The Sixty celebrated long into the night and slept late into the next day. Seeing little reason to make a late start of it, the day was given up for rest. Most spent their free time recovering from the celebrations, making it an easy decision for the Council to declare another free day. After all, shouldn’t they have a full day to do as they pleased? Laying in bed, praying for death or relief, was hardly relaxing. The Pit was a harsh reality and a good true break was necessary for one’s sanity.

No one complained. The monsters could wait.

A day of fun. Games of all sorts were played. Some were martial in nature, utilizing the training facilities in various ways. Duels and brawls. Contests and trials. Experiments and tests. There wasn’t any true organization to it, no one was keeping score. Everything just formed organically and just as chaotically dispersed when attention waned. Damian evaluated new concepts. Clarissa threw together a series of extraordinary tasks to complete. Warner challenged and was challenged to a fight in turn. Activities spawned from them and spiraled out into new ones.

For some that was too practical. Martial pursuits were too close to what their minds wanted to escape from. Those others sought abstract and mental fun. Games of all sorts appeared from the blue lightning and were scattered across the tables of the lounge. Board games, cards, and puzzles. These too had groups that shifted about on whims. Often in conjunction with cheers and groans. There was anything you could think of to play, if there were the cores to spare. Even penny poker played with real pennies. You thought of it, and the screens would seem to have it.

Reuben came forward and announced his scouting stroll. There was only one natural choice, a meeting was set for the next morning while the rest of the Sixty had another free day. It was only fair that the Council enjoyed a full free day too. They met, listened, and planned, but everyone’s thoughts were half on the fun continuing beyond their chamber. The scout didn’t resent it, once the report was passed on it was poker that filled his mind. These days felt freer than any day since waking. Progress had been finally made. Nothing wrong with treating yourself.

No one argued or brought up that nothing concrete had been set up for the second floor. Molly frowned, but she had some personal files to organize. Not to forget there was a promise to play spades again later. Harken knew when his flock needed his silence. All of the Council joined in the fun already in progress.

Smiles were found everywhere, moods relaxed, and laughter eased the sharpness out of eyes. The visibly improved morale inspired an even longer break. A few more days to let terror dim and pains fade. All and all, five days from the fall of the mutant Titan were spent in needed idleness. Joy.

Then, the itch to rise returned.

It invaded thought with whispered reminders that there was something new above. A new horizon