2067
October 23rd, 13h12.
Silence fills the void. The travelers bathe in the endless darkness. It's day four of the expedition in the depths of the underworld. Same strategy they've been using for the last few hours: The assassin in behind, watching the team's back; Zephyr and Urth in the middle, keeping the firepower in the center; Eylventh scattering about to warn everyone of potential danger; Riley applying his knowledge and looking at any crevice, any significant detail. This time, in sync, they access the checkpoints below 11 000.
Yet, the doctor is disturbed.
The Bottomless Pit has been devoid of anything for a while.
As far as living species that are not orbs of light trying to blind them, there is no sign of life. Decomposed carcasses and fossils are interesting, but there's been few and far between. Riley collects and proceeds onwards. When he tries to tell the other travelers of his findings, they ignore him.
This places the scientist in a bit of a weird spot. Though according to the signs, they traversed a quarter of the journey, which means plenty of opportunities left to meet organic creatures, the lands are barren and desolate of animal life. Riley can be on the lookout for whatever he wants, but he doesn't find anything.
Alister isn't much there. The lost train of thoughts were quietly passed down from the scientist to the hunter. Alister is barely present. He's surviving this latest crash course by reflex. When he's not thinking about jumping on a platform or uncovering the occasional noise he heard in the background, he keeps thinking about his father. All the bad memories that keep coming back, he shoves them down in a corner. His awareness is sometimes brought back by Zephyr, who feels more threatened by his new asylum patient.
Zephyr just holds on to Urth for emotional support. Ever since the temporary truce, he's agonizing over sharing his hurt with a man he has conditioned to hate for years. Looking at Riley walk like everything is okay twist his stomach in ways he never asked for. It's not like he had a chance to forgive the doctor, nor does he feel like it. He'd rather follow someone who knows what he's doing. Unfortunately for his pride and his revenge, that leadership role falls on the man who, by all accounts, ruined his life.
The atmosphere is leaving behind a brooding awkwardness, one that not a soul on this makeshift team knows how to disperse. Maybe they don't want to disperse it. Maybe they would rather play their roles and stick to it.
They stop by the 10 897th checkpoint for a look at rations.
One half of a can left to share. Water supplies are almost dried.
Zephyr still doesn't feel hunger, but the rest of them are starving.
"Well, who would have known beans wouldn't be sufficient to feed five people heh?" Jokingly brings up the scientist.
No one responds to the joke. Zephyr and Alister are not even looking at his general direction.
"Listen, we got to live up the mood somehow."
"Well, you lack awareness of your surroundings, but I don't feel like conversing with you right now." Coldly replies the young blacksmith.
Riley can't help but show his disappointment. He understands that they are not in good terms, but this journey was exhausting because of the mental stress and anxiety of fighting the inner demons and seeing the degrading point of view the others had about his work and his actions. After the speech, it's apparent the Riley J. Smith they got now, was not the one they wanted. They wanted the helpless fool who couldn't stop defending his actions. Riley sighs.
"Alright, understandable." is the only response Riley can muster before moving on to greener pastures. He scatters the area with his flashlight. The platforms are strangely getting closer to one another. The jumps needed to reach the platforms afterwards are not as steep and take a rectangle shape, instead of being shaped like blobs of minerals combined.
"If my theory is correct, the descent should be progressively better. The question is why? The platforms before us we're separated by a wide-open space and now that space is getting tinner. It's almost like an invitation to keep going down."
He then whistles, with Eylventh responding in a furious roar. It despises when master whistles, mostly because it means it will spend time around this mad lad. Despite its anger, Eylventh reports for duty and rests on Riley's shoulder.
"Do you mind holding that flashlight for me?" Asks Riley while bringing it closer to Eylventh. The flying crocodile grabs the flashlight with its jaw like it's going to swallow the whole thing. Eylventh points it toward the ground and Riley grabs a note pad. All sorts of things reside in there: concept for monsters, keynotes about how certain cells react when combined, reminders about bio-physics, chemicals, etc. He goes to an empty page and writes down about the platforms, the checkpoints and how they are slowly transforming into stairs.
