12 Miles Below

This time around, the transition in terrain was a little more subtle, for mites at least. The metal city and scraps slowly started to be overrun by vegetation. Large tree vines first, squeezing through the abandoned structures, injecting hints of life step by step. Buzzing of insects returned, weeds and other hints of small plants started to grow through the cracks, until we started going into sections that had more artificial light shining from above. That’s when life decided it had enough trying to be sneaky about anything.

Giant tree trunks swam frozen through ruins of concrete and bent metal, and the city was promptly eaten up. Yrob continued to lead us all by the nose, sometimes jumping from trunk to trunk and over the large roots.

“This looks really familiar.” I muttered as we passed under one of the larger trees. Lot of red leaves at the canopy eating up all the artificial lighting. I’d seen a forest exactly like that before, and we were just about in the same general area come to think of it. Not too far off the clan, and not too far off the old Undersider city. I’d have thought Abraxas was having a little giggle at us if it hadn’t been Yrob leading us around. “...Where exactly did the Chosen pick to set up their workshop? Just curious.”

Yrob gave a grunt. “Large field. Silver flowers. Open air. Good for running. Good for farming. Good for defending. Have mite fountain too.”

I turned my helmet to Wrath who was jogging besides us, taking light steps with slight flutters of her wings, still hidden under all her baggy clothing, making her jumps look a hell of a lot more graceful than the rest of us.

“Is this the place I think it is?” I asked.

“Are you suspecting the location where we first spotted Abraxas?”

I shot her a thumbs up.

She hummed. “I suspect it would have been selected as well. The location is distant enough from most landmarks, and contains all items needed for survival. The only missing condition had been a city pillar heart.”