The old dwarf took a sip of water from a canteen before passing it around to the rest of us. We each drank greedily in turn, the stale water having a slightly leathery taste as it cleared our palates.
The dwarf reached into a wicker basket and produced a single loaf of bread, which he divided into four equal pieces and handed out a chunk to each of us. We ate this humble meal in silence, the recent events on our minds.
"Well, what do we do now?" Elwin asked tentatively, looking to Durhit for direction.
With no answer forthcoming, I took the lead and made a suggestion. "First, we need to break these chains," I said, holding up my manacled hands and pointing to the chains at my feet.
Even Durhit perked up at my proposal, giving us all a clear purpose.
Placing my hands on a sharp boulder, I turned to Kidu and asked, "Would you do me the honor of breaking my bondage?" Grinning with almost childish glee, Kidu picked up a heavy pickaxe. Lifting it overhead, he brought it down in a massive swing that crushed through the iron links. His strike caused a mighty clank to echo down the shaft, and his pickaxe gouged a further few inches into the hard rock.
The others stared in wonder at his prodigious strength. Smiling down at me, Kidu gestured for me to place the chains of my legs on the rock, and he struck down again with all of his great Strength. The chains had been weakened by my Rust spell, and they split apart like ripe fruit, freeing me. At long last, freedom.
Even in the blue gloom, I could have sworn that the eyes of the others brightened a little. Next, Kidu solemnly placed his own chains on the rock, almost reverently gesturing for me to break his chains. I picked up another scavenged pickaxe, and unsure if my unaided Strength would be enough, I raised the mining tool above my head and silently released a Power Strike.
The results were suitably impressive. I utterly obliterated the chains and shattered the rock beneath them, almost splitting the small boulder in two with a single blow. Wiping my brow and feigning greater fatigue than I truly felt, I smiled at my companions with bravado.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Kidu thanked me with all the air of a priest at communion. Knuckles facing outwards, he touched the place between his eyes with an open hand, which I gathered to mean a sign of respect and gratitude.
"Now, let's see if we can find a way out of here," I said, looking around at the dank, narrow tunnel walls. All I wanted to do at that moment was get as far away from here as possible.
Elwin and Durhit, however, were more focused on the business of smashing their own chains. Kidu and Elwin searched in the gloom to help Durhit find another suitable piece of rock.
*****
After what seemed like an eternity, but was probably less than half an hour, we were all able to break our chains. Elwin’s bonds had proven to be particularly resistant, and the dwarf and the wildman had to take turns smashing at the stubborn links. Finally, we were all free. Although the remains of our manacles still encircled our wrists and ankles, our spirits were much lifted.
As we rested in the blue gloom, Durhit made sure to gather some fallen Zajasite stones. He asked Kidu to carefully smash one from the ceiling and handed each of us a glowing blue stone, giving us a source of light.
"I hate to sound annoying, but what do we do now?" Elwin asked the group, although he looked mostly in my direction.
The dwarf suggested, "We need to find water. The area around here be known for its underground streams and rivers. If we can find one deeper down, we may be able to find a way out of here, but…"
"There is always a 'but' though, isn't there?" said the Rogue saucily. "By all means, speak on, sir dwarf. I am just delighting in my newfound liberty for a moment."
"In the deep places, a few workers were said to have gone missing. Strange tunnels were formed that no Overseer was responsible for digging," the dwarf explained. "I believe the deep places are dangerous, and we should proceed with caution. But it could be our only way out. Going back the way we came would take almost a lifetime of digging through that mountain of rubble," he finished, looking each of us wearily in the eye.
"I'd rather try for it than standing around here waiting to die of starvation. I say that we go for it!" chirped Elwin.
Kidu simply grunted. I nodded to the dwarf, giving him leadership of the group. "Lead on. I bow to your expertise and Wisdom. I have no understanding of these deep places as your people do."
"Thank you all. Given this old dwarf a little bit of hope back, you have," Durhit replied, some of his earlier confidence returning to his voice.
Although I was low on Mana, I thought about asking the group for another rest. But their eagerness to leave was infectious. With that, we gathered up what equipment and scant supplies of water and food we had and ventured deeper into the earth.