Tree’s base.
The base of the trunk arched high above the ground in a yawning mouth, so tall that she couldn’t have reached the top if she stood on her own shoulders. A dark mouth gaped beyond. The path continued underneath the Tree, so steep that she couldn’t see where it led.
Elise climbed into the cavern under the Tree and stepped onto damp, cold rocks. As soon as she was sheltered by the trunk, the flapping of wings became distant, as though miles away.
She had made some small escape, but she felt no relief yet. They were still searching, and that they would realize where she had dropped soon enough. There were only so many places that she could run.
How long could she hide under the Tree? She straightened to assess her surroundings.
Elise stood on the edge of a massive cavern underneath the Tree. It was almost a perfect sphere, as far as she could see—which wasn’t far at all. It was filled with a clinging haze, moist and heavy, and she could barely see beyond a few hundred yards in any direction.
There were lights in the gloom at the bottom of the cavern. They lit her path on the way down, inviting her to explore.
Elise drew a breath, and it didn’t burn as much as it had outside. The atmosphere was moister here. After a few deep inhales, she almost felt strong enough to walk again, though not strong enough to face the angels.
Glancing at the gray sky over her shoulder, barely peeking through a hole in the roots above, she started down the path.
It only got darker as she descended, but she quickly began to realize that it wasn’t lanterns glowing but spherical rocks, each the size of a couch. They were scattered across soft, fertile soil, and all of them glowed with their own internal light.
Her senses itched powerfully among the rocks. There was something wrong about them. Something almost…organic.
If this was an illusion like the jungle, the town, and Motion and Dance, it was a weird fucking illusion.
She picked up a glowing rock the size of a softball that was planted near her path. She had to snap it free of the ground, as though it had roots of its own. The light died as soon as it was disconnected. She hefted the rock in her hand. It was heavier than it looked. Elise thought of bringing it down on Adam’s head, and wondered if he would bleed crimson or silver.
Elise had to walk for a few more minutes before finding another rock small enough to wield, and when she plucked it from the ground, it also stopped glowing. She tucked both under her arm.
She wove through the rocks in search of more ammunition as she continued down the path. There were occasional stone slabs interspersed among the rocks, low and flat. Most were empty.
She spotted one that was occupied, and she froze.
There was a body on it, hands folded over her chest and eyes closed. Wings were draped over either side of the slab. The angel didn’t move, so it must not have heard Elise—or even been alive.
As she drew closer, she could see condensation beading the angel’s eyelashes, hair, and feathers. Her skin was fresh and pink rather than the ash-gray of death. Were it not for her exposed breasts and the smooth skin between her legs, she would have looked as genderless as any other angel; she had almost boyish features and no waist.
Through the papery skin, Elise could see a heart beating in the angel’s chest, slow and sluggish. Every pulse sent blood flooding through the limbs with a red flush.
She backed away slowly, unwilling to find out if those eyes would open.
But that wasn’t the last body she passed. Others were obviously dead, with mortal wounds on their chests and bellies and faces, while others seemed uninjured. All of them were unresponsive.
“What the fuck is this place?” Elise whispered as she moved around another body, which had no head or wings. A nursery, or a graveyard?
She spotted another small rock, but she had run out of hands to carry it, and she was naked. Elise searched for a nearby
The base of the trunk arched high above the ground in a yawning mouth, so tall that she couldn’t have reached the top if she stood on her own shoulders. A dark mouth gaped beyond. The path continued underneath the Tree, so steep that she couldn’t see where it led.
Elise climbed into the cavern under the Tree and stepped onto damp, cold rocks. As soon as she was sheltered by the trunk, the flapping of wings became distant, as though miles away.
She had made some small escape, but she felt no relief yet. They were still searching, and that they would realize where she had dropped soon enough. There were only so many places that she could run.
How long could she hide under the Tree? She straightened to assess her surroundings.
Elise stood on the edge of a massive cavern underneath the Tree. It was almost a perfect sphere, as far as she could see—which wasn’t far at all. It was filled with a clinging haze, moist and heavy, and she could barely see beyond a few hundred yards in any direction.
There were lights in the gloom at the bottom of the cavern. They lit her path on the way down, inviting her to explore.
Elise drew a breath, and it didn’t burn as much as it had outside. The atmosphere was moister here. After a few deep inhales, she almost felt strong enough to walk again, though not strong enough to face the angels.
Glancing at the gray sky over her shoulder, barely peeking through a hole in the roots above, she started down the path.
It only got darker as she descended, but she quickly began to realize that it wasn’t lanterns glowing but spherical rocks, each the size of a couch. They were scattered across soft, fertile soil, and all of them glowed with their own internal light.
Her senses itched powerfully among the rocks. There was something wrong about them. Something almost…organic.
If this was an illusion like the jungle, the town, and Motion and Dance, it was a weird fucking illusion.
She picked up a glowing rock the size of a softball that was planted near her path. She had to snap it free of the ground, as though it had roots of its own. The light died as soon as it was disconnected. She hefted the rock in her hand. It was heavier than it looked. Elise thought of bringing it down on Adam’s head, and wondered if he would bleed crimson or silver.
Elise had to walk for a few more minutes before finding another rock small enough to wield, and when she plucked it from the ground, it also stopped glowing. She tucked both under her arm.
She wove through the rocks in search of more ammunition as she continued down the path. There were occasional stone slabs interspersed among the rocks, low and flat. Most were empty.
She spotted one that was occupied, and she froze.
There was a body on it, hands folded over her chest and eyes closed. Wings were draped over either side of the slab. The angel didn’t move, so it must not have heard Elise—or even been alive.
As she drew closer, she could see condensation beading the angel’s eyelashes, hair, and feathers. Her skin was fresh and pink rather than the ash-gray of death. Were it not for her exposed breasts and the smooth skin between her legs, she would have looked as genderless as any other angel; she had almost boyish features and no waist.
Through the papery skin, Elise could see a heart beating in the angel’s chest, slow and sluggish. Every pulse sent blood flooding through the limbs with a red flush.
She backed away slowly, unwilling to find out if those eyes would open.
But that wasn’t the last body she passed. Others were obviously dead, with mortal wounds on their chests and bellies and faces, while others seemed uninjured. All of them were unresponsive.
“What the fuck is this place?” Elise whispered as she moved around another body, which had no head or wings. A nursery, or a graveyard?
She spotted another small rock, but she had run out of hands to carry it, and she was naked. Elise searched for a nearby
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