Energy in the Glass
Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2024 11:24 pm
They had been tracking the strange worm for quite some time, skilled trackers that had grown up in these dry lands. They had never seen a worm crawl so strangely to its nesting place, it’s frequent breach of the surface an obvious sign of distress. Even still they kept their distance from the dangerously massive beast as it tunneled thru the dunes as if it was rushing to something. To get in its way was suicide, but to garner its attention was worse than that. A slow suffocating death in the crushing depths of its stomach as more sand replaced the bloody mess of the body, it was similar to being keelhauled in shallow waters.
They wouldn’t be out here at all if the farm didn’t need to be renewed soon, they were out getting the last important items for the ritual to do just that. Two moons were waning just fine and their charts left them only a few days out from the second synchronized event this year. The last one went by uneventfully as their farms were more than enough to handle but lately more of their caravans had been hit than usual. It so happened that they had stumbled across the very worm that was responsible, though this time it looked as if it was going to rip itself in half. The team of two had been tracking it for hours expecting its proximity to the surface and breaches to be the throes of its breeding cycle.
“I still don’t see a nesting ground” Jeanne said loud enough for her partner to hear her over the rushing winds they were experiencing trying to keep up fifty feet in the air. Naten glass sail boards were helping them tail the giant beast, custom made by each gatherer that chose to stake their lives on these missions. Within the knowledge of a few dozen generations they had developed and upgraded the technology to harness the energy within the glass. Passing on the knowledge these derelict geniuses have cultivated over their lifetime to their children without fail.
“That’s the same one been ripping our supplies to shreds, do you know how fast we’re going right now?” Replied Travir. This worm in particular had been slicing thru the sand like a hot knife, showing up to their floating cargo ships without seemingly any provocation. Detecting almost every drop of debris, patrolling the trails as well like it was sensitive to every vibration that got close enough. So of course they had to push their boards to the max at the end of this bright dual sun day. He continued “You still see it right? Wait… what’s it doing now.”
They had never seen a sand worm puke before so the sight before them made them both hesitate simultaneously. Through their goggles they could get a telescopic view of the worm spewing a slew of sand and debris from its maw, opening up all six of its jaw without biting anything in half. Everything had been spat just out of view behind the dune it crawled out of but a terrifying sound almost knocked their unnerved knees into buckling.
They wouldn’t be out here at all if the farm didn’t need to be renewed soon, they were out getting the last important items for the ritual to do just that. Two moons were waning just fine and their charts left them only a few days out from the second synchronized event this year. The last one went by uneventfully as their farms were more than enough to handle but lately more of their caravans had been hit than usual. It so happened that they had stumbled across the very worm that was responsible, though this time it looked as if it was going to rip itself in half. The team of two had been tracking it for hours expecting its proximity to the surface and breaches to be the throes of its breeding cycle.
“I still don’t see a nesting ground” Jeanne said loud enough for her partner to hear her over the rushing winds they were experiencing trying to keep up fifty feet in the air. Naten glass sail boards were helping them tail the giant beast, custom made by each gatherer that chose to stake their lives on these missions. Within the knowledge of a few dozen generations they had developed and upgraded the technology to harness the energy within the glass. Passing on the knowledge these derelict geniuses have cultivated over their lifetime to their children without fail.
“That’s the same one been ripping our supplies to shreds, do you know how fast we’re going right now?” Replied Travir. This worm in particular had been slicing thru the sand like a hot knife, showing up to their floating cargo ships without seemingly any provocation. Detecting almost every drop of debris, patrolling the trails as well like it was sensitive to every vibration that got close enough. So of course they had to push their boards to the max at the end of this bright dual sun day. He continued “You still see it right? Wait… what’s it doing now.”
They had never seen a sand worm puke before so the sight before them made them both hesitate simultaneously. Through their goggles they could get a telescopic view of the worm spewing a slew of sand and debris from its maw, opening up all six of its jaw without biting anything in half. Everything had been spat just out of view behind the dune it crawled out of but a terrifying sound almost knocked their unnerved knees into buckling.