Enmity of Atlas

“I met the great beast today, it’s great gaping maw, the thousands of rows of teeth as long as my arm, the two grand pincers stronger than the finest steel, and the body which never quite seems to end. It really is a sight. It was looking at me, or at least what I approximated to be looking. In actuality, I was just staring into its massive mouth, hoping that somehow, someway, the unmoving beast could make note of my presence. I’d heard rumors about it becoming violent, tunneling all about, ripping up and consuming the earth, but now face to face with it, the creature actually seems to be quite passive. I’d come prepared to fight it if need be, to wrangle it to my will, but it seems that isn’t necessary, something I’m actually quite grateful for. A fight probably would have stretched on for a while, and there’s no telling what damage would become of the environment before I could properly restrain it. Anyways, I’m not sure how it knew I was there, maybe it has the same geoesthesia the geomancers have, or maybe not; but, I did get the impression it felt my presence, like it was waiting for something. I called out to it, asking for it to take me to Atlas with the loudest voice I could muster, a booming sound that echoed throughout the cave with the force of a great explosion. For a second, it just sat there unmoving, and I wondered if it was able to hear at all. But then, it began to turn. It shifted its weight to the side, careful not to hit me with its pincers, and began to dig. I’m not sure where I expected Atlas to be hiding, honestly, but for some reason, straight downwards would not have been my first guess.”

-an excerpt from Ren Incantum