The team withdrew from the ruins.
They had expected a fierce battle, or something that would tear at their understanding of the world. But there was nothing here. It really was just an empty shell.
An abandoned eggshell. The fallen thing had been its embryo, soaking in the remnants of the people who once lived here. In the end, its contents had indeed merged into one and hatched into that thing. But whatever had emerged from the shell, it had nothing to do with yolk or egg white.
Before leaving, Kraft chipped off a few samples from the pillars made of that unusual material. To be honest, he was curious about how they had "died."
They made it back to the boat without a scratch, but the things that had vanished had become a tangible weight, pressing down on their fragile nerves.
An embryo needed nutrients to develop, but it seemed that development was far from the end. It still needed to grow, and the dwindling population underground had clearly been unable to meet its needs. And if there was anywhere that could...
Everyone thought of the same thing: right above them, an entire city was trembling in the shaking.
The boat pushed off from the shore. Fuel consumption was more optimistic than expected, so they could explore a little farther in and turn back once they had used up more than a third of their supply.
The remaining two-thirds had to cover detours, getting lost, and the possibility that they might have to wait for rescue.
Once they were clear of the shallows and reefs, they put out the torches. The oil lamp's flame once again became their only source of light.
They adjusted their course, aiming for the foot of another pillar in the lake, larger and deeper