----

A faint voice was calling out to me as I felt my back was hurting like hell. I felt as if I had slept on rocks.

Which now that I think about it, I did.

"Eli wake the fuck up. We need to move the rocks there." I heard Brad calling out, but I ignored him as I turned and tried sleeping again. As I did so I heard faint vibrations coming from the rock wall.

But all that was promptly stopped by none other than Brad that dragged me away. I had no choice then, but to look at him as he did so.

Rocks were scraping against my back and I knew it was enough.

"Okay, stop dragging me geez. I'll walk away myself."

"You don't know how happy I'm about that." We both had sour smiles as we looked at each other.

I did as I told and moved away. After that people started dropping of all the rocks they were carrying inside bags made from tied clothes. Meanwhile I sighed and stretched my back.

It cracked and popped in places, squeaking like a machine without oil.

Note to myself: I should really pick good spots where to sleep or alternatively, collapse. I don't know if there are any good physicians on this planet if there are any at all.

That would be a pain in the ass or rather back finding someone.

"So, sleeping princess. Are you going to help us? Huh, what do you say?" Brad gave me my daggers and I took them.

"And what should I do with them? Fight the air or ghosts or something?"

"Dig."

"Dig?"

He nodded his head, no sign of him joking or anything. A serious face.

"Don't worry we don't except anything great from you." He said as he was walking away.

I followed him.

"Wow, that was surprisingly hurtful."

"Well, it wasn't meant to be, but whatever."

He scratched his head and continued down the tunnel. The fire that let us see was from me using magic else we would be in darkness. Others were doing the same except their flames looked more akin to candle lights than my torch like flame.

As it was magical flame there was no fear of fumes, as it ran on magicules.

The tunnel itself wasn't unique in any way other than the fact that the rocks were much more connected with each other. It prevented the tunnel from collapsing.

On our way we saw the injured. They were in a space that was cleared in the side of the tunnel. Ensuring that at least no one will step on them. Not much for disturbing their rest, but they shouldn't act spoiled or else I'll make sure they'll sleep on rocks.

Well, they somewhat do as there isn't much grass left. So, they only have grass pillows.

Kali along with Isbila were there taking care of them while preparing some food and catching water that was dripping from the ceiling.

As for Alan? He sleep.

After our ten minute walk, we came to the end. Everybody down here was deep in work, digging bit by bit the stones. The stones fell and were always replaced with new ones. The fallen stones were then picked up by people at the back and placed on clothes. When full they were then carried out.

“Eli come and shine your flame here.”

Kaiya said as we got visible in the tunnel.

"He can go digging, too. You know."

Brad pointed at my daggers to make his point.

"He's injured he should be resting right now. We aren't in that big of a hurry."

"He's his own person. Why do you dictate him what to do?" Hmm, speaking of dictating. Who would do such a thing I wonder.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"I'll mine as I said as good as I can. No more, no less." I moved out to Kaiya and whispered in her ear. "Don't worry. If it'll hurt too much, I'll sit beside you and keep the flame ablaze."

We resumed mining once again. It was a long gruelling work with no end in sight. Rocks were mined then carried out, but the progress was unseen. The walls looked the same. The constant frequent dripping of water and tiring of our bodies were being worn down not the wall. No matter the progress must’ve been there, however small. In the middle of the work Brad came beside me and said.

"Don't take it the wrong way, but the sooner we'll be able to breathe without the threat of death the better."

I nodded my head at him and stopped paying attention to him. Rather than that I paid attention to the feeling of rocks that could be felt loosening under the blade of my dagger.

I used one of the daggers as a chisel while I hit it with a rock to dig further. I used rock to mine rock.

There weren't any metals to be unearthed here, no raw ore, jewels nor even a trace of mineral vein. Now, that I think about it there weren't any in the tunnel too. It all seems desolated, barren without any alterations of colour or texture.

My work was slower than others no other there's no other way to put it. Without proper tools and injured, yet I dug. We all dug.

But it got its charm. In sharpening my patience and dulling my knife. The only thing I hope is that it's a proportional equation.

The miners dug alongside me, some of them got tired and went and switched with other people. As for me when I got tired, I was fulfilling my role as a torch.

---

The hours passed by. Time was irrelevant. The only constant mining. One true stop was sleep before digging continued.

