“Slow down,” Zack said. “Our exit’s coming up.”

Camille put her foot on the brake, and the truck’s engine slowed to a gentle purr. Zack lowered his sunglasses and squinted around the bend, but he saw nothing but endless hills and trees.

“Sorry,” he said. “It’s farther down. Maybe another half mile.”

“I thought you came here all the time,” Camille said as she sped up.

“I do. Just not from the road.” In hindsight, Zack should have walked along the road at least once. The Starwing Mine had been abandoned for the better part of a century, and all the street signs were long gone.

“Oh no,” Camille said. “Are we lost?" Her voice sounded sincere, but it must be a joke. They were only two miles from home, and they hadn’t even strayed from the main road.

“Definitely,” Zack said. “We’ll have to make camp for the night.”

She gasped. “What are we gonna eat? Nuts and berries?”

“Don’t worry about that. “Zack pointed a thumb over his left shoulder. “I’ll have Daudilus get us a deer.” He glanced in the rearview mirror to where his husky sat majestically upright in the cargo bed. His gray and white fur blew in the autumn wind, and his face held a stoic expression as he watched the landscape roll by.

“Thank the Titans,” Camille said with a laugh. “I knew I liked that dog.”

They drove for another quarter mile, and Zack kept his eyes on the trees ahead. The passenger window was a bit smudged, so he turned the crank counterclockwise and rolled it down. Naturally, this brought a burst of wind through the opening, and chaos ensued throughout the cabin.

“For goodness sake, Zack!” Camille swept a handful of chestnut hair from her face. The last few strands must have been stuck in her mouth, because she made a loud spitting sound.

“What?” he raised his voice over the wind, not bothering to hide his grin.

“You know what! Not all of us are bald like you.”

“Hey.” He ran a hand through his short hair. “I have a military cut. That’s not the same as being bald.”

“Just roll up the window!”

Zack complied as they rounded another ridge. “That’s it,” he said. “Right here.”

Camille slowed the truck for the second time that day. “A dirt road?” she asked with clear skepticism. “You want me to drive my dad’s truck down a dirt road?”

“It’ll be fine. What’s the big deal?”

“I don’t know, what if we hit a pothole or get stuck?”

“We won’t get stuck,” he said. “You’re driving a Vanguard T50. These are built for off-road adventures.”

“You’re the driving expert now?”

Technically, Zack had never even learned to drive. He was eighteen—the same age as Camille—but he’d never had a reason. Starwing Town was small enough that you could walk its length in less than an hour. The train also came through twice a day, and that could bring you anywhere in Questers’ Valley, or even one of the larger cities beyond.

Still, most of the farmers lived outside the town’s borders, and they needed proper vehicles to transport their goods. So did Camille’s father; he was always cruising around the valley, dealing with important mayor business.

“It’ll be fine,” Zack repeated. “Trust me. It’s not even a long road. I can practically see the parking lot from here.”

“Okay.” Camille let out a long sigh as she tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. “Promise there aren’t any potholes?”

Zack paused. “I honestly don’t know, but I can fix your flat tire if you get one.”

“You know how to fix a flat tire?”

He nodded. “My dad showed me just before his last mission.” That was more than ten years ago now, but Zack had a good memory for these things.

Camille craned her neck high over the steering wheel, approaching the road as if it were a dangerous cliffside. Zack was no expert, but he guessed they were going roughly ten inches per hour.

Just then, a van approached in the opposite lane. It was dark blue—almost black—with a pale blue logo painted on the side.

“Who was that?” Camille asked as the truck’s wheels rumbled against the dirt.

Zack spun around in his seat, watching the van fade down the road. “Elves.”

“How do you know?”

“The van said ‘Azureflow’ on the side.”

“Oh.” She gave a slow nod as she watched the road ahead. “That makes sense.”

“It does?”

“Yeah. My dad said they were going to survey the spot for the mana reactor today.”

