Clink, clank, rattle.

In these dark halls. These are the sounds that echoes throughout the mine. The cracking of earth and the scraping of metal.

My fellow people and I raise our picks above our heads as we harvest the metals for our masters. In unison, we suffer, working together in these tunnels that never end.

Me, my father, my father’s father. Have slaved away unearthing this black ore, which the guards cleverly call Black Iron. I guess the name has stuck around ever since.

Clink, clank, rattle.

I proceed to mine away, striking the earth with whatever strength I have left in me. Thus is the life of a slave. Born to serve, and raised to die in these mines. None of us ever will ever leave here, all of us, will forever be destined to provide this black rock to our masters. Whom call themselves Cinari.

They are smaller than us, but heavily armed and organised, always observing and punishing us for minor offenses.

Two are always standing at the entrance of each tunnel, watching our every action.

They stand upright on two legs with light pinkish skin. On their face is a single nose, a mouth, two eyes, and two pointy ears. Although these characteristics are always different between individuals. The only similarity they all share is their eyes. They are always round with a light purple iris.

They like to boast that they got their eyes from their Gods, believing it makes them the rightful protectors of this world. I don’t believe in that crap, for if there is a God. They would have answered our screams and cries for help. But they never came.

They call us Diamond Dogs, property of the Cinari, to be their eternal slaves. We are taller than them, besides having skin we have dark-brown fur that covers our entire body. I guess the reason they call us Diamond Dogs is that our faces looked like dogs or wolves. I’ve never seen one before. Perhaps they are just like us?

Clink, clank, scratch.

I glance to my right to see an elderly man slump to the ground. Panting from exhaustion, the man tries to stand but fails to get himself up.

I glance around in case the guards saw him fall. Luckily, they are more interested in chatting to each other.

‘Get up, we don’t want them to see you like this,’ I say to the old man as I help him up.

‘S... sorry, chieftain. I... I don’t know what happened,’ He replies with despair in his voice.

I can tell he won’t have long before the guards put him down. However, it doesn’t have to be today.

‘Nonsense, you have plenty of years still left in you,’ I lie.

The old man gives a tired smile and a soft chuckle. ‘Thank you, friend.’

He takes his pickaxe from me to continue his work. To harvest the ore once more.

It’s shameful to lie to a man, but deep down I know it will give him a glimmer of hope in these tunnels that we live in. Sometimes lies is easier to live with than bitter truths.

I’ve worked, slaved for my masters for what feels like an eternity. Cracking the earth with my fellow slaves. I can’t tell how many years I’ve wasted in these tunnels, I, no, it’s best to not to figure out how long I’ve been alive as their slave.

As a chieftain, I could skip this kind of labour to lounge around while I force civil order upon my people. I did that at first, but no good comes from someone sitting down and playing guard. That will paint a large target on my back for the next ambitious bastard to kill me.

So, I slave with them, my people. They grew to respect me as I do them. I do everything I can to make sure they don’t do something stupid or get themselves killed. It’s my responsibility as their leader to make sure they do their job, and to keep them going for as long as they can.

‘Food court! Get moving or you’re not getting fed.’ One guard announces as they whip and kick whoever didn’t get the memo. We shift and shuffle in line like it is routine.

We place our equipment down as we line up to be escorted to the get our daily meal from the food court.

We navigate our way through the labyrinthine tunnels of the mine. Trudging along with one guard at the back of the line and one at the front as they lead us to the food court.

We almost got lost a few times, but we don’t dare correct the guards, for that is a death sentence. So we kept silent as we follow them.

The food court itself is a large cubic room, made specifically to fit the mine’s Dog population.

Hundreds, if not thousands of tables and chairs are placed evenly in the room. The room is poorly lit by lanterns, some damaged beyond use, or never lit up.

Eating here has always been a hassle, as we are all cramped together in what seems to be a colossal room. But to us, it’s a tight space.

Even when the room is brightly lit, light never touches the centre. For most of my life the centre of the food court has always been in total darkness. Maybe light has never set on that spot at all.

Dogs line themselves up to the food court, slowly shuffling along to get something from the cooks.

The foodstuffs they give is never delightful, but it is better than nothing.

I stand at the back of the line, waiting to see if I am lucky to get any.

‘Hey dad, waiting as usual I see?’

