"You do yourself no favors to come here."

"You do yourself no favors to come here."

The voice filled my ears like the void itself spoke, even as it emptied my soul. The entire space caused my eyes to defocus, blurring into grey and blue. I felt like an atom wedged into a great wall of gunmetal, cold and alone. Alone, except for the voice.

"You open secrets you are not ready to hear."

This accusation angered me. I have always been ready to hear a secret. This thing didn't know me. I belted out, "Try me."

I felt a shiver run down my soul and blinked.

Then there it was. A thing I couldn't name if words existed to describe it. My body froze as my pulse raced. Again my eyes reflexively flickered and it was closer. So close it could reach and touch me.

The Thing extended one of its terrible arms and spoke once more, "Let me Illuminate you."

Art Source: "The Fallen" by The-Hand

Story and Characters: (C)/by Corey Blankenship