The living fog tried to invade the bodies of the members of the expedition team as well, but Life Ward burned it on contact. Whatever the nature of the fog was, it emitted a sizzling sound as the protective spell turned it into ashes.
"Be extra careful not damaging the suit's external layer." Neshal explained. "If any of us gets infected, we might need to quarantine them or worse. Remember that in this facility the Odi were researching the deadliest diseases."
"Yeah, but that was centuries ago." Lith said. "Magic has progressed by leaps and bounds since then. I might not be immune to all their mad creations, but I know all the most advanced decontamination protocols by heart."
A wave of his hand released a pulse of darkness magic that made the black veins expanding on the metal corridor wither and disappear while the fog was pushed back behind the door.
"Everyone stays behind me and each one of you prepare at least a darkness magic spell. Captain Ernas, if anything happens to me, Blink me to Quylla. She'll know what to do."
Quylla was the only Healer that Lith considered on par with Manohar. He was even considering to teach her how to produce holograms. According to Professor Manohar, Lith had almost grasped the secret behind offensive light spells, but even after months of practice, he was still swamped.
Quylla had silver-colored streaks in her hair and was a genius with light magic. If she managed to find the missing link between holograms and hard light constructs, Quylla would then explain it to Lith, allowing him to become even stronger.
Yet his trust issues prevented him from sharing his secrets with even Phloria, let alone Quylla. If because of his teachings Lith triggered her Awakening as well, Quylla would become another person who he would need to take care of.
'Dammit. According to Kalla, I'm responsible for the Awakening of both Phillard and my sister. If they mess up, my line is on the line along with theirs.' Lith thought.
Even after repelling the fog, the stench of death and decay was revolting. The filters on the plague masks weren't enough to protect them from the rancid smell assaulting their senses.
"For the gods' sake, don't use air magic." Lith said while releasing a second pulse that made the air breathable a split second before he started puking.
Yet it was a second too late since a few people were already barfing their gust out, Morok included. Luckily, the masks were equipped with puke bags placed right under its beak-like protuberance, making Lith's teammates soon resemble pelicans rather than crowns.
'You're lucky that between your enhanced body and darkness fusion you're immune to most of this crap.' Solus said.
'Yeah, but I can't last long. This space is too big and every step requires another pulse of darkness magic.'
The staircase didn't go deep, but the lower they went the denser the fog became. Even to reach the door at the end of the stairs a group effort was necessary.
"I'm terrified at the thought of what kind of slaughterhouse can produce such a stench." Yondra said. "Do you think there could be survivors?"
"Survivors, no. Specimens, yes." Morok replied. "Am I the only one wondering how the fuck can mold grow on metal? Isn't it supposed to need food, humidity, or something?"
"Good point." Everyone was flabbergasted. It was the first sensible thing that had ever come out of his mouth.
'Solus?' Lith asked while activating Life Vision. The air in front of him lit up like a Christmas tree, forcing him to turn it off.
'Working on it.'
The fog was so dense that the air around them was green and black, giving everything an eerie feeling. Once they stepped inside the next room, a squishy sound and an agonizing moan broke the silence.
Everyone had the impression of walking on small, wet garbage bags filled with rotten food.
"Whatever you do, don't look down." Lith said. He had understood what was happening the moment he noticed that the moans were timed with their steps.
"Dude, what could be possibly worse than…" Morok released a pulse of darkness magic that dispelled the fog enough to allow him to take a look at the floor. Green entrails that looked like huge rotten sausages covered the ground.
With no more fog to block his view, Morok could see that they were moving like brain-damaged snakes. The entrails were trying to wrap around his legs to feed upon the intruders with small mouths full of teeth that covered their surface.
Only Manohar's Life Ward was keeping them at bay, burning the living viscera on contact.
"Oh gods!" Morok said while puking his guts out. "I'll never eat sausages for the rest of my life." Once full, the vomit sack detached and was replaced by an empty one.
As the group advanced, the fog became denser, forcing them to increase the intensity of their light spells just to be able to see farther than their own nose.
'I've got bad news.' Solus contacted Lith while they were exploring the first underground floor. Unlike the Odi's medical center, the rooms were smaller, not padded, and with at least six beds each.
The doors had been ripped off from their hinges from the inside.
'I know how this thing is still alive and how it can grow on metal. It's because it's feeding on the light element, just like an Abomination.'
'What? How?' Lith asked.
'First, I don't know. I'm here for less than a minute, so sorry if I don't understand years of research at a first glance. Second, a little thank you wouldn't kill you.' Her voice oozed sarcasm.
'I'm sorry, you're right. Thank you, Solus. I guess you've spoiled me so much with your abilities that I consider you nigh omniscient.'
'You're welcome.' She said with a giggle, happy for the heartfelt praises. 'I'll let you know as soon as I discover anything else.'
With that new piece of information, Lith could now decipher what had happened there in the past. The cells were filled with corpses sucked down to the bones and from each one of them departed colored veins that covered the entirety of the floor.
Whatever the Odi had infected their prisoners with, had grown by feasting on their flesh before searching for more food. The Abomination-based disease had then forced its way out, probably by sucking dry the light element from everything that kept them locked.
Then, it had engaged the strains born in the other rooms in a battle for dominance.
Burnt marks of different colors covered the walls where the creatures had fought, allowing Lith to determine who had come out victorious from each conflict. The winner would consume the loser and then move to the next cell.
'This seems the horror version of a survival game.' Lith thought. 'The question is: is the fog black and green because two creatures are still struggling, or is there only one and the black is due to its Abomination nature?'
When they reached halfway of the U-shaped corridor, the fog was now surrounding their hands, smothering the light they emitted to the point that it was impossible for them to see in front of them.
"I've bad news." Lith said borrowing Solus's words. "This thing is feeding upon the light element we employ to light our way. I've no idea what might happen if we give this thing a full course meal, but I'm ready to bet good money that we'd be its dessert."
