Tuleni wound up staying the night in the family sitting/eating/sleeping pit, where she had slept like the mossy log she looked like when lying down. Nobody besides Mibata and I were awake in the morning, undoubtedly due to neither of us partaking in the alcohol segment of our celebration. I asked him if he wanted to go for a walk, so that’s what we did with our free time. He showed me all of the different places where he had received training, and detailed what process they used for the task. I think he just wanted to keep my mind off of things, but I kept him engaged in our little chats around the city, so the effort was mutually beneficial.

We had passed by the forge and workshop, which were only manned by a single kobold each to keep the flames going, when the morning crowds had begun to emerge from the tunnels on each floor. Our peaceful walk to clear our heads had become a sporadic shuffle to push through the rising number of bodies moving for the lifts and stairs, so it was in our best interest to find some place that wasn’t busy. With just a glance to the bottom floor I determined that we would be better off down there in the presence of that awful altar than fighting through the crowds, so it was that we took an unoccupied lift down.

We were catching our breath when the sensation of magic moving in the crowds caught my attention. It was small and fast, just the same as the ones that I had felt in the market, and once before when Tokols was sent to find our brothers. My ability to sense mana was notably improved since the last time, possibly due to my mana lines having fully developed, and I could now track where the flitting motes of mana were. I tracked a particularly lethargic one until it came to a halt on the floor below us. In the middle of the crowd, hovering just above the heads of the crowd below, was a small orb the size of an eyeball. Wait, it was an eye, albeit made from metal and glowing gemstones that moved through the air by unknown means. Nobody seemed to pay it any mind as it drifted above the crowd, scanning for something.

The eye somehow noticed that I was observing it and turned to look at me. In an instant it spun around and sped down a tunnel away from us. I looked to Mibata who had been following my gaze, but he looked confused by my incredulous gawking.

“Kayrux, is something the matter?”

There was no way someone as observant as Mibata hadn’t seen the obvious floating eye robot that was making no effort to hide itself. I turned my slate towards him, hoping I wasn’t just seeing things.

“Did you see that floating eye?”

His gaze flicked around the crowds of moving bodies on the next floor below us, then around the surroundings that were passing by.

“I saw only you staring in disbelief at the crowd* we passed on that floor. However, I recall Tuleni mentioning that you can perceive magic at a miniscule level, so perhaps I was not able to observe the same phenomena as you. Additionally, there was a passing sensation that we were being watched. Caution should remain our preferred approach, moreso now that you have identified a potential threat.”

Fancy words aside, he’s right about how we need to proceed. Imperceptible floating eyes moving freely around the city was evidence that someone was watching what was going on around here, and they obviously didn’t want me seeing that. Too late bitch, the cat’s out of the bag, and now I'm going to be ten times as wary about what I let you see, whoever you are. I’d be willing to bet it had something to do with the elders.

The lift finally punched the floor with a weighty thunk, meaning that we had finally reached the bottom floor. The circular shaft that was the heart of the city met the floor around the altar, broken only by numerous doors and gates leading into mines and passageways deep underground. Strangely all of the doors were closed except one, which was guarded by an enormous pair of kobolds wielding swords and shields. They weren’t praetorian guards, in fact they looked more like mercenaries draped in thick bands of leather and metal armor that clashed with the color of their scales. We approached them, only for the larger blue one to nod at the lesser orange one before halting us.

“Stand back. Danger inside. Go away.”

I quickly wrote a script for Mibata, one that would work with his usage of big words and proper nouns to hopefully confuse these goons. He read what I wanted him to say and rolled his eyes.

“Greetings my good ladies, might I inquire as to the nature of this hazard you are preventing us from encountering? My sister and I seek to ascertain the availability of a non-essential individual acquiring permission to embark upon a self-governed adventure into the depths of our deepest mines. Could you direct us to a foreman or chief inspector, so we may negotiate the terms and conditions of scheduling an outing within the risk-dense chasms of the ground?”

The blue kobold looked back to the orange one, who simply shook her head. Blue guard turned back to us with an annoyed look.

“Cut that out and speak normally, twerp. You, don’t write on your little plank there and try to confuse us, or I’ll chuck you in a cell. Now, if I had to guess, you two are… Mibata and Kayrux. Juaki’s little devils. Don’t look so surprised, your mother is one of my elite. It wouldn’t be wise for the captain to not know about the families of her best.”

Oh shit, this isn’t some goon we can confuse into playing our game, she’s the captain of the guard. Mom mentioned her only once: Aergrali, the biggest and toughest enforcer in the city, and her lover and second in command Vhoj. Even mom was afraid of her, and for good reason. Worst case scenario is she flattens us here and now, best case we live to see tomorrow.

