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A towering black monolith, with a sickly green hue, rose from the Earth. Leaning with strange intent and consuming the attention of any person whose gaze might fall on the area. Firmly rooted in the center of a large town, it would not move by the force any human might exert. A thin, greasy film covered the entire surface, though, no one could identify the substance: alchemists, blacksmiths, florists, and the men of the sciences alike found nothing, save for more questions. Odd indeed, for such a monstrous monolith did not stand there but one night before.

The townsfolk quickly convened and debated the fate of the structure. Most were quite content with its presence—a bit unnerving, but nonetheless harmless; the scientists wholeheartedly agreed, as it gave them ample opportunity to research the bizarre qualities of such a perplexing structure.

The religious groups, however, demanded its removal. They outright deemed it blasphemous and ungodly, posing a profoundly serious threat to their beliefs and greater humanity. But their voices were drowned out by the majority ruling otherwise, the democratic systems frequently prevailed over the passions of the Temple.

Before nightfall, torches were lit and placed around the towering thing to mark its position for its inky blackness blended seamlessly into the night. Bright orange flames sought to reflect on that dreadful green film. It was an unpleasant, septic glow in the otherwise naturally silver moonlit ambience. The diseased colors that hemorrhaged into the air were not the only assault on the senses that dominated the town that night: large cicadas screamed their shrill songs and scents of rotting meat grew inexplicably stronger as one approached the foreign stone. Tall and indifferent, it stood watching and listening, rooting itself ever deeper into the ancient foundation of the town.