I turn to see Alex, a striking young man. He is skinnier than the rest of the miners, but he will get bigger the older he gets. He still has his bandages on his left leg from when they branded his birth number on him a week or two ago. I hope it’s healing well, but thankfully there is nothing showing that he has serious problems from it.

I smile. ‘You know the drill Alex, leaders eat last.’ I examine the room. ‘Where’s May?’

Without warning, someone jumps on my back while they wrap their hands around my neck. I stumble as they leap off me.

I around turn to see my daughter playfully laughing.

‘Haven’t I told you not to do that?’

May playfully giggles as she places her hands behind her back, playing innocently like nothing happened.

‘Maybe.’

Alex rolls his eyes as he walks off to get some food.

I get on my knees to pet her head. Containing my frustration for her silly games.

‘I am glad to see you, but you must know you can’t just jump on people like that.’

‘Okay,’ May sighs. ‘But you have to be first in line so you can sit next to me and Alex!’

I shake my head, ‘No May. Because le-‘

‘Leaders eat last,’ May interrupts me.

I give her another pat on the head with a smile. She can be a bit naughty, but it reminds me of her mother.

‘Now, unless you want to go last, go to Alex and get something to eat.’

‘Okay,’ She groans as she runs off to Alex to grab some food.

She is the only daughter I had with her mother. She looks strikingly similar to me, even having the same floppy ears that I have. If only her mother could see her now, to see our wonderful daughter.

The only thing I can remind myself of her is May’s beautiful green eyes.

As soon as the line dies down, I grab my meal. Well, a handful of what was left of the foodstuffs. An unseasoned slab of meat, some veggies, and a mysterious mass of white stuff.

I walk around the room in search of May and Alex. It didn’t take long, for I can easily hear May cheerfully telling Alex about her day. Always playing with some kids or skipping with chains.

I politely ask a fellow Dog to move over so I can sit near my children.

They have eaten everything on their plate, but it seems they haven’t even touched the white mass. From the look of things, I don’t think anyone did.

I take a spoonful of the white sludge of a meal the chefs cooked for us. An odourless mass of waste that came from the bales of some pit. One taste made me gag as it taste like rotting pork and powdered nuts. I don’t think I’ll eat that.

‘How was your first day mining?’ I ask Alex.

‘All right, not what I expected,’ he sighs apathetically.

I know what he means. The hours, and the feeling that this would be your life forever. My heart sinks hearing him say that.

‘I know, but remember you have plenty of time to get used to it and maybe enjoy it.’

Alex rolls his eyes as he smiles. ‘Yeah. Maybe even wish for something better than today’s dinner.’

‘You can say that again!’ I flick a small piece of my food at Alex.

He jumps up from the table as he tries to scrape it off him like it is some deadly disease.

May laughs at Alex’s torment. ‘You’re such a wuss.’

Alex frowns at May. Which she covers her mouth with her hands to silence her amusement.

I couldn’t help myself but laugh along. Poor boy didn’t seem all that happy about it. He’ll live.

On the catwalk, the warden, in his clean dark purple and red clothing steps forward to speak to us.

He taps his freshly polished bronze pace stick on the rails, catching everyone’s attention. The room falls silent. I carefully listen to him so as not to miss any details.

This is Balgazard, the cruelest and fattest guard I’ve ever seen. His word is law. Fail to follow it can leave you hanging at the mines entrance. Even something as trivial as picking up a single pebble can land you on the noose.

He scoffs at the sight of us as he scans the room with his head held high.

He takes out a piece of paper while he clears his throat.

‘This is your weekly reminder of the mines fundamental rules.’

May sighs audibly. I bump her side to make her pay attention.

The warden stops what he was doing to scan the room for the source of the noise, then he continues to read from the paper.

‘Failure to follow the rules and establishments of Dragon Mine, will lead to your immediate termination by the sword.’

He puts the paper away in his jacket and looks at us. Guards enter the food court as they patrol around the tables, one hand on their sword, the other on their whip.

Balgazard polishes his pace stick with a silk rag. ‘Today I want to make sure you all know the rules off by heart. Repeat them to me. Rule one.’

‘The guards are my masters, their word is my duty and their command is my will,’ we all answer in unison.

The warden grins as he nods. ‘Two.’

