Kingdomturn Page 8
“In the event I didn’t say it yet, congratulations boys,” the Stonecaller said with an uncharacteristic smile.
“Thank you, Stonecaller,” Wyand and Edan replied with no small amount of surprise. Such a display of emotion from Galbrun was about as common as a mine cart pushing itself uphill. Galbrun’s normal appearance quickly returned, though, as he furrowed his grey brow and continued. “Never forget the lesson you just learned here: sometimes you have to descend into the lowest depths in order to rise to new heights.”
Wyand nodded in understanding, but lingering images of the collapse still captivated the greater part of his thoughts. The three miners arrived at the cage with Wyand struggling to stay focused on the details of his new task. He knew it was a great honor—there was no question of that—but he couldn’t truly embrace his role as a Depthcarver until he was certain how he had earned it. Wyand’s questions would have to wait, though, because as soon as the cage stopped, the Stonecaller was already unrolling the large map of the Lower Depths.
“All right Depthcarvers, tell me how you want to tap into the veins in this section….” Galbrun began, pointing to an area well beyond the main chamber. A plan for the day’s work in the Lower Depths slowly took shape as they walked towards the Stonecaller’s Recess.
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As the hours passed with Wyand, Edan, and Galbrun huddled over the Lower Depths map, the excitement of this new task finally took hold of Wyand’s full attention. They decided how many Carvers were needed today in each chamber of the Depths, and how long each of their sections should take to mine. Just as this discussion wrapped up, Wyand heard one of the old Smelters at the entrance to the mine announce the approach of Second Calling. It was customary for the lowest ranking worker who heard this message to then relay it farther into the mine, so the Depthcarvers stepped away from Galbrun’s map.
“Second Calling!” Edan and Wyand shouted together. They waited as their voices echoed down the winding passages until they heard the message carried by the next workers in the chain. Within minutes, the nearest miners from the Lower Depths were already visible as they hurried to the entrance.
“I will give the introduction and benediction today,” Galbrun said, “but since we’re still working exclusively in the Lower Depths until Kingdomturn, it only makes sense that the main message of Second Calling belongs to you two. It’ll be nice to listen for a change.” A sly grin creased the corners of his eyes as he handed Wyand the rolled-up map.
“Thank you, Stonecaller,” Wyand and Edan said in rapid succession. I’m leading a Calling?! Kingdom be found! Wyand thought in a momentary panic. He steadied himself quickly, though. All I have to do is convey the plan Edan and I just developed with the Stonecaller, he thought. Simple.
Galbrun led the way to the ring of smelters where Second Calling normally took place. Wyand rejoiced when he felt the cool breeze of a cloudy midday flow past him. If the strange heat in the mine hadn’t caused him to begin sweating earlier, the thought of leading a Calling certainly would have taken its place now. Mats were placed on the ground as the last few workers trickled up from the Lower Depths to find their seats. Far in the distance, the bells proclaiming the start of Second Calling echoed back and forth against Aldhagen’s walls. To remain standing after hearing those chimes felt incredibly unfamiliar to Wyand, and he tried his best not to appear nervous as he stood beside Galbrun and Edan. Seeing pride and eagerness in the eyes of his Taskbrothers helped ease the tension of the moment, and at least Galbrun had offered to handle the introduction. Quiet conversations continued until Galbrun stepped forward.
“Peace and honor, Taskbrothers,” the Stonecaller proclaimed loudly.
“Peace and honor, Stonecaller!” the workers replied, filling the air with the sound their exuberance. As they settled down, Galbrun continued.
“Kingdomturn is just three days away, and I’m proud to say that we’ve exceeded the Venerates’ expectations for our offering,” he said. “If we continue at our current pace, I have no doubt that we will present the Venerates with more than sixty carts of quality ore.” Stonecaller Galbrun paused to allow the shouts and cheers of his delighted workers to grow into a thunder he was sure the Venerates would hear all the way at the top of their Hall. He let the miners savor their excitement for a moment, then raised his palms for quiet.
