ZincAboutIt

I'm picturing a sort of "Uncle Drosselmeyer" vibe here, except instead of normal gifts, he brings all the children cursed artifacts of great and terrible power. "Careful there, Lawrence, don't chew on the horns of that elk skull. The immortal demon living within its left eye socket doesn't like that very much." "Now, now, Claire, don't pout - I haven't forgotten you! This is a Hand of Glory. They chopped it off the corpse of a hanged man - isn't that nice? Yes yes, now if you stick this candle in its hand, it'll light up just for you! Now run along, there's a good girl."

Deb whirled at the sound of Bulveye's heavy steps, craning her neck to look at him before feeling foolish and dropping a small ingot of iron on the ground and Pushing herself to meet his eyes. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, and she glanced around, noticing the dimming of the light at the center of the cavern, before returning her attention to the armored soldier. "What is the meaning of this?" She asked, not quite ready to alert the camp. The last thing she needed was a pointless panic. Her eyes went to the man's massive axe, which glinted even in this artificial twilight. "What kind of problem?" @Grey Knight -- Corette felt the Investiture rippling out from behind her, even before the glowing stalactite dimmed. It sawed against her Bronze sense, deep and powerful like a bowstring drawn across a massive bass. She whirled, almost tumbling into the pool before catching herself and slipping down to stand beside Rig. A real tremor of fear went through her now, and her eyes darted around the cavern before coming to rest on the tall soldier. Power beat out from him like the pulsing of a dark heart, centering on the immense axe he held in a casual hand. He was speaking to the Director, and casting glances their way. She looked at Rig, and her hand crept almost unconsciously towards her boot. With effort, she halted her fingers, curling them into a fist, and looked towards Rig. "Already making friends, I see," she said, but her voice was thin and the humor forced. What was going on? @TrailRunnin

Ene you're too sweet! I'm definitely not too cool for you! I'm 92% sure.

Unsure where I fall here. Possibly the relative who lurked in the attic for years before deciding to actually join in the party? Enjoys tea, gets along with the old folks, will gleefully sneak you a drink (and always spikes the punch).

Corette watched Rig and the Director speak, meeting Stancel's eyes with a calm, blank expression. The Director gave Rig one nod, then she nodded to Corette before turning and scribbling something on a clipboard. "Come on," Corette said to Rig, starting to walk back towards the center of the cavern. She looked up at the glowing stalactite, the sight filling her with wonder, and grinned. "It's incredible down here, isn't it? I've lived in this city my entire life, and I never even knew this was here. No one knew. There are places here that no one has ever touched, things that no one has ever seen..." She trailed off, then remembered his question. "Oh, right. The mission." Corette shrugged apologetically. "So. About six months ago, the city was invaded - there was a lot of destruction. Someone carved a crater up there," she nodded her head back towards the elevator shaft, "and some people got together and decided to use the crater as an opportunity to build a subway. Or, um, a train underground." Corette waved her hands. "That's not important. Anyway, when they started excavating, they found this place. All these caves, just waiting. They sent a team down, eight people. Mapped quite a bit of it, but then they stopped reporting. No one knows what's happened to them, and these caves still need to be mapped. So, that's why we're here. Map the caverns, find the first team - if they're still alive. I wouldn't put many chrysts on it, but you never know. I've seen people survive worse." Corette moved over to the glowing pool, then hopped up onto the rim and balanced there on one foot. From her height, she could see a few tiny dots of glowing blue speckled into Rig's dark hair. "You should probably put those on," she said, pointing to the clothes in his arms. "Don't worry, I won't look." She flashed him a bit of a wolfish grin, then pivoted and crouched down onto the rock, dipping one hand into the glowing water of the pool. Her fingers looked eerie in the ghostly blue light, and as she sat there, one of the little glowing fish came up and nibbled her thumb. "How do these taste, by the way?" @TrailRunnin

