Chapter 6: Mob(i)lizing ----------------------- The two heavily shrouded figures made their way together out of the tomb. Lyrix was sad to leave such a fine monument, but Gogo felt relieved.It felt good to get back to the small grove of trees surrounding the mausoleum - any sign of life, after that place, was a welcome landmark. "So. We must find a way to get to the Veldt. It lies far to the east, correct?" spoke the guard. "Not quite," smirked Gogo. "The world may be square, but the edges connect. We can travel west, and get there in a much shorter time." "Fine. West it is. Our problem is, how to get there...?" "Well, no boats go to Mobliz anymore -" "Who says they don't?" asked Lyrix, gesturing at the tall trees. "Surely you don't mean -" "We can build a raft, and make it there in a matter of days." "Days, yes. Days of hunger, rough seas, the occasional sea monster - besides, I'd much rather get there sooner." "Hm. Hmmm... hmmmmmmmmmm... I'm completely confounded, Gogo. What method could we use to get there?" After a moment's thought, Gogo had a rare original idea. "Let's use the Serpent Trench!" Lyrix looked quite puzzled. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the Serpent Trench run from the Veldt to Nikeah? And isn't it above water now?" "Think about it. A trench is a depression in the ocean, correct? When the world was shattered, why did the Trench rise higher than the rest of the ocean?" "I don't know. Why?" "Because of the currents! The swift flow of water caused the sea floor of the Trench to rise faster than that of the rest of the ocean." "SO?" "The currents must still be there somewhere. If I'm correct, the currents that normally flowed through the Serpent Trench have now been deflected and diverted - one of them should, if I'm not completely mistaken, lead from somewhere around here to the Veldt. After all, the old Crescent Mountain was not the beginning of the current - it started off the coast, near here." "I vaguely see your reasoning - but how will we breathe underwater during the journey?" Gogo smiled, although it was nearly impossible to tell, given the layers of cloth over her mouth. "I've found that wearing all these layers of clothes not only makes me look more mysterious, I can hide useful items in the folds and pockets. These, for instance..." With a flourish, Gogo produced a square sheet of some thick leather-like material. "Cut this in half, will you?" Annoyed that the mimic was bossing a man of such stature around, Lyrix grimaced. "I suppose it's the only way to get to the Veldt. After all, a deal's a deal." With an audible SLASH!, the square was neatly bisected. "Good. Now, hold it over your mouth, and jump in. These are some material I bought somewhere, before the collapse, that supposedly filter out all the breathable air that's in the water. If we hurry, we can make it to the Veldt in a few hours - let's go!" "Why do I put up with this?..." A loud double splash, and the two were finally on their way.