Aether Engineering

Chapter 38

Hydrabridge

The Voidlands North of Maston

They were woken bright and early by a horn sounding throughout the town. A few minutes later, Lira walked into the hall. She had returned to guide them down into the chasms where their first day of work would begin.

The journey was perilous. Myles had seen how deep the chasms seemed to reach, but the scale of the mining operation was just beginning to hit him. They passed carts filled with metal. Myles saw all of the basic metals as well as a few that even he didn’t recognize. He found himself dreaming of what he could do with all of the metal.

He pushed those thoughts out of his mind though. The descent they made was perilous. While the stone here was drier than it was on the surface, there were no railings keeping them away from a fall that would surely result in death. Even as they advanced down the sides of the chasms, walking along ramps that had been cut into the stone generations ago, the morning light did not pierce far enough to make out the bottom of the chasm.

Lira seemed to be determined to lead them to the very bottom though. They just kept moving downward. Eventually, the sun’s light grew dim. Shortly afterward, Myles began to see torches attached to wall every dozen feet. At one point, they saw a tired looking woman wandering between the torches with a lit torch of her own. She would replace any torch that had burned out.

Silas had brought the strange pickaxe that concealed the group’s weapons and Myles was surprised to see that this tool seemed common. They several of the more experienced miners with the same tool. Its use remained a mystery though.

Finally, after what must have been an hour of walking, the group was brought into a well-lit building where a group of soldiers was camped out.

“I brought the new arrivals.”

A massive man arose from a chair lethargically. “Last I heard there were twenty workers. Why is it that I see only eight.”

Paulo stepped froward. “We were attacked on the road sir. Most of us didn’t make it.”

The man looked down at Paulo as if at a particularly nasty wart. “Did I ask you lowlife?”

Lira pulled Paulo back in line gently, a look of distaste written clearly across her face and seeping into her voice. “These eight are all that remain officer Rolance.”

The officer, whose blue band Myles could now see was decorated in the same fashion as Lenas’ gave no reaction to the disgust that Lira openly displayed towards him. “Hmmm.” The man quietly muttered to himself, stroking his double chin thoughtfully. “This will make reaching our quota all the more challenging.” Rolance gave a sloppy grin. “I suppose we’ll have to assign them to duty in the depths.”

One of the nearby guards stirred uneasily. “Officer Rolance. That duty is usually reserved for our specially trained miners. The depths have grown dangerous, too dangerous for anyone unable to…”

Rolance cut him off. “Perhaps you are right. It wouldn’t do to lose all of our workers.” Rolance sat back down with a sigh of comfort. “We must make up for lost labor though and the depths are the only place we can find a decent amount of ore nowadays.”

Paulo bravely moved forward again. “It would be my honor to carry out this duty on behalf of my fellows.”

Rolance laughed, a sickly sound. “It seems I misjudged you, old man. You may be a lowlife, but at least you have spine.” He moved his head around the room. “Does anyone else wish to join this old fool?”

Silas moved forward, loudly declaring that he would go with. Myles saw his line of thinking. Rufus had told them he thought they would find the roots in the deepest tunnels. Here was a golden opportunity for them.

Myles stepped forward at the same time as Kate, each volunteering for the role.

“Perhaps this group is more worthwhile than I thought.” Rolance scratched his head. “Too much bravery is foolhardy though.” He swept his hand around gesturing at Kate. “Girl! You’ll stay behind.” Rolance looked quizzically at the guard who had spoken up earlier, clearly trying to remember his name. “As my…subordinate mentioned, it’s dangerous in the depths. The other three will serve well enough.”

Myles felt panic grip him. It looked like Rolance planned to keep Kate from going into these depths with them. That was a serious blow to their mission. Not only was she another combatant to help them, but she was also their expert on monsters. If anyone could keep them alive against potential monsters spawning amidst these roots, it was her.

Myles gave Silas a quick glance, but he just subtly shook his head. Myles acknowledged it. He knew they couldn’t risk arguing here. It would look suspicious and likely get them nowhere. Still though, he didn’t like it.

Rolance was about to send them on their way when Lira cleared her throat. “Would you allow me to accompany them into the depths? I could keep them safer.”

Rolance pounded the arm of his chair and gave off a low fierce growl that made the soldiers around him wince. “Did Lenas put you up to this? I’ve told him at least a dozen times that I won’t send soldiers down there. The miners who work there don’t want us watching every little thing they do, and few of my soldiers are eager to risk their lives down there. We will be leaving things as they are.”

Lira gave a salute. “As you command sir.”

Lira guided the rest of the group out, taking Kate with her. As they did so, Rolance stood up from his chair with an effort that Myles couldn’t help but be annoyed by. The man was clearly out of shape, a trait that by the looks of the soldiers he was in charge of was not doing him any favors.

When Rolance motioned him, Silas, and Paulo to follow, Myles couldn’t help but feel a spike of surprise. He had expected Rolance to send one of his men to guide them.

They went on a short trip through a tunnel that led into one of the other chasms. At the bottom of the chasm, they came across a cluster of houses surrounding what appeared to be a hole leading even further underground.

Rolance stopped as they reached the outer cluster of houses. “I’ve brought you some new recruits.”

A middle-aged man walked out of one of the houses, a pickaxe lain across his right shoulder. In spite of himself, Myles couldn’t help but feel intimidated. Years of hard labor had honed the man’s physique. He looked to be about the same size as Rolance, but where much of Rolance’s size was aided by plenty of fat, this man looked to be built entirely of muscle.

Myles found it strange to think that he could almost certainly beat this man in a fight. Even though every fiber of Myles’ body cried out in warning at the thought, he knew that was the case. His pure mana would make it so the man’s blows would fall short, and his months of physical and martial training meant he was confident he could deal serious damage in return.

The man looked Rolance straight in the eyes for a minute, neither flinching. “We’re happy to take them.”

Rolance shrugged and walked away.

“Welcome to the depths.” The man intoned, his voice drawing in their attention. “The most dangerous part of the mine.”

Paulo frowned. “We’ve just arrived. Could you explain what makes the depths so dangerous?”

The man gave a frown. “It seems the overseers have fallen lower than ever.”

“What was that?” Paulo asked.

“The names Samuel.” Samuel stuck out his hand, giving them each a firm handshake as they introduced themselves. “I’m the foreman around here. Grew up in the mines of Hydrabridge same as most of the people who mine its depths.” Samuel gestured for them to follow him.

The group lowered themselves into the massive hole, a maneuver that meant climbing down what was nearly a sheer cliff onto a thin ledge. While they descended carefully, Samuel hung off the side of the wall with one hand, casually talking. “The depths have to be respected. While the rest of the mine has you breaking your back by busting up stone, you at least get to do that on a flat surface. Here, you’ll be risking your life trying to do the same work on thin ledges. You get used to it eventually, but we’ve had a lot of newbies fall before that.”

Paulo looked pale as he clambered carefully down the wall. “You’re saying there’s no solid ground anywhere down there?”

Samuel chuckled. “There are a few tunnels that lead off the shaft. I wouldn’t go near them if I were you though.”

Myles frowned. “Why not?”

An enormous growl suddenly burst forth from somewhere far beneath them. Samuel grimaced as he kept Paulo from losing his grip from the surprise. “That’s why.”

“Monsters,” Paulo said disbelieving, “How are there monsters down here?”