Swooping low on her broom, Chief Detective Cronas flies along Ludlam Road beneath the close canopy of the woods encroaching on either side of the track. Red hair gently buffeting about her face, Cronas leans low, picking up speed.
As the trees spread out a little, the brightness of the sun and the vivid green hues in leaves and foliage grows stronger. At a glimpse of Ludlam Gates’ roaring fire in the near distance, Cronas glances behind then swoops in a wide arc, bringing herself off Ludlam Road and into a small clearing by it. Alighting from her broom, she studies the ground for signs of passage and sees large, round imprints at large distances from one another. Rather than be hesitant at the sight of something so large, she instead hurries away from the road, following the tracks.
Pushing through a particularly stubborn patch of fern, she stumbles to a stop, shielding her eyes as she looks upward. The looming shadow of a Hex Clunker blocks out the sun with its magnificent bulk. Purple-blue shimmers in the sunlight as huge funnels on its front and back belch a light-grey smoke in small puffs. It seems to sense Cronas and moves on thick, articulated legs towards her, clicking and clunking until with a sigh, it lowers itself so she can climb aboard.
‘Plusim?’
Cronas circles the massive feet of the Hex Clunker searching for any sign of the missing Alchemist, patting its side gratefully. Seeing nothing, she swings herself up and onto its back, pressing a palm to one of the metallic panels in front of her. A yellow copy of her palm flashes beneath her fingers and she steps back as with a hiss, the Hex Clunker opens.