The air was thick with dust, the monotony of the mine only broken by the sound of drills occasionally breaking through. Every breath felt like inhaling sand, and the flickering lights above cast long eerie shadows among the jagged walls. As hardworking as always, Alex diligently looked for weaknesses on the surface to exploit. His blue eyes laser focused on the chore ahead. The daily grind never ended. Besides him, Uncle Sam was a reassuring presence.
Just before the boy put down his drill for a short rest, he felt a different sensation. The wall seemed to be pushing back. Getting excited, he lowered the power of his drill and began to carefully carve out the surrounding area.
"You found something?" The older man looked over curiously.
Alex nodded silently and continued cutting out the rock. Before long, he could make out a crystal's exterior. In spite of that, it seemed to dampen his mood instead.
"A dead crystal? That's unlucky." Sam patted his younger partner's shoulder.
Rather than the characteristic glow of a filled crystal, it was lifeless and grey. Such an event occurred when its mana leaked into the surroundings, often due to a small crack on its surface. Sighing, the youngster decided to take a break. His exhaustion was catching up with him.
"Uncle, how do these crystals form anyway?"
"The crystals, huh." Sam repeated. "Despite mining them as a job, half the people here couldn't tell you."
He gave out a hearty laugh, but his insult didn't escape his friend's ear.
"Old Sam, you know I'm right here?" Noel complained.
"Of course, I'm just kidding." Sam said before bringing his face towards Alex. He then whispered. "Not really."
Seeing his not very discrete action, Noel just exhaled loudly before continuing his work.
"As for your question. As everyone knows, all mana originates from Lumen's sword." Sam began, gathering the boy's attention.
"From where it dissipates into the world. The energy that ends up in the ground then tends to concentrate as it gets deeper. I couldn't tell you why. I assume the ground's structure forces it into certain areas. Crystals tend to be neutral, but are sometimes influenced by their surroundings to adapt an element. That's why most crystals in this mountain are Earth. Ain't nothing but rocks around here."
Alex nodded. He already knew the reasoning behind crystals picking up certain elements.
He gave his appreciation to the older man. Subsequently, he prepared to start mining again. Just then, a person approached Uncle Sam. His outfit immediately revealed himself not to be a miner, but rather a more senior position. Perhaps a manager?
"Am I talking to Sam Lane?" He spoke clearly and bluntly.
"That's me."
"Your presence is requested." Seeing Sam's hesitation, he showed something on a tablet. He clearly made sure no prying eyes could see.
Sam stood silent for a moment, before turning to Noel.
"Look after Alex, will you?" He received a silent acknowledgement back. Turning to Alex, he spoke again.
"It's nothing important, I'll be back soon."
"No worries, I'm not a little kid." The boy's words made him receive a heavy poke to his stomach. With that said, Sam walked away with the well dressed man by his side.
'It's not my first time alone.' Alex thought. He had seen the older man taken a few times before, owing to the greater trust put in him by the seniors in the organisation. It never looked this serious before though.
'No point lingering on this.' Hence time continued to ebb away.
As the youngling was mining, the taste of grime filling his mouth, he felt a familiar sensation.
'Maybe this time?' Getting set for clearing out the rock, Alex methodically and efficiently mined until a glimmer of light shone. 'Jackpot.'
With a speed that was nearing desperation, he soon had a crystal firmly in his hands. It radiated gentle warmth that enveloped his limbs.
'A 1st tier fire crystal. An opportunity for a better future.'
His hands clenched tightly. The red hue attracted the gazes of the miners around him. Expressions of envy and mild awe flickered across their faces. Most proceeded to look away, but a small group kept their gazes locked.
As Alex put away the crystal into a side pocket, he heard footsteps to his side. Upon looking, a small contingent was atop him. The man at the front stepped forward, seemingly their leader. He grinned, but there was no warmth behind it. Combined with a mouth that had only half its teeth, the view was unflattering. Alex prepared to speak, but as usual, his mouth was stuck.
"You've got a nice thing there, boy." He spoke, his voice grating on everyone's ears.
Alex looked around. Some other miners were watching but averted their gazes as he swept over them. Noel opened his mouth as if ready to speak. But with a sharp glance from the instigators, he whimpered and dipped his head, slowly stepping back. The boy felt betrayed.
'I can't rely on anyone else then.' To say Alex was not afraid would be to lie, but he seldom let his feelings show.
Being the first time he found a crystal without Uncle Sam being here, this was a new experience for him.
"But don't you think someone more experienced should handle it? These crystals ... they tend to slip away easily." The rugged figure said.
'So that's what he is getting at. Not unexpected.'
Meanwhile, the cronies behind him spread out, their intentions obvious.
'This is for Zara and Archie. I'm not letting them get their fingers on it.'
"I don't think we've met before. I'm Cautes." He put out his withered hand.
"I'm Alex."
