Crossing the spore wall
East Pollen - April 19, 2594
Early Morning
- The Clique begins the day before dawn, loading the cars under a solemn atmosphere. Isolde Pax leads an Anabaptist prayer, imbuing the moment with quiet reverence.
- Konrad Jager, Elara Nyx, Marcus Voss and Isolde board a car laden with grain. Yelena, a Cossack curious and awestruck by the group, joins them on their journey.
- Dexter exchanges a knowing glance with Purifier Harlem, tasked with ensuring the cars are secure. However, he locks the group inside their car.
- Elara manages to flag down a Spitalian inspecting nearby cars. The Spitalian retrieves a key and frees the group, averting disaster.
A Loaded Day
- The train enters the surreal, alien expanse of the Spore Wall’s mycelium. The atmosphere within the car grows tense and heavy with dread.
- In the dim confines of their car, Konrad and Marcus resume their ongoing game from previous days, the weight of their journey evident in their subdued demeanour.
- Yelena consumes Bion, a Burn strain from Pollen, openly. The group refrains from criticising her actions.
- Konrad develops a rash in one eye, a condition Elara recognises as a cultural stigma. She quietly resolves to treat it upon their arrival in Nikopol.
Ambush
- Without warning, the train halts. Husk Spiders swarm the cars, while Migrants seize the moment to attack, slashing through soldiers venturing into the mycelium.
- Marcus charges toward the front of the train, Konrad and Elara following closely. They find the tracks ahead sabotaged, leaving the signal car unable to proceed. Commando Prime Klaus orders the group to protect the Storksis unit making the repairs.
- A Migrant abomination advances. Marcus, wielding his bidenhander, confronts it and slays the creature. Yet, something goes awry—Marcus turns on a group of Cossacks rushing to help. They retaliate, gunning him down. Marcus’s life ends amidst the Spore Wall’s haunting fungal mist.
- The Clique retreats back to the relative safety of the wagons, while fungicide is deployed to stem the Migrants’ encroachment.
Arrival in Nikopol
- By nightfall, the battered Clique reaches Nikopol.
- The cost of the ambush is devastating—one in every three members have perished, and many others are gravely wounded.
- The group undergoes a gruelling decontamination process, treated like infected animals by figures in environmental suits.
- Isolde gathers Marcus’s belongings, preparing to honour him with a proper burial.
- She finds a sketch of a forbidden fruit from the fractal forest on the last page of Marcus’ drawing book.
