Upon hearing the voice, I spun around to find a middle-aged man. His accent combined with his dark skin revealed his middle eastern origin. He was bald with brown eyes, sharp features, and a calm expression that was almost nonchalant. He was at least six feet tall and was very muscular. With just a glance, I felt a strong sense of innate reverence towards him.
I eyed him with scrutiny. Was this another projection? "Who are you?"
The man raised his brow. He was intrigued. "Of all the ways I've been greeted by those who partake in my trial, not one has ever opened with such a question." His hand caressed his bare chin as an inquisitive expression adorned his face. "Most peculiar."
I tilted my head in curiosity. "Are you a part of the trial?"
Suddenly, he levitated off the ground and quickly floated towards me. "Boy, I AM the trial."
I stumbled backwards as he got in my face. I was thoroughly startled.
He pulled back and landed on the ground. Then, he gestured towards the couches that overlooked the desert. "Come. Sit. We have much to discuss."
I cautiously walked over and sat down. The couch was unbelievably comfortable. "From your reaction to my appearance, I would think that you were expecting me."
He nodded as he walked over and sat down opposite me. "Indeed, I was. It is of utmost importance that I be notified when a candidate shows extraordinary promise."
I nodded. "I see. You must have been the head of the order."
The man scoffed, an arrogant expression covering his face. "You think me a mere grandmaster? Nay, I founded this order."
My eyes widened in shock. "Founded?"
He nodded. "I watched over this order for countless millennia."
I was even more confused now. Millennia? "How did you live for so long?"
He smiled and gazed out at the desert. "The mysteries of the force are boundless. Not even The Ones have done much more than scratch the surface. I would dare to suggest that the aggregate knowledge of those touched by the force since the beginning of time would present as a mere grain of sand in the cosmos. The iota form which I gleamed my knowledge granted me the power of eternal life."
I could feel the urge to let my jaw drop to the floor. Fortunately, I was able to hold on. "So, do you still live today?"
He clenched his fist and tightened his mouth. This was clearly a sore spot. "I had the unfortunate pleasure of learning that eternal does not equate to invulnerable."
I leaned forward as intrigue consumed my mind. "What happened?"
The man sighed and gestured towards the pyramids. "My crowning achievements. Aren't they magnificent?"
I nodded. "I'm not sure what they do, but they are breathtaking, nonetheless."
He nodded. "It is understandable that you are incapable of discerning their function. Such was the case for most who laid eyes upon them. They were a shield. Tragically, at least when seen from my eyes, they had a flaw of which not even I, their maker, was aware."
I carefully observed the pyramids and the strange beam of energy that was projected from their peaks. "This flaw... it killed you?"
He nodded. "Yes. Well, he who exploited the flaw was also the one who orchestrated by demise. A pitiful outsider he was. He infiltrated this world and tampered with that which granted my longevity. I suddenly felt ill like never before. At that moment, when I had fallen from grace, he snuffed out my flickering flame of life with his own two hands. I've no knowledge of what became of the order or this world in the years thereafter."
I sighed. "The order is gone. There is little knowledge of the force's existence on our world for the entirety of recorded history."
The man clicked his tongue. His frustration pulsed through the force in waves. "Millennia of effort, all of it for naught. My failure was most miserable. I doubt you have knowledge of my time, so I have nothing to ask you."
He turned his head to look at me and was about to speak but stopped. His eyes were locked on my neck. "Oh?" He paused for an almost uncomfortable amount of time. "I see. No wonder I was notified."
I then realized that he was fixated on the necklace I received from the Smith. "It felt right to put it on. So, I did."
The man smiled. "If little Otunko imparted his stamp of approval upon you, I need not test you. Your priesthood is all but assured."
I raised my brow. "How can I be a priest of an order that no longer exists?"
The man stood up. "Perhaps..." He threw out his hands in a grand gesture. "You may begin anew! I'm sure you hold interest in protecting your birthplace, yes?"
I nodded. "Yeah, sure. But what am I protecting it from?"
The man smiled. "Following my unavoidable split from the Dai Bendu with a handful of followers, their enemies pursued us with relentless fury. This world became our hiding place after I designed the pyramids. I've no doubt some of those dark forces, or their inheritors, might persist even in your time."
I sighed. "That sounds troublesome."
He nodded. "Yet, it is a task that is worth your while. What is a man if he has not a home to return to?"
He fell silent for several seconds before continuing. His gaze returned to the desert beyond. Unfortunately, the time for our parting has come." He stepped away from the couches. "Rise, boy."
I stood up and approached the man. I stayed silent.
He nodded. "Before I let you go, I must warn you that you aren't the only one that passed the trials. In fact, you're the second last of this batch."
My eyes widened as I realized the implications of that statement. "Shit."
The man smiled and reached out. He then tapped my forehead. A curious expression formed on his face as I felt another tinge of foreign energy enter my body. "Ohoh, twas the last I expected to find within your spirit."
I tilted my head in confusion, but the colors had already started to fade. "What?"
His smile grew wider. "Do extend the priestesses my greeting if you so happen to meet them again."
WHAT?! My eyes nearly burst out of my head upon their mention. Was he familiar with them? Fortunately, I was able to ask the right question. "Who will I say the greeting is from?"
The man looked away and waved me off. "They'll know, boy. So long."
Everything flashed white before returning to black.