“We found white tools!”

A bubble of excitement burst in the hall and a crewman gave a shout of excitement. “There could be blue sand! We’re going to be rich!”

What if they found a granule, maybe two? He felt the thrill rise in his chest and tried to push it down. They didn’t know. It might be another empty room. That’s all there’d been for the last month of excavation in the city - empty shelves, empty halls, empty houses.

He felt a bump against his shoulder and looked down to see his closest friend. Belu came up to his waist. His skin was a dark and a smattering of scales lined the thick neck. A full curly beard curled as the Telszhav smiled. “Come on Havp! Today we turn it around!”

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He couldn’t stop the grin tipping his lips. He hefted the axe at his hip as the loud crash of a dozen axe’s filled the chamber. He peeked at the ring on his finger, glad he saved it. Everything was about to change.

The foreman chuckled from nearby. “Hold back a bit you lot, wouldn’t want to bury us down here.”

A wave of laughter followed the statement, and in response the noise raised to a cacophony.

Belu shook his head. “Should we join them?” Smile lines wrinkled around his pale grey eyes. “Or maybe we can try from further left and sneak away what we find.”

A rumble shook the hall.

“Come on Havp, there’s no time!”

“Wait, Belu!” But no one hears him. The sound of pickaxes grows louder, the shaking stronger.

He reaches out for his friend, trying to catch the back of Belu’s cloak, but the Telszhav is too quick. The fabric slips through his fingers, the silver ring glinting in the lantern light.

He’ll never find out what it means.

The earth collapses around them.