5-76. The Mine
Shadows danced against the walls, caused by the flaming torch in Gwenivere’s hand. Thankfully, it emitted no smoke, instead giving off a scattering of ethereal motes that dissipated after only a few moments. She sighed, glancing around. The structure of the mine was precisely what she’d expected, which meant that it was just a series of tunnels supported by a framework of wooden beams. However, as mundane as it seemed at first glanced, she couldn’t deny the presence of the thick ethera hanging in the air.
It was even denser than what she’d found in the city far above, which in turn, was far thicker than what she’d grown accustomed to. But as pleasant as being surrounded by much ethera could feel, it was not comforting.
“You alright?” asked Colt, sitting next to her, his sheathed sword across his lap. He took a bite of his travel rations.
Gwenivere shook her head. “This doesn’t put you on edge?” she asked. “I feel like my hair should be standing on end. I’ve had goosebumps since we first set foot into this mine.”
He nodded. “It’s a bit unnervin’, I’ll definitely admit that. But this ain’t my first rodeo. I won’t get too worked up ‘til we find somethin’ to work me up, if you know what I mean.”
“I guess,” she said with a shake of her head, her grip tightening on the haft of her axe. Her armor clinked a little as she shifted, and though she valued stealth, she knew that the protection it provided was far more important. In addition to her chainmail shirt, which fit her like a glove, she had been provided with a pair of armored leather pants. Steel greaves protected her shins, and her hands were clad in a pair of armored gauntlets. In short, she felt as protected as possible, though they had yet to encounter any enemies.
That wasn’t so surprising, though. The people of Ironshore had been working the mines for a few years, and they’d delved deep into the mountains. She and Colt had nearly reached the edge of their explored territory – apparently, the area was riddled with underground tunnels and caverns, some of which were large enough to have accommodated whole cities – so she had good reason to expect the situation to grow much more dangerous.
“How did you lose the hand?” she asked, nodding to the injury. It had actually taken her a while to even realize that his hand was missing, as he’d replaced it with a fixed, metal prosthetic.
He hefted his arm, turning it this way and that. The prosthetic was covered by a black glove, so there was no metal visible. It didn’t move, though, making its nature clear.
“Trusted the wrong people,” he said.
“Betrayal?”
He shook his head. “Nah. Incompetence, mostly. They weren’t bad folks, just a bit stupid. Too naïve for a world like this,” he explained. “They were still stuck in the old way of thinkin’, where people were equal, more or less. You get enough together, and you could maybe make a difference. That don’t work when your enemy is twice as strong as you.”
“They died?”
Colt nodded. “Brutally.” He shook his head. “Bad guys got what was comin’ to ‘em, though. Most of ‘em are dead now.”
“You?”
He gave a harsh laugh. “Nah, girl. I ain’t got that kinda power. It was the Druid. He swept in there and did what a thousand rebels couldn’t. That’s the kinda world we live in, now. Be grateful you ain’t seen that kinda thing.”
“You’re talking about Elijah?” she asked, thinking back to the sickly man she’d sat next to on the plane. Back then, he’d seemed on the edge of death. But then, everything had happened, and somehow, he’d come out of it as one of the strongest people in the world. It didn’t make much sense to Gwenivere, but then again, she and the other survivors had been so isolated that they hadn’t been exposed to much beyond the simple struggle to survive.
“He’s not as harmless as he seems. That boy’s got the devil in him,” Colt said. “He wants to do the right thing. He tries. But there’s more to –”
He stopped abruptly mid-sentence, and when Gwenivere made to speak, he raised his prosthetic hand. She understood the gesture and went silent. A second later, the slightest of sounds echoed through the tunnel. It was barely louder than a pin drop, but in the silence, it was obvious.
Colt pushed himself to his feet, his movements sure and silent as he drew his sword. She followed his lead, hefting her axe in both hands. As she did so, she embraced Sentinel’s Senses:
| Sentinel’s Senses
| Temporarily increase the efficacy of the Sentinel’s sensory capabilities. Also allows them to see through most forms of stealth. Duration based on Ethera. Current: 39.3 Seconds. Efficacy based on comparative Dexterity.
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