Chapter 23: The Shine Below the Dirt
Caelen stood at the entrance of the mine, spinning his copper pickaxe in one hand. The poor thing was scratched everywhere and the blade was dull from constant use for days. One more swing and it could break in two.
"Well, time to let you have a break, old friend," he grumbled, putting it down. He took out the new pickaxe—the one he made from that strange, blue shiny metal he smelted previously. It was lighter than copper but felt much stronger. The blue, smooth surface glinted in the light.
"This had better be worth all the furnace effort."
He walked into the tunnel, holding his torch, and proceeded down the small passageway. Water trickled down from the ceiling—remnants of last night's rain—and the scent of earth filled the air. The soil still had a slight dampness, but not enough to deter him.
"Google," he muttered. "Detect ores in the area."
[Google: Iron Deposit detected — Large.]
"Bingo."
He followed the path Google marked in his mind, winding through the familiar stone walls until he reached a section that looked different—denser, darker.
He raised the pickaxe and gave it a good swing.
Clank!
To his surprise, the pickaxe didn't bounce off like the old one. It bit straight into the stone like butter. Caelen blinked, then grinned.