‘We have nothing, even our names are property of our masters.’

A guard faces my table.

I look at May to see she isn’t repeating the rules. I lean close to her to make sure no one hears us.

‘May you have to say them.’

‘But I-‘

‘Say them!’ She turns away in frustration.

‘Three!’ The warden yells.

‘Under the rule of the Gods, we serve the Cinari and we will forever be in service to the crown,’ May says along with us.

I gasp a breath of relief as the guard walks off. Thank goodness he didn’t notice.

We continue to the fifty-seventh out of the hundred rules. While the guards take some people away for failing to recite the rules and laws of the mine.

The elderly folks who knew they had little time left in them didn’t speak the rules. I suppose they just wanted a quick end to their misery.

Children are also taken away from their families by the guards for not speaking the rules or remembering them. They scream as the guards rip them away from their mothers grasp.

May hugs onto me as tight as she can. Trying to ignore the screams and cries of the other kids, smothering her face into my ragged clothing.

The warden points his pace stick at May.

‘You, tell me the fifty-eighth rule of the mine.’

My heart races, every beat being harder than the last. Everything is silent, my breath being the only thing I can hear. Oh, please remember the rules May.

May looks at the warden in terror. ‘All must address the Cinari as Master or Mistress. Anyone who are not Cinari will be referred as Freeman or Freewoman.’

I sigh in relief as I bring May closer to give her a hug.

The warden nods in approval before we continue reciting the rules.

The warden chuckles with an insidious grin as he paces back and forth on the catwalk.

‘You know, slavery is the luxury of mercy. You people don’t have to deal with the hardships of total freedom. You can’t comprehend the struggles that us Cinari have to face. You see, freedom leads to decadence if you cannot hold back the temptation and the lure of chaotic freedom. Us Cinari are in a constant battle against our nature, but we always come out triumphantly so we can lead the world for a better tomorrow. I can’t say the same for your kind, however. It’s hard today, but it is a luxury compared to freedom. For servitude is your birthright and providing to the crown is your reward. Think about that as you rest tonight.’

The warden taps his stick on the rails, signaling the end of mealtime. The guards round us up to send us to our sleeping quarters.

May and I wave Alex off while we both head to our single room. It’s the only single room a Dog can have in the mine. Reserved only for chieftains.

I hold on to May’s hand while we walk to our room, passing through rows and rows of Dogs as they head to the shared sleeping areas deeper in the mine. Always under surveillance of our masters.

I remember being there once, the walls full of scratch marks, and the room so dark you cannot tell where you are. There were never beds there, just thin pieces of shredded carpet, if you’re lucky enough to get one that is.

It isn’t a surprise to have news of people getting sick sleeping there come around every winter. I heard word that even the guards get unwell being near there. Might explain why they complain about guarding there.

My room is near the entrance of the mine. The entrance looks like an enormous gaping hole in the earth like a spider’s burrow, with only wooden stairs connecting the surface and the tunnels of our mine.

It is the only time May could see the outside world, to have a taste of fresh air.

Next to the stairs is a large platform with the bodies of our people hanging off it. Next to that is the door to the warden’s private chambers. I don’t know what it looks like inside of there, but I can tell that the room is large enough for five guards to fit comfortably inside.

We enter our small room near the wooden stairs. It has a single dugout which serves as a bed, with a dirty ragged blanket on top of it. The room is barely large enough to fit the two of us, but at least we get some privacy.

May rolls into the bed while I etch on the wall with my nails to count the days left until winter. I suspect we got five months left, give or take. The room gets cold during winter, so I need to ask for favours soon to get some cloth or rags to keep me warm.

‘Dad?’ I turn to look at May snugly tucked into her blanket. ‘Will we ever leave the mine?’

How can I respond to that? I know the answer will hurt you, darling, more than anything will; there is no way to explain it.

‘Yes, we can. But we have to wait,’ I lie to her.

There is nothing to wait for, but I want you to come to that conclusion yourself.

‘Wait for what?’

I look out the door to think of a response. The stars shine as bright as lanterns, even brighter than the sun as they illuminate the entrance of the mine.

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I gesture May to go to the entrance. ‘Come, I’ll show you.’

May springs out of bed and rushes to the doorway. She looks at the night sky with pure childish wonder, but her attention turns to me to confusion as she doesn’t understand what I mean.