While they are doing this, Zephyr and Alister keeps pondering. That is the only thing they can do. Alister's stomach starts to rumble, as the assassin holds it like he's in pain.
"Shit. I'm going to need those beans."
"Suit yourself" Quietly responds the blacksmith, holding the bag so Alister can reach inside for the food.
They then hear something screech in absolute panic in the distance.
"What was that!?" Screams the scientist.
"You tell me doc! We don't run into any creatures for miles and the second you start noticing something, the whole world is shaking in excitement! Can I at least eat before getting my ass whooped!?" Retorts Alister
"Those are not the words I want to hear from the combat expert! Let's wait and see what happens..." Replies back Riley.
They sit still for a few seconds, trying to guess what might come down to them. The initial screech is followed by more. The roars become progressively more panicky. There's a mixture of organic creature movement, something clawing its way out of a battle it cannot win. There is another sound mixed in.
Heavy, very heavy machinery. With every mechanical step, the entire underground is shaking more and more. It's at a point where they must hold themselves to stay balanced. Everyone is breathing very fast, almost shocked.
Suddenly the screaming gets way higher and clear sounds of claws scratching metal can be heard. The creature is probably defending itself in some sort of last stance. The rumbling has stopped, but now there's a mixture of noises that signifies the machine in question is ready to do something drastic.
One last scream, and then a BOOM shatters the silence and quakes the Bottomless Pit. It's so strong, the platform they currently stand on starts to crumble.
"Quick, to the next platform!" let's go the scientist.
They jump successfully before the last platforms gets wrecked from the wall.
The rumbling ceases once more. Whichever machine caused the assault, it's something they must stay away from at all costs. They hear the machine walk back down in the depths of the pit. The crew is ignored. Zephyr falls down on his knees, petrified by the thoughts of crossing paths with whatever made such noise. Alister is equally on the fence about moving forward, but the scientist's curiosity is enough to ignore the starvation.
"Wha-What on earth is happening??"
"Yeah, should probably note that down too, huh doc?" Exclaims Alister.
"Wait. Since it's gone, we can investigate what it tried to killed." States the Scientist. He moves forward while the rest of party sits there.
"Nah that's not fucking trying. He succeeded." Retaliates the hunter.
This situation places everyone on edge. After the lackluster few hours, they are presented with a platter of knowledge to digest, without their consent. Regardless, they continue onward. Even with the reduced difficulty, jumping on these platforms gets tiresome and takes a good toll on their body, especially for Riley and Alister, who only have a couple of beans and drops of water to stay afloat. They arrive at checkpoint 10 869.
They find on a decently sized platform, the corpse of a big creature. Clearly a reptile of tortoise type, the only indication of that being the shell it sports on its back. The turtle's not as massive as Nil was after its mutation, but about two thirds its size. A hole has been punctured in its stomach and its head has been violently crushed on the wall of rocks. The crater left by the stomp is massive, a terrifying mark. This sends shivers down their spine. Urth is hiding behind Zephyr.
"I... Riley, please examine what the fuck I'm looking at." Exclaims the hunter.
"Yeah please do." Replies Zephyr.
"Clearly some sort of turtle, although I don't remember turtle having legs that long."
"Woah! Nice observation Riley! I also don't remember them being 20 to 30 feet tall! If this pit's goal is to remind me of how tiny and insignificant I am, then it's succeeding! I can't believe this! Just a DAY prior we couldn't fall on anything concrete, and now because it fucking feels like it, big unknown robot suddenly kills poor innocent giant turtle, god damn it!" Alister is in all sorts of emotional states.
Riley looks at him, worried.
"Hey! Stop looking at me and go back to taking notes, dipshit!"
"Yes, of course. I'm going to do just that."
The scientist indeed starts taking notes of the creature. He walks up to it and tries to analyze its structure with his flashlight. Despite the flesh being thorned out, there's plenty to note, maybe too much for Riley's tiny notepad. He gets a second one out of his supplies, in case.
Perfect timing.