Jeanne and Cid ducked their heads under the thick wooden rafters. The stale air in the enclosed space gave took a long for both of them to adjust as they proceeded further.

“You’ll want to throw something on,” said Rul’kil, “it’ll help keep you from getting overwhelmed before we’re out.”

“How long are you all down here?” Cid asked.

“Well, the boss has someone keeping an eye on the sun, so we’re in a little after sun up and a little before sundown.”

“Stickler on being punctual, isn’t she?” Cid followed.

“Well, if you one too hard, they tend to work less they normally can or they make a mistake and wind up collapsing half a tunnel with themselves and few others trapped inside.”

“I take it this is what you’ve dealt with before?” Jeanne asked.

“More than a few times,” Alm’gis replied. “Most of us know someone who had that happened. And Ar’iel had us split from other mine operation when the owner told her we were worth less than the earth we dug.”

“I’ve heard my share of that,” Cid said.

“I can imagine,” Rul’kil said. “Felidans aren’t the most welcomed folk around here.”

“Add them to the list,” Alm’gis said, turning to Cid. “No offense.”

“None taken,” Cid replied.

They arrived to a set of spiral staircase winding down. There was little light provided by the ends of both entrances into the walkway. Cid and Jeanne both having their hands on the walls as they moved before they could see their footing again. On the other side, the scent of earth and stone mixed with sweat as the four moved down the corridor.

The interior was wide, with space for two carts to pass around support columns placed in the center of the corridor and then side by side with enough room for workers to pick away at the stone. More of the gold orbs rested short distances apart along both sides of the walls, providing light to work inside. Suspended along the ceiling at every other golden orb was a white crystal, dull and emanating no light from within.

Jeanne spotted it, turning to Rul’kil. “That one isn’t lighting up.”

“It shouldn’t,” Rul’kil replied. “If it does, then we’ve got more than a few problems.”

“Should I ask?” Cid followed.

“Once we’re out of the mineshaft, then yeah,” Alm’gis responded. “If that thing lights up, I wouldn’t say to have a deep conversation.”

Cid and Jeanne moved behind one of the columns as a cart passed, examining some of the deep black rocks sitting on top of the cart with jet stone, cairngorm quartz, gold, blue fluorite, and even diamonds resting inside. “By the Shepherd,” Jeanne softly said to herself, “What are you lot digging in here?”

“Oh, you a gemstone here and there, and enough coal to choke a hundred team of horses,” Rul’kil answered. “Not that you’d want to.”

“Don’t suppose there’s silver coming out of these mines as well?” Cid asked.

“Aye,” said Alm’gis, “though that tends to go to the smithy before any of it is sent for trading.”

“How come?” Jeanne asked.

“Weapons mostly,” Alm’gis replied.

“Werewolves?” Cid asked.

“I don’t know, I don’t want to. But I’m not getting caught off guard, regardless.”

Jeanne turned to Cid and gestured, We should tell Leonidas this when he’s done with the halfling.

Cid nodded. Agreed. This isn’t sitting with me at all.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

A commotion came from their right, and they turned to see a goblin holding up another miner, the other’s feet dragging down on the floor. Alm’gis called out to them. “What happened?”

“Eil’ra was working his section of the rockface when he just collapsed. I don’t know what happened.”

Before any could say a word, the white crystals at the top began glowing strongly. All the goblins looking up, their mouths dropping at the sight. Kul’kis went to a nearby bell and began ringing it high as they could. “Out out out!” Kul’kis called out. “Bad air! Bad air! Out out out!”

The other miners dropped their tools and moved towards the stairs and out of the tunnel. Jeanne and Cid moving back up the stairs with the others and watching as some of the goblins organized the rest into smaller groups. One goblin turned to Alm’gis, “All present here,” they said, before letting out a sigh of relief.

“Same here!” another called out before others followed suited.

One of the goblins looked around, concerning growing on their face. “Where’s Wul’num?”

Some of the others looked around, confused. “He was just behind us,” of the miners said.

“Damn it all!” the group leader snapped.

“What’s the problem?” Kul’kis asked.

“We got a man missing down there.”

“Shit!,” Kul’kis hissed. “The rest of you stay here, Alm, make sure everyone is accounted for.”

“Where are you going?” Alm’gis asked.