"Alex, hmm. Sam's been treating you well." The worn man seemed to spit venom as he said Sam's name. "It's hard working in the mines, you know. Tolling endlessly, with little reward to show for it."
He caressed his own hands, a bitter smile resting on his lips.
"So what do you say? Care to give an old man a hand."
"I'm afraid I can't do that." It was quiet, Alex doing his best to hold in his shaking voice, but the older man still heard it.
The men around Alex started closing in.
"Youngsters these days. They don't know their place." Cautes' voice was emotionless.
Alex prepared to run and scream if needed. Before he could do so, the old man put up his hand, stopping his men from advancing.
"Accidents tend to happen around these parts. Think carefully about who you cross." With a final glaring look, he stepped away with his crew.
After the group disappeared, Noel came scampering next to Alex.
"Don't take Cautes' words too seriously, Alex. He has a habit of scaring newer miners. Nothing comes of it." He reassured.
"It's ok. I'm not afraid." Alex spoke, expertly hiding his inner turmoil. A tear gathered at the corner of his eyes, but he quickly wiped it.
To distract his mind, he went back to work. Maybe he could earn another crystal, although if he had to go through that one more time...
'I'll do it again.'
***
His tummy grumbling informed him it was now a good time to leave. His last meal was no more than a snack while researching earlier in the day. With a sole crystal as his accomplice, Alex headed back towards the entrance area of the mine. He didn't really feel like spending much more time than necessary with Noel. Upon reaching one of the larger rooms above, he caught a squad of guards gathered together out of the corner of his eyes.
On closer inspection, they were standing around a human. Or a sad shell of what should have been a human. Their skin was bruised and scarred beyond comprehension. The ripped clothes informed that they must be a miner. Dark red blood seeped from wounds all around their body, staining their clothing and the floor. Although out of Alex's vision, their hands were chained. The scene made him wince. Regardless, preparing to step closer in order to get a better look, Alex was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.
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"No need to go there Alex." Hearing Uncle Sam's voice, the boy turned around.
"Let's go, can't leave your siblings home for too long."
A horrible squelching sound was heard, as the guards started to drag the body deeper into the compound. The soft rising and falling of the chest showed that the person was still alive. Their mouth was mumbling, inaudible to anyone but themselves.
Alex's stomach tightened, as he looked back to stare at the miner's broken form for the last time.
Knowing Alex's curiosity, Sam gripped him tightly as he walked in the direction of the exit.
"Who was that?"
"Someone who attempted something they shouldn't have." The older man spoke solemnly. "He attempted to steal some crystals for himself, a grave crime."
The youngster nodded his head knowingly. Such a punishment was expected if you attempted to steal crystals, even 1st tier ones.
"It's best not to pry too deeply into such matters."
'What forces a person to do such a risky move? Is it just greed?' Alex thought. 'If my sibling's wellbeing depended on it, would I risk this too?'
He knew the answer, but it did little to settle his unease.
Though he had no way to know the thief's motives, he still couldn't help but empathise with the beaten stranger.
Following a short silence, the boy asked another question on his mind.
"What did that man take you away for?"
Sam laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head.
"Nothing serious. Just a minor hiccup. We found some extra fire crystals deeper underground."
Alex's reply was a raised eyebrow.
"No matter. Tell you what, how about I take care of Zara and Archie tomorrow? Might as well when you are training in the forest."
"I would be grateful."
Joining the queue, the pair waited for their turn to get checked. Around them, people gossiped as rumours spread of a smuggling attempt.
"Little bastard, now the guards are going to get rougher with the rest of us."
"He deserves what he gets."
"I wonder how many Aes he would have made?"
"Idiot, quit that line of thought."
"Huh? I thought it was a woman."
"News sure spreads fast." Alex commented.
"With the internet, everyone and their mum in Inops will know of this within a few hours." Uncle Sam replied.
"Come forward." A guard called the duo forward. Thankfully, they were different from yesterday. Alex preemptively took out his crystal, presenting it.
"A fire crystal." Sam was surprised. 'The lad spent his time usefully then, while I was away. But fire? Much rarer than earth here, although with the recent findings...'
Alex decided not to speak about his conflict with Cautes.
"Anything else?" The youngling shook his head but was still swept over by the scanner.
"That will be an extra 1500 Aes then. It'll be added to your base wage." Waving the boy forward, he proceeded to check Uncle Sam, before he was motioned forward too.
"That's a mighty good haul. I'll get some cargo loaded and then we will set off."
As the two waited, a pair of eyes bore onto them from a distance.
***
Kella stood quietly, her sword drawn and ready to strike. She stood within a training hall. It could be best described as a vast open space, its high ceilings supported by towering pillars made out of polished wood. The sleek beams gave the room an air of tradition.
