I remember one of those trips down the elevator like it happened yesterday. A small group of us went down into the clockworks, tools in hand. The man I was grouped with, his name was Mayn, he was the usual leader for the mining groups. Mayn was an ex soldier of the Cobalt Arms, under direct rule from the Divine Order. It was their duty to explore and scout the lower levels of the mines before it was authorized for mining, and to fight the Cradle Natives like the gremlins. We are invaders. Mayn realized this and committed treason. He would never tell me what he did specifically, but it had him demoted to a mining slave for the order. No pay, just mist.
We touched down on the first floor and Mayn would usually survey the scene. That day was different. Mayn was silent and hesitant to press forward, but eventually started to march forward in search of what we came for.
"You all be careful today. Something isn't right in the clockworks."
He usually never speaks, and never tells us to be more careful. Immediatly I knew something was wrong. I never held that shovel harder than I did that day. My hands can still recall the pain of the handle digging through my gloves.
It felt as though we walked for hours, with no sight of a crystal. only teltale marking on the metal ground. Scratch marks. No ordinary scratch marks made from the wolver claws, but large scratch marks. As if they were made by someones struggle. The marks led to other things. Equipment, shattered crystals, and broken vials. Mayn stopped mid stride.
"Some one is here"
