"Should we go down and look for that 'Trigger'?"
"I don't think it's suitable for everyone to go down together." Kraft took out the last two sample bottles. This trip had yielded far more than any of their previous expeditions; the wide variety of samples might soon lead to a whole new understanding.
"To be precise, it's not suitable for any human to go down there. Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do about that."
Unlike the others, he didn't avert his gaze. He watched the Moving Sculptures seep black liquid for a while, patiently waiting for these things—whatever they were—to react.
But they didn't. They simply moved slowly at regular intervals, following a fixed rhythm. They didn't seem interested in the living creatures and sources of light and heat so close by.
"I have an idea." Kraft tentatively tossed the burnt-out torch into the pit. It still didn't provoke any further reaction. "We still have the rope, right?"
"What do you mean?"
"Just in case, I need someone to pull me up if necessary." Kraft took the rope Wadin handed him and tied a reassuringly secure knot around his waist and shoulders.
The rope was heavy and as sturdy as its weight suggested. It was a wonder Wadin had managed to carry it all the way here. They'd brought it along to secure the ship or traverse difficult terrain in an emergency, and now it would finally come in handy.
"I suggest anyone feeling a little out of it turn around. If I need help, I'll tug the rope three times in quick succession as a signal. Then you pull me back as hard and fast as you can."
He yanked on the rope, making sure that even if he were pulled in two, it wouldn't snap. At roughly the