We remounted the mechs briefly on our journey, so I was quite surprised to see that the sky had gone a dark gray when I got my brief attunement glimpse just an hour later. There was something about the air that felt unnatural, a spark that suggested thunder and lightning were well on their way, yet wouldn’t be the normal bit of light refreshment that such storms often brought.

CD’s voice buzzed in my ear.

“Atmospheric anomalies detected. The probability of lightning and thunder: 89%. Best prepare for inclement weather, ape.”

The air had an electric charge, prickling my skin, and a faint scent of ozone drifted in the breeze. It made the ruined mega-city more daunting somehow. Everything was cloaked in shadows, and who knew what was hiding within them? The distant sounds of crumbling debris and the occasional distant growl or howl echoed through the ruins, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

Still, we continued forth, stopping over cracked old tech streets, stomping down the few plants that managed to worm their way through. Through my occasional snatches of the outside, I was able to see things skittering and loping at our approach, always too fast and far away to be viewed completely. The mechs' steps were steady and deliberate, crushing the overgrowth underfoot and sending small creatures scurrying.

It was no wonder the place was classified a level 10. These ruins were abundant with life, and I doubted much of it was friendly to humans. The air felt thick with the potential for danger, each shadow a possible threat, each distant noise a potential sign of an imminent attack.

So it was a bit surprising when we stopped, the first crackles of thunder echoing through the body of our Toxotai, a tiny pitter-patter of rain beginning to fall over us. I’d been rather sure that we’d just push forward straight to the objective. The rain intensified quickly, soaking the ground and turning the dust into mud, creating a symphony of dripping water and splashing puddles.

“What’s happening?” Sir Oswald called over the comms, the mid-tech device crackling and squalling tinnily in the energy of the weather.

“Loot,” Alain responded, his voice distorted by the static. “Looks like a store that was buried by a skyscraper collapse. Debris is shifted, and we see an entrance.”

Moments later we were out, and I got to see firsthand what he was talking about. It was a partially buried store, with strong walls of old-tech stone and steel, its entrance barely visible above the ground. One of the tall buildings had fallen over it a long time ago, and I grew eager despite the worsening wind and rain.

CD chimed in.

“Structural integrity compromised. This establishment dates back to the pre-apocalypse era. The probability of valuable salvage is high. Probability of good, useful salvage? Probably all nuts and bananas, knowing your kind.”

Amazingly, the store's sign still crackled with some inborn energy, an array of pinks and purples, with a scaly-bodied lizard creature in a blue vest winking at us from the edge of the last letter.

‘John Klein’s MegaMart,’ it announced in sparkly glee, some of the letters flickering and others no longer lit.

If it had been buried during the apocalypse, who knew what it might hold inside? And an old, dipped crater nearby filled with struggling plants suggested it almost certainly had been.

“Looks like it might be worth checking out,” Sir Alain said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He’d already dismounted completely and was strolling across the broken and debris-strewn ground to the land’s highest point. The rain plastered his hair to his forehead, and rivulets of water ran down his armor, but he seemed unfazed.

Next to me, Elli clapped a hand on my shoulder.

“Looks like stuff that we’re not gonna have to report!” she exclaimed, smiling. She dipped her head back, letting the rain splatter her face and soak through her hair. “Not a bad day to be doing it in either.”

Sir Oswald popped up, laughing, beside us.

“Sometimes, a thunderstorm without the rads is a good day to be out in my opinion. Too often, in too many places, the clouds foam green, and you have to stay inside or face turning to a mute. Well, rarely. Depends if you hit a rad zone or not. Anyways, that’s a tale for camp. Let’s get moving, you two!”

We both turned to him, eyebrows cocked. I noticed that his normal plate armor had been replaced with a chest piece of studded leather, his leggings a soft almost hose-like deerskin. I glanced back at the lightning and realized he was simply avoiding getting fried by electricity.

