Our tale resumed in a subterranean chamber of vast scale, illuminated by the eerie glow of ancient lights. Strange mechanical arms ending in discs of unknown purpose dangled lifelessly along the walls, their forms casting looming shadows. Far below, a metal platform beckoned, leading to a cavernous doorway and the unseen threats beyond. An ominous pall permeated the stale air.
Gathered on the platform, the ragtag band of villagers from Loparr mourned the loss of their comrade Longshot, sacrificed to the cruel depths. Elise inspected a large tube protruding from the wall, determined to detach its mysterious disc. Meanwhile, Jeffries paced impatiently, covetous of the relics Prodigy had uncovered in a hidden alcove. Tempers flared briefly as the spoils were distributed, but the group pressed on.
Studying glowing panels, Cloud H deciphered words from languages lost millennia ago. Upon touching the fateful word “food,” machinery groaned to life and the damaged tube began spewing an oozing blue fluid.
Donning an ancient suit, Smokey swiftly came to regret his reckless haste. The helmet clamped down, defying all attempts at removal. Frantic, he referred to the suit’s inscrutable warnings as “the ghost”—flashing lights and voices speaking in tongues. As oxygen dwindled, so too did Smokey’s time. Only through cooperation could the group shatter the stubborn helmet with a rock axe, freeing him from its grasp.
Undaunted by their comrade’s brush with death, Cloud G and Bucks bravely entered a vertical transport tube. To the shock of those left behind, the duo ascended through the ceiling into parts unknown. After an agonizing wait, the portal reopened and the pair emerged unharmed in a new chamber. There, glowing doppelgangers materialized, uttering unintelligible words in a long-dead tongue.