“Do not forget, Taskbrothers, that there is work yet to be done,” Galbrun said. “Now that the Kingdomturn offering is all but secured, we will begin operations in earnest to shape and mine the Lower Depths. Effective today, those operations will be led by the recently-appointed Depthcarvers Edan and Wyand. Depthcarvers, the message is yours.” Galbrun stepped aside, and the attention of every miner immediately jumped to Wyand and Edan. Edan’s raised eyebrows and quick nod meant that he wanted Wyand to be the first to speak. Wyand ignored his body’s nervous shakes and instead unrolled the map of the Lower Depths. He walked slowly from one section of workers to the next, and prayed for the Venerates to guide his words.
“Each has his task, all serve a purpose,” Wyand began. “For me, that phrase has never been truer than it is right now. The mining task has finally been chosen for the Kingdomturn offering, and our mine has the honor of providing it. As Depthcarvers, it is our task to plan and manage all activities in the Lower Depths to ensure we extract as much ore as possible. With that goal in mind, Depthcarver Edan and I met with Stonecaller Galbrun earlier, and together we devised our strategy for the rest of today’s efforts in the Lower Depths. Half of you will be working with me; the rest will work with Depthcarver Edan.”
Wyand and Edan each began calling names of their respective workers until two dozen miners of all ranks stood behind each Depthcarver. One of the Tailings retrieved a nearby table from the row of smelters and Wyand laid out the map so every worker could see. “My group will focus on this chamber here,” Wyand said, pointing to the map. “As time permits, we’ll begin excavating a new tunnel where this small contact vein was found.”
“The rest of you are with me,” Edan continued. “Since the veins in the cage chamber are mostly barren contracts at this point, we’ll begin branch tunnels in multiple directions to see where the next strike of ore lies.” After their plans were fully explained, Wyand and Edan stood with their workers as Galbrun gave the benediction.
“Peace and honor, Taskbrothers. The Depthcarvers have explained your tasks, and I have nothing else to add. Now get to it,” Galbrun said with a nod. Both groups wished the Stonecaller peace and honor as they departed for the mine once more. As each worker passed through the adit, they refilled their water pouches and took a few pieces of bread from the serving table. Wyand enjoyed one of the two slices he’d selected as he walked alongside Edan.
“I’d say that went pretty well,” Edan said, nudging Wyand with his elbow.
“Agreed,” Wyand said through a mouthful of bread as he nudged Edan back. “Oh, and thanks for letting me take the lead when it came time for us to speak. That’s the kind of initiative I can always count on from you.” Edan reeled from the sarcasm, but quickly embraced the humor.
“Happy to help, as always,” he said with a laugh. When they reached the cage to the Lower Depths, Wyand’s group boarded first. As the Tailings turned the lowering cranks, Wyand gave a wave up to Edan.
“See this, Depthcarver Edan? It’s called ‘leading the way.’ Try it sometime,” Wyand shouted jokingly. Many of Wyand’s group laughed, while the rest kept silent to see how Edan would respond.
Edan loomed over the edge of the cage shaft, shaking his bald head in silent exasperation. It was enough of a response for Wyand to know that he had just begun a friendly rivalry between the two mining groups. Good, he thought. Competition is a great way to keep even the weariest man in motion. It was also an excellent distraction to keep Wyand from obsessing over the events of the collapse. As the cage reached the Lower Depths, Wyand forced himself to ignore the corner of the main chamber that lay in ruin—If the Stonecaller says there is no
damage here from the collapse, then there is no damage. It took every bit of determination Wyand could spare to accept that thought.
Wyand’s group ventured through the winding tunnels and vaulted rooms that lay beyond the cage chamber. The torches lighting the way were abnormally constant without the wind that typically sped through the Lower Depths. Wyand ignored this irregularity and instead chose to be thankful for the improved lighting. His group at last arrived at the chamber where efforts would be focused for the day, and without delay Wyand pointed out locations for each Carver to begin striking. The Tailings were already in motion as well, clearing away rubble that—Wyand presumed—fell loose during the collapse. He didn’t share this thought, however, based on the Stonecaller’s reaction earlier. Wyand would tread carefully around the topic of the collapse until he finally had enough time to really analyze his current situation. With the rate events were moving today, though, finding even an instant to think would likely have to wait until it was time for nightly Reflection.
