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*

Business in the mine had been running smoothly for a few days; the shadow incident was all but forgotten - all but forgotten by me, that is, as I can be quite unforgiving if I feel like it. While I stood around 'guarding' this idiot Snipes so none of the now extinct Old Mine crawlers would get funky ideas regarding the so-called digger, I plotted my revenge. Time and time again I envisioned how I would beat up the damned pilferer, drag him around by his hair and pull out his fingernails before I finally dumped him under an ore crusher.

It was just before midnight, and I was - again - engrossed in my fantasies of bloodshed1, with Snipes dozing away nearby. For probably the hundredth time that day I was at the point of my daydream where I kicked the thief in the muzzle when I suddenly heard a faint rumbling. At first, I didn't attach great importance to the sound, it was too much like a distant thunderstorm or the low growl of the barrier (you know, when some unlucky critter is consumed by its magical energies). But shortly after that there was another rumbling, and another one, each one louder than the previous one. Then someone down below started to holler.
Don't take me for one of those notoriously curious types who stick their fat noses into everything, but the sudden scurrying and yelling down there was highly unusual. I leaned over the balustrade to catch an eyeful of what was going on- and right then there was another rumble. This time, the earth shook; small pebbles fell from the rock ceiling. Hadn't I gripped the iron railing with both hands, I had surely been flung over it and into the mine below.
"Yikes," I said, "what was that?"
Snipes, who was wide awake now, crawled up to the balustrade to take a peek down for himself. "By the Gods," he groaned, "they hit water."

I tried to focus on the bedlam down there. As far as I could see, people were running around, waving their arms and shouting in utter confusion while a dark liquid was gushing from one of the shafts, pooling in indentations on the rocky floor.
"And that's bad?"
"Bad?" The digger shook his shaggy head. "No, that's not bad. That's a catastrophe."
I watched a guard scamper up to Ian; the two had a short - if heated - discussion while the chaos around them continued. Then Ian said a few words to one of the other staff members who nodded, turned on his heels and galloped down the nearest ramp to warn the single templar who patrolled that remote mine shaft for evidence of crawlers.
"I've seen enough," Snipes said. "I'm leaving before it caves in," and got up to grab his pickaxe. He didn't get far, though.
"Now wait. You won't be going anywhere, you lazy bum," I growled, grabbing him by the collar of his cotton vest. "Deserting your post, huh? Unless Ian says that you can l-"

"Abandon the mine, everybody," Ian's voice reverberated around the rocky walls. "Abandon the mine!"
"Shoot," I cursed and let go of the digger's vest, and then there was the next clap of thunder, really close this time. I stumbled, fell on my knees, got up again and hurried after Snipes who climbed up the ladder ahead with a speed I hadn't credited him with, thinking of his sluggishness when mining. Up we went; people were screaming and cursing behind us, the ground was shaking before us, and somewhere deep down below I heard the water rush and gurgle. This became louder as we dashed on- and upwards. Another rumble, and another one; the noise of the water domineered completely now, the yapping of those behind us nearly inaudible, and I did something I had never done before - I sent a silent prayer to all the Gods whose names I remembered, whether they were of the usual Trinity or some minor Varantian godlings. Despite my imploration, the falling stones became bigger as we tromped along the rocky path; one of them struck my left shoulder and made me yelp.
"There," Snipes shouted, pointing a finger at the narrow tunnel that would lead to freedom. "The gate! The gate!"
Directly ahead was the wooden bridge which had always made me even sicker than the ramps. It was narrow, it creaked when being crossed, and it swayed dangerously when a man of more than the usual weight tried to trespass. I didn't have the time to think about this, though, as the only thing of particular importance now was survival. In full view of imminent disaster, a queasy stomach just didn't count.

Drake, one of my co-guards who was a bit too fond of beer, ran to and fro along this infernal bridge, trying to escort a hysterical digger to the mine's exit. The digger, though, didn't even think of following Drake; he clung to the bridge's railing and wailed.
"Get this idiot off the bridge," I shouted without slowing my pace, still a few inches behind Snipes. "Get off the bridge, damn you!"
Drake pulled at the digger's shirt, to no avail. In my mind I could see the creaking architectural monstrosity give in to the weight of two diggers and two armored guards, but the sound of the gurgling water close behind did a lot to speed me up even more in spite of my fears. I suddenly was ahead of Snipes, thundering across the wooden bridge which started to sway and creak just as I had expected....then somebody gave me a push.
I'm pretty sure that it was this treacherous digger Snipes who did it; I'd really love to ask him about it, you know.
Anyhow, I thought I would fall flat on my face when I staggered, but all I did was an uncontrolled somersault straight into Drake - at least I believe it was Drake.
I just heard somebody scream blue murder when he fell into the abyss below while somebody else stampeded over me. Cursing, I tried to get up on the wildly swinging bridge-

BOOM.

All of a sudden, the bridge's wooden planks reared up and catapulted me high up in the air, and for the first time in my life I was flying. A cloud of glittering blue dust surrounded me2; I heard a terrible scream somewhere below of which I hoped it had been uttered by Snipes, then I hit a surface - broadside -, and the lights went out.

---

1 I mean, c'mon, what are you supposed to think about all day apart from you-know-what and revenge?
2 I take it that's how faeries must be feeling when they zip from flower to flower.

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