grim and stunned in disbelief.
"I committed genocide, atrocities untold. I cared little for why, even less for who. Given the perspective of infinity, I thought myself free from the bondage of guilt and accountability. I became this, though, not because I had the power in and of itself. I became this because I took it out of desperation and ignorance. I was ill prepared for the temptations of godhood."
The visions finally ended, and the normal light and warmth of the jungle returned, though the memory of deep cold lingered in the other Primes' bones. Tearen could no longer look them in the eye, and turned to face the trackless, foggy forest. He could feel their confusion and anger intermingling. This would be the real test to their commitment.
"When you ask me questions of 'can peoples minds be controlled by this power', you must think in more literal terms. Yes, you can influence the thoughts of others with sufficient practice, that much is trivial. The true danger is allowing your own mind to be controlled by this power. Grasp your place in the universe, by all means. It is your birthright, but understand this..." Tearen said, shifting his form to the glassy, emaciated body he was created with. Glowing scars from the underverse still glowed on his naked back, festering and gleaming with malice.
"...to walk this path is to court becoming what you hate. I was saved by being returned to mortality by force. I thank Omni for that. Your answers just now have gladdened my heart, and I trust that you here would not intentionally use this birthright for malice. Ask now but two things; that you dream deeply tonight and journey within yourself. Take stock. Reflect. If, in the morning you are confident in your resolve and..." Tearen paused and swallowed hard, "...can still stomach the thought of my presence, I will unlock the first stepping stones of these talents in your minds. I would have preferred to teach them at length but...I have my own doom to fufill, and the time draws near."
With that, Tearen took the form of a crow and flapped away into the night, leaving his erstwhile disciples in flabbergasted silence...
And, we dream of home I dream of life out of here Their dreams are small My dreams don't know fear I got my heart full of hope I will change everything No matter what I'm told How impossible it seems We did it before And we'll do it again We're indestructible Even when we're tired And we've been here before Just you and I
Don't try to rescue me I don't need to be rescued
Don't try to rescue me I don't need to be rescued