Bygone

6

Blurr

We'll be fine.

The ominous circle that made up what three of them began to assume was where they would meet with fate surged uneasiness within them. It was irritable, to say the least.

The hairs on their arms lifted, dragging against the fabric of their shirts like a draft of wind on a cold day. There was no green, no lush aroma of the painted soil nor comforting vibrance that adhered to them.

Only the cursed serenity of the black rocks.

The circle's region was exponential, large enough for a drawn conflict between two trained combatants to stand off against. Clearly not laid out for the likes of them three. It was still a distant way ahead, the bare green of the grass that led to the edge of the city fading into a grey contrast; the life of the fields being corrupted as it waltzed closed.

Still, they felt their position to be in vulnerability.

Despite Chloe's request in advancing proudly (and stupidly) toward the entrance to the sublevel cavern, the bitter taste of the consequences of doing so stained and was left to dry in her mouth. The repercussions of her added carelessness with the rest of her companions could end their quest this very instant.

Three of them kept their chests perched heavily onto the soil of the crater, their heads peeking from the curvature's end. Marcus loomed over slightly higher, his hair brushing up with the wind as he squinted his eyes to the mouth. A small stream seemed to flow in from a trench naturally made, potentially over the course of years. It wasn't solid rock, nor was it fully debris from the befallen structures around.

It indeed begged the question, how was it that this had been the only place the material they were searching for had resided? As far as they knew, the Sempiterium metal was what made up a fragment of their gear; especially their weapons.

But answers weren't of their importance.

If the woman that entrusted them with a mission to retrieve a foundational segment of a machine that could transform, and reshape reality as they knew, told them to do so; the only human response is to comply.

They took note of its distinct similarity to that of any other eroded cave, especially the dismal darkness of its interior.

Jaclyn pivoted her head slightly to the rest on her left, descending by a little into the crater. She tied her short, umber hair up into a messy bun fretfully, leaving out thick strands that fashioned make-shift bangs. Though it partially obscured her vision, it was rather comfortable; she'd hoped even more so with the helmet on.

"Why are we just staring at the cave?" She stated a rather liable question.

"Yeah, we should probably devise a strategy of sorts." Marcus responded with similar thoughts in mind. He, too, lowered back down into the safety of the crater and tilted his head towards the girls to his right.

Just in time to see Jaclyn's eyes roll at him.

"Or we could just keep staring at it." He mumbled under his breath.

"Any ideas for that?" Chloe asked delightedly, sinking down to level with the rest.

She twirled round and placed her back against the soil with her lance strapped safely on its sling. Fortunately for her, and their sakes, she situated herself between the pair. With their recent mockery to one another, she didn't want to risk their effectiveness as a triad. It was bad enough that they both agreed on doing this. And was worsened when they realised it was the only thing they could come to agree on.