Resignation - ???? - Year xxxx

Within abrupt, abysmal darkness there's but a kindling flame beginning to come into its life. The golden flames flicker in a majestic and ethereal way amongst the dark void. The light slowly paints the ground in a yellow cascade. In a way it's absurd that something as lively as a flame would combust in an area as devoid of life as this darkness.

As the flames grow, more unveils. The surroundings seem like that of an endless cave, with the growing fire in the center. From this, nothing but chaotic stalagmites and stalactites grace the hall-like cavern.

As the flames grow, they bless the cavern with its lively warmth and a figure is slowly unveiled in between a cyclical cluster of stalagmites. The figure is very recognizably humanoid, but not quite human. Its form is barren and sunken when in comparison to that of a picturesque individual. Any notable body parts deformed when in comparison to a human quality.

The warmth of the light emitted by the flames encompass the figure. The cavern begins to produce an echo, as if a deific voice is trying to yell at this crestfallen corpse. Moments after, the mangled appendages of the figure begin to twitch as if life had just been directly breathed into it. A ghastly heartbeat croaks into ignition as if it never expected to work again. As its pulse begins to settle its crusted shut eyes peel open to try and observe its surroundings. The corpse’s dark pupils and white irises practically hiding as far back in its skull as it would allow them to.

Before much self deliberation can happen the figure is met by the echo, this time so loud that it may as well have been coming from inside its very being. Unlike the last time this echo is clearly that of a voice.

"Depravity comes for us all. Please Disciple hear its call"

The deific voice simmers away as if the cavern’s darkness had snuffed it from existence. With all now quiet, the newly animated being slowly rises. Though little has changed in appearance, this specter has now been blessed with a purpose. That purpose being the innate human urge to uncover the meaning of what it had just heard. Was it the disciple that has been called upon? Otherwise perhaps it was just coincidence that the living dead happened to overhear what may as well have been a message from god.

The Disciple, now standing, looks at its distorted surroundings. The antagonistic stalactites and stalagmites being the overwhelming majority of what could be seen. The only other thing then was the blazing flames that were now pulsating and illuminating the nearby cavern walls. As if it's trying to pull its attention towards itself, the flame began to burn brighter than before.

Upon analyzing the flames The Disciple notices something materializing. Defying human understanding, the base of a torch was beginning to form. Within this golden fire a torch made of polished ebony had been born. The existence of a visible torch within such an immense flame begged the disciple to reach for it. Which they curiously obliged.

Shockingly enough the flame presents no harm, just light and the warmness synonymous with life. The ebony torch practically rushes towards the decrepit hand that reaches for it. As quickly as it grew, the fire suddenly dissipated. In the blazes aftermath there is no trace left behind but the now held ebony torch.

With nothing left to do but to move forward, The Disciple begins its journey. Marching into the unknown that this cavern presents to find the answers to the question it's been given.