We moved, forming together on the small makeshift vantage of trash and bones that Alain had discovered. The rain fell harder now, each drop like a tiny hammer against the ground, creating a cacophony that drowned out all but the closest sounds. I was amused to see his own face and hair dipped back as Elli’s had been, taking advantage of nature's shower, the fluid coursing over his own set of leather and deerskin and down over the backpacks he had laid out at his feet.

He turned and faced us.

“This weather is actually a good time to move through the ruins, so I don’t want to waste it. But this ruin; it’s too good a find to pass up. Eadric and Conrad, keep watch in the mechs. Rest are with me.”

“Good with me,” Eadric joked. “I hate the rain.”

The two turned on a pivot and headed back to where they’d come from. Meanwhile, I moved closer to Alain, a question burning in my mind.

“We’re already running a little over the time limit. Are you sure it’ll be alright, for all of us, if we come back late?”

He laughed into the sky, his exaggerated guffaw coinciding with a blast of lightning and a roll of thunder.

“I might not exactly agree with the system, but one thing it is good for is this: nobles like myself can get away with being a few weeks late from a quest. You and Elli are both under my social umbrella. You’re safe.”

He punctuated the last words with a punch to my shoulder, one that I dodged a second before it came.

“That’s the spirit,” he said, chuckling. “Come on, everyone grab a pack, and let's see what treasures await.”

Sir Alain led the way, carefully stepping over the slicked and muddy rubble. Sir Oswald tried to go second, but he barely avoided a fall only after Elli and I caught him mid-slide, and he graciously allowed us to go ahead of him afterward.

The doors themselves opened as we approached, grinding and whirring hard before allowing the mound of built-up gravel and debris to cascade through and pile into the entrance. Alain ducked as he went through, and we all did the same, marveling at the dim darkness.

Alain produced an electric torch, mid-tech, from a satchel on his side, and flicked it on. We stared; it was a different world than either Elli or I had seen. The air was musty, filled with the scent of light decay and old paper. Alain’s light cast long shadows, revealing rows upon rows of shelves stocked with ancient goods. The sight was surreal; though the shelves were half empty, that was understandable considering the strife of the times in which it had existed. This place, it was as if time had frozen the store at the exact moment of its burial.

“I’ll mark the place on my map. Two hours and we leave if we find any threats. Also, we see if we can’t block up the entrance when we go,” Sir Alain ordered. “I’d like this to stay our little secret.”

We moved through the aisles, our footsteps echoing in the silence. The shelves were stocked with all manner of old-world brands, their labels faded and worn but still legible. Cans, light plastic bags, hard plastic bowls, and white foam containers, were all filled with foodstuffs.

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CD piped up.

“Nutripaste,” he noted, his tone derisive. “Nutritional content is suboptimal compared to synthesized alternatives. Consumption not recommended for prolonged periods.”

I grabbed a can of “Nutripaste,” examining its faded label.

“NourishPro NutriPaste Packed with Everything You Need!”

In the background, I could see the image of fresh vegetables, fruits, grains, and a happy, healthy family enjoying a meal together.

"NourishPro NutriPaste" "Complete Meal in a Can" "For a Healthier You" Flavor: "Savory Herb & Veggie Delight".

I grinned.

“I know what I’m eating tonight!”

Sir Oswald grabbed the can and examined it.

“Yeah. Old tech stays good. Let’s throw some in a bag.”

“What about mid-tech food?” Elli asked, her eyes gleaming.

“Something about their cans is different. The food turns to paste. Edible, but doesn’t taste good. And it gives you the shits.”

“Pleasant,” CD remarked dryly. “Maybe you should try some, Alaric. See if it’s safe for Ellinor.”

“Might I remind you that your battery is slowly draining. Without us, you’ll be going into a long slumber, CD,” I whispered.

“W--what?” he spluttered. “Is that a threat! You wouldn’t dare!”

“He definitely would, so come on, don’t tease Al,” Elli chimed in.

Alain shot us a curious look as he caught us whispering, but didn’t say anything.

We continued to peruse, grabbing a few plastic boxless bags of something Alain called “Choco-Crunchies” before wandering past aisles of rot and decay.

