Maritime Delegation

The Maritime Delegation was a voyage prepared by Monty S. Marshall, gaining notoriety back in Avalon for being a national tragedy.

On the 21st of June, 1868, a voyage was prepared by Marshall. Sailors part of the delegation set off eastwards from Coast Sumner in wooden long ships the size of entire buildings, which all, in turn, went behind Marshall's leading boat. The crew landed in dry land known as the Ismarus Desert by its inhabitants. Everyone was invited into a small village, where they drank wine and sang songs, also teaching the classic anthem; *May our land not fray*. Marshall prepared a direct turn southwards for the following day.

The delegation had reached their destination. A deep cave covered in green and lush leaves was uncovered by the voyagers, after snooping around a grassy cliff that bordered a thick blue river. Marshall tied a leash to a sturdy tree stump and soon thereafter his waist, choosing to jump down into the abyss as his followers watched the aging man fade into the dark. After having entered the abyss, he slowly made his way around by feeling the walls. The ground was dark purple, borderline black, feeling very soft and mushy.

Later, he blasted a horn and one by one, Marshall's workers came riding down with each person making a loud thump when landing. They were equally distraught by the sudden darkness. An old torch was lit, giving everybody a beautifully golden glow which spread across by them, giving warmth in the process. The explorers quickly got into position and started marching forwards in the cave, with their metal boots clanking along the way as to strike fear into any potential inhabitants.

Marshall tooted his horn once again. Marshall accidentally inhaled smoke coming from the burning torch, and his cough echoed throughout the abyss. This triggered an unknown clicking sound which eventually spread across the large cave out of nowhere, which made the explorers on-edge. Many objects around them started glowing cyan, until a large shriek was heard. Everybody was scared, and quickly began running around in fear. This caused even more clicking and the shriek was heard twice. Not long thereafter, the ground began to shake as a shadowy creature emerged right in front of them.

As the shadowy creature slowly emerged from the rocks, the walls and ceiling of the cave began crashing down. Marshall was petrified of potential doom and quickly assembled the delegation to make a run for it until a great boulder crashed down which separated him and his crew. Screams echoed across the dark caves as their torches went out after a gust of wind created by the boulder blew them out.

Marshall quickly fell to the ground, immediately fracturing a few ribs. He could see nothing through the dark but through his mental image of the location, he managed to hastily crawl away from the scene even while suffering severe pain. As the creature emerged, it roared, and gunshots echoed throughout the caves as the delegation was trying to protect itself from the creature. Bullets ricocheted across the area and some came very close to hitting Marshall as he ducked and shrieked in fear when they hit the ground around him.

A few seconds went by. All that could be heard was Marshall's fast breathing. Every minute that passed felt like an hour for him, as he could hear heavy footsteps roam from across the cave. He was anxious about making any noise. Sweat ran down his forehead as he positioned himself onto his side while trying to calm down. The creature sniffed, which made Marshall hold his breath to not rouse suspicion until half a minute passed; when intense digging echoed from side to side, and everything immediately went quiet. Marshall quickly exhaled before sobbing, realizing that all of his followers were dead. He laid down on his back and stared into the bottomless dark above him.