At the end of the Western path up into the Mountains, was a cave. Its opening was framed by a purple wooden archway, seeming vaguely Japanese in shape but with Celtic-like knotwork carved into it. I could feel some energy in the wood, but it was faint. Or trying to hide maybe?

Was this part of the Veil Meadran mentioned?

My two Elder Wisps checked it out, while the two Probes stayed with me. They dived into the cave first. The logic there was they wouldn't be seen, or at least they shouldn't be seen.

They came back and flew in a circle, that meant good or clear. We had worked out some simple signals before I marched up here.

As we walking through the cave, I took note of a few branches. There might be minerals or metals down them, but now was not the time. It was nice that the Bright Moon ritual work in these conditions.

We came out into a wasteland. It looked like the setting for the Mad Max films.

Pathetic looking plants and trees, almost no biodiversity. It broke my heart to see it.

But it was mostly sand and rock. The air was dry, and since it was night cold. A real desert.

I could make out some roads and scattered buildings, but off in the distance behind another mountain was the source of all that light and there was a ton of it.

Scanning around there was a canyon with a torn up bridge, a mile or two away. I wondered how I'd get across that.

'Meadran, checking in. It's so lifeless out here.' I'm sure he could feel my sadness.

'Worry not, Young One, we can fix it.' He sent hope.

"Well nothing for it but to get started." I started carefully down the mountain, there was no path, but it wasn't as steep on this side. But hey, my staff came in really handy as a walking stick.

I go to the bridge. There was a Northwest-Southeast road in very poor repair running alongside that canyon.

Yeah that canyon was deeper than I thought. You know, if we could get down there it'd be a good place to hide a little outpost. In fact, I glance over at a Probe.

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"Can you get down there, and get back up?"

It beeped, "Yes. Why?"

"Can you zap in a Pylon down there?"

"Yes."

"Alright, how about a Pylon and a Photon Cannon?"

"No Problem."

"Do it, please."

Fifteen minutes later the Robo-Buddy returned. I could see the shimmering of the warp in progress down below.

Down here it was hard to see far away, it was a hilly land. The state of the plant life was terrible.

'Hey Meadran can you get a sense of what I'm seeing?'

'Sorry Young One, it will be some time before we have that level of rapport.'

'No Worries.'

Do I try to go around, or can we build a...no, I doubt we could right now. At least not safely.

I started walking to the Southeast following the broken road.

Ten or so miles later, we found an East-West multilane road in at least better repair. Cars were zipping along, but I didn't recognize a damn one of them. Where was I? When was I, might be the question.

I cast a regrowth now and then, on myself, the keep my stamina up.

I shrugged.

The Canyon had petered out about a mile back.

But I decided to keep following the trail, I figure it had to go somewhere, and boy, was I right. I could see what was maybe a small town out to the East, but nah, let's head towards the City.

I walked out to the side of the road, because people here drove like maniacs. I had to jump out of the way a few times and saw two different wrecks. I threw some regrowth spell in there but didn't stop to see what happened. I had a bad feeling about all this.

I also kept hearing gun fire in the distance, and a lot of it. I sure hoped my Probes can protect me. I was quickly put on edge.

As I traveled further West, I passed several buildings but most of them seemed abandoned, dilapidated. They few with people gave me bad vibe, and the people themselves were disheveled, poor, desperate.

Interesting note, some of the people had metallic limbs, an even smaller number had other parts made out of metal. Cybernetics? Still just like most things out here they were in bad shape.

The Probes were the only reason, that no one approached me. A few times they pointed guns in our direction, but it didn't come to anything, thankfully.

I was getting the idea that nowhere was safe.

I was able to see bright columns of light coming from the city, then I could see the buildings, they seemed really tall. My bad feeling was rapidly becoming full blown dread. everything was wrong, off, twisted.

An atmosphere of decay, tainted this place. No wonder I was sent. Still not sure I could do what was needed.

Then, I came to The Sunset Motel. At Sunrise, in fact, heh funny.

It was just as bad as everything else, but at least there was a Bar. Up stairs, strange.

I paused to examine, discretely, some of the cars. So familiar, but still not quite right. They were kind of cool even the more obvious junkers.

Later, I'd have to figure out a way to get my hands on some of these.

I moseyed into the Bar.

The worst diving Bar, I had ever been to before was a 5 star experience next to this place. Filthy, about to fall down, and full of thugs.

A huge guy was behind the counter, he tsked at me.

"Hey Choom, leave your little Drones outside, eh."