Deb felt her lips tighten slightly, but quickly smoothed out her expression. So, a newcomer then. A newcomer to the entire Alleyverse. Well, that was something. Still, they could always use another Coinshot, and this man likely had no ulterior motives or competing loyalties. She could certainly do worse. "I was born in New Seran," Deb answered, "though I've spent most of my life working in an inter-world mercenary guild, 'Preservation's Wings'." She doubted he'd ever heard of them, the Wings were a worldhopper name, hardly known to those who weren't travelling. Still, she was proud of her service. She looked Rigex up and down, then silently gestured to a clerk beside her. The woman bobbed a quick nod and scurried off to fetch another kit. Deb had brought extras, of course. "If you're willing to do your part and follow orders, Alleycity Excavation would be glad to have you, Mister Lekal." The woman had returned with a small pile of gear: a harness, head lamp, tracking node, palm tablet, and coveralls. "Madsen," Deb said to the clerk, "go get him some boots." The girl scurried off again, and Deb handed the pile to Rigex. She pointed to the tracking node. "Clip that to your clothing," she said, "and do not lose it. That will allow us to keep track of you down here, even if you're separated from the others. I realize our technology will be a bit of a learning curve for you, but you'll manage." Madsen had returned with a pair of boots, which Deb added to Rigex's pile. "You'll be working with a rather skilled group down here, lots of unique Investiture - er, well, yes. You'll see. Just know that there's far more abilities around here than just Mistings or Twinborn. There's dozens of worlds out there, and everyone has their own kind of skillset. Try not to let it break your mind - we've only got one psychologist on the team." Deb turned to Corette now, her eyes searching the woman. She seemed eager, clever, and confident, though she was rather nondescript. Deb was sure she'd seen her before, but the memory wasn't entirely full. Odd. "Fill him in on the mission, if you can," Deb told her. "I can't spare the staff right now." She swiveled and gave Rigex one more piercing, amber gaze. "Is there anything else you can do, Mister Lekal? Any specialties, other abilities, relevant experience? We need all the assets we can get down here." @TrailRunnin

Deb had kept half an eye on the stranger for the last few minutes, watching as the Twinborn woman led him over. She flicked approving eyes towards the young woman, then looked back to the man. He'd come willingly and given her a name, though it could have easily been a fake name. Still, she had no idea how he'd gotten down here. Was he from one of the Guilds? He looked like he'd been down here for days, and was in no shape for exploration. Was he wearing a suit? "Well met, Mister Lekal, I'm Director Stancel" Deb said, taking his hand despite the smear of glowing particles. "I am the leader of this expedition, yes. I wasn't aware that anyone aside from us had found a way down here. Did you enter via another crevasse?" Have you seen Warrick? She kept that question firmly locked away, but could feel her heartbeat pick up a bit. If he'd seen something, perhaps they were closer to rescuing the team than she ever thought possible.

Thanks for everything @MacThorstenson, it's been a pleasure and an honor to build a story with you! Wherever life takes you, I know you'll leave it better than you found it. I'll always think of you when I see a bowler hat, probably for the rest of my life. And see you 'round on Discord!

I looked this up and apparently the quote is originally from the Imperial Japanese’s army in WW2, then was reworked in WoT. This quote has many applications apparently

"So familiar already?" Corette said in mock surprise. "My lord is truly generous." Corette watched him try and wipe the glowing luminescence from his coat as they walked, hiding a tiny smirk. He should focus on his face, she thought, but said nothing on that regard. His face was his business, after all, and he wasn't half bad-looking even covered in glowing fungus. "My name's Corette," she said to him, "but you can call me Corette." She winked at him as they walked up towards the base camp, then snagged a small packet of crackers off a pile at the edge of the camp. One of the ACE employees made a half-hearted protest, but trailed off when they caught sight of Rig. Corette tossed Rig the crackers, then nodded towards the blonde-haired woman who stood speaking to another clerk in a low, serious voice. "That's Director Stancel," she told Rig. "Runs this whole thing. She's no Tineye but she's sharp - probably noticed you already. Don't look now, but I imagine there's already someone picking out your coveralls." @TrailRunnin

