IC- Signs of the Underground

[arcanus]

Lieutenant Croft nodded, the four watched as the main body of the marines silently withdrew, disappearing back the way they came.

Warily looking about they cautiously moved the the office building, as they entered they noted the ground floor atrium had been overrun by foliage.

Mac sensed something, an aura or presence of sorts.

[Keeper]

Hades stopped and made sure his shotgun was readied.
“There’s something not right here,” he voiced.
“Shit, Mac, this is Chicago, everything’s not right here!” Ty said only a hint of jest in his words.
“Yeah, but there’s something not right with the not right.”
Hades glanced to Lily. “You okay to take a look, babe?” he asked.
He knew she was still new at this and she might not be up for it right away.

[arcanus]

Lily took a deep breath, looking at the other side was a relatively new experience for her.

It was hard to describe it was more than just being able to see another world because you heard, smelt and felt it, it was as if the surface world were underwater, clear and serene.

However this wasn’t, concentrating she closed her eyes, slowly inhaled, The Mothers symbol of the sickle passed across her minds eye and once she opened her eyes she was looking beyond.

She winced as initially her vision was assaulted by angry bees, however the static quickly passed albeit leaving a painful throb in her temples.

Her eyes widened “Oh my!”

Mac, Ty and Croft looked her
“Er Lil everything okay?” asked Ty, Mac could see the marine tense
“Yeah, yeah, I don’t know how to describe it, there’s power running through all the plants, it’s like....glowing green”. without realising it she’d stepped over to a particularly thick vine trunk, in the astral she noticed some form of swirling language covered the plants bark

[Keeper]

Mac noticed that far-away look that Lily had. He’d watched her countless times as she’d practiced piercing the boundary to the astral realm with her vision.
He watched as she’d stepped closer to the tree, stepping up alongside her he put his hand around her arm. He’d lost count of how many times she’d tripped over something while she was looking elsewhere.

Also, he didn’t like the tree. Trees had a habit of hiding things in their branches. Insects and the like. And this was Chicago - the insect here could easily rip off a limb idle swallow a person while.

“Don’t look too long. You could expose yourself to unwanted attention,” he said quietly, giving her arm a gentle reassuring squeeze.

[Keeper]

Turning, Hades scanned around the building, looking at all of the dark recesses. Anything could be hiding in here.
It was strange, he considered, to be back like nothing had happened. Yes he had radio comms with the military, yes, he had better equipment and yes, they were well aware of their purpose, but that seemed to present more of a risk, somehow.
At least before, they had a place, they got to know the area, they made the decisions. This was too much like a military operation. Go here, do this at this time, the go there and do that at that specific time. Surely, Henderson could have sent in anyone. He must have thousands of highly trained commandos at his disposal. But he chose to send in three nobody's.
Granted these nobodies held it together in this hole for four years, survived against ever mounting odds. There weren't many amongst the ranks of commandos who could claim even half the experience is fighting the bugs and surviving the zone.
He glanced again at the soldiers. They were clean, efficient, some of Henderson's best.
He glanced at Ty and Lily.
They looked the part in their fatigues and combat harness webbing.
They do look the part.
And that, Hades concluded, was exactly what would get them killed. Bugs aside, who were not too fussy if one was dressed like a tramp or a snappy dressing corporate senior, nice crisp, clean army fatigues were like an open invitation from the gangs and factions within the zone.
He began stripping off his webbing and his fatigue jacket. He had on a clean checked shirt. Which he began rubbing against as many dirty objects as he could.
"What the fuck ar you doing?" Ty peered at him
"Looking less like them," Hades nodded at there squadies.
Ty stared at the soldiers.
"Shit!" Ty cursed. And began getting rid of the military outfit.

[Keeper]

Hades cast his gaze back to Lilly. She was staring off into the 'other side' still. He checked the time.
Crossing back to her he gently placed his hand on her forearm and said, "That's enough, babe. Time to come back."
He waited, holding on for her to respond.

[arcanus]

There was a savagery to the place, she wasn't quite sure what was the cause whether the apocalytic city around the overgrown ruins, something more primal or perhaps both, but whatever the reason it didn't feel entirely safe.

On the other side it was enshrouded with glowing green vines, foliage and roots, many bore scars and pocks where they'd been fed on by insects but these had healed, she looked around warily, for any signs of the apex predator of this cursed place, insect spirits but other than the eery quite the place appeared quiet.

She felt Mac's hand tugging her arm, looking at his astral form it wasn't its usual swirling vortex of clean white energy, something the military had given to him was hiding this, she remembered what the army magicians had said to her.

'Don't look on the other side too long, things are looking back' shuddering she closed her eyes and cut the connection returning to the muted physical world, she wobbled, she always felt dizzy coming back.

[Keeper]

Hades caught her arm, steadying her.
"Easy! You okay?“ he asked quietly, aware that the soldiers were watching.
"Yeah," she said confidently.
He led her over to a bench seat and breathed dead fallen leaves from the seat.
She rolled her eyes at him and sat.
Lieutenant Croft joined them. "What did you see?" he asked quietly.
"This place has some sort of darkness over it. Like the rest of the city, I guess, but there's also something else, like a deep emotional scar, in the background. Like it's old, you know? There are scars to the auras of these plants too, like something was feeding off them, maybe, but they are old too. I think this place used to be active with the bugs, but it hasn't been for a long time."
Mac smiled at her. "Well done," he treated her.
She screwed her nose up. "Not at all condescending!"
He laughed at her. "Sorry."
She stood up meaningfully, "Come on, let's get this camp set. The office behind the reception desk should work. There's enough of us to support a one hour watch rota, don't you think?"
It was Croft's turn to laugh. "Yes, ma'am!"
He began issuing orders to the remaining marines.
Ty joined them and the settled into the office space.
"Don't know what you guys are thinking, but it feels kinda right being here. Like life is back to normal," he said.
"Yeah, that's weird!" Lily confirmed. "It's the elevated adrenaline levels. Your body got so used to living at that level while you were in here that you felt empty without it. We were the same. Honestly though, Ty, I'd rather live with feeling empty, but hey, here we are!"
Mac lay down and propped his head up on his pack. "Get some sleep you two," he suggested.
They both nodded and Lily snuggled in next to the orc, resting her head on his shoulder.