‘What is it?’

‘A little mouse told me something special this morning.’

May’s face lights up. Almost jumping on my lap from excitement. ‘Is it Stimpy?’

I chuckle as I tell her to hush to avoid catching the guards attention. She smiles in anticipation for what the fictional mouse had told me.

‘Stimpy told me a little story-‘

‘What is it? What is it?’ May erupts into excitement with a whisper.

‘He said that a beautiful young lady from this mine, will one day get all the Dogs out of here to explore the world. But there is an obstacle.’

Her face expresses worry, as if she is telling me please be easy for Stimpy.

‘There is a Cinari, and it’s name is Vilia, an evil man, with a magic ring that could make him perform dark magic.’

‘How can she stop him?’

‘Well, she must gather her trusted friends to fight the evil man. If she wins, our people will be free from the mines. And we can walk the surface again in peace.’

‘Will she win?’

I scan the area to see if anyone is listening in. ‘That is a story for another time.’

She frowns in disappointment, folding her arms in disapproval while looking away.

‘But don’t worry about that.’ I gently turn her head to me. ‘Stimpy also told me that tomorrow is your birthday.’

She grins as she bounces in place. ‘Really? It really is tomorrow?’

I don’t know her exact date of birth, but I believe I am close enough. ‘Of course! But if you want your gift tomorrow, be a good girl and follow the rules. Stimpy will stop telling stories if you are naughty.’

‘I won’t, I won’t. I will be the goodest girl in the mine!’

I look out to the entrance to see Dogs while they are led to the hanging stage. The same ones from dinner, the ones the guards escorted out. I didn’t expect there to be so many.

‘Come on May, go to bed and get ready to sleep.’ May leaps back to bed, holding her blanket tight as she snuggles herself into a comfortable position.

Snap!

The crack of the rope reverberates throughout the whole mine. It frightens May so much that she throws her blanket over her face.

The guards line the Dogs up to push them off the ledge 40 feet off the ground with a noose around their neck.

Snap!

May pulls the blanket slightly down, only revealing her eyes. Her voice shaking in fear. ‘Are the rope men outside?’

‘Yes.’

‘Did they do anything wrong?’

Another snap echoes through the mine. May hides under her blanket in terror from the sound of rope gaining tension.

I used to be like that when I was a pup, hiding under my blanket when people are being hanged. Their bodies stay there for a week, reminding us of what will happen if you don’t follow the laws of the mine.

I hate that sort of death. No one should suffer it, not even my worst enemies. I fear the day I will be on those high beams and kicked down with the rope tightly around my neck.

But even that doesn’t horrify me as much as the thought May being sent up there. Her corpse being on display for the world to see.

After they finish with the adults they escort the kids to their nooses.

Even from so far away, I can see their tears, their fears. They beg for mercy. But the guards don’t listen to them. Their pleading has only one response, and that is the rope.

One by one, the guards throw them down. None of them scream as they fall. Maybe they know it’s all over. Perhaps they physically just couldn’t scream. It doesn’t matter, for life in the mine always starts and ends the same way. You are born to serve your masters, and you die providing for them.

I turn to May to reply to her. ‘No May, they didn’t.’

I lie down on the floor to sleep, the icy breeze brushing my body, keeping me awake all night. I shiver, curling myself into the fetal position to sustain some warmth. Perhaps winter has come early.

May, on the other hand. Sleeps blissfully with her blanket, unaware of the elements. It’s good that she has some sort of comfort in here. Hopefully Alex is doing better than I am when it comes to sleep. I might not catch any sickness here, but at least he has a chance to stay warm.

When the sun’s rays pour into the small room I head to the entrance to get some heat from outside. It feels good to be kissed by the sun. In an instant, I feel refreshed by the sun’s glorious heat.

I turn to May to see her still asleep. I give her a soft kiss on the forehead as I head back into the mine. But before I do that, I need to ask a favour from an old friend.

I head straight to the forge room, navigating the twisting tunnels. The guards halt me a few times, asking where I was going, why, and if I’ve noticed any strange behaviour. I answer them truthfully, except for the last question. A Dog never snitches on another. They have their laws, but we have our own.

As I get deeper into the mine, the closer I get to the sounds of laughter and cheers.