Corette nodded once, tucking some of her dark brown hair back behind one ear, and smiled at the man. "This world is called the Alleyplanet, and you're in Alleycity - or, well, you're under Alleycity. You're rather in luck, actually, as we know just a bit more about these caverns than you do. They were just discovered recently. We're part of an expedition to map this place, see what we can find." She adjusted her pack. "Oh, and we're also looking for the first expedition team." Corette waved a hand and shrugged, still smiling. She'd noticed the low, warm, inverted thrum rolling under his Steel like one long drone of a pipe. A Twinborn. Even better. She made a note of it. "You're a Twinborn, aren't you?" she said to Rigex, flashing him a grin. Being a Seeker certainly had its advantages. Corette cocked her head towards the main camp, sweeping a critical eye over the man's scuffed, slightly-glowing appearance. "Come on, let's go meet the Director of this operation. She's a Coinshot, too, and I've a feeling she'll want you on the team. Pay's pretty good, and we've got food." Corette raised an eyebrow at the man, eyeing the glowing specks around his mouth, then flicking her gaze towards the glowing fish swimming lazily in the shallow pool. "I assume you're growing rather tired of raw cave fish." She turned and motioned to the little crowd that had gathered. "Come on," she repeated. "There will be plenty of time for questions." @TrailRunnin

Had to quote Voidus at the end of Era 3 for this one.

Corette had noticed the second the man began burning Steel, giving off a strong, familiar bum-bum-bum. So he was a Coinshot. Useful, and potentially dangerous, though for the moment this fellow didn't seem keen on fighting. When he asked about which noble house was funding the expedition, Corette began to truly understand. Somehow, he'd accidentally stumbled through to the Alleyverse - down here. She thought for a moment, then stepped forward. "Sarah's right, this isn't Scadrial," she said, keeping her voice calm and her Bronze on. If he got agitated, he'd likely flare his Steel, and Corette would know. "Let me guess, you found yourself in a tight spot, possibly with someone you didn't know very well. Maybe in an alleyway, or close quarters. Possibly underground?" That could happen sometimes, a person worldhopping without knowing it, ending up in the rough equivalent of wherever they started in their home world. If this Rigex had been underground back on Scadrial, it made some sense that he ended up underground here. "Things got strange," Corette went on, reciting the relatively similar experience of falling through a crack in reality that she'd heard from many newcomers. "Stepped into total darkness, yes? Like someone peeled back a curtain into nothing. Then, you were here. Do I about have the gist of it?" She watched Rigex, careful, but curious. He seemed pretty level-headed for someone who'd just fallen through a small perpendicularity. Could be an excellent addition, she thought, but stopped herself. Now wasn't the time for that. @TrailRunnin