“Finally,” Zack said. “Here I thought I'd be gone before it went up.” The town had voted to build the reactor almost two years ago, and it took the elves that long to send someone out here. Then again, they were just surveying the spot today. It could be another two years before they built anything.

Camille gave him a sidelong glance as they pulled into the mine’s parking lot. She knew about his plan to join the Army Sentinels, but she still didn’t like it. No wonder she and his mother got along so well.

The parking lot’s surface was all loose gravel and dirt, and it barely had enough space for five cars. The miners had probably all carpooled together back in the day. Or maybe they’d just taken a bus.

Zack opened his own door, then they stepped around to the back of the truck. Daudilus stood in the cargo bed, practically bouncing with anticipation. Camille opened the tailgate, and the husky tore off into the forest.

“I think the elves are overrated, Camille finally said. “So are the reactors.”

Zack reached into the truck’s bed to retrieve his gear. “Elves might be overrated, but not the reactors. I stayed in Timbervale last year, and they had a cafe with internet access.”

“So?”

Zack attached his blade to his belt, followed by his flashlight and handgun. After that, he threw on his tactical vest over his t-shirt, and a light backpack over that. Meanwhile, Camille still looked like a librarian, with her knee-length skirt, and a white blouse peeking out from the collar of her sweater. Hardly ideal for adventuring.

“It’s the internet,” Zack said, stressing the word. “Imagine being able to look up anything you want.”

She gave him a frank look. “That’s what a library is for.”

“Sure, but this is way faster. “Plus we’ll have cell phones, more TV channels, appliances that don’t break down . . . It’s gonna be paradise.”

“Sure,” Camille said. “Then the elves will move in with their chain stores and restaurants. Everyone else will go out of business, and we’ll end up working for them.”

Zack’s mom always said the same thing, and so did most people around town. Then again, those same people had voted for the reactor, so maybe they just liked to complain. Zack didn’t like the elves either, but progress was progress.

Their talk died down as they approached a cave-like opening in the hillside. Wooden support beams held up the rocky entrance, covered in decades of moss and vines.

“Daudilus!” Zack hollered over his shoulder. “Let’s go!”

His dog ran out of the forest a second later, then Zack flicked on his flashlight. The air grew cooler as he approached, carrying the faint mineral scent of mana crystals. A dense patch of ferns had taken root near the threshold, and Daudilus trampled these as he raced down the tunnel.

Camille approached more slowly behind him. “You didn’t tell me it was so creepy.”

“Don’t worry,” Zack said with a chuckle. “It’s not that bad once you’re inside” He handed her his flashlight a second later, then he retrieved his spare from the front pocket of his bag.

They stepped deeper into the shaft, and the afternoon sun grew dimmer behind them. At the same time, veins of bright blue mana crystals glittered from their spots on the walls.

“Watch your step.” Zack shone his light down on the rocky floor, and offered Camille his hand. She accepted it as she tiptoed between two puddles of stagnant water. Her leather loafers looked ready to fall off with one wrong move.

“I’ve seen you wear boots before,” he said. “Why didn’t you wear them today?”

“I came straight from work,” Camille said with a shrug. “Besides, how was I supposed to know it would be like this?” She gave him a look, as if it were his fault that she’d worn the wrong shoes.

They reached a junction up ahead, and Daudilus turned right without being told. They pressed on behind him, and the sounds of their footsteps echoed off the walls. The tunnel sloped downward, and the path grew more treacherous, with loose rocks skittering beneath their feet.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Their path ended abruptly after a few more minutes, and Daudilus sat on his haunches, looking expectant.

“I’m confused.” Camille shone her flashlight around the tunnel, illuminating the floor, walls, and ceiling. “This is the end?”

“That’s the end of the shaft,” Zack said.

“But you said you found another tunnel?”

Zack nodded as he rolled aside a small boulder, followed by several pieces of weathered wooden boards. “I didn’t want anyone else to find it while I was gone.”

Camille snorted. “As if anyone else comes down here. And I thought this mine was old? How did they miss this?”

