theshimmer | Descent.

CHAMBERS.

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You've been down here for such a long time.

It's difficult to tell, perhaps, exactly how long it's been; the lack of need to sleep or eat has become more and more prevalent as time goes by, and it's made it difficult to keep to any sort of schedule - and while the darkness remains unyielding and unchanging, the same can't be said for yourself, now, can it? The further you go, the more it feels like maybe you could belong here; the longer you're within this place, the less it seems to want to let go of you.

It begs the question, really: Is it the mine that's making you feel that way, or is it the Shimmer itself?

Something is different today.

There's a sudden feeling that you've found a chamber, that the shaft you've been wandering down has opened up in a way that's more noticeable than the occasional offshoot leading to an eventual dead end - this feels massive, open in a way that clears the air and spreads out far enough in front of you that it's difficult to tell how far out it actually goes. There are a few promising signs here, however, even if you can't see them very well - the sudden clearing of the air's stagnation is one, but the sound of running water trickling through here somewhere is also promising.

There's also a feeling that should be familiar by now; namely, it's the general sensation that you aren't alone, wherever you are.

You've found something, but perhaps more importantly, you get the feeling that you're coming far closer to your goal than you were on the outside; don't get too excited, though, as you still want to be careful - after all, this chamber opens downward as well as outward.

You can get down to the lower level if you pick your way down; it shouldn't be too challenging, and you'll probably have an easier time seeing once you're down there. Just don't fall.

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[Heinwald thoughtfully runs a hand along its warm surface, considering the possibilities of how this tree came to be. Some of them are less pleasant than others.

He presses into it here and there. Is there any sense of movement within the tree other than the eyes? Like...human functions.]

[There does seem to be movement that would be consistent with that, yes. Less like anything is deliberately trying to move and more like... You know how sometimes you can just feel your organs doing things?]

[Yeah...that's exactly what he was looking for and he's kind of impressed in a macabre way.]

I am confident in saying that this tree has innards. And I certainly do not mean wood. [And as he follows Felicia's gaze up at the grotesque limb-branches...] It is as if the Shimmer formed a tree out of humanoid bodies.

[Either that or people just kind of came up to it and fused with it. Obviously, that is not the ideal possibility!!

...especially considering what he says next:]

I would not be surprised if it were to bleed if we cut into it.

[Grace was already feeling light-headed, but she has to sit down at the thought of the tree bleeding.]

This is what happened to them. They thought they could escape but it found them anyway.

We cannot say that for certain.

[But...it definitely is a possibility. He just doesn't want to default to it considering they're right in front of the tree, putting their hands on it.

...is there even an exit to this cavern though, aside from the way they came in?]

Someone had to exit the cave in order to leave that charming note at the entrance.

If they were smart they wouldn't go back in.

[Which means...]

I'm sorry, this is my fault. We shouldn't have come here.

It's not...

We've known the Shimmer changes people already. This is just more proof.

Don’t worry about it, Miss Grace. You could not have known it would be... something like this.

In any case, it does not seem to be dangerous as much as it is just deeply, deeply disturbing.

[He shakes his head.]

It was worth investigating. We still learned something, no matter how unpleasant it has turned out to be.

Well, at least you acknowledge it.

[ Not in the business of making people feel better here!! ]

Not like you were the only one pushing for it, at least.

That aside, I think we may have already met the author of that note.

We aren’t a tree yet.

[Is that comforting?? That’s totally comforting, right. Said from Far Away From Treesville but his voice is level enough.]

This place is... might still be useful for us.

[At least that’s what it feels like?]

It's alright, Grace. Please, don't blame yourself for this.

[Felicia says that much gently.]

We couldn't have known what was going to happen.

Oh no, it's not all on you. You weren't the only one for it.

'Sides, better to check it out to be sure, anyway.

Don't cut into it.

[That seems like a bad idea when they're in a cave with it. And also it's really macabre, my man.]

I didn't plan to. I do not even have the proper tools for it.

[What do you guys take him for? A mad scientist?]

Some of us do. Just putting it out there.

[Heinwald is not the only one hearing this, so consider this a PSA, too?!]

I am aware.

[But he hasn't made a request for one. There's no need. The tree is already in enough pain, man.]

[...Y'know what, now that Felicia is done with the tree, she's gonna huff a bit at the people who jumped in on that.]

Heinwald isn't the sort of person who'd do something like that to a living being, in the first place. There was no need to jump to a conclusion like that.

[if this is placing too much faith then felicia doesn't know, but also: y'all. let the man be??]