The climb began in darkness. The rocks were loose, shifting under their boots with every step. Ezra led, his eyes adjusted to the low light. He didn't use a flashlight. The glow would give them away. Instead, he relied on the faint luminescence of the moss clinging to the shale. It wasn't bioluminescence. It was residue. Energy leaking from the node above.
Mara followed close behind. She didn't look at the ground. Her eyes were fixed on the peak. She moved silently, her feet finding purchase where there seemed to be none. Tomas brought up the rear, his rifle ready. He was sweating despite the cold. The altitude was hitting him harder than the others. He wasn't adapted. He was still flesh and blood in a world turning to crystal and light.
"Stop," Ezra whispered. He held up a fist.
They f