Deb waited as the elevator slowly spooled its cable back onto the thick gear at the top of the mine shaft, keeping a firm hold on her nerves. Outwardly, she projected a wall of calm, firm control; inwardly, her stomach clenched, thoughts churning. Her eyes couldn't help but stray downward into that black well. Warrick is down there, somewhere, she thought. The image of his face flashed before her eyes, his Rioter's grin easy and warm. Never enough decorum, she'd always told him, back when they'd served in Preservation's Wings. Warrick had just laughed. The elevator operator, a young Edgedancer named Darat, opened the door to the large metal cage and met Deb's eyes. He nodded once, his expression soft, but sure. Deb took a deep breath, smoothed her hair, and herded the remaining new recruits into the elevator. Darat closed and latched the door, then pressed the large orange button on the control panel. With a deep clunk and a steady hum, the elevator began to descend into the blackness below their feet. --- Corette stood pressed up against the grating that formed one of the walls of the little elevator, the tip of her nose sticking out between the weave of metal. It was standing room only in here, but Corette didn't care; she barely noticed the others. All her attention was focused on her surroundings. The jagged, dark stone of the tunnel shone with slight moisture, patches of lichen dripping dew. Occasionally, the lights from within the elevator caught a white flash of chalky strata in the stone, but aside from that, there was only darkness around them. After about ten minutes, Corette felt a familiar chorus of beats echoing through her Seeker's senses. She stared down below her feet, through the grating, and saw the first hints of soft, blue light. Her heartbeat quickened, and she felt a hungry smile tug at the corners of her mouth. This was it, she was here. Corette looked up and briefly met the eyes of the elevator operator, who gave her a knowing smirk. A second later, the walls of the shaft disappeared into nothing, and Corette heard herself gasp. The cavern was immense, easily as tall as a large tenement and infinitely wider. Her fellow passengers gave gasps of their own, and the collective intake of breath echoed through the cavern like the sigh of the wind. It was like a grand ballroom, this impression made all the more convincing due to the immense glowing stalactite at its center. It hung there, casting the entire cave into a soft, cool light. Below it, a wide, shallow pool glowed with that same light, and she thought she could see tiny dots of glowing motion darting through the water. Glowing fish. Corette fairly danced on the spot, hooking her fingers through the grate and wishing she could jump out now - never mind that the fall would kill her. The Director was speaking, something about turning on her tracking tablet and making her way to the base camp. She barely heard the woman, though she did switch on the little tablet and slip it back into her pocket. When the metal cage finally reached the floor, Corette was the first out, nearly dashing into the cavern, boots crunching on stone. She turned in place, trying to sear the image into her brain while simultaneously attempting to look at everything at once. Something strange caught her eye as she turned - a somewhat ragged-looking man in a suit with multiple coattails and a glowing cane. Well he certainly wasn't at the ACE meeting, she thought. She'd have definitely remembered a man with a glowing cane. He had approached one of the other volunteers, Corette thought her name was Sarah, and began questioning her. A small spike of fear lanced through her, and Corette quickly pulled the tracking tablet from her pocket, turning it on. A few dozen tiny lights blinked into existence on the screen, showing the position of each person in the expedition. Sure enough, just before her stood Sarah, represented as a tiny red dot. The man who stood before her, on the other hand, did not register on the device. There were only two possibilities: he was either from the first expedition, or he had found another way down here. She knew she should go alert someone, but curiosity won out over caution. Besides, this cavern was full to bursting with any number of Invested volunteers or ACE employees who could likely tear this man apart like wet confetti. So, rather than alert the Director or one of the ACE guards, Corette walked towards the new man and smiled. As she drew closer, she caught the end of his question. "-- are you people?" So, not one of the original expedition, then. Corette narrowed her eyes at the man. Upon closer inspection, it wasn't just his cane that was glowing. His hands, the edges of his coat, and even parts of his face were speckled with tiny pinpricks of glowing light. She cocked her head at the cane, then gave a tiny grin when she realized. A light. He's been using his cane for light. Clever. Corette met the man's eyes, looked to Sarah, and then back to the man. She tapped the patch on her coveralls that said. A.C.E. with one finger. "We could ask you the same question," she said. "Are you part of the original team?" Now that she could clearly see his face, Corette was sure that his answer would be "no." She trained her Seeker's senses on him, hoping he wouldn't try anything crazy, though not particularly worried if he did or not. Corette grinned. This place was already full of surprises. @TrailRunnin @Rushu42

“Homeless”

Who else could fit today’s prompt but dear Vivica (and Bennington!)? ”Insanity”

