The column was crossing a section of terrain that looked deceptively stable—solid rock that should have been the safest ground they'd encountered since leaving the transports. The ground here was different from the treacherous, reality-warped earth they'd been navigating, appearing reassuringly mundane with its gray stone surface worn smooth by ages of wind and weather. Several participants visibly relaxed as they stepped onto the rocky expanse, grateful for what seemed like a reprieve from the constant vigilance required by the unstable terrain.
A Level 33 awakened named Cain, according to the shout that followed, was walking in the fifth column when reality simply… tore. He'd been mid-conversation with a companion, something mundane about equipment durability and repair costs, his voice carrying clearly in the relatively open space.
