To an isolated country village, it was a scandal like no other.

The son of the local pastor and the Miller's youngest boy. They'd been caught together in the barn, rolling in the hay... indulging in carnal sins deemed an affront to nature by the decree of the church. Both had immediately fled before Andrew Miller, recoiling at the sight of his progeny engaged in such debased behaviour, could muster a response beyond horrified disgust. But afterwards he'd gone directly to the Reverend. Who had taken the news gracefully, conceding that he had been aware of his son's unfortunate proclivities, and had attempted to beat the devils responsible out of him in the past with a length of his belt. Evidently without success.

Both sinners were afforded a single chance. To return to their homes and await their punishment, the village council granting them one night to do the right thing and come out of the forest into which they'd fled. By morning, with neither of the boys having shown themselves, both men put together hunting parties with grim determination to track down their offspring. Whom could be afforded not an ounce of leniency for betraying their fathers and the will of God in such a shameful manner.

Out into the acres of woodland surrounding the village marched the righteous. With hunting dogs at their heel, woven nets and muskets should the need for force make itself apparent. Their convictions were set and their hearts were true. Each man knew the lands around the village, and felt confident that they would be able to apprehend the youths before sundown. Spirits rose as the dogs picked up the trail... then faltered, after several of the beasts entered a frenzied panic, straining at their leashes and trying to retreat back towards home. As they delved further into the forest, it quickly became clear that something was terribly, terribly wrong.

The sky began to change, turning dark as midnight in what every man knew to be the middle of the day. The sun vanished and was replaced by two inky black celestial bodies ringed with pale light. The trees around them grew twisted and distorted. Nature and the very world around them seemed corrupted and unholy, and some wondered if the errant youths had summoned forth some manner of demon by their profane actions. As the men searched and searched, finally they crested a hilltop... and that was when the Reverend saw it.

A tower of black obsidian wrapped with undulating fleshy growths. Resting at the centre of the distortion that had overtaken the surrounding forest, the focal point of this new nightmare landscape.

*****

Ah, it's nice to be uploading again!

This was my first piece from  Creth-Alretan after getting a look at some of the wonderful background work in their gallery! I-I'm not biased because they're a demon goat or anything, I swear! They really are a wonderful bean though, and I never got the chance to showcase their work around the time I got it due to some rather painful technical issues. So it is my pleasure now to have their artwork be the first piece to be uploaded since my comeback!

It's also been a while since I last wrote. So a little bit of practice has been in order! Should have the second part up soon...