We made our way to the back of the store, past a flimsy push door made of opaque plastic. The first shelves there held hard plastic bottles of “HydroPure” water and jars of “PowerSpread, Peanut Butter” guaranteed to “not stick in your mouth.”

Sir Oswald greedily grabbed 6 jars of the spread before we continued.

“Look at this,” Elli said as we hit the next row of shelves. She held up a jar of a bright green substance and we all hunched over to examine it.

“GlowGoo — Illuminate Your Health!”

Turning the jar, we saw a woman wearing a blue dress and apron standing before a sparkling kitchen full of tiles and old-tech gadgetry, holding a sparkling glob of the stuff on the end of a fork.

“Yummy!” she said through the use of a comic speech bubble.

Supercharged Energy Gel For Maximum Vitality and Endurance Zesty Citrus Blast High Energy — Packed with Electrolytes Enhanced with Bio-Luminescent Algae Extracts Tremendous for Cleaning Hard to Scrub Spills! Infinite Shelf Life!

“GlowGoo,” CD read aloud. “An archaic energy gel. Contains bioluminescent algae extracts. Warning: excessive consumption may cause gastrointestinal distress.”

“It’s a cleaner and a drink!” Elli enthused, giggling.

“Bet it’ll give you the shits,” Sir Oswald said. “Can you imagine drinking this?”

I laughed.

“I think I’d rather stick with water, thanks, though I do know a guy I’d like to try it on.”

Sir Alain frowned.

“Maybe, but maximum vitality and endurance sound good. Perhaps it is a field potion, but one that never goes bad!”

“That you can clean with,” I added.

Sir Oswald made a sour face and I laughed. We turned to continue our search, but not before Alain scooped an armful of the stuff into his bag, his eyes daring Oswald to challenge him.

We continued our search, finding all manner of strange and intriguing items.

There were cans of Meatish, a synthetic meat product that claimed to taste just like the real thing, and packages of VeggiePops, freeze-dried vegetables coated in a sugary glaze.

“Meatish,” CD mused. “Synthetic meat product. Likely derived from a combination of plant proteins and artificial flavoring. Questionable nutritional value.”

We took some of both.

In one corner of the store, we found a display of TechToys, old-world gadgets that promised endless entertainment. There were handheld devices, their screens cracked, alongside large consoles and even large light-eliminating goggles.

“Think any of this still works?” Elli asked, examining a MegaBlaster Switch, a handheld device that could be removed from a bulky plastic rectangular case.

“Who knows,” I replied. “But surely it’s worth taking a few things back with us. Maybe I can get it working again.”

“Probability of functionality is low,” CD commented. “These devices almost certainly require other devices to connect to that are no longer available in these dark and uneducated times.”

Alain gave me a disapproving look.

“No one ever has,” he said. “But take just one if you wish to try.”

As we continued to explore, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia for the world that had been lost. Even with the rot and decay, so much was still here and ready to use. These products, with their bright colors and bold promises, carried themselves with the confidence of the truly supreme.

Really the whole store did. Something that came into even greater focus when Elli found a switch and flipped it, even as Alain yelled a terrified, “Nooooo!”

All the lights in the store came on, flickering to life with a hum and a buzz, illuminating the store in a blinding artificial glow. We all froze for a moment, the brightness of it all disorienting.

“Illumination achieved,” CD commented dryly. “Probability of attracting unwanted attention: 95%.”

“What did you do that for?” Sir Oswald hissed, his eyes darting around the newly illuminated aisles.

“I-I didn’t know what it would do!” Elli stammered, her cheeks flushing red. “I just thought it might be good.”

“Well, now we know,” Sir Alain said firmly. He stepped close to Elli. “But don’t you ever do that without asking. It could have been a security system for all we know.”

I looked at the switch and saw that beneath it was another one labeled Securitron 4000. The rest followed my gaze, and Elli blanched.

“Sorry,” she said in a small voice.

“Nothing happened so we’ll count the church’s blessings. Let’s spread out and search quickly,” Sir Alain ordered. “If there’s power here, there might be more valuable tech hidden away. But stay within sight of each other. We don’t want any surprises.”

