Day 9

The second set of rails did not go very deep into the caves at all. I expected to be able to follow them for hours before coming across a tunnel that had perhaps been blocked by a rockfall. In fact they led me for less than one hour to an abrupt end between two small rooms with open windows and a small bench inside each.

In my mind I saw two Dwarven guards, one in each booth, possibly there to make sure no one wandered in from the city unless they had permission from a Dwarf with the authority to decide on such matters. In that moment of imagination I saw the entire mountain come to life. I heard the sounds of a great city full of life echoing through the hollow mountain. The sharp, quick ringing out of picks against the stone, out of synchronisation with one another and discordant due to the varying density of the walls. I saw Dwarves bringing up their gems in carts to be taken to the city by the rails to be sorted.

I ventured further in. Past the two guards. A Dwarf ahead of me was carrying his gems, all with the red glow of the runes I saw on that house and in the vein in the rock I found, but these stones, unlike mine, were pure. It was not a vein in a lump of earth like the one I found; it was entirely made of that mineral. Translucent in his hand. Completely red and alive with the deep glow. Radiating an energy but at the same time doing nothing.

Then it was as if this Dwarf saw me, and he disappeared. So did the rest of them. I snapped back to reality and the silence of the dead mountain resonated against my ears. I was able to hear the pounding of my heart echo through the tunnel.

Since then I have been acutely aware of the noises I can hear all around. It is mostly my footsteps and breathing, and as I write there is also the scratching of my quill, but there is a trickling sound from far away too - I think it must be a stream - as well as a muffled tapping that I am sure I can hear even as I write this. For now I will say it is the sound of water dripping, but I am on my guard. I need sleep but I will get it with my eyes and ears open tonight.

A Dwarf at work