And as I was digging, chipping away at the stone. A change occurred.

A stone fell to the ground. Instead of a new stone a black metal appeared.

It glistened in the dim cave, bringing eyes to it.

"What's that?" Brad asked and I would answer if I knew, but after a while Kaiya did.

"It's some sort of metal that's for sure. If you want to know Alan should give you the answer."

I had my whole concentration on it, instead at the discussion that was taking place behind me. Everyone from the crowd of people voicing out their thoughts.

I put my now mostly dull dagger against it with stone as I did oh so many times before. And struck.

Yet nothing happened.

I kept hammering it blow after blow, but the result stayed the same. Not a crack.

Current score metal 1: Eli 0.

"It seems you need some rest, Eli. This should be the last stretch let me take care of it."

Brad said, smiled and brandished his pickaxe. I let him do as he wanted. After all it doesn't matter who does it. What does is we get out of here.

Even with him hitting it, not a budge happened. The metal stood proud before us. The other people not believing it dig further and discovered more of the metal. The whole wall and floor was made of it in front of us.

We tried everything we could. Striking it, slashing, using magic against it and digging along. But the result stayed the same. The metal was winning.

Everyone had stern faces as they knew what this meant.

"Let's not panic right, now." Kaiya said, trying to uplift the situation, but for naught.

This was a breaking point. Hope in the eyes of people vanished, as quickly as it got sparked it got extinguished.

A thudding sound followed.

They put down the pickaxes and walked away. Perhaps into the far reaches of the tunnels, there in the darkness to live out their last moments. Some of them cried, others only sobbed, but this was the end.

"You did it, you wanted us all to die. That's why you came up with this plan." One of the people came straight to me. Vincent if I remember correctly.

A good guy, quite generous. I remember he from time to time shared some of his food with others in the factory, me included. Now past his breaking point, he’s no longer him. No longer Vincent.

"And you whore of a daughter made us even block off the path out." He picked up the pickaxe from the ground and came swinging at us.

I hurled the flame at his face, which blinded him enough for me to get him in the neck with my dagger. Quick and efficient.

"Hey it's not like that..." Brad was saying trying to make things right.

But the mob was angry and scared by the death of one of them.

As the tension was palpable in the air and we were preparing for a fight. A stream of water started flowing in the tunnel. It slithered down from the top of the tunnel between the legs of the escapees and pooled down where the body laid, mixed in with the blood.

It showed no signs of stopping and was getting bigger. Moment later water was up to our ankles.

Judging the situation to be wrong the mob dispersed and got to running up the tunnel. Meanwhile me, Kaiya and Brad were walking behind them.

"So much so for an escape path." Brad said as he kicked a rock on the way. More disappointed than angry.

"It simply seems it was never meant to be." I replied with a small smile on my face.

"Yeah, but it was a good escape. There was some trouble on the way, but the last hurdle we couldn't best. Maybe in the next life we can meet."

"Yeah..." We shook hands.

"Brad, mind giving us some space." Kaiya said and touched my hand. Softly, carefully and I responded in kind taking her hand as if I was holding something fragile, something treasured. Finite.

"Yeah, I'll go ahead." He said and started walking away. But didn't disappear into darkness of the tunnel before saying. " You were a good leader Kaiya. I'm sure your father would be proud of you."

And he was gone. Disappeared with a smile and a thumbs up.

We walked alone hand in hand. Without words, they weren't necessary. No amount of them could voice out all the emotions and thoughts that were twirling inside.

As we were walking the water was following us, drowning the tunnel behind us.

No words between us.

It was better that way.

In the end it had to come to one. End.

End of the tunnel, end of the room for water to flow in. But a start of one kiss.

We were floating there, under water kissing, eyes open just for each other. We were there waiting, dying second by second.

Until, a strong current passed and started dragging us down. Light was visible in front of us, at the end of the tunnel. Approaching at fast speed, until we went in.

Something slimy covered me and flowed into my pores as we were enveloped by the light, before we passed through.

Great patches of clouds, gigantic mountains, endless patches of plains, stretching forests and unknown settlements appeared below us.

We were falling down.

Yet even with all that beauty before me a transparent box was occupying my vision. With its simple words.

[User has been chosen. Welcome user Eli.]

[System initializing 1%]