章 1921: Stuff of Legends

There, in front of them, the jungle parted and revealed a vast expanse of white bone. It was almost completely flooded, but the water was so shallow that it would barely reach a human's shins. Most stunningly of all, the flooded clearing was completely devoid of the scarlet infestation — there were no trees, no vines, no grass, no moss…

It was as if the ancient jungle was afraid of getting any closer to the dark hill that towered in the heart of the empty expanse and reeled back in fear. 

The hill itself was tall and strangely shaped, its slopes dark and barren. From time to time, strange ripples spread from it across the shallow water, reaching all the way to the edge of the jungle. As if something enormous was breathing somewhere out there, behind the hill, the measured weight of its breaths reverberating in the ancient bones. 

Rain and her cohort were not far away from the fallen tree on which Lady Seishan stood, so she caught a good look at her.