The brothers descended

13th Aug 2022

The brothers descended. At first the air was cool and daylight spilled in through the mouth of the structure, but soon a chill gripped them and the very air seemed to hang heavy over them, moist and expectant. Before long they had rounded a corner and the last dregs of daylight were gone, and the only light to be had was that coming from the orb. It glinted from the wet walls and peeled off the rusted piping that vanished into the floor.

In the gloom Luka stumbled over a step that wasn't there and almost fell. Matti grabbed him before he went sprawling.

"This was a mistake," said Matti.

"Don't," said Luka.

"I'm not - I just mean, we should have taken Crisjen. She could have helped."

"And you know she would've told Father. She isn't family, Matti. She doesn't get it."

Matti hefted the pack over his shoulder. The orb seemed to grow fainter with every step. He hoped to hell the battery wouldn't give out. They walked in silence for a while, their footsteps splashing. Then Matti said,

"Do you really think it's still there?"

Luka kicked a pipe, shaking loose flakes of centuries-old rust. "Yes. No. Who cares. It doesn't even make a difference. We have to look for it whether or not it exists."

It was a foregone conclusion, Father would have said. Or at least the old Father. The new one didn't talk to them so much. When he did talk his words had jagged edges.

The orb said, "Altitude five eighty."

"We're getting close," said Luka. "The scroll said it came to rest at six seventy one."

"And the scroll also said it was hurled there by an ogre," said Matti, "who was distressed by the sound of its singing. Are we really trusting the scroll here?"

Luka rounded on him. "Look, if you have something to say, then say it."

Matti put his hands in his pockets. "Fine. I think this is hopeless. I think whatever was left of the ship burned up when it crashed a thousand years ago. I think we'll find nothing there but rust and rock, if this tunnel ever ends at all. And I think looking for the Grail there will end up killing us both."

The sounds of water droplets greeted them after that. The brothers looked at each other without speaking.

The orb said, "Incoming."

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