Expansion - Chapter 16

 

Brikel – Mapping Waste Pits

On the way to the Dining Hall for Stone‑Breath, Thavrin stops Brikel. “I need you to finish what Mardek started. Can you do that?”

Brikel pauses. “I can, but what about—”

A deep rumble shakes the western road.

The engineers turn as large Legion machines roll past: carts stacked with barrels of oil, casks marked flammable, hoses coiled like snakes, bellows strapped to the sides.

Thavrin gestures toward them. “They’ll be using the tunnels you mapped as a staging area to clear out the spiders.”

Brikel nods, understanding immediately. “All right. Is Durnek helping me?”

“Yes. We need both of you out of your previous areas.”

Brikel glances at the machines again. “Are we getting masks? If they’re burning webs, the smoke will spread everywhere.”

“Before they start, I’ll have Korrvin give me an airflow plan,” Thavrin says. “I’ll tell the Legion to wait until we have that.” He turns and heads toward the Senior Legionnaires.

 

In the dining hall, Brikel grabs a plate and moves down the line as the cooks fill it. At the table, there’s a gap where Mardek usually sat.

Helka steps behind him and murmurs, “I know. I miss him too.”

“Worse,” Brikel says quietly, “Thavrin asked Durnek and me to finish mapping the waste pits.”

The engineers already seated look up — surprise, sympathy, and grim understanding passing between them.

Brikel sits and looks to Korrvin. “Thavrin needs an airflow diagram. The Legion brought machines for the spider warren.”

Korrvin shovels food into his mouth. “All right. Let me finish, then I’ll get started.”

“Which machines?” Olma asks.

Brikel shrugs. “Large carts with barrels and casks, bellows and hoses. All marked flammable. Thavrin said we’ll get masks.”

Thavrin enters with Elder Bromvek and a Senior Legionnaire. The rest of the Legion lines up behind them. Once the leadership dishes up, they sit together instead of with their people — unusual enough that the hall quiets a little.

Brikel tries to listen, but they focus on eating.

As he finishes his plate, he feels a hand on his shoulder.

Hadrun. “I’m sorry I won’t be working with you today.”

Brikel stands and shakes his hand. “Be safe. I heard some of your men were hurt yesterday.”

“Not our team, but thank you.” Hadrun squeezes his hand firmly. “We’ll be supporting the machines. Hopefully when we finish, we’ll be reassigned to you.”

“Hopefully.” Brikel smiles.

On his way to the wash basin, Elder Bromvek calls to him. “I’m sorry I haven’t had time to speak with you. If you need, I’ll be in the chapel — or an acolyte will arrive later if you want to discuss Mardek.”

Brikel gives a sad smile. “Thank you, Elder. I’ll reach out if I need.” He nods and continues to the basin.

 

Durnek and Brikel lay out their equipment and plan how to map the waste‑pits chamber. They bring all their standard ropes, chalk, and slates, plus extra metal rods and long hooks. They check the specialized low‑heat, high‑light lamps, then their grum‑tals so they can keep accurate time. The last things they unpack are their filter masks, gloves, and non‑skid boots.

“We should have done this for Mardek,” Durnek says quietly.

Brikel nods. “Yeah. But when we were new, how did we learn?”

Durnek gives a slow, sad chuckle. “My brothers wouldn’t let me into the clan hall after I had to clean out the compost beds on one of the clan farms. My father made me eat in the courtyard while I explained which tools would’ve worked better than climbing into the pit in mid‑summer.”

Brikel smiles faintly. “It was the waste canal that was blocked for me. I had to unclog it.”

They both pause.

“But we should have done better for Mardek,” Durnek says.

“Yeah,” Brikel answers. “This is a long way from the Clan Halls.”

 

Working together, they slowly and carefully measure everything starting at the opening to the cavern. Using rods and small hammers, they test the edges of the pit and find multiple pits in the gently sloping floor. They record distances, depths, and even flow times once they clear the connecting channels.

“Like a combination of our waste and compost systems,” Durnek says, his voice muffled by the protective mask.

“Yeah. I’d like to have Olmra look at this and the fungi farm,” Brikel replies.

He glances toward the southern wall—just in time to see dark, black smoke roll through the lower ventilation tubes.

“Now what?” Durnek mutters.

They both move back toward the entrance, careful and deliberate. Smoke continues to push in. The high vents pull some of it upward, but more keeps rolling through the low tubes, thick and oily.

They both note the time automatically, then gather their equipment.

“That’ll displace all the air,” Brikel says.

“They’re trying to kill us all,” Durnek remarks as they head back toward the main chamber of Stone‑Root Hearth.

Black smoke pours out of every tunnel. Engineers move as quickly as they can, searching for breathable air. The community vents draw the smoke upward, but it is thick, choking, and everywhere. They congregate near the Chapel, removing masks, wiping their faces, checking on each other.

The Legion drags several of their own out—men overcome by smoke.

“Idiots,” Yivra says, stylus still in her hand.

The Senior Legionnaire looks over his coughing, soot‑covered men. “When the smoke clears, remove the engines and return to Durnbim Hold.”

“The Legion is retreating,” Durnek whispers.

“Apparently so,” Yivra answers.

“What’s next,” Korvik coughs.

“We wait until the smoke clears,” Brikel says glumly.