"You must go... through the door, mortal." spoke the demon. "Only then can you reach what you seek."
"Ah... alright." replied Cholik nervously. He scanned the door for any signs of treachery, then quickly grabbed, and turned the knob - revealing a dark walkway.
"Enter... enter now!" called the demon.
Cholik stepped into the darkness, his fear renewed with the thought of eternal damnation. He began to walk down the unlit path, fearing the worst. As Cholik was walking, he felt the ground start to change. Cholik kept walking until he felt the path end - leaving a black stone wall in front of him. Cholik examined the wall, but found himself unable to determine what kind of stone the wall had been made of.
"What is it?" called Cholik. "This is not what I seek!"
"Para dorre loiyin devonei. Makaleib!" chanted the demon. "Be... undone."
And, slowly, the wall began to move upward - into the nothingness of a sky. In its place, the wall left a gaping hole - allowing the bone-littered path to continue. Cholik needed no further instruction, and started moving onward. Out of the darkness came the face of the demon, beckoning Cholik to follow him. Cholik, too scared to oppose, followed the demon on the path it created - coming out of thin air. They approached a large, stone totem - modeled after the Archangel Tyrael.
"This is where your beliefs end. Destroy the totem with this maul." spoke Kabraxis as he motioned at the blank space of air next to him where a large maul had suddenly appeared.
Cholik took the maul, and turned to face the totem. He hesitated - was this the right thing to do? To turn his back on the light? He could not go back now. The hour at which his faith had returned was a late one - too late. He hefted the maul from his left hand to his right, and swung heavily at the totem. The base of the totem shattered beneath his blow. Cholik swung again and again, deconstructing the totem until there was nothing left of it but subdued rubble.
"It... is... done, master. I have crushed my beliefs." spoke Cholik as he gasped for air.
"Yes. Good. Here... take." spoke the demon in a deep tone. "Take what was promised."
Suddenly, Cholik was lifted into the air, and, slowly, with the twirling motion of the demon's index finger, Cholik began to whirl in a circular motion. Faster... and faster. He was spun into unconciousness. Upon his awake, Cholik examined his body - finding it muscular and fitting. He stood, and found himself in the convent again. There was no sign of the demon.
"Did you sleep well, mortal?" asked the demon.
"Yes, thank you." replied Cholik.
"What I give... I can take back. Remember that, mortal." warned the demon.
"I have not forgotten, master. What is it you would have me do?" asked Cholik quizzically.
"I would have you bereft yourself of everyday activity and explain to me the motives of the race of Men these days."
"Aye." called Cholik. "I can do that."
"Ah... alright." replied Cholik nervously. He scanned the door for any signs of treachery, then quickly grabbed, and turned the knob - revealing a dark walkway.
"Enter... enter now!" called the demon.
Cholik stepped into the darkness, his fear renewed with the thought of eternal damnation. He began to walk down the unlit path, fearing the worst. As Cholik was walking, he felt the ground start to change. Cholik kept walking until he felt the path end - leaving a black stone wall in front of him. Cholik examined the wall, but found himself unable to determine what kind of stone the wall had been made of.
"What is it?" called Cholik. "This is not what I seek!"
"Para dorre loiyin devonei. Makaleib!" chanted the demon. "Be... undone."
And, slowly, the wall began to move upward - into the nothingness of a sky. In its place, the wall left a gaping hole - allowing the bone-littered path to continue. Cholik needed no further instruction, and started moving onward. Out of the darkness came the face of the demon, beckoning Cholik to follow him. Cholik, too scared to oppose, followed the demon on the path it created - coming out of thin air. They approached a large, stone totem - modeled after the Archangel Tyrael.
"This is where your beliefs end. Destroy the totem with this maul." spoke Kabraxis as he motioned at the blank space of air next to him where a large maul had suddenly appeared.
Cholik took the maul, and turned to face the totem. He hesitated - was this the right thing to do? To turn his back on the light? He could not go back now. The hour at which his faith had returned was a late one - too late. He hefted the maul from his left hand to his right, and swung heavily at the totem. The base of the totem shattered beneath his blow. Cholik swung again and again, deconstructing the totem until there was nothing left of it but subdued rubble.
"It... is... done, master. I have crushed my beliefs." spoke Cholik as he gasped for air.
"Yes. Good. Here... take." spoke the demon in a deep tone. "Take what was promised."
Suddenly, Cholik was lifted into the air, and, slowly, with the twirling motion of the demon's index finger, Cholik began to whirl in a circular motion. Faster... and faster. He was spun into unconciousness. Upon his awake, Cholik examined his body - finding it muscular and fitting. He stood, and found himself in the convent again. There was no sign of the demon.
"Did you sleep well, mortal?" asked the demon.
"Yes, thank you." replied Cholik.
"What I give... I can take back. Remember that, mortal." warned the demon.
"I have not forgotten, master. What is it you would have me do?" asked Cholik quizzically.
"I would have you bereft yourself of everyday activity and explain to me the motives of the race of Men these days."
"Aye." called Cholik. "I can do that."