After seeing that the miners were all sufficiently tasked, Wyand hefted his pick and selected a patch of stone that looked promising for containing ore. He fell into his typical rhythm, but kept a small portion of his mind fixed on the operation of all the miners under his direction. It was strange for Wyand to imagine that the same Carvers he’d shared a task with just one day prior now looked to him for guidance the way that Tailings relied on the experience of Carvers. All the more reason to focus, Wyand thought. His example would set the pace for his entire mining team.
With a sizeable pile of gangue and ore building up behind him, Wyand grounded his pick and took a step back from the stone wall to go search for the Tailings. Letting this much material accumulate on the shaft floor was unacceptable, any Tailing knew that. He could hear a cart rumbling nearby, so Wyand set out in that direction to find an explanation. After rounding a bend in a cross cut tunnel, Wyand spotted a lone Tailing attempting to move a nearly-filled mine cart.
“Scur, what are you doing here alone?” Wyand demanded as he approached. Scur cried out as he spun towards Wyand, his frightened face drenched in sweat. Immediately, he dropped to a knee.
“Forgive me, Depthcarver Wyand,” Scur said. His breathing was ragged and his voice shook as he spoke. “I…needed some time to work on my own. Without Adlig.”
Wyand studied Scur, trying to think of the words he should use to correct the boy’s mistakes. “Why would you ever choose to be away from Adlig?” Wyand asked. “I don’t think I’ve seen the two of you more than a stride apart since your first day as Tailings.” Scur looked up at Wyand and opened his mouth to speak, then dropped his head again in frustration.
“We had an argument, Depthcarver,” Scur said after a long pause. “Adlig and I, that is. It’s nothing; I just needed some time to myself to gather my thoughts.”
“I can understand that,” Wyand admitted, thinking back to his bizarre confrontation with Silax the Woodsman. “But that doesn’t excuse you from your task, or the procedures that go along with it. You know that there have to be two Tailings pushing a cart, empty or otherwise.”
“Of course, Depthcarver. It won’t happen again,” Scur replied.
“Good. Now, go find one of your fellow Tailings to help you with this cart, then immediately head over to my area. There’s at least another full cart waiting for you there,” Wyand instructed. Scur nodded vigorously as he stood—Wyand was glad to see that the boy’s usual enthusiasm was beginning to return.
“As you say, Depthcarver. I will be right back,” Scur turned and nearly stumbled from trying to sprint so fast.
Wyand laughed to himself and returned to his waiting pick. It wasn’t long before he heard the cart rumbling away towards the cage chamber. Good, Wyand thought. Scur found someone to help him. It was difficult to think of anyone other than Adlig pushing the carts with Scur, but they needed to grow accustomed to spending some time apart. Once they tested for Carver, there was always the chance of each being assigned to a totally different mine. Looking back, Wyand realized that he and Edan had been just as inseparable when they served as Tailings; thankfully the Venerates had chosen to keep them working in the same mine after they assumed the Carver task. Wyand wondered what the future had in store now that he and Edan had taken on new roles once again.
The sound of an approaching cart brought Wyand back from his memories and concerns. Scur appeared, with a Tailing named Grefstan helping him push the now-empty cart. Grefstan was tall for his age and had his black hair pulled back in a tight sima like Wyand’s. The boy was quiet and often expressionless, but if anyone took the time to study his eyes it was easy to see what he was really thinking. There was always a subtle hint of mischief in those eyes; Wyand had recognized that trait in an instant from his time spent with Edan. The mischief was absent today, however, and Wyand struggled to identify what he saw as he glanced at Grefstan. Is that irritation perhaps? Wyand speculated.
“Peace and honor, Depthcarver,” both Tailings said as they brought the cart to a halt and began loading the loose ore.
“Peace and honor, Tailings,” Wyand responded as he turned back to his work. The chamber continued to spin in front of Wyand’s eyes after his head stopped, however, and the sudden dizziness forced him to lean against the cold wall. A piercing white light formed in the center of his vision, obscuring everything Wyand looked at directly no matter where he focused. Pulsating rings of color developed around the blinding light as Wyand heard one of the Tailings—he thought it was Scur—ask if everything was all right.