“The mine’s old, but this tunnel’s new.” Zack removed the last of the boards to reveal a tunnel in the stone, roughly three feet in diameter. It sloped downward into the darkness, but he’d crawled down there before, and it only went about fifteen feet.

Daudilus charged straight down the tunnel, but Zack had to get down on his hands and knees.

“You made this?” Camille asked.

He shook his head. “It was probably some animal. Maybe a terragon or a quartz beetle.”

“No . . .” Camille crouched down beside him and took a closer look down the tunnel. “Terragons slice through stone, and quartz beetles crush it.” She made several slashing and crushing motions with her hands as she spoke. “This looks more like it was melted—probably a magma mole.”

“Good point,” Zack said with a nod. He’d been in a rush last time, and he hadn’t bothered to examine the tunnel itself. Just as well; terragons hunted humans for sport, while a magma mole would run and hide. Zack was always up for a good fight, but he’d rather not get ambushed with Camille here.

“Anyway.” Zack turned around and stretched his legs into the tunnel, preparing to crawl backward. “See you at the bottom.”

“Wait.” Camille’s eyes widened as if they hadn’t discussed this beforehand. “What’s down there?”

“I told you. It’s hard to explain.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re just saying that so I’ll follow you.”

Zack grinned as he crawled backward through the tunnel. Camille had never been the adventurous type, but she couldn’t stand an unsolved mystery.

He reached the bottom a few seconds later, then he waited for Camille. She’d crawled through the tunnel hands-first rather than going backwards. Zack couldn’t blame her; he’d done the same thing his first time. Hands-first felt a lot more awkward but at least you could see where you were going.

Camille sounded a bit breathless by the time she reached the bottom, and Zack offered her a hand. She accepted it, and he pulled her to her feet before turning to face the rest of the chamber.

This place was far more polished than the mineshaft above, with smooth gray stone covering every wall. Orange glowcrystals shone from recesses within the ceiling, separated by ornamented support beams. Broken tables littered the floor, and arched doorways led into adjacent rooms.

“Woah,” Camille whispered.

“Told you,” Zack said. “I wonder who built this.”

“Gnomes,” she said at once.

“What?” He rounded on her. “How can you tell?”

She pointed at the far end of the room. “Those archways and ceiling designs are from the Highspire Era.”

Zack blinked. “But those archways are human-sized. Weren’t the gnomes really short?” He held a hand up to his waist for reference.

Camille nodded as she glanced around the room. “That’s why they call it the Highspire Era. A lot of humans came to live with the gnomes before the war. Then the gnomes changed their architecture to make room.” She met Zack’s eyes again. “How much of this have you explored?”

“Not much. I found this on Thalorday, right before my shift at the Valley View. Had to cut things short after that.

“Wow,” she said. “Zack Farron did something responsible for once.”

“I was still an hour late,” he said with a wince. “Couldn’t do much about the two-mile walk.”

“Oh.” Her smile faded. “Bet your mom wasn’t happy.”

Zack shook his head as he stepped under a stone archway into a larger chamber. This one was roughly twenty feet in diameter, with three stone doorways to his right. At least, they looked like doorways, but each one led straight into a smooth stone wall. Had those been filled in at some point?

A control panel sat next to the doorways, with various levers and switches. Yeah, definitely a gnomish design. The other races hadn’t developed this tech until much later. Not even the elves.

Zack walked up and flipped several switches at random.

“Careful!” Camille snapped.

Zack pulled his hand back and glanced around. “What’s wrong?”

“What if that’s the self-destruct switch or something?”

“I think the power’s out,” he said.

“Well, what if that’s the power switch?”

“Fine.” Zack held up his hands in surrender. “Maybe they left a manual lying around.”

“Better than getting blown up,” she said. “Honestly, Zack Farron, I’m amazed that you’ve survived this long down here.”

He chuckled. “Honestly, Camille Lillian Reeves, I’m amazed that you ever found the courage to leave the library.”

“Aww!” She clasped her hands together. “You remembered my middle name!”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “What’s mine?”

