The Holder of the Animals

On any continent, in any country, go to a location far away from the din of civilization. This location can be anything from a dense forest or jungle, an arid desert, or a frigid tundra. This is where the trial shall commence.

It is necessary for one to know one of the many symbols of Cernunnos, the horned lord of the forest. He embodies the wild, untethered qualities of nature and all its creatures.

This symbol must be carefully traced along the ground. Then, when the tracing has been finished, don't lift your hand off the ground just yet. You must then close your eyes and utter the words, "I seek the Holder of the Animals." Now you may lift your hand from the ground and open your eyes. The once-elegant landscape is now incomprehensibly morbid and horrifying. All vegetation is charred and black, the sky is a scarlet red, and the ground is green and yellow due to heavy mixtures of pus, blood, and other ineffable liquids. On top of it all, the ground is littered with innumerable animal corpses. Many are young, many are old, but they are all hideous and covered with maggots. Show no fear, for if you do, you will be forced to wander the endless panorama for endless of times.

Should you be brave enough to trudge onward, blessed are you, o brave Seeker. But the trial has only just begun. You must keep walking forward for what will feel like hours, days, or weeks. You must try to keep your sanity with you, as you will see nothing but death wherever you turn your eyes. At some point, you will begin to hear noises. They start out as loud as whispers, but they slowly, and I do mean slowly, grow louder until the noise is literally maddening. Close your eyes the moment you begin to hear these noises. Only when the noises stop can you open your eyes.

When you open them, you will notice something on the ground. It looks like some sort of canine creature. It appears to be alive, yet you will initially question whether or not this is so. You will hear the creature whimpering pitifully. No wonder. It is covered with deep gashes, colorful bruises, maggot-infested wounds, and is missing an ear. It has eyes that are black as pitch, yet seem incredibly forlorn. If you are repulsed and either kick it, spit upon it, or walk away, you will join the endless number of corpses on the ground as punishment for your cruelty. You will, however, be conscious, feeling the pain of maggots eating away at your flesh for eternity.

If you truly have a heart, you will be filled with pity and sadness. You must close your eyes and embrace the creature whilst ignoring its repulsive features. You will feel the animal's body against yours, and you will feel it lick your cheeks. Only when the licking stops may you open your eyes, lest you be enveloped by the earth forever.

When you open your eyes, you will be surrounded by an endless number of animals on all sides. There are far too many to count, so do not attempt it, or you will surely go mad. Some of those you see will have angry expressions on their faces, while others will simply bear expressions of sadness. You must show no fear even now. The animal that was once in your hands has vanished. In front of you, you will find an old man in a tattered, moldy cloak. He has the same wounds and gashes as the animal you once held in your arms. He also has antlers, canine ears, fins, scales, hooves, a tail, and wings.

This man will only respond to one question: "Why were they created?" The man will then begin telling an incredibly long tale, telling of the reason why god made the animals and the purpose they were meant to serve toward mankind. Eventually, however, he will begin telling of every single inhumane atrocity committed toward every single animal that has ever lived. You will see dreadful, unimaginable sights of torture, and the sounds of their cries, eventually becoming English instead of normal animal sounds. These are enough to drive one insane. Some have broken into uncontrollable sobbing fits and dissolved into the foul mixture that covers the ground.

If you can withstand the entire story, the old man will force his hand inside his chest. He will then rip out his beating, solid-gold heart. He will then walk over to you very slow-like. He will then rip out your own heart, which will be unbelievably agonizing, and place his heart into your chest. If you reacted to the pain, demons with animal heads will appear and devour you until nothing remains. You will then be revived, take the place of the old man, and await the next Seeker.

Should you not react, however, the old man will smile and say: "Boundaries are illusions." You will then begin to sink into the ground until nothing left can be seen of you. You think you are a goner, but you open your eyes to find yourself back in the middle of the wilderness where your journey began.

The heart which now beats in your chest is Object 543 of 2538. The voices of the beasts will be made known to you. Be wary of what you hear.