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As the group travelled up the mountain, they found few signs of life. The ragged trail, strewn with rocks and other debris, showed little signs of use. The dull grays and browns of the landscape were unrelieved except for the odd bush struggling to survive, but even those faded as the altitude increased. Most of the group was unused to this kind of rough travel, and the path to the peak of the mountain was difficult and hazardous, with rockfalls and sheer drops awaiting the unwary. All the while, the ominous wind from before hounded the party, quickening their tired steps. Exhausted by the climb, they were totally unprepared for what they were to encounter next.
The peak of the mountain dipped down into a bowl. The wind peaked, nearly blowing the first one to reach the edge of the crater down the side. Once the group made it over the edge, the wind suddenly silenced itself, coming to an end as unnaturally as it had begun. A shape slowly floated down before coming to a rest, hovering slightly over the floor in the center of the crater. It was red and blue, with a crystalline heart. It almost appeared to be human from a distance, but the arm consisting of a pair of tentacles quickly dispelled that illusion.
"Greetings, travelers."
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