[h1][color=purple]Umbrix[/color][/h1]
[hr]

[center][i]The night is long, and dark.
The whispers are twofold.
There is the veil of self and soul.
And then there is the unknown want.[/i]
[h1]…[/h1][/center]
[i]Bare, withered, cloven hooves trod along a path wrought with lush, verdant overgrowth. The forest is pleasant but not at all like home. The trees are not thin and black and twisted. The grass is not gray and riddled with puddles of mirroring rainwater. And there is no fog. Does he miss these things? Of course not. But there is no scorn in the lack of homesickness. He merely doesn’t think much of it.

Traveling behind him is a hulking creature, carved from many and fused into one. The meats hang, and the sludge drips slowly. There is no face, and at the same time, there are many. It carries burlap sacks with some of its many arms, full of tools and resources meant for the sickest of things. Its master walks before him, staring straight ahead. In the distance, the antlered figure beholds his destination with his four eyes.[/i]

The Tower.

Umbrix approaches the doors with his servant Ernsk in tow. In his mind, he gauges the possibilities of what happens next. The doors open and he is shooed away for being uninvited? Or will they have actually been expecting him? The magics of the outside world didn’t confuse him, but they didn’t impress him either. He’d made it all this way, seeing nothing but mundanity and skepticism along the path. But he pressed onward because he knew, he [i]knew[/i]… this is where he would find what he wanted. What he [i]needed[/i].

[i]The hearts are beating.[/i]

He raises one of his hands and wraps his spindly fingers into a fist, but he doesn’t knock. One of the doors creaks open and out extends the head of one of the tower’s many servants. He looks up at Umbrix, somewhat taken aback by both the Fenneca and his abominable companion, but he speaks calmly nonetheless.

“We have been expecting you, master… Umbrix, I believe?”

[color=purple]“Mmm.”[/color] Umbrix replies, giving the man the first of many wry smiles to come. [color=purple]“There is clairvoyance at work, I see.”[/color]

“Many more besides you are expected. You’re actually one of the first to arrive.”

[color=purple]“And you’re aware of my intentions?”[/color]

“Not me, no. But Prince Seadus is definitely more knowledgeable of the events that are transpiring. You’ll be able to inquire about the issue with him later, for now… I must show you to your quarters.”

[color=purple]“My quarters.”[/color] Umbrix replied, stepping inside with Ernsk following suit. [color=purple]“Of course.”[/color]
[center][h1]…[/h1][/center]
[i]The room is lavish and dotted with ornate furnishings. The colors are all royal. Everything is polished to a shine. And it is all unsatisfactory for the Fenneca as he scans the room, his wry smile gone.[/i]

“This room has been selected for you.” The servant said, “You may conduct any renovations you feel necessary to improve your living experience here. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must attend to other matters.” And with that, the servant departed.

Umbrix gave the room one last look before he, too, began to walk away from it, issuing one last command to Ernsk before he was gone.

[color=purple]“Fix this.”[/color]

The abomination bellowed lowly, entered the room, and shut the door.