I enter the room to see two Dogs fighting it out in a small cage. Thirty guards watch eagerly as they fight out their differences.

It reminds me of my time being in that cage, fighting against someone to sort an argument, or just to have them do your shift so you can slack off for a day.

My last fight was with the previous chief of this mine. I smile, thinking about winning his title. Smug bastard shouldn’t call his fellow Dogs out if they did something wrong. Play guard or master, you will be taken down a few pegs. Or killed in your sleep. I don’t think anyone misses him.

I continue my way to the forge. The heat from the room feels like a lantern’s fire burning your entire body. I don’t know how the smiths can work in these conditions.

A few smiths break down the newly found ore, melt it into a hot liquid and pour it into small bars or thin metal tubes. The head of the forge called himself Dustmane, but we all call him Dust for short.

He was a father to me when I was a little pup when my parents abandoned me. When I became a man, he is always there for me. Either offering advice, or lending a hand when I need help to raise my kids.

He called himself Dustmane for having bold patches all over his body from the molten metal searing his skin, and his mane being as grey as ash because of constant exposure to the toxic smoke of the furnace.

I heard that Dust was never his actual name. Come to think of it, I don’t think he had a name to begin with. We only know his birth number that is seared on his back. T-5:8.

He is a caring, helpful soul, never outspoken or competitive. Unless you’re in his forge, that is. An unfortunate Dog once tried to steal his pair of pliers, only to leave the room with a shattered hand and a broken tail. Poor bastard deserved should’ve known better.

When Dust notices me enter the room, he puts his tools down while he rushes towards me. ‘It’s about time you come to see your old man here, boy,’ Dust says with a crackling voice.

I walk up to him to give him a hug. ‘I am just surprised that the old man is still kicking around.’

‘You darn right, this bloody forge isn’t going to smelt metal itself. I’ll tell you and these boys this.’ Dust faces the younger forge operators as he yells. ‘If I die tomorrow, I better have some darn person take my place.’

I chuckle as I shake my head. ‘Knowing you, you’ll outlive everyone here through stubbornness alone.’

‘Well, I am a darn prideful bastard.’ He goes back to his chair to sit back down. ‘So Marak, you came here to help with something? Or do you need fatherly advice again?’

‘I need to ask you a big favour from you.’

Dust scans the room for any guards. He waves me to come closer for him to whisper into my ear.

‘You need my help again to get your grooves back?’

I hold my frustration and embarrassment. The things I need to do to handle that old man.

‘No, May’s birthday is today, and I want to get her a gift.’

‘Ah.’

Dust heads to his toolbox. He cracks it open and rifles through the hidden compartment of metal trinkets he made over the years. Dust grabs a rectangle object and conceals it in his hand as to make it a surprise.

He looks around again to see if any guards or prying eyes are facing us. Before grabbing one of my hands and placing the object firmly in my palm. When he releases my hand, I glance at this mysterious metal item. It is a belt buckle, but a strange symbol is etched on the centre of the buckle.

It is a circle with thin ovals radiating off that circle to make what looks like a sun? I put the buckle away in my pocket to not raise any suspicions.

‘What is it?’ I whisper to Dust as he grins.

‘They took us to the surface yesterday.’

They did what! Never in our history has any Dog gone to the surface. I smile in glee. Maybe we will be free soon. Does it mean we can leave the mine?

‘What was it like?’

‘Beautiful. There was so much green and blue. I almost choked for how fresh the air was,’ He pats my back as he walks me around the forge. ‘The guards are sick of taking the metal to the surface, so they made me and the boys do their hard work. There were giant roots that reach for the sky, with green moss on top that rattles when the wind blows on it and the centre is a single thick root that holds the whole thing together.’

‘But what is the symbol?’ I interject, his tale of the surface sparking my child-like curiosity.

‘The guards call it a flower. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. I thought my smithing was beautiful, but that was something different entirely.’ Dust picks up a leather strap hanging from a lantern and hands it to me. ‘Make sure Stimpy says he got it from the surface.’

I give Dust a good long hug. This gift will make May’s world even brighter.

‘You’re a good friend to me, Dust. Next time I meet you, I will get you something.’

‘Don’t be darn stupid, boy. Just know that uncle Dust is always looking out for you. Now piss off! I got work to do.’

