<span style="font-style: italic">Once upon a time, in a place where stone faces were the ground, a man slept. No one knows how long he had been sleeping but then he woke. The world was in a darkness so thick it was impossible to see the where the horizon was, only the small pools of light which came from the lantern beside him.<br/><br/>Around him, others also began to stir. They were clothed it a simple white cloth, barely offering any protection.<br/><br/>On various parts of their bodies, they were branded with the Mark of Ash. An invitation of sorts.</span><br/><br/>Marlin stirred. his hands pushing himself up to his feet. He had no recollection of what happened before, and what he saw now inspired a lingering dread within him, of not knowing what was out in the vast darkness. Picking up the lantern by his side, he held it up, as though warding off the deep shadows, accomplishing little more than revealing more of the upturned stone faces in the ground.<br/><br/>The ground was cracked, and in a mound. The other humans who were still rising or stirring from their slumber were all lying down on the small rise in the land. The scent of ash lingered in the air, bits covering their skin as he rubbed the flakes off.<br/><br/>And then, there was a roar.<br/><br/>From the darkness a beast it had the body of a serpent, yet its face was contorted to match that of a man. Claws sprouted from its arms, muscle rippling under the scaled skin. The humans stood no chance. Before his body could even react, it had already cut down to of them. An unearthly wail sounded, the faces beneath their feet shifting, the low noise issuing from hundreds of cracked stone lips.<br/><br/>Then he sensed the bloodlust, it's presence was huge, overwhelming even as it cut the screaming humans down easily.<br/><br/>Without thought, his hand gripped the stone. He could not die here, not when he just woke. Not when he had yet to find answers. The stone snapped, breaking free of a face to form a makeshift dagger.<br/><br/>Amid the fleeing survivors, he shouted, rage and fear intermingling, drawing the sight of the beast.