Vardinn made his way out from the darkness, passing a smooth, black, incredibly tall doorway, more than three times his own height. 

As he passed through the doorway he thought to himself 'I wonder if this was made to size. what a marvel of a giant they would be.' 

Moving forward, the area gained more and more light until he found himself in an enclosed, circular, smooth stone room. 

Across the room is a man sitting at a wooden table. 

As he approached the table he noticed the man. He wore blue jean pants and a long dusty jacket. He had a magnificent, large mustache and a strange large hat that looked like two mountains beside each other.

The man perked up, “Howdy partner! Grab a seat, share in a drink and conversation!” Each movement was met with whirl and clang of metal and gears.

‘A machine man. How strange.’ Vardinn ponders as he takes a seat. 

“I’m sure you have lots of questions, partner. Well, consider me your own personal answer machine! Oh! Pardon this old dog, I seem to have forgotten my manners. The name’s West. What’s yours friend?’ West said as each movement creaked and squeaked.

“I’m Vardinn. It’s nice to see someone else.” Vardinn said as he scanned the rusted features of Wests face.

“Oh ain't that nice. A mighty fine hello to you Vardinn. I suppose you're itchin' to begin. Ask away, friend!”

“Okay, first off, what was that place I was trapped in?” He asked

“That’s an easy one! It’s called the void pit. It gets its name from the fact that it’s void of all kinds of things. Tons of light, functional gravity, linear time. It changes all the time but hey! You got out without much trouble! Cheers to that” he says as he lifts an empty mug to me then places it back on the table.

“Huh. okay how do I get out of here?”

“Well that’s a tricky one. I’m only programmed up til you stand up to leave. Not sure what happens then.” West explains with a sad look on his face.

“What do you mean, ‘programmed’? 

“A long time ago, I woke up to a man sitting across me. He told me that one day a tall, dirty, scared looking man with four arms would visit me. On that day, I was to recite the script from my programming. Which I’m doin’ now!” West exclaims with a renewed happiness, though I doubt it was hard.

“So everything you say has been predetermined?”

“Not just me but you too!”

“Well that’s just not possible” They say in unison.

“See! I don’t know how or why but someone went through a lot of trouble for you.”

"What did this man look like?"

"Not the foggiest idea, shorter than you? Or taller? I truly do not remember." 

"How long have you been here?"

"seeing as I've lost time on account of being shut down from time to time, I couldn't say. what I do know is that I've been awake for 50 or so years by your count." 

Vardinn sits and ponders his next question for a few moments until he decides. "I fell into the void with a demi human friend. Do you know if he's alright?"

West raises his rusted hand to his chin as to mimic deep thought, "all I can recall, from my programming that is, is that he is okay and you will see him again." 

With a cheerful smile, he raises his glass to his face, takes a long rusted empty swig and exclaims. "sounds like mighty fine news to me!"

Powers running low so last question! Better make it a good one!” West says as he ‘takes a drink’.

Vardinn thought long and hard for the right question, until it hit him. “Is your power connected to the door behind you?”

West smiles a mile wide, “Good question, only one way to find out!” He exclaims as his eyes flicker out.

“Thanks...pal.” Vardinn says as he gets up to check out the door. In a sudden but safe motion, the door slams open. He looks down to see that West is now totally powered down. He leaves through the doorway and is met with an immediate but welcomed cool breeze. 

He exits the opening and is greeted by a shining sun, a stone walkway, and a field of trees and flowers all frosted over.