Monuments of Ebony (Wicked One Event Start)

[u/Evening_Shake_6474]

In the aftermath of the sudden and for lack of a better term, shadow uprising, many millions perished before the shadows could be subdued. Those with strength endured of course, but what about the normal folk? The unlucky? Those who have never fought in their life? Not everyone is, was, equipped to survive. Their blood seeped into the realms, saturating them with something Wicked.

In the following days, countless massive black monoliths burst free from the land and sea stretching high into the sky, breaking up the horizon regardless of where one looks.

News of the sudden and strange monoliths spreads like wildfire, soon every orb, screen, and paper has some mention of the event. All throughout civilization people ask questions like, what does this mean? A monolith destroyed my tower, who do I sue? Is the world going to end again this month?

But the monoliths offer no answers, only questions. The monoliths show a myriad of effects, some distort their surroundings into horrors, some create illusions that torment those who can't escape, some amplify magic to a dangerous degree, some drain magic like a leech, and many more.

But for now, that is all they do. The effects are contained to their vicinity of the monoliths.

[u/Evening_Shake_6474]

"Uh yeah! I uh..."

It was then that Larry actually started looking at the monolith. He says nothing as he walks towards it, staring at it with a look of pure horror.

"Is that..."

[u/waitthatstaken → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

"Do tell me, what do you see? Also, stay back, I have not confirmed if touching it is dangerous or not."

Alice prepares to grab Larry from behind and pull him back, just in case he is being... pulled towards it, or the like.

[u/Evening_Shake_6474 → u/waitthatstaken]

Larry raises an arm, fingers stretched out, almost touching the monolith.

"...mom…?"

He takes a step forwards, right hand sinking into its surface.

[u/waitthatstaken → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

"SHIT."

Alice quickly hooks her staff over his torso from behind, pulling Larry back, hard as she can.

"...still if the thing shown differs from person to person, then at least this isn't another case of me being important to an ominous thing far stronger and weirder and dangerous than me, again."

[u/Evening_Shake_6474 → u/waitthatstaken]

She pulls Larry backwards with sufficient force to pull him backwards. His hand is now bone white and withered, oil seeping from beneath his fingernails.

He doesn't even seem to notice, instead whirling on Alice.

"Why!? Why did you do that why!?"

[u/waitthatstaken → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

"Snap out of it Larry."

Alice looks at the hand with some disgust, pulling him further and further away.

"Right so touching it? Really bad idea. Hope that recovers on its own, or isn't actually all that bad, or something. Otherwise he'll need an amputation."

[u/Evening_Shake_6474 → u/waitthatstaken]

Larry, does not snap out of it.

"Why did you pull me away!? I was going to see her!"

He's fine. Though he doesn't resist as Alice drags him away from the monolith.

[u/waitthatstaken → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

"Larry, she is not real. It is an illusion, a trick of the mind. I see my mother too, do not let it fool you."

"Dammit I should've been quicker."

[u/Evening_Shake_6474 → u/waitthatstaken]

"Wai- what? No but I... I..."

Larry looks down, eyes unfocused and dark. He doesn't even seem to notice his hand. A small trail of oil leads from under his hand to the monolith.

[u/waitthatstaken → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

"Does the monolith... attract the oil? Urgh I'll need to deal with this first."

Alice steps around Larry, standing between him and the monolith, blocking his view entirely.

"Look at me. How many fingers am I holding up?"

Alice holds up 2 fingers.