Dig In Deep

"Dig in deep." The voice whispered as Gekko stared into the face of Gorgas. The mask in his hands a dark relic that had been in his care for sometime. The surface scarred and dirty from many long battles from many ages past. "Dig in deep" the elder hob whispered again. "Deep into the void and the mist" Gekkos face stretched into a wicked grin as he sat the mask down. He knew what he must do and there was only one place to do so. He reached for a wooden bowl next to him it contained dye made from crushed berries. Smearing his war paint on his face and reaching for his korpser he stood up

"Six thousand nine hundred and ninety nine. Seven thousand." Gekko stopped to catch his breath for a moment. Looking down the long winding stairs and the fixing his gaze straight ahead. A thin male figure stepped forward and put his hand up. Gekko stepped and slid his korpser into the sentinel killing him quickly. "Seven thousand and one." The Hob spoke out loud as he kept walking forward towards the massive looming monastery hidden high in the mountains. Pushing the doors open he stood for a moment and breathed in deeply. The smell was familiar but that didn't matter now. All that mattered was finding the apothecaries quarters. And digging in deep

The hob stalked the abandoned hallways of the monastery. Apart from the sentinel out front the building was empty. Finding his way to the apothecaries chambers took time. Eventually he found what he was looking for. "Wolfs bane," he spoke softly his voice echoing in his solitude. Making his way to the meditation chamber he smiled as he ripped the censor from its hook on the wall. Crushing the plants leaves in his hands he placed it in the dish. Breathing softly he exhaled fire into the pan and the leaves caught rapidly. The smoke filled the chamber as the hob sat on the ground in front of the censor

The smoke filled the room as Gekko meditated. His eyes glazed over slightly the flicker of the candles reflected across his skin as his breathing slowed and stopped all together. He finally opened his eyes and the figure standing in front of him was familiar. A tall human looking male with long hair pulled back into a ponytail his face decorated with war paint. Gekko spoke to the figure. "Who are you" the figure laughed and replied calmly. "I am you." The human version of Gekko laughed again. "This state can't last long. The longer you walk the veil the harder it is to return. But come hobgoblyn we must dig in deep."

The two figures walked down a long hallway with doors as far as the eye could see. "What is this place?" The hobgoblyn asked. "This is the void. A place between worlds." The humanoid guide wandered down the pathways not paying attention to any of the doors around him. Suddenly there was a thundering as a door further down the hallway blasted open. "We need to Run!" The guide exclaimed. As he shot a worried glance over his shoulder. "We seem to have drawn his attention." The guide explained before taking off in a sprint down the hallway the hobgoblyn close on his tail a million questions bouncing round in his head. "Who is he?" Gekko asked concerned. The guide shot a glance over his shoulder again and spoke "the beast that guards the void. He doesn't like travelers."

thud! Thud! Thud! The hallway shook as the beast pursued the pair. The humanoid guide turned to the hobgoblyn. "We can't out run it. Not in the veil. Remember hob. Dig in deep..." And with that the guide vanished. The room melted around Gekko and he was standing in an arena bright lights shining down on him as he turned around. Standing at the other side was a figure it's skin red tinted and marred with scars. A hood covered it's face. It's body dressed in a long robe. The figure lifted up it's head and it's hood fell back. Gekko was starring at himself. The red beast stepped forward and with a wave of his hand produced swords in front of each of them. He spoke slowly his voice dark and heavy. "Dig in deep young hob. Dig in deep or never return from the void"

The two figures clashed swords. With every ounce of ferocity gekko could muster he threw himself into the battle. The beast matched his skill and anger blow for blow. Neither gave nor gained ground. The beast laughed a hideous laughter. "Is this all you can muster?" He sneered before laughing again "you will never return from the void if this is your best." They fought for what felt like days. Maybe it had only been minutes in the void. Maybe years. Gekko felt his energy draining. His fighting becoming defensive. The beast gained the upper hand and with a shove knocked Gekko off balance. The noise of him hitting the ground echoed through the arena. And the beast stood above him. "You are weak. You refuse to pay heed and for this you will not survive. " Gekko looked at the beast and grinned a wicked grin. "Dig in deep you said. Dig into myself and into my past. Well beast do you understand the feeling of fire dancing in your chest" Gekko roared and his chest glowed a deep red. He opened his mouth as a pillar of flame erupted forth incinerating the beast in the blink of an eye. Gekko fell to the ground as he saw the shadow of the beast standing in front of him. The beast laughed. "Dig in deep" he said as their spirits melded into one.

Gekko awoke with a start he was laying on the cold stone floor of the monastery. He looked around the air was still and the fire had long since burned out. He blinked rapidly for a moment and sat up. The container of wolfs bane still lay next to him. As he prepared the ritual again he smiled softly "dig in deep" he spoke quietly to himself. "I will dig deeper" The void warped around Gekko as he stood in the same long hallway. The familiar human face of his past life look at him with his mouth agape. "You did it. You killed the beast." The hob laughed and looked at the human. "Show me what else is hidden in the void."

The humanoid guided Gekko through the labyrinth of twisting stone. Every turn seemed to cause the pair to get lost in the same slate as before. Gekko spoke to the guide "do you even know where we are going?" The guide chuckled low and looked back at the hob, "not at all, but to find the way one must truly be lost." Gekko sighed softly and followed. After what felt like days the pair reached a door. The steel was dark soaking up every flicker of light from the surrounding torches and the slate stone of the maze extended in both directions indefinitely it seemed. Gekko looked at the guide who stepped back away from the door. The guide spoke in hushed whisper. "This is the door of the ur-Grimm. The first mistake. Open it at your own risk but know this young hob. Knowledge comes at a price. " and with that the guide vanished leaving Gekko standing at the door his hand extended