Mark's body tensed as the Clipkon broke through the ground, the creature's massive claws digging into the earth one last time before they emerged into the open.
Immediately, the world opened into a crimson-red light—much more overpowering than Dragabad's purple crystals and moonlight-esque light from the plants above.
They had surfaced into a cave inlet atop a ridge, overlooking a strange stone valley that stretched far and wide beneath them.
For a moment, the world was quiet. A stillness lingered in the air, broken only by the sound of dirt and rocks tumbling down from the hole the Clipkon had created.
Mark wiped the remaining grime from his face, blinking against the sudden rush of light. They were no longer trapped underground, but instead had surfaced in an alien, mountainous region that stretched as far as the eye could see.