Lita grinned, feeling a little laughter well up in her throat. She let it out, and there was a shocking catharsis to the sound, a release. A tension that she hadn't realized was there eased from between her shoulders; a small weight lifted from within her chest. Lita had missed this, missed the easy exchange of words with someone who was her equal, who was familiar. She'd gotten to know a fair number of the other agents in the DoCI, along with a few others in Departments like Acquisitions, but she'd never found anyone else quite like Laurelai. The others had pushed her deeper into her own ambition, brought out a side to her that Lita hadn't realized was there. It wasn't as though Lita were ashamed of the last six months, that would be ridiculous. She wasn't ashamed. There was no shame in doing her job, after all, no shame in using the new power she'd bled and bargained for. And she held a wealth of secrets now, gathered through subtlety and force in equal measure. What was a little blood on her hands? That was the price of such things - and everything came with a price. Lita's hand strayed almost unconsciously towards her side, where the steel spike lay between her ribs, and her other dipped into her pocket. Fingers brushed the cold surface of the Coin - cold and smooth and heavy. Many of her memories of that night six months ago were hazy at best, but the image of the Stranger blurring through the air, streaming shadows like a vengeful god, was burned into her mind. Such raw, bloody power. When everything had cleared, Lita and Laurelai had staggered back into the Alleys, and the Department Heads had resumed their preoccupations in seclusion. She'd barely seen Mac over the course of the last half year, let alone Voidus or the Stranger. Lita supposed she was grateful for that - their presence usually indicated disaster. But spending so much time in the presence of near-gods was a heady thing, and even now, the world still seemed dimmer. Like a flare of Tin, everything had momentarily sharpened and intensified. She'd been chasing that feeling ever since. A vibration from her coat pocket jolted Lita out of her reverie, and she withdrew a small, aging burner phone with a raised eyebrow. Her other brow joined it as she read the text; it seemed that someone had left a message in her old mailbox. "Mind if we make a brief stop before we get ready to go exploring?" She asked Laurelai, tucking the phone back into her pocket. "Apparently, someone wants to have a chat." --- Vivica Alleytraveled through three separate Alleys in a matter of seconds, even darting briefly through one of the imaginary Alleys. That was risky, but she hoped it would trip up her pursuers; the HR Department had never been particularly imaginative. And she'd purposely tracked through the caustic molasses Alley as well - they'd be forced to stop and evaluate that safety hazard before continuing on to follow her. She turned a sharp corner and pressed herself up against the cool brick of one of the outer Alleys, listening to her heartbeat slow in her ears. When she could breathe normally again, she took her yellow ruled notebook out of her coat pocket and slipped a pen from behind her ear, jotting down a quick note. She'd known it was a small risk, going through the lab with her hair loose, but she never imagined that she would get a random inspection, of all people. Vivica sniffed a bit in irritation, rubbing at one of her eyes and smearing something across her cheek. She glanced down absently. Hmm, was that red velvet batter all over her labcoat, or red velvet batter? Vivica shrugged, silpped her pen back behind her ear, and looked around. She was close to the City now - she could tell by the way the air moved around here, carrying the scents of the vast metropolis of the outside world. Vivica chewed her lip for a moment, considering fleeing back into the deeper Alleys, back to where it was safe. Where things made sense. But the prospect of sitting through another 120-hour safety training session kept her where she was. It didn't matter that they compressed time during the training - it still felt like days. Days where she could be baking. She was nearing a breakthrough on her gingersnaps, she could feel it. Something luminous and violet suddenly passed into view above her head, and she gave a cheerful grin. "Hello Bennington," she said, greeting the small glowing octopus that now looped figure-eights through the air. Bennington wiggled two of his stubby little tentacles at her, then continued his loops. Vivica felt herself relax; if Bennington was here, that meant that everything was alright. She was just about to settle down onto the floor and do some more brainstorming when she heard something. Vivica stilled, then burned Bronze. Nothing she could detect, but then, it was rare she did much Seeking these days. Bronze was far more useful to stave off sleep. She briefly counted the years it had been since she'd last slept, grinning when she lost count after ten. So much more time in the day for research when you didn't need to sleep. She turned back to her notepad, thoughts already distracted by the ratio of candied ginger to vanilla extract, when another sound caused her head to snap upwards. She walked forward, hand going to another pocket where she kept a spare spike, then peeked around the corner. It was a woman, sobbing over something that looked like - yes, it was a corpse. Vivica blinked at the watery light filtering in from... from the City. She stilled, then looked at the weeping woman again. Both her and the corpse were covered in blood. Perhaps she'd botched a spiking? That did tend to happen in the beginning, but it was nothing to cry over. "Miss the right bindpoint?" Vivica called, still peeking out around the wall, dirty-blonde hair drooping over one shoulder "I wouldn't worry, took me a bit of time too before I got the knack." @Shard of Thought