“Someone needs to get Wul out or he won’t be getting out at all.”

“You won’t make it out yourself,” Alm’gis followed.

“I’m not letting him die in there!”

“I’ll go in,” Jeanne said, removing her cloak and throwing it to the side. “I can get in and out quick.”

“You don’t know the layout of the mine,” Alm’gis said.

“Then we both go,” Jeanne said.

Alm’gis grunted sharply before nodding. “All right.”

They turned as the sound of splashing water broke the conversation. Leonidas was pulling two soaked long pieces of linen from a water barrel. “Put these on, it’ll help lessen the fumes when you go in.”

“I don’t suppose a charm or two would help?” Jeanne asked.

“Most aren’t anymore than a pretty rock on a string,” Leonidas said, “and the functional ones are tuned to air, sadly.”

“Well doesn’t that beat all,” Jeanne said, tying her soaked linen over her mouth. “Anything I should know before we go in here?”

“Keep your head on a swivel, don’t start sightseeing, and you try to pilfer one of our jewels and I’ll break your fingers.”

“Seems fair,” Jeanne said, “you first.”

Alm’gis nodded before making his way down the staircase. Jeanne followed closely behind, both them having their glowing stones out to illuminate the area around them. Reentering the tunnel, Jeanne felt a cold tingling sensation on the back of her neck. She focused on her breathing, so she didn’t breath too fast or deep as they moved in deeper.

Even the faintest of shadows in the nooks and crannies of the corridor had her thinking something might come out from the depths of the earth and drag her down in the depths. “This place doesn’t have a history of ill things and devilry within the deep, does it?” she asked Alm’gis softly.

“Since we’ve been here, no. But we try to make sure we don’t wake anything up. That rarely ends well.”

“Is that a common occurrence?”

“Once is enough to merit a policy.”

“True.”

Moving deeper into the corridor, Jeanne could hear the light patting of their feet against the earthen floor begin to echo lightly against the walls. “I hate echoes,” Alm’gis said, “between the emptiness and this sense something is waiting to jump you, I could do without.”

“Agreed,” Jeanne said cautiously as her eyes darted around the area with increasing apprehension.

Covering a short distance later, Jeanne spotted a pile of brownish clothes. At first she thought a pile of rags resting on floor until she noted two small feet poking out from the bottom. Jeanne tapped Alm’gis’s shoulder who spotted the pile immediately.

“Wul’num,” Alm’gis said as he raced over, turning the passed out goblin on his back. Alm’gis placed his ear against the goblin’s chest, listening for a moment. “I hear a heartbeat,” he said, letting out a sift sigh of relief.

“Probably shouldn’t stay here too long or we’ll be in a the same bad spot.”

“Yeah,” Alm’gis said, “I’m starting to feel a little lightheaded myself.”

Jeanne was beginning to feel a light dizziness as she began picking up the unconscious goblin. Moving through the tunnel, she could begin to feel her legs weakening from the weight. Arms and fingers straining to hold themselves up. She pondered summoning her stone scales, giving her an extra amount of strength, but with the effect the air was having, there was risk of her collapsing in that form, and then there’d be two people needing to be pulled out of the tunnel. And she’d be significantly worse to get out.

Halfway through the tunnel, she felt her right leg give in, barely catching herself before she landed flat on the floor. “You all right?” Alm’gis asked.

Jeanne nodded. “I’ll be better when we get the out of here.” She noticed Alm’gis was beginning to show signs of the air getting to him worse than before. Jeanne felt sweat beading on her brow as they moved closer to the exit. She started worrying they’d collapse close to the mouth of the staircase, but far enough to where no one would hear them fall until well after it was too late.

She tried pushing the thoughts. Kept her mind on the matter at hand. Her stomach began feeling as if stone had formed inside, slowly making its way up. Just a few more feet, she thought to herself, make it up to the top, and then I can vomit to my heart’s content. Jeanne almost let out a sharp cry of joy when she saw the dim light of the staircase before them.

Turning to her left, she saw Alm’gis beginning to lag behind. She put her arm behind the goblin. “Come on, we’re almost there,” Jeanne said to him.

“I swear, if we get out of this, I’m gonna kill that bastard,” Alm’gis said, having a harder time speaking between breaths.

“I’ll give you first crack at that,” Jeanne said as she pushed Alm’gis onto the first step.