Lava Skull

I finally got it through my thick skull that always having my brushes set to opacity sensitivity was hurting me more than it was helping.

Anyway, here is a very "Metal" piece, that was inspired by . Although I doubt that it's what she had in mind

[Edit] You probably won't be able to tell unless you fullview, but I cleaned it up. I smoothed here, sharpened there, gave the ground a little more than just "flat black" tone. Just generally made it look better And since asked for one and I can refuse her nothing , here's a story to go along with it. I admit, though, that now the story could probably do with some "cleaning up"

One day, the Pilgrim was wandering in the cracked and foggy land of Norca. He was really starting to think that the very nice green fellow who had given him directions at the squat and squallid hut three days ago must surely have been mistaken about the best way to get back to the road to Shallidrar, when the bank of mist in front of him blew back. A huge black skull appeared, glowing with an dull ruddy light from within its eye sockets.

As this was certainly unlike the barren blackened landscape he had been passing throough for the last few days, the Pilgrim stopped and stared open mouthed at the phantom before him. It didn't seem to have been made by the hand of man, as it was rough and irregular. Also it stood alone. No block of hewn stone in the area. Neither rubble nor road nearby. Yet that nature could have formed such a perfect likeness of a human skull, bumps and horns aside, seemed equally unlikely.

As the Pilgrim contemplated the origin of the bizarre apparition, Patches approached it cautiously and sniffed at the base of the giant skull's chin. As if the touch of the fox-dog's nose had woken a sleeping demon within, the stone skull shuddered lightly.

Both the Pilgrim and Patches backed up a step as a symbol burned forth on the skull's forehead. The Pilgrim squeezed his hands against his ears, as a deep sepulchral voice boomed from the rock.
"SEEK YOU PILGRIM, FOR THE PROPHET OF TIME!"

The last word faded away. The Pilgrim opened his eyes and took his hands away from his ears and ventured a thought.
"Uh yes sir, but if you don't mind... why should I seek the prophet of, time, was it? And where should I look? Oh, and if it isn't too much trouble, which way is it to the main road to Sallidrar? ...sir?"

But no more sound came from the huge skull. After waiting a few minutes, the Pilgrim turned to leave. After just a few steps, he realized that Patches wasn't with him. He looked back to see where the dog had gone, and saw him lifting his leg on the skull.

The ground began to tremble, and the glow from within the skull grew til the Pilgrim realized that it was molten lava oozing from inside it. Patches let out a yelp and took off past his master down the far side of the slope, and it wasn't long before the Pilgrim ran right behind him as the eruption of the giant skull grew stronger. and bits of stone and lava began to fly everywhere.