“Duh. It’s Darek, after your dad.”

Zack nodded as he glanced back at the control panel. “I might try to remove this later. Could be worth something.”

She hummed in consideration. “You really think someone would buy that?”

“No one in town, but there might be a mechanist in Timbervale—”

A loud bark echoed from down the other corridor, and Zack put a hand on his blade hilt.

Camille whirled toward the sound. “Was that Daudilus? He never barks.”

“He does when he finds something.” Zack drew his blade, revealing thirty inches of steel that shone in the crystal light. “Come on.”

They jogged through a narrow doorway and down a short stone staircase. From there, they followed another long hallway to where Daudilus barked at a closed wooden door.

“What’s up?” Zack asked the husky.

Daudilus shot Zack a quick look, then he tried to push open the door with his nose. It was already open a few inches; maybe someone had blocked it on the other side?

Still holding his blade, Zack stepped toward the door and gave it a gentle push. It moved half an inch before it struck something.

“Hello?” Zack called out.

No answer.

Camille fidgeted with her purse strap, glancing frantically between him and the door. “You really think someone else is down here?”

“Probably not,” Zack said. “But I didn’t want to break down the door of someone’s home.” Still, there was something alive beyond that door. Daudilus only barked like that when he smelled danger.

“Alright,” he said after a short pause. “Whatever’s in there, I’d rather deal with it now. Otherwise it could sneak up on us later.” He glanced at Camille, half-expecting her to object. She didn’t say anything, but her brown eyes darted anxiously between him and the door.

“Or I could take you back to the truck,” Zack offered.

Camille swallowed once, then shook her head. “I’ll be fine.”

“Alright.” Zack pulled out his handgun and held it out. “You know how to use this?”

“What? Of course not!” She stood there like a stone pillar, making no move to take it.

“It’s just a precaution,” he said. “I can’t leave you alone without a weapon.”

There was a short pause, and Camille almost looked ready to go back to the truck. Then she took a slow step forward and accepted the gun.

Zack sheathed his blade, stepped up on her left and adjusted her grip. “Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot.” He guided her finger away from the trigger, and straightened it along the side.

“Like this?” she asked.

“Yep. Now, this is the safety right here. Just flip the switch if you need to.” He gave a quick demonstration before turning the switch to its original position. “Then you look down the sights and line up your target. Squeeze the trigger gently, don’t pull.”

Camille took a deep breath, her hands steadying on the weapon. “Got it.”

“Good.” Zack gave her his best reassuring smile. “Remember—just a precaution.”

A nervous laugh escaped her lips. “Don’t tempt fate like that.”

Zack drew his blade again and approached the door. Then he said a silent prayer to Kragor, Titan of Strength. He’d never broken down a door before, and he’d rather not mess it up. Technically, this one could be blocked by a thousand pounds of boulders, but it was the principle of the matter.

He drew another deep breath, gathering his power just like Master Kord had taught him. Then he launched off from his left foot, crashing into the door with his shoulder. It slid open several more inches.

Silence followed, and Zack pushed again, making a wider gap than before. Daudilus immediately slid through, but he wasn’t barking. Maybe their new friends had escaped?

Zack slid through the gap behind Daudilus, blade in hand. The chamber beyond was the largest yet, with massive chandeliers hanging from the arched ceiling. The glowcrystals painted the room with bright shades of orange, far brighter than his flashlight.

Pillars of glossy dark stone lined the walls, and wooden shelves stretched from the floor to the ceiling, filled with countless rows of books. The scents of leather and parchment hung in the air, mixed with faint traces of mana.

He took a few careful steps forward, straining his ears for danger. The only sound was Daudilus’s footsteps as he scuttled against the stone floor. He still wasn’t barking. “Hey . . . Camille?”

“Yeah?” she asked from the other side of the door.

“I think it’s okay.”

The door hinges creaked behind him as Camille pushed it open. Fortunately, her frame was far thinner than his, and she had no trouble squeezing through the gap.