The searing white eyes in her dinosaur-like face flicked between us, and once she was satisfied with our petrified shaking she cracked a wicked smile.

“Psh, relax, I’m not going to hurt you. I’d have to fight her and half of the guards if I did, and even if I survived we’d lose all of our finest in the battle. My advice? Don’t try to outsmart me. Be direct, respectful, and honest to me and mine, and we’ll keep things civil. Now, you were asking about going into the depths, yeah?”

Both of us nodded hurriedly, still reeling at the incredible malice she had shown us.

“Not happening. And no, you’re not going to get any further with the mine director, he’s the reason we’re here in the first place. New tunnels can sometimes lead to new caverns in the depths, and today is one of those days where the floor collapses while nobody is around, letting some unspeakable horror make the tunnel a nest. Here, take a look at the things my girls are dealing with right now.”

She reached into a bag at her hip and pulled out the corpse of something born straight from a Lovecraftian nightmare. Two feet long, no eyes, dozens of long spindly legs, and it was almost all teeth. It reeked of rotten eggs and burnt matches, and a viscous yellow sludge was dripping from its mouth.

“Nasty little things, aren’t they? We don’t have a name for them yet, but they’re not the worst we’ve had to deal with. The mother is the problem right now. She’s ten times this size, and a whole league meaner. She’s too big for the tunnels, but when we get close to the nest she spits fire at us. Nobody has died yet, but just to be sure we went ahead and sealed that tunnel. Until our inspection is done, and the threat eliminated, all depths exploration is halted.”

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These things sounded awful, and were now another problem to throw onto the top of the ever-growing pile of threats we knew nothing about. My head ached as I looked into the mental mountain of unsolved problems. I wrote a message I wanted Mibata to read out, but the snapping of fingers and pointing to her own face from the captain made me point the slate at her instead.

“How long until the monsters are dealt with, and once they’re gone how does somebody who doesn’t work down there get permission to go in?”

She read the message and looked again at her ally, who only shrugged.

“They’ll be dead when they’re dead, and you’ll know they’re dead when the big one’s carcass is dragged out here for study. The smell will tell the whole colony, if we’re lucky. As for the second part, you just ask the mine director for permission. Depending on what you’re going down there to do, you might need permission from somebody of equal or greater authority to one of the lesser elders. I wouldn’t advise going in there to anyone as young as you pups. Even if you are Juaki’s kids, and you had the experience and skill that she does now, I still would advise avoiding anything lower than three floors down. Monsters are only one of the things waiting down there, and we’re lucky that they have a physical body to damage.”

Mibata and I shared a nervous glance. Even the formidable captain of the guard showed a level of fear when discussing the depths. I drew a new question, one that might shift the conversation to a less foreboding topic.

“What about the mines? What if I just wanted to do a survey of the ores, or have a specific kind of material brought up? Are we able to make requests like that?”

Aergrali didn’t need to look back to her lover for an answer.

“That’s not a problem, at least as far as I can tell. Some of the more creative smiths will come down and request cartloads of one type of rock or mineral to play around with. They will sometimes go into the mines and poke around with an inspector until they find what they’re after. You have to tell the director how much you want, how quickly, and where it gets delivered, then pay the price up front. Simple and straightforward, just how it ought to be.”

That’s great news, since it means that I can go in and hand pick what I want mined, even if they deem it worthless. I wrote a simple thanks on my slate for the looming warrior, whose reply was to roll her eyes and grunt.

“Now you have manners. You come down here, treat us like we’re morons, don’t apologize for your mistake, then start asking questions without so much as a “please”. You really are your mother’s spawn.”

I wanted to protest and correct the mistakes she had pointed out, but her previously silent partner suddenly spoke up.

“Do not mind her. She is cranky. Woke up before first light. Bit on tail by abomination. Cry like a hatchling. Taking frustrations out on you.”

The stoic captain suddenly went wide eyed while blushing, her motions a blur as she whirled around to look at the offender.

“V-Vhoj! Don’t say that in front of them! What if they tell their mother? She’ll use that against me, you know she will!”

The bored expression Vhoj wore weakened as a smirk wormed its way in place.

“Get out of here children. Juaki will inform you of the depths situation. I advise you arm yourselves: even the mines have dangers. Stay safe.”

Not wanting to get caught between the argument that would soon be had, both of us made a hasty retreat back to the lift. We watched from abroad the lift as the two titanic lizards argued, though it seemed completely one sided in favor of the orange defender. No blows were being traded, but eventually the blue aggressor slumped in defeat against the wall with the hand of her compatriot on her shoulder.

I looked to Mibata, who was visually shaken by the interaction. I tapped him with the wooden board and its query.

