The group moved through the forest in silence. Kara led the way, with the sounds of battle echoing in the distance. Explosions, shrieks, and the hum of alien skills.
They traveled for what felt like hours but was probably only forty minutes. The terrain shifted from dense undergrowth to a more open path under the trees that showed signs of regular use. Defensive positions appeared—cleared sightlines, hidden archer nests, and trip wires marked with cloth strips.
The Spriggans' camp appeared through the trees.
It was larger than Reidar had expected. Dozens of tents were arranged in organized clusters. Survivors moved between them. They were rattled by the titanic clash of monsters vs. aliens going on above.
"Kara!" One of them said. "You made it back!"
"Where's Seraphine?" Kara asked.
"Medical tent. The central one."
Reidar didn't wait. He pushed forward, his eyes scanning the camp. Then he saw him.
—[«Jake Roberts—Level 218»]—
