Turning Back

The tunnels beneath Mirabar were not entirely excavated by dwarves; many were natural caverns later smoothed out by dwarven craftsmen to create paths flat enough for carts. Beneath their feet lay a hard stone road, while overhead, inverted stalactites hung like precarious iron spikes, making those who walked beneath them tremble as if the formations might plummet at any moment.

After leaving the tunnel where the battle had taken place and turning into an unfamiliar passage, the group used fresh water to wash away the blood and grime, particularly the gore splattered across Singers' armor. William used a soft cloth to wipe the bloodstains from Phinia, bit by bit. The wounds on the half-giantess were shallow, barely breaking the skin, but her reckless behavior had left her man deeply irritated.

Scolded, Phinia sat sulkily on the cart, letting William tend to her wounds. The half-giantess thought nothing of such minor cuts, yet she relished the man's tenderness—a warmth she had never experienced during her countless years of struggling in the wilderness. William was not a sentimental man, and he wouldn't have cared about such superficial injuries either; what worried him was that Phinia's impulsive nature might lead to a disastrous outcome later. Having shared a bed for several months, he couldn't fathom how he had failed to notice this woman's temperament was so rough!

Old Singers brandished his rusted warhammer, cursing the wretched monsters incessantly. His improvised throw had worn his steel weapon, a companion of several hundred years, down by nearly a layer, making the old dwarf wince in pain. He was also quite dissatisfied with William's decision to retreat and change their route.

Mishaer and Aelf had completely forgotten their earlier fright, chattering away about the battle. The little girl proudly boasted of her brother's past "mighty feats," especially his artistic, violent style of killing, which left the nearby dwarf somewhat astonished. He remained deeply puzzled as to why such a powerful warrior would choose to work as a blacksmith's apprentice.

Given the chaotic scramble during their encounter with the kobolds, William began assigning combat positions for any future incidents. First, the little girl: retreat when in danger, and when safe, hide in the back to cheer them on; if circumstances permitted, she could throw a few "safe" punches to show off her "sharpshooter's flair." The elven girl Aelf was to stay by Mishaer's side to provide protection and ranged support. Phinia and William were required to have at least one person guarding Mishaer at all times, and Phinia was strictly forbidden from charging in blindly, especially in such confined spaces. As for Singers, William had no confidence in his ability to persuade the stubborn old dwarf to follow orders, so he would have to rely on forceful measures to curb his impulses (such as lifting him off the ground), deciding then and there whether it would be necessary to "close the door and unleash the dwarf."

After eating some food with fresh water, the group set off again. For this underground prospecting, they had to rely on the experienced Singers, though in the eyes of William and the others, the old fellow was hardly entirely trustworthy. Even without sunlight, the natural caverns were home to all sorts of strange life: glowing, sponge-like moss and umbrella-shaped fungi. Some of the larger fungi reached several meters in height, their caps resembling massive tents. These dense fungal forests were prone to attracting dangerous subterranean monsters, which was why the miners of Mirabar cleared all such growth near their pits.

The tunnel William's group was traversing had not been used for a long time, so lush fungi had sprouted in many places once more. As the light of the Bullseye Lantern swept across, shadowy figures scurried away in panic; William even spotted a rodent-like beast the size of a dog. Pushing the cart, Singers shouted excitedly, "Underground Dire Rat! Hahaha! Catch it! Catch it!" The Underground Dire Rat, a timid omnivore that fed primarily on moss, fungi, and small insects, was a small beast similar in status to surface guinea fowl or wild rabbits. Its meat was exceptionally delicious, making it a favorite delicacy for various carnivorous subterranean denizens—and the dwarves who lived underground were no exception.

Since such creatures at the bottom of the food chain had appeared, higher-level predators were likely not far behind. William warned the others to be vigilant of their surroundings. As the terrain grew increasingly rugged, even the "brainless" dwarf stopped his shouting. Aelf and Mishaer returned to the cart, while William and Phinia stood guard on either side with weapons drawn. The cavern fell silent, with only the sound of their footsteps, the clanking of Singers' armor, and the friction of the cart wheels echoing through the air.

