The rock cracked beneath the pickaxe, exposing an opening over empty space.
The loose stones overhead could collapse at any moment, so the three of them had no choice but to slide down the narrow passage.
Plate armor screeched against sharp rock as Renato braced his elbows against the walls, struggling to slow his descent.
He had no idea how long they slid. Perhaps only a few seconds, perhaps longer.
They shot out through the shattered remains of a stone pillar and landed hard on a pile of rubble.
Renato rolled to his feet and quickly surveyed his surroundings. Slanted layers of rock hung overhead, while the fissure they had just escaped lay behind them.
The outline of District 2 was faintly visible in the distance. It seemed District 1 had toppled at an angle, leaving them outside Rolling Stone City's walls.
The immediate danger had passed, but once they were out of trouble, their fragile partnership instantly grew strained.
"Get lost, Drow!" Balin threatened, brandishing his warhammer as the runes on its head glimmered. "Go wherever you like, just don't follow us!"
"Listen here, runt. I am a priestess of Lolth. I can heal wounds and detect magical traps." Tristana unconsciously lifted her chin. "Use that stone head of yours and think about what a Drow who serves Lolth means in the Underdark."
"I provide spells and enhancements, while you provide blades..."
Renato could tell that the female Drow was trying hard to persuade them to take her along, though her attempt at humility was hardly apparent. Besides, certain references to height sounded particularly grating to Dwarven ears. Combined with his prejudice, they were enough to make Balin disregard everything else she said.
He suspected Tristana had little experience dealing with Dwarves and had no idea how to communicate