Darat had been up and down this mine shaft at least half a dozen times today, but the well of darkness beneath his feet still caused the hair to prickle on the back of his neck. A tight knot had formed in his stomach, a mixture of excitement and dread that sawed at the edges of his nerves. The pack on his back bulged with infused spheres, but the idea of spending so long locked away from the surface made him nervous. As if responding to his anxiety, a soft green light welled up from the front pocket of his coveralls. Vani peeked up at him, a little collection of vines. "Are we going down to help?" She asked, her voice clear as crystal, and soft as new leaves. Darat looked down at the little spren and smiled. "Yes, we are," he told her. "We haven't forgotten about the first expedition, after all." Vani smiled and made a cheerful sound before snuggling back into his pocket, as though all were right with the world. Bolstered by Vani's own ease, Darat herded the first group of people into the mine shaft elevator before closing the metal grate doors. Then, with a deep breath, Darat pressed the orange button on the control panel. There was a deep thunk, then a low, monotonous whine sounded. The elevator, which was really little more than a grated steel cage, gave a small jolt and began descending smoothly. Within moments, Darat's view of the crater had disappeared. The elevator was fitted with white lights, though there was little to see but the bare rock surrounding them. Above his head, the shaft's entrance appeared as a steadily-shrinking circle of yellow-white sunlight. Below his feet, through the narrow grating, there was nothing but blackness. "When we reach the bottom," he said, projecting a confidence into his voice that he didn't quite feel, "please make your way to the main camp. It has already been set up for you, and the majority of the ACE employees are already down there waiting. This first cavern is one of the largest found so far, and you are encouraged to begin assessment of the cavern so long as you remain within sight of the base camp, or go in a group. When we arrive at the bottom, switch on your head lamps and activate your tablets." The group murmured softly, talking amongst themselves. A mixture of excitement and apprehension swirled around them as they descended farther and farther down. Finally, after almost ten minutes of close-quartered blackness, Darat saw the barest hint of light below his feet. The light grew steadily, a soft, blue luminescence that reminded him of Stormlight. The mood around him shifted, apprehension morphing into curiosity. Darat felt himself smile as finally, finally, the mineshaft ended and they entered the first cavern. "Welcome to Keep Venture," he said, and his smile stretched into a grin at the group's awe. It wasn't hard to see why. The shaft widened abruptly, walls soaring away into nothing, and the cage continued to descend into open air. Its size was staggering, the ceiling easily a hundred feet high, and covered in stalactites that glittered like jewels. The center of the cavern was dominated by an enormous stalactite that was covered in a softly-glowing luminescent fungus, casting the whole of the cavern into delicate, otherworldly light. It gave off the appearance of a massive, organic chandelier, and the tip dripped glowing water into a wide, shallow pool at its base. The walls of the cavern were lost in darkness, and the air here smelled deep and wet and mineral, but not stale. Darat stared out into the cavern, allowing the sense of wonder to overtake him completely. No matter how many times he'd seen this place, it still took his breath away. Vani peeked up out of his front pocket and gave another tinkling laugh, and he grinned down at her. Perhaps this won't be so bad, he thought. Perhaps it will all be fine. Logic threatened his optimism, but he kept it at bay. For now, at least, Darat was content to hope.

MeLaan, is that you??

