"They're feeding illusions or harnessing the meltdown. Possibly both."
He glanced around, voice dropping. "If this is the outskirts, I can't imagine how the city's center looks."
My thoughts turned grim. "We'll see it soon enough."
We pressed on, the hush around us occasionally broken by the chittering or howling of creatures we couldn't see. Once or twice, I caught glimpses of shadowy forms darting between rubble, eyes glowing with the faint luminescence of illusions. Local wildlife, twisted beyond recognition. They watched us with unblinking stares, but for now, they kept their distance.
Eventually, that patience snapped.