We split into pairs, with Elli and Alain heading towards the back of the store while Sir Oswald and I moved towards the front, the buzzing lights above occasionally crackling and flickering.

As Sir Oswald and I walked down one aisle, something caught my eye. It was a small display case filled with tiny, shimmering objects. I reached out and wiped away the dust from the glass, revealing an array of delicate jewelry. Necklaces, rings, and bracelets, all glinting in the fluorescent light.

“Look at these,” I said, gesturing to the case. “They’re beautiful.”

Sir Oswald peered over my shoulder, his eyes widening.

“Better not show your girlfriend. Might end up getting married.”

He chuckled and slapped my back.

“Friends with benefits,” I replied, carefully opening the case and taking out a delicate silver necklace. “But seriously, we could black market these.”

He nodded, sweeping the rest of them into his bag. “We can check with Alain later, but yeah, those are gonna be good creds.”

We continued our search, finding and collecting more items: some boxes of old-world medicines, a shelf of various old tech batteries, and Oswald even grabbed a few bottles of Justin Osher Honeytime Whiskey.

He wanted to grab more, but a loud crash echoed from the front of the store, sending us hurrying back to where Sir Alain and Elli had gone.

We found them standing over a pile of rubble, the remnants of a collapsed ceiling panel. Sir Alain was rubbing his shoulder, a pained expression on his face.

“What happened?” I asked, looking at the debris.

“Ceiling gave way,” Sir Alain explained, Oswald, helping him to his feet. “We need to be more careful. This place is more unstable than it looks.”

Just as he finished speaking, there was another sound, this one more deliberate and menacing. A low, guttural growl echoed through the store, followed by the unmistakable sound of something large and heavy moving through the aisles.

We all froze, and our senses were on high alert. The growl came again, closer this time. I could see the tension in everyone’s faces and felt ice in my stomach.

We were not alone.

“Form up,” Sir Alain ordered, drawing his weapon. “We need to get out of here. Now.”

We moved quickly, making our way back towards the entrance, the sounds of movement growing more pronounced behind us. Shadows flickered at the edges of my vision, and I could feel the presence of something, or possibly even multiple somethings, watching us.

Just as we reached the entrance, a massive shape lunged from the shadows. It was a mutant, its form twisted and grotesque. The eyes glowed with a malevolent light, and its claws gleamed in the harsh fluorescent light.

“Strong. Mobile. If I hadn’t been found by you,” CD commented, “I’d have been happy to be found by that specimen over there. Superior in every way imaginable.”

“I bet,” I muttered.

The creature stood at least my height and a half, its proportions human but the skin dark and slimy.

“Oursssss!” it burbled from low-hanging jaws. “Ourssss!” it bellowed again, a voice bubbling from under mountains of mucus slime.

“Go!” Sir Alain shouted, pushing us towards the door while drawing his blade from its scabbard.

We hesitated for a moment, but the sight of the creature bearing down on us spurred us into action. We scrambled out of the store, the rain-slicked ground making our movements awkward and clumsy.

Outside, the storm had intensified, the rain now coming down in sheets. We regrouped at the entrance, our breaths coming in ragged gasps.

“Is everyone okay?” Sir Oswald asked, his eyes scanning the group.

“We’re fine,” I replied, glancing back at the store. “But Sir Alain is still in there.”

A moment later, Sir Alain emerged, his armor covered in blood and grime. He was breathing heavily, but he looked uninjured.

“Let’s move. No blocking the entrance,” he said, his voice grim. “There’s no time, and there are definitely more where that thing came from.”

We hurried back to the mechs, hearts beating fast and furious. As we mounted up and prepared to leave, I couldn’t help but look back at the store, its lights still flickering in the storm.

Where had those creatures come from? And was this a place we could return to? A monstrous head ducked out from the building, shaking something in our direction, and I decided the answer was probably not.

We moved away from the store and further into the ruins of Chic-A-Go. It was time to get on with the quest.