“She was intense. Are you okay?”

The color eventually returned to his face, along with his professional demeanor and mannerism.

“Yes. I…was not expecting that. I am ashamed, embarrassed, and terrified all at once. I talked down to a woman who puts fear in the heart of the most terrifying combatant I have ever faced. You owe me an apology for that inane scheme. I mean no offense to either of you, but that was a plan that even Tokols would balk at.”

Yeah, I guess I must have watched too many movies in my past life. Usually if you confuse the goons and make them think you’re important you can get past. Who would have guessed that the boss was the one standing watch? Probably relaying orders from the rear while keeping in contact with whoever gives her orders. I had to find some way to apologize.

As if on cue the lift rattled to a halt on one of the many platforms it climbed between, specifically a floor that had kobold restaurants in bulk. I used my slate to ask him if breakfast would be enough to quell his frustration. I was fortunate that he hadn’t eaten, and that I had my leftover coins tied on the same strap that held my slate. I offered him the choice of anything he wanted, regardless of price, and he chose the spiciest things he could find. Fried and glazed cubes of poultry that were slathered in a green paste that reeked of fire and brimstone stuck on a skewer. I promised I would have some as well, and I thoroughly regret it. I am not Humey, my insides are not fireproof!

Mibata had the audacity to laugh at my silent anguish, and even took my unfinished portion for himself. Whatever, he earned that for taking the flak earlier. Still though, right after we had decided to be cautious, I go and piss off the embodiment of law and authority given flesh. I needed something sweet to clear my mind, and found solace in the confection that I found bearing a resemblance to the humble churro. The off-cinnamon and sugar pushed away my regrets long enough for new thoughts to plague me.

I still didn;t have anywhere to practice my magic. I was banking on going into the depths to blast the horrors of the dark with every element I could conjure, but seeing that thing the captain had made me second guess that course of action. Even seasoned veterans were getting hurt, and I was less than nine weeks old. Being a kobold sucks sometimes. A nine week old human would just be a squishy lump, but a nine week old kobold was officially a working age teen. Maybe dragon blood makes us grow up fast and learn quickly because life here goes by so quickly. Damn it all, I just wanted some peace and quiet for once.

My scowl was my giveaway again, since Mibata was now prodding at my face with a single claw.

“Let’s head home. I think we have caused enough trouble.”

Alright. I followed his lead and stepped onto an ascending lift, then stepped off on the platform with him. I was still in my own thoughts as he took my hand and led me back down the tunnel that our den attached to. We walked through the door, and the sight of our green grandmother snapped me out of my rumination. Why was she still here, didn’t she have patients in intensive care? She had Humey and Tokols sat down before her, though it seemed that the larger brother was just there to enjoy the show that was the scolding of the other.

“Tokols healer duty important! Scout training unimportant. Tokols supposed apprentice, Tuleni teach apprentice healers, why avoid Tuleni? Prioritize primary duty! Dragons curses, foolishness!”

Oh damn, she was livid. She threw us a curious side eye as we walked towards our dorm, but made no effort to stop us. I wanted nothing more than to toss myself into my bed, but our excursion had made me forget that there was a blockade of unsorted materials in front of the alcove. Defeated, exhausted, and no longer able to concern myself with anything else, I opted to flop face first into the bedding I had risen from this morning. Wait, it was still morning, we had only been gone for a few hours. Damn it!

I wanted to cry out in frustration into the soft furs and linens I was atop. Nothing came from me aside from a wheeze and a sore feeling from my neck. A familiar presence sat next to me and laid a hand on my shoulder.

“Are you alright? I apologize for pranking you, if that is what ails you. It was a juvenile action that I had no right to perform.”

I blindly reached out for my chalk and slate at my hip, and with only a small crack between my face and the cloth to see, wrote my reply.

“Not mad, tired. Too many problems. Just want them to go away.”

I even sketched a frowning kobold next to the words to accentuate my point. The hand on me went to my head and began smoothing my scales comfortingly.

“I share that sentiment. There are too many threats to our family. That is why I desired the job of seeker, so I could get to a position where I could gain answers. I want nothing more than to be allowed to rest without worry.”

I tilted my head so I could see him. He was being sincere, and had that look in his eyes that told me he wanted to cry. I couldn’t stand that look, it made me feel guilty. We both needed a break from the madness. I handed him my new words.

“Want to lay down for a little while? We still have the rest of the day and I want to upgrade our cooking area, but first I need some rest. I would like it if you would stay with me. You can read a book out loud for me.”

A warm smile crept onto his face, and after getting one of the new books he laid on his back next to me. We couldn’t relax without worry, but we could still carve out some comfort in this crazy world.