Floating....falling in space together with it, his face, centimeters away from its surface, he scanned the stone monolith...searching. For what, he wasn't sure, but he new finding it was imperative. Deep crags on its face whispered of its ancient origin...of its primordial past. Then he found it...the area of vulnerability. He maneuvered his body to align his most powerful strike. Hammer in hand, he inhaled, raised his arm to its apex, exhaled, and brought the hammer down full force.
Wiping away the granules, he uncovered the crystal beneath. Though it was still mostly encased in the monolith, the Alchemist could see inside the crystal.
Inaudible at first, rising to a whisper, echoing in his consciousness, a voice spoke to him.
"I am all that has been and is and shall be; and no mortal has ever lifted my mantle."
Peering into the deep midnight abyss within the crystal...a face appeared...and the gaze of the High Priestess met his.
