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Caleb broke through the wall. Rock clattered on the concrete. It was a sewer and most fortunately a clean one that didn’t smell too bad. Sauntering through the opening, he looked up and down the narrow walkway beside the channel.

“Hello!!” He yelled.

The echoing reverberated off the walls. Caleb smiled. He always wanted to do that. A pale light was coming from his left so he turned toward it. He could hear the other scuffling behind him. As he approached the light, he saw the ghostly form of a ladder. Scampering up, he found a manhole. Closed of course. A few bashes from the axe loosened it. Pushing it clear, Caleb poked his head out. Wind and rain greeted him. Blinded by the water, he ducked back into shelter.

Clearing his eyes, Caleb tried again. This time he was prepared and got a better look. The road was paved concrete, flanked by hedgerow. A mist was blown through it giving the area a mysterious feel. Climbing out, Caleb reached in to help the others. With everyone out, he closed the manhole. Couldn’t let some poor fellow fall in unawares.

A squeaking caught his attention. Something about it was familiar just not quite right. It was coming from behind the mist and down the road. It was getting louder. A rumbling joined it now. That ultimately moved the veil on Caleb’s memory. It was caterpillar treads moving faster than anything he had heard before. A sharp gust blew the mist and rain away. Four fast tanks were roaring down the road at them.

“Off the road!” called Caleb as he jumped into a ditch.

The tanks raced by. Bannerettes on the antennas snapped in the wind. One of the commanders wearing a leather helmet looked back at the group, surprised and worried by their sudden appearance. The column continued and was soon gone however. Caleb had caught a glimpse of the insignia on the tanks. A silver wolf over a black sword on a blue field. The flag of Gdansk, a fellow member of the Confederation of Lords.

With the clouds now gone, they could see the surrounding lands better. Behind the hedgerow rolling, green moors lazily rose to the skies. More specifically were engulfed by the skies. Most of the Confederation, most of the known world for that matter, were floating islands. How they flew was unknown. (WIP) Breathing easy, Caleb started walking. Civilization was close by. Find it and he would go home. Or just wake up from the craziest dream he had had.

In a few minutes, he found what he had hoped for. A small trading station. It wasn’t anything grand but seeing it after all that had happened made it feel so. Opening the doors, Caleb led the group in. A few head turned and locked on the hussar. He would stand out the most. Slinking to a corner, Caleb moved along a wall to the bar area. A beastman with reptilian arms and tail was cleaning a glass as he walked up.

“What’ll it be?”

“A soda.”

The bartender reached down and produced a glass bottle.

“Strange folk you brought.”

“I just hope this is a dream and I wake up soon.”

“You’ll need something stronger than that.”

“No this’ll do.”

@ethan-leonard

@hannahrenner

@this-is-not-an-alien