Yet the walls sang a different tune. Embedded with subtle strips of glowing lights, their ambience filled the area. Their power was drawn from elemental crystals, like much of the city, producing a soft humming noise that blended into the background. Holographic screens flickered on and off in steady intervals around the hall, displaying statistics and training programs to all who lay their eyes upon them. Every person who trained here had their progress closely monitored.
The floor beneath Kella's feet was hand crafted from smooth dark wood by an expert artisan. Its perfection was such that even the sound of her feet moving was absorbed, leading to an eerie silence. It was only broken by the clash of steel. the soft whispering of the training students, and the murmur of the drones above. The machines hovered near the ceiling, observing and adjusting the sessions of those that required it.
Around Kella, other students practised with intensity. They were the elite picked by her family to form the backbone of their future. Some trained their own forms, while others sparred under the watchful eyes of instructors. Others still just observed Kella, staring at her movements intensely to see if they could gleam any benefit from it.
Two students stood in the darkness of a corner, taking a moment of respite.
"Training with swords is such a hassle. They are such prehistoric weapons. Why don't we just use guns?" The taller of them whispered.
"Brother, don't say that here." The other reprimanded before looking around. Seeing that no one was looking, he gave a breath of relief.
"But brother, tell me why?"
"You moron, if you focused on your studies, you would know." Sighing, the shorter partner eventually relented. "While true that a gun is more helpful in lower tiers, and hence why guards are equipped with guns, it ceases to be true after a certain level."
"Why is that?"
"For someone who loves fighting, you sure know very little." The shorter figure frowned indignantly. "A true master can easily exceed the speeds at which bullets travel, making guns useless. And making guns powerful enough to go beyond that is prohibitively expensive. Not to mention, with the amount of power required from a crystal to fire a single bullet, you can easily get a few good slashes in instead. With lower tier crystals, we can afford that inefficiency, but that's not true at higher tiers."
With an instructor approaching, the two ended their talk before getting back to practice.
Simultaneously, a large boy stood on Kella's opposing side. His arrogant sneer showed disdain for all the other students here.
"Brother Yeray is challenging sister Kella again." Someone spoke out.
Moments later, a perimeter of students formed around the competitors.
"Kella, this time I will come out on top." Yeray's voice rang out, much deeper than others at his age.
His sword was also massive, over half his own height. The blade's grey metal shone wickedly, and its dark handle was finely detailed. It was clearly created by someone highly skilled but still paled next to Kella's.
She raised her chin, her fingers tightening on the tilt of her sword. Yeray always seemed to come back for more, never learning his lesson. Part of her admired his persistence, but it mostly just irritated her. Nevertheless, her pride refused to allow her to back down from a fight.
"You say that, and every time you lose. I'll send you packing again." The girl spoke in an even more arrogant tone.
An elder approached the scene, calming down the rowdy crowd.
"Master Alda, we'll be in your care." The pair said as they bowed. Following his acknowledgement, they got into their starting stances, ready to duel.
***
Aquilo stood by the floor to ceiling window, his fingers slowly glazing the cool glass. He looked out at the sprawling city of Inops. Its skyline glittered, a sea of light stretching into the far distance.
From his vantage point, he could make out the heart of the city, skyscrapers of glass and steel reaching out for the sky. Their sharp edges were softened by the glows of the neon signs and hover cars speeding between them like fireflies.
Taking out his phone, he clicked a few buttons before waiting for the call to get through. The soft ringing was the only noise that accompanied him. Far below, the streets pulsed with life, even at this late hour. But no sound reached him, the scene below looking like it was from a silent movie.
His family’s home was located on the upper floors, tucked away in the inner districts of the city. From here, Inops looked peaceful, almost serene – a glittering jewel beneath the night sky.
Hearing an approving beep, Aquilo started to speak.
"Sorry for calling at this time," He said, rubbing the back of his neck as he glanced back at the city below. "I hope I didn’t disturb you."
A voice answered him back. The boy stepped away from the window towards a sofa.
The inside of his apartment was clean and modern, tastefully furnished with warm lighting and a minimalistic decor. A large screen on the wall displayed a muted news feed.
“No, nothing much. Tomorrow is Sunday, so I was just wondering if you were free?”
The response was expected but still made him dejected.
“Oh, I see. If you don’t mind me asking, what are you doing?”
The boy rested against the soft cushions of his couch.
“Forest Arbor? That’s sick. You have to invite me another day.”
“That sucks. But still, you got to inform me if it does happen.”
Aquilo sighed, running his hand through his hair.
“Thanks. Oh that, a friend of mine was hosting some sports games. It’s fine, no big deal.”
“See you on Monday then. Stay safe. Bye”
For some time, Aquilo stood still with his thoughts. His friend's life felt chaotic, yet it somehow elicited a pang of jealousy. They had a sense of purpose. On the other hand, Aquilo's days felt smooth and predictable - he was a slave to his own routine. He wasn't sure when that started to bother him.
Putting away his device, Aquilo leaned back on his couch.