Aspirants continued to make their way forward despite being surrounded by the blue fog that encompassed the group they were in.
The bluish tint of the fog gradually faded, and it was eventually replaced by a hazy, white mist.
Because the mist was so thick, it gave the impression of a snake that was trying to entangle itself between the aspirants' feet.
They were engulfed in a musty odor that brought back memories of the woods they had just left behind.
Their olfactory system was attacked by a strong, musty odor as well as the smell of wet concrete.
The intensity of the smell served as a good indicator of the length of time that had passed since anyone had set foot in that area.
They were unexpectedly put in the presence of a significant occurrence.
A large roof that was gray in hue and appeared to be the ceiling of a cave obstructed the path that the sun would take during the day.
The ceiling was covered in luminous crystals that emitted a light that was analogous to that of the sun during the middle of the day.
They were greeted by a floor that was built of concrete and was covered in shards of broken porcelain that was both old and very old.
The group climbed to the top of a hill that was not particularly steep and found a vast abandoned settlement that had been waiting for them there.
The route went in a direct direction toward the center of the town.
Because there was only a tiny fence between them from a large and gloomy chasm on either side of the road, they had no alternative but to climb to the top of the hill where the town was located. This was the only option available to them.
As he gazed into the depths of the abyss's immense darkness, Brian attempted his best to make out a form in the shadows. He was unsuccessful.
Following Brian, Rebeca had come to a stop, and when she did so, she turned her head towards the direction of the town. She tenderly held one of the pieces of Brian's white shirt and kept her distance from him.
Armin had moved a few paces forward to have a better view of the town and was now wandering up and down the trail in an attempt to find another route.
Shane still had the rifle in his hands as he gazed at Brian, but he subtly pointed the muzzle of the weapon in the direction of Brian's back.
He was staring into the mist.
As Neferet made her way around in a tight circle on the ground, she had a tingling sensation all the way down her back and a dull ache in her wrists and shoulders.
Her eyes were glued to the mist that was rolling over their feet as if she was experiencing pain from an old injury that she had completely forgotten about.
Brian let out a resounding snort while simultaneously taking deep breaths.
As his saliva built up, he tightened his grip on the barrier and spat loudly into the chasm.
The expression on Shane's face changed as he looked at him, and Rebeca and Neferet also regarded him with furrowed eyebrows.
Brian quietly paid attention to the spit. Armin approached in a stealthy manner and asked, "Did you hear it hit the floor?"
Shane and the girls widened their eyes when Brian said, looking into the abyss, "I think so. I could count to twelve."
Brian gave Armin a look before shrugging his shoulders and saying, "It's not an exact measure, but twelve seconds of falling in total darkness leave us with only one path."
While Neferet was finishing her analysis of the situation, he gestured toward the town by pointing his neck in its direction. She then snapped her fingers and said, "Let's go together until we reach the town square. Then we can see what to do."
Rebeca continued to grip Brian's shirt while she squinted her eyes and stared into the pitch blackness as Brian nodded and took a step towards him. After Brian, Rebeca also took a step toward him.
She took a little halt after she had the fleeting sense that she saw something move, but she continued looking nevertheless. More than anything else, it was more of a fleeting motion or an optical illusion than anything else.
The group inched its way forward little by little.
Armin advanced to the front of the line and raised the shield high above his head. Following closely after, he was the three-person squad consisting of Brian, Rebeca, and Neferet.
Shane, who was positioned at the far rear of the group, had his gaze fixated on the top of Brian's head the entire time.
They had just begun to enter the town when they became aware of some murmurings and whisperings in the distance.
It was said in hushed tones that in spite of the seeming distance that separated them from one another, one could make out the sound of distant shuffling in the background. They never ceased their onslaught.