I wave my goodbyes to him while he heads back to the forge. Old bastard always has something up his sleeve without me knowing. It wouldn’t be shocking if he can bring back the dead at this point. Foolish to believe, but an enjoyable daydream.

I head to one of the ore deposits deeper in the mine to help the Dogs there. I heard they haven’t met their quota for almost three months now. They haven’t been able to find any ore or minerals, just rocks and some trash from a bygone era.

‘Halt!’

I stop in my tracks, not moving a muscle.

Balgazard walks up beside me, using his pace stick to measure the distance between me and where he made his command.

‘Five meters and no sight of you delaying my orders. For a tool in their late forties, that is good for a Dog your age M-24:6.’

‘Thank you, master.’

‘I saw you watch the hangings last night. What are your thoughts?’

‘About the hangings or those being hanged?’ I hold myself together, hiding my boiling hatred and wrath from escaping my breath.

‘Good question.’ He pats the side of my face. ‘Let’s start with the hangings themselves.’

What about them? Besides them being horrific. ‘They were done to standard master. It would be a good reminder to all to know the rules of the mine and follow them as the Gods intended them to be followed.’

The warden smiles at my reply, as if he is entertained. He walks back and forth in front of me.

‘Good answer, M-24:6. To be honest, I thought they were an improvement from before.’

‘Can I ask a question, master?’

‘Proceed.’

‘How are they improved?’

The warden grins while he taps his pace stick on my shoulder.

‘We tied the ropes with this new method, instead of just snapping their necks and killing the criminal instantly. This new knot can break the neck, but kills them slowly. They choke out and die minutes after we throw them off.’

Horror sweeps through my body like a plague of rats. I know hanging is a horrible way to die, but to know that those people-

No! They saw me sitting there doing nothing, their chief, the man that is meant to look after them. Just sat there and watched them die. A surge of guilt overcomes me as I remember the children’s cries for their mothers.

‘Personally, I found it amusing that some of them wiggle trying to break out of their bonds. Cracks me up just thinking about it. Do you think it was funny, M-24:6?’

I have to hold back my bitter anger. I want to beat the man to death right here and now. I want to bash his skull for finding our suffering funny, finding the deaths of our children amusing. To use his blood to paint the walls of this mine. But doing that will give them every right to kill me and May.

‘It was one of the funniest thing I’ve ever seen, master. It is good to watch them choke out for not following the mine’s laws.’

I want to puke for saying that. I felt like a betrayer of my own kind more than anything else.

‘That’s lovely to hear, good friend. Now, my dashing servant, have you heard any rumours lately?’

‘No master, I haven’t heard word of any. Is it something to do with winter?’

‘No, it is not,’ the warden waves his hand. ‘The mine isn’t meeting its quota for about three months now. At first I thought it was the Dogs slacking on the job, but I believe that the reality is some are stealing black iron for themselves.’

That made no sense. Why would anyone take black iron for themselves? We don’t have any use for it, it will be pointless to even keep it as a personal item.

‘Master, I have never heard of this rumour before.’ I reply honestly.

‘By the Gods, you’re useless if you never heard of it before, I would usually have you hanged for not looking hard enough. But I need you to keep your ears out and investigate the mine for any suspicious behaviour and report it back to me. You won’t want to anger me if you don’t.’

‘Yes master, I will look for anyone who might’ve done this.’

‘Good.’

He walks off to the other direction, my body still frozen in place, waiting for his command to proceed with my day.

‘Now I will need to make an example soon, if you can’t find someone. Let’s just say I’ve got my eyes on someone who might be the culprit.’

I grind my teeth, feeling my primal rage almost taking me over. I won’t let him touch May, not over my dead body.

‘How long do I have, master?’

‘Two months, M-24:6. You may proceed with what you were doing.’ The warden leaves from sight. As soon as he is out of earshot, I punch the wall as hard as I can and as much as I can until my hands bleed.

I want to kill that bastard, make him hang for the crimes he committed. For making me choose someone’s life for my daughter’s. No one would steal that cursed metal.

We have not hit a hotspot in years. We only scraped what seems to be the last remainders. I am running out of time. I have to find a solution, and fast.

But what happens if we don’t find anything? What will happen to us? What will happen to May?