Finding a large set of stone stairs, the three quickly ascended towards the side entrance, quickly avoiding the main entrance by taking a small set of hallways adjacent from the foyer. Upon slowing at a door and opening it slowly, a flood of sunlight lit up the darkness.
Stepping on scattered patches of dead grass, Patterson slowed to a halt. Dying trees were scattered in what was a broken city. Large vines hanged from the walls and the passage above. The grey muted colors of the walls of each building and the gravel streets drained all sense of life from the area, yet the air was crisp and clean, nature had once returned in full force.
Above puffy white dots drifted from the sky down towards the ground. Mike held out his hand allowing the milky-white powdered substance to land in his hand. He momentarily studied the intricate and unique design of the crystal before it eventually melted in the warmth of his hand.
"This place looks like hell, but I suppose it's still standing." Patterson murmured as he and the other two continued down the gravel streets filled with overturned wooden carts and skeletons of horses and human bodies.
From an adjacent street, several more footsteps grew louder as the other members of the squadron jogged over. "Yo!" Simon called out as the three picked up their pace to complete the rendezvous.
"Lieutenant, Princess." Thompson said in a strained voice as he cleared his throat. "How was your sector sweep? Find anything troublesome?" He asked in a semi-nervous voice.
"Almost captain." Lecca responded in a professional manner. "We still need to check the adjacent building from the main atrium." She said while shifting her feet to the direction she was speaking of.
"We'll move across from you and check out the opposite side." Thompson said hopping on his feet. "Check back in at the center of town. Shouldn't be too far ahead." His estimation ran with his confident tone as he, Malkovich, Richard, Simon, and Baker moved swiftly with their weapons in hand.
"Yes." Lecca said taking lead of her two soldiers. "Please keep watch out for those tremors captain."
"Rog!"
Mike let out a light chuckle at his captain's response before taking himself into a nearby destroyed building alongside the lieutenant and the princess. The wood he stepped on seemed quite damp, looking up he saw the answer to his question as the entire side of the building was gone allowing the spectrums of light to flood into the dusty environment.
"Whoa, hold up!" Patterson whispered making them take cover behind the stone wall that was still intact. "We've got some unknowns, shoot to kill if they are hostile." He warned aiming his rifle down at a gathering of unknown soldiers lining up what appeared to be members of the camp they attacked three days earlier.
In the elevated position he was in, Mike adjusted his magnified sight as he looked down below at the unknown soldiers. They all stood in what could be the equivalent of mid-evil tactical gear; form fitting clothes and metal body armor plates, shaped helmets with metal visor covers, and worn combat muskets.
"Who are these men?" Lecca questioned as a now mutely colored lever-action rifle materialized in her hands. She aligned the blocky sights on the one closest to her and the other two Rangers.
"No idea." Mike said, his voice now being drowned out by the loud roar of five muskets being fired at the captive soldiers. Pools of blood and body matter spread on the ground, the now identified hostile soldiers lowered their weapons with the smoke of whatever gunpowder they used exiting from the barrel of their muskets. "Thompson, an enemy patrol just executed what looked to be POWs possible civies, permission to engage?" Keeping his hand on the radio, Mike waited anxiously waited for a response.