Due to the necessities of survival, subterranean creatures rarely made noise; they only roared or shrieked when fighting or dying. A Shadow Panther watched the group of strangers from the darkness. Having just finished a meal, it did not attack. The clever hunter instinctively sensed the threat posed by the group, especially the faint scent of blood they carried. The Shadow Panther knew it was the smell of kobolds, which meant the group had just "hunted" recently and was not targeting it. Subterranean monsters mostly judged the threat level of an opponent by their size; in such narrow, inescapable terrain, the larger the creature that managed to survive, the stronger it was. Phinia's tall stature provided a significant deterrent to those watching from the shadows.

The silence here was like a predator stalking in the dark, hiding immense pressure. Although the group remained tense, no foolish monsters emerged to attack. After all, this was a tunnel once used by dwarves, and it hadn't been abandoned for long enough for truly powerful monsters to take up residence. Of course, there were no mineral deposits worth mining here either; if there had been, the previous excavators would have claimed them first, or it wouldn't have been abandoned in the first place.

Crossing this natural cavern, the five of them entered a man-made tunnel. Upon reaching a wide, deep mine pit, the dwarf dejectedly announced that their journey had been in vain. This pit connected to the grim, monster-infested lower caverns—the realm of the Underdark.

Although the lower caverns were richer in minerals, the danger was too great. Evil Dark Elves even existed down there. Mirabar had clashed with them in the past, and the miners had abandoned most of the lower passages. The heavily battered mine guard had been forced to destroy the connecting tunnels to prevent the invasion of the subterranean evil.

"I told you! We shouldn't have abandoned the original route! Since there were kobolds, it means there must be mineral deposits there! You know, kobolds are the worst thieves of ore! Maybe we could have found ready-made ore in those thieves' nests!" Singers grumbled incessantly.

This backtracking was truly an unpleasant affair. The monotonous gray stone walls were oppressive, and no one would enjoy living in such an environment; presumably, the dwarf's nagging, impulsiveness, and love of ale were all ways to relieve his psychological pressure.

Underground, one could not rely on the environment to judge the time. Phinia and Singers clearly felt somewhat exhausted, and the little girl on the cart began to grow sleepy, though she preferred to nap in the arms of William or Phinia, especially in such a grim and dark environment. Only William and Aelf remained full of energy. William's stamina was extraordinary, while the adult elf did not need sleep in the same way most races did; they only needed brief meditation to achieve the restorative effects of a human's full night's rest. Although Aelf was not yet an adult, she could still use meditation to recover her energy just like an adult elf.

Unsure of what dangers lay ahead, William decided to stop and camp for a while, intending to continue once they had recovered their strength. William set up a stew pot, tossing in sausages, smoked meat, and vegetables. The dried fungi along the way served as excellent fuel, saving the precious charcoal Singers had brought. As for the delicacy the old dwarf spoke of—the Underground Dire Rat—the others firmly opposed eating such a wretched creature, William included. If they were starving, he wouldn't mind using it to stave off hunger, but with sufficient food, he still preferred to try ordinary fare.

The dwarf drank the rich, fragrant meat broth with satisfaction, taking a sip of bitter ale every now and then; it was hard to say how long it had been since the old fellow had eaten such a hot meal. Aelf, having drunk half a bowl of hot soup, preferred a small piece of raw Lanwo (elven appetites were usually quite small), while Phinia, gnawing on bread, preferred large chunks of meat. The little girl had already fallen asleep on the soft Winter Wolf pelt, using William's thigh as her pillow.

When Phinia woke up, William, who had been practicing his stance while keeping watch, forced himself to sleep for an hour, even though he wasn't tired. When all four were awake, old Singers was still snoring—the fellow had clearly had too much ale!

As the dwarf woke up groggily, the little girl and Aelf were sneakily fiddling with the only half of his beard that remained. Amidst old Singers' angry roars, the group set off once more, their destination the site of the earlier battle with the kobolds.