Hi and The Misfits of Pacific City

"So people, I know we're all happy to finally be free from the oppression of our old city-state, but if you'll take a moment to recall, our current state is that we are going nowhere fast in a vehicle with no engine, no gas, and seemingly no means of stopping. Can someone please explain how we got here?"

"The windmills."

"Yes, the windmills. From where?"

"There's two or three towns nearby. We could walk there. See what they have."

"And do what? Take their food by force? If I've learned anything from the last few days, it's that there's nothing left to take. Eventually we'll run out of things to steal and then what? What's your plan then?"

"We are still alive. That is more than some can say for themselves."

"Maybe for now. How long do you think that will last? We don't have any food on us. It's not like we can go hunting anymore. Sooner or later we're gonna have to leave this thing behind, even if it means just walking back to our old town."

"No! I haven't come this far just to give up!"

"You're not giving up; you're being rational about our situation."

"I was against leaving at first too, but now look at us! Look at this place! This was built so long ago that creatures three times my size are afraid of me! We can learn so much here that we would never learn another way! Have you seen the night sky lately? There are stars everywhere! You can't even see half of them from back home!"

"Yes, I saw them. I also saw them from my window every night when I lived above ground."

"But here we can learn things!"

"What about everyone else?"

"They'll follow along eventually."

"How do you figure?"

"Because they want something better too. They want answers just as much as you do. And they know as well as anyone what happens when we run out of food and start dying off one by one."

"Fine." The wizard sighed heavily and gave in. "Then let's get started with these experiments you've been talking about since we started on this… quest or whatever it is." He held his hand out toward the dark forest before him and muttered a few words under his breath. A small ball of light formed above his palm and began to glow with a bright blue light that illuminated the area around them for quite some distance into the trees. "How is this possible?" he asked aloud after staring at it for a time. The others looked on in wonder as well. "Tell me," he continued, addressing the others instead of himself this time, "what have you learned about our surroundings since arriving here?"