Before them stood a woman of feintest golden light, hair like liquid sun rays swaying in an unfelt breeze. She raised her head to look at them with sad, hopeless eyes, her dress in tatters, feet bare dirty. She would reach out, fingers splayed, imploring, calling to them. Whenever they would touch her, her fingers would shatter, and she would bow her head, the breeze taking her apart like shards of ice in a warm breeze. Her sorrow would remain, byt her light would flicker and die.<br/><br/>Around them, the darkness took form. A ring of people in a wide circle, surrounding them, impossible to make out in the darkness, their hearts filled with murderous intent, eyes upon the party in the middle. Before them, two infernos of flaring violet shone brightly, slanting like narrowed eyes. The shadows around them whipped from a sudden breeze, icey and fierce, a hood and cloak now. This figure stood head and shoulders above the rest, just as obscured, but its eyes filling them with dread and hopelessness.<br/><br/>One massive hand raised as if to reach for them, and then a flash blinded them. The figure of shadow growled and recoiled, the tatters of darkness chased away by the eruption of light. A wolf, sparkling and golden, eyes as red as rubies, stood unfazed by the darkness all around, calm, bathing them in reassuring warmth. It called to them, implored a barely felt wish that echoed in their minds, leaving them with a mutual wish to follow.<br/><br/>It turned and bounded from the rings of shadows, its tail leaving specks of gold to dance and glitter in its wake. The figures of shadow rushed in, closing the gap, enveloping them like wolves upon a sheep.<br/><br/>It was the same every night. They would awaken just as they were lost to the icey dark.<br/><br/>The last few weeks, strange events would occur. No matter how well they hid their Commune, the technology of the Old World would stir, and it felt different. It was imploring, desperate, and with purpose. Whenever these events occured, whatever Tech involved seem to reach to them exactly the same as the mysterious woman in their dreams. A elusive flash of golden light would accompany them, red eyes in the corner of their vision, a fiery tail slinking behind a wall before they could turn to look.<br/><br/>Before they knew it, they were following this elusive messenger, the golden wolf bringing them towards Copperhead Valley, and to their eventual meeting. None understood why they followed, but could not shake the intense curiosity, or the foreboding behind them. With each passing day, a sense of urgency would grow. They were in danger, of this they could all be sure.<br/><br/>Copperhead Valley cut between two sheer cliff faces, the most direct, and safest route to Old Cuntfucks Landing, a modest settlement started long ago by a blind man with a sense of humor and a filthy mouth. From there, the world beyond was open to any who could pay the transport, and the further you got, the more and more the world began to resemble the Old World. Everyone dreamed of heading north and finding a home, but for most, Copperhead could provide a decent enough living.<br/><br/>While Old Cuntfucks Landing rested on the northen opening, the blandly named Copper Town was nestled on the southen mouth, using the rock face as cover from the unpredictable weather. Here, people only stopped to rest and find someone to take them through the Valley.<br/><br/>Was the Wolf leading them here? Or would their journey take them through the Valley, and to the hub town? The uneasiness was growing... whatever danger that was at their heels, it was drawing close.<br/><br/><br/>"The Copperheads are getting restless... wouldn't be surprised if one took a snap at the bus..." the skinny assistent nodded his head to the distance, where a dog like creature lurked near a brown, shriveled tree. Its tail was short and stubby, a smooth plate of armor covering its face and head, brown and green, irridescent like an insect. It snuffled the dusty air, watching them curiously, then ducking behind a small shack that had collapsed on one side.<br/><br/>The burly man that was his boss, missing a tooth and sporting a brown beard that covered his swaying chins, slapped him on the back with a thick hand, which knocked the breath from his chest, laughing. "Do not worry boy, my Couches are built to withstand the pesky Coppers in this area... what you really should worry about are the storms. If the bus gets knocked upside down, then we're screwed! Hahahaha, come on everyone, breaks over, on the bus! We need to be in Copper Town before nightfall..."<br/><br/>The large bus was plated on all sides with thick metal that had seen more then a few Copperhead attacks. Gouges and dents marred every side, even the roof sporting some damage. The front windshield was barred and spiked, the engine rumbling healthily. Across the side was a faded painting of the mans face, grinning, text reading "Randals Couches"<br/><br/>From the sound of the engine, and the good condition of the outside, despite the many scars, it looked as though Randal ran a pretty good operation. And it also looked as though people knew it too, as every seat was taken.<br/><br/>"Come on, come on people, on my bus before the Coppers snatch one of ya!" he kept his hand near his pistol, despite his demeanor, looking out to the dusty, bleak horizon, where the twisted wreckage of another bus lay, the paint stripped by the cruel wind. He slowly shook his head, and when everyone had filed inside, he pulled himself in and shuffled his considerable girth into the drivers seat, pulling a lever, the thick, barred doors sliding closed, locking loudly.<br/><br/>"Rides almost over. In Copper Towns gates by night fall, Randal's promise!"<br/><br/>The bus lurched forward and rumbled down the faded road, toward the high canyon walls in the distance, the sun low on the left side, a Copperhead scampering from the path as Random blasted the horn.<br/><br/>Up on the mountains to the high right, a small metallic shape hovered, watching the bus.<br/><br/>The Journey has begun.