“I’ll be fine,” Wyand attempted to reply, but another jolt of nausea nearly took the breath out of him. Wyand’s pick fell with a clatter that seemed to resonate within his head. Scur said something again, but the words were lost beneath a loud ringing that now filled Wyand’s ears. He sank slowly to the chamber floor, gripping the right side of his head as he desperately tried to escape this pain. Someone knelt in front of him and Wyand vaguely felt a small weight placed into his left hand. In an instant, Scur’s face became clear and the stillness of the Lower Depths greeted Wyand’s relieved ears. Scur’s eyes were enormous with apprehension as he stared at Wyand. Wyand blinked to make sure the lights and colors were gone, then he looked at the object in his hand. It was just a stone, no larger than a fist, rounded, and a dull grey with several flecks of brown. It was also stuck fast to the side of his pick.
“Where…did you find this?” Wyand asked as his thoughts cleared. Scur just shook his head as he backed away. This was exactly like the stone Wyand found in the Cavern of the Winds in his dream. Wyand used the stone to raise his pick slowly into the air, and the reality of the situation finally became clear.
“It wasn’t a dream,” Wyand breathed. “It wasn’t a dream, was it, Scur?” Scur slumped to the floor and began to quietly laugh, tears of relief streaking the dirt on his face.
“They said…they said I was mad,” Scur stammered between laughs. “By the Call, I was starting to agree with them.” Wyand wanted to be relieved like Scur, but for the few questions that had just been answered a thousand more took their place.
“Tell me everything you remember, Scur,” Wyand said as he rose to his feet. He couldn’t stop staring at the pick as it was held inexplicably above the ground by this impossible stone from the Cavern of the Winds.
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Wyand didn’t speak for the duration of Scur’s story about the collapse. The boy had been summoned to the Cavern of the Winds just after the rumbling subsided, along with Adlig of course. When they arrived in what was left of the shimmering black chamber, the Tailings were led to two motionless figures lying amidst the rubble.
“Adlig vomited when he saw all of the jagged corners in Depthcarver Edan’s arm and leg,” Scur explained. “Your head didn’t look much better, Depthcarver. There was blood…almost everywhere I looked. We didn’t see Caver Losian, but I heard the Venerates mention his name in passing. I couldn’t listen long though because they ordered us to get you and
Depthcarver Edan up to the entrance of the mine. So, we removed your mining clothes and loaded you into the cart. That’s when I found the stone in your pocket—I knew it had to be important if you kept it so close, so I decided to protect it for you.”
“That was a very wise decision,” Wyand interjected. “This stone is the only thing that validates our memories about the disastrous collapse of the Cavern of the Winds.” Wyand rolled the stone back and forth in his hand, and he realized that simple action brought him more comfort than he had ever felt. Having this tangible reminder of the real events of the past finally offered some peace to his bewildered mind. Every detail Scur added helped Wyand assemble a complete understanding of what had transpired. “My apologies, Scur,” Wyand said. “I didn’t mean to interrupt you. Continue, please.” Scur smiled excitedly; he was honored that a Depthcarver wanted to hear what he, a mere Tailing, had to say.
“Once you were in the cart, it took us a lot longer to load Depthcarver Edan,” Scur resumed his story. “He woke up, screaming and shouting as we lifted him into the cart beside you. Seeing that much pain made me hurt inside for him.” Scur’s brow furrowed and his eyes became distant as he recalled the agonizing memory. He shook his head and continued after the short pause.
“We took both of you to the surface and met another group of Venerates there. They had an empty harvest cart with a large linwyrt sheet draped over it. They told us to put you in the cart and immediately return to work. I looked back and saw them pull the sheet over you and Depthcarver Edan, but I couldn’t figure out why they would do that. That was the last time I saw you until First Calling this morning.” Scur had started to sweat again, Wyand realized, and the boy was shaking with every breath. “I kept the stone in my pocket the whole night and all day today. I showed it to Adlig after First Calling, but he just laughed at me. He said I dreamed everything we had both witnessed in the Cavern of the Winds. I just…I didn’t….” the boy trailed off, panting.