Chapter 209: Depths of the Mountain

Brak watched as the silhouette of the Eagle King vanished high into the clouds until it was gone. Turning back toward the shadow beast resting before him, he gave a slight nod.

"Welcome to the village," said Brak to Fenrir.

The wolf let out a brief, low growl in response.

"Looks like you can understand us," remarked Brak with an approving grin. "I guess that’s thanks to the Bear God."

Fenrir only stared at him this time, remaining silent upon the gravel.

"Well, Fenrir, we are the outpost. Over there is the most dangerous zone, follow me," indicated Brak, gesturing for the beast to follow.

Brak walked toward the fortress’s outer perimeter and pointed into the distance, where the ash-grey valley and the vivid Red Forest stretched out as far as the eye could see.

"That’s the most dangerous zone near the territory, and it’s the area the Shaman wants us to protect, so do a good job," added Brak gravely.

Without waiting for further words, Fenrir shot forward at speed, turning into a black blur as he bounded across the rocky terrain.

Seeing his pace, muttered Brak in awe:

"Well, looks like the Great Shaman got himself a fast reinforcement. I hope he’s as strong as he looks."

Brak turned back toward the central yard. Vael, who was busy reviewing the mining logs, approached him immediately with a tense expression.

"Everything is set, commander, but we have a situation," reported Vael hastily.

"What’s going on?" asked Brak.

"You need to see this," replied Vael, tightening the lantern at his belt.

Both men walked at a fast pace toward the mine entrance and began descending into the dark depths. Thanks to the steady diet of beast meat everyone consumed daily, the physical stamina of the workers and the few prisoners forced into hard labor had grown, allowing them to carve out the tunnels several miles deeper in record time.

As they reached the bottom of the final incline, the dim flickering light of their torches gave way to a room illuminated by a radiant glow.

"What is this?" gasped Brak, coming to a halt before the subterranean chamber.

"We have no idea, sir," answered Vael. "When we broke through this wall, this large room was already here."

Both stepped inside with caution. Surprisingly, the air in the chamber felt pure and clean.

"I feel invigorated... What is this place?" said Brak, taking a deep breath as the day’s exhaustion washed away from his body.

"We need to contact the Great Shaman right away," suggested Vael with concern. "We don’t know if it’s dangerous."

Brak walked up to the stone walls. The glow radiated straight through the earth in a magical display.

"We must extract whatever is here..." declared Brak with resolve. "Bringing the Shaman into something potentially dangerous is unacceptable. Bring the tools immediately!"

The miners began the excavation, striking the glowing wall with their steel picks. With every impact, thick layers of dirt and common rock crumbled away, exposing a crystalline formation underneath. Bit by bit, they began hauling out massive coffee-brown crystals that held an exquisite radiance.

The moment Brak held one of them in his hands and witnessed the purity of the light it emitted, his eyes widened. Without hesitating, he snapped off a glowing shard and bolted toward the surface.

Vael ran right behind him up the long tunnel, breathless and bewildered.

"What’s going on?! What are those?!" shouted Vael, struggling to keep pace.

"There’s no time to explain, we have to run!" shouted Brak back without slowing down.

Both men burst onto the surface at a dash. The second he cleared the mine entrance, Brak sprinted straight toward the fortress ramparts, scanning the courtyard.

"Thorin! Where are you?!" bellowed Brak at the top of his lungs.

Out of one of the wooden cabins emerged Thorin, hastily adjusting his trousers. Despite the constant threat of beasts and the looming danger, basic human needs remained unchanged; the recreation directives were still active, and several women in the settlement sought comfort and protection in the arms of the soldiers.

Upon seeing him, Brak grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved the crystal shard into his palm.

"Run to the main village! Tell the Shaman we’ve discovered a new vein of glowing rocks and give him this," ordered Brak with urgency. "You can’t waste a second, run!"

Vael pulled up beside him, resting his hands on his knees and panting heavily as he tried to catch his breath.

"What was all that about?" asked Vael between gasps, staring in the direction Thorin had bolted. "All the miners are in a panic, they think we dug up some kind of monster down there."

Brak stayed quiet before turning back toward the mine shaft.

"Gather them all," ordered Brak in a firm voice. "I’ll explain it to them personally."

Within minutes, the laborers and prisoner miners began assembling in the main courtyard, whispering among themselves. Seeing the anxious crowd, Brak stepped onto a wooden platform and raised his hand for silence.

"Don’t be afraid!" called out Brak at the top of his voice. "What we found down there isn’t just good—it’s the best thing that could have happened to us! As soon as the Shaman hears about this, I’m certain he’ll send the main combat force right back to the mountain. What we uncovered has incredible value."

"What are they?" called out one of the veteran miners from the crowd. "Don’t keep us in suspense, Commander!"

"They are elemental minerals," revealed Brak, locking everyone’s attention. "We found minerals of the exact same kind back in the mountains where the great Eagle King used to live. For now, we must be extremely cautious; no one is allowed back into that glowing cavern under any circumstances. Let’s focus on exploring and working the other tunnels we’ve been expanding."

Brak paused, casting a grave look toward Vael and the front-line guards.

"If those crystals are what I think they are—and I’m almost certain they are—there could be elemental beasts dwelling beneath the soil..." warned Brak cautiously. "It’s best not to take any chances and wait for direct orders from the Shaman."