Expansion - Chapter 17

 

Brammir – Legion Pulls Back

The miners are lined up, ready to return to the mine. Most of the morning was spent cleaning and sharpening tools. When the Work‑Start Bell sounded, they expected to see the Legion and the engineer return. When that didn’t happen, they stacked their equipment and waited. Deep‑Meal Bell came and went. Now they stand in formation again, ready for the Legion to return and for the Work‑Resumption Bell to chime.

“What’s taking so long,” Dorgun mutters.

“Maybe they found traps,” Fenrik says.

“No one said anything about traps,” Jorvik answers, voice firm.

“First spiders, and a dead engineer,” Fenrik adds quickly.

“That’s only rumors,” Thrain says, trying to keep the line steady.

“Not the engineer’s death,” Brammir says quietly. “He was a friend of Brenna’s. The engineer we have. She told me about it.”

A runner appears from the western tunnel connecting Bimadizi‑Kor’s main cavern to the worksite and the mine. He doesn’t stop — just sprints straight down into the mine.

“I wonder what that’s about,” Dorgun says.

Moments later, the marching boots of the Legion echo up from the mine. The soldiers emerge in formation, faces tight. Brenna follows them and goes straight to Jorvik.

“The mines are clear,” she says. “The Legion’s been recalled, and I’m returning with them. If you need anything else, request me again.”

Before Jorvik can respond, Brenna turns and follows the larger group of Legionnaires as they march toward the western tunnel. A smaller team breaks off and approaches Jorvik.

“We will remain behind. Guild orders,” the Legionnaire says. “You may enter the mines. We’ll set up in the empty cubbies.”

Jorvik nods once. “Very well. Miners, let’s go. We have work to do.”

With lamps held high and picks on their shoulders, the miners enter the mine.

Along the tunnel walls, chalk marks and measurement notes are scrawled in fresh strokes.

“Why’d they check the tunnel?”

“We widened it ourselves.”

“Don’t trust our work?”

“Guild checking up.”

“Why pull out the Legion?”

“Why leave a group of them?”

“Enough chatter,” Jorvik says. “We have work to do.”

They set their lamps and move to their stations — some to their veins, others to the pulley train leading toward the smelter.

“How do we know if anyone’s manning the smelter,” someone asks.

“Let’s send a runner,” Jorvik says. “Fenrik — go to the smelter. Tell them we’re back to work. Everyone else, you’ve got carts to fill and seams to follow.”

The song of picks and shovels rings through the air, punctuated by the drum‑beat thud of ore piling into carts. The rhythm holds steady until Fenrik returns, breathing hard and trying to catch his breath. He blurts out, rapid and panicked:

“Smelter’s cold. Legion’s doing something. Half a dozen gobbler bodies lined up on the wall. The rest are gone.”

Jorvik shouts, “Crew, halt!”

The miners freeze mid‑swing. Fenrik takes a long pull from a water flask.

“Alright, boy,” Jorvik says. “Slowly. Tell me what you saw. Everyone, come in and listen. Sounded like he said the smelter was cold.”

The miners gather around, lamps casting long shadows on the tunnel walls.

Fenrik takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly.

“The smelter is cold. No one’s there. The Legion’s doing something with big machines — smelled like smoke — heading west. I saw gobbler bodies lined up along a wall, and the holding area’s empty. Didn’t see any Guild. I didn’t stay. Came back as quick as I could.”

“Let’s pack up and head to camp. Maybe the Legion or Elder Hadrik will know what happened.”

They gather their equipment and line up. As they go, the whispers start.

“Dead gobblers?”

“I thought they were relocating them.”

“Send them to the River people.”

“Dead’s not the kind of release I’d heard.”

“Engines of smoke?”

“Going west, not east?”

“Gobblers attacking?”

“Enough of that,” Jorvik says. “Stop with the rumors. Let’s ask those that might know.”

“Probably lie to us.”

“Or worse — Varnen might know.”

“Gives me the creeps.”

Brammir just listens to it all, wishing he were with Brenna. ‘She’d know’, he thinks.