Camille’s eyes widened as she surveyed the scene, then she stuck the gun in her purse. “It’s a library.”

Zack nodded as he stepped down the center aisle. Smaller glowcrystals hid within the shelves themselves, illuminating the books’ spines from above. He tried reading a few, but the characters were an unfamiliar mess of jagged lines.

“Don’t suppose you speak Gnomish?” he asked her.

“No one does,” she muttered.

Excitement flared in Zack’s chest as he walked. Those books were probably worth a lot, and so were the crystals. He might have to leave the valley to find a buyer, but . . .

Zack froze as they rounded a corner. Daudilus stood over a cluster of bones on the floor. No . . . not just bones. Skeletons. They were unmistakably gnomes, with short statures, and disproportionately large heads.

“Oh Titans.” Camille grabbed his arm, and her other hand covered her mouth. "What happened to them?"

“I don’t know.” Zack inched closer, despite Camille’s efforts to hold him in place. “Looks like they’ve been dead for a while.” Strange blue light shone from within the skeletons’ chests, reflecting off the polished stone beneath. It looked like a pool of liquid mana, or a spring of water beneath a bright summer sky.

Zack stepped closer and found glowing spheres inside the skeletons. Each sphere was about the size of an apple, and they seemed to be made of refined mana.

Jackpot.

He might struggle to find a buyer for the rest of his findings, but refined mana was as good as gold. And unlike gnomish books, he wouldn’t have to endure lengthy interrogations from the buyers. Zack knelt by the nearest skeleton, using his blade to move the bones and tattered clothes. Then he reached toward the gnome’s chest.

“Zack!” Camille said from a few paces behind him “At least wear a glove!”

Zack pulled back his hand. “It’s just mana.”

“Well, something killed those guys."

“Yeah, fair enough.” He unshouldered his bag and pulled out the leather gloves he used to move rocks and splintered wood. He grabbed the sphere a second later. Like all refined mana, this gave off plenty of light, but no heat. Iridescent patterns swirled beneath its glass-like surface, like a tiny storm that moved in slow motion.

“These are gonna be worth a fortune,” he muttered.

Daudilus eyed the mana sphere with interest, wagging his tail and bouncing up and down.

Camille let out a small laugh. “He thinks it’s a ball!”

“Down, boy!” Zack raised his hand and held the sphere out of the husky’s reach. “We’ll play fetch at home.”

Daudilus took a few steps back, clearly expecting him to throw it.

“How about a treat?” Camille suggested. “You packed some in your bag, right?”

“Sure,” Zack said. “Just let me—”

The ground shook beneath their feet, cutting off his next words. He lost his balance and the sphere slipped from his outstretched hand. Daudilus leapt forward in a blur, catching the sphere before it hit the ground. Camille yelped and grabbed onto Zack’s arm to steady herself.

Zack stretched out his legs in a wide stance, trying to stay upright as the tremors subsided.

“Has that ever happened before?” Camille asked.

Zack shook his head and glanced back at Daudilus. He expected to see the sphere, but the dog’s mouth was empty. Instead, a blue glow shone from within his chest.

“Daudilus?” Zack’s voice cracked as he knelt in front of the husky, frantically feeling at his fur. “Don’t tell me you swallowed it.”

How was that even possible? The thing was bigger than an apple for Titans’ sake. Unless it broke into smaller pieces, but crystal mana was as sharp as glass, and Daudilus was far too smart to eat that.

Daudilus backed away, thrashing his head from side to side.

“Oh no!” Camille covered her mouth with her hands. “Is he okay?”

“Daudilus!” Zack reached out a hand to steady him. “You alright?”

The husky seemed to calm down as he met Zack’s eyes. Then he gave a firm nod.

“Um . . .” Camille pointed a shaky finger at him. “Did your dog just nod?”

No way. He’d always been smart, but no dog was that smart.

Daudilus cocked his head to the side as if he were giving the question some serious thought. Then he nodded again.

“Titans above,” Camille said. “What did that thing do to him?”