Sebastian fell to the earth, panting. Sweat drenched hi face and hands, shining on every part of his skin that was exposed to the moist and burning air. The sweat on the rest of his body was absorbed into the fabric of his stained linen shirt and wrinkled black slacks, except where the cloth was saturated. In these spots the sweat condensed into rivulets and sent small streams running down various crevices in his bodies attempt to cool him down.
He had fallen in a kneeling position, appearing to an observer to be in the attitude of emphatic worship - head thrown back in exultation, hands and arms stretched wide, body resting on the heels, knees forward in 'v' shape. His chest was heaving, as much in response to the last ten hours of intense effort on the project as in attempt to breathe in the pressing humidity and heat.
Steam continued to billow out of the gigantic opening before him, washing over him again and again, almost searing him with each opaque wave.
His skin had turned bright red and would soon begin to blister if he remained there for much longer. He had done it. Decades of study, trial and error, opposition, set backs, despair, false leads....every obstacle the universe could think to throw at his endeavor he's encountered. And overcome. After 25 years of plumming the depths, unraveling the mysteries, enduring the hardships and now he had come off victor.
He looked down, anxiously searching for the first view of the fruits of his labor. There, directly in front of him, glittering bright red on the dull black of the basalt cave floor was his prize. A fire demon, newly born, untouched, unimprinted, ready to become one with the first sentient creature it encountered. Ready to grant it manifold abilities on the fortunate first time possessor.
He reached out to pick it up, but as he did so he had the unusual sensation that something was not quite right about the way his brain sent the command to his fingers. He felt as if there was a delay between the impulse to perform the action and his response in doing it.
"Ah," he thought, "So this is what it feels like, the beginning of the unraveling of my being."
1 comment:
Interesting intro to a new idea. I'm not the English major, but I noticed you left an "s" off of his in the second sentence. Also, I think "bodies" should be the possessive "body's" in the last sentence of the first paragraph.
Otherwise, you've set up an exciting plot! Keep writing, and I'll keep reading!
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