Chapter 54: Sparks of Progress
Leaves crunched under their boots as Zira pushed through the brush. Elira followed behind her, wiping sweat from her forehead.
"You sure this is the spot Caelen marked?" Elira asked, glancing around the thick trees.
Zira nodded. "Yeah. Look, there's copper in that ridge."
Two young goblins rushed forward, one holding a wooden pickaxe. "We'll get it, Captain Zira!"
"Careful," Zira said. "If the ground looks loose, don't climb it. Just dig near the edges."
The goblins nodded and got to work. Behind them, others searched the forest floor for herbs and shiny stones. Some carried small sacks already half full of weird mushrooms and colorful roots.
Elira knelt beside a bush and tugged out a bright blue herb. "No idea what this is, but it smells like metal."
Zira opened a satchel and held it out. "Toss it in. If it burns our skin later, we'll blame you."
Elira grinned. "Fair."
By midday, their bags were stuffed. Copper nuggets, herbs, odd stones, and even one red crystal the size of a goblin's fist.
"That's it," Zira said. "If we carry any more, we'll tip over."