Date: 12-21-2023
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The last rays of a sunset are sliced apart by the knifepoint mountaintops of the windswept Earthspines. The dense jungle canopy is diminutive in comparison to these rocky monuments. It is at the base of one of these venerable pillars that the last golden rays of the sun catch the metal frame of a colossal dark grey stone door. In the reflection of metallic surfaces, the flicker of movement is caught. A wounded mercenary does her best to tend to her mauled arm; on the other side of a small campfire, a frightened cartographer sits and disguises his fears among the crackling fire. His brow furrows deeper every time the campfire shoots out a strand of blue flame. M: âAny thoughts on how to get out this valley, Iâd rather not end up as a chew toy againâ [She finishes tying off the bandages, some of which are already soaked through with blood] C: âItâs not a valleyâ M: âAt least speak up if you are going to mopeâ C: âIts not a valley, these are ventifact mountains you brick brain⊠And I told you we should of left DAYS AGO!â C: âAnd now look, your company and its leader are currently Skrol shit.. No map can fix that.â C: âAnd even if maps could navigate your men out monkey bowels, YOU decided to use my maps as tinder!â [Almost as if invited, the fire spit out another flash of blue as the last of the map ink vaporized] M: âIâm sure if you keep yelling, the Skrols will see to your complaints.â M: âYou still have the master map, right? We can get out.â C: âYeah⊠but it wonât matter, theyâll likley use it as napkins after they eat us. M: âListen, we found the door. You focus on leading us out, Ill focus on getting us out, and we both get paid.â [A silence follows for some time until the last fringes of light extinguish themselves, only a faint yellow glow to the southwest remains in the sky] M: âItâs getting late Iâll take first watch, you after. If you see anything, wake me. The shuffling and snorting betrayed their pursuers presence. Bare white carapaces catching the glint of moonlight could be seen stalking through the trees below. He planned to not wake her, âAtleast it would be peaceful this wayâ, he thought. He didnât want either of them to suffer. A last heroic attempt to do nothing, to be set free of the responsibility of surviving. When the morning arrived, they both still drew breath⊠The Skrols seemingly had eaten their fill.
