Descent.

[shimmermods]

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.

code by vuvuzela

Comments

[shimmermods]

[It's a good amount of parts, let's put it that way. It's a pretty big tree, there are a whole lot of eyes, and the width of it implies a not-insignificant possibility of more...whatnot inside of it.]

[crestological]

[wow, he hates this. Um. Okay.]

Are any of you at all conscious in there? Could... the closest eyes to me blink once for yes and twice for no if you are, perhaps.

[SEEMS... LIKE AS GOOD AN ATTEMPT AS ANY...]

[shimmermods]

[It seems to take a moment for anything to focus, but...

Yes.]

[crestological]

By the Immaculate One’s scaly wings.

[can you still whisper something like that as a horrified oath if you, you know, helped kill the immaculate one. Okay. Woof.

Alright. He’ll clear his throat. Stiff upper lip.]

Are you, erm, in any pain.

[shimmermods]

[Again, it takes a moment; focusing seems to be hard.

Yes.]

[crestological]

...I am sorry.

[...he glances over at team napalm over there.]

If we have a means of ending it somehow, would you like us to do so? I am not certain if we have any other way to save you.

[shimmermods]

[It isn't immediate; there's a good amount of shifting gaze and changing focus before there's an answer.

Yes.]

[instrumentalized]

[ .....

Okay. This... this is awful. Garma stares at the floor, but he should... probably ask these people.... ]

We have Napalm. It will burn you all down to ash in very short time. Is that alright by you?

[shimmermods]

[A moment passes. More of the darting eyes, the shifting gaze.

Yes.]

[instrumentalized]

[ Deep breath. Getting rid of this abomination would be a whole lot more satisfying if they didn't have it confirmed that it can feel and think. Alas... Garma turns to the group, trying to swallow all emotion. ]

This isn't an open space, so we need to get away from here as soon as we light the fire to not get caught in the smoke and suffocate. Anything we need to do here, do it soon.

[crestological]

I was wondering if we ought to follow the stream to see if we can find a source or where it leads, but at the same time, I also wonder if we should just... leave.

[instrumentalized]

... there is no guarantee we won't end up the same if we remain here.

[crestological]

...yes, indeed.

[he already has sparkle blood he doesn’t want to fuse with anyone okay. He’ll just roll his pant legs up and head back across the stream, then...]

[shimmermods]

[The feeling that you aren't alone here intensifies as the stream is crossed again; the sensation is overwhelming, and it doesn't seem to be caused by just the tree.

They're a little difficult to see in the dark, but... There's someone watching all of this, standing a decent distance away. It definitely appears to be a person - "someone" and not "something" - but that's about all that can be told from here without taking a closer look. Or just trying to shine a light in their face.]

[crestological]

[...

Sigh. They’ve already been noticed anyway, so, like...]

...hello, there...

[It’s tired and kind of hesitant, but fuck it.]

[atrueheroine]

[Right. Looks like we've got a job to do; Page immediately shoulders her shotgun and points to the other side of the water, voice...strained, but authoritative.]

I need everyone except Garma to cross the river and stay far back, while we do this! You saw how that church burned!

[Then, to Garma-]

If you want to set the canisters up, I should be able to set them off with a grenade.

[blunders]

Understood, Page!

[Just gonna get back over to the other side there, goodbye tree friend and thanks for the leaf--]

[crestological]

Right. Let’s... leave this place.

[...sigh. He hates that he feels so useless about all this, but...]

[abysstery]

[Heinwald nods, and gives one last glance at the tree before retreating back across the water.]

I apologize that we could not do more for you, but at the very least, you will not suffer any further.

[instrumentalized]

I'm on it.

[ He is surprisingly serious and no-nonsense about all of this. His set-up work is quick and precise. Missions like this are when it is easy to remember that Garma is a soldier and has killed a lot of people before. ]

[atrueheroine]

[While Garma works on the napalm, Page watches their group; there's no way in hell they're setting any of this off until they're all safely across the river.]

...tell me when you're ready. I should be able to throw the grenade from a good distance away, so there's no need for you to be close either.

[.....]

....I hope this is quick. For them.

[Her kills are usually spontaneous, not so...planned. It's making her feel ill; like they're a pair of executioners, regardless of how willing their victim is.]

[instrumentalized]

[ Garma gets up and looks over his work, and the tree, for a little moment. It's... a really gross tree. Like, absolutely disgusting will-haunt-him-in-his-nightmares gross. But he also does feel sorry for it. ]

... well then. Farewell, all of you.

[ Time to cross the stream with his remaining things and... yeah. Let it burn. ]

[bornandbread]

... We should take the useful supplies with us, if we can.

[All of them can carry a little more now, after all, and you never know what you might need.

Plus they might have some useful investigative supplies in there. So: any useful things they can loot from the dead tree people?]

[crestological]

...

[yeah, alright. He’ll turn over to Team Napalm properly, then.]

I do not know if there is any way to end this for... them pleasantly, but that does seem to be what they wish for.

[atrueheroine]

[this member of Team Napalm is feeling extremely ill but has the explosives available if. needs be]