Frozen? My eyes? Corette forced her expression to stay carefully blank, looking up at the soldier. She was well aware of other galaxies and their various travelers; living one's entire life in the Alleycity tended to scrub most of the veils from a person's eyes. Corette felt the familiar prickle of excitement and fascination at the mention of a new world. Just because she was familiar with the idea of other universes didn't make it any less incredible. She filed away the name of his home, allowing some of the interest to creep into her eyes. "What do you think of the city?" She asked him. Corette had found that this question typically elicited more information about a person than more direct questions about themselves. Whether they loved it or hated it here, newcomers always had something to say about Alleycity. ---- Deb watched as the last of the equipment was lowered down the mine shaft elevator, disappearing with a low, mechanic whir. She checked her watch. Eight-thirty. With a tiny nod, she slid her clipboard under her arm and gestured to one of the clerks nearby. He dutifully held up a megaphone - and his reach fell about three feet too short. He looked up at her with a tight frown. Right, Steel. Deb let up a bit on her Steelpush, slowly lowering until she could reach the megaphone. "Thank you Reubens," she said, giving him a slightly apologetic nod before shooting back up to her original height. "Attention," she spoke into the megaphone, which carried her voice through the crater. "We are ready to commence descent into the cavern system. Please form an orderly line next to the main shaft and prepare to board the elevator. No - you there, yes you, with the blue hair - yes, you, yes, please get away from the edge. Yes, thank you. As I was saying, make your way next to the shaft, please do not enter the caverns or the elevator. Make sure you have all your belongings; privies are located on the western edge of the crater. This is a last warning - if you do not line up within the next few minutes, we will leave you behind. Thank you." That done, she slowly lowered herself to the ground and gathered her own belongings. She sighed, handed her clipboard and megaphone to Reubens, and slung her pack over her shoulders.

Corette watched the girl stiffen slightly, her light eyes scanning the crowd before coming to rest on her. Her gaze was firm and deep - not quite a challenge, but not far off. I know, that look said, and Corette felt a small smile touch the corners of her mouth. Not many people could feel a Seeker's touch, and that made this girl special. Which in turn made her interesting. There was something slightly familiar about her - perhaps Corette had seen her on the street. Alleycity was a big place, but precious little of it hadn't felt the tread of Corette's boots. Corette stared back at the girl, unashamed, then gave her a small nod. Well done. @Voidus Just then, the Director's sharp voice cut through the air, and Corette felt her smile widen at the news. She stopped storing her breath, hefting her pack before making her way over to the small group that had already begun assembling by the descent shaft. ACE had started sending down equipment, rations and the first vanguard of security about ten minutes ago, and the mineshaft elevator whined at the heavy load. It layered over the calls, thumps and shuffling of several dozen pairs of feet. Corette's Bronze gave the operation a whole other spectrum of sensation, each person their own collection of beats, each a different rhythm. Corette tapped the toe of her boot on the hard-packed earth before walking towards two nearby people: a young woman and a grizzled older man in mechanic armor. Both gave off fascinating Bronze signatures, and for a moment Corette was content to simply listen to them. The girl, in particular, was unique, the pulses almost seeming to echo, as though her soul was not properly anchored to her body. Fascinating, all so fascinating. She listened to the man detail some of his exploits, raising a brow. She'd met a fellow similar to this man a few years back, in a tavern on the city's east end. He had spoken of battles through space and time, unspeakable horrors, demons of chaos and the glory of battle. Corette wasn't too keen on battles herself, but she was always keen on stories, and this man looked like he had them by the bucketful. "This Iron Island," she cut in, not waiting for the other woman's reply. "Is it on this world, or another?" @Grey Knight

Digital ink today! Used a little red here, but I wanted to illustrate the spirit-web corruption of hemalurgy. Day 2 "Soul" featuring Lita.

Write "Spike" but have the letters be made up of tiny little power-button symbols

Better late than never! This was very cathartic to draw after a terribly busy day.

Deb blinked at the newcomer and almost stepped backwards out of her Steelpush, momentarily wobbling, before regaining her balance. She checked the clipboard, then her watch. Seven fifty-five. Deb gave a tiny smile, eyes travelling over the man's scarred face, his obvious years of previous battle. Well, that's something I can understand, sure enough. "Good morning," she said, marking his name. "We are very nearly ready to descend - thank you for arriving on time. It will be good to have another veteran on the team, especially one with your..." Deb peeked at his questionnaire, raising an eyebrow, before letting the page drop again, "experience. Judging by your armor, I think we can forgo the coveralls. One of my clerks will get you outfitted with the rest of your equipment. Do be sure to keep your tracking node on you at all times, so we do not lose one another down in the caverns."