September 8th
DEC Forest outskirts
Former Turkey, site of the Dardanelles Strait
21:35 PM, local time
It would be beautiful if it were not so abhorrent, the Dimensional Energy Crystals that sparkled brightly in the glistening moonlight. Less then a year ago this had been a prospering region, the route now traversed by a Huckebein made by ample of ships coming and going for trade. People lived here and they thrived, except now. Now nothing lived here, or perhaps that was merely the hope.
After all if something lived here... It wanted you dead.
The DEC forest had sprouted suddenly, something had gone wrong on the moon and this came in response. Earth bearing the weight of whatever sins had been committed above its atmosphere and since then many a millionaire that had sought a shard of DEC cried themselves to sleep due to their wasted fortune and the forest that had made the Dimensional Energy Crystal from a scarcity to having a steady supply literally in the blink of an eye had grown steadily. How long would it continue to do so? Would it ever stop? Could it perhaps be stopped? These were pressing questions but less pressing than the murderous vagabonds rampaging around called Ruina and the classic human internal conflicts between the many factions.
One of those factions now had arrived, the first target of two began entering sight as in this clear night the technicolor crystal was still visible, uncomfortably so. Where once had been foliage and overgrowth it was coming, near the shore where some buildings still remained they only did so in spirit, half deteriorated and 'eaten'. Why they called it a forest however was plenty clear as spires rose up out of the ground, stretching arms bearing no leaves or fruit into the sky and threatening to collide with any sky faring machines were they to deign fly into them. Their sizes varied but if they had sprouted so quickly here, at the edge of the contaminated area the question was how massive they were near its center.
So far the forest had been quiet, and now there was an arrival at the opening to the Dardanelles strait, though covered in night the end, or beginning depending on which direction one was moving in, of the strait remained intact and open. Yet whether that would remain the case was in question. The only way to know was to go on, and head into the forest at night.
DEC Forest outskirts
Former Turkey, site of the Dardanelles Strait
21:35 PM, local time
It would be beautiful if it were not so abhorrent, the Dimensional Energy Crystals that sparkled brightly in the glistening moonlight. Less then a year ago this had been a prospering region, the route now traversed by a Huckebein made by ample of ships coming and going for trade. People lived here and they thrived, except now. Now nothing lived here, or perhaps that was merely the hope.
After all if something lived here... It wanted you dead.
The DEC forest had sprouted suddenly, something had gone wrong on the moon and this came in response. Earth bearing the weight of whatever sins had been committed above its atmosphere and since then many a millionaire that had sought a shard of DEC cried themselves to sleep due to their wasted fortune and the forest that had made the Dimensional Energy Crystal from a scarcity to having a steady supply literally in the blink of an eye had grown steadily. How long would it continue to do so? Would it ever stop? Could it perhaps be stopped? These were pressing questions but less pressing than the murderous vagabonds rampaging around called Ruina and the classic human internal conflicts between the many factions.
One of those factions now had arrived, the first target of two began entering sight as in this clear night the technicolor crystal was still visible, uncomfortably so. Where once had been foliage and overgrowth it was coming, near the shore where some buildings still remained they only did so in spirit, half deteriorated and 'eaten'. Why they called it a forest however was plenty clear as spires rose up out of the ground, stretching arms bearing no leaves or fruit into the sky and threatening to collide with any sky faring machines were they to deign fly into them. Their sizes varied but if they had sprouted so quickly here, at the edge of the contaminated area the question was how massive they were near its center.
So far the forest had been quiet, and now there was an arrival at the opening to the Dardanelles strait, though covered in night the end, or beginning depending on which direction one was moving in, of the strait remained intact and open. Yet whether that would remain the case was in question. The only way to know was to go on, and head into the forest at night.