She followed the pale man into the alley. Bethany knew that he was dangerous. She knew that he could easily kill her. But she followed him. He was beautiful to her. He called to her. She dare not deny him. More began to flock, following in the wake of the Carpathian and his enthralled follower, becoming lost in the ethereal allure he offered. The alleyway was filled with them by the time he stopped.
He turned around to face the crowd, pale hands shining in the moonlight as his arms lifted to gesture all around. They were the outcasts of society, the men forced to be criminals, the women forced to sell their bodies. The scourge, the underbelly, the broken hearted and the defeated. They were like sheep, flocking to their shepherd. As he turned to face them, they stared in awe, their murmurs falling silent.
"You have been cast out by society. You are the dregs of civilization. They see you as nothing more than dirt on their boots." Said Zachariah. "But I see something different. I see strength and power that you've yet to learn of yourselves. I see potential to be something great, something better than human, elf, dwarf, and what have you."
His arms fell, one slowly moving out to the side to gesture toward a wall. A rumbling occurred, a deep and grating sound that shook the ground beneath their feet. A gaping hole was revealed, leading into everlasting darkness.
"Not all of you will be able to make the trip. Some of you, however, are strong enough. It's a matter of courage, perseverance, and strength. If you are tired of being left aside by society, if you want to be something'someone, then follow sweet Bethany here." He motioned to Bethany as he spoke.
The woman's eyes widened. How did he know her name? She looked around in surprise at all the eyes that had turned toward her, then turned her own up toward Zachariah. He smiled at her, a beautiful and reassuring thing. She couldn't help but smile back.
Bowing her head to Zachariah, Bethany started off. She walked with confidence. The looming darkness could not hold sway over her spirit or the voice of the pale man who had guided her here. She was to be something, someone. Zachariah would see to that.
The crowd followed. All at once stepped off to wander into the darkness. They all paused to offer a bow to Zachariah, who remained smiling all the while. He could pick out the ones who wouldn't make it. It shined on their auras. They weren't strong enough. But the others would.
They would reach the point of everlasting darkness.
He turned around to face the crowd, pale hands shining in the moonlight as his arms lifted to gesture all around. They were the outcasts of society, the men forced to be criminals, the women forced to sell their bodies. The scourge, the underbelly, the broken hearted and the defeated. They were like sheep, flocking to their shepherd. As he turned to face them, they stared in awe, their murmurs falling silent.
"You have been cast out by society. You are the dregs of civilization. They see you as nothing more than dirt on their boots." Said Zachariah. "But I see something different. I see strength and power that you've yet to learn of yourselves. I see potential to be something great, something better than human, elf, dwarf, and what have you."
His arms fell, one slowly moving out to the side to gesture toward a wall. A rumbling occurred, a deep and grating sound that shook the ground beneath their feet. A gaping hole was revealed, leading into everlasting darkness.
"Not all of you will be able to make the trip. Some of you, however, are strong enough. It's a matter of courage, perseverance, and strength. If you are tired of being left aside by society, if you want to be something'someone, then follow sweet Bethany here." He motioned to Bethany as he spoke.
The woman's eyes widened. How did he know her name? She looked around in surprise at all the eyes that had turned toward her, then turned her own up toward Zachariah. He smiled at her, a beautiful and reassuring thing. She couldn't help but smile back.
Bowing her head to Zachariah, Bethany started off. She walked with confidence. The looming darkness could not hold sway over her spirit or the voice of the pale man who had guided her here. She was to be something, someone. Zachariah would see to that.
The crowd followed. All at once stepped off to wander into the darkness. They all paused to offer a bow to Zachariah, who remained smiling all the while. He could pick out the ones who wouldn't make it. It shined on their auras. They weren't strong enough. But the others would.
They would reach the point of everlasting darkness.